Nick's Animation and What-Have-Ya Blog

Before and Afters:

2011-07-20T08:52:00.001-07:00

Recently I started going back to old shots and reworking them, in some cases re-animating them, partly to add some of my games work to my overall reel but also to take what I learned the last two years and apply it to shots that I struggled with in years past.

This is one of my shots from God of War, actually it was a staple of my old reel but as you can see from the original that I was weak and lacked confidence as an animator at this point in my career. Pose was just a word and I seemed to have had no problems breaking poses to get around problems rather than taking the time to get it all anatomically correct. The timing is sticky, and the work is not what it could have been, although in-game with all the other stuff going on it still worked.

This is the new version. The poses are clear, the spine's timing is broken up, the arcs are clear, there is weight in the movement. It is still not perfect but it is a major improvement. Now I can see what all the effort the last two years got me...

Additional note: I remember when I did this in production it took me about two weeks from start to finished. This time around, re-animating from scratch took me a day for blocking and timing then about three days of polish going at it part time. I have gotten much faster that's for sure.

Back in the Saddle Again...

2011-07-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

Back to animating after an almost two month long break. I never knew how much I worked in the last two years until I stopped doing it for a while. I am cleaning up old work and posting it as it comes out and starting to think of a next shot. Not sure if it's going to be acting or some really cool physical test, we'll see what inspiration will bring.

Newest reel is posted...

Employed!

2011-01-12T14:44:00.000-08:00

Forget the last post for now, all shots are off!

I have been picked up for a 3 month contract at Sony Pictures Imageworks to work on The Green Hornet coming to a theater near you this June!

Off to New Mexico

Real Time Shot Walk Through

2010-12-29T14:52:00.000-08:00

This week is the first week in a long time that I don't have anything to do. Animation Mentor has wrapped up and my time in the program was amazing. I have grown so much in the last two years as an animator, I am so thankful for the program!

Of course I will be sending the reel out to prospective employers but as we all know in the animation industry the wait can be long so in the mean time I decided to start another shot. Must keep practicing! Must keep learning!

At the same time I was trying to find a new first animation oriented post for my new animation centered blog and thought a great idea would be to do a Real Time Demo of my shot. I will post on every stage from conception through to polish.

My disclaimer: There are many ways to skin a cat! I have my way of working which is never to be claimed as the "absolute right way" to work. Everyone has their own way of working and I have mine that I have developed over the years. It works for me, it might work for you but you will probably add your own twist to it which is recommended. Never let anyone tell you how you have to work but at the same time, never ignore advice, critique, or tip. Your working style like you work should always evolve and improve. Go out of your way to find a new way to work faster, smarter, and more efficiently.

Note: All frame references in my posts will be assuming you are working at 24 frames per second.

Here we go:

My Chosen Audio:

This clip is from Sabrina

This clip has a short musical intro which is partly why I chose it. I like the score and think it would make a great entry point to my reel (if it's good enough) where the title will appear over the first half of the music then animation will start. Really it's just for some interesting editing. Hey, I just stumbled onto another tip! Always think where you're reel is headed. I will post more on that later.

My Goal: I am anticipating that I will be busy in the next couple of weeks so I wanted to choose something simple that I can get through quickly but will have good entertainment value. I had this clip in mind for the last few months after hearing it in the movie it came from. Have you ever been watching a movie and heard a line and thought "it's perfect for animation"? Well, you should write those down! The best animations come from clips that inspire you from the outset. Not to say that you can't get good animation from a random line but knowing where you are going early on is a great thing.

My thought process when choosing audio for a shot:

Avoid Cliche' at all cost! There are quite a few audio dumps out-there with lots of movies to choose from but I avoid them like the plague. Why you ask? Because I want to be original and it's hard to be original when someone else is cutting the clips and thousands of people have access to them! It is also worthy to note that the people that contribute to the clip site might not be animators and won't be cutting your clip with animation in mind. Does the shot have at least 6-10 frames padding the front before the character speaks? Does it have enough in the back end to give you a nice settle at the end? You always need that buffer in your shot so the viewers eye has time to acclimate to changes in the shot and it's not jarring as the action starts. Don't paint yourself in the corner before you even start!

Also, don't cut clips to support your performance ideas. Try to use the long breaks between spoken lines to add interesting breathing or eye acting beats, use what you are given. In a studio you can't cut audio so might as well get used to trying to invent ways to support the audio. As well, never animate before or past your clip length. It's always distracting and degrades polish when the audio cuts out mid animation. If the clip is not long enough to support your whole animation chances are it is not going to work for other reasons too. The right clips are easy!

Another tip for avoiding cliche is to not use "iconic" lines. You don't want people watching your fantastic animation to only associate the line with Al Pacino and totally miss your performance which might not be as good as his. One thing I have started doing is trying to find a line from a supporting character or even a bit player in a film without even considering the lead actor.

Important Note: Never, ever, ever use a line from the movie Dumb and Dumber! Ever! I have heard the same lines from that movie in Animation Mentor and other reels and it's completely cliche', overused and almost never animated well. There are just so many better lines too!

I also like the line to say a little about me since prospective employers are my target audience and one feature I like to show is having a basic knowledge film history and what better way for them to get that point than hearing clips from great films. It is my opinion that any animator that wants to work should be well versed in his or her chosen medium so my pet project has been to download the AFI Top 100 list and see every movie on it. I'm almost there! Mind you there are tons of really great movies not on that list but it will at least give you a starting point and you can pick the directors and actors you like and explore in your own time. This is not to say that the latest blockbuster or cheesy movie shouldn't be used, there are some really great and entertaining lines out there but I just like to emphasis what I am interested in.

I used to wring my head when planning a shot by trying to redefine the context of the shot. It is great when you get a new idea on how to present a shot but to be honest my shots are just about trying to get the best character performance I can in the most clear presentation possible. I am not writing a movie, I am just trying to show some good acting. I think it's great if you work gets a chuckle but I think it's better when your character has life because the performance is grounded and efficient. Don't get your head all screwed up over trying to be funny because in my experience the more you try to be funny, the more unfunny you become. When you animate a character in honesty, the character becomes funny, not the line and that's where you want to be.

Timing is key! When I screen audio for a shot I listen for interesting contrasts. Timing should have at least three speeds. Victor Navone has a great post on his blog about speed and timing in animation which I have come to live by. Other things to think about are change of thought or intention in the audio, contrast of pitch and mood, and above all simplicity which will be it's own post in the future.

I have rambled on far too long so I am going to star researching and planning. See you in the next post!

A New Start!

2010-12-20T16:56:00.000-08:00

I think I'll start blogging again. Most of my readers have abandoned me since I stopped communicating two years ago.

Lots of things happened since I went to Australia:

1) Got there.

2) Worked a really challenging project, with a great team that in hind sight had little hope of making it on time and on budget due to scope and schedule.

3)Got moved to a new project

4)Decided to do Animation Mentor to improve my skills.

5)Economy collapses

6)Pandemic Studio, me employer, shuts down it's Australia studio leaving me jobless in Australia.

7)Got new but-not-what-I-was-looking-for-job.

8)Aunt Lisa passes after a year long but unexpected battle with cancer.

9)Loving Animation Mentor experience, going from just wanting to improve my skills to wanting to see how far I can make it into film realizing a life long goal.

10)Quit my job, convince my wife to move back to US even though she loves Australia. (sorry honey)

11)See New Zealand for two weeks with the wife in a Jucy Cruiza and it is the best trip of my life.

12)Sell almost everything.

13)Move back to the US mid-Animation Mentor term.

14)Aunt Linda passes.

15)Slog through Animation Mentor working harder than I have ever worked and loving it.

16)Graduated Animation Mentor

17)Put together reel and tried my luck on the market.

18)Nothing happened

19)Now I can hear crickets which means my reel still needed some work.

20)Came to the conclusion, in my quest for perfection, that my reel still needed work and decided to do one more Polish and Portfolio course at Animation Mentor.

21)Worked as hard as I could for three more months under the tutelage of Mark Oftedal.

22)Came out with what I think is a pretty sweet reel.

I will be sending this stuff out soon and posting on the internet and see what kind of reaction I can get. If it's nothing this time I am taking up a life of mediation at a Shaolin Monastery.

-Nick

Tale of Two

2009-05-24T00:29:00.000-07:00

Two Randoms from Around the House...

While You Were Sleeping...

2009-05-24T00:24:00.000-07:00

Can't decide which one's i like more...

Portrait of the Working Woman

2009-05-24T00:22:00.000-07:00

The love of my life...

More 450D fun...

2009-05-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

Cat Shots with the 450D

2009-05-18T15:03:00.000-07:00

Sun Rise

2009-02-11T21:25:00.000-08:00

Hey,

Again, with the lack of posts... I know, I know...

One of my favorite parts of living in Queensland is the mornings. I get up really early most days and let the cats out on the deck while it is still cool. Usually this is about 4:30 or 5:00 am so it is nice and still out and the sunrises tend to be spectacular...

Clouds

2009-01-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys,

Sorry for the lack of posts. Leading up to the Christmas break I was a busy beaver with lots to do at work. I am also enrolled in Animation Mentor and that has been keeping me plenty busy. Between animating at work and then animating for AM, you can understand that in my downtime I am resistant to turning on a computer.

I will try and post more now, with shorter but intersting posts.

Here are some clouds I shot from our balcony the other day. That is one of the things that amazes me the most about Australia, the clouds. Being in South East Queensland, we are techincally part of the South Pacific and the cloud fromations are typical of that. I get up at 4:30 am to go surf and the sunrises here are amazing, puffy clouds that make the sky look like it is on fire, the sunsets are just as spectacular. This is more evedent in summer when the humidity and heat creat big storms in the afternoons that when mixed in with a sunset give remarkable results.

Manyana

2008-11-11T00:50:00.000-08:00

Vacation has started off with a bang. Drove down to the Superbank yesterday to log in some surf time. I found gold at the end of the rainbow in the form of medium sized, mechanical rights, spinning off down the point at a rapid clip in warm, emerald, waters. I bypassed the crowd at Snapper and drifted down to Greenmount to sit with a handful of guys and get slotted on some fast rights breaking in shallow water. The fish loves him some Greenmount, fast, and zippy, slippy in the tube.

I managed to film a few seconds of it before giddiness took over and the drool train had to leave the station...

Tomorrow promises more of the same.

Choo-choo!

American Evolution

2008-11-04T20:13:00.000-08:00

Doctor Evil...

2008-10-29T04:21:00.000-07:00

Whats Your Palin Name?

2008-10-23T23:08:00.000-07:00

The Palin Name Generator...

I am Chase Rooster Palin.

What are you?

http://politsk.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah_13.html

Holy Freakin' Jesus!!!

2008-10-22T17:59:00.000-07:00

I got this in an e-mail at work today... yeck!

Photos of a mammoth spider devouring a bird in a Queensland backyard are sweeping email inboxes — and according to experts, it's all real. The photos — which are reported to have been taken this week in Atherton, west of Cairns — show the spider clenching its legs around a lifeless bird trapped in a web.

Head spider keeper at the Australian Reptile Park at Gosford on NSW central coast, Joel Shakespeare, said the spider was a Golden Orb Weaver.

"Normally they prey on large insects… it's unusual to see one eating a bird," he told ninemsn. Mr Shakepeare said he had seen Golden Orb Weaver spiders as big as a human hand but the northern species in tropical areas were known to grow larger.

Queensland Museum identified the bird as a native finch called the Chestnut–breasted Mannikin. The bird, which appears frozen in an angel-like pose, most likely flew into the web and got caught, according to Mr Shakepeare. "It wouldn't eat the whole bird," he said. But the spider would probably prepare a liquid soup with the finch — as it does with insects — and discard of what it doesn't need. "It uses its venom to break down the bird for eating and what it leaves is a food parcel," he said.

Greg Czechura from Queensland Museum said cases of the Golden Orb Weaver eating small birds were "well known but rare". "It builds a very strong web," he said. But he said the spider would not have attacked until the bird weakened. "They blunder into [the webs] and their feathers get entangled," he said. "The more they struggle, the more tangled up and exhausted they get and they go into stress."

The Golden Orb Weaver spins a strong web high in protein because it depends on it to capture large insects for food, unlike funnel web and wolf spiders that actively hunt their prey. Another species called the bird-eating spider does not actually eat birds.

"If a spider gets a bird, it's a very lucky spider," Mr Czechura said.

More Powell Goodness...

2008-10-21T00:23:00.000-07:00

Colin Powell laying it out like it is supposed to be. It is too bad this man never ran for office although I can sure understand why.

In two minutes and fifty two seconds, he summarizes what is wrong with politics in America and the GOP, smear machine.

You don't have to agree with policy, you don't have to agree with social values, but when it comes to questioning the patriotism, the faith, and the humanity of another American for the sake of cheap, political gain, then it is an abomination to the tune of McCarthyism 2.0. To me it is not only calling the candidate anti-American but every supporter of the candidate anti-American.

Powell Endorses Obama

2008-10-20T00:03:00.000-07:00

Colin Powell formally endorsed Barak Obama today for President of the United States. In seven minutes on Meet the Press, unleashing a volley of clear, concise, and blunt language, Powell eloquently and methodically divorced himself from the wayward, ever increasingly xenophobic and racist GOP.

He was honest and direct and respectful of both candidates and spoke from the heart. He spoke well of Obama but it seemed that his statement was just as much a rebuke of the Republican Party than of an endorsement.

He mentioned the Ayers diversion: "I think this goes too far, and I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for."

On the Palin Pick: "I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of vice president... that raised some question in mind mind as to the judgment that Sen. McCain made."

On the GOP in general: "It has moved more to the right than I would like to see it." "Over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party and Mr. McCain has become narrower and narrower."

To me the most important and poignant portion of his statement was when broaching the issue of Islam in America: On some senior Republican Party members who "drop the suggestion that [Obama] is a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists": "What if he is [a Muslim]? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is no, that's not America." And then he eloquently told the story of Kareem Rashad Sultan Kahn.

As a liberal Democrat, I would like to think that had Colin Powell ever made the run for the White House, I would have voted for him without hesitation. My respect for him is limitless...

For the Birds...

2008-10-13T21:57:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we were invited over to some friends house for a BBQ. They own a nice place outside of the city near Mt. Nebo ( I think) in a really pretty area with lots of open spaces and trees and the like. When we got there we saw these three Cockatoos in the back yard and the guys were feeding them. Of course I wanted a go at it.

After feeding them for a few minutes Steve told me to look up and then I noticed that the trees were literally filled with them. There must have been thirty or more hanging around.

They are a little skittish but not very afraid of people or anything for that matter. If you hold up a cup of seed they come right down.

They hung around for a while afterwards hoping for an encore.

Sunshine Coast Hinterlands...

2008-10-01T19:45:00.000-07:00

Last week Mariana and I took a Sunday drive up to the Sunshine Coast hinterlands. Basically, you drive an hour north of Brisbane to Caloundra and hang a left.

It is a really pretty drive through the countryside. There are a couple of small towns along the way and the nearby Glass House Mountains make for some spectacular views. There were numerous vista points to gaze at and take it all in.

We ended up at a big State park that had some h iking trails and a waterfall. It was a very pretty hike out to the falls which emptied into a giant pool. There were people swimming in the pool and with the hot weather it looked inviting, of course until we saw the large eel that was making his way around the pool. Actually, no one seemed to mind him. He seemed to be swimming in a clockwise fashion around the pool and people would ask "where is he" and jump in if he was far enough away.

From the top of the falls was a really intense view of the valley that stretched for miles. It was an amazing place.

When we were about to leave a giant Water Monitor (think big lizard) came lumbering out of the jungle. He paid us no attention and just wanted a drink.

I just got a video camera and edited a small video of our day. Check out Mariana's blog for the full scoop with all the pictures. Please, pay no attention to the hackish editing job and ultra bad effects work in the video. I just getting the hang of all of it...

Reformed Maverick

2008-09-12T00:40:00.000-07:00

Click Me!!!

My Thoughts Exactly...

2008-09-11T22:53:00.000-07:00

Perfect Burliegh Heads for My Birthday...

2008-09-07T03:44:00.000-07:00

A healthy weather system moved through South East Queensland last last week bringing with it a pretty solid swell. I got on it early and got Snapper Rocks at a fun chest to head high on Thursday morning which was my first surf in weeks after what has been a pretty flat August.

Saturday I scored.Friday night I looked at the hourly wind predictions for the next morning and compared it to the East swell that would be peaking Friday night and into Saturday. The morning was to start off sunny and cool with a brisk wind from the NNW early but would warm up quickly with sunny skies and a light to moderate SW wind pattern to develop by early, mid morning. As I looked at the Gold Coast, it promised to be an epic morning and Burliegh Heads seemed the best bet.

I was up on Saturday at 4:30, out the door with coffee in hand by 4:40. I put the boards in the car and headed through the city. The bars down town were just letting out and the streets were crowded with drunks and cops. I passed quickly heading for the M-1 South.
I pulled into the lot atop the point at Burliegh Heads just before 6:00, there was already a crowd on the bluff looking at the wild conditions. I watched it for about half an hour and although inside the point was lining up nicely, the outer peak was still wind effected and wild with few takers. I just knew that the wind would swing SW within two hours so I took my time and suited up, waxed up the semi-gun and headed around the point to the Talle budgera river mouth to make my entry into the water.

I saw a couple of guys trying to paddle out at the tip of the point only to get swept a couple hundred meters down the line only to have to exit the water and try again and I knew that was not the right place to start my paddle. I was right. From the river mouth there was a rip that all but carried you out to sea where you could make a charge from the rip and into the lineup. It was kind of sketchy however as in that area it is a heavy close out and the sets were in the six to eight foot range. One definitely did not want to get caught inside there. I paddled like mad chanting "don't stop paddling" until I was safely beyond the sandbar. I was one of the lucky few and headed to the small group of guys at the top of the point that were lucky to get out and still be in position.

The wind and conditions started to moderate and the waves started to get really good. I had not been surfing much the last two months and felt kind of ill-prepared for the challenge. Buriegh Heads in not a wave without consequence, a very fast, very hollow right hander that moves a lot of water. It took about thirty minutes and a few false starts to finally talk myself over the ledge and into my first wave.

The first wave came right to me and the guy next to me called me into it. I turned and paddled and felt the incredible surge below me as the wave jacked up on the bar below me. I got to my feet with my heart in my throat and before I knew it I was going faster than I think I have ever gone on a surfboard. I made the wave and kicked out on the other end and said to myself "I got to do that again"!

I surfed my brains out for the next three and a half hours. So far it is the best waves I have seen since being in Australia, and I have seen some good waves so far. ;)

All was not well that morning however. I was looking to get out of the water and wanted to catch one last one and right about then a good sized set wave came right to me. I turned and paddled but just as I was getting up for the drop I got hung up in the lip with the wind. I knew it would not end well as I felt myself get sucked over the falls with my board which I bumped into repeatedly on the way down and around.

When I came up I checked myself to make sure I was OK, which I was. Then I noticed that I was without board. The wave ripped my leash off my leg but luckily it bounced over the back of the whitewash and was sitting about ten feet away. When I swam over to it and examined it I was missing the rear fin and there was a pressure ding in the bottom that was a perfect match to the shape of my skull.

Of course I took pictures.

Walkabout and Terrifying Birds

2008-09-01T18:16:00.000-07:00

I had a Monday off this week thanks to the studio move, of which I will cover in a post to follow this one. As it was a weekday off, was not shared by Mariana, and there was no waves, I was left but one option that was to take another ridiculously long walk. Mariana have gotten into this habit lately, to pick a spot in the city and walk to it. Usually they are upwards of three hours of solid foot time. Saturday we walked a lot and Sunday we walked even more, and for some reason I decided I needed to punish my feet some more. I strapped on my new North Face walkers and headed out the door.

Spring time is here. You can tell not only as it is warmer and the humidity is clawing it's way back into our lives, but also a more sinister and dangerous element is making it's mark on our psyche.

The Birds.

I was attacked twice, at two different areas. The first was while walking up a pretty steep hill in Albion. I noticed a large, black and white bird following me. It was a Magpie, which are very beautiful with a mesmerizing call but also known to be quite nasty. So, he's following be for a block and I pay him no mind when suddenly I am hit from behind, knocking my sunglasses off my head. It was not a tap mind you, it hurt.

Now he has my attention and he's following me. I start walking faster and he makes another close pass and I start to run. I know this is starting to you all of the "Don't Get Off the Boat Man" story and the irony is not lost on me as this time I am running up hill, waving my arms about trying to get away from my new, feathered adversary. Fricking nature.

Finally rid of the bird I was able to enjoy some of the fantastic architecture that makes up this hills of Albion.

On the way back I was attacked again this time by two Noisy Minirs. We see these all over and they are kind of aggressive. I notice they are always in pairs and have bad tempers.

Riverfire 08'

2008-08-31T04:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the start of the week-long River Festival in Brisbane, a celebration of the Brisbane River that the city is named for and runs through the down town area. It is the defining geographical element of the area.

The first night of the festival and the biggest is the River Fire event. Basically it is a small air show and huge fire works display that encompasses the entire city. They were expecting half a million people for the show so Mariana and I walked down to the Botanical Gardens a few hours before to get good seats right on the river. We invited some friends from Pandemic and made a large picnic out of it.

We all sat around, ate, talked, popped open some beer and wine and waited for the 7:00 start of the event scheduled for just after sundown. The area was filling up fast and the river was choked full of sail, motor, and large party boats. Amongst the large office buildings that line the river there are quite a few apartment towers that were full of people partying and enjoying the festival, waiting for the show to begin.

The event is kicked off by an Australian Air Force F-111 making a low level "dump and burn" where it screams in at a couple of hundred feet off the river and dumps fuel out the back while firing the afterburner which makes a giant fire trail out the end of the jet that lights up the sky like daylight and is incredibly loud.

I can't even imagine how much it must cost to run as there are about ten or so fireworks bases in the city that are shot off in coordination with each other. I heard today that the whole show uses 300 tons of fireworks. There were fireworks firing off multiple barges on the river, on the bridges, they were even firing them off of the top of the sky scrapers in CBD. I was in awe of the size of the show, there were fireworks going off in front, to the sides, behind, and above us. It was the most amazing pyrotechnical display I have ever seen. The buidlings were full of people and camera flashes were sparkling along the skyline which added to the moment. After almost a year here, the good times and the bad, it was one of those nights that makes it all worth it and reminds you why you are here.

New Building and Close Calls...

2008-08-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

Dark days at Pandemic Studios. Sadly, our project got cancelled this week. There were a few reasons going around as to why, and you might be able to pick up the info on the rumor mill from Kotaku but, as an NDA'd employee I am not going to discuss the project or the reasons. All I know is having a project ripped out from under you sucks.

Pandemic was actually very cool about it all. They have spent alot of money, and taken a lot of time to build their team and they have done just about everything they can to keep it in tact. Some team members are being moved to another, smaller team in-house, some are being flown to Los Angeles to help out on other projects that need extra hands for the next four months. Sadly, some were deemed redundant and had to be let go and yesterday was dark Thursday.

I had a meeting with the producers on Monday afternoon and was told that I would be moved to the team in house and that I was pretty much safe. I got really lucky. I will be working on a smaller team that seems to be very organized and I am excited about the project and working with some of the new and familiar faces. Thanks to Steve for requesting me by name.

I have never been on a team that has been broken up and it was an unpleasant experience. Yestrday, I was working away and a producer came over and grabbed the guy sitting next to me. "Can I talk to you for a minute"? I thought nothing of it until about five minutes later someone from HR came up and grabbed his backpack and cigarettes. I never saw him again. Even though I knew I was safe I started to panic a bit and shuddered everytime I saw the producer or HR girl walk by. All in all, they kept the lay offs to a minimum and I am thankful for that. It is just sad to see a good team broken up but it was totally out of Pandemics control and I thank them for handling it as well as they did. Good company.

So, with that out of the way. We are moving into our new, modernized building on Tuesday. We are packing up our desks today and will be off Monday. By Tuesday it will be a new team and new domain. The nice thing is that it is right around the corner of our current location which is in a great neighborhood.

The new building is pictured above and the other shot is just a magnificent colored sky from the other night. Sometime I will do a post strictly on the evening sky here which always seems to be a different color and spectacular none the less...

Still kicking.

More Day 2 Pictures

2008-08-17T06:11:00.000-07:00

Sydney Day 2

2008-08-17T04:53:00.000-07:00

The weather was clear and cold as we bounded out of the hotel for what was going to be a marathon of a day.

We had a great breakfast at a hip, little, cafe on Elizabeth Street. From there we headed up Pitt Street. We didn't really have a big itinerary, just a rough axis of attack for the exploration of Sydney. We wanted to explore the CBD, China Town, and then to Darling Harbor but no real plans, just get lost in between and see as much as we could.

Along the way we passed The Strand Arcade, one of the last Victorian malls in Sydney built in 1891. This along with the Queen Victoria Building are great examples of the Victorian history of Sydney. There is a lot of Victorian Architecture in the city which was perhaps my favorite aspect of Sydney.

Another really cool Sydney sight was the elevated monorail. It snakes it's way through the CBD and Darling Harbour with many stops in between. It's path takes it above the streets and through the second and third stories of buildings. I think they just built it after the fact and created stops in some older buildings that it passes through. It looks like an efficient and green way to travel.

From there we headed to China Town. It was not as good as San Francisco's China Town so I will not write much about it other than to say there is a really good market nearby to buy any odd junk you want and to haggle if you like that. One high point was the Chinese Gardens, very pretty and an quiet oasis in the middle of the busy city.

On to Darling Harbour. This was jaw dropping point number two on our trip. When we rounded the corner and caught our first glimpse of the Harbour, we both stood and stared in amazement for about five minutes. It was honestly one of the most beautiful examples of natural beauty meets modern skyline that I have ever seen. It is a giant U-shaped harbour with massive buildings lining three sides, monorails crossings, ferry's and water taxis, posh restaurants, naval ships, and so much more. You really have to sit and take it in as there is so much sensory overload here.

We sat and enjoyed it, then walked around a bit and headed for lunch at Bungalow Eight. A swanky harbour side seafood bar where we had a meal of mussels, tiger prawns, and calamari.

That night we had reservations for an Italian place, Alfredo that was recommended by the concierge at our hotel. I only name the restaurant as I hope that anyone that reads this blog will avoid it like the plague. It was by all appearances a charming little restaurant but with bad fare served in a prison like manner by a non-smiling or humane wait staff. One hundred and forty bucks later we felt slightly ill, raped and riped off. We were on our way. One notable appearance, at the table next to us was Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil and now a member of the Australian House of Representatives.

From there we headed out for some drinks on the town. We walked through a pretty area called The Rocks, then as we walked we went for a ceremonial stop to use the restrooms at The Four Seasons, then on to a bar to end the night.

Slightly tipsy, footsore, and tired we put a close to day two in Sydney.

More Pics of Day 2 in next post...

Sydney Day 1

2008-08-17T03:33:00.000-07:00

Mariana and I took our maiden voyage to Sydney this weekend. I am no Magellan but have been lucky enough to have visited some world class cities in my time; Mexico City, Paris, Amsterdam, San Francisco, amongst others, and now can add Sydney to the list. I have to mention as well that from what I have seen, Sydney can hang with the best of them. No kidding, it was that good.

Thursday got off to a shaky start when we got to the airport a few minutes late and "missed" our flight. "Missed" being a loose term when at an Australian airport. We got there a bit late for us but had about thirty minutes before the flight was scheduled to leave. Sadly, according to Qantas, we had missed our flight. Funny, as the plane was still at the gate and was not scheduled to leave for thirty more minutes but we are not to argue. We were issued new tickets for the next flight that was to arrive in Sydney thirty minutes later than we had planned.

The flight was uneventful except for my splitting headache. I have just gotten over a nasty cold and my sinuses were still a problem with the altitude. After twenty minutes of preparing to catch my eyeballs if they shot out of their sockets, the plane descended, my head equalized, and I could bear to see again.

We got into Sydney, found the bags, got the train, and headed for the hotel. We stayed at the Raddison right in CBD, about a ten minute walk to Circular Quay, The Opera House and The Bridge. Kudos to Mariana for picking such a well located hotel.

We had tickets to a play that night, that left us with a couple of hours to kill so we decided to walk around and saw some sights and had a bite to eat and a drink. We walked down Pitt Street to Circular Quay and as we rounded the corner our jaws dropped open. I found that my jaw would drop many times on this trip as Sydney boasts some of the most dramatic scenery I have ever seen.

That night we went and saw the stage play of Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps at the Sydney Opera House. It was a small production with four cast members in total but playing about 110 roles. It was well acted and funny and we had a really nice time.

After the show we looked for a bite to eat. Apparently in Sydney on a Thursday night, every eatery closes at ten. Being ten thirty, we walked the streets desperately trying to find something open with food, saw tons of bars packed with people but eventually had to settle on a 24 hour slop joint. Yuck...

We ate something that resembled food and headed back to the hotel to get some rest for the next day.

Battle of the Bed

2008-07-28T03:15:00.000-07:00

What is good Feng-shui?

A few months ago in an attempt to make better harmony in our house Mariana re-arranged our bedroom. I guess the eastern facing bed was at odds with "The Grand Duke" or Jupiter as he is more commonly known and so we had to turn the bed to face west to better facilitate stability and prosperity in Casa de Vona.

Mariana's feng shui knowlege is extensive and greatly appreciated and I usually know better than to argue or question any of her arrangements.

Until now...

Normally I could care less what direction my faces but if you saw our bedroom you would have to agree that east is the only possible direction it could and should face.

If the bed faces east, it maximizes the view of the river, Hamilton and Bulimba accross the river. As well, there is an alcove in the west wall of the room that is made for the dresser or table on that end. On the east wall are outlets for end tables and the like, it is just obvious that the bed is supposed to face east, it is what the architenct would want.

Finally I was able to talk some sense into the girl and our bed faces east again. It might not be perfect feng shui but I can tell you that my harmony has been restored.

Kitty approved!

Nick - 1
Grand Duke - 0

walkabout 4-2

2008-07-28T02:42:00.000-07:00

Hey, hey, hey!

Sorry for the lack of posts of late. I have been pretty busy at work the last few weeks and have not been in the blogging frame of mind. I must, and do keep up a certain standard (as you can tell) of writing excelence on The Roo and a break from time to time is warranted.

On with the show...

One of our favorite pastimes here in Australia is walking. Brisbane is actually the perfect walking city. It is not too big, is relatively flat, has tons of walk-ways and sidewalks, and when it is not a million degrees out, the weather is relatively nice.

These days I get up at 6 am and take an hour walk from Casa de Vona in Newstead, along the river to the district of Hamilton and back. It is a great way to wake up and start the day and is my main axis of attack in the never ending battle to lose ten pounds of ass-fat. Mariana is walking too. She works in CBD and every day she makes the hour walk from the office to the house in her struggle to maintain a proper ballast. Weekends are nice as we get to walk together.

Here is a pictorial view of our walk...

Hiking

2008-06-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

Mariana and I went hiking with another couple from work on Saturday. Rej and Clo were nice enough to invite us out for the day and we headed up to Mt. Glorious for a trek.

The weather was great and the hike was scenic and a good time but not without some drama...

Rej and I were talking away with the girls walking up ahead of us when we heard a scream. I looked up to see Mariana hopping really fast for a few feet and looking kind of scared behind a tree.

When we got to the scene there was a medium sized snake sitting in the middle of the trail looking kind of mad. Mariana had been walking along talking and mistakenly almost stepped on this guy and he slithered accross her boot and stood his ground.

Fearlessly I took out my camera and used as much zoom as was available to me and got a picture of him before he slithered quickly off the trail.

After some reaserch the concensus is that he was a King Brown Snake and quite venomous.

Mariana was not to be detered. She made the rest of the hike and liked it enough that we went to Anaconda the next day and got outfitted out with some really cool hiking gear.

We are in Australia and might as well make the most of it. There are quite a few hikers and campers at Pandemic and we are hoping to get invited out again soon.

Livin' Large

2008-06-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

Winter Wonderland...

2008-06-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

Winter is upon us in all of it's fury. Or not. Winter in Southeast Queensland is surprisingly pleasant. The days are sunny and dry and tend to be about 70 - 75 degrees with a breeze. At night the temps drop to the low 60's and maybe once into the high 50's.

It is a welcome change from the tropical, humid climate we had for the first six months although I am looking forward to summer again. Something about that 82 degree water. I can't complain now as it is the height of winter and the water is still 72 degrees.

We had such nice weather yesterday I snapped some pics from the balcony...

Strike up the Band...

2008-06-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

Big Winz...

2008-06-03T17:43:00.000-07:00

Just heard on the ticker...

Change is coming to American and a test passed for racial progress. It seems that just six short months ago Hillary Clinton was the presumptive and all but crowned Democratic nominee. So solid did her prospects look that I imagine it must not be an easy task, gazing in the mirror and wondering what happened? Where did it all go?

A campaign well run and fought and I think he will make a good president but what a mess he has to clean up after...

It's a start.

Publsihed...

2008-05-27T01:00:00.000-07:00

A strong south swell is filling into the Queensland Coast today and peaking on Sunday and Monday with what is projected to be 8-10 foot surf at the points. Snapper Rocks was stormy and wild this morning but the waves break within the wind shielded pocket and was five foot, hollow, and super fun. The sand on the point is perfectly groomed. The picture from the right was taken of snapper's this morning.

I got what i think is the best wave since my arrival here in Australia, a head high gem that seemed to go on forever or at least 150 yards and included two solid tubes and the third one ate me, ending the wave. My legs were jelly after that. I got three waves in two hours, with the length of ride it felt like i surfed a lot more than three waves.

When I got to work this morning and was reviewing the early morning (7:00) surf cam and was surprised to see myself walking back up the point. I know it was me because just on I remember the guy with the yellow twin fin in the mid right of the screen and the guy with the beer gut on the upper right of the screen entering the water. After I saw them, I saw the couple to my right and there I was, on the lower left, in the short john. Too bad the camera feed was not a few minutes earlier as it might have captured me getting SHACKED...

Sunday should be epic and I am taking Monday off work for more...

Climbing Critters...

2008-05-25T23:24:00.000-07:00

Our building is currently being repainted and they have constructed a large scaffolding just outside our deck window.

The other night we were watching TV when the cats both raced to the screen door and went into alert mode. We were all surprised to see this little Australian Possum climbing around, three stories up, like it was nothing. He was kind of a big guy but balancing on the steal beams as if it were nothing. We have seen these before, they tend to run around the ground level but now that there is a scaffolding they seem to like to explore the upper regions.
He was a brave little sucker, we went outside to investigate and he did not seem to be bothered that we were there.

Survival Surfing...

2008-05-22T22:19:00.000-07:00

I went for a surf over at a spot called The Other Side or better known as T.O.S. and is one of the more interesting surfs I have had here. There was some swell but this was more of a fact finding mission than anything else.

First you have to drive to Southport and go to the end of the road to a place called The S pit which is on the edge of the Gold Coast Seaway and is about 300 meters wide and has legendary tidal currents, has heavy boat traffic, huge rock walls, and of course; sharks. Running across the channel is the Southport Sand Pu mping station that keeps the flow of sand going along it's natural path, from south to north, as needed which is pumped by a huge jet powered generator and runs in thirty minute intervals. From the south jetty you can either take a boat that will charge you six bucks to ferry you across or you can do it the manual method and paddle across. I chose the manual way today. Actually, I had no choice the boat guy is independent and some days he just does not work today being one of them.
I got there about 6:30 and was suited up and contemplating the paddle across when another guy showed up and asked if I was going to go for it. I told him that I was and he told me to hold on and he would paddle with me, "to give us a 50/50 with the sharkies" as he put it.
We grabbed our boards and headed down the jetty to a suitable spot. You have to see which way the tide is going and start your paddle at the appropriate end of the wall, if you don't judge it right you will get sucked into the bay which is really bad or get sucked out to sea which is really, really, really bad. Just out to sea from the channel is considered one of the sharkiest places on this coast.
We got to the wall and climbed down the Volkswagen sized rocks to the base and onto the sofa sized, slippery rocks, this is where it gets hairy. You have to time the powerful wave like surge that runs along the along the rock wall, and jump off just as a wave passes as to clear the jagged table sized, barnacle covered rocks just under the surface without putting a hole in the bottom of your surf board.
After that the premise is easy, paddle like hell and try not to get eaten, sucked out to sea, or run over by a Bay Liner or snagged by a fishing line.
When we got to the other side we reversed the order, scramble up the table rocks, to the sofa rocks, to the Volkswagen rocks. Welcome to "The Other Side.
From here it was a 250 meter hike through a dense forest with lots of snake and spider holes on the ground and sharp burrs which were just great with my bare feet.

Finally the surf spot.

The spot is one of the best beach breaks in Australia and although today was ordinary it was fun with chest to head high peaks up and down the beach. The focal point and creating force of the spot is the Southport sand pump outlet. This thing pukes sand at a rate of ten minutes every thirty minutes. The result is beautiful, shifting sandbars up the beach for about a mile. It is a heavy wave with a shallow bottom that does not take much swell to break, actually any swell over six to eight feet will render it too dangerous and I have been warned not to surf it on a heavy swell.

The best thing about this spot is the isolation. It is just minutes from the spectacle Surfer's Paradise but is about as remote as you can get. From the water you can hardly think that you are in the modern age.

The return trip was the same as the trip over except for a mis-timed exit from the water to the rocks which netted me good cuts on my hands, legs, back and feet. It is good that it happened on the way out as I bled at a decent rate and would not want the attention from The Man in the Grey Suit.

Please excuse the second hand photos as my camera has died, I am working on it...

World Famous...

2008-05-20T01:29:00.000-07:00

Old School...

2008-05-18T22:18:00.000-07:00

Noosa Heads for

2008-05-14T01:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was Mariana's Birthday so we headed up to Noosa Heads to spend a day in the sun, out and about.

Noosa Heads is a state park located about two hours north of Brisbane's CBD, on the top of The Sunshine Coast. It is a beautiful parkland teeming with native wildlife, gorgeous beaches, and stunning views up the coast and inland to the mountains that dot the Queensland interior. There is also four points that line the headland and are considered some of the best surf spots in Australia when they are on. It was flat that day but we'll be back for sure.

We drove up but half way there we almost had to turn around as I was not sure if I had turned off the coffee pot. After some drama and contemplation we decided to risk it as there was still coffee in the pot and would probably not melt if left on. My rationale was that a modern coffee maker probably has a auto shut off switch but that was wild speculation. We gave caution to the wind and just went for it.

We arrived in Noosaville which is the town that borders the beaches. It is a beutiful town that reminded us of Laguna Beach but smaller. Artsy with money was the theme. We walked for a bit then had a bite of brekky and headed on.

We then went to the beach for a couple of hours. The water is starting to cool down here but is still about 72 degrees which is cold considering it was 80 last month. With the sea breeze it was nippy but the sand was warm and it was a nice afternoon none the less. We eventually took a swim and found that as long as you stayed "neck deep" it was warm.

We then took a hike around the headland and then had a nice lunch with some food we brought with us.

There is an abundance of wildlife in the park and all of Australia for that matter, we saw many interesting species including, wild turkeys, kangaroos, a koala, and some interesting wild birds.

All in all it was a beautiful day. We were relieved when we got home that the coffee maker was indeed off and the house was still in one piece.

Mt Tambourine

2008-04-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

This weekend we packed up, got in the car and headed to Mt. Tambourine in central Gold Coast. It is a pretty mountain with a nice village on top that is surrounded by wineries and some serious rain forest that is open for hiking.

When we got up there we grabbed some coffee and then took off up a trail that led through the jungle to some beautiful waterfalls. On the way we got scared out of our shoes when right at Mariana's feet, something big, black, and about three feet long (no jokes please) scurried acrross her feet. It was about the biggest lizard we ever saw in our lives. He stopped just off the trail and we marveled at his creepyness and moved on. The waterfall and mountain stream were amazing. It wound it's way through multiple canopy jungle and looked like something out of Jurassic Park. Lucky, we forgot the camera in the car and were not able to take any pictures of this part of the trip.

After our jungle adventure, we headed up to some of the wineries and did some tasting. AU winery was the best and had quite a few tastes and talked with the girl that worked there. We got a few pictures of us and the ducks that populated the pond nearby.

The drive down the other side of the mountain was less interesting as it was more populated with some spectacular homes with some impressive views.

Mt. Nebo and Mt. Glorious

2008-04-06T16:12:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Mariana and I were at a loss of what to do. Can you imagine not knowing what to do in Australia? So, we pulled out the map and just picked a spot and said "there". We got in the car and headed to what turned out to be Mt. Nebo and Mt. Glorious. It was a short drive, around forty five minutes from the CBD. It is amazing in Queensland how little you have to drive to be out in the middle of no where.

The mountains while not huge, are indeed mountains and covered in rain forests. I have been many places but this is my first time ever in a real rain forest and it was very cool. We pulled off to one park by the road and there were some really creepy looking hiking trails that wound off into the bush and looked like, dark, spooky caves. We wandered the trail for a few meters but in our shorts, t-shirts and tennis shoes, we were afraid to go to far. We decided to come back to hike but in proper boots, jeans, long sleeve shirts and perhaps some water. It is Queensland so you have to assume that it is full of creepy, crawly stuff that will hurt you.

We did not plan this trip so to our disappointment we did not charge our camera before we left. We did manage to snap a couple of pictures of us with what power was remaining.

Material Gainz...

2008-03-27T04:20:00.000-07:00

Sa-weet!

Although we have had it for a month now, I thought I would just debut the newest member of our family. The gallant and galavanting, 40 inch, 1080p, 100mhz, HD TV from Samsung. Life on the couch is that more exciting. Games on the XBox 360 look freaking amazing. Ratattouille looks incredible, the next step will be a PS3 (Blue Ray please) and this battle station will be fully operational...

More surf stardom...

2008-03-02T20:38:00.000-08:00

There was some South East swell on the Gold Coast on Saturday. Mariana and I got up early and made tracks for Duranbah. When we pulled up to the lot on the bluff and looked down the surf was pretty good, about five foot plus and a stiff south wind. We got on the beach, Mariana settled in and I suited up and headed for a surf. There were alot of photographers on the beach, more than usual.
I was out for about ten minutes, caught a wave and paddled back out, I looked to my right and who is sitting next to me? None other than three time World Champion, Andy Irons. I have kind of gotten used to seeing alot of stars of the surfing world here lately but come on, it's a three time world champ sitting within spitting distance of me. Then I look behind me, Pancho Sullivan. The other side of me, 2001 World Champ CJ Hobgood. I sitting smack in the middle of half of the upper draw of the ASP tour.

To make a long story short, the contest around the corner was called so they could finish the Women's side of the draw, most of the top 44 went around the corner to D'bah for a surf as it was one of the only wind sheltered spots in the area.

So, Saturday I shared the peak with the following:

Andy Irons, Bruce Irons, CJ Hobgood, Damien Hobgood, Pancho Sullivan, Dane Reynolds, Luke Steadman, and Timmy Reyes. This was just near me, there were tons of really good surfers out there and probably more. I think I was the only one out there that was not getting paid to surf.

My wave count went to nil as I was totally out classed by this point. No worries, the water was 80 degrees, the waves were going off, and I was treated to one of the best surfing displays of all time.

That is exactly what I love about the sport of surfing. It is the only sport I know of that the average guy can share the field with the greats of the sport, no limits or barriers.

Mas Pocoyo!!!

2008-02-26T18:52:00.000-08:00

I bet the next couple of posts will be centered around my fascination with Pocoyo. It is so well done and from an animation perspective it has it all, staging, clarity, good pose, simple story, squash and stretch, I could go on.

First the staging...

The top image lends a simple and clear example of a simple, well staged shot. The focus is the radio, both the characters eyelines point to the object of attention, the radio. The upside down triangle is a perfectly symmetrical shot with clarity of thought and intent.

The next image shows Pocoyo sipping from his cup, the duck in the background is affected by this. The interesting thing is how they staged the shot to tell the whole story. Pocoyo in the foreground in action with the straw and cup, the duck framed neatly in the background within the action of the cup. His pose suggests alarm with his hat fully erect and stretched eyes showing surprise. The offset angles provide a non-static symmetry in the shot. The white backgound gives the viewer an easy contrast with the character and the negative shape the white provides.

The last image is taken from Citizen Kane. Greg Toland was the cinematographer and is credited with most of the staging for the film. If you have not seen it, you should as it was way ahead of it's time and considered by most to be the greatest film ever made. It was a pioneer in the use of staging and lighting to tell a story rather than to just serve the dialog.

The scene is of Susan Alexander's suicide attempt. Notice how everything needed to tell the story is in the shot and the symmetrical relationships between them. The empty medicine bottle, the glass with spoon and cork, forming the base of a triangle that points to another triangle that ends with the passed out Susan Alexander in the mid ground. This triangle forms the base of another, larger triangle that then points to Orson Wells bursting through the door, discovering the crisis. Their eye lines direct us to the focus of the shot, Susan. Clear, complete, symmetrical but not static.

If you have not seen Pocoyo, follow the links in the previous post.

Pocoyo!!!

2008-02-26T03:59:00.000-08:00

Our new lead animator at work turned me on to Pocoyo, an animated kids show. It is simple, inventive, and superbly animated. The skits are basic and funny and they don't talk down the the kids. It respects it's audience.

The characters are well designed and the animation is simple and entertaining. The poses are well designed and the silhouettes read very well against the plain, white, background. It is amazing what you can communicate with some clear character posing and good timing. The staging is well thought out and there us great use of negative shapes, contrasting shapes, and silhouette. The secondary animation is simplified to a minimum, the ear flap on Pocoyo or the bill on the duck, wiggling when the character settles into a pose.

My favorite character is the duck. Note how dramatically his body shape changes from action to action and how his bill is used as a major part of his personality and functionality.

The originals are in Spanish, Mariana says the accent is from Spain, they are dubbed in English though and just as entertaining in either language.

You can see it for yourself here...

Pocoyo en Espanol

Pocoyo in English

They have a blog too...

Moringing Shift at D'Bah

2008-02-13T16:49:00.000-08:00

I surfed Duranbah again this morning before work. It has turned out to be my favorite wave in Australia so far as I am a big fan of beach breaks yet, this is no ordinary beachie. The bottom is not too shallow and it is constantly fed sand from the Tweed River dredging pump that is just up current from the break that not only feeds D'Bah but creates the sand banks at Snapper Rocks, Greenmount and Rainbow Bay. Literally, hundreds of thousands of metric tons of it every month.

A North East facing break D'Bah is open to almost all swell that comes to the Gold Coast, and in the summer months the prevalent SSE wind means it blows offshore most of the time. The jetties and Point Danger that line both sides of the break act like a funnel, refracting swell onto the soft, shapely, sand bars. The result, glassy, punchy, tubes up and down the whole beach, bigger than everywhere else on the coast and more consistent.

It is a legendary spot on a legendary coast and is home to many of Australia's biggest surf stars. I have surfed there twice but have seen a good portion of the ASP top 16 in the lineup at anyone time.

Sunday I was out and saw, Danny Wills, Luke Steadman, and Joel Parkinson who is ranked #4 in the world at the moment.

This morning I saw none other than Mick Fanning, the current ASP World Champion and surfed about ten feet from him. He seemed like a nice enough guy too. Once a guy paddled up to him just to shake his hand and to thank him for bringing the title back to Oz, he smiled and said thanks and seemed genuinely thankful for the compliment. Watching him surf you got the idea that his title is no accident. He seems to surf with focus determination, quietly sitting away from the pack, in his own world. He takes off on a wave and you can see the drive in his face, like he is surfing a heat in his head, desperate for a ten pointer to clinch the heat. I was really impressed.

I got one wave and came up after it to see him flying through a barrel, heading right for me. He was obscured in foam and I am sure quite blind. I stared saying to myself "please don't make it" as if he came out he would have hit me for sure. I was neck deep in water with my board next to me and would have had no way to get out of his line. He did not make it and I can say I saw Mick Fanning get shacked.

Other notable legend sighting; Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholemew, ASP 1978 World Champion and now ASP tour director.

Duranbah was super fun today. Head high and off shore, kind of crowded but enough waves coming through that I got my share. I got the best wave I have had in Australia, a head high gem that screamed down the line, emerald green and clean. I am starting to get used to the new board with the increased water time I am getting with the car and it was the most fun I have had since I got here.

I love this place.

Transport!!!

2008-02-11T15:17:00.000-08:00

Life just got easier. Gone are the days of walking absolutely everywhere for absolutely everything. We like walking as much as anyone but it was starting to get real old, real quick. To understand where I am coming from you have to first understand the climate in which we live.

It is hot. It tends to be between 28 and 32 degrees everyday, that is in celsius so that would be between 80 and 95 (ish) most days. Then add in the humidity, and there is plenty of it. It seems to be anywhere from 60% to 80% most days. The worst of it has to be the sun. Man, the sun is intense here. I believe the UV level in California in the summer is somewhere around 4-5, here it is 14! When it is sunny, you literally cook, you can feel it burning your skin it is that intense. Then there is the rain which is torrential when it comes.
We had learned over the months here that if you have to walk, do it early or late. We don't walk between 12 and 2 if we can help it, it is just too hot. One day we did the River Walk at 1:00, Mariana started getting dizzy and flush. Bingo, heat exhaustion. We had to sit in the shade and hydrate.

Now of course with the car comes better quality of life. We can get out of the city. I can surf on a regular basis, we can do the shopping, I can surf on a consistent basis, we can explore more restaurants, and did I mention I can surf?

Cars are expensive here. Example; my Mazda 3 in the US was about $18,500 and with closing costs and the like it came out to just a tad under $20K. That is with leather seats, Sirius Radio, AC, Sport Package and the likes. Here, the base model Mazda 3 starts at $26,000. In Australia they list a car with the MSRP price but that IS NOT including dealer markup, transfer fees, rego, paint, etc. so when you add all that up it is another $4000.00 on the sticker. Cars are expensive here, really expensive.

We got a good deal on our little Yaris. It is small like most cars here as gas is expensive. It is compact but roomy enough for me to shove a couple of surfboards in and get me to D'Bah, that is all I wanted.

Did I mention that I can go surf?

New Apartment

2008-02-10T19:08:00.000-08:00

Our view is better than yours.

Today was move in day for our new, permanent apartment . It is located in Newstead, in what we have found out is a quite the upscale neighborhood. When we give our address to someone, we always seem to get a "oh, Newstead! How trendy". So it must be swank. Cuz, we roll like that!

It is a large complex that is divided into five buildings but every building only has four floors and four units each on each floor. The tenants seem to mostly be owners, middle aged or retired and from the looks of it, wealthy. The units for sale fetch up to 1.6 million for the 3 bedroom model and the garage is full of Jaguars, Mercedes and BMW's and if you knew how expensive cars were here, you know how much a full sized import sedan would go for. Status aside, it is nice to see as it means that our neighbors won't have a party that lasts until five am and chuck bottles from their balconies every weekend like in our last, sleazy, temporary unit.

The unit is a large two bedroom apartment with pantries, laundry room, storage and large bathrooms. It is almost as big as our place in San Clemente and thankfully just as quiet. However the best feature would have to be the view. We have a 180 degree view of the Brisbane River and River walk which sits about 25 yards away, across the river is scenic Bulimba and the hook that leads to further down river. Check the view from the balcony...

It will be like camping for the next two weeks until our furniture arrives. We are sleeping on an air mattress and our living room consists of two beach chairs.

Works for me...

Cat Pics!!!

2008-02-06T16:34:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves cat pictures, especially me. If you don't like them than you might need to move on to another blog.

Erin, a new colleague is taking care of our cats for two (very long) weeks until we get into our pet friendly unit. It has been hard to get on without them but they seem to be happy at her house. She is a budding photographer and managed to get some really nice portraits of our kids.

Enjoy...

A Hard Rain is Gonna Fall...

2008-02-05T21:55:00.000-08:00

Consider yourself warned...

It's raining very large cats and very big dogs at the moment, then this comes through the wire. I have heard that they get really bad flash storms and softball sized hail and now I believe it, it is storming outside...

Cool beans.

sorry for the lack of posts of late but it's been hectic.

Home at last...

2008-01-21T16:42:00.000-08:00

A long and stressful journey has come to an end. Our cats Sebastian and Catalina have made it through two weeks in a kennel, a fifteen hour flight, an hour drive, 32 days of in country quarantine in Sydney, another hour drive, then another hour flight to Brisbane. From San Clemente to our door has been six weeks of living in cages interspersed with moments of terror. Yesterday I watched from the terminal as they were carried from the plane and could not help but wonder what this whole ordeal must have been like from a cat's perspective. One day they were happy and fat in San Clemente, then the next they were in a cage for weeks, then they were put into the belly of a really loud thing (jet), and flown for 15 hours to who knows where and in another cage for a month. I am really glad they are here but i can't say that I recommend the ordeal to anyone. It was tough on us all.

When we got to our apartment we opened the carriers and they made their way out very slowly and cautiously. They both headed under the couch where they stayed for two hours or so. After a while Catalina, always the adventurer peeked out and took stock of her new surroundings. An hour after that she owned the place and eventually Sebastian followed suit.

We have noticed how close they have become after spending six weeks in a cage together as they are hiding together and sleeping together and seem to be calm as long as they can see each other.
They both looked tired but good. They will be needing a bath soon but we will let them adjust before we put them through that ordeal. I was really afraid that after a month in a cage with nothing to do and no exercise they might have gotten fat. Although I think they both gained a pound, they are not obese.

They will have to move once more once we find our permanent address as we are still in our temporary apartment but that is nothing considering what they have been through.

Well, they are brave and now they are here. Just think, our cats have traveled more that G.W. Bush did in his whole life before he became President of the United States.

My Hero

2008-01-15T16:42:00.000-08:00

He held a party and invited everyone from his internet social website friends list, 500+ people turned up and ended with loads of cops, helicopters etc. He frightened the neighbors and is ducking his mom and dad. Watch the entire clip and you will see why he is now my hero...

CLICK ME!!!!

Throw Them Out

2008-01-06T23:23:00.000-08:00

George McGovern, 1972 Democratic Presidential Nominee has written a stinging editoral in The Washington Post calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

It is an excellent summary of the lies, corruption, treason and treachery of what veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas (who has covered every president since Kennedy) has called "the worst president in American history".

Write your Congressperson (if you haven't already) and let them know that your mad as hell and not gonna take it any more!

You can read it here:

Click ME!!!

or here

Click ME2!!!

Kirra!

2008-01-06T19:37:00.000-08:00

I headed up The Gold Coast Highway from Burleigh Heads with the intent of checking out Coolangatta as I figured sitting on Point Danger and facing a northerly direction would give the best chance of shelter from the remaining storminess and provide some surfable conditions.

As I drove up The Gold Coast Highway through Tugun I approached Kirra. Looking out to sea I was greeted with the vision of over head rights, spinning down the point. I stopped at the car park at Kirra Beach Club and watched for a while.

Kirra is made up of two points, Big Groyne and Second Groyne starting at Coolangatta. Kirra is a legendary spot that was considered one of the top waves in Australia (and the world) until the dredging and installation of a sand pump at Tweed Heads added 3.7 million cubic meters of sand up the point at Coolangatta, creating Snapper Rocks in the process but robbing Kirra of it's sand and degrading it's perfect sandbars down the coast. There is a large grass roots effort here to extend one of the Groyne's and install a second pump to catch more sand at Kirra and return it to its past glory and therefore also spreading out the intense crowds that plague the point. Occasionally with the right swell and sand it gets very, very good but it is rare.

By just my luck I happened to catch it pretty good, and when I mean good I mean breaking at probably half of it's potential which is still pretty darn good.

The conditions had improved considerably down the coast and with none of the massive runoff and debris that littered Burleigh Heads. The water was murky but clean and 4-7 foot rights were reeling off of Second Groyne into the bay. The winds were slightly on shore and most waves were sectiony but the odd wave would showcase what a good sandbar can be like with a 150 meter long barrel, perfectly marching down the line.
I got there early and the crowd was relatively light letting my get into a couple of decent waves however by nine a.m. it was a zoo with a hundred guys out and some of the worse surf etiquette I have ever witnessed.
About ten am, the winds shifted to slight off shore, the sun came out and there was an hour that Kirra looked perfect with a lightly scalloped surface and big beautiful barrels screaming past. I sat on the shoulder to watch as some of Australia's best got some all time tube rides like I have never seen in person. With the drop ins and power struggles and high level performance surfing, it was quite a show.
The current running down the point is immense and after three and a half hours of paddling against the "the conveyor belt" I was sun burnt and tired and caught an inside drainer to get me in. It was by far the most interesting surfing experience I have ever had. The good news is that with me surfing more my arms are coming back from their atrophy, and if I surf places like these a couple times a week I will be a paddling machine in no time. I have been impressed at how many Aussie surfers are in excellent shape and after surfing some of the spots here I can really see why. It involves considerable effort.

Big Muddy

2008-01-06T17:27:00.000-08:00

Last week on the 29th a large tropical low formed ever Fraser Island just off the Queensland Coast. While it never made it to Cyclone level the low was named "Herbert"and spun in place for over a week before tracking North, sending powerful SSE winds and huge surf towards The Gold and Sunshine Coasts. Massive rains and wild storms inundated Southern Queensland. While most points and beaches were huge and out of control, selective, sheltered spots were in classic form. Noosa Heads was six to ten foot and perfect, Mooloolaba was pumping, and tow teams were charging Burleigh Heads, Rainbow Bay, Currumbin, and Coolangatta which at one point was hitting a solid 15-20+ feet according to Coastal Watch and off shore buoys.

By Saturday morning the swell and winds had backed down to modest proportions rerendering the coast semi-surfable to the rest of us mortals. After a week and a half of watching perfect surf on the web cams, out of my reach, I rented a car, packed the board and headed to The Goldy in search of some surf.

First off I checked out Burleigh Heads which sits just north of the Tallebudgera Creek. The creek was now a full on river there were reports of massive flooding miles up stream and tons of silt, drift wood, logs, dead cows, and who knows what else, was flowing out to sea and into the Burleigh lineup. The point was six to ten foot and semi surfable, there were some guys out but with the hazardous conditions and large debris floating on the inside, I opted to drive further south to see what conditions were like elsewhere.

The first shot was taken by Coastal Watch on Thursday up the road at Currumbin (note PWC on left of screen for scale) and my shots were taken Saturday at Burleigh.

NSW Surf Part 2

2008-01-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

My favorite surf of the trip was the second day. We woke up and had a really good breakfast with a couple that was living in Melbourne. From there we headed off on our own and headed down to the legendary Lennox Head.

We took a look at it and although there was some swell about, the tide was a tad high and it was backing off quite a bit. You could sure see the potential, and from the pictures I have seen of it when it "is on", it looks to me like the Australian version of Jeffery's Bay, South Africa. It has been put on my short list of "must get it good at least once in my life". When I get a car and we get some good, clean swell, I will charge the three hour drive and get to it. I think will have to wait for the bigger boards to arrive though.

From there we headed further south. When we rounded the Lennox Headland there was a small valley that gave a quick view of the beach below and I caught a quick glimpse of a decent right wrapping around some rocks. "Hold it there!!!" I yelled and looked for the nearest turn off. It turned out to be Sharpe's Beach. A small rocky point with a good right that wraps into a small rock lined bay. The wave jacks up off the rocks for a steep take off then flatens out a tad and hits the inside reef for fun, racy little wave. We watched for a while and it was chest to head high and looked fun. I waited to watch a couple of guys paddle out as I could not figure out how to get out through the house sized boulders. It turned out that if you walked around the backside of the point there was a small keyhole through the rocks and with ten strokes you were in the lineup.

It was a really fun little wave and the best surf I have had so far in Australia. There were only a few people out and everyone was friendly enough. As the tide dropped the takeoff got a little faster and there was a rock on the inside that the wave would suck out over creating a nice little hollow section. The Nickster even got a little head dip too!

The water was clear and blue and a pod of dolphins swam nearby. The surroundings were stunning and it is by far the prettiest spot I have ever surfed.

Mariana got a couple of snaps of me paddling...

Water

2008-01-02T16:02:00.000-08:00

One evening in Byron we walked out to the lighthouse and checked out The Pass. The Pass is a surf spot that according to my surf guide book is more of a long board spot there are heaps of other spots and better spots around but this one is quite prominent. Being Christmas week, every surf spot in Byron was packed to capacity so I never actually surfed in town. Crowds aside, it is a beautiful place.

I am still getting used to the water and the changing colors. When it is overcast it has a grey, green tint to it and is clear but the real beauty occurs when the sun comes out and it turns into an electric blue. Most of you have seen water like this or even better depending on where you have traveled but I have not and it's my blog and I'll brag if I want to. If you have seen better water then start your own damn blog and leave mine alone.

There have been quite a few shark sightings in Byron and North New South Wales recently and one small attack a few weeks ago. They get Bull Sharks, White Tips and the odd Great White although I believe the Great Whites are more common in the south as the water is colder. There have never been a fatal attack in the area and when I surfed I never felt spooked or unsafe. It was far scarier surfing in Northern California than here and there have been more attacks there than here. Enough doom and gloom.

So, if you are ever looking for safe, clear, clean water than this is your place.

Pinch me, I'm dreaming...

2008-01-01T18:57:00.000-08:00

We drove around and explored a lot of Northern New South Wales and I have to say so far it was my favorite region of Australia that I have seen so far. I have seen very little so far so I expect that to eventually change but if it does, it would have to be really good to surpass Northern New South Wales. If given the chance to live here, I would not say no.

Northern New South Wales reminded me of a sub-tropical version of Northern California. The beaches were rugged, littered with headlands and points with balmy temperatures and warm water. The beaches are a combination of sand stretched with lava formed points. It is also a surfers paradise as it is some of the best in the country with fewer people than most regions.
The interior is made up of cattle and horse ranches speckled with coffee plantations and macadamia groves on low, rolling hills, jagged rock formations, and the extinct volcano, Mt. Warning dominating the horizon. It is hot and rainy and bugs the size of small cars but wildly interesting.

We drove down the coast to Lennox Head, then made a turn inland and drove to Lismore which was about 40km inland, then turned north and drove to Nimbin. The small town of Nimbin was quite a spectacle. It is a hippie town in the truest sense of the word. The history of the town is quite short. It was the site of The Aquarius festival in the early seventies at a small shire. Some of the people that came for the music fell in love with land and set up a town that has grown to a population of about 1500. It is the only part of NSW or Queensland for that matter that Cannibus while illegal is openly consumed and distributed. It is a real throwback and I wish i had gotten pictures to show, there were allot of hippies about and some interesting characters to say the least.

After Nimbin we headed back towards the coast and ended up at Tweed Heads, then back down south to Byron. It was a fantastic drive and I can't wait to get back.

I am already planning my return. This winter I plan on renting a small camper for ten days and exploring in detail Northern and Central New South Wale's surfing potential.

Surfing North NSW, Part 1

2008-01-01T16:21:00.000-08:00

Of course for me the highlight of the trip was getting what has become the rare chance to surf. We are without a car for the time being until we get a permanent address and I get my visa so we can go out and get a loan. It has been refreshing to not have a car and car payment but without a consistent vehicle to get to the beach I am starting to go nuts.

I have learned that the East Coast of Australia is quite fickle. It has some of the best surf in the world but in order to get those classic days you have to be on it. Most of the swell here is short period, local storms and cyclones that kick surf at us from the north and south. Since it is coming from such short distances it can be flat in the morning and six foot by noon.

Winds are a big factor. From what I have seen so far, any thing from the North West will kill all spots. Anything from the South West will kill some spots except the largest points, i.e. Snapper, Noosa, Byron etc. Any winds with west in them will make some points fantastic and some moderate depending on the specific direction and strength.

What I will do when we get in our own place is put a map of the East Coast of Australia on the wall and start planning a couple of days ahead.

We are hoping that by this time next month we will finally have our own automobile and I will be able to start getting out more often.

These pictures were from the first day of the trip. We drove down the coast and Snapper was blown out, I went to the other side of the headland and Duranbah was five foot with some chop but it looked fun. My mistake was not staying there, I thought that the grass was probably greener on the other side so we headed further down the coast to Cabarita. It was blown out and junky but four to six foot and some decent rights to be had. The sweep was killer and my arms have atrophied slightly with the lack of surfing. Rubber arms and junky surf aside it was a beautiful spot to surf, the water was warm and it just felt great to be out again.

Shot three is your truly.

Byron Bay Christmas

2007-12-31T19:35:00.000-08:00

For the holiday week we decided to go to Byron Bay, NSW. Byron Bay sits on cape Byron on the North New South Wales coast. The small town boasts a pretty, functional light house, busy down town, hip restaurants and fantastic beaches. It is a green town that is plastic bag free and McDonalds and other fast food chains are prohibited to operate.

Byron is a beutiful small town that unkowing to us, swells to mega proportions during the Christmas week. We both agreed that we liked Byron and would go back again eagerly but never again during any public holiday. It is way too crowded and way too expensive as all hotel and meal charges essentially double during the holiday week. You live and you learn i guess.

We got there and got lost but eventually checked into The Bamboo Cottage, a B n'B we reserved in town. It was nice and the house was well kept by the owner Bernice. She gave us some info on the town and things to do around town but we ignored it and chose to our benefit to get out of town during peak hours.

Byron was kind of a hippie town until money discovered it. I believe it's history is somewhat paralell to that of Laguna Beach. Byron was once a little art community with cheap rents now there are swanky villas in the hills and a $30,000 a month rehab frequented by supermodels and sports figures. There were lots of hippies about but with all of the high end hair salons offering "dread locks" for a hundred bucks a pop, it was hard to tell who was really on the road or just looking earthy. Most were just looking earthy I suspect as any meal could not be had for under $25.00 a head.

Happily, although the restaurants were ungodly expensive were all very good. Every meal seemed better than the last and each bordered on exessively good. Everynight instead of braving the packed bars and night clubs we opted to head back to the hotel with some beer and sit in on the dark deck and have a drink with some of the other guests we befriended.

We had a great time in town but the best times were in the surrounding areas which will be in the following posts.

Merry Christmas

Lone Pine Koala Sancuary

2007-12-25T01:00:00.000-08:00

We made the trek to Lone Pine this weekend to see some native Australian wild life. I mean, c'mon, I haven't even seen a kangaroo yet and I have been here over two months.

It is really a snap to get to. It sits about a half an hour bus ride south of the CBD, right on the bank of the Brisbane River near Queensland University.

They care for about 230 koalas and a plethora of other native animals. Tropical birds, emus, crocs, snakes, bats and dingos. They have a big reptile and venemous snak was display which was very informative as most of them are common in Queensland.

Mariana got to hold a koala which was quite an ordeal. They (koalas) seem very slow but tempermental and they have to be coaxed into your hands with food and at their pace. A couple of times we had to take a break and try again. They said to be very still as the koala thinks you are a tree which leads me to believe that they are not very smart.

As I sat petting a kangaroo it finally occured to me that we are truly in Australia.

Aussie Dream House

2007-12-19T17:19:00.000-08:00

This spectacular and interesting house sits on the North End of the Brisbane River and I have thus deemed it "the dream house".

Life would be sweet indeed with what I am imagining are five to six rooms, five bathrooms and tons of entertainment space. It has a private dock with what appears to be a forty foot Skip Jack out front for any quick fishing expeditions. Mine would run on bio fuels.

Of course there would be cat trees in every room and cat walks constructed up high for the multitude of felines that we would have to bring in to complete the picture.

Leaving On A Jet Plane...

2007-12-18T16:00:00.000-08:00

Today is the big day for our cats. It is the culmination of five months of stress, wondering and scheduling. I am still not comfortable with the thought of the plane ride and how terrifying it will be for them but it is better than the alternative of leaving them at a shelter, which we never would have done. I told Pandemic, "they don't go, we don't go". Pandemic has been great and agreed to pay for all of it. For all that wonder, for two cats to Australia including all veterinarian bills will add up to about $3500.00 USD.

Right now I imagine they are sitting at The Kennel Club near LAX waiting for transport to their midnight Qantas flight to Sydney, Australia.
It has been a long process that I started way back on July 26th but we are entering the home stretch. After they land there is just the 30 day in-country quarantine and they are official Australian residents.
A quick shout out to Mom and to Nathan at Pacific Pet Travel for coordinating the logistics end of the move while I sit in Australia. Pacific Pet Travel has been really great and professional during this process.

30 days to go...

Beach Blanket Bingo

2007-12-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

Mariana and I decided to beat the heat and head to the beach. We went back to Burliegh Heads as it is a really nice beach and it was the best bet for some waves on the Gold Coast that weekend. We don't have a car yet and it has been frustrating as i have only been able to surf a couple of times.

I got skunked. It was 1-2 foot at max and the NW winds were all over it making for small and sloppy. It was a nice day however and we sat on the beach for a few hours and went for a few swims in the now very warm water.

Next week is Byron Bay so I should be able to get some board time then.

City Cat

2007-12-11T15:36:00.000-08:00

I finally got to take the City Cat last weekend. I have been wanting to take it but thought it would be better to ride once Mariana got here. I didn't want to see everything then have to watch her have all the excitement on here own and me just feel like the tour guide.

The City Cat is great, it is a high speed, powered, catamaran that goes up and down the Brisbane River and makes frequent stops along the way. There is the City Ferry that makes even more stops. The river is a functional commuter system and a great way to see the city.

The Wife Arrives

2007-12-10T00:14:00.000-08:00

Mariana got here last week and she is adjusting well. The first day is always tough and she got tired early which is to be expected. Since then, she has been good to go and we got out and explored Queen Street, South Bank, CBD, and City Beach.

Scrap Metal

2007-11-29T16:34:00.000-08:00

I watched a fascinating program last night on an Australian station SBS. It was about an Australian man living in Laos, training local bomb squads to disarm munitions that have been left scattered about the country since the Vietnam War ended 35 years ago. I had always known that there were problems in the region with ordinance but I never knew to what extent.

I felt is deserves coverage.

Did you know?

Between 1964 and 1973 there were 580,000 B-52 missions flown over Laos and Cambodia, but mostly over Laos targeting the Ho-Chi-Minh trail?

The B-52 D and G models used for area carpet bombing missions could carry 108, 500 lbs bombs internally and externally, dropping them from an altitude of 35,000 feet?

According to my calculations that was 62,640,000 bombs dropped over Laos during a nine year period. This excludes other type aircraft sorties.

Of this, roughly 5 - 10 % of all bombs dropped were "duds" and left peppered over a country roughly the size of Florida. That means that they are littered with between 3 and 6 million 500 pound bombs, not to mention the deadliest threat to children, cluster munitions.

Cluster munitions are large bombs packed with hundreds of small, grenade sized bomblets, packed with ball bearings. They were used in large numbers indiscriminately through the jungle to take out large areas of living things. These are literally everywhere, lying around in a state of decay and instability. The worse part is that they look like a toy or a small ball to little kids who pick them up and get themselves blown to bits.

Laos is a poor country, most of the people live well below the poverty line and see any kind of scrap metal as a commodity, villagers find bombs and try to recover the scrap metal and end up killing themselves or maiming themselves in the process. It is a huge problem.

Laos has an amputation rate 600% higher than any other country in the world.

I am glad this Australian man is helping the people of Laos, I just wish I was watching a program about Americans cleaning up our own bombs instead.

Next Post will be bout something more positive, I promise.

Actually Good Aussi Television!

2007-11-28T16:03:00.000-08:00

Stop the presses!!!

I actually saw something worth watching last night on Australian television. The Librarians on ABC is a situational comedy that takes place in a public library in Australia. It revolves around the main female character the head librarian. She is a staunch Catholic and mother of four that desperately trying to suppress her unconventional sexual urges and to keep her library under her strict control. Everything is thrown into a tail spin when her busty best friend from school days shows up and pushes her way in to her life. Hilarity ensues.
It is done in a mocumentary, improvisational style similar to The Office but i find this show is much more funny.
Australian TV is allowed to show more racier content than in the states and although mature in nature never goes too far. I would say rated PG 17. you can stream the show on the above link and if you have a broadband connection and thirty minutes to spare, I highly recommend checking it out. I have not laughed like that in a very long time.

Honest Abe...

2007-11-26T00:28:00.000-08:00

It did not surprise me that they have televangelists here too. Although the Australian versions tend to be not as "polished" as say TBN, 700 Club or any other American "god" channels. I noticed they don't have the phone number at the bottom of the screen constantly scrolling, urging the flock to call in and drop a twenty for a prayer. This makes me wonder if theirs are actually in it for saving souls and helping others. Probably not but I think this one was...

Now, I only have four channels right now and being hung over from the debauchery of the company Christmas party I had little energy for anything else. I hope you can understand my actually watching these programs but I find I don't have to excuse this particular show. I was fascinated by it.

If it wasn't so plain I would not get it. They all dress like they just woke up on the set of Little House and they sing (rather badly) to the droning of a cheap organ grinder. They will sing their hymn, in this case "Little Donkey" then the camera will cut and they will occupy new positions in the church pews while one of the fellows gets behind a plywood podium and gives a modest sermon. His sermons were simple and direct and thankfully short.

That completed, they ran back to the choir and "hit play"" on the VHS camera and burst into "O' Come All Ye Faithful" in an unstable D minor. There will be no Australian Idols out of this group for sure.
The whole thing is done on what I am guessing are two 1980's era VHS recorders and no operators. When they switch positions, you can see the residual motion of the camera as it moves slightly from the pressure of being turned on. After the camera is switched on, one of the performers jumps back into frame to join the others. On one camera cut the older woman on the left just about took out one of her plants.

At least they are honest and humble and I will raise my glass to that.

Architecture

2007-11-26T00:20:00.000-08:00

Period Australian architecture impresses me. This house is near my apartment and it is one of my favorites. It reminds me of a classic, Victorian in San Francisco with an Australian flair, corrugated roofs, large overhangs (for hot summers) and large decks for cooling off in the evening and screen doors to keep out the creepy crawlies. Notice the very bright blue sky that contrasts with the yellow paint and green palms.
The sun is very harsh here.

Flower Power: For Real

2007-11-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

I thought this piece was interesting. I took the photo a couple of weeks back on the South Bank while on a walk. It is a solar powered, rotating wind mill in the form of a flower.

There is a lot of public art in Brisbane...

Funky Facade

2007-11-22T19:15:00.000-08:00

This building I pass on my way to work every day is currently under renovation. I love the facade and iron work. It looks to me like it also boasts a glass ceiling for natural lighting. I can't wait to see it when it's finished.

Bad America

2007-11-21T16:54:00.000-08:00

I was unpleasantly surprised to find out that Britney Spears (stankienuss ho-esnus) is insanely popular in Australia. The morning show actually has a five minute spot set aside just for the B-News of the day. I noticed that the moo-moo's she always seems to wear (with cowboy boots?) are in vogue here as well. Mostly she is popular as in the States, not for her music but for her drug fueled antics, promiscuity, clothing (or lack thereof) faux pas, and general white trashiness.

There are just certain things I wish would not leave the borders of The United States.

Other notable items that make us look bad: George W. Bush, Fox News, Mc Donald's, War on everything (i.e. drugs, poverty, x-mas, the use of the word war in general) Wal Mart...

Sold!!!

2007-11-19T21:22:00.000-08:00

I just got word that the R00-Mobile has been sold, no thanks to you slackers that had a chance to buy it but didn't... You snooze, you loose!

That was a relief and it makes us feel much better and gives a renewed sense of hope. You don't know (some do) how hard it is to sell a used car in Orange County. From now on I am only leasing roo-mobiles.

Actually, it has been really nice not having a car. Sure we will get one. We will need something for the weekend explorations and the stores and all that although, they don't seem to be the status symbol here nor carry the same importance as they do in LA. You are not what you drive! I am hoping the next roo-rocket will be way under $10,000 and get better than 30 mpg as gas is pretty expensive and the Roo's want to be environmentally friendly.

I do want to give a shout out to my Mazda 3, I loved that car and will miss it, especially my Sirius Radio.

Sincere gratitude to used car sales ladies extraordinare'; Lana Neufeld and my Mexican mafiosa; Mariana, good job girls.

One car down , one to go. I am going to celebrate tonight!

The Fast and The Furious; Romania

2007-11-15T18:04:00.000-08:00

Street Racing Scene in Romania.

Rock on...

http://www.prostreetromania.ro/prostreet.htm

Everything Wild 4... (officially freaked out)

2007-11-15T15:59:00.000-08:00

I got to work yesterday and was telling one of my co-workers about the really big spiders I saw on the way to work. He is from Canada and although somewhat new to Australia, he has seen more than I have.

"Have you seen the bats"? He asked me.

"What Bats"? I croaked.

He started to explain to me that the park I walk through every night on my way home has a huge tree that is crawling with Spectacled Flying Fox Bats.

"So, those crows I see flying around at night are not crows, but bats?!?!?" I stammered...

"Nope, they're bats"...

So, last night I am out on the deck and as these things fly by I notice the silhouette and sure enough, they are huge bats. I am thinking they are about the size of a moderately proportioned house cat but with wings and claws and fangs, all of it. The creepy thing is that if they detect you, they will make a pass at you.

NowI got the hee-bee-jee-bee's from big really big, carnivorous spiders, then I have to worry about flying house cats...

It's just getting better all the time...

Actually if you see them close up, they are kind of cute little guys... I tried to get a picture of one last night but with a digital camera and in the dark it is proving to be tricky. One of the guys here has a blog with video of the tree in the park at dusk, you can check it out here...

http://thedickinsons.blogspot.com/2007/04/australian-bats.html

Everything Wild 3...

2007-11-14T16:18:00.000-08:00

I am walking to work this morning and I happened to look in the yard of a house I was passing.

Take a look at what I saw.

There were some bushes out in front with the biggest spider web I have ever seen. Then I noticed what was on the web, about ten of the BIGGEST SPIDERS I have ever seen. The thing was teeming with them. I have never seen anything like it and i don't want to see anything else like it. I hate bugs!

I pulled out the camera for a picture or two, from a safe distance. I thought about how I don't think I would ever want to be a gardener here.

I have possibly identified it as a White Tail Spider or Lampona cylindrata. It is not supposed to be deadly but it does have a toxic bite.

http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/white_tailed_spider.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_tailed_spider

Man, that's messed up...

Work

2007-11-13T23:31:00.000-08:00

Where the magic happens...

BBQ at the Roo Cave

2007-11-11T22:36:00.000-08:00

I was the guest of honer at a "post Snapper Rocks Surf" celebration the other night... Few beers, few laughs, and some music. I was the only one there but I had a great time and I controlled the IPod...

Snapper Rocks, Kirra; Paradise Lost

2007-11-10T20:10:00.000-08:00

Coolangatta: Snapper Rocks, Kirra and Rainbow Bay.

The Super Bank

Now this place has been a full on dream of mine since I can remember. Scenes of days past, Kirra's long, roping, blue barrels. Firing down the bank, spitting reforming, hucking, spitting reforming, for hundreds of yards. On it's perfect days it has been known for 10-15 second barrel rides as being the norm.

Modern times has not been so nice to Kirra. The constant dredging of the Tweed River and the sand pump at the top of the point has robbed it of it's past glory, but it is supposed to still have it's day on occasion.

Then there is the Superbank. Starting with Snapper Rocks at the top of Rainbow Bay has become one of the most filmed and photographed spots in Australia. A long, perfect, sand bottomed point break is a magical looking place when it is on.

The surf looked epic as I was pulling my board out of my car. As I walked up the point it was amazing to watch the machine like cadence of barrel after barrel, roping it's way down the sand bank.

The wave will run down the line and start to flatten out, then it will hit the next bank and bend to a new angle, creating a very hollow, thick double up that explodes on the sand bar and accelerates down the line to the next bank and repeat. It is amazing to watch when it's on. I think i saw it at about 50% of it's potential but it looked amazing.

As I paddled out the wind shifted and kind of messed it up. It was still good but kind of lumpy and warbly and with the side wind it was hard to make sections not to mention see ahead of you through the spray.

California is not crowded:

It is also unfathomably packed with people. It makes lowers on a summer time south look virtually empty. There were probably three hundred people stretched along the three hundred yard stretch, every skill level represented, on every variety of craft and of questionable sanity. I don't know why or how they do it. Burleigh Heads looked better than Upper Trestles on a good day and there were four guys out. Snapper was marginally better but there were hundreds.

Most people were of the category "can't surf" and were more a hazard than anything else. One girl in front of me panicked as a wave broke in front of her and just froze and got pummeled. I duck dove right under her and she got washed over my back. I came up and shouted at her, "are you f#$%ing crazy"? She was wide eyed with terror and totally out of her element, she was not even the worst offender I saw. There were allot of people wearing Gath helmets and at first I thought it was because it is a powerful break, which it is not but, I soon figured out it was because of all the bodies and boards flying in all directions and the extreme danger you face when paddling out at the circus that is The Super Bank.

I was out for three hours and got three waves. The best being a fluke. I was desperate for a wave and took of on a head high gem with two people behind me. I was going to get one turn in then pull out but as I looked back to turn I heard one of the guys yelp as the other guy cut back into him and they took each other out. Success! I was the last man standing. I almost couldn't believe it. I pumped like hell and beat the first section and got in a couple of decent turns. I was surprised at how fast the wave is. You fly down the line and hit the elbow section and have to hit the gas to get around it. I can imagine when it is hollow it would be a back - door - shack-o-rama. The whole time you are dodging people, fending off shoulder hoppers and trying to see with the wind spray and evening sun in your face.

It is a difficult wave to surf although I think the shifting winds had allot to do with that. As well, you get quite a bit of leg burn after the first fifty yards or so. I think i might start climbing stairs in my spare time to get some endurance into my lower extremities.

It was an extremely beautiful surf spot. The point is lush with restaurants and bars lining the shore. The water was neon blue and clear when the sun was out. It started to rain while I was there and never got cold. There were bait fish swimming about and even though the water was at least six to eight feet deep, you could clearly see the bottom. The water does not smell and there is no trash at all.

Other notable events: finding parking is impossible, paddling til' the arms are numb, interesting birds, clothing is optional on the beach. Highly organized life guards with funny hats.

I can now say I have surfed the Super Bank, will I surf it again we will have to see about that.

The town of Coolangatta is great. Set back in the trees by the point it is a city on the ocean. Small but with lots of hotels, shops and cafe's lining the beach road. This would be a perfect place for me and the wife to go on weekends as I can surf for a couple of hours and she would have plenty to do and see, then a nice lunch after and a pint on the point...

Neener - neener - neener! I surfed the Super Bank and You Didn't!!!

ha

Burliegh Heads; Paradise Found

2007-11-10T19:32:00.000-08:00

Wow...

First stop off the M1, Burliegh Heads. (cue the god music and parting clouds)

Who Can Forget the the Cyclone Season of 77' captured at Burliegh Heads in 35 mm splendor in Fluid Drive? Tom Curren winning the 1978 Jr's Championship in perfect 8 foot, grinding green barrels against Mark Occiluppo, setting the stage for one of surfings greatest rivalries? Notable local legends; modern retro man Dave Rastovich PT and Rabbit.

Burliegh Heads for me was somewhat of a mecca. A place I always dreamed of seeing but never actually thinking I would get to, never the less surf. It is a sub tropical, lush point on the Gold Coast with lava formed rocks on the point, a popular vacation destination for the mature unlike the craziness that is Surfer's Paradise. Green and beautiful with just enough city to make it sheik. There are restaurants and bars lining the white, talcum powder sand beach.

This would be a perfect place to set up Nick and Mariana's Bed and Breakfast and Kitty Corral Boarding house.

The waves looked pretty good but the wind was howling off shore with a bit too much South in it. I decided to head farther down the line to Snapper Rocks...

I will be back very soon to surf this spot.

Free Your Mind...

2007-11-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

I actually started to work on Saturday. The weather was nice but I didn't think the surf was going to be that great. When I got in the office I made a Latte, checked my e-mails, then opened Coastal Watch to see how it looked. Snapper was head high and reeling rights down the point.

I got on line and went to Abel Rent a Car and reserved a unit to be ready in thirty minutes. I ran down there a sweaty mess and got my ride, twenty minutes later I had board in car, wax in hand, surf on the mind, and was speeding down the M1 to Coolangatta.

Coolangatta is about an hour South of Brisbane.

If I could live anywhere in the world it would have to be The Gold Coast of Australia...

So how was it???

Australian Clouds

2007-11-09T17:55:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posts but not every day is an adventure... Check back soon for updates...

PG13 Surf Wax???

2007-11-06T15:36:00.000-08:00

Australian Wax Job...

It's the Other Red Meat...

2007-11-05T01:15:00.000-08:00

I'm at the market and in a victorious mood after my day's finds and near fatal mountain adventure and am pondering dinner. I am usually healthy and not too into beef. Chicken seems so tame, especially after my heroic stand on the mountain, in the name of photo journalism.

What's that?

I was not sure at the butcher counter and there was a decent looking lad next who looked "local". I explained to him I was a yank and if I should try it...

"Have you ever tried it before?" I asked.

"Aw' Muate, it's me favorite! It tastes just like fillet of beef! You'll love it for sure!"

Sold!!! I took a few Satay and Spicy Thai chicken skewers just to be safe so if the meal was not as advertised I would have a plan B.

I stopped at the corner pub for a warm up then back to the barie to prepare.

Like the man promised, it was tender, tasty and I am ready for more. I highly recommend this bounding, hippity - hoppity dish...

Don't Get Off the Boat Man!!!

2007-11-04T19:29:00.000-08:00

On my way back to the city I saw the most amazing mountain formations I have ever seen. I had not noticed them on the way up as they were to my back. I was trying to snap pictures in the car but could never seem to get a good shot.

As luck would have it, I saw a turn off for a "lookout point" for these mountains. I had the time so I pulled off for a quick gander. I followed a lonely road for about a kilometer and just as I thought I was lost I came into a clearing with a gravel parking lot. I was the only one with exception of the highway, for miles. It was hot as it gets and kind of spooky to boot. A cement trail wound up a hill into some trees and out of site so I put on my back pack and headed up the trail.

The initial going was a bit rough but manageable in the 90 degree, oven like heat. I noticed some really fast ants running about but kept on going. A sign told me "lookout point 700m ahead".

Then came the flies. At first they were annoying and small but as I got farther they became bigger, faster and started to kamikaze my face and body. They would hit you with a force and it started to hurt. Their buzz sounded like a chain saw.

Walking faster now...

Now a big dragon fly like creature barley misses my head at about 30 mph.

Now I am almost running while flailing up the hill. I notice the ants are getting bigger and faster than before. Note: I was on a surf mission and I am in flip-flops, shorts and a t-shirt.

I have now had enough and I can see just enough of the view to get a picture, if I can just get around this tree... I stepped off the trail to get the shot and I looked down and saw the ground just teeming with big, fat, red, fast-as-hell-and-looking-agitated, ants that I am guessing were about 1/4 to 1/2 inches in length! Right then a wasp or something started hovering about my face, I'm out of here!

Now I am running down the trail the way I came and at a dead sprint. Wait, the Picture! I did not come all this way for nothing. Dammit, I must get the shot! I need TOTAL COVERAGE!!! I stopped, ran back up and leaned out over the ants nest and snapped a quick shot, the next one was at a run and the third was at a full gallop but I got the goods.

Just remember what yours truly goes through to get the you the 411.

The Sunshine Coast: Caloundra

2007-11-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

The next stop on my quick tour of The Sunshine Coast was Caloundra. It kind of reminded me of a cross between a really small Laguna Beach and Pas-de-Calais but with 85 degree weather and perfect surf.

I love this place. It sits in a small bay with a pristine beach. On the southern end there is a rocky point with very nice apartments and houses on the top. In the center is a small downtown with cafe's, shops and art galleries. There are wineries on the outskirts of town.

The beaches are crowded and with the summer heat they are a cool alternative. In California the beaches tend to be strewn with garbage and it is sad and makes me angry. Here the beaches are warm, the water does not smell and is clear, salty and clean. I have never seen one speck of trash and I think the people here would kill anyone that did not pick it up and take it with them. They are an environmentally conciouse lot. I took a nice swim here and sat in the sun for a while.

Then there is the surf, the southern end has what appears to be a long right hand point break. In the center of the bay there looks to be a reef with a right and a left although it would be quite a paddle. On the north end is a lava rock head land with a really heavy looking left breaking into a channel in the bay. The one person I talked to about it says it gets good but is quite sharky.

The day I was there a good south swell was running but the NE winds are an issue right now. I looked for alternatives but to no luck. I hear next week there is to be a reversal so I might be back.

I would live here in a heartbeat.

The Sunshine Coast: Maroocheeydore

2007-11-04T18:38:00.000-08:00

In my rented car I headed out of Brisbane on the M1 to The Sunshine Coast to look for surf, explore, and just get used to this whole driving thing. I can tell you this much, I can die now and say I have been to the promised land.
The Sunshine Coast is about an hour north of Brissie and stretches from Caloundra in the south to Noosa in the north. I can tell you that it is littered with some of the best surf spots on the planet. It is very lush, hot, sub tropical and sparsely populated and very rugged country. I can imagine now what it must have been like for the original "convicts" that were plopped down here in the 1700's it must have been grueling to say the least.
First stop was Maroocheydore (Mah-Roo-Chee-Dore), a small coastal town with a nicely developed city center. It seems to be a popular weekend spot and had a healthy crowd but not hectic or touristy, walking about. The beach of Marroocheydore has a what I have heard a world class left breaking over a shallow shelf, it was wind torn this day and there were jet skis in out the back jumping waves but I will be back again. I was too busy driving to take pictures of the down town and I forgot the camera in the car when I was checking out the surf, sorry. I do have pictures from Kings Beach with Maroocheydore in the distance.

One interesting note: When the M1 Motorway crosses into The Sunshine Coast it becomes The Steve Irwin Motorway which passes by the Zoo he created. You hear his name allot here and I believe Australia considers him a first son. I always liked his shows and loved his conservation efforts.

Steve Irwin R.I.P.

Rollin In My Six Fo'...

2007-11-04T16:27:00.000-08:00

I got the courage up and rented a car on Sunday and I can finally say I have mastered the roads and the whole driving on the left thing.
I have to preface that the Australians are great people, friendly, outgoing, generous. All that disappears when they get behind the wheel. They are the most aggressive and crazy drivers I have seen outside of Italy. Road Rage seems to be a problem here to I tread lightly. On the Gold Coast Saturday my buddy Kirk got flipped off twice just trying to change lanes. Incredible. Australians are super hard core at everything they do. My guess is that when you live in a country with this many extremes you take everything else at the same level. Full speed all the way.

My experience was a good one however. I chose Sunday which is a good day to drive here, everyone parties til' dawn (literally) on Saturday night so Sundays tend to be quiet. After the first twenty minutes of terror and constantly chanting "stay to the left, stay to the left" I got that hang of it and suddenly it just makes sense. I drove a stick shift which i think helped remind me not to drift to the right. The only problem I really had was the turn signal. Almost every lane change or turn I would hit the lever and the windshield wipers would go on. The signal is on the opposite side of the car. It was always worth a laugh. Other problems included: always getting in on the wrong side of the car, round abouts to the left, kilometers are 2.2 miles or is it the reverse?...

Off to Caloundra and Maroochydoore.

First Surf and New Board for Vona!!!

2007-11-03T00:41:00.000-07:00

First surf is under my belt...

I went with some guys from the office to Snapper Rocks this morning. Unfortunatley we got skunked. The wind was blowing hard from the North and chewed the points to bits.

Where I didn't get skunked was in The Board Room in Coolangatta. Generally boards in Australia tend to be a might bit expensive. I was planning on spending about $700.00 or so for a new DHD, Simon Anderson, Burton or other shaper. I found this 6'6" thumb tail in the used rack. From the looks of it, I think it might have been surfed once. Pure white, no preassure dings on the deck, not a blemish, practically a brand new board. I picked it up and with some haggleing I got the board, sock, leash, and two bars of wax, all for $400.00! Savings Galore!

After that we headed to Surfer's Paradise and some good ol' fashioned beach breaks to try it out. It was ok, 4-5 ft, but the wind was up and it was wonky. I could totally see the potential of Australian beach breaks though and the water was around 70 and clear and blue as I have ever seen.

Tomorrow I am renting a car for the first time and if I make it alive, will be hitting Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. See you there.

The Coffee Time Blues

2007-11-02T23:57:00.000-07:00

The Pandemic Studios Coffee is legendary. We are provided the biggest, best-est, shiniest coffee maker I have ever seen at a studio. When the going gets tough, the tough get coffee...

Eat your hearts out.

First Surf On the Way

2007-10-29T23:26:00.000-07:00

Yeah!!! Just solidified my plans for the weekend. I will be heading out with a group of guys from the studio for my first surf in Australia. We're heading to the legendary Snapper Rocks in Coolangatta. It is a place that I have seen magazines for years and never dreamed that I would ever get to surf it, and even better is that it is going to be my inaugural session in Australia. Crowded it will be but the boys tell me that there are plenty of waves to go around, lots of open beach and getting waves is never a problem.

According to Coastal Watch, we should have a nice little SE swell working for some 3-4 backs with fine weather to boot.

Before heading over we will be stopping by The Board Room for choosing a fresh new board for yours truly.

Hoot-Hoot...

Dinner and a Show

2007-10-29T01:43:00.000-07:00

I am longing for home just a little bit. I am not at all regretting the move but i am finding that everything has changed in my life in just a week and I mean everything. Aside from the location change, the weather is different, job is different, accents, driving, you even walk on the other side of the sidewalk.
This morning I did my weekly shopping and picked up some stuff for a familiar meal that would try and remind me of my wife, the cats, and anything else that was once familiar to me.
I cooked up some good ol' Pasta Puttanesca, it was not as good as when my wife makes it but it put a smile on my face. Pasta, wine, bread and salad and more wine and, everything is right with the world.
As I started to eat, a storm started to roll through and I had a awesome show of mother nature at its Australian best. Lightning, thunder, rain, the whole show. My place is sheltered from the wind from the south west and I can sit through the worst of it with nary a drop...

Sorry for the poor focus...

To my wife...

2007-10-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

The hardest thing about being in Australia is that I am here without my wife. Mariana is the best thing that has ever come into my life and I miss her terribly. She is my other half and the rock that the whole house sits on...

I will you soon...

Everything Wild 2...

2007-10-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

You know your in Australia when...

One of the guys here found this outside is flat yesterday...

For those not in the know, it is a Koala...

I love this place!!!

Everything Wild...

2007-10-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

One other thing that amazes me is the variety and size of the wild life and that is abundant in the city center...

The lizard just about ran over my foot. The picture is deceiving as he was about two foot long.

This bird was in a tree right above me and was about a two foot from beak to tail...

The Australians are great when i comes to the environment. At work there are multiple recycle stations by every cube set and everyone uses them. The last studio I worked at, the recycle bins would be empty and the organic can would be full of plastic. It is very refreshing. We are encouraged to be clean, turn off lights when not in use and to use public transport when possible. Here there is no debate about the validity of global warming and everyone does their part.

Mostly the city is very clean and tidy. There is some litter here and there but nothing compared to SF and LA. I am glad to be somewhere that makes such an effort to be clean and green and conservation minded...

I love this place!!!