Mark has volume

After a chat with ex-colleague and drinking pal Dave in Loughborough we have a consensus that the amplifier is unlikely to be at fault and that it must be either the connecting cable or the pick-up on the guitar that means Mark’s electro-acoustic guitar is not playing through the Amplifier.

Marks Swift 40” electro-acoustic guitar and Stagg 20W amplifier


So Sunday morning I take Mark into the guys at Rattle & Drum in Derby where is was quickly proved to be the cable that was wrong (thanks Maplins) and a replacement was purchased there and then. Even though we’d not bought the gear from them they were most helpful and got us sorted. It’s been years since Andy learnt to play the drums there and the main faces have changed but the service is still first class.

So now Mark can play through the amplifier, and his playing sounds very good considering it’s all self taught (with some help from his mate Sonny).

Missed ride-out

Through my involvement with the UK Deauville Owners ( see DeauvilleUK.org I was looking forward to a ride out on Saturday 27th with some other owners taking in the infamous Snake Pass. This was due to take place over a route that I’d planned, but, after a chat with my old mate Don I was left with a dilemma, to ride and miss a visit by him and Liz, or stay home and see them but miss the ride-out I’d organised. In the end I shot off to the start point at Trowell Services on the M1 for just after 10am and rode the first 5 miles with the guys before peeling off back home while they carried on without me.

Arriving back home around 11am I waited for Don, knowing that they were leaving Stranraer around 10am and heading back for Essex, I figured they’d be with us around 13:00, so when they didn’t show I gave them a call. They were on the A66, which meant that they weren’t coming down the M6/A50 but down the A1 which misses us. Ah well. That’s life and just about sums up 2008 for us. I got some photos of the ride from Allan & Jane, so here they are as an illustration of what I missed out on.

This first one was taken outside Grindleford Café, close by Grindleford railway station…


And this one at The Café in Glosssop, a favourite with bikers visiting the town.


Never mind, there's always 2009, just round the corner....

Christmas

With Dad in hospital at the City Hospital we invited mum to join us for Christmas Day dinner, which meant that we were hosts to 3 of the boys’ 4 grandparents. After the meal mother, Andy and I set off and visited Dad while the others stayed home and played board games.

Boxing Day -- again, mother and I visited Dad. On Wednesday’s visit he hadn’t appeared too bad, but on subsequent visits it was obvious that he was hallucinating and talking rubbish. Andy took his Gran to visit on Sunday and it seems that he is now responding to the antibiotics they have him plugged into, so he appears to have turned the corner again and is looking as if he’ll recover.

Boxing Day saw both boys and their girlfriends keeping us company together with Dave, Carole, Giuseppe and Danny. Not as flamboyant a “party” as we usually put on but good none the less. Sufficient food and drink, board and fun games, light music, karaoke and a sing-along with Mark playing his acoustic guitar (without amplifier as we’d omitted to buy the essential lead to connect guitar to amp). Enjoyable, yes, very enjoyable.

Tuesday night

The other thing that marked Tuesday night was that while we were out, Dad got admitted to hospital again. The carers turned up to put him to bed and Cath (an ex-SRN) said his temperature was up and he wasn’t well. Mother rang me but as Andy wasn’t doing anything special that evening he stood in for me and ferried mum first to the DRI and then to the City Hospital, chasing the ambulance.

As a result mother got to spend Christmas dinner with us and Sue’s parents before I took her to visit dad and then drop her back home. That visit dad seemed to be making good improvement and it looked like his stay would be a short one, but that changed.

Tuesday night out

Tuesday night out was the annual badminton club Christmas event, this year at The Spot in Derby for the 3rd year running. In short it was a nice venue, with friends, good food and drink, a charade type game and then disco dancing and an enjoyable night out. Until time to go home. We’d booked a taxi, which turned up late and got surrounded by a group who decided they were going to have it, and while I’m talking on my mobile I get thumped 3 times in quick succession by some young thug who decides that they ARE going home in THAT taxi. Taxi goes off round the block, we spot it on the other side of The Spot (where it should have been in the first place) and we dive in and make off.

As I write this the side of my head is still bruised and sore. The taxi driver told us that he recognised the lad, he’s know for fighting when boozed up, and he’s not even local (from over Lincoln way). Still, that aside we had a great night out.

A nice day for a walk

Makes a change to have a mild and dry day on any day in 2008, let alone a Sunday. So, to make the most of it Sue & I called in on my mum & dad and took Sheba off their hands for a trip down to Darley Park in Derby where we did a complete circuit round the park. Being let off the leash for most of the walk, Sheba had a good run and sniff session. Mother had been very glad to see us as she was very tired and didn't feel like walking the dog anyway. So we were all happy!

Suzie is the only one who is going to work this week (Monday & Tuesday only). Mark has finished at Uni for 3 weeks, Andy is using up his annual leave and is off until the new year, and I'm....

Mark & I put up the Christmas decorations and hung the cards on Saturday, so the place at last looks like Christmas is upon us. Sue and Mark put the tree in the bay window earlier in the month, but on it's own it just didn't work.

I had a nice newsy email from Susan in Denby updating me on her family situation. Her dad recently passed away and this is the first Christmas for her and her mother on their own. It's going to be both strange and hard for them both but they are planning for next year already. Remember them and say a little prayer for the two of them that they will have the strength they need right now as we go into Christmas week.

Family news round-up 2008

I've added a Family news round-up 2008 to the family web site along with some photos and links to external photos. Enjoy!

And this morning's post

Only one item of mail in the post for me this morning, but, it's more good news -- I have an interview for another role. So that's 2 first round interviews on the 6th January, one 2nd round interview in Sheffield (date and time to be confirmed) and submitted to recruiter by agency after 1st round interview with them for consideration for a 2nd round interview for a role in Burton on Trent.

After the year we have had in 2008, all i can say is... 2009, Bring it on!

Against all odds

The week ends on a high. Wednesday’s trip to register with a local agency has resulted in them putting me forward for 2 positions. Thursday’s trip to Burton on Trent to register with a Manchester based agency and 1st line interview for a role in Burton (long story, don’t ask) has resulted in me being put forward for the 2nd round interview early in 2009. And today, I had a 1st round telephone interview for a job in Sheffield and have got through to the next round, again in early January. So added to the interview already arranged (for a job in Leicester) I will hopefully be having 3 interviews in the first week of the new year.

Now surely I can convert one of those to into a job offer… can’t I?

Reasons to be cheerful

Monday starts the week very quietly. Out of some 30 email alerts I find only one role where I meet the essential criteria, so I apply on-line. Then I start phoning the agency contacts for the roles I applied for last week. Nobody is available (probably out to office parties) and I give up trying and put some gloss paint on the door frames in the hall.

Tuesday morning is a morning of nothing but negative news. I’m either not being put forward for roles, or, I’ve been unsuccessful with my application. Then after lunch all hell breaks loose, and it’s all positive stuff. I end the day with a confirmed interview for registration with a local agency after applying on-line for a role in Nottingham through another of their offices. Also confirmed, a first round interview in Burton on Trent for a job there with a Manchester based agency. On top of that I have a provisional booking for a telephone interview booked via a Leeds based agency for a role in Sheffield. All told I speak to 7 agencies through the afternoon and apply for or get put forward for 4 positions.

Wednesday morning, and I attend the registration interview in Derby, and get the promise of being submitted for 2 positions (one that I’d originally applied for and one I hadn’t). Through the afternoon I trawl through around 30 email alerts and apply on-line for a further 4 roles. This week is proving to be the opposite to what I’d expected.

Winter is here

There’s one advantage to being out of work -- with the onset of winter I don’t have to leave the house unless I want to. As a result I spend hours trawling the internet and banging out applications, responding to email alerts, replying to agency enquiries for more information. And it is paying off. Thursday I hear that I didn’t get a job out of Monday’s interview. Friday I get an invite to another interview, not until 6th January 2009, but at least I have another interview to look forward to and I’m finding that to be very important. Having that glimmer of hope that there is another interview and that it could be the one that turns into a job offer.

Just as important is having ride-outs on the bike. Wednesday I take the bike down into Derby. I have to visit the Job Seeker Office at the Wardwick because I’m still waiting on payment of some of the TIS claims I’ve made and as I can’t get through on the phone I decide to get down there on the bike. It was chilly but it made me smile. And I think we got to the bottom of the issues with my claims, so hopefully that’ll be a few quid into the bank account (not a lot but it all counts at the moment).

Friday should have been a day of riding out on the bike with a new found mate Phil who lives nearby on Oakwood and is also a Deauville rider. However, Friday starts cold and damp. Last night had started with a frost and then light rain had blown in, resulting in treacherous roads and the local radio is reporting loads of accidents due to car drivers not realising just how slippery it is out there. Phil phones and we agree to call off our ride out, which turns out to be the right decision. The day turns into a day of phone calls with agencies and ends with me getting an interview in Leicester (see above). Realistically, that’s better that I had a right to expect because it’s the wrong time of year for most firms to recruit, many are already thinking of the Christmas shut down and their staff parties and the UK (and world) economy isn’t helping my cause right now.

What a waste of time

Monday, 2pm, another reception waiting area waiting for another interview. I was early, now he’s late. Just before 2:30 I’m collected and taken through to an inner office and interviewed. Unusually I’m quite relaxed and I feel that it goes well. The interviewer Adam would be my reporting manager and we appear to hit it off so I leave feeling buoyant, but, not getting my hopes up too high. But could this be the time I get a job offer?

In a word – No!

Thursday I get the feedback. The agency has been informed that of the 4 candidates put forward (I was the only one by that agency) that I was the best of the 4 and the one that Adam felt he could have best worked with. However, as a result of the interviews he has decided that a good working knowledge of Sequel Server is now a must have attribute so all 4 candidates have been rejected and the recruitment process starts again. For me it means my ordeal of searching out that one opportunity I need goes on.

How was Venice?

Good! Quite simply the girls loved it. No flooding, or evidence it had ever happened. Nice, bright and sunny, though quite cool. They loved the shopping opportunities. But it was VERY EXPENSIVE – a diet coke was €7. The hotel was lovely and plush. They walked, took gondola rides and shot loads of photographs. But most importantly they relaxed and came back refreshed.

Did Suzie like it? Better than Amsterdam, her previous favourite.

NEC Bike show 2008

Saturday. £17 entrance fee (each) paid, Mark and I entered the lower hall where most of the manufacturer stands were laid out. Mark is (sort of) interested in replacing his 400 Suzuki Burgman scooter, so maxi scooters were the focus of our attention, but we gave most road bikes at least a quick once over. So what were our impressions….

Suzuki’s current 400 is very tacky and plasticy, well appointed (in Executive specification) and the show bike had an MRA Vario touring screen (like that fitted to my Deauville) which was a point of interest -- manufacturer endorsement, recognising that the standard screen leave something to be desired.

The 650 Burgman (again Executive spec) met with Mark’s approval, mainly due to the powered folding mirrors (very car like). However, Mark noted that (based on his experiences with the 400) it would be nice to see larger diameter wheels on the 650.

Honda’s 600 Silver Wing wasn’t flattered by the choice of black for the show bike. I saw it the year it was launched and it looked fabulous (then) in silver. Mark’s comment wasn’t too favourable, as he felt instantly at home and in his view all Honda did was copy the 400 Burgman and give it a bigger engine. Not enough to tempt him to buy one.
Yamaha’s Majesty got the thumbs down for the same reason, but the bigger T-Max got the thumbs up and when the time comes, will be subject to a road test evaluation. But on the day, at the show, it passed inspection.

As for the other bikes on show? Well we ignored off-road bikes and pocket rockets as both are totally and irrelevant in today’s Britain (off roaders offend and the wrist down, bum up stance should be reserved for either the bedroom or the race track). The spin-offs from the off-roaders, the soft roaders and would be adventurers steeds like the BMW 1200 GS were interesting. There was a Charlie Boorman’s Bikes stand, without any sign of the man himself. Nick Sanders was there (with current girlfriend) promoting his latest book Parallel World and the DVD.

Kawasaki GTR1400 is lovely, not much bigger (physically) than the Deauville and goes like…. They had one kitted out in Police spec, on which I noticed some really nice “crash” bars, emulating the Deauville wings. Talking of which, I heard several positive comments on the Deauville on Honda’s stand – seems like people are wising up to the bike for real world riding. Mark sat on a couple of Kawa cruisers while we were on their stand, he couldn’t believe that people actually ride them – so heavy.

So what else was there to see? Ducati were there ( enough said, they leave me cold). Liked the Aprilia/Cagiva/Benelli stand, nice to see them there, but only with their big bikes. What about all their scooters? Don’t they want to sell any in the UK? Triumph and Victory stands were popular but getting on the Harley stand was nigh on impossible at times.

Then there was the upstairs hall(s) filled with accessory and gear sellers trying to shift old season stock in large numbers at low prices. More like a village jumble sale than a national bike show. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve bought at the show other years and it’s no different to what it usually is, but… perhaps it was just because the place was heaving with people all wanting to bag a bargain.

So in summary. We got there at about 10:15, ate a packed lunch that we’d taken with us and were on our way home by 15:45. I’ve never stayed at the show for so short a visit. It was just DULL and left us both feeling cold. Tacky plastic scooters. Race track refugees in abundance (just as sales take a dive in the UK) and not enough “real world” and “adventure” motorbikes (which are selling like hot cakes). The British motorcycle industry died because the manufacturers stuck their head in the sand. Looks like it could happen all over again, only this time it will be China and Korea that end up with the spoils as they produce affordable machines that can be ridden and not cost a fortune to buy or need a mortgage at service time.

The show is moving to London. I just hope the organisers have a better idea of what the UK motorcycling scene is doing. It’s changing and Birmingham totally ignored that fact and deserves to die as a result. I certainly won’t be going to any NEC motorbike show in the future.

For photos of this show visit go have a look at my web site.

Venice

Well, despite the efforts of the media to scare the 3 ladies into cancelling their planned trip to Venice, over-hyping the extent of the floods that hit St Mark’s Square in Venice on Monday, they caught the 10:00 train from Derby that was to start their journey to Venice via Gatwick. Everything appears to have gone smoothly and they duly arrived at their destination hotel to find that it had been unaffected by the flooding, being on one of the hills in Venice, and on venturing out this morning to St Mark’s Square -- guess what? That’s right, no flooding to be seen. Carol, being fluent in Italian (she’s married to one) asked the local’s about it, and their response was to shrug and say “it came up quick, it go down quick”. Don’t you just love the way the press and TV media make mountains out of molehills?

NEC Bike Show - on now

Last year I attended the Motorcycle and Scooter Show at the NEC, Birmingham and made my comments, these can be seen at 2007 bike show .

Well, it’s that time of year again and with Suzie (hopefully) enjoying a girlie trip to Venice it looks like I’ll be able to treat myself to a visit to the Bike Show again this coming Saturday. With a bit of luck Mark will accompany me, weather conditions and family circumstances permitting.

Will I write up my experiences here after the event? You can bet on it!

It has to change sometime

Luck. It plays a major part in our everyday life and sometimes you get a good streak without even noticing it, and then you get the flip side. Well this year seems to have dealt us more of the flip side than usual, but, at least that gives us time to reflect and realise that by all accounts we’ve had a pretty good run up until now.

After the collapse of zeda and while I was employed by TESL, Suzie booked to go to Copenhagen with 2 girlfriends in early December. Then TESL decided to dispense with my services just days before our family holiday to Lanzarotte. We went anyway, and just as well because we really needed that thinking time away from our normal surroundings. We’d not been back long when XL Airlines went bust, notable because we’d flown with them and thought very highly of them and their service.

Some time later Suzie got a notification that the airline she’d booked the Copenhagen trip with would cease flying from East Midlands Airport but they offered her an alternative flight from Gatwick. So the girls duly switched to that flight and purchased rail tickets to Gatwick. Then that operator too went bust. Travel insurance and credit card provider were contacted and the former paid out their bit and the latter has promised to pay out their bit (but have yet to do so).

The girls got their heads together and found a weekend break to Venice for the same dates and roughly the same cost per head. They are due to fly out on Friday this week, but, what was the national news about 2 nights ago? Flooding in Venice. The hotel they are due to stay in has been contacted and they report no flooding and business as usual. So the girls are still going but packing welly boots “just in case”.

Do this mean our luck is changing for the better? I’ll hold back judgement on that until after the girls return from their mini adventure.

A strange week unfolds

The general consensus I’m getting from talking to recruitment agencies is that over the last couple of weeks there has been a marked drop in the number of vacancies being placed for jobs across all industries, and IT, while performing better than most other industries, is reflecting that downturn.

So I find it just more than a bit surprising that this week (so far) I’ve found ten roles worthy of my time in applying. More surprising still is that I have an interview (1st of 3) lined up for Monday and that after meeting with a recruitment agency yesterday for registration and evaluation, that I may well be called for interview by a company who have already interviewed me once despite the fact that I completely blew it last time out -- and I nearly didn’t bother to make the journey to the agency due to the weather blowing up a snow storm at the time.

I have a good, old fashioned, printed job application form to fill in and return for a job at a local county council after a tip-off from an ex-zeda colleague – thanks Dave. I should have done it today, and would have, except that I found 5 to apply for on-line and the deadline for this printed one is December 12th. So that’s tomorrow’s task.

Recruitment agencies

Like anybody/everybody else that’s unemployed and looking for work, I’m finding that there is a whole load of difference between the quality of the best and the worst recruitment agencies. Finding jobs via email alerts or simply searching the web sites invariably throws up an opportunity to apply online using a web link or an email link. So that’s what you have to do. It’s the first of the hoops a job seeker has to jump through. But, and it’s a big BUT, all this does is put your interest into somebody’s electronic In Tray. And if they are busy, that’s where it stays. Yes, you will probably get an automated receipt for your application, but, it will state that if you haven’t here by a specified date then you are to assume your application has been unsuccessful.

But, if they can be bothered then the application may be quickly browsed and assessed. If like me you don’t possess a degree (no matter how obscure the subject) then there’s a good chance your application will go straight into the recycle bin. Basically they will be looking for essential criteria, and if lady luck is smiling on you then you may find yourself on the receiving end of a phone call for “further information” which may result in them submitting your CV to the recruiting employer.

And then they will repeat the whole exercise to arrive a t a decision as to whether or not they will test and/or interview you. Then, you have an opportunity to present yourself and respond to their questioning, which is sometimes quite easy, but, sometimes it isn’t. I find that gut instinct is usually a reliable guide and if you think it went badly then there’s a good probability that it did. However, if you think it went well you stand a good chance of finding out that their perception of the event isn’t in line with yours. Then there’s the recurring situation that I am currently finding where you think you did well, they think you did well, but, somebody else did better.

Of course, all of the above is written on the basis that you actually get feedback of the interview event via the agency. Like everything else in life, some recruitment agencies are better than others, and it’s not until you find that you can’t get any feedback on your performance that you find out which are the good ones and which are the also rans. I’m starting to compile quite a list now and the good can be counted on the fingers of one hand, then not too bad take all your fingers ( but not your toes) and the really terrible…. like flies on a dead carcass, too many for comfort.

Keeping up appearances

From the middle of last week I have been full of cold complete with sore throat, runny nose and sneezing, but today it’s broken and I’m back to my normal grumpy self. The combination of my imperfect health and my failure to get a single job offer despite my persistent job hunting has lead me to find something else to focus some of my time and efforts on…

So, I’ve decided to spend more time doing some DIY around the house. I have started with stripping the wallpaper off the walls in the hall and filling the (few) holes that are the result of nearly 20 years wear and tear. I’ve found gaps round the external window and door frames and have started the task of filling them with expanding foam and silicon sealant. I’ve made a start to putting paint onto ceiling and walls (as a base coat) leaving the skirting, inner door frames and (eventually) the doors for later glossing.

I won’t claim to be a DIY expert or to enjoy doing it, but, it does occupy my mind hopefully I won’t need the help of the DIY SOS team to get it finished -- after all, I’ve plenty of time on my hands right now and it did/does need doing.

You may also have noticed that I’ve eventually got round to putting a photo of myself here on the blog. Additionally, you will find some changes to the references and links in the sidebar, and there are more to come over the next week or two.

Another interview

Still waiting to hear the result of an interview I had with at Welcome Finance last Friday. I phoned Gareth at the agency but he "was not at his desk" so I left a message but didn't get a return call -- which usually means No Job Offer.

That was offset by the news that one of the three jobs I applied for this week want to see me for the first of three interviews. Looking forward to this as it's the second time around for this role and I didn't get an interview last time round, AND I've heard that they are a VERY GOOD firm to work for. Monday 8th December can't come soon enough.

Dad is home

Had a call from mum early afternoon today to say that dad has been delivered back home. She's had a written report from the hospital which shows that they ended up treating him for pneumonia. Two very nice young ambulance men got him back home and in the house with no fuss at all.

News - good & not so good

The good news first -- Mum has just rung to say that the hospital is sending dad home tomorrow.

The not so good news -- despite scoring well, I was outscored by other candidates for both of the UAT roles at Citibank / Egg in Derby, so no job offer will be made. However, again (2nd time now) they have said that they will keep me in mind for future vacancies. Perhaps it will be 3rd time lucky...

On the mend

Andy took his grandmother to the hospital this evening and the news is good. Dad is mending, his chest is improving and responding to treatment and he should be back home before the weekend.

Mum & Dad

Today I took mother to the hospital to see dad. He was moved from Ward 309 to 401 earlier in the week, but when I went in today, he’d been moved again, within the ward to a different room. He was in good spirits, and reasonably well. Still wheezing in the chest, just about everything has been sorted out with various medications. He’s now on some super antibiotics which should clear his chest infection.

While we were there it came out that he keeps phoning “wrong numbers” because he’s so clumsy with his hands (part of his MS) so I spent some time sorting out the contacts on his phone, got it charged up, and put some credit on it with a top-up. That seemed to cheer him up some more.

Tonight Andy & his girlfriend are out at a friend's birthday party do. Suzie has gone to another birthday party session in the city, which is fancy dress so she's gone as Mini Mouse. All 3 will freeze as the temperature was 4 degrees celcius when they left house, and falling towards the forecasted -2°. Mark is doing course work for his degree and I'm sat writing these blog updates and (sort of) watching "Time Team" on the TV.

Mum is in good spirits and benefitting from this unexpected respite and will be joining us for Sunday lunch then Andy will be taking his grandmother to see his granddad after lunch.

JSA sign-on

Friday was sign-on day, so bike out for the trip down into town (sorry, city). First I had a TIS interview. TIS is short for Travel to Interview Scheme, which allows the unemployed to apply for funding to get to attend an interview. As far as I’m concerned it is a way of getting some meagre income from the UK government (some people call these funds “benefits” so why shouldn’t I benefit?). Up until now I’ve gone and got a claim form, producing evidence that I have been called for interview, then gone away, attended the interview, returned home, completed the form and submitted it for payment.

Only someone has changed the rules because too many people have been making false claims. Now I have to complete the form in advance AND have an interview to justify my claim BEFORE I attend the interview itself. So I do this, then see my usual contact and sign-on (she’s not allowed to do both). Having dutifully jumped through their hoops and ensured that I will be paid (the grand sum of £11.15 for TIS and £60.50 per week JSA for the next 2 weeks) I then I went shopping for a few bits and pieces at ASDA, before returning home to prepare for the interview.

Economic slow down

We hear the phrase but what does it mean to you and me. Well I can’t answer for you, but for me it means that since Monday I haven’t seen a new email alert for a Business Analyst. And if they aren’t advertised then to who should I apply? Fortunately, I had an interview set up on Monday for Friday afternoon so I focused on that all week, doing loads of research. While I was doing that the media was AGAIN talking up the recession that descended upon us while the politicians of the world slept or partied. So I went into this interview as well prepared as I have for any I’ve attended. How did it go? I think it went well, but, then so have a number before it and I’ve not managed to get a job offer yet, so will this time be any different? Who knows?

So when there are no new jobs advertised what can one do? Scan for other sites, the small local ones, possibly those attached to local newspapers and see if there is anything there. Visit the Local Authority web sites and scan them for job opportunities. Then when you run out of ideas, find something else to occupy your time, in my case I decided to shampoo the carpet in the main bathroom on Thursday, the only other thing that day was notable for was that since I was made unemployed it was the first day when I didn’t apply for a single job or talk to a job agency contact about a potential job.

All in a day

Monday started with me getting on top of the housework, then email job alerts including 3 that I instantly applied for. Then it was off to ferry Andy, mum and Chris up to see dad in the hospital for afternoon visiting time, back to cook dinner, then with Andy, pick up mum and Chris again for an hour at dad’s bedside until we then set off to drop Chris at the Hilton hotel next to Manchester Airport because she gets a company discount there and had an early morning flight back to the states. Andy and I get back home around 10:30pm and head for bed.

Somewhere in all that lot I got a phone call to say I’d got an interview for a job at 4pm this Friday near Nottingham.

So why did I get up this morning felling flat and de-motivated? I don’t know, but, it’s been a flat sort of day, all day, and I’ve no explanation as to why. Answers on a postcard please

Recycling

Last night there was an item on the news about recycling -- or should I say how this country doesn’t re-cycle. We, the public have been conditioned to sort waste for recycling, something I have taken to with avengance. Yet this article was highlighting that the price of all things being recycled (except glass) has dropped like a stone. Paper has fallen from £75 a ton to £15 a ton, and excepting glass, everything else has followed suit.

Why?

Simple, we don’t recycle, we gather it in, sort it out, bale it up and export it the Asia and China. That’s where it gets reprocessed. But now there’s a world recession and demand for their goods has dropped so they don’t need our waste to remanufacture.

So here’s my rant….

I believe with a passion that we should recycle wherever and whenever we can. So why the hell DO WE have to rely on OTHER COUNTRIES to recycle OUR WASTE? Those countries have 2 options:-
1. Buy in raw materials and manufacture the goods, or…
2. Buy in waste materials and remanufacture it into the goods….

Commercial logic says that if they choose to buy in waste and remanufacture then it is for one reason and one reason only, which is, that it is cheaper to do it that way! So why are we letting them make the profit?

The article last night stated that locals authorities would be loosing money because they would have to pay for storage of the baled up waste products until the market for them picks up. THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE! We should be doing the recycling into base, useable material which can be used by manufacturers anywhere in the world. Instead we OFFLOAD our waste without taking any profit out of it. No wonder this country is in the state it is!

A quick catch-up

Thursday was a good day on the job hunting front, with 8 on-line applications submitted. I’m not happy that as things stand I don’t have any interviews lined up but all I can do now is play the numbers game. Feedback on my CV has been very positive of late so my constant refinement appears to be delivering.

Friday had been set aside to fetch my sister Christine from Manchester Airport as she flew in for a few days back here in the UK with mum & dad. Andy drove me up to meet her, arriving 10 minutes before her plane was due in, only to find it had already been on the ground for 10 minutes, so 8 minutes later the 3 of us were back on the road and out of the airport.

Saturday saw Angie & John drive up to Derby from Colchester, staying overnight at the bungalow, so it was a full house there Saturday night. Midday Sunday the three of them came to ours for a Sunday/Christmas dinner, leaving mum and dad for a couple of hours in peace and quiet. Angie & John returned home mid-afternoon as John has a job to go to through the week while Angie is in the same boat as I am – not having much joy job hunting.

Over the weekend dad’s condition had gradually deteriorated with a wheezing and rattling of his chest getting worse as the weekend progressed, so much so that Sunday afternoon mother called the emergency doctor service for a house visit. Dad was checked out, early stages of pneumonia was the possible diagnosis and an ambulance ordered to take him to hospital for tests and treatment. Christine went in the ambulance while mum & I followed in my car. For Christine this was all new, for mum & I it was the 5th or 6th time this year but she now knows how good the newly re-built Derby City hospital is and can now relate to it when we speak to her about it in future. As usual I was just added muscle to assist the ambulance crew of 2 rather dainty young ladies who at first tried to do without my assistance until they realised that they really did need it (getting a stretcher in and out of the bungalow isn’t easy). Dad was kept in overnight to do blood and breathing tests and to do a chest x-ray.

Today, in between bouts of job hunting, I’ll be fetching and carrying mum and Christine as Chris has a small shopping list she wants complete, plus another visit to see dad, before heading back to America tomorrow morning.

Sunny & Dry

Yesterday I remembered a generation that dies, and in doing so I became depressed thinking about both my current situation and the current state of the UK, which is at best dire.

In an attempt to lift my spirits (and partly to get away from the constant and incessant media focus on BAD news) I again accepted an invite to get out on the bike with Phil & Dave.

This time we went off into the Peak District of Derbyshire for a meander to sites both new and familiar, changing routes and destinations on a whim and making time for obligatory tea and photo breaks. Arrived back home with enough time to spare before cooking dinner to give the bike a quick wash down.

Next task (on the bike) is to do an oil and oil filter change as it’s just clocked up 20,000 miles and I like to change the oil every 4,000 miles, it’s a cheap insurance policy for engine performance. That will have to wait a day or two as tomorow morning Andy & I are picking Christine up at Manchester Airport for her flying visit to see Mum & Dad ( and the rest of us). I just hope she's strong enough to stomach how bad Dad now is.

We must never forget

Yesterday, the 11th November was Armistice Day – and at the 11th hour – 2 minutes silence was observed.

We must never forget the sacrifices made by a generation of young men that we may live today, free from the oppression that they faced. They gave their lives that others might live and we should honour their memory by making this country a better place than it currently is.

Rain stopped play

Saturday started fine and bright, but soon deteriorated into dull and wet, enough to dampen most Guy Fawkes night bonfires and sparklers. We dodge the rain enough to get the weekly shop done at the local ASDA on Saturday morning, but, the rest of the weekend was quiet and domesticated. Suzie did some baking (I will cook but I don’t bake). Both boys were variously in and out with and without respective girlfriends at various times.

With things the way they are -- me not having a job and no prospect of getting one -- we’ve decided to start selling off surplus stuff on eBay to raise a few quid. First up was Sue’s Samsung mobile phone and a pair of high heeled Italian leather designer shoes. Bought, they pinched her feet and she couldn’t be bothered to take them back. Anyway, both went onto eBay Sunday night, and blow me, the phone was bought for the Buy Now price within hours. So now I have to sort out some more stuff that we don’t want but that somebody else just might.

Friday’s dog

Sheba, Mum’s companion and confident now that dad’s spending most of his time asleep, wasn’t too good last week. From Wednesday onwards she hardly ate or drank, and was having trouble walking on her front legs. First I know about it is when mother phones Friday night asking if I was free to drive her to the vets. So I shoot down there and bundle mum & dog into mum’s van and off we go. Ten minutes, a thorough inspection, taking of temperature, 2 injections (antibiotic & pain killer) and payment of £40 later we are heading back home. Sheba showed no signs of improvement so Suzie got her a special bone shaped chew when we did the weekly shop on Saturday, which she readily devoured and it seemed to perk her up (Sheba, not Sue).

Went down to check the situation out today (Monday) afternoon -- dog is right and fine and up to her usual tricks. Spoke to mum tonight (she was out when I went down) and she confirms Sheba is fit and well. Something must have worked.

UK Banks

This week has shown that the fat cats that head up the retail banking and mortgage industry in the UK think that they are (i) above the reach of the law, (ii) beyond the influence of the public who they constantly rip off, and (iii) are intent on ONLY lining their pockets and increasing their own PERSONAL wealth.

I saw a street interview where the reporter was stopping people in the street and asking for their feelings on the banks failure (and total lack of intention) to pass on the 1.5% rate cut to their customers. Her response was that in her opinion “the banks of this country are morally bankrupt”. I have to commend that lady for her choice of words, and until the government pass appropriate legislation THAT IS THE WAY IT WILL STAY!

We – you and I, tax payers, have bailed the banks out of a situation of THEIR OWN making. How do they DARE think that we will sit back and simply accept that they can return to doing exactly what they did to get us into this situation in the first place. They (the banks) take our money every pay day, impose unreasonable charges on the slightest whim or fancy, lend at extortionate rates and spend enormous amounts of money on projects that involve placing more and more jobs offshore.

This time The Chancellor and Prime Minister stepped in and bluntly told the Banks that they HAD to pass on the savings. Hopefully next time that level of intervention won’t be necessary, but take my advice, don’t bet on it!

Not like last Friday

I was determined from the outset that this Friday was not going to be like last Friday -- I was not going to go into the weekend on a downer, a depressed grumpy old man. So it was up early, attack the email job alerts, and then go and sign on. What a surprise, there are 2 roles that really fit my strengths and past experience so I quickly knock of the on-line applications. Minutes later there’s a call from one of the agencies - - he’d picked up my CV in a search the previous evening and then first email of the day was my on-line application, there in his In Box. We quickly cover the formalities, and it’s agreed I’m going forward. Bouyed up I’m off on the bike to sign on.

Having done my bit and proved I qualify for the £60.50 a week they pay out I get on the bike, but I don’t head home, not today. The weather is the best it’s been all week and I’m of to The Limes Café on the A614 to meet up with Dave & Phil. These two fellow Deauville owners have invited me along on one of their regular ride-outs together and I’m more than happy to tag along. As they are used to riding together I take up the tail gunner, tail end Charlie position. To start we ride on roads I’m familiar with, then turn off onto roads new to me only for me to later find that I’m back on familiar roads again. This is repeated through the afternoon. Ollerton, Newark, Lincoln, RAF Waddington, Southall, Hucknall (bye Dave), Ilkeston and to Oakwood (bye Phil) and back home for 4pm. That’s what biking is all about. Impromptu adjustments to roughed out routes taking in forced diversions and changes to once familiar road layouts. Lincoln cathedral and Southall Minster are both impressive - - and that’s from the outside.


Dave & Phil at RAF Waddington (I'm behind the lens) and 3 Deauvilles - all the same and all 3 different

So did it work, did it have the desire result? Too damned right it did! Better than valium or large quantities of booze. I get home with a stupid great big grin on my face and I’m feeling good. Thanks to Dave & Phil for inviting me along. Ready for the weekend? Too right! Bring it on!

Long days alone

Job hunting means one thing these days, long days shut away in front of the computer making sure that your CV is “out there” , posted on job sites for potential employers and job agencies to find using their chosen search criteria. As a job seeker you have to make sure that you save at least one set of search criteria of your own and register for notifications by email. Then when the emails come flooding in you then have to look up the detailed job information and determine the all important essential criteria -- meet that and it’s then down to whether it pays enough and is in your location or within commuting distance.

The net result is spending a lot of hours chasing very few real opportunities because most jobs will show up on a number of email alerts but they will have small differences which is designed to make you contact them so that they can put you forward. What it actually does is waste a lot of time as I end up talking to several agencies about the same role and “the rules” are that only one agency represents you for an particular vacancy to save arguments on the subject of which agencies gets the commission payment for placing the successful applicant. They will tell you “To stop any duplicated application please note any companies you have either interviewed at or made direct applications for. (Please note if a company gets your CV twice they will think you are more interested in any job not their role).” What they are doing is getting more data on potential clients that they can approach with other prospective employees and for that reason I don’t reveal details of who I’ve applied to or been interviewed by until AFTER I’ve been told the result of the final step in the selection process. Why? Because I don’t NEED any more competition for the jobs I’m chasing.

What all this means is that whole days can and do disappear remarkably quickly. As soon as the family have left the house in the morning and I’m sat down with a cuppa tea and delving into the 20 of more email alerts that come in each day. Despite this I have whole days where I find no jobs at all worth my applying for. Now that may seem a strange statement to make but if you don’t meet the essential criteria then simply forget it! It isn’t worth the effort. Whoever gets your application will check the essential criteria first -- and if it isn’t met your application goes into the recycle bin. That’s if you are lucky. Some jobs have such high numbers of applicants chasing them that you could well get a read receipt that shows your emailed application was deleted without being read. To avoid that I’m now in the habit of phoning the nominated contact within 24 hours of applying -- it doesn’t always work as there are a lot of “on the phone” and “out to lunch” and “in a meeting” agency staff. That’s assuming that the phone number will actually take an incoming call -- many don’t, and when/if they phone you their number is always withheld.

So this week has disappeared in a blur of emails, phone calls and on-line job applications. Except that today I didn’t get a single phone call. The situation is getting worse out there, not better. The Bank of England rate cut of 1.5% had better work otherwise I could be stuck in this routine for a very long time, well, until the money runs out.

Just like buses

Typical -- Sunday was a good day for email alerts and I struck out with 8 on-line applications completed…. 3 for roles that I have applied for in the past and not heard anything and 5 for new roles (one is never sure). Then today….. nothing, not a single job that I could expect to progress to interview. So instead I did the laundry. And some shopping, which I did on the motorbike because I thought that would be a good idea, except I nearly couldn’t get it all home because I forgot to empty the panniers of all the clobber I carry around with me as a norm. Trouble was, I couldn’t squash the loaves of bread because they’d be no use if I did -- other than to feed to ducks in the park.

Figures of speech

Talking of ducks. Everybody calls everybody “Duck” in Derby. After nearly 20 years I still can’t get used to it. Nor do I particularly like it. But that’s Derby.

The other thing we have noticed of late, and it may apply to other cities, it how on a trip to the shops, or into the city, there’s always one family where the woman is screaming her ignorant head off at just about every opportunity. At the kids (usually 2 or 3 walking and 1 or 2 in a buggy). At bus and taxi drivers (who on seeing her heading their way try and make good their escape). At any opportunity. Pure ignorance! I’ve been on the channel tunnel and it’s both smaller and quieter than the mouths of these women. Cleaner too!

When Sue and I go out and hear these excuses for humanity spouting their obscenities we just look at each other, shrug our shoulders and steer a clear path away from them. Do they have any intelligence? They can’t care what other people think of them. Personally, I think that they do have a brain, the problem is that the only active brain cell in there is very, very lonely! Often I’m convinced that like to keep their brains in the family, so they share the one brain cell around and the problem is that we never know which of them has it. No wonder the UK has such a bad image abroad.

A quiet weekend

Friday evening saw Sue bring Anne (Nancy) home for dinner before the two of them went off to see Carol perform in her latest Amateur dramatic society production, followed by a swift drink before setting for home, dropping Anne off on the way. I stayed home and had a quiet night in as I wasn’t feeling very sociable.

Saturday we had a lay in, only Andy had to get up for work, and for a change he was rushed off his feet, partly due to the fact that he was the only qualified and competent technician in the workshop. Still, that in itself was enough to raise his spirits after his recent fears of redundancy -- they haven’t gone away, just his perspective has changed at little after his busy Saturday morning. Then he text me today from work, at lunchtime, to say that he’d traced the non-functioning of his front driving lights (on his Honda Civic Type-R) to a blown in-line fuse hidden away under the steering column.

Suzie and I did the weekly shopping, Somerfields for meat, Aldi for a few bits and then Asda for the rest. It adds less than 2 miles to the round trip doing all 3 instead of just Asda alone, and saves nearly £20 off the weekly bill -- well worth the extra effort and mileage.

We had a full house Saturday night with both the boys girlfriends staying over. Sunday was all about Lewis Hamilton and the FIA F1 drivers’ world championship. Nobody can accuse that race of being dull and boring, just a shame they aren’t all like that with plenty of overtaking and drama. Well done to Lewis, something to lift the spirits of the British at a time of gloom and doom.

Friday

I start the day with a load of email alerts, from which I find 3 jobs that I could do so I apply. Then I get an email from Krissie. I’ve known Krissie since we were 16/17 years old (she is a few months older than me) but she now lives in Adelaide, Australia. It’s been a long time since she sent me a news letter (especially of this length) that it makes my day, and yes, I will get round to replying very soon.

Then I start to get some phone calls, initially positive and responses to 2 of my earlier applications. One is verifying my availability for an assessment day, and the other checking my skill set before putting my CV forward to their client.

I take a break and ride into town and meet Suzie for a pub lunch (she treats me) and when we part I do a bit of grocery shopping in readiness for the evening’s meal. I call in on first my mum, then Suzie’s, dropping off some “No Trick or Treat” posters before heading home.

Then I get a call about an interview that’s planned for Monday week -- it’s been cancelled, the job has gone on hold until January 2009. It’s the end of the week, and there’s little more I can do, so I finish on a downer. When Suzie and her friend Anne come in I’m a grumpy old man. I can’t help it. I don’t mean to be, but I am.

I’ve done dinner, we sit down and enjoy the meal but I need to calm down. The girls go out to watch an AmDram performance and I’m left to my own devices so I do a bit of ironing and then I sit down to write this as I intermittently watch TV. Today was Friday.

Boris comes good

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London has fulfilled one of his election promises and rules that motorbikes should be allowed to use The Capital’s bus lanes. Now I don’t get to ride in London very often, I used to but now that I live in The Midlands, well I just don’t get down that way, BUT, I applaud the move on two accounts --

1. When was the last time a politician fulfilled an election promise? Especially one that is good common sense, hounded by sooth sayers and mongers of doom, including the bunch of loonies that go by the name of the London Cycling Campaign.

2. After a period of adjustment, which will be short due to the extended trials period forced by Ken Livingstone, the roads in London will be safer AND congestion and pollution will be eased because more people are keeping moving more of the time

Ken was anti-motorcycling – pure and simple and undisguised. Boris is a cyclist, he rides a push bike, yet he can see the benefits of powered 2 wheelers (PTWs) and their increased use in The Capital. It will never be like major cities in Asia where everybody and his whole family climb onboard a small, under powered and under maintained PTW.

So why do I applaud this move? Simple, it sends a message out to other towns and cities across the UK and local councillors will now have to listen much more with an open mind to local and national pressure groups. It has already started to happen in Derby where I live, slowly the signs by the bus lanes are being changed to include symbols of motorbikes. Rest assured, it will eventually happen in a town or city near you – and that’s a good thing!

Royalty on Motorbikes is go

Back in February I commented on the news report that the 2 young male royals (are there any young female royals?) were going to do a Ewan & Charlie style expedition in Africa for charity.

Well, right now they are out there, doing it. I just think that it’s a shame that because of the media hype and their being royalty, that there is all sort of protection going on around them to make sure they come back alive. If you thought Russ Malkin and the crew that looked after Ewan & Charlie was a bit OTT then think again, that’s small fry compared to the size of the team following Harry & Wills. Rumour has it that there’s even a team with Exercet missiles following them about to blow away any threat from the air! Now how cool is that?

Despite everything that is happening to shield these 2 fine young (royal) men from the realities of the world around them I really do wish them well and hope that sometime in the future they might just turn up at a biker meet in the UK on their bikes, with all the gear, a damned great big smile and a story that starts -- “we lost the bodyguards soon after leaving the palace simply by tearing down the Edgeware Road while they sat in the traffic jam in the Range Rovers….”

Hello from central news

Yesterday I got back from my interview to an email with that title, that went on to say --

“I’m a reporter at Central news and saw your blog. I’m doing a report on the credit crunch today specifically focussing on people who are being forced to find work after being made redundant. It would be great if you could call or email to let me know how you’re getting on and a bit more about your experience.”

Sounds good, and I don’t mind sharing my views and experiences but I’m not going to send an email without first getting some background on what they want for their article and I’m not going to use up package phone time/pay for a phone call when the reporter is the one with a job and an income (and probably gets the phone as part of the job) so I sent an email saying --

“If you'd like to ring me on the number below I'll be quite happy to try and help you out.”

Never heard a thing. Same result as with most job applications, you send them out and hear nothing back.... what is it with people these days?

Interviews, Applications & Family

Another day, another interview. This time it was one interview for two roles. Worst of it is, I really, really would like one of these jobs, not fussed which as both are local and offer the sort of challenges I love. Trouble is, that I get more than a bit up tight when I really want a role and that makes appearing cool, calm and collected during interview. Anyway, it’s done now. I had 2hrs 30mins of the interviewers time, which is an whole hour more than I should have had, so that should be a good thing! Was it good enough? I’ll find out in a couple of weeks.

However, not counting chickens before they are hatched, I got home to a load of email job alerts which had to be sifted through – hurrah! There was a potential job hidden away in there so do the usual apply on-line thing and receive the usual email acknowledgement. Then phone calls to be made, chasing up two roles that agencies contacted me with last week. One is still waiting to hear and the other one is interview date & time TBA -- that’s another good thing! Shame it’s Monday 11th November….

I’m told that my culinary skills are improving, and tonight the whole family was in agreement. Soup starter, followed by chops, chips and veg. I’d done a desert as well, an Aldi special price struddle and a jug of custard – it sounds exotic and/or extravagant but all was bought on a Whoops, special buy or price reduced. Andy was home to join us, Mark got home over an hour later and had his on his own. Over dinner Andy tells us of how the current economic down turn is affecting the BMW dealership that he works at – they’ve made a number of redundancies already and he’s concerned that they may start cutting back on the workshop technicians as there’s not a lot of work going through the doors.

Then this evening I got to see Angie and John. Popped down the road, Dad is home from hospital, bruv & sis are there as planned and it’s good to share stories. John’s job looks safe for now (he’s in construction) and Angie is (like me) looking for paid employment. Again, like me, she’s getting plenty of interview experience, but as another fifty something there’s always a reason why somebody else has been chosen to fill the vacancy. Of course there is no age discrimination now in the UK – yeah, right! So explain why I shop at a local supermarket and nobody that works there is older than the manager, and he’s under 30 years old.

Bad news day

Checked out all the email job alerts that came in over the weekend and through the day and nothing! Not one job advertised that I could honestly apply for. Eventually, I find an “Interim Payroll Manager” role on a local job site so I apply on-line. Then I get a call from Allan to say that I didn’t get the Business Analysis role I’d been twice interviewed for at Rentokil in Dudley. I really liked the sound of the job, the Ts&Cs weren’t the best, and the commute would have been horrendous but I would have given it a damn good shot. But it’s not to be. Feedback was all good, but they have decided to go round the block again (i.e. nobody got a job offer). I just don’t understand what prospective employers mean when they describe a job as needing immediate recruitment, must be able to start straight away, and then they reject ALL candidates. Keeps them in a job I suppose!

Flying visit

Had a phone call at 23:30 on Friday night. My sister Christine calling me from her home in Georgia, USA. She's just got home from work and is ringing to advise me that she's wanting to come over and see Mum & Dad, and is planning on doing so around the 12th November. She rings again on Sunday (at a much more reasonable time of day) to confirm she's coming over on the 13th and returning on the 18th.

It will be good to see her but I hope she is prepared for seeing Dad in his current condition and for being jet lagged for most of her visit. We will make sure that one of us it there to pick her up when she lands in Manchester and get her back there in time for her plane home.

In the meantime John is coming up on a flying visit this Tuesday, bringing Angie with him. I hope I get to spend some time with them but I have an interview at Citibank that morning. Right now I think we need a good big dose of good luck all round.

The best laid plans

As we all know, even the best laid plans can go astray, so when I get a call on Saturday to say that Dad is being taken into hospital I just know it’s going to be a case of all change. My plans focused on getting Mark set up with a load of new gear so that he can comfortably and safely commute between home and university on his scooter, as planned. Winter is coming (this week if the weatherman can be believed) and he needed some proper boots (to replace trainers) trousers (to replace thin walking waterproofs) helmet & jacket(old ones are 3 years old, tatty and the helmet has a bit of a niff) and gloves (tin/cold and leaky). Well we managed to get everything except the gloves sorted before getting the phone call from mother. It was then a dash back to Derby, drop Mark off, get down to the bungalow and help get dad on the stretcher and into the ambulance. Then, with mother on board I followed the ambulance up to the hospital and went in to check dad in.

Now everything had gone smoothly and really quite well (this is the 4th time we’ve done this so we are getting well practised at it) until the point where the doctor comes and starts quizzing dad. He’s hardly coherent, but, the (Italian/Spanish doctor – I’m not sure which) isn’t interested in listening to mum or me until we start being a bit forceful. Then he treats us as if we are crying wolf and making a fuss about nothing. As far as he is concerned dad can have a new catheter fitted and sent home. We know it’s not that easy, but then, what do we know. Turns out we do know. The doctor tries fitting the catheter and dad screams out as never before, so doctor decides further inspection is required. We leave dad in their hands, and I take mum home to wait on a phone call, which comes saying they are still going to sent dad home that night, except, they can’t get an ambulance to get him home in time for social services usual daily visit to put him to bed, and as the ambulance staff won’t put him to bed they decide to keep him in overnight “for observation”.

So Sunday morning mum gets a call. In the night Dad had a raging temperature, so they have administered some antibiotics and are going to keep him in for at least 24 hours for observation. Mum & I agree, we have been vindicated and we aren’t impressed with the attitude of foreign doctors who don’t appear to (a) know what MS is, and (b) have time to read medical case notes before jumping to (wrong) conclusions. Still, this is the NHS that Gordon Brown wants us to have. Impersonal, inhumane, uncaring but financially very efficient. I bet he has private health care, of course he does, he’s labour!

Advertising!

Being unemployed, and actively job hunting means spending loads of time on my own in the house. Why? Because I have broadband access to the one place where most jobs are now advertised -- the internet. And as we are having to watch our expenditure and make the money go as far as we can, it’s cheaper to sit at home than to be constantly out and about. But, it gets lonely and I miss the human contact element of life that we take for granted during our working lives. So I often have the television on in the background for company, which brings me to my rant….

Advertising!

Like many of my generation I have lived through the development of advertising from it’s early years to what we see today. In the early days of television, advertising was seen as the media used by reputable companies to raise public awareness of their products. But as use of the media became accepted and as more channels became available, the emphasis shifted to those companies that wanted to be seen as competitors to the “establishment”, those original big name brand advertisers. But that’s not the case today. Advertising today can be broken down into a number of categories:-

The “we aren’t doing very well” category – advertisers in this group are constantly thrusting sales at us. Sales that are “ending soon”. Offers of BOGOF (pronounced Bog Off, when we all know it should be Bog Of) meaning – buy one get one free. Currently included in this category are car manufacturers with supposedly tempting offers of large cash back returns and/or 0% finance if you buy one of their fuel inefficient, old technology, high running cost and tax bracket vehicles provided you agree to pay the full “recommended retail price” (i.e. THEIR full price). Also in this category are the supermarkets who are all trying to outdo each other by appearing to be offering the lowest possible prices to us the consumer in our weekly/monthly shopping trolley. None of these are in our best interest, it’s all about shifting stock that’s not selling at prices that advantage them, not us the consumer.

Then there’s the “change your career” category – these advertisers try to tempt us to pay them to provide training for the career opportunity that you never knew you always wanted with aspirational earnings which very few people will ever attain. Some even guarantee a job placement at the end of the training or the opportunity to join their “fastest growing UK business” implying that by doing so you will attain those aspirational earnings levels. There’s an old saying “it pays to advertise” and it will be a fair bet that these advertisers are seeing good returns on their advertising costs at the expense of those gullible enough to fall for their spiel.

Next up is the “we can save you money on your insurance” category – money saving on an expense that we make just in case we are involved in an event that would result in a cost we couldn’t meet is always attractive (i.e. car accident while driving, fire or flood in the home, injury or sickness while on holiday/travelling, leaving debts to our kin on our death, etc…). So we now have price comparison sites imploring us to “get the best deal” and those that “won’t be found on any price comparison web site”. The former sires work off commission and advertising revenue while the latter are just trying to cut out the middleman and take a greater chunk of profit out of the premium they charge. And they prey on our fears of being hit by an “un-insured driver” and offer NCD (No Claims Discount) protection for life, which you will think means your insurance costs won’t go up if you make a claim – think again, your renewal will go up because the way the premium is calculated will start by taking into account your claim, but, at the end they will calculate the same NCD so you WILL pay more (example:- original premium £400, with 50% NCD meant you paid £200, on renewal will become £750 with 50% NCD leaving you a renewal of £375, or an increase of 187.5%).

Then there’s the “no win, no fee” brigade of advertisers, mainly from the legal professions. Have you “had a slip, a trip, or, an accident at work in the last 3 years” or “been involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault”. If you have, why would you want to place your case with people who have enormous advertising costs to cover? Wouldn’t you be better off placing your case with a reputable local firm who will quite happily work on a “no win, no fee” basis IF you have a genuine case that they can legitimately pursue on your behalf?

Last category for this rant, those adverts that are directed at the aging population. Cosmetics to make you look younger, furniture to make you more comfortable and “ease your aches and pains”, mobility aids to help you get upstairs, round the community, health aids and cleansing products to make sure you are always fit and healthy and that your home is germ free.

There are many more examples that I could highlight but what I’m trying to communicate is that advertising today is all about one simple thing…. Separating us from our money, taking it out of our pockets and putting into their corporate coffers so that they can pay the fat cats at the top of the business bigger bonuses and their shareholders bigger dividends. I don’t know about you dear reader, but, I now work on the principle that I steer clear of those firms that fork out for (expensive) television advertising, with the exception of supermarkets where I go and buy only those items that have been reduced in price, and then only if I NEED those products – it keeps my costs down and reduces their profit margins. If we all did the same (which just will not happen) then all sellers would work on smaller mark-ups and reasonable profit margins instead of their current margins that are fuelled by greed.

Another milestone

Writing up my JSA review reminded me of another event that I should have shared with you. Last Friday I had a 6 month review – this time at the local surgery with the diabetes nurse, Marion. The good news, I’ve lost 6 lbs in weight since the 3 month review. The bad news is that I should have lost more. The blood test done 2 weeks earlier was “perfectly normal” so my being labelled Type 2 diabetic is all down to a single blood test done because of an infection I’d picked up, done to check that the course of antibiotics had done the job.

However, I’ve been monitoring my blood glucose levels with an Accu-Chek monitor. Showing the readings to Marion proves that I do need to take the medication because I AM diabetic. But I have come to terms with it and have adjusted my diet, perhaps not as much as Marion would like me to, but importantly, enough to control the glucose level in my system. The biggest surprise is that now, after just 6 months I can quite accurately “guess” what my readings are going to be before I take them. On occasions I still forget to take a pill, but, I’m now in tune with my system enough to realise when IT is telling me IT needs some help in the form of a pill. Next review is in 6 months – hopefully I’ll have lost the weight I need to loose by then. Time will be the judge.

Isn’t it ironic?

Today I had my JSA review. At 11:00 I had to meet Vic at the Wardwick Job Centre Plus office. The objective was to review the efforts I had or hadn’t made to find work as my part of the “contract” under which they pay you/me £60.50 per week for trying to secure employment.

Now quite understandably (I think) I was felling a bit down. No, that’s not true, I was feeling really low. I got up this morning knowing I had to attend a review that (in the eyes of the DoE) marked 3 months since Trinity told me I was surplus to requirements. So you can imagine my reaction to 2 different agencies contacting me today saying that there is a role going at Windsor Life in Telford for a “traditional Business Analyst to liaise on infrastructure and software upgrades between Windsor Life and their IT management company" – Trinity!

Anyway, after making suitable notes in my day book I put that to one side and set off to The Wardwick. Boy, am I glad I still have my motorbike. I was still feeling down but at least I had a smile on my face from the brief 4 mile ride into the city. Parked up in my usual spot (free parking for bikes, great!) and walked round the corner with just minutes to spare. It was all a bit of an anti-climax really. Vic was a lot happier about the situation than I was/am. As far as he’s concerned I’m doing far more than most of the “people” that he sees, I’ve had two 2nd round interviews in the past week and I’m waiting to hear the results (but not optimistic) and I have another interview lined up at Citibank for next Tuesday. Plus, 2 roles that I’d applied for and got nowhere haven’t been able to recruit so they are now wanting to see me and I should get interviews at both inside the next week. And there’s Windsor Life – do I? Don’t I? Can I afford not to? I just hope that one of the other roles turn up trumps. And the only tune I can hear right now contains those words… “Isn’t it ironic?”

Another day, another interview

Today I had an interview in Burton Upon Trent. Arrived 15 minutes early, as I tend to do, to be shown straight into the office of one of the interviewers. A few minutes light hearted chat before moving to the room where the interview was to be conducted and meet the other interviewer. An hour and a half later and I’m thinking I’ve done OK and then there’s a cutting parting comment that shoots me right down.

So, what do I think? Straight answer, I just don’t know. And that’s the worst part. I’ve now had two second round interviews at to separate locations, for two leaders in their industry and I won’t hear from either of them before my next interview and Wednesday next week.

Looking on the bright side, at least I got a break from sifting through email alerts looking for jobs to apply for. Well, until tomorrow.

Parents, who’d have them?

Yesterday mother asked me to sort out a little mess she’d managed to create for herself. Now normally, when Dad’s at home, she asks me to handle the renewal of the road fund tax disc on the van when it comes around each year. This year, with dad in respite, she decided to do it herself by phoning the DVLA number on the renewal notice. Only when she gets a letter stating that the SORN will be effective from 1st November does she realise she has goofed.

So I get asked to sort it out and she wonders why I am more than slightly annoyed. Usually it’s a 2 minute job on the internet to do the renewal, but, not when mother has stuck her oar in. I have to take the original registration document (not the renewal notice) and the MoT certificate, and the Insurance certificate, and Dad’s exemption certificate to a Tax Disc issuing Post Office.

Now that may be a simple task to most mere mortals, but, mother can’t remember where she put the V5 registration document, or the Insurance certificate, or the MoT certificate. We quickly find all the old MoT certificates, but the new one has been hidden in a different “safe place”. Having found that the file with all the insurance renewals is produced, going back for the last 4 years, everything is there EXCEPT for ALL the relevant insurance certificates which turn up 15 minutes later in a different “safe place” Then she turns up TWO registration V5 documents….Doh!

Anyway, suitably furnished with just about every document I head off to the local Post Office, where after much explaining and having to sign in dad’s name, I am provided with the necessary disc. Instead of the usual 2 minutes it’s taken me over ¾ of an hour to perform a simple renewal….

Like I said, parents! Who’d have them?

Back home

Saturday saw dad return home from his spell of respite at the Helen Lay Centre. He enjoyed his stay, is refreshed and now back home and putting on mother as he always does. I popped in on them yesterday and again this afternoon. Seems things are settling back down to normal.

The good news from mother is that the authorities and powers that be have agreed that next year they will get 6 weeks of respite through the year, which they have elected to take as 2x one week and 2x two week breaks. Things appear to be looking up in that area.

Interviews

Thursday saw me driving down to Dudley for a job interview. The job is right up my street, and I really think that I could enjoy any one of the potential set of projects that they have to staff. Only after the event do I find out that I’m the first of 4 candidates to be interviewed in this in the second round of interviews – and that all the other candidates are to be interviewed after the interviewer has had a weeks holiday. So where does that leave me. High and dry? Uncertain and waiting for at least 10 days to find out the result of my endeavours in this 2 hour epic interview.

So, this coming Tuesday I have another second round interview lined up for another Business Analyst role in Burton on Trent, and I just have to clear my mind, put Thursday in the past and do my best. It isn’t easy, but then, nobody ever said that life would be easy so what right do I have to expect it to be so?

Recession

This past week has seen a lot of attention given to the plight of those who, like me, are already out of work as (in the words of the media) the recession starts to bite. I spent some time reading the stuff on the BBC web site, and quite frankly I am appalled at the ignorance displayed in the comments I’ve read….

I’ve been made redundant twice this year, being on the dole the first time ever in my life in February after the company I worked for went bust after 30 years trading. Four months in work and I’m redundant again – this time it has lasted for over 3 months and there’s currently not a lot of hope for employment in the near future. In order to find work I’ve posted my CV on all the internet job sites I’ve found, registered with every Recruitment Agency that has advertised a job that I could potentially hold down and then I read comments posted like:-

“Is it any wonder the rate is going up when it pays to sit on your backside?” by Simon, Stockport, England

“Scrap benefits and they will all do their best to find work instead of sitting on their backsides and sheet.” by G E Best, United Kingdom

“Limit the time you can be on JSA! Simple! “ by Ben

“Its not worth a lot of peoples time working, if they can only earn minimum wage, simply due to the stupid amount of benefits, discounts, and deductions that they get for not working at all!” by Chris Bloggs, Salford, UK, United Kingdom

Firstly, JSA is only paid out for 6 months, so Ben, you request has been granted. JSA is paid every 2 weeks at the rate of £60.50 per week, really generous, try living on that and nothing else, because that's all some people have. We are lucky to have some savings and Sue's job to keep us going (for now). As for scrapping benefits – because of my wife’s salary we don’t qualify for benefits, so why bother scrapping them? And if I was to go out and work for minimum wage, how do I cover my outgoings which are geared to an income 3 times my wife’s earnings, which in themselves are 3 times minimum wage?

On the assumption that these are genuine comments being posted by real people, all they do is prove is the level of ignorance of the general populace of the UK, and that they have no idea of the realities of being unemployed. And THAT is increasingly going to be the obstacle to the UK getting through and out of this recession, made all the worse by one Mr G Brown Esq. burying his head in the sand and denying the situation until the situation was too bad to be ignored.

Sunday relaxing

Sunday started early, 4:30 to be precise. I thought that as I couldn’t sleep I might as well get up and watch the Japanese Grand Prix. Amusing, interesting, unexpected…. Just some of the words that come to mind following the almighty cock-up that wonderboy Lewis Hamilton made between the start and end of the first lap. That was followed by a morning of domestic chores, Sunday roast at its usual time then an afternoon in the garden punctuated by a trip to the garden centre for some bulbs, plants and free mince pies with wine from Father Christmas – I kid you not! Then a spot of ironing, a simple teatime meal before blogging. Variety is the spice of life, as they used to say!

Mixed blessings

Yesterday I met up with some fellow Deauvilliers for an afternoon of “biker chat”. Steve and I met up at Donington Services just off the M1 at J24a, took the A453 to Ashby de la Zouch where we joined the A42/M42 down to J9 and then off on the A446/A452 southbound to Solihull. The Bulls Head, Baston Lane, Solihull was the pre-arranged meeting place where we met up with Murray and Benedict. Sat out in the garden in the sun, enjoying a glass or two of the finest, washing down a sarnie and all the time discussing biker topics including trips to and across Europe, places to visit in Czechoslovakia (the venue for DmD 2009) and other such topics, interrupted only by the braying of the resident donkey.

However, the was to be a fly in the ointment, one to take the shine off the day, which was that on returning to the bike it had a flat rear tyre. Fortunately I carry a small air compressor under the seat/tail hump so was able to re-inflate and ride home, but, it stands in the garage now awaiting a permanent solution tomorrow – hopefully a repair can be affected as the hole is very small and right near the centre line of the tyre. But I could have done without it....

Sometimes I feel that if I didn't have bad luck I'd have no luck at all, and it looks as if 2008 is going to go down in my personal history as THE year to forget.

Respite 2

Andy took his grandmother to see his Granddad at the Helen Lay Centre today. By all accounts father is looking the best he has for some 18 months, and the same can be said of mother. Both are thoroughly benefiting from the rest & respite. When they arrived dad was sitting up in his electric wheel chair (which had accompanied him on the trip) outside, ready and waiting for them to arrive. Apparently it’s not the first time he’s been outside this week either, having been out and around the grounds. Seems like he’s quite enjoying himself. He says that the staff are good and the other residents are nice. Andy was glad to see it at first hand and came home happy that his granddad is genuinely enjoying his stay.

Are things looking up?

This week has been a bit of a mixed bag. Yesterday I received an email saying that I wasn't successful in my application for a BA role with Barclaycard in Northampton, but, that I'd interviewed well and would be borne in mind for future roles. The role went to someone with a more technical background and web specific experience - which is what I was expecting, so again I'm a close 2nd.

I had a telephone interview for a BA role in Dudley yesterday, and have been selected for the next round of interviews, up against 2 or 3 other candidates. The locationisn't as close to home as I'd like but the role sounds right up my street - can't have everything I suppose. Good news is that a number of the guys working there ride motorbikes and usng mine to commute wouldn't be an issue (it is with some employers).

Also yesterday, I got confirmation of 2ns interview for a BA role in Burton on Trent. Again, the role sounds right up my street, but, this time it's just 20 minutes down the road. Unfortunately, the interview isn't until the 21st October which means another 2 weeks waiting.

So more positive / good news than bad, but still not landed that all important job.

Success for Viv

After 8 and a bit months searching for a job Viv has landed a job locally as a Relationship Manager in Derby - initially for 6 months to cover maternity leave. I wish her every success in her new role and hope that it leads to something more permanent.

Mother

With father in the Helen Lay Centre mother is starting to benefit from the respite she’s getting from being his carer 24/7. She’s making good use of her time. She’s had the old double bed ripped out and a new one installed. This is effectively 2 single beds joined together, but, made in such a way that they can be separated if required. Dad will be able to have his half raised so that he snores less and mum will be able to have her half reclined so that she sleeps more.

On top of that she’s having some pampering, getting her hair done and stuff like that, After watching her eat at the Beefeater after signing dad into The Centre, we then had mother up to ours for Sunday roast which she appeared to enjoy. She claims that she’s enjoying walking Sheba and feeling much more rested today, so all appears to be well I her world at the moment.

Interviews

Thursday 2nd October I responded to an invitation to register with an agency in Burton-upon-Trent with an immediate, first round interview for a Business Analyst role. No time to think (read, worry/dwell) on it just shoot straight on down and get it done. Which stood me in good stead for Friday as I’d got a “one shot” interview for another BA role in Northampton.

Thursday was successful, I was advised that I’d be in the 2nd round of interviews. Friday went well and I was told that I’d hear today – but I haven’t. I rang the agency and kept getting fobbed off, which can only mean that it’s not the good news I was hoping for.

Tomorrow I have a telephone interview for a BA role in Dudley. The prospective employer has done all the other candidates on a face to face basis but I’m getting a phone call. Doesn’t sound very hopeful, but, I’m still in until I’m told otherwise.

I’ve had a bit of a downer day today, so I can only hope that I’m feeling a good bit more positive again in the morning.

Respite

Dad went into the Helen Lay Centre near Leamington Spa yesterday. This time it is for 2 weeks, in order that both he, and more especially, mother get some respite from the routine that is mother caring for him 24x7. I went down at midday after mum rung me (as arranged) to tell me that the private ambulance had arrived to pick up dad to transport him to the centre. When I got there dad was already on the stretcher and in the ambulance. So after securing his wheelchair they departed, followed some minutes later by mother & I.

We followed the ambulance into The Centre, assisted where required and mother checked dad in, and we eventually got away around 3:30pm. During our time at The Centre I had established that mum had been up since 5:50 and at 15:30 still hadn’t had anything to eat or drink, so I requested a non-motorway route home from the gps sat-nav and on the cross country route I found a Beefeater pub where we pulled in and I made sure mother had a good meal and cuppa. We then hit the M42 / M1 / A50 for the quick route home.

Hopefully mother will get a full break and rest while other care for dad - she needs it. Anyway, we are having her join us for dinner today so that should be a start for her.

Help for Mother

Angie and John came up and stayed with mum and dad last weekend. John went back to Colchester on Sunday but Angie stayed on to help mother for a few days, going home on the coach on Thursday. Angie is in the same position that I am in that she too is currently without a job so her staying to help mum gave her a little break too, in her case, from job hunting. She spent Monday evening with us and she and Suzie didn’t stop exercising their jaws for the whole time of her visit. I did manage to get a couple of words in, but, not many. It was good to see the two of them relaxing in each others company.

Commiserations

I’m sure that all of her former colleagues at zeda will join me as I offer my commiserations and thoughts of deepest sympathy to Susan in Denby on the death of her father this week.

PMA

As human beings we all have a perception of every aspect of life that is different to everybody else’s. The reason for this is that there are so many factors that we all, unknowingly, take into account when filtering the information that is before us and on which we are making the judgement(s). For example, I like to think that I am reasonably well organised and that contrary to popular belief, I can multitask, something that it is claimed only women can do. Since becoming unemployed I have taken on the role of House Husband. This means that I do the laundry / washing (including tumble drying and ironing), the washing up, tidying the house and shopping. Additionally I mow the lawn, trim the hedges and bushes, do the recycling and put out the bins. I’m still seen as Dad’s Taxi, Bank of Dad and font of all knowledge (as in “Dad, have you seen my….” or “Dad, where’s the thingamybob”).

Now I put this all down to my PMA. That’s Positive Mental Attitude – an attribute I’ve been fortunate to have inherited from my parents, enhanced by my schooling (about the only good thing I can say about it) and a feature of both my business and private life. I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason, a positive reason, and that includes my current spell of unemployment. I believe that I act positively in all circumstances and that positive good will result from my actions. Everything is achievable, in it’s own time. And I like to think that people around me see my positive attitude and see me in a positive light. So it’s a gentle reminder, a nudge in the ribs, that this isn’t always the case when I hear the words “Don’t worry Phil, I’m sure you’ll find a job soon”. Just goes to show, my perception of me isn’t always in line with other peoples’. Thank God, I’m human.

Not tonight, dear....

While searching around I came across this article from The Times published in November 2007. I don't mind admitting, I made me smile. Career women and feminism , an experts view. Have a read, it might just make you smile too.

Fifty something and unemployed

There are times when I get so BORED with job hunting that I go off into lateral lines of though. And this happened to me the other day and I found myself on Google entering “Fifty something and unemployed” and then thought I’d share some of the gems with you here on my blog.

First up was Advice to the recently unemployed fifty something worker Published in May 2007 (an American to boot) it reflects the predicament that I and many more like me face. And the message is clear - we don't need all the materialistic trappings of life, so lets just simplify things a bit and declutter. Now is the perfect opportunity to do so.

Next up was Unemployment is a full-time job I can identify with that sentiment. This piece isn't particularly well written, but, it is written from the heart.

Albert Ellis is Chief Executive Office of Harvey Nash, the global professional recruitment and IT Outsourcing consultancy. Here’s what he had to say on the subject of Recruitment and the global slow down on the July 15, 2008. I wonder what he’d write now?

Then I found this article. It’s one year old but still relevant – Serious career changes during middle-age. Has anyone ever done it? Could I do it? More importantly, should I do it? I keep thinking about it, is now the time to do it?

The Credit Crunch – my take on it

It has been a while since I had a good rant so here’s one that’s long overdue…. The world of finance is in turmoil. Banks are going under, merging or being nationalised (trust good old Labour to come up with that one).

Why?

For 2 reasons. Firstly in America they embarked on sub-prime lending, and secondly, other banks were then stupid enough to trade on those mortgages. All done in the belief that property values can go up as well as up! Well it’s not like that in the real world. What goes up DOES come down!

So how do that banks react when the nasty brown smelly stuff hits the high speed whirly rotating thing? They react by NOT lending to each other, by stock piling their cash. Now the only reason anybody refuses to lend to somebody else is if they don’t believe the borrower when they say they will repay the money borrowed. In other words, at the moment ALL the banks are calling each other “LIAR!”, and the only reason they can have for doing that is if they themselves are being “economic” with the truth (i.e. they are lying).

Surely the banking institutions are there to do business. That means take it in with one hand (savings and deposits) and give it out with the other (loans and mortgages). There is only one reason for stock piling money, akin to us sticking it under the mattress, and that is to ensure that it is still there to pay out fat cat bonuses that haven’t been earned (no change there then).

So why have supposedly good banks and building societies gone belly up? Well that’s down to traders and their “Chinese Whispers”. If I was to say that I think such and such a venture is about to fail, then nobody much listens, much less cares. If what I said is repeated in a local news paper then a few people will take note and may boycott that venture. Then if the regional news program or local current affairs program repeats what I said, a few hundred more people may react in the same way. It could then get onto national TV and all of a sudden nobody wants to be involved with what is probably a perfectly good venture, but, which I spoke ill of.

And THAT is exactly what traders in the city have done. They have perpetuated concerns by betting that a venture (in this case, banks) will fail and everybody and his dog has followed suit. Tell a child that he or she is thick often enough and in the end they will believe that they are thick, and they will under-perform. And it’s no different with the banks. Everybody was placing bets that certain banks would fail, so fail they did.

And the worst thing about it is that the TRADERS that started it all off were proved right, so their bets were good, so they made MEGA BUCKS. And THEN the financial world is amazed when the American Congress vetoes the proposal by George W Bush (junior) to pump $700 billion into the banks and a system that has rejected meaningful regulation since it’s inception.

So what of the future? I have no doubt that GWB (jnr) will get $700 billion to pump into the system and shore up capitalism. And our favourite scot, GB, will do the same for Banks GB Incorporated. I'm just not convinced that the "day of reckoning" will ever catch up with those that it needs to catch up with and take to task. And who will pick up the tab for all this? You and I, the silent minority, in the form of income tax, value added tax, road fund duty (tax), council tax, rates, speeding fines, etc…. Meantimes, the fat cats will get considerably fatter. Bitter, me? Nah! Not a bit. Just remember, next time you hear somebody described as a “high flyer” in either Banking or The City – what they really are is someone who is on their way to becoming a “fat cat”.

I like (nice) surprises

First surprise of the day was a phone call from Don to say that he was making a delivery up in Kirkby in Ashfield, and asking if that was far from me in Derby. Too far off his route to get away with (vehicle tracker fitted to his HGV) but close enough to the local motorway services for us to meet up for a cuppa – thanks mate, I owe you one.

Second surprise was that while we were queuing for Don to pay for the cuppa, my mobile rings and it’s Liz from Real Resourcing to say that she’s got me an interview at 10:00 on Friday. So I’m all smiles for the rest of the day and nice and chirpy for the half hour or so it took Don and I to down a cuppa.

On the way back home I paid for 6 months Road Fund Duty on the car, got home and fitted the tax disc to the windscreen. Tidied up and put away my tools, having fitted new front brake pads to Mark’s scooter before going off to meet Don and phoned the bike shop when a test ride by Mark suggested that there is something seriously wrong with the transmission – I just hope it lasts long enough to get it to the bike shop. They fitted new rollers/belt/pulleys so they can sort it out.

Then, at around 15:00 it was down to sorting through the email alerts to see if there were any jobs for me to take a pop at. More good news – 2 that I didn’t recognise as ones that I’d already had an unsuccessful go at, so I “applied on-line” which is all one can ever do.

Then I got an email from Lofty (real name Carol). An ex-colleague at zeda she decided to take retirement when the firm collapsed as she’d only got to get to May in order to do so anyway. Seems that she has just got back from a holiday in St Lucia, where she got a bug in the second week that meant she had to rest up for a few days. What a bummer! Having to rest up in St Lucia. Things like that don’t happen to me. Nice one Lofty, where are you off to next?

Smile – but a ride away

Back tracking a bit here, but Friday was my sign-on day at the Wardwick Job Seeker Plus office. My regular handler is the lovely Lauren and she was there waiting (as just about all her colleagues appeared to be, many of them doing their hair, make-up, etc…). As usual she called me straight through, and we went through the now familiar routine. My 10 minutes are quickly over and I’m off back home and spend the rest of the day searching for jobs, without much luck.

So back to today, and after a week of lows, and no good news in any measure, this afternoon I found myself with a couple of hours “free time”. Out with the bike and off for a short ride to blow away the cobwebs. Only out for an hour but the smile is back on my face and I’m feeling human again. The bike has given me back my soul. The car may have to be sold, but whatever happens the bike stays – it does something that a car can never do.

You should see the smile

Andy has been away at the BMW college near Reading for most of the week, getting home late on Thursday. Having had a complimentary BMW 118d for the week he’s back home to his new (to him) Honda Civic Type R. Does he like it? You should see the smile!

Today Angie and John have come up to stay with Mum & Dad for the weekend. Needless to say, this afternoon Andy had to take them out for a trip round the block, but, not until he’d given it a wash and polish. He’s had it 10 days and it’s been washed and polished more times than John’s Ford Focus which he’s had for 4 years.

What a waste of time

Thursday morning, spirits high and I’m off to Chesterfield for an interview. I’ve driven in a nice and relaxed manner but still arrive early enough for 20 minutes sat in the car in the car park before going inside, 10 minutes early to sit in the foyer for 20 minutes before being fetched up into the board room. 15 minutes later I’m being shown out because I’m “over qualified” for the role (which isn’t a Project Manager role as advertised, but a CRM role) and she believes that with 2-3 weeks I’d be bored.

I could go on, but won’t. Suffice to say, what a waste of time!