Journal Entries
Who gives you Extra?
Posted Nov 24, 2006
Work type news here. I got a phonecall just now from a temping agency that I left my CV with ages ago. I missed it, mainly due to not wanting to answer it in the library, but I called back and they're offering me some data-entry work at a high-street financial institution that shall remain anonymous. This is good because I want some experience in administration.
Some of you may know that I'm currently doing some part-time, temporary shop work until Christmas, so I'd have to knock that on the head, but I won't feel too guilty, because this job is expected to last until at least February, instead of chucking me out on Christmas Eve . It will also pay better than minimum wage.
Anyhow, let's not get carried away just yet because I have to go in and be assessed on Monday. From the phonecall it's just going to be the sort of computing and accuracy tests that I could do on my head (though I won't, because appearing too eccentric might not help my chances), but I've had stuff before that I thought was more-or-less a formality, and then not got the job.
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Latest reply: Nov 24, 2006
Some awkward sods and some helpful people.
Posted Sep 19, 2006
Well the Job Centre are still being awkward about me being an h2g2 Sub-ed. Now I've got some forms to fill in as to how many hours and minutes I do each day. Trouble is they were backdated three weeks and I had to tell them I have no idea which days I did stuff. So I've written out a thing saying that I definitely didn't do more than 6 hours a week (the limit's 16).
What's annoyed me is that the woman I spoke to last week wrote on the computer that I was "vague" about whether or not I got paid, which is a total lie - I'm sure you all know that we Subs do it for the fun of it and because we want to help make the guide better. She shouted over to the guy I who was dealing with me this week to tell him not to read stuff out loud like that.
Anyway, in happier news I found an employment agency that might actually be helpful - I registered online, and it told me to go into the office, where they gave me some tests to do (an improvement on most agencies, who seem to take my CV and sound unenthusiastic). They've put me forward for two jobs and they'll let me know tomorrow.
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Latest reply: Sep 19, 2006
Well, that was stupid
Posted Sep 16, 2006
I'm sitting here in the local library on a computer (you probably guessed I was on the computer). I needed to get a file from my floppy disk, so I reached down and pushed it into the computer. It didn't make the usual clicking noise of a disk going into a disk drive, so I looked and I have in fact pushed it into the gap between the DVD drive and the floppy drive. I tried to push it out with a ruler, but it just dropped down from the plastic bit at the front on to the top of the floppy drive proper. They said they'll get an engineer out urgently, which hopefully means Monday.
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Latest reply: Sep 16, 2006
Not being lazy
Posted Jul 18, 2006
This is my first full day back after my holiday and I slept in until about 10 o'clock. Feeling a bit guilty, I got on with some stuff that should help me find work / save money. Filled in a form to get on the Publishing Training Centre's freelance directory, emailed the SfEP to get sent a template to fill in to get on their Associates Available list, and phoned the Student Loans Company to get sent some forms to defer my payments. Less piously I read h2g2 and some webcomics and ordered the Thursday Next boxset from Amazon. (I heartily recommend Jasper Fforde as a writer, in spite of the silly spelling of his surname - he's a bit like Douglas Adams in inventiveness, but his plots hang together better than Adams's do.)
Dinner time. Ate sandwiches while watching an episode of my new Family Guy DVDs. Found the geode I bought near Hyp's. Couldn't find a hammer, so hit it with a brick instead (being able to find bricks lying around, but not actual tools must be on one of those "You know you're ... when" lists). It's white and sparkly inside.
Afternoon. Went into town, returned library book (Lost in a Good Book by the aforementioned Jasper Fforde and starring the aforementioned Thursday Next) and got some new ones. Went to bank to change US dollars into real money, and get some more money out. Feeling a little guilty about using Amazon, went to local bookshop and bought four books on a BOGOF offer. Bought fruit at market and other supplies at supermarket.
Home. Went on internet. Read National Union of Journalists' website about being freelance. Had a look for any useful Micro$oft invoice templates; downloaded a couple. Read the "special features" (y'know, like on a DVD) on Jasper Fforde's website. Pleased to see that the scene that reminded me of Dirty Harry was based on Dirty Harry and not on some book that Dirty Harry ripped off. Looked at h2g2. Decided to write journal.
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Latest reply: Jul 18, 2006
A quandary
Posted Jun 4, 2006
I have in front of me five bottle caps from Wychwood beers. These are good for a (relatively) cheap Wychwood T-shirt, but which one should I get? There are three available by quoting references from bottles.
The classic Hobgoblin Lagerboy shirt: http://www.secureonlineshopping.biz/wychwood/products.asp?recnumber=64
A nifty design with a slogan I entirely approve of.
The White Wych shirt: http://cnb-host1.clickandbuild.com/cnb/shop/hobgoblinns?productID=168&op=catalogue-product_info-null&prodCategoryID=14
The artwork on this is quite lovely.
The England Expects shirt
Sorry, can't find a picture, but it's a red shirt with an England lion picked out in gold and black, a swirly "England Expects" slogan and an England's Ale logo. Just in time for the world cup.
So, a difficult decision. I'm a little unsure as to whether the latter two are still available, given that they don't appear on the current website - I wonder what happens if I order an out-of-print shirt.
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Latest reply: Jun 4, 2006
Bagpuss
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