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My body hates me
I've got a job interview this morning. I've done my research, got my most capable looking outfit ready and I've had plenty of sleep. There's only one thing holding me back - a streaming cold. Why now? Why me? I mean, I've already somehow convinced myself that I won't get he job unless the clapotis Pix was knitting for me turns up in time for me to wear it, but no stylish scarf combined with a hideous sneezing fit really won't be a good first impression. Oh well. At least this cold seems to be replacing any nerves rather than adding to them, and I have until 11.45am to get the sneezing under control. I would say "wish me luck", but there doesn't really seem much point.
UPDATE: Thanks for your lovely comments, but it went pretty badly. I was running late due to stopping off to get change for the car park (change I had last night but accidentally spent on a bottle of Beechams All-In-One in Tesco), and then there was a massive queue for parking. So I panicked and ended up parking illegally, only to get to reception and discover I was in the wrong building! Luckly, when I did get to the right place, I discovered that the interviewers were running late. However, they asked lots of questions I wasn't prepared for and so it still went really badly.
On the plus side, I didn't get a parking ticket and the lovely £20 wool jacket I found in TK Maxx last night will do for all the other interviews I will no doubt have to go to. Hey ho. Will have to go and punch someone at the Post Office tomorrow too, by the sounds of things. How can it take a week to deliver a small parcel inland? First class my arse!
Posted on November 29, 2005 | Comments (3)
Finger on the shutter button
After a few days working extra hard in Birmingham, pix made her way to Manchester on Saturday and I had the pleasure of her company in the evening. We went to Salford Quays on Sunday, snapping away at buildings, escalators and a boat with a big gun (I was surprised to see it too), before I delivered her back to the station ready for a sleepy journey home. I feel like I've just woken up now after all that, and I wasn't at a conference in Brum all last week or doing anything particularly productive on Saturday. I'm so useless - it's these dark mornings/evenings. Anyway, keep an eye on flickr as I'm sure there'll be more goodies to come.
Posted on November 22, 2005 | Comments (1)
Friday stuff
Topper just sent me a snippet from a bulletin board he uses... "Aho writes: Daily Express out-Daily-Mails the Daily Mail. A full house! All your scares are mongered by us!" Amusing yet also frightening.
Another thing I've been pondering this morning is that a mere £8k* can buy you a piece of engineering that not only gets you from A to B without a problem, even if they're hundreds of miles apart, but that also continues to function even though it's been covered in ice for a number of hours. How many things can work in such extreme temperatures? I love my car.
* Well, that was in 1997. Small cars can cost even less these days.
Posted on November 18, 2005 | Comments (1)
Quick question...
Did anyone else experience time slowing down last Thursday? Or was it just in my office? Everyone here checked their watch last week expecting it to be 4pm when it was only 2pm, and it appears to be happening again this week. It's still not lunch time! This seems to only happen on a Thursday though. Strange.
Posted on November 17, 2005 | Comments (2)
Waisting away?
I read somewhere (I forget where, and my Google foo is not sufficient to be able to find it again), that women's waists are disappearing. I didn't think much of the story, until I was shopping for a belt at the weekend - one to go round my waist rather than my hips. I bought the belt labelled 'Size 12-14' as I thought it was a good enough approximation of my current size, but ended up having to return it as it was far too big. I am now the proud owner of the same belt in 'Size 8-10'. Woo! Either this means that women's waists are indeed disappearing, and the straight-up-and-down size 8-10 woman on the street has the same waist measurement as yours truly, or it means that the belt was designed to be worn around the hips and Next are messing with my brain. Even I know the current belt fashion is waist rather than hips! Either way, the psychological effect of fitting into a smaller size is undeniable and I am feeling rather good. If I cared about fashion, I'd be quite pleased that curves are 'in'.
Posted on November 16, 2005 | Comments (5)
Job hunt update...
Well, the verdict on the graphic design job I enquired about was that they definitely need someone with experience, so that's me out. I've applied for a job at the council and another at the University, so we'll see how that goes. Looks like the only way I'll get a creative job now is:
(a) Doing an MA in something cool and hoping that I can pay back all the debt after
(b) Doing a PGCE and teaching something arty
(c) Winning the lottery and be able to set up on my own without any panic.
I think I'll stay with the admin jobs and the money. I don't mind change, but I don't like taking risks as they don't put fuel in the car and food on the table if they go wrong. Fingers crossed for a lottery win though!
Posted on November 15, 2005 | Comments (6)
All that's good and bad in the world
Although eBay is a wonderful website with much about it to be recommended, there are also some bad things about the people who use it, for example: people who 'sell' things they do not own; people who bid when they have no intention of buying; and people who snap up concert tickets for the purpose of selling them for a profit on eBay. I read in Saturday's Guardian about another misuse of this global jumble sale, as shoppers flooded into any H&M store selling the new Stella McCartney range last Thursday, grabbing any garment in any size to sell. Many did not look to see whether something would fit, planning to sell anything they didn't want to keep, at a considerable mark up, on eBay. Is this just people using their head to make a little extra money for themselves, or is it simply unfair on the people who really wanted those clothes for themselves (because they can't afford the prices the designer usually charges)? I did wonder why H&M in the Trafford Centre looked like a disaster area on Thursday evening!
Posted on November 14, 2005 | Comments (1)
Must not get hopes up
I had a meeting with two of the directors about my options at work with this re-structure thingy. One of the other jobs available in the college involves using creative stuff with macs for the marketing department. I haven't got the three years experience in a 'creative role' that the person specification insists upon, but I'm really hopeful that they'll interview me. A creative job, a mere eight and a half years after graduation? Oh, I do hope so. Mustn't get too excited about it though.
Posted on November 11, 2005 | Comments (1)
Hack the planet?
If you had found a way round a security system used by many shops and wanted to show off your leet skills to your mates, would you choose a large store with (probably) lots of insurance to nip into and trash, or a small family run store that's just scraping by? How do you think the owner of the small shop would feel to turn up one morning and find his labour of love torn apart with slogans sprayed on the walls? Yeah, not a nice thought.
Well, that's how I felt to discover that the photographic community website I have been nurturing for nearly two years has had its forums hacked. Not once, but twice in the last few days. Why couldn't they do it to someone who has room on their server for more than one backup? Why did they have to do it a second time, just as we were fighting back? There were thirteen parts to the forums (including the private ones), and they left us with two. The camera buying advice, tips on film and developing, explanations of lomography for newbies, endless discussions on the marketing techniques of the Lomographic Society... all those posts are gone.
What is the point? OK, put up big flashing banners proclaiming you've hacked our site, but why delete stuff? Why ruin all our efforts for your pathetic moment of 'glory'? After drinking far too many cups of tea and typing out this rant, I now feel much better. But, you know what they say, bad things always come in threes...
Posted on November 09, 2005 | Comments (8)
All staff email received today
"The Careers Guidance Team would like to remind all staff that they are entitled to use our services. Any staff member, including those whose jobs are currently at risk, are welcome to see us for careers guidance, interview techniques, help with a CV etc."
Interview techniques? Now there's a thought. I usually just go in with a big smile and chatter away for as long as possible, making eye contact with everyone in the room. Perhaps some tips would be useful if I'm applying for a team leader's job when I've never managed people before. I must have some relevant experience somewhere in my past that I can draw on. Do any of you guys have any career/interview/CV advice that you'd like to share? Any suggestions are welcome... as long as any recommended careers invlove keeping my clothes on!
Posted on November 07, 2005 | Comments (5)
Fork handles
Apparently the BBC's Television Centre currently has a large photo of Ronnie Barker in the foyer, with four candles on top. A fitting tribute.
Posted on November 06, 2005 | Comments (0)
Oh, arse
You may have heard/read in the last few months about government cuts in funding for further education. This means that colleges across the country, including the one I work for, are having to cancel courses and cut jobs in order to save money. The academic staff at our place were told of their fate before the summer break, while those of us in 'business support' have had to wait until now. Tomorrow we have a team meeting at work, where our department finds out the results of the review of our department.
However, today myself and three colleagues were called in to the deputy principal's office to have a bit of news broken to us before the big meeting tomorrow. There are four of us... but there will be only three jobs. Person A currently deals with the enrollment and attendance side of things, person B deals with the examinations side of things, and person C deals with database maintenance and reporting. My role seems to have been merged with that of person A and, although they have said that all four of us will be able to apply for any of the jobs, I can't see them giving me any of them over the people who are currently doing them. Apparently they are going to try to find roles for any 'displaced' people elsewhere in the college, but I can't see any becoming available on my salary scale as that appears to be the ones they want to get rid of.
I am confident that none of my colleagues read this blog and so I thought I'd post about it. Not that I'm angry or pissed off. I feel like Blackadder does when he knows Baldrick's about to come up with another cunning plan. You know what's coming is crap, but you can't really do much about it except shrug. Arses.
Posted on November 02, 2005 | Comments (7)