FJ!!'s Neglected Personal Blog

Since my contract with Voda ended, I went to Düsseldorf to clean up, Amsterdam, and my Dad's, then went to SF & LA and have now been back for almost two weeks, but I have not worked. I do not have a new contract yet. I had a job interview the day after I returned, and yesterday they got back to me and said it was a bad fit for the open position. I had to agree, but I hadn't send the No Thanks email myself.

There's no urgency money-wise; Voda paid buckets to compensate me for me having to pay for the commute, and by British tax laws I got most travel and lodging expenses deducted from the taxes that go off every paycheck. I am good, and need to remind myself to use this money to hold out for something good and not give in to that fear of not working by jumping in too early to any opportunity.

Of course, there's no open offer to give in to right now. Since I re-activated my resumes I got a call from a recruiter most every morning. These British ones are not as bad as the ones I dealt with in the US: they do not offer me wildly inappropriate jobs, and they get the salary space right. We'd agree intial stuff over the phone, they send me the req in email, I send them email back with a .doc version of my CV, I never hear back.

Then again, maybe I am too impatient for Europe. Sunday I was at Nigel's, checking out what normal TV looks like on a 32" HD panel by watching the pilot of Space 1999 and a documentary on Blake's 7, and we were bitching about "Remember rejection letters? You know, actually getting them? These days they won't even tell you if you didn't get the job, and I was actually interviewing in their offices! Is it because I didn't send the 'Oh thank you so much for letting me interview' email seconds after I left?" and then I see his expression and I have to follow with: "Wait, you don't know what that email is? All the rage in the US, especially during recessions. It reads like..." and he gets the confirmation again that the US is insane and I get told I needn't send that in the UK, and then one day later I actually got the rejection email totally denying my whining. I just wasn't patient enough.

I was told yesterday by the group manager that my contract has been shortened by two weeks because basically, there isn't that much for me specifically to do at this moment. I answered that I could kind of see that already, and that this kind of flexibility is what contracts are for. So next week is my last. I canceled the flight for the week of the 13th, which means I lost all the taxes and fees and charges which are half of the cost and a £15 handling charge. I will keep the flight of the 7th to come in and close up shop on an exit interview, clean the flat and get security back, finally have time to wander around the beautiful shopping district at a time the shops are open -- no, seriously, Königsallee rivals Old Bond Street and looks beautiful in summer -- and maybe hit the Netherlands with the ICE, maybe Amsterdam, definitely dad in Rozendaal, if he and the girlfriend are available. They have very busy social lives, you know. When I started this gig and wanted to spend a weekend with them in May, I basically couldn't because they were gone every last one. I have only been once, two weeks ago. So much for taking a job that allows me to spend more time with them.

Sucks about the last two weeks. I finally got the routine fully down so I was comfortable with it, and would have liked the money.

This gig may kick ass. If this commute doesn't kick mine. Off to the airport.

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The way to start a new gig: flight cancelled! BA rebooked me on Lufthansa.

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