HELLOOOOOOOO!

Wow, I didn't even realize the time that went by since my last post. With classes finishing up back home I'm sure everyone else is in the "My how time does fly" mode themselves, I wish you all the best on your tests.

Boy it is trippy to think that many of my friends won't be back next year with me, but at least I've still got a few little buggers to hang out with.

For the record, that last post was an entirely hypothetical situation. Nothing happened to me, although I appreciate the concern for those who were worried, or even simply just curious as to what inspired that babble. I did however find out that it would be waaaaaaaay more dangerous for me to dive (because of my good old previously collapsed lungs) than for many other people.

Which reminds me of one of my many simple pleasures in life. I actually do appreciate my lungs having collapsed. Aside from the spiritual implications of dealing with minor health issues as such, I at times am afforded to have the HUGEST smile on my face and best feeling in my body simply by taking a huge deep breath.

It goes like this: Ryan is sitting down staring at a wall. Ryan has an idea! Ryan takes a giant, deep, gigantor breath filling and stretching his lungs to the max. Ryan holds it for just a little bit, and then breaths out. Ryan gets a huge satisfying smile plastered on his face. Ryan is content while staring at the wall, and amused that he is so grateful he doesn't have to struggle to breath.

Yup, that's the good shit.

Ahm, so my life has still been rocking. I've been reading like CRAZY. I had the epiphany today that being here has revealed how much I absolutely love traveling, but it's revealed an even greater passion for making my dreams come true. I think a lot of people would say that I'm working too much, but the ways I spend my time couldn't be further from what others call 'work'. It's glorious.

I spent just over a week in Northern Australia exploring the rainforest with Kyle and that was crazy awesome. I think the funniest point for me was when we were walking along a trail (that I don' t think we should have been on, judging by the 'trail closed' signs and multiple washed out bridges we scurried across) when we came upon a Cassawary.

For those out of the know, a Cassawary is a large flightless, endangered species of bird. Some adults can grow up to six feet tall. They have vibrant colors of reds, purples, and blues (I think those are the colors) on their featherless heads and necks, and have a hard, helmet-like crest of bone on their heads. They are not Emus (I lost that bet).

It was friggen AWESOME. We just looked up and there it was, just calmly and casually eating away at the forest berries. Picking them from the bushes and tossing them down their throat. It was reminiscent of watching a bar patron tossing some peanuts down in between beers.

It start walking towards us - in complete control of it's domain, it had no fear of us what so ever. That's when I started getting a little nervous.

We were just kind of talking about the bird, going back and forth as it inched towards us.
Then Kyle said it, "Oh it's not that big. I'm pretty sure I could take a bird Ryan..."
Annnnnddddd I lost it. Especially when he started reasoning out some logic about how he would take it down.
"Are you kidding me, that thing could gut you like a pig!" as I struggled between breaths trying to calm myself from my uncontrollable laughter. "They've got really sharp claws and their legs are pure muscle, gooood luck buddy..."
"Ah I could take it," he would confidently reply.

Later back at the hostel we were told how the legend himself (not me) Steve Irwin (ie. the Crocodile Hunter, bless his soul) has commented that those birds scare him more than crocodiles. You see they run at you and jump out at you with their legs and claws (or are they talons?). You don't run away because they run ridiculously fast (to put it scientifically) somewhere around 30 tooooo 60 kilometers I believe. I can't remember how fast they can run, alls I know is it's much faster than any human that I've ever heard of. Granted this would generally only happen if they're defending their young. But they can be territorial, and wild animals are after all unpredicatble. I loved it.

We saw two more of those birds after that, got some great videos and pictures of them. The second bird kind of ran off and was huge. The third bird walked right up to us, within probably five feet or so (we decided to get out of it's way once it got too close for comfort). Kyle and I both made the comment that it felt like a Raptor (the dinosaur) was bearing down on us ready to pounce. It's movements, the stealth and confidence... I don't even know, just dinosaur like in some way. A wicked awesome experience to say the least.

After the third bird passed Kyle dropped a fist sized rock on the ground chuckling to himself, "I'm not really sure what I was planning on doing with that rock..." That was funny because we thought a rock might actually help to defend us against that massive bird, we also later found out that it was an endangered species. Both satisfied that we didn't have to stone the bird to death during our pleasant little 'walk through the woods' we headed back to camp.

We also did a little vine climbing and swinging. One almost broke on Kyle which was pretty funny.

Saw a few wild Koalas as well down on Magnetic island, and some rock wallabies. I just had the realization that I'm sure reading about animals I saw is just SOOO exciting. I'm reminded of one of my nicknames when younger...

I could write a novel, but shall restrain myself for now. Life is good hear, but how is yours? You know how I'm doing, let me hear how you're doing. Pleeeeaaaaasssseeee email me to let me know, I'd love to hear what your plans are!

Here's the scenario...

A diver, we'll call him 'Sebastian' is slowly descending on his last open water dive for certification during a basic scuba diving class in beautiful North Eastern Australia at the Great Barrier Reef. The underwater landscape is amazing, the colors of fish and variety of species is something of a distant dream to him, to be swimming about and flying around this entirely different world.

But then something happens. He feels something weird in his chest. It doesn't hurt, just a weird sensation, a pressure that he hasn't felt in a very long time.
"Ah shit" says Sebastian, "I hope that's not what I think it is." He continues along trying his best not to think himself into some pointless panic. "It's nothing, just in my head... golly gee what an amazing experience I'm having here."

That's not the end of it though. That weird sensation is still with Sebastian. He thinks it might be getting a bit more difficult to breath. No it's definately more difficult to breath. Sebastian has to get out. Now. But he can't get out. He's screwed himself.

"Why in the living hell did I lie on my medical exam? It didn't seem like that big of a deal... I've got to do something, I can't just stay here. Maybe I can make it, shit what should I do..." Sebastion's heart is racing. But it's not all due to his anxiety. It's the pressure in his chest. The growing discomfort he's feeling is that faint image of the grim reaper creeping towards him. Slowly. "I can risk it, or I can stay here and suffer. Shit shit shit. I'm ok. No I'm not I'm going to drown, because of too much fricking air nonetheless..."

As seconds and minutes tick by Sebastian's heart beats harder and harder as his lung is smashed against it, his lungs struggle for deeper breaths, all the while more air is seeping into his chest cavity; trapped with no exit beyond that which a scalpel can provide.

Sebastian decides to act, "Well it's been real. Thank you Lord for all of the blessings you've given me in my life. Take care of my family." With that he begins his assention - is it possible to sweat underwater? With each inch he climbs Sebastian can feel his life slipping away. The pressurized oxygen has no where to go inside his chest cavity. Quickly the pressure builds to a point that stops his heart. No more breathing. No more beating. Sebastian's body floats lifeless in a vast sea that did everything for his life but swallow it up - his own arrogance did that for him.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Radical Ryno has a new found interest in the wild wacky world of snorkeling! But hold on to your seats, that's not all! He might even get good at holding his breath for a really really really long time underwater! Yes, that's right, you're looking at the next world champion breath holder here people, collapsed lung or not... Rock!

I saw the biggest photo of a Rhino yesterday...

Wowie. What a crazily wonderful and exciting past couple of weeks. I've got some great inspiration for some... things I'm working on. My buddy Kyle is here from AuGres. That's a long friggen ways away from home to be adventuring around and to say the least it's pretty cool. He eats a lot, but he's been a well-behaved buddy, almost like a pet Pug or something, makes me chuckle. OR A PET SHITZU! Ga ha!... I hope he reads this sometime. Funny guy. Not to mention the fact that he's been the entire reason I've even SURVIVED and have been able to EAT for the past week and a half, but more on that later.

Went to the Blue Mountains this past weekend and it was ROCKIN sweet. We did a Grand Canyon walk which was wicked awesome, and my feet are paying for it but oh so totally worth it. We went camping; I found a 12-dollar sleeping bag and 25-dollar tent that are like little pieces of heaven rolled up on my 500-pound backpack... I still haven't learned how to pack for a few days. We spent the whole day (literally from 9 am till past dark) lugging all of our food and camping shtuff around because we didn't have a CLUE (or money) as to where we were staying. But we made the most of it... mostly by eating spaghetti and baked beans from a can. Classy. And then we found our friends and had a morning view from the top of a cliff. Wonderful. I should really work on learning how to put pictures up here.

Also came across the coolest little hostel while there. I'll likely bring Pooty, or as some people know him as, PatMan, there when he comes to visit. I'm a pretty lucky dude I've got to admit. I'm on the other side of the world but I don't feel lonely at all because of the people that are coming to visit and the friends that are keeping in touch. So blessed. I met some random girl from Grand Valley whilst in Wexford Falls on the edge of a treacherous cliff this weekend as well. That's always a pleasant time to meet someone from home.

Yeah so this weekend Kyle and I are going to spend a week up north in Cairns exploring the rainforest and swimming among the Great Barrier Reef. And just getting rowdy in general. As a side note I'm amazed at the stigma Americans have for partying here. I say I'm going on spring break next week and people get all mystified about the "American Spring Break” I’ve also been grilled about whether our parties are really always like those frat parties we see on movie. I had to be honest and tell them the ones I go to always are (for obvious reasons). To be truthful, I don't think it's really a flattering thing that our party habits are viewed that way. Even though I'm sure - WHOA. I just realized I'm culturally identifying with a group of people. That's never really happened - to my knowledge before. On all of those psychology questionnaires I'm generally completely clueless when it comes to what those sorts of questions mean... hmm. Ok that was weird and I'm gonna go read another book (I'm on my fourth one in over a month and its a GOODIE).

Oh, another note that I challenge any takers to give a go at is setting 30-day goals to form new habits. You see it has to do with this study done at NASA, but never mind that. Give it a try; I'm enjoying the process quite a lot.