Things Are Looking Up (at last)

Some things are happening for me now. Firstly, I had an assessment yesterday morning for a Web Administrator. I found this interesting and feel that I can do the job. Despite running out of time with the second advert (the Laptop) I completed the first one (the graphics card) and made it look professional, accurate and interesting. I used Word, Dreamweaver, and Photoshop (all versions newer than at home) and liked the manager - calm and efficient. I believe I put down the gauntlet to other candidates but it is quite easy for someone to beat me if they have had some experience or know their software to a high level. As the task was only 50 minutes to do 2 ads the only things that I could have done better were more prep under pressure and quicker identification of the Laptop make and model (surprisingly the most awkward part of the task). I did show that I can work on my own and was close to completing the task under pressure, creatively and efficiently. Another 5 to 10 minutes and I would have given myself an excellent chance.

Also, I have spent some time updating my Website and working out how to do many of the other pages, applied for another 3 jobs, spoke to a couple of friends (including a refresshing walk around Chorlton Park on Sunday) and am handling stress/depression a lot better. In particular I am rediscovering the knack of focussing on tasks without losing my temper or becoming distracted. If only I put 10 quid on Manchester to get the super-casino. That would have sorted out my finances a bit. Money is the real problem though... (oh and a postponed the visit to another friend until Thursday)

Quantum Reality

As I have written earlier things have been going a little strange lately. Well I have just watched "What the bleep do we know?!" and it could be the mind and consciousness that is influencing things. A ghost in the machine creating the reality around (a conventional reality) with all its flavours and colours. If everyone simultaneously cleared their minds of everything and then put 100% intent of the thought of a pure and peaceful land then we would wake up with world peace and a pure land around us.

Conversely, as we lose contact with our body when we die we may see nothing, other lands or deities depending on what we believe in and how pure the soul is as it traverses a reality without a physical form to latch onto. Will it desire a form to latch back onto (rebirth) or remain outside a physical reality?

The elements

It was very windy today. Ten people died because of the weather and it was had to get sleep because of it. Also, China and other countries are struggling to meet envirnomental targets. The BBC are moving to Salford after all and there is all the stuff going on in the world (Iraq and so on). So what was the biggest highlight today?

CELEBRITY BIG BOTHER

Shilpa and Jade go head to head. They have been arguing about some poxy chicken oxo cubes. Then Jade goes overboard on Shilpa. It makes great entertainment but the stuff she was saying was quite tasteless and bordering on racism (even if that was not intended). It is in the news, the papers and on everyones lips. Both are now for eviction

Channel 4 have lost their big brother sponsor and there is an inquiry about the incidents and quality of programming (which is dire at times but not only on Channel 4 - 'The Mint' on ITV anyone?). Big Brother even reached the house of commons and it was suggested that if the BBC help Channel 4 switch over to digital then it should be on condition that Channel 4 drop programmes such as Big Brother. Um

Yes, I think Big Brother is entertaining ... for 10% of the time. Most of the rest of the time it is the most boring TV ever. Celebrity this and that also seems to get the viewers but can be even worse than a similar show with members of the general public.

Other stuff

Despite all of this I have managed to negotiate the overdraft on my credit card, get calls and applications done and not sleep in. Keep it up!

That DJ again

I cannot believe my rotten luck. My bank has reduced the credit limit on my credit card to 100 pounds above the balance. With my hefty overdraft and no job interviews I am feeling more and more desperate to get work and reduce these debts. Yet how do I sort out my awful job history over the last 18 months? If this is not resolved in the next couple of weeks I could be left with not enough money for food or rent. I will do any job as long as I get the 14K that I need to start to clear the debts. This has to be now NOT September or April.

Why is it more work to get work than it is when in work. There is so much one can do in life and filling in endless application forms, chasing up agencies and finding out that it could take three months to get work (on average) and much longer to settle into I career that I will enjoy.

I may want world peace and create music, stories and games but most of the work is so boring. So is not working. Who wins, what wins. Karma!

More things Pete Tong

2007 is going to be a hard year. In the last couple of days I have experienced:

• rejection letters from jobs I applied for just last week
• lethargy and sleeping in
• wrong charging from shops (one overcharge and one undercharge) - there has got to be a better way for accurate charging and easier cash tills in shops
  
• using CD wipes to clean screens has left big stain on my TV from fluid seeping through the glass (something I thought impossible)
• more problems with mobile phone reception and the network going down
• more spots on my scalp
  

On the plus side I have managed to buy reduced food in the shops, found free DVDs from a newspaper offer and am learning new techniques for job hunting.

Rocky start to 2007

A few days into 2007 and already things are going wrong:

• My grill catching fire when grilling sausages
• Phone going off the network (again)
• Job agencies telling me that they could not put me forward because of lack of work in last year
• Last Thursday I went toNorth Manchester School for Boys at Blackley and found that the GMPTE site gve wrong information for buses (I ended up walking half an hour from the stop)
  
• Hassled by three 13-14 year old boys at bus stop after talk (the cheek of them - talk about not talking to strangers and the nanny state). I did not like them slamming the bus shelter or spitting
• Illness and sore eyes since coming over from Barry
• Tiredness and sleeping
• Too much TV and staying up all night filling out job applications

At least I am giving it more of a go than I did last year. I need to perservere if I am to get anywhere.

Torchwood 4

Reviews of the last 3 episodes of the series (Weevils, Captain Jack and finale).