Change, what is it good for?

I've been thinking lately... dangerous I know, actually thinking for myself!
But what I've been thinking of is where this year has taken me!

Every (average) year has:
12 months,
52 weeks,
365 days.

What I've begun to think of is how much my life has changed in that time.

I began this year surrounded by many people I love n now some of those people have gone.
Which fits in to what I thought this year would be about, 2007 was, for me, going to be a year of change!

So back to the thinking, I'm relfecting on what this year has been and ultimatley who I have become!

To look at the person I began the year as and the person I now am, they are two very different people. Why? Because I removed some people from my life who did nothing but bring out the worst in me and allowed others in who make me shine.

Another change has been accepting that in the end, I am ultimately responsible for my destiny.
For years I had blamed others decisions on my outcomes and was happy to blame them when things didn't go my way. Now I look at it as even though you may not directly choose everything that happens to you, it's you who can make them work in your benefit and it's you who can the make the most out of it!

Change is important, it pushes us and makes us re-evaluate everything we thought we were and knew! It allows us to grow as individuals and it can give us another chance.
Change has taken me to some of the most beautiful cities in this sunburnt country and allowed me to meet amazing people. It has allowed me to grow and discover new and amazing things about myself, other people and the world.

Some people fear change, they like what is familiar and are happy to continue living like that!
I'm not, because even though sometimes it seems like making a change was the worst thing ever, I remind myself that things can only get better and that worse things happen to better people!

Ok so maybe this rant is a bit strange, but I'm just happy to be thinking about this year and that by allowing myself and my world to change, I've become a better person.

Not quite sure what 2008 will be about yet, but I'm ready for it,

Till next time,

M.

Hear no evil, see no evil, SPEAK NO EVIL

I've always been told that there are three things in life you should never talk about!
They are sex, religion and politics.
Why?
Because they are incredibly personal topics.

In case you've been living under a rock, Australia held a Federal Election yesterday and the Australian Labor Party won, making Kevin Rudd the new Prime Minister.

So naturally, this is what has influenced this blog. At my work the topic came up one day of who everybody was going to vote for, I tried to distance myself from this conversation but it didn't work!
Apparently I'm one of the only people in my area who doesn't support the Liberal Party and apparently it's a BAD thing! Why? I don't really know and quite frankly I don't really care!

Now, don't get me wrong... each to there own and I am happy for people to support the political party they choose, but I'm not for it becoming a hot topic and one that must be talked about because "I'm different!"

This has also come up at school and sometimes it can become quite heated!
I think there is a time and a place to talk politics and I think that we should be able to, but I don't think it should turn into personal attacks on people.

The second part of my blog has to do with people actually voting!
I have always been taught by my parents that to have the power and ability to have a say in your country's future is an incredibly special thing and one that shouldn't be taken lightly!
Why? Because there are so many people in this world who will never get the chance to have a say in not only the way their country is run, but ultimately in the way their lives are run!
I am also passionate about it because being a female having the ability to vote is a luxury that was afforded to my sex only a century ago!

When I hear somebody say that they don't care about voting I begin to get frustrated, because it's more than likely that this will be the same person who complains when the Government passes a policy which will affect them! I don't care what people say, your vote counts and you should exercise your right to vote because at least then you know that you did have your say!

Ah, election time is always interesting!
I just can't wait to go back into work and see the looks on the Howard supporters faces who assured me that the Liberal Party would win and made such an effort to remind me of that!
But I won't need to say anything, because actions speak louder than words and my action was voting...

Till next time,

M

All I want for Christmas is...

The lead up to Xmas is probably one of the most annoying times of year!
Why? Because working in retail there is so much shit you have to deal with...
People have some weird switch in them that changes n poof they are complete PSYCHOS!

It amused me one year, when I was about 16 and working at a supermarket. It had just hit 6:00pm on Xmas Eve n I was dealing with a customer who couldn't understand 2 things, the first being why we didn't have anymore blueberries... hello it's 6 o'clock on Xmas Eve, maybe if you came in the morning like everyone else you may have gotten some.
The second issue was why we weren't open on Xmas Day, bcoz this customer may need to go to the supermarket!

I've worked in retail for 5 years now n each year the customers get better n better! Ok, so maybe people are under stress but seriously... have you forgotten the "true" meaning of Xmas.
Which don't even get me started on the true meaning of Xmas... though I guarantee you mine is different to ur's (I'm not at all religious... that's why we won't go into it).

Back to reatil though, ok like I said I get it ur stressed but is yelling at a possibly hungover, teenage sales assistant really going to make it any easier. People forget that we have feelings too. I know it's hard to believe but sales assistants are actually human and the biggest shock of all, we actually have lives outside of the stores we work in!

So if you plan to go shopping in the lead up to the silly season, which I'm sure you will, let me offer you a bit of advice:

• We (the sales assistants) have been working longer hours, we are tired too n we stand on our feet all day, so if we move a little bit slower than the speed of light don't comment on how slow the service is!
• If you are rude to me I will make u look like the worst person on the planet in front of other customers.
• I don't care who ur father, husband, uncle, brother is... I care about u giving me ur money so I can make my budget n not get yelled at!
• If I tell you that I don't have what you would like in stock, believe what I am saying, I've probably had 50 other customers ask as well, don't stick ur head into my backroom or call me liar, I really don't think that will make me want to help u any further.
• If u insist on bringing children into the store, keep an eye on them, I don't get paid to babysit as well.
• Finally, the most important thing treat me with respect and smile, then maybe u will be the one person who makes my day n I will help u as best I can. N I do remeber customers, so I will always treat the same... Like a human being, how I expect to be treated!

Ok, so now that I've gotten that off my chest, hopefully people will remember this when they go out shopping!

Till next blog,

M.

Confessions of an Addict

It was meant to be a bit of harmless fun! I'd never tried it before n was so curious!
It seemed like everybody else was doing it n that it was safe.
At first it was just seeing how everbody else was doing it, I was still quite scared n wasn't sure if I was ready to try. Then i became addicted.

Before all of this I was the person who blasted anyone who had tried it!
I couldn't find a reason for doing it n grilled people till they could give me one!
My parents were against it, n were always saying that they didn't trust it n they didn't see how anyone could use it!
I knew then that I was better off for not trying... I wish I knew that now!

My first time was not planned... I checked to see if an ex had used it n found that he did, that infuriated me bcoz it was when we were still together n I didn't know why he had to hide it!
So i decided to take my first hit...

I JOINED MYSPACE!

At first it was harmless fun, finding friends u hadn't spoken to in years, seeing what they were up to... After a while I didn't get a rush from it... I wanted more n MySpace couldn't satisfy my cravings! I didn't know what to do... that was until a friend invited me to join Facebook... Without hesitation I was in!

Before I knew what I was doing I had hundreds of friends n was logging in countless times each day to see if anyone new had added me or if people had changed their profiles!
I wanted n felt I needed more...

It took me a while to admit it, but I finally made myself realise, I was addicted to the one thing I had hated most! I know there r more people like me out there, n it is hard to admit... But at the end of the day... I am happy to be be addicted Crackbook (as I now call it)


Till next blog,

M

Trick, treat or new tradition?

It's come to my attention lately that Australia seems to be following in the traditions of different countries. Particularly that of America and the tradition in question is Halloween.

Walking through a department store the other day I noticed display after display of Halloween merchandise. Don't get me wrong, I love Halloween, who doesn't love an excuse to eat lollies! But I'm more concerned with the reason why Australians are choosing to celebrate Halloween.

I've celebrated Halloween since I was a baby but that's because my sisters birthday is always around Halloween so any of her party's were always dress up but we never went trick or treating!

Some Australians believe that we should accept that we are changing our culture and accept that it is being influenced by American traditions, others however believe that we shouldn't begin to celebrate a tradition that isn't a part of our culture!


I understand the point of not following Americas traditions but if people are to say that we shouldn't celebrate a tradition that isn't a part of our culture, then unfortunately people should take a closer look at where most traditions in society have come from.

Nobody can say that a tradition has and always will be solely celebrated by one culture and one culture only. The world is becoming a multicultural place and so it is inevitable that we begin to become meshed cultures and celebrate new traditions.

I read the letter to the editor the other day where a man had written that Halloween is a pagan festival and that we shouldn't celebrate it, well if thats true then there is a few more that we shouldn't celebrate! Easter and Christmas were both pagan festivals before they were adopted by different cultures, so maybe we should drop them too!

I am all for celebrating Halloween but I'm not really for trick or treating (i just don't think it's very safe)! Why can't we adopt a new tradition into our culture, it's been happening for centuries...

Till next blog...

M