I know I should have posted this sooner, like on Monday, but I got my passport back from London where it was vacationing with the locals.  It got stamped and allows me to move to New Zealand now! Woohoo! Total process time, 9 months.  As an extra bonus they have given me a returning residence visa as well so I don’t have to apply for it once I show up.  Now I just need to spend the next four months figuring out where I want to live and what I want to do.

I am thinking about just traveling around working three to six month contracts and following the migratory birds.  I don’t know how they do it but they seem to know where the nice weather is going to be.  I have seen them flying north for the winter here just as soon as it starts getting cold.  I don’t know how they do it but they are smart. (ok, small confession, I haven’t seen them do this.  I imagine they would though)

I don’t know what else to say.  Just working away down soaking up the cold.

I canceled my Cableone internet service in October. Everything went well, I even had a five dollar credit. They sent me a check, I cashed it and thought everything was finished. For the last two months they have sent me emails saying that direct pay has failed to go through. OF COURSE IT FAILED I DON’T HAVE AN ACCOUNT WITH YOU! Anyway, after calling in and getting them to remove direct pay, delete my bank account and email details they wouldn’t delete all of my account information. Since they require the last four letters of your social security number I wanted it removed as well. I am trying to come up with a way to remember a “random” four letter code for each business so I never have to actually give my SSN again. Ok, since I am not opening any more accounts in the states I shouldn’t have to worry about it but I have so I thought I would write some ideas down. One idea would be to start every code with the same number, say 0. I have never seen a SSN with 0 in it, and if they store it as an integer it will only be a 3 digit code. Then take either the name of the company, in this case Cable one, and convert it like a text message, but change the digit based on the position in the code. Or, just keep it simple and convert the name of the company like you would dial it as a phone number. 2225. Simple, easy to figure out when they ask, and they don’t know your SSN. Banks are the only business that I know of that actually needs your SSN to comply with the law. Other than that protect your information.

Last week I started a one month contact working for ACMA, The Australian Communications and Media Authority.  I am doing compliance auditing and things are going well.  It is a bit odd to be working in a different country for the government but the view from the office is great.  There aren’t many buildings in Melbourne taller than 40 stories and I work on the 43rd.  The area around Melbourne is very flat so I can see miles in every direction.  Well, most of the time I can.  There has been something in the air (I think a bush fire so smoke) northwest of the city so the sunsets have been amazing the last few days.  I keep getting the spots in my vision from looking at the sun though so I need to stop or wear sunglasses.

I know I haven’t been updating my blog that often.  It has been because I haven’t really been doing all that many different things.  I mean, blog post #29 of “I sat around the hostel again today” would get old.  Anyway, I will try to do more things so I can write more posts…

Last night I went out with some friends to a comedy show.  It has been a while since I have been to a comedy club and this was a better one.  The show didn’t start till after midnight and was being recorded to air on TV.  It will showup as something related to the Melbourne international comedy show.  I am not sure what station or even where it will be aired, possibly only in Australia.  If you want to see people crawling under tables to get away from being the brunt of a joke (it only made it worse for him) then I would recommend watching when it comes on.

I am looking for some honest feedback on some medication. I have done extensive research and think this will help with problems I have been having but wanted to know if anyone else has used Panexa and what their experiences were. Please let me know. http://www.panexa.com/

This last weekend I went on the Great Ocean Road with a group from the hostel here. There were several firsts for me, the first time I rented a car, the first time I drove on the left side of the road, my first roundabout, and I finally saw a koala. All in all it was a good weekend.  I saw some great sea cliffs, some nice beaches, some waterfalls and forests.  We had some great dinners because we finally had an oven, amazing how much you miss it if you don’t have one.

I am back in Melbourne now and looking for work.  I don’t see it as being too hard but I need to update my CV to match the style over here.  There are a bunch of people that are leaving the hostel this week that have been here for months so there will be a different group I will meet in the near future.

I had my interview with my case officer and I think everything went well.  I am delaying the visa being issued until I have gotten a new passport that will be valid for the whole two years.  This will save me the trouble of having to transfer it later when my visa runs out.  I don’t know for sure that I will be granted residency straight away but it seemed very likely once another case officer verifies.

For now I am just looking for a three month temp/contract job here in Melbourne.  I really like the hostel here.  There is a great group of people and I have somehow managed to get dinner cooked for me most every night.  I think I will stay here because of the location (10 min from beach, quick tram into the city if I need).  I finally bought a suit which isn’t an item most backpackers have with them.  I am trying to figure out how I will store it when I go traveling again, maybe just a long term locker at a train station.

So I know it is a little late but I wanted to mention that I went to the Grand Prix.  Saw a great race, couple crashes and an awesome finish.  Hamilton won by a long shot but his car was fast the whole race.  He consistently had a huge lead except for the crashes.  After the race everyone went out on the track to walk over to the Kiss concert.  Great show with lots of fireworks, of course all of their classical songs were played.  They finished with Rock-n-Roll All Night.  On the way to the tram we were told to stop and they were passing in a car when KISS passed.  Of course some drunk idiot jumped in front and they stopped for a while as pictures were taken.  I was there so I tried to get a couple, shitty camera didn’t get any though.  Overall it was a great night.

After three and a half months my visa application has a case officer.  I should have planned and read the requirements better and I would have had the application in at the beginning of October instead of the end of November.  Two months isn’t that bad and I have seen some nice things.  I wouldn’t have been able to travel to Australia and met everyone I have over here.

I still think I will work and travel over here in Australia for a while before I go over to New Zealand.  There are several places I still need to see like Cairns and Tasmania. I don’t have exact plans yet but I will have a better idea next week after I talk with my case officer.

Yesterday was the first day of the grand prix. It was mostly just time trials but still fun to see the cars going around.  Pictures are hard to take when the car is going 200 kph.  I tried to take some videos and will post them when I find out if they are any good.  The formula 1 cars are so loud and that was only one while it was showing off how much faster they are.  When there are all 14 going it will be loud enough to wear earplugs.  I skipped out on going today because of the heat and so I will be able to go Saturday and Sunday when the formula 1 cars are running.
I found out that the sun really can still burn me.  I was out for several hours at the track then went to the beach for 2 or 3 hours and was a very slightly tinted pink.  It has all but gone now but I know that I am not immune.