I'm still alive

It's been a month since my last post. Wow. apparently finding the time, energy and willpower to go to the internet, sit down, and type is much more difficult than i ever imagined. Although in my own defense i've never been very good at keeping a journal or diary, so did i really expect this to go any differently?

Anyway, i'll recap the highlights and then finish with the newest of stories.



Halloween was great fun. It reaffirmed my theory that boys like to dress up as girls. My own costume was stolen by Westy, a kiwi (he's from New Zealand) and i had to makeshift a new one. jerk. still, great fun was had, even if i was getting sick at the time.





Sometimes when the liveaboard moves from location to location we are joined by some of our underwater friends. Everyone gets really excited, myself included. You would too.








I finished the work-off portion of my Dive Control Specialist training. 31 days of my life i'll never get back. just kidding, i loved every minute of it. Working on a boat is a great time. I'm almost sad about it being over. But now that that's finished i start the actual coursework portion. This involves shadowing open water diver courses, and some bookwork, presentations, and tests. Whooooo. (story about this to follow.)



So. As part of my Dive Con course, i have to shadow 3 different Open Water Diver (OWD) courses. My first course was with an instructor named Dicky, who is a nice guy, great instructor, really good with the students. Did my course, fine. Whatever. Had a day off. Started feeling myself get sick again. Sore throat, all that. So i called up the shop, said "I think i might be getting sick again, If i am, i wont be able to dive in a few days, can i have a day off to see which way it goes, get meds, yada yada." Nick at the shop says yeah sure, no sweat, take 2 days, and start course on monday. Done. I spend friday and saturday sloshing anti-viral liquids down my throat and sucking lozenges like there's no tomorrow. Saturday night one of my roommates, Eduardo, has a going away party (he left for Brizbane today, sigh) and drags me out to the local joint, the Woolshed. I sipped water and ate my candies and left relatively early. When i get to the shop yesterday morning, all pumped for my second course, the douchebag at the desk, Brad, jumps up and says, "No No No... If you're too sick to work, you're too sick to go to the woolshed. No course for you, we'll see you next week." and he sent me home. I just kinda shrugged and walked out. I figured that might happen. I just want to know who the schmuck was who ratted me out. Then i look at my phone, and there's a text message from dicky saying "tut tut tut, hope the woolshed cleared away the sickness..." hmmmm. wonder who spilled the beans. I'm clearly none too happy with dicky these days. But hey, now i have a week to relax and fuck around. I can't complain too much.

I now live with Kelly and Brad, and Dom pretty much lives with us, and Eduardo, but he just left so not him anymore. There are always more people than that coming in and out though. It's so much fun. Come visit me!

We had a thanksgiving feast, which was delicious. And i took the leftover sweet potatoes and turned them into gnocchi and had them for dinner the next night. mmmmm.... and last night we went out for a steak dinner, which was amazing. i should eat more red meat.

Still loving life. People are asking me what my plan is once I finish my Dive Con. I really have no idea. I'm going to get a job and work for a bit fill up my empty bank account. I'm thinking about starting to think about year two already, even though it's ten months away. I feel like teaching in another country might involve a little more forethought than any of my other plans. I'm not worried though. The world is my oyster.

Miss everyone at home.