Change

It seems like heaps of things have changed in the last couple of months and I usually hate changes but life seems to be quite good at the moment. Our family moved into the apartment I bought (still unbelievable that I now have a mortgage I have to pay) and since we're closer to the city and Strathfield, I've been eating out a lot, staying out late and not worrying about how to get home. The apartment is still really messy atm and crowded with all our furniture but it feels like home already, and it's only been just over 2 weeks since we moved in.

My mum graduated from her bachelor of theology degree last Sat and had a ceremony then and will have another one at Sydney University this Sat so that was fantastic. She now understands how stressed Elisha and I get from studying for exams and doing assignments so we get a lot of sympathy now.

Workwise, I had a chat to my partner that I work closely with and she said that I was progressing well and that I was on track for a promotion and for going overseas to London or the US. I was really surprised because I'm really pessimistic when it comes to work and I think I do a bad job and that I don't know anything, so it was nice to find out that people thought I doing well and to just feel appreciated :)

I also feel a lot closer to my friends at the moment, probably because I've been going out so much! But it's been great bumping into Dre at the most random places and remembering our times in Korea, hanging out with Tim, Jo and Danny and reliving Thailand memories and having THE best night out, having lunches and (sometimes free) dinners with high school mates, going out and dancing and trying to find Rain with Korean friends, talking to Mr Lopez and Paula on the phone, and having quick D&Ms with people at work over coffees.

Another change is that someone asked me the other night if I was happy being single and after some thought, I answered in the affirmative. I'm now well into my third year of singledom and I'm very content with my life. Just after I became single and even while I was in relationships, the thought of a night without any plans to meet people frankly scared me! I just didn't want to be alone, but now I am comfortable being by myself and to spend a quiet night at home doing bugger all! Am I maturing or just turning old?

Finally, as a result of a cold, I lost 4 kilos over a month and am now the lightest I've been since 2003! yay! But I still can't fit into my fav pair of jeans. At least I can find some consolation in knowing they're size 6 jeans and I haven't been able to wear them since I was 21...

Pics from the past couple of months:

Sarah's Birthday Dinner

Tim's birthday & party

The Best Night EVER

Snow Patrol were awesome tonight, I'm still so pumped I can't sleep

Tim and I were right behind 14 year old girls who were on the railings, which was perfect because they were so short that it was like we were in the front row. The cutest thing was how every single guy from Snow Patrol couldn't stop grinning when they saw the huge crowd and when we were singing along with them, they were so amazed at how popular they were. So humble, it was really great to see. Although I don't usually like the Hordern (I think I saw Groove Armada, Good Charlotte and another band Matt paid me to see that I can't remember), the night was really worth it. My knees felt so sore afterwards though, I think I'm getting too old to be in the moshpit...

btw I became a solicitor/lawyer on Friday

and I have a fringe now. Still undecided as to whether I like it or not...

Ok. I think I do like it even though it makes me look older.

One and a half months into the new year and its given me no indication as to what the rest of the year is going to be like. So far, I had a great New Years Day, eased back into work for 2 weeks and didn't do much, citing the excuse that I was going on holidays in 2 weeks anyway, went to Thailand with Tim, Danny and Jo, ate lots of seafood and Thai there, got hives (or at least as Ken likes to call them HIV(es) at Maya Bay and Monkey Island, won Stacker (woohoo!), ate lots of lobster and got thrown into work as soon as I got back.

Also, my camera is no longer working and the quote to repair it is $300 :( Should I just buy a new one and give up my 3-4 year old Canon IXUS 400 that's been with me through thick and thin?

Recent pics:

Dong Won (Don Juan) came and visited from Korea and had got terribly drunk on his last night, it was hilarious. I think Lynzy, Tim and Lewis were a bit scared of him once he kept grabbing their hands and kissing them and telling them they were really good looking.

Pic from Ken's belated birthday drinks

Michelle's engagement party - she and Tim (in green behind us) looked so happy!

Ate lobster with Don Juan

Also bumped into Ash a couple of weeks ago which was a great surprise! It was awesome to see him again and even better to hear that he's engaged.

And finally, pics from Thailand - we started off in Phuket and went to Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan, Krabi, Ko Lanta, Ko Phi Phi and back to Karon beach (Phuket). Despite going with 3 guys, it was a great trip. Tim and I only fought about once a day surprisingly, all 4 of us were expecting more :)

Again, the only downside to the trip was getting hives, they were soooo itchy for about 2 days and I still bear the scars/marks from them. I've been told it can take up to 3 months for the marks to go away :(

It was also a time for many firsts: first time eating lobster, first time driving a manual motorbike/scooter, first time getting a proper massage that hurt for the next 2 days, first time getting a pedicure, first time sleeping in the same bed as Danny, first time drinking alcohol from a bucket...no wait, I've done that before, first time spending a night on an overnight boat, first time getting hives. It was definitely a trip I'll never forget!

Beaches

Nightlife

Lots of travelling around

Accommodation

Yummy - my first lobster

And finally, the hives

Pics from NYE

9pm Watching fireworks at Tim's apartment, drinking aloe to start off easy

Danny, Jo, Ken, Lewdude 

George St

10pm Clubbing at Pumphouse with free* drinks all night! (*free as in we had to pay $100 to get in, and then it was free drinks and supposedly free food all night but apart from 2 trays of sandwiches and a tray of cold meat pies, we never saw any other food emerge despite us sitting hopefully next to the kitchen)

Chrissy, Gav, me

Chrissy, Tim trying to squeeze into the pic, Danny, Sarz

Miriam & Nance

Hahn Ice, Ken, JD, Lynzy, Jo

Danny, Tim, Ken 

Me, Gav and scary old guy 

At the end of the night 

With Stu the coppa

Eating the Big Breakfast at Starcity

Tim doing the Kwokroach - a classis Timbo moment

Waiting at the bus stop for the bus that never came

The morning after - Lynzy's apartment

Eating breakfast at 2pm on New Years Day

Thanks to everyone for making NYE such a spectacular night and a great way to start off 2007!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!