Jobseekers Notebook

I had to go and sign on today.

I had to show proof I'd been actively looking for work.

I was pissed off. It's that or depressed isn't it. Maybe I was both.

No buggies on the first floor. Men and women, who knows if they have children or whether they are desperate for a reason to get out of bed in the morning. The Job Centre doesn't qualify as a best reason.

It's reported on the news (BBC). Unemployment has reached its highest level in 17 years with 2.57 million of us out of work (I work.. cleaned my bathroom yesterday or is that not work because the bathroom belongs to me? I cooked a meal too but is that not work because the meal is for my child?)

Just my luck my signing on day is a Thursday. Long time followers know why I don't like Thursdays. Thursday is bidding day, which I do not do because I get suicidal thoughts, which I don't like so don't encourage them.

I hate the jobcentre despite being welcomed by a friend from the Parent Council who works there.

I hate the way we're all judged and I will write more about that because I want to.

Alas, that's my problem too though isn't it? How I write everyday. I can't tell the job centre I do that.

Yesterday on Twitter I asked the whole world if anyone wanted to pay me for writing this heh heh heh.

Well, an anonymous donor paid for the Defence Secretary's "Advisor". An anonymous donor could pay for me. Why not?

Might take the fun out of blogging. Do you think it would?

To encourage me to look for work, I am going to start a new label.

Call it my JSA Notebook. Jobseeker's Allowance Notebook.

I have to fill it in for the job centre...oh it's so depressing, patronising, bollocks, reminder of rejections, no hopes, how what you want doesn't want you and other bollocks.

Will I still write under the work or benefits labels? Yeah, maybe. I never know what I'm going to write do I?

Oh well, to end on a bright note, I went to a focus group afterwards on education (youth unemployment also at record high) and got a £10 book voucher for my trouble and met lots of lovely "White British Low Income" mums and one dad.

We have jobs, why are being forced to Jobseek?