Only The Right Attitude Allowed
Entry posted by caldrail
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One of the enduring qualities of the ancient Roman Empire is an instinctive need by europeans to revive the idea of a continental empire. The European Union was supposed to be a collective of nation states although clearly there are politicians who saw it as a vehicle for imperial ambition. Others saw it as no more than a convenient gravy train. I suspect the same was true two thousand years ago.
Things aren't looking too good. Those nations scrounging from the pot have been told to pull their socks up. Austerity measures and changes of leadership have resulted. For me there's still doom and gloom since much of Britains prosperity now depends on the EU, and with the foundations of europe's new empire wobbling, unemployment is not getting any better.
Usually at this time of year there's an endless demand for temporary workers to shovel stuff from here to there in time for Christmas and the January sales. This year it's harder to find such relief from signing on. Fewer employers are hiring and many are imposing strict regulations on their annual intake of slaves. In one advertisement for a temporary manual job, the employer was making clear that high standards were expected. What? Monkeys need to be groomed this year? No picking fleas at that place. Only those with the right attitude would be tolerated. That's a telling statement.
Every year the amount of mail surges as the festive season approaches. One agency has forwarded my name to the Royal Mail for a short term job sorting letters, driving vans, delivering mail, or other such matters vital for the war effort.That's okay with me.
The odd thing is that the agency who put my name forward to the suprisingly secretive Royal Mail is based in Leeds. For those with no comprehension of things english, that's foreign territory to us Swindoners. A whole different culture, steeped in strange accents and customs, with clever and cunning natives that confound and befuddle their prosperous southern neighbours.
DS was from Leeds incidentially. She was my boss for a while, and despite the complete chaos and dodgy deals that followed her everywhere, she maintained that Leeds is the true home of sensible englishness. Can't quite see that myself. To confirm my suspicions, I keep getting phone calls and emails from the sensible Leeds agency telling me to respond to an email I'd been sent and book myself an interview at the local post depot.
Erm.... What email? All the links I've tried send me back to their website. It's a bit like being caught in an endless circle. Worse still, the clever and cunning Leeds person I spoke to asked me for my password so he could faciiltate the application process. Pardon me? You want my password?
Welcome to sensible Leeds. Stay alert people.
Pardon Me For Squirming
Another quiet day at the library. Even the businessman who received a very important call on his moble tried frantically to persuade the caller that everything was working out just fine so he could hang up and carry on using a computer in peace and tranquility. But some people are never satisfied.
BFL was sat a few cubicles away. It's hard to miss her really since the world tends to stop when she comes upstairs. She can be persistent, demanding attention and assistance for the sheer pleasure of getting people to act at her whim. She's tried pulling my strings once or twice. No, sorry, I haven't the slightest idea how that printer works. This is a library. Go and ask a librarian. Jeez.
The rest of us grimace as every possible obstruction to her very important studies is removed. Every day she's at the helpdesk asking a librarian for help. There's no escaping her. Like a child throwing toys out of a pram, she's learned that making a big noise results in things happening.
It was therefore inevitable that the atmosphere of the library was suddenly shattered. At the top of her voice BFL suddenly blurted out "Do you mind? I'm doing some very intense study and I can't concentrate because you're constantly jumping up and down!"
"Is there a problem" Said the librarian, poised to pounce upon some hapless victim. BFL said no more. As to who was jumping up and down I have not the slightest clue. Maybe I breathed too heavily? Maybe someone was thinking too loud, maybe there wasn't the right mix of hormones in the air, or perhaps BFL was getting frustrated by the lack of attention she was getting? Who knows?
Oh. She's leaving. With a bit of luck she won't bother to announce it.
Might There Be A Winter?
There's been a definite chill in the air these last couple of days. Still not cold enough to see your own breath, which is unsual for this time of year, but the relatively balmy weather we've been having appears to be receding. I saw a young lady standing outside the shopping centre, waiting to hand leaflets to any interested passer by, wrapped up in fur lined coats and ear warmers as she watched the disinterested majority pass by.
As it happens Swindon has relunctantly decided autumn is here. The trees are finally dumping their leaves for the winter shutdown. At least with the trees in hibernation they won't be disturbing BFL. Now that Swindon is becoming a cold and depressing place again, perhaps BFL might consider a holiday in warmer climes, like Leeds for instance. I'm sure she'll sort those insolent natives out..
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