Gender: Female
Status: Single
Age: 27
Sign: Aries
City: Darwin
State: Northern Territory
Country: AU
Signup Date:
03/22/05
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Sunday, November 11, 2007
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Round 2 NZ
Category: Travel and Places
Dropping you all a quick line to let you know that I am on the final countdown.
I am currently at the bebo office in San Francisoc sitting at my brothers desk. This is my layover and in about 4 hours time I will be boarding my second plane of a series of flights. It was unfortunate circumstances to return home on, but all in all I had a great time catching up. All these new experiences, and meeting new people over the past 2 years in Australia has been wonderful, but there are really no substitutes for the comforts of home and old friends. It's is equally pleasant to be welcomed to a new place as it is to be missed in another.
For those of you I did not see while I visited in the states, I am truly sorry, and either time or money did not allow.
I leave San Francisco for Sydney, and while I look forward to bumping into all my friends in Australia it is only a short stay at the moment, because I fly out again 24 hours later to meet a friend in Auckland. Whitney and I are planning a stay just shy of 3 months in New Zealand. We have ideas of what we want to do there, but at the moment the plans are mostly flexible. We plan to get a car and drive around both north and south islands.
Details will follow as they happen, see you on the interne and please say hi once in a while.
Thank you all for being such great friends!
6:27 PM
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Sunday, August 26, 2007
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Burn the Man
Category: Travel and Places
Hey everyone...
a quick note to say hi and let you know that I am still planning returning to Australia, but first I have some unfinished business to attend to here. Today I leave for Burning Man, which means for the next 7 day, I will not be contactable by phone or email. This means I may have some serious withdrawals, but at least I will have my friends to help me cope. It will be a long not drive in a very full car, but i should be an experience anyway hopefully I will come back with lots of brilliant stories. If you want to reach me by phone you can call today as I will still have service on the way up, but once I reach our destination it will be survival in the desert.
www.burningman.com
can't wait this should be great
Marie
9:42 AM
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Friday, June 08, 2007
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Oh the Hummanity
Category: Jobs, Work, Careers
Can you believe the nerve of this place! I come in to work everyday, check my email have what ever discussion are necessary to get started on the days task and plug myself in and go to work. When i am stuck into it, the silence is overwhelming, and makes the days stretch into infinity. The easiest way to make the time past is is listening to something, and my music selection is getting tired.
The Restricted government Internet access at work doesn't let me download pod casts on itunes, and I can't share files on Limewire. I got used to that got over it shortly after starting my position and had to find a much more clever then the standard way for me to access my favorite pod casts. First I found Odeo.com and was able to listen to certain shows that stream directly from the site. There I found some of my favorite podcast like: The Sound of Young America, and was introduced to some new shows as well like Alt NPR, and This American Life.
However, Odeo had it's own issues, it wouldn't always play the podcast it claimed to have, and a lot of the stuff that was on that website was junk anyway. So I decided to go directly to the source and steam the podcast directly form thislife.org website. It was excellent, over 10 years of archives to listen fascinating stories from international public radio, and I was addicted listening to up to 3 a day. The best part was not only did it not interfere with my work but I also did it more efficiently as the time would just fly by and I wouldn't get distracted be little interferences in the office. Since I work in photo and video editing a lot of my work uses my eyes only and it felt like I was multi-tasking. Input through my ears and export my eyes and I was learning cool things all day long.
But oh no that was to much to ask, eventually those red tape lovers put a band on my audio and I now the is no more of my podcast. It's gone! GONE. and now what, I have nothing in it's place, nothing but silence and boredom, oh yeah and work. Work, which now seems to take longer, with less pleasure. I think I need to speak with work place relations about this one, it's not like I can even have a radio here. I suppose it's just as well I decieded not to sign a third contract on my job
Marie
10:20 PM
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Wednesday, February 21, 2007
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Here and There
Category: Travel and Places
When I left the Pacific Coast of the US for Australia, it was to be expected that there would be some changes ahead. I was looking forward to the newcomer status and the exciting differences between home here. As well as returning to the nostalgic memories that I cherished from my experiences here as a child.
However there were also some things I never would have expected. As I approach the 18th month mark of my stay here, and my status changes from traveler to resident, there are little things that still amaze me. They seem insignificant, but these are the little things that highlight the differences between here and there, and things I would have never imagined back in California.
For Example, since Australia:
- I have Acquired a taste for instant coffee
- My favorite moisturiser is SPF 30
- Mozzie Bits (mosquito) are a regular part of my completion
- When asking people how they are I automatically replace the word 'doing' with 'going'. "How ya Going?"
- Here in Darwin it still surprises me that my glasses fog/steam up when I go outside from an air conditioned room
- My burritos are now served with Baked Beans, (the Heinz Mexican Jackal, Mean Beans edition of course)
- When you purchase your lunch at the pub the price of the meal includes a draft beer or house wine
- The free drink included in your meal is usually never enough
- When discussing meal plans and dinner is mentioned, it sometimes means lunch, and when tea is mention it means dinner and when breakfast is discussed that usually means beer.
- Bacon and Lamb tastes better (but, I guess I knew that one already)
- Finally I am probably the only American you will ever know that prefers Vegemite to Peanut Butter
These are just the some of the things that dart through my head from time to time reminding me of where I am at and how far I have come. It is easy for me to get desensitized by my surroundings once the initial surprise of a new place fades away, I find that I forget to notice things; you just adapt to it. It also occurred to me that it was much more difficult to stay in one place then it was to just keep moving, because you are constantly distracted by new experiences. However, the opposite is also true, once you have stayed somewhere long enough it is equally difficult to just get up and move around again.
OK so maybe I am stating the obvious to some, but these thoughts seem to become clearer and more profound due to time and place. I am constantly trying to take notice things that are different from home, things I will miss, and possibly things I will forget. It was only a short list, because it impossible to to write it all down. Acclimating to small changes was hardly challenging, it was more a slow transition that I continue to find exciting, and I am still waiting for the day when I can use the word "TA" automatically, without a stutter or hesitation.
Sooner (as oppose to later)
Marie
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Currently
reading
:
Dice Man
By
Luke Rhinehart
Release date: 01 May, 1998
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10:27 PM
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Sunday, February 18, 2007
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V-Day Lab results
For those of you who don't know I sent out a Valentine's Day Challenge last weekend to many of my single friends.
Since I lead this operation I wanted to make sure I did my part to participate in it as well. I got really excited about it after the email went out and planning the days events was half the fun. The total cost for my day of surprises was $5.45, and It actually effected a lot of people and had a small rippling effect.
I solicited some help, so that someone else could be in on the days events as well. My wing man was Mary Ellen, a girl from work who sits one floor below me. The idea was to make random people feel special, by leaving little messages and sweets sporadically through out town and work to be found. We searched for facts on love online, interesting things, like the physical effects that falling in love has on your body, and history about Valentine's Day. Then we printed them up with some bad clip art and cut the paper into strips.
Mary Ellen met me for coffee at the beginning of the day and I greeted her with a love heart cookie, glad she was still up to our secret mission. We spilt the sweets and took on the office separately and made plans to meet again after work for round 2. It felt a bit 007 trying to leave these messages without getting caught, (as well as photograph them). Also we wanted to leave them in a place where they couldn't be missed and anyone could have found them. Where people were forced to engage with them, find it, read it, eat it and smile. I have to admit it felt a bit silly at first but that quickly faded when I saw some the reactions that I got from it, even days after. One person found one and was so touched by it, then brought it in to my office to show me how cool it was. I think he tried to recycle the Valentine on me now knowing that I was it's creator.
I didn't let on that it was I who was spreading the V-Day cheer, but that doesn't meant that I went undetected either. Rumor has it that i was called a fairy, by people on the first floor and a cupid by those on the second and I have no ideas about the rest. I also got this very clever email:
sooooooo...what part of OH&S INFORMATION ONLY do you not understand, Hernandez??? i appreciate the chocolate, it tasted great...the note was also a nice touch. But you have taken up valuable space on the notice board that could have been used to display information potentially saving someones life. was it worth it? is it worth it? is a piece of chocolate and a note about dating tips worth risking someones life over?? think about this before you decide to spread some random cheer around the building. consider all options. you might think differently next time.
The Round 2 consisted of pretty much the same thing but out on the street. When I returned to the places that I had left these little fortunes I often found that the chocolates were abandon but the messages had found homes. Of course no one is going to want to eat chocolate they found on the street, especially after it had been sitting in the hot Darwin sun. Yet the thought didn't occur to me earlier.
To see photos go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos /biglove/
if you did anything that you documented please write me back and tell me about it.
LOVE ALWAYS,
Marie
8:03 PM
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Monday, February 12, 2007
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Taking Back V-Day
Category: Romance and Relationships
Attention singles: (and I apologise if I am sending this to anyone who is in a relationship now)
It's time to take back V-Day. Like Married people trying to protect the sanctity of marriage, those in relationships have continually kept Valentines Day more special for themselves. Sure some say that you can use V-Day as a way to express other kinds of love. You know like, the kind of love from a parent to child, sibling love and even friendships. But let's face it that is not what the holiday targets. Chocolate and flowers, dinners with sunsets are not put forward in the interest of mum and bubs love. This holiday makes no apologies about being outwardly biased.
What happened to the days of in school when we looked forward to exchanging hand made card with friends while stuffing our face with sweets. PURE INDULGENCE, I tell you, is not meant just for those who happen to be in love. I mean seriously, shouldn't we too be honoured on this day? Maybe not for finding someone who makes us happy, but instead for having the good sense to be avoiding someone who could make us miserable.
I am putting forth a challenge for all singles to do something in honour of themselves or another single friend on V-Day. It can be an event, a treat, an impulse splurge, and it is up to the individual to choose to do something on their own, in pair or as a group. It doesn't have to be elaborate or expensive. Just whatever you like feel like that is out of the normal routine and fun.
- take a long and boozy lunch with a co-worker
- treat yourself to a massage, pedicure, or adult toy
- surprise a friend by writing them a dirty letter (someone who will get the joke and play along)
- See a sappy movie or better yet a gory one, (you're sure to get an empty theatre)
- Make dinner with a friend and rent a sappy movie
- Take photos of yourself eating chocolates and email them to all your "Married and Relationship" friends
- Send anonymous V-Day cards to random people that wouldn't expect it just to confuse them
The idea of this is not to boycott V-Day just because your single, but instead to change it to something anyone can look forward too or make fun of. Let me know what you think and what you did, send a reply all if you have any other ideas you would like to share. If you can document or write about your experience and share them that will be appreciated.
Enjoy it 
3:04 PM
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Tuesday, February 06, 2007
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Vroom Vroom
Category: Automotive
Hi all,
After nearly a year and a half of walking, busing it, biking, and using my thumb to get around, I have surrendered to my laziness and once again I own a car. Now, don't get to excited... it's nothing flash. As a matter of fact it is about as far away from flash as one could possibly be. In my mind I had planned on getting a vertical by the time I left Darwin. Something to drive out of here in and see the rest of the country. However, this is not that car. This was an impulse buy. Something that kind of landed in my lap one day and it was a take it or leave it situation.
It's a 1990 Mitsubishi Magna, 5 Speed. A backpacker I met in Broome, found me here in Darwin and was leaving town on Australia Day for New Zealand. I hung out with him the night before and he mentioned he need to get rid of his car and asked me if i was interested. I said sure, but I wasn't making any promises. I told him to let me borrow it for the day and, to try it out. He was asking $1000. and when I finally returned his car it was late in the evening and only 30mins before his flight was due to take off, and said I didn't want it. He had mentioned before that I didn't buy it, he was going to remove the plates and leave the car on the side of the road. At this point he was desperate to unload it and I didn't feel that I had to hand him over a large chunk of change just because he failed to take care of his car before he flew out of Darwin. I said there was no way I was going to pay him a grand not even half that. He asked for $300 and we settled on $200.
I wasn't willing to pay a lot for it because I was worried about the registration, Not to mention the day before I wasn't even in It only had a month of rego left and if for any reason couldn't be re-registered then it could have been useless to me. So for what it's worth for better or for worst I own a car now.
..
11:54 PM
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Monday, January 15, 2007
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Working Class Hero
Current mood:  blah
Category: Life
it's Monday, and how was your weekend? Hopefully rich with long sleeps and strong drinks. I am starting to get this itch that i just can't seem to scratch. Maybe it's this chair or my desk, or the fact that it is so quite here. Maybe I am starting to realize that I was office work wasn't my calling, but instead I am suppose to be testing tanning oils and those little umbrella straws on the white sand beaches in the Bahamas!!
I am in Darwin and life has been fairly ordinary. I work, I eat, I sleep. I just got back from 2 weeks in Brisbane seeing family, which was pleasant. My time away wasn't overwhelmingly adventurous, but it was a necessary retreat. I came back feeling refreshed, but not excited. I am looking at the projects on my desk and they stare back at me. I wish they were done already. I like the kind of work I do, but working for government sucks all the passion out of them. I have been meeting with clients to discuss issues I honestly don't care about, and I don't think they do either. The best part of my Job is when I get to go on a location shoot and out of the office. So far I have been to 2 communities and I am holding out for a project that is going to take me overseas in a few months time.
I am planning on staying here a while longer, because I have a good opportunity to save money and I want to do more travel and less work when I leave. I want to drive myself out of Darwin to see the rest of Australia, maybe pick up some backpackers and have my own car again. Until then I have to be satisfied being a working class hero.
I make it sound terrible, but honestly it's not all that bad here. Darwin can be a lot of fun and I suppose most of it is just boredom, I am in a remote part of the world and there isn't a lot to do here for entertainment during the wet season. I imagine that's why most people take to drinking so much in this part of the world.
I also recently moved to a new house here in Darwin, once again it is shared accommodation in a large house. I am still trying to figure out my new flatmates, but so far all is well. Other than that i don't really have much more to report on, just wanted to let everyone know that I am still alive and well and looking forward to my next adventure and seeing you all again soon. Maybe even in a white sand beach.
Marie Hernandez
10:36 AM
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Thursday, August 31, 2006
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ONE YEAR
Category: Jobs, Work, Careers
Hello everyone,
Just wanted to let you know that I am still alive and kicking. Today is August 24th and an important milestone for me. It was this day last year that I landed in Sydney and Today was be the day I was intending to return home, however that's all changed.
A lot has happened in a year for me and I can imagine a lot more will happen still before I see California again. I am still in Darwin NT Australia and I have landed an amazing job which will keep me here for at least another six months. I got a job working for the Northern Territory Government Health Department, but what I do has little to do with Health. I am working as a Multimedia Officer in the ICD unit (Information Commutation Development).
My key role there is to assist in the production of video, animations and design of informative materials made for the indigenous communities. Not only am I learning heaps but I also get to go to some wicked locations to shoot new footage. The send us out to remote Aboriginal communities that even if I was allowed access to normally I wouldn't have the money to get there. It's been great so far and I am on contract until February. I have been loving Darwin too, but it is still the Dry season. I have yet to find out how I handle the wet.
Anyway there is so much to tell but I am crazy busy so I got to run.
Cheers
Marie
3:38 PM
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Monday, July 31, 2006
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From the Bottom of the Bottle
Everyone told me that I would love Darwin that it is an amazing city and
lots of fun. To be honest I wanted to believe them but I had my doubts.
After a few weeks here I am finding myself very comfortable and settled
here. I got a place to live near the city and have met loads of great
people.
Darwin is a drinkers paradise. I believe that in my few weeks here I
have consumed more alcohol than I have during my entire stay in Australia.
However the best part of that is being female I have hardly had to pay
for any of it. Men outrank the women here nearly two to one, (No wait I stand correct 3 to 1) so ladies if you are on a budget and looking for a place to have some fun in Australia, Darwin is the place to come. Complete strangers are willing to pay for anything you desire just in exchange for a good laugh. I'm sure if you offered more they would take it, but honestly your company is enough. I got dinner paid for me 3 nights in a row, with absolutely no effort no my part. It's been great fun and I think I am going to enjoy being here for a while. I am still waiting for good word on the Job, but when that happens I will let you all know.
For the moment I am having way to much fun being a bum in the Tropics.
Kiss kiss
5:12 PM
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