The vagaries of the human condition...

[Redundant]

...continue to astound me. As you may recall, I managed to make myself redundant [in the literal sense] from a great job, back in May 2016.   I took a few months off to take advantage of the summer weather and got a great deal of landscape gardening done, repairs, new builds etc.   Then a slightly extended holiday in September, surprisingly [at least on this board] not to Portugal but to Crete.   Since then I have been actively [and occasionally inactively] "looking for work".

Naturally, given my slightly dented view on humanity as a whole, I had to make things a little more difficult for myself.   I could almost certainly have gotten a job in the "Corporate Service Industry", an industry I have, to my sorrow, previously endured.   The "Corporate Service Industry" can be likened in some ways to the vulture, the major difference being that the carcass doesn't necessarily have to be dead before the "Corporate Service Industry" tucks in.   It is, in a nutshell, more parasitic than even lawyers or accountants.

So "Corporate Service Providers" are out [in case you hadn't guessed].   I have been put forward for a number of other jobs by employment agencies, and have submitted myself to number of other employment opportunities, but so far, despite coming close on a number of occasions, I have been, as it were, largely [completely] unsuccessful.

As it happens, this week has seen a flurry of both "normal" applications and one slightly bizarre one, so naturally the bizarre one is the one I have an interview for on Monday.   Much of the role is very similar to my recent past, working largely alone, managing a company [or two], bookkeeping, etc.   So I find myself about to interview for the role of Personal Assistant seemingly on the sole basis that if it's good enough for Robert De Niro it's good enough for me [Film "The Intern" 2015].

As an atheist I am strictly forbidden to look up to the sky and ask the question "Why me?" [heavenly deities are seriously frowned upon in the atheistic world] so I'll settle for remaining astounded at the vagaries of...   The highlights of Monday's episode [if there are any] will follow...

[Mince]

So, let me see if I have this right: you're auditioning to play the part of Robert DeNiro in the remake of The Intern?

[Redundant]

So, let me see if I have this right: you're auditioning to play the part of Robert DeNiro in the remake of The Intern?

No, no, no!   The main point was I became a vagaryian, which, now I see it typed, looks faintly vulgar, so I may be come a vulgarian as well.

[Mince]

From the planet Vagar?

[Redundant]

An update of sorts.  I so wish there was something amusing to say at this point...  Nope...nada...I got nothing...    If this thing manages to stumble on I may update again, but I really don't recommend anyone reaching for the champers just yet.

[Mince]

Perhaps they're looking for someone who looks more like Robert DeNiro.

[Redundant]

Perhaps they're looking for someone who looks more like Robert DeNiro.

Robert De Niro is 5' 9", I am 5'9", Robert De Niro was born in August, I was born in August, Robert De Niro has a beard and I have a beard, the resemblance is therefore uncanny.

[Mince]

Robert De Niro is 5' 9", I am 5'9", Robert De Niro was born in August, I was born in August, Robert De Niro has a beard and I have a beard, the resemblance is therefore uncanny.

But that still means you're competing with every other August-born 5' 9" bloke with a beard.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

Rules me out. I'm an aquarium.

[Mince]

I'm an aquarium.

There's something fishy about that joke.

[Roger Kettle]

My birth sign is Cancer. In Astrology, there are all sorts of glorious, melodic categories like Aquarius, Virgo and Pisces. Because I was born in late June, I have been assigned the name of a horrific, life-taking disease. There are no birth signs called "Measles" or "Mumps"---you go straight from the likes of the gentle-sounding Gemini to the stark horror of Cancer.
This has always seemed unfair to me.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

Could be worse, Roger - could be named after crabs...

[Mince]

My birth sign was a huge urgent arrow pointing in the opposite direction of astrological nonsense.

[Redundant]

To be fair, Roger has a point, it's not a good one, or even relevant but it's a point.   Statistically those born under the Cancer star sign are as likely to develop Mumps as anyone born under any other star sign, quite interesting I am sure you'll agree.

Now if I may actually swing this topic around to it's original point...

The likelihood of my becoming a Personal Assistant is fading rapidly with the passage of time, I suspect my lack of resemblance to Mr De Niro notwithstanding, that I have in fact failed yet another interview.   Naturally I am disappointed, however not that disappointed, in reality I concede I am not really Personal Assistant material, I know too many swear words and am likely to use them when asked to "go and buy a kettle for my wife."

But as one door closes another door opens, an engineering company may be my salvation, albeit in a non engineering way.   I pointed out in my e-mail regarding an Office Administrators position that I did have an engineering background, I may have failed to mention that it is so far in the background you'd need an archeologist to find it.   We await with baited breathe...   Meanwhile feel free to once more hijack this topic to discuss Roger's unfortunate arrival timing et al.

[Mince]

To be fair, Roger has a point, it's not a good one, or even relevant but it's a point.

He'll be pleased to hear that.

Meanwhile feel free to once more hijack this topic to discuss Roger's unfortunate arrival timing et al.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm-sdMw1tTs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os6raCCmAFk