Further ramblings: ranting is so cleansing for the soul

Well, well, well - what a to-do.

The latest news at the grind factory is that a Miss Hussain will be coming in a week on Friday, 20th January. I don't know whether that's her start date or whether she wants to experience a day in the mad house, but my colleague has been asked by the head of department whether we can clear the diary of appointments that day. Apparently she'd asked whether she could shadow somebody for a while, and is recently qualified. Bit of a bloody insult if that's who they're replacing me with.

My colleague has been having words with the uberboss, with whom she has been conducting something of a fling. Not the cleverest thing in the world to do with two small children aged 3 and 2 and a husband at home. Especially with someone who would literally have a girl in every port were he a sailor, rather than just a randy old goat.

So far it's been a one-off drunken romp (on his desk, on the floor of his office and goodness only knows where else) after the Christmas do, except now he is pressuring her to go to a hotel with him after work tomorrow night. And she is actually seriously considering it! By her logic you're as well to be hung for a sheep as for a lamb. By my logic, a drunken one-off is far more forgiveable if found out than an extended affair that continued in the stone-cold-sober light of day.

We shall have to wait and see what she does.

Anyway! She raised the issue of my leaving with him in conversation as she really doesn't want me to go, and he skirted round the houses for a little while before saying that ultimately the decision lay with the head of department (I almost slipped up and named the woman there - silly me)! She told him how much work I've been doing to help other people out and how my own work had suffered because of it and pointed out various other things, but he still says That Woman has the final say. And I know fine well what her opinion of me is.

In terms of my future gainful employment, I have taken small steps toward finding out whether I can get onto a GTP in either Wakefield or Kirklees. Kirklees would be preferable - easier to get to than Wakefield - but they seem more unattainable in terms of placement than does Wakefield. At the end of the day, it is only for a year I suppose, and needs must when the devil etc etc etc.

I contacted an agency I used to use who were crap when I was made redundant in November 04. I was frankly insulted by the way they spoke to me. I don't hold out much hope where they're concerned at all, frankly. Then I chased up a guy at another agency I've never used before, but I'm not too sure they'll bust a gut to help me out.

Then, finally, I got a text message from the agency who placed me where I am now. Seems my e-mail to the person who placed me went unanswered because she had a baby just before Christmas so was on maternity leave! I was right not to spit the dummy and re-send it to their general e-mail address, because her colleague got on to me within 48 hours of that and has already sent my details out to another firm. This firm happens to be a) a fierce rival of my current firm and b) about five minutes' walk down the road, which is great because my colleague L and I (and anyone else I'm friendly with at the old place) could keep in touch pretty easily in terms of us all meeting up for lunch regularly, as we do now.

I'm also going to meet up with someone at a general office work recruitment agency to discuss temporary office placements to keep me going, with perhaps half a view to a permanent placement. I've explained that I don't want to be pigeonholed and I'm at something of a crossroads careerwise, not sure what to do next and not really certain of how I can usefully transfer my skills or in which areas. So, we shall have to see what transpires.

I went to WW last night - first time in two weeks. No missed meeting payment as the class wasn't on last Tuesday as it was a Bank Holiday. It wasn't as bad as I'd feared - I could tell I'd gained weight by the feel of my clothes, especially my new jeans! Four pounds on - a minor miracle as I can easily gain a stone or more over Christmas. Back on track nicely the last two days - saved 4 points yesterday and 1 and a half points today. Hopefully I can shed most if not all of the extra 4 pounds in a week, two tops.

That's your lot for today - playtime now!