another australian gem

introducing "we can be heros"

While in Australia, I really enjoyed watching the show We Can Be Heros. While the show definitely has it's tongue-in-cheek comedy, one REALLY has to appreciate the research Chris Lilley had to do to execute each of his characters so well.

Chris plays a wide range of characters from a self-absorbed 16 year old girl to a Chinese phD student who loves the stage.

Click here to watch an interview with the actor and see more clips of the other characters ... I think Ricky Wong is my favorite!



*click on the link above to find out about the characters Ja'mie, Pat, Phil, Ricky, and Daniel all played by Chris Lilley.

green girl is moving Down Under

Sigh ... So much to do!!! I have so much on my mind that it has been difficult to relax and fall asleep at night. (I foolishly thought that watching a mindless/eye-rolling replay of Monday night's Miss America Pageant might somehow lull me into a deep slumber ... didn't happen.) Papers to write ... books to read ... stuff to get rid of ... things to pack ... a car to sell ... all simultaneously bouncing off the bouncy castle walls of my brain.

And then ... bing!

A light came on and all bouncing stopped for a split second of time.

What if ... what if I, instead of having a bridal shower where people bring me stuff (ergh! more stuff to pack and ship to Australia ... NO!), have a party where people TAKE stuff.

Brilliant!

All of a sudden I went from bouncy castle status to McDonald's ball room mania.

It could be like e-Bay ... or a silent auction ... people come and make bids on the stuff and the best offer is accepted, no matter what. That way I could also raise the money I need to move to the other side of the world. There would be music, food, general laughter and fun ... hmm, I'm thinking March, that way we can get a whole bunch of green decorations cheap and I'd still have time to pack the remainder to ship overseas ... wait, I can't do this myself! I know! I'll get Cassey and Laura to help! ... what about my pile of clothes?! I don't want to be left with a bunch of leftover shirts no one wants. Ooo! I could just box them up into about 3 boxes and they could go as a sort of "grab-bag" box. And whoever bought a box could deal with whatever they didn't want...

I didn't fall asleep till 3 a.m.

reminded me of the foothills of the Alps

While in Tasmania, Mike and I took a trip to the southern part of the island. While driving through Huon Valley (known for its apples), I immediately felt at home. It seemed to me to be the very replica of the Bavarian foothills of the Alps (where I grew up as a little girl). I can't wait to move there! Soon ...

sold

Today I sold this pile of books to Half Price Books. It's a conglomeration of theology, history, foreign policy, etc. ... sigh, I hate getting rid of books ... but this only makes up 1/4 of my library. (I hope Mike appreciates what I'm bringing into our marriage.)

Why did I part with them? Well, to lessen the burden of moving them when I move to Tasmania in the middle of the year. (Figuring out how to move my life to the other side of the world ought to be an adventure!)

Anyway, how much do you think I got for the whole lot?

crank up the opera

"Could you please let us in?" asked Andy as he leaned his head out of the car window directing his request to two young ladies in the car next to us.

"Sorry, there's so many cars and we need to get through, as well."

"But we have a dwarf in the car."

The girls looked at each other in disbelief. What sort of made-up excuse is that?!

At this point Pete, the dwarf, in the front passenger seat, leaned over and waved at the two girls.

Shocked, they mutely waved our vehicle in front of theirs.


It was a balmy Sydney Saturday midnight. The streets in The Rock were not unlike the parks during Victorian London's Season. Sport cars crept by each other at a snail's pace carrying passengers decked out for clubbing. It was the typical "see and be seen" environment. And we were radically out of place.

Andy, Pete, Sophie, Amy, Dave, Mike, and I had spent the evening in a crowded park with thousands of Sydney's music-lovers enjoying Symphony Under the Stars. Being late arrivers we could only find a narrow patch of grass in between two blankets. We were positioned in between smoking Frenchmen on the left and a symphony snob on our right (complete with shushes and the occasional throwing of FOOD at an unruly young person who hadn't headed her warning to be silent!).


As the music played and the sun set behind the skyscrapers, the fruit bats emerged from their trees and swooped through the air to the rhythm of the music of the Americas. (One caused quite a stir among the crowd not too far from us when it's life abruptly ended and it plummeted to the earth in a heap on a picnic blanket.) At the end, fireworks accompanied the orchestra as it played the 1812 Overture.

After unfolding our limbs from our uncomfortable positions and picking ourselves up off the ground, we headed to Pancakes on the Rocks (open 24 hours never without a waiting line). Following a scrumptious late-night dessert of chocolate pancakes, chocolate ice cream, and strawberries, Amy and Dave parted ways for their own adventurous trip back home (which involved all trains shutting down, police helicopters hunting down a criminal, people shoving onto the last bus out to the Shire, the two of them getting separated in the confusion, and Dave almost threatening the bus driver to LET HIM OFF THE BUS so that he could be re-united with his friend) while the rest of us got into Andy's car.


Andy's car was rather dissimilar to the other cars around us. His did not have spinning hubcaps. Nor did it sport a booming bass. His passengers were also not dressed for the occasion. As we slowly made our way down the road, drivers and passengers in the sporty cars passing us did not bother to "check us out."

I had an idea.

"Andy, turn on the radio and crank up the opera!"


*pictures by Mike on our last weekend together in Sydney

from the kitchen window

(Photos by David Jolly, 2007, [single])


It was strange not teaching or supervising at a Bible Club for a change.

Our first day at Yamba, I spent most of the time cleaning the kitchen of the facilities at the Aboriginal Hall. My assigned job was "Kitchen" which involved keeping watch over the leaders' personal belongings and handing leaders their group's snacks when they needed them. I was a bit disappointed before we left to find that I would not be working with an age group. But upon reflexion I asked mike not to have it remedied. God knew what He was doing. I would stick with my kitchen job.

The kitchen was gross. It took all I had not to gag when we walked in ... the smell ... the bits of food stuff all over the floor and cabinets and ceiling. I immediately set to work cleaning every surface. Mike thought I was wasting my time, it would just go back to being filthy when I left. But I asked him to indulge me ... at least I felt like I was making a difference. After I did that I sat down to think of how I could organize distribution of supplies and snacks easier. And then I determined that should any child prove difficult and need to be removed from their groups they could be sent to me. I'd assign them a cleaning job to do (still plenty to be done).

Then I sat at the window of the kitchen to observe all the groups at work. It was good to overlook everything to get a broader perspective.

Because of that I was able to pick up on things and encourage the group leaders during our group time in the morning and after we left the club each day. I encouraged them to have a sense of urgency. We'd only be there a week. Loving on the children and being nice wasn't going to save them. I repeatedly emphasized that the Gospel needed to be on our lips at every possible opportunity ... at snack time ... at crafts, etc. How will they believe unless they hear?

Many of the leaders were only in their teens and I could tell that they themselves didn't quite have a grasp on how to communicate the Gospel ... how to explain it. I was sympathetic because I, myself, didn't quite know how to clearly communicate it to unbelievers, not to mention CHILDREN, till this past summer when Mike sent me a copy of Two Ways to Live (which REALLY helped shape the way I share the Gospel with others. I used it with the teens and kids throughout the summer in Washington and Oregon.)


A number of the leaders came from Charismatic churches while a handful were Baptists and most were Reformed. I was greatly encouraged by the work ethic and passion of my Charo brothers and sisters. The repeatedly urged the others to pray and were enthusiastic about the Lord. "How good's the Lord!" Their apparent love for the children was unmistakable. In many ways they put their more theologically sound partners in the Gospel to shame.

Mike and I may be moving to Yamba/Maclean when Mike is through with Bible College (and after one/two years of ministry apprenticeship). That has been his plan for years and I'm willing to go, as well.

mikstine engagement bbq video

Mt. Wellington

I love taking pictures of my beloved!

And what a thrill to look down from the peak to have a glorious view of my new home, Hobart, Tasmania!

(mike 2006)

merry christmas from Mikstine

mikstine spotting 4

The last half of this week has been a flood of media coverage for the couple Mikstine.

Thursday night, Felicity of ABC, who was recently seen covering the bushfires along the east coast of Tasmania, invited the couple over for an exclusive dinner party.

The following day as the couple was seen Christmas shopping, they ran into ABC jounralist George R. (a casual reader of both of their blogs) on the street.

Later Friday evening, guests all over the world arrived for the engagement barbeque thrown by Mikstine. Somehow a camera crew got past the bouncers and jounalist Angus and his cameraman Swill got the scoop on the couple and a host of their blogger and non-blogger friends.

In an official statement, Mikstine said "We would like to tell everyone that came to the barbeque that we were so thrilled to have been able to celebrate with everyone." -Stine, a bit overwhelmed with all the new faces but many familiar names, still felt very much at home among her new friends and family.

"Thank you for accepting me as one of your own and no, I never get tired of telling the beautiful story God has given us to tell."

mikstine spotting 3

Today, blog readers Dave and Joel spotted -Stine strolling down the road eating something. possibly Mykonos? Rumor has it she was headed to the bottle shop.

However, that rumor has been squelched by both Benny of Fullers and photographer extrodinare Sarah when they spotted -Stine in the vacinity of Hobart's shopping district.

After an afternoon of exploring Hobart's bookshops, -Stine had finally settled in one and determined that it was to be her favorite. At that moment, Benny, also of Crossroads fame, walked up to her to pronounce her welcomed in his store.

On her way to meet her fiance, -Stine had the opportunity to accompany Sarah, photographer and fiance of Tim, on her walk home. In a private interview, -Stine confided in Sarah that she had experienced her first moment of culture shock. To her dismay, Hobart's Target did not quite match the trendy standards to be found in Target stores in the United States. Perhaps this revelation will shake -Stine of her obsessive purchasing of inexpensive, yet trendy, clothing ... or clothing altogether ... which could serve Mik- well in spending the excess money on Apple merchandise.

Sarah, however, proved to be a source of good news. It appears that Melbourne is the location of very reasonably priced fashion.

mikstine spotting 2

Blogger Jonny Rochester writes more of blogger couple Mikstine. Will "stine" visit Jonny's abode? Will it be clean?

mikstine spotting

Blogger Jonny Rochester spotted the blogger couple Mikstine as they attended Crossroads in Hobart, Tasmania.

an experiment

i'm conducting a little experiment. should everything go as planned, i ought to experience very little jetlag when i arrive in Australia.

the experiment began on Sunday when i slept in till 1:30 pm (my church meets in the evening). hmm, well ... i wasn't tired that night. why not stay up? i could go to sleep around 5 a.m., thus adjusting myself steadily to the time difference in Tasmania (+16 hrs.).

the first night went smoothly ... but yesterday?!! ugh! brutal ... today i'm feeling pretty good.

Mike tells me i should keep that same Tasmanian timetable in mind when i'm flying so that i'm sleeping when he is. hmm, i wonder who gave HIM that advice to begin with when he came here to the States ... ?

i suppose i should pack ... i've thought of it ... hey! anyone want me to bring anything over for them?

i already have a couple of orders i'm working on:

1 cool American girlfriend (a little late notice but i've put out the word ... expecting to hear back from a few chicks.)
American junk food (hmm ... i'm thinking Cheeze Whiz ... nah, don't want to risk imprisonment for that one)
1 college hoodie

anything else? type now or forever hold your peace.

looking forward to meeting you

Click here

tim tam slam demo

Adam demonstrating the proper technique and subsequent expression of euphoria of a Double Chocolate Tim Tam Slam.

guess who's going to Australia!?!

Tasmania

Dave, Mike's brother, helped me find this site. Click on the titles to see the places I want to see.

If I get to go visit soon, Joel, their flatmate, promises to go to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory with me and show me the best trails for hiking. Dave promises to show me around the coolest cafes. And Mike ... well, I won't get into mushy stuff on this post.

*picture is from Amy's recent trek

anyone care to explain?

I was completely baffled by watching Australian style football (but not more so than watching Cricket). I think it was the basketball-like tip-off that really threw me off ... and what about the combination of kicking/tossing the ball?