Staring it in the eye

ZTD

C.W wrote: »

Tell me about it! I kept worrying about what to put in the various descriptive fields as I didn't want to rule out options, but then it sounds too broad and that in itself may put employers off... oh well.

Employers going to sites such as that won't be reading them carefully - there's not enough time. Instead they'll be skimming them looking for certain catch phrases.

C.W wrote: »

Very true. I guess she knows my concern is hurting my niece's feelings if she just turns up with her and drops her off.

Yes, someone else exploiting your niceness.

C.W wrote: »

If she actually turns up in person today to see Mum though...

Just brazen it out. Offer to dress your niece up as a bottle of vodka so your sister will keep her at home more often... :whistle:

ZTD

C.W wrote: »

I'll give it a miss then and just pick it up when I can but alternatively go for the full fat jersey if I can't get the unhomogenised. Not very good with texture. I still have issues "eating" soup... Doesn't stop me trying though.

Well I must admit, I'm not really a fan of "blended" soups. I either like them smooth - like tomato soup - or a broth with chunks in.

C.W wrote: »

Houmous is actually a big break through for me - I actually really like it now! Took me years... :cool:

I tend to find it a bit dry TBH. Pasta in general is fine though.

C.W

ZTD wrote: »

Just brazen it out. Offer to dress your niece up as a bottle of vodka so your sister will keep her at home more often... :whistle:

Good plan! As it happened, my niece stayed at my sis' ex's house. My sister still came up and she was the only one to order from the "party" (plus bought some stuff out of my kit so made about £10). The woman who had the pub party made an order Monday but is still to pay for it. She was messaging my mum last night asking her if I'd ordered her stuff yet, which annoyed me as she hasn't paid for it. I can't order it if she doesn't pay for it. Haven't told her I ordered two of the items so they didn't sell out (they're sale items) but I should still be able to sell them if she doesn't turn up.

On the upside: Ended up going out to watch a friend's band. I actually only spent £5 and that's including 2 taxis! We were drinking at home (my stepdad/mum/mum's friends brought booze to her party), and minor contributions to taxi/drinks since I was out with my mum and her friend. The downside: They kept trying to set me up with people. So embarrassing.

Plan for tonight

Got home early so:
*Laundry
*Hoover room
*Prep veg/freeze
*Prep batch for slow cooker for tomo (potato&corned beef hash)
*Take measurements for skirt pattern
*Study pattern and cut out according to measurements
*(If I haven't collapsed) 30 minutes minimum for set book reading.

C.W

*Laundry
>Just one load left for washing machine
>Fold up/put away dry
*Hoover room
*Prep veg/freeze
>[STRIKE]carrots chopped for snack tomo.[/STRIKE]
>[STRIKE]Carrots, potato and onion from the freezer in the slow cooker with some beef stock. [/STRIKE]
>Add corned beef to potato hash
>[STRIKE]Chop and freeze French beans[/STRIKE]
>Make Harlequin squash wedges (http://the-veghog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/crusted-harlequin-squash-wedges.html)
>Use up overripe avocado. Think I'm going for a simple baked avocado with egg (http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/26/avocado-recipes-10-best)
>Place rest of the bag of dried mixed beans to soak
>Few batches of cooked rice and quinoa for the freezer
>Tofu recipe
*Take measurements for skirt pattern
*Study pattern and cut out according to measurements
*(If I haven't collapsed) 30 minutes minimum for set book reading.

ZTD

C.W wrote: »

On the upside: Ended up going out to watch a friend's band.

Any good?

C.W wrote: »

I actually only spent £5 and that's including 2 taxis!

That is pretty good.

C.W wrote: »

We were drinking at home (my stepdad/mum/mum's friends brought booze to her party), and minor contributions to taxi/drinks since I was out with my mum and her friend. The downside: They kept trying to set me up with people. So embarrassing.

So what was wrong with the people they were setting you up with?

C.W

ZTD wrote: »

Any good?

Yes! It was all covers but it was a wide range of music, from some relatively new mainstream tracks through to ska-reggae, classic rock and the like. Was fun!

ZTD wrote: »

So what was wrong with the people they were setting you up with?

I'm sure there was nothing wrong with them, but mostly the approach: "Which one of you's single? [...] You'd be alright if you didn't wear those shorts... you look like a plebb. She'd probably be interested if you didn't wear those [...] She likes intellectuals and good looking fellas [...] (To me but so everyone can hear) Are you ever going to pick anyone??"

The majority of them were also either married or in a long term relationship but they just kept working around the group.

Makes it seem like I'm really desperate when I'm actually not even looking. One: I can't afford a relationship. Two: I know a relationship will be a distraction. Three: I may like the idea of being in a relationship but, at the same time, I'm very uncomfortable with the idea of meeting someone new.

C.W

*Laundry
>[STRIKE]Just one load left for washing machine[/STRIKE]
>Fold up/put away dry
*Hoover room
*Prep veg/freeze
>[STRIKE]carrots chopped for snack tomo.[/STRIKE]
>[STRIKE]Carrots, potato and onion from the freezer in the slow cooker with some beef stock. [/STRIKE]
>[STRIKE]Add corned beef to potato hash[/STRIKE]
>[STRIKE]Chop and freeze French beans[/STRIKE]
>Make Harlequin squash wedges (http://the-veghog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/crusted-harlequin-squash-wedges.html)
>[STRIKE]Use up overripe avocado. Think I'm going for a simple baked avocado with egg[/STRIKE] (http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/apr/26/avocado-recipes-10-best) - No chorizo so just added some cayenne pepper and just going to toast some bread to eat with it
>Place rest of the bag of dried mixed beans to soak
>[STRIKE]Few batches of cooked rice and quinoa for the freezer[/STRIKE] Just did a bag of quinoa and lentils which I'll separate off into portions that'll last me a month or something.
>Tofu recipe
*Take measurements for skirt pattern
*Study pattern and cut out according to measurements
*(If I haven't collapsed) 30 minutes minimum for set book reading.

ZTD

C.W wrote: »

Yes! It was all covers

Unfortunately, for a non-famous band, covers "sell" rather better than original stuff. Which I think is really unfortunate.

C.W wrote: »

but it was a wide range of music, from some relatively new mainstream tracks through to ska-reggae, classic rock and the like. Was fun!

Good.

C.W wrote: »

I'm sure there was nothing wrong with them, but mostly the approach: "Which one of you's single? [...]

And Captain Subtle jumps all a tall building and slaps everyone with a wet haddock as he goes by... :rotfl:

C.W wrote: »

You'd be alright if you didn't wear those shorts...

Is that damning with faint praise, or praising with faint damnation?

C.W wrote: »

you look like a plebb. She'd probably be interested if you didn't wear those [...] She likes intellectuals and good looking fellas [...]

Oh dear me... :eek:

What constitutes an intellectual... :rotfl:

C.W wrote: »

(To me but so everyone can hear) Are you ever going to pick anyone??"

"Eeeny meany miney moh..."

C.W wrote: »

The majority of them were also either married or in a long term relationship but they just kept working around the group.

I can see why you think their technique is lacking...

C.W wrote: »

Makes it seem like I'm really desperate when I'm actually not even looking. One: I can't afford a relationship. Two: I know a relationship will be a distraction.

Isn't that the idea...

C.W wrote: »

Three: I may like the idea of being in a relationship but, at the same time, I'm very uncomfortable with the idea of meeting someone new.

Why?

C.W

ZTD wrote: »

Unfortunately, for a non-famous band, covers "sell" rather better than original stuff. Which I think is really unfortunate.

It's very true, they do. It seems like that's how a lot of 'famous' singers start out. Like Birdy, for example. Most of her earlier work is all covers. Great covers, but covers all the same.

ZTD wrote: »

And Captain Subtle jumps all a tall building and slaps everyone with a wet haddock as he goes by... :rotfl:

Tell me about it! It was one of those "world swallow me whole" moments...

ZTD wrote: »

Is that damning with faint praise, or praising with faint damnation?

I think she assumed he'd see it as a compliment because, to their mind, I'm a fab catch and he'd want to "change" to win me over. At what point I apparently set up all these hoops for a fellas to jump through, I have no idea.

ZTD wrote: »

What constitutes an intellectual... :rotfl:

I wondered the same thing. I kept wanting to dispute it but as far as I could explain myself at that point was "I like good conversation" but I don't ever recall "intellectual" being a term I'd use to describe my "ideal" guy. It doesn't really tell you anything and I think it could put people off anyway, thinking you're after some kind of rocket scientist, when really you just want someone with a brain they quite like to use from time to time.

ZTD wrote: »

Isn't that the idea...

Haha. I suppose distractions aren't all bad, but when you're trying to stay focused, not so much. I distract myself often enough. Not that I'm against starting something if I meet someone I actually do really like, I'm just not on that frantic search.

ZTD wrote: »

Why?

I suppose a big part of it's confidence. Feels it's been knocked quite a bit over the years. Feeling disconnected from the world in general doesn't help either as I don't even feel so sure about engaging with people.

I meet people I can have a laugh with but I feel like one of those people who is soon forgotten. Almost as if I'm an invisible person.

Then there's the embarrassment of being back at Mum's, having no control over my finances and probably coming across more of a liability when it comes to another person's resources. And yet I'm nothing like my sister - she pretty much expects guys to pay for her, buy her things, etc. I could never do that!

ZTD

C.W wrote: »

Tell me about it! It was one of those "world swallow me whole" moments...

You just need to think of some witty repartee for next time...

C.W wrote: »

I wondered the same thing. I kept wanting to dispute it but as far as I could explain myself at that point was "I like good conversation" but I don't ever recall "intellectual" being a term I'd use to describe my "ideal" guy. It doesn't really tell you anything and I think it could put people off anyway, thinking you're after some kind of rocket scientist, when really you just want someone with a brain they quite like to use from time to time.

Now that's curious. It would seem that what you consider "intellectual" is just a function of your worldview. I would have said (from my point of view) an "intellectual" was somebody who knew all the works of Plato - or something classical like that.

A "rocket scientist" to me is more of a job description...

Strange that.

C.W wrote: »

Haha. I suppose distractions aren't all bad, but when you're trying to stay focused, not so much. I distract myself often enough. Not that I'm against starting something if I meet someone I actually do really like, I'm just not on that frantic search.

:rotfl:

It should never be that frantic a search. It should only be frantic when you've found them...

C.W wrote: »

I suppose a big part of it's confidence. Feels it's been knocked quite a bit over the years.

Yep, know that feeling.

C.W wrote: »

Feeling disconnected from the world in general doesn't help either as I don't even feel so sure about engaging with people.

I meet people I can have a laugh with but I feel like one of those people who is soon forgotten. Almost as if I'm an invisible person.

If you make people laugh, you'll not be forgotten quickly.

C.W wrote: »

Then there's the embarrassment of being back at Mum's, having no control over my finances and probably coming across more of a liability when it comes to another person's resources.

Lots of people live with their parents. It's a function of high houseprices (and commensurately high rents) and poor job quality.

Don't worry about it. There's far greater things to worry about. Just be confident about being you - where you live isn't significant. And you do actually have a job.

C.W wrote: »

And yet I'm nothing like my sister - she pretty much expects guys to pay for her, buy her things, etc. I could never do that!

Well sometimes that attracts some of the blokes. Makes them feel needed. Of course at some stage it turns in a feeling of being used. Things tend to get a bit sour at that point.