Money Lending

I got this pamphlet in the mail from a company called Global MoneyLine that advertises loans for any occasion. It made me a bit suspicious about the kind of lending that they actually do. There is a phone number for people to call, the lenders come to your house, the loans are specified as fast easy approvals for all income earners. It comes with no terms or conditions listed on the pamphlet, and I couldn't find any information on the net. I feel sorry for the kinds of people who get taken in by these kinds of loans. I'm considering emailing the address to see what comes back. Post the reply if I get one...

I'm nearly finished school for the year! One more week, no more classes, tidying up the final loose ends. I'm off to the big playground and the pool tomorrow with the year 7 and 8s. Then I have a few days to write some new sheets and do some reading on different topics. I'm looking forward to getting the new timetable and putting things in place for next year. I'll be happy with a holiday, but I have passion to start again soon with new students. I have a few P.D books to read tonight and a few videos on my laptop.

I ran 4ks on the treadmill yesterday!

UNI NO MORE!!!!!

I got the email today from the music course advisor that the dean has approved me to graduate with one class short. I am no longer a uni student!!! Just awaiting confirmation of my grades for this semester, of which I dont forsee too many issues, and then it is over, and I can concentrate on being a real person. Finally.

Quick Update

It's late, and really time for bed, but it's time I put something else up here, (hey Mum...)

It's been busy at school, but life is getting easier. Now it's all about tying up ends, I don't need to be constantly wracking my brain and the net for new ideas for classes. Making worksheets has been hard, but I feel necessary, as I can never find one with the right thing on them. A lot of the worksheets in the department are outdated, or inapropriate for this generation. I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I plan to take it on as a project and get something published.

I ran a test with the year 9's today which went well I feel considering how hard it has been to get the students to focus on learning theory. It's been a long hard semester with the year 9's having to constantly think of songs and find recordings and tabs. At the end of the semester they weren't anywhere near where I wanted them to be, I can see a lot of potential in the course to improve on. That's a good thing, however, in a new teachers course.

The uni assignments are all in, and being marked, and I should get uni grades soon. I am nervous because now I have felt what it is like to fail something. In terms of having to make up the class that I failed, I may not have to. The uni are discussing it at the moment and I may be allowed to graduate because the class that I failed is not a core requirement. I passed all the core classes with good grades, so that should stand me in good stead. Holding my breath and my fingers...

Uni Assignments

Home

The wedding day is over, the honeymoon is finished, and we are both home to the real world. What a great few weeks Mark and I have had!

The wedding week was horrible! I had so much work to do, and things to plan. I found it hard to pass over the jobs of the wedding to others when I had been planning so much of it for so long, more than 12 months. However my bridesmaids and my mother did such a great job, they got the final details lined up so well. How they dealt with me that week is a feat in itself, Mark included. I was so sure that I would be a great bride, up to then everything had been going so smoothly, and not much changed, but the pressure started getting to me, I wasn't able to put things off to next week anymore.

The night before I was pretty relaxed. At the rehearsal I felt happy that it was finally here, and a little silly going through the last details. The minister was great in taking us all through where we needed to be and what the lines were. It started to dawn on both of us that it was going to be real the next day.

We had dinner as a group after the rehearsal, after which my bridesmaids and helpers went out to the reception venue to set up.

>>my visitors are here, fill more in tomorrow>>

Holidays

I made it to the holidays! Hurray for holidays, I needed a break. Its been quite an experience working out my first full time job. I feel a lot more confident about myself now than I ever have before, and I'm feeling like a real person. Even though I'm new to being in charge of a department and figuring out all the paperwork I'm responsible for, I know how a department should be and I've been making positive changes in it.

I changed the tables around, which gives the room a different feel to it. It's a lot easier to get around, the students are a bit more focused. I've had challenging classes, however I've been told that it's been no more or less challenging than anyone else who has had the same class this term. I have a clear picture of where I'm going to take them next term, and what I'm going to need to do this holidays to set myself up for that.

The wedding is nearly done. I've been making plans to sort out the last few things and make the last few payments. I'm excited, this should be a great day.

Two More Weeks

I have only two more weeks till the end of term. The available time to get things done is getting very short indeed. I am going to look at assignments and consider if I can apply for an extension for any of this. I have finalised what I want to do for the research project, it's just getting two seconds in a row to sit down with everyone to lay it out, and for me to draw up the scores to give to the kids.

I travelled over night this weekend to go to a classroom management session. After the abismal class on thursday it was exactly what I needed. I am failing because I don't have a strong enough activity base. Which is to be expected at this stage. However I now have a few more things that I can do in the classroom to keep students from attacking eachother. I have to talk to a lot more of the staff to get help with this class. What didn't help was the sudden reinclusion of another student that upset the balance of the room. Lets hope that I have a little more success than last week.

Parent teacher interviews are coming up soon, and I am not sure if I should feel nervous about them or not. I am thinking about them in advance, and I'm going to try have a comment for every student in my class. What I am worried about at this stage is the reports that I have to try and decipher and write this week. It's for the year 9's and it seems really hard. I have no idea what I am actually placing them against in order to be able to give them a mark.

I have a lot of work to do this week.

End of the Weekend

This weekend has been great, I have had two days when I had no commitments and I could have a chance to get away from being at school for a while.

I have been having fun buying a few things on ebay over the weekend. I have sniping down to a fine art, getting people in the last 10 seconds. I outbid someone by 1c today! Hahaha!

I have scheduled a detention for monday lunchtime today. Curious to see if everyone attends, they should. I'll find out about getting someone out of time out today, I put them in time out at the end of Thursday. He was a bit of a victim, I sent him off to time out to show the rest of the class that I am serious about what I say.

Three more weeks of school, I have to learn about reports in the next few weeks. I have to do some research for my assignment, try calling my tutor at uni for some advice. If I can get this out of the way in the next three weeks, then I will have so much less to do in the two weeks of next term before I get married and head off to Fiji. I am looking forward to it sooooo much.

My dress arrived in the shop! It's a relief, because it means that it's not in transit anymore, its waiting for me to pay for it and take it home. I have a huge list of things that need to be done in the next few weeks. Suits, Shoes, Hair, Makeup, Flowers, Cake, Decorations, Photos, Limo, Hens night, Music.

I nee to be focused over the next few weeks. Should be easier now that the other music teachers are back at school.

Long Week

It's been a long week this week. Everyone has been sick, over the weekend it was the son of the couple I work with. He had gotten so sick over the weekend that they took him to hospital. Monday P went home after his first class, and I got some things organised for his class yesterday and today. It's been really lonely in the department by myself, but I feel like I managed pretty well. I took the band rehearsals monday, tuesday and wednesday.

I'm on Jenny Craig food again this week. I'm hungry, and tired and cranky this week. I have headaches a lot. I need to drink more water, but I'm sick of having to go to the toilet all the time... On the bright side I lost 1.3kg this week! I'm looking forward to another big loss, closest I've even been to my goal weight.

Singing Competition

Today was the second sunday that I've played at this singing compeition. I had two students to play for, I was nervous about playing piano because I didn't have confidence that I could play properly from beginning to end. Plus the piano was up high, so you had to stand to play, lucky there was a stool for me to sit on.

The first girl I played for had been sick all this week so she wasn't very confident about her performance today. I was happy with how I played for her, there was only one shaky part, which we hadn't been able to get together at all. She seemed a little down at the end, she wasn't happy with how she sang.

The second girl was after lunch, I had it in my head that she was later in the set, she was actually on first and they started early so I wasn't there when she was supposed to go on stage. They let her go on after I had gotten there. I said I'm sorry so many times to her. Not a great precedent to be setting if I want more accompaniment work.

I decided to stay and see the rest of the singers, and it was a good thing I stayed. Another young girl, only 13 was singing the same song that I had played earlier, and when she got to the end of the first verse her backing C.D started jumping and stopped. So I ran up on stage and played for her so she could sing. It made up for missing the first spot, and everyone thought I'd done something great. I was just glad that she wasn't disappointed, that she was able to sing. I look forward to a lot more playing for these events.

So I have three weeks left of this term before the holidays. I have made great progress in the wedding plans; the suits are ordered, just need fittings, I have asked about the cake and the flowers, and I'm going to the reception venue on Thursday with family to ask the questions that we need to ask.

The more lists I make this week the better I think.

Post Number 185

Things went very well today, I had two successful classes, started guitars with the year sevens and had fun generally with the students at school. I'm feeling on top of things at the moment, the problem is going to be when the uni work gets in the way again when everything becomes due in a month or so. It's hard work but I did agree to do it, and if I do a little bit constantly, then it will be easier. Must remember that I have to finish another class in January.

I got all the invitations sorted out today and put a lot of them in the post. It's a great feeling to have got that out of the way. It was getting very pressing to get stamps on them and get them away. Next things on the list is to work out what needs to be paid in the next month, and to go see the reception venue to sort out the menu and the price and the guest list. Hopefully I'm getting on top of things.

Trip

I have been away on my first overnight school trip with students. We travelled to a bands festival with the junior and intermediate stage bands, 28 kids, 3 teachers and a bus. It was really great to get to know most of the kids a lot better, I'm fitting into the department so well now, they are coming to see me for things, they don't have to rely on the other two teachers so much. The students played so well, though I didn't have a lot to do with the students learning these pieces, I still felt proud of them achieving something. The next lot of music I will know a lot better, and know how to work on it with the students.

I was so tired today at school, it took me so long to get going. It's a bit mean that I only get a one day weekend, I'm only 4 weeks in and I start to see how important the weekends get. And how great it will be to get some holidays. It's so high pressure, working with students, so many different voices all wanting something, a hundred different things to be watching and stopping and starting assignments and keeping them motivated. It's exhausting. I felt really responsible for the students, constantly counting them and watching what they were doing and getting them moving. It's time for bed.

I'm playing piano for a few of the students in a singing competition in a few weeks, a great chance for me to get started as an accompanist with students and maybe work outside of school too. Even this early in I feel like I am settling into this job so well. I am working out my place in the scheme of things, but I have plans for this department and these kids. I can see where I want this job to be, and I can start moving in that direction already.

Wedding Countdown

Now that we have moved into the next month, I feel like time is very quickly counting down now. I am sorting out the invitations to post off tomorrow, the final 'big task' before getting into the little things. I am excited that my dress will be arriving soon, I can't wait to wear it.

I'm making a list of all the places that I need to pay off soon, it's a pretty big list at this stage. Getting married can be so expensive. It's going to be a great day though.

Getting everything sorted out at school with the classes and assignments for uni seems like such a big task at this stage! Over these last three weeks, I feel like I've made it. Once I work out how everything runs, this will be a fun and exciting job that will fit me very well indeed.

Classes have been getting better, now that I have a better idea about the types of things that I need to be taking them through. I'm getting a better idea about how to start talking about things like chords and scales, but it's so hard to put sentences together that they understand. On the one hand some of the things I've tried to go through have been too hard, on the other hand not hard enough. I tried to go through intervals, but made it too hard, while the rhythms stuff they are frustrated with because it's too easy. Anyway, at least I can see when it's too hard and too easy. Back to the drawing board.

So....

You wanted another update?

Well here it is.

Updated.

Week Three

I'm on the eve of week three, feeling better about all of this than I was when I started. The first day of school was horrible, I had no preperation and I was thrown into a class out of my subject area. I had no class roll, not really any idea of what to do infront of a class, and no confidence. I think that it went o.k, I got them to sit down most of the time and they were occupied for the double. I'm not teaching that class any more, so I can concentrate on the music classes.

I have a year 7 class and a year 9 class. It's taken me a while to know what I am supposed to be doing with them, the first week with these classes too was terrible. When walking in to the year 7 class I am still very nervous. They talk all the time, they fight with each other, they don't really respect me. But I am learning how to take charge, each class is a new opportunity to think things through. I am happier with the year 9 class, I am having some fun with them. I need to be a little harder on them too, they think that they are getting an easy ride. Last class some of them went to the bathroom and didn't come back in to the room. I didn't like that, so all bathroom privledges are cancelled.

Other than school I am happy with how things are at the moment. I have time to catch up with people, it's been great to see Bec and my parents and Marks parents. It's nice to feel like I have some time at home. My moneyless student days are numbered!

Last Weekend

This week has flown by! I had a great trip to Melbourne this week. My mum had her hair done in my sisters salon, my sister had a chance to do her first lot of foils. She's moving along so well.

I start school this week, working at high school. I'm looking forward to getting past this particular hurdle, the first day/week. I feel like this last few months has just been a series of waiting days, waiting for uni classes to end, for the exam to arrive, for the essay to be finished, for the assessment day to be over, to move home, to start teaching.

The first week will be interesting. I have been thinking a lot about classes, but I can't really do anything until I have more of a feel for the sessions and the students and how fast they will want to do things. I had a coffee with the other teacher Lindy, she will give me so much help! Two more days to plan, then it starts.

One Week To D Day...

Sorry it's been a while between posts, I'm in another phase where every time I load the post window, I can't think of anything that I want to post.

I found out last week that I didn't pass one of the German classes. It's the first class I actually failed at Uni, though I have come close a few times, so I think that's a pretty good track record. I have a chance to sit a supplimentary exam in two weeks, so I have lots of time to sit and think German thoughts in the chance that they may pass me this time. I hope so, because I am in the awkward position of not being in Melbourne in a position to attend lectures and stuff. I need to think positive thoughts, there are other ways around this, I could take another research class, or there is the possibility of taking a summer school class, (which just occured to me then, which makes me feel relieved!) and I can make up the credit then. I think that overloading this semester would be foolish, I have a lot on my plate at the moment which weighs heavily on my mind. I need to sit and get organised and make lists and just fill in the boxes for these tasks that I have to finish.

I think that I need to find the fun in these last few assignments. I've been a bit negative about Uni this year, the German class didn't help in the slightest but then I would have always wondered about studying a language at uni. I wanted to from the beginning and I took the chance when I could. I am resourceful and smart, and with the right attitude and talking to the right person, there are ways to do anything. I am glad that I have people that I can talk to about these things. I didn't tell anyone about failing the exam for a few days, I guess I was embaressed or disappointed or worried about how to complete this degree when I am home now and not in the city.

I'm worried about school too, its a big responsibility that I am going in to. It's the unknown more than anything that has me worried. I am asking myself all the time 'am I going to be able to keep them entertained for a whole double period?' 'am I going to be able to teach them anything useful?' It's also that I feel like I don't have enough resources, or the right resources, for the types of classes that I have in mind. Are they going to like what I have to teach them? Are they going to like me?

I should stop typing. I'm tired, and a little sick, which always makes me a bit emotional. I can do this. They already like me. I am well trained to teach classes, and I have the support and help of the teachers at the school to help me where I need it. I am not expected by anyone to be perfect. It doesn't matter if for the first few classes they just learn a few guitar or piano songs while I get used to the feeling of being the one in charge. Go in, put on a show, play some stuff on piano. It will be a lot of fun when I get past the first few classes.

Last Day

Today I had the last assessment at uni. It was a very relaxed assessment, I was in there for 10 minutes and talked about the research I am doing into graphic scores in the classroom. I knew what I was talking about, which always helps, and felt good coming out of it.

Now I can focus on writing up the research project. I don't want to leave it to a few days beforehand to begin however.

I got a great new phone, should be able to put up some photos of my new house soon.

Lessons at my new school were good too, I was nervous about the percussion students, (still am) but I have a better idea about what I can offer them in lessons. My dad will help me out with some co-ordination and stuff on the drum kit, he's pretty good at it. Over the coming holidays I have to learn how to play trombone, drums, tuba and trumpet. Piece of cake.

Leaving You Forever

I am finally going home tomorrow.
Some guy tried to sell me a crappy phone on the train.
He wanted $20. He's lucky if it's worth $2.
I am still sick, and I have lots of coldsores.
It's a visible sign of my stress.
I have one more essay to write.
I like the topic, but this isn't the kind of study I want to be doing right now.
Tonight I pack up everything into my car.
Tomorrow I leave.

Poetry

onebreathpoetry.blogspot.com/

View the prompt for Haiku poetry and write a short poem.

Mine is about leaving the city.

Busy city street

awakens in the morning

I like silence best.

TEAM HORN!!!

Presenting the much awaited, super fantastic team horn. I played with the Diamond Valley Brass Band for this years National Championships and got along with the horn section. There is something special about horn sections and horn players that I just can't see in any other section! They all want to be us! Horn players are unique from the other instruments.

This was a great section, I am really sad that I wasn't in a position to be able to play for longer with them. Finishing uni and moving house was just too much to continue with them. I'll miss my section.

Progress

This week has been a week for getting things done. I have posted off lots of applications for various things, had lots of meetings for my future, paid lots of bills, cleaned up the house, got the fire going well in the fire place, (it's still a little smokey in the loungeroom, hope I don't breathe it in too much) and even started packing up stuff.

Tomorrow is my last ever ever day of uni. I am not relaxed tomorrow until I walk out of the German class and then I am free for a while. Then a 3000 word essay on music, a spoken exam, and a written exam to go.

I'm going home to sign the papers with my new school, to talk about timetables and monies and band instruments and lots of interesting stuff like that. It's all stuff that will require a lot of work, but it's the work I want to be doing and now I am in control of it. I feel like THIS is finally where I can make lots of changes, teach a lot of people interesting things about music. I have all the answers this time cause I am in charge of the questions! And I will finally be moving into a permanant house that is mine. I can plan decorating, I can do a final organise of all the bathroom junk I have stored up over time. I have been able to do those things before, but always behind all the planning of how the house runs here has been the thought that it is temporary, it is only for a short while, so why bother? I'm going to take a car load of things home monday, and bring back a suitcase of stuff back.

Tuesday morning was a bit of a rude awakening. I had planned to get up about 9.30ish, and had still been awake at 2 am just doin stuff, cause I could more than any other reason, yet at 7am Jill comes running into my room saying there is a problem!!!!! Help!!!! There is water sheeting down the walls and out of the roof and the sound of water running in the roof from where the hot water system is. I ran outside in just a nighty, still half alseep and down the side of the house is a fountain of water with clouds of steam gushing from the side of the house. Apparently the hot water system had broken after Jill had her shower. I managed to spot a tap on a pipe on the wall and it turned off the water access to the system. I called the house owner and then the plumber and he came right over, (who would have thought that of a plumber in Melbourne? Nice guy!) and he confirmed that the hot water system was dead. He said it was a 'burst' hot water system. I think of explosions when I hear that word.

So bright and early this morning the plumber and electrition arrived to install a new one, (who would have thought that either in Melbourne?) and a little over 24 hours since the old one broke, we had hot water again. The beauty of this system is it is mains pressure hot water, not gravity feed like we had before. I have known gravity feed hot water systems before, and they are horrible! You feel like there is barely a dribble of hot water coming out of the shower head. Now, I felt like I was pinned up against the opposite wall of the shower from the pressure! We have a big shower head in there, and the spray spreads out a long way from the centre. With the gravity feed it felt like a big empty hole where you stand, I had to sway from side to side to get wet. That problem is fixed, but the water still spreads out, the shower head is too big for the space almost. It will take some adjusting to get it in the right space. And then I will move. And I have a better shower in the new place. No more shower curtains! DIE CURTAIN DIE!

Sydney

The fast paced stressful week that is my life continues. Right now I am in Sydney, about to head off to a Jazz bar to hear some music. I've been visiting with the Virginia Marching Band this week, catching up was awesome with old friends. Most of them remember me, and remember my accent. It is great to have them on my turf, though they ask me a lot of random quesitons that I'm not sure of the answers to. Oh well. I even forgot the words to the national anthem. Shame. It's been a while since I've had to sing it.

Not helping matters is the fact that last night and all today I have been so so so sick, throwing up and nausious. My dad has had it too, a baby cousin of mine had gastro and we must have picked it up. Anyway, at this stage I'm keeping dinner down, and I have some tablets that will hopefully help me sleep. At least I can be sure the plane trip will be alright. The trip out here was sooo quick, and the staff were great.

I'm off now to listen to the band play, they've decided to do a pub crawl with instruments. I wonder how that would go over with an Australian band....

Imagination

I'm running on the treadmill when I notice on the running track out the window in front of me an older guy, about 45 - 50, African, pacing the long jump track painted on the side. He was dressed in normal casual gear, I have no idea what he was there for. As I'm watching, he walked away from the lines, and about 10 meters back, he turns and stands ready to run. I watched him brace himself, glance to the imaginary crowd, then jog up to the long jump, and do a little hope, step and jump. He didn't go any more than 2 meters, but he threw his head and arms back and celebrated like he had won the Olympic gold medal. It really made me smile, to see him living out his day dream on the track like that. He lined up the jump at least another 10 times like that, preparing himself with the utmost concentration. He was having a great time.

I ran on the treadmill for 10 minutes today, tried out the rowing machine, did some sit ups and stomach crunches. I feel a little out of place still, I am waiting till I get back home to try out some of the gym equipment with a little more guidance. I'd like to meet with a trainer once a month or two months to get the most out of the time I spend running. I'm thinking of putting Jenny on hold for a few weeks while I get things on track, finish exams, move house, plan for a new job, and just get myself moving towards a new life. Thats what it is, after 5 years of this life, I am on to my next life. New house, married, new job, new responsibilities, location, even clothes cause I don't fit any of the old ones. I think that shopping online might work for me moving home. So will getting a sewing machine and making my own clothes. I will finally have space and time for it, now that I don't have to work nights to earn money while I study during the day. I can finish what I am doing by 5pm and be home for the night. In theory anyway.

Busy busy busy

New month, new list of things to complete. The biggest news I have right now is that I have a job! I am going to be moving, starting work at a high school in the country. There is a lot of work involved, and I feel like the list of things to do is enormous. I felt the same way when I was getting ready to go overseas, so I am confident in being able to make it happen. I need to be organised. Lists, more lists.

This is an accurate portrayal of how I am feeling inside this week.

Organising

Its been a very busy week for me. I had a phone call from a high school close to home, that are looking for a music teacher to start in the middle of the year. They have asked me if I am interested, and will talk with Melb Uni about alternatives for finishing my course while working full time. I am really excited about it!!! I means that the job hunting which every graduate worries about is done for me, and I will have so much help from the school in getting the VIT registration sorted which I was worried about. Every teacher I've talked to about the VIT says how much they hate it.

So that would mean starting full time work 6 months earlier than I had thought. It means that it would be easier to pay for my wedding, and I don't have to worry about being broke over christmas or begging Safeway for work. (not that I ever have to beg them, but in lieu of my 'real' job that's kind of what it would feel like.) I have a meeting with the Principal tomorrow, I have to go home and think about all the questions that I will need to ask him and the other teachers I'd be working with, and outline what I want to tell them about myself. I am really really excited that it is all working out, or almost working out. If there is a way to make this happen, I will make it happen.

I went and tried on some dresses for the wedding today. I found one I really like, looks pretty on, and not too much money. If I get this dress then it means that I have more money to put towards the honeymoon, which I spent a lot of money on. But it's something that I got what I wanted. It will be fantastic. I have been talking with the girls at work about decorations with the tables, one of the girls told me that she is having mirrored tiles on the tables, with little tea light candles, and those metalic sparkle scatter things. That would be pretty. I have a few unfinished ideas about it, but I will need to go out to the golf club and talk to the organiser about things like that. About whether they have a fire policy that outlaws candles. Maybe I can get some ones like lanterns and have them on the table with candles on the inside. Hmmm, lots of planning to do.

Connex, You Suck.

I had a horrible day on the trains wednesday. I had to be in class at 9am, so I had to take the rush hour train. 8am. The 8am was 'delayed', but really cancelled and there were heaps of people waiting for the train. Which is a sign that by the time it gets to my station, I'll have to stand. I try and aim to stand near one of the dooray barriers, then at least I can try and create a little bit of personal space in front of me. And have something to hang on to.

My station is early on in the line, there are about 6 stations before me, and about 8 after me. When the train finally pulled in, just after the announcement that it was delayed again, it was packed. I was lucky to get on. Then there were all the other stations that we stopped at, and a few people managed to shove their way on, but most were left stranded. 30 to 50 people at each station.

This happens to train travellers every morning. They have to stand crushed up against each other, fighting to stay standing when the driver slams on the brakes at the station, and slams on the accellerator to get going again. Connex KNOW that this happens, yet they don't do enough to fix the problem. There should be trains on that line, on every line, every 5/6 minutes, all day. Like the trams. Trams have to deal with traffic to stay on time. Trains don't. Yet every day the train is delayed, its cancelled, its late without warning, why can't they just run on time? What is so damn hard about having the train arrive on time, every time? And having enough trains? Surely the fact that it happens every morning should give them enough practice to work out a solution.

So anyway, later that night I waited a half hour on the platform for the train back into the city after piano lessons. The train I would have caught was delayed, and arrived 2 minutes after the next scheduled train. Which was also 'delayed'. If you ask me, that just sounds like they are trying to keep up their percentages so they don't have to count so many cancellations. The train, which was late, arrived into Flinders street at 7.40pm. The train home left at 7.39. There is a half hour wait on trains at night. Then cause there were so many people waiting on the platform, I had to stand up again. And this guy kept bumping into me. I was sooooo angry.

Connex, I hate you. Do your job! Worlds most liveable city? Not if you rely on the train every day!

Break

I've been feeling a lot better lately, I definately needed a break. Even if it wasn't really long enough.

German will be fine, I am going home soon to study some more, a little bit each day adds up. The verb changes are fine, it's remembering the translation of the words into English that is the hardest. Also the sentence construction, knowing what an object, or subject, or verb, or noun, or pronoun, or predicate, or any of that stuff is, is hard. I've never done it like that before, not when I was learning English at school. Do foreign language students do that with English when they learn it for the first time? I don't know how to label an English sentence like that, let alone translate it and put it in the correct German order. Oh well, persevere. It will make sense soon. I am waiting for the moment when it all just makes sense, when I can hear a word and remember it's meaning, when I don't have to struggle to remember how to say what I want to say. I've only just started learning this, I can't expect to 'get it' straight away.

Even Better

It's been a good day and a nicht sehr gut day. My class this morning was really good, and I feel like I have been launched forward into my assignment for this semester, and also for the research project. I can picture the assignment in my head, and I have solid ideas even at the pre-research stage about how the finished assignment will look. It's fantastic to feel excited about getting down to work, I have been so tired with Uni and assignments this year and last year. I think that a lot of assignments last year had good intentions, however I felt like a lot of them were piles of ****, and not really inspiring at all.

Or maybe it was the way they were taught. I had that guy who liked to wipe his hands down his shirt while he was talking, I am sure there is a psychological issue there. He talked a lot of nothing, and not a lot of assignment. And the criteria were really vague and not very helpful, and at the beginning of the year they were really excited about 'different' forms of assignments to hand in, but when it came time for them to mark them they were a bit all over the place and by second semester we were back to written assignments again.

So today with some assignments for German, they aren't going so well. I'm not remembering the words that they are asking on the tests. I am going o.k with it, but I need a bit more directed learning. I'll try some learning techniques on myself. At this point I still have a chance to keep my mark to a pass. It's hard learning languages at Uni, because they have to keep up the hard standard, and there isn't room in the marking standard for people to struggle with learning a language. The teacher is really nice, and I really like her, and she will help me next semester if I need it. I was a little upset and I had to stop myself from getting all teary in the class when she was asking how I was going with it. I have a week to try some different things. I am o.k with the verb congaution, it's the gender of the nouns that are hard. My teacher suggested coloured paper to remember which is masculine, feminine and neuter.

Anyone have suggestions for memorisation techniques? Leave me a message, that would be great. I have a week to get up to speed. I plan to get a H1 on the next test.

Band was awesome today. It finished at 9.30, rather than 10. Everyone is playing their best for the competition on the weekend. I'm not sure what happens after this weekend. I've been complaining so much because it is a big commitment. I think I will have to say I can't play anymore. I would love to do another solo.

I love my sister. Shes hot! I wish I were as cool as her! She's going to be an ace hairdresser!! I'm jealous that I wont ever get to be like her! I'm going to have to get her to do my hair cos i wont be able to do it as good. EVER. SHE. IS. HOT!

Alex

Hi Alex! Yay, you're on my blog! I wondered who was in France, reading this. Now I know. Hallo!

Feeling Better

Things have slowed down over the last week for me, as I wind down into holiday mode. High schools and Primary schools are on holidays this week, which means that there are no piano lessons, hence me being home now. I've been asleep on the couch this afternoon. Trashy T.V is so boring.

I went to my morning German class, it is so hard to remember all the words. I am trying, but I will need to sit and write a lot more so that it sticks in my head. I went to the Nova straight after, to see a German movie called 'The Lives of Others'. It was a beautiful movie, the characters just seemed so warm and likable. The movie is about the 'Stasi' the German police in charge of information, their stated objective 'to know everything'. The main storyline is about one of the best informers monitoring a play writer. Over the course of the movie, as he listens in to this mans life, he comes to some realisations about the kind of work that he is involved in. There wasn't much confronting violence to have to deal with, which was great for a change. The last movie I saw at the Nova was about the Irish secret police, which had horrible violence all the way through it. Anyway, I can see why this film received four stars. Definately worth getting when it comes out in the DVD store.

This weekend is the Nationals compeitions, marching on staurday and on stage on sunday. I jsut realised that I said yes to work tomorrow night, when I should be going to rehersals. Sigh, better go call them and get it changed. I've decided I want to take a break from going to Jenny this week, and save the weekly money for my dress. I have to try and cancel my gym membership, which will take some planning and arguing. Or to cancel my current credit card and get another one. I shouldn't have signed up for it in the first place. Good thing I know how to write formally. That should fix 'em. And then there is this concert on Sunday that I don't really want to go to but have to go. It's crap that they are so damn inflexible, expecially when the support act changes without warning. I wanted to go home this weekend to see Mark on his birthday, but now I will have to be travelling in the middle of the night. I don't want to be driving anywhere on monday, I just want to go home. I am ready for a holiday now, and it's been too long since I saw Mark last. Stupid companies. It makes me really angry, and I'll have to think about it a bit to get myself in the right frame of mind that I might actually enjoy it. I'm sure it will be fine when I actually go, but right now I am angry about it. Just take my tickets back! I don't want them anymore! I hate you Ticketek!

Hard Work

It was a long hard day at work, when there are always too many things to be done, and not enough people to serve. By the end of the day I was fed up with running around all over the place trying to be a supervisor, and serve customers at the same time. It's great that we are so busy, I had every register open at one stage, which I haven't seen too often while I've been there, but I was one of the people who needed to serve, and there are really only so many things I can do at the same time, despite trying the contrary. I don't know how other supervisors find their shifts, but every time I work it's a constant battle. It is that I am not working properly? Not organised enough? I don't think that's it, because everyone seems to like working with me, and are happy with the department when I leave it. Maybe its that I don't have enough support, not enough staff rostered. It was a long day.

Early start tomorrow, with the marching band. The lazy me that wants to sleep in has been contemplating cancelling it, I just hate the thought of yet another early start. I haven't had a day off at all this week, except for wednesday after the morning class, where I slept all day sick. But thats not really a day off. I need more time to catch up with myself. I feel a bit like chasing my tail at the moment, I am almost better but I don't have home time to completely get rid of it. It's a constant thing, not enough time at home. I feel like I'm sneaking a day here and there in between engagements.

Easter break is coming up soon, and I'll be going home for a few days, if I have anything to say about it. Anyway, marching tomorrow, and work tomorrow night. Hopefully I can come home and relax between then.

Click on the map and add your name! Yay, lots of visitors! Hello!

Weekend is Here

I would say 'yay it's the weekend' but I am working early tomorrow and marching with the band early sunday. Whyyyyyyyy?!?!?!?! I just want to sleep! I want to stay in bed and recover from being sick this week and rest and do some more house work and just generally chill out. But no. Not for me this week. Anway, at this stage I am not working on Tuesday, and its damn well going to be my weekend...! Extra work can go away!

I weighed in this week, YAY 80.3kg!! I MADE IT TO HALF WAY!! Finally, I am making headway! Lots of exclamations!!!!!!!!

I've been going to lots of Yoga and Pilates classes at uni, and I am liking it so far. I hope that it works better over the month that I have a membership. I decided that it would be more cost effective to pay for the month and go to lots of classes in the big breaks I have during the days than just pay for random classes. Only a few more weeks and I plan to be trying on dresses for the big day....

Well, off to bed again for me. Another early day, like all the other ones this week. I guess I've never been any different, always lots of things on the go. I wouldn't know how to be quiet and go home at 5pm every night. You all just watch when I start working, how it suddenly turns into lots of extra stuff. Maybe I should keep it to two extra things, and say no after that. (good luck keeping to that...)

I am finally feeling better today than earlier in the week. I still feel it, that feeling that I am not quite 100% Hopefully it goes away soon, and I am back on top for next week. Lots of German tomorrow after work. See how I feel for sunday. Sigh, who is awake anyway at 9am on a sunday for marching???

Sick

I've been sick the last few days, I'm not sure if I've reached the midway point yet. I cancelled piano lessons today, and spent most of the day asleep. I wish that I didn't have a class in the morning, and if I feel horrible when I wake up then I might just spend the morning alseep too. I need to make an effort to attend this class, I feel like with all the time that I'm spending doing German this semester, I've hardly bothered studying for the other classes. So far its a bit of reading each week and a lecture. The lectures have been really interesting, but I'm not awake that early in the morning, and I struggle to pay attention for two hours to her talking.

Blah, I hate being sick.

The intro of the new screens at work went over well, now it's just a matter of learning the altered procedure that goes with it. There is a lot less paperwork when counting drawers which is great! Monday and Tuesday night were so busy, it was hard to concentrate on what I was doing. I nearly left a drawer in overnight tuesday night, but I'll blame that on being sick. Lucky its a single prcedure now, and no more logging on to the computer to finish counting and balancing. Yay.

I got new jeans! Yay!
I'm off to bed! Yay!

Fitball

I went to the fit ball class today, the only one without shoes. I had planned to go to the pilates class, but changed my mind. Didn't matter today, but I felt like a fool. Anyway, I can feel all the muscles I worked today, going to be sore tomorrow. I'll have to have a bath tonight when I get home.

Training for the screens tomorrow, Mark might be coming to see me this weekend, might catch up with my Auntie Ants and Matty, so it's looking up to be a good weekend. Four shifts next week, put some money away in the wedding dress fund, shopping for the dress next month. Must get a photographer by the end of this month. It's such a lot of money, however. I'll call the Occasion studios and see what they have to say.

Check out my cool new map! It's so awesome, google earth. Google rock.

Better Week This Week

This week has been a better week than last week, tuesday I actually had some time at home! It was really nice to not have to rush off to somewhere in the morning, and I had some time to go grocery shopping and get some decent food for the house.

I decided that I would go in early to uni and try out the pilates class. Though I was out of the house by 6.20am, it was worth it. I enojyed the stretches and poses, but it was challenging to do most of them. I'll give it another go next week.

Training for the screens at work begins this week. I'm really excited to start on the new screens, all new and flashy. Hope it all goes well and they put them in soon.

Spiral

Today I reached the end of my rope, so to speak. I've been having real trouble with my roster at work this week, I feel like every time I've looked at it, it's been different! So when I checked my roster on tuesday, and it said 1pm, and I turned up at 1 and it had changed to 4, I lost it. I got angry and cried all over the place. I hate feeling rushed and pressured, and this was it. So I left, and walked down to Lygon street to go somewhere, checked my phone and found 4 missed calls. Everyone was calling me wondering where I had gone, so I went back and talked about it with Tash, which I hadn't had a chance to do this week. I wish I had just called her at the start of the week, and saved myself a lot of trouble. She bought me a V and we sat outside and chatted for a bit, made me feel better. She fixed up my shift for the weekend and said I could start whenever I wanted. She's been having a tough few weeks too, broke up with her boyfriend and moved out of home, and also trying to juggle rosters so that everyone gets their training shifts for the new registers going in in two weeks. I really like Tash, whatever everyone else says. She would help me out any way I wanted.

And then there was the actual supervising shift! I felt like I barely had 5 minutes to scratch myself we were so busy. It was really hard to find time to just get organised and clean up after the day. Apparently we did 55,000 yesterday, which is big for us, when they planned for 40. The poor guy in liquor was there all by himself, and constantly had a queue, and every five minutes had a void limit. I don't know what they were doing in there all night that I needed to go in there all the time. I thought the night would never end. Sigh.

And then there is this band trip on the weekend. I am really regretting that I said yes to this band thing. I'm out of the house so much at the moment that I don't have time to practice, and I don't have the desire to practice when I am home. I really don't want to go on the weekend, only the fact that I paid for it, and the fact that I did commit myself to playing for Easter competitions is why I am going to get up early and go. I think that it doesn't feel like my band, and also that I feel so stressed every thursday to get there after teaching on time. It's colouring my view of the band. They are a great band, B grade compared to the last band I played with, I just wish I could... I don't know. I'll think about it after Easter is over. I think the money and time isn't worth what I am getting out of it. Lets see how the weekend works out. I can leave early if I feel I need to be home Sunday, otherwise it finishes by 5pm, I could cook up a great dinner at home to celebrate when I get there.

Next week should be better. Hope.

Uni Again

First day for me back at uni. Oh, what an easy life this is, when assignment deadlines are far away and the time for coffee and papers and mucking around on the net stretches on into infinity. I had my music computing class and so far it's pretty easy, just introducing the music software to everyone, 'finale'. Cause I am fairly computer literate, it is easy for me. Have to keep working ahead so that the end of the semester is just as easy. This class will be really useful for highschool classes, so I can teach my students how to use it. Then they can write their own music and put it on a C.D.

This is my last real uni semester.

The last few weeks on placement were really good, I now feel really confident about taking on my own classes and teaching them heaps of cool stuff. I felt better about standing up in front of the class, and I think the more you keep things moving and the more options you offer for an activity, the less behaviour problems you'll have.

The marching band is coming from America! They are coming to Sydney, and I'm going to go there for a few days if I can manage it away from school. If I keep up attendance then it shouldn't matter if I miss one class later in the semester. Hopefully I can go on a weekend and then not have to miss any classes at all. I wonder who I know will be coming?

My sisters cat, Miffy, is coming to melbourne to stay for a while, due to being terrorised by the new cat at my parents house. It is crazy enough with one cat, wonder how two will work out.

Last Week

This week is the last week of placement. I'm glad that it will soon be over, and I can concentrate on finishing the semester at uni. I'm looking forward to all the german classes.

I'm getting assessed on my teaching tomorrow, and I am confident that it should all go well. I have a lot of activities planned, and should only have to use some of them, but if things don't go well, then I have some backups. I'm going to do some conducting with them, which should be interesting considering that I don't think even half of them have any idea what one is much less what one does. But I'll show them.

Week Two Placement

Now that I am more into the placement and getting an idea of what goes on in the school, I am feeling better about the whole experience. I think a lot about last week and my impression of the music department comes from classes and teacher settling in to the first week. I played today with the year 7 band kids, ones that kinda know how to play, (the first real contact I've had with real playing so far however) and I'll play again with them next week, on monday. I'm really looking forward to it.

My year 7 class yesterday was good, but not good. I have a ways to go with classes; keeping them in line. But he said that it will take time to sort out my teaching style and how to talk to the class like a teacher instead of an adult who knows stuff. Or as a student teacher. I would love to come and see some of my teachers at my high school and how they run their classes, in particular the music schools to see how they present the music information to the kids. Musically this school doesn't equal how my high school is, and if I am going to be teaching there it would give me a better insight into what I will need to be thinking about this year to be able to teach classes by myself and meet the right goals. To teach them what they need to know to be able to pass at the end of the year, when the other teacher comes back and takes over again.

Placement week one

I have finished the first week of music placement. I am so glad that the first week is out of the way. I taught one class this week, and I was standing in the office ready to go out, thinking to myself "I really don't want to do this..."

The music department is really old, and the instruments they have are older. They have class sets of books on a shelf at the back of the room from 1960, crappy old songs and hopelessly outdated information. They are all covered in dust, which makes me ask why are they still there?

The classes have been getting gradually better, but the teacher I am with is so depressed with the department and the state of the music in the school he has almost given up on being able to teach them anything useful about something he obviously knows a lot about. Though I don't know if he seems to know a lot because he always teaches the same thing...

The thing that I am hating the most about rounds is that even though I am at the front of the class talking, it is not my class. After they class I taught on wednesday, I sat and listened to the things he had to say to me about how to run the class and I agreed to roughly half of what he said. I suppose that is a good sign becuase it shows me that I do have definate ideas about what to teach them and how to keep them listening and how to show them things about music. I think they don't care much about it because in their experience music is pretty crap, if all they have to go by is the shite on the radio. Music is exciting and dynamic and easy and difficult at the same time, and a lot more interesting than just clapping out rhythms on drums. The way he has been teaching them stuff so far bores me to tears.

I sat in on a trumpet lesson, and that bored me to tears too. They got out their instruments and the only thing they did was play scales. I wanted to teach them about breathing together to come in without having to count, and show them how your posture changes your sound, and use a piece of music to expand their vocab, and play with the piano to fill in the spaces between their dodgy notes, and play long notes, and play loud notes to see if we could annoy the other teachers in the rooms nearby so they would buy me some practice rooms. And play something bloody INTERESTING! The state of music in this school is honestly pissing me off, and I can see soooooo many things I would do immediately to make a big difference.

Such as tidy things up. There are the old books on the side of the room, someones jumper on the floor, a broken chord lying on the ground, guitars just lying against each other, tables crooked, chairs all over the place, precussion instruments spread out so that you have to step over them, etc etc etc. He's using a green bag to store all the leads in.

Part of the problem lies in the rooms that they have been allocated, or lack thereof. There are no practice rooms what so ever. No place for a band to play where stands and chairs could be set up. No where for the music to be stored so that it can be easily accessed, the instruments are stored in the library on the other side of the school. The brass teacher told me that the instruments were the same ones when he was there, and they were crappy then. A few hundred a year to get some basic yamahas for the students to play is all it would take. If you don't have decent equipment you have nothing. Music I could get by without having to buy, but if there isn't something reliable and decent sounding for the students to play for the year and be happy to pay the band fees to rent out, then no wonder there is no band program at the school and everyone can't stand to be studying music!!

I guess I do have a lot of ideas about how to run a music program. And if you don't get what you want the first time, then bug the hell out of the office until you get it. Make no excuses.

It should be an interesting second week.

Placement

I got my school placement, I'll be teaching classes next week! I am nervous but also excited. I have no idea about the music department, I have nothing planned for them yet, but I am sure that when I am organised I will be good at this. I am staying optimistic about it.

I got all the dates sorted out for uni, and I'll be going on honeymoon straight after the wedding. I got one of my timetables online for a class in the second half of the year, that had a list of classes in the week after the 20th. When I talked to the lady running the class she said that if I sign up early I can organise it so that I have all the requirements out of the way in time. I'll have to be super organised before then because it will be hard work finalising the details for the wedding in the week before if I'm attending seminars from 9 - 5. Everything should be organised by then.

I still don't have a photographer, it's the last 'early' detail. It's just that I don't know anything about it, or who to ask about it, to know who will do a good job with such an important detail. Anyway, I am sure that the right thing will happen when it is supposed to. Or I'll make a ton of phone calls this week to get it sorted out.

I wont be able to do much work over the next three weeks. That's the worst thing about this course, they say that you have to go do this placement and you have to be at the school from 8am to 4 30pm, and you have to prepare for classes and be involved in extracurricular stuff, but they don't have any provision for students who need to pay for petrol or buy food or pay rent and bills. At least I was able to put a few dollars away for then, but saving money is so hard when you have the same living requirements as everyone else, and half the wage. Being a student sucks. Can't wait till it's over.

Band DVD

YAY the marching band DVD came in the post! It's fantastic! I remember so much about it, I started feeling nervous when I was watching the pre-game bit, remembering how I felt waiting to go out onto the field. I can't wait to show it around, I'm glad I got a copy, finally.

The cat came down, against it's will. I was going to nail up some chicken wire, but when we folded it and tried to nail it, it seemed to stay up there fine by itself, it just needs to be a deterrant so that it looks blocked off to the cat. Poor bored kitty. I let it out today, so it has had some time to go play in the bushes.

New shirts at work went well, lots of customers said they looked good. Lots of customers asked if they were new too, just to check they were right.

It was a good shift yesterday, except at the end, right before closing time, a lady arrived at the checkouts with a $500 home delivery, two full trollies. It was just one thing after another.

We bought 'playboy mansion' for x-box. It was a late night playing that last night. zzzzzz.

Movie Review - Pursuit of Happyness

Pursuit of Happyness - Will Smith

This movie was fantastic, I loved every minute of it. It's based on a true story about a very smart guy who goes through some very hard times. He is struggling to sell scanners to hospitals, is only getting enough to keep afloat, struggling with taxes and rent. His wife leaves him when it gets too hard, and leaves him with their son, Christopher. When walking past an accountancy firm one day he notices how happy they all are, and resolves to become a stock broker to solve his problems.

It's a beautifully shot film, you hardly notice the camera is there as you go along with him in his life. This is Will Smith as I have never seen him. It's his real life son in the film with him, he is a cutie and a natural in front of the camera. You really feel for this guy and the difficulties he manages just to survive. In the end it really made me cry. The film has been given a GA rating, (Grandma Approved) Everyone will love this film, certainly one to see at the cinema before it ends.

Cat

My cat is up in the roof again.

A few days ago, as I was getting ready to leave for work, the cat looked up in the vent over the stove and thought there might be something interesting up there. So it climbed up. I couldn't get it down, so I left it there. It was after 11 when I got home. I had to climb on the wheely bin to get up high enough to grab it. And now it's up there again. I'm going to bunnings to get chicken wire to nail across the hole. Or in this case cat wire. Stupid cat. Grrrrr!

Mark has moved out, gone back to shepp. Now the house has just me and jill, it's a bit emptier than it was before. Still haven't got it sorted out properly, I can't be bothered unpacking my bags from last week. I'll just have to make myself.

We're wearing the new shirts today, it will be interesting to see what the customers have to say. No more ugly white shirts with stains and buttons falling off. Pity they didn't really plan it out very well, and no-one has enough shirts to work for a week. Mark only got one. And he works full time.

I've been having a bit of a holiday from jenny craig food this week. I finished out the week last week, then rang up and cancelled last thursday so I could have a go at finishing off some of the extra food I have. That didn't work so well, I don't want to fill out the diary but I know I have to, and I just can't face it. I should go to the gym today so it's not all a total loss.

Planning

I did the good samaritan thing last night, on my way home from work. There were two pregnant african women stopped on Pascoe Vale road with their hazard lights on. I ran back to see if they needed any help, to find their radiator was completely out of water and the battery flat. It took about 20 minutes to fill it up and get it started with jumper leads but I managed to get them on their way at least. It felt good to be able to help them.

Work was good last night, but it was so hot in the store! I have today off work on monday and I need to get tuesday covered, and then I can go back home to start confirming a few things. It's all very exciting so far, planning. I went to a jetset travel and got some information about going on honeymoon, and have decided to go to Fiji. I'll go to a few other places before booking anything in. Then the next thing is the invitations. and the reception menu. And the dress.

Today is Marks last day in the city. He goes home to start work on monday, moving into our house in about two weeks. It's going to be very different and a little lonely in this house without him. At least I have Jill here with me, she wont let me be too lonely.

HOT OR NOT?

Hey, it's posting time.

I'm moving into the magical magical time called class selections. It is comprised of embarking on a mighty quest for the perfect class, (or an adequate one will do, as long as I can pass it...), searching through forests of web pages, crossing the dessert of phone hold, and gaining entrance to the many castles called faculty offices. There you battle dragons and befriend many interesting creatures and finally slay the subject selections beast and rescue the damsel called 'timetable'. Making it to the right class on time on the first day will make a hero out of anyone.

Its time for new uniforms at work. They are green and three quarter sleeved for the girls, and no more shirts or ties. There have been mixed opinions, a lot of people say they hate them but I think they look quite nice. They will grow on people, and it is definately time for a change. Anyway, you be the judge.

HOT OR NOT?

Winding up the holidays

It's mid way through the holidays, feb is fast arriving.

I've had a few ciders and its getting hard to type what I am thinking.

Maybe i'm not thinking as clearly as I think.

I think that last sentence is proof you need.

I worked today, it was easy. I like it better when I am in charge.

I don't want to go back to another semester of uni.

I have a lot of lesson plans floating around in my head, but I'm not sure where to start.

I don't know if real students would like them.

I am booking the church, and deciding on the wedding venue.

Nov 3rd.

I hate T.V.

It is an evil on the face of the earth.

I've seen a few too many adds, that usually turns me agro.

This is my invention for emails, it's called the vertical post.

You just type the sentence you have in your head.

It's easier to make them long this way.

And coherence isn't an issue.

I'll update again soon when I am a little more... betterer.

Anyway, bye.

Happy New Year!

Well, thats the last of the celebration days over for a while. We can all relax for a while and enjoy the summer (such as it is at the moment...)

I worked with Kat yesterday, and I'm leaving to go there again today. It was soooo busy, and it's hard work carting things around and constantly moving. I worked from 10 till 8, raced home to change and then went with Jill into the city. There were so many people out! Some people in the crowds were really rude, I got elbowed in the face by some idiot who thought he was more important than the rest of us. We were befriended by a drunk girl on the train who had had two bottles of wine, and wanted to be friends with everyone. She was a BIG girl, wearing a very small top and bra and showing her 'friends' dale and goliath off to everyone. Her real friends were sitting across from us, and kept apologising for her behaviour, but Jill and I thought it was great fun. Certainly made the train trip interesting.

We took a walk along south bank, Jill got blisters on her feet, and we confirmed that everything was booked out and had at least a $50 entry fee. Some places I saw were charging around $110 for the night. Blue train had been selling tickets for weeks, $100 a go, at least 160 expected. Nice nights work. I think there will be some very tired people when I get in there.

We met up with Bec and Stu and made our way to the banks of the Yarra at about 11 pm, to see if we could find a little square of grass to fit ourselves into. We managed to find a very little square to fit, but luckily everyone around us was so nice to let us squish in. The fireworks, when they went off were amazing, so much light and colour. There were fireworks going off from a few different places, it was hard to know where to look! It's funny listening to a massive crowd going ohh! and ahh! at the same place.

Getting home wasn't as hard as I was imagining. There were a lot of people in at Flinders street, but this time connex actually listened to the public and ran trains all night. I don't know what idiot was responsible for last year, but I am glad I didn't go into the city at that time. If I was to go to fed square again I would like to book into one of the resturants and have a real party, but this was a fun cheap way to spend new years.