Tea? (Part 1)

[Arch]

I need to get on with my thesis, 15000 of the right words by the end of May at the latest!

To paraphrase Morecambe and Wise, not just the right words, but in the right order!

I need 90,000 of them...

I wonder if one could devise a formula, you know, like those things where they tell you you spend a third of your life asleep, an eighth of it eating, an eighth of it in queues etc and it turns out you only have a week left to do what you want with. Only it would be, in any thesis, 10% of the words will be 'the', 10% will be 'it' etc, until it turns out you only need to find 1000 words of any real meaning...

Sorry, I'm rambling...

Tea anyone? I'll bung the kettle on....

 

[Speicher]

It would appear that I am no longer needed in my Voluntary Job.

They took someone on as paid employee, for three days a week - I thought she would be working Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, so I would still do Fridays. But she has a job else where on Saturdays.

Did they not ask this in the Interview?
(I did not want the job because I would gain additional responsibilities for volunteers, I could do one or the other, but not both, as well as everything else). Tea please, and a choc hobnob, just one.

 

[Arch]

It would appear that I am no longer needed in my Voluntary Job.

Oh dear. I assume you prefer not to do the job on Saturdays? Could you work along side her anyway on Friday? Surely as a volunteer, you have some moral clout, if you see what I mean?

Anyway, have some tea and a big piece of cake.

 

[Speicher]

I used to "man" the Reception area, answer the phone and use the small switchboard, and do invoices etc or anything needing doing on the computer, and help the Co-ordinator if she got stuck on something, and help visitors with their questions.

The Co-ordinator is now covering for the Manager who is on Maternity leave. The paid person should be covering reception, so on Fridays there are two people trying to do the same job. But there is not really enough work for two people. (Nor the space at the Desk). I do not mind doing Saturdays, but as someone IMO should be doing the job as described in the Job Advert and Job Spec, I have no wish to do Saturdays on a regular basis.

I have a few other options in mind: including:

Admin/clerical work with the local Oxfam Shop - I asked about that last December, they still have not got back to me.

Or, and perhaps in the lead at the moment, Marie Curie Cancer Care Nursing Teacher Centre want admin people.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Bizarre - get rid of someone doing the job for free... and pay someone to do the same. Am I missing something here in these Credit Crunch times????

 

[spandex]

I was thinking the same thing

 

[Speicher]

The new Paid person should be doing approx two or three Saturdays per month. Two people are needed on a Saturday. There is a Casual Member of Staff who covers and gets paid for the "other" Saturdays. The Co-ordinator also does most Saturdays, and she works Wednesday to Saturday.

The "missing" bit is asking each applicant if they knew that they would be required to work on Saturdays and that they did not have another job on Saturdays. I have said that if one of the paid staff cannot do a Saturday at short notice due to illness etc, then I would be happy to work on a Saturday.

 

[tdr1nka]

Sorry to read the news Speicher. Onward and upward!

And wtg Ivan, I've finally got out again in the last two weeks, can't believe I have even missed riding in London traffic.

 

[Speicher]

There are plenty of opportunities out there for unpaid work, but it is difficult to work out which one, might be the best one for leading to paid work, either from the work itself or for getting a good reference.

Currently the best option might be in the offices of Marie Curie Cancer Care, they have a Nurses Teaching Centre near here needing admin staff.
They pay travel expenses and have free parking, something that I need to consider when choosing somewhere to work.

Hot choc please.

 

[tdr1nka]

I wonder if one could devise a formula, you know, like those things where they tell you you spend a third of your life asleep, an eighth of it eating, an eighth of it in queues etc and it turns out you only have a week left to do what you want with. Only it would be, in any thesis, 10% of the words will be 'the', 10% will be 'it' etc, until it turns out you only need to find 1000 words of any real meaning...

You is at bein a Genius again Arch!!!

 

[wafflycat]

Morning!

Sorry to hear your news Speicher.

Migraine morning. Bah. I'm trying to ignore it, but feel as if I am failing. So this morning I'm having a cuppa *before* I go out to sort The Laydeez for the day. It's still dark out there so at least they'll still be snoozing in the hen house right now.

Last night MrWC came in with a large number of roses & freesia for me. He's now driving. Hurrah! I've got a bit of time back! Yesterday was his first attempt and he was fine - just a little stiff (fnarr, fnarr..) So I now have a large vase full of pink roses, my favourite flowers.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I understand your position so well as I am in the same boat (Should that be "on the same bike" ;-). I love the volunteering I do with Sustrans but I wish it took up far more of my time.

Anyway, best of luck in your search :-)

There are plenty of opportunities out there for unpaid work, but it is difficult to work out which one, might be the best one for leading to paid work, either from the work itself or for getting a good reference.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Morning all. Am on my 3rd Cup of Earl Grey. Need to get to the shops but weather is lousy (grey and drizzly) so I am putting it off.

 

[Arch]

Afternoon all! Kettle's on...

Just been to buy some wool for a scarf for my sister, which she's asked for for her birthday. I had to wait a while as the two assistants were busy dealing with a) a lady buying £90 worth of gold lame, and a goth looking bloke buying a metre each of 9 different colours of nylon net and some coloured pipecleaners. After that, my four balls of grey double knitting looked a bit dull!

I've been trying to work all morning and got nowhere. Apart from playing Solitaire, the building opposite is being gutted and converted to flats, and it's amazing how interesting it can be watching a couple of blokes chuck stuff in a skip...

 

[Amanda P]

They weren't drinking diet coke with their shirts off, were they?