The Start Of Something New

Yo. [Ed. "Not a strong start - but it'll do"]

After seeing that many of my friends are now blogging and after some mild encouragement , I've decided to give blogging another punt. I'm not envisaging a massively strong return to form - atleast not at first, but I'll crack on and see what comes out.

Might as well start with a personal update. As you may all recall, up until recently (well, kinda recently) I had been living in Japan - where I met many fine individuals. On September 10th 2008 I returned home - a move which many have questioned. I don't know why I left - it was just the right time. Well, 'right time' is probably the wrong label to use as I decided to give up a secure job during the beginnings of a global economic downturn and return to a country full of people far more skilled and experienced than me, who are equal to me only in their new found need of employment. Anyway, I like a challenge (lies) and, more to the point, I am known for making stupid decisions.

So here I am - in Merry Ol' England. Now not to worry, this isn't all doom and gloom ; as I realise my opening paragraphs have set that kind of theme. I wanted to start a blog on a vaguely positive note, so luckily I have positive things to say. For a start, I have mostly really enjoyed being a bum living at home. Once I got used to it, it was great. All my food is bought/prepared for me, clothes are washed and ironed and there is no rent - this is all good. Couple this with the fact that I have endless free time to exerise, eat healthy, play Xbox online, catch up on the TV shows that I missed while I was busy living life - also most excellent. Then, as the final icing on the cake, the government gives me just enough money every week to keep myself stocked of DVDs, Games and booze (gotta go out and socialise sometimes). I thoroughly recommend unemployment to those wth the right attitude (and circumstance I suppose). All I do is work out, play games, watch TV, eat nice healthy food and go party with both old and new friends. Times are good.

Ok, so I may have fudged over somethings and glamourised it a little - but on the whole, I am pretty content. However, as much as it's nice to be a bum - I knew this would just be a short time thing, because there are much better ways to spend my youth than just chilling out. I'm considering this a taster session for retirement (assuming that happens). So, other than the good parts of unemployment, there is that one large, ominous cloud hanging overhead that we've all encountered at one point or another - job hunting...

Job hunting is life's way of trying to crush and grind your spirit like black pepper. It is incredibly easy to become disillusioned and demoralised and I have seen it happen to many friends - it's happened to me once or twice as well. As much as it sounds a bit clichéd, the key really is determination, perseverence and positivity. Upon coming home, I took a month to get used to life in England again (it's all the same old grey) and then have spent the last 3 months job hunting. I started strong; doing maybe about 5+ applications per day - but that number soon started to decrease. The compfy lifestyle that I currently enjoy is both a blessing and curse, because you find yourself not that bothered as to whether or not you get a job. It seems strange to think that life can be too easy at times.

Luckily my friends are good enough to regularly call me on being a lazy goon and don’t let me quit the hunt for work. So, feeling morally obliged to find work, I persevered with my quest to eliminate my free time and, as of last Thursday (8^th Jan), that dragon has been slain (so to speak). Thanks to a friend of mine hooking me up with a trial day at his place of work, I have now gained employment and from Monday (12^th Jan) I will be attempting to pass myself off as real person with a job and everything.

This will now allow me to get back on with my plan, consisting of 3 main points:

1) Get cash – Unfortunately jobs are essential to attain any real amount of money, unless you are very lucky or a convincing criminal sort or both.

2) Get experience – My CV needs bulking up, to become a MEGATRON CV (its new title). CVs (or Resumes for my overseas friends) are like rolling stones gathering moss – you just gotta keep that CV rolling downhill so… wait – what the hell I am saying. Ignore the ‘downhill’ aspect – you wanna be reaching for the stars… or something. For those of you with slightly more realistic ambition, just imagine you are reaching for a slightly higher shelf than where you can comfortably reach for. Anyway, the point is the more I get on my CV, the more weighty it’ll be when I bash prospective employers round the head with it to demonstrate my suitability for a role. [Ed. “Apologies to the families of those lost in the train wreck that was this paragraph – I am no longer quite as skilled at wielding metaphors as I once was.”]

3) Leave the country – As much as I like England, if I were her captain I’d be yelling “Abandon Ship!”. Not that it’s much worse than anywhere else I’m sure – it’s just not my cup of tea. There are many places in the world that I need to see, so I don’t have time to wallow around here in the infinite greyness of England. To date, I have only lived in one other country and that one proved better than here – I can’t believe I am lucky enough to pick the only country better than England first time, so there must be other places that are also awesome and I wish to reside in all of them for some undetermined period of time. I guess I should be fair and say that other countries are not necessarily ‘better’ than England – it’s all subjective I suppose.

Anyway, I think I’ve waffled on for long enough. To sum up: Bum – Job – Money – Escape… Hmm perhaps not the best summary, but it’ll do. Oh and to anyone currently hunting for that elusive job dragon – look up...