Work has been, well, a challenge lately. I was almost made redundant, then redundant, then I had a job, then I might have one...a lot of uncertainty has come with the whole fucking global financial crisis, especially in the mining industry. The work I have at the moment appears quite secure, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm working in the coal, which is a big change from the hard rock metal mines I've worked at previously. The biggest difference I've noticed the the work ethic - coal miners are far less enthused about working. Coal is also dirty - the dust gets everywhere. Other than that, we're still shifting dirt. Same same. I have an uncle who thinks that coal should stay in the ground. I agree with him in some respects, but the fact is its such a huge industry that there's no stopping it now. Queensland especially would crumple and die without it. I don't think any ETS or CPRS or similar will make much difference. Without huge investments made by the government into renewable energy, we will continue to rely on coal. There's no such thing as clean coal, and the money being thrown away researching or developing new technologies would be far better used developing a new industry from existing renewable energy, eg solar. Continue mining coal, hike up the taxes a bit, and throw everything behind existing, green, renewable energy, make it more affordable and let people choose where they get their energy from. That's what I think anyway...

I'm in a funny place at the moment.

Its finally happened. I'm in my mid to late twenties.

I've noticed that my friends are either, 1, getting married or 2, having babies. I'm sure its a common observation for people my age group, but fuck me! Everyone's doing 1 or 2 or both. I don't even remember where I wanted to be by know, well made plans etc, I have no idea where I'm going. Mining vs Photography? I'd love to be at home, but then couldn't afford it if I was. I can't stand the business side of photography, but then working for someone my entire life? I dunno.

I'm at home at the moment. I spent 9 weeks away with 3 nights at home in between. I'm enjoying doing nothing. Work was beginning to do funny things to me and I'm sure it wasn't healthy. I woke at 4.55, 5 minutes before my alarm goes off. I try to roll over in my single bed and steal another 5 minutes sleep, but the alarm always wakes me again. I've made the mistake of turning it off, then instead of waking early, I sleep straight though and miss the first 3 hours of work. What is going on there? I don't seem to associate with the other people at work much. Sure I have a bit of a chat about the cricket over dinner, but thats about as far as it extends. I'm very anti social lately. Maybe its because I can't stand to be around smokers, and I've given up drinking at work and that's how people here communicate. They have a beer in one hand, usually in their lap and a cigarette in the other making gestures to accompany whatever story their telling. There's no arrogance in any of it, but people talk a lot of shit, especially about themselves. We've renamed one bloke out here Tripod, as he was compelled to tell us all his new girlfriend had never seen one as big as his. I really enjoy some of the old blokes stories, especially the fella's who've been around and seen a few things. I really don't care for the yarns about roots and fights some of the younger guys spin.

We have just finished mining. I won't be going back to Treko. Rehabilitation is in full swing and this mine will be shut by the end of the month. I spent the last few weeks there flat out. Surveying, driving trucks, grading roads and disposing of excess explosive stock with the shot firer. I'm starting at another site on Monday which will be a bit of a challenge. It in the coal, where I've never worked before and its with a new crew which is always hard work.

The days are now getting longer. And hotter. Apparently it'll be the hottest August in Brisbane on record. Summer is going to be a scorcher. My ankle is still fucked from about 6 weeks ago. A few people even contracted swine flu, but it didn't spread much so I didn't get it. Lets hope it stays that way.

Well, it seems that this blog is going to become one of the millions started and never updated. I am just so busy! Although I have spent the majority of my time recently at work in Mount Isa, I have been up to a bit.

I'm currently studying for a Graduate Diploma of Mining. I have been working in the mining industry for a little while and although I started out as an operator, I'm increasingly being asked to undertake more technical work than I'm really qualified for. The program will take two years part time and is a good compromise between a full time Engineering degree and weekend courses at the local TAFE. I'm in Ballarat at the moment for the block study component; a week of drill and blast and a week of surface mining operations. Fun eh? Atleast I have some idea about the content, I still have no clue what we did in Mineral Economics.

Ballarat is cold by the way. I was in Mount Isa for 3 weeks preceeding my trip down here and it was almost hot.

I rolled my ankle big time last week. My first work accident and it was doing a job I do everyday. Really annoying. Really painful. I still can't walk properly. Haven't had time to see a doctor yet, so I hope I haven't broken anything.

Its just me at work now. The only technical employee on site. The mine is very close to its end of life, only 2 blasts to go when I'm back at work, then 6 or so weeks of rehab and its all over. So I'll be there for the duration and after that who knows! We finished mining the northern section of the pit before I left and the photo below is how it was surveyed. Bloody ridicuclous.



I took Kate away for a weekend at Pethers down in the Gold Coast hinterland. It rained the entire time we were there, but was beautiful and I'd recommend it to anyone. Had a great time, bit of wine tasting at Witches Falls, dinner out, visit to a man made glow worm cave.

And last but not least Kate's parents bought her (us?) a new car! Absolutely wonderful gift. Its all been happening, but now I have a bit of time I'm looking for work.

I almost lost my job a while back. The principal of the mine put it into care and maintenance, and so we the contractor had to get out. About 80% lost their jobs, I was lucky and got transferred. Such is the times with the global financial crisis wreaking havoc on various economies. I didn't mind the mine closing down, but what's shitting me at the moment is the instability of the whole situation in mining...no one knows who's coming or going.

I'm at a bit of a cross roads at the moment...the mine I'm working at is about to close and although I enjoy the work, I'm not too fussed about the travel anymore. Being away from home for so long isn't an ideal situation, but I'm hooked on the money. I bought a flat at just the wrong time, but am refusing to sell it.

Photography seems a long way off, but we'll see how things go.




see more Lolcats and funny pictures

So its fucking February already.  Christmas is long gone and I've stopped watching TV.

I went on a trip to the US in June last year.  Spent a month there, had a great time.  The exchange rate was 96 Australian cents for 1 American dollar.  Its now fuck all.  That sort of sums up the last 6 months for me.  The global financial crisis (G.F.C. - but I haven't seen the acronym used in the media) has nuked the economies of the world and the Australian mining boom is well and truly over.  The mine I work at has been shut by the principal and so I'm very possibly out of a job.  Not really enjoying the position I'm in at the moment, but the ride here has been flat out.  

Am currently sitting on 20 consecutive days of work with 8 to go.  My employer chose to lay all the fly-in fly-out guys off, so we're working with a significantly less skilled group of people trying to shift more dirt than than we really can.  Surprisingly, besides a bull dozer backing into a car (empty!) there's been no major incidents.  I've had a few 15 hour days and cannot wait to get out of Mount Isa.  

It pissed down the entire month of January, the wettest in Mount Isa on record, and looks like we're going to get some more from the cyclone that was off Townsville.  Its really all we need, and to think the bloody dam here was almost empty 6 weeks ago and the town was on major water restrictions.  Stupid town.

I live at the camp near the mine.  Its made up of about 60 demountable buildings each with 4 rooms with ensuites.  They're big enough for a single bed, a small desk, cupboard, fridge and telly.  The bloody cleaners haven't visited for 10 days and my towels are starting to go a bit rank. Everything is damp.  I spent one day at work last week outside in the rain for 10 hours.  I suppose its my job, but it was bloody miserable.  

I could whinge for the next 3 hours but I think I've had enough.  I will attempt to write more often.

Tough eh?
To donate, check out the movember page.

I'm on break from work at the moment and am putting off all the little jobs that need to be done, like cleaning the fish tank...its filthy. Our cat Lily has grown enormously in 10 days and her coat has started to curl. She's a Devon Rex, we picked her up a few months ago from Jarlyn Devons on the sunshine coast and she's made herself right at home.


Lily and Kate with awesome hair


Movember is killing me, so itchy! But the good news is that we've raised over 3 grand, so going very well... I look like a crim though. Some blokes I've seen look like porn stars, some are going for the second hand car sales man look, but I reckon the Merv Hughes/Chopper looks is the go.

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