Between the bailiff and the bus, there was busy

Written on August 12th 2010.

Written by a 28 year old administrator from Brighton.

I woke up before my alarm but snoozed twice before realising I had way to much to do this morning to snooze any longer. I showered before getting on with what has become my forte in the morning: housework. I did my flatmate's mouldy dishes since she has gone away for the coming month and I just couldn't stand them anymore. I also boiled a huge pan of pasta, some of which I am eating now, at lunchtime. While eating my porridge I did my last packing for Edinburgh and other things, such as looking properly at that debt recovery letter my flat got yesterday. This made me realise that the last day, of the final warning, is today and this made me so nervous I have had a heavy and fluttery belly all morning. With the time I had allotted myself this morning, getting up at 7 am and taking the bus at 8.20, i had too much to do so I missed the bus. I got another one and changed. Fortunately I have of lately become very good at handling disproportionally large backpacks in small spaces so that went well.

Arrived in the office 9.10 with huge bag and tired legs from the hill up to Mantell Building where the MOCO office is. Immediately logged on to check my bank balance to see how much, if any, of this debt I would be able to pay if they forced me. I have two bank accounts, both had exactly £105 in them. Not much. It would have covered half the debt but fortunately they agreed to a payment plan. Relief.

After that I started with work, bits and pieces off the long list of things to do. I uploaded new questionnaire submissions which is fun work as I have to read them through while I do it. I also answered the phone to several people from the BBC interested in today's diary drive. Got booked in for a 1.10pm phone interview for BBC Surrey and Sussex. The project manager kept calling as well, asking how everything was going. Oh, and I also realised halfway through the morning I hadn't had time to put on make up this morning, so I did that while I waited for the computer to reboot after a crash.

I worked like this until 1pm when I realised it was soon time for the radio interview and I got really nervous again. At exactly 10 minutes past they called and I got to listen to “Sweet dreams” by Eurythmics and a a short interview with MOA staff before I was greeted on air. We chatted about the 1939 class questionnaire before talking about the diaries of today. The presenter asked me how these diaries figure in today's society when everything is so centred upon writing about oneself, especially online. I said this archive allows researchers to find uniform sources in one place but apart from that I could not come up with a good and quick answer. What is the meaning when we could just blog instead? I think it reaches different people in the end of the day but in a way I think it's a shame it's digital. When I worked in the MO archive two summers ago, I read so many diaries that were handwritten, it makes a difference! It's like you get the person closer just by knowing what their handwriting is like. Mine by the way is slanting and hard to read, just the way I like it. Anyway, the radio interview went well and I think I came across as knowing what I was talking about. I was really sweaty afterwards though!

Now it's soon after 2pm and I have had my lunch break, during which I wrote this, ate some pasta and checked Facebook. The weather was lovely this morning but of course it has clouded over and become windy so outdoor didn't tempt much. I also knew that if I didn't start this diary now, I probably wouldn't get it done later either. Back to work, upload the sweet promotional video my colleagues did on Youtube. I love this job, it's fun and varied and I will really miss it when it is over in September.

It has now gone 6pm and I find myself, for the third evening in a row, in my favourite pub in town. But rest assured I am not here to drink, no it's work-related wifi that I am after. I have two part-time internet based jobs that I try to cram in here and there and this week it has been mostly in the evenings after working in the office before. Mostly I am happy not to have wifi at home as it distracts too much and drains my creativity, but it would be nice to be able to do this work from home. On the other hand, I have been coming to this pub for so many years that it feels pretty homely by now and I always know people in here. Better get started so that I don't spend my two working hours procrastinating.

After working for a bit I get on the bus to the train station to get my tickets for London later before meeting my ex-partner at another pub. We have pint each and talk about this and that and it's always nice to see him. Unfortunately I have to leave for the train at 9.10pm and we say goodbye. On the train I'm hit by tiredness and I drowse my way to Victoria. As always I have a study book with me but it's left untouched. Instead I buy a Vanity Fair at Victoria and is, inexplicably, given a free Daily Telegraph with it. Maybe my choice of reading material on the train was wrong from the beginning! In the end, I don't even read the slimy, crawly article about Lady Gaga anyway that I bought the Vanity Fair for.

At 11pm I get on the coach to Edinburgh. I am hit by a wave of toilet smell when I enter the bus but after a bit, I can't smell it anymore. Instead I nest myself in with a pillow and a blanket and hope for the best for the night's journey. I will arrive in Edinburgh at 8 in the morning, a travel choice that is far from ideal but my girlfriend is waiting on the other side and I can't wait to see her. By midnight, I'm in and out of sleep which continues until the next day's dawn and the raggedy coastline south of Edinburgh.