so i am off to michigan for the weekend to celebrate an engagement of a great friend of nearly 10 years. i am so happy to be stepping into this next phase of life with my good buddy mr mead, and i am also glad to be getting the f#ck out of baltimore. as most of you know the transition/downgrade from sydney to baltimore has not been the easiest for me and well ... the hits keep coming! last night the car i was driving (cricket b's) had the front passengers side window smashed and an ipod stolen from the center console (it was my lil borthers). welcome back, eh?
keeping the head up and looking forward to the things around me right now that i know bring me joy. focus on the happiness, the joy, and what brings you content ... the negative shit is just too negative and shitty for you to give it too much attention.
12/26/2008
merry christmas ...
i love the holidays. lots of food, lots of fun, lots of love, and the what not. in my family situation i have what i would like to call the perpetual a.d.d. christmas. heres a little tastes of what was in store for me over my 24 hour christmas marathon.
starting at 3:30pm on the 24th with the family appearance at church (i am a doubter when it come to church, not to god) that wasnt too horrific, my moms side of the family piled into our family room and proceeded to gorge on too much tenderloin, venison, turkey, and crab. you will begin to see that food is the one constant theme throughout this marathon. after some bawdy public displays with some tacky australian boxers, a smoked sausage, and a stuffed animal - my 1st act of the annual christmas charade was over.
now that the youngest in the house is 17, we dont start the christmas morning ordeal until around 10. this year we had some wayward travelers without a family, both female (alright!) and both from far away lands - australia & south africa (double alright!!) - who fit in perfect and added a feminine presence that has never graced 420 range before. cool new twist. well presents went well and of course the annual eggs benedict/grand mimosa brunch went over like a treat.
with little time to digest let alone recuperate it was time to dash off to northern virginia to spend time with jb's side of the family. after more food, a plethora of sweets- again these are the people who have had an italian bakery in the family for nearly 75 years - some booze based presents, and a quick catch up with the relatives (perpetually explaining about my time in australia and what im going to be doing now) it was off to dads for the final meal and the curtain call on christmas.
dad lives in northern virginia as well so its definitely a 2 birds 1 stone kind of deal with the 3rd and 4th act. by the time we arrived at dads (jmc and the female australian were my companions) i had already consumed about 12000 calories, 4 glasses of wine, 2 mimosas, 5 beers, 3 whiskeys, and lord only knows how many altoids (** note these are only rough estimates over the 1st 3 acts of the clare marathon christmas). dads was pretty low key and stacked high with good food. after some chocolate martinis (i passed) and some apple crumble to top it off, it was time to waddle back out to the car and call christmas a night. oh and then drive an hour and half back to baltimore.
it was long, fattening, and at times a freaking hassle ... but for me thats christmas. bouncing around, always on the go, and having to make an extra effort to pull it off. but the effort put in is always rewarded by spending some q.t. with family.
hope christmas 2k8 was a time of love, joy, and warmth for all of you!
starting at 3:30pm on the 24th with the family appearance at church (i am a doubter when it come to church, not to god) that wasnt too horrific, my moms side of the family piled into our family room and proceeded to gorge on too much tenderloin, venison, turkey, and crab. you will begin to see that food is the one constant theme throughout this marathon. after some bawdy public displays with some tacky australian boxers, a smoked sausage, and a stuffed animal - my 1st act of the annual christmas charade was over.
now that the youngest in the house is 17, we dont start the christmas morning ordeal until around 10. this year we had some wayward travelers without a family, both female (alright!) and both from far away lands - australia & south africa (double alright!!) - who fit in perfect and added a feminine presence that has never graced 420 range before. cool new twist. well presents went well and of course the annual eggs benedict/grand mimosa brunch went over like a treat.
with little time to digest let alone recuperate it was time to dash off to northern virginia to spend time with jb's side of the family. after more food, a plethora of sweets- again these are the people who have had an italian bakery in the family for nearly 75 years - some booze based presents, and a quick catch up with the relatives (perpetually explaining about my time in australia and what im going to be doing now) it was off to dads for the final meal and the curtain call on christmas.
dad lives in northern virginia as well so its definitely a 2 birds 1 stone kind of deal with the 3rd and 4th act. by the time we arrived at dads (jmc and the female australian were my companions) i had already consumed about 12000 calories, 4 glasses of wine, 2 mimosas, 5 beers, 3 whiskeys, and lord only knows how many altoids (** note these are only rough estimates over the 1st 3 acts of the clare marathon christmas). dads was pretty low key and stacked high with good food. after some chocolate martinis (i passed) and some apple crumble to top it off, it was time to waddle back out to the car and call christmas a night. oh and then drive an hour and half back to baltimore.
it was long, fattening, and at times a freaking hassle ... but for me thats christmas. bouncing around, always on the go, and having to make an extra effort to pull it off. but the effort put in is always rewarded by spending some q.t. with family.
hope christmas 2k8 was a time of love, joy, and warmth for all of you!
12/13/2008
12/12/2008
its friday ...
jmc and co. arrive on the 2:06 train today, get to go kick it with quality peeps all afternoon, and there is a welcome home 'hey, steve' party tonight. all things to get pumped (understatement) for - but i cant freaking shake wilco out of my mind. 2 more sleeps and we're there.
12/11/2008
another day down ...
until wilco at the lyric. i know its a bit overboard, but i am freaking stoked to be seeing these chicago crazies in charm city, usa.
unemployment, culture shock, and jetlag have provided me with ample time to read, write, and space out so i want you all to know that i am working on something to get up here. as a tease ill let you know that the mix cds will be reoccurring, i have some comments on the musical year, and there will be plenty of blogging about trying to find a job with the federal government. keep it here
unemployment, culture shock, and jetlag have provided me with ample time to read, write, and space out so i want you all to know that i am working on something to get up here. as a tease ill let you know that the mix cds will be reoccurring, i have some comments on the musical year, and there will be plenty of blogging about trying to find a job with the federal government. keep it here
12/10/2008
12/09/2008
a mix cd for you ...
while unemployed, jetlagged, and smack dab in the middle of a tough, but good transitional phase i have turned to my extensive music library for a bit of company. the result is this wintery pseudo melancholy mix. feel free to download the mix off the sendspace link, stoke the fire, hug a buddy, and most of all stay warm. love to know what you think!
'just to take the edge off' a mix by hey, steve (click to download)
belle & sebastian - 'it could of been a brilliant career'
lcd soundsystem - 'someone great'
death cab for cutie - 'cath...'
bishop allen - 'flight 180'
broken social scene - 'anthems for a 17-year old girl'
wilco - 'radio cure'
band of horses - 'no ones gonna love you'
sufjan stevens - 'all the trees of the field will clap their hands'
bon iver - 're:stacks'
radiohead - 'gagging order'
jeff buckley - 'hallelujah'
modest mouse - 'gravity rides everything'
the national - 'gospel'
wilco - 'poor places'
coldplay - 'everythings not lost'
12/07/2008
truth, love, grace ...
well im am on the backside of a transitional phase, and if you know me you know how much of a struggle transitions are for me. the closing of one chapter has been followed by the beginning of a new chapter and has been difficult, but real.
i have left the warm sunshine of australia for the pale blue skies and blustery winds of baltimore in winter. its a difficult transition, but its amazing what a meal with an old friend, some love from family, and some trust in god does for your soul during this process.
i am reminded that i have no clue what lies ahead. all i can do its stand in thanksgiving and awe of life and approach the present with an abundance of truth, love, and grace ...
its good to be back and writing again
i have left the warm sunshine of australia for the pale blue skies and blustery winds of baltimore in winter. its a difficult transition, but its amazing what a meal with an old friend, some love from family, and some trust in god does for your soul during this process.
i am reminded that i have no clue what lies ahead. all i can do its stand in thanksgiving and awe of life and approach the present with an abundance of truth, love, and grace ...
its good to be back and writing again
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