I'm trying to post more often
Life continues to be busy, but it's lots of fun!
A few weeks ago, the government announced that they would be holding a "Community Cabinet Meeting" in Penrith (where I live)-the Prime Miniter and cabinet ministers met during the day with various local organizations, then from 6pm had a one hour public meeting with up to 500 people who had applied for seats, then they had one on one meeting with some of the people who applied. We didn't apply for a one on one meeting, but we thought it was a great opportunity to go along and see our leaders up close so we applied for seats. It started a few minutes late and went well overtime-our local member of Parliament, David Bradbury made the introduction, explaining that people ask how he keeps up with his boss (I have asked him that same question before), how in the previous week, the PM had visited some of the world's great cities-Washington, New York, London, Brussels, Beijing, Penrith. Then the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made a speech then they took questions. I knew a couple of the people who did ask questions,but didn't ask any myself. Some people didn't get the chance to ask because of time, but there were officials on hand to take their details so someone will get back to them later.
It's a nice feeleing to know that you're part of the democratic process, and that for the most part, it does work!
Today is Anzac day, probably our most important public holiday, where we remember our military forces over the years. On April 25 1915, Australian and New Zealand troops landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey and over the next few months they were decimated before they were evacuated. Someone in the corridors of power thought it was a good idea to land there, without realising that landing troops at the bottom of a cliff where the waiting troops can pick them off at their leisure is not a great idea at all. Coincidentally, also on April 25 but 1918, Australian troops fought and won the battle of Villers-Brettenaux on the western front in France-it was one of the battles that turned WW1, and apparently the Australian flag still flies there. My great-uncle Reg signed up in February 1917 on his 21st birthday, and after a particularly undistinguished military career, he died on the western front in January 1918. I found it fascinating to read his military record-he signed up, he did his training, he sailed to London, where he promptly went AWOL for three days, then he was shipped out to France. A couple of times he was docked pay for being late to parade, then he died. There is something terribly futile about sending young men to war.
But to finish on a very happy note, last week the boss sat down to tell me that at the end of my probation they want me to stay! There is a certain risk in taking a job on three months probation-I'd resigned, had my morning tea and been replaced. If it doesn't work out, I'm out of work and you can't go back (not that I would), so it's nice to know I'm now permanent. The past couple of weeks I have actually been busy all the time, since I told the boss I need more work-he has admitted that it's hard to give up the things you're used to doing, but also told me that he is feeling much more relaxed now because he can concentrate on his work and leave the admin to me. He is such a sweetie-yesterday he brought in the latest James Taylor album for me. We often talk music -Michael actually saw Led Zeppelin way back when, so when I was playing the Robert Plant/Allison Krauss album the other day, we were talking about concerts we had loved, and he got this live album (One Man Band) for me. What a kind thing to do. What a nice boss!
A few weeks ago, the government announced that they would be holding a "Community Cabinet Meeting" in Penrith (where I live)-the Prime Miniter and cabinet ministers met during the day with various local organizations, then from 6pm had a one hour public meeting with up to 500 people who had applied for seats, then they had one on one meeting with some of the people who applied. We didn't apply for a one on one meeting, but we thought it was a great opportunity to go along and see our leaders up close so we applied for seats. It started a few minutes late and went well overtime-our local member of Parliament, David Bradbury made the introduction, explaining that people ask how he keeps up with his boss (I have asked him that same question before), how in the previous week, the PM had visited some of the world's great cities-Washington, New York, London, Brussels, Beijing, Penrith. Then the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made a speech then they took questions. I knew a couple of the people who did ask questions,but didn't ask any myself. Some people didn't get the chance to ask because of time, but there were officials on hand to take their details so someone will get back to them later.
It's a nice feeleing to know that you're part of the democratic process, and that for the most part, it does work!
Today is Anzac day, probably our most important public holiday, where we remember our military forces over the years. On April 25 1915, Australian and New Zealand troops landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey and over the next few months they were decimated before they were evacuated. Someone in the corridors of power thought it was a good idea to land there, without realising that landing troops at the bottom of a cliff where the waiting troops can pick them off at their leisure is not a great idea at all. Coincidentally, also on April 25 but 1918, Australian troops fought and won the battle of Villers-Brettenaux on the western front in France-it was one of the battles that turned WW1, and apparently the Australian flag still flies there. My great-uncle Reg signed up in February 1917 on his 21st birthday, and after a particularly undistinguished military career, he died on the western front in January 1918. I found it fascinating to read his military record-he signed up, he did his training, he sailed to London, where he promptly went AWOL for three days, then he was shipped out to France. A couple of times he was docked pay for being late to parade, then he died. There is something terribly futile about sending young men to war.
But to finish on a very happy note, last week the boss sat down to tell me that at the end of my probation they want me to stay! There is a certain risk in taking a job on three months probation-I'd resigned, had my morning tea and been replaced. If it doesn't work out, I'm out of work and you can't go back (not that I would), so it's nice to know I'm now permanent. The past couple of weeks I have actually been busy all the time, since I told the boss I need more work-he has admitted that it's hard to give up the things you're used to doing, but also told me that he is feeling much more relaxed now because he can concentrate on his work and leave the admin to me. He is such a sweetie-yesterday he brought in the latest James Taylor album for me. We often talk music -Michael actually saw Led Zeppelin way back when, so when I was playing the Robert Plant/Allison Krauss album the other day, we were talking about concerts we had loved, and he got this live album (One Man Band) for me. What a kind thing to do. What a nice boss!