Bureaucratic bullshit

Have just spent the last hour and a half trudging through the Arbeitsagentur (job centre/dole office) websites. Admittedly, I should have done much of what I've just done as soon as I finished work and I wouldn't have even bothered now if I hadn't received a letter that I have an appointment there next week. Hate how, even though I don't intend to take any money from them ('cos honestly, I can't afford to be out of work for the three months I'm excluded from getting money (because I quit rather than being fired) from them), I still have to fill out all of this shit. Soooo frustrating.

Normally I'm a big fan of doing things by the book and making sure everything is in place but I have to admit that I got a terrible advisor and so, after my initial meeting with her, I was already so annoyed and frustrated that I just pushed it all to one side and forgot about it. For the first month of not working I was very busy trying to sort things out for my side-business with the tax office, trying to do my tax return, sorting things out with the health insurance place, trying to get my website up and running, as well as actually working on translating. All while trying to get over my old job (working nearly 150 hours in the last two weeks really did a number on me).

In December, things were a bit better but still very busy with translating work due to a one-off huge project that landed on my doorstep. Lucky me. That project (if he ever pays the invoices) will give me enough money to not have to worry too much in January. I really did think I'd have a temp job from the beginning of December or, at the very latest, from the beginning of January. Turns out putting all my trust in this one (really very reputable, excellent agency) might not have been the best idea. On the other hand, part of it really is to do with the time of year so I might end up getting five phone calls for different jobs next week. At any rate, I do need to now get my ass in gear and start being very pro-active about looking for a new job. I do have two posssibilities, both of which would start mid-January, neither of which I have yet interviewed for and neither of which are really what I'm looking for. But we'll see. Anything is better than nothing.

The first website I went onto was the job-centre section. They've sent me about five suggestions for positions, only one of which was in any way suitable (and I missed the deadline on that one as I was still working when it came in and just didn't get to it). So now I've cleared those at least, although I'm bound to get in trouble for not applying to any of them. I'm planning on spending time tomorrow and Tuesday sending off at least that many applications so that by my meeting at the end of the week, I can truthfully state that I've sent off more than the threeI have done until now. Actually, if I include the two prospects I've also got for this month then I'm up to five, which isn't bad, according to Arbeitsagentur guidelines. I think I'm supposed to do at least six a month or something.

Anyway, then I went and filled out my application to receive the dole. Not sure they'll accept it though. I really should have done that as soon as I left my old job. But since I don't really plan on having to receive any money from them I'm not too worried. I'll still have to go back to my former employer though and get them to fill out one form. And contact the Department of Social Welfare in Ireland to get them to send me another form (hooray for the EU but at the same time, stupid EU bureaucracy!).

Could think of better things to be doing with a Sunday morning to be honest. You have to answer so many completely irrelevant questions on these forms. I comforted myself with the knowledge that for somebody, somewhere, those questions probably aren't irrelevant.

So anyway, that was all a bit of a meanginless rant but better out than in, as they say. I should be going to the opera this afternoon but after the last performance, when I spent ages looking for my tickets, I put them away somewhere safe. And now I have no idea where they are. So it looks like there'll be no Offenbach for me today. A pity, but I can't bring myself to care too much. Just enough to look in one more place.