Boxed in...

They are on the way!

For those of you that know me, and those who have read from the start, my boxes are on the way!!!! I'm so excited, it will be like Christmas, except I will be getting my own crap back!

For those of you who are naive, when I was fired from Hayman, my mate told me to pack what I didn't immediately need into boxes and he would post them to me. Now after 4 months (not to mention him coming on holiday to Melbourne during that time) he has finally sent my stuff. Some things I'm getting back are: two pairs of jeans, work shoes, basketball shoes, my suit (I hope, I have a feeling he might forget about that one since he's been wearing it!), cables for my ipod and camera, numerous books (mainly hospitality related) and my group certificates so I can FINALLY do my tax, and get my stimulus package from Rudd!

Hayman Island Part II?

Two nights ago I received a call from my old manager on Hayman Island. He asked me to come back and work for him again.

WHAT THE FUCK?!

Honestly this was the last thing I was expecting. As my dismissal was changed to a resignation on the books, it entitles me to return after three months. Four months has almost passed since I left the Island.

This leaves me with a huge decision to make. Do I go back or do I stick to my plans. Now my plans are by no way locked in (apart from NZ in May). But going back to the Island will change the whole dynamic of what I am hoping to do.

I loved living on Hayman and the island life. But at least 80% of my friends have moved on. So obviously I wouldn't be going back for reunite with my friends. I was in the process of becoming supervisor, however I believe someone has filled that role since I have left. So it would be very hard for me to go back for anything less then supervisor, my AM even told me not to except any positions lower then supervisor when I left the island. And I have been told that I will be doing HDs (supervisor) after a few months of returning back to Crown.

Now my manager told me he was going to check with HR yesterday, to make sure I was eligible to return and then give me a call. Yet I have not heard from him. There are a number of possibilities as of why he has not called yet: he could have totally written himself off after he called me and forgot all about the conversation (although my AM was there as well so he should have reminded him).

He never got around to checking with HR/calling me back. Or,

HR has on my record that I was dismissed and I am not eligible to return any time soon, which makes calling me back a low priority.

In any case I have been considering the options, and if the possibility of becoming supervisor is on the cards (I've heard the current sup might be leaving soon) then I think I might take the opportunity. I really did want to finish off at that place on my own terms, plus this will give me the opportunity to win the Outstanding Achiever Award I was robbed of!

But I'm not going to get my hopes up or make any decisions until I get the call back and know exactly what my options are.

I found the picture on http://www.ffffound.com/ and it is exactly how I am approaching life at the moment.

Swing Life Away

Am I loud and clear or am I breaking up?
Am I still your charm or am I just bad luck?
Are we getting closer or are we just getting more lost?
I'll show you mine if you show me yours first
Let's compare scars I'll tell you whose is worse
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words

We live on front porches and swing life away
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave 'til the end
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand

I've been here so long I think that it's time to move
The winter's so cold summer's over too soon
Let's pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow
I've got some friends some that I hardly know
But we've had some times I wouldn't trade for the world
We chase these days down with talks of the places that we will go




I've loved this song for so long, well before I started working on Hayman Island. Funnily enough I was sitting on my front porch in the staff village when this song came up on the play list I was listening to. I sat there quietly, absorbing the words, realising how much they described my life at the present time. Elements of the song depict work, my friends, relationships and the island perfectly. 'I've got some friends some that I hardly know. But we've had some times I wouldn't trade for the world. We chase these days down with talks of the places that we will go.' This lines describes the social scene perfectly. Living on that island, you learn to make friends very quickly and quite often experience some amazing things with people who have only known for a few days. I found this often is how great friendships were formed. And of course meeting people who are in the middle of traveling the world (or Australia), you often get swept up with peoples talks of where their next stops will be. I saw a number of people deciding to go on a world trip with someone over a beer at the bar. It is safe to say that I reminisce about my times on Hayman every time i hear this song.

Rise Against - Swing Life Away

Hayman Island

My view of Blue Pearl Bay II from atop of a rather large rock.