Welcome back

Wow, almost 4 months without blogging. I think that's a record absence. I don't suppose anyone is reading anymore, but just in case you are, I'll move on to blogging about something other than my lack of blogging.

Katie asked me about a month back why I haven't been blogging. She sent me a text message with multiple choice answers. The main hindrance has been that I feel some some significant and personal things have happened in my life over the past few months, and it has been hard to blog without mentioning them, and it has been hard to know how to mention them on the blog.

For those reading from afar wanting a Melbourne update, some brief notes. I love this city, and it feels like home. Work is interesting and fulfilling, but it is too busy and the workplace culture encourages an ambitiousness I'm not comfortable with. What I miss most is my girlfriends. I have a good church where I have been welcomed into community, have found a small group, as well as the beginnings of interesting and satisfying friendships, a place to serve, and a love interest, Jonathan. One day if I'm brave I'll blog the story of how we met and got to know each other at church.

People keep asking me how I'm handling the Melbourne winter. Up until 2 weeks ago I was fine. It is definitely colder, but you go out better prepared. I hadn't felt the burden of the notorious Melbourne winter. However, what I'm realising now is that winter is much longer, and that's what's painful about it. While Sydney and Wollongong are getting sunshine and temperatures creeping into the 20s, Melbourne is still firmly stuck in the teens. The last few weeks have also been much wetter than the rest of winter. This comes as a great relief to Victorian farmers, but it is adding to my winter woes (which I do acknowledge is not important in the scheme of things). Everyone at work is complaining about cabin fever, as we all dash through the rain as quickly as possible from our house to our cars to our offices, and then at the end of the day, do it all in reverse. Apparently the coming weekend is supposed to be dry and not freezing, so I'm going to go OUTSIDE. Except on Sunday when I have to drive far to a suburb I've never heard of for work. But I'm going to take Friday and Monday off because I have a few days in lieu.

But for now, I will sleep.