A great weekend

I went to Ivy's second birthday party today and it was a lot of fun watching the kids playing and eating party food. I hung out with Andi's brother Matt a bit and talked to Anne [Frenchy's mum] and Barbara [Andi and Matt's mum] and helped put the party food out and packed it up. Matt and I had to go and get the birthday cake from their house and on the drive we talked about what we were up to lately and I mentioned about needing work. He works for a courier place where they drive things around and said I could probably get work there. I'm not sure if I want to go all the way to Coles Bay or even further to Cradle Mountain for work anymore. I think once I got there [if I get offered a position] I would love it, but I kind of feel like things are up in the air, what with me deciding about Sydney and going over for a visit, there being another seminar there in September [Graduate Options], and little things I'd want to attend but then again I'd be able to get time off. My aunts are coming down from the UK just before Christmas till mid January so I want to be able to get back and visit them. It would be easier if I worked here to see them more often.

Another great thing about the Coles Bay/Cradle Mountain job would be the getting fit aspect. I wouldn't have a great deal to do up there apart from work and exercise [I think] so that would be good. I would like to work in Hobart though so I can't quite decide. It's been nice having my freedom but I don't need to go away to get more. I have been being social and I'm liking getting to know my strengths again. I wouldn't mind doing courier work. It would be something different and I already know how to drive, which seems to be the only prerequisite, and I need work. I need to get out of the house and do something, make some money. Then I won't feel so crap about not getting any shifts at thebeach. I don't want to get more work there, maybe 3 shifts a week, but I want full-time day-time work to keep me occupied. I want to make money for next year wherever it may take me and to feel satisfied. It will happen, whether with the Federal Group or with a bookstore or with Matt's courier job. Something will turn up in the next week. I hope I find out soon about the Federal Group job so I can start planning my movements.

I'm really excited about Sydney. I think once I'm there I'll feel a bit nervous about being alone and because I'm starting my future by myself but the nervousness will pass extremely fast. I have everything planned [which I am very proud of] so I won't be bored and I will be able to explore the city where I am hopefully going to be spending a lot of time next year. I hope I will be good enough to do a Masters degree, which is something I will find out next weekend. It's coming up close! I will have at least $400 spending money and a little bit will arrive on Wednesday but I'm not expecting much as I will only have worked 2 shifts this week [Monday and Sunday, being tonight]. I wonder what hours I will get for next week as I can only to Monday to Thursday. Monday at 2pm I have the meeting with the curator of the Maritime Museum to look forward to and am hoping for a visit to Etta with Sarah on Tuesday.

I graduated yesterday! I was so much fun and I feel so proud of myself. I never really took the time to celebrate once I finished my last BA unit in Summer School as it was leading into the BSW so it was really nice to celebrate then. It was a great ceremony. I got to wear the gown and hat and took a few photos on my phone which I will put on here. It's fantastic. Now I'm an alumni! I feel special. I want to do more ceremonies once I'm done with all my Sydney coursework as James missed out on his and Sarah probably won't have one. I'm the only one who will. So here are the photos.

Dad took a few photos on mum's digital camera but the battery died so these are from my new phone. They aren't that bad! I think they do the job. The quality might not win awards but it's definitely better than my old phone. There is a picture from mum's camera of the stage and everyone sitting down so I might post that later. I am so glad I did the ceremony. It was such a great experience. My friends Andi and Jessi came along with my parents and my sister, who had to leave early to go to work. She saw me walk across the stage though and get my certificate. I loved that bit. I was so stoked and tuned everything around me out. I felt a little light-headed but so proud. I can't wait to do it again for a more prestigious degree. What a great weekend.

My Graduation day

Today is my Graduation day and I am quite excited about it. I will have my immediate family and 2 closest friends with me I think it will feel so awesome wearing the cap and gown, taking pictures with my family and friends, and getting the Testamur. I can't wait to frame it. I went a little crazy getting 4 of the same frame just so I can frame any other important certificates I get in the same frame. That's me. It'll be such a fun experience.

Last night I hung out with Andi and my sister and one of her flat mates Nicole. Andi and I went to the Barn Market to visit Holly and we had a wander, got our photo taken from the party booth, then went to the Queens Head pub for a drink before going to Cool Thai for dinner. Then we picked my sister up from work, went back to hers for a bit, then Andi and I went to the Alley Cat first for James' SNERT gig. I really enjoyed myself, especially hanging out with Andi like that. I miss the College going out freedom we had. We take what we can get though.

Tonight we might go for a drink somewhere or have some food after the ceremony. Mum and dad are going to my uncle Richard and his partner Lyn's place for dinner and Sarah has to go to work so it'll just be me and Andi and Jessi. We might have Cool Thai or a drink first. I don't want a bit night again as I'm still not feeling right, and I am going to Andi's daughter Ivy's second birthday party on Sunday from 11-1, then I have work at 5. I'm happy for some dinner and chats. That will do me fine.

Today I feel updateable

I have to organise my trip to Sydney soon. I might do it tonight by starting with all the activities I want to do on the Saturday at the Uni Open Day including all the times I can see the accommodation. There will be activities I won't know about until I'm there but I can plan for some things. I also want to write a list of all the places I want to see while I'm in the city, like the malls and museums and parks. I think Sunday might be museums and parks day. I have Friday from lunch time to get to my backpackers and maybe I can go shopping then and find some places to eat. I will probably get yogurt for breakfast on the Saturday while waiting for a bus to the Uni, which reminds me that on Friday I will have to go in search of the bus stop I'm to take. I can even grab some bus timetables and things like that. There is a lot to plan so that is my mission tonight.

I've been reading a book for the last few days since Sunday and I'm really proud of myself for sticking with it and not watching as much TV. It's one that blogger Danielle from Sometimes Sweet recommended and I bought off the Book Depository. It's called "The Opposite of Me" by Sarah Pekkanen and has been a great read so far. I've almost finished it and am excited to move onto the next book, one I bought for $5 a month ago. It's about philosophy. It's nice that I'm getting myself out of the TV series habit/crutch and doing something more worthwhile. Reading is good and I need to keep it up. I feel guilty when I watch too many episodes and I'm glad this week I have stopped. I watched a movie last night, "Porco Rosso" by Hayao Miayazaki, and it was nice. I really liked it and it's different to an episode. I want to stop wasting my time so much. It's my challenge. I also want to stop being lazy and organise my room and life more. I hope I get the Coles Bay job but if I don't I'll apply at the bookstores again. Working a lot will help with the laziness and help me prepare for Sydney next year.

I also have to get back into the swing of fitness. I went for a walk with the dog yesterday and am about to go with mum. I hate my lower half figure. My tummy is also included in this. My top third is fine, nice and slim, but it's the bottom thirds that suck. Arr. I want to lose 10 kilograms but I don't know how. I have to eat less. Being sick hasn't helped. I have to start going back to the gym. I'll talk to Emma about it tomorrow at Onba and maybe organise to meet her there for some sessions after she's done with work. More fun that way.

My graduation is coming up on the weekend. I have to collect my gown and hat and hood that day [Saturday], then get my sister to do something with my hair, then get back to the Uni and stay there for an hour or so before the ceremony starts. I don't know what I'll wear underneath. I assume the gown will be fairly long but will show shoes. I might have to get some nice flats or just wear my Volleys or Converse shoes. I'll wear stockings and a skirt underneath as usual but it's the shoes I'm wondering about. I'll get it sorted.

I'm going into town today to get an x-ray for my wisdom teeth for my dentist. I went there last Friday and have to have 6 cavities filled in 2 sittings. I'm going this Friday at 2pm and the Friday in a fortnight after as the one in between is when I'll be heading to Sydney. They will have to stick needles in me to numb me which I'm not looking forward to. I don't like going there and having things in my mouth only because my gag reflex is sensitive. I don't mind the pain as such but I'll be happy for it to be over and done with. It'll cost over $800 for all 6 cavities, which mum and dad will front the money for, and I also have to pay for my car's service. It's been making funny noises lately and has to have some work done on it. It's there today so hopefully the bill isn't too high. I worked for 4 days last week so I'll be getting a big pay as I did some long hours so hopefully that will be enough to cover the car service as well as having some left for Sydney. We will see.

Off for that walk now! Prepared to be worn out and puffing.

Graduation

I'm going to be graduating from the University of Tasmania on Saturday the 21st of August this year for my Bachelor of Arts and today I got 3 tickets for my friends Andi, Jessi and Sophie. I'll be getting 3 tickets automatically for my mum, dad and sister when I pick up my gown and hat on the day. It's going to be such a great experience and I'll get a certificate and get to have pictures of me in the hat and gown with my family. James and George are going to meet us after the ceremony for some pictures. Hopefully I'll be able to get people to have some drinks with me afterwards.

I'm going to go and get a frame from Big W soon. When I went there to get a frame for something I printed out for baby Etta I saw this great black one with a gold strip and I want to get 4 of those, 1 for the Bachelor of Arts, and 3 for the museum studies courses I am planning to do at the University of Sydney in 2 years. I'll be doing 3 postgraduate courses -- the graduate certificate, graduate diploma and masters -- and mum and I assume I'll get a certificate for each so I may as well get the same frame now while they're only $10 each. Things might change but I'm hoping I get to do these courses and I would love for the certificates to be in the same frames so I may as well act now. I hope they have more there. I think there weren't enough there when I went by the other day. Fingers crossed.

This is going to be such a memorable experience. I'm excited about it. It's not that far away now. The pictures with family will be great, as well as doing the classic hand shake with the person in power wearing all the gear. I wonder what I'll wear under the gown. I might wear my black stockings with my converse shoes and a skirt underneath. Hmm. I might get my sister to curl my hair too. Might be nice. It's something to think about. It's definitely a nice way to commemorate having finished a degree at Uni.