tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70283082003748668662024-03-14T13:30:31.572+00:00Student Lola LifeThoughts and doings that seem appropriate for public viewing on a very random basis.Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.comBlogger530125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-35873766577859372922012-02-06T09:00:00.000+00:002012-02-06T09:00:07.744+00:00The end of the beginning
Today is when I start my first job as a fully fledged qualified Registered Dietitian.
I started this blog nearly five years ago, when I left my last proper job, mainly to satisfy my enjoyment of writing. I also thought that there might be interesting things to report about academia and the undergraduate study of dietetics. I had no idea how long it would last, and whether I would continue to Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-38036059137665130462012-02-03T17:17:00.000+00:002012-02-03T17:22:33.693+00:00Mostly musical
I've had my last extended break in London - from now on it's weekends only, and I will have to actively book days off rather than gadding about as and when I like. Instead, I will have a job, which I hope will offset the disadvantage of seeing rather less of friends and family than over the past five years.
I have mentioned that Lola II encouraged the idea of us signing up for an orchestral Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-45715377620835018432012-01-31T09:20:00.000+00:002012-01-31T09:35:08.173+00:00Observations
I am looking forward to starting work by not doing all the things that I really ought to do before I start having only two days off per week. Here are some of the things I have done instead.
I have watched a real live auction, but online. It's amazing. Mum and dad have been unearthing our family heirlooms, and we went through the treasure trove ages ago (in 2009) but stupidly didn't give theLolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-6499042804675615752012-01-28T16:59:00.000+00:002012-01-28T16:59:00.818+00:00Party, and Occupational Health
Mr A and I have been to a party. In London. Where it is busy, and expensive, and alive, and where I find myself feeling a little lost, and foreign, and a bit old (although nowhere near as old as on New Year's Eve). It was a good party, though, aside from the fact that we were expecting dinner to start at 8.15 and dancing at 10, but by 11 o'clock we'd only been served two courses. We did Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-43402683456682097532012-01-25T08:51:00.000+00:002012-01-25T08:51:00.544+00:00What I've been reading
The Tenderness of Wolves
by Stef Penney
"1867, Canada: as winter tightens its grip on the isolated settlement of
Dove River, a man is brutally murdered and a 17-year old boy disappears.
Tracks leaving the dead man's cabin head north towards the forest and
the tundra beyond. One-by-one the assembled searchers set out from Dove River, pursuing the
tracks across a desolate landscape home Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-73499913284804779442012-01-22T19:46:00.000+00:002012-01-23T08:12:34.506+00:00Parabens and tocopherol
I have now heard from my future manager that full time hours are
available, at least for a temporary period, although the contract that arrived for me to sign shows it's a permanent job but only 2 days a week. I have an appointment with Occupational Health to go through my vaccination history, and I even have a provisional start date, which
I'm looking forward to with some trepidation. OtherLolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-47776774318796006252012-01-19T17:18:00.000+00:002012-01-19T17:18:36.086+00:00Choosing a university
For most of last Sunday I was battling with the chapter of the book I've
been commissioned to write, aimed at potential students of Dietetics,
and all about how to decide which university to choose. It has made me
think about what exactly makes a university attractive to students, and
also try very hard to remember what it was like to be aged 18, but not in the selfish and irresponsible Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-90344623440458544122012-01-16T10:20:00.001+00:002012-01-16T10:20:53.399+00:00Weekend events
The weekend brought a visit from mum and dad, which was really enjoyable. On Friday afternoon we drove to the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, which I have visited before, but was new to the parents. It's not a huge gallery, but there was plenty there to look at, and we all found something we liked. After supper we all watched 'From Here to Eternity' with Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, MontgomeryLolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-41860942224851287722012-01-12T13:17:00.000+00:002012-01-12T13:17:46.881+00:00Odd jobs
There's very little to report - nothing much has happened at all for a week.
I'm moving slowly towards employment with an appointment to return all the paperwork for checking, and references being taken up
I've been following up an opportunity for three days 'work experience' (more like observation) at a different NHS Trust, where the personnel officer involved seems to have left his job Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-84032187058828715182012-01-09T15:04:00.002+00:002012-01-09T15:04:31.564+00:00An ordinary weekend
The weekend's news is not exciting. Mr A and I celebrated my new job by going out for a meal in a nice restaurant on Saturday evening, and then suffered all night from the effects of too much rich food and a salt overdose. We decided that in future we would celebrate at lunchtime. We took the old freezer to the dump, and watched films ('Attack the Block' and 'Kiss Me Kate'). I played in a Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-44643836925367275472012-01-06T16:03:00.000+00:002012-01-06T16:05:14.187+00:00Employment!
I got a phone call the day after the interview offering me a part-time job, which I have obviously accepted. My career as an working dietitian is about to start, once references have been taken up, and criminal records have been checked, and occupational health requirements are satisfied... so I'm guessing February at the earliest.
It is wonderful, at last, to have succeeded in an interview, Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-78459193840321483852012-01-03T09:24:00.000+00:002012-01-03T09:24:35.817+00:00New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve was a very big day. The lovely neighbours across the road had kindly offered their services for interview practice, so on Saturday morning I dressed up in all my proper interview clothes (including Lady Shoes) and knocked on their door at the appointed time. The next two hours were spent in honing my interview skills to such a point that I could have cut myself on them. I don't Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-17678272262523939592011-12-31T09:40:00.000+00:002011-12-31T09:40:35.290+00:00Christmas and its aftermath
Everything went very well over Christmas - presents were opened, The Boy's dinner was superb, and Mr A and I could sit on the sofa reading while he did all the work. The fare included my turkey farm freebie, which turned out to be a Three Bird Roast - a hunk of meat as thick as your arm comprising a (boned) guinea fowl within a duck within a turkey, with stuffing down the middle. The three of Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-26460844091689592702011-12-27T08:50:00.000+00:002011-12-27T08:51:35.036+00:00What I've been reading
The Colour of Magic
by Terry Pratchett
narrated by Nigel Planer
"The magical planet of Discworld is supported by four massive elephants
who stand on the back of the Great A'Tuin, a giant turtle swimming
slowly through the mysterious interstellar gulf. Its very existence is about to be threatened by a strange new blight: the arrival of the first tourist, upon whose survival rests the peaceLolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-19050262480611572682011-12-24T16:50:00.000+00:002011-12-24T16:51:36.214+00:00No more turkeys
It's just one of the facts of life that when there is lots to
write about, there is no time to write. I have actually enjoyed the
experience of 12 continuous days working between eight and fourteen
hours a day, but I am certainly glad it is over.
I'm sitting up in bed with the laptop at the incredibly late hour of 'after nine o'clock', just because I can. I've gradually been getting throughLolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-46442047653265550942011-12-19T21:32:00.000+00:002011-12-19T21:32:33.053+00:00News blackout
Schedule:
Wake up between 6 and 7 am.
45 minutes later: set off for turkey farm.
Work in small room for between 11 and 12.5 hours, including 5 minutes for lunch if the phone doesn't ring. Try to avoid using freezing cold toilet in outbuilding lightly spattered with turkey blood unless absolutely necessary.
Arrive home between 7 and 8.30 pm.
Have supper (the wonderful Mr A is in charge of Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-64345661845495427512011-12-15T20:51:00.000+00:002011-12-15T21:02:43.615+00:00Cold turkeysWhen I left work on Thursday night, everything was under control and I was ahead of the game. With the assessment on Friday, and Saturday off, by Sunday it was mayhem again. I did about four hours that day, and since then I have worked for many, many more hours, and have no time at all for blogging. So here's a picture of some turkeys.
I miss their gentle gobbling now that they have moved Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-77267904016757918242011-12-10T10:26:00.000+00:002011-12-10T10:27:32.226+00:00It's an assessment, not an interview
The Diabetes UK meeting this month was a hoot. In a VERY hot room, the talk was from an ophthalmologist and ophthalmic surgeon, and ought to have been related to diabetes because of the increased risk of cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Instead, it was highly technical (metabolism of the lens, anyone? Yes, it's anaerobic, 85% through glycolysis and 15% via the pentose monophosphate shunt), Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-40064530986688851852011-12-07T17:40:00.000+00:002011-12-08T17:17:35.657+00:00Learning the ropes
The picture above is the view through the back window of the office where I've been working, onto somebody else's vegetable patch. The picture at the bottom of this blog post is the less picturesque view of the front of the office. My working hours are full to the brim, and getting longer as we approach the climax of turkey-selling season. I understand a bit more of the business every day, Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-27454734113325092542011-12-04T17:55:00.000+00:002011-12-04T17:55:00.562+00:00Work and play
I've done a few more days at the turkey farm, and things are going well, except that I get very cold indeed. I should be seeing some of the slaughtering that starts next week, although I did downplay the idea that I take part in some plucking activity. Mostly because I am so cold all the time.
The office is a standard brick farm building heated by a single convector heater. This makes it Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-86801288833653524692011-12-01T21:50:00.000+00:002011-12-01T21:52:09.119+00:00A grand night out
Mr A and I went out last week. Together, into town, to a comedy gig. This hasn't happened for, let's say, two years? Although perhaps in that time we might have been to Warwick Arts Centre, but I don't remember.
I saw a notice that Henning Wehn, German comedy ambassador ("not an easy job") was playing at the Spa Centre, which is within walking distance. I don't generally keep an eye on the Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-76186342169041865002011-11-28T09:05:00.000+00:002011-11-28T18:34:51.398+00:00Talking turkey
It's a shame to use this blog title so early on, because I'm sure there will be much more appropriate posts later on, and I haven't even started working there full time. But I've done a couple of sessions at the turkey farm to get to know the people and processes involved in generating a third of the business turnover in just six weeks of the year. I haven't made the acquaintance of any of the Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-81105284035634566582011-11-25T09:08:00.000+00:002011-11-25T09:25:36.105+00:00What I've been reading
Homicide
by David Simon
"The scene is Baltimore. Twice every three days another citizen is shot,
stabbed, or bludgeoned to death. At the centre of this hurricane of crime
is the city's homicide unit, a small brotherhood of men confronted by
the darkest of American visions. David Simon was the first reporter ever
to gain unlimited access to a homicide unit, and his remarkable book is
Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-54419203967382924752011-11-22T10:06:00.000+00:002011-11-22T10:10:23.377+00:00Paid employment
I didn't get the short term part time job, but they gave great feedback. There were 59 applicants of whom they shortlisted 9, and I was the second in line for the job, which, given the circumstances, is ideal. I felt I did a better interview, and the feedback on my responses was fair, and reflected my strengths and weaknesses very well.
I have the next interview to look forward to, for which ILolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7028308200374866866.post-27051183430445307872011-11-19T09:30:00.000+00:002011-11-19T09:32:54.598+00:00Movember
We are two-thirds of the way through the month of Movember. Not a spelling mistake, but a name reflecting the increasingly popular initiative to raise awareness of and funding for prostate and testicular cancers, by growing a moustache through the month of November. I like this cause.
Although I am female, I feel little solidarity for the pervasive ladies-only attitude that delights in the Lolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08929723020089651115noreply@blogger.com0