Antipodes

This was always going to be a tricky time. Finish my old job, start my new one, and in between a four-day weekend stuck with Kevin. He was going to spend the long weekend with his family in Masterton, but as soon as he knew his sister would be there he decided to stay here. They don't get on at all.

My (very soggy) last few days in life insurance crept up on me quickly. I got more attention on my last day than at any time in the previous three years. They had an afternoon tea for me and drinks afterwards, although not for my benefit. There was a sense of relief but also some sadness - I'll certainly miss my immediate colleague, and we'll try to meet up for lunch from time to time.

Easter can be a lonely time for me, and having a flatmate (or this flatmate at least) makes me feel even more lonely. I'm sure a lot of it is just me, although the TV drives me nuts. In the morning, in the hours between when I get up and when he does, I get a welcome break from it, but the rest of the time it completely takes over. Last night I finally asserted myself when I had music playing and Kevin wanted the TV on.

All sorts of weird and wonderful subjects and questions came up at Rhiannon's place last weekend. One of them was "Where in the world is directly opposite Wellington?" The Map Tunnelling Tool has your answer. It happens to be a town called Alaejos in Spain. I can even see what street in Alaejos is directly opposite (or below) my street. It's fairly unusual that you'll find land on the other side of the earth, and even less likely that you'll find inhabited land. (Tunnel down from Auckland instead and you'll come out at Setenil de las Bodegas in southern Spain.)

I've spent a fair chunk of this weekend wishing I was in Alaejos. Yesterday I drove along the coast to Eastbourne (the car is great - it's my own space), stopping at a few places along the way. Even Petone, which has a long and quite interesting high street with lots of places to drink, gamble and eat fatty food. I've managed to get a few chores done this weekend, which has so far turned out to be less wet than predicted. Last week was a shocker. There was a lunar eclipse last Tuesday but the cloud cover made it impossible to see.

Today is my 34th birthday. I'm getting old. On my seventh birthday I asked Grandma whether she wished she was still seven. "No, but I wish I was seventeen." When I was 17, half a lifetime ago now, I wished I was seven. I think I still do. It's the second time my birthday has fallen on Easter Sunday (my 23rd did too). So will my 45th if I get that far. As well as being Joe Bennett's and Adolf Hitler's birthdays, it's world pot-smoking day.

The next time I write (whenever that is - it's harder now) I expect I'll have started my new job. I'm naturally nervous - it's an opportunity and I don't want to waste it.