Had a fantastic and exhausting day today. With Graham, Lia, and Gavin, I went up through the Glasshouse Mountains, which are actually ancient extinct volcanoes, and the domes have eroded, all that's left is the actual volcano tub from the ground up, so the mountains look like giant fucking rocks some giant left on the countryside. It's really neat.

On the way there, I explained "Dawn of the Dead" scene by scene to Gavin. I loved that movie. ZOMBIEBOMB!

The countryside itself was gorgeous. It's definitely not all desert. :) We weren't too far inland, but it was just beautiful and green with these gorgeous rolling hills. It was very bucolic and unlike any place I'd been before. We got some nice pictures.

After that, we stopped in Montville, a tiny little town remniscent of New Hope back in Pennsylvania. It had a bunch of cute little shops as well as a wonderful wonderful fudge shop. I got some fudge and it was wonderfully divine - a kahlua bit, a strawberries and cream bit, and a caramel and chocolate swirl bit. I ate it over the course of the day.

After that, we stopped in the Mapleton Falls national park, which had this positively gorgeous view of the valley and the surrounding mountains. A small waterfall flowed down hundreds of meters into a small pool and a shadowy grove full of palm trees. I loved it. It just looked totally surreal - more like something out of Lord of the Rings than a real life sight.

After that, we stopped by this little town with all these shops. We got some meat pies, and I tried some of my friends' fresh fruit drinks. They were super thick, more like shakes without the ice cream. Loved it.

After that it was on to Noosa, where we met with Kat. We met her parents at their beautiful flat overlooking the river / ocean. Then we went down to the beach, hung out, waded in the water, did some martial arts stuff (which my body is still hurting from right now). Then we headed over to Cato's for drinks and a little pizza. They had this little canister of free water with a bunch of lemons, limes and cut strawberries in it. It was the best water I've ever had, and for free! I'm totally doing that at my new house. That would be so yummy.

Noosa was really pretty. It was definitely a rich resort town, but it seemed kind of unpretentious. It was like "Yeah, we like nice stuff" rich not like "We are gaudy Americans!" rich. Or maybe I'm just wasn't feel oppositional that day.

After that, we went back to Kat's for a little bit, chatted, then headed out. I mostly crashed on the ride home, but I looked out the window a few times and saw some serious stars out there. Really beautiful. I wanted to pull over, but I couldn't even stay awake; my head went every which way.

I'm pretty tired as I write this. I'm going to watch a movie and go to sleep soon.

Love you guys.

Went to the State of Origin rugby league game at Liz Best's house tonight. Had a great great time. Sam and Will were there, as was Liz's friend Anthony. We were all hanging out, eating snacks, and watching rubgy. It's a fantastic sport to watch, and it just never stops. I enjoyed it much more than American football. It's also a lot more brutal. State of Origin is a special event game that involves Queensland playing against New South Wales. Queensland played lamely in the first half, but during the second half they whipped serious ass with Billy Slater bringing in some serious heat with two "tries" (a try is like a touchdown) in the span of a few minutes. Great game. Probably the most excited I've gotten over a sporting event in years. Groovy stuff. Makes up for the fact that I'm missing the NBA finals. :)

It feels good doing *normal* things here you know? Makes it feel like home. Going to wild destinations, doing crazy expensive things... these are the things that fantastic vacations are made of... Meeting great people, participating in great drama, learning to really love your new friends... that's what fantastic memories are made of.

I'm glad to have those memories.

"I took the road less traveled by / and that has made all the difference."

Funniest Story Ever. It involves Judaism, and we all know that Judaism is funny. Just ask Mel Brooks.

Anyway here goes. Here at Emmanuel College in the University of Queenlsand, I live next to this girl Christie Panasevich. She goes to Syracuse University, which is sometimes abbreviated as "`Cuse."

Now she grew up in upstate New York, surrounded by "cows and Catholics" (her words). The first time she saw Jewish people was when she went to college. She saw a bunch of her guy friends all dressed up in suits and asked, "Hey, where are you guys going?"

"We're going to temple."

"Oh wow, Temple? We're having a basketball game? Go `Cuse!" I think she ran off before they had a chance to explain.

So she goes to her dorm, and sees a bunch of her female friends also all dressed up. So she excitedly says:

"Hey are you guys going to Temple too?"

"Yeah..."

"Awesome! Go `Cuse!"

By her own admittance, she "talks before she thinks."

Then one of her Jewish friends pulled her aside and explained to her temple, yarmulkes, etc. Turns out it was a high holy day (she didn't say which one).

Go Jews!

John J Thomas (11:28:44 AM): kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, merry merry king of the bush is he so laugh, kookaburra laugh, kookaburra gay your life must be

Auto response from Typhoon921 (11:28:44 AM): my poetry portfolio kicked my ass. now i'm sleeping.

John J Thomas (11:29:00 AM): just an old song i remembered from childhood that I thought would make you hungry!



I shall feast on it fleeeesssssssssssshh!

And now for something completely different:

I was in the Red Room today, which is a bar, which has a balcony that overlooks some lakes and fields on campus. I was eating fries and aioli with my friend Diana, having pleasant conversation, when this zooming, flapping mass of feathers soars right between us, for no discernable reason. It makes a full loop and lands back where it started. Spooked the hell out of us, but we didn't think anything of it. We were both like, "Whoa. Didn't see that one coming.."

So we get to the bottom of our fries, and I'm eating the second to last one. Now this is a long, crispy, delicious fry, covered in aioli, which is one of the best things I've ever tasted in my life (it's kind of like garlicky mayonnaise, but better). I take a big bite, which is about half of the fry. I'm holding it up between me and Diana while we talk.

Suddenly, the zooming, flapping mass of feathers returns, succeeding in spooking the hell out of both of us again, but a bit less this time. After it leaves, I look forward again.

Then I notice something. My fucking fry is gone. This goddamn bird flew in and stole my fucking fry! I start to scream at it, perhaps angry that I was knocked down a rung on the food chain. "You motherfucker! You fucking bastard bird! I was gonna eat that you fucker!"

I get a good look at this thing finally and it looks like a crow that someone came all over. That makes me angry. And it's got my fry in its mouth. That just makes me angrier.

"I hope you fucking choke on it you, you fucking piece of shit! Fuck you! Fuck you, you son of a bitch!"

Then it swallows.

"Fuck you! I hope you fucking die! You goddamn worthless bastard!"

This group of Australian kids was laughing, and a girl said, "It's okay, we can call the bouncer and get the kookaburra thrown out."

"Kookaburra? That's what that motherfucker is called! You cunt bird! You cunty cunt cunt bird! Fuck you!"

I was going to throw the empty plastic aioli container at it, but I couldn't work up the heart to do it. We get into this staring contest. He's got his head turned so he can stare directly at me with one eye. I lean over the railing to stare at him.

At this point I notice that its bigger than the average cum-covered crow, with a longer beak, and I had these Hitchcockian images of getting my my eyes pecked out. I'll chalk it up to animal sympathy, and not look like a simpering coward, thanks.

Needless to say, I fully plan on eating kookaburra before I go home now.