Final Post being 22 years old..

I have 1 hour and 40 mins left being 22years old... I haven't posted anything on here in awhile and felt it was due time... especially with it being Christmas and all...

First of all, I have the bestest of best friend. Jessica Rene is truly a God sent to me and I don't even know where to start... I have never had a friend like Jess before and honestly couldn't ask for anything more in a friend. I can't wait for our future together and see where this path God has planned for us leads as currently its amazing...

A life without love is no life at all.

Sure I don't have a boyfriend -- nor do I even have a boy in my life -- But I do realized the importance of being loved and loving through experience...

In the last year I have learned A LOT about myself -

I learned who truly needs to be first in your life - God -

Sure, I have ALWAYS had him in my life but at times I have put him on the back burner and well I have learned from that.. Take Levi for example...

Probably one of my hardest life lessons yet something I could've gotten through easy with God... I was placing Levi first in my life and well I didn't have God in my life and when Levi and I broke up who did I turn to? Not God... I turned to others to fill that missing place in my heart.. yet they never helped and I only got more hurt.. and nothing was replacing the feeling of what truly was missing...

It wasn't until about 2 months ago when I finally saw the light and saw exactly what I need in life - Baby Jesus!!

I have gone through heaps of mind thinking about Levi and such because we had such a horrible ending and we never really had a goodbye and well its weird for me having someone out there with not even knowing everything and well I know now all is forgiven - I don't have to talk to him to tell him - because it is in my heart that I forgive him - Life can go on -

The most important things is life are the lessons that God gives us - He will only give us what we can handle - but it is up to us how we handle them...

I don't know what I want to do with my life but I know I want to help others

I love water
I love swimming
I love gymnastics
I love walking
I love wondering
I love getting dressed up
I love rings
I love horses
I love birds
I love tattoos
I love cooking
I love baking
I love cookies
I love peanut butter
I love love.
I love pretending I know how to sing
I love the name day
I love driving fast.
I love bracelets that Jessica gives me
I love the color blue/green/pink mixed together
I wish I knew French
I wish I could fly
I wish mossies couldn't bite
I wish Jessica and I had our own place
I wish my mom was here for my birthday
I wish I had the guts to cut my hair
I Hope for world peace

I know I have a purpose in this life and currently I am searching for this purpose in my life

I maybe turning 23 BUT I know time goes by because I still rememeber my 10th birthday like it was 5 years ago... lol I know I only have this short time on Earth and want to live it to fullest

I don't know when I'll be coming home or even where I'll be going in the next couple of months - I have my Church currently praying for hardcore guidance for Jess and I as I know there is something out there 0 BUT I don't what...

Remember Faith, Hope and Love

I love you all heaps! and I truly hold you all dear to my heart

Thank you for everything

Mom- Thank you for everything in the last 23 years you have shown me so much and I am so proud to call you my mother -I wish you were here more than anything - but know this mom - Jessica is taking care of me - so you have nothing to worry about!!

Jamie- the best sister a sister could ask for - Thank you for always being there for me -

Casey - I love you more and more - honestly you make me so happy - you know what it feels like to be away from home and well thank you for making me feel at home - and thank you so much for making me feel a part of Kiefers life... even though I am thousand miles away... that honestly means a lot to me...

Jessica - Husband - If I could find a boy like you I'd never have to complain about another boy again - nor would I have to claim of being a lesbain again.. I don't know what I'd do without you - I know when I get off my path you are there holding my hand guilding me back.. I can't even explain to you what you mean to me - as I love you more than I can ever express - the last 6 months have truly shown me there is such a thing as a 'best friend' - thank you... (It is not finished...)

At night when I lay in bed - I often think about what I want in my life and the one thing I want is someone I can trust, love and expericnce life with.. I don't want to feel like everything I say is being judged or that I can't be myself.. I want to know that they can trust me 100% of the time and I want to be able to trust them 100% of the time.. I know I've been hurt in the past but thats the past and I know the future will only bring good times...

I only have 50 mins left until I turn 23 and I know the last year I have grown more than the last 22 years... This has been the hardest past 6 months of my life - BUT I know in the end I am only learning and being put through tests and God is seeing if I can doit alone or if I will actually turn to Him and ask...

I want everyone to rememeber the meaning behind Christmas - Baby Jesus's birthday!!!!

yay! I want to wish Him a Happy Birthday right now!!! and wish everyone a Merry Christmas!!!

I love you all!

XOXO

dayyyyyyyyyy

Things I want to do before I turn 50:

1. See the Grand Canyon
2. TBA

Finally its making sense...

I'm starting to actually understand things better. Jess and I finally found a Church this past Sunday to call 'home' and that is exactly what it felt like when I walked in... I turned to Jess and was like Jess I feel like I'm at home... I like it here... the feeling was amazing and it just felt right. Its been something I've been missing in my life. I knew I wanted to find a Church but with Jess always working on Sundays and never really exploring towards the church scene alone... I didn't know how to actually find one...until Luke came into Jess and mines life... it was about a month ago when I was working a night at Starbucks and Jessica came in when she got off work.. and well this boy came up to the register and was like how are you? and I was like fine.. and then I was like actually truthfully my foot is killing me bc a mosquito bite me and its hardcore itching and I can't itch it because I'm working... and he was just like whoa... lol and then we started to talk and then I left to make some coffee and he started to talk to Jess and well Long story short they exchanged phone numbers because he told her about his church... and jess told him that we were looking for a church... and well Sunday night we finally made it there!!!

I've gone to many churches in my life and well last night I felt like where I was, was exactly where I needed to be in my life... its kinda strange to take a moment and just be like whoa this is exactly where I'm supposed to be in my life... sure sometimes I question things and ask tons of questions (poor Jessica...) and well when I finally just open my eyes and see that this is where I'm supposed to be, what a great feeling... and well its all starting to come together.. last night Jess and I met some really great people and we ended up hanging out with the group after Church at the Coffee Club and it was fun... we actually had friends outside of Starbucks and it felt beyond right.

I have questioned life and faith a lot.. and I still do... I ask Jessica questions daily about God/Jesus and why (I'm sure she sometimes just wishes I'd just understand and stop asking questions...)

Last night though the message was perfect.. it was just about living life and being happy with where you are RIGHT NOW... because God has a plan for you and you just have to give yourself to him to allow him to strength you to where you are supposed to be...

After Church Jess and I went up the Pastor to say Hello and he talked to us for a little bit and well he was like he has churches all across Australia so where ever we go we'll have a place to call home... and he asked us how long we'd be in Brisbane and we said Febuary and he said okay by then you'll be family so I'll be sure to take care of you... He was a very sweet and funny Old man.. I liked him...

The youth Pastor - Grant - he was orignally from Georgia and moved to China and then Canada and then Australia... he was beyond amazing lol he thought Jess and I were 17-18... ahah we were like umm 22 thank you... I told him I want to get involved within the church as much as possible.. he said wonderful! I don't know exactly what my calling is to do I know its something to do with Children... and well I'd love to get into Church more because the faith behind life is what matters the most... I want to find that love that is forever and I believe through Christ its possible... its something I haven't found because I haven't been looking in the right places...

I'm starting to look at the future and not the past because the future is what matters... not the past... hard to do.. but the feeling behind it isn't...

Letting go of imperfections - no one is perfect - holding on to a couple of pounds or wishing I had something I don't isn't something that will matter in 20 years or even in one year but feeling happiness is something that will last a lifetime - I wanna be happy and that is what I'm starting to do... I'm starting to finally just let go.. and be happy...

finding myself...

thats something I talk to Jess about ALL of the time... I want to find exactly what I'm supposed to do with my life.. and I believe in the next couple of months I'll finally be able to say exactly who I am and what I'm doing with my life.. I'm finally going to be able to JUST be me!!!

starbucks is there... and there is 11 weeks left... crazy if you ask me... don't know what we're doing afterwards.. we'll see... Just do me a favour and pray for us bc we really want to do something BUT i've been scared to call sooooooo tomorrow I shall call...

I'm off to bed because I have work tomorrow of Course! Yay Halloween is this upcoming weekend!!!! going to the gold coast!!! should be fun!!!

xoxo

dayyyyy

cheers!

Its Been Awhile...

Hey!

So I haven't wrote a blog in awhile so your probably wondering if all is okay... well, honestly I hate sitting down and just typing sometimes bc I have so much other things I'd rather be doing... Not much has happened since I last wrote... pretty much Jason and I are still 'friends' and well he never called... yet he doesn't act any different so everyone said he probably didn't see it... bc if he did see it and didnt call he probably would act a little different but he still jokes around with me the same and well we still have our moments like when he leaves he always turns around and waves something small that means the world to me... i know weird but true.. its the little things that matter the most to me in life...

The upstairs shower broke about 2 weeks ago and it still isn't fixed... long story short one night we came home to our landlord with flashlights turning the water off because they thought the pipe had a leak bc andy's room was flooded (he is the room below the bathroom) and well it was bc the shower water was leaking down the wall when people took showers and overtime he just molded away the walls and andys ceiling... until it decided to just break down.. so Andy always said he wanted a pool... lol and he got one.. in his room on his bed... luckily he wasn't home so only his stuff got wet and not himself.. lol that would've been funny though cuz the water was pretty gross... soooo now we just just awaiting a new shower bc the other one was a bathtub shower and now they just put in the shower with doors... soooo hopefully by wednesday we'll have a brand new shower!!!

Its spring time around here in Australia but its super hot!! blah Summer starts in Decemeber... ah! I've never had a summer birthday b4!!!! thats going to be exciting I'll finally get my pool party birthday wish!!! yay!!!!

hmmm... what else is there to tell you???

Well Jessicas parents are coming to visit in January!! thats exciting... don't know when or if my parents will come down or not..

the American dollar is sooooo going down right now so it sucks and its good.. sucks because that means what we are making at Starbucks right now is horrible and we could be making more back home... but converting our money to aus money is good because its at around 62cents to the aus dollar and when we arrived here it was about 98cents to the aus dollar... soooooo its wayyy better for us!!!!! :)

So, its Sunday and I don't have any plans today because of course Jessica is working and well I work all week mon-friday and when the weekend comes around ALL i want to do is sit around and do nothing but rest...

Brody has been working me hardcore these past couple sessions which is good but really sucks the days after because i'm uber super sore...

well I'm gonna go and get some things done around my room I'll try to write on here more often...

LOVE always...

dayyyyy

Venti Vanialla Latte...

Tuesday October 7th 2008 and I'm in Brisbane Australia waiting for Jessica to make dinner... sometimes I still have to tell myself I'm here and tell myself that where I am is exactly where I'm supposed to be in life... I have learned a lot about myself and I know when I go back to the States I will be a 'different' person to my friends mainly because I have grown a lot within myself and its all for the better.. I don't know whats going to happen in the next 3 months but then again thats the joy of life not knowing and just exploring and finding out day by day...

well, Monday was the day that my Venti Vanialla Latte boy got my number... long story short I was on Register and Rebecca was on bar and she slipped on his cup a sleeve with my number... yeah... my manager was really weird because he came out and pretended to go on the phone when Jason was at the register with me and Tom was like Dayna its for you.. its your boyfriend.. and i was just like what!? bf!?... umm I don't know what your trying to do.. but its NOT funny... he has been trying to get me to talk to Jason since he came there and I was just like no if he wants to talk to me he'll talk to me... i'm just that girl... but then Skye was like girl life is short just talk to him... so idk... i'll let you know..

On Saturday night I went to Colbie Caillat concert in the valley and we pretty much had front row seats... it was awesome.. i could've reached out and touched her... i was that close... it was awesome... and it was nice to finally get out and do something.. we went into the city first and had some drinks and dinner at the beachhouse and then went to the valley and omg the cab drivers here are HORRIBLE!!! they don't know where anything is and just get lost and it ends up costing you more money which is stupid because its their fault they got you lost... but oh well...

my sister Casey sent me a camera... I was so not excepting it.. but it was awesome because my camera had broke in Fiji so yay now I finally have a camera I can take out with me.. because my other camera I don't like to take out because I don't want it to break or get stolen... (well I dont want the one from Casey to either.. BUT that one is easier to hold and take around..)

well everyone i've learned when you don't talk to people you don't really miss them but when you start to talk to them you start to miss them more... im missing my family more and more.. and it shows...

being a shift has added pressure and stress and it shows in my attitude at work... hopefully after a couple of weeks it will all start to click and i will actually understand it all and not have to stress so much.. but I like being a shift its fun! :)

peace, love, and happiness to all...

dayyyyy

p.s june 20th 2009 jess needs to be back in the states.... but nothing is said yet if she will actually go back... its for her grandparents 60th wedding anniversity party..

Finding MY Path...

'Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.' - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sometimes I sit around and question things and wonder why I stayed home on a Saturday night listening to my old church sermons when I was getting text messages and phone calls from all my friends asking where I was and if I was coming out... I didn't answer. I stayed curled up in my bed listening to Ron talk about God... Talk about something I don't understand. Something I question ALL of the time...

I've grown up in a christian family and always 'believed' in God.. BUT, I also questioned it VERY oftened... like if there is a 'God' why is there so many problems within the world... and why do such horrible things happen to people... however, i've started to understand things more clearly these past couple of days...

I understand why I stayed home Saturday night... I was supposed to listen to Ron's Sermon with Miss. Arizona and her talking about her rape... and how she grew closer to God because of it... Now, if I would've been her I probably would've grown further away from God... but she knew that God only gives you things that you can handle... and it created her testimony... God gives you tests... why does he do that? why would God want to see someone go through such PAIN just to see if they can handle it? that is something I don't understand... But I do understand no matter what he is ALWAYS with you... all you have to do is ask..

I'm ready. I'm finally letting go of my walls to God and understanding that he is there and I need him in my life. Sure, I've always had him in my life.. but it wasn't until now that I truly understand that I have a path in life and God has this for me I just have to set up and allow him in to help me find this path in life... and well, I'm finally letting myself go and giving myself to him...

The best relationship in life is the relationship you create with God... why? because he is everything you want in life.. he will give you everything you want and need... love, trust and honesty....

I'm turning my life around right here and right now.. I was talking to Jess last night about all of this and decided that sure Levi keeps presenting himself in my life.. somehow... and yeah I don't like it.. but, I just have to hold on to God and allow him into my life because Levi is part of my past and not my future.. because if Levi was I wouldnt be where I am today AND I wouldn't be developing this amazing relationship with myself and God...

This is why I'm here. thisis why I'm in Australia... I'm finally understanding my life and why I'm here... I don't know my path at all yet... but that is all forming right now.. and I'm just going to start praying more about my life path and where I'm supposed to be going and what I'm supposed to be doing...

Well, I'm off to bed.

just know that I love you and miss you all.

always,

dayyyy

When your gone...

I haven't been myself the past couple of days. I've been fighting within myself of feelings that I've been holding in because I don't want to deal with them... I don't understand. I don't understand why I still have these feelings when I honestly don't even care about him anymore... BUT for some reason when I go out I happen to see 'Levi' shirts all around me and I see his bike... and its just like really though? I really don't understand.. its like I'm fighting with myself to not think about him when I don't even have any desire to be with him.. I really don't understand...

I Wish I could understand my feelings sometimes because sometimes I get in my moods and I really don't know how to get out of them.. and I feel bad for Jess cause she has to be around me.. and I notice when I get in a mood, i rub off on her and that isn't good...

I believe in love. I decided this tonight. I believe that there is someone out there for you.. I really believe in love. and I want that love that makes me smile. that when I see them I want to run to them and have them pick me up and never let me down. I want my wedding to be unforgettable. i want to wear the white wedding dress and I want to have children. and bake cookies.

I went to the Sunshine Coast this weekend. Just layed out on the beach and finally finished my book. I will start believing more inself and stop worrying so much about myself.

I decided to sign up for the personal trainer Brody. mainly because I need that added push right now and i want to start anew. and today is the perfect time. when I am away from everyone I love and know. I will be doing this for myself. i'm ready. i will post pictures updating on my success! i'm beyond excited and beyond ready.

I miss my mom. today was hard. i was talking to geri and she was saying that she'd be going home in dec and well i was like i wish I could go home just for christmas... it will be my first christmas away from my family... :(

i know a lot will happen in the next couple of months and i can't believe ive been away from everyone already for 3 months... wow. thats beyond crazy if you ask me.

sometimes. i have to take a step back and see what I'm doing and be like wow, i can't believe you did that... i am so proud of you... i can't believe i moved to australia... i can't believe it...


This song came on... and I guess its my song for someone right now.... (love and miss you...)

I always needed time on my own,
I never thought I'd, need you there when I cry
And the days feel like years when I'm alone,
And the bed where you lied, Is made up on your side.

When you walk awayI count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?

When you're gone, The pieces of my heart are missing you!
When you're gone, The face I came to know is missing too!
When you're gone, All the words I need to hear to always get me through the day...
And make it OK... I miss you.

I've never felt this way before, Everything that I do, Reminds me of you.
And the clothes you left, They lie on the floor,
And they smell just like you, I love the things that you do!

When you walk awayI count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?

When you're gone, The pieces of my heart are missing you!
When you're gone, The face I came to know is missing too!
And when you're gone, The words I need to hear to always get me through the day...
And make it OK... I miss you.

We were made for each other, Out here forever, I know we were, Yeah Yeah!
All I ever wanted was for you to know,
Everything I do I give my heart and soul, I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me... Yeah!

When you're gone, The pieces of my heart are missing you!
When you're gone, The face I came to know is missing too!
When you're gone, The words I need to hear will always get me through the day...
And make it OK... I miss you!

"Dayna Will You Marry Me?...."

So, mom I don't know how to tell you this... but today after work I was in the back room of Starbucks and Jared was hanging out and he was like 'would you stay in Australia?' and i was just like umm I don't know maybe.. and he was like 'what if you were to get married?, would you stay then?' i was like well duh yeah.. lol and the next thing i knew Jared was down on one knee saying ' dayna will you marry me?' he had made a ring out of a starbucks straw and honestly it was the cutest and funniest thing ever... he was like c'mon wouldn't that be the best story ever! lol.. and i was just like omg, the backroom of starbucks has been a HUGE part of my life... lol that is where Jess and I decided on moving to Australia... I was washing dishes she was putting the order away... weird now that jared is asking me to stay in australia.... ooooh the fun times.... but i kindly said no..

well, I'm beyond tired and sore from working out today... Brody my trainer wasn't in a good mood today so that wasn't good... BUT I did get a good workout from it... HOWEVER I think he thinks I'm weak because I don't have any strength left in me... it sucks... oh well I'll get it back... I just wish I had more than a Starbucks budget right now because I'd love to be able to see him 3 times a week... but thats 165 dollars... and whoa!

i also had this girl tell me today.. she is going to be the last person I love... I was like whoa thats deep.. lol... really though!?

lol... the security guard Brett at the Myer centre also told me today if I wanted to stay in the country he'd happily marry me as well.. I was just like whoa... 3 shocks in one day...

well I'm off to bed...

g'night

love always

dayyy

Pour you heart into it...

This won't be long but I wanted to write something since I haven't been on here since last Tuesday... I have worked this whole week starting at 6am (more like 5:46am...) lol

First of all, I started my training to be shift on Monday, actually I started on Friday when my Manager Thomas said to me.. "today you are going to run shift" and i was like 'umm okay?.... I haven't started any training yet... or done anything really yet...' he was just like "Well, the best way to learn is by mistakes...." sooooooooo I was handed the keys and told to 'count the safe' (I HAD NEVER COUNTED THE SAFE!!!!!!!!!!) and he walked away.... with the keys in my hand I decided to just try to remember what I had seen Sandy kinda sorta show me...

So pretty much you arrive at 6am and you have to have the whole store ready for business by 6:20am... that includes for me setting up the pastry case, counting the safe, handing out tills, assigning positions, filling out duty roster, making sure my barista is ready to serve the coffee, and put out patio.... so, there really isn't any time to mess around or not do what you are supposed to do because the opening shift sets the day...

I would say from last Friday until today I have noticed my voice hurting... why? because I actually have to talk A LOT!! and when I used to be a little barista I usually just stayed behind my bar and just made drinks.... but nope... as shift I am the one running around 'floating' as Starbucks calls it... lol and I am interacting with my Barista's and customers... I am the one that is there when a problem happens and i'm the one on the phone calling people to fix that problem....

At first I was beyond overwhelmed mainly because I was basically thrown in to the shift without any training and was just expected to know how to do it... however, I guess thats a good thing for me because it required me to take the time to find out everything and anything ALL on my own... the thing that sucks is when my manager says, 'Did you do this.. or did you input the invoices?' and its just like NO I DIDN'T BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW!!!! - its just fustrating when you are supposed to be a mind reader.. cuz i'm not....

I have started to notice the difference of a shift to a barista of how the people treat the Barista's and the Shifts.... I guess the shifts do have more responsiblity and do require more respect.. but I never really knew about it until I was placed into that role... i honestly think people listen to you more when you are a shift because its like you actually know your stuff or something... lol...

I just want to have more of a voice... I notice myself being scared to say something sometimes in fear of someone looking at me like who the hell is she?... but then again.. that is part of my job...

tonight i did my first closing of a till with a new barista and I saw it in her eyes that she was holding back the tears because there is SOOOOOOO much that goes into closing of the tills here in Australia (and its REALLY complicated at first...) and I just started to talk to her about it... and was just trying to make her feel like what she is doing is good.. and that she should be proud of herself and not freaking out... and well it just made me feel good about the job... and where i am at the store... i like the job...

lol funny i said that because 2 days ago I was asking myself why I ever said yes... i am finding it hard to be a manager under a manager... because he knows what needs to be done and waits to correct me rather than tell me.. (this is NOT my store manager Thomas as he is being EXTREMELY helpful with my learning process in this...)

well I have working again tomorrow morning so I best be going to bed.... waking up at 4am is not fun.. and going to bed at 10pm isn't good.. ah or 11pm i should say.. lol...

I started my work out plan with a personal trainer yesterday and lets just say he is going to kick my ass!! and I'm such a smart ass with him, I honestly don't know why because he is the one telling me what to do... so i should be nice to him.. but for some reason I'm not.. lol well Im nice but a smartass... and he sure tells me too.. lol...

I will let you know how it goes but I bet ya I will be unable to bend down tomorrow from soreness.... lol

well Im offf to bed

LOVE YOU ALL AND MISS YOU MORE!!!
weird that i've been gone for 3 months tomorrow.... whoa...

i miss my mom.
"you gotta be like a sponge" just soak it all up!!

So much to say SO little time...

First off, I'd like to start off by saying if you email me and I don't email you back - I'm sorry its in NO way a reflection to how I feel its just I'd rather be running around than sitting at home writing emails ALL day.. THIS blog site was my excuse so I didn't have to send out SO many emails updating people on my life.. and I know I'm horrible at updating this site as well.. BUT then again I'd rather be out in the world than sitting at home writing a blog.. lol :)

Lets see here, A LOT has been happening in my life the last couple of days...

hmmm.... I don't even know where to start -

My name was said in the weekly update on Starbucks Newsletter - it was something along the lines of 'Dana inspires the management' (there was A LOT more... BUT i don't rememeber.. lol) my DM also said something along the lines of I'm really helping my store with bring the excitement of the US market over here... and he cant wait to see me as a Shift...

My manager Thomas and I start training on Monday for me to become a shift :) my goals as a shift will be - to make the enviroment fun and exciting - that was one thing when I was working with certain shifts and how they just made the day fun rather than stressful - because it is JUST COFFEE! - i want my barista to fully know they can trust me in.. and that is why I'm starting to learn ALL of my stuff now because I want them to know they can fall on me for anything and i'd be there to catch them... - i don't ever want to be known as a bossy shift HOWEVER my nickname growing up was 'bossy' so eek!! lol... I know I will have things to work on once I take on the role as Shift BUT i will also being growing and learning therefore it will be good for me... I was thinking today that I am proud of myself - I told myself this is what I want to do and well... Its happening.. and I just want EVERYONE to know if you believe in something DO IT! only you can hold yourself back from your dreams...

I was also thinking something that I've always wanted since I was little was to be an FBI agent.. and I was just thinking about what steps I need to start taking to do this... and as of right now I don't know.. and well I was talking to Stevie my AssisitManger and well he was like Dayna I see you working for Starbucks BUT behind the scene.. you have so much passion for others and I can see you doing something for Starbucks to help... and I was like weird I was kinda thinking the same thing.. he also said he could see me becoming an assisitmanager too.. (I was like what!!? ME!? ah!) lol... and he was like yes you have it in you... and I was like yeah BUT i'd never want to be a Store Manger.. and he was like no you aren't mean enough to do that role... lol...

Last night- My friend Heather was in a show 'Ah I can't rememeber the NAME!...' (ummm I think it was something to do about Wars..) ummm yeah I don't rememeber the name! umm sorry! lol.. it was a really good play.. I loved the enviroment for the play it was in a schools play area OUTSIDE but it wasREALLY cool because they had a building they used that had 4 levels so the play was ALL over the place.. it was really nice! :)

I have been doing A LOT of thinking the last couple of days and I've been doing a lot of debating as well... I have decided that my one thing in life is to do what makes me happy and stop worrying so much of what others think.. and well thats so hard to do especially when I have a friend that believes you should live a certain way because of what a book says.. don't get me wrong I believe in Jesus and I believe in Heaven and Hell... BUT I also believe you should live your life the way you want to live it and NOT just by the Bible... This has been a hard thing for me for some time.. I curse - therefore I'm a sinner - I don't pray before every meal - does that make me a sinner? - I hardly ever pray - is that wrong? - I don't know... BUT i DO know that I believe in Jesus and I tell him daily I love him and I'm thankful to be here.. I don't like it when Christians say one thing and do another thing... and that is why I won't ever tell you to do something because of the Bible... Because I DONT! - I don't like when Christians live a certian way but act a different way behind close doors.. I am me and what you see is what you get.. ask me and I will tell you... I may sound REALLY cowardly right now.. BUT the thing is I really want people to live their life for themselves... and stop living it for others.. this is something I've been doing for sometimes...

I was in a relationship with someone and when I stopped loving them - I stayed in it because I thought I couldn't do better and I'd rather stay in the relationship and be unhappy than say I've had enough I'm moving on...I didn't want to leave HIM alone... I didn't want to HURT him... I didn't want to make him SAD.. it took him cheating on me for me to FINALLY say I'm done... why is it that people stay in BAD relationships for the other person? what does it take for someone to realize how AMAZING they are and should put their energy towards someone that actually desires their time and energy! I really hate seeing my friends not happy because of a partner BUT sometimes you just have to sit on the sideline and hope for the best... I even see my friends in relationships with people they'd never be with JUST because they want to be inthe 'relationship'.. WHY DO PEOPLE LOWER THEIR STANDARDS FOR OTHERS!!?!? IT just doesn't make sense...

In the end... I wish people would just live their life for themselves and be happy with who they are- you only have one life... therefore - LIVE IT!!!

I want to add to this blog that being placed in a different enviorment with different people REALLY gets your mind thinking and well.. I'm sorry if I'm too direct or blunt.. BUT I've always been the one to just keep my mouth shut and always wish I could do more for myself... BUT i never do... therefore - BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE -

LOVE always,

dayna elaine

Controlling Thoughts..

I'm trying to understand a lot right now.. and currently my mind is all over the place and all I want to do is curl up in a ball and cry. BUT, I'm not going to because well thats just not me. I have things going through my head right now about life and questions of my past and of my future. I have to face some things and some things I'd rather not face. I am becoming stronger but it isn't easy. I am becoming more open, but that isn't easy. I'm becoming me and that isn't easy. I find myself fighting not only with myself but with my best friend because of these reasons and I wish I didn't have to but sometimes thats just life and you have to dance with the music that is given to you. and well, I'm trying to dance even though it isn't easy. This probably isn't making much sense because well I have a lot going on and I'm trying to just write it out and not go to sleep with so much on my mind.

Today I worked from 8am-5:30pm at Starbucks... That was open to close at my store... and it wasn't too much fun. BUT it wasn't too bad either. I have started a new goal or moreso new challenge for myself that I will complete a coffee tasting everytime I work.. why you may ask? well I've worked at Starbucks for 3 years and I have yet to complete a coffee passport.. so I have made this my goal and I brought it up to my manager that I want everyone in my store to become more knowlegdable about coffee as well... so i am starting a contest at my store for my partners to complete their passports and I am making up a posterboard with all my partners names and the different coffees... its going to be fun and exciting! My manager told me today that he really likes my passion.. I told him I don't want to lose it!!! so I will do my best to stay with it!!! lol...

well, I have to work early tomorrow morning so I best be going to bed! soooooo.. goodnight and hopefully my life will all come together and I won't have just 'gulit' as I do right now.. wait guilt isn't the right word.. i won't have all this worry i have right now... and don't ask me what worry because I really can't explain it.. but just pray that it comes about all good... and holla! :) lol

LOVE YOU ALL HEAPS! - Especially Jamie Marie! - you are my shining star and I thank God for making you my sister - couldn't have a better sister.. thank you for everything you've ever done for me... you mean more to me than you think...

G'night

always and forever,

dayna elaine

p.s

Believe in yourself...

This is something I find myself fighting with often.. believing in myself and knowing what I can do with my abilities and life... So, in my last post I said I decided I was going to stay at Starbucks and just put myself out there and show my passion for the job... well, it paid off... Today my manager told me he wanted to have a talk with me.. (I was like OMG... I'm in trouble.. lol jk.. I knew it wasn't bad because him and I had been talking all morning long..) and well I at first sat down with Robbie our DM and did a coffee tasting with him (which my manager was impressed that I started the coffee tasting ALL on my own! holla! lol) well LONG story short... I start training next Monday to become a shift supervisor!!! yay!!! I highly believe in if you believe in something it will happen... and well lately I've been LOVING work! I haven't had anything really to complain about besides not really having a say.. which will be changing soon!!! I'm so excited.. but I honestly don't know how to handle it.. like do I jump up and down??? or do I just go, yep I got shift.... ya..y! lol like i don't want to step on any toes.. and i know when i was around people that became shifts and how some of them acted really made a difference.. so that kinda scares me in a way.. but i don't know.. I'm making this a short blog because I've been awake since 4am and didn't go to bed until 11pm.. so I'm tired!!! BUT i wanted to give you a little update on my life since I haven't been on here in awhile..

yeah this is what I look like at work... lol... i don't rememeber why I did this.. or why jess took the picture.. but its kinda funny... lol
MY STORE!!!! this is where I stand for about 7 hours of my day... lol yep right here... isn't my store pretty!? I love it!!! yay to Queen St!!!
ah watchout!!! i'll get you with the big huge gun of whip cream!!! haha!
YAY!!!! welcome to MY store!!!!! isn't it pretty!!!? I will get more pictures so you can see exactly what I look at!!! its a PRETTY view!!! i look at building and TONS of people!!! its fun!!!

1st train trip... alone! ah!

Someone once told me... (or actually wrote me in an email...)

"Love yourself. Challenge yourself. Be inspired and make a change. Once all of that comes together---you'll find what your looking for. Sometimes we don't realize that what we're looking for has been there all along."

and it got me thinking...

I've decided something big... well kinda big.. I decided to stop worrying... I decided to do what I said I was going to do all along... I am going to stay at Starbucks for the next 4 months and put my heart into voluteering... yeah I said it... I will stay at the bux... this is something I never thought I would be saying 2 weeks ago.. BUT today when I was walking to work I decided that there is a reason I'm there and there is a reason its so hard for me right now...

I have never been one to just give up and not try to work it out.. and well I'm not going to start now... especially now.. so, I will work each day and put my heart out there to the bux and let people see how passionate I am about my life within Child work by volunteering with the Salvation Army.... or something else...

I have also decided to stay in the house we are currently living in because we have made it our home and even though it does cost a lot.. it is the best for us.. we have amazing roommates and we feel safe here... which honestly is priceless...

This past weekend I took a little trip to the gold coast for my friend Rohan's 19th birthday! He picked me up at the train station and we went to this Japanese resturant for dinner it was yummy!!

The chef wrote 'Happy Birthday Day' UPSIDE down!! (with salt!) it was pretty cool! :) After dinner we went to Surfers Paradise and went bowling... and then they rented a room and had karaoke (i of course watched..) and then afterwards we did a little walking around Surfers Paradise and I was amazed at the weird outfits that the people wear out.... honestly its like Halloween... no seriously its scary what people actually wear out...

Jessica had to work Saturday night so she wasn't able to make it out to the Gold Coast with me.. which was weird because it was the first night since we've been away that Jess has gone to bed alone... and it was the first night I hadn't slept in MY bed... so that was weird... I slept on Rohan's couch... so I really did miss my bed.. lol...

Sunday morning I woke up and caught the train back to Brisbane and came home and then Jess and I went to the City and went to The Coffee Club (don't tell Starbucks!) lol :)

We had the greek salad, salmon sandwich and potato wedges.... Jess said the Sandwich was yummy! and I honestly have had better greek salads in my life.. but the potato wedges were pretty good... but i've had better :) Overall, I would go back again.. next time I'd like to try the coffee... we just had tea! but that was yummy!!! :) I love fresh tea leaf tea!!! :)

Today I worked 12-close and then I came home and made soup again! :) I'm a huge fan of making soup because its so yummy and so good for you! and its so easy!!! you just have to chop up vegatables and add some herbs and spices and your good to go!! :) jess made chocolate and bananas for dessert! lol :) yums!

yesterday was probably the first day I actually said 'i want to go home...' BUT its not what you think... I just told jess I'd love to go home for a week see everyone and then come back... maybe its because the neighbor is going home on saturday for a week and then coming back.. and well I'd love to just see my mom and friends... i really do miss everyone... and sometimes I find myself not coming on here because when I come on here I miss them more... but, I'm glad i have made friends here.. BUT they just aren't the same as my friends back in the states...

Jessica and I were talking yesterday also about when we go home (in a year or 2...) lol... how we will miss be around eachother... like on saturday night when I wasn't around here it was SOOOO weird... and she was like it was SOOO weird going to sleep without you here.. and well its true... we have grown to being used to having each other around.. and well its going to be weird when we go back and she isn't around as much... especially if she goes off to another country for school.. which is something she's been talking about lately.. and I'm thinking of just staying in one state and working....

well, tomorrow Jess and I have the day off of work and we are taking the train early in the morning to the Australia Zoo... so I best be going to bed... I will take my Camera and have pictures of everything later!!! I haven't figured out everything on the camera yet... but give me time.. I figured out how to upload the pictures.. but the whole video thing... haven't figured that part out yet.. just give me time... lol

alright.. love and miss you all...

always,

dayyyyyy

p.s Kiefer is already 2 months old!!!! crazy!!!!! eh!!!?

Tuesday Morning...

Wake up... walk to bus... work.... workout... walk home... go to sleep to do it all over again tomorrow... see I wouldn't mind it if I didn't feel like I'm wasting my time away at Starbucks.. Today I worked from 11:30am until about 10:16pm... I have worked the last 3 days in a row without one single ten minute break... now, its by law in the states that every 4 hours of work you are intitled to a 10 min break.. yeah, i guess it doesn't apply here.. idk... I'm just over it.. I'm over working my butt off for other people to just slack off and not have to do anything... I'm ready to go to work and actually make a difference in my life and in someone else's life...

So, the ONE place I wanted to hear back from emailed me back today... YAYYY!!! and well, I'm not saying anything yet besides cross your fingers.. I would love to either turn my 2 weeks in to starbucks or just change my availability to just weekends... ohhhh yeah this upcoming week at starbucks my new manager has me on for ONLY 13 hours.. umm... 13 hours!!!? how is someone supposed to live off of 13 hours!!? how can I go working 6 days in a week to working 3 days in a week.. idk if my manager is trying to be 'nice' by giving me time off.. but.. umm heres the thing I don't need time off.. I need to make the money.. sooooo... ah! I'm a little upset at him right now.. but then again don't even get me started on him.. it is only his first week... well 2nd week now...

Jessica is sick... so I'm trying to stay sickness free right now... yay to vit C! lol... :) we took work off tomorrow to travel to the sunshine coast... however, since she is sick.. we won't be going anywhere... sad day... so, so far I haven't really been able to travel much around Australia... and it kinda sucks.. because I'm so ready to get out of this city and see what else is out there..

well, I better get to bed because well its 1am.. and I need to stay rested so I don't get sick... oh tonight was the first time since I've been here that I actually got to work on the floor at Starbucks with Jessica... it made my day... I miss working with her... (i worked at my store until 8pm and then I went over 2 her store until 10:30ish and worked for her... they were short a person...) so yeah and Wednesday I am working there again!!! yay! so I'm a little excited about work on Wednesday.. but thats about it... lol... and the I'm back to my store on thursday.. ya!... :( blah! jess's manager said she'd always have hours for me if i want to work for her... sooooo even though my store only gave me 13 hours.. I can just pick up hours at jessica's store.. but I'm thinking maybe it will give me the time to look for another job that I can actually enjoy going to work... we'll see.. if I really like it on wednesday maybe i'll just transfer to jess's store...

okay...

well keep it real yo.

goodnight..

love always,

dayyyy

Fingers crossed...

I don't like working at Starbucks right now because I feel like I could use my knowledge and heart for something that is actually worth my time and effort. I just feel like I'm wasting away my life at Starbucks at what I'm doing there isn't really anything I want to do and its not like they really need me there. Whereas if I could find a job doing what I want to do (ie Helping Children) I could actually feel like I'm making a difference in this world.. I sent my resume off today to a couple of places.. and well, I'm hoping that ONE of them gets back to me... As I sent it off last week to a couple of places and I heard back from most of them BUT they were all places I didn't truly want to work at and I decided while I was talking to them that I didn't wanna start something I wasn't truly going to enjoy doing because it would just mean I would be leaving a job I didn't like to start another job I didn't like... One of the jobs had already starte me up with shifts for the following week.. I was like whoa! you haven't even met me all you've seen is my resume! and I decided based off of that I did not want to work for that company.. I want to earn my position not just be given it...

therefore overall, cross your fingers that the ONE I applied for tonight gets back to me this week!!!

...So, I decided tonight that Jess and I are paying too much for rent and I decided to look elsewheres, yes we are on a lease HOWEVER I believe we can get out of the lease if we need too.. spending over $280 a week for one room shared is crazy! and well yes Australia is expensive... BUT not THAT expensive.. so I started looking for another place today, and I found MANY MANY MANY other places that are around $150-$200 shared bedrooms... which would be way more affordable for us, as we are trying to save money to travel later on rather than living paycheck to paycheck for rent... BUT, then again, we may endup staying here because we have made this place 'home...' BUT if I can find something 'better' then I will... as everyone I have talked to from work said that $280 for a shared room is crazy and we are being taken adventage of because we are 'from out of town'... and well f-that!

Today I worked my first Saturday and lets just say I would work every Saturday of my life at Starbucks... It was SO nice and relaxed.. there was no stress at all.. I guess its just different on the weekends because its not really all business people as thats how it is during the week...

Tonight I made 'Lamb Burgers!' I added red pepper, onions, oatmeal, eggs, garlic, and basil - lets just say 'yummy!!!' :) I think tomorrow I am going to try to bake me a loaf of bread with my rice flour that I got today as well... I will let you know how that goes since I've never made anything with rice flour let alone made bread before in my life...

well, its after 1am and I'm tired so off to bed I go.. tomorrow I'm planning to venture to the other gym because my gym is closed on sundays... but OMG my tummy is SO sore and it hurts to walk... my legs are super ubber tired... BUT I love the feeling of working out!!! :)

Hope you are all staying cool! As Australia is currently a bit nippy and windy... I have yet to go without my jacket to work... and I've actually been wearing my jacket on the floor when I'm at work which is something I don't really do often... so its a bit cold! :) but its nice...

well, g'night and sweet dreams...

love always,

dayyyyy

Ekka Festival - Aug 15 - 2008

Hey so Jess and I went to the Ekka Festival yesterday and I just wanted to show you some pictures!! (since I haven't had the time to get the video's uploaded on here yet.)

yay to us :) This is by the goats... I wanted to take a picture with the picture..
we rode this.
the views.
peace :)

14 Camona St

My room in Australia - it might look big but there is 2 people living in this room..!! and 7 people in total living in the house.. soooooo its really not that big of a house..





BUT overall, I still love my Camona house! :)

Lol... One of the first things jess and I got for our room was a full length mirror because we couldn't live w/o one.. sad but true... lol

The dresser, desk and beds of our room!! :) as you can see we have A LOT of books... (those are going to be going home with our parents when they visit...) tee hee!!! I can't have nothing on the walls.. so as you can see by my bed I have all my pictures I brought.. which I wish I had more... wink wink!!!
This would be Jessica's bed... which started out as mine.. but I don't like sleeping by the door.. and I also I don't sleeping by the window.. so then we switched and then I couldn't sleep in my bed.. so then we swiched back.. and then I couldn't sleep by the door/windows... so then we swiched back again.. (see jessica puts up with a lot from me... lol) so now I have just stayed in 'my' bed.. (unless jess isn't there then I sleep in her bed... tee hee... shh!!)

This is our living room.. its right by our room so thats kinda nice.. but the walls here are super thin so it kinda sucks if people are hanging out in the living room and i'm trying to sleep..

Well, I'm opening tomorrow at starbucks... so I best get some zzz's... today Jess and I went to the ekka festival and it was AMAZING!!! I took some video so I'll see what I can do and see if i can get that posted.. and yes I said VIDEO!!! :) yay!!! g'night and miss you all! love always,

dayyyy

Without ME you'd just be 'Aweso'...

Working my life away is something I don't ever want to do.. but that is what I feel i am doing right now. and its not even doing something I enjoy doing... Sure, I sometimes love my job.. but then again there are days I hate it. Its a love hate relationship... Honestly I know if I worked with Jess it would be easier for me but then again its still working with the same company doing the same thing... and well, in the end it isn't where my heart is and it makes it even harder to work there because I know I could be somewhere doing something that I would enjoy doing and helping children...

working monday thru friday is something I'm not used to and i don't really like it.. especially when jess works weekends and I don't... its just weird.. so i'm looking into other jobs just to see what else is out there and see why my heart isn't into starbucks anymore...

8/8/08 - I was going to go and get my tattoo... but I decided I didn't want it.. well, I want it now but will i want it in 10 years?.. i can't decide.. and besides that I'm working out now and well I want a tattoo on my foot so its kinda hard to wear shoes.. and also starbucks.. my working shoes wouldn't work.. so i decided right now in my life isn't a good time to get the tattoo... so I decided I wanted to get another piercing... but then.. the money factor came in.. and well piercings aren't cheap.. so i decided to hold off on the piercing as well.. maybe next month... like 10/09/08 (remember the dates are backwards here.... so that would be written out as 09/10/08 in the states... but here its 10/9/08... lol i still get thrown off by it sometimes... but im getting better with it...lol) but I'll keep you posted on what I get... and if i do get something...

Today I went into Ipswich which is about 45 minutes away from Brisbane... its a small country town that is also known as the ghetto of Australia.. like they say u are weird if you are from Ipswich and well... lets just say one trip there is enough for my trip to australia.. lol.. we traveled to the water tank of Ipswich which you can climb and it has an amazing outlook of the city... and well honestly that was super cool... but other than that.. wasn't too exciting... we also traveled to the main city of Ipswich and did some walking around which it was about 3pm on Saturday and the ONLY thing open was Coles the foodmart and a tattoo piercing palor... seriously!?!?!? lol.. that was super weird.. we also went to the art gallery and that was super boring... until I entered the High School Kids expo... which I wanted to look at every picture and every drawing and read why they did and what they were feeling... it got me to thinking about my life and where I am right now... sure I'm in Australia.. but there is a reason I'm HERE! and i started to feel something while I was in that room today.. it was pushing me... and i don't know what it was.. but I know its something to do with helping others out of tough situations...

thinking about the upcoming months.. so I joined a gym.. who would've thought those words would've ever came out of my mouth?... well i did.. and i love it.. its me time.. its the time in the day that i have to myself.. no one else matters because what I am doing is for myself.. and not for anyone else.. its to help ME feel better.. its for ME to sleep better...its all for ME.. which is something I haven't done since high school.. worked out in a workout room for ME... I mainly did it because of the classes they offer... I'm really not one to enjoy running for 30 minutes on the same machine not going anywhere.. lol... but i love streching and doing weird postitions for 90 minutes... ie yoga/pilates... :) they also have Bodypump and Body jam and other intense classes that I will do.. when I feel like I can actually keep up with them.. lol... but its kinda funny when you look around the room because there is all different types of shapes and sizes from super tiny to super big... and well it kinda makes me feel good for being there.. like hey i am helping myself so I dont turn into something i dont wanna become...

oh yeah I also decided I care too much about what others think... which I shouldn't.. I should care only about what I feel and what makes me happy... i mean I believe in the treat others how you want to be treated.. and well right now I think too much about what i do rather than just doing it because it makes me happy.. like the gym membership... i was like i don't know.. i need to talk to jessica first.. and well, the girl was just like.. are you working out for jessica or yourself?... which really got me thinking and its like... i need to be more of a myself rather than relaying on others... since this world is mine to live for myself.. no one else is in my skin but myself.. i only have this one life.. so i should be living it to my fullest and for me... other point to that is my friendships.. I have had many yet they always seen to go away... and I never seen to look into why.. but while I've been here i decided to investigate one of my past 'relationships' because i also believe that EVERY relationship in your life is important and each relationship teaches yourself more about yourself but you have to look into why and how... Angelica was my best friend through College yet while in India we fell apart and just stopped talking and never really did i ever connect the pieces to everything.. i just pushed it behind me and never looked back... until now.. something was pushing me backwards to that time... Angelica was a different friend.. she was someone I could talk to about anything and everything.. and she never held it against me.. nor did she ever say anything to anyone... thats called trust which is something hard to come by.. and well while we were in India I pushed her aside for a boy.. which at the time i didn't think I was doing.. but when I look back and see how I was treating her... and how 'different' I was before the boy had come into my life... i can see why she was scared for herself because she was losing her best friend to a boy.. something she never thought was possible.. and i never thought about.. and well that is what happened... which, i can't believe i did... because now in my life i would NEVER push my friends away for a guy... especially now when the only girl i have in my life is jess.. when a guy invited me out to the movies i made jess go with me.. its kinda funny.. you don't get just me in the relationship.. its a jess and i relationship... lol... I have started to talk to Angelica again while I've been here and it has been the best thing to finally truly understand what went 'wrong' within our relationship.. sure picking up the pieces is hard.. but i'm willing to do it because she isn't easy to come by.. the type of friendship Angelica and I have is not like many.. and well, I know I don't ever want to lose it again..

People here alway comment on Jessica and I relationship... most people are beyond amazed how close her and I are because they are just amazed that we traveled here together and live together.. (in the same room) and pretty much do everything together... Jess and I have our talks that allows me to keep sane and her as well.. and I know even though my mom isn't here to give me the hugs I love... jess is here... well most of the time... sure I've been spending more time alone.. but I know she is here... So the first night we went out on the town of Brisbane She met a boy named James which is an aussie boy from Brisbane.. and well it was like love at first sight for them.. so pretty much I see less of jess because of work and james... BUT all I care about is that she is happy and if she is happy than I am happy... I know she is there for me when I need her and even with the boy in her life she still finds Day and Jess time.. Like I said people are always amazed at our relationship.. I was talking on friday at work that I missed Jess bc she works so much and I work so much and i pretty much only see her at work or after work for like a little bit at home... and well its not really hanging out time.. cuz we are both usually tired and not into talking so it just sucks because I miss my jess..

Olympics 2008 - who do I cheer for? USA or Australia!? ah! lol... i still laugh at Mc.Donalds and there Mc.American Bagel and Mc.Australian Burger and Mc.African Wrap... just makes me giggle everytime I pass a mc.donalds.. lol

I'm ready... I've had this quote set on my facebook and myspace page.. I'm ready.. I'm ready for whatever is about to happen in my life.. I'm ready to live my life.. I'm ready to be happy. I'm ready to make nice with everyone important in my life... I'm just ready... bring it!!

Holding back or holding on... I might hold on to things that I shouldn't hold on to because I'm scared of actually letting go.. and well, I'm letting go of everything.. its just that time in my life that I've decided some of my relationships just need to be in my past and I don't really need them in my present life.. I do need to explore them and just see what I can learn from them and then move on.. and let go... I also need to explore myself and start to be more of myself and less of what I think others what to see...

I am me.

Take me or leave me... I don't care.
My name is Dana but I'd prefer it to be spelled Dayna because I like the y.. and don't ask me why.. I just do...
My favorite thing to do in life is eat mint'n'chip ice cream.. don't hold it against me (just bring me some!!) even though I'm not supposed to eat dairy I still LOVE mint'n'chip icecream...
i hate when people think they aren't special.. because I believe everyone is here for a reason... life shouldn't be about looks. but more about feelings and then looks would just come easy. i love stars and birds. because stars take you places if you know how to follow them and birds travel around w/o worries of tomorrow.. they only know about the present and they can laugh (well the bird outside my window laughs ALL the time... kinda funny.. lol i don't know the name of this bird but its famous for 'the laughin bird'...)
I wanna be in the olympics.. probably because its on tv right now.. but that'd be such an awesome rush and amazing times
I don't think I ever want to drive again with gas prices
Something needs to happen with the American dollar..
I don't wanna move back home... (well I want to be around my friends and family again..) but the thought of living where mail is getting stolen doesn't sound like fun... I told my mom I live somewhere where we don't lock the doors and typically leave the front door wide open... without the fear of anything happening to us because we live in a nice area... i'm sorry but my mom told me that crime rate is just going up where I once lived...
i wanna be a regular at starbucks and make friends with the baristas... i want them to rememeber my name and my drink...
i wanna fall in love and stay in love.
i wanna find a church here like cornerstone minus the size...
i want to work with kids.
I wanna go to sleep.. so goodnight :) 1st step of completing my wants... is doing and well... im doing sleep.. lol

goodnight.. and I love and miss you loads...

send pictures! I love getting mail more than you know! I honestly check the mail box EVERY time I walk past it and I think its more of an OCD of mine.. but totally send anything even if its just a post-it saying hi.. i'd love it! lol

Always

dayyyy

Starbucks Australia... 84 to 23 in 5 days...

Wow. a lot has changed in the last week.. first off monday at work my manager told me that I had to be at a meeting 4pm the next day... at the meeting they told us that they would closing 61 of the 84 stores in Australia... by Sunday...

People would have been with the company would be let go and here I was... been over here for 3 weeks and this happens.. as you probably know in the states about 600 stores have closed.. mine of course was not one of those... and yet again.. mine was not one of the ones closing...

kinda funny (okay funny isn't the correct word..) but kinda intresting if you think about it.. I missed the closures in the states and I missed them in Australia... kinda funny... lol..

well, I've been awake for almost 20 hours and I'm beyond tired so I'm off to bed.. I just wanted to write a little about starbucks so y'all knew I still had a job and give you a little update on my life...

Here is an article from the newspaper...

At least 100 Queensland jobs will go as Starbucks Coffee shuts down 61 of its 84 stores in Australia this week.
The US-based coffee giant announced this afternoon it would concentrate its business in three cities, keeping 23 stores in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
Australia-wide, 685 jobs are expected to be lost.
Starbucks stores closed at 2pm this afternoon for staff to be told the news, with many having no idea they would be losing their jobs.
There are now 16 Starbucks stores in Queensland, with the details of which stores will close to be made public on Thursday.
In a statement released on its website at 5pm, Starbucks confirmed it would close 61 of its 84 stores throughout Australia.
"Starbucks Coffee International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Starbucks Coffee Company, today announced plans to restructure its business in Australia through a geographical refocus on three core cities and surrounding areas: Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney," the statement read.
"This decision will result in the closure of 61 locations throughout the country by August 3, 2008."
"Starbucks has been a part of the Australian market since 2000. There are currently 84 Starbucks locations throughout the country, including Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Melbourne, South Australia, Sydney, and Tasmania.
"Twenty-three stores will remain open in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and surrounding areas to serve customers in those communities.
"The list of stores that are scheduled for closure will appear on this site by 5pm July 31st after all affected stores partners (employees) have been personally notified."
Last month Starbucks announced it would close 600 company-operated stores in the US, costing up to 12,000 jobs after it continued its rapid expansion while the US economy slowed.
The company said 70 per cent of the cafes slated for closure had opened after the start of 2006.
The chief financial officer, Pete Bocian, said that meant Starbucks would close 19 per cent of all US company-operated stores that opened in the past two years.
He said a Starbucks store's revenue dropped 25 to 30 per cent when a new one opened nearby.
The company operates more than 16,000 stores around the world..

Day 39... and counting....

Wow. Can you believe I've been away for 39days today? I can't believe I haven't seen Arizona in almost 40 days... thats pure craziness to me.. I decided I needed to write a blog tonight in more of a blog style... such as what is actually going on within my little world of australia and dayna.

I want to start writing more so I can look back and see exactly what I was going through and exactly how I felt during the trip...

I started this trip out not really knowing what to expect just knowing that I was ready to start anew. I knew that I was done living in Arizona and ready for something new. I guess you can say a lot happened in such a short time.. I graduated college and the next thing I knew I was on a plane going to a different country to start a new life... on my own...

I have learned that being in a different country allows myself to see myself differently... I have learned a lot about myself and learning something new everyday. I have decided that no matter where I am in the world my family holds a special place in my heart. My sister has a baby while I've been away and honestly before I left I didn't really care, sure she had a baby in her stomach but that is all.. but now, i look at pictures and cry wishing I could be there to hold him and kiss him and let him know that I love him... even though I am not there I know I will be in a year or so... but I just wish I could actually be there to see him... I want to see him smile and scream and do all the baby things... I know that even though I am here I'm still going to spoil him.. as soon as I can afford too...
My other sister Jamie is also someone I miss deeply and being away from her is weird because she knows everything about me and not talking to her daily is beyond weird to me because sometimes I wish I could just pick up the phone and call her and tell her OMG guess what happened to me today... but I know she's probably sleeping or she'd be like omg cookie why r u calling me???
My mother... the woman that brought me into this world and someone I know I could trust with anything and everything... when I decided to go on this trip the ONE person I didn't want to say goodbye to was... my mother... I know I can say the line of my mom is my best friend... which is true but my mother is more than that.. she is more than just a friend and mother she is the one that was there for me throughout everything in my life the ups and the downs.. (and yet again I know thats what a mother is 'supposed' to do... but I know mothers out there that don't even know half the things their children go through...) when my heart was broken by stupid boyfriends... who was there?... my mother... when all I wanted to do was jump off a mountain my mom said... ill drive you... lol ;) (jk...) i didn't want to say goodbye to her because I was scared of how my life was going to be without her... sure sure I'm 22 years old so i have to live my life without her always by my side.. but its more of a who was I going to call when I was driving home... or who was I going to bring home coffee for when I got off of work at starbuck... or who would be there for me when a stupid boyfriend breaks my heart?... not only that who was going to be there for her? who would she call or who would bring her coffee? lol... I know its just small things but its the small things that make my life...
I am learning in the last couple of weeks that my mom is still there even if its thousands of miles away.. I know I can call her anytime or any place and she's there... (even if she yells at me for calling her... tee hee...) I am still able to communicate to her in emails so thats nice.. sure I don't get to see her.. but I still get to update her on my life through pictures and if you know me I love taking pictures... a lot... I still bring coffee home... yet now its for my roommates and they are all surprised with me bring home the coffee... sure, I miss my mom loads and wish she was here.. but I know throughout it all that it is making me a much stronger person and allowing myself to grow into the woman I'm becoming...
I wonder how different I'll be in 11 months... I wonder how many people I'll still talk to when I go back 'home..' I wonder where I'll live.. I wonder if I will ever allow another boy into my life... I find myself with a wall up around my heart and when I boy comes around I see the wall getting higher instead of shorter.. I don't know why but I'm not ready... I'm not ready for someone to come into my life right now.. I'm not ready to make time for someone else within my heart... I know before I left everyone was saying... 'oh you are going to fall in love there and stay there forever...' well I guess you just don't know me... because well it takes me sometime to actually allow someone into my life... sure I'd LOVE to fall in LOVE... but when the time is right.. and right now. I'm just living MY life and understanding what I want in this life I have... I am that girl that believes in love don't get me wrong.. I believe that everyone has someone out there for them... sometimes they have many... and each person that comes into your life leads you closer to your person.
Running away... did I run away from all my 'problems'.. this is a question I get asked and honestly what problems did I have besides stupid boys in my life? (sorry if you are reading this..) but honestly the boys that were in my life were boys that didn't deserve to be in my life... and it took me to look at them from another country to see it clearly... I loved someone so deeply and only received pain from it and when I first started on this trip I decided that no matter what I wouldn't regret what I was doing... there are a couple of things I regret in my life and one of those things is never saying sorry... I always just push them behind me and 'move on' yet deep down they are still there and not going anywhere bc I have that hate towards them that I can't just say I'm sorry and actually have that closesure with them... maybe that is whats going on in my life right now.. I'm finally getting on with people that I haven't talked to in years and finally feeling like myself again... I am finally lifting the shadows of others from my life and becoming me... the girl that wants more out of her life and wants to be happy with herself yet is too scared of what someone might say or do.. but i know I shouldn't... I didn't run away.. I simply just started a new chapter of my life.. something that many can't say they ever did in their life because they were too scared to take that step.. I didn't just take that step I took that step and then jumped... I'm sure people would love to see me fall... however, you must not know me.. but, I'm the girl that will do something just to prove you wrong...
wow. this blog is ALL over the place... kinda explains my brain right now.. I'm all over the place.. I'm still trying to figure out where I am in this new place.. I know exactly what bus to take and where I work.. but I don't have a clue where the nearest doctors is or where the zoo is at... but i will... one of these days.. I keep thinking about places I want to take my mom when she comes to visit!!

All in all, right now I am still getting settled and still trying to find out who and where I am... but give me a couple of weeks.. and shoot, watch out world... dayna elaine has arrived... lol...

I want to walk outside and smile. I want to see the sky and see all the colors. I want to travel to as many places as possible, yet not go poor. I want to simply be happy...

Love love love and some more love... from aussie land..

always,

dayyyy

p.s. the weather is FREEZING right now... I am BEYOND cold and my jacket is like a summer jacket so it doesn't do me much good... but I guess its good because I just RUN to the bus stop instead of walk to it.. lol but its SOOOOOO cold...

Gold Coast/ Update

Jessica, Maxwell and I at Hardrock Cafe Fiji

I went on my first road trip this past weekend to the Gold Coast

It was a short drive about and hour and half south of Brisbane...

Jessica had to work so I went with the roommates Geri and Peter (aka flatmate as they call it)


and the neighbor girl...





We went to the beach and went swimming.. and its winter here!!! the water of course was freezing BUT I went in anyways... It was SO nice to just layout and have some nice harsh aussie sun on me!!





We also took a hike around a mountain that was there I didn't have my camera since its still broken and I havent had time to take it in yet but the mental pictures i took were AMAZING... the lookout on top of the mountain was priceless... the ocean water was oh so blue and clear...





I also went to Surfers paradise to drop off Peter for a whale watching tour and I honestly felt like I was in California and not australia.. it was beyond too fake for me... BUT i will be going back there with Jess because they had a hard rock cafe and well we have to go there!!! I can compare it to our stop at Hard Rock Cafe Fiji...





well I worked this morning and my manager asked me to work more tomorrow... even though I still can't 100% bar I am getting better at the whole starbucks world here... and I still have yet to master the pastry case... ah! lol they have WAY more food items here than in the states... but they freeze their stuff whereas in the states its delivered fresh every morning...





well I'm cleaning my room today and getting everything ready for this busy week of work... monday-friday.. ahh!





my bank account has not been my friend this trip.. my bank keeps putting a hold on my account even though I told them that I'd be in Australia... seriously bofa!? lol...





Its weird I've been away for over a month already... crazy if you ask me... who would've thought that I would actually do it. I actually moved away. its kinda crazy and well it still hasn't hit me that I moved away. i really did it. and well I'm really doing it.





People here are always highly impressed that Jess and I just moved here not knowing anyone but eachother and well its kinda weird that we've only been here for about 3 weeks and we already have a new set of 'friends' and making a whole new chapter in our life... we have people that we will go and visit in Germany and Malaysia... we already have people planning their trips to the states to come and visit us... talk about crazy but its true...





I am thankful that I actually had the balls to move here and not chicken out... as many people I'm sure thought I would never be able to make it here.. but, then again when I say I'm going to do something.. i do it...





I decided I want to change the world... lol :) don't know how yet.. but, I want to do more with my life than JUST make someone a coffee.. I haven't a clue yet.. but I know it well be in some sort of way working with children as that is what my heart is directed towards... but maybe I wanna start my own childhelp center or something like that.. I'm going to look into a group here in Australia called 'Brave Hearts' as my shift at Starbucks told me about it and when I was visiting the gold coast I ran into a guy raising money for the 'Brave Hearts Org.' so I decided that maybe thats my sign of TWO people telling me about it I should actually do something about it...





I will keep you all posted... Hope all is well..





love and miss you loads.





always...





dayyyy

Things I've learned so far while in Australia...

Me at the Airport about to head to my new HOME of Brisbane...

Things I have learned since living in Brisbane....-

-It's called a Rubbish Bin or a Wheelie Bin, not a trash can. (and the term 'trashed' is not understood... like to be called trashed is horrible to them... not understanding that it just means drunk...)

- Sledging is the same as heckling, and some say it's socially acceptable.

- The word "dodgie" can be used in a plethora of ways, with a generally negative conotation....it smells dodgie, those are dodgie jeans, I'm feeling dodgie, etc. (thats from Jessica..)

- The letter "h" is pronounced "hhaych"

- The letter "z" is pronounced "tzed" (sooo weird when they say z... soooo weird!!)

- Australia has a sport all it's own and it's called "football" or "footy." It's only played here and the rules are crazy.

- People drive on the WRONG side of the road here. and they drive REALLY fast!!!

- Most things close around 6pm (my starbucks closes at 7pm...) [5pm on weekends...]

- Things stay open later on Thursday rather than the weekends... (don't know why yet)

- Bars stay open until 5am

- We have a total of seven (7) channels on the television. yep 7. thats it.

- After 9pm, you can show and say anything on tv. Anything. and when I say anything.. I mean anything..

- They greet you with 'How you going?' not How are you? or Whats up?... The reason they say 'How you going' is because back in the day it was like how you traveling? and well it became 'how you going'

- When I'm cold, I put on a "jumper." Not a jacket.

- Ugg boots are called 'uggetcs' the aussie lady that told me that said that aussies like to add things to shorten american words... lol

- America needs to use the metric system since that's what the rest of the world uses.

- People call everyone "mate" or "buddy." hey buddy... hey mate...

- When they (aussies) say thanks its not a 'meaningful' thanks its just.. i'll have a tall whitemocha...thanks... like its just part of the sentence.. lol and they say cheers instead...

- The word "reckon" is one of the most versatile words. ie "Do you reckon?" could mean, "Do you think so?" "Do you agree?" "Do you believe that?" etc.

- The word "heaps" is more common than I ever imagined possible. "Heaps of friends," "Thanks heaps," "You've travelled heaps."

- The toilets have a half flush and a full flush button. Button, not handle or lever. Two buttons on the top of the tank.

- You can buy kangaroo meat at the supermarket. Yep. Right between lamb and soup bones. and I actually ate some.. and honestly couldn't do it.. all i thought about was that poor little kangaroo... and fur.. even though there isn't any fur on the meat.. that just grossed me out... but Jess liked it...

- They call ALL Americans, Yanks. (I'm not from New york...) they don't understand that either.

- Chips is the Aussie word for "fries"

- Crisps is the Aussie term for "chips"

- 40 degrees is incredibly hot - on the celsius scale that is.

- Eggs do NOT need to be refridgerated. Nope. Not at all. You buy them on the shelf next to oil and vinegar.

That last one blew my mind. No really, I was in shock for days. I'm sure there are more surprises to come and I'm sure there's stuff I've already forgotten to add to this last.

Overall, things are great. I started work last week and at first I hated it and was about to put in my two weeks... BUT after I talked to my Manager its ALL better... Starbucks here is a bit different than back home but I'm getting used to the differences...

The markings on the cups are pretty much the same but some of the drink calling is different... they don't have 'nonfat' milk they have 'skim' and its not just a mocha frap.. its a mocha frap blended coffee.. they make you say the WHOLE thing while calling it.. you have to pay for whipcream if the drink doesn't come with it. but if you get no whip the drink isn't cheaper.
for a venti mocha frap blended coffee its $6.30 back in the states I think it was like $4.70.... whoa!

they have soy and lite soy here at starbucks...

I'm settling in ok to life here in the suburbs. Got my bus pass, kind of know where the important things are and roughly how to get to those places. I'm thinking about just getting on a bus to see where it takes me. I found out that one of the buses that passes my house stops RIGHT in front of my Store so I might start taking that bus...

I miss my family!

Oh and you should come visit! It will be heaps of fun mate!

Jess and I have decided that we will be staying in Brisbane for the Holidays soooo if you need a place to visit during Holiday/new years eve please feel free to visit me!!! We'd LOVE to have you!!!

Love always.

Dayyyyyy

p.s they really do say g'day lol its not just a rumor

and they is no such thing as 'drop bears' - as people try to tell you to watchout for the 'drop bears' when walking under trees... nope, no such thing..

oooh and Kangroos do NOT wonder the streets either.. I have yet to even see one... lol