The 'Hood
Some of my happiest childhood memories involve the children in my neighbourhood. There was a time when all we seemed to do was play in my yard..........a far cry from what 'kids these days' do!! In fact, there hardly seems to be many kids in the neighbourhood now. I guess my childhood buddies have all just moved on..........
It would usually start with my cousin and I playing outside on a Saturday afternoon. This was a common occurrence after we got home from gymnastics. Then the two boys from next door would come over and we might play a better game, like 4-square. Then, my other next door neighbour, Holly would come over, and we would all decide to do something else, like go on my see-saw. However, my see-saw could also spin around, and it was always much more fun when heaps of people pushed it round whilst two people sat on the ends. The guy who did this best was Daniel, my across the road neighbour, he was older than us and obviously stronger. The other boys across the road would also join in and pretty soon, we had a huge crowd. There was always little brothers who needed looking after when things got too rough. Often the see-saw would topple over because it was spun around too quickly and we would all fall off. The see-saw was quickly picked up and two new people would get on.
After we got tired of pushing people around and around, we would play different games, like red-rover, hide-and-seek (which we re-named hidey-go-tip, due to the tip-ish nature of the game), tip, and brandy. Red-rover would always get rough and was made even harder by the coconut tree in my front yard being in the way, we had to dodge around it and try not to step on the bull-ants which would bite us. During tip we had a 'barlese' place which was our tap outside where you could get a drink and were immune from getting tipped. The person who was 'in' had to give you 10 seconds to get away from them after getting a drink. I would often use the tap for my own convenience much to the others annoyance, and when the person who was 'it' was almost going to tip me, I would run to the tap and get a drink. Hehe, sneaky, wasn't I?? Brandy consisted of the person who was 'in' throwing a tennis ball (or something similar) at people, and if you got hit, you were 'in'. The boys would always chuck it really hard at us. I can't remember if my aim was accurate......
I really miss those days and I'm so glad for them. I don't think I'm very close with any of the kids I played with now, but we had so much fun together when we were young, weird how people grow apart..........
I'll leave you all now and bury myself in my nostalgia.
Jack Handy Thought For The Day: I think there should be something in science called the 'reindeer effect'. I don't know what it would be, but I think it'd be good to hear someone say, "Gentlemen, what we have here is a terrifying example of the reindeer effect".
Interview & The Eisteddfod
Well, yesterday was a pretty busy day for me. I had an interview for a part time phlebotomist and I also had to perform in the NT's Annual Eisteddfod.
The interview went well, I have applied for numerous positions at this location and I was happy to have FINALLY gotten an interview. I was interviewed for two positions simultaneously, I had also applied for a part time lab assistant position. I wasn't that nervous and I think I handled all questions well and didn't babble and croak too much. Anyway, the guy rang me this morning and advised me that I hadn't gotten the job, but that it had been down to me and someone else. The other person got the phlebotomist position because they had experience, whereas I had only done the pathology collecting course. He was very nice about it and said I was really good in the interview and that I performed better in the interview than the successful candidate, however due to my lack of experience they preferred the other person. However, I am still being considered for the lab assistant which I'm pretty happy about, though, it's a position that might not even be filled..........Oh well, there is always next time, and there are more positions I'm going to apply for.
My dance performance at the Eisteddfod was good. We didn't win, or come second. I actually don't know what our score was, but we had fun!!! (That's the main thing, right??) We honestly needed to have practiced with each other a LOT more to get the synchronized movements, but I had fun and smiled a lot. It's like a dream when you have to perform on stage. When you get off, you think 'did I really just do that??' Kind of like when you give a presentation, your mouth seems to have taken off all on it's own, and you don't even seem to control it. I miss the times when I would be backstage with my little dancing buddies talking and laughing about other people's costumes and dances and the feeling of nerves that made you want to go to the toilet. The only reason I needed to go to the toilet backstage last night was because I couldn't be bothered taking off my leotard beforehand, and so it was an Arafura Games Opening Ceremony-like affair.
It was a busy day, I had fun, but I'm happy it's over!!!!! I'm getting too old for things like this.
Jack Handy Thought For The Day: If you wear a toupee, why not let your friends try it on for a while? Come on, we're not going to hurt it.
Bargain Mate!!
Hello There,
There is nothing BETTER (well, not much really) than getting a bargain!!! I see you all nodding away at your computer screens (make sure no one is watching you, or you will be accused of having the 'weird' gene). Well, my BARGAIN for the weekend was getting a cheap flight from Darwin to Sydney on the 26th June!!!! Yes, I was THRILLED, it only cost $99.00 plus tax which made it all up, $108.95. How good was that?? I kept checking the prices last week and the cheapest I could find was about $194.00, however, I kept putting off booking the ticket for some uknown reason (I now know this reason). I looked yesterday and found this little beauty and booked it straight away. I'm now waiting for the perfect time to book my ticket back from Sydney to Darwin. I consult the stars and moon each night, but to no avail, I guess I'll just have to keep looking on webjet.com.au Hehe. I'm VERY happy with my good buy.
On the other hand, I have had numerous experiences buying clothes and shoes full price only to find that next time I visit that same shop, they are selling for half price, and I still haven't had the opportunity to wear the item!!!!!!!!!!! Things that make you go ARGH!!!!
On the other hand (seeing as I now have 3), I am getting VERY EXCITED about coming to Sydney!!!!!!!!!!! Sure, my exam is on the 27th June, but after that, I get to see everyone!!!! I miss my dear Sydney friends heaps, you know who you are (yes, those who didn't FORGET my birthday). All the rest, well phuuh!!! *scoffs* I guess I'll see you guys as well.
Be sure to post comments about bargains you have all come across. Vidya, perhaps your Mum might like to add her 20Kg of potatoes for 20 cents??
Jack Handy Thought For The Day: Just as irrigation is the lifeblood of the Southwest, lifeblood is the soup of cannibals.
The Real Thing
I know all of you have been sitting on the edge of your seats just WAITING for me to put up my next post!! Well, here it is!!!!!!! *Bows (not Japanese style though!!)*
The Arafura Games Opening Ceremony went off really well. My sari was tied really tightly around my waist, cutting off the blood supply just the way I like it, and the make up I had to wear made me look pretty similar to a She-Devil (or a Drag Queen even). The dancers dressed me, did my hair, and put on my make up. I felt like I was getting married!! Hehe. We somehow managed to get on the bus on time (I don't know how, I can't remember the last time I saw so many females getting dressed so quickly). Once at the venue, I really needed to go to the bathroom, however, as my sari was pinned to my tights, I didn't really want to unpin it, for fear of the sari falling down in certain places. I was therefore kinda 'busting' for a few hours, it was okay though, I forgot about my bladder sometimes and would remember later on, it was like a vicious cycle. The timing was not a problem at all during the night, in fact, I think we kind of killed it!!! (Now, you can see how modest I really am). I mean, I personally didn't kill it, but the professional dancers were awsome. I don't know if any of you have seen Sri Lankan dancing, but the costumes are spectacular and the flips, jumps, barrel rolls, fire eating are great!! The men's costumes are MUCH nicer than the women's (why is that??), and I think honestly, the guys stole the show. We, as mere back up dancers did pretty well ourselves, there was only one bungle and as the crowd was probably not looking at us, it didn't matter at all. It's amazing what adrenaline does to you!! After the performance we were all involved in a fire spectacle which launched the fire works. I thought that was GREAT!! After that, I was teased mercilessly by the dancers (I think it was because I couldn't understand Sinhalese that well!!), and I remembered that I needed to go to the bathroom. After I came back, even though I pinned the sari back into my tights, it still managed to look incredibly daggy, so I congratulated myself on waiting till the end of the show to go to the toilet. Hehe. All in all, it was a very good production, apparently it was going to be shown sometime this week nationally on channel 7. I saw the show on Sunday in Darwin, and honestly, it was not very good, very budget like, and honestly quite embarrassing, not national material at all. Damn you Darwin!!!!!!
Okay people, take care, and tune in next time for the next update!!!
Jack Handy Thought For The Day: Somebody told me how frightening it was how much topsoil we are losing each year, but I told that story around a campfire and nobody got scared.
Arafura Games
Hello All,
Now, I'm not sure how many of you know about the Arafura Games, but let me tell you, they are going to be spectacular. Yours truly is dancing in the Opening Ceremony so how could it NOT be good?? Actually, they are like a mini Commonwealth Games, with less participants. The participants come from places near the Arafura Sea (hence the name 'Arafura'), and they compete for one week. Anyways, I have been going to practices on the Marrara Oval (which is also incidently our cricket ground, don't talk to me about scores!!), the last one being yesterday after work. I got home at 9.30pm and was TIRED!!! I'm still TIRED!!! The funny thing about this dancing business is that the people teaching us the traditional Sri Lankan dancing are professional dancers from Sri Lanka (funny that). Anyway, one of the dance groups came to Darwin in about 1998 for Sri Lanka's 50 year Independence Celebrations, and I was infatuated with the drummer (me being 15 and all). I thought he was the most beautiful man I had ever seen (he was 26 at the time) and we hit it off right away (I don't know how, when I look back, I could hardly speak Sinhalese then!!!). Anyways, I didn't see him for what, 7 years and then I met him again last week. You know, it was a really weird situation, but I think we have both moved on. Hehe (I don't know why I'm sharing this with you all, I'm sure Mel will find a way to taunt me with it, but I say "Go ahead, do your worst!!"). There is absolutely no connection there, but he's a nice guy and a good dancer/drummer still. What can I say, time seems to have healed all wounds (what wounds??). I have no idea what the last part of this post had to do with the Arafura Games..........
Talk about a tangent!!!!
Jack Handy Thought For The Day: I think someone should have had the decency to tell me the luncheon was free. To make someone run out with potato salad in his hand, pretending he's throwing up, is not what I call hospitality.
Pathology Collecting
You know you've learned something from a Pathology Collecting course when you see a man (probably a tourist) carrying heavy shopping bags, and think "he's got really good veins". These were my exact thoughts about 20 minutes ago, therefore, I MUST have learned something from my 3 day course!!! Hurrah!! It wasn't a waste of money after all!!! Actually, it was a lot of fun, and I did learn a lot. If I get a job as a Pathology Collector, I will be known as a 'Phlebotomist'!! Hehe, try saying that 10 times as fast as you can!! Go on, I know you want to!! After feeling scared the night before we started 'bleeding each other', I actually over came my fear of some person-off-the-street jabbing a needle in my arm, and felt scared about jabbing THEM in the arm. Talk about ironic. Apparently my technique is good, but the first time I performed 'venepuncture', I didn't go deep enough into the arm, and apparently I stuck the needle in too slowly. Well, excuse me for feeling apprehensive about jabbing a sharp object into someone's arm!!! Even though I was a little slow, I did manage to get blood the first time!! Yay!!! Meaning that I actually got the vein!!! The girl who bled me got blood too, and honestly, she was VERY good, it didn't hurt at all, though my heart was pounding out of my chest like in the cartoons, I probably wouldn't have felt a dog biting my leg while I waited for the needle to enter my arm. Apparently Doctors are the worst bleeders, ha ha, suckers!!! My second bleed the following day saw me behave more calmly, therefore there was less relieved laughter after the process (this was kinda embarrassing the first day). I didn't get blood the second day, but apparently my technique was better, I went faster and deeper into the skin, though I missed the vein. I was told not to worry, as the second girl had BAD veins.
So, guys, if you need a blood test, call your favourite Phlebotomist, you know my number!!!
Jack Handy Thought For The Day: The face of a child can say it all, especially the mouth part of the face.
