Beaver = Confused, Job Center = Confused... The Blog Post!

So, I signed on today, nothing happened there, just signed the paper after getting an appointment I expected to get - Then the woman signing me (same woman from last dole rant), said she had to send me to the supervisor. Now I expected the worst, and knowing our past history, she sort of told me its nothing to worry about and she will sign me there. Okey, now I'm confused, and its only going to get worse.

So there I was, sat with the supervisor, he was just setting up but he showed me everything, which was cool, then he told me - I am being sent on the brand spanking new Back To Work Program, and its so new, I'm the first in Hartlepool. This is where the Job Centre get confused.

There is no information about these company's who are doing the courses, really, no phone number, no address, just a couple of names who have never worked in the North East before - The one I am being sent to is Avanta (they have to send people 50/50). Nobody knows anything about these company's, not even the supervisors supervisor, who had to come over to help because of what happened a fortnight ago. So the guy told me all he knew, give me all the forms I needed, and I left. I think he was glad I was the first, because he is a good guy and I'll never get pissed with him even when he knows nothing - Because they really don't get told anything, he didn't even know what's happening about the course I was all ready sent to.

I'll keep you updated with what happens, they should be phoning me over the next week where I'll get some more info. Though after a quick google, I found out its TNG - Might as well stop my money now, because TNG is the worst thing that's happened to employment since Maggy Thatcher! Ugh!

Video Game Wish List

2011/Early 2012 looks to be good for gaming - So I though I would write a wish list. There in the order I think of them and not in the order I want them, its easier that way.

Catherine Delux Edition [US Import] (PS3)
Gears of War 3 Collectors Edition
Mass Effect 3 (360)
The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword
Super Mario 3DS
Mario Kart 3DS
Super Smash Bros 3DS/WiiU
Star Fox 64 3DS (Lylat Wars 3DS?)
Halo 4
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 (PC)
Dead Island (360)
Sonic Generations (Wii/3DS/360)
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (360)
Resident Evil: The Mercenerys
Resident Evil: Revelations
Metal Gear Solid 3D
Metal Gear Solid: Rising (PS3)
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (PS3)
Just Dance 3 (Wii)
Tekken X Street Fighter (360)
Street Fighter X Tekken (360)
Bioshock Infinite (360)
Kid Icarus Uprising
Tekken (3DS)
Tetris (3DS)
Kingdom Hearts (3DS)
X-Com
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (360)
Twisted Metal
Star Trek

Can someone lend me a few hundred quid please, so many games :P

Bloody Job Centre (Updated 08/06)

Yeah, so, I signed on today - It didn't go well.

First Thing - She called me Tony - NEVER call me Tony. From that 1 thing, I could tell it wasn't going to end well

Second thing - They changed my signing time from 3:40pm to 9:30am because there are too many people signing at that time.... The place was empty when I was there, and when it is usually packed, hardly anyone is there to sign.

Third Thing - She had a go at me for not putting names down of people I speak to when asking around if there are any jobs, she didn't seem to get the fact that I very much doubt the person I spoke to would remember a random person asking if they have any jobs.

Fourth Thing - For the first time ever they decided to do a job search, normally they have to tilt the screen so you can see it, but she didn't, so I had to move, good job I did, when she was filling in the search criteria, she selected Part-Time and Temporary, so I told her I cant do that because I would be worse off each week - She didn't like this one bit and decided to have a go at me for it.

Fifth Thing - She referred me over to a supervisor type person for 4:30pm, yeah, I had to wait around in town for 45 minutes

So that's how it started, when I saw the supervisor, he noticed a few things:
Firstly my agreement was 2 years old - My advisor should have done a new one of these with me on the first appointment with her. Secondly, I hadn't had a 'Better-Off Calculation' done, which would have prevented this whole thing - Basicly, he said I had been let down by everyone - He actually said that.

So, I had to fill in the standard form, basicly copied my diary which even he said was enough, but then we did what they call a 'Disputed Jobsearch Agreement' its 2 agreements, one that I dictate and one that the Job Centre create, these both go to someone higher up who makes a decision on what should be there, a compromise.

There is a side effect to the disputed agreement, the job centre cant tell me what to do, they can't complain if I haven't done any job search because there is no Agreement in place, I have 3 weeks or so breathing space, which I fully intend to exploit for experimental purpose.

Hopefully I will be paid on Wednesday, I have a bet on with the supervisor I spoke to for a bottle of Mountain Dew - I say I wont be paid (on either Wednesday or Thursday, since they wont see anything till Monday), he says there shouldn't be any problems and it should go through as normal or a day late.

Update (08/06): I was paid as normal - There's a shock