Hobson’s Choice

Posted on by gizzajob

This afternoon, I had a Doctor’s appointment about Tinnitus – which has been ongoing my whole life, but I’m only addressing now. My left ear is so waxy, I was prescribed drops. If there’s no improvement after a week – I require syringing to dewax my ears.

The Doctor wasn’t made aware of my exemption from wearing masks – as I have Asperger’s – as I discovered- by a Mate who was a Nurse and is now a Lecturer in Nursing at Queen’s University – that Doctors don’t have access to one’s Medical Records. He didn’t react too well to the Government exemption rules; perhaps because there’s a breakdown in communication between the Executive in Northern Ireland and Whitehall. Sounds like something from ‘Yes, Prime Minister.’ 😐

On a more positive note, my massages are available again through WAVE Trauma Centre. Also, I called USEL – as a cry for help trying to find work again. They may be able to get me back on STRIDE; but there’s no guarantee. I’ll find out for sure on Wednesday.

I had to pay the 2019/20 tax by bank transfer this evening. Tough times! But I live in hope. Even though the justify option doesn’t work on the New WordPress template.

Tunes:

Christmas – As an Aspie

Posted on by gizzajob

Being an Aspie – taking a ‘Career Break’ (lol) – I feel isolated. Friday was thirty years – to the night – since my father died in the Troubles. I ended up with a case of ‘poor-me-syndrome’ that night. However, I am grateful that I can focus on myself and helping others.

Yesterday evening, the Christmas Lights were switched on in Ardboe. It was full of parents and kids – with ‘Free Food’ (though, not in the Slimming World context, lol), and I felt isolated. In the end, a man I know – who was buying cigarettes from himself at the shop brought me home. I didn’t even get to see Santa, or the lights switched on. Such is life.

Yesterday morning, I was up since 3:45 am and was making chicken for my slow cooker at 5:10 am. The 1978 vintage gave up the ghost; there was smoke coming out of it. In the end, I ordered a new slow cooker online from Argos; at 6:20 am. The delivery arrived this afternoon; at 4:30 pm, and now the bird is stewed. 🙂

This coming Wednesday, there’s a Christmas Shopping Trip in Belfast I’ll attend. I plan to buy a gift for an online friend, and buy lights for my tree; I’ll put up the tree next Sunday. Most of the decorations were purchased on Friday at Home Bargains in Cookstown. I was with my neighbour and her five-year-old granddaughter. She’s a bright little girl, but she turned my brain into spaghetti.

Also, on Friday night, I attended a prayer vigil for the young man from Ballinderry, who’s critically ill in intensive care at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. Not the news one wants to hear at Christmas time.

This morning, the electricity was off. I failed to realise about the furnace switch until I was wondering why the bled radiators weren’t omitting heat. I’m learning as I go along. 🙂

Tunes:

Having to give up driving

Posted on by gizzajob

On Sunday afternoon, I was returning home from a Gaelic Football game whenever I suffered a meltdown, and only God’s grace prevented an accident. Then, yesterday – Tuesday, I was getting a taxi home from a bus from Belfast whenever I had a case of PTSD and grabbed the driver’s steering wheel impulsively. His response was, “Don’t do that, again! If you’re that nervous with my driving, you shouldn’t be driving, yourself!”

That was when it suddenly clicked. I CANNOT maintain a car with the income I currently have. I plan to sell my car by placing it at the car park of a local gift shop with a ‘For Sale’ sign that I ordered from Amazon. Hopefully, someone will buy it. The Car Salesman I contacted, who’s related to me, said the mileage is too high for him to trade the car.

However, I know that this is the last house on the street for me. Just like my own home. 😐

Tunes:

 

The Highs – followed by Lows

Posted on by gizzajob

My job interview went well, thanks to a little help from my employment advisor, but the final outcome has yet to be decided by the School’s Board of Governors. The Limbo has sort of affected me. After a couple of full-on weeks, I suffered depression yesterday evening. After a few cyber errands that had to be run I called Lifeline Helpline.

Today has been a day where I put my foot in it, big time. I upset a good Skype friend and also upset a chatroom with a joke that backfired. In an online environment, I can be a loose cannon, even at the best of times. Something I have to work on when in a job. But, the positive is that I will have no time to procrastinate in a job. Plus, I can live without the internet if I am occupied that long.

 

Tunes (and videos):

 

 

 

Job Interview today

Posted on by gizzajob

This evening, I have a job interview with a Secondary School in Dungiven. It’s for a Clerical role. Should I get the job, I will be able to get the Belfast to Derry bus at 7:35 in Toome park-and-ride and get off at Dungiven at 8:10. That time for the bus was also relatively new by Translink. So much for the bleak future post-Brexit. :p

I’ve learned not to give up hope. For so long I was stranded and feeling alone in this world. But, now, I see things in a brighter light. Even if I don’t get this job, there is a job club starting tomorrow morning with Specialisterne NI. BYOMB. (Bring your own MacBook)

My Cholesterol is still high, plus there’s slight gum disease around my wisdom teeth. But I am learning to become more proactive in settling these issues. Plus, I’m managing the inclement weather well.

 

Tunes:

 

 

 

 

Been a while since I last blogged

Posted on by gizzajob

Been choc-a-bloc with s**t happening! 🙂

My Christmas Day was low key. Went to The Hub in Cookstown for Dinner. Enjoyed the Crack – as in enjoyment 🙂 – and music, but didn’t eat much of my dinner. Wasn’t that hungry. A friend I talk to from Magherafelt said that her kids with Autism had Pizza for Christmas dinner; the daughter didn’t eat much of hers either. Picky eaters, us! 🙂

I had to top up my data for last month whenever my brother was here until New Year’s Day. Coming to think of that, I won’t renew the contract on my WiFi – in September 2019 – and will probably stick with using my Android as a WiFi hotspot as it has 4G here. Living in the sticks is damn expensive.

Also, I cancelled my WordPress plan for my homesite and also cancelled the hosting Namesco provided. I now just have email forwarding with them and the opportunity to redirect my domain to my Adobe Portfolio. No paintings since my last blog post, but I do have photos from the Ulster American Folk Park. The roads I took there weren’t ones for ‘giving her Dixie’, though. 😦

Hopefully, I won’t be affected by the Intel Processor data compromise should I update my Mac OS X. Pain in the Bum…..Bum Bum Bum Bum! 🙂 Get 007 to sort out SPECTRE. 🙂

My oil furnace was air locked again, but yesterday I got barrels from my uncle to buy emergency kerosene and he bled the furnace afterwards. We got the white smoke in the end. My uncle quipped, “Pope elected!” 🙂

Tunes and Clips:

 

 

 

 

 

Manic Monday

Posted on by gizzajob

This morning I woke up when the alarm sounded at 5 am and went to a phone group based in America then got ready to head out to Antrim to get a train to Belfast to speak to Specialisterne NI about the 2gether project that they’re running for those with Autism. It would be good to reach out to others with the same condition. However, the ultimate solution is to find work.

Heading over to Antrim I thought I would avoid the bottleneck by driving to Whiteside’s Corner via the Rougery Road and then turn towards Randalstown. But a van was in front of me all the way from Ardboe with a light out and, whenever he turned to a shop heading to Moneyglas, I let him know his light was out. Then I bought a cappuccino and a builder’s breakfast and just missed what I thought was my expected train in Antrim. However, the fog this morning meant the trains were delayed and I got a train fifteen minutes later.

After the induction with Specialisterne, I felt exhausted. I got a taxi to the place where I get IT help from I was trying to install Debian from my ISO image and there was an issue connecting to the internet. The good news is that I can head over tomorrow and get help prior to an Open Source series of talks about Startups there. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

The drive home from Antrim was a forced exercise. My trousers were too tight and I felt uncomfortable. However, I got home safely and did laundry. Then later I drove to Moneymore to post my travel receipts and then drive to Cookstown to buy groceries at Lidl. Then this evening I moved the lawn before it got dark as it was still dry and the grass was long.

Feeling a sense of accomplishment today. 🙂

Tunes:

 

No job to show for it (poem I worte about being unable to find work – contains profanity)

Posted on by gizzajob

Dotted the Is and crossed the Ts!

Obtained a Postgrad!

Worked voluntary!

But no job to show for it!

Got off benefits after gran’s death!

God rest her, she thought all Protestants were in the UVF!

But I distanced myself from being sectarian!

Yet still became a statistic among young male aryans!

No job to show for it!

Got to install Linux!

Got to sample life in Belfast!

So much change, yet in many ways the same

incarcerated by its paranoid past!

No job to show for it!

Got advice about my Asperger’s!

Shone like th Sun building Lego!

I had to do a lot of growing up after isolation in Ardboe!

But no job to show for it!

Was a Government Stooge, then embraced the right!

To get what I wanted was simple!

Stand my ground and fight!

Still no job to show for it!

Voted for peace!

Opposed Labour’s war!

Defied Tory narcissism!

Defied the troubles even more!

But no job to show for it!

Blog and write!

Test and code!

Stopped becoming middle of the road!

Still no job to show for it!

Did the right thing!

Gave a fuck!

Had some moments of very good luck!

However no job to show for it!

Did well in School!

Followed the rules!

Studied rather than play pool!

But no job to show for it!

Distinction in Text Production!

Pass in Word Processing!

Survived two recessions!

No job to show for it!

Been on back to work schemes!

Tried to live out my childhood dreams!

However no job to show for it!

No longer drinking the Kool-Aid!

In the game of Hearts that’s life I always get the Queen of Spades!

Because I have no job to show for it!

My accent

Posted on by gizzajob

I’m proud of my accent, even though American’s say I speak too fast whenever I’m reading out loud. 🙂

 

Growing up I had no identity and when I spoke as a kid Teachers thought I was English; TV was my educator back then. Then I had an American phase going through University. But, now, I have a regional accent and I’m content.

 

Our accent is influenced both by Irish and Ulster Scots. In fact, most Culchie idioms are originally Ulster Scots; such as ‘thon’ for ‘that’ and ‘sheugh’ (pronounced ‘shuck’) for a pile of mess. Irish influence in our use of English comes from saying muck (from the Irish for pig) and referring to Football tops as ‘Jerseys’. (from ‘Geansai’ the Irish for Jersey)