Michael's Meanderings

Completed all the elearning requirements for working in NHS for this year.
Also finished off the "Sharing Knife" I have been making, with a leather sheath and handle
Had a Private dance lesson with J to learn the Viennese Waltz, bought replacement dance shoes (1/2 size larger than previous pairs)
Saw The Lego Movie - better than the title would let you believe but...
Had a number of blood tests, mostly OK but low in Calcium, so now taking supplements. Also had asthma review (must remember to use inhaler in the evening as well as the morning during summer (pollen), prescriptions now cost £8.05 per item.
Continued Ballroom Dancing on Tuesday with C & J and started going to Subway rather than Burger King (lower cost meal deal and bonus points)
Now regularly mowing lawn again! Got Mary Kowal's latest as an audio book (Valour and Vanity) a series I will always buy and listen too as Mary reads her own work to perfection.
SF Book Club was delayed due to bank holiday, The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson, was of such length few finished it! (inc me).
Reserved 2 Orbit Hugo nominees (already bought Mira Grant one).
Went to the Moscow State Circus at Preston Park. Some of the best jugglers I've ever seen, cool flyers, and a few novelty items. (whip & roller skates)
Walked around the Swiss Rock Garden afterwards for over 20min before getting train home.
Went to visit family for Mum's birthday on last bank holiday weekend (two bank holidays in a month is too much). Dad was also celebrating being priest for 55 years!
Left my bottle of calcium supplements at my parents! Fortunately they don't expire quickly and aren't expensive, so got replacements.
Saw Maleficent at a Worthing cinema / theatre. Had a unscheduled pause in the middle where the digital film looped repeatedly (She's coming). At first we thought it part of the movie but after 6 repetitions...
Bought ticket to see Dave Gorman's - Work in Progress (Modern Life is Goodish) for next week.
Now working on 2 Coursera classes, "Programming for Everybody" in Python and "Understanding Europe: Why It Matters and What It Can Offer You" I'm not going to add any more until I finish both.
Last Saturday in the month was our Grand Ballroom Dance Social, with Lecture, Professional Demonstration and "high tea" (sandwiches and scones with clotted cream and jam with tea) It was an excellent evening!

So it's Chrismas Day and I have been catching up on my blogging, the last eight months have been extracted from my diary so don't have a lot of character ;-)

My volunteering at Sussex Oakleaf had a change, as the work I was doing for the Finance team had been completed, and they didn't have any new stuff for me to do for the moment. So I got re-assigned to another project at The Yews, first helping re-format some teaching documentation, then helping create some graphs in Excel.

I've been watching a fair amount of TV including Haven, Warehouse 13, Alphas, Bones, Fringe, The Secret Circle, Frozen Planet, The Mentalist, Rissoli & Isles (started reading the books too), Lost Girl, not to mention Strictly Come Dancing and it's companion It Takes Two.

What now appears to be my last book club meeting discussed "The Tenderness of Wolves" by Stef Penney, once again I haven't finished it, but I still have it on loan so I may do so eventually.

I took my duvet and under-sheets to the nearby laundrette to get them washed, while there, there was a short power-cut, but the wash cycle continued on power resumption. I then put all the washing in the drier (which was the main reason for going. If washed at home it wouln't dry before evening).

In the first week of the month I got an email from Deekay Recruitment indicating that there might be a job available for me if I was still looking. I replied in the affirmative and then the next week was sent a contract to start on 19th December in Crawley. This without any interview, just on the basis of my CV. I wasn't even told what the actual job was!

Since I still wasn't sure what the job was I signed on for the last time, and was told my next sign on day was 10 January 2012 due to the Christmas holidays. So I have to notify them before then.

I had a morning of admin at Sussex Oakleaf and was able to to provide some final assistance, but then had to say I wouldn't be back, at least for a while as I'd got a job! Thought they were sad to loose my expertise, they were happy that I was soon to be employed.

I also notified CDG as I had an appointment at their new office (they had moved in early December).

Last weekend I went to see Puss in Boots in 3D followed by Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows at my local cinema, both fun in their own way.

So on Monday morning I got a weekly season ticket to Gatwick Airport and then walked in the cold morning to the Amey office where I discovered that there were 15 other people starting on the same job at the same time. It was a new project relating to the administration of railway inspection! But we didn't actually find out what the job entailed until Monday lunchtime.

The first two days were mostly training then we started report writing. By the end of the week I'd just managed to complete 25 reports! On Thursday I started to suffer from a cold/flu despite my flu shot.

We were let out early at 3:30pm and I then took the bus to Crawley, where the traffic was jammed, and it started to rain heavily with strong winds. My umbrella blew apart! Then train to get picked up by my sister then on to her home!

This is the first time I've had a short term contract and/or worked through an agency. I wonder how I'll cope!

Started volunteering at Sussex Oakleaf a small charity based in Haywards Heath. I was involved in designing Excel spreadsheet version of paper forms.

The following Monday I finished the first module of Principles of Business & Administration, the test for which was computer based and I passed. This meant the end of term so the next module started in mid September.

The next day a Sky engineer came to replace my Sky+HD box, as this model was faulty and had to be recalled. So I now have a shiny new box which is smaller and likely to last longer.

Given that I wasn't going to get to London for a Book Club meeting, I decided to see if there was any thing locally, and discovered there was a group that met on the first Wednesday of the month, in the library at 2pm in the after noon. The first book I tried to read was "Birth of Venus, Love and Death in Florence by Sarah Dunant.

I discovered that the Jay Miller's Circus was visiting Burgess Hill in the middle of the month and went to see the matinee, which was a good plan as it was a very small circus.

This month's major movie was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 in 3D which was a very bad idea as the film was dark enough as it was, wearing sunglasses only made it darker. This was followed the following week by Cars 2 which had a wonderfully character voiced by Michael Caine. At the end of the month I also saw Captain America, not being invested in the character I approached it as just another movie and found it surprisingly good.

Next haircut was due at the end of the month, it's quite odd going to the hairdressers (even if I have managed to get a student discount occasionally) since I hadn't had a haircut in months if not years previously.

Out of the house at least twice a week on Wednesday for ITQ training (as I don't have Office 2007 at home) and on Fridays at Sussex Oakleaf.

At the beginning of the month I saw X-Men: First Class which was actually pretty good
The following day I walked around Bedelands, I haven't been doing as much walking as I should, but better some than none. Later that week I saw Kung Fu Panda 2 in 3D. Why is it that the only movies that really look better in 3D are animated ones?

As part of the Reach Program I was eligible to join a Business Administration course run at Central Sussex College in Crawley, at no cost to me. So I was attending class every Monday morning during term time. This got me out of the house and using my brain again.

I also got a replacement "New Deal" ticket (the previous one expired) which let me travel on the trains at half price - one of the better things about unemployment (this is no longer being run, as a cost saving measure|).

On the 13th, after going to college I went up to London for what had to be my last book club meeting, where we discussed Slaughterhouse 5. It's a shame I didn't discover this group earlier (though it started only month before I became unemployed).

The following Wednesday I saw Green Lantern at the local cinema.
Discovered LearnDirect.co.uk had an affiliate in Haywards Heath and I started an ITQ in IT User Skills, which provided training Office 2007 - which looks different to Office 2003 which was what I had used before.

On the last Tuesday of June I had an interview at Sussex Oakleaf regarding volunteering. Due to start on Friday!

I'll try to summerise from my diary. At the end of April there was a Bank Holiday for a Royal Wedding, as I was unemployed and not a royalist it had no impact on me. Mum was still in hospital with hip related issues.

On the 5th I went to the Princess Royal Hospital to see a specialist regarding some numbness I'd been having in my legs. It's apparently mild peripheral neuropathy and there isn't much that can be done ;-(

Went to Jobshop in Crawley investigated options available as an unemployed person. I got on the Reach program, which provides training for the unemployed. As part of my Job Seekers Agreement I have to sign on every 2 weeks, and prove I've been looking for work. I have a spreadsheet! this get my National Insurance paid and I also get a bi-weekly payment (which helps but doesn't pay all the bills).

Went to see Thor in 3D at the cinema, pretty good film but 3D isn't really much use.

On the 11th I went to visit Mum in hospital, booked a ticket to see One Man Star Wars, then as part of the Brighton Festival I went to the Theatre Royal to see Circa, a fusion of circus skill, music and dance. The following week I went to see the Netherlands National Circus (also part of the festival).

Defrosted freezer (an annual event!)

Also went to see Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Had my second hair cut after getting my pony tail lopped off after I turned 50. Then went to Worthing Pavillion Theatre to see One Man Star Wars with Charles Ross (I'd seen him in One Man Lord of the Rings before so wanted to complete the set!

My Mum came out of hospital the week my middle sister had book a holiday, so my younger sister came from Somerset to look after her for a week. The whole family was in one place and time on Mum's birthday so we celebrated all the missed birthday (my 50th and my sisters' 48th and 40th!) with her's.

I've seen a three films at the cinema since the new year. These included: Megamind 3D, this animated feature was the first 3D film shown at the Orion Cinema, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the continuing Narnia series with mostly the same cast but a new studio.
Lastly Tangled, a retelling of Rampunzel, which mostly makes sense.
I also watched a couple of films on Sky Box Office: Knight and Day (I think) and Scott Pilgrim vs the World. This was fun but not as great as everyone has said.

I've seen my doctor re aches in my arms and fingers and numbness in my feet. So far I've had a negative blood test. I'm still visiting my chiropractor regularly, but need to do more walking.

I've recently downloaded the Audible App for my iPod, and am now downloading and listening to a number of audio books. Withe the current membership subscription they are cheaper than hardbacks and only slightly more than paperbacks.

I'm still currently unemployed, but I've final started to make a significant effort to actually find a job. I've started tracking job seeking activity in a spreadsheet.

At the end of the month the toilet started leaking again. Luckily D was able to fix it.

So I got another call from my Mum last night, a new router had been just bought and some of the IT kit wasn't working could I come over and sort it out. So she came over this morning and I've sorted stuff out more or less.

Since I was last here....
I've been watching more TV than previously (and re-reading quite a lot) in particular the Sarah Jane Adventures and Strictly Come Dancing. A rather odd pairing, but they cover two of my favourite things (science fiction and dance/theatre). I've also been listening to podcasts and a few audio books (on my iPod) I recently finished "Citizen of the Galaxy" by Robert Heinlein, and I've just started "Matter" by Iain Banks (this was a freebie from the guardian). Most of the audio books I've bought previously, have been ones I've got hard copies of. This is the first time where the audio book is the virgin read. I've just bought "Cryoburn" by Lois McMaster Bujold from Audible.com very soon after the hardback was released. Which means (apart from "The Spirit Ring") all her stories are now available in audio format.

I had a meeting with a impartial consultant (set up via jobseekers) basiclly an hour discussion of how I felt and where I want to progress in the job market. It was actually very helpful, but might have been more helpful if it had occurred earlier.

Last Thursday was my medical day... In the morning I got my flu jab then in the afternoon I got a temp filling, and an appointment for a permanant one, which will be fairly costly! (£100) so I don't think I'll be able to get to Novacon after all ;-(

One of the problems of not working is that I don't bother to go out of the house unless I have to. So on Wednesday I decided to get out and went to the Cinema for the first time in months. I was able to wear my new long distance glasses. Bought ticket for "Despicable Me" and discovered that due to half term, ticket prices were reduced, to I also got a ticket for "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole" both animated features, but the former was a super hero movie, from the villain's point of view, redeemed by [spoilers!]. The latter was almost live action quality and was basically Lord of the Rings (looks) married to Star Wars (plot) with owls!

This week I've seen 4 movies at my local cinema. It the first time I've been since I saw Sweeney Todd in Atlanta! I wanted to get back into the habit of visiting the cinema again (along with more frequent visits to the theatre cf earlier post re LotR)

Anyway on Wednesday I saw "Juno" and "Jumper" both fairly grown up films. The first a serious but somewhat comic look at teenage pregnancy, and some of the problems it brings. The titular Juno being a very sarcastic and witty teen who decides adoption is the best option.

Jumper on the other hand takes the skiffy premise, what if you could "jump" from point a to point b without moving between them and only if you have "seen" point b. It shows the perils and pitfalls that could occur due to this lifestyle.

And then this afternoon I saw "Dr Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!" which was a wonderful piece of animation, even if I'm not really a Seuss fan. Which was then followed by "The Spiderwick Chronicles" which was enchanting. I've not read the books this was based on but I'll have to look out for them now.