Change

What a morning . It’s got a foreboding kind of feel to it , there’s a sense of a real shift .It’s that pent up atmosphere that indicates a turning point , a precipice to face and then ………. hopefully a glide down . Big tides , a new solid swell and conditions I generally love ,it reminds me of home with that thicker shape and that natural rawness that the Mornington beach breaks possess. I’m not going out though . I can’t concentrate , I’ve got a meeting that could at last point me in a new direction . I laugh to myself , as it had to be today and at this time . The waves don’t get good like this very often , it’s pretty rare , this meeting I have is even rarer .

Almost 2 years ago we arrived . It was an adventure , a life change and an escape from a life that I thought we’d only ever know . It was surreal , and I mean totally surreal . To walk in a new neighbourhood and not know a thing or soul that existed here . Before that ;25 years of getting up at 515am , my work clothes , covered in dry silicone , fluorescent green at the side of my bed . Grabbing them and sliding down to the kitchen to put the kettle on for a coffee and some toast . Hitting the toilet , brushing the teeth and sliding out the back door before the sun had even started to rise . The house quiet with sleeping wife and kids .Often you drive an hour or more into the tradie rush hour , trying to shoot through short cuts , finding car parking and entering large construction sites.Mornings started by carrying gear into the alimaks( external lifts you see on the side of buildings , that are made of steele and covered in mesh ) , and then the rise to the 18th floor . You’re met by a stinging chill , you hold your chin to your chest and march on , the day gets better , and then it’s the mad rush to sneak out early and rush back to get the kids .Day in , day out you race the clock , everyday is results based when you’re a caulker . The meterage achieved buys you quiet , there’ll be no questions from front office tonight . It was a mundane job that is deceivingly tough on the body . We don’t get much credit , but we are needed , and well paid . We don’t need sympathy , but everyday you grind away , up ladders , on your hands and knees , hunched over ,always focused .I thought I’d never miss it ………………..I was wrong

For 3 months I walked the streets exploring our new area , checking out every nook and cranny . The wife and kids at work and school . It was a relief to not hear the phone ring . I’d been ‘out on my own ‘,working for myself for 10 months . I was shocked at how busy ,tired and stressed I’d become . I appreciated it too , I was embarrassed that people wanted little old me to do their stuff ……..but we moved abroad and walked away from everything . I waited nearly 6 months( can’t remember ,already ) to get my working in the US card . By then I realised it wasn’t going to be used as a caulker . It’s a long story I’ve covered before , let’s just say it isn’t in demand in LA . What do I do ? This is where you really get a shock . I really know nothing . I’ve done one thing for 25 years and have become institutionalised . I stood on my high horse and said “I’m not doing any shit kicking jobs ” , “I’m not going back to the bottom ” , but really I had no choice . Of course having kids and losing your networks make it tough when it comes to job selection …..and then there’s the wage drop and working conditions . It’s a world away or should I say ,a world below what we expect in Australia .

It was time to reinvent . I chose massage and physical therapy . It’s too late to totally re-educate and go back to tertiary study , at least over here. 14 months and nearly 7 grand later I’m almost finished . After 2 years of not working , I’m looking for something . I should get out there and catch a couple of those fuckers , as I’ve got nervous tension to burn , but I don’t want to rush and I need to get this outta the way . I’m off ……….. for an interview or meeting on a possible new job ,for the 1st time since I was 20 .