Day 812

Did a lot of computing, finished the new version of the ephemeris - v6.12 of the whole prog. Now it can print out ephemeris pages for all the planets, but it's very slow at 8 MHz - OK for a batch job though. It works, that's the main thing.

Went round to mum's and helped her with her computer. Had a monetary success in the afternoon when, eventually finding my old TSB cheque book after an extended search, I rang the bank to check if it could still be used and incidentally discovered, once I'd said I was expecting £405, that £406.38 had cleared in the morning. So down there tomorrow to acquire a Psion 3a and serial link for £400, with another £130 coming next month. So there are tangible benefits from the ABC caper.

Day 811

Had a letter from ABC saying I'd been paid £406, or a third more than I expected. Just enough for a Series 3a 512K plus serial link. Went into town in to check my bank balance - still 7p. The money could come through as early as Friday. Can I get at it without a cheque book - is my old one still valid, if I can find it? I don't know.

Watched bits of a documentary about Prince Charles. What's all the fuss about? Edward VII was much worse than him and wasn't a bad king.

Day 810

Beautiful weather and very hot, getting up to 84° in my room in the evening. More C work, read more of the careers book. Watched some of Ireland v. Norway and Brazil v. Sweden.

Day 809

Rang Psion to ask for a brochure. In the afternoon went down to the DHSS in extreme heat. Only had to wait 20 minutes but the interview brought on a mood of despair. I'd better keep a detailed and partly false record of looking for work, they seem more rapacious than ever. They asked me why I got sacked, I had to say I didn't know.

Came back, filled in forms, carried on with the intensive C I've been doing. Watched some of Germany v. South Korea and the repeat of the Graham Taylor 'Can we not knock it?' documentary.

Perhaps with the DHSS making enquiries I might find out why I was got rid of so swiftly. The DHSS said they could refuse to pay benefit if you're sacked for misconduct (presumably you don't need to eat if that happens). I would imagine that that only applies to the no-notice gross misconduct things like fighting or stealing. But with the Torycaust you never know.

Day 808

Beautiful weather again. C was going to Thurrock in the morning to get her bearings for the new job, so I got her to drop me at PC World where despite the unhelpfulness of the staff I was able to find out quite a lot about the Psion Series 3a, one of which I now long to possess and will acquire as soon as the ABC cash comes through, which I estimate will be as early as the end of next week: I should get £340 or so which'll be enough for the basic computer. The serial link'll have to wait until the rest of the money comes through next month. If my tax calculations are out I may have to wait a bit longer.

Day 807

Taped The Masterson Inheritance, went into town, got a careers book from the library. Spent the day writing an analogue clock display program in C, with complete success.

Got a rather confusing letter from ABC, the import of which was that I'd get paid for 2 days' leave (£40 extra) as well as the notice etc. The final analysis, with my estimation of tax etc, is 23 days @ £19.50 = £448.50, which isn't at all bad. Plus I should be able to reclaim £60 in tax, but probably not till next April.

I've been thinking about what to spend it on: it isn't enough to buy a new computer, and as I should have access to mum's 486 until I move out of town, and I won't be doing that till I get a proper job and the first thing I buy then will probably be a new computer, I'll abandon that idea and instead perhaps get a Psion Organiser like M's, which has a good programming language and can exchange data with a PC.

The chief advantage of the 486, apart from the fact that it whips through C compilation and linking like lightning and eats Windows graphics processing for breakfast, is its portability, and with a Psion you could work anywhere. I could set aside £300 for an older one or perhaps get the new model (of course the serial link is vital and costs more cash). And that will be the positive result of the recent disaster.

Day 806

Very hot but a strongish cooling breeze. Drew out the last £30 from the building society cash machine; should mean I won't have to borrow too much before either the DHSS or ABC cough up some cash (no income support till July 13th by my reckoning, AC might pay by about July 3rd but I'll have to keep checking at the bank).

Did some computing, produced a graphical interface for the distance map prog. Put in another 25 minutes Vitamin D time.

D rang up: she's got a TEFL job in Devon for 3 weeks. She understood when I said I couldn't go and see her in London tomorrow owing to falling between two stools income-wise. We chatted a bit about the World Cup and revived a few memories.

In the evening a huge thunderstorm raged, passing right over the house.

Day 805

It occurs to me that they're paying me up to July 5th. Was the ABC interlude a last gasp or a false start? But I'll postpone further thought till Monday, when I'll be unavoidably reminded, as the DHSS are bound to ask questions. I've become skilled at forgetting unpleasant incidents.

For this setback there's a handsome £400 compensation coming, plus another £65 tax refund next April.

Sat in the garden for 25 minutes to work up some Vitamin D. C. came round, I got him to put 50p e/w for me on Spain to win the World Cup at 20-1, which means £5 if they reach the final and lose, and £15 if they win. I think they've got a chance.

Day 804

It occurs to me that yesterday's disaster occurred three years after the finals results came out, to within 10 minutes. Is someone trying to tell me something? Maybe I need a radical rethink.

Went to town in the morning, scanned the careers section in the library. I feel a course could be a good idea, or perhaps some voluntary work for vital experience and to restore my confidence. Wish I could sort out the career thing: 'Bus driver - Ambulance man - Ticket inspector - I don't understand'. Too true. 'The one that never knocks'. Made a new claim appointment for 3.30 on Monday.

In the evening realised I'd been wearing black socks since about 1985 at least. I know it seems a strange thing to realise but for the last nine or ten years I've only worn one colour and never even thought about another one. So on impulse went to Sainsbury's and bought some white socks. Perhaps it'll be positively symbolic.

Now we've got a new period of unemployment we ought to try and be constructive. I intend to go into town on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and do something at least vaguely job-related. It'll prevent isolation and DHSS hassle and keep up the exercise. Got to be positive and not brood.

Day 803

'I've been sacked.' 'Too bad!' Employment terminated, presumably because that top bastard scum wanker was embarrassed by a complaint over an incomplete document I sent out when I was still getting the hang of it. S. followed me to the stairs. I'm surprised that fucking bastard scum wanker scum bastard didn't have the police come and take me away. 'Well, what a complete bastard'.

Walked home rather depressed, very windy weather. Better start looking for a new job tomorrow. They're paying me up to July 5th so I get 2 weeks' free cash. Of course I'd rather have the job. Goodbye ABC. It would never've worked out with S. anyway, our synastric aspects were horrible.

'When you reach the bottom line, the only thing to do is climb / Pick yourself up off the floor, anything you want is yours'. OK, end of that chapter.

Day 802

Felt very bad in the morning, staggered to ABC, didn't feel anything like well again till noon. I had to answer phones and made a bit of a mess of it. I told L. that I hated answering the phone even at home.
'At least you get paid for it here,' she said. That's true, 1p every 18 seconds. (Compared to 1p/49.7 seconds on the dole, and that's 6 days a week)

At dinnertime took that £9.45 'bonus' Giro to the b.s., bought Vitamin B12 and evening primrose oil. Whiled away the afternoon listening to banter and fruitlessly searching for post.

Got home, blisters much improved. Watched the start of Russia v Brazil. Brazil, who I reckon are a spent force and won't win the World Cup, are winning 2-0; I'm not surprised, given Russia's gloomy national anthem.

Day 801

Continuing to feel odd. The only course is an immediate reduction to 49u/week by Friday, and to 35u/week by four weeks from then. It's down to the health food shop tomorrow lunchtime for a big supply of evening primrose oil.

Day 800

Felt a bit odd, rather like yesterday evening. Went to town in the morning, got mum's birthday present and some dBase books. Watched America v. Switzerland. Got drunk in the evening.

Discovered I'd been drinking 14 u/day recently owing to glass size miscalculation (I reckoned 11 or 12 u). Still better than the 23 u/day of the Dark Days. Poor innocent S and her 5-unit hangover on Thursday morning! Or as an impartial observer might say, poor raddled J and her 14-unit anti-withdrawal sessions. Which would you rather? Ah well.

Day 799

Encountered the Top Bloke, the poshest of all, thought I made quite a good impression. Enjoyed listening to the others banter in the afternoon. Earlier, at dinnertime, got a good C book on algorithms.

Was glad to reach the early Friday finishing time of 4.30. Got home very tired, watched Bolivia v Germany in the first match of the World Cup. Happy memories of 1990.

Day 798

Spent most of the day semi-fruitlessly searching for files. Listened to some interesting conversations. It's actually quite a good place to work, there's a lot of complaining but apparently no real spite.

I was mistaken for a lawyer by one woman, who advised me to refer a file to my support (ie admin people). I did not correct her. If only I'd done that Law conversion course! I feel a bit of an arse doing this job at 24 while S and the others like them all have cars at 21. But most of them are still living at home. And they remind me of the swimming-pool set from sixth form.

World Cup starts tomorrow, sure there'll be echoes of 1990 a-plenty.

Day 797

Work-wise it went OK, suffered from my blisters though. I'll wear my comfortable walking boots for the journey tomorrow and change into the interview shoes when I get there. I had a half-hour conversation with L, she seems OK and gave me the impression I should last about 6 weeks at least, so finish July 21st. Lucky I didn't decide to borrow the computer money, I'll only make £360 after tax, expenses etc from that.

Watched Star Trek TNG, the usual present-the-familiar-as-strange plot

Day 796

It went better today. When S went at 4pm the others started blowing up balloons and stuff and prepared a banner saying 'Happy 21st Birthday'. (I did the 'R')

Came home, watched the (apparently) penultimate Quantum Leap - he was Elvis this time. (!)

Day 795

Fantastic Euro-election results - Labour won this seat (Essex W & Hertfordshire E)! And I voted Liberal because I thought Labour had no chance! They took Essex South too and Kent and all sorts of unlikely places. It's their best result since the sixties!

Went to work. Made a bit of a hash of things, probably due to the intense heat. Forgot my special anti-dehydration sandwiches (cheese & yeast extract) so wandered aimlessly round town at lunchtime trying to decide what to buy. Got on better in the afternoon.

Carried on with Philanthropists. You get a new perspective on it if you read it employed after being unemployed.

Day 794

Tested Envision Publisher, read the paper. Watched a prog of World Cup funnies.

Another week to come, another £100 coming up. Carried on with The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists which I started last night.

Day 793

Slept a comfortable nine hours. Had a terrible dream that ABC had moved to a fire-trap skyscraper I'd actually read about in the Mirror in the week. I was being given more and more incomprehensible things to do as the building burned.

Was quite glad to get up and tape the first of the new series of The Masterson Inheritance. Borrowed mum's car and drove to PC World in the hope of finding a legit copy of Quick C, but (typically) now I've got the money it's disappeared from the shelves. Came back and looked in the computer shop here in Mugsborough, finding a rack of shareware - proper shareware that's in the Software Source catalogue - for £5 a disc (cheaper than sending for it, up to a certain number because of the postage). I may go back for more with the catalogue in the week. Got Envision Publisher (very good and faster than Page Maker) and Draft Choice.

Nice to really appreciate something for a change - the day off I mean.

Day 792

Pointed out today that remand prisoners hadn't been convicted yet. They were having a string-em-up conversation about some sex offender. I said that people said the same about the Birmingham Six, who I mentioned at the interview.

I had a nice surprise in the afternoon though, when they reminded me I could finish at 4.30; I'd forgotten. The interview woman came up to me and said 'Didn't I tell you on Monday this was the shittiest job in the world?' I said, 'What, was I supposed to go home again at that point?'

Anyway, left, came home, recuperated. Watched Red Dwarf, the last before the World Cup.

It's been an interesting week and a new era, I think. As I said to them, even if I got sacked in the next five minutes I'd still have something good to put on my CV, plus all-important experience. She agreed but said she'd never known anyone to be sacked, although they'd walked out, not come back after dinner etc. Bodes well, but I'd like to have a firmer idea of how long the job'll last.

Ah well. A weekend to appreciate for a change.

Day 791

Think I'm getting the hang of most of the procedures now.

Came back, voted (tactically) for the Liberals in the Euro-election. Glad to see no Daily Mail on the table at the polling station this time.

Am I tired or what?

Day 790

It went well today, learnt a lot. One of them said he had the impression the job might well go the full 3 months.

Day 789

Like the Busywork Trust days, it's hard walking, hard work, hard drinking and 7 hours' sleep. It went OK again, getting the hang of it now.

At dinnertime inquired at the computer shop, was implausibly offered an Amstrad 486 for £740. Don't think I'd be able to raise the money in time, though.

Walked back via Tesco's, which was surprisingly empty, I suppose most people don't finish till 5.30. Was going to watch Quantum Leap but it was postponed for a Dennis Potter tribute.

Day 788

New eras are hard work. My own Normandy landings. Got there on time and was shown what to do. It went quite well. I had to sign the Official Secrets Act, Clive Ponting's amendment clearly printed below. What a bloke.

As well as the people I was working with, there were two posh women lawyers too, one nice and one nasty, no doubt what the lawyers from uni are like now.

Well, £24 closer to a 386dx. £616 to go. Dug out my old bank account number, I hope it's still active.

Day 787

Worked on the file search & display, which had become a DOS shell rather than a text editor intro - the last thing a minimal text editor needs is a file display. It edits what you tell it to, no more.

Nothing but D-Day commemorations on telly, quite stirring though. I objected to the bringing in of the Falklands adventure which was an election exercise and no struggle against fascism.

M came round at 9pm and we talked for half an hour and drank to my success.

And so: the end of an era. Because if I last more than about 3 days, my chance of another job doubles because of the experience and references. Cash'll come in handy too.

Day 786

Got the new Viz - quite good but still too much Branson propaganda. An advert for Private Eye on the inside back cover too!

Worked on a file search & display Pascal prog with a view to putting it in a minimal word processor, for writing assembler progs. Got it all working down to the selection facility.

Round to my parents' for fish & chip tea as a job celebration. I feel quite nervous, they say the first day's more nerve-racking than the interview.

M came round in the evening and we talked for an hour. I could get a good 386 kit for £650 - 5½ weeks of the job, if it lasts that long. A 486 would come out at at least £850 (7 weeks). I shouldn't allocate all the money just yet! I need an emergency getting kicked out of my place fund.

Day 785

While I was exercising a letter came confirming the job. Then M came round and fiddled in her exceedingly annoying advice-ignoring mode with mum's laptop, which I'd borrowed.

Fiddled with scanner DMA channels. Never have I encountered a worse-behaved setup. But I discovered that INT 19 (Start ROM Basic = Reboot) restarts without any arsing about, without clearing the screen even. Much faster than Ctrl-Alt-Del (the '3-fingered salute') - I think it bypasses the memory check, because it goes straight to the ♩♩♩ rhythmn of the hard disc. Useful for 'voluntary' reboots.

Later filled in the 'I've got a job' portion of my UB40 (I never thought I'd live to see the day) and posted it. In the evening took champagne round to my parents' and told them about the job. Came back and watched Red Dwarf (Dimension Jump with the successful alter-Rimmer).

Let's not get over-excited about the job, I might be on the dole again by June 27th, and fairly certainly by Sep. 6th. But I suppose it's still pretty important.

Day 784

Was made a bit apprehensive by that ABC bloke not phoning up, but he did say he might ring on Friday instead. M came round at lunchtime and told me a PNC check takes a long time if you've got no record. Went into town with her, saw her mum in M&S, she was pleased I'd got a job.

Having realised they pay you money for doing a job, looked at computers with an upgrade in mind. Came back, listened to Our Soul Is Our Goal on R4. Harry Enfield in a minute. Freed 2½M on the hard disc.

Day 783

A turning point? Before the Derby, at 3.13, a bloke from ABC in St. Albans rang and said they'd like to offer me a post, although he couldn't say yet how long it would last. When I recovered the power of speech I said 'Did you say you'd like to offer me the post?' I could not believe it. I've got to be checked on the police computer first, they won't find anything there. I start on Monday.

Awareness (suspicion) of pitfalls stops me celebrating yet. But even if it's only for 4 weeks I'll make £480 and have a proper experience job on my CV at last. After 1,061 days unemployed too.

Watched Star Trek TNG - quite good. Missed The Net.