jobs and frogs and phones and food (but not really any frogs)

So once again I'm at risk of redundancy, and this time I really think that I'll lose my job. On the 31st December - Happy New Year! Personally, I think I've been through enough this year and that the universe should give me a break but that's not the way it works. So I'm looking for an actual job, and I've discovered that I can do this with apps on my phone. Apps for jobs! What will they think of next? I've also signed up as a writer-for-hire on some websites. As of yet, no one has wanted to hire me but I'm going to crack on and keep trying. It's quite exciting to think that someone could want me to write their copy for them. Fingers crossed they do. I've also decided that I'm going to pitch some articles, freelance stylee. I'm really lucky and was able to speak to an actual freelancer who gave me some wonderful advice, so I'm mulling over a couple of ideas and should get them out there soon! Wouldn't it be nice to actually earn money from writing? Wouldn't managing my own time totally suit me and my pesky hospital visits? Yes and yes. I am going to give it a go. In other news, I'm having a new phone delivered today which is terribly exciting. I'm also having people over for tapas later, and I'm making it all myself. I've already made a mango/lemony-lime cheescake and a chocolate peppermint slice. Once I've blogged (and finished watching Top Chef) I'm going to make some salsa (not technically tapas I know, but hubby loves it and it's easy) and then I'm making meatballs and chicken skewers and chilli-garlic prawns and tortilla and sundried tomato and cheese parcels and grilled aubergine...nomnomnom. Laters x

live from Greenock

So my hotel looks like it's recently had a visit from the Hotel Inspector. I imagine she came back and took in the flock wallpaper, the little tray with a tea pot on it and incredibly modern shower and gave them ten out of ten for effort.

The hotel didn't look like this on the website. To be fair, when Claire (the lovely girl who organises all the travel and accomodation) emailed me the hotel details, she did so with a disclaimer that Greenock was a small place with not many hotels, so she hoped it was ok. You know it's bad crack when someone apologises before you've even got there. But no, I'll be fair, the Tontine Hotel is really quite nice.

I'm currently sat in the bar, enjoying a pint of Tenants (when in Scotland...) and utilising the free wifi. In a bit, I'm going to (wait for it) order room service and go and watch CSI in bed. In bed? With a proper meal, like you would eat in a proper restaurant? Crikey moses!

When I was away the other week, they didn't have room service in the first hotel, but I got chatting to the barmaid who was lovely so being in the restaurant on my own was ok. And the next night, I kind of thought my hotel room might be haunted, plus they only had five channels (oh! the horror!) so the restaurant was the better choice, but tonight, no, it's room service all the way. Well, I'll order in the bar and have them deliver to my room. But it still counts, right?

This week I'm out and about lots. I work for the Digital Switchover Help Scheme, and my job is to write the magazine that goes out to everyone who works on and with the Help Scheme. Basically, we're switching to digital TV and the Help Scheme is there for those who might struggle otherwise, mostly those over 75 and disabled, so they're still able to watch TV after the switchover. Part of this is getting out and about meeting the Networkers and Project Co-ordinators who deliver presentations to the public, which is what I'm doing tomorrow. I'll be attending a presentation to a macular degeneration group, so it will be interesting to see the Networkers in action (as opposed to being out and about on the bus, answering people's questions, which is what I did last time).

After that, I'll have a flying visit home and a night with the boyf (who has an infected insect bite, how horrible and how typical that it happens when I'm away), then I'm off to Huddersfield (first class, dontcha know), overnight at Ma Duffin's house and then to Birmingham. PHEW!

At least it's better than sitting at my desk, wishing for Friday...