lezzos, hippos, kualas, and wombats OH MY!

I'd like to start off with a quote from this new book I'm reading.... it's called Sexing the Cherry, by Jeanette Winterson.

"Every journey conceals another journey within its lines: the path not taken and the forgotten angle" (9).

so this journey I'm on now, it's quite unique in nature and quite different in circumstance. different as opposed to what? to any other travelling I might have done. it is unique because I am volunteering for a cause I believe in and gaining skills that will be applicable to many career choices I might make. I'm not just a lowly traveller. and I'm loving it. though I must be honest, it can be quite stressful and the stress is only becoming more and more obvious as the day of the festival draws nearer.

for the last 2 weeks, it's been FULL ON festival organizing. I've spent more time in front of a computer screen than I have ever spent before. we best friends. we love each other. I mean, we must since we spend so much time together! haha see? I'm going crazy. anyhow, yes, the festival. I am in charge of securing stall holders for the market. I thought it would be a cinch to do. I was oh so wrongo. because we are pretty much giving BIRTH to this festival, ie. it will be the FIRST EVER Good Seed Festival, folks are reluctant to commit to it, even though they believe it is a worthy cause. it's getting to me. it's getting frustrating contacting small business after small business, young artist after young artist, or whatever! and hearing "ya, I'm sorry... but we like to stick to the BIGGER festivals, thanks though! and good luck with everything!". I mean, they know exactly what it's like to be starting out and struggling! you'd think they'd be a little sympathetic and want to pay it forward? and I'm saying they ALL say this... we ARE booking a little last minute...

but still. it can get discouraging and jacquie doesn't deal with discouragement very well. I am a go-getter! I am a get-stuff-done-er! and it's times like these when I like to think of my friends, the kualas. this little guy is my special kuala. he makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, right when I need it most. thank you australia, for recognising that these adorable creatures are worth preserving! (NB. meant to be said in the most sarcastic voice you can imagine.) but seriously, I need days like this one - the day I went to the animal sanctuary - to keep things in perspective and to remember where I AM right now. I am in a sort of routine and I forget that I am in AUSTRALIA. it's so easy how we develop habits, us humans. I mean, I wake up early, go for a jog, shower, eat rye toast with sliced tomato, drink my tea... that's how most of my days commence. (except the regular jogging has only begun recently... when my belly began making a bit too much of an appearence.)

anyway, it's a good thing I don't have a job cuz it would be so much more frustrating... although I'd have MONEY... but then I wouldn't really be any help to the festival... and so what would be the point of me being here? I did manage to pull off a couple shifts at this old old bar just off Brunswick Street (comparative to the Whyte Avenue of Edmonton) called The Builder's Arms. I would have been able to work there on a reguar basis had I applied for an Australian visa. too bad that one can only apply for this highly coveted work visa ONCE in a lifetime. which is why before coming, I decided against applying. I knew I'd only be here for a couple months and didn't want to waste a year's worth of working in the country I know I'll return to. the downside is that they can't pay me cash again cuz it's risky business for the books. if I was in the country, it'd be no problem. but not the city. which REALLY sucks. if anyone would like to make a charitable donation to the Living Vicariously Through Jacquie Fund, leave a comment and I'll email you my direct deposit details! ha! (and I'm not joking...)

calling all canadians, check this out! it's a fucken ANNE MURRAY album! hahaha! remember? the lady who's tunes you might have heard one day while perusing the shopping isles of your local Safeway? right here! brought to you by your friendly neighborhood Jacquie! this rare symbol of terrible canadian 80s contributition to the music industry - where thankfully A LOT of music during that time was horrific - was discovered in the home of that same australian friend Jodie - the woman whose lawn I mowed for cash. she LOVES anne! I just had to document this finding... I told her no decent canadian would ever own up to liking that crap. she cried. just kidding. she laughed. :)

before I leave you with a couple more photos, I will say that I am confident that this festival will be a success. the line-u we have is awesome, our posters are up, flyers are out, tickets are selling... things are coming along... but of course MY job is the one we are worried about as it is lagging behind in the success race. nothing I've done has failed (except that one psych course that I failed my first semester of uni, having spent the previous 2 years in the more highschool-esque grant mac, but only because of the god damn CURVE!) and I don't expect to start now. I'll be keeping you posted on my progress of course! and I'll of course be posting photos from the BIG DAY once it arrives and we can all finally BREATHE.

remember when I mowed a lawn? well, here's proof I wasn't lying! look at my cute little piles! and that's the lawn mower I used, and the rake... and you can kind of see the weed wacker to the right of the mower! nice lawn eh? anyone need some yard work done?

and this is purely for comedic value... no camera tricks here folks! this is an ACTUAL can of Lezzos - a famous Turkish Apple Drink. haha on Jodie's kitchen shelf. I had to exploit her and take a photo of this... she is one weird aussie... but then again... most of the aussies I've met thus far have been extremely weird.