Adventures in the Looking Glass

So... the past week has been pretty intense.


After the posting of Thursday at 2am, that day myself and a group of people went to the Hello Work office in Yokohama to find out about unemployment benefit.  They were useless.  That afternoon I got two phone calls asking my to come in for interviews.

I spent Thursday night sleepless, then got up at 6.30am to go on a stealth mission to gather my belongings from school, just in case we were not allowed into the building for some reason.  That was a success.  I went back later to look at the contract, was forced to wait for an hour to look at it, while students were waiting in the lobby ready to be taught,  I didn't sign it.  So i went home, jobless, payless and soon to be homeless.

Friday, I spent in a bit of a miserable funk until my friend Mikey called me and cheered me up. 

The weekend.  I had a job interview on Saturday at the British School in Omotesando (near Shibuya).  They offered me a job teaching at elementary school one day a week, a at the school two days teaching IELTS and TOEIC classes.  Interestingly, none of these classes is running at the moment, so I'll have a hand in planning and implementing them I hope.  They did offer me full time, but I thought for the mean time I would do 3 days and find work elsewhere to cover the rest.  I'm loathe to put all my eggs in one basket, as it were.

Saturday night, I had an impromptu date.  We went to a fabulous little wine bar which I would never have known existed, and will probably never be able to find again.  The wine was good, and so was the company.

Sunday I had a well-deserved day of bumming around. 

Monday - job interview and private classes.

Tuesday - training for teaching Grade 5, private class

Weds - training for teaching Grade 6, voice test (for more better-paid work).

Today, I spent getting the bulk of the packing done.  I've been doing bits all week, but I needed a solid day to get things done.  My friend Audrey came to keep my company and motivate.  Then later, two other friends came over to help off-load some boxes.  They've got a big navy house down in Yokosuka, so have plenty of storage space.  So I'm left with kitchen, bathroom, clothes and a sofa to deal with.  Will pack most of the clothes tomorrow, do the bathroom and most of the kitchen.  Then I'm away for a day or so in Ina (free car ride) to get away from everything.

I have a suspicion I may crack once I get away.  While I'm here, I'm stupidly motivated and constantly on edge.  I haven't had time to do anything but what needs to get done, so I've not really let the reality of the situation sink in just yet.  But, at least I'll be among friends.

Housing wise, still nowhere to live, but I have temporary places to stay.  Am looking to move in somewhere around June as I need a month with no rent, otherwise I will have no money left to feed myself before my first paycheck.  Am considering a shared house in Ikebukuro.  It might be nice to have people to come home to, rather than just an empty room...

A quick update from work. My 6pm cancelled so I'm sitting in the office wondering why my head isn't with me today. All week I've woken up late, having slept through my alarm. Given that the alarm is normally by my ear, this is not good.

I should do something constructive for tomorrow's lessons...

Later I will be cooking Aubergine Parmagiana (sp?) and watching "パプリカ”、which I've heard good things about. Let's hope the subs I downloaded for it aren't for the Tinto Brass film of the same name.

Am also about to finish David Mitchell's "Number9Dream", which is going to take book of the year, unless something astoundingly good comes along. There is a particular pleasure gained from reading books in the country they are set in. Those little bits of information you miss in England - like knowing what a Lawson is - add a familiar, engaging touch.

Today's weather is very English, rain rain rain all day. The kind of rain that gets under your clothes. I'm going to think about what else I'm going to do with my next class.

As my three months of unemployment finally comes to an end I am starting to think I haven't actually done ANYTHING with it - though what exactly I can do with no money in the middle of green belt subtopia is beyond me. I've been stealing from my holiday fund to keep myself amused.

I had a cheap day yesterday though. A bus trip (£1.60), a train journey to Oxford (£7.90) and lots of free things like The Oxford Uni Natural History Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum. I got to see a tranatuala eating wasp which was HUGE! Fortunately only a resident of South America so big sigh of relief there. Saw some hissing cockroachs as well, live ones, though I couldn't hear them to know if they did hiss. Ate nice ice cream and came home only for the trains to be a nightmare and miss the last bus home. Had to phone my mum and grovel for a lift.

Off to Nottingham on Saturday to see Carol, who I haven't seen since Xmas. Going with Helen who I spent the weekend with in Bournemouth. Hopefully a cheap weekend -one bottle of red wine should do the trick.

Start my job at Ottakars on Monday. Am looking forward to an interesting job and some responsibility!!!

So I've got this dumb job doing data entry in an office with no radio signal and no one talks to me. Of course, if I didn't have my walkman on all day they might do, but they had their chance. I've been listening to Static-X, Tool and Aphex Twin which got me a bit tetchy after a while so today was Saint-Seans and Tchaikovsky (?).

I've booked my plane tickets for the US and Vancouver. £580, which isn't bad at all! now I have to sort out accomodation etc and then I'm sorted.

I went running after work, which was unlike me. I'm trying to tire myself out as I would like to get to bed before 1am sometime this month. I managed to actually BEAT the dog sprinting - granted he was already tired out and had a stick to worry about.

I haven't been on a good goth night out since I came back here. My corset is crying out for attention. There is the possibility of going to Slinky in Bournemouth in August, though that isn't goth so maybe doesn't count then... See, that's what happens when I leave, no one wants to wear black anymore!

UURGHH! YUCK! I had to wear a suit yesterday! I look like an idiot in a suit! I at least endeavoured to go all black save for my funky iridescent red knee length jacket. I went to the London Graduate Recruitment Fair and ponced about with all the younger and far more qualified members of society. I spoke to the BBC and the Guardian and also a company called Nova who teach English in Japan. That'll scare you all, me going to the other side of the world. Or is more scary that I will be doing what I always suspected would happen - teaching English? Sounds good though, doesn't it?

The fair was in Islington, which is far more posh than I remember. I felt the urge to give into the corporate crap and wandered about with a frappacino. Then I got the fear so went to Camden where I began to feel much better. I bought an Opeth album which cheered me up too.

Gideon has a gig in Putney tonight. Should be amusing as it will be Pillow Talk's (http://www.pillowtalkweb.com) first London gig and mention has been made of 80 people turning up. Good luck...

Well, on the upside I have a job interview next week with an advertising agency in Maidenhead. My more nightime and pessimistic self holds little hope of an outcome, though my skipping-in-the-fields daytime self says otherwise. We shall see...

I've been re-reading "Pride and Prejudice", spurred on by the BBC re-showing the adaptation. I forgot how good it was! It helps that we have it on video so I have been reading and watching in conjunction. I keep finding myself talking like them which is worrying...

What shall I do this weekend? I have been busy since I got back so this will the first unplanned one. Not sure I fancy Reading after the last fiasco, and due to a lack of funds. It may be a night in with the DVD player while all my PVC hangs limp in the wardrobe... alas!

I started writing this earlire but the computer crashed so I gave up and watched three hours of TV. I feel slightly guilty about this lolling about until I realise that it's about the only TV I do watch in a week so less guilt being felt.

What have I been doing? Well, it was my last day at work at the dastardly DVA on Friday - much joy and happiness!! My replacement didn't turn up on Friday having had a shambolic introduction on Thursday - he must have seen something we have all missed and got out before it was too late. Anyway, went to the Old Orleans, ate, drank, went to more pubs - was it three or four? Nearly got conned into going into Flares. Had it not been for the alcohol in my bloodstream I am sure that I would have, at an earlier point, realised what a trendy 70's bar would be like on a friday night.

Much sadness was felt on Saturday when I finished at the Little Apple. I will really miss working there - not that it ever felt like working anyway - more a paid hobby. I shall miss talking to Tim and Lil all day about films and books and everything else and all the nice customers I've got to know! Sigh...what am I going to do with my Saturday's now? I shall have to get myself another hobby. Perhaps something to do with exercise seing as I haven't been to the gym in well over a month. And I really should start going back to yoga!

I will also miss Tyson and Hilary who came to be my best friends at work. I'm seeing them on Thursday one last time to have a drink and to dye Hilary's hair for her!

Now I have to pack which is going to be boring and stressful, especially when it comes to actually moving. On the up side I will be living rent free for a little while and thus hopefully seeing the plus side of my bank account for the first time in a year. I will also be near my friends back home, although a car will help on this account! Also, I shall be near London and Reading and damn well expect to go clubbing more often than in this boring place (I could go off on one about unreliable people but I won't!)

On another note, I watched the X-Files tonight. It was set in the Boston subway system. Note to self: Do not watch spooky programmes about places you will be visiting!!

Goodnight then all...

How very exciting the next two days are going to be!!

Tomorrow I have a rather short notice interview at The Poetry Book Society in London. I received the invitation to interview yesterday and became so excited/panicked that I left my keys at home and couldn't lock my bike up when I went into town to get my train tickets! The journey I think may be a little hairy time-wise as the interview has now moved forward half an hour leaving me about an hour to get to Wandsworth from Kings Cross! I hope it goes well as I think this job could be exactly what I've been needing - at least it's going to be more interesting that reading about naughty members of the armed forces and photocopying. Should I wear a scarf tomorrow - you know, for the poetic look?

Friday is going to be equally exciting as I have my motorbike CBT in the morning - I'll be learning to ride and going out on the roads for a bit. It means that I'll be able to ride a 125cc, or move onto bigger things after a further test!!

Saturday we're having a party - it was originally going to be a cocktail thing but now it could be more of a shindig than anything - no Breafast at Tiffany's style mayhem - or perhaps so after Hilary and I start on the Absinthe!

What else? The cowboys left the living room in a state and I had to hoover it when I got home. NOT impressed at all. I think they looked a little inbred - maybe they were from Market Weighton...