a sign from the gods of hilarity.

Everyone I meet seems to be asking one question: Why did you come to New Zealand?

Here are my top five answers:

1. Great stock of wool products
2. A childhood Lord of the Rings fetish
3. Reading lots of travel articles
4. It's not France
5. Flight of the Conchords' deadpan Kiwi humor

Something magical happened today. Flight of the Conchords announced that they'll be going on a tour around New Zealand this year. It's less than a month long, since NZ isn't really that big. This is stupendous news. But I have news that's even better.

Bret and Jemaine will be spending two days in their hometown, Wellington. On June 19th and 20th. THIS IS WHERE I LIVE, PEOPLE. AND JUNE 19 IS MY BIRTHDAY. THIS IS A GIFT FROM THE HEAVENS. I'M ABSOLUTELY GOING.

Please excuse my capital letters. I'm terribly excited. I just might be dancing around my living room.

fish and chips... not a fan

Last night the folks at Victoria University's res life program had a free fish and chip dinner for the apartments on my block. If you're from the Land of the Free, fish and chips = battered fried fish and french fries wrapped in a paper bag.

I chose the gluten-free option, which was veggie pizza. But I stole a bunch chips because I'm undernourished. They were overwhelmingly greasy and - to my American palate - quite under-salted. I used lots of ketchup. The other kids picked at their greasy whitefish, which might have been cod. It looked a little limp. I wasn't upset that I missed out.

I walked away from the dinner feeling oily and heavy. My run this morning was extra hilly to make up for all the saturated fat squishing around in my system.