Tics Tacs - the Inverse of Kit Kats

...okay, sorry for the folks who thought my last post was TL and so DR. Basically, here's a quick catch up over what happened since September:

• I lost my job
• I caught chicken pox
• I then caught a cold, or flu, or some upper respiratory infection
• thus I spent half of September sick
• and I missed out on the company break-up because I was too contagious to go
  
• (oh, and my sister caught the pox as well, and we both almost died apparently)
• my savings started running out at the end of the month
• so I signed up for unemployment benefits
• two days later, my tax refund arrived, which meant I didn't need to go on the Dole (d'oh!)
• I applied for a few jobs, and had my name put down for something else via my employment agency contact
• two weeks into October, I scored an interview at another service station
• I was the best candidate, and I got the job
• so now, I am employed again! :)
  

Weird how it works out like that, isn't it?
So now, I at least have an income again (yay!), but now I have to start worrying about keeping schedules and missing out on important social gatherings all over again (boo).
Still, it beats being on the Dole.

---

I got an email from my old American penpal the other week; she has a much more exciting blog than mine, not neglected or anything, but she is apparently a semi-regular reader of this one. She asked me if I were still posting anything on this thing, and I explained that I didn't have a lot to share about myself these days...

And then I remembered something; back when we first started writing to each other (which was probably waaay back in '98 or so), we used to send each other different types of confectionery. She would send me delicious Hershey's chocolate bars and Jelly Belly beans straight from the United States, and I would represent humble Australia by sending her yummy Tim Tams and Peppermint Aero bars.

Sadly, this Candy Exchange was thwarted by the change in political temperature brought about by September 11 - the US Government shortly implemented new controls on importing food into the USA, such that every food item brought into the country (whether it be a shipment of beef, a crate of oranges, or just a big crazy-looking box full of sugary crap) required lengthy documentation for each unique item, detailing where each product was made, who made it, how it was packaged, what it was made of, how many were in each pack, how tasty it was, how many the postal inspectors were allowed to sample, etc. etc. etc.

I am sorry to say that, because of my enthusiasm for the project, the registration process was ridiculously daunting, and so I failed to honour my part of the exchange.
...but I DID at least buy the candy, so that counts for something, right?

Anyway, while I was cleaning up my room the other day, I found the parcel I'd assembled a couple of years ago, and it still had some confectionery items in it! Now, I know what you're thinking, and yes, a lot of the stuff in the box was spoiled; chocolate does not keep for much longer than two years (trust me on this - ick).

Before I throw all of this stuff out, I'd like to show you some of the interesting stuff we got to sample over the past couple of years, because it's kinda interesting, you know?

First up, the Kit Kat Chunky bars. In Australia, Nestlé has the license to make Kit Kats, and, along with the regular 4-finger packs, they make these over-sized single-finger bars. As many popular snacks do these days, they sometimes come in seasonal "fun" flavours; though they weren't all available at the same time, I managed to assemble a collection of them (click to see close-up):
Left side: Honeycomb; the regular Chunky; Caramel; Cookies and Cream (these last three are the only ones still currently available).
Right Side: Chocolate Strawberry (special fundraising edition for the Pink Ribbon breast cancer charity, it has a pink strawberry wafer inside); Cookie Dough; Chocolate Overload (every element of the bar is chocolate flavoured!); Toffee Crisp.
Not Pictured: Mint Crisp; Peanut Butter (which I thought tasted foul, nothing like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups); and White Chocolate (because they never released that in a Chunky bar!)
If you're at all interested in seeing some other strangely-flavoured Kit Kat bars, click here and here for the Japanese take on them!

And continuing the colourful candy theme, we move on to Tic Tacs:

Top row: Peppermint; Spearmint; Orange; Extra Strong Mint; Apple Sour.
Bottom Row: Peppermint (in a special box for the Pink Ribbon charity); Passionfruit Mint; Lemon Mint; Mango; Tropical Acerola (which I imagine is some kind of berry?).
The first three flavours were pretty much the only variety of Tic Tac available here until about ten years ago; then they released the Extra Strong, and then the Passionfruit flavoured one (which is... an acquired taste). After that they seemed to go a bit mad with flavours. The most recent variety is Citrus Twist, which isn't included here.

I was fascinated to learn that Tic Tacs had vastly different flavours in the States; thanks to my penpal, I got to sample some Wintergreen flavored Tacs, which I was also surprised to learn were actually green - none of the above flavours have any colouring, aside from the actual box. I understand there is also a Cinnamon flavoured Tic Tac?

Learning about this sort of thing is very interesting, I think - things as simple as the food we eat can be vastly different when you travel even a short distance (like interstate), so I can only guess what someone else in another country would think of our old familiar "lollies"!

Okay, enough of the candy comparison! If anyone out there wants to find out more about the local confec., send me a comment, and I'll see what I can put up! For further recommended reading, have a look at the Candy Blog for more sweeties from around the world!

Back soon! :D
(so, how's that Loretta?)

The Past Two Weeks (approximately)

Tuesday 24th August
Got called in to work at the local servo at the last minute. Normally Tuesday was my day off, but my Manager argued me around; he pointed out that it will probably be the last time it will happen before the big changeover to the new fuel company. (And I figured, yeah, why not?)

About an hour later, as I come into the shop, I notice a group of young men who were having a deep conversation with the Manager. I step behind the counter and ask the Assistant Manager if he knew what was going on, and he replies, "It looks like they're the new commission agents for this site, and we've just been told we are no longer required at the end of the month."

REALLY.

Oh-kay, I kinda figured that this might have happened, but I was still trying to work out why they would want to remove everybody from the site, if there's only four or five of them to run it?
The mood among the general day staff (most of whom were also there at the time; the rest found out later) was pretty weird - relieved to find out the truth about what was going to happen with their jobs, but unhappy that it took until the very last week of employment to find out.

The Manager went out to an urgent team-leader meeting at head office. When he came back, it transpired that just about every site in the company had been bought out by commission agents (and was in the same boat as us)... except for one other site - and it happened to be the other one I was working at. "So hey, you're the lucky one, you still managed to keep your job, at least..."

Wednesday 25th August
Went to my regular shift at the above-mentioned site. My co-worker there asked me if I'd heard the news, and I told him what I'd seen the day before. He tells me that the managers are trying to chase up the paperwork so that we can all re-apply for our positions once we change over. I go through my shift, letting my regular customers know that at least some of us will still be working here next month.

That night, I call in to the other servo to see how the night staff have taken the news. They seem well resigned to it - but they also tell me that our company made headline news on the local TV bulletin. I'd missed the 7pm broadcast, but I was still able to catch the Midnight re-screening. The story detailed how the staff had all lost their jobs in the space of a week, and brought up some archival footage of the CEO explaining how "jobs were no more secure than if he hadn't made the sale". They also had a voiceover of a 'disgruntled employee' who had called in to explain their side of the issue, and about how most of the relieved staff had mortgages and families to look after. They disguised his voice, but I still recognised him.

Thursday 26th August
Went back to work at what was apparently my only job now. During the night, and on the way there, I tried to work out how my new situation was going to work - since I only worked at that site 15 hours a week, it was not going to justify the expense of travel there and back, yet having a bit of work going would make my Unemployment benefits go a bit further. (I'd be entitled to Centrelink benefits because I would be getting less than 30 hours a week.)

When I got to work, however, my co-worker told me that they'd "hit a boulder". Apparently, while we'd been assured that all our places would be kept here, the incoming owners had either changed their minds or been misunderstood - because only the full-timers would be kept, not the part-timers. And... guess which one I was?

So...

Friday 27th August
I still went about my business as I normally did; after all, I was still getting paid by the same company (for now), and I still had a good amount of work to do (as per normal). It just felt bad that I had to go back on what I'd told everyone on Wednesday.

As it turned out, a lot of people were very understanding. There were several customers who were previously happy account-holders, but, when they tried to apply for the account card offered by the new company:

• were rejected, because the new system wouldn't allow applicants who didn't have an ABN code (in other words, wanted to use the account for personal reasons, instead of as a business or company)
• baulked when they saw how high the monthly rate was (something like $12 a month, compared to the $2 we used to charge)
• weren't sure if they would be able to freely use it all over the country, like they could with the previous cards (the new company is sort of up-and-coming, whereas we used to be like a licensee of a much bigger brand name)

And a lot of others were just unhappy with the direction the way the company was going in general. There was also a surprising amount of, um, racism... which, intentional or not, made me feel a bit uncomfortable (especially since some of the staff were staying on).

I usually left that site a bit later than most, because I like to make sure I catch everything I missed before I go. I somehow managed to leave the site about an hour and a half after normal closing time, yet I think I left the air-con going all weekend by mistake...

Saturday 28th August
Came in to a workplace that had left us with almost nothing interesting to do, aside from cook food (what's left of it), try to rearrange the shelf stock so it's neat (what's left of it), top-up the drinks (what's left of them) and serve customers (what's left of them).

You see, prior to last Tuesday's bombshell, the staff had kept the incoming orders low, so that when the big interchange happened, the shop-wide stocktake that would then take place would be a lot easier. This meant that, by the last weekend, the entire back-storeroom was EMPTY. It gave me a complete shock when I walked out there the first time, because for the six years I've been working there, I've NEVER seen the storeroom that bare before!

So yeah. Apart from the usual site-checks and things, it was business as normal.
...Oh, and I also heard from a lot of customers that they "weren't coming back to this shop next week" either. I suspected a few of the staff members had been telling the customers a few home truths too... ;)

Sunday 29th August
Last day at work, hooray! I wasn't hugely unhappy, because I knew that the Manager had organised a big event for the Last Tuesday (a big yummy BBQ to which everyone was invited!) and so I'd get to say a proper goodbye to everybody before we broke up.

It was strangely awesome just doing your job, not having to worry about doing it all over again tomorrow, and the next... knowing that you can just get stuff done, even though in a few days' time it wouldn't matter for shit. I didn't care what my co-worker did - I just left him to watch the front if he wanted to, and to cover the register if he felt like a break.

It felt great.

I ate dinner - and then I didn't feel so great.
Not totally AWFUL, mind - just like, you know, when you feel you've eaten a bit too much, or ate something that didn't agree with you.

Nah, I felt fine.

Feeling AWFUL... no, that came later.

Monday 30th August
First day as a FREE MAN, man! I'd planned to use today as a chance to say goodbye to the other folks I'd worked with at the other sites, drop off a few uniforms and keys and things, take some photos, share some memories, and generally tie things off until Tuesday, but...

Wait, what? Why do I still feel funny?

Why the hell did I sleep through three alarm clocks?!

WHY THE HELL IS IT 3PM?!?

I get up, take some paracetamol, and feel a bit better. Take a shower. Gather up the stuff I needed to take, open the mailbox, and discover -
Hey! Phone bill, I'll pay that too.
Hey! Letter from Real Estate, we're getting a house inspection in HOW MANY DAYS?!?
Okay, have to go into Estate Agent's and re-negotiate an extension on the inspection date too. (sigh)

I eventually manage to catch up with some of the folks I worked with, and drop off all of the old work-clothes I had, not that anyone else will be needing those for a while (heh-heh). I manage to pay the phone bill with interest, and get the necessary extension time to the inspection.

I am relieved...

I also discovered that the EFTPOS system went down during the day, and a lot of the sites were forced to use those old-fashioned paper vouchers (the triplicate card-swipey type)... and of course, all OUR sites were just the same (to add insult to injury, I guess). I feel bad for all the staff who couldn't care any less about explaining to customers, over and over again, "Um, they system's gone down, I'm gonna have to get some details... Oh, wait, I'm gonna have to get an authorisation code..."

Tuesday 31st August
Tuesday morning, I had trouble getting out of bed.

Around noon, I had slightly less trouble getting out of bed.

Around 2pm, I managed to get out of bed - but only just, and with pharmaceutical help.

Something was WRONG...

[psst. there's more to come, but I ran outta room - stay tuned]

Weird...

All systems appear to be go for the trip up to Melb. this weekend, but things got a little... weird.

I was meant to stay at home and attend to my nephew while my sister and her partner went up to see the Salvador Dali thing, but instead I wound up stuck in bed for two days (my ONLY TWO DAYS OFF FOR THE WEEK) because of a strange episode that happened to me on the Monday.

I had just seen off my friends, who had come around for a surprise visit at about 4 in the afternoon, when I suddenly noticed that something was affecting my vision.
It was a strange effect: it was similar to the kind of after-images you get when you look at a bunch of bright lights, like a cluster of street lights, except that I hadn't seen any sources of light to trigger the effect. I'll put up a mockup of what it was like when I get the chance.
It was a startling effect, and when I realised that they were kind of sticking around a lot longer than a regular glare effect, I thought, "uh oh, migraine".
So I took a paracetamol and went to bed. The visual effect faded after about 15 minutes, and I laid there waiting for the headache to start...

If this was in fact a migraine, it was a very peculiar one. The initial symptoms presented themselves very differently. Normally when I get a migraine, it starts with a sparkly blind spot thing that spreads out from the centre of vision, but this thing was just a bunch of inanimate spots, which looked almost exactly like the glare afterimage (they even did that colour-inversion effect when I closed my eyes). Also, they didn't last as long as the regular visual disturbance.

But the other weird part is that, even though I still felt all the other general crappy effects of a migraine, I didn't get a headache. At all. Well, I had a crampy feeling in my neck the next day, but I attribute that to needing a new pillow - well, I did just spend several hours in bed.
I'm not 100% sure that the painkiller I took helped with this, because it's unlikely that a single over-the -counter paracetamol tablet would work that well.

This is kinda disturbing. The research I've done suggests that this could be a migraine, as there's several different types of effect and symptom you can experience. But the general consensus is that it's unusual for migraines to suddenly change like that, so... I think I need to pay another visit to my doctor. X|

Anyways, I feel well enough now, so it looks promising for the weekend. And now my sister and her man are coming to the city with me! Onward Bound!

The Fantastic Voyage (inside Neb)

Well, I've just had a BUSY two weeks. I have worked at least once a day every day since last Monday week, which was when I went to Warragul for my gastroscopy session. I was actually pencilled in for a shift that day, but it was a late change and I had to bail on work sorry to my coworkers; I hate leaving you guys in the lurch, just so you know, but I gotta look after my health.

I was going to tell you all about what it is like to have a camera shoved down your throat on the day it actually happened, but: a) I was too tired from the anaesthetic to post anything on that day; and b) I slept through the whole procedure (thanks to said anaesthetic).
I'd heard that you have to swallow this rather bulky mini-cam on a cable, which was apparently gag-a-riffic as if I didn't have enough problems with swallowing but as it turned out, it went like a dream...

Seriously, they just shoved some good stuff into my bloodstream, moved me onto my side, and ten seconds later, I was being shaken awake! I have never fallen asleep that quickly before in my life. It was AWESOME.

Anyway, I wasn't able to drive back from the clinic on my own, so I got my Ma to chauffeur me. She used the downtime to check out the Op Shops in town; luckily, she had her guide (me) to point them all out to her before I went in for examination, so while I was being invaded, she went and scoped out some bargains. I don't remember if she bought anything, but she usually buys herself some nice clothes, so I'm going with that.

After I woke up and had some supplies some free sandwiches, tea and HEAPS OF WATER because I had to fast for five hours prior and DAMN I was thirsty!!! we went to have some lunch and do some more shopping.
Important Note: Shopping under the influence of sleep-inducing drugs is a very risky business. Fortunately, I made it out with my wallet relatively unscathed. I found some good CDs for $10 each, some T-shirts for my nephew, and a few books. I may have also bought some makeup and a bra or two, or maybe that was what Ma bought - I can't seem to find those anywhere, so I probably just got confused.

In case you wondered: They said they found that I had something called a Sliding Hiatus Hernia, which is very common and often doesn't present any problems at all. It's probably the cause of food sometimes getting stuck in my guts from time to time - maybe. At any rate, I'll see my doctor this week, so I'll find out what to do next.

Other stuff:

• Starting witht the damn obvious, Michael Jackson passed away last month. I have since been reading up about his life, and feel that he had been mistreated and abused to the point where he wasn't even a real person any more. He was really talented though; As a child of the 80s and 90s I was witness to the better part of his career. I went and bought a compilation album to remember him by. Vale, Michael.
  
• My uncle was admitted to hospital last week, after a routine checkup revealed something serious. He's since been diagnosed with lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes); at this point I do not know how bad it is, but this type of cancer is one of the easier types to treat, depending on which type he has. I also found out that one of my cousins has been diagnosed with the same condition, within the space of a week! My thoughts go out to both of them.
• My friend Katie has returned to Ozland! It's been a long journey for her and her husband, but they have finally touched down. The only thing I need to do now is actually get in touch with her... Hello, Facebook? (And now all we need to do is con Miro back into Australia and we'll all be back on the same continent again!)
  

So much to do - tax time, cleaning up the house, catching up with friends, and generally sorting out my life... I wish there were more of me, sometimes. See you soon!

Neb's Sole Post For June

I have no real idea why I haven't posted anything for this month. It's not as if I didn't do anything exciting! Just being lazy I suppose.

The family went to our cousin's engagement party last week. The theme for the event was "Op Shop" clothing, the idea being that you had to come in the least appropriate outfit conceivable.

You can only imagine what some of the other guests wore.

As for me, I went dressed in a fetching white jacket and pants, which looked like they had been in storage since 1976 - lovely white mottled Crimplene or some synthetic material - good lord, that means they're probably going to look like that forever.
It was teamed up with a summer-type shirt and a lurid tie. We actually found uglier ties in a department store, and those were brand new. They also cost $10, which was a bit much for a tie I'd likely never wear again.

I also went to Lakes Entrance with my Ma, which is a two-hour drive from our place. Ma was driving, but was reluctant to make the trip on her own ever since she buggered up her arms - that was why I was going with her, to drive the car in case she got too tired.
Fortunately, we stopped the car a few times on the way up and back, so she was able to make it on her own after all. Well done, Ma!

We had to go to Lakes to collect Nanna for the previously mentioned engagement. The weather up there was surprisingly good, after driving through fog and clouds on the way up. It made me wish we were staying for a lot longer than two or three hours, especially since I hadn't been up to her place for at least five years. Meh, we didn't even get time to hit the Esplanade, but oh well, I'll get to go up there some other time.

Work is still work. I am still getting on average five days a week, so at least I get two days free to do other stuff. Illness is running through the staff - again! - and some of the staff who were assigned to relieve other people had to go home sick as well...

There's been lots of talk about the dreaded Swine Influenza, and a lot of people are worried about getting it and spreading it around. Our state has been marked as one of the worst hit areas outside of the Americas - in fact they think it might have been well-established here before they even raised the alarm in Mexico!

The only thing is, so far it's turned out to be no worse than the regular 'flu that runs around the country every year. There have only been two deaths attributed to the virus so far in Victoria; most other people who have contracted the virus have only suffered from mild symptoms and recovered. In other words, it hasn't been the End Of The World scenario that the doomsayers would have expected.

Also... Liquid Desire has opened up at the National Gallery of Victoria, and I will do what I can to go and see some Surrealist art before it finishes up in October sometime. I want to go up with my friends, whom I haven't been with for a long time I haven't seen them at all this year! My bad and a trip to the city would be an excellent way of catching up.

That's all. See you in July!

Sleepy Limbo

...caught in the space between...

Right now I am in between two opening shifts at work. I seem to be getting a lot of opening shifts recently... and they are a lot harder than I thought they would be.
I'm still working under the limit of 30hrs a week (it's a regulatory thing - I guess if we worked any more hours it would cost our employers too much). But... I'm really NOT a morning person, and my sleeping pattern is totally mucked up because of this.

The past two open shifts have left me very tired. I have noticed that I become very strange when I am on the edge of sleep - I mean, stranger than normal. Yesterday about an hour before the end of my shift I started giggling, and I couldn't stop. It was really embarrassing. I had to pretend I had a bad cough, and kept covering up my mouth.

After work I went straight to bed. Then I got woken up about three times by phone calls (which hung up before I got to the phone)... which only made me even drowsier. It seems that if my sleep is interrupted by something it adds an extra hour to my slumber. Which is why I don't like sleeping during the day...

Also, I'm just starting to get achey in my joints, because I suspect I'm getting that damn virus thing that my Ma has right now.
I am not happy! I know that I'm going to get really sick because my lifestyle has been erratic of late (not just work related stuff, btw, but it hasn't helped). What's more, I have three days off this week, and I know that I'll probably spend most of those in bed. Out of force, not choice...

Must... get... sleep...

i hATE bEING sICK...

Yep, I've succumbed to yet another cold/flu/upper respiratory tract infection... this would be the second for 2008.

I started feeling a bit funny on Thursday. It was weird, one moment I was fine, and then suddenly, it was like a switch had been flipped - I felt a strange heavy feeling just under my lungs, and I felt an odd dizzy sensation in my head. It only lasted a couple of seconds, and I thought, "That was odd."
I went to visit friends later on that day, but I felt really tired as the afternoon went on. I lost my appetite, and only ate about two-thirds of my meal, and I fell asleep on their couch a couple of times. (Sorry, I accidentally drooled on your cushion too. I sleep with my mouth open for some reason.)

When I got home, I tried to get to sleep, but I couldn't get warm; I was shivering so much I sat right next to the heating duct in the living room until I got too hot, but when I moved away I started shivering again...
It didn't help that I'd been out in the rain earlier. The weather's been pretty patchy of late, with alternate rain/fine days. Trust me to get caught in the middle of the wet!

So, I spent most of yesterday in bed. With a fever of 38.1C...
Thank goodness for paracetamol.

I've had to call in sick for work today, even though I feel capable of getting up and about. I've learned from past experience that I have to be extremely careful about getting back into a normal pattern after getting sick. In fact, there have been times I've gone to work while I've been sick, but none of those times have been as bad as yesterday!
So, instead, I am milling around the house... getting bored... and wishing I could actually get out and DO something. Heck, I'd go to WORK if I could, but then I'd probably just cough all over the place and make everyone else ill, and then who knows what would happen?

It's just that sitting around the house, wasting time, is really frustrating.
Anyway, since I can't go out, it gives me the chance to update my blog... and even though I haven't been well, I have a LOT to put up!
So, check it out!

EDIT: Seems I had enough material for FIVE posts this time around! Guess I ought to fall sick more often!
...
On the other hand... guess not.