who's that in the background?

n it's good friday in nz (as it is everywhere else, altho in some areas it's not friday yet) and the city is pretty dead. most places are closed for business today and maybe sunday and/or monday too. i'm not at the client site yet cuz everyone's left town on holiday but i'll probably go in soon for a conference call with some wanker americans.

i went to kelly tarlton's this morning, it's like a mini seaworld type joint. they've got a stingray tank and this tunnel that goes thru a big tank and the upper half of the tunnel is this see thru acrylic so you can see all around as if you were under water. but you know how when you first get new glasses and your eyes haven't adjusted yet so you get this nasty headache? being in that tunnel was a little like that. then i was next to some smaller aquariums, minding my own business and listening to radiohead on the hpod, when this little japanese kid tugs at my arm and says something. i had to take out one of my earbuds and ask him what he said. he points to one of the lion fish and goes "did you know that those are poisonous?" what i wanted to say was "do you know who i am? mf jacques pengsteau! yeah i know lion fish, pterois volitans, are poisonous and there is no known antidote to it's venom. brooke shields' dumb ass stepped on one of those in the blue lagoon." ok, i had to look some of that up (but i knew the poisonous and brooke shields part) but i've been to the monterey bay aquarium like 5 times. and i just saved a lot of money on my car insurance.

i took the free shuttle back from the aquarium. it's this minivan with graphics all over it and two penguins and a great white shark on the roof. literally, these plastic animals mounted to the roof. as we're about to pull away this mom and son are standing next to the van as pops is taking a picture. i'm just to the right of them but inside the van and was about to flip them off so they'd have a nice souvenir from nz but i thought better of it. passive anti-social tendencies again.

i almost had a flashback of an auto-pedestrian accident my friend cecily had a few months ago. i was walking down the sidewalk yesterday when i heard some screeching tires. i didn't even turn around until i saw what i believe to be a tranny rushing to the edge of the street to gawk at something. then i saw it, a car stopped in the lane, a white woman standing in front of her car with her hands over her mouth, an asian girl crouched about 5 feet in front of the car, and one of her shoes about 10 feet away. looks like the asian gal got hit by this white devil as she was crossing the street. someone went to retrieve the shoe and gave it back to the girl. i saw that the pedestrian slowly stood up so i turned around and kept walking. next thing you know this girl comes sprinting in front of me and into some army surplus store, as if nothing had happened! i was thinking someone just got punk'd. i can see how someone might get demo'd crossing the street as i almost have twice. not only do the kiwis drive on the right side of the car, they also drive on the left side of the street! so when i cross the street, i have to remember to look right instead of left for the closest lane of incoming traffic. and then once i get to the median i have to remember to look left instead of right. it gets even worse at a 4 way intersection, i just follow others at this point. i've also got to remember to wear clean underwear so when i get hit and taken to the hospital...