WTF, mate?

WHAT. THE. FUCK.

So, my first day of classes was today. It was fun! I got to eat grapes in one of my pracs. Shiraz, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Cab Franc, Sultana and many more...it was cool. So I have two classes on campus, and 2 that are entirely conducted online, with the exception of a "residential school" in July when we do a marathon lab schedule.

I could pretend that I was thrilled that classes were being conducted online. I, however, am NOT. I'm NOT at ALL thrilled. I moved all the way to fucking Australia to teach myself Biochemistry?! I DON'T think so. And as I've investigated, a lot of the subjects here at CSU are "tutorial", which means...teach yourself for a ton of money.

And, my July is shot because of "residential schools". I really wanted to go home in July, because, well, it's July. Will it be as good to go home in April? I want to go home, or I won't be home until Christmas, and well, that's just too damn long. Boo. I'm pissed all to hell. This is NOT what I signed up for.

Dick Cheney

I hate Dick Cheney. I think he is the dirtiest bastard out there. Well, guess what. He's here. Or at least, he was. He caused some mighty ugly protesting and police retaliation in Sydney, too. I told my room mates and my friend Stan the bus driver that I was not-so-secretly hoping that he got stung by some sort of poisonous fish in Sydney Harbor. I don't think I got my wish. Oh well, it's better not to wish ill on people, right? Even if they are evil, rich, dirty oil tycoons.

O-week is drawing to a close here at CSU, and I'm excited. I wanna be a winemaker. I wanna learn out to make wine. That doesn't involve a week of lame activities. I am here to study, after all. My skin is officially peeling from my extreme sunburn in Sydney, and my days activities only proved to burn the freshly revealed skin. I'm evening trying to be a good kid and wear sunscreen, but, it all seems to be in vain.

Since my last entry, I've seen the winery! It's a little bit off campus. In fact, it's going to be a hell of a walk. We met the winemaker and he said to just stop by whenever we wanted to work, and then he may bring us on for casual employment. (At 19$ an hour!!) So, I'm just gonna go over with work boots on, I'm sure they'll find something for me to do. They do take on a trainee every year. The trainee works full time at the winery and then studies via distance...sounds great, eh? I am not able apply for that, though. The conditions of my visa do not allow me to switch over to distance learning. Very sad, huh? C'est la vie.

Okay, I'm beat. Time for bed. Cottages 385 is official full of all 8 people...I hear there's even another wine science person here, whom I haven't met. It's certainly a lot busier around here.

...and we're all glad Dick Cheney is gone....dodgy bastard.

Cheers!

Fucking Kangaroos

Those fucking kangaroos are right outside my house. That's right. Those tall ass things are right near where I sleep. Don't worry, they're all cute and cuddly during the daylight hours, but at night, they're just creepy. Cool point though, if you look closely, one of them has a little joey in her pouch!

Unfortunately, life has started moving quite quickly away from me and Seattle and Sydney are not going to get proper blog odes. Seattle was fabulous. We did all of the tourist-y things like the sound tour and the space needle. I got to see a few Grey's Anatomy hot spots (!) and go to the open market. It was enjoyable to see Anna and see where she lives. I could honestly see myself moving back to the Washington area to make wine, I liked it that much!

After I departed Seattle, my next stop was Sydney. The plane ride was not nearly as torturous and horrible as I thought. Met a few chatty Americans and not so chatty Tasmanians. I wouldn't call it an enjoyable experience, but I wouldn't call it painful. I wouldn't want to do it often, but, I survived.

When I got off the plane the first person to greet me was a little short blond flight attendant and she said "Welcome to sunny Sydney!" Well, she wasn't kidding. I walked up to the window to exchange my currency after I had gathered all of my luggage, and I got my first look out of the door to the outside world. I saw a group of plants that were totally unfamiliar to me, and when the doors swung open and I went through, I smelled, felt, and saw an entirely new world. I can't begin to describe it. The area was hot and humid, and had this spicy, meaty, but green smell to it. (I've come to learn that smell belongs to the gum trees!) My cab ride to my hotel was funny, it turns out that cab drivers in Sydney are just as angry as they are in the States, but only when provoked. Otherwise they are talkative and helpful.

I arrive at the hotel and went out to find some food in an attempt to fight off sleep. I came back with TimTams and a kabob. I fell asleep around 5:30 that night, and I am continually fighting of the urge to still do that. Mel arrived the following day and we did a whirlwind, sun-burning tour of Sydney. We went to major beaches...like Manly and Bondi, and also went to a huge shopping mall. Cell phone fiascos and sunburn aside, it was a very enjoyable day. ( I am still crispy from that day.)

I then took what I'm calling "The Hogwart's Express" from Sydney to Wagga Wagga, my final destination. I spent most of the ride 1) thinking about those I missed back home or 2) thinking that I was motherfucking nuts. (Olivia was right!) As we got further from the city, green got scarce and soil got red. We were being carried further and further into terrain I had never seen.

I arrive in Wagga, finally, and met some students sent to round up international students. On my way into my flat with my suitcases, the three of us travelling together heard something in the bushes right next to my flat. I reckoned that it was a big bird, as did the other two ladies. No moments later did a full sized kangaroo pop his head out of a tiny hole. I had never seen one and didn't have my camera, so that moment will have to live in my head forever! It was un-fucking believable.

Now we're into orientation and I'm trying to have a better attitude about it. I'm settled and I've hung all of my pictures of all of you around, so now you're all here with me. I was briefly homesick yesterday, but, it's so damn hot, I can't pretend to think straight enough to maintain coherent thought.

It's late, I need a rest. More later!

Cheers

Pearls Only: Two Days in The Cowgirl Bunkhouse

On from NYC, I spent two days in Boulder with SMS. I always loooove seeing SMS because there are many things that she just gets. "Should I buy this bag? Hmm, maybe..." Colorado was awesome...I saw some excellent mountains. Like I've told so many people, all of the mountains looked fake. They're so large, they looked fake. Thanks to glaciers, our precious old Appalachian mountains have been worn away to nice rounded slopes.

Colorado was in the mid 30s the entire time I was there. SMS came and got me at the airport, then we went to her (gorgeous!) apartment and then went out to dinner at the Boulder Teahouse. It was absolutely fabulous! The tea menu was at least 5 times longer than the food menu and the building was apparently brought to Boulder from Tajikistan. It was beautifully painted and carved inside the building, it was absolutely fabulous!

The following day, I had the most relaxing morning complete with SMSs home baked bread. We had lunch at Wild Oats Market and I bopped around downtown Boulder for the day. I got a wonderful new water bottle. Everyone there is physically fit and and granola-crunchy, so there are many many outdoor shops. The altitude got to me a little bit in the form of headaches, but, I definitely enjoyed the area.

I'm struggling a little with the time zone thing. I'm in Seattle, and I've been waking up around 5 am and getting extremely tired by like 9 pm. I just can't fathom how awesome it's going to be once I get to Oz.

...Which I will be flying out for tomorrow....ummmm....oh boy!

Now I gave everyone the address for this blog, so, it will be visited a little more often I think.

Time to head out! More on Seattle tomorrow.

Cheers,
C

We'll Open Up A Restaurant In Santa Fe and Forget this Cold Bohemian Hell

No one is sailing in the NY harbor right now. Because it is so f'ing cold I can't stand it! I woke up yesterday morning with a ridiculous head cold. Grrrrreat! I think that my body finally caught up with me and said "fuck you! we're slowing down for a while." So, I'm low energy and reasonably intolerant of uncomfortable situations, such as extreme cold. I am warm and happy right now though waiting in Laguardia for my flight to Denver.

While in NYC, Brittany came down and we both stayed the night with Alison. I arrived around 1:30 after an enjoyable JetBlue flight with Alison's parents. Then, Britty and I bopped around the city. We ate some delicious thai food then headed up town to go to the Museum of Sex. Verrry interesting, look for pictures soon! We then bopped around times square for a while then went to Tom's restaurant, up by Columbia. If you know what I'm referring to you either know that it's the place of reference to Susan Vega's hit "Tom's Diner" or that it's where the Seinfeld cast regularily dines. Brittany fought the urge to order a "big salad". :-) It looks very different inside then where they were, but it was, none the less, enjoyable.

I've decided, after one night, that I don't really like being a nomad! I would have much preferred to have reached my final destination, but, I will get to see some pretty awesome stuff, so, I'll just deal!

Well, I guess we'll be boarding soon. Have I ever mentioned that I really don't like flying? Okay, just so you all know... :-)

Cheers,
C

"On the verge of Vom..."

When the Alpha Sigma Sigma's reunited in DC this past January, Anna was kind enough to get me stuck on saying "vom" instead of it's full name, "vomit".

So, I finished up work at Ferro friday. It was sad, I can't seem to bring myself to think that I may never see some of those people ever again. It all felt uncomfortably final. I'm going to keep in touch, though. Then, Jen arrived and we went to the Wagner for the going away party...Fox Run style. VERY enjoyable. I thank everyone, again. But, at that time, I didn't feel like I was going to vomit.

By saturday, I was pretty sure I was going to die. I've been feeling like I am going to either a) cry or b) vomit since that morning. I've had some tough goodbyes since then, and it's not getting any better. I'm constantly "on the verge of vom"...

Will it?

At the family gathering on Saturday, I asked the daughter of a family friend (Olivia, 7, fabulously cute) if she wanted to see where I was going. She did, so I showed her a world map and where I was headed. She looked me square in the face and said, "You're crazy." I promptly asked her if she really thought I was that crazy, and she gave me a toothy grin and a nod and affirmed: "YES!"

Maybe she's right.

Cheers,
C

Morning Flapjacks

So, this morning I was late. As usual. I was arriving at about 6:30 am (due in at 6) because I had been jamming out and enjoying myself with some cereal a half an hour earlier. Well, I get to work, I notice that both of my boys had been calling me. I didn't return the calls because I was on my way. I walked into an empty lab and promptly went to the break room to put my lunch in the fridge.

Sean intercepted me and said, "Listen. Vern and Johnny J are looking for you, you better go over." He promptly grabbed my lunch from my hands and I sighed. I thought I was in trouble because he told me it had "something to do with pack data".

So, I begrudgingly went back to the SFM R&D lab, and I smelled something fabulous on the way back. There was Vern, sitting at his desk with a griddle in front of him, making chocolate chip pancakes. He looked at me and told me that it was my last day so he thought he'd make pancakes. I understand that this is some sort of tradition for the early morning crew, but I was absolutely honored to be involved. We got to sit there and chat, I learned about trout and New Zealand, and heard a few great Ferro stories that I do so love.

Some days, you get surprises. Some days, people surprise you. Those are good days, and good surprises.

Back to Grey's Anatomy...and commercial time packing.

Here's to good surprises,
Catrina