h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's been one of those weeks.

Started by being told my name was in one of the national Sunday newspapers. I didn't believe it. However, it was true. A journalist had posed as a candidate for a post I was advertising, hoping to expose wasteful spending and 'jobs for the boys'. He didn't find either (the job was to help save children's lives on the road and we appointed externally). He admitted to feeling guilty in the interview of stringing us along until he was asked about how he would operate the scheme in a population with a rich cultural diversity. He didn't get the job because he couldn't remember his fabricated experience and he couldn't demonstrate how how would do the nuts and bolts of the job when we pushed him. He also smelled of alcohol.

It got better. I heard we had definite funding for one of my posts for another year!

Then I had a member of staff resign. Good for her, as she has a brilliant permanent job out of it, which she wouldn't have got if she hadn't gained the experience with us. For me, it means going through another recruitment.

We put up our Christmas tree and external twinkly lights (for the first time - but no plastic Santa!). Still to decorate the tree. The lights don't work and I need to find replacement bulbs (or buy another set if I can't find them).

We were going to go to the Dome today - there's a great event going on there: http://www.winterwonderlanduk.com/, however little pinched and lost the key to the food cupboard, so we're now not going. Shame as I had two free tickets which only operate today.

Oh ZSF

Are you feeling more relaxed today?

Do you think it's something to do with Christmas being just round the corner? I reckon it not only makes everybody a bit hyper-active (not just children), but inanimate objects get the vibes too.

At work I'm surrounded by people telling me *We need to get this done by Christmas*, as if we're not going to be here in January. The Xmas holidays become a weird invisible barrier to the time beyond. Perhaps it's everybody wanting to get things off their desks by then, so that they can spend their holiday relaxed and not thinking about the pile of unfinished work waiting for them when they return.

This year too, winter generally seems to have crept up on us very quickly. That wonderful long summer and the long bronze-tinted autumn lasted well into November, so that when the gloomy, dark weather turned up it was just too much of a shock to the system. Now we're all trying to get to grips with the shortest day being just 2 weeks away -

I had a frantic week at work and at home - and very little time for h2g2 unfortunately. Then last night a huge picture fell off the kitchen wall just as I fell asleep. The wire had broken and it fell, smashing a wall-heater switch to smithereens on the way down. The picture is completely unmarked.

I'm thinking calm thoughts today!


Frenchbean

I couldn't agree more. F/b!

It's the 'I want to finish the year clear' syndrome and having time off at Christmas - I'm taking the same time off that little has, which amounts to about two weeks - so the net result is wanting to do four weeks work in two. With the extra work of two staff leaving - that on its own would be fine - but I need to look at their job descriptions too, before advertising for permanent staff.

I know the 'invisible barrier- is there in some of my work. I didn't mention that I was arranging for a theatre production in secondary schools next week which has gone pear shaped because lots of the schools have mock exams and suddenly the halls which would have been used are not available. Out of 10 slots, only 4 have been filled. What a waste of money. If the schools had told me this in July when I first contacted them or in September when I was confirming the timetable, I could have rearranged the whole thing for later in the year.

On top of that, there is the uncertainty of what will happen to us when my boss takes voluntary redundancy at the end of March.

On the other hand, I am looking forward to a relaxed Christmas with Roy, which will be a real pleasure.

Mmm, your picture story sounds spooky. What was the subject of the picture. I'm assuming it wasn't glass fronted, or was it?

I'll send you calm thoughts too. I need to remember to keep my shoulders down and to relax.

Hello ZSF

Sounds like you could do with emptying your brain a bit. Any chance of that? Way too busy in there at the moment...

The picture isn't glass-fronted. It's an oil painting by a Scottish artist, Jane Jeffrey, who I WWOOFed for 3 years ago. It hung on the stairs up to my bedroom in her house and I admired it hugely while I worked there. When I left I arranged to buy it in installments and picked it up about 6 months later. The subject are the Paps of Jura, 2 fishermen (one of whom I reckon is a woman) in a blue and white striped boat, tipping and bucketing on a sea of giant fish and the whirlpools of Corrievreckan. It's predominantly blue, with great swirls of oranges and yellows. A big frame: 4ftx4ft. Called *In Times of Change*


Frenchbean

Sounds nice. I don't have any walls in my kitchen for pictures. Come to that, I don't have any walls anywhere in the house - it's all either shelves, doors or windows. The only expanse of wall where you could hang a picture is in the narrow hall and you can't stand back and admire it then. As I'm no good on pictures, I don't mind that at all. As long as I can hear music, I don't need art to look at. Now an original picture is something else, of course!.

I find that actually planning to do something in January and writing that down for yourself in your scheduler or preparing a basket to keep the "January" projects in does relieve your mind of those worries. If you have actually *planned* to worry about them after Christmas, then they do not weigh on your conscience any more.

However, there are things, mainly involving book-keeping etc., that do have to be done by the end of the year. So I'm looking to concentrate on those - which at least reduces the load of "must-do-before-Christmas" Most stress is self-induced. Who will it matter to, apart from me, if this or that little job is not done by Christmas?

Hi F/b!

Yes, way too busy at the moment! There are other work projects with time limits to them such as getting the accounts ready for a professional association. I volunteered to do it because no-one else would, and people have pointed out that I've sent cheques for the wrong amounts - a largeish underpayment and a small overpayment. I'm not confident with finances generally. They have to be audited soon! Perhaps I should have sat on my hands.

I'm not sure how I can empty my brain at the moment - particularly in respect of work matters. I meditate in the mornings before going into work - presumably it would be worse if I didn't.

Your picture sounds really nice, particularly as it's an original - and you knew the artist!

Hi TC!

Your idea of writing things down to relieve the mind of the worries is a good one. I know it's something I should do. Self development stuff tells me to do it. I think that one of the reasons I'm stressed (it's not only around Christmas, it's a year round thing) is that I'm doing one thing and thinking of lots of other things that need doing, so that I don't concentrate fully on what I'm doing and am tempted to multi-task. If I had everything written down, at least I could 'park' them for a while.

Do you have a scheduler and a basket of projects, TC?

I agree that most stress is self-induced.

Ohh! Poor Z it seems like you've had an awful week too!

*transmits calming thoughts too* Chant: "Things *will* work out well! Things *will* work out well!" Well, you get the idea, yeh?

Hope you feel calmer soon Z

Prideth

Hi Z

I am very sorry that you have had such an awful week.

I find the Christmas period very hetic but I find the only way to cope is to do little bits at a time and try and not to worry. Previously I have tried to do everything at once and ended up tiring myself. I hope you and little is keeping well. I hope everyone is having a stress free time as possible.

Kat

Thanks for the good wishes and positive thoughts, Prideth and Kat.

Well, I have to say, yesterday was stressful too. At work, a colleague was *very* supset after a much loved dog she was looking after died - it's family had split up and it was going to have been shipped to America. It was severely depressed. Then another colleague had to go to hospital with her son, who'd fallen off a train earlier in the morning. Then there was the hate mail letter.

On the postitive side, there was someone who wrote an article about her experience of being in my qigong classes. She says it's helped her deal with a very stressful six weeks and that it's helped her come off her blood pressure medication with her doctor's blessing!

Oh yes, and last night I went to a Mayor's reception for the 50th anniversary of the School Crossing Patrol Service. Little came too. A couple of them took the microphone and sang, so little went up too and sang 'Jingle Bells' for them.

Hi Z

Thank goodness some wonderfully positive things have happened for you too! Makes all the difficult stuff that bit easier to bear ! I'm genuinely pleased for you Z !

Prideth

Thanks Prideth

Today, I presented the qigong course to the director's management team and got them to do one of the exercises. I told them how things had gone and they decided I should do two more courses from January and then promise an advanced level course following that. They agreed to buy course materials and the Director advised all the team to attend too!!!

Then after a team meeting and a birthday lunch, I had the final qigong session finishing with a nice meditation session and I offered everyone a bonus session next Thursday just doing a meditation. And I got a couple of presents from people there.

Yes, it's made up for a lot of the rubbish earlier on in the week.

Yay!!! That's fabulous news Z !!!

Was it your birthday yesterday then? If so, a belated very happy birthday Z ! Here's a for you. It's of a type we give on Phareele, and before you open it, you must close your eyes, make a wish for your heart's desire, then open it to find your dream come true!

Prideth

No it wasn't my birthday Prideth !

It was my admin officer. (Do I have to give the back?)

Actually, two of the people on my qigong course gave me a present - I had a box of and a smelly - a lovely scented drawer sachet. Wasn't that nice?

What would your heart's desire be?

No, of course you musn't give the back Z , it would lose its !

That was really nice of the people on your qigong course! They must think an awful lot of you!

Hmmmm.....my heart's desire??? I know this is probably cliched, but, I'd give anything for a world like Phareele, where they treasure all life forms, and use instead of resource sapping technology!

Other than that, a house in the open countryside would be rather nice! *lol*

How about yourself Z ?

Prideth

Mmm, Prideth , let me see.

I'd like to find my true path in life - find out what I should really be doing - perhaps something that helps others to find *their* true purpose. I'd like a loving supportive relationship. Financial freedom. A house in the country - one built on ecological lines. And to be a better mother and enjoy little more. Oh yes, and to love myself and be really comfortable in my skin.

Hmmm, sounds to me as though you're half way there already Z .

a) From what you've already said, you *do* help people and make a difference to their lives.

b) I don't think anyone who has read how you write about little , could possibly believe you could be any better a mother!!!

c) From your postings, you also seem to have a loving and supportive relationship with Roy.

d) The financial freedom and an ecologically friendly country house: still to get. I hope you do!

Then comes the biggie!
"to love myself and to be really comfortable in my skin" If you could see what others do, you would!

Prideth

I think I'm a bit hormonal at the moment, Prideth .

I've come to recognise that when I'm self critical and tearful as I am at the moment, that it's usually PMT. I used to think 'Oh my word, what's going on, why do I feel like this?' Now I recognise the signs and know that it will pass in a while.

I think you're right. I'm part way there. I do know that I don't enjoy little as much as I might. I would like to enjoy dancing in the leaves a bit more, too. I would like to lighten up a bit more sometimes. Mind you, I can be silly. I don't mind doing stuff that others sometimes wouldn't for fear of embarrassment, like tackling that climbing wall. So I'm not entirely a lost cause!

Hormones, who'd 'ave 'em?! Lot to answer for, those chemical s! *lol* (I am female too, honest! I know it sounds like somat a *man* would say, *lol*, they're not allowed, we are! *lol*). I know the feelin' .

"Lost cause"? Never!!! Not when you climb walls, and can have child-like fun! As for the dancing in the leaves, that's not your fault having heavy bags of shopping! The important thing is that you really wanted to join in too. You're only truly a *grown* up (pun definitely intended this time, *lol*) when you don't get the urge to dance in the leaves! There's always next year!

Prideth

With me, Prideth , it usually manifests as , rather than , or . Stories about people being comforted or finding love, or being cared for make me cry - not the bits about them losing things or sad things happening to them - those leave me dry eyed.

Yes, I did want to dance in the leaves with him and I'm not too old to do silly things .

I wouldn't want to be a BOF (boring old fart)!