MADE THE MOST OF IT :]

Well, what an awesome few weeks i have had here in this dead-sexy city of Canberra!!!

I was going to list everything in individual posts, but i doubt i could have gotten it all done before i start work at 7pm.

So instead i have decided to simply compile a list of what i have been doing.

• I have been fortunate enough to have had the spare cash to see Boy and Bear perform @ the ANU Bar (June 1) as well as my old mates (well more like acquaintances) from my home town of Rockhampton BusbyMarou perform @ the UC Bar (June 23) with some of my new friends outside of college.

• Purchased my very first pair of thermal underwear/clothing @ a bargain price of $60 for a full-length pants and shirt combo from the Kathmandu run-out sale (June 22).

• Bid my new friend Kylie Dolan a safe trip up to the Sunshine Coast with her family to live - just when we were starting to get out and take lots of photos together, oh well.

• i have been fortunate enough to lend out that Mamiya RZ67 Pro film camera from CIT for the entire holiday break (pump fists in the air) to which i have since shot through one roll of 120-film last weekend whilst on a 12-hour adventure with my classmate and friend Michael Masters (July 1). He was a great person to have as a passenger :]

• Had the joy of meeting a bunch of creative young people whilst at The Artists Shed, Queanbeyan whilst taking in an art exhibition by three local talented school age artists (June 30).

• Managed to acquire information on the up-coming camera market in Sydney (July 22) and may have a few people interested in joining me on a road-trip up and back that day to hopefully  pick up a bargain or two and perhaps that something a little more precious. Can't wait for that, i'm even happily doing a bit of overtime at work to help boost my bank balance in readiness haha!

• Was fortunate enough to have the spare cash (well available credit) to purchase two small soft boxes to suit my Elinchrom portable lighting kit @ a fantastic discounted price as part of Kayell's end of financial year sale (June 21). the two items plus delivery was only a little over half the usual price. They are small, but should prove useful for a number of tasks until i have the funds to purchase some of the more advanced range that Elinchrom produces.

• In addition to the previous dot-point, i have begun setting up my apartment for use as a small photografic studio that is suitable for portraiture and other personal endeavours i have in mind. i might now also set up the light table again for product photography and things in the spare room - the joys of not having too many other belongings to clutter all this usable space :]

• I have made tracks to apply for further assistance from CIT, Centrelink and ACT Housing in order to help me save a bit on course fees for semester two.

• Initiated a membership with Photo Access - a wonderful little photografic gallery and film processing lab here in Canberra. Put my hand up as a volunteer to sit-in for a day and help keep the place running smoothly on August 5, feels good to do something like this and as a reward they will give me some free time to make use of the facilities (wet darkroom, digital darkroom, scanners etc) There are also a few exhibitions coming up that i will try attend now that i will have more nights free to do so.

• Renewed my membership with the AIPP as a student member.

• Have my self portrait printed in the ACMP's monthly magazine publication CAPTURE as part of their campaign to help promote up n coming photographers gaining experience/work as an assistant to professionals.

• i have gone and gotten everything done and am ready to have my Australian Passport application submitted on Friday. Thanks to my old school-mate Kim for being my guarantor, otherwise i'd have been stuffed! Let's hope i can use it in the not so distant future for some form of photografic endeavour/adventure :]

• The mighty Maroons (Queensland NRL Team) won its SEVENTH consecutive State of Origin shield against the Blues (New South Wales NRL Team) in the annual National Rugby League series. It was an actioned-packed and riveting game to watch and went right to the final few minutes, but thanks to the brilliance, persistence and determination of the Queensland players - oh and Cooper Cronk's field-goal the boys did it :]

• Finally, thanks to persistence and speaking to the right people in the right way, i also had the opportunity to present my anti Drink Driving poster concept (via email) today to the head of ACT Road Safety. - I was unfortunately unsuccessful, but it felt good to try and it was suggested to me, by him, not to totally give up just yet and that it might be worth my while presenting it to one of their ad agencies for consideration.

• Made the trip down to Cooma to see a dear old couple i met whilst traveling through parts of Australia a bit over 2 years ago, to catch up, share a meal with and sleep the night before heading up into the snow-fields the following day to see and experience REAL SNOW for the very first time in my life. IT WAS AMAZING & BEAUTIFUL :]

• Managed to return to good old Centrelink's AUSTUDY program to hopefully help my plan to remain focussed on my course and allow me plenty of spare time to get out and involve myself in what i love most. Money is going to be even tighter now, but i'm confident i will survive!!

• Took a trip up to Sydney with new friends Alex Dickson and Malcom Sharp to attend a camera fair/market. . . . of which was a lot smaller than i expected, yet still worth the trip, especially for Alex who purchased the Leica M4 that he was after. I purchased a RICHO xr-1 at a great price and can't wait to use it.

All in all it has been very exciting holiday break for me that and has kept me busy and fulfilled enough to forget about feeling bad i couldn't afford to travel home to see family and my beloved dog. My cousin in Sydney also extended a last minute invitation to take a trip with him up to Cape York, i literally couldn't afford to, but wish i could have because it sounds like it was quite an amazing trip. Another tim perhaps.

Only negative out of all this is that i continued to work late nights :[

Hope you enjoyed reading all this.

D.