This is 30

Thanks to everyone for all of the Birthday wishes this weekend. With the time/date differences from the US, I basically got to celebrate it for 2 days. Also, I am officially 1 full day and 1 minute older than John. At least until I lose that day flying back home in October.

Last week, I got to 'celebrate' the 4th of July at the "American Independence Blowout" at the City Hotel in the city. It was basically an American themed trivia night with American beers.

I'll have whatever's local:

As the resident American in our group, my trivia performance was pretty embarrassing. See if you can answer the below:

What are the names of Michael's brothers in the Jackson 5? (I could only get 3)
What is Barbie's (the doll) full name? (I only played with Ken dolls growing up, so no clue)
What did George Bush Sr. paint above his bomber plane in WWII? (Hint: It isn't Don't Mess with Texas, but it should have been).

I've been asked about having a mid-life crisis now that I'm 30 -  No chance because I had mine at 29 when I decided to move to Australia!

So I locked my keys in my apartment my last day of 29. I could've sworn Mere put a spare under the doormat, but when I looked, no key! So I went into work, luckily remembered our friend had a spare and called up and got someone to let me into the lift elevators and to our floor. When I told Mere the spare under the doormat was gone, she said to check the doormat, as it should be duck-taped underneath. Things that could've been brought to my attention YESTERDAY. But now thinking about it, it makes a lot more sense than just leaving a key where anyone trying to break in would look. Duck-taping keys to doormats is  the mature thing to do. Something I can look forward to as a 30 year old. 29 year old me? I'd get robbed by these 2:



For my birthday, I basically had a competitive eating challenge. Sushi for lunch at work, followed by cupcakes, followed by burgers at a new joint, the Burger Shed in Mosman with some friends, followed by drinks and leftover cupcakes, followed by more drinks in Manly with friends.

It wasn't a crazy late night as I've Danny Glover-ed (getting too old for this shit - (see Lethal Weapon)) all nighter's. Plus I had a busy day the next day:

 Getting my nerd on Homebrewing

This was followed by more food, the below homemade rainbow cake - delicious!

We brewed 2 batches to enter into the competition at the 2013 Beervana festival in Wellington, NZ In August we are attending. (http://www.beervana.co.nz/ - Birthday present I bought myself).

It'll be my first time back in New Zealand since I went in college. It'll be a little less life-threatening this time as I don't think I'll be Skydiving, Bungee-jumping, Sledging (going down grade 4/5 rapids on a boogie board in flippers and a hockey helmet - much scarrier than skydiving) this time. And probably no Zorbing either:



Then again, I could have a midlife crisis in NZ, now that I'm 30.



Mote's Reunion Countdown: 68 days.
Mere, that's 1.72 episodes per day of the remaining 117 of Deadliest Catch (Seasons 3-9). So you may have to slow down from your current rate