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.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
You can drink an abstract concept...
...provided it is a bottle of London Pride you're treating yourself to.
These last two days I mostly wrote and applied to some temp agencies in Reading, so as to hopefully get a part-time job to replenish funds while I'm there. Alex is being helpful and has promised to harrass a friend of his who might be able to get me some temp work, so I've got that going for me as well. But whatever comes of that, it shall be dropped rather hard and fast when I get something decent in London. Tomorrow I'll be able to get away with harassing Lead Generators to see if I make it to "The Interview-Round Two: Do we like your face?".
Meanwhile the Conference Producer thing fell through, but that's okay - the nice woman at Greythorn was honest when she told me that the hiring company had ratcheted up their expectations from when they posted the advertisement. I'll just keep casting the net, I suppose! What else can a lad do?
Today I headed into the heart of London to hit up some more recruitment offices, then treated myself to a "Tourist Afternoon" in my absolute favorite part of the city - along the Thames embankement area. Lo and behold - I had my camera and I remembered to use it!
A tribute to RAF pilots in a certain famous battle. It was touching to see that people still lay fresh wreaths here.
A tribute to RAF pilots, period, though as with a lot of war momuments there was a certain focus on the two great wars to be found in it's text.
The millenium pedestrian bridge! Good fun, especially if you can forget the footage from it's early days, when it bounced an swayed like a bouncy castle thanks to a mistake in it's construction.
The lush Embankment park, as seen from the other side of the Thames.
The Royal Courts of Justice. Basically every building in this area was as impressive though - there were simple business offices which looked like the set for a Victorian era romantic tragedy.
One of the CCTV camera's which keep an eye on the public. Yeah yeah, big brother....but they kind of make me feel safe! I guess so long as we are wise enough not to vote in ultra-fascists, then things will be ok.
Perhaps you've heard of this bridge? It's always falling down.
I was well pleased to come across a street exhibit of Gorillaz artwork.
More pictures........in that nebulous realm known as, the future. Once again, it was truly humbling to be around so much history. There is something akin to the Ottawa War Memorial about every other city block and smaller bronze statues (including all sorts, from war heroes to the inventor of Sunday school!) are even more common. Meanwhile, about 60% of the buildings were standing before Canada even existed and some from before the Old World had even discovered the new. Yowza.
For now I am going to do a little more online job searching and then sleep in. I plan to hit London again tomorrow, perhaps more pictures shall be taken?
Differences! The one thing we all have in common! Er...
1) So I think I have a lead on the dearth of garbage cans, in the tube at least. I found a large painted sign in Victoria station letting people know that thanks to 7/7 (AKA the tube bombings last summer) all tube trash cans have been temporarily removed since it would be so easy to conceal explosives in them. It didn't say how temporarily though. A little scary in theory, I guess, but I haven't felt bothered even when I've been going through Kings Cross station.
2) Tying into #1, if there is one thing that recorded public announcements will make clear to you on any tube or train or just about anywhere else - for fucks sake, do not leave any unattended bags laying about. If you do this, your bag may be taken out back to be shot and buried. Again, I reckon this is a result of 7/7 and that other famous, highly marketable date.
3) It is pricier to live in London, no doubt, but people do it! That being said, I won't deny that I was shocked to run into a very common practice amongst sandwich shops - charging an extra 10p or 20p on each item should you wish to have the privilage of setting your arse down in their establishment. Needless to say, I have been pleased to find a plethora of benches in most areas I've been to.
These last two days I mostly wrote and applied to some temp agencies in Reading, so as to hopefully get a part-time job to replenish funds while I'm there. Alex is being helpful and has promised to harrass a friend of his who might be able to get me some temp work, so I've got that going for me as well. But whatever comes of that, it shall be dropped rather hard and fast when I get something decent in London. Tomorrow I'll be able to get away with harassing Lead Generators to see if I make it to "The Interview-Round Two: Do we like your face?".
Meanwhile the Conference Producer thing fell through, but that's okay - the nice woman at Greythorn was honest when she told me that the hiring company had ratcheted up their expectations from when they posted the advertisement. I'll just keep casting the net, I suppose! What else can a lad do?
Today I headed into the heart of London to hit up some more recruitment offices, then treated myself to a "Tourist Afternoon" in my absolute favorite part of the city - along the Thames embankement area. Lo and behold - I had my camera and I remembered to use it!
A tribute to RAF pilots in a certain famous battle. It was touching to see that people still lay fresh wreaths here.
A tribute to RAF pilots, period, though as with a lot of war momuments there was a certain focus on the two great wars to be found in it's text.
The millenium pedestrian bridge! Good fun, especially if you can forget the footage from it's early days, when it bounced an swayed like a bouncy castle thanks to a mistake in it's construction.
The lush Embankment park, as seen from the other side of the Thames.
The Royal Courts of Justice. Basically every building in this area was as impressive though - there were simple business offices which looked like the set for a Victorian era romantic tragedy.
One of the CCTV camera's which keep an eye on the public. Yeah yeah, big brother....but they kind of make me feel safe! I guess so long as we are wise enough not to vote in ultra-fascists, then things will be ok.
Perhaps you've heard of this bridge? It's always falling down.
I was well pleased to come across a street exhibit of Gorillaz artwork.
More pictures........in that nebulous realm known as, the future. Once again, it was truly humbling to be around so much history. There is something akin to the Ottawa War Memorial about every other city block and smaller bronze statues (including all sorts, from war heroes to the inventor of Sunday school!) are even more common. Meanwhile, about 60% of the buildings were standing before Canada even existed and some from before the Old World had even discovered the new. Yowza.
For now I am going to do a little more online job searching and then sleep in. I plan to hit London again tomorrow, perhaps more pictures shall be taken?
Differences! The one thing we all have in common! Er...
1) So I think I have a lead on the dearth of garbage cans, in the tube at least. I found a large painted sign in Victoria station letting people know that thanks to 7/7 (AKA the tube bombings last summer) all tube trash cans have been temporarily removed since it would be so easy to conceal explosives in them. It didn't say how temporarily though. A little scary in theory, I guess, but I haven't felt bothered even when I've been going through Kings Cross station.
2) Tying into #1, if there is one thing that recorded public announcements will make clear to you on any tube or train or just about anywhere else - for fucks sake, do not leave any unattended bags laying about. If you do this, your bag may be taken out back to be shot and buried. Again, I reckon this is a result of 7/7 and that other famous, highly marketable date.
3) It is pricier to live in London, no doubt, but people do it! That being said, I won't deny that I was shocked to run into a very common practice amongst sandwich shops - charging an extra 10p or 20p on each item should you wish to have the privilage of setting your arse down in their establishment. Needless to say, I have been pleased to find a plethora of benches in most areas I've been to.
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