My photo
I am a girl/woman/human who has random thoughts. Sometimes you can find me here rambling, other times i might have useful stuff to say. For the most part, my friends and family can see what I might be up to in the days events. Or, for sake of sakes, its all made up... only i know.. and MAYBE a select few of you! Either way~ I am an American living in Australia. Oh, and any photo you see on this blog IS NOT FOR YOUR USE. If I have taken the photo myself or have permission to use it, YOU CAN NOT USE IT FOR YOURSELF. So be warned... and just dont use my damn photos.

National Geographic Photo of the Day

Sunday, July 17, 2011

beforehand

so ive arrived in MN, and cant help but be amazed by all the green... the trees, the lawns, everything is so lush.  I had forgotten just how lush that mn green is. Gorgeous.  I also forgot how damn cute that MN accent is... although a few times I thought was somewhere in the Ozarks when listening to people, there have been a few times I couldnt help but chuckle at the accent.  Now I understand why jules gets that little girl giggle if I say a certain word... because this morning, the lady behind the counter was dressed in her Hilton Outfit... hair tied back, looking all professional and grown up. I asked a question, received an answer, and then she kept chatting.... and when she said the word BEFOREHAND, I had to stop myself from giggling... i cant describe how she said it, or what it sounded it like, but it was very enunciated and said in three parts.  Too cute.  So far, thats the top of my morning.  I havent headed out shopping yet.. teh damn shuttle only leaves at 10:20... its only 9 now...and Im ready to go. ugh.Anticipation....

So, Ive met with my ex.. you knew that right?  Its been alright.. although a few things have really tweaked my head. I guess you forgot sometimes how much you know about someone when you live with them.  We lived together for awhile, and apparently he still remembers some of my 'better qualities'.  When I walked in to the hotel room, about 5 minutes later he asks if its clean enough. I state 'yeah, dont you think so?" He replies with, "you used to always check the drain and tub for hair and how clean it is... do you still do that?'  Really, thats what he remembers about me.  We go out to dinner and have a mongolian bbq... and they serve you a chicken wing on a side plate as a standard part of your meal.  I offer mine to him, as its just not my thing.  He says to me, " you still dont like to eat things off the bone, huh? still just eat chicken breasts not wings ?" 

Oh the things people remember about you.  So basically, he remembers that hygiene is extremely important to me, and that Im not one of those people who will just gnaw into my food... more of a delicate sort of gal I guess.  Just thought it was funny the things you remember of people from your past.

Well, time for another coffee, and to try to put my 10 pounds of lollies for everyone into a different bag... and some other things in the luggage... it will be so nice to get to Gram's place and put my clothes out... and not ahve to dig for my stuff between the cords, the coffee, the shoes.... etc. 

Well, only an hour to go now before I get onto that shuttle to take me shopping! fingers crossed.... Im looking to shop til I drop!  I have to back here at the hotel until 430, so the plan of attack is to get there, grab a directory, grab some brekky, and sort out my stores.. however, all taht could change depending which store they drop me off at ... and Macy's is having a 30-80 percent off sale today only... :)  One happy Michele... wait, is there a Macy's there?

Friday, July 15, 2011

days to chill

i have arrived in LAX with my few days to chill, and suddenly tonight I look at the clock, and its time to head out tomorrow. I should really be in bed already, but thats not happening... oh well.  I have had a great time here in LAX just chilling out and catching up on sleep, recovering from jet lag.  My hotel was super clean, has a pool, free brekky, nice staff, and a Denny's connected to it. 

My first time to Dennys was like I had never walked into one before. The waiter came up to me 3 times to take my order.... will the photos it should have been simple to find something. But, I couldnt... I was engulfed in reading all the different options for my eating adventure.  There was a burger with : bacon, cheese, a sauce, 2 patties, lettuce, onion, etc... served with chips... and then there was the chicken drizzeled in some sauce, served with some veggies... sounds normal, but to read the descriptions while i looked at teh photos my stomach began to cramp thinking there was no way it was ready for american food yet. You know.. item A slapped with this and that and for an extra dollar amount i could it smothered in a variety of sauces, and it comes with options of salad or chips... it was all too much. In the end, I just choose a burger with bacon and cheese. Sounded simple. But, I did order cheese sauce for my chips! I couldnt finish it all.. and it seemed to worry my waiter.  In being fair, when I walked in I thought I had entered into a Overeaters Anonymous group.. holy shit.... massive people that evening;... maybe that helped in not wanting to finish my meal? certainly an experience.

my trip here was great. I made it on business class with Virgin Australia... felt like a princess. even had Richard Branson 3 seats away from me. Hows that for an escort? Nice huh? he was very friendly, and accomadated EVERYONE who asked him for a photo.. i reckon at least 100 people approached him.  Poor guy cant get a minute to himself really- except when he goes to the bathroom... which he seemed to escape to on a regular basis... fair enough.  Business class was amazing.. I had my own bed laid down, and the attendant made the bed for me.. complete with a little mattress thing, blanket and pajamas (which are really really comfy by the way).  The stars on the cabin ceiling in the evening were a nice touch. And the bar was a good spot to go and stand for a bit and catch up with a few people.  Only met one idiot who was a complete waste of space... he was cut off by the staff on the drinks, he was just obnoxious.. and babbled on and on about his girlfriend who works for virgin and got him a cheap ticket and she met Branson the night before and he was very jealous, so he was lingereing by the bar so taht he could meet him as well. somehow he has dual citizenship with america and canada and australia... hes from vancouver orginally but lives in brisbane.. dickhead. im sure his girlfriend is a winner too... if she still has a job after his incident on the plane.  Funny thing was, he was trying to brag to me and another guy at the bar who were on standby tickets too, so werent all that jealous... just glad we werent him!  He ended up interrupting bransons breakfast to introduce himself and made more of a dick of himself.  Felt bad that peolple couldnt just respect the businessman and let him enjoy a bit of brekky..but he was a champion, he said hello, let them say their peace...and then posed for a photo... all while the coffee went colder.

so tomorrow Im off to MN... let the next stage begin... Oh, and I cant get my hotmail to work all that great, so im not sending an email, but Im letting some important people in my life know something.. as great as your loyalty is, I watched 3 episodes tonight of True Blood... thank goodness for HBO in the hotel... and nothing else was on... so you can feel free to know that my pretty eyes have seen 1-3... so feel free to do your thing at The Haven..... and thanks for your loyalty.. but go ahead and watch it.. its good!  Hope your all well. Miss ya.

Oh, forgot.. the hotel room Im staying in was where Howard Huges and Jane Russell stayed when they filmed the movie The Outlaw.  Dont know when that was.. will have to research that a bit. But, the hotel is loaded with history of celebs from back when teh days of acting were actually acting.  Ive been having some weird dreams as well, and Im assuming thats due to some pretty good stories of history this hotel has seen.  Oh if the walls and the pool could talk! I wonder how many times Marilyn would have ventured here? Afterall, the hotel was built in 1953, so you can imagine what it would have been like in its hayday. 

alright.. i have to settle my bum and get to bed. Early start tomorrow, to linger in teh airport until my flight in the morning.  Such fun. My backpack is loaded with 10 bloody pounds of lollies for family...as my luggage was over the domestic limit... so i figure if it gets really bad, i can just break out the lollies. 

Oh, last thing.. i knew I was home when I heard a mother at the baggage carousel say to her child 'your really starting to piss me off, just shut up and settle down".... ah... parents who can control their children.. havent seen a lot of that in the few years in Australia... HAHAHA.  The airport wasnt riddled with unruly children acting up.. oh wait.. there was a few, but they were all tourists, and most probably off my Australian flight. LOL.

Night... sweet dreams.

Saturday, July 02, 2011

Mixed Emotions... Sweet Emotions.... Who knows

So Im preparing to leave for my trip back to the USA soon. Its odd whats happening to my emotions.  Some times I feel all excited to go back and see everyone.  Some times I feel as if I dont want to leave HERE, its my HOME.. and all things over there feel so foreign to me.  I dont remember how to use the pump at the gas (not petrol....)station... I will be one of those people every one will be frustrated at while I figure it out again for the first time.  I will be the person saying, "No, I dont remember how to get to your house." And they get all upset having to give me directions again.  All I want to do is say to them.. "sorry, do you know how to get to my house?" No.. so be patient with me. Its not where I live anymore... its not my daily surroundings... please treat me with kindness. 

Which leads me to a whole 'nother side: the hestiation. When I call people 'back home' everyone is so busy.. so scattered trying to squeeze everything in. Will anyone just want to sit and chat? Or will they be too busy on their phones organizing tomorrow, all while Im still there.. waiting to converse with them?  All so busy, I wonder if anyone really , I MEAN REALLY, takes life in and appreciates it anymore?  Why do I say this? Because its normal American behavior... to be BUSY BUSY BUSY... and I USED to be like that... until I discovered that there is another side to life.. You can be busy.. but you also need to take time for the important things.... I've learned that since living here. And, not only have I learned that, but I have learned how to IMPLEMENT that into practice.

I am excited... Im thrilled to see a few people who Im anxiously waiting to see.  I almost get giddy when I think of seeing some of my family and my grandma... I feel like Im 5 years old again, the excitement running thru.  And, Im anxious to shop again.... just to wander... to try things on.. to purchase NON BEACH wear! 

Driving here there and everywhere is only happening for a few days.. for a few important things. Im okay with that.. it will be nice to see the country side of Good Ol Minnesota... I miss that scenery. 

Im going to meet a bunch of kids from a daycare centre who I have become a sort of penpal with.  Its a huge trek for me to do it (I know.. its only 3 hours from where Im staying.. but come on... its 3 there.. 3 back... a day there to visit.. so basically 2 bloody days out of my trip).

Many people have offered to come and visit me.. to COME TO ME.. wow! I have some great friends! The desire to catch up with them is unreal.... and it makes it so special for my short time home. 

So, Im excited... anxious... nervous... scared... and once I get over a few little possible bumps in my stay (thanks dad...) hoepfully all things will be good. Im sure it will....  its got to be.

But yeah, using the credit card machine is way different in different countries... getting use to walking on the OTHER side of the sidewalk again without running into people.... the petrol pump.. err... gas pump... going in to buy an item and not seeing anything that looks familiar... please be patient... Im home.. but oh such a foreigner....