Saturday, September 23, 2006
Where have I been?
Im back, they allllwwwaayyys come back!!
So, my final week of my 'Twenties' and I must say people around me are making a bigger issue about it than me. And by a big deal I mean lots of people sucking their teeth saying "oohh thirty ehh?" and the timeless "all down hill from here". Now this is particularly cruel as anyone who knows me knows that I, on occasions have dispostion that would make Eeyore look happy-go-lucky so any misplaced comment could send me to a spiral of ennui and self despair. Having said this even I cant help to feel like I’ve accomplished that which is expected of me by the time of the big 30, lets face it I've been stressing non-stop for the last 15 I'd be well annoyed if I hadn’t :)
Education - Check! Got a decent degree. And in true twenty something fashion I'm doing a job that isn’t related to the course I studied for three years
Stable Relationship - well I am married if that counts :) I was lucky enough to marry my childhood sweetheart that I met at the tender age of 16 so yeah, a big Check!
Job - Well my perspective of this changes like the waether but I must admit I'm doing a job that is respectably paid and a lot of people would like to do and the big plus is I don’t have to wear a suit everyday. For those who are curious I'm 3d artist for computer games and the odd bit of freelance work now and again. One of the lessons I have learnt is that a job is a job really, there are always drawbacks but as long as you work to live all is well. Check!
Travel - I'm pretty sorted on this front, I've been to Paris Barcelona Amsterdam Bruges Luxembourg Venice (Got engaged there) Cyprus (Got married there) Corfu Greek Islands Athens Tunisia Cambodia Bangkok Koh Samui Chang Rai Laos Burma Egypt Australia United States – various, for a little while when I was 7 Turkey I’m currently working out in Australia, I've been here 10 months, whilst I've been here I've climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Swam in the Barrier Reef amongst other things. We are leaving Australia in a few weeks (yay!) and en route back to the UK my wife and I are touring China. We start at Beijing and work our way down to Hong Kong stopping by the great wall, the terracotta army and shanghai and dodging bird flu. This little escapade lasts 20 days. So BIG check there.
There are other less tangible or more personal ambitions I been lucky enough to realize. I, for a while had the Italian Sports car I drooled over whilst I was at University, Okay it was only Fiat Coupe but a bloody fast one. I also have my baby. Lottie, the boxer dog. As a kid I always wanted a red and white boxer and now I have her, unfortunately I also have her air fare costs to and from Oz too!!! :) She’s worth it, just... I think.
Last and certainly not least I have my fantastic family, who have the power to frustrate and delight me in equal measures, but as I've found out in Oz, life is not the same with out 'em. Oh yeah, I also own a house, and in the UK these days that is no mean feat! :) That was more by luck than judgment.
So, where now? Well to be honest I just want to get back to the UK and enjoy my friends and family and for once, live in the moment. Smell the roses, y'know all those clichés. One day I'd like to have my own business or have a film/TV series commissioned based on one of my ideas but I'm not going to bust my hump on that just yet. Ahhh and then there is the greatest journey, that of fatherhood. Hopefully my wife and I will be lucky enough to bring a life into the world at some point in the not too distant future.
I've shown the 20's the big can 'o' whup ass So I say bring on the 30's, lets see what you got?
Where have I been?
Im back, they allllwwwaayyys come back!!
So, my final week of my 'Twenties' and I must say people around me are making a bigger issue about it than me. And by a big deal I mean lots of people sucking their teeth saying "oohh thirty ehh?" and the timeless "all down hill from here". Now this is particularly cruel as anyone who knows me knows that I, on occasions have dispostion that would make Eeyore look happy-go-lucky so any misplaced comment could send me to a spiral of ennui and self despair. Having said this even I cant help to feel like I’ve accomplished that which is expected of me by the time of the big 30, lets face it I've been stressing non-stop for the last 15 I'd be well annoyed if I hadn’t :)
Education - Check! Got a decent degree. And in true twenty something fashion I'm doing a job that isn’t related to the course I studied for three years
Stable Relationship - well I am married if that counts :) I was lucky enough to marry my childhood sweetheart that I met at the tender age of 16 so yeah, a big Check!
Job - Well my perspective of this changes like the waether but I must admit I'm doing a job that is respectably paid and a lot of people would like to do and the big plus is I don’t have to wear a suit everyday. For those who are curious I'm 3d artist for computer games and the odd bit of freelance work now and again. One of the lessons I have learnt is that a job is a job really, there are always drawbacks but as long as you work to live all is well. Check!
Travel - I'm pretty sorted on this front, I've been to Paris Barcelona Amsterdam Bruges Luxembourg Venice (Got engaged there) Cyprus (Got married there) Corfu Greek Islands Athens Tunisia Cambodia Bangkok Koh Samui Chang Rai Laos Burma Egypt Australia United States – various, for a little while when I was 7 Turkey I’m currently working out in Australia, I've been here 10 months, whilst I've been here I've climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Swam in the Barrier Reef amongst other things. We are leaving Australia in a few weeks (yay!) and en route back to the UK my wife and I are touring China. We start at Beijing and work our way down to Hong Kong stopping by the great wall, the terracotta army and shanghai and dodging bird flu. This little escapade lasts 20 days. So BIG check there.
There are other less tangible or more personal ambitions I been lucky enough to realize. I, for a while had the Italian Sports car I drooled over whilst I was at University, Okay it was only Fiat Coupe but a bloody fast one. I also have my baby. Lottie, the boxer dog. As a kid I always wanted a red and white boxer and now I have her, unfortunately I also have her air fare costs to and from Oz too!!! :) She’s worth it, just... I think.
Last and certainly not least I have my fantastic family, who have the power to frustrate and delight me in equal measures, but as I've found out in Oz, life is not the same with out 'em. Oh yeah, I also own a house, and in the UK these days that is no mean feat! :) That was more by luck than judgment.
So, where now? Well to be honest I just want to get back to the UK and enjoy my friends and family and for once, live in the moment. Smell the roses, y'know all those clichés. One day I'd like to have my own business or have a film/TV series commissioned based on one of my ideas but I'm not going to bust my hump on that just yet. Ahhh and then there is the greatest journey, that of fatherhood. Hopefully my wife and I will be lucky enough to bring a life into the world at some point in the not too distant future.
I've shown the 20's the big can 'o' whup ass So I say bring on the 30's, lets see what you got?
Thursday, June 29, 2006
When is enough, enough?
So six months or so on... I think you can tell from the clever word play and subtext in my title that things really havn't picked up.
So where to start? well, I guess not much has really changed except the fact its now cold! so I don't even have the upside of good wheather. I feel I should put this into perspective. In the day its still around the 20 degree mark which is beautiful, like an english springtime day. Its the morning and the night time that are the real killers. Again, its still probably 3-5 degrees but the fact im in a wooden house, designed to keep cool in the summer with no central heating. I cant even take comfort at 'home' as its so cold.
Today I woke up feeling quite ill, and I had to wrestle with the idea of having the day off instead of going to work. I think this speaks volumes, the very fact I would rather go to work than stay at home and have a day of leisure would have been alien to me at home in England. Im simply not at ease in my 'own' house. Im sat here typing this feeling cold and uncomfortable, rather than having a Ferris Bueller style adventure full of high jinx and tom foolery. The simple matter is I have nowhere to go, no-one to see and little else to do.
We are still friend-less (ssiiiggghh..), which we have come to terms with as we feel that there is a reason for this. We are in such an 'inbetween' age. By this mean that we are not young enough to be invited to go clubbing all weekend with the 20 year olds, but we also dont have children so we dont mix through our children with other parents, so we are in a type of social limbo. This I believe spills into work. Work is odd in the same way as Im not junior enough to take everything im told to do as gospel and follow without question, but not senior enough to be able to make a real mark. My situation is also aggrevated by the fact that my 'lead artist' is the same age, same experience as me ( I was a lead artist in England). This makes for a rather prickly working relationship at times as we are too similar and I believe he feels this too. I thought it was just me but my wife is having similar experiences. This makes me think did we try this experience too late in our lives? or too early?
So I'm not comfortable at home, and its safe to say I'm not having a ball at work, so whats left? Weekends. We try and make an effort get out and about at the weekend more because we dont want to be in I think, but we have resorted to playing tennis for an hour on a Sunday, and I must say its excellent fun. It's also good that its something that my wife and I can do together, rather than my drawing which is a fairly solitary affair. We ventured into Fortitude Valley last weekend, we had a lovely meal in China town, we domilished a bottle of Merlot, so in good spirits we found an 'Irish' pub. Excellent, they had good European beer, there was a live covers band and there was a vibe (which is very rare) we were actually having a genuinly good time, then out Australian luck presented itself, a freak fire broke out downstairs and we had to vacate the bar...alas
My wife and I are now seriously exploring the possibility of coming home. This though, will not be a quick process due to the 2 month notice to get our nice brick, warm home back and the procedure of getting Lottie home. With this in mind it would be about September when we returned home, roughly 2 months early so Its not as severe as all that if we intended to be back before Christmas in the first place. I must say though there is a certain apprenhension to doing this. I'm not sure why, maybe I'm scared home wont be as good as I remember or whether part of me wants something to miraculously turn this around, either way I think its these feelings that have prevented me from being home already.
So where to start? well, I guess not much has really changed except the fact its now cold! so I don't even have the upside of good wheather. I feel I should put this into perspective. In the day its still around the 20 degree mark which is beautiful, like an english springtime day. Its the morning and the night time that are the real killers. Again, its still probably 3-5 degrees but the fact im in a wooden house, designed to keep cool in the summer with no central heating. I cant even take comfort at 'home' as its so cold.
Today I woke up feeling quite ill, and I had to wrestle with the idea of having the day off instead of going to work. I think this speaks volumes, the very fact I would rather go to work than stay at home and have a day of leisure would have been alien to me at home in England. Im simply not at ease in my 'own' house. Im sat here typing this feeling cold and uncomfortable, rather than having a Ferris Bueller style adventure full of high jinx and tom foolery. The simple matter is I have nowhere to go, no-one to see and little else to do.
We are still friend-less (ssiiiggghh..), which we have come to terms with as we feel that there is a reason for this. We are in such an 'inbetween' age. By this mean that we are not young enough to be invited to go clubbing all weekend with the 20 year olds, but we also dont have children so we dont mix through our children with other parents, so we are in a type of social limbo. This I believe spills into work. Work is odd in the same way as Im not junior enough to take everything im told to do as gospel and follow without question, but not senior enough to be able to make a real mark. My situation is also aggrevated by the fact that my 'lead artist' is the same age, same experience as me ( I was a lead artist in England). This makes for a rather prickly working relationship at times as we are too similar and I believe he feels this too. I thought it was just me but my wife is having similar experiences. This makes me think did we try this experience too late in our lives? or too early?
So I'm not comfortable at home, and its safe to say I'm not having a ball at work, so whats left? Weekends. We try and make an effort get out and about at the weekend more because we dont want to be in I think, but we have resorted to playing tennis for an hour on a Sunday, and I must say its excellent fun. It's also good that its something that my wife and I can do together, rather than my drawing which is a fairly solitary affair. We ventured into Fortitude Valley last weekend, we had a lovely meal in China town, we domilished a bottle of Merlot, so in good spirits we found an 'Irish' pub. Excellent, they had good European beer, there was a live covers band and there was a vibe (which is very rare) we were actually having a genuinly good time, then out Australian luck presented itself, a freak fire broke out downstairs and we had to vacate the bar...alas
My wife and I are now seriously exploring the possibility of coming home. This though, will not be a quick process due to the 2 month notice to get our nice brick, warm home back and the procedure of getting Lottie home. With this in mind it would be about September when we returned home, roughly 2 months early so Its not as severe as all that if we intended to be back before Christmas in the first place. I must say though there is a certain apprenhension to doing this. I'm not sure why, maybe I'm scared home wont be as good as I remember or whether part of me wants something to miraculously turn this around, either way I think its these feelings that have prevented me from being home already.
Under Tha' Seeaaa...
These incredibly adventurous shots were taken whilst snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, and I must say it is pretty great. I'd like to claim them as my own but unfortunately I was more preoccupied with the whole staying alive in the deep deep ocean thang. So these are credited to my lovely wife. These was a terrifying experience for me as I'm not what you'd call a 'water' person. I have new found respect for my wife who felt the same about the Harbour bridge climb, though I maintain my fear was more founded than hers! :)
I look TOO awesome!
I am gonna regret posting this but I thought it may make some of you chuckle
Sunday, June 25, 2006
My favourite waste of time
I feel i must show you the real reason why my blog has been neglected of late. I have set up another blog yes im having a blog affair, seriously, with the two blogs and my website I feel like i've got more web presence than pornography
http://pickthall-sketches.blogspot.com/ - Paintings and drawings
I set this one up just so I could keep this blog relavant to my time here in Hell err.. sorry Australia and not litter it with my drawings and sketches. Please feel free to leave comments on both sites.
http://pickthall-sketches.blogspot.com/ - Paintings and drawings
I set this one up just so I could keep this blog relavant to my time here in Hell err.. sorry Australia and not litter it with my drawings and sketches. Please feel free to leave comments on both sites.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Jus' Chillin'
Er..yeah, sorry for the lack of updates recently but as you can see i've been real busy. I do have a write up of Port Douglas and some ridiculas(sp?) pictures of me in a wetsuit up my sleeve. Plus a six month review.
Monday, May 15, 2006
I love the smell of peanut butter in the morning
I believe a great philosopher once said "I hate mieces to pieces" I can't remember if it was Socrates or Plato.
Following my last post about 'roaches I thought I'd better bring you all up to speed on my latest domestic struggle. I have mice! Now you maybe forgiven in thinking that I've moved to down town Delhi what with the cockroaches and now the mice but no, I'm still in good ol' Australia waiting for an outbreak of Cholera or Beri-Beri. Though, you do need water for Cholera, with the fact that Oz has bugger all of that there is slim chance. Im waiting for Bono and Geldof to turn up with 'aid' though I'd rather die of thirst than let Bono help me out, but thats another story.
The problem with Mice is the fact that 'ridding' them goes against my natural instinct because they are nice and furry aaahhhh... the fact is however is that they are far more likely to inadvertantly burn my house down chewing electrical wires than the cockroach that is merely a little 'gross' So they kinda make up the 'yin and yang' of household pests good bless 'em
Steps have been taken and make no mistake. Last night I claimed my first kill. After purchasing a couple of mouse traps from the local store I decided to 'go to work' especailly as these little rodents show me no respect. I mean, the gall of them, last night we watched three dart from one end of the kitchen to the other. It was about 10.30 when my wife saw one run across the hall, it was about 10.31 I heard the most satifying sound of the evening, the snap of the mouse trap. In the morning there were 2 more casualties. It appears these guys just cannot resist peanut butter. Now everynight is like Christmas Eve when you're a kid, I just cant wait 'til the morning to see what father Christ-mouse has left me.
Casa Del Rodente
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
"Watching Roches Climb the Wall..."
As Australian As Vegemite....Unfortunatly No this entry really isn't for the squeemish, I count myself in that statement but unfortunatly someone has to write it.
Now, predictably when I told people about my Australian adventure their first reaction to tell me stories about funnel-web spiders, redback spiders and snakes of all descriptions. Plus, obviously the old favourite. Check under the toilet seats before you 'go' as there is a spider that lurks under the seat....excellent!
I've been here for 5 months now and I'm yet to see a snake (and by god i've looked foolishly enough) and still no sign of a spider that will quite literally 'tear me a new one' Yeah I've seen some beauties, but these are orb weaving and St Andrews Cross spiders. They are big but not in the 'furry' category. Seriously, when I arrived here I thought I'd be barackading the door shut just to keep them all out if the stories were anything to go by.
This isnt to say we havnt come across a few nasties. You get told about the stuff that will kill you but you dont get told about pretty much everyother insect which has a chip on its shoulder, these guys are angry and make no mistake.
Never again I'm I gonna complain about red ants “oooooo they bite” news flash peeps, all ants in Oz bite, you just count your blessings you're not bitten by fireants!.
The clear winner in the 'Im gonna gross you out so you don't sleep' award is the Australian Cockroach. There is something inately discomforting about a cockroach, I try and think of it as a big beetle but it just doesnt work. Perhaps its because back home in the UK we're use to see them on 'fly on the wall' (did you see what i did there) documentries about dodgy flats and restaurants, they are just synonomous with filth. You try and keep the house pristine but there is no rhyme or reason to the cockroach its just wonders in when you least expect it. Someone said to us if we were just getting one a week we were doing well! Im not just being a 'girl' here folks these guys get a good two and a half inches in length and man, can they move! In a weird way its this that draws the eye as you catch it make the 100M sprint across the hall. These things a certianly not pretty, even less so once they've seen the wrong side of my adidas I can tell you. But even when you clout it, it STILL runs the gauntlet mocking you as it goes.
Yep unfortunately they are Australian as the BBQ, the beach and Vegimite.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
I miss Soccer .. FOOTBALL!! I said football
I never thought I'd be quite this shallow but I miss Football, there, I've said it.
Yeah I can read up on it on the 'net but when my beloved Liverpool reached the final of the English F.A. Cup it hit home. I would'nt be able to watch it down the local with my mates and more pointedly, my brothers. Its an english institution afterall. Yeah I can catch the odd highlight but it simply isnt the same. I was actually nearly disapointed that they got to the final. Then I got to thinking of the forthcoming worldcup. The law of sod says that England will get to the final. This is unthinkable.
The Ozzy coverage will last as long as their national team is still in it (3 games then) but afterthat forget it. Australian sports coverage borders on the farcicle. If they dont win it, they dont show it, its pretty much that simple. If there is anyone better than them at a sport then they try and sort them out a Visa so they become 'Australian' and claim them as their own (see the sierra leone commonwealth games team)
There is 'Aussie Rules' to get my teeth into, and by-christ, I've tried. Its not actually that bad but I had no or little idea what was going on. I thought I'd ask some guys at work what the deal was with it but guess what? they didnt seem to know either! This is testament to one of two things. Either A) they are not interested in it or B) they are none too bright. After nearly six months in the colony i'd plump for the latter.
In reflection I think what I miss most about 'soccer' is not actually soccer at all its.....my mates, and the culture of going down the pub (allbeit some rough establishment) with a few mates and normally Kelv and Ross and supping a PINT of beer whilst being put through the mill watching my team.
