Halloween Horror Story - The Empty House on the Hill

There was nothing in it.



THE END

Job Application Funk

I'm in a bit of a funk today lady and gentle readers, a proper funk. Like I've fallen down a dark hole and can't pull myself out kind of funk.

I'll tell you why, earlier today I saw my old job being advertised on a job site via an agency. This was a civil service job and I immediately checked if it was advertised on the civil service site - it was. This left me with a decision to make and I'll explain why.

Over the years I have applied for a number of civil service jobs directly and never got one. Despite the fact I am qualified and experienced in admin and call centre management - I believe the fact I'm transgender is a factor in this. At one point in 2015 I applied to what looked like a civil service job via an agency, I firmly believed this was a fake job advert but applied anyway as a job could still come out of this. I registered for the job, interviewed for the job and got the job, mainly due to the fact the recruitment consultant was stoned out of her skull and didn't realise I was transgender.

During the time I was there, the entry level (fixed term) in the workplace was removed which would have been the next level I got promoted up to from a temp. I wasn't allowed to apply for permanently, a number of jobs I was experienced in and qualified for came up and I was unable to apply for them because I wasn't permanent or fixed term. Eventually after 15 months I was phased out due to the temp contract coming to an end. During this 15 months I managed a department over Christmas and New Years, trained countless staff and got nothing from it.

My choice is do I apply for this as a temp or directly. Directly I don't get in, this is plain fact, I have helped manage a department for this branch of the civil service but it counts for nothing because I'm transgender. I've got no choice but to apply for this job as a temp and hopefully get more than three months work out of it.

I should be firmly entrenched in this branch of the civil service by now, a few levels up striving to get back to I was before two decades of work placed transphobia killed my career. But I'm sat here typing a blog with only four hours guaranteed work this week.

Like I said readers, I'm in a funk.

The Haunting of Hill House

I have finally finished watching last years Netflix hit miniseries The Haunting of Hill House and can fully recommend giving it a watch. Rather than being full of jump scares its a proper slow burn series which rewards viewers for paying attention and adding layers to earlier episodes.

In particular there are a few episodes that rank with the finest things I've ever watched.The three episodes The Twin Thing, The Bent-Neck Lady and Two Storms are not only powerful episodes but the highlight of the miniseries.

There are so many things in this show that I fully expect will get better with a rewatch, the little background details in scenes, plot points that are so delicate you only realise them two episodes after you should have. Unlike a lot of horror it also has a satisfactory ending, speaking personally I go into horror not giving two hoots about the ending but this one left me nodding my head in approval.

So lady and gentle viewers if you're looking for something to get your teeth into this Halloween and haven't seen it yet give The Haunting of Hill House a view.

The Big Finish Catch-Up September 2019

For those of you new to this section of the blog, I started listening to the Big Finish Doctor Who releases when they started back in 1999, getting them as they were released up to mid 2002 and release No 33 Neverland. At that time I left Uni and due to being a bit busy with life and what not I only heard one or two releases over the next few years. I started getting back into them around 2008 and was 6 years behind at that point. Due to wondering off into the Lost Doctor range and a relaxed listening pace I fell further behind. In order to catch up I'm listening to two releases a month (or more when its a 60 min single disc release, plus without seeing the cover or knowing anything about the story) and my mission to catch up continues;

First this month its back to the monthly range with The Cradle of the Snake featuring, the 5th Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Turlough. Good dark story, good use of a villain and a very a-typical story 9/10.

Secondly its the 8th Doctor range and Prisoner of the Sun may be the best example of a one disc story Big Finish have done. So many curve balls and twists plus a good hook at the end leading into the next story 10/10.

Finally its a trip over to the Companion Chronicles with the 6th Doctor and Jamie Nights Black Agent. A fun good spooky monster story that I recommend for Halloween 7/10.