LIVEALITTLE

So the first semester of my new life has come to a close with the issuance of my grades ... and apparently I am a worse student the second time around. No scholar power left in Kazza sadly. The grading system here is not the US G.P.A. style. The categories are: high distinction, distinction, credit, pass, fail. Sounds like a load of backpatting to me like all the award shows dedicated to film. In any case, I got 3 distinctions and one pass. What GPA does that give me? Least I'm glad to be learning and retaining this time around. It's quite an empowering and invigorating feeling to understand something seemingly so incomprehensible in the past so thoroughly.

I guess it is a big risk to backpack 10 days in the yabbo land of Western Australia with someone you'd only gotten to know for one month, but apparently Oz people never cease to amaze me still! Bob, I am so thankful of you for succumbing to my silly needs to not shower (for a record breaking 5 days!), sleeping in the car (8 days of our 10 day trip!), eating somewhat healthy (but I absolutely CAN'T live without peanut butter!), avoiding junk food (sorry about the Oreo/Malteaser blowup), automatic swerve to the wrong side of the road and the constant need to go go GO! Thanks for thinking that driving the Nullabor Plain for a 14 hour detour to touch South Australia was a good idea as well as sleeping our last night in Kings Park in the middle of Perth despite frequent roving police cars who stopped to spy on us sleeping. Luckily, the lay-still-fain-death pose works for cops as well as it does for bears.
BTW, for all of you who wondered how I was able to get good sleep with Bob's infamous snoring, the key is http://www.earplugsonline.com/index.html
Pics when we get the internet going at our new digs (yup I'm moving...)
(19/8/06 Note: Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/72157594242474401/

It's called a "big night" here when you hang out late, go clubbing and get plastered. We didn't quite get plastered but we did accomplish the other two criteria. Brian, our big star baby, went plus one. After a string of bad birthdays, I surely hope this one broke the streak! Happy Birthday, Brian!
Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/72157594233085147/

I've only been here 6 months and although I don't have much Aussie pride, I did feel they were robbed during tonight's Australia/Italy game. It was amazing to hear all the horns, excitement and see all the green and yellow paraphrenalia before the game. After the loss, the whole of Sydney became a ghost town. I FELT the weight of saddness upon my shoulders. I wonder who Aussies would root for now... probably any team playing against the Italians...
Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/72157594191254965

Finally I get my scuba cert! Does this mean I am off the CIA suspicious list??
Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/72157594236681078/