10 posts tagged “unemployment”
Mothers are suppose to love their young. Even when the young are not so young. I have always held that to be true. Until yesterday...
My sister just phoned to tell me about a "discussion" she had with her 3 and a half year old granddaughter yesterday. Miss3 was in a bad mood all morning while Grandma was babysitting her and her brother. In the end Grandma told her to go the naughty corner and SIT!
Miss3 said "I am going to tell my mother on you!"
Grandma replied "Well, I will tell your father on you!" knowing full well that father carried more weight.
Miss3 sat very quietly for some time and then gradually came back to being Grandma's best girl. At the end of the day her brother, 5 asked if Grandma was still going to tell Daddy about naughty sister. Grandma said, no as she had been a good girl all afternoon.
Miss3 declared "Well, just as well I put my mind to good, then!"
I know just how she feels. I have been a cranky Flamingo Dancer the last 24 hours and poor Mr FD has wondered about the monster he came home to last night. I wanted to tell him that it was the humidity, all the negative attitudes coming at me in the media, other people's narrow views (do not blame PM Kevin Rudd for this economic mess, please!), the fact that I deserve a job, and that I am still 5 kg heavier than I want to be...but I just let him think it was HIS fault. I needed to rain on someone's parade and he was the nearest and dearest target. That's marriage.
Maybe I can put my mind to good before he gets home from work today. Where's the vodka bottle?
Didn't quite make the closet cleaning. I had the bright thought that before I started that I would cut up some palm fronds that needed to go into the garbage for collection tomorrow (find fronds do not compost well). So I huffed and puffed and cut up the fronds into pieces that would fit in the wheelie bin and LO the Flamingo Dancer back did not play the game, so I spent the rest of the day putting ice on my back and feeling sorry for myself.
Off to physio today. A new physio as my usual lovely physio resigned, I think I wore her out, and so now I have to tell my life story to a new physio. I bet she is really excited that I am coming too!
So a plus of being unemployed is that I have the downtime to recover...that whole statement is a joke. I don't want to be unemployed and I wont ever recover fully...but hey, I could be Laura Bush and having to spend every day with George and listen to his constant wondering why the people don't like him....life could be worse.
I have perfected bitter and twisted in the workplace to a fine art.
I may go on the road with it.
No job news – for anyone in the Basement of Discontent
Ever one is getting very edgy at work. Some of it may be due to the sugar high we all got from the pre-pre Christmas farewell morning tea we gave ourselves this morning. SWKK wanted it and said “lets do food and gifts” next Friday and we all said yes, okay, we will, in that weak voice you get when you are being polite, but completely lack enthusiasm of any kind. Then I decided god damn it I am going to take my flex day on Friday after all and changed my hair appointment to Friday and said I can’t make Friday for food and gifts, and lo, SWKK said what about Thursday? and hence the sugar high.
We came with our little gifts – except for SWKK who said something about bringing hers tomorrow, next week, whatever. We of course handed ours over…I have no doubt that she will produce something for us before she leaves next week, but I suspect, I know, it will be of lesser value. The Assistant gave her a musical snow globe, from one of the cheap and nasty shops we all love so much, only when SWKK went to play the music there was no key with which to wind it , so she just got to shake it….poetic isn’t it! Best big jolly I had this week!
SWKK also made a pavlova. Now, a good Aussie pav is always filled with cream and topped with fruits such as strawberries, kiwi fruit, passionfruit etc. Well, the Assistant wont eat fruit. She was traumatized by a banana at an early age and so won’t go near any fruit item. So SWKK, in her milk of human kindness mode, flavoured the whipped cream with chocolate powder and put chocolate flakes over the top. We all went, mmmm mmmm, lovely. And it was to a degree, but it just didn’t seem right. A pavlova has fruit, and chocolate whipped cream just seemed like blasphemy. Maybe it is the catholic side of me again. Some things you don’t mess with…however it was nice.
Now, with sugar pulsating through every vein and artery, we feel like punching people out. Especially the people who feign empathy or sympathy but it is really just a guise to gather gossip. GO AWAY. GO AWAY NOW, BEFORE I SMASH YOUR FACE INTO WHAT REMAINS OF THE CHOCOLATE PAV.
The End – may it be soon.
We have been trying to start cutting back on expenses in anticipation of my upcoming redundancy:
I have cancelled or not renewed subscriptions to magazines or newspaper.
I have learnt to say no to charities - ouch - choosing one or two dear to our hearts
No junkfood or eating out - maybe the occasional coffee and cake, but little else. We rarely go out anyway.
Making simpler meals at home - more fresh foods and less buying of things like prepared sauces.
Buying specials at the grocery market. When I see something on special eg margarine, where once I might have bought 2 or 3 I now buy 6 or more. Luckily we have the extra fridge space. Also buying items of lesser quality - do I really need 52 ply toilet paper?
Buying fewer cleaning products and using more tried and true old homemade products - better for the earth too!
I am gradually buying christmas food before prices go up closer to Christmas. I am also asking family members to bring a dish for Christmas Day celebrations also, where we usually provide all.
I HAVE STOPPED BUYING BOOKS. Time to read the zillions I have waiting to be read anyway.
Not buying clothes unless needed. I certainly don't need office clothes if I am not going to be going to an office!
Cutting back on Christmas gifts - maybe 1 or 2 each for the children not the pile that parent guilt makes me buy each year even though they are adults.
Not using my clothes dryer when it rains - the clothes go onto an airer even if it makes the house look like a chinese laundry.
Growing some of our own vegeables like lettuce and tomato.
Not joining in the bakery run at work - I can live without that sausage roll!
Trying to control wants so avoid places that cause us to impulse buy. Saying no to those things that "speak" to me is hard but not impossible.
This one is a little naughty, but is allowed - driving Mr FD's company car at the weekend rather than our own car. Well it is a fully maintained vehicle, it is just that we normally like to drive our own car more.
Suggestions welcome.
There was this toilet. I was sitting on it. And I tried to stand, but the mean giant's paw just pounded down on my back and I felt like I couldn't stand upright. My right shoulder slumped lower than my left. The pain was everywhere. I remembered to flush though.
I spent today mostly horizontal except for a visit to my physiotherapist. I am back in the lovely neck collar. Isn't it all wonderful? My life just keep getting better and better. I did a high class impersonation of quasimoto following the physio into her treatment room and climbing onto the table. Yes master. She was kind and kept a straight face, bless her. However, half way into the treatment she announces that she has resigned and is leaving in 3 weeks and would I prefer to see a male or female physiotherapist in the future? She is the 2nd physio I have worn out. I am starting to take it personally. Oh they might say that they are pregnant, or in this instance, say that she needs time off to get preganant, but I know I am too much for them. She is upset that she hasn't been able to fix me before she leaves ... gee why would she expect that after only 4 years of treatment? I wish her well, but I wish me better.
I told my physio that when the giant attacked me all I could hear was her voice in my head saying "remember your posture". She is always reminding me to remember my posture, and would expect good posture on the loo just as much as anywhere else. She told me that there is actually a correct posture for sitting on the toilet seat. Yes, back straight as expected but also the feet should be on tiptoes! This posture helps to unkink the little kink we all have at the end of our bowel. The asian squat is actually the best posture of all. Another thing my mother never told me! How could mother expel me into the world without equipping me with that knowledge! Mother has failed me yet again.
It has been pouring down with rain for the past 4 hours or so and I just checked the weather map and they have issued flood warning for some of the streams and rivers in south east Queensland. I don't think it is too bad, not yet anyway. If it doesn't stop raining soon we may been looking for our floaties though...Mr FD is on a road trip and due home tomorrow night - hopefully no road issues for him. The rain is so heavy that the sound of it on the roof is preventing me from falling asleep. That and the giant's paw on my back.
Daughter 2 locked herself out of her apartment tonight and her housemate is away until tomorrow so Daughter 1 had to go and rescue her. She has come home for the night, which was a nice surprise from my point of view. Hopefully friend will be able to get back tomorrow and all will be well. And yes, have told her to give us spare keys in future!
I saw a woman riding a scooter yesterday in the rain. She was wearing a purple and yellow rain poncho, which billowed out behind her like a super hero's cape. Maybe she was rushing to save the world, but to me she looked like a violet crumble bar chocolate on wheels.
Met the hierarchy of the organisation taking over the Basement of Discontent yesterday too. They told us that they really value corporate knowledge blah blah blah and that we could apply for jobs with them when they are advertised next week. At less money. Gracious don't you think? I had to spend some time with their IT guy explaining all our systems and how he could harvest all our data and no doubt you can all guess how excited I was to do that! I bear no grudge towards them - not their fault that our mothership no longer loves us. I had a one on one meet and greet with a couple of their lovelies and they pretended interest in who and what I was, and I told them that I just want my life back, NOW! At the same time my resume got sent out by central HR to other distant parts of our parent organisation telling them that I am now available for the asking. I am sure that the stampede for my talents will start any year now.
*Violet Crumble is an Australian chocolate bar manufactured in Campbellfield near Melbourne, Australia, by Nestlé. It is one of the best selling chocolate bars in Australia. Violet Crumble is also common in Hawaii, but can also be found in other places (including New Zealand).
The bar is a crumbly honeycomb-like substance coated in compound chocolate. It is similar to the Crunchie made by Cadbury.
The slogan for the chocolate bar is "It's the way it shatters that matters" (replacing the previous slogan, "Nothing else matters").
I didn’t notice at first, but home alone in the Basement of Discontent this afternoon, I found myself just sitting there swinging back and forth on my chair. Blank mind. Just swingin’. I was “basement” alone all day. The Assistant took the day off to go update her will – hopefully she decided what to do with her mother’s ashes at the same time too, as they are still in a box in the living room. It is a very nice box, but it is still in the living room. SWKK is still in a fugue and takes leave most Fridays and Mondays now so she can sit at home and perfect her fugue for Tuesdays. Better than sitting in the office and doing nothing I guess…you could find yourself just swinging on your chair otherwise.
Boss didn’t come in. Sent various cryptic messages during the day. He would be in at noon, or maybe 2pm – make that not at all. His mobile was off, it was on silent, send text messages only – no one bothered to do any of the above. We have lived three years without asking him anything, why start now with only 28 working days to go before we are all “Ho, Ho, Home you go, and stay there!”?
Tell me cosmos – does office chair swinging qualify as a form of exercise? Will I develop great calf muscles? Or dislocate a hip? Is it ever going to be a demonstration sport at the Olympics? I can sort of see it slotting into London, that center of business acumen and CBD of many office chairs. Give it a new twist on the label “Swinging London”.
Excitingly, I appear to have spontaneously perfected the left to right swing action. I can swing and still read my computer screen too. Not bad for a one eyed hen! I am so proud of me. I never cease to thrill and amaze myself with my many and varied talents. I also do it with great agility and style. God, I am good. Not unexpected that I am though.
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On another note – what is it about redundancy that makes you want to steal office supplies? Useless stuff like rubber thumb stalls (those little rubber thingies that you see bank tellers wearing on the ends of their fingers when they count notes) and conference name holders with pins to wear on your shirt. Not a lot of call for either when unemployed I fear.
Knowing that you are about to be pushed out the exit door makes you kind of ANGRY. However you can’t be too angry as these are the schmucks youed to give you a reference when you leave. So you peruse the office supplies and cast your eye over boxes of lead pencils and bags of rubber bands. Totally mindless stuff. But somehow the thought of lifting it just seems so comforting. So warm and fluffy and inviting. Take me, take me…
And then Sister Mary Ethel Rita steps back into your mind and you see her there with her leather strap and you halt, hand quivering mid air. Maybe not. It probably wouldn’t be the right printer cartridge for our printer anyway…
Maybe tomorrow will offer better pickings anyway. I think someone said a bulk delivery of Kleenex tissues was due Tuesday…that I could use, crying all the way Ho Ho Home.
Mental Health Day, Doona Day, Chucking a Sickie, No Show Day, call it what you will but I am not going to work today. I can't take the Cry Me a River Sisters (SWKK and The Assistant) Today.
Besides we don't get paid out for our accumulated sick days so in the great Australian tradition we all plan to use them up before we are shown the door on, Ho Ho Ho Home you go, and stay there Christmas Eve!
Having a flex Friday. Mr FD rolled out of bed this morning and said that he wished we could have a couple of weeks at home to do some chores. I laughed - 8 weeks today, is not only Christmas Eve but also the day I become jobless. I may have many weeks at home!!!!!
Enjoying the one I have today anyway. I am just pre-heating the oven to bake my Christmas cake. I like to do it now so that I can "drip" feed it until Christmas - that means keeping it moist with more alcohol! My sister used to think that you could get drunk on fruit cake - well we might just achieve it this year! Most fruit cakes last a few days, often into the New Year. Not mine, it is mostly gone by Christmas night!!!! It is an evolving recipe!
and this photo is for GOF and Snowy -
Big weekend. Daughter 2 arrives back in Australia tomorrow. If you are at the Brisbane International Airport tomorrow around 10am you may witness some might fine Flamingo Dancing. In fact, you may witness an entire flock of Flamingo Dancers happy dancing.
Sunday we are finally going to meet our newest family member - our great niece No 3. We are taking afternoon tea with her as a matter of fact. It was fun buying baby presents again. I also bought something for her older siblings, brother No1 and Sister No 2. I always give babies books. I believe it is important to read to babies from birth - they understand more than you think! I read to mine all the time, and talked to them constantly. I have also bought her a little cloth book that has colour on one side and on the reverse side the graphics are all black and white, because apparently babies see everything as black and white when they are first born. I also found the newest Paddington Bear story - tucked away for someone for Christmas. The children's section of the bookstore is nearly my favourite section - after the biography and history section!
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