Green Things and Salad Rations

I think it was just Saturday that I'd said I wouldn't succumb to peer pressure (the wife started one a while back; then a couple of my friends, Kay and WJ; and finally the wife's cousin and his wife, Dan and Sprite) and start myself a Blog.

How wrong I was.

But I did have a perfectly good reason for this. First, though, some background: I was a teacher. Until 31 December 2003, to be precise. I bought into the whole "mould the future of the nation" bullshit in 1997, after I'd quit advertising (yes, I've made some very bad choices in my life) -- in fact, this Blog would have been named "mouldy", but I decided against it; I'm old enough as it is.

Anyway, I digress.

I'm now freelancing as a photographer, house-husband and general layabout -- the hours are good, but the perks could use some work.

The reason why I've started a Blog has to do with my previous profession. We teachers tend to be an opinionated lot, I tend to be more opinionated than most because I used to teach English. We also tend to be a blinkered lot. Which is why it is with some embarrassment that I type this now: I started the Blog to rant against an application form with its accompanying 20-page instruction 'booklet' from the Ministry of Education. It was to allow me to work as a relief teacher to supplement my bank account. On it, there were some requirements that I thought were bloody ridiculous, like requesting for my birth certificate, 'certified true' photocopies of all my transcripts and certificates (the same ones issued by the Ministry), a photocopy of my graduation scroll (which I had framed, so imagine the stupidity of having to photocopy a picture frame) and so on. The red mist came over me and I was ready to launch into a tirade, especially when the letter requested that I returned the booklet with my application. Did I mention that it was 20 pages?

Then: "For ex-MOE teachers who were in the service in and after 1980, you do not need to complete Part II of the application form as we would have records of your particulars."

Talk about taking the wind of your sails. I didn't need to the submit all that crap. I had nothing else to talk about. The red mist kinda faded to a bright pink.

So, I'm a little shamefaced now. Especially after sending out SMSes of pure vitriol to the wife and some other friends. And I'm in it now.

And I've a Blog.

Other things I have: a fotolog of the same name, for now anyway.