Planetary Shift

I left Melbourne a few daze ago and skipped across the great pond called The pacific ocean. I was overweight with my luggage by 2kg! So I was forced to abandon my shave kit and slippers in thelocal bin at the airport JUST to get it to an acceptable weight. But the worst mistake I made was to take United Airlines, folks, never bother. The service is crappy, the food was terrible and the seats extra squishy...

But that was where it started... I then landed at LAX and had to line up at customs and have photos and index finger scans and then run at top cart pushing speed outand left to the American Airlines domestic departures where I had to almost nude up to get thru the detectors and the x-ray machines. Take my shoes off and have my laptop and bags scanned twice coming thru the airport. Finally I made it to GATE 47a and waited for my plane. It had taken me 2 hours and $50 US to get thru with over weight luggage and the formalities for security. I caught my flight and settled into some real fatigue, but the rude shock was all food on the flight was for sale - not free. So I just slept for 6 hours and ignored the offers for a crappy sandwich for $5 every 45 minutes.

I finally landed ay JFK and it was muggy and 27c at 10pm at night. A 30 minute ride and we were at home and I flaked on the couch in minutes.

At least it had a comfy end...

Obi in the northern hemisphere!

Dante's Disco Inferno

It's Thursday again and I can barely believe it. Outta here tomorrow and just a few final things to do, a happy and light feeling and a smile.

Then the phone rings... it is my mother saying that she and dad are in their caravan in Queensland and decided to do their wills.

"When we die, what do you want? You want the Edwardian dining table and chairs or the rings, or the country roses dinner set?"

CrAsh that warm light feeling

My mother wants to speak about death... Siiigh. Is this what Italian Mothers are like or is she leaning toward being a Jewish Mother? You tell me kids, the lines are open...

... my choice was all the photo albums and their promise to write down or record the family stories of their parents and grand parents etc.

Sentimental Obi Exposed!

The Unbearable Lightness Of Being... Finished!

Thursday has come and gone and I must say to my surprise - so has the week. I have shut down in many aspects of the word, to the untrained eye it would seem as if I am dead splayed across the couch for the last few days, barely eating and barely moving, but to the yogi's eye it would be clear that a little internal shakabuku was happening, even I am oblivious to most of it. Except for a moment today driving home I actually felt lighter and more at ease than I have for many many months.

Now, those of you that know me and live in this fair city have actually seen me in the last 9 months become bent over and go all gray and sunken eyed... To those that do not live in the fair city of Melbourne then you would have only heard snippets and abstract and drawn your own conclusions from the evidence at hand.

Life has been tough, damn tough. I have had so much on my mind and heart that I hit overload and could not manage more than the 9 hours a day at the soul sucking job and the niggly distractions like eating and sleeping and packing up a house and the flu and shutting down a life and managing to keep a smile on my face and be happy looking. That all takes energy that I was only just been able to achieve.

Of course my list, in priorities my interests were so much more than my capacity and like so many people in a similar situation of being overwhelmed they shut down. Shut down aspects of themselves or their lives. For example, I have not created any art in the last 4 months at all, nothing and nada, I have wanted to, oooh how I have craved the time to sit and waste an hour or 3 but had other priorities and responsibilities.

Now, as I send off my last exam and assignment to be assessed I am calm and exhausted. The fog that has weighed me down and made me question myself is clearing and I can see the way ahead.

In the journey of our lives I became lost in a dark wood where the straight road had been lost. - I think it was Dante's Inferno.

With some perserverance and some generous help from loved ones Obi is back on his feet.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

Lets see here...
In the last few months

• I have moved out of the home I have known for the last 8 years.
• Moved into my parents house the day they went on holiday around Australia.
• Had someone very special come into and go out of my life from a lane we all know.
• Advised of a nice little cluster of debt.
• Quit a soul sucking job.

I seem to be stringing myself out on long shots and not being able to bounce back as once I was. For example, tonight I am alone. Alone for the first time in I cannot remember when and still with a pile of bills and an exam to finish in the next week.

I just feel alone and lonely, a little confused and overwhelmed a bit by the fact that next month 97% of the people I will be able to converse with will not speak English and -30c temperatures.

Well - I really must look back on this when I can put it all in perspective, and see what behaviours and ideas where a metaphor in what action and incident...

The lights on the TV look pretty, but too close will hurt your eyes and too far away and you will miss what is on the box...

Life is very obi-stract.

Chasing Rainbows

From birth we all look to our parents for encouragement and direction. Over the years the need for that fades, replaced by the inner voice of experience and our peers, but it still hurts nonetheless when you mother over the phone from across the country says to you that your plan to go and teach English in Moscow is just chasing rainbows.

Well I have noticed that life just is not just the smiles and charms some people see it as and I know that my life here is slowly boring me to death and that I am not tied to this earth so why not? Why not just take off an see if I can take this expression of me and test it in the fire of change and see what and if I come out the other side better different or changed. What the hell is life for? Certainly not so people at the bureau of statistics have something to do on Wednesday next week. or to fill out some forms so my taxes pay for some paint for a bus stop in Adelaide.

I am not a sheepin this world willing to walk one way because the sheep in front of me is, I am not asleep to the world out there that pulses with opportunity and invention for the soul, so damn it I am going! ... and as for my mother, she can shove her ideas of rainbows up her ass.

Obi pretty angry!

End of a Season

Well today is the last day Raindog71 has to go anywhere and do anything, now if I could only get her out of the bathroom we could actually used the afternoon to get some final stuff done... Siiigh!

I looked up on Google Earth yesterday where I will be living and I finally found it, not an easy feat considering I had no idea and had to guesstamate from Metro stations... But Finally I have some Aerial idea where I will be freezing my ass off...

To be continued - someone is telling me to get in the caaaaaaar!

Obi get a move on

The Fork In the Road

What belies the fork? What is it that makes me think I have to make a decision?

I guess I am the only one that knows.... And I ain't telling me! Nerrr!

I have a few weeks before I make the sojourn to the new chapter of my life, the new apartment in Southern Moscow (without a house mate yet). I really just dunno what to think. Raindog71 says I am just overwhelmed and to pack up a life and move to the other side of the planet would overwhelm anybody.... But I dunno... I ain't just anybody... (I am a freakin weirdo!)

I guess my current issue is whether to go to work tomorrow. I am just so over the soul sucking job I have and I cannot for the life of me get my conscious mind to listen to the Nike Fairy and "Just do it!". I think I am listening to the Strongsad fairy and saying to myself "Oooh, Hoisin sauce, what is the barometric pressure??!"

I dunno, is the extra disorganised running around worth the money at the job or is it time to rest relax and take stock of what I am doing and get all the bills and last minute things done and prepare myself mentally for the challenge ahead - Which I would have to do anyway with less time if I worked...

You be da judge!

Our operators are standing by for your call... 1800 Obi forked

The Countdown Is Speeding Up

A big hurtle was overcome today, I finally packed up the last of my possessions and locked them away and moved out of my home. A momentous occasion marked by nothing but a longing stare at my kitchen and the realisation that my life will never be the same. A good and bad thing...
Raindog71 has been a mountain of support and help. I could not have gotten all of this done if not for her consistancy.
My parents left today for their 3 month around Australia trek in their new caravan. Walked in their front door as they walked out and dumped by clothes in their spare bedroom.
Tomorrow starts another week in which I must address many bills and amend time frames and adjust expectations - Again.
I have completely lost interest in my current mistake of a job, but I need the income - I have 4 weeks left here before I go off into the wild blue yonder...
Obi - one down 4 to go...

Pills 'n' Thrills & Bellyaches

Thanks to the buddhistic words of the BendyCha I have found a little quiet in the maelstrom. There is less and less to do now. The visa is the big thing and the renting of the house is the other. Oh and I have 10 daze to finish my assignments for school.

Said good bye this week to a lovely ray of sunshine, the sweet Lizzie - back to the UK to go back to school. Such a bubbly little muffin. Siiigh...

Took my nephew to see Superman Returns today. He was 10 a few weeks ago and loves the Superman Mythos (more loves that fact that Uncle Obi knows 90% of it all!)

Work is finding new depths of agony to probe but the count down is on. I just wish I could find more time to rest and relax and do things I need to do... But there is no rest for the wicked I am told...

Obi is sorry to all I have been neglecting my blogsite...

Obi Got the Fluse Babeee

Well I finally succumbed to the flu and it's not as if I didn't push myself way over the edge for it either. This whole "Pack up your entire life in 6 months or less" book is pure rubbish!

The last page is a disclaimer from reality incoporated saying everything after the title in this book is pure speculation from a tripped out hippy...

I am missing work and money and I cannot afford to do that at all...

My Russian employer is playing funny buggers with visa letters and referees and contracts... I am really fed up with it all... and to top it all off my mother is driving me insane and is about as helpful as a life raft made of mesh!

Stay cool mah readers. I am expecting it to get worse...

Laugh now while you know I can hear you - Obi

Monday Orginally Called Mundane

After a full weekend Obi is still weary. lifting a few heavy things over the weekend has strained the ol'back and now I am at home resting it. I hate missing work - even in a job I hate as much as this one, it is more about the work ethic than anything else. So many things to do and not enough time to do them in.
I just wanna sit in a small curled up ball and cry. I am so so tired and there is no rest in sight.
The dickheads I am buying my laptop from didn't install the extra ram I wanted and were quite prepared to hand me the laptop and the ram in a seperate bag. I reminded them of the agreement which I had on my receipt and stormed out of the shop.
I have to pay out $500 to the body corp manager for work that needs to be done around here. it is way over due but that happens in the ObiVerse...

One shaky step at a time in the ObiVerse...

Fallen Comrades

A sad farewell to a fallen comrade today. The Sweet Sally has fallen in battle agains the tedium and banality of the torture we call work.
She put in a monstrous effort and bouyed all our spirits and made us laugh. But now she has decided to throw in the towel and take it easy for a few weeks before her big adventure to New Zealand to see some old friends.
I will miss her and I hope to remain friends with her long after today. She is a bright and sweet girl whom I wish all the best things for.
On another Note - B-flat to be precise, I have a full weekend ahead and no money to do it on. So how do you get to work for 2 weeks with less than 20 bucks I ask ya... Well magic my dear reader, magic...

I urge you all to check out www.homestarrunner.com for a laugh...
Obi ain't no David Copperfeel

Thursday Pay Day!

A nice little cheque appreared in the mail today, a claim for a computer short circuit care of your friendly neighbourhood power company... $100 will come in handy. toooo pay the water bill of the phone bill or a bill I am yet to be aware of, seems the companies sense I am moving and wanna cash in on the fact I am vulnerable and they can get some blood outta me.
Work is taudry and I seem to be the one cheering others up at work because they feel the same soul destroying deterioration as I do. Ah the irony.
Looking for a laptop - I have seen a few that would suit Obi and they range around $1300, so I think I will laybuy one and see what I can afford. The list is growing:-

1. Hiking boots.
2. Leather jacket
3. Laptop
4. Sanity

Wish me well - I have bills to pay now and next to nothing to do it with... looking forward to 2007!

Obi can ya spare a dime?

The Countdown is wearing me out...

A busy weekend and the end of my cash until thursday. I still dunno how I managed to have to pay out more each week than I earn... and the job is a vampire to my very soul!

• No word from Russia yet about the official invite letter so I am anxious.
• Real estate agent came by today to take pictures for their listing of my place. it hit me, I won't be living ine my home in 2 weeks. Freaky!
• Need to get my ticket soon... where is the money gonna come from? no idea...
• I need to eat next week too and I think I just won't have the cash to even do that after my transport costs.
• Did finish 2 exams on the weekend thanks to a good friend Lizzie! She coached me well!
• Tho do have 2 assignments left.
• Supposed to be going to the footy this weekend, maybe I will ask a few people for the fun of it.
• C3beeri0 has a birthday this week which means I will have to head out for a beer.
• Gotta email Russia... say hello to Lena and ask her a few questions etc. in fact I have to email a fair few people. A special hello to Linda, I need to email you again soon. I hope all is well with you.
• A big high five to my fav gal in Korea - waaay too gooo! ( You know what I mean!)

Obi is well exhausted and demoralised by the horrible hoops he jumps thru at work... but what can he do? He has 9 weeks left and hopes to be employed and having money for the whole time. Oh and he is tired of speaking about himself in the third person like some jerk WWE wrestler!

Obi on da ropes!