A Rainy Day in Brisbane

The weather forecast for the upcoming week, beginning today, is cloud cover and rain. Perfect weather to be study oriented and productive. I woke up relatively early this morning and went with a few friends to the Pancake Manor. It is one of the ONLY 24 hour places we have found to eat in Australia...even fast food here closes at 10:00 p.m. It is famous here in Brisbane and located in the central part of the city. I've been told that after a night of bar hopping many people go there for a late night snack. The pancakes this morning were AMAZING and we all had homemade milkshakes. I got banana and it was one of the best shakes I've had in quite some time. The coolest fact about the restaurant is that it used to be a church! It was once called St. Luke's Church decades ago and used for normal Catholic sermons and practices. The insides were all made of brick with columns lining the walls and wood paneling, giving it the impression of the interior of a historical cathedral. It also had stained glass windows and arches reaching across the ceilings. It satisfied my cravings of hunger and a little history.

The remainder of the day will be spent studying. I have:

1. Journalism Paper (4 forums to complete)

2. Art History Project

3. Art History Review Paper

4. Marine Science Coral Reef Report

5. Terrestrial Environment Report

6. Upper Division Application and Essays

Basically the week will consist of study, study, oh and more studying...

But I will be taking a break later tonight to continue watching the Lord of the Rings series.

Tuesday night I think we are having a Mexican food night to celebrate my birthday in honor of my Texas origins and then probably going out for a bit Wednesday...we'll see how studying goes. I'll update on my schenanigans after I'm finally the big 2-1.

Toowoomba Flower Festival

Today started off bright and early at 6:00 a.m. with an egg white omelet, homemade potatoes, and cereal for breakfast. I went for a 5 mile run and it went really well...UNTIL...I was walking back up the hill to my apartment and got a piercing pain in my knee that ran up through my leg. I doubled over completely in pain...I even shed a few tears :( Then it happened a few more times to where I had to limp back home. I'm not sure what is wrong with my knee/leg but I am going to head to the doctor Monday morning at the clinic on campus. I think I may have to pull out of the race in Melbourne...it's only 3 weeks away and if I can't run now I won't be ready...and I don't want to create a serious injury by pushing myself. However, the doctor may say it is something I just push through the pain and it will get better? HOPEFULLY...but I'm thinking I might need a type of cloth brace or something...theyll be able totell me what I need to do.

Well enough of the complaining. Later in the morning I left Brisbane to go to the city of Toowoomba to see the Flower Festival with a friend. We left not realizing for 1. it was in another city and for 2. it was 2 hours away! That caught me by surprise but once I accepted it the fact it would be a long day, it was really fun! The flower displays were throughout the city in multiple parks and there was also a nearby carnival going on with rides, games, and of course the usual carnival foods. To top it off there was live entertainment; belly dancers were strutting their stuff as they made their way from park to park. After a long day of walking around we went to a nice little cafe and had hot chocolate and tea (I had hot chocolate of course).

Tonight will consist of a relaxing night curled up with the girls with a NOT so relaxing movie: Lord of the Rings...the movie really gives me the creeps after being traumatized by my brothers and sister when I was little. "Smigle" really scares me...need I say more. Ice cream and a movie Saturday night with some amazing friends? Who could ask for more.