When your best is not good enough

Sadly, positive thinking wasn’t enough. I did the best I could up against two internal much younger male candidates.

I actually thought when I came out of the room I might have got it. Apparently, it was a close run thing.

Possibly. But I’m a 52 year old woman. I guess the odds were stacked against me no matter how well I performed.

Now I have one month to find a job or the boys and I are in deep trouble. I’d like to think my husband would help out but he blatantly doesn’t give a shit. I’ve only just had a £200 contribution to my son’s £800 airfare that I paid back in November. Since then I’ve had his car insurance and breakdown cover and he’s not contributed to those at all.

I feel sorry for my boys. I’m trying my very best and it’s just not good enough.

I wonder if my husband ever, even for one moment, thought about the ramifications of quitting his executive job without having a job to go to or making any financial plans. Or the consequences of sitting on his arse for months waiting for someone to gift him a job.

No. He didn’t. One day a spontaneous apology would be welcome but I won’t hold my breath.

Latest Posts

A to Z: B is for Badass Brits.

2 April 2025 9 Comments

Now, when I think of Badass Brits, I think of the likes of Jason Statham and Vinny Jones. Men with humble, working-class backgrounds who’ve made good and have a reputation as hard men in films. The kind of men who, 100 years ago, might have worked 12-hour shifts down the mines and still come home and dug the garden over. Not like our present PM, Keir Starmer, who keeps trying to pass himself off as the son

A to Z: Age is for Ageism

28 March 2025 9 Comments

So, I reckon we should start off the A to Z with a rant on ageism and generally being old (read f***** over for the less sensitive amongst you.) I know it’s hard to believe, but I started writing this blog in 2007 when I was 42. This makes me a dinosaur amongst the blogging community (i.e., I’m verging on the extinct), and last month, I turned 60. Now, I know the kinder amongst you will be saying, “How

New Website

14 March 2025 7 Comments

After 18 years on another CMS, I have moved my blog to a more versatile platform. However, it will take some time while I perform some jiggery-pokery to get it exactly how I want it. So please bear with me as things fall off the page, are posted upside down and so on. It has also beome apparent that I will have to edit hundreds of posts as importing them has screwed up all the post layouts, especially paragraphs. This

A Chicken Nugget A Day Keeps Justice Away

10 February 2025 1 Comment

I have been forced. Yes, forced to come out of blog hibernation to comment on the latest scandal to hit the UK. God knows I have been tempted multiple times in the last few years to comment on some of the insane things happening in the UK and in the world, but sadly, life has just thrown too many curve balls at me. But today, I can take no more – I cannot keep my mouth shut any longer over

My Nominees for the US and UK Elections and Other Waffle

31 October 2023 11 Comments

It’s the early hours of the morning, and I have had a large gin… Late-night alcohol is always a good recipe for writing gibberish. And I have not written gibberish for a while on my blog as I have been busy writing gibberish for my MA in Comedy Writing. Which I recently passed with a distinction. Yay! Yes, it transpires that even academics can be fooled into thinking gibberish is genius. Excellent. So anyway, I have written two sitcoms, a

Less is More (well that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it)

2 February 2023 10 Comments

I’ve been practising my haikus, which you may recall, I’m not particularly good at. However, I wanted to address the woke issue in a concise, meaningful way as it is such a serious matter for discussion and particularly relevant to me as a comic writer. Which, if you know me, translates as: 1) I’m too lazy to write a long analytical post. And 2) I’d rather watch a movie and eat tortilla chips. However, I feel obliged to say my

Wendy says:

1 February 2018 at 4:49 AM

Sorry to hear things didn't go to plan. Always difficult when you're up against internal candidates. Hopefully something else will come along but if not make sure you check out everything you can claim for.

Reply
Ann Bennett says:

1 February 2018 at 3:18 PM

Age bias is a big problem in the job market. 52 is a good age, I would not mind revisiting that age. Keep looking, something will pop up. It was unfortunate your former husband quit the way he did. The alternative can make the unbearable look not so bad but we can't see that at the time.

Reply
hillgrandmom says:

1 February 2018 at 4:43 PM

All the very best Jane! Hopefully something will come up.

Reply
Jane Turley says:

1 February 2018 at 6:30 PM

Well they say when one door closes another opens. I hope so Wendy. There’s been a lot of closures lately!

I hate the thought of claiming and successfully managed to avoid it so far but I have a feeling I won’t be able to do it this time. There is nothing to fall back on at all.

Reply
Jane Turley says:

1 February 2018 at 6:36 PM

He quit because he wasn’t getting enough praise, Anne. Then for the three months he worked out his notice told me he was going to start his own business which I said I would fully support him in. That turned out to be another of his narcissistic fantasies…. ah well.

I feel I have a lot to offer at 52. I’ve defintely had a lot of life experiences. Maybe I should become a counsellor. LOL. (That definitely is a joke!)

Reply
Jane Turley says:

1 February 2018 at 6:39 PM

Thanks Sue:) I’m working on creating more opportunities but it’s hard going and rejection quite depressing. So many employers seem to think you’re all washed up at 52 – yet we’re expected to work until we’re 67!

Reply