...and a partridge in a pear tree

My future at work is in doubt - our company is in the process of being taken over by a much larger & more carnivorous business. So I think I might find myself out on my tush in March, so I'm being pro-active and have updated my resume and am now looking for work.
Of course given the fact that there is only 3 days until Christmas, there isnt so much work being advertised & not many jobs on offer.

Hopefully my luck will change in January.

As well has trying to find a new 9-5 job I'm also contemplating my future and how at this moment in time I am career-less. I've been tossing up between focusing on my writing, and developing my skills in that area or whether to go down a completely new path and start my own small business.
I'm not so happy in dull 9-5 jobs. I want work where I feel some satisfaction at the end of the day, and am motivated to get out of bed in the morning - instead of hitting the snooze button as often as possible.

So...that's being mentally turned over & over in my head every day.

Bailey is growing into a bigger & more mischevious bundle of fluff. He is now big enough to get up on most of our furniture without any assistance. In the weeks to come I'm sure we're going to wake up in the morning and discover him curled up on the end of the bed instead of his own cushy little pillow.
He passed Puppy Pre-School last night, he got a Certificate and everything! Just to prove he knows how to sit, stay, drop & come when called.
He then tried to beat up the Labrador that's 6 times his size.

Christmas is rapidly approaching, I have ALL my presents brought, wrapped & under the tree. So at least I dont have to worry about that, and cooking on Christmas Day is all up to the grown ups of the family (I'm still considered a kid) so I just have to bring supplies.

However we were meant to go camping on Boxing Day, but the National Park we were heading to has been closed due to Bush Fires (or the threat of Bush Fires...or something involving Fires). So an alternative has been found.

And I think my Mum decided to wait a day or two until she told me about it all (until the alternative had been found & booked) because she didnt want me spazzing out like I did last year when my camping trip then got shortened dramatically.
Luckily I managed to keep it all together, my depression didnt overtake me like it did back then. I managed to keep it under control.

So I guess that shows you how much I've learned or changed in the last 12 months.

Anyways - enough of my prattling (well I could quite easily continue typing, as I'm bored at work with no tasks to do - and no work in sight until 2007).

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Safe & Happpy New Year

Love
Angela

Smoky Weather

I didnt notice this earlier in the day, mainly because I slept all the way into the city on the train and then had a zombie walk up to work.
But the entire city is covered in a yellow haze.

This would be due to the Bushfires currently raging across Victoria - there's even some rumours that some of the smoke hanging over Melbourne is from the Tasmania fires aswell.

From the Level 11 Office Windows you can normally view the city skyline all the way out to the sea - but today it's entirely shrouded. The sun looks like a giant red fireball in the sky as it tries to shine through the heavy smoke.
There is not even a hint of blue out there. It's all grim.

I went for a walk and had to hurry back into the office & air conditioning - my eyes got so sore from all the smoke I thought I was going to burst into tears.

Just makes you pause and think - if it's this bad in the city, imagine what the firefighters and rural towns are experiencing....

So...

So...Bailey is growing. He's becoming far more mischevious - and he's as cute as ever.
He got his final vaccination on Thursday...which means he can now explore the outside world. But I might wait until he can fit his collar & leash - that way I dont lose him when he runs off after a new "friend" he discovers.

My job is making me more miserable by the day. It seems I dont do anything right, nothing is ever fast enough, professional enough or up to standard.

And I am trying - I am trying SO hard.

But now I'm feeling like my effort is a bit wasted, that no one is fully appreciating that I am stepping out of my safety net and being as "lively" as I can be. I am SHY. I dont sit around and gossip all day like other people do.
I want to sit quietly, do my work and go home - but apparantly that's not good enough either.

So I guess I cant win...

I am looking for other work and at this stage - I dont even care about the money. I just want to feel a little bit excited about going to work everyday.

Is that too much to ask?

Sucky Friday

Ever gotten in trouble for something that wasnt your fault?
Ever gotten in trouble for something that was completely out of your control?
Ever been humiliated in front of other Managers by something that a) wasnt your fault and b) was completely out of your control?

Here is the scenario:

Last week I got handed a folder that I had to obtain Management Sign Off for. Which entails me lugging the heavy folder around all of the Manager's office and getting them to sign a bit of paper.
However the File that I was given was already overdue for Sign Off by TWO weeks. So I started the Sign Off process - however signatures have to be obtained in a very specific order. If you dont get one Manager's signature then another one wont sign it.

So I went to Branding...except the Branding Manager was on holiday due to the Melbourne Cup long weekend.
Right. Okay. No problem I'd try get another signature - I went to the Alliance Manager...but she refused to sign it because the Analytics Manager hadnt signed it.
Stuck at a stand still.
The Branding Manager came back two days later - and I got her signature, then the folder went to the Marketing Manager for his signature (for which I got a stern telling off because it was overdue).
Once I had obtained these two signatures I then went to the Legal Manager who REFUSED to sign it because it was now three weeks overdue.

Right. Okay. So...I cant get the Alliance Manager's signature until I had received Analytics signature so I heaved the folder up to Analytics - to be told that one of the Manager's Underlings had to review the file before he would sign it. Except of course the Underling responsible for this file was on training and wouldnt return until Thursday morning.

Lots of swearing but I patiently waited (and tried to ignore the stress and warnings from the Manager I was trying to do this for). I handed the folder to Underling One to be informed that he had nothing to do with it and that Underling Two had to review it. Gritting my teeth I place the file on Underling Two's desk under the assurance that Underling One would take care of it.

5 hours later I've had enough...I stomp up to the desk, demand my signature - which Underling Two scurries away to obtain - and then I head back up to the Alliance Manager's office to find the door locked & her in full Secret Business mode (no disturbances allowed).

I deposit the folder back on my Manager's desk. Send an email advising that:
a) That the Legal Manager is refusing sign off
b) That due to the Alliance Manager being ensconced in meetings I cant obtain her sign off
and c) that due to both of these facts I cant obtain the General Manager's signature.

I then pack up and go home.

I arrive this morning and get a stern telling off that I should have done this all last week (ummm...it was already 2 weeks overdue last week, I would have had people refusing to sign even THEN). That I need to take more effort into my work.

Apparrantly it is all my fault - even though I spent the last 2 weeks running around chasing signatures - and none of my explanations are valid.

7 hours

7 hours - thats how long I've managed to keep Bailey accident free. It would have been longer, but we went and visited my parents and Bailey got a bit over-excited playing with the other dogs.

Bailey is definitely getting much more rambunctious; he's developed an interest in human food so whenever we eat dinner we get jumped on as he investigates the new smells & aromas.
Probably much more interesting than his Eukanuba mixed with Pedigree Puppy Porridge!

His first visit to the vet went very well, and he is booked in for his final vaccinations as well as Puppy Pre-School. Let's just hope he gets better at listening by the time Pre-School starts, cant have him distracted by exploring the vetinary clinic instead of learning how to Sit, Stay and Roll Over.

Letsee...what else?
The rumours that our Office is going to be moving - somewhere fairly hard for me to get to without travelling for an hour each way - are persisting. So I'm now starting to resign myself to the fact that...well I might have to resign.
I've started looking up administrative roles elsewhere just to get an idea of what's out there. I really, REALLY hate job interviews so I'm very terrified at the thought that I'm going to have to sit through yet another one.
Without throwing up.

Ohwell...we'll see...at least I know I've got this job until at least February/March of next year...after that it's time to move office.

Meet Bailey.

He is 8 weeks old, a Maltalier (Maltese x King Charles Cavalier Spaniel) and utterly gorgeous.

He threw up on me twice on our trip home, I have had to clean up a number of smelly accidents - but that doesnt make me adore him any less.

So far we've discovered that he likes pouncing on tall grass, enjoys playing Dr Livingstone by exploring jungle territory (otherwise known as the garden) and sleeps for copious amounts every day.

He has long legs that he will need to grow into - and which cause him some co-ordination troubles at present. He often appears to be drunk or trips over his own feet when he gets hyper.

He tags along everywhere I go (unless he's exploring) so I now have a little companion who trots along in my shadow up and down the house as I organise dinner or do the washing.

He's my little man - and I'm in love :)

(P.S dont worry big man I still love you too)

something

Isnt it great when something you thought would bring you more happiness...does the opposite?

Puppies

They're cute, they're fluffy, they're irresistable.

I missed out on getting one of the most adorable puppies I have ever seen yesterday - a Maltese x Spaniel it was just...well...perfect!
It was my dream puppy in the fur!

Of course I couldnt get a hold of the people selling the litter of puppies - and when I got through to them today it was to be advised that the last puppy was being picked up by it's new owner this afternoon.

So...the search for my dream puppy (aka Bailey) continues....

1st November

Ever have that feeling that time is speeding up?
I mean it's November already! Christmas is just around the corner and then very shortly it will be 2007.

Time to prepare for the Silly Season and try not to over-indulge in the foods that are going to be thrown at me from every corner. I still have my high-cholesterol to consider.

I've already turned down a Toffee Apple. How good am I? But that was more in preservation of my teeth than any desire to lose weight.
I could justify eating the Toffee Apple by the fact that it contains fruit within it's hard, sticky exterior - but the Dentist terrifies me. A LOT.
So it's best to leave that kind of thing well alone.

One day of avoiding Silly Season junk food down...several more to go....

Sunshine & Lollypops

Today is one of those days where it is impossible to be unhappy - I am in such a good mood I think I might burst.
And you know what? It's an amazing feeling and since I've been through the darkness of depression I can fully appreciate this mood.

It used to be a rare mood - so it is precious and should be treasured.

It's a sunny day outside with one of those occassional cool breezes that just makes it entirely perfect.
I am wearing comfortable clothes for a change - not the usual black pants and stiff shirt which make me feel suffocated - instead I have a loose skirt on and a comfy top and I'm feeling like I'm able to be myself.
Half of my Manager's (I have four managers directly above me) are sick today so I feel like a lot of the pressure is off me to try and cater to everyone at my end of the office - and instead I can focus on my own work and take my time with it.
I'm going to sit outside at lunchtime and read my book, blind all the passersby with my white legs, and congratulate myself on not requiring chocolate as a mood-booster.

2 1/2 days till payday
2 weeks till a public holiday
8 1/2 weeks till Christmas

List 2

Well that's good - out of the top 100 WORST films of all time I've only seen 9 of them!

From Justin to Kelly (2003)
Troll 2 (1990)
Going Overboard (1989)
SuperBabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (2004)
Santa with Muscles (1996)
Backyard Dogs (2000)
3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain (1998)
Car 54, Where Are You? (1994)
Zoom (2006)
Phat Girlz (2006)
Material Girls (2006)
Chairman of the Board (1998)
House of the Dead (2003)
Glitter (2001)
Love in Paris (1997)
Son of the Mask (2005)
In the Mix (2005)
Leonard Part 6 (1987)
Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966)
Kazaam (1996)
You Got Served (2004)
Simon Sez (1999)
The Honeymooners (2005)
Cool as Ice (1991)
Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace (1996)
Alone in the Dark (2005)
.com for Murder (2002)
Yûgiô: Gekijô-ban (2004)
1 Baby Geniuses (1999)
Little Man (2006/I)
Ed (1996)
2 Gigli (2003)
It's Pat (1994)
3 The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)
Howling II: Stirba - Werewolf Bitch (1985)
American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt (1989)
Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 (2000)
Bolero (1984)
Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector (2006)
The Smokers (2000)
Marci X (2003)
Shanghai Surprise (1986)
King Cobra (1999)
Hercules in New York (1970)
Anus Magillicutty (2003)
Toter hing im Netz, Ein (1960)
The Bat People (1974)
Hobgoblins (1988)
4 Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
Doogal (2006)
The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1994)
The NeverEnding Story III (1994)
BloodRayne (2005)
I Accuse My Parents (1944)
5 Teen Wolf Too (1987)
Howling III (1987)
The Hellcats (1967)
Captain America (1991)
Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994)
The Horror of Party Beach (1964)
Dis - en historie om kjærlighet (1995)
Supercross (2005)
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
6 Mannequin: On the Move (1991)
The Foreigner (2003)
Can't Stop the Music (1980)
Meatballs III: Summer Job (1986)
Laserblast (1978)
Rollerball (2002)
Daniel - Der Zauberer (2004)
Rhinestone (1984)
Track of the Moon Beast (1976)
7 Date Movie (2006)
Zaat (1975)
Out for a Kill (2003)
8 Werewolf (1996)
9 Mac and Me (1988)
Monster A Go-Go (1965)
Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000)
Ringmaster (1998)
The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)
Mr. Nanny (1993)

Lists

It's yet another slow morning at work - so please find below the top 250 films (as voted by IMDB users) and I have seen a grand total of 112/250.
Not too bad. Nearly halfway there!

1 The Godfather (1972)
2 The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
3 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
4 Casablanca (1942)
Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966) (the Good, the Bad & the Ugly)
5 Schindler's List (1993)
Shichinin no samurai (1954) (the Seven Samurai)
6 Pulp Fiction (1994)
7 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
8 Star Wars (1977)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
9 Rear Window (1954)
10 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
11 12 Angry Men (1957)
12 Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
13 The Usual Suspects (1995)
Cidade de Deus (2002) (City of God)
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
14 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
15 Citizen Kane (1941)
16 Psycho (1960)
17 Goodfellas (1990)
C'era una volta il West (1968) (Once Upon A Time in the West)
18 North by Northwest (1959)
19 Memento (2000)
20 The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
21 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
22 Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le (2001) (Amelie)
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
23 It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
24 Fight Club (1999)
25 American Beauty (1999)
26 The Matrix (1999)
27 Vertigo (1958)
Taxi Driver (1976)
28 Apocalypse Now (1979)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Paths of Glory (1957)
29 Se7en (1995)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Untergang, Der (2004) (Downfall)
30 Léon (1994) (The Professional)
Chinatown (1974)
American History X (1998)
The Third Man (1949)
31 The Pianist (2002)
Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001) (Spirited Away)
32 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
The Departed (2006)
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
Boot, Das (1981)
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
M (1931)
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
33 L.A. Confidential (1997)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
34 Alien (1979)
35 A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Metropolis (1927)
Rashômon (1950)
36 Double Indemnity (1944)
37 Reservoir Dogs (1992)
38 The Shining (1980)
39 Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Sin City (2005)
40 Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Modern Times (1936)
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Raging Bull (1980)
41 Aliens (1986)
Rebecca (1940)
42 Some Like It Hot (1959)
43 The Great Escape (1963)
All About Eve (1950)
44 Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Touch of Evil (1958)
45 Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957) (The Seventh Seal)
46 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
47 Amadeus (1984)
48 Vita è bella, La (1997)
49 The Sting (1973)
50 Jaws (1975)
51 Batman Begins (2005)
52 Strangers on a Train (1951)
On the Waterfront (1954)
53 Forrest Gump (1994)
54 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
55 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
56 The Incredibles (2004)
57 The Wizard of Oz (1939)
58 Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
59 Braveheart (1995)
60 The Apartment (1960)
61 Blade Runner (1982)
Nuovo cinema Paradiso (1989)
The Elephant Man (1980)
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
62 High Noon (1952)
Notorious (1946)
City Lights (1931)
Donnie Darko (2001)
The Big Sleep (1946)
Ran (1985)
63 Fargo (1996)
Crash (2004/I)
The Great Dictator (1940)
64 Finding Nemo (2003)
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Salaire de la peur, Le (1953)
65 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Mononoke-hime (1997)
66 The Sixth Sense (1999)
67 Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
68 Annie Hall (1977)
Unforgiven (1992)
Notti di Cabiria, Le (1957)
Oldboy (2003)
69 Ben-Hur (1959)
70 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Wo hu cang long (2000)
Yojimbo (1961)
71 Back to the Future (1985)
The Killing (1956)
72 V for Vendetta (2005)
73 The Princess Bride (1987)
74 Life of Brian (1979)
75 The Green Mile (1999)
The Deer Hunter (1978)
76 It Happened One Night (1934)
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
The Graduate (1967)
77 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
78 Platoon (1986)
Battaglia di Algeri, La (1966)
Per qualche dollaro in più (1965) (A Few Dollar's More)
Ladri di biciclette (1948) (The Bicycle Thief)
Brief Encounter (1945)
79 The African Queen (1951)
80 Gladiator (2000)
Diaboliques, Les (1955)
Amores perros (2000)
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
81 Toy Story 2 (1999)
82 Smultronstället (1957) (Wild Strawberries)
Gandhi (1982)
Lola rennt (1998)
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
The General (1927)
Duck Soup (1933)
8½ (1963)
The Conversation (1974)
83 Harvey (1950)
Stand by Me (1986)
Cabinet des Dr. Caligari., Das (1920)
Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)
84 Die Hard (1988)
Patton (1970)
Glory (1989)
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Belle et la bête, La (1946) (Beauty and the Beast)
Ying xiong (2002)
85 Spartacus (1960)
86 Gone with the Wind (1939)
Cinderella Man (2005)
87 Finding Neverland (2004)
88 The Philadelphia Story (1940)
89 Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
The Gold Rush (1925)
A Christmas Story (1983)
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
90 Toy Story (1995)
91 Groundhog Day (1993)
92 Trainspotting (1996)
Idi i smotri (1985)
Tengoku to jigoku (1963)
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
Out of the Past (1947)
93 Magnolia (1999)
Mystic River (2003)
Before Sunset (2004)
94 Walk the Line (2005)
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
95 Shrek (2001)
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
96 The Exorcist (1973)
97 Big Fish (2003)
Du rififi chez les hommes (1955)
98 King Kong (1933)
The Hustler (1961)
99 The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
100 Twelve Monkeys (1995)
Quatre cents coups, Les (1959)
Kumonosu jô (1957)
101 Ed Wood (1994)
Heat (1995)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Sleuth (1972)
Stalag 17 (1953)
Hotaru no haka (1988)
In the Heat of the Night (1967)
102 The Terminator (1984)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
103 Snatch. (2000)
Hable con ella (2002)
Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
104 Young Frankenstein (1974)
The Straight Story (1999)
Manhattan (1979)
Umberto D. (1952)
The Lost Weekend (1945)
Himmel über Berlin, Der (1987)
Sling Blade (1996)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Sherlock Jr. (1924)
All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
The Thing (1982)
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
105 Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Inherit the Wind (1960)
106 Roman Holiday (1953)
107 Rosemary's Baby (1968)
108 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Haine, La (1995)
Frankenstein (1931)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
Bringing Up Baby (1938)
Ikiru (1952)
Scarface (1983)
No Man's Land (2001)
Central do Brasil (1998)
109 The Searchers (1956)
Brazil (1985)
110 Doctor Zhivago (1965)
A Man for All Seasons (1966)
111 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Festen (1998)
Harold and Maude (1971)
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Ángel exterminador, El (1962)
Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes (1972)
The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
112 Planet of the Apes (1968)

Aussie vs Kiwi - or both?

Well it's that time of the year again where I consider becoming an Australian Citizen.
Because I arrived in this country 23 days before some legislative thingy came into effect I can fill out a form, go to an interview, take a vow to do my best as a little Aussie - and then can call myself an Australian.
All for the small price of $120.

So, I'm doing it. I'm becoming an Australian. The form is filled in and I'm just waiting for my Criminal Record to be sent from NZ - yes make as many jokes about that as you please but I'm expecting a blank piece of paper to return from the Ministry of Justice.

I still remain a dual citizen, which means I can have passports for both countries and jump between the two with no trouble whatsoever. But when it comes down to the crunch - I will always consider myself a Kiwi. A New Zealander.
I will barrack for the All Blacks, I will still refer to my jandals as "jandals" (I dont own any jandals but my intentions are pure), I will go to the "dairy" to get a newspaper on Sunday mornings and will roll my eyes at any Sheep jokes thrown my way.

Unless of course NZ becomes some highly evil society taken over by Sam's evil clone sheep - in which case I might consider myself an Aussie.

But well...I've lived in both countries for a big chunk of my life - NZ 18 years and Oz 9 years that I guess I'm a mix of both worlds now.

Just call me the Strawberry Kiwi-Aussie

Pacman

My new top score on Pacman is 61,000 points.

I thought that was blogworthy.

Yes. It's been a quiet afternoon.

Friday

And what a beautiful Friday it is!

It started off pretty miserably though - I discovered that my juice bottle leaks. Because it chose to leak all over my bed, my clean new sheets and brand new mattress underlay while I was tying up my boots.

I thought I fixed the problem - but fixing the problem caused me to miss the train by about 20 seconds. Then after that big defeat, I found that I hadnt solved the problem and that my juice bottle had leaked all through my bag.

My jacket was used as a towel (I just used the hood part) and I mopped it all up. I had a fairly uneventful train ride - except for when I got it into my head that I had to get off at the Melbourne Central train station.
A stop earlier than I needed to.
So that added another 5 minutes onto my journey into work.

That's okay though - no one noticed me sneaking in late, with my juice stained jacket. I turned on my computer and worked pretty solidly throughout the day.

Then I got to go outside - into the sunshine and warmth of a spring day. I also got to go outside and attend my last counselling session.
My last!

I've gotten to the point where everytime I go to counselling, I'm struggling to think of things to bring up to discuss. I'm just feeling so happy and light (apart from when juice bottles leak) that I feel like a new person...I feel free?

Does that make any sense whatsoever or am I just babbling?

Double Jinx

Can I just say that I am beginning to think I'm psychic.

Now...if you all have read the previous post you all would have read my sentence mentioning delayed planes and missing buses right? Well guess what happened on Friday morning? My plane was delayed by 45 minutes and seeing as the gap between my plane landing and my connecting bus leaving was 50 minutes, you can say that I was more than a little stressed when I finally landed at Brisbane airport.

I had to traverse the Domestic Terminal in 5 minutes or less and considering Virgin Blue is right at the backend of the damn place I pretty much started running as soon as I hit the tarmac.

I arrived outside at the bus stop at 1.23pm to find no bus there - and as it was scheduled to depart at 1.20pm I was more than a little panicky.
Thank goodness the bus was ALSO running late and it turned up 10 minutes later - so I didnt have to ring up Greyhound and have to pay for another fare.

In the last 4 days I have now spent a total of 6 hours on a plane, 6 hours on a bus, 6hours in an airport (Melbourne or Brisbane), 48 hours listening to irritating Husband talk, and quite a few happy hours cuddling the baby.

Once I can figure out how to put up photos, I'll be sure to stick one up of me holding Cooper.

Jinxed

I think I have discussed this before: alarm clocks are evil. Especially when they decide not to go off when they should - they can make you late and get a train that decides to sit outside Flinders Street Train Station for 10 minutes longer than it should and subsequently make you late to work - where you discover your computer being a pain in the butt by freezing constantly.

It's been one of those weeks - I'm just hoping it doesnt continue as I'm going up to Queensland on Friday to visit the new baby (Cooper Asa - now one month old). And I really dont think I can handle Planes being delayed - and subsequently making me miss connecting buses.

I'm just hoping I can fit all of my clothes into one bag so I can take it as hand luggage and not worry about any missing baggage (the way this week is going I would not be surprised). I'm going to experiment tonight and see what I can cram into my Tinkerbell overnight bag.

Yes. I really do own a Tinkerbell overnight bag.

So Sleepy....

Okay so I've been diagnosed with Iron Deficiency Anaemia. Which is causing my extreme fatigue, pale skin and general overall tiredness.
As I write this I'm struggling to contain my yawns and keep my eyes open - and I've been awake and active for 2 hours. Usually by the end of the day the circles under my eyes are darker and my eyelids feel so heavy.

I'm on a high dose of Iron tablets but so far - no real change yet. I'm still struggling to get out of bed in the morning, and want to get into bed as soon as I get home at night. This is not good seeing as I'm on this healthy eating thing now (I've got high-cholesterol too) and have to make these healthy dinners now - although Vladdy is being a good boy and volunteering to help.
But they're complicated recipes! They involve lots of ingredients and some level of cooking skills.
And I have nil cooking skills.

So far I've managed to make stuff that is edible, but it isnt that exciting. Ohwell...they say practice makes perfect right? Well maybe in my case practice will make things more interesting?

Or at least I'm hoping I dont blank out/have nap time in the middle of cooking and set anything on fire....

Note: my email is having some issues - so if anyone is having any problems emailing me - sorry! I have no idea of the technicalities but I'm assured it's going to be fixed!

If anyone needs me urgently you can try my work email - or if you dont have that, then my hotmail account!

A Day at the Zoo

On the weekend Vladdy & I decided to do something with our precious time off and go to the Zoo...so Saturday morning we got ourselves ready, packed a picnic lunch, grabbed our cameras and drove to the station.

It was a nice morning, it was a bit crisp but at least the sun was out and it took the chill out of the breeze. Our 40 minute train ride in to the Zoo was spent discussing camping lists and what we need to get to ensure we wont starve/freeze to death when we get a chance to go camping for the first time. I'm not sure if Vladdy share's my enthusiasm, but I like the idea of having some camping stuff ready to go in the garage - so if we stumble across a nice weekend we can go for a drive and set up the tent somewhere.

The day was spent wandering around the zoo...me looking at the animals, Vladdy taking 500 photos of the animals, me complaining about my aching arm (mysterious new medical symptom), Vladdy taking even more photos of the animals.

Then the rain began to overtake the sunshine so we headed back to the train station.

Once we got back to Werribee it was to discover that a) Vladdy had not locked the car and b) Vladdy had left the car keys in the ignition.
But the car was still sitting in the carpark. In the Werribee Train Station Carpark...the carpark that has a special spot for police cars. In the suburb with one of the highest crime rates in Victoria.

I didnt know whether to laugh or cry.
In the end hysterical laughter won out...and Vladdy is now being convinced to buy lotto/scratchie tickets because he's the luckiest bastard alive....

Pins & Needles

I went for my blood test yesterday morning. This was the first time I've had a blood test in years, in fact I think it's been a decade since I last had to face a needle.

I used to have blood tests a lot as a kid - I was a sickly child LOL - so by the end of Primary School I was a pro at having a jab.

As I sat in the waiting room (for nearly an hour) I wondered if it would be any different or if it would hurt more because I hadnt had one for awhile.
Nope. It's just the same. Except for the unexpected little "spurt" of blood that escaped. It was very lucky that I was wearing a pair of my black work trousers...otherwise I might've been in trouble.
Or at the very least, been asked by a lot of very worried people if I was okay & needed an ambulance. But then once in the space of 4 weeks is quite enough of that!

And yes: I am writing this post at work. But I've finished all of my "real" work (what there was of it) AND also helped fold/stuff/seal 900 letters.
So I'm going to sit here until some more work falls on my desk...

Take Two Aspirin and Call me in the Morning

Yet another visit to the doctor's office for me...I'm scheduled in an hour...and once and for all I'm going to ask to have every possible test done so they can figure out why I'm feeling so sick and tired all the time.

I think my immune system is broken, or needs to be replaced. I wonder if it's still under Warranty.

Discount

An interesting pub experience...

Went out to Father's Day lunch at the Holgate Brewery yesterday. And the place was fairly busy so were forewarned that the meals could take awhile to arrive, no problem we just ordered a bit earlier.
But - the girl at the bar seemed to be having some mathematical issues.

2x Fish & Chip Meals @ $19 each = $28
2x Soft drinks @ $2.50 each + an $8 dessert = $13

Now that last sum is correct...but then you factor in that I handed over a $20 note and got $13 change..........

Cheap lunch!

And no I didnt bring it to her attention that she was shortchanging herself. I dont really work that way - I mean if someone drops their wallet I'll run up and give it back. If someone overcharges me I'll let them know...but undercharging? Ummmmm....I just keep quiet and walk away.

It's not stealing is it? I mean it's just...taking advantage of a persons blonde moment. Or several blonde moments as the case maybe.

And we got terrible service so we deserved a discount anyway!

Questions....

Three posts in the space of about 3 days? Must be a world record for me...

On the train this morning I was dozing and staring at my lap (no window seat for me) when I heard from across the aisle "Do you believe in God?"
Luckily this wasnt addressed to me - because if it was, in my half asleep state I would of just stared dumbly and went "huh?"

So I curiously turned around to stare at the row of seats next to me (discreetly of course) and watched as a young Muslim girl handed over a tissue to a slightly older lady who was having a bit of a cry by the looks of things.

They then conversed for a little bit, about what I couldnt really hear because the herd of school kids were jabbering louder than normal (watching school kids on the train is like watching the apes at the zoo).

But this got me to thinking (shocking I know...but there's more).

First of all I will admit that I dont "have" a religion, in that I dont really fit into a category as such. I dont go to church or a mosque, I have read parts of the Bible - but not the whole thing, I studied Anthropology at Uni, but wouldnt really describe myself as an atheist.
I read my starsign and in turns believe it and laugh at it, I like the idea of magic and wish that there was more magic in everyday life...some nights I will wish on stars.

Okay so with that announcement out of the way...yet another clarification: I am naive. I dont understand half of the stuff that is going on in the world. There's several wars being fought and I dont know how or why they started or why they are even continuing.
So just remember this is not a religious political debate, because I dont understand politics.

I am trying to get to a point - but I have to make all of these points so everyone can get the idea of what I'm trying to say and not accuse me of anything disastrous. Just know that this is the rambling of someone who just wants to understand what is going on in the world.

When did life become so hard? When did having a religion mean you automatically became an enemy/friend/ally/alien?
Isnt religion meant to be simple - a matter of faith in a higher power? When did so much political factoring come into it all? Arent we all meant to be free to do whatever we want in our lives - without fear of persecution?

Same with our Country of origin...how scary is it that some American tourists pretend to be Canadians when they're overseas?
When I went to the US last year I laughingly joked with my friends that I was going to pretend to be English, Australian & New Zealander on different days of the week.
Will there ever be a point in time where if I say I'm an Australian or New Zealander I'd get treated with suspicion?

Well actually that point has already been reached with the Bali bombings.
I used to sit in the park across from the call centre where the Bali memorial is set up - and watch the fountain...wondering about this world we live in.

So once again I repeat...when did life become so hard? The world become so terrifying? Was there ever a time in history when someone somewhere wasnt damned because of their religion/beliefs/skin colour/sex/race/home country/hair colour/weight? Or has this always been the case?
If so...the human race is a terrifying thing to behold.

And after all those deep thoughts...I got off the train and walked up the steps at the station to be handed a "Dianetics" pamphlet by the Church of Scientology.

Sometimes...you've got to laugh....

Say what now?

Yesterday I went out to lunch as part of a business meeting - so as part of the day I caught a taxi to the restaurant with one of the other managers attending.

He's new, been here a week and is still learning all about the position. He's also VERY chatty, in fact so chatty that I learned all about his separation from his wife, his new girlfriend, his 19month old daughter, the battle over the house, his estranged-wife running away with his 19month old daughter.....
And this was all in the space of a 10 minute walk to the Taxi Stand.

I'm a good listener...I can say that, I do listen. But I was more shocked than really providing a kind ear to his woes.
In fact half of his woes seemed like something pilfered from a daytime Soap script.

There's his estranged-wife who hates his guts half the time, but calls him in fits of tears and he runs to the rescue.
His 19month daughter whom he never sees - and who is now getting whisked away to England by the mother who wouldnt even let him say goodbye.
Then there is his charming & beautiful girlfriend - who is 12 years older than him and has a 16 year old son who grew up in Hong Kong with his father and has only been living with his mother for the last year.

Someone pass me the popcorn! And it better be the caremalised popcorn!

There's no place like home

Well here we go for...what is it now? The third home for the StrawberryKiwi blog/website/thingy.

Hopefully this one will stick around for awhile before disappearing or being moved elsewhere! LOL...I'm glad in real life I dont move around as often as this poor site! I'd constantly be living out of boxes...

Speaking of boxes our new home is relatively unpacked. When I say "relatively" I mean that I am unpacked - and that Vladdy is still living out of boxes.
But I'm getting better at this "nagging" thing so will keep working on him...