Curses

Now imagine I’d said the title in Disney Villian voice. Ursala, for preference; she always was my favourite.  WHY? Because it’s almost as fun as swearing and I’ve yet to set off a profanity filter doing it. More importantly, I feel it’s accurate.

Why curses?

Because today I was betrayed by the recliner!

That’s right, my chair!

How?

I made the mistake of trying to recline in it; forgetting once again that the tortured mechanisms now Fight to close back up. So I’m stuck there forcing all my strength into pushing it closed, hoping my brain doesn’t misfire, like it likes too when least convenient. The bloody thing snaps closed finally freeing me to stand up safely.

Drama over, I then retrieve my tablet, only to discover that in my forceful rocking of the chair I’d dislodged the magnetic charger, sending it straight into dangerzone, land of tired metal. I was so relieved when it came back with a gentle tug. We’ve had to fight cords out before, so it felt like a small victory.

I celebrated… too… soon…

Damn thing looked like my rats had found it; a neat slice through the casing then nicely frayed metal cords.

The biggest joke? I’d never even taken that charger into my room as I didn’t trust my rats. What would life be without irony?

Author’s note: so strictly speaking this is an auto-biographical blog post. I originally intended to write some flash fiction. As can be seen I got a little derailed…

I have been planning to get back to writing. I’ve started uni again and I’ve had success in the past using one to encourage the other; of course that was pre-craniotomy and may just spell a recipe for fatigue, I still think it’s worth a try.

Getting Involved

It’s been five minutes since I scheduled the last article. I’m still looking for the  others. LOL I hid them. -_-

Modern busy schedules often make it difficult get in touch with the local communities and remain actively social away from the workforce. With health issues related to sedentary lifestyles on the rise it is also becoming very important to participate in healthy activities, making sporty clubs or more social walking clubs attractive options. However, for those of us who are new to the Gladstone region finding a club that is both enjoyable and complimentary to our schedules can be both intimidating and time-consuming. To this end the dedicated team at WIN have invited all Social & sports clubs and organisations in the Gladstone region to a “Join a Club” Information session hosted at their office, 10 Tanks St, on the 18^th of February. Club representatives will be available from 10am-12:30pm to provide details, including flyers and brochures, about their respective clubs. The information session presents the perfect opportunity to find a new activities, whether you are looking for something sporty or social. Win also offers a wide range of in-house social activities, such as the monthly Language café and Multicultural Playgroup. For more information, please contact WIN on 0487 422 142 or admin@win-australia.org.au.

Article, were have you gone?

I’ve been going through my old articles to schedule updates here, and found some were missing. 😦 Where did they go? Some of them are boring but they are still precious pieces of writing! Bet I’ve saved them somewhere odd.  Here’s another

 

With the summer holidays drawing to a close, and Christmas and New Year’s now fond memories, it’s Back-to-School time for learners, young and adult. However, finding affordable adult education the fits our hectic schedules becomes increasingly hard when local education has become geared towards industry basics such as hospitality and sciences. Yet a new term is on the horizon for WIN, with Language and basic computing classes set to kick off in the first week of February. WIN’s courses in English, French and Spanish run from 6pm week nights and basic to intermediate courses in computing running from 11am; providing accessible alternative areas of education. Affordability is also high on the not-for-profit organisation’s agenda, charging $240 for non-members and $200 for WIN members for their 8 week courses. WIN membership fees are only $25, leaving new members with immediate saving on course fees if they join before course registration, as well as array of other discounts on other services offered. Spanish classes, with Celeste, begins on 1^st of Feb, French, with Marie, starts on the 2^nd, English, with Nandini, commences on 4^th, and Computing classes, with Deepa, start on the 5th. Whether it’s time to brush up on those language or commputing skills or learn a new language entirely there’s no better time to contact WIN on 0487 422 142, or via admin@win-australia.org.au, or visit us for more information at http://www.win-australia.org.au/.

Two Hundred and…. One!!

I hit a milestone with this post.  200 posts!  How in the hell did that happen?! Without me noticing until after? Haha I hope at least some of those post have kept you all entertained. 🙂   This is a scheduled up date, so hopefully I’ve actually updated with fiction before this goes live, so there’s a little variety on my creative writing blog.  Here’s another old article.

 

 

Friday the 11 of December marked a spike in WIN supervised Playgroup’s attendance as the multinational families of Gladstone came together for a Christmas party to celebrate the last session of 2015. Though the summer heat had driven the group out the scorching sun this did not put a damper on the festivities. Excitement was in the air as children hung their hand-made, glittery ornaments on a tinsel tree that was stationed under their hand-decorated, paper-chain streamers. With chocolate-scented play dough, Christmas themed finger paints, and a refreshingly cool water-play feature, there was plenty to see and do before digging to morning tea. In keeping with the Christmas theme, the children decorated delicious Reindeer cookies before digging into scrumptious tropical fruits as they gathered together for a Sing-along featuring Aussie Christmas Carols.

For some the popularity of Christmas may seem unexpected. Today an estimated 3^rd of the worlds population is Christian or of Christian descent. Though most commonly celebrated by Christians as the birth of Christ, the celebration itself pre-dates Christianity and has been influenced over the years by festivals and celebrations such as Saturnalia, Yuletide, and Solistice. Dec 25 only became recognised as the birth of Christ in the 4^th century, then known as the feast of nativity. As a result elements of the holiday can been seen in cultures world-wide. It’s modern popularity can be attributed too the commercialization of popular culture themes, of which St Nick, or Santa Clause, is a classic example of a figure who a gone global.

… *Glomps*

Hi Everyone, Thought is was high time I let  all know I was alive.  How are you all?  I’ve been working hard on my placement. Between that and my assessments writing and volunteer works are not getting a look in. The only thing I’m still doing is writing fortnightly articles for the local Advocate.  Here’s one from late last year.  I’m going to try and get some fiction or poetry written but my degree is sapping, fun by sapping. I might have to rely on updating with back dated articles for awhile. 🙂

Mid-Decemeber and Australia is now gearing up for the Christmas season hovering around the corner. Send out the invitations for the Christmas party and finish the shopping because the 25^th is not far off. The time to be merry, and spend time with the family is nigh. Of course, Christmas is not the only reason to celebrate this season, with holidays such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year, and Pagan Yuletide/Solstice coinciding with the December/January period. It is clear from a brief glance at this list, that is by no means exhaustive, that our global community celebrates the end of the year together. We have a golden opportunity to celebrate, not just as individuals but as community family group.

This chance is not new; it is annual, but oft forgotten in our focus on our individual celebrations. 2015 has brought uncertain times for many here and overseas. The economy still leaves many despairing over their financial situation. The international news has bought us some horrific examples of the strife that is rife around the globe. In this regard we are all in the same boat, no matter from where we hail. During this season of charity, and thanksgiving, is the perfect time to draw together for strength and support as a community. So assist WIN to make this season one of celebration; a period to celebrate similarities, not difference.

Poetry

Rush ahead, pride unyielding,

into darkness unforgiving

stumbling , reeling

path unseen

unknown.

 

Walls rough, winding.

Wide. Narrow. Wide.

Collapsing. Confining.

 

Dust, debris, decay.

Hubris,

peels, strips,

falls away.

Fear overwhelming.

 

Deepest fear,

darkest light.

Flicker hope

burning bright.

Humbled.

 

Aids sole price:

Supplication.

 

So I’ve had this sitting in a notebook for a little while. It’s been rewritten a few times. I’m still feeling that it could be improved.  But I’ve gotten to the point where I’m just adding instead of improving.

In other news I’m starting a placement for Social Work.  My father’s response: It would be better if they were paying you.  I had to hold back a palm face right there. I’m marked on the placement. I get credits towards my degree AND work experience in my new career area.  So What if I’m living on benefits – having a full-time job guarantee when out the window with brain surgery.  I’ll be lucky if i can manage 6 hours a day 5 days a week for 18 weeks. Let alone take on a full-time job.

 

Look: Poetry!

Change

Dash through the tempest

Ride the hurricane

Life entwined with chaos

Order down the drain

 

Chancing Fate

Born to Prophecy.

Brushed by Fates.

Burdened, Blinkered,

Bridling Destiny.

Birthing chance.

Blood boiling.

Battle rage.

Fate and Chance

Flirtatious smirks.

Snatching, Clawing,

Stretching, snapping.

Shredding golden threads.

Freedom,

Choices,

Time.

Chance and Fate,

Turn a page.

Tussle? Tango?

Only they know.

 

 

I’m on school holidays!!!! Wooo!  As of the 25th I submitted my last assessment piece for summer ‘se’mester. On the 29th I start ‘se’mester 1 for 2016.  No real break and they really should give up and call them trimesters.  I haven’t posted anything creative this year, so this is me blowing of steam and killing a second bird with the same stone.  I wonder what these two little pieces of poetry same about my state of mind at them moment. 😀

Off to either write or too start scheduling releases of old news articles. Dunno which yet! 🙂

Here comes Christmas!

Just in case you were not aware: CHRISTMAS is here. Or so the stores would have you believe. If they had their way you’d start shopping after Easter. Of course that has affected which articles are being published. This one to the left has been the last one to be published for this year so far.  The last few weeks it seems they have been converting much of their broadsheet space to advertising spots or making way for the Christmas theme.  I’ve noticed only a few columns are being published the past few weeks and all of them are about *Christmas*, directly or indirectly.  With luck my next article (that I still have to write) will make the cut. It’s a community piece focus on The Multicultural Playgroup’s Christmas Party. Fingers Crossed. 🙂

The only other writing I’ve down this week has been for my first assessment for one of my modules. The Presentation worked out really well so I thought I’d share it to – WWDPass1. The purpose was to share our experience, state our learning goals, and write a reflective comment on why it is important for human services workers to know how to work with diverse populations.  I thought it was a silly question!

Pet Project

Coat from the back.

Now for something a little less fiction and a little more crafty – a handmade Dog Coat from re-used materials.  Charlie was so well behaved during the production of this even though she was afraid on the material.  She also did not know how to take me measuring her.  Poor dog.  Made me feel as though I was picking on her. 🙂

It has been a busy few weeks for me so I decided to switch to a slightly less headache-y project to give my brain a break.  I designed, and fashioned this little coat from an old mattress protector.  Just had to figure out how to operate the sewing machine. No Problem.  Not like I’ve used one recently or anything.

The finished project is a bit rough and only looks good at a distance but should keep her warm at night. The old girl used to sleep in the garage but because she kept waking us up at 3 in the morning needing a toilet break we started leaving the garage door open. So, of course, she must now sleep upstairs on the exposed porch.

I think I’m going to start doing more sewing projects.  It has helped my head relax from all the reading I’ve had to do since uni started last week. I also had the local RSPCA Adoption phone, so a stress relief device was needed.  I’ll save my writing for when I need to get my brain in gear for study. 🙂

Win, our Annual meeting

The Advocate, 16th Nov 2015

I have to say with this article: You Win a Few, You Lose a Few.  My article went down well with the Win team (at least as far as I was told), but somehow never made it into The Advocate as my version.  Instead of using the article I wrote the editors chose to make space for a photo and essential rip the dialogue from the company flyer.  😀 I didn’t think it was as potent as my version but it was much more succinct, and boiled it down to the main point – an invitation for all to get involved in the team.  The version in the Advocate will be available here until the 22nd of Nov. I actually didn’t have a problem with how they have chosen to present the story.  It just was one of those moments where I thought ‘Hmmm, it would be nice to have direct communication with the paper Editors.’ After all, I could have re-written it. 🙂 It was also a new learning chance.  They have altered it because their version drew more attention to the story. I feel as though I learn something every time they alter my work or take my story and put a different spin on it.

This my article:

On the 23th of Nov WIN holds their Annual General Meeting with all Management Committee positions up for re-election. The current Committee has extended an invitation to local community members from a diversity of backgrounds to participate, in the hope that many more passionate, experienced individuals will become involved in the organisation as Committee chairs. Community members are further encouraged to take part in the nominations and vote in this valuable chance to have their say in the future direction of the organisation. Win’s Committee strives to maintain an influx of new ideas brought about by a refreshed management, while putting their best candidates forward to represent the not-for-profit organisation. Win’s dedication to advocacy of multicultural rights and integration includes deep ties with remaining relevant to both their current members and the wider community.

Thus far this has been a highly successful approach, with Win winning the 2015 Premier’s Multicultural Awards with the youth group GYCD, while securing an ever increasing amount of funding for future programmes. Win already has several successful new programmes under their belt after a cooperative effort with local organisations such as GAPDL and CQU. These programmes include the Communities for Children’s Multicultural Playgroup, The Circle of Security Parenting Program that assists local parents to develop new childcare strategies, and the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program that offers free training for 14 individuals to reach a Certificate 3 in Early Childhood Education and Care Services. These programmes have been no small feats, however Win pushes forward to create fresh programmes to further support our local region.