New Year, New Beginnings...
Wow, what a year it's been so far. I know we're only 1 month into it, but i've made some pretty big changes already. If you were un aware, dear reader, i picked up shop and moved to Australia. I've decided to trade in -45 winnipeg winters for +45 sydney summers. Best. Decision. Ever.
looking back...
I wrote a very long winded, philosophical, and introspective "2008 year in review" post on january first. due to the nature of alot of the writing, as well as the names and interactions with friends and footbag players well known, i felt it prudent not to post it. I know i wouldn't really like it if some former lover wrote about why we broke up and rehased all the old arguments in an internet blog.
2008 was an amazing year for me. I got a job in my field of study and i love working there. i went back to europe after a 2 year hiatus, attended worlds in prague, and won a silver medal in shred 30. I attended a slew of jams across canada and was pleased with most of the results, reclaimed my shredmonton title, and hosted the wildly successful Hackrifice 10 with the help of the crew.
It also had a number of downs. My 2 year relationship came to a grinding end. I was totally humiliated in the Toronto Jam circle finals. I lost my hackrifice title. I fell for a friend, but unfortunately circumstances didn't allow it to become as amazing as i imagine it could have (she's happy in her current relationship, so at least one of us came out tops). Also got my first taste of academic failure (not really, but sort of...)
The beginning...
2009 started off in a shakey note, but it would all work out in the end. I had to say my goodbyes to friends and family, leave uni, and leave my jobs, one of which i had been working for around 6 years. It was tough to leave, but the plan had been in the works for over a year.
After a very, very, violently drunken goodbye party, i left for Sydney Australia on january 12. I finally arrived on the 14th to Benoite waiting for me at the airport. I hadn't seen ben since 2005, so i was surprised she even recognized me. It was swelteringly hot outside, and i immediately regretted not changing into shorts in the airport. Benotie and Max live in the eastern suburbs of sydney, literally a 2 minute walk to Bondi Beach, and it was here that i spent my first 10 days. Casually relaxing on the beach, swimming, and walking about during the day, cooking, kicking, and sipping wine by night with max and ben.
I made my way into central sydney on a few occasions to visit the hosting office that was to help me with all my paper work, housing, banking, tax, etc a couple times, and of course wandered around the harbour bridge and the opera house one afternoon. Also had a kick in hyde park with the sydney locals and visited the incredible sydney fish market with benoite, where we saw a 3.5 kilo lobster, bought fresh oysters and sampled some shark fillets.
After max finished up at uni one day we headed down to Narooma for the Oom jam, but that will have to wait for another post, my time at the cafe is just about up...
Wow, what a year it's been so far. I know we're only 1 month into it, but i've made some pretty big changes already. If you were un aware, dear reader, i picked up shop and moved to Australia. I've decided to trade in -45 winnipeg winters for +45 sydney summers. Best. Decision. Ever.
looking back...
I wrote a very long winded, philosophical, and introspective "2008 year in review" post on january first. due to the nature of alot of the writing, as well as the names and interactions with friends and footbag players well known, i felt it prudent not to post it. I know i wouldn't really like it if some former lover wrote about why we broke up and rehased all the old arguments in an internet blog.
2008 was an amazing year for me. I got a job in my field of study and i love working there. i went back to europe after a 2 year hiatus, attended worlds in prague, and won a silver medal in shred 30. I attended a slew of jams across canada and was pleased with most of the results, reclaimed my shredmonton title, and hosted the wildly successful Hackrifice 10 with the help of the crew.
It also had a number of downs. My 2 year relationship came to a grinding end. I was totally humiliated in the Toronto Jam circle finals. I lost my hackrifice title. I fell for a friend, but unfortunately circumstances didn't allow it to become as amazing as i imagine it could have (she's happy in her current relationship, so at least one of us came out tops). Also got my first taste of academic failure (not really, but sort of...)
The beginning...
2009 started off in a shakey note, but it would all work out in the end. I had to say my goodbyes to friends and family, leave uni, and leave my jobs, one of which i had been working for around 6 years. It was tough to leave, but the plan had been in the works for over a year.
After a very, very, violently drunken goodbye party, i left for Sydney Australia on january 12. I finally arrived on the 14th to Benoite waiting for me at the airport. I hadn't seen ben since 2005, so i was surprised she even recognized me. It was swelteringly hot outside, and i immediately regretted not changing into shorts in the airport. Benotie and Max live in the eastern suburbs of sydney, literally a 2 minute walk to Bondi Beach, and it was here that i spent my first 10 days. Casually relaxing on the beach, swimming, and walking about during the day, cooking, kicking, and sipping wine by night with max and ben.
I made my way into central sydney on a few occasions to visit the hosting office that was to help me with all my paper work, housing, banking, tax, etc a couple times, and of course wandered around the harbour bridge and the opera house one afternoon. Also had a kick in hyde park with the sydney locals and visited the incredible sydney fish market with benoite, where we saw a 3.5 kilo lobster, bought fresh oysters and sampled some shark fillets.
After max finished up at uni one day we headed down to Narooma for the Oom jam, but that will have to wait for another post, my time at the cafe is just about up...
