The money runs out

[skyring]

Well, it had to happen. There's only so much globetrotting I can cram into a minimal income like mine.

Kerri's having a hard time dealing with her sister's cancer and was less than thrilled at me taking off for Birmingham when she needed some emotional support. Fair enough. From now on I stay with her, and that includes when I travel.

I've mentioned it before that when I travel with Kerri everything costs about four times as much, because she won't put up with hostel accommodation, or the "one flight per day" routine I go for.

Anyway, this has put a bit of a brake on things, and to be fair, it's not just Kerri - I've spent a bit more on accommodation than I really should have. Staying at convention hotels when there are hostels nearby is a wasteful indulgence - but so wonderfully convenient.

So despite my best efforts, the trip to Chicago in October is off. I'll have to wander happily through Chicago's art galleries and architecture at a later date.

To fund my travel habit, I've been looking at jobs. Finding a job that will allow me to take months or weeks off isn't as easy as you might think.

I'm a bit suspicious at the claim I heard this morning that full time I could earn $83 200 a year, but I'm pretty sure that I can earn enough to pay for several long trips with Kerri each year.

I want to look through the Museum of the Middle Ages in Paris with Kerri, stroll through the Intramuros of St Malo, maybe take a carriage ride along Charleston's streets. And about a million other things.

With this job, I've got to undergo a police character check, a government health check, a training course, and about a week of "jockeying". Plus I have to buy a uniform.

More details later.

In other news, we had a very pleasant BookCrossing gathering last night. As usual, I took away more books than I arrived with, but it is very hard to be restrained when there are so many excellent choices. Unbalanced always has a shopping bag or two full.

Three new BookCrossers turned up, probably in response to hearing CoffeeBron on the radio a few weeks back. I think Calissa and I tag-teamed one chap into doing NaNoWriMo this year.

How I love spending time with people who are happy! There's something inherently cheerful about BookCrossing. Maybe it's Christmas time - giving and receiving presents. And, as usual, we left the OBCZ shelf stocked full of good books.

Merry BChristmas, Canberra!

Comments

[wheres-my-tea.livejournal.com]

Three new BookCrossers turned up, probably in response to hearing CoffeeBron on the radio a few weeks back.

Umm, Pete...

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Let's not kid ourselves. I mumble my way through an interview, my tongue gets tied up in reef knots and I'm totally outclassed by the articulate angel at my side.

[wheres-my-tea.livejournal.com]

That's so not true. All I did was add a little style to your substantial substance.

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Like I told Calissa, I need extraordinary women around me to rescue me from mediocrity. I dread having to take part in another trivia night without you.

[wheres-my-tea.livejournal.com]

Now trivia I can do. Just tell me where & when.

bookcrossing maths

[dubnordie.livejournal.com]

I'm sure someone could do a study on how all bookcrossers can come away from a meeting with more books than they brought! Some kind of temporal mass change or something?

[mojosmom.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry we won't get to see you in Chicago. :-(( I hope Charleston works out!

I must admit, though, that I can see Kerri's point. She must be tired of wondering who that guy is that pops in occasionally between trips! ;-))

[rubbergirl.livejournal.com]

i swear each meet-up has their own 'Unbalanced'.
i know the Perth one does!

pete, you are cheerful and it rubs off onto other people around you. :D

[alrescate.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear you won't be traveling to Chicago but I can understand.

[o-jenny.livejournal.com]

I know how much you love globe-hopping, but it will be better with Kerri along for the ride. Even if it means you can't go quite as often. And then we'll all get to meet her too, which would be a treat. :)

I hope all goes well with the job. Keep us posted.

[thescrappycat.livejournal.com]

Awww Pete, that's too bad. Sorry you're missing out on the Chicago trip. You could have hooked up with Havefaith1--you should friend her anyway--she's a delight and has lived there all her life so could show you many good things about her city.

So sorry to hear about Kerri's sister--I didn't know about this before. Sending positive vibes her way, dear. How is she doing?

Best of luck with the job search and I hope you get this one you mention, the money sounds quite nice. Is there room to grow there as well? If so you would do quite well to grab it!

{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}} to you, Kerri, and her sis, and know I'm thinking of all of you.

[wandering-sag.livejournal.com]

Keeping my fingers crossed re: the job

[skyring.livejournal.com]

I've got the job - it's just a matter of passing the tests, which shouldn't be any problem.

[skyring.livejournal.com]

8pm, 21 October 2006, 187 Rundle Street, Adelaide.

Re: bookcrossing maths

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Well, UnBalanced (there's an appropriate name in this discussion) always leaves with fewer than he brings, because he brings so many.

But sometimes it seems they just appear out of nowhere.

I think that ity's because when we give books away, it's because we haven't read them, or we don't want to, and therefore each book on average, has less emotional value than a random book. It's clutter to a certain extent.

Whereas if we have a good selection of books to select from at a gathering, we tend to pick books that have a higher emotional value, because we haven't read them and we want to. So they consume the same amount of space, but they have more value.

Much as a tin of biscuits is more of an asset than an empty tin, even though they have the same volume and appearance. The books we give away are empty husks, sucked dry. But to someone else, that same book is full of succulent, untasted words.

Does this make any sort of sense?

[skyring.livejournal.com]

So to speak...

[skyring.livejournal.com]

I'm cheerful because I get to spend time with such wonderful people! Forget all the bigwigs and society darlings. Give me someone with a warm smile and a true heart!

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Ah, it's a job where there's limited opportunities for progress.

But that's OK. What's important to me is being able to travel overseas a few times each year, and in fact, I don't mind too much if I get to spend (say) a month a year doing a business class trip with my wife around the world, stopping at a BookCrossing convention along the way. Plus a few smaller trips - a weekend in New Zealand now and then, say.

[wheres-my-tea.livejournal.com]

Oops. I'll be in Tasmania.

[thescrappycat.livejournal.com]

Well, congrats on that anyway!

I do hope your next trip around the world will include a stop in Las Vegas? I shall be VERY put out if it does not.

[miss-efficiency.livejournal.com]

I know a sure-fire way to attend the BC convention without spending a cent on airfare. Put a bit in to host a one in your hometown. Here's to 2009 in Canberra!

BTW, I must get your recommendations on hostels in and around London for my trip in Jan. I will be travelling on the cheap from now on too.

I'm terribly curious about the job you are applying for. It has been fun to guess what it be. My fave imagined scenario so far is you as the mascot for a professional sports team. Although I doubt they make you buy the uniform for that.

[miss-efficiency.livejournal.com]

Make that "bid". What has happened to my typing -- sheesh!

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Oh, nothing quite as exciting as that!

My hostel in London, and I've staid there three times now, is the YHA City of London near St Pauls.

It's literally a stone's throw from the great cathedral, and only a few minutes from the Thames. I love walking down the vista and across the millennium footbridge - Tower Bridge downstream and the grand Londn buildings upstream. Buses and trains within easy reach, some good local shops.

An excellent library in the old headmasters study. A bit of a rabbit warren of rooms and corridors, but that adds to the charm.

It has bunk beds which are built up around lockers which are big enough to take my extra-large LL Bean rolling duffle, and each bed has a little sliding compartment for books, glasses, keys etc, so you can read in bed, drop everything in the little compartment, slide the lid closed and sleep. Very clever.

Breakfast is included in the price.

No self-catering kitchen, unfortunately. Nearby shops and pubs. Quiet after dark, which you won't get at the two other YHA central london hotels, apart from the bells of St Pauls, which you soon get used to.

I love it. This one and the San Francisco Fort Mason hostel are my favorites.

[wandering-sag.livejournal.com]

I clearly need to learn to read o:)
Some r eason I thought you were stil interviewing and what not.

[whytraven.livejournal.com]

There's a hostel down the coast from here that's a lighthouse. I hope to go there sometime.

Sorry I won't see you in Chicago. It's dodgy as to whether I can go, too. I need to call United and see if I can recycle my airmiles. Don's hit critical mass with travel, too.

[rangermom.livejournal.com]

Well, I can say I'm looking forward to meeting Kerri! Can you get her as enthused about us??

Hugs
Thanks,
Mom

[skyring.livejournal.com]

She has her feet planted more solidly on the earth than I do. She finds the whole BookCrossing thing a little embarrassing, but thankfully she lets me do it. She's met a lot of BookCrossers, but doesn't go hugging herself for joy over them the way I do.

But she's a saint.