First Day is Over!
Now Playing: BBC4
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries

SOOOoooo....

I got home to find I'd been set up for 2 interviews which I've now had to cancel. But I feel confident I've made a good choice of employment.

My supervisor, Andy, met me at 9am and then we had tea and chatted in the canteen for about 1/2 hour. Tea is free! Coffee is not... I was introduced to the team, my desk, and the layout of the office, labratory & warehouse. I tried really hard to remember everyone's name, and tomorrow will be the real test.

I was introduced to the products: cleaners, protectors, flushing systems, leak repairs, water conditioner, limescale removers, solder, fluxes, jointing tapes, etc... all for plumbers to buy at merchant shops, so no individual sales. Therefore, everything is very methodical, and I started to put some orders onto their system.

Everyone was very friendly, so I was put well at ease. The lovely thing is that its a quiet atmosphere, and people generally start leaving around 4:30, so that after 5pm, there were only a few people left in the office. Yay!

A short walk home, and I had time for a run, cancelled interviews, reheated dinner stephen had premade, and am now searching websites for office clothing inspiration.

All in all, it doesn't seem real!

Euphoria
Mood:  celebratory
Now Playing: BBC4
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
I GOT THE JOB!!

9am tomorrow: Elisabeth goes back to work! i.e. no more blogging :(

-Company: Cooksons Electronics
-2004 profits of Cooksons: 3+ BILLION (not joking)
-Listed on the FTSE 250
-Post: Sales-Coordinator
-Contract is temp. 4 months, with liklihood of permanent contract.
-Salary: More than my last job ;)
-Commuting time: 5 min. on bicyce/15 min. walk in heels
-In-house subsidized canteen.
-Job Description: to come tomorrow...

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES, COME ON!!

Yowzers
Mood:  vegas lucky
Now Playing: PJ HARVEY
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
Dizzy , dizzy... I am really excited right now after my interview, b/c I really would like to get this job, and I might be starting on Thurs.!! But I shouldn't be excited until it actually happens...so stay tuned. In the meantime, read a rare-blog entry by Stephen below!

Just Stuff
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: Stephen Says
It's very strange how, with E unemployed and me working, the blogging duites have been reversed. Ah well, my life the last few weeks has been pretty quiet as I just work, work, work.

That said, it's going very well and I'm pretty on the ball with it all. I've been taking care of things, organizing events, just a few things to take care of this week and then I'll be totally caught up and then I get a call yesterday and it turns out that my manager will be going over to another project for a few months and in all liklihood, I'll be getting this temporary promotion. Which will mean that my work-load will be trebled and I will be working some of the mad hours that I was working back when I started when we were totally understaffed.

Of course, there is a rumoured pay rise but I'm not getting my hopes up.

I don't know, other things? I went to see a soccer match at the local stadium (Again, work related) and I have to apologize to all our guests who have been to visit us that we never took you to one. Tres entertaining and a good laugh that'll only cost you 10 pounds. D'oh!

Um, what else? I can't really remember what I've been doing.

I guess that the final note of interest (Again work related because I no longer have a life separate fro those of the residents) is that I've been confirmed in post, which pretty much means that it's going to be very hard for me to lose my job. As a 'congratulations' for this, I was invited to sit in on an area meeting with all the managers of all the residences in this area and our area manager. After 3 hours, I was ready to stab my pen into my leg just for a taste of what life is like. By the time the meeting ended, after 5 hours of bickering, digressions, cigarette & coffee (tea) breaks, I wasn't able to string 2 words together.

And that's about it. I will be the representative for Together at the Woking Mental Health Fair at the H.G. Wells Centre coming up on November 16th so if you're interested & in the area, why don't you stop by.

Corrections
Mood:  energetic
Now Playing: BBC4
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries

I love going running on Sunday mornings around 8-9am. It seems to be the only waking hour when there is nobody up and out. No cars, no pedestrians, no people raking leaves in their gardens gawping at the blond sweaty mess scarring their environment; no one is out (ok, I saw 2 people).

After all my endive/chickory blogging, when I got to Saisbury's they had sold out. The market didn't have any either. Sigh. Apologies for those of you who were desperately looking forward to how our chickory meal turned out. It will happen eventually.

And, my predictions for cleaning all day and being a housewife were also incorrect. Debbie collected me on her way to Aldershot to look at the market there. We wound our way through backroads, getting lost, etc... Finally at the market, it wasn't so hot, lots of cheap hamburgers, and two meat auctioneers...we didn't stay too long.

But I am continually bowled over by the surrounding countryside and the countless turn of the century large (enormous) brick houses that must cost upwards of 800,000 pounds.

In short, Surrey is beautfiful. It must be the endorphines typing.

Stephen's working again today, but maybe, maybe, he'll post a blog soon!

Working on the Weekend
Now Playing: BBC4
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
This weekend should not prove very exciting for blogging as Stephen slept at work last night, and will only be home on Sat. & Sun evenings, where he will sit down in front of the computer with 4 cans of cider and read blogs/newsarticles, watch funny videos and play violent games.

The idea is we're supposed to make up for our dud weekends by living it up the weekends Stephen's free...but right now with money tight, we just have to do the best we can with a cheap bottle of wine and boggle.

I will take this morning to clean the bathroom, vacuum and do some laundry. I'll pump up my bicycle tyre, grab my endive recipe, go to the library, shop for groceries, cook dinner, and lovingly welcome Stephen home in my apron (don't be dirty! I'm talking fully clothed and wearing apron as if I've been cooking!) Stephen will then shove me aside when he sees there is cider, plonk himself down in front of the computer, and there you have it.

Sigh, housewives can be so under appreciated!

Stephen, I'm joking...

On a separate note, thanks for all of your book suggestions! Your response was overwhelming.

Oh! There is an urgent temp vacancy that needs to be filled as a sales admin./co-ordinator for which I have an interview on Mon afternoon.

I will brush up on interview techniques this weekend, b/c this job would pay well, and is just a few blocks away, for a multi-billion corperation! The contract would only be until Jan. so no undue pressure. Gee, I do hope this works out...

Have a good weekend all.

In Quest for Endives
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
Where can you get endives in England? I can't find them on Sainsbury's online, so I'm going to take a risk and go into town, armed with an endives recipe. Don't worry, I'll bring a back up.

Stay tuned for the outcome...

OUTCOME: Yes, Sainsbury's does have endives, or the closest to it: chickory. So all's ok.

Theatre and Religion
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
I started writing a reply to JC's comment on the 18th's entry, but it got too long, so here it is:

That is interesting about people studying with you thinking it doesn't matter if what they study is relevant or not. Because, I've often suspected that theatre and religion have a lot in common: why, didn't they actually emerge from the same thing?? Which was storytelling, dance, and worship of whatever spirits, ancestors, deity, or perceived greater being... As you know it was all one and the same, way back when. Then as things developed the spiritual element and the storytelling element split and developed into concrete forms (but then were joined together by God in a book called the Bible)...on come morality plays, pageants, guild theatres, real theatres, and still the Christmas pageants of today.

(Breathe in some air) All this to say that both the western theatre and Christianity are commonly thought to be irrelevant in this day and age of technology and science. But notice that I only accuse the western traditions of theatre and religion, as in specifically poorer countries, religion and theatre still function and are integral to the culture and society.

Some argue that religion/spirituality is necessary to be a well-rounded, complete person. That you can't experience the fullness of life without it. Theatre I don't think offers the same argument. But it's similar in that it can teach people how not to repeat mistakes, how not to fall into stereotypes, how to look critically at politics, and to be made aware of the personal cost of things. It should create awareness, and therefore a healthier society. So maybe where religion deals with the individual, theatre deals with the community. Only, Christianity has fought hard, tooth and nail to be in charge of community by 1) persecuting the theatre and 2) laying down rules and guidelines, which eventually have been discarded, because they are not healthy (relevant).

I would argue that spirituality and theatre are extremely relevant and necessary to contemporary life...to help ground individuals and to provide reflection on our fast-paced culture. Only, spirituality is commonly available in the form of religion, and theatre is commonly available in the form of commercial entertainment (and really, what is the difference between those two--both out to make you feel good, take your money for profit--while putting on a saintly face)...naughty elisabeth

So it is extremely irritating to hear that your classmates (who are in the higher tiers of education), do not think that it matters if something is relevant or not. Things should always be relevant, and things should always move with the times!

___

So that's my rant for the day!

Stephen's in Basingstoke for more training, I'm sending applications, register with agencies, and more research on this play.

Finished reading a book called Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga. Semi-autobiographical about growing up in Rhodesia (Zimbabewe) and dealing with western culture interrupting the traditional (patriarchal) way of life. Very well written, and fast read. Now I've got the new Alice Munro short story collection: Runaway. Excellent. Every story is a gem, and always leaves you with a few minor mysteries to work out for yourself.

Anybody got some book recommendations?

Right...gotta go get the job papers...

Each Velvety Cheek Day
Mood:  spacey
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
So now, what happened today? It's 8 p.m. and time for a re-cap. Stephen had to be at work for 2pm so we had a leisurely morning, caffinated of course, and then went into town. Stephen paid off his credit card so we're credit card debt-free!! I applied to be a Xmas Temp at a clothing store, which involved filling out the application in a mall coffee/muffin shop with Stephen sitting across from me reading a book and drinking coffee, and giving me good advice when I needed it. When I wasn't finished the application, and the coffee was gone, he left, came back, gave me more advice, and eventually I put down enough B.S. about being a dedicated worker, etc... to satisfy me, and then turned it in.

Now I realize that Xmas Temping in retail does not pay well (ahem, min. wage), but here are the advantages:

1. Discounts on their gorgeous clothes.
2. Not working in front of a computer.
3. Not working in an office.
4. Getting to wear the gorgeous sweaters, skirts, accessories & wearing nice trousers/jeans to work, instead of stuffy button up shirts, wool trouser suits, and clicky heels.
5. Having great stories to tell about the insane demands of Xmas customers.

I also applied to a couple more theatres, and some other office jobs.

This evening I played some piano and some online sudoku. Then I got my ass in gear and did some more research on this play I'm trying to "prepare" as if I were ever to direct it, and read an interesting comparative article by Susan Sontag on "Film and Theatre". Basically many people believe that film will kill the need for theatre, but she argues that instead they are distinct forms, and may even give birth to a new form. But in the end both theatre and film are distinct art forms that are clearly different, and provide different experiences.

The hard part as a person of theatrical persuasion, is how to convince cynics that theatre is relevant, and not the perceived elitist-artsy fartsy, or stuffy and outdated reputation it has. I believe as film is developing, it is also dividing itself into categories like artsy-fartsy films, blockhead blockbusters (equivalent to most Broadway musicals, esp. Andrew Lloyd Webber), and the more challenging and beautiful films (insert your favourite here...mine is that new one with Viggo Mortensen...) which can be equated to quality modern theatre, which reflects today's society.

Anyway, my brain is hurting.

Stephen will be home late tonight as he's at the Woking FC match against Nottingham Forest with some of his residents/outpatients. Tomorrow he will be getting up early to go to London for a training course, and Lord knows when I'll see him again.

Tomorrow I'll spend some time with Debbie (the hog roasting South African babe), and maybe, just maybe have word from any of these jobs I've applied to.

Over and out.

Interesting Article II
Topic: Stephen Says
"The Normalization of Treason, the Republicans' gift to America"

A really interesting article by John in DC

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/10/normalization-of-treason-republicans.html