Events

Blogging always seems to fall by the wayside when the main stuff going on in one's life is stuff that one can't talk about. In my case there are at least three potentially life changing things that I havent been able to talk about recently. Even now I  probably shouldnt talk openly about two of them.

Event number 1 was this: Chris and I broke up. I wont go into it much, but it was mutual (at least at the time), amicable (similarly), and the right thing for both of us. Things hadn't been right for a while, and it needed to happen.

Event number 2 was revealed to me two days after Event number 1, and floored me completely. Nothing had prepared me for this Event. The fallout is still very much ongoing and I have no idea how it will turn out. Needing to talk to someone about Event number 2 probably ultimately catalysed Event number 3.

The day after Event number 2 I received a job offer. From the interview I had had just before Event number 1. "Hurrah!" I hear you say.... well. I am in a bit of a quandry about it for various reasons, but its one of the few things in my life I can actually talk about, which I suppose is in its favour. The money is good, it is in a nice part of the country, and I could potentially find it interesting and be good at it. The downsides are; firstly, it's not London, which is where a lot of people I'd like to be near are based; secondly, It wouldn't aid me in getting into the career I'd really ultimately like to end up in; and thirdly, I'd be selling my soul somewhat. I guess it's a choice many people have to make.

Event number 3 occurred some time after Event number 2, and as mentioned was probably catalysed by this Event. I use catalysed deliberately. Event number 3 was probably going to happen eventually anyway, and Event number 2 is broadly unaffected by its effects on Event number 3. Nobody involved in it expected Event number 3 to occur as quickly as it did, least of all me. And while Event number 3 is positive, and exciting, it's also scary and likely to upset some people. I feel bad that it happened like this, but I dont feel bad that it happened.

In between all these Events, I have also had two other interviews. As always, its near enough impossible to tell how they went, but I can relate my thoughts. The first company was very interesting. The work they do is right up my street, and I think I could do it. Theres plenty of scope for learning more, getting more responsibility and generally getting job satisfaction. It's in a nice part of London, and the office atmosphere is relaxed and light and airy. I would really like this job. Sods law says this means I wont get it.

The second company also has potential. The work is something I'm interested in (though not to the same extent as the first place), I'd learn a lot, and be fairly challenged. The people seemed nice, and it was in another nice part of London. My main reservations are these; the office - its a cramped room in an old office block. I could cope with this, but it doesnt count in its favour. Secondly the work is likely to be a little frustrating from time to time, given that I will often be fighting for clients to have to do the bare minimum rather than the best job possible. Still, if I got offered this job, and not the first one, I would almost certainly take it.

I have another interview tomorrow. I'll let you know what I think of that after it's happened.

Jobs 2.0

Today has been an eventful day on the job hunt front. I applied to two jobs, and had responses from both of them. The first wanted me to tell them when I'd be available for interview over the next few weeks, the second asked if I'd be available for a quick phone call tomorrow. I blame Mike's CV advice. Who'd have thought putting a bit in the start pointing out exactly what you've done that'd be useful to them would be so effective?

Shhh!!!! I know that ought to be obvious, but never mind.

Still the phone call tomorrow is a little scary. Don't want to be completely unprepared, but don't want to be up all night cramming either. Especially as I don't know what they'll want to talk to me about. It's a cool sounding job and I don't want to blow it.

Also got invited to an assessment day for a role as an 'analyst' doing something involving catastrophe modelling, which happens in a weeks time. No idea if its something I'll enjoy. Got called up by a recruitment company 5 minutes after posting my CV on a website. They thought I might be suited to it, and apparently the company agree enough to want to meet me.

All in all, things seem to be looking reasonably positive. I really hope one of them works out, as I'm getting rather tired of unemployment.

Geocaching ftw

I think I may have found a new hobby.

Sunday afternoon, my sister and brother in law came round for the afternoon. Lucy recently got a new job near Ely and they've just found a house to rent. Theyll be moving fairly soon. Anyhoo, Toby has often mentioned this mysterious activity known as geocaching as something that sounds pretty cool, and he'd like to try. He and Lucy recently gave it a go, and having decided it was rather fun, suggested we go out and look for a couple of nearby points while they were over. We went (my parents, Lucy, Toby and I) and after some initial frustration located both points. I was hooked.

Geocaching is basically treasure-hunting for technophiles. You get given a GPS position and have to get to it using either your phone, or other GPS device. At this location somebody has cunningly hidden an item for people to find, or possibly a clue to the next location in a chain. Usually this is some form of waterproof container, varying in size from something smaller than a 35mm film pot to larger than a bucket. These containers are usually full of random objects that other geocachers have placed there, as well as calling cards and the requisite logbook and (usually) pen/pencil. The objects are of very small value, but usually rather eccentric, and the idea is not to take anything unless you leave something else of equal or greater value. Once you have found the cache, registered your find, and examined  all the random things people have left, the idea is to put the cache back exactly as you found it so that the next person can have as much fun looking for it.

On Sunday I mentioned to my good friend, pilot, walker and habitual mountain goat Mike that I had just discovered geocaching. He got rather excited, as he had heard of this intriguing activity before, but had never had an opportunity to give it a go. Upon establishing that it would be quite fun to give this a go together at some point, a plan was quickly formulated that Mike should visit me and we would have a go at some rural ones. This then became a ramble/geocache plan, and Tuesday/Wednesday were identified as the earliest we could attempt it. Both Mike and I being fairly keen to do things once we've decided to do them, having an impromptu adventure was fairly inevitable.

We cooked up a route that included six caches, one of which I had already found on Sunday, for practice, taking us over to Hoxne and back. In the end I reckon we walked about 15 miles. In total we located 5 out of 6 caches. I suspect the last one had vanished. Some of them were very cleverly hidden, and I applaud the guy who planted them.

We ended the day with a pub trip and chippy chips and excellent chat, and though I feel a little the worse for wear today (both from blisters, stiffness and slight hangover) I look forward to doing it again very soon.

I am even thinking about coming up with something small and knitted to leave in the larger caches I find, thus combining a third hobby.

If I do start doing it regularly it will hopefully help me to get a bit fitter again. Being unemployed makes me too inactive and it really bothers me.