[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)

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]

“Bondi Beach is a popular beach.”

[roll my eyes]  No really?  Wikipedia failed this time. So I’ll just spout off some stuff I know. It’s the most popular beach in Sydney (and probably all of Australia) – it gets super crowded in the Summer – we had a shark attack this past month – the water is UNBELIEVABLY CLEAR and blue and pretty :) :) oh and it’s also where they hosted some of the Summer Olympic Games.  AND OMGOSH!!! I almost forgot – Bondi is home to the television series Bondi Vet AND Bondi Rescue.  I can’t stand to watch either show but hey – at least we have them! ;)

I think I should also tell you I have a baby crush on the dude from Bondi Vet.  He lives down the road from us and only seems to go to the beach on the days I’m not there.  My FM makes sure to rub it in every time.  “Guess who we were laying out next to at the beach?”  RUDE!

Well anyway – I loaded tons of pics of Bondi into the following video.  Enjoy!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVCMZ6w_O1U[/youtube]

This Week’s “Experience Australia – The Little Things” (oh btw – did I mention this is going to be a new weekend segment on my blog? ) is probably the reason why Australia is a more obese than the U.S.  [gasp!  Daisy - you didn't just say that!!!  Oh yes I did.  Snap!]  What am I talking about?  The Tim Tam.

Tim Tams, an Australian iconic “biscuit” (aka cookie) is a little fattening devil which is absolutely delightful.  And I believe it’s safe to say you absolutely cannot have an TRUE Australian Experience unless you learn about and TASTE a Tim Tam.  Mmmm.  They even have their own aisle in the supermarket.  No seriously – they do. But they have to!  There are like a bazillion different flavors and each flavor is in high demand.  Who wouldn’t want a Tim Tam?

My favorite flavor is the Tim Tam Crush Toffee Nut flavor.  I them the best. And as you can see in the picture above, the Tim Tam Crush biscuits are a little different.  Instead of having creamy goodness sandwiched between two chocolate biscuits, the crush only has its indulgent taste of heaven on top of ONE biscuit.  Darn my gluten intolerance!  I could have set a world record for gaining the most weight due to a Tim Tam Crush addiction. 

NOW ONTO THE SLAM!!! It’s like WHAT YOU DO with Tim Tams if you’re cool.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jTqf_6u6xU]

Australians feel it is their duty to tell all foreigners about the Tim Tam Slam. From the clerk in the grocery store, to the attendant at the airport who sees you’re taking home Tim Tam souvenirs – EVERYONE stops to tell you about the Tim Tam Slam. Which is why I posted a HOW TO DO THE TIM TAM SLAM video.  And lol on the video – can you tell this was taken REALLY seriously?? And no he wasn’t trying to sound Australian – that’s his “This is dumb and I can’t believe you’re making me do this” voice.