# changing your life



## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

Where can you go to change your life? You know get help with actually getting a decent job and stuff. People want you to 'earn a living' (which actually if you think about it is a horrible concept), but when you try and get yourself moving forward you get stymied by a complete lack of support from society and state it seems.


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## Stanley Edwards (Sep 19, 2008)

University?

I know it costs loads these days, but if you choose a good course and put in the effort it can actually make a difference.

Career wise, getting talked into returning to full time education in my late 20's was the best move I ever made.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

Well firstly I got screwed around y a university a few years ago and there's no way in hell I'm going through that again. It's also too late now anyway, and, more importantly, I can't possibly afford it.


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## Stanley Edwards (Sep 19, 2008)

What do you want to do?


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## tom_craggs (Sep 19, 2008)

Stanley Edwards said:


> University?
> 
> I know it costs loads these days, but if you choose a good course and put in the effort it can actually make a difference.
> 
> Career wise, getting talked into returning to full time education in my late 20's was the best move I ever made.



Out of interest, what did you study when you went back Stanley? - this is something I have been considering since my fist degree I feel has narrowed me to doing work I really have no interest or passion for...it's daunting so I am looking for inspiration/motivation for the same.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

i like music, writing and I'm interested in graphic design. I wish i'd carried on drawing cartoons when i was a kid but i got into playing bass and had a shithole of an art teacher (who was more interested in his relationship with the female art teacher next door than helping us). Unfortunately being pretty good at any of those things hasn't really helped me at all. 

Beyond that I can't give you a concrete answer.


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## whoha (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> Well firstly I got screwed around y a university a few years ago and there's no way in hell I'm going through that again. It's also too late now anyway, and, more importantly, I can't possibly afford it.



Surely its never to late if thats what you really want. Have you considered part time study or distance learning. The open university practically paid me to study with them, and from where I am standing  one of the first places for me to start changing my life for the better is by giving myself more options by being better qualified , and as much as im glad im doing it now i really do regret not doing it sooner.


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## Stanley Edwards (Sep 19, 2008)

tom_craggs said:


> Out of interest, what did you study when you went back Stanley? - this is something I have been considering since my fist degree I feel has narrowed me to doing work I really have no interest or passion for...it's daunting so I am looking for inspiration/motivation for the same.



Interactive Multimedia Communications. It was good fun. 50% visual communication and design, 50% tech and programming stuff with lots of cognitive theory also.

Just went along to ask about part-time courses for the sake of access to facilities (when computers for 3D Max and similar were very expensive). Liked the guy running the course and the way he had put it together as part of the school of languages and got talked into signing up on the spot. One of those life changing moments!

Had to find an income also. Can't really remember how I managed.


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## Stanley Edwards (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> Beyond that I can't give you a concrete answer.



You need a concrete answer if you're going to get anywhere fast. Why not try freelancing in all Three and then decide which is best for you professionally.

Contact a few magazines to ask about writing. I occasionally write for English newspapers here in Spain and specialist interest magazines. Very little money, or even free, but it all helps to get your name known and drive people towards various websites.

TBH I'd forget about Graphic Design unless you're to go to a quality uni. To many doing it for far to little money. I worked alongside some of the UK's most respected Graphic Designers in London. To make money you have to be extremely good, or crap, but extremely fast.

In any freelance capacity, if I was still in the UK I'd be looking at having to charge at least £50/hour to survive comfortably today. It's not easy.

Best advice I can give is simply get out and meet people. The more people you meet - the more opportunities you will make. Look at other people's jobs and simply ask them if you can take 30 minutes of their time for a bit of advice. Most people will be flattered and more than willing to help you. People remember faces, they don't remember application forms and unsolicited letters asking for work. Although, you can get lucky that way also.

OK. There's some advice from someone who is just about to totally drop out of society and the commercial world altogether for a couple of years 

Fucking hippie!


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

whoha said:


> Surely its never to late if thats what you really want. Have you considered part time study or distance learning. The open university practically paid me to study with them, and from where I am standing  one of the first places for me to start changing my life for the better is by giving myself more options by being better qualified , and as much as im glad im doing it now i really do regret not doing it sooner.


they _practically paid you?_

I can't afford any of these courses, they are all hideously expensive from the info I've gotten.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

Stanley Edwards said:


> You need a concrete answer if you're going to get anywhere fast. Why not try freelancing in all Three and then decide which is best for you professionally.
> 
> Best advice I can give is simply get out and meet people.



That's great, but how? I don't live in a aplace like London where this might be feasible. Even then I wouldn't know where to start.


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## Stanley Edwards (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> That's great, but how? I don't live in a aplace like London where this might be feasible. Even then I wouldn't know where to start.



One of the most respected Graphic Design courses is run just down the road from you in Taunton. Not everything is about London. Get a Bristol based newspaper, or Yellow Pages/Business Directory and look at all the companies and ask yourself what sort of people and skills they may employ. Plan a day trip to see people who may require writers, or designers and take it from there. Ask them what specific skills they look for etc.

I'm assuming your actual local is Somerset? There's lots of work that can be completed online - you don't have to move to a metropolis. I've worked for clients in Somerset from the remote wilderness of Andalucia. Writing and designing.


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## isitme (Sep 19, 2008)

downtown!


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## zenie (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> That's great, but how? I don't live in a aplace like London where this might be feasible. Even then I wouldn't know where to start.


 
Not being in London can often have big advantages, not as much competition. 

You tried evening classes?


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## whoha (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> they _practically paid you?_
> 
> I can't afford any of these courses, they are all hideously expensive from the info I've gotten.



If your on a limited income (more than you think) or certain benifits  course fees are paid for you and not only that you may be eligible for a study grant of a few hundred pounds to help towards the cost of getting to tutorials and buying paper and stuff.I believe there is also a scheme that will by a pc for you! honest! I cant recomend the open university enough I love it and whats more its one of the things thats helped me change and take control of my life.


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## tom_craggs (Sep 19, 2008)

Stanley Edwards said:


> Interactive Multimedia Communications. It was good fun. 50% visual communication and design, 50% tech and programming stuff with lots of cognitive theory also.
> 
> Just went along to ask about part-time courses for the sake of access to facilities (when computers for 3D Max and similar were very expensive). Liked the guy running the course and the way he had put it together as part of the school of languages and got talked into signing up on the spot. One of those life changing moments!
> 
> Had to find an income also. Can't really remember how I managed.



Was it a long course...like a degree spilt over a couple of years? I am getting towards my late 20's and think I need a life changing moment too! 

PS. I was born and raised in Somerset. Plenty of creative contacts in Bristol and Bath to be had. Perhaps speak to the tutors at colleges - Taunton SCAT, Yeovil, Strode as they might well have proffessional contacts that could be useful. I've have found doing evening courses or etc really helpful for making new contacts. Now I am in London the guy who runs my local darkroom based in a community arts centre (so nothing grand) has been great with advice and support and even passing on paid jobs to me that he could not do.


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## tom_craggs (Sep 19, 2008)

Oh and and one of the biggest magazine publishers in the UK is based in Bath - Future Publishing.

As Stanley said if you are interested in wiritng then start submitting articles to local magazines and newspapers. If your are interested in journalistic writing contact the writers at the Western Gazzette, Central Somerset Gazzette, even the free ones; Blackmore Value, Fosseway etc because you need to start somewhere. Their ciontacts are easy to find - their email addresses are printed in the paper.


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## Stanley Edwards (Sep 19, 2008)

tom_craggs said:


> Was it a long course...like a degree spilt over a couple of years? I am getting towards my late 20's and think I need a life changing moment too! ...



Four year sandwich course that I didn't complete (took further modules later to make up).

Other life changing events happened during the course that sent me spiraling into a different upwards direction.

There were plenty of other people managing to complete the course around full-time work. And, some modules could be completed online remotely, but the final year was all team project based which meant several group meetings and life had taken me far away to New York.

On returning to the UK I managed to walk into very high paid contracts. It was a good move, but eventually I got stuck in boring corporate bollocks I wasn't enjoying. Then my life took another dramatic turn for the worse 

Thankfully turned that around. Completed course. With that and all the experience I had I was able to find even better paid work that was more interesting. Then went through some sort of moral change of attitude and got totally fucked off with working from home for 14 hours plus a day.

Then I got a phone call from someone who wanted to be driven around Spain for a couple of weeks looking at property. Asked if I could meet her at Kings Cross at 7AM the next day? FUCK YEAH!!! Why not, I'm outta here. Came back to complete work contracts, tie up loose ends etc, bought a van and buggered off to Andalucia 

As from Monday, I will be a homeless pilgrim trekking Spain on a pittance for Two years 

Total fucking roller-coaster. I love everything other than routine.


e2a; Ooops! I've done another ME post.


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## tom_craggs (Sep 19, 2008)

Well despite that it's inspiring enough, so thanks. 

Oh and for your knees for the walking, chondroitin is the key....it'll sort out aches, pains, joint stiffness - trust me take it from a runner! Good luck with it.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

zenie said:


> Not being in London can often have big advantages, not as much competition.
> 
> You tried evening classes?


can't afford them.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

whoha said:


> If your on a limited income (more than you think) or certain benifits  course fees are paid for you and not only that you may be eligible for a study grant of a few hundred pounds to help towards the cost of getting to tutorials and buying paper and stuff.I believe there is also a scheme that will by a pc for you! honest! I cant recomend the open university enough I love it and whats more its one of the things thats helped me change and take control of my life.


i'm on IS which will expire in November at which point it will be back to JSA again, I cannot deal with theat again and would rather top myself than go through the stress they put me through last time which included threatening me as a criminal for not being employed as well as utterly refusing to help me do part time college courses (threatening me with sanctions due to not being available for work through potentially studying). I cannot under any circumstances go through that shit again.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

tom_craggs said:


> Oh and and one of the biggest magazine publishers in the UK is based in Bath - Future Publishing.
> 
> As Stanley said if you are interested in wiritng then start submitting articles to local magazines and newspapers. If your are interested in journalistic writing contact the writers at the Western Gazzette, Central Somerset Gazzette, even the free ones; Blackmore Value, Fosseway etc because you need to start somewhere. Their ciontacts are easy to find - their email addresses are printed in the paper.


I know of future publishing but they don't seem very helpful, having tried to contact them before. I've tried asking the local press about getting into writing and asking if they had anything they could offer, suggest or do to help. But they didn't. I tried on a couple of occasions and it was the same thing.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

whoha said:


> If your on a limited income (more than you think) or certain benifits  course fees are paid for you and not only that you may be eligible for a study grant of a few hundred pounds to help towards the cost of getting to tutorials and buying paper and stuff.I believe there is also a scheme that will by a pc for you! honest! I cant recomend the open university enough I love it and whats more its one of the things thats helped me change and take control of my life.


I would like to know more about this. But I don't think I can mentally cope with studying and dealing with the DWP simultaneously. I'd like to know at least I can give myself 100% to studies rather than be regarded as a cheat for doing so (ie not working).


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## Eva Luna (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> That's great, but how? I don't live in a aplace like London where this might be feasible. Even then I wouldn't know where to start.



I must chip in here.

Not to be a sob story but I've been on my own since school, on the social thro A levels, no financial help after that, totally on my own.

What I learnt was - it comes down to this - only YOU are going to be able to solve this at the end of the day.  Yes there may be a million reasons why X or Y solutions wouldn't work in your case, but having decided that, YOU are still stuck in the same boat.

Wherever you live, find a way.  Don't take no for an answer.  Ask yourself what the person would want in a new employee and then be that.  Ask what your own boundaries are in terms of hours, what sort of work, etc etc and work within them - but be aware that, narrow it down too much, and YOU will be the one out in the cold.

I know its hard.  But you have a brain that has done you well so far, so sit down and ask some questions about what you want to do, what you are prepared to do, how YOU think YOU will achieve these things, what you best approach ought to be, how to speak to the person, how to write the perfect covering letter, how to sell your skills and experience - and even if you don't have any, thats fine, you chose the interview or whatever so speak about why.

In all honesty, thinking like the above is what has helped me through many a tough and lonely hour.  At the end of the day you CAN rely on yourself, and you are going to HAVE to.  If you really apply yourself, how can you fail?


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## zenie (Sep 19, 2008)

PMA innit Eva? Hard sometimes to keep that up though!


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## christonabike (Sep 19, 2008)

> Best advice I can give is simply get out and meet people. The more people you meet - the more opportunities you will make.



^^^ This

Even working in a pub is a start

Good luck


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

I don't live in a place where there are people to meet. That's what i mean about not living in London. The opportunities are just not present and I don't know where I can go for advice. I've tried everything I can think of, that's the problem.


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## christonabike (Sep 19, 2008)

Travel to a town, work in a pub/shop/on the bins/do voluntary work

You live on your own in a hamlet or something? (Genuine question)


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

well...yes. (Though not technically a hamlet I suppose, whatever that is).

I can't afford to travel to work. I can barely afford to travel to do my shopping. 

I've spent ages looking at do-it.org for voluntary work (though it's less than ideal being unpaid, sadly) but they have never ever once replied. They are worse than useless.


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## zenie (Sep 19, 2008)

And the jobcentre says what?


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## tom_craggs (Sep 19, 2008)

If you live in Wells and do not have transport I agree with yuo it will be challenging but there are definately voluntary opportunities in the area, don't rely on an intermediary though like do-it.org you've gotta go directly to the organisations and keep on at them. Not going to be much help to you if you are not interested in this area of work but I did loads of voluntary work to organisations like the wildlife trust etc in the area, for whom you can also do writing and press work I am sure....but as has been said there is no easy soluation you have to go directly to these organisations and keep trying, often it will take 20+ calls before they actually get around to giving you some sort of opening.


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## christonabike (Sep 19, 2008)

Before my missus moved to London, and before I met her, she folded THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of measuring tapes that then got stuck on the front of WHICH? magazine. It was called working from home, it sucked, it was boring and repetitive. She saved her money and came to London and worked for a charity for no wages at all, while she was on the dole

It worked out fine, and she is now an astronaut (not really, but she has a job)

There is a way, you sound despondent, keep at it


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

zenie said:


> And the jobcentre says what?


the jobcentre says that if you re unemployed you are a criminal because there are jobs available and thus if you are signing the little document claiming you are looking for owrk then you are doing so fraudulently because if you really were looking for work then you'd find work. Ergo you are not looking for work and thus signing on fraudulently. 

Makes no sense to me either, didn't stop the bitch of a manager from proclaiming this to me loudly.

On top of that if you have any health issues affecting you then you get patronised and treated as taking the piss.

And if you ask for help funding a passport so as to get ID to look for work they turn around and say no chance, despite saying they will do exactly that.

Or if you ask about part time courses they expect you to only do them in the evening because doing them during the day affects the validity of your claim for JSA through not being fully available for work, despite the fact that i couldn't guarantee getting time in the evening slots the course offered due to their being the most popular and that I don't want to traipse around rough old town centres at night thank you very much.

Typical DWP bullshit really.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

tom_craggs said:


> If you live in Wells and do not have transport I agree with yuo it will be challenging but there are definately voluntary opportunities in the area, don't rely on an intermediary though like do-it.org you've gotta go directly to the organisations and keep on at them. Not going to be much help to you if you are not interested in this area of work but I did loads of voluntary work to organisations like the wildlife trust etc in the area, for whom you can also do writing and press work I am sure....but as has been said there is no easy soluation you have to go directly to these organisations and keep trying, often it will take 20+ calls before they actually get around to giving you some sort of opening.


I don't live in Wells.

It's not like I don't want to do voluntary work, it's that I want to not starve to death.

Beyond that I would much rather work for some charity (paidwise) or at least some decent organisation that does rewarding and helpful work, than some faceless plastic corporation (that's probably going to get swallowed up by the credit crunch anyway).


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## christonabike (Sep 19, 2008)

You're just fucking whining now



> and that I don't want to traipse around rough old town centres at night thank you very much.





> Beyond that I would much rather work for some charity (paidwise) or at least some decent organisation that does rewarding and helpful work, than some faceless plastic corporation (that's probably going to get swallowed up by the credit crunch anyway).



I want to be a footballer or a cocaine tester, please


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

I'm not whining at all. I don't feel safe at all walking around my local town centre at night. 

Why does expressing an interest in working for a decent cause equate to wanting pie in the sky jobs such as being a premiership footballer? 

You're just talking bollocks, and it's this kind of crap that makes it harder to get anywhere. You aren't helping you're just being a twat. If you have nothing to say other than this sort of shit then fuck off, frankly.


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## christonabike (Sep 19, 2008)

It was a bit harsh I admit, but you're not giving us much to work with

Sounds like you are near a town, get a job in a boozer, meet people, make contacts, etc. You haven't actually addressed why this is not possible



> some faceless plastic corporation (that's probably going to get swallowed up by the credit crunch anyway).



What the fuck does this mean, it's the Student Grant whining, life's not fair bollocks that you have to get over. Start in a "faceless corporation" and then move on, if that's all that's on offer

Ok?


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## Eva Luna (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells - slowly slowly catchee monkee.  Yes?  
(((AW)))

Why not get a job, any job, and save some of the cash.  Use that to step up the ladder somehow.  Maybe move out of that area as well.  If that is a long way off, work towards it.  It sounds as though you are a bit stuck, and I agree that getting moving is hard at first.  But if not you'll just stay stuck, and thats causing you pain, so its got to be the choice about getting unstuck, and doing something, anything.

You'll be cool.  Get to the edge, jump, find you can fly and all that. xxx


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## tom_craggs (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> I don't live in Wells.
> 
> It's not like I don't want to do voluntary work, it's that I want to not starve to death.
> 
> Beyond that I would much rather work for some charity (paidwise) or at least some decent organisation that does rewarding and helpful work, than some faceless plastic corporation (that's probably going to get swallowed up by the credit crunch anyway).



Fair enough, it's definately hard getting that balance when your living in the Countryside and to be honest I ended up having to move to try (still haven't)to find work which was not faceless. But you do need to start somewhere so I am with Eva here, sounds like you need to get moving by taking something, as a start. Think I may not be helping so I am going to stop.


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## Stanley Edwards (Sep 19, 2008)

Working and meeting people can actually be fun!

Perhaps you need to move location to find motivation? Any friends in larger towns, or cities you can stay with for a couple of days to look around? Couchsurf maybe?

Start targeting the jobs you really want to do. Look forward to it, but accept that in the meantime you may have to do 12 hour factory night shifts, or something. Even those can be OK sometimes. As soon as you've saved a bit of cash you'll be able to make other opportunities. You really have to get out there and get into action to make it happen though.

There's plenty of good advice here. Plenty of things for you to consider trying. In time you may even find you have the energy and motivation to study whilst working also. Time changes everything. But, don't sit still waiting for things to happen.

Plenty of people here will understand the way you feel now. Many of us have been there.

Whatever, good luck!


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## Paulie Tandoori (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> You aren't helping you're just being a twat. If you have nothing to say other than this sort of shit then fuck off, frankly.


Maybe you should heed your own words of advice sometimes before you wish (face) the same upon others perhaps?


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

Eva Luna said:


> Awesome Wells - slowly slowly catchee monkee.  Yes?
> (((AW)))
> 
> Why not get a job, any job, and save some of the cash.  Use that to step up the ladder somehow.  Maybe move out of that area as well.  If that is a long way off, work towards it.  It sounds as though you are a bit stuck, and I agree that getting moving is hard at first.  But if not you'll just stay stuck, and thats causing you pain, so its got to be the choice about getting unstuck, and doing something, anything.
> ...


I know what you are saying, but what you don't understand is that I currently can't afford to do this while paying bus fares and there are rarely jobs locally (ie none right now).


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

Paulie Tandoori said:


> Maybe you should heed your own words of advice sometimes before you wish (face) the same upon others perhaps?


all i said was that it, in response, to working for a voluntary organisation that working for such an organisation for 'real' would interest me. What's so pie in the sky about that ffs? How does that equate to dreaming about being Roy of the Rovers? 

What is that link supposed to be?


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

Stanley Edwards said:


> Working and meeting people can actually be fun!
> 
> Perhaps you need to move location to find motivation? Any friends in larger towns, or cities you can stay with for a couple of days to look around? Couchsurf maybe?



Unfortunately not.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

christonabike said:


> It was a bit harsh I admit, but you're not giving us much to work with
> 
> Sounds like you are near a town, get a job in a boozer, meet people, make contacts, etc. You haven't actually addressed why this is not possible
> 
> ...


If that's all that's on offer, I'd rather kill myself.


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## Paulie Tandoori (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> all i said was that it, in response, to working for a voluntary organisation that working for such an organisation for 'real' would interest me. What's so pie in the sky about that ffs? How does that equate to dreaming about being Roy of the Rovers?
> 
> What is that link supposed to be?


its a link to you making similarly needless and pointless statements on someone's thread, capiche? along the lines of "_if you can't say anything useful, then don't say anything at all_". as an illustration if you like, or a demonstration.

over and out.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

Paulie Tandoori said:


> its a link to you making similarly needless and pointless statements on someone's thread, capiche? along the lines of "_if you can't say anything useful, then don't say anything at all_". as an illustration if you like, or a demonstration.
> 
> over and out.



the two threads are not related in intention at all and all you are doing is threadcrapping and being childish. go away.


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## christonabike (Sep 19, 2008)

> If that's all that's on offer, I'd rather kill myself.



Sounds like you're doing that already 

Life is not all roses, sometimes you have to do things that you don't really want to do to get to where you want to be


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

christonabike said:


> Sounds like you're doing that already
> 
> Life is not all roses, sometimes you have to do things that you don't really want to do to get to where you want to be


You are missing the point; I can't get to these jobs anyway. I don't live where the call centres or whatever are. It's got nothing to di with life not being all 'rosy', and I really don't want to hear a load of lame platitudes either. They don't help anyone.


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## zenie (Sep 19, 2008)

This is why people move to big cities from the country and have done since time began, you move where the work is 

If you live in a rural area with high unemployment/no chance of employment then you're a bit stuffed tbh, you could always work on a farm I guess.


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## christonabike (Sep 19, 2008)

Best of luck there


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

zenie said:


> This is why people move to big cities from the country and have done since time began, you move where the work is
> 
> If you live in a rural area with high unemployment/no chance of employment then you're a bit stuffed tbh, you could always work on a farm I guess.


Well of course. But that's not really the point of this thread. I was asking about organisations/groups/whatever that can help out.


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## Eva Luna (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> I know what you are saying, but what you don't understand is that I currently can't afford to do this while paying bus fares and there are rarely jobs locally (ie none right now).



Right, so.
Jobcenters give grants for things like this.  

Are you male of female btw?  That might make a difference.

If male, why not advertise your services somehow?  Cash in hand gardening work, dog walking, car washing, window cleaning, leaflet delivering and so on.  Not great I _admit_ - but if the hole you are in is like you say it is....

If female, baby sitting, cleaning, cooking, care work (you might need a car for that though...)

Check gumtree in your area for ads for jobs, small time or admin at home, or whatever the person needs.  You can turn your hand to it I'm sure.  When needs must and all that.

You could also place an advert in the local shops for things you are willing to do.  You cold even draw them out tonight, use CD cases to draw nice borders, different coloured biros to do your lettering.

I think a Community Care Grant might help as well, and that would be better for bigger things such as a suit and shoes or a monthly bus pass, or the Jobcenter should help there.

Otherwise I don't know about organisations or groups that could help you out.  I have always been of the mind that I have to help myself out.  I think it comes from that saying that you need to watch out what people plan for you, because if you dont plan for yourself, you find that people don't plan much for you.

I get the feeling that half of your issue might be a feeling of pissed offedness, at life, at your circumstances, and at the circumstances that we all face ie having to relocate to find work.  If that is the case, then maybe you could find someone to listen to you have a good moan, because I have read that some people take action and then talk about their feelings on it, whereas others talk first and then take action.  I would be the latter type myself and have had to moan loads before taking action in areas of my own life, but never work for some reason.

I truly wish you the very best Awesome Wells.  There is a life out there I promise you.  Promise promise x


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 19, 2008)

Eva Luna said:


> Right, so.
> Jobcenters give grants for things like this.



Just to respond to this: they don't. They claim they offer financial help for somethings (such as passports or in some cases clothes, apparently), but in truth they don't. What happens is they promise all this stuff so as to make you agree to their bollocks, but if you call their bluff (ie actually take up the offer of help) they turn around and shaft you. I was told I'd have to pay for the thing myself and provide a receipt for reimbursement, which was a complete about face on what they had originally promised. More importantly I didn't have the money in the first place so it was impossible. End result, they moan at me for not doing anything. I cannot deal with an organisation that operates the way they do.


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## Eva Luna (Sep 19, 2008)

Awesome Wells have you got a contact in there?
You need one.
They should help you more than they are doing....
Can you tell me any more about your circumstances btw?


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## the button (Sep 19, 2008)

As others have posted, it's a lot easier getting a job once you've already got a job. One, it gets you out there meeting people. Most jobs aren't advertised, so it's a question not only of who you know, but of who the people that you know know. So the more people you know, the more likely it is that you'll get something you actually want to do. And two, it shows that you're capable of holding down a job, even if it's one you don't especially like. 

Another possibility would be to consider doing voluntary work. Again, it'll increase the number of people you know. And also, it can be a handy way of trying out stuff in a relatively risk-free environment (no shit reference if you leave, or fuck it up). I worked in a homeless project for three months, and started off by washing dishes (catering), then worked in the clothing bit (retail), and ended up helping to draw up employment contracts (clerical/admin). It's all stuff you can say you've got experience of, even though it's unpaid. 

IIRC, you're okay doing voluntary work while you're on the dole as long as i) you tell them, and ii) it's not affecting your availability for work. Something else to consider might be doing a block of voluntary work with an organisation that would give you basic upkeep & somewhere to live, as well as work to do. This can be quite intense, but you might find yourself doing stuff you never thought you could. My favourite job ever was working as an (unpaid) care assistant in a hospice, which I did for three months. I almost left on the first day, thinking "There's no fucking way I can do this," but it turned out I could, and I ended up loving it, even though it was utterly heartbreaking at times.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 20, 2008)

Eva Luna said:


> Awesome Wells have you got a contact in there?
> You need one.
> They should help you more than they are doing....
> Can you tell me any more about your circumstances btw?



No.

The JC should be a lot things they aren't. Unfortunately the system isn't designed for helping people at all; just ask James Purnell.

And I don't really care to discuss private issues publicly I'm afraid, depending on what you actually want to know.


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## madzone (Sep 20, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> I know what you are saying, but what you don't understand is that I currently can't afford to do this while paying bus fares and there are rarely jobs locally (ie none right now).


Stay where you are then, both emotionally and physically. It seems that whatever anyone suggests you can cite a load of reasons why you can't do it. Just stay as you are. No-one else can change your life for you, only you can do that.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 20, 2008)

so you would rather I lied then?


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## madzone (Sep 20, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> so you would rather I lied then?


I don't think you're lying 

All these problems sound totally insurmountable. It's obvious that there's nothing you can do to change anything in your life. I feel for you but dem's da breaks. Some people are just unlucky.


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## keybored (Sep 20, 2008)

You should try sending a PM to wishface Awesome. He was in a very similar situation IIRC, _and_ he lived in Somerset. But he stopped posting so I reckon he sorted himself out or something.


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## Stanley Edwards (Sep 20, 2008)

1. Go to http://www.couchsurfing.com/ and find a couch to sleep on for a couple of days in your chosen town/city.

2. Walk there. Hitch a ride. Beg for the bus fare.

3. Stop fucking moaning and asking for advice if you're not going to listen to anyone. You read like a bunch of never ending excuses.


There have been plenty of times in my life that I've had to walk long miles to work before getting paid to buy a bike. There have also been plenty of times when I've sunk into depression and got stuck in a rut that seemed to be a total dead end at the time.

These days, if I ever sense I'm heading that way again I simply tell myself "something has to change". Change anything. Try anything. Just do something - it's the only way out.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 20, 2008)

If I wasn't going to listen I wouldn't have replied ffs. Don't tell me I'm moaning just because people suggest things that aren't practical at all. It's fatuous to assume that just because you've suggested something it's automatically going to work. Insulting people and being rude isn't helpful is it?


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## madzone (Sep 20, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> If I wasn't going to listen I wouldn't have replied ffs. Don't tell me I'm moaning just because people suggest things that aren't practical at all. It's fatuous to assume that just because you've suggested something it's automatically going to work. Insulting people and being rude isn't helpful is it?


But only you know your circumstances AW. You have to forgive people if they make suggestions that aren't workable as you haven't been very clear about your particular situation. Fair enough, you say you don't want to go into too much detail but you can't then snap people's heads off when they make a suggestion that you think won't work.

If the situation really is as diffuclt as you say and there's no way it can be changed then maybe you should just accept your lot. Maybe yearning for the impossible will just make you unhappier.

What do you think you can change in your life that will take you a small step towards your goals? If it really is nothing then stop trying. You'll just piss yourself off.

Mind you I know people who have overcome seemingly insurmountable problems to gain the life they wanted.........


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 20, 2008)

madzone said:


> But only you know your circumstances AW. You have to forgive people if they make suggestions that aren't workable as you haven't been very clear about your particular situation. Fair enough, you say you don't want to go into too much detail but you can't then snap people's heads off when they make a suggestion that you think won't work.



I haven't snapped anyone's head off for making a suggestion at all. How can you say that?


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## madzone (Sep 20, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> I haven't snapped anyone's head off for making a suggestion at all. How can you say that?


Whatever.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 20, 2008)

if that's the best you can do in answer to a question then why are you here at all?


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## tom_craggs (Sep 20, 2008)

Stanley Edwards said:


> There have been plenty of times in my life that I've had to walk long miles to work before getting paid to buy a bike. There have also been plenty of times when I've sunk into depression and got stuck in a rut that seemed to be a total dead end at the time.
> 
> These days, if I ever sense I'm heading that way again I simply tell myself "something has to change". Change anything. Try anything. Just do something - it's the only way out.



I think this is the best advice that can be given to be honest. As none of us know your exact situation it's hard to give advice that exactly fits your circumstance, I do however know that feel of being completely stuck and not knowing how to move on, and only wanting to do something I had some kind od passion for. 

Here are the jobs I did to put together some money to try to make the changes Stanley is suggesting when I lived in Somerset: working in Little Chef, doing pot washing in my local Thai restaurant, worked in Safeway, packed cheese, pressed 2 buttons on a lathe in a metal factory for 12 hours a day, worked in a call centre, did the lowest grade admin job for my local council, did recycling/litter picking...and plenty more work which seemed pretty brainless and faceless...but sometimes you do not have a choice, it's a means to an end, a step towards something and is therefore all part of the changing process. In doing these jobs I actually met a few people and learnt a few things as well which as helped to shape my life afterwards, so none of the jobs I could call a waste of time or a write off.


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## gabi (Sep 20, 2008)

Stanley Edwards said:


> TBH I'd forget about Graphic Design unless you're to go to a quality uni. To many doing it for far to little money. I worked alongside some of the UK's most respected Graphic Designers in London. To make money you have to be extremely good, or crap, but extremely fast.




You're a fucking idiot 

When someone asks for advice at least speak from a position of knowledge of the subject.

To the original poster - I'm a graphic designer. Totally untrained - and now find myself in a fairly good position. It's completely feasible to get into the industry, if u have a wee bit of talent (albeit beginning at the bottom).

Are u in London? If so, drop me a PM and I can offer a few hints. Please dont listen to a drunk exile in Granada. His career path doesnt exactly seem to have gone too well.


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## keybored (Sep 20, 2008)

tom_craggs said:


> I think this is the best advice that can be given to be honest. As none of us know your exact situation it's hard to give advice that exactly fits your circumstance, I do however know that feel of being completely stuck and not knowing how to move on, and only wanting to do something I had some kind od passion for.
> 
> Here are the jobs I did to put together some money to try to make the changes Stanley is suggesting when I lived in Somerset: working in Little Chef, doing pot washing in my local Thai restaurant, worked in Safeway, packed cheese, pressed 2 buttons on a lathe in a metal factory for 12 hours a day, worked in a call centre, did the lowest grade admin job for my local council, did recycling/litter picking...and plenty more work which seemed pretty brainless and faceless...but sometimes you do not have a choice, it's a means to an end, a step towards something and is therefore all part of the changing process. In doing these jobs I actually met a few people and learnt a few things as well which as helped to shape my life afterwards, so none of the jobs I could call a waste of time or a write off.



That's good advice, as is Stanley's post you quoted. There's loads of good advice on this thread AW.





gabi said:


> When someone asks for advice at least speak from a position of knowledge of the subject...


...


gabi said:


> ...Are u in London?


Superb


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## gabi (Sep 20, 2008)

Sadly, keypulse I can't be arsed reading the whole of the thread. Just the first post and the last post. You know. having a life n all. Stanley's idiotic comment about working with the UK's top designers would rile any actual graphic designer. He's a fucking fraud who knows nothing about what he speaks. His 'art' is even pretty shit tbh, so i doubt he worked with any of the top guys in my industry.

Anyway. Superb.


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## Poot (Sep 20, 2008)

Actually, I think a lot of the advice that Stanley's given has been quite good. I don't know anything about graphic design, so that bit went over my head anyway, but Stan always strikes me as a bit of a gad-about doesn't-really-know-where-he'll-be-sleeping-tonight-or-where-the-next-meal-is-coming-from kind of guy. In fact, i always imagine him as the sort who would sleep on your couch for a couple of nights and still be there at Christmas (no offence Stan ) And although this might wind people up, it's probably something that the op can learn from. Sometimes you have to take liberties. 

What about the working from home that christonabike suggested? Yes, it's mind-bogglingly dull but you can watch Eastenders while you're doing it (or whatever you enjoy) and it's money in the bank to put towards travel to interviews etc. 

There are loads of opportunities out there but you have to do something unpleasant to get to them, that's life, I'm afraid.


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## gabi (Sep 20, 2008)

Poot said:


> Actually, I think a lot of the advice that Stanley's given has been quite good. I don't know anything about graphic design, so that bit went over my head anyway, but Stan always strikes me as a bit of a gad-about doesn't-really-know-where-he'll-be-sleeping-tonight-or-where-the-next-meal-is-coming-from kind of guy. .



And what do you base that theory on? Would it be, perchance, the way he loves to rave at every opportunity about his amazing life on these boards? Fuck - I barely use this site any more and even I know his life story. My instincts say this is a (new type of internet based) sociopathic Walter Mitty character, not someone who should be offering advice to lost young people.


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## Poot (Sep 20, 2008)

gabi said:


> And what do you base that theory on? Would it be, perchance, the way he loves to rave at every opportunity about his amazing life on these boards? Fuck - I barely use this site any more and even I know his life story. My instincts say this is a (new type of internet based) sociopathic Walter Mitty character, not someone who should be offering advice to lost young people.



Well, I don't know, obviously my knowledge is limited never having met SE (though I believe we're from the same small town, by bizarre coincidence) but he strikes me as quite brazen, which is possibly something the OP could learn from. That was the point I was trying to make.


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## gabi (Sep 20, 2008)

Poot said:


> Well, I don't know, obviously my knowledge is limited never having met SE (though I believe we're from the same small town, by bizarre coincidence) but he strikes me as quite brazen, which is possibly something the OP could learn from. That was the point I was trying to make.



Fair enough. I apologise for coming across as such a dickwad myself...

I agree with the philosophy of throwing caution to the wind, throwing a spanner in the works, thats how i live myself. It's just I dont quite think Stanley does that himself as much as he boasts about. 

But yeh. I've never met him, so I should shut the fuck up. The next time someone comes on here though and suggests they might want a career being a slightly shitty street painter in Granada, hiding from their previous in the motherland, I'll be the first to offer advice. I know some of the top people in that industry of course.


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## madzone (Sep 20, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> if that's the best you can do in answer to a question then why are you here at all?


Is this your way of avoiding answering the question I asked?


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## Stanley Edwards (Sep 21, 2008)

gabi said:


> ...
> 
> Are u in London? If so, drop me a PM and I can offer a few hints. Please dont listen to a drunk exile in Granada. His career path doesnt exactly seem to have gone too well.




You're just a jealous cunt because you know I've worked alongside the best graphic designers ever 

You think you're good? I won awards and stuff.

If you read a top 10 list today of the most respected in London, I worked for at least 8 of them. There was a good reason they employed me.


Fuck off loser


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## extra dry (Sep 21, 2008)

hey stan back down...they don't know you..leave it mate....


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Sep 21, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> Where can you go to change your life? You know get help with actually getting a decent job and stuff. People want you to 'earn a living' (which actually if you think about it is a horrible concept), but when you try and get yourself moving forward you get stymied by a complete lack of support from society and state it seems.



Would you like a little help wiping your ass, too?


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## extra dry (Sep 21, 2008)

Originally Posted by Awesome Wells  View Post

Where can you go to change your life? You know get help with actually getting a decent job and stuff. *People want you to 'earn a living' (which actually if you think about it is a horrible concept),* but when you try and get yourself moving forward you get stymied by a complete lack of support from society and state it seems.

I know Awesome, really the government should just have a 'Free money hand out' center in every village, town and city.  

  Bit like a job center but without any of that bullshit about getting off you arse and looking for a job or trying to get out of the bed in morning.

  If I where the prime minister I would set up these centers all over the country, giving out say 300 or 400 pounds a day to people like you Awesome who can't be fucking arsed pulling their socks up using the organ called a brain and doing something for themselves.  

  You really need someone to hold your hand every step of the way?  If you can't at least get a positive attitude your going to stuck in a shitty place with a shitty future.  

Who are you going to hold responsible...every other fucker who tried to help you...you need to get out of your 'I m so alone...no one helps me...I can't do it...mummy...mummy..the world is so cruel...' 

Don't worry this board again till at least you have an interview for a job...


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

Why have you highlighted that portion of the text? Is it so you can enter into a facetious, sarcastic and totally disproportionate rant in an attempt to try and equate what i said with 'free money' hand outs?

That's as silly as equating it to wanting to be a premiership footballer.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

Johnny Canuck2 said:


> Would you like a little help wiping your ass, too?


meaning?


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## extra dry (Sep 21, 2008)

Yup....that's it...nail on the head Awesome....now run along to the job center or get hold a local paper, the internet (job websites) and get on with 'changing your life'...


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

madzone said:


> Is this your way of avoiding answering the question I asked?


what question?


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

extra dry said:


> Yup....that's it...nail on the head Awesome....now run along to the job center or get hold a local paper, the internet (job websites) and get on with 'changing your life'...


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## madzone (Sep 21, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> what question?


 



madzone said:


> What do *you *think you can change in your life that will take you a small step towards your goals?


 

I think you use threads like this to enable you to feel picked on, thus allowing you to stay exactly where you are because it's 'not your fault'

*pop psychology over*


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## Agent Sparrow (Sep 21, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> Where can you go to change your life? You know get help with actually getting a decent job and stuff. People want you to 'earn a living' (which actually if you think about it is a horrible concept), but when you try and get yourself moving forward you get stymied by a complete lack of support from society and state it seems.



It takes hard work and some sacrifices. Unfortunately due to the unequality of society, it takes some people more work and more sacrifice. Resultantly it's not surprising some people get put off the whole idea. 

Tbh, from reading the thread I think the best options are seeing what financial help the OU can give to people on benifits, or doing the crappy day job/night school option. I know you've poo pooed those options, but unfortunately you might not have many more choices, and will have to bite the bullet and do some things you don't want to do. Happy to be corrected if anyone else has any other ideas, but I can't think of any.


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## madzone (Sep 21, 2008)

Nice post AS 

I like the point about maybe having to do things we don't want to do. Isn't that just life? How many of us like what we do 100%? I know I don't. It seems we feel (in this culture) that we have some kind of right to do what we want to do.

Sorry - bit of a derail but it's something I notice in the 'yoof of today' and increasingly in adults as well.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Sep 21, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> meaning?



Meaning, what exactly is it you expect the 'state', etc, to do to further your interests?


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## maes (Sep 21, 2008)

God this douche is annoying.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Sep 21, 2008)

mae said:


> God this douche is annoying.



If you have nothing to add, why not keep your butt seated in the cheap seats.


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## maes (Sep 21, 2008)

yessir.

<stuffs popcorn into mouth & crunches loudly>


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## spanglechick (Sep 21, 2008)

i've been there, though - i mean not in the countyside - perish the thought! - but in that mindset.  you want a solution but all the ones being offered are wrong for you.

for me it was a symptom of my depression - and i wasn't able to make the changes i needed to make until i began to recover.  and the advice on the thread is good advice.  those are the options and they are difficult and unattractive in the short term, but they're the only ones that are going to result in the changes the op wants.

it's just from where he is, he can't take those unnatractive options - he wants there to be another way.  

OP - you're not stupid.  If there was another way that didn't seem insurmountably hard you'd be taking it already.  You need to accept the unattractive options and find a way for you to get the strength to take them.

If that means cleaning houses to earn the bus fare to get into town to apply for better paid jobs - then that's the first step.  If it means enrolling on a heavily subsidised course at the OU and accepting those house cleaning wages for the duration of your course - then that's the first step.  But there is no first step that's completely pleasant.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Sep 21, 2008)

mae said:


> yessir.
> 
> <stuffs popcorn into mouth & crunches loudly>



Point is, I wouldn't call you a 'douche'. I know that the anonymity of the internet  gives courage, but really: is that who you are?


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## maes (Sep 21, 2008)

No sir.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Sep 21, 2008)

mae said:


> No sir.



I always saw you as a fairly nice person. To be dismissed as a 'douche' was somewhat hurtful.

Silly me, eh?


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## maes (Sep 21, 2008)

Er, I wasn't talking about you....


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Sep 21, 2008)

mae said:


> Er, I wasn't talking about you....



Then why keep responding to my posts as if you were?


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## maes (Sep 21, 2008)

I didn't realise you had taken it that way, thought you were ticking me off for being rude to the OP, which I found amusing.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Sep 21, 2008)

mae said:


> I didn't realise you had taken it that way, thought you were ticking me off for being rude to the OP, which I found amusing.



It was you called me a 'douche', no?


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Sep 21, 2008)

I even gave you hairstyling advice, ffs.


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## spanglechick (Sep 21, 2008)

fwiw - i knew mae ws talking about the op - hence my more sympathetic take on it.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Sep 21, 2008)

spanglechick said:


> fwiw - i knew mae ws talking about the op - hence my more sympathetic take on it.



Well, if she wants to call him a douche, I'm all for it. I was doing similar, in euphemistic language.


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## maes (Sep 21, 2008)

Well, good. Point is, you're not a douche, (s)he is. Thanks for the hairstyling advice.


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## Pingu (Sep 21, 2008)

i actually quite like this idea of free  money. i can see a slight inflation style issue arising at some point but wth ... lets give it a whirl


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## Stanley Edwards (Sep 21, 2008)

Poot said:


> Well, I don't know, obviously my knowledge is limited never having met SE* (though I believe we're from the same small town, by bizarre coincidence)* but he strikes me as quite brazen, which is possibly something the OP could learn from. That was the point I was trying to make.






BTW: I would sooner sleep on the streets than impose on other's good nature.


I do very much live day to day, although my long term finances are pretty healthy. Despite the attitude suggested here I am actually working to a Five year business plan that was carefully researched and plotted before leaving London. When I realised that property prices here had already gone stupid I decided that I wouldn't be buying for at least Four years. Looking more like Five years now, but essentially everything is going accordingly.

I chose to live the way I am living. Careful planning and very strict budgeting will get me exactly where I want to be by October 2010. I'll also get who I want - also! I am an arrogant twat full of self-belief. It's the way I was brought up. You can get whatever you want out of life if you're prepared to put in the effort. Luck helps of course, but ignoring the set-backs and continuing in the right direction is more important.

Those who know me best know I can be a bit of a chancer at times. However, they also know I generally get where, and what I want always 

e2a; Despite living rough and homeless the telephone call and flight back to London was always an option. Always an option I was far to proud to take! Pride can be a bad thing sometimes.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to living rough and tough with fuck all money for another 18 months. I do actually enjoy it far more than sitting at a PC in a boring office.


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## Eva Luna (Sep 21, 2008)

Yeah good on ya Stanley.

I roughed it for a while too.  Was better than my particular alternatives.

And those who sell out and half arse at life can suck my balls too, I missed out on everything due to growing up a prisoner in a fucking cell of despair, and now I cracked out of that and left everything behind, I am free to paint my blank canvas as I see fit.  And if people dont like it they can get stuffed.

Its your life Awesome Wells - no-one's gonna give you what you need, but you can learn how to reach for it.  Frightening thought, but also strangely liberating eh?

Stanley, William says you drink a lot of wine and live in a cave.  Fantastic.


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## maes (Sep 21, 2008)

spanglechick said:


> fwiw - i knew mae ws talking about the op - hence my more sympathetic take on it.



Maybe you're right to be more sympathetic. I just get so frustrated with these people who come asking for help, then refuse to do anything, make any concessions, admit that there is any way out of their problem. It's so draining, I've encountered so many, & frankly I just can't be arsed any more. If they want to dig themselves into a hole & spend the rest of their lives complaining about it, then so be it.

Harsh words, though.


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## Eva Luna (Sep 21, 2008)

Thats fair enough mae, but I think some people need to be in that place for a period of time, and it doesnt bother me how long they stay in it.  You have no right to give advice and expect the person to take it, because it pisses you off if they do not.  Thats about you and your desires for him, which are not relevant.  His problems are about him, and he is free to take or not take, just as you are free to offer advice or roll your eyes and split.


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## madzone (Sep 21, 2008)

Eva Luna said:


> Thats fair enough mae, but I think some people need to be in that place for a period of time, and it doesnt bother me how long they stay in it. You have no right to give advice and expect the person to take it, because it pisses you off if they do not. Thats about you and your desires for him, which are not relevant. His problems are about him, and he is free to take or not take, just as you are free to offer advice or roll your eyes and split.


Likelwise that's *your *take on the situation. I think it's fair enough for people to get pissed off when someone comes on and asks, 'How can I do this?' and then not only says that *every* suggestion made is unworkable, won't say why and does it repeatedly over an extensive length of time. I'm guilty of being sucked into this thread when I've been here with this particular person many, many times before. I should just ignore his threads really.


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## FridgeMagnet (Sep 21, 2008)

Pingu said:


> i actually quite like this idea of free  money. i can see a slight inflation style issue arising at some point but wth ... lets give it a whirl



The Citizen's Wage - perfectly respectable idea...


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## Stanley Edwards (Sep 21, 2008)

Eva Luna said:


> ...
> 
> Stanley, William says you drink a lot of wine and live in a cave.  Fantastic.



Actually been living in a luxury restored Moorish town house. I gave the cave over to a friend from Brighton. I do drink far to much red wine! Part of my cash strapped pilgrimage plan is to address that issue!

However, I have read about a town en route that has a free tap of red wine. DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!


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## Pingu (Sep 21, 2008)

Stanley Edwards said:


> Actually been living in a luxury restored Moorish town house. I gave the cave over to a friend from Brighton. I do drink far to much red wine! Part of my cash strapped pilgrimage plan is to address that issue!
> 
> However, I have read about a town en route that has a free tap of red wine. DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!



not just talking that talk but walking the walk (or occasionally possibly staggering the stagger) but respect.


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## whoha (Sep 21, 2008)

Awesome, why dont you read "how to change you life in  7 steps " by John Bird. Its only a little book but may provide you with a few ideas so you can start helping yourself.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

Agent Sparrow said:


> It takes hard work and some sacrifices. Unfortunately due to the unequality of society, it takes some people more work and more sacrifice. Resultantly it's not surprising some people get put off the whole idea.
> 
> Tbh, from reading the thread I think the best options are seeing what financial help the OU can give to people on benifits, or doing the crappy day job/night school option. I know you've poo pooed those options, but unfortunately you might not have many more choices, and will have to bite the bullet and do some things you don't want to do. Happy to be corrected if anyone else has any other ideas, but I can't think of any.


I didn't poo poo anything. Perhaps if people learned to read instead of being insulting and stupid they might realise this. Unfortunately that's all some people want to do.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

Johnny Canuck2 said:


> Meaning, what exactly is it you expect the 'state', etc, to do to further your interests?


'further my interests'

Grow up you antagonistic prick.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

mae said:


> Well, good. Point is, you're not a douche, (s)he is. Thanks for the hairstyling advice.


Fuck off.


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## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

Eva Luna said:


> Its your life Awesome Wells - no-one's gonna give you what you need, but you can learn how to reach for it.  Frightening thought, but also strangely liberating eh?



How, exactly?

I didn't ask anyone to give me anything. I asked for information. Obviously for some people that's more than they can take since their response shows nothing more than a lack of maturity.


----------



## madzone (Sep 21, 2008)

So, you've gained a lot from starting this thread then?


----------



## madzone (Sep 21, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> How, exactly?
> 
> I didn't ask anyone to give me anything. I asked for information. Obviously for some people that's more than they can take since their response shows nothing more than a lack of maturity.


You've had lots of information


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

madzone said:


> You've had lots of information


I had a lot of suggestions that were not possible.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

madzone said:


> So, you've gained a lot from starting this thread then?


I'm not responsible for what other people post. I can only ask questions. If that gets seen by a bunch of juvenile pricks as an invitation to behave like twats then so be it.


----------



## madzone (Sep 21, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> I had a lot of suggestions that were not possible.


So, what _is_ possible?

Are you really, truly surprised at the responses you got? No-one can wave a magic wand for you.

You asked where you can go to change your life, the answer is you don't go anywhere - it starts with you. It starts with attitude, focussing on the can instead of cannot.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

madzone said:


> So, what _is_ possible?
> 
> Are you really, truly surprised at the responses you got? No-one can wave a magic wand for you.
> 
> You asked where you can go to change your life, the answer is you don't go anywhere - it starts with you. It starts with attitude, focussing on the can instead of cannot.



Am I surprised that people on the internet can't have a conversation or answer a question without twisting what was said, resorting to ludicrous amounts of hyperbole or being abusive? No. Is it justified? no.

'It starts with attitude' - meaning what? Now this is entering into the world of self help guru rubbish. You sound like one of these silly yanks who spouts tired, meaningless cliches as platitudes. I said I don't want platitudes, they don't help anyone. What does focusing on can instead of cannot even mean? HOw does that even relate to real life if you can't even afford to pay to get to work? Do you suggest I show the bus driver a nice smile and ask him to focus on the can and the cannot as he asks me if i'm having a laugh?


----------



## madzone (Sep 21, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> Am I surprised that people on the internet can't have a conversation or answer a question without twisting what was said, resorting to ludicrous amounts of hyperbole or being abusive? No. Is it justified? no.
> 
> 'It starts with attitude' - meaning what? Now this is entering into the world of self help guru rubbish. You sound like one of these silly yanks who spouts tired, meaningless cliches as platitudes. I said I don't want platitudes, they don't help anyone. What does focusing on can instead of cannot even mean? HOw does that even relate to real life if you can't even afford to pay to get to work? Do you suggest I show the bus driver a nice smile and ask him to focus on the can and the cannot as he asks me if i'm having a laugh?


 
How come it's ok for you to be rude and aggressive but when other people do it you cry 'victim'? 

Do you think you're the worst off person in the world or something? There's plenty of people who have had a shitty start in life or who have found themselves in utterly desperate situations and managed to change their lives for the better.

Why don't you move house so you could walk to work? Or cancel your internet subscription and pay for bus fares that way? Or sell the computer and buy a bike.

We jst don't understand how impossible it is for you do we?


----------



## Hi-ASL (Sep 21, 2008)

Look, just get a meaningless, soul-destroying job like the rest of us. It's brilliant.

Oh, and buy a bike.


----------



## madzone (Sep 21, 2008)

Jeremy Kyle is your friend


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

madzone said:


> How come it's ok for you to be rude and aggressive but when other people do it you cry 'victim'?
> 
> Do you think you're the worst off person in the world or something? There's plenty of people who have had a shitty start in life or who have found themselves in utterly desperate situations and managed to change their lives for the better.
> 
> ...



1. Cry victim? You're fucking joking right? Half this thread has been needlessly given over to abuse and you _now _have the gall to say this? You're having a fucking laugh! I guess it's ok for people to be rude to me, but when i turn around and tell someone to fuck off for calling me a 'douche' I'm behaving badly? You are kidding me!

2. Where did I ever say that I was the worst off person in the world? what an incredibly stupid comment. That's as ridiculous as equating expressing an interest in working for a decent organisation with wanting to play professional football. Show me _exactly _where I said i was the worst off ffs!

3. Why don't i move house? how on earth am I going to do that? I don't have a house to sell (assuming you could find a buyer these days, and then find somewhere else to buy with the profit!).

4. Why don't I stop paying for the internet? I haven't started.

5. Why don't I sell my PC? Apart from using it for other things, even if i had somewhere to sell it it's worth piss all. What would be the point of selling something I use a lot to make shit all money that would serve no purpose. Perhaps you've incorrectly assumed I operate a modern machine. You'd be wrong.

6. Despite the snide and sarcastic tone, which is completely unwarranted, given these sugeestions are utter impractical, no. you don't.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

Hi-ASL said:


> Look, just get a meaningless, soul-destroying job like the rest of us. It's brilliant.
> 
> Oh, and buy a bike.


I've been trying to get a bike for ages. No one on freecycle (ironically) has one to give away and I can't afford one.


----------



## madzone (Sep 21, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> 1. Cry victim? You're fucking joking right? Half this thread has been needlessly given over to abuse and you _now _have the gall to say this? You're having a fucking laugh! I guess it's ok for people to be rude to me, but when i turn around and tell someone to fuck off for calling me a 'douche' I'm behaving badly? You are kidding me!
> 
> 2. Where did I ever say that I was the worst off person in the world? what an incredibly stupid comment. That's as ridiculous as equating expressing an interest in working for a decent organisation with wanting to play professional football. Show me _exactly _where I said i was the worst off ffs!
> 
> ...


 

Why would you have to own a house before you could move? 

I rent and am on benefits, I've moved house loads of times.

BTW - you're responding to people's suggestions like they're asking you to chop your arms off


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 21, 2008)

I have no idea how you would rent a place without money.


----------



## madzone (Sep 21, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> I have no idea how you would rent a place without money.


So, where are you living now? 

If you're living rent free with free internet connections why are you so skint? 

Are you not entitled to housing benefit?


----------



## Meltingpot (Sep 21, 2008)

whoha said:


> Awesome, why dont you read "how to change you life in  7 steps " by John Bird. Its only a little book but may provide you with a few ideas so you can start helping yourself.



Seconded.


----------



## Laney (Sep 21, 2008)

Bloody hell this thread makes me feel a hell of a lot better about myself, as I previously thought I was being fairly pathetic.



Awesome Wells said:


> I had a lot of suggestions that were not possible.



People here have offered you the best suggestions they can come up with not knowing you - it's not their fault they are apparently 'impossible'. You didn't start this thread, really, for ideas and advice, you started it to validate your opinion that your situation is hopeless.

Most people can't just walk into a 'decent organisation' or work that they really want to do - they have to work up, sometimes from the very bottom. I think half your problem is that you don't _know_ what you want to do, but it's your job to work that out. Society isn't going to give you a free ride anywhere but there are plenty of people struggling through worse situations than yours.

You've got a cheek being so aggressive when everyone has gone out of their way to be sympathetic. Try some other forums and I'm sure you'll rethink your opinion of 'abuse'.


----------



## Poot (Sep 21, 2008)

Still, at least you've kept your sense of humour.


----------



## the button (Sep 21, 2008)

Poot said:


> Still, at least you've kept your sense of humour.


----------



## extra dry (Sep 22, 2008)

Hey Awesome, we would need some information about your 'dire situation'

1. age
2. location
3. qualifications
4. what you want to do job wise...ie 'I want a job in a design department'
5. living arrangements, at home, with friends, with partner, etc

Then maybe we could give you some solid advice.

I think to be honest, you are depressed and have a negative outlook on life.


----------



## Vamos666 (Sep 22, 2008)

Awesome, I think several people have offered practical solutions to your situation and you have chosen to dismiss every one of them. To be honest and I'm really not having a go, it sounds like you could do with a quick trip to your GP just to get some advice on depression. You would be surprised how it can manifest iself without the sufferer being aware. Hope you get yourself sorted one day.


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## smashthestate (Sep 22, 2008)

Yes, I was thinking similar. Hopefully a doc can help. You might even be able to get on incapacity benefit which will save you from the horrors of the job centre for a while.
When you're feeling more able to do things there are soem really good suggestions from people in this thread, so even if it seems like useless ridiculous suggestions now chances are at some point you might think otherwise.
Good luck.


----------



## extra dry (Sep 22, 2008)

change the thread title it should read 'change my life'


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 22, 2008)

madzone said:


> So, where are you living now?
> 
> If you're living rent free with free internet connections why are you so skint?
> 
> Are you not entitled to housing benefit?


I didn't say i lived rent free.

I'm skint because £60 a week has to cover everything from bank charges to food to rent to bus fare. I'm not entitled to HB.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 22, 2008)

Laney said:


> People here have offered you the best suggestions they can come up with not knowing you - it's not their fault they are apparently 'impossible'.
> You've got a cheek being so aggressive when everyone has gone out of their way to be sympathetic. Try some other forums and I'm sure you'll rethink your opinion of 'abuse'.



I haven't said anything was anyone's fault. I have no idea what you are trying to say.

Please don't insult my intelligence by trying to justify abuse or by saying that it's ok in the context of other forums that may have even more appalling behaviour. There is no justification for posting insults to people on the basis that they have explained how your suggestion is not practical. That's just facile.


----------



## madzone (Sep 22, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> I didn't say i lived rent free.
> 
> I'm skint because £60 a week has to cover everything from bank charges to food to rent to bus fare. I'm not entitled to HB.


Why aren't you entiteld to HB?

I used to help people file HB claims and there are people on here who have loads of knowledge of the benefit system. It may be that they/we can help you with a sucessful claim so that you can move nearer to somewhere with better opportunities for what you say you want to do.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 22, 2008)

smashthestate said:


> Yes, I was thinking similar. Hopefully a doc can help. You might even be able to get on incapacity benefit which will save you from the horrors of the job centre for a while.
> When you're feeling more able to do things there are soem really good suggestions from people in this thread, so even if it seems like useless ridiculous suggestions now chances are at some point you might think otherwise.
> Good luck.


I already claim that. I get no other help and have spent the last few months trying to find it hence the question. The doctors don't/can't help with anything that isn't pill related or curable.


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## extra dry (Sep 22, 2008)

so you have an 'illness' it stops you from working and you are on benefits..now there is some info.

Get a second or third opinion from a gp...or even health care specialist in field of your illness...ok


----------



## madzone (Sep 22, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> i'm on IS which will expire in November at which point it will be back to JSA again.


 

And on being asked about Incapacity benefit....




Awesome Wells said:


> I already claim that.


 



Those two togther come to more than £60 a week.


----------



## spanglechick (Sep 22, 2008)

i'm sure you could get some cash in hand work in your village.  Even if it's just a fiver a week it would make a huge difference, but more and you'd be able to buy a second hand bike.

you haven't said why you can't look for this kind of work - house cleaning / car washing / even baby-sitting.  Informal and irregular maybe - but there is definately money to be made.  Does your medical situation rule out certain kinds of work?


----------



## extra dry (Sep 22, 2008)

madzone said:


> And on being asked about Incapacity benefit....
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I think Awesome has some major issues, I mean major issues with everything, ie 'if it is not handed to me on a plate it is not worth the effort..'

My grandfather used to cycle a 40 mile round trip just to find work...granted it was in 1950's but that kind of attitude and perseverance paid off in the end.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 22, 2008)

extra dry said:


> I think Awesome has some major issues, I mean major issues with everything, ie 'if it is not handed to me on a plate it is not worth the effort..'
> 
> My grandfather used to cycle a 40 mile round trip just to find work...granted it was in 1950's but that kind of attitude and perseverance paid off in the end.


Did he cycle on a bike or the suggestion of a bike?


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 22, 2008)

spanglechick said:


> i'm sure you could get some cash in hand work in your village.  Even if it's just a fiver a week it would make a huge difference, but more and you'd be able to buy a second hand bike.
> 
> you haven't said why you can't look for this kind of work - house cleaning / car washing / even baby-sitting.  Informal and irregular maybe - but there is definately money to be made.  Does your medical situation rule out certain kinds of work?


Where did I say I couldn't look for this work, and why have you assumed that I haven't?


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 22, 2008)

madzone said:


> And on being asked about Incapacity benefit....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I only get the IS component.


----------



## extra dry (Sep 22, 2008)

he had real bike..yeah..

but I see your point...what about visiting a dump looking for a discarded bike and fixing it...just keep trying don't give up


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## madzone (Sep 22, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> I only get the IS component.


What do you mean the IS component? 

The lowest rate of IB is £63 odd a week - if you're getting some Income Support on top of that it's more than £60.  


And if you're on IB and IS you should defintiely be entitled to HB at your LHA rate. Did they say why you aren't entitled?


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 22, 2008)

madzone said:


> Why aren't you entiteld to HB?
> 
> I used to help people file HB claims and there are people on here who have loads of knowledge of the benefit system. It may be that they/we can help you with a sucessful claim so that you can move nearer to somewhere with better opportunities for what you say you want to do.


because the place i live in doesn't qualify.


----------



## madzone (Sep 22, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> because the place i live in doesn't count.


But you said you couldn't move house becasue you couldn't pay for it. If you found a place that qualified for HB (and that means virtually anywhere that isn't with a relative) then you'll get HB.

Are you living with your parents?


----------



## Vamos666 (Sep 22, 2008)

Look, if you were as desperate as you make out you would have robbed a post office by now. Ask your local boozer if they need a barman, get a fucking paper round. Just don't fall into that apothetic rut that a lot of the country seems to be in right now. Excuses cost more than solutions.


----------



## jasoon (Sep 22, 2008)

Vamos666 said:


> Ask your local boozer if they need a barman, get a fucking paper round. Just don't fall into that apothetic rut.



This.  But seems like he is in a rut/depressed, by being so negative and putting barrier after barrier in front of himself.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 22, 2008)

madzone said:


> But you said you couldn't move house becasue you couldn't pay for it. If you found a place that qualified for HB (and that means virtually anywhere that isn't with a relative) then you'll get HB.



well firstly you'd have to find a decent (ie safe and secure and not some crackden) place then hope the landlord is amenable to you living there for the few months it will take to process the claim.


----------



## madzone (Sep 22, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> well firstly you'd have to find a decent (ie safe and secure and not some crackden) place then hope the landlord is amenable to you living there for the few months it will take to process the claim.


It doesn't take months to get a claim sorted. And there are plenty nice, safe places available for rent. There are even schemes where you can borrow the deposit.

 How do you think other people in a similar situation to you manage?
 Genuine question, AW.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 22, 2008)

How would i know? I have no idea how other people live their lives.

The turnaround time locally is _at least _8 weeks.


----------



## madzone (Sep 22, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> How would i know? I have no idea how other people live their lives.


 
It might be worth having a little think about how other people manage 



> The turnaround time locally is _at least _8 weeks.


 
Again, there's millions of people claiming HB in the uk (including me) - I don't know why it should be any harder for you than it is for them/us.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 22, 2008)

madzone said:


> It might be worth having a little think about how other people manage
> 
> 
> 
> Again, there's millions of people claiming HB in the uk (including me) - I don't know why it should be any harder for you than it is for them/us.


I only told you what they, the HB department, told me. I have no idea how many peopel are claiming HB or why that woudl be relevant nor why you would think that it's the same everywhere where in some areas there will be greater demand on local departments than others.


----------



## hermitical (Sep 22, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> I didn't say i lived rent free.
> 
> I'm skint because £60 a week has to cover everything from bank charges to food to rent to bus fare. I'm not entitled to HB.



about the bank charges, are they regular, are you in debt? On your income you may be able to sort something out with the bank via the Citizens Advice or a local debt counselling service


----------



## spanglechick (Sep 22, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> Where did I say I couldn't look for this work, and why have you assumed that I haven't?



because i mentioned it before and you didn't respond, and because you didn't mention looking for it - i've only got this thread to go on.

but the thing with things like car washing is that you have to go out every day and ask people over and over.  then walk to the next village the next day and so on.  it sucks - but it gets you out of the house.  maybe make up some leaflets and stick them through doors.  i'm sure a friend or family member could give you a few sheets of photocopy paper from their work and a pen, if not offer to print the things off for you.

i don't know your talents or aptitudes - but everyone can do something that someone else doesn't want to do.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 23, 2008)

hermitical said:


> about the bank charges, are they regular, are you in debt? On your income you may be able to sort something out with the bank via the Citizens Advice or a local debt counselling service


the bank aren't interested in listening. the cccs could only advice defaulting on the payment and hoping that the debt collection people, whent he bank passes on the debt, will take me to court and the court would be lenient. Seems like a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire. I can cover my bank charges right now, but am left with not enough else to pay for things like bus fares (which are extortionate).


----------



## madzone (Sep 23, 2008)

hermitical said:


> On your income you may be able to sort something out with the bank via the Citizens Advice or a local debt counselling service


 
^^^

This

The cab helped loads of my cients with their debts.

And if you follow spangles suggestions you could earn enough for bus fares


----------



## Mrs Miggins (Sep 23, 2008)

spanglechick said:


> i don't know your talents or aptitudes - but everyone can do something that someone else doesn't want to do.



Cleaning out wheelie bins is a good one.  Nobody wants to do that!

A friend of mine's husband found himself out of work and after an awful lot of persistance, got himself a round together and it kept their heads above water while he looked for better work.

Awesome Wells - I'd be very interested to know where you live geographically that there is no local work and where you live physically that you can't claim HB. Forgive me if you've already said. It's a long thread....


----------



## hermitical (Sep 24, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> the bank aren't interested in listening. the cccs could only advice defaulting on the payment and hoping that the debt collection people, whent he bank passes on the debt, will take me to court and the court would be lenient. Seems like a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire. I can cover my bank charges right now, but am left with not enough else to pay for things like bus fares (which are extortionate).



the CAB will go through your incomings and outgoings, they use a standard sheet which is very generous for outgoings. They'll probably help you make an offer of low payments and advise you to start making these low payments...

Do this asap, then you will have money for bus fares etc. Also have looked into reclaiming bank charges?


----------



## hermitical (Sep 24, 2008)

madzone said:


> ^^^
> 
> This
> 
> The cab helped loads of my cients with their debts.



I found them tremendous help, I chose to go bankrupt a few years ago....


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 25, 2008)

hermitical said:


> the CAB will go through your incomings and outgoings, they use a standard sheet which is very generous for outgoings. They'll probably help you make an offer of low payments and advise you to start making these low payments...
> 
> Do this asap, then you will have money for bus fares etc. Also have looked into reclaiming bank charges?


just got an email back from them saying they can't do anything. They say they can't challenge interest paymnents because the test case is still going through.


----------



## extra dry (Sep 25, 2008)

Don't give up...keep on there case


----------



## madzone (Sep 26, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> just got an email back from them saying they can't do anything. They say they can't challenge interest paymnents because the test case is still going through.


Are you paying back interest only?


----------



## hermitical (Sep 26, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> just got an email back from them saying they can't do anything. They say they can't challenge interest paymnents because the test case is still going through.



got an email from who?
I'm not sure what you mean by this:
"They say they can't challenge interest paymnents because the test case is still going through"


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 30, 2008)

hermitical said:


> got an email from who?
> I'm not sure what you mean by this:
> "They say they can't challenge interest paymnents because the test case is still going through"


from the CAB.

They said they can't challenge interest payments until the test case is resolved.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Sep 30, 2008)

madzone said:


> Are you paying back interest only?


that's all i can afford to pay. Though really i can't afford even that. to be honest it's stupid just paying interest  - the banks knows it and it's just a cheap source of revenue for them, rather than actually addressing the overdraft itself.


----------



## MooChild (Sep 30, 2008)

How far from your local town do you live?

Is there any possibility of doing voluntary work there, just to get some experience that may help you in looking for a job?


----------



## hermitical (Sep 30, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> from the CAB.
> 
> They said they can't challenge interest payments until the test case is resolved.



I still don't know what you mean...which test case?
Have you actually arranged an appointment and seen an advisor or just contacted them by email?


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

hermitical said:


> I still don't know what you mean...which test case?
> Have you actually arranged an appointment and seen an advisor or just contacted them by email?



The test case going through the courts now, from the trading standards people. 

i contacted them by email because that is the only way to contact them. YOu will not get through by phone (an option that's only available one a week).


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

MooChild said:


> How far from your local town do you live?
> 
> Is there any possibility of doing voluntary work there, just to get some experience that may help you in looking for a job?


far enough away to require transport. 

voluntary work depends on what's available and whether it pays expenses. 

Applying and looking is all done online as there isn't much of a service available and they are not very good at it. I applied for a shedload of volunteer jobs months ago and never heard anything from any of them. You apply to a central agency who are supposed to process your application and pass it on (presumably).


----------



## Xipe Totec (Oct 1, 2008)

jesus what a moany bastard.

i hope you arent infectious 'awesome wells'


----------



## MooChild (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> far enough away to require transport.
> 
> voluntary work depends on what's available and whether it pays expenses.
> 
> Applying and looking is all done online as there isn't much of a service available and they are not very good at it. I applied for a shedload of volunteer jobs months ago and never heard anything from any of them. You apply to a central agency who are supposed to process your application and pass it on (presumably).



This isn't gonna land in your lap you know. 

How many miles away is your nearest town? 

Have you thought of going round various charity shops etc and asking them if they have vacancies for volunteers? You seem to think everything can be done from the comfort of your computer, emailing, applying online etc. There is no substitute for physically going into the shops and speaking to real people.

If thats too much for you, i'd just curl up in a ball and hope some rich relative dies.

Answer me this though, when anyone on this thread offers a suggestion, why do you think that your initial response is always negative? Because that is the only common theme i've noticed here.

I'd be tempted to speak to your doctor about depression, as has been said a few times on here. It seems that everything is too much hassle, and will never work and there are barriers in place to stop you. I'm wondering how many of these barriers are self imposed.


----------



## hermitical (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> The test case going through the courts now, from the trading standards people.
> 
> i contacted them by email because that is the only way to contact them. YOu will not get through by phone (an option that's only available one a week).



test case about what? If you mean about bank charges then that isn't the main point

I'm suggesting *physically going* to the CAB, *talking* to one of their debt advisors about coming up with a financial plan that looks at all your incomings and outgoings, this leaves you with an amount you can afford to payback to your creditors until your circumstances change. They will then help you write the appropriate letters explaining what you are doing.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

hermitical said:


> test case about what? If you mean about bank charges then that isn't the main point
> 
> I'm suggesting *physically going* to the CAB, *talking* to one of their debt advisors about coming up with a financial plan that looks at all your incomings and outgoings, this leaves you with an amount you can afford to payback to your creditors until your circumstances change. They will then help you write the appropriate letters explaining what you are doing.



Given that the test case has been widely reported over the last year or so, I have to assume you are just trying to wind me up.

The reason I emailed the CAB is because I don't live anywhere near their offices, which are horrifically oversubscribed. Email is the only way to guarantee a response. I'm not entirely sure why you think that turning up at the front door and hoping they are a) not shortstaffed and shut, and a) have an opportunity to fit me in given how horrendsously oversubscribed they are.

If you don't want to believe what I have told you there isn't much point in continally reponding with silly comments about a test case that you would have had to have been living under a rock to be unaware of.


----------



## newme (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> I haven't snapped anyone's head off for making a suggestion at all. How can you say that?



Because shes read the thread and isn't a moron.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

Xipe Totec said:


> jesus what a moany bastard.
> 
> i hope you arent infectious 'awesome wells'


what have i moaned about? Give one example or fuck off and die.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

MooChild said:


> This isn't gonna land in your lap you know.
> 
> How many miles away is your nearest town?
> 
> ...



Where did I say transport was going to land in my lap? What are you talking about? I was asked a question, and I answered. If that's a problem for you then don't read the thread because complaining about an answer just because you don't like it is pretty stupid.

I have no interest in working in a charity shop again and since they pay no wage I don't see the point in doing so. In any case, employers don't take that as serious work experience so there's little point doing that for that reason (which is why i did it before).

Where did I give the impression that I seemed to think everything can be done online? What a stupid comment. I have a pc, given that I don't live near the CAB and can't contact them by phone what else would you suggest? 

The problem with people like you is illustrated by the fact that had I not emailed them you'd complain about that as well. You're the one being negative; I'm simply responding to the questions I am asked. If you find those answers unpalatable, then who is the one with the problem?


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

newme said:


> Because shes read the thread and isn't a moron.


non sequitur.


----------



## newme (Oct 1, 2008)

Ah stop being such a moany bastard and go do something about it all. At best you appear to have been making 50% of the effort you could be with almost everything anyones suggested, then bitched and whined and verbally abused people who've only tried to help.

Ive been on JSA 3 miles from the nearest bus stop 6 from the nearest town, with debts, no transport and various other problems. Know what I did, sorted my fucking finances out by actually going and dealing with it, not making a phone call then whining and giving up. Then I walked the 6 miles to town, went round every single shop, restaurant, everything and asked about work and applied for everything, irrelevant of whether it was a dream come fucking true to work there.

Hell atm ive got no transport cos some wanker nicked it, Ive probably lost my job due to cutbacks and Ive 6 weeks til our lease is up and we have to be out, plus a stack of bills. Difference is im not shooting down every single possibility at the first hurdle. Ill get all three of those sorted by the time we move and thatll be on a minimum wage shit job working too many hours. Its shit but you do what you have to, or you end up whining and complaining at the very people trying to help you.


----------



## MooChild (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> Where did I say transport was going to land in my lap? What are you talking about? I was asked a question, and I answered. If that's a problem for you then don't read the thread because complaining about an answer just because you don't like it is pretty stupid.



I meant that nothing will land in your lap sitting around waiting for it to happen. Or just moaning that a) its all impossible and b) it would never work.




			
				Awesome Wells said:
			
		

> *I have no interest* in working in a charity shop again and since they pay no wage *I don't see the point *in doing so. In any case, employers don't take that as serious work experience so *there's little point doing* that for that reason (which is why i did it before).



Bolded for emphasis...




			
				Awesome Wells said:
			
		

> Where did I give the impression that I seemed to think everything can be done online? What a stupid comment. I have a pc, given that I don't live near the CAB and can't contact them by phone what else would you suggest?



I would suggest going in to speak to a real human being when you are in the area, but thats me.




			
				Awesome Wells said:
			
		

> The problem with people like you is illustrated by the fact that had I not emailed them you'd complain about that as well. *You're the one being negative*; I'm simply responding to the questions I am asked. If you find those answers unpalatable, then who is the one with the problem?



Yes, i'm being negative.  rofl.

I see you didnt bother answering my question...

I will restate it for you.

"Answer me this though, *when anyone on this thread offers a suggestion, why do you think that your initial response is always negative?* Because that is the only common theme i've noticed here.

I'd be tempted to speak to your doctor about depression, as has been said a few times on here. *It seems that everything is too much hassle*, and will never work and there are barriers in place to stop you. *I'm wondering how many of these barriers are self imposed*."

I seriously am trying to offer up suggestions along with everyone else on the thread, but all we seem to get back is defeatist attitude and woe is me.

Life is shitty for most people, take a look at the boring jobs thread if you don't believe me. 

The difference is, not everyone curls up in a ball and says "its all impossible" "its not worth doing" "i cant see the point" take a look at newme's post above for a classic example.

See what im saying? Or are you just going to accuse me of being negative again?

Edited to add: You still haven't told us how many miles (in a number) from your nearest town you are.


----------



## christonabike (Oct 1, 2008)

I used to hitch-hike around

Have you a thumb?


----------



## hermitical (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> Given that the test case has been widely reported over the last year or so, I have to assume you are just trying to wind me up.
> 
> The reason I emailed the CAB is because I don't live anywhere near their offices, which are horrifically oversubscribed. Email is the only way to guarantee a response. I'm not entirely sure why you think that turning up at the front door and hoping they are a) not shortstaffed and shut, and a) have an opportunity to fit me in given how horrendsously oversubscribed they are.
> 
> If you don't want to believe what I have told you there isn't much point in continally reponding with silly comments about a test case that you would have had to have been living under a rock to be unaware of.



like I said, if it's the test case about bank charges then *LIKE I SAID*, that isn't the main point. I know of no other test case, instead of being obtuse perhaps you could state exactly what you mean

and there's no need to be rude to someone offering advice, you weren't (and still haven't been) clear

You ring the CAB (or local debt counselling service), from a payphone if need be, make an appointment where they will spend time with you, and take it from there.

Where in Somerset are you? It is Somerset isn't it?


----------



## newme (Oct 1, 2008)

christonabike said:


> I used to hitch-hike around
> 
> Have you a thumb?


..



			
				futurewhinage said:
			
		

> I do have a thumb, what kind of idiot do you take me for, you think I havent tried thumbing a lift, off one car, going the opposite direction. But my thumb doesnt work like that, its unlike everyone else's thumb, besides even if it did someone would come and stand in the way of my thumb, they should be wrapping it in Neon so I can better get a lift. Or just give me the car so I can drive myself. Either way Im better than thumbing a lift, I dont see the point, I cant be bothered to try.


----------



## madzone (Oct 1, 2008)

Thing is AW, you ask for advice and when you get it you behave like people are attacking you  

Chances are the people offering advice have been (or still are to some extent) in similar circumstances and are just telling you what worked for them.


----------



## Mrs Miggins (Oct 1, 2008)

futurewhinage said:
			
		

> I do have a thumb, what kind of idiot do you take me for, you think I havent tried thumbing a lift, off one car, going the opposite direction. But my thumb doesnt work like that, its unlike everyone else's thumb, besides even if it did someone would come and stand in the way of my thumb, they should be wrapping it in Neon so I can better get a lift. Or just give me the car so I can drive myself. Either way Im better than thumbing a lift, I dont see the point, I cant be bothered to try.



Couldn't have put it better myself


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

newme said:


> Ah stop being such a moany bastard and go do something about it all. At best you appear to have been making 50% of the effort you could be with almost everything anyones suggested, then bitched and whined and verbally abused people who've only tried to help.
> 
> Ive been on JSA 3 miles from the nearest bus stop 6 from the nearest town, with debts, no transport and various other problems. Know what I did, sorted my fucking finances out by actually going and dealing with it, not making a phone call then whining and giving up. Then I walked the 6 miles to town, went round every single shop, restaurant, everything and asked about work and applied for everything, irrelevant of whether it was a dream come fucking true to work there.
> 
> Hell atm ive got no transport cos some wanker nicked it, Ive probably lost my job due to cutbacks and Ive 6 weeks til our lease is up and we have to be out, plus a stack of bills. Difference is im not shooting down every single possibility at the first hurdle. Ill get all three of those sorted by the time we move and thatll be on a minimum wage shit job working too many hours. Its shit but you do what you have to, or you end up whining and complaining at the very people trying to help you.



This post is so full of shit I don't know where to start or how it's supposed to be relevant. Perhaps you might explain the relevance of even one single element of this post?


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

madzone said:


> Thing is AW, you ask for advice and when you get it you behave like people are attacking you
> .



You are incorrect. When people resort to abuse, they are attacking. Advice is one thing, abuse from ignorant fuckwits who haven't the wit to understand the difference between our experiences is quite something else.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

christonabike said:


> I used to hitch-hike around
> 
> Have you a thumb?


Utter nonsense.

Can't possibly rely on thumbing a lift ffs. What are you going to do if you can't get one, or get back? Wake the fuck up!


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

MooChild said:


> I would suggest going in to speak to a real human being when you are in the area, but thats me.
> 
> 
> Edited to add: You still haven't told us how many miles (in a number) from your nearest town you are.



Because they aren't available - that's why i emailed them you dimwit! Did you not even read the response I gave you?

I am about ten miles (afaict).


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

hermitical said:


> like I said, if it's the test case about bank charges then *LIKE I SAID*, that isn't the main point. I know of no other test case, instead of being obtuse perhaps you could state exactly what you mean
> 
> and there's no need to be rude to someone offering advice, you weren't (and still haven't been) clear
> 
> ...


It's the point because it's what they fucking told me! HOw many times di you want to be told this? If you know of nop other test case then why ask me which one it is ffs?

And again you weren't listening about ringing the CAB. Why do you think I emailed them? You can't get through on the phone - all you get is an answering machine (ie the call costs money - it doesn't ring off). Furthermore the phone option is only available once a week. I can't make them answer, I can't magically sort their staffing issues out, i can email them, which is what I did. Now you want to moan about that!


----------



## Hellsbells (Oct 1, 2008)

This thread is so bizarre. Why are you even posting on here Awesome wells? What do you expect to get out of it? Are you actually looking for advice? 
You just seem to be getting angrier and angrier by people's responses - they're only trying to help. It's hardly their fault that none of their suggestions seem to be viable solutions to you. 
This thread seems to be doing you more harm than good, to be honest. It certainly isn't helping you with any of your problems anyway.


----------



## madzone (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> Because they aren't available - that's why i emailed them you dimwit! Did you not even read the response I gave you?
> 
> I am about ten miles (afaict).


What's with the calling names? 

People are just trying to make suggestions to help you.

I've had enough of you now.


----------



## Mrs Miggins (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> Utter nonsense.
> 
> Can't possibly rely on thumbing a lift ffs. What are you going to do if you can't get one, or get back? Wake the fuck up!



yeah - what a fucking twat eh? Suggesting a way you might (if you get off your arse and try!) be able to get around when you have no money.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

madzone said:


> What's with the calling names?
> 
> People are just trying to make suggestions to help you.
> 
> I've had enough of you now.


I had already explained twice that was the only option so I don't expect to be criticised for it. If people are deliberately going to continue to take the piss, then what do they expect. Don't make excuses for them.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

Mrs Miggins said:


> yeah - what a fucking twat eh? Suggesting a way you might (if you get off your arse and try!) be able to get around when you have no money.


As i have said before, and obviously you couldn't be bothered to read: suggestions are one thing. Goofy advice that isn't remotely practical is entirely another. I notice your response doesn't answer any of the questions. What good is thumbing a lift if you don't actually get one?


----------



## MooChild (Oct 1, 2008)

Seeing as you can't be arsed answering the question i asked, or are conveniently ignoring it, i give up trying to help.

You can't be bothered to study ("its too expensive", "i cant study as im on the dole", "my hands are unable to hold a pen")

You can't be bothered to get help with your finances ("i sent them an email, one email!!!1, they didnt send me a cheque, it will will never work")

You can't be bothered to go into town to find work ("theres no point", "i tried it and it didnt work out", "its too far")

And now when you post up here asking for advice what does everyone who posts get, abuse! 



> that's why i emailed them you dimwit!





> Utter nonsense.





> Wake the fuck up!





> abuse from ignorant fuckwits who haven't the wit to understand the difference between our experiences is quite something else.





> This post is so full of shit I don't know where to start or how it's supposed to be relevant. Perhaps you might explain the relevance of even one single element of this post?





> what have i moaned about? Give one example or fuck off and die.



I must admit, that with your overhwhelming go for it attitude i'm sure you would be a shining beacon of light in any office / factory / wherever.

I think you will find that the commonality in all of your failed endeavours is you and your stinking "it will never work" outlook on life. No wonder you haven't been able to find anything worthwhile.

Just curl up in a ball of woe and wait for some magical pixie to come along to make it all better...  good luck.


----------



## madzone (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> *I don't expect to be criticised*


And there we have it.

Poor Awesome Wells, your life sounds like such shit, and it's obvious there's absolutely no way out. No-one understands do they? 

Is that better?


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

madzone said:


> And there we have it.
> 
> Poor Awesome Wells, your life sounds like such shit, and it's obvious there's absolutely no way out. No-one understands do they?
> 
> Is that better?


wow, please continue to take what I said completely out of fucking context! That's always helpful! ffs, what's the point of that?


----------



## Mrs Miggins (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> As i have said before, and obviously you couldn't be bothered to read: suggestions are one thing. Goofy advice that isn't remotely practical is entirely another. I notice your response doesn't answer any of the questions. What good is thumbing a lift if you don't actually get one?



How do you know whether you will get a lift or not unless you try?


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

MooChild said:


> You can't be bothered to study ("its too expensive", "i cant study as im on the dole", "my hands are unable to hold a pen")
> You can't be bothered to get help with your finances ("i sent them an email, one email!!!1, they didnt send me a cheque, it will will never work")
> You can't be bothered to go into town to find work ("theres no point", "i tried it and it didnt work out", "its too far")



So instead of actually reading what was written, you've just decided to make up some shit. How clever of you.

If i can't afford to study, what would you suggest? Rob a bank perhaps? No let's just equate that to can't be bothered, because that's the same isn't it! Are you really that stupid?

You can't study on the dole, for the reasons I explained. Do you think I'm going to start doing something that I will not be able to finish because the Dole won't allow you? I was told point fucking blank that anything you do including study will detract from your availability for work. What do you want me to say? This is what i was fucking TOLD by the personal adviser after I said i wanted TO study! Don't fucking tell me I can't then be bothered!

You have the fucking gall to tell me I can't be bothered to get help after I have contacted the CAB? How fucking dare you! you stupid piece of cunt. How fucking dare you? What else do you suggest? THere is NO other way I can contact them. But oh no suddenly it's another excuse for you to criticise me? I'm so sorry I don't have a personal CAB on hand in my kitchen ready to answer my every query. But unfortunately their service is extremely limited and email is the only reliable way. 

Where did I ever say I couldn't be bothered to go into town and look? You aren't even bothering to listen or read are you? You're just another ignorant fuckwit resorting to the same tired shit as the rest of these idiots. Never mind that I can't afford to travel more than once a week, somehow I'm magically going to find a pot of gold that will enable me to pay for bus fares once I start a job? 

No, instead of actually addressing these genuine concerns, you can make yourself feel good by dismissing them out of hand so as to have a convenient excuse to resort to ignorant abuse. 

Go fuck yourself.


----------



## Mrs Miggins (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> wow, please continue to take what I said completely out of fucking context! That's always helpful! ffs, what's the point of that?



You've done nothing on this thread but tell people why their suggestions will not work for you.

People will not go on and on giving you sympathy and suggestions when they are just thrown back in their faces.

What do you want AW? A magic wand to make it all perfect?

I'm afraid that MooChild has the measure of you exactly and until you wake up and realise that, you won't be able to help yourself.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

Mrs Miggins said:


> How do you know whether you will get a lift or not unless you try?


It isn't a question of try: if you can't get back what do you suggest? Grow a pair of wings? 

It's a stupid suggestion because you cannot rely on someone out of the blue giving you a lift to and from. There is nothing to be gained by focussing on such ludicrous suggestions that are totally impractical in the real world.


----------



## extra dry (Oct 1, 2008)

He knows he won't get a lift...all the locals know him and as soon as they see him with his thumb out they will be thinking 'not f**king likely you moaning, negative tosser...'


----------



## madzone (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> wow, please continue to take what I said completely out of fucking context! That's always helpful! ffs, what's the point of that?




I sometimes wonder if you're on a wind up

It's everyone elses fault isn't it? How dare they give you advice when you asked for it 

Get off your arse and do something to chnge your own life - no-one else will do it for you - they couldn't even if they wanted to. Stop playing the fucking victim and get on with the life you've got.

How about volunteering overseas for some people with real probelms? You have clean water, a roof over your head, access to free healthcare. Stop fucking wingeing.


----------



## madzone (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> So instead of actually reading what was written, you've just decided to make up some shit. How clever of you.
> 
> If i can't afford to study, what would you suggest? Rob a bank perhaps? No let's just equate that to can't be bothered, because that's the same isn't it! Are you really that stupid?
> 
> ...


 
6 pages of epople trying their best to help you and you just giving loads of abuse back

How about _you_ go fuck yourself?


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

Mrs Miggins said:


> You've done nothing on this thread but tell people why their suggestions will not work for you.
> 
> People will not go on and on giving you sympathy and suggestions when they are just thrown back in their faces.



You really do continue to miss the point entirely don't you. 

You really just don't even try and read what I said. 

If a suggestion doesn't work, then of course I'm going to say so? What on earth is going to be gained by pretending otherwise? If I can't afford a bus tick, for example, how will that be resolved by pretending? Do you think the bus driver will accept pretend money? Wake the fuck up!


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

madzone said:


> 6 pages of epople trying their best to help you and you just giving loads of abuse back
> 
> How about _you_ go fuck yourself?


No, 6 pages of ignorant morons getting abusive because they cannot understand how their ideas are not workable - and then resorting to abuse in the process.

THAT is the point you continually miss.

Try fucking reading.


----------



## madzone (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> You really do continue to miss the point entirely don't you.


 
Mrs Miggins and everyone else on the thread apparently.

So, who _has_ given you a useable suggestion on this thread AW?


----------



## MooChild (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> So instead of actually reading what was written, you've just decided to make up some shit. How clever of you.
> 
> If i can't afford to study, what would you suggest? Rob a bank perhaps? No let's just equate that to can't be bothered, because that's the same isn't it! Are you really that stupid?



Lets try once more.
You can afford to study, the OU does discounts based on your income, you would probably qualify for grants and fees towards study. I did, and i am working.



> You can't study on the dole, for the reasons I explained. Do you think I'm going to start doing something that I will not be able to finish because the Dole won't allow you? I was told point fucking blank that anything you do including study will detract from your availability for work. What do you want me to say? This is what i was fucking TOLD by the personal adviser after I said i wanted TO study! Don't fucking tell me I can't then be bothered!



If you do part time study in your own time, it doesn't count towards looking for work. My dole office told me this, while i was on the dole AND studying.



> You have the fucking gall to tell me I can't be bothered to get help after I have contacted the CAB? How fucking dare you! you stupid piece of cunt. How fucking dare you? What else do you suggest? THere is NO other way I can contact them. But oh no suddenly it's another excuse for you to criticise me? I'm so sorry I don't have a personal CAB on hand in my kitchen ready to answer my every query. But unfortunately their service is extremely limited and email is the only reliable way.



I'm not even going to try to answer this.



> Where did I ever say I couldn't be bothered to go into town and look? You aren't even bothering to listen or read are you? You're just another ignorant fuckwit resorting to the same tired shit as the rest of these idiots. Never mind that I can't afford to travel more than once a week, somehow I'm magically going to find a pot of gold that will enable me to pay for bus fares once I start a job?



I'm not being funny here, but if i was in that position, i'd be walking to work for the first week until i got paid. Then i'd get a bus pass. If this is too hard for you, i'd suggest the waiting for the pixies option i provided earlier.



> No, instead of actually addressing these genuine concerns, you can make yourself feel good by dismissing them out of hand so as to have a convenient excuse to resort to ignorant abuse.
> 
> Go fuck yourself.



You're the one thats fucked mate, not me. I've been where you are and got out of it, what are you going to DO about your situation (apart from throw abuse at everyone who offers suggestions).


----------



## madzone (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> No, 6 pages of ignorant morons getting abusive because they cannot understand how their ideas are not workable - and then resorting to abuse in the process.
> 
> THAT is the point you continually miss.
> 
> Try fucking reading.


Are you this angry in real life?


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

madzone said:


> I sometimes wonder if you're on a wind up
> 
> It's everyone elses fault isn't it? How dare they give you advice when you asked for it
> 
> ...




what on earth are you talking about 'everyone else's fault'? What does that mean? What is 'everyone elses fault', and where did I ever suggest that 'it' is? Good grief!

It isn't about playing the victim, that's just stupid language that means nothing. You are the one implying that I'm being negative when I am simply telling you that suggestion that are impractical - are impractical? Would you rather people lied? Does that make it better? Of course fucking not!

I get on with my life everyday. This 'victim' stuff is just pop psychology bollocks.


----------



## madzone (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> you stupid piece of cunt.


Just seen this.

Nice


----------



## madzone (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> what on earth are you talking about 'everyone else's fault'? What does that mean? What is 'everyone elses fault', and where did I ever suggest that 'it' is? Good grief!
> 
> It isn't about playing the victim, that's just stupid language that means nothing. You are the one implying that I'm being negative when I am simply telling you that suggestion that are impractical - are impractical? Would you rather people lied? Does that make it better? Of course fucking not!
> 
> I get on with my life everyday. This 'victim' stuff is just pop psychology bollocks.


 
Oh, get a job you twat


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

madzone said:


> Are you this angry in real life?


What an absurd question.


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

madzone said:


> Just seen this.
> 
> Nice


what's 'nice' got to do with it? Why are you even responding? You've already made it clear you didn't want to continue and even then you can't be bothered to actually read what was posted, so why waste people's and your's time?


----------



## madzone (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> What an absurd question.


 
Are you?


----------



## Awesome Wells (Oct 1, 2008)

MooChild said:


> I'm not even going to try to answer this.





Says it all.


----------



## tom_craggs (Oct 1, 2008)

To me by far the most useful suggestion in this thread is that you might want to look at ways of overcoming depression, whether with a doctor, or family or friends or help from elsewhere because it sounds very much like you are depressed.


----------



## MooChild (Oct 1, 2008)

If you are on qualifying benefits and have an income of 10k




			
				Open University said:
			
		

> Financial Support
> For students resident in England or Northern Ireland.
> 
> From the information you have provided it appears that you could be eligible for the maximum award which would be:
> ...



So, explain to me how you cannot afford to study, when it would be free.


----------



## christonabike (Oct 1, 2008)

I know this may be an absolutely absurd suggestion, but here goes:

would your mates be willing to help you out?


----------



## MooChild (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> Says it all.



Yeah, thats the spirit, ignore everything else i've written and pick me up on not responding to verbal abuse...


----------



## MooChild (Oct 1, 2008)

Also from Here



			
				Open University said:
			
		

> What if I am doing an Open University course?
> 
> You still claim Jobseeker’s Allowance if you study with the Open University. The coursework you do for the Open University should not affect whether or not you can work because it is for people who study part-time.
> 
> You can go on one residential week for each course with the Open University as long as it is an important part of the programme. We will still class you as being ready and looking for work. You must tell your adviser if you do this kind of course.



So, not only would it be free, you could still claim benefits.

Imagine that, both of your reasons taken apart with 30 seconds of googling...

Still want to abuse me? or are you going to DO something about your situation?


----------



## extra dry (Oct 1, 2008)

friends..this guy having friends...actual non imaginary friends...I bet he doesn't or they live too far away or it is a crazy suggestion because who uses their friends for help?


----------



## madzone (Oct 1, 2008)

Where/when do you do your food shopping AW?


----------



## Mrs Miggins (Oct 1, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> You really do continue to miss the point entirely don't you.



What is the point then?
You've asked people for advice, they have given you all sorts of suggestions, all of which, for one reason or another, you say won't work for you. 



Awesome Wells said:


> You really just don't even try and read what I said.



I've read the entire thread thank you very much and it's all excuses.



Awesome Wells said:


> If a suggestion doesn't work, then of course I'm going to say so? What on earth is going to be gained by pretending otherwise? If I can't afford a bus tick, for example, how will that be resolved by pretending? Do you think the bus driver will accept pretend money? Wake the fuck up!



Have you TRIED though? I don't believe you have. And if you don't end up getting a lift, and you don't have bus fare money, you'll have to walk.


----------



## hermitical (Oct 1, 2008)

I'll ask you again, what part of Somerset are you in?


----------



## hermitical (Oct 1, 2008)

Mrs Miggins said:


> you'll have to walk.



walk...WALK, 10 miles?? 

and back?? 

you stupid piece of cunt


----------



## Mrs Miggins (Oct 1, 2008)

hermitical said:


> you stupid *piece of cunt*



Can I be the clitoris?


----------



## hermitical (Oct 1, 2008)

well, if you must be flicky...sorry, picky


----------



## MooChild (Oct 13, 2008)

Any update AW?


----------



## zenie (Oct 13, 2008)

Awesome Wells said:


> what's 'nice' got to do with it? Why are you even responding? You've already made it clear you didn't want to continue and even then you can't be bothered to actually read what was posted, *so why waste people's and your's time?*


 

Oh the irony! 

You've not done yourself any favours AW


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## spacemonkey (Oct 13, 2008)

I can't believe I just read 10 pages of this. 

You've _got_ to sort out your anger issues. Calling people who are trying to help a 'stupid piece of cunt' says something about your state of mind.

Have you ben reacting like this to the people at the job centre? 

Before you flame me, I suppose I should offer a piece of advice. Try and get a pub job, there must be at least several pubs within walking distance? 

The best way to do this is walk in dressed smartly, like you're just coming back from another job. Ask to speak to the manager directly and explain you're looking for some part-time work, just a few evening shifts if possible. Be as friendly and as outgoing as you can muster. Order a coke, talk to the bar staff as well (many times i've recommended people for work just because they've been so friendly as customers).

If they say no, ask if they wouldn't mind holding on to a copy of your CV and give you a ring if they have any openings. Say you're willing to cover peoples shifts if they're ill etc...

In my last pub the manager would always seem disinterested to people looking for work. If he was impressed by the person he would inevitabley create space for them in the rota.

An evening bar job will give you some money for transport and leave your days free to look for other work. If you then manage to get a day job try and keep a few evenings or weekend shifts at the pub. Then you can start saving for a course. Also pubs are sociable, I was pretty depressed after my father passed away, but working in a social environment helped immensely. 

This absolutely works because I did it and managed to save up enough for my university tutition fees. 

Good luck.

(....and seriously, cut down on calling people cunts, even if the poster deserves it. It might put people off who have good advice. Have you noticed people sometimes offer jobs on here? What if someone was willing to give you a chance down Somerset way and saw some of your vile responses? Just a thought)


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## Vamos666 (Oct 13, 2008)

He's gonna go spaz at you.


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## the button (Oct 13, 2008)

madzone said:


> Where/when do you do your food shopping AW?



Food? Luxury!


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