Just rambling on basically...with some mention of the Pixies

My days of the week are all confused. Tomorrow is my last day of the working week because on Thursday I am going to Brisbane to see The Pixies and then stay in Brisbane until Sunday.

(Wait...did I mention I was going to see The Pixies? Just checking...)

Anyway, I am in a quandary about what to do with Ukulele Friday this week. I think I might give it a break for one week only. Fun T Shirt Friday may be shifted to Wednesday as a one off special performance. I am teaching all day (to make up for my usual Friday morning class) so the choice of T shirt would not be inconsequential. I still have my subliminal/awesome message to wear. Perhaps though by the end of the day I will only be capable of explaining things through interpretive dance...a better choice. I guess I could take a shirt to Brisbane and wear it on Friday. But that's what I hate about packing. How do you know what you're going to feel like wearing three or four days in advance? You can't! It's impossible I tells you. Impossible. So tomorrow morning and evening I will have some clothing decisions to make.

There's only one person to blame for all this kerfuffling about. Frank Black. You heard me. If he and his band hadn't written such catchy little tunes, pioneered the pre-grunge soft-loud-soft template of genius etc etc, all the days could remain in their rightful place.

Wendy's Week of TV 2.0: So funny I watched it twice

Sunday: Bones
Yes good. I don't think I need to overanalyse this every week. Let's just take it as read that I watched it, enjoyed it. The end.

Monday: The Big Bang Theory
As above. Plus yesterday I bought the whole of season one and spent the afternoon and some of the evening watching it.

Tuesday: Big Love
Excellent. I was on the edge of my seat and CAN'T WAIT until Tuesday for the season finale. Barb was excommunicated from the church, while Bill decided he wanted to be unsealed from Nicki and the political struggle for power on the compound continued.

Wednesday: The IT Crowd
Friendface. Almost as perfect as last week's episode when Roy and Moss convinced Jen that a small black box was indeed the internet. This week I think everyone on facebook would have been laughing out loud. It was so good that I watched it again on Thursday night on ABC2 and recorded it as well. I think I might have fully converted to be a fan of The IT Crowd.

Thursday: The Gourmet Farmer
Farewell Mr Gourmet Farmer. I shall miss your half hour slice of idyllic Tasmanian farmin' and cookin' on Thursday evenings. How nice that you got some new pigs. How nice also that you spared us watching the old pigs at the abattoir. For that I thank you. Next time, please invite me to your end of season outdoor dinner. That is all.

Friday: Okay so with no Torchwood I have been at a slight loss on Friday evenings as far as TV watching goes. So I decided to try Being Erica. The jury is still out. I didn't manage to stick it through the rest of their Friday night line up sadly.

Saturday: Well the marathon Big Bang Theory which is to conclude this afternoon was my priority. It was a present to myself if you like as a reward for three or four slightly stinky weeks at work. And then I watched Rockwiz naturally where one of the guests was from Spandau Ballet. Never was a fan still the duet at the end was indeed GOLD.
Do yourself a favour!

All Week: ABC2 I adore you for managing to put The Daily Show before The Colbert Report. It's the highlight of my day. I don't think we have an equivalent of these programs in Australia and they're fabulous.

Saturday shopping: It goes a little something like this

It's been a few weekends since I've been able to go Saturday shopping what with working, trips to Brisbane and other things. However, this morning saw a return to the usual Saturday morning routine.

It goes a little something like this.

Wake up at normal time (between 5 and 6).

Slowly remember that it's Saturday. Feel highly relieved that I don't have to go work.

Get up, shower and go out to breakfast.

Order poached eggs and toast and coffee. (Except for this morning I strayed slightly and order SCRAMBLED eggs. Yes, I know. Fascinating detail)

Eat food while reading local paper. Reading is perhaps too strong a word for my engagement with the local paper. Perhaps, skimming would be more appropriate.

Go to Woolworths. Buy boring and highly overpriced grocery items. Although this morning dry cat food was a dollar off so I bought two boxes.

Browse around shops. This is the most exciting part.

Today I impulse bought.
1. 2 tshirts (because the second item was 50% off and I can't resist a bargain offer)
2. The Big Bang Theory Season 1. It was 19.95. Season 2 is 34.95 so I won't be buying that until it comes down in price.
3. A cute cloth mini shoulder bag with some jangly coins on it.

I figured that was enough for someone who doesn't actually need anything and is supposed to be saving money this year.

Music Snob Friday Tee

Here is my t shirt for today.

Here is a unfocused webcam picture of me wearing said t shirt.


I have accessorised with this rather ugly big ring I bought on special at diva.



Happy Fun T Shirt Friday everyone.

Tomorrow is Friday

Tomorrow is Friday which means three very important things.

1. T Shirts. My new t shirts finally arrived from the land of the brave and the home of the free (or is it the other way round I can't remember) so I am quite excited.

2. Ukuleles. As always I have been preparing for Ukulele Friday diligently doing some research on youtube. I guess when I say diligently I actually mean "when I remember to search for ukuleles while wasting time in other ways on the internet"

3. The weekend is one day closer. I am waiting somewhat impatiently for naps, sleep ins, TV in the day time and just generally lounging about. I am tired.

So get ready everyone for some Friday good times.

No Junk Mail Please

Dear people who deliver junk mail in my street

In case you haven't noticed there is a polite little sign attached to my letterbox that reads "No Junk Mail Please". This includes all of you - the pizza vouchers, the free newspapers filled with ads, the autobarn catalogues, the monthly real estate guide, the annoying catalogues in plastic bags filled with mystifying household appliances, and anything from politicians.
I would appreciate it if you would stop stuffing your pamphlets into my letterbox because all I do is either:
1. pick them out and throw them in the bin
OR
2. let them sit in there until they rot away which doesn't make for a pleasant letter gathering activity when there is actual mail in there

Yours sincerely

Wendy

Wendy's Week of TV 2.0: Leo Sayer. I need say no more

You know I am supposed to be summarising some notes from a teleconference on Friday but I must get my priorities in order. Wendy's Week of TV 2.0 is far more important.

There has been a little less sleeping in front of the telly this week and a little more actual watching.

Sunday: Bones
Yes I am now a fully fledged convert to Bones. Already this morning I woke up and thought "Hooray it's Sunday". Well perhaps that's a not a direct quote but you get the idea. Anyway, when are Bones and the guy from Angel going to get together? Never, hopefully, because that will ruin the whole show just like when Tony and Angela got together on Who's the Boss.

Monday: The Big Bang Theory
Now what was exciting about this was that I didn't go to choir so I managed to watch The Big Bang Theory in real time. Bazinga. Monday was a long time ago so I can't actually remember much about it, except for the fact that the final scene where Wolowitz apologised to his girlfriend in song was way way cute.

Tuesday: Big Love
Big Love is fulfilling all my soap opera needs. It's got the lot - love, deceit, semi-organised crime, death, etc etc. So far no-one has said "I've got to go and take care of some business" as a means of exiting a scene (a la Days of our Lives) but I wait in eager anticipation. This week Nikki's deceit during the trial of Roman the prophet was revealed to all and sundry including the cute guy at the District Attorney's Office. Oh dear. Now I come to think of it though Days had its own evil Roman, and so does Big Love. Cooincidence? I think not.

Wednesday: The IT Crowd
Numerous Laugh Out Louds this week, particularly when Roy and Moss convinced Jen that the small box they presented her with to use in her talk as Employee of the Month was in fact "The Internet".

Thursday: The Gourmet Farmer
This week Matthew went in search of flour and honey. Then he made some biscuits and a carrot cake. Okay, so it doesn't sound like the most riveting 30 minutes of television you've ever watched in your life, but really, it's pretty good.

Friday: Two episodes of Burn Notice
I'm growing to enjoy Burn Notice a lot. It's like all the retro action series from 1980s rolled into one. I did fall asleep during the first episode I had recorded so I had to watch it again last night, but the second one was a beauty. Michael had to do an Irish accent because suddenly Fiona is from Ireland? What the hell? I'm sure it's all been beautifully explained in the many episodes leading up to this point which I have missed. Whatever? Doesn't really matter anyway. A few explosions, some techno-babble fiddling with wires, making bombs and Sharon Gless and you've got an entertaining hour of telly.

Saturday: Rockwiz
Leo Sayer. I need say no more.

Every night at 7:30: The Colbert Report
Excellent!

Splattery Wonderfulness

I was already for the green TV t shirt. I'd even ironed it when I suddenly had a desire to wear my silver treble clef earrings.


I know, I thought to myself (because talking aloud when there is no-one else around is just plain odd) I shall rummage through my cupboard and find a matching musical tee. So I did. And here it is in all it's splattery wonderfulness.


Fun T Shirt Friday 2010 has now begun.

Fun T Shirt Friday: The Return

Tomorrow I reinstate Fun Tshirt Friday.

As you may have gathered from my whiny posts of late, there has been a distinct lack of fun at work lately. With the teaching term starting again this week I think it's time to inject some fun into the week. I was hoping my new Threadless specials would have arrived by now but they haven't so I'm torn between the following:

1. The Rockwiz TShirt I won a couple of weeks ago on Twitter

2. @Rocketpilot's "I liked TV before it was popular"

3. Threadless's "Movies ruining the book since 1920"

4. Threadless's "Let me explain through interpretive dance"


They all have potential. I haven't managed to wear the Rockwiz yet because it's been too hot for a black T shirt so tomorrow with this continuing grey weather could be a good opportunity. However, the TV is green, which is a favourite colour, plus it's about TV. I like the Movies one too, and it's black as well so hasn't had an airing lately. And I do love the sentiment of the interpretive dance, however I am concerned that it might be just a little too early in the term to start with what could be seen as a patronising sarcasm. And of course whichever one I choose has to gel with UkuleleFriday, an important factor in my decision making.

I shall mull over it this evening and see how I feel in the morning. Suggestions are more than welcome.

All Apologies

I have spent the last two days apologising to students. Why's that Wendy I hear you ask with great interest in your voice? (or not...your choice).

The story goes something like this.

Once upon a time there was a regional tertiary institution that ran a very successful bridging program. It ran for 20 years as an internal program on the tertiary institution's domestic campuses in Central Queensland. Then in 2006 it decided it would offer the very successful bridging program by distance education. It gave the job of Program Coordinator (a fancy schmancy title for one who answers the phone a lot) to a young woman with stars in her eyes and a song in her heart, passionate about giving adult learners a second chance at education. The first year of the distance education program all ran quite smoothly with just over 100 students. As the years went by the tertiary institution thought to itself "Hey, I know what would be a fab idea....distance education is easily staffed and resourced let's take more and more of them into our very successful bridging program". This continued until 2009 when the Program Coordinator was looking after a program of close to 300 students from all over Australia. She didn't mind too much, because the students were nice, the uni managed to have its IT systems working most of the time, and best of all (and I urge you to take careful notice here) it had its own print and despatch unit which printed and packed all the course resources, shrink wrapped them and sent them out to students in a fairly timely fashion. (By a timely fashion I mean before the term started)

In 2010 however, someone, we can't be exactly sure who, but they would have been in the upper echelons of senior management at aforementioned tertiary institution, said to themselves "I know! Here's a great idea..what if we disbanded our mostly reliable and efficient print unit and outsourced all this work to some firm in Brisbane who we've never ever had much to do with, but you know they're cheap and outsourcing is all the rage budgetary wise, so you know, what could possibly go wrong?". (It's great ideas like that that aid you in rising to the top of the tertiary education tree, take particular note).

The people involved in the very successful bridging program were a little bit skeptical about this but they soldiered on and from November through to today met all the required deadlines for delivery of material for printing, and continually checked on how things were going. For they realised, from their years of experience that students who are returning to tertiary study might get a little bit stressed if they didn't receive their books in time for the start date of the program. They also realised that something like this would be considered a major stuff up. However, they crossed their fingers and believed the outsourcing people when they told them with a week to go before the term was starting that everything was in hand and books were being despatched. The Program Coordinator even told some of the keen students who had rung her in the week before the term started to keep their eyes on the letterbox because any minute now their exciting study package would be arriving.

Now for those of you who don't like sad endings to stories perhaps you should stop reading. On Friday (the last working day before the Term began) the staff in the bridging program discovered that in fact no students had been sent anything. Neither were they sent anything on Monday the day the program began, and it is doubtful if anything was sent today. At times, they were unsure just what might have been printed, where it might be going, and indeed if there was anyone in the whole university who was able to shed any light on the situation at all. Meanwhile the Program Coordinator, her wonderful administration officer and the lecturers on the program have spent two days apologising (approximately every five minutes) as students ring panicking because they haven't received any books. Not only that they have had to apologise for the tertiary institution's wonderful new online course system Moodle being in "Unplanned Downtime" for most of Day 1 of the Term.

All apologies all the time.

That's going to be the new branding of our fine institution I think.