Tigers in a Cubicle Forest

Hi!

Well. Another week..... well, yeah, another week!

Work. Yep. Still good. Pretty uneventful, which, really, is how I like work to be. Though I do recall an interesting conversation I had with my boss one morning about how horrible being a PA (Personal Assistant) is. Legalised slavery we agreed. I have to say, in all my years of suffering under a florescent sun in a cubicle forest, I have never met a senior manager who openly criticized that breed of office monkey. And I gotta say, it was pretty refreshing. I mean, sure, it came from a woman, but I don't know how much that had to do with it. We could get into the whole male female work dichotomy line of pointless discussion, but really, get it down to brass tacks and a senior manager said that kinda job shoulda gone out with the 60's and typing pools and dictation. Hooray! I'm telling you, I wish they'd keep me 'cos I'd love to stay.

And really, aside from going to work, coming home, reading, watching maybe two shows and the Simpsons once or twice on tv, it was a quiet week. Cold. The weather has decided since it's winter, it might as well act like it for a week at least. So it's been pretty chilly at night and sometimes even miserable during the day. I mean, it was the winter solstice this past Thursday. Which, means, hooray! the sun will be hanging around longer now! Not that we're crying out for sunshine. Not like in NYC. But winter is winter and the more sunshine the better.

Oh, and the weekend - pretty quiet. Ran around yesterday looking for stuff shops didn't seem to have. And, ok, I came home with this little computer game I've been wanting for a while now, I only snapped because it was majorly marked down, called Roller Coaster Tycoon. You design your own roller coasters and theme park. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks excellent for killing a little bit of time in between reading, painting, and writing. And because I'm not smart enough to have been an engineer to design the real things, this is the next best thing! And in the little game you fill your park with all kinds of people. So I've decided my goal is to build a roller coaster ride that will make my little people throw up. Hooray! Will keep you posted.

So, yeah. That's it. Gearing myself up to move around the first week of August. Yeah, I know it's a while away, but still. More than anything I'm looking forward to saving some money on rent. And hopefully someplace away from traffic noise and zooming ambulances (heroic as they are), someplace with birds and maybe the odd bit of whatever wildlife lurks in the 'burbs. Yeah.

And that's that! Dull, I know. But am happy. I like Australia and Brisbane is pretty easy to live in I have to admit. Just you wait until I start paying off the little Amex card and the little scooter and start saving some money, oooooh. I have my list of adventures just sitting there waiting!!!!!! Good things come to those who, well, pay their bills off!

BYE!

J!

Movie Quote of the Week:

"Y-you cheated!"

"Pirate."

Orlando Bloom & Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean (I)

Tee hee.

Mouth-Brain in New Boots

Hi!

Well. Excellent little week. Easy. Love this job and the lack of stress it invites on my little life, especially on the weekends. It just makes the weekends that much easier and relaxing; so that when Sunday comes, I'm not dreading work at all, just sad that the weekend was so seemingly short.

So work. Yep. Moving right along with getting this Rural Fire Brigade Manual updated, finalised and printed. I'm telling you, if you, or anyone you know, wants to start up your own fire brigade in a rural area of Australia, ask me, I can help you do everything. From telling you the measurements of the concrete floor you'll need inside the shed, to the way you have to run your annual general meetings, to how to open a bank account. Oh yeah. But otherwise, the job seems to be ticking along nicely. I'm gonna have to write myself a BIG post-it to remind myself to quit telling them how much I like the job and how much I'd like for them to keep me forever. I think I must have mentioned it to them somewhere around 3 times last week. Am such a dork. My mouth has it's own brain far separate from my big one. It just says what it wants regardless what the main brain tells it to do. It's very stubborn and plays deaf. I hear "I really love this job! Please just hire me permanently so I can get a big loan from the bank so I can buy a house and stay in Brisbane forever" and my main-brain tells the mouth-brain to stop at "I really love this job" but nothing happens. The mouth keeps going. It's terrible. I wonder if there's a name for this type of affliction (aside from tourettes)..... Hmm. Either way, they know I like it and want to stay, they can't do much for the time being, no more should be discussed. Oh please mouth-brain, keep quiet!!!!!! But ahhhh, for just a short period of time I don't have to waste my weekends looking for jobs I really don't really want. Will enjoy this temporary bliss while it lasts!

And then there's the little weekend. Went by pretty fast for not doing much. I was a good girl with crazy energy Friday night and did most of my chores just home from work. Wierd. Saturday, well, started to make a new bracelet; sewing it together in a native-american kinda style. Very time- and patience-consuming. But I'm sure it will be very cool once it's finished. In about a month. Finished the 6th Harry Potter book (!!!?). So now it's just a waiting game until July 21st and the last book ever! And then..... gotta find a new series to read! And today, Sunday, get this - I went shopping. With Cindy and Natasha. In a big Outlet Mall. Man. We weren't messing around. We even did two laps of the place, doubling-back for stuff. That was dangerous but successful. I spent my sort-of hard-earned birthday savings. Ahh well, if you'd seen the state of the one and only belt I own, you'd excuse my splurge. But I couldn't stop there, am ashamed to admit. Got two belts because I liked one a lot (dark red) and really needed the other (boring tan) (hey, they were $10 bucks each. Leather. Enough said.), then I bought a black "work shirt" because I don't have one and I know it's a wardrobe staple; and then I finally got a pair of genuine Aussie boots. I've been wanting a pair of these for yeeeeaarss. I don't know why, but I really like them for some reason. I waited all this time because the ones I want are around $450 and these, even tho they're not The Big Name Brand, they're made in Australia by Australians (so the gal told me), lifetime guarantee, all leather, even the soles. Coooool. And they were on sale from $230 to $99. So I snapped and bought them. I love them. So I've got blisters already (yes I was a geek and wore them outta the shop, so what?!), and I've been told to stand in a muddy puddle so that they soften and form to my feet, am so happy. Will keep an eye out for muddy puddles. And I also managed to find a decent pair of khaki pants. Had to take them back to Cindy's house to use her sewing machine skills to hem them. Curse being short! So yeah. Was an expensive day, but very much needed. It's amazing how one stupid pair of pants can open up an entire world of wardrobe possibilities! Excellent!

And here I am, after that kinda day, with the energy and enthusiasm left over to check in! Yeah! Was a very good weekend, in a chilled-out, expensive kinda way. Ahhhhh!

Oh yeah, one thing last week, ran into my Building Manager and, long story short, my rent will be jacked in August (when my lease is up) so I'll be needing to move. I kinda knew it was going to happen as when I look online for apartments, places here seem to be going for around $360 - 370 a week. And that's just silly money. I mean, what I'm paying now is silly money, but that's even sillier. So yeah. Sigh. The hunt is on. Am torn between getting a nice, unfurnished place in a decent neighborhood (not on a busy, main road with ambulances zooming up and down it at all hours) or a basic unfurnished place to bust out the bills that I still owe on (little scooter, little American Express card). Basically, it's going to have to be unfurnished, that takes at least 50 bucks off the rent. So yeah. Stay tuned.....

And that's that! Dull, as usual, but there it is. For now. The weather is absolutely perfect at the moment - lovely during the day and chilly at night -ahhhhh, winter in the Southern Hemisphere in a sub-tropical climate - excellent!!! C'mon down!

BYE!
J!












Movie Quote of the Week -

"I'm a stalker in a Taurus."

Bill Murray, Broken Flowers

Champagne & Scones for the Queen!

Hi!

Well. What can I say? Same week, different, uh, week........ Nice, long weekend though - which is why, again, I'm a day late (fell asleep last night & when I woke up it was far too late to make coherent sense)... This extra day off was to celebrate the Queen's Birthday... even though they don't actually celebrate it in England even. But hey! I'm not complaining - it was a day off! 4-day week ahead - waahhoooo!

So work. Yep. It's good. I asked The Boss when they thought they might cut me loose.... She gave a really vague answer along the lines of because I'm there to just do "projects" and I've been given two more little "projects" to do, her answer was "Well, it all depends on how long you think it will take you to finish those two little projects". Ummmmmmm. Ok. Sooooo it could be a month more, it could be 2 months... I don't really know. So for now, I'll keep showing up and do what I do until they pull me into a "meeting" and cut me loose. I'd love for them to keep me forever, and I've told them, but it's looking kinda doubtful at this point..... Ahhhh, the peril of project work I guess!

Otherwise, the week was the same as all the others. Nice, quiet, little dull, etcetcetc but I don't mind. Am trying to save for my birthday. I want to live large on the day and that's gonna take dough. Want to spend half the day in a day spa, go to a movie, eat some lunch and meet the girls for a fancy pants dinner. So yeah, gotta saaaaaaave!

And then we come to the weekend! Was the usual with the errands, cleaning and wandering around. But today, today I made an effort. I got up with the sun (right now, around 6-6.30am), got myself together, and I and the little scooter had a little adventure up to Mt. Coot-tha to take in the views. Well. Long story short, I ended up on the freeway, where things move at a minimum speed of 90kmh - me, I can only go 65 flat tack. So yeah. I was pretty terrified. How was I to know that "Scenic Drive to Mt. Coot-tha" meant freeway????? In my world it means lovely meandering cruise through twisty forest roads along cliffs! So yeah, wrong turn and there I was on the Western Freeway headed to Ipswich (37 km). Thank goodness there was barely any traffic to speak of or I'da been dead. But never mind, I made it up there without becoming roadkill. Pretty. Nice view. All the tv stations live up there right underneath their towers. Kinda weird but neat up close. Tho I must admit that first thing in the morning can't be the best time for photographs - the light is going the wrong way. So all apologies for the photos. Will plan better next time. And hey, coming back down and into town the trip was 10 billion times easier and shorter - whooooole different set of roads! So will definitely head up there again. But I gotta say it was pretty exciting getting up there! Won't go that way ever again (unless in a car)!

And then came home (had a little glass of champagne to settle the nerves and to celebrate not becoming roadkill), wandered into town to pick up one of those groovy silicone baking muffin trays so I could come home and make scones! This time they came out really good! Bacon, cheddar & chives - mmmmMMM! I know, kinda sad to be that excited about baking, but they're really good and now I don't have to buy them from the bakery anymore!

And really, that's it. Gotta save some dough. So yeah, hope you're all well up there!!!!!! C'mon down and have a scone!!!!

BYE!
J!










Movie Quote of the Week...

"What do you mean "they" cut the power?! They're animals, man!"

Bill Paxton, Aliens


Tee hee

Scones in Malls

Hi!

Well. That week was good. Fast. That's how they should be! Uneventful, as usual, but good.

So yeah. Work. Good. Little busier now. I've inherited two more little manuals to format and stuff........... And the big momma manual is getting closer to going to the printers.... The Project Manager got a new job somewhere else, so the Director (my boss) and I are going to figure out how to get it printed and stuff. So hopefully I can help as much as I can with never having really worked on something like this. But hey, it ain't rocket science and it's not like I have someones brain or heart to work on! But otherwise, all's well! Still no word yet if they'll keep me past the end of the month.... May ask in the next week or so.....

The little scooter still scoots pretty well. Was only really able to ride it into work once last week - rain. I know they need it desperately here, but hey, I'm not making monthly payments on my own wheels to spend more money on public transport! But I don't mind really. Saves me getting wet and dirty or dying on a slippery corner. Call me a wuss.

Oh yeah, Glen came down from Cairns for a quick night on Tuesday; on his way up to Hervey Bay to spend some time at his Aunt and Uncle's while his Uncle is visiting in Scotland (Glen & family are Scottish)..... Was a nice, quick visit. Nice to catch up and gossip. Last time I saw him was about a year ago. We met in Auckland working at a dive shop and at one point I needed a roommate, but unfortunately that was when I realised I can't actually live with people besides family really. No regular people, boyfriends maybe........ Sad, tough lesson, but now I know. We're pretty good friends now though, just can't ever live together!

And then there's the weekend! It's been pretty quiet. Saturday went to the (expansively carpeted) Carindale mall to look at furniture I can't afford (because there's a good chance I'll have to move in August when my lease runs out - rent might go up) and picked up a new cat toy for the spoiled fat cat, and to just wander. I hate malls, I've realised. More so on the weekends. I guess you just have to get in early before the strollers and screaming babies. Urgh.

And today, Pam from my old work came over and we went to lunch at the pub down the road and wandered around town for a little bit. Gossipped, etc. Was nice to see her. She was the only one to help me keep my sanity when I was working at "that school" back in March. Sounds like things haven't really changed - hooray for escape!

And really, aside from a quick visit to the grocery store to procure the ingredients to make your basic scones (from a recipe I got out of some magazine, which have just come out of the oven and they're bland as all get out. Tastes like eating a paper towel. Not that I eat paper towels. So now I have 12 scones that taste like paper towels that I have no idea what to do with) bought some cat litter, did the usual chores, man, it was a really quiet weekend. Nice, but quiet. Oh yeah, I know one thing I did last night, ugh, I colored my hair. It came out really dark. Am almost embarrassed to go to work tomorrow. I've done this before tho, always with a new brand of color. It was supposed to be pretty, light copper red. Maybe it'll be that color after about 20 washes. Maybe that's what they mean on the box - color will come right after 20 washes..... 'Cos the color my hair turned isn't even an option in those little 'before' 'after' photos on the box!!!!!! Hmmmm. Bumm-er man.

So am afraid it's got to be one of the dullest little blurbs I've written, well, for a couple weeks! Sorry. Must be the weather. It's been really warm for what they call winter, yet it's dark when I wake up and dark not long after I get home, and it's been trying to rain for the last 2 or so weeks....... seems like it wants to be spring!!!!! So my mood and sleep patterns are fuzzy at best. But, hey, silver lining - the shortest day is the 21st! And then bring on more daylight hours! That's probably when it'll get really cold!

Ahhhh well, I hope you're all well up there! I often look into coming up there for a visit and a dose of Mexican food, but until tickets come down below AU$2,500, I'm not going anywhere. You guys come down here! Don't make me come up there to get you!

BYE!
J!









Movie Quote of the Week...

"We're gonna need a bigger boat."
Roy Scheider, Jaws

Ex-cellent!