Another Year...

Here we are the end of another year.

Each year brings change.  Some good, some bad… Each year, whether its been a "good" year or "bad", something is different than it was, or some point is reached that once you pass it, things will never be the same again.  

Sometimes these changes may not be welcome but without change, we wouldn't be moving forward so to me, we should be thankful for change.  Whether those changes lead to good times or hard times is not the issue.   It means is that if you experience change then you are alive and still part of this world.  There is no change for the dead.

For me, this year has been about change.  Changes that have happened and the need to make changes.  A brotha from anotha motha lost his wife and his bro within months of each other and I lost another sistah this year.  Hard times for sure but  what can you do?  Whats happened has happened.  That point has been passed and there is no going back as much as you wish it.

Another child has left the nest and is doing her best to find her way "out there" in the world.  Things change.  Another child has finished school and may be the next to leave… Things change.

Temaeu and I still love it here, can't see that changing.  I have a new job so the we're both employed full-time now so that is a change for the better.  Connor is aiming to finish his apprenticeship schooling in the coming year.  Alina is embarking on a different path this coming year too… she's excited and worried all at the same time.  Changes… 

Anyways, heres what the kids are up to...

CONNOR

Well, well, well, it's that time again. With another year come and gone, it's time to reflect on all that's transpired over the course of the previous 365 days, and it's a lot to take stock of. But, for the sake of brevity, I've decided to spare the dressings and cut straight to the meat and potatoes.

2015 saw me make a full time return to the oil field. Thanks to the good graces of my old boss, I was hired onto the Fort Hills Project under Ledcor's banner. One of the last bastions in the face of receding oil industry-related opportunities, Fort Hills has provided jobs for a colourful assortment of characters, and offers a selection of skilled tradesmen that I've since latched onto and pestered every trick of the trade out of. As with every project, there are the usual work and growing pains, and I've lost as many hours as I've worked in sleep due to typical work aggravations, but all in all the job is still a good one and I'm just grateful for the employment.

Outside of work I'd taken every available opportunity to travel. Trips of interest were my two week walkabout across British Colombia, where I'd been able to catch up with old friends and family in a nostalgic tour of Vancouver Island's sites. Other trips were more about the company, such as a couple visits with old mates from work or school where it was simple hours long discussions shared over a campfire and a rip through Stettler's back country on quads. 

And some were for the benefit of family, like with our bittersweet reunion where we said our goodbye to Aunty Merei, or a happier visit where we celebrated our cousin Maria's wedding to some fella I'd never heard of back in New Zealand ( I kid Dan, all the best)... As I'd described to a coworker, I'm basically renting an apartment for my furniture to live in, as in 6 months I'd spent maybe 2 weeks at home.

Overall, the year has progressed in a trend very similar to the previous three; eclectic, chaotic, but sufficiently tolerable that I look forward to the next one.

Wishing everyone the best, Happy New Year and so on and such forth.

With regards,  Connor

ALINA

DA BLAWG:

Sup peeps, Alina here. When was the last time we wrote something for the blog? Well, it's been awhile, so updates. This past year has been a big change for me, as I moved to NZ back in May. The original plan was to take a short course in art school and come home to the island with a neat certificate by Christmas. The "come-home-for-Christmas" part of the plan followed through, but the rest, not so much!

To be brief, I cancelled studies and used the refund money to buy a motorcycle (Mum was so impressed), then took the first job I could find. That turned out to be voice picking for Countdown, under Agoge Recruitment.

Answer to Question 1: Countdown is that Australian supermarket company, and I worked in one of their distribution centres. This particular one was the "slow-moving" warehouse, or the one that distributes Countdown goods to all of New Zealand (the "fast-moving" one distributes to just the Auckland area). Slow-movings goods include less-popular brands of liquor, chocolate, dry foods, toiletries, aerosols, etc.

Answer to Question 2: A voice picker is like a regular picker, which is the person who runs around the warehouse to collect the goods for every order. Normally, orders are lists printed on paper, but since technology has advanced, they have a computerized system that operates vocally. In other words, every picker has a personal headset and remote, which tells you the order, vocally, and responds to voice commands. It's similar to a person reading a list aloud, and responding to what the picker says. The system is actually pretty basic, but it's confusing to explain, so it's okay if you still don't get how voice pickers work.

I was with Agoge for six months, so it took up most of my time in NZ so far, so let's make the long story short. The job is mostly walking, squats, lifting, stacking, and talking, which was really cool except for the talking part. The hours are unpredictable, but when the season hits they get longer and longer for temps like me. The staff was mostly made up of Pacific Islanders, so they were great to get along with and I made a few friends. And for a girl from the Rarotongan hospitality trade, the wages and provisions for staff were pretty sweet, like obligatory break-time and free pool. The only problem was the operation system, which (shh!) was flawed. I'll honestly miss working there, so I need to focus on the lack of stress I'll be dealing with in the future (…right?!)

Outside of work, NZ wasn't so bad. On one hand, the city is so huge and the standard of living is so much more uptight than Island-style, so I get homesick and lonely all the time. On the other hand, it's nice seeing other family regularly, and there are some luxuries that you can't get in the Cooks, or when you're living with your parents for that matter. Also, looking back at the past year in general, I think I was in the right place for some family events (with the exception of missing Tere's graduation-- stinnnnk!). So, I'm going to give NZ another shot and see how I like it by the end of next year. The following year already promises to be more hectic than this last one, so BRING IT ON, 2016, LIKE DONKEY KONG.

TEREMATAIAPO

2015 eh? What a year I don't remember. Quite a bit passed in the space of 365 days, yet I recall very little of it. 

This video on the other hand sticks out quite a bit in 2015. For a Bio class of mine in mid-February, we were tasked with getting into groups and making a short visual presentation about trophic cascade. In typical George kid manner, I made it single-handedly and it trumped everyone else's for its character, entertaining method of scientific presentation, but mostly because it's the funniest 4 and a half minutes I've ever made. Take a gander at it, and you can be the judge of its scientific comedy!

MORGANNE

Herro family! Morgy here, and to show my awesomeness as a cousin/niece/awesome-person I'm gonna do an overview of the year just for you! XDD Mostly kidding. Anyway, I'll try an keep it brief so none of you guys are falling asleep halfway through this, and as entertaining as possible. :D Let's rock! 

January- To be perfectly honest, I can't remember anything from January. Or should I say LAST YEAR!? (Three cheers for New Years!) 

February- I went back to school (I'm pretty sure) and started Year 10. Whoo! So glad that's over. XD Umm, it was also two ofmy friends B-Day's, so we got to eat cake at school. YASS. 

March- MONTH OF AWESOME. Celebrated my B-Day, and Tere's, and 2 more of my friends, but mostly me and Mr. T. WE BE AWESOME! Oh, Happy really-late-Anniversary Jason and Mayana! I send you my love from afar! 

April- I can't remember much of this month either. I think me and Mr. T got in trouble though and got to clean the entire house as our punishment. Or it might've been in May… My brain refuses to give me a realistic answer. (No! Bad aliens, BAD! Go away!) 

May- Ok, I think THIS was the month me and Tere had to clean over our holidays. So much fun. Let me contain my excitement. Wheee. 

June- More school. I think I also met my friend Erenn around this month.  I'm pretty sure it was another one of my friends B-Days to.I dunno. (Waaoooow, isn't this blog so interesting?)

July- ANOTHER MONTH OF AWESOME. Nina's B-Day came! Everyone pepper her with muffins when she gets back to NZ! (LOL, just kidding. The offer stands though.. >:D) 

August- I can't remember this month either. This must be so boring. 

Random dude: So Morganne, what was your very eventful and filling year like? 

Me: I have no idea. 

Random dude: …. No idea at all? 

Me: Nope. 

Random dude: Nothing? Like, absolutely nothing? 

Me: Who are you? And what are you doing in the middle of my blog!? 

September- MORE AWESOMENESS. This month was Connors, Mums, a couple more of my friends B-Days! Muffins all around! Ready? Aim… FIRE! 

October- I remember this month! My grandparents decided to come over and stay with us for all of October. All of it…. Love was exchanged voraciously, and there was cleaning. LOT'S of cleaning. Still, got this totally bad-ass sketch book and heaps of gifts (and I got to see my grandparents) so it was cool! 

November- The month of quiet. Gramma and Pops left back for Canada, and mum left on the same day as them because she was starting her big 'round the world tour! Was bursting with excited rainbows for her I was so happy. So me, dad and Tere got the house to ourselves for the next five weeks, and during that time there were two more B-Days for my friends. One we celebrated at the beach (whooo!) and the other we celebrated at the beach by camping (more whooo!) 

December- CHRISTMAS!! So awesome!! Me and Tere (being the superior nerds we are XDD Kidding!) got to go to NZ  to visit cuzzies (Awwww! Check them out over there! Looking all slick and cool! Relatives around the globe, you are included in this cool slickyness) see my sibs (sibs, you know who you are… I HOPE) AND celebrate Maria and Dan's wedding! SO pretty-ful! I hope you two live long and prosper in the future years to come, mine homies! Oh, thanks Jason and May,(lets not forget Jared either) for letting us stay with you! You be my other homies! Heck, you all be mine homies! 

Anyway, when we got back, we got to ensue in chaos, drive our parents nuts, open many pretty-ful awesome presents and enjoy the family goodness all around! 

There! That's a summary of my year, mine homies! Anywho-ga, I sincerely hope that you all had a merry Merry Christmas and that'll you'll either a)enjoy New Years or b)enjoyed New Years! Loving you all (everyone around the world…. in 80 days XDD Sorry, couldn't resist) and wishing you all the best of luck and fruitcakes! Have a cat! 

VERY sincerely, (What's with the doubting looks? I CAN BE--Ooo! Butterfly!) 

That weirdo over there!