Outing with Car

We had an adventurous and wonderful Saturday. We hired a car and escaped the city. Jim and I walked down to the local Avis to pick up our new wheels. At first, I didn't think Jim would like a second driver in the car for the first time he drove on the opposite side of the car and the street. He surprised me by saying I should come along.
Unfortunately, (or fortunately) all of the manuals were gone and we had to get an automatic. Maybe this was good for the first attempt at so many things at once. We found the little dear and got in. Cozy. This is where I had a taste of being the parent of a child with their learners permit. We were parked in the parking structure of a hotel and had to find our way out. Our home is only about 3/4 of a mile and 3 turns away but my leg was locked in the brake position the entire time. Thank god it was 9am and the city is full of late sleepers.

After loading up the vehicle with lunches, a change of clothing, 2 backpacks, and water bottles, Jim came in and proclaimed that the JLMCU was ready to go. This stands for Jim and Lisa Mobile Command Unit. You see, life without a car is best compared to that of a turtle. You are constantly carrying your belongings around with you in your backpack. I don't carry a purse, I use a backpack. I need an umbrella, a book, maybe a raincoat, water, and usually a snack. When you own a car, you can easily stow all that and more. When you are depending on public transportation, you never know what is going to happen or how long it is going to take, so you must prepare.
After the JLMCU was sufficiently supplied, we hopped in and headed east to the Dandenong Ranges National Park. Jim quickly became used to driving opposite in no time. The biggest challenge was remembering that the turn signal was on the right and the windshield wipers were on the left.
In 40 minutes, we were in the mountains. We stopped at the Dandenong Ranges Look Out, which is a tourist trap at the top of the highest peak. They charge $5 per car. We were promised a hedge maze, but later found out that it was an additional $6. The Secret Garden was also unavailable. We made a wish and the Wish Tree and got back in the car. We took 2 very beautiful, short hikes to see waterfalls and saw the little drive-by tourist towns that are along the appropriately named, Dandenong Tourist Rd.

We were amazed at how quickly we got back to our neighborhood and even more amazed at how tired we were. Tired but satisfied.

Roll On

Well, it has finally happened. I was dreading it, as I knew I would have to revisit some old abandoned territory. My favorite and only stick of deodorant has run out. It is that death stage, where it falls off the plastic screw of the container, totally useless. I would have to hand apply it, but I am not that desperate.
Before my departure, I was questioning if I should bring more than one of some of my favorite toiletries. Mom was hesitant, something to the tune of "it will be fun to sample new options...". Not in this department. Imagine looking at five store shelves about 2-3ft wide, with ONLY roll-on deodorant! This is not a joke. Any 'ol regular brand in any flavor but solely in roll-on form. BOO! That wetness, ugh. I haven't had to use the stuff since grade school. You know, when you're old enough to start to stink and your mom just gives you something, like "here, use this" and you don't know any better.

Maybe the best day ever.

Lots of days, the weather reminds me of Michigan. Michigan in the fall after all the leaves have fallen off the trees and the sky is grey. Michigan in the spring before all the leaves bloom on the trees and the sky is grey. Here, there is probably about 1 day a week that it looks completely gorgeous out. You get all ready to leave the house, and out of no where, it might start to rain. Or you do make it out and it's sunny, but it's windy and cold. Sometimes, outside is a facade.
Afternoon is my best time of day. To be perfectly honest, on the grey days, I can sit in my jammies until 1pm. I explore the internet, play on Facebook, Skype and IM. Then, after a while, I start to feel guilty. Like, what the fuck am I doing? I'm in Australia. I need to go out...I have to. I have to for everyone that thinks living here is the shit.
So, after one of these pretty typical lazy mornings, I start to feel guilty. I get mad that I'm lazy. (Seriously though, I am in A City. I live here. I'm not here for month, I'm here for months. I pay to go places on the train. Doing something everyday would be expensive, and to be blunt, when my money goes out, it doesn't come back in.) For some reason, I just can't bring myself to go lift weights at the gym. It seems impossible. With all my clickety clacking on the internet, I discover that the John Brack art exhibit is on it's last weekend and today is Friday. I make a decision. I want coffee. I want cake. Screw Body for Life for today. I'm going out.
It's sunny. I get ready and go outside. All these clouds seemed to have rolled in from somewhere and the wind is gusty. Facade. I'm gonna sit and have a coffee and a super yummy treat, then catch a tram and head to the art exhibit. A higher power seemed to be spoiling my plans, like "No, you will not cheat on your diet." The normal place I get coffee was in the shade, I wanted a place in the sun. The second place I walked into didn't have any fabulous looking treats. I hear the tram and decide to postpone the cheating and get to the city. Besides, the museum has an indoor cafe.
The is a scrumptious looking flourless brownie in the dessert case. Table service: have a seat! As I sit at a deli-type bar seat, I watch 6 people leave in spite for not being waited on in sufficient time. This system seems broken, the server has to notice you for you to be waited on. I flag someone and she gives me the "2 minutes" hand signal. I will evacuate in 1o, 9, 8...really is this really happening, can I really not get a naughty treat? She comes over, I order. It's delicious enough.
I go to get my admission ticket, and I am told the John Brack exhibit is at the National Gallery Ian Potter Center, I am at the regular gallery. No worries, it's just down the street at Federation Square. When I walk outside, I notice that the weather has amazingly improved. The clouds have disappeared, the sun it out. Gorgeous.
I walk down to the other museum. It is at this big public space with restaurants with outdoor seating, a beer garden, it's lovely. I walk into this restaurant and survey the dessert case. The brownie wasn't what I was hoping, it was good, but not satisfying. I take a seat outside and order an ooy-gooey piece of sticky date pudding cake and a flat white coffee. Why the fuck not?! I read a book. My delight comes and I am overwhelmed with satisfaction, even before I taste it. As I indulge, a group of women aged in their 40s walk behind me. I hear one of them say, "look at that cake!" I almost ask them to join me. I could sense their involuntary salivation.
Like it or not, I would probably never eat something like this for no reason at home. Here though, even though I live here, I am on a vacation. And today, I am indulging in guiltless pleasure. Today, I'm gonna enjoy eating cake on a gorgeous day in downtown Melbourne, Australia.
The art exhibit was sweet too.

The good, the bad and the ugly

I've been thinking about this blog. I've been thinking about it a lot. I've been considering just how much I want to share. There are a lot of feelings and thoughts going through my crazy head. Do I only share the fun sights, the joys of being jobless? Do I tell you how hard some days are? Eh, what do I have to lose? Here we go...
Isolation:
Most days are pretty good here. The days are good depending on how I decide to treat myself. This is something I have learned. Each day is exactly what I will make of it. I am my own best friend here. That is just the way it is. There is a lot of isolation. Imagine only hearing your phone ring 10 times in 30 days. Really, imagine only hearing your phone ring 10 times in 30 days. You probably can't. First, imagine your phone not ringing for a day, three days, a week. Imagine when you hear a noise coming from your jacket laying on the couch and not knowing what it is. Then, "Oh fuck, it's the cell phone." The phone rings SO infrequently, that you forget what the jingle sounds like. I fumble around looking for it somewhere in the 4 jacket pockets and end up missing the call.
Fabian, the front desk clerk at the gym, doesn't know he's my best friend. That I actually look forward to hearing all about his Personal Training class homework that he lost on the computer and it took 6hrs to redo or the boring weekend he had or how he would rather be poor in Miami with the hot sunny days, than poor in a place with crappy weather. Some days, he is enlightening. I enjoy these seemingly one sided chats.
Sure, there is Jim, and thank the universe for that. We get along amazingly. For real. We might as well start our own language, like twins, we spend so much time together.

So the isolation is temporary. It's something you get used to. I made the decision to come here. And more days than not, it IS the best thing ever.

Somebuddy got a Library Card

Yes, it was SO easy! Just used that trusty insurance letter with my current address and my passport...awe yeah. Up to 50 check outs at one time and a 3 week time allowance. One of the local libraries (Prahran) is conveniently located right near our gym. Personally, I have never been a huge library user, but the convenience makes it a winning situation. Don't get too excited about this though. This library is about at big as the main floor of someone's house. My new goal is to read every book in it before I go back to The States.