23 June 2005 (A Year On)

As well as the (sort of) summer solstice, today marks the 1st anniversary of my blogging adventures. Was it worth it? Probably not. Since 23 June 2004 I've wasted about 200 hours of my life sitting in front of a screen typing about a lot of rubbish which no one will ever read (actually I just made up that figure). So, what's happened in the year since then? Let's recap...

When I started this pointless rant, I'd just finished a tough final year at university. Was that worth it? Only time will tell. There then followed a period of roughly 5 months whereby I moved back to my parents' and did very little, intent on taking it easy for a while - this was only detrimental, as I became fed up, and my motivation reached rock-bottom.

By 4th November 04, I was determined to go out and get a job of some description and get my own flat again, and so I ended up moving back to Glasgow's west end with a bunch of students. I also started seeing a girl, but that quickly went tits up. Time is a good healer though! I got a job in a call centre (Scottish Power). There I met some interesting people, including the wayward son of a former Scotland Today presenter. Eventually I moved out of the west end and down to a luxurious penthouse flat in Govanhill (a contradiction?), which coincided with my job move to the luxurious Cathcart headquarters of Scottish Power. Shortly afterwards, after living the high life for a couple of weeks, both my new flatmate and I got the sack. Towards the end, I went on holdiday to both Amsterdam and Barcelona. Then followed a period of unemployment, worsened by my being upset about the failed relationship. This was a low point.

I eventually got a job in the Sky call centre in Ibrox, but my time there was very brief. After I finished the training I fell mysteriously ill, and was consequently sacked for missing my first days. I'm sure stress played a part in this illness. Then followed a longer period of unemployment - this was a lower point.

I eventually got some work for a couple of days in a conference, and then I was informed I had a job in - you - guessed it - another call centre. This time it was Goldfish credit cards. Conveniently my family had booked a nice cottage on the Isle of Arran, the week before I was due to start. This week was the perfect remedy to the stresses I had felt previously, and was very therapeutic.

And so to the present... I've been at Goldfish for nearly 5 weeks now. Training finishes next Tuesday and I start the shifts on Wednesday. I'll be on the 12-hour shifts, which should be interesting. It should be worth it for the days off though. The training group is still going strong, with only one dropout - a guy called Tommy who left yesterday after informing us he had a new job lined up on Monday. There were 11 of us to start with, and now there is 9 - the other one who left has actually gone straight to be a team leader. Incidentally, he'll be my team leader! His name's also Duncan and he seems like a really nice guy. It's a good group, probably the best I've been in so far.

Things in the penthouse have been ok, but I'm intent on moving out after the end of the lease (22nd August). This is because not only has the rent not been payed, but I don't feel comfortable having joint responsibility with an 18 year old. Although Mark and I still get on, and he comes across on the surface as mature, he is still a teenager - and once you get to know him, that becomes obvious, mainly through his lack of responsibility, ability to plan, and general maturity. If he were a few years older he would probably be a great flatmate, but he really needs to mature a bit! That's not to say he's not making an effort - he's been working overtime almost every day in order to pay off the arrears he has. As I paid the whole of the last rent, it's his turn to pay this rent, and he also owes me a lot of money. These arrears came about mainly because he was unemployed for a while and at the time was too young to claim benefit (17), but there's no denying he's making a real effort now, consistently being the top salesman (or so he says) in the call centre (Orange phones). His job has an excellent bonus structure and if what he says is true, then in a few weeks, he'll have everything paid off no bother. He's actually going on a family holiday to Portugal tomorrow, and to be honest, the boy deserves it! He's a decent guy really, and although his life seems to revolve around hair gel, fake tan, cigarettes and alcohol, behind the bravado there is a decent (and slightly vulnerable) person.

Mark wants to keep living in the penthouse, and I told him that come the end of the 6-month lease, if he's paid off all the rent, bills, debt etc, then I'd be willing to stay. I've decided though that I'd probably like to move into a cheaper flat, in the city centre or west end, without any joint responsibility. At the moment we have 2 rents due (£1120 in total) and Edzell have threatened "legal action" if it's not paid. Mark said he would phone them and arrange to send a cheque so I hope at the time of writing this that he's been in touch. I suppose if they know they'll get the money regardless then there's not a problem, even if it is well overdue.

Aside from working, I've recently dug out my 4-track tape recorder, guitar fx pedal and drum machine and have started recording stuff again. I hope to eventually fulfil my dream of recording a 12-track album. Might break in gently and record a 4-track EP of acoustic tracks first though. I haven't yet managed to get into a gym routine yet, but there's still time to utilise my membership with Fitness First before the flat lease runs out. Next week, there's always next week...

So what have I learned in the past year/7 months? One crucial thing is that I'm now having to manage my own finances for the first time ever and I'm slowly beginning to appreciate the value of things (that which costs money). I also appreciate the value of relationships/friendships a lot more, and how important they are - sorry I'm getting far too sentimental here. I realise the how important it is to make good decisions and think things through. And I'm also developing a good work ethic, which I never had before. Oh and I've also learned there's no point in having a gym membership unless you're going to go!

And so this might be a convenient time to conclude my blogging, being exactly a year since I started. All that remains to be said is that I'm optimistic about the future.

Thanks for reading this shite.