Day 0

I got a chance to get a massage this morning for half the price and I couldn’t turn it down.

It was glorious.

I had Thai for lunch and then I spent the rest of the afternoon building a house in Sims 4.

I am feeling a little anxious about tomorrow, and I am feeling a little excited at the same time but I am worried too, because I have not worked in a big(ish) company for a long time and I am not sure what to expect.

It took me nearly half a year to get used to the fact that I no longer have to fill in a timesheet, and meetings are actually practical and you work with people who are actually in your company and not outside of your company.

And I have to get used to go back to the office, which means no gmail and WhatsApp web on in the background, and definitely avoid using social media on the work computer… unless I am at home.

It is going to be amazing though, I have been to this company before and interviewed twice before – I guess third time lucky. 

Day -2

I went to the highly anticipated appointment today – my first Hollywood wax. 

It was very strange, in a way that you are totally exposed. You take off your pants (both in and English sense as well as American sense) and lies on the bed with your legs wide open as if you are at the doctor’s.

The sensation was… interesting. It hurt, but it’s not terrible. It was definitely one of those RIP and PRESSURE. 

The worst part is when she asks you to turn, and then you hold your butt cheeks apart so they can wax in between. 

The beautician also said I kept saying I am hairy but I am not actually too bad.

I feel totally amazing.

Shopping (day -2)

Work gave me a gift card for Bicester so I made my way to Bicester this morning with my mother, who wants to get my cousin a pot as a housewarming gift.

I ended up getting a dress – half a dress, which made me happy. It’s a summer cocktail dress, and I can definitely dress it up and down depending what I am going to do that day/night.

Happy times.

I’m jobless (day -3)

Happy Saint Patrick’s day!

I am officially jobless today. I am still basking in the goodbye dinner/drinks and presents.

I finally had a chance to read and re-read my leaving card – most comments are to do with my future adventures. Many of them are me being helpful.

Every single one of them mentioned about my smile or my laughter.

I have actually kept every single one of my leaving cards (five of them) and every single one of them focus on the fact that I’m helpful and that my smile, laughter and sense of humour are my best traits.

And since I have become a line manager they are mostly focus on how I’m a great manager.

I am actually thinking maybe I’m a better morale keeper than anything.

Who knows.

I was in Cambridge today, catching up with my old clan. It was really nice to see them. The office is still the same, quiet as usual but workload is massive.

I am glad I have met my old clan and it’s been so lovely to catch up with everyone.

Problem is the second city is a long way and I am just about on my way home.

We’ll see what time I get home.

Day -1 / -4

It’s always bittersweet when you leave a job. I have only been here for a year and a bit, but the love at this place, especially with my manager is unbelievable. 

I remember years ago I went into an interview, and I was asked what I wanted to do in five years’ time. 

I remember saying I’d like to mentor because I have had so many amazing people to taught me about the industry and the ins and outs of it, and I want to be in that position to do it. 

Obviously in my last job I got to grow someone from scratch, and they have now flare into this amazing person with so much potential. In this job I also get to grow another person, not quite from scratch, but the sky is her limit – she is absolutely fabulous and amazing and she doesn’t even have a science background. 

One of the most talented person I have ever met. 

I am so proud to call her my protégée and my reg baby (she does call me “reg mama”). 

My second one. 

There were a moment that we all got a little teary but we were all laughing by the end of dinner. 

And before dinner. 

And throughout dinner. 

I am going to miss them. The job was terrible, but the people are amazing.

Day -2 / -5

Dear Lord it’s a never ending story.

Penultimate day is always the worst.

1) deadline to make safety submission for EU and finance cannot provide me with the proof of payment and artwork is still not giving me the artwork

2) EU submission came back with a PSUR and today is the last day to receive translations and not everyone has come back

3) the lady that was replacing me operationally was meant to have a handover meeting with me… and never turned up for the meeting

4) urgent submission where we responded last Friday and the assessor said she wanted “03/2022” and not “March 2022”

Day -3 / -6

Oh my goodness I cannot believe the amount of work I have going on for myself and I have a lot of handover to do which I started to fill in and dear Lord it’s crazy.

I am totally ready to go though and looking forward to Wednesday where I get to just spend time saying goodbye to people that I have worked with and had an amazing relationship with. 

I also go an email from one of the ladies who interviewed me in my new job and it was so nice to talk to her and she acknowledged that I’d be starting. 

It’s amazing. 

People are so friendly already. I never had that before starting a new job.

Day -6 / -9

The usual Friday feeling means that I don’t feel like doing anything and will somehow manage to get away with getting nothing done and pretend to do a lot.

However.

I am totally counting down the number of days that is currently left of me working in this company, but there’s quite a few things that needs doing.

The thing that complicates the situation is because of the amount of things that keeps popping out of nowhere and I need to get those clean up so that my team won’t be picking up the pieces after I leave.

There is so much going on.

I am just glad it’s a Friday – finally 2 days’ worth of rest before powering through my last 3 days.

Day -7 / -10

I feel a bit of an asshole.

I met my cousin last weekend as he wanted to talk about borrowing some money as he planned to get a new place with his boyfriend.

I went to talk to my bank and financial adviser – an actually adult that knows where all my money is – and it turns out that whilst I have assets and investments and savings, I cannot access any of them without having to pay a penalty or selling some of my shares and investments back, and my actual free cash flow is about 10% of what I thought I had.

And it’s pretty much nothing.

Of course that’s exactly what I told my cousin, and whilst he told me I don’t have to feel bad about it, it makes it even worse because I know how much he wants to get this sorted and I know he really can do with the help. 

And when it comes to work, it’s also been very crazy because it’s my last week and dear lord it’s totally mental and it feels like I have more to finish off than ever, and people keep giving me more work to do when they can do it themselves.

Day -8 / -11

Another productive day and another crazy amount of work that I managed to complete. I am impressed with myself as well as being surprised because I can’t believe how much work I can get through a day. 

I feel like I am finally back to my old working speed and working style. Getting things done and still manage to gossip and have fun.

Because I found out another 2 people are leaving and it’s to do with a white man – there are so many misogynistic man in this company it’s crazy.

Also I heard that my friend has lost her baby at week 12.

We have a very similar view when it comes to pregnancy. We are pro-choice, but when you miscarried, that is very different because you don’t choose to lost the baby. 

Years ago I watched the documentary ‘The Silence Scream‘ that was made back in 1984. the documentary shows what an abortion is like using ultrasound.

It is a video that turned pro-choice to pro-life. 

I worked it years ago and it didn’t do anything to me, and I went back to watch it again today and it still doesn’t change my mind.