It's Official - The End of an Era

Well as I expected, my 2 year contract will not be renewed. My last day will be 15 October and as I posted earlier, will have some time before my return to the Fatherland on 23 December. I'm still kind of numb finding out about this less than an hour ago but really thought this would happen.

AAM is a great company with incredible, knowledgeable and talented people and it really has been an eye-opener working for such an innovated group. I would've like to work another 2 years with them but know that they must make decisions about trimming the fat and I think I am really just one of six who didn't make the cut (which is an odd way to express it) within the past couple of weeks.

See you on the winter-side in a couple of months.

Crikey!

Christmas in Oz?

I know, you probably think I’m now working for the retail industry but believe it or not, Christmas shopping season has arrived in the Land Down Under. In fact, they start Spring 3 weeks earlier than the rest of the civilized world. As one coworker so drying observed, “You blokes have to wait for the Equinox before you change seasons.” I wondered why until the advertisements started to blister the airwaves and print that is stuffed into my mailbox every damn day! Besides, I thought I’d mention this so I can use the attached photo I came across.

In one of my earlier posts, I had a picture of a huge Santa in the mall under palm trees, which seemed a little bit off to me. I’m not complaining, it just seemed weird to this sheltered PNW boy. What is also weird is in quizzing a shop clerk about the Christmas scene that featured a snow covered landscape with Santa and his sleigh, chock-a-block full of presents, bounding across the meadow among little ones dressed in woolen hats, scarves and mittens, she replied that when she thinks of Christmas, she thinks of snow. Nevermind that she was born in Australia, she has succumbed to advertising and Christmas = snow and winter.

I just thought I’d share this little bit (again) in hopes that if I do have the opportunity to stay down under for another couple years, some of you may actually come and visit. I mean, if Oprah is coming down with 300 of her best friends and flown here by John Travolta, you might at least consider doing something similar.

Speaking of the near future, I still haven’t had a chat with the boss about my contract. I wonder he reads my blog as he pretty much hasn’t been in the office since it was posted. Just kidding, he’s a very busy man and I needed a haircut first.

My next post idea is how our local governments might be able to make some money WITHOUT raising taxes. I need to take some pictures around town to show you some examples of how they do things in the Gong.