You can find my Tweetings - if you're interested - at www.twitter.com/bromley001

So there.

It's been a while. That's largely because I tend to stick to the shorter posting at twitter. But I'm here because I don't know what the fuck to do.

I've been ill for a long time, but it's been generally well controlled. Then I turned thirty, the week after I had this big fit thing - Diabetic Ketoacidosis, which left me in hospital yada yada yada, and I haven't been back to work since. Off with sick notes, not really up to going out on my own in case anything happens, moved back in to parents' house, just trying to work out what I'm going to do re work - and then I had another fit the weekend before last. What the fuck is happening to me?

If I pack work in - which I want to do, I can't cope with the thought of going off on one while serving someone - hell, I've been off so long, I don't even know if I can remember everything about the job. I've forgotten names of people I work with - but if I leave, I'll have no money, won't be able to claim JSA for a few weeks as it's me that'll have left, not them that'll dismissed me. Plus, you've got to be fit and looking for work to claim JSA, and I don't know that I will be.
I've tried to claim Disability Living Allowance before, and yet there are people I know, more able than myself, who are claiming it. I get told to exaggerate things on the claim form, but it stands to reason that I'm the one who'd get 'found out' if I did that. I've never considered myself 'disabled', but now my Diabetes and Epilepsy are just getting on top of me, I don't go out further than the shop and...well.

But now I'm thirty. I can't ever see myself with a family. I want to meet someone special. I don't even have friends any more. Not friends I actually see. Friends from school? Practically non-existant. Friends from college? Working. Married. Moved away. Friends from Uni? We speak online occasionally, but that's it. My best friends are the friends I know from the Red Dwarf forums, and I've met them no more than about three or four times. I while my life away sitting with the laptap, nebbing at Facebook, twitter and G&T, and wasting what money I have on Doctor Who DVDs.

Jeez.

So, March, wasn't it?

Got a job in June. I'm working at Home Bargains (http://www.homebargains.co.uk), a discount store. We've got some pretty good stuff. I bought an 18" Voice Interactive Dalek, which we sell for £39 (RRP£99.99) for £31.20 with my staff discount. I work on the checkout. Sitting there for 8 hours a day can be deathly boring, and sometimes exhausting - it's non stop, a very busy store, but I end up with around £150 a week (I'm only on a part-time contract), so it's not bad at all.

Moved into a flat a month ago. It's only small - a 'studio' flat - but it's only £60 a week, plus about a fiver for electric. It's alright for me, even if no-one ever comes to see me.

Going to Malta next sunday, principally to scatter my Grandad's ashes. It's only the second time I've ever been abroad - I went to France for a weekend when I was 13 - and it'll be the first time I've ever flown, so I'm looking forward to it. Mind you, I'm working on Saturday until 4.30pm, then we leave for Manchester Airport at 5.30am, so I'll probably spend the flight sleeping!

Still single - I know, shocking, isn't it? - but then, I never go out, so... It's depressing really, when you consider that Dave and Esme got married back in May, and Steve and Lou have just become parents, and then here's me, Thirty in January, all on my lonesome...

So what about you lot out there, reading this? What have you been up to since last we spoke?

Hello! March the first!
It's been a while, hasn't it? The thing is, I don't really have much of a life to write about - as anyone who's ever read my journal before will testify to.
But I'm here now, so I thought I'd show my face.

2008. It's only eight and a half weeks old, but a fair bit (ish) has happened:

Jan 4th. Mum's birthday. Late evening. Our lovely little cat Ozzy sits meowing at the back door to be let out. Never makes much noise - in fact, we thought he was a mute for at least six months. So, laughing, my dad opens the door, saying, 'And never darken our doorstep again!'. Sadly he didn't. We put a picture up in the newsagents window a few days later, but a neighbour told us that they'd found him run over round the corner.
My 29th birthday on the 19th January. I'd wanted to do something, and started asking friends from around November. In the end, Angelina (more about her later) and my ex-girlfriend Faye came over on the 18th (my nan had given me the use of her flat for the night - I'd intended to have, for want of a better term, a sleepover), with lots of food, and made me something of a little feast which none of us could finish. Watched a couple of DVDs, and had a good time, but they had work the next day.

My Grandad had been in hospital since the end of November, and died on February 7th. I last saw him a couple of weeks before he went in hospital (he didn't live in Sheffield), so at least I'd seen him in reasonably good health. His funeral was on the 15th, and despite the nature of the occasion, it was a really nice day, meeting relatives I've never seen before, seeing cousins I haven't seen since I was a kid, and looking at a comprehensive Bromley/Jennings family tree that a cousin of my dad's is compiling.

On a lighter note, Sheffield United of course, have had a fairly decent cup run (until the other night, of course), despite the awful treatment of Bryan Robson by those stupid boo-boys of ours. Don't they realise that his Man Utd connections were actually giving us a bit of respectability. If they hadn't kept on protesting and jeering, he'd've taken that job 'upstairs', we'd still have those connections, as well as the 'umph' that Kevin Blackwell's going to give us. Morons.

What else? Ah, well, here's a thing.
Those of you who know me, or read this thing regularly, will know of my feelings towards Angelina. I first met her at college, around 5th August, 1997, and was hopelessly in love a few weeks later.
The thing is, she was only just turned 16. About 16yrs, 1 month and a week or so. Me telling you this is not an example of being a crazed obsessive, but to point out that my younger sister Grace is now - give or take a day or two - the exact same age.
How can that be? Ange was at college, we were cool teens (alright, I was never cool, but I was 18 and a half). She was stunning.
Gracie is but a girl! Lovely, yes, but a girl! The mere thought...bizarre.

One final thought. My dad bought me a second hand DVD from the library this morning of one of my favourite shows from my childhood, a cartoon I used to love.

Count Duckula.

All I can say is: Nostalgia ain't what it used to be...

I am fucked off at the moment.
Had to go for a review at the dole office on tuesday, and I was dreading it. As it turned out, it went really well, and the lady I spoke to was really nice. I told her about the trouble I've had with my epilepsy this past year, and how I've lost a lot of confidence, and that I don't really want the type of work I'm looking for (retail), it's just that that's what I've got my bit of experience in, yada yada yada.
So, she looks up the careers service website, and we see that they can provide help in looking at what you want to do, retraining, and just generally helping with changing your career - perfect!
So, I decided I'd go down today. Unfortunately, I couldn't go down until the afternoon, as mum's been working all night, and is in bed, so I decide I might as well wait until monday.
Dad walks in from work (finishes at lunchtimes on a friday), shows me the paper, I read the cartoons, and see my horoscope at the side, which says something about a great time for careers and going for it. Well, I'm not one for living my life by my starsign, but a coincidence like that is too good to miss.
I go down to Division Street, and talk to this pig-like woman behind the desk.
I'm really upbeat, and tell her about my review at the dole office, and how I should see them about talking about my career options. Am I over 20 and living in Sheffield permanently? Yes I am. Do I have any qualifications at level 2 or above? Yes, I tell them, I have an NVQ2 in retail. We can't help anyone with level 2 or above, they're not funded to, and they've told the jobcentre this before.
Any joviality I had about my person has vanished by this point. "Oh." I reply. Pigwoman (and I mean that - it's not just me being bitter and twisted, she did actually look like a pig) gives me an A4 sheet of paper containing the number for LearnDirect, and then I can talk to them over the phone.
"Thanks" I say, walk out the door, screw up the paper and toss it on the floor, despite the litter bin at the side of me (rebel, me, aren't I?).
I was so disgusted and all round angry at the lack of help...I was speechless. I couldn't believe how unhelpful they'd been.

Right, Rant over. I'm off to slit my wrists.

It's been a while, hasn't it? The fact of the matter is, when I only get an hour a day on the interweb, writing on here is at the back of my mind.

However, I was on the tram yesterday, on my way into town to sign on, and I got thinking about old times. Dave's getting married in a few months (he's asked me to be an usher), and I got to thinking how much he's changed over the years (I was looking at some photos of him on his facebook page, and he's barely recognisable to the Dave I met ten years ago). Then I've been in touch with Saz again - again, through facebook - and we're meeting up soon. Facebook's also been responsible for me getting back in touch with a good friend from primary school, who I've not seen on a regular basis for over ten years.
So I was thinking about all this, reminiscing, getting sad, because everyone's grown up and got lives bar me, when my best friend ever gets on the tram, Danny. I've not seen Danny for a few years, properly - I saw him a couple of months ago, in passing - but at school, we were like brothers, and the relationship I share with him is hard to describe without coming across as a raging homo, I love him so much.
So anyway, he got on the tram - with his wife, no less (Becky, very nice girl, but she's only 20, and Dan's 29 next month...). So after I signed on, Becky went off to do a bit of shopping and me and Danny wandered round town for a bit. 'Twas nice to catch up...

So what else since I last wrote? Well I went to Dimension Jump, didn't I? I enjoyed myself immensely, and got very nicely drunk on the Saturday night. I enjoyed meeting everyone I don't normally got to see, had a close encounter with someone called Penny, who was very nice, knew things about me (in a spooky way), bought me me a drink and gave me a massage...and was married, and I thank the Fan Club for letting me go for nothing!

That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure I'll be back at some point.

02:07 pm Aug. 22nd, 2007:

Yes, you can join my Can't afford DJ again club, unless, of course, one of us wins the DJ prize in the new BTL (and if it's you, I'll never be your friend again!!!).

I won.

Yay!

DJ is the annual Red Dwarf Fan Club Convention, which I haven't been able to afford since I went in 2002. There was a competition for free entry and two nights in the hotel, all paid for.
Which I have won.
So. I've borrowed some money off my nan, and am booking my tickets down to Peterborough. It's £35.50 on both the coach and the train, though I suspect I'll take the train as it's quicker, and I can leave Sheffield later on friday, and don't have to leave the hotel as early on sunday.
It's all come as a massive shock - I got the call from James (the Red Dwarf Fanclub Chairman) at about half one, but my phone was turned off, charging, all afternoon. I finally found out and got the messages at about half six, and have been running about like a headless chicken since.
I was also communicating with someone on the subject last night, but I didn't recognise the number, so I don't know who. I assumed it was James at first, until they referred to something James had said, which told me it wasn't. Having asked who I was texting, and received the reply 'I am Craig Charles', I suspect it's Symes or Mick, though it's a different number to what I have for them. What-ho.
I'm a bit excited...

Four weeks?! My god, I didn't realise it'd been that long.
The reason I don't update like I did is mainly because I'm so depressed and fed up most of the time, I can't really be bothered to do anything. I mean, I pay £29 a month for my gym membership, and I haven't been in nearly three months...
Anyway, yesterday was...interesting.

First off, I was expecting the new KT Tunstall album, Drastic Fantastic (the deluxe edition, with the DVD), which was to be released on the 10th. Our post usually comes between 10-11am, sometimes earlier, often later. So I was up around 9.30am and waited...
Meanwhile, my little sister Grace had been looking forward to the 10th for a couple of weeks, as she was having a kitten, after answering an ad in the paper. The litter were ginger, and she'd already pre-named it Marmalade. She was going to fetch it after school, it had all been arranged...
Mum and Dad had ordered an armchair. We have two settees in our living room, a three seater and a two seater, both of which are a bit knackered, so we wanted somewhere else to sit, so my Dad had gone up to a furniture shop, and placed this order - it was due to be delivered on the 10th...

Waited for the post all morning - nothing. There is a three tier block of flats opposite us, where we see the postman walking along the 'rungs' of the walkways, about 15 minutes or so before he reaches us. Not a single sight of him...
Grace was off school with a bad headache yesterday. She was still waiting until 3.30pm - 'after school'...
Mum was waiting in for the chair arriving. Not that she ever goes out, mind, but the sentiment remains...
1.45pm - I look out of the kitchen window and see the postman (he's new, and would get lost on a straight path) on the bottom rung. Not long to wait...
Over half an hour later the post finally arrives! I listen to the CD and all is good.
3.20pm. Grace sets off, first to Nan's, which is near where she has to go for the kitten, with Chris in tow. She gets there only to find out from our cousin Megan, who has been keeping in touch with the owner of the cats for the past couple of weeks on Grace's behalf, that the said owner has been evicted, the kittens and mother going to cat's home. No kitten for Grace. Nan's going to ask a friend of hers about some more. Meanwhile, our cat Ozzy is having to eat all the kitten food Grace bought...
While Grace is at Nan's, a big white furniture van pulls up outside. The guy comes in and asks where we want the chair. He puts down his paperwork on the buffet in the room, and goes back out to his mate to get the chair.
He comes back in and tells us he thinks they've dropped the chair off at the previous house - a big delivery just round the corner. Off they go to fetch it.

A few minutes later, they return, empty handed. It turns out that someone has stolen the chair out of the back of the van while they were at the last house, so he apologises, and sits on the front of the house while he gets in touch with the store and the police. He tells us someone will be in touch to arrange another delivery date, and off they go.

Ten minutes later, the doorbell goes. The van's back outside.
"We've found it!" cries the driver. On their way around the estate, they've seen two lads carrying the chair, who've seen the van, dropped the chair and done a runner. So the van recovers the chair, and brings it to us, places it in the living room. There's a slight rip in the arm, which the driver says must have been from where they dropped it (although the way they had to shove it through the front door...) It can be repaired, so someone will come to the house to see to that - no real problem as we've got a blue throw covering it, as the chair itself is a different colour to the settees. Lovely and comfy, though.

So. One of those days...

My ever increasing bald patch has led me to have a rather brutal haircut.

The problem was, the surrounding area was rather dark hair, while the thinning area around my crown, though not entirely bald, was thin and blonde.

So, last night, I set to it with the shears, and had a number one, giving myself a 3mm fuzz all over my head and face (well, the beard has to be the same length, doesn't it?).

The result being that I now look somewhere between this:


and this:


Scary.

In other news, the football season starts today. I really do believe United (That's Sheffield United, the oldest United in the world, dontchaknow) will be promoted, although, when you've been a Unitedite as long as I have, it's probably wise not to voice such opinions - there is a certain inevitability of anticlimax to a Blades season - look at last year. Up and down like a bride's nightie.

I'm planning on popping down to Bramall Lane later on - I can't afford to go to the game, but I'd like to get a programme.

Ciao for now.

Current Mood: chipper

meme from Gwen: