It does rock though. I’ve played the first two for hours on end in the past. Usually they hook me in for a few months at a time then I realise the futility of it all and cast it aside. A few months later, I’m back again.

It’s silly really. I’m spending all that time living a virtual life, working my way up to a better career or a bigger house. I could just do that in actual life couldn’t I?

Mind you, I can’t brick up a room to kill off my husband. At least not legally. So it does have some advantages over real life I guess.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is…

I’ve spent all day writing things and admittedly going to the cinema too. It’s 9.36pm. I’ve got a few hours before I go to bed. I’ve got all the Resolution stuff sorted for the night. I’ve got a busy, but good, day tomorrow. I’m going to play The Sims 3 for a bit.

You understand right? I need some proper downtime. That downtime is going to be used to play dollies. Yup. No matter how much I try to excuse it, it’s playing dollies all over again. Funny really considering I never actually played dollies as a kid! I liked Lego.

Today is Tuesday. I have an evening to myself. Hurrah. Yesterday I was at my Aunt’s till quite late, that’s Monday out then. Sunday, Saturday and Friday I was at work. Thursday I was at work until the evening but then went straight to a friend’s for the evening. Wednesday was a good day – I was at the cinema but I was still out till late. Tuesday I was at work. Monday I was home but it was the peak of shiteness. Sunday, Saturday and Friday I was at work…Thursday I was with a friend’s and cinema on the Wednesday.

I can’t remember what happened two weeks ago. It didn’t involve work but still, it was a while ago! This week I’m out both Wednesday and Thursday evening for fun (yay), but then I’m at work Friday until Sunday. Monday I’m out. I have no idea what happens from next Tuesday.

There’s clearly something about Tuesdays isn’t there?

I don’t mean to whine. If I was earning good money, I certainly wouldn’t whine. But as someone who works in retail in the evening and writes like a lunatic in the day, it’s a bit tiring. So evenings are precious.

Evenings are there for unwinding and cooking. Maybe even playing a game for fun, you never know. I’ve eaten terribly for most of the past two weeks. Food has been fuel, not fun. Most of the time I’ve only actually had two meals each day: breakfast and some sort of lunch/dinner thing usually at 3-4pmish before going to work, then returning home at 10.45ish absolutely ravenous.

Today though, I’ve had 2 meals already and am just about to cook the main one! I’m cooking a roast dinner. With plenty of veg, and stuffing, and Yorkshire puddings, and lashing of gravy. It will be good.

Then I’ll go back to eating badly at weird times until next week…Ugh.

Evenings really are important, y’know?

Unfortunate that I had to regain some energy somewhere so as to drive home but it was liberating.

I’ve survived ‘hell’ week. I knew it’d be hell and it turned out to be worse than I’d anticipated. I survived it though.

Now, I’m back to the writing grindstone. I much prefer that particular grindstone though. I’ve arranged my To Do list for the next four days until the weekend (I always try to keep weekends clear of writing, it rarely happens but it’s a good aspiration) and I’m ready. The Resolution schedule is lined up nicely for the coming couple of weeks. I’m all ready to phone certain people to request review copies. Sorted.

I forgot to mention the other day. I did succumb to my ‘no new game purchases in August’ thing. Having said that, the game won’t arrive until September so maybe that counts? Yeah, ok, I failed. The rate last week went, I think I did well that I only purchased one game. It was a package deal: The Sims 3, Sims 3: World Adventures and some Design and Hi-Tech stuff expansion pack for £25. It was hard to say no. I deserved it I think.

Anyway, this week is going to be a better week. It has to be really. You hear me week? Don’t mess with me. I’m not in the mood!

First of all, I knew it’d be a manic week as work had given me full time hours thanks to my manager who was leaving for a promotion (he’s gone now, went a week or two ago), giving 3 people the same week off. There are only 7 people working in the store and only 4 out of those 7 can close the shop. Guess which 3 he let go on holiday?
Then my ‘new’ manager (my assistant manager had been promoted and he’s awesome, best manager you could hope for) was told he was being transferred permanently as of this week! So that pissed me off a tad.

Then last weekend my Mum was having a bad time of coping with things, not helped by the fact that I was hardly about as I was working so much. Then the Virgin media box went wrong meaning no TV. The engineer was meant to come out Wednesday. They didn’t. They turned up Friday in the end so no TV for nearly a week!

Also, the two other big things:

I’d applied for a job at my old employer a couple of weeks ago. I wasn’t sure if I really wanted it but I was offered an interview. I turned it down because it looked like the good manager at work was staying and I really wasn’t sure about changing jobs. Then they called me again Wednesday to offer me another interview. I took it this time. Had the interview Friday, went brilliantly. Was offered the job by Friday lunchtime. I had a huge dilemma then as I really didn’t want to leave my current workmates even though the other job paid better and had more sociable hours. Then my manager announced that he was only going to a different store for 3 months and he’d be back permanently then. HUGE dilemma by then! Hardly slept worrying about what to do.

Saturday/yesterday I get a phone call saying my job offer had been withdrawn due to my past performance at the firm not being up to scratch!! I was furious. I wasn’t fussed about the actual job but I was furious as I have no idea what the problem is and as far as I know, my managers all loved me. I still keep in touch with them now, 4 years later. Also it turns out it’s possibly illegal for them to keep my records that long anyway (Mum’s friend’s daughter works in HR so knows the ins and outs – I might be checking the ACAS website to confirm later). Really annoyed I have a black mark against me somewhere though.

On the plus side, I’m ok where I am and my workmates are brilliant, but it’s the principle of it all really.

Finally, the other thing to go wrong: I effectively got kicked off my Msc course. I’m appealing it as I should still have another year to complete it (which in itself feels insurmountable but I feel like I owe it to my Mum and Dad) but it’s not looking good at all.

So since last weekend, it feels like a hell of a lot has changed yet returned straight back to where I stood last week as well! I guess at least it means I appreciate my workmates that bit more again. The other stuff though – ugh.

It’s been a hell of a week.

It’s been an absolute hell of a week. I knew it would be hectic with lots of shifts at work but I didn’t anticipate all the other things that would go a bit wrong.

A very difficult first weekend for reasons I won’t go into. Also the TV/Virgin Media box went wrong which was surprisingly stressful. Thanks to Virgin’s incompetence it took until Friday morning to fix so nearly a week without TV. Grrr!

Something much bigger than that went really wrong mid week. I’ll be boringly elusive and say I won’t go into details just yet but it’s left me in a very awkward position. I’m waiting to hear back as to where to go from here if anywhere.

And then, the really chaotic thing. Something I didn’t expect appeared on Wednesday afternoon and I didn’t know what to do. This reappeared Friday leaving me with a rather difficult decision all through Friday meaning I slept like crap. Then this afternoon the opportunity was taken from me. Lovely eh?

Funnily enough though, at the moment I feel more relief than anything which probably sums it up perfectly.

While I’m off to work in about 30 minutes, I feel quite calm and collected. The first time I’ve felt this way all week! So that’s rather nice.

I’ve got to return to focusing on my writing now and dear old Resolution. While Steve’s been keeping things running smoothly, I’ve not been paying enough attention to the site this past week. No more of that. I’m back in business and just in time for the start of the Autumn rush.

Hurrah!

Pssst: all this positive thought is very much subject to change depending on what other things go a bit wrong for me!

My brain is a fuzzy mess. It’s leaping from one idea to another and doesn’t seem to have the vaguest clue what’s for the best. Too much has happened I think. My brain can’t cope with just how much has changed in a mere few days. A lot of soul searching is required I think.

For now though, ‘A movie that is a guilty pleasure’. I don’t have much guilt when it comes to the films I enjoy admittedly. If I like it, I like it. I’m not going to feel ashamed of it!

I think rather than one specific film, it’s more that I have an actor that is a guilty pleasure….oh but wait that means I just ramble about Bradley Cooper again and I’ve already done that.

In which case my guilty pleasure is the humble zombie movie. I’ll watch mostly anything with zombies in it. I was like this before the rest of the world decided that zombies had to be a part of absolutely everything so ha! I’m an innovator…probably. Many, many zombie films are pretty atrocious. I forgive them though. Except The Crazies, not true zombies, but that ending was terrible.

The original Dawn of The Dead is my favourite. And from a different perspective, Shaun of the Dead is one of my all time favourite films. In fact I think I might go watch it now. You never know. It might put my problems into perspective.

I also feel rather guilty/drama queenish when I rant and rave about things on Twitter but then don’t actually explain what the problem is. There are a few problems actually, some bigger than others. They’re all things I’d rather get straight in my head first though. One problem in particular I might not even voice to anyone. I used to be a relatively open person but in recent years, I’ve become much more private. It’s that fear of being judged or completely misunderstood I think. Sometimes it’s difficult to write down exactly how you feel in a way that means anyone – other than you – actually gets it!

Most of all, it feels like a terribly uncertain time. In every way possible. Rather annoying really. The fighter and optimist in me knows everything will work out in the end. The apprehensive part of me just wants everything to stay the same. The wimp in me just wants to walk away from a lot of things. It’s an interesting battle in my head.

Fortunately I had a good evening. Not obviously an evening that fixes everything. The problems aren’t that simple. But it was an evening that reminded me that I can still have fun. I spent the evening playing We Sing Encore with some friends. It was excellent fun even if I can’t really sing very well!

I’ve got no idea what tomorrow will bring but for now I suspect I should just put it all out of my mind for the night.

I did have a surprise day off Monday of course but it felt less exciting. Mostly because I spent most of it on edge worried that work would ask me to come in.

Today though, today will definitely be a day off. My boss knows that Wednesdays are important to my sanity.

So what will today consist of?

Admittedly the morning consisted of a different form of work: Msc based work. Never mind though.

I’m also waiting for my shiny new iPhone 4 to arrive which according to DHL is on a van somewhere in the area. Hopefully it won’t suffer the same fate as Ian Dransfield’s new TV.

Also waiting for the Virgin Media engineer to come round and hopefully fix the V+ box which has been buggered since the weekend. Luckily there wasn’t too much on TV to miss anyhow (excluding Dexter) but it’s still a nuisance to say the least.

Then once all that’s out of the way, I’m off to the cinema. To see The A Team. Again. Yeah I know. My Mum wants to see it again though plus I want to go to the cinema today and there’s not much else I fancy seeing. Scott Pilgrim is out today but I’d rather wait till there’s less of a rush and it’s quieter.

After that, I’m buying us an Indian takeaway. It’s a big treat as it’s quite expensive but it seems deserved during a week like this! Might even finally get a chance to watch Shutter Island after owning it for a month or so.

I’d best not though. At least not for now. I’m tired for one thing, it can’t be sensible to rant while tired.

As you might have noticed, this is a very late entry. It still counts of course, I haven’t been to bed yet. However blogging after 12am isn’t my usual habit!

It was a long shift at work and I’ve been trying to unwind since. It hasn’t really helped. Fortunately I’ve got a day off tomorrow so sleep isn’t quite as vital as it could have been. My brain’s still racing as it was just me and one other workmate manning the shop last night and it was very, very hectic!

I survived of course. Somehow. No work again until Thursday and it’s a much shorter shift then thankfully! I won’t mention the weekend as that’s mental.

It was however very nice that my efforts were recognised by a phone call to see how things were going from my manager. Unexpected but much appreciated. Amazing what a difference to your morale something like that can do.

Pity I suspect a lot of big changes are coming very soon which I’m not looking forward to in any way.

Why does everything have to change eh? While some change can be good, sometimes I’d really like for things to stay the same.

I went mobile phone shopping. My contract’s nearing renewal time and I’ve had the same phone (iPhone first generation) for over two years now. It’s a brilliant phone but it’s starting to show signs of age by not being as fast as I’d like and lacking a few handy features like 3G. Thanks to working so much this week and last week, I can actually afford to upgrade to an iPhone 4.

I knew exactly what tariff I wanted and I didn’t really expect anywhere to actually have any stock but I figured it’d be nice to get my hands briefly on a display model at least. Plus you never know, somewhere might have stock of the 16gb variety.

Nowhere did unfortunately. I tried both the local O2 store and 2 Carphone Warehouses. I also briefly wandered into a Vodafone store when I was after trying an iPhone out.

I was amazed to not be accosted once. You’d think that’d be a good thing. It often is but not today as I actually wanted assistance!

I used to work in a mobile phone shop (technically two, but the second one I left after two days) so I know the drill. I know they’re all on commission and encouraged to push as much as possible. To be fair to them, they have to most of the time to achieve their targets. I know all the tricks too, the persuasive phrases, making sure you give the phone to the customer carefully so they sub consciously appreciate the value of the item. The main phone shop I worked for was still mostly about customer service but there’s no denying that when someone walked in and said ‘I want a new contract’, me and my co-workers couldn’t help but mentally rub our hands in glee at the prospect of an easy sale. I’d certainly ensure they left with a decent phone and tariff at least.

Anyway….I’m amazed if any of the phone salesmen I dealt with today make much money!

I had to approach one of the O2 salesmen rather than be greeted by him. I explained that my contract was nearly up and I was considering getting a new iPhone. I asked if I could see one for myself. He wandered off to get one then plonked it in my hands as if it was a worthless trinket then said nothing. My Mum ended up pressing him for information regarding the improved camera while I messed around with it. Very brief reply from him which didn’t really tell me much at all. I then enquired whether they had in stock. Abrupt no, only the 32gb ones. Again I asked when they’d have stock, some time in the next few days, then left with a business card from him.

I had no intention of returning. He wasn’t personable in any way, nor knowledgeable and mostly just made me feel a bit like I was in his way because I wanted to look at a phone!

One Carphone Warehouse was far too busy so I didn’t hang around, a similar tale with Vodafone.

The second Carphone Warehouse, I probably had a biased experience. I knew one of the guys who worked there – used to work with him a few years ago. So I went in and asked if he was in today. I think I unnerved the bloke as he was rather nervous from then onwards! Not sure admittedly if my mate is now in management or not as I haven’t seen him in a while, so that might not have helped. The salesman I did deal with was the best of the lot. Friendly but again, not as excitable as I expected. If I didn’t mind waiting a week, I’d go back there.

I do mind though so I went home and ordered it online from O2 direct. Much simpler!

The main thing that surprised me was that neither salesman asked me what tariff I was interested in, how much I wanted to spend, whether I was interested in a different phone. No questions whatsoever really. They didn’t even inject their personality into things which seemed odd to me!

Still, new phone soon. Yay! Should break up the monotony of this week a tad.