Down-shifters

This morning on "Compass" they were interviewing four Aussie households that had "Down-shifted". It's when people give up their high-powered, high-paying, high-stress jobs and change their lifestyles. They leave behind big houses, expensive cars, and powerful jobs to lead simpler lives, most earning only 20% of what they used to. The main reasons given were fulfillment, health, and to lead less materialistic lives. The people interviewed were saying that what their parents thought would make their kids happy (house, car, job) isn't actually making them happy at all. I guess there's always been a small percentage of people that did this, but now we are shifting away from "Consumer capitalism" faster and faster. Interesting. It would be nice to think that society valued things like having time to spend on yourself, on your health, with those important to you, and doing things that make you feel as though you contribute positively to society, above traditional status symbols like big houses, cars, and high-stress jobs. I hope I never end up in the position where I suddenly realise that I don't really have what I want at all. And that if I do, I'm smart enough to do something about it!

Where are all of the blue fruits and veges? I was told that the more colourful your meal, the greater the mix of nutrients. But when it comes to blue, only blueberries come to mind. And they're not even that blue really. What happened? It's a PRIMARY colour! So many blue flowers, so few blue fruits and veg...

SO I applied for a pretty boring job, basically data entry in a recruitment team. But the organisation is cool, it'd be interesting to see how they work, and it'd be nice to work for a cause I believe in again. And might work out okay to have a less-challenging job while I finish up uni. Besides, beggars can't be choosers, everyone has to start somewhere. Anyway, they called me up today and said the interview was great etc etc but that my "skill-set is too high". JEEZ! After several months, the situation seems to me to be this: I can't get a boring, easy job cos I'm over qualified and they can tell I won't stay long. I can't get a challenging, awesome job cos I'm still at uni and don't have enough experience. Where is my niche? Who WILL employ me? I don't want to go back to retail. I guess I'll keep doing office temp work!

In other news:

I caught up with Westy and Justin last week! Westy was in SA for an S&A visit (coaching trip for AIESEC) so we caught up for lunch one day. It was great to chat again (last met at IC 04 in Germany) about life on the NC, AIESEC Aust gossip and China. Justin was in Adelaide for less than 24 hrs after a tour along the Great Ocean Road. We met up for dinner then had drinks with some of the others on the tour. It was fun to catch up and laugh again about Aussie vs Canadian stuff, catch up on gossip and mutual friends, and reminisce about people and experiences in Beijing last summer.

Since summer is coming, I now have blond highlights! I definitely feel lighter and more summery! Too bad it rained most of today - at least the weekend was lovely!

Monday I got on the bus, dressed for work (not in a suit, but nicely enough I think), and asked for a single student ticket. Not cos I'm a student who's single, but cos I wanted a single trip ticket for a student. The driver then asked if I wanted a high school or tertiary ticket! What the?! Still?! I don't believe it... what do I have to do to look my age? This is getting really tiring... I need to go back to Asia... people there seem to think I look my age :) Just as long as I don't try to speak Mandarin!!!

Everyone is leaving...

I realised yesterday that my time in Adelaide next year (hopefully just 6 months!) will be quite different from this year... Laura will be working in Canberrra (congrats babe!), Loz will be back in Europe, and Emily will be in SA but probably working in the country... I guess I better make the most of it while they're here - and I am too! :)

Man, it’s feels like soooo long since I’ve written! It’s a good thing – means I’ve been busy :)

So, I ended up on that highly exciting electronic filing temp assignment for about a month. What did I learn in the 3 weeks following the last posting? Just one thing… if you say EU out loud, kind of slowly, it sounds really gross…. Try it :) But, despite the totally uninspiring work environment (shared a cubicle with 2 ppl loudly discussing records management, and a guy who never said anything unless spoken to first, and whom I never saw smile once) and lack of opportunity to learn much, the cash flow has been much appreciated!

I now have a mobile phone that is reliable (though still got network issues – 3 weeks later – damn telecoms!), some clothes and shoes to wear to work, and some small savings for when I go away next year! YAY! It’s the first time in years (at least 3) that I have savings for future plans and it feels FANTASTIC :D I just need to make sure I can continue to save, what I have right now won't go far!!!

Strange stuff:

I’ve always been a Berry person – you name the food type, I’ll ask for the Berry one. In the last few months, I’ve become an Apricot, Peach or even on occasions, Mango, person. WOW. I don’t know what has brought this on but it sure is exciting.

All my favourite stuff at the supermarket (Coles AND Woolworths) is becoming discontinued. I’ll take it as a compliment and take comfort in the fact that, while maybe not a trendsetter, I am an individual with unique tastes :)

I’m house-sitting in Stirling (in the Adelaide Hills) and have discovered that, while heaps of buses go through the main street, on a weekday there is no-where to leave my car after the drive from the house. Where does everyone park? I just can’t figure it out… maybe it's some secret place they only tell actual residents...

News:

Only 3 weeks left of classes and one month (Nov 12) till I finish my only exam – YAY! Hope to work heaps over the summer to save lots of money for next year, and hopefully learn some stuff too!

And Chris has booked her trip to Adelaide for Christmas – YAY! Can’t wait to catch up for a good gossip, and to share my little city and an Aussie Christmas with her :)

Hair is now a little shorter and much more manageable due to layers :) As of tomorrow, it will also be more exciting (funky? sophisticated?) colours! Can’t wait, I love having my hair done. Problems, however, are two-fold.
1 – I don’t have a good visual memory (despite being a timeline freak) and when I wake up in the morning I can never remember what my hair looked like the day before when the hairdresser styled it. So I have to get creative. It’s not the kind of creativity I enjoy! I should take a picture when I get home, to refer back to the next morning…
2 – I don’t know exactly what I want (natural sense of style is not something I have!), and because I go to the student place, they always seem reluctant to give much advice. I have trouble making up my mind because I can’t imagine what the hair in the pics in the magazines will look like on my head! I need to find a place that takes pics of you and puts it together on a computer…

Must go, enjoy the sunshine guys! :)
xxx