New faces. New places.

When you are in a time of change, the amount of new people you meet is overwhelming. You sometimes have no clue who is gonna stay an acquaintance and who is going to be a good friend. Cause I have tried to guess that before and it simply does not work. But then you also can tell. So I just totally made a contradicting statement!!

When you are also going through lots of change and moving cities etc and also have lots of time on your hands with no job, you assume you would be able to write a lot more. No. Not me. I just put it off. Maybe it is because it reminds myself that hey, not much has changed! But then again, it has.

Went to Sydney on the weekend, simply because I was meant to do some work up there but it fell through but my mate who I was going to work for, had already bought the non refundable ticket. So I spent 3 days wandering around the city and meeting up with friends. If I was honest, it wasnt very helpful in regards to moving forward. It just showed me the city I left. But I did see good friends and had some great conversations. I saw Tigh and discussed more about what happened in our situation, and saw one of my best buds Chem, who I lived with, and we laughed a lot. We also placed "Lets Get Married" on the jukebox, not even staying for it to play, but chuckling at what the scenario in the bar would be like when that song came on. Oh early 2000's your music really did suck a lot. They wont be saying that when I am old though.. or.. yeah they will be.

I bought a mattress today. Brand new one. I have not had a brand new mattress EVER. And the place I went had a special personal analysis machine, where you lay on this special bed and the computer measured your body weight etc and worked out what beds suited me. The nice sales assistant Sean helped me, and we chose a cheap and comfy mattress, he did not even judge me cause it was not expensive. There were mattresses for $4000, when some people sleep in a box. Just cannot justify that, I just made sure mine did not squeak.

The big move day is in 6 days. I cannot wait to write about that one, which will involve an early morning rise and 10 hours in a car with Dad. And I am actually not even being sarcastic.

I volunteered for Mardi Gras this year, helping with the Start area for the parade. The orientation was held on Sunday and wow, was interesting. Some lesbians with authority can be scary, cause they have an angry chip on their shoulder and assume you are gonna screw up and ruin the day. Share the love. Will see how we go on the day, next weekend.

Just for a mental note, ducks are not people. They are birds. Some people like to treat them as such.

Found a home..

Yes, a home for me is now on the cards for sure. Signed the lease on Friday. My first flat by myself. Will be good, I can do puzzles all night and noone else will care. Except me. I hate puzzles.

I move in 2 weeks, so 2 more weeks of couch sleeping, which will fly by!

There is this rocking Old school Milk Bar not too far from my new home, that I am totally going to go to often. Or will I? Have you ever started exploring a new area where you will live and you plan to do this and this, but then never do. It all seems like it will be all Soap Opera style, where you meet your friends at the cafe and chat and stuff. Nah. You will walk past it everyday and see Sue behind the counter and she will be making a milkshake for a school girl and her clingy boyfriend. And thats it. But yesterday some friends and I sat at the Milkbar in a moment and had a Calippo in celebration.





















Yesterday we were walking along and came across this Tram driver in despair. Wonder what was wrong....






















I have been told a few times now by someone that I struggle to make conversation. Meaning that sometimes when someone is speaking with me, I listen a lot and then do not provide any input into the conversation or provide my opinion. Nor do I instigate any conversation of my own. This made me worry a lot, as I never thought I had any issues with social interactions. And so I got quite defensive and arguementative, cause I guess you like to feel you are the qualified one. When really, why do I feel I would be the king of social interaction and behaviour? I may have just gotten lazy. I feel when I am comfortable in someone's company, I feel no pressure to always be talking. So it really took me off guard, and since this person is someone I really am quite interested in, I didnt know what to say. And that just made it more awkward. So we changed topic. Has challenged me a lot, appreciate being pushed. Do not want to be the bore but also the one to challenge them also.

PS. Melbourne looks nice too.

Kettle Balls

I was on a website and there was an ad for a kettle ball. I clicked on it, mainly cause it said "Aussie Kettle Ball!" Which made me wonder what the difference was. It seems there is none. And also just reminds me of old circus performers with black and red striped lycra pants and mostaches lifting them. Within 30 seconds I had typed in kettle ball and discovered they are a gimmick. Who would have thought...

So I went for a job interview yesterday at a massive corporation. Was so weird to walk into this building of 3000 people. There was even a coffee shop and restaurant near the lobby. It would be a great role, just keen to see how I go now and if I hear back. Talking about it too much makes you feel you wont get it. Know what I mean?

How good is Cider. Thats all I am saying. This is my favourite currently.






















I learnt how to boil a chicken. You put it in hot water and wait for it to cook.

The Day of the V.

Valentines day it is. Most bloggers will write about this, so I wont. Its just what I do. Buck the trend.

So I have been in Melbourne exactly 2 weeks now. I have had about 100 chai lattes and I think I have consumed alcohol everyday of the 14 days. Everyday has also been a day of food that is nice. We like that dont we. I have even considered a food blog because so many meals have been worthy of a photo. It also helps that the lovely Nick who I am staying with is a professional Chef. Makes me cower in the corner and NOT offer to cook anything, as it will look like a jar of baby food in comparison. Mooshy and easy, twist the jar and away you go.

Currently I am sitting in my PJs, which I have no idea where they came from as I usually do not own them. But because I am sleeping on a couch in someone's living room, a guy in undies is not the first sight you want to see when you walk into your living room, so magically I have PJ's in my suitcase. So am sitting here in my PJ's and clicking on Seek.com.au. This informs me that there are 209 "EA/PA jobs in Melbourne". Where?? I dont see them?? Legal firms, accountancy firms and financial firms. You may as well say, here there are jobs for suits and a desk and an office cubicle and you get paid reasonably to do stuff and then go home and come back again. That was such a lame attempt at describing establishment. I really wouldn't go so well in the anti-establishment. Boo. So, as you can tell, no job yet :) But I got a good feeling about this week.

I went to a house in St Kilda with a new mate Peter on Friday night, and it was one of those nights where, you didnt know anyone but by the end of the night and a few drinks later, you had danced with all three of their pet dogs in the loungroom and played with the curtains. I am sure you can all relate.

House hunting does kinda suck. I went to wait outside a flat where there was a viewing (not one of those regular days where you stand outside a flat for the sake of it and listen to what music the person will play next, fun game I know..) and 40 people turned up for the viewing. Is that enough to make you just walk away from the place and not see the inside, as it will be just cruel if you love it.

Feels like I have been here for quite a while. But it hasnt. Been.

Melbourne, lets have Chai.

I landed 4 days ago now. They charged me 140 dollars for additional baggage. When it was my pillow and some towels. Dad saw me off at the airport, he gave me a small note that said he supported me and loved me. In this day and age, it means a lot, especially from fathers from the generation who had fathers who would never say that kind of thing. I am lucky in that. The flight attendant did not give me such a note. She did offer me a cookie, it had apricots in it.

I lugged these costly bags onto the sky bus and then a cab from the CBD to my very generous and awesome friends Matt and Nick's house. I sat a bit spunout and surreal for a bit and then woke up enough (yeah not even jetlagged, cant have that excuse) to head to the city. Met Dan outside Flinders St Station, and had dinner in a pub, discovered midis are now called pots and scooners are now back to Pints. Brilliant. Had a great first evening.

The following days have been a combo of job hunting, flat browsing and seeing friends and exploring. I also bought a new pack of gum and some maggi noodles from a dodgey convenience store which turned out to be really inconvenient.

It begins to hit home slightly that I have a new life, and wont be seeing people as often as I used to, in Sydney, but hey, life is life. And, thinking of those who are experiencing the horror of Cyclone Yasi, cannot even imagine.

I had a fantastic set of leaving drinks with a great bunch of friends, a few photos were taken. And I say.. "a few".

Final days..

So am sitting on my mattress on the floor and there is a cockroach that seemed to have been homing in the truss of my bed frame. He seems a bit agitated. Move on mate.

Oh wow, now it is a day later and I am sitting on dining room chair in my half empty dining room in my boxers and a bottle of wild berry cider. Went and saw Brooke Fraser tonight, she is an artist I first discovered back in 2004, with a christian background and subtle/not so subtle message of God. Fond memories of her music, along with having a mate who also likes her, meant we went along to see her tonight. She has an amazing presence and so talented. She also takes people for who they are and performed in a Newcastle Gay Bar to 40 people before a Drag performance, as she knew that is where some of her fans were. See this song, it is my favourite of hers:




I had my nephew's 1st birthday today. I went crazy with my new camera, I simply love just capturing the moments and story of an event or emotion in general. Both Mum and Dad came too, the beginning of family events where both come. It was good but naturally will only get better I hope. Jersey is such a cute little kid, cant wait to keep seeing how he keeps growing and who he becomes. A simple and amazing gift to watch this occur. And relfect on your own growth from being a kid. When making mud pies under the slippery dip WAS the event of the day.


I said bye to the family today, as I make the big move in 2 days.

Number 3 City.

I have realised that, this will be the second time I have gone on a city change, the first time was when my blog began, almost 6 years ago. That is like 1/7th of an elephant's life. And it is also 1/6th of a 6 year old's life as well.

Though when I began, it was all very travel journal like and the word gay didnt really come into it. Or the word triceratops but that only comes into play when you are speaking about dinosaurs, on late night TV.

So back to the blog.. my move is beginning to take shape as Melbourne gets closer. I began the hunt with my CV, with changes and changes. I find you send it to a friend, they give their feedback and then you like it even more. Then you send it to another friend, they criticise another aspect OR say the opposite of the last friend. So really, don't show it to too many, maybe just a few key people who know their stuff. Which I did this time around and am really happy with the result. When you think about it, two pages represent who you are, as a person and what you rock at. I apparently rock at ping pong ball hunting and filing. It was fun comparing my CV from 2005 to 2011. Its like reading your weekend summary in your creative writing book from grade 3, compared to your history essay in grade 11 on Trench Warfare.

Do I even finish the point of some stories on here? Sometimes no, as I dont even read through my entry, I just click "publish post".

Idealist and realist. Keeps people guessing supposedly. Its what I am. Have a perfect concept in my head, like.. lindt chocolate bunnies, the ones with the gold bell on them. But at same time, be happy with a Cadbury white chocolate bunny. OK, what was that analogy. And why isnt my question mark working. No really, idealist being I hope for the best and in good times it can be great. So Melbourne is going to be amazing and a perfect opportunity for me. Then realism will kick in and any opportunity will be great, not just the perfect ones. Did that make sense?

Mum told me she is selling her car and going with her gf around Australia in a van. The middle age person dream. When do you catch this dream? I dont really have a desire to do it JUST yet. The company would have to be good and... ok I am gonna stop there. I saw Black Swan tonight and I swear it is a mental mind blow and you feel you are insane yourself when you exit the cinema.

I had a fantastic weekend also, hung out with Dan, a Melbourne Welshman. He makes me laugh and he sucks at applying suncream, and swimming in the ocean. Other than that he is quality. Had a few adventures, like traveling to Cockatoo island and exploring an aspect of Sydney I never knew existed. Glad I can still do this, just as I leave this place. And get to know Melbourne. A few adventures I am yet to have I reckon.

Sydney was voted worst city by its own citizens. The Melbourne paper reported this today.

Me me me. I i i.

Farewell the aussie in the Bum

So today I resigned from work.

It was time, and it feels great. Enough was enough and my gut told me, to get out and jump into another adventure. What job do I go to next do you ask? I say, I got no idea. And am I silly for that? Depends on your attitude I guess. Is happiness based on what you do or what you feel? Or both? I have accepted it isnt about finding THAT career or what YOU do. Just making sure I enjoy it. So many people are given horrible circumstances and have so much more right to vent and say, life sucks. I am not one of those people and so thankful I am given the opportunities I am. Speak to the people I speak to and just watch what goes on around me.

I just had to chase a massive spider up the stairs, as my flatmate was hysterically screaming, demanding I kill it. I dont kill things. I do not feel that cause I am bigger etc, I should just take another life away. So I was upstairs pretending to stamp on the spider and spray it and destroy the existence of it. Then I placed a bit of twig (NO idea what a twig was doing in my other flatmate's room) and put it in a bottle. Then walk downstairs with flatmate screaming and I put it in the back yard. She then said that it has to be taken even further away. She said she was goin to drive to her parents, 40 mins away, to sleep, if it wasnt gone totally. So I found myself casually strolling up the street with a twig in a bottle. I released the twig, said goodbye and came back down. She let me in once she saw no evidence of the "spider". So Mr Spider upstairs, thank me. AND do not enter Karina's room.

The next step? I move to Melbourne. The gut says go, so I shall.

Heard this the other day, I feel this posting is very poppy and cheesy and inspirational, but hey, we all get em ;) This song just sums up how I feel right now. Hear hear.

2011: Its Gonna Chaaaange....

So it is a week and one day, into 2011.

Do you ever feel like on NYE the world is going to end? Nah... neither do I.

What have I achieved so far. The stronger desire to keep working on where I want to go. Whatever that is. One lesson that sounds cliche but is so true... go with your gut. If you gut feels sick everyday and you feel anxious, that is a definite sign things need to change. It may go away, but its just buried and will keep coming up until you make that change. Thats my tip for 2011 people. One I should really take on board myself.

I went to Melbourne a few days ago on a whim. Went by myself as usual and just strolled. I bought my first Canon SLR, it was a 60D (if that means anything to people) and I had a lot of fun playing with it. Me and my flatmates played Putt Putt Golf yesterday and even a simple game of that, the photos came up amazing. I was stoked. The HR lady at work suggested I focus on hobbies I like, cause a lot of the time, a career can grow out of it. So why not?? I am gonna book myself into a photography course and get into it.

Another resolution, I need to switch off all gay dating sites. It really is a struggle as it is so consuming. A bit lame that you need to get self assurance from.. well.. not yourself.. but from randoms online. When really, most of the time, there will not be anything natural and develop from an online experience. I have experienced it and it has been great, but just so so rare. But its easy to delete your profiles, harder to keep them offline.... Will keep trying here.

And an event just occured with a person that just told me once again, go. with. my gut.

OK, done.