The Family on the Train (A Quick Observation)

It was the family's first trip out of town. The three of them sat eagerly on the train, anxiously wondering if their fortunes would change in Melbourne.

To show his independence the son sat on a different set of four seats to his parents. But as soon as he heard the conductor announce that the train would be stopping at more stations and picking up more passengers he quickly rejoined his parents and sat next to his father. Despite their rough appearance, or maybe because of this, the family had interacted with few people outside of their little unit. The thought of sitting next to a stranger was just too much for the son.

As the train departed the station, the whole family played around with their own iPhone, the father and son showing each other the games they were playing and trying to beat the other's high score. The mother stared sullenly out the window listening to music through bright green earphones that matched the Monster can she was drinking from. Of the three of them, she was the least excited about their move to Melbourne. Probably because they were moving with only the clothes on their backs, their iPhones and whatever money they had in the pockets.

Not the best new beginning.

Especially when moving to a big city like Melbourne.

But she knew that it was their only choice. That they had to hope for the best once they arrived. Hope that at least one of the three could find find work go support the rest.

They all knew that their chances of finding working were bleak. But no one voiced this fear. Choosing to ignore that they could be stuck in a big, strange city with the friends or family and without any food and shelter. Without a way back home.

This was their last chance to survive.

None of them were willing to acknowledge that this venture could , and most probably would, fail. The consequences were too dire for them if it did.

Centrelink. Again

As a Centrelink job seeker, I basically have to seek jobs, and accept any job that gets offered to me.

But if Centrelink themselves offered me a job in one of their offices, I think I'd have to risk losing my New Start Allowance and turn down the job.

Centrelink offices drain the spirit and soul of the will to live. It doesn't matter if you're a Centrelink employee or someone recieving Centrelink, you go in there and immediately become depressed ... not to mention the massive risk of contracting lung cancer from one of the many chain smoking dole bus.

Not even the flies have enough spirit to buzz around people's heads and annoy the waiting masses. Once they're in a Centrelink office, flies just drop to the floor or desk and just lie there until they die.

The government have tried to reverse the effects of the Centrelink offices (probably for the sake of the people working there) by adding some colour and funky posters. But that hasn't changed the fact that Centrelink offices are just massive grey holes. The new paint job the Centrelink offices have gone under have not worked.

Centrelink offices truly are the graveyard of of hope and the breeding ground for despair and depression.

Centre Link

Centre Link offices really are the places hope goes to die.

There is only despair in them.

The people who go in there for whatever reason (usually forced upon them by Centre Link) have given up hope. They're now just doing their best not to sink any further, struggling to stay afloat ... I'd say hoping to stay afloat. But like I said, hope has died for these people.

Even the Centre Link employees seem to have given up hope.

I guess it would be depressing working in a Centre Link office. Being surrounded by that desperate despair. No sign of hope unless it's gone there to die.

Everyone just goes about their business, doing their best to hide their despair, praying that no one will notice.

Yeah So ...

As you might, or possibly, not have guessed, I've decided to start writing about my day.

Ok, so it may not be all that new of an idea! In fact one of the most unoriginalists ideas ever! But I totally have my reasons.

Not that I'm going to share ... at least not at this point in time.

But if you've been paying attention to my FB, Twitter and EP posts then you'l be well aware that I had a job interview today ... if you can call it an interview ... since the door to door salesman, Chris, totally pulled some strings for me well after the first interview or two, I'm not sure it can be called that.

But Whatever.

I was at the "Open Day" thing for the job today, which detailed what it was about (surprise surprise, 100% commission based work). It doesn't sound too bad. In fact it sounds quite cushy; I only have to make a sale a day at the very least, and I'll be earning around about $400 a week (more than I'm getting from Centre Link).

And if I make 30 sale, I'll get free Austar.

So guess what my sales aim is for the next 4 weeks?

I'm hoping (and assuming!) that I don't really have to tell you.

My fingers are totally crossed for landing this job. I know it requires a lot more effort than I really want to exert. But I should be used to this kind of shit; I mean, I'm a writer, right?

But this job will also hopefully give me some more insight into how people work, think and talk ...