another year over

This year was a decided improvement on 2008, but I still think next year can be even better.

This year, I moved home and got two major bills completely paid off before moving back to Bathurst in a cosy little flat. I got decent marks at uni, better than I had expected. I've also got nearly all my driving hours needed to go for my license, visited my family a few times, rekindled a couple of close friendships and found contentment.

Next year will definately be an improvement on this year: I'll get my driver's license, Kyle will be over here with me for a couple of months, I'll (hopefully) get casual or part-time work to supplement my study, more nights out with the girls, possibly a good friend getting married... the list goes on. Next year will bring happiness for me and my friends.

New Year's resolutions? Hmm...

• learn another language (Japanese, Italian or Irish Gaelic)
• keep up the good uni grades
• finish my book
• get a passport
• lose a bit of weight
• not get too upset if none of the above happens

So there you have it, 2010 will be awesome for me and hopefully everyone else too.

happy

I haven't felt so happy and fulfilled in a long time. Even though I'm still stressed about not having work yet, and the prospect of eventually doing my driver's test scares the hell out of me, it isn't bringing me down as much as I thought it would.

For starters, I have Kyle. I have his trip to Australia in May next year to look forward to, and provided I have work I have my trip to see him around this time next year as well. He's caring, he makes me laugh, and I can talk to him for hours. I can't help but care for him too, and am pretty much counting down till I can give him a massive hug.

There's also the little miracle of my improved relationship with my mum. Yes, I still find her a bit embarrassing at times, but most people feel that way about their parents. In the last couple of months my mum has really shown she cares and is concerned for me, and we've really enjoyed each others' company. Visiting home in small doses is the key!

I think that finally acknowledging my religion out in the open has contributed. It's out there for anyone who wants to know now. Plus, my beliefs encourage "harm none", positive thinking and intention, and generally living a good life. I feel like I can finally open up to my faith and actually live it. I don't feel forced into anything.

Besides that, watching season 9 of Stargate SG-1 for the umpteenth time is pretty good for my mood.

Faith

I have been struggling a lot for awhile now with my faith. I have had Christianity in various forms force-fed to me my whole life, and it really didn't feel right. I tried, mainly for the sake of my family and friends. To be honest with you, that's not a good enough reason to believe in something, to invest so much of yourself into.

I started to question my religion a few years ago now, and I've felt kind of lost ever since. Well, really I felt a bit lost before that too. I read books, essays, the Bible, talked to many people... and nothing. I felt nothing.

Then I read something about Celtic Reconstructionism, and it somehow just resonated with me. I don't pretend to know everything about the Goddess Journey or Druidism, or even Wicca, but I do know that most people's journeys on the pagan path are unique and personal. This just felt like I should look into it more.

This isn't something I'm taking lightly, believe me. My family and most of my friends probably won't accept it either. Faith is a very personal aspect of one's life, but in my experience what I believe in is only ok if it is considered to be in line with Christianity.

I have nothing against Christianity or any other religion, all I know is that they didn't resonate with me. Instead I've chosen to explore a more personal and unique Goddess-centered belief, and I may end up being ostracized for it.

Accepting and acknowledging my faith is freedom, even if it comes at a cost.

And I won't force my beliefs on anyone.

P's equal degrees baby!

I passed accounting! Finally, I can move on... to the next accounting subject.

But in brighter news, I got a credit for business law, and a distinction for IT! So relieved, so happy, no summer course for me! Hehe. It also means I passed that open book law exam, so I'm not such a dumbass after all.

This means I can focus on getting a casual or part time job before uni starts back on March 1st. Wish me luck!

I managed to get in contact with one of my potential cover artists, she's been very helpful so far, and I should be able to afford art from her after New Year. It's exciting, it just means I need to write a lot more.

Again, wish me luck!

jobs jobs jobs

I miss working. I miss earning my own money. I miss the feeling of self-sufficiency that comes from being out on your own, working to keep yourself in a home, with food on the table.

I've been applying for jobs, but I've only had one interview since I've been back in Bathurst (I totally choked). I'll admit I've been getting pretty down on myself about it all. I know I'm studying, but that's a poor excuse really. So hopefully I get another interview or two soon. And I'll try my very best not to choke this time.

I need to get writing again as well. I have a couple of ideas but am still finding it hard to put them into words. I am aiming to publish sometime next year, but I need to get some money together before I can commission cover art and publish. I have two possible artists in mind, and I wouldn't mind commissioning art from both either.

Actually, I need to get in touch with them both to find out prices and timeframes. Eh. Fingers crossed this all works!

internet filter = epic fail

The Government's internet filter legislation has been given the green light, despite objections from everywhere I look.

According to StephenConroy, the point of the filter is to ensure the safety of all Australians, particularly children, from material deemed unacceptable for society. Aren't most children supervised when accessing the internet? And what exactly is unacceptable? I understand that pornographic images would be classified as such, but what about things like religious beliefs? Extremist sites are deemed unacceptable, but how long will it take for other sites that disagree with Christianity to become blacklisted? How long before political commentary that opposes government policy is added to the list? Honestly, if you're going to open up this can of worms, there's no telling where it will end.

Minister Conroy says that the filter is 100% accurate. I laughed. Innocent sites have already been blacklisted in the trial, and IRC channels and peer-to-peer clients remain unaffected by the filter. If that's full accuracy I'm absolutely dying to see what 50% looks like. It's an absurd claim.

Is this just a ploy to gain censorship power by the Government? Many would say yes, myself included. Apparently I am not a responsible enough person not to access sites that would scar me for life or be deemed criminal. Apparently no Australian is. Will it turn out a few years from now that my blog will be blacklisted for speaking out against the filter? Possibly. Many fear that Australia is slowly turning away from democracy and becoming a police state. Maybe it is.

I'm all for ridding Australia of child pornography, it is vile and is all about the torture and victimisation of kids. But surely the filter can target only these type of sites? And what good is a filter that doesn't stop file sharing clients and IRC channels?

All I know for sure is that I wholeheartedly object to the filter, but whether or not my opinion and the opinions of so many others makes a difference is yet to be seen.

Twitter-bug

I'm well and truly bitten by the Twitter-bug.

I started using Twitter as a way to keep in touch with some of my online friends, meet new poets and artists, and to shamelessly advertise my blog. Now though, I love Twitter for a whole new reason.

Celebrities who tweet back.

I have become a fangirly girl.

A couple of months ago, Simone Simons (of the dutch metal band Epica) tweeted about a corset she modelled. I happen to have a love of corsets, so I naturally took a peek. It was stunning, and she looked stunning it so I tweeted her to let her know. Imagine my surprise when I received a tweet back! Admittedly, all it said was how to enter a comp to win the corset, but still, I was thrilled. One of my idols actually acknowledged the post I sent her.

I was on a high for awhile after that, hehe.

Now, last night was the free-to-air premiere of Stargate Universe in Australia. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the character of Eli Wallace (played by David Blue). I mentioned David in a post about it, and when I woke up this morning I had a reply: aw. Thanks!

I find it refreshing that an actor with nearly 100,000 followers takes the time to reply to the people who tweeted him. Plus he was just so darned polite about it! He well and truly has a new fan now.

Twitter isn't evil, and it certainly doesn't need to be about every little aspect of your life. Most celebs simply use it as a medium to keep in touch with their fans and make them feel involved. So screw you Miley.

Too harsh? :P

Follow me on Twitter, I'm not nearly as opinionated there as I am here: @SkybieMack