Adrian Phelan

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Adrian’s All – fairy tales of a jobseeker

Posted on November 21, 2025 by Adrian Phelan

Adrian Phelan

Post 8

Welcome to this week’s blog.

I’m in the mood

The blog week started on Saturday with a trip to Beeston near Nottingham for a surprise 60thbirthday party, and it was brilliant. There just aren’t enough opportunities to have a boogie these days and we danced the night away. I have a milestone birthday in 2026 myself and no one’s having buffet (vol-au-vents, chicken wings, quiche) until we’ve timed you dancing for at least half an hour. It’s just the tonic for life’s challenges. My feet are still going.

And it snowed on Wednesday. It was short-lived but for about ten minutes the place looked like a winter wonderland and there were fewer people in shorts and crocs (overkill on that one I know). Significantly I heard the last time it snowed in November there was a white Christmas so let’s wait and see.

Speaking the lingo

This week I started practising Irish on Duo Lingo and I’m surprised both at how much I’ve remembered and how much I’ve forgotten. What’s good about it is that it also teaches you how to learn. It does have to show me some words about 8 times before I remember them however and I have no doubt if it was human it would have thrown a blackboard duster at me by now. But I’m really enjoying it. (I hope there’s some reading this who don’t know what a blackboard duster is.)

How can I help you?

I’m deeper into my new temp job, and the comfort of the training days are long behind me. I’m chatting to lots of people on the phones now, hopefully sorting out some of their problems and suffice it to say that when 5pm comes each day I am knackered. And the work doesn’t stop there as the job searches need to take place into the evenings. I’m planning to cold approach people at companies I’d like to work for so brace yourselves, I’m coming for you. Nothing ventured…as they say. A reminder you can find me on LinkedIn at Adrian Phelan | LinkedIn

COVID-19 inquiry

If you have seen my LinkedIn profile, you’ll know I’ve spent the last five years promoting adult and childhood vaccinations. During the pandemic the focus was naturally COVID-19. It was a massively significant time for all of us, but I think even more so for the NHS staff who selflessly put themselves at risk caring for patients, day in and day out. So, I read with interest the inquiry’s findings into how the four governments did. I don’t think any of us would have taken their places but the idea that the lockdown(s) could have been avoided and 23,000 fewer lives lost is mind blowing. I’m going to leave that one there, but I hope we’ve learned lessons and are far-better prepared for any future pandemics that fingers crossed never happen.

Nizlopi SupportEd

I was delighted to see that Nizlopi, who featured in Blog post 3 will be supporting Ed Sheeran on his UK and Ireland dates in December. They have a long association so it’s great that the duo’s reunion is marked in this way. All the dates are sold out so to those of you who have tickets make sure you get down eary to check out Lemington’s finest. They really are very good.

Do Good Well

I’ve been avoiding the Prostate Cancer UK guy all week at the station. I support three charities already so can’t afford to add a 4^th but what we can do for free is raise awareness of their great work. What he was promoting was the “multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) scan which is a special type of scan that creates more detailed pictures of your prostate than a standard MRI scan. It does this by combining four different types of image.” These images give your doctor information about whether or not there is any cancer inside your prostate. Read more online and do consider a regular donation if you can.

What are you watching this week?

I haven’t been to the cinema this week but The Running Man and Wicked are on the list. If you see either of these, do share your reviews. I am nearly at the end of the Iris Affair mind and I’m enjoying that a lot. If you have Sky Atlantic, do consider watching.

So long and thanks

As ever, thanks for coming with me this far. Do get in touch for any or no reason. I’d love to help raise awareness of anything you’ve got going on so just ask.

This has been somewhat of a blogette this week, but it gets you back to your day quicker.

See you again next Friday.

Adrian

07974669338

adrianphelan@hotmail.co.uk

Adrian’s All – fairy tales of a jobseeker

Posted on November 14, 2025 by Adrian Phelan

Adrian Phelan

Post 7 (Definitely becoming a ‘thing’ now)

Welcome to this week’s blog.

Zzzzz

I’m in the new gig three weeks now and I think I’m adjusting quite well to the routine of five shirts, five shaves, no more Countdown etc. But the one thing that’s knocking me sideways is missing the afternoon nap. My goodness did that become a thing over the last four months. Everything revolved around it. It usually happened after lunch when for some reason even something as modest as a sandwich could put me into a coma. Or occasionally it could be in the morning when I was killing time before the library opened. Either way I think it’s the lack of it that has had me looking like something out of Shaun of the Dead since my 5-year contract began in 2020. You’ve got me going now. Look out for next week’s blog which will be a nap special, aimed at putting us all to sleep. Well, hopefully not.

Glass half full

My go-to expression when people have asked how things are going is that I’m ‘Keeping the glass half full.’ But I have to admit to the occasional wobble. I had one this week when I reflected on the length of time that has passed since I left the job and how quickly that time has gone. Like pretty much every week of my 40s it has flown by. However, I have some talented good friends in a similar situation to me and there really is safety in numbers. If sometimes I feel down, I certainly don’t feel alone. There have also been times where I’ve been able to use my situation to signpost people to places (like job agencies) that could help. So, when all is said and done, I’ll try and look back at the positives.

Alas no Northern Lights for us

The weather’s actually been nice and mild this week with the sun poking through occasionally. There’s still lots of blokes in shorts; some with obvious burns to their feet (winks) however just when we needed it to be clear, it was typically cloudy the night we might have seen the Northern Lights. But they did come out in Dublin, and you can see some pictures on the RTE website. I mention this because it was with absolute joy that I saw my first ones last year and I’m really hoping we’ll get to see them again.

Putting my foot in it

I am the most medically boring person you will ever meet, but for the first time since I was 11, I finally had to go to hospital to get something done. I had a steroid injection in my right ankle to fix a tendon issue. The procedure was guided by ultrasound so there was jelly involved. If the anaesthetic needle was a bit sharp the free foot massage more than made up for it. I went in hoping the procedure would be one-off, now I’m considering feigning injury to get the other foot done.

The good thing though is that I can continue running, and I went out for a long one after work on Wednesday. Many of my deepest thoughts get processed when I’m out running so it’s very good for me. But sometimes 5k could pass by and I still can’t work out how dragons blow out candles or if there is a German word for ‘fluffy’. The natural endorphins are always a bonus though and I shall carry on. It has been the best addition to my life in 2025.

Filim slot

I went to see The Choral on Monday, and it was very good albeit I thought that Ralph Fiennes was too big for it. It was a very cute tail though, set poignantly in front of the harsh reality of war and the young men forced to go and fight in it. It was filmed in the beautiful Saltaire, a town I once worked in as a student. A fairly large local choir were in to watch on the night and the altos on more than one occasion had to be told to be quiet (Seriously). They’re a rowdy bunch those altos. But do check out the film if you get a chance.

So long Michael D

A few words on the outgoing Irish president. Ireland loved him. In 2022, one of his staff arranged for a nice official note to be sent to my parents for their 50th wedding anniversary. I don’t know how personally he got involved in such requests, but the fact that he rubber stamped them was special. The very best of luck to him and his wife Sabina.

Do Good Well – World Diabetes Day 2025

This week’s nod was a no-brainer as I worked for Diabetes UK for four years back in the noughties. Today (Friday 14 November) is World Diabetes Day. If you can afford to, please donate to Diabetes UK or Diabetes Ireland. Two very worthy causes.

Bye, thanks get in touch

As ever, thanks for getting this far with the blog. Do send feedback and more importantly, please share with your friends. Be it 2 or 2,000 readers, I will carry on.

Adrian

adrianphelan@hotmail.co.uk

07974669338

(2) Adrian Phelan | LinkedIn

Adrian’s All – fairy tales of a jobseeker

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Adrian Phelan

Adrian Phelan

Post 5

Five will make you get down now

I’ve reached post 5 and I need to be careful not to become a caricature of myself. I’ve rounded off each of the first four with thanks, but having reached this mini-milestone I wanted to bring that to the top. I really am grateful that you’ve stopped by. If I could ask one more thing, it would be if you could tell a few people about the blog and share the link so they might read it. If you do that, I promise not to go ahead with the miniature printed version I was going to bring out as a stocking-filler for Christmas.

What have you come as?

Happy Halloween. It’s great that it’s on a Friday this year, with no work the next day. Oh yes, work; I did some of that this week. First time I’ve dipped my toe into something non-comms related for over 20 years and what an experience. It’s also the first time I’ve been in the office five days in the one week since before the pandemic. I’ve had to resurrect shirts I haven’t worn since I was in my early forties; and I only have white trainer socks. I’ve looked like I’ve been dressing up for Halloween all week. I need to go shopping at the weekend. Everyone in the team is lovely though, especially the colleague who is training us (a reminder it’s a customer services role) and I am very grateful for the opportunity. Ultimately, I’m glad to do something where I’m helping people while I’m searching for the next career move. On that, one thing I’ve totally forgotten to do in the blog is share my LinkedIn profile so here it is.

Boss

My film recommendation this week comes with a nice side story. I went to see ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere’ and on the way out I met a lady who was a big fan of The Boss and by accident had attended the London premiere of the film, sitting just rows from the man himself and the other stars of the movie. Her daughter had bought the tickets for the screening not knowing it would also be the premiere, so what a result. She was still beaming and showed me a few pictures. She didn’t quite catch the movie in the detail she wanted to which is why she had come again. For those who are fans, she thought it was great. I thought it was worth 3.5 stars out of 5. However, I’m now on my second warning from Cineworld for talking to strangers so I’ll have to keep myself to myself for a while. I don’t want to be barred before I’ve seen the second half of Wicked.

Two casts in a pod

I know I don’t look old enough, but I moved to the UK 30 years ago last month. Someone I met on the very first day (at university Halls) was good friend Martyn Housley-Smith. Martyn is a talented and entrepreneurial teaching professional and has his own podcast which explores issues and topics surrounding education and learning. In the latest episode he chats to Consultant Clinical Psychologist Dr Lucy Shoolbred who among her many roles was a consultant on the Netflix series Adolescence. Such is the growing reputation of the podcast that Martyn has been able to secure guests of Lucy’s calibre. I’m chuffed for Martyn and what he has achieved and so not to scupper his efforts I’ve agreed not to discuss our nights down at the students’ union.

A second podcast recommendation is this week’s episode of A question of Science hosted by Professor Brian Cox who along with a panel of experts asks the question ‘Who owns space?’ I was actually in the audience for this one and if you listen carefully you can hear my distinctive clap. This is one of several episodes, all of which are worth a listen.

Do Good Well

I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Prunella Scales this week. I’m a huge Fawlty Towers fan and although she was elderly, I think it’s still always poignant to find out when such iconic figures leave us. In her honour I’m sharing links to Dementia UK and Dementia Ireland. Do check them out and support if you can.

Bye until November

I can’t believe it’s November tomorrow. It comes as a surprise every year. And once Halloween is out of the way there’ll be no avoiding the ‘C’ word so brace yourselves.

Have a great week and stay safe on bonfire night.

Adrian

07974669338

adrianphelan@hotmail.co.uk

Adrian’s All – fairy tales of a jobseeker

Posted on October 24, 2025 by Adrian Phelan

Adrian Phelan

Post 4

You can always go, Downton

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m proper posh. I’ve never watched Downton Abbey, but I went to see the film the other night, and I came out thinking, ‘Where have you been all my life?’ I would totally fit in there; my major stress being managing luxury. And I’d look great in the clobber. I think I heard an Irish accent among the cast. It should have been me. I’m going to talk a bit more like Pierce Brosnan for a while as part of the job seeking strategy so bear with me if I bump into you in Waitrose.

How can I help?

Some news on the job front. It looks like I’ve landed a customer services role at a council for the next three months (ink not quite dry). I’m not sure what the sensitivities are so I won’t expand on it for now. However, for those looking, I went to a job fair on Wednesday at a Job Centre Plus and had a good chat with the Royal Mail rep. It looks like there’s quite a bit of work going for delivery drivers including a bit of postie work so if you’re looking, consider it.

What a few months it’s been – the serious bit

Now that I’ll be starting work again, I’ve been reflecting on my emotional journey since I found out I was leaving my last job and here are my thoughts. I had five weeks’ notice to the end of my contract. That was five weeks where I had to deliver in the current role alongside pondering/worrying what will happen when I finish. However, when I finished, all the pressure of delivering in the role was lifted and I just had the one focus, finding a new job. I was walking around with half the weight on my shoulders gone. From that point I also had autonomy over my days, and although I had a job to do to find that next opportunity, I was my own boss. It remained vital to performance manage myself, but sod it, if it was 2.30 in the afternoon and 25 degrees outside, I also owed it to myself to go down to the local lido and make the most of it. I could then work that little bit later into the evening. I need to be employed and I know that, but I will leave this phase grateful for the chance to be ‘me’ a bit more. ‘However, as Dolly Parton sang, ‘Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living’. So onwards and upwards. (I know it’s been a hundred years since someone said that).

Setting a president

I didn’t want it to be overly obvious that I am Irish, but I think it was given away with the whole filim thing. Anyway, Ireland chooses a new president this week. The voter turnout will be interesting (In fact everything about proceedings will be interesting) and I am curious as to who wins. With two female candidates the forerunners, the likelihood is that the winner will be female. Our current President, Michael D Higgins (Google him now) will be a hard act to follow for a number of reasons, but whoever wins I wish them well.

Do Good Well

I had a tremendous response to the Big Issue picture I posted, so carrying on that vibe. The vendor I bought from didn’t want to be photographed which is fine but perhaps I should have asked before I suggested we did a video of the two of us singing ‘I’ve Got You Babe’. That would have been classic.

It’s Black History Month and if I was still working part of my day would have been promoting this so as we’re approaching the last week of the month I want to give it a quick plug.

Feedback and thanks

Next week’s post is likely to focus on the fact that the clocks have gone back an hour. Even though I know it’s coming, I won’t be able to believe it’s happening. However, if among the confusion you get a minute, do let me know your thoughts on the blog. You can contact me about this or anything at adrianphelan@hotmail.co.uk

Adrian’s All – Fairy tales of a jobseeker

Posted on October 10, 2025 by Adrian Phelan

Selfie of |Adrian Phelan taken on Hitchin High Street.

Adrian’s All, post 2

It’s off to work we go

My big news is I did some work this week. First since leaving the NHS on 30 June. I got two days unpacking lorries at a food depot in Watford. It was the first manual labour I’d done for 30 years and it’s sufficient to say someone else is now typing this on my behalf. The doctors and psychiatrists say I should be right as rain by Monday; sooner if I stop crying. By coincidence the depot was next to where an old university friend lived so I took the opportunity to catch up with her and that was lovely, so every cloud and all that. And I was genuinely grateful for the work. I met some nice people there too.

The job hunt continues daily. I’ll be straight back on it after typing up this blog. I’m applying for seasonal work as well as substantive stuff so I might be the face of your mince pies this Christmas.

You’ll never Standalone

It was the Standalone 10k last Sunday, and I won’t lie I’m struggling for a put-down with this one. It’s a very tough course but despite that I got my fastest time (50:34) since getting back into running. I started and finished the run with a good friend and was the recipient of a couple of acts of kindness that day that I won’t discuss but want to acknowledge. They can carry you a long way.

There’s no stool like an old stool

As extra cash would be handy right now, on Monday I applied to a local research company where you can donate your poo for medical purposes. After lying my way through the application form they came back to say that as I’m approaching 50, I’m too old for the programme anyway. How rude. My wife is selling some of her old stuff on Vinted currently so for a short while I thought we’d both be making money off our shit (boom boom). Alas, it’s not to be.

Quick filim* nods

I mentioned my review of move ‘I Swear’ last week and that’s released nationwide today. It’s had four- and five-star reviews across the board. Do check it out, it’s brilliant. In other film news however, I saw a movie called ‘Good Boy’ on Monday. It was a typical horror story but told from the perspective of a dog. Ten people walked out of the screening at various points. I thought it was awful. However, if you like dogs it might be for you. To apply balance here is a three-star review from The Guardian. If you do see it, I’d be curious what you thought.

*filim is the Irish for film

Bloody Mary

I found out this week that my recent blood donation went to St Mary’s in Paddington. This was once my local hospital, so I’m pleased with that. I often wondered if a bit of you travels with your blood and some poor bugger is talking shite on the ward right now. Nonetheless it’s another thing for good causes that costs nothing and I’m very happy to do it. Sign up here if you can.

World Mental Health Day

It’s World Mental Health Day and I’m very happy to raise awareness of that. As the site says, mental health doesn’t take a day off. We all have it, be it good or bad and a big step is acknowledging that. I think I have good mental health because I do specific things in my week that are good for it, but I know it could be a different story if I didn’t. So do something nice for yourself today and if you can, maybe share this link with family and friends.

London Ultra Comedy – you’re invited

I mentioned in last week’s blog that I’ve signed up for a charity stand-up gig on 30 November. No one thinks I’m funny so it should be hilarious. Check your diary and if you’re free, come along with your friends. Some of you reading this have seen me do stand-up before and know I’ve had my ups and downs with it, so your support would be appreciated. I met some of the other people who have signed up last week. There’ll be plenty to unpick after the gig trust me. I already love them all.

’cause you’re there for me too – look who I’m friends with

I met Diabetes UK* legend Jo Brodie on Zoom this week and she was an absolute star. She read last week’s blog and got in touch with some helpful work tips around public engagement in the science field. She told me about her current projects including producing Computer Science for Fun with colleagues at Queen Mary’s. Check if your local school receives a copy and if not get them to place an order. I have tons of homework from Jo to mix into my job searches.

One final bit for the friends’ section is a mention of my good friend Chrissy Norwich who has been super kind and helpful in signposting me to work opportunities. In return I’d like to share a link to her details. Chrissy is a Psychotherapist, Counsellor & Life Coach and has some availability if you would like to book an appointment.

*Jo and I worked together at Diabetes UK back in the noughties

Final thoughts

I want to thank everyone who gave me feedback on last week’s post. Some thought I might have a piled a bit too much into it and I acknowledge that. It turns out this week’s is even longer. But thanks very much if you have gotten this far. Whether there’s two of you or 200 I’m deeply grateful.

Do send any thoughts or feedback you have to adrianphelan@hotmail.co.uk