The New Leaf

6th September 2010

Eventually I will delve into the details of my summer spend hot footing all over Europe, some with friends, some ventured eagerly alone, but for the time being I want to divulge the inevitably mundane! By getting these mundanities off my chest I therefore hope to iron them out into some sort of explainable meaningful series of events. Today I did actually achieve one very meaningful task. From graduating (which actually commences in two days time) to now, the last few months have consisted of filling out my time as so to not think about the formidable realisation that I in fact have no job, university has ended and to top it off, no boyfriend. I will return to this later...

Summer has been great! But, as last post details, summer is no more. Therefore one must look at one’s life and see where one can take it in order to make one’s life more bearable and not want to commit one’s life to a repetitive cycle which could result in one’s mind going slightly insane. Today was that day. One step in the direction to make the rest of, not only one’s life but, one’s career a huge success!! You can see my naive optimism shining through here...

After hearing not a lot back from my determined efforts of applying to various media jobs, be this PR, Media Assistants, Communications Officers, Press, Relations Officer, etc, etc, I came back from Budapest with a feeling of... apathy. Well I had had a great time, it was warm and cheap and I chilled out with my friends’ every day. The idea of slogging back to the job application grindstone, surprisingly, didn’t exactly grab me. The irony is that whilst being in various hot countries, the only 2 posts which had offered me interviews were scheduled during my time away. And of course, to reflect our current job situation, they would not ‘re’schedule. For them this is the ideal way to wheedle out those many applicants with only the strongest contestants able to stand and hold the sword against the roaring lion- that is, the oh so coveted job position.

But I am turning over a new leaf! I have postponed my ideas of moving back up to London in the near future. I feel I need to think more realistically, aim within my reach. And this is.... drum roll please... working for free for local PR firms! Living at home for an indefinite amount of time, check! Being out of the buzz of London, check! But hopefully gaining invaluable knowledge of the industry from small local firms who are more attainable and approachable. Check. I have made the first contact. Always nice to do this over the phone, showing I’m not a complete mentalist. I sound normal. I can talk without becoming phased! Then send follow up email to show I am consistent, reliable, determined. Wait for reply.

Hi Luci

Thank you for sending me your letter plus CV.

Please give me a memory jog in about 3 weeks time and we can talk about some work experience for maybe a week or so after that.

Kind regards

Sue.

You can see how I am starting to get a little concerned about this new leaf of mine...

Welcome. I feel that is what should be said when someone visits something for the first time and as this is my first post it is definitely what is called for. I have pondered many many times to start and it was after watching another episode of Dylan Moran's comedy Black Books that I felt compelled to finally put finger to keyboard... My life has taken a sudden turn down an unknown road recently and to say it has gotten slightly monotonous would be one way of describing it. The realisation of this I think hit me last night during my, what has now become, regular routine of in bed by 11.30, followed by one episode of favourite comedy show of choice (two if I'm feeling frivolous) and lights out if I can help it by 1am. And as to not to start developing mould, moss and any other green form of foliage which grows on something which has been stationary for too long, this is my attempt to be the rolling stone.
Keep moving. Keep producing. Keep creating. Must not become repetitive, boring and start stories with the line ‘my cat did the funniest thing yesterday...’

5th September 2010.

It’s official. Summer is over. I relish the thought of waking every morning to find a tropical idyll behind my curtains as I rip them back. It has proved not to be disappointing over the last week since being back in England after a 10 day stint in Berlin and Budapest and I felt I had cheated the English skies by moving countries to soak up the best weather. A week of cloudless skies and feeling hot under my clothes, I had got the best of it. But no. Today yes back to that morose reality. I don’t mind winter, wearing lots of layers, chunky knits and boots worn with thick socks. It’s the first transition that takes the hardest to get used to. One minute the house smells of coconut scented sun cream and my bikini is never dry. And the next I’m looking at my jumpers as if it’s just spat at me. Resentment that I have to wear these long sleeves and cover up my hard attempts at, for once, gaining a tan. Not that that has EVER worked in my favour! On second thoughts, what’s so bad about the cold breeze rushing in from months of being beaten away by the sun?? At least now I don’t have to wear sunglasses just to avoid the glare from my white as sheet legs as the light bounces off them. Or worry about the flab that has developed from my 3rd year. I was far too busy and stressed to think about setting aside time to go to the gym/netball practice and prise that 8th biscuit from my hand. That 8th biscuit was the pinnacle point to when concentration finally set it, of course...

So yes, as much as I will miss that sudden rush of excitement when the sun beams into my room in the morning, giving me the incentive to grasp the day by the balls, it does actually alleviate a lot of unnecessary bother about thinking which top makes the tops of my arms look less chubbed because now the social graces of winter have arrived where it is deemed careless to show this part of one’s body. Thank god for rain...