Christine, Wondering

Random Musings of a Human Becoming

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Okay, so . . .

. . . first, I found out that I have to spend two years instead of one doing my GradDipEd. Second, I found out yesterday that my work can't keep me on next year. It's not because I've done anything wrong, it's just that they need a strong finance person (which I'm not!) and they can't afford two assistants. But it means I'll have to get back on the job search merry-go-round. I got this job very easily and I'm sure it won't be that easy next time!

So I'm just waiting for the third thing (these things all come in threes, you know!). If it's three bad luck things in a row, I don't want to even think what the third thing might be. But if it's just three life changes . . . maybe I should buy a lotto ticket lol. Now *that* would really mess up my plans!

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

WHAM!

It doesn't take much to throw one's plans into disarray.

This time, all it took was one fateful phone call from the prospective student centre at Murdoch, letting me know that external studies can *only* be done part-time, not full-time like I was hoping. Which means that it's now going to be TWO years until I'm out there teaching, not the one year I was hoping for.

I've cried to Mum over the phone and I've cried on J's shoulder, and things aren't looking as grim as they did when I first got the phone call. Mum made a point that I appreciated: there's almost certainly a *reason* why I have to wait the extra year - I just won't know what that reason is until it happens. But I'm still feeling pretty grey and washed out and disappointed.

And it throws my accommodation plans out, as I don't know where or with whom I can live in 2008.

At least I had to stay home from work today feeling ill - I wouldn't have wanted to receive that phone call while at work!

So not the best day all up :-/

Monday, October 23, 2006

This was sent to me by a friend on BtN. I don't really like the Simpsons, but "Why don't you Google it?" is one of my catch-cries, so it rather appealed :-D

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Saturday, October 21, 2006

Woohoo!

Two good things have happened in the last two days. On Friday, my tax return arrived, which means that I can finally get the rest of my stuff back from storage in Sydney, and also that I can now get a kitten pretty much whenever I want. *claps hands with excitement*

And today, I did some direct marketing for Nutrimetics and got two solid bookings and 17 leads in 2 hours, which was really good - that's a positive response from someone every 7-ish minutes, which is not bad at all. And now I have two shows booked in to my diary, which means that my business is finally getting underway. It's a relief!

Monday, October 16, 2006

*And* . . .

And on top of all of that below, I've recently become uncomfortably aware of how much of my personality I have to keep supressed in order to be considered "normal" and not get laughed at by all and sundry. A lot of the things I love (porcelain dolls or Victoriana, for example) are considered immature interests for a 25-year-old, but I defy anyone to give me a logical reason why collecting porcelain dolls is any less mature than collecting china animals or Schwarovski crystal or Royal Doulton plates! Or anything!

And on the flipside, I'm frustrated with myself for caring so much about being teased that I can't just go out and pursue those interests anyway. I'm letting other peoples' silly prejudices affect me, but I can't help it. I'm sensitive enough about being 25, single, and a bit plump, and I feel like doing something "childish" (like collecting porcelain dolls) would brand me forever with the "silly romantic overgrown fat girl, probably a virgin" label (Terry Pratchett readers: think Agnes).

I just want to be able to do what I want and be happy about it, but I can't and it hurts.

And on top of all that I'm lonely and "clucky", and life just isn't any fun at the moment :-(

Gaack!

I am so stressed right now - work is just insane and I'm not coping with it at all. My boss keeps asking me to do things that just can't be done in the timeframe she wants them done in, but the timeframe is inflexible so I have to do them anyway. I'm considering writing little fables about bosses that ask the impossible (The Boss Who Cried "Now!" springs to mind as a possible title ...) and leaving them around the place. Plus it's apparently all my fault that a government department isn't getting back to us quickly, as if government departments *ever* get back to us quickly especially when we've made difficult requests!

And on top of that I'm feeling decidedly under-the-weather (a cold or too much wheat or both, I'm thinking both) and I'm worn out because I didn't sleep well. And I can't see properly because my new glasses haven't arrived yet. *And* I have to write a uni admission application and a scholarship application in the next two weeks. Not to mention trying to get this ****ing Nutrimetics business off the ground and trying to head off the well-meaning people who want to nag me about it!

. . . considering curling up under the desk and sobbing . . .

Sunday, October 15, 2006

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Bec, Jon and I gave this great game to J for her birthday. As a result of some very silly times on Friday night, I spontaneously made up a song to go with it (to the tune of "On Top of Spaghetti"):

On top of an iceberg
All covered in snow
I saw my poor penguin
Was starting to go

He fell off the iceberg
And into the sea
I lost my poor penguin
Feel sorry for me!

Ahh, the joy of penguins!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

NaNoWriMo . . .

After much deliberation, and after asking advice (much of which I promptly ignored) I've decided to write my long-planned and much-revised fantasy work, "The Sorcerim", as my NaNoWriMo project. If I win NaNoWriMo I'll have a half-finished novel, so I'll be better off than if I hadn't done it at all! I was strongly tempted by my pet childrens' book project, but the plot needs heaps of work whereas I can write Sorcerim off the top of my head once I've finished some world-building.

So, onwards and upwards!

Sunday, October 8, 2006

I went to see "The Devil Wears Prada" yesterday, not entirely of my own volition. It was a very funny movie, but it was definitely lacking something. It's basically a coming-of-age movie (young woman comes to realise what she values and where she wants to go with her life, via the unwitting assistance of a harsh boss who turns out to be good at heart after all . . . *yawn*) although the girl in the movie is past university, so she's a lot older than your average coming-of-age movie character. I enjoyed the movie while I was watching it, but afterwards there was a definite sense of ". . . so?". Very little background was given about the characters, and the main character's development was very sketchy before the plot was in full swing, so it was unsatsifying in that regard too.

Altogether, not a terrible movie but I wish I'd spent $5 at the video hire store to see it, not $15 at the movies.

Friday, October 6, 2006

I don't know how clearly you can see it in this picture, but I'm halfway through cutting down all the grass and weeds in the backyard meadow we jokingly call our "lawn". It's going to be prepared to be turned into lawn this week (*waves at Bec*) so I'm whippersnippering it down to ground level so that it's ready to go.

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Wednesday, October 4, 2006

Belatedly, the picture of J and I on the Ferris Wheel (taken on my phone). It was originally much larger, but strangely you can see us better when the picture is 1/10 of the original size ...

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The Clustr Map is fascinating me . . .

It's delightful to see where people are visiting from all around the world. A few of the locations I can guess at, and I even have a fair idea of who's there, but some are mystifying me. I'm guessing the one in Vietnam was a random passer-by, and also the one in Hawaii. I'm very curious to know who in Tasmania has visited my blog more than 9 times (or maybe it's just 10 separate Tasmanians - either way it's an odd spot for a clump!).

*waves hello to everyone around the world*

Tuesday, October 3, 2006

Had a fun day yesterday . . .

The Monday public holiday (Labor Day, I believe) was just stunning, warm with a light breeze and so sunny. J and I spent half of the day cooperatively spring-cleaning the house, so it now looks great (apart from the backyard, which resembles a sun-swept English meadow that's never seen a sheep ...). It was a very cathartic clean-out and the place feels very good now!

In the afternoon we headed off to the Perth Royal Show (www.perthroyalshow.com.au but don't blame me if it doesn't work, the site is completely overloaded!). We got there at about 4, and spent four-and-a-half hours wandering around the various pavillions, buying showbags and going on various rides, including the 40-metre gravity drop, which is exhilarating and mind-numbingly terrifying all at once. I got a Whiskas Kitten showbag, among others, which has made me all the more excited about getting a kitten in a month or so :-D

We stayed for the fireworks display at 9pm, which was as spectacular as ever, and we counted at least two new colours of fireworks (a pastel aqua or pale blue and a light purple) and a couple of styles we hadn't seen before. Perth's fireworks are the best!

I have a photo of J and I on the Ferris Wheel, but I can't post it from work and it needs lightening up anyway, so I'll put it up later. It's dark at the top of the Ferris Wheel!

Despite my very nice weekend, I'm absolutely wiped today, after a windy - and thus rattly - night; and also after the phone rang, for no apparent reason, at 2:30am. *sigh*