A year away from Tokyo

Sorry I've been slack in writing, but it's been a tough couple of weeks. I toyed with calling this post "Nightmare before Christmas" because it really has been. Excuse my lack of writing skills, I am tired after drinking with I. until God knows when last night in a futile attempt to analyse life, the universe and everything.

Good news is, the employment situation is sorted out, and I have the chance to stay in Sweden for another year. So that's one weight off my shoulders. The problem is a new one was added to my heart. Ok well not exactly new...shall we say "refreshed with vigour"... it's hard to believe that a year ago I was in Tokyo with my head in the clouds, slaving over a luke-warm camping stove and unintelligible microwave in an attempt to cook Mr Unrequited a birthday dinner from his home country -- and no doubt failing miserably -- unwittingly about to get my heart absolutely broken.

Unfortunately Mr U and I have failed to build any kind of friendship since, and now it's got to the point where he has decided that we must go our separate ways (as in not even speak) and that he will never change his mind. I wake up every day hoping it was all just a terrible dream (and considering that my dreams lately have featured a childhood friend with double sets of teeth like a shark's, a Christmas tree with not one single present from me underneath it inducing a terrible sense of guilt, and a brown rat chewing on my little toe, it's not entirely an unlikely plotline). Someone once said "Everything changes but nothing is ever truly lost." Frankly, that's a load of crap. Chris Martin said, or rather whined, "When you lose something that you can't replace, I-I-I-I will fix you." Well come on down, Chris!

On a more cheerful note I recently had a visit from my longtime friend JonJon and his lovely girlfriend Joanna (who has since kept me well stocked with care parcels of Vegemite, some "diva red" lipstick - with instructions to 'do as it says on the tin' and a copy of "He's Just Not That Into You," which unfortunately I was all too aware of when the book arrived.) Jonathan, Joanna and I went with I. to a party hosted by Sailor Kalle. The party required men to go as sailors (original isn't he?) and girls to go as Heidi. Unable to face a barmaid-style outfit, I decided to go as Heidi the Sailor (resulting in me getting a tattoo in permanent marker on my back saying HMAS HEIDI, which I had a hard time explaining to my hairdresser several days later). We found Jonathan a hilarious pair of "Fat Controller" pants, and I. fetchingly went as "the girl in every port". Joanna became unofficial photographer for the evening and tried to get a shot of every guest winking at the camera, politely asking "Blinka tack!" in Swedish to each. Despite the fact that after a few cocktails her request came out more like "BLINK ATTACK!", she managed to get an impressive collection.