EVEN SMALLER WORLD

The internet is still down!

Someone sourced some images at home last night and emailed them to me, but I couldn’t log into my email to retrieve them as the internet is down.

Luckily an illustrator came in today to do the boards. And even more luckily, 
I knew him from my years at Tequila. We’ve worked together lots of times. He’s great and together we got it all done.

Off into the unknown again tomorrow.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SMALL WORLD

I’m staying with my best mate Claire in her studio flat in London. The next two days work is just up the road. It’s lucky we’ve known each other all our lives as we’re sharing a bed in a very small space. When we were kids, skipping through the daisies in the countryside, we never envisaged this is where we’d be at almost 40. 
But times are hard. And when times are hard, we laugh.

Work today was a challenge. The internet and email were down all day and 
I didn’t realise how much I rely on it. I needed reference images of various things and I needed them quickly. I couldn’t get them and I can’t draw from memory so I was stuck. What did people do before? Go to the library? Look through stock shot books? Yes they did. I remember. But no one has stock shot books anymore, and there’s no time to go to the library.

It’s a small world. I know the account director I’m working with from my 
ex-job where she was freelancing. And the client’s familiar as well. I had 
a chat with the boss at lunch time. He too knows my ex place of work.

“Isn’t that where people go to die?” he said.

Maybe I had a lucky escape.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAVED BY THE BELL

I had two calls from two different recruitment agencies today. One for 2 days concept development at a London marketing agency (Monday & Tuesday), and the other for a weeks creative/design work at a large media company in Middlesex.

I didn’t want to say no to either, since beggars can’t be choosers, so I managed to negotiate with the second one to do Wednesday, Thursday 
and Friday. Brilliant.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LEST WE FORGET

It occurred to me this morning that my appointment at the dole office is on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. I never thought I’d be wearing my poppy and observing a two minute silence in the dole queue.

My appointment was 40 minutes late. I thought about legging it. Surely some work would come up soon? Did I really need to be here?

I listened to the interview taking place in front of me. The man in the shell suit was an out of work hairdresser apparently. There were several hairdressing jobs coming up on the system, but he didn’t do colour so they were no good.

Finally it was my turn. The nice lady took down my particulars and asked me what I’d been doing about looking for work. I filled her in on all the agencies I’ve signed up with and all the emails I’ve sent, plus the fact that I’d had some freelance work.

“Lets have a look if we have anything on our system for you”, she said as she logged on to what looked like an early 1970’s prototype.

“Here we go. Cad operator at a printing company in Shepherds Bush”.

“Errmm... that’s not quite what I do” I replied, not wishing to sound unwilling.

She printed the job spec out anyway and told me to call them. I also had to make a diary of everything I do to find work in the next 2 weeks and bring it to my next appointment. I’ll get about £60 a week, paid every 2 weeks.

Let’s hope the phone rings soon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IN THE DOLE-DRUMS

I’ve been considering signing on for sometime. I’ve never done it before 
and I don’t want to do it now, but I’ve decided I’m going to have to swallow 
my pride. It’s been 6 weeks now, and apart from a few days, work is not forthcoming. Although you wouldn’t know it looking at some of the 
recruitment sites.

I put my hoody on and went to the dole office this morning. It was full of middle class city types in the same situation as me. Not what I expected.

They gave me a phone number. I had to go home and call it to make an appointment. After answering a barrage of questions on my status and ability to work, I now have the dubious honour of an appointment on Tuesday morning at 11am to sign on. Lovely.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AMERICA HAS DECIDED

Barack Obama is the new President of America and the world. Or at least he will be soon. They don’t half like to string these things out over there. This news spawned worldwide relief and one of the funniest ads I've ever seen.

Meanwhile, I’m setting up a limited company to cope with all this freelance work I’m not getting.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AMERICA DECIDES

The world is waiting in anticipation while America goes to the polls to decide it’s next president. Let’s hope they count the votes properly this time.

I’m at the library designing a new year campaign for a health club.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------