stuff

Sometimes it's just so hard to think up a title for a post, especially when it's just randomness.

Not much happening for me, just enjoying my days off. I'm feeling nicely recharged and I still have tomorrow off. I'm working on the cardiothoracic ward this week. I have done a couple of shifts there, but I haven't been there for ages. It's hard to believe that I've been over here for 8 months already. Where has the time gone? I'm feeling nicely settled. I'm really surprised that I haven't had any feelings of homesickness. I've missed my old ward more than I have NZ. I guess alot of it is that Australia and New Zealand are so similar. I don't think I would have felt so comfortable in I'd been in any other country. Plus, it's not that far away. It's only a 4 hour flight from Melbourne to Auckland. It can take nearly that long depending of what flights and how long you have to wait between, to get from Dunedin to Hamilton. I miss some of my stuff more than anything - my music mainly. Every so often I'll have a craving to play a particular cd or want a certain song. But, I'm coping.

Rearranged my dvds yesterday. They're not quite right because I haven't got them grouped properly, but I'm trying not to be so obsessive about it. I also rearranged all my Moody Blues music into a playlist. I have several compilation albums, all my studio albums are back in NZ. I arranged them by date and album appearance. I now have to fix up my Rufus Wainwright one, as the albums are out of order. It shouldn't really bother me because half the time I have my playlist on shuffle, but it bugs me. *g*

I'm off to see Das Boot tonight. I've been waiting for tonight for the past 3 months. This would have to be my favourite movie. For those who have never seen it, it's the story of a German U-Boat crew during WWII. It's the only movie I've ever seen in which Germans haven't been portrayed as the bad guys. The characters are simply men fighting for their country and wanting to survive their tour. They don't necessarily agree with their country's leaders. Das Boot was orginially a mini-series, and this is what I first saw years ago, but never got to see the end. It was then cut down for cinematic release, and I saw this version on tv but again never got to see the end. I did finally. It's one of the few movies in which I've been stunned by the ending. I always watch in in it's original German with English subtitles. There is a dubbed version in which the actors did their own dubbing, but it just doesn't sound right to me.

One of the Subway restaurants in NZ called the police on a worker who gave a free cup of Coke to a friend. Reading stuff on message boards back in NZ, people are divided on the issue. One side saying theft is theft, the other that it's overkill. I don't know where I stand. I agree on one hand that no matter how small something is, it's still theft from the employer. On the other hand, surely the incident could have been handled differently. It's like there's no such think is a small sin - a sin is a sin. Maybe a warning would have been better, or even a straight dismissal. I think in most places theft is an instant dismissal. Is it worth the legal wrangling over the price of a cup of Coke? I can accept management wanting to make a stand, it's not something that's acceptable - but is it something that could backfire on them. There are a lot of people who think they are over-reacting and sympathy is going to the employee.

Made S'mores last night. Yum! I went shopping at USA Foods and saw that they had graham crackers. I had to roast my marshmellows over a candle, so they ended up being burnt on the outside, but they were nice and gooey on the inside. They're such messy things to eat! I have fond memories of the very first one at Trixie Camp '03. :)

I should get dressed and do something productive since it's after 12 here. Actually, it's closer to 1pm. I need to have a shower. Hopefully my metcard is going to work if I go anywhere today. It got a little bit wet and it's faded the expiry date. The only real problem will be if I can't get it to go in the validater. I'm not sure whether to go into the city or out to Chadstone. (Shopping Mall) I need to do some grocery shopping, which I can do at either place. I feel like bacon butties, but I don't have any bacon. Weight Watchers have rindless bacon that's lower in fat and doesn't shrink when you cook it. I hate it when you cook bacon and it shrivels up. I like it on the crispy side. Yum!

Big Brother eviction was on last night. I suspected Kate would go. I really hope TJ gets evicted because she really annoys me. I didn't plan on watching this, but it keeps me amused for a bit. I'll probably be bored with it in a couple of months, anyway.

Read The Marshland Mystery for the first time in years. One thing has just occured to me, if Random House had updated the books rather than using the old text, would they have made mention of bike helmets? When I started riding my bike, I never wore a helmet. I didn't until sometime during high school - around 1989. It's compulsory to wear a helmet in NZ. I've seen a lot of people riding without one over here. Some people just have no idea. When you work in Neurosurgery, you see the effects of so many things. I guess it comes down to two things: It will never happen to me, and It's not cool to wear a helmet. It's not cool to be reliant on someone else for the rest of your life because it can happen to you.

I'm off to my shower!