What the New Year Brings

I didn't realize just how long ago I made my last entry! I want to keep this up and do at least 2 entries a month, but obviously that has not been happening. Well, this is the first entry of a new year, so now is as good a time as any to start updating more regularly! :)

That being said, 2010 is going to be one insanely busy year!

I spent December busily recruiting participants for my discussion board -- phase one of my data collection for my PhD. It was a mad rush, but I got the numbers I needed in the end...and it only cost me $362 more than I budgeted for. Fortunately, setting up the discussion board didn't actually cost me anything so I had the funds to spare. Having that grant money is just amazing. I would be really struggling, and probably paying out of my own pocket for a fair few things, without it (and we all know there's no money in these pockets!).

After the Christmas break it was a mad dash to get the discussion board all set up and the kinks ironed out, and the participants all registered and ready to go. The discussion board itself ran from 11-18 January, and that kept me plenty busy! It was great though, a really interesting experience that I learned a lot from. I would do it again, but I'm glad I don't have to any time soon! Having to rush home to sit in front of my computer and ignore my friends for 8 days was not so fun. But it was only 8 days and now we've got Australia Day coming up, so I'm giving myself a bit of a break from my computer. (I'm only writing this now because I'm killing time while waiting for a friend to get off of work.)

The next step in my research will be conducting interviews. I'll be doing about 20 interviews, with an entirely new group of people. The interviews will be drawing on the discussion board data, though the exact specifications of how are still in the works. There isn't much time for slacking in 2010! I'll be diving into my data analysis on Monday (okay, wading in, but that's only because Tuesday is a national holiday).

Another contributing factor to my insane 2010 schedule: I'm moving house. Marshall and I have been talking about this for awhile, and originally the plan was I'd move out in March or April, but that was because he's planning on moving then. Realistically, I'm ready to move now and I'm eager to not live a kajillion miles away from everything useful.

So, I officially started looking for a new share house this week. Since I don't have to be out at any specific time (a rare luxury), I am able to be really picky about where I move. And, after being in Melbourne for 2 years I really know what I want. I'm also making more money this year, so I can afford a bit more rent. This all means that I can hold out for the perfect place; a place with easy going people, a washing machine, 5-10 minutes of transit, not miles out of the city, in a good part of the city, near shops and cafes, and a good sized room.

This may mean living in a house with 3 other people, and it may mean being the only girl in a house full of boys. Whatever the case, it's sure to be a place that meets my exacting specifications, and anything I have to compromise on will be because there is something else that balances it out. For instance, I might take a place with a small-ish bedroom if its in a particularly good location, but the room would have to be at the very least the same size as my current one.

There aren't a great many places available that meet all my criteria, but there are a few and there's bound to be more as we move into February. I'm happy to wait for the right place, and if the right place comes along tomorrow, I'm happy to move right on in.