Just finished: Supervolcano: Eruption by Harry Turtledove
Must say, very dissapointed with this book. I was hoping for more buildup with the eruption & descriptions etc.. NOTHING. And then there are odd bits of storylines thrown in.. but never discussed again. Very disappointing. This book could have been soooo much better!!!! Not sure if I will bother with the other books in trilogy... not sure I can handle them.. this one did my head in!
Starting: Nocturnes by John Connolly
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Book bloggin' Jan 18 2012
Finished: 11.22.63 by Stephen King - would give this a 4.. found it a bit slow in parts, but couldn't stop once I got to last hundred pages or so( got lots done at work today haha). Different from most of his more macabre stories, but I love alternate history & I think he hit the nail on the head addressing the "butterfly effect". Give it a shot!
Started: Supervolcano Eruption by Harry Turtledove (been hanging out for this one!!)
Started: Supervolcano Eruption by Harry Turtledove (been hanging out for this one!!)
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Update to earlier Rants
It is a sad but true fact that in the end.. when people break up kids suffer. Be it friendships just forming(as in the case of my daughter & high school mentalities daugher) or even worse, the relationships between kids & their parents when the unthinkable happens and the parents go their separate ways.
High School mentality (here-in refered to as R) treated her husband like shit. I was there. I witnessed it. She treated him like a walking ATM & blamed him for all her woes. They both possessed what my SiL referred to as volatile tempers. He would smash his fists or feet into things out of sheer frustration. They argued ALOT. Needless to say, in recent developments, which someone whom I am a mutual friend of ( I won't call her a friend of R because I know what R really thinks of her) informed me of not realising that we are no longer & have not been for the better part of a year, friends.
To cut it short, he took the "easy" way out & had an affair.. but here is where the sweet irony occurs. Because as we know R had a boob job.. a boob job which she was SURE would "fix everything". So who does the hubby decide to have an affair with? Why a skanky old saggy titted 45yo.. who lives not 5 minutes walk away from their house. Nice. Want to get caught much? And he made sure he did.
Now R LOVES to be the centre of attention. So here is another lovely melodrama that should have the writers of whore & a gay chomping at the bit. It's like she loves living in her own pathetic soapy where there is only one lead.. her. Seriously.. I spent over a year perfecting the right time to say yep.. uh huh, oh no, well, you get the idea. I know you must think me not a good friend for saying that, but the fact I didn't tell her just to fuck off when I had heard the same whinging and moaning story (with no effort to change things or improve the situation) for the 100th time.. well.. that was me being a good "friend". But the sad but trueness of the situation was, at the time I was just her willing (& deluded) audience.. now she has moved on to others. And undoubtedly they too will get spat out once she realises they too have aquired the same glassy eyed vacant stare I developed after so many repeats.
Back to the story.. My friend H told me all about the end of year get-together for PG.. where R spent the entire 4 hours crying & going on & on about how her life sucks. Most of the women who went apparently left out of sheer disgust when, after trying to talk about other things, she got all huffy and shouted "it's all about me today, I don't give a shit about you".. charming. Makes one glad to have escaped and be able to just hear about things, laugh & breathe a sigh of relief to know I didn't actually have to SIT through it! Sucks to be her new "friends". Hope they didn't want to talk about themselves or share anything about their lives any time soon... HAHAHAHAHAHA
*Disclaimer - yes.. I am a bitch. It's true. I own it. I used to be a nice person to everyone & I still am with my real friends but something about chicks like R just brings out the bitch. Sucks to be them. Also.. yes I bitter about the whole exprience. I extended a hand of friendship & all that it entailed. Only to have it thrown back in my face. Wouldn't you be bitter too? And feel just a little bit used (this is doubly the case when you take the other bitch into consideration).
High School mentality (here-in refered to as R) treated her husband like shit. I was there. I witnessed it. She treated him like a walking ATM & blamed him for all her woes. They both possessed what my SiL referred to as volatile tempers. He would smash his fists or feet into things out of sheer frustration. They argued ALOT. Needless to say, in recent developments, which someone whom I am a mutual friend of ( I won't call her a friend of R because I know what R really thinks of her) informed me of not realising that we are no longer & have not been for the better part of a year, friends.
To cut it short, he took the "easy" way out & had an affair.. but here is where the sweet irony occurs. Because as we know R had a boob job.. a boob job which she was SURE would "fix everything". So who does the hubby decide to have an affair with? Why a skanky old saggy titted 45yo.. who lives not 5 minutes walk away from their house. Nice. Want to get caught much? And he made sure he did.
Now R LOVES to be the centre of attention. So here is another lovely melodrama that should have the writers of whore & a gay chomping at the bit. It's like she loves living in her own pathetic soapy where there is only one lead.. her. Seriously.. I spent over a year perfecting the right time to say yep.. uh huh, oh no, well, you get the idea. I know you must think me not a good friend for saying that, but the fact I didn't tell her just to fuck off when I had heard the same whinging and moaning story (with no effort to change things or improve the situation) for the 100th time.. well.. that was me being a good "friend". But the sad but trueness of the situation was, at the time I was just her willing (& deluded) audience.. now she has moved on to others. And undoubtedly they too will get spat out once she realises they too have aquired the same glassy eyed vacant stare I developed after so many repeats.
Back to the story.. My friend H told me all about the end of year get-together for PG.. where R spent the entire 4 hours crying & going on & on about how her life sucks. Most of the women who went apparently left out of sheer disgust when, after trying to talk about other things, she got all huffy and shouted "it's all about me today, I don't give a shit about you".. charming. Makes one glad to have escaped and be able to just hear about things, laugh & breathe a sigh of relief to know I didn't actually have to SIT through it! Sucks to be her new "friends". Hope they didn't want to talk about themselves or share anything about their lives any time soon... HAHAHAHAHAHA
*Disclaimer - yes.. I am a bitch. It's true. I own it. I used to be a nice person to everyone & I still am with my real friends but something about chicks like R just brings out the bitch. Sucks to be them. Also.. yes I bitter about the whole exprience. I extended a hand of friendship & all that it entailed. Only to have it thrown back in my face. Wouldn't you be bitter too? And feel just a little bit used (this is doubly the case when you take the other bitch into consideration).
New Year.. More Books
So it's a new year.. but nothing has changed. Work, kids, uni, weight loss. More books :)
I currently have a pile of about 10 books waiting to be read (some being re-reads *). My aim is to record when I start & finish each book.. mainly for my own purpose.. which is to actually figure out how many books I will read in a year.. which I know is a few!
To date I have read(Starting 25/12/2011):
Designated Targets - John Birmingham*
Final Impact - John Birmingham*
An Indecent Obsession - Colleen McCullough
The Drop - Michael Connelly
Chasing Harry Winston - Lauren Weisberger
Currently reading:
11.22.63 - Stephen King
I got a whole stack of amazon gift vouchers for Christmas & am awaiting the arrival of some more books to add to the "to be read" pile, including all of the Charlie Parker mysteries (bar 2 which I already own) from John Connolly.
To Read Pile(not including books currently ordered from amazon)
Life Without the Boring Bits - Colleen McCullough
Without Warning - John Birmingham*
After America - John Birmingham*
Angels of Vengence - John Birmingham
The Burning Soul - John Connolly
The Reversal - Michael Connelly
Hiroshima & Nagasaki - Paul Ham
Foriegn Influence - Brad Thor
The Lovers - John Connolly*
The Whisperers - John Connolly*
Blue Remembered Earth - Alastair Reynolds (on pre-order)
I had originally designated 2012 the year of re-reads.. but obviously a few new ones have snuck in! However, once I am done with this pile & also with the books coming from Amazon.. I am going to work my way through Alastair Reynolds & then through my rather large apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic collection..
Watch this space....
I currently have a pile of about 10 books waiting to be read (some being re-reads *). My aim is to record when I start & finish each book.. mainly for my own purpose.. which is to actually figure out how many books I will read in a year.. which I know is a few!
To date I have read(Starting 25/12/2011):
Designated Targets - John Birmingham*
Final Impact - John Birmingham*
An Indecent Obsession - Colleen McCullough
The Drop - Michael Connelly
Chasing Harry Winston - Lauren Weisberger
Currently reading:
11.22.63 - Stephen King
I got a whole stack of amazon gift vouchers for Christmas & am awaiting the arrival of some more books to add to the "to be read" pile, including all of the Charlie Parker mysteries (bar 2 which I already own) from John Connolly.
To Read Pile(not including books currently ordered from amazon)
Life Without the Boring Bits - Colleen McCullough
Without Warning - John Birmingham*
After America - John Birmingham*
Angels of Vengence - John Birmingham
The Burning Soul - John Connolly
The Reversal - Michael Connelly
Hiroshima & Nagasaki - Paul Ham
Foriegn Influence - Brad Thor
The Lovers - John Connolly*
The Whisperers - John Connolly*
Blue Remembered Earth - Alastair Reynolds (on pre-order)
I had originally designated 2012 the year of re-reads.. but obviously a few new ones have snuck in! However, once I am done with this pile & also with the books coming from Amazon.. I am going to work my way through Alastair Reynolds & then through my rather large apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic collection..
Watch this space....
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Futility
I have come to realise that someone somewhere in this department does not like me. There is a job going here, which I have applied for. It is essentially the job I am already doing, but is the next level up. It has been widely acknowledged that I am already performing at and above this level. I am responsible for managing capture in a team where I am the lowest paid/ranked member. And no doubt, whoever gets this job, I will be the one training and mentoring them. I know, not because anyone has told me, but simply by way of where I sit (and can therefore hear) that there were 11 applicants for this job. They have been instructed to only interview the top 3. Guess what number I am? 4. Simply because I don't have a STUPID PIECE OF FUCKING PAPER THAT SAYS I CAN DO THE JOB I ALREADY DO AND HAVE BEEN DOING FOR 8 FUCKING YEARS.
Chances are, I am probably better qualified to do the job because I am already doing it. But that doesn't matter. Because someone has decreed that I don't get an interview. Pisses me off. not much I can do either because if thats what HR has decided, even if I appeal that will be the answer I get. And its perfectly alright.
Think I might start looking for a new job, closer to home. I am going to walk out the door & take all of the knowledge I have built up & to hell with this place. Another example of the govt making it deliberatly hard & losing good staff in the process(which costs them even more money).
Chances are, I am probably better qualified to do the job because I am already doing it. But that doesn't matter. Because someone has decreed that I don't get an interview. Pisses me off. not much I can do either because if thats what HR has decided, even if I appeal that will be the answer I get. And its perfectly alright.
Think I might start looking for a new job, closer to home. I am going to walk out the door & take all of the knowledge I have built up & to hell with this place. Another example of the govt making it deliberatly hard & losing good staff in the process(which costs them even more money).
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Things I hate..
Number one hate.. Job applications.. they suck. I know I can do the job, that's why I am applying.. I am already doing the job, so why do I have to apply? It sucks.. I hate it. The gut churning fear that you didn't say enough or gulp, way too much. Then the dread that drags you down, when you start worrying about getting an interview.. especially when you are already doing the job!!! Double gulp. Did I mention I hate job applications?
One good thing of note.. I passed my unit this semester... yay :)
One good thing of note.. I passed my unit this semester... yay :)
Friday, 11 November 2011
Holidays
I am a jealous person, I see all these tales of people going off on these awesome holidays. I always say, one day that will be me. Sadly, it never has been. I have been on 3 plane based self funded holidays. All to the same place. Melbourne. Don't get me wrong, I love Melbourne (hence the reason I keep going back!) so it was no hardship. However, I have NEVER left the country. For people who live in Europe or even America, this is hard to believe, but I can't just get in a car & drive to another country from here, hell getting to another state takes a good 2 days (of non-stop driving).
So, I have started planning.. because obviously with a mortgage, 2 kids in a private school & not earning bucket loads of money, it takes some planning & saving. But where to go?
I have it narrowed down to 3 options:
1) 3 weeks in Melbourne (the other halfs bro lives there) & on the Gold Coast (theme parks!)
2) 3 weeks driving around New Zealand.
3) 6 weeks in Holland/Lithuania/UK.. yes, I said Lithuania!
Why Lithuania I hear you asking? Well, I just read this book called "From Russia with Lunch" by David Smeidt. he decides to go on this pilgrimage to Lithuania to find out more about his Lithuanian grandparents. To cut a long story short, it has inspired me to want to visit the country. I would prefer to go to more off the beaten path places, because I think sometimes, you get a better sense of a country & its history if it hasn't been beaten half to death by a billion tourists. And there are defintely some stories which inspired me, like the Japanese diplomat, based in Vilnius, who probably saved more Jews then Oskar Schindler in WW2, yet is totally unrecognised, except by the people he saved. As well, to visit somewhere like the Hill of Crosses, which sprang up from so few, I think will be something that I will regret not experiencing. So it is off the beaten path we go.. in about 5 - 7 years :)
Oh & for those who may be wondering, the UK & dutch parts of the trip are my own pilgrimages to see where my family has come from.
So, I have started planning.. because obviously with a mortgage, 2 kids in a private school & not earning bucket loads of money, it takes some planning & saving. But where to go?
I have it narrowed down to 3 options:
1) 3 weeks in Melbourne (the other halfs bro lives there) & on the Gold Coast (theme parks!)
2) 3 weeks driving around New Zealand.
3) 6 weeks in Holland/Lithuania/UK.. yes, I said Lithuania!
Why Lithuania I hear you asking? Well, I just read this book called "From Russia with Lunch" by David Smeidt. he decides to go on this pilgrimage to Lithuania to find out more about his Lithuanian grandparents. To cut a long story short, it has inspired me to want to visit the country. I would prefer to go to more off the beaten path places, because I think sometimes, you get a better sense of a country & its history if it hasn't been beaten half to death by a billion tourists. And there are defintely some stories which inspired me, like the Japanese diplomat, based in Vilnius, who probably saved more Jews then Oskar Schindler in WW2, yet is totally unrecognised, except by the people he saved. As well, to visit somewhere like the Hill of Crosses, which sprang up from so few, I think will be something that I will regret not experiencing. So it is off the beaten path we go.. in about 5 - 7 years :)
Oh & for those who may be wondering, the UK & dutch parts of the trip are my own pilgrimages to see where my family has come from.
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