Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Finished Item: Birthday Sock


Sock on a biscuit jar
Originally uploaded by girl_of_bats
Of course, socks traditionally come in pairs, and I have cast on Birthday Sock 2, but the way things are at the moment, even the completion of One Sock is enough to warrant celebratory feelings.

It's... not a good time. Several things, some bloggable, some not, are causing a certain amount of stress right now. A small taster...

I suspect that tomorrow I have to call the Tax Credits people and/or Royal Mail because of a problem with the paperwork I sent by Recorded Signed For post last week not being flagged as 'delivered' yet. This is going to be made more difficult by me being rather iller than usual at the moment. I suspect I have to make a doctor's appointment as it's getting to the "beyond a joke" point - without Steve, I would be well and truly stuffed by now. I'm worried that even with Steve's help I might end up having to take time off work if my health doesn't pick up again sharpish. I have to sort out some more stuff with the DWP as well.

You get the picture.

I also have to write up a feedback report for Access to Work. Well, I don't have to, which is why I haven't done it yet. But I've been asked to, and I feel like I should.

I need to get some serious praise in for my current adviser, who has been fabulous and got all sorts of things (the taxis, the squishing machine) sorted out pretty much next-day, and I want to say nice things about the scheme in general.

But I also really need to let them know about the problems I have encountered with the system, like the trouble I had getting onto the scheme, the attempts to make One Size Fit All, the catch-22 of not being able to apply for the scheme until you have a definite job offer, but the difficulty of negotiating for a job offer without knowing whether you're likely to get help from the scheme or not.

Actually, if anyone can think of some good phrases I could use, please do put them in the comments, because at the moment I'm having trouble properly saying things I want to say without (a) it coming out wrong and everyone looking confused, (b) half of it coming out before my brain goes off at a tangent and I fail to communicate my original point leaving everyone looking confused, or (c) it coming out right, but far too abrupt/rude/blunt and leaving everyone looking distinctly pissed off. I need all the help I can get.

The sock came out well though.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well done on the sock. I really hope you start to feel better soon and that both the bloggable and non bloggable issues resolve themselves with minimal hassle. (I know, pigs fed, warmed up and ready to fly - but I can still *hope* it!)

Mary said...

Well, one thing has resolved - I rang Royal Mail and they said there was a known issue with their website regarding (didn't understand, boiled down to "certain type of recorded signed for post") where the website tracking didn't update.

Turns out that my paperwork was actually delivered the day after I sent it. And because of it being a known issue, I've been sent Proof of Delivery without being charged extra - a scan of the name and signature of the person who signed for it, although frankly their block capitals writing of their name is as illegible as most signatures I have known.

So, how many working days do you think I should give Tax Credits to respond?

Supermouse said...

Congratulations on the entire sock.

I can't help with brain, because mine is spaghetti. I hope someone can. There are clear, lucid mentions of your experience embedded in your blog, including this entry. Can those be copied and riffed upon? Perhaps even writing it as a blog entry might give you something you can then adapt for the form.