I'm suffering from Internet withdrawal now, I just feel bored and restless and want to check my email but can't. It's not too hot, but it's very still and that makes it annoying. I'm hoping for rain, but not expecting any.
I slept on and off last night, and finally got up at about 10:30 am when most of the others were up and opening their presents. I forgot to bring my dressing gown home, so I wore the one I was given in Year 8. Suffice to say it had shrunk a lot and not long after I sat down at the breakfast table, Mum suggested I go put on a shirt which I did. Guess she thought I was being too provocative, or just didn't think I thought anything was showing.
So did the family Xmas type thing, and it was Ok. After the opening had been finished, I took some stuff out to my shed, but dallied out in the sun for too long and my face has been red for the rest of the day. The closer I get to the end of my Roaccutane treatment, the more I want it to be over already.
Mum did the usual Xmas lunch, and after that most people went for an afternoon nap. What is most annoying is the feeling of claustrophobia because the rooms and ceiling are smaller and lower than at University where I spend about 50 weeks out of the year. And I can't go anywhere during the day because I will get fried, and during the night eaten by mosquitoes. And being Xmas, there certainly isn't anything on TV.
So, not much after that, just sitting around and doing very little. The Roaccutane as I said is really bugging me more now than ever before. I really want to get my hair done too, just to improve my appearance by killing these straggly hairs which make my head look weird.

9:15 pm - *Yawn* So that's what I've been doing all day, having naps. It is also much cooler and nicer, so this is fine. God lord, I'm so bored, and neither can I think of anything to write about.
Oh yeah, I'm currently in a bit of a bind as to accommodation for next year. Moving out will be much more expensive than staying at John's, not to mention more inconvenient. However, I can only stay on until June/July and then we are forcibly made to take on a catered position. The only problem is that were I to move out in June/July, the rental market would be much smaller, and finding a place much harder. However, I suppose the money saved might allow me to look at a better place, or perhaps the option of a house-mate might turn up. After some calculations, even if I found a place with the same rent, the rates and extra bills would probably start to eat me alive. Currently my accommodation bill is $6000 a year. Moving out would knock that up to (with estimates) about the same for 6 months! Ouch. Moving out in that case, only becomes viable with a house-mate unfortunately, and the money spent on living alone is money not spent on things like electrolysis. This isn't a terrible bind, but it's annoying. One fortunate thing is that the people who I dislike who were also starting when I got there have mostly all left at the end of 1999, so I shouldn't have too badly hassled. Money, money, money is the root of all hassles. I need to save it where possible, and the biggest cost is rent. Sorry if I'm laboring this point, but this helps me to think it out. About 2/5ths of my income goes on rent, that could well blow out to 2/3rds. However, either way it looks like I'm going to be shelling out over half my income come June/July regardless. Bugger, life was going along relatively cheaply there for quite a while. Oh well, at least I have 6 months grace I guess. That will take me through to about the end of the third year of my Ph.D., and hopefully I would only have to stay an extra 6 to 8 months which would take me through to about Xmas of 2000. I would very definitely like to be finished before I turn 26.
Just chatting to Mum and doing more calculations. Anyway that I cut the pie I'm going to be spending about twice as much on accommodation in the second half of the year. However, even with the cost of the big room, it is cheaper by about $1000 to stay at John's, and that's 40 hours worth of zap time.
I think that I may have been lured into the mind-set of John's is bad, moving out good. That only works when you have people to move out with though. From a purely economical viewpoint, it is cheaper for me to stay than to move out. From a practical viewpoint, it is more convenient and cheaper for me to get to my work on bike from John's than any other possible place, and Peta did suggest to look for convenience over a small increase in cost. From a social perspective it's easier too, being walking distance to the city and to (stifles laughter) Heather's. I haven't yet considered the possibility of demonstrator work to supplement my income, but whether the class lecturers can handle my new ways to put me on as a demonstrator remain to be seen.
I think it looks like therefore, that this will be a year spent at John's, hopefully culminating in me leaving the ANU forever perhaps at the end of 2000.

12:10 am – Well, another Xmas gone and done with. Reading what I wrote last year shows that each Xmas is pretty much like the others which to me is fine. One day, one of us will not be able to make it back, and that will be sad. I was chatting to Mum tonight, mainly about accommodation options for next year, didn't wish to talk about other things, because I didn't know who else was within ear-shot.
What should I say if I do decide to say anything? "I'm becoming a woman?" or "I'm a transsexual?" Which is more important, the message's presentation, or the context? I'm sure Peta would hassle me for seemingly thinking only of "that". *g*
Ok, again I descend into fluff as I have nothing better to say. I guess I should go to bed and tomorrow write a letter to Red. See Ya!