Two Steps Forward
21 January
So the week began with me heading into work intent on making my little voice heard.
Monday began with my last mentoring session. I wasn't expecting very much but I did open up about my thoughts and decisions over the weekend. I was a little surprised when my mentor said that she had been waiting for a number of months for me to tell her what I had said and particularly with regards to my colleague - she has no idea how I have worked so long and so diligently besides someone who is so willfully uncooperative. In a team of two, as she said, it's impossible to play team games when only one is playing by the rules.
So, I had no compunction in grabbing five minutes with my line manager, Rick, to tell him that I had fudged the answer to his question about being happy in my work and that, in fact, I was deeply, deeply unhappy. To his credit, his response was that he was not surprised to hear me say that and he immediately fixed to meet me after work the following Monday with the idea that we should go off premises for a drink in order to talk things through.
Anyhow, my parents were much happier when I told them what had transpired. I know they're prejudiced in my favour but it's nice to know that they fully support me taking action at work and leaving London.
So, the week went on to pass quickly at work. We had no desks for a couple of days as the old ones were taken away on the promise that the new ones were on the delivery truck though this turned out not to be the case. I worked hard on questions for the interviews on Friday for a new trainer. It's a foregone conclusion that the appointment will be an internal one since that's the person my colleague wants. In fact she's been running fairly close to the line with Equal Opportunities legislation as she's been coaching and advocating her preferred candidate.
The best bit of the week was the talk I gave to Librarians on Thursday comparing and contrasting our equivalent front desk operations. I was, Chris tells me, in sparkling form. And he was quite relieved given the state I'd been in the previous week. Later, over a drink with him, Gavin and Martin (another librarian). I was able to bask in the glow of outstanding appreciation.
The only thing I haven't mentioned from the week thus far has been Gormenghast which BBC are telecasting. The first episode was a real mixed bag. Let's start with the real successes. Ian Richardson's Lord Sepulchrave, Celia Imrie's Gertrude, Zoë Wanamaker and Lynsey Baxter as Clarice and Cora, John Sessions' Prunesquallor and Richard Griffiths' Swelter are magnificent creations.
On the debit side is Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Steerpike. He plays everything like the young Malcolm McDowell of If and he looks beautiful. Now he can't help looking so damn shaggable but it's not how Steerpike is depicted in the books.
Furthermore, Neve Brown has been completely misdirected as Fuchsia. Christopher Lee is good as Flay but it is not the Flay of the books. June Brown as Nannie Slag is patently not a dwarf and is too nearly Dot Cotton. Warren Mitchell gives us Alf Garnett as Barquentine and the script cuts out Barquentine's father completely.
In fact, there is too much cutting and re-ordering in order to squeeze the books into four hours of television. Remember the days when I, Claudius, Roads to Freedom, Brideshead Revisited and Jewel in the Crown took up to thirteen weeks to cover their material. Well, this just has the feeling of all being rushed to accommodate the video generation.
I also miss the sheer visual poetry of the books. They are the most visual works of literature I have ever read. Just one moment caught the imagination and that was when Steerpike addressed Clarice and Cora on the trunk of their tree growing out of the castle with the moon silhouetting the three. It was ravishing enough to make one gasp. There's just not been enough of that.
And then another weekend began in the bath.
Just to report that there's been sun, more snowdrops, crocuses showing through, geese on the wing and more than glimmers of light by 7am and 5pm. Good oh.