These things happen he said. Sure, if you are a flake like me. Not a gdamn airline service.

A rotating beacon was not functioning. It was non-functional for TEN days. They had a waiver to operate with this beacon failure for TEN DAYS! (a word of warning, the comments above and below are not those of a happy traveller. I could have mentioned this sooner but I did not. Guess these things just happen.)

For those unfamiliar with avionics or mechanical engineering, let me analgisize you. Say you have a crack on your windshield and you have a order by the police to get it fixed in ten days. Then you wait till the eleventh day, and realize oh crap wasn't there something you forgot to do?

Essentially, that's these guys did. Except instead of a crack, they forgot to fix the beacon. Or as I understand it, change a lightbulb. So, after forty minutes, they kicked us off the plane and said come back in two hours. The pilot said these things happen. Sure, if you are a flaky guy with a crack in your window. Not a professional airline. Plane about to expire on some waiver? Don't board people on it. Put it aside, fix it, and then put it back into rotation.

Of course its probably more complicated than that. What do I know about managing airplanes.
Not much, but certainly enough to know incompetance when I see it. I mean, I make at least ten incompetant mistakes a day. I just have the decency to not put people out too much when I do. I cannot believe I paid so much for such goofery.

Just a few notes on what's happening and what's on my mind.

My brother came by recently, we had a great time together. Unfortunately work was so busy and I did not have much vacation time saved up yet, or we would have had even more fun. I posted pictures, showed them to everyone I think, so I'm not going to do so here. We went abseiling, which is like going up a cliff except the opposite. We also went hiking in the Blue Mountains, and I have been inspired to go back. They really are a fascinating range, that I don't even know if I am speaking tense-correct about. Anyway it was sad to see Joe go, felt like he just got there too. But he had a great time, which I was happy to hear.

Having a lot of fun with salsa, although truthfully I think I am going to learn Tango yet. That way when someone pushes me, I can push back. Because after all, it takes two to Tango, and if I don't know how to Tango, how the hell am I going to defend myself? Met a bunch of new people through salsa class as well.

Sydney is home to many acquaintances for me, and after talking to other people, this is apparently the way Sydneysiders do things. Took a little getting used to at first because I was so used to having a small circle of real good friends and few acquaintances where I was living. Now around here they are all acquaintances. I wonder what this long distance will do for my small circle of friends back home. Hopefully, we do not become too estranged, but I'm sure with today's communication technology we won't.

Saw the Hulk movie yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm a comic book geek, and so of course I see these movies right when they come out.

Oh yeah, and I'm going to be back in the states. I will be working from the 30th to the 3rd. then the esplanade on the 4th. I was thinking of spending the 5th through the 10th all at the Cape. I'd like some opportunity to have a vacation after all. Friends are all invited to come up with brilliant ideas of ways we can spend together.

In other news, my tenant decided she had enough of my absentee landlording. Fortunately she has another poor sap to replace her. That would have sucked, had I had to pay the mortgage. And my gym is shutting down. All sorts of craziness going on.

I have new pictures from my camera. Let me share my photobucket album. They are mostly pics of the new place, but I also found some from Byron Bay which I hadn't put up yet. I will also get a picture of my flatmate when she approves of one!

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Also, had a fantastic and inspiring weekend. Met new people, committed myself to trying new things, and just felt renewed.

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My life runs slow when I am managing it. I've finally slept in my bed, which by the way is a queen size. It fits nicely in my room, and now I have an idea of the desk I want.

But going back to my life running slowly, I guess you could say I'm just not in a hurry to get anywhere. So I don't post straight away, or put pictures up until well after I have internet connection. but I will, I'm just in no hurry. To think, some people take illegal substances to feel this way.

Anyway I slept in this bed, and I really like it. Nice and firm. Had a strange dream where my private postings were all visible. So we had a conference call to discuss them. And then I was asking myself to bill the US, but we can't bill overseas. I blame the new bed, it is affecting my REM cycle.

I used to think I just procrastinated. Then I realized that I just like life in slow speed, I appreciate it much more. But maybe tonight I will put pictures up with my new bed and everything, and amend this post before anyone notices it's up.

So I am slacking from work for a minute. I haven't posted pictures yet, that will be when I get me some internet! Meanwhile, my uncle Al is a funny man. I think he's gotten a little stircrazy with his retirement, but I love it. Something about this made me wish I could be in town.

A beautiful day in the Sun.

A bonding experience.

We will be gone about 5 hours, as I will
be cheering on the slower runners. They
need our cheers- the leaders do not need
our cheers.

Patriots Day is usually the Best Day in
Boston Sports- Marathon(I have run), Red
Sox, Celtics in Playoffs, Bright Day, and
Bruins in Game 7.

The price of the Date $0- Great for a low
income senior citizen.

I have been to at least 45 Marathons.
I was born the course.

I'm moving into a two bedder, sharing with another person. Seems like a nice person. The view itself is amazing. Can't wait!

In recognition of my long post below, I thought I'd share something fun for you to peruse prior to reading. This is borrowed from my friend Alana. And as I can't be bothered to do code, here's her link
http://alanajoli.livejournal.com/70494.html

If I had a choice of ten fictional characters at a feast, I would love to have (and in no particular order):
1. Bilbo Baggins - Tolkeinian renaissance hobbit. Guy's got style, and likely an awesome dinner guest. Good eater but I have a plan for that.
2. Captain America. Firstly to put a letter in his labcoat to warn him of his impending demise. Secondly because he's Captain America. 'Nuff said.
3. Leeloo from the Fifth Element. Because not only does she bare a striking resemblance to Mila Javovich, but I'd know what to feed her. Chickan.
4. Bill Door, of Pratchett's Discworld. Also known as Death. He has a very dry wit, but a good heart. He seems like an intriguing personification of death that I'd like to know more about. Plus he's dead, so more food for Bilbo.
5. Dirk Gently - Holistic detective (Douglas Adams) I have been ripping off his chaos methodology for years. Although not with the same success. Still he'd be great to wax philosophical with. I think, once he gets there, dinner would be very interesting.
6. Jessica Rabbit. She's not bad, she's just drawn that way. I've a feeling she'd get along well with Bilbo. She seems to like short hairy guys. Plus we could play patty cake.
7. Death, from Gaimon's Sandman. Not to be too morbid but I'd like to listen in to her and Bill's shoptalk. And as I think she too might not eat, there would be more for Bilbo.
8. Sherlock Holmes. Because Dirk Gently needs someone to sit next to. They could compare notes. It would be hilarious.
9. Anne - from Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. She's the secretary of Jubal that's also a Fair Witness with perfect memory. I like a woman who tells it exactly the way it is.
10. Jesse Custer, from Preacher. Because someone needs to say grace. May as well come from someone who's met God.

Honorable mention: Conan. I'd have put him up there but I don't think there would be enough food for Bilbo. Plus, I'm fairly sure he and Cap would be at odds, which would never be good for the upholstery.

Occasionally I stop thinking about just my family, work, myself, and my many social circles. Sometimes I pause all that semi-self absorbed thought and take a look at the world. I say "hey world, how's things going?" The world rarily responds with anything more than a shrug and I continue with my day. Not today.

Today the world told me about a little bit about Iraq, and some of the struggles that are still going on there. http://au.sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news/article/-/1804978/brave-woman-sprinter-leads-iraqi-olympics-charge

"I cannot say she will win a medal in the Olympics, it is difficult, but at least we are developing ourselves" - got me a little misty when I think about what some people will do for a dream. I'm not being shot at, I'm not pushing myself so I have body spasms and feel dizzy, and I will never really know what she is going through. But I can imagine. She is a fine example of what some people go through to reach their dreams, and what people go through to develop and grow throughout the world. I really hope that she does well, and that Iraq can someday find peace.

And that is one of a hundred reasons why I love sports. Were it not for her story, I would have known only what the US military is doing in Iraq, as that's typically what gets reported. Instead, now I have more insight into the conditions in Iraq, and feel spurred to share it with you, my loyal reader.

Sport is arguably the most important social achievement mankind has made in the last 6,000 years. Consider its transcendence of class, gender, race, religion. It's amazing what sport has done for the global community. It's more of an alternative to war, and definitely not a cause. the social awareness and change that sport has brought to the world, with a lot less bloodshed than other social achievements we have made, is quite remarkable. I wonder if I will pick up the pen and go into sports journalism at some stage in life.

So when I go back to my own life and my own social circles I'm going to take her story with me. I'm going to remember that while my own path has taken me across the globe, it's still worth the sacrifice. Because that path is helping me realize my own goals and dreams, and helping me develop as well. And I'm going to be grateful as ever that I'm not getting shot at.

Yup, so now back to me. I had a great time at the Blues Fest over Easter weekend. I picked up a few new artists I hadn't heard of before. There were no really cool, odd names though. G Love & Special Sauce was by far the oddest named band. I went with an expectation of listening to artists named things like "Tony Two-Toes and the Hamstring Quartet," or "Chicken Joe and his Strawberry Sunshine Band." Charlie Musselwhite was close, but would have been much better if it was Charlie "Muscle" White, and he was a bodybuilding bluesman. Still, Charlie did play a mean harmonica and it was a treat hearing him collaborate with the other artists when he wasn't at his stage. I liked a new band called Angry Traders, and the John Butler Trio was a lot of fun to listen to. I missed Buddy Guy, he played Thursday and I got there Friday. Other than that though, I heard every artist I was looking to see, and more!!

Sinead O'Connor was great, I enjoyed her spirited performance. Although I have to say that part of me will always expect her to tell me who the real enemy is and to fight them. She did not do that this time, so I can only assume there's no one I need to fight this time. Which is good because I'm really not looking for a fight. It's cruel of me I know to pick on Sinead for that one moment of SNL. But it's still funny to me!

I was blessed with beautiful weather as well. All in all, I think getting up, going to the beach, swimming, and then listening to music all day is a wonderful way to spend my time. I've decided that fests are great because it's an entire concert on shuffle mode. At any given time, I would have four different artists to chose from. Plus, there was so many food choices, I didn't eat the same thing twice.

Anyway thanks for reading. I considered revising this, making it better or at least shorter. But today I'm more quantity over quality. Sorry. Tomorrow may be different. I'm glad this isn't a paying gig, else I'd be canned for sure!

So here's how it all started. I've been going to the gym. The whole jogging thing didn't work out for me, because in the middle of my jogging schedule I'd be talking to people from the US. That and waking up at 5:30 each day. So I signed up for Gold's Gym here, and am really excited about it. It's not as smarmy as "Fitness First," which was feeling rather cultish. No, Golds Gym is just like how I remembered it.

Except I get bored running or biking so I bought an iPod. Fun lil gizmo, but unfortunately my old laptop could not do iTunes. I had wanted a computer I could use for personal use, such as downloading itunes, playing games, using skype, all them goodies. So going to the gym was the straw that broke the camel's back. I got me a laptop, it's a HP Pavillion Entertainment PC. Everything I wanted it to be. I am going to buy a headset though. I tested the skype thing with the microphone next to the web cam and it didn't sound very good.

So I bought it, I am happy with it, and I can't stop playing with it. That is why I am at home on a Saturday instead of exploring the Blue Mountains. I've had nothing but good clean antisocial fun today. Downloaded my cds to my iTunes, bought some I don't have. I even had an iPod armband, just in case I wanted to go jogging again. Dorky huh! Anyway, while I'm being lame, i may as well do the mountain of laundry.

So the Waratah's won, which made me think of a Johnny Cash song. You know, where life ain't easy for a boy named sue? None of the people I was sitting with liked the mascot, felt he was a goofus. So you have to imagine, being named for a flower, having a mascot that no one likes, that you pretty much have to win. So they did, and by 17 points. I think I will look forward to watching their progress.

The next day I went to a pub to check out some live music. There is a lot of great music out there that is not on labels. I talked to one of the bands. I was wearing my Iron Maiden shirt. Iron Maiden came to the area last week after 23 years. AND I MISSED IT!! I learned a valuable lesson, that if I am to make the most of this opportunity I must keep my ear to the ground at ALL TIMES!

Oh, and today I ran at 6 in the morning. I just might make it a regular occurrence. We'll see what my body has to say to that tomorrow. In the meanwhile, I love my Dunkins.

Well, I'm in queue for beer, reflecting on my day. I've used local lexicon without forcing it. I am on my way to my first rugby game. By the way, it is like football but without pads, strategy, or cool team names. I'm at the home stadium apparently of the waratahs. If you didn't know, the waratah is a flower. It is the state flower of New South Wales. Which does not make it any less vulnerable to homophobic or taunts, or humourous non-pc comments about their mental abilities.

But there is more! Today is the unveiling of Tahman. A doofy mascot in foam muscle padding who descended on a wire from the top of stadium. Yes, Tahman, possibly the first superhero mascot I've heard of, definitly the first I've seen..

Anyway I've had a good ol Australian day. Just need the Barbie and ill be all set!

The continuous grey looming overhead and the everpresent threat of rain have stymied my interests in exploring. I am an unashamed fairweather friend to outdoor recreation. I pondered seeing Sweeney Todd this evening, but by no means did I really want to explore the bush this weekend. I hope to do so soon, because they are awesome and I haven't posted pics of anything in forever.

So instead I have been lamely lingering inside. Even cleaned a little. Guess you could say things have been kinda boring. All that changed when I found this!

http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/recipedetail.asp?sessionid=&login=yes&id=46&page=

Among other great recipes, some free and some not, lies the secret to making girl scout cookies. Thin mint girl scout cookies. And now I know how I will spend the rest of my day.

Not much going on with me these days. There is something called the Sydney Festival which I have been catching parts of. There was a jazz concert which was fun to listen to. I laid down on the grass of this large park known as the domain. The music was more of a bossanova groove than I was expecting. Then the bats came.

Oh I don't know about you but I love bats. Never saw so many flying around, eating bugs or whatever it was they were doing. They swooped, and swarmed above overhead in an unorchestrated addition to the latin influenced ensemble. Magic really. I tried taking pictures but it didn't do it justice. So I watched happily while they floated in air, landing on nearby trees. The jazzy music sent hip grooves through the plain.

Saw Cloverfield as my desire for day trips was distilled by the dreary downpours of the weekend. Good for a monster movie. I will be salsa dancing Friday, and who knows, I may even get out of the city this weekend.

The first day back in the office I am told I have a package waiting for me. My wicked good buddies at BT in Quincy (where I used to work) gave me a fourpack of coffee. Not just any coffee, but Dunkin Donuts coffee. My greatest weakness! Of course when I got home I made a cup. Staying up till 1:30 on a Monday never felt so good. Sure I was tired this morning, but a cup of coffee fixed that! (Plus there was a card, a mug, both of which were fine and dandy.)

On top of that, I found out that I have a tenant all lined up, I just need to get the lease, sign it, send it back and boom - I'm a landlord! I feel like I should have a cigar. Blech, not really. A cup of coffee later will do instead. Tenants seem like good people so far. I look forward to this humble beginning to my real estate empire.

It was my best Monday ever I think. Tuesday is not shaping up as glorious. I even had a morning coffee. No packages, or new income streams, just work all day.

Oh yeah, holidays were great, surfing was fun and I will post pics and go into more detail when I go home tonight.

I've never been attacked by birds before. I was off to a company Christmas party, in the Rocks. I have not described sufficiently the harbour I think I will need to provide pictures later, it is amazing. There seem to be fireworks each time I go there. The Rocks are some of the older parts of Sydney, and you can really feel it.

So I was on my way there from circular quay. I was running a little behind schedule, so I grabbed a cheeseburger from McD's (yet another place I only go to when I am halfway around the world). I had scarcely taken two bites from it when I was attacked! It came from a rear angle, sliding right over my shoulder. I felt a claw and wing against my cheek, and shortly thereafter my burger was knocked to the ground. Vicious birds of prey swooped in on my meal and within minutes a hoarde of white winged renegades of the skies had devoured it. It was carnage.

I suppose I should have thanked them. You see I had done two decks of card exercises, and that built up my appetite. So I was real hungry, but not really looking forward to a whole McD's burger before enjoying whatever delicious foods were at the party. The couple bites really helped take my focus off food and finding the place.


So should anyone come and visit, beware. Beware the seagull, the robber of burgers!

So I decided against spending $3,000 on a plane ticket back home for Christmas. It was a maybe, but I will just go in August like I first planned. Maybe next year when one way or another I have settled this condo thing I will be home for Christmas.

And it's too spitty to really do anything fun today so I am cleaning. So to entertain myself I completed my christmas shopping, which is easier once I decided ordering things online chops my shipping fees dramatically. I also booked a one week surf camp trip for the Christmas break. So there will be pictures of that. And I have openned up my wallet to a couple day trips which really sound fun!

1. I was moved to a window seat. Great view of the city. Pic to follow when I get home.

2. If you believe movies to be the bearers of truth, then 1 Market St had a helicopter crash into it. In The Matrix, the scene where a helicopter crashes into this blue building, footage from Sydney was used. Of course it's all CGI but they did use the BT building which is a fun piece of trivia. So it's famous. Whoa.

Ok so today was supposed to be showers as yesterday was.instead it was gorgeous but that didn't stop me from stocking up on brochures at a travel expo. While I would.love to go home for Christmas, its just not happening this year. But I may go to New Zealand which will be good for me as it would be a short trip, and relatively inexpensive. Hopefully by next year I will have the condo thing taken care of and that will be a thousand dollars a month to work with. Which means USA trips become easier.

Anyway so I also explored The Rocks and determined a few things.

1. Plumbers crack is a fashion statement in Sydney that needs to go away!

2. Observation Point is gorgeous. And if single people like me look past the dozen of separate wedding parties there, very peaceful.

3. My camera can do some video, with sound!! That's right, I may have stumbled on a new career path. The first videos were short films, but I feel they tell a full story. I may submit them for those indy film fests I hear about. Anyway, I thought I would post my first one. Hey lookit, I'm embedding! Woo! Crazy!


4. I am doing Christmas shopping early. I will need to send an email for addresses, so you people all get lil gifts that are Australia related. I realize this is crap, but it should happen once in your life that someone is so lazy they just send a bunch of touristy things from their place just because you don't live there. I promise to not overload you all with didgidiroos, and boomarangs but I hope you indulge one present season with these trinkets.

5. I am having fun, I am, but that doesn't mean I am 100% happy. I of course miss everyone in the states, and think of you all very often. I wish I could have been home for Christmas, but money, time, and technology were all against me. I need someone to live in my condo, because that should take care of the money issue. I did not purchase tickets back to America in time, but next time I will and that will take care of the time issue. And I should have a new blackberry by then as well that I will be able to do work stuff on when I am in America as well. So that will take care of the tech problem. Meanwhile, I will be hosting a very important call or two around Thanksgiving! Serves them right for not letting me use Skype!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, my reimagining of the first explorer's full look at Sydney. Complete with a twist that would make M. Night Shaliman mad with jealousy!

Went to the zoo, decided to put it all under a cut. I'm getting all sorts of sophistimicated.

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I tried surfing. I rented a board for $15/hour, just to try it out. I managed the paddling out pretty easily, just watched how the others did it and then just did it myself. Then there is a bunch of people waiting before the waves really crescent and I just waited there also for a good period of time. I was talking to them, and of course they were all very helpful. Anyway I paddled after one wave, and missed it so went back and waited longer.

They say waves come in threes, so I thought ok, I will count. One, no paddle. Two, no paddle. Three...PADDLE!!! Just feeling myself on the wave was a great feeling, that I almost forgot the next part about trying to stand. Well I almost got there until I fell. I swam after the board and someone asked if I had had any lessons before. I think it was obvious I hadn't. Anyway I was fairly successful, only cost $15, and was heaps of fun. That's a bit of Aussie lingo by the way, heaps. I did make it to shore, but without standing up. I probably looked foolish using a surfboard as a bodyboard but it was great! Oh, an no pics because I didn't go with anyone. But I will be more social so I can get these pics, promise!

I went for a walk also, great scenery. I had decided against bringing a camera because I was spending an hour on the water and didn't trust leaving my nice digital camera to not get sand in it or stolen. I was also without my phone, very liberating, I will do it more often. But I will go again on the Manly walk at some point and post pictures.

I ate fish at a Thai place. The full details of that adventure may be a little too disturbing for this blog so I will leave them behind this cut. ( Read more... )

Anyway that was before seeing a live rock band which was an adventure in itself finding Annandale. But when I did it was heaps of fun. That was all yesterday, but last week I also saw a guy called Nick Cave with this lovely fellow ex-english major Victoria. He's real big in Australia, presumably rather well known in England, and an unknown in everywhere else apparently. He was...odd. I liked it!!

P.S. Saw IV is gorey, but the creepiest part was the very beginning.