Another mixed week…

Sunday was great. It really was. We were at church after all, the best place to be, amongst a congregation of good friends, new friends, old friends and newbies who wouldn’t know us all from Adam. Adam by the way usually sits at the front on the left hand side. The preaching was great, encouraging and for me spot on. Daniel the old testament chap and subject of the day was a man who the bible records lived out his faith, trusted God in the midst of religious persecution, and captive in culture foreign to him (excuse the pun) and oppressed.

Monday was a chance for me to shine, and show would-be-employers how I could adapt to working in a new environment, a coffee shop where the products were either fairly traded or organic. A barista I might never be, but after some helpful guidance was soon pouring lattes, cuppacino’s and milkshakes like the rest of them. It was great fun, busy and I thoroughly enjoyed the pace, the buzz and different-ness-ness (?)  of it all. Soon, I believed I would have a full-time job I could apply myself too, maybe management role would come quickly if I proved myself, once again be able to pay the mortgage… I was of course still on trial myself, at the mercy of the owner and other staff who, I guess would be reporting back… In the evening I met with others currently between jobs for our fortnightly support group, which is always such an encouragement. I hoped for good news to share soon.

Tuesday I worked elsewhere, and Wednesday was back amongst the coffee beans, and serving the customers with enthusiasm. This was great, maybe, just maybe, this was where I was meant to be…. Thursday morning I got the news I would not be offered the job after all, and after being momentarily stunned, pressed the employer for the reason. A reason was given, but it was all very vague. It is an employers market remember..

In the afternoon I went to a job fair with a friend, which helped raise hope in me once again. Later on, the graveyard shift in the department store beckoned. Whoppee doo. Another far from perfect end to a far from perfect day.

Friday was my day of rest, a chance to chill, and to do some charity shop shopping. In the evening Derren Brown was on tele lifting the lid on his lottery number prediction. Or was he? I was not convinced.

Saturday at 5.15 I would be up, awake and preparing to leave the house for another car boot sale. I was convinced the sun would shine… It did and we finshed the day in profit by £41.00.

Daniel is still in my mind. He’s still an inspiration and I have still much to learn. Faith, man, faith…

One Year On…

The 21st September 2008, came and went without any fanfares or celebrations. Jose and Avram have both been and gone, and now Mr. Scolari is at the helm. Good grief, one year i’ve been doing this, that is sitting at my computer checking emails, sending emails to faceless online job boards, chasing recruitment agents, and when catching them asking what they’ve been doing on my behalf. Added to this my phone bill  must have taken a battering by now and the redundancy money has gone. Brilliant.

Acknowledging the above facts actually spurred me on in a number of ways, I need to get that Methodist Church job now, but I have 2 weeks till the application needs to be in. Mine has been received by the Personnel Department, I know, I’ve phoned and checked. There was little I could do other than contact some faithful friends to pray.
In addition I applied for Temporary Christmas work in a local garden centre, our local Debenhams, M&S (tell you about that another time!) and even Tescos – only to be told they’re not looking ot recruit till January 2009 – if at all! Things were getting desperate and gloom began to descend. ARRGH, I had run out of hot leads applications, and ideas.

In an effort to make some cash I enlisted the help of Mark to do a car boot sale with me, at 6.15 am on the appointed day I picked him up and we made our way to the large boot site. Thankfully the weather was to be dry and sunny, there were customers and we ended the day with a significant profit. In a couple of weeks maybe we’d do another. Thanks Mark, you’re a star.

After a few weeks popping Neurofen tablets, on the 25th september, I mustered the bravery to see my Doctor, as it turned out he was fine, my stomach gripes, however were becoming a concern. Thankfully, after a few prods (was that a punch?) around my body, he diagnosed nothing sinister, in fact he was totally mystified at the symptoms, but his best guess was that I might be suffering from something or other, but there again might not. Boots would be my next stopping point and I purchased the necessary medicines. Hopefully they would help. Quite possibly my body was stressing more than i felt, and stressing more than ‘I was’ in my head and heart, Maybe what we collectively as a family, were going through was taking its toll on me. Let’s see if the pills sort me out.

In the afternoon I contacted 6 recruitment agents for updates on new opportunities. Zippo.