Half way

Well, I've hit the half way mark. I think I'm going to hyperventilate when I have to start writing 'August' in my lab notebook. x_x The work is progressing, but I'm not going to get nearly as much done as I hoped. Basically, my time here will have been spent getting ready to do the work I wanted to do, but I can continue back at SB, so it's not that big a deal. That's all I'll bore you with here.

Still having heaps of fun. Last weekend I went dancing at some clubs with a few girlfriends. We started off with some Korean BBQ (at a place called, shockingly, Seoul), which was amazing. The only problem was that the bits of meat are so small I just kept eating. The first club we went to was Baroq House, known for fancy - and expensive - cocktails. I waited forever at the bar and didn't get to look at a cocktail menu, but then a green bottle on the shelf caught my eye and ordered anything with Absinthe in it. The young bartender didn't actually know how to make the drink, so he had to ask another guy. And then ask him again. And then bring him over to help finish it. I tipped him a couple dollars because he tried so hard. I still have no idea what was in that drink, but it was delicious. No, he did not light it on fire. Apparently, you're not supposed to do that.

I bought a small bottle of Absinthe in Prague a couple years ago but never tried it. It's never been illegal in Australia, and there's no reason it should be in the US. (More about Absinthe in Australia.) It's reputation was based mostly on erroneous information. I didn't really notice anything that was way outside the norm for a night of drinking. If pressed, I would say that maybe there was a difference in that I felt rather alert and I was not my normal silly drunken self (I think I was actually kind of boring, god forbid!). But like I said, it may not have been the Absinthe. Who knows. Anyway, I'll have to break into that bottle at home at some point and test more rigorously. :)

We wound up at a different pub at the end of the night, dancing to 80's tunes, which is always fun. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I was useless the rest of the weekend. I had to go into school on Saturday, but other than that, I didn't do much. Sunday, I laid around, read, and snuggled with Duncan. I don't know how I'm going to go back to my cat-free life in NY... >_> Might have to get one from the cat poster lady at HSC. I also don't know how I'm going to go back to my hermit life in NY.

I think this weekend we're renting a karaoke room, which should be so fun. Mary, I'm doing 'Pour Some Sugar On Me.' Count on it!! ^_^ I've been seeing a lot more movies that I normally do at home, notably Batman and X-Files. I thought movie prices were outrageous at home, but here $10.50 is the price on CHEAP days! Without internet at home, I've been watching more TV, too. Well, more accurately, I watch a few things that Gen watches, which is like 'Life of Mammals,' Simpsons, South Park, stuff like that. One show I'm in love with is 'Flight of the Conchords.' It follows two dorky Kiwi musicians trying to make a career in NYC. It's filmed a little like The Office, with dry humor but less awkward. I might have to buy a DVD before I go (as long as the region isn't fcuked).

I have been running maybe twice a week, but for significantly less time (because of my stupid foot). I just made it back up to 30 min on Monday. I'm going to try to go tomorrow, maybe 35 minutes.

Honestly, I'm going to make a post at some point more about living in Australia vs. the US - you know, something with substance - but I'm still working on it. I also have a list of things to do before I go:
-visit the zoo
-visit the aquarium
-drive down the Great Ocean Rd.
-eat at Paella, the Spanish/Moroccan place I walk past every day
-take pics of the university

I'm sure this list will grow. Oh, there are new pictures up at my Flickr photostream! Find the link on the right. There's one of me with a baby kangaroo! (No, I'm not eating it!)