Weekend without Jackson
So...since we've come down to Sydney, this is my first weekend without Jackson. He's off in Hunter Valley playing golf with some "mates." I figure it was a good male bonding thing and also when i called last night to say good night I found out that one of the guys even brought Nintendo Wii. Boys.
But I would say it has been a BUSY and fun weekend! :)
Jackson left on Saturday morning to vote (for the state elections - more about that next time) and I went to a HairFree salon for my first appointment in lasering my underarms - I'm not sure if it'll work, and although expensive, I thought I'd give it a shot. Apparently I need to go in another 5 more times at least - but it takes about 15-30 min each session once every 1.5 months, so what's there to lose? Hair I hope.
Then I met up with Nicole who I met through my dad. Yes, a blind date of sorts if you will. My dad and her dad know each other through another guy - so we're talking about 3rd degree - who thought it would be nice if we could meet up (especially since we're both NYers in Sydney). We met for brunch up out in Woollahra and walked through the Paddington markets where my first pair of earrings while in Sydney. They're venetian glass and just beautiful. It was a gorgeous day and the company was great! Then we met up with her partner, Jeremy, who joined us at the Art Gallery where we saw the works of the Archibald prize & other prizes contests, but also saw the Manga Exhibit of Tezuka. What is Manga? It's a type of comic style that the Japanese have created and Osamu Tezuka is the father of Manga. It was incredible to see the breadth of characters and storylines Tezuka developed simultaneously as well as throughout his career. Some of the artwork was absolutely incredible.
Then I walked home. The second I walked through the door, bang! The rains came in all their fury. I couldn't seen out our window and it just did not look pleasant. During the week, I had been speaking with Lydia about possibly watching a movie this weekend, but never got confirmation and realised that I had lost her business card - idiot- and wasn't sure if we were still up for something. Quickly, that was sorted out! She and Nick were still up for watching a movie and we went to Broadway to watch "Bobby" the movie about the day Robert Kennedy was assassinated (June 5, 1968). I really enjoyed the movie and let's talk about an all star cast - seriously I could recognise like 15 people. I thought it was really well down and serious kudos to Emilio Estevez - definite recommendation. Then we went to a really cute cafe at Balmoral Beach over in Mosman where we enjoyed coffee and dessert.
What a great day. :)
The Blue Mountains are blue...I HATE SPIDERS!
When I first heard of the Blue Mountains, I seriously questioned whether Australians were also colour-blind. Mountains, which are usually covered in trees, which are usually GREEN....but nope! The haze as well as the colour of gum trees give the Blue Mountains a BLUE colour!
This first trip was to go up and celebrate Yun-Yun's (Jackson's grandmother) 90th birthday! In addition, it was a family reunion of Yun's family and a huge family event! It was really wonderful to meet the other side of Jackson's family and they were all really friendly. Within 4 hours, I had an additional 50 relatives in Australia - crazy! We went up with Jackson's parents who came into town for the celebrations. The second day we were up there, a terrible rain came over, which put a heavy mist and fog over the mountains and blocked any opportunity for a view. We did spend the second day with Jackson's cousin's Jacinta's 21st birthday! We took the opportunity to take more pictures with Yun and spend some more time with more family. I didn't get to see the big tourist spots of the three sisters, waterfalls, or other great things in the Mountains, but I'm sure this will not be my last trip up there.
The other momentous time in this weekend was my first
experience with a huntsman spider. Granted, that is not my picture I took, but it was just as big...I saw my first huntsman on the window of our hotel and it was HUGE. They are not skinny little spiders. Jackson was trying to scare the crap out of me and tell me that they would come through the vents. After succeeding in scaring me enough for me to get a good night's sleep, he told me that these guys are insect eaters, not poisonous and don't eat humans. It still didn't make me feel any better...this guy was still the HUGEST spider I had ever seen.
I think I should let you know that I'm in the wrong country for this kind of arachnophobia - Australia has the most poisonous spiders in the world...I wouldn't be surprised if they have the most kinds of spiders either.
I HATE SPIDERS.
Employed for one week
One week has passed and its hard to believe that I was ever not working. I easily fell into the pace and the position and the things that needed to get done at work. It might be that I'm still in the honeymoon period that goes along with any new job, but everything is wonderful. The people are super nice, the organisation is extremely supportive, and it looks like I've found a family here in Sydney. Not only are there the perks of working at a charity organisation with relation to tax, but also with just the family friendly nature of the whole place. There are yoga and pilates classes, discount gym memberships, flexible hours, just to name a few.
One thing that easily demonstrated that I hadn't worked in a long while was when I came home after dinner and some TV, I completely crashed. I haven't done that in a long while...and boy, did I ever get the best sleep since I've been down here.
Week 2...here I come.
A Job!
After 10 months of unemployment, I have just accepted an offer to work as a research assistant with the NSW Cancer Council. I'll be working on the PSA study which works on Prostate Cancer. I'm VERY excited about this new position and it will be wonderful to be part of such a great charity. :) I start on Monday and I can't wait!!! Of course this will end my days sitting in front of the TV and having only Jackson as my main companion, but I think it's time. It's time for me to get out of the house, it's time for me to become an active member of society, and it's time for me to use the brain again....did I say I was excited?
Then I met up with Nicole who I met through my dad. Yes, a blind date of sorts if you will. My dad and her dad know each other through another guy - so we're talking about 3rd degree - who thought it would be nice if we could meet up (especially since we're both NYers in Sydney). We met for brunch up out in Woollahra and walked through the Paddington markets where my first pair of earrings while in Sydney. They're venetian glass and just beautiful. It was a gorgeous day and the company was great! Then we met up with her partner, Jeremy, who joined us at the Art Gallery where we saw the works of the Archibald prize & other prizes contests, but also saw the Manga Exhibit of Tezuka. What is Manga? It's a type of comic style that the Japanese have created and Osamu Tezuka is the father of Manga. It was incredible to see the breadth of characters and storylines Tezuka developed simultaneously as well as throughout his career. Some of the artwork was absolutely incredible. 
