No one likes to wait…

For anything.

 

Feels like you’re in Limbo, as you wait for

That takeaway

The oven

The toaster

Results to come through

The Emergency servces to arrive

The Final Whistle

The movie to start

For that paint to dry

The baby sitter to arrive

For a parking space

The lights to change

The Band to arrive on stage

Often we have no choice. Frustrating as it may be for the job seeker who has given their all in the application form or in the construction of the CV, waiting is part of the process. If you’ve had an interview or been shortlisted you’ll be acutely aware of the agony of waiting.

Hopefully it’ll be worth the wait.

Where are they now?

Over four glorious years have now passed since redundancy and I still spare the occasional thought for some of my ex colleagues.

I wonder where are they now? What they’re doing and whether they’re happy. Unfortunately as we’ve gone our separate ways not much contact remains. Hardly surprising I guess.

Through the grapevine I’ve heard that a handful have set up their own design agency, Milly is offering creative writing and strategic thinking, Dan is working in a print shop, Simon is producing wedding videos, Dale is a selling solar panels (does the sun really shine in the UK?) and of course there is yours truly doing what I do. (A bit of everything)

There would be no surprise if I one day found out that others of my former colleagues have either emigrated, started a beauty parlour in Marbella or decided on early retirement. Good luck to them, one and all…

Ready Steady Go / CRE Sandown / CRE Telford

– – – – – ADVERTORIAL – – – – –

Ready Steady Go is the theme of the CRE Exhibition at Sandown 2011 and Telford 2011 and this year the organisers claim that ‘Possibly everything you require will be available at this unique resource exhibition’.

That is, with one HUGE exception at least. WorkHope won’t be there! I can’t afford it, although I might be tempted to stand in the Car Park and give out the odd advertising flyer whilst dressed up as an ‘Unemployed’ person…

I jest…  All is not lost,,, you can follow my ramblings, encouragements and real life traumas associated with being made redundant and how (so far) I have survived it, on this very blog. More importantly others facing job loss or redundancy might find this stuff useful. If you do get to attend CRE, great. But that’s no reason to quit browsing now.

I won’t claim to be able to get you (or your friend) back into employment at the flick of a switch, but I hope that in parts at least should be equally entertaining as some of those late night Sci-fi TV movie offerings such as Rabid Frogs of Doom, Anaconda 999 or Destination Hornets Nest.

(Oh yes, you can search by topic to the right of this message)

If you are keen to get an abridged copy of this in handy book format… or you publish handy little books of relevance = do get in touch, I want to share the love with others struggling with real life issues associated with losing employment.

If you’re not sure where to start, how about here:-

Now What? (Sept 2007)

D Day (June 2007)

Signing On – My first time…

Dress to Impress?

– – – – – – – – – ends – – – – – – – – – – –

Event Horizon

From where I’m standing the event at the ExCel Centre in London was a great success. Our brand was highlighted, our products sold and new contacts were made. I was particularly pleased to see our exhibition stand completed and working. The test areas were well utilised, the store room was chaotic as expected and the models and hairstylists using our stage were real crowd pullers.

A few weeks on and the event is fast being consigned to company history with new projects taking priority. The orders are coming through and those working at the coal face (In the warehouse) are having many demands on their time. With new product lines proving popular since the trade show, Christmas promises to be very busy.

Until then, much is to be done and lessons of the last 8 months for me are being learned and applied. I press on.

Sunday best

Roast beef, potatoes, carrots, yorkshire pudds and of course gravy. All for less than a fiver! Yum.

Truth be told, it was free… thanks to my mother-in-law who treated us all to another delicious Sunday lunch.

Prior to this we had a stimulating, encouraging yet challenging sermon served up to us at church. The topic was Marriage and Divorce, which was based on the text from Matthew 19. Food for thought of course.

107

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

² Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

³ those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.

⁴ Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.

⁵ They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.

⁶ Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.

⁷ He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.

⁸ Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for humankind,

⁹ for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.

¹⁰ Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,

¹¹ because they rebelled against God’s commands
and despised the plans of the Most High.

¹² So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

¹³ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.

¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
and broke away their chains.

¹⁵ Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for humankind,

¹⁶ for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.

¹⁷ Some became fools through their rebellious ways
and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.

¹⁸ They loathed all food
and drew near the gates of death.

¹⁹ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.

²⁰ He sent out his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.

²¹ Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for humankind.

²² Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.

²³ Some went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.

²⁴ They saw the works of the LORD,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.

²⁵ For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.

²⁶ They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.

²⁷ They reeled and staggered like drunkards;
they were at their wits’ end.

²⁸ Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.

²⁹ He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.

³⁰ They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.

³¹ Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for humankind.

³² Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
and praise him in the council of the elders.

³³ He turned rivers into a desert,
flowing springs into thirsty ground,

³⁴ and fruitful land into a salt waste,
because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

³⁵ He turned the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into flowing springs;

³⁶ there he brought the hungry to live,
and they founded a city where they could settle.

³⁷ They sowed fields and planted vineyards
that yielded a fruitful harvest;

³⁸ he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and he did not let their herds diminish.

³⁹ Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
by oppression, calamity and sorrow;

⁴⁰ he who pours contempt on nobles
made them wander in a trackless waste.

⁴¹ But he lifted the needy out of their affliction
and increased their families like flocks.

⁴² The upright see and rejoice,
but all the wicked shut their mouths.

⁴³ Let all who are wise heed these things
and ponder the loving deeds of the LORD.

Widescreen eyes

It seemed plausible that after dropping into the local TKMaxx we would either be paying a quick visit to Toys R Us as we’d done before or head home. We had no money to spend, much to the boys disgust so we browsed before moving on.

But we were then sidetracked, and the fault was mine all mine. I had been strangely drawn to visit Currys in order to look at TVs, and keen to find a suitable replacement for our faithful Sony friend of 10 years.

We found two. Next on the agenda was to get the family home, decide on which model, get online and start sniffing around for the best deal. I convinced myself that money from some of our ebay sales would cover the cost of a shiny new TV…

Soon it would be goodbye ‘Square Eyes’ and hello ‘HD ready Widescreen eyes’. Toys R Us could wait.

Oh happy ebay

Every now and again we get a bite. We get a sale and we move closer to paying for our fast approaching Cornish holiday.

We are now selling (not just buying) on Ebay, which has opened up new opportunities for earning extra cash, and at the same time is rather addictive.

Our loft is due another rummage soon, as are the cupboards – everywhere! We’re continually reviewing what we need and what we can get rid of.  All very satisfying really, although I’ve also spotted some ‘must have cds’ that are on sale too… Oh well… I’m learning…

I’ve been sanding down unwanted furniture, polishing it or refurbishing it with a smooth lick of paint in order to sell on. The stench of the wax polish as it blends with the fumes from the paint is a small downside, but it’s worth it.

It’s a bit frustrating when the items we trust in don’t sell, and our back room remains totally cluttered with would be stock. But, we are equally excited by the interest shown in preloved clothes and toys that our sons have ‘grown out of’.

All this also serves as a useful reminder to us as a family that we can be proactive in different areas and make some pocket money – regardless of my work status.

A gentle stroll at lunchtime

It’s always great to get out the office at lunchtime, take in fresh air, stretch the legs and take in the sights.

Tuesdays walk around the local side streets, (half a portion of chips in hand) was more entertaining than usual. As I sauntered along, lost in my own thoughts, a resident opened his garage door, and drove out… on a farm tractor! Not quite what I was expecting in a build up residential area.

Next Tuesday, I will take a different route and keep my eyes peeled…

Another Bank Happyday

It’ll be back to work on Tuesday after the Bank Holiday weekend of course, and I’ve valued the long weekend with family in the sun, er um mild weather…

Work has been particularly hectic, but after another trip to the famous Environmental Fayre (which we go to every year),,, time to brace myself for another short working week.