Tag: australia

E – Emus

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle6 Comments

Now I know what you thinking.  Emus?  Really?  Sydney, you are just reaching for topics now.  And so early in the A to Z Challege, too.  So sad. 

Well, don’t pity me.  There is a point to this. 

Emus are the third largest bird in the world.  It is a flightless bird, but it can run really fast. Up to 36 mph.  So, this bring me to my point.   

I was attacked by an Emu when I was 9 years old.   Ok, not actually attacked, more liked chased.  

 When I was younger, my family would spend time at a family friends ranch in East Texas during the spring and summer.  This place was just beautiful. They had cows, and horses and chickens.  The property was spread out over several 100 acres of the finest land in Texas with a man made lake full of fish.  We would spend the day swimming, riding jet skis, eating bar b que and fishing.  

The first trip of the season when I was 9, there was some new additions to the ranch.  They had built an exotic animal refuge.  I can’t remember what other animals they had, but I do remember they had an Emu. 

The only other time I had even heard of an Emu was in the movie Protocol with Goldie Hawn.  Goldie’s character worked at a bar called the Safari Club where the waitresses dressed up in animal costumes.  Everyone avoid the Emu costume for obvious reasons.  One, it is not a very pretty animal and two, no one had even ever heard of an emu.  

So, seeing one in real life was exciting.  To my 9 year old mind, he looked friendly enough.  I was definitely more fearless back then, so I decide to climb over the fence and get a closer look at this strange creature. 

Big mistake.

Public Service Announcement! Emus are not nice birds.  In fact, they are rather mean.  And they run fast.  I mean really fast.  And when they run fast, they let out this insanely high pitch screeching sound.  As soon as my feet hit the ground, that bird took off towards me screaming like, well, like an emu.  I was utterly terrified.  Thankfully, before it could reach me, my dad literally pulled me out of the cage by my braids.  

I had forgotten or blocked out this entire incident until recently when I discovered, wait for it.  Emus are native to Australia. 

I am excited for the kangaroos.  I can’t wait to see the koalas, but as far as the emus go.  I think we can say I have covered that one.  Much respect for the Emu. 

D – Distracting Distractions

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle4 Comments

Do you get distracted easily?  Are you about to leave this page and move on to the next? AM I BORING YOU TO DEATH?

Ok, now that I have your attention.

Sorry to have to raise my voice like that, but I wanted to make sure you were listening.  That you were focused.  Because I would like to share something with you. And, don’t you just hate when people click on your site and then leave with out giving it a chance.  I mean, come on people.  We all work hard on these things.  All we ask is that you get past the

Oh, wait, I did it again, sorry.  You see, this is what I have been trying to talk to you.   I have a problem.  I get distracted. Easily. Way to easily.

My attentions span is getting shorter and shorter the older I get.  When I am on deadline.  Forget about it.  Unless I can find a sensory deprivation chamber, it is a good bet that I will always be this way.  A thought, a sound, a song, a feeling, a movie, a bug, a wrinkle on my shirt; any and all things can get me distract.

Distracted is defined in Webster as mental confusion.  Mental confusion.  Well, that is confusing and distracting.  I mean.  Of course is it mental confusion.  Is there another kind of confusion?  You can be sexually confused, but that is not distracting.  You can be physically confused, but if that is the case, you have more problems to worry about them distractions.   There I go again, the post is not about confusion, it is about distraction.  Wait, what was I talking about?

If something or someone is distracting me, they are taking my attention away from something that is important.  And, I get it.  I am allowing that to happen.  But, what I need help with is how to stop it.  Stop the distractions.  Stop letting other things distract me from my goal.

See, right know I am thinking about how many times I have typed some version of the word distraction so far in this post.  (10 times, just in case it was distracting you and the distraction was causing you to not focus on these brilliant words)

The reason I bring this up today, beside the fact that distraction starts with the letter D (shout out to #atozchallenge) is I am thinking about this trip.  Yeah, the Australian adventure (I know you were wondering when I was going to get back to that).  This is the first real vacation I have had in a long time:  my dream vacation.

I fear that I will allow reality to get in the way and distract me from fully enjoying it.  It has happened before.  I let an email or text message, a relationship or even the state of the world prevent me from fully engaging in the present and enjoying my vacation, sans distractions.

I still have 11 days left to try and circumvent the distractions.  Short of destroying my computer and cell phone before I go, perhaps I can do some preparation and just let go and only be distracted by the wonders of Australia.

If you are easily distracted by social media, check out this article from TechCrunch.com

A – Australian Vacation

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle6 Comments

In 15 days I leave for my first vacation in 10 years. My first real vacation. I have been on

long weekend trips, business trips with two days of leisure,scouting trips, inquiry trips, business interview trips, and hosting trips, but no real vacation since going to Hawai in 2002.

You might think that since I live in China, it would feel like I have been on one long vacations for the last 5 years, but it really doesn’t.I actually relocated to China just like as if I was in the states and my company relocated me to Illinois from Texas. Longer trip though. Thank God for relocation benefits.

I have a Chinese work permit. I get up every morning and drive to work, just like anyone else in the world. I just do it in China.

Now, I do live in a hotel room at a golf resort and I work in the golf business and yeah, that sounds like a vacation, but let me tell you. It is not.
I pay monthly rent at the hotel. I don’t have to pay for any other utilities, thought. That is kind of nice.
I have to do my laundry just like anyone else. Ok, I pay a lady to do my laundry. But, I have to fix my own meals. That is when I don’t feel like eating at one of the 6 restaurants at the resort.
Oh, and did I mention,  I drive a golf cart to work, not a car. But, I swear in no way does it feel like I am on vacation.

Now, I did travel around China a bit back in October of last year. Actually for 10 days. I went to Hong Kong and Beijing. I saw all the tourist attractions in China such as the Peak and the Big Budda (2nd favorite place on earth) and the Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall.  But, that was with my mom and my brother.  I felt like I was more of tour guide then a tourist myself.  And, I didn’t go to another country, so it doesn’t count.  

Australia, now that is a real vacation. New Country, new culture, new experiences and I get to do what every I want to do.  I can’t wait.

If you live in Sydney Australia or have been recently,  let me know what I must see and do!