Reach for the stars...

niccatw

You might want to translate those cumulative 30ps into cans of Tennent's Psycho

Butti

Two tips Nic.

Cold callers - Tell them you currently don't have a job. Works an absolute treat - they even feel bad for having dragged you away from toiling on your latest application form.

Council tax. Write them a letter fully explaining your situation and if you feel it will help cc it to your MP. Mentioning your MP always seems to help them clarify things in their mind and respond.

B

MrsMoo2U

I completely agree with the MP bit. Having worked for a government dept as customer complaints bod, I will also let you in on a little secret. MPs letters are responded to immediately. So why not ask the MP to write on your behalf. Complain to your MP and ask them to look into it. Make them work for what you voted them in for!!!

Oh dear, I have to take my work head off!!!

Butti

cherisong wrote: »

I completely agree with the MP bit. Having worked for a government dept as customer complaints bod, I will also let you in on a little secret. MPs letters are responded to immediately. So why not ask the MP to write on your behalf. Complain to your MP and ask them to look into it. Make them work for what you voted them in for!!!

Nic, another thing for your friends - suggest they drop a brand and change their supermarkets too. I'm now buying my free range chickens from Aldi and get my muesli, toothpaste, shampoo and shower gel from the value ranges. My muesli (Mr S) in particular is lovely.

When I worked for the valuation office we got a letter in from an MP mentioning me by name. I was quite proud! Fortunately I couldn't value the lady's house for council tax purposes because she wouldn't let me over the doorstep so that was my back covered!

B

niccatw

I can't sleep. Probably because I watched Panorama on iplayer; it was deeply shocking and now I can't stop thinking about it.

MrsMoo2U

Oh dear, I hope that you ended up sleeping. I didn't see it.Was it the one that the news has been about today where there have been arrests? If so you can rest assured that at least something is to come of the programme. Take care

niccatw

Hi Cheri, yes, that's the one. I think because I work in that field it terrifies me. There's so much I could say, but when it comes down to it, those that were arrested were the perpatrators of those horrific crimes and I hope justice is served.

I'm also not feeling too great at the moment, so everything is upsetting me. Heading back to the docs at the end of the month but I know it's the stress and anxiety that are getting me down. I'm also hideously tired and though it might be anemia, I think it's more likely to be lack of hydration and erractic eating patterns!

Saying that, I had a lovely weekend at my friend's, playng with the kiddies and sauntering around the county for their Spring Fling weekend. If any of you are at all arty, I'd highly recommend it.

I was really good and managed only to buy a couple of prints rather than any full blown art! However, I've now decided my treat at the end of the RBS loan is not going to be a flat-screen telly but a piece of art by a lady called Maggie Ayres. If you don't like abstract art, don't even click on the link 'cos you'll think I'm mental . But if you do click, remember, she's a textile artist, so a webpage does her no justice at all!

And I'll be in a book of photography by her husband Kim Ayres. Well, maybe! We might be edited out :rotfl:. Some of you may have spied a black and white photo of me and a little monkey; that's the one.

So, uhm, there wasn't much money saving over the weekend!

MrsMoo2U

Oooo loving the idea of buying a piece of art. I would love something by Muriel Delahaye she is an Artist from near to where I live. Unfortunately she is no longer painting and I found her a little too late. Much better investment than the tv I say.

As for the being upset and other things, I am right there with you at the moment. Have no idea how I got myself so run down and know that I need to sort myself out but not quite sure where to start. Perhaps I should follow your lead. Off to buy some flaxseeds and selenium supplements so thanks for the tip over on mine. Completely forgot about all of that stuff.

niccatw

I like Muriel's stuff too. It's a similar style to Beryl Cook and you'd probably like Ailsa Black, whom we saw at the weekend. She had to ask people to come back for their painting at the end of the weekend; almost her entire exhibition sold out on the first day!

I'm having a bit of a freak out about work again. Not bosses so much as the bureacracy and feeling like I can't actually do what I was trained to do. I know my issue is that I don't actually have or get the time to spend with the actual clients and spend a lot of time training ever more jaded staff groups, or writing up reports that are often filed away and making sure the paperwork is filled out correctly in case anything ends up in court. That's not what I set out to do.

I think I need to think more laterally. What can I do that would mean I can use my skills and spend much more time doing things with the people I usually write reports about! If I can't do that in my current job, what jobs are out there that allow me to do it?

I think it also needs to be more physical and outdoors. After the job I currently do, going back to support work would be hard. Not only because of the pay but because I've probably trained many of the people in the organisations that would employ me. I don't mind the training but it's not where my heart lies.

Problem is I haven't found where my heart lies but I'm pretty sure it's around here somewhere!

VSO is also something I've always wanted to look into, but the job market and my money situation at the moment probably make it a much more long term goal. But I've told myself that a few times over the years. There may never be a right time.

Any-one got the instruction book on life? I was delivered a bit earlier than anticiapted and I think my instructions were lost in the ensuing chaos.


If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there. Lewis Carroll

Nicca would like to take the scenic route, with the mountains and moody skies, but seems to be stuck in a traffic jam right now!

Butti

Maybe do the VSO in a year or two. Will give you the chance to build up some new debt (in a good cause!) :rotfl:

I went out to see some 'difficult cases' today with the housing officer and I loved it, and she seemed to like me (I could empathise with people who can't manage their life, belongings, money - ho hum!). I liked the tenants too. It fired me up nicely for what I want to do. She asked me if I'd thought of being a generic housing officer - well, no. Nice day though, and I was useful.

B