Eight jobs I have Had

Kim at Cancio tagged me for this meme back in the middle of September but what with the whole nightmare reports/teaching/costumes/musical thing I am only now getting around to doing it.

Righto, here we go. Eight jobs I have had. Hmm, when I start to think about it there have been quite a few! (That's enough out of you Mam)........

1. Check Out Chick: An occupation made famous by Norman Gunston in his Soap Opera parody entitled...strangely enough "Checkout Chicks".
I happily intoned,
"Thank you for shopping at Coles New World"
on and off for about 3 years through Matric and Uni. I was even promoted to Fruit and Veg at one point. At least I think it was a promotion.

2. Sewing Machine Operator: in a kids clothing factory in the UK. I did this for 9 months whilst saving to back pack around Europe. I learned many things in this job. Sewing, obviously, the joy of a cheese and onion sandwich and most importantly, the cultural difference in tolerance for bad language that exists between the UK and Australia. One of the more colourful words which peppered my vernacular throughout University and my theatrical career, did NOT go down well when directed at my section supervisor. Even in a light hearted manner. I got all my warnings at once :-(
On a positive note, once I had resigned to go back packing, I had the buzz of seeing one of the outfits I had been a part of making, being worn in Germany!!!!

3. Entertainer: yes, I actually did this for money at one point! Throughout my teenage years I was part of a company who put on children's musicals every school holidays. They drew their chorus from their drama school and paid us the princely sum of $20.00 for two weeks work, two shows a day and a matinee on Saturdays. As we got older and scored bigger parts (Rabbit in Winnie the Pooh: see below) I seem to remember getting a pay rise to about $100.00. I could be mistaken however :-D
(btw: Eeyore is that now famous comedian Shaun Micallef)
Of course I also did a couple of touring musical shows and worked in a theatre restaurant for 2 years but that is a whole other post!

4. Sprouker: "Ladies, step over to the kitchenware department where this month we are having a fantastic sale on Decor products. Look at all these practical but decorative items, all in the new summer 'yummy' colours. Goodness it makes my mouth water just talking about them."
Sad but true. I think they tripled their sales on Decor that month.

5. Pathology: well, not actually pathology but I did have several jobs within a pathology business. I started as a Data Entry Operator in Biochem (How do you recognise the Irish Data Entry Operator? She's the one with Tippex on her screen...) moved to Results/Enquiries where I did the whole telephone voice thing again (see job no 4) and finally Specimen Reception where I was the Night Supervisor. This series of jobs funded me through Teacher's College. Later I also worked as a Courier for a rival Path Lab, in between casual teaching contracts. I could cope with everything except sputum.

6. Doctor's Receptionist: over one Summer when I was Relief Teaching I 'helped out' a friend's father by working in his surgery. He loved me so much that I spent all of first term there before leaving to concentrate on teaching. I learned a lot in this job too. How to take an ECG, do an audiogram and hold a patient's cheek inside out whilst the doctor removed a cyst. I think it was after that experience that I remembered I was supposed to be teaching.

7. Boarding House Mistress: This one was a HOOT. In the few years that I was relief teaching I needed extra cash to fill in the gaps when I didn't get a day's work. As such I took a job as a casual House Mistress in a fancy girl's boarding school in Sydney. I worked Thursday nights and weekends including sleeping over. The girls were revolting!! This job was the first time I realised that I had been entrusted with a Flaming Sword. There was another girl who started at the same time as I did and we were collectively appalled by the behaviour of the pupils. After our first night we asked what 'consequences' we could assign for poor behaviour and were told we could 'gate' the girls (removal of exeat privileges...no weekend trips to town). That weekend we gated 6 dorms. Things improved after that. We once overheard a year 7 girl asking a friend when things were 'going back to normal'...to which we called after her "This IS normal!!!!!"
Sheesh. The funny thing about all this was that when I was at school one of my best friends was a boarder and I regularly rang up on her behalf using my best telephone voice (see jobs no 4 and 5) pretending to be her grandmother and getting her permission to go 'out' on the weekends. Suffice to say that when the girls in my care tried it....I was onto them!

And finally

8. Teacher: my real career. I have worked in One Teacher primary schools, as a Small School Principal, as a large school Deputy Head and as a Special Education Coordinator. Somehow I have segued into secondary school teaching and who knows where my journey will lead me next!(Teaching Assistant Principal circa 1993)...blonde hair and questionable outfit although I remember loving it at the time!!!

Now I am supposed to tag people.....but most people have already done this one. If you haven't done it...please consider yourself 'tagged' and leave a comment to say you have done yours. Then everyone can call over and check you out!!

Best Shot Monday: The Musical

This is my Best Shot from the last week at The Musical. Look at all these vibrant, excited kids, full of the joy of life and the magic of being involved in theatre. This was taken on Thursday night as they waited outside the theatre between the matinee and the evening performance.
And here's what captivates us. The stage.
This was taken from prompt side where I was ensconced in my little Stage Manager's position. I love the height of the curtains and the side light casting long shadows across the stage.

One guess as to what THIS represents! Yes, it is the endless hours of sewing I did for costumes.
The purple thing is one of the infamous 'gypsy waistcoats'...although truth be known they had nothing to do with gypsies.
These exuberant two are my lighting girls. They were stunners! Capable, reliable, mostly on task..they left the boys for dead although I have to say that after three days of me explaining exactly what I needed the Tech boys did rise to the occasion.
At the beginning of each day, the cast and crew sat in the theatre to have the roll called. This was a time of great conviviality and a chance to give feedback and production 'notes'. Here's most of them waiting for the producer to do her thing. Look at our lovely theatre! The only downside is the seats which are the same ones that were there when I last worked in the theatre 27 years ago!

These ones are really for my family in the UK. Many school holidays were spent n the Scott Theatre. I think my Dad is the only family member who has not performed on the stage here. (Although maybe SmokyJo was only backstage...refresh my memory Sis)...
Look what they've done to the courtyard which used to be a grey tiled, prison style exercise yard. I'm sure the gumtree at the rhs wasn't there before. It's a pretty cool theatre though isn't it? It was originally part of the teacher's college and was used as a training theatre for drama students and the like. As such it had all mod cons, stage revolves, trapdoors, massive lighting rigs, access to the stage from all directions and good sized wings (unlike many theatres). This was the gang waiting around on the Thursday night. I think they'd just finished having an ice fight. The picture doesn't capture it as I was too late as usual but the excitement that night was extraordinary. High as kites on life they all were.

Now look what they've done to the dressing rooms!!!!! The size of the dressing rooms was the real downer in the old days. The dancers were always packed into the Green Room as there was not enough room in the dressing rooms for everyone. Now they have knocked walls out and extended back under the stage and under the road behind the building so there are dressing rooms this size on both sides of the main corridor.

This is how I've been spending my days for the last 5 weeks.....with a head full of costume racks. Recognise the dress on the end Mum?? Debenhams in Romsey I think it was...circa 1995. Recycling is a great part of costume coordination. Don't worry, I got the dress back!

Onstage after the show for 'notes'. Those are the gates to 'Heaven' in the background. Not quite the impressive structures I had envisaged......
And so, the musical is over. I didn't get any production shots of course as I was too busy calling cues (standby tabs, standby sfx 5, standby AV 12, standby LX 67.......) but I'm hoping there may be some available on the school intranet which I can pinch. It was a fantastic week. Exhausting but exhilarating. I really bonded with the tech crew as we wisecracked our way through the performance (watch out on youtube for the video they secretly took of me dancing side stage).
Me: so, sweepstakes; how far downstage do you think these two will come tonight?
Spot Tech: first tab.....
AV: by the sofa..........
Lighting: they'll go exactly as far as they always do.......
She was right they never came any further down......no matter WHAT the director said to them.

On the last night the Techies approached me with furtive and conspiratorial glances. "Can we have a word with you Mrs A?" It transpired that this was the last musical for their AV teacher and they wanted to do something special. It was my job to get him on stage while the Techies, all in black and wearing aviator sunglasses, marched down both aisles to the tune of 'The Eye of the Tiger' and paraded onto the stage to make a presentation to their 'Chief'. It was fantastic! I was called upon to come up with very inventive stories as to why the Techies couldn't join us on stage to start with and to distract the chief at the end of the show when he was trying to herd them all down.....I think he figured it out eventually. I'm a hopeless liar it must be said.

Did I ever wish I was onstage again? Maybe. I miss dancing particularly. I can't sing anymore although that didn't stop me turning off my headset mike and croaking along at the top of my voice to 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot' (it's OK, there was a chorus around a mike in the wings so I wasn't ruining anything) and also bellowing the last few choruses of 'A Pilgrim People' sung to the tune of Jupiter from Holst's 'The Planets'.

We praise you God the Father
We praise you Christ the Son
We praise you Holy Spirit
The best is yet to come......


I always loved these mirrors.



For an unbiased and hilarious critique of the show (and my response to same) check out the Bestie's Blog.

For other Best Shots

Boys and Technical Theatre Stuff

Now this sounds just plain wrong but I am learning that boys and technical theatre 'stuff'...just don't go together!!

We are in the theatre this week and what a week its proving to be. The first run throughs have been fraught with technical difficulties as we discover exactly what it was the directors intended when they blocked a particular scene. I have had to take off my costume 'hat' and put on my stage manager's 'hat' now we are in technical run mode. The poor kids in the cast are confused by the change in role and as I stand with my headset on, squinting at the script with my inadequate glasses and frantically peering around trying to see if the stage crew (I'll come to THEM in a minute) have cleared the stage ready for the light cue, they come up to me half dressed and say things that costume coordinators love to hear. Things like 'Do I have a costume for this scene?' or
'Will this (indicates totally unacceptable article of clothing which fails to meet any of the specified criteria) be alright for the Finale?'

I have been palming them off on my saintly assistant, Mrs Jones. A mother of one of the cast, she has been invaluable throughout this process and continues to work miracles in the dressing room with my sewing machine, scissors, an iron and a packet of pins. I think we have just about got everyone dressed bar a few shoe issues. One of the girls who is supposed to be a Neo-Nazi or a punk or something was horrified when I suggested she wear my husband's old leather boots with thick socks. Honestly, they're only a size too big and will be ok once I put some shoelaces in them!!!! She doesn't look very threatening in a leather jacket and bare feet. These kids are just not willing to sacrifice things for their art like we were at their age!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

But back to boys.

Our tech crew are drawn from the ranks of the AV class. These are the boys who love to play with PhotoShop, create powerpoints and music video clips and play fantasy games. They are SO into their computers that the idea of sitting waiting for a cue is unthinkable and they use the time in between cues to 'improve' the slides for the backdrop or 'loop' a sound effect...or even search the internet for a better sound effect/ slide!!

The backstage crew are drawn from the ranks of the 'this sounds like a good way to get out of a week of school' class. On the first day they stood around in the wings playing cards and looked very put out when anyone asked them to move anything...a finger for example. In fact if asked to do anything at all they looked at each other and a, "Who wants to do it? Do you want to do it? No I'll do the next one.", conversation ensued. I recall berating one of them who seemed oblivious, the reason becoming obvious when he pulled an earphone out of his ear and said "Huh?" New rule, no mp3 players backstage!!!!

But the classic is 'intercom protocol'. For those unfamiliar with backstage work, the stage manager, lighting staff, a/v operators, conductor and sound desk are all on headphones. We are thus able to communicate with each other from our various locations around the theatre and, theoretically, coordinate a smoothly running show. Theoretically. On the first day I donned my headset and said,
"Stage here, do I have lights? Can you hear me lights?" The girls responded with appropriate 'yes we're here noises' and I explained that the SM needs a response when I ask anything
so that I know they can hear me. When I call them to stand by a cue, they need to acknowledge me so that I know we are good to go. OK they responded, 'standing by'.....

Now, "Sound, are you there?"
"It's Reggie here."
"Good to know but can you just respond to 'sound' and acknowledge when I ask you anything?"
"OK."
"A/v are you there? A/v? A/v............!!!!!"
"I don't think he has his headset on," the lighting girls helpfully informed me.
"Could he please PUT it on??? A/v....A/v are you there??? SPEAK to me A/v"
"Errr...yea, I'm here. I heard you the first time."
(ggrrrrr...restrain myself...take deep breaths...inform again about need to acknowledge quickly)
"OK. Reggie, could you check the mikes on OP? Reggie? Reggie are you there?(fume....) Sound can you hear me????"
"Errr.......it's Max here"
"Max, are you on sound? (yes) Then why didn't you answer?"
"Well, you were talking to Reggie."
(deep breathing madly and speaking through gritted teeth) "Max, is Reggie on the desk???"
"No, I am."
"WELL HOW DID YOU EXPECT HIM TO ANSWER ME????????????????????"

Boys!!!!!!!!!

In fact, I think the A/v acknowledge me by nodding. I cannot count the number of times they haven't had their headsets on, or have heard me and not let me know. Frequently they ask for lengthy cues so they can get 'set up'............and then spectacularly fail to switch the machine on in time.....or switch it on so we can see the advert for the manufacturer. When asked why they are slow with their cues they seem irritated.
"Well, we're rather busy at the moment."
"Doing WHAT???"
"Renaming the clips."
"Could you possibly do that AFTER the show????"

I listed all the cues for A/v but foolishly I named them 1,2,3 etc. This confused them because the slides are also named 1,2,3. The fact that I have carefully described each cue eg
'Cue 5: Slide 6 off' does not seem to help them. They still put up slide 5 for cue 5.

Ah well. Tomorrow is another day and we have an 11am matinee performance for our feeder school 'Sunrise'. Wish us luck!!!!!!!!!!!

Best Shot Monday: Happy Boy

He has been so much happier these last few weeks. He hugs me, he tells me he loves me.....

I still make him pick stuff up......

Kick over to Picture This and check out some sensational shots.

Banner Update

After my rejection of his first design, Himself put together a completely different concept which I love!! Except for the font.
A: Why is this font all messy.
H: Well, it represents freedom and creativity. It's kind of 'out there'.

(He often talks like this)
A: It looks kind of manic.
H: What's your point?
A: Alright, so I'm a bit manic, but look at all the little dots...like ink splotches...I would NEVER do ink splotches....I'm too anally retentive...

After this exchange I went to my computer and starting looking at fonts. I was after something whimsical and perhaps a little 'forgetful', after all where DID I put that flaming sword? I was trying various handwriting styles when Himself came past and snorted with disgust.

A: What? You don't like these? I'm just trying things out.
H: The font is a design element. It is part of the overall picture, if I change the font I start all over again with a new design concept.
A: But I LIKE the background and the image...its just the messy font which doesn't feel like me. It's too....disturbed
H: It's got attitude, like your blog.
A: (mildly outraged)What do you mean my blog has attitude?
H: I've read some of it....it definitely has attitude.
A: (minor panic...which bits has he read?) Really?
H: Yes, and if I change the font I change the whole design....or you can go find another designer.

Now you see, this is the problem with professionals. They don't like to listen to their clients. Anyway, I tried all the usual wife things, sitting on his lap, asking how much he loved me....but he remained intractable. However, something must have hit his sentimental nerve because the following morning I had a new email with a new version and a new font. As I had requested, it was free flowing handwriting with NO splotches and dots.

I didn't like it.

He was right. The font was an element of the design. He even did a version where he took the dots out for me....and I didn't like it. He was right. It took away from the overall design.

I guess that's why he's a designer.

So, now to figure out how to load the banner. Any ideas. I've looked at the HTML page and my head started to explode.

Note To Self

Do not write posts at 2am whilst under the influence of nostalgia and champagne.

Reunion

I have just got back from my high school 30 year reunion.

I'm just letting that sink in.

Thirty. Years.

The night had an inauspicious beginning. As a friend and I pulled up, we saw another, similarly aged woman, struggling along the road. We should have known things were amiss when she was suddenly at our window.
"Do you know where the XYZ Function Room is?" she gasped, in a voice which had clearly seen too many cigarette packets.
"Of course, we're going the same way," we cheerfully responded.
On the way to the function I thought to ask her what she'd been doing since school.
"Well," she wheezed, "I've had a bad week...........My rabbit died."


Fortunately, after this revelation, things picked up and it was marvelous to see all the 'old girls' from their various walks of life. There seemed to be a lot of physiotherapists there I must say or maybe that was just what the first girl said and after that they all rolled into one.

We enjoyed ourselves so much that we partied on to not one but two other pubs so the hour is now officially LATE>