Fun Day

Hello all!

Today was an outdoors-y day and I have to farmers' tan to show for it. We went to Pallarenda Beach to collect some data for my marine bio class. We just ran transects down from the top to the water of the beach. It was nice and toasty, even though the clouds were out. I had lost track of time before we left, so I barely had time to eat lunch, let alone apply sunscreen. Since the cyclone was still kinda near, I figured we'd get a bit of rainy or super cloudy weather, so I didn't worry about it. Like I said: farmers' tan. Anyway, after we ran our transects and collected soil data, we got to do some fun stuff like look for random creatures. We found all kinds of stuff, but my favorite were the sand dollars. I now know what to look for to find them: little trails that end with a round bit of dirt. Hard to describe, but I would have a picture if my camera wasn't out of commision. Anyway, I got to hold real, live sand dollars and they're pretty awesome. Just so you know. When I get my camera back, I'll go out searching and send pictures:)

After we got back I was starving and was trying to figure out what I could have for dinner, since I have all of nothing left (running to Woolies tomorrow!). Then I remembered it was Sunday, which meant free dinner from church! Woo! They're a life saver. Plus, it was the week for a house party after church for the 17-22 year olds, so we got even more little snacks after. One of these snacks was delicious, and I'll have to make it when I get home. You know how you take regular corn chips and put melted chedder cheese on them? Not nacho dip stuff, but cheese, cheese? Well, try it on Doritoes. Pretty much delicious. And whenever I go somewhere that has little finger foods, they always have these little pancake-y things that are a bit sweeter than pancakes. I'm looking into how to make them...anyway, they are delicious, and you put jam or cream or whatever you want on top of them. DELICIOUS. Don't worry guys back in the states, I'm going to find recipes for all of this stuff and make it when I get home. Meagan and Sham should be excited!

Today I got word that I'll get to start volunteering at the Billabong Sanctuary this weekend. I can't though, because of young adults camp, but I'll start the next weekend. It's going to be pretty awesome, I hope. I'll keep you updated. At the least, it'll be cool to put on the resume that I worked with native Australian wildlife:)

I don't have any class tomorrow, so Leandra and I are going on a job hunting mission. I need more money for travel and diving, and I don't want to use mom and dad's money any more than I already have (thanks again parents! Hopefully I can pay you back one day!). Mama gave me permission to buy a $500 Nikon DSLR, but I can't bring myself to buy it. I really want it, but I don't know if I'll use it enough to justify spending that much. Plus, I'd want some sweet macro and zoom lenses that would cost even more. I'll wait until Emily marries her rich man and make her buy it for me as a present;)

In the mean-time, pictures will be few and far between. I sent my beloved camera back to the states, safely smothered in bubble wrap, on Friday, and it should take a week to get to SC. Then mom's going to send it to Canon, and if they can't fix it or send me a new one, I think I might cry. Cash is all well and good, but I don't have the time to shop around from Australia and get my parents to send me a new one. Oh well, at least I haven't lost my camera like I know at least two people have already!

Speaking of LOST, that's the biggest thing I miss. It's not that it's even missing. It just airs 4 weeks behind the US here. And at 10:30pm on Wednesdays. I've just been buying it from iTunes, but I usually don't get to watch it until Friday morning. Is it sad that I get up at 8am, even though I don't have a class until 11am, just to watch LOST as soon as humanly possible? Don't worry, I only have one more season of obsession left after this. I think I've watched every episode this season at least 2 or 3 times. Twice from iTunes, then one more when it airs here. You just can't substitute watching it on an actual tv. The only bad thing is I can't annoy my friends and talk to them during the commercial about theories and stuff. Oh well, I have my Jay and Jack podcast which fills in some of that void.

Okay, so I've rambled along for awhile now, so I'm going to get some psych reading done and head to bed. Wish me luck on the job hunt! Miss y'all!

-Jess