Children vs. Hangovers

Life has taken me through many twists and turns these last four months spent in New Zealand. Not that I was expecting anything different, just that being a total workaholic and constantly surrounded by children never seemed like a viable reality for me to take part of. Yet here I am. Today is my first full day off in three and a half weeks, in which I have been working sixty-odd hours per week at my three jobs. In the mornings I wake up around 7:00 and bicycle to school and teach/ mentor teenagers with some severe issues. Although stressful, physically and emotionally draining, it's the little things that make the job worth it. A kid finishing the program and going up in the world, a kid passing a drug test, a heartfelt conversation or a hug make all the difference in the world. Today is the first day of summer holidays, so although I will miss them I am very grateful for six weeks off. School finishes in the afternoon then I'm off to the pub I bartend in downtown, unless I have a massage client booked at the yoga studio I also work for. The Vic Brewbar is where I have spent most evenings working this past month. The reason I went to apply for a job there was because in giant letters on the wall is painted

"If we're really nice to Mother Nature, she'll make us some beer."

How perfect is that?? Macs beer is a local beer, made all naturally with the goodness the Earth provides. I love it, and it's a great place to work. So from there I'm usually biking home around 11-12 at night and then I get up at 7:00 a.m. again and do it all over. I don't usually have to get up at seven, I get woken up by Ryan who is accompanying an Alvin and the Chipmunks sing-along on his harmonica.

Living with children, working with children, then coming home to children again has been a challenging few months here in Nelson, New Zealand. I wake up to the melodious sounds of Ryan, age five, stomping around the house singing and Lilly, age 0.11, gleefully scooting about with a squished banana in hand and playing with her train that sings "I've been working on the railroad" once every forty seconds. The little innocents squwak about with smiles on their faces as Rebecca and I slump on the couch, third cup of coffee in hand, heads pounding and exhausted.

Let me rephrase, I'm slumped on the couch overwhelmed, Rebecca is Super Mom. Living here has been such a learning experience for me, and filled with so many pleasures I didn't know existed. Watching Ryan learn how to read and helping him learn, watching his mind expand when you teach him new things is pretty awesome. Once I asked him what he thought the meaning of life is. He sat down and had a good long think before coming back to tell me that The Meaning Of Life Is To Play With Toys. Correct, indeed. Watching Lilly go from scooting herself around silently to now pulling herself to standing and learning how to talk in only three months is almost like a miracle. She is my little ray of sunshine, my fairy princess, and more flexible than a yogi master. She is always happy, always smiling, always wanting to play, dance and clap, and is a total thrill junky. She wants to swing higher and faster, loves being upside down and giggles the whole way through. She's going to be a skydiving yoga instructor. So funny that a year ago I was cringing at the sight of babies. Maybe it's something in the water here. Maybe I'm growing up.

The only negative thing I can say is that children have no respect for a hangover and they should teach silence in schools.

Summer is coming to Nelson, and with it all the festivals and live music I could ever want. I take my hat off to New Zealand musicians, you are all amazing. My relationship ended three months ago and the music has helped me to get back on my feet again. Talk about learning curves, love is something they should teach in schools as well. I have somehow survived my first Round boxing with love, picked myself up off the mat and know that Round Two will come when it comes, and perhaps I will be a bit wiser the next time. In the meantime, I will continue to dance, work, play with my kids and love my life. The Music Gods have blessed me with tickets to see Fat Freddys Drop on New Years Eve and I cannot ask for more.

Happy Holidays to you all, may the sun shine for you Christmas Day, and may the moon never fade on New Years Eve night.