Badgers in the Mist

Update of Sorts

2009-01-12T01:40:00.002+11:00

Once again, its been a while since I've written anything here. Which is no excuse, since mostly I haven't felt bothered to. Even though I've become the only Instructor of JKDU in Australia. Have had an article published recently in a magazine here. And, Denise and I will graduate as full-fledged Feldenkrais Practitioners in June.

Floro Fighting System

2007-05-16T16:28:00.000+10:00

Well, it's certainly been a while since my previous post....

Last week I finally did it... Ray Floro gave me my Instructor Certificate. Woohoo!

Denise and I head off to Chicago in just over a week. Fourth session of Feldenkrais Teacher training. :) After this session we'll be authorized to teach Awareness Through Movement classes.

JKDU Performance Group is lagging. My fault really. Do get interest, but usually its from people who are already training somewhere and want to check out the perceived competition. Looking forward to getting to train with Chris Lund again, when I'm over states side.

Cheers!
Patrick

Water Chestnuts and Koi

2006-07-22T15:31:00.000+10:00

Earlier this week, I went and bought a 75 L plastic garbage can. Figured this would make a nice pond for my water chestnut. Brought it home to the backyard. Put in the three plastic milk-containers that I’d filled with soil and started the water chestnuts in.

As I was filling the can up, one of the chestnuts started to float. I had to reach in and push it back into the soil. This wasn’t a problem. Should mention too that most of the water came from the dehumidifier that we have to use to keep the place from being overcome with winter mould and damp.

Today, Denise and I went and bought nine feeder Koi to put in the “pond”. Figure they may prove to be good against mosquito larvae.

Waiting now for the watercress!

Holy Crap

2006-05-22T14:09:00.000+10:00

Holy Crap! I really should make use of this thing.

Cheers!
Patrick

Yesterday was Boxing Day

2005-12-27T17:27:00.000+11:00

Yesterday was Boxing Day here in Australia. Denise and I had plans to go to the Taronga Zoo. Due to me being a lazy ass, we started out late. Got to Circular Quay, where we saw crowds of people with the same idea. Then decided to do it another time when its not wickedly hot and there aren’t tons of people.

Well then… where did we go? We went to the Museum of Contemporary Art. A place I’ve never been to before. Seeing as how Contemporary art usually just reinforces my love of older art. And makes me wonder who finds most of the newer stuff appealing?

Well, I have to admit that it inspired new feelings in myself. Feelings of Disgust and Shock! There’s a piece there called the Bear Chair. In my opinion it’s child porn. Part of which is a bear on a chair with its penis just inches away from the face of a child’s doll.
It was so bad that I had to ask where I could lodge a complaint. This I did down at the front desk. Where I was told by a staff member that rape and child abuse/molestation are more common in Australia, and that the artists of the piece are Americans who like/liked to shock. (How either relates to the museum having an offensive piece on display still baffles me).

Afterwards, Denise and I went for a schooner of Toohey’s New. In the pub, Denise got the dubious pleasure of hearing me bitch about what we’d seen. No fun for her, I bet.

I’ll have to wait and see if the Director of the Museum gets back to me.

Now, we move on to other things. Looking forward to training with Ray Floro, Friday morning. Have only managed one session since returning from Chicago. Money’s been tight and so on.

Cheers!
Patrick

Xmas!

2005-12-23T07:41:00.000+11:00

Well, its two days to Christmas. Yep, Christmas. The day when people should remember the birth of Jesus. But what if you're not a Christian? How's that supposed to make you feel?

You just have to turn on the tv to see countless commercials trying to push the buying of gifts and more gifts. Telecasting of Church services; where people who never go any other time of the year show up. Specials and movies, that always have a happy ending! No doubt, due to Xmas being a time when we all want to believe in Happy Endings! Unless of course you are the fellow who its all meant to be based around....
The fellow who supposedly got crucified to save Mankind. Who's now remembered as a means for Mel Gibson to get richer. The fellow who never had St. Nick scamper down his chimney.

Actually, I've been already gifted this year. Denise and I finally got married on November 19th! Two years to the day since we first met in person. Not including all that cybering before that.... ;) Just kidding, it wasn't all that much, really.

You know how someone can tell how much I love her? Just think, I bought her "The Sound of Music" on DVD. The freakin' "Sound of Music". The only thing worse than being forced to watch "Grease" over and over! Its her favourite movie, though.

Oh yeah, after we got hitched, we applied for the spousal visa! Looks good. Just waiting on my Police Check from Canada. Apparently, DIMA is used to it taking forever. Damn RCMP ;)

What worried me a bit right after applying, though? The race riots that have happened here. Not something I would expect from Australians. Wonder if they would think about it at Xmas? About the colour of the skin of that fellow who they're supposed to be remembering on the day that's celebrated as his birthday. And just where he came from.

Something to think about? Here’s a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. :

"I say to you this morning, that if you have never found something so dear and precious to you that you will die for it, then you aren't fit to live. You may be 38 years old, as I happen to be, and one day, some great opportunity stands before you and calls upon you to stand up for some great principle, some great issue, some great cause. And if you refuse to do it because you are afraid. You refuse to do it because you want to live longer. You're afraid that you will lose your job, or you are afraid that you will be criticized or that you will lose your popularity, or you're afraid that somebody will stab you or shoot you or bomb your house. So you refuse to take the stand. Well you may go on and live until you are ninety, but you are just as dead at 38 as you would be at ninety. And the cessation of breathing in your life is but the belated announcement of an earlier death of the spirit. You died when you refused to stand up for right. You died when you refused to stand up for truth. You died when you refused to stand up for justice."

So, Merry Xmas!

Cheers!
Patrick

Feldenkrais Teacher Training

2005-11-03T11:11:00.000+11:00

So on Monday, I got back from the first segment of Feldenkrais Teacher Training. Woohoo!
Will write more later. About time I started to use this blog again. ;)
Cheers!
Patrick

Down Under!

2005-03-08T17:31:00.000+11:00

So we arrived in Australia February 26th. Met by Denise's folks and her sister. Family homecoming and all that. They were so happy to see the youngest member of their family. Safe and sound, if a little crazier from her stay in the Land of Snow, Ice and Beer (Canada).
The next day was a big family bbq. To celebrate Denise sister's birthday, and to celebrate our return. Lots of wonderful food and drink. As well, I learned that fake wrestling is as popular here as in North America. *Groan.*
I was suffering from jet lag and some inner ear thing. So being a passenger in a car was not a fun thing. But apparently we had to drive all over the country or risk offending the next Indy driver.
More later!
Patrick

Trek to the Tam Tam!

2005-01-17T15:38:00.000+11:00

Last night, Denise and I set out with Yeganeh (Denise's friend from work) to go to a Tam Tam. Yeganeh left her car parked here, and the three of us walked to the subway. I was wearing several layers and still found it damn cold out! But at least we made it without turning into popsicles.
Downtown we grabbed some food and then walked over to where the Tam Tam was supposed to be. Guess what! There was a sign on the door to say that it had been relocated. Holy Last Minute Batman!
Getting to the new location was no problem. Both girls were motivated to motor along due to a need to find a washroom. So it didn't take us long at all.
The Tam Tam was held in the basement of a building on the corner of College and Bathurst. The ventilation sucked, but the girls enjoyed themselves dancing. Denise let herself go and really enjoyed herself. To me it was like watching the incarnation of that cool wind that touches your face when you're really really hot.
Yeganeh said she really really enjoyed herself and wants to come out to one of these again with us next month! I think she was just happy being able to do her breakdancing and headspins on the dancefloor. Wait no, that wasn't her... there were a few people doing some interesting dances though!
Was interesting to see the couple of guys with didjes. One who was pretty good with the circular breathing, one who wasn't. With the drumming they were pretty much hopeless to be heard most of the time...

We've listed more items on ebay! Getting money together for Australia and the deposit for me to go to teacher training for the Feldenkrais. Slowly but surely, even though I have to say I'm worried. Not about Australia, I'd sell a kidney to be able to be with Denise. But about having the funds for Feldenkrais....

Patrick

Tam Tam!

2005-01-16T12:34:00.000+11:00

Tonight we're going to a Tam Tam. Its a drumming/dancing thing that happens about once a month. Will be the first time for Denise and her friend, who's coming with us. And I haven't been in over a year!
Chance to work off some of the calories we consumed, earlier. Took Denise to Just Deserts for her Birthday cake. She had a chocolate almond slice that was bigger than she is. Which I was not surprised to see her fail to finish. And I had a slice of cherry cheesecake! Yumm!

Patrick

Birthday Dinner!

2005-01-16T00:17:00.000+11:00

We went out to dinner to celebrate Denise's birthday! Walking around in the below zero temperatures, until we settled on a place. Which, I think she agreed upon because it was what she thought I would like. Not the Italian or Indian place that I think she would have preferred, but rather a place for steak!
The steak was amazing. We both had New York Striploin with Portobello Mushroom Sauce. MMMMMMMM!
Then we came home! Time for her to call her parents back in Australia. Amazed at how long they can talk.....
They really really miss her! I'm sometimes amazed at how close her family is! Nothing like mine!
I hope that Denise knows that every day since she's been with me is like a birthday!

Patrick

Denise's Birthday!

2005-01-14T16:03:00.000+11:00

Woohoo! It's officially Denise's Birthday! She's now 27, but doesn't look a day over 26 give or take a year. The first birthday I get to spend with her! Hopefully the first of many more!
She's been responding to a letter from her parents! Its pretty evident that they miss her! And, Love her so very much! My only complaint with their sending pics is that there just aren't enough goat photos.
That's just baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!
So Miss Nussbaumer.... I just want you to know that I wish you all the joy in life! That I love you with all my heart! And that I realize I must have wished upon the right star!!!!!!!!!!
Patrick

Not Fallen!

2005-01-13T14:36:00.000+11:00

Denise has informed me that I shouldn't have told that she fell on the ice today. So I am going to change her having fallen to "gracefully rested" on the ice. Now I'm wondering what to rename those sounds she makes in bed after eating beans! Just kidding! She doesn't just make them in bed!
Two days to go until her Birthday!!!
Six and a half weeks to go until Oz! Woohoo!

Patrick

Crappy Weather!

2005-01-13T11:06:00.000+11:00

So we've had freezing rain today!
This morning Denise slipped and fell on the ice. She was on her way to the subway to go to work. She's okay! Or so she told me in one of her emails from work. But I'll bet this only adds fuel to her wanting to be back in Oz!
Don't think she realized how cold and miserable it can get here in the winter!

Tonight is a workshop with Erik Paulson. I half wanted to go, but with us saving to go back at the end of February.... And if I spend any money it'll be for Denise on her birthday!!!

Patrick

Our First Post!

2005-01-02T17:30:00.000+11:00

Since Denise gets shy in front of lots of people, chances are I'll (Patrick) be the one writing here mostly. But I'm hoping she'll jump in now and then, and become more comfortable talking to the masses! ;)
This gives me a chance to bitch and belly-ache like the majority of people on the net! :p

Patrick