Say Cheese!

Cheese, eaten by many, loved by most, but have you every stoped and thought about how versatile it really is? For generations now people have been harvesting the power that is cheese. There are hundreds if not thousands even of different types of cheese produced around the world, but have you ever stoped and just appreciated the cheese?

It can be combined with all most any type of food making it just that little more exciting (not to mention fattening). From a simple pizza or slice of cheese on toast to the ever so delightful Crusted Chicken Quesadillas. The word cheese can even be used in great insults such like “dick cheese”.

The average Greek consumes 27.3kg of cheese per year, as fat and unhealthy as they may be they definitely know what’s good. As much a dislike the French you cannot ignore their contribution to cheeses in our society. So kudos do you damn Frenchies it seems you finally got something right!

Enough of my cheese rant… I’m going to go and lunch which just so happens to be topped with cheese.

What Really Grinds My Gears...

Are people who seem to find it so hard to give you a simple wave or some form of acknowledgement if you give way to them while driving! It’s not too much to ask to ask for a person to raise at least their fingers like 6 inches from the steering wheel is it? It’s easy, it’s quick, it’s simple yet these days less and less people seem to be doing it.

Nothing pisses me off more than heading down a busy street with parked cars on both sides of the road and you do the right thing by pulling off to the side and letting the oncoming traffic through. I remember growing up watching my mum driving she would always signal thankyou and to the best of my recollection most people would usually do the same for her.

These days however it seems to be a completely different story. People who give “the wave” so to speak are few and far between, I find myself quite often getting snubbed by asshole drivers. It really frustrates me (and I’m sure I’m not the only one) when people don’t acknowledge your doing them a favour, regardless of how the favour may be.

School Of Hard Knocks

Today I took my first steps in achieving higher education through work today as my boss and I went to visit Swinburne TAFE in Wantirna. I felt very nervous as we trekked through the school grounds, it brought back many memories of high school and my brief stay at RMIT. However as one of the teachers was showing us around and talking about what areas I would be studying my nerves slowly changed into excitement, which was a strange feeling, I never thought I would be excited at the prospect of studying again.

When I started my job here at TNA I had never intended to stay and I had planned on returning to study in the future but I never found anything that had taken my interest. I think the only reason why I had wanted to study in the first place was because it’s what all my friends were doing, which isn’t the reason why you should go to school. I now believe that’s why I never had any motivation when I was at RMIT, I didn’t really want to be there, it’s just what everyone else was doing. The few people I knew who went from high school straight into work were generally mocked among my friends because that wasn’t the “norm”.

I’ve learnt now that school isn’t the “be all and end all” of your life, school is not for everyone and there are many other directions in life you can go. Many of the people I know now who passed up on going to uni (or TAFE) are on the road to great success. Some are web designers, lighting technicians, apprentices, regional managers and even models. These people all earn decent wages and have great futures ahead of them yet none of them went on to pursue higher education.

I feel now that I am only ready to study because I know what “real work” (manual labour) is like and it’s simply not for me. Because I chose to wait it now feels right to return to school because it’s what I want to do, I’m not doing it because it’s expected by others or because it’s what everyone else is doing, the “norm” so to speak.

In summary, for those of you reading this who are either just finishing their studies at high school and are preparing to move on, or even those still in high school who will no doubt be feeling pressured into seeking higher education. Don’t stress because school is not your thing. Live a little, try joining the workforce and see where it leads you. Take your time, don’t rush and think carefully about the reason you want to seek an education. Don’t feel pressured by anyone and do what you believe is right for you

"I Can't Do My Wok"

As the long weekend ever so slowly approaches I find myself at work trying not to fall asleep. Even the mystical force that is myspace can’t keep me going today. So now I sit here in front of my computer at work typing this blog trying to avoid doing Trigonometry! Trigonometry people! I finished high school long ago and thought I was done with Math, English, and Science, anything that involves a hint of brain power really.

Although trigonometry isn’t really the hardest thing in the world it’s something I really don’t want to have to deal with on a Friday before the four day weekend, my mind is seriously not able to concentrate on work today. This is now the third or fourth time in my three years working here that I’ve had to use math (other than adding, subtracting etc… your general everyday mathematics) to work out problems with a machine.

The fact that I’m stuck doing trig isn’t what’s making me angry, it’s the fact I’m not sure on which angles and lengths I’m suppose to be working out, and once again my boss is nowhere to be seen so I’m stuck.

The thought of going back to school part time has me a little excited, I’m very keen to actually put in the effort this time. I feel that my job now is the right career path for me to follow (other than becoming a rock star) and that fate may have played a part. The more I think about how I got this position the luckier I feel. Seriously three years ago when I first started this job every annual review they asked me if I thought I’d be here for the next few year and every time I literally laughed in their faces and told them I hope not.

These days it’s a completely different story, I’m having less sick days (I’ve actually been sick for 90% of them so far), working harder (even though you may not believe it with all my myspace exploration, but it’s true) and I’m actually caring about my work, it’s a 180° turn around to how I felt before. If I stick to it and study hard there is a great deal of potential for me to go places, whether it be in this company or elsewhere.