Ken's 50th Birthday

Just got back from Ken's 50th birthday celebration on a yacht in Marina Del Rey. Appeteasers and lower than mediocre tasting birthday cake. At least it looked pretty.

Camille wasn't up to joining me since she is having yet another dramatic week at work. Being on a boat cycling through the marina was not what she was up for this evening. I met a couple of Ken's friends: Paul and Gail. Married couple who love and thrive on adventure. I turned them on to getting a Galapagos Island trip for themselves - they would love the nature and wildlife as I do. Paul is trying to get hooked up on hang gliding activity. I absolutely want to do that Ken wants to do that as well. This is one of my bucket list items.

My buddy Ken with the flowers I got him for this birthday (still sober).


Apparently, I don't seem to be a very welcome guest at the Ken's party in terms of Ken's wife and her friends are concerned. However I was invited to this "surprise" event. I tried to take a photo of Ken and myself and I believe this woman who pretended to be drunk was falling back on the 2 of us while the photo was being taken by his wife. Don't know why I gave the camera to her for the photo but I suspect the weird action from her friend was planned! Here is the best mug shot of Ken and I from the evening - it's as good as it gets! Here is Ken completely wasted and having a good time. The photo has cropped off the woman who seemed to want to be in every attempted shot! Don't you love the drama?


Who's your mama Ken?

Sturdy but Fragile

Here I am in the year of 2010 still without a means of an income; rejection seems to continue here. Had an interview in Florida for a manager position. It is replacing someone who was a manager first time as well. They decided to fly someone in from Australia...and picked someone else who has management experience. I think Australia has really tarnished me and I loved it there - how so fucking ironic! Am not really happy these days as I forgot to take my peri-menopausal pills for the past 3 days. Wondering why I am very emotional....again! I would love to think and experience that knitting all day, every day would give me an income. I am making Mark a sweater out of wool/angora fiber - he better like it! I also made a Manos wool for Laurie Bilbruck's mother, the woman's whose condo I am staying in - thank you Laurie!!

Otherwise, I am continuing to have this perspective of being led on then deflated; in all aspects of my life:

-Job interviews/head hunter calls that I though would be a job
-Friends who are supposed to be friends but desire to be more but can't deliver
-The economic sitation is "getting better"...where is work then?

I am fortunate for the situation that I am temporarily in to help me financially however one of the items is going away shortly which means I must find a used vehicle to purchase and get insurance along with other living maintenance.

Have to keep looking at the "bright side of life". Went to Vegas Valentine's weekend to get the 21 out of my system. We saw a Chihuly glass gallery and I loved those pieces! Here is my favourite estimated $55K USD.




I love the brilliant colors in his pieces! I have to identify with these pieces as showing my brilliance yet fragility if I am bumped off my mark.











Until next time....

And now for my Next Magic Trick

The Phoenix in me has yet to rise. I am still favouring my raw scars of 2009. Have to admit this past year has been the best and the worst times of my whole life so far. A love/hate rollercoaster:
• Love Melbourne- hate the company that got me out there to work
• Love the fact that I can be flexible by giving/selling all of my collectibles and housewares to move from one hemisphere to another-hate that I had to do it twice in the same year
• Love my best friends that I established in Melbourne-hate that I had to leave and not be with them as often as I was when I lived in there
• Love the fact that I am enjoying my unemployment phase now-hate the manner of how I got this way
Since I just recently took the laser/botox/dermal filler certification course at National Laser Institue I still see myself going to the familiar environment of technology project work. I feel as though I am starting all over again not with my living situation but also with my career and life!



I am grateful that there are a couple potential employments that seem to be promising to me at this time therefore enjoying my “me” time as much as possible. The lesson learned here: Always consider keeping my environmental happiness instead of making any hasty work decisions because it's glamorous.

One of my Nursing Continuing Education for Nurses booklet in the mail has a course for ‘Burnout: Impact on Nursing’. Reading through it, it applies to ANY job or career and not just in Nursing. Scanning through it, I had the classic burnout risks, manifestations, symptoms and stages while working in Melbourne. Good thing I have this information so in my job interviews, I can inquire on whether I will burnout again. Term of burnout: “The term is used to describe a mild degree of unhappiness caused by stress, as well as any degree of distress, from fatigue or major depression…..it is not a problem related to an individual but a problem of the social environment in which people work and is a function of how people within that environment interact with one another and perform their jobs.” Let me say that the fucking bitch that started the rampage of not supporting me at work Down Under definitely was the lynch-pin from my experience. Am relieved that it is something I cannot take personally but at the time, I felt like a failure; truly like going through a divorce for the length of time I worked at that company.

I am very grateful for friends that have helped me through this mess and recovery. I actually did help out a couple of friends for a living situation in the past so I guess I am getting my return of that good deed :). So…for my next magic trick, I will make sure that I avoid the risks, correct any manifestations/symptoms to avoid the stages of burnout….in my 4th career!

What is "home"?

Now that I am back to the land of > 12% unemployment and people speak Spanish instead of Vietnamese, the question to be is: what is 'home' for me?

Uprooting myself twice in one year, living through a divorce from a company of 8 years service and being unemployed and 'homeless' is quite a journey for one year's time. 2009 was incredible for changes; "new responsponsibility for our era" as Obama claims in his inaugaural speech. Lessons learned: will never be hasty to make decisions in business even though it sounds "cool" career-wise or a cool location. I already miss Melbourne!!

BTW, here is a photo of my goal being in Australia. Had to hold a koala and finally did it! They are the sweetest things until they scratch you with their marsupial claws. (Cohunu Koala Park, Perth)

Can't forget the other cuddly animal in Australia - this one was expecting a snack from me (Caversham Wildlife Park, Perth).






The place that has won my eye on the most beautiful is Tasmania. Colourful botanical gardens, historical location of the penal system for convicts from UK, and cool coastal formations.
(Japanese gardens)

(remains of the hospital in Port Arthur for convicts)



coastal formation between Tasman arch and Devil's Kitchen - other side of Pirates cove Penance, Tasmania)

Here is a photo of my best buddies in Melbourne - miss them dearly! John, Steve and Darrin.

On to a new chapter in life....

Holiday Time for Reflection

For those who are reading this blog.....I have completed my divorce from my employer with most items that I have requested. It's a matter of seeing the details fall into place as signed for, etc. for the remaining 6 weeks here.

Now my effort still entails obtaining my retirement fund from this country to roll over to my IRA and waiting for all finacial transactions complete with my bank account e.g. residual penalties for breaking my rental lease. I will be without a computer for some time until I get back to the States and find the time/funds to purchase one and get internet connectivity.

Melbourne is a wonderful city, there is no recession here. Australia is the first country to raise interest rates since they are doing very well here. Will be interesting going back to the States when I have lived in a higher cost of living where the economy is growing. In the meantime, I will try to enjoy Australia while I am still here.

Oh by the way....there are koalas in the wild just not in the city. This weekend I am excited to see the Philip Island penguins :)

See you when I get back to the States!

Back to Reality

For those who are paying attention: I have celebrated my infamous 9-11 here in Melbourne. Been given the termination paperwork at my job of 8 years today after being sent home and stay away from the office on 9-11. Misconception and disception: thought things were the same as the projects I worked in America - wrong! Note to all: when one is terminated, the employer does not care about you and that you have traveled half-way around the world to join their team! Some happy birthday I have been having - had to post the hot Italian while this crap was all going down.

Options of going back to Nursing; active licenses in US or reciprocity here in Australia. Otherwise I have applied for 2 jobs here in Melbourne and 2 jobs at Community Memorial Hosptital in Ventura.

Life is definately a journey with humbled events. Now have experienced a layoff and now termination - what fun at this age. This experience is like going through a divorce! Meanwhile lives are lost in Samoa - WTF!!

Birthday with a Hot Italian

Hello everyone .... it has been a very long time since I posted here. I have been truly preoccupied with work drama but now am able to come out of the depths to post something :)

Sunday was my birthday here in Melbourne. I invited my close network of friends to a wonderful Italian restaurant (well, the waiter is a hot Italian) called Terra Rosa. This is my second time there and for the eye candy...check it out! Meet Andreas. He is from Milan and has a beautiful thick Italian accent.


I came out of the rest room and he accidentally ran into me - wow! I have to have that happen to me more often. The "boys" that were with me at this dinner were jealous that it didn't happen to them :) I enjoyed the lovely kisses that Andreas gave me. Mamma Mia!


In the end we all had a great time. Ronda got a phone number from another young Aussie blond waiter so that truly made her night. Success for us cougars!! Even Darren snuck in a kiss from Andreas as we left the restaurant.

Clockwise: Darren, Ronda, John, Steve, Erica and Stephen