kicking it old skool

Well life is beautiful again. “Uh-huh, and why’s that, sparky?”, I hear you ask? The answer is quite simple: I got a job. :)

It’s a three month contract that kicked off on Monday and just having purpose again has changed my daily routine (and subsequent mood) dramatically. For one, I don’t lie awake till 03:00 in the morning worrying about money and pondering my options. Medical trials and lapdancing for food stamps aside, I also felt utterly useless. Almost exactly like the small bit between my ass and my nut sack (well, one nut, so to speak). But it’s tough keeping your spirits high with so much undiluted rejection being dished out on a daily basis. This shit is exacly why so many folks head back home after a few months and complain about how tough London was, and what a shitty place is is etc etc. Builds amazing charater though.

I went for a marathon 4 interviews in one day last week. Needless to say, I felt absolutely knackered (<-- picking up the Lingo already) afterwards! And I don’t really know what was worse: Hearing them sing that same old “Unfortunately, they’ve decided to go with another candidate” or hearing freash new rap called “Unfortunately, we feel that you are over qualified”. OVER QUALIFIED?! ME?! God, I’ve been called some weird and unflattering shit in my day, but over-qualified aint one of ‘em. “Oh no, that’s a complement”, she'd say. NO IT AINT BITCH! I WANT THE JOB, I NEED MONEY!!! FUCK YOUR COMPLIMENTS!

Anyhoo, a trusted advisor suggested last week that I cool my chops and just ride it out. Something about the universe just making me sweat a little blah blah blah. Damnit, I hate it when she’s right!

The job itself is very very satisfying and I’ve rediscovered my passion and supreme love for technology. I’m getting more involved with the T-SQL development side of SQL, which was exactly the kind of challenge I was looking for. Apart from my abject fear that I'd be no good at it (a stigma that was cultivated at a very young stage in school, when I wasn't deemed "smart enough" with maths, and to program you need maths. BAH!!), I always thought that it would be a dull and dreary thing, maybe it’s because I’m new (ish) to it, but Im loving every moment! I’m finding very distinct correlations between designing a good solution and what I used to do most of the time at my old job, only doing other things. To clarify a little on that, what I mean is, in broad terms, whether it be technology or just building something from nothing to make life easier / more worthwhile / fun, I find it gives me immense pleasure and purpose. Even more so, if said labours make other people’s lives a little easier or better. No, I’m not turning into a freakin hippy!! I guess I just know myself well enough to know where to find happiness.

On a lighter note, some musings:

The English sense of humour is much more entertaining and witty than I had anticipated, and I find myself laughing my ass off at some of the shit the boys at work say! Who said techies are dull!?

Cooking food need not be a 2 hour affair, followed by sub standard eating (although, my cooking skills are way up there; this point is generalised) and tons of dishes and shit to wash (add another hour for that). It now takes me a grand total of no more than 10 minutes to cook a world class, outrageously tasty and healthy food (courtesy in part to the fresh food market around the corner), with no more than 20 minutes to wash up. Of course my good palls George Forman and his Steam Cuisine bedfellow are mighty fine friends to have. I had to fly halfway around the world to discover that though..

Oxford Street is a wonderful little road where you can start on the one end and come out the other with a totally new wardrobe, hairstyle, mode of transportation and even religion. (the bible bashers stand on the one side of the road preaching to the ant farm on a megaphone, while right next to him a Muslim fella is punting Allah with little leaflets and on a good day you can even get run over by prancing happy-clappy Hari Krishna’s , doing, well, whatever it is that they do). Point is (needless to say): it is physically impossible to get bored in London. I believe the day someone wakes up and goes: “fuck me, I’m bored”, the whole universe will Bluescreen-of-Death and all life as we know it will cease to exist.

On the last point, I haven’t actually seen much of London, unlike some people I know. But the reason for that is of course that I find I cannot relax and have a good time until all my bases are covered. So now that said bases are, in fact, well covered, I reckon it’s time to break out the EOS 300D and take her for a spin around town. I’m thinking of having a get together at mine for all the folks I know in London. That roof terrace I was bragging about is screaming for a good party!!

Until next time.

[G], out

You bring new meaning to the word…. delicious!