"Tower of Doom" - StarDate Monday

Well everybody turns up for work - everybody sits at their desk - everybody turns on their pc - after that - God only knows what people are doing (for any people who worry about their agency staff - they do the same - just get three times the rate !) The news from the front - when we do get the scores (albeit one week behind schedule - such is management !) there will apparently be a proviso in the letters that say we will NOT be allowed to divulge these "scores" to any other member of staff as they are classed as "confidential" - as I've already pointed out, a number like 53 or 37 or even -(minus) 15 (easily possible if your attendance record is crap and/or you've had a verbal/written warning !) is completely meaningless if you've nowt to compare it against.

OK - we have been asked to be "professional" about the whole thing - phrases like "team spirit" have also been bandied about (desperate straits ?) - but when you're in the whole "30 day consultation period", it's got to be extremely difficult to give a sh*t at times - last week was a "hiatus" with next to nothing happening - I'm sure there are people working their socks off in the vain hope that this will make a difference - I'm sure - b*ll*x I KNOW - it won't make any difference at all, as in many cases the choices between who stays and who goes have already been made - it's just that we (and those who have already "decided") have to work within this legal timescale..

It's interesting to talk to people outside of our "Tower of Doom" - to find this same scenario is happening to them as well - I know of several peeps who are in the same sh*t - my bro-in-law (works for JCB in Rocester) has been on short time since before Christmas - I know a Mossley fan whose hours have been cut from 40 to 32 (basically down to a 4 day week) - the Derby Evening Telegraph are messing with the sub-editors - it's a corny phrase, but it's happening all over - doesn't make me feel any more comfy though...

It messes with your life - big style - there are people calling in sick in so many places (psycho-sematic I'm sure in many cases) - my sleep patterns are completely b*ll*xed (last night I was waking up once an hour every hour - - same on many days over the last three weeks) - I've been sorting out my "pre-redundancy shopping list" i.e things I ought to buy while there's still money coming in (for your info I've got as far as new trainers, new walking boots, extra socks, close off the Bank of Scotland credit card - and stuff like that) - silly things you do - but are they silly ... one thing I DO know is my Euro-Millions Lucky Dip last Friday failed miserably !!!!!!

The interesting point for me is that I was made redundant during the last "recession" in the early 80s - in 1984 I got married, bought a house, bought a car - redundancy arrived soon after. Slightly different now - mortgage still there - just - but one child @ university, one still heading that way (and the eldest going her own way but not yet earning millions - if you're reading this George Martin at Abbey Road - or anyone at Fowey Studios - give her an interview !) So the knowledge of the whole job loss thing is there - but I was younger then - and still "employable".

Shall we talk about football now - cus I'm sure that's what you're really looking for - see Durham have slipped up again tonight - at Radcliffe Borough for Frith's sake !! Curzon Ashton could only draw at home to Trafford (who entertain Mossley next midweek in the semi-final of the Unibond Presidents Cup - winners to play Quorn). Mossley get the rematch @ Ossett tomorrow night - interesting to hear the Mossley Manager interview on MossleywebTV - after the 5-3 game last Saturday he has visions of a 0-0 draw - which wouldn't be all bad !! See:

BEWARE - Chris Wilcock shouts at the end !!!

Me - Stalybridge v Hyde tomorrow - I make no excuses for choosing this option - on Thursday Mossley are again away at Skelmersdale - who are on a "blip" at the moment (they lost to Quorn on Saturday in their Presidents Cup Semi - hence the earlier words) - four points would be good from the two Mossley midweekers - fingers crossed - I'm going nowhere Thursday (I did well to get Tuesday/Thursday last week !!!!!)

Nearly midnight - probably a good idea to call it a day...need to psyche myself up for the big match tomorrow night - work ? - a necessary intrusion .........
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