Meredith

Meredith Music Festival.

Holy fucking jesus dicks. What an experience. It was raining when we left Melbourne on Friday morning and continued to rain until we left on Sunday morning.

The rest of what happened at Meridith shall remain at Meredith.

Races

Went to the Moonee Valley Races yesterday. I've never been to a horse racing carnival before, not properly. Only to work at Melb cup, and when I was a kid 'cos grandparents owned/trained horses. Generally the thought of being in a large crowd surrounded by boozy bitches in dresses and heels makes me feel sick in the stomach. It surpassed all expectations I had though. The weather was awesome, the beer was cold and we'd brought a mini picnic - dips, bread, olives, sun dried tomatoes and feta. Hell good. There was no massive crowd and we were able to sit at a table outside. To top it all off, there were free rides! It was kids day or some shit. Small nauseating spinney ones. Usually I avoid these types of rides, I'm more a roller coaster type of girl. For free though, who was I to say no. The first ride was awful and I wanted to get off immediately, the Scorpion or something stupid. It was especially small and nauseating. The others were hell cool though. There was this big drop one, similar to Space Probe at Sydney Wonderland, except less stupid novelty sound effects and role play, more up and drop. Not as an intense drop either. It was fantastic.




All up bloody good day. I didn't win any of the bets I put on, but that just reconfirmed my belief that gambling is stupid.

Reports over

I have finished reports. There should be relief. I am relieved I guess. It's more of a checking out though. Just struggling to put in the effort that is required to get me through the last 3 weeks of school. Finishing school just means packing up all my worldly belongings and getting the hell outta here though. Exciting, except I am a hoarder. I don't like to get rid of things. I attach sentiment to everything. I need to be strong. Get rid of things. Let go. Free myself. Apparently it is an excellent feeling to own a minimal amount of things. I have no doubt. I really kinda like things though. I am a consumer. I'm not proud, I try and resist, I've never been real good at doing that either though.

Things always seem to have a way of working out. I'm sure this will be the same.

I've really started thinking about the practicalities of going away. I am starting to get nervous. Another part of my personality is being a bit over cautious, organised. I dunno how people pack so lightly. Already I'm thinking of all the clothes I'd love to take, the three pairs of shoes, minimum. So much. Again, I need more relaxing. I'm pretty sure Canada will sell anything I need. I will survive.

I'm also starting to think about the reality of being away from everything I've always known. I found three weeks in Vietnam a bit hard. This will be a lot more long term. I've always relied on having the family as an easy phone call away, or weekend trip away if need be. I will miss that.

School Fete!

Just got back from my school's fete. It was everything I had dreamed it would be. I love fetes. I'm not sure why.. I just do. I spent the first hour there fulfilling one of my life's dreams - operating a fairy floss machine. I have always wanted to do it. Fairy floss is disgustingly sugary. But god I love it. It did not in anyway live up to my expectations. It was foul. I was absolutely covered in fairy floss. You'd think this wouldn't be a bad thing... but it was. It was up my nose, in my hair, in my eyes, all over my clothes, my legs: everywhere.



Most uncomfortable. It was kinda staticy too.

I had a hell good time once that was over though. Changed into a new set of clothes, had a falafel (bloody good), some beer, and fairy floss (my experience hadn't put me off enough to not eat it). I got my face painted to look like I had a black eye, I bought a plant and ate a chocolate crackle. What more could you want from a Saturday.

Apollo Bay

In the mid year school holidays this year I traveled around Vietnam on an Intrepid trip. It was super awesome. I met this family from East St Kilda. Mum, and two kids a little younger than me. We have remained friends and I quite often go to their house on Sundays for dinner. Very nice, I really enjoy family meals, bit hard to have them when the fam is a 5 hour drive away. It works out very well.

They invited me to accompany them on fam holiday this weekend. Just got back today. It was awesome getting out of Melbourne. I forget how much I enjoy getting out and doing/seeing things. Went on this awesome tree top walk and walked along the beach. Lovely.

I have the urge to do more camping/outside journeying. Be great to hop in a car and camp/backpack around Victoria. Do outside activities... kayaking, hiking, surfing... whatever. When I get back from OS I hope to do something like that. Hopefully with a friend. See how it goes.

Nice to think about anyway... nice distraction from reports. I start writing them tomorrow. Yuck.

Heel and toe, heel and toe... slide 2, 3, 4!

Today I taught the kids in my class to do the Heel Toe Polka. It was freakin' excellent. They were mega excited, or what I presumed was excited. It came out a lot like them talking in very loud voices, wiggling around and telling me they didn't want to hold anyone's hands, let alone dosey do. I figured that when I was in primary and high school I whinged, bitched and moaned about having to do dancing, but in the end it was hell fun. It's also hell hard being a teacher with a room full of screaming small boys and girls and trying to teach them dance moves.

Click here to see how it's done. Note: this is not the right music to use. Also, it's good to see the kids in this class are just as crap at it as the ones in mine. I also notice that the way they progress onto the next partner is far less complicated/messy than what I was trying to get them to do. Don't think it would be legal of me to post a video of my grade doing it.. you're just gonna have to take my word for it.

Locating the music was hard enough. I couldn't download it anywhere. Even tried to buy it on iTunes. It was no longer available though... bummer. A lovely girl in my grade said that her dad could download ANYTHING. By god he could, she brought it in the following week. So today we had a heel toe polka feast.

I'm not entirely sure if it's all that excellent of me to be dancing with the kids. The holding hands and all. I figure, if I get sued, fuck it. What a shit world that would be. I'm willing to risk it.

But yes, anyway, in the end I believe much fun was had by all. I lost my voice from all the yelling of instructions. We were all sweaty and thirsty. But goddamn it, there's nothing like that thrill of being 8/9/10 years old and being forced to dance with someone from the opposite sex. I think in the end I'm really doing them a favour by offering them such a broad range of activities and experiences. They were just lucky it was progressive. Perhaps they wont be so lucky next time.

VISA approved!!!

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Canadian Working VISA approved! Got the email this morning. Bloody exciting! Can book in the flights now. It's all happening!

Online Emotional Wank Fest

Bah... I can't believe I'm posting this. I'm not even drunk. Oh well.



Everybody was right
I deserve better than you
Should have stayed away
You only bring pain and sadness.
Every time I didn't think
things could get any worse
You proved me wrong.
This stretched out torment ends now.
Did you ever love me?
Who cares.
You've fucked it now.
I want no part of you ever again.


Uh... did I go to far? Should I take this down?

Itinerary

I submitted my Canadian working VISA a few weeks ago and am just waiting for them to email me it before I fully pay for flights. Hopefully I get it, screwed otherwise.

These are my plans so far:

Wednesday 28-Jan-09
Melbourne to Auckland

Friday 30-Jan-09
Auckland to Tokyo - Doing a 15 day intrepid tour of Japan. Much excitement.

Monday 16-Feb-09
Tokyo to Seoul to Vancouver

From here I plan to find a share house and job. Not sure what kind of job, anything I can get I suppose... perhaps bar work, retail, hospitality?? Who knows. Hope to make friends, travel around Canada. Be good to go to US in perhaps August for a month. I just wanna go on Roller coasters. Maybe see New York, don't really care what else.. anything.

From here... who knows. Depends on the money. Would really like to check out Mexico, and South America. I have a few friends who are doing something similar. Perhaps volunteer work. See where the wind takes me.

Not sure how long I'll be gone for. Perhaps I'll freak out and not stay too long. Perhaps I'll love it. Can apply for a Canadian working VISA again once one runs out. Those Canadians... sounds ace.

A change?

I've done the whole fresh start before. Move to a town where I know no one and no one knows me. Meet new people. Become the person I always thought I really was. Some normal girl, not the crazy annoying bitch I suspected people thought I was. This is what happened though: I just realised I am a crazy bitch, no new town can take that out of me. With this realisation came a newer more refined, more relaxed version of this crazy bitch. I have embraced the crazy bitch factor and love it. Better than being some boring personality free zone (almost dropped the c-bomb here. Too soon).

I don't think running away from my problems will make them go away, or make me a better person. It sounds hell fun though. An experience. I'm going to "find myself" (again). Can't wait.

Beginning

This is the beginning. I'm pretty sure I don't like the idea of having a blog. I'm also pretty sure I'm not very good at writing in an interesting or well structured way. I plan on traveling though. It seems like a good means of communicating without mass emailing. If you wanna read it, do. If you don't... yeah.

People who write blogs are arse holes. That's what I've always thought anyway. Self righteous, egotistical. Join the club eh... the beginning. Here goes nothing.

Get it up ya!