Home Sweet Home?

Grandma passed away on Friday night, December 10.  She had been sick with Parkinson’s for a while.  Especially in her last months she declined rapidly.  To speak she required an unnatural effort and understanding her grew more difficult with each conversation.  With Parkinson’s and old age hijacking her physical abilities, Grandma wasn’t left with much when her voice started failing her too.  In the end, she went peacefully and without a complaint.  She was ready.

I was in the air 10 hours after I heard the news.  Joel Holland and Michael Glicken were visiting at the time.  We were off to a great beginning and I was excited to have some guests to show off this wonderful city!  It was not meant to be I guess.  The quickest and cheapest route home was on Etihad Airways through Abu Dhabi.  I think Prince Ali Fabulous He Ali Ababwa mentioned it once in Aladdin.  In trying to locate Abu Dhabi on the in-flight map, I looked for Israel and figured I’d find my way from there.  Only, instead of Israel, I found this:

29 in-flight hours later, Chicago welcomed me into her Eskimo arms.  It’s fascinating how unbearable Chicago winter is when you’re not supposed to be there.  It was nice to be back though, and certainly the place I needed to be.  Mom spoke beautifully at the funeral and brought us all to tears.  At the gravesite, it was comforting to see Poppy’s grave again, and to know Grandma would again be beside him. 

Here are some pics from the week at home:

http://picasaweb.google.com/aussielevy/MelbourneCafeAndChicago?authkey=Gv1sRgCObmn7qkifCuaw# 

On my way back to Melbourne, I decided to extend my layover to visit Abu Dhabi and Dubai, where I expected to find A Whole New World: a thrilling chase, a wondrous place...for you and me.  

Big Copper, 11 years old and still modeling!

Aaron blessing the challah in the traditional manner.

Rain, Rain, Go AWAY!!!

It’s rained more days than not.  Up until yesterday, I kind of enjoyed it.  Rain is a great excuse to find a comfy spot and relax.  But yesterday, Melbourne started raining on my comfy spot, in my comfy apartment.  I emerged from the toilet* to find it showering on my side of the window.  I’m hoping that cleaning the gutters will solve my little water problem.  The plumber was supposed to contact me today, but Thursday must be his day off.  

It’s not all bad news.  With all my indoor time, I’ve become a religious follower of the Bulls, watching on my NBA League Pass.  Derrick Rose really is that good!  And now that Boozer is feeling comfortable in the offense…fuggedaboutit!  We’re on a 4 game winning streak and we’ve got Kobe and the Lakers coming to town tomorrow.

Oh, and I just found out I can watch 60 Minutes online here!  Awesome discovery!  That is the one show I DVR’d at home.  Well, that and The Bachelor.  Jan 3 here we come!

I also found a race that sounds amazing.  It’s a 28k (17.5 miles) trail run.  Check this out: http://www.twobaystrailrun.com/iEntrantInfo.html

Here are some notables from the site: 

-The run starts with a demanding uphill, rising 1,000ft in the first 3km, providing stunning views over Port Phillip Bay. The 5km section approaching the 28km mark at Cape Schanck takes runners along a breathtaking track, along the cliffs that rise above Bass Strait. This section runs past Bushrangers Bay, which is only accessible on foot: it is a special reward.

-Snakes are highly likely to be active along the trail. Hopefully most of you won't come across a snake on the trail as the front runner's will have scared them off! 

            I did a training run tonight at the Tan Track’s “heartbreak hill”.  Runners (myself included) are intimidated by this “hill”.  But the race’s 1000 foot climb will be 2.67 times as steep, and 6.5 times longer.  (Thank you mapmyrun.com for showing me the elevation levels Google maps couldn’t.)  It is equivalent to running 2 miles on a treadmill at a 10% incline!  Then I’ll still have 15 miles to race! And snakes?  WTF?  I’m definitely bringing a laminated course map.  My directional challenges might be a factor in this one.

This past weekend I drove along the Great Ocean Road to see the 12 Apostles.  4 of them have already washed away, but Aussies are cool and nobody is suing for false advertising.  Here are the photos from the trip:

http://picasaweb.google.com/aussielevy/12Apostles?authkey=Gv1sRgCMyi3-f51MHFEw#

Happy Birthday, Ari!  32 baby.  You’re officially in your quarter-life crisis.

footnotes:

*I probably should have read the warning on the Skinny Cow Chocolate Ice Cream dessert that says “excessive consumption may have a laxative effect”.  I didn’t catch that ‘til just now as I polished off the second one.  But worry not, friends!  My evolutionarily advanced reflux-stomach recently sent that ice cream right back where it came from!  Reflux is the second and tastiest form of fighting lactose.  Abstinence is just asking too much.  Daddy, you can remove the promise ring now.

 

Burning the Midnight Oil…Crude Oil to be Exact

 Work started last week.  Like the diligent self-employee that I am, I anxiously put trades on as soon as I got my trusty Internet up and running.  This working through the night business is a lot more pleasant than I thought.  Staying awake is only a problem Monday and Tuesday, as my body readjusts to its nocturnal schedule.  The rest of the work nights are surprisingly relaxing.  It’s completely silent until 5a exactly.  That’s when the birdies start chirping about how they want me to come outside so they can shit on me again.  No, birdies!  I’m working!

Evolution.  There, I just proved it.

I spend my nights washing and rewashing the same dishes.  It’s one of the weird things about living alone.  I’m always using the same exact dish that I usually just grab from the drying rack.  I’ve conquered my fear of moldy sponges with this amazing tool!  What a lifesaver!  It’s no secret that I’m listening to All 4 One’s “I Can Love You Like That” right now, and it’s no secret that I prefer to keep my gentle “meat hooks”* moisturized and manicured.  Uh huh, play it now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrFKIa7pJ-w

This genius invention + cold water keeps one dishwasher-deprived Adamo smiling.

The other day I took the camera out on a walk through Fawkner Park and the Royal Botanic Gardens. http://picasaweb.google.com/aussielevy/FawknerParkAndRoyalBotanicGardens?authkey=Gv1sRgCJiysJu-7dua7QE#

Aussies, for reasons beyond me, like running in circles.  They jog the 3.87 km of “The Tan” track (short for Botanical) over and over again.  I’ll join them for a topless loop or two on occasion, but what I enjoy much more is walking through the stunning gardens.  Last week I parked myself on a bench and just watched the clouds slide across the sky.  It was a perfect place for peace and reflection.

Oh, and one more thing before I leave you.  Guys, meet Baby Blue.  Baby Blue, this is your new family.  YO! I bought myself a Vespa today!  Got her second-hand from Gumtree.com (much more popular here than Craigslist but the exact same site).  She’s a beaut!  And she came with 2 Aussie regulation helmets, one of which looks exactly like Lloyd’s.  So it’s official: now I’m just a pair of goggles short of actually being Lloyd.  My address is 12/26 Darling St. South Yarra, Victoria Australia 3141 if anyone wants to send me a pair.  I’ll wear then gladly and report back with photos!

*reference taken from LA Boxing State Street’s pleasantly surprised boxing coach, Anthony, as he wrapped my man-manos.

Baby Blue!

Melbourne sunset taken from my HS phone.

We No Speak Americano

Have you ever noticed the broken repeat button on the single song playlist in my head?  When I have a song stuck in there, it gets spit out so many times I annoy myself.  Well, right now, the only song on my Honors Student phone* is “We No Speak Americano”.  For those of you that are unfamiliar, it’s this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKT5qsVvkEY&feature=fvst.  (Even if you are familiar, you should play it right now.  Chances are I’m listening to it myself, so there you go…our 3^rd long distance connection!)

It’s a fitting title, actually.  My friends, they no speak Americano in Australia.  Or maybe they just don’t speak Adamo.  I do things a bit differently, and Aussies are taking note.  It’s been hot here.  High 80’s the last 3 days.  Now, when I go exercising in that kind of weather, it’s top-off-time!  I spent my first runs examining the others on the path, checking their attire, hoping to find some shirtless comrades as a cue that it’s an acceptable thing to do here.  Ari, tough news: we’re going to be the only ones!  At first, I kept it on.  It’s like at first, I put the toilet seat down, but today I pissed all over the metaphorical seat…with my shirt off.  Pumping my fist to the Americano song, with my toes almost as exposed as my nipples, I was startled when some guy layed on his horn and shouted something to the effect of how sexy I was in a sarcastic voice.



My running shoe of choice this evening.

            My Father-Son-Shared-Belly-Birthmark isn’t the only thing they’ve noticed.  I have some funny shopping habits as well.  On Saturday, I found a Big W (Target) within walking distance of my Darling Street one-bedder and emptied my bank account there.  I walked in at 4p and thought I had plenty of time ‘til close at 7.  At 6:45p, and $807 dollars later, I sprinted to the grocery store nearby to pick up some items Big W fell short of carrying, like garbage bags and bacterial hand soap.  (I heard once that anti-bacterial soap mutates your hands into a petri dish for the resistant 1% of bacteria it doesn’t kill.  Now I can’t buy the stuff.)  Anticipating a big shop, I brought my luggage to the store with me.  By the time I was all packed, about five Big W employees had come by to offer a hand.  While I was determined to get my new inventory home under my own power, I did manage to find a moment to pose for you.  At no point during the 15 minute roll home with my 4WD All Terrain Luggage (check out the wheels on those bad boys!) did I consider taking a $3 cab ride.  $807 at the store for some 300 thread count bed sheets, but I won’t splurge for the cab ride home.  I’m one strange dude!

Happy Thanksgiving!  Barbara, I am really missing your amazing Thanksgiving meals right now!

footnotes:

*that translates loosely to: really smart phone



Hair Today Gone Tomorrow

Hair Today…Gone Tomorrow

I got my first Aussie haircut today.  Unfortunate outcome!  The Ukranian grandmother and I had different ideas on what to do about my ‘do.  I asked for a trim, and as she cut the left side, I told her she could go shorter.  I’m not sure if there was a miscommunication there somewhere, but she went really short on the sideburn instead.  When she removed the powder brush from my face, I saw this guy staring back at me.  Seriously, I look like Lloyd plus a laughably undersized and crooked left sideburn.

A lot of people have been asking about my lady situation over here in Aussie land.  Apart from the fact that it just got worse, there wasn’t much to speak of beforehand.  I did take a yoga class from Lee on Tuesday night.  Lee was a very inspired instructor who wore pants too tight for her aging figure and the wrong underwear.  To draw our attention to this unpleasant fact, she relentlessly swiped her hand “up in a lifting motion” across her tush and then held her back uncomfortably straight as her ass fell back into place.  On the upside, practicing next to me was a really cute girl!  Sadly, I couldn’t tell if she was 16 or 20 and that’s a problem.   

In a surprising twist, I’ve been eating a lot of McDonalds.  Actually, all 3 of the Levy brothers have been on the Ron McDon Train.  It’s not what you think though…Classic Chicken Sandwich, grilled chicken, no mayo, no cheese.  It's probably healthier than Subway.  Plus the cone.  Oh I love that manufactured ice milk!

I’m moving into my South Yarra “One Bedder” on Saturday.  Application went through today!  That means I’ll be leaving The Stone Resort and the wonderful family that makes it such a warm home.  I included some photos of The Resort along with other Melbourne shots in this album.  
http://picasaweb.google.com/aussielevy/MelbourneAndTheStoneResort?authkey=Gv1sRgCLi7ubH_lqGX7gE#
This is a huge milestone, as it marks the beginning of some structured life.  George, the Greek coffee shop owner down the street from my new place, and I are good buds already.  It’s a very solid connection; he’s fascinated by my midnight trading occupation, and I’m very partial to his café.  He makes a mean Soy Chai Tea Late and is the only guy in Melbourne that will approve an egg white omelet order!  Now all is need is air conditioning and it’ll be safe for Ari to visit.

Good on ya, mates for reading this far!  Talk soon!

First Impressions

I feel like I’m finally getting my feet grounded a bit here in this not so far off land.  I arrived in Melbourne on Saturday morning to a wonderful family, gorgeous weather, and a side of no-jet-lag.  They told me the sky is bigger in Melbourne, and I believe it!  The sky, sometimes layered, seems to stretch on forever.  Good start to say the least.  I went to bed late, like at 2a, and woke up late, like at noon.  And you know what?  It didn’t  matter.  And the next day I did the same, and the next day I did the same.  And guess what?  Doesn’t even matter.  Adamo time: everytime!  (said in Borat voice with Aaron by my side) 

I’d have gotten to this blog earlier, but I’m keeping busy finding a place to rent and not getting blind-sided by cars as I cross the street.  Apart from the obvious dangers driving on the left provides us Americanos, it can also make for awkward interactions.  I’m constantly causing an uncomfortable stutter-step/stop encroaching-in-my-space situation as I attempt to enter the driver’s side of every car thinking it’s the passenger’s side.  It’s surprising how much of an idiot you feel like stepping into someone else’s driver’s seat.  You should try it so we can have a unique overseas connection about it’s resulting discomfort.  Brief interruption here:  I’ve just smacked the shit out of a fly that stupidly landed on my head.  I think it thought I wouldn’t go hacking away at my flowing locks cause I’ve just had such an amazing hair day today (and everyday since 2001 really), but it was dead wrong.  Dead wrong!!  Big dead bug on the kitchen counter next to me.  Thank you keppe for the solid swatting surface!  Bulbul. 

Yeah, the flies are bigger here, like the size of small bees, or the size of large flies.  Also, the ratio of getting pigeon shat on to taking the train is 1:1.  Happened to me in Rome too during my first week (remember Choppi?), so I that’s just a fantastic sign!  Oh, another amazing sign: guess who got a 1982 quarter from his $0.50 change when driving the “17-mile drive” outside of Monterey, California?  Uh huh, this guy!  I haven’t shared that with anyone yet.  Feel special now like I feel special.  See, another unique overseas connection.  We’re so close!

But really, Australia doesn’t feel so far away.  I think it’s their friendly nature.  When I landed in Sydney at midnight and dragged myself along with my luggage to the last bus heading to our hotel, some sweet airport employee started loading my luggage on the bus.  I tried to stop her, but it was too late!  In response to my thanks she smiled, “My pleasure.”  What?  How could that have been a pleasurable experience for her!  The airport staff must all be on high doses of anti-depressants.  It’s just strange.  I think Aussies pride themselves on being friendly.  I’m pretty sure that’s part of it.

Or maybe the 15,594 kilometers (that’s 9689 miles for you fact checkers) between us doesn’t feel so distant because they speak English here.  Nowhere I’ve traveled overseas (except London) has spoken English first.  So it feels comfortable.  I’m a bit of the Hez around these parts.  They say Tim Tam, I say Tam Tam (it’s a cookie); they say Dandenong Road, I say Dandelong Road.  It just makes more sense.  It’s not so funny to us, but let me tell you, I get a laugh like I’ve only seen in response to a good Hezi-ism.  Something like, “Anglo-Sexy” (Anglo-Saxon) or “Kung Fu” (tofu). 

So like I said, I’m starting to feel my way around here.  I’ve been on a few runs, and biked around a bit.  I’m totally breaking into the gym scene, too.  First 2 days I wore a t-shirt and nobody took notice.  But Tuesday I threw on the Ari Levy wife beater and it was on!  The guys and I engaged in the universal body scan, complete with a quick visual retreat upon recognition.  The girls were all like “I’m gonna exercise on this awesome piece of cardio equipment and never ever see you”, but the guys were like, “I gotta spot that guy!”  And so today, in my “Look Better Naked” cut-off, I let 'em spot me.  2 guys, Matt.  2 guys!  And with it, I’ve broken into the gym scene!

For those of you who are new to these blog situations (myself included), this is how it works.  I post some babble when I feel like it, and you get to read all about it.  I've created a google group called AussieLevy that will email you directly every time I blog.  If you sign up, you won't have to refresh your browser constantly for days on end while on hunger strike in protest ‘til my next post.  I think that's how it works.

I’ve posted more of my favorite pics from the trip on my new AussieLevy Picassa site.

http://picasaweb.google.com/aussielevy/NapaWithPflaumAndHighway1FromOaklandToLAX?authkey=Gv1sRgCPuKv6uYzZOTogE&feat=email#

Oh, and Happy Birthday to my sister!  Alicia, happy 30^th!  It’s definitely time for the percolator!

-Adamo