So another month has come and gone and yet again i've not kept up with my blog.  Bad me.  I'm terrible!  I've not written to my friend currently spending time in maximum security prison since last year either.  Erm...actually i'm thinking that having me on his bad-side might inevitably be a bad thing so I might write to him after I've blogged.  Just in case.  I'm sure he's reformed....but I don't think i'll take that chance!

A friend was texting me last night.  He's a new friend.  A lovely new friend who I really enjoy talking to (he's just as weird as me) and he started freaking me out by texting things about me (like my birth place and shoe size).  Obviously being a reformed stalker, my alarm bells started ringing, but it made me climb on the laptop (well, not literally!) and google myself.  Wow.  I really shouldn't have done that!  There's so much out there about me that I had no idea about!  And sadly I've found i'm not as unique as I hoped I was!  BUT I also found that there are websites that have my handle (aarrbeee) that I've never been on in my life before!  That's just wrong!  I think i'm finally grasping the fear that some of my friends already display in what they have about their lives being an open book for weirdos and axe-murderers and fraudsters alike.  I mean, when I say i'm grasping the fear, i'm kind of just tenderly stroking the fear.  It doesn't scare me and i'll not stop buying things with my cards online and i'll not become a hermit and go deep underground in a bid to avoid all things techno, but I will pause before I spill my inner thoughts and plans and itineraries with the great big world.....hmmm....i'm still doing it on here though so maybe i'll need to work on that.

Anyway, said friend that made me google myself put me in touch with my old myspace account which I hadn't looked at since 2006 or something.  Wow, it was a blast from the past!  I had a mini blog on there before I set up this one and I do have to say that after reading it (and the comments made by complete strangers) that I have a strange gift of storytelling.  One stranger in particular said something along the lines of that my ability to put laughter and entertainment into my real life trials and tribulations was refreshing and amusing.  I think that was a compliment.  Maybe.

I decided after many weeks of ponderment that I would start up a new blog.  One for my work.  So much funny stuff happens to me at my work that it seems wrong to not share them all with the world.  I'm sure I'll be the only one that reads them, but at least i'm making a memory.  I love my job, and although i'll be keeping the other blog anonymous (i'm hoping there will be no links to me), i'm quite excited about keeping a journal about the stuff that happens.  I'm hoping that maybe one day i'll be able to tie some of my amusing customers and fellow colleagues personalities, anecdotes and situations into a new novel (after I finish the one i'm still writing!)

Speaking of writing, still studying for my degree.  I've been passing all my assignments so far and got another one due in a couple weeks.  I'm a little behind with the studying because of recent things happening, but I just need to focus, get my head in the game and get on with it.  I'm such a procrastinator (it's a better word than lazy), but I know i've got the strength somewhere to get through it so I just need to hold onto the end product (the degree) and keep my head down.

Oh oh oh...i've signed myself up to do a sponsored 12 mile walk in June.  My bestie friend is doing it for a local charity that supports her with a medical condition that she has just been diagnosed with so me and her sister have signed up to support her.  I'm going to be raising money for Verity UK, the only charity in the UK that supports and aids women living with PCOS (Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome).  I have been living with this condition since I was roughly 16 and it has pretty much ruled my life (and ruined it a little).  If you can find it in your heart to sponsor me, my justgiving page is HERE and I truly would be so incredibly grateful for any contributions you could give me.  I'll be plugging this event nearer the time and probably be giving an update on training for it soon, so keep reading!

It's time for bed now.

Rhona out.

Right now I should be studying the wonderful artistry that is Paul Cezánne and starting on the essay that is due in this week, but I really don't have the energy.  Which is pretty pathetic really because I came in from work tonight, had dinner and watched a bit of the depression that was the nightly news then came upstairs, shoved the PC and laptop on (yes both of them), got changed into my PJ's, plonked myself down on my computer chair and that is where I have been stationed for the past 4 hours.  Pathetic.  Man, I could have done so much more productive things in 4 hours than what I have actually done!  I can't even say that I've done anything at all actually.  I've sat and chatted to a couple people on Facebook, caught up with some TV that I sky+'d and watched the awkward teenager across the street prance around his bedroom like a nancy boy to some kind of music - I hope was a boy-tastic band like the Backstreet Boys or Westlife *RIP* - and now i'm thinking about sub-plots to my novel.  Actually, does it make me sound like a perv the fact that I watched the teenager across the way dancing?!  I feel I have to clarify; I am in an attic conversion with my desk looking out onto the main street.  I have a terrace of houses opposite me and the boy's bedroom is one level down from where i'm sitting so can see, with ease, his whole room.  You see it's actually his parent's fault because they have no curtains in his bedroom (never have for some reason) so the poor coming-of-age lad has no privacy...though i'm sure he doesn't appreciate just how much of his room can be seen.  Not that I've seen anything or even looked into his room at all, apart from that one time when it was instigated by him because he shone one of those red laser thingies into my room when I was having a girl's night in.  So there.  Glad I got that sorted out.

I work with a plethora of different people every day.  Some I get on better with than others, but on the whole they're a good bunch.  I've formed good bonds with a select few, mainly within my own little team (and surrounding departments) and although the majority of our banter is taking the complete piss out of each other, I know it's all meant in a harmless way.  I give as good as I get and 'at the end of the day' (as a Jeremy Kyle guest would say), it keeps me laughing and makes the day go alot faster.  Did I mention that I love laughing?  Hmmm...I think I even dedicated a whole blog post to laughing.  Weird.

Well, my little buddies...I think from now on I'll call them JD and Turk (because there's a little too much man-loving going on there) gave me a little compassion today.  They handled a situation better than what I thought they would.  A horrible sitiuation (which was inevitable in the dept I work in) arose.  In true "I don't know how to deal with this" fashion, they took the piss...until they realised I was upset and soon dug up a little compassion from somewhere and actually made me feel better.  Ah bless...they're good lads really.  

Anyway.  Seems my little pals' piss taking is not being received very well by a fellow colleague.  This select individual has been at the receiving end of a bit of teasing the past couple of days (brought on by himself I might add) and he just can't handle it.  I, personally, find it very amusing.  That's not to say that I agree with what they're saying or how they're acting, i'm just choosing to act my very mature, yet borderline young age and rise above it.  Life's too short to be dragged down by teenage ridicule.  Haha!  I say that now...just wait until my nephew turns 16 and begins to ridicule his Auntie Rhona.  Oh, hang on....he already does!

Anyway, this individual asked for a shout out....so.....there it was!  Man up and don't let them dictate how you act within the workplace....you're actually making it worse by avoiding us now!  That makes it look like there's something going on and you're trying to hide it!

Right, gotta go catch up on a little sleep time so that I can get up for work tomorrow.  Hmmm....I hope something interesting happens (not like today though!)

Rhona out.

K, so i've just been sorting through my old hard drives and I found the following videos...of me singing!  I'm sure it is of no interest to you all, but for self-preservation's sake i'm going to put them on here.  Be gentle in your critisisms!

Wish You Were Here was recorded with my old band, Father Jack and Breathe Me was a song that I put together for my demo page.  Enjoy (hopefully!)

Hello Children, it is I; Rhona!

Been a while since I blogged last, hey!  Yeah I was full of promise in my last post about mobile blogging.  It turns out that i'm not disciplined enough to blog from my phone.  Perhaps disciplined is not the right word, maybe I should go with 'couldn't be arsed'.  Yeah, let's go with that.

So, you want the big bad update then?  Hmmm, lets see what I can do.  (Yeah, okay, I know - you don't really care, but tough cookies...you're gonna hear all about it anyway!)

Today is Saturday, tomorrow is Sunday, yesterday was Friday Friday Friday (sorry, couldn't resist).  Today really is Saturday though and I'm just sitting on G's couch, listening to some music on youtube.  Right now, I'm listening to a band called Hugo and their rendition of Jay Z's 99 Problems.  Och, here you go - click the video and be happy for 4 minutes.....



I actually discovered a new band on Youtube a month or so ago.  They are called Boyce Avenue and do acoustic covers of popular songs.  I especially love their rendition of Rihanna's Only Girl (in the World).  Here you go - take a listen...



Gives me goosebumps just listening to it!

I digress - back to the update.  Well, I'm still in Alice and i'm still alive (YAY!).  It's quickly coming up to my departure date and it's not fair!  It feels like i've been here just a couple of weeks.  My trip has had it's highs and lows but I wouldn't change it for a thing (well, maybe a couple of things but lets not get into that right now!)  One of the highs has to absolutely be the weather!  It's just been glorious here every day apart from 3 days where it was drizzling.  Can't complain at that and was in fact quite nice to be out in.  Of course, all  natives thought I was a bit mad at going out in it, but hey...i'm scottish!

Okay, something I'm not proud of.  Went out drinking last weekend with a bunch of guys.  There had been some fighting talk before my arrival that a certain Australian could drink me under the table.  Well, that theory was tried and tested last weekend and it's safe to say that at 0600 the next morning, I was still standing (not falling over!) and he was passed out.  I kept up with the lads all night, drink for drink, in fact I was a few drinks ahead by the end of it and at the end of the night I was still standing!  Just talking to G about it now and oh my he's pretty defensive about it!  He claims that I'm lying, but that's utter nonsense.  I was there, I know what happened, his male ego has taken a beating and he doesn't like it.  He says there's two sides to every story, and I think that everyone will find that they completely agree with each other.  I win, he loses, and okay, i'm a little proud!  Ut oh, G now looks like he could beat the crap out of me.  Okay - he gave it a good go and if the bouncers that he started on hadn't told him to drink water in the Casino then he would have probably given me a good run for my money.  (that's mollified him a little)

Let me tell you all about a night out in Alice Springs with G and his mates.  It all starts out good until someone wants to have a fight (as G just confirmed just now "i'll f***ing fight anyone!") then there's no stopping them.  We were having a nice quiet night, having a few drinks, having a few laughs, learning a few home truths(!) when a bully of a doorman (or yardman!) started in on one of G's mates for no other reason than the fact that he had had a few drinks and was merry in a loud, harmless way.  Sort of justified that G and friends should get defensive, however, no need for people to square up to each other and for WW3 to break out (okay, exaggeration, but you know what I mean).  We were moved on from that pub by the ensemble of bouncers that appeared out of nowhere to backup the doorman and we ended up in another pub where it took a wee while for the guys to calm down from their encounter.  There was live music in 'Rock Bar' which made me a happy chappy.  G is sitting next to me just now giving me his 2 cents worth - I've to make sure I tell you all that heaps of people were coming up to him to say hi - I won't deny that he's got a reputation in this little town.  "One of them even gave me a Wet Pussy" says he - a drinking shot. 

So, no fighting in Rock Bar.  But - i'm not even going to mention the taxi journey to the Casino as I don't  think I could even repeat what was said in that vehicle.  Let's just say that I doubled back and apologised to the taxi driver once they had all left it.  Alcohol has a lot to answer for.  We got to the Casino and straight away it kicked off.  One of G's mates was refused entry for looking intoxicated (hello!) so he swiftly verbalised a few swear words and threats to the big Samoan doorman.  This really helped in our goal of getting in!  J (the intoxicated one) walked out and went home, but not before pounding on the window from outside and threatening the doorman again.  G, being the loyal friend that he is, started in on the doorman for not allowing J in.  This swiftly made the doorman decide that another of his mates, M, was intoxicated too so he wouldn't get in either.  I do think it's fair to say that they were all intoxicated!  Yep, G quickly stuck up for M and had another go at the doorman.  25 minutes later, I was sitting on a couch at the entrance with D, G's sobour mate, whilst G and said doorman were still exchanging (not so nice) pleasantries.  EVENTUALLY another of G's mates managed to sweet talk the doorman and we ALL got in...on the condition that G and M drank water all night.  Hilarious!  It was pretty much the end of the night after that, G and M and said other friend decided to leave whilst D and I were at the toilet (not together!) - nice, huh! - so we stayed a bit longer and when we did eventually get home, G was sound asleep on the couch....sooooooo I WIN!  Woohoo!  Children - I'm not cool - don't aspire to do that next weekend!

Tomorrow (Sunday), G and I are taking a mini road trip to Uluru (Ayer's Rock).  We're going away for a couple of days and incorporating another couple of touristy places aswell which I just know is going to be awesome!  I can't wait to see the big rock and the other stuff we'll be visiting. 

YAY it works!!!