I saw this commercial in the US and really liked it. The song is by They Might Be Giants, apparently!
This one is playing in Ireland and I think it's funny in a goofy way. The guy's expression when he refuses the onions on his sandwich is funny.
On the Subway stores around here some of them have window decals of the two onions in the ad with a speech bubble coming off them going 'put us on your sandwich, or ELSE' and before I had seen the ad I had no idea what was going on but thought it was such a craic that they would have these two little characters to make people want onions, as if people weren't eating enough of them or something.
This ad. Well. There aren't really any words cos it's too strange. They're advertising cable TV or something I think.
OK enough of that. Time to get to work!
Thursday, 31 January 2008
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
She works hard for her money...
Can't stay long-started training/work at the hostel. Changing beds, vacuuming, bookkeeping. Awesome it's good to be working again.
I'm hoping these computers will recognise my camera so I can upload some stuff.
Oops gotta go-break is over!
**********
Ok cut to several hours later!
I finally have some pics. Not that many because my camera ran out of battery but a few at least until I charge the little bastard up again. Seriously have had jack of it...
Anyway, enjoy!
James Joyce Bust in St Stephens Green, Dublin
Unbelievably beautiful green grass in St Stephens Green
Bottom of Grafton St shopping mall.
Inside the front gates of Trinity College. Again, unbelievably green grass.
Looking towards the hostel I was staying at. The red doors underneath the flags down near the blue van.
Back to pics from New York
Me out the front of Jackie Onassis Reservior, Central Park. Squinting into the sun, so it's not a particularly great photo sorry.
My favourite room inside the Museum of Natural History. Fantastic!
OKKKKK I still have photos to upload from my Canon, including those from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC and some more from Central Park I think. The Pentax I still have stacks of photos to go-so stay tuned!!!
xxx Leash
I'm hoping these computers will recognise my camera so I can upload some stuff.
Oops gotta go-break is over!
**********
Ok cut to several hours later!
I finally have some pics. Not that many because my camera ran out of battery but a few at least until I charge the little bastard up again. Seriously have had jack of it...
Anyway, enjoy!
James Joyce Bust in St Stephens Green, Dublin
Unbelievably beautiful green grass in St Stephens Green
Bottom of Grafton St shopping mall.
Inside the front gates of Trinity College. Again, unbelievably green grass.
Looking towards the hostel I was staying at. The red doors underneath the flags down near the blue van.
Back to pics from New York
Me out the front of Jackie Onassis Reservior, Central Park. Squinting into the sun, so it's not a particularly great photo sorry.
My favourite room inside the Museum of Natural History. Fantastic!
OKKKKK I still have photos to upload from my Canon, including those from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC and some more from Central Park I think. The Pentax I still have stacks of photos to go-so stay tuned!!!
xxx Leash
Monday, 28 January 2008
Luck of the Irish
It's been a fun and very not-boring last few days! And not in the 'OMG DRAMA' way but rather in a constructive way.
A few nights ago (Friday night) I met a Aussie girl at the hostel and she was cool we talked for a bit, she's already working over here in a restaurant I think. Anyway, her friends and her were talking about how the hostel we were staying in was booked up next weekend (the 2nd and 3rd of Feb) and when I was downstairs in reception I also heard the staff telling someone that too! So I checked on the internet and they said they were full, as did most other places in Dublin. Oh shite!
There is a football thing on or something that weekend I think, that's why there's alot of no vacancies. ANYWAY. I walked into the hostel around the corner (literally), Paddys Palace. Anybody who reads smh.com.au might recall the name from a recent story ('Tour bus set alight in Belfast' 25/1/08) because they also run the Paddywagon tours. But I digress. I walked in and asked the girl at the desk (an affable kiwi) if there was space next weekend and she said Yes! Even though their websaid said they were booked they still had space. So we got talking for a little bit and somehow it came up that I was looking for work here. She goes 'Would you want to work in a hostel?' Now, I probably haven't said it too much or at all on here yet but hostel work is number 1 on my 'top jobs' list for working abroad. Seriously there isn't much else I'd rather do. I'm easygoing about the jobs I want and want to work at lots of different places but above all else...working in a hostel. So I said 'YES!' and then she goes on to tell me that she's leaving soon and she will train me up to take over her job. Sweet! I give her my resume and she calls the sister hostel up in Belfast because those guys need a break for a week and it's an easier job than down here so the plan is to go up there for a week or so and work there then come back down, get trained for the specifics of this job then off I go!
How awesome is that?!? Earning pounds (in cash) and free accommodation and working at a hostel. I'm stoked. So I booked my bus ticket up there and am planning on leaving today.
This means I have to call or go and see the pharmacy that I had the interview tomorrow for and tell them I've had to go to Belfast for a week or so for an emergency but hopefully they understand and can reschedule. One problem was that I couldn't remember the place or even know the name of it, so on Sunday I had to backtrack and try to find it again. Being a sunday everything was closed and shuttered but I'm pretty sure I know the place now, and have their number.
I went to the reception at the place I'm at and asked them about the referral for my PPS number (sounds a bit too much like TPS, doesn't it?). The deal is (for anybody who wasn't paying attention before) that to get a bank account here you need a PPS number which is kind of like a tax file number back in Aus. To get a PPS number you need to either have a letter of referral or some kind of evidence that you are living here and have been for at least a little while. The hostels generally make you stay there for two weeks before they'll write you one. So I'm booked in for 10 days, right. That's so close to 14 days! I explain to the guy at the counter that I'm booked in for 10 days, but because it's all full on the weekend I have to go somewhere else and if I come back afterwards does that still count for my 14 days. He looks at me and says "We're not full that weekend..."
What?
He says that even if the internet says they are full they never realllllly are. But I heard the desk staff talking about it! Anyway, he goes onto the computer, prints me out a letter of referral saying I've stayed there for 20 days and gives it to me. What a champ! I feel bad that I'm probably checking out today.
So, with the referral in hand and high hopes of coming back to Dublin slightly richer I will go where the wind blows me and it seems that place is Belfast. They (the irish) reckon it's safe up there and there are no worries. But you never know. Aussies also think it's safe back home but then you have guys getting bitten by sharks and all sorts of nonsense!
**********
Yesterday I was surprised to get a text msg from Steve, the aussie guy I met on Australia Day (one of them, the one I talked most to). It said he was going sightseeing to Dublin Castle and stuff and would I like to come along? Of course I would! So off we trundled in a very roundabout way to Dublin Castle and took the tour. It was pretty interesting, especially the part where you go underground to see the excavation of the medieval ruins. We then went into Trinity College and saw the Book of Kells (I still don't know whether 7 euro to see an old book was worth it?) and the Long Room. Actually I take that last bit back-7 euro to see both was ok I suppose. The Long Room was AWESOME! Seriously it's 65m long and like, 50m tall (don't quote me on that though) and has books stacked everywhere. It's like the library in Harry Potter! We weren't allowed to take photos (booooooo!) but here is one someone else took:
Seriously...books stacked to the ceiling and these rickety little ladders on wheels they use to get up to them. In the display cases down the middle they had old Gould (you know, the bird guy?) taxonomy texts. Some of them were open to pages on the Koala and the Rock Wallaby :-P
After that it was like 'let's go somewhere we can be loud!' because all that being in hush-hush places was stifling. There was a 1st years football (ok, soccer) game going on outside so we watched that and yelled out at the appropriate intervals. There was one player, Eddie, who was the crowd favourite and we cheered him hardest of all. A pub lunch of irish stew and pint of guinness was next and was yummmmmm. Haven't eaten meat in ages so tasty irish lamb was a good choice!
That was what I got up to on my last few days, basically. Popped in to Paddys hostel yesterday arvo to arrange things with the guy from the Belfast hostel-gotta call him back today though because he was supposed to call yesterday but didn't. Hmmmmm not a good sign!
Today I need to drop in my PPS referral form, call up JJ from Belfast, and depending on what he says either check out of my hostel or send Steve a text asking if he wants to do anything today.
Sorry I don't have any of my own photos for you guys yet. It's killing me not being able to share them!!!
Hope everything is well back home, wherever home is for you.
Oh before I go and get my breakfast (STARVING), I should add that I got a text back (finally) from an irish guy I met at The Celt, and he wished me luck for my job prospects so I now have the Luck of the Irish on me!!! All that's left is to find me a leprechaun and I'll be set.
love you long time!
xxx leash
A few nights ago (Friday night) I met a Aussie girl at the hostel and she was cool we talked for a bit, she's already working over here in a restaurant I think. Anyway, her friends and her were talking about how the hostel we were staying in was booked up next weekend (the 2nd and 3rd of Feb) and when I was downstairs in reception I also heard the staff telling someone that too! So I checked on the internet and they said they were full, as did most other places in Dublin. Oh shite!
There is a football thing on or something that weekend I think, that's why there's alot of no vacancies. ANYWAY. I walked into the hostel around the corner (literally), Paddys Palace. Anybody who reads smh.com.au might recall the name from a recent story ('Tour bus set alight in Belfast' 25/1/08) because they also run the Paddywagon tours. But I digress. I walked in and asked the girl at the desk (an affable kiwi) if there was space next weekend and she said Yes! Even though their websaid said they were booked they still had space. So we got talking for a little bit and somehow it came up that I was looking for work here. She goes 'Would you want to work in a hostel?' Now, I probably haven't said it too much or at all on here yet but hostel work is number 1 on my 'top jobs' list for working abroad. Seriously there isn't much else I'd rather do. I'm easygoing about the jobs I want and want to work at lots of different places but above all else...working in a hostel. So I said 'YES!' and then she goes on to tell me that she's leaving soon and she will train me up to take over her job. Sweet! I give her my resume and she calls the sister hostel up in Belfast because those guys need a break for a week and it's an easier job than down here so the plan is to go up there for a week or so and work there then come back down, get trained for the specifics of this job then off I go!
How awesome is that?!? Earning pounds (in cash) and free accommodation and working at a hostel. I'm stoked. So I booked my bus ticket up there and am planning on leaving today.
This means I have to call or go and see the pharmacy that I had the interview tomorrow for and tell them I've had to go to Belfast for a week or so for an emergency but hopefully they understand and can reschedule. One problem was that I couldn't remember the place or even know the name of it, so on Sunday I had to backtrack and try to find it again. Being a sunday everything was closed and shuttered but I'm pretty sure I know the place now, and have their number.
I went to the reception at the place I'm at and asked them about the referral for my PPS number (sounds a bit too much like TPS, doesn't it?). The deal is (for anybody who wasn't paying attention before) that to get a bank account here you need a PPS number which is kind of like a tax file number back in Aus. To get a PPS number you need to either have a letter of referral or some kind of evidence that you are living here and have been for at least a little while. The hostels generally make you stay there for two weeks before they'll write you one. So I'm booked in for 10 days, right. That's so close to 14 days! I explain to the guy at the counter that I'm booked in for 10 days, but because it's all full on the weekend I have to go somewhere else and if I come back afterwards does that still count for my 14 days. He looks at me and says "We're not full that weekend..."
What?
He says that even if the internet says they are full they never realllllly are. But I heard the desk staff talking about it! Anyway, he goes onto the computer, prints me out a letter of referral saying I've stayed there for 20 days and gives it to me. What a champ! I feel bad that I'm probably checking out today.
So, with the referral in hand and high hopes of coming back to Dublin slightly richer I will go where the wind blows me and it seems that place is Belfast. They (the irish) reckon it's safe up there and there are no worries. But you never know. Aussies also think it's safe back home but then you have guys getting bitten by sharks and all sorts of nonsense!
**********
Yesterday I was surprised to get a text msg from Steve, the aussie guy I met on Australia Day (one of them, the one I talked most to). It said he was going sightseeing to Dublin Castle and stuff and would I like to come along? Of course I would! So off we trundled in a very roundabout way to Dublin Castle and took the tour. It was pretty interesting, especially the part where you go underground to see the excavation of the medieval ruins. We then went into Trinity College and saw the Book of Kells (I still don't know whether 7 euro to see an old book was worth it?) and the Long Room. Actually I take that last bit back-7 euro to see both was ok I suppose. The Long Room was AWESOME! Seriously it's 65m long and like, 50m tall (don't quote me on that though) and has books stacked everywhere. It's like the library in Harry Potter! We weren't allowed to take photos (booooooo!) but here is one someone else took:
Seriously...books stacked to the ceiling and these rickety little ladders on wheels they use to get up to them. In the display cases down the middle they had old Gould (you know, the bird guy?) taxonomy texts. Some of them were open to pages on the Koala and the Rock Wallaby :-P
After that it was like 'let's go somewhere we can be loud!' because all that being in hush-hush places was stifling. There was a 1st years football (ok, soccer) game going on outside so we watched that and yelled out at the appropriate intervals. There was one player, Eddie, who was the crowd favourite and we cheered him hardest of all. A pub lunch of irish stew and pint of guinness was next and was yummmmmm. Haven't eaten meat in ages so tasty irish lamb was a good choice!
That was what I got up to on my last few days, basically. Popped in to Paddys hostel yesterday arvo to arrange things with the guy from the Belfast hostel-gotta call him back today though because he was supposed to call yesterday but didn't. Hmmmmm not a good sign!
Today I need to drop in my PPS referral form, call up JJ from Belfast, and depending on what he says either check out of my hostel or send Steve a text asking if he wants to do anything today.
Sorry I don't have any of my own photos for you guys yet. It's killing me not being able to share them!!!
Hope everything is well back home, wherever home is for you.
Oh before I go and get my breakfast (STARVING), I should add that I got a text back (finally) from an irish guy I met at The Celt, and he wished me luck for my job prospects so I now have the Luck of the Irish on me!!! All that's left is to find me a leprechaun and I'll be set.
love you long time!
xxx leash
Sunday, 27 January 2008
Hottest 100 results
As if I haven't blogged enough lately...
Here are the results (top 10) of the Triple J Hottest 100 for 2007:
The ones I voted for are bolded. Here are how the rest of the songs I voted for did:
17 M.I.A - Paper Planes
19 Architecture In Helsinki - Heart It Races
59 Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger
93 Bumblebeez - Dr Love
And those that didn't make it into the top 100:
Mickey Avalon - Jane Fonda
Midnight Juggernauts - Road To Recovery (although another of their songs, 'Tombstone' did make it at #86)
New Young Pony Club - The Bomb
Samim - Heater
So yeah. It appears my music tastes were not in the majority last year. I spit on #2 song and honestly can't even remember what the number 1 song sounds like. It probably sounds like typical Muse, lots of reverberated glissandos, electronic melodies, goosebump-inducing high pitched melodies and thumping bass but the tune is just not coming to me. Oh well. Australia has spoken!
*edit* Ok I checked youtube and listened to Knights of Cydonia...I remember the song well now! Freakin' awesome! It's an epic at 6 minutes long, and the singing doesn't even start until 2 minutes in!
Also has what could possibly be the coolest video clip ever.
Here are the results (top 10) of the Triple J Hottest 100 for 2007:
| 1 | Muse | Knights of Cydonia |
| 2 | Silverchair | Straight Lines |
| 3 | Kings Of Leon | On Call |
| 4 | John Butler Trio | Better Than |
| 5 | Faker | This Heart Attack |
| 6 | Foo Fighters | The Pretender |
| 7 | Daft Punk | Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger (live) |
| 8 | Cold War Kids | Hang Me Up To Dry |
| 9 | Soko | I'll Kill Her |
| 10 | Panics, The | Don't Fight It |
The ones I voted for are bolded. Here are how the rest of the songs I voted for did:
17 M.I.A - Paper Planes
19 Architecture In Helsinki - Heart It Races
59 Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger
93 Bumblebeez - Dr Love
And those that didn't make it into the top 100:
Mickey Avalon - Jane Fonda
Midnight Juggernauts - Road To Recovery (although another of their songs, 'Tombstone' did make it at #86)
New Young Pony Club - The Bomb
Samim - Heater
So yeah. It appears my music tastes were not in the majority last year. I spit on #2 song and honestly can't even remember what the number 1 song sounds like. It probably sounds like typical Muse, lots of reverberated glissandos, electronic melodies, goosebump-inducing high pitched melodies and thumping bass but the tune is just not coming to me. Oh well. Australia has spoken!
*edit* Ok I checked youtube and listened to Knights of Cydonia...I remember the song well now! Freakin' awesome! It's an epic at 6 minutes long, and the singing doesn't even start until 2 minutes in!
Also has what could possibly be the coolest video clip ever.
Saturday, 26 January 2008
Let me explain...
First of all, I'm really sorry to all the people who I sent text messages to last night. Darren got me back a good one by pranking my phone at 2am (my time). My hat goes off to you, sir.
I went to the Woolshed Bar (Baa?) around 1pm and already it was quite full. They were up to about number 70 on the Hottest 100 so I got a Coopers (didn't taste as good as I remembered? Too warm, I think) and hung around. And hung around. Got up to almost the 50s and there was another guy standing around like a nigel so I said to him 'Did you vote this year?' (indicating the countdown) and we just started talking. Which was good because then we both weren't nigels anymore and he had just spent 3 months working in the French Riviera so had lots of cool stories.
There were Aussies galore and I'm glad I talked to some because up until then it was the worst feeling-being surrounded by Aussies but still feeling so alone!
There was another guy, CJ and another guy...can't remember his name...but they were with a group and we talked with all them too. CJ has been working in Belfast for 12 months as a town planner!
Anyway, we hear 2 songs that had already been on (number 100 and 99 I think!) and it sounds like they are doing a recap before getting to the Top 10. But they never played it! Some pubrock band came on and we never heard the Top 10! Felt so ripped off. It was really really packed by now and I had a few beers under my belt and an Australian flag as a cape by this stage...so I decided to head off. It was about 6pm by this stage. They might have played the last little bit later in the night but I wasn't up for staying around for it. I had some fun and spent Aus Day with some Aussies and drank Coopers (and Fosters-sorry! But it really is a different formula here I swear!) so I was happy.
Staggered back to the hostel via Aldi, which was a very surreal experience in my state...and then deciding it was too complicated to make any 'real' food just put together a toasted ham and cheese and it was the best thing I've tasted in a long time. MmmMMmmMm
I tried to upload photos from my camera but the stupid computer won't recognise it. Seriously I am getting jack of this camera and wish I had traded it in for a different one in NYC. Little Pentax you have done me well in the past but now you are just being an obnoxious temperamental brat!!! Most times when I go to turn it on, the memory card does something the camera doesn't like and the whole thing freezes. Not happy!!! So I don't know how I will get my photos uploaded. What a bugger. I miss my lappy so much, especially here :'(
Ok I best be checking the last of my emails and heading off. Make some proper food in the kitchen before it gets busy. The kitchen is big but far out it's crap. Most of the hotplates/grills don't work and it's really cramped in there with all this not working stuff in the way, and they only have like, 1 frypan and it's always in use. Like, 10 pots but only 1 pan? I have a feeling they don't have proper cereal bowls either. What a crock.
Might head to the museum of natural history later today too. Nice.
Alrighty I'm off!
xxx lisha
I went to the Woolshed Bar (Baa?) around 1pm and already it was quite full. They were up to about number 70 on the Hottest 100 so I got a Coopers (didn't taste as good as I remembered? Too warm, I think) and hung around. And hung around. Got up to almost the 50s and there was another guy standing around like a nigel so I said to him 'Did you vote this year?' (indicating the countdown) and we just started talking. Which was good because then we both weren't nigels anymore and he had just spent 3 months working in the French Riviera so had lots of cool stories.
There were Aussies galore and I'm glad I talked to some because up until then it was the worst feeling-being surrounded by Aussies but still feeling so alone!
There was another guy, CJ and another guy...can't remember his name...but they were with a group and we talked with all them too. CJ has been working in Belfast for 12 months as a town planner!
Anyway, we hear 2 songs that had already been on (number 100 and 99 I think!) and it sounds like they are doing a recap before getting to the Top 10. But they never played it! Some pubrock band came on and we never heard the Top 10! Felt so ripped off. It was really really packed by now and I had a few beers under my belt and an Australian flag as a cape by this stage...so I decided to head off. It was about 6pm by this stage. They might have played the last little bit later in the night but I wasn't up for staying around for it. I had some fun and spent Aus Day with some Aussies and drank Coopers (and Fosters-sorry! But it really is a different formula here I swear!) so I was happy.
Staggered back to the hostel via Aldi, which was a very surreal experience in my state...and then deciding it was too complicated to make any 'real' food just put together a toasted ham and cheese and it was the best thing I've tasted in a long time. MmmMMmmMm
I tried to upload photos from my camera but the stupid computer won't recognise it. Seriously I am getting jack of this camera and wish I had traded it in for a different one in NYC. Little Pentax you have done me well in the past but now you are just being an obnoxious temperamental brat!!! Most times when I go to turn it on, the memory card does something the camera doesn't like and the whole thing freezes. Not happy!!! So I don't know how I will get my photos uploaded. What a bugger. I miss my lappy so much, especially here :'(
Ok I best be checking the last of my emails and heading off. Make some proper food in the kitchen before it gets busy. The kitchen is big but far out it's crap. Most of the hotplates/grills don't work and it's really cramped in there with all this not working stuff in the way, and they only have like, 1 frypan and it's always in use. Like, 10 pots but only 1 pan? I have a feeling they don't have proper cereal bowls either. What a crock.
Might head to the museum of natural history later today too. Nice.
Alrighty I'm off!
xxx lisha
I look a pillock...
And yes i did buy those peas. At least i hope they are peas. World peas for all! Awesome. It's 7pm...what a craic...
A personal favourite of Michelle Leslie, I've heard...
All I want is tea bags!!! Omg happy australia day i'm inebriated the pub i was in stopped the triple j hottest 100 before the top 10 greatest tragedy ever. I'm in aldi looking for tea bags...
Friday, 25 January 2008
Australians all let us rejoice!
Guess what arrived in the post for me today?!?!
That's right...an Australian flag! I have no idea what I'm going to do with it. Maybe I'll hang it somewhere.
And I love Australia but I think this idea is dumb (and misguided...doesn't he know the black on the Aboriginal flag represents the people so by excluding it he is 'excluding' acknowledging the Aboriginal people?):
http://www.sunburntflag.com.au/
I also saw this article on the Herald website and thought it was so appropriate! Had to stop myself from laughing out loud here in the internet cafe. Although most of the people here are playing CounterStrike or WoW with headphones on so it's not like they could hear me.
oh noes!!! The Bumblebeez 'Dr Love' (one of my favourite songs of the year even though most people around me probably hated hearing it) came in at #93 on the Hottest 100! Ripped off!!!
That's right...an Australian flag! I have no idea what I'm going to do with it. Maybe I'll hang it somewhere.
And I love Australia but I think this idea is dumb (and misguided...doesn't he know the black on the Aboriginal flag represents the people so by excluding it he is 'excluding' acknowledging the Aboriginal people?):
http://www.sunburntflag.com.au/
I also saw this article on the Herald website and thought it was so appropriate! Had to stop myself from laughing out loud here in the internet cafe. Although most of the people here are playing CounterStrike or WoW with headphones on so it's not like they could hear me.
How do you tell if you are a true Aussie?
You know you're Australian if …
1. You know the meaning of the word "girt".
2. You believe that stubbies can be either drunk or worn.
3. You think it's normal to have a leader called Kevin.
4. You waddle when you walk due to the 53 expired petrol discount vouchers stuffed in your wallet or purse.
5. You've made a bong out of your garden hose rather than use it for something illegal such as watering the garden. (We keep out hose locked in the garage for a reason-pesky kids!!!)
6. You believe it is appropriate to put a rubber in your son's pencil case when he first attends school. (Americans you made need this explained to you)
7. When you hear that an American "roots for his team" you wonder how often and with whom.
8. You understand that the phrase "a group of women wearing black thongs" refers to footwear and may be less alluring than it sounds.
9. You pronounce Melbourne as "Mel-bin".
10. You pronounce Penrith as "Pen-riff". (TOTALLY!!!!)
11. You believe the "l" in the word "Australia" is optional.
12. You can translate: "Dazza and Shazza played Acca Dacca on the way to Maccas." (and on the way they chucked a spaz cos Daz spilled VB on his daks)
13. You believe it makes perfect sense for a nation to decorate its highways with large fibreglass bananas, prawns and sheep.
14. You call your best friend "a total bastard" but someone you really, truly despise is just "a bit of a bastard". (arsehole is another good one)
15. You think "Woolloomooloo" is a perfectly reasonable name for a place.
16. You're secretly proud of our killer wildlife. (and how!)
17. You believe it makes sense for a country to have a $1 coin that's twice as big as its $2 coin.
18. You understand that "Wagga Wagga" can be abbreviated to "Wagga" but "Woy Woy" can't be called "Woy".
19. You believe that cooked-down axlegrease makes a good breakfast spread. (beer dregs, thank you very much)
20. You believe all famous Kiwis are actually Australian, until they stuff up, at which point they again become Kiwis. (ahem....Russell Crowe...)
21. Hamburger. Beetroot. Of course.
22. You know that certain words must, by law, be shouted out during any rendition of the Angels' song Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again.
23. You believe, as an article of faith, that the confectionary known as the Wagon Wheel has become smaller with every passing year. (YES! It's a bloody outrage! When I was a kid they used to be the size of a dinner plate now they are only just larger than our 50c coin-which if you know about our money isn't really that much smaller than a plate)
24. You still don't get why the "Labor" in "Australian Labor Party" is not spelt with a "u".
25. You wear ugh boots outside the house. (no way-only the americans do that)
26. You believe, as an article of faith, that every important discovery in the world was made by an Australian but then sold off to the Yanks for a pittance.
27. You believe that the more you shorten someone's name the more you like them. (case in point. Elisha->Lisha->Lish you see?)
28. Whatever your linguistic skills, you find yourself able to order takeaway fluently in every Asian language.
29. You understand that "excuse me" can sound rude, while "scuse me" is always polite.
30. You know what it's like to swallow a fly, on occasion via your nose.
31. You understand that "you" has a plural and that it's "youse". (OH HAY YOUSE GUISE)
32. You know it's not summer until the steering wheel is too hot to handle.
33. Your biggest family argument over the summer concerned the rules for beach cricket.
34. You shake your head in horror when companies try to market what they call "Anzac cookies".
35. You still think of Kylie as "that girl off Neighbours".
36. When returning home from overseas, you expect to be brutally strip-searched by Customs - just in case you're trying to sneak in fruit. (totally!)
37. You believe the phrase "smart casual" refers to a pair of black tracky-daks, suitably laundered.
38. You understand that all train timetables are works of fiction.
39. When working on a bar, you understand male customers will feel the need to offer an excuse whenever they order low-alcohol beer.
40. You get choked up with emotion by the first verse of the national anthem and then have trouble remembering the second. (Beneath our radiant southern cross....)
41. You find yourself ignorant of nearly all the facts deemed essential in the government's new test for migrants. (...we'll toil with hearts and hands...to make this commonwealth of ours, reknowned among the lands. for those who've come across the sea, we've boundless plains to share. in courage let us all combine to Advance Australia Fair. See-I know it!)
42. You know, whatever the tourist books say, that no one says "cobber". (or struth...or crikey...)
43. And you will immediately forward this list to other Australians, here and overseas, realising that only they will understand.
Happy Australia Day!!!oh noes!!! The Bumblebeez 'Dr Love' (one of my favourite songs of the year even though most people around me probably hated hearing it) came in at #93 on the Hottest 100! Ripped off!!!
Dublination
You want to know how expensive Dublin is?
Ok...
takeaway coffee from cafe (small size): €1.95 to €2.80 (A$3.20 to $4.60)
tall (small) flavoured espresso drink from Starbucks (think caramel latte): ~€4 (A$6.60)
half dozen eggs from the butcher: €1.50 (A$2.50)
one bunch of fresh broccoli from market: €1 (A$1.60)
daily newspaper: €0.70 to €0.90 (A$1.15 to $1.50)
pair of ninewest boots on sale (braveone style): €108 (A$180- same boots in ninewest NYC are US$80)
loaf of white bread from Tesco: ~€1.75 (A$2.90)
1 litre of fresh milk: ~€1.20 (A$2)
irish/guinness stew from pub or cafe: (starting at) €11 (A$18.30)
pint of guinness at the Celt: €4.70 (A$7.80)
bottle of VB at an off-licence (liquor store): €2.50 (A$4.15) I can't imagine paying $4.15 for a stubbie of VB!!!
average burger price at maccas: starting around €3.80 (A$6.30)
hair colour at a salon: ~€75 (A$125)
Any other items you want me to price so you can be glad you are in Australia/America where prices are a bit more reasonable? If there were a petrol station around I'd get the petrol price. I did go past a used car lot on the way in and saw that second hand cars (just little runabouts) start at like, €6000 (almost A$10,000)
BUT not everything is expensive here! You just have to be sensible and look around for the best prices. You can get a bag of pasta for like 79c and a bottle of pasta sauce for 89c and there you go-cheap meal! Chicken is relatively cheap here, too...(although due to increase in feed costs etc it is said it will increase soon) I got like 400g of chicken for the equivalent of A$6 here. Similar to what I'd be paying back home I think. Yoghurts too, the ones I like back home are A$1.20 (mmmm Dairy Farmers) and the yohurts I've been buying here (mmmm Channel cream...) are the same price. Also if you look in the different places you can see big differences in prices. One cafe I went to had coffee+a danish for €2.50 which is a sweet deal considering most places don't even have coffee by itself for under €2.50! And one takeaway I saw had chip buttys for €4 and another had them for €2.70! It's about looking around and NOT buying Starbucks or the first thing you see. If you think it's too expensive then it IS, go somewhere else to get it!
I've got some good news, too. The Visa office people told me that I don't have to go to London to lodge my application, they can send it from there (since all applications go to Canberra anyway). So hurrah I don't have to worry about flights to London and juggling my time around as much. The share apartment fell through too which is probably a good thing. Looking for new places to stay now.
Can't wait to get this all sorted. Then I will have to get a GNIB/Garda card which is like a green card registering you to stay for more than 90 days (€100) and a PPS number then a bank account. Should all come together within 3 weeks if I'm lucky but I don't want to jinx it.
I haven't met any Aussies yet which is strange because I thought Dublin would be crawling with them. It's funny, when I joke about Aussies being everywhere I say (and probably shouldn't) "we're like a cancer" as in we spread out all over the world. Anna, the Italian girl who I was looking at flats with yesterday, says Italians are all over the place but says (much more kindly) that they are "like mushrooms". I like that turn of phrase much better!
Australia Day is tomorrow and there is a thing at the Woolshed Bar (the big Aussie pub here) which I'll probably swing by to. They're playing the Hottest 100 countdown-yessssssss! Don't think I'll partake of any $4 VBs though but if they have Coopers then mmmmmm.
The weather has been crazy windy lately. It's good when it's behind me (what does that mean, anyway-keep the wind to your back?) but walking into it is an ordeal. It's not raining today and yesterday there was even a bright blue sky and the sun was out! I've never thought about it before but I got told to remember that 'when the sun is out then it will be cold' which is not the case in Australia but it is here. When there is cloud cover it is quite humid and warm, actually. I'd rather the weather be dry and windy rather than warm and humid!!! The hostel keeps their rooms overheated too which is a bit annoying. It means I can (actually I have to) sleep without socks on I suppose...the hostel is also situated under the DART train line. Which is fun if you want to sleep in. Not. Maybe that's why I've been getting up so early-not due to jetlag but to being woken up by the trains. It's nice to be up at 6am though and get the paper and a cup of tea and have the common room all to myself. There must be like school groups or something staying here because there are stacks of young people (eg young teenagers and kids) here which is annoying. Not least because it seems like NOBODY in the hostel speaks english! Makes me feel really alienated when I think I can't even talk to anybody.
Anyway.
My watch broke back in New York so I have been watchless for the last week and a half. I really liked my watch so it's unfortunate! Really should have bought a new one in Chinatown with all the fakes they had there for cheap...but I was with Mateo the Argentinean and he would go up to the shopkeeper and go 'jhow abowt faaave dollars?' (trying to type out his accent) and the shopkeeper would be like 'no you look around' (as in get lost) or one guy who we got from $10 down to $7 said 'no you go away and when you come back it will be 10 again not 7'. LOL it was pretty funny! Apparently the shopkeepers have walkie talkies and communicate with each other and it's possible to be black flagged from Chinatown!
But yes...I need a new watch and should have gotten one then because as if I will pay Dublin prices for a new watch! I don't need anything fancy...just something I can tell the time by basically. Actually a calculator watch would be sweet as. I'm checking eBay as I type. I like the look of this one, actually:
here
This Fossil one is nice, too...US$103
or this one for US$84
Okily dokily I best be off. Man I talk alot of crap on here!
Hello to everybody reading this-I hope you're doing something suitably Australian for Australia Day! Have a snag and a lamington, drink a VB or Tooheys in your stubbies and thongs and celebrate an awesome country!!
xxx lish
Ok...
takeaway coffee from cafe (small size): €1.95 to €2.80 (A$3.20 to $4.60)
tall (small) flavoured espresso drink from Starbucks (think caramel latte): ~€4 (A$6.60)
half dozen eggs from the butcher: €1.50 (A$2.50)
one bunch of fresh broccoli from market: €1 (A$1.60)
daily newspaper: €0.70 to €0.90 (A$1.15 to $1.50)
pair of ninewest boots on sale (braveone style): €108 (A$180- same boots in ninewest NYC are US$80)
loaf of white bread from Tesco: ~€1.75 (A$2.90)
1 litre of fresh milk: ~€1.20 (A$2)
irish/guinness stew from pub or cafe: (starting at) €11 (A$18.30)
pint of guinness at the Celt: €4.70 (A$7.80)
bottle of VB at an off-licence (liquor store): €2.50 (A$4.15) I can't imagine paying $4.15 for a stubbie of VB!!!
average burger price at maccas: starting around €3.80 (A$6.30)
hair colour at a salon: ~€75 (A$125)
Any other items you want me to price so you can be glad you are in Australia/America where prices are a bit more reasonable? If there were a petrol station around I'd get the petrol price. I did go past a used car lot on the way in and saw that second hand cars (just little runabouts) start at like, €6000 (almost A$10,000)
BUT not everything is expensive here! You just have to be sensible and look around for the best prices. You can get a bag of pasta for like 79c and a bottle of pasta sauce for 89c and there you go-cheap meal! Chicken is relatively cheap here, too...(although due to increase in feed costs etc it is said it will increase soon) I got like 400g of chicken for the equivalent of A$6 here. Similar to what I'd be paying back home I think. Yoghurts too, the ones I like back home are A$1.20 (mmmm Dairy Farmers) and the yohurts I've been buying here (mmmm Channel cream...) are the same price. Also if you look in the different places you can see big differences in prices. One cafe I went to had coffee+a danish for €2.50 which is a sweet deal considering most places don't even have coffee by itself for under €2.50! And one takeaway I saw had chip buttys for €4 and another had them for €2.70! It's about looking around and NOT buying Starbucks or the first thing you see. If you think it's too expensive then it IS, go somewhere else to get it!
I've got some good news, too. The Visa office people told me that I don't have to go to London to lodge my application, they can send it from there (since all applications go to Canberra anyway). So hurrah I don't have to worry about flights to London and juggling my time around as much. The share apartment fell through too which is probably a good thing. Looking for new places to stay now.
Can't wait to get this all sorted. Then I will have to get a GNIB/Garda card which is like a green card registering you to stay for more than 90 days (€100) and a PPS number then a bank account. Should all come together within 3 weeks if I'm lucky but I don't want to jinx it.
I haven't met any Aussies yet which is strange because I thought Dublin would be crawling with them. It's funny, when I joke about Aussies being everywhere I say (and probably shouldn't) "we're like a cancer" as in we spread out all over the world. Anna, the Italian girl who I was looking at flats with yesterday, says Italians are all over the place but says (much more kindly) that they are "like mushrooms". I like that turn of phrase much better!
Australia Day is tomorrow and there is a thing at the Woolshed Bar (the big Aussie pub here) which I'll probably swing by to. They're playing the Hottest 100 countdown-yessssssss! Don't think I'll partake of any $4 VBs though but if they have Coopers then mmmmmm.
The weather has been crazy windy lately. It's good when it's behind me (what does that mean, anyway-keep the wind to your back?) but walking into it is an ordeal. It's not raining today and yesterday there was even a bright blue sky and the sun was out! I've never thought about it before but I got told to remember that 'when the sun is out then it will be cold' which is not the case in Australia but it is here. When there is cloud cover it is quite humid and warm, actually. I'd rather the weather be dry and windy rather than warm and humid!!! The hostel keeps their rooms overheated too which is a bit annoying. It means I can (actually I have to) sleep without socks on I suppose...the hostel is also situated under the DART train line. Which is fun if you want to sleep in. Not. Maybe that's why I've been getting up so early-not due to jetlag but to being woken up by the trains. It's nice to be up at 6am though and get the paper and a cup of tea and have the common room all to myself. There must be like school groups or something staying here because there are stacks of young people (eg young teenagers and kids) here which is annoying. Not least because it seems like NOBODY in the hostel speaks english! Makes me feel really alienated when I think I can't even talk to anybody.
Anyway.
My watch broke back in New York so I have been watchless for the last week and a half. I really liked my watch so it's unfortunate! Really should have bought a new one in Chinatown with all the fakes they had there for cheap...but I was with Mateo the Argentinean and he would go up to the shopkeeper and go 'jhow abowt faaave dollars?' (trying to type out his accent) and the shopkeeper would be like 'no you look around' (as in get lost) or one guy who we got from $10 down to $7 said 'no you go away and when you come back it will be 10 again not 7'. LOL it was pretty funny! Apparently the shopkeepers have walkie talkies and communicate with each other and it's possible to be black flagged from Chinatown!
But yes...I need a new watch and should have gotten one then because as if I will pay Dublin prices for a new watch! I don't need anything fancy...just something I can tell the time by basically. Actually a calculator watch would be sweet as. I'm checking eBay as I type. I like the look of this one, actually:
here
This Fossil one is nice, too...US$103
or this one for US$84
Okily dokily I best be off. Man I talk alot of crap on here!
Hello to everybody reading this-I hope you're doing something suitably Australian for Australia Day! Have a snag and a lamington, drink a VB or Tooheys in your stubbies and thongs and celebrate an awesome country!!
xxx lish
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