Blue Arsed Fly...

So yesterday was crazy...

I needed to take my Probity forms into my agency at 3pm, but needed to change my license over since I needed photo ID as well as something with my current address.
For those who don't know, Probity is this whole investigation banks do to make sure you are good enough to work there. Not just references, but a Federal Police check, ASIC check, Bankruptcy check, plus full background check going back 10 years! I had to list every address for 10 years, including the ones in HK which I couldn't quite remember...

Got up at 6am, so I could get a lift to the city with my mum. It really is worth sitting through 45 minutes of constant babble to save on the 1 1/2 hours of bus and train alternative! Well, she's not really that bad... I tend to not hear half of it anyway - cos she's on my right side...

So anyway, left mum at Victoria Gardens and hopped a tram to the city - first stop, VicRoads on Lygon Street. Since I didn't have change, I fare evaded... Certainly gets your adrenaline pumping first thing in the morning... :o) Scariest part was, I got off the tram at La Trobe Street - and the ticket dudes got on! Close call... shook me enough to swear not to do it again... today.

Stopped twice on the way up Lygon Street - seduced by the aroma of fresh coffee, made properly. Made it to VicRoads to be confronted by the oh so expected queue. I took a number, 154. I look at the number on the sign... 96. Oh God...

40 minutes and it's finally my turn. "I'm sorry sir, you need to make an appointment if you want to transfer an interstate license. Our next available slot is March 19th. At Greensbrough"

NOOOOOOOOOO.....!!!! Not only is that too late - but Greensbrough is a hole (a bigger one than Mill Park) AND after the 40 minute bus trip, you still have to walk 25 minutes to get to the VicRoads office! I needed the ID same day - to be submitted with the damn Probity forms.

I was going to have ot tell my agency that I can't finalise until next week... that was bad, since probity takes a week, and they want me to start ASAP afterwards. Will call after 2 when she is in the office. Until then, it's barely 10am and I have 6 hours until mum finishes work. Oh I didn't mention, I had left my house keys at home, so there was no going home early.

What to do...

Tight Arse Tuesday at the movies - Ghost Rider it is! Not a big Nick Cage fan, but no doubt it was gonna be fun. Funny going to a day time movie when it's not school holidays... I was sitting right in the middle half way up the back section. Sharing the cinema with me were 7 other people. Scattered throughout, but still not far enough away. An old dude who breathed heavily, a young guy looking around suspiciously like he sneaked in and was paranoid he would get caught, 3 school aged kids who were probably thinking this movie counts as 4th period Geography (since they could spend 2 hours spotting the many Melbourne landmarks in the movie), and a Japanese couple 4 rows behind me... with the sounds coming from that direction, I didn't really want to know what they were there for...

Just want to share a gripe with everyone - talking during a movie. One of my biggest pet peeves EVER. Why do people feel the need to talk to each other while a movie is on? Do they think they are the only people in the cinema? Do they think that whispering is okay, even though it is so loud people can hear the 'whispering' 7 rows away? What makes it worse, is that no matter how many people are in the cinema - 200 or 2 - there will still be a talker! I have told people to shut up many a time - and I certainly wasn't going to let this one slide... "You want to take your discussion outside?" In my roughest, deepest voice. Ha, ha, ha... works every time.

So anyway, movie was great - silly, but still a lot of fun. Left the cinema, grabbed a bite to eat, called my agency. "Just get a statement from your bank! Change your address and request an interim statement..." I wish they had told me that before - would have saved a lot of trouble.

Collins St branch - 1 million people in queue. Waited for 15 minutes hoping it would move quickly. Nope. Moved only 1 metre.

Swanston St branch - 1.5 million people in queue. Waited 15 minutes there... nope. As I was leaving, I noticed almost everyone had passports in their hands... odd.

Then it was a hunt for an internet cafe so I could look up locations for other branches. Across the road - full. Next one - full. Bloody Hell. By this stage I was hot, pissed off and tired. Ended up the other side of the CBD in Queen Street, found another ANZ branch! Woo hoo! And there were only 20 or so people in it! Woo hoo! Not sure whether I should go to a teller or the the service desk, I am standing in the middle of the floor, enjoying the air conditioning, when a lady comes over. She must have thought there was something wrong, as I was sweating profusely, red, breathing heavy and the veins on the sides of my head bulging to the point where they could burst. "I can help you sir!" and directs me to her office...

Turns out she was the branch manager, and she helped me with everything I needed, nice lady she was... :o)

Got my forms to the agency, and headed home, totally exhausted. Happy everything is in, so the countdown begins. Should be starting within the next week or so.

Oh, and I haven't forgotten... still have my VicRoads appointment at Greensbrough next Monday... watch this space...

Oh almost forgot - the Passports at the bank thing... turns out Tuesday was International Student Day. They all got off the planes on the weekend, and were there getting their bank accounts opened. Irrelevant overall, but the reason for the queues. :o)