Week in Review

I've had another busy week but it's four more days until I'm "on holiday" and five until I leave for Adelaide so it's not too long to go now. It's also ten days until my best friend, Harri, arrives in Australia from South Africa. We're both beside ourselves with excitement that we decided to start a little travel blog as a record of our adventures. It's been almost two years since we last saw each other in person and as much as I'd like to say, "time flies when you're having fun", when it comes to not seeing Harri for two years, it feels like it!


On Thursday I started at my second industry training placement. Until the end of January I will be working in the banquets department of a hotel. It's a lot smaller (and a lot more disorganised) than I'm used to but it's great to know what I'm doing.


On  Thursday night I went to the staff, end of year party. The theme was Christmas. Original isn't it? You wouldn't think so but two of my friends went all out:

Any excuse to wear a Speedo right?

It actually turned out to be a fantastic night. I didn't particularly want to go (my dislike of "clubbing culture" is well documented) but I had a lot of fun. It's all about the people you're with I guess. I'm so glad I have a great group of friends in Canberra.

My family left on a long road trip to Adelaide yesterday. The house is so quiet! I'm looking forward to joining them on Friday though! I'll only be working one day this week so the rest will be spent preparing for my three weeks off! 

Week in Review

This week, I lived at night time. Each of my shifts from Monday through to Thursday were night shifts. It was an intense but incredible week and as my last "official" week at my current placement, I didn't want it to end. Even when I was driving home from work at 5am. (Okay, maybe a little bit when I was driving home at 5am...)


So what events did I work on this week? Two formals and two military graduations. At one formal, I found myself asking a "too cool to move" eighteen year old to "turn off" his cigarette which made me look awfully uncool, much to the amusement of his friends.


As much as I love a man in uniform, Thursday night's graduation was outrageous. I was serenaded by two, very drunk graduates, verbally abused when I refused alcohol service of the same two graduates later in the evening and I may or may not have politely asked one graduate to remove the fairy lights that he had wrapped around himself. "Hospitality is about making other people feel at home when you really wish they were" is a mantra I tend to repeat on nights like those.


On Friday I was told that I could spend Christmas with my family in Adelaide as I had originally intended and I'm so grateful. It's going to be a great holiday, when it gets here.

My dad enforces the rule that we can only decorate the tree on the "first day of Christmas" which, according to the song, is not the first of December but the twelfth. So, while everyone else's tree has been up for a while ours went up this weekend. As all family projects tend to be, this one was utter chaos. Six children (yes, my eighteen year old sister and I count as children in this situation),a toddler, a dad with a camera and a grumpy mom that got grumpier by the minute meant fun was had by all.


A great week it was.

Week in Review

This week my baby sister turned eleven years old. I cannot believe that it has been eleven years since the night I woke up to find my dad holding the ever beautiful Dee. We went shopping together on Saturday and it was wonderful to spend time together. We don't connect on an intellectual level at the moment but time together is still worthwhile. 

I planned for my best friend's trip to Australia this week. Today marks twenty fours days until she arrives and I don't think it's possible to be more excited. 

Otherwise, work consumed me this week but that's nothing out of the ordinary. Christmas parties and school formals are in the works and conference delegates are more difficult than usual. I think it's just that time of year. Everyone is irritable, tired and ready for a holiday. I know I am. I have one week left at my current placement until I move onto my next one. My plan is to make this last week count.

Week in Review

This week was a busy week, if I do say so myself. I spent Monday afternoon in Manly. I visited one of my closest friends from uni and my beautiful college. I miss it a lot and I didn't realise how much until I went back. I think what I miss the most is the freedom I have in Sydney, I feel confined living in Canberra, but more about that another day.

I managed to see everyone that matters and it was a lovely day. On Monday night I made dinner for two wonderful people and then we sat up for hours talking, debating and watching youtube videos of dancing. It was a great day.

Manly at Sunset

While I was waiting for my ferry from Circular Quay to Manly I discovered that my all time favourite photographer, Annie Leibovitz, is exhibiting her life's work at the Museum of Contemporary Art. I'm ecstatic. It's an exhibit I've wanted to see for ages. I'm going to take my best friend when she comes to Australia in December.

A Leibovitz work of Art

On Tuesday, I caught the early bus back to Canberra for my sister's formal. She's all grown up and finished school and she dressed up to celebrate. I did her hair and makeup and she looked awesome. A non-biased opinion of course. I also worked at her formal which was fun. I think that I was probably more excited about that than she was. The inspiration for this hairstyle was taken from Martha Stewart dot com. 

My sister

On Thursday I worked at a White Ribbon Foundation Luncheon hosted by Andrew O'Keefe. The man is exactly as he appears to be on television: friendly, smiling and funny. His obnoxious laugh is delightful. This advertisement for White Ribbon Day has to be the best advertisement of the year.

Week in Review

In an attempt to record the important aspects of life I've decided that a Week in Review post is appropriate. I'll write it every Sunday morning and it'll reflect the various important events of my week.


First up, after a frustratingly long amount of time, I finally got my P plates. Yes I'm twenty. Yes I can only drive in a car by myself now. But between moving between two countries and again between two states I just haven't had the time. I'm free as a bird now and I'm ecstatic!

I looked after my very first event on Monday and Tuesday. It was a small function for sixty five people but I was the point of call for manager and client and everyone was happy with my work. The whole experience reminded me of my reason for the wanting to work in this industry - it was pure exhilaration - and I loved it. 


I watched the first installment of the last Harry Potter film on Thursday at Midnight. A one word description? Awesome.


I booked bus tickets to and from Sydney. I leave tomorrow morning and will return on Tuesday. I haven't seen Sydney for nearly three months! I can't believe I planned to visit at least once a month. I didn't realise how much my life would be consumed by work. I'm looking forward to seeing my friends.

Last night I worked on the bar for the first time. I ended up smelling like beer but it was fun. I prefer working on the floor though. I didn't really feel a part of the event. It was a Christmas party (the first of many I'm sure).