The Work - Life Balance Battle

Last week I told you all about my adventure in the rat race. I may have gone beyond the rat race. This is what I thought as I was catching the train home at about 8pm on Friday evening with people all dressed up and heading out for the night. *sigh*, that used to be me....

Anyhoo, got me thinking about the work - life IMbalance in my life at the moment. I tried to get a friend of mine a job with me, but she declined because she chose life. Many thought she was crazy to turn the offer down, myself included. BUT after a bit of a rough week - I stopped and realised I was living on 6 hrs sleep  again, drinking a can of V in the morning, skipping meals, not getting outside, not moving or exercising as much as I'd like and my eyes hurt from staring at a computer screen for 10 hours a day in a fluorescent lit office. Doesn't sound healthy does it? It's not!

So to fight back at work and try and swing some more life into the mix I did get out to The Comedy Store last Thursday, a movie on Saturday and a birthday party on Saturday night.

The Comedy Store - my cuz invited me along to a night of comedy. Exhausted from work, I decided I needed a laugh and amazingly managed to get out of the office in time to make it to an 815pm show. Can you believe this was my first time at The Comedy Store?? I have lived about 10 mins drive away for  the last 8 years and worked with comedians who perform there regularly for the last 5 years. So I really had no excuse. I digress -  A great night, lots of laughs with some new up and coming Aussie comedians and thrilled to see my friend Anthony Salame on the stage. I have seen him perform many times now but enjoy it every time. It's great seeing people doing what they love.

Beginners
A film by Mike Mills. A lovely drama about life, death, art and love. No explosions or special effects but a beautiful film with a quality cast and script. I miss these films sometimes.

The Eastern Hotel
I love the upstairs cocktail bar here. I celebrated my marriage AND my divorce here. A friend's 40th birthday. An absolutely wonderful guy in a room full of family and friends from all different areas of his life. It's a monumentous occaision. I can only hope that I will be able to fill a room with as many people when I celebrate my 40th.

Your homework assignment for the week - I suggest you look at your own life and think about whether you are truly happy. Coz, ultimately that's all we really want, isn't it? If you find your work - life balance a little out of whack (like mine has been lately), DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!!
Good advice - now I just have to apply it to myself and decide which path I should take.

Thanks to Clair for inspiring this weeks topic.

RAT RACE

This week I joined the public transport Rat Racers of Sydney.

Monday morning I was up bright and early and up to the bus stop, bus to the train station and then a train to "the office".  I have not used PT regularly for at least 5 years.

I was so excited on Monday and couldn't understand why everyone looked so miserable. Is no one happy? Ok, given it is 7:43 in the morning. Newspapers, books, ipods, i phones, ipads, (Apple - you have changed our lives!) applying your morning make up or just snoozing, BUT no one talks to each other. It's just the way it is! Despite the fact many of these people probably see each other every day of the week a the same time in the same place. 

I love that my train trip takes me across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge. I used to do this commute years ago and while everyone else has their heads buried in their own little world I look out to the harbour and smile to  myself.  I have a job in my chosen profession , I live in Sydney and it's a nice day. That's  a hell of a lot more than some people can say so I consider myself very lucky and I think we all need to remind ourselves of that from time to time.

By Friday (or possibly sooner) the novelty had worn off a bit. I drove 1 day, that was even worse due to the lack of parking available and Friday I was running around with a few cab charges - which was good on the transport side, but somehow allowed SO many other things in to zap my spirit. The 10 hr days had me travelling home in the dark which makes it harder to see the beautiful harbour. Instead I popped on my headphones and blended with everyone else. 

The plan is to move offices pretty soon to somewhere with parking. I am very much looking forward to that day. But for now its back to the PT rat race for me tomorrow! If you see me - come say HI, it'll put a smile on both our faces.

I tried to take a break...

What a week!!! I started a new job!

MONDAY - meeting # 1, it goes well.
TUESDAY - send resume to #2, quick response. No word from #1. late in the day #2 wants my references and #1 wants me to do some free prep work and meet with crew tomorrow.
WEDNESDAY - meet with Crew #1 while #2 is trying to get me to come in for a meeting. #3 emails me. - It never rains, it pours!! - i kinda like it that way.
THURSDAY - meet with #2. not 1/2 an hour after walking out of their office I have an offer on the table. I need to make the AWKWARD call to #1 backing out of an undocumented non-binding verbal agreement. #3 barely got a look in as it was a love job.
FRIDAY - start work at #2.
SATURDAY - morning meeting for my personal project with my selected crew - SO exciting but can't tell you about it...yet.

That sounds a bit harsh but to put it in perspective:  #1 was a 2 week low budget project, #3 was a 2 day freebie project and #2 sees me selling out to the  corporate world by signing onto an 8 month contract with a  commercial mainstream project.
I was hoping #2 would start up right after #1 - it would have been terrific if I could fit them all in but sometimes things clash and you are forced to make a choice. I'm glad I had some friends to talk to about it all because although I have made it sound simple above, it was an odd choice for me to make. I have always been one to run away from stability and permanency and the # 1 project was set to be a lot of fun and with some guys that I love working with. I did make the right choice -  despite it being a slight side step to my career it's definitely a step forward too. It also means I can start looking at getting a new car, or redoing the kitchen, or an OS holiday next year, or maybe a scooter....

That was my week, along with a house guest, a movie night with too much popcorn (Horrible Bosses), a dinner out (Bananapalm Vietnamese Restaurant).
NO wonder I am too tired to get my ass out of the house on a Saturday night that I promised I would go out dancing with girlfriends.  I just don't want to be hungover tomorrow coz I have so much to do!!!!!
Got a few things on the go right now and I'm gonna do them all - Gotta love being busy.

Happy Father's Day

I was going to go with POLITICS AND POWERTRIPS as a cool title for this week but politics makes me hesitate in posting what I actually wrote.

It started with -

Office politics is bullshit! This is why I don’t like working in offices

There is a thing called tact – which some people don’t seem to have.

It was inspired by a work function I attended but the drama of that night was soon superseeded by a lovely family dinner celebrating my Father's 70th Birthday.

And being Father's day today I thought this was more appropriate and way better karma for me too.

Just a small dinner for 50 of my parents friends and family and an AMAZING chinese banquet at Marigold restaurant in Sydney - Suckling pig, sang chow bau, lobster, steamed fish, abalone, chicken, scallops, shark's fin soup and more -  I can't remember it all coz I was food coma full about half way through the meal.

I don't see my extended family often these days and have always felt like the black sheep that didn't quite fit. Then I sat and enjoyed a glass of wine with 2 of my aunts. WOW what an education! I was hearing about all sorts of things I never knew, and had never dared to ask. What my dad was like when he was young, how my aunt met my uncle, the scandal of divorce in the 60's and lots of other family gossip.
 I finally felt that maybe I do fit in with this family.

They say a girl looks for a partner with similar characteristics to her father. I think about my past ex's and understand why they didn't last - I am single coz no one can beat my Dad!