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The Touch Typed Diary - Confidence

Some background to what follows can be found here. Other installments are here.

I started this as a way to train at touch typing (hence the title) which I have finally taken up learning more or less seriously. At first I was typing what nonsense came across my mind and deleted it once I had finished. Gradually, it just turned into a diary relating the events (not very numerous) of my life. This has also the advantage of keeping me relatively busy at work when I have nothing else to do which seem to happen rather frequently these days.

11 March 2002

Last week started in a rather low key as I was feeling deflated after the weekend. It had been quite enjoyable but unfortunately had brought promises to life that would once again not come to realisation.

I had a bit of a moral boost on Tuesday though which helped get into a more serene and normal groove. My line manager announced to me that I was being offered a six months contract, which would probably be renewed at least once. I am still not sure about the financial side of the deal (They have to buy me from the agency; I feel like showing my teeth every time I meet someone from personnel!) but hopefully they will give me the same amount of money they were giving to the agency (£9.50/hour from which I only got £7); that would be a significant change for me (that would be roughly £280 more a month!!!!). I should not put my hopes too high really. It is too good to be true and will probably not happen.

The rest of the week went without an itch really until the weekend that is.

On Friday night I was getting ready for an early night when there was a knock at the door. It was one of the neighbours informing us that the next door neighbours from upstairs had left the water on before leaving their flat and that a flood was building up.

Sure enough, earlier I had notice the noise of running water in the bathroom but had not thought much of it as it seem to be coming from the toilet. Now water was running along the walls of the downstairs loo. We started to mop. People finally broke in the flat upstairs and turned off the water; soon enough the dripping slowed down. We were lucky to have little damages done in the flat but the next door neighbours who were directly beneath the source of the problem (!) were not so lucky and spent there Saturday afternoon clearing out and will probably have to redecorate most of their flat.

I went for a run on Saturday morning and spent most of the afternoon napping as it really knocked me off. I then played at rebooting my computer several times, as I seem to have troubles with my D drive. I was wondering whether I would make an appearance at the Box when J. enrolled my to escort her to a pub for a drink. I was soon told that things were not going too well with B. at the moment. And it appeared that she was only looking for a considerate ear to voice her concern. Who better than the nice gay flatmate to take up that position?

After a few minutes in the pub (a converted boat) the music was turned up and we decided to move somewhere else more tranquil.

On the whole it was a nice evening, a bit like a girls’ night out, I suppose. It brought us closer and was a nice opportunity to get to know each other better as it is usually a bit difficult to get to talk to her on her own and/or for a long time without interruption.

It was decided that we would be going to Heaven next weekend and to Trade some time later during the month.

Sunday had been set aside for my second meeting with P.. We had decided to go to Greenwich where I would show him the good places to buy cheap books. And boy, did we buy books!!! Especially me I have to say. I came back home with 12 of them, as if I did not have already enough of them waiting on my shelves to be read.

We met at 1 at Canada Water station and took a bus from there to Greenwich. After having gone round the interesting places we headed to my place where we had a drink a chatted a bit more.

P. took his leave around 5.30 and although there had been a few gaps in the conversation, things had gone rather well. It seems strange though that like with other guys I have met online, we seem to be more relaxed and can talk more easily on the net than in real life. I suppose it is just a question of getting used to one another.

He seems a nice person and for some reason really supportive. He is always trying to boost my moral and my self esteem which in a way is nice, but at the same time feels a bit meaningless as nothing in what I live is there to support what he says. J. too had a stab at it on Saturday night, telling me that I was really good looking and that apart from the colour of my skin and a little je ne sais quoi, I was just as good as B.. That was I think a rather strange think to say; especially considering that she had just told me that they were having troubles in their relationship and that they had both been unfaithful to each other….

Tonight is rehearsal night with the Chorus. I have decided that I might try to go to Australia with them at the end of the year for the Gay Games. It would be a really great experience I am sure with unique opportunities, like singing at the Opera House in Sydney.

I have to ask a few questions tonight and see whether it is possible to get the “cheaper” (£1300) formula to get there. I suppose I could ask D. for advice on alternative places to a hotel…. I would also have to have a passport made which would prove much hassle!

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