Tag Archives: job seekers

Losing my shit (stroppy mare edition)

Posted on by
Reply

**Yes folks – it’s ranty Loki-Lou again!**

Earlier this week I butted heads with the companies Vice President over him acting like a corporate psychopath, I fought my corner when a new employee thought because he was higher ranking than me that it gave him permission to be snide, my smear test came back abnormal, my anxiety was raging, I’ve been adapting to a higher dose of Thyroxine (which strangely results in me getting a bit of insomnia)….

This week has tested me. Alot.

Let’s add to the mix an ongoing issue I’ve had with the Dental Services. An administrative error at my dentists means that they’ve submitted a job seekers claim for treatment when I’m due to be paying for it at my next appointment.

(For the record I’m not mad at my dentists, they’re a great bunch of people and these things just happen).

This has resulted in threats from Dental Services about charging me an extra £100 for a “false claim” despite the dentists having evidence that I signed a form saying I was in full time employment and due to pay my fee at my next appointment.

For the past three weeks I’ve spoken to three different advisors to try and sort this mess, I’ve been given mixed advice, I’ve done everything they wanted and more.

Today I got a letter from my dentist confirming the administrative error, so I called Dental Services to ensure I sent the right aspects of the form back to them with the details filled in.

Dental Services (DS): “You need to fill the whole form in”.

Me: “I can’t, it asks for details on the benefits I was receiving, but I wasn’t receiving any”.

DS: “But you still need to complete that bit”.

Me: “How? If I wasn’t receiving any benefits?”

DS: “Erm…..”

Me: “I can fill in the ‘confirm your details’ part of the form but the rest doesn’t apply. Am I ok to leave that blank and just sign the declaration?”

DS: “Well you need proof it was a mistake if you’re going to do that”

Me: “I have proof, I’ll send it with the form”.

DS: “That might not be enough to prove it, you need to write a letter detailing everything and you need to pay the costs at the dentist and send us the receipt and….”

*This is the point I snapped because it was like going round in circles*

Me: “It IS enough to prove it because the DENTIST has written that this shitstorm is not my fault. He has detailed everything that YOU need, so I am not wasting any more of my time writing you a letter you won’t read, especially given you should have detailed notes on your system from the amount of times I’ve called you trying to sort this crap out – ”

DS: “Well….”

Me: “- And as for payment, I’ve been told I have to pay YOU by the other advisors multiple times! And you can only do that once you’ve processed the paperwork – ”

DS: “Technically you have to pay your dentist”

Me: “Technically I have to pay YOU! Because you are the ones who have threatened me with costs on top of my dental treatment for something that wasn’t my fault! It was a basic administrative error, I can prove that, they can prove that….and for the record, YOU will have to chase me for payment because I’ve chased you useless bunch of sods enough times already that I may request that you pay my phone bill!”

DS: “Well, you are responsible for your own health”.

Me: “Yes, I am. And I saw to my own health when I went to the dentists for treatment, and I accept I need to pay for that treatment. But I am NOT paying anything more than what I owe them just because you lot want to penalise me for an admin error on someone elses part”.

DS: “Well….”

Me: “No well, you will get that letter, you will process it, you will then chase me for payment, then you will piss off!”

I don’t usually lose my shit like that, but I couldn’t take anymore on top of everything else. I really lost my shit because I hate jobsworths, I offer them the easy option, I do everything they ask, and they still push for the extra fee when it wasn’t my fault.

If they take it further – I will bite not just bark.

Loki-Lou

PS – todays song of the day is:

Clean Bandits – Mozarts House (Because I needed something happy)

Money, money, money!

Posted on by
24

**I’m not going to out the charity in this story…so they will merely be called “charity” – very imaginative huh?**

I’m not sure what he was doing standing outside of the Job Centre, but here he was, his clip board in hand, the name of a charity stitched into the hoody he was wearing, a sullen look plastered across his face (the phrase “face like a smacked bottom” was rather apt here). He was absent-mindedly tapping his pen on the papers in his arms and surveying the (mostly) unwashed hoarde in his mists, making a huge fuss of lifting his nose in the air as people pattered past him (their eyes tracing the ground).

Occasionally I watched him smirk (more than once at very dishevelled man who clearly hadn’t known a hot bath let alone a warm bed for a very long time).

Occasionally I saw him wrinkle his nose and flare his nostrils as a couple of the mass approached him asking him for 20p.

One thing didn’t change though, and that was the way in which he looked at them…He eyed them all with the same expression  – contempt.

Pooling in my stomach was an unusual sensation, an unusual feeling, a peculiar mix of anger, pity and amusement. I yanked my (rather smart) coat closer, raised my head high and strode from the building. As predicted the man blocked my path, a fake smile traced his lips…

“Hello luv, I’m raising money for this charity…I’m a fundraiser” he said, almost proudly, and loud enough for everyone around to hear him.

Me: “I see…”

Fundraiser: “And I was wondering if you could spare some money today?”

Me: “Unfortunately not, I can’t spare any money today”.

Fundraiser: “Well, what about setting up a direct debit?”

Me: “I can’t I’m sorry”.

Fundraiser: “But it’s very important you do this, you have to do this” – he rambled on about what the charity represents and why money is needed before adding – “it’s selfish for you not to donate, you’d be responsible for people dying you know”.

Me: *now a bit annoyed* “Can I just ask why, out of everyone here, you’re asking me for money?”

Fundraiser: “Well, look around. It’s obvious isn’t it?”

Me: *feigning ignorance* “Not really, explain it to me”.

Fundraiser: “Because you’re clearly not a sponger like the rest of them…you know how to have a wash, you’re not high, you’re not drunk, you don’t stink….”

Me: “But why do you suppose I was in the Job Centre?”

Fundraiser: *laughing* “Because you’re probably bored with your current job and looking at options”.

Me: “I’m a Job Seeker….I’m one of these spongers you’re looking down your nose at…”

Fundraiser: O_o

Me: “Tell me, did you offer any of the people here money when they asked you for it? Did you consider buying any of them a coffee or a bottle of water or a sandwich?”

Fundraiser: “Pfffft no…why would I?”

Me: “Because they have no money….alot of them don’t have food, or homes…and when Winter comes how do you think they’ll survive?”

Fundraiser: “You’re asking me to give them money?”

Me: “You asked me for money”

Fundraiser: “For a charity…for those less fortunate”.

Me: “What do you consider everyone here to be? How many of us are ‘spongers’, as you call us, through choice? I know I’m not”.

Fundraiser: “That is not the same thing”.

Me: “Isn’t it? You’re fundraising because it gives you a wage…”

Fundraiser: “I’m fundraising because there are people less fortunate than me, and I care about supporting them”.

Me: “If that was the real reason, if you really cared for those less fortunate, you wouldn’t have laughed at anyone here, you wouldn’t have smirked or turned your nose up or acted as though we are the scum of the earth. And you certainly wouldn’t have tried to guilt people who have no money into setting up a direct debit when that person can’t even afford the bus fare to get to the Job Centre”.

Fundraiser: “It’s only a direct debit”.

Me: “Only! We’d be forced into more debt, we’d be thrown into further trouble”.

Fundraiser: “Well….erm…well”.

Me: “You are no better than anyone else here, you have no right to make any of us feel bad or any worse than we already do. You are asking the unfortunate to aid the unfortunate and getting a kick out of the guilt we feel over being unable to help…I suggest you get off your high horse and treat people with the respect they deserve…maybe then people who can help you, will help you”.

A clapping sound resounded in the small courtyard, the homeless, down-trodden and unemployed were applauding as one…as I took my leave, with a smile on my face.

Loki-Lou

PS – Not all fundraisers are pushy and obnoxious, some do believe in what they’re doing…some are genuinely interested in making a difference in the world. The small minority that are like the one I encountered boil my blood, picking on those less fortunate is just plain pathetic!

Today’s song of the day:

Abba – Money, money, money (“Money, money, money…it’s so funny….look a five pound note!” ….oh wait….those are my mate’s lyrics, ah well).

NaBloPoMo November 2012

Job Centre Triage

Posted on by
12

**This situation happened during my last meeting at the Job Centre**

I sat across from my advisor, my job application tracker (done in an Excel spreadsheet as the little green books I keep getting given fill up too quickly) and a list of short courses that I was curious about attending were sitting on the table between us. My advisor looked a little bit flustered by the amount of paperwork I had provided, he always seemed flustered by it, his face beamed red as he eyed it, wondering where exactly to start.

I shuffled on the seat, my legs shaking nervously…for some reason the Job Centre makes me incredibly nervous, it reminds me of attending exams at school. As though you’re just waiting to be caught out by the examiner because you haven’t revised for the test and had spent the whole time playing Zelda.

Eventually he motioned to pick up the application list, he fanned his face with it first, muttered something incomprehensible and then started flittering back and forth between the pages. As I watched his movements with all the interest as you would give to the dissection of a new animal species I was reminded of something my friend had told about when he had been a job seeker.

“Did you used to send people to an interview on the day they came to see you? If they were suitable for jobs you found on your system?” I queried knowing that it was through one of these automatic interviews that my friend had acquired his job.

“We did…well, we do” my advisor murmured while reading through my spreadsheet list of applications (now in excess of 160 jobs!).

“You do?” I couldn’t hide the surprise (and confusion I dare say) in my voice.

“Yes, we do” he still didn’t look up from the spreadsheet…if anything he was glaring at the words more intently than before.

“Why haven’t you sent me for anything?” at this he did look at me…questioningly at first which appeared to dissolve into a pitying stare.

“Because you’re fine as is” he said, shrugging, as though this explained everything.

“Fine as is?” I pulled my ‘are you shitting me?’ face before adding “I’m still unemployed so surely I’m not fine as is? I’m still sitting around waiting to be hired while trying to survive on the meagre amount of benefit you allow me”.

“Trust me – you are fine as is, you don’t need sending for interviews” his tone sharp, snappy.

I quietly contemplated this for a moment as he returned to my paperwork, scrutinizing each item on the list as though he was breaking a top secret highly important code and I was acting as an inconvenience to his task.

“How do you decide if I’m ‘fine as is’ and that I don’t need you to set up interviews with companies?” I uttered at last, eagerly wanting to know the criteria behind these decisions.

“You apply for work….so you are not high risk….you are a low risk claimant…as such we don’t need to send you for interviews” he explained slowly, as though speaking to a child.

“And these interviews….are they for very basic jobs?” my interest piqued.

“Not always…it depends on the jobs available, sometimes we even send people for trainee manager positions, we have a list of jobs that we can allocate people to” he waved a hand at his computer monitor as though this would instantly bring up this fabled system of allocated vacancies.

“Are these jobs on your normal system? Can anyone apply for them?”

“No, we have to send you to them…that’s what I mean by ‘allocated’”.

My brain started ticking over faster and faster as it processed his words…and then froze with a stark realisation.

“So…you’re saying that I could be being overlooked for jobs, overlooked for automatic interviews, because I’m applying for work which makes me a low risk claimant?”

“Exactly! You don’t need the extra help” he laughed dismissively.

“So because I’m doing everything right…you’re penalising me?” I kept my voice neutral, not wishing to cause a scene as I could sense the anger bubbling under the surface.

“No, not at all. We just don’t think you need sending for these interviews…there are people out there who don’t apply for work and who need to be in work…these people are high risk so we send them for interviews…they need this extra help”

I baulked at his explanation…then let go of the words I was trying to restrain.

“You’re giving interviews to people who don’t want to even apply for work and not asking those who are actually looking? Do you know how backwards that sounds? Surely it makes more sense to send those who want to work to interviews? Especially those who have been out of work for months on end, while applying for hundreds of jobs, who are qualified and experienced enough to do a wide variety of jobs and those who are going stir crazy sitting at home while going through the motions of application forms day after day….you’re saying I don’t warrant the same courtesy given to those who don’t give a damn?”.

My advisor merely shrugged and shuffled the papers before stating very clearly “you are not high risk enough”.

I wish I was bullshitting you all, I really do….alas I’m not.

Loki-Lou

PS – today’s song of the day:

Linkin Park – Lost in the Echo (Who doesn’t love a bit of Chester Bennington’s voice?)

NaBloPoMo November 2012

BlogHer NaBloPoMo challenge month – “Hello Cabin fever”

Posted on by
8

**Sweary post ahead folks!**

I fear I’m going mad…without a job I am going completely mad! My brain is dissolving into mush from the tripe on day time television, I can’t spend money (because I don’t have it), I (majorly) surpassed the 100 ‘jobs applied’ to number on the Job seeker spreadsheet the other day, my sleep pattern is completely out (I’m getting to bed between 5am-7am) and I also think that I have every word of “Thor” memorised. Not that the last one is a terrible thing….unless you randomly quote Loki while having a conversation with someone *cough* regular occurrence *cough*

It’s getting to the point where I’m not bothering to put on make-up (not that I fussed about that anyway), or wear my contacts (glasses are less hassle), change out of my pj’s (not leaving the house so what’s the point) or straighten my hair (I got nothing to justify that one). I look like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards, luckily I still shower everyday otherwise I could add “smells like I had a fight with a shit-spreading tractor” to my current description too.

It is getting to the point where I may start playing “Mouthful of Shit” by Chumbawamba down the phone to my employment advisor and the recruitment consultants who keep insisting that I’d be an “asset to any company” (I’d do it everyday if it wasn’t considered harassment). I actually don’t believe them…I’m just going through the motions of the application forms:

Why do you want this job?

Because I’m beginning to torture my soul by watching crap like “The Real Housewives of nobody gives a fuck” and “Jeremy ‘Jerry Springer’ Kyle”.

What skills do you have?

A fully working bullshit detector……I can also scream various profanities in Klingon.

What could you bring to this company?

The Tesseract….when I locate it!…that said, give Thor enough alcohol and I’m sure he’ll be as subtle as a fart in a one man tent with regards to it’s location (I’m from Burnley…Asgardian drinking habits are nothing compared to ours!). 

I’m spending most of time on many job sites to the extent that I actually know job reference numbers off by heart! That shouldn’t happen….but my brain needs to be kept occupied otherwise I end up learning random facts at 3am! Useless facts!

I can’t seem to explain to people that by having my life on hold (until an employer takes pity on me), I’m going completely round the bend! I don’t know what it’s like to have all this time free and empty, I’ve never had this much free time….I’ve always had an extremely manic schedule, not just with work – but exercise, social life, arts, culture, volunteering, etc.

I need to be busy!

Excuse me now folks while I build a fort out of cushions and prepare to hibernate until sunny climates awaken the job market.

Loki-Lou

PS – Today’s song of the day is:

Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You (I used to have the lyrics texted to me on a daily basis from a friend of mine….good times).

BlogHer NaBloPoMo challenge month – “Unemployment”

Posted on by
4

Last night the folks and I were watching “The Town That Never Retired“; the premise of this programme was to place pensioners back into the work place (in various roles) and pit them against a group of young job seekers to see who are the more reliable/better at the jobs/who would gain employment, etc.

I have to point out here that this programme boiled my piss.

Between employers wanging on about “I’d hire the pensioner because they have more experience than a school leaver” (no shit Sherlock!) and the presenters going on about how “youngsters nowadays just don’t want to work” I was positively raging.

I’m aware that the youngsters in the programme did arse it up alot by not calling in sick, or by not removing their piercings, or by walking out part way through the work day…BUT, I just basically saw the whole thing as an attempt to blow smoke up pensioner’s backsides and reiterate that due to current pension issues most people now will be working into their 70′s in order to live.

Perhaps what this programme needs to do is pit these pensioners (and even their younger counterparts) against people in their 20′s/30′s who are desperately seeking work, those who apply for over 50 jobs a week without even a sniff – those people who are currently being driven mad by shit day time television and the assumption that we’re lazy because we’ve asked the benefit system for help.

Seriously producers think about it! Because you’d have your first volunteer right here!

As I’ve said before, not all of the unemployed people are without work through choice, we don’t all sit around with our thumbs up our rusty starfishes every day while waiting for benefit day (especially not the ones who, despite applying for help, still haven’t received a penny!). Some of us WANT to work, some of us are highly educated, others have a lot of varied work experience…we’re just waiting for someone to give us a chance!

It also started the following exchange of words:

Me: “This programme paints young, unemployed people in a bad light – they’ve basically said not to give us a chance!”

Dad: “You’re not young anymore, you’re practically middle aged”.

Me *scowling* “still young in the grand scheme of things” (I’m 27 FFS!).

Dad: “yeah, but pretty much middle aged now…it’ll just get worse for you”.

Me: “Remember this dad, remember it well…because I will be putting you in an old people’s home”.

Dad: “Unless I steal your job”.

Me: “No….you’re going in a damned home”.

Dad: “Really?”

Me: “Yep…the shittest one I can find! One that has no indoor toilets…and definitely only plays repeats of Jeremy Kyle all day every day!”

Dad: O_o ….

Me: “Jeremy Kyle USA”.

Dad: “You wouldn’t”.

Me: “You brought this on yourself!”

Obviously I wouldn’t put my dad in a terrible home…especially one without toilets! Gosh could you imagine! Actually, probably best you don’t imagine that.

Loki-Lou

PS – today’s song of the day is:

Placebo – Wouldn’t it be good (yes, I’m aware this is a Nik Kershaw song…but the cover is just so awesome!)

The Job Centre is screwing with me!

Posted on by
2

**ANOTHER RANTY, SWEARY POST ABOUT THE BENEFITS SYSTEM**

Well, I finally opened the letter I received over the weekend from the Job Centre, or rather from the Department for Work and Pensions. Since being on Job Seekers I haven’t received a penny in benefits, not one…from all of the £20 per week I’m supposedly entitled to. Want to know why?

Because I had to leave my job….and they’re arguing I did it willingly (if you’re a regular follower of the blog you’ll know I didn’t leave willingly, if you’re new stay tuned and all will become clear!).

Despite me explaining to my adviser, and writing an appeal letter to his superior officers, regarding my circumstances I’ve been sent a letter asking for further information….when they say further information, they mean they want to know the far end of a fart about everything I’ve already explained….multiple times, verbally and written! So for shits and giggles, I thought I’d share some of their questions (aside from the “when did the relationship end?” ones) and the answers I would LOVE to give instead of the actual ones I’ve had to write:

Q. What happened when you were evicted by your ex?

A. I became homeless and had the option of living under a bridge and eating people like a troll or moving back to Lancashire with my family….As much as I love eating BBQ style tourist I thought heading home where I can actually have a portion of gravy with my meals would be better for my broken Northern girl heart.

Q. Did you have friends in London you could have stayed with until you found alternative accommodation?

A.  I thought I did, as it turns out the people I thought were my friends were infact complete and utter fuck-buckets! They hid behind the statement “I’ll pray for you” to get out of all friendship duties, as such I may have referred to them as noblets and told them to go and play in traffic during rush hour. I may also have told them that whenever they call me for help in future I will tell them to stick their phones so far up their backdoors that their larynx’s will be able to communicate with one another via text!

Q. Did you ask your friends if you could stay, if not why not?

A. See above asshole….and thanks for wasting paper with the same fricking question just posed in a different way. Don’t tell me, you flunked out of your English Literature degree right? Thought so!

Q. Why didn’t you work your notice?

A. Because due to my new found hobo status I happened to have no permanent address….though I kind of liked the idea of using “Bellenden Road by the Prince Albert pub…yeh just follow the one way street” (how many innuendo’s there? And yes that’s a real place!). As such my employers had issues with keeping me on their books, if I didn’t find actual accomodation then I would lose my job, as it happens I didn’t find anywhere else because London is expensive when your office monkey wage is piss poor. Though I did see a rather nice cardboard box that only leaked a little bit in the rain!

Q. Did you bother to find alternative arrangements?

A. No, I just sat with my thumb up my ringer – t’fuck do you think?

Q. Was their any urgency in this move? If yes, why?

A. Homelessness, cannibalism being frowned upon, loss of job due to hobo status, slight bit of rain seeping through the ceiling of my cardboard box, being in such an emotional heartbroken mess that I wouldn’t have trusted myself not to go swimming in the Thames at night with bricks tied to my feet…..take your pick!

In theory I should have just written the address for this blog down for each question and said “go figure it out shit for brains”…as you can probably tell I am yet again pissed off with the benefits system here in the UK. If it wasn’t for my parents I would probably be in a homeless shelter somewhere with the system saying “we can’t help you because you willingly left your job”.

Let’s see if they play nice when I finally get a job and not tax me as much because I sure as shit haven’t seen any of the taxes I’ve paid in for the past 10 years when I need support the most…..though I won’t hold my breath!

Loki-Lou

PS – Today’s song of the day is:

Oomph! – Wake up! (apt title there!).

It’s raining interviews! At last!

Posted on by
Reply

Today I had an interview with a publishing agency in Lancashire (hence the lack of a post yesterday – I was revising!), the job role is an entry level one with a basic salary but with scope to progress, travel throughout the UK and an excellent training programme. I had to be there at 9:00am, considering I haven’t driven in rush hour traffic for over two years and the fact that the weather was pretty miserable meant I had to wake up at the ass crack of dawn (6:30am) to ensure the Loki-motion and I made it to the company on time…with me not in my fluffy slippers (trust me, a suit looks pretty hilarious with these slippers and “laughing stock” wasn’t the professional look I was going for).

I should never be awake before 7am…I really shouldn’t! My reasons for this are:

a) If I have to be anywhere (i.e. interviews/appointments) I may forget to wear pants (and no-one wants to see my girly boxer shorts!), my bra (unsupported boobs are scary!), put my top on back-to-front (yep, done this multiple times), or neglect to straighten my hair (Gene Wilder’s hair is straighter in these situations!).

b) I may fall asleep in my breakfast…which is fine if it’s toast as I can wipe crumbs and butter off my face but milky cornflakes are a health-risk! I’ve run the risk of cornflake-milk related drowning quite a few times!

c) As I said above…I have a tendancy of neglecting to swap my slippers for actual shoes…which makes me look a right cabbage-head (read as: tool or moron for those who aren’t sure what I mean by this) when I’m wearing a pencil skirt, tights and a smart top.

d) I often don’t have time for a cup of tea or coffee because I’m arguing with the toaster…and more than once I’ve stuck a knife in it (yes while it’s been plugged in) before my brain realises that I’m pretty near to a Darwin Award moment all for a bit of bread! So I get rather bitchy because my patience levels are greatly affectly by the levels of caffeine in my system, I shit you not, I’m Jekyll and Hyde where caffeine is concerned.

Today’s preparation went without any major issues…I may have wasted four contact lenses while trying to sort my left eye (which is very flinchy!) and laddered two pairs of tights but this is a minor miracle in my books!

I may have left the house ten minutes later than I had planned to because I was busy farting around trying to find the sat-nav…which then decided it didn’t want to work anyway! The Loki-motion is having a confidence of crisis atm (read as: his wing mirror needs fixing…which I’ll be doing tomorrow), but we headed out anyway hitting the M65 (and briefly the M6) as rain bombarded us and made it incredibly difficult to see. Traffic wise it wasn’t too bad, which was surprising, but what unnerved me was that multiple drivers darted past me in terrible conditions when I was doing the maximum speed limit (for the motorway, not the car….he’s capable of over double that speed, and one day I think I’ll try that out!).

Now a good sign that I’m feeling apprehensive/anxious is that I end up praying, being an atheist I’m not entirely sure why I do this (I blame being brought up as a Christian…I fear it’s a conditioned response), but I always do. I pray for a sign that everything will be ok, that I’m not completely messing up my life. I’ve never seen a sign from above, never, not once…which aids my Atheism I guess…though today the powers that be decided to play a little game with me. The whole hour journey consisted of me (and the Loki-motion) being constantly overtaken by a big blue van with “Menzies” written on the side…a van I don’t remember passing so how it kept managing to overtake me I’ll never know. If you’re a regular reader of the blog I think you’ll understand why this made me giggle so bad!

The interview itself went rather well (except for me managing to get into the staff car park without a pass and me getting into the building without security stopping me which I think means I was trespassing/breaking in), I answered all their questions as best I could (despite my nervous stammer), I made a few jokes (which made both interviewers laugh – which is a rarity) and I even had some interesing questions for them once my interview was complete. I spent an hour and a half in the room, shaking from fear (I blamed being cold) and wondering if I could just hide under the table without them noticing I’d disappeared from the chair. I smiled, nodded, maintained eye contact…I tried to appear relaxed (but fear I was as subtle as a fart in a one man tent!). I did my best.

I then went from the interview to my (re-arranged) meeting with my adviser at the Job Centre, I was told off by reception for being fifteen minutes early (yeah, I don’t get it either), was told that I am definitely in breach of my contract for missing the earlier appointment to attend the interview (which means I could still lose my benefits) and that even though I’m appealing the amount I’ve been assigned for job seekers it is highly doubtful that the initial decision will be reversed (I’m still getting £20 instead of £71). Useful as ever!

I then stomped home for a much needed cup of sugary tea to get over my Job Centre induced foul mood and upon checking my emails I was blessed to find a lovely message from a major company in the UK inviting me for an interview (chances are I won’t get past the interview stage but bloody hell I’m lucky to even get a chance!)…the job is incredibly well paid, there is scope for travel outside of the UK, the career progression is amazing and they have an excellent reputation!

I’m not going to name either company on here just because of my own paranoia…perhaps if/when they reject me I might do ;-)

Fingers crossed for employment ladies and gents!

Loki-Lou

PS – Today’s song of the day is:

Oomph! – The Final Match (from their “Truth or Dare” album so they’re singing in English! I must confess I nearly wee’d myself with excitement when I found this….when I should have been doing more revising for today’s interview….oops!)

It’s been a bad day!

Posted on by
4

Today has been one of those days where I should have just stayed in bed, cuddled under my duvet and dreaming beautiful dreams of Tobias Menzies. Today was a bad day….a very bad day! Alas, today was the day I promised to do my parents a favour and collect the vinyl leather they use for their business from the shop (as their vehicle is currently off the road and the Loki-Motion is mine) in Blackburn.

The weather was torrential, even having the windscreen wipers on full couldn’t give a clear view of the road. Signs of heavy downpour pooling were evident in parts as the traction faded, I know what it’s like to aquaplane a car so my anxiety levels were high as the Loki-Motion took to the M65. I dropped the speed to 60mph and stayed in the slow lane as cars skidded past me in the other two lanes.

I thought leaving the motorway would ease my anxiety somewhat…it didn’t. The car infront of me kept me on my toes by braking suddenly (multiple times) and the owner being generally indecisive about where she wanted to go. Heart was in my throat as we hit the first roundabout….and I held my breath as we left it for the Blackburn turning and headed towards the second roundabout. I was still behind the confused Skoda as everyone arranged themselves into their relevant lanes (we were in the right lane heading to Blackburn centre). The sporty Mercedes next to me (well, diagonally across from me) was turning left, the driver was indicating, she was checking her rear view mirror…when suddenly the Skoda driver decided she wanted the left lane and without indicating she braked quickly and darted infront of the sporty Mercedes, the owner of which tried to emergency stop (there really wasn’t alot of room) as I pre-emptively hit the brakes on the Loki-Motion. The sporty Mercedes aquaplaned and the driver struggled for control, in an attempt to miss the Skoda she swung right….directly into my path.

I think at this moment, as time started to slow down due to adrenaline rushing my system, I may have shat myself with panic! The Loki-Motion jolted to a stop, the sporty Mercedes jolted to a stop, the Skoda carried on oblivious. We were both visibly shaken, the other driver looked close to tears as she started the engine again (the emergency stop had stalled the car), I reversed the Loki-Motion slightly (as thankfully the drivers behind us had witnessed this unfolding and kept their distance) so she could move back into the left hand lane. Soon we were level facing the second roundabout, we both looked at each other and I mouthed “you ok?” at her, she nodded her head and moments later we went our separate ways.

It was only when I arrived at the Vinyl shop that I realised that the Loki-Motion had stopped with such a jolt that I wasn’t sure if the other Mercedes had made contact with the bonnet. I was still shaking with shock and was on the verge of tears over the prospect that my car could have been damaged not only because I adore my beautiful little motor but also financially I can’t afford to repair it (see the second half of this blogpost to understand more about my financial situation). I practically leapt from the drivers seat and frantically started examining the bonnet…begging the gods that everything was ok…I guess they heard me. The Loki-Motion didn’t even have a scratch. I nearly collapsed in a heap on the floor beside it.

As it happens my bad day was going to get worse…with the vinyl loaded up I (we) started heading home. We hit the main roundabout heading towards the motorway when a scruffy looking Punto shot infront of the Loki-Motion, with no indicator (AGAIN), I braked sharply (AGAIN – thank the gods for the amazing brake system in the Mercedes Benz), we were narrowly missed (AGAIN – if I hadn’t braked when I did the Loki-Motion would have been worse off than a mere scratch). The Punto lurched infront of the car in the lane to the left of me too causing them to skid onto the hard shoulder…the owners of the Punto were risking the lives of other people in rainy weather to go to a small shop off one of the roundabout  turnings.

A small light blinked at me from the dashboard (a hazard light) as the Loki-Motion set off again…not a light I ever had on any of my other cars. The rest of the journey home was made with me completely on edge, I was upset that the Loki-Motion may have internal damage this time! I parked up outside the house (without further incidents) and began checking over my little motor, blessing everything that it had been the Mercedes which I’d been driving when these near misses happened – my old Punto or Metro’s wouldn’t have stopped in time! The hazard light (according to the manual) is a warning to an impending accident (situations in which the car is being maneuvered in a way incompatible with the environment…in this case, emergency stopping in torrential rain!). Once I was sure that the car was ok I grabbed a calming cup of tea (with two sugars)…and then gave the Loki-Motion a dose of coolant!

I’m not sure how rational I would have been had my car been hit!

Today was also the day that the Job Centre called and explained that after reviewing my application for Jobseekers Allowance (which should be £71 a week), they’ve decided that I’m owed £15-£20 a week. So £80 a month. Their reason for this is that I’m currently living at home and so my “parents should be supporting me”…what…the…piss?! I’m not expecting my parents to financially support me, it’s laughable that such a thing is expected of them! What is also laughable is:

1. I’ve been paying tax since I left school over ten years ago – I think it’s utterly pathetic that the only time I ask the government for financial aid I end up with what I consider a fucking joke of an amount. As I’m getting a reduced allowance in order to support myself now, does it mean you’ll reduce my tax when I start working again? No? Well give me the amount I’m fucking owed!

2. Only one of my parents is actually getting a wage (my dad), my mum is starting up a business so all her cash is tied up with costings for that. We’re living off one wage! As I pointed out in the frigging application form!

3. £20 a week is a pittance when I owe rent and food money to help my folks…oh, and I guess whoever decided this hasn’t seen the price of dentist appointments let alone Tampons recently!

4. I actually know multiple people who have never worked, never gone on to further education (in most cases didn’t even bother to finish their GCSE’s) and never paid tax who get the same amount of cash in benefits as someone on a full time wage! They have their houses, rent, food, etc paid for by taxpayers when they themselves have never paid into the system – Excuse me if I think the system is severely flawed! Or (as I’ve been referring to it all day as) total and utter bollocks!

5. Leading on from #4 – just today I’ve had 5 rejection letters for jobs I’ve applied to, I apply to over 30 jobs per day…I spend hours and hours applying for jobs so I don’t have to ask for handouts. Explain to me please what the point of this is (aside from my own feelings of self worth) when I could merely sit on my arse and watch “Jeremy Kyle” until I become bog-eyed and start playing the system like many others seem to?

This situation makes me have less faith in those running our country than I had previously…there are so many in the same situation as me and we’re being completely overlooked by our government.

Loki-Lou

PS – did you guess today’s song? No?….oh well, my song of the day is:

REM – Bad Day (what can I say, after everything that’s happened today, it’s made me smile!)

Job Centre sneer

Posted on by
9

Today I was back at the Job Centre…today I succumbed to the need for money…today I signed on for government help. And I hate myself for it! More than once I wanted to cry self-pitying tears of embarrassment…I really didn’t want to do this.

I met the wonderful greeter again (the one I mentioned in yesterday’s post) and was taken to fill in some paperwork…we basically went through all the information I had placed into their online form, which had then been confirmed three times with one of their “telephone advisors” only be to confirmed again today (twice!).

“Right, now go to the usual place” he then growled as I signed the final piece of paper.

“I’m sorry?” I murmured (usual place?)

Greeter: “Yeah, the usual place”

Me: O_o

Greeter: “Upstairs” (he then pointed towards the ceiling as though I didn’t know what he meant by upstairs).

Me: “Ok” (I started looking around for the doorway that would lead to the stairs).

Greeter (laughing): “Don’t tell me you’ve never been before?”

Me (blushing): “Actually, no, I haven’t, ever”.

Greeter (penny dropping): “ah…stairs are over there”.

I then shuffled away towards the stairs, red faced and feeling degraded at having to explain how I ended up in this situation in the first place to someone who had as much empathy as a steaming pile of dog shit. I signed in at the reception then grabbed a seat near to my assigned advisor, I took to scratching the backs of my hands (I do this when extremely nervous) and glancing anxiously around the room. It’s quite surreal that the upstairs department treats you as though you’re invisible unless you’ve been called by an advisor…until your name is hollared you sit in silence.

You are the scum of the earth to those paid to help you.

My advisor introduced himself as Peter and explained that we would be going through my paperwork….AGAIN!

Peter: “So you’re unemployed because you left your job?”

Me: “Yes”.

Peter: “We generally don’t help in that situation”.

Me: “It was due to a breakup…I was left homeless…I had to move back here”.

Peter: “Even so, we’ll have to refer your paperwork to someone more senior as you willingly left your job”.

Me: “I didn’t willingly do anything…I couldn’t continue with my job because I had no home! I had to move back up here with family…I wouldn’t say that’s willingly would you?”

Peter: “Well, you did decide to leave your job”.

Me: “No, I didn’t. I had no choice in the circumstances”.

As it stands my paperwork has been referred to someone more senior to decide if I should be allowed Job-seekers allowance because I ended up leaving my job due to suddenly finding myself homeless. I’m still at a loss how they can possibly claim that the decision was made willingly! The “advice” then started:

Advisor: “Well, we could send you on a course”.

Me: “What sort of course?”

Advisor: “Well, any within reason…you need to have qualifications nowadays”.

Me: “You mean like a Masters degree in a specialist science?”

Advisor: “Erm…..”

Me: “I highly doubt any course you send me on will make me anymore qualified that what I currently am, but knock yourself out trying to find one”.

Advisor: “Well…you could always apply for 13 jobs a day? That’ll get your information out there”.

Me: “I apply for a minimum of 20 jobs a day, I don’t hear anything but rejections….but yes, my information is definitely out there”.

Advisor: “Maybe it’s your CV”.

Me: *hands over a copy of CV*

Advisor: “Ah….there doesnt appear to be anything wrong with your CV”.

Me: “That’s what the recruitment consultants said….I’m on the books of the ones in Burnley”.

Advisor: O_o “you actually want to get back into work?”

Me: “You seem surprised? But yes, I want to work….I’d rather not be applying for benefits and dealing with the shitstorm that is daytime TV”.

Advisor: O_o

I left the place feeling horrendous. I cried as soon as I arrived home from having to explain the break up to so many people who really didn’t give a flying fuck, they only cared about pretending to do their jobs…all the while judging me because I’d finally given in and decided that I can’t live on fresh air. While I appreciate some people willingly give up their jobs (or just don’t work) and approach the Job Centre merely looking for hand-outs, not all of us are like that.

So why do I feel so bad about this? I am entitled to help because I’ve paid in…this is my first EVER claim for benefits…but I feel like a complete sponger for doing so.

Loki-Lou

PS – My song of the day is:

Chumbawamba – Mouthful of shit! (Here you go folks! Check out a Burnley Anarcho-punk band!).