Jack Trinder

So a new life

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:06:28 GMT

Right a lot has happened and there is still a lot to do so I'll keep this short. Right so I've left my PGCE and I'm back in Chester. I applied to Toys R Us to do a trainee assistant manager. They could offer me a job, but only in Bristol and I took it. So I'm moving to Bristol, they phoned back and said 'when can you start' and I said whenever. They said 'good, see you next Monday'. So I'm moving to Bristol, this is happening quickly, in two weeks I'd of gone for the job interview, and moved to Bristol. So here I am, one week left in Chester. They are going to start me on £21k a year plus bonuses, free health care, pension and all that! So a new life awaits. Hope Bristol is going to be good. I've never really been.

Goodbye Y'all

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:36:23 GMT

My life has turned into a frustrating spiral of well...frustration really. After years of working towards becoming a teacher I become one and realized that I don't want to be one anymore. I guess thats irony or something. I have developed chronic insomnia which means I can't sleep at all, which isn't good for your concentration so teaching is really not for me at this time. I spoke to my parents and they think my health is the most important and so they won't be angry if I return home. To be honest it was a mistake to return to Canterbury, ever since I got back I've felt displaced, like I don't really belong hear. So my best bet is to go home and have a rethink. I am leaving Canterbury for good on Wednesday and rethinking my life from their. I've got a job interview at Toys R Us in a couple of weeks so I have something to prepare for. I's scary but good, and I will be sad to leave but I feel it's time.
So the past week, was spent catching up on sleep and tidying my room. I am packing tomorrow and heading off the following day. I'm also reading Dracula which is a great book.

Off to America

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 22:14:38 GMT

Two weeks from today I shall be with Mikey in America driving down some long American highway. I am SO exited! I really need to get away from this place for a while. I am terrified by the fact that I will be flying on my own, but it more then worth it. I mean a road trip round the east coast is going to be brilliant! I hope my birthday will be fun!!
In other news, I have my Record of Development tomorrow and to be honest my work is crap so I don't know if I'm going to pass or what, we shall see. But anyway I get Tuesday off and I'm driving up north on Wednesday night or Thursday morning, I haven't decided. At the moment I am drowning in work, but I'm going to bed asap, which shall be nice :)
Today I decided to buy a printer so I went to Currys.digital and got a good one for about £35 then when i got it home i realised I needed a USB cable, which is not included, not that it mentions this on the box so I had to go all the way back to get one. So today has been a lot of writing and walking. But hey it's Christmas!
So to all those celebrating the Christian festival/Pagan new year
Merry Christmas!

Contemplation

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:23:57 GMT

I miss being a student. That is all.

I am still alive

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:12:07 GMT

It has been a ridiculous amount of time since I last updated. Not that any body cares but I thought I'd say hello. The reason why I haven't updates is two fold. First I have been without internet for over a month now, only getting it back last night! Second I have been snowed under with work and the like that I am on the brink of a breakdown, well not really, but I have been seriously down, having the shakes and everything.
Anyway things are really heating up, I am at Chatham Grammar School for Girls, and it is an eerily well behaved school. There is minimal problems with behavior and everyone does really well. The problem for me is that the teachers are the best in the field and I feel like I just crawled out from under a rock, I know nothing about religion, I thought I did but I have been reminded that I do not. I mean I know a bit about certain religions but I don't have a specialism. Unless Pholosophy of Religion counts, but it is only used in sixth form.
So I have been asked to write two lessons and I am none the wiser, it is really affecting me and stressing me no end. On top of that I've got about a billion tasks to do for my two university based tutors, some more complicated then others. But simply, I am hating the course and want to go home, in fact I seriously regret not doing this in Chester. I thought being around my family would drive me insane but at least I'd have someone to come home to, I really miss my family, and this empty room is starting to drive me insane. Christ Church themselves are the worst place of study ever (I would use the term 'organization' except no organization seems to go on). I have been let down by them no end.
The worst part of it is I am missing Mike. I talk to him everyday and that's great except I miss his face, shape, feel etc. It kills me that I have to wait until Christmas to see him, when I fly to Atlanta. He was here last month and I felt so happy, like a real grown up couple, he is really the thing keeping me going, as if I say I'm doing this for him, then I can't give up.
I now live in Wincheap which is not so nice, it is hell to park, the house is old and I miss living with Jess, Amy and Kasi, hell even Russ, well maybe not. I like having a bit more money but I think I'd rather have free time when I don't have to worry about work. I thought I'd have my weekends free and perhpahs catch up on all those missed nights out last year, but weekends are spent writing and planning. I hate this job.
If anyone is thinking of doing a PGCE then I would ask you to seriously rethink your position, it is so hard and they don't help you at all, and certainly, and I cannot emphasis this enough, do NOT do your PGCE at Christ Church. Do it at a real university. I beg of you.

The Return

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 12:53:59 GMT

Yesterday I drove on the motorway for the first time, 250 miles in total to the West Midlands (there and back) to see my step-mum's sister. It was actually a really enjoyable experience, but I did have my step-mum next to me, which won't be the case in a couple of days. My return to Canterbury has really sneaked up on me, where the hell did the past three months go! So I'm leaving Chester early on Sunday morning, probably the least busy time to go as I have to brave the M25 on my own for a bit, but it's all good, motorways aren't that scary when your in the slow lane.
I think I'm ready, my loan has come through and my house is sort of sorted, I haven't signed anything but I trust Gareth and his Mum to sort everything. I look forward to seeing those who are left in Canterbury as I haven't had a decent night out in months. Christ Church still haven't let me know what schools I'm going to, they are truly awful and the sooner I finish my PGCE the better. That's if I finish it, I am terrible with sums and I need to do a numeracy test to complete it.
So it's a mixed feeling returning, I will miss Amy, Sophie and Mike more then anything and it'll be a strange place without them, but Jess N and Jess T will be around, and not too far to it's all good, but I have to keep telling myself that my undergraduate days of doing sod all are over and the grind really begins now. So..
lets pray I survive the trip to Canterbury and if I do well then miracles do happen.

Arge! BBC!

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 15:31:06 GMT

I'll have to wait two years after series 4 for series 5!!!

Machiavelli personality test

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 12:01:56 GMT

http://www.salon.com/books/it/1999/09/13/machtest/

Should I be worried that I got 77?

It's been a while

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 17:03:54 GMT

It has been a very long time since my last update, very busy with one thing and another, lots of things to think about. The biggest news is that Mike has left Europe and is now back in America, another reason to hate the country! He came up here a couple of weeks ago before he left and made me very happy. I get to talk to him everyday on Skype which is great, but I really wish he is still in th e country. He'll be back in England in October and then I'm flying over there for my birthday in January and we're going on a road-trip across the east coast, I am SO exited but it's going to cost me about £300 and I'm poor as it is but it'll worth it to see the American man again.
In other news I've got two weeks left at Marks and Spencers, funny really, i seem to have the same amount of money I started with! Then off to Canterbury as a post graduate, but scared as my house fell though (not literally) and now it's a bit up in the air, but I'm praying it'll be all sorted soon. Got the most boring book to read about learning to become a teacher but its all good I guess, even if it is boring as hell!!
Apart from that, nothing much interesting is happening, apart from a letter of mine has been published in the October issue of SFX! Get me I'm now published!!
Goodbye

Am I a snob?

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 19:40:57 GMT

So apparently I am a snob. My brother and my friends at work all agree. They like me but they think I'm a snob and selfish and manipulative- all good Slytherin qualities! I'm not sure how to take it really, any thoughts? I mean they didn't say it when I was being particularly snobbish, it's just my brother said I was and then i asked my friends at work and they all agreed. Hmmm

My manager Andy is now a minor celebrity

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 19:51:11 GMT

Well ish, this is him:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/6921988.stm
He's been on This Morning and GMTV, he been interviewed by the Daily Mail and the Sun. I met him today and he's a bit shell shocked with all the attention, it's not that much of a story!

Vote for the Spice Girls!

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 10:28:56 GMT

They want us to vote for a city to do there big city.
I've voted for Baghdad!!
http://www.thespicegirls.com/en/index.html#

It finally happened

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 09:50:25 GMT

You know those days at work that are so bad you think to yourself "if I get one more annoying customer I am going to scream", but it never actually comes to that? Well it did for me yesterday! Bear in mined we are understaffed and the management don't seem to care, I had this guy at my till who screamed at me when I told him he was at the wrong department for a refund, fair enough, he was a bit pissed off we all were, but he screamed at me, normally I would of just walked away but I snapped, so I shouted back, he started it and he was screaming so loud somebody had to say something and I am not one of those people who sits back and takes abuse. My manager came and took over as he saw me getting angry, but then the guy tuned away from my manager Andy and started shouting at me again, to the credit of Andy he stepped in again and shouted at him saying "Excuse me SIR you are talking to me now, not him"! But I started arguing back anyway;
man: "Where does it say, refunds only at customer service desk?!"
me: (pointing to the sign two inches away above me head) the sign above my head
man: ....well.....how are we to know that the customer service desk is a separate department?!
me: well other customers seem to manage to understand it!
man: well I'm a visitor, lots of people are, you can't expect other people who aren't familiar with the Chester store to understand that!
me: it's the same in every Marks and Spencers, there is always a customer service desk in the store, that is not here!
At this point Andy stepped in. I thought I was going to get in so much trouble, but Andy patted me on my back and said well done for standing up for myself. I have new respect for Andy, my old manager would of told me of in front of him, as he had no backbone. For the rest of the afternoon, people kept coming up to me asking if i was ok, but it actually put me in a better mood, I wanted him to come back for another round, I could take him!
Right so two days off, Booster course work is due in on Wednesday so I'll be busy till then. Laters.

My new car

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 12:20:03 GMT

I'm trying to get used to my strange new freedom, having a car is scary but lots of fun, I'll be driving to the cinema tonight to see Transformers. I shall try not to crash into anything. I have also just finished Harry Potter 7, slow start but totally makes up for it in th end. Highly recommend it, sad it the last one, would like more closure though.

Royal Mail stole my Harry Potter book!

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 08:51:51 GMT

Due to the fucked up Mail service at the moment, I still don't own a copy of Harry Potter 7! I hate the Royal Mail, so I'm going into work early to buy it in town. Anyway Mike is here at midnight tonight, so I'm going to read as much as I can before then. Strange the past ten years have been spent either reading Harry potter or waiting for Harry Potter (though I have done other stuff as well), now I have to grow up I guess.

Lesson One

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 16:46:33 GMT

Turns out that Judaism is the least interesting religion. Nothing interesting happens in its Theology. Closely followed by Islam. Hinduism and Christianity are a right laugh and Scientology is just taking the piss.
Thus concluded my first RE lesson. I hope you enjoyed it.

Graduation and Harry Potter

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 13:23:03 GMT

So first thing first, went to see Harry Potter 5 last night, was really good. surprising really because its my least favorite book but my favorite film so far. Can't wait for the Half Blood Prince, also the last book is out on Saturday but I'm working from 7-3:30 so I'll have to wait till I get home to read it!
I guess the most important thing this week was Graduation on Thursday in Canterbury Cathedral. That was one of the best experiences of my life so far. Parents actually got on really well, in fact it was a little uncomfortable at times. Drive was easy got to Canterbury at about midday on Thursday and met up with Amy and Sophie, went to the most boring party in the world for my department and then we went off to the Cathedral!! Also met up with Mike, which was fantastic, missed him so much. Also in the ceremony he sat really close to the front so he was there smiling at me when I got my degree (2:1- I beat my housemate Russ mwha ha ha ha) Wow I looked good in my robes, I can pull of that Harry Potter look very well. I'm a bit sad I'm saying good bad to Kent, its been like a second home for three years, had its ups and downs but all together it was great fun, made some great friends and worthy enemies, I've been in love twice and had two pretty bad breakdowns, but I'm over them now. I've got one more year in Canterbury for sure, then who knows. Next year will be extremely different to the last three, only a fraction of old friends and six times the work. But I'm not a post grad so its all natural. Roll on Adulthood!

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 19:23:52 GMT

Graduating tomorrow. Not really looking forward to it. Lots of places to be, spending too much time with both my parents

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:08:21 GMT

Wow 'My Name is Earl' is a great show. It's a shame that most of the cast are Scientologists.

Why I hate retail

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:07:25 GMT

Does anyone else remember when Summers were fun and that they were an actual holiday? I don't it was so long ago. I really hate working at M&S, not because of the shop itself or the people I work with, but for what it is in essence- retail. I loath working in retail, I hate the false smile I have to put on, I hate thanking people after I've done all the work, I hate the coldness I get of people when I try to actually do something nice or productive or helpful. I hate the soul sucking atmosphere the store brings to people, I hate the managers who have to backbone, who seem to forget store policy (or indeed common sense) when confronted with an angry customer. I hate feeling the lowest common denominator in that place. I hate the artificial lighting that makes your eyes go in and out of focus. I hate the backwards tills that are simply glorified calculators, I hate the fact that the people upstairs don't trust us to do certain functions so only the managers can do them, which is a problem as they are never around. I hate the way managers take credit for our achievements and ideas, I hate they way they monitor us while standing behind us and taking notes, then have the nerve to tell us what we are doing wrong, while they don't understand how humiliating it is to ask the customer about the stupid &more card, people don't want a credit card, they are advertised everywhere and if they shop there enough they would have one already! I hate the way I have to call people 'sir', people who don't deserve the title. I hate the way they treat you, like a machine that can be picked up and placed anywhere, they tried to put me in lingerie and I refused, I'm not a prud I said "I don't date women so I don't want to be touching there underwear", that seemed to work and they haven't put me there since, they probably will again though. I hate the way they expect you to always be working, they say "flagship assistances" don't have time to stand still, strange because managers seem to do it a lot. They fail to notice that human beings in general need to stand still now and then to prevent falling over, however we also need to sit down, but they don't like it when I do that. Bastards.
I like to think of myself as a nice person, now and then. I don't use the word 'hate' very often, it's an extreme word that people use to often, but I really mean it when I say I hate all these things, it is soul destroying.
In other news, graduation is on Thursday, completely slipped my mind until Friday night, I've got Thursday and Friday off which means I have to work Monday and Tuesday, which also means I'll be working for nine days straight, as I need to do essays, which I'm behind on, then this is bad news, I need to fit them in around work. The guy who is my contact at Christ Church is still not emailing me back. i finally thought I found someone there who could do there job, but alas it was all a pipe dream. My mother has finally got a new car, which means I will get her car, problem with insurance, she refuses to but me on her insurance citing, legal reasons. It will cost over a thousands pounds to insure in Canterbury, but Mum says she might pay it for me, for the first year, nice of her. Can't wait for my car, hope I can remember how to do it though, its been a while.
Right I need to do some work before M&S. Laters.

Requiem for an Angel

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 22:04:51 GMT

So at the moment I'm reading The Roth Trilogy by Andrew Taylor. The books were recently televised by ITV under the name 'Fallen Angel', staring Emelia Fix and Charles Dance, it's such a great book, basically its about a woman who murders children and how she manipulates all the people around her, then the following books are about her past about how her parents fucked her up. Great fun. It's been so long since I read a decent novel, I don't actually remember when it was. 250 pages in two days is a record for me so I'm happy with myself. I just got so fed up with reading theological textbooks, it was driving myself insane. Problem is I need to work now.
Off to see Die Hard 4.0 tomorrow, not that looking forward to it but hay, makes a change then listen to my Dad complain about how I haven't stacked the dishwasher properly. BTW I went to see Shrek the Third the other day, no where near as good as 1 and 2 it was almost embarrassing, they need a better script considering they had such a great case

Sorry it seems the bad weather is our fault

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 10:48:05 GMT

Yes it seems that according to a Bishop of somewhere obscure in the UK, the bad weather is the gays fault. Yes God is punishing us because the UK allow gays to get married and live happy lives, shame on us, BOO HISS BOO! The fact that the Express was following the story is pause for thought, why give media exposure to these bigots. It is such a stupid idea as well, I mean the UK never gets rain in the Summer and it never floods in Yorkshire! You also have to think, if God was going to punish us then in his infinite wisdom, he could come up with something a little bit more original then rain, which make most of us, look up at the sky and go 'teh'. Perhaps the unexpected heat wave last Summer was punishment for Iraq? Who knows, its just good to know that the 'moral backbone' on Britain is being cared for.
Remember God loves us all, even if his followers don't.

For the Love of Sally

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 21:44:16 GMT

I want Sally Sparrow for new Doctor Who companion!

Oh craps

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:18:31 GMT

Right so, the house that I was planning to live in next year has fallen through (not literally), my soon-to-be housemate Gareth has been visiting the house, just to make sure the landlord was fixing everything he said he would. Turns out he isn't plus he's done a few things which are highly illigal, something to do with the gas or electricity, Gareth's Mum is a landlady and she knows all about this stuff, so he decided to pull out, as it wasn't worth the risk. I was pissed off for a few seconds before Gareth told me his Mum has bought another house in Canterbury and is allowing us to live there, which I said yes to. So much better having your landladie's son living with you, in case there is a problem. The house isn't in the centre of town, bad for pubs, but good for parking, saving about £200 there. It's in Wincheap, just behind East station, which is only about 7 mins from the bus station so I'm not unhappy about that. Well hopefully that'll be sorted soon, it's just I'm running out of checks.
Essays aplenty at the moment, it seems i'm working solidly but showing little work, I've done Christianity and Sikhism, now I'm doing Islam, then Hinduism, then Buddhism and if I've got time Judaism, I really need to put my head down. The guy who runs the Booster course, isn't responding to any emails which is annoying as hell, I really need some advice, this might turn into one big cock-up. These essays are the worst I've ever done, as they are really short (about 1000 words) and the questions are really hard. Such as 'how would you teach Islam to high school kids?' I DON'T KNOW hence why I'm going to do teacher training, you wouldn't ask a prospective medical student how he would operate on somebody would you? But I think they really want me to show, some basic understanding of each religion, nothing too deep or complicated. Anyway, much do some work now.

Bugger

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:43:07 GMT

So I get 20% discount at M&S website, which has clothes designed for its customer, trouble is there is a sort of man who shops at M&S: an old man.
'Wishing I worked at Topman now'