Some things I cannot change

I went to look at more houses on Saturday. I saw about 7, but I didn't like any of them. I've decided that, given that I'm starting my new job in 4 weeks, my priority has to be finding somewhere to live in the short-term, rather than worrying about the long-term plan to buy somewhere. So I'm going to find somewhere to rent for six months, and I'll start looking to buy again once I'm settled and not homeless. Having been (technically) homeless for a few weeks last year, it's a situation I'm very keen never to be in again. I was lucky last time, and could stay with a friend from work during the week, returning to my mother's at weekend. I won't be able to do that with the new job, as I don't know anyone, so I have to have somewhere to live.

It's an expensive business, renting a flat, especially on your own. But I've got no choice. Well, no, I could go into a shared house, but I hate sharing with strangers, especially when you're a lodger, in an essentially weak position, living in a house which isn't yours. I hate that, and I won't do it again.

So for the next few weeks, my focus will all be on the move. I'm going to have to clean this flat too, and get rid of anything I'm not taking, sort out and pack what I am taking, take the bed and wardrobe apart etc. It's all very tiresome.

I haven't driven my car again since I brought it back from the showroom. I was going to go out today, but then it snowed (!!), and I don't think I'm quite up to driving in snow and ice. It's all pretty much melted now, but our car park is filling up already. It doesn't have enough spaces for the cars that live here, and so is always packed with cars parked in random, inconvenient places and therefore really difficult to navigate. I don't think I'm quite up to adventurous parking yet either, so it's probably best to just stay in today and go for a drive tomorrow while everyone's at work and the car park's empty!

I sorted out my car insurance today - that was a new experience. They were very nice though. I also went to Tesco and bought a squeegee to wipe the snow off the car! Apart from that, though, it's been a slow, boring day. I feel like I've got a hundred things to do, but I can't remember what any of them are. Well, except one - I'm meant to be writing a fic for a challenge, but I seem to have forgotten, when I signed up, that I haven't actually written anything for over three years, and the reason for that is I just don't feel like writing any more. Why I thought this particular challenge would change anything is anyone's guess, but it hasn't changed anything. I don't want to drop out, but .. I just don't feel like writing at the moment.

Flatmate!N is working her way through Buffy at the moment - she's just into season 5. She's trying to power through to the end before I leave, as they're my DVDs. I've thought about watching s6 again - skipping past the dull bits with Spike and Buffy, obviously - to see if I can remember the old Trio love, but then I just remember how terrible it all was and how much better our stuff was than the canon stuff, and it puts me right off.

Ah well. For now I'm just going to watch the Women's European Gymnastics Championships.

I also caught up on some TV this morning. I watched the new: CSI, BSG, and Doctor Who.

( CSI s8 ep12: Grissom's Divine Comedy )

( BSG s4 ep1: something long and religious, I forget )

( Doctor Who s4 ep1: Partners in Crime )

So that's what I've been up to today.

There's some more work stuff that's been going on, which culminates in me getting "talked to" on Tuesday when I go back in about my subversive efforts to turn the staff against the management and convince them all to quit (*rolls eyes*), but it's all quite dull so I won't go in to it. Suffice to say I'm quite glad I'm off on Monday. Once of my replacements (there are now three, I think) has been appointed and is starting on Monday - it'll be interesting to hear how that goes, since I won't be there.

Oh work.

Being a grown up is really hard :( I want to go back to Uni for a few years. Only being paid my current salary. Could that be arranged?

Okay, so, I have a confession to make. My Best Friend's Wedding is one of my all-time favourite films ever. It's the "feel good" film that I put on when I'm feeling down. With this in mind, I've long harboured a secret desire to write an SGA AU based on the premise of the film - character A and character B are best friends who were once involved, but decided they were better off as friends. Then suddenly character A finds out that character B is getting married and A freaks out - A wants B for themselves, gosh darnit! A was there first! So A dashes off to [city] with the intention of stopping the wedding. As the story continues, A has a lot of hilarious misadventures trying to split our devoted couple up, and along the way realises that they do actually love B. I won't spoil the end on the off chance that anyone would care, but it's just a totally cute film.

So, today one of my favourite, long-quiet communities - sga_reel - posted a romcom challenge, and what was there on the list, at number 41? Yes, that's right, My Best Friend's Wedding.

I'm quite tempted. I keep refreshing the page to see if anyone's claimed it. ;) That said, I haven't written a single fictional word in over three years, and the deadline is in 8 weeks - within that 8 weeks I have a few other little things going on, like possibly buying a house, certainly moving out, passing my driving test (I hope!), and buying a car. So am I really going to be able to hit the deadline? Also - important factor to consider - I'm incredibly lazy.

But it would work really well. I'm planning it out in my head already. Ahrg!

ETA: Oh yeah, I also had my "away day" with my new work on Thursday. It went really well. Everyone seems very nice. I've got an awful lot to learn, not least NHS jargon, but I'm really looking forward to starting there. I was in a foul mood all day and terribly short-tempered with colleagues when I was back in work today, partly because of PMS but partly because I just want to get out of there and start my new job now.

Also I'm going to look at some houses tomorrow. Not as many as I'd like, but a start.

Another driving lesson tomorrow. I'll be really glad when these stupid lessons are over. I'm so bored of learning to drive. I wish it would just end.

We had two events this week at work, one of whcih I went to. There was a great deal of stress on Wednesday over dull work things that I won't go in to, but it's all resolved now. I had quite a row with a coworker but we talked it out today - via email, of course, because I am both socially retarded and, apparently, scary - and we're okay now. Ish. I also got him to apologise, which is no small thing.

The event I went to was on video on demand, and we had some people there from the file-sharing site UKNova, which you may or may not know. I didn't actually hear any of the event though, as I was sitting outside the whole time eating biscuits and reading my email. V boring.

I applied for a job at Defra a few weeks ago - I can't remember if I mentioned it. It was just this really exciting thing that I wanted. So of course I didn't even get an interview. I don't know why I bother really.

I'm pretty depressed actually. Again. I'm going to go and .. I don't know. Go to bed or something. Whatever.

Eugh :P Back to work today. It is far too early in the morning!

As you know, I am often amused at work by the various names I come across in my daily life.

Today, I added a chap to our database who works in dentistry at the Department of Health. This chap's name? David Hewlett.

Awesome.

Our current intern, Charlotte, revealed her true colours today by admitting that she's a Stargate fan. Awesome :) Sadly she's a Sam/Jack shipper, but you can't have everything. We also had a chat about Red Dwarf. I think we might have to keep her.

I really need a nerd icon.

Jay Sheppard is back again. I will try again to get a look at him! ;)

ETA: They rushed him out again without me getting a chance to look! It's destiny, I swear. Or anti-destiny. Whatever.

This week is dragging and dragging. Things are so dull here, it's unbelievable.

I'm still struggling womanfully on with this (probably not) broken toe. My flatmate, N, hurt her back last night - she managed to come in to work for all of four hours before going home in pain. What about my toe pain, huh! No one cares about that! She got pain killers and sympathy - I got nothing. PAH!

Okay, so my toe doesn't really hurt that much, but no one but me knows that! (And you guys, of course). PAH and pah again. A plague on all your houses. Not yours, loyal and loving Flist. You have been v good to me through all my emo whining.

My mother gets back from Italy tomorrow, and I'm going home on Saturday for the bank holiday weekend. We're going to bury Jenny's ashes in the garden, so a fun weekend to look forward to. That's probably partly why I'm feeling so crappy at the moment.

I've seen a cool job going at one of the mobile phone companies, doing regulatory stuff, which I might be able to convince them that I'm qualified for. Not sure, but I think I'll apply, see how it goes. I'm sick of this place, that's for sure. Nothing but trouble.

Why aren't there any SGA promo pictures yet? I want a new desktop wallpaper, but there's nothing out there. Most annoying! I know everyone else is all doom and gloom about this season, but I'm really looking forward to it (AND I AM SPOILER FREE, well mostly, SO PLEASE DON'T TELL ME WHY IT'S GOING TO SUCK I DON'T WANT TO KNOW!) I've started rewatching season 3. I'd forgotten how good it was. Awesome stuff. Watched Sateda and Progeny last night. Fabulous :) I didn't rate Sateda much last time, but it was really cool. I must admit, I skipped Irresistible though - that one's still shite.

ETA: Oh yeah, I meant to say - my dad turned up at the weekend, first time in well over six months, I think. Nothing much to report, except that I (finally) got my birthday present (nice fat cheque - what I deserve for it being 5 months late, I think), and they also offered to help with my mortgage deposit when I need one, which may or may not happen in reality, but the offer was nice.

I have decided to become a sub-editor. I've got no formal experience, I'm not a proper, published journalist, although I am at least qualified as one, I expect to be paid roughly what I'm on now or more, and I have no idea how to break into the field. But apart from that, I see no obstacles whatsoever! HAHA!

It's nice to have a plan :)

Question: Is it more or less easy to get a job in the civil service if you've worked for an MP?