About

October 2014.

I am now officially in the grey area between employment and the que at the Job Center.  By this I mean I received my letter today informing me my job no exists.

18 years and it is all over.

What happens next is I must apply for the replacement post, there are 20 people aiming for 15 jobs.  One of those people I in competition with is my wife.

There is the potential of a reasonable redundancy package, but the NHS makes sure there are numerous hoops to jump through…so actually qualifying for this payment is not at all certain.

There is more that I could say, but for now there seems little point.

The interviews are due to be held in a few weeks, so there is further waiting to be done.

If I am unsuccessful in that interview there will be no reason to remain behind my anonymity.  I have posted behind the “Maybrick” name for years, I am required to be registered to a professional society, and as such they can (theoretically) take away my ability to practice. I can be struck off.  This blog has never been controversial, but when I started it I didn’t know where it would go.

If my pharmaceutical career comes to a halt in a few weeks I will no longer feel that I need to protect my “professional” name (i.e. my real name) and neither shall I feel obligated to allow the NHS Trust that is trying to ruin my life to also remain shrouded in mystery.  More than this I will rename/rebrand this blog to me.  My budding photography business will be launched and it will be time to become self employed.

Stay tuned for more dispair/optimism.

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I am a proud midlander from the UK, Brummie born and bred.  I work for the NHS, and once upon a time that was something to be proud of.  Now it is an entity that is slowly being crushed by the current UK government, and I genuinely foresee my job being destroyed in the not too distant future.  My working day is full of stress and a sense of hopelessness.

But I walk through life with a mental camera clicking away. I find myself constantly composing photographs in my mind’s eye.

And to actually get out there, and get actual photographs is one of my greatest joys.

Please bear in mind that all my photographs are copyright and may only be used with permission.

67 thoughts on “About”

  2. Wonderful photos here! Thanks for bringing your blog up on my radar. I used to work for the Norwegian version of the NHS and seemed like the same processes were working to destroy my occupation too. Full-time blogging and photography may be in both our futures!

    Reply

    • Thank you for the comment. I would love to leave the politics and worry for a life of blogging and photography.

      I will keep my fingers crossed for photographic futures for the pair of us:)

      Reply

  3. Thank you for coming to my blog. It is my duty to pay respects, visiting yours. My story, short of the same, I used to be a sound technician, I just swapped. And your mind’s eye sees excellent images. Bravo!

    Reply

  4. Great blog and great pics. I’m also from UK (North West England). I work for a local authority at the mo (mental health services) and have just applied for a job in the NHS. I feel your pain for this once great organisation.

    Reply

  7. So sorry for the stress the world sees fit to put you through. In my lifetime of working non-stop, I have seen many things and had to endure many more from co-workers actually passing on the job, to still others never making it to retire. My creativity kept me sane and passionate all those years. By the time I retired, with almost no retirement funds for many reasons, I had books of ideas and some have come to pass. I have not yet begun to sell my self-published how-to resolve your tax problems book yet. I have to get on it. I still don’t spend the energy on my blogs that I should. I am still trying to wind down to “normal” after working for the government for years in the US. Good luck and God bless, never give up the faith because you can live your dream, you may just have to tweak it a little.

    Reply

  11. A happy New Year to you and hope you get lots of opportunities to get out with the camera. Thanks for viewing one of my captures. I browsed through your collection and must say that you have an excellent eye for composition – keep on capturing.

    Reply

  12. Thank you so much for stopping by! Love your work, definitely following 🙂 Understand the need to just get out there perfectly, too -it’s a gift! Have a wonderful 2013!
    Love, Anna

    Reply

  14. Interesting blog thought provoking comments you have made about the NHS. Also you have some good photos too. My photo blog is mostly other people’s photos or art, with my own to follow soon. I always give full credit and link direct to the originator, especially if they sell their pictures on deviantart or redbubble! If like you a photographer clearly states no use without prior permission I always respect that, so if I want to use one of your photos I will ask you first and if agreed link to wherever you want. Thanks for visiting my photo blog, my second blog is nostalgia related photos, stories and collections of other interesting things, still developing.

    Reply

  15. Your love for the countryside comes through every image. Blogging feels to me like a good stress buster – mayber here could be some research on that – perhaps the NHS would fund it? :>>

    Reply

  17. Thank you for stopping by and liking! I used to work in the Royal Post here in Sweden…which crumbled and disappeared in the 1990’s (Not the country – the Post service). Then I finished my studies and became a teacher – for 16-19 year olds. stress in my first job and stress in this one. But the school system is not falling apart – yet. I’m looking forward to my retirement.

    You have got some great photos here…I’ll be back!

    Reply

  18. Hi Maybrick, I too share the same sentiments “…worry for a life of blogging and photography”. Your photos are great! My younger daughter gave me a farewell gift – her Canon, last month for my food blogging pictures and I am still fumbling with it. She’s not here to guide me. Glad to see some of the great shots you have here with Canon. I wish I could have your artistic eye and compose pictures in my mind’s eye before shooting 🙂

    Reply

  20. Hello. I very much appreciate your stopping by my blog and following! Your photographs have a very interesting feel to them and I enjoyed looking at them. I hope that things change for the better at your current job or career juncture. I also have many stories about feeling hopeless at many of the jobs I have held in the past but having an outlet like this blog and your photography does help to alleviate those feelings and elevate your spirit and those around you. Keep clicking and I’ll be back to see more of your posts. Thanks again and all the best to you.

    Reply

  24. Maybrick – hang in there – I hope things are looking better on the job front. I know how photography (especially in your neck of the woods) can ease some of the anxiety. Best of luck to you – I love your country and your interpretations of it.

    Reply

    • Thank you.

      I plan on updating this page at some point soon, not that things are great…but things are not entirely as bleak as they seemed this time last year.

      Cheers for responding:)

      Reply

  28. Thanks so much for visiting my blog and liking a few posts. I appreciate it! I do hope you’ll visit again soon!
    You have a lovely blog with beautiful images. I look forward to seeing more of your work! Blessings, Robyn

    Reply

    • Cheers matey. I immigrated to Tipton several years ago and I haven’t felt to hampered by my strange foreign ways and the two languages are surprisingly compatible.

      You have more than a few fine pics of your own, and a sub was subbed:)

      Reply

      • I’ve never heard of anyone moving TO Tipton before…….
        🙂
        But who am I to judge?..I moved away from Dudley and then moved BACK !! (It’s like having a dog piss on yer plimsoll then sticking out the other foot).

        Anyway..It’s obvious that the Black Country’s reputation in the creative world needs to be re-evaluated……..TWO photographic geniuses!!
        Move over New York!

  34. Thank you so much for the follow May Brick, it is really appreciated. Personally I grew up in a village near Worcester before then heading off on my journey of life. Still go back every now and then, mainly to take in the Baggies. Looking forward to seeing more of your work. MM 🍀

    Reply

  36. My life seem to be like yours, great job but the future is froggy and a lot of stress and a viewer for all the things I look at, but unfortunately not also a camera near to shoot that.
    Good continuation for these beautiful blog. and have fun is the most important thing
    Sophie

    Reply

  42. Hello Maybrick, we have this job situation in common though I live in a different country and work in a different field. It is frustrating and I sympathise.

    Reply
  43. Pingback: Dazed and Confused. | Maybrick's Canon Shots.

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