Monday, May 19, 2008

Pondering...

I've just flicked through a few of the blogs by clicking the 'next blog' button at the top of the screen, and come across some unusual snippets of people's lives and I have realised that people use blogs for everything. I'm sure I've ranted about this before, but I can't help thinking about how many bloggers there are in the world and which ones are the most popular, and which ones get read by just close friends and family. It's amazing what people observe and what is most important in their lives.

Right now, mine is a potential job move, and what's going on down the road. Sadly another ambulance has been called into the street (there was one to greet me as I walked to the bus a couple of weeks ago), causing both my brothers an unusual amount of caution as they go down our incredibly straight road. I don't think I know the people that live in the house the ambulance is sat outside of, but I do worry for their well being.

The world does depress me sometimes, reading my sister's most recent blog, about violent crime amongst young girls, is deeply disturbing, and seeing the state of the housing market and the education system in the current climate makes me think about whether bringing children into this world is a good idea, and further from home, the news sends us pictures every day of the devastation in China and Burma. I can't imagine that any grief I've ever felt in my life comes anywhere near to just one person's in those countries.

Of course I live in hope (but feel powerless because politics passes me by) that it will get better, if only slightly, in the future. I can only pray, because, as I read in an email that was sent round the office this morning, 'all we have is God'. When all is said and done, God is my steadfast, the one thing in my life that never changes and the one thing that keeps me going...The belief that I am loved, even when the world lacks it.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

The rest of the week

After the explosion on Wednesday, we had several little 'blips' on Thursday, with the power going out for a very short time, leaving us to reboot our computers and hope that everything would be normal when we logged in. Sadly that was not the case...one of the main servers went down and left us with no email capabilities for a whole afternoon. We were also told to be very careful about how we use our system that keeps track of the financial side of things...so I found it difficult to do my job, and I'd completely exhausted myself the day before, because a centre decided to set up a parents group and not tell us until the afternoon before that transport was needed...unfortunately it takes longer than writing an email to set up transport.

I think I'm going to push for a job swap day...that could be interesting!

On other things, I have recovered from my lack of sleep last weekend, I have had a phone call about various aspects of a potential career move, including a green light to apply for a MA, I've also fallen in love with Scouting for Girls...and out of love with Girls Aloud. I'm also waiting for the new Patricia Cornwell novel...

Right, time to put suncream on, shut all the windows and prepare for my driving lesson.

P.S. The evolution of birds is in a bad way when wood pigeons decide to walk everywhere.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Plunged into darkness

Essex County Council lost power for abut 50 mins today, due to an explosion of a sub station at the ARU in Chelmsford. Which meant that the afternoon was severely disrupted by finding out what had actually happened and keeping a check on all the different forms of public transport that the team use to get home.

Fair to say it's probably one of the more interesting things to happen during my time as a temp...especially the looks on everyones faces as I replied to the 'Liz, we've lost everything' as I came back from lunch... 'Yeah...have you not seen the huge black plume of smoke over by ARU?'.

Our view was blocked by buildings, but being three/four stories up means there's a lot you can see. The police helicopter (which my line-manager thought was an air ambulance) , obviously the smoke, and all the people who rushed to get lunch when the power came back on.

Sadly one person died in the explosion. And over 8000 people were evacuated from ARU.

Back to work tomorrow, hoping that everything is back online.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Not getting any sleep...

Last night we went out, as a group of ladies, looking for a good time, we found it, in Bas Vegas of all places. Sadly no photos, but we had fun.

The problem I have is that I haven't been able to sleep since 08:30 yesterday morning, a combination of coke, alcohol and doing very little has probably lead me to the place I'm in right now. I'm emotional, over-tired and talking to myself, seriously discussing my options, out loud, in an empty house (though my brother has just pulled up outside, so I'm going to have to stop talking!). Oh and I'm irrational too!

Probably best if I don't write anything...I may well end up writing the life and times of Liz if I continue.