today

The last few days my days have been spent answering any phones and once again reverting to act the PA role. This is no way being disrespectful to any secretaries/PA out there. However I have been redeployed into a procurement officer role albeit as a trainee at the moment. Not to sit and be quiet, answer phone calls for the section and being allowed too create one or two emails a day if I am lucky.

It is a very uneasy truce, I know I should be more outgoing however the work is just not here to do and I am seem in such a light that I am the new boy trainee whilst everyone else had had some type of procurement training.

I also agree that with taking the salary cut that I had to suffer and position/role that I held previously I am maybe well I can be truthfully honest that I am a little aloof towards my colleagues. In my defence though they are not utilising my skills and competencies and no way are they involving me in any area of work that will interest me or were my expertise lies. The senior managers have recently re allocated work that the section has received, I have been placed in the team that were none of my skills can be brought directly into the play. The second team have been allocated the work were my skills and competencies could be used, albeit from a distance. I hear them discussing ways of approaching group A or B; I think I could help them here but then no. Am I being stuck up probable yes, however when the work was being reallocated the mangers said they will try and match work to the people. I am being difficult or reading too much into it, I know I am, but in some ways this is a form of bullying.

I know any relationship either at home or at work is a give and take situation; however any movement by my colleagues would of course start to break down barriers as I am seriously out numbered.

My fellow colleagues could well be thinking why they should change to fit in with the new boy, well not exactly new I have been here 9 months now. The other reason I must be totally honest were I struggle to fit in is they tell each other everything and I am from the school, were, work and home life should be kept separate. I agree that you should have basic background knowledge of spouses/children names etc. I find it really difficult to talk about what last night’s meal was and what I call menial topics. My normal workloads in my previous positions were the work was less concentrated, in depth, however it was constant. I stress it felt less in depth/ concentrated than my present position for I was undertaking various roles within this field for years. For I knew the rules and regulations were very in depth and were central government led however over time and not to blow my own trumpet I had become an expert in that field.

When I use to mentor colleagues I would give them work to go through and we would sit down and then discuss how everything went and move through all the situations that they encounter. My situation is very much the reverse here everything I get is if and when my mentor decrees it. Therefore everything is spasmodic i.e. if a piece of work has say 10 different stages I will receive work say stage 1, then 10 8,3,6 in that sort of sequence etc. Instead of working 1,2,3,4 back to 1, 2, of another piece of work.

Following the second sequence you are constantly reaffirming what the learner has learnt and at the same time revisiting and constantly changing the workload to levitate boredom and repetition.

As I have stated in another diary report I have decided it is in my best interest to move however that in itself takes time. Oh well back to the silent treatment and at least the job papers are due out.

My ebay shop is still ticking over. The no win drought continues, oh for the woes of not winning in free to enter competitions. Mystery shopper well I actually completed one this week, I am off tomorrow and have any assignments been posted for tomorrow. Yep you guessed it no!

Another Day Another Dollar or So the Saying Goes.

This is the start of another week the last week before I commenced some form of formal training. I have to attend a local further education college and commence a course that could take up to 3 years to complete and upon completion maybe received a couple of thousand pound/dollar extra in salary, however there is no guarantee that this will happen.

I have sat here in near complete silence for 3 plus hours and not one word has been spoken to me. If I try to initiation a conversation everyone lets the conversation continue for a couple of minutes then move off. I am not peeved off with that because in all my previous roles that was considered the norm and what I deem to be standard working practice. The thing is within 5 minutes other people including maybe some that were talking to me will get together in a little group and discuss the latest soaps for half an hour. At least if I am at this local college it will be better than sitting in work doing very little.

I have spoken to a few friends/associates outside work who are reliable HR people and they say that as I was placed and not recruited that as far as they can see from hearing my side of the story only, that I am facing work place bullying to either make me fit their norm or leave.

As I have decided to amalgamate my two blogs my run on not winning even a heavy cold via a competition continues.

I completed a survey with great help from my children concerning chocolate which was nice for they virtually completed the survey for me. All they said was pity that we didn’t have new and not yet released chocolate bars to test first.

The mystery shopper has hopefully turned a corner I have to undertake a mystery shop this week, hopefully there will be more to follow for as I have mentioned before in my blog this is a really good second source or primary source for some people.

I have over the last 12 months had 2 blogs

I have over the last 12 months had 2 blogs. One looking at ways of recouping a salary drop of 15 thousand and the other one following my competition, mystery shopper and survey experiences to see if they carry any substantial weight of enabling me to earn even a small proportion of the 15 thousand salary drop that I mentioned above. This other blog I will leave online for another month before I will delete it.

I have decided to amalgamate the two together this will therefore allow to post more regularly instead of trying to constantly think and type up two separate blog reports. Which as you can clearly see has not been the case lately on either blog?

Well the drought still goes on and I have not yet had a win during the whole of 2008 via competitions. If you follow my other blog of my trials to find some form of home working or internet marking to recoup the 15 thousand salary drop I had to undertake. This drought of not winning coincides with my placement in my current work placement.

The main stipulation of entering competitions is to try and enter 30+ competitions a week or roughly 120-140 a month. I am of average entering 180+ a month. This is achieved by subscribing too a couple of competitions magazine plus an online site every month and also looking at a free online site for alternative competitions to enter. I would recommend everyone to enter competitions for you never know when you may win that ultimate holiday of a lifetime free.

However at the present moment I am not the greatest advert. Am I?

The mystery shopper experience has been very poor for the last 3 months. I have always met all the criteria for undertaking and completing these assignments and I have never forgotten to complete and submit all paperwork on the day of the mystery visit. The company that I work for though has now stipulated that if you sign up to undertake a visit and you subsequently cancel you are only allowed a certain number of strikes and you are out. This I will say I have done, when working full time you sign up to undertake a visit knowing that you have a meeting in the neighbouring town etc. so after your meeting finishes a 20 minutes mystery shop to a local store etc. is achievable. I am sure you are well aware though meeting etc. have a habit of over running and this has in turn made me fail to complete these mystery shops.

I am now very careful to what I sign up to because I don’t want to lose this job albeit very small source of income because the opportunities to test or purchase goods that you may wish to purchase in the future however being paid by a company at a reduced cost to trial these goods is as far as I can see a good thing to miss.

The surveys have also been very slow, however I have recently changed ISP provider and I have not yet transferred all my account over. In a some cases not a bad idea for I was signed up to far to many survey sites to keep ahead.

I found surveys interesting and still do and although the pay is small it does build over time. I have also tested pens, aftershave and energy drinks. It is quite good for free goods although you have to fill in numerous surveys to hit the right one.

Job Situation

OK. What’s new? Well exactly nothing, in work they keep me well and truly controlled sitting in the corner and also out of the way.

My company have expanded too quickly and now the trainees and that includes me have very little to do. I know that I should really seek more work however my supposed mentor keeps every thing very close to their chest and makes sure that they always look busy although I’m sure that they are exactly achieving nothing.

I overheard two senior members of staff talking about everyone’s roles the other day. Now I spent nearly 20 years in my chosen field prior to my redeployment to this present position so I do know quite a lot of how the other establishments will work and how they like to go about negotiation. My bosses have decided that it would be better for me to play no role with this work group and be able to offer some form of help or assistance.

Before you ask, I appreciate I should say why have they decided to go down this route. I feel that I am so much isolated to even enter into discussions would not only achieve nothing it would also drive the boundaries and isolation even higher.

I have had one mentor meeting and I told that in no uncertain terms that although I am undoubtedly skilled in many areas, that my skills are not in this new work area and I should openly except that I will have to work from that bottom however skills and competencies are transferable all that has to be undertaken to match them and progress.

My new work colleagues will not even enter into discussion to match my skills and competencies to determine were extra support is required and were I am more ideally matched. I am at the bottom and wait for work like a young person straight out of school and undertaking a work placement.

One of the juniors in the office is always being asked my peers if they would consider moving into a trainee role similar to what I am undertaking. I know I may think to far ahead however if they can remove me that this person could move into my position.

I know that and I have had confirmed although not in as many words and I think I have mentioned it in a previous post. Out of the four trainee post one has just completed the necessary courses, exams and training whilst the other two were recruited via the normal application and interview route. I was virtually forced onto the section via the redeployment route. The manager of the section disapproved of my placement into the section however his two immediate senior offices informed him that I had to be accepted.

I have been enrolled on the first level of the relevant training/courses that I will need to undertake to progress. My fellow trainees are all trying to work out if they are eligible for any exemptions. I maybe able for one or two exemptions myself however I have not been involved in this type of work before and although I have touched on potentially huge areas of what I do now both in prior work experiences and training and courses that I have undertaken. I have decided that it would be better for me to start at the beginning to re-affirm my previous learning and also it’s will be better out of the workplace one day a week than sitting in work totally bored.

My mentor has stated once again the training course is not as relevant as to work experience gained however I am not undertaking any work at the moment to gain experience. I detest reality television with a passion especially, when they show it live although the night with a 15 minute delay and actually nothing happens because they are all in bed asleep.

My work role at the moment it would be more interesting for me and less of a punishment if I had to watch these contestants sleep than sit in the office everyday.

I have set it in my mind that I have to seek another job however it harder than you think and I have started to seek alternative employment and already submitted one application form in an area that I have previously worked in. I am constantly seeking ways now that I can undertake in work to keep me occupied whilst I look like I am working on something. Then again even if I was not I don’t think that my work colleagues would be bothered

Job Situation

The job situation has leveled out at the moment. That's why really I have been quiet.

Ebay is slowing taking hold and I need to know source another route to earn some more money.

I am due to start me new training during September however that looks like it will cause a few issues.

I will update you on this hopefully tomorrow.

Emu Oil

Emu Oil

I will be stocking this item in my ebay shop soon. Please visit

What is Emu Oil?

Emu oil is a product of the flightless Australian Emu. It comes from the thick pad of fat on the bird’s back which nature supplied as protection from other fighting birds and from the harsh Australian sun. The fat is refined by a thorough, licensed process, strictly regulated by the Australian Government. This process removes all protein, bacteria and foreign matter. Emu Oil is natural healing oil which is highly penetrating, anti-bacterial and has anti-inflammatory properties beneficial to the body and skin. It is odourless oil which will solidify below 18 degrees Celsius.

What is Emu Oil used for?

Applied topically or taken internally.

To moisturize: Emu Oil can be applied topically to treat dry skin conditions such as eczema & psoriasis and is also suitable as a moisturiser for spot prone skin as it does not block pores.
To reduce pain and swelling: Taken internally and/or applied topically, it is also used as an anti-inflammatory to give temporary relief to stiff/sore muscles and joints and to treat sports injuries or tired and overworked muscles.
As an after sun or to treat burns: Helps to reduce redness, reduce the heat and reduce pain. Helps to prevent peeling. Increases the healing time for burns and reduces the likelihood of scarring.
As a supplement: Emu Oil is said to have the perfect combination of the essential fatty acids Omegas3, 6 & 9 and is also believed to reduce cholesterol.
To treat scars/stretch marks: Emu Oil helps your skin to heal and regenerate itself. Will reduce the redness of new stretch marks and can reduce the appearance of old stretch marks.
To heal wounds/bruises/injuries: It is believed that Emu Oil helps to speed up the healing process almost two-fold by encouraging cell regeneration and reducing inflammation. Also reduces the likelihood of scaring.
To promote healthy hair growth: Applied to the scalp, Emu Oil will nourish the hair follicles, sometimes awakening dormant follicles and encouraging strong, health hair growth.

A list of all the conditions Emu Oil has been successful in treating/alleviating?

• Acne: reduces inflammation, speeds healing, moisturises without blocking pores
• Anti-ageing: increases the elasticity of the skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles
• Arthritis (particularly in fingers/hands, knees and ankles): reduces pain and inflammation
• Body Piercings: keeps the tissue healthy & moisturised
• Bumps & bruises: reduces inflammation and pain, helps the bruising to go down quicker
• Burns (from ovens etc.): reduces pain, takes out some of the heat and speeds skin regeneration
• Calloused hands: softens the skin
• Cradle cap: reduces the flaking. Very gentle & safe for use on babies and children
• Cramps: massage with emu oil to relieve pain and relax the muscles
• Cuts and scratches: apply sparingly to area once it has been cleaned and dried. It seems to speed up the healing.
• Cuticles (cracked or split): reduces inflammation, increases suppleness of the skin. Apply at least twice a day
• Dandruff: reduces flaking & itching
• Dermatitis (contact dermatitis): moisturises and heals
• Dry skin: moisturises and softens
• Eczema: reduces itching, moisturises and speeds healing
• Friction burns : eases pain and reduces the discomfort caused if the area is in contact with clothes
• Hair loss : massage into scalp to stimulate hair growth
• Massage : use neat or diluted with a carrier oil
• Muscle pain : massage in to help relieve pain and relax the muscles
• Nappy Rash: reduces redness and irritation. Speeds healing. Safe and natural for babies
• Nettle stings : reduces inflammation & itching
• Post surgery scars : gently apply to the area twice a day
• Psoriasis : reduces itching, moisturises, softens & reduces scaliness
• Razor burn : reduces soreness & redness, speeds healing
• Seborrheic Dermatitis : massage into the scalp daily to reduce flakiness and itching
• Shin splints : massage into shins before and after exercise or whenever there is pain
• Stretch marks: calms the redness of new stretch marks and minimises scarring. Reduces the appearance of older stretch marks and evens the surface of the skin
• Sunburn : takes out the heat and discomfort and minimises peeling
• Superficial phlebitis: can calm the redness, reduces inflammation & itching.
• Tattoo removal : helps to reduce the redness and reduce the possibility of scarring
• Varicose Ulcers/Eczema: helps to speed healing, reduce itching & inflammation.<

Shelf life; how long will my Emu Oil last?
It has been known for some oil to stay stable for up to 10 years. It is more usual for Emu Oil producers to recommend a 5 to 6 year shelf life. Although the recommendation is to use your oil up within 1-2 years of opening your bottle. This is because as soon as you open the bottle you expose the oil to the atmosphere and then when you start pouring it and dabbing your fingers in etc it is inevitable that the oil will be exposed to some bacteria. This applies to all cosmetics. You should also store the oil below 30°C and out of direct sunlight to help prolong its shelf life. In very hot weather it can be stored in the fridge.


Who can use Emu Oil?
The topical application of Emu Oil is safe for all the family including children, babies, the elderly, and the sick and during pregnancy. There are no known side affects. It can also be used on animals.


What does Emu Oil contain?
Emu Oil naturally contains:
Vitamin A
Vitamin E
Omegas 3,6 & 9
Triglycerides (lipids very similar to those in human skin)
Terpines - antiseptic agents
Sapogens - skin softeners
Oleic Acid - a skin cell regenerator and preserver and an epidermic transporter of bio-active compounds.

What are the benefits of Emu Oil?

• Reduces Inflammation
• Mildly Analgesic
• Suitable for all ages and skin types, even extremely sensitive and or/irritated skin
• More effective than arnica for the treatment of bruises
• Drug & chemical free
• Safe & natural alternative to mineral oils
• More compatible with human skin than vegetable or mineral oils
• A sustainable resource, unlike mineral oils
• Deeply penetrating
• Transporter of active ingredients
• Speeds Healing
• Doesn’t interfere with normal skin function

Job Situation

It is crazy in work at the moment my trainer is on leave/holiday and I get the opinion that my line manager can't understand why I have been given a load of work that should have been given to our admin team and not me. This hopefully will work in my favour.

My ebay shop is moving along and I am happy with the progress I just need to source some new items to sell to move onto the next level.