Had a great Xmas with all the little nieces and nephews. There was that great moment of silence when every kid was off playing with his/her new toys. The eldest nephew on the distaff side got a pair of spring stilts, a fantastic present for an 11-year-old boy. Even if a trip to the hospital seems an inevitable consequence. I don't know why I never got something like that: the materials technology doesn't seem that advanced. I guess it's a testament to the ingenuity of mechanical engineering. Even in that ancient field we can still learn new things.
The weather wasn't too hot; it never reached 30 degrees like the forecasts said. The only thing consistent about Melbourne weather is that the forecasts will be wrong.
Some things to look forward to: 5 job interviews lined up for Feb, and simplified taxes. Since I didn't make any money in Australia this tax year, it will be easy to file my US taxes. See - I can look at the bright side of anything!
Oddly, people work on Christmas Eve here. They take Xmas day and the day after (boxing day) off. Apparently they used to get more time off, but that was before things were Jeffed. (Jeff Kennett pulled a Reagan back in 90's and canceled a bunch of state holidays.) More and and more I am seeing the cracks in my Socialist Paradise - it's more like America than it is like Sweden or Germany. Australians are alternately pleased and annoyed to be compared to America, usually at the same time.
Edit: I almost forgot the best part - I've lost 4 kilos since I got here. And no, I'm not looking to get them back.
No comments:
Post a Comment