This week has been a really big week in a lot of ways. There have been many ups and downs in our lives these past couple of weeks. Firstly, I worked out that life is too short to work in retail if you absolutely hate it, so I answered job ads for various other positions in administration. I was feeling a little depressed that I didn't get the job I really wanted (which was an opportunity to work for a not-for-profit organisation, the ultimate punch-in-the-gonads to the retail industry) when suddenly my phone rang and the company in question invited me back for a different position. Later that afternoon, thanks to a glowing review from one of my previous bosses at a not-for-profit organisation, I got the job! Hallelujah. I start on January 24.
Another piece of fantastic news is that Joe is coming to visit! We have booked tickets, and he will arrive in Australia on 11 February 2011. We're going to stay in Sydney for a few days, and possibly visit my folks in Tasmania. We have so many exciting things that we're going to get up to, but by far, the best thing will be just hanging out together and being able really take a step forward in our relationship together. Another really great thing is that my new job is allowing me some time off to spend with Joe, as Joe's trip was booked before I got the new position.
I'd love to make a really huge song-and-dance about Joe's visit (because I am so excited, I cannot begin to tell you), but it's not appropriate on this very day, because yesterday, my beautiful Joey lost his best friend, Armand, to a very sudden illness. I cannot begin to imagine how Joe feels about that, as I have never lost a close friend to death before. From my point of view, I think that Armand is the most important friend that Joe has had over the past year, and the loss must be truly terrible. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Armand over Skype one night when he was meeting up with Joe to go a movie (no notice from Joe, either - I was in my pyjamas, and my hair looked like a wind-blown haystack), and he seemed like a really great friend to Joe. Massive kudos to him for supporting this unconventional-but-not-unheard-of relationship that Joe and I share. Joe has written a truly moving blog post about Armand, and I'd like to encourage you to read it. It has certainly made me reflect on how short life is, and how we must embrace every opportunity to love one another and share in our happiness.
So! The quiche.
