(no subject)
I'm going to a wedding in Canberra on March 20, so being a complete moron I booked 3 weeks leave for March months ago, planning on flying back just after the wedding. With the intention of spending time with slasher friends first in Melbourne and then cruising on across. The moron part comes in where I'd forgotton about Swancon. Which I bought my ticket for last year, and had in fact told my area manager months and months ago that I always have Easter off to go to a scifi convention. As I seem to change area managers every year, every year I have a new one to break into that idea (Easter being a difficult time to take hols) and reveal my inner nerd.
Anyhow, boss wanders in today
'When did you want holidays again, April?'
Me - 'March. I'm going to a wedding in the Eastern States on March 20'.
Boss staring at piece of paper in hand - 'No, I can't give you March'.
Me - 'I am going to a wedding in the Eastern States on March 20'.
Staring contest.
At which point Sarren recovers memory.
'And I need Easter off, I told you that months ago'.
And the negotiations started.
So in the end, I'm working the 19th in the morning, and flying out that night.
On the plus side, I'll make it back for Swancon.
Also good, once the wedding's over and the happy couple off on their merry way, I will be free to hang with my Canberra slasher friend, who has asked me to stay with her. I love her :)
And one of my ex housemates is also now married and is living in Canberra, when not off exploring exotic locales with the hubby. I once visited them when they were living in the Ukraine, which wasn't even open to tourism then. I had a business visa, where I apparently worked for Coke.
I have several amusing (to me) Ukraine anecdotes...
The funny suspicious behaviour exhibited by Kim's partner in front of the machinegun-armed guard at the edge of the Chernobyl exclusion zone, as partner assessed his chances of absconding with a sign.
The puzzlement of the airport security people over the large plastic bag full of beer caps in my backpack.
Being woken up at 3am in the morning by huge scary pounding on the front door. Turns out to be work collegues of partner, who had arrived back from a holiday in another town to find themselves evicted from their apartment.
The blithe way Kim and I chatted about everything and everyone sure in knowledge that no-one speaks English (in our defence - black stocking and white court shoes not an uncommon sight) Then finding ourselves in a mosque and when wishing aloud that we knew what something meant. And finding out from the Ukrainian behind us.
Stopping in a small town because I was busting for the loo, finding a café attempting to be westernised - it had a proper toilet, to my friends' joyful amazement. Then having the world's worst attempt at a pizza, exorbitantly priced of course.
And my newest and current favourite Ukraine anecdote, Trille fondling my babushka doll in awe and asking where I got it. To which I respond 'Kiev'. Trille- 'Really? It doesn't look mass produced. Me, puzzled. 'No, probably not, being from a tiny market on the roadside in a country not properly open to tourism'…
Turns out she thought I said Ikea. Well, I thought it was funny.
A few years ago when Kim visited Perth, I went out to dinner with them wearing my rainbow belt. At the end of the evening Kim nods at the belt and says 'So does that mean anything you want to tell me about?' And when I said 'no, just a fashion thing', said "Pity, I thought you were going to be one of my few interesting friends." Maybe this time around I'll get around to telling her about slash. Thing is, not a big TV/movie person, is Kim. Funny how with some people it's not the gay sex that they're not going to understand, it's the obsession with fictional characters.
Like my family.
Anyhow, boss wanders in today
'When did you want holidays again, April?'
Me - 'March. I'm going to a wedding in the Eastern States on March 20'.
Boss staring at piece of paper in hand - 'No, I can't give you March'.
Me - 'I am going to a wedding in the Eastern States on March 20'.
Staring contest.
At which point Sarren recovers memory.
'And I need Easter off, I told you that months ago'.
And the negotiations started.
So in the end, I'm working the 19th in the morning, and flying out that night.
On the plus side, I'll make it back for Swancon.
Also good, once the wedding's over and the happy couple off on their merry way, I will be free to hang with my Canberra slasher friend, who has asked me to stay with her. I love her :)
And one of my ex housemates is also now married and is living in Canberra, when not off exploring exotic locales with the hubby. I once visited them when they were living in the Ukraine, which wasn't even open to tourism then. I had a business visa, where I apparently worked for Coke.
I have several amusing (to me) Ukraine anecdotes...
The funny suspicious behaviour exhibited by Kim's partner in front of the machinegun-armed guard at the edge of the Chernobyl exclusion zone, as partner assessed his chances of absconding with a sign.
The puzzlement of the airport security people over the large plastic bag full of beer caps in my backpack.
Being woken up at 3am in the morning by huge scary pounding on the front door. Turns out to be work collegues of partner, who had arrived back from a holiday in another town to find themselves evicted from their apartment.
The blithe way Kim and I chatted about everything and everyone sure in knowledge that no-one speaks English (in our defence - black stocking and white court shoes not an uncommon sight) Then finding ourselves in a mosque and when wishing aloud that we knew what something meant. And finding out from the Ukrainian behind us.
Stopping in a small town because I was busting for the loo, finding a café attempting to be westernised - it had a proper toilet, to my friends' joyful amazement. Then having the world's worst attempt at a pizza, exorbitantly priced of course.
And my newest and current favourite Ukraine anecdote, Trille fondling my babushka doll in awe and asking where I got it. To which I respond 'Kiev'. Trille- 'Really? It doesn't look mass produced. Me, puzzled. 'No, probably not, being from a tiny market on the roadside in a country not properly open to tourism'…
Turns out she thought I said Ikea. Well, I thought it was funny.
A few years ago when Kim visited Perth, I went out to dinner with them wearing my rainbow belt. At the end of the evening Kim nods at the belt and says 'So does that mean anything you want to tell me about?' And when I said 'no, just a fashion thing', said "Pity, I thought you were going to be one of my few interesting friends." Maybe this time around I'll get around to telling her about slash. Thing is, not a big TV/movie person, is Kim. Funny how with some people it's not the gay sex that they're not going to understand, it's the obsession with fictional characters.
Like my family.