Reality Check

I've just realised that I should probably change the name of my blog address; there's nothing particularly "funky" about working in a call centre, being single, living with a teenager and being up to your eyeballs in debt. Yes, you guessed it readers, we got yet another reminder through the door for the unpaid council tax, and to rub salt in the wounds, a 10% charge has been added on to the outstanding amount. Shit. I only found this letter hidden in Shagger's en-suite bathroom - he'd obviously read it before me and not bothered to mention it. At least the rent's all paid off, but there is an energy bill on the way soon. My funky flatmate still hasn't paid off his share of the previous one. Shagger still maintains his usual pleasant friendly manner despite the walls of debt crumbling all around us and our impending doom. He is, as usual, in denial, but eventually these things catch up on you.

By the way, we decided to extend the lease by a further month. After that, I'm definitely getting the hell out of there!!

Aside from that, things are going not too bad. Any suggestions for a new blog name, anyone? Come on, let's get some reader interaction on the go!

Gies A Holiday!

Well that's me off again for a few days, free from the shackles of the call centre. I'm off Sat-Tue this time and recently finished my first 3 12-hour shifts in a row. What was it like? Draining. It can be quite intensive, especially if the 1st day is 8am-8pm then the next 2 days are 7am-7pm - hence an hour less to relax on Wednesday night. It was literally in the door, have tea then straight to bed - quite stressful if you're generally as lazy as me. Poor Karyn had it a bit worse; as she'd swapped shifts with another girl for one day, she did 5 12s in a row (Mon-Fri), and towards the end she was coming down with a cold/flu and her eye was literally bleeding (although I think that's cos she banged her head off the desk).

Good news - Shagger got his overdraft from NatWest, and yesterday we posted the rent cheques through the door of Edzell - so now it's all paid off! He still owes me £200 but insists I'll get it next week. Nice one, you young tearaway! Yesterday we also both went for a haircut (at his uncles barbers), went shopping then rearranged the living-room furniture - a fun day out/in for all the family! This living room set-up is the best yet and gives the flat a really fresh feel - I might be tempted to stay for a month or two longer.

I've decided I'll give my months notice and cancel my gym membership, as I'm just not going, especially given the sunny weather. I've started going jogging in Queens park recently, as in this weather it's far more enjoyable than being stuck indoors. I've just felt the gym's not for me recently. I miss the more direct forms of exercise, such as jogging, swimming or walking. Come the winter, I might join another gym, preferably one with a pool, but that remains to be seen.

Last Saturday I did decide to go out to the Arches (Death Disco) and it was certainly worth it. As well as the usual DJs playing, there was a stage set up, and at one point later in the night, two girls appeared dressed in skimpy outfits. In the background was being screened a porn movie. The girls put on rubber gloves and took a mixing bowl each, into which they cracked some eggs, put in some flour and then mixed it together. They then drank the resulting liquid, letting it dribble out their mouths. Unsurprisingly they were called the "Dirty Girls". Amusing. Shagger came out too and seemed to enjoy it. I was out last night too, for Renaissance at the Arches. It wasn't as busy but the atmosphere was good. I had a really annoying headache though, so I left early.

On the subject of headaches, I've been having related trouble lately, in that my eyes have been stinging a lot, and it's been very discomforting and distracting. I've also found that they're overly sensitive to light and are very dry. I should maybe see an optician and at least get some eye drops to help moisten them. Sitting for prolonged periods in front of a computer screen may well be a factor in this discomfort. In fact this has been a problem which has plagued me for years, but it's just been worse recently.

I'm starting to feel as if I really need a holiday. Although I've got 4 days off, it's not enough. I think the constantly-changing circumstances in my life are taking their toll and it would do me good to get away for a longer period. There's talk of going to Ibiza in October, but I probably need a more relaxing break also. I've got some holidays to take through my agency so might book a few days and go camping in Arran or something.

Until the next wonderful entry, bye bye.

Sanity Break

I'm currently off work for a few days. For the sake of my sanity I was really needing it. Although I'd worked 4 days on the trot (evil 10/12-hour shifts) and had 1 one day off, but then was back on Thursday. Despite having the day off in between, I felt as if I'd never left the place. However, I've got 3 days off, then 1 day on, then 1 day off, so it all balances out.

The 12-hour shifts suit me I think but the job itself is starting to do my head in. Maybe it's because I've spent so long in there recently but I was getting really fed up by Thursday. As well as the fact I'm becoming fed up with call centres in general, it's this particular one which I'm beginning to despise. Good days can be good days, but on bad days, a lot of the customers can be annoying (not so much in what they say but in thier tone of voice) - you get a lot of snobs on the phone - and it can be ultimately very unsatisfying. I'll wait and see how it goes over the next few weeks but I'm tempted to look elsewhere for employment. Not sure where else I would look though. One thing that's keeping me there at the moment is Karyn, a girl who I trained with, and whom I really really like. However, she's only staying another few weeks at most as she'll be back at uni next term.

I've recently done a bit of retail therapy and purchased a couple of DVDs and a CD from Fopp/Virgin. The first was a new copy of Pink Floyd's Meddle, as my old one was badly scratched. I've now basically replenished my Pink Floyd collection, as a few years ago, I took a lot of CDs to Barcelona in a crappy carry-case thing. Once I opened my bag once I got there, however, I discovered my bag was ripped, the CDs had fallen out the case, and were extremely scratched. I've only just gotten round to replacing some of them. I also got a DVD: "The Making of Dark Side of the Moon", which provides an interesting insight into the making of a classic album. I've recently been listening to it again. This was prompted by seeing Floyd at Live8, I think, and perhaps on a subconscious level I can relate to its themes of disillusionment, alienation and madness (well, not the last one I hope). I also got another Floyd DVD, "Live in Pompeii", and the film "Apocalypse Now", as it was going cheap.

On other news, my flatmate Shagger told me his bank had given him an overdraft, so not only could he have all the rent paid off in time, but he could also pay me back the money he owes me, in a couple of weeks - go Shagger! I just hope he sticks to his word. Only time will tell. On the subject of flatmates and flats, I've decided to definitely move out the penthouse at the end of August. I had a look at the newsagent in Byres Road which has all the flat adverts, but most of them were for complete flats, as opposed to single rooms for rent. I could possibly move back in to another place with Shagger, but I'm not sure I like living with a teenager, and he may be moving back with his parents or his gran anyway. I had a look online and found that there are plenty adverts for rooms in Glasgow, so I'll take a closer look in a couple of weeks. I find the idea of moving somewhere new exciting. I've become so used to it now, and despite the inconvenience of the upheaval, it's a bit of a buzz.

I've been watching a lot of Big Brother recently, and my choice of evictee has been the same as the general public, for the past few weeks. I wanted Saskia to go, then Maxwell, and this week I was hoping either Makosi or Vanessa. When it was Vanessa who got the boot, I was delighted - that girl did nothing but eat, sleep and cling onto Makosi - she was doing my head in.

Tonight, I might go to the Arches with Suzi and co, but to be honest don't know if I feel up to it. I'm just not in the mood for going out at the moment - been too melancholy recently, mainly because of my job stressing me out.

Day Off

Today's my first day off this week - once again I really do feel as if I need it! I was working all weekend (2 10-hour shifts) and Monday & Tuesday (2 12-hour shifts). The weekend shifts were a bit surreal as it really didn't feel like the weekend. On my way to work I passed people coming out of clubs and the streets were deserted (which makes a change from the franticness of weekdays). The plus side was that the phones were quiet, especially on Sunday. Yesterday was pretty hectic though. This morning I awoke around the time I usually get up for work, thinking "oh no, I've got to get up and get ready", but when I remembered I was off I was so relieved.

Fortunately, that 4-day run was the worst part of the monthly shift rota, so it's a relief. Over the next 14 days (including today) I'll be working only 5, so that's pretty good. I've still got my full holiday quota available as well, so at the moment I can't complain. A new dilemma has manifested though - that of what to do on my days off. It's only recently it's become clearer how empty my life is. I don't mean that in a negative, depressive way, but when I'm off I tend not to do very much when I could be doing stuff. For example, today I'm in town for a wander and as usual ended up in the EasyInternet cafe. Later I'll probably go to the gym and go shopping, then watch some TV and have my tea. Then go to bed. It's boring.

I've not much to report on over the past few days, other than that work's going ok; I feel far more proficient at the job since starting the longer shifts. My team seems good as well. Despite working on Saturday, I managed to drag myself out for a couple of beers at my friend Martyn's birds 21st birthday party. My flatmate Shagger returned from holiday after all, much to my relief. It turned out that he stayed at his parents' for a couple of days after returning, and had also lost his phone. He had a great holiday, seems a lot more positive and says he's determined to get all the rent arrears paid off - go Shagger! I'm happy for him as he says he didn't once fall out with his parents. He mentioned maybe moving back with them after the lease ends, which I think would be a good idea, given that he's still only 18.

I've recently been listening to a lot of music. I'm still intent on working on some song ideas of my own, and so should get stuck into that on my days off. I might consider going away somewhere for a week or so, but I'm not sure yet. It'd be good to take advantage of the lovely weather. In general, my plans for the future don't really consist of much. I'll try to stick in at the job, and I don't think I'll be staying in the penthouse beyond the end of the 6-month lease. If Edzell let us, I might stay a couple of months longer though. I'm going to try and go to the gym on each of my days off, but once I move, will probably reassess whether having a gym membership actually benefits me on a personal level. I do need more exercise in general, but I'm not sure the torture chamber-esque environment of a gym is the best way for me. I'll slowly but surely work on some song ideas. In a few months I may consider getting a better job and who knows, possible career? The idea of going abroad really appeals to me at the moment too.

I'm back in Goldfish tomorrow but then I've got a few days off so should be good - provided I can fill the voids.

Clowning Around

It's so hot today - more like Girona than Glasgow. As usual I made the journey from Govanhill to city centre. As I approached the local Shell garage I wondered why there was so many police surrounding it. I soon saw that it's because the forecourt of the garage was overrun by clowns - yes, clowns. No joke. I'd seen something on TV a couple of nights previously about a group of protesters dressed in combat gear and clown makeup calling themselves the Clown Army. It was definitely them fooling around in the Shell garage. What a funny sight.

On Wednesday I went to see Batman Begins at the UGC. It's good, and I enjoyed it, especially as it was far more authentic than most films of its kind, and brought a very realistic feel to the franchise. Recommended. Over the past few days I've not really been doing much of note. Yesterday I met my mum in town and we went for tea. Also yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in a while. As there is only 6 weeks left on the flat's lease, I have vowed to go to the gym on each of my days off until then (thus taking advantage of the fact that the gym's round the corner). I might as well get some use out of it, given that I pay a membership. I've kind of fallen into that old cliche of by having a gym membership, I assume that my fitness will improve, without actually attending. I've found it difficult to get into the routine, but partially because I don't really enjoy going - it's too much like hard work. I'd rather go for long walks or play sports - at least those are actually enjoyable! To make matters worse, it's a very male dominated gym, so there's not much to look at either. Maybe I'm just getting cynical. Anyway, I'm going to go later today, and do some weights, and see how that goes.

Yesterday I bought some CDs from the HMV sale; the first Gorillaz album and Coldplay albums 2 and 3. I also got another copy of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, as my old copy was scratched beyond repair. Inspired by their performance at Live8, I've been listening to a lot more Floyd lately.

My flatmate Shagger should be due back from holiday at any time. Assuming he does come back and hasn't run off again, he'll have a big pile of bills and reminder letters to look forward to when he gets back. Life is hard - ho ho!!

Ahh...

This is the first of my 3 days off, and boy do I need them.

I started my shift pattern on Monday. Monday and Tuesday involved 2 12-hour shifts in the call centre, which actually were not too bad. On Sunday night, I literally slept about half an hour (mainly due to it being extremely humid), and as you would expect, come 5am, I was dreading the day ahead, having only an hour left to grab any sleep I could. It wasn't too bad though, as I drifted through the shift unscathed. I got a good sleep on Monday night, and Tuesday's shift was far easier. This is the first time I've done such long shifts proper, and towards the end, there is this strange feeling that you've been there for days, even though the shift has flown by. I think maybe taking calls all day does something to rupture the space-time continuum.

I have to say, I really am appreciating my time off just now! Last night I slept about 11 hours and I really felt as if I needed to! With regards to the job itself, it's quite easy, and I predict that a couple of months down the line I'll be utterly fed up with call centres. There's an advert on TV which I find quite funny - you know, the one with the chickens in the call centre. In a sense I can relate to that, which I assume is based on the concept of battery hens. Ok, I know battery farming is a serious issue, but the advert is still funny. I'm rambling on a bit now.

I'm just about to go and see Batman Begins at the UGC so I'll probably post a review tomorrow.

Oh Alright Then...

I'm only writing this entry for something to do whilst in the EasyInternet cafe - this doesn't mean I'm going to continue making a habit of it.

I've finished the training at Goldfish, and tomorrow I start the real shift pattern; i.e. mainly 12 hour shifts. I'm in Monday, Tuesday then off Wed-Fri, so it's not so bad. I'm not concerned about the long shifts, as I find that in a call centre, you get to a certain stage later in the shift where you go into autopilot; and enter a sort of dreamlike state. I find that once this happens, the time flies by. It's just the mornings I find tough. Despite the long shifts, I'll still be doing 37.5 hours per week, and it just means more days off, which can't be a bad thing. I'll probably find that in a few weeks I'll be utterly fed up of call centres, but to be honest, at the moment I can't think what else to do!

On Friday after work, everyone from the Goldfish "academy" were going out for drinks. We started off in Wetherspoons, and then to the Arches bar. Unfortunately I got knocked back at the door of the Arches, having been deemed "too drunk" by the bouncer, so I just went home to sulk. I actually was feeling wasted after only 3 pints, but that was probably down to tiredness and lack of food mainly. It was probably a blessing in disguise as I wasn't really in the mood to go out. I wished I'd felt ok and had gone the distance with the others, but it wasn't to be.

Yesterday, despite the great weather, I watched the whole of Live8 on TV, from start to finish. It was a phenomenal event, with the highlight for me being Pink Floyd at the end.

Today I'm going to my sister's in Scotstoun to drop off her birthday card and presents.

Yawn - I'm boring myself - are you sure it's a good idea for me to continue this stuff? I mean, who really finds this interesting?