Three Years, to this evening, little girls were targeted by a Terrorist at an Ariana Grande gig; in the name of ‘Peace.’
Tunes:
I wish I was in Macclesfield
Today marks the fortieth anniversary of Ian Curtis’ suicide. I was meant to be in his native Macclesfield today to commemorate. However, the Tyrants have us in Lockdown. England has gradual reopening, already, while Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales still want us to stay at home.
Nevertheless, I’m learning to cope. I ordered Lavender-flavoured Organic Shampoo; I never washed my hair in the past few years. Now, I’m doing more self-care. Also, I got cotton makeup pads to apply the coconut oil I got last week for my face. The leftover plastic boxes, from the orders of Chicken Chow Mein I’ve had, can be used to store the pads. Those takeaways weren’t such a waste of money, after all. Plus, I also have leftover boxes from the Mayflower curry powder.
Also, happy Victoria Day to all Canadians. Here comes Summer. In this country, it’s wet and miserable; Summer for us. 😀
Tunes:
New Decade – New Plan
This evening, I weighed myself at Slimming World in Ballinderry. After getting down to below 20 Stone – 280 Pounds – eleven days ago, I put on eight pounds since then. There were a few boxes of biscuits and Chicken Chow Mein deliveries along the way. However, I manned up about the weigh-in, and got a recipe book and ordered stuff for delivery from Sainsbury’s – to make Veggie Chilli Con Carne. I’ll NEVER go Vegan but remain open-minded to Veggie options.
Christmas itself was great. I spent FOUR consecutive days with my neighbour for meals. Then, I bought her Jimmy Choo perfume and a bottle of Australian Sauvignon Blanc to show my appreciation. One of her brothers from Philadelphia flew back to Ireland on Boxing Day and he gave me a Philadelphia Eagles Toque as a gift. I also got, from my Skype buddy from Toronto, a Leafs t-shirt, a George sweatshirt, two pyjama bottoms and a Greatest Hits compilation by the Headstones – Canadian Punk Band from the Nineties. I was landed. 🙂
Twenty years ago, we faced the Millenium Bug. Now, it’s the Millenials who are bugging us. 😀 My Toque proved to be a good-luck charm, as the Eagles secured a playoff berth last night. 🙂
Tunes:
Good news and bad news
Bad news: (Bad news ALWAYS comes first)
I had to resign from the job in Portadown I got over a bureaucratic rigmarole regarding Occupational Health at the agency involved declining a fit for work certificate required. After contacting the agency and health professionals, it was too much stress and strain in the end. Therefore I resigned and the agency will keep searching for other roles that don’t require that fit for work certificate.
Good news:
I was paid for the two days I did work last week. 🙂
Tunes:
Job interview coming up
On Wednesday, I have a job interview with Deloitte in Belfast. Tomorrow, Monday, there is an introductory session prior to the interview process. I have learned to suit up, to show up, to grow up. After upsetting others on a Slack channel, I learned to back off and left that channel for the sake of all. I still have difficulty measuring moral and ethical barometers, part of my Asperger’s. But I am learning.
My PIP appeal is still ongoing. However, should I be accepted for the job, the training provided at first MUST be priority number one. This is probably the one opportunity I have been seeking. But, this morning, I scanned the documentation which arrived in yesterday’s, Saturday, mail and emailed it to Advice NI. It’s a contingency plan should I not get the job.
This afternoon I mowed the lawn. Chop wood, carry water.
Tunes:
Irma (and other musings)
The issue with Hurricane Irma is that it is a distraction from the anniversary of 9/11. Not that it’s difficult to distract folks nowadays. 🙂
Tunes:
Hectic week
On Monday I was preparing to head on Tuesday morning to Dublin for a graphic design Meetup whenever I received an email for a cloud technology academy in Belfast inviting me to attend an introductory presentation on Wednesday evening and a job interview on Thursday morning. However I managed to attend all three as I then booked a night at the Hotel where the introductory session was held after coming back from Dublin. It was almost divine intervention that I went to Dublin and back from the Aircoach bus between Glengall Street and O’Connell Street.
My employment advisor came with me to the interview yesterday and said that I did really well given the circumstances. I was given a real time problem to solve. I solved it, but only through trial and error. They used an Excel function I didn’t know about. It’s all up to the Gods now.
Now today I have an appointment with my occupational therapist then plan to drive to Cullybackey to get a train to Portrush to relax on the beach; the Irish Open (Golf) is on this weekend, but I’m not interested. 🙂
Tunes:
Manchester on my mind
Was at a poetry gig this lunchtime
I went to see Mike Garry headlining a poetry gig from 11:30 am to 1:15 pm at the Black Box in Belfast and got to immerse myself in eclectic poetry from him and the support acts.
I braved the elements this morning, exaggeration, to get the bus to Belfast from Castledawson park-and-ride; which should be my home address. 🙂 Then after I got back I got groceries at Lidl. Chop wood, carry water. 🙂
I found out about the Red Pill Studio and wonder how I can contact them without resorting to either Twitter or Facebook. Every time you log onto one of those two sites, God kills a Calf! Someone think of the Calves! 🙂
Arsenal won again, after eight minutes of injury time and getting a penalty at the end. Jaysus, talk about skating on thin ice.
One of the support acts was a quintessential Millennial originally from a Scumbag area of Dublin, but now a budding Actress living in London. (imagine Buffy with a Flat Dublin Accent) I mentioned seeing Mike support John Cooper Clarke at Dun Laoghaire last May and about the bus that goes from Tallaght to Dun Laoghaire. The number 75.
Just a little plug for Mike Garry; his EP ‘St. Anthony – a tribute to Anthony H. Wilson’ is available on iTunes.
Another day of exhaustion
Today (Sunday) I went for a wee spin and ended up heading back to Magherafelt and buying lavender oil at Holland and Barrett. There was a Free Presbyterian Preacher there outside. Ultimately, as a Non-Denominational Christian, I believe that Churches spend too long trying to ‘win back’ the non-believers (fruitless exercise) rather than focus on those who DO believe. (Pope Francis is a prime example of this)
This evening I dosed off until an hour and a half ago. Perhaps God wants me to check out Game 2 of the NBA finals during the Witching Hours. 🙂 Hopefully the Warriors can get the better of Lebron and co again. 🙂
I have also written a letter to BBC Northern Ireland in the hope that one day I will feature on ‘Nolan Live’ describing how difficult it is for young men in my area to find meaningful work after graduation; in this country those young men with degrees struggle to find work whilst those who left school at 16 learned trades and are making a mint.
Saturday was all about the fortieth anniversary of the infamous Punk gig in Manchester which revolutionised Music at the time.
Tunes:
gizzajobblog 