Busy, Busy

Busy, Busy!

Since I finished up with my former employer, my stress levels have reduced dramatically, and without the daily 'you're not good enough' message being drummed into us, I'm starting to really appreciate no longer working in such a toxic work environment.

I'm feeling more energetic, and am enjoying my life again.

My blood pressure has returned from its dangerous level back to a safe and normal one without me needing to be put on medication.

And since 'becoming unemployed' I have never been so busy in my entire life - including when I was running around after three young kids!

I'm currently upgrading my Training and Assessment qualification to the new Training and Education one, because from July 1, 2013, in order to deliver accredited training and assessment, trainers must have the new qualification.  So, I enrolled in the Upgrade modules, and am now busily working on completing one (very large) assessment, because once deemed competent, I will be issued with the updated qualification and can start teaching and assessing - woohoo!

I've also been gaining work from a couple of sources.  The first is with a Registered Training Organisation, who have kindly been providing me with occasional 'bits' of trainer administration work, to help reduce the stress on and workload of the RTO's existing trainers where they can (there is more that I can't do than what I can, until my upgrade goes through, but I am enjoying getting the work and learning about the new industry).  The second is with a former employer, doing Accounts and Administration. Again, the work is only in 'bits and pieces' but this is freeing me up to pursue my own interests and goals while simultaneously earning some money to live on.

I've been busily setting up the Char Mesan Job Coaching blog, and have a number of posts that I look forward to writing over the next couple of weeks.  I have a bit of spare time on my hands left to also work on the Char Mesan Reviews blog that I set up some time ago but haven't really done anything with, until now.

I'm loving this busy-ness, and I realised the other day my dreams and aspirations of gearing my career more towards writing than employment consulting is actually happening.  This is both an exciting and scary thing, following your dreams!

Product Review: Sunrider SunSmile Fruit & Vegetable Rinse

When you buy fresh fruit and vegetables from the supermarket or produce market, you sort of assume that because you are buying fresh food you have no 'processing' or 'manufacturing' to worry about.

But most of the fruit and vegetables that we buy are smothered in dried chemicals to preserve their shelf life.  So, even the most healthiest eater who purchases organic fruit and vegetables and avoids processed foods is still consuming large quantities of potentially harmful chemicals within their diet.

None of this was important to me until I tried Sunrider SunSmile Fruit and Vegetable Rinse.




I had been purchasing Sunrider products for a few months, and when I could, I would try out products I hadn't tried before.  One day, I came across the rinse, and decided to purchase a small 'sample' bottle. I was on a health kick earlier this year, eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and avoiding processed and convenience foods, so I was testing the rinse not really believing - or probably more accurately, not really fully understanding - the need for me to rinse my fruit and vegetables prior to cooking and eating with any but water as I had always done.

The day my order arrived I had just bought fresh broccoli and a punnet of strawberries, and excited by having a new product to test, I wasted no time to snip a portion of the broccoli and rinse it in a solution of my new Fruit and Vegetable Rinse.

The broccoli was a deep green, with a slight milky haze over it.  But after I had dipped and swished the broccoli portion in the bowl for a few seconds and then removed it, the broccoli's colour change was immediately noticeable.  It was now a vibrant deep green, and all traces of the milky haze had disappeared. I rested the cleaned broccoli on some paper towel for it to dry off, and the colour never faded.  And I have to admit, it went from looking drab and un-appetising to being vibrant and definitely what I was going to cook as part of dinner tonight!

The now empty bowl contained little bits of dirt and fallen off miniscule bits of broccoli but was otherwise still the way it had been before I had dunked the broccoli into the SunSmile Fruit and Vegetable Rinse, so, having secret fun cleaning my vegetable from its former non-visible impurities I pulled the carrots out of the vegetable basket, and decided to see if the carrots would come up looking cleaner and the colour more vibrant.  And bingo, the carrots transformed with renewed life too.

In my bowl, I next cleaned a tomato and a couple of apples.  Each time, the bowl ended up with more bits of dirt and the water was starting to go milky but the fruit and vegetables came out looking brighter, fresher and more vibrant than before its bath.

I wish I had of taken photo's of my experience - but I was just out impressing myself not worried about sharing this amazing product with other people.  The benefits of removing all the harsh chemicals off my food before I cook and eat them became immediately apparent to me that day, and I have been a regular rinser of my fruit and vegetables since that day. I guess, when I next buy fresh fruit and vegetables, I could always take before and after photo's and update this post to give you a visual of how much hidden dangers are removed just by using this one product.

Information from Sunrider:

• Thoroughly cleans produce in just minutes-even herbs and other delicate produce.
• Uses edible, biodegradable cleansers made from cornstarch and coconut oil.
• So concentrated, just one capful is needed per gallon of water.
• Enjoy healthier, cleaner produce the way nature intended.

The product comes in two sizes

- a 1 fl. oz 'tester' bottle, which I highly recommend you try


- and an economy 16 fl. oz bottle, which is what you'll end up going back for.



Happy Fruit and Vege Rinsing!





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New Blog

Sorry I have been really quiet on the blog post front over the last two months. I became inundated with work which was not good for my health in the slightest. I have now finished up with that last employer and after spending two days at home catching up on sleep and housework, I am feeling rather revitalised, and have embarked on the journey of working for myself again doing what I love: teaching and inspiring jobseekers and encouraging people to gain necessary skills.

I'm pleased to report that I am already starting to pick up contract work as a Typist, Resume Writer and Contract Vocational Trainer.

The most page views on this website have been in relation to my book and product reviews, and any time I relate things to Harry Potter.  But the pages that are most returned to are the ones where I share my knowledge and insights for job seekers.  And this got me thinking...

I've accumulated a lot of valuable knowledge about resumes and job searching over the last ten years, so, I decided to create a blog which I have entitled Char Mesan Job Coaching to help people with their job search.  Let's face it, people will always be looking for work at some point in their lives, and not being experts, often make all manner of mistakes trying to figure things out on their own - many times getting things wrong which stops them gaining work.  I've only just created the blog yesterday, and some of its pages are still under construction, but if you want to check it out, you can find the blog here.

Update 25 August 2013.  I have just written my first real post for the Char Mesan Job Coaching blog.  You can check out my post "3 Application Mistakes Job Seekers must avoid".

Other people don't always know best

I resigned from my job.

Normally, I would (like most well meaning people) advise that it is best to stay in the job and leave to go to another job rather than resign with no job to go to.

But a week and a half a go, I couldn't take the negativity of such a toxic environment any longer, I decided to put my health and well being before anything else, and to great criticism resigned from my role as overworked Employment Consultant with no alternative job to go to.

There was a number of considerations that went into my decision before I decided to act: I spoke with each of my children and gained their support. (Each of their reactions, although different from one another, supported me: my son, simply stated that it would be nice to see me happy and unstressed which he hasn't seen in a while 'you know, have my real mum back again'; my middle daughter, in perfect imitation of the advice I would normally give just said 'have you really thought this through, mum?  It's easier to find another job when you already have one'; and my baby daughter, sucked in her breath when I told her out of concern but an hour later came up to me and said 'August would be a good time mum, seeing as I'm going away with dad and all, so the only person really effected would be yourself.') I considered the type of work I could apply for, and know that I will do what many of my job seekers are not prepared to do: go out and face to face market myself to employers and accept any sort of work for which I am capable in order to gain employment quickly. I am also already prepared: I know my skill set and have my resume already up to date, and have interview clothing already purchased and set aside, so I can make a neat, good appearance.

The relief I have gained just by resigning has been paramount, and I still have another two and a half weeks before I actually finish up, because I had to provide four weeks notice.

One of the things I am looking forward to most, is that when I am not job searching, I will be able to spend a bit of time doing what I love: working on my novel.  Who knows, I might even be able to work for myself -  I have a few ideas to think about.

The Cuckoo's Calling: RobertGalbraith = JK Rowling. Should we have guessed earlier?

Last Tuesday, I randomly check Mugglenet website, as I often do, and discovered a new post announcing that J.K. Rowling had been unearthed as having published a crime novel under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.




The article gave sketchy basics about how the discovery had been made, and quoted J.K Rowling as having expressed disappointment that her secret had been discovered so quickly.  The same article mentioned that twenty two genuine reviews of the book had been published on Amazon while the secret remained unknown, and expression of disappointment in that now that her secret is out, readers will deliberately trash the books merits and ratings simply because of who the true author is publishing.

I hastened to read the genuine reviews, and was as equally amazed as the writer of the article or quotes from other articles cited in-text that the first review stated something to the effect that the reviewer wouldn't be surprised if this new crime author was actually an experienced, published author writing under a pseudonym.

At quick glance, each of the genuine reviews - there were even more by the time I viewed the page - gave favourable opinions about the story and author. Without hesitation, I downloaded the ebook version (not even considering that I may experience difficulties in purchasing a hardback copy) because I wanted to start reading immediately.  Although I am a fan of the Harry Potter stories, I am probably more accurately a fan of J.K Rowling's writing.  She definitely has had an influence over my own, as I have admired her skill with layering clues, and generating reader engagement long after readers have finished the completed works.




I was not a great fan of The Casual Vacancy. I pre-ordered the book the moment I learned she was publishing her first book since Harry Potter, and I like others truly wanted to enjoy the tale. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to compare anything else J.K Rowling writes to that of Harry Potter - as loved and detested as that series was, I don't think anything compares to the trashing and criticism The Casual Vacancy generated - which is sad, because a lot of that story's strengths were overlooked in favour of simple criticism. I disliked it for different reasons to other readers - it had no excitement or build up to its climax, and nothing 'changed', so I was left wondering 'what was the point in telling that tale then?'

Other people criticised - not without reason...

Head-hopping, yes it is jarring to the reader the first time they are yanked out of the point of view the reader has come to expect they will remain in, so fair criticism that J.K Rowling adopted a style in narrating the storyline that head hops multiple times within each chapter - all rules of good novel writing seem to point to 'only change point of view at the end of a scene or chapter, or after some indicated break'; but writers are also advised to know the rules before choosing to break them, and from my perspective J.K Rowling fully understood the rule she was breaking, and used it as a particular style and executed it with utmost consistency throughout the remainder of the book. And, as a reader, once I realised after the second or third time that this was going to happen quite consistently and with great frequency, I ceased being yanked out of my fictive state, and actually looked forward to gaining each of the other characters perspectives.

Yes, there was foul language... in an adult book - oh, the horror for so many people: "Harry Potter never used foul language like that" - No, it didn't. But folks, the book was not Harry Potter.The book was dealing with some pretty seedy side of life. I work with some of my area's most long-term jobless, and on a daily basis witness the language and poor behaviour; foul language much cruder and more frequent than J.K Rowling limited the pages to.

I haven't read a crime novel in a number of years.  I don't know why, I've always enjoyed them, but I have favoured fantasy and paranormal fiction probably because that's the type of novels I have a few different storylines for.

My only expectation in reading The Cuckoo's Calling, was to enjoy the words of J.K Rowling (now that I knew it was her) and to read a mystery 'whodunit' story.

I don't know if it is just me, or even if it is just my imagination, or having the benefit of hindsight, but as I read the story, I was curious as to just how many times I felt that J.K Rowling's personal writing style is so very present within the pages as the story progresses, while simultaneously understanding that great lengths had been gone into to disguise the true identity of the writer.

What do I mean by that?  Well, I'm not going to spoil the storyline for any reader, yet I feel I can say that there are certain 'key words' and 'key features' that appear within the storyline that had me thinking "How does this not point as strong clues that the writer is J.K Rowling?"  Stag, doe, pallid, loquacious, and a few other words that will forever be attached to J.K Rowling and Harry Potter in my mind (at the very least).  What a strange combination to appear in the works of someone completely different. Stag and doe, for example, such strong symbols identifying Harry Potters departed parents somehow make it into a crime novel that does not have animals or forests within its descriptions.

Firstly, the poems at the beginning of chapters.  J.K Rowling has included poems in the beginnings of her previous books before: Deathly Hallows, where readers are given passages from Aeschylus, The Libation Bearers, and William Penn, Move Fruits of Solitude; details explaining the term The Casual Vacancy, Charles Arnold-Baker Local Council Administration, Seventh Edition

And then there are those specific words...

Pallid... is there any scene or description of Professor Snape that does not include this word to describe his skin?  And here it appears within The Cuckoo's Calling.  Yes, I have seen this word used by other authors, but -- it is one of those words that J.K Rowling uses -  almost as a trademark - to describe characters.  If I recall correctly, I remember her using that word within the pages of The Casual Vacancy as well (but I'd have to fact check to be certain).

Loquacious... I mean, this one feels like an anvil sized clue.  Most writers use the simpler word 'talkative', but not J.K Rowling.  She has Hermione Granger describe to Harry that Victor Krum is 'not particularly loquacious' when Harry forms the opinion that Hermione and Krum spend more time 'snogging' than getting to know one another.  And loquacious appears in The Cuckoo's Calling. When it appears, the word 'talkative' could easily have been used, but the author has consistently uses higher educated words than what most of the books readers would have - J.K Rowling was no different in using these higher educated words within the Harry Potter books and The Casual Vacancy.

But J.K Rowling (and perhaps her publisher/editor) have gone to great lengths to remove all traces of her renown writing weaknesses that would have had readers guessing her identity long before actually occurred too: criticised immensely for the use of 'adverbs', namely during dialogue tags, such as 'Harry said angrily', such and such said 'whatever-ly'. I don't think I found even one example within The Cuckoo's Calling, yet, they were present (very minorly) within The Casual Vacancy.

But it was J.K Rowlings rich descriptions that truly would have made me curious, if I hadn't already known the true identity of the author...

The wonderful descriptions of both poverty and wealth could only have come from a writer who has experienced both.  Same with the experiences of paparazzi light-bulbs flashing in one's eyes.  There was an element of authenticity to the writer having lived and breathed through this on multiple occasions, the weariness and dislike of relentless invasion oozed onto the page.  I know I am no great writer, but I feel I can get emotion and mood across the page to my beta readers; and I can tell you now, not having experienced this, I could never have achieved this within my own writing.  And I have read a few other novels that follow the lives of the wealthy and famous, and in hindsight, even though I thoroughly enjoyed those light reads, none of them ringed that bell of 'the writer has been through this', they haven't even come close to depicting what it is really like to suffer at the hands of the paparazzi on its pages. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that other authors have seized upon the glamour side of being within the scrutinising unwanted spotlight within their stories; The Cuckoo's Calling truly reveals the inconvenience and intrusiveness of everyone wanting a piece of you, relentlessly, and going to sneaky and extreme lengths to gain a lecherous scoop.

Now consider for a moment that while releasing the later books within the Harry Potter series, J.K Rowling became known for desiring to 'play fair' with her readers. Harry Potter was 'at heart' a 'Whodunit' mystery.

So, what wouldn't be fair about J.K Rowling publishing a Mystery novel - which is her passion and forte - under a pseudonym when the very fact that the writer's name IS a pseudonym appears on the books jacket, as a subtle clue that 'all is not as it seems'?

And, in fairness to readers placing a few well-chosen clues that hint at her true identity to the clueiest of readers: mystery story + clues for the reader to work out = eventual reveal.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think there was any mis-intent like I am sure J.K Rowling will be meanly accused of; I think J K Rowling always intended for readers to find out - eventually - that she authored this book and its intended sequel(s). I think J. K Rowling truly understands how to engage with readers, and she genuinely enjoys the interaction from a distance. I truly believe that she craved getting honest and unbiased reader opinion about her story's merits.  The Casual Vacancy, published under her own name, was never going to achieve this. The comparison's to Harry Potter were always going to exist right from the release date.

I know that if I ever become a successfully published author (I'm still working on it), I'm not in it for the fame or recognition. I fully intend on writing under a pen name, with the very high hopes that I remain keeping my true identity unrevealed for all to invade. I, like J.K Rowling, love writing... if only I possessed even half her talent, I'd be in heaven if I could earn a decent living from doing something I truly love.  But I certainly don't envy or want the fame or the invasion to her privacy that J.K Rowling gained.

So I read this new book, and, I can honestly say that I enjoyed The Cuckoo's Calling for what it is: a mystery story.  It was an enjoyable read, possessed great descriptions (doesn't all her works), and all the clues were perfectly layered so that it was simultaneously not a - and also a delightful - surprise when the Whodunit was eventually revealed. (I was wrong in my guess, but not too far astray from reaching that conclusion my own self.)

I liked the character of Cormoran Strike, he came across more real than some other Private Investigators of other books. I loved that he was not cliche in any way. I'm glad Robin came to temp for him, they made a great team.  I loved Strike's thoroughness and skill in investigating where the Police had long since dismissed. I loved that J.K Rowling created a character of good motivation, and had him use his intellect.

And, I will conclude by saying, that I most certainly would have enjoyed the book even if I hadn't known that it was J.K Rowling writing it - I almost wish I had discovered the book before her secret came out.