Date: 03 August 2013 07:56:31
I appear to have been and gone and done it well and truly this time. It's all change on Planet Japes.
New job starts in 4 weeks, providing all the paperwork goes through (and there is no reason why not, both referees are prepared, and I have a recent DSB certificate which will help.)
I went for the interview, felt reasonably confident afterwards that I'd not done at all badly even if I wasn't totally convinced I'd answered the safeguarding questions at all well. I was told that I'd get a letter, one way or the other, hopefully by the end of that week. So, I dismissed it all from my mind, resumed normal day to day working and commuting, and threw myself into the July/August task of Reordering the Filing Cabinets, and muttering dark and dreadful thoughts about people who can't fill in basic paperwork.
Friday came and went, Saturday post came and went, Sunday I started getting grumpy and stroppy. I leave home before the post arrives, so knew nothing doing until Monday evening. As nothing had materialised by Monday evening I'd talked myself into it being a "No" and on Tuesday joined in the conversations about start of year plans, dodged the pressure to sign up for a particular short course and prepared myself for 19 days off work.
I arrived home on Tuesday evening to a phone message - could I call back regarding my interview. I still convinced myself this was a "No" and just a courtesy call to say I'd done OK, but not this time. I was already getting up reasonably early on the Wednesday, as I had booked a van for 48 hours... a combination of piano transporting, trip to the tip, and the Heavy, Awkward, and/or Unlikely to Go Off For the Next Year Items Annual Shopping trip. Oh, plus a quick trip into current work place with a pile of book friendly cardboard boxes for a colleague who was in sudden and urgent need of them.
9.15 a.m. was my declared time for phoning. Gives the nice HR person time to get into the office, and not feel hassled by the phone, or so I thought. 9.04 a.m. my phone goes... and I am being offered the job! And, um, they'd been trying to get hold of me since Monday. ( I managed not to say what I thought, which was "Why on earth didn't you leave a message then?")
9.15 a.m. saw me phoning into my current job to forewarn my line manager not only was I bringing in the boxes, but that job I'd told her I was applying for, and thought I stood little chance of getting, I'd been and gone and got, so I'd be bringing in my resignation letter. Which, for many reasons was the kind thing to do, and gave her a chance to vent and get used to the idea before I got there two hours later.
I am on Annual Leave for most of my notice period, and only have four more working days left in old job, and more vitally, only four more commuting days. For, the most immediate impact on my life will be the fact the train companies will no longer be getting £167.90 most months from me. I will be going to new job by one bus, and that bus pass is already in place, and has been since I realised it made sense with the organ playing work. I could even walk if I felt so inclined, and I may well bus to work and walk home on nice days. When I readjusted the figures on my budgeting spreadsheet, the difference was staggeringly apparent. I had to redo them to check my eyes were not deceiving me.
The other massive difference will be time regained. I will not be spending the equivalent of 31 full days a year in transit. My travelling time will be less than a quarter of what I currently do. I can do things in the evenings, I will be able to get up at a more reasonable hour. I won't have to take half days to get to appointments late afternoon...
Oh yes, it's a whole new phase on Planet Japes.