Promised Photos of New Home!!!!!

YAY!!!!!!! We finally signed the lease, got the keys, had the power turned on, and started moving our stuff in!!!!!!!
Here are just some really crummy pics of the place on our first night moving stuff into the new apartment (we still haven't stayed there for lack of a bed... BUT WE HAVE ROOMS!!!!!!!)

This is our hallway... yep... We have a hallway!!!! I'm standing with my back to the front door, so as you walk in, this is what you see. Kitchen immediately to your right. Then a corner to the bathroom, where there is a closet door you can see. Straight in front of you, our bedroom door (which in this photo is open, as is a closet door in the bedroom). And then, that doorway on the left is our living room. Which is also, Below...

Then, here's me (looking very tired - it has been a LONG week) in the kitchen doorway...
Daniel also BUILT us a table... At the moment it's in the kitchen as a small dining table/breakfast nook (and once we get a "real" dining table for the living room it will probably remain in the kitchen as a bench/breakfast nook..... I've always really wanted a breakfast nook)

Here's Daniel in our kitchen, unpacking kitchen utensils... he doesn't look nearly as tired as I did...

Here is our bedroom... minus anything that makes it look like a bedroom... except for my photos. They always make me feel like I'm "home"...

Here's a close-up of one of our ledges... The pics won't stay here but we needed to put them up ASAP... We are missing everyone so much right now, it really helps to have these pics in sight all the time... See??? You are still with us... always!!!!!
Yes!!!!!! We finally have SEPERATE closets!!!!!!! How cool is THAT???

And our beautiful bathroom... with a tub. YAY!!!!

So, once we have furnature, all of you OFFICIALLY have a place to stay in New York City - provided you don't all come at once!!!
Love to you all, now as always!!!!
Taliesen and Daniel.

Firstly... a vent!!!!!

(it has occurred to me that if I'm ever famous, I may NOT be able to handle the public criticism from strangers!!!)
I was just on my friend, Jane's, blog. Her and her partner, Cam, now live in PNG...
Jane wrote an entry about getting a phone and how excited they both were... I put up a post in which I mentioned that I could relate to her excitement but in our case it was a Laptop and how nice it is when far away from family to finally be able to communicate again.
Then someone put a note saying nothing but..
"I like how your friend Taliesen K Farmer, has written about the simple things like getting a laptop in New York city... That must have been really difficult! I am very happy that her sea change from Australia to New York has not been to difficult!!!
Earth to Taliesen (zoolander voice)... Cam and Jane are in PNG... getting a phone is a big deal."
Now, I'm not going to use my friends blog to defend myself, but damned if I won't use mine!!!!
To see the entry's that led to all this go to:
http://camnjaneinpng.blogspot.com/2007/01/our-live-aboard-adventure.html
Now, I know this dude has never been to our blog. However, IF he HAD, he would see that Daniel and I have had a HARD year. One filled with uncertainty, doubt, fear and HOMELESSNESS!!!!!!! This is NOT the kind of year that Cam and Jane have had (despite Cam's malaria - that must have actually really sucked - sorry Cam). But COME ON!!!!!! OK - I recognise that in PNG, getting a phone is a big deal.... SO IS GETTING A LAPTOP WHEN YOU HAVE NO MONEY OR HOME IN NEW YORK CITY!!!!!
For ALL of you out in Cyberland... This new age of technology means we have almost all human knowledge at our fingertips. Be KIND and try and find as much of it as passable BEFORE you condemn someone for their actions or words!!!!!
OK... I love you all.
Talk soon.
Also, check this out!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxtlfPpCUjk
i think you'll all agree that the camera-work and editing are fantastic and there's a really gorgous girl dancing around in the middle of the clip too... Check it out!!!!! And tell all your friends!
Love to you all!!!!
Taliesen.

For those of you missing the Everyday Daniel and Taliesen

It's getting to the point where it's starting to be a REALLY long time since we've seen any of you!!!! I know that when I see just normal photos of my friends and family just haning out... or talk to them on Skype and SEE them just hanging out, it makes me miss you all a little less.
So here we are guys, just a few pics of Daniel and I hanging out at our new bestest girl-friends house for their weekly tradition... Sangria Sunday!!!!!


Daniel just hangin' out!!!! Isn't he looking relaxed, folks??? Couldn't be farther from the truth, but it's amazing what a Sangria will do...

Me playing with my iPod, guys... The one Daniel got me for my birthday... it's so pretty - I LOVE it!!!
It get's even more confusing... "Where are the songs I put in here yesterday??? You know, all those COOL ones???".... "Taliesen, dear, we love you.... but there are no cool songs on your iPod"

Great Food, good friends and a few laughs!!!!! That is what I love about life!!!!!!!!!!

This is me talking... see how interested Sara is... or bored... she's out of focus, who can tell??? HAHahahaha
Our gracious hostesses - Lauren and Sara!!!!
And just a gorgous couple of pictures of them both!!!!! Which is the problem with Me and Daniel taking all the pictures... we wind up with not that many of US... sorry!!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To all of you who prayed for us, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
It WORKED!!!!!
Not only was Daniel's tax return in our Aussie account when we woke up this morning, but it was MORE THAN WE WERE TOLD IT WAS GOING TO BE..... BY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This could not come at a better time, the Gods could NOT be smiling down on us more.... DANIEL AND I ARE ON CLOUD NINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS IS THE BEST NEWS WE HAVE EVER GOTTEN!!!! (with maybe the exception that Daniel had been approved to come over here... and with the exception that Daniel got his great job... and with the exception that I got this great job... and with the exception that we were actually approved for the apartment in the first place...) You know what?? Screw it!!! I'm just going to go on the record RIGHT NOW and say this has been the BEST YEAR EVER!!!!!!! From about this time last year to this time this year has been the BEST 12 months EVER!!!!!!!
Things are going so well.... We are ssooooooooo EXCITED!!!!!!!
WE HAVE THE TRIFECTOR!!!!!!!!!! The great relationship, the great jobs and now, the PERFECT apartment.... WE HAVE A HOME!!!!!!!!!
Oh my GOD!!!!! I don't think we have EVER been this excited.... Except for maybe when we arrived at our resort in Sanur in Bali on our Honeymoon... I would say THAT is how excited we are at the moment!!!!!!
Today is awesome... Today is the beginning of MUCH awesomeness...
We are literally in shock... We are FLABAGASTED THAT THINGS HAVE PANNED OUT SO WELL, SO QUICKLY....
Thank you.... Thank you, to everyone who believed in us and sent us hope and good wishes.
We love you all so much!!!!
Thank you.
Taliesen... And Daniel!!!!

OH MY GOD - It's official!!!!!!!

People, We have news!!!!
Wednesday, God Willing, we sign a lease.
We have found a BEAUTIFUL apartment, and applied for it, AND BEEN APPROVED!!!!
Now, Australians, this IS a big deal!!!!!
Just so you all know, there are a few differences between applying for an apartment in Australia and Applying for one here... In this country, it is a BIG deal to get approved, especially when you are a foreigner!!!! First of all, the BIG difference is that you PAY to apply. In Australia, you walk into Agencies, see what they have, go have a look and, if you like it, fill out an application, and as long as you have jobs (pretty much) you get it... right?? Well, HERE, you don't go to an agency, if you do, they charge you a "brokers fee" which is usually one months rent.... THAT'S RIGHT!!!! Just to get SHOWN apartments, you pay over a thousand dollars. But there is another way... Websites!!!! There is a very respectable, reliable one called Craigslist... That's where we went. This is where owners of buildings and apartments list adverts online and you contact them directly and go see the apartments. Easy, right?? Well, no. Rarely are there "open houses" with everyone else there... You make APPOINTMENTS with the owner, or WORSE the Super (superintendent of the building), and see the building on a first come/first served basis. Which is fine if you're FIRST, but...
So, after all this, you finally see an apartment FIRST so that it doesn't already have a bunch of people wanting it and you ask for an application.
When you fill out an application in Australia it's a page or two, you hand it in and forget about it... HERE!!!! You Pay $30-50 PER PERSON so that they can do a credit check (so, for starters, you don't just fill out an application for every place you see, you have to think about it... CAREFULLY). So, after you fill out the application and hand over the $100, you ALSO need to supply Bank Statements, Group Certificates from last year (called W-2 forms in the US), last THREE pay slips, References and receipts from previous rental residence's, ID and proof of legal residency. And after ALL this, after they have your money AND enough info to Steal your IDENTITY, they can STILL refuse you!!!!!
SO, here we are, after going through all of this, we have been APPROVED!!!!!! Our new Landlord has taken a deposit and wants us to sign the lease!!!!! WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!!! Excited.... and freaking out....
In this country, when you move into a place you give them the first MONTH'S rent (not a week) and a deposit of ANOTHER months rent (which is refundable, like Bond), and if you're lucky - like we are - SOMEtimes they won't ask for the USUAL LAST months rent upfont ALSO!!!!!! However, in true Daniel and Taliesen fashion we have jumped ship before the rats, so to speak....
We have agreed to sign the lease, next week, without having ALL the money he needs just yet. See, we WILL have all the money he needs... and THEN some (a lot SOME)... once Daniel's tax return from last year is deposited into our account... which should be anytime between last Monday and next Tuesday!!!! So, here we are, relying on the Australian Taxation Office to be punctual... needless to say, the money is not there yet...
But this apartment is SSOOOOOOOO amazing. It's in a beautiful part of Northern Manhattan, near a FABULOUS park, and near an express subway that gets us to mid-town in almost half an hour. The best part is that it's HUGE!!!! Well, huge by Manhattan... Actually, even by New York standards!!!! The bathroom has a TUB, the kitchen is spacious, lots of cabinet's, NEW fridge and oven AND A DISHWASHER!!!!!! Which, by the way, in this city, ONLY rich people have!!!!!!! And the rooms are spacious... WITH STORAGE.... The bedroom has TWO closets and then there's ALSO one in the hall... I love it. It is amazing. It is really, truly, Dan and Taliesen's New York Home.
Be Happy for us guys, seriously, be VERY happy....
And also pray the ATO deposits Daniel's refund, like, NOW!!!!
Thanks.
LOVE TO YOU ALL.... As always.
Talk soon (with pics of our new home).
Taliesen.

New Year well under way!!!!

Well, here we are guys, into February... The Christmas trees are all thrown away, we're approaching, like, Holiday Number FOUR (or something ridiculous like that) already for the New Year... And we are FAST approaching my 1st anniversary of moving to New York.
I can't believe I have been here almost a YEAR!!!! Daniel's now been here over half a year, also!!! It was just 7 months...
I can't believe it... We have individually AND as a couple achieved so much in this short space of time. It becomes really obvious when you compare it to say, moving to Sydney. We both did it, we both did it with VERY little money. We slowly found jobs and a life in Sydney... Made friends and finally had a solid support network, great friends, family and good jobs. We got to a point where we were very comfortable and REALLY happy.
Over a year ago, we decide to THROW that all away, turn our lives upside down and START ALL OVER!!!!!! Almost a year ago, we followed through with this decision and DID JUST THAT!!!!!!
But, surprise, surprise, it was NOT the end of the world. We talk to our families all the time. We have stayed in contact with our friends and have even had several of them visit us, with several more on their way (We LOVE you, Lucy and Nick!!!).
But more than that, we have truly started making really, REALLY good friends here. We may not have our own apartment, YET, we may not have the BEST jobs in the world and we may have not NEARLY as much money as we used to. But, we DO have pretty good jobs (especially for only being here for 9 months, or 7), we DO eat pretty well, we ARE saving and, the MOST IMPORTANT, we really have found some FABULOUS friends.
Daniel and I, this weekend, celebrated our friend, Ben, having a birthday!!!!! Not only is it always fun to see Ben and Iris (we actually went out with them last weekend ON Ben's actual birthday), but we saw a couple of other good friends (guys Daniel used to work with, and friends that came to my birthday Karaoke, also) AND made a couple of new friends!!!!
I have included a couple of pics!!!


It was a VERY fun party!!!! Way to GO, Ben and Iris!!!!!

This one is Me and Daniel with our friend, John, and "that crazy Asian dude in the background". hehehe... That photo was put on here JUST for you, Paul Cageggi!!! His name is Tony and when I showed a picture of my birthday to Paul (via messenger), Paul said he "LOVED the crazy Asian Dude in the background"... When I then told Tony he laughed so hard he now WANTS to be known as that and insisted we take several photos at the party in which he was JUST THAT - the crazy Asian dude in the background!!!!!

Benjamin with his Birthday Cookie... He later ate it so he could "steal it's happy".

We, later, moved to a bar that had one of those shooting deer games, the boys enjoyed.... See???


And, just to finish off, a couple of our friends... Old and NEW!!!!!





Oh... I didn't mention the best winter idea ever... Ben's Birthday... was... a SOUP PARTY!!!!! Everyone brought a SOUP!!!! BEST idea EVER. Ben loves soup and it was his birthday after all.... The night was so much fun.
So, that's our thought, well mine but Daniel will agree, for this fine, FREEZING, February morning!!!!
Nowhere is home until you have a few GOOD friends to call your own!!!!
We are happy today, guys, even though we miss and love you all so much!!!!
Kisses and love, as always!
Taliesen and Daniel.