Galvanized

It's funny what a trip to the right kind of neighborhood can do for your spirits.

Today I looked up Reed offices which specialized in the "Media & Creative" sector, so as to go harass them in person. I figured that since the Tottenham office, which specializes in secretary and personal assistant work, took anybody who came in off the street with a CV - then perhaps the others would too. Just applying to positions on the internet can certainly get to feeling fruitless, especially when you seem to see the same two kinds of positions posted ad infinitum (not unlike Telesales positions in Ottawa, here you have Media Sales and Recruitment Agent positions springing up like weeds).

My first target was in South Molton, a little side street that comes off the glamorous shopping area of Oxford Circus. Personally, I rather liked the little chandeliers which hung across the road. I got to the door, feeling rather spiffed up in the only new item of clothing I've allowed myself since coming here, and rang the bell. A few moments later a nice Ukranian sounding woman greeted me and, after I told her the kind of work I was looking for, said that their office only takes people by appointment and that Reed doesn't really have any specific offices for publishing work. "Check the website daily" she suggested...

Oh, she was nice enough. My CV was taken in "Just in case" and I got briefly quizzed on Ottawa ("Why yes, we aren't allowed to build anything higher than the peace tower") before being wished some good luck and sent on my way.

Huh....so it seemed that not only could I strike this office off my list, but all the other ones as well. "Screw it" I thought "This seems like a nice neighborhood, I'll explore a little". There were plenty of big shops and I was treated to a bit of the bizarre in a Japanese tourist I saw anxiously photgraphing a McDonalds menu, but the real treat came when I reached the entry way for Hyde park. I was well impressed, so I decided to explore.

Hyde is pretty damn big, to say the least. To give a comparison, I guess I could compare it to Andrew-Hayden park (particularly as it has a nice lake inside), just......bigger! There were plenty of trees etc., a rather large building where food could be had, boats to rent and the very civilized bit with lawnchairs provided for the public!

I spent a decent chunk of the afternoon there, enjoying the sun and even spotting a white swan (who flew away before I could get a better picture). Luckily I had a notebook with me, as always, so I was able to take advantage of the - pardon the new age terminology - huge welling up of positive energy that I felt. I did a bit of writing but also came to what I think is a rather sensible new tactic. I suppose I'll keep checking online, but I've lost a bit of faith in recruitment agencies. So sod it, I'll just look up publishing companies and contact them directly. This is kind of what I had planned to do when I was settled enough to pursue the film angle - but why not apply the same approach?

Even before coming to Hyde Park, I must admit that I felt myself rather romanced by the area. The embankment part of London is wonderful, but I couldn't consider living there anymore than I could consider living in most other things I'm in awe of. But the Oxford Circus area really struck me as somewhere I could find fellow artsy-fartsy folk as well as all the little things that I like best about cities. I appreciate that this is based on one afternoon's walk about, but then that is all it took to sell me on downtown Ottawa and I wound up living there for several, enjoyable years.

I came home to a welcome surprise in my email box, a message from Rob's pal Leon with an invite to meet for a drink. Apparently he has been reading this blog, learning my terrible secrets and waiting to strike - with an offer of company! I guess he might be reading these words right now.

Think about it.

So that is another bit of positive news and it's only just a bit past 6pm. Hot dog.