LOOK OVER THERE!!! In the side bar! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? NOOOOOO!!!

It’s a POLL.

Help us out here… Which is your fav?

We just don’t know.  I like Paul’s, and Paul loves mine.  (Awwww!) So we thought we’d put it to the test.  Which of these videos do you prefer?  Watch them both and do the poll.  We’d love to hear why etc… aswell so go ahead and place a comment.  You don’t need a user name to leave a comment.

Click here to view Paul's Application

Click Here to view Vivian's Application

What about the Green Movement? Where does that fit?

My time in Australia was an eye opener.  I mean really- think about it.  A whole plush world full of majestic beauty and incredible life-changing experiences all inspired by the glorious nature that surrounds them.  It tends to nurture a green spirit… You know?  Because they see first hand and regularly what it is that they need to protect.  Queensland is full of Eco Tours, and even the ones that aren’t “Eco” tours tend to be very environmentally aware.  All of Australia offers excellent and plentiful WWOOF ing (It used to be Willing to Work On Organic Farms… but now it’s World W)

Now don’t get me wrong- there are still the odd red necks out there- but not the same deafening disinterest in the drastic changes needed to sustain our world that I see here.  I recently read a Blog entry on an Island Reef Job Blog somewhere that spoke of how they hope that the environmental importance of the area, and the “green angle” of the Whitsunday Islands is played up by whomever wins the position of Caretaker for the island reef job.  I found this odd.  I mean- doesn’t it go without saying?  Can it be a “green angle” when you go somewhere so beautiful and you realize that it is in jeopardy? Does it need to be fabricated as an “angle”?  Will it not grow organically into your position?  I think it has to.

The Reef Wiz and I are what I call Soft Hippies. It means that we still comb our hair, and I shave my pits, but we are always looking for way to reduce our impact on the environment.  From my days in my Fair Trade Company I learned the hard way that people don’t care until it’s personal.  It’s not a bash on humanity.  We’re all busy and we’re all overwhelmed by causes and issues and emergencies around us.  There is so much to care about that people tend to need to focus on the things that affect them the most directly… the most drastically.

Now the point of The Best Job in the World is to earn a position with the Tourism board- not the Environmental board.  Not to say that it isn’t important- but that it is not their main objective.  I must say I like their objective better.  It’s what I call soft activism.  Get people out and about in our tiny giant world and show them what we have to lose… Then give them the tools and information to make the changes we all require.

Raising Spaces is a site I like for this.  It’s full of technologies and products that we all need to live in our homes that can make a giant difference.  It also collects blogs about people doing more extreme and awesome things like straw bale houses and Net Zero Homes.  Reef Wiz will be in there soon Blogging about his Solar Thermal Generator that can run a TV at night…. and his yert.  Did I mention my husband wants us to live in a yert?  Heh.  We’ll need better weather for that. 

First News Article to be Published!

So we had a great surprise today.  Paul’s video got some attention from the press.  It’s only really a surprise because I haven’t put out my press release yet.  (Yes.  You heard me.  Press Release.  I’m serious about this job and I’m doing what it takes.)  So a wonderful man named Phillip Woolgar (I told him I love him… do you think it’s too soon?) interviewed Paul and me and asked for photo files.

We sent in shots of us in our summer gear and Paul’s now famous winter hat.

I wonder what our neighbors think of us running outside to take pictures in our bathing suits all the time? Hunh!

The Hot and Single is a dying breed in my family…..nearly extinct!

So here I am planning on moving to Australia JULY 1st for the best job in the world‘s nanny when my lovely sister books the date! Yup my baby sister is getting married (well she’s not such a baby anymore at 24…..) So July 10th it’ll be official and I will be the last “Hot n Single” left in my family well except for my adopticated sister you want to talk about Hot….yowza let me introduce you lol!

So yes I am the Maid of Honour and poor Reef Momma’s Momma is going to have to fill in until I arrive (I’m sure it will be really difficult for her to be watching her lovely tropical tot grandbabies in Australia for a few weeks…….)

So how was my weekend…Well the Ballet on Friday was amazing — Alberta Ballet’s the Fiddle and the Drum a collaboration with Joni Mitchell. It was visually beautiful and emotionally powerful….and how can you go wrong with Joni Mitchell?

But as I am a fabulously flexible Nanny I went in to work on Saturday to help out for 6 hours. So that cut in to my weekend feeling like a weekend but the kiddies are sick and so it was pretty low key! After work I started planning my roomies baby shower, I know I should have started a while ago but really March is just sneaking up on me! So off with another Roomie to do some shopping for the shower. During all of this I am getting bombarded with text messages and phone calls about the wedding and getting a little sad that I am not with my sister right now!

Next on the list of trying to cram as much weekend stuff as I can in, comes the girls night! The lovely hostesses really made my weekend feel like it had begun! Girly snacks, movies, and chat filled my Saturday night and put me to bed with a smile on my face. Sunday was full of visiting, surprise birthday parties and more phone calls about the wedding…….

First my mom calls me up all teary cause she just bought her baby girls wedding dress (which is absolutely stunning by the way… I had to settle for pictures as the dress shopping was happening 6 hours away) then my sister calls me up all excited about how they have the date and she has a dress. I forbid her to buy shoes without me! And then I get a call from one of the bridesmaids my adopticated sister herself…. telling me all about the dress and other secret bridesmaid stuff  and promising to send pictures.

The weekend just flew by with all this fabulous news when I find out more fabulous news of Reef Momma’s application being accepted! WAHOO I literally was jumping up and down! Click on that link, be patient with the website (as it is experiencing tons of traffic right now) and then rate her video! She did such an amazing job!

So I’m on the path to Australia but it’s just going to be delayed for a few weeks as I have some very important duties to attend to as the Hot Single Maid of Honor ….

Congrat’s JaC… I love you!

Reef Wiz and his technical skills come through again!

As if to showcase his technical skills and why he would make excellent entourage for the Island Reef Job my husband has saved the day.  He shrank the file for my application and at the same time somehow improved its quality.  Then- because the Island Reef Job website was experiencing high traffic volume- he whipped up a little progam that would automatically resend the application if the site timed out before it could upload my file.  

Ta Da!!!!! Here it is folks!  My officially accepted application!  Boy it feels good to get this part done.

 

Don't forget to give the video a great 5 star rating after viewing!

Now bare in mind you might want to watch it once to see the pictures, and once to see the captions.  Maybe even a third time if you care about the imaginary location titles.  Those are there to demonstrate my knowledge of the area…. but I’ll tell you a secret…. We’re not really there! …. Shhhhhhhhh!….. We’re actually in Edmonton- PRETENDING to be in those beautiful places!

Is my secret safe?

Craft Camp! Craft Camp! Crafty Crafty Crafty Camp! (sung like child)

My application has still not been uploaded.  Keep your fingers crossed… (one way or the other )

I’m in the middle of a discussion or two, so I thought I’d let you know that the girl and I are off to our monthly craft weekend.  A bunch of us ladies get together at Camp Maskepetoon to scrap and play…. and we bring our kids.  We each bring a craft for the kids to do and take turns occupying the kiddies… what do the rest of us do? Heh…  We scrapbook!

So far it has been a dream.  They (Oprah) say that women need to fill their cup.  I always thought that meant ditching the kids to “get away” from the stress.  What I’ve learned is that it really isn’t the kids that stress us out.  It’s the house.  Home is where the heart is- and the chores, and constant interruptions, and the guilt for never having it clean enough, organised enough, or nice enough.  The kids are what I’m stressing to do.

You ever notice that time flies when you are right deep in the moment? Not like- watching the kids play, but actually down there lost in the moment just as much as they are?  I’ll tell you that kids are not the problem.  Kids enrich life… If you can let them.

 

So off we go!  To enjoy each other.  Dad stay home with the boy and they do “boy things” Still not sure what excactly they do, but things are always working better around the house when I get back, and I think Ben can actually use the cordless drill better than me… 

See you Monday!

Out of the Running before I got in.

I can’t believe this. I started wondering why I hadn’t heard back from Island Reef Job yet.  On a hunch I went through my junk mail… and there it was.  Rejected due to poor quality.  They took the time to tell me it had been timed out at about 35 seconds and please feel free to resend….

 

But the site is down, and … OH YEAH!!! I have a life tomorrow.  As my friend Heather puts it… My pint size dictators don’t let me sit in front of a computer… and I’m not that kind of mom anyways…. So My time is running short… and I might never get to enter my video.

 

I’m appreciating Paul’s entry more and more as the days go on.

I’ll let you know if a miracle happens… how’s that?

What a Talented, Wonderful World We Live In!

Now that I’m all done submitting my application I’ve had some time to poke around the wide wide world of The Island Reef Job Applicants.  I didn’t do it earlier for two reasons; I didn’t want to get discouraged, and I really didn’t have time.  Two kids, web design for a friend, and the rest of life keep me busy enough never mind throwing together an application for the best job in the world!  It’s normal to feel a little self concious out here.  Even human to feel like the competition is our enemy.  But we’re not wild Tiger fighting over the last Zebra here… 

Now it happens that I had a visit or two from other applicants before I could ever get myself out there to look around.  Both are excellent applicants.  

Gwendolyn AKA Art Preditor has a very clean professional application which make me want to hire her to run my company’s Design.  She came by to have a look see and is very friendly and approachable.  These are important things to be if you are going to be a Spokester for 74 Islands out of the blue. 

Carrie and Jonathan were the first ones to pop by.  At first it really tripped me out.  I don’t know why. Mostly I guess because I was doing my best to forget that a trillion people would also like to be considered for the same position.  Their application excellent.  I also appreciate their web presence.  I have a feeling from what I’ve seen that we’d have a great time with this couple.  

Linda Hoang is the cutest, sweetest 19 year old thing I’ve ever seen.  I love love love her.  I just want to squeeze her like my son squeezes kitties.  She offers a totally 100% different package than I could ever offer (being that I’m a family, and she’s a keen fresh young spirit.)  It also just happens that she is from Edmonton too.  (Okay, Saint Albert is 15 minutes North of Edmonton… Same thing.)  She is just getting started in what will be her very long and successful career.  I guess she reminds me of… me! When I was that age.

Rey seems to be everywhere.  He also seems friendly.  I’d love to hear more from him.  He strikes me as one of those people who is underestimated by the world.  

Zellie is easy to read and makes very good points. She’s got a book in for consideration, so The best job in the world is only one poker in this girl’s fire.

Alpha has a pretty neat application… but no Blog that I can find.  Sad because I’d love to compliment her too.

The dude with the fish screen saver pretending to swim cracks me up, but I can’t find his URL right now.  And there are more, but I’ll do this again soon I’m sure.

Jeff    has some really good ideas for his platform.  I especially like his idea to bring in guest applicants from the top fifty when he wins.

Chris over at Blogpot comes up first when you google search “Reef Job Blogs” I love how active his kids are and I love love love that he got his students to write his soundtrack.  He seems like a stand up guy.

The list will go on and on as I find more and more videos that I love.  I agree with Zellie though, applicants that are not currently blogging are missing out on a giant chance to sell themselves.  I’d be willing to bet that 10 of the 11 finalists will be rambling on about something somewhere in the wide wide web… and I’ll bet they’re easy to read too.

Surprisingly enough, not all of the people I’ve complemented and asked questions to have been impressed.  Most are great, but some haven’t replied… some haven’t accepted my comments… Hey maybe their busy like the rest of us….But one actually  took the time to let me know that under no uncertain terms- WE ARE COMPETITION- (?!?!) and never to contact them again.  hunh!  What do you say to that?  It just seems so…

The point I’m trying to make is that I am impressed by the offerings of so many of the applicants that I just can’t play the “you’re my competition” game.  It doesn’t matter if we are friendly or nasty to each other.  It doesn’t make my application better or worse if I link Blogs or deny every comment that comes my way.  WE don’t get to pick…. Queensland Tourism does, sorry dudes… It’s out of our hands.  So why not make some friends while we’re here right?  Right.

So bring it on folks.  If I haven’t commented on you- Invite me over, and we’ll hook up.  As Art Preditor said- “Put your feet up” and let’s have a little fun while the staff at The Best Job in the World do what looks like it will be the hardest job in the world.

Sound good?  Cheers!

I’m in the market for a few more stamps on my passport…..

When Reef Momma called me up and said “hey would you be interested in coming to Australia with me for 6 months as my nanny…” my first response

“YES YES YES sign me up, when do I need to be packed by!!!!”

Then after I calmed down I thought it may be wise to ask for a few boring details…. blah blah Island Reef Job blah blah 60 second video application blah blah blah July 1st… (Not that the Island Reef Job is boring in any way but at this point it was just a detail in my bigger picture). Yay July 1st is plenty of time to pack my bags I mean I can be ready to go tomorrow (I’d say today but really I have WAY too much laundry to do!) My next thought…. What if I’m your competition! (No worries Reef Momma if anyone can get me to Australia it is you!)

So here I am a traveling addict….. after spending a year nannying in London, England and traveling around Europe I was hooked. For a while I have been saving my pretty little pennies to get to Australia next summer. But……an opportunity knocks on my door, maybe I’ll get down under a year earlier than originally planned! Sign me up, whatever you need I’m your Hot Nanny cause I have a page in my passport dying for that gorgeous Australian Stamp!

Thanks for picking me Reef Momma! With all your natural fabulousness (yes it is a word), and amazing qualifications Island Reef Job will be picking you next!

x

REEF WIZ’s Romantic Application Accepted!

 

Paul's Valentine's Day Gift to Viv Reef Job Application

We got the official acceptance letter from Queensland Tourism today for Paul’s application to the Island Reef Job.  So here it is!  Follow the link and take a look!  You can help us out by giving it a big thumbs up too!  Then of course, come on back here to leave us your feedback, and questions.  They say a picture is worth 1000 words.  In the next day or so I’ll be putting up a page dedicated to explaining all the shots used in the video.  Most of them are from Queensland, and every one of them has a great story.

My Application is in, but still hasn’t been processed.  If you subscribe to the site I’ll let you know as soon as the shots of me snorkeling down Conner’s Hill are available to the public.

Thanks for all your support thus far!  We’ll know more on the 2nd of March.