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OK, so HOW long has it been since I posted here properly? Wow. Well, anyway. I'm here to give it a shot.

So, let's see... I've been working at Woolies still. BIG SURPRISE OH GOD YOU GUYS. Nice change though, is that I finally got a supervision position! I've been running opens, mostly on Fridays and Saturdays. It's not too bad, getting up that early was a struggle at first, but it does make the day feel much brighter when I'm finishing work at 10, 11 in the morning. Also been doing liquor store shifts every Monday night... It's kind of a drag, but there's not a huge amount of work to do, so bludging yay. It's nice to be able to just... DO everything I need to at work. But with that being said, I'm desperate to leave at this point. I've widened my job search - A LOT - to include stuff like reception/admin work, PA could be good, data entry... I'm reluctant to go call centre work, ESPECIALLY telesales... I mean, I really dislike those folks when they call me, it'd feel contradictory. Something like a customer assistance line I could do, I think.

The main impetus behind this has been Edgar from work quitting. Originally it was because he was sure he was gonna get a job he'd applied for, but that fell through... Now he's just leaving for the sake of not working at Woolies anymore. It kinda made me feel bad - I've seen him arrive at the store, helped train him, taught him how to do stuff better, befriended him, and now he's leaving. Really, the Woolies job should've been over inside of a year for me, too... But I let it drag on. I just need to leave now. Now. Edgar was saying his friend could get him and I jobs at Hoyts, and hey! A change is as good as a holiday. I'd be willing to do that for a while, so long as the pay isn't a drop from Woolies - which'd be difficult as, from what I've seen, they pay a shit wage. So, might be moving to Hoyts. Who knows!

In other news, I am not single right now! It is pretty great. His name's Adam, I enjoy making kisses with him. I'm perpetually in that mindset where I constantly suddenly remember I'm not single anymore, and it always surprises me with a nice warm-fuzzy feeling. I made him my phone background so I would remember more often, and continue feeling happy.

Speaking of phone, I have an iPhone now! It's pretty sweet. I love downloading and trying all the stupid little apps people make for it, stuff like "iSaber" which makes lightsaber sounds when you swing it around, or Hangman, stuff like that. Plus it's a great change from the old crap-phone I had for years. It's a bit big, sure, but I don't mind cos it's still very flat. I love the interface, and now that I'm more used to typing on a touchscreen, SMS is just as easy as ever. It's also nice that I now have my iPod with me constantly... One less thing to carry!

Slowly getting back into drawing... I've had another decently big style shift since I started drawing again lately. Not anything huge, but it's just a slow process incorporating new ideas so they mesh properly. I like it, though! It's semi-realistic, with a bit of cartoon flair. I like to think I'm well away from 'anime' now.

And with the style change, comes another new change... I'm gonna reboot Shut Up (the comic this is all for, yes I know it's been a while. Maybe you didn't remember!) and start over at comic number one again. I mean, there's only seven, eight comics done? And it's been about two years for that. Every single comic, the style's changed heaps. There's no consistency. So, I'm gonna start over and do it right this time.

Not only restart, but I think I'll retool it a bit. The main reason comic production halted was that even though I had it planned out for maybe ten more strips, dialogue and posing and all, was that it was just going too slow. And maybe people like Jeph Jacques can work well in a four-panel setup, but I don't think I can. I'm gonna try my hand at a full-page style and see how that goes instead. It means more freedom - I can do four panels, or five, or sixteen if I want - plus I can have an adjustable pacing for jokes or storytelling. I think it'll work. Might take some practice doing page layouts that are dynamic and functional, but we'll see how we go. I'm actually kinda excited! I wanna change the setting a bit, maybe... I mean, I'm not in uni anymore so I don't think I can enthusiastically write about that so much, but I'll see how I go. Wanna re-prioritise who's in the main cast, maybe cut some extras I don't really need... It should be an adventure!

Alright, I think that's all I have to report. Hopefully I can keep a better handle on frequent updates from now on. In the meantime, any Twitter users reading this? If so, whilst I don't use it super-frequently, I'm more likely to Tweet before my next big post. Feel free to follow me on Twitter in the meantime.

All right, Jess has been posting on LJ - Jess! - so I feel the need to do an update. I don't think there'll be a huge amount of content here, but let's see how we go.

So, I never discussed how I spent New Year's. I can't be bothered now, but it was good. Met buddhalator for the first time, and got along well with jazrajawbreaker, a5hl33t and domakesaytravis. Good times.

Hmm, what else. Well, I have been working, blah blah boring. I half want to get away ASAP into a design job, but I also don't want to leave, because it's easy and comfortable and I like most of the people. But I do need to get out there, get a real job. I haven't been trying much, so far. I think I'm gonna ry and apply myself harder.

The odd thing is, a bunch of people I know are all enrolling in uni courses for the year, and I feel... Left behind. Weird, considering that I am past uni, but it feels like I'm missing out. I've been trying not to think about the fact that the path of the rest of my life is now up to me. There's no more regimented education for me to follow, it's all up to me now. See, now that's a gaping chasm of OH GOD that I don't want to stare into. Sooner or later I'll just have to jump into it, though. Augh.

In less scarydepressing news, bike! Yesterday... Well, two days ago now, really, on Monday, I rode my bike from home to the city and back, with Edgar from work. I sorta dared him to do it last week, when he said he was already planning a ride along Linear Path - which goes from TTP to the city - but that plan ended up falling through. I messaged him about it Sunday evening, and we ended up going th next day. It was a good ride, about three hours all up including stopping for lunch in the city and a wander through UniSA, and the company was good too. We chatted a bit, so it was nice to hang out with someone new and all that junk. Edgar's a cool guy, I'm glad it wasn't all awkward and "uh, we have nothing to talk about except work" like I fear it would be with half the people at Woolies. Once we got home, he hung out here for a while and played the Wii - haha, sort of a bribe to keep him riding, but he said he'd never played one before, so. That was cool. I pity him, having to get up for work at 7am the next morning. Early morning post-exercise, nogh. I told him I'd be up for doing it again, hopefully he takes me up on it. Good exercise, good company, good combo.

Also, eBay has reclaimed me. Not just me selling stuff, but the buying, oh god the buying. I bought three PS2 games last week, which along with my IKEA bedside table - so pretty! - pretty much impoverished me. And then, just now, I bought Fahrenheit for PS2 from some UK seller. I had to get the Europe version! It has bits that were cut from the localised version. Stupid censors. Hopefully it doesn't take forever to get here, it looks like a good game.

So yeah, many games imminent. Tomorrow I go shopping for a DVD rack! I will move all my games to it, then use my current ones for movie DVDs. Being excited by this is totally not sad, at all. SHUT UP.

I've been trying to art a bit more lately, too. I used to do it as a pastime during uni, so I haven't really been into it lately. Have to force myself to do it for it's own sake again, to be honest. The New Year's picture was for that reason, and to try and indoctrinate myself into working digitally more. I think it turned out well, for what errors it did have, and it makes me want to do more. I'm trying to set a little time aside each day for art, and hope to get into comic production soon. I've got one half-done here, just a matter of inking it by hand to finish that off, and digging in with the colouring. Promises of comic work: Sound familiar?

I kinda wanna get out of being a member at Fitness First. I haven't gone in ages, and it really does cost a mint. Jess rejoined at Modbury, so it'd be good to have somebody to go with. Only problem would be that now that Amy has her P plates, we are sharing a car - woe! I would have to navigate around that, which is going to be annoying at the best of times. Good reason for getting full-time job: Buying own car.

Speaking of money-saving, I have a plan. Or rather, Mel and I have a plan. We both hope to get full-time jobs this year, and save up a bundle of money. At the moment she is on a whirlwind trip through Europe, Canada and the US with her sister and brother-in-law, and I am hella jealous. If we can save enough, we're gonna try and make our own trip to Europe at the end of this year. I really wanna do it, it would be a blast. Completely cliche, backpacking across Europe, but it would be awesome. Oh gosh you guys, you have no idea how much I want to go to Europe. It's so old, and I am hot for old countries. So much history. This is a serious reason for me to want to go job-hunting. The only thing cooler than a holiday would be moving to Europe - London, for preference - for a working year. Can you imagine? Ohhh man. Dream.

Speaking of which, I think it's time to go have some dreams. Aw man, I promised myself I'd start going to bed early, and I went one day before screwing it up. Way to go! Alright, I'm off. Go buy my stuff.

Whoop whoop. I have a journal? Hilarious! If I had a journal, I'd post in it. OBviously.

Well, I'll give it a go. Hello blogosphere! Since I last spoke to you, apparently you have been sold to the Russians. Neato.

What have I been up to? Well, uni is out forever, the exhibition was a big hit - but no employers hitting me up with job offers, le sigh - and now I have nothing to look forward to but the eternal job-hunt. ROCKIN'. I'm really tired all the time lately, I don't know why. I've been getting a majority of 8-10 hour sleep sessions, but no dice. Maybe I can only live comfortably on five to seven hours, like during uni? It is something to consider. For now I'm just getting on with monotony, woo. Work, drawing sporadically, being bored, wishing I had more money. Working again. And again. Hating Laura at work. The usual.

I am slowly getting the increasing urge to move out hardcore. I want to live on my own so bad. Well, not on my OWN, but outside of my family home. This is why I must get a Real Job. Yes. Then G-Mel and I can move out and create the FUCK-Shack. This is what our first house will be called, but it must be pronounced with a long F. Hilarity! The neighbours would not approve of a door plaque with this on it.

Also, it's my birthday this Thursday! PRAISE ME. I will be turning 20. This is an amazing achievement. Just having a few folks round for drinks, is the plan. The city is expensive and dumb and I left it too late to organise a real party. So, that's all. I'll save my energy and planning for my 21st next year. Ideas required, yess.

Hmm, what else. I want it to be winter again! I have a nice jacket I bought for cheap at Harbour Town due to the change of season and now I want to wear it. It is PRETTY but also hot.

I think Rhiann's influence is ruining my ability to type without capslock and sentence fragments.

Other than that, I dunno. Tired! Bedtime maybe. Talk to you later, intertron.

Y'know, I had a bad day at work today, I got logged for doing something NAWTY and getting caught. I was going to make this big angry post about it and all, but y'know what? Who gives a fuck. If all goes to plan I'll have quit within 6 months and gotten a design job, so in the long run it doesn't really matter. Regardless, I'll still say what I was going to originally.

It honestly seems like as soon as something good happens to me, a shovelful of crap has to be dumped on me too.

But hey. I'll live. I'll live poorly for a while - apparently I'm being knocked down to minimum hours for at least a fortnight - but it's no biggie.

This entry was only partially made so I could use this icon. It's an inside joke... OHOHO! Hello, you.

OK, this is transcribed in its entirety from Myspace. Oh God, Myspace. I hate me.

"Hmm. I've never used the Myspace Blog before, so why not start, right? It's worth a try.

Generally I'm pretty bad at journal-keeping or blogging - I still do it, just not here - because I can't focus on one topic. I jump back and forth between topics a lot, and come back to things later on - a lot like a conversation, I guess. Conversational writing. It's one of my favourite types of writing to read, personally... The other is the overly descriptive and tangential writing used by authors like (the late, great) Douglas Adams. It sounds like whoever's writing it is really excited about what they're writing, just pouring it onto the page/blog entry pane as soon as it comes to mind, leaping away onto other topics as the act of writing it down sparks new line of thought.

Haha, I guess I should stop writing about writing and do some writing, right? Tongue-twister!

I guess the two big things occupying my mind lately are uni and dating. More specifically, the approaching end of the former (two months, lawks!) and the complete lack of the latter. God, out in the world in two months... I'll have no excuse to keep chugging on at Woolworths, really. First it was my "it fits around school" job, then it fit around uni, but after that? There's an expectation to put those skills to use, obviously. I have this creeping fear that I won't get a job in design, and that every day I work at Woolworths after graduating will feel like another failure. I guess I'm just intimidated by the prospect of not having any set direction in life anymore. There's no set path after uni... I think tht's the scariest part. After this I really am on my own, 'in control of my destiny' or however you like to put it.

As for dating... Ahaha, an eternal sore spot. One for-realz boyfriend, ever, and that's it. How lame. I don't spend a lot of time looking, of course. I'd like it to happen - I'm sure everyone wants it to happen to them - but I don't feel it's a core issue, somehting I can't live without. Then again, there are definitely times where it'd just be nice to have somebody to curl up with, do nothing with. Is it weird that that is the best part of dating to me? Doing nothing, but doing it with someone. Well, anyway, that's what I miss most I guess. I keep my eye out, but it doesn't look like there's anyone looking back. Fingers crossed I guess?

Writing about post-uni made me think of another topic but I made myself wait to write about it... And when I'd just said how much I jump topics! I'm obviously a total hypocrite. Anyway, it reminded me of the Things I Want To Do. You know, those objectives you set for 'Someday'? Well, I've been reading this random biography I picked up at the library, and in it this guy is talking about having moved back and forth between Australia (his homeland) and England, Germany, Italy... I want to do that! I want to live in another country for a year, almost definitely Europe. America could be exciting, but some of the security stuff you hear about is pretty crazy. I'm surprised they don't hold on to one of your testicle's while you're in the country, just to make sure you behave.

But yeah, I'd love to live in England or somewhere for a while... Just living outside of the country sounds exciting. Somewhere where the rules are different, culture's different, somewhere you don't already know. I think it would be exciting and scary and wonderful. I want to make it happen. I want to make it happen before I hit 30. I want to live somewhere where I can drive for a couple of hours and be in a completely different country (don't say that's not possible from England, because there's a tunnel under the English channel so nyer). I feel like I have to make it happen, sooner rather than later. I'd love to do it with friends, but I think it'd be just as exciting on your own. Scarier, sure, but the feeling of accomplishment would be... Ahhh. Wonderful.

Wow, that got long pretty fast. I think that's enough for now."

Hey kids, how ya been. Just thought I'd check in, say hi... Y'know, the usual.

Ooh! My shirts from Threadless arrived! I ordered some with Jess because of their last sale, which was fun. I love cheap shirts that have interesting things on them. I got three of them, and this time I made them Large because the Mediums don't fit as comfortably. They're a little baggy, but bearable. The designs I got were ... Interpretive Dance, Rocketbird and 99 Luftballoons. I am quite pleased with them. Using the points I got for sending in photos of all the shirts I've bought so far, I'm thinking of getting a couple more. There's two I have my eye on but I'm gonna wait for this week's set to come out, in case there's something cooler. Also, after watching some of the Threadless video blog things, I really wanna work there :( It looks so fun! Then again, Boston would be a long commute.

So I finally got my Life Drawing stuff assessed this week, after being jerked around by my lecturer. I HATE THAT WOMAN. I much preferred the woman before her.. Damn her for not being able to continue teaching! I wanted to punch Trena every time she talked to me, grr. No lady, I do NOT think I should use charcoal instead, and do you know why? Because charcoal is dirty and yucky. I prefer graphite where, y'know, I'll be able to tell what kind of mark I'm gonna make. Also it doesn't explode in my hands if I press too hard.

Anyways, next on the cards is working out my elective for next semester. I was gonna do Screen printing (:D) but the class was full, so I'd been emailing the lecturer running it. She said to keep checking until then and if no spaces opened up I should just get in contact with her. I did, and she basically just said "The class is full." (D:) So, she strung me along for no reason. Well, screw you bitch! When I come back next year for Illustration, I am going to get into your fucking class, and I will flip you off every single lesson. HAH.

What else. Well, work progresses slowly on comickery, as I decided halfway through inking the first comic in the pie that I no longer liked the drawings. I think I'll just push ahead with it anyway, otherwise I'll get stuck at that point forever. In happier news, due to drawing out those panels, I'm now at the end of sketchbook 11! Number 12 has been sitting patiently, numbered, in my desk for about six months. I look forward to cracking it open some time this holidays.

Speaking of hollerdays, they are fun! I have reached the endpoint for FF XII, so now I'll meander around completing all the side stuff before going for the final dungeon area. I'm still disappointed that there hasn't been more character development, but whatcha gonna do. It feels as though the starter character, Vaan, got pushed to the side the moment the later characters entered the party. I don't mind so much with Balthier and Fran, but the princess is kinda boring. Also Al-Cid needed to be in it more, his pseudo-Italian ways are fun. And why are you limited to the one continent in this game? I miss free-flying airship travel :( It was always my favourite part of the FF games, reaching the point where you get to zoom back and forth over the world map. Picking locations from a menu just doesn't match up. Oh well, at least the gameplay is kinda fun.

Also been watching things over the break. I've been downloading stuff (Clone High, Drawn Together, Daria) and watching DVDs (Lost Season Two) which is good for passing the time. In between that, I have been working, a lot. My work roster has at least doubled since holidays started, not that I'm complaining. The money's done the same. $400 is so much nicer sounding than $150! Looks like I might get to buy things sooner than I thought. Whee screen printing kit!

But also, it has been brought to my attention (coughJesscough) that I should save more. So, I will do that too. I guess. Between buying a car, moving out, paying for my spot in the VisCom gallery exhibition, and going on a possible holiday at the end of the year, I probably should. I'm actually doubting whether or not I''ll go to AVcon this year. I know it's just a weekend, but I do tend to spend there. The only thing I really wanted to buy is the next MegaTokyo book, because they make everything cheaper at the con, so I guess I could go and just hang out instead of spending. I don't even like the shirt/hoodie designs this year. I mean, how does "Rock and Roll" apply as an anime and gaming convention theme? Seriously. RPG, yes. Pirates versus Ninjas,double yes. But this is just... forced. Ho hum, something to think about.

Also to think about! HARRY POTTARS! Only a month until the final book, and a week or two after that, the fifth movie. Yaaay. Looking forward to reading the last installment, and seeing what they do in the OoTP movie. Wheeee. Also, Transformers comes out next week. Who's gonna go see Transformers with me? TRANSFORMERS.

OK, that's probably enough bloggery for one post. I will see you soon kids, hopefully with a comic or something to show.

Wow! Long time without an actual post yo. I should check in.

So as you can see from my last 'entry', I cut all my hair off. Good riddance! I was reluctant to do it, really. Straightening my hair was an investment of sorts, and cutting my hair off would be throwing that money away. So, I sat in my bathroom with the hair clippers buzzing away in my hand for about five minutes... And then I cut off a big ol' chunk right at the front so I wouldn't be able to back out of it. And now here we are!

At least I don't have to straighten it all the damn time. I don't even need to look in a mirror in the morning, really! Yay for lazy! Also I am kind of liking it all short and stuff, I might keep it this way for a while.

In other news, working at Northgate is pretty fun. The folks there are nice and it is so quiet! I should start bringing a book to work or something, srsly. A couple of the people are nice, like Rosie who is my best work friend I think, and also Jack who is fun to talk to. Technically Jack1, as there is a second one and I met this one first. He was the guy who was always asking how my transfer was going while it was still in the works. I sincerely hope he is a big ol' gay, haha. He is cool. But in high school! It's weird to think that I find that so much younger than myself, when in reality he can't be any more than 2 years younger. When did I get old? But yeah, I would hitdate that. He was complaining cos all he had on his checkout to read was a Women's Day/New Idea/whatever, because we only get to read what customers leave behind. "I wish we had something good to read, like a Men's Health", he says. I valiantly manage to resist the urge to immediately reply with "But you only read it for the articles, right?" Hur hur I am funny.

Pushing trolleys is not even that bad, it turns out. It's a little exercise, and maybe a half hour away from checkout if I am thorough enough at collecting stray trolleys. I should reinforce in light of this that I am extremely thorough. Bosses are cool (except for Redhead Sandy Clone) and all that. Also some guy jut started this week and he is super gayish and girly-voiced a bit, so I've got that working for me too I guess. (DISGUISE SELF USING MORE EXTREME EXAMPLE IF NECESSARY!)

I have not been arting a whole heck of a lot, but there is some stuff being drawn here and there. Laptop is still pretty, and it is nice to be able to ignore my classes at uni and Internet instead. Uni is annoying and I do not care for any of our current assignments. I am running out of things to say, I will leave it there.

Horjay! My laptop is pretty and set up and pretty. It is loaded up with all the pornprograms I need for it to be useful. Vista is nice to look at, although I haven't found any standout feature that seperates it from XP at some basic level. My wallpaper is the Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix wallpaper until I can find something cooler.

It's kinda nifty to be able to work from anywhere in the house - today I went and sat in the lounge room and checked Livejournal and stuff, and although it wasn't any different in the viewing part of the whole thing, it is nice to feel I have that freedom. For some reason.

Also, Northgate isn't too bad a store to work at. It is super quiet compared to the plaza, but I'm OK with that. The people seem pretty cool too, although it was a bit annoying to have them assume assume that just because I was new to the store, I was also new to the company. Next person who says something dumb like "Do you know how to bag up your register?" is going to get an Evil Glare and a "I am new to the store, but I am NOT new to the job." Glare glare glare turn away angry shoulders.

In addition, I got to push trolleys back to the store. Pushing trolleys is not fun. Pushing trolleys is the opposite of fun.

I am posting from it right now.

Unfortunately it arrived about 45 minutes before I need to leave for my first shift at Northgate.

ARGH ANNOYANCE AND ALSO SUDDEN STRIKE OF NERVOUSNESS

OK so first off, do you guys like the new icon over there? I made a whole set of stupid emoticon face Doms. Check my userpics on my profile if you wanna see 'em all.

Gosh, you guys. Tomorrow is my frist day at Woolworth's Northgate. Yesterday was my last shift at TTP. I did not get a goodbye present, I did not get a card! I got a good bye and 3 hugs. BECAUSE WOOLWORTHS CARES. The most hilarious bit was when I was just starting my shift and the store manager, Kylie, asked me when I was leaving for Northgate. I said it was my last day, and she made this... noise. It was along the lines of "Awww...?" Like she was saying 'Aw that's too bad' but it ended up as a question, like 'I think?'.

Then she sort of stared at me for a second and moved on.

But now tomorrow is OMG MAI FURST DAI. I'm looking forward to half the checkout staff just expecting me to be completely new and treating me like I'm below them, right before I bust out my Mad Checkout Skillz and kick their haughty asses. although I am expecting to also get total FAIL on doing other stuff, because they're bound to have their own eccentric little ways of doing stuff, like... I don't know, dumb things like HOW TO SWEEP or HOW TO CLEAN REGISTERS. I'll live, but it's bound to happen.

The one thing I do need to be careful of is not acting like I usually do at work. I'm so used ot being familiar with my bosses/supervisors and being friends with them, that I quite happily reply to requests to do a job with "Nope, that's dumb, I'm doing something else.", or "give me a NOT crap job, OK?" and also "Stop being dumb, silly supervisor butt." Must remember: Wait a few weeks BEFORE insulting supervisors.

But yes tomorrow will be EXCITING. It is cool to know that when I have lunch breaks, I can just go home instead of buying anything or taking food with me. No more missing dinner during night shifts!

In other news I have done some more screenprinting! Spotlight finally got my white ink in, so I made Jess' Katamari shirt for her. And after I saw how much better it turned out than my first one, I did up another for myself too.

I also screenprinted an A and a B on my class journals for Studio Streams A and B, but those aren't very exciting so no photos.

Oh oh oh! The other exciting news is that I'm getting a LAPTOP. WHEE. It shoulld be arriving tomorrow, it's a shiny custom-built Dell and I'm doing it on a Rent-to-Own plan thing. In two years it will be ALLL MIIIINE. ARGH so excited. According to Jess, who also got a Delltop lately and is therefore the stealer of my thunder, there will be a buncha crap installed on there that I won't need, so I'll have to root it all out first. I am OK with that!

OK out of steam now, end journal go. David's cat is a dick, my arm looks like a scratching post.

Week OneTwo of uni finish get! (I started writing this a week ago, how sad is that?)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHSDKFSDKF.. L. I really shouldn't have set it up so uni and work started back at the same time, I'm exhausted. At least all my courses seem OK! Studio will always be kinda crap, but my theory course seems interesting - we watched a video about the controversial Vietnam war memorial in America which I thought was interesting - and the lecturer is pretty nice. Also after much drama with studio clashing with EVERY SINGLE elective I wnated to do for professional reasons, I settles on an indulgence and went for life drawing. Something I can enjoy and have fun with! Also it'll help my personal drawing skills by greater familiarising myself with the human form so I can place it properly. Also maybe I will finally learn how to draw some god-damn hands. Translation? I spend four hours every Thursday morning staring at naked dudes and ladies. ROCK.

SO yeah uni is OK, although most of the projects we have in studio seem to suck - no surprise there. If this is really what actual design work is like, I'm not sure I could enjoy doing it for a living.. The thought scares me. I don't want to have gotten all this way only to find I won't be able to pursue this career. I'm not going to drop out or anything - two weeks into my last year isn't a point at which to drop out, I need to give it a chance at least - but I may look at a second degree possibly. I'd be interested in doing the other stream of VisCom, the illustration stream. I think I could enjoy that. But, I have plenty of time to ponder.

In other news, I took the plunge yesterday and rode my bike to uni. That's pushbike, by the way - for some reason Sarah at uni asked whteher I might have meant motorbike. Folks, I am not hardkore enough for motorbiking. Srsly. But yes, it's roughly a 15km trip each way, probably a bit shorter as Linear Path - the bike track that mostly follows the O-Bahn/Torrens towards town - goes in a more direct line than driving a car does. I gave myself about 45 minutes for the trip as a wide berth, but it actually took me that long to get there. And man was I tired! and sweaty, really sweaty. It was hotter than I had planned on it being. But, I did it, and I plan on continuing to do so.

A few additions will be made to the system though: One, leave an hour before my lecture starts to ensure I'll be there with no rushing. Two, pack a towel or rag or something for sweat removal when I get there. Three, bring a spare tshirt with me so I don't have to walk around with a backpack-shaped sweat patch on my back. Four, somehow stop Sam smirking at me and chortling - chortling! - whenever she thinks of me riding to uni. This may involve becoming liek omg super fit and buff so I can make the trip in like six minutes. Perhaps become... hardkore?

But yes, the trip itself was actually pleasant, as the path is mostly shaded and very green, as it goes through riverside parkland parts mostly. Unfortunately, it is also incredibly easy to go the wrong way on the return trip, as I found out by getting lost about four times. I still swear I did not go around a U-turn looking bit the first time! I should get my hands on an actual bike trail map so I can avoid this. I figure these rides, along with the gym, should keep my fitness regimen at a satisfying level.

Also, in terms of work. I know when I am transferring! As of the end of this month, I will cease to work at Woolworths Tea Tree Plaza. April shall be the month of Northgate! I am pretty excited about this change, hopefully it'll be for the best. Mostly the folks there seem nice and friendly - hell, they practically know me already by how often I go there - and also a fair few of the guys are pleasant to look at, so there's that as well. Party! OH! Speaking of party, some of the TTP folks want me to have a going-away party thing, or night out or something. I don't think I would be against that. Except I wouldn't let us go to any shit places *coughcough like Church or PJ's or Mansions oh GOD cough* which most of them probably love and I would insist on dirnking until I was useless and then leave to go hang out with Gay Mel or something. But it could be fun!

IN other matters, fun is something I want to have more of. something that I think would be fun is-- OH. OH I JUST REMEMBERED SOMETHING FUN I WANT TO DO, but it's different to what this is about so I'll attach it afterwards. Someting I think that would be fun is getting a boyfriend! This is a serious aim for right now. There is possibly a boy that this could occur with so maybe if I am lucky something will turn up? Here's hoping. I figure I've been single for long enough and I am gonna actively pursue this, even though that's pretty much against my general attitude to Getting Things Done. I will see what I can do!

OK now something else that is fun is this idea that I had WHICH IS TOTALLY AWESOME that I think tht we - me, inference, archetypalangst and generic_blog21 (how sad that I can refer to us all by Livejournal links) - should Do. Do you realise that there are bowling alleys? With liquor licenses? HOW IS THIS NOT A GREAT PLAN. A night out at a bowling alley, having a few drinks and bowling (with the bumpers on, as Shane suggested)? I think this would be a superbly fun thing. We should Do This Thing. C'MON. At night bowling alleys usually have those funky blue lights andf cheesy old music and stuff, it would rock. It'd be a real rip-snorter!

OK, running out of blogging steam now, pa-duh guh guh guhhhhh. Bed time sleep go now.

Live!

Journal!

Gogogo!

I haven't actually made an entry that isn't photos or totally emolol in forever so here goes! My life is super not exciting right now, it has been mostly just workworkwork and that is it, but let me think for a bit! HM!

One thing I have done a bit of is colouring my artystuffs. I found an easier way to go through the whole inking process, which put me in a good mood to colour stuff. Mostly, it's been so I can put up some of my own art here in my room... I've been an 'artist' for several years now and never really put up anything of my own. Now I have about 10 images of my own up, just behind where I am sitting right now. Wonderful! My aim is to continue building up that collection, perhaps eventually getting a floor-to-ceiling cover of the cupboard door they are on.

Although I have been doing nothing but work, I am no on hollerdays! Back around Christmas I put in for two weeks off at the start of February and I am oh so happy I did. Ahhh, relaxation.

Also, eeeeeeeeee! I finally got a new phone. When I first found out I had fuxored my phone (by putting it through the washing machine) we rang up Optus and found out what we could do about it. They said, in February we should be able to renew my contract for a further two years, and as a reward for continuing to be with Optus, I'd have the choice of either a reduced monthly plan rate or a new handset. And so when I realised the time had come, we marched on down to Allphones at the plaza to see if they could do it. Apparently it had been validated for a renewal so I had a look at the phones available. I really liked the V3 so I just wanted to get another - possibly the V3i which is slightly fancier. Unfortunately Allphones Boy said they no longer produced them and they were not available, only the pink V3's. Fuck that, says Matt! The day before I had been to Optus World at the opposite end of the plaza and seen the black V3 available on prepaid.

So, we (mother, whose name the phone is currently in, and myself) marched on round to there where Aaron The Trainee told us that they did have the black V3 but it was only available on prepaid. I could pay the $199 for a prepaid pack and then continue on my plan but that just seemed silly, and there were no other phones I liked the look of. Cue Matt's 'Well-Placed Line': "Well, I was really hoping to just go with the same handset again, but if that isn't going to be possible, I'll just have to go with something else." Depressed look, sigh, look at V3 forlornly.

Trainee Aaron quickly has a word to his boss and says hey, I reckon we might be able to hook you up, let's see what we can do. And so, Matt got his V3 back! Except now it is black and new and can take video footage. Wewt. Luckily, I had downloaded almost all my photos to the PC before The Wash, and had a folder with all the background and ringtones I'd put onto the phone. 45 minutes later my phone is back in working order, complete with cool backgrounds and nerdy ringtones! HAPPINESS. And not just that, but I managed to drop down from $55 a month to $39 as well. Win win!

What else, what else... Ah, well I have found a tutorial for an easy way to do screenprinting for shirts! I am planning on picking up the needed materials this week and giving it a try. I hope it works, cos it would be cool to be able to print stuff on shirts myself, be all unique and stuff. Of course, I have no idea what I want to put on a shirt right now.. I guess I could go back through old art stuff and see if there's anything simple enough to try out. Maybe Jared's tattoo... Hmm!

I can't really think of anything else to talk about! I guess that'll do for now. Adios!

Oh, hey you guys! Hey! I totally have not made a blog post in a while. Sorry, I should be able to do this more regularly without big ol' uni looming over me.

So, what's happened since I last posted.. Well, Mel's 21st was a blast! We went down to Port Elliot (it was actually in Victor Harbour's outskirts but WHATEVER) and stayed at this HUGE, awesome beachhouse thing. It was awesome. Four bedrooms, sleeps 10, enormo living space, pool table AND foosball, and two storey to boot. It was great, although Mel was so worried about damaging something/staining the stupidly white carpet. There were a few minor scares but we got to them in time.

So, we got there just on twelve noon and that was when the drinking started. Not hardcore drinking (that started around 5, haha) but just fairly steady all the way through. We went down to the beach twice (once in the afternoon, second time around 10pm) but mostly we hung out inside. Good choice too, because wonderfully I did not get burnt again. We played FUBAR, a drinking game that Mel's gang loves, and just danced and talk and ate junk food and ate and drank and danced and talked and had shots and ate and drank and then all five of the girls decided to pile into the two-person spa at about 10pm. I can't wait to get the photos of that, they look ridiculous all smooshed together. they tried making bubbles with hand soap but it worked far too well - eventually they had to drain all the water and it was still full of bubbles alone, with more edging their way to the door. Myself and Other Matt (yes, the only two guys were both Matts) were responsible for drink dispensing for the spa-ites - no way was I givin' em free reign over a bottle of scotch and coke! We only let them have drinks as long as they could pass their glasses back. After a while of this, att 11pm, I finally had to turn in for the night because I was at collapse point. But oh man was it ever a fun weekend.

Other than that... I've had my hair restraightened! My parents paid for it, for my birthday present. It is all lovely and straight and manageable now, not the unruly deathmess it was before. I just washed it for the first time since getting it done - you have to wait a few days before the first wash, not sure why - and although it isn't the dead straight it was before, it's still a lot better. I didn't end up cutting it, alas, but I thought I'd enjoy it long for a bit, then make my decision. I will be dyeing it before my birthday, though.

Arr, what else. I will put up photos from the Feast Picnic some time soon, and from Mel's party if she sends them to me. Also how my hair looks but right now I am too lazy to organise such things, also tired!

Ah! Speaking of tired, and the reason I am tired being work, and me hating work. I am pretty much set on transferring to a different Woolies store. You know how I was going to be trained as a supervisor, finally? Wrong. Turns out it's not happening, again. And boy am I ever pissed off! Honestly, the whole "We're gonna make you a supervisor NO WAIT haha, we were just kidding" thing gets old the second time round. I'd spoken to the checkout manager at the Northgate store about it back when it first happened, and she suggested I move to the Northgate store, and even said she may be able to arrange the training actually happening. After this I am seriously considering it. I'm gonna get a transfer form tomorrow at work, then speak to Northgate Manager Lady next time I see her there, about whether it'd be plausible. If anything, it'll save me some travel and I would get to avoid spending time with the collection of moles that TTP has on its staff. I'd be sad about leaving the friends I had there, but that's not really a reason to stay with a job. I dunno, it's a change to consider.

And on that note, I think I'll be off. I should, like, sleep or something before I go to work. Yeah. BIRTHDAY ON WEDNESDAY WOO ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO MY PARTY YEAH.

So, apparently I'm a supervisor at work now?


( Huh. )

Yesterday at work, I was a supervisor.

Yes you heard right kiddies, I actually did supervision at Woolworth's! Although not in the way I'd anticipated.

Yesterday we were meant to have three supervisors for the day, but two out of three called in sick. So, it was just poor Katie, who unfortunately was under the weather too (shut up Jess, it is a perfectly normal phrase). She was going to skip her lunch break but ended up feeling pretty woozy so she really needed to take it. The solution was to have me - an untrained, inexperienced NON-supervisor (thanks to Woolworths' faulty promises of promotion) to take over for an hour, with Danielle as backup. Danielle's the... Well actually I have no idea what her job is. Floor manager or something? Regardless, she walks around trying to tell everyone what to do in all departments. I do not like her.

So eventually Katie goes off on break, after giving me a quick list of different refund codes, a set of Magic Supervisor Keys™, and a promise that Danielle'd be out in a minute.

OK, first thing. In the entire hour I was supervising an entire Sunday checkout staff, I did not see or hear from Danielle once. +10 Hate Points right there, sister.

Secondly: Basically the moment Katie left it got batshit insane busy! We're always understaffed by a few but this was just unfair. For the timeframe I was in I only had four people to call on from other departments to help out, and two were from the same department and refused to both help out at the same time. Also, those shitheads have a habit of sneaking off if there's the slightest hint of a drop in activity. Shitheads.

As it was I was constantly trying to do refunds (which I barely understood, there's like five different kinds of refund), help the other department guys because I was the only person at the express counter who knew what they were doing, serve the cigarettes counter because I was the only one able to, call back any staff that had run off, answer the phones, help the main checkout peeps with any problems they had, keep an eye on and send people on their breaks, fix any other problems people had, and generally just run around like a chicken with my head cut off.

Sure it was only an hour but Goddamn if it wasn't difficult. I may have mentioned I ain't been trained for this. Thankfully, it was timed so that as soon as Katie returned, it was time for me to go home. Now THAT was a relief. When I went out the back to sign off and grab my stuff, I ran into Danielle who thanked me for taking charge for the hour. I mentioned it had been insane, "I'm ready to die now" were my words I believe. "Oh," she says, "but it's only justgetting busy now!"

I almost strangled her.

And now on to the good news! After I'd signed out I went back up to the desk to make sure Katie was feeling better. I jokingly asked if doing that hellish hour counted as supervising training, to which I got a resounding "of course it does!" Seems I din't screw up too badly, woo! She also informed me that she was going to ensure I got paid for that hour at a supervisor's hourly rate. Granted it's only something like fifty cents extra an hour, but the fact is that it's on the records and everything, and Bronwyn the checkout manager will see it as well. Katie also said that because I'd helped out so much, she would re-recommend me for a supervising position with this Sunday as evidence, because I'd shown that I could handle it - probably better if I had someone to help me out along the way, but still.

Whilst it was no fun at the time, this could be a very positive step towards actually getting that damned position as a supervisor. I'd heard mention that two of the girls, Ashley and Jenni were actually under consideration which kind of shocked me. Jenni's like 15 or 16, and Ashey's this... Petulant, anti-social, authority-refusing chatterbox. Now I don't hate her, she's good as a checkout chick, but I don't think she'd be good in a control position. The fact that I'd been skipped around for them kind of annoyed me though, it's not as though I'm an F-grade employee.

But yeah.. Before I start bitching hardcore about Woolies, I might actually get proper consideration this time around! Woo! Yeah! Job! Position of power! Supervisor!



Of course if I get any job even remotely better I'm still getting the fuck out of there.

Ugh.

I'm all bored so I think, 'I'll make an LJ entry!' but then I think 'I CANNOT BE BOTHERED' but then I realise that there's nothing else to do instead anyway, so. Here we are.

First off, I'd like to contribute my thoughts about one of Channel Ten's new ads... I find it really amusing that they are using "Nowhere Without You" by Bob Evans as a promo song at the moment.. It's for the Arias, sure, but they use the chorus, which is:

Where would I go?
What would I do?
I would be nowhere without you
Now I know heaven's above you
I can grow
I just can't make it on my own

Now it's fortunate they cut it off here. After the first repetition of that chorus, which would most likely be the one they'd have used (because why would they use one from halfway through the song?), the next line is this:

Watching terrible TV
It's OK, all our secrets will keep

It's kinda obvious why they wouldn't want to include that line, but... It is a popular song, most people recognise it at the moment I'd think. They are gonna make the connection, I hope. Subtle digs at themselves, maybe?

Self-inflicted punishment for screening David Tench, I hope.

---------------

ANYWAYS. What to talk about. I applied for a graphic designer position for a business over in Mile End - the ad didn't specify what the business was, but said the work would mostly be page layouts and stuff like that - this is good, cos I enjoy that kind of work. Mmmm, layouts. I sent my application in on Monday, so I hope I hear back from them. I'll copy the ad from the CareerOne site.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER required for business located at Mile End. Duties include basic design/typesetting, machine operating etc. Part time position, flexible hours with leave relief when required. Would suit mature minded person, retired persons encouraged to apply. Experience with MacIntosh and PC preferred but not essential

Yeah, that's right. Computer skill not essential? Retirees welcome? I am gonna WIN. I hope. I hate Woolworth's. I may kill if I do not escape soon.

OK so there was gonna be more to this entry but now there isn't because I am bored. This is a recurring theme, isn't it? OK!

Hurrrrrrrr.

At work tonight, I was talking with Ryan (friend/supervisor) about how he needed to cut back on hours. They have him working four out of five nights a week and both days of the weekend, and because of uni he needs time for study etc. Apparently, they need an extra supervisor to take on these newly opened up shifts.

"Would you like me to recommend you for it?" says Ryan.

"Um, YES?" says Matt.

I never consciously thought I wanted to be a supervisor (supermarket chain of comman was not a major goal in my life) but it would certainly be nice to get paid a bit more and have something slightly better than just "Service Cashier" on my resume.

But yeah, I'm now one of three names down for the chance at the new supervision spot. The others are Nicole and Michael. Nicole's young and a bit of a twit, but she does get things done when she's told to. Michael's a bit of a twit too, but more capable of getting people to do things. Plus he's had some experience with supervisor duties, ie fixing problems and doing refunds and stuff like that. Both of them started working at Woolies after me.

I like to think I'm a pretty good worker. I'm never quiet about it if I don't like a job, but I do it anyway because regardless of what I think, it still needs to be done. Unfortunately most of our employees get as far as complaining, then stop. I do the work, even when I'm not asked to, because it makes things easier afterward. When we were putting away stock after closing the store last night (I worked until 10, hurrah) I sorted it all out into four baskets, one for every four aisles. I told Ryan (friend/supervisor) this when we went to put it away, and he asked me "since when have you been the orderly, sstructured planning kind of guy?" I told him that if you've gotta do something, do it right the first time round, because then you don't have to come back and do it again later. I guess one of my parent's lessons hit home there, huh.

I'm really hoping now that I do get the job, although I think it's likely to be Michael. It means I can get things done better and faster, because I'm also vocal about how some of the systems for getting stuff done at work don't... Work. For instance, if parcel pickup orders (where people drive up to pick up their groceries, therefore picking up their parcels) have cld bags in them, they're left on the shelf marked "FRIDGE/FREEZER" until someone remembers to tell somebody to move it to the fridges. Personally I chuck it all straight in the fridge. Who needs the extra steps? It just creates more work, and offers people the chance to get home with melted ice cream and funny-smelling milk. I'd love to have the chance to corner the other supervisors/managers and say, "See this, this thing we do? It's STUPID."

But mostly, I'd like the job so I can boss people around.

'Tis the season to KILL ALL HUMANS. This week has not been pleasant, between long hours at odd times and people who are stressed and angry about last-minute shopping, who take it out on us. Obviously, it's OUR fault that they left it to the last minute to buy shit for Christmas, and we're open late which is convenient for them. I mean, how DARE we let there be hundreds of other last-minute-'tards just like them who also want to shop! The nerve of us!

Also, over the last four or so days we have taken in three dozen boxes of smokes (a box holds like just over a dozen cartons of cigarettes). So, is everyone getting their family cigarettes for Christmas? Apparently this is the case.

My plan so far is, I will work tomorrow, 9.30 - 6, come home, have something to eat and then sleep until Boxing Day. Just pile my presents around me and I will open them when I wake up.

OK, I think I might sleep now. My complimentary cat is waiting for me.

LOLOLOLOLZ.

MY wonderful shifts of doom start today. I do 4.30pm to 12.30am today, then 11am to 8pm Friday, then 9.30am to 6pm Saturday AND THEN I WILL SLEEP THROUGH CHRISTMAS. Just pile my presents around me and I'll open them when I wake up on Boxing Day. Hopefully there will be an iPod Nano in there, hint hint. I will redub it the iPonk Nano, because I am cool like that. I got to play with Jess' last night when she and Lachie came over to fix my computer (no Lachie, you will not be getting my thumbs) and hers was tiny tiny tiny and wondeful, but with no songs on it. Also apparently my name is Helicopter.

I spent like two hours downloading album art to add to my iTunes library over the last two days. Once I put up the art for albums I actually had, I got a neurotic urge to add art for everything on my Favourites list. Some are still missing and it hurts my head. Oh, I also have to ensure they're the local album art, not the American one or something, and they had to be big enough. Google Imagesearch did its best.

What else... Hmmm. I got a debit card, and now I can buy things on the Intarwebs! Credit transactions, mm. I totally need to buy something now.

Um I am trying to get back into the habit of drawing and that's about it so OK bye.

Dear Christmas Woolworths Customers,

If you cannot keep your UNGODLY HELLSPAWN CHILDREN QUIET, I will eviscerate them.

No love,

Matt

(More intelligible post coming when I regain control over my retail anger reserve)