the empire strikes back

Apologies for the time between posts. I've started a new work for the dole program, which means I'm not sitting in front of a computer all day.

In the last program, I was supposed to learn how to go "on line" using megatext magic data computer language. I taught myself enough html (as this mystic language is otherwise known) to do this blog and add some do-dads to it.

Now I've been put into a program where I'm supposed to produce a "comic" with tips for the unemployed on how to find jobs, etcetera. So far I've been asked to write an article on the recent close passage of Mars to Earth. I wish I was making this up. Another example; on Thursday the group was taken to go and see Pirates of the Carribean.

I know you might be confused already, so let's recap. Apparently we're supposed to make a comic-based publication for the unemployed. We are not allowed to write anything counter to the government's vision of welfare, we're not even allowed to swear. So instead, people are being asked to do crosswords and to review Jerry Bruckheimer films.

Unlike the last program I was put into, which let code-monkeys run riot on the interweb thus keeping the majority quiet, in this "class" (as the others refer to it), tension bubbles at the surface, largely thanks to Supervisor Reginald and his 'hands on' methodology.

Supervisor Reginald.

Already I'm beginning to miss the sporadic interventions of Rockin' Ronald. Supervisor Reginald constantly asks what you're doing and, when things are obviously out if his control, he tries to maintain his authority by acting like he's doing you a favour; "You there, watch this Ultimate Fighting video instead of writing something on job interviews."

The room we're in is, of course, badly lit, cramped and poorly ventilated. After a while, the florescent lights and lack of fresh air combine to give the room the appearance of a Puff Daddy filmclip.

The upside of the new program is that my fellow participants are far more sociable than the last lot. We spent my first day in the program discussing the possibility of going on strike, then went on an "excursion" to the art gallery.

I have to admit I've overplayed my "young proletariat revolutionary"schtick. I've been in the program for about month now, aand my boredom and frustration culminated to me chucking a bit of a wobbly (a very appropriate term in this case) on Friday. We had some woman come in and ask us what we thought about Work for the Dole, and what we thought about this program in particular. Instead of keeping my head down and my mouth shut, which would've been the wise thing to do, I told her that I thought it was all bullshit busy work, deliberately made soul destroying in order to make unemployment a threat to be held over the heads of wage earners.

Supervisor Reginald threatened me with a breach (that would mean cutting off my dole and getting a reduced rate once I got it back) after my little episode because of my tardiness. Funnily enough, he'd never mentioned this before I told him he was shit.

As far as this blog goes, I'd imagine that my postings are going to be less frequent. Between now and mid-October, it'll be once a fortnight, but after that it'll be about once a week.