Doug Stiles - Planning Support Officer
Sept 12, 2006 -> I finally reached my goal. I am living, planning and traveling in London.
I took the day off work last Thursday to get my National Insurance number. I was asked about my fancy 'Search Engine Optimisation Consultant' job with the Visa Bureau and then I immediately provided the guy with search engine optimisiation tips for his own website. When I left the office, my mobile rang. It was Quinton from my job agency. He told me that I had been offered a planning job - without an interview! He also said they wanted me to start on Monday. I proposed a Tuesday start date to give myself a long weekend... again. On Friday, I told Oonagh [from the Visa Bureau] that I had been offered a career-related job and had to quit. She was happy for me, but sad to see me go. She asked how long I could continue working - I said '6 o'clock'. I was worried they might be angry but Oonagh was really nice about it and even offered herself as a reference for the future. As it turns out, my flatmate Brennon might replace me at Visa Bureau.
I started my job as a Planning Support Officer with the local borough of Ealing. Ealing is AWESOME. I would like to live there if it wasn't way out in zone 3. But the council office is on a major high street. There are all the banks, three grocery stores, a large park, two Toni+Guys [because one is never enough, right Bloor Street?] and a TOP MAN! I haven't seen too much of it yet, but I plan to explore this week.
The job itself is fine. It's a little basic at the moment. I'm just preparing application files for the planners. The position will get slightly more involved, but I expect it won't be nearly as interesting as my work with the CRCA. However, it is still an introduction to the wonderful world of planning in the UK. I also get to wear nice clothes to work and no one asks, 'Why are you so dressed up?' Therefore, I'm happy. It's a 3-month contract which will expire about the time I go home for Christmas.
In other news...
Steve left London on Friday morning. On Thursday night it was a battle to get him to meet me for drinks at our beloved Ku Bar at Leicester Square. He was with his friends Dave [a Londoner] and Chelsea [visiting from Canada] in south London and they wanted to stay in and watch a movie [because doesn't everyone come to London to veg out in the suburban south end]? Anyway, he was fully prepared not to meet me and just leave the continent without a proper goodbye. Somehow, I managed to convince him to come out. Some people's kids.
Brennon's friend Erika and her boyfriend were staying here. Some of you met Erika at Bren's birthday party in Waterloo. On Saturday, they bought me a Palestinian scarf from Greenwich Market while I shopped in Soho. That night, Erika, Bren and I went to a fairly random bar in Lewisham. Lewisham is at the end of the DLR line in the south. We made the trek out of the city because Bren knows the bartender. This meant that we were buying ROUNDS of DOUBLE vodka drinks for a mere 4 pounds. Needless to say, we had a GREAT night! We even mingled with some of the locals.
I went back to Greenwich Park on Sunday... AGAIN. I went with a friend and we had a nice time chatting, drinking non-alcoholic beverages and lying about in the sun as it was a beautiful day - about 30 degrees. Afterwards, I went to Keiko's place in north London with my American girls [happy Derek?] and we had our weekly potluck dinner. Next week, our potluck is themed '4 pounds or less'. We each have to bring a dish / bottle for under 4 pounds. I found a bottle of wine in Somerfield's for 1.66!
This weekend, Jessica Park [from FES @ York] will be staying with me!! I'm pretty psyched.
I know I have some photos to post... I'll get to that.
I took the day off work last Thursday to get my National Insurance number. I was asked about my fancy 'Search Engine Optimisation Consultant' job with the Visa Bureau and then I immediately provided the guy with search engine optimisiation tips for his own website. When I left the office, my mobile rang. It was Quinton from my job agency. He told me that I had been offered a planning job - without an interview! He also said they wanted me to start on Monday. I proposed a Tuesday start date to give myself a long weekend... again. On Friday, I told Oonagh [from the Visa Bureau] that I had been offered a career-related job and had to quit. She was happy for me, but sad to see me go. She asked how long I could continue working - I said '6 o'clock'. I was worried they might be angry but Oonagh was really nice about it and even offered herself as a reference for the future. As it turns out, my flatmate Brennon might replace me at Visa Bureau.
I started my job as a Planning Support Officer with the local borough of Ealing. Ealing is AWESOME. I would like to live there if it wasn't way out in zone 3. But the council office is on a major high street. There are all the banks, three grocery stores, a large park, two Toni+Guys [because one is never enough, right Bloor Street?] and a TOP MAN! I haven't seen too much of it yet, but I plan to explore this week.
The job itself is fine. It's a little basic at the moment. I'm just preparing application files for the planners. The position will get slightly more involved, but I expect it won't be nearly as interesting as my work with the CRCA. However, it is still an introduction to the wonderful world of planning in the UK. I also get to wear nice clothes to work and no one asks, 'Why are you so dressed up?' Therefore, I'm happy. It's a 3-month contract which will expire about the time I go home for Christmas.
In other news...
Steve left London on Friday morning. On Thursday night it was a battle to get him to meet me for drinks at our beloved Ku Bar at Leicester Square. He was with his friends Dave [a Londoner] and Chelsea [visiting from Canada] in south London and they wanted to stay in and watch a movie [because doesn't everyone come to London to veg out in the suburban south end]? Anyway, he was fully prepared not to meet me and just leave the continent without a proper goodbye. Somehow, I managed to convince him to come out. Some people's kids.
Brennon's friend Erika and her boyfriend were staying here. Some of you met Erika at Bren's birthday party in Waterloo. On Saturday, they bought me a Palestinian scarf from Greenwich Market while I shopped in Soho. That night, Erika, Bren and I went to a fairly random bar in Lewisham. Lewisham is at the end of the DLR line in the south. We made the trek out of the city because Bren knows the bartender. This meant that we were buying ROUNDS of DOUBLE vodka drinks for a mere 4 pounds. Needless to say, we had a GREAT night! We even mingled with some of the locals.
I went back to Greenwich Park on Sunday... AGAIN. I went with a friend and we had a nice time chatting, drinking non-alcoholic beverages and lying about in the sun as it was a beautiful day - about 30 degrees. Afterwards, I went to Keiko's place in north London with my American girls [happy Derek?] and we had our weekly potluck dinner. Next week, our potluck is themed '4 pounds or less'. We each have to bring a dish / bottle for under 4 pounds. I found a bottle of wine in Somerfield's for 1.66!
This weekend, Jessica Park [from FES @ York] will be staying with me!! I'm pretty psyched.
I know I have some photos to post... I'll get to that.
posted by Douglas J. Stiles, BA Hons, MES! at 9/12/2006 01:58:00 p.m.
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