How are you today?

[RobB]

Dave,as I was reading your post,the thought that it could be tinnitus popped into my head before you mentioned it. My dad suffered from it and he said it sounded like being in a field of grasshoppers chirping away. But I think sufferers hear all kinds of different sounds. Hopefully in your case it just a mild internal ear infection and it won't return too quickly. Certainly a lot of people are suffering from colds and infections at the moment.

[blue]

Thanks Rob, yes it's a great shame that this person was given the job as manager - within a few days of the news getting around town, I had people come to me from three of her former workplaces warning me about her. This is a small town and because I've worked for long periods in local shops, I know a lot of people. The manager that she worked under as a deputy in her previous job told me that the company, in the end, went to considerable lengths to get rid of her because she had caused so many problems with staff at the store, to the extent that people were leaving because of her.

Unfortunately she is one of those people who, when the big bosses come down to visit or investigate complaints, can be very plausible and charming and good at saying exactly what they want to hear. For a while, anyway. She's essentially been sacked from all three of her previous jobs (the last company transferred her to a store they knew would be closing, so she had to take redundancy although jobs were found for everyone else who worked there), so I've no doubt the same thing will happen at this store, but I couldn't afford to wait it out with my health so badly affected.

It's a great pity, but there you go. I'm just so happy to be working around normal, nice people in my new job - there are two female managers there, both lovely girls, and the team seems to be a happy one.

[RobB]

What I find strange is how the manager was able secure good enough references from her previous employment in order to get the job?

Anyway,despite the health scare and the inconvenience,she's done you a favour as it seems you are now working in a very happy environment with really nice people.

[blue]

What I find strange is how the manager was able secure good enough references from her previous employment in order to get the job?

She didn't need them. My personal belief is that she was hired on the basis of her physical appearance (tall and blonde), and no references were sought. Her previous manager has not been contacted for a reference.

I wasn't asked for references either, I was hired over the phone just from talking to the woman doing the hiring.

I think because the company is just starting up again, everything is being done on a very personal level at the moment. But even in a more established company where references would be sought and checked, the fact is that these days employers are simply not allowed to give bad references. All they can say is that they wouldn't hire the person again. All the applicant would have to say in response is that it was a 'personality clash' or some such vagueness, and there's nothing to prove otherwise.

When I worked in my previous neighbourhood store, a member of staff was caught on tape stealing money from the till and sacked. She promptly got a job in a jewellery store, where she still works.

[RobB]

What a dreadful state of affairs.

Even at my charity shop volunteers have to provide two personal references.

I would have thought that serving the gerneral public would be the type of job that employers would be hot on checking references for, just in case they end up employing some one who is likely to damage the reputation of the company.

[pgss]

Ugh Beth what a horrible story about that storemanager. It almost makes me ashamed to be a manager as well, knowing there are people who really dislike me too. [b)]

[blue]

Oh Paul, I seriously doubt you have anything to worry about! You are a decent, intelligent person. Being in management involves a certain amount of resistance from the shop floor workers, no matter how nice you are.

The problems with this woman are to do with her personality, they would be apparent whatever position she was in at work. She knew when she came in as manager that I had been offered the job before her but had been unable to take it because of my childcare committments with my grandson, and I believe she resented the fact that I knew what I was doing in the store while she very obviously didn't. I think that's the main reason she targeted me. I spoke to one of my ex-colleagues yesterday who is still working there, and apparently the manager is now targeting her with the same treatment, seemingly for no better reason than that she wants one of her friends to have my colleague's job.

Just a nightmare person. Hopefully it won't be too much longer before higher management wise up and send her on her way.

[sound world]

Well how is everyone? Not a lot of us here these days apart from me, Alex, RobB and Paul (S) checking in every few days - and maybe the odd lurker. Hello lurkers, why don't you post something?

Later today I'm having a mini-adventure. Having expressed an interest in seeing the Northern Lights for a while (espec. as they're at peak activity in this couple of years), my other half and I weighed up the options and decided we couldn't afford to go to Scandinavia to see them, so instead she bought me a birthday present of a trip to Inverness on an overnight sleeper train, and we'll take our chances in the North of Scotland over the next few days, and have a good time whatever. Having just listened to Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express (someone bought a CD of it for us for Xmas and we've been playing it on van trips), I can't help imagining the sleeper to be full of murderous types and Belgian detectives with waxed moustaches (Vero?).

Otherwise life continues as normal, (teaching 25 piano pupils, writing arrangements, doing the odd gig, running singing workshops all over the place) but my son has been blazing a trail-he has just passed his driving test (so I'm looking forward to being chauffered in my dotage), and more excitingly he has been accepted for a place at Cambridge next year to do Natural Science. An amazing achievement for him, we stlll can't quite believe it.

[RobB]

Teaching 25 piano pupils?
What....all at the same time?
Have a great time in Scotland Dave....at least you won't be bothered by those pesky midges.

[sound world]

If I could teach them all at the same time for half an hour, life would be a lot more fun! Every day I get a sinking feeling round about 3.15 when the first of the herberts start hoving into view.

Yes, haven't packed the Avon Skinsosoft this time-that's the stuff to keep the midges off, take my word for it.

[RobB]

Every day I get a sinking feeling round about 3.15 when the first of the herberts start hoving into view.

Think yourself lucky that you're not teaching me........you would be well and truly sunk.

Yes, haven't packed the Avon Skinsosoft this time-that's the stuff to keep the midges off, take my word for it.

I'll keep that in mind if I ever venture north of the border during the warmer months.

[RobB]

Incidentally, I'm still working my usual two and a half days a week as a volunteer in my local Arthritis Research UK charity shop. And now we're opening up another shop further along the street which will focus solely on books, media and small items of furniture.

Unfortunately, that means we will no longer be selling books and media items in my shop which is a shame,especially as I was in charge of the media section.

[Angie]

...and more excitingly he has been accepted for a place at Cambridge next year to do Natural Science. An amazing achievement for him, we stlll can't quite believe it.

Great news, Dave!

[RobB]

Its been a lovely sunny afternoon here in Essex so it was time to crank up my trusty old lawnmower to give the back lawn its first haircut of 2014.

[sound world]

It was a nice day-I managed to mend my gutters, which I've been waiting to do for over 3 months (waiting for a spell of dry weather). We had a major leak in our attic this winter, plus another one through the chimney dripping onto our mantelpiece, and the gutter joints were all leaking, so one wall was getting completely soaked. Our house is 50 years old and seems to have reached a point where it all starts falling apart - but finally we are dry now.