Homesickness. Joblessness. And all of the other reasons that I’ve had poop in my pants recently.

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Natasha

Well. I was just about to head to the CBD to do some research. On what, would you like to know? Well, I was going to see if the State Library had any books on museum conservation procedures. Then head over to the Immigration Museum to have a look around. All of this because, first of all, I honestly do find those subjects interesting. But mostly because I had applied for an Assistant Conservationist position with Museum Victoria. It would have been the perfect job for me – finally! A foot in the door with the museum world (my degree is in art history.) The position was a 6 month contract – awesome! Because, on an Australian Work & Holiday visa, that is exactly how long you are allowed to work at one place.

I had even called the woman in charge of hiring. We had a wonderful conversation. And then the HR panel did not pass my resume and cover letter on. C’est la vie.

So, here I am typing up the blog I have been meaning to post instead. I will venture out later.

My sister came to visit me last week and that was amazing.

There she is, being all cute with her coffee at the NGV cafe. We hung around Melbourne for a few days, going to museums, walking and, of course, cooking and eating.

There was also a lot of silliness involved. Because we are sisters.

We then traveled on to Sydney where we stayed at the Bondi YHA. Bondi, and the surrounding beaches, really are beautiful. The weather worked out perfectly for us, as well. 100-104F on Thursday and Friday. Those days were spent at the beach and in the water, as that is the only way to cool off around here. Saturday and Sunday were cloudy and about 75F, so we did our sightseeing on those days.

Oh! And we went to see Alestorm on the last night she was in town. If “Pirate Metal” sounds like an interesting musical genre to you, I suggest you check them out.

I also ate some chicken. You read that right, any of you who know me personally. I tried some chicken. That will have to be another post altogether, though.

My sister headed back home on Sunday and I have had a pretty tough case of homesickness since. I miss my friends and family! And I also miss the security of…you know, having an income. It’s safe to say that I am basically flat broke at the moment. I would go back into the salon world, but something between my power converters and salon tools is not working. My tools literally start smoking. And I am not looking to invest in new ones. Excuses, excuses, I know, I know.

And, while you’re sitting there reading this, wishing you didn’t have to go to work tomorrow, I am here to tell you that you would go stir crazy eventually. I was you a few short months ago. And now, I am losing my mind. But I suppose this is all part of the experience for me. I have had a job and been able to do basically whatever I wanted since I was 15. I guess not having that security and freedom is something that everyone should experience at some point in their lives. Gives you a different perspective on life. Hopefully one day, when I’m settled…somewhere…and I wake up thinking, “God DAMN, I don’t want to go to work today…” I will be able to look back on this experience and roll out of bed with a smile.

Anyway. The universe is trying to steer me somewhere, I’m just not sure where yet. And the sun is shining and I need to get some exercise. And I went to the library today and now have a stack of books on Frida Kahlo, Anthony Bourdain and digital photography that I need to pick through. I guess what I’m saying is that this post has ended.

I will note here, at the end, that, even though nothing has gone as planned and I have experienced some bad luck on the job front, I would not change anything about this. These are all lessons that need to be learned and experiences that need to be had. “It will all come out in the wash.”

BOOBIES!

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Natasha

I couldn’t decide if making my thoughts on this public were a good idea or not…and then I realized, who fucking cares? Do you know how big the universe is? No. It is unfathomable. And you and me and everyone on this earth are nothing in comparison. So, who gives a shit. (This is how I justify everything.)

Also, I will say here, my apologies to any family members (or friends, even) who may read this and be uncomfortable.

One more thing before I get started: most of those who know me would say that, on the inside (and perhaps on the outside, even) I am a vagrant, contrary, dirty hippie. I am who I want to be, and if those are the words to describe it, so be it.

So, I’ve got tan lines. And for purely vain and cosmetic reasons, I would like to get rid of them, at least on the top half. I know, I know…maybe I should just stay out of the sun. But I’m in Australia. And it is summer. And everyone else I know is enduring winter. I came here for the sun, and in the sun I shall remain.

I have recently moved in with an Australian couple and have quickly been given insider tips that only Aussies can give you. For instance, there is no law against females sunbathing topless in the state of Victoria, Australia. Sweet, I can get rid of my tan lines.

Now, I’ve done this before. In Barcelona, where everyone lays on the beach topless. It was fantastic. No tan lines. And freedom. Nobody looked at you strangely. Nobody ogled. That’s just how women sunbathe in Barcelona.

I had seen a few ladies topless on the beach in Melbourne. There were strange looks and ogles. It is allowed, but not widely done. I figured I would give it a go anyway.

So, today, I found a fairly secluded area. Not wanting to lay out on the beach totally exposed, I decided to wade in the water. Then families started showing up and I decided it was time to suit back up and dry off.

While laying on the beach, with all of my bathing suit on at this point, a man walked by. And then he walked by again. And then he sat a few feet away from me, on his side, facing me. I just pretended to sleep. Then, I heard him walking over to me. “Oh my god,” I grumbled out loud, hoping he would hear and leave me be. Nope. Plopped right down next to me.

“That’s a beautiful tattoo,” he said, referring to the one on my leg.

“Yes, thank you.” I grumbled in my best Daria voice.

“Do have a boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

“Do you drink?”

“No.”

“Do you want to go out with me for drinks tonight?” Creeper.

“I have a boyfriend. I don’t drink.”

“You’ve got a nice body.” Ugh, CREEPER!

“Well, that’s very nice of you. I was just leaving.”
“Can I get you a drink?”

“Dude, I don’t drink.”

“Ok.” Walks off after another few minutes of asking me if I’d like a drink.

Ok, first off- if anyone, ANYONE, gives you the Daria voice, it is time to walk away. Ladies, this goes for you, too. The Daria voice means, not only do I have no interest in having a conversation with you, I would really enjoy my day better if you just left me alone.

I have no idea if this dude saw me sunning topless in the water. The water had me covered, really, so I did not think anyone saw. And he walked up a few minutes later, but who knows.

Either way, it is apparently not a crime here anyway. Nor should it be anywhere. This is where the hippie comes out, I guess. I am totally fine with fitting into other cultures and abiding by the laws of other countries. Topless sunbathing is not allowed in the US, unless you are on a specifically designated nude beach. And I figured it would be trickier in Melbourne anyway because, although it is legal, I’ve only seen a few other people do it.

But why shouldn’t ladies be able to bathe topless? No wonder people have body issues. There is a stigma that surrounds nudity. And talking about it. I mean, alright, fine, we should wear clothing to work and the grocery store. But, if I want to do my gardening topless, I’m gonna. And at the beach? Nipples pop out all the time anyway, so fuck, just take the top off!

People should not be afraid of their bodies. But they are because they are told to cover up and read magazines that show them images of photoshopped “beauties.” But I need to stop here because magazines will need to be a whole different entry. (Magazines sell fantasy images as reality – the reality that we should all aspire to be. But it’s fake! It’s been tampered with! It’s fantasy!)

I’ve lost my train of thought again. So, here.

BOOBIES!

Anyway. Although females sunbathing topless at beaches in Victoria, Australia is technically allowed, it is not widely done at this point in time. Perhaps I will stick with keeping myself covered. Or maybe I will start thinking about how big the universe is again…and damn it all! I do what I want!

Big, messy brain dump

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Natasha

Not really sure where I am going with this post…so, bear with me. I am not exactly in the writing mood, but the only way to get any better at it is to practice, practice, practice.

The next few weeks should really be fantastic. My sister arrives in Melbourne this Friday. She will be here for about 9 days. Half will be spent here in Melbourne, the other half in Sydney. I can’t wait to see my sissy-bear!

She leaves on the 20th, and on the 22nd I have tickets to see Against Me! That shall add to the fabulousness of January.

Then…and then! Evan arrives. I think he is trying to surprise me, so I do not know the exact date. “Somewhere in the middle of February” is all I know.

Things are looking up.

I am still only working once a week assisting in a salon. Who knew it would be so difficult to get a job as a barista? A little over a week ago I had two VERY promising trials at a cafe. I was supposed to sit down with the woman who would train me at the end of my shift to discuss my schedule and other paperwork. She then got a call and needed to go help out at another location. Said she would call me at the end of the day. When I had heard nothing by the next day, I called her. She answered, “sorry mate, I know I was supposed to call you yesterday! I actually just got off of a plane, can I call you in about an hour?” That never happened, either. And then the holidays happened in Australia.

They really take their free time here seriously. Which I think is absolutely fantastic. Exactly how I think the whole world should work. You put in your 8 hours, then you have your damn free time. You get your damn vacation time.

But holy shit. I could use a job. I am holding on to the hope that, although the cafe was open for the second half of this week, since nobody had seen my would-be barista trainer since before the holidays, she is still…on holiday. Tomorrow is Monday. Fingers crossed that I will get an affirmative phone call. If not, back to the drawing board.

Again, I could easily get a salon job. But I came here to learn something new. Maybe I have learned something new – what it’s like to be turned down from a job. Not to boast here or anything, but this truly is a new experience for me. I have never been turned down from a job before. Ever. This is a bit frustrating (…a BIG bit frustrating…) and a bit humbling, I suppose.

Anyway, the new housing situation is still going well. The landlords are great. We hang out just enough and I have just enough alone time. Balanced.

Hm.

Other new things I have done/seen/learned:

-Beers on the beach

-I have learned that you can order different types of fish from a fish and chips shop

-Because of above, I have ordered, eaten and learned what the most common type of fish in “fish ‘n’ chips” in Australia is: “flake” aka “gummy shark”…I have eaten shark.

-Apparently, there is no law against females bathing topless in Victoria. I will be getting rid of these tan lines, thank you.

-I have never in my life taken a cold shower. I do not like being cold. However, the other day it was 104F and I sure as shit took a cold ass shower.

-Made one of the ice creams from my previous post – the avocado coconut lime raw ice cream. It tasted like lime. Just lime. So, I added agave, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Still not my favorite, but much better. (Speaking of raw food, this raw pot luck must happen.)

-Sometimes, things just don’t go as planned. Try as you might to steer the universe in the direction you want it to go, sometimes it is YOU who has to change direction. And you’ve just got to give in and open up. I used to watch a certainly unhealthy amount of the Travel Channel. Mostly just Samantha Brown and Anthony Bourdain. Once, Samantha Brown said something along the lines of, “You’ve always got to have a plan B and C. Because sometimes plan A goes wrong. And then sometimes plans B and C go wrong and you’ve got to be okay with going along with plans D, E and/or F.” Well, I thought that I would immediately have a job in a cafe. 2 and a half months later, no dice. WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?! Something. Nothing, maybe. But, nothing has gone as planned and I’ve got to be okay with that and keep on truckin’.

I’m sure that I have had other thoughts over the past few days. If I keep typing, this will turn into an even more jumbled, messy brain dump. So, here, I will bid you adieu. With a few views from my window.

Australian Heat

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Natasha

Holy…hot. Everyone I know is probably laughing right now. I purposely came to Australia to enjoy their summer. I really do not like being cold. I get grumpier every winter. So, when I made the decision to go down under on a work and holiday visa, I decided to wait out the summer at home, and then have summer part deux in the southern hemisphere.

All of the Australians that I met back in October/November, before summer officially commenced, said that I really didn’t understand how hot it was going to get. Apparently, the UV rays are more intense here. Well, I tell you, today…I believe it. The high was supposed to be 93F today, and it cleared 100F. It wasn’t supposed to hit 100F until tomorrow. So, tomorrow, I will be inside. Just in case anyone needs me.

And what would my post be without food?

This morning, I made…ready?…*drum roll*big breath in*…Hawaiian Buckwheat Coconut Banana Pineapple Raw Breakfast Cereal! Oh yes, it was just a delicious as it sounds.

(I added photos of the cat and the view from the backyard just because I thought perhaps this blog needed more of such images.)

I also went to the beach today, thinking it was only going to hit 93F. And ended up in the water the whole time because it was, in fact, over 100F. A good day, though. Ready for a cooler night.

And now, I will end this post because I believe that my computer is overheating.

SIKE! (That word still makes me laugh.)

Before I go, a friend and I have been exchanging raw ice cream recipes. Since this week will be really hot, I will likely try them all. My favorites are:

Raw Coconut Ice Cream

Raw Avocado Coconut Lime Ice Cream

Vegan Peach Ice Cream (can likely be made raw by replacing the brown sugar)

And this Raw Green Tea Ice Cream (I love green tea ice cream…hell, I just love ice cream.)

Thanks, Angi, for the suggestions!

I’ve Made It!!!

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Natasha

Well…it’s been a while.

I spent three lovely days in Wellington, NZ and I promise you that I will be returning to that country. My plans are only becoming bigger and better. Crazier? Whatever you want to call it, but it will surely be interesting.

Wellington is an amazing city. Clean. So clean! Fresh air, in a city! And just…beautiful. It is quiet. Unless one finds the right streets and corners. (Cuba St. is where it’s AT!) Perfect for someone like me. I lean towards the introverted side – don’t get me wrong, I love being around people, but I recharge by having some alone time. So, a city that is not too crowded and has totally quiet areas, but still has spots where all of the people gather, is a place I could totally get used to.

However, I did not spend enough time there and I have waited too long to write this entry about it to say much more. Like I said – New Zealand, I promise that I will be back.

As for now, I am ending my second week in Australia. I did the right thing by choosing to live in a house with two other people, instead of on my own. My introverted self would not have much to say for these two weeks if I had not had house mates to get me out of…the house. Funny enough, the only Aussie living here is away for a few months and subletting her room to a Canadian dude. So, I am living with Steven, the Canadian and Suzy, a Chinese student here in Melbourne. Because of this, I have not yet picked up an Australian accent, but they have been two of the most wonderful house mates that I could have ever hoped for.

Seriously.

I had not even been here an hour and they were already telling me about the different banks and cell services on offer in Australia, and the pros and cons of each. They showed me around town and where to get groceries and other home supplies. It was amazing, I would have never had such a productive first day if it had not been for those two. And for that, I cannot thank them enough. We have also done a lot of site seeing together, it really has been wonderful! I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings for me.

And now for some photos: