Thursday:
The website for my TAFE now says my Diploma was 'published' on 30/06 and the transcription done 02/07 so I should receive it soon! I'm thinking about joining a recruitment agency, there are a couple that specialise in Library and Information Services, but was waiting to get my Diploma. And maybe I'll wait to see how the two jobs I've already applied for go. I know the first one has spoken to my referees. The second one (the one I super really want) closes for applications today, not sure how long they will take to review the applications and call for interviews. I should look back and see how long they took last year when I applied there for a Library Assistant job … ok they took about two weeks from when applications closed to let me know I didn't get an interview, they later called and offered casual work which I couldn't take because it was evening. So I should wait around two weeks before starting to wait anxiously for a call.
Sunday:
On Friday our new mattresses were delivered. Ours seems a lot firmer than it did in the showroom, and we aren’t thrilled about that. But I assume it will soften a bit with time (not too much!) It has a swap guarantee if you don’t like it, but they don’t let you swap in the first week, so they must be used to people panicking and sending mattresses back unnecessarily!
Tim’s and I were both sick during the week, but seem ok now. Main symptom was extreme fatigue. I’d sit down and not want to get up again for hours. But I felt all perky today and full of energy. I walked up to the shops with Jasmine to buy a few things, then we made dessert for tonight (lemon cheesecake). Family came over in the afternoon - and this week everyone came. House full of children! So loud but in a happy way. Most stayed for dinner (and cheesecake 😆). V knows I’m trying to lose weight and asked if Sundays are my ‘cheat’ day. I was too embarrassed to say I have lots of ‘cheat’ days! I only said that I prefer to call them ‘treat’ days instead.
V is a bit overweight herself, she was playing on the floor with the kids and Emma said ‘you look like you have a fat tummy’. She just laughed, but when Ping came in V said ‘your daughter just said I have a fat tummy’ and Ping said something like ‘oh sometimes she’s too honest!’ Honest?! I can see where little Emma gets her tact from!
Showing posts with label TAFE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TAFE. Show all posts
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
All done
Thursday:
Today was my final day of work placement. I spent most of the time creating a PowerPoint with information about the library to play on a loop on the big screen behind the desk. I enjoy doing the cute transitions and animations. And we had a little farewell morning tea for me. The head librarian was there for once, but more importantly Lyn who is my favourite librarian. She spent a lot of time training me, but was nice enough to say I’d contributed more than I’d been given. I hope I get to work with her some time in the future. I left them a little cyclamen plant as a thank you, they thrive in cold conditions! I won’t miss the chilblains.
I have all my results for individual subjects now, so I’m all done. Just need the actual piece of paper to say I’ve graduated. I can update my CV from ‘soon to be’. Now the job searching begins in earnest. And no excuse not to exercise a lot more! I went for a lovely walk yesterday. I need to get out more, whenever it’s not pouring rain. It’s been very wet lately.
Today was my final day of work placement. I spent most of the time creating a PowerPoint with information about the library to play on a loop on the big screen behind the desk. I enjoy doing the cute transitions and animations. And we had a little farewell morning tea for me. The head librarian was there for once, but more importantly Lyn who is my favourite librarian. She spent a lot of time training me, but was nice enough to say I’d contributed more than I’d been given. I hope I get to work with her some time in the future. I left them a little cyclamen plant as a thank you, they thrive in cold conditions! I won’t miss the chilblains.
I have all my results for individual subjects now, so I’m all done. Just need the actual piece of paper to say I’ve graduated. I can update my CV from ‘soon to be’. Now the job searching begins in earnest. And no excuse not to exercise a lot more! I went for a lovely walk yesterday. I need to get out more, whenever it’s not pouring rain. It’s been very wet lately.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Icy toes
Monday:
The reboot Duromine effect has worn off, I ate very little for several days while sick then ate a lot for several days to catch up... back to normal now. Whatever normal is. Weight bounced back up a little to 70.2 kg, still comfortably under what it was two weeks ago. But I want to get back under 70 kg!
It is so cold at this second workplace. The main part of the library isn't too bad, but the staff office and tearoom are freezing. My feet ache. It's winter here now, icy and rainy, but I think it's warmer outside than in the tearoom! Cold drafts everywhere. There is a tiny fan heater the staff use to try to stay warm. It's a small library, only two staff at a time not including me. But at least six desks in the office!? I had a good chat with Matthew about getting a job, he did the same degree as me a few years ago (same teachers!) and a temp job turned into his current more or less permanent status. He trained as a High School teacher originally, but had a chair thrown at him by a student on his first day. Six months confirmed it wasn't the job for him.
I just lodged my last assignment. Now all I have is my teacher coming out to assess me in the workplace, in two weeks. Should be ok, but I can get flustered sometimes.
I feel mostly better from my flu but my coughing keeps me awake at night. Aiden's got a runny nose now, crossed fingers he fights it off.
The reboot Duromine effect has worn off, I ate very little for several days while sick then ate a lot for several days to catch up... back to normal now. Whatever normal is. Weight bounced back up a little to 70.2 kg, still comfortably under what it was two weeks ago. But I want to get back under 70 kg!
It is so cold at this second workplace. The main part of the library isn't too bad, but the staff office and tearoom are freezing. My feet ache. It's winter here now, icy and rainy, but I think it's warmer outside than in the tearoom! Cold drafts everywhere. There is a tiny fan heater the staff use to try to stay warm. It's a small library, only two staff at a time not including me. But at least six desks in the office!? I had a good chat with Matthew about getting a job, he did the same degree as me a few years ago (same teachers!) and a temp job turned into his current more or less permanent status. He trained as a High School teacher originally, but had a chair thrown at him by a student on his first day. Six months confirmed it wasn't the job for him.
I just lodged my last assignment. Now all I have is my teacher coming out to assess me in the workplace, in two weeks. Should be ok, but I can get flustered sometimes.
I feel mostly better from my flu but my coughing keeps me awake at night. Aiden's got a runny nose now, crossed fingers he fights it off.
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Diversion
Wednesday:
I spent yesterday at home, mostly sleeping, instead of going to work. Today I had my last visit to my TAFE in the city, a consultation with a teacher about my big research assignment. I was feeling a lot better than yesterday so I decided not to cancel. Maybe not the best choice. When leaving home, I could hardly get out of our street due to traffic banked up on the main road. It turned out there was a big accident on the nearby bridge (at least one truck and several cars) so the road was closed. Everyone was diverted to next crossing, a long way around with only one lane each way (the usual bridge has three lanes each way). With so much traffic everything was slow, and we also had to inch around a minor bingle (car accident). Getting to the station took me an hour instead of about 15 minutes. And I had to park a long way from the station at that time of day. Of course I don't equate my minor inconvenience with what people actually in that big accident went through!
I was lucky enough to catch an express train to the city, and I walked really fast at the other end, so I ended up only 20 mins late - for a 30 minute meeting. I was rather hot and tired by then from brisk walking while feeling sick! I even have a blister on my toe. But the meeting itself went well. My teacher was happy with my progress on the assignment, which is nearly finished. It was the last time I needed to go into TAFE, ever. I will see my teacher one more time when she comes to visit me at work to assess me there, otherwise I just have some online stuff and finishing work placement. My teacher mentioned they only have one graduation ceremony a year so I think that will be nearly 12 months away! I might just get them to mail it to me.
The trip home was much slower and less stressful, I half-dozed through most of the train journey. Didn't appreciate the icy rain getting back to the car. Very glad to finally get home again.
At least I got some exercise today!
I spent yesterday at home, mostly sleeping, instead of going to work. Today I had my last visit to my TAFE in the city, a consultation with a teacher about my big research assignment. I was feeling a lot better than yesterday so I decided not to cancel. Maybe not the best choice. When leaving home, I could hardly get out of our street due to traffic banked up on the main road. It turned out there was a big accident on the nearby bridge (at least one truck and several cars) so the road was closed. Everyone was diverted to next crossing, a long way around with only one lane each way (the usual bridge has three lanes each way). With so much traffic everything was slow, and we also had to inch around a minor bingle (car accident). Getting to the station took me an hour instead of about 15 minutes. And I had to park a long way from the station at that time of day. Of course I don't equate my minor inconvenience with what people actually in that big accident went through!
I was lucky enough to catch an express train to the city, and I walked really fast at the other end, so I ended up only 20 mins late - for a 30 minute meeting. I was rather hot and tired by then from brisk walking while feeling sick! I even have a blister on my toe. But the meeting itself went well. My teacher was happy with my progress on the assignment, which is nearly finished. It was the last time I needed to go into TAFE, ever. I will see my teacher one more time when she comes to visit me at work to assess me there, otherwise I just have some online stuff and finishing work placement. My teacher mentioned they only have one graduation ceremony a year so I think that will be nearly 12 months away! I might just get them to mail it to me.
The trip home was much slower and less stressful, I half-dozed through most of the train journey. Didn't appreciate the icy rain getting back to the car. Very glad to finally get home again.
At least I got some exercise today!
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Consultation
Wednesday:
My second day of work placement yesterday was similar to the first. Being trained in various library things with frequent interruptions from clients. BTW, as a library user how do you prefer to be labelled? Client, customer, patron, user, member? The internet wasn’t working on a random assortment library’s computers so we had a lot of queries about that, and the printer and photocopiers also had issues. I only experienced one student asking for help finding a book!
At home in the evening I checked my email. I got mildly annoyed at my uncle who wrote that I hadn’t responded to Poppa’s 100th birthday invitation (my records say I did, a month ago), and then got very annoyed at the TAFE staff member who is teaching most of my online courses - she pointed out that I hadn’t yet enrolled in the online unit for my work placement. Um... what online unit? I thought it was covered by the customer service, IT and team management units, which all include things I have to complete during placement. Apparently there is also a seperate unit. The things you miss when you are studying online instead of attending face to face classes. I totally blame this on her, I’m quite sure I was never told about it in my limited contacts with her. So I enrolled, read the content, found I was supposed to keeping an online journal (luckily I’d been keeping my own records) and had this big document to work through and get assessed by my TAFE supervisor (who comes out for a visit) and a checklist for my work supervisor, and there was even a list of things I was supposed to do before placement. I had a big rant to my husband about it all, but after venting I found it wasn’t too bad, I’m still in the first week of placement so not too far behind in the work. Hmm, my workload just got a bit heavier.
Today I had the first of two consultations with my teacher for a different class about my major research assignment - the only times I will go into TAFE this term. This teacher, Julie, is also the person who will come out to check on my placement (not the negligent one who does the online part) so I could talk to her about that as well. She was happy with how my research assignment is going and gave a few useful suggestions.
The librarian at work had suggested I do a children’s storytime session for my practical assessment for placement, but I wasn’t really that keen on it. While I’m sure I could do it successfully, interacting with a large group of young children isn’t why I want to be a Library Technician. It was kind of hard for me to speak up, I’m not really very assertive, so I was a bit waffly, but I did say I was more keen on cataloguing. The librarian was open to me doing that, so after discussing it with Julie today I’ve decided to do cataloguing as my assessable task. I may end up still having to do the storytime anyway, just not as my special assessment! One of the joys of library work is that there is a wide variety of tasks.
My second day of work placement yesterday was similar to the first. Being trained in various library things with frequent interruptions from clients. BTW, as a library user how do you prefer to be labelled? Client, customer, patron, user, member? The internet wasn’t working on a random assortment library’s computers so we had a lot of queries about that, and the printer and photocopiers also had issues. I only experienced one student asking for help finding a book!
At home in the evening I checked my email. I got mildly annoyed at my uncle who wrote that I hadn’t responded to Poppa’s 100th birthday invitation (my records say I did, a month ago), and then got very annoyed at the TAFE staff member who is teaching most of my online courses - she pointed out that I hadn’t yet enrolled in the online unit for my work placement. Um... what online unit? I thought it was covered by the customer service, IT and team management units, which all include things I have to complete during placement. Apparently there is also a seperate unit. The things you miss when you are studying online instead of attending face to face classes. I totally blame this on her, I’m quite sure I was never told about it in my limited contacts with her. So I enrolled, read the content, found I was supposed to keeping an online journal (luckily I’d been keeping my own records) and had this big document to work through and get assessed by my TAFE supervisor (who comes out for a visit) and a checklist for my work supervisor, and there was even a list of things I was supposed to do before placement. I had a big rant to my husband about it all, but after venting I found it wasn’t too bad, I’m still in the first week of placement so not too far behind in the work. Hmm, my workload just got a bit heavier.
Today I had the first of two consultations with my teacher for a different class about my major research assignment - the only times I will go into TAFE this term. This teacher, Julie, is also the person who will come out to check on my placement (not the negligent one who does the online part) so I could talk to her about that as well. She was happy with how my research assignment is going and gave a few useful suggestions.
The librarian at work had suggested I do a children’s storytime session for my practical assessment for placement, but I wasn’t really that keen on it. While I’m sure I could do it successfully, interacting with a large group of young children isn’t why I want to be a Library Technician. It was kind of hard for me to speak up, I’m not really very assertive, so I was a bit waffly, but I did say I was more keen on cataloguing. The librarian was open to me doing that, so after discussing it with Julie today I’ve decided to do cataloguing as my assessable task. I may end up still having to do the storytime anyway, just not as my special assessment! One of the joys of library work is that there is a wide variety of tasks.
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Last class
Thursday:
I had my last class for my Library and Information Services Diploma yesterday. I still have a whole term to go, but it is filled with work placement, online study, and a major assignment with a couple of one-on-one consultations with my teacher. No actual classes, so I guess I will never see any of my fellow students again! None of them live anywhere near me so we're not likely to meet up or work in the same place, although we do have a Facebook group that people post jobs and library humour on. I didn't think of it until after I'd left. It's not farewell for the others, most have other classes (which I've already done or am doing online) which continue into next term. Maybe I'll see some people at graduation. And my favourite teacher, too. (My second-favourite is supervising my work placement and my research assignment so I'll see her.) Many of the people I was friends with studied full time so already graduated last year.
Actually I'm not sure if I'll go to the graduation ceremony. I've already sat through it for my BA and my Grad Cert. I'll see how I feel in three months.
I had to get up two hours early this morning so that I could drive Jasmine to school for an excursion. My body and brain don't know if they should be awake or asleep. This confusion was definitely reflected in today’s diet! And although I worked on an assignment all day I don’t feel like I got much done. I should have just had a nap instead.
I’ve been watching the Commonwealth Games on TV. It’s like the Olympics, but with only Commonwealth countries - 53 former territories of the UK like Australia, Canada and India. The Commonwealth includes about a third of the world’s population but without USA, Russia or China at our games Australia wins a lot more medals!
I had my last class for my Library and Information Services Diploma yesterday. I still have a whole term to go, but it is filled with work placement, online study, and a major assignment with a couple of one-on-one consultations with my teacher. No actual classes, so I guess I will never see any of my fellow students again! None of them live anywhere near me so we're not likely to meet up or work in the same place, although we do have a Facebook group that people post jobs and library humour on. I didn't think of it until after I'd left. It's not farewell for the others, most have other classes (which I've already done or am doing online) which continue into next term. Maybe I'll see some people at graduation. And my favourite teacher, too. (My second-favourite is supervising my work placement and my research assignment so I'll see her.) Many of the people I was friends with studied full time so already graduated last year.
Actually I'm not sure if I'll go to the graduation ceremony. I've already sat through it for my BA and my Grad Cert. I'll see how I feel in three months.
I had to get up two hours early this morning so that I could drive Jasmine to school for an excursion. My body and brain don't know if they should be awake or asleep. This confusion was definitely reflected in today’s diet! And although I worked on an assignment all day I don’t feel like I got much done. I should have just had a nap instead.
I’ve been watching the Commonwealth Games on TV. It’s like the Olympics, but with only Commonwealth countries - 53 former territories of the UK like Australia, Canada and India. The Commonwealth includes about a third of the world’s population but without USA, Russia or China at our games Australia wins a lot more medals!
Thursday, April 5, 2018
Say nothing
Friday:
I've been in touch with my work placement boss, so that is all sorted out. Of course on my first day, both children's schools have a "staff development day" and will be at home so I've got to get that organised!
At TAFE yesterday the young woman I sit next to, who was away last week, had a really bad black eye. I didn't say anything. It's such a stereotypical my husband/father/boyfriend beat me up thing I was scared to bring it up and embarrass her. But she was probably in a car accident or something and now it looks like I don't care? Other people in my class would have already seen her earlier in the week so if they were going to ask, they probably did days ago. She's probably told her story fourteen times already. Some situations are just awkward. My usual strategy is; if in doubt, say nothing.
I woke early yesterday with a very upset tummy. On and off bad all day. Bit fed up with the whole feeling sick thing, to be honest! Better today. And Aiden is finally more-or-less over his cough. And I didn't have brain-fog like I did with the flu so I managed to get a TAFE assignment done. I got back one I lodged a couple of weeks ago while sick (on the second try, first time I lodged I uploaded the cover sheet twice), only missed one thing, 14/15 so I was happy with that. There is only one week left of this term so a lot of things have been due.
Weekend again already? Time is speeding up.
I've been in touch with my work placement boss, so that is all sorted out. Of course on my first day, both children's schools have a "staff development day" and will be at home so I've got to get that organised!
At TAFE yesterday the young woman I sit next to, who was away last week, had a really bad black eye. I didn't say anything. It's such a stereotypical my husband/father/boyfriend beat me up thing I was scared to bring it up and embarrass her. But she was probably in a car accident or something and now it looks like I don't care? Other people in my class would have already seen her earlier in the week so if they were going to ask, they probably did days ago. She's probably told her story fourteen times already. Some situations are just awkward. My usual strategy is; if in doubt, say nothing.
I woke early yesterday with a very upset tummy. On and off bad all day. Bit fed up with the whole feeling sick thing, to be honest! Better today. And Aiden is finally more-or-less over his cough. And I didn't have brain-fog like I did with the flu so I managed to get a TAFE assignment done. I got back one I lodged a couple of weeks ago while sick (on the second try, first time I lodged I uploaded the cover sheet twice), only missed one thing, 14/15 so I was happy with that. There is only one week left of this term so a lot of things have been due.
Weekend again already? Time is speeding up.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Not up to my usual standard
Tuesday:
I submitted two assignments/exercises last week when sick. One, I uploaded the cover sheet twice and didn't include the actual assignment (which I had done). The other, I didn't even realise there was a part two until the teacher emailed me that I'd only done half the work. So, lesson is, don't try to do thinking work when you have the flu! If you have a choice. I have resubmitted both now but I don't know if they are up to my usual standard. I still feel rubbish.
I had a three hour workshop this afternoon that counted as a big part of my assessment for one subject. Digital Repository Management - I had to scan in some photos and documents, make a high quality archive version, a lower quality downloadable version, convert .wav files to .mp3, convert multiple .tif files to one .pdf, stuff like that. Not hard, but unfamiliar to me before this subject. Luckily we had a manual that we could refer to! I think I did ok. But it was a late day, got home exhausted well after my usual dinner time. Tim made yummy butter chicken which I was almost too tired to eat.
Aiden says he doesn't feel sick any more, but his cough has got worse. A nasty deep barking sound. I'll take him to the doctor tomorrow.
I submitted two assignments/exercises last week when sick. One, I uploaded the cover sheet twice and didn't include the actual assignment (which I had done). The other, I didn't even realise there was a part two until the teacher emailed me that I'd only done half the work. So, lesson is, don't try to do thinking work when you have the flu! If you have a choice. I have resubmitted both now but I don't know if they are up to my usual standard. I still feel rubbish.
I had a three hour workshop this afternoon that counted as a big part of my assessment for one subject. Digital Repository Management - I had to scan in some photos and documents, make a high quality archive version, a lower quality downloadable version, convert .wav files to .mp3, convert multiple .tif files to one .pdf, stuff like that. Not hard, but unfamiliar to me before this subject. Luckily we had a manual that we could refer to! I think I did ok. But it was a late day, got home exhausted well after my usual dinner time. Tim made yummy butter chicken which I was almost too tired to eat.
Aiden says he doesn't feel sick any more, but his cough has got worse. A nasty deep barking sound. I'll take him to the doctor tomorrow.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Halfway!
Monday:
This morning I weighed 71.4 kg, a massive loss of 1.6 kg but actually part of that belongs to the week before where I had a blip on Monday and didn’t show a loss. And my MyFitnessPal notified me that I’m halfway to my goal weight! OMG halfway! I don’t know if I ever believed I could get this far. Ive been on and off diets for years but I’m counting this attempt from 14 August 2017; so it’s taken 32 weeks, seven and a half months. Although I wasn’t “on a diet” all that time I was seriously trying for most of it. And taking Duromine most of that time. Yay Duromine!
Aiden and I continued to be unwell for the rest of last week. He still has a bit of a cough and I’m still a bit weak but we’re back to our normal routine. I haven’t exercised in so long, but I’m not about to get back into it yet. I still feel a bit fragile.
My sister-in-law Ping had her birthday party on Saturday, lunch at Yum Cha. If you haven’t tried Yum Cha, it’s where an endless stream of waitresses come past with trolleys of different Chinese food and you pick what you want and share with the table. Mainly things like spring rolls and dumplings. Pork belly. Sesame prawn toast. Lots of meat/seafood, lots of carbs, often deep fried, very little vegetable. I love it! Little portions of lots of different yummy things. But definitely special occasion only, not healthy. It’s usually pretty cheap too, but we were at a fancy expensive place. The only thing I didn’t like was that for some reason they chose a restaurant a long way away, so it was an hour each way sitting in traffic.
This morning I did my volunteer library work, which went smoothly. I wore my navy sailor dress.
I had an exciting phone call at the end of last week, the details of my work placement for next term. Three days a week for eight weeks at a local TAFE - not the one I go to which is in the city, the local one doesn’t teach library studies - so the main users of this library will be adult students like myself. I assume I’ll get experience in all different aspects of library work. I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve been told my main assessable task will be developing a children’s story time session (so obviously little kids use the library too). Dealing with children isn’t my dream job but I’m fine with it and I’ve taken my own children to a million library storytime sessions so I know how they work.
This morning I weighed 71.4 kg, a massive loss of 1.6 kg but actually part of that belongs to the week before where I had a blip on Monday and didn’t show a loss. And my MyFitnessPal notified me that I’m halfway to my goal weight! OMG halfway! I don’t know if I ever believed I could get this far. Ive been on and off diets for years but I’m counting this attempt from 14 August 2017; so it’s taken 32 weeks, seven and a half months. Although I wasn’t “on a diet” all that time I was seriously trying for most of it. And taking Duromine most of that time. Yay Duromine!
Aiden and I continued to be unwell for the rest of last week. He still has a bit of a cough and I’m still a bit weak but we’re back to our normal routine. I haven’t exercised in so long, but I’m not about to get back into it yet. I still feel a bit fragile.
My sister-in-law Ping had her birthday party on Saturday, lunch at Yum Cha. If you haven’t tried Yum Cha, it’s where an endless stream of waitresses come past with trolleys of different Chinese food and you pick what you want and share with the table. Mainly things like spring rolls and dumplings. Pork belly. Sesame prawn toast. Lots of meat/seafood, lots of carbs, often deep fried, very little vegetable. I love it! Little portions of lots of different yummy things. But definitely special occasion only, not healthy. It’s usually pretty cheap too, but we were at a fancy expensive place. The only thing I didn’t like was that for some reason they chose a restaurant a long way away, so it was an hour each way sitting in traffic.
This morning I did my volunteer library work, which went smoothly. I wore my navy sailor dress.
I had an exciting phone call at the end of last week, the details of my work placement for next term. Three days a week for eight weeks at a local TAFE - not the one I go to which is in the city, the local one doesn’t teach library studies - so the main users of this library will be adult students like myself. I assume I’ll get experience in all different aspects of library work. I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve been told my main assessable task will be developing a children’s story time session (so obviously little kids use the library too). Dealing with children isn’t my dream job but I’m fine with it and I’ve taken my own children to a million library storytime sessions so I know how they work.
Saturday, March 3, 2018
Eleven red-back spiders
Saturday:
At TAFE this week we did a practice exercise where we had to brain-storm and then mind-map a random topic. My group got the topic 'diabetes'. In case this is the first time you've read my blog, I had gestational diabetes with my second pregnancy and now have pre-diabetes, I've been to government-run classes and am active on forums and have read just about every book out there on diabetes and know a lot about the history of treatment and recent scientific breakthroughs. Anyway, it was funny because it was supposed to be a team exercise so I had to button my lip and let other people contribute! That was kinda hard for me!
I was cranky (quietly) at the teacher of my online 'integrated' subjects (three subjects related to the work placement I'll be doing next term) - she only gave us access to the material at the end of last week - two weeks after the term started - then sent around an email this week to remind us to get going with it and not get behind! Arg! I mean, yes, but she could have acknowledged it was her fault we're behind in the first place!
Yesterday I came around the corner of the house and startled Draco the water dragon (and he startled me!) and he ran along the path a bit but then stopped and posed for photos. He's an imposing fellow, longer than my arm and very fast when he runs. I haven't seen the blue-tongue lizards for a while, I know they spend some of their time next door.
The big frangipani that we moved from a pot and put in the ground has finally flowered, months after everyone else's, and to our surprise ours is pink! White with a yellow heart is the usual colour combination, this one was left behind by the previous owners - probably because the roots had snaked through the pot holes and delved deep into the ground, we had to saw them off - and I don't remember ever seeing it flower before. Hopefully it is happy now in the ground with lots of sun. I don't know if it flowered so late because of the cultivar, or because of being moved. It only has the one flower cluster so far.
We have a lot of spiders around, I let most of them get on with eating bugs and only swipe down their webs if they are right in the way, but we had quite a few red-back spiders which seem to prefer living under our garden furniture or in cracks between bricks rather than in the garden. Very venomous and nasty, though small by Aussie standards. Today I emptied a whole can of surface spray in the various danger zones, gave the spiders half an hour to die them swept them all up. I counted eleven red-backs! And that's just the ones I saw, some probably didn't come out of their cracks to die. Quite a few egg sacks too. Shudder. I'm glad I didn't know how many there were, before. Scary.
We're into the start of autumn now and have had some cooler weather, so less swimming. Today was quite hot so we put the pool heater on in the morning and had a swim in the afternoon. Lovely. I hope we get a few more swims in before the weather gets too cold. Even with a heated pool, I don't think it's pleasant to swim in winter.
Jasmine had a band concert tonight, with a sausage sizzle and cake stall to raise money for the school band program. I stole an idea I'd seen in Canberra to contribute to the cake stall, fun-size Milky Way 'cars' with smartie wheels and a Tiny Teddy driver. I think they are so cute!
The concert was great, it was two school bands combined plus the local Fire & Rescue service band(adults) because one of them is the music teacher plus they have a precision marching team. Most of the extended family came along and it was all very entertaining, even the little kids seemed to enjoy it. The only bad thing was that the audience was in a flat hall but the stage was very high, so we could only see the front row of musicians plus the top of Jasmine's head in the second row. Everyone else was hidden. Jasmine's own school has a much better venue with the band on the floor and audience raised in ranks so you can see everyone, but the room is much too small for a combined event (not enough seats even for just Jasmine's own school concerts). Oh well, we still got to listen. It was a good evening out.
At TAFE this week we did a practice exercise where we had to brain-storm and then mind-map a random topic. My group got the topic 'diabetes'. In case this is the first time you've read my blog, I had gestational diabetes with my second pregnancy and now have pre-diabetes, I've been to government-run classes and am active on forums and have read just about every book out there on diabetes and know a lot about the history of treatment and recent scientific breakthroughs. Anyway, it was funny because it was supposed to be a team exercise so I had to button my lip and let other people contribute! That was kinda hard for me!
I was cranky (quietly) at the teacher of my online 'integrated' subjects (three subjects related to the work placement I'll be doing next term) - she only gave us access to the material at the end of last week - two weeks after the term started - then sent around an email this week to remind us to get going with it and not get behind! Arg! I mean, yes, but she could have acknowledged it was her fault we're behind in the first place!
Yesterday I came around the corner of the house and startled Draco the water dragon (and he startled me!) and he ran along the path a bit but then stopped and posed for photos. He's an imposing fellow, longer than my arm and very fast when he runs. I haven't seen the blue-tongue lizards for a while, I know they spend some of their time next door.
The big frangipani that we moved from a pot and put in the ground has finally flowered, months after everyone else's, and to our surprise ours is pink! White with a yellow heart is the usual colour combination, this one was left behind by the previous owners - probably because the roots had snaked through the pot holes and delved deep into the ground, we had to saw them off - and I don't remember ever seeing it flower before. Hopefully it is happy now in the ground with lots of sun. I don't know if it flowered so late because of the cultivar, or because of being moved. It only has the one flower cluster so far.
We're into the start of autumn now and have had some cooler weather, so less swimming. Today was quite hot so we put the pool heater on in the morning and had a swim in the afternoon. Lovely. I hope we get a few more swims in before the weather gets too cold. Even with a heated pool, I don't think it's pleasant to swim in winter.
Jasmine had a band concert tonight, with a sausage sizzle and cake stall to raise money for the school band program. I stole an idea I'd seen in Canberra to contribute to the cake stall, fun-size Milky Way 'cars' with smartie wheels and a Tiny Teddy driver. I think they are so cute!
Thursday, February 22, 2018
TAFE stuff and bad karma
Friday:
I'm feeling as busy as a one-legged man in a ass-kicking contest at the moment. I finally have all my TAFE subjects available, I've only got three units but one of those is actually three smaller 'integrated' units, plus there is work placement to organise for which I had to fill out forms and update my resume. So I have six things to juggle. I know everything always feels a bit crazy at the start of the term, and only getting the integrated units a couple of days ago makes me feel a week behind already but it will settle down soon.
Yesterday a student friend posted info about a library job going at a school - and it was the school so close to me I can literally hear the announcements over their loudspeaker every day! I got a bit excited, a within-school-hours job two minutes walk away, how perfect. I wasn't familiar with the computer system they use but I found an online tutorial for it that I was planning to do so I could say I knew it. But with further investigation it turned out you had to have teacher qualifications, not just librarian. Some school jobs are like that. Oh well.
I don't have to find my own work placement job, the TAFE does that, although I might have to go to interviews. It won't be until next term, autumn/winter, so I guess the two floaty summer dresses can be party dresses not for work! The other navy one will be good with a jacket and the trousers and long skirt will be fine. Still glad I got the dresses, that pink one is so pretty!
One of the integrated units is customer service. I plan to apply for RPL (recognition of prior learning, it means you don't actually have to do the subject) as I have many years of customer service experience. I'm not sure if I'll get it though. My Centrelink experience was nearly 20 years ago - I have a certificate thing from 1999! - and I don't really have any evidence for my customer service work for my more recent editing business. I was my own boss, no supervisor! Maybe I can contact one of my old customers.
My cataloguing teacher from last term sent me feedback for my third exam - 100%. So over the total of the three exams I made one mistake, giving me a final result of 99.6%. Not bad! Not all subjects give a mark, many are just satisfactory/not satisfactory, but I made over 90% in the ones that give a mark. Cataloguing is my best. And my favourite subject. Since not many people like it, I hope I'll be able to get into the field. I'm feeling a bit jealous of Lauren with the cataloguing internship. What if it leads to a job? Reminding myself that I've been sick with flu which would have interfered with the internship anyway doesn't really help.
Today was Jasmine's school's swimming carnival. She's had an ear infection after her flu so it wasn't really appropriate for her to go (and most of her friends weren't going, although it's compulsory). So we went shopping. Jasmine needed a couple of things, I needed a couple of things. Like the belt for the navy dress I bought on Tuesday. Now there was an instant karma moment. The belt was supposed to come with the dress, when I tried the dress on I had to go down a size but the smaller belt was too small. So I swapped it with the other belt on the larger size dress which I still had with me in the change room. (Not so good for the people who would in future try on the bigger dress with a tiny belt.) Then I bought the dress. While folding my dress, the saleslady put the belt to one side. Then forgot to put it in the bag and I didn't notice. She called when she saw it, as I was driving home (I have hands-free in the car). It was too late to go back. Definite karma for my sneaky belt swap! The saleslady put it away for me to pick up today. She was so apologetic, but I felt just as guilty!
I had my eyes checked today, it's been about three years I think since the last time. Only a small deterioration in one eye. I though my eyes were getting a bit worse but it's only that they are taking longer to adjust when I look from near to far, symptom of age and glasses won't help that. It wouldn't be worth getting new glasses but Ping works there and gets a staff discount and wanted to get me new ones as some of the shading has worn off these. So she'll organise new lenses, I'll keep the old frames which I love.
I bought a new very sparkly phone case. My old one was very discoloured and yucky. The new one is so glamorous!
It looks even better actually on the gold phone (I had to take it off to take the photo), and the glitter moves around like a snow dome. It sparkles whenever you move it!
I'm feeling as busy as a one-legged man in a ass-kicking contest at the moment. I finally have all my TAFE subjects available, I've only got three units but one of those is actually three smaller 'integrated' units, plus there is work placement to organise for which I had to fill out forms and update my resume. So I have six things to juggle. I know everything always feels a bit crazy at the start of the term, and only getting the integrated units a couple of days ago makes me feel a week behind already but it will settle down soon.
Yesterday a student friend posted info about a library job going at a school - and it was the school so close to me I can literally hear the announcements over their loudspeaker every day! I got a bit excited, a within-school-hours job two minutes walk away, how perfect. I wasn't familiar with the computer system they use but I found an online tutorial for it that I was planning to do so I could say I knew it. But with further investigation it turned out you had to have teacher qualifications, not just librarian. Some school jobs are like that. Oh well.
I don't have to find my own work placement job, the TAFE does that, although I might have to go to interviews. It won't be until next term, autumn/winter, so I guess the two floaty summer dresses can be party dresses not for work! The other navy one will be good with a jacket and the trousers and long skirt will be fine. Still glad I got the dresses, that pink one is so pretty!
One of the integrated units is customer service. I plan to apply for RPL (recognition of prior learning, it means you don't actually have to do the subject) as I have many years of customer service experience. I'm not sure if I'll get it though. My Centrelink experience was nearly 20 years ago - I have a certificate thing from 1999! - and I don't really have any evidence for my customer service work for my more recent editing business. I was my own boss, no supervisor! Maybe I can contact one of my old customers.
My cataloguing teacher from last term sent me feedback for my third exam - 100%. So over the total of the three exams I made one mistake, giving me a final result of 99.6%. Not bad! Not all subjects give a mark, many are just satisfactory/not satisfactory, but I made over 90% in the ones that give a mark. Cataloguing is my best. And my favourite subject. Since not many people like it, I hope I'll be able to get into the field. I'm feeling a bit jealous of Lauren with the cataloguing internship. What if it leads to a job? Reminding myself that I've been sick with flu which would have interfered with the internship anyway doesn't really help.
Today was Jasmine's school's swimming carnival. She's had an ear infection after her flu so it wasn't really appropriate for her to go (and most of her friends weren't going, although it's compulsory). So we went shopping. Jasmine needed a couple of things, I needed a couple of things. Like the belt for the navy dress I bought on Tuesday. Now there was an instant karma moment. The belt was supposed to come with the dress, when I tried the dress on I had to go down a size but the smaller belt was too small. So I swapped it with the other belt on the larger size dress which I still had with me in the change room. (Not so good for the people who would in future try on the bigger dress with a tiny belt.) Then I bought the dress. While folding my dress, the saleslady put the belt to one side. Then forgot to put it in the bag and I didn't notice. She called when she saw it, as I was driving home (I have hands-free in the car). It was too late to go back. Definite karma for my sneaky belt swap! The saleslady put it away for me to pick up today. She was so apologetic, but I felt just as guilty!
I had my eyes checked today, it's been about three years I think since the last time. Only a small deterioration in one eye. I though my eyes were getting a bit worse but it's only that they are taking longer to adjust when I look from near to far, symptom of age and glasses won't help that. It wouldn't be worth getting new glasses but Ping works there and gets a staff discount and wanted to get me new ones as some of the shading has worn off these. So she'll organise new lenses, I'll keep the old frames which I love.
I bought a new very sparkly phone case. My old one was very discoloured and yucky. The new one is so glamorous!
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Back to TAFE
Wednesday:
TAFE is back this week, which I am really glad about. I felt well enough yesterday to drag myself to my first class. I only have three units left plus work placement to finish my degree. TAFE classes are pretty small, there are only 16 computers in each classroom, but this unit had nearly double that! They've asked if half of us can move to another free timeslot and since it's the only class I'm doing face-to-face and I don't care which day as long as it fits around kids school times, I'll be one of them. It worked out well, I know all but one of the people in the moving half but almost no-one in the other half! It was nice to see people from last year and chat. I didn't get to talk to Lauren, the girl who got the internship I wanted, I'd love to hear how it's going. I think she feels a bit awkward that she got it instead of me but I don't blame her for that!
The class I'm doing face-to-face is a higher-level subject which only the Diploma students do (some other classes are shared with Cert 4) assessed on one big research paper, I've already got an idea of what I want to do mine on. The teacher said to pick something that interests you because you'll be living with it all semester! Library-related of course.
I've been eating terribly for the past couple of weeks, my weight on Monday was 73.4 kg which was an increase of 0.8 kg for the week! (The next day it was 73.1, so there is probably a lot of water fluctuation.) I definitely need to get a handle on the sick comfort eating.
I had a really bad night last night and feel awful this morning. On Monday night I had a great sleep, Tim was away on a work thing that he felt he had to go to even though he's not fully well yet either. I had a big quiet bed to myself! But he was back last night. Tim has asthma so he is a heavy breather at the best of times, but of course it is much worse when he is blocked up with flu. I just couldn't sleep with his wheezing beside me. Eventually I went out to the lounge and got a little sleep there but it's not the same as being in a bed and I didn't have sheets or anything so I was a little cool (I didn't want to turn lights on to find them), it's summer here and was a hot night so it wasn't cold but it's still nice to have a covering. When I staggered back into our room just before Tim had to get up he didn't even know I'd been gone!
I'm certainly not perfect in the quiet sleeping stakes, by the way, I have sleep apnoea and of course currently the remains of the flu so I'm sure I'm just as bad! I know my CPAP machine (which I haven't used for ages) really disturbs his sleep (mine too!). We don't have a spare room here but I've been thinking seriously that we need a daybed set up somewhere for when we need it. There have been many nights when I've felt like I just can't stand being kept awake. We still have Aiden's old bedframe (he got a loft bed when we moved here), I'd just need to get a mattress. Kind of weird having a bed set up in the lounge, but I think it can look ok, I've seen it done. If we can get rid of the huge old TV cabinet that we tried to give to the Salvos but they didn't want it, and use that corner. You can make a daybed look more like something to sit on. But ready to crawl into. Are mattresses supposed to be replaced every ten years? If so we all need new ones!
I think Facebook is going to far with its targeted advertising. I was thinking about the daybed thing yesterday after the good night's sleep alone, hadn't mentioned it to anyone or looked up anything online, logged onto Facebook in the afternoon and there it was - an ad for a daybed. Mindreading is a step too far. It was a bit scary, really. Had I seen the ad in previous days and that's what made me think about it?
I feel like 2018 hasn't been great so far. I've been sick a lot of the time, depressed a bit, the weight loss isn't going well. I hope things pick up. I'll enjoy getting back into study.
TAFE is back this week, which I am really glad about. I felt well enough yesterday to drag myself to my first class. I only have three units left plus work placement to finish my degree. TAFE classes are pretty small, there are only 16 computers in each classroom, but this unit had nearly double that! They've asked if half of us can move to another free timeslot and since it's the only class I'm doing face-to-face and I don't care which day as long as it fits around kids school times, I'll be one of them. It worked out well, I know all but one of the people in the moving half but almost no-one in the other half! It was nice to see people from last year and chat. I didn't get to talk to Lauren, the girl who got the internship I wanted, I'd love to hear how it's going. I think she feels a bit awkward that she got it instead of me but I don't blame her for that!
The class I'm doing face-to-face is a higher-level subject which only the Diploma students do (some other classes are shared with Cert 4) assessed on one big research paper, I've already got an idea of what I want to do mine on. The teacher said to pick something that interests you because you'll be living with it all semester! Library-related of course.
I've been eating terribly for the past couple of weeks, my weight on Monday was 73.4 kg which was an increase of 0.8 kg for the week! (The next day it was 73.1, so there is probably a lot of water fluctuation.) I definitely need to get a handle on the sick comfort eating.
I had a really bad night last night and feel awful this morning. On Monday night I had a great sleep, Tim was away on a work thing that he felt he had to go to even though he's not fully well yet either. I had a big quiet bed to myself! But he was back last night. Tim has asthma so he is a heavy breather at the best of times, but of course it is much worse when he is blocked up with flu. I just couldn't sleep with his wheezing beside me. Eventually I went out to the lounge and got a little sleep there but it's not the same as being in a bed and I didn't have sheets or anything so I was a little cool (I didn't want to turn lights on to find them), it's summer here and was a hot night so it wasn't cold but it's still nice to have a covering. When I staggered back into our room just before Tim had to get up he didn't even know I'd been gone!
I'm certainly not perfect in the quiet sleeping stakes, by the way, I have sleep apnoea and of course currently the remains of the flu so I'm sure I'm just as bad! I know my CPAP machine (which I haven't used for ages) really disturbs his sleep (mine too!). We don't have a spare room here but I've been thinking seriously that we need a daybed set up somewhere for when we need it. There have been many nights when I've felt like I just can't stand being kept awake. We still have Aiden's old bedframe (he got a loft bed when we moved here), I'd just need to get a mattress. Kind of weird having a bed set up in the lounge, but I think it can look ok, I've seen it done. If we can get rid of the huge old TV cabinet that we tried to give to the Salvos but they didn't want it, and use that corner. You can make a daybed look more like something to sit on. But ready to crawl into. Are mattresses supposed to be replaced every ten years? If so we all need new ones!
I think Facebook is going to far with its targeted advertising. I was thinking about the daybed thing yesterday after the good night's sleep alone, hadn't mentioned it to anyone or looked up anything online, logged onto Facebook in the afternoon and there it was - an ad for a daybed. Mindreading is a step too far. It was a bit scary, really. Had I seen the ad in previous days and that's what made me think about it?
I feel like 2018 hasn't been great so far. I've been sick a lot of the time, depressed a bit, the weight loss isn't going well. I hope things pick up. I'll enjoy getting back into study.
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Tired
Thursday:
I had my second cataloguing exam this morning. I think it went ok. Afterwards, my teacher told me about another cataloguing job going (a paid job this time, not a short-term internship, which I haven’t heard about yet), but it’s way over the other side of the city and would be about two hours travel each way. No way I can manage that within the kids’ school hours! I might investigate whether there is any option for working from home, but that defeats part of the purpose of working, for me. I’ve been home by myself too long.
I was feeling crushingly tired last night and went to bed early. I wasn’t worried, I’m usually tired in the evening. But today I was exhausted all day. Walking up stairs was like climbing a mountain, I could hardly keep my eyes open in class (not great in an exam!), fell asleep on the train on they way home and then napped at home until it was time to take the kids to gymnastics. Takeaway for dinner. I assume I’m coming down with something, hope it’s not too bad.
Speaking of sleeping in class, that girl Jessica still spends most lessons face down on her desk. When she is awake, she can be quite argumentative, often about random things nothing to do with the work, like politics. But mostly she sleeps. This afternoon she snoozed through the teacher’s explanation and while we were working on an exercise. Then we went around the class giving the answers. She was prodded awake but obviously she had no answers to give! She hadn’t even turned on her computer. After a moment the teacher moved on. I still wonder why on earth she is there! Why does she come to class? And why do the teachers put up with it? I suppose they may know something I don’t, that excuses her behaviour.
Lauren was having a bad day. She’s the other girl up for the internship. In the morning exam, right near the end, she knocked over her water bottle. She and Jake next to her had to scramble to keep everything out of the puddle, and it took her three trips to the bathroom at the other end of the hall to get enough paper towel to clean it up. But at least it was only water. At lunch, I was sitting with her and a couple of other people when she spilled her salad (with dressing) onto herself. And in the afternoon class she suddenly said she was getting a really strong smell... she investigated her backpack and found that her bottle of hand sanitizer had ‘exploded’ in her words. She wearily dragged herself and her bag off to the bathroom. Some days maybe you just shouldn’t get out of bed.
Speaking of which, time for sleeping.
I had my second cataloguing exam this morning. I think it went ok. Afterwards, my teacher told me about another cataloguing job going (a paid job this time, not a short-term internship, which I haven’t heard about yet), but it’s way over the other side of the city and would be about two hours travel each way. No way I can manage that within the kids’ school hours! I might investigate whether there is any option for working from home, but that defeats part of the purpose of working, for me. I’ve been home by myself too long.
I was feeling crushingly tired last night and went to bed early. I wasn’t worried, I’m usually tired in the evening. But today I was exhausted all day. Walking up stairs was like climbing a mountain, I could hardly keep my eyes open in class (not great in an exam!), fell asleep on the train on they way home and then napped at home until it was time to take the kids to gymnastics. Takeaway for dinner. I assume I’m coming down with something, hope it’s not too bad.
Speaking of sleeping in class, that girl Jessica still spends most lessons face down on her desk. When she is awake, she can be quite argumentative, often about random things nothing to do with the work, like politics. But mostly she sleeps. This afternoon she snoozed through the teacher’s explanation and while we were working on an exercise. Then we went around the class giving the answers. She was prodded awake but obviously she had no answers to give! She hadn’t even turned on her computer. After a moment the teacher moved on. I still wonder why on earth she is there! Why does she come to class? And why do the teachers put up with it? I suppose they may know something I don’t, that excuses her behaviour.
Lauren was having a bad day. She’s the other girl up for the internship. In the morning exam, right near the end, she knocked over her water bottle. She and Jake next to her had to scramble to keep everything out of the puddle, and it took her three trips to the bathroom at the other end of the hall to get enough paper towel to clean it up. But at least it was only water. At lunch, I was sitting with her and a couple of other people when she spilled her salad (with dressing) onto herself. And in the afternoon class she suddenly said she was getting a really strong smell... she investigated her backpack and found that her bottle of hand sanitizer had ‘exploded’ in her words. She wearily dragged herself and her bag off to the bathroom. Some days maybe you just shouldn’t get out of bed.
Speaking of which, time for sleeping.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Great day
Thursday:
Today was a great day. I had my cataloguing exam and I'm sure I aced it. And I enjoyed doing it! I had studied hard and was well prepared. I find the work something like solving a Sudoku or crossword puzzle, mentally challenging but in a good way with a sense of achievement when it's done. I am hoping for 100%, but I know it's likely I'll get something wrong that will have me saying 'doh' when I see it!
In my afternoon class I got my official result back from the face-to-face exam a few weeks ago. The teacher did give me great feedback at the time, but it was nice to see 'excellent' on the page!
And the third thing, chronologically first, was a big drop in weight overnight. When I weighed myself this morning I wasn't sure I believed it and had to weigh myself again to check. After three weeks of almost no loss, my weight had been going down each day this week but today a whole 0.7 kg drop. That gets me down to 76.2 kg! I have been eating more carefully but also exercising hard. I started up 'Dance Central' on the Xbox again, an hour each day of dripping sweat.
I'm sleeping much better and I'm feeling good.
The only thorn in my side is the ongoing pool heater drama. We need to get a final inspection certificate to say the pool is fully completed, safely fenced etc etc. We had fixed any interim issues, like the height of the fence, long ago. But then our neighbour complained about the potential noise from the heat pump, before it had even been turned on. And although once he heard it he said it was fine, that official complaint is out there being a nail in the wheel of progress. It's been going back and forth between us, the pool company who installed the heat pump, and the certifiers (who are very very slow to respond to anything). This has been going on forever! They came out to do their final inspection on 29 August, more than six weeks ago. I'm going to ask our neighbour to put it in writing that he is ok with it, and I also need to check that it is far enough from the boundary fence. Endless phone calls and emails back and forth.
Anyway, I'm not going to let that get me down. It will work out in the end. And I'm happy today!
Today was a great day. I had my cataloguing exam and I'm sure I aced it. And I enjoyed doing it! I had studied hard and was well prepared. I find the work something like solving a Sudoku or crossword puzzle, mentally challenging but in a good way with a sense of achievement when it's done. I am hoping for 100%, but I know it's likely I'll get something wrong that will have me saying 'doh' when I see it!
In my afternoon class I got my official result back from the face-to-face exam a few weeks ago. The teacher did give me great feedback at the time, but it was nice to see 'excellent' on the page!
And the third thing, chronologically first, was a big drop in weight overnight. When I weighed myself this morning I wasn't sure I believed it and had to weigh myself again to check. After three weeks of almost no loss, my weight had been going down each day this week but today a whole 0.7 kg drop. That gets me down to 76.2 kg! I have been eating more carefully but also exercising hard. I started up 'Dance Central' on the Xbox again, an hour each day of dripping sweat.
I'm sleeping much better and I'm feeling good.
The only thorn in my side is the ongoing pool heater drama. We need to get a final inspection certificate to say the pool is fully completed, safely fenced etc etc. We had fixed any interim issues, like the height of the fence, long ago. But then our neighbour complained about the potential noise from the heat pump, before it had even been turned on. And although once he heard it he said it was fine, that official complaint is out there being a nail in the wheel of progress. It's been going back and forth between us, the pool company who installed the heat pump, and the certifiers (who are very very slow to respond to anything). This has been going on forever! They came out to do their final inspection on 29 August, more than six weeks ago. I'm going to ask our neighbour to put it in writing that he is ok with it, and I also need to check that it is far enough from the boundary fence. Endless phone calls and emails back and forth.
Anyway, I'm not going to let that get me down. It will work out in the end. And I'm happy today!
Friday, September 22, 2017
Exams
Friday:
I've had two oral examinations in the past two days (I mean one-on-one exams with a teacher, not dental work) and I was so nervous. I don't mind written exams, but having a teacher stare at you waiting for the specific answer they need... you never get used to that, even at my age.
I had one role-play in class (I'm the librarian, the teacher is a customer with a research request), we did a practice last week and I was a bit awkward so I practiced all week - thought up scenarios and went over and over everything I needed to say. And I nailed it! I remembered everything, spoke smoothly, friendly yet professional, my teacher said I was excellent. All the rehearsing paid off!
Then I had a weird one today over the phone while at home, for one of my online subjects. I was given some brief scenario notes but wasn't very clear on what was going to happen, so I didn't get to do any specific practice (except making sure I knew the course content, obviously). The teacher half-heartedly pretended to be a customer for part of it but mainly just asked me questions. I did stumble on one bit that I didn't know - until the teacher gave me a hint that I wasn't supposed to know how to do that bit (being only a junior nobody in the library) so I reassured the 'client' that I would get the problem solved and said I would refer it to a more senior staff member and follow up to make sure it was done. I think I did pretty well overall, certainly passed, maybe not quite as 'star pupil' as the other one but good.
Now I have four assignments to finish over the two weeks holiday, and a tricky written exam first week back that I need to study for. But I'm going to take a proper break from study over this weekend before I start on those. I need a rest.
I've had a bit of nausea on and off since I started Duromine, only mild after the first couple of days and I was prepared to put up with it. But the past three days were really bad, strong nausea for a lot of the day. I'd do a huge burp and feel a bit better but it would soon be back. Very unpleasant. It may have been exacerbated by stress, and Tim did have nausea when we all had the flu a couple of weeks back, but I think probably the Duromine. I don't know why it suddenly got bad. For most people it's the other way round - you can start with bad side effects but they reduce or go away completely after a while. I decided to stop taking it for a day or two and see how that goes, I didn't take one today. On the forums, some people had success with reducing side effects by taking a little break. I hope it works, I don't want to stop Duromine yet as I've been having good results, but the nausea was too much. Also, while nauseated I was nibbling dry carbs to settle my stomach so I wasn't sticking to my healthy diet anyway - and I certainly wasn't exercising - so it was kind of defeating the purpose.
Today I wasn't as bad, but still felt queasy straight after breakfast, and then again in the afternoon when I hadn't eaten for about three hours but worse after I did eat... I'm not seeing any pattern. I had a little nap in the afternoon.
I didn't notice being any hungrier today, but there was a psychological difference. A little voice whispering "You didn't take an appetite suppressant today, so obviously you're not 'on a diet', so why don't you just eat some junk food even if you don't really want it?" Shut up, annoying voice, I'm not listening!
Tomorrow is going to be really hot, so I've put the pool heater on today to warm up the water again and we can swim tomorrow! It will be a nice start to the school holidays.
I've had two oral examinations in the past two days (I mean one-on-one exams with a teacher, not dental work) and I was so nervous. I don't mind written exams, but having a teacher stare at you waiting for the specific answer they need... you never get used to that, even at my age.
I had one role-play in class (I'm the librarian, the teacher is a customer with a research request), we did a practice last week and I was a bit awkward so I practiced all week - thought up scenarios and went over and over everything I needed to say. And I nailed it! I remembered everything, spoke smoothly, friendly yet professional, my teacher said I was excellent. All the rehearsing paid off!
Then I had a weird one today over the phone while at home, for one of my online subjects. I was given some brief scenario notes but wasn't very clear on what was going to happen, so I didn't get to do any specific practice (except making sure I knew the course content, obviously). The teacher half-heartedly pretended to be a customer for part of it but mainly just asked me questions. I did stumble on one bit that I didn't know - until the teacher gave me a hint that I wasn't supposed to know how to do that bit (being only a junior nobody in the library) so I reassured the 'client' that I would get the problem solved and said I would refer it to a more senior staff member and follow up to make sure it was done. I think I did pretty well overall, certainly passed, maybe not quite as 'star pupil' as the other one but good.
Now I have four assignments to finish over the two weeks holiday, and a tricky written exam first week back that I need to study for. But I'm going to take a proper break from study over this weekend before I start on those. I need a rest.
I've had a bit of nausea on and off since I started Duromine, only mild after the first couple of days and I was prepared to put up with it. But the past three days were really bad, strong nausea for a lot of the day. I'd do a huge burp and feel a bit better but it would soon be back. Very unpleasant. It may have been exacerbated by stress, and Tim did have nausea when we all had the flu a couple of weeks back, but I think probably the Duromine. I don't know why it suddenly got bad. For most people it's the other way round - you can start with bad side effects but they reduce or go away completely after a while. I decided to stop taking it for a day or two and see how that goes, I didn't take one today. On the forums, some people had success with reducing side effects by taking a little break. I hope it works, I don't want to stop Duromine yet as I've been having good results, but the nausea was too much. Also, while nauseated I was nibbling dry carbs to settle my stomach so I wasn't sticking to my healthy diet anyway - and I certainly wasn't exercising - so it was kind of defeating the purpose.
Today I wasn't as bad, but still felt queasy straight after breakfast, and then again in the afternoon when I hadn't eaten for about three hours but worse after I did eat... I'm not seeing any pattern. I had a little nap in the afternoon.
I didn't notice being any hungrier today, but there was a psychological difference. A little voice whispering "You didn't take an appetite suppressant today, so obviously you're not 'on a diet', so why don't you just eat some junk food even if you don't really want it?" Shut up, annoying voice, I'm not listening!
Tomorrow is going to be really hot, so I've put the pool heater on today to warm up the water again and we can swim tomorrow! It will be a nice start to the school holidays.
Sunday, September 17, 2017
More than 5 kg
Monday:
The weight loss continues. Another 1.0 kg, so I'm down to 78 kg!
I've talked before about how I have some kind of barrier to losing more than 5 kg, ever in my whole life. I manage to lose 5 kg, then somehow give up and put the weight back on with maybe a bit extra. Well this time I've smashed that, 6.7 kg lost! I'm excited to have finally got through that roadblock. Now I've got to another milestone. I'm pretty sure 78 kg is the lowest I've been since starting this blog seven years ago, and proabably for quite a few years before that. Up until now, I've been losing and regaining the same fat. From now all, it's virgin fat territory!
I spent the afternoon working on an assignment and trying to prepare for a 'role play' for one of my online subjects (in addition to the one in class for another subject), and I was given the scenario that I will be dealing with - and as far as I can see we've covered only half of the information needed for it! I got quite stressed about it, actually. I have emailed a query to the teacher. Have I missed something? If so I need to know right now! It's a subject where the teacher left and another teacher had to pick it up and I (and other people) have had endless problems with it. So disorganised. Coursework not available, teacher not responding for weeks, inconsistent information about when assignments are due... I've tried to just query stuff then get on with other things while waiting but it's been quite bad. And the online coursework itself is (I think) terribly written (I don't think this teacher prepared it) and I've basically had to teach myself by trial and error...
This is the last week of term, then two weeks off. I feel like I need a break!
The weight loss continues. Another 1.0 kg, so I'm down to 78 kg!
I've talked before about how I have some kind of barrier to losing more than 5 kg, ever in my whole life. I manage to lose 5 kg, then somehow give up and put the weight back on with maybe a bit extra. Well this time I've smashed that, 6.7 kg lost! I'm excited to have finally got through that roadblock. Now I've got to another milestone. I'm pretty sure 78 kg is the lowest I've been since starting this blog seven years ago, and proabably for quite a few years before that. Up until now, I've been losing and regaining the same fat. From now all, it's virgin fat territory!
I spent the afternoon working on an assignment and trying to prepare for a 'role play' for one of my online subjects (in addition to the one in class for another subject), and I was given the scenario that I will be dealing with - and as far as I can see we've covered only half of the information needed for it! I got quite stressed about it, actually. I have emailed a query to the teacher. Have I missed something? If so I need to know right now! It's a subject where the teacher left and another teacher had to pick it up and I (and other people) have had endless problems with it. So disorganised. Coursework not available, teacher not responding for weeks, inconsistent information about when assignments are due... I've tried to just query stuff then get on with other things while waiting but it's been quite bad. And the online coursework itself is (I think) terribly written (I don't think this teacher prepared it) and I've basically had to teach myself by trial and error...
This is the last week of term, then two weeks off. I feel like I need a break!
Friday, September 15, 2017
Forgetful
Friday:
Yesterday was my long day, up early for TAFE and home late from driving the kids around to their various activities. I just pop home in between for a couple of very short periods. I was supposed to have an assessment in the afternoon but as I'd missed two weeks sick and hadn't had a chance to practice, myself and a couple of other people are doing it next week instead. It's a role-play thing where the teacher pretends to be a library customer needing help. Easy in some ways but the teacher has a list of very specific things she wants us to do and ask so it does take a bit of rehearsal.
Today Aiden forgot to take his backpack to school, he rode off without it and I didn't notice or see it sitting on the floor by the door all day. Turns out it wouldn't have made much difference - as I forgot to pack his lunch this morning! Very unusually disorganised. We weren't even rushing today. Just got distracted by Aiden finishing off some homework due today... which of course got left at home. The school could have called and I would have taken his bag up, but they just gave him some food from the canteen for lunch which I'll pay for on Monday.
Makes Tim look less bad for letting him go to school with his pants on backwards, as he quickly pointed out to me tonight!
When the kids were home this afternoon I made them come outside with me and we ate our fruit salad sitting my the pool. While Jasmine watched a YouTube video on her iPad. Oh well, I got her outside. Baby steps.
I tested the pool water and I've finally got the pH balance right! But the chlorine levels are still way too low, and the alkalinity too high. How do I reduce the alkalinity without stuffing up the pH? That doesn't make sense. If I add more acid, the pH will change! We have a 'mineral pool' which means we have some nice minerals in that make the water feel soft, and the chlorine is created by a machine thingy somehow instead of us adding it - but I still have to pour in heaps of hydrochloric acid to adjust the pH. Yes, you read that right, hydrochloric acid! H2SO4. Nasty stuff, it burns when you get a drop splash on your hand. I wore gloves once, a drop got on the glove and started sizzling and turned red. Easier to just quickly wash it off my skin than try to pull a sizzling glove off!
Yesterday was my long day, up early for TAFE and home late from driving the kids around to their various activities. I just pop home in between for a couple of very short periods. I was supposed to have an assessment in the afternoon but as I'd missed two weeks sick and hadn't had a chance to practice, myself and a couple of other people are doing it next week instead. It's a role-play thing where the teacher pretends to be a library customer needing help. Easy in some ways but the teacher has a list of very specific things she wants us to do and ask so it does take a bit of rehearsal.
Today Aiden forgot to take his backpack to school, he rode off without it and I didn't notice or see it sitting on the floor by the door all day. Turns out it wouldn't have made much difference - as I forgot to pack his lunch this morning! Very unusually disorganised. We weren't even rushing today. Just got distracted by Aiden finishing off some homework due today... which of course got left at home. The school could have called and I would have taken his bag up, but they just gave him some food from the canteen for lunch which I'll pay for on Monday.
Makes Tim look less bad for letting him go to school with his pants on backwards, as he quickly pointed out to me tonight!
When the kids were home this afternoon I made them come outside with me and we ate our fruit salad sitting my the pool. While Jasmine watched a YouTube video on her iPad. Oh well, I got her outside. Baby steps.
I tested the pool water and I've finally got the pH balance right! But the chlorine levels are still way too low, and the alkalinity too high. How do I reduce the alkalinity without stuffing up the pH? That doesn't make sense. If I add more acid, the pH will change! We have a 'mineral pool' which means we have some nice minerals in that make the water feel soft, and the chlorine is created by a machine thingy somehow instead of us adding it - but I still have to pour in heaps of hydrochloric acid to adjust the pH. Yes, you read that right, hydrochloric acid! H2SO4. Nasty stuff, it burns when you get a drop splash on your hand. I wore gloves once, a drop got on the glove and started sizzling and turned red. Easier to just quickly wash it off my skin than try to pull a sizzling glove off!
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Ear and throat
Thursday:
Aiden went to school today but Jasmine is still home, now with an ear and throat infection. I took her to the doctor this morning, but they just said to wait and see. If it's still bad tomorrow she'll start antibiotics. But of course if it's a virus then antibiotics can't help. It's not just school she's missing, but also all her after-school sports and activities. It's only two weeks until her first acrogym (acrobatic gymnastics) competition.
I'd already decided before I knew Jas was still sick that I wasn't going to TAFE today, I don't feel great but at least I'm better than yesterday. It's hard to be patient while my body recovers. Sitting around. At least I'm getting lots of study done! I got those two assignments in, so I feel a bit more relaxed about that.
One of my online subjects is so disorganised though. There have been a few issues, the most recent was that I couldn't access last week or this week's content, although weeks after that were open. I contacted the teacher who eventually fixed it. On Monday I started last week's work, and it was something I had to start then the teacher does something before I can continue. And she hasn't done her bit yet. So I'm still stuck half-way through last week's task with this week nearly over. Going by the forum, it's happening to everyone. I'd forgive if it was one-off (who knows, she may be sick too) but this sort of thing has been happening since the start of the Semester. To be fair, the original teacher left and this subject was dropped in this teacher's lap two weeks in (but everyone knew the other teacher was leaving so very bad organisation).
I also did a tiny bit of weeding and pruning, nothing strenuous. And of course watering the new turf twice a day! It still seems to be alive. I've only been getting in around 4,000 steps a day while sick (instead of 10-12,000 recently), but ironically that was a normal day for me "before". And in the past a sick day would mean about 1,500 steps!
Aiden went to school today but Jasmine is still home, now with an ear and throat infection. I took her to the doctor this morning, but they just said to wait and see. If it's still bad tomorrow she'll start antibiotics. But of course if it's a virus then antibiotics can't help. It's not just school she's missing, but also all her after-school sports and activities. It's only two weeks until her first acrogym (acrobatic gymnastics) competition.
I'd already decided before I knew Jas was still sick that I wasn't going to TAFE today, I don't feel great but at least I'm better than yesterday. It's hard to be patient while my body recovers. Sitting around. At least I'm getting lots of study done! I got those two assignments in, so I feel a bit more relaxed about that.
One of my online subjects is so disorganised though. There have been a few issues, the most recent was that I couldn't access last week or this week's content, although weeks after that were open. I contacted the teacher who eventually fixed it. On Monday I started last week's work, and it was something I had to start then the teacher does something before I can continue. And she hasn't done her bit yet. So I'm still stuck half-way through last week's task with this week nearly over. Going by the forum, it's happening to everyone. I'd forgive if it was one-off (who knows, she may be sick too) but this sort of thing has been happening since the start of the Semester. To be fair, the original teacher left and this subject was dropped in this teacher's lap two weeks in (but everyone knew the other teacher was leaving so very bad organisation).
I also did a tiny bit of weeding and pruning, nothing strenuous. And of course watering the new turf twice a day! It still seems to be alive. I've only been getting in around 4,000 steps a day while sick (instead of 10-12,000 recently), but ironically that was a normal day for me "before". And in the past a sick day would mean about 1,500 steps!
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Jelly legs
Thursday:
Report on Day Two...
The Duromine didn't seem to affect my sleep at all. It was the same pattern as it has been most nights for a while now, get to sleep fairly easily, stay asleep until 5 am, an hour of restless tossing and turning and short periods of drifting off, then another hour of lying awake before I get up. And none of the 'cotton mouth' that a majority of users seem to get.
It was my day at TAFE. I always do a lot of walking on that day, over 10,000 steps just getting from place to place, but today it seemed harder than usual. Hills were exhausting. I chose to walk up three flights of stairs instead of taking the lift, normally that wouldn't challenge me much. Today it left me with jelly legs and out of breath! Unfortunate if I get less energy rather than the boundless amounts most people seem to get! I've been on the forums and it has happened to a few people. Like all side effects it should pass - I hope.
The actual promise of the diet pill is as a appetite suppressant. It seems to be doing that, a bit. I've eaten lots of small meals and snacks over the day. I definitely get hungry. But I can eat a smaller amount and be satisfied. And I haven't been tempted by junk. No apparent cravings.
A possible alternative cause of the tiredness is that I actually started eating healthy on Tuesday, a day before starting the pills (because you have to take them first thing and I didn't get them until late morning) so this is day three of no sugar or junk food. Could be withdrawal? Or the lower calories, but I am definitely still eating a reasonable amount of food. I want to eat a bit less, still getting too hungry between meals.
Anyway, I'm hoping that the weakness will pass. I'm due to increase my dosage after the first week, so that will be interesting to see if the appetite or side effects change. I can always drop back to the lower dose if that works for me better.
Here is the nice bench I sit on at lunchtime at TAFE, about the only pretty spot in the rather grim campus.
Oh, good news, my friend Sarah is back in class. She is working part time but her schedule changed so she is in one of my classes now. Yay! She is the English one. Looks a bit like Adele. So that was nice.
(Edit: Tim says he is crushingly tired the past few days and blames it on current pollen count or pollution from burn-off, so my jelly legs and lack of energy could be environmentally caused.)
Report on Day Two...
The Duromine didn't seem to affect my sleep at all. It was the same pattern as it has been most nights for a while now, get to sleep fairly easily, stay asleep until 5 am, an hour of restless tossing and turning and short periods of drifting off, then another hour of lying awake before I get up. And none of the 'cotton mouth' that a majority of users seem to get.
It was my day at TAFE. I always do a lot of walking on that day, over 10,000 steps just getting from place to place, but today it seemed harder than usual. Hills were exhausting. I chose to walk up three flights of stairs instead of taking the lift, normally that wouldn't challenge me much. Today it left me with jelly legs and out of breath! Unfortunate if I get less energy rather than the boundless amounts most people seem to get! I've been on the forums and it has happened to a few people. Like all side effects it should pass - I hope.
The actual promise of the diet pill is as a appetite suppressant. It seems to be doing that, a bit. I've eaten lots of small meals and snacks over the day. I definitely get hungry. But I can eat a smaller amount and be satisfied. And I haven't been tempted by junk. No apparent cravings.
A possible alternative cause of the tiredness is that I actually started eating healthy on Tuesday, a day before starting the pills (because you have to take them first thing and I didn't get them until late morning) so this is day three of no sugar or junk food. Could be withdrawal? Or the lower calories, but I am definitely still eating a reasonable amount of food. I want to eat a bit less, still getting too hungry between meals.
Anyway, I'm hoping that the weakness will pass. I'm due to increase my dosage after the first week, so that will be interesting to see if the appetite or side effects change. I can always drop back to the lower dose if that works for me better.
Here is the nice bench I sit on at lunchtime at TAFE, about the only pretty spot in the rather grim campus.
(Edit: Tim says he is crushingly tired the past few days and blames it on current pollen count or pollution from burn-off, so my jelly legs and lack of energy could be environmentally caused.)
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Nearly there
Thursday:
The big excitement for the day is that the pool is finished! They surfaced yesterday and acid-washed today. The garden hose is currently running a trickle of water overnight. Plus it is raining. It takes something like 18 hours to fill, apparently, but I don't want it to overflow overnight. I'll be here tomorrow to monitor the last bit. I'll take photos in the morning. OMG we have a pool!
In the middle of winter.
They have to come and do a 'hand-over' where they tell us how to run the filter, balance the chemicals (it's a mineral pool) etc. Not sure when that will be. We've got a skip bin being delivered tomorrow so we can dispose of all the mess from the site. Then we can do the 'soft landscaping' i.e. gardening at our leisure through the end of winter and spring.
I was able to go to full sessions of my classes today. I'm not sure how Tim managed it (i.e. staying a bit later at home this morning so I could leave), he's been super-busy at work at the moment and working very long hours. But I think the crisis is finally easing off. Unfortunately it was Aiden's school's open day today, where parents can come into the classroom and see their child's work, listen to the school band etc. I've been every other year for both children since they started school and Tim does his best to go too, we both feel bad for not going. It would have to be on my one day of class!
I have two main categories of subjects. One type is the more wordy, touchy-feely stuff. Customer service, promoting reading, event management. In general, most of my classmates seem to prefer this type. Then there is the nitty-gritty technical stuff. The Dewey Decimal system, html coding, MARC and RDA and all the other acronyms. This is the stuff I enjoy most! I think a lot of people hate it. I want to be a cataloguer when I grow up. And the assessments are exams rather than written assignments or presentations, I prefer exams.
Nothing exciting happened in class. The sleeper, Jessica, slept through the morning class (I didn't notice her in that class last week, she is less obvious in the corner tucked behind a computer) but stayed upright in the afternoon class. She doodled in her book while we were supposed to be reading stuff on our computers. But participated a little bit in the group discussion. A bit oddly, but she tried. The really quiet teenager tried too, although so softly and mumblingly I'm not sure what she said.
One part of the discussion was about difficult customers. Ha! I worked for Centrelink (unemployment benefits) for ten years. They know nothing.
The big excitement for the day is that the pool is finished! They surfaced yesterday and acid-washed today. The garden hose is currently running a trickle of water overnight. Plus it is raining. It takes something like 18 hours to fill, apparently, but I don't want it to overflow overnight. I'll be here tomorrow to monitor the last bit. I'll take photos in the morning. OMG we have a pool!
In the middle of winter.
They have to come and do a 'hand-over' where they tell us how to run the filter, balance the chemicals (it's a mineral pool) etc. Not sure when that will be. We've got a skip bin being delivered tomorrow so we can dispose of all the mess from the site. Then we can do the 'soft landscaping' i.e. gardening at our leisure through the end of winter and spring.
I was able to go to full sessions of my classes today. I'm not sure how Tim managed it (i.e. staying a bit later at home this morning so I could leave), he's been super-busy at work at the moment and working very long hours. But I think the crisis is finally easing off. Unfortunately it was Aiden's school's open day today, where parents can come into the classroom and see their child's work, listen to the school band etc. I've been every other year for both children since they started school and Tim does his best to go too, we both feel bad for not going. It would have to be on my one day of class!
I have two main categories of subjects. One type is the more wordy, touchy-feely stuff. Customer service, promoting reading, event management. In general, most of my classmates seem to prefer this type. Then there is the nitty-gritty technical stuff. The Dewey Decimal system, html coding, MARC and RDA and all the other acronyms. This is the stuff I enjoy most! I think a lot of people hate it. I want to be a cataloguer when I grow up. And the assessments are exams rather than written assignments or presentations, I prefer exams.
Nothing exciting happened in class. The sleeper, Jessica, slept through the morning class (I didn't notice her in that class last week, she is less obvious in the corner tucked behind a computer) but stayed upright in the afternoon class. She doodled in her book while we were supposed to be reading stuff on our computers. But participated a little bit in the group discussion. A bit oddly, but she tried. The really quiet teenager tried too, although so softly and mumblingly I'm not sure what she said.
One part of the discussion was about difficult customers. Ha! I worked for Centrelink (unemployment benefits) for ten years. They know nothing.
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