Transitions

Transitioning to Melbourne permanently is an interesting ongoing process with no clear end in sight for the next 6 months. I'm heading back to Lalaland in the next few weeks to close out everything earlier than anticipated due to an amazing opportunity to ship personal things over here. It will feel much more like home here once everything arrives!

Our 3 cats Ketchua, Crookshanks and Fitzwilliam Darcy are currently starting the quarantine procedure to be allowed into Aussieland...only 5ish months to go. It's ridiculous that indoor cats who clearly don't have rabies need to go through such an extensive process; I just want my monsters out here.

Let's see, other than that, its been very satisfying unsubscribing to crap email. Regardless of how corny this sounds, waking up in the am to emails from family/friends is amazing because it makes Melbourne feel closer. Hmmm, I sadly no longer need LA restaurant deals or membership emails from the Pantages/LA Opera/Ahmanson Theatre...why or why do their seasons have to be so damn good! Seeing the lineup for both the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Forever Cemetery screenings for the summer is going to be somewhat painful. I was so determined to get into the HFC July 3rd screening with fireworks...(*sniff*)...and July 4th last year at the Bowl with Barry Manilow was epic.

Finally, it's almost time to start looking for a more long term apartment. We're getting a good sense of the areas within the city that we really like. Fingers crossed one works out!

Dream apartments ---------->

<------------ Purty

                                                 


                          Ridiculously awesome ----------->

Moving Permanently to the Country that Invented Uggs

It's so exciting and surreal to be moving to a new country! Long story of how everything came about, but it's officially official. 

Even after being here for almost 2 months, things are still continuing to pop up that strike me as odd. For example, with growing up in the US, I've become accustomed to certain clothing designers, US measurement of mileage/nutritional info/lbs, the way a grocery store is laid out, delicious brunches where they don't put ice cream on pancakes, various coffee terminology (not getting ice cream in your coffee when you order an "ice coffee"), uncomplicated credit card lingo (apparently requesting credit card transactions where you have to sign a receipt is considered archaic here), and of course Dunkin' Donuts. 

Professionally, for the past 5 years, I've worked my butt off in LA working in the industry. I'll admit, looking back on my time there, it was mainly a blur of different offices around town. But every office was filled with such amazing people that became my peeps out there. **Quick sidenote: I forgot to mention from several posts ago, the whole working in a cafe just didn't work out.

Each of those things is different here which is awesome sauce, but it's such an odd feeling to be starting over; liberating but scary. 

Our cats will have to go through 5 months of quarantine in the US, followed by 30 days here in a facility. I can't wait to have them out here! I'll be pretty much as far away as I can get from my parents which is hard (I swear Mom and Pops this was not planned on purpose). The time difference from here to the East coast is somewhat frustrating as is the time difference to LA, making it hard to coordinate Skyping time that's convenient on both ends. And it's incredibly sad knowing I won't be living in the same city with some of my closest friends. 

The decision of moving to Melbourne permanently was really challenging. But a friend of mine told me recently "Life is an adventure, it is supposed to be scary & confusing, that is how you know you are doing it right." And the most important thing is that I'll be going through all the new with my person. So starts the adventure and new chapter! 

Opposites React While Driving

I have driven my ass off over the past 13 + years, both loving and hating it. I'm obviously a Masshole, and learned to drive in the wonderfully agressive auto environment of Boston, MA. While touring with Missoula Children's Theatre, I drove all over the US, sometimes driving through very bizarre terrain though mountains and desert. I've seen it all.

Living in LA for 5 years has meant that I've driven all over the state mainly for film, wine, and of course Vegas;) I've had great times in my car with friends, from getting stuck on the side of the PCH in 4th of July traffic to blasting Michael Jackson and Disney music with friends in the middle of Hollywood at ungodly hours. I've been stuck in WAY TOO MUCH TRAFFIC IN LA. But I have been wonderfully entertained countless of times by the crazy folks of Hollywood (a special shout out to the man who was wandering down Hollywood Blvd. in a backless hospital gown while I was on my way to work several years ago). I would have loved it if my car, "Legolas", had the ability to punch assholes's cars who cut me off in Beverly Hills or didn't wave a thank after I let them in (pet peeve). An "Inspector Gadget" situation would have made Los Angeles traffic somewhat more bearable.

This past Saturday, I drove an Australian car without hurting Richard, the car, or myself. This seems like a pretty substantial feat given the circumstances. With both driving from the right side of the car and on the other side of the road, I was really weirded out when I first got behind the wheel. It was so tripy going against 13 + years of experience. I would automatically reach for levers that weren't there because everything except for the gas/brake pedal are on the opposite side. It was also somewhat challenging making sure the car was placed exactly in the middle of the lane. I'm a fan of the grooved pavement on the road shoulder that would remind me every time I drifted too far to the side to get my shit together. I have yet to drive in the city, but I ended up successfully maneuvering on the highway which was an unexpected feat.

It has been great doing so much walking in the city, but I will admit, I miss having a car. I thought I had sworn off "English driving", but am very happy to have gone back on my word. 

25 - The Melburnian Trial

(cue drum roll)…25 is the magic number! Let's bring this full circle:

Since being in Australia, I have applied for many jobs. While being on a work and holiday visa is awesome, it doesn't necessarily work in your favor in successfully procuring work. But hey, it allows me to stay in the country, so in the end I have limited beef with it. And I get it, people normally on this visa aren't in town for long periods of time, it's more of a "vacation visa" to travel around the country. While I get situated in Melbourne professionally, do some more digging into both the acting/theatre and film/tv production scene, I've been applying for cafe/barista/waitressing jobs. I've gone in and given resumes in person to both places that had help-wanted signs posted in the window, and those that didn't, as well as scouring Gumtree (Australia's version of Craigslist) daily. 

Due to the fact that I haven't worked in food service in about 4ish years, its definitely been a bit of a fight. And I've never been someone who could lie on a resume...I don't like bad karma. It always seems that in every industry, there's always the question of how do I get experience if no one will give me a chance in the first place to get the experience to then be able to work? But as my old Pappy used to say (yes that was a "Maverick" reference), it only takes 1 person to give you that chance to prove yourself. Well, tomorrow is my chance to prove myself in a cafe in East Melbourne. I got a call today in response to my "hospitality submission" asking for me to do a trial starting tomorrow. 

I really have no idea what tomorrow will entail. I have limited clothing with me and am not sure I have anything close to the right thing to wear….especially shoes…BUT, it will be an adventure. The stress of looking for work can definitely make you forget that new jobs are fun. I'm a bit nervous, but I think I've been a bit nervous on the first day of all new jobs I've started; it definitely keeps you on your toes. Even though this opportunity may not work out, it still is validating to get some response back from the ether. Fingers crossed it will be the first of many exciting jobs to come Down Under.

The 25 hospitality job applied to = the first Melburnian trial (cue dramatic dun dun dun!).