Wednesday, March 03, 2010

This and That

Just when the Olympics end and I figure life will get back to normal, I get the afternoon shift. Screws up my day at both ends - not enough time in the am and too tired in the pm.

I had another Kristie moment the other day. When I got into my car that night and turned it on, the dashboard lights were very dim. As I was driving home, I was trying everything to get them brighter; flipping the switch up and down, turning them off altogether and back on, turning on the inside car light, nothing worked! And I was thinking 'oh ma-an, somehow the car must be loosing power. Now I'm going to have to take it in since I don't want to go on my big adventure with a car loosing power. Good thing I have a car guy now'.
Then it dawned on me. When I drove to work, it was sunny and I wore my shades - prescription sunglasses. To make sure I didn't forget them at work, I put them on before I left the building. The reason the lights were so dim was because:

I wear my sunglasses at night.


I made a huge decision the other night!! I was tweeting up a storm and one of the other twitterers (or is that tweeters?) twitted (or is that tweeted) about the upcoming Australian RWA conference. And then someone else mentioned about the Readers convention in 2011. And I started pondering........
I have ALWAYS wanted to visit Australia - for as long as I can remember. Since the first time I heard Waltzing Matilda and it made me want to cry - even though the lyrics made absolutely not sense. They still make absolutely no sense, yet it still makes me want to cry.

Ever since I saw pictures of kangaroos, kwoala bears and duckbill platypuses. I mean how cool is that animal!! Imagine if you were to cross one with the Canadian Beaver - wouldn't that be an interesting animal!?!

When I realized when we had summer and they had winter I wanted to visit.

When I got older and started having lustful thoughts about a young Mel Gibson before he turned 'odd' I wanted to visit Australia.

When I realized they were a lot like us - only upside down and with an awesome accent (though I'm sure they will deny they have one) I've wanted to visit Australia. There was a coworker a couple of years ago - a young gorgeous coworker who I tried to set up with Ryan and failed miserably - last time I ever tried matchmaking with my sons - who went to school there for a year. When I heard about her plans, I whimpered that I wasn't that adventurous when I was young.
Well - damn it all!! I'm adventurous now and I decided that

I AM GOING TO GO TO AUSTRALIA IN 2011!

Now unless I find a a traveling partner, I'm going to have to do a lot of preparation! A LOT!!

  • Quit smoking!
  • Exercise!
  • Loose weight!
  • Dye my hair!
  • Start doing more things on my own like going to movies and out to restaurants - not just the food court at the mall.
  • All kinds of stuff!!!

Now New Zealand was a country I also wanted to visit - not with the longing I had for Australia - at least not until Lord of the Rings came out. Then I really wanted to visit. To walk the same ground that Frodo and his friends, Aragorn and Boromir and Legolas did.

So I figured since I would be on that side of the globe, I would also stop off and visit New Zealand Nalini Singh lives there. I'm pretty sure my newest author find, Karina Bliss lives there. Orannia lives there, as well as other wonderful bloggers I'm sure.
So, now I have *drum roll* A GOAL!!

I'm late - I'm very late - at the book giveaway - I haven't forgotten - but due to Olympic mania I haven't had time to look for doubles yet - but I do have 2 so far. Somehow I got two ARC of Ravishing in Red so that will be one. And I know I have at least two copies of Beloved Warrior, a book by Patricia Potter I loved. I will look for 2 more as soon as I can and announce the winner.

And finally - now that it's March - I got to turn my calendar at work. And this is March's pic I get to look at for the next 27 days!


9 comments:

Wendy said...

Well I'd drop everything and go to Australia with you Kristie - but 2011 is already looking loaded for me. I need to go to RWA since it's in NYC (I have friends there too!) and RT is finally hitting the west coast, and they'll be in L.A.

That's a whole lotta money flying out the door already :)

Bev(QB) said...

WOO to the HOO! You GO, sistah! I am so thrilled for you.

Since I sadly don't anticipate figuring out a way to be your traveling companion, I'm requesting irrefutable proof, via peektures and first-hand observation, that Oz men are just as rugged and smexy as we ladies in the USA perceive them to be. Do you Canooks have a thing for Ozzie's too?

CindyS said...

AUSTRALIA!!!! So friggin' awesome!! I've always wanted to see Australia also but yeah, I don't fly so uhm, no.

You go with your adventurous self!! So, happy for you and 2011 is not nearly that far away!

Cindys

Heidenkind said...

Wow, Kristie, how exciting! And I'm totally jealous that you might get to meet Orannia. :)

Kristie (J) said...

Wendy: I'm still not sure about plans for RWA - I really do need to go to that too as it's in Barbara's back yard - that's another thing I will have to do - budget v.e.r.y. c.a.r.e.f.u.l.l.y!!! But I remember Ron kept putting off traveling until he retired - and we never did get to. So I don't want to make the same mistake.

Bev: Oh MY Yes - we Canuck women have a BIG thing for the Aussie men - at least this particular Canukienne does - heh heh heh

Cindy: I know!! And it would be so easy for me to back out - that's why I said I'm going to do it - so I DON'T back out.

Heidnekind: There are also a number of Australian bloggers I'd love to meet too. That's the trigger behind the decision - to meet the friends in person that I've met online!!

nath said...

Wow Kristie!! It's great news and it sounds very exciting!! :D

Too bad I can't join you :( But I'm very excited for you :D

orannia said...

I do live in New Zealand and I'd love to meet you! Oh, how exciting!

Also exciting that RWA is in NY in 2011. Hmmm. I have a friend that I'd love to catch up with who lives in NY, and perhaps I could meet some of my London friends there... Hmmm. You've got me thinking now!

Marg said...

Woo-freaking-hoo!

I am planning on going to the reader convention in Sydney so if you need a roomie you just let me know!

Kris said...

oh, fun!! great goal. Very exciting :)