yo

got lots to say but no time just wanted everyone to know I've been with the red cross voulenteering for two weeks at aboriginal communities. Culture that's 40,000 years old. I'm doing great and will be back in 3 days. peace

Alrighty then

Well I left Perth and headed to Darwin to meet up with a friend Chris that I met in Adelaide through Oscar and we had a pretty good couple days. He flew in on a Friday, as did I, and only had a couple nights to hang out and we made the best of it. It all started with me arriving to the hotel that he was staying at and while I was in the cab my door was opened for me, since it was the Crowne Plaza I thought doorman, only to step out and see Chris waiting for me. A quick change and I hit the streets of Darwin and Cap(nickname) had to work so I just walked the one real main street they have and just chilled out. Went for a stroll down to the water, by this time it was dark, and everyone warns you to be careful of the Crocs and not the rubber shoes that have hit the scene recently. I hear rustling in the woods so I decide it is best to go back out and hit the streets, I wasn't scared or nothing just cautious you know hahaha. That night we(Cap, Andrew, and I) met up with a friend Laura who they know from back home who's moved up to Adelaide and will be the apartment that I would be staying at for the weekend. A couple quick drinks and Laura and her friends left which meant it was a dudes night out and we partied very hard this evening, so hard that McDonalds breakfast wasn't even an option in the morning. We hung out with a lot of Caps coworkers who all work for this Australian Rules football time who I support called Port Adelaide. Since I'm from the states it didn't mean much to me but these guys would be like Viking famous if it was back home so I guess that's cool. Went out to a few different spots and then met back up with Laura who made us spring rolls and watched a few episodes of golden girls, that Blanche is a slut, I didn't say it though Sophia did. I ask the guys where they're going to sleep because I noticed it was a two bedroom while they were still in the living room. Cap quickly shouts out that he would take the floor bean bag lounge thing and Andrew follows by calling the couch. I laugh, call them fools, and then run to the queen bed in the room, jump high in the air, belly flop the bed, and broke it hahaa. Not really but just moved the pallets under the mattress creating a loud sound and the initial thought that I had broken it. Glad I didn't, whew, they passed early and I just chilled out for an episode and took pictures of the guys passed out. Woke up to Cap taking a picture of me passed out and we headed to this place where hundreds of fish come up to basically the shoreline and you feed them bread. I'm talking little tiny baby fish up to 3 footers and they just attack the bread when you throw it in. It was actually quite amusing and you could even hand feed them, they had no fear what so ever. The guys had to head to work and Laura and I got to chill and this girl was just amazing. One of the nicest people I've met, she let me stay at her place, took me around, knew where all the deals were, and we would just veg out and chill. Oh did I mention she didn't know me at all. Saturday night I headed to the footy game and watch my team take on one of the top teams only to see them get crushed, very disheartening. The game was cool though and I was standing in the grassy area with all the locals who didn't have grandstand seats later on though I had to move up to the members only section(VIP) you know just to get my swag up a little. Ended up having a another crazy night hanging out with these Briee and Jess and a their friend Glen who owned a bar/club and had some drinks with them until Cap and Andrew got off work. We the boys showed up we all headed to this bar Duck Nuts, great name, and the team that had just beat Port was there and one of the four guys that I recognize was there and I was too puh to ask for a picture. I had this great idea of him choking me and me giving him thumbs down but it was all for nothing as I saw him leave with the girl with the fake Ta Tas. That night we got picked up by this guy who comes around on a scooter that folds up and he just throws it in your trunk and drives your car home for you. I now know my calling. Cap and Andrew left Sunday afternoon and my flight wasn't until Monday morning so Laura, her friend Steph and I went to the local wave pool and made an amazing day of it where Laura after every wave would yell, "Whoooo...Whooooo...Whooooo...Whoooo." She was one of the most positive people I've ever met and just writing this story down has made me chuckle a little bit. That night we went for dinner with a few of her friends right on the water front and watched the sunset which was absolutely amazing, top 5 I've seen out here in Australia. Number one was the one I saw with Tree one night I was just walked to the beach and couldn't leave for about 2 hours because it was just so good. That just made me miss my guy tree and riv, those were some homies for sure. Anywhoo, I had to fly to where I am currently, Cairns, at 7 in the am and here I am getting adjusted to a new place. I definitely in hindsight traveled quite well because if I would've came up to the northern side of Australia during their summer it is dreadfully hot up here. Like right now it's 5pm and it's probably around 84 or so and this is the winter time here. Still trips me out people say they've never seen snow. So in Cairns my plan is to hopefully find a place to work for just a short but while getting my divers certificate which I will probably do the next week. First thoughts of the place is that like Darwin it's very tropical and green, warm, travelers haven, and should be a nice place to shack up for a while. Well credit is running out so next time I will throw some pics up for everyone. Peace to the middle east, oh and North Korea too.

And life is so insane

Currently in Perth and have enjoyed being in this hostel where there's no bar, no good common areas, bad kitchen because it has ben exactly what I needed it to be, a bed. I have enjoyed just being able to not have to talk to anyone for a couple days due to everyday I have been with friends which was great but in you everyday life you get a day or two where you just disappear from everyone and veg out for a day. That is what I did for the first two days in Perth and would just wake u and walk around the city, I was very close to changing hostels but decided that I'm in a good place right now and would just play it cool. Friday was great, spent the night at Spanners(Steve, Rivers younger brother) and we all went out and had an amazing night right of the coast of the Indian Ocean. I've seen the Indian Ocean guys, you know that one when you were growing up it really didn't exist because it didn't touch American soil. Well it looks the same as any other Ocean but I just had to gaze upon its beauty for about ten minutes then went back to causing trouble with Spanners. These guys were wild and I was fully warned about their antics before heading out there and I realized I couldn't hang with those guys for too long hahaha, it was great fun though. Sky Rockets at night. Next day I was able to hang out with my Irish friend Colin whom I met in Melbourne and he is brothers with Kenny. He had moved out to Perth in early February and it was a lot of fun reconnecting with him and having a night out on the town. Perth is a very small town and you're cautioned about the gang violence because biker gangs are pretty prevalent and I hear pretty much run the town through drugs and extortion. Anywhere there's powerful people there's others who believe they belong to these groups when they get drunk and they try to intimidate you. When you don't know what they're talking about it is hard to be bothered when anyone tells you craziness and try to fluff their own feathers and seem tough. I had a long night of dealing with a couple different characters and once again was easily amused. Sorry to anyone from Perth but I have walked around the city and so far have met the weirdest people in Australia and Perth is the most isolated capitol city in the world so it is just a world of its own. I ripped my grey Sean Jean pants also so I have plans to turn them into jean shorts and I found a pair of Jeans for $20 that were $150 so that was one of the most exciting things of the week for me. While I've been here I have been on a very different schedule from everyone back home so that's been a little difficult for me just being opposite of everyone. The swan river runs through Perth and I walked down to it and sat by it for about an hour just to get out today and I realized I have a dream of either jetskiing or snowmobiling to work at some point in my life, how dope would that be though right?!?!?! Well I still have a week in Perth until I head to Darwin to meet up with a mate from Adelaide and then off to the east coast. I'm waiting for a call but someone from Minnesota who I know is headed out here so I told her maybe we would meet up over on the east coast if she wanted so we shall see how that pans out. Also Deb has a ticket booked out here in September so my last month out here we'll hang out and I show her a few hotspots. I was feeling that I have this picture of Australia in my head and I don't think I will be able to show her what I see, little things like a news report where this lady was interviewed walking through the woods without shoes on, that's just aussy. Back home I would say something like "what the hell is wrong with that lady, where are her shoes?" haha, side story, River came to my moms house one time way back when I first met him and he was about to walk in barefoot. "N%&^a where are your shoes?!?!?!?!" I scolded him for a bit and I can remember how serious I was, couldn't introduce someone to my mom who didn't wear shoes you know. Now though I'm changed and as my time is diminishing here in Oz it's those little things that I'm going to remember and that have helped me realize what I enjoy as a person. Also everyone I have been gone from home for 10 months now and although it's a lot easier now I miss Minnesota and realize why another one of my dreams is to own a plane so I could've came home for everyones special dates. Birthdays, graduations, basketball games, talent shows, weddings, grand ol days oooooooo, and all those other things that I am missing out on. Well everyone I will holler back and you guys stay up, I'm feeling good


Couple pics, the three mustachkeers and the family while I was out in Adelaide, I already miss it out there and the great times I had with everyone!!

It's never too late

to start writing again, sorry it took so long but I have really couldn't be bothered for awhile there. I was having so much fun just kicking it with Tree and River when he would be around and I just got caught up living. I had a home there in Balnarring and I feel like the people I met there where/are great friends of mine. I met so many new people that living in a hostel I wouldn't of been able to. I know that I will go back to Balnarring again besides in October as my current plans are. Ok to catch you up, I worked every weekend, me and my bar manager Johno would run around town and had some very fun nights. We played lots of pool and just observe how childish some people act when they go out. It was the entertainment. Johno and myself actually took a trip on the Great Ocean Road together which is about 6 or so hours of driving and a lot of things to see on the way. Johno was very upset that I would be more interested in our conversation then looking out the window at the Ocean. I mean I've seen in Ocean before, its all becoming very trite and its becoming more about who you're with. That's something that I have now been questioning, I've been traveling for 9 months now and seeing new things are amazing but it's all about who you're with when you see these things. Alright anyway, what else, oh I had a birthday which I spent in the city of Melbourne with friends and I had a great time. 24 seems to be a good number for me, I just got out of my Jordan era now it's time to go Kobe on these cats. After the birthday I spent a couple weeks just getting ready to leave and finished by living with my guy Kenny in the city for a week. Long nights of poker heads up, pool, and home cooked meals. When I got to Adelaide where I currently am, I was lucky enough for my friend Oscar to extend his place to me. Oscar and I met at camp also but he worked in a different part so we really only got to hang out during the parties on the weekends but I always thought he was a cool guy. He lives with his parents also and I learned that there was a large Italian population here, his parents met when they were in Australia and are both Italian. That means wine with dinner and we have been having some great food. I know I'm going to miss the dinners when I get back to traveling because I cannot cook at all. I have a specialty dish though, tacos! My tacos are bomb except I haven't figured out how to get rid of all that grease from the meat so I'm working on that. So my time in Adelaide was supposed to be a short visit, only a couple days, but it has been 3 weeks and I could see myself staying here because its a major city yet it has a small town feel to it because it's very spread out. Oscars been great and we have become closer just because he's taken me in and introduced me to all of his friends within the first 2 days. The first night I get into town I am offered a chance to play netball, which is basketball without dribbling basically, and met all these great people who since that first day I arrived have treated me like I'm part of the crew. I've been watching basketball playoffs with my friend Sam, quiz nights, dinners, movies with Lari(Angels & Demons and the new Star Trek), Adventure parks, countryside, Adelaide has it all. I'm struggling with the fact that I need to move on and with that saying goodbye to this place. With that I've realized I just hate saying goodbyes, when I left Melbourne there was a few people who I considered friends that I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to or didn't try to make a chance for that. It seems overdone, while I've been traveling it seems like everyday someone is leaving and sometimes I'd rather just fade away than to make this event of my departure. Also not to complain at all but when I feel like I just need a day or two where I'm by myself and have no one to talk to whether that is in a hostel or maybe some camping time. Sometimes while we're out I just get into these funks where I feel like I'd rather just take a day off from having to even speak a word. I know it sounds quite antisocial but I haven't had some me time in a while where I can just sit and not say a word. Anyway now that I'm back on my travels I shall keep you updated on whats going on with me but just to let everyone know I am doing great and I am learning more thats why we are here.

We lost

our final in the league with River and I'm pissed, that is all. Still have one final left and i want to win very much so

Time flies when you're having fun

So what's been new, not much. I've been working every weekend and just trying to be a better employee while during the week I might jet up to the city to see some friends and spend my paycheck. I've since been putting the city on hold and picked up more hours at the job and just learned more about how the job works and since it's a fine dining establishment I'm getting more experience and think I might be able to do this when i get home. I life the fact of not getting wasted on the weekends and making money, and I take that back I get wasted but just after work and the drinks are free. The owners changed hands and it's been a process that has taken a couple weeks due to funds and things of that nature and since I was getting paid 16/hr I was happy with that. Until one of the waitresses asked me how much I made and found out she does 18 an hour. So this past friday the new owner took over and I busted my ass at work just doing great work and getting asked to work a double because someone couldn't come to work and I of course said I would and was the most knowledgeable person there so I proved myself useful. After working the double and a sunday which useually means more pay I decided to ask for more money from the new owner and made it clear that I wished to talk to the previous owner but he was never in. Told him I was just wanting my pay to be looked at from his point of view and come up with a new pay whether it was less, more, or the same and just be able to understand my pay a little bit more. I told him I didn't want him to reply until he thought about it and he did anyway and bumped me up 4 bucks and hour so now I'm 20/hr. Really happy about that one and the experience of asking for more money from a boss. And now it hold me to an higher standard so I'm looking forward to working harder at work, also with work there is soooooo many ladies that come in and just holler at me all the time. I'm just friendly you know, maybe a little flirt, but it's crazy. The new owner loves it and he thinks I bring in business hahahaha. Other than that I get people telling me that I look like Ben Harper.




Without fail it happens every weekend and then they laugh like little kids but it doesn't bother me. Hey people it's been 7 months since my journey started and I'm soooooo good it's not even funny, I wish I could see all of you but I'm so content with what I'm doing that I don't want it to stop. I think I will be bouncing around for the rest of my life but we will see what happens when i get back on my own when these guys head out in May. I started paying rent at the harrisons home now after asking Nigel what I could do and we agreed on $200 a month basically $50 a week and I'm happy with doing that hence why I needed to ask for more money hahahaha. Basketball is also going great, first game of finals for my balnarring team start next week and if we win that then we play another game for semis and then finals. In my tuesday night league we have to win out to make it and in last weeks game it was a nail biter being down 6 with 5 minutes left and ended up making a run and the score was tied 52 52 with 30 seconds left. They have the ball and were running the clock down, we switched to man to start our comeback and i was guarding the best player and just denied him the ball. Someone else shot it, by the way there's no overtime so it would've been a draw, they got the rebound and someone hit it out of his hands and it's in the air. I just snatch it and full sprint and when I get to half court someone pulls my off ball arm from behind so that's an intentional foul. 2 shots and the ball. 2 frees throws i thought, to me, shit I've had this chance before. First one was all net and I missed the second one, we got the ball back and won 53-52 so I won the game. Really happy about that one, I'll try not to make it so long but I haven't been doing much to report about, just chilling in Balnarring.

Well look at this respectively

Two different web pages that on most computers would come at as links, look at these two respectively




http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090208/ap_on_re_au_an/as_australia_wildfires




http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&tab=wl




They said that Mornington Peninsula could be next where I'm at and that's why we will be proofing the house tomorrow. Well water restrictions due to using so much the past two nights, not us the fire department, so everyone should only take 2 min showers. Also first day of work was fine, I went in an hour early and worked 11-6 in 45 degree weather which is above 110. I didn't really sweat but I was working a bar outside under a veranda with an 80 person party(wedding reception) Chatted it up and had some free food after work and while I'm talking a guy comes up to me and is like where you from

Minnesota

Oh I'm from Ohio

Long story short he moved here 25 years ago and offered to take me fishing on his boat and he's talking about big fish. I want taco bell bad

So what! I know it's been a long time

Sorry about that temporary delay in service but I have just been doing soooo many things. First thing first, basketball updates, now remember I play in two leagues and have games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Tuesday is the league I got Tree in and Wednesday is the league with the Balnarring boys. So to update Tree's first game with us was great, we won, he scored, I hit two buckets that were all net and somehow I can shoot out here and that's amazing. Next week on Tuesday we play the best team in our league and it was a hard fought battle that we lost in the second half and I almost got a technical for screaming at the refs. They made some horrible calls, and also one of the opponents must have had a problem with my physicality and tried pushing me and then I shouted some expletives at him, crossed him up, and then a teammate of his ran into me(6'5 260) and I flew into the kid and we rolled around on the ground for a minute. Very high tension, needless to say we lost by a couple points and I took myself out of the game getting upset at the officials but it's good because I now know I will not lose to that team again. Much needed motivation. Supposed to have a game the next day but this was in the middle of the hottest week in Melbourne in 100 years will each day getting about 40 which is about 105 and it got up to around 120 on some days. I did nothing the whole week and just sat in the house, honestly too hot to do anything. So back to Tuesday and pretty much the reason I love this team so much is they just tell me to take the inbound and do what I do, as far as drive and dish. I just make plays happen and on every rebound I'm pushing it. I played well, team played alright and we pulled out the victory. Now Wednesdays are a different story, it's a bunch of people that have played together their whole lives and so they're allowing me to play on the team with them. I usually ride the bench and it's tough to get the ball on that team so I said to Tree I want the same responsibility on this team that I have on the other. A leader. Well I didn't force anything and this game was particularly big because we played the other Balnarring team in this league. They brought in a ringer, 6-6 250 player that played basketball in the states. He could shoot, use his body, rebound, all that stuff that he should be able to do. After half time it's 16-16 and I made 6 points so far, two were acrobatic. I tell the team at half time a few words and even when I'm not in the game I'm a vocal person on the bench, great team player I must say myself. Second half we dig ourselves a hole and we're down like 5 points which is a lot in this league. I see out big man down court after the inbound and pass him the rock and he launches a 3, buckets. Come down next possession and I drive in the lane and draw a crowd and dish it back to the big man for 3, buckets. The opponents big man came down after both of those and hit a 3 on us. Then steal, turns into a fastbreak with me getting the rock around the 3 pointer, 3 dribbles later it's a layup on the other side of the hoop on this 1 on 2. They closest defender to their hoop was running back to play D and had his back to me so I drove around him and it was good. I was on the ground kind of juiced after doing the And 1 signal as I got up and ran back to my spot in the zone defense. I take a quick breather around 7 minutes left in the half knowing that I want to be in there in the closing seconds. We take a timeout around the 3 minute mark and I'm back in the game. While on the bench one of our players hit 2 huge 3's. We're down about 3 points and Tree takes a screen I set a pops a two around the free throw line. Down one. They come back and don't do anything and Tree is at the line and makes two free throws, up one now. There's around a minute left and they scored so now we're back to down one, I slowly dribble up court, at the top of the key I pass right. He tries to drive but pulls it back out and passes to me, I drive right and the zone collapsed on me so I pass it back to the same guy as he's cutting on the baseline. The zone came to him and I make myself available for the pass which he throws to me and without hesitation I shoot, now I didn't know the score, the time, or that I apparently had two people in my face. All I knew was that he passed me the rock and I felt that I had the shot, I shoot, it's up in the in air and I start trotting back a little in it's all net. I bang on my chest as I run down the court after hitting a 3 and look up and we're up 2 points. Just huge. We D up, get the steal with about 14 seconds left and just pass the ball around and had a huge victory. I hit a three pointer to win the game and I never thought I would ever say that or have the confidence to shoot in the waning seconds of a game. Well I've been telling both teams when asked how long will I stay, my response is until we win a championship so I'm real excited about this. Well sprinkled in between these basketball games was ton of memories as far as Jan 26th is Australia day and for that River started a tradition a couple of years ago called the BBB, Beers+Bikes in Balnarring. We start at Rivers house and we drink a lot of beers there then head off to 5 different spots eating midway and also at the end. There's probably around 4 cases at each house so we drink until the beer is gone and it starts at 10 in the morning. Australia day is huge and is sort of like our Independence day. Also as if beers and bikes weren't enough it is a theme party that started off with pirates, next year was mexicans, and after I started a push for video game characters I lost to Australian Icons. What a shit theme, I had no idea what to do or who anyone would be and as I'm looking for a costume I came up with my idea right than to be Heath Ledger, but not just any Heath, Brokeback Heath so I basically just dressed up as a cowboy. Tight jeans, flannel shirt, big belt buckle, boots, vest, hat. Needless to say the day was extremely long with me throughout 12 hours of drinking I probably had about 20+ beers and I was very satisfied with my performance. Didn't drink for like another 3 days after that. Some other events I have been able to partake in was going away parties for people I have met and made new friends from that, also I got to enjoy the superbowl. Nigel took the day off work and he and I had one of those Heineken Kegs and enjoyed it a lot. I knew it would turn out to be a great game and I would have bet on the spread the Cardinals way so if I was home I would've made some money. Lastly but certainly not least, I went to the heritage, local pub, to look for a job a couple of weeks ago and they told me to come back on the 5th because owners were changing. I show up on the 5th and say, "Hey guys, it's the 5th." Owners weren't taking over for another 2 weeks but he tells me that he will just pay me cash and I can work the next couple of weeks getting trained in. So he asks are you busy Fridays, no naturally, how about Saturdays, not at all. Well I'll call you about Friday but Saturday you start and next Saturday could you work a double? No problem so basically I got a job paying cash and when the new owners come in I will see if that will be maintained. It's a start and Nige was real pleased about me going and doing this. If you don't know Nigel has been the reason I have felt so comfortable down here and he has acted as if I am one of the family since I started being here. He is one of the many father figures I have had my whole life from my father to Uncle Melvin to Don to recently Darwin and I would be surprised if he didn't make it to my wedding if I ever make it to there. Basically he and I chat everyday and he helps me a lot out here just being himself and he's great. Well I'll write back and let you know how my first day goes because it will either be tonight or tomorrow. Hope everyone is doing great, Grandma and Grandpa I love you guys.

HOLY SHHHHH

Well today i woke up at 12:12 pm after going to sleep at around 12 or so at night and I thought well today is my first game back for my Tuesday night basketball league let me go shoot some hoops. Also with this team I am the best player on the team, there was this guy who was stronger than me but he hasn't played the past couple games because he job is demanding(4am starts, physical so his body hurts). This other guy on the team, who is the best 3 point shooter who routinely smashed in 3's as I would drive and dish to him, is quitting because the team captain still hangs out with his girlfriend. He broke up with his girlfriend and the captain still hangs out with her and her sister and he played the you can't be boths friends card. No handcuffing player. So when I got the call last night that we had a game today I tried to see if Tree could play with me and now me and Tree play in 2 leagues together and Tree can hoop in my eyes so tomorrow I will update you with what happens. Anyway the point of this blog was to upset you/inform you of my conditions, first of all I hope all my family on the east coast is doing ok after reading a little about the weather conditions out there. Update me please. So I went to go shoot around today and Mrs. Harrison(Denise) informed me that it was 38 today, I thought hmm that's hot I know but didn't know how hot. I stepped outside and realized that I couldn't hang in this heat. 38 Celsius = 100.4 Degree Fahrenheit. You know how MN windchill makes it feel wayyyyy colder, aussy heat makes it feel wayyy hotter. Then sun here has a hole in the ozone layer so that sun goes straight to your body and I hear you cold die if you stayed outside in these conditions. So I'm in the AC living right now. Hope everyone is doing alright.

Why don't we have these

I love meat pies, I eat them everyday. There is many different types of pies and I don't understand why we don't have a bakery at home that makes these. An Australian meat pie is a hand-sized meat pie containing largely minced meat and gravy sometimes with onion and often consumed as a takeaway food snack, I stole that off wikipedia. My favorite meat pie is the steak tomato and cheese followed by Sheppard's pie, has the mashed on top and everything. A menu would have Steak and mushroom, curry, onions, bacon and cheese, or then there's chicken and vegetable and it is an Australia iconic dish. We sell those nasty burgers and hotdogs at our petrol(gas) stations and they have meat pies. But just as you would any other bakery for doughnuts or things that's how the meat pie is done here for breaky. Also one thing we are missing is the electric kettle and they're so cheap. i'm sure they're around but no one uses them and it beats boiling water. You plug it in, you have water in it, you push a button and in less then a mintue you have boiling water. This can be used for noodles, pastas, tea which its most used for, I mean if you're in trouble and you're being robbed fill that thing up and throw it at them when they find you. I mean you could do so much. Well I thought I would just shout these things out to you and one last thing I'm greatful for not having is sharks, there has been a couple of shark attacks this summer and I'm not swimming anymore because of them, at least not in the ocean. Scary stuff man

I came home late, you were not there, I didn't care, I think we, both know it's over

We need to let it go!!!!


First pic is Kegs and Eggs hosted at the Harrisons home, Tree's family for Vikings
second is Devin, me, passed out girl
third is Devin and I by some artwork, ha
fourth is the crew for the vikings game
fifth is NYE with the boys


That's off the old hi tek and I heard it for the first time in probably a year or so while I was skateboarding. Yes your boy has been skateboarding and other assorted things since we last talked. Lets see for NYE I had a great time celebrating it with River and Tree, we went up to the city which isn't Trees favorite place and had a great evening that I full remembered the next day. We went to a warehouse party and then headed to a little house party after that and it was just fun to do NYE with some friends. After that I stayed in the city for a couple nights and saw some friends from the hostel and just hung out around there. I have an Irish friend who works there and he has been hooking me up as far as a room and drinks from the bar, he and his brother are still there and I got invited to go to another large city out here and road trip with their parents. I had to decline because I had received a phone call from Devin, yes big, curly haired Devin, and he had spent about a month in Sydney with his family and booked tickets to Melbourne to come and see me. You don't know how good it felt to hang out with someone from the Paul that isn't the same as me yet our interests are very similar. Devin says that he is coming down in 4 days and I booked us rooms at the hostel and made plans for his arrival. That night I got invited to see Kisschasy perform and they are Balnarring locals who have made it big and have hits on the radio. Australia is very band oriented with nearly everyone knowing how to play a guitar or bang a drum, similar how everyone in St. Paul knows how to rap or make a beat. Sean is one of the two people that I have met that are in the band and he put me on the list for this small gig they were doing under a different name for stage practice. They had a show at a big music festival the next day so they wanted to play one show before. I went, listened to them for the first time, and liked the music they played and it was kind of shocking seeing a crowd singing along to their music having never heard them before. I decided to go to their show the next day at an all day music festival down by balnarring that had some pretty big Aussy acts. I didn't know anyone, I had heard of the presets before but couldn't tell you a song. I had a great time with everyone and about 10 of us ended up heading down there from about 12-9pm.
A couple days later and Devin is coming to the city so I head back up there the night before since he arrived at 6am the next day. On Tuesday I'm back at the hostel playing pool and realize that I am a beast at pool and I will no longer lose to anyone in St. Paul ever again. I have made it to elite status, elite international status. Devin arrives the next morning and after a few phone calls I tell him where the hostel is because he left the address back at home in Sydney. The first day I take him on a walk around the city and have a meal at a nice little cafe and just catch up. He tells me about the Paul and what people have been up to and about Sydney and then we head to the hostel and have a great night. We planned on heading out and we said once we lose this game of pool we would head out. We were playing doubles and everyone was playing us and we could not lose, I was teaching Devin the strategy of pool while we're beating people up on the table. The next day we just hang out around the hostel and ate some great mexican, mexican food is no where to be found out here. I planned to go to only hip hop bars that would be crackin and I had one for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with Devin leaving on Sunday morning. Long story short, we partied, we laughed, we stood around the dance floor looking like g's, it was St. Paul all over again. Except people could tell we were from the states and random drunk guys were coming over to us giving us pounds and want to shake our hands, Devin even got his glass filled up from someones bottle. It was back to Cancun superstar status, remember that Kyle. In Cancun in every club that was the spot to be at for the night Devin, Kyle, Victor, myself, Greg, and G-Man Garrin would be on the stage every night getting it poppin. I mean people were walking up to us and taking our pictures, hahahaha. Those were the days, well Devin was a big difference to my trip and I like seeing my friends from home. Hint, hint. After he left I have since been trying to figure out what I am going to do, I contacted an American Football club out here and met with the head coach and he has offered me an unpaid position as Defensive coach and I would be able to play also. I would probably play both ways but the season doesn't start until May and that's when I was planning on leaving Melbourne so I have been thinking should I stay in Melbourne for a couple more months or leave now knowing that I would come back when the season starts. I have also talked to the local bar in Balnarring so I could most likely work there in 2 weeks if I wanted to live down here for a little while, also the Irish guys plan on heading to Perth in the west and I could go with them because there's is a lot of work out there. I don't know what to do and I am still trying to figure it all out, fantasy basketball update, I'm in first place and my team is looking soooo serious. Well talk to you guys later