Locksmith

I worked the cafe and then I started the office works. The first guy for his job interview came in - I like him, he seems sweet and modest. The second one, well both the owner and I think he wont last. He couldn't maintain eye contact and he was dressed so shifty and didn't even bring a resume in. They both have trial runs this weekend.

I then had a really long business meeting with a catering company. I learned quite a bit from these two experienced entrepreneurs discussing business and creativity. It was really intriguing.

Afterwards, the owner had to run so I dealt with the locksmith who came in at 2pm. We needed to change the office and security box keys because everyone thinks that there's too many copies around. It was done pretty quick, the guy was a young locksmith. We chatted and he told me about his new tattoo and how his dad is a tattoo artist, and we're both originally from Queensland.

After he finished, he gave me his boss' business card with his number scribbled on and said, "This is my private number if you ever need a private lock/key job done.."

And inside I was laughing thinking, "WHO NEEDS A PRIVATE LOCK/KEY JOB DONE??"

Then he asked if this place was open at night time and if I worked. I told him I bartend so he said he'd pop in for a drink on Saturday night. Was he subtly asking me out?? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA

Afterwards I replied to some e-mails and worked on the function menu. My cafe boss made me two hot chocolates which looked like this..... I'm not surprised.
Firstly innocent

Then it got graphic

Raph doing a photo shoot in our lounge room

I stole his photo shoot bandana and decided to be a little ghetto BAHA

Then Pancake came over, but I was in the middle of eating my Vietnamese takeaway so he laughed at me using my fingers like a grub.

I hung out with Raph's mates then fell asleep super duper early at 9:30pm.

STRESSED

I AM SO STRESSED!
The owners are totally loving that they don't have to do jack shit while I'm around so they make me do EVERYTHING. Except I don't have the title, the pay or the authority. So I do everything a manager does but I'm just an employee. I do everything a personal assistant does without the pay.

ITS DRIVING MY HEAD IN!
But - I don't mind because I am learning. I am learning about the business side of things, the management side of things and other nifty neat tricks. It's all about experience for me.

So after work at the cafe, I started counting stock then the owner came. We met up, discussed last weekend, function packages, what needs to be done and what I will be doing. I also sourced some job applicants and set up interviews with them tomorrow. I then started on rosters and finished discussing in detail about the function packages. Then I did dirty tea towel laundry.

I went home and made a good copy of the function room descriptions to send out to customers, then finished up the rosters.

Then I ordered Thai for a second night in a row. I can't resist their yummy Thai food - no actually, its more about the free delivery system for me and how you get to order it all online. I mean, I tried to vary up my food a little by calling up a Vietnamese restaurant who did a $3 delivery fee - but he couldn't understand me so I gave up.

I sat on the balcony and enjoyed the cool breeze whilst the hot green curry hit my taste buds. Yummy!

Not So Fast Food

I helped make Pumpkin Soup and got flame grilled chicken and chips take away. Lunch was so yummy. Afterwards, we went to the Panel Beaters to check out the damage on my baby.

The third party insurance doesn't cover the damage which is devastating but the mechanic said he'd try his best to just bang it out.

I went back home and decided to just chill. My boss then told me to organise a work meeting at 6:30pm so I hurriedly called everyone. Then he told me to come in earlier so I had to quickly slap on some clothes and head out.

We had a meeting, then I organised a function with a late request so the details were so rushed and messy. Afterwards, I went to go eat with Kevin - we went to my favourite Korean BBQ restaurant.

Except I only had about an hour to enjoy the meal and then get back to work. It's funny because we never go to an above average place to eat, and the time we do we have to rush and have no conversations except, "DO YOU WANT MORE KIMCHI?" "YUMMY YEAH?" "IS THIS BRISKET?"

What I'm trying to say was that the only dialogue spoken was in relation to the FOOD. But the food didn't fall below my expectations and my stomach was one happy chappy! I even fitted in time for green tea ice cream.

Then I rushed back over and started working. The night went a little slower - I was downstairs for the entire time which is good but I was sick of making so many vodka sodas, scotch & cokes. I did however, get a lot of tips that night.

I was teasing one guy for his drink choices like whisky and water?!? Is that normal? He seemed to think I was the only person who thought that was strange. So he told me to chose one for him this time, and I was like I don't know what you want? He said to make some kind of cocktail so I just made him a simple vodka one.

He was like, "That was pretty simple."
"I'M NOT DONE YET!"
*Then I squeeze a lime and clasp a mint in*
"That was still pretty simple."
"I couldn't be bothered, plus its a cheap cocktail."
"Well, what I really wanted was your number."

Hahahhhahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahaha the ways guys think of to asking a number is classic.

Vandal

I started organizing all my stuff in my new room but I can't be bothered!! I need to do it though because right now all my walking space is occupied by a fat bag/box/suitcase.
All my shoes (there's still one BIG box I haven't brought over)

I worked - then I worked. Hahahahaha.
The other side of shoes hahahaha

I worked at the bar and then moved on to Neverland club. I was pretty pooped but DJ Havana Brown was coming in to work so I thought I'd stay for a bit and groove my tush on the floor a little. I got to meet the girl DJ and yeah I'll admit that she's pretty hot so I understand the hype for her.

We decided to leave about 3:30 to which we went back to the car. It was completely vandalised by drunken hooligans and I was shattered. I co-own this car but barely drive it - that doesn't disregard my huge love for it.

Anger. That's all that fumed through my exhales. It was obvious that they had kicked in the doors a few times with a run up. With their strategic placings, it looked like they were trying to open the doors. Both doors were kicked in - the bottom bumper at the back kicked in and the back windshield snapped off. Even the front guard has fallen off a little.

SIGH.

Joe Bonamassa

Today was my best friend's birthday. Obviously, she had the same birthday I did because she sounded so depressed and unexcited.

I spent money on getting my present express posted and it didn't even reach her! So I was a little angry!
My workplace is a little immature

I was totally stressed today, I went in and did office work for 3 hours - then had to constantly remind the owners to confirm staff rosters and organise who is opening the doors. Why are they so clueless?

I then went home and packed the little widdle things. Kevin picked me up and we stashed it in his van. On the way we stopped by Maccas and asked for FRESH chicken nuggets and FRESH chips - and they were pretty good! I smashed them down.

We hung about my new place for a little bit then Kevin dropped me off to Quinton's. Quinton and I headed to Palais Theatre in St. Kilda to go watch Blues Guitar God - Joe Bonamassa. He was absolutely fantastic! Actually even the front act was quite entertaining. But Joe, he's one with all his guitars. His emotions pass through every frequency, it was crazy! And his voice was quite captivating.

I went wide eyed at his acoustic set, it was so beautiful and crazy at once.

And his Bass Guitarist was to be in awe for too!

I was yawning throughout the entire concert though - I think my body is confused whether I want to be nocturnal or an early bird with all these topsy turvy jobs.

Thanks Quinton for inviting me to a breath taking concert and - Happy Birthday Deshna!

A Breath of Internet

I worked, worked and worked.
Monday I did a coffee shift then stock.
Tuesday I did a coffee shift then admin stuff.
Wednesday I rested and packed my clothes into a fat, fat suitcase.

The only reason why I'm so slow into moving into my new sexy bachelor pad is that there is no internet.

And I need internet, I BREATHE IT.

Crate Bed

I bummed all day and then packed some bags to bring over. Kevin was already there. Kevin and AJ then locked me out of my room, so I decided to clean the last crate and the kitchen floors + rugs. I finally got let in to the room, to see that Kevin had entwined glow in the beads around the crates so its a little less ghetto.

I love my bed. I am so glad I spent an extra $15 to upgrade from the 250 thread count sheets to the discounted 400 thread count Egyptian cotton ones. I chose navy and the sheets seem almost satin yet not close enough. They are so smooth! I guess I've never treated myself to sheets higher than 250 hahaha!

I hung up the drawing Phillip gave to me for my birthday. Then I caught up with Kevin.

I got peckish so I suggested to Kevin, AJ and Chris to go catch a bite. We went around my area which is quite lively, but not on hangover Sundays so all the restaurants were closing up at the 10:30pm mark. We did find a late night pizza/bar joint that had $4 pizzas at certain times of the week.

Luckily, we caught one of the special times so we feasted. I don't think they're worth their normal price, but I think they're a good bargain meal. I popped by Mohabs to return his vacuum.

Look how bleached and clean my coral looks now!

Chris and I also played this slow online game called Pandemic where you design a disease (I named it Deenaitis) to efficiently wipe out the world. We were successful except Australia, New Zealand and Brazil were able to isolate themselves. Not bad right? HAHAHAHAHA!

Demoralised

Saturday morning I spent doing some graphic work for the bar. I think they want me to replace the Venue Manager they laid off - except I won't have the title and I'll be on my normal wage. I'm doing all the ideas, management and stock.

I then went over to my new place. AJ and I cleaned up the bathroom and I vacuumed Level 2. I also brought some more stuff over so all I have left is clothes. I don't even want to get started on that - I really do need to clean up my wardrobe.

I went to work at 10pm and the place was already hectic. My bar upstairs was even packed with drunkards. The 6 hours I worked was the worst and time went the quickest. Because the Bar/Venue Manager was leaving he was drunk off his face and there was no management on our hectic night.

One of the bussys were leaving too (the guys that deal with the glasses and stock) - so I was left isolated upstairs as the other one worked on the downstairs. It was stressful. I kept running out of glasses and alcohol - even juice and fruits and to have to keep running down and either yelling at them and getting it myself got me highly strained.

It was such high capacity that I was already on my toes. One of the manager's ex-girlfriend and I gave her free drinks yet she was so ungrateful. She vomited all over my counter and down my arm. She screamed at me to get some napkins as we had run out and I told her - so she was like, "JUST F**KING GIVE ME ANYTHING!!*

So I told her I had a tea towel but I wipe the bar down with that but she said she didn't care. She wiped all her vomit on it and then screamed out, "YUCK, THIS IS F**KING DISGUSTING, DEENA! IT'S WET!" and threw the vomit infused towel at my face.

I was so abhorred, and the customers around were disgusted at her behaviour too. To be honest, I felt humiliated. So that pissed me off.

Then few minutes later, this guy was throwing profanity all over the place at me because I had run out of basic things like corona, vodka, glasses... So instead of waiting for the bussy to magically appear with my stock, I went downstairs. On the way down, these two guys that were annoying me before, pinned me up against a blind spot wall.

They both pinned me, and just felt me up with their unethical hands - I was yelling and telling them to stop but all I remember was them just trying to crane my neck to either kiss me and the other one telling me to kiss him etc. etc. I finally ran out and ran down the stairs (actually I just jumped off the side of the stairs to just escape).

I was trying to collect myself as best as possible, and instead of asking my colleagues "PASS ME THE GLASSES" I just looked at my boss and reiterated, "I need a break. I need a break. I need a break!"

He told me to ask my manager so I asked him. But he was so intoxicated he didn't hear me out properly, he just told me off for asking at such an inappropriate busy time. I understood where he was coming from, but that was my last straw. I hadn't even been able to go to the toilet for 5 hours yet alone thoroughly wash the vomit off my arm.

So, I bubbled up in tears - for about 15 seconds, not even long enough for the tears to escape but long enough for my boss and manager to realise something happened. Of course, I didn't have the guts to tell them. I felt demoralised and weak and telling them would've just scattered my hold on myself. So I just trotted back up to work.

Bleh, it was a crap night. I got moved downstairs after it got a little quieter and I felt better so I told everyone what had happened, briefly.

Pathetic, I am.

Yawn

Friday was boring so I'll leave it out. I had a meeting - then work and work.

Owner

My friend - actually I don't really know what to call him because he baby sat me since I was 12 and acted like a big brother to me all these years. Now, that I am older, the age difference seems to have shrunken and it'd be babyish to call him like my babysitter/brother but for me it is strange to call him just a friend. I have always been his pet monkey and he has been my owner, so I'll leave it at that.

Josh is getting married in July, and I'm flying back home for that. We haven't really talked lately, for good reason - he's extremely busy planning all the details. But he did drop a note the other day, a very old note. He found an e-mail he sent me 5 years ago and thought he would do a refresher.

Your talents are flourishing and have always shined at those around you. But you always seem to lack confidence in yourself. It is good to see you be humble, and allow yourself room for improvement, but never think that you're not good enough. When we lack confidence and feel what we have done is not worthy, we must question ourselves: "What then is good?" "To who are we trying to prove ourselves to?" "Who are we comparing ourselves to?" "why do we have to aim so high?" It is important for you to see that we should only be doing something because we realli do enjoy it. And we improve because we want to. Because we want to see ourselves grow, and reach our limits. Not to prove to anyone, anything. Because we and you should know, that we always have someone to support us, that will care and love us for whatever we have tried our best to achieve. That are what friends and family are for. There may be times that ppl we don't know, or outsiders that may criticize us. But why should we care what they think? It is part of life that no one can satisfy everyone, and thus we should ignore those outsiders. But now, it is time for you to grow and to start loving your own talents and your own voice. As a friend, i say you have a great voice. And as an outsider, i say you have a FUCKING AWESOME VOICE! lolz. And to the many ppl i have shown our songs to, all has commented that your voice was great. It is now up to you, to believe in yourself. I, the band, and your family has no expectations of you. We just honestly hope you find something you enjoy, be it your musical talents, your voice, your creativity, your art, and that you can try your best and fly without burdens towards your skyless limits.

He has always been a saving grace through all my murky, turbulent waters. Actually, he was the one who invested the little passion of music in me. I can't wait to see him again!
Photo from January 31, 2010

ANYWAY, I went shopping and bought two mattress protectors - a good brand and a cheap one. I plan to let the cheap one kiss the dirty, old mattress, and then the good one on top and then my Egyptian cotton 400 thread count discounted bed sheet on top!
I also quickly visited the bankruptcy huge book store chain, Borders - and WOW the sales are going out fast, check out these photos! I ended up buying a greeting card, and two books - a thriller fiction novel and a diving book.


I cleaned one side of the mattress with an upholstery cleaner, and gosh that took me longer than I thought. And man, that mattress has gone through a lot and I don't understand how. The edges are clipped badly.

Crates

I went into the city then caught a tram out to my new place. I quickly popped into the grocery store to buy windex (but the cheaper version which I regret as it leaves streaks) and paper towels. I got home and started wiping down the windows, and cleaning what I could outside.

The windows were hectic outside, and I cleaned up all the sills. I also cleaned the door to the balcony. All this took longer than I thought, probably because I was tip toeing around the place as I hadn't vacuumed up the foam from the carpet cleaner yet.

I went back into the city and hitched a ride home with Chris. I watched tv and cooked a random concoction of chicken for dinner - it was actually quite yummy! I just slapped onions, diced chicken, garlic, ginger and butter in the whole shibang.

After my routine television show of Masterchef, I grabbed my floor cleaner, mop, went to the shops to get an upholstery cleaner and creaming soda for my roommate.

The person who used to live in my room had took home the vacuum so I was doomed with no vacuum and stuck with a foamy room. So I called help from my security guard, Mohabs who lived 8 minutes away. I am so thankful for him! I said hello and stole his vacuum, mopped the balcony, vacuumed up the place and went on a hunt.
This was my rat bag pleading face to get Chris to help me. Can you see that I only got sunburnt on my nose from the Whitsundays so I look like a mouse?

Dun dun duuuuun, for milk crates. Yes, milk crates are going to be the foundation to my make shift bed. I took 10 from Chris' work, found 5 near my new place, I asked the petrol station to take 2 (but I ended up taking 3) and then I saw 3 stacked by a milk bar but because there was a camera - I just took one.

So in one day, we found 19 milk crates which was pretty good. I was expecting the task to be a lot more challenging. We didn't take anymore because I still don't know what bed size I'm going to get. Now I'll need to scrub them clean and go on a hunt for bargain mattresses.

Social Commentary

I met up with AJ and went to our new place to grab the keys off my new roommate Raph. I was so indecisive about what room I wanted - I was juggling between a weirdly shaped room with a long ass balcony or a square room with a little bit bigger of a wardrobe. There were pros and cons for each room and as I tittle tattled back and forth going "Hmm" and "Ahhh" - I decided that this move was about harnessing my dead inner creativity orb.

That meant the room with the balcony. Even though there's a New York foyer and a balcony on the second floor, having my own private balcony could mean endless thought trains, romantic moon sightings and make out sessions (I'M TOTALLY JOKING - I just couldn't think of a third advantage to complete my English triple).

But with this balcony room, the previous tenant was a scum. He left cigarette butts on the carpet, unexplainable brown stains on the floor and scuffs and scratches everywhere. I remember the first time I went into this room - it smelled like old socks. I was a little more relieved that it no longer smelled like that but I didn't want to live in someone else's grime.

Afterwards, I caught a train to Quinton's and we quickly jammed and filmed our "Circle" song. It took us about 5 takes - either the camera zoomed up on us too much, I slurred and tripped over my words, Quinton would forget our song arrangement etc. But we finally got it good enough to JUST presentable.

I went home and watched my beloved TV shows. Oh my new place doesn't have a TV - WHAT DO I DO?

I went back over to my new humble abode, and got to business. Oh yeah, I bought surface cleaners and carpet cleaners. Chris helped me out and we scrubbed the walls, the door, the wardrobe, the dusty window sills and then shampooed the carpet. The can only lasted me half the room so I'm going to have to do the rest today unfortunately!

Then I looked at beds at IKEA and found that the cheapest solution (Raph has a double bed mattress for me) for a bed frame was this dodgy $39 toothpick assemble:

I was on a budget so it was either do something with this or think of something else. And with Kevin and I's great mind alikeness - we thought of something else, but I'll tell you all later.

Bye Whitsunday

I was sad to leave. We all woke up and checked out of the motel. We booked a taxi to the airport and were on our merry way. We had breakfast at the airport then hopped onto the plane.

I was trying to read a traveller's guide because after visiting Whitsundays which was just a backyard to Brisbane (where I lived for 12 years yet I never visited) I woke up to the realisation that I am not seeing the beautiful land of Australia and I am eager to run a bout.

My next stop is either Cairns or Perth - I'll wait for Tasmania to warm up a little before I take a visit. I tried to read the book for about an hour and gave up to sleep.

We went to the car and went home. Chris went by to the shops to get lunch ingredients and Carlos and I exchanged photos. We also tried to find other beaches in the world that had pure silica sand and apparently Whitehaven is the only one!

We made nachos and then hung out. Carlos went home and I went to get ingredients for dinner. I decided to try and make Potato & Leek Soup to warm up the Melbourne winter weather.

Airlie

I was the only intro diver left that wanted to go for the fourth dive, which luckily meant that I could go along with the certified divers (deeper and longer)!


It was 7 am, and it was cold. I did my backwards roll out of the boat and the water hit me. Surprisingly it was quite a comforting temperature. I was experienced by this time and the only thing that struck a little fear out of me was the fact that this time, our location was in open water. I wasn't near beach, I wasn't near a bay - I was just randomly in the middle of the ocean.

Me and sleepy turtle

I dove deeper and deeper to still only see blue waters, until I was near the floor and saw the standings of huge coral castles. Open water called for more space I guess, and the vastness of these corals were fantastic. I think this area was called Langford reef or spit. I swam like a dolphin as my buttocks and thighs hurt from normal kicking.
A little grumpy


It was early enough to catch a turtle awakening from its sleep on coral bed. I could barely see the turtle until it opened its eyes to peer at me. I was in awe. Everyone wanted to catch a sight of a wild turtle in its waters and I was the lucky few. I hovered near its great aura and moved on. I saw sea slugs that looked like colours of candy. The coral astonished me so much that I actually said "HOLY SHIT" under water to only get a response of sea water filling up my mouth. I saw a small shark species that bury themselves into the ground to camouflage.


I didn't want to get out but the air tanks were running low so I was taken out of my little sea empire. I dried off and then we all chilled as the boat roared back to shore. We had breakfast and I caught sight of dolphins far away jumping up and down.

Crazy dude

I didn't want to leave but two hours later, we were back at Abel Point Marina. We said bye to everyone and headed back to have lunch. We craved fish and chips - the good kind - so we heard from locals where a good fish and chips joint was. I didn't order barramundi as the Mama's Boys Restaurant still scarred my mind. I had John Dory and chips.
After two days of no reception


Afterwards we strolled through the Airlie Markets, where the boys bought me an Australian Queensland Boulder opal necklace. Its going to remind me where my home is at now.

Beach combing

We set up camp by the shady beach. Carlos went to sleep for 3 hours and I went on a hunt to get my shot glass souvenir. Curious cat came out to play and I spent hours looking through the sand, rocks and mud for creatures and coral. There were HEAPS of little hermits, mud crabs and fishes. I mucked around with the seagulls and the mud got me a few times as it sucked up my thongs and feet.
I brought this dead crabby back to sleepy Carlos


As the Whitsunday Islands are a protected national park, I dared not take any beach combing souvenir so instead I took the opportunity at Airlie to find some rare, washed up beauties from the Great Barrier Reef. I found the coolest piece of sun bleached coral and it fed my desire for bigger and better. We found the biggest dead clam shell thing and fantasised that there would be a pearl inside and as we peered in, a HUGE MUDCRAB plopped out to scare us all!
I put pyjama pants on top because it was chilly hahaha

Sea bald patch

I ended up finding a miniature coral castle that made me super happy, what made me not so super happy was the dead worm inside. There was also a half alive crab wedged in a crevice. Carlos fetched it out and left it on the ground. I didn't want to touch it but I hate purposely killing things so I made Chris bring it back to the ocean.
Sea waves

Sea oil and a mosquito bite under my eye

The boys went to get beer as I still had wine leftover, and we walked past a hidden stone grill place right around the corner from the shitty Mama's Boys restaurant. We were SO ANGRY because in Melbourne stone grill dining is about 70 bucks while here was just 20 bucks, AND we also spent about 20 bucks per dish at Mama's Boys on our first night at Airlie.


We decided to share a rump steak stone grill between the 3 of us in ten minutes before we had to run to the bus stop. We hopped on the bus and cried goodbyes.

The bus had a half hour break so I ate a chocolate bar and found the ugliest creature that I have ever seen. I don't even know what its close to looking like, it had a point like a scorpion, a body like a fat cockroach and the colour of white paint. It had trouble walking through grass and looked clumsy. Uggughhh makes me shiver, it was huge! The photo doesn't justify its size but it was the size of my forefinger!


We finally got to Mackay, walked to a pizza shop and ordered two large gourmet pizzas. A New Orleans pizza that had potato, chicken, sweet chilli sauce, cajun spices and a Pear, Blue Cheese and Walnut pizza.


We caught a taxi to our motel, and had the most epic shower as we cleaned the grime and sea salt off. We watched Man vs. Wild then River Monsters with Jeremy Wade where he goes on a hunt for sawfish. Surprisingly, he goes deep into the territories of Australia to find the vanishing species. For how vicious they could be, I have never ever ever heard of sawfish existing in Australia! For those who don't know what they are, they look like this:

Does anyone know what this ugly mystery is?

Carlos zonked out from his beers and snored so loud all night. Chris and I had huge troubles sleeping and I was woken up multiple times throughout the night. Thanks for the music, Carlos.