The final countdown (de ner ner nerrrr, der ner ner ner nerr…)
Firstly, it’s a bit sad that between three potential bloggers on this site, we still can barely muster up a post per week… we need to pull our blogs out, people!
Secondly, I’ve finished season 4 of The Wire, and I’m very keen to get closure by watching the final season. I’m depressed, but just have to see it through. Damn obsessive compulsive tendancies.
Thirdly, I’m about to go to bed before my final week in the fun capital of New South Wales. It’s going to be an unusual week, and I don’t really know what to expect, beyond a lot of marching. Can’t wait to be finished, but at the same time, a bit nervous about the future after Friday. To be honest, I’m nervous as can be about the whole thing…
August 23rd, 2009 at 10:35 am
just think if it’s all to overwhelming you can always be one of those transit officers on the trains. You get to carry a big notebook and an orange vest and pretend you are a policeman with no powers.
August 23rd, 2009 at 11:32 pm
I couldn’t handle doing that Transit job. They have no power at all, and have to rely entirely on bluff.
Boo to that.
Today we had a 4 hour lecture (that was mercifully cut down to 3 hours) where the presenter just read the entire thing from the PowerPoint slides. Dreadful.
Went to the pub for dinner though, which was good.
Full day of marching tomorrow, starting at 7am. We’ve all been moved into the old accomodation towers, which means there are only 3 showers and 3 toilets per floor, for 25 or so people to share. Tomorrow morning is going to be ‘interesting’…
Meanwhile, the cabins (with ensuites) are sitting empty, as are the new towers (1 bathroom between 2 rooms). This organisation is very strange, on many different levels.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:02 am
I’m not going to be able to make it down to the Grad man…
I can’t rearrange my Friday… would love to be there.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:10 am
There’s obviously a real art to marching, I guess thats why I never did too well in year 3 physical culture- or perhaps it was my lack of fake tan…
Go Pete!!
August 24th, 2009 at 7:09 am
You should SEE the amount of fake tan down here…
Sorry that you guys can’t make it, but it’s not exactly something that I’m placing too high an emphasis on – I’ve never been one for ceremony.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:56 am
I’m all for celebration!!! And congratulations!!! So I guess that is kinda what academics are trying to achieve with ceremony, it’s just a pity it’s done so pompously!
August 24th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
If you’ve never had to stand/march around for 7 hours in a day, you have no idea how tiring it is. Everyone has been complaining about having sore backs/legs/necks etc just from having to hold yourself up straight and move in such unnatural ways all day.
Oh well, one day down, and tomorrow’s timetable has only 4 hours of drill.
We have another dress inspection tomorrow morning, so my boots are shined – hopefully to the required level. Every time I think that mine are looking pretty good, I glance down at someone else’s and get a rude shock.
August 25th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Got any hairspray? That’s what the chick from recruits used to use to make hers shiny!
August 26th, 2009 at 6:53 am
We heard a LOT about that… there was mention of brillo pads being used on our boots by staff if they suspected we had followed her example.
August 27th, 2009 at 1:34 am
Just got back from out graduation dinner.
It was a lot of fun, I even got onto the dance floor – I guess you know what that means…
Full dress rehearsal tomorrow, and then we get issued with all of our ‘special’ stuff. Can’t wait until this is all over and we’re out there earning a wage.
Had a few good chats tonight with various experienced officers. Had some good things to say, and good advice to impart. I hope I can live up to their example.
Now to bed, early start tomorrow (although they had some mercy and gave us a 30 minute reprieve/sleep in…
August 27th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Today we heard from a lot of big bosses, met our new supervisors/local area bosses etc. I’m excited by what I’ve heard – the people from my station seem really great.
The boss mentioned that we have a gym at the station, and then casually mentioned that he does a bit of training there because he’s a cage fighter.
Wow.
We had our final dress rehearsal for the parade this afternoon, and I think we did alright. No major stuff ups, and everything’s looking pretty schmick.
Sore feet though.
Tonight I’ll get my uniform ready for the morning, pack the car with everything except a few essentials (change of clothes etc), and try to get some decent sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a huge day, I want to enjoy it, but I also just want it to be done.
August 29th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Done & dusted! Well done!
I have a sunburnt nose…something to remember the day by!
August 30th, 2009 at 10:41 am
I’m sunburnt, and exhausted, but happy to be home.
I didn’t throw my hat up in the air, because I’m a spoilsport.
Work starts nice and early on Monday morning, so incredibly nervous. Hopefully people will be understanding as we try to find our feet in a fairly hectic profession.
Thanks to those who came down to see us march out, it was a really nice surprise. Thanks also to everyone who has supported us over the past year or so. Hopefully the next year will be smooth.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Today I got to go to a job driving very fast, with things making loud noises, and bright lights. It was at a chemist, and someone had tried to take some things without paying for them, and made a few people very scared because he was waving a knife while he asked for them.
We ended up getting the guy, and I got to do a few things that were pretty cool. I felt very ‘Hot Fuzz’ (without the shooting).
September 1st, 2009 at 8:20 pm
damn Hot Fuzz was a loud movie