I swear I'm a little bit psychic. Sometimes weird things happen, like I know what someone's going to say next, and I'm always having dejá vu.
Anyway, I dreamt the other night that I worked at the local convenience store/corner shop; and it's come true! After that dream, I handed in my CV and they told me they had nothing available, but would call if anything came up. I pretty much wrote it off there and then as I've heard similar things so many times now. But the owner called me yesterday as an opening had come up; I went for a trial shift today, and now have 24 hours a week in paid employment!
I'm so relieved. I know its only working in a crummy shop (actually I've been going there all my life, which is weird, and it's a great shop! It's just had a huge extension, and is a real lifeline to some people who can't get to the town centre) but the timing couldn't be better for Christmas spending money, and it's not exactly hard work. I reckon it's gonna be quite fun. I've already surprised some well-known locals by being there, and there's many more to come.
Funnily enough, I've just received a survey from the University about my employment status. I'll be sure to fill it in truthfully!
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Nutty as a Fruitcake
This year's Christmas cake?..... Done!
Ever since I got interested in cooking, about age 11, I've made the family Christmas cake every year (minus the few years at uni, where I had much more 'important' things to be doing).
It should be done this early, a month or two in advance, to allow the flavours to settle and develop. This year I went for a really sticky version, with black treacle and plenty of brandy. It's a BBC recipe this time, amended slightly according to taste, of course (meaning more brandy and no mixed peel - I hate it).
So, after nearly four hours in the oven (the house smelled amazing), it's all wrapped up in greaseproof paper and foil, only to be opened to top up with brandy, and to be decorated. Which is where I've come unstuck.
Annual cakes means annual designs. I've done stars, snowflakes, presents, snowmen, angels, even penguin! You name it, I've done it, so I'm keeping my eyes peeled for inspiration. The Wizard thinks a snowman version of his halloween Jack-O-Lantern (see previous post) would be cool, but he thinks it should have a 3D carrot nose, which I'm a little dubious of! Anything symmetrical would be good, as the cake is to travel between various family members at Christmas, so wouldn't look as good if half the picture disappeared.
Maybe I'll just get loads of edible glitter and go crazy.
Ever since I got interested in cooking, about age 11, I've made the family Christmas cake every year (minus the few years at uni, where I had much more 'important' things to be doing).
It should be done this early, a month or two in advance, to allow the flavours to settle and develop. This year I went for a really sticky version, with black treacle and plenty of brandy. It's a BBC recipe this time, amended slightly according to taste, of course (meaning more brandy and no mixed peel - I hate it).
So, after nearly four hours in the oven (the house smelled amazing), it's all wrapped up in greaseproof paper and foil, only to be opened to top up with brandy, and to be decorated. Which is where I've come unstuck.
Annual cakes means annual designs. I've done stars, snowflakes, presents, snowmen, angels, even penguin! You name it, I've done it, so I'm keeping my eyes peeled for inspiration. The Wizard thinks a snowman version of his halloween Jack-O-Lantern (see previous post) would be cool, but he thinks it should have a 3D carrot nose, which I'm a little dubious of! Anything symmetrical would be good, as the cake is to travel between various family members at Christmas, so wouldn't look as good if half the picture disappeared.
Maybe I'll just get loads of edible glitter and go crazy.
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
The Shepherdess
It's been ultra-quiet on the job front, even with my newfangled job-hunting spreadsheet to keep track of things, so I booked myself in on a careers fair down in Brighton. It's specifically media-related, with lots of big companies to talk to about finding a way in to the industry. I also paid a fiver to get my portfolio checked out by the media professionals.
I was quite looking forward to a constructive afternoon on the seafront, so I was pretty surprised yesterday when a London agency phoned me to come to London and register, as they wanted to put me in for two interviews today!
I have been considering working in London lately, and have always wanted to give it a bash. I'm lucky enough to have family there who I could stay with until I got on my feet; failing that, it's about a 90 minute commute. So I dropped everything, borrowed the train fare, warned my Nan I was coming to stay, and bolted up to Oxford Street to be 'prepped' for interview.
I didn't get either job; even after being called back this afternoon for a second interview. I got the call on the train home. Hey, at least they're efficient with the feedback!
So I missed out on Brighton, and on the job, but broadened my horizons somewhat today. I'll put it all down to experience and keep thinking positively!
The best part of this exhausting day? Finding the gem that is The Shepherdess cafe on City Road. Proper grub, proper cheap, proper cuppa, proper caff. All newspapers available for your perusal, and I even charged my phone. Recommended.
I was quite looking forward to a constructive afternoon on the seafront, so I was pretty surprised yesterday when a London agency phoned me to come to London and register, as they wanted to put me in for two interviews today!
I have been considering working in London lately, and have always wanted to give it a bash. I'm lucky enough to have family there who I could stay with until I got on my feet; failing that, it's about a 90 minute commute. So I dropped everything, borrowed the train fare, warned my Nan I was coming to stay, and bolted up to Oxford Street to be 'prepped' for interview.
I didn't get either job; even after being called back this afternoon for a second interview. I got the call on the train home. Hey, at least they're efficient with the feedback!
So I missed out on Brighton, and on the job, but broadened my horizons somewhat today. I'll put it all down to experience and keep thinking positively!
The best part of this exhausting day? Finding the gem that is The Shepherdess cafe on City Road. Proper grub, proper cheap, proper cuppa, proper caff. All newspapers available for your perusal, and I even charged my phone. Recommended.
Monday, 9 November 2009
Jubilation Graduation
What a weekend. What a graduation! I can barely see the screen... I slept 14 hours last night and I'm still tired - and feeling a mixture of emotions at the same time.
I'm happy that I had a great weekend and it all went smoothly, a little bit proud of myself, relieved that the ceremony's over, sad that this chapter is all over, nostalgic, hungover, drained, brain-dead, and looking forward to the future (STILL, even though it's been five months looking for work now. Just proves my positive persona I guess). And I wouldn't change a second of it.
What really got my nerves going wasn't getting up in front of 400-or-so peers, and their nearest and dearest, to receive my degree. I was more worried about my Mum and Dad being in the same room for the first time after 5 years of divorce. First-born daughter in the middle or what! But as it turns out, they were fine (well, polite and civil) and my tummy was churning all morning at the thought of that stage. Somehow when you're up there, queuing, it seems about three miles wide.
The ceremony provides the university with the ultimate opportunity to show off. I've never seen, or heard of, the Chancellor in my life, and can only vaguely recall the name of the Vice Chancellor. Yet they gave prolific speeches, gushing about how proud they are of us - when really all they're proud of is the amount of cold hard cash going into their pockets and the 'targets' they are achieving. Although they were quite convincing, they've given the same speeches all week at the other ceremonies, so us students could see right through their flimsy disguise. All the parents were impressed though, so they just about pulled it off.
I'm happy that I had a great weekend and it all went smoothly, a little bit proud of myself, relieved that the ceremony's over, sad that this chapter is all over, nostalgic, hungover, drained, brain-dead, and looking forward to the future (STILL, even though it's been five months looking for work now. Just proves my positive persona I guess). And I wouldn't change a second of it.
What really got my nerves going wasn't getting up in front of 400-or-so peers, and their nearest and dearest, to receive my degree. I was more worried about my Mum and Dad being in the same room for the first time after 5 years of divorce. First-born daughter in the middle or what! But as it turns out, they were fine (well, polite and civil) and my tummy was churning all morning at the thought of that stage. Somehow when you're up there, queuing, it seems about three miles wide.
The ceremony provides the university with the ultimate opportunity to show off. I've never seen, or heard of, the Chancellor in my life, and can only vaguely recall the name of the Vice Chancellor. Yet they gave prolific speeches, gushing about how proud they are of us - when really all they're proud of is the amount of cold hard cash going into their pockets and the 'targets' they are achieving. Although they were quite convincing, they've given the same speeches all week at the other ceremonies, so us students could see right through their flimsy disguise. All the parents were impressed though, so they just about pulled it off.
So then we all went and got horribly drunk - spending a lot of money in the process, seeing as we don't live in town anymore so had to fork out for hotels, and pay full price for drinks instead of Tuesday night specials like £1-a-pint. The 'graduate discount card' provided by the uni was useless, only allowing 10% off 'selected' drinks at 'selected' places (not at 'fun' places).
The Graduation Ball was OK, but not worth the £30 ticket price. Freddie and the Freeloaders were good, in a predictable, easy-listening kind of way, but Does It Offend You, Yeah! were absolutely awful - not party music at all! Mistajam mashed together a good mix of old and new, and the Infamous Request Junkies have never failed to please our ears at student nights all through uni. At least the DJs gave us lot the chance to rave away at the front together for one last time... If it wasn't for all our friends (including The Wiz's rowdy lot), it wouldn't have been half as good.
Sunday saw a late breakfast at an indie bar in town. Breakfast club there lasts until 2pm, but had never been experienced by any of us. Not really surprising that you don't consider an indie bar when considering breakfast. Anyway, for £4 it was bloody good. Even if it took a while as the barman cooked it all from scratch (we left him a good tip).
The rest of the day was spent lazing around in pubs watching football, and the rest, as they say, is history...
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Your Suite in Nature
I've been busy writing articles for www.wideworldmag.co.uk - an online outdoor sports/adventure magazine.
It's unpaid work, but great to see my writing in print (on screen!). At the moment most pieces are short and newsy, but I hope to be writing longer features for them soon.
Here's the best so far (well, certainly the most interesting):
It's unpaid work, but great to see my writing in print (on screen!). At the moment most pieces are short and newsy, but I hope to be writing longer features for them soon.
Here's the best so far (well, certainly the most interesting):
This is the "Opera" trailer tent, designed by Axel Enthoven of the Academy of Industrial Design in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. It boasts two luxury beds, that slide together at the touch of a button, hot and cold running water, warm air heating, a mobile cooker and an espresso bar. All finished in luxury stainless steel, leather and hardwood, yet it still comes with the unbeatable feeling of sleeping under canvas. Available 2010.
Read my article here: http://www.wideworldmag.co.uk/news/trailer-tent-that-sings
Monday, 2 November 2009
Jack-O-Lantern
Haven't done one of these bad boys for many a year, but when a woman from work asked each of us attending her halloween shindig to carve up a pumpkin, it was only right that I show off a bit. After a little internet research for ideas I settled on Jack Skellington from Tim Burton's Disney film The Nightmare Before Christmas. Being as Jack is the Pumpkin King of Halloween it seemed a fitting honor.
After quickly sketching on the facial features here I am, moments before almost taking my hand clean off with the kitchen knife. Note: Just because your 24 doesn't mean you shouldn't have an adult present! Oh and check out the bargain jumper we found when clearing out Pinchy's loft, who needs to spend £30 in Topman when you can pick up dusty items like these right above your nose.
Luckily I escaped with only a small nick to the palm of my left hand, but it was well worth it. Feast your eyes on this beauty!
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