Curry bribery

I did plan to be on the road tonight, except, well, something came up. A conversation with my brother this afternoon when he came home from work…

Hey, I’ll be hitting the road soon.

What? Now?

In about an hour.

Nooo, you shouldn’t be leaving this late. Have a good sleep and leave in the morning. Too late to leave now.

Oh my, is this my brother sounding like our mother? It’s earlier than when I headed down.

I suppose so. *pause* I’m making a lamb curry tonight.

Okay, a good night’s sleep it is. *chuckle*

(laughter)

My brother has the whole parent thing down. When logic fails turn to bribery. The curry was very yummy and well worth waiting to leave!

Oh Hunters, how I miss thee…

Hunters and Collectors that is. I can’t remember if I ever saw them live. It’s in my mind that I did, but I can’t remember more than a shadow of a memory, so not certain if I actually did. Either way, one of my favourite bands from back then.

Hunters and Collectors – Throw your arms around me.

Oddities in the hunt for work

Besides the internet being slowed to the pace of a snail on a bender, yes that slow, this hunt for work has been both interesting and full of thrills. The great thing about looking for work in Sydney is the amount of administrative type work available. This is so different to the Gold Coast, which has more shops per capita than anywhere else in the world. That little fact shocked me when I learned it last year. Although it does explain why so many small businesses go out of business there. Ma and Pop move to sunny climes and open up the store they always dreamed of with no real understanding of running a store, at least to make money, in an area that is filled to the brim with stores.

Having so many small retail stores means that retail work is plentiful on the Gold Coast and getting administrative work is like finding gold. Sydney is different and I’m loving seeing so many jobs that make me squirm as I whisper… Ooo, I want it!

The job hunt has some oddities, one of which is the application processes different businesses use. It seems the days are gone when I’d pore over the newspaper in the morning, ringing a potential employer before sending in an application. Actually, three of my first four jobs in the 80s went from phone call to interview with no written application at all. Now it’s email a resume or fill out an online application.

The systems they use for online applications are kind of cool, although I try not to grind my teeth too much when I spend the time to enter all the relevant information they ask for and then find out that they want a resume to be uploaded as well. Really?! You couldn’t have read all that information from my resume anyway?! Some are better set up, upload resume first and bypass those sections that the resume covers. Let’s call that my selection process for who I’d rather work for. Efficiency for the win!

Now the strangest oddity that I ran into was this morning with an online application process that doesn’t ask for a resume and instead wants relevant skills or experience in 224 characters. Yes, characters, not words. Stunned is definitely understating my reaction. I’m getting better at short, but really? 224 characters? It’s not even two tweets! Even though I really am trying to give up my title of The Queen of Unnecessary Word Use, that was a lot of pressure for my chatter filled brain.

Success only took me one hour… 222 characters used to describe my relevant skills and experience. One hour. *shakes head and tries not to giggle*

There’s something about the past

There’s something comforting about the past and I don’t mean my own relatively short past, I’m talking about being able to look further back. Walking through The Rocks on Saturday, I remembered what I used to love the most about the place… walking around a corner and seeing a sign explaining the history of that particular street or building. Some of them bring the past to life.

Maybe there’s a little part of me that imagines today won’t be forgotten. That sometime in the distant future someone else will walk the streets that I’ve walked and be taken back to today while reading little boards explaining the history of the area. Who knows, maybe by then they’ll be able to download a hologram tour guide app onto their phones *pauses* Admit it, that would be kinda cool. I’d want my tour guide to have a sense of humour. Seriously, could you imagine being told the history of a place with the hologram equivalent of a GPS navigator? Fall asleep anyone?

Anyway, touching the past. Walk down a cobbled lane and read about people walking and living on this exact same lane 200 plus years ago, living their lives, building a new life for themselves and their families. Watching the boys play on an adventure playground and read about children playing on this same corner for generations. Is that a nurse in her uniform I just imagined brush past me on her way to the colony’s first hospital? Touching the past. That always touches me.

Kind of random

Don’t look for meaning in this song 😀 Seriously, don’t. Take it for what it is… kind of random and took my fancy today.

hobo humpin slobo babe by Whale

My Zen revenge… more?

Here we go again. Another month of half quotes in my inbox, leads to another challenge with me attempting my tongue-in-cheek revenge.

I really should learn to make a note of what pops into my head when I first open the email.

Maybe next time.

• March 1 – The sound of the water… running will have you running.
• March 2 – The quieter you become, the… louder the water running becomes.
• March 3 – There is a reality. We… just threw a slice of pizza at it.
• March 4 – When walking, walk. When eating,… drink plenty.
• March 5 – You begin saving the world… by admitting your sense of humour needs work.
• March 6 – The world is like a… slice of pizza. The anchovies can stay off!
• March 7 – Dissent is the highest form… of being a pain in the @ss.
• March 8 – What is the color of… Noble Green? You know that blue colour Mazda had?
• March 9 – Do not search for the… toilet brush in a bachelor pad. Seriously. Don’t.
• March 10 – In the landscape of spring,… the flies at lamb tail docking are many.
• March 11 – Nothing is permanent in this… Gemini mind.
• March 12 – When you’re deluded, every statement… makes sense.
• March 13 – In true dialogue, both sides… wonder at each other’s sanity.
• March 14 – In true dialogue, both sides… wonder why it’s the same quote two days in a row.
• March 15 – Those who do not want… already have a big screen.
• March 16 – He who asks a question… is left with more questions.
• March 17 – Without the tao, Kindness and… green beer means little.
• March 18 – Thousands of candles can be… a lot of breath to put out.
• March 19 – Do not overrate what you… think of the speed of drying paint.
• March 20 – Medicine and disease cure each… other.
• March 21 – No thought, no reflection, no… clue.
• March 22 – Be not afraid of growing… garlic in a vacuum.
• March 23 – What is the color of… sapphire heels in the dark.
• March 24 – If you light a lamp… be prepared to chew your arm off.
• March 25 – When an ordinary man attains… a clean bathroom. Watch out.
• March 26 – Do not entertain hopes for… this to be funnier than last month.
• March 27 – The torch of doubt and… extra hot chilli sauce.
• March 28 – What is the color of… trouble? Ruby red comes to mind.
• March 29 – Do not mistake understanding for… that chilly feeling in your feet after rain.
• March 30 – We cannot see our reflection… in a cold beer.
• March 31 – Be not afraid of growing… a second left foot. Safety dance is overrated.

And there we go, a Quarter of the year is gone! Now, I so wish I hadn’t reminded myself of that!

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Image: luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Impatient nature?

I was sitting out on my brother’s balcony thinking about yesterday’s post and how I’d said I’m impatient by nature.

I was thinking about the pastels I did that hang on the walls of my ex-sister-in-law’s house and how I never wanted to paint. I hated waiting for paint to dry. Pastels are fast! Yep, I said to myself, I have an impatient nature.

Then I walked inside, saw this cross stitch and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. I made this for my brother one Christmas around 14 years ago. It’s about 8 inches tall… and this thing took me months to do!

Impatient nature? *rolls eyes*

A quick reminder about labelling myself. Life isn’t black or white, there’s a whole lot of grey that fits inbetween.

So, when I thought about long drives again… it’s not the slow speed I hate, but the lack of adrenaline that keeps me going. Driving overnight in my car (my favourite)… yeah, that keeps me going.

And in Sydney

*smiles* In Sydney and the laptop started up. I always wonder when I shut it down if it’s for the last time. My tech guys, who are no longer there, had said they didn’t want to repair anything else on it. As it is, it barely charges, so is constantly on power and has a separate little monitor attached since the screen died a year ago. She’s been hanging on for years now 😀

I’m exhausted. I drove until 3am, tried to sleep, gave it up around 6am and finished the drive. I love long drives. I always feel free, even if I do have somewhere to be. My friend N in country Victoria spent a good hour today trying to convince me to drive there, since I’m kind of half way there now anyway. Tempting, but I’m looking forward to this time with my brother. He and his ex-wife spent a few hours last night trying to remember the last time I’d been to Sydney for a ‘holiday’. For the last five years, I was here for events or just passing through. Nice to stop awhile this time. My older nephew told me I’m mad wanting to come to Sydney to do… touristy stuff! Teenagers, hahaha.

I logged on today and was moved to tears from the support in comments, emails and even twitter mails. It isn’t that I’d put out of my mind what I’d posted and scheduled before I left. It’s… I was on the road and I was free. Quick someone find a career where I can drive around randomly long distance… in a car not a truck. I used to hate driving trucks. No, not big trucks, little trucks, the type you drive on a normal licence. Part of my last job had me driving the little company truck to exhibitions. I hated that truck! Fully loaded… 80km/hr top speed, down hill with the wind behind me. Not many places on the highway that gave me that… loooong, slooooow, trips. I’m far too impatient by nature for that.

Anyway, this song is perfect for how I’m feeling *smiles*

Gyroscope – Baby, I’m Gettin’ Better

On the bright side of moving

MY pink chair!

Moving out some time in the forseeable future. Supposedly. No, no, no, think positively, Mari. Fiiine, definitely moving out some time in the forseeable future. Better? Yep.

Anyway, I was getting ready for bed the other night and thinking about the things I miss about living alone. Living alone suddenly became real in my mind. Yeah, yeah, I know I’m slow!

1. There will still be milk in the fridge when I get up bleary eyed in the morning. I Can Not Drink Black Coffee In The Morning. And I’m not worth talking to until I’ve taken that first mouthful. And malfunctioning system doesn’t reboot until after the second cup. Third cup gives wings.
2. I can buy Good Coffee without wondering if it will disappear from my ‘stash’ in 3 days.
3. My itsy bitsy small tub of wicked triple choc ice cream will last a month. You know the stuff? Too rich to eat more than a spoonful standing at the freezer? *shivers at pleasure*
4. Grain bread in the house without getting eyes rolling.
5. Getting ready for bed I can just pile up those clothes in the order they come off, that bra can sit on top of that pile.
6. Actually… I so miss sleeping naked.
7. If I need to get up in the middle of the night I won’t have to get dressed, or worry about giving someone a shock.
8. If the phone rings it might actually be for me.
9. I can sit in my pink chair to watch tv. Seriously, that chair is never empty. Hmm, I’ll still have to push a cat over to sit.
10. The stacker in the stereo will have my CDs in it.
11. In an insomniac induced buzz I can clean in the middle of the night without anyone being disturbed. Disturbed in so many ways.

Feeling kinda versatile…

I logged on late the other day to find Carleen from the Red Awakening: from existing to living blog had awarded me The Versatile Blogger award from Carleen. Thank you, Carleen!

Carleen writes of her journey with a great blend of honesty and humour. If I could award Carleen in return I would, but I think that might be cheating on my 15.

When I read her comment awarding me… “Your honesty and strength shine through in every post” I went the whole range of feelings from “naaahhh” to “aaawww”. Compliments still do a little bouncing around before I can accept them. People can say the nastiest things and I might not bat an eyelid, something nice and I might very well start blubbering.

So this misty eyed woman had to put on her thinking cap after reading the rules, which are…

1. Thank the person who awarded you and link back to them in your post.
2. Tell 7 random facts about yourself.
3. Pass the award on to 15 new-found bloggers. (You may not be new, but you are new to me!)
4. Contact each blogger you want to pass the award on to and let them know you’ve done so, and let the giver of your award know you accept it.

7 random facts about me that I’m pretty sure I haven’t spewed out somewhere else in the blog…

1. I love long drives and I mean looooong. Brisbane to Melbourne is about 1900km via Sydney, or a little under 1200 miles for you non-metric minded. Love that drive! Then two glorious exhausting days back! Well, it’s two days if I stop to visit D in Canberra, or my brother in Sydney.
2. Five years in a row I arrived at work the day after the Eurovision song contest aired to find I had missed it again. I have a plan this year to catch it! And a back up plan!
3. Dare I say it, I enjoy… Bollywood movies. That’s definitely a secret pleasure. Not so secret now.
4. I like puzzles… jigsaws, sudoku, mahjong, really anything that I can spend time unravelling or putting together.
5. I’m a hippie at heart and would probably happily take the leap except I’ve become attached to my internet, steady power, town water, hair colouring and many, many shops just down the road. Sigh. Maybe in another life 😛
6. Seems that at least 10% of the blogs I have in my Google Reader are far from G rated! And I have a lot of reading to catch up on this week… 438 423 unread items as I type this. From all the blogs that is, not just the non G rated ones.
7. My favourite colour is purple! Wow, I’m pretty certain that’s not in any of my posts, which is surprising.

Versatile Bloggers to pass the award to… I kept shifting from the logical, 15 is too many! to the emotional, 15 isn’t enough! All the blogs I read touch me in some way. I haven’t been hunting out many new blogs lately, so some of these I’ve been following for a while.

So, in no particular alphabetical order…

1. a muse Heather’s writing always carries me along on soft waves through her journey.
2. A Peine for your Thoughts Now, I honestly thought this would become another Mommy blog once the twins entered the world a short few weeks ago. Taryn has kept to a committment to only write about what she can laugh about. Sure the twins have become central to the blog, just as they’ve become central to their parent’s world, but prepare for some chuckles anyway.
3. Crowing Crone Some blogs throw out words of wisdom at seemingly just the right time.
4. graffiti living I do enjoy the twisted paths James’ mind can take in his writing.
5. I feel lucky A lot of interesting reading here.
6. Learning the language of Brooke Farmer Sassy. Be prepared for some language as Brooke writes of her life.
7. Love Letters & Suicide Notes Jason writes honestly, spinning his words to weave you into his memories and those dark and not so dark places inside himself.
8. Matt Surfs the Universe The fact master who puts it out in a good way. He also has the rare ability to write thoughtfully while giving a chuckle at some difficult subjects. Don’t forget to visit Matt’s “Screaming Voice of Reason” blog for the loud side of Matt’s voice!
9. Mostly Amused, Sometimes Absurd Sometimes I think it should be a crime to have as much zest as this writer has! I’m only half joking… it’s his zest for life I love.
10. Mujerzen’s Blog*sound of long sigh* I was never a fan of poetry as it seemed overly pompous for a modern world. Yes, I thought this way. I don’t anymore and I thank this blog for much of that change. This is words to sing in your soul if you’ll listen.
11. One Life Ahh, Jamie, you surprise me often!
12. Pig and Pepper Enjoy.
13. Shutterbug Wife Anyone who can post a clip of themselves doing the old hula hoop, without the hoop, is Versatile 😛 Sorry Becs, I couldn’t resist that comment 😀 Becs has begun living her passion for photography and I’m loving the direction she’s taken.
14. Thumbin’ My Way Sassy, with a capital S.
15. Uncle Typewriter Stereo is Sassy, with a double sized capital S.

Yay, me! I managed to cut the list down to 15… finally! And I guess it gives a glimpse into what I like to read. Ouch, when I typed this there was still 16. Seems I have trouble counting!

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