Movember is here!!!

Hey again all....

Just thought I would give all out there a heads-up for Movember. I am the group captain for the "Mary White College Mo Bros"!! There are about 6 - 10 of us (don't have final numbers yet) that are participating. For those of you who don't know, Movember is an annual event whereby civilised people (such as myself) wind back the clock to the 70's, where a flowing moustache and accompanying mutton-chops were on the high-end of society.... well maybe not the high-end, but legends like David Boon, Merv Hughes and Tom Selleck sported a beautiful moustache, and we are all aiming at reliving those day!!

Why I hear you ask? The idea of Movember is to grow a Mo during the whole month of November and collect sponsorship along the way. Money raised by Movember is donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue - the national depression initiative, which will use the funds to create awareness, fund research and increase support networks for those men who suffer from prostate cancer and male depression.

For those friends, family and colleagues who would like to donate but obviously cant throw me a couple of buck themselves, can go to to http://www.movember.com/au/donate, enter my registration number which is 116937 and your credit card details. Or you can sponsor me by cheque made payable to the "Movember Foundation" clearly marking the donation as being for my Registration Number: 116937. Please mail cheques to: PO Box 292, Prahran VIC 3181. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

If I can ever end up finding my camera cord, I will take regular pics to show you all my progress, and post the pictures on this blog, so stay tuned!!!

Interesting date clash.....

Hey there everyone!! Well, Rebecca and I have tentatively planned our wedding for Saturday the 27th September.... which..... I just realised is the day of the AFL grand final........ mmmmm..... It is amazing what you do for love isn't it!! Hopefully the West Coast Eagles don't get into the grand final otherwise I will just have to have a remote television with me on the day. I am sure Rebecca would understand...

There is so much happening at the moment in regards to the wedding. We are in the process of looking at places to get married and at this point I think we have narrowed it down to either Coffs harbour or Port Macquarie (see attached maps on previous posts). We are having a civil marriage ceremony and have already booked our celebrant whom is a lovely lady called Deborah McMahon, whom we met for 2 hours on Sunday. She took us through all the steps involved; legal requirement and ceremony options. Bec and I are really excited about the options that we have in incorporating personal attributes to the ceremony. Don't worry, we won't bore you with hours of lovey-dovey things: just things that we both want to share with you all that makes it as much about the family and friends we have as much as it is about us two! I suppose that is all that I have to say in regards to timing of the wedding as a heads-up for everyone to come, but there will be more information with the invites in the future.

As for seeing you guys, Rebecca and I just yesterday booked our tickets back to Perth for Trio's wedding. Because of the high cost of flights around New Year's and the days just following it, we will be arriving in Perth at 10.30ish on New Years Eve!!! Believe it or not, that is the cheapest time; obviously because everyone is partying!!! It was almost $150 - $175 cheaper to leave on the Monday than on, say, the Wednesday. We will be staying until the Sunday or Monday after Trio's wedding and then flying back to wait by the phone to see where we will be moving next year (given that Bec is offered a full-time job).

Anyway, better head of as I am at work!!

Dr Jarrad Anthony Cousin and wedding bells...

Well, after 4 and a half years, I have finally finished my PhD and graduated in all the pomp and ceremony befitting a Doctor of Philosophy degree!! Thankfully, it was a beautiful clear day. For years, I was praying for good weather, otherwise the graduation would have been held indoors, with a maximum of two guests. Seeing that my dad had flown from Perth and Rebecca came to the graduation with her parents and sister, it would have been a great shame if it was inside. Anyway, it was a success and actually very warm. My gown was bright red and made of viscose so was quite hot!! Add to that the fluffy big pompous hat, and I was cooking in the sun, although it was not too bad. See the links to other photo's of my graduation.


The other exciting news, as many of those who I have already contacted would know.... is that I am ENGAGED!!! On Monday the 8th October, I suprised Rebecca on our way home from Armidale to Nambucca Heads by proposing in the rainforest of Dorrigo!!! It was on a lookout overlooking the Belligen Valley and I dropped to one knee and asked her to marry me!!!! She was very excited, cried and blurted out an instant yes!! I have never been so nervous in my life... almost dropped the ring through the wooden slats of the lookout!! She loved the ring and can't stop looking at it!! We then got to spend three days up north of the state at Yamba (courtesy of a graduation present from Rebecca's parents). It was a fantastic break with my newly ringed (not really crowned...) finacee, and we enjoyed ourselves immensly eating fine food, driving through beautiful old towns and sugarcane country. I also saw a new species of bird for me: White-breasted Woodswallow, so I was pretty happy with the holiday on many fronts!!!

Anyway, keep your ear to the ground for more info regarding our upcoming wedding: at this stage it is pencilled in for the last weekend of September next year... We are seeing a civil marriage celebrant on Sunday so I will know more info then...

Two weeks holiday and graduation!

Tomorrow is my last day at work for two weeks!! This coming Monday (1st October) is Rebecca and my first year anniversary. As it is a public holiday, and my dad is arriving next Wednesday morning for my graduation on Friday, I decided I might as well take Tuesday off as well. I plan to show Dad around Armidale on the Wednesday and Thursday, including showing him some of my PhD field sites to the west of Armidale. Then on Friday I graduate!! YAY!! I get to wear a red cape and a big puffy hat!! I will then be hailed Dr Jarrad Cousin and all will kneel in my presence... BWAHAHAHAHA.... On the Saturday, I will take Dad to the amazing New England National Park on our way to Bec's house for Saturday night!! Then on Sunday, I drive back to Armidale as Dad leaves on Monday morning back to Perth!! he has to start work on Tuesday at 6am!!

As the week following graduation, I am taking that off to spend with Rebecca given that she has finished her 10 weeks of prac. We are going to Yamba (north coast) for 3 days to unwind and get away from everything. Can't wait. For those of you not familiar with this side of the country, I have included below a map showing the drive I undertake every weekend to Rebecca's place in Nambucca Heads. It is by far and away the most scenic drive I have ever driven in Australia, and therefore recommend it highly. It is not called "The Waterfall Way" for nothing, with MANY opportunities to see stunning waterfalls in deep gorges and along steep rainforest on the drive down Dorrigo mountain. I recently took some photos along the section from Nambucca Heads to Dorrigo... I will post them as soon as I can find my camera cord to get them off the camera (?).


I have also included this map below showing the location of Yamba in relation to Armidale, Nambucca Heads, Port Macquarie, Byron Bay, Brisbane etc etc. Do you know that Armidale is closer to Brisbane than Sydney!??? Note that I don't notate the location of Tamworth to the SW of Armidale.... because it sucks.... too many Acubra Hat wearing, tight jean wearing, yee haaing rednecks for my liking.... I will post pictures of my graduation and announce other things in my next post.................

Mmmmmmm.... blogging

To all those who read this... I have entered the magical world of blogging!! I am from Perth, Western Australia. I am however living in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia; approximately 3,955km (by road according to Google maps) from home.

Since leaving Perth in 2003, I have pledged on MANY occassions that I would keep in contact with friends and family in Perth in one form or another. However, being the busy (yeah maybe lazy, depending on your point of view) person that I am, I have rejected my friends throughout the years in this regard. As a method of attempting to redeem myself *on the ground grovelling miserably*, I will endevour to update this blog as often as possible (i.e., when something exciting happens, or I have something to rant about). In the next few days, I will attempt to contact you all to inform you of this blog... there is much exciting news coming soon, so please watch this space!!

My life is interesting... it's just I don't have enough time to share every aspect of it with you all!