Tuesday, January 27, 2004

at work, everyone is really serious and i feel like i'm being molded into this serious business-only person and being the youngest and newest guy on the team it's easy for them to lead me down that path. i feel the need to maintain a high level of immaturity or else lunacy will get the better of me resulting in a new and progressive hatred for my job, let it be known that i write this with one hundred and ten percent seriousness.

action plan: crack a lame joke every hour and laugh at it hysterically for my own amusement and more importantly - sanity.
last thursday morning i woke up to a trail of scented smoke and the aroma of chinese mushrooms... it's chinese new year 2004.

as opposed to my friends, who have a relatively quiet time - my parents celebrate it traditionally with lots of food eaten amongst lots of people, there's one thing that i've given some thought to seeing as though this year marks my quarter century of existence, the red pockets.

it use to be all good, the red pockets kept rolling in, and when i was much younger this was my only source of disposable income for the next twelve months. but over the past few years and working full time, i've started to feel guilty, i even believe that some of these people are living off the pension. everytime i get one of them pockets, i use the same phrase: 'may you be blessed with good health' - kinda made me feel better.....

and..... at the end of the day it comes down to one word: "tradition".

Monday, January 12, 2004

'twas my first day in my new role today, and as much as i hate to say - being a new job and all, i was a little disappointed.

coming from an open planned office i was a little taken back when i was placed in a little cubicle with high partitions and little sunlight - the fluorescent tube did most of the work.

my pc? i was bitterly disappointed - it still had a "y2k compliant" sticker on it, the monitor? i'd say it was slightly bigger than a gameboy AND when you try run any programs you can hear it chugging away like a fatboy armed with a tub of extra creamy vanilla ice cream trudging up city-to-surf's heartbreak hill.

the work isn't too bad, a few new things to learn, consequently getting my brain into gear after a good month and a half of festive gatherings and forced inactivity. a breath of fresh air i'd say - the question is when will i need to surface? even though the system, the people and place are all new to me - this kind of work is all too familiar.

apparently, the existing office we're located at is getting too small for this division, hence we'll be moving over to a schmick new office in the chiefley, it'll be nice.

they've given me a 3 month probationary period before reviewing my performance, i too will give this role a 3 month trial before again reviewing my situation.

Tuesday, January 06, 2004

two thousand and four has started off pretty peachy for me, i've got nothing to complain about really. after our nye gathering at a friend's place i spent the next few days beaching, perusing different reading material and getting my arse handed back to me by this fella in topspin.

things have really fallen into place over the past few weeks, the job offer finally came through, festivities of any excuse ensured the drinks kept flowing in the tradition we've come to know and love.

now i'm back in the office serving the last few days of my sentence, it's hard not to think about the first day i waltzed through these doors, the people are great here and although our numbers have dwindled over the last 3 months it's still sad see what i'd call the end of an era.

two of my closer colleagues have bigger and bolder plans, they've recently got hold of working visas travelling to the cold and gloom that is london for two merry years of work and booze in a holidayesque kind of way. although i've secured a role here in sydney paving my career, i can't help but be jealous of their exciting paths they'll be embarking on in three weeks time.

london, i know you're cold, always overcast and you beat us in the rugby world cup final on home soil but you nonetheless appeal to me, sooo i hope to see you soon...