Universal flux...

It seems the world, or at least my world is in total flux. Let's take a look shall we...

1) James mum has just gone through surgery for bowel cancer and is about to start a 12 week course of Chemotherapy.

2) My dad has been in ICU for two weeks and is basically on the brink of death and because I live on the other side of the world I feel helpless.

3) We had to put our cat Max down a week ago because he had feline perotonitis, which he apparently had for some time and we failed to see the signs.

4) I started a new medication that is supposed to help offset the pain in my feet related to peripheral neuropathy. It took my 8 weeks two get up to the full dose of 8 pills a day added to my already 8 pills a day so I now am taking 16 pills and the damn new pills aren't working sufficiently enough for me to stop taking the pain medication (oxycontin it's like percodan) that I had to start taking, So now I have to go on therapeutic pain management and it will probably be for life. Great! (not really because I hate walking around in a haze)

5) As I said my dad is very sick and could die at any moment and because I'm on the other side of the world I'm in a quandary as to what I will do when the phone call comes...and it will. You see I've just gotten my Australian citizenship approved and I have to go to a swearing in ceremony on the 17th September. I HAVE to attend the ceremony or I don't get my citizenship. I don't know what Im going to do!

7) James went to Sydney last week to visit with his mum before she starts her chemo and while he was there he did his taxes. Come to find out we now have a $140,000 tax bill because we sold one of the houses we owned in Sydney. BTW we don't have that kind of money sitting in the bank. Just kill me now!

6) And last but not least...I find out that some bright, intelligent astronomy types have decide to take Planet status away from Pluto just because it's to far away for them to bother..What the hell is up with that? (Ok this last one is not such a big deal but for some reason it just gets to me)

So lets look at the positive.

1) I got my citizenship approved (it only took 8 years and a lot of mental angst on James's and my part)

2) I just found out two of our best friends in the world are planning a trip to visit us in February and that makes me feel good.

HMMM??? 2 against 6, I guess it's a 30% percent trade off and if you factor in that Jimmie loves me well it's not too bad. However..... Well lets just say life is way out of focus at the moment.

I feel a bit better... Thanks for listening.

Thirty things about me...

I saw these questions on another blog and actually the list was longer so I cut it down. I know it's a self indulgent look into my person but it fills up space when I am not really up to writing anything else at the moment. So enjoy...

1. Am I named after somebody?

No

2. Have you ever written a poem?

Yes, several...

3. Can you make change for a dollar right now?

Yes

4. Do you like catsup on or beside your fries?

On the side that way it gives me control, not that I have control issues

5. Do you drink Pepsi or Coke?

Pepsi,… I loathe Coke!

6. Are you superstitious?

No

7. What's your favorite number?

The number seven and considering the number of the question...coincidence? I think not.

8. Have you ever gone skinny-dipping?

Yes and a little bit of night time streaking in high school

9. Would you ever parachute out of a plane?

No, I'’m just happy that they are able to get several tons of metal airborne. I'’m quite happy staying in business class my seat.

10. Have you ever tried to cut your own hair?

Yes and still do. I use clippers. It'’s so much easier

11. What is your dream car?

I really don't like to drive that much but if I had to choose I'’d say a Volkswagen Bora

12. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?

No

13. How many remote controls do you have in your house?

Six and that's just for the television

14. How many times have you flown in an airplane in the last year?

Nine and all within a three week period

15. How many foreign countries have you visited?

2 = Australia, New Zealand

16. Would you rather be rich and unhappy, or poor and happy?

Comfortable and safe

17. Do you ask for directions when you are lost?

Sure I do but I'’m actually pretty handy with a map

18. Have you ever played in the rain?

Yes and it's okay until you get wet.

19. Have you ever broken a bone?

No, closest I came was spraining my ankle

20. Have you ever had surgery?

Yes, I had neck surgery to fix two herniated discuss

21. Which of the five senses is most important to you?

Sight as I always want to be able to see all the wonderful things around me like the flowers and my partner.

22. What do you think is your best feature?

My eyes but some people say my backside which I can't verify as it is too hard for me to see back there.

23. Have you ever taken something from a hotel?

Just the little soaps and shampoos.

24. Have you ever locked yourself out of the house?

Not that I can remember, but my car is another matter

25. Have you ever returned a gift?

Yes but usually for a different size or colour or because I already owned what was given to me.

26. Do you sing in the car?

Yes and with the windows up so I don't want to scare small children.

27. What is your favorite fruit?

Apples and preferably in a Waldorf salad

28. If you won a $5,000 shopping spree to any store, which store would you pick?

Rodd & Gunn (a local retailer based out of New Zealand or Ralph Lauren

29. What is your favorite season?

Autumn is great with all of the colours and it also means that winter is around the corner with fires in our fireplace.

30. What do you like to collect?

Teddy Bears, they are just so cute!

Well, there you go more things then you ever wanted to know about me.

RIP... Max

He was a good boy....

Signed, sealed and almost delivered...

I had my citizenship interview this morning and it went well. It took thirty minutes and at the end of that thirty minutes I got approved. I will have to get an official letter of approval which should come in the next few days. The next and final step is that I will need to attend a swearing in ceremony which is scheduled for the 17 September, which also happens to be Australian Citizenship Day. Once I attend that ceremony I'll get my official paperwork and then I can apply for my passport. As I have said before it has taken James and I a long eight years but it is finally with in sight and it has been so worth it....

Oh one thing, when I was asked to recite the rights and responsibilities for an Australian citizen I did fine except I forgot one responsibility. Which one is that you might ask???

Responsibility to
1)obey all the laws

That was probably a bad one for me to forget but the woman doing the interview promoted me by saying it's something we should all do in every country which then I remembered. Oh well no one's perfect.

It's all happening...

Well, I called about my citizenship interview and I thought it would be in a month or so but I was wrong. I called last Monday and the woman asked if I wanted to do the interview on the Wednesday. I said I had a previous appointment so what was next available time and she said anytime after that. So I said how about Tuesday the 15th August and she said no problem. I am scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9:30 and as far as we can tell this is really a formality in which, as I stated below, I need to recite the rights and responsibilities of being an Australian citizen and as long as I understand those then all I have to do next is attend a swearing in ceremony.

On another note they have put my dad in ICU which does not surprise me. I find it fascinating that just when I start something in my life on this side of the world, something else happens around on the other side that could have implications for what I am planning. Oh well time will tell...

Step one...

Ok, so I filled in my application for citizenship yesterday and paid my $120.00. Now I have to get our friend to come over today, which he is, and fill out a form that says I am who I say I am. Then once that is signed sealed and delivered, I will call the regional immigration office here in Hobart on Monday to make a interview time where I will have to recite the rights and responsibilities of being an Australian citizen. They are:

Privileges of Australian Citizens

It entitles you to privileges of Australian citizenship giving you the right to:

* live in Australia
* apply for an Australian passport and to leave and re-enter Australia without applying for a resident return visa
* seek assistance from Australian diplomatic representatives while overseas
* vote to help elect Australia's governments
* stand for Parliament
* work in the public service
* serve in the armed forces
* register as Australian citizens by descent any of your children born overseas after you become an Australian citizen.

Responsibilities of Australian Citizens

Citizenship also brings with it responsibilities. For example, citizens are required to:

* obey Australian laws
* enrol on Federal and state/territory electoral registers
* vote in elections
* defend Australia should the need arise
* serve on a jury if called to do so.

I can do that... After the interview if I don't forget one of the things above I will then be told when the next swearing in ceremony will be and all I have to do is wait and show up un the day. I can also do that... So on the step two the interview...

Advance Australia Fair

Well it's finally here, as of tomorrow Saturday August 4 2006 I will be able to officially lodge my application for Australian citizenship. It's been two years and one month since I won the right to live here as a permanent resident in Australia. James and I spent two more years before that going through the long drawn out process of convincing the Australia immigration department that we were an actual couple and that we kind of "liked each other". (If they only knew that we actually loved each other). Anyway, it's been a very long road but in some ways it seems like only yesterday and in others time has flown by and here we are.

I will lodge the application online and pay my $120.00 tomorrow but of course since it is a weekend no one will look at the paperwork until Monday but I will feel better once it's done. Then all I have to do is wait for a little interview in which they ask me if I understand the rights and responsibilities of being an Australian citizen, which I do and then once I pass that little hurdle I just have to wait for the swearing in ceremony or as a frind of our calls it my sterilisation ceremony. All up most people I've talked to say it should happen in about thirty days. I say what's a few more days compared to the past four. Oh, I almost forgot we also had to spend an additional two years together here in Australia even before we could start the whole process four years ago so all up it has taken us 6 years. We of course had the additional two years before all of that flying back and forth overseas to be with one another but apparently that didn't count as proof that we "liked each other". Eight years altogether...

Probably the most amazing and funny thing during the process was when James and I were asked to have a psychological assessment to make sure we were sane and also that we're not trying to pull a fast one. I am pleased to announce that according to the assessment not only are we sane but we apparently are soul mates and our relationship could be seen as a model for heterosexual couples. It really said that! Oh well what do we know about relationships were gay right. All of this work just because I'm HIV positive but in the end it has been so worth it to be with the person I love and see myself growing old with (which I'm doing well at right now as 50 is only a year away).

Anyway, I just thought I would share this with you. Everything I've been through in my life and I never thought I would end up here. Hell I never thought I would live this long. Life is good and the winter here in Tassie will soon be over. Spring is on it's way and the next chapter of our life is about to begin. I say Advance Australia Fair (it's their national anthem)...