The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which you had thought special and particular to you. And now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.
Disturbing is how I would possibly describe entering the Walkabout last Friday night. Men in wife beaters and Australian flags, group hugging to Men at Work. Pass me a goddam Fosters and give me a free hat... this is going to be a long night. Turns out the Fosters worked as I had quite an enjoyable night and I did score a free hat. Success all round. I still find it amazing that coming from the same state in Australia equates to being long lost mates. Surely the meaning of having something in common isn't naming as many Adelaide suburbs as you can?
Had a fabulous weekend. Met up with lots of friends, ate great food.. including the most amazing chicken roast on Sunday night. This week has been interesting. Continuing with the national celebration theme I went to a 'Robert Burns' dinner on Tuesday night where we ate haggis and deep fried mars bar like any good Scot does. We all attempted to read some Scottish poetry but came to the conclusion that it would make much more sense if we had consumed several more lashings of beer and wine.
No other news. Trying to keep busy. Have been persuaded to attempt a dark chocolate and orange pudding on Friday night which is turning out to be almost as challenging as the vegan pavlova that I have been promised. Cooking cake and having afternoon tea with 'Aunty Shirley' (Nicola from works Aunty) on Saturday. Fish and chips and beach walk on Sunday... yay!
Wednesday, 31 January 2007
Friday, 26 January 2007
Part time work
This is capoeira, man. This is some hardcore shit.
As it turns out being a locum physiotherapist doesn't in fact pay the bills and I have been forced to seek alternate employment.
Childrens christmas party at St Mary's Hospital.
Ann Summers Party... Wokawow! Hannah dressed as a devil, myself as an army cadet and Jen as an air hostess...
Deemed unsuitable to be an army cadet Claire took on my role whilst I went on to be, more aptly, a massage therapist... If only I could move in my new uniform.
Happy Australia Day!! Work mates kindly decorated the notice board with Australiabilia whilst I took the afternoon off. What better way to celebrate Australia Day than with pavlova! Except sitting in a wading pool, drinking coopers, listening to Triple J's Hottest 100 with the Australian Open in the background...
As it turns out being a locum physiotherapist doesn't in fact pay the bills and I have been forced to seek alternate employment.
Childrens christmas party at St Mary's Hospital.
Ann Summers Party... Wokawow! Hannah dressed as a devil, myself as an army cadet and Jen as an air hostess...
Deemed unsuitable to be an army cadet Claire took on my role whilst I went on to be, more aptly, a massage therapist... If only I could move in my new uniform.
Happy Australia Day!! Work mates kindly decorated the notice board with Australiabilia whilst I took the afternoon off. What better way to celebrate Australia Day than with pavlova! Except sitting in a wading pool, drinking coopers, listening to Triple J's Hottest 100 with the Australian Open in the background...
Wednesday, 17 January 2007
You can ring my bell...
Alex! Don't let him get away!
It's a round track, Nat, he's not going anywhere!
Just downloaded that song. So sad hey! Nothing much happening. Still organising travel plans. Does anyone want to buy a silver ford fiesta called Eujene? Purrs like a kitten.... You know you want it...
Don't know if you read it in the papers but my social netball team went undeafeted throughout the last season and were presented with medallions on Monday night. Certainly one of the highlights of my netball career. The pre-match tension was palpable but we held it together over the course of the match to win about 50-10. Obviously the 20 or so group emails sent around on Monday devising game plans worked wonders. Overkill springs to mind but at least I have a solid gold medallion for all the trouble. Should sell well in turkey.
It must be the month for awards and ceremony's because I also have the opportunity to gain my 'bronze medallion' in both ballroom and street dance. All I have to do is attend a sunday assessment day and complete a dance routine for each. Ballroom should be fine as long as I have an outstanding lead partner... street dance is another matter all together. I am hoping to up the tempo of 'smack that' enough so that they can't actually tell if I am completing the moves properly. If that doesn't work I am going to maintain that I was using my own artistic dance ingenuity to modify the routine so that it is more in harmony with the rythm and lyrics.
Kate Dalwood... you better have read this blog.
It's a round track, Nat, he's not going anywhere!
Just downloaded that song. So sad hey! Nothing much happening. Still organising travel plans. Does anyone want to buy a silver ford fiesta called Eujene? Purrs like a kitten.... You know you want it...
Don't know if you read it in the papers but my social netball team went undeafeted throughout the last season and were presented with medallions on Monday night. Certainly one of the highlights of my netball career. The pre-match tension was palpable but we held it together over the course of the match to win about 50-10. Obviously the 20 or so group emails sent around on Monday devising game plans worked wonders. Overkill springs to mind but at least I have a solid gold medallion for all the trouble. Should sell well in turkey.
It must be the month for awards and ceremony's because I also have the opportunity to gain my 'bronze medallion' in both ballroom and street dance. All I have to do is attend a sunday assessment day and complete a dance routine for each. Ballroom should be fine as long as I have an outstanding lead partner... street dance is another matter all together. I am hoping to up the tempo of 'smack that' enough so that they can't actually tell if I am completing the moves properly. If that doesn't work I am going to maintain that I was using my own artistic dance ingenuity to modify the routine so that it is more in harmony with the rythm and lyrics.
Kate Dalwood... you better have read this blog.
Monday, 8 January 2007
New Horizons
Incredible! One of the worst performances of my career and they never doubted it for a second.
Had a much needed quiet weekend. Had a few drinks with Katrina and a few of her mates on Friday night which was uneventful until my bus ride home when I spotted a very drunk, stumbling guy on the pavement which just happened to be my housemate. Swiftly disembarked from the bus, bundled Paul up into a taxi, despite being wrenched around the pavement which was Pauls attempt at dancing. Got home only to be met by Pauls ex house mate Russell who also was worse for ware. Much to Katrina and my disgust they felt it necessary to (rather noisily) listen to music and play the guitar. Fortunately, Katrina took it upon herself to confiscate the much abused guitar that is now missing a string. It is amazing that even though someone can barely speak they can still manage to make risotto pronto without burning the house down. Scary but true.
The rest of the weekend was, as I have said, lovely and quiet. DVD's, duvets and icecream. Had a yummy roast on Sunday with slightly too much red wine but fabulous renditions of Sam Brown 'Stop' and Allanah Myles 'Black Velvet'. At least we thought so.
Have started making plans for my next stint of travel. I will be spending a week in the UK, a few months in Europe and then a couple on months in South America before returning to the UK for Nicola's wedding. I hope to then get some work to earn a bit of cash (I am thinking selling icecream?) and then going off travelling again before heading back to Oz. If anyone has any travel plans in the near future and needs a travel partner let me know and we might be able to work something out.
Cheerio
Had a much needed quiet weekend. Had a few drinks with Katrina and a few of her mates on Friday night which was uneventful until my bus ride home when I spotted a very drunk, stumbling guy on the pavement which just happened to be my housemate. Swiftly disembarked from the bus, bundled Paul up into a taxi, despite being wrenched around the pavement which was Pauls attempt at dancing. Got home only to be met by Pauls ex house mate Russell who also was worse for ware. Much to Katrina and my disgust they felt it necessary to (rather noisily) listen to music and play the guitar. Fortunately, Katrina took it upon herself to confiscate the much abused guitar that is now missing a string. It is amazing that even though someone can barely speak they can still manage to make risotto pronto without burning the house down. Scary but true.
The rest of the weekend was, as I have said, lovely and quiet. DVD's, duvets and icecream. Had a yummy roast on Sunday with slightly too much red wine but fabulous renditions of Sam Brown 'Stop' and Allanah Myles 'Black Velvet'. At least we thought so.
Have started making plans for my next stint of travel. I will be spending a week in the UK, a few months in Europe and then a couple on months in South America before returning to the UK for Nicola's wedding. I hope to then get some work to earn a bit of cash (I am thinking selling icecream?) and then going off travelling again before heading back to Oz. If anyone has any travel plans in the near future and needs a travel partner let me know and we might be able to work something out.
Cheerio
Monday, 1 January 2007
Bringing in the New Year
You stay classy, San Diego. I'm Ron Burgundy?
Dammit. Who typed a question mark on the Teleprompter?
Bonjour!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I have just returned from a fantastic trip to France on a Fanatics Skifest Tour. Spent the entire week snowboarding, drinking and generally having a great time. I am now nursing a very sore butt and some quite large bruises although I feel that I was extremely fortunate not to come back with more serious ailments.
Like I have already said I had a great time and the group that I went with were great fun. Most mornings were commenced with 'I feel terrible... I am definately not drinking tonight' but by the end of the day these sentiments were long forgotten and the first drink was greatly welcomed (if not just to take away some of the aches and pains). The weather was amazing although this meant that there was a lack of snow cover on the slopes. Managed to pick up snowboarding enough to brave the 'blue runs' which may or may not be a good thing. I figured that if millions of little ankle biters could manage it I certainly could (even if they had already seen about 5 ski seasons out). Logic isn't my strong point.
Christmas morning everyone was feeling decidedly rough after celebrating in style with food and wine a plenty. Opened our secret santa presents and I was fortunate enough to get a pair of matching underwear. I am clearly deluded about my breast size as I was amazed that what looked like a pair of potato sacks actually fitted me quite nicely indeed.
Highlights of the trip were Scoot absolutely stacking it off a rail at the ski park - enough so that the superviser came rushing out to see if she was ok. He was met with a Scoot style laugh followed by 'that didn't even hurt'. The accommodation 'disco-theque' (nightclub) was a popular late night haunt even if it did look like a small lecture theatre? Strange but true! There are a few not so wonderful memories for example having to see Scoot daily walking around in her awful white thermal pants, communal unisex toilets after hard drinking and lack of toilet paper...eugh, getting onto a top bunk after drinking and severe DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).
New Years Eve I headed back to Manchester and went to a house party. As this was about my 10th day drinking I was asleep by about 2:30am. I have decided that I will finish up in Manchester in late February and commence some more travel around UK, Europe and beyond. Plan to head home sometime late 2007 (ie before christmas). Am looking forward to heading back to Oz but have no idea where I want to be and what I want to do when I get back.
Happy New Year to everyone. And I will hopefully speak to you soon.
Jennie and I on NYE
Dammit. Who typed a question mark on the Teleprompter?
Bonjour!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I have just returned from a fantastic trip to France on a Fanatics Skifest Tour. Spent the entire week snowboarding, drinking and generally having a great time. I am now nursing a very sore butt and some quite large bruises although I feel that I was extremely fortunate not to come back with more serious ailments.
Like I have already said I had a great time and the group that I went with were great fun. Most mornings were commenced with 'I feel terrible... I am definately not drinking tonight' but by the end of the day these sentiments were long forgotten and the first drink was greatly welcomed (if not just to take away some of the aches and pains). The weather was amazing although this meant that there was a lack of snow cover on the slopes. Managed to pick up snowboarding enough to brave the 'blue runs' which may or may not be a good thing. I figured that if millions of little ankle biters could manage it I certainly could (even if they had already seen about 5 ski seasons out). Logic isn't my strong point.
Christmas morning everyone was feeling decidedly rough after celebrating in style with food and wine a plenty. Opened our secret santa presents and I was fortunate enough to get a pair of matching underwear. I am clearly deluded about my breast size as I was amazed that what looked like a pair of potato sacks actually fitted me quite nicely indeed.
Highlights of the trip were Scoot absolutely stacking it off a rail at the ski park - enough so that the superviser came rushing out to see if she was ok. He was met with a Scoot style laugh followed by 'that didn't even hurt'. The accommodation 'disco-theque' (nightclub) was a popular late night haunt even if it did look like a small lecture theatre? Strange but true! There are a few not so wonderful memories for example having to see Scoot daily walking around in her awful white thermal pants, communal unisex toilets after hard drinking and lack of toilet paper...eugh, getting onto a top bunk after drinking and severe DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).
New Years Eve I headed back to Manchester and went to a house party. As this was about my 10th day drinking I was asleep by about 2:30am. I have decided that I will finish up in Manchester in late February and commence some more travel around UK, Europe and beyond. Plan to head home sometime late 2007 (ie before christmas). Am looking forward to heading back to Oz but have no idea where I want to be and what I want to do when I get back.
Happy New Year to everyone. And I will hopefully speak to you soon.
Katy and I early NYE
Jennie and I on NYE
Rachel and I posing
Tim and Philipa fitting the leopard skin body suit. Mmmm....
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