10.02.99 - How to splice a flat

I thought today was going to be bad because as soon as I got into work (late, because I had to scrape ice off my car) I switched on the computer and my password had expired disabling my login feature and disconnecting me from the two main network volumes. I had so much to do and I really didn't have time to fart around while IT support got off their lazy arses to sort it out. I waited a while to be sure that someone would be in the IT support office and even then they were not answering their phone. I managed to log onto the mail server and so I sent the IT manager and e-mail with a read receipt asking him to get someone to sort it out for me (I did say 'please' and 'thank you' mind you). The e-mail was read at 10am (where the hell was he until then??) and it was still not sorted out when I left at midday. I give up with that office. They are a bunch of disorganised idiots... and they wonder why they get a bad reputation among staff?! If they couldn't sort it out they should have phoned to let me know at least but nothing, zilch, nada. I bet it is still not sorted out when I go back in the morning.

So why did I leave at midday? Well, I had two flats to check out! Peter arranged a viewing in Kentish town for 4:30pm and another two viewings for 6-6:30pm. I summoned up the courage to actually drive into London as it was only the north part as far as Camden / Chalk Farm and got there a tiny bit early. I met Peter at Kentish Town tube station and we went and mooched around a few estate agents. He got a message on his mobile telling him that the Kentish Town place had already been let and he was furious so we went into that estate agent office and kicked arse a bit. At 6pm we went and saw the place in Chalk Farm and the location was excellent. It was a bit pricey and needed a lick of paint and some other stuff doing to it to make it bearable but it was "ok". We expressed interest and he is going to make a decision tomorrow morning about who he is going to let have the flat. At least we won't have any of that hanging around like before! The place in Camden was nicer, maybe a bit smaller but had a more homely feel and the location was just as good. It was a basement flat and also had a garden (bonus!). The price was ok but the problem was that the second bedroom was so small compared to the main room which was huge. We sat in the car afterwards and talked about it for a while. It was such a nice place and we both would have loved to live there if not for the room size problem. I emphatically told Peter I was not willing to move into the small room, especially as my tenancy was likely to be longer than his. He said he wouldn't mind paying his 50% of the rent if he took the small room and was given more of a reign over the living room. I'm still not 100% comfortable with this idea but we decided that this would be ok. After all, I spend about 85% of my evening in my room at the moment anyway so there would be no change. I have my own TV, video hi-fi and computer which I would want in my room and I could be pretty self contained. There are loads of issues though, such as the fact that the kitchen leads onto the living room and so do the back doors onto the garden. I'm really not sure but I am willing to give it a try because the place was so nice. We may not even get the place though! That guy was going to make a decision on Friday.

On top of the flat stuff I have to think about, I found out today from the job agency that I have a second interview at that law firm! I was excited and nervous all at the same time. It's not really an interview as such. Apparently I have to take a "customer service test" and then meet the other members of the IT team. In other words it is more of a personality thing than anything to do with my skills. I have this delightful event at 3pm on Tuesday afternoon. Oh God, I am so nervous just thinking about it and I REALLY want this job too which makes it worse and adds pressure to come across well. I am up against three other candidates and if I knew who they were I would go and break their legs right now, I feel that competitive! The original interview line up was 16 or 17 apparently so I have done ok to get this far. At least I know I am better than a dozen of the other original applicants. It will give me hope if I have to carry on looking. Oh dear, I do hope not. I still haven't heard about the other two jobs I applied for yet as well.

Valentine's Day is getting closer and closer. To be honest it feels like it is creeping up very quietly and with so many things on right now it could pass me by unnoticed. I haven't spoken to said 'mystery lover' for a couple of days and I still feel no desire to just yet. Isn't that awful? Well, another little complication was thrown in on Monday after a phone call and I don't want to go into it here but it just makes me feel even stronger that ending things is the right thing to do. Dumping someone near Valentine's Day really stinks. That's another reason why I wish it wasn't February 14th on Sunday. I have a picture of my life over the next few months and it doesn't involve having any kind of partner... just friends, family and work colleagues. I'm just being a dumbass and delaying the inevitable.

I was reading someone elses journal a little while ago and it was yet another effusive outpouring about a lost love and how that person wants them back. I just felt really irritated reading it and it's hard to explain why. Maybe it is because I haven't ever felt truly in love but I just get sick to my stomach when people go all flakey and borderline suicidal over losing a lover (not through death mind you). I feel so strongly right now that people need to be strong and sure in themselves before they can truly appreciate a relationship anyway. I can understand the feeling of loss when people break up and how devastating it must feel for a short while but I don't believe the feeling should last for months and months and that the person should pine away continuously. I just feel like slapping them and saying "get a grip!". Oh dear... I don't think I have expressed myself very clearly in what I wanted to say in this last paragraph but I can't be bothered to delete and try retyping it all again. I'm off to have a bath now because I feel mucky and I probably smell of London traffic.

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Created by Rich Hull,1999.