Today is a beautiful day but I am having yet another do nothing day. I am working on my tax return all day today and watching the Food channel. I'm hungry all the time but trying not to eat all day as I am stacking on too much weight.
Still working on my tax return. Have not ventured out all day again today. I am determined to get this finished so stuff the online training and assessment course I should be completing ASAP towards possible employment - my tax return is priority as I have an appointment with my tax agent next Monday.
Whilst concentrating on my tax return I lost track of time and missed the 1st 20 minutes of Masterchef. Then I fell asleep towards the end of it and throughout Have You Been Paying Attention as I was so tired. I woke up again during Kline or what ever the series is called which aired after Have You Been Paying Attention. It was about 10.30 pm or so.
I went back to sleep - looks like another catch up episode of Masterchef tomorrow.
Tuesday 7th July 2020
Still have a bit to go before completing my tax return. I am slowly receiving tax documents from organisations with information needed to complete my tax return.
Telstra decides to ring me today at the most inconvenient time regarding my overcharge billing complaint. I had to hang up on the Telstra employee as I was getting nowhere with my complaint with them. It was agreed that my new casual monthly plan would be $49 for a 30 Gb data per month and include international calls. What they were trying to sell me was a $50 40 Gb plan with an extra $10 international call add on which means I now still paying $60 per month. I am still getting SMS messages of $10 per every 1 Gb of data over my 15 Gb limit of my original $59 plan. I then received an email for only 30 GB of data per month for $50 per month and not including my international calls although I am unclear of this from the plan chart I received via email. So what happened to my 40 Gb data per month- it's now back to 30 Gb per month. Are you confused reading my blog? - I certainly am confused with Telstra's changing casual monthly plans. There are no plans for 40 Gb data per month for $50 on their plan charts emailed to me - the Telstra operator made some bullshit up to lure me in - more like he scared me off hence I hung up on him. What makes it worse is the contract is only valid for the next 24 months then I have to contact Telstra again to renegotiate a new casual monthly plan. The plans don't seem to change every 24 months but every month! They don't seem to have any consistency and Telstra seems to be able to charge me what they want from month to month. I need to contact the TIO again as my complaint is still unresolved.
My blog has completely crashed! So if you don't see an update to my blog you will know why.
OK back up again. Just got a phone call to attend an orientation session on Thursday. I am still unemployed by the way but this is just a safety orientation and I am suppose to finish my online training and assessment before I attend it but have been having trouble starting it. It's a 5 hour online training and assessment course. If you don't complete it you can't move forward in your application for employment. Sometimes I think is it really worth all the effort just to apply for a position that isn't even a contract or permanent part time position? Am I having second thoughts about progressing in my application for this casual position? Yes - first I was overjoyed at getting to the group interview stage now that I have progressed to a safety orientation training session - well I'm not as excited. If and when I actually am employed then maybe I will feel the effort of my application may have been worth it BUT I am still unemployed . I still have to complete and pass the online training session with an 80% pass. So much effort and I still haven"t sorted out my technical issue yet using Chrome. Will try again for a third tome tomorrow. It was suggested I use Internet Explorer which is really dodgey on my tablet as I use the latest version of Chrome. If I have to download the latest version of Internet Explorer I'll ensure I save and print my tax return out first in case my tablet crashes! I do not want to lose my tax rerurn after all my effort to complete it for my tax agent's appointment next Monday.
Still working on my tax return. I'm getting there. Been a bit slack and stopped to make myself lunch. Yum. Will have some left for tomorrow too.
I think I might have just about finished my tax return. Now I just have to do a final check and print it out tomorrow.
I fell asleep again just towards the end of Masterchef and woke up after it had finished. I will have to watch a catch up episode tomorrow again.
Wednesday 8th July 2020
I woke up at 5 am and so far stayed awake to catch up on my blogging. The day has already started for quite a few of the residents in the apartment block - from the constant banging of the front foor, the vehicles in the front parking lot and someone keeps tripping the smoke detector off at odd hours of the day. Unsure if it is in their apartment or downstairs in the common areas. Yes I can hear it all from inside the apartment - not the most quiet of apartments that I chose to live in.
6 am and I am still awake as my 2nd alarm rings. I have to get used to it when I start working again - 4+ months is a long time to have been unemployed, sleeping in and doing nothing most days.
It is another do nothing day - except maybe take my rubbish out, catch up on Masterchef, dry some laundry that still isn't 100% dry from being left out and my third attempt to start my training and assessment course before attending my safety orientation session tomorrow. This is stressing me out a bit and I just want to get it all out of the way so I can have a weekend free before lodging my tax return with my tax agent on Monday. That was stressing me out a little as well - what happens if I have to pay tax this year? - I can't afford to as I am still unemployed. I know I won't be getting the normal substantial tax refund I usually get every year but I sure hope I don't have to pay tax since I changed my tax rate from claiming the no tax free threshold to tax free threshold hence lowering my PAYG tax deducted from my pay/wages to the ATO as I am no longer working for multiple companies this financial year.
Now that my 2019/2020 is done and printed. I move on to try and complete my 5 hours of training online. I aim to finish it all by the end of today as I need to have completed it before I attend a safety orientation session tomorrow at 11 am.
So far I have managed to access the training course using Internet Explorer - gee Windows 10 does not make this easy and keeps pushing the new Microsoft Edge as your default browser. I hate Edge and I hate Bing . I don't even like Internet Explorer. I use Chrome because it's easy to use ( most of the time ) and this is how I directly access my blog instead of having to search for it on my phone.
After an hour or so of doing the training course I'm beginning to lose interest so I take the rubbish out, have a shower and plan to venture out - it's lunch time.
I can work late tonight as there is no Masterchef on and I can sleep in tomorrow morning just a little if I am organised tonight for tomorrow's safety orientation session I have to attend. I am still going to wear a mask - I take no risks particularly when I am still unemployed!!!!
It's not the best day outside today - wet and overcast - makes you want to stay indoors.
I went for a good grocery shop but it was so heavy I could not buy everything on my list. I did get toilet paper - I had the 2 single individually paper wrapped rolls in my trolley but did not ask Coles if there was still a 1 roll limit on them so when I spotted my favourite alternative brand of multi roll toliet paper packets on the shelf again ( Made In Australia of course although the rolls look as if they have shrunk to half the size since I last bought them - I kept 1 roll pre Corona virus of the same brand so I could compare them when they became available again) I exchanged the 2 single rolls of toilet paper to the multi roll packet and place them in my shopping trolley which I always disinfect myself before commencing my shopping.
I needed something to motivate me to continue, pass and finish my training course so purchased a whole lot of "junk food" - don't worry I had a proper lunch and didn't eat the entire packet of corn chips and chocolate mud cake shortbread in one go - well not yet anyway. I will with a cup of tea maybe. Nah - I had 3 and the chocolate mud cake shortbread aren't even that nice - they taste just like a normal chocolate English cream filled biscuit ( which I didn't like at all last time I tried them). Usually $1 a packet these "special" Arnotts Chocolate Mudcake Shortbread biscuits were on sale for $2 a packet - I wonder why. It's cousin - Arnotts Chocolate Lamington Ice VoVo biscuit was on sale for 2 for $5 or $3 a packet - slightly more appetizing from it's packaging then the Chocolate Mudcake Shortbread but only slightly!
Toiletpapergate strikes again! I was correct about the multi roll toilet paper I just purchased today - the rolls are much smaller post Corona virus compared to pre Corona virus. I believe it's not just this one brand but others as well. Same brand so what's going on with the shrinking size of toilet paper rolls? Is this part of "inflation" just like the shrinking chocolate bar sizes over the years where you get far less bang for your buck? Whatever happened to being able to buy a little white paper bag of lollies for 1 cent?! These days you can't even buy 1 lolly with 5 cents! But wait, on closer inspection toiletpapergate has actually not struck again. The original pre Corona virus So Soft Coles brand toilet paper rolls were larger but only a 4 pack whereas the post Corona virus So Soft Coles brand toilet poaper rolls are smaller but in an 8 packet. So when I did the calculation below using the specs on the packets
Pre Corona virus 4 pkt of toilet paper
380 sheets x 4 rolls = 1520 sheets ( interesting postscript cost per pkt as @ 15th November 2020 $3.70 )
Post Corona virus 8 pkt of toilet paper
190 sheets x 8 rolls = 1520 sheets ( interesting postscript cost per pkt as @ 15th November 2020 $4 )
Which one would you buy now that both are available ? Will Toiletpapergate ever be solved post COVID hoarding?
They're actually the same! , however I can't remember how much I paid for the original 4 pkt - I vaguely remember they worked out to be less then $1 per roll. Now it is about the same even a little cheaper. Toiletpapergate # 2 solved!
Thursday 9th July 2020
7 am sleep in and I did not sleep well. If the completing the training course and attending the orientation was so important to progressing in my job application coupled with completing my tax return I would be more relaxed.
I just saw a post of Plenty my previous employer on Facebook - does not look like they are struggling with their store which makes me believe that I was unfairly dismissed and that the Corona virus was just an excuse they used to terminate my employment after 10 years of employment. I might pay them a surprise visit and if I see any of my ex work colleagues are still working there - this will confirm my suspicions. Looks like the Balgowlah store is still alive and kicking as well.
Tried to continue with the online course this morning but find there is a bit of a lag with the screens therefore didn't get very far. Hoping to complete the rest of it after the safety orientation today.
Just completed the orientation session out at Warringah Mall. I thought it was only a 1 hour session between 11 am and 12 noon but it was actually 3 hours long! Information overload and I hope I didn't catch anything as I took my mask off for the entire orientation session and came into relatively close contact with at least 6 people also in the orientation session. I am unsure if this job I am applying for is actually for me. I don't seem to fit in. There are so many rules and regulations and it does not seem to be a very flexible workplace. It's like Big Brother is watching you all the time - tracking your every move with cameras on site at work and through your phone via their multiple systems you must download register and log in and out of constantly. You are required to check these systems on you phone daily for any important messages and information including leave requests shifts as well as everything else. Who has time to do this? You would have no life outside of work and tbis was one of several things that is putting me off about working for this company .( As soon as I "punched" off from the orientation session ( to confirm we all attended it) I turned my location off for security and privacy reasons ( I don't want an employer tracking my whereabouts especially when I'm at my tax agent!) and so my battery and data would not drain on my phone) and throughout the orientation session I heard far too many references to staff being sacked for various things which is not a very "welcoming" impression of the organisation. Their metrics system really bothers me as I am a team performance person not an individual performance person. The practical safety training section in the first half of the orientation session was great but when it came to showing us as a group around the organisation it was rushed, disorganised, sometimes irrelavant and at other times incomplete due to constant interruptions during the orientation session. I have never seen so many systems in place for such a medium sized organisation! Throughout the orientaion I was just disoriented because we were led through so many entrances/exits, rooms, corridors etc. There was total confusion from the early part of the orientation session where during the in class safety training we were all given files while had 3 printed documents in it. Our trainer was trying to explain each of the 3 documents - you should have seen us as a group, there were those in the group who were so confident they knew which document was for what and tried to explain it to the others however even they were confused as none of the documents matched up. There was 1 document of safety instructions to read only, a 2nd document which had multiple choice questions on it that was highlighted do not write on and the 3rd document had another series of multiple choice questions on it to also to be answered however had sections crossed out on it. What you were suppose to do was read the questions on document number # 2 and answer them on document number # 3 but the number of questions on document # 2 did not match the number of questions on document # 3. Confused? One guy even yells out thst i scared him but i was stating the obvious that what we were asked to do fid not quite make sense. We all were so as a team we all decided to read the safety instructions on document # 1 and leave the "it's all too difficult" documents # 2 & #3. Our instructor returns and says we can cheat a bit and goes through document # 3's multiple choice questions with us as a group ( I think because we were taking too long). Conclusion we did not even need document # 2 and all the questions on document # 2 had already bern asked on our online training under 1 of 2 safety assessments we all had to pass over 80%. I thought the questions looked familiar!!!!! Obviously the KISS principle does not exist at this organisation which also worries me a bit. The instructor should have just told us to read document # 3 and answer any multiple choice questions not crossed out on document # 2. Document # 1 was not even necessary!
Let's go back and talk about the safety section of the orientation session. We got to climb ladders safely and push a goods cage ( which I have never used before as I have always used flat bed trolleys to move stock around between stock rooms, docks and the store). It was an experience using a goods cage as they are not as easy to manoeuvre around as a flat bed trolley - it was fun to watch as each of us struggled with stopping and restarting as we pushed and sometimes tried to pull on the goods cage but improved and by the time the last person at the orientation session had a go at it they had it down packed to 1 perfect single smooth manoeuvre! It was also interesting climbing the spring loaded ladder again something I had not used before - it was quite stable to climb but the 2 guys had to watch their heads as they climbed as they were taller. After touching all the communial equipment I felt so yuck and REALLY wanted to wash my hands. I spot the hand sanitiser and paper towel on the table and just grabed it to use. Everyone else followed me and the facilitator of the orientation session didn't even realise that I had initiated this "COVID Safe" action. All she said was good to see everyone is using the hand sanitiser. I don't think anyone would have used it if I didn't first. It wasn't the most pleasant hand sanitiser but the way it smelt and evaporated and how thick and cooling it was made me feel confident thst it was doing it's job - definitely high potency alcohol content!
It's not all bad the principles and theory in the online training although quite long was quite informative. Most of the information in the modules were what I already knew and should be . However I did not once see any of these principles and theory apply in practice whilst observing staff on the floor during the second half of the orientation session.
We covered some other stuff too and by 2 pm we were done with the rather disorganised safety orientation including a visit to the dock/delivery area and told to ensure we punched out on the app we were told to download onto our phones and to get the Metrics up and running. Still having problems with Metrics but punched on and off from safety orientation sucessfully. The organisation has to ensure nobody is lost or left behind - it is a safety orientation after all!!!
A quick shop on my way home at Woolworths Metro of protein and a takeaway hot snack as I haven't eaten all day today before heading home by bus.
As soon as I get home I continue my online course as there is a deadline and to sort out the "Metrics" app we had to all download - that 3 different systems we have had to down load log in read and complete and I haven't even got the job yet!!!!
I hope to sort out ASAP all of it so I can have my weekend free.
Didn't quite finish the final module of how to use the POS machine but it's good that I left this until the end after my orientation session. Will finish tomorrow morning as it has been a really long day ( actually week) and I am quite tired. Tomorrow I think it will be another catch up Life Admin day.
Friday 10th July 2020
7.30 am and I really slept in. It does not look the best of mornings but I'm sure it will improve. Overcast but not raining yet. I should check the weekend forecast.
Today I have quite a few things to do like finish the final training module, get the essential Metrics system to work and report to Centrelink. Then there is laundry to do and a bit of other stuff like filing and tidying. Look for more jobs and maybe another letter to my senior citizen pen pal from my volunteering job.
Centrelink fornightly reporting done as there is no change ie no income earned.
Next YouTube and some Food Channel as I wait for my breakfast or more like brunch
Completing the last module of the training course is taking me much longer then I thought. It's now noon and I am still chewing through it. Maybe I'm reading it too slowly.
Finally finished the training course. Well at least I hope I did and didn't miss anything. It was a pretty good training course the company put together maybe a few too many words but lots of pictures which is always good to keep the training course interesting ie so you don't fall asleep doing it. It was created by Southrock Learning Management Systems in Australia the same organisation that created the online training courses for the AEC (Australian Electoral Commission) staff.
I still haven't fixed my Metrics log on problem yet. Can't be bothered have other things to think about and do.
Next I found a slight mistake I made preparing my tax return so will adjust it maybe tomorrow - actually quite a few mistakes I need to fix ( mainly typos, figures in the wrong sections etc)
No plans for this weekend but it depends on the weather.
Sleep - not feeling so well allergies are really bad had to take 2 antihistamines today. Claratyne did not work - damn I just purchased a 60 tablet pack should have stuck to Zertec! Very itchy as well as a bad asthmatic cough, runny nose and very watery eyes. I hate my severe allergies including my eczema which I have had my entire life and my lactose intolerance but it could be worse I could be anaphylactic to something but thankfully am not to anything I know of yet.
Saturday 11th July 2020
I had yet another sleep in today. It's cold and it it's wet when I wake up this morning to the sound of swishing cars. It has definitely been raining in the early morning hours as the road outside is very wet however I can't tell if it's still raining as my windows are covered in condensation and I'm not quite awake yet. I see a jogger pass by without any rain gear on. It might just be just "misting" with rain or it has actually stopped raining.
Just checked the forecast for the next 10 days and it is going to be overcast today and chance of rain around 6 pm today and it gets worse thunderstorms tomorrow and Monday. Looks like I won't be doing much these coming days.
I spent the morning watching YouTube and having some breakfast before 10 am. I am now watching Eurovision Song Contest Fire Saga starring Will Farrell and Rachael McAdams. It is so kitch it is funny. The sound track is so good it is a very good replication of songs that could actually have been entered into a real Eurovision Song Contest. I loved the all stars sing along and spotting the guest appearances. One thing that is a little amiss is the casting. Although Rachael McAdams does an exceptional job at lip synching and both Will Farrell and Rachael McAdams are both perfectly cast for their roles (although I am unsure about their Icelandic nationalities!) I think Owen Wilson might have been a good addition to the cast perhaps playing Fire Saga's arch nemesis or someone else cast to play their arch nemesis such as one of the Hemsworth brothers or the actor that played Will Farrell's male ice skating partner in Blades of Glory. Loved the costumes as well. A movie to watch on a rainy day like today I rate it a 8/10 . Typical of other Will Farrell movies such as Blades of Glory.
Windows have flogged up with condensation again and it's still quite wet outside as I can hear the swishing of cars past by. Time to get up and tidy my really messy apartment. It's raining no wonder my allergies have been so severe.
I received a 2nd response to my Gumtree unemployment advertisement. It was obviously from another non speaking temporary visa holder looking for employment. I don't think these people understand that I am not an employer. I just click the tab sorry already sold instead of responding to them.
Speaking of my Gumtree "Looking For A Job" advertisement. I sent a response to "Andy" advising him of my YouTube channel name and apologising about having to cut him off. I think this maybe another Scam as I haven't heard back from "Andy" since.
I went back and rechecked my tax return twice. After the second check I was happy with it and printed the final copy that I will use for my tax agent's appointment.
Sunday 12th July 2020
Well it's the end of week 16 and I'm still unemployed. You read about people over 50 being long term unemployed. Yep that's me. If only I could find a job related to the creative industries. I want to work in a job that I can retire from or continue to work part time in even during my retirement - not just another casual meaningless robotic job that I could be made redundant from in a few months or years if I'm lucky. Gone are the days where most people had 1 job for life.
Today is actually a beautiful day outside. No sign of rain in the morning and the sun is out! Much better then the cold grey wet overcast day yesterday. I must try and venture out today! Forecast says no rain until 4 pm today and thunderstorms tonight and tomorrow rain and thunderstorms around noon ( when I will be at my tax agent but only for 30 minutes). Yikes. I may have to shelter at my off site storage rental unit.
I just had a quick look at the analytics of my blog and I am so far hitting my average goal of 10 readers a day so thank you to everyone once again for continuing to read my blog which unfortunately isn't all that exciting at the moment.
I am cooking but I eat everything I make before I can post it. Yesterday I tried yet another YouTube sweet treat jelly & mashmellow rolls and these were really good! I didn't make them the traditional way by pouring out the molten mixture onto a flat tray and solidifying it in the fridge before rolling and cutting the log up but just poured the mixture into a small bowl and it separated into the 2 distinct layers of jelly on the bottom and marshmallow on the top and it tasted quite nice - never have plain jelly again. I must try this again but add some fruits. My combination was 4 different flavours of mashmellows mixed together ( Australian made banana rasberry lime orange?? ) and a port wine flavoured jelly. A yummy little treat.
I decided to travel out to Ikea Rhodes today. Bad decision. The queue to get in was enormous and a lady just pushed in in front of me from a side break in the queue!
After months of looking at mattresses, I decided to go with an Ikea one although not my first choice my decision was based on flexible delivery date and using the balance on my Ikea gift card. Delivery was not cheap but unfortunately due to the sheer length of the mattress and not the weight I could not carry this compressed rolled up 10 kg double foam mattress on public transport with me therefore had to organise to have it delivered. Due to not knowing if I will progress yet another step in my job application, I could only make plans for my mattress to be delivered on a Sunday ( the only day I had indicated on my job application that I was unavailable to work due to no service public transport from where I reside to company's location and various other reasons.
After organising delivery of the mattress at Ikea ( maybe I should have gone for some other mattress which was the same weight but compress rolled to a shorter length - too late) , I take my paperwork to the checkout. I made a mistake and went to an Express Self Service Checkout queue instead of a staffed checkout. The queues were massive. I joined a staffed checkout queue along with an elderly couple in front of me who had the same type of purchase as me - half delivery, half take out purchase combination except I also had a partial gift card balance to be spent thrown in.
Whilst waiting in the queue I chatted and joked with the cutest elderly couple in front of me. They called each other "partners" and not husband and wife but I could see their partnership was more then just friendship. They adored each other. Both had lost their partners and they did not live together but saw each other a lot and stil lived in their own separate homes. She said her former husband hated going shoping but her new partner was happy to go shopping with her. She had purchased a new tv unit to be delivered and I asked her what else she purchased - bag clips and snaplock bags - I was going to buy some snaplock bags but put them back as they were not the right size for what I wanted them for and they were mixed sizing. I mentioned to her that I've never used bag clips just rubber bands to close my open bags. He did the same not understanding why she needed them. He admitted he was not good at technology - not everyone is and it's only good when it works! hence we used the staffed check out not the Express Self Service Checkout ( not that tgere was anything express about them - still very long queues) in case we got stuck with our combo purchases. We were getting thirsty just waiting in the queue - we must have been in the queue for at least 30 minutes and right in front of us was a fridge full of bottled water. I was tempted to grab one to purchase. They were thinking the same. I asked her "How much do you think a bottle of water is?" Her response was " Don't know maybe $9" . Her partner has a look " Only $2." He grabs one and I ask him to pass me one as well. He started to drink his whereas I held off until I had purchased it. We watch closely as we move closer and closer to the front of the queue. All the people in front of us had so much heavy and bulky stuff I'm not surprised they didn't use the express self service check outs - scanning each barcode would be a little awkward. Next time we all agreed we would not visit Ikea on a weekend not even on a Sunday- my planned few hours at Ikea just to purchase a mattress and a diffuser (as well as a last minute bottle of water) ended up being 5 - 6 hours long with most of it trying to find my way out to the checkouts and queuing up to get in and out of Ikea!
On my way home I visited Coles at Rhodes ( my very first visit) for a top up of groceries and Woolworths Chatswood Metro for a quick takeaway dinner of Japanese rice curry with tempura prawns which I added some shredded brussel sprouts to when I returned home.
Watched Masterchef but kept falling asleep.
Tax agent appointment tomorrow and i've never been so organised in my life - let's lodge this 2019/2020 tax return and get it out of the way!
They're actually the same! , however I can't remember how much I paid for the original 4 pkt - I vaguely remember they worked out to be less then $1 per roll. Now it is about the same even a little cheaper. Toiletpapergate # 2 solved!
Post Corona virus toliet paper roll verses Pre Corona virus toilet paper roll sizes
I didn't quite finish my training course tonight and skipped a few modules to complete the safety modules first as they were probably needed for tomorrow's safety orientation. Pity I can't complete the rest of it on my mobile phone to and from the safety orientation which also did not work very well on Chrome as mentioned previously.
7 am sleep in and I did not sleep well. If the completing the training course and attending the orientation was so important to progressing in my job application coupled with completing my tax return I would be more relaxed.
I just saw a post of Plenty my previous employer on Facebook - does not look like they are struggling with their store which makes me believe that I was unfairly dismissed and that the Corona virus was just an excuse they used to terminate my employment after 10 years of employment. I might pay them a surprise visit and if I see any of my ex work colleagues are still working there - this will confirm my suspicions. Looks like the Balgowlah store is still alive and kicking as well.
Tried to continue with the online course this morning but find there is a bit of a lag with the screens therefore didn't get very far. Hoping to complete the rest of it after the safety orientation today.
Just completed the orientation session out at Warringah Mall. I thought it was only a 1 hour session between 11 am and 12 noon but it was actually 3 hours long! Information overload and I hope I didn't catch anything as I took my mask off for the entire orientation session and came into relatively close contact with at least 6 people also in the orientation session. I am unsure if this job I am applying for is actually for me. I don't seem to fit in. There are so many rules and regulations and it does not seem to be a very flexible workplace. It's like Big Brother is watching you all the time - tracking your every move with cameras on site at work and through your phone via their multiple systems you must download register and log in and out of constantly. You are required to check these systems on you phone daily for any important messages and information including leave requests shifts as well as everything else. Who has time to do this? You would have no life outside of work and tbis was one of several things that is putting me off about working for this company .( As soon as I "punched" off from the orientation session ( to confirm we all attended it) I turned my location off for security and privacy reasons ( I don't want an employer tracking my whereabouts especially when I'm at my tax agent!) and so my battery and data would not drain on my phone) and throughout the orientation session I heard far too many references to staff being sacked for various things which is not a very "welcoming" impression of the organisation. Their metrics system really bothers me as I am a team performance person not an individual performance person. The practical safety training section in the first half of the orientation session was great but when it came to showing us as a group around the organisation it was rushed, disorganised, sometimes irrelavant and at other times incomplete due to constant interruptions during the orientation session. I have never seen so many systems in place for such a medium sized organisation! Throughout the orientaion I was just disoriented because we were led through so many entrances/exits, rooms, corridors etc. There was total confusion from the early part of the orientation session where during the in class safety training we were all given files while had 3 printed documents in it. Our trainer was trying to explain each of the 3 documents - you should have seen us as a group, there were those in the group who were so confident they knew which document was for what and tried to explain it to the others however even they were confused as none of the documents matched up. There was 1 document of safety instructions to read only, a 2nd document which had multiple choice questions on it that was highlighted do not write on and the 3rd document had another series of multiple choice questions on it to also to be answered however had sections crossed out on it. What you were suppose to do was read the questions on document number # 2 and answer them on document number # 3 but the number of questions on document # 2 did not match the number of questions on document # 3. Confused? One guy even yells out thst i scared him but i was stating the obvious that what we were asked to do fid not quite make sense. We all were so as a team we all decided to read the safety instructions on document # 1 and leave the "it's all too difficult" documents # 2 & #3. Our instructor returns and says we can cheat a bit and goes through document # 3's multiple choice questions with us as a group ( I think because we were taking too long). Conclusion we did not even need document # 2 and all the questions on document # 2 had already bern asked on our online training under 1 of 2 safety assessments we all had to pass over 80%. I thought the questions looked familiar!!!!! Obviously the KISS principle does not exist at this organisation which also worries me a bit. The instructor should have just told us to read document # 3 and answer any multiple choice questions not crossed out on document # 2. Document # 1 was not even necessary!
Let's go back and talk about the safety section of the orientation session. We got to climb ladders safely and push a goods cage ( which I have never used before as I have always used flat bed trolleys to move stock around between stock rooms, docks and the store). It was an experience using a goods cage as they are not as easy to manoeuvre around as a flat bed trolley - it was fun to watch as each of us struggled with stopping and restarting as we pushed and sometimes tried to pull on the goods cage but improved and by the time the last person at the orientation session had a go at it they had it down packed to 1 perfect single smooth manoeuvre! It was also interesting climbing the spring loaded ladder again something I had not used before - it was quite stable to climb but the 2 guys had to watch their heads as they climbed as they were taller. After touching all the communial equipment I felt so yuck and REALLY wanted to wash my hands. I spot the hand sanitiser and paper towel on the table and just grabed it to use. Everyone else followed me and the facilitator of the orientation session didn't even realise that I had initiated this "COVID Safe" action. All she said was good to see everyone is using the hand sanitiser. I don't think anyone would have used it if I didn't first. It wasn't the most pleasant hand sanitiser but the way it smelt and evaporated and how thick and cooling it was made me feel confident thst it was doing it's job - definitely high potency alcohol content!
It's not all bad the principles and theory in the online training although quite long was quite informative. Most of the information in the modules were what I already knew and should be . However I did not once see any of these principles and theory apply in practice whilst observing staff on the floor during the second half of the orientation session.
We covered some other stuff too and by 2 pm we were done with the rather disorganised safety orientation including a visit to the dock/delivery area and told to ensure we punched out on the app we were told to download onto our phones and to get the Metrics up and running. Still having problems with Metrics but punched on and off from safety orientation sucessfully. The organisation has to ensure nobody is lost or left behind - it is a safety orientation after all!!!
A quick shop on my way home at Woolworths Metro of protein and a takeaway hot snack as I haven't eaten all day today before heading home by bus.
As soon as I get home I continue my online course as there is a deadline and to sort out the "Metrics" app we had to all download - that 3 different systems we have had to down load log in read and complete and I haven't even got the job yet!!!!
I hope to sort out ASAP all of it so I can have my weekend free.
Didn't quite finish the final module of how to use the POS machine but it's good that I left this until the end after my orientation session. Will finish tomorrow morning as it has been a really long day ( actually week) and I am quite tired. Tomorrow I think it will be another catch up Life Admin day.
Friday 10th July 2020
7.30 am and I really slept in. It does not look the best of mornings but I'm sure it will improve. Overcast but not raining yet. I should check the weekend forecast.
Today I have quite a few things to do like finish the final training module, get the essential Metrics system to work and report to Centrelink. Then there is laundry to do and a bit of other stuff like filing and tidying. Look for more jobs and maybe another letter to my senior citizen pen pal from my volunteering job.
Centrelink fornightly reporting done as there is no change ie no income earned.
Next YouTube and some Food Channel as I wait for my breakfast or more like brunch
Completing the last module of the training course is taking me much longer then I thought. It's now noon and I am still chewing through it. Maybe I'm reading it too slowly.
Finally finished the training course. Well at least I hope I did and didn't miss anything. It was a pretty good training course the company put together maybe a few too many words but lots of pictures which is always good to keep the training course interesting ie so you don't fall asleep doing it. It was created by Southrock Learning Management Systems in Australia the same organisation that created the online training courses for the AEC (Australian Electoral Commission) staff.
I still haven't fixed my Metrics log on problem yet. Can't be bothered have other things to think about and do.
Next I found a slight mistake I made preparing my tax return so will adjust it maybe tomorrow - actually quite a few mistakes I need to fix ( mainly typos, figures in the wrong sections etc)
No plans for this weekend but it depends on the weather.
Sleep - not feeling so well allergies are really bad had to take 2 antihistamines today. Claratyne did not work - damn I just purchased a 60 tablet pack should have stuck to Zertec! Very itchy as well as a bad asthmatic cough, runny nose and very watery eyes. I hate my severe allergies including my eczema which I have had my entire life and my lactose intolerance but it could be worse I could be anaphylactic to something but thankfully am not to anything I know of yet.
Saturday 11th July 2020
I had yet another sleep in today. It's cold and it it's wet when I wake up this morning to the sound of swishing cars. It has definitely been raining in the early morning hours as the road outside is very wet however I can't tell if it's still raining as my windows are covered in condensation and I'm not quite awake yet. I see a jogger pass by without any rain gear on. It might just be just "misting" with rain or it has actually stopped raining.
Just checked the forecast for the next 10 days and it is going to be overcast today and chance of rain around 6 pm today and it gets worse thunderstorms tomorrow and Monday. Looks like I won't be doing much these coming days.
I spent the morning watching YouTube and having some breakfast before 10 am. I am now watching Eurovision Song Contest Fire Saga starring Will Farrell and Rachael McAdams. It is so kitch it is funny. The sound track is so good it is a very good replication of songs that could actually have been entered into a real Eurovision Song Contest. I loved the all stars sing along and spotting the guest appearances. One thing that is a little amiss is the casting. Although Rachael McAdams does an exceptional job at lip synching and both Will Farrell and Rachael McAdams are both perfectly cast for their roles (although I am unsure about their Icelandic nationalities!) I think Owen Wilson might have been a good addition to the cast perhaps playing Fire Saga's arch nemesis or someone else cast to play their arch nemesis such as one of the Hemsworth brothers or the actor that played Will Farrell's male ice skating partner in Blades of Glory. Loved the costumes as well. A movie to watch on a rainy day like today I rate it a 8/10 . Typical of other Will Farrell movies such as Blades of Glory.
Windows have flogged up with condensation again and it's still quite wet outside as I can hear the swishing of cars past by. Time to get up and tidy my really messy apartment. It's raining no wonder my allergies have been so severe.
I received a 2nd response to my Gumtree unemployment advertisement. It was obviously from another non speaking temporary visa holder looking for employment. I don't think these people understand that I am not an employer. I just click the tab sorry already sold instead of responding to them.
Speaking of my Gumtree "Looking For A Job" advertisement. I sent a response to "Andy" advising him of my YouTube channel name and apologising about having to cut him off. I think this maybe another Scam as I haven't heard back from "Andy" since.
I went back and rechecked my tax return twice. After the second check I was happy with it and printed the final copy that I will use for my tax agent's appointment.
Sunday 12th July 2020
Well it's the end of week 16 and I'm still unemployed. You read about people over 50 being long term unemployed. Yep that's me. If only I could find a job related to the creative industries. I want to work in a job that I can retire from or continue to work part time in even during my retirement - not just another casual meaningless robotic job that I could be made redundant from in a few months or years if I'm lucky. Gone are the days where most people had 1 job for life.
Today is actually a beautiful day outside. No sign of rain in the morning and the sun is out! Much better then the cold grey wet overcast day yesterday. I must try and venture out today! Forecast says no rain until 4 pm today and thunderstorms tonight and tomorrow rain and thunderstorms around noon ( when I will be at my tax agent but only for 30 minutes). Yikes. I may have to shelter at my off site storage rental unit.
I just had a quick look at the analytics of my blog and I am so far hitting my average goal of 10 readers a day so thank you to everyone once again for continuing to read my blog which unfortunately isn't all that exciting at the moment.
I am cooking but I eat everything I make before I can post it. Yesterday I tried yet another YouTube sweet treat jelly & mashmellow rolls and these were really good! I didn't make them the traditional way by pouring out the molten mixture onto a flat tray and solidifying it in the fridge before rolling and cutting the log up but just poured the mixture into a small bowl and it separated into the 2 distinct layers of jelly on the bottom and marshmallow on the top and it tasted quite nice - never have plain jelly again. I must try this again but add some fruits. My combination was 4 different flavours of mashmellows mixed together ( Australian made banana rasberry lime orange?? ) and a port wine flavoured jelly. A yummy little treat.
I decided to travel out to Ikea Rhodes today. Bad decision. The queue to get in was enormous and a lady just pushed in in front of me from a side break in the queue!
After months of looking at mattresses, I decided to go with an Ikea one although not my first choice my decision was based on flexible delivery date and using the balance on my Ikea gift card. Delivery was not cheap but unfortunately due to the sheer length of the mattress and not the weight I could not carry this compressed rolled up 10 kg double foam mattress on public transport with me therefore had to organise to have it delivered. Due to not knowing if I will progress yet another step in my job application, I could only make plans for my mattress to be delivered on a Sunday ( the only day I had indicated on my job application that I was unavailable to work due to no service public transport from where I reside to company's location and various other reasons.
After organising delivery of the mattress at Ikea ( maybe I should have gone for some other mattress which was the same weight but compress rolled to a shorter length - too late) , I take my paperwork to the checkout. I made a mistake and went to an Express Self Service Checkout queue instead of a staffed checkout. The queues were massive. I joined a staffed checkout queue along with an elderly couple in front of me who had the same type of purchase as me - half delivery, half take out purchase combination except I also had a partial gift card balance to be spent thrown in.
Whilst waiting in the queue I chatted and joked with the cutest elderly couple in front of me. They called each other "partners" and not husband and wife but I could see their partnership was more then just friendship. They adored each other. Both had lost their partners and they did not live together but saw each other a lot and stil lived in their own separate homes. She said her former husband hated going shoping but her new partner was happy to go shopping with her. She had purchased a new tv unit to be delivered and I asked her what else she purchased - bag clips and snaplock bags - I was going to buy some snaplock bags but put them back as they were not the right size for what I wanted them for and they were mixed sizing. I mentioned to her that I've never used bag clips just rubber bands to close my open bags. He did the same not understanding why she needed them. He admitted he was not good at technology - not everyone is and it's only good when it works! hence we used the staffed check out not the Express Self Service Checkout ( not that tgere was anything express about them - still very long queues) in case we got stuck with our combo purchases. We were getting thirsty just waiting in the queue - we must have been in the queue for at least 30 minutes and right in front of us was a fridge full of bottled water. I was tempted to grab one to purchase. They were thinking the same. I asked her "How much do you think a bottle of water is?" Her response was " Don't know maybe $9" . Her partner has a look " Only $2." He grabs one and I ask him to pass me one as well. He started to drink his whereas I held off until I had purchased it. We watch closely as we move closer and closer to the front of the queue. All the people in front of us had so much heavy and bulky stuff I'm not surprised they didn't use the express self service check outs - scanning each barcode would be a little awkward. Next time we all agreed we would not visit Ikea on a weekend not even on a Sunday- my planned few hours at Ikea just to purchase a mattress and a diffuser (as well as a last minute bottle of water) ended up being 5 - 6 hours long with most of it trying to find my way out to the checkouts and queuing up to get in and out of Ikea!
On my way home I visited Coles at Rhodes ( my very first visit) for a top up of groceries and Woolworths Chatswood Metro for a quick takeaway dinner of Japanese rice curry with tempura prawns which I added some shredded brussel sprouts to when I returned home.
Watched Masterchef but kept falling asleep.
Tax agent appointment tomorrow and i've never been so organised in my life - let's lodge this 2019/2020 tax return and get it out of the way!
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