Stuff

I found this. A fairly old video of my debut - or entire singing career if I'm being honest. Very embarrassed me directly behind Rowan. How lovely. I wonder if I can still fit into that dress...

Le Réveil Union Chapel June 2009 from Rowan Coupland on Vimeo.

Quickie

I can't actually remember if I've posted this up before but as I've been too busy to post in a while I thought I would just sling it up here. A short and sarky one:

Jeff the Brotherhood

I have a couple of nice posts planned, honest!!!! They are on their way and involve my usual pseudo-philosophical rantings. Also, looking forward to this (maybe).

A more personal version of a CV

Me as a Work in Progress

It's long been suggested that as a hip and happening young Brightonian woman (hrm), my blog could be used as my personal CV. This would be because, obviously, I'm a highly creative person seeking to break into a very competitive industry and thus need to prove myself before anyone would remotely consider giving me a chance.

I do think it's a good idea but also have several qualms. Frankly, whilst I am massively desirous of a job that I truly enjoy, that I am passionate about even, let alone really good at, I'm unsure how appropriate it would be to direct people here. Aside from the naturally weird side of this blog, it's always a danger to expose employers to your more creative side without knowing exactly what they are looking for. That said, it might work. However my other objection is that although I am incredibly, suffocatingly addicted to the internet, I don't particularly desire it to be part of my job description. I'm a huge, passionate advocate of books and printed publications. Real, live books, made of trees, (but sustainably), that you can hold and take out of libraries and smell the musky scent of old glue and essential, fascinating knowledge. I've decided instead of trying to continue some kind of clever showcase of myself I'm going to rant about all the reasons why I am perfectly suited to all kinds of work and yet can never seem to acquire any.

I have a single-mindedness towards most tasks which makes me brilliant at selling and researching, providing I have just enough interest in the task. Not to say that I cannot multitask, but I am far better when given one specific thing to see thoroughly to the end. Thorough-ness is another extensive attribute of mine. I'm a perfectionist and so like to know exactly what I'm doing or the standards required of me. I've had so many jobs where the continual micromanaging and moving of boundaries made it impossible to do something correctly. Or even worse, where the boss expected something of me that I simply couldn't interpret, and every action, even asking for help regularly, seemed to worsen the situation. Simply put, autonomy would be essential for me too. Set me off and give me space to shape the role around myself. Obviously while checking that I am doing what is required of me: feedback is essential. I just can't stand continually being told off or frowned upon because the way I work is not the way my superior works. Either I'm doing the job correctly, or I'm not.

And I usually am – I'm reliable, resourceful, polite, and honestly, not stupid. I like thinking on my feet, and enjoyed my times in cafes and restaurants most when rushed off of them. I'm punctual and I'm genuinely hardworking. I worked my arse off for 8 months doing a cleaning job whilst writing my dissertation, when I worked at H Samuels as a Christmas temp I was on the board in the stockroom with the full time members of staff because of my selling abilities, flourished as a waitress at an Italian restaurant over a summer of madly busy lunchtimes (but aren't they all), spent hour after hour litter-picking with Oxfam at Reading festival, and generally submit myself to all kinds of backbreaking labour for very little money.

I volunteer in the Amnesty Bookshop whenever I can, write reviews for a website andBrighton Source magazine and in general do a lot of things for no monetary gain whatsoever. I would happily continue doing so would it not mean that I would be unable to survive. I was a cleaner rather than having no job at all, and subsequently this has actually meant that it is more difficult to get away from it and find another job because all the Job Centre wants of you is for you to not be on the dole, despite the fact that I would be technically better off.

I'm bad at crosswords, but this means I don't faff around trying to do them. Too often.