One week in

I've finished my first week at the new job and, while I could cry with the sheer exhaustion of unaccustomed work schedules and unecessarily extreme anxiety, I'm actually really happy about things. Now that the initial feeling of OhgodwhatifIcan'tdoitwhatifImakeafoolofmyselfwhatiftheyallhateme has dissipated somewhat, I'm beginning to think that I could be perfectly content in this job. Everybody's been really friendly and, thus far and as far as I know, I seem to have avoided any graphic displays of gross incompetence or idiocy. It's nice to feel hopeful about the future after months of desperate job-hunting, so here's hoping I make it through the probation period without cocking it all up. I'd be devastated if I had to start over with the endless stream of fruitless applications and daytime television.

In the meantime, I need to acquire some new clothes. At the library they didn't really mind what I wore, so I cheerfully pranced around in my usual array of clownish outfits, piercings and cleavage, but I need to be a bit more appropriately attired now, and lack the resources. Far too many of my clothes are too tatty, low-cut or outlandish for an office environment; even one that seems to be fairly casual. I'm informed that "as long as you don't dress like a bum or a slag you'll be alright", but I suspect that my usual ambition to look like I tumbled into a fancy dress box may be frowned upon too. I can't keep wearing my mother's hand me downs for long, so I suspect that a chunk of my first paycheque will have to be invested in a work wardrobe. Of course I'd much rather spend it on tutus and corsets, but there are times when even I am forced to acknowledge the necessity of behaving like a grown up..