Josh's Blog

Hi everyone! I promised Lucy I’d be better at updating this, so here I am writing from my phone while i wait for my train (apologies for any predictive text related typos)

I had a fantastic weekend, came up to Leicester, originally to help K&L look for a house in Loughborough, but after K’s good news they’re not looking there anymore, so we just had a fun weekend with Ellie and Patrick.

We went and played rent-a-crowd at a ceilidh that Ellie’s dad was playing for… It was in aid of the CND‘s 50th birthday party! (yes, apparently they’re still going even locally!) Going back to the roots, man. It was loads of fun, but it was odd that we were the only people there below 45 or so. Anyway, it was fun being the life and soul.

We went on to Retribution, or rather, its replacement, “Redeemer”. It was empty, which was probably just because of exams, but was very strange. £1.50 drinks though, and we stayed until 2.30am, so obviously enjoyed ourselves… I sucked at pool though!

Our wonderful designated driver took us home, and we talked about how the world would be much better if we decided everything. Or something like that, anyway. Bedtime followed swiftly, and today was filled with ultimate roast dinner! Hooray for the Mottrams!

The last week has been pretty hectic. Because of management holiday, sickness, bereavement, and courses, we’ve only had 2 managers to cover womenswear for the week (normally it’s 6.) I was one of them, so i’ve had loads more responsibility than i perhaps should have, but it’s been great. The week’s results are very strong, so that’ll look good to people, and i hand it all back to my boss tomorrow… I’m quite pleased with myself, actually.

I’ve generally been enjoying work a lot more in the last few weeks, as i start to get a better handle on things. Exercise outside work is helping too- i joined the Guildford outdoor pool and have been going about twice a week, which is good. I’m trying to lose weight, but cant find two sets of scales that agree on my weight now- i’ve had a range of about 10kg (so, a lot) over 4 sets, so i’m not sure where i’m starting from. I think my bmi is somewhere around 30 though, so need to do something about it! (yes, i know bmi isn’t perfect and has flaws, but it’s a good guide… and please don’t send “but you look fine” messages- they’re very kind, but don’t exactly help the motivation!)

Vickie and I broke up a couple of weeks ago. After 2 years, there are lots of reasons that i don’t want to go into here, so if you want to know, get in touch…

That’s a pretty good rundown of my life for the last few weeks, so i’ll leave you there!

Right, just to quickly update, because it’s not like it’s been 5 weeks since I last did this, or anything…

Life is good, having scooped up a place on the M&S commercial grad scheme to start at the end of the month. I’ve given KCL my notice, so I’m really just looking forward to getting on with it now. I’m based in the Guildford store, so I won’t be moving anywhere exotic just yet ( ) but I should be able to relocate at the end of the first year, so it’s not so bad. Not having a commute will be a winner.

Lots more fun planned for March too, with Kieran & Ellie’s birthday party this coming weekend, and the traditional boys Easter lash-camping trip the weekend after that.

Also, parents have bought a house! Very exciting, and a huge amount of work before we can move in, but once it’s done it’ll be really nice. It’s on a pretty little private road, nice and quiet while also a lot nearer town, so all in all a good thing, even if we won’t be moving until September.

I am getting a bit sick of Guildford though, to tell the truth. I’d love to be moving up to Leicester/Loughborough with everyone come September, but there are plus-sides to not paying for rent or food, I suppose. I’ll be buying the Lupo from mes parents after Aidan’s learnt to drive, and Leicester’s a far more do-able drive than the North West.

Right, that’s all on me for now, expect a pissed-off-at-the-Catholic-church post shortly…

Seriously, vodafone have to be the biggest pain in the arse around. I have to query my bill every. fricking. month. Everything’s pro-rata’d, discounted before and after VAT, done the next month, taken off the direct debit but not the actual bill, and just generally confusing as hell. [WARNING: Dull phone bill related post ahead]

I’m on a special deal (£10/month for 75mins, 100 texts, with 3mins=1hour off peak), which means my bills have the full price of this plan (£13.62 exc VAT) and a credit (£5.11 exc VAT) taking the full price inc VAT to £10. Fine, a bit of a convoluted way of doing it, but whatever.

Last month my query was because I’d had higher call charges while in France than I should have done with Vodafone Passport, which I’d checked I was a member of on 3 separate occasions. After getting back, it turned out I wasn’t on it. So having been hung up on twice, I finally got through to someone who had some inclination to help. She put me on passport, apologised profusely, and said she’d put a £5 credit on my next bill for goodwill. Very nice of her, job done. No.

So today, the email telling me that this month’s bill is available online, turns up. No sign of a £5 credit, but more worryingly it’s almost 3 times what my monthly bill should be, and is dated from the 8th Oct to 30th November – me paying for most of a month I’ve already paid for! There’s a credit on the bill, but it’s not the £5.11 I normally get, nor close to double that for two months. After figuring it out on the phone with the girl, it turns out the £6.59 I was credited this month is the pro-rata of my line rental from last month, for the 8th-31st. WTF? Why?!

That was because the people on the phone can’t add anything to your contract without essentially setting it up from scratch again, even just a random free opt in service like passport. Insane. So, they credit me back the line rental I paid for those 23 days, then charge them to me again (at exactly the same price). Except here’s where problems start. The woman from last month set it up wrong, putting me on the full price version of my price plan, at something like £16 a month (or whatever.)

Apparently it’s all sorted now. The £5 goodwill credit was given last month, meaning my direct debit was for £5 less than the bill said it would be, but the bill didn’t change. Useful. Doubtless I’ll have a whole confusing web of charges and refunds to work my way through next month to make sure I’m not being conned.

There, now wasn’t that boring? Moral of the story, question everything vodafone say on their bills, because half the time they don’t even understand them.

I’ve had a couple of interviews recently, one yesterday, which all seem to go pretty well, but which are also very competitive. We’ll see how it goes, but I should know soon . How’s life with you guys? Comment and let me know (if you’re reading from LJ, remember to click the link at the top of the post, then come comment over here so I actually notice that you have. Great )