Must beat 18,000 to get my dream job

Earlier this week I caught an article regarding the job on Hamilton Island, stating that so far 18,000 people from over 200 countries have applied - talk about competition! Click here to read the whole article.

Granted the number of applicants is slightly lower than we all initially anticiapted that is still a lot of people for me to beat to make the first short list of 50 (will be announced March 2nd!). If you are reading this and you have not voted for me yet please do so now! (yes right now, as in, stop reading this entry, scroll down a few and click on my posted link to my video, vote and then come back and keep reading....why are you still reading this?)

It's funny, just the other day I started hypnotherapy (willingly volunteered to help this girl I know rack up the hours she needs to complete her certificate) and first session we just talked, she asked me some questions and then explained how the brain works. Basically we have our "primitive" part of the brain that processess things very simply, black and white, and this is where depression, anxiety and anger are. When we get overly stressed and feel like there is no way out, we revert to this part of our brain, as opposed to the logical, rational, optimistic part. She then started talking about how in order to reduce stress and anxiety, you need to train yourself to think positively and that with good thoughts good things will follow.

I'm paraphrasing a lot of what was said, but the point is that if you think positively about something, then usually something good tends to follow. Am not saying our brain is a genie or anything, obviosuly with the good thoughts must come some actions on our part, but speaking from personal experience if you want something really badly, and you put it in your mind that you will get it, then you will. And since the day I read about this island job it has been the forethought in my mind that I will get it, regardless of the competition I still think I have a great chance and will keep doing all I can to make sure my dream becomes reality.

25 years young

This past weekend I experienced the miracle of turning a quarter of a century. Enjoyed a lovely day/evening on Saturday with all my friends, consuming a "few" beverages, partaking in many laughs, and bowling fun. It's times like these when people get together you can realise and appreciate what great friends you have, and I certainly do! Especially seeing how I have now lived in Bristol for only 2 years, could not have met and befriended a better bunch. Thanks everyone! Sunday was spent lazing about, as you do, and Monday took James clothes shopping then we chilled in his parents jacuzzi. Was funny because we were in like 37 degree water, with snow all over the garden and cold rain falling on our heads. Still really nice.

Below are a few pictures of the good times had by all over the weekend:

Send me to Australia!!

Wooo- the link for my Australia video has arrived!!! Am that much closer to my dream job of living on a tropical island, feeding fishies and surfing. And you can help me get there by clicking on the link below, watching my video and giving me a 5-star rating(you actually have to click on the 5 stars to the right of the video) :)

Watch my Video!

And to help even more, please forward this to any and everyone- need to get as many hits as possible. And of course you are all welcome to visit me when I'm there :-D

Snowy Days

Happy Friday Everyone!

What a crazy week it has been (weather-wise) for England! We got snow in Bristol Monday, then snow on Wednesday night had us waking up to a winter wonderland on Thurdsday, and again on Friday morning woke up to snowy conditions. Friday's storm was by far the worst for Bristol, with many roads closed in the morning hours. Had to help my flatmate Abi get her car out of our driveway, then later had to help my boyfriend with his car (twice). I know Britain doesn't get much snow, and it shows with how people are not sure what to do when they get stuck, etc. Guess all my Tahoe-driving experience has paid off!

But the snow hasn't brought misery to all, I've enjoyed frolicks in the snow consisting of snowball fights, building snowmen and taking pictures of this rare weather phenomenon.

Australia or bust

Today I submitted my video to be considered for "the best job in the world" - a caretaker of a tropical island (Hamilton Island) off the coast of Australia. I'd get paid £70,000 as a caretaker for 6 months, would get to live in a 3-bedroom villa for free, have to pick up mail and feed some fish but otherwise my job is to surf, scuba dive and do other activities, taking photos and writing blogs about what I do in order to promote tourism of the Great Barrier Reef Islands. Pretty sweet huh? Think I'm joking? See for yourself - Island Job.

Obviosuly there is going to be lots of competition, but I'd like to think I have a pretty good chance of getting short listed. Am active, outgoing and am a nut for photo taking. Anyone who knows me and I've told about this know it's perfect for me. Will post a link to the video once they put it up on their site, at which point I'll require all my loyal friends and family to watch it and vote for me :)

It's hard to not get ahead of myself and imagine being on the island, but we've all gotta have dreams. Sun, sea and surf - my heaven.

Patience is a Virtue - written on 2.5.08

My sincerest apologies for not updating this thing for so long (I dare not even look at the date of my last post as it may shame me to tears). At the moment I am on a train to St. Ives, a gorgeous sea-side town located in the southern county called Cornwall. It’s a holiday weekend in the UK- can you believe they simply have a “May Day” holiday weekend, and not just once but twice in the month of May! First and second to last weekend, gotta love it. So I am taking the opportunity to visit my dear friend Lauren and the other “Cornish” folk I know. How I wish the forecast was clear blue sunny skies but alas when I checked yesterday each day said rain, rain, rain. Granted, the weather here is so fickle, it can rain for a moment, and then be sunny- let’s hope for only a little rain, more sun.

My last weekend excursion was over the Easter weekend in March, decided to go explore the roots of my Irish heritage and booked a flight to Dublin. Initially I was going to be a lone traveller as I have previously, but upon mentioning my Easter plans to my friend Kieran, he immediately volunteered himself to accompany me. I was very pleased to have a travel buddy for once! And he knows a few people there so even better. Despite being absolutely freezing over the weekend it was an amazing trip. We saw the touristy sights like St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Christ Church, Dublin Castle, Trinity College and lots and lots of walking. Mind you- this is barely a week after having ran the Bath Half Marathon which shattered my left leg to the point where I was hobbling around like I was 90! I digress...we did not get to tour some places like the Guinness Brewery or Jamieson’s Distillery but I have no doubt I will return so can tick those off on my next trip.

A special treat was Kieran’s friend Pete playing tour guide and taking us out to the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough, which was beautiful. Then we hiked one of the mountains, completely unprepared. At one point we reached the beginning of the path to the summit and there was a sign posted saying you should not continue unless you have a compass, hiking boots and rain coat...we had none, but of course carried on. Was lovely at the top, until it suddenly went from blue sunny skies to pissing down rain! Luckily it did not last very long. That was as far out of Dublin as we got, but will return to do a proper “family trip” probably starting up in Belfast and working my way down to Ennis, visiting family as I go.

To backtrack on something said previously- the Bath Half Marathon. I decided to do this after seeing my friends run the Bristol Half Marathon in August 2007. I began training on my own, then Jaume and I would run together and on occasion Alex too. My injury from running the half marathon actually began back in November when Jaume and I did a 13 mile run, unplanned. After this my leg hurt quite a bit, so I took a break from running for a while. When I started training again after the Christmas and New Year holidays, there was still a small bit of pain every now and again, but I thought it was muscle related, like a permanent cramp or something. After the half marathon and my leg was really really in pain, my friend said I might have shin splints.

Long story short, saw a doctor who referred me to a sports specialist who after xrays and MRI’s (overkill maybe?) diagnosed me with a healing stress fracture, but he was concerned it was not healing at a normal rate so I have been given a lovely shin brace to wear for 6 weeks. My leg does not hurt anymore but the wound is still there and I want it to heal properly so I can get back to training for the Bristol Half Marathon, which is mid-September. To keep fit I have been borrowing a friend’s bike, which has been very enjoyable to ride. Forgot how fun it is. Oh, I finished the Bath Half Marathon in 2 hours, not bad for my first one but know I could have done a bit better, less the leg causing me grief.

Since that and Dublin I have been more chilled out- 1) I needed the break from running around all over the place (no pun intended), and 2) financially I needed to recoup. During this time I started doing things that had been put on the back-burner, like applying for graduate school. Started filling out the application, getting my mom to help me get transcripts from schools back home, asking for letters of recommendation and just recently attending the Open Day session for the MBA Program (which is offered part-time by the University of West England aka UWE). I got to speak one-on-one with the Managing Director of the program and was quite impressed with their offer and program structure. It’ll take 3 years to complete, 2 years of courses and one year of research and writing a dissertation. It’s quite a commitment, but I know I want to do this. Main concern is funding. Will definitely have to research on loans, scholarships, etc. If all goes according to plan, I will start in January 2009.

Work is going well, was a little quiet before and now has picked up again. We have a Reseller Meeting in Prague next week (Thurs-Fri) which I’ll be attending and presenting at. I love these trips because I’ll stay through the weekend to make the most of being there and getting to visit a new destination. And, an added plus, my travel buddy Kieran is flying out Friday to be a tourist with me over the weekend. Has he not chosen to join me then my grandmother Luise would have come up from Salzburg to keep me company. Would have been lovely to see her, since the last time was end of September, but I’ll be seeing here again about the same time of year as I have a flight booked to go to Munich for Oktoberfest again! Busy busy. But I better travel as much as I can this year before my free time gets soaked up by grad school :oP

Back to Normal?

It's only been 2 weeks since I left California and came back to Bristol but feels like much longer. Since I have come back it's been go-go-go. Started looking for a new flat right away, which was causing me a bit of stress, but luckily the situation has turned out for the best. Instead of all 3 of us moving out of the flat, my flat mates are moving out and my friend Ashley is moving in. Sure the flat has its quirks but it really quite nice, big and has a prime location, so i am very happy to not be leaving it.

With that sorted I had time to focus on work, which has been very busy- even had to work on a Saturday last weekend! Wasn't too bad though, worked with my boss on adding the final voice-over touches to this 8 minute demo we created for a tradeshow we were attending. Hilarious stuff anytime my boss Chris messed up- we have all sorts of "bloopers" with him saying "shit,f*ck, bollocks".

Have also started training again for the half marathon. My new trainers are awesome (thanks mom), the only problem I am having at the moment is breathing. Can't seem to find a good rhythym. But my friend Matt, who has started running with Jaume and I, told me of a shop in Bristol that specializes in running so i'll pop in there soon to see if they have advice.