Traedogg Down Under

So, I haven’t blogged in quite a while, but there hasn’t been a whole lot of interesting updates! So I’ll just fill everyone in on the week. Tuesday night I went and saw a play at the Sydney Opera House about the life of Judy Garland. It was SUCH a great night. Me and my roomate Brit met before hand to grab a drink at the Opera House Bar which overlooks the harbour. The view of Sydney at night is just INCREDIBLE, but unfortunately, my digital doesn’t take scenery pictures in the dark! We had an interesting confrontation on the 1/2 hour bus ride home from the city to our house, however. A drunk, old, Aborigional women sat across from us and started yelling at us out of nowhere. I cant even type some of the things she called us, because they were just that terrible ! (and lets face it, my grandma reads this blog!) She was like.. “Oh you two are just F****** YANKS!” (among other things). She literally yelled at us for about five minutes straight before we got up and tried to move away from her, and then she lunged at us.. and other passengers on the bus jumped in to defend us and the bus driver radioed for help and dropped her off in front of the police station! It was even more dramatic then I have the ability to make it sound online too! it was like nothing I have ever experienced! This lady literally took a lifetime of anger out on Britt and I in her drunken stooper! Good thing we have thick skin;)

No new world on the internship. My coordinator is looking to place me at One Basketball, which an overarching organization that houses all the australian basketball leagues (so their version of the NBA and WNBA). This week, however, the contact I needed to be in touch with was at some big tournament in Cairns, so, everything has been on hold until he returns. The problem is, their offices are about an hour away from where I live. So I will have to take a bus into the Central Train Station in the city, and then take a train out to my job and back every single day, but hopefully if I end up there, it will be worth the trip! It sounds fun anyways…..

Other then that, I’ve just been burried in school work this week, as I have a test and presentation this Wednesday. I did manage to go out downtown on Saturday night, however, with some of my roomates and our friend Danielle. I haven’t been drinking much since I’ve been here b/c its really expensive and I dont want to do anything stupid while I’m out…(there is just WAY to much to lose in being drunk and careless 😉 )… but the roomies dragged me out for a late night on the town and I had a BLAST! We went to a popular, tri-level bar called “The Orient” right near the harbour. Australians LOVE their american 80’s music, and we just got down to all our 80’s favorites (and a few early 90’s) all night long! (foot loose, livin on a prayer, brown eyed girl, I will survive, summer of 69, greece.. just to name a few!) We danced so hard and so long, not only was I sweating, but, I got home and my ankle was kinda sore, so I took off my high heal boots, and sure enough, swollen left ankle! Now thats a good night out! (pics are online at snapfish.. www.snapfish.com username: tlswartz@wisc.edu pasword: missyou)

Life has a funny way of humbling you when you think you have it all figured out. I think its God’s humor to be honest… him chuckling from above as he shifts your life quickly and harmlessly away from what you spent so long perfectly planning out. And although you may not realize it at the time, when he shuts one door he has left another one open leading you toward something so perfect you couldn’t have planned it yourself after all. That is what I’m beginning to realize anyway as the days move on in OZ. (what Aussies call Australia).

I did not get the internship position at Draft. In past semesters, they have had room for up to three interns based on their work load, but this semester they only had room for one. That spot ended up going to my older, more advertising savvy roomate, Britt. Although I couldn’t be happier for her, it has left me again with no internship and left to wait patiently for what God has in store for me. I spoke with my internship coordinator, Larry, and he gave me three other possible options for a Marketing/PR internship: A position at a huge casino/hotel on the harbour “Star City” helping with their marketing, an art gallery downtown Gallery 4A and a internship with One Basketball. (One of their basketball leagues in Australia from what I understand). I told him any of these positions would be wonderful, and he gave me a contact for One Basketball who I am going to try and call tomorrow. So we will see how it goes.

In being here nearly five weeks now, I am beginning to learn that there is no sence in crafting this master plan for your life. Because lets face it, life is unpredictable… yet that is part of what makes it so endearing and what makes each day new and exciting. I’m guilty of worrying, A LOT about things I cant control. It is one of the characteristics I hate most about myself; it is needless and just a collossal waste of time. Being in a new place where there are endless uncertainties, I could worry myself sick if I allowed it. But thankfully, I’m learning the importance of LIVING. Just BEING. Living each day to the fullest–embracing its challenges and reveling in the sheer joy it brings.

Having dreams is important, but drafting out a plan for your future just isn’t. Life has a strange way of working itself out in its own time, at its own pace. I find it challenging to let go sometimes and just roll with the punches… but I’m working on it;) You’ve just got to have faith…and in the mean time…while you are patiently waiting for all the answers to reveal themselves to you..you have to just live and appreciate each passing day for the blessing that it is.

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Well, like I said, I knew there would be pleanty more "Live and Learn" entries and some how I'm guessing most of them will involve food and dining out! This Live and Learn is not as embarassing or as ... [Continue reading this entry]