Back to work, back to reality...

And back to the blog - which rather unintentionally and regretfully has become a once-a-week thing. Once again, I must apologise to my readers.

The problem is, you see, that I've been even busier since Glastonbury Festival than I was before it. Now I have a job.

Unfortunately, it is not in the field of journalism. In fact, it is nowhere near. But it's a far sight better than being on the dole.

I'm actually back in the civil service, part-time, working for the compensation recovery unit of the Department of Work and Pensions.

I had previously worked in a contact centre at HM Revenue and Customs for three years before the NCTJ course in September 2008.

At least this current job is evening shifts which gets me off the dole and allows me to carry on with my attempts at driving.

Speaking of which, my lessons became further delayed after my break at Glastonbury by my inadequate eyesight after I broke my glasses.

Thankfully, I have since had my biennial eye test and shelled out for two new pairs of spectacles - a tinted pair and a set of prescription sunglasses.

The gap between lessons behind the wheel (13 days) resulted in a real crisis of confidence - I could barely imagine getting the car started again and started considering whether it was worth
it after getting so uptight about.

But after a gentle introduction on Monday, I started to get it together again yesterday (Tuesday) and even improved from where I was before the break.

My Achilles' heel, however, is roundabouts, which I'm finding a nightmare as I am struggling to read the traffic properly.

My instructor, David Convery, has promised we will work on it this week so hopefully I will have more positive news then.

Although the job and the driving taking up a significant proportion of my week, I intend to keep this blog going - even though, for the last couple of weeks, it has looked as if it's dying out.

I am still looking for work as a writer - and can only feel my chances will improve by keeping this blog going and to pass my driving test.

And to make sure my readers have something to read during this month, I will be publishing my thoughts throughout The Ashes contest between England and Australia on this blog.

That starts later this morning with a preview of the series on the opening day of the First Test.