Personal: New Job!

After several months of being unemployed, I’ve now been offered a job and I start on Monday! Yipee! (bouncy bouncy Richy).

I’m going to be working for a local web design and SEO (search engine optimisation) company doing a whole variety of work – and by looks of things I’m going to really enjoy working for them. I’m getting paid ³/₄ of what I was previously on, but as this new place is less than 2 miles away I won’t be spending a quarter of my wages on transport – hence it all nicely works out. So, I’m doing what I love doing for a local (financial stable and growing) company for a decent wage – just perfect. And it came at “just the right time” as well, my bank balance is currently, erm, “running on fumes” and whilst I did receive a payment this morning from my “other web activities” which just pushed my bank balance back into the black – I couldn’t survive much longer. Now, at the end of last year, I was unemployed, Ciaran was unemployed, my GESF and her flatmate were unemployed – and now, 9 days into the New Year, and we’ve all got jobs. Things are looking up! 🙂

When I was at the second interview today, I was informed that they’ll get back to me tomorrow to let me know as they had a few others to interview (a total of 5 of us out of 50 got through to ‘the final stage’ so whilst I knew I was ‘a good and likely candidate’ I also knew the chance of getting the job was one in five statistically). The second interview lasted half-and-hour (just like the first one on Monday) and then I headed home. On the way back, I popped into Belgrave Hall museum for a nosey round. I can’t say I was too impressed – I didn’t go into the gardens, nor did I see the ghost of Belgave Hall (a lady in a dress) and something about the exhibited rooms didn’t quite seem right. I’m not sure if it’s just because some of the rooms were closed and hence the house seemed smaller than it was (for example, you could see the nursery but not the children’s rooms) but…

I got home, lied in bed and watched a few episodes of South Park and then fell asleep (something about interviews really tire me out) around 2.30pm. I was woken up at 4.47pm by the phone ringing. I answered it and said “Hello” – the other end said “Hello Richard” and I was trying to rack my brains thinking who it could be!

I did not recognise the voice at all – I knew it wasn’t my GESF (mainly as it was a male voice) as it didn’t have her accent, I knew it wasn’t any of my old workmates or my old boss (as the voice didn’t have their accent) and it wasn’t my father… So, I played safe and just said “Hello” again 🙂 He told me who it was and I sat up straight in bed. Yes, my initial thoughts were “Oh dear – he said he’ll call me tomorrow and he’s already calling me today, d–n I really wanted that job” – but then he asked if I could start next week and my face just lit up! We chatted for a few minutes (I have to admit I was kinda speechless) and that was it. I then watched another episode of South Park to help wake me back up (for some reason, I’ve decided to watch all of series 5 in reverse order).

I then called my Mum on her mobile. My parents (who are both currently on holiday “oop North”) were aware that I was going for an interview today so they wanted to know how it went. I called them, had a chat and found out what their hotel was like, what they had been doing and then my dear old Mother couldn’t contain her curiosity anymore and asked “Have you got anything to tell us?”. Yep – those words. I don’t know about you, but I always associated that sentence from my parents with me doing something wrong. You know, something like drop a plate and home – tidy it up and don’t tell them about it – they find out, and then they start asking “Have you got anything to tell us?”.

I decided to be cruel and acted all innocent: “No – should I have?”. “Richard – have you got anything to tell us?”. “Nope, I think that’s about it Mum”. “Richard“. There must be something ingrained within our heads when we are children that, when a parent talks to us in a stern voice, it makes us tell them. So I did – “I’m starting work next week”. Her voice was quite shocking. It was like she had been told that I was dead and I then called her to say that I’m alright – the relief in her voice was beyond comparison! I actually got a bit scared that she was getting too emotionally but she was just glad I had found a new job.

We continued chatting, she passed me over to my Dad (who had already guessed from Mum that I’m going to be leaving the realms of unemployment) and chatted a bit – and that’s it. He’s going to be popping over to mine once he’s back from holiday, so alls well.

Now, I’ve just got to finish this blog entry, another one that I’ve already started (to pre-empt a question I’m sure a few “lurkers” here are going to ask), do a blog entry about a game or two, maybe post a job – and then I may just celebrate! Yippeee!

Oh – at least you all now know why I may not be able to keep up with my previous ratio of 100 entries every month, but I’ll see what I can do…