OK, so things are pretty good overall, but not so great in smaller measures. I didn’t do virtually any of my spring cleaning ‘to-do’ list over the holidays, – I know, you're in shock – not for want of trying, I’d like to state. I ended up catching the flu and spent two whole days asleep trying to fight it off. The other days, I had plans already arranged and the weather ended up being too nice to want to stay indoors and tidy up. So my room is still a shit-pit and my life feels only marginally better.
While I didn’t spend the time off work productively in terms of housework, it was emotionally productive in the sense that I completely chilled out and rested, even if it felt a bit too hectic at times. On the 19th, I accompanied my Dad to the hospital for an appointment he had (Mum couldn’t take him because she had the flu, which is how I subsequently caught it) and then spent the rest of the day with them at their place, having a late lunch before heading home. They went away for Easter weekend (Mum’s birthday fell on Easter Sunday this year) to Holland, so when they returned I spent the 26th with my Mum; we went window shopping and then for a massage (a mother’s day gift for her and a late/early birthday gift for me from Big Sis).
Mid-week (27th) we had a family gathering, Mum, Dad, Bigger Sis, Big Sis and Bro-in-Law, along with me and Samson, all at our place, where we bought and cooked way too much food, cracked out the barbecue for the first time this year, looked at photos and then caught some football in the evening before everyone headed off. Samson and I had planned a day trip to Brighton for the next day (28th), but I woke up feeling really tired and rather lazy, so instead we went to the cinema for a film-fest. We grabbed a Subway, watched Thor in 3D (with huge 3D glasses, which went out of focus if I didn't face the screen dead-straight on), then bought tickets for Scre4m. We had about 90 mins before it started, so we went for dinner. I had the hugest glass of coke ever, a strawberry smoothie and my very first chimichanga. It was all very yummy, but meant we were rather full as we staggered back into the cinema for part II of the film-fest. Both films were really good fun. It was a later evening than we had expected, so I headed back to Samson’s with him.
The next day (29th) was the day of the Royal Wedding. Big Sis was looking forward to watching it and I thought I should probably watch it with her for this reason, but also because watching it with Samson would mean lots of sarcastic commentary. So I got up and dressed early (ish) and headed back home, leaving Samson to some X-Box time. I got home just before K-Mid was leaving the tent-covered entrance to her hotel and getting in the car. The wedding was lovely and took up most of my day with all the TV coverage and so on. Big Sis and I oohed and ahhed over the pretty dress(es), how lovely the ceremony was and how the Abbey looked really good with the potted trees they had used to line the aisle. The afternoon was again rather unproductive – I felt really tired and ended up watching So I Married An Axe-Murderer in bed, just to loosely continue with the wedding theme.
On Saturday (30th), I had a doctor’s appointment. We discussed my medication, which I am trying to reduce from the higher dose I have been taking since late December/early January. I also asked about CBT. She gave me some information and contact details and I am due to arrange an appointment this week. This has been delayed by the fact that I can only call them to do so between 9am and 5pm, and that when I do I have to allow 30mins to answer the questionnaires that were included with the info my doctor gave me. I am feeling positive about it, but I guess slightly apprehensive about meeting a new therapist and having to be disciplined with doing the weekly ‘homework’ they give you when you undertake CBT.
Tuesday (3rd) was my first day back at work after 17 days. It was a slog, and a struggle to get out of bed, but luckily I was feeling chilled out enough that I was just about ready to face work. The Wednesday (4th) was graduation day, which is usually pretty hectic for us. I was stewarding one of the afternoon drinks receptions, which meant directing people, checking tickets (in the loosest manner possible; you won’t catch me turfing out somebody’s granny for being ticket-less when they’ve paid £20k+ in tuition fees) and generally trying to look approachable and smiley, all while decked out in an attractive royal blue polyester-type robe. Nice. After about an hour of this, I returned my gown, got a couple of glasses of bubbly for the reps from the gown provider (they have a long-ass day), then headed to the marquee for some free drinks of my own with the other volunteers (I use ‘volunteers’ loosely; we don’t choose to be involved or even what we will be involved in, we seemingly get randomly selected one year because our department is expected to fill these roles and then apparently get stuck with that same gig for years to come. I started with programming (putting programmes on seats in the grand graduation venue). I can only see ‘tea-stewarding’ as a downgrade.
We stayed in the marquee for a while, chit-chatting and so on, before deciding to head to the student bar (which looks like an old working men's club but is dead cheap). Man Utd were continuing their Champions' League campaign that evening with their second-leg game against Schalke. As we ordered drinks, then settled around a table to chat while keeping an eye on the screens, my intention to stop for 'one drink' seemed to have long dissipated.
It was a fun evening. I spoke to Cammy (a younger but more senior work colleague, sort of posh, an excellent cook and an utter sweetheart) and made the endearing discovery that isn't confident about her looks and that she doesn't really think of herself as especially attractive, partly because she has always been considered the 'clever' one (she has two degrees from two very prominent UK universities). I was taken aback, since she always looks lovely and more importantly, carries herself so well that you would never suspect a lack in confidence. It was one of those slightly tipsy bonding moments where I got to see a small but lovely part of someone's character that I didn't know.
There was meant to be a drinks kitty that was held with the Events/Communications team for all those who had helped with the day. We debated how best to get a round of drinks from it, since we were all entitled to one, but weren't so familiar with the team that we could just rock up and demand one. I was especially shy since all three of the ladies who had interviewed me for a Comms role a couple of months ago were there due to their involvement with the day. I had seen one of them and said hello to her and after we managed to bag ourselves a round, she came and had a chat with me. We made general friendly chit-chat, asking how each other's Easter break had been and how work was. I genuinely enjoyed talking to her as she is a really likeable person and very easy to talk to, however, I did also think that it was probably a good professional tactic to keep contacts in that department seeing as I'd prefer to work there.
After talking for a little while, she said, "I know [her boss] mentioned to you about a vacancy that's coming up in the team," (Yes, she had mentioned it, I confirmed,) "well I don't know the exact status of when it's opening up, but you should definitely keep an eye out for it, because we really liked you and think you'd be an asset to the team." Woo hoo, result! I hadn't mentioned anything to do with work in that sense, not wanting to appear like I was talking to her solely for that reason. She brought it up and said nice things that she didn't even have to. The like me, they must really like me! Haha. It was a nice little boost, seeing as those roles have plenty of interest and I don't imagine they have to persuade people to apply. But it was reassuring that they had liked me enough at interview to keep me in mind for a future role. A fun evening and a cheeky little bit of unintentional networking thrown in!
We had more drinks, watch the rest of the game, had more chit-chat and spoke to a guy from another team who is well-known to some people in our group. Samson plays football with him and he looks like he should be Samson's older brother. He's a really nice guy and it was good getting to talk to someone else I didn't know very well. Some of our gang left and we stayed for another one, with no-one really drinking now and pretty much only Samson continuing on and getting steadily drunker (rather amusingly). Before we knew it, the shutters on the bar were coming down and we were loitering near the doorway having final chit-chats, before being reminding that is was closing time and we had to leave. All on a school night!
We walked to the tube with Badges, Skins and Samson's brother from another mother (BFAM). Me, Samson and Skins got the tube together and had a very amusing conversation about a work colleague that I knew the two of them were too drunk to remember much about the next day. So being back at work was going OK so far, but my first full week back for nearly a month will be next week and that will be the tough one...
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