Home again home again

So, I have returned to Margate as of last night. I really enjoyed my time away but I'm glad I'm back with all my things and not living out of a suit case. I didn't really as I had all my things strewn about on their 6 The State Cinema chairs. At any rate it's nice to be home.

I went for an hour long walk today with Katie. I called her Jez at one stage. I thought a lot about next year, about being 24 [almost!], and the fact that after next year I don't want to live at home anymore. This will be the last time I'll be living at home. It's not that I don't like it, but I'm too old to be living here and want to start afresh in a new place. I did a little looking at rental properties on www.rent.com.au and there were a few for Glebe, Newtown and other surrounding areas. $250 a week might be a bit much so hopefully there is something just as nice a little further away from the city and the Uni. I'll possibly be able to still walk to Uni or easily enough catch a bus. I want to be in the middle of a suburb though. Not on the main road as some of the results from the website produced. I'll find somewhere great somehow...

I'm going to get some new black arm warmers and some black legwarmers off eBay tomorrow. I want to wear the leg warmers with my new "pumps," the colourful shoes I got in Sydney on the second trip. They're black with hot pink and green on them but need the leg warmers to make my legs look better when wearing them with stockings. I'm glad I'll finally be able to wear them more in the next few weeks. I must also get the Union Jack bed spread in the next few weeks, as long as it's still available.

Christmas is creeping up. Last year I made the mistake of getting all my presents for others too late and was broke until late January. It sucked! I had to borrow money, which I always hate, and it took me so long to recover from it. I'll try and spread my present-buying over the next few months until Christmas actually arrives. I have no idea what to get anyone but I'll just have a wander around the shops and see what I can find.

I really like my hair short, and everyone at work also thinks it suits me. Two people have said it makes my eyes stand out, which is nice, and it's such low maintanence, apart from the initial washing and styling. I'm so glad I did it, and so glad that I went to Imola. They are the best. It's funny that my hairdresser, Jess, was in my sister's grade in high school and lived near by us. Blast from the past! I still need to take a picture and I will ... eventually ...

A few Sundays ago, 2 I think, I went over to Holly's for the afternoon and we took a trip to the market in the Masonic Temple on Sandy Bay Road and I saw there some of the carved red heart necklaces that I have always wanted. Today, Holly messaged me saying she has found some to buy. I had asked the lady who's stall they were at where to buy them and she said the guy wasn't making them much anymore and that it would be best to seek him out and ask for one but if they're in a shop this is much better and easier. I'll head into town tomorrow and go grab a few. One for a necklace, one for a bracelet, and maybe even 2 to make into earrings! They are $15 each so I shouldn't go overboard. I'm so happy though.

This afternoon I'm meeting Sophie at Blackman's Bay beach near my work and we'll go for a stroll then get some dinner somewhere, probably at work. Then I start work at 6pm. I'm not sure if we'll go there for a meal but we may as well as it's so close. We could go to Kingston and get something. We'll decide when we meet. I wonder how she is. I shall soon find out.

If I get called in for Wednesday evening I'll have worked every day there this week! Madness! I'm definitely looking forward to the money. I want to put most of it away and yet still have enough in my pocket/bank to let me buy a few things, like the necklaces and other bits and pieces. I'll be hanging with Emma on Thursday night so I'll need a bit of money for that. I'll try to put away $200 if I can. It depends on how much I earned! I can't wait to see that bank balance though.

I should go and get ready for tonight though. I haven't even showered and I have to leave soon. Yikes! Time has slipped away.

Last day in Kingston Beach

Last day at James and George's today. I need to take Jez for a long walk/run to the dog beach to tire her out. Last night she found a wounded bird outside and I think it's still there pretending to be stone. It's obviously too hurt to move so I don't know what to do about it. I've kept Jez away from the bird so for now it can rest.

After this I'll have a shower then rug up and take Jez out. The weather is horrible but it needs to be done. I'll wear a beanie and take an umbrella. She might have no one to play with! She's pooped twice on our walks and I didn't realise I had to pick them up. When I take Katie for a walk at home she poops in the bushes or on the side of the road. It doesn't matter there as it's in the middle of no where but here I think you're meant to clean up after your dog. Oops. I'm a bad dog sitter.

Then after the walk, depending on the time, I'll head to work and check the roster so I can see if I can swap shifts with someone so I can go to the Mini Golf and BBQ night with Relish. Then I'll head to town to go shopping with Sarah.

Oh, I called up the Work and Training agency and they only do yearly traineeships and placements but the lady will send me out a registration form to fill out and send back with my resume to be considered at somewhere more appropriate. Hopefully I can get some Monday to Friday work in either retail or on the computers and possibly even stop working at thebeach for a while so I can have some weekends off. That would be great. I'd love to have free weekends. That's one of my aims for the future.

I hate this week already. That's not a good sign. Sometimes I really do with I didn't work at thebeach anymore but for now I need it, otherwise I wouldn't be able to survive as I like to, which sounds horrible. Hopefully I can find other work soon. I can't wait for Sydney, a fresh start. I really can't.

Just took Jez for a walk. It rained a bit so I'll have to fix my hair before going out. I did the washing up and have gotten my things out of the bathroom. I forgot to put the garbage out last night. Oops. And I should get everything packed and ready in case I have to go to work. I hope I don't, as then I can have a leisurely afternoon shopping with Sarah, then go to Big W on the way back here to get them some toilet paper and maybe some chocolate then spend the evening here before going out to pick them up from the airport. I'll work if I get asked to though as I won't have much choice. I will head to work soon to figure out the roster for tomorrow then head to town. Lunch is on the way! It's been noodles everyday. Eggs for breakfast and different things for dinner. It has gone so quickly and yet so slowly. It seems like ages ago that I was planning to have Cool Thai with Emma and drinks at Onba but it was only 3 days ago. Seems like longer to me. I've quite liked staying here though. I like being closer to town and feeling like I'm doing more with my time. I'm not sure that's true but it feels like it which is important.

Right. Off to work then to town! Then at 3 I will know this evenings movements. I do really hate the on call system...

Change please

I keep overbooking myself. I said yes to playing Mini Golf and having a BBQ with the Relish crew [Relish is the catering company my dad works with] on Tuesday night and realised I have been rostered on to work! I am also on call for Wednesday when the work girls are supposed to be going to the movies to see Eat Pray Love but Sara can't come so I'm not sure if it'll go ahead anymore. I'm also organising to pick James and George up from the airport. It could be me if I'm not working, or it could be Sarah or dad. I won't know until 3pm tomorrow and it's quite annoying. In the group email on Facebook about the movies, I wrote that I hated being on call and that it was a stupid invention. Then Alison, the boss, wrote a message possibly related but maybe unrelated to my post about the evening and that she has to work. She probably saw my bit about the being on call thing. I tried to fix it subtly in my next comment. Arr. I hate worrying about if things will all go smoothly and waiting to find out on the day what my plans will be. It sucks! I'll go in to work tomorrow and check the roster and see if I can swap with anyone for Tuesday so I can go and play Mini Golf as I said I would. I need to do more of those kinds of things. It's like if I do more of those things I'm living more. I do waste a lot of my time and feel crap because of it. I just want a job I'll be happy doing and even happier with the times. I want day work, Monday to Friday and that's it. I don't want to be in hospitality anymore. I'll call up the place Sophie mentioned tomorrow [I will this time] and hopefully I'll be able to get the kind of job I want out of that. I like thebeach but this week it's annoying me.

Fortune Cookie

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.

02 09 44 45 46 10

Dogs

I do and don't want a dog for company wherever I move to.

Pro

+ Great company and companionship

+ It will force me to take him/her for a walk

+ Looking after an animal will be rewarding

Con

+ They poop and I might have to clean it up if it's on the street...

+ What happens when I take small holiday's back home or elsewhere?

+ Expensive to buy and possibly to feed -- initial set up

According to the little survey I filled out on Dog Breed Finder where I specified for a small to medium dog who is non-aggressive and quiet with not a lot of grooming, I could get a Boston Terrier, Bulldog, some sort of Terrier [Boston, Welsh, Lakeland], or a Springer Spaniel [which I have always wanted since our first dog P.K. who was a Springer crossed with a Beagle, also another favourite]. On this survey I filled out specifics about me. I said I was somewhere between active and not so active, that I have a yard with not much space [thinking of the possibilities in Sydney] and that I'm single and that's where the results stem from. I wouldn't mind a little Terrier or Bulldog or Spaniel so at least I have some choices in mind. Who knows what will happen next year? It will be something amazing though. 2011 here I come!

Big working week ahead

I've got a busy working week starting tomorrow! I'm glad I'm getting more shifts but I need something more permanent, something like a Monday to Friday job with set hours. On Monday I will call up "Work and Training," the employment agency Sophie mentioned. Also on Monday I'm going to go shopping with Sarah, I think, and try on this cute white dress I saw in Dotti yesterday with her but didn't try it on then as we went to our grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary held at my uncle Jim and his partner Jo's house. It was lovely to see them so happy and still together after such a long time together. It's crazy!

The Beach

Monday 18th -- on call evening [will pick James, George and Etta up from the airport if I'm not needed]

Tuesday 19th -- 6pm

Wednesday 20th -- on call evening [did request it off to go to the movies with the girls from work but Alison didn't see it apparently. Hopefully I don't need to be called in.]

Thursday 21st -- 1030am and possibly evening

Friday 22nd -- 530pm

Saturday 23rd -- 6pm

Sunday 24th -- 5pm

I'm starting work today a little earlier [3pm instead of 5pm] so Grace 1 [there's also Grace 2. Both have surnames starting with a 'W' and have the same birthday. Freaky] can study more. There's a few more hours there. I also worked last Monday for 7 hours or something and had a big working night last night. Now I don't have to pay mum back for flights and my phone bill I can concentrate on putting money away each week. I do, after all, need to save a heap for whatever I'm going to be doing next year.

Fortune Cookie

Each day in some way,

be your own best friend.

06 09 11 26 35 17

2011 will be my year of change

I think I'm starting to get into a bad sleeping pattern again. I'm not staying up as late anymore, especially here house sitting, but here it gets sunny early as the curtains don't do a great job of blocking out the sun so I am woken up earlier but go back to sleep for a few more hours. I look so haggard when I wake up and feel like I can't get up. It is freezing here in the mornings so that's part of the problem -- not wanting to leave the warmth of bed. I'll get more work and hopefully the problem will be rectified. It will be different when I go back home too.

I need to take Jez for a walk today. I was planning yesterday to go on a walk to Blackman's Bay so I might take her with me for that. It'll tire me out for sure and it'll be a longer lead walk than the first one we took on Wednesday. It was raining all day yesterday but the sun is out today so I will have to take advantage of it. It's nice having a dog and being forced to take it out. I've been thinking of getting one in Sydney for company, something small and easy to manage, as in not too demanding, but I could still take it out for walks. What happens when I come home for visits though? I might have to bring the dog along so it might not be that great, unless I meet someone there and they can look after the dog. Then again if I meet someone they might come back with me for visits and then who would look after the dog! I want fish and there's a problem there with staying away and not feeding them. Overfeed? Oh dear. I'll wait and see what happens

If I don't get into Sydney Uni, I guess I'll ... I was going to say go straight over to the UK when I can afford it but what about my new-found dream to work in a museum? Melbourne distance is an option. I could live with Holly and Ruben and move there but I would rather start over in Sydney. I could move to Sydney and do Uni via distance there! Haha. I couldn't figure out how to apply to Melbourne though so that might never work. It has to somehow. I don't know what I'll do if I don't get in. All I know is that I don't want to be stuck in Tasmania next year, especially since I have hoped for change and to start on a new career path. It would feel like going backwards and I've had enough of that thank you! I want change next year and I shall make it happen somehow!

Book list

I've been looking into other museum studies courses and one came up in my Google search for the University of Adelaide. Now I know nothing of Adelaide except that it gets really hot there in the summer, but the website gave me a list of books to read! That's what I wanted to get in preparation for the course wherever I go so this will give me something to do. I want to feel like I know a bit about museums before the course starts so this is a good place to start! At any rate I can't go to Adelaide as I don't have an honours degree but I'm glad they have this book list.

This first list "

focuses on the history and philosophy of museums and their collections; cultural and ethical issues of collecting; collection development, display and interpretation of permanent collections; databases, registration practices and collection management. Students will complete a self-directed research project."

-- Museum Methods, Museums Australia, 2002.
-- Preziozi, D. Grasping the World: The Idea of the Museum, Ashgate, 2004.
-- Simpson, Moira G., Making Representations: Museums in the Post-colonial Era, Routledge, London, 2001.

The second list "looks at the nature and purpose of exhibitions; the role of the curator; exhibition development, display and interpretive programs; public programs marketing, sponsorship and funding. Students will complete a 20 days internship in a gallery or museum, and a self-directed research project."

-- Barker, E. (ed) Contemporary Cultures of Display, Yale University Press and Open University, New Haven, London, 1999.
-- Heathcote. C. The Exhibition Handbook: A Practical Guide for Organising Exhibitions in Australia Museums, Galleries, Libraries and Community Centres, Museums Australia Inc. (Victoria), Melbourne, 1997 (out of print).
-- Rouette, G. Exhibitions: A Practical Guide for Small Museums and Galleries, Museums Australia, 2007.
-- Thompson, J.M.A. (ed.) Manual of Curatorship: A Guide to Museum Practice, 2nd edition, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, 1992 (out of print)
-- Wallace-Crabbe, Marianne, Guidelines for Internships, Art Museums Association of Australia, Fitzroy, Vic., c1993.

This will certainly keep me going for a while! That's if I can find and buy them ... A lot of them are out of print/stock at the Book Depository so this might be a little tricky. It's something to think about anyway. Hopefully I can access a book list if I get into the Sydney Uni. Forever hoping.