4 days to go!

The countdown is til I move back to my normal office.  It’s all very uncertain, as I’ve applied for another role (not at my normal office location, this time, south, but with a car as part of the package).  So I’m not sure if this will be a short term stop over or part of a longer ‘settling back in’.  In any case, I’m not regretting turning down the promotion ‘up north’.  I still woke today, dreading the commute.  I still cursed the sweatiness hustling to not miss my train.  And I cursed again as I got home 12 hours since I’d left, knowing I have yet more hours to work to get some time off for a funeral on Friday.

2015 Random 002
Oh I went to the zoo… this is a seal

 

All I can hope is this move in work will mean a more regular return to blogging! Though I note other professional women amongst my readership have slowed down blogging too, which makes me feel foolish to boast having more time!  Thanks for making me feel normal, in my irregular posting, Lucinda, Fiona and Amanda – Dar & Laura you put us all to shame, what IS your secret?

2015 Random 005
Sunday brunch view (Scarborough beach, WA)

 

Outside of work, I spent four days in Perth with the BF last weekend… it was totally last minute (as in, the flight disappeared from being sold online within the time I was looking at it!)  It was an expensive last minutes decision, but critical to my mental health, so I’m glad I did it.  The BF spent the remainder of the week in Perth, so I ‘stayed over’ with my empty nester parents much to their delight.  Of course, they spoilt me, with breakfast (fruit salad, yoghurt and toast) set out for me.  And waking me gently rather than an alarm.  And dropping me at the station, or picking me up from the airport during peak hour.  So I felt like a special someone for a little while, which was just what I needed.

FullSizeRender_2
See, we surfed!

 

I’ve totally forgot to share my embarrassing surfing lesson photos with you – I have to more lessons to look like a pro (and lose 10kg I’ve gained of late!)  Still, it was a fun and exhausting work out.  And the weather was far nice that the picture, but it did turn at the end, and lovely at the start 😀  A cyclone or two have delayed me from going back the past two weekends.  But I did pilates in the park, and a run, a first in a long time.  My body is screaming, let me assure you!

How are y’all?

Push has come to shove

So… work:

This week marked my six month anniversary of being a manager of my team of six in northern Sydney.  And at the end of the week, I was offered the opportunity to make the management role permanent.

Ironic – as I didn’t apply for the role.  I applied for advertisement for six roles at the same level, at three locations, one being where I’ve been working.  Like other applicants, I opted for the locations that suited me.  Alas, it seems like no one *read* that part.

The informal story is – I wasn’t meritorious enough to get the role in location I preferred.  Interestingly, that means I’m offered something I didn’t ask for.

Truth be told, this was the most probable of the scenarios I’d envisioned!

source
source

My loyal readers, you’ll recall my first foray into management, titled I’m not ready for management. (which I followed with this post, and this). That was just a YEAR ago.

My first foray was a short six week period.  Then I went into acting as a Senior Engineer, with no staff reporting to me, but a higher pay scale and added responsibilities (like formal disciplinary interviews and ethics training).  As the restructure continued to unfurl, I was moved to a more northern location, for what I saw as a short term stop gap for the business.  And exactly six months, almost to the day, the applications are submitted, the interviews are completed, and the offers are imminent (I’m lead to believe I have a jump on those?!)

But true to my word then, and now.  It’s not right for me.

What I do know is, I CAN be a manager.  I have valuable skills beyond my first few years in the section, where I was a paperwork machine.  I can track and manage progress on any number of fronts.  I can empathetically support staff, all but one, older than me, and the complexity of humans and their lives – difficult pregnancies, ill partners, children with ongoing health concerns, staff with health issues!  I’ve balanced the responsiveness needed for our section, against a team with all their competing personal needs.  And, I’d like to say, we’ve *killed* it.  Myself included, we came to form a section with about 3 years COMBINED of experience in the skills in the portfolio.  That’s basically saying we built from the ground up.

I've been on both sides of the fence now. source
I’ve been on both sides of the fence now. source

I’ve learnt to balance, and come to enjoy, the commitments beyond managing my team.  I sit of a few committees, and despite my relative youth, I come to feel I have something to offer.  I have a strong understanding of what ‘my people’ do, and how to relate that to people rolling out new technology.  Or the committee who drafts the ‘Rules’.  And on a committee when I work to implement legislation that’s neigh on impossible to implement in the financial climate, but alas, due to the Black Saturday Bushfires, we must do, and without a moment of delay.  Through all these, I’ve exposed myself to far more people than ever before, and I have a far greater understanding of all the moving parts of the business. I am gobsmacked to find the level below the COO, knows my name in a meeting.  Gosh the COO “reply all” to an email, and I was CCed in, just this morning (yes, Saturday!).  I feel like saying no now isn’t the end of my future.  Maybe I’ll be wrong.  But I’m confident in myself and my value, to this business.  And if not to this business, I now trust I can add value elsewhere.

Strange side note – I was searching my COO, and his linkedin profile shows he did a MBA (only recently) in a very prestigious French institute.  And he did his undergraduate degree where I did… Well there you go!

What are your thoughts?

The 30th Birthday Dinner Party

This was the party to end all parties.  It had every element I could hope for, and of course, nothing I wouldn’t want.  You might recall a teaser post here.

The flowers all delivered
The flowers all delivered

The morning was frantic. I got a fake tan. Then for the two hours waiting for it to set, I finished my jigsaw puzzle, cause I was not packing it up half done!

Table all set!
Table all set!

I needed two additional tables, and one (nail biting-ly) only arrived at 3pm, thanks to some wonderful friends up the road!  You’ll notice I made meters upon meters of bunting as you can see in the background.

Isn't it pretty
Isn’t it pretty

I also had three friends arriving from interstate. Sadly I could only fit one in to stay here, and she arrived at the same time as the last table. Another guest helped out with picking up the three cakes at 4pm and dropping them by.  Sadly I forgot to take photographs of the cake 🙁

One was nutty, another was maple and apple, another chocolate.
One was nutty, another was maple and apple, another chocolate.
Oh, so these were bios of all my guests... save for two
Oh, so these were bios of all my guests… save for two

I knew not all my friends had met one another, as two came from school days, another two from my trips to Paris, and others from university. With this in mind, and a desire to ‘give back’ to my wonderful friends, each person had a small bio/highlight reel written up for them. I thought the early guests could ‘busy’ themselves finding the bio that matched them, but in the mean time, find out about other guests. On the other side of the card was their name. Inside the card, was their seat number. I’ve never been a seating plan gal, but I didn’t want new friends to feel like they had nothing in common with those around them, so I tried to socially engineer 😉

Entree was ravioli mmm
Entree was ravioli mmm

Everyone loved the entree… I thought I had enough white crockery borrowed from my parents and a friend, but alas, I forgot about the side plates… and I similarly was under resourced with tumblers and cutlery. Thankfully the caterers had some in their van, and luckily avoided those costs!

The chicken main
The chicken main

The best thing about catering were the two waiters who cleared everything and kept all the glasses filled.

The beef main
The beef main

There is nothing I like more than a sparkler, and for $5 I got 80! That was enough for us all to enjoy countless!

Let's get this sparkle started
Let’s get this sparkle started
My dad, isn't he lovely
My dad, isn’t he lovely
We're friends cause we share the excitement about the same things!
We’re friends cause we share the excitement about the same things!

I invited 16 guests to join me for a sit down dinner party in my home.  I got the event fully catered, with three canapes (or two, after decorating resulted in me upturning the dish of arancini balls!), one entree and alternate mains.  Then I bought three different cakes from Adriano Zumbo, a celebrity patisserie.

The birthday pinata
The birthday pinata

You’ll remember (or know) I’m not keen on stuff. Well, my brother and his girlfriend MADE me a 3 and a 0 pinata and filled it with candy. That’s an activity/experience combined with a consumable I love!

I don't look scary here
I don’t look scary here

They filled the pinata SO full they couldn’t hang it without it breaking the string, so my daring brother held it! Much to the amusement of my guests AND the neighbours and their guests who were also having a dinner on their facing balcony!

Hold on tight!
Hold on tight!

No event of mine would be complete without some craft.  Or with flowers.  And sparklers.  Oh how I love sparklers.

The other surprise arranged for me was a video tribute.  My friend had contacted my facebook ‘friend’ list, and perhaps even some of you bloggers! She asked for a short video, and she stitched together with facebook photos.  I was totally surprised, and had Dar from An Exacting Life come to life.  Interestingly, she was mistaken by my family by another Canadian friend we have!  An Israeli friend dialled in (and then there were embarrassing photos of us with mud on us from when I visited her!).

It was a wonderful evening, and pretty stress free thanks to the amazing caterers and help from friends and family.  I feel honoured to have such wonderful people around me, and that extends to my readers, who were duly talked about too!

The real birthday

This will be a two part series (can it really be a series with two parts?).  The real day of my birthday.  And the day of my party!

The birthday selfie - streaming TV whilst awaiting a GP appointment
The birthday selfie – streaming TV whilst awaiting a GP appointment

So, the real birthday started with a horrible cold.  That’s what a 15 hour flight with a sick mother will do to you!  The BF (unbeknownst to me) had planned a surprise night for me, and none of it had a contingency plan for be staying home from work in bed all day! I reassured him that I would be ok in the evening, but that I most certainly wasn’t going to work.

The menu
The menu

He’d hoped to pack a bag when I was at work, and take it with him to work.  He also planned to lay out an outfit and a note that said a car was picking me up at 7.10pm.  In reality, the bag packing happened when he got home from work (and dispatched me to the sofa).  I realised something was amiss when I was putting on my make up – the toothbrushes weren’t in the holder!  I am a detective!

Battered chicken wing - neither of us usually eat chicken wings, but agreed this was wonderful, and the garlic butter the perfect addition
Battered chicken wing – neither of us usually eat chicken wings, but agreed this was wonderful, and the garlic butter the perfect addition

Anyhow, he laid out my clothing, and a lovely black Audi picked us up, and whisked us to Rockpool, another three hatted restaurant like Aria and Quay where I’ve previously celebrated birthday dinners with family and friends.  Unrelated, Rockpool is one of my father’s clients.

Yum, but eclipsed by chicken wings served at the same time
Yum, but eclipsed by chicken wings served at the same time

There, we indulged in nine courses, which was one too many.  How?  Well, let’s just say the dessert wine made an appearance much later in the night… seems too many wines, plus cold and flu medication wasn’t ideal.

From memory, this is the dish I recall as the 'best'. The edamame puree against the crunch of the disc... mmm
From memory, this is the dish I recall as the ‘best’. The edamame puree against the crunch of the disc… mmm

After dinner, Rich walked/propped me up, and took me to the Sofitel, a short walk from Rockpool.  In the room was a lovely bunch of flower from Rich’s parents.  His mother stays at the Sofitel when she comes to Sydney, so it all seemed very well orchestrated.  The BF has of course ensured there was a FULL buffet breakfast.  Knowing me oh so well! Seems a hangover dampens my spirits for a buffet, but I did have a hash brown, pancakes, fruit, bircher museli… so I did put in a good effort!

Zushi, or sashimi or something.
Zushi, or sashimi or something.

I feel I need to keep writing, as I have more food photos…

Something... crispy skinned salmon perhaps? (see why I take a menu photo now?)
Something… crispy skinned salmon perhaps? (see why I take a menu photo now?)
Nice, but forgettable
Nice, but forgettable
Bread and butter. I know, I couldn't let it not get a photo!
Bread and butter. I know, I couldn’t let it not get a photo!
Silky chicken, which was black!
Silky chicken, which was black!
Again, cool but recollection hazy by this stage!
Again, cool but recollection hazy by this stage!
Mmmm, yummy stuff
Mmmm, yummy stuff
Salad... they evidently don't know us. Wine, yes they do!
Salad… they evidently don’t know us. Wine, yes they do!
Oh yes, too much wine selfie
Oh yes, too much wine selfie
mmm dessert
mmm dessert
And another dessert - with sweet potato in it. Pretty sure teh BF's was better
And another dessert – with sweet potato in it. Pretty sure teh BF’s was better
Food envy of the BF's chocolatey dessert
Food envy of the BF’s chocolatey dessert

The whole dinner was a complete surprise. We’d disagreed about spending some Christmas money on a ‘fancy dinner’ so I was touched that the BF would organise all this given he’s not as keen on fine dining. He even ate the seafood!

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Their famous fig tart

Any favourites?

Portland is funny

If only I had a need for a kids tent!
If only I had a need for a kids tent!
Cause I would be SO fit!
Cause I would be SO fit!
I love this idea - no waste!
I love this idea – no waste!

 

Donut stain glass..
Donut stain glass..
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hehehe

 

Creepy right?
Creepy right?
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If it wasn’t pink, the BF might have got one of these
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Again, too cute

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I promise, I will FIND time to post all about my FABULOUS birthday dinner on Saturday, and one blogger/reader friend who got in on the biggest secret surprise of all – wow, I was gob smacked.

Pretty stuff seen in the US

SF beauty
SF beauty
Target cushion - I want
Target cushion – I want
This was a window display, too cute to pass without a photo
This was a window display, too cute to pass without a photo
Toothpick art
Toothpick art
What a gorgeous day for a long walk
What a gorgeous day for a long walk
Salt & Shake bathroom - cool no? A former film theatre I think
Salt & Shake bathroom – cool no? A former film theatre I think
Schoolhouse Electric - a failed bus trip missed it on the outbound. But well worth the effort
Schoolhouse Electric – a failed bus trip missed it on the outbound. But well worth the effort
I'll take that all thanks!
I’ll take that all thanks!
I'd like the globe for a certain birthday party
I’d like the globe for a certain birthday party
Too cute... my terrarium has died :(
Too cute… my terrarium has died 🙁

You can buy this?

Surely these products don’t sell…

Well at least they make the healthy stuff look appealing
Well at least they make the healthy stuff look appealing
I didn't have any the first visit... the second visit, I wasn't so strong
I didn’t have any the first visit… the second visit, I wasn’t so strong
Who knew there were this many flavours.
Who knew there were this many flavours.
You can't buy crabs in our deli
You can’t buy crabs in our deli
This is what I did for Val Day last year!
This is what I did for Val Day last year!
Oh my, any wonder I made it back alive
Oh my, any wonder I made it back alive
Mmmm
Mmmm
Yes, I'd like those too
Yes, I’d like those too
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Never seen an ice cream version of these

 

WHAT THE? But you know, I wanted to try them.
WHAT THE? But you know, I wanted to try them.
The choice!?!?
The choice!?!?
I want one - these are in grocery stores
I want one – these are in grocery stores
We seldom even find normal pretzels in Australia, but then all these choices!
We seldom even find normal pretzels in Australia, but then all these choices!
So little, so sweet
So little, so sweet
What the... it's a thing, I found out
What the… it’s a thing, I found out
I want these!
I want these!
Cute... though I believe out of season...
Cute… though I believe out of season…
Equal opportunities cake makers
Equal opportunities cake makers
This is obscene - and so not that practical as a catering item, as it was pitched
This is obscene – and so not that practical as a catering item, as it was pitched

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What is this...?
What is this…?
That is not for human consumption is it?
That is not for human consumption is it?
so much choice
so much choice
no no no
no no no

 

Sweet with savoury - this combo is too weird
Sweet with savoury – this combo is too weird
Wow... and so cheap
Wow… and so cheap
Wow, when powdered mash is just too hard
Wow, when powdered mash is just too hard
right...
right…

What’s the weirdest thing in this post for you, or the weirdest thing you’ve seen sold in a grocery store?

Selfie a day in the US of A

Day 1 - the mecca of clothes is found
Day 1 – the mecca of clothes is found
Mum attempting to selfie for me (does not work!)
Mum attempting to selfie for me (does not work!)
What are those kids doing with that sea lion
What are those kids doing with that sea lion
A place I didn't get a selfie
A place I didn’t get a selfie

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It's even pretty from afar
It’s even pretty from afar
I look hot with headphones right?
I look hot with headphones right?
How about sunshine at Alcatraz?
How about sunshine at Alcatraz?
A day exploring alone... armed with coffee
A day exploring alone… armed with coffee
Keeping it weird
Keeping it weird
Powell's book - a book store to end all book stores
Powell’s book – a book store to end all book stores
I am calm... now I have donuts!
I am calm… now I have donuts!
Opps I've been forgetting, on the MAX in Portland
Opps I’ve been forgetting, on the MAX in Portland

I’ve been hiding in the US

It feels like a long time since I blogged.

Mainly cause I’ve been exhausted.  Work takes it out of me.  I don’t like it.  And I even don’t like it when I get back from two weeks of recharging (or should that be refueling) holiday in the US.  I’ve had one day back, and I realise all too quickly everything that’s wrong with the culture due to the ongoing restructure. The pressures of work were spilling into my home too, and it’s nothing to say of the things on my BF’s mind – his work’s really ramped up too!

The city by the bay
The city by the bay

So it was nice to have two weeks away with my mother in the US.  We spent about 10 days in San Francisco and then four days in Portland, OR.  It was a lovely refreshing cool time, without much rain (but alas, SYDNEY! It’s bucketed down since I returned early on Australia Day – that walk to and from the station is less pleasurable with an umbrella!)

I ate everything that was

  • caramel flavoured
  • cinnamon flavoured
  • maple flavoured
  • cheesecake-y
  • weirdly flavoured, like honey lavendar or caramel with bacon
Voodoo donuts in Portland - maple bacon mmm
Voodoo donuts in Portland – maple bacon mmm

I’ve now rounded out to a whole number in weight, and it’s ghastly! Even more ghastly that in a handful of days I’ll be 30, and a week later, I’ll host a fabulous dinner party, complete with catering, gown, map themed decadence.  Reckon I can drop 10kg in two weeks? (I’m not serious, but I am eating healthier!)

Oh, and did I share? For Christmas, I got SURFING LESSONS – I’m sure I did.  Anyhow, I have to fit that in at some stage, I’m really looking forward to giving it a whirl once the sun is out…

I think I’ll do some grouping of my holidays photos, I’m thinking of posts

  • all the food
  • weird things about America (mainly text that one!)
  • you can buy that?
  • pretty stuff – houses mainly, but some art too
  • signs that I love, or just don’t get!
  • a selfie (almost) every day

As always, I’ve been reading y’all – I’m just useless at commenting when not on the laptop.  I’ll work on that!

Guerilla concrete art

As regular readers would know, I notice things on my walks around inner city Sydney, like this.

In the past few months, there’s been a cluster of concrete art around scaffolding in my local area.  They must have excess, so they cast it into fun shapes.  i noticed some of the ‘older’ ones have been chipped away, perhaps removed by the true property owners?  Who knows… But for you enjoyment:

Red head - I wonder if this invalidated the no parking sign - I know if the arrows get grafittued over, it counts, and you can park freely til the council replaces the sign.
Red head – I wonder if this invalidated the no parking sign – I know if the arrows get grafitted over, it counts, and you can park freely til the council replaces the sign.
White skull, YOLO - similar to the one on the parking sign
White skull, YOLO – similar to the one on the parking sign
As my father calls them: Baklava...
As my father calls them: Baklava…
Guns are common - there's one near my church, been there many years. Should get a snap.
Guns are common – there’s one near my church, been there many years. Should get a snap.
Bigger arms
Bigger arms
This is ubiquitous AUssie (as Lucinda Sans will attest). The goon bag (wine bag)
This is ubiquitous AUssie (as Lucinda Sans will attest). The goon bag (wine bag)
Not a step further. a REAL foil wine bag in the recycling (which, is NOT recycling...)
Not a step further. a REAL foil wine bag in the recycling (which, is NOT recycling…)
Not concrete, but getting creative with the hoarding (which I saw hand painted by a 60yo man)
Not concrete, but getting creative with the hoarding (which I saw hand painted by a 60yo man)