Home Brew and Chinese Knockoffs

So me mates and I decided to make some beer. I wanted to make some beer because: A) I'm a cheap C-word (Which is actually a fairly acceptable word to use in OZ) and don't like paying $50 plus for a case of beer which lately has been leaving me so congested the morning after that I have to take a antihistamine/sinus pill. B) I miss the ridiculous amount of brewing Ben and I had going on in his basement C) I had a 20% off coupon.

Because I had the 20% off coupon and the 3 of us splitting the cost we decided to make 2 beers, an Asahi and a James Squire Golden Ale, 100L in total. The BeerFactory where we did the brewing is a ways away from the inner west but you get to drink beer while brewing and bottling thus making the trip totally worth it.

Anyway, due to me being a scientific genius and our ability to measure and follow simple instructions like a Boss our beers turned out excellent, in fact the Golden Ale is arguably better then the real thing and at $15 for a case of 24 rather then $50 it is a bargain.  Best of all, after a night of binge drinking I do not wake up congested!

So, sometimes the imitation can be better then the real thing...Case 2: Chinese knockoffs.
I recently purchased some Vibram Fivefingers Bilika LS shoes as I wanted to start barefoot running.
I purchased them on Ebay as shoe prices in Australia are retarded...You would think being closer to China that items would be the same price or cheaper but the Fivefingers here are $230 ($100+ back home). So instead of paying ridiculously inflated shop prices I purchase a set for $40 plus $20 shipping on Ebay.

Turns out they are knockoffs, but telling this is next to impossible. The only reason I can tell they are knockoffs is because the material on the upper is slightly different but otherwise they look identical. Anyway, went for my first run in them and love them so far and at 75% savings I think the knockoffs will work just fine.

Now if only I could get a Decent Sport bike knockoff I'd be set

Internet Borrowing

I Love the Internet! 

Why? 

Because It allows me to get stuff for free!

Movies, Books, Music, Pictures.

But rather then argue the ethics of internet 'sharing' his post will one of the few that is all my own.

Since thesis writing I've had trouble getting back into training mode. Not Ann thou, shes been a lean mean running machine lately and has really ran (Damn I'm funny) with the barefoot running theory where she is planning on Running the Sydney Marathon in her Five-finger barefoot running shoes.

Before that thou a few days away we are running in the City to Surf 14km (along with 70,000 others!)

So this post is dedicated to our races we have done together.

Race 1 Las Vegas Marathon 

I had never run more then 10km before in my life and only recently got into shape (Thanks to Anns inspiration). I decided to run the Las Vegas Marathon with Ann in December 2008.

Ann had fallen ill a few days before the race, which I think was lucky for me as it slower her down enough that we ran together. 42Km was surprisingly easy and we finished with a decent time of 4:23, however the next day was where I paid the price for my lack of training.

Race 2 was the Wasa Lake Olympic Triathlon 2009

This was a training race  for me after my first UCTC Sprint triathlon in preparation for the 1st Annual 1/2 IronMan Calgary. Wasa Lake was a training race for Ann for Great White North 1/2 Ironman, which became her entry into Ironman Canada. We went out to Wasa with Sally and had to borrow my Dads car due to what was likely some sort of car trouble with mine (Damn TurboDodges)

The Wasa Triathlon was awesome for 3 reasons.

1) Before the triathlon while Ann and Sally were on a training ride/swim I went shopping an bought jeans


2) The swim course was marked short making it the best swim ever!

3) Me and Sally got to laugh at all the Newbs

Race 3 1/2 IronMan Calgary 2009

This was my goal race for the year, and Ann's initial goal race until she won her Ironman spot at Great White North. My training had fallen apart before this race due to selling my house and moving. So, rather than aiming for a medal winning finish (ya right), my goal for this race became not drowning in Ghost Lake.
My swim was terrible, it got really wavy near the end, but had a pretty good bike ride (90km) except for the finish where I crashed spectaculary at the transition to the run. Luckily no injuries and I had a pretty good run after that. I was sprinting like crazy at the end trying to catch Ann at the finish (She started a few waves (Ha) ahead of me) but I missed her by a few minutes.





2010 Trail Running
Due to thesis writing and someones MCAT commitments 2010 became the year of the trail run with the goal race of IronLegs 50 Miler.


Race 4 Crazy Legs
 Our first race of the year was the Nipika Crazy Legs 25km in the amazing location of Nipika Resort near Radium. We stayed with Byron and Carb loaded (Beer drank) the night before at his cabin in Invermere. The course was super nice and a great temperature. I ate way too many chips at the aid station but it was a great start to the year.


Race 4.5
Our next Big run wasn't a race but worth mentioning because it was  an epic  training run on the Cox hill part of the IronLegs course with Byron. Of course, being Canada, running the foothills/mountains in May can involve finding snow. And did we ever find snow.

Race 5 IronLegs Ultra at 80km trail run

 The original plan was for Ann and I to run this race as a relay team of 2. Our sweet nerdy team name was 1.5 Fe[Me]N which stood for 1 and a half IronMen (me being the 1/2). I decided to tackle the course solo (with my longest train run being 40km) and Ann and Brooke joined forces creating team All Brann.

Amazing course with 20,000 ft elevation change. Unfortunately for me I blew out my knee coming down Cox hill (Same hill as  snow photos above) and had to limp/hop/walk the last 25km.
I finished with a respectable 11hr 7min. Would definitely like to tackle another Ultra.

Team All Brann killed it with an impressive 11hr 11min.

Race 6 Goofy Mathathon and a Half

Finally we did this as a fun race and a chance to visit Ann's Mum, the Disney World Marathon and a Half.

Training for this race, like most of the above it seems, was limited due to finishing my thesis and hurting my ankle on a 'Training' run though the Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas. 

Ann and Kendra were dedicated enough to do a 30Km + run in -20 Below weather. 

Of course the Best part of the Disney Race is Disney after.

Next Sunday is our next race together, the City to Surf then the Sydney Marathon.
Them maybe I'll find some time to actually train properly for something..Like New Zealand IronMan...
but judging by above probably not.

Jobs and Taxes

So since I haven't been sponsored as a professional surfer and
no deceased king's nephews have needed my help to get their
money out of the country have contacted me lately,
I have to start looking for a job.
I know, boo death of the surf bum life style before it even started.

I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do.
Mostly I wanna work 10 hours a week at something awesome with some cool people and make $40,000 a year. I think that would be pretty good, leave lots of time for surfing, working out, house work, ski trips and let me meet some cool people.
To this end I have been looking at Motorbike shops, bike stores, Surf Magazines etc... seeing if they have any part time openings. Went to a local Bike shop to buy some parts and they also had a job opening.
But they were so miss informed and unfriendly/unhelpful that I decided against applying (It was sausage party as well, lame).

Thus, I have all but given up on the dream part time job, and instead started looking for jobs in my 'Field'. Blah. The good thing is there seems to be lots of openings in Biotech/Sales here, and the pay seems great (and not just because I've been a student for 11 years and anything would be great).

Problem is, I need to become a permanent resident to be considered for them (not that thats a huge problem as it was going to happen eventually).

Choices

So, to become a permanent resident I can either:
Option #1 try and get in is as a skilled person or such and such. Since I have a PhD and 'superior' English skills and am 'young' enough this shouldn't be too difficult. BUT it costs $10,000!
Option #2 is for one of these companies to sponsor me. Which might be a little cheaper, and defiantly easier to get approved, BUT I was told I will be stuck at that company for 4 years and if I hate it, tough.

Happens to be my high school football number,
and shows my mad skillz

Anyway, deciding not to worry about it yet. I applied to 5 companies today, hopefully one of these companies will hire me with the promise that I will be a permanent resident, so that I can get enough money, to apply to become a permanent resident, bit of a catch 22.




I also applied for one long shot company to work in Ski tourism. My resume doesn't really fit but maybe my love for skiing, and my Ski tourism experience ( Thanks to Stacey ;) ) will be enough to get me in.
If so I'm making YOU my customers so save up!

I was half hoping to hold out on getting a real job until after 30, as I feel that's a pretty decent accomplishment, but its only been an hour and I'm all ready getting calls back on these applications so I may be SOL.


Any way the point it this all got me thinking about Money and Taxes.

Crazy at 30 (or 29.998) for the first time to be

really thinking about taxes. I was talking to some friends a while ago about wages. A friend, M and I had agreed that 100,000 was our 'goal', or wages we though were good. When I thought about that 100,000 wage though I never thought about TAXES.

So I started looking into it. and for me to take home 100,000 in Sydney or Alberta (Taxes are actually fairly close as far as I can tell so far without taking into account deductions pension etc) I'd have to make 140,000. That is a lot of money! 100,000 would net approx 75,000, and 80,000 would net 62,000.WOW that's a lot of tax. Makes me appreciate all these years of tax free living. The other negative is that all my thousands of dollars of tuition credits can't be used here. Boo.

Thats my Rant for this week. I think next weeks Rant might be about Internet theft, being that 70% of above images were 'stolen'.

I Love Discounts

Part of being a surf bum, or a person who is afraid of the real world and has stayed in school until 30, is learning to survive or thrive with little to no income (Having parents who will co-sign with you or help you out when the Bank (ATB) Screws you, a Friends who hook you up with free concerts and Ski Tickets also helps ;) )

Luckily for me I love Deals and Discounts and thus can partake in the 'good life'.

For example Ann and I went to Las Vegas to 'train' for the Goofy race, in Disney World, because it was too damn cold to run outside in Calgary.
Thanks to calgarydealsblog and yycDeals we went to Vegas for $30 each for Flight Hotel and Taxes!
I also obtained Discounted tickets to Phantom of the Opera and Zumanity (+18 Cirque du Soleil, highly recommend ;))
So we got some Entertainment in with our +15 degree Red Rock Training run all for less the the Price of Gas to Lake Louise and back.

Now Sydney is, or can be, a very expensive City (Housing is out of Control).
However if you are patient deals can be had.
For example a Bottle of Coke that would be $1-1.50 in Calgary is $3.50 to $4 here, but if you are paying attention Cases of Coke can be had for $11 for 24. Bulk savings are the Norm, it seems, as Beer is around $25 for a 6 pack ($4 each), but Cases are $40 to 50 for 24 ($1.50-2 each).

Restaurants here are more expensive, with a typical cheap meal being $25 per main dish.
However thanks to Sydney Deals we can go out like we are Dr's (almost), like today I got us 50% off tickets to the Opera (Finally!)
I also got a Deal that includes 2 Appraisers, 2 Entrées, Dessert, 4 Beers/cocktails and 2 Full Bottles of Wine at a restaurant for $40!

Those are my Survival techniques for Living large on the Surf bum/Student budget. Between these and Ebay /Gumtree (Kijiji) you can live the Champagne and Caviar lifestyle for the Deluxe Kraft dinner budget.

First Impressions

<3 and H8 About Oz


Step one to becoming a Surf Bum is moving to a location that has said Surfing, preferably without getting hypothermia well doing so.

Luckily for me, Ann got into Medical school at the University of Sydney (no big deal), Australia thus enabling the start of the Surf Bum journey.

Firstly, I have to say, I don't understand why you Canadians who do not participate in winter sports, live in Canada. Seriously. Why would you deal with frozen cars, high heating bills, and winter tires when there are places like Australia? Our apartment doesn't even have a heater never mind insulation.
You Canadians that do participate in winter sports, particularly downhill skiing...I hate you (you know who you are and why ;) ).


So far the things I love about Australia are:

#1 No Pennies! Man oh man do I hate change and the loss of the stupid ass penny is like a dream come true. If they get rid of the nickel and dime I'm never leaving (also no quarters, but I do dislike the huge 50 cent coins).


#2 Bacon! Australian bacon which I believe is called rasher bacon is the beautiful love child of Canadian and American bacon. Its is delicious. However, I don't like Australian eggs..I find the yolks too yolky. Thus I'm slowly going back to scrambled and omelette's. I hope to its an acquired tasty or that its just the free run eggs that Ann buys (in which case cage up those chickens ;) ) as I miss eggs Benedict and over-easy. (Edit: Due to missing bacon picture I have added new withCanadian bacon on left American on top and Aussie (UK/Irish) on bottom right). Also Eggs are great, must have been a bad Omega 3 Batch)


#3 Great Transit and Car shares. I joined the GoGet car share and love it. They have small cars and station wagons and vans all within a few blocks of any location. So if your buying a surf board or moving house it is cheap and easy to grab a car/Van and go, without having to pay for insurance, gas (which is expensive) or maintenance.

#4 Great Coffee..and almost no Starbucks.

#5 Tipping is not expected...nice to only have to tip on good service rather then feeling forced into it.

#6 Weather and Beaches. OMG everyday feels like a vacation when you can just go the the beach (well I guess with no job technically everyday is a vacation :) )




Dislikes.

#1 Why the hell does everybody in Sydney Smoke. What is this Jr high?


































#2 Bugs. Huge Spider webs are fricken cool, huge spiders are not. Also Cockroaches..ewh. But its good incentive to keep the house clean, and if surfing gets in the way of that I can get a sweet Pet lizard to run around and take care of them

#3 Hanging clothes to dry...Personally prefer the dryer as clothes are fluffier after. Speaking of dryers Australian hand dryers in bathrooms suck...except the few places that have the Dyson one..that thing rocks.

#4 Also It is too hilly/sudden dead ends and too much traffic for me to use my Longoard to get around. But trying to Longboard with a surf board would be impossible anyway..Thus got a single speed to get around/to the beach on and am in the process of attaching surfboard to said single speed.