I always loved The X-Files. Doesn't it seem like a hundred years ago that that show first aired? It does to me. Actually, it *was* - well 15 years anyway. I was only 24 years old when the first season aired. My God, I am old. C'est la vie.
Anyway, I've decided that the tagline to The X-Files should be my life motto - "trust no one". I try so hard to give people the benefit of the doubt. I believe people when they tell me things. I like to believe that most people are inherently good. Then someone like "Bob" (see "Trials and Tribulations") finds their way back into my life. They feign concern. They feign ignorance. They feign friendship. Then I find out, surprise surprise, that they were lying through their teeth the whole time.
So "Bob" - this one is for you. You disappointed me. We were friends. I know in the great scheme of things you don't give a flying you-know-what about what you've done to Russ. I'm damn sure you don't care what effect this situation has on me. I'm positive you'd have at least a million reasons to justify your betrayal. I know you probably lied to me to cover your own butt. But remember this, no-one, not even you, is indispensable.
A few years ago, you may remember me jokingly making the comment that you were Darth Vader and had defected to 'The Dark Side'. I've had a change of heart since. You're not Darth Vader. You're Judas - selling Russ out for 30 pieces of silver.
Oh, and one more thing before I go:
Be careful of whose toes you step on on your way to the top. You may just meet them again on your way back down.
Watch out for karma "Bob", it has a way of biting you in the ass.
PS Bob - the letter arrived today. I suppose that's your idea of "keeping me posted". Nice touch to have "A" sign it. It's not bad enough what Forstaff have done, but would it have been too much to ask one of you spineless wimps, either yourself or "DT", to sign it instead of "passing the buck" to a lacky? I hope you sleep well at night "Bob". I'm sorry I ever cared about you.
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
Monday, 28 April 2008
When The Going Gets Tough . . .
. . . The tough get going. Or so the saying goes.
Since Russ will probably lose his job as soon as he recovers enough to return from his recent back pain exacerbation, we have had to make plans. We both realise the day is fast approaching when I'm going to be the breadwinner - and having to support myself, Russ, and my mother, along with paying the mortgage and all the other bills, is weighing heavily on my mind.
So I made the decision over the weekend to increase my hours of work. As of today, I'm working from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm, Monday to Friday. That's 9 straight hours of typing each day - apart from the occasional bathroom break - remembering that I don't take lunch and/or tea breaks. At this stage, I don't even know if I'm going to earn enough to cover everything, but, I have to do something.
My shift for the day has just finished, and I have to admit, I'm exhausted. Although it's only 2 hours' extra per day, I'm feeling it in every fibre of my being. It's probably complicated by the fact that for the past 3 days I've been feeling like I'm coming down with the flu. And speaking of that, I'm starting to think it may actually be something a little more than the flu. As I was sitting here this morning (typing away in my job) in my turtleneck sweater (winter is just around the corner 'down under') I noticed I was absent-mindedly pulling at the sweater on the left side, due to a slight irritation on my neck. I didn't think much about it until I had a bathroom break and looked in the mirror to find that I have a little red rash on my neck. As soon as I saw it, I realised what I *could* be dealing with - shingles.
I had shingles back in 2001, just after Russ & I returned from the US. At the time, as you may remember if you're a regular reader of my blog, Russ & I had arrived in the US on the morning of 9/11, and then found out the next day that he was out of a job due to Ansett Australia going bankrupt. Funnily enough, although I was obviously a little stressed about our situation at that time, I don't remember feeling totally overwhelmed. For those who have no idea about shingles - here's a little explanation. It's basically the chickenpox virus that sits dormant in your spinal cord - until something sets it off. So, if you've ever had chickenpox (and let's face it, most of us suffer this condition in our childhood), the chance is there that one day you may develop shingles. Experts aren't really sure what that "something" is - although it's more prevalent in the elderly, those with a weakened immune system, and/or those under stress.
In 2001, I ended up with it in my ophthalmic nerve on the right side. Luckily Russ persuaded me to go to the doctor back then *before* it really took hold (I wasn't going to go, thinking it was "just a small rash"), so I was able to get my hands on the antiviral medication, and after taking that and seeing an ophthalmologist, I was given the all clear within a week or two. This time I don't know if it *is* shingles, but I'm going to keep an eye on the rash, and if it spreads in the next 24 hours, I'll be going to see the doctor.
So, if I do have shingles again, the stress of the past few days has more than likely set it off. It can quite often start off with flu-like symptoms (which is what I've had), and within a few days of that, the rash appears - again, that's what seems to have happened. Oh well, at the moment it's just a few tiny sore red lumps and may have nothing to do with my other symptoms, but I'll just see how it goes.
Anyway, what about beads? Well, quite obviously, I don't have anything new to offer you. As I haven't been well the past few days, I haven't been near the studio. Unfortunately, I can't even give an estimate as to when I *may* be in there. After working for 45 straight hours a week, I can't imagine I'm going to want to work on weekends either, although I will try my best in the next few weeks to attempt melting glass. But, if not, well.. I have to say I have much more important things I need to deal with at the moment than making beads. Once upon a time I could rely on the sales of my beads to keep the money rolling in, alas, those days seem to be over. I now need to concentrate all my efforts to what *is* making me money - hopefully, we will get back on our feet in the not too distant future.
I'll keep you posted.
Since Russ will probably lose his job as soon as he recovers enough to return from his recent back pain exacerbation, we have had to make plans. We both realise the day is fast approaching when I'm going to be the breadwinner - and having to support myself, Russ, and my mother, along with paying the mortgage and all the other bills, is weighing heavily on my mind.
So I made the decision over the weekend to increase my hours of work. As of today, I'm working from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm, Monday to Friday. That's 9 straight hours of typing each day - apart from the occasional bathroom break - remembering that I don't take lunch and/or tea breaks. At this stage, I don't even know if I'm going to earn enough to cover everything, but, I have to do something.
My shift for the day has just finished, and I have to admit, I'm exhausted. Although it's only 2 hours' extra per day, I'm feeling it in every fibre of my being. It's probably complicated by the fact that for the past 3 days I've been feeling like I'm coming down with the flu. And speaking of that, I'm starting to think it may actually be something a little more than the flu. As I was sitting here this morning (typing away in my job) in my turtleneck sweater (winter is just around the corner 'down under') I noticed I was absent-mindedly pulling at the sweater on the left side, due to a slight irritation on my neck. I didn't think much about it until I had a bathroom break and looked in the mirror to find that I have a little red rash on my neck. As soon as I saw it, I realised what I *could* be dealing with - shingles.
I had shingles back in 2001, just after Russ & I returned from the US. At the time, as you may remember if you're a regular reader of my blog, Russ & I had arrived in the US on the morning of 9/11, and then found out the next day that he was out of a job due to Ansett Australia going bankrupt. Funnily enough, although I was obviously a little stressed about our situation at that time, I don't remember feeling totally overwhelmed. For those who have no idea about shingles - here's a little explanation. It's basically the chickenpox virus that sits dormant in your spinal cord - until something sets it off. So, if you've ever had chickenpox (and let's face it, most of us suffer this condition in our childhood), the chance is there that one day you may develop shingles. Experts aren't really sure what that "something" is - although it's more prevalent in the elderly, those with a weakened immune system, and/or those under stress.
In 2001, I ended up with it in my ophthalmic nerve on the right side. Luckily Russ persuaded me to go to the doctor back then *before* it really took hold (I wasn't going to go, thinking it was "just a small rash"), so I was able to get my hands on the antiviral medication, and after taking that and seeing an ophthalmologist, I was given the all clear within a week or two. This time I don't know if it *is* shingles, but I'm going to keep an eye on the rash, and if it spreads in the next 24 hours, I'll be going to see the doctor.
So, if I do have shingles again, the stress of the past few days has more than likely set it off. It can quite often start off with flu-like symptoms (which is what I've had), and within a few days of that, the rash appears - again, that's what seems to have happened. Oh well, at the moment it's just a few tiny sore red lumps and may have nothing to do with my other symptoms, but I'll just see how it goes.
Anyway, what about beads? Well, quite obviously, I don't have anything new to offer you. As I haven't been well the past few days, I haven't been near the studio. Unfortunately, I can't even give an estimate as to when I *may* be in there. After working for 45 straight hours a week, I can't imagine I'm going to want to work on weekends either, although I will try my best in the next few weeks to attempt melting glass. But, if not, well.. I have to say I have much more important things I need to deal with at the moment than making beads. Once upon a time I could rely on the sales of my beads to keep the money rolling in, alas, those days seem to be over. I now need to concentrate all my efforts to what *is* making me money - hopefully, we will get back on our feet in the not too distant future.
I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, 26 April 2008
It's A Jungle Out There. . .
It's a jungle out there
Disorder and confusion everywhere
No one seems to care
Well I do
Hey, who's in charge here?
It's a jungle out there
Poison in the very air we breathe
Do you know what's in the water that you drink?
Well I do, and it's amazing
People think I'm crazy, 'cause I worry all the time
If you paid attention, you'd be worried too
You better pay attention
Or this world we love so much might just kill you
I could be wrong now, but I don't think so
It's a jungle out there.
- "It's a Jungle Out There" - Randy Newman, Theme Tune to "Monk"
Friday, 25 April 2008
I'm Sick Of It All. . .
Excuse me for a moment while I scream. . .
ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm sick of being taken advantage of. I'm sick of people getting on my good side for their own selfish ends. I'm sick of people who lie to my face without so much as blinking. I'm sick of two-faced hypocrits. I'm sick of doing good things for people, only to be repaid by being kicked in the head when I need their assistance the most. I'm sick of worrying.
Quite frankly, I'm sick of it all.
No longer will I be taken for a fool. Not for one minute more. The buck stops here. I refuse to get into the gutter with these individuals, but you will NOT for another millisecond, take advantage of me. From now, I will do what I have to do, and not an ounce more. You've taken me for a fool long enough.
Let this be your warning.
PS. I meant to say, that I attempted to go off my anti-depressants two days ago. I needed a new prescription and thought, "hey, I'll see if I can go without them for a while". Well, that idea actually lasted all of about 1.5 days, until around 10.30 am this morning when I had to attend the 24-hour medical centre (it's Anzac Day here today, hence having to drop my usual high standards for medical care down to 24-hour medical centres) to have the prescription re-filled as I could feel a panic attack coming on. Now I have around a year's worth and I most definitely will not be going off them again any time soon. Apart from the emotional issues that are going on in my life at the moment, the physical symptoms just about knocked me out. Weird really, as I'm only on half a tablet (10 mg) a day, and apart from constant tiredness and yawning, I had never suffered with any side effects whilst I was on them. Going off them however was an entirely different matter - the symptoms of disorientation, dizziness, migraine, neck pain, eye and head pain and nausea, along with the panic attacks were just too much to stand. Oh well, as long as they keep me sane for the moment, I'm going to keep taking them.
ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm sick of being taken advantage of. I'm sick of people getting on my good side for their own selfish ends. I'm sick of people who lie to my face without so much as blinking. I'm sick of two-faced hypocrits. I'm sick of doing good things for people, only to be repaid by being kicked in the head when I need their assistance the most. I'm sick of worrying.
Quite frankly, I'm sick of it all.
No longer will I be taken for a fool. Not for one minute more. The buck stops here. I refuse to get into the gutter with these individuals, but you will NOT for another millisecond, take advantage of me. From now, I will do what I have to do, and not an ounce more. You've taken me for a fool long enough.
Let this be your warning.
PS. I meant to say, that I attempted to go off my anti-depressants two days ago. I needed a new prescription and thought, "hey, I'll see if I can go without them for a while". Well, that idea actually lasted all of about 1.5 days, until around 10.30 am this morning when I had to attend the 24-hour medical centre (it's Anzac Day here today, hence having to drop my usual high standards for medical care down to 24-hour medical centres) to have the prescription re-filled as I could feel a panic attack coming on. Now I have around a year's worth and I most definitely will not be going off them again any time soon. Apart from the emotional issues that are going on in my life at the moment, the physical symptoms just about knocked me out. Weird really, as I'm only on half a tablet (10 mg) a day, and apart from constant tiredness and yawning, I had never suffered with any side effects whilst I was on them. Going off them however was an entirely different matter - the symptoms of disorientation, dizziness, migraine, neck pain, eye and head pain and nausea, along with the panic attacks were just too much to stand. Oh well, as long as they keep me sane for the moment, I'm going to keep taking them.
Thursday, 24 April 2008
Trials and Tribulations. . .
So the last 24 hours have not been among my happiest - what with Russ' back condition and a few other issues. As it's coming up to almost 4 weeks since Russ went off work with his back, and with both he and & I concerned as to the impact this will have on his job, I decided it was time to take action. One of his bosses, who shall hitherto be known as "Bob" for the sake of anonymity, is an old friend of mine, and whilst Russ was sleeping last night, I decided to give him a call to hopefully glean some information as to where Russ stands with regards to his job. Needless to say, after I spoke to him, I was more than a little concerned.
It turns out that regardless of whether or not Russ had this problem with his back, he was going to lose his job. The company he works for, Forstaff Aviation, have offered it to some bimbo secretary, no doubt at a much reduced rate of pay than they will pay Russ (BTW, I'm not calling her a bimbo because she is a secretary - there's a little more to the story of this woman than her simply being given Russ' job). The reasoning behind this is that it's "just a clerk's job", however, that simply couldn't be further from the truth. Granted, part of what he's doing could be considered "secretarial", but the majority of it requires a hell of a lot of experience with aircraft maintenance, and there's no way in hell that this woman will be able to provide even a quarter of the professionalism in that arena as Russ can. There's a lot more to this story than I have the time, or inclination, to explain, but suffice to say that when push comes to shove, what this is really about is the almighty dollar. Oh well - I figure if you pay peanuts, you're going to get monkeys. After all, you ultimately get what you pay for.
So... what does this boil down to? Well, it basically means that within the next few weeks, Russ will be unemployed. That thought fills me with unimaginable horror. Not only because Russ is almost 53 and therefore considered by most potential employers as a non-entity, not only because he is considered "too old" to retrain for anything else, but also because we were in this very situation 7 years ago when Ansett Australia went into liquidation. It took Russ almost 1.5 years to obtain another job after that - particularly since it happened less than 24 hours after 9/11 - the aviation industry has never been the same since then.
Now I am going to be once again put in the position of breadwinner. That in itself doesn't bother me. I've always been in control of my own income and have never needed anyone else to take care of me. However, it took us almost 5 years the last time to get back on our feet. When Ansett went under, we also didn't have a mortgage to worry about, and neither did we have to worry about supporting my mother. Now we have both issues to deal with. I have to say I'm more than a little concerned.
However, on the upside - and I am trying to remain positive, if Russ hadn't been off work with his back condition, I wouldn't have had to call Bob, and we wouldn't have been forewarned that this was going to happen. It would have just been the case that Russ would have come home from work one day to tell me he had been fired. At least now we know where we stand and we can take steps BEFORE he has lost his job to plan for the future. I have already informed the company I work for that I will be increasing my hours of work from 9am-4pm to 8.30am-6.00 pm Monday to Friday, and possibly even weekends, starting next week. I'm not sure how I'm going to cope, but I know I *will* cope. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I'm a firm believer in that. We've been through this before, and I know we'll get through it this time. It'll be tough, but we'll manage.
Oh! And on a positive note - my wireless modem arrived today. I've been wanting a wireless connection to the internet forever, and at the moment, I'm typing this from my laptop whilst sitting in the lounge, waiting for one of my favourite shows, "Grand Designs", to start. Although the past 24 hours haven't been the most fabulous of my life, there are always little things to keep me smiling.
And on that note, it's now 8.30 pm and Grand Designs is about to start, so I'll finish up here. Thanks for checking in. I always appreciate you folks and your support. Catch you again soon.
PS. To T.. I'm so sorry, but I doubt I'm going to get a chance to answer your emails today. I was going to start them, but then I got sidetracked. You've been on my mind all day my friend. I promise I will reply ASAP. x
It turns out that regardless of whether or not Russ had this problem with his back, he was going to lose his job. The company he works for, Forstaff Aviation, have offered it to some bimbo secretary, no doubt at a much reduced rate of pay than they will pay Russ (BTW, I'm not calling her a bimbo because she is a secretary - there's a little more to the story of this woman than her simply being given Russ' job). The reasoning behind this is that it's "just a clerk's job", however, that simply couldn't be further from the truth. Granted, part of what he's doing could be considered "secretarial", but the majority of it requires a hell of a lot of experience with aircraft maintenance, and there's no way in hell that this woman will be able to provide even a quarter of the professionalism in that arena as Russ can. There's a lot more to this story than I have the time, or inclination, to explain, but suffice to say that when push comes to shove, what this is really about is the almighty dollar. Oh well - I figure if you pay peanuts, you're going to get monkeys. After all, you ultimately get what you pay for.
So... what does this boil down to? Well, it basically means that within the next few weeks, Russ will be unemployed. That thought fills me with unimaginable horror. Not only because Russ is almost 53 and therefore considered by most potential employers as a non-entity, not only because he is considered "too old" to retrain for anything else, but also because we were in this very situation 7 years ago when Ansett Australia went into liquidation. It took Russ almost 1.5 years to obtain another job after that - particularly since it happened less than 24 hours after 9/11 - the aviation industry has never been the same since then.
Now I am going to be once again put in the position of breadwinner. That in itself doesn't bother me. I've always been in control of my own income and have never needed anyone else to take care of me. However, it took us almost 5 years the last time to get back on our feet. When Ansett went under, we also didn't have a mortgage to worry about, and neither did we have to worry about supporting my mother. Now we have both issues to deal with. I have to say I'm more than a little concerned.
However, on the upside - and I am trying to remain positive, if Russ hadn't been off work with his back condition, I wouldn't have had to call Bob, and we wouldn't have been forewarned that this was going to happen. It would have just been the case that Russ would have come home from work one day to tell me he had been fired. At least now we know where we stand and we can take steps BEFORE he has lost his job to plan for the future. I have already informed the company I work for that I will be increasing my hours of work from 9am-4pm to 8.30am-6.00 pm Monday to Friday, and possibly even weekends, starting next week. I'm not sure how I'm going to cope, but I know I *will* cope. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I'm a firm believer in that. We've been through this before, and I know we'll get through it this time. It'll be tough, but we'll manage.
Oh! And on a positive note - my wireless modem arrived today. I've been wanting a wireless connection to the internet forever, and at the moment, I'm typing this from my laptop whilst sitting in the lounge, waiting for one of my favourite shows, "Grand Designs", to start. Although the past 24 hours haven't been the most fabulous of my life, there are always little things to keep me smiling.
And on that note, it's now 8.30 pm and Grand Designs is about to start, so I'll finish up here. Thanks for checking in. I always appreciate you folks and your support. Catch you again soon.
PS. To T.. I'm so sorry, but I doubt I'm going to get a chance to answer your emails today. I was going to start them, but then I got sidetracked. You've been on my mind all day my friend. I promise I will reply ASAP. x
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
For T. . .
"Betrayal is the only truth that sticks". - Arthur Miller
But remember this:
"Liars begin by imposing on others, but end deceiving themselves". - Author Unknown.
I know you will rise above this.
I am honoured to call you my friend.
Sue x
But remember this:
"Liars begin by imposing on others, but end deceiving themselves". - Author Unknown.
I know you will rise above this.
I am honoured to call you my friend.
Sue x
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
The Best Laid Plans. . .
If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll probably remember me mentioning that DH Russ & I were planning on returning to Sambar Park, Howqua, for our anniversary the first week of June. You may also remember me mentioning how Russ has been off work with back pain for the last 3 weeks. Well, today brought about some interesting developments on both fronts.
Russ woke up around 3.00 am this morning with even more excruicating pain in his back. Apparently he then sneezed a few times (I say apparently, because of course, due to his chronic snoring problem, we don't share a bedroom, and I found this out later on in the morning) and he felt like his back was on fire.
Around 7.30 am I did my usual thing and decided to walk Toby. At this stage, Russ was still in bed, and I hadn't had a chance to chat with him. Upon my return from our walk, I found Mum standing at the end of the driveway. She informed me that she had heard banging on the walls whilst I was out, and on inspection, she realised it was Russ. It turns out that he was in so much pain, he couldn't even get out of bed to use the bathroom.
So, to cut a long story short, we had to decide what to do - we don't have private health insurance, Russ' appointment with the specialist wasn't until 16 May and his pain was so bad that he decided the only option was to call an ambulance. I don't like driving anywhere but locally (which I'm sure I've mentioned before), and in any event, Russ was in so much pain that there was no way he could have sat in a car for the journey to the hospital. So, we decided since we do have ambulance cover, we'd call them. Firstly I raced up to the local x-ray place to grab the CT scans that Russ had yesterday, and when I arrived back home, we called the Ambulance Service.
Anyway, the paramedics turned up around 10.30 am, and I have to say they were absolutely fantastic. Steve and Felix, the paramedics, stood in Russ' room for over 1.5 hours, chatting to him about his symptoms, the likely outcome if he was admitted to a public hospital, and what they recommend he do. Now I've, thankfully, never had anything to do with paramedics, and I can honestly say that if these guys are any indication of the Ambulance Service here in Victoria, then they deserve WAY more money. Nothing was too much trouble for them. They were not only professional, but extremely friendly and affable.
So after considering his options, Russ decided against going to hospital. Because his back condition is chronic and not an injury, the chances are that if they had taken him to a public hospital, that he wouldn't be admitted. They would simply dope him up on morphine or some other opiate and then send him home. One of them even offered to have a chat with their friend's father whose a well known orthopaedic surgeon to see if he could see Russ. However, luckily it turned out that I actually managed to get Russ in to see his specialist a little earlier than expected on 9 May. They, the paramedics, also told us as they were leaving that if we needed them to come back at any stage, just to call them and they'd be right back. They even wanted to stop off to check out the rock wall that Russ has been building in the backyard!
So all in all, Russ didn't go to hospital, but he has resumed taking his painkillers (which, for reasons I still don't quite understand, he discontinued taking a few days ago) and is feeling slightly less pain. He's been in bed all day and my stepdaughter, Lauren, is sitting in with him at the moment keeping him company. He's off to see the specialist on 9 May, and in the meantime, I guess he's going to be stuck in bed, zonked out of his brain on painkillers.
Oh, and what about Howqua? Well of course, the way things are going, there's probably not going to be much chance that Russ will be well enough. He may even need surgery in the next few weeks, so all in all, the chances are that we are not going to be able to go. That in itself is not a big deal - Russ' health is more important than a trip away, however, the one problem is that I've paid the deposit of $580 and it's non-refundable UNLESS they re-book the week that we planned on staying. I called them this afternoon and told them the story, and I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that they manage to re-book it. If not, we're either going to lose $580 (which we can definitely not can't afford to lose) or Russ is telling me that he will somehow find a way to go. Hmm.. not sure about the latter option, but whatever will be will be. There's no point in me fretting about it, and if I lose $580, then that's the way it will be.
So.. that's been my day in a (large) nutshell. It's always one drama or another in this house. Oh well, life goes on. We've been through a hell of a lot worse than this the past 7 years, and I'm sure we'll get through this too.
"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." - Nelson Mandela.
Russ woke up around 3.00 am this morning with even more excruicating pain in his back. Apparently he then sneezed a few times (I say apparently, because of course, due to his chronic snoring problem, we don't share a bedroom, and I found this out later on in the morning) and he felt like his back was on fire.
Around 7.30 am I did my usual thing and decided to walk Toby. At this stage, Russ was still in bed, and I hadn't had a chance to chat with him. Upon my return from our walk, I found Mum standing at the end of the driveway. She informed me that she had heard banging on the walls whilst I was out, and on inspection, she realised it was Russ. It turns out that he was in so much pain, he couldn't even get out of bed to use the bathroom.
So, to cut a long story short, we had to decide what to do - we don't have private health insurance, Russ' appointment with the specialist wasn't until 16 May and his pain was so bad that he decided the only option was to call an ambulance. I don't like driving anywhere but locally (which I'm sure I've mentioned before), and in any event, Russ was in so much pain that there was no way he could have sat in a car for the journey to the hospital. So, we decided since we do have ambulance cover, we'd call them. Firstly I raced up to the local x-ray place to grab the CT scans that Russ had yesterday, and when I arrived back home, we called the Ambulance Service.
Anyway, the paramedics turned up around 10.30 am, and I have to say they were absolutely fantastic. Steve and Felix, the paramedics, stood in Russ' room for over 1.5 hours, chatting to him about his symptoms, the likely outcome if he was admitted to a public hospital, and what they recommend he do. Now I've, thankfully, never had anything to do with paramedics, and I can honestly say that if these guys are any indication of the Ambulance Service here in Victoria, then they deserve WAY more money. Nothing was too much trouble for them. They were not only professional, but extremely friendly and affable.
So after considering his options, Russ decided against going to hospital. Because his back condition is chronic and not an injury, the chances are that if they had taken him to a public hospital, that he wouldn't be admitted. They would simply dope him up on morphine or some other opiate and then send him home. One of them even offered to have a chat with their friend's father whose a well known orthopaedic surgeon to see if he could see Russ. However, luckily it turned out that I actually managed to get Russ in to see his specialist a little earlier than expected on 9 May. They, the paramedics, also told us as they were leaving that if we needed them to come back at any stage, just to call them and they'd be right back. They even wanted to stop off to check out the rock wall that Russ has been building in the backyard!
So all in all, Russ didn't go to hospital, but he has resumed taking his painkillers (which, for reasons I still don't quite understand, he discontinued taking a few days ago) and is feeling slightly less pain. He's been in bed all day and my stepdaughter, Lauren, is sitting in with him at the moment keeping him company. He's off to see the specialist on 9 May, and in the meantime, I guess he's going to be stuck in bed, zonked out of his brain on painkillers.
Oh, and what about Howqua? Well of course, the way things are going, there's probably not going to be much chance that Russ will be well enough. He may even need surgery in the next few weeks, so all in all, the chances are that we are not going to be able to go. That in itself is not a big deal - Russ' health is more important than a trip away, however, the one problem is that I've paid the deposit of $580 and it's non-refundable UNLESS they re-book the week that we planned on staying. I called them this afternoon and told them the story, and I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that they manage to re-book it. If not, we're either going to lose $580 (which we can definitely not can't afford to lose) or Russ is telling me that he will somehow find a way to go. Hmm.. not sure about the latter option, but whatever will be will be. There's no point in me fretting about it, and if I lose $580, then that's the way it will be.
So.. that's been my day in a (large) nutshell. It's always one drama or another in this house. Oh well, life goes on. We've been through a hell of a lot worse than this the past 7 years, and I'm sure we'll get through this too.
"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." - Nelson Mandela.
Monday, 21 April 2008
Gaia. . .
And here's a photo of the beads I'll be listing on eBay tomorrow. This is more or less a sneak peek, as of course, I haven't listed the auction yet. I hope to have it up and running around 9.00 am - 10.00 am my time - sorry, but I'm too tired to figure out what time that will be in the USA. After approximately 8.5 hours working non-stop in my day job today, I'm just too exhausted to worry about converting it.
Anyway, the links will lead you to either eBay, which will show no auctions for the moment, or the photo on Flickr, until I've actually listed the auction. So make sure to stop by tomorrow if you'd like to check them out.
Thanks for stopping by.
Anyway, the links will lead you to either eBay, which will show no auctions for the moment, or the photo on Flickr, until I've actually listed the auction. So make sure to stop by tomorrow if you'd like to check them out.
Thanks for stopping by.
Update on beads. . .
Well as I feared, I don't have enough time this morning to list the new beads on eBay that I mentioned in my blog entry yesterday. Apart from the fact that my day job is incredibly busy at the moment, I also have to clean, etch, and photograph the whole set, and there's no way I'm going to be able to do that this morning. We also have a rather thick fog here in Melbourne today, so it's not conducive to taking good shots. The sun should come out later in the day, so after I finish work, I'll photograph the beads and get the auction ready for tomorrow morning.
So.. check back tomorrow. I promise they'll be ready then. Have a good day!
So.. check back tomorrow. I promise they'll be ready then. Have a good day!
Sunday, 20 April 2008
New Bead(s) . . .
So here's a preview of one of the beads from my newest set. I'll list them on eBay either tomorrow (Monday 21 April) or Tuesday (depending on whether I have enough time before I start work tomorrow). I'm really happy with how they turned out. They're freeform (no presses used), and I've used a combination of Moretti and CiM (Creation is Messy) glass in Periwinkle, Aqua, Lapis, French Blue and Leaky Pen. A little difficult to tell in this photo, but there's hair-thin black stringer on these beads, but the part I'm really excited about is the murrini. I made these murrini ages ago and I only had 6 left, so I decided to use them in this set. As you may be able to tell from the photo, the murrini is sort of "floating" in clear glass on one edge of the bead, with a tiny bubble in the centre. I was inspired by Corina Tettinger's "Quark" beads, and I have some more ideas I want to try further down the line. The beads are lightly etched, except for the little "window" with the murrini which I've obviously intentionally left shiny.
So.. hope you liked the preview ... if you want to check out the entire set, remember to pop back either tomorrow or Tuesday. :)
So.. hope you liked the preview ... if you want to check out the entire set, remember to pop back either tomorrow or Tuesday. :)
Saturday, 19 April 2008
Quick Hello. . .
Just a brief update - amazingly, I actually fired up the torch today - only 3 beads, but I'll be making the rest tomorrow, so I should have an auction up on eBay on Monday. I'm actually kinda excited about these beads - I've had an idea brewing for these for a while, and although I wasn't sure if it was going to work, I'm happy to report that I *do* think they worked - hair-thin black stringer on a base of blue - lots of CiM colours, including French Blue, Leaky Pen, and Lapis. Plus a handmade murrini "stuck" on one corner of each bead, encased in clear. They're freeform in shape (no press used) and kinda funky. I'm actually looking forward to opening the kiln tomorrow morning to see how they worked out. I'm planning on etching them, except for the little window with the murrini, which I'll leave clear. Hopefully they'll turn out to be as cool as I envisage.
I would have made more beads, however, DH Russ, Mum & I decided to visit the local tile/slate store this morning. We've been talking about ripping up the carpet in the house for ages and replacing it with slate, and this store has some amazing options. I found one colour and style of slate that really appeals to me - a dark "mottled" slate which I want to have laid in a diagonal pattern. All the rooms in the house will have this, except for the kitchen, which is "sort of" in the middle of the house - so I want to break it up with something else. Not sure at this point what I'll do with the kitchen. Not that it matters all that much, as I can't really even afford the slate - they've quoted us approximately $60-66 per square metre. That however includes the labour to lay it, so I suppose it's not really all that expensive. Still it's more money than I have to spare. Mum has offered to pay for it, but I'm not really all that comfortable with her doing that. I guess we'll see how it goes.
Okay.. enough out of me for one day. I'm off to have a shower and relax. Remember to drop by on Monday to check out the beads.
I would have made more beads, however, DH Russ, Mum & I decided to visit the local tile/slate store this morning. We've been talking about ripping up the carpet in the house for ages and replacing it with slate, and this store has some amazing options. I found one colour and style of slate that really appeals to me - a dark "mottled" slate which I want to have laid in a diagonal pattern. All the rooms in the house will have this, except for the kitchen, which is "sort of" in the middle of the house - so I want to break it up with something else. Not sure at this point what I'll do with the kitchen. Not that it matters all that much, as I can't really even afford the slate - they've quoted us approximately $60-66 per square metre. That however includes the labour to lay it, so I suppose it's not really all that expensive. Still it's more money than I have to spare. Mum has offered to pay for it, but I'm not really all that comfortable with her doing that. I guess we'll see how it goes.
Okay.. enough out of me for one day. I'm off to have a shower and relax. Remember to drop by on Monday to check out the beads.
Friday, 18 April 2008
TGIF . . .
I am so pleased the weekend is almost upon us. I have worked for 12 days' straight, and am almost falling asleep now, at only 6.00 pm. My day job has been so busy, with so much work available, that I just couldn't pass up the chance of earning extra $$'s. Even though I sort of feel guilty that I'm not going to work this weekend, I really *REALLY* need a break. So I'm going to try my hardest not to log in to work this weekend, and instead, I'm going to concentrate on relaxing.
Oh, and also concentrate on making beads. It's going on for 3 weeks since I made a bead, and I really want to try out some of the new CiM (Creation is Messy) glass that I purchased a few weeks ago. So, with any luck, I may have some new beads to offer you on either Monday or Tuesday. Of course, you'll see them here first, so drop by early next week to see if anything is available.
DH Russ has been off work for 2 1/2 weeks with back pain - and he's probably going to need to take next week off as well. I remember reading something years ago, whereby if your partner has medical problems, you often develop similar symptoms yourself. Like my back pain of a few weeks ago. Like I said, although I've had back pain on and off since I was 15, it has really only started to bother me in the last few years - DH Russ, however, has had back pain and sciatica (referred pain) since he was about 21. His back has been okay for about 10 years, but just after I started recovering from my latest exacerbation, his back started to play up. Poor guy. He's one of those people that can never sit still for more than 5 minutes - he's always got to be out in the shed working on something, or fixing up the backyard, and in the last few weeks all he's pretty much been able to do is stay in bed, staring at the ceiling. In all honesty, I'll be sorta glad when he goes back to work (whenever that might be). I love him dearly, but he's such a sour puss at the moment that it's driving me more than a little batty having him around 24/7.
I'm just hoping he recovers fairly soon, because apart from the fact he's taking all this leave from work (which he has had to take as annual leave, as he's used up all his sick pay), we're supposed to be going away for the first week of June to Howqua. The way he's going, we may not get there and I have been so looking forward to a relaxing week away from work. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to play it by ear.
That's it out of me for the moment - time to make a low-carb pizza for dinner and spend a few hours relaxing in front of the idiot box. Knowing me, I'll be asleep on the lounge by 8.30 pm! Have a great weekend, and remember to stop by early next week to see if I have any new beads to offer you.
Oh, and also concentrate on making beads. It's going on for 3 weeks since I made a bead, and I really want to try out some of the new CiM (Creation is Messy) glass that I purchased a few weeks ago. So, with any luck, I may have some new beads to offer you on either Monday or Tuesday. Of course, you'll see them here first, so drop by early next week to see if anything is available.
DH Russ has been off work for 2 1/2 weeks with back pain - and he's probably going to need to take next week off as well. I remember reading something years ago, whereby if your partner has medical problems, you often develop similar symptoms yourself. Like my back pain of a few weeks ago. Like I said, although I've had back pain on and off since I was 15, it has really only started to bother me in the last few years - DH Russ, however, has had back pain and sciatica (referred pain) since he was about 21. His back has been okay for about 10 years, but just after I started recovering from my latest exacerbation, his back started to play up. Poor guy. He's one of those people that can never sit still for more than 5 minutes - he's always got to be out in the shed working on something, or fixing up the backyard, and in the last few weeks all he's pretty much been able to do is stay in bed, staring at the ceiling. In all honesty, I'll be sorta glad when he goes back to work (whenever that might be). I love him dearly, but he's such a sour puss at the moment that it's driving me more than a little batty having him around 24/7.
I'm just hoping he recovers fairly soon, because apart from the fact he's taking all this leave from work (which he has had to take as annual leave, as he's used up all his sick pay), we're supposed to be going away for the first week of June to Howqua. The way he's going, we may not get there and I have been so looking forward to a relaxing week away from work. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to play it by ear.
That's it out of me for the moment - time to make a low-carb pizza for dinner and spend a few hours relaxing in front of the idiot box. Knowing me, I'll be asleep on the lounge by 8.30 pm! Have a great weekend, and remember to stop by early next week to see if I have any new beads to offer you.
Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Die FeeBay Die. . .
Time for me to spew some more venom at eBay (aka FeeBay). For those not in the know, here's what eBay are implementing for Australian sellers, come 17 June. No longer will we be able to accept money orders or direct deposit/internet transfers. The only two methods of payment that will be acceptable to eBay are cash (if the buyer delivers it in person to the seller) or, surprise surprise, Paypal. And why is that such a big deal? Well, as I'm sure anyone who uses eBay knows, Paypal are owned by eBay. Which means unless my Australian buyers drop off cash, they will have to use Paypal to pay me - hence I'll be charged more fees, and eBay will be making MORE profit off my sales. eBay, unsurprisingly, are denying that this is a money-making venture - it's all about "making eBay safer for buyers and sellers". I have one word for that:
BULLSHIT!
Anyone with a modicum of intelligence realises this for what it is - pure and simple greed.
Well, I have some news for FeeBay. After 17 June, I will still be offering all my Australian buyers the option to use direct deposit/internet transfer - I will be sending an email after the auction ends to let them know that I will still be accepting direct deposit - and in fact, ENCOURAGING, them not to use Paypal. It's not bad enough that I have seen a steady decline in eBay sales over the past two years. It's not bad enough that they have screwed around with the site so much that people are leaving in droves. It's not bad enough that I am being slugged with higher and higher fees and lower profit margins. But I'll be damned if I'll give those bastards another red cent.
I encourage anyone who uses eBay to please sign this petition - even if you do not live in Australia, you must realise that if eBay get away with this here, they will implement similar changes in the US and all other countries. Please help us stop this blatant example of greed NOW. You may think it's not affecting you now, but it WILL affect you if we don't put a stop to it ASAP.
I'm so glad I don't have to rely on FeeBay for my sole income nowadays. I really have had more than enough of the greed of major corporations. My only consolation is believing that enough people will care to make a difference. Remember, every voice counts.
"A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step" - Lao-Tzu
BULLSHIT!
Anyone with a modicum of intelligence realises this for what it is - pure and simple greed.
Well, I have some news for FeeBay. After 17 June, I will still be offering all my Australian buyers the option to use direct deposit/internet transfer - I will be sending an email after the auction ends to let them know that I will still be accepting direct deposit - and in fact, ENCOURAGING, them not to use Paypal. It's not bad enough that I have seen a steady decline in eBay sales over the past two years. It's not bad enough that they have screwed around with the site so much that people are leaving in droves. It's not bad enough that I am being slugged with higher and higher fees and lower profit margins. But I'll be damned if I'll give those bastards another red cent.
I encourage anyone who uses eBay to please sign this petition - even if you do not live in Australia, you must realise that if eBay get away with this here, they will implement similar changes in the US and all other countries. Please help us stop this blatant example of greed NOW. You may think it's not affecting you now, but it WILL affect you if we don't put a stop to it ASAP.
I'm so glad I don't have to rely on FeeBay for my sole income nowadays. I really have had more than enough of the greed of major corporations. My only consolation is believing that enough people will care to make a difference. Remember, every voice counts.
"A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step" - Lao-Tzu
Monday, 14 April 2008
KissKiss HugHug. . .
No, I haven't completely lost my mind. KissKiss HugHug is the brainchild of my cousin, Felecia, and her friend, Jacki. Here's a little about the business, in their own words:
"Basically as new mothers ourselves, we found a gap in the market for mothers and their everyday problems faced when raising a baby. We have spent time researching what products are missing in the Australian market and are currently designing solutions to help other mothers like ourselves.
Our first product, the Bosom Buddy, is a stylish reversible breastfeeding cover, the latest ‘must have accessory’ enabling mothers to feed bub more confidently in public. Its unique neckline enables mother and baby to see each other while remaining covered.
A string of other products are soon to follow including solutions to everyday problems facing mothers these days – extra large stretch cotton wraps (for the bigger baby), stylish dummy savers (long gone are the plastic chains secured by huge animal heads), vomit / urine-proof floor mats to encourage tummy time and play time without staining carpets and a whole lot more."
So if there's any Mums out there that are interested in supporting a new Aussie business, and picking up some unique products for bub, drop by and check them out. The website should be up and running in a few weeks. Oh, and for my friends across the pond, a "dummy" is what you call a pacifier.
KissKiss HugHug
Have a good day! Sue :)
PS. That's my cousin in the photo on the right :)
"Basically as new mothers ourselves, we found a gap in the market for mothers and their everyday problems faced when raising a baby. We have spent time researching what products are missing in the Australian market and are currently designing solutions to help other mothers like ourselves.
Our first product, the Bosom Buddy, is a stylish reversible breastfeeding cover, the latest ‘must have accessory’ enabling mothers to feed bub more confidently in public. Its unique neckline enables mother and baby to see each other while remaining covered.
A string of other products are soon to follow including solutions to everyday problems facing mothers these days – extra large stretch cotton wraps (for the bigger baby), stylish dummy savers (long gone are the plastic chains secured by huge animal heads), vomit / urine-proof floor mats to encourage tummy time and play time without staining carpets and a whole lot more."
So if there's any Mums out there that are interested in supporting a new Aussie business, and picking up some unique products for bub, drop by and check them out. The website should be up and running in a few weeks. Oh, and for my friends across the pond, a "dummy" is what you call a pacifier.
KissKiss HugHug
Have a good day! Sue :)
PS. That's my cousin in the photo on the right :)
Saturday, 12 April 2008
To Bead Or Not To Bead. . .
. . . That is the question. I had all good intentions of spending most of this weekend working on a new set of beads, however, I've had an offer too good to refuse in my day job, whereby I'm being paid almost double on everything I transcribe not only for this weekend, but also for the next week. So, with that in mind (and with trying to save all the $$$'s I can before we go on vacation for a week in June), I decided that beadmaking could wait. I'm probably going to spend most of the weekend typing away on medical reports. I may have a few hours to spare tomorrow, and if that's the case, then I'll fire up the torch. If not, well .. there's always next weekend. I seem to be saying that a lot lately.
Oh well! Whatever you're doing this weekend, I hope you enjoy yourself. Spare a thought for us poor slobs who are working. TTFN!
Oh well! Whatever you're doing this weekend, I hope you enjoy yourself. Spare a thought for us poor slobs who are working. TTFN!
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
Just Humour Me. . .
Something for all you Harry Potter fans (yes, that includes me). Something about this picture really appeals to my twisted sense of humour. It probably helps that I think Snape is sexy, in a dark brooding sort of way.
Monday, 7 April 2008
Monday Ramblings. . .
And so another week is upon us. Can you believe April is here already? Wasn't Christmas just last week?
Anyway, you may remember me mentioning the laptop I purchased (okay, so my Mum purchased for me). Well, it arrived today and I'm really happy with it. Everything installed perfectly and it's so much faster than my now outdated PC. The only problem is that I still don't have wireless broadband. The upside is that I can connect it via the network cable that is usually on DH Russ' PC, so at least I can download the things I need to download from the internet. As long as I don't mind sitting on the floor to do it - the network cable is way too short for anything else, but, I'll be purchasing a longer cable in the not too distant future. Of course, that still doesn't allow me to take the laptop anywhere if I want to use the internet, but, I'm sure further on down the track I'll work something out. At least I have a fully functioning laptop, so I'm happy about that.
DH Russ & I paid the deposit over the weekend on the holiday home at Howqua that we'll be staying at to celebrate our anniversary in June. The good news is that our friends, Farid & Yvonne, will be staying with us on our last two nights, so I'm sure we'll have a great time, relaxing in the spa, guzzling down champagne and relaxing. We check in on 1st June and check out the following Friday - so, five nights in total. I'm really very excited about the trip. Since I won't be able to work (with no wireless broadband ISP servicing the area), it will truly be all vacation time. It seems like months away at the moment, but in reality it's less than two months. If those two months fly by as quickly as the last four months have, it'll be here before I know it. It's nice to have something to look forward to.
Not much news to share with you on the bead front - actually, there's no news. I have become extremely lackadaisy lately when it comes to beadmaking. Apart from the fact that my eBay sales are pitiful, I just cannot be bothered to fire up the torch on the weekends. I actually intended to make beads last weekend, and instead I ended up spending almost two days on Facebook, searching for Easter eggs in an application called 'Hatchlings'. A total waste of two days of my life, but tough. It's been nice NOT to have to worry about making beads. I hope things change in the near future, but, I'm not pushing it. Whatever will be, will be. I actually purchased a whole lot of CiM (Creation is Messy) glass last week, and as I was unpacking it, I couldn't help but think "Why am I bothering?". I can't ever remember being so unenthusiastic about making beads. I'm sure things will change, but at the moment, I'm just enjoying things the way they are.
Oops.. there goes the oven timer. DH Russ & I are back on low-carbing, and our "No Noodle Lasagna" is ready, so, I'm off to grab some dinner before settling in to watch Desperate Housewives at 8.30 pm. Thanks for stopping by, and I figure that by next weekend, I may actually have the inclination to make some beads!
Anyway, you may remember me mentioning the laptop I purchased (okay, so my Mum purchased for me). Well, it arrived today and I'm really happy with it. Everything installed perfectly and it's so much faster than my now outdated PC. The only problem is that I still don't have wireless broadband. The upside is that I can connect it via the network cable that is usually on DH Russ' PC, so at least I can download the things I need to download from the internet. As long as I don't mind sitting on the floor to do it - the network cable is way too short for anything else, but, I'll be purchasing a longer cable in the not too distant future. Of course, that still doesn't allow me to take the laptop anywhere if I want to use the internet, but, I'm sure further on down the track I'll work something out. At least I have a fully functioning laptop, so I'm happy about that.
DH Russ & I paid the deposit over the weekend on the holiday home at Howqua that we'll be staying at to celebrate our anniversary in June. The good news is that our friends, Farid & Yvonne, will be staying with us on our last two nights, so I'm sure we'll have a great time, relaxing in the spa, guzzling down champagne and relaxing. We check in on 1st June and check out the following Friday - so, five nights in total. I'm really very excited about the trip. Since I won't be able to work (with no wireless broadband ISP servicing the area), it will truly be all vacation time. It seems like months away at the moment, but in reality it's less than two months. If those two months fly by as quickly as the last four months have, it'll be here before I know it. It's nice to have something to look forward to.
Not much news to share with you on the bead front - actually, there's no news. I have become extremely lackadaisy lately when it comes to beadmaking. Apart from the fact that my eBay sales are pitiful, I just cannot be bothered to fire up the torch on the weekends. I actually intended to make beads last weekend, and instead I ended up spending almost two days on Facebook, searching for Easter eggs in an application called 'Hatchlings'. A total waste of two days of my life, but tough. It's been nice NOT to have to worry about making beads. I hope things change in the near future, but, I'm not pushing it. Whatever will be, will be. I actually purchased a whole lot of CiM (Creation is Messy) glass last week, and as I was unpacking it, I couldn't help but think "Why am I bothering?". I can't ever remember being so unenthusiastic about making beads. I'm sure things will change, but at the moment, I'm just enjoying things the way they are.
Oops.. there goes the oven timer. DH Russ & I are back on low-carbing, and our "No Noodle Lasagna" is ready, so, I'm off to grab some dinner before settling in to watch Desperate Housewives at 8.30 pm. Thanks for stopping by, and I figure that by next weekend, I may actually have the inclination to make some beads!
Thursday, 3 April 2008
Technology Can Be a B*tch . . .
So I finally gave in and decided to purchase a laptop. Well, that's not technically true, as my Mum was a sweetie and offered to purchase it for me. Nonetheless, I'm still getting a laptop. Now, to go along with my new laptop, I also want to get wireless broadband. The main reason for this decision is that I want to not only be able to type from anywhere in my home, but I would also like to take the laptop away with me in June when DH Russ & I return to Howqua to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. And yes, I realise it's supposed to be a vacation, which technically means I shouldn't be working. We don't even want to go down that road as Russ is rather peed off that I want to go spend $1200 to stay in a lovely vacation home just so I can work. That's a topic for another day.
Anyway, I've been trying to research which ISP I should go with. I'm currently with Telstra (the largest telco in the country), and so I called them up last night to find out what plans they can offer me. I almost had a coronary when they quoted me $299 for the modem plus almost $115 a month for the wireless connection. It would also find me locked into a 12 month contract with them. Of course, this would be on top of the already $61 a month I pay for my current broadband access (which I don't want to get rid of entirely until, or if, I can find a decent wireless provider). The guy on the phone eventually got sick of my moaning and offered to throw the modem in for nothing, so I set up a tentative account. I don't actually get billed until I start using it, so I figured that would be okay.
Hmm.. so this morning I woke up and figured there must be cheaper ISPs out there that offer wireless, and so I cancelled the account with Telstra. After much research today, I have come to the frustrating realisation that it appears that Telstra is the ONLY provider that services the area I live in. I find the whole thing unbelievable in the extreme. I know Melton is considered semi-rural, but in reality, we're only around 47km outside of Melbourne, so why does no-one else offer wireless broadband access to my area?
And after more research, I also found out today - and I was assured by the sales representative from Telstra last night that there wouldn't be a problem - that Telstra do not cover Howqua. So it doesn't appear that I'm going to be able to work while I'm away either. I suppose I shouldn't really be surprised at the ineptitude of the sales rep, nor that they don't have wireless coverage in Howqua - when Russ & I were away there last November, we couldn't use his mobile unless we went about 20km away to Mansfield.
So all in all, I'm really rather annoyed. At the very least, I would like wireless broadband at home, but unless I'm willing to fork over $115 per month for Telstra, I guess it's not going to happen any time soon. Oh, and their plans suck as well when it comes to download limits. $115 a month only gets me 6Gb - which may sound like a lot, but with all the downloading of voice files I do each day in my job, I could easily go through that.
If anyone out there does know of a wireless broadband provider who services the Melton area (other than Telstra), then please let me know. I'll be damned if I'm going to give Telstra any more money that I already do.
Anyway, I've been trying to research which ISP I should go with. I'm currently with Telstra (the largest telco in the country), and so I called them up last night to find out what plans they can offer me. I almost had a coronary when they quoted me $299 for the modem plus almost $115 a month for the wireless connection. It would also find me locked into a 12 month contract with them. Of course, this would be on top of the already $61 a month I pay for my current broadband access (which I don't want to get rid of entirely until, or if, I can find a decent wireless provider). The guy on the phone eventually got sick of my moaning and offered to throw the modem in for nothing, so I set up a tentative account. I don't actually get billed until I start using it, so I figured that would be okay.
Hmm.. so this morning I woke up and figured there must be cheaper ISPs out there that offer wireless, and so I cancelled the account with Telstra. After much research today, I have come to the frustrating realisation that it appears that Telstra is the ONLY provider that services the area I live in. I find the whole thing unbelievable in the extreme. I know Melton is considered semi-rural, but in reality, we're only around 47km outside of Melbourne, so why does no-one else offer wireless broadband access to my area?
And after more research, I also found out today - and I was assured by the sales representative from Telstra last night that there wouldn't be a problem - that Telstra do not cover Howqua. So it doesn't appear that I'm going to be able to work while I'm away either. I suppose I shouldn't really be surprised at the ineptitude of the sales rep, nor that they don't have wireless coverage in Howqua - when Russ & I were away there last November, we couldn't use his mobile unless we went about 20km away to Mansfield.
So all in all, I'm really rather annoyed. At the very least, I would like wireless broadband at home, but unless I'm willing to fork over $115 per month for Telstra, I guess it's not going to happen any time soon. Oh, and their plans suck as well when it comes to download limits. $115 a month only gets me 6Gb - which may sound like a lot, but with all the downloading of voice files I do each day in my job, I could easily go through that.
If anyone out there does know of a wireless broadband provider who services the Melton area (other than Telstra), then please let me know. I'll be damned if I'm going to give Telstra any more money that I already do.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
Just a small rant . . .
So I know that in the great scheme of things, this is probably not going to make the list of the top 1 million things that really matter all that much in life, but it's just one of those things that really irks me.
I've been purchasing a few items here and there over the past 2 weeks on eBay. Some of the items have been quite expensive (the TENS machine being the most expensive at $130), and some not so expensive (160 tealight candles for $1.25). All up I've purchased 8 items from 7 different sellers, and of those 7 sellers, only 2 have bothered to contact me at all. Now, I'm a very responsible buyer. I have paid for each and every one of these items within minutes of the auctions finishing, and I would expect that at the very least, the seller could shoot me off an email saying "thanks for your payment". But nope. Just 2 sellers out of the 7 have bothered. At this point in time, only one of the items I've purchased has arrived - the TENS machine - and incidentially, not only were they one of the 2 sellers that contacted me, but the TENS machine was one of the last items I purchased. I have no idea when, or if, the other items I've purchased will arrive. I have no idea if they've even received confirmation of my payments through Paypal.
Is it really TOO much to ask for the seller to send an email to the buyer to say "thank you for your payment" or "Your item/s will ship today, tomorrow, etc"? Really? Am I HONESTLY asking for too much? I go out of my way to pay for the items I purchase from you ASAP, and as a seller myself, I would NEVER dream of not contacting my buyers as soon as I receive an email from either Paypal or the buyer, informing me of payment. Common courtesy is, quite obviously, dead.
Oh well, in the long run it's really their loss and not mine (that is, of course, assuming I even receive the items I've paid for - since I have had no contact with the sellers, I can't even be sure they are going to ship them). There were a few other items from these particular sellers that I was quite interested in purchasing and added to my Watched Items list. However, since they haven't afforded me the common courtesy of contacting me, all those items have now been deleted from my Watched Items list, and I highly doubt I will ever purchase another item from any of these sellers again. I would assume that if you're in the business of selling, you'd want to keep your customers happy so they will return. Apparently not. *SHRUG*
Like I said, just a small thing, but one that infuriates me no end.
Rant mode /off
I've been purchasing a few items here and there over the past 2 weeks on eBay. Some of the items have been quite expensive (the TENS machine being the most expensive at $130), and some not so expensive (160 tealight candles for $1.25). All up I've purchased 8 items from 7 different sellers, and of those 7 sellers, only 2 have bothered to contact me at all. Now, I'm a very responsible buyer. I have paid for each and every one of these items within minutes of the auctions finishing, and I would expect that at the very least, the seller could shoot me off an email saying "thanks for your payment". But nope. Just 2 sellers out of the 7 have bothered. At this point in time, only one of the items I've purchased has arrived - the TENS machine - and incidentially, not only were they one of the 2 sellers that contacted me, but the TENS machine was one of the last items I purchased. I have no idea when, or if, the other items I've purchased will arrive. I have no idea if they've even received confirmation of my payments through Paypal.
Is it really TOO much to ask for the seller to send an email to the buyer to say "thank you for your payment" or "Your item/s will ship today, tomorrow, etc"? Really? Am I HONESTLY asking for too much? I go out of my way to pay for the items I purchase from you ASAP, and as a seller myself, I would NEVER dream of not contacting my buyers as soon as I receive an email from either Paypal or the buyer, informing me of payment. Common courtesy is, quite obviously, dead.
Oh well, in the long run it's really their loss and not mine (that is, of course, assuming I even receive the items I've paid for - since I have had no contact with the sellers, I can't even be sure they are going to ship them). There were a few other items from these particular sellers that I was quite interested in purchasing and added to my Watched Items list. However, since they haven't afforded me the common courtesy of contacting me, all those items have now been deleted from my Watched Items list, and I highly doubt I will ever purchase another item from any of these sellers again. I would assume that if you're in the business of selling, you'd want to keep your customers happy so they will return. Apparently not. *SHRUG*
Like I said, just a small thing, but one that infuriates me no end.
Rant mode /off
Patchwork. . .
And here's the photo of my newest set of beads. There'll be up on eBay today. I've scheduled this auction to start at 12.00 pm (Melbourne time - which works out to be 5.00 pm for my friends on the west coast of the USA), so the link won't work until that time. If you want to check them out, then please remember to pop back a little later.
Okey dokey. I'm off to start work for the day. Hope you like the beads, and thanks for stopping by.
Okey dokey. I'm off to start work for the day. Hope you like the beads, and thanks for stopping by.
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