Passion Sunday

Today is Passion Sunday.. or Palm Sunday if you like, the start of Holy Week. We had a joint procession, together with the Hereford Cathedral towards our respective churches (St Francis Xavier and Hereford Cathedral). There was a donkey called Peter, children all dressed up in costume, and the congregation from both Hereford Cathedral and St Francis Xavier.

The procession started off at the Hereford Bishop’s Palace, bidding farewell to our brother and sisters from Hereford Cathedral at the Cathedral entrance, and we continued on to the church.

I have a train to catch to Manchester… And in my silly moment had looked at the wrong ticket and thought the train was at 12.30 instead of at 2.50.. so I had to rush back from church and started frantically packing. Then I found out, after looking at the correct ticket, that I had about 2 hours to get ready.. ¬.¬ I had this feeling that my train was later than at noon but it did not click on me when I looked at the time on the ticket. Blonde moment of the day…

Food

Gammon with pineapple, watercress and tomato salad, mushrooms, potato salad….

yummy…

Train talk

“Let me ask you something, why do people always like to talk on their mobile phones while on the train, its not like it’s an emergency or anything,” says an old lady to the Indian lady sitting next to her on the train when her phone rang for the umpteenth time.

Indian lady: “I’m sorry I offend you. But you won’t know it is an emergency until you pick up the phone. It may be because I’m talking in my own language so it annoys you.”

Old lady: “No no.. I’m a teacher (I have no idea how that is relevant) and it doesn’t bother me that you speak in your own language. I’ve heard people on the phone before talking about how to cook sausages! It’s just ridiculous! It’s just that I’m old, and I’ve been on trains for many years and I used to be able to get on a train and chat with whoever is sitting across me or beside me. Now, all people do is talk on their *beep* mobile phones. I don’t mean to swear or anything but it’s just we’ve lost that connection because of mobile phones.”

Indian lady just nods and tries to ignore her.

Old lady: “I’m not trying to criticise you, I’m just asking a question. I would ask this question to anybody on this train.”

Indian lady, gets up: “This is my stop now. Sorry if I offended you.” – Probably in an insincere manner. Then, when walking pass me, she says “oh god”, softly.

I continued to observe the old lady after the Indian lady has gone off the train. I thought she would have made a scary teacher in her day. The one that everyone was scared of but was brilliant at what she did. But what she said was true.

The first time I took the train here in England, I half-hoped that I would be able to strike a conversation with someone. My thought was that, if you were going to be stuck there for about an hour, what better way to spend it than by chatting with the person next to you, sharing a bit of your life with a stranger.

But no, most people who come up the train, first thing they do, they take their laptops/netbook out of their bags and switch it on. Then proceed to ignore you for the rest of the trip while they work on something. Another common thing you see is, people who come up the train, with earphones already plugged in, and music blasting out, just so others can enjoy the music as well. Or people who think others are interested in what they are saying, talking loudly to the other person on the line.

Yes, the world is getting smaller due to technology and easily we can communicate with people halfway around the world. But what about the people sitting next to you on the train?

As I watched the old lady throughout the journey, I felt that she was a lonely old lady, trying hard to adapt to this modern world of technology, where people don’t chat with each other anymore.

Then she takes out her phone.. and calls someone to tell them that she is nearing her destination.

:D

Pride comes before a fall

I forgot that writing about it would make me feel better rather than mopping around waiting for something to drop onto my lap.

I didn’t get the Band 6 job. Just when you thought that you had it in the bag, something happens to snatch it away. It doesn’t matter how many times they IMPLY that they want you to stay. It doesn’t matter that you perform brilliantly in the time that you are working there.

All it boils down to is how good you can crap during an interview.

Well, if i were an unknown and competing with anther unknown, I would accept that I did not give a good interview because let’s face it, I never give good interviews. I’m not a good speaker, I’m not one to blow my own trumpet, I’m not one to talk about what I learnt. But that’s exactly who they are looking for. Someone who can talk the talk (but would she walk the walk?). Someone who can make up millions of different stories and make it sound impressive. I can’t do that. I get things done.. as well as I can, but what I can’t do is tell the whole world about it.

You guys knew how I am like in interviews.. You interviewed me for the pre-reg post. I told you that I am no good at interviews. But do you take my performance into consideration? No. Absolutely not. Because “employment laws require you to treat every applicant fairly.” How am I treated fairly then?

Tell me then… How do I put this behind me and go to work as if nothing has happened? How do I still go when I feel like it’s not worth my time. I have always enjoyed going in to work but now.. it’s just dragging. Smile they say… well.. you try it when you feel like it’s not worth it.

Guess it is time to move on and find another place. Somewhere that will appreciate my skills. Lesson to everyone: Talk is not cheap. Performance doesn’t matter that much. And never believe people when they say they will retain you.