CunninLynguists — If you only buy one album this month, it should be A Piece Of Strange. It came out in 2006 but I somehow only just stumbled across it, & it is incredible. No one deserves your hard-earned coin more than these boys! My friend Greg introduced me to CunninLynguists years ago via a little track called Rain (it samples Elton John, I mean COME ON), which I instantly adored. Things have changed since then. A Piece Of Strange is sexy, rhythmic & beautifully produced (props, Kno!). Hell, download it if you have to, but when you’re done, throw some coins their way. Okay? (They’re also touring Europe in April. Go see them!)

Cute boys who email you through Time Out New York! Uh huh! No explanation required?! (When I say cute I mean cuuuuute!)

Going out every night — I feel like most of the time I’ve been in New Zealand I’ve been in hermit mode, but as I’m leaving really soon, I’ve been stepping it up slightly. I’ve been seeing friends, having adventures & drinking probably too much liquor. I’m trying to adjust to going out & doing stuff much more, because America is pretty much a non-stop social event for me!

Getting made-to-order t-shirts — Yesterday I went a bit nutty & ended up designing (& ordering) shirts for Jake, Nubby & myself. Jake’s is basically a ridiculous in-joke written in glow-in-the-dark text (YES!) while mine says “Virgo Power” in sparkly raspberry writing. Nubby’s says the same thing in red sparkles! I can’t wait for them to arrive & then to foist them onto their rightful owners! Hahah. YAY.

Helen & Jennie — I’m meeting my two favourite New Zealand girls tonight for drinks & ridiculousness & I can’t wait. Helen moved away from Wellington years ago, so having her back is always novel, & I’m so excited! I have known both of them since I was 15 years old, they are always there for me & I love them like mad.

Cuba Street Carnival = epic glee! I haven’t been in years & it’s happening this weekend. Basically what happens is that they close off a bunch of streets & have music stages, stalls, food & a parade. People are encouraged to dress up, so the odds of me wearing a sequinned bikini top are very high indeed! I will be out & about, frolicking & being ridiculous, so if you see me, please come & say hi — it will be one of your last opportunities before I kick off overseas for a prolonged period!

The fact that next week’s TiLT will be written in the sky! YES! I leave for Los Angeles next Wednesday, aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I am so excited. I have my fingers crossed for good weather there, but from what I’ve seen of the forecasts, it’s not something I have to worry about! Mmmm sun & big blue skies. Best ever!

Honourable mentions: Organising my accommodation for when I arrive in New York (I’m staying in the place I lived in when I first got there last year — & I managed to bargain the price down to below what my friend pays for his place in Brooklyn! AMAZING!); exchanging filthy text messages; suspender belts & stockings; two-for-one cocktails; hooded Adidas track jackets (I recently rediscovered my green one & just bought a black one with black stripes for $12 on Ebay!); singing along to songs instead of working (oops); watching Girls Of The Playboy Mansion at 3am with my mother; huge salads; Valentine’s Day cupcakes; my tentative schedule for SXSW (drool, swoon, spasm); Rove (still cute as a button & funny as hell); scheming; playing around with my dictaphone; boys who propose to you via email; surprise visits from “internet celebrities” haha; seeing & hanging out with the father of my first boyfriend EVER!; the Wham! rap (it makes me laugh every time); bright lights & burning stars & swirling colours; winks & nudges from the universe; crossing things off my to-do list; beautiful weather & hugs. I have had a lot of them recently. I’m a fan.

I also just re-read this & it made me laugh like mad to think about how much things have changed since then — & that was only 23 weeks ago!

“A better world has gotta start somewhere. Why not with you and me?” — Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins.

How about you, beautifulest girl/boy/unicorn of the sky? What’s making you stare dreamily off into the distance today?!