Tina's wanderings around the world

Here is yet another newsline on an idiotic professional athlete here in the land down under: http://www.leaguehq.com.au/articles/2009/08/31/1251570648647.html This kind of behavior is rampant, with drunken players getting drunken and rowdy and getting mixed up on the wrong side of the law. I know that professional athletes back in the states get into trouble as well, but I don't think it's nearly as bad as it is here. It may be that Australia's smaller population combined with a national reverence for sports makes sports news more prominent. I also feel as though it has to do with the general stupidity of the players and a lack of responsibility and respect. There are other stories involving players beating their wives and girlfriends, a coach punching one of his female staff members, rape, team orgies, etc. etc. The most notorious club to go to in the state is the Panthers Club, a giant club/bar/casino out west in Penrith where Marcus grew up. The Panther's Club as in ...

I know that anyone who actually reads this blog already got the email but--yay! I passed the first step of the permanent residency application process so I have another two years here! Without working restriction and I get to sign up for Medicare, too, which is comforting. There are all kinds of things to start rolling out and I've barely begun! It's all coming along, though. Marcus and I started the apartment search a few weeks ago and we've gone to see a number of places. There are some good options out there and we're lucky enough to be able to take our time to find the place that feels right for us, rather than scrambling to find a place because a lease has just ended. I'm fairly certain that our lease ran out a few weeks (or months) ago so we get to meander through apartment listings to see what strikes our fancy. There are a few key items we're taking into consideration: Must have an oven. This may sound strange, but I've come across a few places witho...

It's a beautiful sunny day outside, a little breezy, a few clouds dotting the sky and I decided that it would be a good idea to go outside for lunch. I decided I should do a little lunch time series and take pictures of my lunch spots for a week so people can see some of the beautiful areas close to where I work. I walked out the door, lunch in hand, ready to choose a spot. Um, forgot the camera. Oh well, let's continue on and have a nice outdoor lunch. I decided to revisit the stomping grounds of King George, as I walk by there every day and it's a beautiful little spot and it's time I conquer my fear of the king. There were a few people scattered about the area and I figured I would have a nice, quiet little lunch of reading and eating my sandwich. Halfway through the sandwich, I hear a throat clear behind me. "Um, hey, uuuummm, I know this isn't normal and stuff and it doesn't happen very often, but I uh reckon you're like really hot." I stoppe...

I was walking to work this morning when I noticed the sign at the Catholic church along the way said, "Happy birthday Father Barry. We love our priest." Sound familiar? It's the same message that was up when I first arrived in Australia. I can't believe it's been a year already! I would go into some sort of reminiscent babbling, but I did that for my birthday a month ago so that wouldn't be nearly as interesting as I'd like it to be. Marcus and I went into the Department of Immigration to turn in my visa application, and so far so good. I'm missing one form and that's the Australian background check. It doesn't say in the visa application that you need to do this, but when you make an appointment to go into their office they say you need to have this done. That was a little annoying, I mean, they might as well put that on the application checklist! But no matter, I'll send that out tomorrow. It would have been sent out already except that...