It's Time to go...

It was such a great night!! We waited in line for about 2 hrs? And waved frantically at every ‘celebrity’ that walked past Marcia! Marcia! When we spotted James we had to take a photo for Emma or we would never hear the end of it.

What you get out of it usually depends on how much effort you put in; although we looked a little strange you got to give us an A for effort! We didn't get to take many photos because all cameras, phones and handbags are banned from the set. Unfortunately the ones we did take were rather blurry.

Our faces are really warped in this shot, I tried to sharpen it in photoshop, this was the best i could do

As we walked up to take a seat people ran up to shake our hands like we were celebrities! We were thinking what’s going on?? Turns out it was Dan’s family who wanted to thank us for supporting Dan.

Leah also came to interview us for inside idol, I was standing at such an awkward angle that I’m sure I’ll have a double chin in the shot. I’ll also be smiling like a real idiot because I didn't know what else to do or where to look. Let’s hope our footage doesn’t make the cut.

The staff were excellent at pumping the crowd up and when they say that the camera adds extra pounds they weren’t kidding! Natalie who looked rather big on TV is tiny in real life! And Kate’s arms didn't look big from where I was sitting! So much to blog about but so tired, will save it for another day.

I do want to say that I think James is a real Dik and I hope that he goes next!

Feeling Excited

October is going to be such an exciting month, so much to look forward to. After 9 months straight of really hard work I should finish with my highest billing month ever and I’m going to ask for a holiday (my first this year).

October will also be the time when my friends Yen and Tuyet tie the knot, after 5 years together (and being engaged for 3 of those years), it’s about time!! The date is set and I’ll finally get to wear one of my new dresses. It’s the first wedding out of my highschool friends and I’m sooo excited! I’m more excited by the fact that I will catch up with a lot of old faces. We kinda grew apart after year 10 but I never stopped wondering how everyone was, after 8 years it’s a long awaited reunion.

To add to the excitement Christina and Stephen is also having their engagement dinner the very same weekend. It was suppose to be scheduled for sometime next year, but when they tried to book a date at Doltone House all the dates were taken - so October it is! It should be a fabulous night!

In the spirit of weddings, a good friend of mine revealed to me on Friday that he is going to pop the questions to his girl friend soon. If only I could share the details, I’m so excited I could burst!!! And the ring…oh the ring…lets just say for $20k you would expect a very nice ring! What a lucky girl, she couldn't be marrying a nicer guy!!

In something totally unrelated, if you are an Idol fan watch out for me on the eviction show tomorrow night. I will be with 3 other people wearing pink veils, a white T-Shirt with a letter spelling out D – A – N - ! we will also be holding the banner as featured below.

For the record I am doing this out of peer pressure & to have a bit of fun, and No we do not really want Dan to marry us or think that he is Hot - but he's definitely very talented!

I wanted to do the banner "Laura it's time to go!"

I feel a little bad because I'm a big Emily fan and I wanted to show my support for her too.

Yay the Mushrooms!

M for Mighty, M for Mushrooms! (Team Colours too!)

Congratulations on the Win - great game!!

Trish's Fab Photo's Here

Help!!

Surely it cannot be THIS hard to find a good accounting candidate who can work out West. Someone MUST know someone! If you’re at Uni now and know people who live out West and wants to work close to home please spread the word!

Studying Part time at University?

* Assistant Accountant

* Entry Level Role

* Full time opportunity

This large corporation, with a reputation for growth is a market leader in the manufacturing industry. An exciting opportunity has arisen for an outstanding candidate, who is looking to take ownership of a challenging role and deliver first class results.

To be successful you will be studying part time Accounting at University and looking to work full time to begin your accounting career.

Like to know more?

Enquiries can be made to Emily ***** or Anita Stjepic at Hudson Accounting & Finance in our Parramatta office on (02) 8836 0222, quoting Ref. No. BX/03333 Alternatively email sydapply@hudson.com

Your interest will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

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For tonight's game GOOO Mushrooms!!!!

Pull the other leg

In previous posts I’ve often spoken about ‘crazy’ candidates and the lies that they tell to get themselves out of situations or make themselves sound better. The last 2 weeks have brought out real winners. I personally am disgusted with them, but its sad to say that it’s becoming a really common thing.

With one of my work colleagues on leave I had to cover the contractor desk for one day and made my first contract placement. The excitement quickly turned to annoyance when the candidate pulled out after only one days work. Apparently someone in her family died of cancer and she would need to take the week off to help with the arrangements.

I would have been more inclined to express some sort of sympathy had she not called another colleague straight after to enquire about other jobs. Why people feel the need to make up lies I have no idea, and sadly the ‘Someone in my family just died of cancer line’ is rather old. All I ask for is honesty; if the location is too far, tell me!! Don’t tell me someone has died!! Aren’t you afraid of Karma?!?! Why would you even want to wish these things on people in your own family?

If you lie and we catch you out, we will record it! The world is small and our database is comprehensive. The notes will be in there long after we’re gone. I must sound like an absolute biatch at the moment, but I am just fed up. I realise that there are genuine cases out there but the amount of times that we catch people out…it really makes you wonder.

Take the most recent case for example. My colleague filled a really difficult role with an even more difficult client. The client rejected the candidate initially as she hadn’t been working in 2 years (maternity). But she seemed like such a nice lady… so we fought hard for her and we got the employer to give her a go.

One month into the role she started coming in late to work, had a few sick days but was always very sorry. A few weeks later she officially resigned as it had been discovered that she had a brain tumour. As a team we were gutted by the news, a young mother with 2 young children, what could be worse? Morale was pretty low and we sent a get-well card with heart-felt messages.

2 weeks went by and no news, life went on and my colleague worked hard to find a free replacement. Just by chance this candidate was a distant relative of one of the people at work. After being invited along to a family dinner we were to find out that this candidate never had cancer…in fact she was never sick at all. Instead she started a new job 2 weeks ago at a company that was slightly closer to home.

We were disgusted. The silence spoke louder than words.

To think that after only 2 years of recruitment I could write a whole book of stories like this *Deep Sigh*

Suffering a blogging drought

Wanting to post but feeling very uninspired.
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Well my Manager won tickets to the Idol eviction show next Monday and she's taking me along. Look out for me on Teevee I might make a sign (For the record my favs are Emily and Dan- Woot!)

Tagged!

Tagged by Christian

1) Total number of books you own?
I really have no idea; the bookshelves in my room are full of textbooks and the rest I’ve donated to the Salvos. All the ones I couldn’t bear to part with are in storage downstairs.

2) What was the last book you bought?
Does a cook book count? If so then Bills Open Kitchen

Otherwise Grand Avenue by Joy Fielding, I have no idea why I bought this book, maybe because it was so different to anything I usually read. It sits on my shelf – I haven’t touched it……..another on my long list of ‘books to read’

3) What was the last book you read?
Harry Potter the recent ones are kinda dark, even a little depressing. I enjoyed the first 4 a lot more.

4) List five books that are particularly meaningful to you (in no particular order)

1. Any of the Enid Blyton books

(Because she started me reading from the Far Away Tree to The Secret Seven)

2. BFG by Roald Dahl

(Loveeed Roald Dahl)

3. Unmentionable, Uncovered, Undone Uncanny By Paul Jennings

(This Particular series was excellent! Not so sure about his other books though)

5. Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park

6. The Secret Circle Vol 1,2,3 by L.J.Smith

(This was during my Witchcraft, Vampire novel Phase - I think Jill lent me these books once)

7. Macbeth by William Shakespeare

(there was this crazy time in high school where I knew every line of Lady Macbeth by heart)

8. Not Without My daughter by Betty Mahmoody

(I didn't particularly enjoy reading this book, it scared me but touched me. It made me feel so lucky living as a free woman in Australia).

9. The Bible

(would you believe that in year 7 I tried to read the whole Bible word for word because Katrina did it?? I almost finished the old testament when I finally gave up. All that just to win a bet).

10. The Notebook by Nicholas Spark

(I love a good love story)

Ok that wasn't 5...by hey! In doing this exercise I found that despite having read many good books through the years; it's the ones that I read as a child that have stuck the most in my mind. I probably need to give a special mention to R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike as well - I use to be addicted to 'Scary Books'.

5) Tag five people and have them fill out the list on their own blogs (if they can be bothered)

1. Sarah
2. Matty
3. Vivien
4. Di
5. Tash

Site Restricted

As of today the Xanga and Blogspot websites have been banned at work.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

If Garfield was a Dog...

Earlier this year Sarah's family rescued a little dog that was running onto the highway into traffic. When the RSPCA wouldn't help and no one wanted it, they decided to give her a home and called her Tia. She's sooo cute...just look at her now! Great job Westwoods!!

Boyz II Men

Just got home from the Boy II Men concert and it was AWESOME!! We paid for really good seats and even got to run up to the stage during the concert. I love them!! Like I really LOVE them!! They’ve been around for 15 yrs and I’ve grown up with their music, the lyrics are so meaningful and their songs bring back so many memories of growing up. The best part was when they sang and the whole crowd sang along...everyone knew every single word..the crowd was soo loud! I also bumped into people I hadn't seen in years, high school friends, IRC friends, St George girls.....what a great night!

Random was the support act and I think they did an great job with working up the crowd and beat boxing. They have great voices and I think they have a lot of potential they just need to write better songs and make less cheesy clips =P

Shawn, Nathan, Wanya in the flesh!!

I was so close I could almost touch them!

Pick me! Pick me!!

At one stage they each had a bunch of Roses that they were throwing out to the crowd, up until this time I was seated, when I saw them throw Roses I bolted to the front. It was crazy out there and at one point a rose landed in my direction but some crazy girl tried to claw my eyes out, with impaired vision I couldn't see where it went. I could only hear Katina screaming in the left side of my ear “EMILYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY WHERE IS ITTTTTTT?!!?!?”

After the concert, alive and well (but no rose...only a sore eye and a deaf left ear)

Oh, I almost had to go to the concert in a full suit because I forgot to bring my jeans, so I did what every girl would do...I went out and bought a pair (I so didn't need another pair of jeans and now I'm $90 poorer). Joel stop laughing at me and show me your photos!!

Photos from the Concert Here

Joel's Photos Here (he had 2nd row seats!)

The Party Continues...

Friday night – Drinks @ Cruise Bar

Saturday Night – Dinner @ Café Pacifico Darlinghurst

Tucked away in a little street, the run down building with its big red wall and long staircase is a little misleading for what lies upstairs. Inside is Sydney’s own little Mexico! The atmosphere of this place is electric and gets better as the night progresses. The mocktails, cocktails and Sangria was fabulous, and if ever you wanted to do tequila tasting then this is the place to be! They boast over 50 different types of tequila.

The food was pretty good and it was cool to see little Mexican people running around the kitchen (feels a little more authentic that way =P) and sure beats Old El Paso. Our table decided on the banquet menu to make things nice and easy for everyone, by the end of the night my jeans were so tight I couldn’t move.

I haven't posted a pic of Betty and Lisa's Presents at the risk of spoiling another suprise. But msn me if you want to see and I'll post again later! The present was a massive hit!

Not moving is just not an option. After dinner the Salsa style dancing begins and just before 12:00 streamers are thrown and we’re each given party poppers to party the night away.

The love Rat. Just when you think you've seen the last of cheesy pick up lines, watch out! because here comes the guy below! He must have tried to pick up every single girl at the restaurant. Starting with my group.

Here he is in the background having a crack at Dee, when that failed he moved on to Kat, then Lisa, then Betty, then Nat etc.

He was still there when we sang happy birthday and had cake...who is this guy?!?!? When we left the party he was last seen sitting with Belinda trying to kiss her hand!...gross.

Happy Birthday Betty & Lisa! Welcome to the prestigious 24 club!

More Pictures Here

Lesson Learnt!

Sarah gave me the heads up that Bare would have up to 90% off at the Paddington and Chatswood stores today. I was at Chatswood by 9:20am and picked up these 2 bargains! It was the last two extra small and has all these little crystals that you can't see in the pics. I am very pleased indeed! (Thanks Jacky!)

$375 down to $75

100% silk $380 down to $100

I thought the blue one was $160 and I was going to buy it anyway, when they told me it was down to $100 I nearly died.

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Yesterday was also an ‘Office Building’ afternoon where everyone was mixed up into a new team and we had to battle each other playing trivia. It started off with the heats, and then the top 4 teams with the most wins would progress to heat 2 till the last two teams were left to battle it out. The team I was in came last for EVERY single heat! How bad is that! But my team captain Lee believes there was a conspiracy (that’s our excuse anyway). We weren’t too sure how many hearts an octopus had, or the person who won the junior and senior iron man comp in the same year? But we did get a prize for coming last =P

The Inevitable

The time has finally come and one of my best friends is off to pursue her own adventure. Her partner is from Israel and she is going there to meet up with him and then there is talk of them settling down in Toronto. It’s a bitter sweet day where on the one hand I’m so excited that she is living a dream that I only dare think about. On the other, my best friend isn’t going to be just around the corner anymore and I don’t know how long it will be till I see her again.

Sarah and I met when we were 5; we have been friends for 19 years! 19 years!! That’s older than my sister and over three quarters of my life. She knows everything there is to know about me; the good, the bad, the ugly and she accepts me for me. I took the day off to spend the day with her along with 3 other girls - it’s been a tough day. Every time I get the chance to reflect, my eyes begin to swell up with tears and we haven’t even reached the airport yet.

It was also a good day where together we cooked breakfast ate lunch and baked cupcakes. Eating and laughing just the way we always are and always will be.

Emily & Sarah 1988

Sarah & Emily 1993

Sarah & Emily 2005

Love you Sarah. Stay Safe.

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Just got home, it was very emotional and I was feeling pretty down. On my desk was a purple envelope with a Bday card and gift, Thanks Mingo! sooo bad of you!! but soo sweet.

Thank you so much for cheering me up. *Hugz*