back to reality

it has been almost 2 weeks since my last post! i'm sure my legions on fans out there are just dying for the next installment of cat's tales! well, hold your breath no longer, here it is. granted, i dont have legions of fans - not even a single legion at that - and my tales are mere ramblings of an often absent mind, but hey, at least i'm back.

last week's Cisco Networkers was terrifying and amazing at the same time. remember i said i'd "party harder"? yeh, scrap that! after working 15-17 hour days (no joke!) one wants nothing more than to put their feet up, order in, and watch a movie or two. Months of arduous planning evolved into gruelling setup, involving hours of manual labour, resulting in a myriad of cuts and bruises and a sorely scraped elbow *boo*... anyway, inspite of the insane hours, at least I didnt need to hit the gym last week!

once business was done and dusted i headed home to mum & dad's where i spent the better part of 3 days sleeping. i did, however, manage to have a wee bit of fun in between, catching up with the 2 Di's, having the yummiest dinner at Sono with the girls, and eating the world's most enormous strawberry!

stuff!

there is so much stuff happening and not nearly enough time for me to have a verbal vomit all over this blog... so my top 3 are...

• i'll be heading back to the sunshine state this Sunday for a week at Cisco Networkers! those in the industry will know what that means ~ work hard and party harder *YeahHHhH*
  
  
• november '07 marks my return to perth! haven't been anywhere near the west coast since my departure in 2003, but in 2 months I will be back for Ivan & Monica's wedding... and i cannot wait to see my baby Gizmo... oh and everyone else ofcourse *wink*
  
  


• Across the Great Divide was spectacular last saturday... and Daniel Johns is sexy. I dont care what anyone else says!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

oh, and Panu is going to El Paso on saturday... but thank God I'll be in Brissie... otherwise all of you poor sods around me will be subjected to my sleep counting again! *phew*

that's all! hope to update y'all next week but if not, catch ya in a couple...

i'm old...er.

this year's birthday passed relatively quietly, at least compared to last year's incredibly mind-stupifying celebrations. this year i very responsibly chose to preserve my liver and brain cells by going alcohol & chemical free *yay*. oh wait a minute, i drank one or two or maybe ten cocktails *oops!*.. heHe... how quickly we forget!

2007 celebrations focused on Glorious Food. Kicking off with a birthday eve dinner with boonga @ sapporo, we splashed out on soft shelled crabs, wagyu beef and all things scrumptious! the deliciousness continued into my birthday, when i woke up to the aroma of sausages and eggs ~ my most favourite breakfast, cooked by my most favourite man! the day continued with snacks and cakes... and concluded with the most unbe-f**king-lievable 10 course degustation dinner with panu @ sojourn. 5 entrees, 3 mains, 2 desserts. i was wondering why there were only 2 desserts but the fact that i was about to hurl and waste it all convinced me that 2 was in fact plenty *grin*

we rolled all the way home and after a day's grace, the segura's hosted a BBQ for boonga & i, and though ita vowed to make "less food, more drinks!" eating is the way of the segura's, and so once again, we were filled with the most succulent food, chased down by ita's dangerously delicious alcoholic concoctions...

the festivities carried on into the night... and when the others decided to step it up a notch and head to YU, i went home. I know! Insane right? I'm such a good girl!!

ski bunnies!

true to my resolutions, last weekend panu and i went to Perisher where i learned to ski. i have so much to say about the entire experience that i could write a novel (or a "how to plough for dummies" handbook)... but anyway...

I went through the most enormous cycle of emotions i have ever experienced (in learning a sport anyway)... it's truly incredible ~ there is the anticipation, the nervousness, the excitement, the frustration, the tears (yes, the tears), the falls, the anger, the determination, the sheer pain, the stubbornness, the understanding, the application and eventually the satisfaction... and the blinding exhilaration of finally skiing down a slope!

For those who have done it before, I'm sure you know exactly what I am talking about. For those who haven't ~ my advice? do it, and whatever happens, do not let the mountain break your spirit... I'm living proof that you can break it!







































More photos can be found here.

I am now completely and utterly frothing at the mouth to go skiing again. Bring on the European snow!!

oh, and happy birthday to me! and justin! and boonga! and nigel! and other andrew! what a great day *smile*