My thoughts often wander to the homeless people especially during the cooler weather like autumn and winter. It’s not only cold and wet, some days it just windy and the chill really eats right into your bones! It’s just absolutely terrible.

Just yesterday on the train when it stopped at one of the station on the way to work, there was a homeless man at the station, talking to himself. I think most of them just go insane after sometime due to various reasons I’m sure but mostly I think it’s due to loneliness and no companionship. If there’s no one to talk to, then you just talk to yourself I guess. Anyway, seeing him made me think where he would be spending the night as it was potentially going to be a cold one. And it’s nothing new for me to think this way especially when I’m home, with a roof over my head and a bed with warm sheets. Not to mention sufficient food on the table and surrounded by people who love and care for me. What do these homeless people have? They literally have nothing and they live one day at a time. I bet they don’t know what tomorrow hold or if there’ll be another tomorrow.

It’s just so sad. I’ve heard of shelters that they can go to and the Vinnies van (St. Vincent de Paul Society, a well known group that helps the poor and needy), that provide food every now and then but nothing is certain. There is definitely more homeless people around than the help that is being given out. This is why I always remind myself that although I may not have much, I have more than enough to live a comfortable life. We may not be rich but we have more than enough to know that there will be food on the table tomorrow and a roof over our head to call our own.

These may be simple basics but when you put it into context, it certainly beats having to live out on the streets or out of a car. With the turn of economy for the worst recently, many people have been forced to sell up their homes and live out of their car. It’s times these that I hug my kids tight and thank the Lord for the many blessings that he has showered upon us.

I hope that poor man is alright and found a nice place to keep as warm as he can.

It’s become a terrible daily addiction for me to have at least something from the canteen. It’s very painful for my pocket too. And most of the time, I cave in and get myself a hot choc. The small one is $2.80 and the large is $3.30. I’ve tried both and come to the conclusion that it isn’t worth it to get the small one so I always end up with the large. Since I’ve decided to ‘donate’ my temptations should I give in to this charity box I have sitting on my table, I came up with a better plan. *I cheated yesterday – was craving for a hot choc and told myself, ‘Nup!’ and put in $3.30 but as time went by, I caved in and got me a small one instead. I’m just pathetic, I tells ya!*

Last night I went for some late night shopping and decided to get me a tin of Milo and I did. That costed me $4.90 for a 450g tin and wasn’t the special’s price. But you know what, that costs less than 2 large hot chocs!! =.= I am rather glad that I bought it now and should have thought to buy this earlier. So as I’m enjoying my hot Milo now….I’m thinking of all the money I’m going to save from not spending at the canteen so I can splurge on fabric!! *lol*

O, o, o…..HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LOVE!!!!

Here’s wishing a very happy besday with lots of love, hugs and kisses from us, your 3 girls. We love you, Daddy!!!! *muaks*

Crikey! Imagine my utter surprise when I got dragged out of the office by security and made Evacuation Warden on the spot. I had to attend a emergency meeting where I was totally lost and blur – bet I looked more like a blur sotong than a lost sheep!

Thank goodness my only concern was to ensure my office, canteen and toilets nearby the canteen were empty. I wasn’t required to carry a checklist of students or anything like that. My only question was, “Where do I go?”, as in where was the collection area coz Lord knows I can’t get a grip of the locations of the buildings around. It must be one of those navigation skills that I’m really bad at. Yes, I suck at reading maps and getting from one place to another going by maps.

So I really had to be sure where I was, and was going to head.
I didn’t know when the alarm would go off and just when I settled into my chair and about to check my mail, the alarm goes off and I’m like, “Crap!!!”. I’m off like a bullet, struggling to put on this 3XL fluorescent jacket that is practically hanging on me and trying to get people out of the canteen. I felt so stupid to be honest. And I think it was mainly coz I knew that it was a drill and not the real thing. I suppose things would to totally different if it was for real. Anyway, turns out that I didn’t have to shoo the canteen people out coz they were more efficient than I was. *lol* I think I was more like a headless chook running around trying to get my head around things. I have to admit that I didn’t check the boys toilet although I was meant to – shyla! So told Security and Tony kicked the doors in just like in telly! Fuh….so drama man.

Was about 10 minutes before everything was cleared and we were allowed to go back to the office. Tony told me after that I should be the last one to leave the building coz I need to make sure that no one is left behind coz apparently I was with the crowd as they moved to the collection area. *LOL* What a joke! But it’s ok, now I know.
So here I am, officially the Evacuation Warden. Heh.

All that walking I’ve been doing will soon be useless if I carry on what I’ve been doing almost daily!! >.< Where I work, my office is located in the canteen – literally. Fatty foods like chips, wedges, nachos and my absolute fav, hot choc is really just around the corner and it is no joke to resist the temptation to just walk around the corner of less then 5m to get any one of those indulgences! Of course they have other evil foods like ice cream and choc too but I try to not take notice of them.

When I first came here, I told myself that I wouldn’t spend money at the canteen coz they are a bit pricey but I soon caved in when I first bought me a bag of chips. =.= That was my downfall….my crumbled Berlin wall, my ever leaning Pisa tower. I was defeated. Tragically. I’m actually having a hot choc right now!!!! O.O

And to add insult to injury, it’s Lent and it is the month of abstinence. Here I am gorging my face with things that I should sacrifice. I did tell Ted that I’ll take my little charity box to work and each time I feel like I’m going to go get something to munch from the canteen, I’d put the money in there instead. I have haven’t done it yet. I really must do something about this. I feel guilty but at the same time, I’m really enjoying my hot choc. It is my fav drink….so while I wallow in my guilt today while enjoying my last cup of hot choc for the week – we get to indulge ourselves on Sunday, I will begin anew tomorrow. Promise.

Have you worked in an office that you didn’t like? Or perhaps you’re not happy with your work coz you don’t like doing what you do? I know that there are many people out there who don’t enjoy their work coz they are only working to bring home the ham. In another words, they have no choice so they just stick it out. I guess I have been blessed in a way that I’ve never not liked any job that I have had except the time when I was made to work the phones as Customer Service. Omg, that was the worst job that I ever did and I wouldn’t do it again unless I was forced to!

My favourite job was when I was the Office Admin at my previous workplace. I love that job and I would not have left if I didn’t have to move out here. It was the closest thing to my dream job. My ultimate dream job would include caring for animals and although an office job is a far cry from cleaning up animal poo, working in that office was just super! I worked with people from all over the world, made loads of friends from all over the world and even got pressies from all over the world too. Mama always taught me if you’re nice to people, people will be nice to you. So next time you treat someone bad, reflect and think if you like to be treated that way. And that my friend, ought to straighten your attitude up a little.

Of course it wasn’t smooth sailing all the way but more often than not, it was all good. And life becomes easy when your bosses don’t think lowly of you, respect and treat you as their own. I never once felt as if I was looked down upon just because I was clerical. In fact, I think most of the bosses came down to my level and I am truly appreciative of that. I think that is the western culture to be honest. I hardly ever had Monday blues, in fact, most of the time, I look forward to going back to work and I think that goes to show how much I enjoy it. I poured my heart and soul into it and that is why I was never bothered or felt it was a chore to come in and do extra hours. Also, I only lived like 20mins away by car. J

Sadly, not everyone is like that and when your heart is not in it, the people who are associated with what you do suffer. One good example is where I’m currently at. While the OIC has gone off for another project, he failed to hand over his job properly to the person taking over. And while he thought that that person was coming in, she didn’t so I ended up taking her place. While I don’t mind doing the job coz this is the kind of job I like where I work on my own and do my own thing. I don’t like it when people tell me how to do things. I’m more of a results person, like a ‘I don’t care how you do it, as long as it gets done’ kind a person. So when I don’t have anyone to report to or bug me, I am as happy as a pig in the mud! The only problem is that I am having issue with mixed messages and miscommunication.

It’s hard to decide what the best and right thing to do when you’ve got 3 people trying to tell you what to do and they all don’t sound right. I’m all for keeping things simple and according to guidelines. I don’t like any hanky-panky, wishy-washy stuff. Also, I normally try to make things work better and not add more work to what I already have/am required to do. So I’ve pretty much decided that I will to my best knowledge abide by the rules and if X wants to turn everything back to how it was during his ‘reign’, then that’s up to him. But for now, I stand my ground and go by the books.

Guess what happened to me?? I got lost taking the wrong train home! *LOL*

This happened on Friday as I was on my way back home. Normally the train I take takes me straight to my suburb. Somehow, maybe due to overexcitement since it was the beginning of the weekend, I had inadvertently got onto the wrong train – and I didn’t know it!! And like clockwork, I took my book out to read – the book I’m currently reading is Duma Key by Stephen King. It was only when I looked up after about 10 minutes or so when the train stopped at this rather remote station which it normally doesn’t, that I realised I was on the wrong train!!! I panicked, and I just froze – as usual. When I freak out, I freeze and just go numb and blank. This was my first time ever getting lost!! Anyhoo, when I came to my sense, I quickly called Ted and told him about it. He told me to get off at the next station and take a train either back to Liverpool station or to Granville and make my way back.

So I got off at the next station, in the nick of time and waited for another train back to Liverpool. Anyways, suffice to say that I did reach home in one piece. J Now, while I was on the train back to Liverpool….it wasn’t so packed but the number of people who were all talking at the same time really make it so noisy! Why? Simply because there was Tagalog spoken behind me, 4 kiddies talking loudly in Vietnamese beside me and in front of me was another dialect as well. I think it was one of the Thai dialects. So, just imagine the racket! Gave me a bloody headache it did….thank goodness some of the kids got off and I got some peace. Otherwise, I reckon I would have just screamed my head off! This experience really brought about the absolute meaning of multi-racial.

It really doesn’t get better than this.