Corner turned

I have got a LOT of stuff through which I have to wade at the moment. Instead of attacking my mammoth 'to do' list I found myself indulging in quite pleasurable reminiscence writing about my time as General Manager at the London Lesbian and Gay Centre. This was prompted by a typically snide article on www.vice.com that made it sound like it was a TOTAL failure, but more importantly (!) left me out of the narrative. In the mood I'm in at the moment, that could not be allowed to stand, especially as I was responsible for the Centre's ONLY period of profitability in its near ten year history.

 I SHOULD be working on selling stuff made by Eurotrash Upcycled: an enterprise making furniture etc from shipping pallets and recycled materials. I've invested every penny I have into the Bridge House Project which the community interest company I founded is trying to deliver this year We've got a couple of thousand pounds worth of stock but no cash to ensure that people who SAY they will do stuff like online sales etc actually deliver. I made several assumptions about this project based on what associates told me they'd contribute, in practice; unless I have prodded people things haven't happened and as I am totally reliant on their goodwill, I can do little. This will change when the grants start coming in; I have high hopes that September will begin to see the fruits of my fund-raising labours ripen. Until then, I plan a "Flash Sale" to shift stock and raise income and it has to be done next week!

 Its a rainy Saturday, I've done the housework and shopping, my car is showing an engine warning light and overdue its MOT so I've not a great deal of distractions left and will start to come up with a plan for the Eurotrash sale later today. The corner I've turned is that my latent fury at my job abated somewhat yesterday, probably because I decided not to contact them. One of the Ward Councillors asked to meet for a coffee next week, I accepted; I feel NO loyalty to these people and, as long as it is truthful, I care not what I will tell anyone who asks about their practices and plans.

 The bee-keeper lodger returned to the fold the other night and pathetically tried to claim that he had told me he would be on residential training. He also claims his phone broke while he was away and he was somewhere without an internet  connection. I have NO doubt he did not give me this information and the other lodger corroborates. It looks like I am stuck with him for the mo! He also acknowledges his shortcomings with regard to the Bee Projects were doing with my company. Though he accepts that he is no longer a shoo-in for that role as everyone here felt he was no longer trustworthy, he will have to apply for the central job. The other lodger is doing my head in! I won't go into it except I gave him a deadline to create something FOR HIM in lieu of the rent he owes me for this month. He didn't do it- OK there was a 3 day break in internet connection (I had no cash having not received rent from him) but I would be prepared to bet almost nothing had been done. I have given him an extension to Tuesday after which time... I might just have to give him an eviction notice. He owes me at least £1,800 for this year alone and I'm charging about half what I could be receiving for the room. I have avoided this action because, frankly; I am convinced that he would register on the Aspergers/autism scale and I have grown stupidly protective of him, but I realise it is doing neither of us any good and must stop. The thing I have asked him to do is my umpteenth attempt to get him to focus and put his talents to use so that he can begin to take care of himself. -He is 29.

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