Trip to Reading - Employment involving reading?

See what I did there?

Today has been a real plus on many fronts.

-I finally found a financial instituion which did not view my transient status as a threat to quiet pubs, Buckingham Palace, understated sweaters and a decent cup of tea. As of Tuesday I will be free from the rather terrifying responsibility of having almost a thousand pounds just laying about!

-On the less exciting, but useful side, I grabbed an appointment with a temp agency office which is just down the road from my cousin's. This one specializes in personal assistent and secretary work, which would pay some bills and build up my CV. The appointment is on Wednesday, but I am much more excited by this last development.

As is habit now, I scoured the internet for job postings this morning and applied for a pile. Later on I got a phone message, ironically while I was talking with the people at the temp agency, from another recruitment office in the same company (Reed). It was in regards to a job as a Conference Producer (where I would basically put together exciting presentations on new books and the like, for corporate meetings et al). The pay was 25,000 pounds annual, so you better believe I called her back!

Unfortunatly it seems that in the hour from when the woman called and when I called back, her superiors upped the necessary qualifications for the job - thus this particular role is a longshot at best. But I did get an unexpected and highly useful bit of instruction over the phone in how to hone my CV so as to bring joy to the leathery heart of any prospective publishing recruitment exec. This alone would have been grand.

But I was then told that though I might not get the CP job, I do sound "very promising" and once I've finished improving my CV - I can schedule an appointment with the publishing recruitment office for whenever is good for me! I'll aim for Monday or Tuesday, since I'd like to dodge secretarial work all together if possible. The added bonus of getting in with either recruitment office is that they can sponsor me to get that all important National Insurance number.

Well, hot crackers! It looks like I might be lucky enough to avoid working an absolute garbage job and if anything has left me feeling good about my decision to move here, then it is that.

On the amusement side of things, my plans have switched once again and we are back to a weekend in Reading. Some unexpected cash came up, so I think I shall use to go out and renew my friendships out west. This time I shall make sure to bring my camera and take some pictures which may or may not incriminate me.

Oi! vs Eh?
Last time I was in England, you could count on all but the after hours places closing at midnight. Luckily it seems that things have changed and it is now possible for most pubs and nightclubs to buy a licence which lets they stay up until the civilized hour of 3am. This bodes well for tomorrow night!