Done a bit more scowering around in all subject areas and come across A LOT of part time positions which means one (or both) of two things:

They're splitting jobs up to make the figures look better. 2 people work 0.5fte = 2 teachers they can say are working instead of on the dole.

It's a cost cutting measure. Those part time hours will be all contact leaving no paid time for planning, marking, vacations etc... which we're all entitled to.


I wish the teaching unions would get some teeth and run these ****ers through because it's never the suits upstair that suffer it's the teachers and the kids.

Ooh. And I have just volunteered to help out with the Brimingham Roller Derby team (www.blitzdames.com). Next weekend I'll be down at my first bout. So, probably also a little time learning the rules of the game.

Any good?

You seen they're touring in the winter?

On the first quick listen it's a bit more upbeat than Hey Ma which is good. I think they went a bit too spacey on some of the Hey Ma tunes.

Yeah i've already told my brother to buy me a ticket but we know a guy who works at the secc so he wants to hold off and see if he can get us in for free.

I've kept faffing about and still not finished my plans for tomorrow. Found an interesting website advertising jobs in Christian schools across the globe. I'm not a particularly Christian chap but I've seen nuns on the run and think that I could pull working in a school off. I started looking into some of the positions I was interested in and none of them actually paid you. As they put it: Doing the Lord's work is payment though funding will need to be raised from personal finances, family, church or other sources for this position. :D ummm no thanks.

Right swimming and booze or lesson planning?

One thing I loved about Manchester uni is that the doormen at the Academy would let you into pretty much any show if you slipped them a tenner.

Any opportunity in Australia?

Booze and lesson planning.

Then a swim when your to-do list is clear. Having enjoyed doing your to-do list, thanks to the alcohol.

The problem with Oz is that the vast majority of schools are either RC (technically speaking I can apply but I'd have as much chance getting a job in one as I would a Jewish or Muslim private school) or they want you to have a visa in the first place.

I don't really fancy Oz anyways.

However on a more cheerful note it would appear that the fates have made my decision. I yanked out my modem cable (saudi dsl ftl) got my bits and pieces together to finish off my planning and then realised that the one set of lessons I needed to plan for, I don't have that actual curriculum on my flash and the hardcopy is nice and safely locked away in my classroom cupboard :D

Pool and I can't even remember what it is i'm going to be drinking (mental note: don't rip off the label of new brews or you'll forget what they are)

At the very least it can't be worse than the florida's grapefruit and cranberry stuff I tried out yesterday. if I can only manage a few mouthfuls before tossing it away I doubt anyone on the compound would have entertained the thought of drinking it.

Ironically enough just received an e-mail from a mate I used to work with saying:

Hope you're behaving yourself in Saudi. Job situation here is worse than ever.

keep praying in the church of rock.



I quite like that last line. i shall need to plagiarise the shit out of it on a future song.

****ing hell that new brew worked out spectacularly.

On the official scientifically proven JBJ's wine-o-meter (c)

1 bottle of wine: Merry and flirtatious

2 bottles of wine: On the verge of being an annoying prat.

3 bottles of wine: WOOOOOO I'M A GOLDEN GOD (or if I havent eaten: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz)

This fits firmly in the 1.5 bottles category: Charming, somewhat capable of holding an intelligent conversation and just on the cusp of turning astonishingly terrible at pool :-)


Listened to James' album again. I really like it. It's impressed me more than Hey Ma did at the first listen. it starts a bit weak but ends really strong. It's a bit more coherent than hey ma which seemed a bit all over the place at points. Some of it sounds like millionaires, some of it sounds like pleased to meet you and theres even the odd flash of classic pre-millionaires james there. :D

All in all worth the 5 notes it cost from itunes.

Friday - Friday - a lovely day :D No I haven't started drinking yet either LOL.

I am contemplating this weekend - sleeping late and getting a few chores done - some minor painting etc. Mostly staying in first gear since this week was pretty busy.