Finally Friday!

The first work week of the new year has finally come to an end. 8 days into the new year and my resolution is holding strong. I forget about it until I eat, drink or wipe my face, which all result in a mess and a trip to the powder room. I am now one of those disgusting people who has lipstick stained water bottles and glass rims. At least I'll undoubtedly know which glass is mine for the rest of the year. Eating is also more challenging. My sandwich today looked like a shark attack victim with crimson lipstick was smeared all over my baguette. I have ingested more red pigment in the last week than I care to think about. This weekend is the Sydney Festival. The whole city lights up as the streets are closed down and stages litter the parks and throughways. There is a lot of live music, art and outdoor markets. There are month long celebrations in January to celebrate Australia's existence finally commencing with Australia day at the end of the month. Yet again, Australians know how to do things right, they have a month of festivities just to celebrate their own awesomeness. I can’t wait!
Kus Kus!

Berry Buzz

I am so lucky to wake to the sound of transformers outside my window and the smell of my roommates' second hand smoke filtering in under the door every morning. Living with foreigners sucks! Ok, no, I take that back. Living with multiple pack a day smokers who turn your living room in to a smoking den and never open the window sucks. But cancer aside, today started off just fine. I finally got some of my Christmas cards in the mail and my last present from my mom, a much needed pair of iPod head phones. Mine were starting to sound like a CB radio from the 1970's. On my way to work I stopped by my bank to withdrawal the massive amount of rent I'm paying for my healthy abode, only to discover that my job decided not to pay me! I took this up with the sturdy Eastern European woman in charge of payroll. One word about not being paid and she was on the phone with HR immediately. I gave her a cherry red smile and went about my day, assured that she would make my world right again. She's definitely my new favorite person in the office. Half way through the day and all the way through my sandwich I went to the bathroom to check the damage that had been done to my lip wear. I stared into the mirror and was shocked at what I saw. Not only had my lipstick stained my chin from stuffing a sandwich in my mouth but it had also turned a ghastly shade of late 80's pink! I immediately scrubbed my face and re-applied the ruby pigment, sans the light pink lip gloss, which I think was the culprit. But despite these unfortunate setbacks it was otherwise a great day. Can't wait for tomorrow, it's Friday!
Bacio!

Gee-tar a go-go

Another day another....kiss? Well, only if you count me kissing myself in the mirror. It's the best way to start your day! Today was your average day as a dorky teacher. However, I am happy to find that my favorite street performer is back! I guess he took the holidays off but he is back in full force, strumming and balancing his guitar as usual, or rather unusual. This guy is amazing, not only is he a great guitar player but he plays perfectly while balancing another full-sized acoustic on his head! He never drops it and even manages to sway along with the music. I've never seen anything like it. I hope he is there tomorrow, my iPod headphones are broken.

Ranas!

Gypsy dancer???

So the naughty kids were back in class today, and in fine form I might add. One of my eastern European students referred to me as a gypsy. I immediately had a Borat moment flash trough my mind. While his comment was meant in jest I am sure he was referring more to my dancing in class rather than my red lips. Sydney is an interesting city. It is incredibly culturally diverse but not as eccentrically tolerant like San Francisco or New York. That being said I was incredibly surprised today when no one but me seemed to notice the white, mid-forties, male, with short stature and average build, walking down the street this evening. This man was obviously dressed for a special occasion. He had a painted on pink tank top, which exposed the better part of his torso, paired with an ever so tight pair of jean cutoffs that put Jessica Simpsons Daisy Dukes to shame. These shorts were so short had his manhood not been pressed so firmly against the inside of his front zipper I'm sure it would have fallen out. He tromped across the cross-walk, arms folded over his chest, and as pouty as a sullen teenage girl who was denied entry to a Jonas Brothers concert. Something new everyday huh?

küssen!

Lucille Ball, polka-dots and all

Photo credit emilysgifts.com

Today was the first day back at work after ten days of letting my internal clock wake me no earlier than 10am. Needless to say I was less than thrilled to be there. So to liven my mood and go full on with this whole "classic red lips" thing I decided to sport my black and white polka-dot 50's style dress. A sweetheart had this made for my birthday last year and I relish every chance I have to wear it. I also think this was the first day I had brushed my hair since Christmas. I wore it down and straight with my Betty Page bangs slightly crooked after an encounter with the Chinese hairdresser at an unknown salon. Sydney is the windy city, I don't care what Chicago has to say about it. No less than three times today did the wind whip my platinum blond locks into my face, cementing them into my scarlet lip gloss. It was like I had walked into a spiderweb trying to get the hair detached from my face. After it was sticky and stained red with sparkly gloss the wind caught it again and stuck it to another part of my face, each time leaving very noticeable red streaks. It looked like I'd had an unfortunate run-in with an angry alley cat by the time I got home from work. Other than that not much else interesting happened today. No smart remarks from students, no accusations of prostitution not even so much as a raised eyebrow and a "huh?". I think I underestimated their politeness, but then again all of the mischievous students were absent today...
Until tomorrow
Pusspuss!

Madonna circa 1985

Photo credit

Today was a Madonna day. I'm not saying it was a good thing or a bad thing, it was just a thing. Frizzy hair, pale skin, grown out roots and obnoxiously red lipstick. My roommate kept looking at me in shock after she hadn't seen me for a few minutes and compared my "new look" to getting plastic surgery. I figured this would take some getting used to. I sported all black today and thought my glamours pout made up for the lack of effort in all other areas. Tommorrow is the first day back at work after the holday break. I am a little anxious about what my students and fellow teachers will have to say. I teach all international students so I am sure they will not be shy about making comments, regardless of their nature. I think in some parts of the world where the climate is dry and the culture is conservative red lips are a tell tale sign of a prostitute. Hopefully none of my students are from such cultures, it could make lessons a bit awkward. Hopefully my bosses won't have a problem with it, but in an office culture where jeans are acceptable attire I am pretty sure this will fly too.
Suudelma!

Rain Rain Go Away

Today was one of those lackluster days where the weather is so variant between stormy and sunny you can hardly trust it to be consistent for more than an hour. This makes destinations and outfit choices almost impossible. So instead of facing the bi-polar day I decided to hibernate indoors with a big bowl of pasta, a chick-lit and red lips (not from the tomato sauce). Needless to say I didn't change out of my PJs until it was almost time to put them on again so I spent the day prancing around my apartment in my boy shorts and tank kissing myself in the mirror every time I passed it, which was never. My impeccable charm and beauty (note sarcasm) were kept to myself today, maybe tomorrow will be more user friendly.
besos!