January 19 (Wednesday): Who You Drivin’ Now. This morning I wake up on my parent’s sofa after a hard nights sleep. And as a result for the third morning this week I feel dog rough.

Today comes with the intention of leaving for home at midday, so I immediately jump on the computer asap. Today I am really stressed out, it all stems from having no job (thus no income) and now my impending surgical work tomorrow is really worrying me more than ever. I have known for months that this day was coming but I have almost been in total denial of it.

Once bonus for the day though, a man comes along in a van with Homer Simpson painted on the side of it and he mends our Sky telly and we are suddenly back in the game.

My mobile rings and it is a call from a man called Alex from the agency I went to in Chelmsford on Friday. He is calling from St Albans and doesn’t sound overly related to the gentleman I saw but he does appear to be coming up with what sounds a really good opportunity. Additionally he doesn’t sound like one of these on the hustle agency types; I almost have rapport with him. He asks me the stupid question of whether he should forward my CV to a practise in Colchester and it all ends on a high.

And then shortly afterwards my mobile rings again and it is the fine gentleman from Greenstead apologising for not being in touch but telling me that he is still on the job and that he might have a temp position on the cards on Ipswich. He asks me if I would be available for an immediate start, almost suggesting I go to the firm for an interview this afternoon at 3PM. I tell him about the delicate situation with the hospital and he nods verbally in recognition of the severity of the procedure. He is agency king!

Once more my phone rings and it is the guy from the first call. He tells me that he has spoken to the practise in Colchester and he moves on to asking me what kind of reputation my last employers have within Colchester. I say they’re probably high profile from being well presented on the social front and the agency guy mentions that the firm he has spoken to has made comment that my old firm has a bad reputation with them and around town but the agency assures me that this does not necessarily go against me (although I cannot imagine it would help me). The cap would fit though.

With the day now past midday, I officially find myself behind schedule as my phone beeps and Mark texts me asking if I want to go for lunch. I don’t really have the readies but certainly I could really do with hooking up on a day like this, a day when it would serve well to be talked down.

I wind up having lunch at the parents before heading off home to Colchester and at this point Dad begins showing me his latest batch of correspondence from his old employers in Colchester who are currently giving him the royal run around. Today however I really cannot deal with looking at this I just stare at the pages he gives me while I subtly begin to hyperventilate.

I originally set a meeting of time of 2PM for Mark but at 2PM I still find myself in Clacton. I tell him I’m going to be late and I tear out of Holland/Clacton and turn into Tesco Hythe to do a quick bit of shopping before bowling over to Mark’s.

When I finally get around Mark’s he is the most chilled out he has been since he got back from Japan. Turns out he did his big presentation on Monday and now that big monkey is off his back and its all good times ahead (kind of). We chill and he tells me that I am not myself as I continue to take things in vacantly feeling like a zombie as I find myself unable to stop thinking about the slice tomorrow. Its really fun hanging around his house though and his mum cracks us up telling us about her Italian class and how they were extras in some movie (something we could have done had we actually been told about it!). My visit is cut short when Mark and his mum go off to see some Italian film in Greyfriars when Mark really sounds like he wants to go see Team America instead (“deffo”). I give them a lift there and do my thing.

And my thing just turns out to be go to the post office and sending some post off before returning to my pigsty flat. And I manage to waste the majority of the remainder of the day looking for my appointment letter/documentation for tomorrow’s surgery. Eventually I wind up calling the hospital itself and when I speak to someone the lady informs that I now will not be having anything physically done, instead the it will now just be a consultation with the specialist. I feel a real goof but also eternally relieved.

Early evening and I get a text from Mark saying how the Italian movie (some left wing nonsense) was not only Italian in language; it was also Italian in subtitles. What a waste, should have gone to see Team America. And this idea also appears to occur to Mark who suggests we now go see Team America now that I no longer have to stress about surgery. Unfortunately though Man Utd are on BBC tonight and my heart was really set on watching them/that.

The Man Utd v Exeter replay turns out to be equally pathetic as the first game sounded. Early on Man Utd score and take the lead through Ronaldo and you begin to expect an avalanche of goals, especially seeing that on the night Man Utd have the majority of the ball and Exeter do not seem able to get anywhere near Man Utd’s goal. Indeed, originally when Exeter managed to draw 0-0 at Old Trafford, the smart money was on the result being a fix in order for Exeter make several thousand pounds from a TV replay and bankroll their club for the next few years (if not decade). However, Man Utd plough throw the game lacklustre devoid of any spark or closure and eventually have to wait into the game is almost over before Rooney scores a second to make the result 2-0. Its not a classic showing.

And its not a classic showing on Celebrity Big Brother as they sneakily evict Lisa I’Anson while all the other house members think they are playing hide and seek. Losers.

Beyond that, I find myself watching the latest episode of Desperate Housewives but also falling asleep in the process making me question if it really is all that good in the end anyway.

np: Gil Scott-Heron – Lady Day And John Coltrane