“I was looking for a job and then I found a job and heaven knows I’m miserable now…” Wrote Morrissey back in ’84. Of course, Morrissey is always miserable but then he’s so good at it. Myself, on the other hand, despite finding work, am not. After having joined a temp agency in Cheltenham (to avoid working in Worcester and to perhaps bring about a relocation to a des res), it was the Worcester branch of the temp agency who called and gave me a job in Ledbury which I leapt at as I need the money and the job sounded bearable. So I started on Tuesday at The Helping Hand Co. These folks design and make disability aids in the form of chairs, beds, hoists etc.  The staff all seem very friendly and, best of all, I was just in time for the office Christmas party! The party came complete with a huge turkey feast, a free bar, some dubious entertainment, pretend gambling and a shiny, wrap-around James Bond theme. This is always exciting for me as I get to dust off the tux and dress classily (anything to deflect attention away from my Chevy Chase…). Between the main course and desert I did managed to bag the Best James Bond award, which pleased me no end. Unfortunately later someone told me I was more Roger Moore than Daniel Craig which slightly took away from the achievement but hey, you can’t have everything…

So it looks like I’ll be popping over to Herefordshire everyday until at least the end of February. It has unfortunately curbed my availability for being out and about this month which is a shame. I had a call from the Cheltenham branch of the temp agency a couple of days into the job with an offer of more work (why don’t these branches speak to each other…?) You wait a year for some work while you’re free (and try to keep busy with whatever you think needs doing) and then a couple of temp jobs come along at the very point when you would rather be spending time with your mates. I would be upset but I’m just so thrilled and relieved to have discovered that I’m still wanted/needed. It’s like getting my Mojo back, baby…

I really love this time of year. I don’t care what anyone says, it’s so much better than Summer. When the sun does shine the light is so much crisper and clearer and the air quality is a lot better (especially here in the middle of nowhere). It’s also the time of year where everything happens. For me there’s never been a December that’s dragged because I have my birthday, Xmas and New Year lined up (at least one of which is guaranteed to be good). January and February are a different matter and should, of course, be cancelled

In the meantime I’m getting ready for Xmas and trying to compile a list of festive music. So far I’ve got a bunch of classics including The Pogues’ “Fairy Tale of New York”, John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” and “Let it Snow!” by Dean Martin. But it seems like I’m missing things. Any other suggestions?

Saw today that the government have finally announced the dates for the nationwide smoking bans for next year. Was a bit surprised when I read it was going to be July as initial reports suggested March. As much I’ll be sad to see the end of smoking in pubs and the inevitable change in pub culture that will come about, I recognise that it’s a good thing for public health and am planning to use the opportunity to help me quit properly, as I’m sure a lot of people will (perhaps a lot of publicans will use it as an opportunity to redecorate). I tend to be a social smoker and I find that a snout goes really well with a pint but have to acknowledge that it’s more of a prop and that I just need to work on feeling more relaxed in public which isn’t always easy for me. I have very little will power and the inverse relationship between alcohol consumed and my determination to avoid smoking doesn’t help. I suppose I’ll just have to be that bit more determined not to smoke for the four extra months (one if I lived in Wales or N. Ireland - why is their ban introduced in April anyway? What gives?)