Endings, New Beginings and Just a Little Shopping.

Well the last week of July has certainly been a week.

I was scheduled for 2 job interviews, a meeting with the HR department and getting another job application done and handed in. On top of that as of Friday at 5pm the building I have worked in for 23 years would shut and my department would no longer exist.

My first interview was monday late morning. I was able to go into work late which was a Brucie bonus, it meant I got a bit of a lie-in and also had the leisure of choosing an interview outfit and getting ready at home rather than in 5 minutes flat in the ladies toilets at work!
I decided on a smart dress in the end as my suit is black wool and it was a pretty hot day, also the skirt is just a we bit tight....
Sorry no picture I genuinely was going to before I left, but was rushing round and forgot in the end.

The job in question was called 'MBA Admissions Co-ordinator' at the Said Buisness School. I had read up on the course before hand and actually put myself off the role if I'm honest. Having said that the interview went well, I answered all the questions and wasn't too nervous, because I'd kind of put myself off the job, so that actually helped lol. Anyway I came out thinking 'that went well but not a hope' I didn't feel I had the office experience they needed.
Back to work, back into jeans and t-shirt, think no more about it. They told me I would hear by the afternoon and I didn't hear anything, oh well, onwards and upwards.

Tuesday morning rapidly turned into what has probably been my worst day at work ever, it was just awful. I was seriously ready to say fuck the lot of you and just go home, and no matter what I have never, never felt like that before. When at 3pm I got a call offering me the job. I must confess I was completely knocked for six by that and asked for some time before I gave them an answer. Given my fuck you comment above you might think I would have taken it and stormed out saying exactly that, but to be honest when you are so upset you are about to sit down and bawl you eyes out and right at that moment you get a job offer it just knocks you sideways. I think I was just too emotionally drainned.
So I talked over the pros and cons with a collegue and my boss. I got home and talked them over a bit with Himself and then went out to see Phil Jupitas doing stand up, laugh a lot and drink a little too much beer. Especially on a school night!
Wednesday I rang up and accepted the job and cancelled the other job interview. This was followed by a day and a half of confusion with me piggy in the middle between two HR departments to such a point I woke up at 3am having a complete panic. Just horrible.
Thankfully things were finally sorted by Friday morning, apparently moving departments within the same institution is meant to be the easiest thing to do!??!

It's been very weird. Everyone kept coming up to me and saying how thrilled they were for me and was I excited? I ended up lying and saying yes because it was just easier.
 I'm not excited. I am relieved, my overwhelming feeling is of relief, to have found something, to not be redundant, but excited? no.
I think it is partly because it all happened so damn fast and I don't have to work notice so I don't have the luxury of that time to get myself prepared. Also it's been a tough week and very emotional. All bar 2 of my collegues finished on Friday, they were such a great team I shall miss them dreadfully. Some of them don't have jobs to go to either so that is hard too. I have 23 years of memories from a job I truely loved and have only left because I was forced to rather than by my choice. So for now I'm relieved and a bit maudlin but not excited. Hopefully it will come, I am an optimist at heart but I figure I am allowed a little wallow first.
I finish at the Bodleian on Wednesday and start at the Said on Monday the 8th.

 I got my traditional leaving book on Friday, though I have to hand it back in to have some more pages of signatures bound in apparently, what it is to be popular eh? Lets hope I can get my swell head through the door on Monday! I will say if I wasn't feeling teary before I certainly was after reading it.

As to the mention of shopping. My new job requires a smart professional appearance. I have spent the last 23 years going to work in either jeans or combats. Smart professional does not come easily to me. I am planning a complete military operation on the wardrobe next week!
Everything out, outfits coordinated, everything tried on as I suspect many will not be suitable or will not actually fit (damn you comfort eating!)
I bought some lovely smart trousers in the Next sale and a handful of work shirts on Ebay, I knew what I wanted and couldn't find it in the shops but on Ebay struck gold.
On Thursday I went for a milkshake at lunchtime with 2 friends from work. We stepped into a little boutique in the covered market because it had sale signs. They had some lovely dresses, but I felt for the quality and finish of the garments they were too expensive for what they were. There was one that was down to £35 in the sale which I quite liked but would have had to try on. I didn't have the time so planned to go back the next day. Instead I got lured into Debenhams on my way past, it had even bigger sale signs you see.
I browsed, I found things, I tried them on and I purchased them! All of the below were purchased for exactly £35, the cost of the dress in the other shop which is a bit weird really.

To digress for a moment. I have read a few blogs lately apologising profusely for using 'Ebay' style photos of clothes on hangers as if it is some disgusting, heinous crime. Bollocks to that.
I hate having my picture taken at the best of times and will continue to show pictures clothes on hangers rather than on me. If you are offended by that then that's up to you of course, but frankly my dear I don't give a damn. If it distresses so much unfollow me, simple as.

Anyway as I say all this booty for £35. A few of them need little repair jobs hence the low prices but it's nothing I can't fix :-)

 

Cute tea dress, I wasn't sure about the v-neck but it looked fine with a necklace.

                                                       Gingham!

I'm not a fan of strapeless dresses as a rule but this one had strawberries on it and it was black, which is a win win in my book. I plan to add some plain black straps myself. I do have to wear it as a top though, because being tall like I am this is just too short to be a dress on me!

  I need to mend the neckline on this dress, but I loved the colour and the butterfly design.

Again this one is too short to be worn as a dress so I nearly didn't buy it, but it was a bargain and I can always wear it over leggings......

Ok I admit NONE of the above are smart workwear!