tag I'm it! 20+ years of chosha

I secretly love getting tagged, perhaps because it hardly ever happens.

Sean's version is here.

20 years ago I:

1. Did accounts and reception for a small paint brush manufacturer.
2. Drove a '79 Toyota Corona (mustard).
3. Kept half my belongings in my car because I was never home.
4. Loved house music.
5. Had more guyfriends than girlfriends (before they all got married and weren't allowed to be friends with single women any more). Hey I'm not bitter. Much.

10 years ago I:

1. Was in the third year of my undergraduate degree (International Studies).
2. Worked as a research assistant to my favourite lecturer.
3. Drove a different '79 Toyota Corona (red).
4. Taught early morning seminary to 20 teenagers.
5. Was livid that the Howard coalition government had been re-elected.

5 years ago I:

1. Saw a LOT of live indies rock.
2. Found out that I had to leave Japan because the job I'd set up fell through. :(
3. Came to work in Canberra after getting a job here.
4. Spent heaps of money calling Tetchan in Seattle (the next year I discovered calling cards!)
5. Was disturbed by the start of the Iraq war, which I felt was unjust.

3 years ago I:

1. Started this blog!!
2. Finally started to make more friends in Canberra and settle in.
3. Often felt like I was living in some kind of limbo state.
4. Saw my brother. I mention that because I haven't seen him since.
5. Started making more time to be creative.

So far this year I:

1. Completed one semester of my Grad Dip in Professional Writing.
2. Formed a writers group with some friends from the course.
3. Endured and then evicted a terrible boarder who still owes me 100s of dollars.
4. Got to work on new projects that are much more chewy and interesting.
5. Am still driving the '84 Toyota Corona (sky blue) I bought in 2004 and likely to be until the wheels fall off.

Yesterday I:

1. Found out that UnpaidMermaid will be in Australia up to eight more weeks and really had a difficult time feeling sad about that, even though it's a hassle for her.
2. Missed another deadline for a poetry competition. Dammit.
3. Had a yummy fruit salad for lunch courtesy of the leftovers from the morning tea the social club held two hours before.
4. Saw six emerging comedians compete at the Irish Club. Three of them were funny. The others were (in order) lewd, angry and spent way too much time pausing to allow for audience laughter. Still, there were a lot of laughs to be had. Colin Lane hosted the night and he was great, if a little goofy. Next week's heat will be hosted by Corrine Grant and I'd love to see her, but that's the night I'm going to see the So You Think You Can Dance? Top Ten Tour. I'll probably see some of the weeks after that.
5. Got to sleep way too late.

Today I:

1. Spent some time with a friend whose father died later in the day. Sad.
2. Realised that I am totally not going to complete the draft of the paper I'm supposed to take to Melbourne on Monday. Hello weekend visit to the office.
3. Was a little comforted that my boss is in exactly the same predicament (so many other things need doing all at the same time we're both flat out like a lizard drinking this week).
4. Saw Get Smart with my friend Starman. As long as you're not expecting it to be like the original TV series, it's funny and sweet and there's even a little cool fighting. Anne Hathaway surprised me with some very slick moves. The Rock and Steve Carrell were both good, too.
5. Tried a tangelo for the first time. It was pretty much an orange.

Tomorrow I will:

1. Sleep in.
2. Work on a new design for my cafepress shop.
3. Go to work for a few hours.
4. Have dinner out to farewell one of my boarders. He is returning home to China.
5. Fit laundry and housework in around items 1-4.

In the next year I will:

1. Finish more of my grad dip.
2. Visit the US.
3. Finish a first draft of the novel that has been kicking around in my head and for which a brilliant ending suddenly came to me today. Now I just have to write the beginning and the middle. :)
4. Go home for Christmas.
5. Get promoted.