Carter's Column

12th September 2005... 24th August 2009... 27th December 2010... 7th January 2011... 29th April 2012. Some of the best days of my life for various reasons. Now I can add Monday 11th February 2013 to that list. I cannot believe I am sitting here writing this, but I have been granted my Provisional Partner Visa. I am now legally able to live and work in Australia, and more importantly it means I can begin my life with my beautiful Fiancée properly. Since the visa grant letter came through last Monday I have been in a bit of a daze. I've not known where to start, what to do or where to go and indeed on Tuesday I had some kind of stomach upset and was forced to take the day off work. I spent the rest of the day in bed and actually slept which is most unlike me. When I got out of bed again at 5:20pm I felt very weak on my feet, very drained and very light headed. Could it have been nerves? Could it have been a result of one can of lager the previous evening having not touched alcohol ...

I find myself asking if metaphorically and meteorologically I have dealt with the last of the icy coldness. You all know about my dislike of the cold weather but even I have to say that the snow in our part of the country has had a beauty to it and has made the scenery look stunning. Winter usually leaves our countryside looking so bleak and dull that when a short period of whiteness covers the landscape the only thing we can think of is how stunningly beautiful it looks. I'd be less than truthful if I said I would like to experience another English winter, because in all honesty I can't wait to be in a hot country. Metaphorically speaking, the coldness relates to certain individuals and my encounters with them in the last week have finally made me believe that I am getting over them and their lies, and the effect just seeing them had on me. Usually when I see these people a surge of anger and hatred flows through my veins and my heart rate increases drastically. On Tuesday ...

So while Australia fights off the bushfires and the record high temperatures, England gets snow, ice and a public transport system that still can't deal with it despite having it for the last 3 winters in a row, and pretty much every year in history. People continue to be stupid when snow appears, people continue to try to drive where they shouldn't and they get stuck. Doing it once? Forgiveable. Doing it multiple times? You're an idiot. Learn from your mistakes. I mentioned before that a way of helping time pass is to have things to look forward to, breaking the time down. This is a technique that Jess has taught me. I've added another event to that... I am going to see Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal on 3rd March. It's the biggest game you could possibly go to as a Spurs fan and let's face it, I'm not going to get that chance again so I planned to go with a couple of mates. Unfortunately Spurs have a policy where for the first week members like me can only b...

Seeing out 2012 in a fantastic location Christmas is out of the way! New Year is done! And it has been busy enough although I found Christmas to be something of an anti-climax without Jess. It didn't feel special given that it was possibly the last one I'd spend in England. It all seemed to be out of the way very quickly and after it was over, on the spur of the moment I went to Cheshire to surprise my Grandparents. They were surprised, and they reacted well which made it worthwhile for me. I stayed with Dad's brother (who came down to Devon for Christmas with my Aunt) and he took me Clay-Pigeon shooting. The first time I'd ever picked up a gun, I hit 49 out of 100 so I'm happy with that and I did enjoy it. It took me a while to get used to firing the gun and because I wasn't holding it correctly to begin with I ended up with a huge bruise around my shoulder and forearm! I hope to get one more visit to Cheshire in before the visa is granted. Daylight hi...

In my last blog I touched on the subject of secrecy, lying and trust. Judging from the reaction I received from all quarters about it, it seems to have touched a nerve in many ways. Friends who have been lied to themselves said it really summed up how they felt about their friends and partners, and in a way that satisfied me. Not necessarily because other people have suffered at other people's lies too, but because it means that what I said actually reached someone, or even multiple people. I wouldn't say I've been particularly respected by many people other than the Macquarie University Cricket Club players during my two seasons there, especially the year I was Captain. So to hear people not only take notice of what I've said, but to agree with it is very humbling. I do see myself as a leader but in order to lead you have to have the respect of your followers and be a big enough character to actually lead. I had dreamed of Captaining the 1st XI at Bovey Tracey CC sin...

It's a question that has a multitude of answers but when asked is still meant rhetorically: Why do people LIE? It could be to gain an advantage over someone or something, it could be to make yourself appear better somehow, it could be to gain sympathy, it could be to cover yourself from something you shouldn't have said or done. But one thing is undeniable; If it is ever found out to be a lie, it's hurtful and incites all sorts of negative emotions. I heard on the radio a fantastic sound-bite which perfectly sums up how I feel. " If you don't lie, you don't have to remember anything." If you tell a lie to someone and they remember what it was you said, then you give them a different version of events at a later date, it will ring an alarm bell in their head. They'll lose trust for you. In a relationship that can be the start of a downward spiral. In a working relationship it could cost you a customer, supplier or even result in someone getting phys...

The final few weeks of 2012 are upon us. So much has happened this year it is difficult to remember it all clearly! For Jess and I the year began in London and while Jess is back home in Sydney there is a possibility I may end 2012 in London as well. We've had the Olympics, the Golden Jubilee, floods, the Ryder Cup, a brilliant season of Formula 1 and more recently the news of a new addition to the Royal Family and an almost immediate prank from an Australian Radio show and extremely saddening circumstances following that. Christmas Day 2006, Mount Donna Buang, Victoria AUSTRALIA! Personally I have had a busy year too. Starting the year with my Fiancée in London was a once in a lifetime opportunity for us both and to meet up with two friends from my childhood was fantastic. We had our first Valentine's Day spent together, we went to see Spurs play for the first time (possibly only time together), I had my final season at Bovey Tracey Cricket Club, my grandparents 60...