Sunday, December 21, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Holidays are for relaxing aren't they?
Holidays are a strange animal aren't they?
You look forwards to them in the belief that you will be able to laze around doing exactly as you wish, becoming relaxed, refreshed and generally rejuvinated.
So often the reality is rather different.
Not this time, however.
Mostly.
:D
I have had a blinding time and it's not finished yet.
I've been to see
Which had me crying with laughter throughout, although perhaps not for the reasons that the makers intended.
The Dr Who Exhibition at Earls Court.
Which was fun, as much to see the props up close and personal as the background to some of the shows.
The Viktor and Rolf exhibition at the Barbican.
Where I could have spent the whole day.
Really, if you're interested in design, go and see this exhibition.
The concepts behind each of the collections is well explained and the sheer visual energy is glorious.
I've discovered a brilliant pub.
The Angelic in Islington.
It has the BEST ladies, which was piping Eddie Izzard over the sound system when I was there, meaning I spent far longer in the loo than is normal for me.
The only reason I'm posting it is the solid knowledge that very few people will be directed there from here and so it will stay MY secret !
It been my littlest girlie's birthday too, so much fun was had by her and her friends during their sleepover [ much of which was caught on film by one or other of them, but which has been deemed FAR too embarrassing to be shown -though I suspect it'll do the rounds of her own friends- due to certain 'smellyvision' events! ]
It was followed up by a visit to London for a riverboat trip, a flight on the London Eye and then food at the Rainforest Cafe.
Of course, today has been spent mainly in my PJ's, but even so I've managed to do some supervisory painting [ ie I've stood by, given instructions and generally irritated my littlest girlie who was the one doing the actual painting ] of a fuchsia and purple chalk board/magnetic board on her bedroom wall, and a trawl through some of last weeks newspapers.
As for the rest of the week, well I'm aiming to see the Dali and Cy Twombly exhibitions, look for some new work-wear, and maybe pootle around some of the galleries.
What ever I end up doing I'm sure it'll be fun.
:D
You look forwards to them in the belief that you will be able to laze around doing exactly as you wish, becoming relaxed, refreshed and generally rejuvinated.
So often the reality is rather different.
Not this time, however.
Mostly.
:D
I have had a blinding time and it's not finished yet.
I've been to see
Which had me crying with laughter throughout, although perhaps not for the reasons that the makers intended.
The Dr Who Exhibition at Earls Court.
Which was fun, as much to see the props up close and personal as the background to some of the shows.
The Viktor and Rolf exhibition at the Barbican.
Where I could have spent the whole day.
Really, if you're interested in design, go and see this exhibition.
The concepts behind each of the collections is well explained and the sheer visual energy is glorious.
I've discovered a brilliant pub.
The Angelic in Islington.
It has the BEST ladies, which was piping Eddie Izzard over the sound system when I was there, meaning I spent far longer in the loo than is normal for me.
The only reason I'm posting it is the solid knowledge that very few people will be directed there from here and so it will stay MY secret !
It been my littlest girlie's birthday too, so much fun was had by her and her friends during their sleepover [ much of which was caught on film by one or other of them, but which has been deemed FAR too embarrassing to be shown -though I suspect it'll do the rounds of her own friends- due to certain 'smellyvision' events! ]
It was followed up by a visit to London for a riverboat trip, a flight on the London Eye and then food at the Rainforest Cafe.
Of course, today has been spent mainly in my PJ's, but even so I've managed to do some supervisory painting [ ie I've stood by, given instructions and generally irritated my littlest girlie who was the one doing the actual painting ] of a fuchsia and purple chalk board/magnetic board on her bedroom wall, and a trawl through some of last weeks newspapers.
As for the rest of the week, well I'm aiming to see the Dali and Cy Twombly exhibitions, look for some new work-wear, and maybe pootle around some of the galleries.
What ever I end up doing I'm sure it'll be fun.
:D
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
jobs, how not to get 'em Part 1
You forget, as you get older, just how strange it is when you go for your first interviews.
You've done the hard bit:
Poured over the paper/websites/shop windows looking for the perfect job.
You've sent off your application.
You've waited patiently by the phone/letterbox/inbox.
And eventually, yes you've done it...
You've got an interview!
So you get ready, get there and get ready for them to be wowed by your obvious talent .
Riiiiiiiiiiight.
I really wish that was the case.
These last few weeks my mind has been trundling around the sticky subject of what's important when it comes to applying for and getting an interview.
It all started when i asked my daughter what email addy she was putting on her CV's?
What do you mean, 'which', was her response.
Now that gave me pause.
I dont know about you, but I have a couple of email accounts.
One, sensibly titled is for work related things.
One , rather less sensibly titled, is for friend related stuff.
And one is for the things that I just KNOW are going to generate spam by the bucket load like competition entering etc.
The first 2 are often linked, but i prefer to have the option to keep them separate.
Now in my daughters case, her only email is a very girly titled one that she's used since she was about 13 and which i would raise my eyebrows at if I was presented with it as my contact for an applicant for any type of even slightly serious job.
Can she see this?
No.
In her view NOBODY takes any notice of things like that!
[Oh, I wish it was true]
She cannot see the point in setting up another more boringly titled email account just so that she won't come over like a ditzy girly girl.
The thing is, thats EXACTLY the kind of thing that I look at when I'm trying to thin down a post-bag full of eager applicants to an interviewable handful.
I look at the envelope and covering letter:
Extra points for a clearly HANDWRITTEN covering letter.
Have they spelled my name correctly?
[you'd be saddened by how often they don't]
Have they just parroted what I've said I'm looking for in the advert, or have they taken that information and shown interests/traits of theirs that would complement/exceed my requirements?
Have they used decent quality paper?
[yes, it really does make a difference]
When I'm going through a CV I REALLY want to see that they have looked at my advert.
If I say I need certain grades then don't list lower ones without showing that you understand that you may have to do some studying to get your grades up.
[This is especially important for training positions...you may not be eligible for entry onto the necessary course if you haven't got the correct grades, so don't assume that they are only there to see how bright you are. If I've paid more to put them in the ad then they are IMPORTANT]
Have they written it themselves?
[and yes, I have discarded those that have been obviously written by someone else. If they aren't bright enough to alter 'he is' to I am' then they aren't the person for the job]
Do they have any interests?
I know, i know.
I hate writing things like that too, but it's something I always look at.
I'm interested in your interests :D
And PLEASE....
If you only put down a mobile as your contact number...
MAKE SURE THE DAMN THING IS SWITCHED ON!!!!!!!
You've done the hard bit:
Poured over the paper/websites/shop windows looking for the perfect job.
You've sent off your application.
You've waited patiently by the phone/letterbox/inbox.
And eventually, yes you've done it...
You've got an interview!
So you get ready, get there and get ready for them to be wowed by your obvious talent .
Riiiiiiiiiiight.
I really wish that was the case.
These last few weeks my mind has been trundling around the sticky subject of what's important when it comes to applying for and getting an interview.
It all started when i asked my daughter what email addy she was putting on her CV's?
What do you mean, 'which', was her response.
Now that gave me pause.
I dont know about you, but I have a couple of email accounts.
One, sensibly titled is for work related things.
One , rather less sensibly titled, is for friend related stuff.
And one is for the things that I just KNOW are going to generate spam by the bucket load like competition entering etc.
The first 2 are often linked, but i prefer to have the option to keep them separate.
Now in my daughters case, her only email is a very girly titled one that she's used since she was about 13 and which i would raise my eyebrows at if I was presented with it as my contact for an applicant for any type of even slightly serious job.
Can she see this?
No.
In her view NOBODY takes any notice of things like that!
[Oh, I wish it was true]
She cannot see the point in setting up another more boringly titled email account just so that she won't come over like a ditzy girly girl.
The thing is, thats EXACTLY the kind of thing that I look at when I'm trying to thin down a post-bag full of eager applicants to an interviewable handful.
I look at the envelope and covering letter:
Extra points for a clearly HANDWRITTEN covering letter.
Have they spelled my name correctly?
[you'd be saddened by how often they don't]
Have they just parroted what I've said I'm looking for in the advert, or have they taken that information and shown interests/traits of theirs that would complement/exceed my requirements?
Have they used decent quality paper?
[yes, it really does make a difference]
When I'm going through a CV I REALLY want to see that they have looked at my advert.
If I say I need certain grades then don't list lower ones without showing that you understand that you may have to do some studying to get your grades up.
[This is especially important for training positions...you may not be eligible for entry onto the necessary course if you haven't got the correct grades, so don't assume that they are only there to see how bright you are. If I've paid more to put them in the ad then they are IMPORTANT]
Have they written it themselves?
[and yes, I have discarded those that have been obviously written by someone else. If they aren't bright enough to alter 'he is' to I am' then they aren't the person for the job]
Do they have any interests?
I know, i know.
I hate writing things like that too, but it's something I always look at.
I'm interested in your interests :D
And PLEASE....
If you only put down a mobile as your contact number...
MAKE SURE THE DAMN THING IS SWITCHED ON!!!!!!!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
And in the news today...
multi tasking breasts
So on one hand we're trying to promote breastfeeding.
Brilliant.
Anything that makes it more comfortable for a woman to breastfeed her child without feeling as if people think she's flashing is fine by me.
But sadly in the same week :
Mother thrown out of Costa Coffee for breastfeeding
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Rainy Days
Somehow i managed NOT to get wet over the last couple of days.
Hardly earth shattering news i hear you say, but actually it is.
:D
It has been typically april .
Beautiful sunny skies one minute then pouring rain the next [ repeat at intermittent intervals ]
And what has this to do with anything?
Well, not content with scooting round the country last week [ a funeral in Yorkshire on Monday then a work related event in Leicestershire on Thursday and Friday ] I dragged D off to see Jose Gonzalez at the Shepherds Bush Empire last night.
Which meant staying over at the
Hilton Kensington.
OK, it didn't ABSOLUTELY need that to happen.
We could have got the train home.
But that always means rushing because the last train from Victoria is before midnight.
So staying over seemed like a far better idea :D
As indeed it turned out to be.
By the way, if you have to stay there I can certainly give it a thumbs up on most things.
The bed was massive and comfortable, and the air -con worked [ not always as much as a given as you'd think ].
There was loads of room to hang your stuff, should you have taken any [ unlike me ].
A decent iron [ see point above ]
And they have Douwe Egberts as their instant coffee.
Oh, and very pleasant reception and door staff, plus the offer of 2 free glasses of wine to trial when we stopped off back at about 6pm.
The only 2 small points against were the Stella Artois at £4.30 a pint in the bar [ i think ... it wasn't my round ] and housekeeping checking if the room was free at 8.30 in the morning!!!!
I mean, high beer prices I can accept, but being woken at 8.30 on a saturday morning when check out is at 12.00!?!?!
However, I'd certainly go back there again.
Jose Gonzalez was ok too, though lacking in something that i can't put my finger on.
Technically and musically it was excellent.
But.....
But what?
The nearest I can get is to say it lacked, well ... atmosphere or soul?
Something like that.
Hell, I'm no critic and his music is hardly upbeat, and i think that the fact that I enjoyed the performance should be enough, so i'm going to leave it there.
Nothing at all was lacking from my long delayed re-visitation of Bodeans.
Every sticky fingered mouthful was totally delicious, and left me all round bellied and replete.
The same can be said for breakfast at the S & M cafe too.
Wonderfully soft poached eggs, fat buttered toast and crispy bacon, plus lovely, lovely PG tips.
Plus one of those ' He looks familiar but I can't quite put a name to him' moments about a rather attractive english actor [ i think ] who was also breakfasting there.
What more can a girl want for breakfast?
*answers on a postcard please*
:D
Seriously though, it's been far too long since I got to do that kind of stuff , and i need to do it far more often.
Hardly earth shattering news i hear you say, but actually it is.
:D
It has been typically april .
Beautiful sunny skies one minute then pouring rain the next [ repeat at intermittent intervals ]
And what has this to do with anything?
Well, not content with scooting round the country last week [ a funeral in Yorkshire on Monday then a work related event in Leicestershire on Thursday and Friday ] I dragged D off to see Jose Gonzalez at the Shepherds Bush Empire last night.
Which meant staying over at the
Hilton Kensington.
OK, it didn't ABSOLUTELY need that to happen.
We could have got the train home.
But that always means rushing because the last train from Victoria is before midnight.
So staying over seemed like a far better idea :D
As indeed it turned out to be.
By the way, if you have to stay there I can certainly give it a thumbs up on most things.
The bed was massive and comfortable, and the air -con worked [ not always as much as a given as you'd think ].
There was loads of room to hang your stuff, should you have taken any [ unlike me ].
A decent iron [ see point above ]
And they have Douwe Egberts as their instant coffee.
Oh, and very pleasant reception and door staff, plus the offer of 2 free glasses of wine to trial when we stopped off back at about 6pm.
The only 2 small points against were the Stella Artois at £4.30 a pint in the bar [ i think ... it wasn't my round ] and housekeeping checking if the room was free at 8.30 in the morning!!!!
I mean, high beer prices I can accept, but being woken at 8.30 on a saturday morning when check out is at 12.00!?!?!
However, I'd certainly go back there again.
Jose Gonzalez was ok too, though lacking in something that i can't put my finger on.
Technically and musically it was excellent.
But.....
But what?
The nearest I can get is to say it lacked, well ... atmosphere or soul?
Something like that.
Hell, I'm no critic and his music is hardly upbeat, and i think that the fact that I enjoyed the performance should be enough, so i'm going to leave it there.
Nothing at all was lacking from my long delayed re-visitation of Bodeans.
Every sticky fingered mouthful was totally delicious, and left me all round bellied and replete.
The same can be said for breakfast at the S & M cafe too.
Wonderfully soft poached eggs, fat buttered toast and crispy bacon, plus lovely, lovely PG tips.
Plus one of those ' He looks familiar but I can't quite put a name to him' moments about a rather attractive english actor [ i think ] who was also breakfasting there.
What more can a girl want for breakfast?
*answers on a postcard please*
:D
Seriously though, it's been far too long since I got to do that kind of stuff , and i need to do it far more often.
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