The Airport has never been so fun!

Today was going to be just a typical day of seeing someone, a good friend, off at the airport. Yes, I arrived 15 minutes late, but considering they were standing in the considerably long line for their airline, it didn't really matter.

So, to begin with, my friend waited 35-40 minutes to actually book their bag through for their flight. But thankfully their flight was one of the ones that was actually running on time.
We had decided that we would just meet up for coffee, as one does, when one only has about 40 minutes to see a friend. However, by the time we had got through the line, we only had 20 minutes for coffee.
Oh-kay. 20 minutes. Fine. One can do coffee in 20 minutes. Sure. We'd been talking in line, anyway. So...

However, we weren't counting on the security.

Now, of course, we all know about how security was stepped up a notch after September 11, 2001. Understandable, one can say.
And I'm not complaining about the time it took to drop things off and walk through the arch that beeps if you're carrying anything metallic. No, that was fine. That was great. No time, whatsoever.

What I have to laugh about is the fact that I was the random person who got chosen for the 'swab' test, to see if I'd come into contact with anything to do with explosive materials.

I've never had the swab test before, so it was a new experience. I didn't mind as I thought it would take only a matter of seconds and we'd be on our way again to have coffee.

Boy, was I wrong!

The first test came back as positive. Oh-kay, I thought. Unusual, but you get that. Something random; it happens. Second test, came back positive as well. Hmmm...something's fishy here. Third test was positive as well! WT-?!?!

At this point I was just cracking up all over the place as, well, I wasn't boarding a plane, and, yes! I'm definitely a terrorist. NOT! My friend and I were passing comments between ourselves, typical of Australians thinking something like this was a huge joke. I believe I'm going to be called either 'Uni Bomber Nell' or 'Achmed' by this friend, now. The security area where this was happening, too, had attracted one, and then two more security personnel.

After the three fails I had to get my gear (which was a handbag and shoes - that is all!) x-rayed again. On top of that, I had to also be frisk searched, just to make sure I wasn't concealing any weapons. How could I be concealing anything when I hadn't set off the arch? Okay, well, if you've seen 'In The Line Of Fire' (hmmm...interesting movie), you'll give me pointers, I'm sure. But, really! They offered to either do the frisk there and then, or go to a private room. At this rate, my friend's and my coffee time had reduced to only 10 minutes before they had to board their plane! I decided to go with the then and there, and in a matter of 30 seconds, or a little longer, afterwards, we WERE eventually on our way.

We couldn't believe this had happened. We just had to laugh over it all, from start to finish.

But yes! If you are going to the airport anytime in the future, don't just give yourself half an hour before your flight! Make sure you're there a good hour before, so that you are there ready to board, with 10 minutes to spare.

Oh, and we did get coffee - with 5 minutes to spare.

Anti-Twilight Poster

I am a really big fan of the 'Twilight' novels, and I must admit that, after seeing 'Eclipse' three times at the movies I really like that one the best out of the so-far produced movies.

But that doesn't stop me appreciating the anti-Twilight posters and fan (anti-fan?) art.

That is why I just had to share this picture with you guys after a friend of mine sent me the link to it earlier tonight. The same friend that sent me the anti-Twilight poster that featured on this blog earlier this year, actually.

So, without more ado:

Procrastination

Procrastination is a wonderful thing. We all do it, whether we admit to it or not. Some are 'better' at it than others, if procrastinating is a thing to be good at. Many teachers are not procrastinators - they are quite efficient and wonderful at getting a job done at the right time, or in the right amount of time. Others, though, need a helping hand - such as me.

Marking is my downfall. If I can dodge marking until the very last minute, I will. I hate it. It is the bane of my teaching existance. But, next year...I'm going to turn over a new leaf. Hmmm...hang on...I've heard that one before. Hmmm...how to make it actually occur, I hear myself ask. That is where this might actually help.

I've never actually been that good at using a diary. I keep forgetting to write in them. I start at the beginning of the year, and then just lose track, and forget about it, until I think "Well, it's not worth doing it again..." or "Where is that diary?" So, the problem is actually using this diary correctly.

That is where it would have been helpful if I'd actually taken photos of the inside.

They give you a week/two weeks/month ahead planner on the left-hand side of the double open page. They have the names of 'Needs to be done NOW', 'Can be put off for a while', 'Don't really need to think about it for a long while' - that kind of thing (names are not exact because I can't remember them properly). On the other side they have the normal 'What's on each day of the week' kind of layout. What's part of the gag, though, is that they have a 'doodle' section on the right-hand side of the double page, well as funny titles for each section of the double page. It makes the diary more appealing for those of us out there who are slightly 'Diary-phobic' - and can't plan to save our lives!

Hmmm....perhaps I should have got one of these for this year, then I could have planned my Girls Night In better - that is coming up this Saturday night.

*N.B. - Saw this outside BigW, at the calender stall, Westfield Miranda.