Am going to apply for a job

[moonlight52]

Dear October  ,

Best wishes for the new job Wow this is a cool move

((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))

moonlight

[October]

October, if you get this job, let's celebrate exactly like that before you start! hug ((((((october))))))

That would be fine.  But only if it is safe for you.  ((((((((hugs)))))))

Actually, it would be more than fine.  It would be wonderful!!!!

[October]

Dear October  ,

Best wishes for the new job Wow this is a cool move

((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))

moonlight

Thanks, Moonllight.  Feeling more scared than anything else at present, but there is plenty of time before I need to do anything more.  Just wait.   

((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))

[Hopalong]

Hey you Limeys,

Wot's council forms?
Wot's vervlaivm?
Wot's Verv?

huff, puff, tryin' to keep up...

Hops

[October]

Hey you Limeys,

Wot's council forms?
Wot's vervlaivm?
Wot's Verv?

huff, puff, tryin' to keep up...

Hops

Hehehehee

Verulamium is the name of a Roman town not a million miles away from here.  There are superb remains there, including bits of the old town wall, and a complete theatre.  Portia wrote it vervlamivm because the Romans used v for u.   

UK government is divided into central (Westminster) and local (town hall/county hall) government.  The central stuff is regulated by Parliament, and administered by civil servants in Government departments.

The local stuff is regulated by elected local councils, on either borough (town) or county (bigger than town) basis and administered by local authority employees, reporting to the councils.  The job I am applying for is a local authority job, working for the local borough council.   

 

[Portia]

October

Would it be safe for me? Oooo there’s a thought. Well, I don’t give out my address to people for fear that someone somewhere might turn up on my doorstep and be my long-departed step-father! And also because I value my cave of privacy deeply. I still view the mail coming through the letterbox as an intrusion (Hops , we generally don’t have the mail boxes, we have holes in our front doors), and the telephone is just about tolerable. But apart from that, oh and being ex-directory (Hops , not listed in the phone book) and not giving out my phone number, I’m quite sociable! Haha.

Seriously, we could meet in a certain bookshop (which I don’t want to name here), and I’ll be standing with my head on one side, scanning the psychology and philosophy titles. I have that plan in mind because I’m hoping you get this job . Yes it would be safe because I like arranging to go out and it doesn’t invade my home – it’s the neighbours that are my problem. It would be good wouldn’t it? If a _{little tiny bit scary}. You might not want to, you might not like the look of me….we might both be struck dumb, anything’s possible... anyway, I hope it’s an encouragement for the job process – I like an encouraging objective!

Lupine

You’re encouraging me, thank you. It’s similar here in the UK, teachers aren’t well-paid and there’s a dearth of new teachers. There are a variety of teaching assistant type jobs and unlike the teachers, they don’t have to complete pages and pages of paperwork to prove what they’ve taught in a particular lesson (bureaucracy is stifling the profession).  You sound as though you’re really enjoying your work now. There is hope

[October]

Seriously, we could meet in a certain bookshop (which I don’t want to name here), and I’ll be standing with my head on one side, scanning the psychology and philosophy titles. I have that plan in mind because I’m hoping you get this job . Yes it would be safe because I like arranging to go out and it doesn’t invade my home – it’s the neighbours that are my problem. It would be good wouldn’t it? If a _{little tiny bit scary}. You might not want to, you might not like the look of me….we might both be struck dumb, anything’s possible... anyway, I hope it’s an encouragement for the job process – I like an encouraging objective!

I think I know the bookshop you mean, but won't speculate out loud.  But if not, I am willing to tour them all to find the right one, accosting anyone looking even vaguely interested in philosophy.   

I know we talked of this a while back and it was not the right time, so I am not going to try to push anything.  But I am very good at honouring other people's boundaries, and protecting whatever they need protecting.  And I don't think I am scarey.   

The application form arrived today, and I did my usual trick of procrastinating.  But that is ok, because I have two weeks to fill them in, and one day with the envelope stuffed out of sight will do no harm.  I will maybe have a glance at them tomorrow, and then make plans to filll them in bit by bit between now and next Monday, and then post them back.  Or perhaps I will do them before Saturday, and have the firework display with d as a reward.

Bonfire night coming up, for anyone not in the UK.  November 5 or nearby - big excuse for fireworks, bonfires etc all over the country.  Very mild autumn at present so will seem very unseasonal - usually freezing cold by bonfire night, but not this year.   

[Hopalong]

Awww. I wanna come.

I could charge into a bookshop going HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! IT'S MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, Hops!
YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

If anybody answered that, I'd figure they are definitely brave enough to have a cuppa with.

 

Hops

[Plucky]

hi October,
what happened?  Did you post it somewhere else?  Give us an update if you feel like it.
Plucky

[October]

hi October,
what happened?  Did you post it somewhere else?  Give us an update if you feel like it.
Plucky

  Well, here is the update. 

The closing date is the 13th.  So I thought, Sunday is a good day to aim for, and then post on Monday (ie today).  However, woke yesterday feeling terrible.  Nothing you can really specify, but generally tired, lethargic, depressed, nauseous, and with a general pain in my tummy.  Looked it up on the internet and found it was the wrong side for appendicitis, and in my travels through the world of internet medicine, came across anemia again and thought, oh yes, that is probably it.  20% of women have it; seems likely.

Two years ago I had a blood test which showed mild anemia, and did nothing about it.  Then a couple of months ago, with this same kind of exhaustion, remembered and started taking iron and multivits, and felt better, and then stopped taking them again because it is too easy to forget to look after myself.  So took another yesterday, and spent the day slobbing around, trying not to think of the form that is not filled in.

Then had a chat with a friend in the evening, who gave me lots of encouragement, and so today I have emailed my last work to get iin touch with someone who is a referee on my CV, but who I want to talk to before just putting her there again.  So that is today's first achievement.

I also sent an email to the hospital that I am meant to be being referred to, but have not heard from almost a month later.  I said that in my experience doctors do not have follow up systems for referral letters, so could they check this has arrived.  It may achieve nothing, or it may achieve something.  But at least I am not letting the NHS carry on its incompetent way unchecked.   

And if anyone is wondering which I would choose, if both suddenly appear, it would be the job.  I am fed up being poor and a job could help towards that.  I am also equally, or perhaps more, fed up being unwell, but recovery is more uncertain than a wage slip would be.

And at some point during the day, I must get that form out of the envelope and start to fill it in.  This is the very worst part for me.  The anxiety goes through the roof with all that potential rejection in every line.  However, it can all be done, in time.     And that terrible dragging tiredness is much less, so the iron must be the answer.

Thanks for asking, Plucky. 

[WRITE]

This is the very worst part for me.  The anxiety goes through the roof with all that potential rejection in every line.  However, it can all be done, in time. 

yes it can. I hate the forms and feeling like a sitting duck too, but it gets easier. All those symptoms you describe are how I get with big anxiety, like a cortisol overload: high energy first then a shut-down.

RE NHS people are always telling me you have to push to get things done and receive a good service, when I lived in England I found the same, and I wrote to the hospital so much they asked me to be a patient representative on the planning committee! I did feel like Victor Meldrew sometimes, but it was more positive than the alternative of doing and saying nothing!

Good luck with the form, hope you got it done today.

I find it easier now doing a rough draft of any detailed answers, also I keep a chronological rsume to just copy each time for the basics, make it easier.

[October]

I find it easier now doing a rough draft of any detailed answers, also I keep a chronological rsume to just copy each time for the basics, make it easier.

Nope, didn't get it done.     I think displacement activity is the term; changed the bed, did lots of washing, then went to bed exhausted for a sleep this afternoon.  I must be mad thinking I can hold down a job.  Still, I have done it before, and I can do it again.   

Sent a text to a friend, asking is she has time to sit with me this week, to help out with it.  No reply as yet, but loads of time.  And haven't found my CV yet either, but that is because I haven't looked.  It has all the stuff I need, as you say.

On the plus side, I think I know where there are two references in a file, so I can always send them plus one name, if I don't hear from Sue at my old work.  And on the other plus side, I always intend to do job applications early, and then leave them until the deadline, because that seems to force my attention.  Can't forget about it, because d is giving me lots of gentle reminders, which is good.   

I have known all these years that if I can only achieve getting the job, holding it is easy.  But applying, and in particular the forms, that is the impossible bit.  Almost impossible bit, sorry.   

[Plucky]

Good for your D!  She is really in your corner.  (We are too!)
October, think about this.  While NHS may be incompetent and scary as a bureaucratic monolith, there are some people there who are knowledgable and keen.  So once you are in there, you will have access to knowledge, without the risk of having to have them practice on you if they turn out to be wrong. Or have I gotten it al wrong and you are not applying for a position in NHS?
 
How about breaking the whole application process down into steps and writing them down, then you will have a plan.  Write down the bits you have done already too and you will then see how far along you are.  Allso it will highlight any things that have a long lead time or possible delays so as to avoid a last minute stressout.

Above all, don't berate yourself.  Just plug along as you have been.  Do something every day.  And do I need to start a 'take your iron, October' thread?

Plucky