Damned If You Do; Damned....

It's long been a CV cliché that people might get rejected for roles when they are considered to be overqualified; I've never really understood how one COULD be over qualified - one is or one isn't. However I've encountered another 'Catch 22'. My roles over the past few years have all been 6 month or less contract roles. While I've applied for full time roles, I've always tried to keep working to keep the money coming in. Permanent role applications often ask for a work history and to explain any gaps in employment and this is easily done as a contractor,and I've always believed it's better to demonstrate a willingness to work.

I received a comment on my CV recently where the reviewer suggested that my frequent short term roles might be held against me by a future employer where they would be looking at employees sticking around for 5 - 6 years, even though it's quite clear that these are short term contracting roles, not permanent ones. I suspect that this might be an area in which I'm not going to succeed.

Incidentally, if you're a prospective employer - my CV can be sent in an instant!

Original source:

Gosport - the south coast town thats full of surprises; from the Group Leisure website

Gosport - the south coast town that's full of surprises

Venue: Gosport

Date: 29 Sep 2012

Pictured: Enjoying a cruise of Portsmouth Harbour as part of our Gosport fam trip.

A familiarisation trip to Gosport gave readers the chance to get up close to a nuclear missile, cruise the Solent, step onboard a submarine and visit the world’s only museum of Hovercraft. Rebekah Tailor reports.

Legend states that the name Gosport is derived from God’s Port - as christened by the Bishop of Winchester back in the 12th century, after he was rescued from a fierce storm and brought ashore by local fishermen. A rather romantic notion, however the heavens were certainly smiling down on our recent Reader Club Trip to the south coastal town, located on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour, as blue skies and sunshine were the order of the day.

Visits to Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower, the Royal Navy Submarine Museum,Diving Museum and Hovercraft Museum would reflect upon the area’s rich maritime history and naval heritage; while a climactic cruise of Portsmouth Harbour - courtesy of Gosport Ferry Ltd - basked in the present, absorbing the picturesque hub of Gosport’s marinas, with fantastic views across to the iconic Spinnaker Tower and Gunwharf Quays.

The story of the submariner

Approaching via waterbus, it’s near impossible to miss the incredible hulk of HMS Alliance ‘parked’ alongside the Royal Navy Submarine Museum - yet I almost did.

I’d be forgiven for the fact it’s currently concealed under tarpaulin as it undergoes a major £6.75 million conservation restoring it back to its former glory - but that’s not why I almost glanced past it. The truth is, I hadn’t been prepared for the sheer size of this World War Two era submarine - the only surviving one which remains in the UK - and I was genuinely enthralled as I climbed up to the gangway, ducking through the hatch into the forward torpedo compartment.

Pictured: Submariner Peter Chilcott shared his experience of life beneath the waves.

While conservation works continue through next year in preparation for the re-launch ofHMS Alliance in 2014, it’s business as usual for the Royal Navy Submarine Museum - and this includes the chance to climb on board and take a tour with a real submariner. Our guide was Peter Chilcott, and it was a real privilege to listen and learn as he guided us through the cramped living quarters, control room and engine room, sharing his personal experience of the submariner’s lot and revealing what these men are tasked with in the service of their country.

The Royal Navy Submarine Museum offers discounted group rates for parties of ten plus, with free entry for GTOs and free coach parking. Welcome talks can be arranged on arrival, and additional attractions include the Royal Navy’s very first submarine Holland 1 and midget X24. Combined tickets with neighbouring attractions are also available, including the option to travel via Portsmouth Waterbus Service between Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower.

“We’ve had a wonderful day in Gosport - a place I’ve never ever thought to visit before. I’ve got loads of ideas for my group and we’ve been made really welcome by people from the tourist board and all the attractions. I think it’s probably a place that people have forgotten to visit and I would strongly advise that everyone visits Gosport as there’s lots to do.” - June Barnard, Shepperton Ladies Club

Breast Cancer's Not Just For Women

Okay. Seeing as the word is beginning to get around. I will give you some information which I have had to scavenge from dozens of different sources. I thought my medical encyclopedia would be a good place to start. The word man didnt appear once on the many paragraphs about breast cancer. All about women facts figures everything how what why. But nothing at all about men and breast cancer. Peed me off that was a soddin expensive medical dictionary, simple men have breast tissue as well as women. By us men it is redundant. It merely indicates that we too are mammels. Yes even submariners. The onset of breast cancer among men is about ten years later than women so normaly between 60 and 70 years old. It can occur earlier. I have read of (terminal) cases aged 42. the signs and syptoms are similar to womens but we dont have the menstruation to make things silly just like women do or should do.

Take three fingers and with the tips press the flesh firmly against the ribs starting from under your armpit across the breast running across the nipple. your misses can show you or even do it for you. breast cancer is normaly painless. What you are looking for is a (hopefully) small smooth ?, hard lump a bit like a rubber from the top of a pencil. By the time you get to altered nipples sunken areolas and discharges from the nipple you are in s**t street. It is easier to locate in men and easier to cure in the early stages BUT because we dont have lots of tissue around there the cancer spreads into the body quicker,. so if you do feel something dont hang about to see what it does. go and find out. If your doc doc says dont worry mention the word breast cancer because often they dont consider it. I know of two cases where the doctors fobbed the blokes off for 4 and 6 years. These gents are no longer with us. stage 4 secondaries all over the body.

In my own situation it may have been on the go for at least three years as during a rare intimate moment my lovely lady felt a small hard lump. It was a little sore when pressed i put it down to mastitis from nipple rub because i was in running training. As such intimate moments were rare due to her illness it was soon forgotten. I never checked again. So at least three years later I'm half asleep and got an itchy tit so gently with the finger tips I scratched it as you do being a bloke. I felt a smooth hard lump in the areola next to the nipple. it was painless. Aell I knew it wasnt mastitis as it wasnt sore and it didnt go all the way round. so I thought it may be a cyst. Waited a couple of days. went to see my g.p. Only when she said she didnt think it was cancer did I even consider it. I'm a doc. I even worked on the breast surgery ward in norwich. so what chance has a ordinary bloke have? I knew we could get it vaguely but no details. She sent me off for a mammogram anyway. That was fun. squash the booby. what booby? after which when I got home I took a good look in the mirror. And yes, a slight alteration to the nipple and slightly sunken areola. So I already knew the result it was when she said it had spread into the lymph glands. I thought oops. Scans came up negative for secondaries in my lungs liver and bones. After surgery it turned out I had 12 lymph glands affected. Basicaly another few months and it would have been too late.. stage 4. timex. So gentlemen check your boobies.there will be 370 blokes in uk diagnosed according to macmillans. 20% will be leaving and it wont be easy. You have more information here than I have found on any site so far. If you think that is wrong make a fuss

This was written by a friend Alan Herbert. he has been dismayed by the lack of information for men available from the main major charities, even being told by one that the incidence was so low in men that there was no point in producing anything. It his original text corrected to capitalise sentences only

Proper 'New Navy'

'...but fondness for the ancient order of things is still a feature of this Navy of ours.  There was never a ship like our last ship: no commission like the one before this one.  Gipses all: yet we would fain linger a little by the ashes of our camp-fire while the caravans move on.

The most indifferent observer of naval affairs during the last decade will admit that it has been one of immense transition. Changes, more momentous even than this business of the (...), have followed in the wake  of a great wave of progress. "Up and onward" is the accepted order, but at the bottom of the Sailor-man's conservative heart  certain reluctance still remains.'

I suspect that this is an accurate observation, not only of the Royal Naval Sailor-man, but of Sailor-men across the world. When reading different fora across the web, we'll all have seen matelots complaining about changes or how things were much better x number of years ago.  Indeed, our first ship was probably the best one, but certainly any ship was better than the current one. I'm guessing that this principle  extends much further than the world's navies

The interesting thing about this little extract is that it was written in 1916 in the preface to a book called 'Naval Occasions' written by the pseudonymous Bartimeus. The missing word above is marmalade and the Preface opens thus:

'I reckon that's proper 'New Navy,'" said the coxswain of a duty cutter to the midshipman perched on the "dickey" seat beside him in the stern.

It was 6 A.M.: the boat was returning from the early morning beef trip, and the midshipman in charge of her had seen fit to discuss with his coxswain the subject which at most hours, and particularly at this one, lay nearest to his heart--the subject of Food.

"Proper 'New Navy.'" repeated the petty officer with contempt. He referred to the recent introduction of marmalade into his scale of rations.  He spoke bitterly, yet his quarrel was not with the marmalade  which, in its way, was all that marmalade should have been.  His regret was for the "dear dead days" before marmalade was thought of on the Lower-deck.

That was ten years ago, but fondness...etc'
I think it's safe to conclude that nothing changes and that Jack is never happy unless he's dripping

Submarine Books

Have a look at some of the books that are available in the Gift Shop at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. A lot of these books are privately published, are written by submariners or because of their subject matter, not readily available.

Submarine Books

Bogged Down Below

Forgotten Flotilla

Life is like an air bed...

....you can be lying there comfortably, and then a friend sneaks up and pulls the stopper out.  The next few minutes are spent struggling to get it back in so you can be comfortable again.