a week with my girl

Next week $GF is on holidays and so to is my step-dad (the person I currently share with).

The good thing is that we have plenty of time to get to know each another real well and see what it's like to live together (I consider it like a training exercise :P)

So now I am charged with organising food, cleaning the house and other preparations before she comes over for the week.

I just hope that a certain friend of mine doesn't come over too often and overstay his welcome during this time...


Current Mood: Content

playing the waiting game

I'm still unemployed and now running low on cash.

This is partly due to the so-called Global Financial Crisis.

I have been going nuts applying for not only Network Engineer (preferred) roles, but also Network Administrator and even hell-desk roles (as well as allowing for a pay decrease), but still nothing has stuck.

I am starting to get interviews with the employers, which means that I am getting short-listed, but haven't managed to gain employment yet.

The main things that are really staring to annoy me (which are also related to one another):

1. Employers and agencies not return phone calls.
   
2. Employers and agencies not following up on applications and
   
3. Employers and agencies not identifying key points to unsuccessful applications/interviews.
   

I'm also having difficulty trying to get a random (non-IT) job ffs!


Current Mood: Frustrated

Course Complete

I found out on Monday that the status of my UNI course is now complete!

That means no more UNI. Ever.

In other news; I am hopefully getting an iPhone soon.

I still have no work, which is making me quite annoyed as I will have to consider a random (non-career) job.



Current Mood: Frustrated

SUPANOVA 2009

So Supanova has been and it was an absolute blast!

Friday
(previews) night was very very cold! we heard Spike Spencer talk about some of his stories from his CD "What Happens at the Con. Stays at the Con" and an auction of some donated stuff (including some of his own crap things like old con passes etc). We also saw two stories from "5 centimetres per second" in Japanese audio with no subtitles *lol and the first episode of Wonder Woman, which I realised had Nathan Fillion in it!

Saturday
This was by far the most awesome day of them all!
As soon as we got in there, $GF ran straight to the Madman stand and bought some anime :P

$GF then got some comics signed by Tim Sale before we went and did some more stall searching and interacting with the cosplayers etc. We saw Spike Spencer's talk, bought his CD and $GF got some Neon Genesis Evangelion stuff signed by him.

We also went to Tim Sale's Q&A some time between Spike Spencer's signing and the Madman cosplay competition (which I was also waiting for my other friends to arrive). While they were out getting food, we wandered around, got more photos bought more useless junk *lol until my mates came back and we left at about 4pm

Sunday
Wasn't as exciting as Saturday, but it was a day for looking at the things we didn't get to see on Saturday as well as $GF getting more stuff signed by Spike Spencer and seeing the silly 15 minute 3D tent thing :/

We also had all sorts of conversations with other random geeks on the train as well as lots of photos with cosplayers.

Oh we also found out the dates for Wai-con 2010 and discovered that Scott Sigler will be at Swancon!!!

Out of all this I managed to get some t-shirts and a free DVD (Argentosoma) from the madman Q&A session. All in all, it was fun, except I would love to see it move to the Perth Exibition and Convention Centre as the cosplay competition was way overcrowded!

And here are some pictures from the event:




Current Mood: Content

Reading and such

Apart from the fact that I have way too many books to read/listen to now (thanks to my GF :P), not much has happened.

I got a belated birthday present from my favourite sister (my only one *lol)! 

On Saturday me and GF went to walked from Perth Central to Queens Gardens and on Sunday night we celebrated our 6 month anniversary with a really nice dinner at the new Breakwater Ishka restaurant


Current Mood: Drained

No more UNI

This morning I did my last exam. I *think* I have passed the unit and therefore the course, but until I receive a "course complete" notification, I'm not holding my breath. I will however start planning for my graduation gift for myself.

I now have job seeking and more study (for vendor certification) to look forward to *sigh*

My step-dad is getting more forgetful and even more pedantic over trivial matters too, of which he seems to get furious about more often. I need to start looking for my own place to live. now.


Current Mood: Disturbed

UNI and Entertainment (the book)

I just fount out that I got 77.5% (31/40) for my second major Wireless Security assignment! *SQUEEEE!!!*

This means that I don't have to worry so much about the final exam as I should pass this unit finally (this is the third attempt at doing it too :P).

On another note, Me and my GF purchased a Entertainment™ Book, which has almost paid for half of itself in savings already already after two meals *lol

The great thing about this book is it's also entertaining just searching through it looking for new places to go to, things to do and places to eat at! It's so awesome!

I just realised that this is the sort of thing that all UNI students should have also. If I ever go to a SCiSSA meeting, I might just tell them about it and try get some people interested in distributing them... Meh, It has been fun and I will miss it in future, but I've had enough of UNI now.


Current Mood: Very Happy

It's almost over

UNI is almost over!

I have decided to (temporarily) stop looking for work so that I can concentrate on my final unit and it's exam (Wireless Security), then I should have my degree.

Once I have my degree (fingers crossed), I will get back to looking for work and begin self-study for my CCNA.


Things are going remarkably well with my GF too. We are doing all sorts of awesome, fun stuff like going for walks, going to expos and sharing & watching our favourite TV shows, Movies, music and of course, books.

Oh and as of 14/06/2009, it will be 6 months since we have been together (*yay*)!


Current Mood: Content

moar wildlife

GF and I want for a night-time walk through Star Swamp again, and we saw an owl and another Tawny Frogmouth but we also heard a big mass of eerie sounding Moaning frogs but we couldn't see them.

The next day we discovered the forgotten rocky path leading to the end of the Hillarys marina, where we stopped and watched crabs crawling around on the rocks.


Current Mood: Content

cooking made fun

I have re-discovered cooking and how much fun it can be*.

I managed to make 2 awesome supreme pizzas topped with:

• Capsicum
  
• Tomato
  
• Chilli
  
• Pepperoni
  
• Ham
  
• Bacon
  
• Anchovies
  
• Cheeses (Mozzarella/Cheddar/Parmesan)
  

I also learned how to make a customised Waldorf Salad (GF showed it to me) and a Beetroot Dip with Yoghurt and Mint.

I am also experimenting with potato bake's but I don't cook them very often because of the "nutritional value" of the meal :P

I regularly cook a 4-day supply of customised (low-cal) Ratatouille.


*Except with my step-dad, because he doesn't like to experiment when cooking something new for the first time (perhaps he is just old-fashioned), whereas I like to play around and be more impulsive and daring when cooking.


Current Mood: Happy

bday and stuffs

Since loosing my job I've had a lot of time to get personal stuff done like; application for newstart (centrestink), consolidation of my super, full medical check-up, Car service, Study and misc tech projects.

My birthday has also been and gone and I was pleasantly surprised by an array of small gifts from my girlfriend and a wine tasting tour on the day of my birthday!

We went to Waters Edge via Captain Cook cruises. While there we bought some very nice Tawny Port.

From there we went to Charlies Estate Wines and tasted some more wine (and nougat) and bought two cleanskins of a very nice experimental wine that was made with raspberries and a Chenin Blanc.

Next up we went to an Unknown winery (seems to be near the end of Gnangara Road), where we had a lovely platter lunch made up of Dukkah, Cooked Salami, fresh black olives, Smoked Salmon, Cheese and Picked Beetroot with cloves etc. Before we left we were able to sample the $68 Muscatt Muscadelle (very nice)!

We then went to Lancaster Wines for a cheese platter which consisted of Edam (made backwards :P), and an assortment of cheddars; garlic and chilli/chives feta and others, which was a shame because everyone was full from lunch! From the wine tasting we had here, we picked out (and bought) three lovely desert wines: Late Picked Chenin Blanc, 2006 Sticky Shiraz and Reserve Liquer Muscatt.

After that we went to the very crowded Margaret River Chocolate Factory where we tasted some of their chocolate including a cherry and mint chocolate truffle *yum*

Finally we finished up at the Ironbark Brewery where we tried a rice beer and a Cherry Ale (I think), which we both found were quite average (compared to range available at the international beer shop!).

Once I got home I opened the 12th present that my girlfriend gave me :-D

moar emo

This morning was strange.

I had a small inconvenience (forgeting to take my pre-prepared breakfast) put me into a bit of a foul mood early in the morning. Then later on in the morning a mistake that could have potentially cost me my job then changed my mood to being emo (emails + emotion = bad!).

What's most strange is that I got heaps of sleep last night (or so I though I did). But perhaps it was the lack of caffeine and food mading me grumpy coupled with the fact that my superior had a go at me for making a another petty mistake, made me almost bust out... or something...

On another note, I found an uber cheap (but unhealthy) lunch today!
A red rooster chicken roll, mini wrap and small chips for $6! Bargain!!! (the roll was on special).

Anyways that's enough venting for today :P


Current Mood: Neutral

wtb house

I get a little depressed every time I think about my living arrangement. I am getting pestered by a 60+ year-old man that treats me like a child and forgets just about everything.

I am also concerned about being able to afford my own house because of the current global economic crisis *sigh*

Work is anything but easy-going this week as we are short-staffed and I begin study on my final unit too, which I am going to take a few hours off work each week whether my superiors want me to or not :P

At least I have my gorgeous GF to cheer me up from this horrendously busy week...


Current Mood: Frustrated

v-day

Valentines day has been and gone. And it was the best one ever (or should I say, so far...).

We (GF and I) spent the morning doing very little (except for watching Animated stuff), but that evening we went to a dinner at Lamonts in East Perth. Afterwards we enjoyed a nice stroll around the East Perth river area, then ended the night watching My Bloody Valentine (which is a would normally be a B-Grade movie IMO, if it weren't for the fact that it was shown in 3D).

I got a custom made, dark chocolate Heart with writing on it (no I'm not sharing what was written on it :P), and I got her Dopamine earrings (I thought is was so appropriate for someone like her).

I spoil her a bit, but I think she deserves it :)

So, don't expect much more blogging in the next few weeks, 'cause work is going to get awefully busy and I won't want to be doing any blogging....

Current Mood: Happy

fishy fun

Yet another fun, but draining weekend has gone by...

I spent yet another entire weekend at my Girlfriend's place (we both worked out that they are always more fun than the previous one!), but this time was special as you will find out if you read on.

Saturday night we went to the Belgian Beer cafe to meet some of her friends. We had Oyster Rockafella (which she liked ^_^) as well as trying some really... different beers like: Peach, Cherry (Kriek or something) and one other sweet beer that I think was either Strawberry or Raspberry (I don't remember :P).

I wasn't very sociable that night though, but we ended up enjoying the rest of the night by going on the Perth Ferris wheel, which we had to share with a family though... and saw some small fish in the dim foreshore lights and worked out that we had the ability to command sea creatures! *lol (not really, but they where easy to scare with our shadows :P)

To top off the night, my girlfriend says: "Gee, it would be nice to have seen some stingrays today" and... viola! one appeared! in the freaking swan river!!! how cool is that!?

I also confessed my love to her... and so did she (after I removed all the tension :P)

Right now I am so happy and tired and... in love...


Current Mood: Drained

car & health

My car is getting looked at (this morning) so that I can get a quote to fix the scratch on my bumper from the small accident I had in the Duncraig village car park durring Christmas. This means that I am going into work late today.

I also have a sore throat for some reason. It could be attributed to the fact that my girlfriend has recently gotten over a cold... I wonder if this is just a coincidence (or did she give it to me and I just got a sore throat from it???)?

I can't stand the thought of not being able to kiss her though, because I haven't seen her all week...

Current Mood: Indescribable

ramblings

I've finally changed my diet so that I am not only eating less, but also eating breakfast (cereal) in the mornings again and eating a light meal in the evening such as salads, with the exception of lunch because I never know where I will be during the day and I am forced to always buy my lunch (which isn't always a healthy choice due to lack of options or time).

I have failed to wash my car again. But I blame this computer repair job for that (see earlier post) :P

I want to buy another work shirt or two, a beach towel and maybe even a rug and/or beanbag for my room, but time will tell if I can get these before the weekend or not...

Also, I want to move out real bad. My step-dad is under the impression that I am depressed because of work (he has interpreted what I've told him as such), but I didn't have the heart to tell him that I'm agitated with him interfering with my affairs (both directly and indirectly) and his attitude towards me living here as he has mentioned a second time that I "must do whatever he asks because I live in his house", which I don't think is fair considering my soon-to-become-even-busier life.

Oh and apparently there is a partial solar eclipse on Australia Day too?!


Current Mood: Irritated

i can has [a] life

Yesterday was awesome (I really do over-use that word :P). I spent the whole day with my girlfriend ^_^

First we went to Hillarys for a swim and banana pancakes @ Toscanini's for breakfast *drool*. Then we went to the movies to see Yes Man (which IMO was very funny), then went back to Hillarys for another swim :)

We then decided to go to my favourite Chinese restaurant in Sorrento before ending the night with a long, semi-romantic, moonlit walk through Star Swamp.

The best part about the walk was not only because I was with my gf, but we also saw two owls as well as a Tawny Frogmouth!

Now I'm at home doing washing and getting ready for work while wishing I was still at her place... *sigh*


Current Mood: Exhausted

Problems @ home

I had a huge argument with my stepdad this evening.

He wanted me to do some computer work for his friend, even though I told him that I will not do it, yet he went ahead and booked me in to do it anyway! ffs.

Now here I am gritting my teeth and wishing I had my own house already (this is because the argument involved him mentioning that I can move out if I don't like his decisions blah blah blah).

I have been contemplating moving into a rental place for some time now until I can buy my own house, but I don't want to to move again.

I don't understand how he thinks that I have tonnes of free time on my hands (which is quite obviously not the case) and that I can be manipulated just because I live in his house?! It's really quite frustrating.

His recent negative Christmas attitude and predispositions on everything is really starting to affect me in a negative way too...

Also, things at work aren't so crash hot and a change of job may happen in the near future.


Current Mood: Frustrated