Tomorrow I want to leave my Georgette Heyer Classics Circuit review up, so I hope no one minds that I’m spending time in the Salon a bit early.
As you’ll know if you’ve been hanging around my blog or twitter, I started a new job this past week. We successfully rented a flat in a week as well. I advise you not to do this, actually. It was incredibly stressful, and most of the stress landed on hubby who had a hard time getting me on the phone the first day while he was looking at places and then had some bad news. We ended up taking a six hour round trip to get some items the estate agents had neglected to tell us we needed right after my first day of work, which was fun. They told us it would take two weeks to be approved, but after some discussion discovered that it only actually needed to take three days if our employers were quick with our references. They were, and yesterday we got the keys. Now we’re in the process of moving and buying furniture, as this flat is bigger than our last one and we don’t own a lot of newly necessary stuff. We also have to decide whether to sell or rent out that last one.
My first week of work was interesting. I’m an SEO/social media analyst, but the copywriter half, so I mostly write things that search engines like, and then promote them on various social media sites. I am now in charge of maintaining and updating a good number of blogs. I fully intend to continue blogging here, but I was warned that I might get burned out on blogging if I do it at work all day and still have to do it at night. Still, this blog is for fun, not for selling stuff, and I think that different mindset will help encourage me. I’ve been enjoying my job to a degree so far. I like writing and I think I’m pretty good at it when I try, but getting used to doing it constantly is a bit intimidating and leaves my mind totally wiped out by the end of the day. Luckily this last week I’ve been working with the employee leaving this position, and he’s been very helpful. So I know what I’m doing, I just have to get on doing it. Everyone at work is very friendly and has made me feel really welcome, so I think I’ll enjoy working there eventually.
I’m also already reading vastly less. The only book I finished this week was The Sparrow, and seriously, if I hadn’t been so into that book I probably wouldn’t have finished anything at all. Our hotel room for the week was simply terrible – they lost my reservation on the first night, the lightbulb went out one evening and no one could find a replacement so I sat in the bathroom for a while, the bed had a peculiar plastic sheet on it and was uncomfortable anyway, the walls were so thin we could hear all our neighbors talking, and to top it off they began doing construction on the other rooms at 6 every morning. Oh, and they didn’t actually have internet, which made all of our arrangements much harder. I obviously have the internet at work, but I’ve been staying away from my personal sites during work hours.
I hope to do a lot of reading in the next two weeks while waiting for the internet to be connected in my new flat; it just depends how braindead I am! We haven’t had our TV hooked up yet either, so there isn’t much else we can do. I have reviews scheduled for the next couple of weeks, but I really have no time to comment on blogs at work. I tried briefly today but my GR was intimidating and I’m amazingly exhausted. Instead, I read some of Lorna Doone, which I WILL finish this month, and began The Boat to Redemption by Su Tong in my effort to complete all of my library books before maybe next weekend. By my return to steady blogging and commenting, I hope to have a routine in place so you won’t even notice that I’m working!
I hope you don’t get burned out! We’d really miss you. But yes, I think that the fact that the goal of this blog is so different will probably help you maintain your motivation.
Finding and renting a flat in one week: yep, I’ve done that before and I also DON’T recommend it. Craziest week of my life. I’m glad it all worked out, though!
.-= Nymeth´s last blog ..Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild =-.
Gosh, sounds like you’ve had a rough week! I hope you get to rejuvenate this weekend a bit
I am also glad that you are liking The Sparrow as I’m reading that with a friend soon.
.-= Aarti´s last blog ..Sunday Salon: Do you fall for the hype? =-.
I hope you continue to enjoy blogging and don’t get bored when you have to do it for work too. I hope you manage to settle into your new place quickly.
I’m interested in your thoughts on Boat to Redemption – it is very different to most books I’ve read before.
I hope this week is less stressful than last.
.-= Jackie (Farm Lane Books)´s last blog ..Pocket Notebook – Mike Thomas =-.
It sounds like it’s been a tough week, but the job sounds perfect for you! I’m sure things will settle down soon, though.
In looking for a similar job, I’ve wondered the same thing about burn-out! Maybe we’ll both disappear.
Don’t worry about commenting, we understand the upheaval! I hope everything works out with selling or renting out your old place.
.-= Jen – Devourer of Books´s last blog ..From Self-Publishing to Sourcebooks – Guest Post and Giveaway by Susan Higginbotham, Author of “The Stolen Crown” =-.
I was absolutely exhausted by my first couple of weeks at my job, and I didn’t even have to worry about finding a place to live and move at the same time. Give it some time. I am sure you will find some balance.
.-= Marg´s last blog ..The Book Blogger Hop =-.
I think you’ll find a good balance after you get used to the work schedule and settled into your new digs. A full-time job is more exhausting than full-time graduate school because you have less control over your time during the day. I hope you don’t disappear and I really doubt you will. You may be less of a presence until your new routine sets in. So glad to hear that the people a work are friendly and supportive.
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Weekend Cooking: Chocolate Raspberry Squares =-.
WOW – I am exhausted just reading about your whirlwind week! I am impressed that you found a flat in a week’s time, much less were able to move in.
I am sure that once the flat is decorated and feels like home, and once you are in a familiar routine at work, the personal blogging will fall into place.
Loved reading about the update
.-= Molly´s last blog ..Spring Break 2010 is over….. =-.
Uhg, that does sound ‘fun.’ Just keep telling yourself it will be over soon.
It took me a few weeks to adjust to having a new job when I started working at the park. I’m sure you’ll be back to regular blogging and reading soon.
.-= heidenkind´s last blog ..Musical Notes–Darkly Luminous and The Prisoner of Zenda =-.
Eek, I’ll (hopefully) be doing the find-and-rent-in-a-week thing in May. At least I’ll know to be prepared for tons of stress!
.-= Memory´s last blog ..The Sunday Salon: Once Upon A Time =-.
I hope the new job is one that you will love in the long term! I think the first few weeks of any new job are exhausting. Good luck with your reading!
.-= Alyce´s last blog ..The Sunday Salon – March 21 =-.
Sounds like you have had a very busy week! Hopefully everything gets settled for you soon!
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..Book Review: The Cradle =-.
Such madness and stress! Take care and rest a lil…
.-= Veens´s last blog ..Bibliomania Day!!! =-.
Sounds like it’s been a very stressful week! I do hope that things calm down for you and that you can find a schedule that works for you. Glad to hear that you are still reading even though your time is much in demand!
.-= zibilee´s last blog ..The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran – 384 pgs =-.
I’m glad your first week at work has been so positive and you’re totally suited to copy writing, because you have great writing skills. And the flat is mostly sorted which is cool, aren’t moving jobs and moing houses suppoused to be some of the most stressful things you can do? Well now they are out of the way and you already did the wedding thing so it’s just smooth sailing from now on right?:)
.-= Jodie´s last blog ..They call to me in my sleep =-.