Day 27 - Schoolwork

Today was rather uneventful as I spent it catching up on my readings and online tutorials. I took a break to watch the College Football Team play Queens (final score 139:1) Go Whitley!! It was raining pretty good so everyone was wet and muddy - which is why I didn't bring my camera. I spent some time in the evening working on finding a second job but so far no good. I may need to resort to walking around handing out resumes again. Anyway hopefully tomorrow will be more eventful and less rainy.

Day 25 & 26 Olympics and St. Kilda

Day 25

After some breakfast, I started my day with a job hunt. I headed down to Brunnie in hopes of handing out a couple a resumes. Unfortunately, as it turns out - all of major chain-stores like the Safeway (grocery) and Kmart are online applications only. So, defeated I came home and tried to apply online, it didn't go so well because you need to apply by suburb and I don't know which ones are within reasonable distance of me. So hopefully I can steal an Aussie at some point and have them help me so I don't accidentally apply somewhere an hour away. I spent some time on campus working on my art project and buying books before coming home for lunch, a nap, and a run. I spent the evening starting on homework and more art research -ew. The college set up a little theatre in the common room area so everyone could watch the opening ceremony for the Olympics - plus they supplied yummtastic snacks! We actually got to watch the opening in real time (unlike the East coast who was delayed 12 hours -hehe) but unfortunately this kept us all awake till after 2! Anyway it was pretty impressive... I stole a couple more pictures of Lorikeets on my walk home from campus along with a detour to check my new pond discovery which still didn't have any frogs :(

Lorikeet - well aware that I am spying on him - If anyone who has visited the Philly Zoo might be wondering why they are being so spooky - perhaps I need some small cups of $1 nectar...

Some Eucalyptus flowers... -they have a bunch of special adaptations for optimum pollination that I learned about in my bio course - but I won't bore you

Another overly aware Lorikeet.

Day 26 - St. Kilda

Today I decided to borrow someones bike and take a ride down to St. Kilda (little townish place on the bay). After breakfast I set out on my adventure. The city has gone a long way to make riding bicycles safe creating bike paths and lanes along the roads - of course I still feared for my life when riding in the designated bike lane between a tram and a car - eek! Once I got to the bay it was much nicer as there was a "coastal trail" specifically for cyclists. I spent the day riding along the trail until I realized I has ridden off my maps, I continued to ride a bit more before deciding it might be wise to turn around. The ride back was a pain in the butt because I was now riding into the wind - very unfun. I decided to cut up to the Yarra and ride on the bike trail that runs down along the river in hopes of avoiding the wind - the wind was gone but I got lost on my way to the river and rode around in circles in some nice little housing areas before navigating my way out. All in all it was a very eventful yet extremely tiring day. I'm not sure how far I actually ended up riding but I am pretty sure it was over 20 miles in total - when I can figure it out better I'll update. I found some new trails to try in the future as well which I am excited about. After dinner I worked on homework before heading to Pugs for a my free glass of water and a little social time.

St. Kilda and the Bay - Port Phillip. The water was really clear - but I didn't see any fish except some really little minnowish ones.

Either a Black-faced or a Pied Cormorant - I don't know how to tell the difference... anyone?

I dead starfish - they were everywhere -but all mushy so I didn't take any, I actually didn't take any shells cause there were signs saying not to

What is this????? (size=golf ball, hollow)

A jellyfish trapped in a tide pool - I'm pretty sure they have some really nasty ones here - there were a bunch of bluish ones washed up on the beach

boat storage...

This is a Silver Gull (yes it is different than our gulls) Look how orange his bill and feet are!!

Beach storage sheds on Brighton beach

A fun painting from one of the sheds....

Day 24 - Classes Finally!!

Today I finally got my classes sorted out! (crowd cheers) My schedule ended up being pretty open which is nice and will allow for extra travel if I produce the money. So my four classes are as follows...

Australian Art: Rock to Pop - follows the art created by the first explorers and natives and then moves through all of the Australian art movements up to the 1960s. I am doing a paper/presentation on Kangaroo art for my semester project.

Community Natural Resource Management - Learning to work with stakeholders and involve the community in the management of their resources. I have field trip to a city council as well a group case study project on a community NRM somewhere in the world.

Education in Natural Landscapes - I thought this was going to be RPTMish but it turns out it is more philosophical - which could be interesting. I have 3 field trips to attend a bushwalker, a farmer, and an ecologist - where we are supposed to "become" these people. Should at least get me out there...

Biology of Australian Flora and Fauna - This is my "learn about nature" course, I really wanted to take Australian Fauna (similar to vertebrates back home) but I couldn't fit it in my time table. There are a couple of labs and such and so far the material has been pretty interesting.

All in all I think it turned out well and all of the subjects seemed interesting and should keep me busy over the next four months!

So anyway, today I had my second day of work - which I think went better than the first. Of course I can't get paid until my Tax ID number comes in (bummer) but I don't mind waiting. It doesn't look like I'll be getting a lot of hours so I think I am going to head to Brunnie tomorrow and drop of resumes at the grocery stores and Kmart. I figure I certainly have enough time in my schedule during the week and I just function better over all if my schedule is packed with activity. I also got in touch with some wildliferish grad students to see if they need any free labor on any of their field projects - so fingers crossed on that. Anyway I only had one class in the afternoon so after that I spent some time working out and fighting with my computer (who is behaving better now). I also discovered a new pond (with Goldfish!) on the other side of the street. I spent a good half hour stalking it for frogs (it was warmish today) but to no avail - where are they??? I actually had some homework to do after dinner before returning to emailing and trip research. Sorry no pics today!

Days 20, 21, 22, and 23 - Where was I?

Day 20

Sorry about the delay - I had a slight computer Malfunction and have spent the last 3 days uninstalling, scanning for viruses etc etc. Anywho it seems to be somewhat functional again except for a lovely error message that ceases to vanish - too bad.

So returning to Sunday - After breakfast I decided to catch up on some emails and such instead of running because I was feeling a tad sore from my city excursions. After lunch I headed back into the city to visit the gardens. At first it rained and I was disappointed that I had wasted my time walking all the way down there but then the weather decided to clear up and become a wonderfully warm and beautiful (some of you may have heard the Melbourne - 4 seasons in a day- saying - it is very very true). I spent the afternoon strolling along exploring the gardens and visitor center (witness 8 billion pictures below). I was getting a little annoyed at the level of other tourists about since they kept scaring away my birds I was photographing but I'm not sure what I was expecting on beautiful Sunday. I eventually walked myself home along the Yarra - I was disappointed to see such great amounts of litter - but I guess it's been like that in every city I've ever visited when a river runs through it. I decided to treat myself to a tram ride home and even had time for a powernap before dinner. After dinner I watched the try outs for "theatre games" (kind of like a Who's line is it anyway? competition) which will be held as a competition between the colleges eventually.

Days 21, 22, and 23

These days were somewhat similar so no need to bore you with details. I spent a good deal of time still trying to work out class schedules and attending lectures. I filled my free time with attempted computer repairs, laundry, and running in the park. I got offered the position at Cafe 99 - but not with many hours so I may try to pick up a shift or two at Safeway to fund spontaneous adventures and gifts for people. I finally worked out most of my calendar and I am attempting to squeeze in quite a bit of adventures - I am definitely coming home broke - but I imagine this was expected. Anyway on to the garden pictures - they are more exciting then the life of a student...

The beginning of the gardens...

A flower....without a sign

and another one...

This is a Cockscomb Coral Tree (actually from South America) - the knobby look is achieved by pollarding a pruning method that stimulates dense flowering - in early summer - so I'll have to come back...

Asparagus densiflorus

Tree Ferns!

My boo-boo - this is in fact a Dusky Moorhen while the crazy blue thing from Healsville was actually a Purple Swamphen - UM How could no one catch that???

Some hidden scenery

Captain Cook's Pine

Queensland Kauri bark - so cool looking...

Oh so pretty! Anyone know why there are rings on the palm trees? Insects?

I spent half my garden time creeping along the ponds searching for a frog or turtle but no such luck :(

Fern gully or something -awesome tree root system....at first I thought it was once of those vines that grows down along the tree - but I think it's just the tree... I also saw a small gray hopping rodent of some kind bigger than a mouse but not rat? Not sure but I know they have little tiny opossums

Bell Miner -landed 2 feet from my head and after 25 pics this was the best one of him - youtube his sound cause he is RIDICULOUSLY loud for such a small critter

Melbourne of the Yarra....

A Black Swan... apparently an Endemic race recorded only in Australia? that's what the book says...

His mate's nest of trash... I saw a girl giving them sticks yesterday she was probably lucky not to get attacked!

A Pacific Black Duck - they have an incredible green speculum but I don't how to make them show me it!

Day 19 - Home at last!

Today I woke up determined not to be lazy and to explore regardless of the weather. After some mindless computer work and breakfast I went for a run in the park - I actually made it two laps this time! (6.4 k). After lunch I decided to head down into the city to explore. I stopped at Melbourne Central for bit (GIANT mall (Spanning 2 blocks or something - and about 5 levels worth of stores). At federation square I paid a visit to the information center and picked up more brochures to investigate. I continued on and decided to take a walk along the Yarra (river). I saw some new birds and got caught in the rain for a bit but then I found my new home. I reached the gates to the Royal Botanic gardens. I guess when I heard the word "Garden" I was envisioning some type of mulchified field with lots of petunias. This is not at all what I found. There were hundreds of amazing plant and tree species, ponds, wooden walk ways, hidden fern grottos, and little stone hide-aways. It was amazing, new birds everywhere I was like a kid stepping into a candy factory. Since I had taken my time getting there ( the city is about 5k from Whitley and the gardens farther than that - a good 50-60 minute walk depending on traffic) I didn't have a lot of time to explore - I raced to everywhere I could manage before I had to turn around and start back to Whitley. I think I may borrow bike in the future for such excursions cause 20k in a day is a bit tiring. Anyway I am so excited to have finally found a natureish place to explore that I am heading back tomorrow. After dinner I read for a while before I was invited to go down to Pugs and watch a Red Hot Chili Peppers Coverband. I figured watching a band would prevent me from going to sleep at 10 so I took my friends up on the offer. I decided to only stay for one set and then home to bed. I apologize for the lack of pretty garden pictures - the rainy overcast weather made them all turn out yucky - hopefully tomorrow will be sunny and I can get some good ones.


The shot factory inside Melbourne central - the shopping center is built around it - The dome is supposed to help preserve the historic tower from the elements


Masked Lapwing


From the front...


This is a Darter - apparently they aren't all that common in this area - he was a bit aggressive so maybe he was hurt?


Eastern Spinebill - picture a bigger hummingbird and that's this guy

Day 18 - Another Snag

So I woke up this morning and ate breakfast, got ready for school, walked to Uni and when I got to my class (the one I spent all last week arranging and finally got fixed) no one was there. So I figured I was just early or something and I waited it out and eventually a man showed up - and he told me the class has been canceled for the semester. I have the worst luck ever. So after two weeks of talking to counselors everyday, spending hours on the course guide, and pulling my hair out - i'm back to square one. Sigh. Since I then once again had nothing to do I spent a couple hours walking around the park taking pictures of birds. In the evening the College hosted a Casino night but I lost my fake money quickly and went to bed. I plan to go into the city tomorrow and find a day trip for Sunday and maybe visit the botanical gardens.

Red-rumped Parrot, male and female

pretty

Crested Pigeons

A really big pine cone

There where a group of these guys hanging out in the park!

Doing this to pine cones...

Days 16 and 17 - Mummies and Fish

Day 16

I didn't have any scheduled class today but decided to head to Uni anyway to attempt to fix my classes. For the first time I actually found a department that understood what I was looking for (Land and Food Resources) and we scheduled the appropriate courses and it looks like this will finally work out nicely. I went to Brunswick for a bit in search of a pet fish to keep me company but didn't have any luck as the selection was small and the fish bowls were $30 a piece! I figure I can try down at Vic's Markets tomorrow because there is a much larger pet shop there. I did pick up some school supplies and some pants for my costume. The college is throwing a welcome back CRD (Common Room Dance) with a Time Warp theme and I have decided to go as a mummy. After dinner I joined a team for a Trivia Night and we had a good laugh at the questions. We didn't finish too badly but got points deducted for cheating because we may or may not have placed an illegal phone call to find out the Capital of Fiji...


Day 17

Today I thought I had a night class but it turns it out it was actulally last night - oops. So after learning of my failure I finished my book and decided to go for a run in the cold - brrr. I then headed down to the markets in search of a fish. I found fish but the equipment was just ridiculous - I just can't justify putting out 30 bucks for a 2 dollar goldfish. I have some people checking their homes for spare stuff so maybe I can knock down the fish cost. I started filling in my schedule so I could plan some trips about Australia - but I am still waiting for an email from one of my professors to let me know dates - so I didn't get too far there either. After dinner I had help preparing my mummy costume for the CRD - lots of toilet paper. The dance was a lot of fun - unfortunately I made a HUGE mess. I started shedding as soon as I walked out the door and soon everyone had toilet paper stuck to their feet. Mental note - mummies used bandages - who knew toilet paper was so fragil?? After the dance a bunch of people went down to the local pub in costume and I tagged along as well (leaving a trail). I was tired so I didn't last long before coming home (leaving another trail) and getting into bed.





Some fellow CRD attendees....






Pop singers, Marsha Brady, 60s, and Cleopatra

Never did I think I would be somewhere dressed as a mummy and then dance to the song - "Don't you wish your gilrfriend was hot like me"



Cleopatra and Cleopatra 1,000 years later....