On the 25th of November I start a new permanent job at Westhoughton, near Bolton. It's an English-speaking helpdesk role, so it's a change from contracting and I won't be needing my Dutch language in my job anymore. Unfortunately the salary goes down by a third, but it's worth it for a shorter commute and better career prospects. Which certainly would be an improvement, but of course I can't count my chickens yet. Though apparently I impressed at the interview, my job will be to take calls and to resolve problems. It's hard to be excited by that. I've been doing it for years now, and in truth I'm tired of it. While it's satisfying to resolve problems, and to speak to nice folk on the phone.. Life has been numbed by having to live it between calls. Writing a blog entry, for example, I have to be paranoid as another call may come in any minute. There's too many trains of thought leaving this station, never to be seen again.

And for all the time I spent contracting in Wythenshawe, the outsourcing project meant I never had a real chance to get off the phones and onto a proper career. Nothing to progress to, and with the time spent taking calls or commuting, I haven't taken any training or achieved anything outside of work either. It's been a waste of time then, but at least a well paid waste of time. I'm going into the new job then, with the expectation this will soon improve - and an attitude as though I am overqualified. It may come across as cocky, and I'd hope not to antagonise anyone. But if I'm to spend a few more years taking one call after the other, wasting whatever time I've got.. I don't think I could handle that.

Jack is no more. No comment.