Song For The Taking

A very Merry Christmas to one and all!! :D I hope that everyone has a fantabulous Christmas this week and that your New Years is just as great. I hope that 2012 has been a good year to everyone :) But really it is what you make it.

This week was a very interesting week for sure. Life lessons were being learned left, right, and even leght, believe it or not :) Monday was a fun night. A bit of that lovely Brewerness in me came out when I didn't eat dinner until almost nine that night which lead to a talk on Tuesday from my host mom. She has had issues with me these last three months and finally got everything off her chest. I apologized to her and Andrew and hoped to start everything fresh. Wednesday she had a little bit more to say about me and also told me her story about her depression. Since then things have been better, I hope, so hopefully the last three months will fly by without anymore problems. Learning patience, adapting to different people, and learning to communicate in all types of relationships have been the big lessons of the week. 

Internshipywise, things are going nicely. I really don't like the cold water/crab area as it seems to me all the jobs I've ever done there are the crappy kind of jobs that no one ever wants to do and leaves until the absolutely have to be done. I got to help the manger of seals with a seal or two on Friday so that was cool to be able to talk to him about training, behavior, and such. Thursday there was an issue over night and three of the tanks in salt were pumped full of micro-bubbles  very small bubbles, that stick to the gills of fish and suffocate them. We lost about 12 fish. Luckily they were able to restock that day and the following day so that the displays weren't empty for Christmas week. Interesting fact, the only day the whole year Underwater World is closed is Christmas day. Other than that they are open seven days a week from 9 to 5. Crazy eh? :) 

Other than that things have been going well. I didn't do much besides go to church on Sunday. I was suppose to go to the markets with Maureen on Saturday but she said she didn't have any money so she went to the hairdressers instead :) Silly lady :) It's starting to get really humid and warm. Horrible! It's like the air sweats for you so you're covered in two layers of sweat! So all you wishing you were here in the nice warmth, I'll gladly trade you!! At least you're dry!

So I finally got my act together and have some pictures of the mammals. I know that some of you have been waiting and waiting for these. Also, my Christmas present to you all, I finally got a recording of the seal pantsing me so be sure to check it out and critic my nonexistent acting skills :) A special thank you to all of you who have supported me not only while I've been gone the past three months but over the course of my life. I'm sad that I don't get to spend this time of the year with you all but I will be thinking about you and hoping you have a wonderful white Christmas :) Love you all and see you next year!!

Jess, Me, and Groucho

Cut But Not Bleeding

Ha-llo my fabulous peoples!! Dontcha just love this day?! So not too much as happened since our last meeting.

This week I worked two days out in seals. It was good because I got to work more with the otters and feed the seals some more. I did do one pg(planted guest) so that was nice to loose my pants again to a seal. Nothing like a good old dunk with the seals to cool you off on a hot summer day. I learned that unlike the seals, the otters know virtually no tricks or behaviors. What a disappointment that was! The otter show is just the otters running about looking for food while the staff member spits out facts about otters. My dog is far more talented, cuter, and better smelling (most of the time) than those otters so I don't know why anyone would want an otter over my dog :)

Speaking of my dog, or as she's sometimes referred to, my mom's dog, give me your input with the poll right next to this post. That is if you care about my sanity, or else I'll be up at night rocking back and forth wondering why no one likes me and has voted. I'm fine, I'm fine!! There's nothing wrong with me!!! 8D

Friday was the work Christmas party up at the yatch club that's not too far from work or my living arrangements. I won two day passes to this weird water park where they have cables that tow you about and you wake board and stuff. They have jumps, rails, and the whole nine yards from what it sounds like. I had three guys tell me that they'd go with me if I needed someone to go with. Considering two of them have girlfriends you fools can get it out of your head that I've got suiters in Oz. Island boys are nice but none have sparked my interest since I've been here. However, if you were to pick a different island, the tune to that song would be quite different ;) I think wake boarding with out a wake sounds kinda lame and I know I wouldn't want to try the trick park as I've tried trick parks before on roller bladeds and I'm just not skilled enough to really get the full thrill out of face planting into the cement  Strange as it may sound, it is a true fact. Everyone got some kind of day pass to the zoo or a little theme park called Aussie World. Everyone said it's a lame little park but a bunch of us that got tickets are going to plan and go together someday. Btw, there should be only two links in that bunch of words above. Click on them as you see fit or whatever. 

The party was pretty good and the food wasn't too bad but I don't think I'd pay to eat there, just because everything is outlandishly priced here. I had salmon for dinner. It was pretty good. The dessert was great! It was a really yummy chocolate cake! YUMMY! I got into a picture war with one of my coworkers named Jesse so that's why there's a bunch of random pictures when you click here. I didn't stay too late because as the party went on the alcohol began to set in. So I left and went to bed. Over all it wasn't a bad night.

That's pretty much it so enjoy your week, TALLY HO!!

Lumpy Bumpy

Hello and welcome all you charming lovelies you :) Welcome to my blog. My name is Kaiya. Haven't heard of me? That's because I haven't written a post in some time, but don't you worry we're about to go on an adventure together! Weeeeeeee! .....Darn that pig! It's been running around here and I can't seem to catch it! It creeps me out so bad. I don't know what I'd do with it once I caught it. Oh yes I do! Silly me!! I'd leave in Kelcie's room because she loves it so much.

I know about three of you have anxiously been waiting to hear what's been going on so you three *someone whispers* oh, there's only two now? So you two can set your worries or your anxieties aside. You have to keep one of them because there's not enough space for everyones baggage ;) There is a reason why I have not written a post in so long, other than the fact I've been a lazy bum, so please continue reading if you'd like to know what this reason is.

Two weeks ago I worked in the seals area for three days. It was a nice change :) The thing about seals is that because they are a mammal people are more sensitive to how they are handled and treated then fish are. So there are some crazy rules I wouldn't have thought for this area. The food prep room must be spotless. In other words it has to be clean enough that you could prepare food for it to be acceptable for humans. They also have a fairly strict schedule on what needs to be done and when because they have shows that the seals perform, swimming with the seals, and seal photos. So for spontaneity seals gets a minus 3 points. I also learned this week that sea otters smell like oceany dogs. I had to help clean up they're back area where they sleep at night and it smells just like a dog kennel but slightly fishy, hence and oceany dog :) I worked in seals Monday this week and will out there on Friday as well, at least if the seals manager says it's still ok. My last day two weeks ago and on Monday I was able to interact with the seals more and feed them and give them basic simple commands like get out of the water and come here and go back in the water. That was fun :) Fun seal moments gets 10 points.

Australians are kind of strange. To me it seems like they are the middle ground of the world and issues in the world. This is just my perception so do not take it to heart. An example of this middle groundness  is recycling. It's kind of a big thing here. Not as big as in Europe but bigger than the US. To me it seems they are kinda middle ground about everything. It is very different and unusual to me.

Overall things are going well here. It isn't always easy. Surprisingly I have moments when I really can't stand my host mom. I know! Me?! Little Miss Sunshine, not like someone?!! Sounds like blasphemy!! Sometimes it has been really hard to hold my tongue and just walk away. She's just very..... eccentric. But let's just face it, I hate most people so this wasn't really a surprising revelation. I guess if nothing else you all can sleep well knowing I'm still me :)

So why I have been such a slacker with my blog lately is because I've been having some health "issues". About three or four weeks ago I noticed my right nipple was creasing and folding in on its-self. At first I thought it was just getting smushed weird from my sports bra because it would come and go but it did this for a week. After a fairly thorough google search I discovered weird nipple things can be a sign of breast cancer. I checked myself and noticed an unusual lump in the same breast. I told my mom and she asked me to get it checked out. I did and the doctor said the nipple thing didn't concern her because it comes and goes but she did want me to have both breasts to have an ultrasound. Two days later the doctore told me that I had two cysts in my right breast but they looked normal and good. I  also had a cyst in my left breast but this one was lumpy and unusual  To make sure it was ok she had me go back to the ultrasound place and get cells taken out of it and analyzed  Unfortunately she was gone on vacation for a week so I wasn't able to get the results from the biopsy until yesterday. I tried calling twice and at noon the doctor still hadn't looked at the results. I got a voice message from my host mom around 1:20 saying the doctor didn't have my mobile number and wanted me to call her. I did all I could not to panik because the doctor had told me that if everything was good she'd just say there was nothing further to discuss otherwise I would need to talk to her or make an appointment. I called the doctor back and she told me that it wasn't a cyst but a fibroadenoma with is a cyst but solid, and that it was benign. Phew! I am very glad and relieved about it all. But that is why I have not put up a post because I wanted to post the whole story up so that if nothing was wrong no one would worry unnecessarily. The only problem is that I have no money because I had to pay everything up front and claim it all on the insurance later. Don't worry though. Everything will be alright :)

I went to the beach last weekend and took some photos. I also took some pictures and a short video of Joan, my host dad's mom, dancing for her medals. She was judged and received an award for dancing on Sunday. I went to support her. I don't think I'll be going to a dance thing for awhile now though.  : / Not really my thing ya know. I also took some pictures this morning of the smallest lizard I have ever seen or touched. Maybe it was a gecko I don't know.

Merlin is getting closer to ending :( What a said way to end the year :( I'm sure I'll write another blog before Christmas but incase you don't come back until the new year, have a very wonderful rest of your year :)

Uglies

Alright, so me being really lazy and lame I'm not really into writing a big long post. So I'll give you a basic update about what's going on and then you'll have to read the rest whenever i stop being lazy and lame. Yes, that will happen! I just don't know when ;)

Work is going well. I worked with seals three days last week. It was fun but it was the same day for three days which was kinda lame and I didn't get to do as much as when I'm with the fish people. Still it was grood :) I saw James Bond and when to dinner with work people on Saturday and it was $17 for the movie and $18.50 for a burger and fries. The burger wasn't even that good : / LAME! Sunday I went to a dinner with 20 old people I don't know and sat there for 4 hours. Not really every wanting to do that again.

Maureen's nose is doing much better :) Merlin is FREAKIN AWESOME!!! Sadly tho, this season is the last season :'(

So that's it for now. Enjoy your day :)

Don't Be Fooled, He's No Prophet

Well well, long time no hot potato in your shoe. There's still not hot potato in your shoe? Ah, well, wishful thinking. If you do find a potato in your shoe, I wouldn't mind if that potato ended up in my shoe. I already ate mine....

This has been another good week in salt. During the someone brought a Portuguese Man of War to us from the beach. That's right it's jellyfish season!! Australia is famous for their deadly animals in and out of the water and now is the time when the jellies like to strike in full force. As far as I know there are no  super deadly ones around the sunny coast so you can just turn that little worry machine you like to call a brain right off.

Some point during the week I went out for a turtle release. Now you may recall the first and only other time I have gone out on the ocean I got very sea sick. You may be asking yourself why on earth would I go on on the boat again if I got so sick the first time? Well you see, someone told me that I would find a potato in my shoe if I went out on this excursion. *narrows eyes* Lies, all of them lies.  I was told it would be really flat. Unfortunately we left an hour later and it wasn't so flat. It wasn't so bad but it was enough to make me a little sick. We released the turtle and then went back to the harbor. Oh land, dry land!! Oh blessed it is to walk with certainty of your stability!!

On Thursday the zone leader of of salt invited people from work over to her house for dinner. She let me ride home with her, which was very nice, I took mom's salsa that I made several weeks ago and I think I was the only one that really liked it. Two other people had some but I had the most. YUM! Everyone brought some kind of dish. It was pretty good minus them talking down about the people that weren't there. One of them they really don't like and she quit but everyone is pretending not to know. I don't think this girl is too bad but no one really seems to like her. I have only been in Australia for almost ten weeks so maybe she gets worse the longer you know her. I don't know. Everyone stayed until about 9 before they headed home. That was a little bit too long for me but one of the boys from fresh was giving me a ride home so I had to wait until he was ready to go. I felt kind of awkward the whole time because I had nothing to say to their conversations and they kept making awkward comments about what I must be thinking and crap. I'm glad that I don't really work here. There is just way too much drama and I don't want to be apart of it. People who talk behind others back really makes you wonder what they say about you when you're not around. I wonder how much they all hate me when I'm not in the same room?

Saturday I went swimming and as I was about waist deep wadding into the wave, I saw these two blue blobby jellyfish riding the wave towards me. Having learned about how dangerous the jellies are in Oz I turned on my heels and began booking it back to the beach screaming "FLEE!! FLEE! RETREAT!!" in my head of course. I'm not as crazy as I occasionally am portrayed by Kelcie's stories. I looked around and no one else seemed to mind that there were jellies in the water. Everyone was laughing and playing, wave jumping, and enjoying the cool ocean water. Obviously Ozians have had one too many jellies wrapped around their noggin because I know I wasn't hallucinating, this time. I decided to brave the waters again, but near one of the crazy Ozians. There were no jellies there, but there were these weird roundish jelly blobs in the water everywhere. Leo, the Australian jelly expert, informed me that they were jellies even tho they had no tentacles because not all jellies have tentacles. Good thing he knows so much about the animals of countries he hates :) What a useful guy :)

After that I came back and I walked down the street with Maureen and Andrew to a neighborhood Christmas party. Maureen let her little deaf toy poodle, Bunnie, of the lease to hang out with the other dogs. Bunnie started going home and Maureen, with sparking wine in hand, started to chase after her. Maureen bent over to grab Bunnie but ended up face planting it into the street. She cut her nose and split her lip. Andrew took her to the hospital because she was really worried about it. After three hours waiting they didn't do anything and told her to come back tomorrow to get her nose x-rayed to see if she broke it. Her nose and upper lip are really swollen and she's getting a black eye. That was my weekend. 

Since I didn't get to see most of you Thanksgiving day I'd like you to know I am thankful for all the support and love you have given me over the years and some of you continue to give ;) I hope everyone had a great turkey day. Well, I'm peacing out. Ciao bella.

 

Random wooded area by my house

 Lawn bowls from the other week