Oh no! Here we go again...

Hi folks,

I posted last week about how I'd applied for my old job, and been interviewed for it.  The interview went well, but seemed to hit the skids a bit when it came to discussing hours.  I know it's a rotational contract arrangement, which means switching between departments periodically - which means shift changes.  That was what I didn't like about the job when I was there before (before I had to leave to look after mum) - although, in the 8 months I was there, they didn't actually rotate me, and I stayed in day services - doing regular 9 to 4, Monday to Friday, which is what suits me best.  Apart from the prospect of rotations, I was quite happy there.  I liked the people, generally - service users and staff - and the place had a 'safe' feeling to it.  On top of that, it's just along the road from me, so I can cycle there in 10 minutes and have no travelling costs or worries.  Anyway - cut to the chase, I felt the interview didn't go so well because of that issue, and I reconciled myself to staying put in my current job, where I have set shifts of Tuedsay to Friday, 9 to 4.30, with a nice long weekend off.  They're good employers, too.  It suits me in that way.  Also, I'm specialising in autistic people.  That's good - though, naturally (and as I can understand) it means I don't build a rapport with them in the same way as I did in my old job, where people were much more verbally communicative, and there was less in the way of challenging behaviour.  As for earnings, I make enough to get by with a little bit over each month.  I can manage.  The main downside is the traveling (even though it only amounts to an hour a day) and the associated costs of running a car (£50 a month for diesel - plus any variables which you can never predict, like breakdowns or MOT costs).  Even so... I can still manage.

So... I hadn't heard anything following the interview, and had reconciled myself to things and had begun to feel relieved.  What I have now is at least a known and predictable quantity.  Give it time.  Two job changes in a year such as this, with losing my mother - maybe just too much to bite off, even if it would mean going back to somewhere I knew.  I've only been in role since September, and things look set to change with the possibility of more outings, and a new manager whom I like.

Now, today, I've just had a call - and they've offered me the job.  I was very surprised.  And now, I'm all over the place again.  They've said I'll be starting in the residential part, not day services this time, which'll mean earlies and lates, plus one long day a fortnight.  So that's 7 to 3, 3 to 11 and the long day of 7 am to 9 pm. 

Pluses: The pay is fortnightly instead of monthly and I'll be about £150 net per month better off, with no traveling costs.  So, I'll be able to save.  Dinners are provided, so no meal costs whilst on duty.  Maybe, with extra money, I can look for a new flat - perhaps with a small garden for Daisy.

Minuses: Shift changes, residential as opposed to day service, always the possibility of being asked to do overtime, weekend work.  Then, if they rotate me in a few months to outreach, that'll be 14-hour days - though only 3 a week.

They've given me a couple of days to think it all over - but I don't want to do that.  I can't put up with that stress again.  I need to ring them as soon as I can and get it over with.

To be honest, though.. I don't know what to do!

AGGGHHH!!  Why do I put myself in these predicaments and complicate everything when it was just settling down again?