Christmas is over and New Year's is yet to come, but in the advent of my next salaried position, I have gone shopping for post-graduate courses. Today I looked at lots and lots of diplomas and Master's courses and tried to decide what was more important - location, cost, accreditation from the Periodicals Training Council or the National Council for the Training of Journalists, length of course or destination of leavers. Top of the list is the highly-competitive course at City which, from its magazine option, inspired the likes of Jane "2008 Editor's Editor of the Year" Bruton. Bit too shy to strike out for that, this year.

Anyone else finding themselves at work again - job-hunting today or back in the office tomorrow?

Happy New Year for Thursday. Boyf's gracing me with his exotic presence tomorrow and so we get to make merry 'til next year - which means no updates for you lot. But I'll fill you in on what all my fellow English graduates are doing, and not doing, next time. x

That's it, I'm jobseeking again! Just in time for a Xmas Eve lie-in... Although I have to say, I think Christmas starts on Xmas Eve when it gets dark, and not before - so might feel a bit clueless tomorrow.

A friend's working a bar on Xmas Eve - in London's most iconic superclub venue, as it happens. She's on £12/h and Soulwax are being helicoptered in for the small hours.

Are Xmas Day and N.Y.E. sacred - or are they a good chance for overtime? Let us know what you're up to this year.

Merry holiday, whatever you're up to. Enjoy the R&R - whether you've been working or applying, I'm in no doubt you deserve all the turkey you can get. x

Dagnammit, he's winning at the moment - and that's not even giving him anything for location (Dublin, if you're asking). Looks like I will have to resort to raiding the stationery cupboard in a vain attempt to even this thing up. Merry Christmas, jobseekers! x

The other day, in the tea break, one of my colleagues was finishing a sentence and pronounced "culture" all weird. Another colleague asked him what went wrong and he said, "I forgot that, when you're speaking, you can't choose another word when you're in the middle of one". What he meant was, I've been on Second Life too long today and I've forgotten how to talk.

OK, so I don't share an office with Napoleon Dynamite and, geeky as they are, the people I work with at the moment are dead nice. When they're alright with talking, they've got some good chat. Plus, they take two half-hour breaks every day in addition to a healthy hour-long lunch break. Score!

The job's a bit repetitive (copy-editing) but it's not soul-crushing. I went to visit my old uni town last weekend to catch up with everyone. It made me want to move back, but things aren't easy. My two friends, also trying to get into magazine journalism, are having a tough time of it: one's working her arse off for £10k (yes, that's per annum); the other's having to apply for jobs in towns a half-hour train ride away. Ouch!

So, what to do: live and work with people you love, or live at home and save your pennies for travel/further education?

It's Testosterone Tuesday on telly - currently filling out a job app until Last Man Standing/Sharpe turns up at 9pm... Bis.

Lovely Reed got my a job as a web editor, which was nice of them. Still haven't found out the wages or signed a contract and it's Day Three tomorrow - but who cares, because I'm sliding back to ex-Uni-Town Heaven this weekend to go and Christmas it up with my ex-classmates and fellow job-insecure graduates. Hurrah. I'm also applying for same Dublin/journalism scheme as boyf - he's just emailed me and his placement sounds like a lorra fun! (Tomorrow he's interviewing a restauranteur who walked to the South Pole. Why? I'll let you know next time).

So - a lucky escape with Reed, or am I punching below my weight? And what do you think of Dublin?

Reader, I'm back. I returned to the UK on Saturday - and bolted straight up North to see boyf and enjoy the snow. I reluctantly caught the train home and have since signed with Reed. I really like Reed, their customer service is second to none and their evaluation very thorough. Offered a job on the spot, and have an interview for a web editorial job already! So, two thumbs up for them. I tried another agency - who will remain anonymous to save legal costs - and was well unimpressed. As soon as the girl on the phone heard I wanted to sign up to their books, she dropped all her manners. So I didn't bother going in. Reactionary, maybe, but first impressions count.

I've also sorted of settled for doing more soft journalism - magazine features, reviews, blogging, odds and ends. This summer, I wrote book reviews for the local paper and so I popped back in to the newsp to see the book editor. I asked about work experience and she said I'd be better to work freelance. Hardly anyone is employed in print media anymore, least of all on the regional papers. She said there was work experience going in 2009 - but until then, to suggest some features idea to the local magazine and see if I could earn a commission that way. Otherwise, I was unlikely to get to enjoy the good bit of journalism - reporting - without having any journo qualifications.

So, how have you found the temp agencies? Loving them, or steering clear?

And, young hacks, how are you getting on?

Excuse me while I kutch with my sister and a Chinese takeaway. x