light bulbs August 27, 2007

ever have one of those moments where the light bulb goes off and you get it? 

last week, i was talking with someone about an event that happened in my life, way back when, when i was a young child.  and it was during this conversation that i figured it out.  i figured out one of my many character flaws. 

now the question is, how do i deal with it?  put it to bed?  accept it? 

ive been walking around for a couple of days now wondering about it, so anyone who has any suggestions, please feel free to provide your opinion. 

flight of the conchords August 19, 2007

i found these guys on itunes.  they are a parody folk group from new zealand, who have an HBO show about trying to make it in the big city of new york!  …too funny!

what you should do August 17, 2007

is sit on the beach and let your toes play with the sand all the while listening to the surf…

…and thinking about the ten thoughts on whole living from body and soul:

-loving acts begin at home, but the effects ripple infinitely outward.
-each transition is an opportunity to look at who you are – and where you are headed.
-walk a little, every day.
-let go of what you dont need; you’ll make space for what you want.
-the desire for change shows up in your body as well as your thoughts.  pay attention to it.
-good food that serves you in the short term will sustain you in the long run.
-a healthy life stems from better choices.
-help others because they need it, not because you need to provide it. 
-giving is the key to a happier, healthier life.
-teach what you know, and you’ll discover what you’re ready to learn.

totally creeped out August 7, 2007

i found out tonight that the flirter is flirting with every single female in the office.  thankfully for me, i havent socialized with him outside the office, as the others have. 

i dont blame the guy.  he’s recently single and is just looking to have some fun.  but surely not at my expense.  tomorrow i will have to do something clever that will put him in his place done ever so non-chalantly. 

tonight i went on a dinner cruise with the following nationalities from the office – dutch, hungaraian, english, sinaporaian (or whatever they call people from singapore) and nelma.  i have no idea where nelma is from.  the seven of us sat at the table and the singapore chick & nelma talked about the flirter.  an englishman & i chatted, while another englishman boucned between us and the dutch & hungaraian.  in the end, as i sit here and look back at the evening, its definitely something that will be cherished. 

we all got on famously.  we had some good laughs.  we all have the same opinion of many people.  and lastly, we all enjoy each others company. 

we had a really good chuckle to a point the dutch had tears in his eyes about the fact that the 2.5 hour cruise basically went up and down the sydney harbour about 6 times.  we kept seeing the opera house, the bridge, and circular quay.  thankfully he has seen european vacation and could understand the following quote:

"look kids, big ben…parliament."

i am feeling a bit sad about leaving on sunday.  but i cannot wait to get home.  get back to my routine.  get back to driving myself to work and enjoying the people i work with.  for not having to enter another order for quite some time. 

until then…i’ll see the sydney tower, walk across this bridge that i have seen way too much tonight and maybe even do some more shopping. 

flight pattern August 4, 2007

tonight the sydney airport arrival flight pattern is right over my hotel.  so every 4 minutes i hear the roaring jet engines.  and its loud too since i am close to the airport so they are rather low.  (plane)

i suppose things could be worse, ey?

today i ventured again into downtown sydney and marched over to pier 26 and hopped on a giant catamaran boat for a 2 hour cruise of the sydney harbor.  definitely worth the $39.  was able to see some many things that i would never see from a bus tour or it would take me days and days to see all of it on foot. 

i have taken pictures again today.  i went to the photo store to have them loaded onto a cd and the girl wanted to charge me $9 for the cd.  when i did this last sunday, the guy only charged me $5.  hello???  did we have a price increase over the last 5 days??? 

i walked away a bit perturbed.  but as i sit here and write this, i want (plane) to share the pictures while i am here and not when i get home.  so i’ll head over to the store tomorrow.  buggers. 

did i mention that there are asians everywhere?  literally every turn i take, asian person.  its gets to be annoying at some point during the day.  i cant imagine living in singapore or china or japan…their like ants over there, climbing on top  of each other.  the office has a high population of asians as well.  but i think they are from the singapore (plane) office here temporarily until the implementation is done. 

the fashion australians wear?  converse.  everyone. wears. converse.  remember the chuck taylor converse shoes the guys used to wear in high school?  yep.  all sorts of colors, patterns, high tops, low tops.  so i go to try on a pair (as i have always been a bit keen on converse), and i see the price is $80 australian dollars.  if the us dollar gets 85c to $1 aud, that means i am still paying somewhere in the 60s for a pair of sneakers that would cost me $40 in the us.  i passed. 

and babydoll tops, big belts and leggings are in every. single. store.  its sickening.  (plane) i literally gagged when i walked into one store today.  and the whole WHAM t-shirts…remember the shirts wham used to wear?  oh god, hanging off one shoulder w/big belt.  insert gagging noise here. 

i am heading to bed early tonight.  i am going to do the coastal walk again tomorrow morning.  looking forward to the awesome workout (plane). 

as you were.

a little this, a little that August 3, 2007

its 2:20am on saturday morning in australia.  i am suppose to be in bed, but i spent the evening out with some people from work.  good times. 

i have a little this, a little that. 

little this – job is going well. actually seeing where i am adding value to the team here in au. 

little that – a fella started flirting with me last night at a team dinner.  get a instant message when i arrive today, ‘hi sexy’.   not sure if i should be a bit creeped out or flattered.

little this – spent some good quality time with some important people tonight.  people who can (and probably will) have an influence over my career at nalco.  am happy.

little that – some nasty girl didnt cover her mouth when she coughed tonight and i SO felt it on the back of my neck.  I totally blurted out ‘HOW GROSS!" and she looked at me like i was the freak.  needless to say, i was asking for the lysol wipes and antibacterial whatever you call it since.  i feel like i am going to come down with menigitis (especially after the morning news has reported several cases of it in the last days – which totally blows my mind.  its 60-something degrees here and they think its cold.  HA! they have absolutely no clue what cold is.  in fact i told the flirter that he needs to come to naperville to feel the cold in January/Feb.)

little this – its late and i am sure i misspelled and missed a few words. 

little that – you’ll get it. 

cheers!

jet lag. August 1, 2007

its wednesday evening and i am doing all that i can to keep myself awake until at least 11pm.  i have been waking up between 3 and 4 am the last couple of days.  tomorrow, i want it to be a different story.  i will be so unbelievably happy if i open my eyes anytime after 5:30am tomorrow. 

a couple of nights ago as i wandered around the streets looking for something to eat and not sure what…a gentleman stopped me, said i should eat at the cafe he was at.  his friend says, ‘i love your canadian accent’.  i said, ’sorry, i am from chicago.’  then next i know i am in a conversation with these two 50-something individuals about every song ever written that was either about chicago or had mentioned chicago in the song.  (i think the conversation lasted all of 10 minutes)

i went out for dinner tonight to a pub down the street from my hotel.  its across the street from the beach.  has an unbelievable patio.  ordered fish and chips and an ice cold beer.  good dinner. 

my dinner was interrupted by a handful of 20-somethings playing ‘quarters’.  or 50 pence pieces or whatever it is they call it.  anyway, one of them felt compelled to join me at my table.  found out that the group of them are part of the australian air force.  mechanics. 

they were all very nice, friendly.  one young fella was just amazed that i was from the states.  he wanted to hear all about it. 

yet the people in my office, yeah, not so friendly.  i mean outside the people who have come from all around the world to help them be successful with their implementation.  this one lady, i swear she is autistic, and has some kind of other mental disorder on top of her autism.  she sits in her chair and rocks back and forth.  then she does nothing but complain about the job, the new system, the fact that the new system has ‘america’ written all over it.  funny thing is, she’s a temp.  she can be replaced so quickly! 

anyway, i have to resist the urge to bitch-slap her every 10 minutes throughout the day.  i just want to yell ‘get. over. yourself. you. are. replaceable.’  but instead, i just smile and dont say a single word.  probably pisses her off even more.  = )

i have 1 hr and 2 minutes to go. 

until next time…