Arden Street, North Melbourne

 
My heart nearly stopped when I saw this sign while on the twilight typo tour, and drool began to make its way out the corner of my mouth.

After dreaming about it that night (the letter B must have burned a hole in my retina), I discovered its interior is now a fully renovated, three-level home, “filled with incredible natural light and a flexible floor plan to create up to 5 bedrooms”, which recently sold for $800,000. Oh yeah, spa bath, balconies and timber floors, too. Does anyone have $800,000 they’d like to donate so I can live there, in typographic splendour?

Let’s have a closer look at that uppercase B, shall we?

Yum.

 
On my way to take these photographs, I’m pretty sure I saw Mr Honey, sitting on a park bench, listening to music. The very same park where he told me very coldly in November last year that, despite my out-of-control sobs, despite the very real chance of me having to quit my job and leave Australia ASAP and permanently, despite the fact that we’d been together seven years, that, no, he wouldn’t help me with my visa.

I hadn’t realised how close I was to his workplace. I’m fairly certain he didn’t see me.

Can you guess the first thought that came to my mind?

I wanted to honk and wave while driving by, in a genuinely friendly “Hey, how are you?” way. Weird.

And my second thought?

“Crap haircut.”

 
I drove away and tried to park Bernard directly in front of my now-favourite building so I could take a photo and imagine what it would be like if I lived there. But it was a no-standing zone, so I drove around the corner and found a parking space. The very same spot, I later realised, where I’d sat and sobbed after my lawyer gave me the last bout of bad news. I’d had to call my mom overseas with a calling card because I was so distraught and couldn’t drive home. An afternoon full of spooky coincidences.

Somehow I am still in Melbourne. I don’t think I have ever fought so hard for anything in my life. And the struggle continues.

I call this one “Bulla Dream”.

 
I booked my ticket home for Christmas. As I told Sparky today, I’ve been waiting for this trip for a long time, both chronologically and mentally.

I am so excited to see my family and friends, especially now that I’m in such a good place. It will be a dramatic change from last Christmas. I wonder what they’ll make of my hair, seeing as there’s so much of it now.

My overseas thoughts overwhelmingly drift to shopping, though. I never thought I would be so fired up to go to The Gap. I mean, really. Or Urban Outfitters, Ross/Marshall’s/TJ Maxx, or American Target. If the new DFO wasn’t opening near my work in two days, I would be retail-y starved.

I have exactly three weeks to find an appropriate frock and hat for the Melbourne Cup, the first time my birthday has coincided with a public holiday. Wish me luck.

Front window of a store called Bimbo in Chapel Street, Windsor — the mobiles have been cut out of magazines (a ReadyMade project from a few issues back) and the fairy lights on the floor have been encased in slide film canisters.

 
Thanks to a tip from Kylie, I attended a forum last night for “type nuts”, or fans of typography, at the BMW Edge Atrium in Fed Square. Amazing venue and mostly worthwhile event. I knitted 1/3 of my new jumper during the lectures, which made up for any boring bits. Turns out Carolyn was there, too, knitting baby booties at the same time. Ha!

When I told people at work that I was going to attend a typography forum, their first reaction was to ask, “What’s typography?” After I explained it, one of my staff said, “Not to insult you or anything, but you are really square.” I had to laugh.

After a well spent sunny day, I’m off to take the Melbourne Twilight Typo Tour. When I told my mom about it on the phone, she said something similar could surely happen in my hometown, too.

“Uhhh,” I said, “44 font snobs riding a bus around town just to look at cool typefaces on signs, and where they serve cupcakes shaped like type?”

“Hmmm, maybe not,” she said with a laugh.

This is definitely my town.