LeonaIsGone

Food

2009-09-18T11:15:00.000+10:00

Final Days of Term

2009-09-14T21:16:00.003+10:00

Last week of school, and I'm feeling pretty good. I went out running again after work tonight and though I've been feeling tired and cranky today I felt better for it. Made my circut longer, now 5kms. I need a fun run to be in at some stage.

Three more teaching days at school then we are OUT FOR THE HOLIDAYS! This term has been so BIG. We are just winding up some stuff, have a concert on wednesday and parent teacher interviews on thursday night. We are lucky to be back to the original way of conducting parent teacher interviews. At the start of the year the government tried to make us conduct them after school only. It meant that we could only have them when some parents are working and we had less time available. It just makes everything more difficult to be able to fit everyone in.

I've been feeling good about my classes lately. Had a VCE session that I feel I finally cracked the analysis exam. Its been mystifying me, so it is obviously outright confusing for the students.

The more I hear about provision the less I like it. We had a meeting today and it was confirmed that I need to have an average of 16 students to be able to run a class. The last three years of classes I have had about 12 combined. Which means that the likelyhood of keeping the unit 1 subject at MSC becomes very shaky. Obviously it wont be the best idea for us to lose our senior students but when you have people making the decisions that aren't even IN schools, that have nothing to do with the reality of teaching them and being their mentor. I also will most likely mean that I will, at some stage in the next few years, have no option BUT to teach outside my subject area. Because some years music gets a lot of students, others there are less that choose it. Teachers that teach classes like chemistry, maths, english, science wont have this worry. The hardest thing is that the students are not very well informed at this point. None of them know what to choose or whats even offered. We don't know what the other schools are doing. It's all still confusing. There will be more issues before this is all settled.

Running

2009-09-10T22:49:00.002+10:00

Looking forward to daylight savings. I've been running after school this past week. I feel so much better for having made the effort. However by the time I get out running its after 6pm and by the time I am heading back home it's dark. Got on the scales this morning and its showing a kg already. Know it's, like, water weight or whatever, but it makes me feel better to see it going down. I know I eat o.k, maybe I like the sweet stuff too much, but it's the exercise that will make the difference. And if I'm doing the exercise that will help me make some better decisions. Now that I've got the most of the work out of the way with production I feel like I have more space for doing some things at home. One more week to holidays. I have a lot of school work planning things to do - make sure I am organised to start the last term.

Post Production

2009-09-09T20:48:00.002+10:00

In the aftermath of production everyone is sick. I was sick on camp and have managed to shake the cold, some of my colleagues have been to the doctor. Lots of the students have too. It's such a big road from the start to the end and we don't get much sleep done on the camp. It was all worth it in the end, i think that we did a great job and I have heard a lot of positive feed back this week from people who saw the show, saying that it was the best one that they've seen the school do in a long time. We have our sights set on another 'name' show next year. Not sure what yet though.

Glad there is only one more week to go.
I had my hair cut last week, very nice.
Bought a hair dryer/straightner pack. Worst straightner EVER. What was I thinking?
Bought some boots, my first real pair. Awesome. Except I keep slipping over in them.

Production and Provision

2009-08-18T21:29:00.002+10:00

Two weeks to production. I knew I was going to be stressed and tired during this time, but there is just so much to be done! I'm so tired at the end of the day and I still have work to do.

At school they are talking about this thing called 'provision' that they want all the schools in the area to do. The rationale behind it is that schools with small class sizes have their classes combined and students go to the other school to take it. What I am worried about is my small VCE music classes being taken over to another high school and I lose my students. These students that I have in year 9 I am gearing up to take VCE classes. One of my most enthuastic students is considering doing music at uni rather than nursing or something medical. If they take him to another school then I miss out on the chance to guide him through music. It makes me sad. And it makes me think that I don't want to keep teaching if this happens to my classes. What good is a specialist teacher without their specialist class? Their is an information session that everyone is going to, that I can't make because we have production rehearsals. I'm worried.

The light at the end of the production tunnel is in sight. The band played through the whole of act 1 today, which is a huge achievement in itself. We tackle act 2 tomorrow.

Hi Mum

2009-08-15T17:16:00.002+10:00

This post is mostly for my mum, just so she can read it. I haven't been posting on here for a long time, I needed a rest from it I guess.

I'm three weeks from production at school which means a lot of work over the next few weeks. We've been working hard at school with lots of different excursions, two bands went to Melbourne for the bands festival at Monash this week.

Dunno what else to say, it'll come to me I guess.

Hi Mum.

Ugggh.

2009-03-31T23:21:00.002+11:00

What a bloody long week this is. Is it still Tuesday? It's like being 4 and counting the sleeps to christmas. Pleeeeeeeeeeease be here already. Just so I can stop and rethink.

I'm having to reassess everything I'm doing. I want to be able to do lots of interesting things like performances and things but my evenings are too short to fit many things in. I know I'm getting stressed again because it gets harder to sleep. Getting to sleep is not so much the problem, I'm out the minute I hit the pillow. It's when I wake up at 5.30 - without fail - and need to go to the loo. If I get up then my brain turns on and I don't get much more sleep. But its hard to fall alseep again when you need to go. Problem.

Anyway, I have to stop the German course because I just don't have the time in the evenings to study and get the school work done and have a life and rehearse. These extra curricular things like Orchestra and Brass Band keep taking up my weekends which I need to recharge. And see Mark a little. I had to stop playing at church on sundays because its often the only morning that we both don't have to go anywhere. If I was like a normal teacher who went home at 3:20 then I would be able to fit these things in as well as house work and practise. But I'm a music teacher. And I don't get home till after 6. And I have a concert tomorrow night so I'll be back at school from 7pm to 10pm setting up and packing up. I didn't get lunch today because I was rehearsing with singers. I wont get lunch tomorrow for the same reason. I'm tired, Lindy is tired. It's time for the holidays. Please.

Update

2009-03-30T23:38:00.002+11:00

A quick update cause I should be in bed.
One week to holidays!
We've dug big holes in the yard to pour concrete for the pagola.
The auditions are finally over for the production. The suspense these kids went though was intense! There was mass celebrations when the cast list was finally announced. We're doing the Wizard of Oz. Just hope that the parts arrive ASAP.
Concert prepared for the first of april. The juniors are ready for their first ever concert on the 1st of April. They've had three rehearsals.
Had a girl come to band tonight said she was interested in learning. She said probably trumpet so I sat her with the section and put an instrument in her hand. I think she'll be a gun!

Week 7

2009-03-11T21:56:00.002+11:00

The long awaited arts performance on the weekend went really well. I am always a bit baffled by some kinds of art works, it sounds nice as an idea but I'm not really sure if the concept is going to work in reality. Or it just seems like a strange idea and I don't know what they were thinking at the time.

At the end of last year the orchestra was approached to participate in an artistic show symbolising the drought and hope for rain and renewal. The idea was to have the orchestra play a sound scape and little bits of sculpture would join to make a big 'drought monster' that would look scary, and then it would die and become a windmill. It sounded like a strange idea to me from the start. However the night went really well I thought, there were heaps of people there and food stalls and other artists playing, and the performance went off with very little problems and the audience really like it. And there were fireworks, maybe that helped...

Other than that things at school are going great. I am feeling really good about the work that I am doing at the moment and whats happening in my classes. I have been conducting the band rehearsals and have been really happy with the progress, tomorrow we are picking some new pieces for the students to start learning for the Melbourne School Bands Festival.

I donated blood again today. Each time I go the experience gets easier, I know what to expect and it is over really quickly. I'm in the 'frequent donors club', she tells me that I get a diary. I was maybe thinking something a little different for a reward - something to entice people to continue donating or even start donating. But that's not what you do it for.

Week 6

2009-03-03T21:53:00.002+11:00

Hard to believe that its week 6 already! Its been pretty busy, but so far I feel I'm handling work better than this time last year. I'm starting to get a handle on the job and all the things that I need to take care of. The last few weeks I've been conducting band when Lindy has been absent, and it has gone very well. From watching Lindy conduct I have learnt so much about taking a rehearsal and comunicating things about the piece. Loving it.

The year 7s are having their first lessons this week. Its amazing knowing that from this point I get to watch them learn music and its all up to me what they learn. I have five trumpets, four trombones, euphonium and tuba starting this year, what an awesome brass section!

Term 1

2009-02-23T19:30:00.002+11:00

Life is ticking along well for me at the moment. I have been working hard at work, getting my classes organised and making sure that everyone is on track, getting the band students working including the new year 7 students who will be starting instruments next week.

I've been learning German after school with distance education. So far I've completed two weeks of lessons, doing well at this stage. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

Into the holidays

2009-01-06T18:21:00.002+11:00

Its been a much more relaxing week this week. I've had time to relax, catch up on sleep and get some things at home organised. I got some of the weeding done in the front yard, and I'm hoping to get the first trailer load of mulch maybe thursday. Actually cleaned out the fridge today. I was reading in a magazine about vinegar and baking soda to clean out your fridge. It all looks and smells clean and shiny now.

Mark and I took a trip to Frankston to get his car serviced. It was really nice to go down sunday night rather than run down there monday morning. We went to a resturant on the pier and I had some seafood. What came out was a bucket load of fried squid rings and prawns. More than enough to feed three people. I was a bit upset to send so much back to the kitchen. No one needs to eat that much. Marks meal was the same. They served so many chips and a double serve of steak and veggies on the side. Huge meals.

Very exciting news this week, I lost a kilo this week at Jenny Craig!

Boxing Day

2008-12-27T13:20:00.002+11:00

After a great but tiring few days over Christmas I can finally relax. The work of the last few days caught up with me last night and I was pretty tired. It will be nice to have some space and start quietly planing for school next year. Christmas celebrations were excellent. It was nice to just sit and talk and eat and not have to do anything in particular.

Went and tried on some clothes today, I was looking for some denim shorts. Had one of those days where nothing fits no matter what size you get. Even though I am a bit thinner these days the complaint remains the same - nothing is cut right for my shape, its all cheap chinese made crap that doesn't take into account real girls shapes. I couldn't get my legs into the size 12 or 14, but when I got the 16 it was like a tent around the waist. It becomes clearer why you need to spend more money on jeans and shorts and shirts just to get a proper cut out of a proper material.

Christmas is nearly over!

2008-12-23T22:19:00.003+11:00

Hurray, the new furnature is here! It looks awesome in my room. Will upload some photos when I get my phone organised. It definately time for a new phone, this one keeps turning itself off all the time. I think that the battery is failing or something. It's certainly not reliable anymore.

We've been watching Underbelly. It is as awesome as everyone is saying. The storyline is great, the actors amazing. It's strange seeing places that you've been on something this big too. Where one of the guys was gunned down was Strathmore just behind the pub. Great series.

We mowed the grass for the first time. It looks like an actual lawn. Satisfying seeing something that you planned coming together so well. Everything is well on track, thats for sure.

One more day to get some christmas shopping done before the BIG DAY. I have most of the presents wrapped in the hallway, just a few more things to pick up tomorrow. Good thing I'll be up early, or rather not been to bed. Rather do it then than later in the arvo when everyone is psycho out shopping.

I am really looking forward to Christmas day now, now that it's here.

School's out for summer!

2008-12-19T20:53:00.002+11:00

Last day of school today, I am finally free. It will be nice to wake up whenever tomorrow and know that I don't have to go to school any more. I got the place well organised in the last week. We cleaned and shifted and threw stuff out. We moved into westside instrumental rooms and put up posters and claimed some space under the seats for storage. I'm glad its holidays, I've been a bit weary this week with the days left hanging over me. Much better to have it done and dusted now.

I saw Twilight and loved it. Its a simple story really, but the idea of the characters really appeals to me. I thought it was well shot and written and acted. A quality entertaining film. I've finished the book already, think I might read it again for fun.

Wrapped up some presents today, first lot to have finished. Not that many gifts to get this year, and easy to work them out.

Blog Take 2

2008-12-12T18:58:00.003+11:00

O.K so I am thinking that it must be time to take this up again. Now that school has mostly finished I have a little more brain space and time at night to type a few words. Must have just needed a break.

I've now finished my first full 12 months at school. Out of this I have gained a lot of confidence about what I know and can achieve with students, and confidence with students in the classroom. There might have been a few stressful moments when I realised that class was about to start and I hadn't really put anything together, but I know enough to be able to knock something up and as long as they are entertained then I've really done my job.

The highlights of teaching are so many. I love the music students I have, they are excited to be there are learn things. I've learnt so many songs during this year, I just love to listen and work them out. We had some great performances at assembly this year, and they proved to themselves that they can improve with practise. I'm really looking forward to next year.

At home things are great. We've been landscaping the yard, both front and back. The front now had garden edges and sprinklers and grass! It looks awesome.

Well, sans grass, but you get the idea.

Things are ticking along smoothly towards christmas. My gifts wont be too complicated this year. I already have most of them planned out in my head. I'm waiting for all new bedroom furnature to arrive, I really hope that they call me soon! We also have an air conditioner to put in which will make summer and winter a lot more tolerable.

2008-12-08T21:53:00.001+11:00

Bah ha ha, I'm on the left. What a nerd!

This is Brisbane Brass Band Nationals, maybe ?1998?

Day 2

2008-09-28T21:33:00.002+10:00

Day two was a sightseeing and shopping day. We went to the museum and looked at lots of relics. The tour guide spoke English really well.

We went to a resturant for lunch and had heaps of interesting dishes served as a banquet, lots of green veggies and chillies.

The shopping in the afternoon was in a street and the array of things to buy was very colourful. We had some icecream, but stayed away from the octopus on a stick and some weird thing with blood. We saw the silk quilts but decided not to get one today, but we found a jade necklace that we liked - Mum!

We were very tired at this stage, but we went to the 'shamrock' irish pub for a western dinner. None of us were very hungry after the big lunch but enjoyed the spaghetti. The icecream tasted weird however.

Tonight we'll stay in the hotel and relax, we've all been meeting some of the other schools that are here. We'll fit in a bit of poker before a very welcome bed!

China

2008-09-27T15:13:00.002+10:00

Well we've finally made it to Hong Kong. We've been sitting in the airport for nearly three hours now while they tried to fix the plane, and then finally got us a new one. We've been back downstairs to the gate three times and they keep revising the timetable.

The plane trip over was really hard for a few of the kids. There was a big patch of turbulance that lasted for almost an hour as we flew over the top of the typhoon that is headed this way. Luckily we will have...hopefully...flown off to Chengdu and will miss it.

The in flight entertainment was great, you can play games against the other passengers. The food was great on the plane, and we enjoyed some noodles in the airport.

Hope to fly out to Chengdu soon...

China Awaits

2008-09-25T17:53:00.002+10:00

Well the few days that I've had on holidays have not been wasted thats for sure! We had killed the garden with copious amounts of round up last month and sunday got the rotary hoe working to dig up the lawn. Because we have cooch grass it meant that heaps of dead roots and sticks and rocks were all mixed up in the soil. It took me three days of work but I managed to rake it clean. Mostly.

Its all a blank slate out there now which is really exciting. It means that we can make it how we want it, and we have the edging cut and ready to go in, which means that there is just the sprinkler system and the grass and the red dyed mulch to go until it's done. Then we can research what plants we want and put them in a few at a time. Minimalist garden is what were going for. Because we both work we'll need a very low maintenance garden. I have a few plants in pots and I keep forgetting to water them. (Don't worry grandyma, they aren't dead yet...)

So this morning I packed some stuff, which will need to be revised tonight ready to go tomorrow. Then its just checking the batteries and stuff and I'm ready to fly.

Holidays

2008-09-22T16:37:00.002+10:00

Finally, I made it to another school holidays. It got pretty busy there toward the end of term, but I survived...just.

The production turned out well, the audience enjoyed it and the cast really stepped it up in the last week.
Parent teacher interviews were fine, I felt like I just had a big chat with whoever came to see me. Maybe I should be more stressed about due dates and work requirements and whatnot, but those kinds of things function differently in my class compared to something like English or Maths. I watch the kids working in class and use that as the basis for their reports. I think that I could jot a few more things down about work done, or not done, during prac classes. I am considering keeping a notebook with little comments about students that I noticed during the class. I does mean a bit more admin work for me but I have been talking about having a bit more time allowance.

I don't like the amount of work that we have to get done in a day with classes and stuff, and then teach at band after school. I'm going to be having some meetings with the principal about the workload in the music department this term to see if we can have a bit more breathing space during the week to make up for the enormous teaching load that we do. When you factor band on top of a full time teachers load it means that the normal time that others teachers have for planning and having a life I miss out on. When, then, am I supposed to plan? We're signing a new agreement about the amount of hours a teacher can work, and band is beyond that agreement. And I don't like that at all.

Its a windy horrible day today. There is a dust storm going past at the moment, it feels a lot later than it is.

I bought new shorts and shirts today, hurray for Jenny Craig! Size 12!

We're landscaping the yard at the moment, we raked up all the dead grass and weeds and filled a wheely bin with only half the front. We got some redgum sleepers from the sale yards and cut them to fit. If it wasn't so windy and crap outside i'd be weeding my roses. They can wait till tomorrow however. The yard looks pretty dead and bare. We have a long way to go till it's looking pretty. Garden edging and sprinkler systems first, then mulch and then plants. Then BBQ at my house to celebrate the new yard! Yay!

Production Week

2008-09-09T22:12:00.002+10:00

Definately time I updated again.

Right now its prodution week. I'm glad that it's finally here, it's been a long trek for Lindy and I. Getting everyone organised to be on stage is really hard work, on top of the enormous workload that we both have just with school. I think it must be easy in other departments but I know that it's not true. Everyone has lots to get done during the day. But then again not everyone has this enormous after school and weekends commitment that makes such a difference to our spare time and time off. I don't have much time off.

This sunday also, I am playing in a brass concert at Eastbank. I've been trying to fit in rehearsals amongst the production camp and performances.

Saturday I'm going out to spend the day at Deca getting my bus licence.

I wrote reports sunday night.

I travelled to Melbourne Sunday for a VCE exam day.

No wonder I always feel tired.

End of Busy

2008-08-21T22:23:00.002+10:00

I'm tired, but coming out of the end of the busy-ness. I have had something on after work and on the weekend every night for three weeks. I've been to Melbourne four times in the past week, and having heaps of rehearsals for a concert coming up soon.

Classes are going ok, I am feeling like I am running out of time for VCE though. Is that normal? I would think so. I am going to have to have some extra time with them just to get the VCE students by themselves for a change. It's hard with a combined class to make sure that everyone learns everything that they need to. I have two students who are going great, some students who are picking it up quickly, and some students who still don't get it yet. I need to spend time with them all separately. But there just isn't time.

The production I am very underwhelmed about at this stage. I can't see how it will come out on stage yet! The scenes aren't being run, students aren't turning up to rehearsals, and some of it hasn't even been planned yet. No matter, the music will be awesome, and we have plans for a 'real' production next year instead of these 'made for schools' things which just have no substance. Blah, I don't like this one.

The world can just jump in a hole this weekend, I am having some me/family time. At home. With no need to watch the clock other than to check when to eat. I plan to practice horn and run on the treadmill and get some washing done and read my new book. And maybe watch Dexter on DVD.

It's my new favourite show, Dexter. Its quirky and arty and interesting and DIFFERENT! It's not like any thing else on T.V and if they tried to copy it it would suck. Pity it's on so late on a sunday. I have season 2 on my laptop, but I really want to finish season 1 properly. Haven't seen all the episodes and I would like to go back to the first episode and watch it from the start. A project for the holidays, perchance.

Bed. Bye.

Busy

2008-08-11T22:49:00.002+10:00

Busy busy busy time of year this. At the moment I am rehearsing for heaps of different things, I am proud that I managed to say no to something. Phew.

It's a bit of a juggling act, keeping school going through third term. This is where most of the work gets done before we start winding up for christmas. I think that I have most of term 4 booked up, what with a trip to China in the holidays and the production and a trip away with the intermediate band and the vce solos and the junior concerts and recording night and assembly for the year 9s. Not to mention all the day to day running of a music classroom and band after school most nights a week.

I can see the end in sight with the VCE students and its SCARY. The exam is coming up soooooo fast, it will all be over before I know it, and I am nervous about it. It all hinges on me knowing all the details and being able to explain it enough that they can do whatever someone else is asking of them. The analysis stuff is hard and the theory stuff is complex and boring.

Going to Melbourne three times this week for the bands festival in Monash. I am looking forward to some trips away with the band students, they are always such good value to take away somewhere. They get used to following directions, so keeping them in line and listening to instructions is easier. They have spent some time together in the music classroom rehearsing, so they are used to being in a group. Its shared experiences that makes the best friends I think.

Also something exciting is that I entered one of my students into a compeition for the radio, and he gets to go down to Melbourne for the day and record some of his program! I don't know who was more excited!

Anway, it means lots of days off school for me this week and next, and lots of extras to write. Anyone say music dvd?

First Week Back

2008-07-18T17:43:00.002+10:00

The first week back ended pretty well I felt. I worked really hard this week, made up several worksheets and worked on the VCE classwork. The timetable changed on the first day back, so I unexpectedly has a VCE class on monday when I thought I had until thursday to get prepared. Lucky I had the worksheets on my computer ready to go.

The hardest class, management wise, is by far the OzRock classes. I have two classes of 25, and the last two days I had the first prac classes. I have about 4 new students in each class, and I am just too busy to catch up with each student properly. I couldn't get around the whole class today. Also I didn't have enough equipment for everyone to play. This is why the class sizes should be smaller, so that I can fit them all in the space. I don't have the brain space to be on top of everything, especially when I am making sure that the students understand the things I am explaining to them. I just feel overwhelmed. I am pretty happy with the behaviour of the students though. There are a few students that didn't do much today, (mainly because I didn't have time to get them started on a song, or find out what they would like to learn...) but the majority worked out what they wanted to be looking at and now I just have to fine tune the materials over the weekend so that I am better prepared for next week. Its a funny class that way, that because I want the students to have a lot of imput into the songs that they want to learn during class time I can't really prepare that much before hand. During the theory sessions at the start of the week when I put a page out for them to write songs on I got nothing, I didn't find out about song preferences until they were into the prac time at the end of the week. I have a lot to think about before I get this prac thing to work how I want it to.

Things that I am planning towards is using Guitar Pro so that they can listen and watch the tabs as they scroll past. It's like a guitarists version of Sebelius.
I would like to also have clips of people, or even myself, playing songs so that they can listen and watch songs being played and discussed and demonstrated.
Also I need to have a folder with the songs on one of the computers so that students can listen to what they are learning so that they know how it goes. Thats one of the things about TAB, you need to have great listening skills because there isn't much information included, just a number.
I'm hoping to learn about creating flash games so that I can have interactive activities that score students based on rhythm and pitch. Make it a challenge to get a perfect score and have it on a projector so that the whole class can be involved. I tried it with one of my year 7 classes where I had an aural training site up and they had to name the note. Need to allow more time for it, but I think it was successful. Certainly made them think about it, and got them out of their seats.

Anyway, I'm having fun thinking about different things for classes, and continually adding to the collection of teaching materials.

Holidays

2008-06-30T21:11:00.002+10:00

Decided that when Mark went to work that I would have a nice night in and have a bath. Once I got over the guilt of using allllll that water I set up the candles and got hot chocolate and my book and settled in. As I laid back I bumped the plug and thats when I found out that the plug I had was slightly too small. So after a run down the hallway to get the laundry plug I resettled.

Both my cats were very weirded out by the whole thing. They've always seen me in the shower, never in the bath. Chicky couldn't figure out what all the water was for. She likes to play with the water coming out of the tap, I watched to see if she would fall in, but alas she didn't.

Back to school - again

2008-06-22T22:15:00.003+10:00

Ugh, week 12.

Oliver! finished last night. We had such a good show, working with those people is heaps of fun. We all agreed that working with the conductor is easy because he doesn't worry about the mistakes. Sometimes when the conductor gets too stressed then it makes the show a real drag. We had great crowds over the two weeks, six shows we did. I'm already looking forward to what the next show might be.

So I have four and a half days to claw my way through before I can have a much needed break. As much as I enjoyed the show it came during the crucial report writing period. I thought that I was just struggling to find things to say but apparently because I have two year 7 classes that I only see once a week then I have a very high number of reports to get through. I made some basic errors that took me ages to go through and fix, however next time I will have a better idea about how to fix those things in the early stages before they get into EVERY SINGLE REPORT.

So that meant that with band and reports and the show I didn't get much sleep for a few weeks. And me on no sleep, plus stress, equals brain meltdown. Stress doesn't affect me in quite the same way that it does other I think. I push it back and get through it, but this time it built up a little too much. I can't describe the feeling of relief that I felt when I finally got to Thursday morning and uploaded them for the last time. I know that there are still some errors in them, but there is only so much I can physically do when I have that many students that I am responsible for.

I have had much smaller classes over the last week, for various reasons. Especially in the year 9 classes where we have been doing a lot of practical stuff for the assembly that they are playing at this week. It is so much easier to get everyone involved when I only have 15 or so to keep a track of. I only have so many guitars! I have been finding that when I am running a prac session that there are at least 6 or 7 students who just don't get involved. They aren't always the same ones in each song, but I can only do so many things at once! Some of them refuse to participate. Only a few of them I would trust to take an instrument somewhere else to practice and know that they will actually focus on the task at hand. Makes life in the classroom difficult. Life would be so much easier if I had a BAND ROOM!

You would think that this is a necessity for a music teacher. It's not that hard to just extend on from where they current classroom is. I need three walls and a roof! One of the walls is already standing! Then we would have the space available to work with a few different groups at a time. I could work on them running their own rehearsals without needing me so much except for answering some of the music questions about how to work something out. However at the school they are all hung up on using this performing arts centre that is already standing. I maintain that it is impractical as it is for the day to day running of a music department. We don't have reliable access to it during the day, we don't have storage over there, which means half and hour to an hour of carting and setting up before any meaningful music can be made. If we were able to use it it would still be impractical because all the resources are fragmented and then we would have to run between buildings constantly to get something from one place or the other. It's a terrible situation as it is because we are suffocating in the space that is available for us. Or not available as the case may be.

Anyway, to bed now and worry about classes and stuff in the morning.

Winding Up

2008-06-05T18:21:00.002+10:00

Once again I have arrived at the part of the term/semester where we are winding up the work and writing reports. I am starting to get a feel for the cycle of work, making sure that I have offered the students a chance to show me that they have learnt something or have done the things that I need to report on.

I ran a test today, which went well. There was one question which I decided that I didn't like, so I have taken it off the other classes exam, and put a different one in its place. I feel like such an idiot, I asked them about a thing we've only talked about a few times and the other question about chords I forgot to include. So I adjusted the marks on it to give the students a better grade. Oh well, it's all part of the learning curve.

We had a concert with the junior and intermediate bands which was a fantastic day out. We played on stage and then went to maccas. Music kids are so much fun to take places. They enjoy themselves, they are mostly polite and well behaved and they have a fantastic sense of humour. After maccas we took them for a few hours to the local playground, which is a huge place of mazes and slides and swings. I bought along a suprise for them to run around with, little mini bottles of bubbles! I went around with my phone and took lots of photos of the band kids which I plan to put up on the wall soon in place of some of the older photos. It will make them feel like they belong to the music department, especially for the new junior band students.

The best thing about the day out was watching the friendships starting between some of the more loner students. They seem to not have a lot of friends, or not get along with the people they've known. Anyway, they start to develop new friends when they go on a day out. Friendships are based mostly on experiences they share together. That's why band trips and excursions are so important.

A bonus of the job is that in week 11 they have organised some events like breakfast and manicures for staff. Even though I work hard most of the term I really like my job. Today I went to another school for VCE assessment, after which there wasn't enough time to go back to school so I was able to go home early and get some marking and reports done.

Nearly holidays.

China

2008-05-20T21:35:00.002+10:00

We have been preparing for the last nearly 2 years at my school for an overseas tour to China, to Chengdu. We were planning to go in about 4 weeks, however the recent earthquake over there has thrown all the travel plans into disarray.

We are having a meeting at school tomorrow ngiht for all the parents and students to talk about what they want to do. The feeling around the school is that they don't want to be going at the moment. I am thinking the same, the way things are at the moment, from what we are seeing on the news is of a grieving country. Some of the stories I have seen on the news makes me so sad. One story in particular has stuck in my mind, a man was trapped under part of a building for three days. As they were organising to free him someone got him a phone and he was able to talk to his wife. He said to her he didn't think that he would survive, and said his goodbye. A few hours later when he was dragged free, he was unable to be revived. How do you find the right words when you know that they will be your last?

Week 7

2008-05-19T21:16:00.002+10:00

Lately I have been so tired, there just isn't enough time in the day to get everything done. There was a meeting and a vote at school about taking extras when people are sick, they want us to take them more often than we have. It remains to be seen if it impacts unfairly on the already huge workload that we have. Something that I will be chasing up is about the hours that Lindy and I spend taking band. If the teachers are complaining that taking an extra extra (hehe) is impacting on their planning time, then what about the extra 5 hours that we both put in each week? Not to mention the lunch time rehearsals, recess supervision, morning student meetings - I don't feel that I have ANY quality planning time at school. I rely on time at home in which to plan for the next days classes, if I plan them in advance at all, at the moment. I have a few units that I am running at the moment, some musical activities like rhythms and intervals, but I'm not sure that I am getting the best out of my students that I could be. I have limited time in which to research things and plan a semesters work.

Anyway, right now I am exhausted. And I can say from the meeting that I am not the only one. Many of the other teachers are feeling the same, there are soooo many things that teachers are expected to do in a day and just not enough time to do any of them properly. When you take into account all the planning for everyday classes, planning for assessment, running tests, writing reports and marking work and then add on to that the student discipline, following up on students who misbehave, haven't finished work, didn't turn up for something important, weren't where they were supposed to be, then also think about planning and running home group, organising instrumental timetables - not just for yourself but for the other two instrumental teachers - chasing up students who miss lessons, photocopying music, getting goods and services for the cabaret night, selling tickets, teaching the music...and thats only half of what I am in charge of doing every day!

Saturday night both Mark and I slept for a full 12 hours. We are both too tired, each day it is getting harder to get up. I am sure that this is in part due to the weather turning colder, but it's also as the term drags on. I must make sure that each night I am getting to bed earlier than I have been. I just want to have a little time for myself, so after Mark goes to bed I often stay up a little longer either reading or checking things online. Sometimes it is after 11pm until I can wind myself down enough to go to bed.

In terms of news on going to China, we have been sent a letter saying that we can pospone the trip until later in the year, however if we cancel we cannot expect any refunds from plane tickets, hotel bookings or tour payments. We are speaking of over $2000 that we are being told wont be refunded. It really stinks, that something out of our control still means that the airlines take our money. It's such a horrible thing going on over there at the moment, no parent is going to let their child go still. Anyway, we let the kids know this tomorrow, and have a meeting about it wednesday night. By then we should have an idea about the direction that we might take. It might be possible to change the destination to somewhere else overseas. It would be nice to know for sure.

Week 2

2008-04-18T23:14:00.002+10:00

I can't believe it's only the end of week two. I was talking to the other music teacher on the phone tonight and she also swears that it's been three or four weeks since we went back. I think it's because we manage to fit so many things into a week. There's the classes, new students to teach instruments- and chase up out of class in order to teach, two other bands of students to teach instruments, a concert this weekend to prepare for, parent teacher interviews, strike day, assembly, and also both music teachers called up on the same case to attend jury duty. No wonder that when you include in all the students who constantly come to see us for a myriad of different reasons, and also the school things like home group and meetings and rolls and notices it's no wonder that it's easy to argue that working in a school is a tiring and demanding job. Can't believe we did all that in two weeks!

This sunday the music department is putting on a little show. We have some of our soloists and small groups playing for a few hours at a winery. We'll have classical piano, flute quartet, piano and vocals and also guitars. I'm planning to sing a few songs myself, so tomorrow I'll be spending a bit of time rehearsing and working out my vocal chords. I'm contemplating playing guitar too, if it fits in to the program. Then again I don't know if the song fits the mood of the afternoon. I'll see when I get there. It's a great song, Nirvana - Heart Shaped Box. It's really easy to play, but still I am very proud of myself for learning a whole song on guitar.

So on Thursday night I finally did it. I finally went to orchestra rehearsal. It was a really nice feeling to stretch out the horn chops and remember what it actually sounds like when you aren't playing along with year 7 trombone/trumpet students. It's welcoming too, how easy it is to fit into the orchestra, but when I looked around I realised that I knew half of them very well. And they know me too, even though it has been quite a few years since I was home to play anything. And sorry to the Brass Band, but one night a week is quite enough thank you very much. It's still a late night. Settle into this thing first, and see if it balances out against the school stuff.

Jury Duty

2008-04-14T21:14:00.002+10:00

Today I finally went down to the court to attend my jury duty. I had to turn up to the court where a group of about 55 had been called up. We were all seated in the court to listen to the accused be arraigned and then the names of the jurors were pulled out of a box at random. THe accused had 6 challenges, where he could say he didn't want a particular person. So when my name was called up, I was challenged. Thus I don't have to be on the jury. Which, considering the type of case it was, is a good thing.

So I wrote this huge post last time, and went to post it, and the virus protector software stopped 'sensitive' information being posted. And then 'poof', post gone! Bah!

Back To School

2008-04-09T22:59:00.001+10:00

Back to School

2008-04-06T18:36:00.002+10:00

I'm on the eve of going back to school. What an awesome holiday I've had. I had a great chance to catch up with friends and family, but most of all to catch up with myself.

I have been getting some recipes from online and having a go at cooking some things. Not all of it was successful, I tried making a custard slice, but there were some issues with the construction and then the icing tasted horrible. Anyway, today I made pancakes which were great, and I'll be able to take them to school for recess tomorrow.

I've done a lot of planning for classes, however I know that a lot will change throughout the term. Parent teacher interviews are on tuesday night and wednesday, and I'm a bit worried that I'll have students come up that I wont know what to say about, or worse - I'll forget their names! I've been more disadvantaged when I've been unable to access the roll marking program over the past term. The roll is marked with photos of the students, however I have been taking the roll in my book, where there is only a name. I've done my best to put names and faces together, hopefully this skill gets better over time. And when I have Idattend back up and running.

I'm supposed to be getting a new computer soon, hopefully it comes over the next few weeks. There might be the possibility of getting a Mac!

Two Days

2008-03-18T23:08:00.001+11:00

There are two more days left of school. I am hanging out for some brain space and time to regroup for the very very long term next term. Two much needed weeks.

I read in the paper that Easter this early wont happen again for another 220 years or so. It's one of those freak occurances of the calandar. Funny.

Classes are going well. I am feeling very much in control, I have a pretty definate picture of what the classes are going to be like next term already, which - I am learning - is about as sure as you can ever be, because there are always a million interruptions to stuff everything up that you had planned. So it needs to be flexible if it is going to work. Lindy was telling me that although music teachers work hard because they are always on duty with kids wanting attention during lunch and recess and whenever, that it has never been this busy or this bad. I have no idea if it is just because we are missing Pete, and he would have usually kept Lindy in check but I know that the absence of another music teacher in the department has left a very big hole. Maybe Lindy and Pete talked a lot about work at home whereas Lindy and I are trying to fit it in whenever possible, which is working out to be never. It's a very 'on the run' kind of life. I don't stop, I don't eat, I'm feeling like I'm run off my feet. I'm tired.

I must ask the union reps about time allotments and things like that, because I wonder if they count the band sessions as face to face time in our daily count. I know I have a lot more work than most other teachers. I am usually the last to leave the car park at night, every night of the week. Comments in the toilets were about how glad one particular teacher was to be going home. The reply was that we both had another two hours to go. I never get home before 5.30. Sometimes I am still in the office at 10 to 6. I'm tired.

Anyway, tomorrow the students have organised a fundraiser concert in the courtyard at lunch time. I'm really excited about it, I think that everyone will really enjoy it. It's a pity that the OzRock students haven't gotten songs ready yet, but I might organise the same deal for them during a session and lunchtime. Tomorrow should be a real buzz.

Work - Week 5 over

2008-02-29T22:10:00.003+11:00

It's the end of week 5, of 8 this term. I am so tired that I was histerical laughing at a picture I found online. I'm feeling the pressure getting to me by the end of the week. It's like a cloud that descends on me, while I keep trying to stave it off. I'm starting to count down the classes left until the end of term, which with all the public holidays and parent-teacher interviews left isn't many by now. At least I am easily planning my time for next term. It's that there are soooo many things to get done in the one day on top of the band students and the classroom management issues. I'm tired. Thankfully this is only an 8 week term. Unthankfully I have to write reports already.

With all the work I'm doing at the moment I am leaving the house at 8 and not getting home to 6.30 some nights. I walked around the supermarket in a daze tonight especially so I don't have to leave the house tomrorrow. I made sure that I got something nice to eat in the morning. I'm going back to bed in the morning before I have to get the house work done. At least I don't have to talk to anyone in particular. No-one asking me about when their lesson is or whatever.

My birthday recently was a heap of fun. I enjoyed having dinner out with family, and I danced like an idiot in my loungeroom while M and I finished off a 700ml of Vodka between us. What a night. I saw the sun come up.

Despite the download issues I got my new ipod working, finally. It's one of those things I have been wanting for a long time, but haven't got around to buying it. Even better if it's a gift.

Right, off to bed for a few days before I think about facing week six.

By the way, this was what made me laugh till I cried. I have some new year 7 band students this year that have seemed like this. Awesome.

MSVCP71.dll

2008-02-24T20:08:00.003+11:00

I've been having this issue with PDF files on my computer, I kept getting this error message that told me mscvp71.dll was missing, reinstalling might solve the problem. Which it didn't. Came across an answer somewhere that said to download the file and put it in the /system32 file folder, in the programs folder.

Hey presto, 12 months of adobe angst solved. No thanks to the adobe help files or 'knowledgebase'.

I. AM. AWESOME.

Let me know if this helps anyone else!

VCE

2008-02-24T18:50:00.002+11:00

My birthday is over for another year. I got some fantastic presents and a very enjoyable dinner out with family and friends. I had a lot of fun with friends and a now empty bottle of Vodka later in the night too...

I've been working so hard lately, I've been coming home exhausted at the end of the week. There is so much to be done in a day that I seem to be one of the last cars in the carpark every night. The department has a big hole in it at the moment, which is a lot of the problem, the other classroom teacher has left to pursue another job at a different school and we were unable to fill the position with a music teacher before the school year started and thus have a non music teacher infront of the year 7 classes.

We're getting geared up for going on tour at the moment, to China this year. We are having two new instrumental teachers starting, and moving the instrumental lessons to a different area in the school. I've been writing lesson plans for my own classes, and the other teacher. I've had an enormous increase in the number of year 9 students in OzRock and teaching students to play drums, piano, guitar, bass and vocals at the same time in the one room is hard work. I'm also recently the VCE teacher, which means getting my head around the curriculum while teaching it in order to prepare these students for the big exams at the end of the year.

I travelled to Melbourne this weekend to go to the VCE music teachers conference to learn more about the VCE course. I've come away from it feeling a lot more confident about what I'm supposed to cover this year. It's a lot about sifting through all the theory stuff in order to teach the right thing, rather than just teaching everything. At this stage I'm feeling really good about it all. See how things go when we all get closer to the exams...

Post #200

2008-02-16T14:59:00.002+11:00

This is offically post number 200, hurray!

I didn't realise how long it had been since I last posted. One of the reasons is I have been super busy at work, and too tired to think about anything much when I get home. I'm trying to get so much done at work that sometimes I don't get recess or lunch, or I only have 5 minutes to eat before the bell goes. The other reason is kind of stupid, the D button has fallen off the keyboard at home, and it's annoying to type as I have to continually make sure that the little rubber presser stays in the centre of the letter. As I type lots of D's when I write, it just annoys me.

Anyway, at the start of school we found out that one of the teachers in the music department was leaving, he's gone to take another job at a nearby school. It's sad to lose him, as I didn't have much time to work with him, and its hard to lose him because we now have two people doing the work of three in the band and classroom program. We have another teacher taking the year 7 classes, but he isn't much trained, so it will fall to me to make sure he knows enough to teach the students how to play something or they will all get angry. And I not only have to think about 'what' to teach them during the year, I also have to think about 'how' a non music person teaches someone, or lots of someones, how to play music. I think to myself that it is a piece of cake, but I have to remember that musical instruments can be really daunting when you haven't any experience at all. At least it is only year 7. And possibly only for this year. It would be interesting to have a new music person, but scary because you don't know what this other music person would be like and you have to work with them all the time and if they are weird or scary then it makes work hard. I'm lucky with the other music teacher still there, we get along so well. I think that some people are a little jealous or intimidated by the working relationship that LT and I have. I've heard a few comments around the staff room and one of the parents made a strange comment about not wanting to intrude on the fun we were having. Anyway.

Other than work things are going great. I have had my hair cut today, with a touch up to the highlights. I had a fair bit of the length taken off, I'm always suprised by how light it feels when you have it cut. I can feel it moving around on my back, but it's mostly just the newness you feel when you've been to the hair dresser.

The garden is looking pretty good out the back. I need a huge trailer load of dead branches taken away, I'll have to ask the parents if we could have a bon fire soon. We must be out of fire danger season. I'm not sure if there are permits required. But who would know, anyway. It would be great to have a few beers and stand around watching stuff burn. I'm a bit of a closet pyro, I think. Hehehe. So, about the garden, I mowed the lawn the other day, (M is out of action on the mowing presently) and put the grass cuttings on the garden beds. Amazing how just a little bit of dead grass can make such a difference to the look of the yard. That's why I want to put garden beds and mulch down, so that even if there aren't any plants in the yard, it will look good. And then I can put in plants gradually.

M found out recently that he has a stress fracture in his foot. It had been paining him for about a week before he went to see the doctor, and three weeks after that until the doctor was definate about it. He's chosen the bandage and crutches option, which he uses at work. If he had a plaster cast he would go crazy, because he wouldn't be able to walk, or drive, or work, and boredom is a real killer. He struggled enough with the appendix operation he had just before the wedding, I was given the dubious honour of chosing the DVD collection for him to watch. Hard work. Especially as we struggle to find something to watch when we both go to video ezy.

Right, I'll post some more stuff soon, right now I've had enough of the letter D.

Vet

2008-01-21T21:26:00.000+11:00

Buckley, my georgeous black and white cat went to the vet today to be 'fixed'. Now both of my cats are desexed we don't have to worry about her getting out any more, though I'd still like her to be an inside cat. I'd hate for anything to happen to her, and she seems so happy to stay inside and sit on the couch next to me. It was a hard thing to leave her at the vet today, seeing her carried away in the plastic container I brought her in. You get so attached to pets, it's no wonder that people think of them as children. No doubt I'll end up a crazy cat lady in my old age.

I watched a movie today, Apocalypto. It's the Mel Gibson one, that he made after Passion of the Christ. To be honest I was a little scared of seeing this one. You see I saw Passion of the Christ at the cinema, and I was honestly traumatised by having seen it. I saw it with Mark, and we both sat in silence at Crown eating tea for a few hours afterwards. It was horrible, I never want to sit through it again. Anyway, in a few reviews that I read they said that this movie was worse than that, and I thought after how affected I was by Passion, how bad is this movie?!

But in the end I really enjoyed the story. It had a strong storyline, strong characters, a little mysticism and a fantastic ending. It was a well told and well filmed story. I will warn you that there is a lot of blood and lots of people die and get cut up so it is still a brutal story, but not in any way like I remember feeling after Passion. I've probably hyped it up a lot, but you could not pay me to see that movie again.

Off to see the wedding photos tomorrow! Yay!

Holidays

2008-01-16T22:20:00.000+11:00

It's been really nice to relax, and I am storing it up for the next year to come. I'm starting to get nervous about stepping back into the classroom and dealing with students again. I have another week left of holidays before it all starts up again. Thankfully this is only an 8 week term.

I took a trip with my friend to a day spa for a night. She is such an easy person to spend time with, I don't have to worry about what I am around her. She's been taking me through the magical world of Buffy, it's fun and impossible and full of cute guys. It's much more interesting to watch than I thought it would be.

Having a new car is fantastic, with the hot days that we've had this summer acutally having airconditioning is a godsend. It was so easy to drive up to the day spa, it's spacious and i'm proud of how it looks - shiny and blue.

We finally took the last trips to the city to pick up the last of the things from the rental house. I now have a dining room table! We sanded it back and polished it with Danish Oil, which is fantastic. It brought out the natural colours of the wood, and matches the coffee table which we got for our wedding.

Roll on summer, I'm loving the sun.

Welcome to the New Year

2008-01-02T15:58:00.000+11:00

The new year has started off really well. I finally feel like I am on holidays, now that I have gotten the Safeway work out of the way. The night shifts went well over the holidays, but the third night in a row was challenging to stay awake. Having stuff to do in the day made it hard for me to get enough sleep for the next night. Good thing it was only a few nights in a row. Good thing that I have done it enough times that I can do it in my sleep.

We made the last few trips to Melbourne to get the last of the furnature home from the rental house. It is a nice feeling to have finished that finally, it was something that I wondered about because I knew that the deadline was getting closer but not how it was going to get done. It's hard for everyone to make the trip because most people are still working, Mum and Dad are really tired at the moment.

I've had some time to do some organising around the house, things are looking really nice at the moment. I find it a peaceful thing to get things tidied away.

New years eve was really nice, I had some people over and we had a few drinks and bbq and sparklers and listened to old songs we remember. We had a chance to use the outdoor table setting. I'm getting to be a boring old house woman, but I'm really happy with where things are at right now.

Money Lending

2007-12-13T20:15:00.000+11:00

I got this pamphlet in the mail from a company called Global MoneyLine that advertises loans for any occasion. It made me a bit suspicious about the kind of lending that they actually do. There is a phone number for people to call, the lenders come to your house, the loans are specified as fast easy approvals for all income earners. It comes with no terms or conditions listed on the pamphlet, and I couldn't find any information on the net. I feel sorry for the kinds of people who get taken in by these kinds of loans. I'm considering emailing the address to see what comes back. Post the reply if I get one...

I'm nearly finished school for the year! One more week, no more classes, tidying up the final loose ends. I'm off to the big playground and the pool tomorrow with the year 7 and 8s. Then I have a few days to write some new sheets and do some reading on different topics. I'm looking forward to getting the new timetable and putting things in place for next year. I'll be happy with a holiday, but I have passion to start again soon with new students. I have a few P.D books to read tonight and a few videos on my laptop.

I ran 4ks on the treadmill yesterday!

UNI NO MORE!!!!!

2007-11-27T21:12:00.000+11:00

I got the email today from the music course advisor that the dean has approved me to graduate with one class short. I am no longer a uni student!!! Just awaiting confirmation of my grades for this semester, of which I dont forsee too many issues, and then it is over, and I can concentrate on being a real person. Finally.

Quick Update

2007-11-26T23:04:00.000+11:00

It's late, and really time for bed, but it's time I put something else up here, (hey Mum...)

It's been busy at school, but life is getting easier. Now it's all about tying up ends, I don't need to be constantly wracking my brain and the net for new ideas for classes. Making worksheets has been hard, but I feel necessary, as I can never find one with the right thing on them. A lot of the worksheets in the department are outdated, or inapropriate for this generation. I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I plan to take it on as a project and get something published.

I ran a test with the year 9's today which went well I feel considering how hard it has been to get the students to focus on learning theory. It's been a long hard semester with the year 9's having to constantly think of songs and find recordings and tabs. At the end of the semester they weren't anywhere near where I wanted them to be, I can see a lot of potential in the course to improve on. That's a good thing, however, in a new teachers course.

The uni assignments are all in, and being marked, and I should get uni grades soon. I am nervous because now I have felt what it is like to fail something. In terms of having to make up the class that I failed, I may not have to. The uni are discussing it at the moment and I may be allowed to graduate because the class that I failed is not a core requirement. I passed all the core classes with good grades, so that should stand me in good stead. Holding my breath and my fingers...

Uni Assignments

2007-11-12T12:02:00.000+11:00

Home

2007-11-03T21:08:00.000+11:00

The wedding day is over, the honeymoon is finished, and we are both home to the real world. What a great few weeks Mark and I have had!

The wedding week was horrible! I had so much work to do, and things to plan. I found it hard to pass over the jobs of the wedding to others when I had been planning so much of it for so long, more than 12 months. However my bridesmaids and my mother did such a great job, they got the final details lined up so well. How they dealt with me that week is a feat in itself, Mark included. I was so sure that I would be a great bride, up to then everything had been going so smoothly, and not much changed, but the pressure started getting to me, I wasn't able to put things off to next week anymore.

The night before I was pretty relaxed. At the rehearsal I felt happy that it was finally here, and a little silly going through the last details. The minister was great in taking us all through where we needed to be and what the lines were. It started to dawn on both of us that it was going to be real the next day.

We had dinner as a group after the rehearsal, after which my bridesmaids and helpers went out to the reception venue to set up.

>>my visitors are here, fill more in tomorrow>>

Holidays

2007-09-22T19:21:00.000+10:00

I made it to the holidays! Hurray for holidays, I needed a break. Its been quite an experience working out my first full time job. I feel a lot more confident about myself now than I ever have before, and I'm feeling like a real person. Even though I'm new to being in charge of a department and figuring out all the paperwork I'm responsible for, I know how a department should be and I've been making positive changes in it.

I changed the tables around, which gives the room a different feel to it. It's a lot easier to get around, the students are a bit more focused. I've had challenging classes, however I've been told that it's been no more or less challenging than anyone else who has had the same class this term. I have a clear picture of where I'm going to take them next term, and what I'm going to need to do this holidays to set myself up for that.

The wedding is nearly done. I've been making plans to sort out the last few things and make the last few payments. I'm excited, this should be a great day.

Two More Weeks

2007-09-09T22:21:00.000+10:00

I have only two more weeks till the end of term. The available time to get things done is getting very short indeed. I am going to look at assignments and consider if I can apply for an extension for any of this. I have finalised what I want to do for the research project, it's just getting two seconds in a row to sit down with everyone to lay it out, and for me to draw up the scores to give to the kids.

I travelled over night this weekend to go to a classroom management session. After the abismal class on thursday it was exactly what I needed. I am failing because I don't have a strong enough activity base. Which is to be expected at this stage. However I now have a few more things that I can do in the classroom to keep students from attacking eachother. I have to talk to a lot more of the staff to get help with this class. What didn't help was the sudden reinclusion of another student that upset the balance of the room. Lets hope that I have a little more success than last week.

Parent teacher interviews are coming up soon, and I am not sure if I should feel nervous about them or not. I am thinking about them in advance, and I'm going to try have a comment for every student in my class. What I am worried about at this stage is the reports that I have to try and decipher and write this week. It's for the year 9's and it seems really hard. I have no idea what I am actually placing them against in order to be able to give them a mark.

I have a lot of work to do this week.

End of the Weekend

2007-09-02T20:28:00.000+10:00

This weekend has been great, I have had two days when I had no commitments and I could have a chance to get away from being at school for a while.

I have been having fun buying a few things on ebay over the weekend. I have sniping down to a fine art, getting people in the last 10 seconds. I outbid someone by 1c today! Hahaha!

I have scheduled a detention for monday lunchtime today. Curious to see if everyone attends, they should. I'll find out about getting someone out of time out today, I put them in time out at the end of Thursday. He was a bit of a victim, I sent him off to time out to show the rest of the class that I am serious about what I say.

Three more weeks of school, I have to learn about reports in the next few weeks. I have to do some research for my assignment, try calling my tutor at uni for some advice. If I can get this out of the way in the next three weeks, then I will have so much less to do in the two weeks of next term before I get married and head off to Fiji. I am looking forward to it sooooo much.

My dress arrived in the shop! It's a relief, because it means that it's not in transit anymore, its waiting for me to pay for it and take it home. I have a huge list of things that need to be done in the next few weeks. Suits, Shoes, Hair, Makeup, Flowers, Cake, Decorations, Photos, Limo, Hens night, Music.

I nee to be focused over the next few weeks. Should be easier now that the other music teachers are back at school.

Long Week

2007-08-29T19:24:00.001+10:00

It's been a long week this week. Everyone has been sick, over the weekend it was the son of the couple I work with. He had gotten so sick over the weekend that they took him to hospital. Monday P went home after his first class, and I got some things organised for his class yesterday and today. It's been really lonely in the department by myself, but I feel like I managed pretty well. I took the band rehearsals monday, tuesday and wednesday.

I'm on Jenny Craig food again this week. I'm hungry, and tired and cranky this week. I have headaches a lot. I need to drink more water, but I'm sick of having to go to the toilet all the time... On the bright side I lost 1.3kg this week! I'm looking forward to another big loss, closest I've even been to my goal weight.

Singing Competition

2007-08-26T18:54:00.000+10:00

Today was the second sunday that I've played at this singing compeition. I had two students to play for, I was nervous about playing piano because I didn't have confidence that I could play properly from beginning to end. Plus the piano was up high, so you had to stand to play, lucky there was a stool for me to sit on.

The first girl I played for had been sick all this week so she wasn't very confident about her performance today. I was happy with how I played for her, there was only one shaky part, which we hadn't been able to get together at all. She seemed a little down at the end, she wasn't happy with how she sang.

The second girl was after lunch, I had it in my head that she was later in the set, she was actually on first and they started early so I wasn't there when she was supposed to go on stage. They let her go on after I had gotten there. I said I'm sorry so many times to her. Not a great precedent to be setting if I want more accompaniment work.

I decided to stay and see the rest of the singers, and it was a good thing I stayed. Another young girl, only 13 was singing the same song that I had played earlier, and when she got to the end of the first verse her backing C.D started jumping and stopped. So I ran up on stage and played for her so she could sing. It made up for missing the first spot, and everyone thought I'd done something great. I was just glad that she wasn't disappointed, that she was able to sing. I look forward to a lot more playing for these events.

So I have three weeks left of this term before the holidays. I have made great progress in the wedding plans; the suits are ordered, just need fittings, I have asked about the cake and the flowers, and I'm going to the reception venue on Thursday with family to ask the questions that we need to ask.

The more lists I make this week the better I think.

Post Number 185

2007-08-16T22:12:00.000+10:00

Things went very well today, I had two successful classes, started guitars with the year sevens and had fun generally with the students at school. I'm feeling on top of things at the moment, the problem is going to be when the uni work gets in the way again when everything becomes due in a month or so. It's hard work but I did agree to do it, and if I do a little bit constantly, then it will be easier. Must remember that I have to finish another class in January.

I got all the invitations sorted out today and put a lot of them in the post. It's a great feeling to have got that out of the way. It was getting very pressing to get stamps on them and get them away. Next things on the list is to work out what needs to be paid in the next month, and to go see the reception venue to sort out the menu and the price and the guest list. Hopefully I'm getting on top of things.

Trip

2007-08-14T20:58:00.001+10:00

I have been away on my first overnight school trip with students. We travelled to a bands festival with the junior and intermediate stage bands, 28 kids, 3 teachers and a bus. It was really great to get to know most of the kids a lot better, I'm fitting into the department so well now, they are coming to see me for things, they don't have to rely on the other two teachers so much. The students played so well, though I didn't have a lot to do with the students learning these pieces, I still felt proud of them achieving something. The next lot of music I will know a lot better, and know how to work on it with the students.

I was so tired today at school, it took me so long to get going. It's a bit mean that I only get a one day weekend, I'm only 4 weeks in and I start to see how important the weekends get. And how great it will be to get some holidays. It's so high pressure, working with students, so many different voices all wanting something, a hundred different things to be watching and stopping and starting assignments and keeping them motivated. It's exhausting. I felt really responsible for the students, constantly counting them and watching what they were doing and getting them moving. It's time for bed.

I'm playing piano for a few of the students in a singing competition in a few weeks, a great chance for me to get started as an accompanist with students and maybe work outside of school too. Even this early in I feel like I am settling into this job so well. I am working out my place in the scheme of things, but I have plans for this department and these kids. I can see where I want this job to be, and I can start moving in that direction already.

Wedding Countdown

2007-08-05T10:49:00.000+10:00

Now that we have moved into the next month, I feel like time is very quickly counting down now. I am sorting out the invitations to post off tomorrow, the final 'big task' before getting into the little things. I am excited that my dress will be arriving soon, I can't wait to wear it.

I'm making a list of all the places that I need to pay off soon, it's a pretty big list at this stage. Getting married can be so expensive. It's going to be a great day though.

Getting everything sorted out at school with the classes and assignments for uni seems like such a big task at this stage! Over these last three weeks, I feel like I've made it. Once I work out how everything runs, this will be a fun and exciting job that will fit me very well indeed.

Classes have been getting better, now that I have a better idea about the types of things that I need to be taking them through. I'm getting a better idea about how to start talking about things like chords and scales, but it's so hard to put sentences together that they understand. On the one hand some of the things I've tried to go through have been too hard, on the other hand not hard enough. I tried to go through intervals, but made it too hard, while the rhythms stuff they are frustrated with because it's too easy. Anyway, at least I can see when it's too hard and too easy. Back to the drawing board.

So....

2007-08-03T23:18:00.000+10:00

You wanted another update?

Well here it is.

Updated.

Week Three

2007-07-29T19:00:00.001+10:00

I'm on the eve of week three, feeling better about all of this than I was when I started. The first day of school was horrible, I had no preperation and I was thrown into a class out of my subject area. I had no class roll, not really any idea of what to do infront of a class, and no confidence. I think that it went o.k, I got them to sit down most of the time and they were occupied for the double. I'm not teaching that class any more, so I can concentrate on the music classes.

I have a year 7 class and a year 9 class. It's taken me a while to know what I am supposed to be doing with them, the first week with these classes too was terrible. When walking in to the year 7 class I am still very nervous. They talk all the time, they fight with each other, they don't really respect me. But I am learning how to take charge, each class is a new opportunity to think things through. I am happier with the year 9 class, I am having some fun with them. I need to be a little harder on them too, they think that they are getting an easy ride. Last class some of them went to the bathroom and didn't come back in to the room. I didn't like that, so all bathroom privledges are cancelled.

Other than school I am happy with how things are at the moment. I have time to catch up with people, it's been great to see Bec and my parents and Marks parents. It's nice to feel like I have some time at home. My moneyless student days are numbered!

Last Weekend

2007-07-13T21:50:00.000+10:00

This week has flown by! I had a great trip to Melbourne this week. My mum had her hair done in my sisters salon, my sister had a chance to do her first lot of foils. She's moving along so well.

I start school this week, working at high school. I'm looking forward to getting past this particular hurdle, the first day/week. I feel like this last few months has just been a series of waiting days, waiting for uni classes to end, for the exam to arrive, for the essay to be finished, for the assessment day to be over, to move home, to start teaching.

The first week will be interesting. I have been thinking a lot about classes, but I can't really do anything until I have more of a feel for the sessions and the students and how fast they will want to do things. I had a coffee with the other teacher Lindy, she will give me so much help! Two more days to plan, then it starts.

One Week To D Day...

2007-07-08T22:27:00.001+10:00

Sorry it's been a while between posts, I'm in another phase where every time I load the post window, I can't think of anything that I want to post.

I found out last week that I didn't pass one of the German classes. It's the first class I actually failed at Uni, though I have come close a few times, so I think that's a pretty good track record. I have a chance to sit a supplimentary exam in two weeks, so I have lots of time to sit and think German thoughts in the chance that they may pass me this time. I hope so, because I am in the awkward position of not being in Melbourne in a position to attend lectures and stuff. I need to think positive thoughts, there are other ways around this, I could take another research class, or there is the possibility of taking a summer school class, (which just occured to me then, which makes me feel relieved!) and I can make up the credit then. I think that overloading this semester would be foolish, I have a lot on my plate at the moment which weighs heavily on my mind. I need to sit and get organised and make lists and just fill in the boxes for these tasks that I have to finish.

I think that I need to find the fun in these last few assignments. I've been a bit negative about Uni this year, the German class didn't help in the slightest but then I would have always wondered about studying a language at uni. I wanted to from the beginning and I took the chance when I could. I am resourceful and smart, and with the right attitude and talking to the right person, there are ways to do anything. I am glad that I have people that I can talk to about these things. I didn't tell anyone about failing the exam for a few days, I guess I was embaressed or disappointed or worried about how to complete this degree when I am home now and not in the city.

I'm worried about school too, its a big responsibility that I am going in to. It's the unknown more than anything that has me worried. I am asking myself all the time 'am I going to be able to keep them entertained for a whole double period?' 'am I going to be able to teach them anything useful?' It's also that I feel like I don't have enough resources, or the right resources, for the types of classes that I have in mind. Are they going to like what I have to teach them? Are they going to like me?

I should stop typing. I'm tired, and a little sick, which always makes me a bit emotional. I can do this. They already like me. I am well trained to teach classes, and I have the support and help of the teachers at the school to help me where I need it. I am not expected by anyone to be perfect. It doesn't matter if for the first few classes they just learn a few guitar or piano songs while I get used to the feeling of being the one in charge. Go in, put on a show, play some stuff on piano. It will be a lot of fun when I get past the first few classes.

Last Day

2007-06-15T09:22:00.000+10:00

Today I had the last assessment at uni. It was a very relaxed assessment, I was in there for 10 minutes and talked about the research I am doing into graphic scores in the classroom. I knew what I was talking about, which always helps, and felt good coming out of it.

Now I can focus on writing up the research project. I don't want to leave it to a few days beforehand to begin however.

I got a great new phone, should be able to put up some photos of my new house soon.

Lessons at my new school were good too, I was nervous about the percussion students, (still am) but I have a better idea about what I can offer them in lessons. My dad will help me out with some co-ordination and stuff on the drum kit, he's pretty good at it. Over the coming holidays I have to learn how to play trombone, drums, tuba and trumpet. Piece of cake.

Leaving You Forever

2007-06-05T13:39:00.000+10:00

I am finally going home tomorrow.
Some guy tried to sell me a crappy phone on the train.
He wanted $20. He's lucky if it's worth $2.
I am still sick, and I have lots of coldsores.
It's a visible sign of my stress.
I have one more essay to write.
I like the topic, but this isn't the kind of study I want to be doing right now.
Tonight I pack up everything into my car.
Tomorrow I leave.

Poetry

2007-05-25T21:50:00.000+10:00

onebreathpoetry.blogspot.com/

View the prompt for Haiku poetry and write a short poem.

Mine is about leaving the city.

Busy city street

awakens in the morning

I like silence best.

TEAM HORN!!!

2007-05-25T21:04:00.000+10:00

Presenting the much awaited, super fantastic team horn. I played with the Diamond Valley Brass Band for this years National Championships and got along with the horn section. There is something special about horn sections and horn players that I just can't see in any other section! They all want to be us! Horn players are unique from the other instruments.

This was a great section, I am really sad that I wasn't in a position to be able to play for longer with them. Finishing uni and moving house was just too much to continue with them. I'll miss my section.

Progress

2007-05-23T23:46:00.000+10:00

This week has been a week for getting things done. I have posted off lots of applications for various things, had lots of meetings for my future, paid lots of bills, cleaned up the house, got the fire going well in the fire place, (it's still a little smokey in the loungeroom, hope I don't breathe it in too much) and even started packing up stuff.

Tomorrow is my last ever ever day of uni. I am not relaxed tomorrow until I walk out of the German class and then I am free for a while. Then a 3000 word essay on music, a spoken exam, and a written exam to go.

I'm going home to sign the papers with my new school, to talk about timetables and monies and band instruments and lots of interesting stuff like that. It's all stuff that will require a lot of work, but it's the work I want to be doing and now I am in control of it. I feel like THIS is finally where I can make lots of changes, teach a lot of people interesting things about music. I have all the answers this time cause I am in charge of the questions! And I will finally be moving into a permanant house that is mine. I can plan decorating, I can do a final organise of all the bathroom junk I have stored up over time. I have been able to do those things before, but always behind all the planning of how the house runs here has been the thought that it is temporary, it is only for a short while, so why bother? I'm going to take a car load of things home monday, and bring back a suitcase of stuff back.

Tuesday morning was a bit of a rude awakening. I had planned to get up about 9.30ish, and had still been awake at 2 am just doin stuff, cause I could more than any other reason, yet at 7am Jill comes running into my room saying there is a problem!!!!! Help!!!! There is water sheeting down the walls and out of the roof and the sound of water running in the roof from where the hot water system is. I ran outside in just a nighty, still half alseep and down the side of the house is a fountain of water with clouds of steam gushing from the side of the house. Apparently the hot water system had broken after Jill had her shower. I managed to spot a tap on a pipe on the wall and it turned off the water access to the system. I called the house owner and then the plumber and he came right over, (who would have thought that of a plumber in Melbourne? Nice guy!) and he confirmed that the hot water system was dead. He said it was a 'burst' hot water system. I think of explosions when I hear that word.

So bright and early this morning the plumber and electrition arrived to install a new one, (who would have thought that either in Melbourne?) and a little over 24 hours since the old one broke, we had hot water again. The beauty of this system is it is mains pressure hot water, not gravity feed like we had before. I have known gravity feed hot water systems before, and they are horrible! You feel like there is barely a dribble of hot water coming out of the shower head. Now, I felt like I was pinned up against the opposite wall of the shower from the pressure! We have a big shower head in there, and the spray spreads out a long way from the centre. With the gravity feed it felt like a big empty hole where you stand, I had to sway from side to side to get wet. That problem is fixed, but the water still spreads out, the shower head is too big for the space almost. It will take some adjusting to get it in the right space. And then I will move. And I have a better shower in the new place. No more shower curtains! DIE CURTAIN DIE!

Sydney

2007-05-15T21:45:00.000+10:00

The fast paced stressful week that is my life continues. Right now I am in Sydney, about to head off to a Jazz bar to hear some music. I've been visiting with the Virginia Marching Band this week, catching up was awesome with old friends. Most of them remember me, and remember my accent. It is great to have them on my turf, though they ask me a lot of random quesitons that I'm not sure of the answers to. Oh well. I even forgot the words to the national anthem. Shame. It's been a while since I've had to sing it.

Not helping matters is the fact that last night and all today I have been so so so sick, throwing up and nausious. My dad has had it too, a baby cousin of mine had gastro and we must have picked it up. Anyway, at this stage I'm keeping dinner down, and I have some tablets that will hopefully help me sleep. At least I can be sure the plane trip will be alright. The trip out here was sooo quick, and the staff were great.

I'm off now to listen to the band play, they've decided to do a pub crawl with instruments. I wonder how that would go over with an Australian band....

Imagination

2007-05-03T13:59:00.000+10:00

I'm running on the treadmill when I notice on the running track out the window in front of me an older guy, about 45 - 50, African, pacing the long jump track painted on the side. He was dressed in normal casual gear, I have no idea what he was there for. As I'm watching, he walked away from the lines, and about 10 meters back, he turns and stands ready to run. I watched him brace himself, glance to the imaginary crowd, then jog up to the long jump, and do a little hope, step and jump. He didn't go any more than 2 meters, but he threw his head and arms back and celebrated like he had won the Olympic gold medal. It really made me smile, to see him living out his day dream on the track like that. He lined up the jump at least another 10 times like that, preparing himself with the utmost concentration. He was having a great time.

I ran on the treadmill for 10 minutes today, tried out the rowing machine, did some sit ups and stomach crunches. I feel a little out of place still, I am waiting till I get back home to try out some of the gym equipment with a little more guidance. I'd like to meet with a trainer once a month or two months to get the most out of the time I spend running. I'm thinking of putting Jenny on hold for a few weeks while I get things on track, finish exams, move house, plan for a new job, and just get myself moving towards a new life. Thats what it is, after 5 years of this life, I am on to my next life. New house, married, new job, new responsibilities, location, even clothes cause I don't fit any of the old ones. I think that shopping online might work for me moving home. So will getting a sewing machine and making my own clothes. I will finally have space and time for it, now that I don't have to work nights to earn money while I study during the day. I can finish what I am doing by 5pm and be home for the night. In theory anyway.

Busy busy busy

2007-04-30T20:03:00.000+10:00

New month, new list of things to complete. The biggest news I have right now is that I have a job! I am going to be moving, starting work at a high school in the country. There is a lot of work involved, and I feel like the list of things to do is enormous. I felt the same way when I was getting ready to go overseas, so I am confident in being able to make it happen. I need to be organised. Lists, more lists.

This is an accurate portrayal of how I am feeling inside this week.

Organising

2007-04-26T13:48:00.000+10:00

Its been a very busy week for me. I had a phone call from a high school close to home, that are looking for a music teacher to start in the middle of the year. They have asked me if I am interested, and will talk with Melb Uni about alternatives for finishing my course while working full time. I am really excited about it!!! I means that the job hunting which every graduate worries about is done for me, and I will have so much help from the school in getting the VIT registration sorted which I was worried about. Every teacher I've talked to about the VIT says how much they hate it.

So that would mean starting full time work 6 months earlier than I had thought. It means that it would be easier to pay for my wedding, and I don't have to worry about being broke over christmas or begging Safeway for work. (not that I ever have to beg them, but in lieu of my 'real' job that's kind of what it would feel like.) I have a meeting with the Principal tomorrow, I have to go home and think about all the questions that I will need to ask him and the other teachers I'd be working with, and outline what I want to tell them about myself. I am really really excited that it is all working out, or almost working out. If there is a way to make this happen, I will make it happen.

I went and tried on some dresses for the wedding today. I found one I really like, looks pretty on, and not too much money. If I get this dress then it means that I have more money to put towards the honeymoon, which I spent a lot of money on. But it's something that I got what I wanted. It will be fantastic. I have been talking with the girls at work about decorations with the tables, one of the girls told me that she is having mirrored tiles on the tables, with little tea light candles, and those metalic sparkle scatter things. That would be pretty. I have a few unfinished ideas about it, but I will need to go out to the golf club and talk to the organiser about things like that. About whether they have a fire policy that outlaws candles. Maybe I can get some ones like lanterns and have them on the table with candles on the inside. Hmmm, lots of planning to do.

Connex, You Suck.

2007-04-21T12:44:00.000+10:00

I had a horrible day on the trains wednesday. I had to be in class at 9am, so I had to take the rush hour train. 8am. The 8am was 'delayed', but really cancelled and there were heaps of people waiting for the train. Which is a sign that by the time it gets to my station, I'll have to stand. I try and aim to stand near one of the dooray barriers, then at least I can try and create a little bit of personal space in front of me. And have something to hang on to.

My station is early on in the line, there are about 6 stations before me, and about 8 after me. When the train finally pulled in, just after the announcement that it was delayed again, it was packed. I was lucky to get on. Then there were all the other stations that we stopped at, and a few people managed to shove their way on, but most were left stranded. 30 to 50 people at each station.

This happens to train travellers every morning. They have to stand crushed up against each other, fighting to stay standing when the driver slams on the brakes at the station, and slams on the accellerator to get going again. Connex KNOW that this happens, yet they don't do enough to fix the problem. There should be trains on that line, on every line, every 5/6 minutes, all day. Like the trams. Trams have to deal with traffic to stay on time. Trains don't. Yet every day the train is delayed, its cancelled, its late without warning, why can't they just run on time? What is so damn hard about having the train arrive on time, every time? And having enough trains? Surely the fact that it happens every morning should give them enough practice to work out a solution.

So anyway, later that night I waited a half hour on the platform for the train back into the city after piano lessons. The train I would have caught was delayed, and arrived 2 minutes after the next scheduled train. Which was also 'delayed'. If you ask me, that just sounds like they are trying to keep up their percentages so they don't have to count so many cancellations. The train, which was late, arrived into Flinders street at 7.40pm. The train home left at 7.39. There is a half hour wait on trains at night. Then cause there were so many people waiting on the platform, I had to stand up again. And this guy kept bumping into me. I was sooooo angry.

Connex, I hate you. Do your job! Worlds most liveable city? Not if you rely on the train every day!

Break

2007-04-17T17:35:00.000+10:00

I've been feeling a lot better lately, I definately needed a break. Even if it wasn't really long enough.

German will be fine, I am going home soon to study some more, a little bit each day adds up. The verb changes are fine, it's remembering the translation of the words into English that is the hardest. Also the sentence construction, knowing what an object, or subject, or verb, or noun, or pronoun, or predicate, or any of that stuff is, is hard. I've never done it like that before, not when I was learning English at school. Do foreign language students do that with English when they learn it for the first time? I don't know how to label an English sentence like that, let alone translate it and put it in the correct German order. Oh well, persevere. It will make sense soon. I am waiting for the moment when it all just makes sense, when I can hear a word and remember it's meaning, when I don't have to struggle to remember how to say what I want to say. I've only just started learning this, I can't expect to 'get it' straight away.

Even Better

2007-04-05T23:04:00.000+10:00

It's been a good day and a nicht sehr gut day. My class this morning was really good, and I feel like I have been launched forward into my assignment for this semester, and also for the research project. I can picture the assignment in my head, and I have solid ideas even at the pre-research stage about how the finished assignment will look. It's fantastic to feel excited about getting down to work, I have been so tired with Uni and assignments this year and last year. I think that a lot of assignments last year had good intentions, however I felt like a lot of them were piles of ****, and not really inspiring at all.

Or maybe it was the way they were taught. I had that guy who liked to wipe his hands down his shirt while he was talking, I am sure there is a psychological issue there. He talked a lot of nothing, and not a lot of assignment. And the criteria were really vague and not very helpful, and at the beginning of the year they were really excited about 'different' forms of assignments to hand in, but when it came time for them to mark them they were a bit all over the place and by second semester we were back to written assignments again.

So today with some assignments for German, they aren't going so well. I'm not remembering the words that they are asking on the tests. I am going o.k with it, but I need a bit more directed learning. I'll try some learning techniques on myself. At this point I still have a chance to keep my mark to a pass. It's hard learning languages at Uni, because they have to keep up the hard standard, and there isn't room in the marking standard for people to struggle with learning a language. The teacher is really nice, and I really like her, and she will help me next semester if I need it. I was a little upset and I had to stop myself from getting all teary in the class when she was asking how I was going with it. I have a week to try some different things. I am o.k with the verb congaution, it's the gender of the nouns that are hard. My teacher suggested coloured paper to remember which is masculine, feminine and neuter.

Anyone have suggestions for memorisation techniques? Leave me a message, that would be great. I have a week to get up to speed. I plan to get a H1 on the next test.

Band was awesome today. It finished at 9.30, rather than 10. Everyone is playing their best for the competition on the weekend. I'm not sure what happens after this weekend. I've been complaining so much because it is a big commitment. I think I will have to say I can't play anymore. I would love to do another solo.

I love my sister. Shes hot! I wish I were as cool as her! She's going to be an ace hairdresser!! I'm jealous that I wont ever get to be like her! I'm going to have to get her to do my hair cos i wont be able to do it as good. EVER. SHE. IS. HOT!

Alex

2007-04-04T17:02:00.000+10:00

Hi Alex! Yay, you're on my blog! I wondered who was in France, reading this. Now I know. Hallo!

Feeling Better

2007-04-04T16:36:00.000+10:00

Things have slowed down over the last week for me, as I wind down into holiday mode. High schools and Primary schools are on holidays this week, which means that there are no piano lessons, hence me being home now. I've been asleep on the couch this afternoon. Trashy T.V is so boring.

I went to my morning German class, it is so hard to remember all the words. I am trying, but I will need to sit and write a lot more so that it sticks in my head. I went to the Nova straight after, to see a German movie called 'The Lives of Others'. It was a beautiful movie, the characters just seemed so warm and likable. The movie is about the 'Stasi' the German police in charge of information, their stated objective 'to know everything'. The main storyline is about one of the best informers monitoring a play writer. Over the course of the movie, as he listens in to this mans life, he comes to some realisations about the kind of work that he is involved in. There wasn't much confronting violence to have to deal with, which was great for a change. The last movie I saw at the Nova was about the Irish secret police, which had horrible violence all the way through it. Anyway, I can see why this film received four stars. Definately worth getting when it comes out in the DVD store.

This weekend is the Nationals compeitions, marching on staurday and on stage on sunday. I jsut realised that I said yes to work tomorrow night, when I should be going to rehersals. Sigh, better go call them and get it changed. I've decided I want to take a break from going to Jenny this week, and save the weekly money for my dress. I have to try and cancel my gym membership, which will take some planning and arguing. Or to cancel my current credit card and get another one. I shouldn't have signed up for it in the first place. Good thing I know how to write formally. That should fix 'em. And then there is this concert on Sunday that I don't really want to go to but have to go. It's crap that they are so damn inflexible, expecially when the support act changes without warning. I wanted to go home this weekend to see Mark on his birthday, but now I will have to be travelling in the middle of the night. I don't want to be driving anywhere on monday, I just want to go home. I am ready for a holiday now, and it's been too long since I saw Mark last. Stupid companies. It makes me really angry, and I'll have to think about it a bit to get myself in the right frame of mind that I might actually enjoy it. I'm sure it will be fine when I actually go, but right now I am angry about it. Just take my tickets back! I don't want them anymore! I hate you Ticketek!

Hard Work

2007-03-24T22:45:00.000+11:00

It was a long hard day at work, when there are always too many things to be done, and not enough people to serve. By the end of the day I was fed up with running around all over the place trying to be a supervisor, and serve customers at the same time. It's great that we are so busy, I had every register open at one stage, which I haven't seen too often while I've been there, but I was one of the people who needed to serve, and there are really only so many things I can do at the same time, despite trying the contrary. I don't know how other supervisors find their shifts, but every time I work it's a constant battle. It is that I am not working properly? Not organised enough? I don't think that's it, because everyone seems to like working with me, and are happy with the department when I leave it. Maybe its that I don't have enough support, not enough staff rostered. It was a long day.

Early start tomorrow, with the marching band. The lazy me that wants to sleep in has been contemplating cancelling it, I just hate the thought of yet another early start. I haven't had a day off at all this week, except for wednesday after the morning class, where I slept all day sick. But thats not really a day off. I need more time to catch up with myself. I feel a bit like chasing my tail at the moment, I am almost better but I don't have home time to completely get rid of it. It's a constant thing, not enough time at home. I feel like I'm sneaking a day here and there in between engagements.

Easter break is coming up soon, and I'll be going home for a few days, if I have anything to say about it. Anyway, marching tomorrow, and work tomorrow night. Hopefully I can come home and relax between then.

Click on the map and add your name! Yay, lots of visitors! Hello!

Weekend is Here

2007-03-23T22:55:00.000+11:00

I would say 'yay it's the weekend' but I am working early tomorrow and marching with the band early sunday. Whyyyyyyyy?!?!?!?! I just want to sleep! I want to stay in bed and recover from being sick this week and rest and do some more house work and just generally chill out. But no. Not for me this week. Anway, at this stage I am not working on Tuesday, and its damn well going to be my weekend...! Extra work can go away!

I weighed in this week, YAY 80.3kg!! I MADE IT TO HALF WAY!! Finally, I am making headway! Lots of exclamations!!!!!!!!

I've been going to lots of Yoga and Pilates classes at uni, and I am liking it so far. I hope that it works better over the month that I have a membership. I decided that it would be more cost effective to pay for the month and go to lots of classes in the big breaks I have during the days than just pay for random classes. Only a few more weeks and I plan to be trying on dresses for the big day....

Well, off to bed again for me. Another early day, like all the other ones this week. I guess I've never been any different, always lots of things on the go. I wouldn't know how to be quiet and go home at 5pm every night. You all just watch when I start working, how it suddenly turns into lots of extra stuff. Maybe I should keep it to two extra things, and say no after that. (good luck keeping to that...)

I am finally feeling better today than earlier in the week. I still feel it, that feeling that I am not quite 100% Hopefully it goes away soon, and I am back on top for next week. Lots of German tomorrow after work. See how I feel for sunday. Sigh, who is awake anyway at 9am on a sunday for marching???

Sick

2007-03-22T00:07:00.000+11:00

I've been sick the last few days, I'm not sure if I've reached the midway point yet. I cancelled piano lessons today, and spent most of the day asleep. I wish that I didn't have a class in the morning, and if I feel horrible when I wake up then I might just spend the morning alseep too. I need to make an effort to attend this class, I feel like with all the time that I'm spending doing German this semester, I've hardly bothered studying for the other classes. So far its a bit of reading each week and a lecture. The lectures have been really interesting, but I'm not awake that early in the morning, and I struggle to pay attention for two hours to her talking.

Blah, I hate being sick.

The intro of the new screens at work went over well, now it's just a matter of learning the altered procedure that goes with it. There is a lot less paperwork when counting drawers which is great! Monday and Tuesday night were so busy, it was hard to concentrate on what I was doing. I nearly left a drawer in overnight tuesday night, but I'll blame that on being sick. Lucky its a single prcedure now, and no more logging on to the computer to finish counting and balancing. Yay.

I got new jeans! Yay!
I'm off to bed! Yay!

Fitball

2007-03-15T14:02:00.000+11:00

I went to the fit ball class today, the only one without shoes. I had planned to go to the pilates class, but changed my mind. Didn't matter today, but I felt like a fool. Anyway, I can feel all the muscles I worked today, going to be sore tomorrow. I'll have to have a bath tonight when I get home.

Training for the screens tomorrow, Mark might be coming to see me this weekend, might catch up with my Auntie Ants and Matty, so it's looking up to be a good weekend. Four shifts next week, put some money away in the wedding dress fund, shopping for the dress next month. Must get a photographer by the end of this month. It's such a lot of money, however. I'll call the Occasion studios and see what they have to say.

Check out my cool new map! It's so awesome, google earth. Google rock.

Better Week This Week

2007-03-14T21:50:00.000+11:00

This week has been a better week than last week, tuesday I actually had some time at home! It was really nice to not have to rush off to somewhere in the morning, and I had some time to go grocery shopping and get some decent food for the house.

I decided that I would go in early to uni and try out the pilates class. Though I was out of the house by 6.20am, it was worth it. I enojyed the stretches and poses, but it was challenging to do most of them. I'll give it another go next week.

Training for the screens at work begins this week. I'm really excited to start on the new screens, all new and flashy. Hope it all goes well and they put them in soon.

Spiral

2007-03-09T23:45:00.000+11:00

Today I reached the end of my rope, so to speak. I've been having real trouble with my roster at work this week, I feel like every time I've looked at it, it's been different! So when I checked my roster on tuesday, and it said 1pm, and I turned up at 1 and it had changed to 4, I lost it. I got angry and cried all over the place. I hate feeling rushed and pressured, and this was it. So I left, and walked down to Lygon street to go somewhere, checked my phone and found 4 missed calls. Everyone was calling me wondering where I had gone, so I went back and talked about it with Tash, which I hadn't had a chance to do this week. I wish I had just called her at the start of the week, and saved myself a lot of trouble. She bought me a V and we sat outside and chatted for a bit, made me feel better. She fixed up my shift for the weekend and said I could start whenever I wanted. She's been having a tough few weeks too, broke up with her boyfriend and moved out of home, and also trying to juggle rosters so that everyone gets their training shifts for the new registers going in in two weeks. I really like Tash, whatever everyone else says. She would help me out any way I wanted.

And then there was the actual supervising shift! I felt like I barely had 5 minutes to scratch myself we were so busy. It was really hard to find time to just get organised and clean up after the day. Apparently we did 55,000 yesterday, which is big for us, when they planned for 40. The poor guy in liquor was there all by himself, and constantly had a queue, and every five minutes had a void limit. I don't know what they were doing in there all night that I needed to go in there all the time. I thought the night would never end. Sigh.

And then there is this band trip on the weekend. I am really regretting that I said yes to this band thing. I'm out of the house so much at the moment that I don't have time to practice, and I don't have the desire to practice when I am home. I really don't want to go on the weekend, only the fact that I paid for it, and the fact that I did commit myself to playing for Easter competitions is why I am going to get up early and go. I think that it doesn't feel like my band, and also that I feel so stressed every thursday to get there after teaching on time. It's colouring my view of the band. They are a great band, B grade compared to the last band I played with, I just wish I could... I don't know. I'll think about it after Easter is over. I think the money and time isn't worth what I am getting out of it. Lets see how the weekend works out. I can leave early if I feel I need to be home Sunday, otherwise it finishes by 5pm, I could cook up a great dinner at home to celebrate when I get there.

Next week should be better. Hope.

Uni Again

2007-03-05T12:52:00.000+11:00

First day for me back at uni. Oh, what an easy life this is, when assignment deadlines are far away and the time for coffee and papers and mucking around on the net stretches on into infinity. I had my music computing class and so far it's pretty easy, just introducing the music software to everyone, 'finale'. Cause I am fairly computer literate, it is easy for me. Have to keep working ahead so that the end of the semester is just as easy. This class will be really useful for highschool classes, so I can teach my students how to use it. Then they can write their own music and put it on a C.D.

This is my last real uni semester.

The last few weeks on placement were really good, I now feel really confident about taking on my own classes and teaching them heaps of cool stuff. I felt better about standing up in front of the class, and I think the more you keep things moving and the more options you offer for an activity, the less behaviour problems you'll have.

The marching band is coming from America! They are coming to Sydney, and I'm going to go there for a few days if I can manage it away from school. If I keep up attendance then it shouldn't matter if I miss one class later in the semester. Hopefully I can go on a weekend and then not have to miss any classes at all. I wonder who I know will be coming?

My sisters cat, Miffy, is coming to melbourne to stay for a while, due to being terrorised by the new cat at my parents house. It is crazy enough with one cat, wonder how two will work out.

Last Week

2007-02-26T18:21:00.000+11:00

This week is the last week of placement. I'm glad that it will soon be over, and I can concentrate on finishing the semester at uni. I'm looking forward to all the german classes.

I'm getting assessed on my teaching tomorrow, and I am confident that it should all go well. I have a lot of activities planned, and should only have to use some of them, but if things don't go well, then I have some backups. I'm going to do some conducting with them, which should be interesting considering that I don't think even half of them have any idea what one is much less what one does. But I'll show them.

Week Two Placement

2007-02-14T18:12:00.000+11:00

Now that I am more into the placement and getting an idea of what goes on in the school, I am feeling better about the whole experience. I think a lot about last week and my impression of the music department comes from classes and teacher settling in to the first week. I played today with the year 7 band kids, ones that kinda know how to play, (the first real contact I've had with real playing so far however) and I'll play again with them next week, on monday. I'm really looking forward to it.

My year 7 class yesterday was good, but not good. I have a ways to go with classes; keeping them in line. But he said that it will take time to sort out my teaching style and how to talk to the class like a teacher instead of an adult who knows stuff. Or as a student teacher. I would love to come and see some of my teachers at my high school and how they run their classes, in particular the music schools to see how they present the music information to the kids. Musically this school doesn't equal how my high school is, and if I am going to be teaching there it would give me a better insight into what I will need to be thinking about this year to be able to teach classes by myself and meet the right goals. To teach them what they need to know to be able to pass at the end of the year, when the other teacher comes back and takes over again.

Placement week one

2007-02-10T15:00:00.000+11:00

I have finished the first week of music placement. I am so glad that the first week is out of the way. I taught one class this week, and I was standing in the office ready to go out, thinking to myself "I really don't want to do this..."

The music department is really old, and the instruments they have are older. They have class sets of books on a shelf at the back of the room from 1960, crappy old songs and hopelessly outdated information. They are all covered in dust, which makes me ask why are they still there?

The classes have been getting gradually better, but the teacher I am with is so depressed with the department and the state of the music in the school he has almost given up on being able to teach them anything useful about something he obviously knows a lot about. Though I don't know if he seems to know a lot because he always teaches the same thing...

The thing that I am hating the most about rounds is that even though I am at the front of the class talking, it is not my class. After they class I taught on wednesday, I sat and listened to the things he had to say to me about how to run the class and I agreed to roughly half of what he said. I suppose that is a good sign becuase it shows me that I do have definate ideas about what to teach them and how to keep them listening and how to show them things about music. I think they don't care much about it because in their experience music is pretty crap, if all they have to go by is the shite on the radio. Music is exciting and dynamic and easy and difficult at the same time, and a lot more interesting than just clapping out rhythms on drums. The way he has been teaching them stuff so far bores me to tears.

I sat in on a trumpet lesson, and that bored me to tears too. They got out their instruments and the only thing they did was play scales. I wanted to teach them about breathing together to come in without having to count, and show them how your posture changes your sound, and use a piece of music to expand their vocab, and play with the piano to fill in the spaces between their dodgy notes, and play long notes, and play loud notes to see if we could annoy the other teachers in the rooms nearby so they would buy me some practice rooms. And play something bloody INTERESTING! The state of music in this school is honestly pissing me off, and I can see soooooo many things I would do immediately to make a big difference.

Such as tidy things up. There are the old books on the side of the room, someones jumper on the floor, a broken chord lying on the ground, guitars just lying against each other, tables crooked, chairs all over the place, precussion instruments spread out so that you have to step over them, etc etc etc. He's using a green bag to store all the leads in.

Part of the problem lies in the rooms that they have been allocated, or lack thereof. There are no practice rooms what so ever. No place for a band to play where stands and chairs could be set up. No where for the music to be stored so that it can be easily accessed, the instruments are stored in the library on the other side of the school. The brass teacher told me that the instruments were the same ones when he was there, and they were crappy then. A few hundred a year to get some basic yamahas for the students to play is all it would take. If you don't have decent equipment you have nothing. Music I could get by without having to buy, but if there isn't something reliable and decent sounding for the students to play for the year and be happy to pay the band fees to rent out, then no wonder there is no band program at the school and everyone can't stand to be studying music!!

I guess I do have a lot of ideas about how to run a music program. And if you don't get what you want the first time, then bug the hell out of the office until you get it. Make no excuses.

It should be an interesting second week.

Placement

2007-02-04T12:09:00.000+11:00

I got my school placement, I'll be teaching classes next week! I am nervous but also excited. I have no idea about the music department, I have nothing planned for them yet, but I am sure that when I am organised I will be good at this. I am staying optimistic about it.

I got all the dates sorted out for uni, and I'll be going on honeymoon straight after the wedding. I got one of my timetables online for a class in the second half of the year, that had a list of classes in the week after the 20th. When I talked to the lady running the class she said that if I sign up early I can organise it so that I have all the requirements out of the way in time. I'll have to be super organised before then because it will be hard work finalising the details for the wedding in the week before if I'm attending seminars from 9 - 5. Everything should be organised by then.

I still don't have a photographer, it's the last 'early' detail. It's just that I don't know anything about it, or who to ask about it, to know who will do a good job with such an important detail. Anyway, I am sure that the right thing will happen when it is supposed to. Or I'll make a ton of phone calls this week to get it sorted out.

I wont be able to do much work over the next three weeks. That's the worst thing about this course, they say that you have to go do this placement and you have to be at the school from 8am to 4 30pm, and you have to prepare for classes and be involved in extracurricular stuff, but they don't have any provision for students who need to pay for petrol or buy food or pay rent and bills. At least I was able to put a few dollars away for then, but saving money is so hard when you have the same living requirements as everyone else, and half the wage. Being a student sucks. Can't wait till it's over.

Band DVD

2007-01-30T11:03:00.000+11:00

YAY the marching band DVD came in the post! It's fantastic! I remember so much about it, I started feeling nervous when I was watching the pre-game bit, remembering how I felt waiting to go out onto the field. I can't wait to show it around, I'm glad I got a copy, finally.

The cat came down, against it's will. I was going to nail up some chicken wire, but when we folded it and tried to nail it, it seemed to stay up there fine by itself, it just needs to be a deterrant so that it looks blocked off to the cat. Poor bored kitty. I let it out today, so it has had some time to go play in the bushes.

New shirts at work went well, lots of customers said they looked good. Lots of customers asked if they were new too, just to check they were right.

It was a good shift yesterday, except at the end, right before closing time, a lady arrived at the checkouts with a $500 home delivery, two full trollies. It was just one thing after another.

We bought 'playboy mansion' for x-box. It was a late night playing that last night. zzzzzz.

Movie Review - Pursuit of Happyness

2007-01-29T10:31:00.000+11:00

Pursuit of Happyness - Will Smith

This movie was fantastic, I loved every minute of it. It's based on a true story about a very smart guy who goes through some very hard times. He is struggling to sell scanners to hospitals, is only getting enough to keep afloat, struggling with taxes and rent. His wife leaves him when it gets too hard, and leaves him with their son, Christopher. When walking past an accountancy firm one day he notices how happy they all are, and resolves to become a stock broker to solve his problems.

It's a beautifully shot film, you hardly notice the camera is there as you go along with him in his life. This is Will Smith as I have never seen him. It's his real life son in the film with him, he is a cutie and a natural in front of the camera. You really feel for this guy and the difficulties he manages just to survive. In the end it really made me cry. The film has been given a GA rating, (Grandma Approved) Everyone will love this film, certainly one to see at the cinema before it ends.

Cat

2007-01-29T10:21:00.000+11:00

My cat is up in the roof again.

A few days ago, as I was getting ready to leave for work, the cat looked up in the vent over the stove and thought there might be something interesting up there. So it climbed up. I couldn't get it down, so I left it there. It was after 11 when I got home. I had to climb on the wheely bin to get up high enough to grab it. And now it's up there again. I'm going to bunnings to get chicken wire to nail across the hole. Or in this case cat wire. Stupid cat. Grrrrr!

Mark has moved out, gone back to shepp. Now the house has just me and jill, it's a bit emptier than it was before. Still haven't got it sorted out properly, I can't be bothered unpacking my bags from last week. I'll just have to make myself.

We're wearing the new shirts today, it will be interesting to see what the customers have to say. No more ugly white shirts with stains and buttons falling off. Pity they didn't really plan it out very well, and no-one has enough shirts to work for a week. Mark only got one. And he works full time.

I've been having a bit of a holiday from jenny craig food this week. I finished out the week last week, then rang up and cancelled last thursday so I could have a go at finishing off some of the extra food I have. That didn't work so well, I don't want to fill out the diary but I know I have to, and I just can't face it. I should go to the gym today so it's not all a total loss.

Planning

2007-01-21T09:43:00.000+11:00

I did the good samaritan thing last night, on my way home from work. There were two pregnant african women stopped on Pascoe Vale road with their hazard lights on. I ran back to see if they needed any help, to find their radiator was completely out of water and the battery flat. It took about 20 minutes to fill it up and get it started with jumper leads but I managed to get them on their way at least. It felt good to be able to help them.

Work was good last night, but it was so hot in the store! I have today off work on monday and I need to get tuesday covered, and then I can go back home to start confirming a few things. It's all very exciting so far, planning. I went to a jetset travel and got some information about going on honeymoon, and have decided to go to Fiji. I'll go to a few other places before booking anything in. Then the next thing is the invitations. and the reception menu. And the dress.

Today is Marks last day in the city. He goes home to start work on monday, moving into our house in about two weeks. It's going to be very different and a little lonely in this house without him. At least I have Jill here with me, she wont let me be too lonely.

HOT OR NOT?

2007-01-18T17:04:00.000+11:00

Hey, it's posting time.

I'm moving into the magical magical time called class selections. It is comprised of embarking on a mighty quest for the perfect class, (or an adequate one will do, as long as I can pass it...), searching through forests of web pages, crossing the dessert of phone hold, and gaining entrance to the many castles called faculty offices. There you battle dragons and befriend many interesting creatures and finally slay the subject selections beast and rescue the damsel called 'timetable'. Making it to the right class on time on the first day will make a hero out of anyone.

Its time for new uniforms at work. They are green and three quarter sleeved for the girls, and no more shirts or ties. There have been mixed opinions, a lot of people say they hate them but I think they look quite nice. They will grow on people, and it is definately time for a change. Anyway, you be the judge.

HOT OR NOT?

Winding up the holidays

2007-01-13T23:11:00.000+11:00

It's mid way through the holidays, feb is fast arriving.

I've had a few ciders and its getting hard to type what I am thinking.

Maybe i'm not thinking as clearly as I think.

I think that last sentence is proof you need.

I worked today, it was easy. I like it better when I am in charge.

I don't want to go back to another semester of uni.

I have a lot of lesson plans floating around in my head, but I'm not sure where to start.

I don't know if real students would like them.

I am booking the church, and deciding on the wedding venue.

Nov 3rd.

I hate T.V.

It is an evil on the face of the earth.

I've seen a few too many adds, that usually turns me agro.

This is my invention for emails, it's called the vertical post.

You just type the sentence you have in your head.

It's easier to make them long this way.

And coherence isn't an issue.

I'll update again soon when I am a little more... betterer.

Anyway, bye.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T10:43:00.000+11:00

Well, thats the last of the celebration days over for a while. We can all relax for a while and enjoy the summer (such as it is at the moment...)

I worked with Kat yesterday, and I'm leaving to go there again today. It was soooo busy, and it's hard work carting things around and constantly moving. I worked from 10 till 8, raced home to change and then went with Jill into the city. There were so many people out! Some people in the crowds were really rude, I got elbowed in the face by some idiot who thought he was more important than the rest of us. We were befriended by a drunk girl on the train who had had two bottles of wine, and wanted to be friends with everyone. She was a BIG girl, wearing a very small top and bra and showing her 'friends' dale and goliath off to everyone. Her real friends were sitting across from us, and kept apologising for her behaviour, but Jill and I thought it was great fun. Certainly made the train trip interesting.

We took a walk along south bank, Jill got blisters on her feet, and we confirmed that everything was booked out and had at least a $50 entry fee. Some places I saw were charging around $110 for the night. Blue train had been selling tickets for weeks, $100 a go, at least 160 expected. Nice nights work. I think there will be some very tired people when I get in there.

We met up with Bec and Stu and made our way to the banks of the Yarra at about 11 pm, to see if we could find a little square of grass to fit ourselves into. We managed to find a very little square to fit, but luckily everyone around us was so nice to let us squish in. The fireworks, when they went off were amazing, so much light and colour. There were fireworks going off from a few different places, it was hard to know where to look! It's funny listening to a massive crowd going ohh! and ahh! at the same place.

Getting home wasn't as hard as I was imagining. There were a lot of people in at Flinders street, but this time connex actually listened to the public and ran trains all night. I don't know what idiot was responsible for last year, but I am glad I didn't go into the city at that time. If I was to go to fed square again I would like to book into one of the resturants and have a real party, but this was a fun cheap way to spend new years.

Finally done

2006-12-30T14:30:00.000+11:00

Yay! Christmas is over!

All in all, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. At work they had sooooo many staff on. THe hard yards starts now when they have to cut back on hours to make up for the blown budgets over the christmas period. I am now working my contracted hours, monday and friday night supervision. Mondays I can handle, because I have done it before, and there is no doubt as to who is in control. Last night I didn't feel like I was in control at all, it was all a bit messy. The other girl working with me said we were busy, it is new years week, so maybe that accounts for some of it. Anyway, the longer I work that night the better it will be. I am happy to have the supervision shifts. Thursday I worked and I was just a cashier, I stood on register all night. I had to stop myself from getting annoyed that I wasn't able to do anything else but serve people. Get over yourself, its just a job.

I'll be working with Kat over the next few days, hopefully the thinking about working I've been doing over the last week will help me when I go in there tomorrow. I have to get the tables sorted out so that I am not so slow on the register. And serve people on the bar better. I sucked at serving people in the bar because I didn't have an idea about what was going on. But thinking about how confident I am moving around the department at safeway makes me think that it is purely inexperience. Hope to be better tomorrow. Should be busy.

Merry Christmas

2006-12-22T23:47:00.000+11:00

Now that it is christmas week, it is officially O.K to enjoy it. I am humming along with the carols and wrapping presents. I bought a green merry christmas shirt to wear at work, and I'm wearing a santa hat. I'm getting the most out of this week before I say 'go away already!'.

I have presents for just about everyone. Mark doesn't know it but his plates DID come in the mail in plenty of time. They are hiding in my boot so that I can suprise him a little with them when it comes to present time.

Christmas at work has been dull. Not many customers, everyone is confused about the new opening hours, and there is not enough to do. Tomorrow and Sunday I hope it goes off! I think they did most of the sales during the day today, because apparently the total wasn't too bad for the day, but the night was dead. Might be because it rained and everyone went home. General consensus is that everyone will shop in the last few days to have fresh food in the fridge. I miss the lead up in the deli and seafood. Setting up for the massive day with four windows of prawns stacked so high that we can't close the doors. The first few years at uni I was back at Shepp East for christmas, last year I was living it up in the US, this year feels kinda dead. Small store syndrome maybe. There is a lot of that going around.

Anyway, being a little quiet there is time for the little things, such as thursday night, about 11.30 a guy came in looking for a hamper. I said to him that we don't have them, but if he wanted to put a few things together I could make one. So with a hamper from Kmart as the base I added in some other chocky items and make a wicked hamper. Wish I had been able to take a photo of it. It was a master piece.

Anyway, I am looking forward to being home for christmas day and boxing day. Just chilling out somewhere else for a few days. Its been good working so much, I have been able to get a few good gifts for close people. Kind of a relief from a few weeks ago when I had to hoard the $20 in my wallet because that was all I had for the week.

Must go to bed now, tell you about blue train tomorrow.

Love Leona. Thats an order.

2006-12-11T23:06:00.000+11:00

It's been a good weekend, looking to be a great week. I had a quiet weekend, stayed inside through most of the heat. No airconditioning, but it wasn't too bad inside the house. I put my head under the tap in the bathroom a few times, and sprayed with the water bottle. Kitty got wet a few times in the laundry, (not by choice).

I had a good night at work, finally they have put enough staff on for me to close the store properly. Kinda handy seeing as we are coming into christmas. I don't believe i heard a single carol on the radio tonight, which was great.

We had a rather alarming incident, not involving me thankfully, but one of the customers got rather aggressive when we couldn't change his essentials card into a wish gift card. We have had a few people in the store doing it lately, we have to say no because the essentials card is for groceries only - no liquor or smokes, where the wish card is for anything. So when Matt told him NO, he got agressive. The duty manager came and helped matt say no, then the guy spat in the duty managers face. How feral is that??? The police will be at the store tomorrow, he can be charged with assault for that! Christmas is a great time of year.

I had all the registers open today, bar 8, which is a lot of customers for our little store. Having staff finally is wonderful.

Off to see Aunty Neene tomorrow, I enjoy the time I spend there. There is a lot of stock to organise out the back of the store for her to sell. Have to get some boxes and make piles of everything. Almost no room to move she has so much!

It's late, time for bed. Night.

I HATE

2006-12-01T00:01:00.001+11:00

CHRISTMAS MUSIC!

NO MORE CHRISTMAS MUSIC!
GO AWAY!

December Approaches

2006-11-29T23:22:00.000+11:00

Well, only a few weeks to Christmas, and I don't feel as overwhelmed with christmas spirit as I usually do, and thats a good thing. Sometimes Christmas can be just too much, and I grit my teeth till its here, then enjoy. I've been working lots, but the carols have been interspersed with other songs (so far) and there is only a minute or two of pain while they play through. I miss American christmas, where everything about this time of year makes sense, right down to the weird egg nog and ginger bread men. Awesome.

I found yet another reason NOT to shop at BILO, aside from the fact that it is a smelly, dirty, unorganised shop at the best of times, the customers are bad. And typical of the steriotype I have in my head of them. I had come to the end of the small shop I was doing, and there were only two registers open, express and a big register, I had a few things so I waited at the big register. There was a lady unloading a shopping trolley, and a lonley little basket sitting alone on the floor. The trolley lady finished unloading, I looked around, and, stepping over the basket, started unloading things myself. This skanky looking thing comes up behind me and says 'oh, right oh! in a condescending tone. I turned around and said to her 'if you aren't here, then I'm not waiting. But if you must go first then go right ahead!' Not a word of thanks or anything, cause I could have just gone on ahead of her. Wish I had just gone to Safeway.

My piano students are coming along sooo well, sightreading stuff, playing everything from memory, asking heaps of questions, and having fun in the lesson. I really look forward to wednesdays.

My sister has officially moved in, she's been here for a week and still doesn't want to leave just yet. She's been trying to find a hairdressing apprenticeship, but it is so hard to get a position. Perserverance will pay off in the end, we will just have to try harder. Annoy them so much they take her. She is such a lovely girl, and so hard working, she would be an asset to any business. Am I biased? Shamelessly.

Marks eyes have almost totally recovered from the surgery. He is reading things he can't remember being able to read before, it's been a while since his eye sight was the best. I was reading a thing in the paper talking about eye surgery, did you know you can have a lense inserted in your eye to fix your vision? How crazy would that be? They said it takes 15 minutes to do, and potentially hurts less than lasers. I recon that the drugs must be better for such a painful thing. Wont remember the two weeks afterwards! No, they said that some patients reported improved vision within an hour. Whatever the truth or spin, it has worked wonderfully for Mark.

Right, bed time. Night.

Add to the list

2006-11-26T20:41:00.000+11:00

Leave me a message with recommendations for the worst movie ever. And which one should top the list!

Christmas looms

2006-11-26T20:12:00.000+11:00

Four weeks to christmas, and now I am looking forward to having some time with family. The carols are bad, but not as bad as they have been in past years.

It's jills second day living in my house, and the demands have started. Just now, she said to me, 'too bad, you don't get a choice, we're going to buy icypoles!' That's it, she's going home tomorrow. I'm afraid for my life. Mum, what have you done to me???

Work has been good, I am doing lots of supervising shifts, and being able to organise things to my standards is nice.

Mark's laser eye surgery went very well, he is pretty much recovered and back to work. It was a very stressful week with him drugged to the eyeballs (hehe) and unable to remember anything. He has very little recall of the whole week after getting it done. Having no glasses is great, he tells me. Money well spent.

THe U2 concert was great, they sounded just like on the C.D, and had an amazing light display. My only gripe was the stage wasn't high enough, or I wasn't high enough, I couldn't see a thing! I would have liked to watch them play some more. But the atmosphere of the place was amazing, and we both had a great time.

About Bloody Time

2006-11-10T08:37:00.000+11:00

One last assignment, and then I am done. I am so looking forward to going home to see my family this weekend.

I have been so stressed these last few weeks, one - because I had trouble getting the assignments in on time. Two - because I had a failed assignment, and now I have a fear of failing my first class ever. (it's not going to happen though, I'll pass, it'll be fine.) And just to top it all off I got a $50 parking fine because I was 10 minutes late back to my car.

The stress is manifesting itself in anger. I am hating to drive right now, because I get angry when I drive and have to talk myself back. I get angry when I miss the train. I get angry when someone gets in my way to stop me from going where I want. I need a serious de-stress.

I am just over being at uni, have been all year, and I can't believe that I have another year to go.
I am a mature adult, living on less than $300 a week. Now that I have this week out of the way, I can work some more, and earn some more money. I hate having to weigh up every dollar to think whether I might need it later. I want to be on a real wage and have some real money. So I can buy some real things. And save up some money. There is nothing to save.

Hopefully the first semester goes quickly, then it is just placement and a research project. Which I have to be thinking over the break about a topic. What could I research? It doesn't have to be music related.

I went to the races on Tuesday. It was soooo cold, I was glad to bring a jacket. It would have been warmer for Oakes day yesterday. The races were o.k. There was quite a crowd, enough for me, but I didn't think that it was a glamourous as I was imagining. Maybe I was in the wrong section. I just saw a lot of women wearing things they shouldn't be.bra straps hanging out, ill fitting dresses, too much boobs on display. The dress I wore was o.k, but I felt like I had to keep readjusting it, I just wasn't comfortable. Anyway, the point of the day was to spend time with Bec, the races were the excuse this time. Spending time with Bec is so easy. I can just be me and I don't have to worry about it.

Yay! 4 kilos lost! Jenny Craig is great!

End of the year almost, gasp!

2006-11-02T21:42:00.000+11:00

Hey, welcome November! And what a rainy welcome it was! I got so wet running to catch the train.

Good classes today, the last for the year, hurray! We had a section where he talked about claiming things on tax, I didn't know half of it. I have to keep more receipts. Then I would get more back at the end of the year. I will be seeing an accountant this year, and sorting something better out than the internet. It works o.k if you are a student with not too much stressful business stuff to worry about, but when you start working, there are all these extra things to deduct during the year. Mark said he wasn't supprised by any of it, but muso and money don't usually go together. Oh well, can't say I wasn't warned, hey mum and dad.

Update on the Jenny Craig, I have now lost 3.5 kilos, a loss of 1.25 this week! Yay! I didn't do all that much excercise this week, but I did stick to the meal plan 6 days out of 7, so the food must be doing something good. I am feeling great after only a three kilo loss. Lots of gym this week and see what I can do. I'll be buying a new swimsuit in no time!

Looking forward to having you here Jilly babe.