Nice Work When You Get It

*STOP PRESS*STOP PRESS*STOP PRESS*STOP PRESS*

I got a job.
THE job
I was hoping for.
10:30am and I’m at the sinks in the ladies’ at college.
The editor of the Enfield Gazette rings through.
“I hope this news pleases you," he said, "I’d like to offer you a job. “
Hell yes, thank you , thank you.

“I’m really pleased Nadia, well done,” he added, “The two other girls were gutted (those that interviewed me alongside him on the panel), "because they wanted you as well.”
I'm flattered.
But of course given the choice of where to work, my loyalty is to Enfield.
I had the interview last Friday Jan 26 so the speed of the decision is just what I needed to push through final exams next week.

Start date is sometime end of next month. I said I’d be willing to forgo the placement I lined up at G2’s The Guardian in the event of no immediate job prospects.
But he’s happy to wait for me and says I should do it.

Looking forward to starting out, joining the deam team and yay yay salary!
Wouldn’t ask for more.

The News Map

This news potal must be viewed.
It was sent to me by a non-journalist contact and I am not sure how she sniffed it.
Even if you think you're not interested in what's going on, the design of the site will ensure you linger longer than you thought you might.

http://www.marumushi.com/apps/newsmap/newsmap.cfm

Quite superb.

Nervous Breakdown on the Small Screen

Celebrity Big Brother Five launched last night.
Over eight million viewers tuned in as the eleven celebrity contestants walked their way to CCTV hell led by Dirk Benedict, best known as Face of top TV fodder – The A Team (I never missed an episode as a kid – can you tell?)
Other participants include: Jermaine Jackson (of The Jackon Five – now known as Muhammad Abdul Aziz since a conversion to Islam), Bollywood starlet my-nose-is-now-plastic Shilpa Shetty, Sunday Mirror journalist Carole Malone and others.
The London Paper runs a daily reader’s poll I check with interest. Today’s was: ‘Are the housemates Z-list freaks craving attention or contestants taking part in a valid social experiment?’
When BB started out it may have passed as the latter – it was indeed curious and intriguing.
However the shows since been flung out of hand. See archived June blogging re: BB and the Mental Health Foundation’s thoughts on the show in an interview with me after a contestant announced he wanted to kill himself on air.
But who cares? As long as we want to watch – Channel 4 will hand it out.
Last night, host Davina McCall (the best bit about the show) vowed “Big brother will be just as twisted and just as devious as ever.”
Let the raucous begin.

Note: I didn’t watch BB - I stole the facts from the morning papers. But comment is free as the saying goes - and herein is all mine own.

Biggest Sick Day Ever

No time for recouping from post new-year flunk out, we’re back to school.

Yes, believe. Day 2 of Jan 2007, and we were in front of our Macs like we never left them.
The only difference was that everyone was really quiet and still is feeling flaky, judging by the lack of bums on seats in our first class.

This sparseness was echoed on London’s streets most acutely yesterday.
7am at the bus stop and the road outside my abode was barren. I was driven to Liverpool street station by the bus driver all by myself. The station in turn seemed almost vacant. Where were all the commuters?

Homeward bound and the Evening Standard offered explanation. Reports revealed that London had been hit by record levels of sickies pulled en masse as thousands stayed away from work.

Recovering from mulled-wine-belly and post festive debt probably. The paper says the capital’s not expected to return to its traditional chaos until next week. So I guess the rest of us can get a head start by enjoying a little more space while it’s available.

It does all feel a bit odd though. Like London’s lost a few pounds.