The royal library in those days was not a very extensive affair, and the keeper of the king's books had a great deal of leisure on his hands. Consequently he was in frequent demand for the settlement of other people's affairs when these strayed beyond normal limits and got temporarily unmanageable. -- Saki, "The Story of St. Vespaluus"

Well. I've found my calling. Anybody know of a king needs his books looked after?

It took my employers two weeks to get my login verified with the network so that I could access things like my timecard. Apparently, however, it was only a matter of hours to remove it. This would be fine, except that now I can't access my timecard and needs must be paid.

I had a doubt or two, this morning, about quitting. Those have subsequently evaporated. Odd, isn't it.

Well, one door closes and another opens. Or, as Emerson says, every wall is a door. :)

I got a call on my lunchbreak; I've been offered a position as a box-office clerk at a local theatre. It isn't much, a pay cut from the job I just left, but it's at a theatre and it's paying work while I hunt for better. Mum said take it and she and Lucky would help me out if I needed it. I've done the maths (it took me a while) and I reckon I can live on twelve grand a year, and the job pays sixteen.

I'm tired tonight but cautiously optimistic. It is a job, after all.

I sent a manuscript out today and got the fastest turnaround ever -- within two hours of the email I had the usual "sorry, not for me" reply. Still, it's not the only place I've sent it, and sooner or later someone's bound to cave. Fandom is good for building thick skins.

I am very tired, but I am in my own place with food in the pantry and blankets on the bed. Have I told you all about my pet spiders? There are two of them who outrank me by dint of seniority, as they were here when I moved in. Dexter lives under my living-room windowsill and eats house caterpillars; Sinister lives in the bedroom behind the radiator. I always had the sense that spiders would go anywhere they pleased if given half a chance, but they tend to stay put, reassuring constants.

Okay. Bed now; packing tomorrow, stock-taking next week and my new job starts on December fourth, and no more mice-in-boxes for me.