We are now two full weeks in. This means just a week left, but still so much to do and see.
Even since the weekend, we have done quite a bit. From Alice Springs, we headed to Darwin which is popular for seeing the crocodiles. Obviously, we made sure that we did a tour.
It was great fun. We also did a hike in the Litchfield National Park, which was very hot, but also worth the visit.
Now, we are in Adelaide. More updates on our activities here later!
~T π₯πβοΈ
Itβs definitely a lot warmer here in Australia than in Italy at the moment. Luckily, the sightseeing has been so enjoyable that it has made the temperatures bearable.
We had a lovely time in Byron Bay after a rather challenging night in Brisbane. We stayed in an area near the airport, which I wouldnβt recommend. It also encouraged us to adjust our schedule a bit to stay longer in Byron Bay rather than rushing back to the city.
It was fortuitous that we did so as M and D got to meet up with a cousin neither had seen, or perhaps met, for years. It was, of course, my first time to meet them as well. So, it was a nice family catchup visit along with the chill vibe of a beach life.
Upon our return to Brisbane, we stayed in a different area at a nicer hotel. Although two nights would have been OK, one was sufficient in giving us a taste of the city and appreciating the luxurious conveniences of life before heading to the middle of the country.
Then, it was off to Alice Springs where we spent two nights. The first full day was a long bus tour out to Uluru (previously known as Ayerβs Rock) and The Olgas, or Kata TjuαΉ―a. It was worth the long day of travel to see this amazing natural wonder and to learn a bit more of the history, culture of the original people of Australia.
We are now in Darwin – updates on that and our next moves after the weekend.
By the way, click on the pics for the link to our Instagram account where more pics can be seen. Eventually, Iβll try to put together a full Australia tour summary post when we get back home.
~T π₯πβοΈ
Itβs not actually Australia Day, but it was the only image available that worked for the theme. π
As our second visit, it is nice to be back. This time, though, we are going to be seeing more of the country than before. It will actually be a busy tour, but that is part of the fun – in my opinion. After the length of the travel to get here (about 36 hours door to door and then having to wait three hours to check in to our hotel room), I am not sure how eager we will be to come again. Of course, if there is a reason, we never really say no to traveling. π
Anyway, the first day was just arriving, waiting for our room, and trying to adjust to the new time zone. We did manage to go for a lovely dinner with D and her friend R. Easy and stress-free is the way to be!
Yesterday was Day 2/20 and so went in to the Sydney Opera House area (Circular Quay) where we had a little wander around.
It was a chill day as we were basically just waiting to get our flight out to Brisbane, where we will be heading to Byron Bay for a couple of days and then back to Brisbane for another day or so.
Soβ¦not much to add for now, but will try to share a bit here and there as we go along.
~T π₯πβοΈ
It’s award season. π Whether or not she would agree, I always felt that watching the Grammy’s or Oscar’s was something my mom and I bonded over. Probably, at the time, it never seemed like it meant much to me and over the years, she wouldn’t know that I make a point of watching these shows as an act of nostalgia. (Now you know, Mom!) π₯°
For the most part, I barely keep up with the latest of anything. I feel pretty content in my life that it is not important for me to know who’s who. However, I had heard that there were some legends performing at this year’s Grammy’s so I tuned in (after it aired live). π
I was not disappointed by the performances. Even the newbies to me were entertaining.
Yet, I was disappointed by those who have today’s spotlight amongst the youth. π«€ Now, I realize that I might be showing my age (gasp!), but I felt a real un-relatability to the likes of Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift. While the masses seem to enjoy jumping on the bandwagon of either hate or love for these two, especially TS, I could really care less. I enjoy some tunes from both and dislike many tunes from both. That is not the age gap, in my opinion.
What is the issue at hand, is the lack of class. π Both of these ladies, who are touted as being role models for young females of today, gave acceptance speeches that were contradictory and lacking humility. “I accept this award, but I don’t need this award.” “Thank you for this, but it doesn’t mean anything because I’ll keep doing what I do.” “I’ve already won so many of these, but I make my music for you.” These kinds of words are so strange. π
At the crux of it for me, was the lack of etiquette, appreciation, and humility to be recognized. In this growing entitled, social media is everything world, I cannot relate to the inability to simply say “Thank you. I appreciate the recognition and I hope to keep making music that you all continue to enjoy.” That’s all they need to say. Nothing more. π€«
Anyway, as my dad likes to repeatedly point out, giving them time and attention feeds into the problem. Or, at least I choose to turn his words into a more proactive statement. π€ͺ So, this is all the attention I will give to them for now. I’m sure I’ll have some words about the Super Bowl and the media’s obsession over TS… I mean seriously, who really cares?? Ooops, getting ahead of myself. In my usual tradition, I shall be spending some time on YouTube watching the adverts, highlights of the game, and then will pontificate in a later post – perhaps.
We leave tomorrow for three weeks in Australia, so I just might have better things to do with my time! π
~T π₯πβοΈ
There are certain cultural elements that I have acquainted myself with as it relates to my Asian heritage. While I do not lament that I never knew about these aspects of my original roots, I find that there is a sense of familiarity in acknowledging them. Take, for example, the Lunar New Year.
Thanks to modern times forcing people to stop calling it Chinese New Year, I have found more comfort in embracing the zodiac calendar (which seems to still be called the Chinese Zodiac) where there are 12 different animals that are attached to the Lunar year in a cyclical fashion.
For some reason, I have always been fascinated by the fact that I was supposedly born in the year of the dragon – supposedly because I am not convinced this is true based on certain facts. In any case, it is the year I choose to accept as my spirit animal, so to speak. Really, it’s just another way – like the Myers-Briggs, or astrological horoscope – to somehow connect with others in this world; to feel as if I’m not completely alone in my uniqueness.
Just like Joseph Campbell suggests, there are hero and antihero stereotypes. Just like Carl Jung defines, we all have certain personality types in common. Just like you, or the person next to you, or me, we are all trying to fit in with each other, with this space, with this community of mankind, with this planet, with this universe and beyond.
So, it is for that reason that I take advantage of my ability to pick and choose what elements of my Asian background I want to embrace. The Lunar New Year is harmless, a celebration of hope for what is to come, a reminder for the past, and a sign that all is temporary yet cyclical. In that circle, we find that any gaps we think exist, are actually enwrapped in unity.
Happy Lunar New Year! May the year of the dragon bring peace, prosperity, and promise.
~T π₯πβοΈ
It was many years ago when fell in love with rugby. π I had many male friends from Australia and New Zealand who introduced me to the game. Having grown up with sports always on TV and an appreciation of the community that is involved in watching it, I was interested in this very international one that resembled American football – but better. π€ͺ
Perhaps it was because I was living in Japan where it can often be hard to distinguish between a man and a woman when looking at them from behind, but I came to truly appreciate the rough edges of a rugby player. Soon, the New Zealand All Blacks became my favorite team due to their pre-kick-off tradition of the haka.
If you’ve never seen one, here is a sample:
What’s not to love?! β€οΈ
Anyway, then I met an Englishman who also loves his sports including rugby. So, we make sure to enjoy matches live where we can. Last year was the Rugby World Cup, so we saw a match in Nice, France.
This year, we took in a Six Nations opening weekend match in Rome of England vs Italy.
It was fun to see the Italian way of supporting their team and watching the crowd get involved. There were also a lot of white-shirted English team supporters as well, which made it lively. I told my partner that it seemed as if the Italian fans were “fair weather” cheerers while the English were “foul weather” fans – cheering more when they were down than up. π
All in all, it was a good time and I think we might make a regular event of it if we are around to watch matches in Rome. π₯°
PS Sorry for the weird photo of us, but I didn’t want to post with the other unknown faces in the background. π¬
~T π₯πβοΈ
It went so quickly, this past month. We were relatively busy with settling back into home life whilst also preparing for our upcoming trip to Australia and planning the rest of the year. I have a feeling 2024 is going to go fast and I’ll start sounding like a broken record about the speed of passing time.
So, to counter that, I am going to give myself a February challenge of sitting in meditation once a day. The sits have no parameters on length of time or when in the day it is done. Rather, I just want to re-train the brain to pause, not get caught up in the energetic chaos that can come from others, and to find the small things in which I can find contentment and/or gratitude. Thus, my posts in this next month will include some particular moments in which I felt present and aware of life’s blessings.
1st – catching up friends for the first time this year and since we have been back. The conversation flowed naturally and it was a nice, chilled time.
2nd (today) – after nearly two years of taking yoga classes with the same people, I finally sat with them and began to learn who they are as individuals with whom I share space with in not just yoga, but this world and community.
It is in this vein that I leave January behind and look forward to what February brings.
~T π₯πβοΈ
Since our trip to Venice, I have been pondering the idea of “bucket lists” and contemplating the reason I don’t have one – or so I think.
For a while, it was all the rage to have a bucket list and people would do something on their list, share it, and feel satisfied that they could tick something off their list. Sadly, the desire to tick/check it off the list became more important than enjoying the experience that might have been the real reason someone wanted to do that thing in the first place. These days, it’s as if we are just collecting stars like on a childhood sticker chart for having done something rather than feeling content with living in the moment. I’m sure this is a blanket statement and many people may not behave this way, but you get what I mean.
For me, I always felt the idea of a bucket list to be just another way for most people to lament about how they haven’t done the things they’ve wanted in their lives. So, instead of seeing it as a “want to do” list, I see it as a “wish I could” list. To a language nerd, these do not hold the same meaning.
A “want to do” is with a plan that leaves room for error, but it will get done.
A “wish I could” is an idea that leaves room for excuses, sighs, lamentations, and belief that they can/will not happen.
These terms could be argued, but the main point is that I do not see life as a list of things I wish I could do. I see it as a plan to do the things I want.
So, if I want to see China, I have a plan to do it. I’m not going to wait until “someday”, but I do have a real plan in the next few years to get on a tour and see it. In contrast, I can be heard saying I wish I could skydive. While I know that it is fully within my capability to go find a way to jump out of an airplane and scream into the vast atmosphere until a parachute (hopefully) opens up to quiet the space around me as I float, I know that I will not actually do this – or at least the probability is less than 50%. First, the wish is not strong enough to make it happen; and well, I’ve got a lot of other things I want to do so that it is not a priority. That’s not say I wouldn’t do it if the chance presented itself easily, though.
Also, I see a bucket list as a bit morbid. People always use it in phrases like, “I want to tick this off my bucket list before I die.” Death is always connected with it. It’s the same idea as “I’ll do that when I retire.”
Although I fully appreciate that people have limits financially, time-wise, work-wise, or family and social obligations, I do not believe that we must wait until a so-called “perfect” situation arises to make the things we really want happen. It’s true that some things take time to save up money, to rearrange schedules, to prepare others if we are away. However, nothing but our egos and fears stop us from taking the steps required to do the things that we want.
As my life mantra is “NO is just a suggestion to find another way to YES”, I live without worry about how or when I can do the things I want.
Still, I have moments of doubt when my “little B with an itch” voice threatens to convince me that I’m just fooling myself or that I’m in some sort of alternate reality where life is some kind of fantasy. I suppose all that might be true.
However, I choose to make lists of action not ones of sitting and wistfully sighing about someday ticking something off a my bucket list…. I believe everyone can and should do this too!
~Tπ₯πβοΈ
Matt has always wanted to go to Venice and I have always wanted to see a proper Carnival experience, so our always wantings merged into the perfect time to go.
Away we went for the weekend to see the last weekend of a two-week period where people dress up in various styles of costume and wear masks wandering around the city. Some had traveled near and far to join in the festivities, either as a spectator or a participant.
The costumes and masks were both creepy and amazing. Here are some of my favs:
While there isn’t that much to do in the city of Venice itself, we wandered the square, at good food, did the gondola ride and had an overall wonderful time!
You can see all of our pics here.
~T π₯πβοΈ
Since I had my first haircut and perm, I have been open to trying just about anything with my hair – the only exception being shaving it as I’m not sure on that one just yet.
My philosophy is that hair grows back and so there is no need to worry so much about experimenting with styles. I have colored it purple, shades of blond and browns. I have cut it short, grown it long. I have permed it, straightened it.
Most of the time, I am content with how my hair looks knowing that it grows and can be changed.
Also, I maintained a philosophy that having my hair long in the summer was better than in winter because the heat makes my head hot and I want to be able to put it up and out of my face. In the winter, I keep it down to give me warmth. However, this year, I got tired of my COVID length hair that had grown long.
I decided to cut and bleach it with a sort of ombre style, but also as I wanted to grow my natural hair color out. However, it wasn’t quite the look I wanted so I decided to see about getting a perm. I’ve always preferred my hair curly since the fineness of my hair makes it look flat when straight and short. Getting a perm outside of Japan with coloring is a very hard task. Who knew?
So, while I was in the US, I decided to try it under a misguided belief that it could be done at a beauty school. Of course, it was proven that I could not perm my hair without massive destruction to it. Instead, I got a haircut that went absolutely wrong…. You get what you pay for when it comes to women’s hair!
For the first time in many years, I hated my hair. Even with my mantra that it grows back, every day I hated my hair.
One of my biggest goals with my looks is to avoid looking middle-aged and more importantly like a middle-aged Asian lady. In Asia, there is a certain look that one takes on for each stage/age of life thanks to the group culture. So, having short hair styled a certain way is what makes it clear you are part of the age group. For me, that’s a no-bueno situation. I dislike being put into a box anyway, and who wants to embrace middle-age if it is an expectation?
While we were in London, we happened to walk behind a woman who had beautiful long braid extensions. She was dressed stylishly and her hair looked gorgeous. I somewhat casually said, “I want to have hair like that.”
Well, the idea stayed with me and so I began to look for examples online of Asians with braids and research what it would take. After seeing a few examples and watching a few videos, I decided to try to find a place to do it. Knowing we were going to be in Rome, which had a higher chance of having a decent place to go to, I made a semi-spontaneous decision to reach out to a place with good reviews.
Upon conversing with the shop, discussing with M, we did our doctor’s appointments, had a nice lunch and then M left me to it.
Despite promises that it would cost less than it did and be done sooner than it was, I am very pleased with the results. Although they claim it will last a couple of months, I feel it will be lucky to last one month since my hair is so fine – even after one wash and care of the hair/braids today, the little hairs are sticking out. Still, I don’t mind.
There’s a bit of itchiness and quite a bit of maintenance it seems, but as an experiment of something new for my hair, I love it!
~T π₯πβοΈ
