The Leap Year*

There’s something utterly brilliant about the concept of a Leap Year. It’s the answer humanity created to overcome the fact that the natural world is perfectly imperfect. We measure, and weigh and quantify every minute of every day, but just like when I used to try and do maths, there always seems to be a strange number left over we can’t quite account for. I love that no one questions the solution of simply compiling all those leftovers into an extra day every 4 years. It’s like AFL, and Lost, and Lady Gaga lyrics – it doesn’t really make sense, but we’re okay with it.

A fresh revelation about Leap Year that amuses me is that because it’s never considered when drawing up contracts, most people don’t actually get paid for that day of work. And you know why I can allow myself to be amused? Because I no longer work.

I’m currently unemployed… on purpose. I know, great time to be embracing the end of an income, right? Next thing you know I’ll be moving to Greece – apparently that’s where it’s at. I wasn’t born on the 29th of February, but 2012 is kind of my Leap Year. In what often feels like a rather irrational act, I’ve returned to the hallowed halls of education all in the name of furthering my attempt to be a Real Writer (much like being a Real Girl, I suspect all it takes is commitment and an acceptance of extreme discomfort).

I’ll be spending my days at film school. Dawson Leery, you fictional, shining forehead you, I hope you’re proud.

After 2012 I will return to pretending to be a Grown Up. Aspirations are good. Goals are necessary. Sometimes dreams are better. Eventually reality will become so loud it’ll drown them out, but until then… once more into the breach (it’s brimming with company).


Painefull Out

* = I was going to call this ‘How I Learnt To Stop Worrying & Start Making Immature Life Choices’ but that title was a little epic, even for me, a lover of lengthy turns of phrase.