Incohesive Ramblings.

Okay, time for a quick update on life. I have been pondering as to when to write the next blog, but have neglected to post - based on my notion that every little article needs to be based on a specific 'event' or activity undertaken on this adventure to have any readability or meaning. To be honest, I have have failed to identify anything recently that has been actually worth writing about. However, I have come to realise that both myself and Paul's personal thoughts and opinions are indeed relevant to this journey, and are sometimes worth sharing with you. So bare with me.

My parents and my little bro are coming to visit me in exactly a week. 7 days to the day. For the first time in over a year since leaving New Zealand in May 2008, I will see them - face to face. They will be staying here in Southern California for about two weeks, at both the Newport Beach Hyatt and the Huntington Beach Hyatt, where we work. It's their first time travelling to the States, and thus will be their first time driving on the right side of the road, hanging out at the pier, and munching down on some Reeces' peanut butter cups (we don't get them back in New Zealand - a travesty I know!). I'm not sure what to expect. I mean, I have been away from my family for the best part of four years now, having gone through university and all, but never without direct contact for such a long period of time. I still can't fathom that they are coming all this way just to see me. I think that somewhere in between camp, skateboarding down parking lots in Vancouver and carving fresh powder tracks in Fernie they realised that I'm just having too much fun over here to be coming home anytime soon. I guess they figured they'd better book it over here asap - before I had claimed another visa, packed my bags and shot off to another part of the globe. What will it be like to see them? Normal? Weird? I dunno. But I will keep you updated as best I can.

...On another note, Paul and I have realised that we are about at the halfway stage of our summers' job working as Recreation Attendants at the Hyatt. In other words, we are about 2 months away from being out of a job. It's a scary thought, really. Ideally, we'd love to continue working here. It's just down the road from our house, and to be frank, handing out towels and building intricate sandcastles for a living isn't such a bad occupation. The fact is, however, there may not be any jobs after the summer. With the recession in full-effect around the globe - let alone California - people just aren't spending like they used to. The Hospitality business, needless to say, is heavily dependant upon big-spending excursionists to help keep the industry afloat. Without them, profit is lost, and jobs are cut. The outcome? ShaunPaul on the proverbial chopping-block. Yippee.

What could this mean for our adventures then? Well, it may spell the end of our time in California, for one. We may have to look for work elsewhere in the US, where the effects of the recession are less-rampant. Additionally, we are without a car at the moment. If we were to stay in California and look for employment, we would need to purchase a car immediately to find work. That would be costly, and a possible alternative could be to locate to a city with a better public transportation system so we could at least look for jobs without being too strapped for cash. Either way, we will be really back to the drawing board. That's cool - we will just have to further rely on God for Direction and wisdom. And I kinda like that.

Anyway, that's it from me. I'm sorry if my thoughts and ramblings lacked any form of cohesion - I promise that there will be more adventures and shenanigans in this part of the world soon. Next week in fact. It's gonna be the fourth of July this saturday, ShaunPauls' first encounter with Independance Day in the US. Wahoo! So keep reading, and keep in touch. Love.