Convalescing by The Sea

Spent the last couple of days literally 30 seconds from the beach. Now I know why you always see sanitariums set on cliffs overlooking the ocean a la The Diving Bell and The Butterfly etc.

And yes, I definitely felt I regained some long lost sanity - haha! My friend actually remarked I sounded very calm (lol, nice change from the usual strung out mental hyperactivity).

When I arrived back in the concrete jungle, I definitely felt stronger and looked more healthy- in fact when I was walking I actually felt like my aura extended 3m in all directions! (That was pretty cool ;).

The health benefits of all those negative ions and pristine air etc are pretty amazing (I won't go into the gory details but with me it was incredibly obvious - okay maybe just one- my eyeballs were actually white-not yellow or blood shot red which is how they are consistently in the city.)

In any case, on another note, it was a great learning experience for me on several levels- the one I will mention here is that I got a really great sense of what it is like to live in a small...tiny? seaside town. For health purposes, it's fantastic, however in terms of social aspect...I really don't feel comfortable when everybody knows you and like one local remarked "you can't even take a sh*t without someone knowing about it!" LOL

So anyway yeah, I'll finish out the year, travel a bit...and then there'll be decisions to make. But I'll worry about it later...

Let's head to the mountains...Or not!

So I was desperately trying to get away just for a bit...however I needed a bit of steam to get me to go that far if it's just for a measly day...

What's Bacon up to? I thought to myself...

SWINE FLU! arghhhh....lol serves her right for being so silly and doing a hunger strike so her immunity went down...poor ol' thing...this is her 2nd lung affliction- my 1st one was bad enough...

In any case state of stress is great...cleaned house, cooked, cleaned,oh my gosh I even cracked open a packet of watercolours(!) and made a card and wrapped bon bons- all that excess pent up "energy" got to go somewhere! And in my usual state I am a horrible procrastinator so I'm kinda relieved the house is nice and tidy-ish again which I'd been putting off till the last minute as usual.

Next time I complain of stress...please just tell me "Shut up and go clean your house!"

My house and me will thank you for it :)

Trying a kinesiologist tomorrow...then a couple social functions along with DENTIST again this week...hopefully between all of those it'll clear my system of this stressy feel somehow...although all I really feel like doing is retreating to a remoter cave than this one...if I'm still all stressy by next weekend I think I'll have to bookmyself into the mountains and lug all my study up with me!

Frazzled

As much as I try not to let it get to me, the city environment really gets to me. This has been the first holiday period where I didn't actually get the chance to go away not even for a day...and it's starting to become obvious. I haven't managed to unwind and get relaxed...only to be looking down the barrel of another hectic semester...in a way I will be glad to get back to routine and not let my mind 'hyperventilate' so to speak lol. I'm looking at the week ahead though and wondering...is there any way I can escape to the mountains, or SOMETHING, even if it's just for a day of peace? Or will I have to make do with a quick trip to the beach again...it seems like despite all the time-I guess cos I was sick for most of it-I didn't actually get too much done AT ALL! I think it would have been more effective to actually take a real holiday away and actually rest and rejuvenate. Very important for me actually...ARGHHHHHHHHH.

Maybe I can make do with a massage, or several...I'm such a hopeless city slicker.

News Round Up

So, just unwinding from the intensity of study...was reading the paper...and so many stories today just seemed to be deja vu...

PLANES AND GAMES
1. 2 planes collided taxiing on the runway at one of our local airports...LOL strongly reminiscent of me recently playing the latest IPHONE game obsession "Flight Control"...lol I seriously don't get the obsession...maybe cos I suck at it?? However, it did give me a major craving to play computer games again...my favourite ones are always simulation games like THE SIMS ;) In another weird revelation, one of my cheapest thrills that brings me great joy is to play a virtual version of my real life but in the Sims...I recreate my life in the virtual realm down to the correct personalities and star signs for all the people I know!!! So fun :) For quick gaming pleasure I also like the mental exercise provided by Set Games. And in terms of board games...can't go past good ol Scrabble and Balderdash (this game is awesome played in a whole group full of B.S artists like me ;) hehe probably why I'm a pretty sly poker player too ;)

HOLIDAYS GONE WRONG
2. A cruise ship has had 3 crew confirmed struck down with Swine Flu. Not only that but the ship had to divert for an emergency stop cos a child seriously injured their arm. That just reminded me of when I got very badly injured in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. It was not fun. I had to endure an excruciating 2 hour *bumpy* ride while the ship diverted to the nearest Helicopter Pad so I could get to medical care on the mainland...and even then it was not appropriate...bone level surgery with only a topical anaesthetic- I swear I screamed as much as a pregnant woman would in drug free labour under duress. If you're going to get severely injured being stuck in the middle of the ocean is definitely not a comforting thought...Yeah, if you have any Holiday from Hell stories, please share...

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES
3. A student woke up worried over financial troubles in the family had a brain wave to check her old lottery tickets two months before the expiry date...turns out she won a cool $13 mil. Hmmm...if only ALL embattled struggling students could wish their financial strains away to manifest so magnificently! LOL

GUNS AND THE CHALLENGE OF PARENTING
4. A 3 year old girl in California accidentally shot her brother dead after finding a loaded gun under her parents' bed. This just illustrates why I am so averse for civilians to keep guns in their house...not only that, but recalls a recent conversation I had where I was arguing with a guy that parenting is not that "simple" and how you need to constantly watch them so they don't get up to strife...and hurt themselves...this is exactly the kind of incident I was referring to...that, or the kid ends up drowning in the backyard pool, or ends up tipping boiling hot water on themselves by pulling on pot handles poking out...so many injuries to kids are preventable if parents practised a higher level of care factor/paranoia...lol needless to say my every move was watched like a hawk so I never came into any preventable misfortune growing up!

Down By The River

Here are some rare candid pics taken down by the river near the farm. I like these because they are a rare capture of me at my most natural "in my element"...within nature, "hanging" with the boys, being anti-social and bonding with Horace :)

Unfortunately still haven't had time to look into resolving the annoying blurry factor- those thinking to purchase a Canon 450D Be Warned!!! Great clarity on preview screen but once you upload...yikes!! Be prepared to have to Photoshop if you want nice clear pics!! I think it's probably just a calibration problem with my batch but still....a terrible experience!

The weather has really cooled lately - that or these herbs are making me able to feel cold! In any case I like it :)

On another note, I don't know WHERE I HAVE BEEN for awhile. I just sat down and wrote my list of priorities and bar the last week or so I realise all the things I have been putting all my time and effort into...they don't even feature make it into my succinct list!! *sheesh* I highly recommend writing a priorities list to refer to so you don't end up spending so much of your life off track!!!

I'm baaaack!

But very very tired.

I was so glad for a *hot* shower, although even after scrubbing and soaping myself many times over and a fresh change of clothes, I still feel decidedly dirty.

First thing I did -no surprise- was do the washing... I got so unbelievably filthy. Next top priorities after cleaning, will be sleeping, eating asian food and catching up on the internet world.

I kind of miss the never ending interesting times and companionship of my backpacker family (who perhaps by the types of people that are drawn to vast open rugged spaces) I have a whole lot more in common with than my fellow Sydneysiders, but at the same time I am totally exhausted from such a social life and looking at my clean, spacious and comfortable, convenient loner abode with fresh, appreciative and admiring eyes.

The brother and the kidlets get in tomorrow and then there is Xmas, New Years etc etc so like everyone probably won't be as excessively conscientious as I usually am about tending my blog...but hopefully I'll get round to sifting through the fruits of my and Horace's labours and post some pics on a new pic blog soon.

...It was a misadventure waiting to happen...

So, I only just got back to civilisation for the 3rd or 4th time after being in woop-woop again...hence internet and mobile reception- woohoo what luxury!

In any case, today, the 2nd last day of my trip I stuffed up and it was kinda stressful cos literally I pretty well got left with just the clothes I'm standing in, and not even any clean underwear or possibility to acquire any...(okay you probably didn't need to know that however I thought it aptly hinted my stress level at the situation.)

So anyway, luckily I fly back to the comfort of home (and the guarantee of clean underwear) tomorrow night...so look out for more elaboration and maybe even pretty pics in days to come :)

I sure had an interesting time and bar today's misadventure it all went reasonably well and it was a really good **social** and learning experience for me...I think I really want to go to Europe now...but with how the dollar is and my flying issues hmmm...but I think as soon as I get back I'll try and get full time work so I can start saving...I think soon I'll be too old and tired to do another extended trip(and with at least 14 countries to cover it's gonna be more than double duration and even more challenging!)

Thank God For The Mail Run!

Just did my second stint in a tiny town, population 1500. I'm starting to realise once the population hovers around the <2000 population mark I start to get distinctly uncomfortable...this is because typically...the town also usually consists of the following: a supermarket, a limited postal service, a bottle shop/pub, a butcher, a bakery, a newsagent, and possibly a library, pharmacy, town hall, medical centre......I also have zero mobile reception and the grocery store is very small and stocks very little variety... Freaking hell, if it wasn't for the reliability of the mail needing to go in and out I would be so screwed...it took me over FIVE hours to do a 50 minute trip from point A to B, and literally, I got delivered with the mail! Coming back was almost no better- if it hadn't been for the fact that the connecting bus needs to wait for the mail I would have been screwed since the mail dude was running half an hour late.

These rants aside, more rants...argh the limitations of tiny rural places travelling solo with no car are starting to get to me, from being fleeced by rogue taxi drivers, to the fact that there is a set 2 hour daily period to use internet which is damn expensive, no postage stamps, groceries are expensive, no change to use the pay phone...basically it's tough going and you better have your legs and the ability to walk!The limitations are oppressive and you're total at the mercy of others' kindness(and therefore totally open to be exploited)...

Apart from these observations, Big Lesson No3 yesterday- never ever go bushwalking (or to desolate places) alone- no matter how adventurous and in need of excitement you might be- especially not starting out at dusk...I got so overzealous taking photos that my map of all the trails blew away and as the light was closing in I was in shite, shite, shite. Thank goodness I had the ocean on one side to guide me home- all the trails sort of merged into each other and there were no signs or people in sight! It was pretty scary...

Lessons Learnt: Part 2...

No surprising revelation here...Z is a sucker for artists!

The other day my brain just completely went AWOL and Stranger Danger Rule 101 which you get taught in Kindergarten... well it just didn't even kick in...until the very last possible moment...so I got suckered into some random stranger's car who I only just met (well to be fair he was a painter and a carver of stone and wood and shared my Bohemian interests ;) so you can see why I was so caught off guard...)

Anyhow when the car pulled out of the driveway and I saw the road which was in the middle of nowhere leading to what seemed like nowhere which recalled the 5 mens very worried faces that farewelled me it kicked in what a not very clever situation I was in so I got out (and am very thankful that I did in hindsight).

I think I was being overly open-minded and idealistic/think the best of people and I tend to resonate with the underdog so probably didn't exercise enough discretion...everyone else was thoroughly convinced that this artist, like most artists was a little...mad...okay, a raving lunatic...I guess I am also very sympathetic to weirdos...

Anyway glad that my Dumb Assness was caught in the nick of time...will be more cautious in the future...

Lessons Learnt: Part 1...

So. I'm back in relative civilisation again after spending the last week in some remote backwater where it was at least a 10 minute drive at 80-100km/hr to the nearest food store...no I didn't appreciate that or the fact that food items were so limited in range and so incredibly and atrociously expensive!

ANYWAY. It's been an interesting time for me and I've learnt a lot about myself (as well as the perils of being overly impulsive) and also recognising things I've always known (ie. I have an insatiable capacity to be incredibly lazy)

Things I have really enjoyed: meeting people from all over the world (current fascination is Sweden) and having people to play games with (ping pong, darts, table football, chess, cards... (is SPADES the best game ever or what?!), giving TCM consultations and one treatment- damn I wish I brought more needles...also became impromptu ESL teacher and life counsellor...LOL

So anyway sleep cycle completely screwed- the standard routine was sleep all day and stay awake all night...very easy cos it only gets dark really really late!! But actually cos it was so bright I couldn't sleep anyway so I am incredibly panda eyed and sleep deprived...

p.s I'm noticing I get told to "Be a Good Girl" alot even by people who only just met me...I wonder if I scream *mischief* with my vibes or something?! ;)

Winging it.

Hmmm....it's getting pretty close to my departure and I haven't even worked out where I'm going to stay...I have had a brief investigation and the nearest city is pretty heavily booked out! I guess it must coincide with...something.

The only availability over two consecutive days that I've been able to find so far is in pretty high end hotels...I was thinking...hmmm, maybe I should just "spoil" myself...but then I remembered I'm just a student and don't want to compromise other necessities over the trip duration like good food.

In the end though if I get there and there is nothing else...maybe it's going to end up being an unforeseen luxury weekend for me! LOL

In any case this "unknown" factor and last minute "improvising"...I have to admit...it's kind of...exciting ;)

So I'm just going to cross my fingers...and toes. That everything all works out well.

I guess I will say toodooloo and tata for a bit...Toodooloo! Tata! ;)

Who's a Work Nerd?!

So I got up bright and early this morning for the first time- I'm not sure whether it's cos I've spent the last few days crashed out or whether it's excitement about trying out a new clinic today.

I think it's funny that I was so happy to be on official holidays but less than one week later I am already happy to be dipping my finger back in!

It's great when you love what you do and have a passion for your work- I feel sorry for the people who have to live any other way!

The last couple of days I've been unbelievably exhausted- I think perhaps it's that whole...your body knows when it can finally crash after a sustained intense period of work. I ended up skipping out on functions Friday, Saturday and Monday night! Saturday I was meant to do dinner with some classmates but we were all so equally exhausted we postponed. Friday I just felt plain urgh by dinner and Monday I completely forgot and only arose from a much needed nap at 6pm....blah, why do we allow our bodies to get so run down in the first place?! I guess this is what "modern life" is all about! And the reality is, it's only a privileged few who have cleaners, cars and fat wallets at their disposal.

The last fortnight or so has been pretty interesting- I think it had something to do with some astrological shift but a lot of creative ideas started free flowing...so now I'm just trying to work out which project to pursue...I also want to create a couple of pieces for my wall but don't know which one to start first... although I picked simple do-able things I still think it's pretty ambitious since I haven't picked up a brush or done anything particularly creative voluntarily in Yeeeeears!!

Apart from my mandala digital print project, I wanted to transfer a very simple graphic mandala with acrylic onto canvas...then I also wanted to try a simple blobby textured rendition of something whimsical like Drinking Water. Hopefully the more I get back into it, the more skill will come back...so I can produce more original stuff.

Apart from that, I'm still busy with lots of stuff that got laid by the wayside during the crazy hectic period and I'm also in a pretty contented period for the following reasons:

I'm living life how I want, doing what I want when I want and on my own terms.

I've stopped trying to fit myself into the neat categories defined by generic society.

I'm going with my intuition and listening to my body.

Oh on another strange note, I think my blogaholism has been cured too...I actually feel capable of not needing to blog or read blogs at all! ;) Good Timing, cos soon I won't have the means...

p.s one last thing I'm excited about...I'm going to start reading the much anticipated "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand...I hope it's as good as everyone says...

Synchronicity...

I'm part of TUT.com- basically they send you nice emails all the time :)

I never cease to be amazed at how much the messages seem to speak to my direct circumstances each day- if the founder, Mike Dooley honestly writes them...sheesh, he either has amazing timing or else he's like some kind of divine psychic!

Today I got one which said:

Someone's getting a life, Ms Cheery, someone's getting a life!!

TOO RIGHT! LOL

BTW please check out My Mandala Quilt Project.

This is Art: What are your thoughts?

So...I saw this image in the paper and it just instantly drew me in...I loved it!

What was your first reaction? What do you feel when you see this image?

I can see why some people might find it disturbing though. I found it strangely comforting, and it was so intriguing to me that I've already decided I need to see the real thing.

MAN it's so fun being able to have a life and being able to indulge all the things you love! For what remains of this week besides attend that exhibition, I've decided to attend an independent film screening, catch an arthouse movie, dinner(s) with friends, hang in a book store, hang in a music store and take Horace out for a spin...oh and squeeze in the beach and a dip on Sunday if I get the chance....

I LOVE LIFE!!!

Food Lovers Paradise!

What's with the friggin' cold weather?!!

I haven't felt such icy winds since walking across the Brooklyn Bridge in the middle of winter when the temperature was -7 degrees. Bloody Hell I was so frozen I had to ditch my favourite someone else cooks me paella invite and run a nice warm bath (epsom salt, sea salt, bath oil, lavender bath salts, rose geranium oil and sandalwood oil) instead just to Defrost!

Yep it was an indulgent day...

In any case, the "man-is-killing-the-natural-environment-so-now-we- have-crazy- weather" unseemly cold weather probably has a lot to do with why I'm totally FOOD and EATING OBSESSED at the moment LOL

Today I got to E's and I immediately recognised the familiar "I really can't be arsed cooking" look on her face that I often get...so we decided to check out one of the hard to get to foodie streets nearby since she had the car...

W-O-W

This place was Foodie Heaven!

Too bad they were such Nazis about photography on the premises. She had some kind of upmarket panini and I had an oyster mushroom salad with chat potatoes, shallots without the cacciata(?) cheese that it was supposed to be sprinkled with. We then shared an Eton's mess dessert that consisted of strawberries, cream and meringue with a strawberry coulis- ohmygod talk about food orgasm LOL

The phenomenal taste and quality of produce used really made my day! My only reservation was that with the salad, I seriously felt like grease in the form of fine extra virgin olive oil was seeping out my pores after!

Later I went a little nuts in the store-haha, have no fear with me in a shopping mall *yawns*...

Let me loose in a gourmet food store however and the $ damage done can be very very painful if it's your credit card I'm inflicting it on LOL

My dad always told me "never try and save/scrimp where food is concerned"...that's probably the sole thing he said I have never had trouble obeying LOL: in fact, the lack of restraint and amount I end up spending on food for one person each week is totally outrageous!

Hehe maybe why G says I'm a glutton- thank god I was blessed with outrageously fast metabolism cos rationally speaking I should be a Total Porker LOL

Here are my modest takings from the day-thankfully limited by how much I was comfortable carrying home by hand LOL...

Caramelised in a barrel for 3 years(balsamic?) vinegar, snow pea sprouts, hand made pizza base, canned lentils, large strawberries, honeydew, Italian 'glassatine' puff pastry biscuits(just to try something new!)

Italian "Glassatine" biscuits up close and personal.

On a non-food note, it's been a weird day. It's like all the positive energy I've been putting out lately came back at me in a big way today. When I turned on my phone- two more meal invitations! When I opened my mailbox- Love from Paris! When I checked my email- several new random strangers saying Hi! WEIRD. COOL BUT WEIRD. I don't think I've felt so 'Miss Popularity' since the 9th grade! I'm sure next month the universe will go back to normal and everyone will hate me again...hehe ;)

Perfect Sundae(ay) ;)

WARNING: Long post! (Possibly the longest ever...yeah I always say that! No really.)

I had a great weekend :) especially today...Mother Nature put on an utterly gloooorious day at the beach^^! Today was a much needed lie in, then a great chunky beetroot&sumac dip on extra virgin olive oiled toast with chai for breakfast before G & I headed for some lazy sun!

it's called ART, Folks!
Idle fingerprints.



I also got to try out my cute new flip flops.They were a little disappointing on wet sand. They were pretty good wet mark wise on a dry floor. They were really funny on the shower floor- the pawprints acted like suction cups! This picture was on soft sand.


Gosh I love the beach...the ocean...if only my parents had discovered how self amused I keep for hours on end if they had just dumped me at the beach as a kid...sure would have saved them a lot of stress ...(j.k)...actually they finally came clean last week and told me that I was actually a very, very good kid- completely placid - that sounds right...I don't even remember talking! (Boy, do some things change, LOL)

Later in the arvo, caught up with my long lost friend N who I had the random fortune to bump into and reconnect with earlier this year. Seeing her again took me back to the golden days: a carefree pseudo artsy fartsy film and media student with all the time in the world to watch obscure films as part of our film society. It was great to be able to re-embrace one of my long lost loves which tragically got lost by the wayside of 'growing up' - it was incredibly refreshing to reconnect with cultured people who have eclectic tastes yet who still manage to be grounded and down-to-earth - not pretentious and airy fairy which typifies most of that "too cool for school" elitist wanker crowd.

In any case her place was Pure 'Kid in a Candy store' excitement for me- after being stuck in the glut of Regional Australia the last year which had only a very limited range of latest blockbuster stinkers, her one shelf was LOADED with only the good stuff...hopefully I'll be able to get through all that I borrowed over the remaining 2 weeks of freedom...I'm really looking forward to this!

Saturday was...interesting. It's amazing how 8 times out of 10 when I actually manage to get out of the house...it doesn't seem possible to have a dull day...as continues my bizarre trend, I seem to always meet interesting random people!

Saturday I accidentally met a filthy rich property mogul. I was around and about the harbour sussing out potential new digs when I happened to pass this mogul arriving for his open inspection...he invites me to come have a look apologising for the "god-awful brick wall view"...As I enter, the beautiful harbour and iconic bridge loom large in my face: looking down from the balcony I see 2 swimming pools, a private jetty and the rocks which line the shore...haha great sense of humour! This $2.2 mil 3 bedroom 2 bathroom smack bang on the waterfront penthouse is OBVIOUSLY out of my price range!

In any case we had a good chat and I learned a thing or two...I'm not sure whether it was because I seemed so unaffected by the grandeur of it all but he started reeling off some of his personal and totally obscene passive income per month figures and it then occurs to me I'm talking to the richest person I ever met in my life! So I'm not particularly reactive to the world of money, but it was pretty impressive to meet a self made successful entrepreneur with an empire as large as his! The only thing that I found slightly annoying was that he mentioned about THREE times "you need to get yourself a boyfriend"...(ie: so that I could live in said penthouse)...

In this day and age where women can be self-made and successful of their own doing, the capable feminist in me found this assumed need for dependence kinda insulting and chauvinistic!!

Anyway, on my way back, I got further distracted by the unusual environment and started snapping pics. Tired from these labours I was sitting on a rock stairwell overlooking a gully enjoying the fresh serene air and writing when suddenly these incredibly energetic and playful bundles of mischief ie: West Highland terriers (Tin Tin Dogs) decided to pay an extended visit!

Meet Lulu and Kike...how I love their Spanish names...(their owner was Columbian.)



They were so...frenetically motile I was wondering how come they were suddenly so still...and then on closer inspection, the mystery was clarified...



After that diversion, a couple more happy snaps and then met up with R who was also doing the property hunt thing. After all that walking, happily satiated myself with an authentic Malaysian Chicken Laksa :) (after spending Friday night with a bunch of white folks I was pining a bit for some asian-ness)...honestly growing up in a dual culture is SO CONFUSING!

Then I conned R to come to the driving range except that perhaps due to being in the presence of a near golfing PRO, for some strange reason I was completely unable to hit the ball! It would have been completely embarrassing if G&I didn't find it so Hilarious! (R was not impressed :P).

Friday night was spent with the uber cool totally hip city slicker urbanite architecture crowd...gosh I felt Old, and Daggy. I had no idea what they were talking about, what ultra trendy blend of sparkling wine they were drinking...it then occurred to me that M's accusations of
1. You're a Hippie!
2. You're such a Country Bumpkin!

well, relatively, they do have some basis :P

But at least we watched a cool doco which I enjoyed: My architect about the life of Louis Kahn as presented by his son Nathaniel Kahn. Being all white-peopled out I was especially proud to learn that the stately Pyramid which adorns the outside of the Louvre was designed by an Asian! (I.M Pei)

It was really interesting since architecture is an area I previously knew close to nothing about! My favourite part though was the instant recognition when Nathaniel's mother on being questioned on how she stayed single her entire life after Kahn's premature death declares "Well, I'm a romantic fatalist...and...a bit of a loner". LOL, I was..."That's me! That's me!" and G was "That's you! That's you!" ;)

It's called PASSION.

Honey, can you leave your work AT HOME?!

LOL, I can already envisage this scenario 10 years from now...family vacation and me having to secretly smuggle the latest TCM offerings into my baggage...

I'm such a TCM nerd - it is always, always on my brain and seems to all pervade my life. Today I went for a job interview at an acupuncturist, and there are two other jobs in the pipeline...also TCM related...and then it occurred to me...hmmm maybe it's not healthy to be so one-eyed- perhaps I should do something OUT OF THE FIELD just for more...balance?

Even in my bag I had a copy of the journal of complementary medicine. I bumped into my friend at the gym while we're both on the bikes

her: "whatcha reading?" "are you doing uni work?"
me: oh no, I'm just reading the latest herbal research on cancer. it's my leisure time I don't have time to read it otherwise.
her: (points out) That's still work!!

Oh really?
LOL

even on my latest holiday...okay so I took some needles, a small selection of raw herbs and patent pills and a tiny TCM reference book up for personal use. Just in case I needed to self medicate...whaddya know- within 1 hour of the plane landing I'm sitting in a hare krishna cafe in a strange town having an in-depth 1 hour conversation over dinner with a total random stranger local about alternative therapies and TCM researching the local scene and making contacts. Sheesh I even impressed myself!

A couple of days later, there turns out to be a documentary on the history of TCM which intrigues my fellow travellers- I get into an animated discussion about my trade. Then I find myself taking pulses, inspecting tongues, palpating acupoints, asking some rather personal but standard questions, giving lifestyle and dietary advice, prescribing liniments and advocating to needlephobes that there's nothing to be scared of complete with passing around samples to prove my point! *LOL

G points out that it's kinda weird...but I'm fully in my element. Somehow all sense of shy reservation or that I'm supposed to be on holiday is gone. I'm in another world...my professional world...MY PASSION :-)

*Magic*

This colourful picture encompasses the magical nature of where I was, and where I wish I still were...

(photo courtesy of G)

p.s M....yes you...you said you would bring me back a lantern from Phils...reminder: I'm holding you to it - still!!! :P

Uncouth

Having travelled many places here, I've always maintained that the further North you go in this country the less couth people tend to be...

so far, this theory has not been proven wrong yet....

I was walking on the beach when I heard "dogs" barking behind me. Was just some local larrikins who ran past and turned around faces plastered with cheeky grins.

Later on not at the beach we actually heard local "pigs" grunting between themselves. *sigh*

Is a bit of refinement and the ability to communicate in grammatically correct sentences too much to ask?

haha maybe we're just snobs...Aussies, you just gotta love 'em.

p.s I'm loving these holidays-finally having recreation time etc...funnily enough though, I still can't get enough great nights in. I guess I'm still really tired.

New favourite leisure activity: watching The Chaser's War on Everything sipping a glass of red warm and snug in my PJs on the couch- love it...I'm also cooking and reading...the protagonist in the book I'm reading says that we should do all the things we hate and dread and fear- character building- I tend to agree...so I'm making myself go to parties full of unfamiliar people for the next month...starting tomorrow...eeek.

I am NOT a Hippie!

So today with child-like zealousness I set out to a particular part of the city I rarely frequent with sole mission to join an organic wholefood co-operative, inspired by my recent trip and the fact that my parents keep going on about the huge spike in the costs of food.

I was pretty disappointed with what I found. Although it seems "cool" to be part of a cooperative... with this particular one at least, the freshness of the produce was lacking, the knowledge of the produce was lacking, the prices were surprisingly high...so I'm sticking to the bi-monthly organic produce delivery service :)

So anyway having been ensconced in Hippie-ness far more than usual lately, I've realised all the labels I've always refuted are just that-PLAIN WRONG: I am SO NOT a Hippie!

Okay, so maybe I'm into alternative therapies, herbs, crystals, organic food, nature, the environment, astrology, tarot, foreign cultures, progressive ideas and I listen to world music...avoid certain conventions and support certain socialist ideals...HOWEVER That doesn't make me a Hippie!

Here is my case:

1) I always wear shoes- especially on the street.
2) I bathe EVERYDAY without fail. I can't stand dirt and generally don't smell bad!
3) I'm generally quite with it and articulate- none of that glazed eyes phenomenon and dopey expression for me!
4) I dress boring and prefer a classic black to a rainbow palette and exotic accessorising.
5) I like bourgeoisie things like glasses of red wine, imported chocolate, Italian leather, swiss watches, diamonds...LOL

Adventure to the Hippie Heartland
So during my trip we did manage to venture to what would probably be classified as THE Hippie Heartland of this country. It was really grotty and there were quite a few deros indiscreetly trying to make sales: do you want ganja, mushroom, cookie? In any case, I thought it was amusing that I was the only one of our party to not get asked.

So anyway, one of our party couldn't resist giving a cookie a go - from a herbalist's point of view, observing the after effects was utterly fascinating(except for the puking part)...yup the raw stuff ingested directly is pretty potent! Moral of this story: ALWAYS follow dosage instructions from your "pharmacist"-better yet don't take *stuff* unless you need it! LOL

Of course being the herbalist I am, I had to undertake a little "investigation"...on recounting the whole story my mum was rather concerned, however I reasoned with her that if I was gonna turn into a druggie surely it would have happened already during my artsy fartsy digital media days? And in any case, honestly,I have access to waaaaay more consequential chemical compounds via my Chinese herbs if that was my calling! Who would be so stupid to spend exorbitant amounts on illegal western stuff when you can can get such easy and valid access to much more potent and legal stuff?

Haha yes it has occurred to me that being a Chinese herbalist could actually make for quite a good underground money spinner...except for the fact that I am into it for therapeutic purposes...LOL I think The Hippocratic Oath is binding on ALL healers not just conventional ones!