365 bottles of blog on the wall...

One year ago today, I sat down to usher in this blog's virgin birth.

In a sad twist of fate, I appear to have moved full circle back into the unemployment queue after the most boring government department in the world* decided it would be best if I didn't come back anymore - apparently, they could tell my heart wasn't in it. On reflection, it's perhaps complimentary to realise I have so little interest in the intricasies of grain that I'm unable to even paint a vaguely aware expression on my face while spending hundreds of hours reading right wing newspaper forums paying invoices.

So here I am back in my room once more, gazing out the window and considering the last year of my life. In the most incredibly dorky way, it's like I can't even remember not having the web obsession that is blogging. For a pursuit that is relatively solitary in action, it has proved surprisingly rewarding. I've been entertained and amused by so many different people online, some of whom I'm pleased as punch to have made friends with in Real Life. Shout-outs must go to my Melbourne collective. Snaz, Jellyfish, Canoe, Munkey, Lili and Byron - I honestly feel my life is richer with you in it. Mskp, you are an utter delight. Similarly, fellow A-town dwellers Ilse, redcap and petstarr - here's to many more nights boozing on at Le Ex and contemplating Scoozi pizza...

For future friends, I'm very much looking forward to soon meeting Jabberwocky and Bekk. GBE, when I'm in Brisbane let's go and write fake book reviews at the local Dymocks. Steph, my next Sydney trip will have a section devoted entirely to you. There are lots of things I can say about you, but they all sound trite. I can only trust that you'll imagine the very best and triple it. Ms Fits - if I ever do see you on the street I might invite you to share a coffee with me and play some canasta. I warn you though that I'm desperately competitive when it comes to card games. So watch out. *narrows eyes into slits*

As for myself, I wonder if so very much has happened this year or if it just seems that way because I've got it filed away in bite sized chunks. Lord knows it's been an unusually bad luck year. I faced the requisite despair that accompanies leaving the gravy train of university life. In between spending depressing amounts of time in the welfare line at Centrelink, I was rejected for a number of jobs, embroiled in a dispute with Frankie magazine, watched an absolute truckful of television and joined the media throng at TV’s Night of Nights with the fruits of my Timmins family campaign.

As a result of a particularly flattering post, I engaged in an extended email flirtation with one Daniel Kitson and exercised poetic license in translating the exciting tale of being deported from Japan. I buckled to blogckage pressure once or twice and penned some memes.

Turning 25 ushered in not just feelings of inadequacy, but a new stage in my life that seemed to be characterised by sadness and the realities of adulthood. I had an abortion and dealt with a workmate’s attempted suicide. My beloved mother was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. I was sad for a very long time.

But the world as they say keeps turning and we continue to laugh and love. I made the somewhat dubious decision to move to New Blogger and wrote many posts about right wing message board commentors and the ill advised rantings of the Odious Ove. I travelled to Melbourne and spent time with the aforementioned lovely Melbourne gang. As Cassandra Mortmain might say, writing in the margins, "I love you, I love you, I love you".

So I sit at my desk in front of the window trying to ignore the faint odour of heat stricken rubbish wafting through the fly screen. Neko Case is being divine in the background and my bedroom is briefly clean. I think tomorrow I shall alphebetise my books.

If I could write every day and be paid for it, I think I should be very well pleased.




Strange.

A great sense of nostalgic melancholy has come over me - but I think it is nostalgia for a life I don't yet have rather than one I have lived.

Bright Eyes' "You will, you will, you will..." is playing. That probably doesn't help.

Some stats related to this blog's first year:

Real Life friends made through blogging: 10
Net friends made through blogging: Countless
Visits to the blog: 18,056
Number of people I've roped into the blogging lark: 3
Number of posts written (including this one): 124
Blogger who gives me most hope for the future: Jacob from Bent My Wookie. Dood is 17.
Blogger who consistently moves me: Jabberwocky


As for the year ahead, I look forward to spending some time with Mutti, reading lots of books, continuing the never ending search for jobs, tending to friendships, laughing, watching evermore television and writing, writing, writing.

Peace out (here's to another 365 days...)