I am posting for what will be final time from Fairfax offices in Bayswater, Melbourne.
I have put an out of office on my e-mails and spoken to a few contacts telling them that's it I am off back home on Monday.
Montrose training ended last night and my last day of work is around one hour from ending as well.
What can I say? I planned to come here for a month in the hope of some work experience but I ended up working for Fairfax Media as a casual journalist for pretty much seven months.
I have had articles on the front page, in news, sport, entertainment and features - the company really have been so good to me and trustworthy.
Unfortunately, the two applications for New Zealand jobs were unsuccessful - mostly due to my circumstances of Visas and not being a settled resident. Again, both responses told me straight out when I asked and explained my situation, my chances were slim and I appreciate them not messing me around.
I have been treated well in Melbourne. My work team have given me gifts including a pen and a wallet, Montrose gave me a shirt to keep and I can't say enough positively about my (sort of) cousin and her mum and step-dad who I have lived with since I arrived.
My time here has also taken me to Sydney, Canberra, Hobart and Perth and I have filled three camera memory cards.
I will miss all the family and friends I have made here, the animals, the lifestyle and the routine I had gotten into but I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends, having home comforts like my laptop and PS2 available and seeing what future challenge lies ahead for me.
All that's left to do now is enjoy my final few days here the best I can and ready myself, as much as I can, for leaving Australia to go back to England.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
How to stop people speeding nowadays
You know when you're just getting around and you have a sort of light bulb coming on moment?
Well, I had one of those after my last training session ahead of my last game this Sunday. (Incidentally, we won last week in the Ressies meaning I got my first points for my Aussie soccer team).
Back to the point, I was trying to keep to the speed limit on a 70km/h with no cars anywhere near me and had to resist the tempation to put my foot on the gas.
I asked myself why and the answer is pretty simple: because everything else is available so easily and quickly nowadays.
We don't have to wait for TV, Internet, Music, to speak to people etc etc because technology has evolved so much.
Yet we have to wait to get where we are going in a car because of speed limits.
Which, of course, there are very valid reasons for but we just want to get where we are going all the time = why we hate public transport ;)
For example, my friends mum was once caught speeding for doing less than 10 mp/h over the speed limit and I know the law is the law but it was hardly like she was driving recklessly (or so I was told!)
My point here, is that we live in a world where we expect everything instantaneously and don't want to wait for anything so when you are just cruising around in a car it goes against the grain to not get where you are going as quickly as possible.
Now, slight problem because that is illegal and some people in getting to where they are going drive too fast but I am sure people have sat in their cars cruising along at the speed limit thinking if only they could go faster they would get to their destination faster and not be wasting valuable, precious moments they could be on their PS3 or iPod.
I'm not what can be done about this except building cars that only go so fast that you can't possibly exceed the speed limit but that won't work unless speed limits everywhere are the same which is a stupid idea so I am open to suggestions.
But I think (until we get cars that fly through tunnels in the sky) the problem is only going to get worse - everyone is so impatient we don't have time to cruise around in a car even if going faster increases the chance of an accident.
Any ideas?
Well, I had one of those after my last training session ahead of my last game this Sunday. (Incidentally, we won last week in the Ressies meaning I got my first points for my Aussie soccer team).
Back to the point, I was trying to keep to the speed limit on a 70km/h with no cars anywhere near me and had to resist the tempation to put my foot on the gas.
I asked myself why and the answer is pretty simple: because everything else is available so easily and quickly nowadays.
We don't have to wait for TV, Internet, Music, to speak to people etc etc because technology has evolved so much.
Yet we have to wait to get where we are going in a car because of speed limits.
Which, of course, there are very valid reasons for but we just want to get where we are going all the time = why we hate public transport ;)
For example, my friends mum was once caught speeding for doing less than 10 mp/h over the speed limit and I know the law is the law but it was hardly like she was driving recklessly (or so I was told!)
My point here, is that we live in a world where we expect everything instantaneously and don't want to wait for anything so when you are just cruising around in a car it goes against the grain to not get where you are going as quickly as possible.
Now, slight problem because that is illegal and some people in getting to where they are going drive too fast but I am sure people have sat in their cars cruising along at the speed limit thinking if only they could go faster they would get to their destination faster and not be wasting valuable, precious moments they could be on their PS3 or iPod.
I'm not what can be done about this except building cars that only go so fast that you can't possibly exceed the speed limit but that won't work unless speed limits everywhere are the same which is a stupid idea so I am open to suggestions.
But I think (until we get cars that fly through tunnels in the sky) the problem is only going to get worse - everyone is so impatient we don't have time to cruise around in a car even if going faster increases the chance of an accident.
Any ideas?
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