Well my time working for Spotless Services is finally over.  Last night was my final night working for them at Suncorp Stadium.  At times the stadium was fun but it has just become so meaningless lately.  There is to many issues now at the stadium with being told that you cant do this and so many restrictions.  People think we have it tough at my main job.  You have it easy compared.

Couple of things about working at the stadium that broke the camels back.  The mobile phone rule where I had to confiscate everyones mobile phones and lock them away in the cash tin.  This was to ensure that people did not use their phones during a shift.  A bit extreme.  There was also the new rules in regards to using the multifills (beer pouring machine) where you have to sign away all of your liability to ensure the company does not wear a fine.  Plus add on a specific rule last night that we were not able to sell bottles of water with the lids they had to be confiscated by the staff because they were deemed a weapon by security.

All of that just cumulated on top of the ongoing staffing issues and stress of the year that last night was the last straw.  The concert was LOUD.  I don’t really like Robbie Williams so didn’t pay any attention but everyone was apparently loving it.  Mr Williams is a bit of a diva though.  To satisfy his needs they had to turn off all of the lights in the outlets along level 3 south so that the light did not shine in his eyes from over 100m away.  Cry baby.  This pretty much meant mine was the ONLY bar open on 3 south.  Fun that!  Ran out of wine so many times and Water twice, Soft drink was on and off for the whole time and i spent 20 minutes with no beer.  My area manager was shit even though i was the ONLY outlet she had open for most of the night i NEVER saw her anywhere.  SLACK!  They need a better system.

Anyway i have had enough ranting now for some of the good bits about the Stadium.  I have met so many people at that stadium from all different countries.  Some I still see every now and then outside of work and a lot I don’t.  But working in a Stadium is an experience.  With the end of this job it now end my time in Hospitality.  After working in bars since I was 17 i think it’s about time I gave it up.

Well its that time of the year again. Its december and that usually means Christmas parties. At present so far this month (mind you its only the 7th) I have already had two and i have 4 possibly 5 more to go. What a year i swear. So far I have been to the OCAU Xmas party where a whole heap of us hit Omalleys for dinner and then we headed to Strike for more drinking (where i piked just before midnight). Then the very next day I had lunch with some friends which was a great way to catch up for xmas and to give out some presents.

Coming up this weekend is the BlairBQ Xmas version which will be a good night of food and plenty of people and booze (not for me i have to play Designated Dave). On Sunday I have my Team Xmas party which will be in Captain Burke Park. One little catch though… it could rain. If it does.. I tell you what i wont be going. I’m sure it will be a good day and all but if it rains i’m not getting wet. Bugger that! I have made a special dessert for the day to. Its an old family recipe handed down to me from my dad but I won’t tell you what it is because the girls at work will read this and find out and its a secret 😛

Next week is a big week. Wednesday and Thursday are the Robbie Williams concerts. Can’t wait. Then on Saturday is the big work Xmas party. This should be good because we are going to a place called Gianni’s at Portside. This is apparently a brand new function space run by the same people who run Gianni’s Restaurant in the city. Apparently its a beautiful restaurant. Should be a good night. Then on the Sunday I have to head down to the Gold Coast to spend the day with Casey at her Xmas bbq. Should be a good day if i don’t write myself off the night before as Casey wants to introduce me to a few of her friends.

The only other party after that is a possible OCAU xmas get together at someones place for a BBQ but thats still not official.

Anyway dinner is calling. l8r

Lots of stuff to update this time.  My dearest friend Morgan has returned to the country making me a very happy chappy.  It is great to have her back not only because its good to have her close by but i missed having a decent conversation with her.  Now that she is only an hour away in Sydney it is so much easier than on the other side of the planet.

Other friend related news is Michelle F from my fantastic Contiki crew is heading downunder for New Years in Sydney.  Hopefully she can make it up to Brisbane for a day or more and we can catch up.  It would be awesome to see her again.  Speaking of Contiki I have booked my next one… well Two.  On the 30th of August 2007 I will be flying to the good old US of A.

I will be heading over to Auckland first on my trip to LA.  I will be flying with Air New Zealand and United Airlines.  While in the USA i will be doing two Contiki tours.  First will be the Grand Southern departing LA on the 1st of September.  Along the way I will visit Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Dallas, New Orleans, Orlando, Washington DC and then finally arriving into New York on the 24th of September.  On the 25th of September i start my Big Apple Explorer tour and that will take me till the 28th of September before i start my long journey home from New York’s JFK Airport.  I am hoping to get a chance to do some spotting while I’m away.  Hopefully at either JFK or LAX.

On the topic of spotting went out today to the airport and got some spotting done.  It had been a while since I had been out so needed to get out.  Wasn’t that great for shots.  About the only good thing about the day was getting a shot of the HeavyLift Belfast.  I have been chasing that beast for so long and finally got a shot.  Gave my new Tripod a work out on Saturday night by taking it up to Mt Cootha.  Been testing out shooting in RAW format and the conversion process but we will see how things go.  I want to end up entering a photo of mine into the Ekka next year but who knows if that is going to happen.

Its late im outta here.

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I have been so slack lately.  I haven’t been posting much but thats because I have been LAZY!  Most of time though I have been working and what free time I have had I’ve been watching a new TV show I’m now hooked on.  Entourage.  It’s such a good show.  You should check it out.  Also lately I have been working out when to go on my next trip.  I have decided to do another Contiki Tour.  I think it will be heaps of fun.  Going to be doing the “Grand Southern” tour through the USA.  The only problem I have at the moment is when to go.

Not Sure when to go as I would love to go when it wont be so hot in the southern states like Florida etc but that means leaving it till like November.  But then I also want to go around August (can spend my birthday in Vegas).  But then it will be pretty damn hot in the southern states.. and I dont like heat.  I am not sure yet but I might wait until January to really start planning this.  Air New Zealand looks to be the cheapest flights to LA return and then adding on a one way flight from New York to LA.  If I can get the 6 weeks off from work I would love to make a few extra stops, Toronto, Edmonton, Seattle and Hawaii.  All of those stops I could do in the extra 2 weeks I would need.

Anyway time to go.  To many things to do.. Not

GRR im so angry at myself at the moment.  About a month ago I did something to my foot and I have no idea what it was. But it caused me so much pain that i could barely walk.. and now its back again.  Same place, same foot.  I guess i didnt fix it which pisses me off something cronic.  I try so much to make sure that if i screw something up that I dont do it again.  And i fail at it.

I cant believe that i did this to myself again, I dont know what I have done but if I go to the doctor all they will tell me will be “Stay off your foot and rest it.”  Bloody lot of good that will be.  Although I do have plenty of sick leave i can’t afford to take time off and it’s almost impossible to stay off my foot.  So i suck it up and deal with it… But it still causes frustration in my life.

Ok enough emo and complaining.  I’m home alone at the moment and it is great, cooking for myself is always a joy but cleaning for myself is CRAP!  I have always hated cleaning, especially washing dishes.  It probably stems back from when i was in high school and was paid VERY VERY little (read almost $5 an hour) to wash dishes as a part time job.  I was ok with it to start with… but grew to HATE it.  I still despise washing dishes and will avoid it at all times.  However there is a contradiction in that.  I hate a dirty kitchen. It drives me nuts!  I can’t stand working in a dirty cluttered kitchen and I know that stems from when I was at tafe and was doing my kitchen training.  They really drilled Mise En Place into you.  Mise En Place means in its place.  Everything must be in its place before you start, while your cooking and when your finished.

Anyway i have dreadful dishes to do, luckily there is only two pots to do because of the best invention in the world.  The Dishwasher..

BM OUT!

So while i was in sydney last weekend for some family stuff I ended up spending a few hours at the Esky Bar in Sydney. For those that don’t know, and i’m assuming its pretty much everyone, The Esky bar is at the Sydney International Terminal and it is part of their observation deck. It’s right up the top of the terminal overlooking the runway. Great spot for some photos. Sydney gets a lot of planes we don’t get up here so this was my first chance to finally enjoy what a lot of people rave about. I wasn’t really going to head to Sydney for the annual spotters weekend in February. When i got up to the esky bar.. my mind changed.

During the time i was up there i got photos of the following:
* Virgin Atlantic A340-600
* Austrian 777?
* Lan Chile A340
* British Airways 747-400
* Thai 747-400
* Singapore Airlines 747-400
* Rex Saab 340
* Air NZ Star Alliance A320.

All in all it was a good couple of hours. I was very very happy with the spotting at sydney. I am now considering heading down for the spotters weekend. Trying out the different locations, enjoying myself for a couple of days. Who knows.. might even get some photos i could possibly sell.. HAH yeah right.

*edit* I was convinced by Michelle to upload some pics so here they are. Please note they are not touched up straight from the camera. Here

Been a bit slack lately by not updating… but ive been busy i swear. Last weekend was a big weekend. I got to go on my first reward weekend for work. Was fantastic. A weekend full of relaxing, luxury and fun. We spent friday night in the Big Brother house. Lots of drinks, food, fun, dancing and just tom foolery. Saturday got to have breakfast with the dolphins and then i could of gone on a shark snorkel but i piked… cause im chicken. We had a very very quick lunch at versace and then on to Couran cove for a very relaxing night and morning.

Was a sad day at work yesterday with Megan’s last day. Although she worked in Sydney she was a very nice girl and it would of been great if she could of worked up in Brisbane. But i will hopefully get to see her while im in Sydney next weekend. Big night tonight, Off to UJ’s soon and then bowling at Strike for Tom’s birthday. Next weekend should be a lot of fun… poker night next friday, Saturday is Australia vs Paraguay at work and then off to Sydney for a family weekend to bury Grandma’s ashes.

*edit* I have also been slightly less lazy now and uploaded some photos from the Reward Weekend.  They are mainly of the Big Brother house, i tried to get some artistic photos but well some of them turned out some didnt.  From now on all of my phots will be hosted offsite at Picasaweb.  They have given me 250mb of photo storage space and its so much easier to use because rather than having to create the web page from picasa manually, i just hit upload and all done 😀

Photos are here

Why is all this stuff about Steve Irwin still sticking around.  Yes it is a sad thing that he is no longer alive.  Do I think that everyone should stop working for him.. no.  That may sound rude, may sound harsh but something a friend said to me really sums it up.  “Would Steve Irwin be doing this if I died.”  The answer is no.  He is not an idol of mine, nothing he strove for I believe in or to be frank nothing he did I even cared about.  I’ve been to the Zoo.  Its a nice place… doesnt mean i have to worship the man because he made a zoo.  It may sound harsh but frankly… I don’t give a shit anymore. 

I would rather donate money to people who are going to put it to good use, rather than spending money and giving it to some animals :/

In other news, reward weekend on friday, can’t wait.  Been hearing bits and pieces of rumours and gossip about it but all I know is that its this friday after work till sunday on the gold coast and its a suprise.  God damn i wish they would tell me something… I just want to know!!

Other than work life is good.  Its really a smal world with my friend Casey going on tour with Michelle F from the tour I did.  Such a small world and should be good for a reunion if michelle can come to bris because she will get to see me and casey at the same time!!!

Ooops time to go… time to do some work.. no slacking off!