Less//Than//Or//Equal//To//Me Rarely updated ramblings of a thoroughly uninteresting gentleman.

Back again, this time better value.

Its been a little up and down these past few days. Got another interview for my placement year, but got a rejection letter from GSK, the London job I interviewed for last week. Blessing is disguise possibly, I have no idea how I would finance the move over had I got the job. Once I got settled it would have been sweet, but I would have had a lot of initial outlays, never mind paying off the rest of my tenancy here in Belfast.

So the hunt for employment continues. Few more applications will be going out tomorrow, and as I said, I have an interview on Monday, so proverbial fingers crossed.

Oh, and I got a Tesco Club Card, so I feel like I have finally cut all ties to childhood and the care-free life that goes with it. Which was met by a stiff drink.

The best looking girls are taken, the best looking boys are staying inside, so Judy where does that leave you?

I had a dream the other night. Not a "bad dream" it was actually wonderful, I woke up with the widest smile I've had in months. I wish I never had it. I hate feeling like I've missed out on the chance to have that in real life. I know it wasn't my choice, I did all I could and it wasn't to be; doesn't stop me wondering what if...

Class started again yesterday, haven't actually gone to any yet. Big project to get to work on, but its proving hard to get motivation. Friends uploaded holiday photos and I just wish I was elsewhere. Anywhere.

I think I could actually go anywhere on holiday. I'm in the process of learning basic Mandarin, then Arabic or Farsi with the intention of taking a year out sometime in the foreseeable future to "non tourist" destinations. All my travelling thus far has been to English-speaking ex-colonies due to my parents subliminal racism, so my cultural experiences have been quite limited despite quite high mileage.

I think I'll draw up a dream-route soon, if only for fun, and thanks to Ms McCune Geneva shall make an appearance. Perhaps I'll post here.

Beer has made another appearance. I think my liver thanked me for being broke all the time, since its come in I've had over double my units every day.

I don't think its an awful lot to ask

I'm sleepy.

Not sleepy right now. Well I kinda' am, but that's not what I mean. I'm sleepy of life. Not "tired" or fed up, just sleepy. I'd like to go to sleep now and wake up when it gets good again. Like sleeping in a plane, I want to wake up for the approach and landing, watch the fields and cars and clouds float by and get the funny feeling in my tummy when I land.

Student loan is in, early. Which is good, because for the last month and a half I've been living of cash advances from my credit card, which I'm sure most people know, is not a financially viable way to live. Don't get me wrong, my loan didn't even get me back into "the black" even before I paid off the credit card, but I guess this is a recession.

Saw a girl today. I'm sure she was a horrible person, but she reminded me of a girl I used to know, who I no longer talk to, and who was the first girl I had any real feelings for. Perhaps its just to rose-tinted glasses of hindsight. I hope so. That would mean I didn't fuck it up.

But I have Call of Duty and beer, I guess this is as good as it gets.
I don't even like Heiniken.



I love the strings towards the end of this.

So, I watched the Electoral Debate tonight.

Rather underwhelmed if truth be told. Firstly, why ITV? I understand why have it on a terrestrial channel to ensure maximum viewer ship, but ITV is one of the most horrible news outlets in the UK, Britain's answer to Fox News at times. I hate their sensationalist reporting style and I think Alastair Stewart we a terrible choice of moderator. A most stoic BBC correspondent would have given the debate a much needed air of seriousness, the ITV format made the debate an entertainment spectacle more than serious political debate. More about scoring headline-worthy blows and getting viewing numbers than airing political policy, it felt like watching teenagers bickering over their favourite Big Brother contestant.

Argh. Rant over. I must say I am in favour of the televised debates, but it felt more of a gimmick than a useful tool to help undecided voters. Now, the debate itself. Lots of news outlets are claiming a Clegg victory, and tomorrows headlines herald the "Entrance of the outsider" but that was not the impression I got. While Brown and Cameron debated serious policy, Clegg swoops in and patronises both the leaders and the viewers with "this arguing is what has held this country back..." comments that he hoped would end up being the last word before Stewart forces the trio to move on with another question. I went into this debate hoping that Clegg would give a good account of the party and open the English electorate to a third path, and unfortunately, I got a lack-lustre attempt to appear the lesser of three evils.

No bombs, no bricks nor crucifix could hold it back...

I know this is the third time I've said I'll keep at this blog, but...well, Im not going to say this time will be any different but perhaps I'll try.

Time is running rather quickly these days, which normally I wouldn't mind, but the weeks are counting down for me to find a placement position for next year. No placement, no advancement. This prospect should scare me more than it really does, and that concerns me. I was in London day before last at an interview with GSK, second largest pharma company in the world. A truly intimidating experience, if truth be told. After a horrible three and a half hour Americano at Luton Airport I arrived in overcast Stevenage, Britain's capital for deary industrial parks and grey office blocks. Arrived at the outer gate and security man sent me on the a building further on down; fair enough. The reception of this building then gave me a photographic visitor pass (=S) and gave me directions. "Are you driving Sir? No? ....ah. Well..." He then gave me directions for a 15 min walk around GSK's private road system, the highlight of which was the bridge over the lake filled with Japanese coy. I arrived for my mediocre interview rather intimidated, then taxi back to the airport for another 4 hours of "that" airport smell and stale coffee, topped off by a delayed flight. Nice.

Hopefully I'll hear about that soon, one way or another. Don't get me wrong, I want the job, I could be living in London by summer. Its just a bit hard to get excited about much these days.

Suns out though.