Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Everybody's Beeyatch
Observe the following subtle lyrics in the classic "Everybody's Girl" from Steel Pier:
I'M NOT THE TYPE WHO'S READY FOR DATIN' SOMEONE STEADY
I'M EVERYBODY'S GIRL
ON SUNDAY NIGHT IT'S DANNY, ON MONDAY MAYBE MANNY ,
I'M EVERYBODY'S GIRL
THERE'S A POINT TO MY BEHAVIOR WHICH IS:
SMART GIRLS ALWAYS SHARE THEIR RICHES,
SO, IF YOUR HEART SUCCUMBS DON'T LET IT, YOU'RE CERTAIN TO REGRET IT
ALL OTHERS, COME AND GET IT: I'M EVERYBODY'S GIRL.
Yup - that's me. Everybody has made me their bitch.
Let us begin with all the lovely students and some of the Staff members (fnar fnar) here at the University: how come they get to hold their breath and have tantrums, and I gotta calm 'em down and try everything to keep the peace?
After some weeks of this, I am afraid I hit the wall this afternoon when the Regalia Centre put a student through to me because they just couldn't cope: she hadn't read the information and so had put her form in late and was therefore copping some nasty late fees. Only she refused to pay, because somehow, somehow it wasn't her fault that she hadn't done it. Somehow it was wrong. Somehow she shouldn't have to face consequences. (Can you say "I'm not a grown-up or a human being - I am a STUDENT" boys and girls??).
I took the call and I said to her thusly:
- I'd make a deal: I'd waive the late fees and she would agree to actually read information when it was sent to her
- and this was only because arguing about it with her was a waste of staff time and a drain on resources we didn't have and really I couldn't be bothered
- finally, I didn't have the time to come around to every student's house and sit down with them and go through the in-words-of-one-syllable-dot-points-two-pager that had so sorely taxed her powers of comprehension, and I was NOT impressed she was arguing about something where she was so clearly at fault.
Then I did the classic sociopath thing of switching to a calm and profesisonal manner and saying I would send an email to Regalia asking to waive the fees and she should ring them in about 15 minutes after the email had gone through.
She rang off very subdued and I felt a small glow of satisfaction. I sent the email to Regalia and summarised my conversation with student of doom; and Madeleine told me later that she laughed for a good half an hour.
Incidentally - this student is going to graduate as a LAWYER. Can you imagine?? "Well, I may not have got the motion to you in time your honour, but that is so totally not my fault because I didn't read the nasty law books telling me how." Oh yeah - that'll work.
Just don't break the law, that's all. Don't get sick, and don't break the law. The lack of gorm in final semester medical and law students beggars belief.
*Ahem*
Anyway, on the I-got-good-news/I-got-bad-news front:
Good news: I have now got one of the Verdi Requiem gigs on Nov 19.
Good news: my mate Helen is the mezzo and how cool we shall sound together.
Good news: it's in Greensborough rather than Diamond Creek and so people may actually come
Bad news: they've given the two best duets to CHOIR MEMBERS (yup - keep a dog and bark gahs - good one!) because they're "small". Helen and I will have to sit and listen to two freakin' amateurs butcher the "Recordare" and smile like it's all okay.
Bad news: It's still not the major orchestral gig.
Yup - and they knew I'd jump at it. Cos I'm Everybody's Bitch.
One of my staff members here threw a tanty. I sent her a placatory email. She did not deign to reply. And yet I will have to use her from now on in.
Sing it with me: Ev-ry-bo-dy's bitch!
I'M NOT THE TYPE WHO'S READY FOR DATIN' SOMEONE STEADY
I'M EVERYBODY'S GIRL
ON SUNDAY NIGHT IT'S DANNY, ON MONDAY MAYBE MANNY ,
I'M EVERYBODY'S GIRL
THERE'S A POINT TO MY BEHAVIOR WHICH IS:
SMART GIRLS ALWAYS SHARE THEIR RICHES,
SO, IF YOUR HEART SUCCUMBS DON'T LET IT, YOU'RE CERTAIN TO REGRET IT
ALL OTHERS, COME AND GET IT: I'M EVERYBODY'S GIRL.
Yup - that's me. Everybody has made me their bitch.
Let us begin with all the lovely students and some of the Staff members (fnar fnar) here at the University: how come they get to hold their breath and have tantrums, and I gotta calm 'em down and try everything to keep the peace?
After some weeks of this, I am afraid I hit the wall this afternoon when the Regalia Centre put a student through to me because they just couldn't cope: she hadn't read the information and so had put her form in late and was therefore copping some nasty late fees. Only she refused to pay, because somehow, somehow it wasn't her fault that she hadn't done it. Somehow it was wrong. Somehow she shouldn't have to face consequences. (Can you say "I'm not a grown-up or a human being - I am a STUDENT" boys and girls??).
I took the call and I said to her thusly:
- I'd make a deal: I'd waive the late fees and she would agree to actually read information when it was sent to her
- and this was only because arguing about it with her was a waste of staff time and a drain on resources we didn't have and really I couldn't be bothered
- finally, I didn't have the time to come around to every student's house and sit down with them and go through the in-words-of-one-syllable-dot-points-two-pager that had so sorely taxed her powers of comprehension, and I was NOT impressed she was arguing about something where she was so clearly at fault.
Then I did the classic sociopath thing of switching to a calm and profesisonal manner and saying I would send an email to Regalia asking to waive the fees and she should ring them in about 15 minutes after the email had gone through.
She rang off very subdued and I felt a small glow of satisfaction. I sent the email to Regalia and summarised my conversation with student of doom; and Madeleine told me later that she laughed for a good half an hour.
Incidentally - this student is going to graduate as a LAWYER. Can you imagine?? "Well, I may not have got the motion to you in time your honour, but that is so totally not my fault because I didn't read the nasty law books telling me how." Oh yeah - that'll work.
Just don't break the law, that's all. Don't get sick, and don't break the law. The lack of gorm in final semester medical and law students beggars belief.
*Ahem*
Anyway, on the I-got-good-news/I-got-bad-news front:
Good news: I have now got one of the Verdi Requiem gigs on Nov 19.
Good news: my mate Helen is the mezzo and how cool we shall sound together.
Good news: it's in Greensborough rather than Diamond Creek and so people may actually come
Bad news: they've given the two best duets to CHOIR MEMBERS (yup - keep a dog and bark gahs - good one!) because they're "small". Helen and I will have to sit and listen to two freakin' amateurs butcher the "Recordare" and smile like it's all okay.
Bad news: It's still not the major orchestral gig.
Yup - and they knew I'd jump at it. Cos I'm Everybody's Bitch.
One of my staff members here threw a tanty. I sent her a placatory email. She did not deign to reply. And yet I will have to use her from now on in.
Sing it with me: Ev-ry-bo-dy's bitch!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Georgie is ONE
This time last year we were all feeling very chuffed about the safe landing of Miss Georgina Grace, viz:
From memory, 11 and a half pounds and it was ALLLLL baby. Ye gods and little fishes (AND it broke my record of 10 pounds 2 oz, huzzah!).
She's since come on considerably - wiping all that gooey stuff off her face and getting on with her campaign to drool over most of the known Universe before she finishes teething.
She also has my brother (her Dad) sorted out - here he is allowed to hold the bowl while she dibbles and dabbles - and he thinks this is the best.thing.EVAH. *snorfle*
She has the sweetest laugh and there's a fabulous video Warwick shot of her crawling down the hallway and squeaking and giggling while he "chases" her and then she hides behind Mum (my sister in law Nici) and decides that's all a bit boring, so she roars out from behind Nici's legs and goes like a bullet for the camera.
I think we'll keep her.
