I had one day in Sydney yesterday before I had to be back in Melbourne. It was a good day, filled with interesting conversations and beautiful connections with precious people that I love very much. Not to mention I got to watch Transformers again. I have to say that the projector at commie house rocks.

I had a conversation with a friend and she sent me this. So beautiful and encouraging.  

Gradually, the deep ambiguity of human life was turned from a burdensome into a freeing mystery. Freed from my energetic desire to constantly “get it” and “keep it together,” I could genuinely allow God to work in and through my abjections, not to make them better or neaten them up, but to allow me to be more compassionate, to judge others less, to serve them better.

“The Season of Parties.” As you can see I am completely avoiding stereotypes by using that phrase but this weekend I have been to two parties aswell as a Jazz gig. So not to be that blogger that just blogs about all the fun stuff they are doing, that is what I am going to do. Staff Christmas party on Friday night with vegetarian lasagna and great conversation and free drinks that I did not go overboard with. As part of the night they read out memorandums for us all about why we should be fired. It was very funny. One of my closest friends here got “next time you kick someone out of the van for being degrading towards women do it more than 10metres away from a strip club.” The saturday night a friend had a pink party and we all got dresses up and looked very spunky in our pink outfits. Karaoke was the entertainment for some of that evening. I represented and had a go. Everyone loves people for having a go even if they can’t sing particularly well. Then tonight after a lovely church service we headed to this Jazz club down one of Melbourne’s laneways. It was very Melbourne and pretty great music.

Unfortunately I was robbed on Sunday night and lost my computer and my beautiful dusty pink camera. I felt really invaded and really frustrasted at my loss and have been praying to God to heal my bitterness, which seems to be working mostly. It was lucky that I had a great day Monday helping a 32year old friend enrol to do year 11 and going the Opera. I love the Opera it was an amazing experience. There were moments during it that I felt high. I am glad I finally know what all the fuss about the Opera is but it is annoying because now I want to spend lots of money going to the Opera. Urban Seed were donated these tickets so me and some staff and some Credo punters went along. It was great to go with such a diverse group of people. One of the guys who came loves dressing in women’s skirts so he was having a great time all dressed up for the Opera.  

So I guess you are all wondering what is happening down here in Melbourne. Well atleast I hope your wondering. It has been ages since I have blogged. Very busy here. I am working late nights at a new waitressing job in St Kilda. The restaurant has gorgeous views of the water. Last night I finished at 2:30 in the morning. Then there is Credo to run, Christmas and farewells to organise and people to accommodate. One of the guys I am closest to here recently had to leave the tiny flat he was sharing with 2 other people because I guess the crampness of the place made tensions fly. He has been staying with me and the other residents a bit. It is really tough finding cheap accommodation here in Melbourne. Lucky there is this guy called John Williams who is able to give him a place on the 22nd of December. John Williams invests in properties and turns them into community houses and lets people in without bonds and the rent he charges is really cheap. We know a few people who live in his houses. The deal is you can not drink and do drugs and the community meals should be attended regularly. I love John Williams and just pray that God raises up more people like him to cope with the housing crises for poor people in Australia.