A Testy Topic

Surviving a hostel in your early 30s.

If moving across the country Perth to Melbourne wasn't already a big deal, rocking up with no job, no home and only a bunch of friends. Living in a hostel long term is possibly one of the hardest things I've had to manage in my life.

After years of backpacking and room sharing around the world, you come to appreciate the true happiness of your own bedroom. Even if you do share it with a partner, you still have a space you can go to. 

But it seems I've gone back in time and I'm now living in a dorm with 6 others. It's a 6 person dorm, but there is a couple on the bed below me. I know they are a couple because sometimes the bed shakes in a particular way. I think they are trying for a baby.

On that note, its got me thinking. How does a young couple get physical or intimate in a room with 6 other people and someone sleeping on the bunk above them. I thought at one point he may have been pleasuring her with his fingers. I tell you why. The bed wasn't moving but she was moaning. I was debating if I should leave the room. Five minutes later I realised she was just snoring, not moaning. Not something I am particularly subject to often. My last housemate used to make a weird loud breathing sound that could be heard down the road. So my experience with "lady noises" is limited.

Further to that. How does one person satisfy themselves when there are people always around. And there is no privacy in the shower blocks, if it came to that. The doors don't even lock. Is there something I'm missing, something I'm not quite getting. 

I've not had a solid sleep in this room for the last two weeks. The light in the hallway outside the room seems to be one of those spotlights farmers use when they hunt Kangaroos. I wake in the middle of the night having abolutly no idea if it's night or day. 

There is no storage space in the room. And in my great wisdom, I brought two cases with me both about 70 litres or 25 kg. I realise I could have come over with the second load later down the road. But instead I brought everything with me. My entire life. I'm too embarrassed to open them, so I've been rotating through a pile of clothes I just keep washing and wearing.

As I'm new to this big city, and unlike Perth, there is a whole heap of stuff to do that's close to the CBD or heaven forbid actually in the CBD. As such, I venture out during the day discovering new places, and things to do as well as looking for jobs or places to live. And even though it is expensive to stay in this hostel, I don't understand why there is this one girl who stays in the hostel for the most part of the day. 

I mean, she is from the UK and must be on a backpacking holiday. So how can you justify being in a new city half way around the world and not be want to venture out. If you ask me, this trip is wasted on her. You could do this in your own home town. Not that I'm going to offer to share some of what Melbourne has to offer.

I even went to the hostel bar the other night. The last time I was in a hostel with no friends that's how I managed to make friends. But turns out being the old guys at a bar is not a way of meeting people. I think the best way for someone of my age is to sit out the front of the hostel on the street with a cigarette. 

So how do I survive living in a hostel long term as a 32 year old guy? I'm not. Each day I dream of the day I can move into a home. That or the couple below me invite me down...

Indirectly being called old

There is something about ageing. Some people embrace it, some really don’t. I think I’m somewhere in the middle.

I’m denying age by way of pretending I can still party all night long and ride down hill in a shopping trolley after a few too many at the pub. I’m also kidding myself that I can put away that block of chocolate I just ate and think it wont matter.

Then on the other hand I’m completely looking forward to all the things I dreamt of when I was wanting to grow up: children, a home, a fancy car and holidays whenever I want. I also realise that neither of those options of growing old is realistic.

I know the days go quicker. I know I get tired more often. I know I like my early mornings. And I know people now call me “Sir”. I hate, no I despise being called sir. And that is the sole reason I’m not a fan of growing old. Well that was at least until I was called “hun” by who can only be described as, pubescent.

I can only assume this is for women what “mate” is to men. And I feel a little connection to the lovely old lady behind the counter in a shop or bar. She’s earned that respect and connection. But damned if I’ll let someone younger call me “hun”.

Don’t get me wrong I was brought up with values and manners and all that. So I understand that by appearance I would now be classed as an “old guy”, in turn should be called “Sir”. I mean I remember thinking anyone at least 5 years or older than me when I was in high school was old. Let alone someone my parent’s age.

But I challenge those that think it’s cute or fun to call people “hun” or “sir” that aren’t at least Sir Michael Cane’s age, to think about how they might feel indirectly being called old.

There should be an unwritten rule to say anyone over or nearing the age of retirement can call someone “hun”. And anyone over or knocking on the door of retirement can be called “Sir”.

Even though I’m now ticking the next box related to my age group, I am by no means knocking on any door of retirement. As such, I don’t want to be reminded of the box I just ticked by way of calling me “hun”.

But I’m not completely against the idea of calling me Sir. Let’s be honest one day I’ll be Sir Jason Cook for my services to the country in being an old grumpy fart.

Checking in on London

It has been four years since the last time I was on a long distance plane ride. Four years since I was in another country, four years since I was in the UK and for years since I saw some amazing friends. And after about 30 hours flying I touched down on UK soil once again for some fun and games. 

The main reason I am here is for a wedding. You might say the wedding of the century. And as it will be the first wedding I will have ever been to I am going to class it as the wedding not only of the century but for the last couple of centuries. 

An almost 30 year old man and never been to a wedding you are asking yourselves? Well I blame my friends, get your lives together. 

So I want to talk about differences. Differences from the UK to Australia. The kind of things you would think, 'we'll gee whizz how have they not got/done this already'? 

Now for those many of you whom have already lived in the UK been to the UK or watch enough East Enders will know a lot of this will have already crossed your minds. But I feel it still warrants mentioning. 

Alcohol and places that sell alcohol. 

What I love is I can go into almost any grocery store and corner store and get myself a little bottle of something something. 

I had nipped in to Marks and Spencer on the way to get a train to Manchester to see my good old roomy I'd lived with in France. Inside I thought I'd also check out the booze section, I'm on holiday and felt like a little tipple. 

There on the shelf in front of me was purely the greatest invention I've ever seen. A wine glass filled with red wine only to be covered with a thin foil around the top. The kind of foil lid you would find on a yoghurt or jar of instant coffee. 

I've seen the bottle with glass attached to the lid but something so simple as a foil lid so all you have to do is tare and drink. Genius.

Why does Australia not have that already. When we can actually purchase booze from the grocery store then maybe, just maybe.

But fear not. Australia has one to make this 'who is better' more even. 

We have a simple name for a black coffee. I like to enjoy the taste of freshly made espresso, I don't like to spoil it with milks and sugars and flavours. And us simple folk call a black coffee with hot water a 'long black'. Simple. You know exactly what you are getting.

But here in this grey country they call it an Americano. WHAT? It has nothing to do with what it is. I will investigate this and come to a more educated decision by the next blog for y'all.

If you would like to follow the visual beauty of my journey hit me up on Instagram. @Jdog111

What makes an amazing cup of coffee phenomenal?

This is a little taste from my coffee blog I write. Head over and read the full column here.

"I spent weeks… Okay I spent about a monthtrying different café’s. Café’s at different times of the day when the baristachanged over. I compared them against each other on price, taste, service andconversation. Then I went back and tried them again just to make sure.

After my month of intense testing, I foundit. I was able to drink coffee again. Coffee that was everything I ever wantedin a cup. But there was something missing. That amazing cup of coffee wasn’tphenomenal and I couldn’t figure out why."

When music was cool...

Two things happened at work today. Firstly Stevo was cranking some absolute classics and secondly James managed to find some old school music where you can almost hear the vinyl crackling away. Without talking about the second thing I wanted to ponder the first thing a little more.

It got me thinking, when was the last time you actually enjoyed music? When was the last time you got home from a long day at the office/classroom/sports field, etc. Lay on your bed, lit a cigarette (change that to suit what ever you do when you aren't doing anything) and enjoyed a whole album for what it is?

It was a question I just really didn't know the answer to. And with having absolutely no music background or understanding of the recording industry, I took to the professionals. Dead Set Radio (DSR), who have just released their debut EP 'Resigned to this Fate'. They know the music making process and now they know the process of putting it on a cd for all to hear.

Sam from DSR tells me he still does it when there is a good album. The last time he did it was with the White Stripes album, listening contently beginning to end.

"The writing process is a bit more disjointed, they just want to get a single out each time. Instead of writing a whole album with a flow from one song to the next. It's more we'll write the good song that goes on the video then we'll write the filler songs until the next good song, so there isn't really the flow between them.

"When you listen to an album it's very start stop so it doesn't matter if you have it on shuffle or not as they are very stand alone things. Where as back then it was more about the album than about the song, as it wasn't about the singles thing." He said.

So what I got from that was its no longer about the music. Its about getting the hit single out. And Sam was quick to add that when DSR release their LP, giving it a story and flow will be important. Something they tried even with their EP.

Zemya DSR's lead vocalist said there are some bands that still theme their albums like "Green Day has a story to all their stuff".

So while I have no grounds to say what I am about to say I feel I am able to make comment as someone who enjoys music, someone who listens to music and can walk down a street whistling the tune.

Don't get into music if you aren't interested in it. I think that is ultimately what it has come down to. People are getting into music banking on their good looks or voice. But when the push comes to shove (I tried to think of something more music related to put there, but no such luck), they are singing someone else's music to push out a hit that will make a bit of money and get them a nice car and a house.

So I challenge you music artists that aren't in it for the love. Remember why you got into music. Put some effort in and think back to the days when music was more important than life itself. Put an album out that tells a story from beginning to end. Where the songs flow and the lyrics paint a mental image.

And that, on behalf of anyone else who feels the same is all I have to say about music and those that make it.

Stop making shit music.

The Game Of Dating

This week as part of a project I set up myself an online dating profile. Not to actually get a date but just to see what hits I would get, if at all.

The whole idea comes from something I saw on breakfast television, where a lady in her late 30s was told she basically had no chance at getting a guy as no one her age was interested in an old lady (story here). HARSH! While she was no MILF, she isn't too bad and I'm sure someone would give her a go.

Now what I want to do is point out how much online dating is SO HARD. I spend over an hour setting up my profile. Not only did it ask what my name was it was asking everything you can think of. Are you an angry person, have you ever hit someone, what would your friends say you are like, do you like sex? Ummmmm I'd like to meet someone who isn't. It asked every possible question to find some compatibility with someone else. What they didn't ask was what coloured underwear I wore on Tuesday (I didn't...)

While this took forever to create for what will be a small and short project, it started to bring back some memories of the past. This year was the first year in a long time that I got back on the dating wagon. But the wheels fell off that wagon, and I'm still struggling to get them back on. May have something to do with the fact that I'm not a mechanic.

While I'm not a huge fan of online dating, it does however interest me because of its ease. And let's be honest I'm not so big on the bar scene anymore which hinders my chances of finding someone at a club. And my friend circle is too small to get hooked up with a friend of a friend. So I thought I'd ask around and see how many other people have had luck with online dating.

One.

Yep one person who found love online is still in that relationship. So while it may be easier to find someone, it's just as hard to make them hang around. However, they seem smitten and as happy as can be.

But the odds aren't in my favour to endeavour into the online dating world head frist. I'm sure there is a joke there. So I'm going to stick to the old fashioned way and try and meet someone face to face. Not that it's any easier.

However meeting someone face to face the first time has clearly added the to longevity of relationships with my research. Sure I posted it on Facebook and got two replies. Not the point. My studies have shown that the worlds population is in favour of meeting people normally face to face for long term relationships.

But I'll have to keep you posted on that one. Don't hold your breath though.

Frenvy (Friend Envy)

I like to be the best or at least good at what I do. Doesn't always mean I am good at it, whatever it is. But I don't like it when I enjoy doing something and someone, who I think is at the same ability level as me, can come out on top. 


Ladies and Gentlemen I introduce to you frenvy aka friend envy.

I don't like to tell people my Uni marks in case they have better marks then me and get that look, oh I am better than you. Though I am happy to ask what other people got so I know where I'm at with my ability.

I read an article the other day by Dan Rookwood who does some writing for the Australian GQ, Dealing with Friend Envy. And it got me thinking about this ongoing feeling of great frenvy I have towards someone I've never met before, yet hear about all the time.

I think it's fair to say everyone will suffer from this problem of frenvy. And as best I like to think I can, I congratulate those that do well, I can't help but feel I'm doing it to cover up how I really feel.

Which brings me to this ongoing problem I have been having with a good friend of mine, Rob. Now the problem I have with frenvy isn't directly related to Rob, however it has everything to do with the frenvy Rob is growing inside of me.

I will see Rob at least once a week to work on our radio and podcast project. For the last month Rob has been getting into a habit of telling me about this new guy he has hired at work. Let's call him Taylor, as that's actually his name.

Now I'm sure Taylor is a lovely guy, and being that I don't know him I do feel bad at times for not liking him. But frenvy has taken over which results in me not liking him a lot of the time. Let me explain.

Rob will see me once a week as I said and tell me something new Taylor has said or done. One such time Rob told me that Taylor had listened to all our podcasts and wants to be a part of them.

Then Rob will insist on telling me again that Taylor is doing the same course as me though at a different University.

Rob also likes to tell me what Taylor is doing at Uni. Now that wouldn't be a problem, aside from that fact that I tell Rob everything I'm doing at Uni as we are friends and that's what we do. So I'm never sure if Rob is comparing me to Taylor.

Rob told me that Taylor had managed to get an interview with a high profile Perth sports person/politician/someone I don't care about. BUT, I couldn't help but feel as Rob was saying it, how much I should be stepping up my level of effort at Uni and aiming for a higher profile person for an interview for assignments.

FRENVY.

Now I work for a small not for profit community radio station in the northern suburbs of Perth. It's small, it has old equipment, the computers crash a lot and almost everyone has something to complain about. I love working there, it's great experience.

Taylor however is being trained up at a community radio station that broadcasts to the entire city of Perth. It has a huge following and some great announcers.

FRENVY.

Rob and I are trying to build up some great radio working together. And once we feel we have got it down we want to approach a commercial radio station and pick up some work with them.

Taylor is already working for a community radio station. Not on air, he is driving their promotional cars, but it is a step in, and a step further than me.

FRENVY.

Taylor is tall. I'm not.

FRENVY.

I have blue eyes. Taylor has piercing blue eyes.

FRENVY.

Rob talks about Taylor all the time.

FRENVY.

Taylor wants to join us on our projects. But I don't like that he is better then me.

FRENVY.

So how is it that I can not like someone; who I have never met, have no idea how good or bad they are at what they do?

According to the column by Dan Rookwood, envy is a healthy way of measuring success. Pushing yourself to be better others.

So while he may be taller, have nicer blue eyes than me, already be establishing himself in the industry better than me. I...have...okay... So I can't think of anything I do that is better than him. Might have something to do with the fact that I don't actually know anything about him probably because I've never met him.

It's healthy, it's pushing me to be better at what I do. Pushing me to know that there are people better than me. And they are most likely thinking the same about someone else that's better than them.

So if and when I see him, aide from looking - okay gazing, up to his piercing blue eyes, I will congratulate him on his success.

I'd like to think that maybe he needs a little pat on the back as well. Or maybe he will pat me on the back and tell me I'm doing a good job.

Or I will continue to be frenvious of him and listen to his stories from Rob every week.

Marathong

This is late I know. But to be honest my training efforts didn't really happen leading up. I dropped down to the 10k as did Hayden. And after a night of drinking I clocked it in 1 hour, Hayden ran it in 50 minutes. Not too bad. Next year!

Despite me being stupid and putting Marathong as the subject I am in all seriousness going to attempt to do a MARATHON.  Yep, me running for 42k's.  So I thought as this is one of my life's goals I will blog the journey.  More so if no one believes me.

I'm going to attempt and succeed I hope the Rottnest Marathon October 23.  So if your there come down and cheer me on, I might need it.  I'm doing it with two mates, both of whom are a great deal fitter than me, Steve who completed the City to Surf marathon in under 3.5hours.  And Hayden just an all round fit person.  So good luck to me...

I have just over 5 weeks to train for this, I have known I was going to do it long before these 5 weeks just didn't have the motivation to do it.

The hardest part of starting training for something like this, is simply starting training.  Take this morning for example.  My alarm went off at 6am as it does for my 'training days', I got up went to the loo and went back to bed.  Where is my dedication, mind you I had done a 9ker a couple of days before in my first week of training which took it out of me.  So a few hours later as a bit of disappoint in myself I went for a run. 

Now I'm not new to running, I actually really enjoy it.  It's when I get my best ideas and really de-stress.  But knowing I've got such a big task ahead of me, makes everything different.

I did throw in some training with Hayden, which might I ad can take one stride while running to my two, the downside of short legs (I'm not a midget though), a Jacob's Ladder training session.  I managed half way running up before my legs felt like lead and I couldn't lift my leg and had to jog up one at a time.  Hayden however blitzed up no problem.  A long way to go.

So, where I'm at training wise.  This is the first official week for training with 2 3k runs down and a 9k run I think I'm off to a good start.  But a long, loooong, loooooooong way to go.  This Sunday will see another attempt at a large run, most likely another 9 to 10k (with a few short walks).

I'll keep you posted on my progress and what I'm going through mentally.  Then when all this is over I'll let you know how drunk I got after the race.

Till next time...

A cheeky update...

Why is it cheeky? I'm not sure, I could have just said a little update, cheeky seemed more adventurous. Maybe not...

Well I'm on Uni break at the moment which has left me time to go on a 2 week bender which I'm only now starting to slow down on. Like I'm back on the slopes of France drinking like my life depended on it.

But it's also given me time to work on a couple of projects which I am quite passionate about. My good friend Rob and I have decided to join the world of podcasting. But with absolutely no idea how to actually join the elite on iTunes we are just podcasting from our facebook page facebook.com/robandjayradio. Check it out I still giggle when I hear it. Haha and tune in for more to come as well.

The other big project is Rob and myself are working on a feature film to start filming later this year so we can hit the festival circuit next year. So now that the stress of my 1 exam has gone, I've got my major drinking out of the system I'm ready to start writing the first draft of the script. Stay tuned for that one, it should be amazing!

And that brings me to the next point on this posts agenda, my radio show. I took over a hit radio show on community radio station 89.7fm here in Perth. And so far so good, I've got a mate, local producer Hoppo working on some slick sounds for the show and with my beautiful voice TNT with Jay on Thursdays is on it's way to being a hit all around Perth. Check me out on Facebook TNT with Jay and hit the like button and make me feel special. haha.

Until next time...

Below the poverty line I go...

Day 5 hell's yeah!

THANKS RYAN FOR YOUR DONATION!

It came pretty quickly actually. I didn't struggle much today. Had my plain pasta sandwiches and potato chips (home made) yeah that's right I can cook as well. Although chips aren't that hard. Not the point.

The greatest thing about this Live Below The Line is I can stop. I can' imagine what it would be like for someone to enjoy the simple pleasures of a big breakfast at the John Street Cafe. To enjoy a nice take away Chinese. So I hope the money I helped raise made a difference.

I ended up working today which meant I was too busy most of the time to worry about having to eat. I just got to enjoy the smells of everyone's lunch in the staff room.

I didn't end up using all my food either. I had a heap of rice left over and some pasta and even some bread.

But in all overt the week I made some moola and that's the whole point. Thank to everyone who made a donation not only does it make it worth while for me, and gave me a reason not to cheat. It also goes a long way in helping out those in need in Papua New Guinea via the Oaktree Foundation.

I raised $60.00 big ones! My goal was only $50 so yay for me.

Here's to next year and my pizza at midnight. hehe.

Day 4 hurray he yells

THANKS CHRIS FOR YOUR DONATION!

The 4th day is finally here. Headaches have slowly worn down to a dull manageable pain. I don't feel hungry any more, but once I eat one thing I just want more. I think I just ate about half a packet of rice today.

But things are good. I'm frickin' looking forward to Friday 12am when I pop my bottle of champagne to celebrate.

But not before I get through tomorrow. I decided today that I would prepare all my food for tomorrow as I have quite a busy day. So I have smashed potatoes, home made chip's and spaghetti and about 4 slices of bread left, though they have gone slightly hard now. Toast it is.

And I still have heaps of rice left over. And I doubt I'll eat all the spaghetti. I seem to get quite full quickly as much as I want to keep eating.

My bathroom habits have gone a little askew sadly. I had an apple and ended up on the toilet for half an hour. Ah the joys...

Here is to the last and final day of my challenge. If you haven't already make a donation. Makes all this seem worth while...

http://www.livebelowtheline.org.au/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=338081

Day 3 cont. (what did you just call me)

So I did pretty good today. My class mates decided it was fair to talk about chocolate and popcorn and all things amazing when you are at the cinema, and when I politely asked them to stop they said sorry and kept talking. Oh the pain. But at least I have my twitter friends around Australia in the same boat (jason_ace).

I've been getting really bad headaches which is a little annoying, and I'm not sure if that's from my painful shoulder or the lack of food. I also had a phantom knee pain, I swear was lack of food caused.

Needless to say aside from the paid I didn't find myself staring through the window of the bakery, watching my family eat their dinner my eyes following their forks. Nor did I start looking through the bins behind the grocery store. I said I didn't do that stuff right. Yeah that's what I meant...

Today's diet was full of plain rice for a afternoon snack. And for lunch I had plain spaghetti, I forgot to put a sauce in the budget for this week. And for dinner I had a delicious culinary delight of plain spaghetti sandwich. And as my new LBLAus Twitter friend @daniellalallaa said I

"Oh man, I am so over pasta/spaghetti. Don't think I could eat another bite of it for a loooong while!"

So that's me done for day 3, over half way there. And now I'm planning my big breakfast for Saturday morning. What shouldn't I have?

Here's to day 4 of more plain pasts and plenty or rice.

DAY 3

I though I'd be okay with this whole limited food thing. And I am because it helps a great cause. BUT... I thought I'd be able to take food donations, so I had plans of making all my Uni friends buy me lunch. And I also had plans of eating people's left overs, not the most glamorous but do what you gotta do. And I also had cunning plans of going to the grocery store and getting all the free samples. But turns out under dot point 8 in the rules and regulations;

"You can't accept 'donated' food from family or friends, but monetary

donations towards your fundraising goal are acceptable, and encouraged!"

So that leaves me eating plain bread for breakfast. I'll keep you posted on how the rest of the day goes...

DAY 2

THANKS SANDRA FOR YOUR DONATION!

Day two is down, and I have a full belly mostly of rice and bread. But it's full non the less.

The only bad thing is I now can't eat too much for the rest of the week, didn't think that one through the best when I was indulging.

But the reason I had to indulge was because I woke up, well hungry goes without saying. But I was so tired and cranky. Nothing a cheap can of spaghetti on toast didn't fix.

Yes, okay I may not have been the best shopper for under $10, but it's the small things in life. Or at least when you have to go 5 days without food.

But at least I've done a shop this time and not just purchased biscuits. I've got apples, potatoes (Irish style), rice a lot of rice, some soup in a cup, bread, spaghetti (only $1.00 on special) and that's about it.

I don't plan on eating all of it, but after tonight I may only just scrape though.

As long as I keep myself occupied I'll be okay. But I did struggle while trying to write a major assignment. Lack of food maybe?

I have finally gotten over the pain of not having coffee, but crave sugar something conic.

My other theory is if I go to bed early I won't get hungry cause I'll be asleep. Is that scientifically proven? I'll let you know.

There was one point today when I did think about the real reason I am doing this. And if I can make a difference for one person as little as it may be then so be it. I can manage to not eat for a day.

Heres to day 3 and almost half way...

http://www.livebelowtheline.org.au/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=338081

DAY 1

Okay so it's day one, numero oono. And as you can tell a little delirious from the lack of food. And would you know I don't a friend that is willing to buy me food. But it turns out that that kind of activity is not acceptable. So looks like I'm headed to the grocery store tomorrow to buy enough for the rest of the week.

When I woke up this morning I actually forgot what it was I was doing so I had my standard protein shake. Oops. Not sure how to penalize myself on the one, might just pretend it never happened.

Then today I purchased a packet of biscuits for .85c, I know right bikkies for under a buck. And I got a cup of two minute noodles. That really wasn't good enough for my daily meal, wouldn't surprise me if I collapse tomorrow.

I did however eat a tiny tub of nuts that I already had. Turns out that that was not acceptable either. So I'm going to have to take some money out of my budget to cover that.

My shopping list for tomorrow will be rice.

I've got headaches, I'm hungry and I can't concentrate. Damn no coffee.

I can have the free samples from the grocery store though right?

http://www.livebelowtheline.org.au/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=338081

Scream 4 movie review with me.

Never Let Me Go movie review by me.

The Royal Wedding.

Firstly what is the 'train' for on a wedding dress? Just looks like a calling to be tripped up from the kids walking behind.

But there has been a lot of hype about this wedding, so I decided to watch some to see what it's all about. And apart from it being the Royal family it's just a normal wedding.

What shits me is the fact that it was compared to in ever sense, Diana's wedding. Move on people, move on.

Let's hope they last!

Until next time...

My review for Art vs Science debut album.

iPad 3

There was a huge line up for the Apple iPad here in Perth WA. Is it really worth all the hype?

Jase Gone Wild!

I'm here in the United States of America. Took a little time out from my hectic life of doing nothing to see my sister (Big Little) as it has been a couple of years and her Husband is away so I'm not so much as going to help out as more just be there.

Let me start from the end and work my way back.

I'm now 1 week and 1 day into the trip and settled in nicely. Today we went to Ihop for breakfast where I continued with my important diet of eating as much as I can, American stylez! I had spinach, shroom, egg and cheese crepes. Strawberry and banana pancakes with at least 3 cups of coffee. And then retired to the couch to watch the first disc of 'The United States of Tara'. The most funny and amazing show I have seen in a while. Until Chris Lilly comes out with his next show. But that's for another post.

Yesterday I stayed in bed and read all day with a couple of beers to keep me company. The Girl Who Played With Fire, my most favourite book at the moment. It doesn't let me down. That was pretty much my day till I made my nephew some grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner and we watched Despicable Me. Tonight is Harry Potter, I went and bought all the DVD's for him. Only 10 bucks each. I've recorded my nephew saying 'Harry Potter' it's brilliant. When I figure out how to put it online and link it I will. Stay tuned...

So are you getting the picture now of how very little I've been doing over here.

The day before consisted of going to the mall Robyn Sparkles style. As did the day before but with a trip to the movies as well to see Black Swan. not into Ballet fear not, it's fucked up and worth seeing as it's not all about ballet. Check out 'That Movie Guys' review here.

I've been to restaurant for lunch pretty much every day and in most cases eaten out for Breakfast. Starbucks, Dunkin Doughnuts, Panera Bakery, Applebees, CPK (a pizza place). And on top of that I have had liquid lunches to complement each lunch as I am doing now. enjoying a smooth cold carton of assorted Sammuel Adams beers.

But things weren't so casual and laid back even exciting as my trip here. not only did i put myself through an extremely long flight ( I seriously thought I was getting that vein thing in my leg thanks to Claire who asked if I had the flight socks [paranoid]) 13 hours Sydney to LAX. That flight went well, despite the fact I was on an older air craft and didn't have my own personal TV set I managed, thanks to the wanders of the iPhone and a TV series names 'Extras'.

But I land and as I swiftly make my way through customs I realise after an hour and a half I've missed my connecting flight. There are about 12 other people who are also on my same flight. I was put on the next flight and with an hour to spare I'd have made my connecting flight to where my sister live, Norfolk. So I was waiting for my new flight back were re-checked after passing through Customs, oop's forgot to declare the Alcohol I had...

Half an hour late my flight boards to Chicago. No problem I can still make my connecting flight. Oh no wait a second there Jase. How about we sit on the aircraft for another hour and 45 minutes. In all the anxious confusion I thought the time was an hour behind so even though I was booked right near the exit and I was first off and ran into the Chicago airport, I was an hour out. And the flight I was supposed to be on was the last flight of the day. The airline booked me into a hotel and put me on the next flight in the am. So after a day's flying I ended up still travelling the next day. Not what I had planned or wanted, but hey the pleasures of choosing the budget airline. And just to add to that it snowed over night and into the morning so my flight was delayed by half an hour as they needed to 'defrost' the plane and 're-oil' it.

Thankfully although getting here was SHITE, I'm here and beer has made everything okay. HOWEVER, that beer and all the American food has done something to my belly. Stretch marks anyone?

Till next time...

30 Days...

The final day, a little trim and away she goes...

Till next year Mo!

Movember movember...

Almost there. Today I got told my mo' looks gay. Apart from my work mate giving me shit all week saying I have a caterpillar on my lip. I had managed to cut down too far so i had to level it off, now I look like some French fashion designer. All for a good cause hey. Or I might shave it off tonight!

Day 19.

MOVEMBER!

Doing my part to raise money for Prostate Cancer. They call it the 'Box car', though I have been called many names these last few weeks.

Day 12