I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by. (Douglas Adams)

It has been a while. My how the time flies when you spend your weeks wishing it was the weekend. It has almost been 7 months now since I started full time work and finished uni. I can’t say that I’ve fully adapted to the corporate lifestyle yet, but slowly, like a rock on the shore, I am being worn down and given time I think I will get used to things.

I’m not going to say anything as trite as I’ve started a new chapter of my life, but I feel like my life now is distinctly different from what it was 7 months ago. Looking back, I’d say there was a distinct change when I moved to Canberra and again when I started work. Call it what you will, but things are different now and I think I’ve almost finally got my head around the change. This new phase is more demanding, less frivolous, somewhat less rewarding and more serious, however it is better in many ways too. I feel that now I’m more independent and less obsequious and passive. I can stand up for myself a lot better now plus I feel I’ve become more decisive and assertive, which is definitely a good thing.

The one thing that has always run through my distinct life stages are crazy fads or compulsions. These fads are a little hard to understand, especially for those around me. In the space of a year I’ve turned from someone who hoards into a minimalist. I used to collect and save almost everything imaginable thinking that one day I’d look back and cherish it, but now the sight of junk infuriates me and I have to get rid of it. It just so happens that this latest fad has combined with another one, where I have created a budget and like sticking to it. These have drawn power from each other and the result is a mega ‘ebay’ monster – I’m selling almost everything on ebay. I just hope my next phase isn’t hoarding again, because it would be awfully sad to buy all of my junk back again one piece at a time. But who knows, tomorrow is another day.

Work never seems to be quiet – I always seem to be rushing to finish this deadline or that project. After preparing several reports and several versions of each report I’m beginning to learn a thing or two about what is and what isn’t acceptable in a document intended for people in the company in positions much loftier than a humble graduate. I have noticed that in the workplace, words like ‘high level’ and ‘proactive’ are splashed around exuberantly, as are bullet points and acronyms. This is rather unfortunate, as ‘proactive’ is one of my most hated words of all time, plus I’m not too fond of acronyms or bullet points either. Once I read a paper that used ‘proactive’ no less than 150 times. I know it was at least that many, because each time I saw that word my muscles tensed and I started getting violent urges towards the paper. Amazingly though, to this day that paper is still in tact – not even a single page has been ripped apart in rage. Now that’s what I call control.

On numerous occasions, I tried to put a little colour and flair into my reports by adding words not typically in the acceptable vocabulary of business reports. No matter where I hid these words, they were spotted and crossed out by reviewers. I tried to use ‘zealous’, but it was rejected, as were ‘savvy’, ‘audacious’ and ‘vehement’, which was a real pity. Oh well, at least I have other outlets.

One morning I sat down at my desk and noticed a repugnant odour and immediately started looking around to discover the source. Soon, after examining my shoes, I realised that I had stepped in something nasty on the way to work… oh dear. I rushed off to the bathroom to remove the abominable object. I’ve always been a little queasy at the sight and smell of disgusting things, so I started scrubbing my shoes with one hand and vomiting at the same time. It wasn’t until I’d removed it all off my shoe that I stopped vomiting. Phew. Then it was back to work as if nothing had happened.

Speaking of being sick, Sherly has been ill for a while now and it has been very straining on her and me as well. I’ve been worrying and worrying, all the time. Through trying to find a cure she has been delegated through almost the whole medical system, which has been frustrating for both of us. At various times the doctors have said it could be this or that, each time freaking us both out. I think we’ve both discovered that doctors and hospitals for some things can be totally useless. Her Mum is here now, which I think will really help her out. I just hope she gets better soon so that things can get back to normal for her and for me too.

Right now I’m really holding out for a planned trip to Malaysia with the lads. It has really been too long since we’ve all caught up. I just miss sharing a beer with them and talking rubbish and walking aimlessly. It was really hard to get the time off work and I ended up having to cut my holiday short and pay a $400 fee for the change. Geez. If anything positive can come out of it, at least I’ve learnt a thing or two now about requesting leave.

Until next time,

Take care.