Cheers to Wills and Catherine!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the televised spetacle, and didn't it all go off without a hitch? She looked amazing, relaxed and enjoying herself, and her dress was beautiful. Somewhat understated, yet beautiful and elegant. Prince William, cool, calm and collected, and obviously enjoying it all. (I didn't saw a glimpse of the NZ PM). Her Majesty looked marvellous in her canary yellow. What well behaved Royal horses as well. They are truly bomb-proof! The ceremony itself was awesome, and I loved watching the pomp and ceremony of it all. The crowds too, how excited and proud. The only sad part being, of course, that the wonderful Princess Diana could not be there to share in her son's special day. I'm sure she would have been  completely over the moon, for both of them. Tears.

Good on the Royal couple,  an event worth waiting for. And best of luck to them for the future. Bottoms up. A very cool Royal do. Absolutely stirling!

Jumping through hoops for the sake of a job...

I haven't had to seriously job-hunt for some time, and what a demoralising experience it is. I can't believe what people are put through, these days. From on-line psych tests, to being hot-seat interviewed by teams of people, with every little answer jotted down, by a supposed group of experts. You'd think one was applying to be the big cheese or something, rather than just another cog in the machine, if you get my drift.

In the field I am looking in, I have over twelve years experience, from almost every possible angle. And it's still recent and relevant. I have excellent references, including verbal and written. I know I can do the job, I am both capable and careful. I'm good both on the phone, and face to face  with clients. I do my best to go the extra mile. To go above and beyond. I have worked both sole charge and from home. Is this enough? Well, in the days of common sense, yes, it would have been more than enough. I turn up to my interviews early, well groomed and ready to roll. Still not enough. The prospective employers are no longer looking at my wealth of experience or ability to do the job; instead they are wanting black and white answers to a quagmire of ridiculous questions. There is no room for shades of grey. Apparently this is supposed to determine my personality and suitability to the job. As if. I've never heard of such rubbish.

Whatever happened to the days when one attended the interview and more often than not, depending on experience and compatibility, would get offered the job? And what's it all for? An average wage, long days, and hard hard work of bending over backwards and being a contortionist. They don't want to know you as a person; your interests, your talents, your family life. Never a mention of the personal.

 I really do despair. Will common sense ever return to (once, very reasonable)  Kiwi employers? George Orwell was not wrong. The corporate conglomerates these days  really do want (non-human) robots. When it comes to job-hunting, the humanity, common sense and decent treatment have gone. Bloody tragic. With over twenty-five years experience in the corporate world/workforce, I've never met with such ridiculous expectations, nor such arrogance from the prospective bosses/companies. They seem to assume that everyone should be begging for their job/s, which they then do their darndest to put out of reach.

So, I'm thinking twice. Re-train, become a caregiver, barista, teacher aide, whatever. Just not anything in the hard-hearted, heartless, robotic-minded corporate world! And jumping through hoops for what? A living wage, just, if I'm careful how I spend it, or am lucky enough to cop a more generous employer/company.

Welfare. Not always a choice at all. Whatever happened to the good employers, the human factor, and the common sense? Or the concept of the employer/employee relationship being a two-way street? Oh, cry me a river! Tears! And a stupid waste of vast experience and future potential! What's the point? So depressing and so wrong.

GST and Petrol rises, really hurting.

I'm learning to be a homebody. With petrol and food prices going through the roof, it makes sense to spend more time at home, less time in the car. With a good book/DVD collection, why go out to the movies. I've made my own little cinema at home. This probably sounds a bit boring, but a movie plus petrol is at least a $30.00 outing. Now, that $30.00 buys quite a bit of food.

Reading for pleasure is an enjoyable and intelligent thing to do, as long as one is picky over what they choose to read. My favourite authors are Doris Lessing, Ruth Rendell, Janet Frame, Stephen King, Ruth Rendell, P D James, George Orwell, E M Forster, Jane Austen, and a whole host of others, including the Bible and bible commentary.

One can also get into crafts at home, such as drawing/painting, needle crafts, etc, baking, creating, clay modelling, whatever. At least this is creative. And once again, it costs very little, especially if the materials needed are brought over time. The local library is another good option, with DVD and CD collections, an enormous range of books on all subjects, CD Roms, etc, etc. It's good to get away from the internet too.

Going for walks and outings to local parks is another good freebie to be had. Take  a picnic, and the cost is just about nil, especially if the park is near your front door.

I'm staying away from malls, shops, cafes and the like for now. Perhaps boring, but it won't kill me....saving those pennies for a rainy day. The cost of petrol, I just can't believe it. Frigging scary. My car is no longer my baby nor my friend, much as I love the freedom owning a set of wheels can offer!

Cool book - Key To Victory

Whilst browsing in my local library the other day, I came across a very interesting book - Key To Victory, which is an overview of the 2008 NZ General election, with contributions by well-known political commentators/analysts such as Colin James, Therese Arseneau, to name a couple, as well as summations from various and well-known MPs. Most of all, I enjoyed the sections about the strategies the different parties used, and why they succeded or failed, and the scandals that cropped up/crept in.

There are sections on the role the media had to play, what role the NZ political blogosphere had to play (and the difference they made, if any, to the outcome), the campaigns of the main players and perspectives from the political parties themselves. As an added bonus is a DVD, with highlights such as all the TV/Youtube debates, the campaign billboards, the TV ad campaigns, and more.

Really enjoyed this book, and the DVD also. It was fascinating watching the debates again, with the benefit of hindsight. Being able to fast forward, backtrack, and pause is always a good thing.  No annoying ad breaks either, a bonus.

Published by Victoria University Press, published in 2010, edited by Stephen Levine and Nigel S Roberts.  This is a very interesting and insightful read/watch/flick-through. Highly recommended as fine fodder for any dedicated politico.

I'm so glad it's election year; the result may be a foregone conclusion (but who knows, there's always the element of the unknown/surprise), but whatever the outcome, they're always of great interest and fun. Roll on!

Doris Lessing, a great writer

Doris Lessing is an awesome writer, like they used to be....Have just been reading her autobiography. She writes so honestly. Her years in the CP make good reading, as well as her insightful description of post-war London. I have not read much fiction by Lessing, only The Fifth Child, which I thoroughly enjoyed. A perfect family, gone wrong, by the birth of a misfit and unusual child.

Writers of Lessing's quality are few and far between these days...gritty and insightful, has a gift for the English language and a wonderful narrative style.

Yikes, can I go back in time and return to painting...

Golden rule no. 1: Follow your instinct. Golden rule number two: listen to your inner voice. Golden rule number three: follow your heart desires and forget grandioise ideas; Golden rule number four: don't be swayed by what others may say...it's your future.

Too late, too late.......will have to persue my love of painting into the wee hours.......

Oh well. Learning lots about left wing politics...loads of books to study. Loads of words to write...! So much theory. Essays...so out of practice...! Some lectures have been really interesting...but after a hands-on course, a bit of a culture shock! Takes some getting used to...

This does not feel like an election year...

Just wondering when the campaign is starting for election year. Pretty quiet so far, for obvious reasons, Now April, and not a slogan in sight...well, hardly any.

When are the parties going to get going on their campaigns though? Nothing in sight as of yet, or have I missed something? Still, it's quite a few months out. Is this year a foregone conclusion, with National winning by a landslide? Could be....

I love the national pastime of the general election, so hope to see some action soon...after all, it's only once every three years. Hoardings, please. Debate. Media coverage.Looking foward to the policy discusions and on live TV debates (hopefully, with all the party leaders invited).. November will be here in no time...