Friday, July 30, 2010

New Challenges

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

New job starts on Monday 9th, discussions went well today. I am looking very forward to the challenges ahead and learning new things. Emotions are running very high at work at the moment, a lot of good people were made redundant yesterday. So many people have touched my heart with their comments and support, it really makes you realise how appreciated you are.
Of course my department is the one that deals with all of this. Quite ironic really that I was the one talking with people, following their notification, and I was in the same boat as them.

I have the added benefit that I have something lined up and I knew a long time in advance that mine was coming and was quite happy about it, but my heart goes out to those with families and mortgages and the prospect of job hunting. There's nothing nice about redundancies - it breaks my heart when you are affecting peoples lives. It's the ultra crappy part of HR.

Really not in the mood for writing more tonight, cheers for now

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Changes

Success is living up to your potential. That's all. Wake up with a smile and go after life...Live it, enjoy it, taste it, smell it, feel it.- Joe Kapp

Well I got what I wanted, my position is redundant as of the 6th July. This cloud does have a silver lining though, I am in discussions with the former General Manager who has offered me a role with him. The new role will combine my current skills with the addition of corporate communications and training. Effectively I lose the icky parts of my current role and gain the ones I want more experience in.

Even better is that it's with a Manager who I work very well with and have an immense amount of respect for. All of this is subject to a meeting with him on Friday and discussions regarding remuneration, I already have an indication from him that this will go well. It also means I will stay with the same parent company, but in the corporate division and I will keep all of my entitlements. Fingers crossed this all goes well.

Cheers for now

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Mens Sheds

Continuous effort — not strength or intelligence — is the key to unlocking our potential. - Liane Cardes

Today, my house resembles a building site. MM's are in the process of building a bigger and better shed - what is it about men and their sheds? So as I write, I have in the background a symphony of concrete mixer and voices yelling to be heard over the painful noise it makes. Gone is the blissful peace and quiet of last night.

Big holes (for the posts to go in) now dot the landscape of my backyard, they're big enough to bury a horse in and of course there is no better time to dig holes than in the middle of winter when Adelaide has experienced one of its wettest months in years. Yes we need the rain, but I certainly don't need the mud that it generates.

I simply can not get excited about this shed, much to the dismay of my three MM's. I am told it will be bigger than the one we already have, so big in fact that they are building it over the one that is already there (and I thought that one was too big)

Of course when building such a mammoth structure, it is necessary for all of MM's male friends to drop by with several cold beers to oversee the proceedings and make intelligent recommendations. At this stage I take refuge in the house, bar all the doors and pretend I am not home.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

My idea of bliss

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams - Eleanor Roosevelt

I know I'm getting old when my idea of of a good night is sitting curled up on the lounge on a Saturday night and revelling in the peace and quiet. It's 10.30 and everyone in the house is asleep. Hubby has just come off night shift, so has gone to sleep on the lounge. Both boys are in bed and asleep, even socialite 15 year old MM is in bed asleep and not out with his mates.

I can put what I want on the TV, crank up the heater, slurp on my hot chocolate and write to my hearts content with no interruptions, no distractions - ah true bliss!

I have been giving serious thought to my career options and what I want to do. I know I should be expanding on my current job qualifications and getting a 'piece of paper' which says that I can do the job. But I'm torn between getting formal qualifications for what I have current experience in or expanding on my qualifications in English and Creative Writing and doing some graduate studies in communications or similar, with the aim of getting into corporate communications and the like. This would mean a whole new career direction and taking a step down the financial ladder that I've successfully climbed in the last four years.

Not to mention convincing hubby that more money spent on studying is worthwhile. Decisions, decisions, I'm hoping they will make me redundant at work next week, I've put my hand up to go with the next round of redundancies coming through the company. Then I might just sit home and write the Great Australian novel.

Cheers for now

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Failing our kids

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential...these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence - Eddie Robinson

Am I the only parent who is constantly frustrated by the education system?

I have a 15 year old MM (mere male) who is not doing well at school, not through lack of intelligence but through sheer boredom. He's a hands-on kid, who wants to be building things, fixing things, creating things. Written handouts and essays bore him silly and they fail miserably to garner his enthusiam for the learning process. Sadly he is not alone amongst teenagers, if what my friends tell me is anything to go on.

Don't get me wrong - maths and english are crucial subjects, but why aren't we catering for those kids who aren't necessarily academically minded by teaching them how to survive in the real world and giving them real life skills. Basing maths on budgeting and managing their money, understanding how maths links to investment and taxation. These are real life correlations that kids can understand. I can honestly say that in the twenty five years since I left school that I have never once used pythagoras' theorem or logorithms and I know that I never will.

Why aren't we teaching our kids how to fill in forms, read newspapers, explore current events and communicate effectively. I am an avid reader and I love writing, but lets teach our kids how what they are learning links to adult life. Lets give them relevant skills. English is my passion, but I can honestly say that discussing Shakesperean plays is not a critical part of my everyday adult life.

Having said all this, I don't envy the role of teachers. I truly believe teachers have one of the most difficult jobs in the world. But why isn't the education system supporting them and giving them the ability to teach our children the things that they can carry into real life. Surely if children could understand the relevance of what they're learning and how it links to life, they would engage in the learning process and then behaviour and truancy problems would be lessened.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Stuck in a rut


Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else - James M. Barrie

I've come to the realisation that it's time for a change. The job I've had for four years is not the job it used to be. I now experience days when I dread going to work. What has changed the job of my dreams to the job of my nightmares? I guess a new boss will do it every time.
I've been with the same company for 9 years and the thought of delving out into the 'real' world again is quite daunting, no make that terrifying. The reality is that just because I have been doing the job for four years, doesn't necessarily count for much if I don't have a piece of paper that says I can do the job.

So it's time to spread my wings and search for new challenges. It's really a kick in the pants, a wake up call if you like, that I should be doing more of what I love and that's writing. So I will endeavour to write regularly on this blog and document my journey into the big blue yonder.

Cheers for now