Posts

Lasagne, Baby Cuddles, and a Sleep Strike

Image
  After two months of waiting, I finally got to see my nephew. I hadn’t seen him since he was just a few days old, and now he’s a proper little person with expressions and opinions—including, apparently, the opinion that sleep is overrated. Why the delay? Well, while I was working, there was a chance I’d been exposed to TB. And with him being a newborn, we didn’t want to risk it. Long story short: I wasn’t exposed, all clear, and finally able to visit without feeling like a walking biohazard. I made a lasagne (because nothing says “I love you” like pasta and cheese) and headed over to my sister’s house. It was lovely catching up, seeing everyone, and finally getting some cuddles in—though my nephew had other plans. The moment I arrived, he decided sleep was cancelled. I tried to soothe him, but after a few minutes of squirming and fussing, I handed him back to his mum like a hot potato. Some things are best left to the professionals. Later, I collected my niece from school, which m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hot Baths and Low Expectations

Image
  Today was a cleaning day. I went full domestic mode; wiping, dusting, organising, and making sure everything was spik and span. Well… almost everything. I didn’t get round to mopping or hoovering, but let’s not get caught up in technicalities. The flat looks fresh, and that’s what counts. After all that effort, I treated myself to a hot bath, the kind that makes you question whether you’re slowly boiling or just deeply relaxed. It was lovely. This whole “no work” thing? Surprisingly decent. I actually get to enjoy the flat I pay for, rather than just sleep in it and trip over laundry on the way to the kettle. Still no word from the job I interviewed for. I’m in that weird limbo where silence could mean anything. So I’ve decided to assume I didn’t get it. That way, if I do, it’ll be a pleasant surprise. And if I don’t, I’ll already be emotionally prepared. It’s a win-win. Sort of. For now, I’m clean, calm, and mildly unemployed. Not the worst way to spend a Monday.
Post a Comment
Read more

Weekend Recap - Hot Water Bottles and Snack-Based Survival

Image
  This weekend’s activities included: lying in bed, clutching a hot water bottle like it was my emotional support pet, and consuming enough snacks to feed a small village. Why, you ask? That delightful monthly visitor—aka the time of the month—decided to show up and ruin everything. The first couple of days are always the worst. Painful, foggy, and completely unproductive. Functioning? Not on the cards. I spent most of the time horizontal, wrapped in blankets, popping paracetamol like they were breath mints and wondering if junk food counts as a coping mechanism (spoiler: it does). I didn’t leave the house. I didn’t do anything remotely useful. But I survived. And sometimes, that’s enough. Here’s to better days, less cramping, and maybe a salad at some point to balance out the snack mountain. Or not. No promises.
Post a Comment
Read more

Free, Unemployed, and Weirdly Calm About It

Image
  Today marks the first day of the rest of my life. I’m free. Free and unemployed. And strangely… I’m less stressed now than I was when I had a job. Go figure. There’s something about walking away from a role that drained you dry that makes even financial uncertainty feel like a breath of fresh air. My savings will be doing the heavy lifting for now. If they tap out, I’ll have to flirt with my credit card—which I’d really rather not do. But for today, I’m choosing peace over panic. I feel lighter. Like someone’s taken a backpack full of bricks off my shoulders. That job was intense, and not in a “wow I’m growing” kind of way—more like “how is this legal for the pay?” kind of way. I may have gone full truth-teller in my exit interview. And now I may be realising I’ll probably need a reference from them at some point. Oops. Hopefully they’ll remember me as “the honest one” and not “the one who roasted us on the way out.” Anyway, no regrets. I chose me. I chose sanity. And I’m choosin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Leaving Loudly, Crying Quietly

Image
  Today was my last day at work. After a week and a half on sick leave, I had to go in to hand over my equipment and do the dreaded exit interview. And let me tell you, I did not hold back. I said everything I needed to say. The organisation does important work, no doubt about that, but things need to change. The frontline staff turnover is wild. I lasted two and a half months, and I’m not exactly allergic to hard work. But for the pay? It was next-level impossible. Hopefully they’ll take the feedback on board before hiring someone else. Everyone deserves a job that doesn’t chew them up and spit them out, preferably one with a bit of work/life balance. After the interview, I just wanted to sneak out. I hate goodbyes. But of course, when I went to hand in my equipment, everyone was in the office. Worst-case scenario for my anxiety. I felt ambushed… until I saw the flowers. Two bunches. And a card. Cue the tears. I didn’t cry when I left my last job after nearly three years, but this...
Post a Comment
Read more

When Doing Well Feels Like a Red Flag

Image
  Today was interview day. I spent the morning as a full-blown ball of nerves rolling around the flat, getting increasingly anxious, and questioning every life choice that led me to this moment. My interview was at 1:30pm (yes, the awkward time where lunch is a gamble), and thankfully it was via Teams. No need to wear shoes or pretend I know how to navigate office corridors. In a moment of optimism, I stuck a few helpful notes to my screen. Key facts, values, reminders. Did I look at them? Absolutely not. They were decorative at best—like motivational bunting for my anxiety. The interview came in three parts: a basic computer assessment (which I didn’t cry during, so that’s a win), a telephone assessment (where I tried not to sound like I was reading from a cereal box), and the actual interview with proper questions. Surprisingly… I think it went well. Which is worrying. Because historically, when I think I’ve flopped, I get the job. And when I think I’ve nailed it, I don’t. So now...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tomorrow’s Interview, Today’s Brain Fog

Image
  Tomorrow I have an interview. Naturally, I’ve left the prep until the last possible moment because, let’s be honest, nothing stays in my brain unless it’s under pressure. It’s either last-minute or not at all. I did the responsible thing and looked at their website. Read the About Us section. Tried to absorb their values. Even attempted to memorise a few key phrases. Filed at that. My brain took one look and said, “Nope, we’re full.” So now I’m relying on experience, instinct, and the hope that I won’t freeze like a startled squirrel when they ask me something deep and meaningful. Anxiety is hovering like an uninvited guest, but I’m trying not to let it take over. If all else fails, I’ll smile, nod, and hope they appreciate authenticity over perfectly rehearsed answers. Here’s to showing up, doing my best, and maybe remembering one useful fact from their website.
Post a Comment
Read more