The Bluestocking. All gerbils welcome, must have own frou-frou skirt.

[Magpiecomplex]

New thread!

You're the lady in the plum-blossom dress, although you seem to be morphing into a lion.

Plum-blossom & cracked ice is a Japanese symbol. It gets around AI's problems with Cher & 'Frozen' characters.

Artificial Incompetence? Artificial Innacuracy?

Going back to Myrtle at 15.33 ['If I could turn back time', eh, Cher?] - lots of good news packed into one post! So glad recovery from the surgery will be somewhat less😬than feared, and it's great about the shortlist.

And thank you for explaining what exactly ones does with a wax melt, it disproves my theory that they were repurpose slices of candles the makers had forgotten to put wicks in😂

Plum-blossom is lovely. Suits me better than Ötzi as well.

(Goes off to look for notebook with plum-blossom and cracked ice on the cover.)

This is my suffragette candle, made in 2020. Green White and Violet for Give Women Votes. And a different scent for each layer.

No! And I would love to try. Do you have any good websites with instructions?
Mind you, I don't use soap, so I would be making future unwanted gifts for others, but then it wouldn't be my problem any more...

Pretty candle! I am awestruck by the creativity, and also horrified by Blanket's horrific experience last night - I read the thread this morning then my internet went down and I've been intermittently busy all day, so this is catch-up time.

I'm still carless (have decided to repair rather than replace, no idea when the garage will bring it back). A friend took me to craft group on Monday, another took me to do a food shop today.

On Monday at crafts, conversation with two friends turned to undervalued women in history (locally) and where one of the friends could put a memorial plaque she'd commissioned. Various things were discussed and I suggested IWD next year would be a date to aim for. Then I went to get a cup of tea.

On returning I was told there was now a committee for the project - the three of us, the friend who drove me today, two other women. Gah!

So today on our way into town I broke it to friend that she was now on a committee. She took it very calmly, simply pointing out that she and I do our best work on a very tight deadline. Like ten days to two weeks. In the supermarket I bumped into the originator of all this, in the company of a woman I used to work with - they were delighted I'd broken the news to my driver of the day - and then dotd walked round the end of the chilled food aisle to find us talking about her (and I'm sorry to say bursting into slightly unladylike cackles when she appeared).

Oh dear, I should know by now (given that I was in school with two of them and worked with the other) that expressing an interest in anything around these people is dangerous.

Still, it's nearly 13 months away, it may never happen . . .

Thank you!

Maybe they started out that way!

The owl mould is supposed to be for a candle, but the wax is poured in from the feet. There is no hole at the top for a wick, and it's a little large to be a wax melt. Big design fault.

I made one as a model to sit on my desk but the sunshine melted it and bleached it's colour. I have attempted a wick in it this time, but I think it won't poke out the top because all the wax would pour out of the mould if I did that.

The wax melt moulds are silicone baking sheets. They should be flowers when they are turned out.

Here is where I minimise the shortlisting. The interim company has never approached me in the three months since I registered. They didn't even acknowledge my registration. I imagine they only approached me so they have three candidates to send the organisation and I won't be top of the list. But they have only put forward three candidates so I get a one in three chance if I get an interview, which I won't get and if I do get an interview, they will choose someone else to do the job and if I get the job they won't extend the contract past six months and I won't get the permanent role and then I won't get another interim job or a permanent job.

Oh dear, Deano,* *never have a brilliant idea out loud and in company.😦
But it sounds like an interesting project.
You have, as you say, 13 months, I'm sure you and your committee will come up with something good

Have you anyone who can help you with your application and some interview practice? You're obviously capable of being really good at whatever job you get but you need someone to help you be boastful and bumptious and extremely assertive so that they hire you.

I know it's a horrible situation, and do sympathise.

I bought a book, because none of the websites seemed to be very helpful on their own.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soap-Making-Self-Sufficiency-Sarah/dp/1504800370/ref=mp_s_a_1_21
Apologies for the Amazon link.
https://aromantic.co.uk/ are good for supplies if you haven't already met them!
I do use soap, as I'm mildly allergic to the liquid stuff, but I'm the only one in the house who does, so I don't use it up very quickly.

I am cringeing at the thought of being boastful and bumptious and extremely assertive. I am a very confident person particularly on behalf of others so when it comes to advocating for myself just seeing the words in your post is difficult.

I have a friend who is in a similar role to my previous job and this role. She has offered to interview me for practice though I don't want to bother her - I will message her and ask now in case I get an interview for next week.

Thank you for your confidence in my abilities. It's been such a difficult time that I have to remind myself that I was really good at my job and I will be really good again. I just wish I had a crystal ball so I could see where I'll be in six months and I can relax.

Myrtle, every single person and animal in the Bluestocking is rooting for you and believes in you.

You should see your Gerbil cheerleading team!

The way people are expected to behave in interviews is completely unnatural for a lot of women who are, as you say, excellent advocates for other people but unaccustomed to saying I did and My and I am and Mine and I was and I and I. Not 'we'. That's why someone good at interview training who can get you used to saying that awful stuff out loud to other people is really useful.

Hear hear! and this being the Bluestocking, I expect you WILL see your Gerbil cheerleading team soon... I hear the clunk clunk whirr of AI at work somewhere😄

Oh alright then...

Love those cheerleaders!
Myrtle, please commit this image to your conscious brain and think of it should you ever have a wobble!

Although their skirts are frightfully short.

It’s been a long day at work for me and just entering the chill zone now.

Rooting for you with the interview @MyrtleLion . I know what you mean about the numbers game doubts (3 candidates stuff) but that might not be going on and it’s a chance to impress the fuck out of them anyway…😊

And their thighs seem to have been modelled on my own, which is unfortunate.

This lot have trousers, and bad spelling.

Mine did a LOT of bad spelling, the naughty gerbils.

I tried 'decorous' & 'Suffragette'...

I must admit to thinking the gerbils look a lot better in trousers.

This was my second attempt; the first turned out a bit scary 😧

Is "Chergitts Erbils" the name of the troupe?

Yes. I don't want to body shame the gerbils, but the cheerleading skirts do them no favours at all. Of course I'm saying this from the perspective of a beetle. Gerbils who like gerbils in skirts may be going "pwhoar they look mint!"