It was a rampant and varied week with my first lesson learnt on Wednesday. The Comedy Club does not have a BYO policy. Big Wednesday at The Comedy Club attracted a full house and some guide-getters got turned away. The evening was MC’d stealthfully by Jeremy Elwood as he linked the acts into one gigantic laugh fest. He was so stealth-like he witnessed me pouring from my ripper-sipper under the table and tore strips off me, in a comedic kind of way.

On Thursday my message to remember was to never allow the 3 brainiest people in the room to form a Buzz team (my fave Playstation game). They managed to accumulate more points than the rest of the other 3 teams combined. It was a hilarious start to the evening though. Bungalow8 for Slynkey.com’s launch followed, as did the usual Pony Club after that to see The Neons utterly rock. We cracked on, and I shamefully thought it’d be fun to take the train home to Ellerslie later that morning, it wasn’t, I got drenched and hassled by homeys.

Whimpering, clutching my liver and forehead I went about my Friday’s duties. If it hadn’t been for my pre-arranged evening meetings I would have pulled the pin on all plans, and had an early night. But my 2 blonde drivers arrived and we made it to SublimeNZ’s modeling division launch (but Amelia, can you please watch your following distances next time, I was white knuckled).

The event got me out of my slumber, some red wine coaxing ignited the after burners and I was away. Every bit of the event was well done, but it was the friendly happy people there that took the tiara in my eyes.

Friday’s lesson was a large one. Unless your are severely ill, take all your opportunities. You just may have the best night of your life.

Greed indoctrinated me and we nipped around most of the CBD’s bars and clubs. The best one was where we roosted, for 15 hours. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Dougal has the best after parties. Keep your ear to the ground for the next one.

A costume change and we were on the road to an 80’s themed house party, some break-dancing, and cherrios later we rolled up to Pontoon for The Love Boat dance party. People wondered about my get-up, but remained largely tight-lipped. It was when I foolishly went to SpyBar that I knew I’d made a horrendous blunder. Lesson 4, to never go to a club of any sort, sleep deprived and in a hideous stand-out costume, when everyone else is in styley attire from the covers of GQ and Vogue. I lasted to about 4am before I was ushered to a cab for a well deserved ride home.

I didn’t leave the sofa on Sunday. I heard of scattered after parties raging, but I was ill and taking advice from lesson 3. Funnily enough Friday’s lesson relates to Sunday’s epiphany. Before you try and endure a second or a third night out on the trot. Don’t think KFC is nutritious, strutting around the house in your boxers doing fashions show for friends is wise (especially ones with cameras), but most of all get at least a few hours shut-eye before you tackle another night on the turps/tiles.

My talent agency sent me to an audition for a new Ford commercial first thing Monday morning. Lesson 6 is don’t attempt a vigorous winning acting display when feeling sub-par. I thought I aced the test, but my agent thought the contrary when she called later in the day.
 
The 40 Below chat is a series of cocktail evenings hosted by the National Party. The series aims to bring young Aucklanders together to network, and hear high-profile speakers talk about their achievements, ideas and how to make NZ a better place. The latest one was Tuesday just gone at Bungalow8. I got to meet a long time hero of mine, Hamish Carter. What an inspirational guy. He taught me lesson 7, to believe in yourself and never give up.

Later that evening I talked over my learnings from the week with my friend in her spa pool. Some were tweaked, but most left as is for you all to read and maybe take heed.