So the ChCh Film Festival is going on. Last night Liz and I went to see "Once" an Irish Film. I had seen the previews for it on imbd months ago and really wanted to see it. It was brilliant. It's being described as a modern day musical, Romeo & Julietish love story. Wow. I haven't been so moved by a movie in ages. The music is beautiful (all original by the two leads who are musicians, not actors). It doesn't even feel like you are watching a movie, but just a fluid look at these peoples' lives without it feeling at all like a doco. I personally love the music and it reminded me heaps of Nathaniel and Felicity ( my wickedly talented musical friends). It was about good decent people who made some damn good music together. I could have watched it again right after it was finished and the music has been going through my head all day. Go see it. I give it
CCCCC (5 out of 5 C's)
few interesting notes about the movie:
- Made for $160,000 dollars
-receiving the World Cinema Audience Award for a dramatic film at Sundance this year
- Glen Hansard (lead Guy) is part of a popular group called The Frames and was in The Commitments.
- Hansard and Markéta Irglová (lead girl) do infact play together and have an album called The Swell Season.
- As of July 02, 2007, Once had high ratings from two popular film review aggregation sites: it was deemed 97% "fresh" at Rotten Tomatoes[3] and scored a grade of 88 ("universal acclaim") according to Metacritic.[4]
This was that publicity shot I did for my school back in June. I think I am the model for a web class but it all meshes. Funny, they took hundreds of shots but the one where I am putting a serious face and not looking at the camera is the one they picked...Look at all that hair that doesn't exist anymore! I love the green.
Jonny works down on Queen St. so took us right to our building on Thursday Morning. Then we meandered around the city. The sky tower.
There were so many yummy places to eat. After the interviews we celebrated with a really good brunch with Jonny. Best pancakes ever! Well they were like Pan crepes. Soooo good. US with glasses....
and without...
Johnny and Lucy. I personally like this picture but Lucy may tell me off for posting it...what do you think Lucy. I think you look great!
Auckland has Dunkin' Donuts and we couldn't resist....I can't wait for donuts again.
The sky tower peeping out...in black and white
Now this took me back. Zillah, remember Wagamama's in London? It's the greatest Japanese noodle bar. It was one of my favorites when I lived in London. We were going to go but couldn't fit it in...brought back a reminiscent rush. Auckland has Dunkin' Donuts and we couldn't resist....I can't wait for donuts again. 
building
Mike entrenched in his Clive Custler book he bought in the airport. You know the movie, Sahara, yeah, that is one of his. Mike says they are pretty crap but he loves them and can't stop until he's done. 
Jonny and Mike not expecting the flash of this picture. So it will be a while until we see Jonny again but he said he's going to come visit us in Vermont.
a post-visa mission smile. Carly and Lucy took some others of Belinda's ring, etc...see their sites for those pix.
We left in such a rush the other day, we forgot to take our nice camera with us, but it was probably for the best because it wasn't really a relaxing trip nor were we in the mood to take many pictures. We stayed with Mike's oldest friend (since they were 10) Jonathan and were able to meet up with Carly Cammock and Belinda (Joe Cammock's fiance) and be with her to pick up her gorgeous engagement ring. Fun. To say the least, it's good to be done with but it left us all in a bit of an anti-climax as none of us got the actual visas and all had to supplement and send up extra stuff. This being Lucy as well as she was applying for a student visa for BYUH. She went up for her interview before us and he really was an idiot. He told her that he thought Mormons were an extremist cult and Mitt Romney didn't have a chance because Americans didn't like extremists...uh talk about extreme. What's most annoying in those situations is because of their position and the carrot they are dangling over you, submission to rudeness is required. Of course, I never say anything in those situations because I do not have a quick wit, but for Lucy, with one of the quickest, if not the quickest (next to Pete, her dad) wits around, it would be even worse. So she sat down and to her great understanding of my stress level at that given moment did not tell me what a jerk he was because our interview was with the same man. He didn't say much to us but I could tell he was an idiot because we met with a woman before him that went through all our papers and pretty much prepared it in totality so all he had to do was sign in the right places. Mike was very nice but there was no interview to speak of he just told Mike to swear that everything was true and sign the paper so Mike began to sign and he said. "well are you going to swear?" and Mike said, "Absolutely" and with that he had his green card, well in theory. I emailed mom right after we left and she got right onto getting our marriage certificate and it's on its way to us. Now that we have been through the immigration process in 2 countries, I would say that the process was pretty equal in both but the stress level for the States was higher. They just surround the whole experience with so much red tape and bureaucracy that it seems impossible bit it actually wasn't bad at all. I think NZ is one of the easier countries to try and immigrate from. We are down to 6 weeks before we leave. This week we are sending up for our India visas and once we have those, we'll send Mike's passport back up to get his green card and away we go. Just to top it off. They give you a sealed Manila envelope that you have to hand in with your passport when you first enter the country. Keep it sealed, she said, Do not open it, she said. I kind of want to.
Well Mike's Green Card Application has been approved but we have one little thing to send back up and then he will be issued his visa. So the pressure is off. It has been quite an experience, not as difficult as I had expected to get a "green card" but stressful. So hopefully we will have the visa within a couple weeks. Thanks for all the positive thoughts!
Another awesome Liz Cammock Birthday table! Mike decided he wanted a spread of bagels and goodies for his bday. There is a place here in ChCh that does really good bagels...boiled ones.
plus some bacon
the birthday boy eating lollies...
the birthday boy opening his present from his family...
mike with lil Eddie Berg...Mike is getting the hang of eating with babes on his lap
then Maya and Lucy joined in and got him!
mike's fans
sara and mark thought it would be funny for us to take all their kids....naturals, we are...Eddie is just really excited to be there
the annual couple birthday shot
