2006-03-01
Jo’s here till next Thursday but I still don’t know when I might get to see her. Since she got back she’s been holed up in bed apart from a couple of trips out to the doctor. What was supposed to be a restful holiday has turned out to be a bit of a nightmare and her elder boy has been taken away to stay with Granny because she really isn’t up to looking after him. The burst blood vessels in her ear became infected and despite the fact that the building pressure was causing her so much pain that she couldn’t sleep the doctor only gave her a mild anti-biotic to deal with it. I suggested she took herself down to hospital to see if they could do something about the fluid, but they said it might be dangerous to the eardrum to interfere and that it would eventually burst of its own accord. Which it did. Yesterday afternoon when she called she was leaking messy stuff onto her pillow but feeling much better. But her immune system really is pretty well shot, and as I have a heavy cold (at last something to show for these days of feeling lousy but apparently looking fine!) I don’t want to add to her ailments. Even if it means the only benefit of her being home has been the chance to chat with her on the phone then I’ll be happy.And I have the biggest mouth ulcer ever!
So – despite some of you advising against it I did go for that job. And this afternoon I heard that I didn’t get it. I’m not surprised – I could have outlined the reasons why they shouldn’t give it to me – and actually feel more than a bit relieved. I really had no idea what I would have done if the offer had come mainly because I just don’t like the two people I would have been working for. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to go and do that role anyway. So what was the point of applying? Well I kind of felt obliged to. My boss had done some lobbying on my behalf (maybe as a way to assuage some guilt at not giving me the other job that I did want) and it felt like there wouldn’t be so much help in the future if I hadn’t gone along with the proposal. And also – it turned out to be good interview practice. I’m sure I did better this time as a result of what I’d learnt the first time round, and the particular lesson I’d learnt was that you don’t have to tell the truth! Even though these people ought to have been able to do some background work on who I am and what I’ve done – clearly they hadn’t. So if they can be that lazy and rely solely on what is said during the interview (which counted against me last time) I didn’t see there was any reason not to just give the answers they were looking for and let them swallow it. But then of course this strategy didn’t work either..but really I don’t care this time. The feedback seemed to suggest they were reasonably impressed and might consider me for something else – but I’ll have to see whether I’m interested. I have a reasonable fall-back position, which is to stay where I am.
And im passim - what a shame that Linda Smith died. Very funny lady. And a shame too about Lou Gish (Julia in 'Coupling': I guess they'll not be showing my favourite episode for a while - the one where Jeff says that she's just died...). And now Peter Osgood's gone as well. what's going on?!