Which one is not like the other?

As an addendum to my last blog about the great car parking debacle of 2010 - I've just found out we have access to a "Carpark Cam" on our computers. You can basically login and see how busy the exits are before you go to the carpark. This seemed excessive to me - how much could it possibly be backed up? Since then I have been told some horror stories of being stuck for AN HOUR AND A HALF in the line to exit the carpark. Note to self: look into the bus timetable.

So now on to some more of the minor/major differences between the new and the old:

Food at the old workplace:

A salad from Coles at Fairfield Gardens. If feeling adventurous, venture to Buranda Shopping Centre for Pizza Capers. If Michelle had her way - Montezuma's and whipped beans every day until we die.

Food at the new workplace:

Choices, choices! Sushi, pizza, subway, crepes, sandwiches, roasts, soup, wraps, hot chips, salads and more. All conveniently located within about 2 minutes from my desk (some very conveniently located next door to my desk). For afternoon tea: cakes, slices, biscuits, chips, chocolates (seriously I've never seen so much chocolate in my life and I've been to the Cadbury Factory). All this is not very convenient for my waistline however -- probably be better to go back to old workplace options. Although the time spent walking around looking for my car in the carpark helps with this.

Doors, windows and fresh air at the old workplace:

Doors left open to let the fresh air in. Windows that looked out over the horses grazing in the horse paddocks (or that looked out over the back of Rickland's head) and let in the natural light. Most of all - FRESH AIR!

Doors, windows and fresh air at the new workplace:
No windows or windows that look out to other rooms with no windows. No doors to open to the outside (well that I can see - obviously there is at least one or we'd all be stuck in the building forever ala that Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode). Very bright fluoro lights that give you a headache before 9.30am. As a hater of the great outdoors who would have thunk one of the things I'd miss the most would be fresh air and sunlight? Not me in a million years (I can hear Michelle fainting from the shock). I actually have to get up every couple of hours, go to the front entrance and get some fresh air. I stand outside taking deep breaths with all the patients who are in their PJ's and attached to IV's, smoking away. They all eye me nervously in case I tell them to put out the ciggy and get back to bed.

People v Animals v "the kids" at the old workplace:

Animals pretty much outnumbered the people. I liked this. Although if the animals ever did organise some sort of meeting and banded together to take over the place we would have been in trouble. The people that were there either didn't have kids or didn't really talk about them (they knew it was a lost cause for the most part). I also liked this.

People v Animals v "the kids" at the old workplace:

People everyone. No animals except for the occasional pigeon flying overhead (probably looking for it's car in the car park). I do not like this. And kids....everyone has got 'em and everyone talks about 'em. I have started talking about my cats as though there were actual human children which seems to confuse and frighten everyone:

Co-worker: "I'm tired, I couldn't get the kids to bed last night and then they kept waking up..."

Me: "Me too. Mine just wouldn't settle last night and then started chasing each other around the house"

Co-worker: "Wow....yeah it's hard isn't it? Then they don't want to get up the next morning..."

Me: "Totally - especially when you get up and step in one of their fur-balls"

Co-worker: "Err....your kids have fur-balls?"

Me: "Yes of course. I have three furry kids. They're gonna get fur-balls!"

Co-worker: *Silence* "Bye - I'm just going off to make a coffee."

And the worst/scariest thing about kids at the new workplace is something I discovered a few days ago. If you venture outside at 1 minute past three there are literally HUNDREDS of them, swarming down the hill from their school, screeching at each other, talking about Justin Beiber and Twilight. Okay yes I know I talk about Twilight as well, but it was still terrifying seeing them all come towards you at a semi-run, chanting pre-teen things and wearing the same outfit. Children of the Corn anyone?