My life: Status update

Hmm, sorry, if anyone cares, for the lack of blogging over the last couple of months. Oscar's comment that I should be sent back to Ukraine in order to find something to write about was fair enough - I hadn't really had much that I felt like writing about for a while, and beyond that, I was doing writing of a different variety (see below). But suddenly, the bug has caught me again, so I'm afraid you're in for a bumper set of no less than 6 posts. Don't read them all at once or you'll no doubt get indigestion.

Anyway, as I like to do every now and again, here's an update on jobs, travel, and weather.

Jobs
I've been doing all sorts of bits and bobs over the last few months to keep myself going, short-term contracts that have normally involved doing some sort of research and writing. It's had some down sides (no job security, less money, unpredictable, etc), but overall it's been rather useful at keeping me ticking over while giving me the space and time to recover from a very stressful time in my life, and work out where I'm going next. Admittedly, I haven't quite worked that out yet, but in the meantime, I've still been busy.

And I'm about to get a lot busier. I've just got a 4-month job working back with my old, old employers doing some research in...Bangladesh. Obviously I don't (yet) know that much about Bangladesh but I know exactly what type of research is required so I reckon I should be ok. And it'll certainly be an experience going to Dhaka. I've got rather too used to Eastern Europe now, and although familiarity is largely a good thing, it has also bred a certain amount of contempt, and it definitely doesn't hold the same excitement for me that it once did. But Bangladesh, I reckon, will be quite a challenge. Watch this space.

Weather
Anyone who lives in the UK or has ever read the news doesn't need me to tell them how entirely miserable this year's 'summer' has been. After a very nice April, things went rubbish for virtually the whole of May through September. Bizarrely, and fortunately, the weather suddenly got a lot nicer just in time for the Great North Run (see below) and has been absolutely gorgeous for the last three days. Long may it last. Oh, please make it last!!!

Travel
Olga and I went back to Kyiv for a few days in early September (see below). Beyond that, the main travel I've got planned is Bangladesh. Which I reckon will be more than enough to keep me occupied...