Thursday* updated-ish

Ok, TODAY was long. But today was the first day that I had some real fun. Don't get me wrong, I'm having a good time, but I've been working so much and am so exhausted at the end of my day I have little energy for anything but a quick run, shower, meal, BED!! Today I went to visit a research farm, and met a fellow ner-do-well and spent a good deal of time in the back of the group making jokes, cracking wise, and basically waiting to get yelled at for being a pain in the ass...but being an international "superstar" has it's bennies!! We didn't get yelled at once. It was a lot of fun. My companion in this cutting up (couldn't upload picture today. sorry! enjoy the others) finally told me that he was really enjoying my being part of the group b/c he gets damn tired of hanging out with men all day!! He'd been at a conference for the last week, and was glad to talk to someone who wasn't afraid to cut-up a little, but was also not a guy. He reminded me of my BFF U.P., and took to him like a duck to water. It was WAY more fun than behaving and talking science the ENTIRE time. ;-> Don't get me wrong, we weren't being disruptive, or anything, and I still had to keep it professional - for the most part - but it was good to sort of be myself and not the "fancy pants scientist" that I've had to be for the last few days. It's not easy being worshiped constantly, you know. ;}

The only wild life I've seen include the pups' ugly mug above (a big chunky bulldog mix who roamed the research farm), a HUGE bat - a fruit bat the size of my little terrier/chow mix -, and big dead wombat. I would have taken a picture of the wombat, but sadly it was along the road (hence it's non-alive state!), and my host thought I was nuts when I got excited by a big fat dead wombat!!!

Tomorrow I leave for Melborne. I have yet ANOTHER talk to give, but I should be done pretty early, so then I'll have the rest of the weekend free. Well, free from work. I already have two dates set up...Aussie Hottie called me tonight (yummy accent!!) and we;ve got dinner on Saturday and then, if he doesn't come down with something (you know, "ah, sorry, I can 't take you to dinner b/c I've suddenly come down with a rare case of dengue fever" or whatever, again on Sunday. We'll see how it goes. He's been checking up on me via friends I've spoken with this week, so he has an unfair advantage.... but, It'll be nice to have a friend along, and after eating alone all week (except that one work dinner) it'll be nice to have a dinner companion. Esp. if he's cute!

OMG - never mind. AH just invited me out for dinner tonight. I'm off to change!!! (oh, and Just FYI - it's AH AND his wife taking me to dinner!! Very on the up and up! I'll let you know how it goes!!).

Cheers, mates.

*no, i didn't forget the pix. was having trouble posting them (read: too much wine with AH and fell asleep in the middle of post...)