First Day, First Week, how did it go

So it’s the weekend following my first week, this time tomorrow I'll be back in the office for the first day of my 2nd week.  

Since I started working after University, I've had a few jobs and sometimes they have gone well and I've been there a few years and others haven't.  But the one constant thing that needs to happen I believe is a good first day and a good first week.  If you settle down in the first week, I think it sets the pattern for your time there.

So as of last Sunday I stepped into a new position, new office, new people, and new challenge.  I'm a Paralegal at Moroccanoil based in Rishon Lezion.  So I have to travel and it’s a bit further than before, but I've done similar and as someone said to me people who work in London, don't always live in London so they commute, so it’s not a big deal.  And it isn't... as it stands I get up, get the train for 25 minutes and then walk from the station for 25 minutes to the office.  So far I've been getting to the building about 20 minutes before work.  It gives me a chance to relax before work, spend 10 minutes reading before I head into the office.

So anyway the actual job, its working for a cosmetics company in their legal department and as I found early on, it seems like I will be busy and taking a lot of responsibility on.  Currently I am the only Paralegal.  One left and the other is away on Maternity leave.  So it’s just me and even though it’s very daunting and something I'm not experienced in, I would like to think I'm up for the challenge.  So far already, I've participated in two meetings with distributors from overseas.  The second of which I actually contributed to by preparing a report for the meeting.  Which when you've only worked in the company for 8 and a half hours and asked to start preparing said spreadsheet/report is very nerve wracking.  But I've tried to listen and learn as I go along and ask questions about something if I'm not sure and it’s gone well. Our part of the meeting went well and I think my bosses were pleased with what I had done and that I was following up on stuff as well from that meeting.  

It feels good to have some praise with my work and yes I have a lot to learn, but I do feel I'm off to a good start I hope and well I'm taking each day as it comes and I hope to feel eventually fully comfortable in my position there.

Thanks to everyone who has wished me luck for this week or liked my work related Facebook statues, I promise to not do too many, but this is a new start and a step into the unknown for me, but so far after 5 days it’s going well.

Closing the Chapter on the Typist and starting a new one.

Well its been a couple of weeks since I last posted, been fairly busy but I've some downtime now so here I am.

Well as most of you know, especially if you're on my Facebook I've been counting down to yesterday evening, where after 2 and a half years as English Typist at Dr. Shlomo Cohen & Co. I bid farewell to that position and from Sunday morning I will be starting a new role.

I have to say although as people have commented that I look so much happier from the moment I announced I was leaving this job to move to another and in someways I do feel happier.  But I am also nervous because I'm stepping into the unknown and while I have a little experience in the area my new job will cover.  It is still very much brand new.  I keep telling myself that this company would not have hired me if they didn't think I could do the job, but still there is always a little doubt in my mind, I just have to go into Sunday with my eyes wide open and listen, learn, ask questions (even ask the same once a few times).  But above all else stay calm.

Still it will feel weird to not be an English Typist anymore, after all I've been in Israel now 5 and a half years and this role was my longest here, taking 2 and a half years so its not hard to understand that while some things I did not like.  I've made friends there and one of the hardest things I've found is staying in touch with people when they or you move on and I sincerely hope that it does not happen.

I will miss my girls though.  When you're the only guy among the Receptionists and the Achamashia... its kind of hard not to see them as my girls :-).  Although at least I will not have to share my chocolate anymore (sorry Daniella and Hadar... its all mine now..).

Going to be weird not getting calls to come check and correct people's English, but everything ends and all that, I'm going onto a new thing and I hope that it will be the start of an amazing thing.

The Good, The Bad and all that's inbetween

Its been a few weeks since I blogged, nearly a month actually, oops how time flies when you are having fun or not having fun LOL.

So I thought I'd start with the stuff that is bugging me lately and I know I've mentioned it before but it still feels a real concern or issue for me.  The lack of social life and feeling excluded by friends, I know people will say that my job of the last 2 years has been the cause of a lot of my lack of social life, with working long hours and sometimes awkward hours and it is that.  But its also the fact I feel sometimes I don't hear from people unless its for something they need and yeah last few weeks I've been fortunate to be invited and actually able to attend a few things and have a good weekend.  But it really feels like its far and few between, there are many weekends when I am just at home, sat by myself at home or in the park reading.  Now I love reading and I don't mind doing that, but it would be nice to have the phone ring and people say we're going out in a couple of hours to have dinner or go sit in a bar, wanna come.  And friends whom I made even in my office, throwing out the old platitude about staying in touch and it doesn't happen.  Its tough, its very tough and sometimes I feel like shutting myself away from the outside world as if anyone would actually notice.

Maybe its just a mood at the moment as I had sad news from back home on Thursday as a member of the Hull Jewish Community passed away on Wednesday Max Gold Solicitor and former Chairman of Hull Kingston Rovers.. (okay I was more a fan of the other Rugby club in the town but still!!) And a memory of him that will always remain is from my bar mitzvah when he made a speech and pointed out that he and my Dad and one other had grown up in prams together.  I also had the pleasure of spending 2 weeks unpaid work experience at his firm back in my younger days.  Its somewhat ironic that I only did it because I needed to do something for the work experience and now I've spent the last 2 years working in a Law Firm in Israel and I'm going onto work in a legal department elsewhere in June.

Onto the good, my cousin Joel and his wife Rebekah welcomed a little boy into the world and I'm looking forward to meet my new cousin this coming week.  I wish Joel and Rebekah and all Mazal Tov :-).

Personal news, although if you are on my Facebook, you already know, I've got a new job.  Starting 3 weeks tomorrow I will be working in the Legal Department of a Haircare company. Its administrative and paralegal work, so it will be a new challenge and yes I'm nervous, but I hope my experience at the current place of work will hold me in good stead and allow me to not only settle but thrive there.

Also thinking about my birthday in just under 13 weeks now, its a big one... not mentioning the number but most of you probably know how old I am.  And since its one of those birthdays I want to do something good for it... So for those of you out there, who actually read this, put your thinking caps on and send me your ideas...

Right I am off to stare a the television screen and hope Sunderland can do to Swansea what they did to Hull last week, because if they don't, I think its back to the Championship for us again.... Come on Sunderland..... yeah I said it... I feel bad now.....need something to take away the feeling of wanting them to win out of mouth..oh good I have chocolate.

yes I'm rambling... but who would be a football fan.  Comment, get in touch, you know the drill. Bye all.

Heading Home or How I spent my last couple of days of holiday

So I'm in the last few hours of my holiday, before I head to the airport in the early hours and fly back home to Israel.

It’s been a nice time, disappointing in that I wasn't able to see people due to Passover, but still nice to see the family and I did manage to catch up with a couple of people over the weekend and finally have a long chat with a friend who I worked with at Network Rail, so that was nice. 

So anyway the last two days have been busy enough, yesterday was the last day of Passover in the UK. If I was in Israel, it would have been over on Monday night.  But as I was in the UK, I observed the 8th day, breaking it last night with a muffin and some chocolate from an Easter egg.  Also we visited Tesco's after the festival was over.  It’s quite interesting being there after 9pm seeing all the people coming in.  

Today I went with my parents to the Trafford Centre, went around the shops, bought a case for my new sunglasses and a Blu-ray, had lunch out as well which was nice and then just come back from a nice dinner of Bangers and Mash at JS Restaurant  with a starter of breaded mushrooms :-).  Very tasty. 

Now it’s back at my parents, relaxing before an early start.

I have to say it’s tough to head back, I think everyone kind of feels that way when they're ending a holiday. But being back with the parents was good.

Anyway, back home tomorrow and back to reality.  

Fighting a losing battle?

Hi all,

So been a long time since I actually posted.  For those of you who are on the Facebook page I commented that my head wasn't in the right place and those who I have talked to, know what has been going in regards to one aspect of my life.  But I feel like I need to post, just to write again.

So since the beginning of the year, work has been very consuming of my life, I suppose I should be proud or honored that my work seems to need me a lot, which is why I'm working long hours and such.  But I don't feel that, in some ways I feel so unappreciated by work or at least in certain places of work.  I know I do a good job, but it feels like its not noticed.

I'm looking to move on, but I feel like its a losing battle, many applications, very little response and even then the interviews I haven't gone as well as I could.  Whether its my lack of experience or they are looking for something else that I don't have, I don't know.  I've even asked for feedback on the rare occasions I get a rejection, but I never get an answer.  I think my CV is in the best state it has been. Like I said I don't know where the fault is.  Is my mindset for interviews in a bad place, is something making me fail? I don't know, but as I'm approaching 5 and a half years in Israel, I'm not sure where my head is in regards to work in Israel.

Socially my life has kind of sucked, probably because of work and working long hours, I'm still unsure how much I've missed out, what opportunities have I lost because of it.  Still I have managed to hang out with friends, but when I come back to Israel from the UK, I must fight past this and make an effort to reconnect with my friends and get out and about.

And yes currently I'm in the UK on a holiday to enjoy Pesach with the family.  Things kind of not gone my way while I've been here, in terms of wanting to visit London.  Due to circumstances beyond my control I missed out on that and it was one of the things I was looking forward to, seeing my friends and their kids.  But I hope to come back to UK sooner rather than later and not leave it to 2 years this time before I get back to the UK this time.  I did get to see a couple of friends which was good, but one of the drawbacks of being in England for Pesach and Easter time is getting to see people.

The fact is I'm not sure where my head is, Israel is the place where I want to be, but right now I'm feeling very unsure of myself and where I'm going and where I stand and feeling very isolated.

Review of 2016 and a look ahead

So 2016 the year that was, a very eventful year if your part of the celebrity world, people sadly passing on. As one friend referred to it 2016: The year of the Deadening!

But my year, it was an interesting year, a year of not much change, a variety of social events and dates.  Its left me feeling glad to see the back of 2016.

So I continued to work and I'm still in the same job.  Which is now my longest job in Israel, which I consider quite an accomplishment, because as people know back when I first came here, I did bounce from job to job unfortunately.  I've seen people move on from the office though and while I wish them luck and happy they have moved on to new things, I do miss some of them.  Apparently they can't take me with them LOL.

Socially its been an interesting year, I've been out and about, seeing friends and having fun.  Some regrets, as I could have gotten out more than I did, but this year I hope for more opportunities.  I've dated over the last year and though they never worked out, I think I've learnt something from them... at least I hope I did.

Well my parents and sister visited in March over Purim time and that was cool, and then my parents again came to visit in September and its nice to have seen them.  They're currently on a cruise and I think they are somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, but I'm not sure... its nice to be retired and able to get away.

Onto 2017, I could say I have many hopes, aspirations etc for the year.  One I suppose is to remain healthy, I've been successful in losing weight, so far 6 kg in just under a year and 7 centimeters around the waist.  I want to continue that and lose a few more kilos, ideally before my birthday in August, I'd love to have lost another 5 kg, but we will see, as I said in a Facebook post, its a marathon and not a sprint and lots of constant work.

Otherwise I would hope this year brings me more opportunities both socially and work wise, but above all else I hope its a good year for me, for my family and for my friends.

Oh and I plan to blog a lot more often, I'm thinking of changing this to a website, maybe have people guest blog if they want.  Let me know what you think, anyway. I'm off to relax and hope Hull City can beat Swansea to progress in the FA Cup.

Drifting

Its been a while since I posted, mainly because nothing much has changed for me.  Essentially all that has changed is the weather where I am LOL.

I'm not even sure why I'm posting, but the current situation is, I'm still in the same job, actually approaching my 2 year anniversary where I am.  Which I think is my 3rd longest job ever in my working life, behind Network Rail and Toys R Us.  I think its because its pretty quiet at the moment and I don't like it being quiet, I much prefer to be busy, even though I can help other departments.

Socially I've gotten out and about the last few months, kept myself pretty busy but nothing major to report in that, though I did attend my first ever Thanksgiving dinner which was fun and I got to see friends and I have things coming up to look forward to, so that is something good.

But generally lately I've been feel a bit like I'm treading water, drifting through life and not going anywhere fast.  Maybe its wrong and I'm actually doing okay and I just can't see it, but I guess I'm just feeling a bit jaded and cynical at the moment.  I'm sure it will pass but right now it doesn't feel good.

Still I'm okay, right now I've got my cup of tea and following Hull City as they currently lead Crystal Palace 1-0.  So Up the Tigers and hope you are all well.