Does anyone remember that game? Or is it just me?

Anyway. I'm a busy wee thing, so I haven't had much time to sit down and do this. Sorry!

I've mainly been working. It's going really well, I'm enjoying it. Shock, horror! Lindsay enjoys working, what is the world coming to?! It's just nice having something to do again and going out and talking to people.

Everyone at work is lovely, too, and it's easy peasy. So it's all good!

The weather has been gooorgeous the past few days. It's been tough standing in the shop watching the sun outside! We have been doing a roaring trade in sunglasses though. I think this is us in Scotland had our summer already! Knowing our luck, it probably is. It was so warm that I saw a couple of numpties wandering about in shorts.

What else, what else... Oh! I know! Matt Willis (mmm rawr!) is coming to Hamilton to do a wee performance. I'm so excited I may well pee myself. I may well have some other news regarding that, but I'll wait for confimation first before I go shouting all over the shop!

And I've won a Benefit makeover apparently. I'm always winning things, it's quite funny. I think it's because I'm always entering stupid competitions.

Life is rather good right now. It's actually quite nice.

That's the second podcast up and running :]

Go listen!

In other news, I've started work at a trendy accessory shop.

I'm officially in love with Dr Jack of Lost fame.

I got 6th Row McFly tickets.

And that's about all.

Sorry I've not been updating, I'm a busy girl!

I have a funny story for you.

You know I was really, really ill? And I had to quit my job, then leave uni and lie about practically DYING for five months? 116 days it was, to be precise.

The Job Centre told me to apply for Incapacity Benefit, because I had a very strong case for it.

But, here's the funny bit, I don't qualify.

I haven't paid enough NI contributions in the last 3 years.

Even though that's practically impossible seeing as I was in full-time education up till November. And since November I have been too ill to do anything, never mind work.

But when I did my column, age 16 to 18, I was self-employed and paid NI contributions then.

But no. I still don't qualify.

And I don't qualify for Young Person's Incapacity, because you have to have been ill for 196 days then. Apparently 116 isn't ill enough. Even though I was in hospital twice in that time, and had 14 inches of my bowel removed. Could barely move, was in constant pain, couldn't get through a day without pain killers... But, no that doesn't count apparently. If it had been another 80 days then, whoah. I would've been one sick young person. But because it was only 116, that doesn't really count.

And I don't qualify for Income Support either. They say they didn't get any verification of my Student Loan, which I paid back FYI, even though they did. I remember photocopying ever sodding bit of paper to do with any sort of money I've had and sending it to them. But they didn't get it, so my application was closed.

Isn't that great?!

So basically the £500 or so that I was told I was going to get eventually, I'm not going to get. So I've spent almost £800 of my savings since last July when I had to leave the Bear Factory. Maybe even more than that.

Why is it that people who've never worked a day of their lives automatically get money from the government?

If I was 16 and pregnant, they'd be throwing money at me. The fact that both my parents work and own their own house is clearly working against them here. But I'm 18, I'm not their responsibility any more.

It's not that I WANTED to have to sponge off the government. Really, I didn't. I didn't want to be ill and have to leave uni and give up everything I've been dreaming of for the past few years. I know it could look like that. But really. I didn't.

So I just phoned them and shouted at them and I've just been told to write a letter. What sodding use is a sodding letter?

And yes, I do start work on Monday. But it's not the best paid job in the world. And it's 16 hours a week. It would be nice to have some money in my bank account to fall back on.

I might kick the next person who comes near me.