Presidential Election & Global Finance - quick thoughts

I guess I couldnt keep a blog without comments on these 2 important issues.

At this point the debate is pretty prevalent in AU - global news here is part of the norm...it is refreshing. I also have tons of US friends so we all discuss politics and our thoughts...which are pretty consistent with what I heard from those in the US. 1. McCains worst mistake choosing a VP to stir up controversy or to jus to win votes thru havin a woman on the ticket, I think he wouldve won, the fact he is creepin on 80 and if there is anyway Palin is that close to running our country i dont think I can move back. It is a joke and makes us once again laughable! 2. Obama can talk the talk but he's a bit young to walk the walk. 3. Biden knows his stuff, can he just run?? He will walk the walk and win it for Obama. Ok this is alot of my opinion but thats the jist. Pewww Pewww... how awesome is Saturday Night Live. LOVE IT.


Financial situation is crazy and top of mind. Aussie dollar was almost 1:1 to USD a month ago now it is around 65 cents....recession is here. Thats about all I have to say...

1 Year in Australia!!!

Can you believe it?!! 1 year

A few things:
- Favorite thing about the move - as corny as it sounds but broadening my horizon..getting out of the US bubble and being exposure to so much that I have never done, saw, ate...
-Thing missed most: aside from the obvious family/friends/my cat it would be my ride, Ollie. Reality TV is another guilty pleasure I miss...riding dirt bikes, 4x4ing..my church and my grocery store!!
- Career: such a good step up, I have excelled more in one year than I could have imagined. I have learned so many general things as well as the international exposure is great.- Social Scene: I have meet more people in 1 year than 6 in Seattle. Love the new crews, wouldve like to have met more quality guys but hey nothings ever perfect.
- Unexpected: how expensive everything is!!! How good the coffee is, how much americans are viewed.
- Products I miss: root beer, olive garden, Mais Grais soup, sour mint things, frozen pizza, taco bell, home cooked meals from dad, general access to products.
- Something I hate: no car, BIG bugs

More Spring Fun!!

Manly hike on Sunday - Spit to Manly. Day started on the ferry with some lady basically sitting on Kristens lap...nice view.















Sun screen is always key....Maura and Kristen at the wharf.





































Becky rallying thru the hang over...































Amazing views, wildlife along the way including some big lizards...what I assumed was an hour or so was a 3.5 hour trek.










Checking out some of the tour stops...some aboriginal art...

behind the bush is that a journey groupie, a village person, a westie, a wombat...







Manly Wharf Bar...only the most pretentious place I have been in sydney yet. incredible how lame chicks can be...get over it in high school, seriously. After a few rude comments, some champagne, and my head cold annoyance we headed on our way. Mean people are just insecure, havin nothing else better to do then to bring themselves up by putting other down...karma is a bitch.


























Work that pole Adrian









a night is only complete with a game of catch-a-phrase, shot guns, quarters and thai food. Gotta love sundays...monday mornings not so much!











oh and this is vanessa..shes not a hugger...so we embraced the night and hugged it out...











And this is V makin the bottle shop guy hug it out too...hes not so happy...













Mexican Fiesta night...still tryin to rid this horrid cold...





















We thought Tequila and spicy mexican food would do the trick...

Brooke and Erica hosted a little party - great food and drinks. More bloody america friends :) lots of people i have been meeting are from San Fran...








Maura, me and Kristen












Maggie, Steph and Erica - little crew of american girls that I go to dinner with...good people!!














Night out - a little theater action mid week...been hearing sooo much about this we had to see it. Pretty good show - the boy didnt sing very well, overall very enjoyable.

Springs HERE - a day at the races

A day at the races!! Got frocked up, facinators....check, members VIP tix, some fun peeps and hit the track...not too much luck winning. Lets just say the day turned to night and the definition of one to many was clear...

Is this Wollongong or Vegas - Road Trip!

Spontaneous road trip pulled together friday night for a sat to sun adventure. Headed south Aussie to check it out - 2 hours. Kai had a google map build out that we just followed. Went through the 2nd oldest national park in the world - Royal. Were hungry so we ended up driving straight to food in Stanwell, grab Corona and laid out to soak up the 90 degree sun and listened to some tunes. We were going to hang glide but the wind was not right all weekend - sad! I mean I am a little happy cause I would have been freaked!! Prob puke on myself but id do it. Saving that for an upcoming weekend.

Hit Wollongong that night - luckily drove around and found a good hotel. Dude we thought this was going to be a lil one horse town, hit a pub, talk to the locals and call it a night. Nope! Vegas / LA out there - Ive never seen so many beautiful people...wild! Everyone was super nice. Hit a brewery for food/beer, then what we thought would be go to a small bar. negative again - Played pool, danced til all hours of the night. met a stalker (cute guy that has called 9 times, 2 text in less than a week)- my luck. Good times!!

Beach time on sunday after a champers breakfast - got pulled over!! Breathalyzer tested and all. Crazy. If we would have had one more (which we intended) we'd be in jail - scared us straight! Checked out the Buddha temple and treewalk in Jimberoo (very eastern washington - walla walla ish).

Happy Engagement to Kai and Jodes

CONGRATS to kai and jodes!!
Kai suprised jodie at her family reunion (same time when I was in the states). What a sneaky move - no one knew he was going! I got his OOO email..like WHAT.

So good, very cute - annnd what a ring!






Work engagement celebration - a little big buck hunter, keno, and onto 80's dancing at the Burdekin...



















Jen and mel - bumpin head after some classic pics poses..."chink" eyes (and no I dont think that is PC but it seems to be ok here)...

























the girls...









chi kai - being kai

Some call it bad luck, I call it life

Some of my recent life stats:

• Move to Sydney - week 1 the first ever Moth epidemic hits the city
• First Summer here - it rained the most it has in 70 some years
• First Winter here - the coldest in 97 years or something (granted min was like 50)
• Travelled to Surfers Paradise - the 1 day I am there is the 1-of-3 days a year it rains
• When I vacationed in Florida a hurricane hit, the next yr in Wisconsin a tornado hits

Thats the way the cookie crumbles - make lemonade somehow from limes or grab some salt and tequila...a good friend and hit the town!

Like the saying goes, What doesnt kill you....oh well the moth thing might end up killing me, all the poisons from the bug bombs and mothball crap (for those not keeping up w/ the blog i set off 4 bug bombs and threw poison accidentally all over my new apt during the moth situation in Oct last yr).
Annnd all the rain over last summer was a blessing..no really...it was sydney making me at home...blah blah positive. It sucked!!

My philosophy - it might be the marketer in me - but like the 5 P's we learn about in uni/college (sensitive to my Australia and US readers): Perspective, perception, positivism, prayer, and a few bottles of pinot...

Hit f5 - refresh if the slide show has stopped:

Thredbo Ski Weekend - like days thru the hourglass

Bikram Seminar

Went to the Bikram seminar - the Bikram was here to talk and teach. He was not exactly as I hoped - very caught in the money and power...not really the essence of what yoga means. Drives a bently, mansion in beverly hills, promotes little eating and no drinking of water, spoke about himself like he was a god, could read the time cause there were too many diamonds on his watch...BLAH, anyway I still believe in the practice just dont care for him.

I am reading a good book now - The Power of Now. It really makes one think how we focus so much time/effort on what has happen... or will happen: stuck in the past or present not the now:
"the compulsion to live almost exclusively through memory and anticipation"
"the past gives you an identity and the future holds the promise of salvation or fulfilment"

Its such a relief or rather exciting when these things just cause a light bulb of realization. What the book calls Enlightenment... we waste so much time caught in this wicked web - letting emotions control life. I am working on not letting jealously, hate, angry...all that stuff control me. It is not easy but important to live by and understand.

Update - all things

Work is going well - we are starting to get a structured team in place and I am not working too much. Love the company and the people. The resident puppy is growing up and not leaving so many surprises under my desk. The barking during client calls is still a little much...or when the older dog fights the new pup...creates some ruckus.

Amnesia was the first to get the Surface Table...2 for them for that matter

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP5y7yp06n0). It has created quite a buzz around Oz..to say the least.

Ive taken on some more big clients, Carnival Cruises is my latest - getting more strategy client opportunities. I've made some good friends - I always seems to meet more a long the way. Met more people in 1 year than 6 in Seattle; transient environment leads more outgoing, connecting attitudes i guess.

Going on holiday beginning of October but we havent figured out where just yet.

Bali over Christmas is in the works - yoga/spa retreat in Ubud, snorkeling, surfing, elephant safari, rafting, biking....so excited!

Addicted to Bikram Yoga and being healthy- which is good as bikini season is quickly approaching. "Being in the Now" as much as possible - content and happy (marriage between mind, body and spirit).

Big thing on my mind this month is getting a new apartment or not. Oct 15 will be a year in this place! It is convenient and the thought of moving is daunting, especially in Oz. I mentioned this but the market here is crazy - real estate agents dont help, you stand in line on saturday morning during the 15 min allotted time, money in hand...ridic!! I will move if i am on the beach...furnished, big closet, no loud neighbors, grocery near by and under $400 a week...just a few basics :)