A bed of roses

So, we're on a state of alert at work.  There is a strong possibility that we'll have to work from home and use our funky telephony system's collaboration tools for meetings.  My work PC is a 2-in-1 tablet/laptop thing (although I don't really use the tablet functionality on this one) - specifically Dell Inspiron - and I have my work phone set up on my smart phone, so I'm all set to go.  Other people are having to test VPNs on their personal machines.  And I'm surprised by how few people have the telephone app on their phones, given that we're IT Services!  I'm a long way from being a techie, but if it's new and shiny I want it!  Well, software - I do control my consumption of hardware as far as possible.

Anyway, the downside of working from home is that my PS4 will be fluttering its eyelashes at me from across the room.  The upside is not having to walk through the wind and rain.  Although we've had some sunshine the last few days, which has been very pleasant.

On Monday, I got an email inviting me to an interview for the job I applied for last month.  This included a link for booking my interview slot.  So, I click on the link and the screen tells me they're still reviewing my application.  Maybe the system refreshes overnight, I think, so I wait for the next day.  Same message, so I send a message to their helpdesk - the auto response says they'll get in touch within 2 days, which feels a bit slow but I don't know what else they're dealing with.  I check back on Wednesday - no change - and Thursday, when it finally has changed but now says all the interview slots are full. 

Rather than deal with the helpdesk (who have still not responded), I rang the person who would (I think) be my line manager.  They picked up the phone with a rather curt 'hello' - no name, not even the department.  Now, I don't know what shit they've had to deal with during the day, etc, etc, but I must have come through as an external call.  They had no idea who I was, so I was rather put off by that.  Anyway, I explained I'd been invited to an interview and had struggled with the booking system and they said there'd been a 'technical hitch'.  OK - shit happens.  Why not email the candidates to say there's been a hitch and you're dealing with it?  Anyway, they warmed up during the conversation and came across much better. 

They said that the interviews had been scheduled for Thursday or Friday - as in the day I rang and the next day!  That really doesn't give much time for preparation!  But given the hitch, they were being rescheduled for 27 March, so to keep an eye out.  The invitation came out on Friday and I booked on for 11am.  There were only three timeslots, so either there are only three candidates or other people were even speedier than me in booking.  I'm on leave on that day, so I don't need to give any awkward explanations to my current line manager.  Oh, and we might have to do the interview over Skype!

Later on, I was copied into an email from someone on the helpdesk asking the 'team' if they could help me.  I emailed back to say they could close the ticket because everything had been sorted out.  The auto response promised to get back to me within five working days...  

So, my overall impressions are not good plus I would have to pay to travel to this job rather than it being a walk.  But I am treating this as a practice run.

I do have a very nice new dress in green - an unusual colour for me but it works very well with a navy jacket and shoes that I already have.

And the son has an interview to be a tour guide at Anfield!!!  This would be his dream job and I think he might even take a pay cut - depending on how deep it was - if necessary.  I'm almost more excited about his interview than mine.

And speaking of Liverpool, it seems there is a very real possibility that the Premier League will be cancelled, just as we're on the verge of winning it a) for the first time in 30 years and b) by a record-breaking margin.  It's just fate, I swear.  And even if the COVID-19 thing doesn't get too bad here, as a colleague was pointing out yesterday, other European leagues probably will have to be cancelled and then everyone else might as well because they won't be able to do the Champions League next year.  For now, the Prem has been suspended until 4 April.  We shall have to see what happens.  But we were all looking forward to an even bigger home coming than last year's and it's just gutting for all of us.  I mean, yes, we want people to be well - but we also want our trophy!

A couple of quick updates. I've applied for a new job! It's still at the University but it's a grade higher and I would get closer to actual students. I'm not entirely convinced I want to do the job but it's given me a confidence boost just to realise that it was possible for me to apply for it. And it would fulfil my ambition of having a job where you would see the actual difference you're making to someone's life. Actually, I think I do want it!

The other thing is that my artist made a blog post acknowledging that they over-promised with my pic. As well as their anxiety/depression issues, they've also been doing a lot of travelling for work, which has reduced energy levels. I accept all that - I'd like to have been told personally and not just in a blog post but, hey... I asked if, realistically, we were going to get the pic done and they said yes - setting a new deadline for end of March. So, we carry on waiting. I want to stick with them because a) their a friend and they've gone through some shit recently and b) they're free! But if it isn't going to happen, I'd rather acknowledge that and find an alternative. Somewhere... Anyway, end of March - watch this space...

And now my review of Dragon Quest XI. There may be spoilers, so read at your own risk.

I expected to love this game because JRPG! *excited fan girl squealing* I didn't and there are a few reasons why. Firstly, the voice acting for some of the characters was quite a lot less than perfect. Serena in particular made my teeth itch, especially with her 'Did I do alright?' post-battle comments - not only does it undervalue her contribution to the battle, but it was delivered in a tone of 'please like me even if I didn't'. Some of her in-battle delivery - 'take thiii-iii-iiis' - wasn't much better. Jade's sassiness - 'well THAT was easy' rofl - was much better, even if some of her abilities were questionable.

So, three female characters out of eight was a poor ratio to begin with, and only Veronica left me unirritated. The lack of good female characters in a game from 2018 is disappointing. And some of their outfits... Don't get me started on the outfits.

Another thing was that the MC didn't speak. At all. Except for a few grunts when casting spells. I just... Why?!

Sylvando's over-the-top campness worked, however. But the game lacked ethnic diversity to a painful degree.

However, I play RPG's (whether J or W) for the story and I have to say I enjoyed this aspect of the game a lot. Being a JRPG, there are no real story choices, you don't 'create your own game', and there was absolutely no 'relationship system'. You begin the game at the beginning and everyone will arrive at the same place at the end. There's some optional stuff in terms of sidequests and trophy hunting, of course but the story is the story.

There is the inevitable 'twist' in the middle but this actually made me feel I was playing a whole new game, with new enemies and new objectives.

I found the final boss challenging but not ridiculously hard, which is another plus. I don't like final bosses that can be killed in one hit - *looks at FFXII* (although, to be fair, that was because I was over levelled in order to deal with the hunts) - and I don't like ones that just don't know when to die - *looks at KH1 & 2*. And the post-game stuff means that you effectively get a THIRD game out of it.

Overall, I'm very glad I played it and I will get round to finishing it properly - but first Dragon Age Inquisition!