LICK OF PAINT AND A WOMAN’S TOUCH
July 01 Friday 2005

As excited as I am about personalising my place and making it my own, I’m experiencing the mental block that often comes when being presented with a blank canvas… I simply don’t know where to begin. My apartment is completely empty, and apart from having sorted out my electricity and water, all I have is a mattress kindly given to me by Tom and Jacinta.

I’ve begun checking out stores like Fortress and Broadway, and I’ve decided to buy all my home appliances and electrical goods first. I'm struck by the sheer range of products out there, and how I haven’t got a clue about any of it. It’s not like shopping for a camera or an iPod; all of this stuff is completely foreign to me. I don’t know what features I need; what functions I want; and then there’s the issue of home delivery, warranty and whether or not this stuff will actually fit into my place.

The romantic and rather naïve notion that I’d have my place all kitted out in a couple of weeks has gone out the window. This is going to take a while. But rather than be negative about it, I’m looking forward to becoming somewhat of an expert on fridges, microwaves and whatnot.

Thankfully I’m not on my own. Nate, Peta and Janice have already helped me out so much – It’s much easier going shopping with friends who seem to know what they’re doing than having to do it on my own. I never thought that I'd admit it, but I actually enjoy hanging out in IKEA, G.O.D and Franc Franc - I've become a home store junky!

But having spent the past week making choices and stressing out about my place, I’ve taken refuge in painting. There’s something cathartic in having a pot of paint and a blank wall in front of you. Yugo and Nate have come ‘round and helped me go over my bathroom and kitchen and it's taken us just three days to get it all done. If only the rest of it was that simple.