Don't Tase Me Bro

I didn't do anything! Don't tase me bro! Great stuff.

Sorry for the lack in blogging, but after checking these photos you'll understand why.

Last weekend we went to this free outdoor electronic music festival - as you can see tin man was in attendance. Also in attendance - Rupal's pearly whites. Jody from work is behind her to the left, her boyfriend Kai is behind me to the right with Ben, I think.


Then on Wednesday I went up to the northern beaches near Palm Beach on a management offsite - most of the three days was spent in meetings, but the other part is summed up with the photos below.



Today we went to Bronte beach - there were HUGE waves. We are pretty much on vacation, but with jobs. Fun fact - I may be going to Tokyo on Monday. These photos were all taken with my phone, which is excellent.



Now we are going to meet some people for Pizza, which I will inevitably hate on because I'm such a pizza snob. The place we are going is called "Love Supreme" and is highly recommended - we called to make reservations and they said "We don't take reservations, but there is a pub across the street." I love this place.

Foreshadowing our ethnically fused reception

Prefunk

I was going to wait a while to put this up, but Molly's car got broken into and now I feel bad.

Not sure why this post keeps getting f'd up, but I'll keep trying

Jazz + Sushi = Jazushi.

All Politicians Endorse Corruption

If you can turn a corner in Sydney without hearing the the acronym APEC, I'll give you a dollar.

$331 million dollars of tax payer's money + 21 heads of state + three days + one city = John Howard losing Sydneysiders' vote.

APEC is "an inter-governmental forum facilitating economic growth and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, and operates on the basis of non-binding commitments, open dialogue and equal respect for the views of all participants regardless of the size of their economy." To Sydney, it means a city-wide day off, make-shift fences, the most hated person in the world getting the most ludicrously extravagant welcome, and snipers.

Josh and I have grown accustomed to helicopters flying over head (with the occasional search shining their blinding light on our patio), missels ready for action on darting fighter planes, nonstop melodramatic 'news' recounts of violent protesters, and the always optimistic APEC symbol on the Coat Hanger bridge.

On a positive note, Sydney's businesses were closed on Friday.

Sailing, arrrr

2nd day back in Sydney, already rocking it like we live here


Somehow we saw rainbows, kites, fireworks, helicopters, riot police, and sunshine in one weekend.

Water, Water Everywhere

The beautiful part about Sydney is there is waterfront wherever you turn. East: Bondi Beach, the most superlative city beach in the world; North: an unmatched harbor in regards to color, activity, and, of course, man-made structures; West: a well-worth-the-visit tourist trap of Darling Harbor, with interesting waterways and sun even in the cloudiest of days; and South: I haven't been south enought to visit the water, though I hear it' great.

I have had two weekends filled with the idyllic "how to" explore Sydney's waterfronts. Last weekend, Kelly, an Aussie friend of mine (oddly enough, friends of mine that are Aussies are few and far between), along with two friends of hers Chris and Kelly, took a short drive up to Manly Beach to kayak to a local beach. This Friday, our neighbor Carter and a few of his friends, took Andrew's tiny 'quick! get to the other side before the boat tips over' sailboat across the harbor for a fresh fish picnic. Saturday, Josh and I went to Festival of the Winds, a kite festival on the beach, preceding a two hour long hike along the coast.

Some pics from the weekend.

Neon Churches, Weddings, and Airplanes

After another unthinkable weekend I'm back in SYD with Rups - oh happy happy days. I would post pictures of the insane weddings I've just endured, but since Molly Stehr reads Jopalishiousness I am unable to do so. Actually, *psych! - here are some of the more PG snaps from the first wedding (Tracy & Ken's, not at the church above).

*who was I talking about "psych" and "facial" with recently? I think I'm losing my mind.

Some family shots from the 2nd wedding (my cuz Jason & Jackie):

Stuff:
1) I got to see a Seahawks game before leaving Seattle, and the field was deafening even when it was empty before the game
2) I walked out of Starbucks in LAX last night and almost spilled coffee on rapper 50 Cent - the last time I was on my way to Sydney I saw Matthew McConaughey walking through the concourse without any shoes
3) Tonight will be the 7th different place I will have slept in the past 7 nights (if you include the plane)
4) Overall I've slept in15 different places since I left Sydney for Seattle. If you don't believe me, here is the list (a list within a list!):

• Fiji (Nandi)
• Fiji Taveuni
• Plane Fiji -> LAX
  
• Hotel 1000
• Site 17 Bed
• Site 17 Couch when Savita visited
  
• Portland
• Vancouver
• Snowmass (Alex's floor)
  
• Crested Butte camping (No sleeping bags)
  
• Berkshires
• CT
• NYC
• WP
• Plane (NYC -> SYD)
  
• SYD (tonight, probably in like 2 minutes)
  

Before I go, some Southwood love

Boys, it's been real. See you in a year.