YAY!! (Ellen speaks)

It took me a little while- but i think i've finally worked out how to do this :)
If not, i'm just going to continue on like i know what i'm doing...

Hello Family,
So i've been in the bracket of the OPL's non-contibutors for most of it's run(with the exception of a few entries of drawings and 3 line descriptions of my exciting life as a 7 year old...)-but i have always enjoyed getting the monthly update on everyone so i'm sad to see it finish. But hopefully i can redeem myself and it will all work out in this new format.

The 'Ellen' paragraph in the Regent Review section has been pretty lacking for the last few years-seeing as i'm not at home as much- but the main points are there and i've managed to see most of you in my trip earlier this year though only briefly. And though i've beaten the rest of my siblings in the race to see who would meet the Utah Petty's first, it's been a while now since i've seen you guys too.

So for all intents and purposes, this is basically my life at the moment:
I'm in my 2nd year of Film School here in Melbourne- I really love it, though it can get quite overwhelming at times. I will graduate with my 'Dipolma of Screen Production(Film & TV)' at the end of this year and eventually would love to Direct, but realistically i'm happy to head down the Assistant Director/Producer line until that oppurtunity presents itself (probably in many, many years time). I still have interests in a few other things that i'd like to pursue/study at some stage if i could, like human rights, voulnteering in community programs overseas and learning spanish, that hopefully i can combine together with Film in the future so we'll see.
However, my immediate main focus(apart from finishing film school) is preparing to serve a full-time mission next year. I turn 21 in March and hope to be off as soon as i can. I think it was mentioned in the last OPL that i've started early sunday morning mission prep classes, and they're AMAZING :) Two of my really close church friends have recently decided to serve missions as well, so it's relly helped preparing with them.
I have two jobs; one at a surf retail store at a local shopping mall called 'Ozmosis' and at a video rental store located mid-way between us and the city called 'Video Ezy'. Ozmosis i've been at for about one and a half years and Video Ezy for one. I enjoy the video store, not a fan of the surf shop- but it pays for now and so it's whatever i can get for the mish fund at this stage!
My calling is Ward Missionary and it's been such a great and appropriate calling for me being able to prepare to serve. I'll think i'll be a much better missionary because of it- it's helped so much already in getting me in the mindset to want to share the gospel and realizing how important it is to do so.(not that i'm really great at it- but i'm working on it!)
So apart from school, work and church i just try and see all my friends as much as i can,- all my friends are turning 21 at the moment so it's been pretty easy to catch up- spend time with the family, and when there is free time i just like to read, watch films, play sport, brush up on my deteriorating musical abilities and sleep! :)

Well that's all for my epic contribution- i doubt my future ones will be as lengthy as this, but that's me right now.

LOVE ELLEN TEREINA PETTY

NICOLA: Are we going to have some sort of system where we all put in at a particular time once a month so we know when to sit down and have a read through them all?- or else will we just read peoples updates when they come?