FEBRUARY......A MONTH OF 'ASSESSMENT'.....

G'day all!

Well lets see:

* Firstly I paid $25 and signed up for 'FebFast'. That means that I'm to have no alcoholic drinks for this month of February. How it works is that anyone who wants to participate pays $25, registers and is part of an online community who is undertaking this challenge. The funds raised all go to helping combat youth alcohol and drug problems within Australia. Anyone who wants to support the cause but not participate can sponsor a participant. If any social event comes up in February where the participant wants to drink.......they can purchase a 'time out' at $25 a day to keep in line with this theme! My page can be accessed on facebook! The only planned social event which is tempting is a camping trip in which myself and a few others are going on during the last weekend of Feb......down to Dwellingup! So far no drinks! Dwellingup will be a challenge.......but don't plan to 'purchase' a time out! Providing I make it through that weekend with none, - I may donate $10 of the money I save on purchasing wine or beer to Febfast for a kind gesture! That means no coke zero either, just recyclable water bottles......and maybe a nice coffee! Also last month I went a 12 day stint of consecutive days with none so that was good practice!

* Last weekend I bought a tent!!! Basically it's one of those 'flip up/down' ones you crawl into but can sleep up to 3 people if squashed up. After flipping up, - you just peg it into the ground. There is more technique required to taking it down, folding it down small and getting it back into its circular bag again! It's a nice orange colour. First up I will use it for the looming camping trip but I reckon there will be further camping trips for me after that! I enjoyed the camping up in Kalbarri for New Years this year and that was my first camping trip in many years. I will get a pic of if soon.

* I spent lots of time, (more than normal) researching study/training/upskilling options as lets face it, forever my job is dead end! Problem is........to study you need time.....for study you need money! We need to work for money. Without study my lifestyle feels busy.....work, commuting, training, housework, personal care, a small bit of downtime, the odd social catch up, then again, - not to bed as early as I want! With getting up at 4.50am for work, I should be in bed/lights out at 9.50pm at the very latest for 7 hours in bed! But I rarely am, 10.45-11.15pm seems more the average and I HATE getting up in the mornings! My downtime, (and recently 'training' time) has been spent researching study options etc!

* Now it's 'often' I go through these 'reassessing' phases, then decide it's all 'too hard', do nothing so nothing changes till next time I reach this part of the 'cycle'!

* This time I have made a 'small' change! I have bitten the bullet and signed up for an online study course. It's called 'Introduction to Nutrition', is run by Nature Care College over East. It runs for 12 weeks, costs $550 which I paid upfront! For those attending classes there is one two hour class per week. I'm guessing with online study I'm going to need to commit a few hours per week to listen to the tutorials and complete the assessment(s)! I have a basic or I think good idea on what I think is nutritious food........but like the sound of the modules and can see myself learning and refreshing on anatomy, some physiology, some science on how food breaks down, about harmful chemicals/addictives and more. If I want to ever 'further' my studies in that area that course can be credited toward it. But I need to see if I can find the time and inclination to commit to this and pass it........before even thinking of bigger things!

* On a side note in 2008 I signed up for a 'French for Beginners' course which was held on one evening per week in Perth for 12 weeks. The end of the first class I was lost, I could tell by the second week I was falling way behind and didn't understand the class, and week 3 was totally over my head so I stopped going! I was working long hours such as an average of 11-12 hour days back then and was only committing about half an hour a day to 'opening books, trying to study' which obviously was no where near cutting the mustard for what was required! That was my only attempt since the 90's to study! I did pass 5th and 6th form in School back in NZ......through lots of hard work, (I didn't do the final year of high school). But with lots of effort my marks were B's and C's, - not A's! I am expecting my correspondence pack in the mail next week! Will keep you posted!

* As for careers/jobs main areas of interest have been: nutrition, (to work toward an eventual nutritionist/sports nutritionist or dietician), travel/tourism, - infact I saw a great sounding diploma that can be studied online combining business and tourism and can be credited toward a degree in the field if desired! I love travelling, adventure and the ideas of jobs/careers associated with that. There is an online diploma in professional photography which sounds interesting, is on special at $599.....but I enquired and they recommend a DSLR camera, - mine isn't, In all honesty I don't mind my own photos and if I was to go pro.....it would be expensive to set up. Photos are alot down to personal opinion I think. I've always been interested in skin science.....more than the make up/nails side of beauty.

I saw an advert from the Australasian Academy of Cosmetic Dermal Science in Subiaco, Perth, decided to look them up, decided it sounded very interesting and I saw they were having an open night last Tuesday so I attended! With having a non nursing and non beauty background the Advanced Diploma in which I would need to do would be a real stretch, - but it sounded exciting with great current job prospects for successful graduates. You can then go on to combine it with general nursing and become a Cosmetic Nurse or undertake the Vocational Post Graduate Certificate In Dermal Therapies Cosmetic Medicine Stream. So by doing this I will be able to perform Chemical Peeling, Skin Needling, Microdermabrasion treatments, Laser treatments and maybe Botox if I go down that stream! A growing field! The Advanced Diploma takes about 18 months full time but can be done part time in up to 2.5 years. It can be done online but I would need to attend the college for about 14 days of prac and assessments per year. Now that would be a huge financial and time commitment but it sounds great! Other than that, - getting into nursing or even a medical profession interests me now lots more than it ever has before!

I guess the other thing to assess has been........the stay in Perth......or move elsewhere type of thing. I have lived in WA over 7 years now and coming up 6 in Perth itself. It's a great part of the world, I love it, have great friends here, love the lifestyle, opportunity and all stuff WA! Main drawbacks are: - family so far away in NZ and once you hit 30's I find maintaining/building relationships with family and relatives a higher priority than during my early to mid 20's! Also there is the driving issue.......I HATE city driving, have NEVER been on the freeway, into the city driving my car! I stick to back roads I know, get all worked up if I get tooted. I've been on some of the highways but am very picky about what times/day I drive (I like 5.30am on a Sunday morning for slightly busier roads but often sleep ins win), and end up walking/cycling lots of it and parking a long way away. Merging, lane changes, intersections are my big concerns and I tend to panic. My lack of confidence driving holds me back from some of the things I'd like to partake in,.....not to mention being inconvenient! Lucky I like cycling plus there is a good train/bus system in Perth. I was making some progress last year and kept at it, had a couple of incidents in short succession where I had some rude roadrage directed at me which set me back in confidence again. I'd love to say the driving issue is something I can change, - but I got my licence almost 16 years ago, (half my current age) so am not so sure! Of course I sat my practical in a quiet town in NZ!

Oh, to update, am not sure what is now happening about the Thailand-Singapore trip as listed below as boss won't yet confirm it! Will see!
Wow, this is a long post!

Till next time :-)