It’s looking increasingly likely that I will have to give up on my sound engineering dream, I can’t make a living from it in reality, at least not at this time, some weeks I make a load of money, then other weeks I can make next to nothing. This really can’t go on, I need to get a steady income to cover my costs; at the moment I am not even covering my costs and have no real life to speak of, no cash kills any idea of going out, I haven’t been out (in a non Voodoo capacity) on a weekend for ages. If I am forced into getting a day job, I will be giving up on engineering as I really don’t want to be travelling in from Keyham after doing a days work! I burnt myself out the last time I tried to do that while working at Derrys and The Phoenix, and I lived a lot closer to work at that point! It would help if I could get some sort of housing benefit, but because of petty bureaucracy I can’t claim as the landlord (who is currently trying to sell the house) isn’t willing to fill out a rent form, and we haven’t signed any sort of contract, so I can produce that as proof of rent which leaves me in this dire financial situation. I could just sit on unemployment benefits and do fuck all, but I rather not do that I want to work, but I don’t see why I should do a job I hate for a minimum wage. That’s why I left Derrys I was earning less than £575 after tax and the job made me miserable, every morning I woke up feeling like I didn’t want to go to work, especially Saturdays which I was forced to work, which shouldn’t be the way you feel when you wake up on a work day. I love working as a sound engineer, but I simply can’t do it as well as working 9am – 5pm then working from 7pm – 1am, getting home at almost 2am, it’s really not good for the mind or body, I refuse to make myself ill every day by overworking myself! It really pisses me off that the government is failing people like me that has more ambition in life than to work in a fucking call centre, lets face it; in schools these days the pupils are groomed to work in call centres as there are very few opportunities when they leave school. Working in a call centre is an insult to my intelligence, I need a more challenging job that’s why I don’t want to work in the Royal Mail MDEC. Don’t get me wrong I am not putting down people who work in call centres, if they genuinely enjoy the work, that’s great for them, but the general high staff turnover in call centres speaks for itself I think! It’s not even about making loads of money for me, I want to be able to cover costs without struggling every month, and have enough money to go out with mates on a weekend, I don’t think that is much to ask financially? Job satisfaction is more important to me than making loads of money, something that I wouldn’t get from inputting postcodes or answering phones in a call centre or even washing dishes as I did for two years. I still have this niggling thought in the back of my mind saying that it’s time to cut my losses and move on somewhere else, start afresh in a new town; life is so hard here in Plymouth, underpaid jobs and high costs of living is killing me, if you have your own flat, you don’t have any money left over after paying all the taxes and bills; it’s pretty much like living on the poverty line!
Not much cheer in the cricket either, Australia are in command in the third test after bowling out England for 215 runs in reply to Australia’s 244 all out first innings total. After day one things looked good for England, but another piss poor batting display from England has pretty much condemned the English to losing the Ashes with two matches left to play. At close of play on day two Australia were 119 – 1, and look likely to make 500 or more runs to set England a hefty total to chase. Judging by the England performances with the bat so far this tour I don’t hold out much hope of getting anything from this test! But more than anything I blame the selectors, why didn’t they play Panesar from the outset, he is clearly the best bowler England has and showed that he is more than capable with the bat as well scoring more runs than Cook, Bell, Collingwood, Flintoff and Jones, all recognised batsmen!
Liverpool face a tough trip to the Nou Camp in the knock out stages of the Champions League as they draw current champions Barcelona. Hardly the ideal opponents for Liverpool as their form as has been very indifferent recently. Let’s hope the Merseyside team can pull it out of the bag, at least grab a draw in the away leg and win at Fortress Anfield! Chelsea also have to avoid the banana skin of Porto, who have been giant killers in the past, Manchester United and Arsenal have easier ties against Lille and PSV Eindhoven respectively, but it’s good to see all the English teams topped their respective groups with Celtic finishing second to Manchester United! Liverpool Vs Arsenal final anyone?