Hi, I'm Mix...

"I Max Fraser Donelan do solemnly swear..." So yesterday was the first time that I had to put my left hand on a piece of paper, raise my right hand and solemnly swear that I am who I say I am, and that the above statement is correct and true. It was only a statutory declaration that my name was actually my name and that I am in Australia to live and work, but it did carry a certain aura of importance and seriousness. I was however a bit peeved that I have to solemnly swear. It wasn't a particularly sad occasion (although the JP at the cop shop did seem pretty bored), and I was actually quite happy to finally be getting this Medicare business sorted. Why couldn't I ecstatically swear? Or at least bring some kind of mild optimism to the event?

Apparently I was wrong about my name being Max anyway. My flatmate's mother came round yesterday, and I let her her in the door. When I introduced myself she gave me a quizzical look and asked me with some confusion "Your name's Mix?". I guess I need to work on dropping the Kiwi twang.

I have made some more observations of Perth, which you might take interest in. In fact for the most part they're more gripes than observations, so stop reading now if you couldn't give a rat's about my feelings on the price of lollies. Because seriously, they're expensive here. A dollar mixture will have maybe 6 lollies in it, and they're not even good. You end up spitting half of them out. I saw a self-serve lolly bin in a 'convenience store' yesterday. Lollies that should have been 5c each were 20c a pop (and they even have 5c coins here still, so there's no excuse!). What the hell is convenient about that I ask??

I was also horrified when, walking down the street minding my own business, I looked up to find that I was standing outside the Croc Shop. Yes, they have a shop devoted to Crocs. And what's worse, from what I could see from my vantage point on the footpath, Croc is diversifying its stock. I am unimpressed.

My 6 years at New World Metro have given me, other than of course valuable life experience..., a good understanding of what the words 'customer satisfaction' mean. Supermarkets here close at around 8pm, even earlier on Saturdays (don't even try to go on a Sunday). I would try and give you more accurate times, but I haven't yet seen a supermarket that has its hours of operation displayed outside the store. This is something that has been getting me quite worked up actually, and something needs to be done about it.

That's it for now. I feel like Peter Griffin when he's telling Quahog what Grinds His Gears. Next time I'll try to be less, well, solemn I guess.