We finally got a unit to rent at a reasonable rate, after about 6-7 months later than we first anticipated. I love this place and while it’s not the exact same standard as our last apartment, but it’s still great. We now have a garage (with no car to put in it 
), small kitchen, reasonable size dining/lounge room, large master bedroom and smaller bedroom (we’ll use as the study) both with built-in wardrobes, separate bathroom and toilet, and separate tub and shower in the bathroom.
The neat thing is is that, because it’s private rental, our landlord is a total relaxed dude. He doesn’t care what we do – we can have the cat, we can get cable TV installed, we can paint the bedrooms – it’s awesome!
Will post pictures once we move in (we start moving tomorrow). We’ll be without internet until at least Monday, and I’m away for the weekend, so it’ll be later next week sometime 
Sara of Sarasavestheworld.org is holding a contest where everyone wins! She is donating $20 to a charity of the contest winner’s choice. If I win, the money will go to Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia! Visit the contest page here if you want to enter too!
Even if I don’t win, Sara will make a link for my charity anyway!
From the Tourette.org.au website:
The Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia Inc. is a charitable association set up 1989 for the purpose of serving the needs of people with Tourette Syndrome in our community. Tourette Syndrome is a mainly hereditary, chronic neurological disorder characterised by involuntary vocalisations and body movements called ‘tics’. The TS Association provides education, information and support for its members and interested people throughout NSW. We run support groups and have resources available to explain this condition, which occurs as frequently as 1 in 200 people and is often misdiagnosed or misunderstood. The TS Association of Australia Inc. provides its services without funding and is run by volunteers with experience in the condition.
So it’s been about two and a half weeks since we got back from our break in Melbourne over Easter, which is madness because it seems to have gone sooo quickly. It was great to catch up with friends there, especially Manda since I hadn’t seen her since we moved back to Tassie (that’s about 9 months, people!). It was like we’d never been apart at all, it was excellent.
Anyway, I’ve been busy. I’ve finally got somewhat of a job – I’m doing a website for a local jewellers. Essentially I’ll be running their online side of things – they’ll have an online store and such, and I’m in charge of all that, so it’ll be an ongoing task. I’ll be paid monthly, and the owner of the business said there’s also the possibility of my earning a commission off sales from the website, which is AWESOME. It looks like things are finally starting to look up
Also, we’re looking at getting our own place – we looked at an apartment for rent yesterday, but it was far too small and there weren’t enough powerpoints for us geeky types. Hell, there wasn’t even space for a washing machine, and nowhere to put bathroom products, so we said no. We’re going to look at another place, which is a lot more money (an extra $55 a week) than the one we looked at, but it will hopefully be a lot better. We’ve worked it out and we could survive on Michael’s income alone, but with mine it should be a breeze.
We also got Guitar Hero World Tour! It’s so much fun – I love the drums, finally something I’m good at! We bought it with money that Michael made selling football cards on eBay. Which brings me to my next point – I’m thinking of starting up my jewellery making again – just little beaded things – and selling them on eBay, to bring in a little extra cash. Goodness knows we need as much as we can get right now. So I’m just looking into that now.
School has been highly unmotivating, and I’ve barely touched my work lately. If anyone knows anything about development methodologies, please get in touch with me because I can’t get my freakin’ head around it! (It’s website development, by the way).
Anyway, that’s enough for a quick update. I’ve been flat out otherwise – with this jeweller’s website, mostly, and since my mum’s been working afternoon shifts it’s meant I’ve had to cook for the family, which has been less than inspiring!
Have totally forgotten about Inspirata for a while – I have been focusing more on school, since I started that on the 24th March, and also on the spirituality side of things, so sorry about that.
I have applied for Youth Allowance (government assistance) whilst I’m studying, but it turns out I’m only eligible for $50 every 2 weeks because Michael earns too much – go figure. But I did put down a budget and worked out that if we were paying $130 a week rent (and there’s a place available for that right now), and adding in groceries, electricity, etc., we would be able to do it on his wage. If I were to get a part-time job, all the better.
Anyway, since talking about that kind of gets me a little antsy and irritable, I have also made my very first plans for celebrating Samhain this year. Samhain, for those of you who don’t know, is pronounced ‘Sow-ween’ and it is the Witches’ New Year, as well as a commemorative day of the departed, particularly those we have lost in the last 12 months. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is held on the 31st October (Halloween), but here in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s at the start of May. I will be going ‘camping’ (aka simply sleeping in a tent; there’ll be actual toilets and showers available) at a Pagan Alliance member’s house. It’s a fancy dress thing – gothic or emo dress – so I’m looking forward to that. What I’m not looking forward to is the drive down – it’s an almost 4 hour drive, which is a really long time to be sitting in a car, but I suppose it could be worse. But I’m really excited about that, since I’ve never been to an actual event for a Sabbat; I’ve only ever done my own thing.
We’re going to Melbourne for the Easter break (Friday 10th – Sun 12th) so I won’t be here then. Looking forward to catching up with my sister, my friends and Michael’s family.
Anyway, I think that pretty much catches you all up. Sorry if I don’t update here as often, since I’m doing school work too, I have to dedicate a lot of time to that.
Take care
