I like it when things are going well

Last week turned out to be a fairly good one. I ended up hiring the younger, slightly less trained one with the better attitude. I figured she'd be more grateful for the job and would be more willing to learn what I wanted to teach her, rather than thinking she knows the best way and not listening, as I suspected the other one would. And yes, Perseus, she was the good looking one, so it worked out for the best! Haha!

I also came up with a fantastic business idea that I will be working on while I'm overseas, and hopefully implement when I come back. So far, everyone I've mentioned it to has thought it was a good idea (as long as I can achieve some key objectives), so that's good. I just have to do up a business plan and outlay all my estimations and see how I go. I'm pretty excited about it!

I also think I may have found William's present. You know, the big one that I have been working on for over a year that I suspected his mother had told him about? Well, I'm not so sure she did now, because he hasn't mentioned anything for a while, so it might have just been coincidence. If she did tell him, he's obviously decided she was making it up or something because the present wasn't forthcoming straight away (the last one I sourced fell through at the end). So yeah. It's our anniversary in a few weeks, so it would be fantastic if I really can get the latest one I've found. I've already gotten him something else in case it falls through as well.

Uni is over in about 3 weeks' time, which is also great. I haven't really enjoyed this degree, and I can't say I've actually learnt anything. And I don't want a career out of it. It's a backup degree for one of the other ones I'm doing (as is the third degree, but I actually enjoy that one as well). So yeah. It will be a relief to get it over and done with.

All in all, things are going well. However, I do have a tonne of work to get through, and also a lot of arrangements to finalise for my trip, which I am completely stressed out about to the point where I'm having nightmares about it. Hopefully it all goes smoothly in the end!

Probably not the best time to be indecisive

I made it 26 years without a filling. Sadly, my record has now been killed on a technicality.

I somehow managed to chip a piece out of the middle of one of my molars, so today I was at the dentist getting it filled. So although it's actually a chip-repair, it's technically a filling, so now I can't say I don't and have never had one anymore. *cries* Now I know why people hate dentists. Fillings aren't fun, what with the injecting, and the drilling, and the cold air making my teeth sensitive, and the what not. Not to mention the fact the left side of my face is still numb 3 hours on.

I have almost picked a replacement. They've both done their testing, and I'm just waiting on a report. I am leaning more towards one than the other, however. The one I'm leaning towards is really interested in this area of the industry, and seems very keen to get the job. She also seems very willing to learn and has appeared to be ready to listen to what I say. The other one, while still very good, had poor references when it came to her attitude, seems very set in her ways, isn't interested in this area of the industry (but is still studying for the industry in general, as is the first girl), and doesn't really seem to want to listen to what I'm saying - she's more interested in making excuses for herself, which irritates me. Still, I think perhaps she might do a more thorough job, so I'm torn. Do I give it to the girl who really, really wants it, but may need a little but more training? Or do I give it to the girl who would probably be able to step right in, but is devoid of personality and has something of an attitude problem?

Decisions, decisions.

Sydney sucks. And so do babies.

I've only been to Sydney three times before the weekend, and I don't think I had any complaints about it. Now I do.

What the hell is wrong with Sydney on a weekend? Nothing was open! We tried walking around on Saturday to maybe do a bit of shopping, but most of the stores were closed (we were down near the opera house end). The only good thing about the day was that it was hot. Although I was still wearing a jacket. I don't think people realise just how hot it has to be before I think it's hot. It was apparently 33 degrees and I was still wearing jeans and a jumper. William thought I was mad.

That night, we tried to find somewhere to eat dinner. William was supposed to have booked us in to Aria, but being male had completely neglected to make reservations anywhere. I suggested we just find a nice, small restaurant to eat at. Like Italian or something. We checked on the internet at all of the places within a few blocks of the hotel, but most of them said they didn't open on Saturday nights (huh?) or didn't answer their phones when we called to see if they were open! We ended up having to eat in the hotel, and they charged us over $70 for a club sandwich, sweet potato soup, and two drinks. Ridiculous.

We then went to Cirque du Soleil. We got a cab, but it appears whoever organised for the show to be on that night had not informed whoever they were supposed to inform, because the police had blocked off all of the streets leading into the area where the Grand Chapiteau was, because of some stupid football game. The taxi driver didn't really know where he was going either. We ended up getting out of the cab and having to walk for nearly a kilometre to get to the show. Of course, I had gotten dressed and chosen shoes on the basis that I would be seated for most of the night, so I was practically crippled by the time we got there.

The show was good, but the crowd was shit. Now I understand why all bands that play in Brisbane comment on what a lively and enthusiastic crowd we are. The performers in the show were doing some very amazing things, and every time I've seen Cirque in Brisbane, the crowd claps after each amazing stunt and really gets into it. Not the Sydney crowd. They just sat there like stunned mullets, as if what the performers were doing wasn't completely fantastic and beyond the realms of what most normal people could do. They only clapped when the performers on stage really prompted them to. I thought it was exceptionally rude, and I felt really sorry for the performers. I was trying to clap where I thought it was appropriate, but when you're the only one showing any interest, and no one around you is joining in, you sort of have to stop before you look like an idiot. The lack of crowd enthusiasm really annoyed me, and the whole show seemed to suffer for it. I came away thinking the show hadn't been that good, and then I realised it was only because the crowd hadn't been clapping and really getting into it that I thought that, and the show had actually been fantastic and the stunts amazing. I think I'll stick to seeing Cirque in Brisbane from now on.

The next awful thing was that we exited the show, expecting to see a line up of cabs at the ready, as there would be in Brisbane. Nothing. We joined the line for cabs with about 80 people in front of us. It was at least 20 minutes before the first cab arrived, by which stage about 20 people had left, annoyed with the wait. The cabs were arriving very sporadically, however, so I tried to call the limo company we have an account with and book a sedan to take us back to the hotel instead. I was told there were only 3 cars out, as everyone else had gone home, and none of those cars wanted my job. They were all on other jobs and wanted to go home after that. What the fuck?! It's Saturday night! It was only 10.40pm! Why the fuck were there only 3 cars left out, and why the fuck were they refusing jobs?! Ridiculous! It was about 11.20 by the time we got a cab, and then we hit traffic! On a Saturday night at 11.20!! Traffic jams! What the fuck?! It took us a ridiculous amount of time to get back to the hotel.

Sunday morning we decided to go for another walk before we had to head back to Brisbane. We walked into the shopping area to again discover half the shops closed. What the hell is wrong with this town?? It was after 10. I know Brisbane might seem backwards to people from Melbourne and Sydney, but at least 80% of our shops aren't closed on the weekend! And at least our restaurants are open on Saturday nights, we have cabs waiting at the end of major events, and don't have traffic jams in the middle of the night.

We ended up going to the Apple store so William could get some accessories. For the record, I despise Iphones and Ipods, so I was not very excited by the place. To make it worse, they started playing Bob Dylan. I had to get out of there and go half a block up to get away from his awful voice. I cannot stand that man. I don't care if people think he's a genius. His voice makes me stabby. I swear if I was a spy, and had been caught by enemy forces, the only thing that would make me talk would be if they started playing Bob Dylan. I'd tell them everything within 2.5 seconds just to get them to turn off that awful noise. It sounds like someone standing on cats' tails. Waaah waaaah waaaahh!

I also wish they would ban children under 2 from travelling on planes. I think once you're 2, you're able to understand the command "shut up." Before that, probably not so much. At the very least, don't take your fucking newborn on a plane with you. We were stuck with two screaming babies on the flight to Sydney, and neither of their mothers appeared to be doing anything about it. The noise obviously doesn't bother them as much. But after an hour in an enclosed space with two screaming babies, I was ready to murder someone. I swear if I had been on that plane myself, I would have turned around and yelled at them to shut the fucking things up. But since I was with William, and he looked very anxious that I was about to do exactly that, which would have embarrassed him no end, I didn't. Surely babies can't cry non-stop for more than an hour normally? Surely they could stick a dummy or something in its mouth? Or rock it to sleep or something? They were both just sitting there with their children screaming in their laps, reading magazines! Argh!

Anyway. Going to see the travel agent tomorrow, where I will kick some butt. How hard is it to look through an itinerary and see if the train travel is compatible with a Eurail pass? I've already done all the work! Surely it's not that hard? Grr.

If you can't guess, I'm tired and cranky today.

Well, I'm down to two candidates. And I was right about the girl whose Facebook profile concerned me. She came in, acting all superior and looking down her nose at me, didn't seem interested in the position at all, didn't want to ask any questions, gave one word or one sentence answers and never elaborated on anything (except about a Contiki tour of Europe she did which she spent most of drinking). The interview was dead in half an hour. In contrast, the two I have to choose between were very interested in the position, willing to learn the new things they would have to do, asked a lot of questions and elaborated on every question. Their interviews were 2 hours long (I tried to wrap them up after an hour, but they both kept talking!).

I can't really decide between them (I'm leaning towards one at the moment, though), so I have sent them for testing. Hopefully once I get the results back, I will have a clear front runner.

I'll be heading to Sydney this weekend to see Cirque du Soleil. Very exciting! I would have waited until it came to Brisbane, but I think the first show is on the night before I leave, which is probably not the best time to go to a circus! I just hope it's not too cold in Sydney!!

Interviews

I am somewhat stressed right now. Out of the 36 people that applied for the job, I was able to find 5 that I wanted to interview. One of them has already gotten a new job, so that left 4. And now I have to interview them. Which is what I am stressed about. I have one tomorrow, two on Thursday and one on Friday. I have only been to 4 interviews myself, and gotten every job I ever applied for, so I haven't really been through that many to know what to do. I've never interviewed anyone before, and I tend to get "stage fright" in front of people I don't know, and become a babbling mess. It's somewhat embarrassing. Particularly if you're trying to display an air of professionalism and competence.

I've written out a set of questions to ask, but I don't really know how to handle it. I also apparently come off as cold and aloof to most people, which I think might put people off actually wanting the job (even though they won't be working with me). Selling this job is also going to be difficult, because the hours are crap, and so are the leave entitlements. I was up front about that in the ad, however, so at least these applicants sort of know what they've applied for. I didn't when I was interviewed for this job. I was only told at the interview stage about the hours and other requirements, and then I felt trapped - like I had to accept it or I wouldn't get the job. But anyway.

I've also done a Facebook/MySpace/Google search on the candidates, and I will just say that if you're job hunting, you should probably turn your profile to private. I am somewhat hesitant with two of the candidates now, given what I read on their profiles. So we shall see if they impress me tomorrow or not.

So, any tips on interviewing people? I just don't want to come across like a bumbling idiot.

A friend in need... is frankly just annoying some times!

Travel plans are coming along. If the lazy travel agent would return my calls, I might be able to finalise most of it. I think all travel agents are just pissed because their jobs are becoming obsolete now that people can book everything over the internet. But you'd think that would make them want to try harder to keep the clients they do have. Apparently not.

And now for a rant. And it's about someone who reads this blog, but I have to get it off my chest, so I'm going to post it, with the hopes that they know once I do, I will be over it and never have to discuss it again. Which is probably the best choice of action.

I don't mind helping out friends and doing favours for them. I like to think the more I do, the more they would be willing to help me should I ever need it. I do, however, get annoyed when people misrepresent the favour they're asking you to do, even if it is innocently done.

A friend emailed me and asked if I would help with a small sewing task. A simple zig-zag stitch, so they said. I am pretty busy with uni, work and organising my trip, so it took some time to find a suitable night. I emailed that I would be home from work on Thursday night at 5.30pm, with the assumption this person would be over as soon as they finished work, which would have been before 6.00pm.

I usually eat dinner at 6.00pm. I know that sounds early, but I start work at 6.30am, which means I have lunch at 11am, which means that dinner after 6.00pm is practically unthinkable for me. I'd eat at 5.00pm if I could, but I'm only just finished at the gym then, and William doesn't get home until just before 6.00pm anyway. So I have to wait. And I'm generally starving by 6.00pm.

However, it was only a simple zig zag stitch, I thought, so my friend would be over by 6 at the latest, I'd run it through my machine, and they'd be gone by 6.30 at the latest and then I could eat dinner (I didn't want to prepare it and start eating and have them show up in the middle of dinner, because I think that's rude). They hadn't arrived by 20 past, so I sent a message and got the reply that they were only just on their way. I thought maybe they'd been held up at work, so I let it go. I was slightly annoyed they hadn't let me know, because I could have eaten dinner at 6 as usual, and been finished by the time they arrived. My stomach was already growling at me.

They arrived some time after 6.30. And the reason they were late was not because of work. It was because they'd gone home to talk to a boy. A boy they probably shouldn't even be speaking to after his performance some months ago anyway, but that's neither here nor there. So they'd kept me waiting, without telling me, because they thought talking to this guy couldn't wait, but my dinner could - rude. Grr. And the job was not a simple zig zag stitch. It hadn't even been pinned together. I don't know if you know this, but pinning stretch fabric is not exactly an easy job. Primarily because the fabric stretches out once the person puts it on, so you can't just merrily pin away as you can on normal fabric, or the whole thing would be be too small once they put it on. You have to measure out the material stretched out, and then mark it, so that once it's sprung back, you can pin it in intervals. Basically, you have to pin each end, then put a pin in the middle, then keep halving the spaces with pins, making little bubbles of fabric which will stretch and even out once sewn. You have to make sure you keep it even, or it won't stretch out as it's supposed to, and will end up all wonky. I had assumed this person had it all pinned up, because they'd said all they needed was the stitching done. And then it turned out they didn't want it to be straight the whole way around, they wanted a dip in the middle, which was also not straight forward. And there were appliques to sew on the top (which, admittedly, I offered to do, because I had the thing there and might as well have done it while I was at it).

So anyway, after at least an hour of measuring and pinning, I only had one layer pinned up, I was starving, and I had no intention of finishing it that night. The next night I had uni until 9pm, so I wasn't going to do it then either. Which basically meant I had to work on it all day Saturday, because they wanted to pick it up Sunday morning in order to have enough time to sew sequins and beads on. Which I realised would be virtually impossible once the garment was off the mannequin, as the fabric would spring back. I suggested they come over and lightly glue the sequins in place first, while it was stretched out, so that once it was off, they just had to sew the sequins and beads on where they were.

It took me 4 hours on Saturday to finish it. Bear in mind I have two assignments I was planning on working on, plus finalisations of travel plans. Sewing stretch fabric all day was not in my initial plans. Sunday morning rolls around. I don't know what time they're coming over, but they've got work on at 1, and the gluing would take at least 2 hours (measuring and drawing out the pattern, then gluing hundreds of sequins on), so I thought they'd be there by 11.00 at the latest. I hadn't received word from them by 10, so William and I decided to go for a walk. A few seconds later I received a phone call, and they hadn't left their house yet, so I told them I'd be back from my walk at 11. I presumed by telling them this, that is when they would show up.

I then get a phone call at 11.30. They haven't even left their house yet. They're telling me they start work at 1 (I know) and they don't think they'll be able to do the sequins in time (they would have if they'd shown up at 11 as I mentioned). They wanted to know what I was doing on Monday night. I really started to get annoyed then. I have things to do. I have assignments to finish. I have travel plans to do. I don't simply sit around on my butt once I get home from work. I don't watch a lot of TV or read many books. I am in my study until at least 11pm most nights, if I don't have actual uni classes on. So I said I wasn't available. Which basically meant I was stuck with gluing the sequins on if I wanted to get rid of this thing, especially considering they needed it by Tuesday night. Obviously I could have just given it to them as it was and let them worry about how to do the sequins and beading, but I am just not that mean. Unfortunately.

They came over at 12. We drew the pattern on. I was still annoyed that I now had a day of gluing sequins ahead of me. Especially since I'd already declared the day a write off for assignments anyway and had planned to sew up dress to take travelling with me (because finding a dress in non-wrinkle material is impossible) - since I already had my sewing machine out, I thought I may as well use it. Obviously that wasn't going to happen that day now.

I started gluing at 12.30. I didn't finish until 2.30. And now the top of my thumb is numb from constantly squeezing the glue bottle for 2 hours. I kid you not. I still can't feel it 18 hours later. There's just a weird pins and needles feeling in it. I'm hoping the feeling returns in it soon, because it's very weird to type when you haven't got feeling in one of your fingers.

I honestly wouldn't have minded the whole thing if the person had just shown up on time, but it was the fact they were constantly late, and obviously assuming I had all the time in the world to spend on this thing, plus the fact it wasn't the simple sewing job I had agreed to do that annoyed me. And I didn't get to do any of my assignments, travel plans, or sew my own dress. The entire weekend was a waste for me. I mean, I quite like sewing and what not, so I would even agree to do it again if asked, but I just wish they'd outlined what the job really required before hand.

I know the person is extremely grateful for the work I've done, but I honestly just wish they would realise that other people have schedules too, and things they'd like to do with their time, and if you're going to be somewhere to do something, you should be there on time, or at least call and say you'll be late so I'm not left without my dinner and starving, when I could have eaten before you arrived, or so I'm not left gluing hundreds of sequins on (and a numb thumb) which you could have done before you started work if you'd arrived on time.

Rant over now. No discussions/apologies/whatever are necessary. Let's pretend this never happened.

But you'd better arrive on time tonight!! :Þ

Sarah Palin is evil incarnate

Reasons why I cannot understand why anyone could vote for this horrid woman:

- She is pro-life to the point where she does not support abortions for rape and incest victims.
- She is against contraception.
- Supports drilling in Alaska, and even supports opening the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve for drilling.
- She supports the death penalty.
- She hunts wild animals.
- She is a member of the NRA and is very pro-guns.
- She supports teaching creationism in science class at schools.
- She doesn't believe global warming is caused by humans.
- She opposes same-sex marriage and benefits for same sex couples that heterosexual couples have access to.
- She wants the decision in Roe v Wade overturned.
- She supports the war in Iraq.
- She has no idea about animal conservation, and supports a plan to kill wolves from the air in order for Moose populations to increase so that hunters can have more defenceless animals to shoot.
- There are rumours she tried to have her brother-in-law fired from his job while he was divorcing her sister, and then transferred the commissioner who refused to do it.
- There are rumours her youngest child is not hers, and she covered up its real parentage to protect her political career (after all, someone who preaches that only abstinance-only sex education be taught in schools would look somewhat hypocritical when their 16 year old daughter turned out to be pregnant).
- If the above rumour is true, her daughter got pregnant again right after the birth of the first child. She just can't keep her legs closed, can she? Obviously Palin was forced to come clean on this one, as it would look very odd if she suddenly announced she was pregnant again when her youngest is just 5 months old. Especially considering she didn't tell anyone about the last pregnancy until she was apparently 7 months pregnant, and not showing in the slightest. And then flew for 8 hours on a plane when she was supposedly going into labour to get back to Alaska from Texas, and then further drove to a secluded place to give birth away from prying eyes. It all seems very suspicious to me.

And probably the worst thing of all: she named her children Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper and Trig. If that's not due cause for her timely end on this earth, I don't know what is.

Happy birthday to me!

Another year has come and gone, and I am now officially one year too old to take advantage of the Youth Saver passes for train travel in Europe! Haha. I should have gone last year!

I received quite a number of things I needed to take on my trip with me, which was great! I love practical presents! Haha! I got the backpack (although they gave it to my mother in the wrong colour, so I'll have to take it back), the laptop (little Asus eeepc), compression sacks, compass, pashmina, mini torch (so cute!), Swiss Army knife and some other little things. The only "big" things (ie, expensive) I have to get now are a sleeping bag and walking shoes. Although my family is going to have Christmas in November (I'll be in Lima at Christmas), so perhaps I shouldn't buy anything else until then, just in case.

My parents and William took me out to Kingsley's for lunch on Saturday. I actually like watching Deadliest Catch, and I was determined to have the Alaskan king crab legs. They were huge! And the crab was so sweet! Definitely the best crab I've ever eaten. The view was really nice too. We were watching all the boats come in for the Riverfire celebrations (grumble, grumble, stupid Riverfire always hijacking my birthday, grumble). William then made me a chocolate cake for my birthday (yay!) and I got to watch all of the episodes of Great British Menu I'd been recording throughout the week. Might sound boring to you, but it was the best day ever! Food Channel, crab legs, chocolate cake, practical presents - what more could a girl want?! Haha!

Yesterday afternoon we went to see In Bruges. I thought it was meant to be a comedy. It was a lot darker and had a lot more gore than I was expecting. It was mildly humourous in parts, but it was mostly the same running joke of "Bruges is shit." Still, it was a good movie. I'm really looking forward to Wall-E, Madagascar 2 and Quantum of Solace coming out.