One Year On

It has been a whole year since I left work. I had worked at The Beatles most of my adult life. I started as a casual weekend staff member in late 1991, became full time in May 2010 and handed in my notice in Spring last year.

I wrote a short post about it just before I left.

Stepping Into The Unknown

I  have just started my final week in The Beatles Shop. I have worked here on and off since the end of 1991, and have been full-time for the last 15 years.  For around the last decade, I have commuted from Manchester to Liverpool every workday by train. And more recently, I have had an added tram journey to that commute. I spend between 2 and 2.5 hours commuting in either direction with a bit of waiting for trams and trains included. It’s become too much, and the rising cost of living and travelling means I  am left with very..

So, how is it going?

My other half said I should be honest, and honestly I don’t miss it. I do miss the people I would see regularly but I don’t miss the job or the commute.

I have enough “fun” money to keep me in craft supplies and snacks. I’ve been quite creative and taken up new things like embroidery and even a little bit of sewing. I’ve dabbled in backing notebooks, making travel journal covers and started recycling old magazines and damaged books into pretty jewellery. All things I would have been too knackered to try before last year.

I admit it’s not been all sunshine and lollipops in the last twelve months. There’s been anxiety, adjustments, and annoying menopause symptoms. I really didn’t do very well over the winter with both the cold and the dark days getting to me more than usual. I have put this down to actually experiencing a summer of getting to be outside rather than stuck in a basement everyday. However Spring is springing and once I get used to the hay-fever shenanigans things will seem better.

Despite a few bouts of insomnia I am sleeping better. I keep falling into my more natural routine of going to sleep late and getting up later. I have tried to correct it a few times but then slip back.

My plans for the next year is to keep my eye out for a nice little part time job. (My retail skills are sadly outdated and fairly niche) I may also try few online courses, free ones at first to see if I can manage to retain knowledge properly. I have craft skills I’d like to work on, hobby blog sites I want to develop and I would like to learn new dishes to cook and get back into some colourful baking.

TLDR: One year on I am happier than I have been in a long while, have discovered new skills and I keep making stuff.