The East Coast to Robe

Goodbye Ipswich – Hello Sunshine Coast.

A week of storm before the calm ☺️

You know the deal here peeps play the music and then Read

aaaaaand action!!!!

Let the journey begin.

nb: the author would like to apologise for being a slack ass mofo on this… yes we are back baybee!

My final day at work in QLD

I had an idea of how my last day at the big tech organisation was going to go on Saturday, 30th of March 2024 . I was supposed to finish on Sunday the 31st, but I had organised a party at my dear friends in Chris and Ros.

I am so not used to hosting events and it was Chris that decided to launch the Facebook invites, otherwise I wasn’t gonna get it done in time..that’s for sure. Never been good with deadlines always been better with there abouts…

Truly, I really believe that is all Queenslanders… 😂

My resume presents to the contrary though, of course 🤩😂

Aaaanywayyys….

I have known these two for quite a long time now. They have been a big part of my life. Even though, at times there has been distance between us, we always know that we’re friends for good and good friends forever: Hearts of Gold based on family values…both learning as they go through life.

I met Ros before I met Chris. She reminded me the other night before I left for the coast. Ros stood out at school and was the envy of most girls because she has a voice. It was no wonder she became school captain. She would protest this but I once saw her inspire a rebellion of magnetic proportions when the school re negged on their promises. I was her longest standing friend since she moved to Redbank Plains back in the day. I love her very much to this day. She does gods work with children of a lesser fortune and I am so proud of who she remains to be ❤️🙏🏽

Chris is a beautiful man and outstanding father and I am proud to grow with him. Flowers are well deserved.

The only lad to have known me longer is my good mate Clay Balls. We went from high school kicking letterboxes (inside joke) through to hustling on the basketball courts on weekends at either Carinda or Inala high schools and and wigged out school holidays together .

To eventually making music together with another mate from early teenhood to date, Warren. We were in a band called the red cordial overdose / socket money and producing some of the best times that I’ve had in my life, let alone the cool music they both produced. It was natural, that most of these people should attend my farewell.

I love my brother Clay. He has a beautiful soul. I’ve known Him many years and he has saved me on many an occasion, gently steering me toward the light within. He may have just had an affect on me. He is a soldier in the army of the Bigfella above. I love the man what can I say? ❤️🙏🏽

I was originally a South Australian boy from a little country town called Robe, on the coastline between Adelaide and Melbourne. This is where I’m headed to now.

I was born in a little town called Mount Gambier in South Australia on the side of a volcano .

I love telling it like that makes it sound a little bit more special than it actually is. I’m special…been told it all my life 😂🙏🏽 Thpecial!

The hospital was a big asbestos Castle perched on the side of what’s called the Blue Lake which is an inactive volcano that gives off a blue algae seasonally every year, turning it a deep sky blue in colour.

Back to the job…

During my last week I had my final trainings with my sales manager Kris. It was hard to say goodbye to Kris, Ben and Nikki. All very good humans and managed with different flavours, bringing different styles of Management to the table.

These guys had kept me afloat when the video jobs were a gas. They asked a lot of me. I feel I let them down in a lot of ways but also came to the party in more productive ways as well. It is a fine balance these things you know.I made them the money to contribute to budget. That’s how I saw it in the end. It is a team effort 🙏🏽

In hindsight I think now that I didn’t really want to leave, But comfort can be the killer of all dreams and motivations .Yeah, I said that.

Unfortunately that’s all that our corporate masters care about is the money.. we all know this! We work everyday knowing this. This is the absolute, your “non negotiables”

My training was quick and a good sign off capped off with a a big warm grizzly hug to round out what was a really good relationship with my Management team. Kris signing off with, “let’s just have fun with it”

I miss the good people, he is two in one. ☝️

The thing that sets them apart at that Store in Ipswich, is the service and the actual care for one another. They are friends, so the bond is solid. They will all go on to do great things. I was sure of this then and I’m sure of this now.

I was pretty emotional saying goodbye to Ben and Kris. I really appreciate people that give me the time to show my worth and what I can do for them. Love is a huge word, but I love these guys. Big appreciation for good peeps.

So many industrious and talented people under one roof, temporary stuck in the absolute grind of retail madness.

I walked out of that store with a heavy heart. A few people didn’t wait to say goodbye but that’s okay. I kind of understand that they want to be where I am in that moment and it’s just not their time yet, but it is coming.

What a fantastic Store to work for.

One of those industrious peeps is my good mate Kieran . Kieran worked across from me in Telco and amongst other things we are purveyors of fine red, cigars and the more than occasional indulgence in the devils lettuce. Oh, and of course the odd cheeky movie on the day off. sometimes with all three included… LOL hey… what do you say?

He made work life just a little bit easier and we all love those workmates. They’re the best. Big age difference but on the level. The hard-core benefits of being an X Gen. We are both Jedi and Sith.

I sincerely miss that bloke!! a gentleman and a scholar

It was nice to hit that car park for the last time I played that music loud on the way home. I had to get back and get ready for my farewell party.

The mix of people at my party was perfect. As was the preparation and execution. I had a really good night. Some people couldn’t make it, but you know what? that really didn’t matter. The ones that couldn’t make it were genuine to me.

My mate Lucks (god’s own creature that) gifted me a Japanese quarter which is considered a lucky quarter in their culture . He had only just recently returned with Tasmin his wife and Son From a three week exploration in Tokyo.

The quarter is now hanging from my rearview mirror in my car with a red piece of twine that he attached to it. It feels familiar. I don’t know why, but I think I’m being protected by luck. I I hoped that the rest of the journey wouldn’t tell. 🙏🏽

Consequently, I woke up the next day feeling a little bit seedy, but my heart was genuinely full. I appreciate all of you for coming from Dylan to Ollie to Dean and Renee, Gino, Mel and Waggy! I love you guys. You’ve always shown me support and I’ll never forget that. Great for a good fucking laugh too.

I started packing all of the things that I’ll need to travel.

My purchase of a few 30 L target plastic tubs a week before had managed to downscale what I had left at Chris and Ros’ to take with me on the journey in the Mazda.

I have not accumulated much over my time but what I do have left in my life sits underneath their house, I even purchased a bear Grylls onesie as displayed in the image above. Not my finest moment in fashion, but it’s not about fashion in the cold as I was to find out, it is very much about practicability…

I had a big trip ahead of me, but first, it’s was time to head to the sunny coast for a week of R&R.

Yeaaaahhh Boyeeeee

My mate Joel on the sunny coast and I have known each other for a long time now and we’ve both travelled time and space to be here over the years on numerous occasions. Passing through multiple dimensions challenging the notions of reality. A couple of cheeky boys with a cheeky mission to party.

And that we fcuking did, my friends. Holy shit!!

That’s a story for another day…. time to get on the road…

Stay tuned. I’ll be back to you in a week.

Or 6