just life-

For some reason since we have been back in Melbourne, the weather has been cold/ rainy and we have all been sick. It hasn't been bad, it has just been constant. One kid will be sick for a couple days, I will get one day in at work and then the next kid is sick. This rotates through each kid one at a time (two cycles each) and then we get hit with something new. All in all this lasted for a solid 6 weeks.

 Here is Olivia scared to death from these goosebump books- she read about 1 a day when she was home sick. 

I have been trying to finish up training materials at Telstra over the last few weeks. Telstra is Australia's largest telecommunications company. Basically Telstra has been gathering data with a new tool called Medallia. Most employees (34,000) don't know how to use Medallia. So I have been meeting with Medallia once a week for training. After understanding how to use Medallia my job was to explain it to everyone else. With some help from Stan I had to write up some scripts for the training sessions. After the scripts were approved I got to work with the HR department and talk into a microphone while recording my computer screen. I got to explain all the charts and show how data changes based on filters etc... I was basically showing the audience what each button meant and how to use it. After the recordings were complete we had to edit and preview them with a sample population. Once we got feedback we would re-record and make the suggested changes.

Overall, I got very positive feedback from the pilot group, with the exception of one older Australian lady who kept complaining about my accent. :-(  The lady was overruled and they continued to use my voice for the remainder of the training sessions.

After the recording sessions were over, I got to write up some quick reference guides for each training module. That way if people had a question they could look up a chart or a definition without having to watch the movies again. I started this project before leaving for the USA and only recently finished it. Once it was released, my training sessions were the most viewed training session in the history of Telstra. I am quite proud :-)

My next project has to do with Market research for an HR consulting company. (I am so happy I did my masters degree and wrote a thesis). Conducting and interpreting data has been the most important and useful skill set of my career thus far. I do everything. Create and test the instrumentation, conduct pilot studies, gather data, analyse the statistics and write up the results for clients. I only have to do one paper right now as my Jaw surgery is scheduled to commence in 2 weeks and I will be unable to do much for about a month.

Once I recover I will be right in the thick of the 'end of school year' parties, concerts etc.... on top of Christmas festivities. I am looking forward to summer time with the kids. Stan recently declined an offer to work in Washington DC. It was weird turning down our first opportunity to move back to the USA after nearly 7 years abroad. I love America, but I love Australia too-

I have selected a private school I want all the kids to attend. I am moving the kids to this new school called Haileybury in February and hope this is our last move for a very long time. If I thought we would be moving to a new house or a new city I would just leave the kids where they are to lessen the effects of re-establishing their peer groups later. This school decision was a big one so I am starting to feel like I am putting down some roots for the first time in our marriage. Usually it is just 1-2 years somewhere.. then we move. Now after 18 months in Melbourne I am starting to wonder if this is where we will settle. I am pretty determined I could be happy anywhere. Just tell me where it is and I will make it work. I think not knowing is what puts me in limbo all the time. Do I stay at this school if I don't like it? Do I put down a deposit next year for more dance lessons, will we be here etc... blablabla.

Most the time, I just think 'how could the grass be greener anywhere else'