A Christmas Miracle!

I suppose I should say "A Christmas Fortuitous Development!", seeing as how I don't believe in the supernatural, but it just doesn't have the same ring to it.

You see, I thought I had to work on Boxing Day because the recruitment agency stressed that it was important for me to be able to work then - they almost made it sound like a deciding factor in getting the job. But when I asked my boss at National Rail, a really nice guy by the name of Andre, when I should show up on the 26th....he just looked at me kind of goggle-eyed before saying "What are you talking about? That's a bloody Bank Holiday, none of us are working that day, let me tell you".

So huzzah! It seems that I shall be off to Broadstairs for Christmas after all. I shall do my damndest to remember my camera this time.

My first day at National Rail was pleasant enough. I met all but one of the people who work there and they all seem like pretty relaxed and kind people. Everyone seems to start work around when they are scheduled, leave for lunch whenev's and you get a whole hour (from an eight hour work day this is a decent chunk!). This is great because it gives me time to explore and thus I found a good sized library nearby, so I can feed my book habit and leave my wallet more intact than it would be otherwise.

The training in Bristol was dead easy and I have to say it was pretty cool to be able to charge my food expenses to National Rail. My instructor told me that NR is really good about taking care of their employees and so far I'd have to agree, especially since I'm only a frigging temp!

After the terrible stress/pay ratio of all my jobs in Canada, all this is a huge breath of fresh air. I guess these must seem like pretty mundane details to get excited about, but let's face it - it's the little day to day things which can either keep you feeling good about your dayjob or drive you crazy in short order.

I reckon I'll wrap up with this nice picture of me that Mark took during the second day of shooting for "Tonight We Fall In Love". All jokes about narcissism aside, I think that it is a really nice shot - which just goes a ways towards explaining why I respect the guys abilities as I do and would work with him again in a second.
Have yourselves some wonderful holidays everyone!

BONUS LINKS WHICH MIGHT DEFLATE THE SENTIMENT EXPRESSED IN THE PREVIOUS SENTENCE

Want to help the environment while getting yourself off of annoying mailing lists?

It may say "The New American Dream" but this is something for people of all nationalities who want to help save the planet.

This is a bit dry, but an important development in helping to get us off our asses and try to stop shitty things like all the dang polar bears drowning and the regular bears ceasing to hibernate.

Tenous but...

...an Internet connection nonetheless! I seem to have wirelessly latched the remora of my laptop to the soft, white underbelly of some other gentlemen or ladies wireless network.

Well, it seems that Manuela and I will have to meet later in the week due to shceduling cafuffles, but at least I heard back from her. Since my last post I also got a reply from an Italian fellow about working on a film noir script, but never got a call back as I was supposed to. Such is this business, hell - such are many businesses in which you have to deal with the meandering shitminds of the human species.

Tomorrow is day one of the new job and also when I shall head off to Bristol for a couple of days training. I shall take many a pretty picture, to be sure. I'm a bit surprised that I have to head all the way out to the West Coast for training on a database program but I'm not really complaining. It will be nice to have a private washroom (in the hotel) a few days prior to when I move across the compound and into my actual room, with it's precious private washroom, additional space, inset wardrobe and fewer house mates (the slice o' compound I'm in now has something like five and I heard the distinct, piercing cries of someones filth-oozing crotchling earlier...).

One unfortunate development is that I have discovered that all train, tube and coach services are suspended on Christmas Day. In a broad sense I can truly respect this way of ensuring that a larger portion of the population gets to enjoy a day off with their family. In a personal sense this is a bit sad, because it means I won't be able to visit anyone for Christmas that is outside of walking distance because I'd need to get back to work at 9am on the 26th. So yes, I shall be spending Christmas day awwwwww awooooone.

But shucks howdy, I think the heart shall continute to beat, yes? Plus I can still eke out some silver by going to the Hyde Park Fair on the 24th and on the 25th I think I'll just set aside the day to satisfaction - cooking myself a meal I can truly enjoy or perhaps treating myself to eating out some where nicer than the chicken hut I foolishly allowed to lure me inside today with the promise of a two quid chicken lunch that was so greasy, a drumstick leaped out of the box and tried to sell me a bunch of pre-release DVD's stored in a fruit crate.

Holy run on sentence....

Anywho, to finish for the day I thought I'd attach this picture I took during my last days in Reading. This is one of the many, many war monuments in England which are generally attributed to a regiment/division/battalion which was recruited from the neighborhood. What made this one interest me was that it was so new - the base underneath this particular lion was inscribed with dedications to men and women who had died in Kandahar and other such places in the last five years. The sense of continuity stretching back from this lion to ones I saw in central London that were dedicated to men who had died forging the British empire was a strong one which held me in awe for a few silent moments. Time may only be something we've all agreed to believe in so as to structure our existence, but given that it is grounded in so many people and places who genuinely existed I cannot help being sent into a state of awe when I allow myself to really think it over.