Rapunzel's Flowing Locks

Long time no update. Here goes a rundown of the last 2(ish) months... first semester is finished, which is nice- waiting on grades but I have high hopes. The school here is like a draconian caricature of what Hollywood imagines 1950's American boarding school is like (think dead poets society, I dont care if my dates are wrong, shush). But the breakdown is that every class has a final that is worth no less than 55% of the total grade, and they are, of course cumulative. FURTHERMORE, the classes are proctored by dried up old husks of humans who troll around the classroom ensuring that you don't have answers written on the inside of the label of your water bottle, and that your cellphone is not within 50ft. These (and more!) rules are written about 15 different times, explained by said human husks (with threats laced in for trouble-makers) so by the time you get your test you have forgotten you're not in jail. Ok it wasn't too bad, but it was a new experience. Good news however is that the law classes are all take-home essay finals and I am receiving exceptions for most of my business classes, but more on that later. The law final this semester consisted of a paper discussing the impact of the lack of a 'bill of rights' in the kangaroo constitution (I mean aussie). The reason I bring this up, is that there is really no way that the judiciary can review legislation upon merit in the australian system, so how can the rights of the people be protected?!?! Well long story short, the supreme court DID rule yesterday upon the civil rights of the 'bikies' (the adorable name they have given the hells angels, nomads, etc.) were being impinged upon by the government. About 2 years ago they enacted a law making it illegal to wear colors (gang stuff to you, if you're not Street like me), ride around in groups, and basically all the stuff it involves to actually be a bikie gang. So the law was found to violate their basic freedoms *(which are NOT guaranteed by the constitution). It's an interesting concept, and when I get my grade back I will let you know if I am full of shit, or I may know what I am talking about. Moving on.
Leah and I gained, and lost, then gained a roommate, so back to 3 of us in the apartment.(sans animal count of 3!!) We have a kitten:

her name is Chili and she came into SASH (Leah's work) at 3 weeks old, in some shitty comvination of hypoglycemic AND hypothermic coma with a heavy flea debt. But, she powered through it and from 400 grams she's nearly 1.5kg. (for my american homies that's like 60lbs or something) However! Just in case anyone is worried, here's an update from #1 best super pet The Sumlibat Bear Dog:

She is doing well by all reports, although I suspect she is getting spoiled relentlessly.
Other news, Leah has finished her masters and is on the hunt for a job. We're really going to push for it after next week, but we have a little vacation planned down to Batemens bay, where it's been averaging 1-2 degrees C. I am not feeling up to swimming at those temperatures, but there is plenty of hiking to do! Leah got a raise at her veterinary job, nice to be recognized for your efforts even if there is a new profession in the cards. (p.s. anyone who needs a masters of commerce distinction level employee I know where to find one!)
On my side it looks like I may have a job with a tech company here (thanks paul) so keep your fingers crossed. School doesn't start until August 2 so I am kind of at loose ends. (Read: broke!) Not really, but it will be nice to have money coming in.
Additionally I have spent this break working on my partner visa, which as some of you no-doubt know, is a process. Yesterday I went to the Newtown PD to get finger printed- you have to time it just right b/c their fingerprint machine is in their lock-up and you can only get fingerprinted (*without breaking the law) when no-one is in the holding cells. So I got a first class tour of the local pokey for only $42 dollars. That being done, my prints were signed and sealed by a police officer no less than 2m tall and sent off to the FBI to make sure I don't have any federal warrants (again fingers crossed those drug mule charges were dropped, right? JK mom).
So that leaves me with a wait of 'up to' 6 weeks to get my physical and for Leah and I to polish our(my) visa application. Basically that's about that for the visa- we went to a free information seminar at Mac yesterday about visas that didn't apply at all to partnership visas and was basically a sales pitch by a law firm, and the lawyer was so dry, boring, and pompous, AND spent much of the time playing 'cover my ass' about the information that I wonder about law as a profession. Even had any of the presentation been applicable to my situation there was not really anything that was not easily available on the interwebs.
We did however make the trip worth while as I was able to secure my first exception from a class. This doesn't sound like much, but at $3.5K a class I feel like I saved 3500 bucks yesterday. I have 7 more to go but, having met with the first exception officer, I am confident that I can get all the available credit. So yeah, yay for me right?
Ok, it's Saturday and Leah's off to work at noon and I am going to run the Iron Cove (sounds cooler than it is) so everyone keep your tips up!


Otherwise things are good. this post is long enough. good day