17

You can pretend we're making 1-7 instead of two 7s.

I feel a little sorry for 17. It's sandwiched between 16 (drivers licence) and 18 (alcohol) and so fades into the background. But I liked 17. It was year 12, other people's 18ths, and lots of basketball. But as far as parties go, yep, 17 gets shafted. You want to save up (financially and partyingly) for the big one next year.


Party time!

And also speechily, which is why this post is not going to drag up all the embarrassing stories I could mention, in favour of saving them up to be used in twelve months' time.


Besides, who needs embarrassing stories when you have embarrassing photos?

Instead, I will just tell a little story of something that happened, not in an awkward childhood moment, but just a few weeks ago. It didn't strike me as anything massive at the time, but when I had it pointed out to me, I had to agree it is pretty cool.


How did we get so cool?

Wonders and I were out bookshopping when I came across a book we were interested in that I wasn't sure if I had back home or not. The following conversation ensued:
*ring ring*
Little Bro: Hey.
Me: Hey man, just checking if we have A Book?
Little Bro: I dunno.
Me: Just go look!
Little Bro: Yeah... no it's not here.
Me: Sweet. Thanks dude. See ya!
Little Bro: Later.
This was repeated approximately five minutes later, although that one ended with a promise of a book being sent to me.

Like I said, it was nothing, and I thought nothing of it. But Wonders (who has a sister in the same city, not a brother across the country) thought it was so awesome that I could call him up for a five-second query. And I agree, especially because I am equally able to call him up for a ten minute frisbee update or an hour chat about anything from English homework to the awesomeness of wheelchair basketball to ice-skating plans for two months from now.

And that is just one reason why it is my pleasure to wish my little brother (aka skywalker) a very Happy Birthday! Hope 17 is awesome for you, kiddo.

Odyssey Updates

If you're like my dad and didn't realise that the Odyssey update page was in fact being continually updated, maybe you'd like to check it out.

There was a little swine flu scare moment there but (SPOILER!) everyone is fine and the trip continues.

Skywalker will arrive in Adelaide on Monday and I get him Wednesday morning. (I have joint custody with our grandma while he's here.) Things we are planning: ice-skating, the Beach House, Aussie Pizza, ultimate frisbee, DVD marathons, and driving in my car.

Adelaide Odyssey 09: Wicked.

Heroes Of The Roads

Today at work my Crazy Manager was all, "I hope my tire isn't flat when I go home" and "It was on a lean" and "I noticed when I went to get petrol last night." Dude, last night? You went to get petrol, your car was on a lean, and you didn't feel the need to pump up your tires?

Turns out, she'd never done it before, and since my hero of a father forced me to learn how to pump up and change car tires the second I got my Ls, I could be the hero of modern women everyone by spreading the independence a little and teaching her how.

(Not to mention she got to be my hero by driving me home instead of me having to catch the bus then walk from Marion in the cold and the rain and the dark.)

Then on the way home we were stopped at some lights when we saw a car heroically not run over an old man, and cause a three-car rear-ending for his trouble.

PS: Today I bought a car and I will get it on Friday. Emma-From-Work (who is selling her car to me) is my hero!

Tales From After School Care

I attended After School Care almost every day of my primary school life. In Year 7 I rebelled a little and either rode my bike home, caught the bus, or delayed leaving my classroom long enough to make it slightly annoying to (I would imagine) my teacher, the ASC staff, and my (fee-paying) parents. But before then I was a complete regular.

***

Early on, my mum instituted a policy of me changing out of my school uniform as soon as possible after having my name marked off. This was embarrassing to me for three reasons, although the second I probably couldn’t have articulated for most of the time the policy was in force. (Again, later on I fought it, and since by that time we were content to chill instead of running around outside, it was allowed.) The first was that no-one else had to change. Everyone else’s parents were content for them to ruin their uniforms in the dust and the dirt. Secondly, the clothes I had to change into were daggy. They were play clothes and as such were not required (or so my mum thought) to possess any sort of fashionable qualities whatsoever. And thirdly … I had to run across one courtyard or the other and go to the toilets to get changed.

Now this might not seem so bad. The ASC room was slap in the middle of the school, with the Trannies*, 1s and 2s on one side, and the Year 3s and above on the other. I, for some reason, developed a massive fear of the toilets, and the upper school one in particular. No way would I go there, and naturally, for some time I didn’t have to. The junior one was bad enough, and I could cope, if I rushed and kept my time in there to the absolute minimum. But one day (I think when I was still in Year 2, so … why? I was still a little kid and should have been allowed to use the little kids’ toilet, am I right?) the boss of the After School Care laid down the law to me: “Why are you going to that one? You can use the big kids’ toilets from now on.” And that was it. I had to face the ghost (I think it was a ghost) of the upper school toilets every afternoon, until I either forgot about it or stopped changing out of my uniform, and I really couldn’t tell you which came first.

*Transition. The grade before One and after Preschool.

***

Two of the main games I remember from ASC were Poison Ball Against The Wall and Brandy. Poison Ball was from the era when we had young and energetic caregivers, who were quite happy to stand at the front of the stage and pelt us with balls until we’d all been hit, at which time we’d all come in again. I think the appeal was that we didn’t really have to do any work ourselves. Brandy, on the other had the attraction of being banned at school. No one had ever said it was banned outside of school hours though, and we took advantage. (Damn those adults getting wise to us, though.) Brandy – which it has only lately occurred to me may have actually started out named Brandings – is where you all run around a specified space, such as the big courtyard, and try to peg a tennis ball at your friends. Yes, it hurts.

***

As we got a bit older, as I mentioned, we settled down to indoor activities a bit. When I was in Year 6, my best ASC mate Patricia and I would rush (without appearing to rush – too cool for school, man) to the games cupboard after roll call to claim Monopoly for ourselves and whatever younger kids we felt like ripping off that day. This was freaking cutthroat finance, dude, and you had to be quick. We were not above distracting our competitors in order to let someone else roll the dice hurriedly to end the turn – and avoid paying what were often massive rent payments. We were also quite the little benefactresses, and would draw the attention of the really needy to a rent they may have been about to miss collecting. After all, you can’t beat up little kids if none of them come to play. We sound terrible, but I believe a lot of fun was had – and not just by us – and hey, at least we were practicing our maths skills.

Water Play

I'm back from Darwin now, in freezing cold Adelaide. Bleh. My fingers are in the first stages of frostbite (not really, because we have our gas heater on here in the study, a thing we never used the entire time it was a BoyHouse, and ... why, exactly?) so we're just going to focus on the thing that was my main focus while I was up there: water.



My hostel had a pool (I stayed at a backpackers in the city, it was fun and cheap) and I spent some time there just chillaxing. The new-look Leanyer Water Park now has a bucket AND waterslides, and the brand new (and not just to me) Wave Pool opened the Saturday I was there.



Now, Adelaide has waterslides, but they are at the Beach House at the Bay and they cost, a fair bit. Darwin water slides? Free. Niiice.



Adelaide does not have a wave pool, and I'm not really sure how many there are in Australia. The only one I've ever been to was at Mountain Creek Water Park while I was at summer camp (which, it turns out, is in New Jersey. Did I know I'd been to New Jersey?). Darwin's wave pool? Eight bucks for a full day. I am certain you will not find a wave pool that cheap in many other places. (Although I just looked up Mountain Creek's prices, and it's possible I overestimated how much these places would charge. Hmm.)



Good work, NT Government. We do love our water up there.

'In Darwin' Is The New 'In Bed'

I have been keeping a massive secret from you all for some time now, for which I am very sorry, but it was necessary, as telling you would have meant telling certain other people, from whom I was on purpose keeping the secret. Annnyway.

Today is my brother's 16th birthday, and on this very special occasion, I am IN DARWIN! FOR A WHOLE WEEK! (Let's just pretend it is for his birthday and not due to the fact that I could see my breath in the air in Adelaide this week.) And let me tell you, it is lucky I arrived at all.

Wednesday day I had to work, which was fine. Money is good is my current philosophy. Wednesday evening I was invited to play frisbee. League frisbee. Like, awesome player's frisbee. That was very fun, and my white cleats are no longer white (and neither was my entire left side, thanks mud), so clearly I am a real player now.

(Also: When it is too cold to feel the fact that your finger is so injured it's bruised purple and black, it's too fricking cold.)

Then I had to get ready mega quickly, and go to the airport. So ... yeah. Turns out we are entirely too casual about catching planes these days, to the point where we arrive at the airport when the plane is boarding. Remember when Amalah had some flight mix-up and they were all very sympathetic? Apparently that only happens to internet rockstars. I am very very lucky they let me on the plane at all, even if they wouldn't let me check a bag.

::Insert picture of me flinging underwear etc all over the floor of the airport, trying to stuff my worldly belongings into three small handbags, and making tough decisions such as Brother's Present vs Hairbrush.::

In conclusion, I am in Darwin, it is crazy hot, and my baby brother is now SIXTEEN YEARS OLD. How does that even happen?

Jumping Jumping

All has been rather doom and gloom around here lately, but instead of dwelling on my (now restored) dodgy internet, the crazy destructive bushfires that were, thank god, nowhere near me, the end of the two weeks of summer we were apparently allocated this year, or the theft and continued absence of the Scarlet Lady and my resultant reliance on public transport and hatred for the world, we are going to talk about a subject a little more upbeat. You with me? Awesome.

When we were little, my cousins had a trampoline. Between the two youngest, they broke three wrists in the space of a couple of years on (or, more accurately, off) the trampoline. I was jealous. I never got a cast (or crutches). The oldest cousin broke the trampoline mat one night when she and her friends all got on it in high heels, but it got fixed. And my cousins and I liked to turn the tramp on its side then run and knock it over, with us ending up on top of the mat. We also liked to put detergent on the mat and the sprinkler underneath and slide around on it.

My primary school had two trampolines. One massive yellow one and a normal black one. The After School Care kids (of which I was one) were the only ones who ever got to use them, and then I think it was only one year that we were allowed to get them out. The yellow one was the best, and I kicked arse on it. I could jump mega high, and do all kinds of spinning jumps. Then one day the trampolines went away and we had to go back to playing Poison Ball Against The Wall.

But I never had a trampoline of my own. So, as you can imagine, I was very very excited to go to Trampoline World, a magical world just full of trampolines. But, sadly, as you may remember, Trampoline World was frickin CLOSED on the one day we went there. I was devastated.



LUCKILY, Dad is an excellent accommodation booker, and managed to get us into a place with a jumpy pillow. A freaking trampoline equivalent right there in our backyard for two whole days. How awesome is that?! (It was at this time that I discovered that brother, who never had the cousinly trampoline exposure I did, had no idea how to play Crack The Egg. Who doesn't know how to play Crack The Egg? The kid had such a deprived childhood.)



So now you know, if you are ever in need of a Christmas present for me, just buy me a massive trampoline and I will love you forever. The end.

Road Rules

I am back. Our Great Ocean Road Trip was extremely fun, and I am currently trying to figure out the best way to tell you alllll about it. Thank you for continuing to comment, even as I was reduced to a camera-phone photo post a day. Also, you all continued to post, which meant that this morning I had 962 unread posts. I am getting through them slowly, and when I get down to 0 I'll start actually visiting and commenting. But it was good to hear about great holidays all round.

A while ago now, we got a lesson in freeway driving, which featured the proper response to someone who lets you into a lane. Said response being, as we all know (right?), a wave or simple lifting of a couple of fingers (the nice ones).

An off-shoot of this rule was not included in the lesson per se, but I feel it was implied and therefore am totally perplexed as to its non-application on our recent travels: if you're driving on a highway out in the country and you pass a car coming the other way, you show them the same courtesy of a raised hand. They will simultaneously be giving you a finger or two (again, in the nicest way possible).

Now, maybe this is more an NT thing, where everything is a little more laid-back and more rural and more long lonely highway and less crazy urban commuter freeway. I don't know. BUT STILL. Someone waves to you, you wave back. And YOU SHOULD BE WAVING ANYWAY. It's only polite.

Full disclosure: About the time I had given up on the goodness of humanity and refused to wave anymore, I was waved to and waved back but not in time. I still feel bad that this person remained unwaved to. After all, I was probably the only person ever who would've waved, and even I didn't. Poor bloke.

On the other hand, I like to think that I improved the days of all those people I waved to. And that they were all inspired to wave to the next car they passed. Oh yes, I am bringing it back.

Beginning To Feel A Lot Like Christmas

Christmas is coming, y'all! I'm getting excited. Guess how I know it's close?

Christmas shopping: Done. Wrapped and all.

Cyclone/heat wave: Not quite. But the day I was wrapping my presents it was pouring down with rain. Loved it. And today was the first decent beach day of the year. Yay summer!

Christmas tree up: I have the same one as last year (thank you, Carla!) and I bought tinsel for our lounge room and my room.

Breakfast planned: Bacon and eggs, mmm.

Christmas Eve mass and carols: I have a date with Gma and Alyn for December 24. Folding chairs, Christmas carols, and a Santa hat on the saint statue, then we're ready for bed.

Carols in the Domain: I'm watching them right now. It's not Christmas without the Wiggles singing Go Santa Go.



What are your Christmas traditions?

Also: A week til my boys get here! Whoo!

To Plan Or Not To Plan

You may recall that vsquared, skywalker, and I (my dad, my brother, and myself, respectively) are heading off on a road trip just after Christmas.

Dad would like it to be some driving off into the sunset, going where the road takes us, beholden to no man, kind of thing. Which I like the sound of, not least because I really have no idea how I did the same trip in three days last year. (I got a speeding ticket. I don't know if that's at all relevent.) Which is all well and good, except that ... the road is taking us to Melbourne. And also it's one of the most touristed stretches of road in Australia. But hey, I'm down with throwing cares to the wind and whatever else.

Until I got asked what had happened to all the planning I was supposed to be doing. Um, like that planning we were expressly forbidden to do? Yeah, that.



The trip, she is planned.

(I am totally not ripping on my dad, here. We are both completely on the same page, which is the one titled Plan Now, Rock Out Later, but also, I have to say, Giving Shit is in the Daughter job description, as is Plan The Perfect Road Trip While The Boys Bum Around At Home, so you know I can't help it. Any of it.)

Weekend Finale

This weekend was amazing.

I finished my last essay on Thursday, went to the Tons that night, slept over at the Hall, went to the Musical, slept in (missing the Pageant, but you can't have everything), went to dinner at Hog's Breath, ate the yummiest chocolate fondue, made fun of all the drunk people at the Grand, skipped both cleaning my room and the gym (and if that combination doesn't make for an awesome weekend, I'm not sure what does), and today, got to see Carla and eat the Qantas club out of house and pretzels.

I really remembered why it's easy to love living at the Hall - karaoke and signing (t-shirts and people) at the Tons, lazing around the Hall after a night out, and after the Musical about five people got their heads shaved in front of a huge crowd in the Common Room. Seriously good times.

I also remembered why I love Darwin and Carla. Thanks for visiting, babe!

The Celebration Continues

Last night was the Hall Musical. I really didn't know what to expect, but I have to tell you, there are some hella talented people at Flinders. It was a murder mystery, with people from the Hall being killed one by one. It was written and performed and musicked and whatever elsed by Hallies, which makes it all the more impressive.

And it was hilarious. They were all playing different people from the Hall, and it was amazing how they managed to capture the mannerisms and sayings and things like that from each of their characters. Love. I also loved the Glossary, specifically some of the things they felt it necessary to include, such as "Ranga," "Tekkin 3," and "Facebook."

This morning was the Christmas Pageant, but I decided that a warm bed was better than an 8am start in dubious weather. Next year!

Tonight was dinner at Hoggies with the work crew. Very tasty, although not the best experience I've had there. Our drinks were sitting out so long that the cream melted, and no, it wasn't even hot inside. I do love me some curly fries, however. And after that we went to Bracegirdle's, which is a chocolate place at the Bay. One word: yummmmmmmm.



Celebration Day Three: Success!

Celebratory Weekend!

As I may have mentioned (once on my blog and, like, fifty bajillion times last night to anyone who was remotely in my vicinity), I handed in my last essay.

Last night was also the last Hall pub night of the year, as they start the dreaded SwotVac tonight. Noise curfew sucks! So I saw the night as my own personal Finished Uni Celebration, and it was awesome.

Tonight is the Hall musical, tomorrow is the Christmas Pageant, tomorrow night is dinner at Hog's Breath with the work crew, and Sunday Carla is coming to visit me. Cel-e-brate good times, come on! I am a wee bit excited about all these goings-on. Oh! And then Sunday night I will have time to watch the Heroes that I missed last night because I was out doing this:

Exercise = Holiday

When I started going to the gym, I was all, but how am I going to top my reward from last time (which was going to BlogHer in San Francisco)? Even buying new gym clothes pales in comparison to a trip to the other side of the world.

Well, GUESS WHAT?

I have found something totally exciting that I have to look forward to.

MY BOYS ARE COMING DOWN AFTER CHRISTMAS AND WE'RE GOING TO DRIVE THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD IN A CAMPERVAN!

I actually did this trip with two international students last year, but that was in a car, and this will be a bit slower, and we'll be able to see more things along the way, and it'll be much better weather. Plus, vsquared has never driven it, and skywalker hasn't even been out of SA/NT. So it's going to be awesome!



Look up Great Ocean Road on Google Images. Very very pretty drive. I can't wait!

Scary Things Update

I'm fairly certain I just finished writing my thesis. I didn't manage a 2000 word conclusion, but 1515 is close enough. I had a little trouble due to the whole I was supposed to have a point? Shit thing, but it's all good. I could write an abstract, and there is a whole lot of editing of my references to do, but basically, all the words are written. Yay me. Of course, I am not going to do all those little things today like I could, because I do not know how to not finish something ahead of time and would freak out if I had nothing to do the day before.

***

Here was my solution to the swooping magpie problem:


Bite me, magpies.

It was at the suggestion of my darling dad that I donned my scooter riding gear to hang out the washing, but judging from his laughter when I told him I'd actually done it, it was only so I could embarrass myself in front of the internet. But you guys totally believe that magpies are terrifying attack-trained killers, right? Thank you, dad and magpies, for my new-found fear of birds.

Killer Magpie Invasion

I just got SWOOPED by a MAGPIE.

Now, when I was little my dad used to tell us stories about when he was a boy and he had to ride to school swinging his school bag over his head to scare off the magpies. Darwin magpies don't do that, but it never occurred to me that Adelaide magpies would do it TO ME. Dad lived in the freaking country. Town magpies swoop, but city magpies are all civilised when I want to hang out the washing, right? Turns out: HELL NO.

And also, dad? You can't have your mobile off AND be out of the office when I need to call you. I couldn't really leave a message with Random Lady Who Answered The Phone about giant killer magpies who are out to get me, you know? And now how is my washing going to get dry? It's not-cold AND it's sunny today! But there's a magpie! HELP!

More things no-one told me about Adelaide

Darwin doesn't have a winter. Okay, it has a Dry Season, where it - gasp! - sometimes gets below 20°C (68°F), but nothing compared to what I have suffered for the past eternity several months here in Adelaide.

Luckily, before it got too bad, I bought my favourite thing in the world right now: a heater.

Last night I was told very nicely, if a bit too subtly at first, that our electricity bill was likely to be a more than usual this ... month? quarter? whatever. I was all, 'I'm sure we can all put in a bit more rent this week, it'll be a small price to pay for being warm.'

Except: it's going to be an extra couple of hundred dollars. And also, I am the only one in the house with a heater. (Which, how the HELL did they SURVIVE?! I wasn't even here for the worst of it.) Who knew heat (HEAT!) was worth that much!

I am still on board with sharing the cost. After all, I am going to be SO MUCH BETTER than them at coping in summer. I bet I won't even to have my fan above 3. I am just that good.

Mail Time Part Two

Part One is here.

When I was away, I bought a bunch of souvenir-type stuff, and when I got back divided it up to send/give to various people. Whoever I was planning to give the Disney chocolate to, I'm sorry, it's still sitting on my bookshelf. I don't know why I haven't eaten it yet.

I sent Carla - um, what did I send you? - something San Francisco-ish, I'm sure, plus a bunch of BlogHer swag items I'd collected. In the accompanying note I said something about needing to explain some of the things I'd sent her, because they were just random things, not souvenirs or anything. And then she got it and was all, "YES, I think you DO need to explain why you sent me THIS," and I was all, "Really?" and she was all, "YES, and also, don't you even know what you sent me?"

And then I was like, "Clearly not, but I am totally intrigued."



And THEN I was like, "Actually, I can't really explain that. But I sure am glad the other USB got sent to my little brother."

I realise not everyone loves getting mail as much as I do, but if you think that postcards and surprise packages are pretty cool, you can still let me know and you never know what might turn up.

Mail Time Part One

I want to be my grandma. Not actually, but in one specific way: the present-giving way. She always always has presents posted on time. (She also writes - by hand - letters to her daughters in another state every week. I wish I could write letters.)

When we were young, Laura-My-Cousin and I always got the same thing as each other from her, identical apart from the fact that she'd get the pink version and I'd get the blue. Every time, except the year we got jewellery boxes. You know the ones with the little ballerina inside that plays some tinkly music when you wind it up and open it? We got those. I got the pink and she got the blue.

And? The one year she got blue, it was a totally ugly shade of blue. Meanwhile, I got the pretty pink one.

Also, I don't think we still get the same thing. If we do, LMC, you're getting earrings for your birthday. Oops, spoiler!

Now that I'm living in a different state to my boys, I have to be all on the ball with dates of things like birthdays and Fathers Day. Not only do I have to remember to buy a present, I have to buy it in time to mail it to Darwin. The pressure!

I am totally proud of the fact that I have managed to buy awesome tshirts and get them in the right size for the past couple of years. Only now, I'm afraid to buy any more in case I ruin my rep. Sorry guys, I'm sticking with my perfect record.

I am happy to say that my Fathers Day present was bought and posted and is currently in Darwin, waiting to be opened tomorrow morning. God, I'm good.

I realise not everyone loves getting mail as much as I do, but if you think that postcards and surprise packages are pretty cool, you can still let me know and you never know what might turn up.

Upside Down

Sometimes I wonder if I should make this blog a little more Australian. You know, spread a few more mates and strewths about the place. And then I kick myself in the head, because dude, you are not the only Australian blogger in the whole world, no-one cares that you're Australian, you need to get over yourself.

On the other hand, there's no denying the fact that I am indeed Australian, and while there's no need to shout it from the rooftops all the damn time because that's just obnoxious, one post isn't going to hurt anybody. Plus, I am not averse to pimping out Australia as a holiday destination. Come visit! Bring ice-cream.*

*I don't want to get into the you have/we have thing here, because we already know where I stand on most of that, except to say: you guys (in America, that is, not the whole Northern Hemisphere) don't get proper Cadbury. It's very sad.

Let's just clear something up right away: the toilet flushes the other way. Yes, it's true. Also? I just discovered this myself, but your light switches are upside-down. Like up is on and down is off, but backwards. Weird.

And then, I wonder about fashion trends. Like right now it's winter here and summer there. But are the same kinds of things in fashion? (Answer: no. I didn't see any checks when I was there.) Or do our summer fashions follow your summer fashions, so we are consistently behind? Or do we all have different trends so that your Summer 08 clothes and our Summer 08 clothes will be different?

On a similar train of thought, day is night and night is day. This is totally confusing. Not to mention difficult when trying to organise IM planning sessions. It's nice that I go to sleep and wake up with 132 unread blog posts. It's not so nice that I have nothing to read in the (my) evenings. Plus, what if I text you and wake you up? Oops.

Oh! And then? I get so caught up in your lives, that I forget what's going on on this side of the planet. Like, the other day, we had a sudden rush on blue trackies, and I was like, "Oh, must be getting in some last-minute school shopping," which ... sure, except that kids here went back to school WEEKS AGO. Idiot. You all are confusing me.

Also confusing? We grew up thinking that if we dug through the middle of the earth, we'd get to China. Pfft, no. We'd get to like the middle of the ocean.

And also? I WANT A LONG WEEKEND.