why nannying sucks =P

I have the most interesting job. Yesterday the lady who I am nannying for (who broke her foot, which is why i'm her nanny), wore skintight, stretchy, white pants. today she wore extremely short shorts. Heh heh. I'm so daggy in comparison :D
Her and her husband got married at Graceland in Las Vegas, although not by Elvis, cos he only does renewals apparently.
Today the three girls were like little terrors from the pit of doom... and they bit, hit, slapped, kicked, said 'i hate you', and called each other 'bitch'. Did i mention the oldest is 4 1/2 and the next is 3.

They live in south brighton and the mum drives to riccarton twice a week for gymbaroo (a gym programme for toddlers), and then she decided she wanted to go to briscoes, so she stops outside coffee culture, in the middle of the road, sticks the hazard lights on, and gets out, saying 'you'll drive, wont you, Michelle'. Its a 7 seater, automatic, column shift beast of a car, and i can't even reach the pedal, and she says "um, are you going? there are heaps of cars waiting behind you"... so off I go... around the riccarton mall block about 6 times. Heh. Oh the 'excitement', lol.

okay, that'll do for now ... i'm tired!!!

my first day of work

I am tired.... looking after three kids isn't easy. I'm all confused now - wasn't working with orphans in Africa my big dream? Yet often I'm not really a kids enthusiast.... I dont have the patience and i'd rather talk grown up stuff. Hmmm...

Will post more sometime when I can think straight =)

i salute you, Christina

How the hang do you get up so early each morning? Tomorrow I have to be out of the house by 7.30 to get to South Brighton (where the nanny job is) by 8am. Ouch. This morning I got up at 7.15 to practise and was ready by 8. I think that means i'll have to get up at 6.30 tomorrow.... Nooooooooooooo................
I have never in all my life before left the house at 7.30am.
i'm going to be a wreck after ten hours with wild children (all under 5 years old)!!

lol.
I wonder if God laughs when we pray and pray for a job, then get a really silly one, and it really tests us... but we still try and be thankful for it, while whining about it, etc....

I am thankful in my own little way =P

PAUSE!

Adam and I went to Burnside Elim last week. I still really like it, but was too scared to go by myself this morning. The thing I still cling to about church, despite all my disillusions with the other parts, is that it convicts me. Any little, or big, thing in my life that doesn't sit quite right is always brought into my mind and I have to deal with it, usually in a rather uncomfortable crying scene of repentence and proclamation of God's majesty, which is over quickly, yet always makes me resolve to go to church services more often to avoid such obvious expression of my inward state, yet never quite manages to convict me strongly enough for me to go the next week, or even the week after that, and convinces me that I should be making more of an effort every morning to exalt and glorify God from the confines of my bedroom, yet that resolve also wanes rather quickly. (wasnt that a wonderously long sentence?)
In short, I can blunder along on my own, furiously trying to connect with God, hiding away in my room, desperately seeking a moment of closeness with him that would break this drought of emptiness, trying to regain the chunk of me that I feel i've lost in the past year, listening intently for the whisper of His voice, haltingly trying to talk to Him, and yet failing. again. instead of being alone with Him, finding i'm only alone with me.
(oops - i said it would be 'in short'..)

At the moment i'm reading 'disappointment with God' by Philip Yancey. Its a really good book. However, I'm not disappointed with God, I'm disappointed with life.
It doesn't seem to be my friend anymore. If life is like a river, and everyone is caught up in it, being twisted and turned, carried away, taken up and involved, then i'm increasingly feeling like i'm standing on the bank, watching it rush by, not having a reason to dive back in. Or maybe I'm on the surface and can't quite plunge under, clinging to Adam like a buoy. He is immersed in the river, yet I draw him to the surface, briefly dragging him away from his life. I'd like to get back in that river, where we all drift together, toss myself into its throes.

This past year has been interesting. I feel like i've gradually withdrawn until not much of me is left there. I don't see many friends, meet with fellow christians (commonly termed 'go to church'), participate in any clubs or activities, help anyone else, speak with God.
What an odd year.
I shall try and find the key to getting back in the river, then I may join you all there.

where is michelle?

I am working about 44 hours a week until December 22nd. As a nanny, with three girls under 5. That’s great, because I am a nanny and have had extensive training in the field. NOT!!

Anyway, work is work… and it will good to be able to pay the rent from somewhere other than my savings account! And it will be great to pay for things myself for a change, I mean, I love my boyfriend immensely, but I always feel terrible at not being able to pay for anything. And I’ll be able to pay some people back money I owe them (hear that, Cameron and Christina? Keep pestering me and you might get it =) )! And, I’m being really ambitious here, I might be able to buy Christmas presents for my family or pay my parents back some of the money they’ve loaned me.
Well, it’ll be a start anyway.
And then when I’m working in the archives centre at the Museum, starting early January, I’ll be able to do nice things to say thanks to Mum and Dad, and might be able to buy 4 cds that I’d really love, and maybe start paying off my student loan. This is all possible with the 35,000 salary I’ll be earning.
And then I might wake up.

So the part about working 44 hours a week as a Nanny is true. And the part about being able to pay the rent is also true. I’m still praying for a good job for next year.

christian behaviour

When I went for my job interview with a local childcare agency it came up that I was a Christian (due to my job experience being with two Christian aid organisations and youth group). Recently my employer (at the childcare agency) rang to ask me if I wanted a temporary full-time nanny position. She said to me “you go to church on Sundays, don’t you, so you wont want to work then”. I didn’t really know what to say as I haven’t really been going to church over the past 13 months, but I still don’t like the idea of working on Sundays, plus I intend to go to church more often now that I’ve found one I feel more comfortable with (like the hypocrisy of the fact that I am typing this on a Sunday morning?).. anyway – it seems to me like a lot of people out there see church as synonymous with being a Christian, so I didn’t want to confuse my employer’s theology impressions, so I said “yes, I go to church on Sunday mornings, so I’d prefer not to work then”
(I wont get into the rant about Christians being church rather than attending it…)
The next day I was at my employer’s house to collect some papers, and she was asking me about where I’ll be living next year. I mentioned that I’ll be flatting again, and she said “oh? why don’t you move in with your partner?” and I mentioned that he’ll be living next door (horror of horrors) and she grinned and said “aah – well you’ll be able to say ‘your place or mine?’” I laughed, somewhat surprised. “and you wont have to worry about getting a ride home when you’ve been drinking, you can just stumble next door”, she laughed.

Interesting, I thought, that she equated being a Christian with going to church, but not with sleeping with your ‘partner’ or drinking large volumes of alcohol…

Is this our fault for not setting a better example? Or do people out there just have interesting perceptions because they don’t know enough about being a Christian?

good crap!

I feel like crap. But good crap!
Today I've sent off two job applications, both for jobs that sound really cool. These are my second and third proper job applications. Its such a relief to have the last application in, because I had a whole lot of issues with not being able to download the application form, driving to Adam's place, driving to Uni to meet Cameron, printing, scanning and emailing the application form, coming back home and fixing up my CV, writing an application letter, and finially getting it all sent off at 3.20pm (closed at 4pm).
I haven't eaten for over five hours and my neck is sore as 'nam today. I feel really lousy, but still i feel good. I'm glad I was motivated enough to apply for these two jobs today. I was scared that I wouldn't do it out of fear or something.

Anyway, hopefully I get one of the three jobs... =)
Bring on the food!! (...and the neurofen...)

Praises - Newsboys

Tears have fallen, water beads wipe the floor with my regrets
In the crevice, tiny seeds spring to life from pardoned debts
And all I have, All I have is

Praises on my tongue, from my heart, for our God who became flesh for us all
Unto you I will sing my praises, sing forever

In the quiet I lament every nail my sin did buy
and I wonder why you spent lavish blood on such as I
when all i have, all I have is...

Praises on my tongue, from my heart, for our God who became flesh for us all
Unto you I will sing my praises, sing forever

Oh for a thousand tongues to sing, to sing aloud, sing aloud
Oh, to the glory of my God and King to sing aloud, sing aloud

Praises on my tongue, from my heart, for our God who became flesh for us all
Unto you I will ever sing my, ever sing my
Praises on my tongue, from my heart, for our God who became flesh for us all
Unto you I will ever sing these
Praises...

selling myself

I hate CVs... I dislike crowing about my supreme awesomeness and talent when sometimes I dont believe it myself! And it feels odd cutting out bits of my life that wont be 'interesing' or 'appropriate' or 'relevant' to include.... All of my life is important!! Its all helped to shape me!


Aah the world of the unemployed jobseeker...

*sigh* i feel so inadequate next to sporty people....

there's no place like home

My plane arrived in Christchurch at around 4.35am yesterday morning. I got through customs just after 5am... and got 2 hours sleep. I had 3 seats to myself on the plane and lay down and slept for an hour or two. This is rather incomprehensible as i am still tired!
My flight was delayed five hours... So I was at the airport for 7 hours before getting on the plane!! But at least the pacific blue flight attendents were nice... those on the three previous flights i'd had weren't quite so friendly.

Anyway thats enough. Just an update to let you all know that i'm back in New Zealand and am home alone if you want to come visit.

Platypus!!

Hey hey hey its Saturday! Time for another update.
On Tuesday Dan (yes the Dan) and I went down to surfers paradise. We went shopping at the big Australia Fair shopping centre, where I found a copy of le Petit Prince in English (otherwise known as The Little Prince) and i just had to have it... Plus I bought Charlottes Web for my girl cousin, and a book of gross facts (about stuff like poo, wee, and vomit) for my boy cousin. i also found (not in the bookshop, strangely enough) a beautiful broderie anglaise nighty, which i intend to wear as a sun dress. Oh nuts. Now you all know. Er anyway, then we went down to the beach, and i decided that i could handle a swim, so we went back to the car and, not being able to find any changing rooms, i got changed in the car. With the odd person walking past! It may have looked funny to see Dan leaning on the boot of the car, and me inside with a towel draped over me, pretending to rummage in my handbag whenever people went past, hehe...

On Wednesday Dan and I went into Brisbane city on the train and rode the city cat. We also did secret stuff. And... Adam rang up in the evening!! Huzzah!!
On Thursday I cleaned out the granny flat and did some more of my CV, and cried a bit at missing everyone *blush*. I think i was just feeling pretty tired and a little bit lonely and rather overwhelmed by whats going on between my uncle and Aunty... Anyway i got to talk to Christina and Adam online, so that was nice. In the evening i went to the airport and flew to Mackay. My aunty and uncle picked me up there and we drove to Mirani, where they live, about forty five minutes away.
On Friday i lazed around and spent about 6 hours on the computer (they have broadband!) and ended up making a hurried finish to my CV so i could email a copy for a job i wanted to apply for (that i thought had already closed, but then found it had been extended til 4pm friday) (which i discovered at 3.30pm) We then went for dinner at the pub and i accidentally ordered garlic chicken (i hate garlic, lol) and i was nearly asleep by 8pm!! And the husband of a lady my aunty works with (3 of her workmates and their hubbies were eating with us) shook my hand and kissed me on the cheek by way of introduction. It rather endeared me to him (as opposed to being yukky) (like the guy at the bar who was eyeing me up) (lol)!!
Today left at 7.50am to take my uncle to work, went shopping and I got some makeup and two lovely skirts, and a blouse, and then drove to the beach (i paddled and it was very warm!!), then this evening my aunty and I went to Eungella, a national park about an hour away, up in the hills. We saw two platypus, some turtles, lots of noisy cockatoos, and got a bit lost in the bush (as it was growing steadily darker) (which was a little unpleasant)
But here I am now to tell the story!

Tomorrow we are going to go for a proper swim at the beach, plus our flights are at 4 in the afternoon.
My Uncle donated me a flash drive and a godzilla watch that he got out of a cereal box (the watch, not the flash drive). I am very happy. My aunty is cooking crumbed fish and homemade chips for tea. I am even happier. However it is 8.11 (11.11) and i'm rather tired so I think i'll go get into my jim-jams =)

I get home late wednesday night, then Jazz is going to laser strike on Thursday, then I have a 21st on Friday night, and one on Saturday. Wowza. I'm hoping my body hasn't adjusted to the time changes and can cope easily with getting back!!

I've had some wacky dreams the last few nights... three nights in a row i've dreamt about praying in tongues. Once a group of us were praying through a neighbourhood, at the letterbox of each house. I cant remember what i dreamt the night inbetween, but it involved me praying in tongues. I think it might have been for selected individuals? not sure. And last night I dreamt about praying in tongues for people who were scared.
In fact, it might even be four nights in a row, but dreams become hazy after a while...
I'm not sure if God is trying to tell me something.

Only four sleeps to go over here in the hot country!! At 8pm it was 25.6 degrees, and humidity is generally between 65-70%... I'm so hot =D

information

I am now in Northern Queensland, at a little place called Mirani. The temperature here at 9am this morning was 27.7 degrees celsius. The weather here seems to grow hot quickly, then remain relatively stable until nightfall.
While I've been over here I've been trying to avoid changing for the time zone... I'm not sure how successful I've been, but I usually wake up around 6-7 in the morning (9-10am) and go to bed at 8pm (11pm NZtime) When i first got to Brisbane I was waking up before 5 in the morning, which was great!! Its nice then as its not too hot.

I'm now staying at a different Aunty and Uncle's house, which is rather odd as i've only seen them about 3 times in the last 15-18 years!
I've been trying to something all day on their computer but its not working, and i think i've wrecked their flash drive. Oops. *cringe*

I didn't get dressed til about 12pm, and i just went and had my shower at 1.30. I feel very lazy!!

The comparison between the two places i've stayed is interesting... family A i've been close to for my whole life, and in first year at uni stayed at least one night a week at their place. Family B I've seen, i estimate, four-five times in my life. Family A have two kids, 10 year old twins, while Family B have three dogs, two big birds, and numerous other averies (how on earth is that spelt?!). The marriage in Family A is rather tense and I felt uncomfortable being in the room when the two were together, Family B aren't married and are comfortable together. Family A are rich, the father works in a multinational company, and they've just bought a house for nearly $500,000, they invest their money in property or erm, other places you invest money. The father in family B works as a school groundskeeper, and they save barely any money, spending it on things they want or need - like a huge tv, sound system, fancy computer, etc. Which family is happier? With family A i slept in a sleepout and had my own bathroom. The weather is hotter with family B, and they have air conditioning. The house of family A is immaculate, and in comparison family B have stuff everywhere and the house smells like a petshop. The woman from family A is a returned Christian, family B laughs at the idea of 'religion'.
Just thought the comparisons were interesting.

Anyho. i should probably go do something! Less than a week til I return!! huzzah!
Oh and by the way - i wasn't trying to moan, or make one place sound better than the other. I just wanted something to do, so thought i'd note differences between two sisters and their families. =)
ciao!

i hate telecom

You would not believe what a little ball of angriness I am right now. I am seething.
I probably need to take a chill pill, but while I’m so enraged I shall sink my teeth into my own fleshy arm and attempt to mumble about my extreme state of hacked-off-ed-ness.

(ouch)
(mmm… my arm smells nice) (combination of moisturizer and body wash)
right – I am so extremely annoyed at Telecom.

There. Summed up in one sentence. Shall I elaborate?

I am in Australia. I am on roaming. When I contacted telecom about roaming they said this:
-when people call you, you will have to pay for it, but it will be billed to the landline account for which you are registered.
-when you call people it will be billed to the landline account as mentioned above.
-texting is 20c

I have gone through $20 of credit in 4 days. And $13 the week before that.
I think I have been charged off my cellphone account for the calls people have made to my mobile.
I cannot top up my mobile as there is no number for me to ring. I have had to rely on the helpfulness of Cameron and Adam. (and their credit cards)
I cannot call anyone as my phone tells me that whatever number I dial is invalid. Including the telecom helpline number.

I cannot understand why I have gone through so much credit. I haven’t sent enough text messages to amount to more than $20.
I wonder if I am being charged for other people’s text messages to me. When I looked on the Telecom website it said that if people in NZ call me, they will be charged national rates, and I will have to pay the international rates above that. Does that apply to texting also?

I am slowly working myself out of my rage. However annoyance is seeping from my armpits. No wait, that’s sweat.
Exasperation is exuding from every pore in my body. Hmm, still sounds vaguely disturbing.

I think I need to take a deep breath and roar like a bear-trapped teddy.

a crow woke me up at 2.12am.

I think I have a new freckle.
I have a mozzie bite.
I got sunburned in about 3 places, but only very slightly.
We went swimming in the sea (yes! the sea!) on Sunday, at the Sunshine coast. The water was 23o and was really quite lovely to swim in.
For a beach.
Everyone here wears bikinis, regardless of size!
Its odd cos people who aren't wearing bikinis just end up looking really overdressed!
Today I am going to Surfers Paradise with Dan.
I might wear my new bikini bottoms with my singlet-type lycra top.
If i'm feeling really brave.
Yesterday afternoon we went to see flying foxes at Ipswich.
They were so so cute, and so so stinky.
And in the morning we went shopping and I got some really cool stuff.
I spent lots of money.
I got to talk to Adam on the phone on Sunday night!
Oh joy! oh delight!
I miss my friends.
I love getting everyone's texts and emails =)

Only 9 sleeps til I'm home....!