Dallas and Ice Hockey

Last Friday I got my first taste of Nhl hockey as I travelled to Dallas, with Mark and Kris, to watch the Dallas Stars play the Chicago Blackhawks, who are the team I follow.
I was not dissapointed. I had opnly ever seen the Canberra knights play live and it's pretty hard to compare the two. The teams often looked so slick and skillful with the puck and it was really cool to watch.

Unfortunately Chicago went down 5-4, even though they were up 3-1 with 6:30 left on the clock. stupid chokers.

This photo shows a penalty shot which the Dallas skater missed, if you look closely you can see the puck just about to cannon off the crossbar. Sweet!

On Saturday night we met up with Mark's former work colleagues for dinner and among other things discussed baby names, with Star Wars characters fairly prominent. I like TK421, but I don't know how likely it is.
One thing that travelling to Dallas has taught me is how very alike my brother and I can be. Despite not living in the same country for the past 9-10 years we still have a surprisingly similar sense of humour. here's an extract from a conversation which my family will find amusing. The topic is one of Kristen's co-workers I think...

Nathan: so how do you spell her last name(Man) with 2 n's.
Kris: I think just with one n.
Mark: but with 3 m's and 4 a's. MMMAAAANN!
N&M: MMMAAAA...n(followed by laughter and a knee slap at exactly the same time)

This concurrent piece of stupidity brought a groan and a laugh from Kristen and sent Mark and I into hysterics.

I've only got 2 more weeks overseas with 30 hours of travel at the end which should be awesome. Be seeing everyone real soon.

Nathan in Oblivion

Halloween and goin' to Dallas

Howdy,

Halloween is just around the corner here in good old texas and with it come all the staples of this most ridiculous quasi-holiday. You know, pumpkins, candy(lollies), and of course child size dolls hanging by ropes in peoples front yards...WHAT THE HELL! that's the kind of thing you want your children to associate with the collecting of treats isn't it.

In other news Mark, Kris and myself are travelling to Dallas tomorrow for the weekend where we will see the Dallas Stars play the Chicago Blackhawks, who are my team. Other than that I think Mark will be catching up with some of his former workmates and we will get a bit of a glimpse of the city. This will probably be my last outing in America before I get home. I have decided probably not to spend time in LA as it doesn't really interest me all that much, however I may have to spend about half a day in the airport because of my flight from Austin, which sucks. For those who may not know, I leave LA on the 5th of November and arrive back in Aus on the morning of the 7th, which is a Tuesday I think. It's getting kind of cool over here so I may get a bit of winter this year after all.

byebye,

State of the Nathan

Favourites and other stuff

It's a rainy day here in Austin, and what else do you do on a rainy day but make lists of all the stuff you've done, and favourite things, while traveling.

Note: The following information is actually not that interesting and shouldn't be interpreted as some new revolutionary way of thought that could somehow benefit human existence.

Best Experience: Australia vs Japan, Australia vs Croatia...well pretty much the whole world cup actually

Favourite Place: Chamonix or San Sebastien, or maybe Prague, perhaps Barcelona.

Least Favourite Place: Madrid really wasn't that great, but it wasn't bad either.

Scariest Moment: nearly losing my camera in San Sebastien, finding it later in the middle of the hall in the hostel. phew!

Funniest moment: Pete's metropolitan joke in Chamonix, I was actually choking on my own laughter. Crab dancing in San Sebastien.

Wierdest moment: last Sunday's dinner at the Waite's house, a good time was had by all but a few of the comments were somewhat disturbing.

Biggest News: Two of my brothers and their wives are about to have kids, and I'm going to be THAT drunken uncle that everyone hates to love. WOOHOO!

Acquired Nicknames: Lunchy McCut cut, J-Lo Junk arse.

Favourite Food: too tough to decide, all food is wonderful.

Favourite Drink: Sangria

Favourite Saying: a Kaleidoscope of emotions. pretty much anything 12th man.

Favourite Quote: gotta be George Bush, what can I say, the man knows funny.
"Outrages upon human dignity, what does that mean, it's so vague"

Favourite thing about being in America: Being able to spend lots of time with Mark and Kris, sleeping in a non-hostel bed, Reading novels again, chilling out,

Least Favourite thing about being in America: The Imperial system, the drinking age, the 4-way stops instead of roundabouts, being able to get married, own a gun, buy cigarettes, vote, drive, be imprisoned and drafted and not being able to drink a beer(I'm not hung up about it though).

The albums I've listened to most: Tool: 10,000 Days, Lateralus. No Use For A Name:Keep Them Confused. Rise Against: The Sufferer & and the Witness.

Songs I've listened to most: NOFX: Perfect Government. Colin Hay: Beautiful World. Strung Out: The Misanthropic Principle. Bodyjar: Halfway around the World(poignant, no)

Biggest Life Lesson: hahaha...I really haven't learnt anything, I've probably actually become stupider...cause that's a word. I dunno probably plenty of stuff.

Things to look forward to when I get home: Pro Evolution Soccer 6 comes out a couple of days before I arrive home. Yay for Playstation.
And I'm sure seeing Family and friends will be nice too.
Also Workchoices and other spastic things the Howard government has implemented while I've been away.

Until then it's good to know that Man U are top of the Premiership.

10,000 Nath's

Do you know the way...

Wellity,

I have been in San Jose and San Francisco for the previous 5 days and a good time was had by all. I travelled to San Jose with Kris on Wednesday morning as she had work to attend to. unlucky. I, on the other hand, was able to travel to San Francisco on both Wednesday and Thursday and spent a majority of both days checking out the city, including the piers, where I saw a guy do a rubix cube in a minute, coit tower and Lombard street.

View from above Lombard street(the windy one)

The way to Coit tower

Aaah, the land of the free...I'm not allowed to buy beer, but I can get a gun, cause that makes total sense.

Funny story, on Thursday morning as I waited for the train to San Francisco I was asked by some girls whether it was indeed the train to San Fran. I detected an Australian accent and I replied that I hoped it was. When the train turned up it seemed that the car I had boarded was filled with Australian girls of about my age. My powers of insight thought this to be a little odd (maybe they just caught my manly scent, which they could have as my deodorant was taken off me in airport security). I asked the girl next to me if they were on some kind of sport trip, and she replied "we're a cheerleading team actually, from Bendigo"...bahahahaha. It was all I could do from laughing out loud. Seriously, cheerleaders, from Bendigo, in San Francisco. What the hell! anyway I'm not one to be shallow or petty so I bypassed the fact that they were a cheerleading team and focused on the fact that they were all quite attractive. Wootwoobies.

On Friday Kris was off work for most of the day so we travelled into San Fran together to meet her friend Jeff. We took a walk through Golden Gate Park and had dinner by the Pacific Ocean, beautiful. We then took a look at a Yoda statue, as you do.

Then we went back to San Jose to pick up Mark from the airport, as he had worked the rest of the week in Austin before coming out to California. We all then went out to meet another of Mark and Kris's friends, Alan, for a few beers.(sshh...don't tell anybody)

Saturday morning we met up with both Alan and Jeff again and made our way around Pier 1 markets and stalls, and also stopped by the Playstation store.


Mark, Me, Jeff and Alan

Sunday morning was all about Alcatraz. Kris, Mark and I went out to the Rock and had a tour fo the prison and managed to escape intact. The trick is to hide behind the sign, they don't look there.

Me, confident in the fact that I will soon be free with my ingeniously simple plan.

Haha you fools, your extravagent sign is your biggest weakness!

Hello ladies, sprung from prison and on the market.

Kris and Mark, overlooking San Francisco

So my 5 days in San Francisco were filled with walking, sightseeing and shenanigans. I had a great time and a big thanks should go to Mark and Kris for making it all possible and being fantastic. Even if Mark is a bit of a Spackface.

Nathfist