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

I need an assistant*! How would he feel about commuting to Southampton, though?

No?

<BB<

(*The wage isn't very good, and I don't actually sit on the interview panel.)

[[[ lil ]]]

[Amy P]

21st of November

Mostly just feeling ill this morning. Full of cold and ick.

Still planning on going out for the day to make myself feel better though; staying in the house only tends to make me feel more mopey.

[Amy P]

Get better soon! You're the second person to develop a cold overnight, although in the other journal I read, it was reported as 'manflu'

Try the hot toddy cold cure - without alcohol, I remember discussing it with you a long time ago.

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It's been brewing for a couple of days, but it wasn't that bad until last night when it stopped me sleeping properly.

On the plus side, we did get out to Attingham and had a really lovely walk. We hadn't actually brought enough clothes but thankfully was content to be on my back so we were pretty toasty. He even had a nap on the way round which will hopefully mean he will be less over-tired this evening. *crosses fingers*

22nd of November

It's been photo admin today, sorting out all my (electronic) photos into folders on my PC. It's not been done for ages and seemed to take ages! We don't have many good ones the last few months; he's just so energetic that I don't get a chance to have him standing still while I get the camera out.

I keep telling you, whiskey and orange juice

We took photos of the kids wearing Father Christmas hats to go in the Christmas cards this morning.

<BB<

[Amy P]

23rd of November

A tiring day yesterday. I tried out a different sling with , which I must have put on incorrectly because it reeeeally didn't feel right. I re-tied it in town and my second attempt was better, but all has to do is wiggle in a particular way and POP! he's come out of it. Mini and Sol, you may know what I mean! I know there's unpoppable carries and I should look them up, but so far nothing compares to the comfort of my nylon buckle carrier! It's so odd that I can't get the hang of lovely soft cotton...

In the afternoon we all drove to Birmingham, as Mr Vip had an intervew with a recruitment agent. As we expected, he would be a shoo-in for any jobs that match his skill set... but those jobs turn up once in a blue moon. Instead he's been out of IT for too long to get an IT job, and is too inexperienced to get a Finance job. It's not impossible, but we've also got to come to terms with the fact that we will probably have to move house to get the job he wants. People have often said that Shrewsbury is the death of careers, because people would rather stay here than have one. So we may well have to make that choice.

In the evening I managed to get to orchestra for the first time in months. It's Chrismas, so the Christmas music came out, which I quite like. Unfortunately, however, there was almost no viola music (we get given a copy of the second violin part instead. Uh, thanks??). Luckily, however, I'd sort of thought ahead and brought my clarinet, and I loved it. By fluke I picked a stonking reed and although my embouchure wasn't perfect and gave out after a while, I had a really nice time. I'll get bored quickly playing third clarinet, but I think I'll stick to it for the last couple of weeks before Christmas and then return to viola next year.

So, all in all, a mixed day.

Today has potential to be good, although I would have preferred not having a 5am start. Hey ho. At least I got from midnight to five with only a few wake ups due to my cold, not due to waking me, so I can't complain. I don't think I'm safe to drive yet though!

Viola is such an under-rated instrument.

And you could do worse than live in Birmingham. Excellent orchestra, Sadlers Wells...

I did my degree in Birmingham, and I liked it while I was there. I was ready to leave after four years though, I was done. I'm not a city girl. Leeds was too big too.

We really like living in Shrewsbury, that's the problem (and how it got its reputation - it's just a nice place). We don't want to move away, but I want Mr Vip to be happy at work and I fear that Shrewsbury won't have a job for him.

And I agree, the viola is underated. Who wouldn't want a C string instead of an E string anyway??

T'other half plays Viola too, it's a lovely sound.

You could always move to Manchester

And to be honest, I really don't think it would take MrVip that long to get up to speed with the IT aspect. At the moment kids straight out of Uni with *no* experience and less ability are getting hired. And even though Manchester is a city, it's still quite small.

Manchester is bloody huge, Pastey! Sometimes I think *Shrewsbury* is a bit big for me.

I agree, it would take Mr Vip no time at all, but if even a recruitment agent is a bit concerned (and those blokes are paid to be over-optimistic) then employers may well take the same view. He certainly hasn't had any kind of a bite yet.

It's that old thing of just because someone would be fabulous at a job doesn't mean that you can convince an employer of that fact.

Go straight to the employers.

More and more of them are advertising with "No Agencies Please" on their job posts.

[Amy P]

24th of November

At the moment I feel like the only person who didn't enjoy last night's episode of Doctor Who.