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Some photos – while I think of something to write!

Monday, August 11th, 2008

Scotland Loch Ness Scotland  Scotland Hamish the Highland Cow, Scotland

Latin Festival Naomi and Lija Latin Festival   Rise Festival Naomi, Mara and Lija Rise Festival   O2 Festival  Mara and Lija O2 Wireless Festival

Brighton weekend Brighton Pier   Brighton weekend Gill, Naomi and Lija Brighton Walkie  Brighton weekend  Gill, Naomi, Pam and Lija Brighton  Brighton weekend  Gill and Naomi Brighton Hostel (first drinks)

    

Update – a long time coming

Sunday, June 15th, 2008

Okay so it’s been almost two months since I properly wrote in my journal, so hopefully this entry won’t seem too rushed but I want to update everyone and also get up to speed on current happenings…

So returning from Turkey coincided with the end of the 6-month rental agreement Mara and I had with Keymoves, in Bromley-By-Bow. I initially was very settled in East London; had gym, trainer, people to see, kickboxing nearby etc, BUT anyhow, due to some personal circumstances and also considering I had my new job at the NHS in Victoria, I decided it would be a good time to move onto the other side of London – almost another world away! So I moved to Battersea Park – Battersea and Chelsea run into each other in South/West London, and are quite the posh area to live, however, I’m actually in Battersea Park Estate so a bit like being ‘on the other side of the tracks’!!! Many shops and just a short bus ride to Clapham Junction which has loads of things there; however it’s on the National Rail which isn’t so bad being 1 stop from Victoria (work), however the trains aren’t nearly as often as a tube and so lately I’ve instead been taking the bus each morning to get to work! It’s quite nice to be above-ground with fresh air and being able to read a good book on the way into work.

So I moved house and hence gym, local shops etc all change also. I now shop at ASDA on weekends! It’s quite a cheap shop for those who don’t know. I guess I’m lucky that London offers flexibility to change things in an attempt to make life in general seem better… so after a few hectic weeks involving situations and moving house etc, my boss called me into his office for a ‘bringing to task’ speech, where he told me I hadn’t been performing well over the past few weeks and that I seemed to be reading the paper or being online during the days, and also coming and going at all different times… so I agreed to one point only, that I had been slack lately and that would change, however I stook my ground on the other points! I am employed specifically as his Personal Assistant, and explained that if he doesn’t give me work to do, then I have no work to do! Hence why I read the paper or go online. I also explained that seeing as he doesn’t have much work to do, to pass onto me, that when he does actually give me work I make it drag out over the day to stop me being so bored with nothing to do come the afternoon! I also explained I’d only ever taken two lunchbreaks since I started working there, and I start at 08:30am every morning, then no lunch break, and so that’s why I leave ‘early’ at 4:30pm, which is STILL working an extra hour each day! And I showed him my flextime sheets recording all my movements. So ‘two up’ to him. I stated my intention to resign the following week. And so for the last month every morning I begin by asking him for work… and asking again before he goes out to a meeting, and also telling him when I come/go for lunch on those occasions! Gosh without being too slanderous, he seems weak of character, or at least uncomfortable trying to ‘bring someone to task’ as he was with me. The whole 15 minute conversation he sat there with this smug/weird smiling thing on his face and was quite surprised when I said ‘yep that’s fine, I agree I’ve been distracted lately and I’ll pick up the slack right away’ he was like ‘ohh. okay’. As my HR officer said anyway, he can’t actually threaten me with ‘you’ll be gone in a few weeks if this doens’t change’ as the NHS and all Government employees have a certain list of things which needs to be done for a grievance or dismissal! You would think he would know those things…. obvioulsy not. IT’s strange too, as he didn’t seem to realise you need to tender for certain works to be done until another team member explained it to him… Heaven forbid we are actually audited or someone applies for certain freedom-of-information documents as my boss and some external people would probably be done for some form on insider trading!

Anyhow as much as I love the health department; I definitely prefer the NT/Australian system which just seems to work and isn’t so disjointed as here, and I definitely prefer a more ‘hands on’ type role, like in a Hospital or CEO office, and working with people who actually have healthcare experience. Most of my current Healthcare for London team has never even worked in a bloody hospital of GP clinic, and yet it’s them, along with pan-london consultations that are deciding the 10 year plan of healthcare in London!!!

GALLIPOLI – reflection one month on

Monday, May 26th, 2008
Well, ANZAC Day in Gallipoli was definitely an experience of a lifetime and one I would encourage any Aussies and Kiwis, even Turks and Brits to attend (oh and the French), as all of those countries lost men fighting for ... [Continue reading this entry]

a small pause

Sunday, May 4th, 2008
Well I've just written so much, and waffled on about Istanbul and it's sights that I'm going to regather my thoughts before writing about my actual ANZAC day experience

Touring Turkey (start of 5 day tour)

Sunday, May 4th, 2008
The Wednesday morning (our day 3, but tour day 1) was an early start, where Mara and I were near-close to being first for breakfast. Yum, the hotel (4*) did put on a good breakfast. The only problems with the ... [Continue reading this entry]

Turkey and Istanbul

Sunday, May 4th, 2008
Quite a while ago, after attending services for years in Alice Springs, I decided I really wanted to attend the ANZAC Day memorial this year, in Gallipoli (Galibolu), Turkey. After searching through TNT Magazine Mara and I decided on OnTheGo tours and ... [Continue reading this entry]

Kick boxing!

Sunday, May 4th, 2008
Okay so a while ago I was feeling a bit down on London and meeting new people (lack of etc) so my friend Ali suggested I join a 'team sport' instead of just going to gym... so after much research ... [Continue reading this entry]

April, now over

Thursday, May 1st, 2008
Well what a busy time it has been lately - April came and went very quickly. I gave my month's notice on the 18 Holsworthy sharehouse and am still trying to get the agents to give back my deposit, or ... [Continue reading this entry]

The Olympic Flame comes to London!

Sunday, April 6th, 2008
Today, Sunday 6 April the Olympic Torch came on it's journey through London. Naomi, a colleague of mine from when I used to work for 2012 and I met up at Canary Wharf (with me running late) JUST in time ... [Continue reading this entry]

British Summer Time…

Sunday, April 6th, 2008
Well it has been done - I have survived a British winter. Last Sunday morning at 0200 hours we had to wind forward the clocks one hour, so that we now have more hours of sunligh, and nicely the sun ... [Continue reading this entry]