When I first got the email from Joel Strickland, I thought I misread it. Or he sent it to the wrong person. Luckily, he also cc'd JD on the email and he was downstairs reading at the same time. I checked my calendar before I joined JD on the couch. Next thing we know, we're booking flights to Brisbane, Australia. And, yes, it happened just like that. My life? IT'S RANDOM.

I've been asked to speak at the Australian Institute of Professional Photography's Hair of the Dog Conference. I'll be giving the keynote on Monday, February 7, 2011 and I'd be honored to meet you there.

As I've said many times before, Australia holds a special place in my heart, a dreamworld of sorts. It's a country that's captivated my childhood dreams and to go in a professional capacity is, literally, beyond my wildest dreams. JD and I taught in Sydney earlier this year, so I revisited some of the photos I took and found this little photo taken at Manly Beach…

I suspect I didn't edit it before because it looks like we're mad at each other. We're not. The photo is a composite of two photographs since we didn't get very many photos of us together. If I remember correctly, it was a lonnnnnnng day, we just finished dinner (Thai), waited in line for Ben&Jerry's ice cream, and walked along the ocean at night. And look at the blue shopping bag…if that doesn't scream TOURIST, I don't know what does.

Dear Australia, please get your blue plastic bags ready…I'm coming back!