I haven’t been working for UKHSA this week – I decided to step away fully for a few days as lurking on the work Windows laptop everyday waiting for something to happen where I could genuinely contribute was spinning me out a bit.
The timing was pretty good – I had a first interview for a permanent role on Monday. It is with the United Nations Foundation and is a real mix of the familiar and the extremely not. It is with an initiative I’ve been interested in for a while so I did more pre-interview prep than I’ve done in years and the combination of that and it being done via Teams (which I’ve only ever used as the interviewer not the interviewee) meant I was more nervous than usual.
Also I realised the last time I did a proper job interview was November 2016 for mySociety.
Anyway it went okay so onto the next stage.
I’ve also been reviewing talk submissions for the Service Design in Government conference. I’ve been a reviewer for a few years – I really enjoy it. So far this year the quality of submissions has been really high. Which actually makes it harder! I wasn’t sure I was going to attend but I think I will now as it feels like it is going to be even better than the high standard pre-pandemic.
My hunt for a permanent role stepped up a bit this week as well. I applied for a couple of things and had a good chat with someone about a role I didn’t get considered for. I’m working on coming to terms with the reality that I am considered a bit institutionalised outside of the digital government world and as I really don’t want to join a consultancy again or be a contractor long term I’m going to have to bite the bullet and return to the public sector despite finding elements of it more frustrating than ever (while there is still a lot of love.)
Just had a message that confirms I’m back to work for the next couple of weeks before I head to Miami as some concrete tasks have emerged for me to get my teeth into. Really pleased though it does mean I’ve had to cancel my volunteering with Upfest.
Went and saw Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness at the weekend. Really, really enjoyed it and the fact that I avoided spoilers and speculation ahead of it massively added to my enjoyment. I suspect it works on different levels depending on the depth of your fandom but for me it was a grin-fest.
Love Life season two is on iPlayer. I watched season one just because it was Anna Kendrick – she is my Kryptonite – but this season is miles better and she only has a couple of tiny cameos. Funny, romantic and real it is top-class television.
How I Met Your Father (Disney+) is not top-class television. It is entertainment as wallpaper at best. It wastes a pretty compelling cast (apart from the guy playing the English character – like nails on a chalkboard). It isn’t bad as such – just so inoffensive and bland as to be virtually non-existent…despite attempts to give it an edge.
Road to 50 (1978)
Film: Superman (still the best movie depiction of the Man of Steel!)
Album: One Nation Under a Groove – Funkadelic
Digital by Default 