The year in review
Dec. 30th, 2009 08:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gemfyre2009 had an interesting beginning, I had what I could only define as a minor breakdown at the start of the year once the holidays ended. I got up, I got ready for work, about 5 minutes before I had to leave for work I sat down on the couch... and couldn't get up again. I couldn't stand the thought of going to work. I ended up telling my boss I had chicken pox (my nephew had had it over Christmas) and thus taking another 2 weeks off.
A year later and I'm still at the same job but I'm a little better planned now. I intend to quit in March (can't really afford to do it earlier) and then my savings should last me a month or so. I just hope I can find a new job, a better job and preferably one that pays better, but I've learned that sanity and decent pay cancel each other out. I won't be able to afford the time and money for my Broome trip. Again. But I should be able to manage a couple of weeks and maybe get to Kalbarri and/or Shark Bay. I NEED a driving holiday.
My newfound love of the Gotham/Batman universe continued and after seeing Terminator Salvation my teenage obsession with that franchise was rekindled and I quickly watched all of Sarah Connor Chronicles. Both have been the source of much mental amusement for me. I have also thoroughly enjoyed So You Think You Can Dance and am currently watching all the old seasons. I may not really be able to dance anymore myself, but I derive much pleasure from watching others dancing.
In April I went to my first Swancon and to my surprise I really enjoyed it. Next (this?) year I am going to the whole thing and staying in a hotel room with Matt. Let's hope 2010 Contaigion pleases just as much. I really need to get my butt in gear as far as a costume goes (need batarangs, escrima sticks and a wheelchair).
Swancon seemed to the beginning of a newer, more social me. I've always been an introvert and in the past not much liked parties because we'd always seem to go to large gatherings of people I didn't know well and stay too late and I'd just get exhausted and cranky. I've now discovered a group of people I am truly comfortable with and they don't exhaust me like a roomfull of mostly strangers does. Sure a lot of the people I've known for ages, but now I seem to have managed to surround myself with all the right people. There were weekly movie nights, trips to Mandurah for pizza and beach outings. It's all good! I now feel like I truly have friends, instead of a large bunch of acquaintances.
In June I got my car serviced before a trip to Mount Gibson and $700 later my brakes were 'fixed'. They weren't, the car had to go back because the part they installed was screwy and I didn't get the car back until 10am on the day I was to head off on my birding trip - much stress. Leaving Mount Gibson I discovered that the 'oily' smell that I'd first noticed just out of Perth on the way up was actually petrol and I had a leak. 1 hour of towing, a couple more hours of waiting for a Road Patrol guy to come from Wongan Hills to take 10 seconds to fix the problem.
All this was just too much. I looked at the prices of small 4WDs and after discussion with Mum and Dad and borrowing off Mum I bought myself a new (well 2004 model, but new for me) Daihatsu Terios (named Tessa). This is the first car I've chosen the model of and officially owned. I did all this while Matt was in Adelaide being looked after by his Mum and didn't tell him, until I led him to the car at the airport when I picked him up. He wasn't awfully surprised, but he does like the new wheels.
I seem to have started a trend. Not long after Kitty bought a car, then Angela. Cary bought a new Prius (and now also has a Pajero) A few months later J.P. had a 'mid-life crisis' and bought a Mazda MX-5. Oooerr. So we now all have shiny new wheels to tool around in.
We came close to buying a house of our own twice, but both times were knocked down when we realised that, even though our finances may be good enough to get a loan, as soon as we actually bought a house Centerlink would slash Matt's income, thus rendering us unable to properly pay off said loan. Yay. I'm kinda relieved about it. I have a new car and a new bedroom suite instead. We signed a new 12 month lease on this place and have possibly the best landowner and agent we've ever had. He recently had air-con installed for us which makes things MUCH more comfortable.
And after some deliberation, I have decided on my favourite song for the year - Kings Of Leon - Revelry.
A year later and I'm still at the same job but I'm a little better planned now. I intend to quit in March (can't really afford to do it earlier) and then my savings should last me a month or so. I just hope I can find a new job, a better job and preferably one that pays better, but I've learned that sanity and decent pay cancel each other out. I won't be able to afford the time and money for my Broome trip. Again. But I should be able to manage a couple of weeks and maybe get to Kalbarri and/or Shark Bay. I NEED a driving holiday.
My newfound love of the Gotham/Batman universe continued and after seeing Terminator Salvation my teenage obsession with that franchise was rekindled and I quickly watched all of Sarah Connor Chronicles. Both have been the source of much mental amusement for me. I have also thoroughly enjoyed So You Think You Can Dance and am currently watching all the old seasons. I may not really be able to dance anymore myself, but I derive much pleasure from watching others dancing.
In April I went to my first Swancon and to my surprise I really enjoyed it. Next (this?) year I am going to the whole thing and staying in a hotel room with Matt. Let's hope 2010 Contaigion pleases just as much. I really need to get my butt in gear as far as a costume goes (need batarangs, escrima sticks and a wheelchair).
Swancon seemed to the beginning of a newer, more social me. I've always been an introvert and in the past not much liked parties because we'd always seem to go to large gatherings of people I didn't know well and stay too late and I'd just get exhausted and cranky. I've now discovered a group of people I am truly comfortable with and they don't exhaust me like a roomfull of mostly strangers does. Sure a lot of the people I've known for ages, but now I seem to have managed to surround myself with all the right people. There were weekly movie nights, trips to Mandurah for pizza and beach outings. It's all good! I now feel like I truly have friends, instead of a large bunch of acquaintances.
In June I got my car serviced before a trip to Mount Gibson and $700 later my brakes were 'fixed'. They weren't, the car had to go back because the part they installed was screwy and I didn't get the car back until 10am on the day I was to head off on my birding trip - much stress. Leaving Mount Gibson I discovered that the 'oily' smell that I'd first noticed just out of Perth on the way up was actually petrol and I had a leak. 1 hour of towing, a couple more hours of waiting for a Road Patrol guy to come from Wongan Hills to take 10 seconds to fix the problem.
All this was just too much. I looked at the prices of small 4WDs and after discussion with Mum and Dad and borrowing off Mum I bought myself a new (well 2004 model, but new for me) Daihatsu Terios (named Tessa). This is the first car I've chosen the model of and officially owned. I did all this while Matt was in Adelaide being looked after by his Mum and didn't tell him, until I led him to the car at the airport when I picked him up. He wasn't awfully surprised, but he does like the new wheels.
I seem to have started a trend. Not long after Kitty bought a car, then Angela. Cary bought a new Prius (and now also has a Pajero) A few months later J.P. had a 'mid-life crisis' and bought a Mazda MX-5. Oooerr. So we now all have shiny new wheels to tool around in.
We came close to buying a house of our own twice, but both times were knocked down when we realised that, even though our finances may be good enough to get a loan, as soon as we actually bought a house Centerlink would slash Matt's income, thus rendering us unable to properly pay off said loan. Yay. I'm kinda relieved about it. I have a new car and a new bedroom suite instead. We signed a new 12 month lease on this place and have possibly the best landowner and agent we've ever had. He recently had air-con installed for us which makes things MUCH more comfortable.
And after some deliberation, I have decided on my favourite song for the year - Kings Of Leon - Revelry.
