Return Of The Mack

Yes.

I'm in Australia.

Rayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!

Managed to get back to the promised land, without my fam or friends knowing... SURPRISE!

Why am I back? Hmmmmmm. Long story short, some Americans are douche bags, and it's time for me to get on with things. I had my little adventure, and I got some clarity, and it's time to grow up. And I missed 3 little munchkins a little too much.



"So I'm back up in the game, running things to keep my swing, letting all the people know, that I'm back to run the show. Cause what you did, you know, was wrong, and all the nasty things you've done. So, baby, listen carefully, while I sing my come-back song..." MARK MORRISON

California English

So I've been a bit busy. Vampire Weekend, resulting in an impounded vehicle (no Dave, just cause you think it sounds "so American" doesn't make it cool), Mexico, resulting in an encounter with Jamie Cullum, and Muse, resulting in no Muse. Yes. Thanks for postponing. To October 2nd. When I'll be in Europe. Gah. No Muse for Dan.

But Yeh. Ezra and Jamie are good. Hooray.

And now I'm at the airport. I know y'all think all I do is go on Vacation. You might just be right.

Off to Cali for a few days. Yayzers. Then I'll have something to write about. Wow. I'm even bored by this post. Maybe I shouldn't post it. Yeh. I will. Just so y'all don't think I'm dead. I say y'all too much.

Anywhoozle.

I have something else to say. But you'll just have to wait.

"Living like the French Connection, but we'll die in LA" VAMPIRE WEEKEND

The General Specific

I can't really pinpoint one specific thing that made my 27th birthday, the BEST birthday I've EVER had... So how about 27 things?

For starters, due to the major time difference between my two "homes" I got to be 26 for an extra day, and in turn, got to celebrate for 2 days in a row. Which somehow turned into 3 days...

Waking up to 99 new Facebook notifications made me feel very special!

Peter Alexander goodness sent all the way from OZ, thanks MUMMA!

Casa Bonita. Cartman was right. "Casa Bonita is my favorite place in the whole world..."

Alice In Wonderland in Imax 3D. Tim Burton. I adore you.

Good morning Starbucks, hello dark cherry mocha, where have you been the past 27 years?

Um. Hello. Best concert tickets ever. Guess who gets to go to Red Rocks to see STING and FOREIGNER? Uh. That would be me. Eeeeek. Thanks guys!!!

Janelephant celebrating in my honour. She totally made the coolest cake I've ever seen! Just wish I was close enough to bite it...

Summer Heights High: The Board Game. Ahhh. Danners. You may just be the greatest person alive.

Carls Jr. Really. The best $1.75 you could ever spend. Ever.

Sangria Swirl. Enough said.

Two of the best birthday cards ever. Nice work Elisha. So many pretty boys, so little time.

Deluxe Mani Pedi. Yes. I almost fell asleep, it was just that good.

Arriving home from said Mani Pedi, to discover two giant boxes at my door. The most amazing Sixteen Candles Party Kit you could possibly imagine. All from my future traveling buddy David... Paris planning is underway. Thanks for letting me eat Tootsie Rolls for breakfast.

Did I mention the Casa Bonita Cliff diver?? What a fitty.

Sun! No snow! Just the most amazingly wonderful day filled with sunshine and smiles!

My green shamrock hat. Sure. I may have broke it before managing to figure out how to turn the flashing lights on, but it was still the life of the party.

Dancing to Billy Jean, if only for a split second. It was a good split second.

Finding a pub in this fair city that actually sells cider. FINALLY.

Denver Diner. You are pretty great.

Hersheys. I don't know why you cover pretzels in chocolate. But I like it. 10 points.

Attempting to Riverdance to an Irish cover band singing The Proclaimers. Gold.

Skyping with Janelephant... til her stupid computer cut out. It was a nice 3 minutes and 27 seconds.

Andy Candy pulling out the South Park moves on the dance floor... fagggggggggggggggggggggggggggs!

Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough... Good.

All the Pings, Texts, Tweets, Emails etc etc etc... Thanks team, you made it impossible for me to forget how OLD I am...

And of course, Band of Horses. Sold out show. No tickets. Just a "can do' attitude. Needles to say. We got in. And it was insane.


All in all, yes, I wish I was still 16. But. If you HAVE to get older, this certainly was the way to do it.

"I hardly believed it at all..." BAND OF HORSES

Call N' Return

Yay!

I finally made a decision!! My work Visa for the USA runs out in August, and instead of trying to get ANOTHER work visa for ANOTHER year, I'm gonna get my travel on and head home...

Hecks yes Australia, I just miss you too much! Life is good, but life without the GG Crew and The Ace Gang just ain't quite cutting it. Did I mention I might actually go crazy loco if I don't get to have Aunty cuddles for another year and a half?? No thank you.

Wouldn't trade this experience for anything though. Learnt (and am still learning) so much, had the most insane opportunities, been to some killer cities and some killer shows, witnessed the greatest candy aisles in the universe, petroned my way through many an awkward situation, became a big fan of the cherry bomb, met people that will be in my life forever... and more than anything, got some perspective, figured out what's important, and began to move on. Wait. I take that back... and more than anything, I MET JARED LETO.

So the next 5 months will be superb, we're heading to Mexico soon, got some brilliant shows lined up, amped for Summer (aka Dan & Dustin take over Waterworld), going to Washington State in August and Elisha's moving 5 minutes away so we can watch Glee all day while the kiddies are at school and hit Boulder for major shopping and coffeeeeeeeee. Cool beans!

And then I've got travel timeeeeeeeeeee. Hello LA roadtrippin', 2 weeks in NYC and home via EUROPE. Yes. I finish work in August. But Australia, don't count on seeing me til October. Eeeeeeek. Fun!

In other news, HelloGoodbye (yes Dave and AP, I give in) were a lovely treat last night. A little dancing was done, pre Saves The Day and New Found Glory. Gothic Theatre reminded me so much of Jive. Which made me even more sure, it's gonna be good to be home! Been exploring Denver by daylight, and Boulder by moonlight. Art Galleries, Brunswick-type bars, and outdoor malls in the sunshine. This really is a cool place to live. For now. Insert smiley face with winking action here.

"If only you were here, things would be more magical. If I was there, right now would be more radical... Miles of air and road and land that separate me from all my plans. Were havin' havin' havin' havin' fun, but something something tells me I miss someone." HELLOGOODBYE

Umbrella Beach

Seth Cohen, or no Seth Cohen, Newport Beach rules.

Ahhh blessed sunshine, coastline and palm trees.

Loved, loved, loved hanging with my olds. 36 hours of Parental company was sublimely good.

Shopping plus wining and dining, made for a wonderful Tiffanys and Bloomingdales filled weekend.

Plus.

Cherry on top of the swirly swirly Pinkberry goodness? Seeing all those splendid college faces from way back when, yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew! Newport Church: WINNER.

Hard saying bye to Ma & Pa, but wouldn't have traded seeing them for anything. So much Starbucks, so little time. Limited tears, taken over by ridiculous outbursts of laughter.

I'm a very lucky girl.

"I think dreamy things as I'm waving goodbye. So I'll spread out my wings and fly..." OWL CITY

If You Leave

My heart hurts.

After about a billion sleeps I finally got to see my Mumma. And it was brill.

But yesterday she had to leave. And I don't like this. At all.

After a week of showing her MY Colorado... (Ahh, the dictionary definition of MY Colorado, is mani pedis, dining at diners, oohing and ahhing at the mountains, the snow and all things USA, countless cups of Starbucks, and of course shopping at Tiffanys, Anthropology, Urban Outfitters, Steve Madden and Mac.) She had to leave. Boo to the world.

The best "Shazza" moment:

Shazza: Please come home in September (teary eyes and tight hug holding included)
Dan: Ah, Mum, I'm gonna see you on Saturday.
Shazza: Oh. I forgot.

Thankfully, the last goodbye has not yet occurred. Sunday night is gonna suck. Bad.

Tomorrow I'm flying out to Newport to see my PA (aka my Dad) and Mumma for a fleeting 36 hours before they exit the land of stars and stripes.

This makes me smile.

My mission, and I choose to accept it, is to find out if Seth Cohen truly does exist. Or I could just hang out with my olds.

Yeh. I better go with option B.

I like option B.

"If you leave, don't leave now, please don't take my heart away." ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK

Holiday

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

Yewwwwww. 10 points for spending Valentines weekend at a resort in Arizona. Summer, summer, summer... Ok. It's still winter, but my sunburn says otherwise. Smiley face. Being on vacation is THE BEST.

And what's better than the best??? A zillion pools to choose from, a giant water slide, room service in robes, great company, lawn bowls, amazing scenery including mountains and cacti, crocket, Valentines candy, wining and dining, winning the occasional card game, American Bandstand, in room movies and GOOD laughs... All in a weekends work. Yes fortune cookie, your wise words came to pass. My hard work DID pay off.

I never thought I'd say this, but... Boo to the snow! I am now officially team summer. For now.

But even better than all of that. My Mumma flies into town in 9 hours and 33 minutes.

All in all. Life is brilliant.

"Holiday, oh, holiday! And the best one of the year, dozing off underneath my sheets..." VAMPIRE WEEKEND