Schmozzle!!!!!

Okay, remember yesterday when I mentioned I was going to a at a meting and the News were turning up etc etc. This is how it went down, and I finally found out what it was for. First of all, I was asked YESTERDAY to be at the meeting. Apparently, two of the guys from our course won a Microsoft contest for best film. Ten prizes were awarded in Australia, and two of the guys we teach received them ... that's pretty important. [I don't actually teach the guys ... well, I did once ... but they survived and went on to win regardless of the damage I caused!] :-) So, we had a Microsoft representative turned up at about 12 noon. He'd come from Sydney. Apparently, the first thing he had heard of the presentation was earlier in the week. He was a bit surprised to hear he was being flown to Perth as well. He knew a bit about what was happening, but was a little thin on the ground with some of the other things being asked by other people. Not his fault ... obviously if you tell a guy he's flying across the country for something he knew nothing about, he's going to be a little out of water. Later, we had the Mayor, the local Member of Parliament, many high up police officers, another Microsoft representative and others turn up (as well as the two guys who won the award). Apparently, the whole thing being a Microsoft presentation, was organised by Microsoft. I heard the Mayor at the end blow up a little (and rightly so) as the whole thing was a SCHEEEMOZZLE!!!! The TV crews didn't show up at all, and onyl one member of the press turned up that I noticed. I was invited as I set the computer network up for the training rooms etc. Generally, I get ignored, but that doesn't bother me that much ... though it is a little annoying, as Kelly (the trainer) who does most of the work hardly gets mentioned, while Microsoft (who really did very little other than supply the software - well, when I say supply, Chas had to go and get it from a store and get compensated or something ... so they didn't even send anything) get a big mention all the time. Anyway, it was badly organised ... that's the main problem. Considering it could have been a nice big PR thing for Microsoft, they dropped the ball. One reporter (I think from the local paper) was the only media present. Not even a photographer. Anyway, it was crowded, hot and at the end of it all, I was completely warn out. I got home, and my mother didn't shut up for an hour about her day ... then she asked me how it went today and if I would be on the news ... I started to tell her, and she interupted and told me more about her day ... then, when she eventually stopped I explained what happened.

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On another note, my mother also started asking me about staying here. You might remember, I'm sick of being here. Rather be back in Sydney ... or anywhere else in the world. You might remember I also told you how my mother has told my younger brother she wants me out of here. Anyway, I spoke to my mother about it. I explained, I don't want to go any time soon. However, I really don't feel like I am welcome, nor do I really want to stay. We had a bit of a talk, and agreed I should finish my studying and getting some more qualifications and then screw it, I'll be off to better places. My mother is pretty much pee'ed off with Perth as well. She complains all the time ... her complaints mainly centre around the family and all the in fighting, jealousy etc that I was pretty much safe from in Sydney. The latest is my cousins fiance is trying to get everyone to by my Nana a harp, as it was beleived she used to have one as a girl. The cost is $60 per person. As my Nana doesn't like anyone and most of us aren't allowed over to see her anyway, we wondered why such an extravigant gift should be bought. On top of that, it's been discovered that my Nana can't even play a harp. As a girl, she used to own a zither. Anyway, no one has wanted to say 'No' to my cousins fiance, but the general concensis is that no one wants to buy the present. My mother feels she is being left to break the bad news to my cousins fiance. The other news, is my cousins fiance is deciding who can be in what photograph at their wedding. Some people are going to be in NONE [probably me ... I get left out of everything]. Anyway, I'm spending the weekend making costumes for the wedding. I'm really regretting coming back, as I would have missed all the stupidity of family in-fighting ... but then I still have the spectre of my father trying to get my mother's house over my head. Actually, the other day she kept coming into my study/studio and annoying me. I asked her why (especially after the huge noise she made to move me from the lounge room). She said she was now lonely. It made me wonder whether being here was such a good idea. After all, if I wasn't here, hopefully she'd make an effort to get out and meet people. Anyway, she constantly interupts me still. Damn annoying. After today, I'm pretty tired. Geeeees! Where to go in the world? Anyone need a Network Engineer who is also a qualified Trainer?