November

Originally uploaded by fifikins

Wow. Almost there. 11/12ths or so 334/365ths! 31 to go. I suspect December will be my favouritest month yet! No real reason

In Soviet Russia, cat iz lol you

Originally uploaded by Nick Douglas

Not sure if any other wordpress people are having this issue, but Akismet is picking up dozens of spam comments in Russian every day! Comment on this mofos!

Last week I was forced to endure attended the school Speech Night. For those not familiar with the non public, non government, private education system, Speech Night is the chance for the school to beat its chest and tell the parents how wonderfully it is managing the fees that they pay and how there is no school that lives up to this one.

I barely remember my year 12 Speech Night. I remember parts of it- playing the drum kit for the Valedictory Song, receiving the Music Award and I do remember the school captain telling us about something that even Mr Schreuder (the chaplain!) didn’t now about- a box of some description! I remember being upset and excited at the same time.

I remember better Speech Night when I was in year 9 or 10. Sitting on stage for the entire night in the orchestra, not being able to nap or yawn or look disinterested. But Professor Osbourne (who was married to our history teacher!) spoke about not knowing what to say at a Speech Night and that his wife had told him that the only thing she remembered from her Speech Night was being told never to marry a man thinking you can change him and him developing this into only being able to change yourself.

But Speech Night last week had no visiting speaker. It had a Bishop and the Principal and school leaders talking. And parts of it were semi-interesting. The Principal decried twitter and facebook and my space for taking the human affection out of community. He has obviously never been to a twitter meetup! The Chairman of Council told everyone how good they were for sacrificing things to give their children a good education. I raised an eyebrow at this! The school leaders pointed out the best of 2009. There was a death by PowerPoint presentation that had 3 sentimental songs backing it (unfortunately not all at once!) and the choir sang (rather well actually!) and the band played (they were awesome, but I am a biased parent!) and the Year 12 students were presented in their house groups.

Students from year 6 to 12 received awards. Most for academic achievement, but also for citizenship and trying hard. My mother was there and complained at recognising Duxes of year levels, thinking it takes away from average students who try their hardest. I don’t see much difference between awarding Duxes and recognising the swimming team that beat Saints for the second time in history! It is good to recognise achievement, but at the same time, perhaps there needs to be a little less chest thunping.

For those of you yet to endure Speech Night at your kids schools this year, may I give you a helper to get you through the night…

Points off if you get a Bingo within the first 20 minutes! Bonus points for getting more than one row!

Are there any other terms you would have on your Speech Night Bingo Card?

The last few months have seen an inordinate amount of time and stress go into the kids obtaining passports in order for us to travel to South Africa in December.

There is a long story that goes behind the passports and I won’t even begin to think about how much they have cost. But a Federal Magistrate has said they are to be issued and granted orders for the children to leave the country for 3.5 weeks.

We are cutting it fine. When I went to apply at the Post Office on Monday I was turned away for some petty reasons and I had to ring the passports office in tears and tell them what had happened. So I went back and they begrudgingly took my forms and insinuated that I was going to abscond with the kids. Sigh. I have a life, home, family and friends here. I suspect it was someone on a bit of a power trip. They had received authority to take payment for passport applications and check that they had been completed, but decided to take it a bit further on their own volition, making judgements that they did not have the authority to make.

But the whole experience did place great seeds of doubt in my mind as to whether the passports would be granted. Last night I got on the passports website and checked progress and it said both were 60% done. The same this afternoon. So I rang to double check and was told that they are in the queue to be printed and have passed all their checks. Relief is an understatement. I doubt that I will fully relax until we are sitting on a plane though.

Whilst the process has been tiring and expensive, it has also affirmed that I am doing the right things. Onwards and upwards!