Hello to my two and a half readers, I'd like to welcome you to this week's little session of The Life of Jay. In the past week I've gotten a confirmed paid position at the Hub, editing/writing its Precinct section. For any of you who don't understand the significance of this, I've just sliced the bread, invented the light bulb and programmed the VCR. It's that damn solid. I'm a 20 year old part time student/retail drone who's got a professional in the industry willing to back me. If I were any more happy I'd be giving birth to kittens.

...Yes well maybe not THAT happy. Hopefully.

Otherwise, I applied for a cadet position at the Sydney Morning Herald on the recommendation of my editor at the Hub. I doubt I'll get the job but I'll put my best foot forward and see how it goes, I think I've got the skills to do it, I just need to work on my presentation. Exams, interviews, and a horde of ninjas are the challenges I must face to get the job.

Legal studies and editing are the two focuses of my studies right now, pretty brain numbing stuff but obviously important. Once the note taking stops and the application begins things get more interesting, I have a mind for legalese. It's scary to think about that...

I walked into a bar in the shady northern reaches of Sydney last night, thinking I couldn't get any lower. I left my hat and dignity at the door, paid the cover charge of my respectability, and sat next to a lonely chap at the corner of the bar. He'd seen better days too by the looks of it, his once sparkling specs were now misted by time and tears.

"Rough place we're in eh?" I asked, throwing out a life line to my neighbour.

"Fair dinkum. I've given her the best years of my life, good security, money and a lot of compromises. Now... look where I am," his prodigious eyebrows quirked to indicate our not so lush surroundings, "All I asked was that she stay inside, not talk out of turn, not complain about the strange friends I have..."

This was starting to sound familiar.

"I mean, I really only saw the US often. Who could resist? Always open to trade, good for a quick jaunt in the middle east and she never judged me when I got a little harsh. But then I started with China, she was exotic, dominating... Always more with her, more money, more rights violations. What man could stand up to that? Russia really did me in, she was into the yellow stuff, never minded playing dirty. Australia wouldn't take it any more, all my mates started saying I'd lost the plot, I tried doing favours, things no man should ever do for somebody. Didn't work, now some punce with a bigger IR policy then me has taken over, talking about fairness and worker's rights. She'll learn... she'll learn mate!"

My partner's bald pate hit the bar as he wept into his lemon squash, and without a word I got up, turned my drink away and handed a $20 to the barman.

"He needs this more then me."