One day I'm going to be really good at this.

Eventually, I'll actually stop taking 'mirror' photos of what I've worn, it looks so rubbish. However, due to being a Photography graduate and having studied all sorts of photographic genre's, I could probably whip something up about mirrors, wardrobes and clothing pretty quickly if it was required of me.

I was going to post these and a bunch of others at the end of the week, but I need to unwind a bit after a slightly frustrating day. I really, really should start wearing shoes in these.

06 September 2011:
Cardigan: H&M
Shirt: H&M
Scarf: Primark
Dress: Etsy
Tights: Marks & Spencer.
Going to London Bridge to have some lunch (I also wore lipstick for the first time today, like a grown-up).


07 September 2011
Cardigan: H&M
Shirt: Etsy
Belt: eBay
Skirt: Dorothy Perkins
Tights: Marks & Spencer
Sign-up interview on Oxford Street and signing on at the Job Centre (but not really the second one).


I bought this shirt to take the postage and packaging cost down for the dress (above) as they're from the same seller on Etsy, but I think I actually love it. Especially in this combo, it's so bright and happy.
I've been having a pretty busy week so far, I went to have lunch with Moon and my old friend Tom in London Bridge yesterday and today I had both a sign-up interview with a Digital Media Agency and I went to the Job Centre to file a reclaim for Jobseeker's Allowance.

Yesterday was great, it's always nice to see old friends because things are rarely different and usually just easy. We had a nice lunch at a pub opposite Borough Market. Moon had an interview around London Bridge and that's where Tom works too, I had nothing to do so I just tagged along. Moon got the job by all accounts but it turned out to be quite demeaning and rather insulting when you consider that he is already a graduate and soon to finish a Masters degree, so he left during the trial this morning.

Today was a bit different. The sign-up interview went well I think, but I need to do a bit of research into Digital Media Planning/Buying to be considered a more serious applicant. It seems quite promising though and the roles that are potentially on offer are intriguing so I think I could definitely get into it.
After that I had a quick wander into Urban Outfitters and Topshop, it would appear that my more thrify lifestyle has meant that I've ignored these shops for a while and I don't think that it has actually made a difference, I saw nothing new or exciting. Which is not only quite good because it means that I get to keep some money in my purse, but it also doesn't really matter because I'm actually quite liking my wardrobe at the moment, especially since I've been losing weight. I did see a dinosaur t-shirt though that I could have gone for, but not for £20, sorry.

< prepare for a rant about the job centre >
Then I headed over to the jolly old Job Centre Plus. I officially hate it! It is such an uninspiring place, the people that work there are horrible and rude and nothing is on time as it should be. I arrived five minutes early but still had to wait 20 minutes, and I can bet that had I arrived 25 minutes late, I would have got it in the neck, it's idiotic. The whole process didn't take very long though because I was only making a reclaim but I'm dreading follow-up meeting on Monday. Basically being on Jobseeker's Allowance means using DirectGov (which is a terrible website most of the time) to search for jobs more often than searching for jobs through other platforms, you also need to put aside unrealistic (but not actually unrealistic) goals in order to be in work but unhappy for the rest of your life, just like the people who actually work in the Job Centre.

Second point on the 'Jobseeker's must' list:
- Have reasonable chance of finding work if you limit:

the kind of work you are willing to do.

where you are willing to work

the hours you are willing to work

So I may have potentially sold my soul for £50 a week, but maybe something will come up instantly and I can just leave it. I've sought out nearly 30 jobs to apply for this week, so something should come up soon. I do feel a bit more stable now that I'm signing-on in a way as it means I won't have to ask my Mum for things like train fare, but I'm not a fan of the bureaucracy that I already appear to be a part of despite the fact that I'm doing nothing much different than I would have been doing before, but I'm now reporting to someone... urgh. < / rant >

Just chillin'.

...complaining about my lights, again.

I was so happy to have them and to be able to say that I have them but they have ended up being so much trouble, they will be the first thing to get an upgrade when I have a proper job. I actually hate them.

I was having such a successful project shoot until then and I think I actually got some decent images - update later - but then the light I was using literally starting going mental and flashing non-stop, not a particularly good sign and I didn't fancy it blowing up in my face so I packed everything away and finished up.

I'm sad because it's quite rare that I feel so confident with how things are going and when I do it's like it's a sign. Technology can be so lame.
At least I got some photos out of it.

To add to this week's list.

FFS!
Setting up the studio in my room and one of my lights suddenly doesn't work.
Ring up Elemental and am told to open up the back of the lights and look at the fuse?!
Finally prise the back open and discover a blown fuse (one good thing that comes from this is Elemental are sending me a couple of new fuses).
Text Darren to not come until 3 as I'm running to Asda to see if I can get a replacement fuse.
Darren arrives 15 minutes early anyway and waits outside in his car.
Find set of fuses for £2.
Meet Darren and excitedly go to replace the broken fuse.
The fuses I bought are too big!
Continue the shoot with one light and at an awkward angle.
Whilst packing kit away notice a small 'baggy' at the bottom of my lights back - IT'S A REPLACEMENT FUSE!
Darren has left - another slightly failed shoot.

At least the shoot will go well tomorrow.
What else can go wrong - I'm like Eeyore right now.