Yay!

...so Matt arrives tomorrow into the US. YAY!

I've been having a whirlwind of a time in New York the past couple of weeks. Prinz, Charito, Charles and Michelle have been in town on vacation and we've pretty much been going out every night (and drinking. lots). I just came back from dinner and drinks @ The Sunburnt Cow and nothing beats an Aussie restaurant in the middle of the East Village where all the food and drinks are $5 on a Monday...AND we're friends with the bartenders and waitresses so we get free drinks and free food. Total bill for 7 people: $66. Woot!

We've also celebrated Steve's birthday (with dinner and drinks @ The Sunburnt Cow last Saturday) and Girlie's birthday (with a surprise lunch @ Steve's apartment).

I start my project tomorrow. I'm a little bit nervous, but mostly totally excited. I'm gonna be working across the road from Columbus Circle in the middle of Manhattan. I have a choice between the following two apartments:

Choice #1: 777 Sixth Ave in Chelsea - Plus: Great area, close to lots of trendy restaurants and bars, walking distance from all the gay bars/clubs. Minus: 30 minute commute to work

-or-

Choice #2: Trump Place - Plus: Great area, river views, bigger apartment, 15 minute walk to work. Minus: Not close to the gay bars/clubs.

Thoughts?

I know what I'm thinking...I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU MATTHEW!!!

Song of the Day: "It's All Good" - Fantasia

Happy 40th Anniversary!

...so today marks 40 (!) years of wedded bliss for my mum and dad. For their anniversary, my brother, my sisters and I all put in to get them airfare for the Philippines in January 2008 so they can attend their 50th (!) high school reunions back home.

Tonight (well technically last night in Australia-time) my family back in Australia had dinner in Sydney. I also sent them a fruit basket, for my family to enjoy after dinner. It breaks my heart that I couldn't attend, but I guess that's a feeling I'm gonna have to get used to over the next few years.

To Tatay and Nanay,

For all of the love, support and warmth you've brought to my life over the years...

For teaching myself and my siblings your values and beliefs...

For sacrificing so much to give your family a better life in Australia...

For knowing when to trust me, and knowing when to let go...

For loving Matt for the simple reason that he makes me so happy...

For accepting me for who I am...

I thank you. I'm the product of the two most beautiful people on earth and I hope you're proud of who Ate, Kuya, Julie Anne and I are. I love you both.

Song of the Day: "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby. Every Christmas you could guarantee that my Mum and Dad will play this song on Christmas morning and hum along. Nevermind the fact that it was 100 degrees in Sydney.

Settling in

...so I've been living (!) in the US for a week now and here's a list of the things I've already accomplished:

• Applied for my Social Security number. I love sitting around for TWO HOURS while the bloody employees take their lunch break and shut one of the (two) teller windows down. SERIOUSLY!
• Setup my savings account, checking account and applied for a credit card
• Looked foolish when I asked the Personal Banker "What's a checking account?"
• Finished my orientation for my "new" job
• Met a few of my work colleagues at Long Island University
• Gotten drunk with my boss. Well, drunk and kinda woozy. God bless red wine and Tylenol Extra Strength
• Farted in front of my boss (happened in the first 10 minutes of meeting)
• Eaten at White Castle (happened on the first night)
• Gotten drunk with Riss thus continuing the rule that "First night Ray is in NYC we must drink". And to think Riss and Steve walked into the bar and said "We're only staying for one drink".
• Drunk-called friends back home. Nothing says "I love you" like slurring into a mobile phone outside a gay bar at 2.30am.

Things still left to accomplish:

• Start my project (hopefully next week)
• Get an apartment
• Receive my credit card
• Do everything else that requires a US credit card (join a gym...buy movie tickets online...)
• Matt to arrive (less than two weeks! YAY!)

Song of the day: "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" - Lauren Hill

The final goodbye post

...so I leave Sydney in less than 12 hours and I've said goodbye to friends and family (tonight...yes, there were tears). My final goodbye is to our apartment of three years. Unit C3 has been filled with life, love and lots and LOTS of laughter over those years. Here's a sample:

Matt and Maz in Matt's "studio" -

preparing the music for Maz's wedding.

The Sunday Dinner crowd - circa 2005.

Ed dancing up a storm - New Years Eve 2005

I still remember the first day Maria and I walked into our apartment - when we were recommended to check out the place by our real estate agent after the apartment we WANTED to look at was already taken. We knew it was fate when we saw the blue feature wall and the bathroom that looked like a disco.

...and so I start a new chapter in my life. One with different accents, different spelling and hopefully just as much love and laughter. Wish me luck!

Song of the Day: "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" - Janet Jackson.

I am drunk. Goodbye Sydney!

...soi I am drunk right now, and mMattt and I are watching "LaS t cOMIC standing" and it's fucking funny. I am really sad about leVING. fucking caps lock. Like, i really can't wait to movde to the UASASA but like, I really areally really am gonna miss living in Sdnyney. Especially Pyrmonst. Coz like, t's the the est. I mean , the best. HAHAHAHA I am so lsaughing at my typinc skilglls right now.l Seriously! i ROCK! rucking cap slock!!!

I love my friends. And I also love suasuagfe rolls. Matt is heating up a suasage roll for me and I love him. I LOVE YOU MATTHEW!
!!!


YAY!

OK BYE

No song of hte day. Coz like, i Cant think of one.

Poo

...so right now I'm in a workshop in New Zealand and I need to poo. I think it might've been the meatballs, party pies and carrot cake I had at lunch time. The problem is that it'll be an hour until I get back to the hotel, and most of you already know that...

I don't #2 in public toilets.

Well OK, that statement isn't entirely true. There were a couple of cases that I HAD to go because of ummm...explosive rhymes-with-Korea. One time was in Madrid airport and another time was on the plane coming back from the Philippines.

Steve argues that hotel toilets are 'public' because "imagine ALL the people that have sat on that toilet" (Did anyone else just 'sing' that statement to 'Imagine' by John Lennon?). I disagree because during the hotel stay, I'm the only one with access to that toilet. Therefore, it's private.

All this poo talk is making me need to go even more. Right now it's in my feels-like-a-punch-to-the-stomach lower intestine area. What's worse is that it's past the farting-will-ease-the-pain phase. ARGH! (the cars!)

Song of the Day: "What Goes Around Comes Around" - Justin Timberlake