[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PltMz1gQBJM[/youtube]

CRRAAAZZZYYY!  I’ve seen the world glow before.  A bright moonlit night with snow all around makes for a stunning BRIGHT night.  But glowing red, orange and sometimes blood orange?  Today was a first.  Definitely a wow!

Ok so I’ve come to realize that online communities and our identities within online communities are complicated topics!!!  There’s no way we could really have a full blown conversation about it in only 200 words per pop.  But hey – it’s the effort that counts right?  :)  Thanks to the commentors (scoMan, dave, ebonyJewel and MattyMatt) for commenting!!!  It’s always great to hear others’ insight!!

And for those of you who I have no doubt WANTED to comment deep down in your heart (which is everyone else i.e MOM, TIM, ALEXIS, SCOTT and all of my other bloggy friends) thank you ALSO because life is more fun with family and bloggy friends!!!   :)  )  Oh and it’s not too late to throw in your 2 cents because I’ve decided to write my final paper in a different class on this topic.  :)

Down to bizness.

ONLINE COMMUNITIES – You and Me are a CommuniTY – part #5 – wrap up.

(btw anyone notice that I did part NUMBER 5 or part NUMBER 4? LOL I did it just to be silly.  I am fully aware, thank you, that it SHOULD be part 5 or just #5. hee hee)

I’ve decided that I am fascinated by this topic.  100%.  Our world is becoming more and more digital every day.  We move to online communities more and more every day.  Our selves, our identities, and our culture are all being impacted by this change.  And though I suppose our identities, cultures and selves always change, I think it’s important to recognize the significance of online avatars/identities and how this increase in control over image may affect our core definitions.

I took this opportunity to round up some (only 3 because most of them were dumb) quotes on self image.

1“The ”self-image” is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self image and you change the personality and the behavior.” 2“Our self image, strongly held, essentially determines what we become”

Maxwell Maltz quotes (US plastic surgeon, motivational author, and creator of the Psycho-Cybernetics, 1927-2003)

3“If you wake up at a different time, in a different place, could you wake up as a different person?”

Chuck Palahniuk quotes (American freelance Journalist, Satirist and Novelist. b.1961)

I suppose one interesting thing about networks and identities is they change with time.  As I meet and become connected with more people, my network grows.  As my connections meet and become connected with more people, my network grows.  As my identity is tried and tested with time, it evolves and takes stronger shape.  I don’t believe we can STOP a network or an identity.  We may take on new layers, new directions and new flavors, but the network around us and our identity (regardless of how many we choose to have) all overlap a bit with each other.  We can’t go backward – only forward.

Hmm … I think a bullet point list ought to do.  YAY!!!  a LIST!!!  Wahoo!!!

What does this picture say about me??

1. I love ketchup
2. I don’t just LOVE ketchup but I totally <3 HEART <3 it TOO!!!  YAY!!!
3. Engineering CATASTROPHES kinda sorta bug me – kinda sorta in the way that I actually bother to take a picture of the catastrophe to post on my blog.  HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WASH MY HANDS IN WARM WATER WHEN MY ONLY OPTIONS ARE BURNING HOT AND ICY COLD???  And no it doesn’t work to try and lightning fast swing back and forth between the two.  And even though the cold does feel pretty ok after SCORCHING your hand on BURNING HOT WATER – it doesn’t make it ok.
4. I attend the University of Sydney where these sinks are found.
5. I’m on pain pills for my back.  What? you couldn’t tell that from the picture?  OOOHHH.  Well now – look again dear friend and you MAY just see that I got ON THE WRONG TRAIN today for the first time EVER because I’m  a little YAYHAPPYDAY-DOTOODOOO space cadet.  I discovered my error when I landed in a town I couldn’t pronounce in an area I couldn’t pronounce next to a guy whose name I SURELY couldn’t pronounce.

And the best part??  The pills don’t even really work!  And thanks to the Dr. I went from a 6 on the Frowny Face scale to a whopping 8.8!!!  He said “Can you move your head like this?” and then proceeded to move my head BEFORE I COULD REACT and then YOWSERS!!  8.8 on the Frowny Scale.  The pill brought me back down to an 8 but I’d say a -0.8 reduction does NOT speak highly of the medicine.

Nighty night!!

oh and p.s. #3 has a new GF and – well – you ALL know what I won’t say right about now.  But what I WILL say is that they look really cute together!!  :)  And it appears those french fries that #3 told me I wasn’t allowed to eat because he was afraid I’d PORK OUT have landed smack dab on his hips while all that extra alkeehall he drinks now that his partner drinks with him has landed squarely (or should I say roundly?) on his belly.  HAHAHA! Karma’s a be-otch!

SNAP! I know I shouldn’t point fingers while I’m eating a bag of M&Ms – but seriously – you try being a space cadet while having EIGHT degrees of frown all up in your neck.

Violent Femmes – Blister in the Sun

omgosh – just KIDDING??  What is that?? it’s a foreign language!!  Let’s try this one instead …

photo by John Fraissinet’s under a CC license

Walking on SYDNEY SIDEWALKS in FLIP FLOPS!!!!

photo by Joseph Robertson under a CC license

No joke.  I’m not kidding you.  AT ALL.  Walking down a sidewalk in Sydney’s CBD when it’s raining and you’re wearing normal flippy floppies (or thongs for all you Aussies) is MORE SLIPPERY than walking along an icy sidewalk in heels.  And believe me – I have experience with both.

Normal sidewalks?  No problem.  The rain can’t get ME down.  But a sidewalk in the city? or in the central business district? or just anywhere non-residential?  WATCH OUT FOR YOUR LIFE!!!  If you don’t have kick-A traction on the soles of your shoes – you are going DOWN – flat on your rear.  Or if you have the powers of grace (like me hee hee) you’ll just slide around and look like you’re ice-skating for the first time.

photo by ??Tex Texin?? under a CC license.

I guess the good news is I get to feel like I’m dancing in the rain – a nice slippery smooth dance.   and really … if it weren’t for my flailing arms trying to keep balance – I’d probably be mistaken for a fairytale ballerina.

photo by ME :)

Song by Tegan and Sara “Back in your head” (Tiesto remix)

I heart Australia and I want to tell you why. 

like “omgosh!” right?

A year ago I could give you line upon line, post upon post and page upon page about how inconvenient Australia was *cringe at self.*  I was – well – kind of – umm – yeah – so about that – well – OK FINE – I was a complainer.  *gasp!*

It’s just that EVERYTHING about Australia from the spiders and cockroaches which are the size of ANTARCTICA to the grocery stores and clothing lines – yes EVERYTHING was terrible.  I had the WORST case of culture shock.  And I blogged about it.

*shame on Daisy*

and even though you can buy a TWENTY FOUR BOTTLES of coca-cola bottled water (Dasani) at Smiths in the States for the same price as only ONE BOTTLE of coca-cola bottled water in Australia… (not kidding either btw – Smith’s is having a killer sale!) – and even though the same MAC eyeshadow in AUS costs 2.5x more than in USA – and even though they don’t have sunblock above like some crazy low spf (I like to wear mine in the 70s ) … EVEN THOUGH ALL OF THIS – I am really missing some things about Australia right now.

WHAT SYDNEY’S GOT THAT DAISY WANTS because Utah doesn’t have it

• people who actually know what the word “gluten” is and bakeries that carry gluten free products
• Goji berries
• people my age who know more about world news than designer jeans – in Utah we definitely know more about designer jeans bcuz IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW which style is the latest and who isn’t wearing what they should be (yes I DO own a pair of William Rasts thank you and they make my rear look amazing )
• a coastline
• a sea breeze
• a night life
• people my age who aren’t a size zero – OMGOSH – I’m not kidding you when I say that everyone around here is a little gym obsessed
• the hair products I now love
• the Bondi Junction Westfield Mall

And that about wraps up my list for now.

In other news I’m catching up with CC+4 tomorrow.  I’ve always had a crush on him and I hope I can set it far enough aside to be his friend since that’s all he wants.  It will be hard – but I think I can do it.

Rally to be held at Sydney Town Hall – June 7th at 12:00pm

Exhibit A – the email I received from SUPRA – a student union at Sydney Uni – announcing a rally to be held protesting the discrimination against international students. http://twitpic.com/6n984

Exhibit B – the flyer attached to the email – http://twitpic.com/6n9ii

Exhibit C – a news story from Melbourne about a racist attack  http://bit.ly/cCtkD

I’m pretty sure I could give you exhibits d-z but instead I’ll just say that I know from first hand experience that international students ARE discriminated against.

I’ve been discriminated against for being American

and I know it’s much worse for Indian students.

And speaking of discrimination – the Australians at work are racist too!

I was so happy that I got a “cool kid pass” at work.

Next weekend some workmates are having a “cool kid” night after work and only the “cool kids” were invited.  I was pepped up about it because I’m new and that’s pretty sweet that they’re including me.  YAY!!

UNTIL I LEARNED WHO WAS BEING EXCLUDED

and then that “yay” went to – you stupid cool kids are mo-fo jack-As.  And I don’t want to be a “cool kid” if it means that you are going to sit around and make fun of my not-cool friends.  You see I’m friends with ALL the people in the store – I didn’t realize that cool kids exclude and make fun of the not cool ones.  GO TO H.E.DOUBLE COOL KIDS!!

One of the guys labeled as not cool enough told me that I’m one of the only people he likes in the store because I’m one of the ONLY PEOPLE WHO TREATS HIM WITH RESPECT AND AS AN EQUAL.  He’s Indian and therefore he is a target for all racist jokes and slander.  THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS!!!

Ok ok – I could rant and rave about this for ages but I won’t.  Let me just make this VERY VERY CLEAR.

IT’S NOT COOL TO BE PREJUDICED!!!  AND I HOPE YOU GO TO – somewhere really TERRIBLE – and get what you deserve if you make fun of people because of their race or their nationality!!!

Friday night I played with North Sydney.  North Sydney who?  Here he is in 141 characters or less:

He’s hot, funny, hypersensitive, self-absorbed, ambitious, has conflicted feelings 4 me & says we’re “friends with non-platonic inclinations”

So it was great fun to see him if you consider the fact that he “shares” with me all of the time how he’s let me into his life so much more than other people – and I “get” him and can “diffuse” him and BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH – oh and he finds me attractive and enjoys kissing me (eew gross!) but we’re just FRIENDS.  Which is fine with me – really truly – but I don’t think FRIENDS should kiss.  SOOOooooo I think I’m going to have to put the X on the non-platonic inclinations.  We can be besties/BFFs and that will be FUN – YAY!  but no kissing.

Saturday night I played with North Sydney again.  North Sydney who?  JUST TEASING!  Same as above.  We went and saw Star Trek and I had to take a COAT into the theater with me because it gets THAT cold in there.  EVERY TIME.  Yeah I’m serious – I pack a coat every time I go to the movies.  And NO you sly little devils out there – cuddling is NOT an option to keep warm because 1 – we’re JUST FRIENDS and 2 – the stupid theaters don’t have those adjustable arm rests. 

Next up! Sunday.  After dinner with N. Syd on Saturday and his suggesting that I should give #3 a chance – #3 who? oh boy – here we go again.  #3 in 141 characters or less:

He’s hot, funny, super duper intelligent, way too motivated, incredibly energetic, older, spontaneous, and very intriguing – but a big drinker

YES N. Sydney DID suggest I should give #3 a chance – even though we (N. Syd and I) totally pashed the day prior. (pash = make out) Umm … right. ok so NO MORE NON-PLATONIC INCLINATIONS.  Grrrrr.  (that was JUST FOR YOU MOM! oxox)

ANYWHO after work on Sunday I caught up with My Flattie (she’s so cute! and her BF is my Agony Uncle – SO CUTE!) and Uncle Agony suggested I send a text to #3 – yada yada yada – I ended up catching up with #3 for dinner HOWEVER because I had HOMEWORK I only agreed to meet him because he said he’d like to help me with my essay.

YES I WAS SKEPTICAL TOO!!!  Like WHAT?  Seriously – he wants to help me with my homework??  Right – and I went and saw Witch Mountain only because it looked realistic – it wasn’t because THE ROCK who is oh so hunky and fine now that he’s lean and trim was in it – no no no.  Uh huh – yeah right.  So why did I agree?  Because he made a convincing argument and happens to have firsthand knowledge in my area of study.

Dinner ended up not being dinner – apparently #3 had already eaten – WHAT?? But that’s ok because I got served piping hot chips (french fries) by the absolute most SMOKIN’ Canadian fire brigade dude.  When we left Mr. May (fire brigade) made sure to give me a personal invitation to come in ANYTIME and #3 commented that he was surprised Mr. May didn’t find a way to slip me his number.  (big sigh – he was so dreamy.)

Then #3 was like, “Come back to my place and we’ll actually WRITE your essay” and he was so super duper enthusiastic about it and I was like, “Umm it’s 9:30 pm – Yeah right x 100″ and he was like, “No for real” and I was like, “Not a chance under the moon” and he was like, “I swear.” and this is the Daisy abbreviated version of the conversation – I don’t think #3 has ever used the words “no for real” in his life.  ANYWAY – I took his solemn oath that we’d write THREE PAGES of my essay if I went back to his house.  STOP LAUGHING!!!

No seriously.  STOP LAUGHING.  And yes – this is why my mom laughed too.  Why?  Because I DID go back to his house and we DID work on my essay.  YES.  That’s right.  We worked on my essay. And then I went home.  Yep!!  HE WAS SO MUCH HELP!!!  He gave me a killer dramatic opening for the paper as well as a bangin’ closing line.  AND if that doesn’t score him triple quadruple double brownie points – I don’t know what would.

I’d say if this were Super Mario he scored a 1up – and it makes Mr. May look like Mr. Maybe Can’t Compete with #3.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Oqx2GqUvs4[/youtube]

RIGHT NOW it’s time to hear about the Big Bloggy Meet and Greet!  YAY!!!  First I met AussieErin, LMCHugh and her friend Emily for lunch.

Then Erin had to go back to work and we caught up with Elsja.

We walked around the Botanical Gardens where TONS AND TONS of orange hairy bats live and squawk.

And trees like this drop branches without warning (that’s what the sign said.)

And I’m tired and going to bed so I won’t tell you about how some weirdo guy stopped us and asked if we would step on his back so he could take a picture of travelers stepping on him.  Yeah.  You can read about it on Elsja’s Blog HERE.

Good night!  I’ll come up with something more tomorrow. 

To mention just a few of the Fancy Dress Parties I’ve been invited to since arriving… there was a “Country Party” which wasn’t like hickville no-no you were supposed to dress up AS a country.  A “Carnivale Party” where I attached sequins to my jungle green bra, glued pearls and beads all over my body and TA DA! I was ready, set, GO!  An “Anything goes” party which really truly was no different than Halloween.  And then of course I was invited to an actual Halloween party which was ALSO no different than Halloween.  In addition there have been James Bond parties, Disco parties, Beach parties, Santa’s Naughty Helper parties – you get the picture.  This past weekend’s fancy dress party was a “Uniform Party.”  I went as a school girl.  YAY!  That’s because I AM a school girl. 

Anyway … here’s a little video of the party – enjoy!!

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/4457048[/vimeo]

I LOLd seriously – I did.  I can’t believe my blog abbreviation/acronym is VAG in A (Very American Girl in Australia.)  HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

ANYWHO – I told my mom and she LOLd too.

Ok so the tag task is to give a shout out to the tagger.  That’s Scoman from “A Name in Your Recollection.”  So here’s my shoutout!  Yo Yo Scoman!  I love reading your blog!!  It makes me smile – even if all of your readers now know me as the girl from the VAGinA blog

Task #2 – list 6 unimportant things that make you happy.  My only issue with this is that if they make me happy then they ARE important!  But I won’t pick at the challenge – I’ll just play along.  These things are NOT the core of my happiness, but they’re little things that I delight in.

1. I LOVE when the lines in the sidewalk are PERFECTLY spaced.  And by that I mean that I can time my footsteps so that I never step on a crack.  Or if a tile floor is multi-colored – I LOVE when one color is spaced perfectly so that I only step on that color and no other. 
2. Bad fashion – it’s wickedly evil of me but I love seeing someone wearing the tackiest of all things.  I laugh.  And it’s wrong – I know – but it’s funny just the same.
3. Trying gross things.  This is a little weird right?  RIGHT!  But I love mixing food together.  I know it’ll probably be gross – it usually is – but I do it anyway.  OR I also like to try gross products.  Like chocolate skittles.  I KNEW those would be foul but I had to try them.  Or pear flavored chocolate.  Or Harry Potter Jelly Belly flavors Booger and Earwax.  Or Chicken flavored potato chips.  If it looks too gross to be in a super market but they’re selling it anyway – I am SO trying it.  And I LOVE trying it even though it’s gross and I laugh about it afterwards.
4. My dogs playing with their squeaker toys.  Chloe will sit there and chomp on that thing for an hour.  Then she’ll go through phases where she’s squeaking it like a crazy squeaking maniac to a nice lulled squeak.  I LOVE it.  It makes me smile every time.  And when she plays tug-of-war with her sister – it’s the BEST!!!
5. I LOVE eyeshadow and glimmer, and shimmer, and lipgloss and flavored lipgloss and pretty lotion, and Victoria’s Secret and MAC and more eyeshadow and helping people pick eyeshadow and smelling pretty things and yeah yeah I know.  I get pretty geeked up about this stuff.  I LUV IT!!!  Take me to the MAC counter or Victoria’s Secret and I’m in happyheavenlalaland.
6. Doing things that are meant for kids.  And yes – I realize other adults do these things – but they do them WITH kids.  I just do them on my own or with any adult I can convince to play along.  Slip-n-slides, building gingerbread houses, carving pumpkins, swinging on swingsets, telling secrets, having slumber parties, sneaking out late at night.  I DELIGHT in these things.

So there you have it – 6 little unimportant things that mean a whole lot to me because they make me happy. 

Next part – tag 6 other people.  Anyone want to volunteer?  No?  Darn it!  I hate tagging people.  So I’m tagging at random.  I picked some numbers then looked at my blog roll and here they are- ~Miss A~,  CarmenForward, NicoleElkington, a la Sophia, Pinkie Larue, Empossible in El Paso.  Love all the blogs in my blogroll!!  These 6 included. 

Good night!!