Hello All.

I'm primarily updating this journal to ask you all a question.

I recently read an article [link] that claimed Australia is dropping in international visitors' "To Visit" lists. Suggestions were that it's too expensive, too dangerous, too boring, too politically correct and the locals too rude.

So a question for my international followers.

Is Australia on your "To Visit" list? I realise it's expensive to get here (flights, visas etc), but if that weren't the issue, would Australia be on that list?

Why? Why not? Were you ever of the impression that Australians are rude? That there is too much crime in our cities? That our countryside & cities are boring?

Add any other impressions you had of Australia or things you might have heard from friends who have been here.

So anyway, thought I should update. And I'm procrastinating at work, so why not.

Apologies that I have not uploaded any new deviations recently. I've also come to a standstill on the fic. Been considering writing my own book, though I'm not sure what direction to take. I get so many flashes of story lines and never have time to develop any. Need to make time I suppose.

Married life is terrific. Living with Andre is lots of fun. Housework sucks of course, but I did that living at home too, and cooking is fun although I sometimes lack motivation I've started a little herb garden in a planter pot, so far I only have basil but I'm intending on adding chives and then either mint or parsley or something else. Suggestions?

Work's ok. I'm working at uni, in the department that looks after course and subject information in the data management system. I don't have a single role, I do all sorts of bits and pieces for the other people in the office. So I do everything from adding new subjects to changing pre-requisites, changing the details of a course/subject availability (like which campus it's on, which semester it's offered etc), doing comparisons between what's in the prospectus and what's actually in the system, adding fee levels, etc etc. It can be fun and challenging one day, boring the next. Depends. My contract was originally for only one month but got extended to three and has now been extended to four. Not likely to go further than that though because they're running out of money

Andre and I attend the church I grew up in, and I'm still a leader at our primary school youth group and Andre and I both lead the singing at church in the evenings twice a month.

I have a lovely new camera that Andre bought me as wedding present; not an SLR but as near to one as you can get before making the switch. It's a Panasonic Lumix FZ18: read about it here, here, and of course at the Panasonic site.

I also have two polarised filters, two ND filters, and a telezoom lens (2.2 times the existing zoom, which is already 18x). Definitely a lot of fun to play with, and hopefully sometime I'll upload new pics

Anyways, I think I should get back to work, so hopefully that will keep you updated til next time

Just a quick entry to say sorry I haven't been able to individually thank all my favouriters. I only get on dA about once a week and I don't have enough time to go and thank all the people who fave my stuff or add it to collections. But it appears my Dr Cox and Garfield stamps are quite popular

So thanks heaps to everyone who has added ANY of my work to their favourites, or to a collection. You all rock

Wedding countdown: 4 sleeps!

Because I have nothing better to do...

[x] gotten any kind of detention
[ ] gotten your phone taken away in class
[ ] gotten suspended
[ ] gotten caught chewing gum
[ ] gotten caught cheating on a test
Total So Far: 1

[x] arrived late to class more than 5 times
[x] didnt do homework over 5 times
[ ] turned atleast 3 projects in late
[ ] missed school just because you felt like it
[ ] laughed so loud you got kicked out of class
Total So Far: 3

[ ] got your mom,dad,etc to get you out of school
[ ] text/has txed people during class
[X] passed notes
[ ] threw stuff across the room
[ ] laughed at the teacher
Total So Far: 4

[x] been in a verbal fight at school
[X] took pictures during school hours
[ ] called someone during school hours
[X] listened to ipod,cd,etc during school hours
Total So Far: 7

[ ] threw something at the teacher
[ ] went outside the classroom without permission
[x] broke the dress code
[ ] failed a class
[X] ate food (gum counts) during class
Total So Far: 9

[ ] gotten a call from school
[ ] couldnt go on a field trip cause you behaved badly
[x] didnt take your stuff to school
[ ] stuck up your middle finger at the teacher when they were not looking
[ ] cursed during class loud enough so the teacher could hear you
Total So Far: 11

[ ] faked your parents signature
[ ] slept in class
[ ] cursed at teacher
[x] copied homework
[ ] got in trouble with the principal
Total So Far: 12

Multiply by 3, repost as "I messed up __% of my teenage life"

(I'll point out some of the things I x-ed were endorsed by teachers eg. eating food in class, taking pictures during school hours, even breaking the dress code )

I appreciate the favourites and collection adds. I really do.

But I would love even more to hear WHY you like something.

PLEASE consider a compromise? (Go and read that deviation. Seriously.)

I mean, I know I don't post much anymore (don't really have time), but I do still check my message centre.