Semantically driven: Adelaide blogger, writer, photographer.

Making the most of it?

March 8, 2011 by Jen

As I enter week five of unemployment I still hover between feeling positive about my lack of work situation and feeling negative about my lack of work situation.

I had the joy of going to Centrelink last week and I nearly burst into tears when they told me that due to my ‘liquid assets’ I am unable to claim Newstart Allowance for a number of weeks. See my liquid assets aren’t as liquid as having a bunch of accessible cash hanging around in the bank and it annoys me that I’m forced to use up this money that I have to get out of term deposits because I was ‘let go’ from my last job.

I’d had plans of taking three or so months off when I wanted to, to do some travelling or something but now I’m being forced to take some time off because I haven’t got a job. This is why I’m trying to be positive because all too soon I’ll probably be back in the workforce and if I don’t enjoy this time off then what’s the point?

On a positive note I have been promised a contract for 12 hours work to research and write an article for a magazine which I’m looking forward to. I’ve also put in my first ever quote for a copywriting job for a research brochure. That was really hard because I’ve never had to do such a quote before and I didn’t want to over or under quote. I’m still yet to hear about that.

I don’t know if the work from home lifestyle is for me. I think I would go mad if I didn’t have other adults to talk to during the day so I’m trying to plan some catch up time with friends during the day which is working to an extent. (The image at the top was taken when I met a friend for lunch.)

In the meantime I read about job hunting and look at job advertisements. Some useful articles/blogs:

They really want to hire you. Some basic tips for how to present yourself.
InterviewIQ – job hunting intelligence
Avid careerist

Filed Under: Journal

Mourning the end of summer that never really was

March 5, 2011 by Jen

We spent most of the weekend at The Surfer’s place and went swimming both days. That was during the last few days of our summer and what a strange summer it has been here.

Firstly it didn’t get hot much at all. Unless March comes and bites me in the bum with a heatwave, we usually have a heatwave in January or February but apart from a couple of hot days and hot nights it didn’t really happen at all.

I know Perth and Sydney have had some heatwaves but these passed us by, not that I’m complaining. We’ve also been lucky to miss out on cyclones and floods.

I notice the days getting shorter and the weather getting cooler and I wonder what the heck happened to summer this year. Hopefully next summer for us won’t be as traumatic and we’ll also get some warmer weather, not too hot for too long mind.

Filed Under: Journal

Yes, you can hear me sing.

March 1, 2011 by Jen

The Surfer and I quite often sit down and play the ukuleles and I have a sing along. He can also play the guitar and has recently bought a banjo. I’m a one strum wonder and because of his guitar experience he can pick, and sounds quite good. He’s trying to get me out of my one strum wonder bit and one day I’ll get there.

Anyway, due to us stuffing around on iTunes with our two phones, I found these voice memos on my iTunes. One of them, below, is us playing along to a song called Raining Pleasure by The Triffids, a band from Western Australia. Oh, and it’s me singing.

If you can’t see the little audio player above, then here’s a a link Raining Pleasure.

Filed Under: Music

Little holiday

March 1, 2011 by Jen

A week ago we got back from five days away. Two of the five days involved driving which I had been dreading because of the children in the backseat, but a portable dvd player works wonders.

It was quite a lovely drive scenery wise the closer we got to our destination, ie Apollo Bay in Victoria. It was also quite wet in parts. This photo was taken just out of Colac as we were driving, and no, I wasn’t driving while snapping a photo.

The rain soon cleared and we had the drive through the Otway Ranges down to Apollo Bay. I’ve never been there before and it’s a beautiful spot with the hills as a backdrop to the ocean.

We had a house just near Apollo Bay with a view to the ocean. The moon treated us to its fullness on the second night. It was quite spectacular.

The main reason we had been invited along was to accompany our friends because one of them was riding in the Otway Odyssey, a 100km mountain bike race through the Otway Ranges.

The weather wasn’t very kind to the bike riders and while we waited at the finishing line for him we could see on the other riders how muddy it had been along the ride. The people below are waiting in line, in the rain, to get their bikes washed because the mud’s caked on.

The bike race was on the Saturday which left us one full day to do some sightseeing. We went back into the Otway Ranges to the Otway Fly Treetop Adventures for a look around the forest.

Wouldn’t you know it? The forest is so ancient that there are dinosaurs still living there. The kids couldn’t believe it.

The photo below was taken at the top of the viewing platform, one of those get up to the top via the spiral staircase ones. It swayed a bit in the wind too. JJ climbed up it two or three times. I didn’t mind because the more exercise he does the more he might wear himself out.

In a rainforest there’s going to be fungi.

And some small life.

Unfortunately Monday came around all too quickly and before we knew it we were packed up and in the cars heading back to Adelaide. We went via the Twelve Apostles, or what’s left of the twelve. It was quite windy and quite cool.

And you don’t want to ignore the signs because you might DIE.

I like going away on holidays and I also really like getting back to my own bed and my own kitchen, albeit a kitchen with a rogue mouse in it.

Filed Under: Travel

Three weeks into unemployment

February 26, 2011 by Jen

It is now my three week anniversary of being unemployed. I was all right up until a few days ago. I had something to look forward to last week because I had a job interview and I had a few days away.

Now that both of these are over with the prospect of I don’t know how much time out of work looms before me and I’m having a hard time adjusting. Everyone keeps saying that something will turn up and I guess something will but I’m impatient and I like to be in control and this situation is so out of my control that I’m not quite sure what to do.

I have been wallowing in self pity a bit the last few days but know that this mindset will get me nowhere so I’m trying my best to lift myself out of this funk.

Even though people moan and groan about having to go to work, and I’ve been one of those, it’s not until you don’t have a job to go to that you really want to get back to moaning and groaning about going back to work.

I’ve been on the phone to Centrelink (to get unemployment benefits) and have to go and see them on Monday. I hate that whole process but I need some money coming in while I search for work even though it is a pittance.

My son said to me this morning that I should start my own business and I have thought about it and I have even talked about it here but I don’t think I’m cut out for it. And bless him, he also said that I’m the smartest person he knows that knows about computers and the like.

In the meantime I’m putting on my positive attitude because the non-positive one really didn’t make me feel that good at all. I’ve also found myself a project to be carrying along with – something to occupy my days. I might also even get around to finishing off painting my bedroom. For some reason I didn’t paint the bedroom door and I did the rest of the room six years ago. Talk about procrastination.

Oh, and the interview I went to last week? I didn’t get that job. I’d felt like something was a bit wrong at the interview and that I didn’t quite have whatever they were looking for. What I am finding is that there are some jobs out there that want the type of experience I’ve got but don’t want to pay what I want to earn and what I think is a reasonable sum to earn. How is it that someone can advertise a job for someone to come up with strategies, implement these strategies and liaise with senior staff and so on, and not compensate them properly for this?

Just in case there’s anyone out there who reads this who has a fabulous job available for an online content (web and social media) type person, I’m your woman.

Filed Under: Journal

Still need food

February 16, 2011 by Jen

What’s a girl to do when she’s out of a job? Why go out for lunches of course. Well I won’t be making a habit of it because I’m not earning money at the moment but I met up with an old friend a week ago for lunch. He was in town to celebrate his 50th and I haven’t had a good catchup with him for years.

I met him and his wife separately about 20 years ago before they met each other. Him through a friend I used to date and her through an old school friend – they did nursing together.

The next day I went into the Central Market to do a bit of food shopping and I also met The Surfer for some lunch. On our way to the restaurant I heard my name being called out and it was my mate I’d seen for lunch the previous day. How’s that for a coincidence?

My next mission is to find some well-priced Chinese food that is tasty. We’ve had too many bland Chinese meals.

Filed Under: Food and Drink

Indeed it’s a Big Day Out

February 9, 2011 by Jen

Last October The Surfer didn’t know what to get me for my birthday and after a bit of thinking I suggested a Big Day Out ticket. I haven’t been to one of these since the year 2000 – the year I became pregnant with JJ.

It was a fairly warm and quite humid day so we went suitably attired with hats and sunscreen. It didn’t help that the humidity probably made us sweat off all the sunscreen.

I know these two fellas below and had to capture their t-shirts.

The Big Day Out is a pretty well-oiled machine and because it’s become bigger than it was 11 years ago I noticed a few changes.

One is that you have to buy drink tokens which makes going to the bar a lot quicker. For a can of beer it was two tokens, ie $7. We were lucky enough to have guest services bar passes which meant that we could pay for drinks in cash, sit down in comfort indoors and had access to our own toilets. There’s always a big queue for the ladies at things like this so that was a blessing although the bar staff (and I asked two) didn’t know of these toilets even though they were just outside one of the doors. I had to discover them for myself. I’m sure it’s a tiring gig working all day at the Big Day Out but a bit more friendly customer service wouldn’t go astray. At one stage I was obviously waiting at the bar and saw that two bar staff were standing one metre away from me. I had to approach them for service!

Here’s three of our group in the bar between music.

Not everyone’s lucky enough to have access to this bar to cool off so there are things like this. It’s a mist dome – a very pretty one. This one provided some shade as well. There were other spray type tents that had more water so you could just go and soak yourself to cool down.

Here’s The Surfer getting some spray.

‘Big Day Out. Insert wisdom here…’ Not sure what it says underneath.

Musically, we started off watching The Jim Jones revue who were really good. They were recommended by a friend and I’m glad that we got there to see them. I’d like to see them again too.

Then we had a bit of a break before the late afternoon when our schedule was jam packed. We saw a few things including Gyroscope. We did pop along to the silent disco around 5.

I’ve never been to one before and it’s good fun, especially with a group. You go in and get given a set of headphones. There are three channels for three different choices of music, or in this case two. So there are two DJs who are competing to get you to listen to their tracks.

At one stage Beastie Boys were on – Fight for your Right to Party and we must have all been on the same channel because we were singing along. It’s funny watching people dancing to a different tune.

Early evening onwards was when the other bands that we wanted to see were on. Firstly Iggy Pop and the Stooges whom I’ve never seen before. Iggy was a bit of a dot in the distance but we could hear them well enough and had room to move. He’s up there somewhere.

Here’s myself and a couple of friends at the guest services bar. I’ve either got my eyes and my mouth wide open in shots like this or my mouth and eyes closed. Hmmm.

After a rest we saw Primal Scream who did the Screamadelica album they released about 20 years ago. There’s some great songs on there. While they were a bit slow to start with, by the end of the show they were rocking. I’m glad I hung around and saw them to the end. It was quite a change from the last time I saw them at the last Big Day Out I went to in 2000 where they did their new stuff.

Lastly, but definitely not least, we saw Grinderman fronted by one of my favourite musicians, Nick Cave. Grinderman were so energetic and fabulous. It helps knowing the music but even though I’m reasonably familiar with it, it’s much better seeing them live and getting the gist of the music and lyrics in a way that you just can’t by only listening to music on a stereo.

We finished off the day with a Chip on a Stick – one potato cut up in a continuous chip that’s put on a stick and then we caught the tram home. My legs were in absolute pain from standing up most of the day – something I’m not used to. It took me a few days to recover but I’m definitely glad I went.