chaos and noise

Kinda busy this week - there will undoubtedly be a bit of lag on replying to emails, checking messages, etc.

Settlement for our house is happening today, and I spent yesterday chasing up last-minute problems with paperwork and finance. The vendor is charging penalty interest for the delay, so we'll try to get some money out of St George as the mistake was theirs. Right now, my bank account is empty.

The Business Plan entry is being assembled today, and is due by 9am tomorrow. We've spent the last three days on it, and have overhauled a lot of content. I have one more bit of industry research to write up, and then I'll spend the rest of the day working in InDesign.

Marketing brief and press release are also due tomorrow.

~320 pages of interview transcripts need to be read before the Small Business project meeting on Thursday. I'm putting my long train trips to use, looking for themes and quotes from the data.

Project summary for Small Business project also due on Thursday, for our progress report.

Briefing day for the Business Plan presentations is held at Ernst & Young on Monday 7th. I'm becoming the official "team leader" as I'm a full-time student. That also makes me the lead presenter, so I'll be fielding the majority of our questions.

30th Birthday is on Saturday 12th! Never have I felt older than in the past two months. Haven't organised anything yet - will try to wrangle something next week.

Business Plan presentation materials due by Friday 18th. These will need to be in earlier than that, as I won't be in town then...

In Brisbane for GenCon from Thursday 17th - Monday 21st. I'm running Warmachine demonstration games on Friday and Sunday, and playing in a timed tournament format on Saturday. Louise is running a freeform on Saturday afternoon. I forsee much Arkham Horror, cocktails and good beer during the evenings.

Business Plan presentation is from 3:15pm - 3:45pm, Monday 21st, followed by a media interview. We present to a panel of eight judges, all of whom are professional investors. Apparently I'm supposed to wear "corporate attire," though I don't actually own any such clothing.

I also need to re-book my flight back from Brisbane, as I'm currently due back in Melbourne after our presentation starts...

I seem to spend a lot of time rushing about, doing the little things while waiting on Bigger Things to eventuate. Lately, a whole lot of little things have needed doing: sorting out identity documents, bank paperwork, dozens of application forms, credit history checks, and signing contracts.

If all goes well, aeliel and I have hopefully bought a house :)

Actually, it's a ground-floor apartment and not a standalone house. It has lots of room to fill with books, and space for my painting and aeliel's sewing (three bedrooms and a study), and it's close enough to ride to work. It's on Gatehouse Drive in Kensington, right next to the racecourse. I want to move in yesterday.

Now we just need to get our loan approved, which is proving trickier than expected. My income is a government CRC scholarship, untaxed and guaranteed until 2012. Unfortunately, virtually no bank will recognise it as a valid income stream: it'd be easier if I were earning less money from a job with a three-month contract, as it would be listed as "regular income."

We've now been given preapproval, and have to wait an unspecified amount of time while the application is processed. Hopefully that will happen soon, so we can sign off on it and breathe a sigh of relief - it's been a hectic fortnight since the property inspection, and a hell of a thing to coordinate while travelling interstate.

After that, it will still be at least 90 days before we can move in as the place has tenants at the moment. Still, at least that means they can make the first mortgage payments for us...