Well a decade has passed and I'm thinking it might be therapeutic to go through the years to see how things panned out for me….. so I will be breaking it up into 6 categories…… 1) Professionally 2) Socially 3) Main interest 4) Family and Friends 5) Spiritually 6) Most Memorial moment… then I’ll rank it out of 10 (1 – Crap to 10 – Awesome!)
Year 2000
The new centenary started with the first ever new years mass at St. Mark’s in Preston it also saw what was a roller coaster of a year:
1) Professionally:
This year I surprised even myself by completing my teaching degree by completing 6 intensive subjects at the same time (the maximum is 4 per semester) Also I completed my final teaching round at Pascoe Vale North Primary School. Following that I accepted a role at St. Mary’s Coptic College filling in for the art teacher who left at the end of term 3. This was difficult and showed little to no reward other than being thrown into the deep end teaching in a difficult setting. I graduated from RMIT at the Inaugural graduation at Colonial Stadium (Docklands Stadium) in attendance (other than my family, Fr. Daniel (now Bishop Daniel), Rami Kamel, Mourad Mankarious, Ben Rust.)
6/10
2) Socially:
I spent a far bit of time with the youth of St. Mary’s Church in Kensington I got to know many people and was able to re-establish myself after losing 40 kilos from the previous few years. I met my first real girl friend / fiancée there also, she proposed to me and being inexperienced I accepted, this unfortunately led to disastrous results when the families met each other. I was unceremoniously dumped via SMS! which is quite an achievement in the year 2000 seeing that mobile phones was only a new thing at the time. Due to this relationship I pulled out of my bowling league with my best mate Ben, this was a huge mistake as it had an effect on our friendship for years to come.
4/10
3) Main Interests:
No surprise the St. Kilda Footy club is there for the Whole decade but more on that in the future. I discovered the wonders of the 3 stooges, and was on hunt for everything stooges related!
6/10
4) Family and Friends
I reconnected with Viv Saad who I went to school with, Also George Naguib and Emil Sedra were a huge influence during this year, I will always remember building the bookshop with George at the Coptic Centre in Coburg that year. Also have to acknowledge meeting Claudie Thia that year. I spent the last month of the year with my beloved Grandmother in Cairo.
9/10
5) Spiritually
In the year 2000, I graduated from discipleship studies at St. Mary’s (also being one of the first youth members from St. Mark’s in 15 years to do such a discipleship program) I helped Fr. Victor with the St. Mark’s Magazine, served the youth of the church, helped guide the youth to tie in the spiritual competition that year. Learned parts of the Tasbeha.
7/10
6) Most Memorable moment of 2000 would have to be a tie between the first new year mass at St. Marks and Christmas Mass where His Grace Bishop Suriel prayed his first feast and gave a sermon that will be remembered for his harsh words directed at the Egyptian Government for their constant ignorance towards the issue of religious persecution.
Year 2000 Overall 6 / 10
Year 2001
1) Professionally:
First full year of teaching, I taught at St. Mark’s Catholic Primary School in Fawkner teaching Grade 3/4 an average start to my career which didn’t help that I taught through Ganglier fever….. It was a good learning experience.
5/10
2) Socially:
- I spiraled into a deep depression due to the previous year’s break up,
- I purchased my first Saints Membership
- Slowly drifted away from St. Mary’s Church.
- Spent more time with Mourad Mankarious, Tony Bikhit.
3/10
3) Main Interests:
- Rediscovered the Magic of Danny Kaye!
- The Footy (even though it was one of the worst years ever for the Saints!)
- Unsuccessfully attempted to court an amazing girl who went on to become a Nun in Egypt, but got to know an amazing person.
5/10
4) Family and Friends
- Became good friends with Claudia Thia, met Sarah Mikhail,
- Became good mates with John Hanna and Jimmy Morcos.
- Lost Touch with Ben Rust and Trent O’leary.
- Spent the end of the year with my Grandmother in egypt. It would be the last time I would see her.
6/10
5) Spiritually
- Spent plenty of time at the monastery heading up friday night and coming back on the Saturday.
- Started Theological College.
6) Memorable Moment of 2001
Sleeping through the September 11 attack in New York.
Overall 5/10
Year 2002
1) Professionally:
Second year of teaching at St. Paul’s Primary in Kealba, A NIGHTMARE YEAR!!!!
2/10
2) Socially:
- Spent many nights alone, depressed.
- completely burnt my bridges with the youth of St. Mary’s Church.
3/10
3) Main Interests:
- Bought a Playstation 2 and started my DVD collection!
3/10
4) Family and Friends
- Became good friends with John Hanna.
- My friendship with Mourad was strained.
- Met Angelos Suriel
- Got to know Fr. Mark (formally known as Sam)
- Close friendship developed with Jimmy Morcos.
3/10
5) Spiritually
- helped with conventions for the first time, also organized the pope’s visit to St. Mark’s Church.
3/10
6) Memorable Moment of 2001
The Pope’s Visit.
Overall 3/10
Year 2003
1) Professionally:
Landed an Ongoing position at Aitken College teaching grade 4. An amazing year of teaching at the new school
9/10
2) Socially:
- Got out a little more, went to New Zealand.
- Joined the St. Kilda Cheer Squad. Attended all the games.
5/10
3) Main Interests:
- Started Drawing again
- Purchased My first laptop!
3/10
4) Family and Friends
- Reconnected with Ben Rust.
3/10
5) Spiritually
- helped work on the St. Mark Magazine and organizing the youth conventions.
4/10
6) Memorable Moment of 2003
New Zealand Trip
Overall 5/10
Year 2004
1) Professionally:
Another great year teaching at Aitken College 9/10
2) Socially:
- Went to the cinema on a regular basis.
- Went to all the Saints Games.
- Dated a Greek girl who was double timing me. It ended on New Years Eve.
- Took a trip to Fiji
5/10
3) Main Interests:
- Started an interest in super heroes and drawing them.
3/10
4) Family and Friends.
- Met a great group of Guys and Girls on the Fiji Trip.
- Got to know Fr. Mark as Fr. Mark
4/10
5) Spiritually
- Missionary work in Fiji.
4/10
6) Memorable Moment of 2004
Fiji Trip, The Saints winning 10 in a row!
Overall 5/10
Year 2005
The year I should of died not once but 3 times!!!
heading down to Tasmania to help the church there with christmas mass, I was involved in a serious car accident where I still to this day do not know how I survived. I was T-boned by a truck and broke both my legs. I was in and out of hospital for the whole year and had a total of 14 operations in the year. this also included a staph gold infection which nearly took my life as well…
Memorable Moment:
Fr. Victor coming to visit me in Tasmania.
Overall 1/10
Year 2006
1) Professionally:
Struggled to get back to work and was not fully supported by the college, was forced to resign in September.
0/10
2) Socially:
- Rehab, movies, footy
- other than that deep, deep depression!!!!
2/10
3) Main Interests:
- DC Comics, Frasier
3/10
4) Family and Friends
- I kept to myself that year.
- Volunteered at the 2006 Commonwelth Games
- Mourned the Death of Moneer Abdel-Malek
1/10
5) Spiritually
- Spent the year working on the Church Magazine.
6/10
6) Memorable Moment of 2006
Trip to Perth
Overall 3/10
Year 2007
1) Professionally:
Got back to emergency teaching in September on the road to professional recovery.
4/10
2) Socially:
- Rehab, movies, footy.
3/10
3) Main Interests:
- DC Comics and drawing!
3/10
4) Family and Friends
- Met Denise Irving at The Weird Al Concert!
- Mourned the death of Lewis Wahba and Wadea Mankarious, two men who were very special to me.
3/10
5) Spiritually
- worked with the sunday school kids for the year.
6/10
6) Memorable Moment of 2007
Watching the Saints win in Perth for Robert harvey’s 350th Game!
Meeting Weird Al Yankovic!
Overall 5/10
Year 2008
1) Professionally:
Found work at Lakeside Seconday College and had an amazing year!9/10
2) Socially:
- Went to the cinema on a regular basis.
- Went to all the Saints Games.
- Got Ovlie, a Aussie Terrier X
- Visited Japan.
- Started the Buffy Challenge http://buffychallenge.blogspot.com
5/10
3) Main Interests:
- DC Comics
8/10
4) Family and Friends.
- Mourned the Loss of Fr. Victor
- Distanced myself from everyone
1/10
5) Spiritually
- Worked on the St. Mark’s Magazine.
4/10
6) Memorable Moment of 2008
The trip to Japan! other than that losing Fr. Victor overshadows everything!!!!!
Overall 6/10
Year 2009
1) Professionally:
Worked at Whittlesea Seconday College, not a great year but not a terrible one either.
5/10
2) Socially:
- kept to myself for most of the year.
- Got Bruno a Silky X (bought him for $150 from Chapel St!)
1/10
3) Main Interests:
- DC Comics
8/10
4) Family and Friends.
- Distanced myself from everyone
1/10
5) Spiritually
0/10
6) Meamorable Moment of 2008
2009 AFL Season where the Saints did everything except win the Premiership.
Overall 5/10
Well there you have it my decade in review, When I type it out there was a lot of heart break, physical and mental anguish over the last 10 years……
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