And the beat goes on...

So here we are on the cusp of September and nothing changes! Still out of work and looking for supply to keep the wolf from the door. Had a very interesting experience in the local job centre where I went to 'sign on' as it were. Apparently all the National Insurance I've paid over the years is not necessarily enough to ensure my getting what folks of my generation would call 'the dole' or is currently known as 'Jobseekers Allowance'! It is a strange thing to be told that I can work up to 16 hours per week and still be entitled to this allowance, yet if I do one day as a supply teacher (7.5 hrs) I automatically become exempt as the salary for one day supply is so much more than a weeks dole! Similarly, if I do one day's supply, my claim has to be closed; ergo if I do one day supply my claim closes and I don't get any money from them but if I don't get any further work and have to go back to them, I have to start again with another claim!!! Surely this is the most ridiculous thing ever? Why can't it be sensibly dealt with? As 'Big Brother' knows all about my working career and what tax and N.I. I have paid over the years, knows where I work and for how long, then why is it so hard to compute that I'm not working and automatically pay me my unemployment benefit? Is this not a function that the wonderful computers of our era could be harnessed for? After all, there surely is very little of our lives that is not recorded somewhere, somehow.... not that I'm paranoid or anything......
More pleasant things have happened thankfully. Went into Edinburgh with the gang a week past Saturday - they went to see Amanda Palmer and I went to see 'The Time Traveller's Wife' in the pix. They had a whale of a time and I sort of enjoyed the film but perhaps would like to see it again to make some sense out of bits of it! It flies in the face of all the previously mooted theories of time travel. Any other thoughts of time travel seem to have agreed that it would not be a good thing to meet oneself as this would create a paradox, or a matter/antimatter problem, the assumptions being that the same molocules or atoms. I forget which, cannot exist in the same plane in duplicate, if you see what I mean. In this film the main protagonist not only meets himself and speaks to himself, he actively seems to manipulate or organise things that will happen, or set up cover for eventualities. Very strange, but very poignant and a bit of a weepie!! Maybe one to get out of the cheapie bin at Morrisons in six months time......
After watching the film I went down Lothian Road and sat in a pub drinking coffee - yes! Me! - and studied my script for Biggar Shorts while I waited for the boppers to return from the concert. The journey home was hilarious, hysterical at points even!! So, a good time was had by all and we slept soundly that night!
The following night Jen and I went with another friend, Alison, to see Bryn Terfyl in the Usher Hall - brilliant! What a voice the man has! I loved the music and the programme he opted to perform. We were in the organ seats and although Byn had his back to us most of the evening he turned around and sang to us a couple of times!! We even had a singalong! Not quite Kareoke but fun nonetheless. The lyrics were printed in the programme for each piece he sang, this made it so much more interesting to listen to for some reason! I think because when you listen to something you maybe don't know well or have never heard before you concentrate on the words and maybe miss out a bit on the performance. This way the words were there and one could really appreciate the full beuty of the delivery with all its dynamics and nuances! Fabulous!
So... back to the mundane and ordinary again. As I am not working it seems I am expected to tote that barge and lift that bale and get the house into a sparklingly immaculate and pristine condition, as well as complete all laundry and ironing and cook from scratch tasty and nutritious meals!! Where do they get these ideas?
Till next time....