A sad day for Australia

While I am not necessarily a political person, I am extremely disappointed with what's happening in the Australian government right now. Yes, I was one of those people that voted Kevin Rudd in - I don't think there's a problem with that. However, I'm not necessarily a Labor supporter.

Growing up, my parents always preached about the importance of taking an interest in politics as politicians are the ones who shape our nation. They were stout Democrat supporters but never pushed their beliefs onto my sister and I. While I used to like what the Democrats stood for, I haven't heard much from them lately (hence the vote for Ruddy).

I am extremely disappointed that the Labor Party would out a leader who was so far ahead of the Liberals. While I definitely don't support all the policies the party has implemented, I voted for Ruddy as head of the Labor Party because I thought he would be the better person for the job.

Don't get me wrong - I am extremely happy that we have a female Prime Minister at long last. However, I am not a supporter of Julia Gillard after the MySchools debacle. I do not support transforming our kids into statistics from the NAPLAN test results. I do not support the bullying and intimidation that the party showed towards the Teacher's Union after the lack of consultation with the Education departments over the MySchools website.

However, I am in a tricky position. I dislike Tony Abbott tremendously. I think if he was elected as Prime Minister, our country would be transformed into a nanny state. Workchoices would be back (with an obvious name change) and we would all be forced into individual contracts. With Julia Gillard at the helm of the Labor Party, I think the Liberals will be voted in because the voting public wouldn't have the trust in the Labor Party anymore.

I hate this as a teacher because the Education department will only sign teachers up during the school term. That means we're unemployed during holidays, hence no pay. While many people believe teaching is an easy job because we work 9 - 3 with lots of holidays, it is definitely not like that. Holidays are the times where we have to plan, mark, write assessment items, and generally catch up with stuff we haven't had time to do during the school term. Teachers are required to get to school at 7am, and don't leave the school until well after 5pm most days. There are staff meetings, extra curricular activities, bus duties, departmental meetings, year meetings, plus professional development days. We don't get paid for these things. If individual contracts are brought in, there is the chance that some teachers won't plan during holidays, meaning that kids won't get the best education, and won't meet key standards for life. This is a huge worry for me as a passionate teacher.

How are you all feeling about the change of leadership?

I'm having one of those weeks. You know the ones - where nothing goes right or takes 3 times as long to get right. I had a few days where it just too much and I wanted to hide under my blanket until I could do things without dropping them/making mistakes/crying/pulling my hair out.

G wanted to cheer me up (since I've had a spate of bad news lately) and suggested we do some wedding planning. Even wedding planning didn't cheer me up! Admittedly we're at the stage where there is still so much to do but we don't know where to start! I've got to decide on our table centrepieces in the next few weeks......without knowing how many tables there will be. Eek! For someone who is extremely visual, choosing something without seeing it exactly how it will be and from 3000 different angles is VERY difficult. Or maybe it's just because I'm a perfectionist. I'm sure G will go with that one.

I am such a perfectionist that I can't leave anything until I think it's perfect. It means EVERYTHING takes me forever to do. It also means I have 3000 lists laying around the house because I do not function without a List. I write things on my Lists that I have already completed, just so I can tick things off. However, I am also a perfectionist when it comes to my Lists. I have to write them neatly and in a certain order. For Lists that will take longer to complete, they have to be on pretty paper. For day-to-day ones, they just have to be written neatly in my List Notebook (yes, I have one). G writes things...sorry, scrawls things all over the page and it REALLY. ANNOYS. ME. I cannot function with these lists. In fact, they are not Lists.

This is going to be part of G's vows for our wedding:

I promise to try to write neatly, and compile usable lists. I understand how you love lists and because I love you, I will love lists.

This is going to be part of my vows:

I promise to accept your lists and try not to correct your spelling.

Compromise? I hope so!

Books!

I may be completely behind the times with this, but I'm currently loving "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson. This is the main reason I haven't posted in a few days - I've been locked in the book!

My friend, T, has been urging me to read this series ever since she finished it. I bought the three of them from Book Depository (American site here, and English site here) for $24....for all three! (If you haven't been to this site, RUN, don't walk, as the prices are so much cheaper than Australia).

It was hard to get into at the start, which I knew about since T warned me. Once you get into the mystery, it is extremely hard to put down. Parts of it are a bit gruesome, and had me triple checking that I'd locked all the doors, but well worth reading.

You'd like this series if you like:

• Minette Walters (another of my favourites)
• James Patterson
• Alexander Mcall Smith
• Elizabeth George
• Agatha Christie
• Peter Hoeg (another Swedish writer who wrote "Smilla's Sense of Snow")

It got me thinking about what books are on my wish list to read.

• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
• The Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld (since I read Prep - I wanted to see if he/she was as bad a writer as I thought!)
• Dear John by Nicholas Sparks (I don't particularly like his writing style, but I like a good soppy book every once in a while).
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding (I can't believe I got through high school without reading this one).
• Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (since so many Voguettes have recommended it)
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
• The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

What books are on your wish list?

Dark and stormy

View from my house this morning. Please excuse the old market umbrella - we can't find any new covers for it!

Arghalsdjf. That is what I'm like this morning. Very unmotivated to do anything.....including work. Pretty sure I have to do that.

Inspired by Kiki Chaos (blog here) and Faux Fuchsia (super fabulous VISIONARY blog here) who manage to see positives in a day/month full of negatives, I have decided to write a note of gratitude to help me see the sunnier side of the day despite the grey and rainy clouds above Brisbane.

Dear Coffee,

Thank you so much for making me pleasant in the mornings. You know how much I hate getting out of bed, so you help me to it. It's very nice of you to let G make you for me every morning when he gets up - this shows proper breeding. I'm sure my friends, family, and co-workers sing your praises every morning because you make me a much nicer person.

We should do coffee soon.

Miss J

xxx

ps: you're actually making me eat less food which is helping me to fit into the DRESS TO END ALL DRESSES. Very lovely of you.

What is everyone else grateful for today?