"I'm so glad my name is un-O-able" -Jo

Abstract:
new look; Happy birthday to my baby!; headache; barbie; onions; iGracias!; so. many. abbreviations.; Jo's "racist" comments; pictures; isn't the sun supposed to be in the sky?; bad jokes; Skype and google + hangout

So my blog has a new look today! Last night, I was dumb and thought that it was the night that I was supposed to talk with my whole family on google hangout. (The video conferencing on there will allow you to do it with more than one other person, whereas skype makes you pay for that feature.) Well it's actually tonight, but I ended up talking to everyone minus the Gills. They don't actually have a webcam, which is why they had to wait until tonight when my parents will be there. Anyway, my point was that Jacki, my oldest sister, said that my old blog hurt her eyes because she was old and my parents agreed. I was kind of annoyed because they told me to fix the font before, which I did, and they said that it looked good. Now they yelled at me again because they couldn't read it and I hadn't changed it since then! Oh well, I spent some time altering it this morning, so hopefully it's easier for people with "old eyes" to read now.

Also, yesterday was Buddy's birthday, so I got to see my baby on his birthday! Happy 11th birthday, Buddy! I hope that my parents spoiled him with lots of hugs, kisses, and treats! I know that I would have if I were there!

I don't remember much else that happened this morning or early afternoon. I had a huge headache, so I lay down for a nap before church. I've been having really bad headaches lately.

At 4:30, I went to CIF. It was the last one of the year, so we didn't have the usual Bible study. Instead, we had a barbie in the Copland Courtyard, which is right outside of where CIF is usually held. It was a sausage sizzle, of course. (I really didn't like sausages before I came to Australia, but they're growing on me. I guess I have to like them if I want to be an honorary Australian!)

When I got there, Jo was cutting onions. I helped her to peel them, although I was really slow at it. Apparently Jo has a technique for cutting onions so that she doesn't. I guess you cut the root end thingy last because that's what causes the tears. I'm not really sure if it works because we were outside, so the fumes weren't as strong, and she did start to cry at the end. She was just so emotional! (We were teasing her about being emotional and how onions make some people cry and then think of other reasons to cry and stuff like that so it really does make the emotional. Plus Jo said that she was just "overpowered by the onions.")

We wrote a thank you card for the people that make us food every week. Bron didn't know what to put that wasn't already written, so someone told her to write in Arabic and Spanish, because that's what she's studying at uni. I told her to write it in Arabic so that I could write it in Spanish. We wanted to make it look more international. A few other people wrote in different languages, too.

One of the things that we were talking about when eating was what has surprised us most about Australia. Jo said that how they shorten EVERYTHING was striking to her when she first came here. Everything has to be two syllables. If it's longer, they cut it off. (ambo for ambulence) If it's shorter, they add something, often o or ie. (I can't think of an example of this right now.) Anyway, Jo said that she was glad that her name is "un-O-able." That's the conversation that led to the title.

I can't remember what other people thought were striking. I remember that I agreed with someone about the gap between the indigenous and non-indigenous people being surprising. I think that it was Kristy that brought it up. She's from New Zealand. There, the indigenous population is much more integrated into the culture. For example, she said that they had learn the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, language in school. Jo also said that Australian woman are some of the most feminine woman that she knows. For example, a lot more wear skirts and actually cook than they do in Sri Lanka. I thought it was interesting because it kind of touches on what I talked about in my blog the other day about how it seems to be changing back to women doing that kind of thing after the whole bra-burning era of feminism.

Some funny "racist" comments from Jo and Jess. I put racist in quotes because some people would see them as racist and Jo likes to tease that everything is racist, but really they were just meant to be funny.

• Jo and Jess were taking pictures together because they are both leaving. Then Jess said, "wait, I have Asian eyes!" Jess, you're Asian. Therefore, you always have Asian eyes!
• We were getting a group picture, and then Jo told us that we had to face the sun because "otherwise I'll look dark." 
• Jo and Bron went to go spin in circles. Someone asked if they were going to do something Bollywood. Jo said, "Just because Bron is wearing something that looks Indian and I look like I'm Indian...!"
• Jess said that her sister is getting married and Jo said something about an Asian wedding. I was kind of confused. Of course it's Asian... Jess is Asian, so therefore her sister is Asian... what is that supposed to mean?

After eating dinner, we just hung around and talked and took some pictures. I'm sure Micaiah will put them on facebook sometime and then you guys can see them. 

As we were walking inside, Jo said "the sun is so deceptive because it's in the sky!" Umm... The rest of us just looked at each other. I asked her where she wanted it to be. "Oh, I meant because it's so high in the sky. I just forgot a word." Oh I'm going to miss her!

Then we went inside to meet with everyone else before church. Some people were telling bad "dad jokes." aka jokes that make no one laugh but the person who's telling them. Then we went to church. Jo sat in the last seat of a row, so Kristy and I had to go sit by ourselves. It wasn't until halfway through that Jo realised this. Way to go, Jo. You're leaving, so that's going to be one of the last memories that I have of you! (Just kidding, Jo!)

Now I'm going to Skype with Rohan for a while and then do a google hangout with my whole family. This time I'll get to see the Gills, including my adorable niece and nephew! Yay!