I Couldn't Resist...
I just typed out the most pointless blog ever. And then decided to scrub it and start over. I'm out of the office and on my own with a nice laptop so really I'm just making conversation out of boredom. It was my 23rd birthday a couple of weeks ago, I had a lovely day for my actual birthday (despite being at work - my colleagues bought me a watering can, and some mini gardening tools, and we went out for lunch) and in the evening I opened lots of presents and we all had some lovely cake that my wonderful fella made me. Then on thursday he took me out for dinner at TGI Fridays (where else?? Thank god though, he didn't tell them it was my birthday!). Then on Friday I treated myself to new hair and headed to my parents (via the garden centre with Gemma to pick up my new herb garden :D) More presents awaited me at home, and then preparations began for the party. The idea was to have a BBQ at my parents' new house, followed by a night out (ish). It had rained all week and the outlook for the weekend was rain, strong winds, thunder, lightning, hailstones, plagues of locusts, the lot. But as it turned out it was gorgeously sunny all day, with a 5 minute spell of rain about half way through the 'do. I even got to wear my maxi-dress without ruining it too much (ok so the hem is now green... and I somehow managed to snap both of the straps... but meh) So the party was great and in the end we didn't bother to go out, and just stayed in and played Ring of Fire instead. Good times. So now my birthday's over all I have to look forward to now is my holiday in August - how excited am I right now!! I get paid twice before then as well which is sweet. In the mean time, work is pretty hard, lots and lots of massive projects going on and a lot for me to catch up on. People still assume I get the summer holidays off because it's a college - let me tell you, even the lecturers don't get time off in the summer!! No one does - just the lucky git kids. Wish I'd made the most of the summers when I was younger now. That's about all there is to say at the moment. I should try and get on here more often cos then it would stop me blogging too much in one go and boring the hell outta everyone. Anyway back to work!
Britain's Got (a dog that has some) Talent
I don't know what it is, but I don't like to see performing animals. There's something just a bit twisted about getting entertainment from watching an animal make a prat of itself.I'm referring particularly to Britain's Got Talent's dancing dog, and its owner who has no human friends (the girl's mum said that. Her own mum!) A few people I know have said that the dog obviously enjoys it blah blah and it wouldn't do it if it wasn't happy - but truth is, the dog gets treats for doing the right tricks, and it was given treats the whole time it was trained. It's the same as me going to work - I may not actually enjoy it, but my reward is I get paid. I'm not gonna have a rant about this, and if people like doing it and the dogs/horses/whatever arent getting hurt then it's fine.......but who'd have thought dancing animals would be one of my 'buttons'?! Very strange
Chicken Monkey Shoes?
Since I'd not been on here for a while I thought it might be worth me checking my profile on here. That and I was horribly bored. So I went through all the sections, favourite books, favourite films, and so on, and come to the final question, which is a random question. The first question that I come across (as you can choose to get a new question if you don't like the one you get) is this;
You're going to the Moon! What have you forgotten to pack?
Well, I am one of those people that has to triple check everything and still feel like I've forgotten something. So chances are, I haven't forgotten anything for my Moon trip. I have noticed though that, particularly when going to stay at Simon's before I moved, I would forget pyjamas and knickers. Whether that was my subconcious doing it deliberatley, I don't know. Anyone else have this problem?? And this, fellas, is why your girlfriend starts to leave things at yours occasionally - it's not cos she's trying to get you to commit, it's cos she's sick of going commando the morning after!
Deciding that I didn't like that question much, I flicked through and had a look at some of the other random questions. If anyone can come up with a sensible/senseless answer for thesequestions, please let me know!
Q. OK, we know they don't need them, but don't you think some fish would like a bicycle?A. The sensible part of me says 'well how would they ride them?', and the fantastical side of me says 'YES! What good exercise for them! Anything that will help the problem with fish obesity'.
Q. You've just inherited a manufacturing plant that specialises in plastics! What's the first thing you make?A. A 'replacement man'Q. You own a sweater that goes right down to your feet. What colour belt do you wear with it?A. Ah, a question I can relate to! Depending on the colour of the sweater, it would probably be a wide red waist nipping belt. Perhaps even a waspie.Q. Chicken Monkey Shoes?A. ....Pardon? Is this some sort of password? Erm.... Liver...Parakeet...Volkswagon...Q. You have to dig a hole to China. Where do you start?A. Erm... China?Honestly, if you're ever totally bored at work and have a blog, just go and keep clicking for a new question on your profile, it's whole minutes of enjoyment!
Quick Catch-Up...
In case anyone's interested, I am still alive and actually for the first time in ages I can say that things seem to be looking up!
I got a new job on friday, as a HR Admin at Matthew Boulton College. Up until now I've been temping at Sutton College so it'll be nice to do something different. Right now all I'm doing is photocopying and filing... terribly annoying on so many levels (this is NOT what I went to uni to do!!) So that job starts next week, muchos looking forward to it!
I've got my holiday booked for this year too. Simon and I are off to Tunisia in August, and I've gone on a geeky rampage of organisation, from researching local restaurants and reviews of the hotel, to learning a smidgen of Arabic. It's all good fun, and if it all goes arse-up I can fall back on my French. It's going to be hot hot hot! I'm kinda struggling somewhat in the heat right now so god knows what I'll be like then! We're planning to go and visit the Sahara and camel ride and all sorts so it should be good fun.
I've started doing loads of exercise classes of late and have started to pick up badminton again. It's doing wonders for my body, just in time for summer haha! I also get a free gym membership with my new job, so that's a nice little bonus! Tomorrow me, Si and Liam are going to a class called circuit training, which from what we saw last week is kinda like a full on hour of going round, running, skipping, doing sit-ups and push-ups, jumping on trampettes and many other little mini-exercises that swap every minute. It was knackering me out just watching it! Will have to see how it goes...
Big shock - I'm not going to any festivals this year. The only one I would possibly go to is Reading cos the line-up looks ace, but I'm far too poor and it would be too close to our holiday!
That's all for now, maybe I'll do a full on blog one day soon!!
Pished
It's been a while BUT I finally feel rwady and in the right frame of mind to write a blog. There will be mistakjes made, I know, but I#m drunk and cant hink of nothing beeter to do.
I've been at a work's conference thing. Basically means I get to go to a posh hotel and drink as much free champagne as they can supply me with. The idea of this is that we meet "contacts" to use at work and all that, wich I guess in a way i did. I listened to a boring guy talk about his Diversity team, another guy and his mate discussing Birmingham Uni, and a nice girl who was a solicitor. I also met a mad welsh man, but that's hardly a first. I didnt expect it to be as fun as it was. It started out quite nervy, cos we didnt know anyone. Eventually Tanya and me decided to go wanderung around to see if anyone would like to talk to us, and it seems when prompted iwth alcohol ppl will talk to anyone. Eventually when tanya left I was talking to Helen, the solicitor, about her job anf how her company runs a paralegal scheme (W.M. - that'll mean something to me when I'm sober!) Eventually we ran outta things to talk about and end up discussin why being single is better than being with someone you dont love. I replied smugly that being with someone you
do love is way better by far than eithetr of the other two options, but she knew what i was talking about and didnt seem upset that she recetnly split with a guy who was no good for her and was now single. I gave her my card (I now have cards, yay!) and she said we shou7ld catch up at the next conference.
I drank a lot of champagne tonight, which is surprising cos i hgate the stuff. I had it mixed with orange juice, raspberry puree, peach stuff (something called a Bellini - one of the Bham uni guys thought it funny to call it a Panini, showing the low humour content of Bham Uni ppl.) (He was a nice guy though despiyte his rubbish jokes) I tolfd him I wasn't consid4ering doing my Masters at Bham cos it cost too much and I would prob end up back at Aston. He said he understood - i don't think i offended him.
I lefyt the conference about 7.45 and somehow managed to direct myself back to th4e bus stop on my own. I did have to walk past a load of shops thatr were still open and physically stop myself from going uin and making purchases I'd regret. I literally hovered in Primark's doorway, before forcing my feet to keep walking. that in itself has been a miracle, as my old shoes seem to have given up on me and like to slip on every shiney surface available. I almost broke my ankle this morning I swear.
Came back to my house, luckily the flatmate's on hols now so she cant see me in my drunken state. I've got a steak pie in the oven, pretty sure it's cooked by now so I'd bette go.
If this makes no sense tommorro I'll explain all! promise!
Your Voice, Like The Sound of Sirens to a House on Fire...
At certain points in the past year I have considered myself to be somewhat unlucky. Actually no, let me rephrase that. I am lucky, I always have been, I am healthy, I'm well liked/loved, and I'm lucky enough to have been to uni and benefitted from all that went with that (whatever benefits they may be...) When I say I've been unlucky, what I really mean is it has seemed that this past year, nothing has been going my way. I'm talking about coming back from having a fantastic time in France, moving into our crappy house in Erdington, not being able to get a job for ages until Asda decided to let me handle their manky fruit n veg (not that Asda hasnt been without benefits, as I'll explain later), not being able to do my PGCE at Keele, the mess I made of the January exams and the stress put upon me in my finals, added to the inevitable break up with Dave, the shit I had to deal with at our house as a result, money troubles, and finally having to move back home - it's not that it hasnt been alright living back here, but due to distances and independance, I keep swearing to myself that I wont live at home again. So pretty much, the whole of my year at the age of 21 had been an abismal disappointment....All of a sudden, I have a fantastic degree, a new job, a wonderful, supportive new boyfriend, a new flat coming up soon, and I'm going on holiday with my closest people and we're going to have a fantastic time (weather allowing!) I can't explain how I've been feeling this past week, it's just as if 4 years of stress, worry and disappointment have suddenly evaporated from my shoulders. Like it's all been worth it, in a round about way. It's catching too, it seems as though everyone around me has some reason to be happy, and this holiday is going to be a huge celebration of it all!So about my job. Well I started out determined that I was somehow going to get into teaching before next year, and I went for a few interviews for teachng assistants, but to no avail. I took this as a positive sign to have a proper look at my life and what I wanted to do, and came to the conclusion that I had always wanted to be a teacher, and while this was nice in a way, it also made me realise that I'd never thought of much outside of teaching. It was just something I knew I was good at. So I started to look around job sites, at graduate jobs and so on, and somehow stumbled across recruitment. Sounded interesting, so I applied for a few. The first interview didn't go too well, but the second went really well and I came out feeling great, and then I was called back for a second interview and voila, I have a job! My actual job title is Trainee Recruitment Consultant, and I work in a small office in the Jewellery Quarter. I have my own desk and computer haha... but most importantly the pay is great and the incentives are phenomenal. So, shoe shopping a-plenty for me! I have already decided though that once I get enough money - probably after my first month's pay - I'm going to purchase a motorbike. I've wanted a motorbike since I was about 14, but never had the money to get one, so that'll be my first big purchase, after my flat....Gemma has decided she's fed up of living at home and wants a taste of independance. Therefore together, we are renting a flat in Birmingham, close to both our work places. We have a few places in mind that we're hoping to go and visit after our holiday, so hopefully by the end of september we'll have somewhere to move in to! It's all very exciting, I can't wait to have a double bed again! I've already been to Ikea and have picked out a theme for my room, so it's all looking good. Also, we're planning to have a themed fancy dress party when we do move in, so you'll be hearing more about that! (Unless I don't like you! :p)I just realised I haven't written on here since me and Simon got together (surprisingly or not - you decide, I frankly don't care) We initially got together circa Download, after months of me crying on his shoulder and hiding out at his house while things blew over at the old house. It was inevitable, and I'm damn well glad. We're having a great time being together, all my friends love him and he doesn't try to stop me seeing them without him, we go out and do stuff and share things and talk about eeeeeverything which is just...nice. I do put on him a lot though sometimes, up until i got this job I had been really stressed out and snappy and of course, he caught most of that, but the fact that he never seems to mind that much is rather touching. He worries about me, but he realises also that he really doesnt need to. For sure, he is the best thing that's come out of my "Asda experience". Speaking of which, I'm leaving there in about a month, and am only doing saturdays at the moment for extra money, huzzah! Though I'll be sad to see my discount card go :( Anyway, yes I'm having a wonderful love n sex life, that's showing no sign of deflating anytime soon :oDI'm supposed to be packing right now for our Devon trip, getting very excited! Somehow I have to fit almost my whole wardrobe in one tiny suitcase... god knows how! I'm struggling to pick between dresses and skirts mainly, I think i'm pretty much sorted on which three pairs of shoes I'm taking though. We (as in me, Gemma, Liam and Simon) are staying in a static caravan thing, with a spa nearby, lots of swimming pools and the beach a stone's throw away (I've always wondered why they say a stone's throw.... surely it's not an accurate measure, I mean I was never any good at shotput so my stone wouldnt go very far. And how heavy should said stone be??) On top of this, we're forecasted (fingers crossed) to have lovely weather all week, meaning I get to wear more of my lovely dresses that I bought in spring anticipating a baking summer! It's now august, and half of my wardobe haven't seen the light of day yet! All in all, this holiday is going to be the perfect end to the summer. So all of a sudden I've gone from being a poor, miserable student, to a happy, invigorated, slightly-less-poor working person! I'm hoping that the karma stops here, and that all this good stuff is a result of all the bad stuff happening last year. I'm hoping there's no nasty come-back karma round the corner like.... the bank loses all my money *searches in vain for old bank statements*, or I suddenly get pregnant *buys 24 pack of condoms, takes 4 pills*, or all my friends decide to jet off to Brazil without me *buys emergency Brazil ticket*, or Aston Uni ring up and say "Haha! You bought our little joke about you getting a 2:1 - YOU FAILED!!" *believes this could be possible* There's probably something out there that's gonna rock the boat, good things just dont happen to people like me!Then again, maybe I need to be more accepting and less pessimistic!
Alright, Alright Already!!
I've been somewhat nagged to an extent to get something written here, and since it's been almost two months I thought I should probably make a start. I did actually write one very lengthy blog from just after Download festival (best. festival. EVER!) but I ran out of time and then other stuff happened and it's irrelevant now.
So just to say, I am still alive and feeling damn good about life at the moment! Everything's going so well for me, apart from the fact that i'm still at Asda, but that's a situation I'm looking to rectify as soon as possible.
Biggest point though - No more uni for me!! I somehow scraped a 2:1 and graduated last week. To say I was surprised at my degree result would be a massive understatement, I cried my eyes out and called everyone I could think of. And I also didn't realise the big difference a 2:1 would have when I'm looking for what to do in the future... none of it particularly relevant at this moment in time but nonetheless fantastic. More about that when the time comes.
Will write another more detailed post later this week after my first big interview!
