It's been a great month for me. August was about starting to get back into work and I started focusing on being a casual fill in for other instructors at my local gym - just a 5 minute walk from my place. My instructor friend - who is the group fitness coordinator at the gym - was going on a working vacation for 2 weeks (going to the international fitness conference in the US - not sure where. Possibly Los Angeles) so I am covering the majority of her classes while she is gone. She left last Monday and has one more week to go. So I've been a busy little bee filling in these classes and getting my fitness back at the same time. But while all of this was going on, I had some more news about work and other prospects. At the beginning of the month - August 3 - I received a phone call from the Australian Institute of Fitness. This is the place to get your qualifications to become a Personal Trainer. It's the place I got my qualifications from. Back in the middle of July they had advertised positions for course presenters (people to 'teach' and 'present' these qualifications to. I hadn't heard from them after I applied, so I assumed they had filled the vacant positions. Not so, because on Aug 3 they called to see if I was still interested in the position. I excitedly said yes and they booked me in for an interview 4 days later. So I spent those 4 days practicing my job interview skills (I really wasn't that worried. I always nail interviews! And especially if they are in the field that I am passionate about - like fitness!)
4 days later - on a Friday - I went for the interview, and just as I thought I would, I nailed it!! I was talking about my 2 favourite topics (me and the fitness industry!!). Lisa, the lady conducting the interview. told me the head trainer would give me a call on Monday or Tuesday to arrange for a second interview, where I was to prepare a small presentation about any aspect of the fitness industry, just to see my style of teaching and presenting information. She told me explicitly to expect the phone call.
So I went along my merry way, nice and happy knowing that I had made it past the first stage (I knew I would, as I applied for the same position 2 and a half years ago. But I turned them down when I found out it was a full time position. I only wanted part time back then. Now I'm ready for a full time career move!) I kept myself busy on the weekend with friends and teaching classes. That weekend flew by. Monday came along and it was just a matter of me sitting by the phone and waiting for that call. It was one of the slowest days ever. Even though I did have a class to teach on Monday morning - and that was a welcome distraction - the day could not have gone by any slower, even if it tried to. No phone call. I wasn't concerned, as Lisa had told me Monday or Tuesday would be the day I got the call.
Tuesday comes along and I knew I would be getting that call. This day was even slower than Monday, because I knew it was the last possible day they could call. Once again, I had a class in the evening to teach to distract me. Before I taught that class, I gave them a call to see what was happening. It turns out that Lisa had taken 2 sick days from work - Monday and Tuesday. So she was unable to pass on my details to the head trainer. They told me to expect a call on Wednesday and to call back if I hadn't heard from them. It was a bit of a relief, but it was still a long process to try and get that call for the second interview.
Wednesday morning. My sleeping habits had altered since I've been sitting around waiting for that phone to ring. I woke up at 8am. I was homebound once more, but confident that I knew what the deal was. At 10.30am, I got the call from Mark, the head trainer. He asked me to prepare a 5 minute presentation (I only thought it was 2 minutes, so I was getting a little panicky, but still thrilled to have finally got that phone call 5 days after I had one of the best interviews ever). I spent the next few hours trying to formulate what I would talk about. It could be anything in fitness, so I decided to talk about what I know a lot of and what I am passionate about: group fitness classes. I originally was going to talk about the 8 common styles. I practiced and it was 15 minutes long - and it was then that I had wished I had a longer time to talk about this! I dropped it down to 4 classes to discuss. 10 minutes. Cut it down to 3. 8 minutes. Finally I got down to the 5 minute mark by talking about 2 classes (and incidentally, the 2 classes I am currently teaching at gyms). I practiced that, as well as practicing for my new class I would be teaching on Saturday morning. So I was juggling 2 things at once (and that's my strength - successfully multi-tasking. If it's just one thing I have to do, I stall. But when it's more than 1, I'm in my element).
Friday. I'm all prepared and I arrive 15 minutes early. They bring me in straight away and I am presenting to Mark and another guy who both haven't met me. So they started asking me questions that I got from my first interview (tell me about yourself, why do you want this position, etc). I hadn't practiced any of that because I was just focused on that presentation. But we're talking about me, I can't get anything wrong there! Shortly after, I'm asked to present. I got up there, kept them engaged and got their full attention for the whole 5 minutes and once again, I really excelled and presented wonderfully. I got some great feedback too. Mark asked, "Have you had any teaching experience?", and that's where I told him about Japan. He said, "I love you, when can you start?" I said, 'As soon as you need me". The only thing I needed to do was provide 4 referees. That posed a bit of a problem. The last 2 places I worked was while overseas in Argentina. They said, "If you have their numbers, we'll call them" and I had to remind them that they don't speak English. So I gave them 2 referees from Melbourne. My old boss from the cake shop and my friend the club manager! I hadn't told them I would give them their details, so as soon as I walked out of the interview, I ran to look for the first public phone I could find and call them up. I called my club manager mate and couldn't get a hold of her, so I left an urgent message on her mobile. I had told my old boss I would be visiting the cake shop this week, so I decided to tell her in person that I used her name as a reference.
I arrived at the cake shop and told my old boss and she was fine with it. 10 minutes after I told her, AIF called - while I was sitting there next to the phone! My boss was on the phone with her for 10 minutes, and afterwards she said, "Those were the strangest 10 minutes ever". She had asked my old boss fitness related questions about me, but my old boss didn't know me as a personal trainer, only from the cake shop. So she told them the other important bits: me being punctual, responsible, bla bla bla. Straight afterwards, AIF called my friend and they spent 20 minutes on the phone with her asking 10 questions about me (do I take criticism well, was there any animosity after I left the gym to go overseas, what are my strengths and weaknesses, am I suitable for a career in the fitness industry or would I be better suited to another field, etc). My friend gave me a glowing reference (and all true, she did work with me and knows me well and has seen me working in the fitness industry). The lady told my friend "That was the best reference call I have ever had. Thank you for being so open and honest". So in other words: I am now employed!!! I was told that I would get a call back after they call my references. I was hoping they would call me later that day, but possibly on Monday. I know I have this - the head trainer loves me and wants me to start soon and I want this because it is a full time career in the fitness industry - not just some random job. It's hard to get a full time job in fitness because hours are varied. But because I am teaching people, it is in normal school hours, plus some weekends. Add my gym work to the mix and I'm working 6 days a week again in an industry I love. Everything is perfect this time around and I am so thrilled about this.
So that's why I haven't blogged for the last fortnight - either the days have been going really slowly or super quickly. Plus the uncertainty of it all was just bugging me. But not anymore.
Today I had a fantastic day too. My friend and I had been learning the new Pump release to teach to my class. We taught together at my local club. Some members at this club used to be members at another location, which closed down. This was the location that my friend and I used to work in together, so the members know us. When we both got up on stage today at the new located club, all the oldies remembered us!! She and I had fun on stage and we provided an educational and fun hour with Pump. This was possibly the best class I've ever taught. She had a good time too and we're planning on doing this every fortnight. She is a recent Pump instructor so she wants as much practice as she can before she branches out on her own next year. So it serves the both of us as well, not to mention all the old members who remembered us and loved as and the new members who fell in love with us today too!!!
Tomorrow I'm teaching again, but on my lonesome. I inherited Sunday morning Pump classes when the regular instructor broke her arm 2 weeks ago in a car accident. She's quite accident prone and is unlucky with injury and health. Only 4 weeks prior to that she was in hospital with pneumonia. Weeks before that she was in hospital for an injury to her leg. She may give up Pump, so it's mine. I may have blogged this last time, but I can't remember. I'll edit this out if I did mention it.
It's been a long and wonderful fortnight - let the good and abundance continue to flow.
Saturday, August 15
Saturday, August 1
My life according to INXS
I saw this on Amanda's page and it was something I can picture myself doing. So here it is: what you do: Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. You cannot use the band that I used. Re-post as 'My life according to (band name)'
Pick your Artist: INXS
Male or Female: Beautiful Girl
Describe yourself: What You Need
How do you feel: The Loved One
Describe where you currently live: Not Enough Time
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Searching
Your favourite form of transportation: The Stairs
Your best friend: Devil Inside
You and your best friends are: The Gift
What's the weather like?: Mediate
Favourite time of the day: This Time
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called?: Kiss The Dirt (NB - The life of a PT! hehe!)
What is life to you?: New Sensation
Your relationship: Heaven Sent
Your fear: Falling Down The Mountain
What is the best advice you have to give?: Don't Lose Your Head
Thought for the day: Never Tear Us Apart
How I would like to die: Disappear
My soul's present condition: Shining Star
My motto: Taste It
THAT was pretty cool! I had over 30 years' worth of songs to choose from, but I decided to stay with the INXS stuff with Michael Hutchence as lead singer. Pretty cool, ay?
Thanks Amanda, it was quite fun!
Pick your Artist: INXS
Male or Female: Beautiful Girl
Describe yourself: What You Need
How do you feel: The Loved One
Describe where you currently live: Not Enough Time
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Searching
Your favourite form of transportation: The Stairs
Your best friend: Devil Inside
You and your best friends are: The Gift
What's the weather like?: Mediate
Favourite time of the day: This Time
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called?: Kiss The Dirt (NB - The life of a PT! hehe!)
What is life to you?: New Sensation
Your relationship: Heaven Sent
Your fear: Falling Down The Mountain
What is the best advice you have to give?: Don't Lose Your Head
Thought for the day: Never Tear Us Apart
How I would like to die: Disappear
My soul's present condition: Shining Star
My motto: Taste It
THAT was pretty cool! I had over 30 years' worth of songs to choose from, but I decided to stay with the INXS stuff with Michael Hutchence as lead singer. Pretty cool, ay?
Thanks Amanda, it was quite fun!
Thursday, July 16
Long week
In a good way. I haven't blogged because it has been quite a busy time. Not something I was expecting to hear myself say at this point in time, especially as I have been looking for work. But I do have my trusty diary and am able to back-blog from last Thursday. So here it goes!
LAST THURSDAY:
I was meant to be helping out my friend for her Body Pump instructor training (even though she hasn't started yet, she's commencing on Saturday!). I told her we didn't need to do anything, as most of the things that she needs to know for the first weekend will be covered when she starts. So I had the day to myself while Mum was at work. I continued on my job hunting ways and applied for a position in a vintage shop which is run by a charity and who are willing to pay big bucks! I know it may seem erroneous to only look at the money side of things, but I really do want to help my Mum out (she doesn't need it and she hasn't asked, but I would still like to help out). Plus, I know me. I get bored easily. While it's been great having time to myself and recovering from my 9 month trip, I know that I will want to sink my teeth into a new challenge. That's why it didn't concern me when I left my job last year at the cake shop. My time had come and I was getting bored and frustrated (even though I do want to get back to the cake shop, purely for the financial security. Can you tell I'm getting older?!)
I was looking for the kind of work that is being offered and it's the same as always (which is good). I had assumed there was a huge lack of jobs available (although last Saturday when I got the employment section from the newspaper, it was significantly smaller than it was at this time last year - about a third of the size. But at the end of the day, jobs are out there. And if you aren't fussy with the kind of work - within reason - then there won't be a problem with finding work). I had shortlisted possible places to apply for and it came up to quite a list, so I was very confident with finding something.
FRIDAY
Not much on during the day - spent time with Mum, as she doesn't work Fridays during the day.
At night I had a mini reunion with the people I worked with at the cake shop. It was a combined 'welcome back' for me (I never had a farewell party and they were kind of miffed about it, so I said I'd have a 'welcome back' shindig). As well as my welcome back, it was a bon voyage for my friend Robert who also works at the shop and who is going to Europe for 6 weeks. I had presents for him, which I had conveniently left at my house (nice to know that some things don't change with me!)
It was an interesting night, as I had met up with almost all the people from the cake shop that I used to work with. It started out with me going into the shop to see one of my favourites (aside from Robert) and catch up with her. Everybody was encouraging me to get my job back. It was at this time that I found out an interesting fact, which I may have to backtrack further...
On the day I arrived, I went home, dropped off my suitcase and went out with my best friend to talk about her pending wedding and my bridesmaid duties. We ended up going to the cake shop to talk to Robert, who is very knowledgable in the wedding business. So I popped into the shop and saw the girls, Robert and my old manager. She was asking me what I was doing work wise and what my plans were. I told her I'd be getting my job back at the gym slowly and looking for something else while I set up my own personal training business. Apparently, when she asked me that, she was 'dropping hints' for me to ask for my old job back. I never picked up on them. (I will add now that I do not handle hints well. Quite simply, I just don't do hints. If you want to ask or tell me something, be direct and just ask/tell me. If I don't tolerate 'hint dropping' from my boyfriend, I'm hardly going to tolerate it from my old boss!) I had a few quibbles with this:
a) The manager does this all the time - if she needs to be direct, she will. But you can tell she doesn't like it. Even one of the staff said, 'You know what she's like, she wants you to take initiative. She knows how you work and she knows you're good - and she doesn't have to go through the whole training process with you, which she hates!', to which I said, 'If she desperately needed someone, she would ask me'. It's logical. If you need someone, you're going to tell people. That kinda leads me to point b
b) Dropping hints isn't going to do anybody any good. If you need someone, you need someone, period. You're not going to be subtle about it. I am direct - what can I say? You may have seen me or realised from a while back (from me taking on the psycho housemate in Madrid, remember her?!) At least with me being direct, you know what I'm thinking and you know where I stand. There's no 'ifs' or 'buts' - all cards are on the table. Being indirect like this is childish. It may simply be fear of rejection, but you need to embrace rejection. That's what I think anyway.
c) This just reiterated the fact that nothing in the work dynamics of the shop has changed. It's all the same politics and crap as before. I'm not even back working there and I'm still being sucked into that vortex of bullshit.
These were a few things on my mind. Robert finished work at 6 but we booked a Thai restaurnt for 7pm. We hung out and were catching up before joining the others at 7pm. It was a big turnout for a last minute gathering. I sat next to my manager and had told her I'd be asking for my job back (in a jokey way though, so I believe she took it as a joke and didn't take me seriously). She didn't bring it up again, so neither did I. She got drunk and was telling me that I have a fear of commitment because all of my past relationships (and my current one) have been long distance and she was giving me shit for it. I knew she was drunk, but not excessively to the point that she didn't know what she was saying. She knew exactly what she said and it pissed me off. I ignored her for the rest of the night and realised that I do not want to go back to the cake shop. Exective decision: I'll be looking for something else. For someone who complains there is not enough intimacy in her long marriage, I think it was a bit thick of her to offer advice and cast judgement on my situation, considering I've been out of the country for so long.
It wasn't just her being negative, it was everybody else too. I had mentioned that I was thinking of buying a second hand car from a friend of mine. I had done my research and knew I was getting a good deal, but as soon as I brought that up, everybody was being a downer about it and just saying, 'never buy a used car from a friend' and giving me the worst of horror stories. They have always been negative fucks because their lives suck and they want to make everybody else's life as sucky as theirs. I worked there for nearly 3 years and I was getting as negative as them. It was hard, as I had made a conscious decision to surround myself only with positive people, only to have to work with the most depressive, angry and bitter people I have known in my life. I voluntarily stayed out of negative people's way, but what happens when you work with them? It's about 7 people I work with who fit that description - and on Fridays I worked with ALL of them on the same day. It's there that I thought: is the money really worth it? Do I want to go back to all of that negative crap for $150 a day? At that moment I was clear in my mind. I had been toing and froing with whether I could go back to the cake shop, but I made a final decision. No. And I was happy. No amount of money could justify me going back to a place where I have to deal with such utter crap from people who are in their 50's who are acting like kids who are 4 (and I'm guessing those kids would be better behaved than these so called adults)
SATURDAY
Set my alarm for 8.20am to go to the 8.50 Combat class at the gym. My alarm didn't go off and I had opened my eyes at 8.36am. Still enough time to get changed and half jog half walk to the gym. I made it and had such a roll that I ended up staying for 2 additional classes: a 1 hour studio cycle class (which is nuts! usually they go for 45 minutes - it was my first ever hour long spin class!) and then followed it up with yoga. It was the last yoga class before the timetable change kicked in, and 16 people rocked up to yoga - the highest ever. The reason it was taken off the timetable was because nobody was coming to them! So everyone signed a 'petition' to get the managers to change the timetable back again to include yoga. Don't think it's going to work. I hope it does, but if things will change, it's going to take some time.
Got home, had a shower and then received a phone call from my friend who was selling the car. I was going to go to her house for a test drive. She lives near the cake shop, so I had to make my way over again to that side of town. I passed the cake shop and had seen 3 girls that I had yet to catch up with, so that was nice. Proceeded to my friend's place. She is Japanese, so as soon as she invited me in I took my shoes off. Force of habit! She gave me the car for the whole weekend, which I wasn't expecting! For a 1990 hatchback, it looked like it was in really good condition. The only problem was there was no power steering and I was struggling with parallel parking. I ended up driving back to my house, then out to my best friend's place, then her fiancee's, then into the city, then back again to the 3 houses above. So I got a good indication of what it would be like to drive the car. The lack of power steering did it for me and was way too much.
The reason why I went to my best friend's place was because we had planned on taking a tour of Old Melbourne Gaol, which is one of the oldest jails in town and the last one to have enforced capital punishment. A friend of a friend was the one who organised it, but we had to pick up the rest of the crew from her fiancee's place, have dinner and then find parking in the city. On a Saturday night. We got lucky - we found 3 free spaces! Parallel parking was a pain with no power steering. OUCH!
We got to the meeting place, but it was cold and rainy. I wasn't cold, but everybody was complaining about it. They need to spend a winter in Canada, then they can try and tell me what cold weather is! We got to the tour to discover that it was not the Old Melbourne Gaol night tours (those tours are great - the gaol is scary in the daytime, imagine in the dark!). This particular tour was a 'ghost tour' of Melbourne. And it wasn't even that - it was more of a history of Melbourne tour. It wasn't that interesting. If you're a history buff, then maybe it would have been entertaining. But it was a 2 hour long walk around the city, pointing up to places that have reported sightings of ghosts. It sounds more interesting when you write it down and read it. But it wasn't worth it. My best mate was pissed off, her future sister in law complaining of the cold, her fiancee laughing at her and me enjoying the walk, but not the content. It was a great night!!!!
I was the designated driver - it was the first time my friend's fiancee and his sister saw me drive. I don't think they want to see me do it again!
SUNDAY
As I had the car, Mum and I decided to go to a family friend's house for lunch. To be more specific, I stayed with this lady's sister when I stayed in Chile. We've been close family friends. She's the closest thing I have to a grandmother, so it was nice to see her.
I decided not to buy the car, so I returned it back to my friend's house, then had to go home by public transport. On a good day, it takes 40 minutes. This day, it took 90 minutes because the trains tracks were being repaired. I had to take a replacement bus to South Yarra, then catch a train for 1 stop to get off at Richmond to connect to my local train. It was a 20 minute wait for the train. But it was one of my few times I was in the city at night. I was looking over the skyline and was truly happy to be back home. I couldn't get the smile off my face - and I didn't want to either.
MONDAY
The job search continues. I narrowed down quite a list of places I'd like to work in. I was fond of one place - a cafe - because it was in my suburb. I've always had to catch public transport to work, so I fancied the idea of just walking to my workplace. I gave them a call and left a message saying if the position was still available to give me a call. I wasn't hopeful of this one, as this position had been advertised for a while and I believed they may have already hired someone. Still, it didn't hurt my chances just to double check!
Caught up with a friend of mine who I met in Japan. She's from Sendai, where I used to live and is now living and working in Melbourne. It was good to see her as well. It was just a short meeting, as she's quite a busy girl now.
TUESDAY
Spent the day editing 2 of my friend's works. Mainly spelling and grammar - as I've never edited professionally. But it was a lot of fun! In the editing process I managed to cheer up one of my friends and was able to give some constructive feedback to the other.
WEDNESDAY
Job searching. Narrowed the field and was preparing resumes and such. Had to cal my old workplace (the gym) to get my tax forms so I can do my tax. Spoke to the manager, who is keen on me going back to do classes (but not personal training, it's not worth my time. Classes are). I said yes, so they have put me back on the 'fill-in' list. Plus, Chris, the coordinator, knows me and needs instructors because 2 of her main ones have gone overseas as well. One for 6 months, one for 3 months. So it'll be good to get back to classes.
While I was doing my job stuff, I got a phone call from the employer that I called on Monday. It turns out she called me because I'm a local, and also because she had someone on trial for the job, but it wasn't going to work out. She asked what kind of hours I was looking for, but then was telling me all the tough things about the job - how hard it is, labour intensive, how ppl who have had experience have struggled, how it's 'their way or the highway', as it's a family run business. So I wasn't getting a good vibe, but I did agree to pop in the following day to have a chat to Gail the owner. A nice little surprise!
TODAY
It's been exactly 2 weeks since my return from Japan and my world trip, and I have celebrated by going to a trial/interview at a cafe that is in my suburb. It turns out that it's a leisurely 30 minute walk to get there - or 5 minutes in the bus. But Andy the Walker likes walks! So it was a no brainer for me. I arrived 10 minutes early - thinking it would be a mini trial. And it was, so I was dressed for it. They mainly do catering for offices in the area as well as make fresh sandwiches, rolls, focaccias, pies, coffees - a regular cafe. But they need someone who preferably has a fresh slate and can be moulded to doing things their way (done, I haven't worked at the cake shop for 9 months - so I have promptly forgotten stuff!) I practiced making sandwiches, but obviously I was quite slow at it. They all seem like a nice family. Gail and her husband take care of the catering side, whereas the daughter and son stay and focus on the shop/cafe side. While I was making the sandwiches, Gail told me to imagine I was making a sandwich for myself. Little does she know how stingy I am with the fillings, so I was doing the same. It turns out these guys are generous with their servings, so I can stack a whole lot of stuff in there, which is lovely!!! It's just the prices of stuff I'll have to learn, which is fine. And making stuff in front of customers. But it's all practice. Gail seemed impressed when I told her I was a personal trainer and that I walked to the cafe from my place. It all seems to be going well. They asked me to return tomorrow for a full day's trial during lunch, their busiest time! Wish me luck - I'm sure it will be like the cake shop!
I'm still applying for another fitness related position that is full time and requires a bit of travelling interstate (WOO HOO BABY!) But we'll see!
So there you go - this week in Andy's life. Tune in next week to find out if she gets the position and other interesting tidbits of her life :)
LAST THURSDAY:
I was meant to be helping out my friend for her Body Pump instructor training (even though she hasn't started yet, she's commencing on Saturday!). I told her we didn't need to do anything, as most of the things that she needs to know for the first weekend will be covered when she starts. So I had the day to myself while Mum was at work. I continued on my job hunting ways and applied for a position in a vintage shop which is run by a charity and who are willing to pay big bucks! I know it may seem erroneous to only look at the money side of things, but I really do want to help my Mum out (she doesn't need it and she hasn't asked, but I would still like to help out). Plus, I know me. I get bored easily. While it's been great having time to myself and recovering from my 9 month trip, I know that I will want to sink my teeth into a new challenge. That's why it didn't concern me when I left my job last year at the cake shop. My time had come and I was getting bored and frustrated (even though I do want to get back to the cake shop, purely for the financial security. Can you tell I'm getting older?!)
I was looking for the kind of work that is being offered and it's the same as always (which is good). I had assumed there was a huge lack of jobs available (although last Saturday when I got the employment section from the newspaper, it was significantly smaller than it was at this time last year - about a third of the size. But at the end of the day, jobs are out there. And if you aren't fussy with the kind of work - within reason - then there won't be a problem with finding work). I had shortlisted possible places to apply for and it came up to quite a list, so I was very confident with finding something.
FRIDAY
Not much on during the day - spent time with Mum, as she doesn't work Fridays during the day.
At night I had a mini reunion with the people I worked with at the cake shop. It was a combined 'welcome back' for me (I never had a farewell party and they were kind of miffed about it, so I said I'd have a 'welcome back' shindig). As well as my welcome back, it was a bon voyage for my friend Robert who also works at the shop and who is going to Europe for 6 weeks. I had presents for him, which I had conveniently left at my house (nice to know that some things don't change with me!)
It was an interesting night, as I had met up with almost all the people from the cake shop that I used to work with. It started out with me going into the shop to see one of my favourites (aside from Robert) and catch up with her. Everybody was encouraging me to get my job back. It was at this time that I found out an interesting fact, which I may have to backtrack further...
On the day I arrived, I went home, dropped off my suitcase and went out with my best friend to talk about her pending wedding and my bridesmaid duties. We ended up going to the cake shop to talk to Robert, who is very knowledgable in the wedding business. So I popped into the shop and saw the girls, Robert and my old manager. She was asking me what I was doing work wise and what my plans were. I told her I'd be getting my job back at the gym slowly and looking for something else while I set up my own personal training business. Apparently, when she asked me that, she was 'dropping hints' for me to ask for my old job back. I never picked up on them. (I will add now that I do not handle hints well. Quite simply, I just don't do hints. If you want to ask or tell me something, be direct and just ask/tell me. If I don't tolerate 'hint dropping' from my boyfriend, I'm hardly going to tolerate it from my old boss!) I had a few quibbles with this:
a) The manager does this all the time - if she needs to be direct, she will. But you can tell she doesn't like it. Even one of the staff said, 'You know what she's like, she wants you to take initiative. She knows how you work and she knows you're good - and she doesn't have to go through the whole training process with you, which she hates!', to which I said, 'If she desperately needed someone, she would ask me'. It's logical. If you need someone, you're going to tell people. That kinda leads me to point b
b) Dropping hints isn't going to do anybody any good. If you need someone, you need someone, period. You're not going to be subtle about it. I am direct - what can I say? You may have seen me or realised from a while back (from me taking on the psycho housemate in Madrid, remember her?!) At least with me being direct, you know what I'm thinking and you know where I stand. There's no 'ifs' or 'buts' - all cards are on the table. Being indirect like this is childish. It may simply be fear of rejection, but you need to embrace rejection. That's what I think anyway.
c) This just reiterated the fact that nothing in the work dynamics of the shop has changed. It's all the same politics and crap as before. I'm not even back working there and I'm still being sucked into that vortex of bullshit.
These were a few things on my mind. Robert finished work at 6 but we booked a Thai restaurnt for 7pm. We hung out and were catching up before joining the others at 7pm. It was a big turnout for a last minute gathering. I sat next to my manager and had told her I'd be asking for my job back (in a jokey way though, so I believe she took it as a joke and didn't take me seriously). She didn't bring it up again, so neither did I. She got drunk and was telling me that I have a fear of commitment because all of my past relationships (and my current one) have been long distance and she was giving me shit for it. I knew she was drunk, but not excessively to the point that she didn't know what she was saying. She knew exactly what she said and it pissed me off. I ignored her for the rest of the night and realised that I do not want to go back to the cake shop. Exective decision: I'll be looking for something else. For someone who complains there is not enough intimacy in her long marriage, I think it was a bit thick of her to offer advice and cast judgement on my situation, considering I've been out of the country for so long.
It wasn't just her being negative, it was everybody else too. I had mentioned that I was thinking of buying a second hand car from a friend of mine. I had done my research and knew I was getting a good deal, but as soon as I brought that up, everybody was being a downer about it and just saying, 'never buy a used car from a friend' and giving me the worst of horror stories. They have always been negative fucks because their lives suck and they want to make everybody else's life as sucky as theirs. I worked there for nearly 3 years and I was getting as negative as them. It was hard, as I had made a conscious decision to surround myself only with positive people, only to have to work with the most depressive, angry and bitter people I have known in my life. I voluntarily stayed out of negative people's way, but what happens when you work with them? It's about 7 people I work with who fit that description - and on Fridays I worked with ALL of them on the same day. It's there that I thought: is the money really worth it? Do I want to go back to all of that negative crap for $150 a day? At that moment I was clear in my mind. I had been toing and froing with whether I could go back to the cake shop, but I made a final decision. No. And I was happy. No amount of money could justify me going back to a place where I have to deal with such utter crap from people who are in their 50's who are acting like kids who are 4 (and I'm guessing those kids would be better behaved than these so called adults)
SATURDAY
Set my alarm for 8.20am to go to the 8.50 Combat class at the gym. My alarm didn't go off and I had opened my eyes at 8.36am. Still enough time to get changed and half jog half walk to the gym. I made it and had such a roll that I ended up staying for 2 additional classes: a 1 hour studio cycle class (which is nuts! usually they go for 45 minutes - it was my first ever hour long spin class!) and then followed it up with yoga. It was the last yoga class before the timetable change kicked in, and 16 people rocked up to yoga - the highest ever. The reason it was taken off the timetable was because nobody was coming to them! So everyone signed a 'petition' to get the managers to change the timetable back again to include yoga. Don't think it's going to work. I hope it does, but if things will change, it's going to take some time.
Got home, had a shower and then received a phone call from my friend who was selling the car. I was going to go to her house for a test drive. She lives near the cake shop, so I had to make my way over again to that side of town. I passed the cake shop and had seen 3 girls that I had yet to catch up with, so that was nice. Proceeded to my friend's place. She is Japanese, so as soon as she invited me in I took my shoes off. Force of habit! She gave me the car for the whole weekend, which I wasn't expecting! For a 1990 hatchback, it looked like it was in really good condition. The only problem was there was no power steering and I was struggling with parallel parking. I ended up driving back to my house, then out to my best friend's place, then her fiancee's, then into the city, then back again to the 3 houses above. So I got a good indication of what it would be like to drive the car. The lack of power steering did it for me and was way too much.
The reason why I went to my best friend's place was because we had planned on taking a tour of Old Melbourne Gaol, which is one of the oldest jails in town and the last one to have enforced capital punishment. A friend of a friend was the one who organised it, but we had to pick up the rest of the crew from her fiancee's place, have dinner and then find parking in the city. On a Saturday night. We got lucky - we found 3 free spaces! Parallel parking was a pain with no power steering. OUCH!
We got to the meeting place, but it was cold and rainy. I wasn't cold, but everybody was complaining about it. They need to spend a winter in Canada, then they can try and tell me what cold weather is! We got to the tour to discover that it was not the Old Melbourne Gaol night tours (those tours are great - the gaol is scary in the daytime, imagine in the dark!). This particular tour was a 'ghost tour' of Melbourne. And it wasn't even that - it was more of a history of Melbourne tour. It wasn't that interesting. If you're a history buff, then maybe it would have been entertaining. But it was a 2 hour long walk around the city, pointing up to places that have reported sightings of ghosts. It sounds more interesting when you write it down and read it. But it wasn't worth it. My best mate was pissed off, her future sister in law complaining of the cold, her fiancee laughing at her and me enjoying the walk, but not the content. It was a great night!!!!
I was the designated driver - it was the first time my friend's fiancee and his sister saw me drive. I don't think they want to see me do it again!
SUNDAY
As I had the car, Mum and I decided to go to a family friend's house for lunch. To be more specific, I stayed with this lady's sister when I stayed in Chile. We've been close family friends. She's the closest thing I have to a grandmother, so it was nice to see her.
I decided not to buy the car, so I returned it back to my friend's house, then had to go home by public transport. On a good day, it takes 40 minutes. This day, it took 90 minutes because the trains tracks were being repaired. I had to take a replacement bus to South Yarra, then catch a train for 1 stop to get off at Richmond to connect to my local train. It was a 20 minute wait for the train. But it was one of my few times I was in the city at night. I was looking over the skyline and was truly happy to be back home. I couldn't get the smile off my face - and I didn't want to either.
MONDAY
The job search continues. I narrowed down quite a list of places I'd like to work in. I was fond of one place - a cafe - because it was in my suburb. I've always had to catch public transport to work, so I fancied the idea of just walking to my workplace. I gave them a call and left a message saying if the position was still available to give me a call. I wasn't hopeful of this one, as this position had been advertised for a while and I believed they may have already hired someone. Still, it didn't hurt my chances just to double check!
Caught up with a friend of mine who I met in Japan. She's from Sendai, where I used to live and is now living and working in Melbourne. It was good to see her as well. It was just a short meeting, as she's quite a busy girl now.
TUESDAY
Spent the day editing 2 of my friend's works. Mainly spelling and grammar - as I've never edited professionally. But it was a lot of fun! In the editing process I managed to cheer up one of my friends and was able to give some constructive feedback to the other.
WEDNESDAY
Job searching. Narrowed the field and was preparing resumes and such. Had to cal my old workplace (the gym) to get my tax forms so I can do my tax. Spoke to the manager, who is keen on me going back to do classes (but not personal training, it's not worth my time. Classes are). I said yes, so they have put me back on the 'fill-in' list. Plus, Chris, the coordinator, knows me and needs instructors because 2 of her main ones have gone overseas as well. One for 6 months, one for 3 months. So it'll be good to get back to classes.
While I was doing my job stuff, I got a phone call from the employer that I called on Monday. It turns out she called me because I'm a local, and also because she had someone on trial for the job, but it wasn't going to work out. She asked what kind of hours I was looking for, but then was telling me all the tough things about the job - how hard it is, labour intensive, how ppl who have had experience have struggled, how it's 'their way or the highway', as it's a family run business. So I wasn't getting a good vibe, but I did agree to pop in the following day to have a chat to Gail the owner. A nice little surprise!
TODAY
It's been exactly 2 weeks since my return from Japan and my world trip, and I have celebrated by going to a trial/interview at a cafe that is in my suburb. It turns out that it's a leisurely 30 minute walk to get there - or 5 minutes in the bus. But Andy the Walker likes walks! So it was a no brainer for me. I arrived 10 minutes early - thinking it would be a mini trial. And it was, so I was dressed for it. They mainly do catering for offices in the area as well as make fresh sandwiches, rolls, focaccias, pies, coffees - a regular cafe. But they need someone who preferably has a fresh slate and can be moulded to doing things their way (done, I haven't worked at the cake shop for 9 months - so I have promptly forgotten stuff!) I practiced making sandwiches, but obviously I was quite slow at it. They all seem like a nice family. Gail and her husband take care of the catering side, whereas the daughter and son stay and focus on the shop/cafe side. While I was making the sandwiches, Gail told me to imagine I was making a sandwich for myself. Little does she know how stingy I am with the fillings, so I was doing the same. It turns out these guys are generous with their servings, so I can stack a whole lot of stuff in there, which is lovely!!! It's just the prices of stuff I'll have to learn, which is fine. And making stuff in front of customers. But it's all practice. Gail seemed impressed when I told her I was a personal trainer and that I walked to the cafe from my place. It all seems to be going well. They asked me to return tomorrow for a full day's trial during lunch, their busiest time! Wish me luck - I'm sure it will be like the cake shop!
I'm still applying for another fitness related position that is full time and requires a bit of travelling interstate (WOO HOO BABY!) But we'll see!
So there you go - this week in Andy's life. Tune in next week to find out if she gets the position and other interesting tidbits of her life :)
Friday, July 10
Galvanize
Here's a little game that Oisin did last year with a music player on shuffle and a list of questions. What to do: after you put your music player on shuffle mode, press 'next' and write the name of the song as the answer to each question. I'm doing this now, as today I have found that my iPod that I got for my birthday nearly 2 years ago is working again and I found the shuffle feature. Bear in mind that I am doing this on the spot and will be just as surprised as you are now reading this with the answers. OK, I'm ready:
1. If someone says, "Is this okay?" You say...?
Where are you?
2. How would you describe yourself?
Get down
3. What do you like in a guy/girl?
Cielo rojo (which means 'Red sky')
4. How do you feel today?
I need to know (hehe!)
5. What is your life's purpose?
Jamas (which means 'Never'. I didn't realise I had so many Spanish songs on my iPod!)
6. What is your motto?
Si nos dejan (If they let us', literal translation. If they allow us would be more appropriate.
But I think that's a good motto anyway!)
7. What do your friends think of you?
Politik (By Coldplay. If it helps, Chris Martin warbles 'Open up your eyes' a lot. Maybe
that's a better answer!)
8. What do your parents think of you?
Simply Irresistable!!! (Go Robert Palmer!!)
9. What do you think about very often?
Somos novios (Translated properly, 'We are dating' LOL!)
10. What is 2+2?
Devuelveme el amor ('Give me my love back'!)
11. What do you think of your best friends?
Hot girls!!! (Of all the bloody INXS songs I have, it comes up with this! Too funny!)
12. What do you think of the person you like?
Cuando calienta el sol ('When the sun gets hot'. Open for interpretation!)
13. What is your life story?
In love with you!
14. What do you want to be when you grow up?
Us
15. What do you think of when you see the person you like?
Patience (Hardly! I'm more patient then he is!)
16. What will you dance to at your wedding?
Don't want to be left out (By Powderfinger. Have you heard the opening riff to this track?
It's more head-bangy than dancey!)
17. What will they play at your funeral?
Motivos (Just as it sounds like, 'Motives' or 'Reasons'. It's a love song, believe it or not!)
18. What is your hobby/interest?
Never let you go.
19. What is your biggest fear?
I don't want to be in love (LMAO!!!)
20. What is your biggest secret?
Too much too young too fast (not bad!)
21. What do you think of your friends?
Run to the hills!!!! ("Run for your life!" Good old Iron Maiden - I'm still laughing!)
22. What do you want right now?
Here comes the hotstepper.
23. What Will You post this as?
Galvanize
24. Last words?
Think about the way.
That was a good laugh - and pretty fun. I might do this every month!
1. If someone says, "Is this okay?" You say...?
Where are you?
2. How would you describe yourself?
Get down
3. What do you like in a guy/girl?
Cielo rojo (which means 'Red sky')
4. How do you feel today?
I need to know (hehe!)
5. What is your life's purpose?
Jamas (which means 'Never'. I didn't realise I had so many Spanish songs on my iPod!)
6. What is your motto?
Si nos dejan (If they let us', literal translation. If they allow us would be more appropriate.
But I think that's a good motto anyway!)
7. What do your friends think of you?
Politik (By Coldplay. If it helps, Chris Martin warbles 'Open up your eyes' a lot. Maybe
that's a better answer!)
8. What do your parents think of you?
Simply Irresistable!!! (Go Robert Palmer!!)
9. What do you think about very often?
Somos novios (Translated properly, 'We are dating' LOL!)
10. What is 2+2?
Devuelveme el amor ('Give me my love back'!)
11. What do you think of your best friends?
Hot girls!!! (Of all the bloody INXS songs I have, it comes up with this! Too funny!)
12. What do you think of the person you like?
Cuando calienta el sol ('When the sun gets hot'. Open for interpretation!)
13. What is your life story?
In love with you!
14. What do you want to be when you grow up?
Us
15. What do you think of when you see the person you like?
Patience (Hardly! I'm more patient then he is!)
16. What will you dance to at your wedding?
Don't want to be left out (By Powderfinger. Have you heard the opening riff to this track?
It's more head-bangy than dancey!)
17. What will they play at your funeral?
Motivos (Just as it sounds like, 'Motives' or 'Reasons'. It's a love song, believe it or not!)
18. What is your hobby/interest?
Never let you go.
19. What is your biggest fear?
I don't want to be in love (LMAO!!!)
20. What is your biggest secret?
Too much too young too fast (not bad!)
21. What do you think of your friends?
Run to the hills!!!! ("Run for your life!" Good old Iron Maiden - I'm still laughing!)
22. What do you want right now?
Here comes the hotstepper.
23. What Will You post this as?
Galvanize
24. Last words?
Think about the way.
That was a good laugh - and pretty fun. I might do this every month!
Wednesday, July 8
Back in the game
Last night I decided to go to my local gym for the first time in months. I'm able to go to this gym for free because I use my old staff card. It's always saved me from paying for a gym membership, which is so cool. However, at reception when I handed in my card, she swiped it (it usually doesn't work anyway, it only works at the club where you work in - and I never worked in this particular club). She then warned that I would need a brand new staff card. I agreed and quickly moved away from the area, hopeful that everything would be OK and they wouldn't do something drastic - like call this gym and find out if I was on payroll. But it was just my mind playing weird tricks.
I had gone back to the gym to do a Body Combat class which I hadn't done since February back in Argentina, when I was teaching the class. I promptly was reminded of the major differences between group fitness classes in Australia and Argentina. There is more 'personality' and 'life' in Arg. Instructors will ask a fun question and will usually get a smart assed funny answer from the participants, which makes everyone laugh and lightens the mood. There is a lot of coldness and distance with the classes in Australia. In Argentina, it feels like you're in a concert - people yelling and cheering and just being plain happy to be there. They go more for the social aspect of a class - meeting up with your friends, having fun etc. It's a bit more hardcore here in Oz. You have members taking it all so seriously and have a lack of banter and communication between the instructor and the participants. If only I was able to tape the classes I taught in Argentina to show you all. They were outstanding. I would like my classes in Oz to be like that. For the moment, I don't have any classes, so it's not something I have to worry about anytime soon. Maybe.
I entered the group fitness room and it was great to be back. You still had the same hardcore participants as always in their preferred spots. Last year I had 'stolen' this woman's spot in every Pump class I did. She was there. But when she found out I was an instructor, she backed off! The instructor, Megan, came up on stage - she's the one I used to teach with in the good old days - and she remembered me by name, re-introduced me to the class and said I could join her on stage for a few tracks. However, as stated above, this was my first class since February. I had done my first Pump class on Sunday and I struggled getting through that whole class. If I struggled through a weights based class with little movement involved, it's only going to be worse with Combat, a cardio based martial arts class. Or so I thought. I decided to play the role of participant, staying down below and not joining Megan. While she introduced me to the class, she had mentioned that she tried calling me last year and this year to cover some classes for her (but as you know, I was overseas for 9 months) and I had disconnected my phone - only telling my close friends that I had done this. Mental note for next time: tell prospective employer's of number changing!
I went well with this class. Pretty well for someone who hasn't done it for 4 and a bit months. Being the competitive person I am, I was comparing with the other participants and my technique is still brill. It's just my endurance - naturally. But with cardio fitness, this is quick to regain. Quicker than muscle tone. So I was very happy to have had such a successful comeback to Combat. After the class I spoke to Megan, who told me that she had been promoted to Group Fitness Co-ordinator (the person who allocates classes to instructors, who finds covers in emergencies - and there are a fair few emergencies when it comes to instructors and their ability to rock up). She was happy that I was back because it means she has another instructor she can rely on for covers. Combat instructors are still hard to find. She had called in the past to see if I was interested in taking on a permanent class - as she knows me, she knows how I teach (as we have taught together), plus the members know me and know how I teach - and have given Megan good feedback about me. The group fitness timetable has just changed, so it's too late for me to have a permanent class, but she said she was going away next month and needed covers - and with me living just around the corner from the gym, I was only too happy to put my name down. So I'm back in the game! Just 5 days after arriving, I'm still on a roll :) Very happy!
Today I woke up with not as much soreness as I did after my Pump class on Sunday. Must have been the stretching, or the fact I'm getting used to the DOMS. Both are good reasons. I felt really great. I went to meet up with a high school friend in the city, my first time going into the city and catching a train since I've arrived. Still busy, the main shopping centre is still confusing (but they are opening up a cupcake shop soon!) that I got lost in there! The train announcers are still the same, the people are the same - and I wouldn't change any of it - except maybe the cleanliness of the trains, but it's all changing soon. On my first day, Mum told me that the company running the train network has been given the royal ass. There have been too many delays and cancellations. A company that takes care of the train network in Japan has won a contract to help improve Melbourne's train system. So I'm hoping we'll get cleaner transport, punctual services and Japanese sales ladies walking up and down the carriages offering food and drinks - and then bowing as they go from one carriage to the other! It's great - I love Melbourne! But I heard today that the main problem is with the tracks and their quality, so no amount of clean trains will help account for the delays. But I guess this company will cross that bridge when they get to it.
We had dinner at a place that looks like a bar, which I thought I had never been to. Turns out I have - last year when my best friend told me she was going to ask her boyfriend to marry her. She showed me the ring she got him at this restaurant/bar place. It was nice to go back. I had forgotten though how big their bloody servings are. I just got an entree soup and it was a huge bowl with bread on the side. It took me around an hour to finish it. Service is slow though, but it's not like we were hungry. It was nice to catch up with this girl who I have always randomly bumped into in and around the city.
Got home early and am realising how cold it gets in Melbourne, particularly in my apartment. But the good news is that in Summer time it's an absolute dream. There is no air con, but according to my Mum, you don't need one in this place. So I am looking forward to the end of the year!
I still have more catch up plans with people. Tomorrow I am supposedly helping my friend out. She is going to do her Pump training to become a Body Pump Instructor. I did this training 3 years ago and she wanted my help with teaching tracks, which is part of your 'make or break' assessment. These are tentative plans, but if they don't come to fruition, I am planning on going to the gym I used to work at (the one I grew to hate) in Carlton to a) try and get my group certificate so I can do my tax and get money to buy a Mac and b) do a Combat class with Chris, the instructor who has helped me out so much with giving me classes and being cool. She was the one that had a brain tumour re-surface, yet she was still way fitter than me and still teaching classes. It would be nice to see her, although I didn't leave things in the best of ways. I was just sick of working there and had to leave and I ended up resigning a month earlier than expected. Hopefully things are still fine. I'll look up the group fitness timetable to see if she is still teaching, but from memory she always took Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday's Combat classes. We'll see if things have changed.
It really is great to be blogging again! I'll soon be blogging the Spinach and Lamb Cobbler recipe I made yesterday. Delish!
I had gone back to the gym to do a Body Combat class which I hadn't done since February back in Argentina, when I was teaching the class. I promptly was reminded of the major differences between group fitness classes in Australia and Argentina. There is more 'personality' and 'life' in Arg. Instructors will ask a fun question and will usually get a smart assed funny answer from the participants, which makes everyone laugh and lightens the mood. There is a lot of coldness and distance with the classes in Australia. In Argentina, it feels like you're in a concert - people yelling and cheering and just being plain happy to be there. They go more for the social aspect of a class - meeting up with your friends, having fun etc. It's a bit more hardcore here in Oz. You have members taking it all so seriously and have a lack of banter and communication between the instructor and the participants. If only I was able to tape the classes I taught in Argentina to show you all. They were outstanding. I would like my classes in Oz to be like that. For the moment, I don't have any classes, so it's not something I have to worry about anytime soon. Maybe.
I entered the group fitness room and it was great to be back. You still had the same hardcore participants as always in their preferred spots. Last year I had 'stolen' this woman's spot in every Pump class I did. She was there. But when she found out I was an instructor, she backed off! The instructor, Megan, came up on stage - she's the one I used to teach with in the good old days - and she remembered me by name, re-introduced me to the class and said I could join her on stage for a few tracks. However, as stated above, this was my first class since February. I had done my first Pump class on Sunday and I struggled getting through that whole class. If I struggled through a weights based class with little movement involved, it's only going to be worse with Combat, a cardio based martial arts class. Or so I thought. I decided to play the role of participant, staying down below and not joining Megan. While she introduced me to the class, she had mentioned that she tried calling me last year and this year to cover some classes for her (but as you know, I was overseas for 9 months) and I had disconnected my phone - only telling my close friends that I had done this. Mental note for next time: tell prospective employer's of number changing!
I went well with this class. Pretty well for someone who hasn't done it for 4 and a bit months. Being the competitive person I am, I was comparing with the other participants and my technique is still brill. It's just my endurance - naturally. But with cardio fitness, this is quick to regain. Quicker than muscle tone. So I was very happy to have had such a successful comeback to Combat. After the class I spoke to Megan, who told me that she had been promoted to Group Fitness Co-ordinator (the person who allocates classes to instructors, who finds covers in emergencies - and there are a fair few emergencies when it comes to instructors and their ability to rock up). She was happy that I was back because it means she has another instructor she can rely on for covers. Combat instructors are still hard to find. She had called in the past to see if I was interested in taking on a permanent class - as she knows me, she knows how I teach (as we have taught together), plus the members know me and know how I teach - and have given Megan good feedback about me. The group fitness timetable has just changed, so it's too late for me to have a permanent class, but she said she was going away next month and needed covers - and with me living just around the corner from the gym, I was only too happy to put my name down. So I'm back in the game! Just 5 days after arriving, I'm still on a roll :) Very happy!
Today I woke up with not as much soreness as I did after my Pump class on Sunday. Must have been the stretching, or the fact I'm getting used to the DOMS. Both are good reasons. I felt really great. I went to meet up with a high school friend in the city, my first time going into the city and catching a train since I've arrived. Still busy, the main shopping centre is still confusing (but they are opening up a cupcake shop soon!) that I got lost in there! The train announcers are still the same, the people are the same - and I wouldn't change any of it - except maybe the cleanliness of the trains, but it's all changing soon. On my first day, Mum told me that the company running the train network has been given the royal ass. There have been too many delays and cancellations. A company that takes care of the train network in Japan has won a contract to help improve Melbourne's train system. So I'm hoping we'll get cleaner transport, punctual services and Japanese sales ladies walking up and down the carriages offering food and drinks - and then bowing as they go from one carriage to the other! It's great - I love Melbourne! But I heard today that the main problem is with the tracks and their quality, so no amount of clean trains will help account for the delays. But I guess this company will cross that bridge when they get to it.
We had dinner at a place that looks like a bar, which I thought I had never been to. Turns out I have - last year when my best friend told me she was going to ask her boyfriend to marry her. She showed me the ring she got him at this restaurant/bar place. It was nice to go back. I had forgotten though how big their bloody servings are. I just got an entree soup and it was a huge bowl with bread on the side. It took me around an hour to finish it. Service is slow though, but it's not like we were hungry. It was nice to catch up with this girl who I have always randomly bumped into in and around the city.
Got home early and am realising how cold it gets in Melbourne, particularly in my apartment. But the good news is that in Summer time it's an absolute dream. There is no air con, but according to my Mum, you don't need one in this place. So I am looking forward to the end of the year!
I still have more catch up plans with people. Tomorrow I am supposedly helping my friend out. She is going to do her Pump training to become a Body Pump Instructor. I did this training 3 years ago and she wanted my help with teaching tracks, which is part of your 'make or break' assessment. These are tentative plans, but if they don't come to fruition, I am planning on going to the gym I used to work at (the one I grew to hate) in Carlton to a) try and get my group certificate so I can do my tax and get money to buy a Mac and b) do a Combat class with Chris, the instructor who has helped me out so much with giving me classes and being cool. She was the one that had a brain tumour re-surface, yet she was still way fitter than me and still teaching classes. It would be nice to see her, although I didn't leave things in the best of ways. I was just sick of working there and had to leave and I ended up resigning a month earlier than expected. Hopefully things are still fine. I'll look up the group fitness timetable to see if she is still teaching, but from memory she always took Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday's Combat classes. We'll see if things have changed.
It really is great to be blogging again! I'll soon be blogging the Spinach and Lamb Cobbler recipe I made yesterday. Delish!
Tuesday, July 7
The Domestic Goddess is back
...and so is the TV watching goddess. Last night I saw 2 eps of Flight of the Conchords on 2 different channels on the same day. First one was great - they dissed nightclubs and Australians and I thought it was hilarious! I have heard others talk about this series and it wasn't until I caught my flight last week from Tokyo to Sydney that I saw about half an episode on the in-flight entertainment. QANTAS shut down the entertainment system 20 minutes before landing, so I missed half of it. I was happy to see it and am quickly becoming a fan. Maybe enough of a fan to raid JB HIFI and getting the series on DVD (I was thinking of going to get some MJ music anyway - they have a 2 CD's for $15 deal. All my MJ music is on tape. I've got the Dangerous album on cassette! As well as Roxette's 'Look Sharp'. Both of those albums are classics and I want to keep them. But for a better sound, it's better to get them on disc. May as well get my FOTC fix as well!)
Yesterday I also made a delicious vegetable soup - I've always made chicken and it was nice to know I have the knack for making vegetables - as well as chicken - so tasty. It's the same process I use for making chicken soup and there's a very useful tip that I use to make sure there is not such an overpowering vegetable or chicken flavour. I'll divulge it later, when I blog the recipe, even though some of you know it already! Maybe this will be my new thing. Blog about recipes that I would like to make, post the ones that I am going to make during the week, make them and have a review. Now that I have some more time on my hands and am wanting to expand my kitchen repertoire. My Mum wants to do the same as well and has an infinite supply of cookbooks and magazines with a huge list of recipes she has always wanted to make. With my newly keen interest in cooking, it will help me to plan out menus and be more organised in the kitchen instead of going straight for the junk food for lunch or dinner. What do you think?
Today I helped Mum with a recipe called Spinach and Lamb Cobbler, which is similar to a casserole with spinach fritters on a bed of minced lamb and red kidney beans. It's in the oven as I type this and we are hoping it comes out. I'd like to post the recipe a bit later after I've taste tested it. But I have a feeling I will like this one. It incorporates ingredients that I like - so it's nothing new, just a different take on lamb. I'm looking forward to eating this one.
Later in the day my Mum and I will be going up to the central Post Office in my area to pick up the last box I had sent from Spain 3 weeks ago. I wasn't expecting it until September, but it was a lovely surprise. I hadn't picked up the box earlier because the PO requires identification with my current address. The only photo ID with my home address would be my driver's licence, but when I moved to this place last May, I had delayed going up to the DMV (VicRoads is what they call it here in Victoria) to change the address, so it had my old one on there (it was a little bit of denial, as I didn't want to move). But it's been 14 months since the move and I've spent 9 of those months overseas. I have definitely accepted the move now! So yesterday I went to VicRoads to change my address. I was in and out in 5 minutes. Now I have the ID to take to the PO (Speaking in abbreviations is fun, btw!) So after having this lamb cobbler for lunch, we'll be on our way to getting my box. And I am still in the unpacking stage. My suitcase hasn't left the living room. Plus my first box from Spain and today my second box, also my loads of clean laundry which is piling up quickly. But before I start putting laundry away, there are plenty of clothes that I want to give away. Being away for 9 months has accustomed me to wearing and owning very little clothes and now that I have my wardrobe back, there's just way too much in there. So I am going to be giving away a lot of clothes. If I don't plan on wearing them, if I don't like them and if they don't fit, they are going.
Everytime I return from a big trip, there is always the feeling of renewal. You've just come back from vacation and you want to bring that renewed feeling you got on holidays into your everyday life. I managed to enrol for my PT course on the day I arrived from Japan, started classes 9 days later, moved out to my other place 3 weeks after getting back from Japan and found a job 3 weeks later. I'm on a roll now and I'm loving it. I've even managed to apply for some work and will be going into my previous workplace later this week to see the 'vibe'. The staff want me back but the manager seems to be a bit uncertain about it. She's a lovely woman, but I'm not sure she would want me back, or perhaps is looking for a full timer and knows fully well my long term career objective of opening up my own PT business. Perhaps I'm just making too much out of nothing, but I am on a roll and I want to see where it takes me.
The cobbler is almost done. Will post a recipe blog later :)
Yesterday I also made a delicious vegetable soup - I've always made chicken and it was nice to know I have the knack for making vegetables - as well as chicken - so tasty. It's the same process I use for making chicken soup and there's a very useful tip that I use to make sure there is not such an overpowering vegetable or chicken flavour. I'll divulge it later, when I blog the recipe, even though some of you know it already! Maybe this will be my new thing. Blog about recipes that I would like to make, post the ones that I am going to make during the week, make them and have a review. Now that I have some more time on my hands and am wanting to expand my kitchen repertoire. My Mum wants to do the same as well and has an infinite supply of cookbooks and magazines with a huge list of recipes she has always wanted to make. With my newly keen interest in cooking, it will help me to plan out menus and be more organised in the kitchen instead of going straight for the junk food for lunch or dinner. What do you think?
Today I helped Mum with a recipe called Spinach and Lamb Cobbler, which is similar to a casserole with spinach fritters on a bed of minced lamb and red kidney beans. It's in the oven as I type this and we are hoping it comes out. I'd like to post the recipe a bit later after I've taste tested it. But I have a feeling I will like this one. It incorporates ingredients that I like - so it's nothing new, just a different take on lamb. I'm looking forward to eating this one.
Later in the day my Mum and I will be going up to the central Post Office in my area to pick up the last box I had sent from Spain 3 weeks ago. I wasn't expecting it until September, but it was a lovely surprise. I hadn't picked up the box earlier because the PO requires identification with my current address. The only photo ID with my home address would be my driver's licence, but when I moved to this place last May, I had delayed going up to the DMV (VicRoads is what they call it here in Victoria) to change the address, so it had my old one on there (it was a little bit of denial, as I didn't want to move). But it's been 14 months since the move and I've spent 9 of those months overseas. I have definitely accepted the move now! So yesterday I went to VicRoads to change my address. I was in and out in 5 minutes. Now I have the ID to take to the PO (Speaking in abbreviations is fun, btw!) So after having this lamb cobbler for lunch, we'll be on our way to getting my box. And I am still in the unpacking stage. My suitcase hasn't left the living room. Plus my first box from Spain and today my second box, also my loads of clean laundry which is piling up quickly. But before I start putting laundry away, there are plenty of clothes that I want to give away. Being away for 9 months has accustomed me to wearing and owning very little clothes and now that I have my wardrobe back, there's just way too much in there. So I am going to be giving away a lot of clothes. If I don't plan on wearing them, if I don't like them and if they don't fit, they are going.
Everytime I return from a big trip, there is always the feeling of renewal. You've just come back from vacation and you want to bring that renewed feeling you got on holidays into your everyday life. I managed to enrol for my PT course on the day I arrived from Japan, started classes 9 days later, moved out to my other place 3 weeks after getting back from Japan and found a job 3 weeks later. I'm on a roll now and I'm loving it. I've even managed to apply for some work and will be going into my previous workplace later this week to see the 'vibe'. The staff want me back but the manager seems to be a bit uncertain about it. She's a lovely woman, but I'm not sure she would want me back, or perhaps is looking for a full timer and knows fully well my long term career objective of opening up my own PT business. Perhaps I'm just making too much out of nothing, but I am on a roll and I want to see where it takes me.
The cobbler is almost done. Will post a recipe blog later :)
Monday, July 6
Back in Australia
I returned home last week and was surprised at my energy levels. After spending such a wonderful time in Europe, I knew the moment I stepped foot in Japan, it was the beginning of my homecoming. That's because I lived in Japan and consider it my home. I knew how to navigate from Narita so well - I had done it so many times in the past. And as soon as I landed in Japan - albeit Tokyo - where I didn't live, it was home. Honestly it was a nice way for me to get the body used to being in a familiar environment again - all part of the homecoming process I guess!
I had 3 great days in Tokyo, even though I was sick with cold symptoms that I had got in Paris - after wandering the streets and admiring this city for 13 and a half hours on foot with only a flimsy Summery jacket, despite the temperature dramatically reducing to about 8 degrees centigrade at night. The cold symptoms had hit me hard on my first day in Japan. At Narita airport the officials were giving out slips of paper, urging people to come forward if they have any symptoms of a cold - and they had a list. Sore throat (check). Runny nose (check). Cough (check). Fever (check). As I didn't have any medication at all and was aware that Japanese medication is not all that strong, I was tempted to go up and say, "Hi, my name is Andrea and I have symptoms of the cold outlined in your most informative slip of paper". But I knew that I was going to be quarantined (perhaps at the Hilton!) and that was quite tempting. If I didn't get quarantined, then I would have at least had access to some medication. While all of this was starting to become a good idea in my feverish state, I still decided against it, as I knew it wasn't swine flu related - it was 'foreigner-wearing-summer-clothes-in-cold-temperatures' related. I knew I'd be fine and I was willing to naturally heal without any meds. However I did spend the first night shivering in my sleep and coughing quite a fair bit - and I was in a dorm style accommodation sharing with 15 others (everybody still had their privacy - I may upload pics of my room, as it was one of the great hostel experiences I have ever had). As I was coughing and feeling icky, I had not slept much and by the time my symptoms subsided a bit and I had fallen asleep, I woke up at 1pm to find that someone had left me an 8 tablet pack of Nurofen on my suitcase. I was SO grateful and was keen to find out who this beautiful soul was to thank them in person. I saw the meds and had 2 straight away. After having 'breakfast' I was feeling 10 times better and knew I would enjoy my stay in Japan a lot more now that I had some decent medication.
I spent time in Tokyo doing the things and going to the places I didn't have time for on my last visit - the very busy business end of Tokyo - Shinjuku, one of the museums. Met some more lovely Japanese people at the museum who were helping me out with translating the all Japanese exhibits, so I was very humbled and very grateful throughout my whole stay in Japan. I can only say good things about Japan - and not only as a resident, but as a tourist as well. Going to Japan straight after the fru-fru arrogance of the Frenchies in Paris was a fantastic idea (I did get some great politeness and positive experiences in France, but it was nowhere near as consistent as it was in Japan).
After my 3 days in Tokyo, I made my way to visit an old friend who lived in the same Japanese city as me in the good ol days. She now lives in Omiya, a 45 minute train ride from downtown Tokyo. It was such a buzz to see yet another familiar face on my round the world travels (I will be backtracking, but not yet!) After a quick lunch with her, I made my way to Sendai, the city I used to live in and on the bullet train ride up there, I was getting goosebumps, especially as we were coming up to Sendai station. I'd taken this ride so many times and it was a bit odd not having my old apartment to go home to, but instead a hotel. The good thing is I know Sendai so well that I didn't even need a map. I arrived at the station and knew EXACTLY where to go - a nice change after all my travels to new destinations, where a map is mandatory. Found my hotel easily and without a rest, I explored my old neighbourhood and my former workplace. Such great memories.
The next day I met up with a new friend who lives in Sendai - a friend of a friend of mine - who I met through the lovely Chris and Olympia - and we went exploring Sendai together. Of course, a visit to Sendai is only complete when you go to Namaskar, the BEST Indian restaurant in Japan. When I lived here, every Sunday this restaurant had an all-you-can-eat buffet for AUD$15. They still had it - and now it's AUD$12 for the same quality and it was really a gastronomic trip down memory lane. I took photos and the chefs were laughing!
On the Monday I went to Matsushima Island, which is apparently one of the 3 places in Japan where you can get great views of the oceans and mountains. I'd been there twice before, but it was still lovely to go back.
Tuesday was a nothing day, but at night I met up with one of my new friends I made in Sendai courtesy of my Japanese friend I had only met on Sunday at Namaskar. We did a night tour of the city and it still felt as comfortable and beautiful as it was when I lived there. Almost brought a tear to my eye.
Wednesday was my last day before having to leave to Narita. I managed to catch up with another friend - I had tried to arrange a meeting but didn't have her correct email address or phone number (Thanks Chris!) But thanks to my friend in Australia, I managed to get her correct details (Thanks Stu!) and squeezed in one last minute catch up with her before leaving Sendai. Being back - like I said - was the beginning of the whole homecoming process and I guess it helped when I got back to Melbourne - my first home. In Sendai I had time to myself and time with my old and new friends. By the time I got to Melbourne I was rested - and on the day I actually arrived in Melbs, I dropped off my suitcase at home and went out with my best friend, went to my former workplace to check in with my old boss and friends, and then caught up with my best mate's fiancee and his family. If I hadn't stayed in Sendai - a familiar place that I call my 3rd home (2nd being Argentina), I assure you I would have stayed at home and done nothing!
This weekend that has gone past I caught up with 2 of my good friends who got engaged while I was away. I have spent lots of time catching up with old friends and discovering how happy I am with Melbourne. It's true that you do not realise how great the city you live in is until you leave it - even on holiday. I got back and was thrilled to see that shops are open on Sundays - something that is impossible to see in Europe (unless you go to the shops owned by the Chinese - they are the only ones open!)
I am settling back and looking for work, which has always been easy for me. There is an opening at my old job, where all my former colleagues (they ALL want me back!) have told me to speak to the manager to get my old job back. My long term plans for work: I plan to set up my own personal training business. But I do need a car. That is my major expense. And I do need start up capital. So I want to do a part time or casual gig just so I can get that money and then focus on my PT business. So I am considering going back. I am leaving my options wide open and am open to everything that comes my way. I'm popping into my old work this week and seeing how things are.
Great to be blogging again :)
I had 3 great days in Tokyo, even though I was sick with cold symptoms that I had got in Paris - after wandering the streets and admiring this city for 13 and a half hours on foot with only a flimsy Summery jacket, despite the temperature dramatically reducing to about 8 degrees centigrade at night. The cold symptoms had hit me hard on my first day in Japan. At Narita airport the officials were giving out slips of paper, urging people to come forward if they have any symptoms of a cold - and they had a list. Sore throat (check). Runny nose (check). Cough (check). Fever (check). As I didn't have any medication at all and was aware that Japanese medication is not all that strong, I was tempted to go up and say, "Hi, my name is Andrea and I have symptoms of the cold outlined in your most informative slip of paper". But I knew that I was going to be quarantined (perhaps at the Hilton!) and that was quite tempting. If I didn't get quarantined, then I would have at least had access to some medication. While all of this was starting to become a good idea in my feverish state, I still decided against it, as I knew it wasn't swine flu related - it was 'foreigner-wearing-summer-clothes-in-cold-temperatures' related. I knew I'd be fine and I was willing to naturally heal without any meds. However I did spend the first night shivering in my sleep and coughing quite a fair bit - and I was in a dorm style accommodation sharing with 15 others (everybody still had their privacy - I may upload pics of my room, as it was one of the great hostel experiences I have ever had). As I was coughing and feeling icky, I had not slept much and by the time my symptoms subsided a bit and I had fallen asleep, I woke up at 1pm to find that someone had left me an 8 tablet pack of Nurofen on my suitcase. I was SO grateful and was keen to find out who this beautiful soul was to thank them in person. I saw the meds and had 2 straight away. After having 'breakfast' I was feeling 10 times better and knew I would enjoy my stay in Japan a lot more now that I had some decent medication.
I spent time in Tokyo doing the things and going to the places I didn't have time for on my last visit - the very busy business end of Tokyo - Shinjuku, one of the museums. Met some more lovely Japanese people at the museum who were helping me out with translating the all Japanese exhibits, so I was very humbled and very grateful throughout my whole stay in Japan. I can only say good things about Japan - and not only as a resident, but as a tourist as well. Going to Japan straight after the fru-fru arrogance of the Frenchies in Paris was a fantastic idea (I did get some great politeness and positive experiences in France, but it was nowhere near as consistent as it was in Japan).
After my 3 days in Tokyo, I made my way to visit an old friend who lived in the same Japanese city as me in the good ol days. She now lives in Omiya, a 45 minute train ride from downtown Tokyo. It was such a buzz to see yet another familiar face on my round the world travels (I will be backtracking, but not yet!) After a quick lunch with her, I made my way to Sendai, the city I used to live in and on the bullet train ride up there, I was getting goosebumps, especially as we were coming up to Sendai station. I'd taken this ride so many times and it was a bit odd not having my old apartment to go home to, but instead a hotel. The good thing is I know Sendai so well that I didn't even need a map. I arrived at the station and knew EXACTLY where to go - a nice change after all my travels to new destinations, where a map is mandatory. Found my hotel easily and without a rest, I explored my old neighbourhood and my former workplace. Such great memories.
The next day I met up with a new friend who lives in Sendai - a friend of a friend of mine - who I met through the lovely Chris and Olympia - and we went exploring Sendai together. Of course, a visit to Sendai is only complete when you go to Namaskar, the BEST Indian restaurant in Japan. When I lived here, every Sunday this restaurant had an all-you-can-eat buffet for AUD$15. They still had it - and now it's AUD$12 for the same quality and it was really a gastronomic trip down memory lane. I took photos and the chefs were laughing!
On the Monday I went to Matsushima Island, which is apparently one of the 3 places in Japan where you can get great views of the oceans and mountains. I'd been there twice before, but it was still lovely to go back.
Tuesday was a nothing day, but at night I met up with one of my new friends I made in Sendai courtesy of my Japanese friend I had only met on Sunday at Namaskar. We did a night tour of the city and it still felt as comfortable and beautiful as it was when I lived there. Almost brought a tear to my eye.
Wednesday was my last day before having to leave to Narita. I managed to catch up with another friend - I had tried to arrange a meeting but didn't have her correct email address or phone number (Thanks Chris!) But thanks to my friend in Australia, I managed to get her correct details (Thanks Stu!) and squeezed in one last minute catch up with her before leaving Sendai. Being back - like I said - was the beginning of the whole homecoming process and I guess it helped when I got back to Melbourne - my first home. In Sendai I had time to myself and time with my old and new friends. By the time I got to Melbourne I was rested - and on the day I actually arrived in Melbs, I dropped off my suitcase at home and went out with my best friend, went to my former workplace to check in with my old boss and friends, and then caught up with my best mate's fiancee and his family. If I hadn't stayed in Sendai - a familiar place that I call my 3rd home (2nd being Argentina), I assure you I would have stayed at home and done nothing!
This weekend that has gone past I caught up with 2 of my good friends who got engaged while I was away. I have spent lots of time catching up with old friends and discovering how happy I am with Melbourne. It's true that you do not realise how great the city you live in is until you leave it - even on holiday. I got back and was thrilled to see that shops are open on Sundays - something that is impossible to see in Europe (unless you go to the shops owned by the Chinese - they are the only ones open!)
I am settling back and looking for work, which has always been easy for me. There is an opening at my old job, where all my former colleagues (they ALL want me back!) have told me to speak to the manager to get my old job back. My long term plans for work: I plan to set up my own personal training business. But I do need a car. That is my major expense. And I do need start up capital. So I want to do a part time or casual gig just so I can get that money and then focus on my PT business. So I am considering going back. I am leaving my options wide open and am open to everything that comes my way. I'm popping into my old work this week and seeing how things are.
Great to be blogging again :)
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