No one can be that shallow! Can they?

on the way home from the newsagent after buying the SMH for My Career

Are those in receipt of government welfare payments forever destined to spend their lives in the solitary queues of centrelink offices? Maybe it is because society view the unemployed bum as the scum of society?

I'm starting to sound like Carrie from Sex in the City with all the deep and meaningful rhetoricals. This only serves as evidence to the fact that I'm seriously missing the wit, banter and sass of four single women in New York City - rather, I'm missing the wit, banter and sass of everyday life because for the past couple of days, I've spent it mostly at Centrelink and related agencies.

On Tuesday, at ten in the morning, Centrelink forced requested me to attended a meeting with a Job Network member down in the shit hole that is Fairfield. Firstly, as I walked in, the receptionist started to talk to me in Vietnamese!

"Sorry?" I say, but why do I have to apologies to the stupid women who draws stereotypes from the local community. Obviously she's oblivious to any sense of style because I happened to be wearing all new clothes I purchased in the prior day's shopping expedition.

Anyway, five minutes later, another lady walks into the lobby and calls out my name with a heavy Asian accent and a red nose with mucus dripping down to the tip of her lips. Immediately, I jumped up and seriously wanted to scream "CHICKEN FLU" but given that this was a mandatory meeting (as my payments can be reduced if I "breach"), I reluctantly walked into a booth.

But that was the good bit - she then proceed to explain to me what a resume is and its various function. At this point, my face become expressionless with my mouth opened in silent horror! But wait for it, she then asks if I have a resume, to which I reply "Yes," but she then continues to ask me questions which I thought were for the database, but instead, they were for a resume she was creating for me! I told her I already had one, but she said "I'm making a standard one." The nerve! Implying I'm not standard, I'm beyond standard girl! Anyway, I felt quite offended at her incredulous manner towards me. So she proceed with the resume and the final result left me feeling dirty about myself (because it had my name on it). It was a white sheet of paper with writing on it with no regard for layout, presentation and above of, style and flair! Tragic waste of time, considering that I parked in a carpark that charged by the hour.

Later in the day, I had another appointment with Centrelink, this time, it was a presentation about Newstart allowance and the things related to it. It wasn't that bad, especially considering that I managed to go home, shower and change into new clothes (and by new, I mean new). But the real surprise occurred when the presenter actually new a number of the people in the presentation by name and faces! They must be regulars - how most embarrassing.

Are national holidays another excuse for those with partners and families to flaunt their happiness and enviable lives in public to the lonely and desperate out on the holiday hunt?

Australia day, or according to John Howard, Invasion day as its supposedly referred to in public schools (which I can attest to being correct in some of my high school teachers) was quite a good day. I went with family to the city and enjoyed a relaxed and cool lunch at Starcity where we managed to get 15 free drinks and half priced noodles and fish'n'chips because we were members. But the real highlight came when I saw and heard Lee-lin Chin speak in the flesh. Naturally, this occurred when I was shopping, in the too cool for Sydney suburb of Paddington. She was walking towards me talking to her associate when I looked up, smiled and walked on, only realising a minute later it was her because she wasn't wearing her kooky glasses!

Perhaps it's not a matter of what's wrong with her, but rather, what's wrong with me that is affecting my life? But I'm perfect, so it's a case of what's wrong with her!

Alas, as with any good Sex in the City episode, the protagonist manages to solve their life problems by deflecting the blame and cause onto others. Here's to the final season of Sex in the City and may it be memorable and hopefully teach us some valuable life lessons in fashion!

btw, i forgot to mention that the plants in the centrelink office are real! I know because I ripped off a leaf and took a bite of it and tasted bitter - confirming my ignorance of all things natural but not edible


tyarrhea looking forward to spending the week out of the Centrelink office

posted by tykang @ 1/28/2004 09:57:00 AM