Sunday, January 18, 2009

Blogs from the Weekend

Since we don’t have internet at our apartment yet, I’ve been posting blogs in my spare time at work. Today, Friday, I didn’t have any time to post, so I’m going to write over the weekend and do a big post on Monday. Here goes…

1-16-09, Friday
Today was actually a great day. The greatness definitely had everything to do with the fact that it’s FRIDAY, tomorrow’s SATURDAY and then comes SUNDAY! I finally felt like I was in Australia today when I saw kangaroos bouncing around in a field. Yes, kangaroos. They’re like deer back home – they graze in little packs and then bound away when anything startles them. I can’t wait to see/hold my first koala! There’s a koala “sanctuary” about 5 driving minutes from us, so we’re planning to go there as soon as possible.
Work is just different, and different has never been an easy hurdle for me. I wasn’t a business major, mostly because I’m not business-minded. My boss is the general manager of all Australia, so she’s understandably busy and stressed out of her brain. Mostly I feel like my intern roommate and I are more a hindrance than a help to her because we’re so clueless, but there’s no getting around our ignorance unless she teaches us. I don’t like – HATE – feeling in the dark or like I’m incompetent in any way, and that’s all I’ve felt since the beginning of last week. One of my Australian co-workers today raised his eyebrows and said, “So you’re straight out of college, straight into a new job and straight into a new country.” Yes. It’s amazing to be sure, but not yet the party I planned on. That being said…
We ate Thai food tonight and talked about how much we love our Brisbane suburb, Toowong.
So tonight Valerie and I are hanging out with our two younger Canadian co-workers. It’s 7:13pm, and I’m honestly ready to get in bed, have some of our Aussie white wine and finish “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.” I can’t, though, because that’s weird. Plus, Valerie’s been very patient with me as I’ve gone to bed before 8 every night this week (and she hasn’t complained when I’ve most likely woke her up at 4am every day).
The Aussie pastime is drinking. If you know me, you know that I’m set after one beer, and that I’m usually ready to go home and sleep immediately afterwards. I’m less than perky to go out for a night of drinking, especially when I’m already whipped. The place we’re going is called the Regatta, and it’s a young-person’s bar right on the Brisbane River (about 15 minutes walking distance from us). Valerie walked me through what she’d be wearing tonight…this girl is so methodical in her choices, it blows me away. Earlier today she detailed why and when she chooses which perfume she wears. I was blown away, and indeed further educated.
Usually every morning around 5, we’ve heard these crazy bird squawking noises. Tonight, walking home from the mall (where we get our groceries), we looked up and learned that they’re cockatoos! They flapped around from branch to branch and splayed out their yellow head feathers while we stood across the street amazed. What a wonderful gift that moment was.

1-17-09, Saturday
Last night we ended up going out with a big group of people, mostly Canadians, to the Regatta. The night was long but fun, and I almost, almost, almost felt bad about being the first one to call it an evening. I woke up at 6 am, which is 2 hours later than “normal,” so I’m glad to have been up so late.
I talked to my parents for a long time today – Everyday I love them more. Every day they set the bar a little higher for who I want to be as a parent. There’s nothing in the world like hearing from my mom or dad that I will be okay. I can think it, sing it, shout it, meditate it, but it doesn’t blanket my heart in peace like when I hear it from them.
Valerie went to the Gold Coast with the boys today. I had planned on going until it turned into an overnight gig, and then I excused myself even though I’m dying to see the beaches here. I’m just a girl who needs her alone time. After studying my oil textbook while laying out for a while, I went for a walk around Toowong. I went into the mall to get a book so I’d stay occupied tonight. The Longest Trip Home, by John Grogan (who wrote Marley and Me – great book), has been on my to-read list since it came out. While I was waiting to check out, the BIGGEST spider I’ve EVER seen in my life sauntered right past me, right next to my left foot, right in the middle of the freaking mall! I’m pointing, whimpering, and gagging, and all these Aussies are just cruising right by like it’s nothing, treating ME as though I’M the mutant beast in this situation. My gosh there are some gigantic spiders here, a large number of which live in our backyard.
I had nothing to do tonight, so I bawled to Charlie for a long while and then watched Sisterhood of the Traveling pants. Maybe it’s all the wine I’ve had, but it was so good. Definitely helped nurse my sobfest of an evening. In the spirit of indulgence, I’m going to pour myself another glass or two and just go full force into Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (note: these are Valerie’s movies; she has the cutest taste in films and I love it). I’m hoping to be asleep by 9 just so that I can sleep off the fact that I ate half a box of caramel-toffee cookies I found at the grocery store today. Occasionally it’s nice to be alone, overeat, laze, wail and then put on the ol’ sleep mask and call it a Saturday. Maybe not “healthy,” but nice all the same.

1-18-09, Sunday
News from the fashion front in Toowong: gladiator sandals are everywhere. I wasn’t a huge fan of them back home, but here the variety is so vast, I’ve seen some I’d actually put on my feet.
I went for several long walks today to forget the other half of the box of cookies I ate for breakfast. My parents and I chatted for a long time, and it was definitely soothing to the soul. My dad talked for about an hour about this business and industry, and then towards the end said the one thing that can help right now: You’re going to do fine. Yes, he’s wise, brilliant and knows me like a dad SHOULD know his daughter. I talked to Charlie later about how special it would be to have the responsibility of making your daughter’s self esteem soar and to know that it’s so easily done. Just a few little words, maybe a sentence or two. It’s something I’ll never experience because the ways a mom makes her daughter feel secure are so incredibly different. My mom is an ocean of all things good in this world. It hurts so bad to miss them this much.

1 comment:

  1. Oh Stilly..I love hearing about your life and how your doing in the outback. Everything you write reminds me of 4204 and I miss that so much! Know I am thinking about you always :) -- Melissa

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