I was off work yesterday, genuinely ill for the first time in ages. I woke up around 3am on Wednesday morning with pain in the lower right side of my abdomen, so bad I was whimpering and almost crying. I took some painkillers, but they didn't really have an effect. At 7am, I got out of bed and phoned the NHS Direct helpline, who advised me to go see my GP as soon as I could. So I phoned the surgery as soon as they opened, and then phoned in sick at work.

I hate phoning in sick. I always feel so bad about it, like I'm skiving.

By 9am the pain had faded quite a bit, but I felt like shit because I'd had no sleep. I was worrying that it might be something to do with my tubal, so despite my misgivings I thought it was best to still go to the doc.

As 10.45am, C and I left my place to go to the doctors'. We had no idea it had been snowing, and it was a total winter wonderland outside. I've never seen snow like that so far into London (usually it's too warm for snow to settle. Of course, I don't have any snow-friendly shoes (no need for them), so I had to make do with my trainers.

At the surgery, a male GP (not my usual one) prodded my tender stomach and told me I had indigestion. How embarrassing. I wasn't dying after all. So I shamefacedly picked my way home, and considered going to work... but I was so tired after my night of non-sleep, I didn't.

I guess it was as a result of my Xmas excesses. I'm strictly back on the no refined carbohydrates, lots of fruit and veg, diet. Brown rice, wholemeal pasta and lentil soup all the way.

I still feel really guilty about missing a day of work, especially considering how much I have to do at the moment. Tons! And this morning my inbox was filled with requests for work on projects other than my main one, requests for time estimates for future work etc etc. I envisage a couple of working weekends between now and February 2nd.

And of course, I'm leaving work early today to go for my interview at the house of filth. I really have no idea what to expect. I don't have many details about the job, or the company, or the pay, or anything. I'm half-expecting to go there and be asked to get my baps out (in which case I'm up & out of there ASAP!). Heh, I shouldn't be so cynical. To be honest, if the company looks like it's making money, the job looks interesting, and the pay is at least 24k, I'll probably take it. I'm starting to regard my job in IT as a pair of golden handcuffs, keeping me here unhappily because they give me good benefits and a (moderately) stable income. I don't want to spend the rest of my life playing it safe, I want to take risks. I already own a home and have two pension schemes (albeit there's hardly any money in them) - maybe it's time to forget the ��� and listen to my heart instead.

This is all, of course, dependant on whether they offer me a job or not. The cynic in me thinks they won't.

However, if they do, a big part of me would want to take it just so I can tell people I'm leaving my comfortable job in IT to go work in porno. And what would I tell my parents?? My mum is pretty anti-sex as it is - I'd probably be disinherited if I started living off "immoral earnings" ;-)