Side Kiss Greeting Thing...Awkward

Today marks the completion of this goal "98. Post every day for 1 month on From Oz to Aus" from this list. So yay me (and Hyatt helped too)!

But I feel like posting that above paragraph doesn't really count as a post so I better come up with something real, right?

Ok - random thoughts and events for the week.

1 - Australians greet people with the side cheek kiss thing. I think it comes from the British influence. Regardless, it makes me feel super awkward. If you still don't know what I'm talking about, here's a visual:

This lady looks much happier than I am when she's being greeted.

I feel like this is a semi invasion of my personal space but I go along with it because it's hard to avoid an incoming kiss-greeting and it's also a little bit rude to turn it down, I think. But it still makes me feel weird and I never kiss back. Next time you meet someone new, speak with an Australian accent and do the side kiss greeting - you'll freak people out. I think I'm going to do it when I return to stateside.

2 -  Tonight while on our way to dinner at our friend's house, I started walking a pipe fence. I made it 16 steps without falling off - woo. Big life accomplishment. So on the way home, Hyatt decided to try his hand. **Sidenote**: Hyatt is NOT coordinated. Although he tries very hard. Anyway, for 20 flippin minutes he tried walking the fence to beat me. Unsuccessful - personal best 11 steps. I wish I had a video of it, because you would have peed your pants from laughter. I love him but wow.

3 - Tomorrow (Saturday) marks the first weekend that I haven't had to get up early for a conference, meeting, work or to catch a flight. Amen to that.

4 - Two months from today (Friday) we will be doing some major life changes..... drumroll............................................. We will be returing to the states that day. Only two short months left and we've got them jam packed - trip to Tasmania, trip to Alice Springs/Uluru/Coober Pedy, two research projects (not Hyatt's) and a conference in Adelaide where Hyatt and I will both be presenting. Time will fly by and we're going to try to fit as much time in with our friends here in Melbourne before we leave. :(

Ok- that's about all for today. Thanks for reading and commenting. I noticed that commenting has started to drop off towards the end of the 30 day goal so I/we must have been annoying you. No worries, you can expect to only have 2-3 posts/week from here on out. Much more manageable I hope.

Lastly, at the conclusion of this little adventure, what would you like to see done with this blog? Should I add the phrase 'and back again' to the original title? Continue with our random life happenings? Cease the blog? Looking for some comment love here, folks

Holla,
~ Brandi ~

Overwhelmed American in Australia

Approximately 30 minutes ago, I started seeing tweets that completely took me by surprise.  Osama Bin Laden is dead. Those words took a few minutes to set in; and then I was overcome by a wave of mixed emotion. Relief, joy, sadness - I started crying. This all happened while I was on a conference call with the Australian Pig Industry discussing a conference in November. I actually wrote this post during that call.

My first thought is a tremendous thank you to all of the American Armed Forces soldiers and their families. Your efforts were not in vain and your struggles will never be forgotten. I know exactly where I was on September 11, 2001 and I know that I'll remember exactly where I was on May 2, 2011.

While I am grateful that our country has united as one of the result of the atrocious WTC attacks in order to bring down this heinous terrorist, I am fully aware of the thousands of terrorists still at large in the Middle East. No doubt, they will continue to strive to annhilate those who do not agree with their mindset or values.  The war is not over, but a battle has been won. We're obviously not through seeing terrorist attacks however, this is an extremely moving, emotional and proud day to be an American.

I'm about to leave to go to work and I know that my colleagues will not fully understand the brevity of this situation, how can they?  As Hyatt and I watched President Obama's address to the nation, I felt such a swell of pride to be an American - this swell will be hard to contain.

This is such an incoherent post - I'm not sure how to end it so I'll just say:

God Bless our Troops and God Bless America.

Cheers,
FroBuzz