Something to Keep us all Going

I realise that finding a Job is going to be quite draining. I'll have nothing to do except for endlessly sending out my CV and looking for online application forms. I don't need to do this for three or more weeks to know that I will feel like crap pretty quickly. It'll just be one of them things that is unavoidable and I will have to find things to keep my spirits up.

This video never fails to make me smile and feel good, which is why I wanted to share it. I hope it has a similar effect on everyone else too. Oh and I recommend watching with the sound turned on, the music is pretty cool.

Excuse the title, it's not as crude as it sounds!

Artist's Website

Realisation

Inspirations and perspective come from the strangest of places. In this case, I guess I can blame the TV show Man V Food (who doesn't love watching Adam Richman stuffing his face with a giant burger?!).

The other day, me and a housemate got talking about travelling around America to sample all the amazing foods and it ended in a serious conversation about where we would go, how we would do it and expenses etc. I've always wanted to travel and have wondered when I would get around to it. After a bit of googling, we discovered it could cost about £5,000 for 6 months in the states which will take a lot of saving up! Not to mention getting 6 months off of work.

I already have some tentative travel plans for the future as well, and the list of places I want to visit is endless. It was this conversation that started off my thought process (no "You? Thinking?!" jokes please). It hit me, that I'm only 21 and I have a good fifty years until retiring age, atleast (fingers crossed). I don't have to become a Paramedic anytime soon.

Don't get me wrong, it is my lifes ambition to join the NHS ambulance service but maybe I would benefit from taking my time to get there. It's not an easy decision to make and I'm going to have to think about it a lot, but after weighing up my options it seems that maybe I should get a job and save up to travel. It would mean I don't have to take huge amounts of time off while working as a Paramedic, but I can gain some kind of clinical experience and do voluntary work instead. The way I see it is I have one of two directions to choose. A lot of people say things like 'better people take the harder, less travelled path' but I think this is more of a case of enjoyment. I'm not really sure.

Anyway, I could ramble on for a long time with my thoughts going in circles. I think you get the picture and I really have a lot of thinking to do. I guess what I can take from this for the immediate future is that I have plenty of time and I should just slow down.

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I also watched the BBC 999 Awards last week. I have to say, it was really good to see that the emergency services are getting some sort of public recognition for the incredible jobs they all do. I also couldn't help noticing that they all mentioned teamwork as a huge part of what they do, and they couldn't have done it without their crewmates. I think it just goes to show what sort of people do these life saving jobs. Incredibly selfless and humble, all they care about is helping people and doing their job well.

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I hope this didn't sound too jumbled, I wrote this a while ago. I didn't want to change any of it because it kind of captures my confusion and thought process at the time, while it was fresh.

Finally, my exams are over and done with and I am all moved in! The latter went well, and I am not sure about the first. I guess we'll see soon.

I am off to a family gathering tomorrow night and I hope you all have a great weekend! Catch you next week.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Just a quick note to say that there won't be any blog post this week, or until late next week. I'm currently in full revision mode (basically wishing I was elsewhere and trying to find ANYTHING possible to distract me, even for 30 seconds). I'm also moving house on Sunday so I'm spending my evenings packing all my junk into boxes (there is A LOT).

Have a good weekend!

P.S. When I get a spare moment, I am going to make/find a new layout because the amount of blue is quite disgusting.

All Is Not Lost

All is not lost, I guess.

I got a rejection from the GWAS for the Student Paramedics job. This was a bit of a bummer. Even though I knew the chances of getting it were incredibly slim, there was still a part of me that held some hope. I'm just angry that all they gave me was an automated 'good luck with your career' email and they won't give me a reason why, although I think I already know what it is. It would be nice to have some sort of confirmation.

I am going to book my C1 driving licence medical exam next week, which I have found out will cost me £120 (which is ridiculous)! Althouh I'm incredibly worried about my eyesight and the requirements. I wear glasses, and my eyesight is fine with them - but the DVLA require a certain amount of vision without corrective lenses (3/60 acuity on the Snellen chart - this is basically reading the largest letter on the chart with no glasses/contact lenses at a distance of 3m) which I really don't think I have. My prescription is about -5.5 so the vision is not so great. I don't know what I will do if I can't get this licence - I will have to give up on my dreams of being a Paramedic, the thought of which is gut wrenching.

Now I need to find something new to aim towards for the time being. God only knows what that will be.

Over and out.

Celebratory Chicken

Today I bring you good news! Well, it's good news for me - not so much for you, however I shall tell you all about it anyway!

I recently applied to the St. John's Ambulance to do some first aid volunteering and was suprised to find it's actually quite a long, difficult process becoming a volunteer. I had to complete application forms, provide references and will need to have a CRB check (to make sure I'm not a sex offender or a criminal). The good news is though, that I have been invited for an interview in early September! At some point I will drop in to one of my local groups meetings to see what it's all about. I'm still not sure exactly what I will be doing as a volunteer, probably event first aid etc. It would be brilliant if I could become a first responder - or even better, become an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) in one of their ambulances. I will keep you updated!

On a similar note, I have heard back from the GWAS (Great Western Ambulance Service) about becoming a first responder for them. They have asked for some details and will look into seeing if there is a group in the area I live but if there isn't I doubt I will be able to do this, which is a real shame.

I have managed to sell my Reading Festival ticket too! It went for £170, which is £30 less than I paid but every little helps, right? Unfortunately, I have to pay about a million in fees (well, £20). Looks like I can afford more than 30p savoury rice for dinner every night now (oh mince, how I have missed you...). I might even go out and buy a celebratory piece of chicken!

On a slightly down side, I still haven't heard back about any of the NHS jobs I applied for a month ago, or any other job for that matter. This really sucks. Guess I will have to just carry on...

Only a short post today, I'm working on something more relevent and paramedic-y to post soon. Also want to say thanks for reading these posts and supporting me!

Have a good day.

Pulled my Act Together

Just a (potentially) short entry tonight as a sort of update on my last blog post.

I was feeling a bit miserable and sorry for myself when I wrote on Tuesday (was it Tuesday? This week seems to have dragged), but I have managed to pick myself up and I'm feeling much more positive. I've been keeping myself busy as much as possible, applying for jobs with avengance and sorting myself out.

I've found a Job in the NHS that I would love to do if I don't get my Student Paramedic placement and I'm midway through the application form at the moment. If I were to get it, I would become a Medical Emergency Dispatcher for the South West Ambulance Service. Although only for a year long contract, this would give me a real insight into the inner workings of the elusive Ambulance Service. However, this would mean actually answering the phone for a change - something I don't particularly like doing (who does?!).

Although I haven't ventured out far this week, I've been really getting into the Olympics! Some of you will realise this is quite strange behaviour as watching most sport is beyond me, but I've been caught shouting at the TV in some quite intense races.

I'm going to attend an information session for the Samaritans on Monday evening, something I've always considered doing but never got around to. No time like the present!

My room is now semi-tidy, ready to start packing up as I move into my new house two weeks on Sunday! I have to say, I'm really looking forward to it. It's so much nicer than the student house I currently live in. It has a nice kitchen with a dishwasher - pure luxury! The windows also act like windows in that they keep the wind out (even as I type this, my curtains are flapping about thanks to the gaping hole). The bathroom isn't mouldy and has ventilation. The list really is endless.

My exams are two weeks on Monday so I'm gonna really start to knuckle down - I think I'll be using the uni library every day as of Sunday. Be under no illusion, that really is dedication for you. Spending any more than 10 minutes in that silent, musty sauna is enough to send anyone crazy (I should know, I've spent many days and nights going delerious in that place with only the vending machine to keep me company).

Finally, I think I'm going to sell my Reading Festival ticket. I was really looking forward to going, but no longer have the money to get there and pay for everything else that weekend. I'm a bit worried it won't go as the official tickets haven't even sold out yet. I'm still hoping to maybe get a day ticket for the Saturday as my housemate is going too - I really want to see Young Guns and Florence + The Machine and The Vaccines.

Reading back over this post I've realised it just sounds like a diary! Although this blog is mainly for my benefit, I'm not sure people want to read about how I watched the Olympics and tidied my room. I will have to try and come up with something a bit more relevant next week but I have realised just how much of a long, slow process reaching my goal might really be. Luckily, time is on my side (for now).