Strike Factory

So coming towards the end of 2015 the year of my blogs 10th anniversary and has mostly been a year of positive progress. Towards end of this time last year, with warehouse job not working out and seemingly stuck with just volunteering at Oxfam shop and blogging, I felt a bit lost in direction and a little lonely. However a volunteering opportunity at Crawley CVS sprouted up which I jumped at, and I started there in January. I have now been here for almost a year as voluntary front desk assistant and enjoyed the experience working alongside great people, gaining confidence, new skills and friends. This has lead to other opportunities including the temp leisure desk role via Talented People Solutions which has also been a great experience, and Cv booster, meaning like Brighton & Hove Albion FC, my life has come leaps and bounds. I would like to thank Michael Simpson for the opportunity who will be sadly leaving Crawley CVS early next year for pastures new but would like to wish him best of luck for the future. 

2015 has seen a bit less clubbing than I would have liked due to money reasons and friends around me getting too 'old' maybe though still had the odd cracking night like seeing Phats & Small/ Freemasons perform in Brighton and weekend in capital of Madchester/ Hacienda enjoying great House music night at Hold Fast bar with clubbers embracing me there and great music. The Christmas parties with Crawley CVS and GDC have also been great, as was the Abbotsford School Reunion being reminded of past antics and meeting friendly old faces. Hopefully 2016 will also be a year of positive progress starting with my 30th birthday early next year, and more career opportunities and the elusive girl in my life maybe. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year readers.

So it has been an interesting few weeks. Eventually there was a change of heart enabling me to be part time temp as leisure desk aministrator. Though there was a week of confusion and stress over shifts but was eventually resolved and get called up when serious staff shortages. It has been a fun experience doing some paid work that I have been trained up to do that gives me feeling of purpose that I have wanted for years, be a boost to my CV and clearing overdraft. Though little stressful at first I have adapted quickly and would like to thank the team at Talented People Solutions for the opportunity, and hopefully more to come. Would like to thank friends and family for support at difficult moments recently

Tis the season of Christmas parties, and due to volunteering at various places have been invited to 3, though I sadly missed the Nymans one will be attending Crawley CVS party next week, and Oxfam Crawley are not holding theirs until after Christmas as tradition it's more an annual dinner party. 

As I finish writing (with Gemma Atkinson's pronounciation of scrotum on Thursdays Emmerdale playing in head), I am on train to Derby to enjoy Albions away day there thanks to great friends and readers of this blog. Have a good weekend people.

I got headhunted by an agency last Tuesday and offered a temporary part time job as Leisure Desk Administrator at a local gym, that would last for a week possibly until Christmas. It was great news and an opportunity to gain paid work experience hopefully leading to something good long term. I did my first shift on Wednesday, and adapted to the role pretty quickly got on with the staff well, then did another shift on Saturday, and was enjoying the experience.

Sadly though due to technical issues with it being short term temporary work, and despite the efforts of Lynn at Job Centre to get the hours down so it meant I would not lose my ESA with work being just a month and avoid the stressful process for an autistic/ asperger person of having to reapply for ESA if no longer term deal was offered at Christmas, it has sadly meant the end of this job experience. It was not an easy decision, as mentioned I enjoyed the work but with no firm guarantee it would be long term or short term role with hours that would not make me lose ESA, could not continue. Do feel disappointed but life goes on and the agency still have me on record so you never know maybe in the future they will find me something suitable or maybe not and I look elsewhere. Plus was valuable experience that I have learned plenty of lessons from despite the brief stint and thank the people for the opportunity. But back to square one for the time being.

So will be resuming my volunteering assistance services as Front Desk Man at CCVS, and occasionally the lads and girls at the Oxfam shop in Crawley.

After a complaint from one blog reader that I mention too much sport, have decided to keep it quiet until the end. I am split over whether to attend high flying Brighton Vs Birmingham City at the Amex on Saturday or stay at home and watch the Davis Cup final Day 2 on BBC between Great Britain and Belgium, one of the biggest weekends for British tennis fans in many years, your thoughts those that love sport?