Of Tea, Cake and Other Matters of Importance

Edinburgh was excellent. Lots of walking around, too much to explore in the few days I had there, and I'm left with a real desire to return. The hotel was lovely, spotlessly clean, and their breakfasts top notch. Of course the city has umpteen places to dine without torturing the budget too heavily. The train journey there and home again went without a hitch. I got surrounded by an Irish family, an older teen and her mother, plus the grandmother, and they were simply lovely. I'd never met them before and I'll most likely never meet them again, but they automatically included me in their conversation as if this was the most natural thing in the world.

When returning home after being away, everything looked dusty and smaller yet comforting. This brilliant spring sunshine is merciless to those of us who can think of far more interesting things to do than wielding polish and cloth, and so the obvious task had to be faced. I must send some of this bric-a-brac to the nearest charity shop. Yes, I know I only recently posted about me not being willing to part with any of it, but tastes do change, and cheap 'n' cheerful no longer brings me the joy it once did. Am I turning into a Marie Kondo? Rest assured this will never happen. Remember her announcing that everyone should have no more than six books in their house, or something like that? I have more than twice that stacked up on my nightstand.

I really enjoyed reading the collection of short horror and dark fantasy story anthology, Black Magick. The reason I bought my copy is that it features a story by Adele Cosgrove-Bray, who's one of my favourites. The last novel in her Artisan-Sorcerer series is supposed to be due out some time this year. Has anyone read these? Think magical realism, urban fantasy, with strong characters. Treat yourself!

I'm slowly working my way through the Horrible History boxed set, which is a bit of fun. I've also started reading a book about sleep paralysis which brings the sensation of an invisible being sitting on or by you while draining your energy. This one's by Louis Proud, an Aussie writer who I've not heard of before. There are also a few needlecrafts books which I picked up second-hand while up in Scotland, which I've not started yet but going from the photos they look interesting.

There are some new faces at my place of work. Staff turnover seems high. That usually indicates a problem in the workplace, but the manager's reasonable and it's a decent enough firm to be employed by. No job's ever perfect. There's always some aspect of it you don't like, (apart from actually having to be there!). The pay's a weak spot. It's okay for someone like me, whose mortgage is long paid off and who is a few short years off retirement and so can't be bothered changing jobs to do the corporate ladder-climbing thing, but for a young adult it's a dead end job. Most figure that out after a while. I wait until I've known them for a while, and then I'll ask how they'd like their life to be in ten years time. To the young, ten years sounds like a lifetime off, but it's upon a person soon enough, and if steps aren't taken they'll still be slogging away in the same, or a similar, job. I point out that one day, maybe not this year but soon, they'll want their own home, driving lessons and a car, holidays, etc., and that these things cost a lot of money, and that this job will never provide that. I like to think of it as offering a benign kick in the pants from an older, and hopefully a tad wiser, person. I only have this conversation with them once, and once only, then I'll leave it up to them totally. Plant a seed, and leave it. And, as a result several have gone back into education to better their chances in the long term.

Well, there's one hour of my life I won't get back.

The boss emailed everyone to tell us there was a course on aging which we were obliged to complete. The course consisted of 25 very short videos, each of these finishing with a question, along with  a short set of possibly correct answers to choose from. Each time, two of these potential answers were clearly absurd. And the course information itself was very basic.

For example: "The musculoskeletal system is made up of muscles and bones..." Truly, I am not exaggerating the simplicity of this.

Having finished the course, I was awarded a 100% pass mark, not because I'm a genius - I'm really, definitely not - but because it wouldn't have challenged the IQ of a tadpole.

 So I've now been in my 'new' job for a year. Yes, it really has been that long since I updated this blog. So much for good intentions.

The job's dull but most of them are. It pays the bills, and it's only part-time so I can cope with it anyway. Aren't all jobs tedious, really? I think I'd feel this way about any job; just the simple fact of having to attend and do sensible stuff... The child within obviously still has a lot to say. Maybe that's a good thing. Anyway, my manager is happy with what I do even if I'm bored silly by it all.

I now have a new chandelier for my living room. What I need now is an electrician to install it. While I'm calling one out, I might as well replace the kitchen ceiling lights too, as that's developed a few rust spots and a broken-off spotlight is jammed in it. I've tried and failed, while teetering precariously up a stepladder, to coax the stub of the bulb come out, so now only two of the three spotlights work. Is that a fire hazard?

Travel over the last year has been minimal. I've had a few days out,  few visits with family and friends, which were enjoyable of course, but nothing ore adventurous than that. Yikes, I must be one of the world's most boring bloggers - no post update for a year, and then all I have to offer is "I've not done much". Blame Covid-19. I guess we're all in the same boat on that score. Is the crisis finally receding now? It looks like it.

I've been reading, watching films, planning to redecorate the entire house and have actually done some of it. Okay, only one room, and only part of that as yet, but it is a start at least. Me and stepladders are now arch enemies due to my wonky knee and me having hurt my back before Xmas, which gave me a lot of trouble. It's okay now apart from sciatica. (Do not mention old age or dry rot.)

I've now handed in the last of the work-related courses which I had been lumbered with. Thank goodness they're out of the way! There were six courses in all, and each course consisted of a textbook and an accompanying questions and answers workbook which we so-called students had to complete.

I hate to moan but the courses were so dull - badly written, (the punctuation was diabolical), chewing over the same ideas repeatedly - and pointless as previous courses which I've done are at a much higher level anyway.

Out of curiosity, as I'd never heard of the examining body, I did a quick bit of research online, and swiftly found that not only are no qualifications from this particular company recognised anywhere in Wales but also that they're unrecognised by UCAS either, as UCAS considers them to be below their quality standards! So what is the point of my employer inflicting this rubbish on we employees? A tick-box operation, obviously, so they can say they offer in-house training.

In addition to these courses, I also had to update my First Aid training. This meant a long drive to the other side of Cheshire, which is a pleasant way to spend work's time. What would you sooner do, slog away at the daily routine or drive through picturesque villages and alongside verdant fields bursting with cute and spindly-legged black lambs?

Do I sound jaded with regards to my job? A few friends have made this observation. Maybe it's time to start looking around for something better, or at least something different. A change of scenery can be a good thing sometimes, can't it?

Change of subject: I've begun adding a new story to AO3, called A Cup Taken Coldly, which was one of my favourite RPG stories from a particular Ricean forum. It was co-written by several other people, while I wrote as Louis, and was a lot of fun to create as it shows Louis DPDL's ruthless side. Typically, though, I don't know their OOC names and so I'm unable to give proper attribution to my fellow writers. If you recognise your work, do shout up.

So I'm slowly dipping my toes in this site, looking around for interesting-seeming communities and individual diarists. Maybe you're reading this and you're one of the people whose name I added? If so, hi. Or if you happen to just be passing by, hi too.

Yesterday was tied up with a training session at work. There's a list of subjects in which all employees have to undergo annual mandatory training. After a decade of doing this, it gets a bit wearing. There's no point in moaning about it, though, as that changes nothing. We even had to do  a  basic English and maths test this time around, as an intro. to undergoing additional courses which we've all been "volunteered" for by our employer. The subjects are all work-related but it's bit of an imposition seeing  as we have to complete these in our own time, and to a deadline.

A colleague laughed aloud. "What's the point of me doing this," she asked, "when I'm due to retire soon?"

No rational answer was forthcoming, and she's still lumbered with having to complete the courses.

Don't think I'm complaining about my job, though. I genuinely enjoy my work. It's a fun place to work, my colleagues are pleasant. The work itself can be rewarding and interesting. The annual round of training's a pain, but such is life.