Monday, 13 May 2013
Sunday, 12 May 2013
I've Had A Wonderful Week Off
- and I know that this is both futile and utterly childish, but:
I don't WANT to go back! I don't, I don't! It's horrible and awful and I never want to go back there, ever ever ever!
*stamps foot*
There.
That's out of my system now.
Roll on Monday...
I don't WANT to go back! I don't, I don't! It's horrible and awful and I never want to go back there, ever ever ever!
*stamps foot*
There.
That's out of my system now.
Roll on Monday...
Friday, 10 May 2013
Choir Practice Again Yesterday.
Great fun.
I've quite a few things to practice (now I have got the books, at last) over this next coming week, but that is to be expected, and anyway; it'll give me something else positive to do. Once I've gotten over my nerves at whether or not the neighbours will be able to hear my warbling, that is. That might take a little while.
Also, an interesting side note (no pun intended) is that if the inner mental niggles regarding my health don't have the power to stop my bouts of binge eating, being a member of this choir will. I can't tell you how hard it was trying to sing with my gut all bloated: my breathing was so bad that more than once I felt so dizzy that I actually saw stars. I didn't know that actually happened; seeing stars. But apparently it does.
*shrugs*
Anyway; I really DO need to sort myself out. I can't continue to routinely eat unhealthily (and in ginormous amounts) and also try and cope within the structured, regimented settings of a singing group. It just can't be done. Which strikes me as a good thing all round, because I have absolutely no intention of quitting; even if I am not very good at it (which it turns out I am not).
So we'll see how it goes.
...Ooh, and while we're still on the subject, another interesting side note is that despite all those lessons at school and doing reasonably well in my GCSE exams*, I don't actually remember a single word of German apart from "und". Oh, and the German phrase for "bless you", which I recognized but cannot spell.
We'll see how that goes, too.
Toodles.
xxx
* I got a "C". Which I (and my mother, bless her) worked very hard for, and I was incredibly chuffed with.
I've quite a few things to practice (now I have got the books, at last) over this next coming week, but that is to be expected, and anyway; it'll give me something else positive to do. Once I've gotten over my nerves at whether or not the neighbours will be able to hear my warbling, that is. That might take a little while.
Also, an interesting side note (no pun intended) is that if the inner mental niggles regarding my health don't have the power to stop my bouts of binge eating, being a member of this choir will. I can't tell you how hard it was trying to sing with my gut all bloated: my breathing was so bad that more than once I felt so dizzy that I actually saw stars. I didn't know that actually happened; seeing stars. But apparently it does.
*shrugs*
Anyway; I really DO need to sort myself out. I can't continue to routinely eat unhealthily (and in ginormous amounts) and also try and cope within the structured, regimented settings of a singing group. It just can't be done. Which strikes me as a good thing all round, because I have absolutely no intention of quitting; even if I am not very good at it (which it turns out I am not).
So we'll see how it goes.
...Ooh, and while we're still on the subject, another interesting side note is that despite all those lessons at school and doing reasonably well in my GCSE exams*, I don't actually remember a single word of German apart from "und". Oh, and the German phrase for "bless you", which I recognized but cannot spell.
We'll see how that goes, too.
Toodles.
xxx
* I got a "C". Which I (and my mother, bless her) worked very hard for, and I was incredibly chuffed with.
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
Quick Entry Before I Start Out For The Day:
I saw some of the fish that live in the Stack Pool of Spring Field Park today. Normally I don't get a chance to see them, spending much of their time as they do at the bottom of the pool or further out toward the centre of it; but today I did. There were around eight of them, ranging in size from one titchy one around three inches long to two or three that were almost as long as my entire arm, and they were all swimming and splashing about near the surface in the shallowest part of the pool by the bank. They seemed to be picking at a plant that had its foliage dangling just below the surface and I watched in awed fascination for several minutes as they feasted and a few of them began scrapping with one another over what appeared to be the optimum feeding position.
My word, most of them were so big! It was great to watch them.
Anyway. Just wanted to share that.
Toodles.
xxx xxx xxx
My word, most of them were so big! It was great to watch them.
Anyway. Just wanted to share that.
Toodles.
xxx xxx xxx
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Well, I Was Supposed To Have An Interview Today...
...only I didn't. Or at least I couldn't. Or at least I cancelled it.
"But why, Alice?" I hear you cry. "You who are desperate for full time employment and hate your current job with a passion: why would you do that??'
Simple. Long winded. But simple.
I applied for a position.
Administrative Assistant with responsibilities in data entry and record maintaining. Great. Full time. Also great. Within 30 minute walk of Birmingham station (which is a 45 minute train ride away). Less great, but it figures that no matter what job I find, I will have to commute to it as there is nothing locally.
Two days after that, the company responded.
A-Z Interpreting and Translation Services Ltd emailed and asked: "could I please call to arrange an interview?" Fantastic! I called, immediately. Arranged an interview for Tuesday 7th May (today) at 3pm. Then, as per my usual routine on (the rare occasion of) being asked to attend an interview, I decided to travel there a few days prior to learn the way and check that the journey was practical. As it was a Saturday and she had nothing else to do, mother agreed to come with me provided that I paid for the fare and brought her lunch, conditions I agreed to readily. So off we went; hightailed it to Kidderminster station, caught a train to Birmingham Moor Street, and using the directions from Google Maps and help from passers by to get us on the right track; started walking.
And that is where the trouble began.
For upon arriving at my supposed destination we found ourselves in a street that contained private houses. And only private houses. And the address I was supposed to report to was also a private residence. A very very small private residence that had only just been sold (the FOR SALE/SOLD sign was still there) and judging by our furtive glance in through the sitting room window was devoid of furniture with the exception of one long desk, two chairs and two computers.
Dodgy. Very.
My heart sank.
On the journey home again after a super healthy lunch at a deep fried chicken eatery, I tried very hard not to get upset - and didn't succeed very well - as mother tried - a little more successfully - to comfort me, and I tried very hard to keep an open mind. After all; businesses did sometimes use private addresses to practice in rather than office buildings, and not every business was very large. There could be a perfectly simple and honest explanation as to why a translation company purporting to be large and extremely successful was operating from the unfurnished sitting room of an incredibly small looking and apparently only just purchased bungalow.
Unfortunately, when we got home and I began researching into the company more thoroughly, my suspicions weren't quashed; but rather confirmed. Two more addresses were listed on various websites as the head office of this translation company, all three of them using the same telephone and fax number and website address and all three of them small private addresses. The company's own website - which was admittedly impressive looking - waxed lyrical about how brilliant they were but gave no reference to how long they had been trading. In fact, I found no proof online at all that the company had traded at all for any length of time. They were mentioned here and there on various business lists as a company trading out of central Birmingham, but were missing from every one of the main lists of officially registered translation companies.
Upon contacting the governmental job centre via email about this (as I had found the advert for the job on their online job search site), I was given the helpful generic response that they gave information regarding vacancies as drafted to them by the recruiting employers and that it was up to me whether or not I attended any interview or meeting arranged.
I talked to everyone I could think of and they all (for varying reasons) said the same thing: DON'T GO.
I slept on it for 24 hours.
Then I made the decision I mentioned at the beginning of the post and cancelled it. Any tiny niggles I had about letting an opportunity pass me by were drowned out by the screaming of my gut: this was a trick of some kind. I wasn't sure how or why, exactly - the popular opinion is it was a scam of some kind to gain access to my bank details. Although according to The Grandmama there was every probability that it was; "a trap laid by a serial killer" - but it was something that wasn't to be trusted in. One thing I was definitely certain of was that the administrative post advertised simply did not exist. No way ho-say.
So I cancelled it. And though on that Saturday I felt terrible and the disappointment is still raw inside of me four days later (I know; you tell yourself not to get your hopes up, but...), I know I made the right choice. I know I did.
Still feel shit about it though.
I know it will pass.
But right now... ugh. *sighs*
Bedtime, I think.
Goodnight, Blog.
xxx xxx xxx
"But why, Alice?" I hear you cry. "You who are desperate for full time employment and hate your current job with a passion: why would you do that??'
Simple. Long winded. But simple.
I applied for a position.
Administrative Assistant with responsibilities in data entry and record maintaining. Great. Full time. Also great. Within 30 minute walk of Birmingham station (which is a 45 minute train ride away). Less great, but it figures that no matter what job I find, I will have to commute to it as there is nothing locally.
Two days after that, the company responded.
A-Z Interpreting and Translation Services Ltd emailed and asked: "could I please call to arrange an interview?" Fantastic! I called, immediately. Arranged an interview for Tuesday 7th May (today) at 3pm. Then, as per my usual routine on (the rare occasion of) being asked to attend an interview, I decided to travel there a few days prior to learn the way and check that the journey was practical. As it was a Saturday and she had nothing else to do, mother agreed to come with me provided that I paid for the fare and brought her lunch, conditions I agreed to readily. So off we went; hightailed it to Kidderminster station, caught a train to Birmingham Moor Street, and using the directions from Google Maps and help from passers by to get us on the right track; started walking.
And that is where the trouble began.
For upon arriving at my supposed destination we found ourselves in a street that contained private houses. And only private houses. And the address I was supposed to report to was also a private residence. A very very small private residence that had only just been sold (the FOR SALE/SOLD sign was still there) and judging by our furtive glance in through the sitting room window was devoid of furniture with the exception of one long desk, two chairs and two computers.
Dodgy. Very.
My heart sank.
On the journey home again after a super healthy lunch at a deep fried chicken eatery, I tried very hard not to get upset - and didn't succeed very well - as mother tried - a little more successfully - to comfort me, and I tried very hard to keep an open mind. After all; businesses did sometimes use private addresses to practice in rather than office buildings, and not every business was very large. There could be a perfectly simple and honest explanation as to why a translation company purporting to be large and extremely successful was operating from the unfurnished sitting room of an incredibly small looking and apparently only just purchased bungalow.
Unfortunately, when we got home and I began researching into the company more thoroughly, my suspicions weren't quashed; but rather confirmed. Two more addresses were listed on various websites as the head office of this translation company, all three of them using the same telephone and fax number and website address and all three of them small private addresses. The company's own website - which was admittedly impressive looking - waxed lyrical about how brilliant they were but gave no reference to how long they had been trading. In fact, I found no proof online at all that the company had traded at all for any length of time. They were mentioned here and there on various business lists as a company trading out of central Birmingham, but were missing from every one of the main lists of officially registered translation companies.
Upon contacting the governmental job centre via email about this (as I had found the advert for the job on their online job search site), I was given the helpful generic response that they gave information regarding vacancies as drafted to them by the recruiting employers and that it was up to me whether or not I attended any interview or meeting arranged.
I talked to everyone I could think of and they all (for varying reasons) said the same thing: DON'T GO.
I slept on it for 24 hours.
Then I made the decision I mentioned at the beginning of the post and cancelled it. Any tiny niggles I had about letting an opportunity pass me by were drowned out by the screaming of my gut: this was a trick of some kind. I wasn't sure how or why, exactly - the popular opinion is it was a scam of some kind to gain access to my bank details. Although according to The Grandmama there was every probability that it was; "a trap laid by a serial killer" - but it was something that wasn't to be trusted in. One thing I was definitely certain of was that the administrative post advertised simply did not exist. No way ho-say.
So I cancelled it. And though on that Saturday I felt terrible and the disappointment is still raw inside of me four days later (I know; you tell yourself not to get your hopes up, but...), I know I made the right choice. I know I did.
Still feel shit about it though.
I know it will pass.
But right now... ugh. *sighs*
Bedtime, I think.
Goodnight, Blog.
xxx xxx xxx
Sunday, 5 May 2013
It's Sunday 5th May! At last!
Well Blog, as of this moment in time I feel pretty damn good; because at precisely 11am this morning, I logged out after my four hour shift and my holiday officially began. I have the next 7 days off.
My plans for these magical 7, work free days vary from day to day. From luxuriously decadent sleep-ins till 8am (at the earliest) to meals out and/or outings with friends and family to walking Bingo whenever I feel like it to curling up in front of the TV to watch something I wouldn't normally be able to; I plan to partake in it all. Because from Monday through to Monday, I do not have to get up at 5am and drag myself down to a place I loathe to work with people I loathe even more. For one whole week, I am free.
Whee!
- Also, as I had the house to myself for a few hours this afternoon, I took the opportunity to vacuum my way through and afterwards made up a batch of my version of bolognaise sauce. I do it in bulk, making three good sized double servings worth that can be frozen and then reheated when the occasion calls for it (we generally have it once a week), and oh; I do love cooking it. So simple, so easy and ever so tasty. It's mother's very favourite meal, and as it's ready made in advance all I have to do is bung a bowl worth into the microwave for three to five minutes after boiling up some pasta. Grand.
Happy happy.
Toodles.
xxx xxx xxx
My plans for these magical 7, work free days vary from day to day. From luxuriously decadent sleep-ins till 8am (at the earliest) to meals out and/or outings with friends and family to walking Bingo whenever I feel like it to curling up in front of the TV to watch something I wouldn't normally be able to; I plan to partake in it all. Because from Monday through to Monday, I do not have to get up at 5am and drag myself down to a place I loathe to work with people I loathe even more. For one whole week, I am free.
Whee!
- Also, as I had the house to myself for a few hours this afternoon, I took the opportunity to vacuum my way through and afterwards made up a batch of my version of bolognaise sauce. I do it in bulk, making three good sized double servings worth that can be frozen and then reheated when the occasion calls for it (we generally have it once a week), and oh; I do love cooking it. So simple, so easy and ever so tasty. It's mother's very favourite meal, and as it's ready made in advance all I have to do is bung a bowl worth into the microwave for three to five minutes after boiling up some pasta. Grand.
Happy happy.
Toodles.
xxx xxx xxx
Thursday, 2 May 2013
Oy.
Was just involved in a conversation-via-text with The Brother.
He had contacted me to see how I was, you see. With both my back playing up and my body having caught a bug of some kind, I have been out of action since 8:30 yesterday morning. I had to actually leave work half an hour early - I couldn't even last 30 more minutes - and I've called in sick today, and now; well, I'm out of pocket (or will be, to the tune of around £23) and tired and achy and icky stomached and generally feeling sorry for myself. So it was nice to get a text asking how I was.
Anyways, I told him, and he immediately responded with an offer to drop off a DVD that I've been wanting to see to cheer me up. Sweet, but no thanks, I said; it was a nice idea, but I wanted to watch that with him. And in any case, I didn't want him to catch the bug.
So, five minutes later; he texts and asks if I can lend him money (£5) till next week. To which I answered "no" as I don't have any spare (which is true). After that, not a peep from him.
Yep. That's my Brother alright.
Oy.
He had contacted me to see how I was, you see. With both my back playing up and my body having caught a bug of some kind, I have been out of action since 8:30 yesterday morning. I had to actually leave work half an hour early - I couldn't even last 30 more minutes - and I've called in sick today, and now; well, I'm out of pocket (or will be, to the tune of around £23) and tired and achy and icky stomached and generally feeling sorry for myself. So it was nice to get a text asking how I was.
Anyways, I told him, and he immediately responded with an offer to drop off a DVD that I've been wanting to see to cheer me up. Sweet, but no thanks, I said; it was a nice idea, but I wanted to watch that with him. And in any case, I didn't want him to catch the bug.
So, five minutes later; he texts and asks if I can lend him money (£5) till next week. To which I answered "no" as I don't have any spare (which is true). After that, not a peep from him.
Yep. That's my Brother alright.
Oy.
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