Wednesday 11 February 2009

Working for a living has a lot to answer for...

I woke up this morning vaguely aware that the Huguenot kings were kicking off again and that somehow this was because I'd failed to do my job properly and convince them to take my sage advice.

I'm not a diplomat. It's neither my job title nor my general disposition. Nor is this the late sixteenth/early seventeenth century. As such, I'm a little surprised to find my subconscious suggesting that I've failed to keep the French Catholics safe following the Wars of Religion. (Something to do with recriminations following Henry IV's assassination.) It's probably one issue that I can safely put on the back burner (or in the "issues carpark") for the next couple of weeks.

I have a few more pressing issues.

I'm work-hunting.

I don't need a job. I already have one, and I'm glad of it, and particularly glad to be working for a company which is still recruiting in spite of the downturn. However, I am coming to the end of my current contract with the customer who're a handy 20 minute walk down the road, and following a failure between my employers and my clients to agree a rate for my services, I'm being promised to a client in Swindon for the rest of eternity (or 9 months in the first instance).

Swindon is a rather longer commute.

I had previously been of the mind to relocate to within a short, and preferably cyclable/walkable, commuting distance of wherever I ended up working, and thus not waste so much life sitting in my car. However, five days a week in Swindon leaves me the option of seven nights a week at home being tired and grumpy, or three nights a week at home being less tired and grumpy. I currently have seven nights a week at home being fairly chipper (Crohn's aside), and am a little peeved at the hit my work/life balance will take if I'm sold to Swindon for any length of time.

My lovely boyfriend doesn't seem too chuffed at the prospect of my being sold to Swindon. I can't possibly imagine why...

That was a lie. I can imagine why. My guess is that it's something to do with the reason why most of my colleagues who've been sold to the wrong end of the M4 find themselves single/breaking off engagements/getting divorced. It would seem that rarely seeing your partner, working long hours on big, stressful projects and thinking/worrying about work in what should be free time is not the best thing for a healthy relationship.

Swindon also screws up rowing. This was fairly well screwed up by the Crohn's anyway, so I've quit for immediate future.

The Swindon job would be good work. As far as my CV goes, I'm not going to be offered anything better. This would be great if my career was important to me. My career? As far as I'm concerned, I have a job. I turn up at work. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm currently paid nicely to do work which is alright, morally defensible, interesting and challenging, but which I'd rather didn't interfere with my leisure time.

So, unless I can find some work to do which keeps me closer to London instead of being away all week in Swindon, I'll probably be looking for a new employer instead of just looking for a new client.

10 comments:

Random Reflections said...

You have very intellectual dreams. Surely you wake up more tired than before you went to bed having to deal with such weighty matters??

Pleased to hear that Swindon in and of itself is not the cause of relationship break ups, but I can see that such a long commute would be a tad trying... Hope you find something more convenient.

DJ Kirkby said...

Oooof...good luck!

Kahless said...

I have been thinking of you and wondering how you are doing.

Hope you find a new fantastic job soon. There is more to life than Swindon.

But Why? said...

Random,
I was massively confused to wake up worrying about the plight of the French Catholics from a bygone era. It's not normal...

Swindon luckily won't be forever, and I'll be making the effort to get back to London at least once midweek. Meanwhile I've got a number of my colleagues hunting for suitable work in London that we can kick off in a few months time.

DJ,
Hi. Thanks. It sems more manageable now I've got a plan for an escape route. Still some distance from having an escape, but better than staring an eternity of long commutes in the face.

Kahless,
There is so much more to life than Swindon. I'm actually doing remarkably well. I spent the weekend playing in the snow in the Peak District with the lovely young man, whilst my folks provided free bed and board for a credit-crunch valentine's weekend. We've spent the saved money on outdoor kit for our upcoming holiday, and have lots of plans for lovely things to look forward to, so I'm feeling pretty chipper. How's you?

Kahless said...

Up and coming holiday sounds great Dr Why. Do take lots of photo's to share.

I am doing well thank-you. I have noticed these last few weeks that I am doing more rather than sit on my butt. I have a few projects on the go. Including what I am going to spend my (banking) bonus on!
;-)

Kahless said...

Oh and before anyone thinks what the nation is thinking about banking bonuses, I would like to say that my employer has NOT been bailed out by any tax-payer.

Rob Clack said...

Commuting is a sentence, isn't it?

But Why? said...

Kahless,
Great to hear you've been doing well. I shall certainly be taking photos up in the Highlands (and probably taking The Toy to record all the hikes in glorious geeky detail. GPS traces will be supplied).

Rob C,
Yes, it is. Two days into the commuting and I'm already feeling under-exercised and over-Haribo-ed.

Kahless said...

Wondering how you are doing Dr But Why?

But Why? said...

Kahless,
I'm getting on just fine (though back to outpatients on Thursday to get results of the most recent barrage of tests. The most I could get out of the MRI people was that I definitely had some intestines in there, but they wouldn't say how much of a mess they were in. Apparently, it's only the consultant who is qualified to tell me what they're going to tell him....)

But yes, I am very fine. Last week's holiday in Glencoe with the lovely young man has almost certainly had something to do with that.

I'm currently in a hotel in Swindon and might actually get around to doing some blogging now I've some time in the evenings to put to productive use. Watch this space...