John Howard, I love you I love you I love you, and other such utterings....

What's been on my mind lately? Work. I really need a break. The last time I had any sort of extended leisure time was August 2003, when the Ex-Fucker and I made like bogans and took off to Adelaide. It's not the work - I love being super organised and efficient and all kinds of shit like that; it's more the atmostphere.

I've always been taught by my mother that it is taboo to speak of politics, religion and money when in polite company. Well mum, get thee to my workplace immediately, because it seems that I'm the only one that abides by this gentile guidance. Although I'm very much in favour of expressing one's opinion, and do so myself quite often and sometimes fairly assertively, when you're in such a small office, you have to use a certain amount of moderation when discussing possibly offensive topics.

Not that religion / money / politics offend me in any way. I don't believe in God, I'm broke, and I'm a swinger when it comes to the political game. The only time I'd get offended regarding those subjects is if someone was ranting (as some of my colleagues tend to) and they have all their facts wrong. There's nothing wrong with a 'debate' but let's make it an intelligent one at least.

We often have lunches where we all sit around and make the polite chat, until someone has a little bit too much red wine, and arks up about the latest report they saw on A Current Affair or whatever. Before long, you've got people throwing bread rolls around, waving their arms in the air like crazy Italian people and my very favourite, going the finger point. Oh, is there any more aggressive move than the finger point. Love. It.

So now you have a whole office of people, who far from just respecting other people's viewpoints and different stances, because, let's face it, we are all different, are now jumping down each other's throats and whispering bitchy asides to anyone who'll listen. And it doesn't get left at the lunch table. Noooo, grudges are held and carried on to all sorts of normal work, thus creating tension and giving me a headache that I don't really need. I've been accused of being of the 'uni slacker' generation. Oh, sorry, just because I decided to further my education, I'm a slacker with no work ethics, is that the case?

To highlight my point, I told someone today that they were 'filled with the milk of human kindness', quoting that great line from Macbeth, rather sarcastically might I add. The comment back to me: "Oh, sorry, I went to a government school, none of that fancy stuff for me". Fuckwit. I think we studied Macbeth in year 10 or 11 English, and I WENT TO A GOVERNMENT SCHOOL. It just so happened that quote has stayed with me, because at the time, we were all like 'boobs' and 'milk' and 'full' and other teenage innuendos.

I've decided my issue really is to get a new job; however, finding the right one for me is going to take some time. So, tomorrow, without further ado, I go to my John-Howard-Blowing boss, and will ask for some time off. For possibly July....