Temporary state of affairs

Hi all,

Hope you are enjoying your weekend, so far. I've had quite a week. On Monday, I went back to the office from Hell and stayed there until Wednesday. I was booked for the full week, but if I hadn't walked out on Wednesday, I probably would have killed somebody - namely, Amanda (the annoying one who thought it was terrible that I couldn't get a "proper" job). She was saying it again on Tuesday, so I lost my temper and shouted, "You're right. This isn't a "proper" job, is it? At least I'm only doing it temporarily though; you have to work here forever!" You should have seen her face; her mouth literally dropped open and, for one moment, I thought she was going to cry. Stupid cow. I have no time for patronising people. Anyway, on Wednesday, PA came over and told me that the report I'd spent all morning typing up, was "amateurish". I totally lost it. "What do you mean by that?" I'd asked and she replied, "I expected a lot better from an ex-journalist." I had to stop myself from thumping her, but then Amanda chipped in. "I know; she's been working on it all morning, too. Linda usually finishes them in about half that time." Agghhh! I had no patience for any of them, so I told them that, in this day and age, that I didn't expect to be treated with such a lack of respect and that they should find somebody else to work for them. I then phoned my temp agency and told them about their poor attitude toward temp workers and they agreed to release me from the contract. I then had a couple of days off and Friday I was sent to work in a Vets as a receptionist. That was more like it, seeing all those cute little animals. I loved it. And the vet was quite cute too. He was married though, so no romance, unfortunately.

One good thing happened, though. I was talking to the other receptionist, Charlie, and she said that I should become a freelance journalist. I hadn't thought of that. There are a few things happening, in my local area, next week and so I will be doing some articles and posting them on my blog.

Until next time,

Callie signing off
xxx






 

Temporary insanity

Hi all,

Sorry I didn't post last week. I was too exhausted. I've been sent here, there and everywhere with my new temp agency. It's good that I'm earning money again, but it's left me way too tired to apply for jobs and my social life is dwindling, too.

I got a couple of days off last week, at least and so I sent some applications off for a couple of journalist jobs.

I'm dreading Monday, because I'm getting sent back to a place I've been working at for the last couple of weeks and there is an annoying woman who works there. I've had to bite my tongue several times; it seems that there is a consensus amongst certain types of people, that all temps are stupid.
I actually heard  two girls talking, while I was waiting at the vending machine, and one of them said these actual words..."It wasn't my fault, the temp did it!" and the other girl said, "Useless cow, I dunno where they get them from." I had to stop myself from thumping them. I didn't know whether they were on about me or not, but they were still insulting! That's the attitude of people, though.

Another girl in the office (where I am forced to work), gave me a pitying look, the other day, and said, "Ah, can't you get a proper job. It must be hard these days." I wouldn't mind, but she's younger than me and she was talking to me like she was my great aunt Ada!

Anyway, this stupid woman is the chief executive's PA and you'd think she was the Queen of England the way she acted. She came over to my desk, last week and said, "Mr Byron is in a meeting all morning, which means he isn't to be disturbed, understood?" I nodded and gritted my teeth at the same time. I was engrossed in my typing, when Mr Byron came over to me. "I'm expecting an important call from Sherwood's Tiling. Please make sure I get the call, " he'd said. He was much more polite than his PA (I think it's short for Pain in the Arse!)

So, as expected, this company called and so I had to go up to the meeting room to disturb the meeting. PA came out and started shouting her mouth off (all she needed was a tiny moustache and her arm in the air) and so I told her that Mr Byron had asked me to interupt, but she was having none of it and sent me away.

After the meeting I told Mr Byron what had happened and he went mad at PA and then she came and gave me grief! I'm dreading Monday. I know I don't have to go in there, but I really need to pay my bills and it keeps me busy. I don't know how anyone can work in an office like that though. I'm only there because the last admin assistant went off with stress (can't think why!).

So, tonight I'm going out with the girls, because I think I deserve it! I hope you all have a great weekend and until next time...(unless I've been sectioned!)

Callie signing off

xxx

What's a girl to do?

Hi all,

Hope you are enjoying the sunshine. It's weird how Septemember seems to be our new summer, here in the UK. I've spent the morning lazing around in my mum's garden. I stayed there last night. I know you must probably think I lead such a boring life when I stay at my mum's on a Friday night - and you'd be right, actually.

My life is boring, right now. I've been looking for work and have been so worried about paying my bills that I've not been eating (there are perks to this, for example, my new flat stomach! Yay!) and so my mum and dad came down yesterday, dragged me out of my apartment and flung me in the back seat of their car. To anyone watching, it probably looked like kidnap; it certainly felt like it!

They were just worried about me. They ordered in some fish and chips and we had a good night watching "Jack and Jill" (Adam Sandler cracks me up!) and drinking beer. It was ok, actually. Even Lila was on her best behaviour! I'm starting to think that I could actually give up my apartment and move back in with my folks, if the worst comes to the worst.

Anyway, I'll tell you what else I've been up to. I registered with some agencies and I almost karate chopped a stupid blonde bimbo, who looked as though she'd just left school, because she had the nerve to tell me (in a patronising tone) that she didn't think they would have any work for someone like me, because, although I had office experience, most companies want somebody who is reliable and she didn't think journalists were. She said that if I got a better offer then I would be off and she couldn't have somebody like that on her register. I wanted to kill the bitch, but instead I just told her that I didn't want to work for condescending, arrogant women like her and it was her loss. It was so funny to see her gaping mouth as I shimmied out of the door - stupid cow!

I did manage to sign up with one temp agency, though. They were great. It was a man, I spoke to, though, and I did the usual fluttering of eyelashes (I know it's sexist, but these are desperate times!) and he said that they got a lot of typing assignments, which would suit me and so I'm waiting for the offers to come flooding in. I might actually get to meet some nice men at some of these office, who knows? It could be fate.

Anyway, I'm going round to Ella's house tonight. She is returning last week's favour and having the girls round to her house for drinks and nibbles, tonight. I told her I'd need much more than nibbles, now that I've got a stone to put back on!

I'll catch up with you next week but until then...

Callie signing off

xxx

What have I done?

Hi guys,

How are you all feeling? I bet, if you live in the UK, that you are looking forward to a nice bank holiday weekend. Unlike myself; I won't appreciate it now that everyday is a day off for me! I can't believe that I quit my job. It has only just hit me what a stupid thing I did. I have tried all week to find another journalism job, but there haven't been any vacancies in my line of work in my local area.

My mum went mad when I told her. She said that I was welcome to move back into my old room, but that I would have to abide by her rules and put up with Lila. I don't want to lose my apartment. I love my independence! But the truth is, I haven't got any money coming in at all. I went into the dole office last week to see if I qualified for benefits. There was this horrible man sitting behind the reception desk. He had a big fat belly and a ring through his nose and his arms were covered in tattoos. When I walked over to his desk, he wouldn't even look me in the eye. I was so angry that he obviously thought he was so much better than me, so I stood up and I shouted, 'Why don't you have some respect and look at your customers!' And if that wasn't bad enough, he continued to look at his computer, and still, without looking me in the eye, he said, 'You are not entitled to any money, miss .....(I'm still too embarrassed to tell you my surname!) because you left your last position of your own accord. You will have to wait 13 week before we will review your claim.' I was still angry so I just continued to shout at him. 'It was enforced dismissal! My boss was a bully! How dare you sit there looking down at me. I could do your job - but I don't want to sit there all day looking down my nose at unemployed people just because I've got a job! If it wasn't for people without jobs, you wouldn't have one!' I didn't care that people were staring, but I was bothered when two security guards came and grabbed me under each arm and marched me out of the office.

So, I'm not allowed in my local dole office anymore. Not that I'm bothered about that. I will just have to think of something else. Right now I've got more important things to think about, like getting my ingredients ready for my girls' night in tonight. Now that I'm not working, I can't afford to go out and so I'm having the girls round tonight for a big pot of chilli and some glasses of wine. Hopefully, one of them might know of a job opening or something - and if they don't at least it's something to cheer me up.

Anyway, I won't depress you guys any longer. Have a great weekend, wherever you are and until next time...

Callie signing off

xxx

The world's gone mad

Hi Guys,

Phew. I haven't had a minute to stop and even breathe since I've been working for Melissa.
I can't believe that I first thought she was nice when I met her at interview; she's a total cow. Helen, who came with me to the Olympics, told me that everyone calls Melissa the 'smiling assasin'. I didn't know what she meant, at first, but then she told me loads of stories of how she makes people think she is lovely at first and gives them a couple of weeks to settle in and then she gives them all the horrible jobs and starts picking on them. Well...that was me, last week. After I got back from the Olympics (which was amazing, by the way), I was so tired and ready to go to bed for the whole weekend but Melissa had other plans. She made me go away with her to a remote village in Scotland. Apparantley, there is a woman living in a converted windmill, who everyone thinks is posessed by the devil. There have been stories in the local papers about her head spinning round and goo coming out of her mouth. Now firstly, I didn't believe that for a minute and secondly, if for the slightest reason it was true then there was no way that I wanted to go and see it for myself. You know me - I'm a total scardy cat! Anyway, I didn't get a choice did I. It turned out that I was Melissa's new scapegoat and she wanted to watch me get frightened to death. Lovely.

So, Melissa drove us all the way there and I was forced to listen to her boring music. She loves Ed Shearen and to me it is just total drone (no offence, Ed, but I much prefer Placebo). She didn't speak much, but every now and then I saw her give me a patronising glance.

Once we got there, she told me that I was to knock on the door and ask for Mrs. MacBridie and tell her we'd come to interview her. I asked Melissa if she knew we were coming and she said that if she knew, there was no way she'd have agreed and that we were going to ask her there and then. Anyway, I knocked on the door while Melissa stood miles away and this normal old woman answered. I asked her if she wouldn't mind being interviewed as it seems that she was a local celebrity and we wanted to take her story national. She invited us in for some tea and scones and, to be honest, I wasn't scared at all. Apart from looking a little bit witchy (long grey straggly hair, thin skeletal body and wearing lots of black) she was quite nice. Anyway, once Melissa knew there was nothing to be scared of, she started asking the woman loads of questions about what she thought about what people were saying and the woman said that just because she didn't look like other elderly women, people have started rumours and she was quite happy to let them think all of this evil stuff because it meant she got to be left in peace and there was no danger of any hoodies beating her up.

Once we'd asked her the questions (I could see Melissa was disappointed that she didn't try and turn us into frogs) we got up to go but then the woman wouldn't let us out. She said that we had some nerve coming into her house and accusing her of being a witch and as punishment she was going to keep us prisoner for a bit. When Melissa got out her mobile phone to call the police the woman grabbed this pole thing from the fireplace and started hitting Melissa with it. She knocked the mobile out of her hand and took it. She then threatened to beat me up unless I gave her my phone (which I did, obviously - the woman was a total psycho!)

After that she told us to sit down and she just sat there staring at us and giggling. I must admit, the giggling did sound kind of evil and I was starting to get really scared. The woman then opened the cupboard above the television and got out this mini cauldron thing and told us that she was going to do a spell and put a curse on us. She started chanting in some strange language and I swear I nearly puked up. Melissa was pale and I thought I saw her body shaking.

After about an hour the woman stood up and said we could leave. 'And don't come back again!' she screamed after us. I don't believe for one minute that she was posessed by the devil, but I think she was a total nut job who needed to be locked up for good. I kept wondering what would have happened had she not let us go? I told Melissa that I didn't think these sorts of assignments were a good idea but she freaked out and said that if I didn't want to go to see evil people then I was in the wrong job. I told her that if I'd wanted to work with psychos I'd have joined the police and then she said that if I wanted to stay in this job that she'd be sending me on all the demonic cases. I told her that it was totally unfair of her to do this and she said that she could do what she wanted because she was the boss. We travelled the rest of the way in total silence (except for Ed Shearen) and then when we got back home (last night) I told her that I'd had enough and she could find a new mug to give up their lives for that job.

So there, I have no job, I've had no sleep and I've probably been cursed. Great, eh? Other than that I'm feeling quite good. I'm going to go back to bed now because I'm totally exhausted and fed up and until next time...

Callie signing off

xxx

Missing in action

Hi guys

Listen, I'm sooo sorry that I didn't update last week. That was because I was stuck in the middle of nowhere. I only got back yesterday and as it was Lila's birthday, I didn't get chance to sit down for a minute. Anyway, work sent me to see this married couple who live in the mountains in Wales. I won't mention the town (in case it reveals the identity of the couple involved - however, once I tell you what is unusual about the couple, I am sure you could find out, if you wanted to, who they are) because I am bound by the official secrets act, but there was no mobile phone signal, no wi-fi, no tv, no anything really. The only thing it did have going for it was the local pub - weirdo city! I love to people watch but the people here were like something out of Royston Vasey.

Anyway, this particular couple were unusual in that they had both changed sex. When they met he was a she and she was a he (confusing, I know!) but they both realised that they were unhappy and as they both wanted to change to the opposite sex, then they could still stay married as man and wife. Phew! Despite the uniqueness of this assignment,  I found them to be the most lovely couple you could hope to meet. She (or should I say he?) was a great cook and I think I put on almost a stone (I stayed for almost a week) and he was lots of fun. We went hiking up the mountains and even though I hate doing outdoor pursuits, time just flew by.

I won't bore you too much with their life story (and I don't want to get sued by my employer either!) and so I will tell you about my plans for this week. Tonight, I am going out with Erin and Ella and tomorrow I am being sent to London to do some coverage of the olympics. Most of my colleagues have been and so they are sending me and another girl, Helen. Helen is ok. She keeps herself to herself most of the time, but I haven't had a problem with her. She seems a bit girly, though, that's the only problem. She's always got the latest designer bag and her highlighted blonde hair always looks immaculate. Sometimes, I think she must look at me and wonder what's wrong with me. I don't care though. Melissa hasn't said anything about my unique look and so I don't care.

I am a little fed up at the mo, though, if I'm honest. I don't like the way that Melissa can just send me to the other end of the country without any notice. What if I do meet a nice guy and settle down and have kids. This is no life for a wife and mother, is it? Maybe it's time for me to think of a career change.

Anyway, I hope you guys are all enjoying the snippets of sunshine we've been getting lately, even though it's decided to pour down with rain as I sit typing this.

Until next time,

Callie signing off
xxx

Quarter-life crises and balding men

Hi guys

What a week I've had. I need some good luck, or something to look forward to. Ever since I started my new job, things have been going so wrong. I've just finished writing up a piece I did last week. I got sent to an old mansion house, which is one of the oldest buildings in a nearby village and is supposed to be haunted. Melissa sent me along with one of my most boring colleagues, Mandy. I'm not being horrible (well, I am really...) but she is the most boring person I've ever met in my life and I'm including Nick in this, so you can tell how boring she is, can't you? She is about 40 and she acts like a nun, or something. She looks and acts much older than she is. We went to the house on Thursday, which was quite nice weather-wise, and she still wore a fleece jacket and a mid-calf length tartan skirt, which made her ankles look like tree trunks. She's got this red hair, but it's not a nice shade of red. Davina McCall wouldn't say nice things about Mandy's particular shade on her hair-dye adverts, put it that way. It just hangs in little limp threads around her shoulders. She wears circular rimmed glasses that she has a habit of looking over, so why bother wearing them? She is the ultimate frump. She talks dead slow, too. Honestly, I'm always yawning when I'm with her. I try to be all energetic and bouncy, but she still drawls and drives at 20mph in a 30 zone.

Anyway, I just wanted to give you a picture of the boringess that is Mandy, before continuing with my story. We went into the house, with our cameras and notebooks and Mandy started complaining about being cold. I was boiling, but she stood there shivering in her fleece. "I can sense paranormal activity," she'd said and I just shrugged my shoulders and tried to stop myself laughing as she started touching walls and going "Ooooh, Can you feel it, Callie?" No, I couldn't feel it. When I'd gone to the care home with Nick, I could feel it, but nothing was happening in the mansion house. It was just a plain old house.I reckon Mandy was trying to pretend just to get a good story.

Anyway, after an hour or boredom, we got back to the office and Mandy said that she would write up her experiences and I was to write up mine and on Monday we would collate the writing into an article. She said that if mine wasn't exciting then she would jazz it up a bit. In other words, they are making up stories to sensationalise them and attract readers. That is not the sort of journalist I want to be. I think I'm having one of those quarter-life crises that I read about recently. What if journalism isn't for me? What else can I do? Aaaaghhhh! I'm in crisis mode - help!!!

Today, I have written the truth - that the house, although old, was not in the least bit scary and if it was haunted, then maybe the ghosts come out after dark.

I'm going out with Erin again tonight. We went out for a meal last night and she told me that she was going to end it with her fiance, today. I tried to tell her that she is a committment-phobe and that the only reason she is dumping him is because she is scared of ending up with a baldy and that is just shallow. I also read recently that there is a new test people can do to see if a man is going to end up bald. If they sell them in chemists, I reckon Erin will be using it on new boyfriends. At least it will save the poor fellas from the humiliation of being dumped once their hair falls out. I am not that shallow. I have to find a decent fella to actually go out with and ask me to marry him before I start worrying about baldness.

Anyway, I best go now. I'm going out for a run while the weather is nice and then will have to shower before our night out. I can't wait to find out if she's decided to give it a go with him, though knowing Erin, the poor guy will be dumped for good.

I will catch up with you next week but until then,

Callie signing off

xxx