I have now joined the ranks of the gainfully unemployed and since I've been job hunting since October with no luck, I reckon I'm going to be here for a while, not that I mind today with the blue sky and sunshine! Actually, not that I'll mind any day, rain or shine, the less tax the government get off me, the better. Why should I worry when billionaires get away tax free and get their houses re-decorated at our expense. So, I'm going to enjoy my break for as long as it lasts and make the most of my free time, between writing, gardening, painting, knitting and dog-walking, I'll easily fill the days, and job-hunting too, of course!
Took the young 'un to see Peter Rabbit over Easter, it seemed to be getting favourable reviews (among the now ex-work colleagues) so thought I would check it out. Well, this was one rabbit I'd happily take a shotgun to and bake in a pie! Beatrix Potter must be spinning in her grave! I quite like rabbits, usually, and have several movies starring rabbits, Watership Down, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and even Harvey, and I don't even mind a smart-mouthed rabbit, Bugs Bunny pulls it off every time but a smart mouth and Beatrix Potter? Doesn't work for me and certainly didn't work here.
The slapstick was enjoyed by some of the children but I found the whole thing disturbing, wiring door handles to give electric shocks, in a child's film?? Wait til little Johnny tries that one at home! Voiced by James Corden, I understand now why he is the target of some vitriol but I don't suppose I can blame him, he didn't write the script but he did take part, so actually, I will blame him along with whoever else participated in bringing this tripe to the big screen!
Anyway, I've been laid up with a bit of a dose for a couple of days, actually since that movie now that I think about it. Maybe it's shock...but thankfully I've been up and about a bit today and got some work done in the garden this morning. And my favourite Bowie tune has just come on the radio...Drive in Saturday...compensation from the universe for enduring Peter fecking Rabbit! I made the mistake of having popcorn too. I don't normally eat anything at the cinema, maybe a cup of tea or coffee but thought I would have popcorn for a change...and I have paid for it since, it is working its way through my digestive system like concrete, actually concrete might have been easier to digest. I've been on a diet of porridge and peppermint tea since, and now that I've had to sign up for Universal Credit that will probably be my diet for the foreseeable future or at least until I get back into the rat race!
The gods must be in my favour today, another favourite tune of mine has come on, I Can See Clearly Now...the pain of that crap movie has gone! I wish...
But getting back to the subject of work, my brother retires this year, he's getting away early and several others I know have also gotten early retirement. Of course, they all work/worked in the public sector. I've always worked in the private sector which means I'm going to be working for many more years to come, well, it will do once I get another job, but the thing is, my taxes pay for the wages of the public sector and they all get to retire after 25-30 years service but I'm going to have to keep going until I'm 68, which will probably be 70 if the Tories get in again! So, why do I have be the Duracell bunny and keep going longer? Why can I not retire when I have racked up 30/35 years of work or a least cut back to a 4 day/30hour week? A friend recently remarked that we should have paid into a pension scheme sooner then we could retire now. Which is a lovely idea, until I pointed out that we never earned enough to pay into a pension, I barely earned enough to cover the bills!
The problem with work now, is that I'm just too old, ok I'm only in my 50's but I'm probably fitter and healthier than ever, at least I will be once I get rid of this dose and get the concrete digested, but that is the reality I have to face. I've been looking for a job for 5 months and in that time I've had 3 interviews which came to nothing, although I've been told I'm next on the list for 2 of them. So, in the meantime, I may enjoy being a lady of leisure and get on with my writing, painting gardening etc. I have to say, one of the highlights of this week was the joy of turning off the alarm not knowing when it may be needed again. With a bit of luck, never!
'Kill the wabbit! kill the wabbit!'
Ah, there you are Elmer, I've been looking for you, I have a little job you might be interested in...involves a rabbit...no, not Bugs but I think you'll enjoy it all the same, is that shotgun loaded? Good...there's this rabbit called Peter...irritating little shit...
Working like rabbits
I have now joined the ranks of the gainfully unemployed and since I've been job hunting since October with no luck, I reckon I'm going to be here for a while, not that I mind today with the blue sky and sunshine! Actually, not that I'll mind any day, rain or shine, the less tax the government get off me, the better. Why should I worry when billionaires get away tax free and get their houses re-decorated at our expense. So, I'm going to enjoy my break for as long as it lasts and make the most of my free time, between writing, gardening, painting, knitting and dog-walking, I'll easily fill the days, and job-hunting too, of course!
Took the young 'un to see Peter Rabbit over Easter, it seemed to be getting favourable reviews (among the now ex-work colleagues) so thought I would check it out. Well, this was one rabbit I'd happily take a shotgun to and bake in a pie! Beatrix Potter must be spinning in her grave! I quite like rabbits, usually, and have several movies starring rabbits, Watership Down, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and even Harvey, and I don't even mind a smart-mouthed rabbit, Bugs Bunny pulls it off every time but a smart mouth and Beatrix Potter? Doesn't work for me and certainly didn't work here.
The slapstick was enjoyed by some of the children but I found the whole thing disturbing, wiring door handles to give electric shocks, in a child's film?? Wait til little Johnny tries that one at home! Voiced by James Corden, I understand now why he is the target of some vitriol but I don't suppose I can blame him, he didn't write the script but he did take part, so actually, I will blame him along with whoever else participated in bringing this tripe to the big screen!
Anyway, I've been laid up with a bit of a dose for a couple of days, actually since that movie now that I think about it. Maybe it's shock...but thankfully I've been up and about a bit today and got some work done in the garden this morning. And my favourite Bowie tune has just come on the radio...Drive in Saturday...compensation from the universe for enduring Peter fecking Rabbit! I made the mistake of having popcorn too. I don't normally eat anything at the cinema, maybe a cup of tea or coffee but thought I would have popcorn for a change...and I have paid for it since, it is working its way through my digestive system like concrete, actually concrete might have been easier to digest. I've been on a diet of porridge and peppermint tea since, and now that I've had to sign up for Universal Credit that will probably be my diet for the foreseeable future or at least until I get back into the rat race!
The gods must be in my favour today, another favourite tune of mine has come on, I Can See Clearly Now...the pain of that crap movie has gone! I wish...
But getting back to the subject of work, my brother retires this year, he's getting away early and several others I know have also gotten early retirement. Of course, they all work/worked in the public sector. I've always worked in the private sector which means I'm going to be working for many more years to come, well, it will do once I get another job, but the thing is, my taxes pay for the wages of the public sector and they all get to retire after 25-30 years service but I'm going to have to keep going until I'm 68, which will probably be 70 if the Tories get in again! So, why do I have be the Duracell bunny and keep going longer? Why can I not retire when I have racked up 30/35 years of work or a least cut back to a 4 day/30hour week? A friend recently remarked that we should have paid into a pension scheme sooner then we could retire now. Which is a lovely idea, until I pointed out that we never earned enough to pay into a pension, I barely earned enough to cover the bills!
The problem with work now, is that I'm just too old, ok I'm only in my 50's but I'm probably fitter and healthier than ever, at least I will be once I get rid of this dose and get the concrete digested, but that is the reality I have to face. I've been looking for a job for 5 months and in that time I've had 3 interviews which came to nothing, although I've been told I'm next on the list for 2 of them. So, in the meantime, I may enjoy being a lady of leisure and get on with my writing, painting gardening etc. I have to say, one of the highlights of this week was the joy of turning off the alarm not knowing when it may be needed again. With a bit of luck, never!
'Kill the wabbit! kill the wabbit!'
Ah, there you are Elmer, I've been looking for you, I have a little job you might be interested in...involves a rabbit...no, not Bugs but I think you'll enjoy it all the same, is that shotgun loaded? Good...there's this rabbit called Peter...irritating little shit...