2006
That annoying time of the year again full of sentimental reflections. So here’s my 2006. Was it everything I (realistically) wanted? I’d say yeah, almost.
Jan - Post uni down time led to the decision to make the move to Japan. Also visited friends in Melbourne and made a couple new ones at the same time.
Feb - I started drawing. Something that became a fair interest/hobby until I left for Japan. Was still quite bored in Sydney. Had 2 good friends, Mags and Fahud leave Australia.
March - Broome. What an amazing experience that was. Something I will never forget, somewhere I didn’t want to leave and hopefully somewhere I will someday return.
Had work published in an industry magazine for the first time.
Had work exhibited in a sticker exhibition in Tasmania.
Had Alicia screened at the Sydney Opera House.
April - Returned from Broome and took time off before looking for work again and spent a lot of it drawing.
Had Alicia screened at the Great Escape Music Festival
May - Graduation. Meh, it was fun but a wank none the less.
June - Tutored my second student through UNSW. Started going comic book crazy.
July - Turned down an offer to teach english in Japan in favour of trying to freelance in Japan. Really bold/risky move.
August - Lead up to the Japan departure, trying to earn as much money in that time (remember 60+ hour working week), organise a farewell, organise visa and accomodation, turned down work with one of my favourite studios because of Japan, turned down a possible teaching job at COFA because of Japan.. Highly stressed and overworked.
September - The last goodbyes.
Week leading up to the departure was seeing friends/family for the last time. Still insanely crazily busy but was great.
Spent a week in Thailand which I didn’t enjoy so much, but valued my time there. Also got some nice food poisoning while there.
Arrived in Japan safe and sound. Work was slow to start which was worrying, socialising was completely random and sporadic, trying to find friends here, knowing only 2 people when I first got here.
October - Met Tomoe and Chiharu who’ve become good friends, had Ash and Von visit and started attending a few more regular ‘artistic’ social events.
Screened Alicia at Flim Marmmalade and Artsy Bugs.
Maybe more monumental than me picking up a pencil in February, I bought a dSLR.
November - Return of Ash and Von to Tokyo. More attempts at networking/social events. More photography, more random bars visited. Created an animation for Quick Flicks. Nearly ended up in hospital after being run down by a motorbike.
December - Mikey and friends visited Tokyo. First trip outside of Tokyo (Hakone). Greater interest in photography. Created and screened an animation at Quick Flicks. Showed photos at Artsy Bugs. Seemed to meet fewer people and spent more time with those I know. 2 great Christmas dinners and finally Toby and Emma visit Tokyo.
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So there it is. Quite a year, mostly for the better but some parts weren’t what one would hope, but that’s life. The highs have been more than enough to compensate for the lows. I really hope I’ll be in Tokyo this time next year writing about the year gone. Things I hope to see in that post will be
- more travel
- greater friendships in Tokyo
- more stability in work/income
- more ‘art’ with a purpose, both animation and hopefully doing something more interesting photography wise.
But unfortunately life is a mystery so who knows where I’ll be.
Thanks to everyone who’s been a part of making my 2006 quite special and hope we’ll be doing something more exciting in 2007.
One Response to '2006'
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white chicken feet > brown chicken heads, anyday
Johnny 31 Dec 06 at 1:16 pm