At 15, Annabelle was one of those rare beauties who can make every man's head turn - regardless of age or physical fitness. She was one of the few who could send pulses racing in young and old and cause old men to groan with regret simply by walking down the street. She quickly noticed the silence that followed her appearance in a cafe or a classroom, but it would be years before she completely understood it. At the CEG in Crecy-en-Brie, it was common knowledge that she and Michel were 'together', but even if they had not been, no boy would have dared try it on with her. The terrible predicament of a beautiful girl is that only an experienced womaniser, someone cynical and without scruple, feels that he is up to the challenge. More often than not, she will lose her virginity to some filthy lowlife in what can prove to be the first step in an irrevocable decline.

So it's been more than a year since G left... a symbolic milestone that now seems so inconsequential. Somehow it doesn't really feel like the fresh start I expected. But like the stock market, my fortunes have bottomed and are now trending up. I am carrying less baggage than I was at the beginning of the year... all that bitterness and anguish... seems so melodramatic now. Yet it changed my life. I am not the same person I was a year ago. Somewhat cynical and hardened. Less trusting. But at the same time, stronger, more mature, more caring.

September 5th, 2003 was quite special. On a crowded dancefloor, at the last RnB night ever at Dendy, I told Cherie that I'm surprised I'm still here. The rest of the night was not PG rated, and was in many ways a bit scandalous... I believe those who were there remember it much more vividly than I. The DJ's played all my favourite songs that night, including Return of the Mack, In Da Club, Too Close, and U Remind Me... haha, it's all coming back to me now...

Two weeks ago I got to run some focus groups into the cosmetics industry. I've always wanted to get into the strategic area of marketing... gaining consumer insights doesnt really fall under my current job role, but I volunteered for the out of hours experience... which involved lots of creative exercises to get groups of girls talking about cosmetics, concepts of beauty and motivations behind make-up... it was all very... educational. Highlights of the evening included beauty being defined as happiness, an inner glow. I like that... no guy would have said that.

In other news, I bought a little 1 bedroom apartment in Surry Hills, opposite Prince Alfred Park (the one with the swimming pool next to Central station). Yes, I am now officially a real-estate mogul / wage-slave! I will be moving out in mid-November and declaring independence. The whole property purchase has been quite surreal. I haven't really thought about it much, but in the space of a few weeks I will be a S.I.N.K.

Living with my parents has never been so good, but the decision to move out is motivated by the $7,000 first home buyers grant, and my infamous appearance in the July 15th edition of The Bulletin magazine - front cover feature article "Kids Who Won't Leave Home". Check out page 28, where an insouciant Nereis is glibly quoted as saying "You don't really worry about money. It just seems to accumulate no matter how much fun you have on the weekend." I've since become known around work as "the accumulator." At Friday night drinks, one of the office girls said to me "You realise you sound like an absolute wanker in that article?!"

Yes I do. Thank you, The Bulletin. But the funny thing about wankers is that they're proud of it.

I'm excited about doing the place up and learning to survive as a bachelor. In preparation, I've developed an unhealthy interest in DIY home improvement and cooking shows. However, part of me feels like I'm surrendering my youth. I got a taste of the domestic drudgery awaiting me over the past two weeks, as both parental units were oseas in Malaysia & Singapore. Coming home late after work to an empty house was depressing! With no one to talk to, I found myself doing a lot of cleaning and reading the newspaper in front of the TV, when usually, I do neither.

Rather more exciting, are my holiday plans! I'm taking a month off work to party with my friends in Malaysia, Hongkong and China over Xmas and New Year... I really should be saving towards my new mortgage, but a big oseas trip is the last new year's resolution that I haven't fulfilled yet. EN inspired me to write a list of personal goals at the beginning of the year... I'm secretly proud that I've now accomplished all of them. I've been really active, making new friends and trying a lot of new things like rock climbing, archery, dance class & tennis. At the same time, I've grown closer to my family, having really good conversations with my mum and dad, taking them out for cafe breakfast after a big night out... and I finished an evening marketing course at UTS - graduated with distinction average! So whilst this past year has been hard for me, in many ways, I think I've grown and become a better person for it.