Gut wrenching is all there is to say...
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
2011: blink and you'll miss it
It has probably been one of the quickest years to have flown past.
I'm sure for most it's been a standard year but for me, it's been crazy. Besides all the earthquakes we've been experiencing here in Christchurch, New Zealand has successfully won the Rugby World Cup (about bloody time!), and I've finished my main tertiary education.
2012 is all about making something of myself in the construction industry. As a result of the earthquakes, I'm fortunate enough to have chosen a career path that has not been wiped out. In fact, it's a lot more in demand than it ever was. Well, here in Christchurch anyway.
They say civil engineers and quantity surveyors are the only careers in the world that cannot become extinct.
I chose well, didn't I?
Hopefully we will see insurance companies lighten up and we'll be able to move forward with our city.
We have an amazing opportunity to create a new city, to pave the way forward for New Zealand when it comes to architecture and how city's operate; and to really bring in the community.
I can't wait to see what's in store for Christchurch in the next ten to twenty years. And I'm proud to be a part of it all.
I'm sure for most it's been a standard year but for me, it's been crazy. Besides all the earthquakes we've been experiencing here in Christchurch, New Zealand has successfully won the Rugby World Cup (about bloody time!), and I've finished my main tertiary education.
2012 is all about making something of myself in the construction industry. As a result of the earthquakes, I'm fortunate enough to have chosen a career path that has not been wiped out. In fact, it's a lot more in demand than it ever was. Well, here in Christchurch anyway.
They say civil engineers and quantity surveyors are the only careers in the world that cannot become extinct.
I chose well, didn't I?
Hopefully we will see insurance companies lighten up and we'll be able to move forward with our city.
We have an amazing opportunity to create a new city, to pave the way forward for New Zealand when it comes to architecture and how city's operate; and to really bring in the community.
I can't wait to see what's in store for Christchurch in the next ten to twenty years. And I'm proud to be a part of it all.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
RWC Madness - Notable Games to Watch
So this Friday is the first game of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. New Zealand vs Tonga.
It's set to be an amazing six weeks here in New Zealand. Unfortunately for me, there'll be no games here in Christchurch. I'll be watching at the pubs or at home; regardless I'm insanely excited for the world's top rugby teams to be here in my beloved little country!
Below are match ups that I think will be of interest to people overseas.
Please note that all times and dates are that which are here in New Zealand (+12:00 hours) AND we will be switching to Daylight Savings Time on the 25th of September, so we'll be +13:00 hours AND my dates go dd/mm/yy ^_^
All games can be watched online here. (I've noticed that the times out by an hour on the site, but my game info is from the NZRU so I'm going with that).
9.9.11
- 7.30pm: Opening Ceremony
- 8.30pm: New Zealand vs Tonga (not a real game of interest, but it's the first game of the tournament)
10.9.11
- 8.30pm: Argentina vs England
11.9.11
- 3.30pm: Australia vs Italy
17.9.11
- 6pm: South Africa vs Fiji
- 8.30pm: Australia vs Ireland
18.9.11
- 8.30pm: France vs Canada
20.9.11
- 8.30pm: Italy vs Russia
24.9.11
- 8.30pm: New Zealand vs France (this will be the biggest game to date in the tournament)
25.9.11
- 4.30pm: Fiji vs Samoa (these guys are kings of the sevens, it'll be a fast game, not to mention Samoa upset Australia earlier this year)
- 9.30pm: Argentina vs Scotland
1.10.11
- 9.30pm: England vs Scotland
8.10.11
- 6pm: Quarter Final 1
- 8.30pm: Quarter Final 2
9.10.11
- 6pm: Quarter Final 3
- 8.30pm: Quarter Final 4
15.10.11
- 9pm: Semi Final 1
16.10.11
- 9pm: Semi Final 2
21.10.11
- 8.30pm: 3rd and 4th match
23.10.11
- 9pm: Final
So there you have it, the games that I deem interesting enough to warrant a watch for overseas people. I'll be sure to watch every game (watching online when I'm at work too lol)
Please double check the times, I'm sure they will change to be times in your location, but I can't guarantee the date will be the same here as it will be there.
It's set to be an amazing six weeks here in New Zealand. Unfortunately for me, there'll be no games here in Christchurch. I'll be watching at the pubs or at home; regardless I'm insanely excited for the world's top rugby teams to be here in my beloved little country!
Below are match ups that I think will be of interest to people overseas.
Please note that all times and dates are that which are here in New Zealand (+12:00 hours) AND we will be switching to Daylight Savings Time on the 25th of September, so we'll be +13:00 hours AND my dates go dd/mm/yy ^_^
All games can be watched online here. (I've noticed that the times out by an hour on the site, but my game info is from the NZRU so I'm going with that).
9.9.11
- 7.30pm: Opening Ceremony
- 8.30pm: New Zealand vs Tonga (not a real game of interest, but it's the first game of the tournament)
10.9.11
- 8.30pm: Argentina vs England
11.9.11
- 3.30pm: Australia vs Italy
17.9.11
- 6pm: South Africa vs Fiji
- 8.30pm: Australia vs Ireland
18.9.11
- 8.30pm: France vs Canada
20.9.11
- 8.30pm: Italy vs Russia
24.9.11
- 8.30pm: New Zealand vs France (this will be the biggest game to date in the tournament)
25.9.11
- 4.30pm: Fiji vs Samoa (these guys are kings of the sevens, it'll be a fast game, not to mention Samoa upset Australia earlier this year)
- 9.30pm: Argentina vs Scotland
1.10.11
- 9.30pm: England vs Scotland
8.10.11
- 6pm: Quarter Final 1
- 8.30pm: Quarter Final 2
9.10.11
- 6pm: Quarter Final 3
- 8.30pm: Quarter Final 4
15.10.11
- 9pm: Semi Final 1
16.10.11
- 9pm: Semi Final 2
21.10.11
- 8.30pm: 3rd and 4th match
23.10.11
- 9pm: Final
So there you have it, the games that I deem interesting enough to warrant a watch for overseas people. I'll be sure to watch every game (watching online when I'm at work too lol)
Please double check the times, I'm sure they will change to be times in your location, but I can't guarantee the date will be the same here as it will be there.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
One Year On
Sunday marked the one year anniversary of the 7.1 earthquake that started it all.
The 4th of September 2010 changed the lives of hundreds of thousands.
It's been a tumultuous year. We've been hit with blow after blow after blow since 4.35am on that fateful day. Boxing Day, the deadly 22nd of February 2011 quake (that in itself was a unique earthquake never before seen in the world), and of course the 13th June earthquakes.
What makes this whole series of events even more unique and intriguing is the fact the aftershocks have not ceased. And they're sizeable ones. As I write this, according to Geonet.org.nz and quake.crowe.co.nz we've had 7518 earthquakes since the 7.1 magnitude. That works out to be an average of 20.5 per day.
The general going for a major earthquake and it's subsequent aftershocks is that they subside after a while. Well it's been a year and they're not subsiding.
In saying that, they're tolerable. I'd call myself a veteran earthquake survivor now, not trying to toot my own horn or anything. They don't bother me. I'll admit there are times when one hits and it starts off slowly, progressing into something a bit harder and you begin prepare yourself to move to a safer position in the room. But other than that. they're not bad.
The frustrating thing is the fact that nobody can get insurance on contents or on buildings. From a business point of view, I totally get it. I wouldn't be taking a risk with a city that has it's future basically carved in stone when it comes to earthquakes. But from a resident and worker in the construction industry, it's frustrating as hell. Without insurance people don't want to risk building. Just in case the worst case scenario happens. And the odds are sadly, very much in favour of it.
We can't move forward.
There is still so much to be demolished. Especially in the central business district which was hit the hardest in February. The new city plan is spectacular and I look forward to being able to be a part of its construction and as a resident, stepping forth into a seemingly new city. I hope that they keep parts of the old in the new, replicas of the fallen building façades would be high on my priority list. I don't want Christchurch to lose its identity and heritage. It'll be interesting to see how and what Architect's take their inspiration from when it comes to shaping the city. I have faith though, I think it'll be spectacular when it's finally done. If I still have this ten years from now, I'll be sure to post photographs of the new Christchurch.
It's at times like these where the old proverb comes into play; every dark cloud has a silver lining.
We will prevail and fight. We will win this. Christchurch will stand proud once more.
The 4th of September 2010 changed the lives of hundreds of thousands.
It's been a tumultuous year. We've been hit with blow after blow after blow since 4.35am on that fateful day. Boxing Day, the deadly 22nd of February 2011 quake (that in itself was a unique earthquake never before seen in the world), and of course the 13th June earthquakes.
What makes this whole series of events even more unique and intriguing is the fact the aftershocks have not ceased. And they're sizeable ones. As I write this, according to Geonet.org.nz and quake.crowe.co.nz we've had 7518 earthquakes since the 7.1 magnitude. That works out to be an average of 20.5 per day.
The general going for a major earthquake and it's subsequent aftershocks is that they subside after a while. Well it's been a year and they're not subsiding.
In saying that, they're tolerable. I'd call myself a veteran earthquake survivor now, not trying to toot my own horn or anything. They don't bother me. I'll admit there are times when one hits and it starts off slowly, progressing into something a bit harder and you begin prepare yourself to move to a safer position in the room. But other than that. they're not bad.
The frustrating thing is the fact that nobody can get insurance on contents or on buildings. From a business point of view, I totally get it. I wouldn't be taking a risk with a city that has it's future basically carved in stone when it comes to earthquakes. But from a resident and worker in the construction industry, it's frustrating as hell. Without insurance people don't want to risk building. Just in case the worst case scenario happens. And the odds are sadly, very much in favour of it.
We can't move forward.
There is still so much to be demolished. Especially in the central business district which was hit the hardest in February. The new city plan is spectacular and I look forward to being able to be a part of its construction and as a resident, stepping forth into a seemingly new city. I hope that they keep parts of the old in the new, replicas of the fallen building façades would be high on my priority list. I don't want Christchurch to lose its identity and heritage. It'll be interesting to see how and what Architect's take their inspiration from when it comes to shaping the city. I have faith though, I think it'll be spectacular when it's finally done. If I still have this ten years from now, I'll be sure to post photographs of the new Christchurch.
It's at times like these where the old proverb comes into play; every dark cloud has a silver lining.
We will prevail and fight. We will win this. Christchurch will stand proud once more.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
The Aftermath of 22 February 2011
So it's been months since my last post.
Three days after that post, after having been able to freely travel my city; we were literally thrust up into the air two metres and slammed back down, shaken from side to side in one of the world's most devastatingly powerful earthquakes.
My city is literally in ruins.
The magnitude 6.3 earthquake had a force of 2.4 times gravity flowing through it, and the epicentre at only 5.9 kilometres deep close to the heart of the city was a fatal blow. The Red Zone, a large area of the central city, has been closed now for months.
And in those months we have constantly been hit by aftershocks ranging from 3.0 to the low 5's in magnitude. There has been no rest for the wicked.
This past Monday, the 13th of June, we were hit first at 1pm with a 5.6 magnitude aftershock. An hour and twenty minutes later we were rocked yet again by a 6.3 magnitude aftershock.
Words cannot begin to describe the feeling of having the earth feel like it's being pulled from under you; of listening to the buildings surrounding you shudder and shake under the pressure of the lateral movements.
Before Monday, something in the range of 900 buildings were to be demolished in the central city. Watching as the earth finally stopped moving and the ominous dust cloud rose into the sky from the Red Zone was a sick feeling. We have lost even more buildings.
But it's not just buildings that are affected by earthquakes. We have lost copious amounts of infrastructure; ranging from roading, to sewerage, to water and power. My heart goes out to those people that have been working for months since February, trying to get working water and sewerage back to many parts of the city; Mother Nature has made the past nine months a doozie of a time, but this was a cruel, cruel blow.
We have been resilient, we have laughed off and dug up our roads and driveways; we have cleared debris; we have grinned and bared so many aftershocks. But some of us have had enough. Monday has proved to be one too many earthquakes for some of my fellow Christchurch people.
And I don't blame them. As of right now, going back to the 4th of September when we first began having earthquakes that were even remotely strong enough to alert people of the fact, we have been through 6915 of the bastards.
That equates to 27.22 aftershocks per day.
But it is not the actual case. In the twenty four hours following the 5.6 and 6.3 magnitude quakes on Monday, we had 86 aftershocks. It's hard to comprehend, even for me.
I think the people of Christchurch have lived through enough earthquakes in the last nine months to account for the entire lifetimes of the population of New Zealand and Australia combined, at least!
But for now, I've got years and years worth of work here in Christchurch. For me, there is a huge silver lining to this darkest of dark clouds.
I will not bail on my city.
I will stay true to myself, to my fears, to my loved ones, and to my goals.
I will rebuild Christchurch.
Three days after that post, after having been able to freely travel my city; we were literally thrust up into the air two metres and slammed back down, shaken from side to side in one of the world's most devastatingly powerful earthquakes.
My city is literally in ruins.
The magnitude 6.3 earthquake had a force of 2.4 times gravity flowing through it, and the epicentre at only 5.9 kilometres deep close to the heart of the city was a fatal blow. The Red Zone, a large area of the central city, has been closed now for months.
And in those months we have constantly been hit by aftershocks ranging from 3.0 to the low 5's in magnitude. There has been no rest for the wicked.
This past Monday, the 13th of June, we were hit first at 1pm with a 5.6 magnitude aftershock. An hour and twenty minutes later we were rocked yet again by a 6.3 magnitude aftershock.
Words cannot begin to describe the feeling of having the earth feel like it's being pulled from under you; of listening to the buildings surrounding you shudder and shake under the pressure of the lateral movements.
Before Monday, something in the range of 900 buildings were to be demolished in the central city. Watching as the earth finally stopped moving and the ominous dust cloud rose into the sky from the Red Zone was a sick feeling. We have lost even more buildings.
But it's not just buildings that are affected by earthquakes. We have lost copious amounts of infrastructure; ranging from roading, to sewerage, to water and power. My heart goes out to those people that have been working for months since February, trying to get working water and sewerage back to many parts of the city; Mother Nature has made the past nine months a doozie of a time, but this was a cruel, cruel blow.
We have been resilient, we have laughed off and dug up our roads and driveways; we have cleared debris; we have grinned and bared so many aftershocks. But some of us have had enough. Monday has proved to be one too many earthquakes for some of my fellow Christchurch people.
And I don't blame them. As of right now, going back to the 4th of September when we first began having earthquakes that were even remotely strong enough to alert people of the fact, we have been through 6915 of the bastards.
That equates to 27.22 aftershocks per day.
But it is not the actual case. In the twenty four hours following the 5.6 and 6.3 magnitude quakes on Monday, we had 86 aftershocks. It's hard to comprehend, even for me.
I think the people of Christchurch have lived through enough earthquakes in the last nine months to account for the entire lifetimes of the population of New Zealand and Australia combined, at least!
But for now, I've got years and years worth of work here in Christchurch. For me, there is a huge silver lining to this darkest of dark clouds.
I will not bail on my city.
I will stay true to myself, to my fears, to my loved ones, and to my goals.
I will rebuild Christchurch.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
The Clean Up
It's now February.
Driving down one of the main streets in the central city last night, it struck me how much we have to clean up in the city.
We're still tearing down buildings that were so badly damaged by the earthquake that it would be too dangerous to leave standing.
Manchester Street is a shadow of its former self.
The amount of churches that are closed because of damage is beyond belief. We were so lucky that the main Anglican church in Christchurch, the Christchurch Cathedral, was barely damaged. It is in the heart of Christchurch. When you think Christchurch, you think Cathedral Square.
The Cathedral of Blessed Sacrament, the main Catholic church in Christchurch, has been closed for months so that they can strengthen it.
Other, less fortunate churches, are closed and as far as I can tell, are just being propped up while committees decide what to do with them.
I'm not a religious person, but I have a huge appreciation for the architecture of churches, and it saddens me that so many have been badly damaged in the main earthquake itself, and the subsequent aftershocks. Especially the Boxing Day aftershock, that had the central city on lock-down once again.
We are still incredibly lucky. Not one death. Despite what Wikipedia claims, the death toll is still zero.
It is still a world first.
An earthquake of that magnitude should have harmed people. But it didn't. And it's a great show of how well the New Zealand Building Code works, and the standards our buildings have to meet when they are built.
The main purpose of the building code is to prevent the harm of people.
And it did just that.
Driving down one of the main streets in the central city last night, it struck me how much we have to clean up in the city.
We're still tearing down buildings that were so badly damaged by the earthquake that it would be too dangerous to leave standing.
Manchester Street is a shadow of its former self.
The amount of churches that are closed because of damage is beyond belief. We were so lucky that the main Anglican church in Christchurch, the Christchurch Cathedral, was barely damaged. It is in the heart of Christchurch. When you think Christchurch, you think Cathedral Square.
The Cathedral of Blessed Sacrament, the main Catholic church in Christchurch, has been closed for months so that they can strengthen it.
Other, less fortunate churches, are closed and as far as I can tell, are just being propped up while committees decide what to do with them.
I'm not a religious person, but I have a huge appreciation for the architecture of churches, and it saddens me that so many have been badly damaged in the main earthquake itself, and the subsequent aftershocks. Especially the Boxing Day aftershock, that had the central city on lock-down once again.
We are still incredibly lucky. Not one death. Despite what Wikipedia claims, the death toll is still zero.
It is still a world first.
An earthquake of that magnitude should have harmed people. But it didn't. And it's a great show of how well the New Zealand Building Code works, and the standards our buildings have to meet when they are built.
The main purpose of the building code is to prevent the harm of people.
And it did just that.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
11.1.11
OMGZ!
Now that's how you really do the date! Day, month, year. It's logical.
Haha anyway, welcome to 2011! This year is going to be a good one. My final in tertiary education, not to mention the Rugby World Cup which is here in my homeland of New Zealand.
I'M GOING TO BE IN RUGBY FEVER MODE FOR AAAAAGES!!
I love it. And it's very me.
I should really have posted this at 11.11pm, but I'm too tired to wait.
10.11pm will do.
(disregard that time at the bottom. I posted at 10.11pm on my laptop. Lulz)
Now that's how you really do the date! Day, month, year. It's logical.
Haha anyway, welcome to 2011! This year is going to be a good one. My final in tertiary education, not to mention the Rugby World Cup which is here in my homeland of New Zealand.
I'M GOING TO BE IN RUGBY FEVER MODE FOR AAAAAGES!!
I love it. And it's very me.
I should really have posted this at 11.11pm, but I'm too tired to wait.
10.11pm will do.
(disregard that time at the bottom. I posted at 10.11pm on my laptop. Lulz)
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