2006-01-12 - 7:05 p.m.

Things are kind of surreal at the moment. On one hand it's the beginning of a new year, and I'm about to begin a new job, and everything about the job I'm doing feels like tying up loose ends. Christmas came and went with the usual degree of hecticness (is that even a word?) And on the other hand... well on the other hand it's actually exactly the same. Endings and beginnings. Jane and I have a little over six weeks left physically together before we have to endure what will probably be one of the toughest years we'll ever have to face. It's a transition period but on the work front every day is one day closer and I like it that way- I'm excited about starting the new role. But every day closer to the beginning of March fills me with trepidation. Don't even let me start with the "if only Jane's job was this time next year". It wasn't, and we both knew she had to go. We both chose it- but I chose not to even try to follow her until next year. Apart from making the long distance thing work my number one focus has to be on my job this year, because that's the reason I chose to stay. Simplistic I know- because by choosing to stay I haven't had to find out whether I even had a choice. There might not have been anything over there for me. This way I can start looking now and if it takes a year for something to come up well, that's perfect timing.

Anyway, let's leave that for now. A couple of entries about the future, 5 or 6 about the past, what have I actually been up to recently?

New Year's Day was the hottest day that I can remember. Ever. I think it hit 46 degrees or something. New Year's Eve was only marginally better which meant that a lot of people bailed on the little gathering we had- the idea was to come by before whatever else you were doing, but nobody wanted to do that in the heat. Ironically there were probably people without plans who made some since we said we wouldn't be here at midnight.

We were though. Twelve hours drinking Sangria on our balcony in the heat. There at midnight were the usual suspects- Mark, Phoebe and Steve, as well as Meaghan from Uni and Brett from high school (who I hardly ever see anymore so it was cool that he came). My friend from work was there until about 8pm and Jane's friend from work and husband were there for a while. We christened our new barbecue (by cooking stuff on it, not like the washing machine...) which I'm happy enough with except I had to put it together myself and so it looks a bit Ikea (well, it was Bunnings actually). I can't wait until I have a place big enough for one of those $2000 barbecues. Actually I can- I'm happy with our apartment until we have kids to contend with and that' not in the 5 year plan.

So after midnight Jane actually went to bed, as did Phoebe; while Mark, Steve, Meaghan and I went to the townie (Brett went home). At the townie we met the lovely Cindy and Fordie, straight from the Townie. That's 5 out of 6 New Year's for Cindy and I (we met on New Year's 2000/01). We all got riotously drunk- or at least I know I did. I think Steve managed to upset Meaghan because she thought she had a chance with him and he did nothing to dispel that despite the fact that she's the wrong gender for him. Steve, Cindy and I ended up going to the Imperial where I said I wanted to see Steve pick up but apparently no-one was his type. We couldn't get back into the Townie because it was 4am, then Cindy went home, Steve and I caught the bus back to Marrickville Rd and somehow managed to crash a big party on a rooftop.

So thatwas New Year. I'll write more next time.

Thankfully we were home by about 6 or 7am before the heat kicked in (mainly because we didn't have any alcohol).

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