2007-01-17 - 12:53 p.m.

So here we are, already more than 2 weeks into 2007. My initial commitment/ agreement to my boss, myself and Jo regarding my job (that is, to stay there at least 1 year) is more or less finished, and now the pressure is on to try to deliver on my other commitment- to join Jo over in the US for 2 years. I'm not even going to start going into my thought processes there- I want to catch up on the last couple of months first- but this year is going to be an even more difficult one for the long distance relationship, as our plans for the year aren't concrete and the ball really is in my court. Wow, that was a lot of cliches in one sentence!

A week ago (10/1) I saw Jo off at the airport again. It was a jam-packed two-and-a-half weeks that saw us rarely spend a realxed night at home. As usual within a few hours of her getting here, it just felt like she'd always been here. That really doesn't help the part of my brain that just wants to see out this next year with us in different places and then have Jo come back so we can enjoy living in our apartment here again and start thinking more about "the future". That line of thought isn't fair on Jo- she's doing really well over there but she needs me there to complete the picture. You could say the same about me over here but we have that to return to afterwards. That's why it's hard to think of the move over there as thinking about our future long term. For me it's not about a career move, it's about being with her over there, and experiencing that. But when it comes time to think more about the other "future"- marriage and kids and all that jazz- I want us to be back here for that.

So much for not going through any of my thought processes.

Anyway, after a couple of weeks more or less doing my manager's job while Jo was here, work is back to normal (for better or for worse, but that too is another entry!), Jo and I are back in long distance mode, I'm trying to keep myself busy without drinking or spending too much, trying not to sleep in too much on my afternoon shifts or days off (although last Thursday-Friday-Saturday I needed the sleep in after the hectic schedule Jo and I were keeping). Last Wednesday I worked an afternoon shift after taking Jo to the airport, and ended up drinking with Kellee at the Townie and the Sly Fox after work, as if almost to symbolise the transition from Jo being here to not.

Thursday truly was the nothing day I needed- I think all I did all day was go down to the shop for some parmesan cheese, as I had all the other ingredients for pesto. Friday was a bit of a cleaning up day, with some grocery shopping slotted in there. It was supposed to be a night of doing nothing but I ended up going up to the Townie with Steve and Mark- I guess having nothing planned is just as much about being able to make last minute decisions as it is about doing nothing.

Saturday (we're up to 13/1 now) I pretty much hosted a work lunch in Cronulla for a guy that was retiring after 28 years. I'd passed the acting manager baton on half a week earlier, but my successor was unavailable, as was my actual boss, his boss and the only other person that had a corporate credit card. So I had to put the company contribution on my own personal card, and will have to learn how to get my money back later. Nathan went along to lunch as well, and I ended up going with him straight from lunch to his friend Daniela's house, en route to mini golf, which was pretty fun (I got 3 hole-in-ones :) and then it was home to play with my BBQ, which I've vowed to do a lot more just for myself (rather than having to have a party).

Anyway, I've got to go to work- I'll continue with the updating in my next entry.

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