Christmas Greeting

I'd like to take full advantage of this blog and use it in lieu of sending Christmas cards this year. Lazy? Perhaps. Really, what more could I tell you? Y'all know every intricate detail of my life and have more pictures than you probably know what to do with. It's been a great seven months in Australia. I now call college "uni", spaghetti "spag bol", buy "shouts", and "can't be bothered" to list anymore. I walk and drive on the left side of the road. I buy tram tickets and go for weeks without missing my car. I think in metric - we all should! I no longer hear Australian accents as distinct from American. I pay a fortune for really slow internet and can't find Chex cereal or Crest toothpaste in the grocery store. I live in a bustling happening city lined with parks and activity. I love Melbourne more than any other city in the world. If my family, friends, and Jack were in Australia, I'd stay put. This is a wonderful amazing place, and I'm loving every minute of this experience. I can't encourage you all strongly enough to take time to visit. That said, there's nothing quite as wonderful as being "home". I'm loving seeing my family and Jack and being immersed once again in the Christmas spirit. I look forward to catching up with many of you while I'm home. I'm thinking of you all and wishing you a very warm, cozy, peaceful Christmas and New Year!

Daily Life Recap

I'm sorry to report that I've not had any particularly extravagant ventures in the last week or so. However, due to many of your comments on my lack of updates, I'm happy to fill you in on the ins and outs of daily life in Australia. I've fizzled in the photography department and therefore have no pictures to supplement these exhilarating recaps.

Mon 10 Dec - I went to boxing after work and did some extra bag work after class. I bypassed the opportunity to go watch a boxing fight in St Kilda to go home and talk to Dan who's been going through some big life things.

Tues 11 Dec - Nearly every Tuesday night (for the past month and next three months) I go to a Landmark Self Expression and Leadership course. I'm always exhausted when I arrive but exhilarated by the time I leave. This night was no different. I'm feeling really inspired.

Wed 12 Dec - After boxing, my friend Jojo came to the house for dinner and to hang out with Dan and Jade. She's very sweet and brought me a Christmas present which was very unexpected and I was thus unprepared. What a bad feeling. No presents from any of you, alright?!?? I don't want to repeat that experience.

Thurs 13 Dec - I had dinner with Heath, then watched an Aussie film, Clubland, with Dan and Jade. You know it's interesting... I don't even hear the Australian accent anymore - ever - at all. I wonder if I will hear and be overwhelmed by the Texan accent while I'm back.

Fri 14 Dec - Three colleagues accompanied me to boxing - Ritz, Katherine, and Narelle. It was great fun to have them in the class and they did exceptionally well as first time visitors. Ritz and Katherine box at another gym so they weren't total newbies. Boxing was extra eventful as the coach (Brando) got a sharp fingernail to his eye during one of our jab response warm up exercises. It was completely accidental and wasn't me or the newbies, but it was really bad - his eye turned Christmas red and he should have left immediately but proceeded to finish the class before getting it checked out. The doctor said it was pretty bad and he would have lost his eye if he hadn't taken care of it. He's back on the road to recovery but still looking bad. The rest of us went for Indian food at Kristel's apartment. She lives in a prime location in the city with an amazing view of the city, river, and Federation Square. Of course she pays in a week nearly what I pay in a month. After that, we were planning to see "the best salsa band in Melbourne" and do a little dancing, but somehow the band was cancelled and the venue was closed for a private function. Oops. We went to a couple other bars in the city - Cookie and St Jerome's - both with outdoor and open rooftop areas. Remember it's summer here.

Sat 15 Dec - I had my second all day workshop for the Landmark course I'm doing. Jade, Tommy, and Phill came with me for a portion of the day to check it out and see what it was all about. The things people shared were incredibly moving and inspiring and all three of them decided to do the course.

Sun 16 Dec - I was still completely exhausted from the prior week. I walked to work Tuesday morning, had a killer personal training session Tuesday during lunch, woke up Wednesday morning with ultra sore legs yet still decided it would be a good idea to walk to work again to stretch out my legs. Ummm... not a good idea. Sunday, I was still dragging. I set out to do some Christmas shopping, but was so wiped out, I bailed half way through the marathon run of shops. The shopping trip was completely unsuccessful and I opted to head home for a much wanted nap. Aaah! Movie night is becoming a regular thing around our house and I settled into another movie with Dan rather than starting to think about packing for the trip home. Not long now.

Mon 17 Dec - After boxing, I went to "Cooking School" with the girls (same group that was at the tulip farm in Tassie). Last night it ended up being a small crew - just Duff, Jojo, and me - for some masterful spag bol (that's spaghetti bolognese, in other words spaghetti with meatsauce). The night consisted of lots of good girl talk.

Rye BBQ

My Landmark coach Louise (in the pink hat) invited our small group of five to join her for her family's annual Christmas celebration - a bbq on the Rye waterfront. Kaz (in the blue sweatshirt) picked me up from Vic Market around noon and we made the 2 hour drive down the peninsula. It started raining on our way, not a good sign. It was a little wet and chilly, but still great to enjoy a family Christmas celebration Aussie style (in the middle of summer - it really does NOT feel like Christmas). There were young, old, and everything in between. I can't wait to celebrate with MY family... 12 days till I leave!!

NGV and Ding Dong Lounge

Red Nine on Degraves St - Phill is at the second table in on the right


Random dog sculpture jetting out of the side of a building wall

Phill in front of the NGV

Children Collide band at the Ding Dong Lounge

Heath on bass

I met Phill in the city for lunch and a little culture. We went to Red Nine on Degraves St for a parma (chicken parmigiana that is - they are wildly popular and common here, served with chips, frech fries that is). There was a random sculpture of barking, growling, snaring dogs jetting out of the building wall opposite our cafe. We watched dozens of people stop to photograph the wonder - how bizarre. Phill wanted to see the Modern Britain exhibit at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) so we headed there next. Phill is my ultimate museum buddy - we operate at the same speed (fast). We saw three levels of exhibits in less than 2 hours and were so ready to be done at the end of it. I'd have to say the 80's fashion display was a highlight. How weird is it to think that something we lived through is part of a museum?!

At 10PM Jade, Dan, Ryan (Dan's friend visiting from Sydney), and I headed to the Ding Dong Lounge in the city, where Heath's band Children Collide played a gig. I had a little trouble at the door because I was wearing flip flops (called thongs here), which were not allowed in the bar. So I had to get a taxi to bring me home then back into the city simply to change shoes. It was well worth the hassle as it was my first opportunity to see my very own housemate play in his soon-to-be-famous band. It was so fun to tell the doorman to bypass cover for me because "I'm on the list". Loved it. The band was extremely talented, though I'm pretty sure I lost hearing during their set. Heath was incredible, bursting across the stage with peak energy and jamming out completely. He was soaking wet when I went to hug him after they played. Yuck. Their band is signed and traveling all over Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. Keep your ears pricked. They're good.

URS Christmas Party

Alex, Mike, me, Katherine

Harry, Fish (Elliott), Texas, Cass, Rocco, Robo, Dills


The girls - Cass, Tracey, Dena, Alex, me

Chris, Jono, Linton

Kara, me, Ritz, new girl(?), someone's friend, Katherine

Zoe and Ned - the couple I dogsat Tyr for in Port Melbourne

Emily, me, Clea

The URS Christmas party was held at Waterfront Restaurant at Station Pier in Port Melbourne. The venue was beautiful, jetted out onto the water, with a spectacular view of the bay and the city. URS supplied unlimited beer, wine, and champagne with an incredible buffet of seafood, roasts, salads, and gourmet desserts. The attire was cocktail with a touch of tropical. It was an incredibly fun evening with music, dancing, drinks, and lots of great conversation. After the party, a group of us headed to GPO, a bar in the city. Brando, my boxing coach happened to be bouncing there that night - it was fun to see him all dressed up with my work crew. We continued dancing and celebrating the night, a very fun evening!!

City BBQ and 3 Below

In continuation of the fortnightly Chinatown tradition, Rocco and I met up with Sammy and two of his engineering friends, Greg and Cameron (all friends of Tuffy who is now working for URS in Oakland). We started off at City BBQ (actually a Chinese restaurant) and followed that with a bar called 3 Below in the City Square. The bar had great atmosphere, both inside and out. The inside of the bar is designed to mimic a forest, but one of concrete and steel with stained glass windows and warm colors and lighting. It was funky and cozy. I had the great pleasure of informing Sammy that I had now gone 37 days without drinking, meaning that he would have to pay up on the bet, meaning 7 days off the booze for him. Oh what a challenge that will be.

The Adventures of Dan & Jade

After three insane weeks in Thailand, Dan and Jade finally returned to Melbourne. I came home to the typical party I'd been deprived of the past few weeks - all four of us housemates with a few extras, loud music, and drinks a plenty. They shared jaw dropping stories, one after another, and couldn't put into words the amazing experiences they had in their journey around Thailand. I can't wait to go!

Somehow in their quick departure and travels around Thailand, they'd lost their house keys, so there's been a lot of breaking in to our house lately... scaling fences, climbing through windows, and dodgy lock substitutions. One creative attempt entailed wrapping the chain lock around the door handle and securing it with a luggage lock. In a momentary lapse of brilliance, the inventor removed the luggage lock key thinking someone would be able to get in. Ummm, the lock was on the INSIDE of the door. I couldn't get out the next morning to go to work. I wasn't able to find the key to unlock the door so I ended up yanking the door and pulling the chain out of the door frame. Aaahh, welcome back the crazies.

Shopping Spree

I was planning to go to Phillip Island to see the penguins today, but grand prix car racing on the island deterred us. We figured it may detract from wildlife spottings and would prolong the trip home with additional traffic. That trip will probably have to wait until after Christmas.

Instead, Narelle and I set out for some retail therapy in the city. We were both on a mission to complete our ensembles for the work Christmas party the next Friday. Shockingly, I haven't been clothes shopping since I arrived in Melbourne, so I was understandably caught up in something of a spree. I was in for a fashion awakening. Narelle guided me into all the lanes and arcades of hoity toity shops with price tags that made my jaw drop - the girl has good taste! The stores were different, fashion was different, sizes were different, and the prices were different. A U.S. size 6 is a 10 or 12 in Australia. Feeling good girls? Prices are double or triple what you'd expect to pay in the U.S., except I'm told you can buy uber nice suits for reasonable prices here. I'm still not acclimated to the limited shopping hours here, as in Europe. The shops close by 5 or 6 PM every day of the week with late opening times on the weekends, if open at all. Who are these people that want to have a life? I emerged with a few things - now I just need some leggings to complete the real Melbourne 80's look - ya right! I did manage to find a black skirt with satin stripes at the bottom to go with my sequin top with a satin belt. Amazing!!

Boxing BBQ

Fred, Adrian, Michelle, Celine, me, Brando, Carlos, Kristel


Fancy kebabs at the Aussie barbie


We're all going to have guns like Brando's

Mr Jigga's gig at Revolver in Prahran

We've got to have the most international collection of people in our boxing class with representatives from Holland, Ireland, France, Singapore, Spain, Italy, Russia, Germany, China, Canada, the U.S., and Australia to name a few. Fred and his girlfriend Susi are returning to France after a year in Australia. He was a very regular attender of the evening classes, and drew a number of us to his farewell bbq along the Yarra River on a perfect summer afternoon. We had the fanciest food at this bbq - gourmet lamb sausages, kebabs, satay checken skewers, pork chops, etc - no burgers and dogs here.

I met a girl from Texas from a neighboring group's bbq along the river. Cindy and her husband moved permanently to Australia about a year ago and she was a wealth of information. She's part of an American Women's Auxiliary and also part of a Texas Exes group in Melbourne. Who knew there was a UT Alumni group in Australia?! Apparently they just got it going. I'll get involved after Christmas when I return from the U.S.

The group was still going strong at 11PM when I peeled away to go see my friend Sam play a gig with his band Mr Jigga at Revolver in Prahran. His band is an electronica funk band that always promises great dancing. In great form, a bunch of work people danced through the set. Revolver is known for staying open from Friday through Monday. As one of few bars that does not close through the weekend, it can get a little "revolting" as Aussies have so dubbed the place. I left before the place got too dodgy.