At the risk of jinxing my offer I am going to crow loud and proud that I am soon to be employed! It has taken rather longer than I had hoped, but yesterday evening I received a verbal offer of a job that I have been waiting for a decision on these past 2 weeks. I cannot tell you how relieved I am because it has been 5 months now without my salary contributing to the household, and I was starting to feel sick at the prospect of facing another month.

I have learned a few things though these past few months and that is that my husband and I waste money. I never thought that we could survive for so long without my wage, however we have done so and not struggled to pay our mortgage, our son's nursery fees and of course pay our bills and buy food. Also, despite me being a cranky, stressed dragon for the past few weeks this period of sedantry has brought my husband and I much closer together - which after five years of marriage and 10 years of being together can only be a good thing in my book. To top it all off, my son is still the happiest little boy I have ever met so we have successfully managed to keep our stress away from him and keep him happy and healthy. Life is good!!

I start on Monday, I can't wait. With my first wage, I am going to have to get a haircut (it has been toooo long!) a new suit and some new shirts. I have been in a role for the past three years where we could wear what we wanted, now I am back in the corporate world and will have to smarten my act up!

So, what have I been doing with my time? Well, apart from tearing my hair out, I have been a dutiful housewife keeping our castle (ahem!) spick and span as well as working on my gamerscore! I have finally gotten in to Oblivion, finished Mass Effect (what a game!), finished Assassin's Creed (disappointing), finished The Darkness (finally!!), finished COD4, still suck online at COD4, completed Rainbow six vegas 2, gotten better online at R6V2, played LOTS of Gears with my friends and decided I don't like Halo3. Looking at all that it is clear that I do need a job!

Hi all - sorry for my absence recently. I am still sans job and this is taking up all my time at the moment so no ramblings recently. In fact, this is probably the first time I have been on this site since I was made redundant.

Hope you all had a great Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

Well that is it...I knew it was going to happen soon, but we are pulling the plug. Appears that our supplier's actions last week was the final nail in the coffin. As of yesterday I am officially sans employment. To say I am dpressed is an understatement. To make matters worse this time of year is not the best to be looking for a new role. I just hope that my funds can last to see me and my family through Christmas.

Soooo, no Assassins Creed or Mass Effect for Nicci in the next few months . Anyone know of a job going where an experienced sales and marketing professional can get her teeth stuck in?!

Oh well, back to the job boards...

Well, if you haven't heard about this movie it is the new Cohen brothers one. I went to see it last night at the Leeds Film Festival at the Hyde Park Picture House - an original, glorious, preserved theatre which is now an "art house" specialist screen, architrated balcony and all.

The movie was introduced by those organising the event as a complete sell out, so much so that they are screening another 4 showings of it - if you live anywhere near Leeds I urge you to go and see this movie. The "compere" introduced this movie as a "return to form" for the Cohen brothers after the, quite frankly, diabolical The Ladykillers and I have to say that it was - although not necessarily in the vein of some of their others, the humour was more understated, the dialogue a little thinner.

The movie is based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy of the same name. I have only read Blood Meridian by this particular author so I can't comment on whether it followed the novel faithfully or not. The movie is a noir-esque, with the main character stumbling on a drugs deal gone bad and finding a suitcase full of money. He is then single mindedly pursued by a dark clad man through one isolated scene to another.

The scenery is beautiful in its starkness and there is a real sense of desolation. The "bad guy", named Chigurh or "sugar" is what makes this movie - he is mesmerising. I found him terrifying, but I couldn't take my eyes off him. He builds the tension in an incredible, eerie way with his mad eyes, flat broad features, and amazing controlled voice. There is a real sense of emptiness in him, and his motivations for the trail of death he leaves behind him a never really clear - he is like The Terminator in many ways, although I got a hint that there was a little bit a sexual motivation in his killing.

I jumped in my seat on a number of occasions throughout the course of the movie, the tension is incredible, shots of "Sugar's" air gun, the scrape of a suitcase on metal are all brilliantly done.

I don't want to give away too much more, so I will just end by saying - watch this movie. I am not sure when it is on general release, but go see it when it is, it is almost perfect. The only thing that I am still musing on is the rather sudden end, but I will leave that up to you guys to think about - I would welcome your thoughts!

Hey ho, it is my birthday today! YAY! Although I am little out of spirit if the truth be known! It isn't that I am a year older or anything (although that might have something to do with it!) I am just a little stressed with work. More cash issues, and a vindictive supplier jabbing the knife in at a time when we don't need it. I am shocked at how unscrupulous people can be when money is involved - money really is evil. Maybe I am just being naive in the world of business, but I still thought that honour and fair play stood for something!?

Any way, the guy I am talking about is a ****head and I find myself, for the first time,entering in to the world of solicitors as I am fully motivated to "sue his ass".

On a brighter note, I received Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga for my b-day! YAY! YAY! YAY! 2 of my most favourite things in one box - what more could a girl ask for? I have already played through the missions on the PS2 some time ago, however I am looking forward to doing them again and unlocking all the achievements (I just can't help myself - I love them! :lol My son has greedily eyed up the game as well, and hasasked if he can play a little bit of it because he loves Lego, and watched Return of the Jedi at the weekend, so we shall see.

Another goody in my pressie pile this morning was a wireless adapter for my xbox - no more untidy cables trailing around the house tripping up unsuspecting people. I just hope the damn thing works, because my t'internet connection is, quite frankly, sh1te!

At the weekend I am being whisked away to Berlin for a "city break" so I am looking forward to that. I will need to plan out my route and things to see pretty sharpish. Anyone have any ideas? Also, as another birthday treat I am off to see No Country for Old Men tomorrow night. This is the new Cohen brothers movie and I am really excited about it. If anyone has seen it already, I would like to hear your thoughts.

Other goodies were received, but they are of a frilly and/or pink nature so I won't go in to detail here...

NO! This is not a critique of Portal (although I am loving that game!) This is more a confused statement - overnight it appears that I have slipped through some weird portal that has transported me from the cold but very bright and sunny UK to the no doubt warm and very bright and sunny Australia!?!

I check my login and it appears that I am on Gamespot AU with all their forums?! What is going on? I am a little confused. I only wish I was in Aus, not only for the weather but so I could look up an old buddy of mine in Perth who I haven't seen in ages. Hey ho - suppose I will have to make do in sunny Leeds, and contribute some confusion to the AU forums (If I am allowed that is...)