Surrounded by nothing but pieces of paper with information about ECG's, WPW syndrome, Nursing interventions, Bullying in the Workplace, discrimination, case studies, blah, blah, blah!!!
Emotional abuse!!!
Then there's Hesse :-)
Although today it took a while to understand what he was on about..bit like me, really.
I just want to have this bloody thing over and done with...
apart from writing and studying, I haven't been up to too much.
Had my first exam last week, the 60 MCQ's were ok, it's those long answer questions that stumped me. Lets hope that I did ok in the MCQ's then I should have achieved the level of

mediocre.

Although some dictionaries accept the meaning of this word as “medium” or “average,” in fact its connotations are almost always more negative. When something is distinctly not as good as it could be, it is mediocre. If you want to say that you are an average student, don’t proclaim yourself mediocre, or you’ll convey a worse impression of yourself than you intend.


I want to achieve a high level of medocrity...
hey, if it gets me the piece of paper then so-be-it.

Anyway, mediocre is way better than the French did the other night...compared to that "achievement" mediocre is a blinding success.
Not that I want to put down those cheese-eating-surrender-monkeys. Hey, do I really need to???
But, I guess that they have got one thing right...they can have a really long shower and don't they need it, all that cheese and garlic. Stinky damn Frenchie's.
Damn, I'm getting irritable...must be the cigarettes (or lack there of)
Haven't had one in ages...8 days or so not even a sneaky one.
Not that I want to be known as a quitter. It's just while I'm here (australia) Can't get my bloody tobacco.
Everything I love is out of reach. Smokes, Bier von Faß, Frauen etc.
That will all soon change. I'l get a job in Saudi or some similar place and I won't be allowed to have any of that stuff, right now it's a choice.

anyhoo, as for Australia...

what's been happening here.

World leaders met for APEC (OPEC according to Dubya)

Little Johnny Howard has been visiting Austrian Troops (If you once again listen to Dubya)

ABC (Chasers war against everything) comedy team foiled Sydney and Federal Cops

Cops got even and beat up protesters and searched cars/vans heading for Sydney (100's of kms out of Sydney)

Brit did it again, oops!!!

France lost (sorry had to mention it again) and Australia won

Australian Sportsmen encouraged to take drugs, not actively but we'll only check you on Monday's and hey, if you hear of anyone taking drugs...we really don't want to know about it.

Man, makes those cycling drug testers look like right fascists, how dare they test people randomly and not inform the athlete beforehand.

Anyone would think that being a sportsman meant commitment or something...

I'd better stop ranting, my beer's gettin warm.

Love ya all

The footprints of a leaf.

With an apprenticeship in the film industry Fabian was able to put his learned skills to good use.

So, as everyone else was looking forward to the prospect of going to work after the weekend, I was heading north, in th edirection of the world's largest sand island. That's right, 4 days on Fraser lay ahead of me, as opposed to 4 or 5 repeated versions of the daily grind.

What can I say???

The fishermen were all there and what a spectacle that made. Literally hundreds of men from near and far standing with the swell upto their waist, paying hommage to Neptune and reaping the benefits tha the pacific had to offer. ie: Taylor. Gathering at every gutter and sand-bar to practice their faith. And then again in the evenings, thanking the gods for their catch by raising their cans to the skies and taking in the copious amounts of the amber fluid.

Religious Fanatics...I just don't understand them.

But on that note...I was there to introduce my passengers (§ from the father-land) to the practice of praying to the gods of sand.

The practice begins with a type of baptism, which can only begin upon the "bogging" of their transport. After this, all shall gather either infront of or behind said vehicle, place their hands upon the vehicle and pray, pray, pray. If all pray hard enough then, they shall be rewarded by a shower of sand (if praying particularly hard the sand shall reach places they didn't know existed).

Although I thought they were all doing quite well, the sand gods didn't agree with me. My new convertees were required to practice their faith again and again. Each time being rewarded sufficiently with said sand. I must say that I found the sand gods to be quite generous with the delivery of the sand, especially on their last attempt.

Although, should any of them return to the island I am quite sure that the gods shall require them to again demonstrate their faith.

Luckily for me, I have been a long-time convert and didn't have to prove my faith (also I was the driver)

All in all, it was a great week, relaxing but busy. Lake Wabby, perched between a sandblow and a eucalypt forest, was just super, Lake Mackenzie, it's brilliant white-put-on-your-sunnies-or-burn-out-your-eyes sand and super clear/unbelievable blue water still the most amazing place for a quick dip.

We also took a trip north up to Indian Head. From this vantage point we were able to spy a school of big fishy-things (at least 15 and about 1.5 - 2 m), a school of dolphins and at least 2 Whales. What a sight!!!

Just around the corner I did see the strangest thing, a Porsche Cayenne S. What a sight.

I must say phone, e-mail, internet, news, radio. I did not miss. What a great feeling to be away and unable to be contacted. The only contact possible was face-to-face. most unusual in this age of hi-tech.

But hey, now I'm back and off to work tomorrow.

Thanks to Nina, Fredi and Fabian for a great week. Hope you all had a great time too.

So, how was your week???

So anyway, there I was riding south to Kirra, look left and what do I see??? Whoa!!! what the hell is that, looks a lot like an oil platform, the likes of which are rarely seen in these parts.

Ok, Norway, the Gulf, hey, anywhere north of 0°.

But here, in s-e Qld.

What is this thing???

But then I started to think, yes it happens every now and again... What is most precious to us here???

Yes, yes, Petrol. I know!!! but you can actually live without a car (now a motorcycle is another matter) and yes I'll get onto the subject of personal transport vs. public transport later.

What you see here is the face of the future in Australia. Or perhaps the future of the face of Australia (Australia's future face???)

De-salinifinication (or some bloody thing)

That's right, this monstrosity is a part of a giant thingy that is somehow able to remove the salt from the sea-water, or is it the other way round???

Either way bloody ugly, isn't it? and if I lived where I could see it then it would probably bother me, but seeing as I don't live anywhere near the bloody thing then I really don't give a crap.

Why should I???

Damn...

And for that matter, if the climate changes drastically over the next 100 years...why do I give a Poo??? I hope I'll be dead

Yeah...knowing my luck they'll come up with a drug that will make us all immortal and I will have to give a crap...

how very...Pedestrian (scheesh!!!)

not that I got anything against living...just not forever. I can't keep up with that much fashion (I can't bloody keep up with fashion in this lifetime, let alone an endless one.

what a disaster that would be...

Dying saves fashion...can you imaging how many fashion disasters/victims there would be if we lived forever.

I'd have to commit suicide, whilst wearing a pair of very cool shorts (of course/or perhaps a safari suit)

Speaking of which...

AAhhhhh!!! What, I ask you, would Sydney be without the harbour bridge and Opera House. Anothe big ugly city positioned on a harbour. What makes it better than other cities of the same size and stature??? I don't know, but it really is different to Brisbane and the Gold Coast and Berlin (etc.)

And hey, for a week it was pretty good to me. Although I found that the public transport was pretty expensive, or not, depending on what you're used to.

I guess that I'm too used to having my bike and not having to adhere to any plans/timetables.

Also being as it lies 1000 kms south of Brisbane, I held the mis-conception that I could ride it in less than 2 half days. But with the partial Pacific Highway, said "Main" road between Brisvegas and Sydney, constantly interrupted by villages, roadworks, speed-zones, roadworks, detours due to closed roads (the floods are history man, get over it) and of course more roadworks. The short thousand kms becomes a marathon. I would also like to add that despite being in australia, I have discovered temperatures similar to those of Europe. No, not Greece etc at the moment (45° plus) but I am talking about cold. Freeze your arse off cold, White fingers and toes cold. The likes of which I hadn't experienced in quite a while. I guess it was close to 0° out there, and what with the "wind-chill" factor. My little pinkies didn't enjoy the ride so much. Despite my newest addition to the Sebastabator family facial deformity, I was still cold. I had hoped that the mO would protect my body as the slain creature was used to by Han Solo to protect ánd revive Luke. Unfortunately all it did was cause me to have a mouth full of cold and wet hair, reminding me of a certain interlude overseas with a young lady.

But hey, I knew there was a reason my bike comes with heated grips and ...well, that's about it really. I decided against the ABS (It don't get Icy here) and the computer (who needs all that malarky?)

But hey, despite the cold and the shitty roads, when the sun shone, it was a great ride. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Maybe next time Melbourne or Canberra or both (Maybe I'll wait till summer though) I like it up here in our mediocre winter, wearing jumpers if I wish, not because I HAVE to.

Anyway, back to Sydney, I did catch up with a few friends. Katrina and her sisters family, in the south-east, near Randwick raceway. And Henning, Larissa and Antje, in Collaroy. The two places sparated only by the world's biggest Harbour and 40 kms of road. If it was Summer, who knows, maybe I would have swum it :-)

We did the manditory Sydney things. Aquarium, Tangaloma Zoo, Hyde park, Ferrry ride, Bridge, tunnel, going for a mid-night stroll on the beach (despite the cold, cold sand) etc.

Well that's about it for my stay.

Oh, apart from the Hostel, it was impressive, big, near Dee Why, across the road from the Beach (great in summer), no curfews (that affected us) big kitchen with loads of room and a Fridge that was something else (okay, okay it was a cold room), the beds were...beds.

Well, apart from all the bitchin' all-in-all it was a pretty groovy trip.

As I look out the window and smile, the sky's blue and the sun is shining.

I might just go for a ride and visit the Cooks.

You may think that seven 12 hour shifts in a week is not detrimental to one's health. Well think again. After one week of solid night duty, I have grown a Moustache (oberlippenbart) got myself some great oversize sunglasses and plan to ride my motorcycle to Sydney in the next few days.

It wasn't constanty saving lives by holding the grimm-reaper at bay, as many of you out there in blogger-land might think. it did have it's moments of comic-relief. Attempting to navigate the ward in a wheelchair and accomplish the many tasks required of me at 2 in the morning, whilst attempting to accertain whether or not my place of work is in-fact wheelchair-friendly. Which I, unfortunately, have proven NOT to be the case.

Work (loosely termed) was Punctuated briefly by periods of Le Tour de Doping. Aargh, sorry, the newly reformed and clean Le Tour de France. So clean that all propaganda slips off it's shiny surface. Who bloody cares, really? With or without drugs, it's still a bloody punishing race. Pushing the Human body to it's limits and sometimes beyond. Young guys having "un-forseen" heart attacks, strokes, DVTs, TIAs etc. Hey, like they say, "You gotta break a few eggs to make an omlette"

Where was I??? Oh yeah, my newfound "Porno"look. Why? Jason made a bet with me. "Let's see who has the best Mo after a month." Sounds like a good enough reason to me.

Anyhoo, now that I've made sweeping, unsubstantiated, unbelievable and mis-informed statements about certian well-paid international superstars, I might go to bed.

Enjoy your week, peeps

Abwarten und Tee trinken.

Well peeps. I'm off to work soon and because of that interruption shall be away for about a week. Oh, that coupled with the fact that Bugs has dial-up *shudder*
A most exciting week is anticipated.
Apparently, Allamanda has become the "Neoro-central" of SE Qld. Man I tell you, Neuro isn't my thing. But then again, opportunity to learn...Write letters...read...think...sleep...do stuff (yeah right)

7 Nights. You might think that when one works nights one has plenty of time to "do stuff" Think again. I work 12hour shifts. When one gets to bed after catching up on the news, cycling for an hour or so. Don't forget 3 days to the start of the Tour de France, highlights must be seen.
With all that going on, I really don't see when I'll get much time to sleep. But, sleep I must. Without that my body shall begin to decay, delerium shall set in resulting in madness. Hummm...Have I not experienced this type of thing before? (Everyday?)
Na ja, all you night sleeping-day waking people, have a great week

hey, a part-time student I now am. What does that mean? I'm only half qualified to lie in bed all day doing nothing, or does it mean that I'm twice as qualified to do half as much???

hummm...

I do know this, I can get stuff at a student discount :-)´such as... Movie tickets and shit.

I don't know but I'm sure it has it's advantages.

So what am I a student of? I hear you ask.

I have enrolled in a "Masters of Advanced Practice" (Nursing)...Whoa!!! I hear you exclaim. But stopp, Hammertime!!! It's not what you think. I'm not that motivated and am not gonna stick around for the whole thing, Bugger that. What, me with a masters??? MY attention span isn't that long. I'll stick with it for about a year and exit with a Graduate Certificate in Critical Care Nursing. What does this all mean???

1. I get to spend about 1% of my pay (okay, okay maybe a bit less)

2. Sit around chit-chatting with nurses from other hospitals and disciplines (Now we're seeing the up-side)

3. Stress myself with stuff like assignments, exams, presentions (I thought powerpoint was for e-mail attachments and nudity!!!)

4. Act like a student, with no responsibilities or accountability (Alright, give justification for...)

5. to eventually increase ny pay by about 1% (Good investment I hear you say)

6. Justify and fast-track ICU applications to foreign lands (that's right ultimate goal - TRAVEL)

Scary, I actually have now set myself a goal that seems achievable and realistic. And to top it all off have started the ball rolling, Und ab!!!

26 of July I get to find what it's all about :-)

Until then, I have to persuade people that I'm practicing to be a real student.

So here I am and I've been on the search for the perfect appartment. I guess that the one pictured to your right would be just fine. I mean It has everything I need, a place to sit and drink beer, a table on which I can stand my beer, a fridge that can cool my beer and plenty of storage for my beer. And to top it all off the Beer's Flensburger, one of my favourites.

Now look, if any of you out there in the great big world happen to find this appartment before I come across it then I would appreciate it if you couuld let me know. Living at home with mum and dad has cramped my style a little. There's really not enough beer in my life. This is terrible. I mean really, there has to be a little beer in everyone's life, doesn't there?

Speaking of beer, I have been reduced to drinking the bad good stuff, Bitburger. I guess it's ok, but would seldom drink it in Germany, sometimes from tap (when there was nothing else available).

Now, I'm just dreaming of beer, Jever, Schultheiss, König, Berliner Kindl, Bitburger, Erdinger, Becks (Becks Gold, Lemon etc.), Clausthaler, Rotkappchen, DAB, Einbecker, Diebels, Samuel Adams, Effez, Grolsch, Köstritzer, Licher, Martini, Hasseroder, Warsteiner and that's just the first blick. Imagine if I'd had a think about it.

Anyway, I'd better be off. All this talk of beer has made me thirsty.

The next round's on me

Well, like I'm not saying that I'm unfit but...

I guess that with an average HR of 109 and Max. of 171 I would suggest that I'm not exactly fit.

Went Riding on Monday with Ben. Guess that we did about 25 kms or so. Plan to head off tomorrow, too. I hope that we can keep it up. Maybe that'll increase my concentration and attention span. but hey, I sincerely doubt that it'll make me any more attractive to girls. What with the skinny legs, tight fitting lycra, functionality not fashion (or is it?), gaudy colours, etc.

but hey. I haven't seen anyone else in Brisbane with this Tricot. I just can't work out if they're smiling with or at me???

Either way, I just don't care.

It's for the love of the sport.

I hear that my good friend Herr Crisis is again playing (has Played) in Kassel. When any of you speak with him, please let him know that I said hi, "Hi Chris"
Pity I missed him and Christine, I guess it's a long way to come for a gig.

The week-end was a bit of a non-event. Worked Thursday night & 12 hr shifts Sat &Sun. Then Monday, got off to a great start. Got up, was cold. Ate Breaky, was full. Rode motorcycle, was ok. Met with Police, was busted. Got ticket, was sadened. Went cycling, was envigorating. Visited Grandfather's ashes, war Gedankenvoll. Didn't smoke, had a short fuse. It's getting better.

It looks like I'm giving up smoking. Why??? I have no idea. Kein Bock mehr. I'm too lazy to even try quiting smoking, I just can't be bothered to go out and buy Tobacco. How's that for Apathy??? We'll see how it goes.

Welcome to the world of Translation by Babelfish. I have discovered, courtesy Benjamin Cook, Perhaps it is the origin of "Yoda Speak", who knows. But Benny, when you take the time to look and carefully read your "translation" it does make sense. Perhaps you need to know the context of the original. Ask me, I'll tell you.

anyway, looks like the rain's finished for the time-being. Having recieved, over the previous 24 hours more rain than the last 10 years. Yesterday I made the fatal mistake of trading the bike (as yet to be named) for a 4WD, embarking upon my journey into Brisbane. It would appear that with the Drought people have forgotten how to drive in the wet and that roads do become slipery when it rains, causing cars to slide when the brakes are applied, especially into one-another. Thus, causing traffic congestion and hold-up's. Instead of what should have been a 20 min journey, with delays etc. it was incrased to about an hour. If only I had taken the bike[sigh]. Trading the wetness of the bike for the warmth and dryness of the car I paid the price with my time.
As a bike rider (Bisbane car driver interpretation: mad, lane changing/spliting/filtering, speeding, agressive, easily and quickly incensed, impatient, loony on 2 wheels with total disregard for other road users who comes out of no-where and disappears just as quickly) it becomes increasingly frustrating to drive a car. I relish the freedom of the bike. Being able to change direction with minimal prior planning, avoiding the necessity to sit, for hours on end, in ever increasing "Stau" traffic. Next time it rains I think I'll just don my wet-weather gear and brave the torrential down-pour. Mind you, given the current weather conditions in Australia, that could be qute a while away. but hey, you never know!
Just incase, I'll be carrying my water-proofs with me whenever I go any substantial distance. To ward off the dreaded precipation.

Einen Freundin von mir hat gesagt etwas sehr trarig "traue keinem Mann!"
Find ich dass schade, nochmal bei einen Mann gebrennt???
Ich frage dich, wenn sie keinem Mann vertraust dann was??? und wenn und wann???
Ich habe diese gefuhl dass ICH muß mich personlich für alle die fehler, alle die männer die Ganzen Welt entschuldigung. Aber wenn ich das mache, bringt es was??? Ich glaube nicht.
Eigentlich meistens, leider, Männer sind nicht vertrauenswürdig. Aber warte, es ist nicht nur männer. Nein!!! Ich kenne ein paar Frauen in die letzten zeit dei genau so unvertrauenswürdig (?wort)
Hummm...Was machen wir dann??? Bist du vertrauenswürdig??? Ich kann nur für mich selbe sprechen, wann ich "Ja" sagen. Jeder muß für sich selbst verantwortlich sein. Leider ist dass auch keine lösung. Für die die suchen.
naja, wenn man vertraust nicht ist man nicht enttaeuscht.

Oh my (sigh)

Well, we're (Ben and I) are free of any responsibilities today and are about to embark upon a trip to Laidley.

"Where is Laidley?", I hear you ask. Way, Way, Way outback. That's right. We're heading out there to catch up with Mr Les.

We have made our plans and should be heading off at the first reduction of the horrendous "Peak-hour-traffic". Leider, I have to travel into town before we travel out of town.

Now that I look at the map, it doesn't look all that "outback" but really, it is.

If I'm not back in a week then call a rescue team together and tell them where we were headed, "Les' Place" Maybe they can find us. Although, When I looked up Les' place (multiple spellings) on Google Earth, I couldn't find it...Hummmm Strange.

The soft, warm, first few hours are all I see of each day through the windows of the Intensive Care Unit. That and the 30 mins travel to and from work on my bike. Usually filled with discontentment and disgust at the driving skills of others (or lack there of). Closely followed by my exasperation and total disregard for the speed limit, for about 10 mins.

My days are filled with sleep and at night, I work. Yes, the life of night-duty. Usually 6 nights strung together. Why so many??? Rhythm, continuity, my sanity (believe it or not), time to catch up on some reading and maybe a little bit of study thrown in.
Although, by the last night I'm feeling it. I'm now ready for my days off. Oh, did I mention that I get more days off as well. 6 this week, and before my nights I think I had something like 11.
aah yes, all this night-duty does have it's advantages.
Must be off, dinner soon and then work. Have a great week, Y'all

Außer bier, wir haben auch Kubb Gespielt. Eigentlich es ist Schwedische Stock wurfen.

That's right. Spent our time throwing sticks at other sticks. i.e.: Kubb. Swedish, Viking game. He who knocks over the most sticks is the winner, but only after he knocks over the king stick himself (pictured with a red crown). Kind of a cross between Chess and Boule, requiring the accuracy of a sniper.

Unfortunately, no points are scored for contact with your opponents or stupid spectators, who insist on walking through the field of play; which I might add is marked by the Kubb at either end of the field and players trying to stare at and psych-out their opponents. It is often the experience of this author that when one plays an unfamiliar game in a public park one acquires spectators. Naturally!!! But in New Farm Park the "Spectators" were downright scared. Although a few did ask about it, no-one asked the details nor if they could join in. Perhaps it looked too complicated for the "Sunday afternoon strolling crowd", maybe they were frightened by the prospect of being not only allowed but, dare I say, ENCOURAGED to throw sticks with a purpose. Or perhaps they were frightened off by two 30+ Australian males, wearing baseball caps getting all excited in a public place, brandishing offensive pieces of wood that quite resembled batons. I'm quite surprised that we weren't asked to "Move-on" as we did pick a most strange place to play our game...in front of the public conveniences.

I guess we shall never know. But I will say this: The Germans are said to be cold and stand-offish but they would ask to be included in this strange outdoor ritual. Does that mean that they are more open, at ease with themselves, comfortable with strangers, able to spot a foreigner at 10 paces, What does it mean??? I guess that I'll have to study this phenomenon more in depth.

I assure you, I shall come up with an answer.

Here's a beer, just for Benny.

And just for good luck there's the Bierschlampe (no offence meant Dani) who gave me the Bier.

German Bier, Reinheitsgebot and all that stuff.

God, I could go on about Bier all night but instead I think I'll just go home and drink one.

Home: is where the Bier is.

And don't you forget it.

The only problem with Bier...Who am I kidding!!!

Look, I'd like to sit here and write more but Bier is calling.

Talk soon and

una más cerveza por favor!!!

What did one cow say to the other cow...

Ich wollte was interesant sagen aber ich habe es bloß vergessen...naja

Wunsche euch einen schönen wochenende.

Brauch 'ne Bier

So anyway. There I was heading down the coast (as you do) and thought to myself "Think I'll ride Tamborine" and I did. I guess that I'm the lucky one. Able to take that ride whenever I want and can justify it as it "really is" on my way to work.

Supposed to be getting on for Winter. 24 degrees etc. brrr!!! Bit chilly.

I guess the ride was a bit of a celebration (it always is) I've been accepted into uni. July I start at Griffith, GC Campus. Masters of Nursing. Big title for a course I"m only gonna do the first half of. Just for the Critical Care/Emerency part.

Just I thought I'd let you know and share the picture.

The good thing with 4 minute showers is...
Who the hell am I kidding!!! There is no advantage.
I guess it just gives me that little bit more motivation to get ty studying done and get a move on to somewhere with more water, like...the desert (for example)
Anyway, I wanted to do a bit of shopping yesterday and so went to "amazon.com.au" Are you freakin' kidding. No such address...FCUK
So to get my stuff done had to log onto amazon.de and amazon.com.
Damn Australia get a move on. And to top things off, I'm having to rely on dial-up.
I didn't know that existed anymore...well I did really but I just had hoped.
better get myself ready for another night of saving lives and stuff

Longest drought in History, in the Driest Country/Continent on Earth. Yet what can I see, Rain clouds and Sea.

The rain does fall, occasionally. But not enough and not in the right areas, it seems tragic that the water that does fall can't be collected.

hummmm...

I shall never again have a bad word to describe my recollections of the time spent in rainy Manchester.

Na ja, It's ALWAYS Greener. As they say.

Cold today (mid - high 20's), sunny, blue skies. Great for...well, just about anything that you care to think of. And I can think of a load of things.

Better get to bed...have to prepare myself for more perfect weather tomorrow

LG Sebastian