What did you have for breakfast today?

Shredded wheat for me on Sundays.  I have something different each day - Mondays: eggs, Tuesdays: muesli, Wednesdays: cornflakes, Thursdays: Weetabix, Fridays: sultana bran, Saturdays: rice krispies and Sundays: shredded wheat.  I often add fruit, usually some blueberries, to my cereals.  I also have half a mug of chilled fruit juice topped up with cold tap water.  I rotate 6 cartons of fruit juice: 1 apple & mango, 2 cherry, 3 cranberry & blueberry, 4 grape, apple & raspberry, 5 pomegranate and 6 tropical.  All available in Morrisons and usually on offer.  I'm using cherry at the moment.

Weekdays I always have 2 free-range boiled eggs, 2 slices of gluten-free toast with Frank Cooper's marmalade (Original in Autumn, Vintage in Winter, Fine Cut in Spring/Summer), and currently two potassium/vitamin C tablets, washed down with black decaf coffee. Saturdays I have a bowl or two of gluten-free cereal (Mesa Sunrise). Sundays: just toast and marmalade, but I add flora spread.

I can understand this Stephen. Toxic, nasty fields of work create all sorts  of problems. I've witnessed the damage done to former colleagues, and narrowly escaped coming to harm myself. Benign working environments are definitely the best option. 

I have a degree in Politics. I no longer wish to work in a field that has gotten a lot nastier in the last eleven years.

Hi Stephen

I'm also a graduate who has worked in a wide range of roles. I've had to reinvent myself career-wise many times. It is very tough but there are lots of advantages to having had diverse experience. The challenge is getting an employer to give you a chance in the first place.

The fact that you interview well is a huge positive. Have you got an ideal job or type of work in mind? Does it relate to your Degree subject? I'm approaching the end of my career but if I had lots of working years ahead of me I'd think carefully about the quality of life associated with different roles.

I worked in graduate employability at one time and I was quite impressed by the Civil Service's approach to recruitment - their commitment to diversity seemed genuine and they adjusted the process to be inclusive. More companies are beginning to recognise autistic strengths and I hope that in the course of your career things get better and better.  

In a field of rather boring run of the mill graduates I am sure you have the potential to stand out. Getting a 2:1 degree prior to diagnosis, while experiencing depression, is a massive achievement. This demonstrates your ability and your resilience. 

Completely understand your decision not to claim benefits. I know many other people in the same position. The hassle involved is often detrimental to health, which shows just how flawed the benefits system is. 

The idea of getting recruitment consultants to pick fruit post Brexit is very amusing - I'd like to see them tackle some thorny old gooseberries! 

Very best wishes to you,

Rose 

Thanks for explaining your situation Stephen...

It sounds tough.

Great news that you interview well... that's a really useful skill! 

I'd meant to show the Reigate employment scheme as an example of what might be available in your area through your  local council... I didn't mean that the job or that location would necessarily be suitable for your needs.

I'm surprised to hear that your local Jobcentre has closed too...

Perhaps you could try fruit picking for a season? ;-)

Best wishes and the very best of luck to you...

I'd love to hear how you get on going forward...

Anna

I live in the London area, so Reigate is a bit hard for me to get to.

The thing is that I'm a graduate with a 2:1 degree (achieved, albeit with depression, before I was diagnosed) with several years of work experience - unfortunately it's spread across a variety of industries, which gives me a disadvantage against those with more experience in one area. I interview very well I'm told.

My local Jobcentre has closed, not that I ever liked them - I no longer claim any benefits because it's too much hassle. Agencies... well, if we need fruit pickers after Brexit, there's a lot of recruitment consultants around...

Today's brekkie mix - 40% bran flakes, 30% Fuel Granola (low sugar version), 30% Dorset Fantastically Fruity Muesli with semi skimmed milk + cup of lemon tea 

Mmmm-mmmmmm! Slow release carbs with some superfoods thrown in - now you're talking!

Looks like it's almost breakfast time again ;-)

Happy Tuesday...

Thanks Stephen, Hope you slept well.

Unemployment sounds tough! I'm not sure which area you live in, but our local council offers employment opportunities solely for unemployed people....

This job, for example, is being advertised currently....

https://www.jobsgopublic.com/vacancies/39291

I've only ever managed to work part time and I've changed jobs frequently, so I can really understand how stressful and soul destroying the whole jobsearch, application and interview process can be...

Fingers crossed your local council offers similar schemes...

If you're actively looking for work, perhaps your local Jobcentre and agencies could help you too? Again, luckily the staff in my local Jobcentre are a-may-zing! Very proactive, supportive, friendly and helpful :-)

I'm rootin' for ya!

Hope today is a good day,

Anna

Someone gave me a pack of meusli with blueberries and goji berries in it. I don't eat this healthily usually. It was delicious with coconut milk-alternative. A nice change from toast.  

Still unemployed.

It was shreddies for breakfast for me too today but not the proper ones just a poor imitation (Tesco malt wheats). I didn't do the shooing this week! 

I'm so slack with my food shopping much of the time that I quite often just have whatever I can scavenge; so long as it's safely edible, pretty much anything is fair game. I draw the line at cold pizza, though; that's just gross! 

Thanks for joining in the breakfast exchange Stephen... How was your day?

A little of what you fancy is a good thing, so they say ;-)

Cornflakes, glass of smooth orange juice, glass of semi-skimmed milk. Same as I have most days.

At risk of lowering the tone of replies, I ran out of my usual fruit yoghurt today and ended up having coffee and a piece of lemon drizzle cake for breakfast. It was the only other thing I fancied. It was nice, though.

Haha, have you given them your contact details? If not, that could explain the lack of warning/consultation about their recipe changes...

I can eat anything for breakfast, but I like to eat fish and rice every day... I throw caution to the wind once in a while and eat chicken and rice instead. Crazy, eh? ;-)

Oh, sorry to hear about your insomnia and thanks for sharing...

I'm usually like you, in that I'm an early bird, so I prefer to do some exercises, draw, paint, daydream or whatever for a couple of hours, then think about what to eat...

This place serves breakfast until 10:00, which is pretty civilised and doesn't change my 'routine' too much :-)