Why I've stopped reading the papers

I have stopped reading the daily papers/watching the news etc because all the rotten, violent news it's jam-packed with make me feel ashamed to be a Kiwi. For example; a nine year old girl attacked by a group of drunken men, a two year old girl given a hell life and then finally killed by her own mother (kicked around like a soccer ball), yet another murder case going through the courts (with the victim's body dismembered and found in plastic containers in the Waitakeres)....not to mention the abused dog (ears-cut off), the kitten that was stomped to death in front of a child.....and we're meant to be civilised. Yeah right. Shame. Absolute, mind-boggling shame.

No more daily news for me, I'm fed up with it. The animal kingdom puts our society to shame. Reading the news of violent, dark little NZ is like watching a horror movie coming to life. Just how and when did we get to such undiluted depravity? So much for clean, green, safe and desirable NZ. When you look beneath the gloss....and you don't have to look far...there's a far darker, uglier tale to be told. How sad that all of it is truth rather than ficiton. More than just cringe-factor. I for one am so sick of the let's have another report phase...yeah right. Talk about brushed under the carpet and swept out of mindsight.

Poor old negleglected blog

Haven't been here for weeks. Much has happened. The Hone show. The Macsynka King book. Key in India. oh dear....what have I missed. Lots, apparently. I don't agree with Macsina King publishing a book either, just in bad taste, that's all. She had the chance to tell her story ages ago, so why now? And is it the truth? Trouble is, we'll acutally never know for sure. Only she knows and he knows.

And could there be any sadder, heart-wrenching tale? What is the point now, Is it the ultimate in bad taste?

Not needed, any more flipping Ministries

Nuff said. Enough control, enough beauracracy, enough. We don't need a Children's Ministry, and it won't make a blind bit of difference, just as the unmandated anti smacking law didn't, hasn't, and never ever will.

Let parents parent their kids, as the majority do, and do well. Cause we all keep getting blamed for the mongrel minority, as is the way of the left. Control freakery gone mad.

Thank goodness National is in power. All is not lost...and with such nonsense from L, National could slam dunk this election. Definately the more viable and sensible option. No wonder the polls are glowing blue...

Snap election? Hope so!

I for one really hope for a snap election. Where has the campaigning been this year? There has been lots of political storms going on, but not much in the way of electoral excitement. Not a balloon nor a hoarding to be seen. Have I been missing something?

I long for a snap election, just for something different! Here's wishing. And good luck to Brash. Most refreshing indeed. Just what Act need. I'm looking forward to the colour, hoopla and fun that every election brings. Bring it on!

New job, less time to blog...

Yay. Have managed to land a job at last. Will find it harder to post here, but will still blog now and then, as it's something I enjoy. Will be working in the insurance industry, due to the two Christchurch earthquakes. And I'll be helping people who've suffered through such devastation. This will be a good learning curve for me as well, something different from what I'm expert in, but not too different.

It's nice to get back to full time paid work. A new door has opened; new company, new faces, and the fun of a new and unusual challenge. Looking forward to it, though will be quite an adjustment, no more sleeping in...

Less of the night owl me. Yeah, right! There just arn't enough hours in the day...!

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.