Keeping Busy

An update on whats been keeping me busy:

I went climbing again on Tuesday. Great workout and I'm feeling like I'm getting back into shape.

Wednesday was Australia day. All sorts of fantastic festivities abounded. The Harbor ferries (think big passenger ferries) staged a race through the harbor and a fighter jet did some figure 8s over the harbor shaking walls and setting off car alarms. awesome! The beaches and parks were blanket to blanket with celebrators. Downtown there was an antique car show/parade of about 300 cars ranging from corvettes to what looked like a firetruck from 1900. I also got to see my name in huge letters on the side of the Australian Museum. Your Name In Lights is a cool installation exhibit being run as part of the Sydney Festival. There is a webcam set up so if you're curious, you can register top have YOUR name on the side of a Sydney building as well and have your 15 seconds of fame.

Thursday I had my first big presentation to the VP of a major bank which went extremely well. YAY! And then had some friends over for dinner for my first home-cooking dinner party in Australia. I made thai basil turkey meatballs(which turned into thai basil turkey meat crumble) and these adorable Petite Lasagnas. Good times were had.

Friday was a busy day at work, as per usual. Friday afternoons, we break out the booze and folks from the office give talks about interesting and far ranging topics to enrich ourselves. We heard about the 7 senses and participate din the Marshmallow Challenge. That was followed by an adventure over to a small hole in the wall called Grandma's Bar, a dinner at what is apparently a legendary and Sydney Institution Chinese bbq place, a walk through a lovely festival in a park which is a precursor to Chinese New Years (Happy Year of the Rabbit y'all) and 3 solid hours of karaoke at Ding Dang Dong Karaoke. Yep, that's the name.

You can imagine why I slept in for most of Saturday, but I got out Saturday evening for another great part of the Sydney festival, free concerts in the park. Last night was the city opera giving a rendition of Carmen under the stars. Nothing like a bit of opera out in the fresh air with a few bottles of wine, some cookies, and friends(-:

So, that's the update. Keeping busy!