Happy Birthday to the blog

It's a year and a day since I first started this blog and thought I'd mark the occasion with a post, however I haven't got much to say other than that I'm heading out to the local manor for a coffee morning. I think the odds at 2:1 that I'm going to reduce the average age from 87 to 86 1/2.

(I'm only going so I can look round the inside of the house - the Lady of the Manor is a notorious snob who hates "commoners")

PS this song is awesome...

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Now playing: Cold War Kids - We Used To Vacation
via FoxyTunes

Email testing

I've decided to try out the whole Blog by email to see if I'll be able to blog whilst at work.
 
Having read the email/internet usage documents it seems that blogging during work is prohibited (not surprising really, so I have no issue with it), however I am allowed to send the occasional personal email...  Otherwise I'll be having to leave the blog unattended for up to 4 weeks during my time in B&B, sans connection.
 
The B&B incidently, isn't actually a B&B...it seems that it is actually almost an old fashioned boarding house for the company.  There are going to be 4 of us staying with the nice Scottish lady until we find places to live; an English guy, a French girl and guy, and me.  Apparently people are all moving in and out at different times so I'm not sure who will be living there at what time, but I'm actually looking forward to going now - I think it'll be a bit of an adventure meeting all the new employees! 
 
Myself and Mrs Scot had a nice little chat on the phone, about where are good places to live, if I needed collecting from the station (rather generous!), and about her daughter who's home from uni and staying there.  I think we're going to get on well.
 
Right it's off to the doctors for me now - I have a mystery illness that also has contributed to my pension problems that I need to sort out before I'm completely unentitled to any money!

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Guilty Secret II

After my first post about guilty secrets I feel compelled to admit more. Maybe I'm an exhibitionist, but I doubt it really. I just like sharing.

So to guilt secret number 2. This one again is by no means huge, and in fact runs in a similar theme to my Other Post.

Its a movie I watched when I was in first year uni (why do all my guilty things spring from there). Anyway, this was in the days before I had Kate as a housemate, when we were just on the same course but lived in different halls. She had said how lovely the film was, and that she and all the girls she'd lived with had watched it over and over and loved it.
So off I went and downloaded it and watched it one late afternoon/ early evening. It must have been a Friday night for reasons I shall later recount.

The film was panned completely by critics (justifiably so) and falls very short of my ideas of a great film. I'm into arthouse and generally thought provoking cinema. I love advanced and innovative cinematography and as such love films like Sin City, Amelie, Casino Royale and (insert another film which I loved but can't for the life of me think what it was called...ooo this is going to bug me) really draw me in for the beauty of the camera work. This, most definitely is lacking.

Anyway back to this film, unfortunately this falls well into the Chick Flick category and I hate myself for finding it sweet, pure and enchanting. Maybe its because I don't think anyone would ever love me for the monster I am, or maybe just because I quite fancy the lead man...

As I watched this movie in the early evening, I cried and cried and cried, so much so that when my flatmates came to get me to head to the bar I was sobbing uncontrollably face down on my bed. The film had finished half an hour before. Needless to say I couldn't go out that night as my face had unattractively swelled up and I was rinsed endlessly, culminating in them giving me a framed and (fake) signed poster of the movie for my birthday. Thanks a bunch.

In true tradition I'm not going to reveal the name here, just post this link.

Puss, yes, you can disown me and cast me out. In fact everyone who reads this can cast me out.

At least its supercedes my love of the film Speed (the first film I ever loved, maybe just because I was 13 and hormonal when I first saw it) or Top Gun (I was going through a bit of a military phase at the time....!)


Ooooo look what I'm listening to *conspiratorial whisper*

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Now playing: James Blunt - Tears And Rain
via FoxyTunes

Food for thought

Firstly, congratulations are due to Puss, who has found herself a literary agent. She's a wonderful writer but seems to refuse to believe anyone when they tell her she's just darned great.


So I'm trying to while away the hours until I move into the B&B, and so far I've come up with mostly watching daytime TV (something I never did while unemployed, and haven't done since but I feel like I should take advantage of sitting around all day...); also starting to pack, but I think that's a bit early; blogging, but since I'm not doing much there's not going to be much to say.

So I've made a list of things to pack, and I'm left wondering what the new job will be like.

I've already been signed up to yoga classes - during my medical I was informed by the doctor that I was "unacceptably inflexible for the job" having never been able to touch my toes (a bit odd considering that I'm just going to be sitting at a computer, and not becoming an Olympic gymnast...).
Also family history is working against me. I am ineligible for a full pension, I pay the same as everyone else but I'm not allowed to receive as much as everyone else because of a family inclination towards depression and anxiety. I was very surprised to hear that, and it seems that if I ever get treated for it myself I will lose potentially everything.

I'm slightly upset at that, its not my fault that my family tend towards this and not something I've ever seriously had a problem with, but knowing as I do that 1 in 3 people suffer from some sort of depression in their lifetimes, makes me think that my pension (and my odds) are unfairly stacked against me. I wonder if it would be any different for someone who doesn't have a family history but gets treated for it? I bet they just get a pat on the head and all the money.

I guess I've just got to make sure I never let myself get into that situation, but it's upsetting that if, for whatever reason I fall prey to it, there is little or no safety net for my future. Which seems to me that in a time of need could potentially make the situation so much, much worse.

Unpleasant Investigations...

Having just got back from having my medical examination for my new job, all I'll say is that a full cavity search by customs would have been less invasive...

Thankfully I passed, so I start on Monday, and move into the B&B on Sunday night for a month. Oh the joy. I'm really looking forward to the job, and meeting new people and generally getting my teeth stuck in. I'm a little apprehensive of how the evenings are going to be to start with, I've got dreadful images of me sitting alone in my room watching TV every night after having dinner for 1 before going to work every morning. I suppose that's more reason to get my arse in gear once I get there and find a flat share.
In some ways I'm also a little bit scared now that the time is drawing near, but then I fully expect that, and it doesn't worry me.

Back to the weekend, I've also decided to take a leaf out of Puss' blog and not turn down any invites, hence Thursday night was spent at the Countryside Club meeting (where the person next closest to me in age was my 51 yo mother...) It was a bearable evening, with a talk from a local vineyard and wine tasting...I can handle that!

Friday night passed sat on the sofa. zzzzzzzzzzzz

On Saturday I headed over to Reading for a flat warming, but went shopping in the Oracle first ( a place I distinctly have missed since leaving Reading), however the crowds were massive and after nearly passing out in New Look (yes I haven't yet abandoned my studenty ways) from the heat, I headed off in search of the host of the flat warming (who typically wasn't at home).
After finding him, and in between picking up another friend from the station and eating my dinner, I got very drunk.
Yes I was on the vino, and indeed was drinking the delightfully ladylike "pints of wine". Ouch.
Needless to say I was on the dance floor when we finally headed out. I even had a takeaway *gags* I never eat takeaway.
It was a good night tho, despite the boys being kicked out of every club, getting home early, finding 12 men asleep on the living room floor and having to join them; and waking up to the smell of stale beer.

All I can think is that I'm only young once, so I might as well try to enjoy it! :D
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Now playing: Kate Nash - Nicest Thing
via FoxyTunes

Guilty Secrets

I've always been intrigued by the site Post Secret, a fascinating world wide confessional site that is changed weekly (meaning unfortunately if you want to relive any memorable postcards you ahve to buy their book...not impressed)

Anyway it got me thinking about my guilty secret.

This one is not an "ultimate" on the scale of dirty secrets, but stretches back to 2003.

I had just started uni and was very much into my music scene, finally able to be an indie-chick without being rinsed like at school. I came across this singer in late 2003-04 and listened to the bootlegged demos I found on the internet. There were only 4 or 5 songs available at the time and I loved every one. I was however being rinsed at the time for a *shameful* love of Keane, so kept this new man to myself.

Anyway skip forward approx 1 year when I met my boyfriend of the time, I'd lost interest in this singer but at this point he was starting to get some small scale radio play, both boyfriend and I loved his work and listen to it for hours on end. Towards the close of that academic year (2005) we were both so heavily into our work that we rarely if at all listened to music (too poor for iPods, too busy for radio) and it wasn't until we got to Glastonbury 2005 that we spotted our beloved singer on the line up, 12pm on Sunday. Hugely excited, we turned up at the appointed time to find huge crowds come to so OUR singer. We couldn't understand it, but loved his set so much.
Now I'm not a sentimental type, but we were both moved to tears at some of the songs and it left a profound effect.

It was only when we got home and switched on the radio that we realised he wasn't just our beloved singer anymore, he was number 1 in the charts. *Gutted* (yes I'm one of those anal people who hates a band/singer once they become mainstream)

Can you guess what it is yet? (in Rolf Harris stylie)


Yes, my guilty pleasure is this man...

(I'm so guilty about it, I refuse to even name him on here)

Gutted

My car actually needs a new clutch, at £371.98 + VAT, that's money I quite simply don't have

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

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Now playing: The Walkmen - We've Been Had
via FoxyTunes

Missing

Last night I got a missed call at 2.40am from a withheld number, and I'm desperate to know who was ringing me (I can sleep through anything, so I tend not to wake up). I've asked all the usual suspects, but to no avail.

So if you know who you are, please tell me :D

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Now playing: Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart
via FoxyTunes

Intrigue

There's a certain image of the west country that can not always be escaped from. It consists mainly of scrumpy, (and therefore scrumping), The Wurzels, Bill Bailey (my favourite sketch is linked there), Stonehenge, hippies and of course the copious use of soft drugs that induced UFO sightings from the military activity in the area. However despite this all there is a certain amount of a laissez faire attitude surrounding most of the west country's bad habits.

I was, however rather shocked at a sign post I saw whilst out driving today; an advert for PotFest, even I thought this might be going a touch too far. But fear not dear reader, PotFest isn't as alarming as it sounds. Check it out here...

Happiness

Some pretty good things have happened today

1. I got £500 from the tax man
2. I got my official job offer
3. I got my car fixed
4. I got offered another job (and was in the brilliant position to turn it down!)

I'm a happy girl

Amends

**I've been composing this post in my head for what seems like weeks now, but it'll still probably come out a jumble**

Despite how great it feels to have ones future secure, there's a few things that are getting me down.
I mentioned briefly a while back that I had a friend back, who I'd drifted from. Unfortunately the situation quickly deteriorated and I am no longer on speaking terms with this person, however I am aware of the possibility that they might read this blog, judging from the polite and warm text message I was sent regarding my success in finding a job. So I hope that they do read this.

I have missed this friend a lot over the last few weeks, and my current geographical isolation hasn't provided much distraction to what feels like a gaping hole in my life. I know the things that we both said to hurt each other where in the heat of the moment, and I know that in the interests of both parties it is best for us not to try to speak again for a long time; things tend to get heated and we can not see eye to eye.

However through this post I hope to be able to convince this person that I truly am sorry for the way things have turned out, but that I am not under any pretence trying to drag open old wounds. I just want to let this person know, in civil tones, that I wish them all the best in the world, that they are dear to me as only a best friend can be, but that I know we only hurt each other when we are in direct contact.

So I am not trying to renew our acquaintance, or have a dig, or a go, or try to drag this person down, but I don't want to harbour ill will, and hope that they don't either.

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Now playing: Radiohead - The Bends
via FoxyTunes

House hunting

So I have started the tiring task of looking for a flat/house share in Oxford, and it's trying to say the least. So many people seem really weird, ranging from "I live with 2 chinchillas and a crab" to "I'm a mature art student/yoga teacher, with a eco friendly house and fung shui garden, no vehicles allowed" (I really haven't made those up)

I'm pleased however that work are putting me up for the first month, so I don't have to run round as a headless chicken trying to find somewhere to live!

Friday was spent down in Dorset visiting family, and several large meals later and I was beached in a small cafe trying to summon the effort to stand up and get to the car for the trek back home. It was a lovely day that Mum and I followed up on Sat with an impromptu visit to the beach in aid of cheering her up. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and after stripping down to the bikini I froze to death in the icy wind. Nethertheless we had a lovely afternoon and strolled along the beach to warm up before heading home. Very relaxing

Finally!

Apologies for not posting an EDW, or indeed joining in on ESW, but I was at a job interview.

The interview went great, and yesterday they offered me the job. Quite frankly I'm over the moon, I got on smashingly* with the rest of the team, loved the site, loved the company ethos, and the pay is far above my expectations. There is also great potential for future development, both within the company and in other agencies as they are one of the heavy weights of this discipline.

I also found out I was the only one of many applicants whose CV was good enough, and they loved my portfolio. Very much the confidence boost I needed.

And I don't have to work at HSBC!

*the choice of word is not strictly accurate but chosen to reflect the comeback of Smashie and Nicey

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Now playing: Foo Fighters - Best Of You
via FoxyTunes

Brilliant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKoiMiOQvMc

This day

This photo was what made me remember. I went through the whole of today, blissfully unaware of the significance of this day. Tuesday 11th September, a whole 6 years since that horrible day. I won't dwell on the whys or the whole convoluted history that has since gone, others do it much better.

But what I will say is that time really must heal, for some at least. After all I'd forgotten. No forgotten is the wrong word. But it doesn't affect me any more.

I remember the day I found out. I was standing in my single dorm at school, getting changed after a long day in lessons ready for supper and homework, when Jo walked in and said the (rather wacky) psychology teacher was crying all the way through the lesson because a plane had crashed into a building in NY. I immediately commented that it must have been a light aircraft flying low, but went down to see the TV. I was shocked and appalled by what I saw. I think at that point it was only 1 plane, not the 2. But I don't remember the second hitting. I do remember just sitting there, glued to the screen while the girls around me couldn't understand the significance or loss of life and asked me to come to the dinner hall.

That's all the comment I'm going to make, much more is pointless.

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Now playing: James Morrison - The Last Goodbye
via FoxyTunes

Size

Something strange has been happening to me for a while now. My head is getting bigger in size. Its either that or my favourite hoodie is getting smaller. I always thought I was good at washing, so I've come to the conclusion that my head is getting bigger. Strange hey?

On a medically related note, I have a lump in my arm which appeared with a mysterious black bruise about 2 weeks ago (I don't bruise, ever, no really I don't). I have seen the doctor (well Practice Nurse actually but I tend to trust them a bit more, they're more in touch with us mere morals than doctors). Anyway the nurse had a stark prognosis for me. If it gets smaller its just a cyst, if it gets bigger its a tumour. Thanks a bloody bunch for that. But being typically British about it, I'm convinced its a cyst, just one problem. It's not getting bigger, OR smaller. At least it's not a blood clot working its way to my heart I guess...

I did "eenie meanie minie mo" and it was a cyst. That's settled then.

I should have been a doctor. Although I doubt I'd have many patients.

On a very unrelated note, I went out with the parents yesterday to a field behind my house, and ate scones with jam and cream, and picked blackberries. I now have a lovely collection of splinters and other thorn fragments stuck in my finger tips, which are also stained purple. What fun

Interviews tomorrow and Wednesday...oh the joy.

PS. Don't go worrying about my arm, I'll be fine I'm sure

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Now playing: James Morrison - The Letter
via FoxyTunes

Looking up

Firstly the important things in life. Puss asked how to achieve prizewinning pot plants and I now present to you the simple steps that I took. I can't guarantee that it'll work for you (in fact I promise it won't)

1. Go to Ikea
2. Buy pot plant for the bathroom
3. Move back in with your parents
4. Move out again, but move into a tiny place
5. Give pot plant to parents
6. Come back after 2 years
7. Ensure there are no other entries in the category at the show
8. Enter the pot plant in the show
9. Win first prize

Easy, eh?

My interview in Sheffield went well, but I'm not holding my breathe. It's a great job and going to be fought for hard by any designers who get through to the next round. But in my experience the jobs that are the hardest won are the most rewarding. I'm crossing my fingers but trying not to get my hopes up.

I was also called literally a few moments ago by another company requesting an interview, although yet to confirm a time and date as of yet. **UPDATE....Tuesday 11th 10.30am....wish me luck**

HSBC also called me today to confirm my final interview for cashier at my local branch. Quink has advised me never to touch banking, and I would completely agree with his sentiment if I had money in my pocket and the means to live, unfortunately I need it too much to have morals and ethics about it *sigh* at least it will only be temporary!

A friend also called to tell me her boss had received my application for a job at her company and loved my portfolio, haven't heard anything from them yet about a possible interview, but I'm eternally grateful to the tip off! **Update on that one too, just spoken to them and I'm off to see them on Wednesday**


My fingers have never been so crossed in my life

T-Shirt Folding Machine

Whilst surfing the (design related) web today I came across this gem posted on the Industrial Designers' Mecca that is Core77.com