Back Again

Thought I would look up my blog after a very long time - whew the last post was in February 2009!

Not a lot has happened since then as our life went on hold due to the lack of permanent work and having to rebuild a leaky home. Every bit of spare cash had to be saved to meet the interest bill on a huge mortgage borrowed to rebuild the house. Then I had to save enough to fund the lawyers and potential court cases. The house is rebuilt in weatherboards and looks fantastic and settlement has been recently reached with the asshole builders and the council. (I will blog separately on the experience. Needless to say we are severely out of pocket despite not being at fault). However, finally we could sort out some of the family issues and expenditure that had been put on hold for 6 years!

My last post referred to 2 month's work. Well! I took up the role and 3 staff in the section went in all directions within short order so the boss reorganised the section and took parts of the 3 roles and combined them into one logical role and let me stay doing it. We all looked the other way as he knew I would not do the role on a permanent basis for the pay scale applying so I lasted until October 2010 until another restructuring took the role out of that section. The way it was done would have won me some dosh in the Employment Court as I had been here so long I had a good case to argue I was a permanent employee. However, I had great fun at their HR department's expense pointing out how their publicised values etc had been severely dented in this instance. At least the HR Manager had enough grace to blush with embarrassment and say I was right.

I would love to blog on my experiences at this company and name them but they helped me out of a very deep hole when I lost my job, my house and my father all within 3 months and I could not have survived without the work they gave me. So, that buys them heaps of thanks and loyalty, even from a contractor. And the people I have worked with are, by and large, great.

Shortly afterwards (before the other contract expired) I was offered work elsewhere in the company and have been here since. This contract will last until Christmas 2011 and I think that will be it as they have restructured again (4 in 3 years) and for the first time are laying off finance people. I have been chasing permanent and contract work all over town and in the past week and am actually getting some interviews this time. Fingers crossed.

I have just had a significant birthday and am in a contemplative sort of mood this month as I look forwards and backwards and think about what sort of mark I am going to leave in the world. I went to Sydney and had a long weekend staying in the best hotel in town as a treat. However, the Rugby World Cup is on and I am putting everything on the back burner as I am enjoying the footy immensely. We are down to the final - go the All Blacks!