The Curious Cat

It's a lazy Saturday in Bristol

2012-01-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to The Clifton pub in (surprise, surprise!) Clifton to celebrate my housemate's brother's 30th so today has subsequently turned into a lazy day of hangovers and fried eggs.

I have my blanket, my knitting, some garlic stuffed olives, a bag of pickn'mix, a jam doughnut and a cup of tea and we've just finished watching the fun animation movie: Megamind and my housemate has left to go snooze. I'm dreaming of fish and chips for dinner already...

It is nice to have a lazy day though I'm wondering what I'll do next. I still need to make up my mind about where I'm going/what I'm doing in the next few weeks. Let's hope it all reveals itself soon.

Anyway, I realised I hadn't told you all about Blake, the Alsatian...well maybe I had but I hadn't showed you photos...Blake visits us once a week at the moment with his owners who live on a houseboat. Blake is 4 years past his life expectancy. He's an old boy.

I was a little apprehensive when I first met Blake. I'd had a mixed-bag experience looking after my cousin's excitable German Shepherd a couple of years ago in Putney, but whilst Blake did bark when he first met me, now he doesn't make a sound when I come home. He just gets excited and jumps/limps about and whines a little. He's really sweet.

He's a bit OCD in his old age and agitated. He pines for his mum when she's out all day at the course she's doing and unfortunately sometimes he can't control his bowel movements. So we've now got a child gate to keep him in the non-carpeted area of the house.

Anyway I know how you guys like your pets and I thought it would be selfish to keep him all to myself...
So that's Blake. The sun is slowly starting to go down...about an hour before fish and chips I think...maybe I'll have a little snooze too... :) xxx

Sunday Musings

2012-01-22T06:09:00.000-08:00

It is Sunday! I'm listening to some old Al Stewart record and drinking coffee. The record has sort of become my theme album for Bristol - very jolly, acoustic and upbeat.

Just been down to Sainsburys and bought in a load of grub for dinner and now just pottering.

My mum is always lamenting my diet and today I think is a classic example of odd eating - just to prove her right - I started the morning with left-over prawn crackers (lying on the sofa finishing off from the night before: Never Let Me Go - bloody hell did I bawl - must be the season or something...I woke up the other night to discover I'd been crying in my sleep too. The dream was about cutting up tomatoes so not sure what that was all about...?! Anyway I digress...), followed by 4 large pan-fried scallops, a pack of microwave green beans with salt, pepper and sweet chilli sauce and I ended it all with two store-bought potato cakes with lots of butter.

I'm putting it down to the fact that I must be a mood eater or something...though what that means I do not know if you analyse it...!

Anyway I need to pull myself away from the tele before it consumes me and also the Internet too. I have a book that I've long been reading (really loooooong been reading) and some knitting so I'm going to try and focus on this and maybe some rough bird sketches. I must try to avoid marking student work - the weekends should not be about this....though it sits there staring up at me...mean, mean marking...

Anyway hope you're all having a nice sunny Sunday! What are you up to? xxx

PS Check this out! (BEARD ALERT!) My mate sent it to me... I like the man's style!!!

10 bad things I love to consume

2012-01-18T05:59:00.000-08:00

It would appear that Pingu's video has gone walk-about. Sorry about that... But moving on...Everyone has their junk food weaknesses...Here are mine:

1.doughnuts (from the bakery, don't even think of giving me a supermarket one! Krispy Cremes are allowed though)

2.prosecco (I like alcoholic fizz...its more fun and delicious)

3.pizza (Dominos, Pizza Express, independent, shop bought - whatever. I put extra toppings on the shop bought variety. I love the cheesy goodness...and to think as a nipper I hated pizza...probably why I was so scrawny!)

4.McDonald's egg and sausage McMuffin (I know it is wrong, I know it is not ethical or cool to like McDonalds but this is where I slip up. Don't go waving a disapproving finger at me unless you can honestly say you haven't eaten one of these first thing in the morning...with maybe a little ketchup on the side...)

5.strawberry bootlaces (nom, nom, nom...those deals where you can get 3 for £1...they rock. I will eat them all if I'm not careful... Drives my mum nuts 'You have a terrible diet!' she complains as I tuck into them... Quiet mother! At least I don't sit an eat a whole box of chocolates in one sitting like er someone else I know...!!!)

6.cinema cheese nachos (Expensive, plastic but salty and gooey and with jalapenos and they're so more-ish...I just can't help myself...)

7. Diet Coke (It doesn't coat your teeth like regular coke. It gives me a caffeine hit and I just hope I don't drink it so much that all those rumours you hear about aspartame and cancer are true...)

8. mayo (is low fat ok?) and sweet chilli sauce together (extra fat, extra sugar...on my pizza, on my mash potato, on my burger, on my chips, on the side...whatever... it's goooooood)

9. butter (lots and lots of it on toast and then maybe a nice salty fried egg at the weekend on the side...yummmmm. Or mixed with garlic to dip my pizza into....)

10. Cadbury's Creme egg (ooo baby...because I've run out of ideas and because Easter isn't far off and its damn good)

What about you? What are your secret junk food pleasures? xxx

Pingu: The horror!

2012-01-16T02:21:00.000-08:00

Pingu is adorable and he's so fun for teaching English. I put my students into pairs and put a five minute Pingu video on. One student from each pair sits with his/her back to the screen and the other partner carefully explains and describes what is happening.

'Pingu wakes up...he picks up his fishing rod...he says hello to his mother...etc'

But the student describing must insert 3 lies as he/she describes. Afterwards the students who couldn't see the screen get together and confer and retell their versions and try and identify the lies. You can also do this successfully with Mr Bean.

But...the other day someone showed me this...

Pingu's version of The Thing.... The 1982 horror movie directed by John Carpenter. It isn't the full thing but bygolly! I suspect if I put this on the students with their backs to the screen would think their partner was lying the whole way through...who'd have thought for sweet little Pingu eh?! xxx

A week gone by...

2012-01-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

Ah...the first week back to school done and dusted. Phew...

It's been a week of:

-later hours (for the next six weeks I finish work at 18.45 tues, wed and thurs - not ideal for taking on extra work)

- but also later starts (more morning time to potter and plan)

- my general students huffing and puffing over the later hours (yeah, you and me both kid!)

- but my other students surprising me by being somewhat refreshed and ready to get down to work. Also, since the holidays I can really notice an improvement in their English speaking so thumbs up to that.

-new faces at work with new teachers

-breaking resolutions...I caved and had my first glass of wine after 12 days...it was only meant to be a month of abstinence...and it was more for stomach reasons than anything (could I be slightly allergic?)...oh well!

- The Full Monty. We've been doing 'Movies' this week so we're watching the film...watched it last term with another class too...it is a classic and it doesn't get tiresome.

- nice guests (regular guests who will be coming one or two days every week for a while...along with their poorly ancient Alsatian, so the house is quite lively)

-The Misfits. The housemate has introduced me to this Channel 4 series - brilliant theme tune, interesting concept of Asbo kids with superpowers...very British!

-Za Za Bazaar. Europe's largest restaurant. Just tried it out tonight and I have to say...it was pretty good. It's just opened in Bristol and it is an all you can eat jobbie but it is much better than Cosmo and I'd go there for the cheesy (cinema-esq style) nachos alone...

-swinging like a pendulum back and forth (to leave or not to leave Bristol...tbc)

-some exploration. I went to see the Wildlife photography exhibition at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery (very good) and I climbed Cabot Tower to snaps some pretty excellent views of the city...

Not a bad week all in all...How about you? xxx

Walk through the park...

2012-01-07T15:21:00.000-08:00

Back in Bristol and it is the calm before the storm which is back to school next week. I've been job hunting (I need some extra income) and I've been starting to put the feelers out for a new home...
Today I popped through the park on my way to look at a house and I took a few snaps on my way, thought I'd share...
St Andrews is a lovely area of town for families that's for sure. Who wouldn't want to live in Bristol really?
Been doing a bit of a movie-marathon this weekend too. I've done In Bruges (comical yet dark...had to watch it after my own peculiar holiday there), Starter for 10 (noting the familiar places in Bristol and loving the British cast!) and Looking for Eric (not a football fan but a rather sweet story).

Anyway...I'd better dash, housemate has just arrived home...more next week I hope if I'm not too busy! xxx

Keep Calm and Carry On

2012-01-04T04:37:00.000-08:00

(This is a little piece I put together yesterday to celebrate my friends' new baby arrival)

Ah restful days...

My dad is out, a Dominos Pizza is on the way (pepperoni, sweetcorn, pineapple, onion and garlic butter) and I have done the vacuuming. I have the whole afternoon ahead of me to watch TV, read, attempt to knit (I keep attempting and I make about 8-10 lines and then it all goes a bit haywire) and potter.

Tomorrow I go back to Bristol and the the grinding wheel begins to turn again. Not a bad start though...I am taking some students out to a bar on the river on Friday night and getting paid for it and then next week we're learning all about movies which should be fun. It all should be rather jolly and familiar now except in less than two months it could all be over. My housemate will sell or rent his flat and I will need to have something else in its place.

What are my options?

Well, as soon as I'm back in Bristol I will begin to advertise my services as a tutor and I will try and find some regular additional work. If I can start making a better salary the odds of staying on in Bristol come February will increase significantly. If this fails to happen...well there is the option of returning home and doing some voluntary work whilst looking for another source of income...or I could plan ahead now and think about moving to Indonesia.

Yup...It could be cool...spontaneous...etc etc...except it goes against my original plan to try and make something of a life here in the UK - to create a base. Plus it would mean I would be unable to carry out the big party plan I have for my 30th in April and I would risk upsetting an old friend by missing her wedding... It might be better to try and stick it out til September when all of this has come and gone...

...Not that two days should trumph a potential year but still...

...and they also say 'There is no day, but today' and well, the flighty part of me feels like fleeing again...

I think I need to exercise that part of me which is somewhat lacking -otherwise known as 'Patience'. All these ideas are a flurry of reactions to something that is not yet quite upon me. So...I'm going to grit my teeth, go against my impatient nature and try and keep calm and carry on (without too much stress...). Can it be done? I can only hope...xxx

Happy New Year!!!

2012-01-02T02:25:00.001-08:00

Hey! It's 2012! Happy New Year!

Yesterday was a world of hangover pain and tomorrow gail force winds are predicted but for now, today, the sun is shining. Thought you'd like a look at my Miss Hope plant...she's doing well...

How was your New Year? I had a pretty fabulous one! It started off not so ace with another trip to A&E to dress my infected burn - Christmas injury no. 2 - fatty boiling hot gammon water wave all over one side of my body (happened as I tried to turn the ham). Man did that hurt. Forget torn cornea on Christmas tree injury no. 1. That was a walk in the park. This had me curled up foetal round a packet of frozen peas feeling downright sick for a couple of hours.

I think I might make a pain line someday and mark the different things I have gone through. Broken bones would be right at the bottom and burns and internal aches and pains right at the top. Anyway...I digress...

After 3 hours in A&E I was finally let loose and allowed to go and celebrate. I headed up to London and got ready at a friend's house in Southfields before we hit Shoreditch for some preparty prosecco and jambalaya at another friend's house...

(here's a nice photo of the girls!)

...and then it was a taxi down to Shepherd's Bush to dance the night away in Ginglik (Old Victorian underground toilet turned club with free cloakroom!). My friend's scar band were playing again - Popes of Chilli Town and my friend's Stu and Panda also had a set later on.

(Here are some people doing the conga...)

It was great fun and we ended the night playing guitar and singing on the tube back to West Norwood.

Later, after little sleep and crawling to the station in the rain, I opened a letter from my good friend who had told me not to open it until New Years Day. It was full of advice and wisdom and good wishes as she knows I've been struggling a little lately. A good way to start the new year. Here are a few snippets I thought I'd share:

'Life is never hopeless when there's someone needing you. Life is never futile when there is something you can do to help and something you can say to lighten someone's burden or brighten someone's day.

Don't give way to loneliness, depression or despair - just because you face an empty chair. The world is full of people. There is much for which to live.

Someone needs you. Someone wants the things you can give.'

Also:

'Use your gifts! Don't let them rest or they will waste away. Take the opportunities that come with everyday. By perseverance, self-discipline - you can be what you desire.'

So there you go! Positive thinking for 2012. I also hope to not drink any booze this January and to avoid the drunken cigarette. How are you all for NY resolutions? xxx

The Ghost of Christmas Past

2011-12-26T14:49:00.000-08:00

I'm finally back at my father's house after three festive days at my mother's. It is late and there is unpacking and organising to do but dad has gone straight to bed. He's not feeling to great as we were burning scented candles and completely forgot about his allergies. He only just picked up on the fact they were scented tonight - he had just assumed he was coming down with a cold. Poor dad.

My stomach feels way too full of food. As usual we ate too much and drank too much. I still don't really feel like I've had enough sleep either. It was a nice few days but I think I'm a bit Christmas-ed out. Despite all the effort everything felt a bit lacklustre this year -no doubt the absence of my brother didn't help. I also have this lecture that I have to do in February lurking at the back of my mind (stupid that I'm thinking about this already, I know) and I guess I'm just worried about what 2012 will bring in general.

But I was thinking about the past this Christmas....

It began as I looked at all the various Christmas photos on my laptop from over the years. I thought through the events of this year and I marvelled at how things can change so quickly. How so much can happen in one year. When I think of this 2012 suddenly doesn't seem so uncertain, I can look at it more positively because anything can happen.

I was also thinking about Facebook and some of the many 'friends' I have on there. I'm going to do my first proper 'cull' after I finish this post. I had refrained from doing it before because I reasoned that each person had touched my life at some point - however vague and it is was a nice reflection. However, the other day a good friend (my angel from the angel post) placed two bowls in front of me. She pointed to one and labelled it 'the past' and she pointed to the other and called it 'the future'. She looked at me and said:

'You have one leg in this bowl and one leg in the other - and whilst your leg remains in the past...you will never fully be prepared to accept the future and fully immerse yourself in it. You need to let go and plant both feet into the future.'

She was referring to an old relationship of mine specifically but this visual aid really struck home in me and I keep trying to remind myself of it now. I love nostalgia and there is a lot to be said about the past but as L P Hartley said 'The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.' I think she is right. I look back way too much. I'm in danger of turning into a pillar of salt.

How does this relate to Facebook? Well, I was thinking about all these old ties. Some of these people I will never see again and I'm sure they won't resent me if I let them go. I don't need to know that so-so's had a baby or thingys getting married. It is nice to see that people are living their lives and enjoying these moments, but for some, I will never go to their weddings or meet their children...they might as well be soap opera characters to me now. The problem with Facebook is that whilst it connects you, it also piles on the social pressure and it is a platform for gloating. I need to turn my gaze away from these past figures and look to the future...

Anyway...not the most eloquent post but hey ho! I'll provide some festive photos in the next one perhaps...Hope you all had a merry, festive Christmas? xxx

Christmas hurtling towards us!

2011-12-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

How has this happened?! It is the 23rd already! I'm usually much more prepared!

To be honest, I am prepared. We did all our Christmas food shopping today -and pretty calmly so too. Three supermarkets in one day (and another one another day before that: Aldi, M&S, Sainsburys and Tescos - where do you shop? - Oh and our local butcher). I was surprised at the politeness of people with their trolleys. No huffs and puffs and sighs...only polite excuse me's - the festive cheer and goodwill to all men has clearly begun to creep in. Still, I feel like Christmas just sprung up suddenly nonetheless - like a big, tacky inflatable Santa Claus waving in my face! The simple fact that I was still buying Christmas presents today and I haven't even wrapped them yet is a sign that I've slipped off the ball a little this year.

Anyway...there is no denying it, no escaping it -it is almost here. The tree is up, the pile of food and alcohol is obscene (referring back to our supermarket frenzy- why does this weird hoarding mentality suddenly descend over us?! And despite lofty ideals each year that next year we'll cut back...?!), the parties have been happening and its all go-go-go! Or should I say ho-ho-ho?!

I thought I'd get a longer blog post in now because tomorrow I will go to the mothership's house where the internet isn't so wonderful and will be limited. I haven't even got any lovely homey photos to share with you so you'll have to wait for these and instead be placated by a picture from the soiree I attended last night with my University friends in London and the Christmas cake my dad's Indonesian girlfriend sent...(she's way too generous, bless her!)

(yes, that is a massive inflatable snow globe at the back of the room where two drunkards next to it dance merrily to Michael Buble)

From here on in its various gatherings and drinks, a trip to the airport to pick up the sistership, a Skype call to Whistler, Canada on Christmas day to the brothership and finally...for one week I can sit back and relax and forget about school, and job interviews (that weren't fruitful) and this forthcoming lecture I have to plan etc etc...

So...until I get another chance...(which hopefully might be somewhere between Christmas and Boxing Day) I'm wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Lots of Love xxx

Christmas Angels

2011-12-15T23:17:00.000-08:00

This week has been a rather interesting week. It started off cold and miserable and I was plagued by sadness and distress (I also ripped my cornea on the Christmas tree and had to go to A&E but this is possibly another story for another time!) but something came out of that emotion and some angels also came to visit me.

The thing is...some aspects of my life right now are glorious but I worry that these aspects rest on a very delicate platform which could collapse any moment. I've therefore been looking to change the situation and make it safer, more secure, but it has been rather frustrating as when I have looked at things, I have seen that by changing the situation I'm effectively removing the joyous things and replacing them with less satisfying elements.

For a long time I have carried this restlessness within me (I desperately want to fit and belong and find a home) and I feel like I am succumbing to it again. I also feel that I am more negative than I should be and I feel that this negativity breads and attracts only more negativity. So this week I decided that I can't handle this alone anymore and I need to get some help. This is my first positive step I hope.

And then, yesterday, I met with my friend for coffee who turned out to be an angel in disguise. We went to a lovely little cafe called Cafe Grounded in a part of town I had not ventured to before. I thought the name was a little ironic really...

My friend, let's call her J, is one of my oldest friends and I guess we were drawn to each other when we were younger because we are quite emotional, quite big thinkers and we questioned things a lot. She eventually turned to religion and she's never looked back. Whenever I see her I always have such a lovely time and I feel like she radiates wisdom, kindness and creativity. I just want to hug her repeatedly! :)

We didn't have long to talk but in that time she really helped me. She gave me a short term set of goals to work on and with this came a large amount of hope. Before our coffee, I had been walking along with all sorts of dark curses in my mind, but after I left her I retracted all of these and felt better. The most interesting thing she advised me to do was to keep a thank you/blessings book. I'm to write in it every day and I'm hoping it will keep me focused on the positives from now on. Only time will tell though. I'm also to ask God every day where my home is. As she said 'Ask and you will receive.' We'll see!

I then walked from the cafe to my school where I expected to find a couple of stray students from my class gathered for a Christmas drink I'd arranged last minute. Low and behold, almost all the class appeared and despite the rain and the hill climb to my local pub (which I do every day but they were not too enthused about) they were all in good spirits and at the end of the evening they toasted to a marvellous 3 months in my class. To say I was pretty chuffed was an understatement. These students became my little angels too...

Finally my housemate sent me a text to enquire if I had an umbrella as it was raining - I was only a 2 minute walk from my house but it was very sweet of him to think of me...so there was another one...

So...when it felt like the world was growing darker and colder, I was wrong. There are angels all around us, we just need to know where to look. xxx

The weekend...

2011-12-13T12:04:00.000-08:00

The weekend was spent in London as it was my University gathering Christmas dinner that I organised. We had twenty four people attend and we hosted it at the Narrowboat which is possibly my favourite pub in London. It is right by the canal so I took some nice photos on my way there...
We had the meal there last year too but I had to leave early as I was really flu-y. Fortunately I was okay this time round and the meal was very enjoyable and festive...
Not-so-fortunately after we left the venue to go elsewhere I had my night ruined by an insensitive person who I called my 'boyfriend' once a long time ago...and I call my friend now - though he certainly didn't act like a caring friend that night. I was to blame too with too much drinking and bad behaviour but if he'd been a bit more tactful in the first place it might not have escalated like it did.

Pah! Anyone else had to deal with exs-come-friends?! We are of the same friendship group so it isn't easy to avoid each other and I don't know about him but I do care for him when he isn't being a toss-pot...probably care too much eh?! Bloody exs...

On a more positive note, it is the last week of school and Christmas festivities and the students have been wicked at lifting my mood. Love my job! :) xxx

Love Christmas Actually...

2011-12-06T12:41:00.001-08:00

Nothing like a bit of Love Actually to get you into the mood at Christmas...I've just got back from being paid to watch it with some students...what a wonderful 2 hours that was! I forgot how much I love this film, especially at this time of year. It is so feel good and bitter sweet and it actually made me yearn for London with all its iconic views (good thing I'm heading there this weekend for our university Christmas meal in Islington!). Richard Curtis has a wonderful knack of capturing all the best bits about being British -even if it is a bit idyllic in parts.

This week we'll also start watching Home Alone with my general English class...and we have our class Christmas dinner tomorrow followed by our staff occasion on Friday...its going to be a busy week! But hopefully fun. Just hope my stomach keeps quiet...xxx

P.S. Interesting random fact but noticed as we watched the film with subtitles just how much the word 'actually' gets used. I think each character says it at some point...clever little detail!

Some mobile phone pics of Bristol...

2011-12-05T13:20:00.000-08:00

Now that I have finally worked out how to get the pictures off my mobile...here are a few for you over the last ten weeks or so...

Little book shop window view I spied the other day walking home - how warm and lovely is this?
And my blessed room...
Not very well today. I got to work and ten minutes before my lesson I realised I was so nauseous I couldn't even get out of my staff room chair to inform my boss that I was worried about teaching the next lesson for fear of fainting! Someone fortunately informed him for me and covered and I sat there for an hour re-cuperating. Thankfully I had enough energy to do the last two lessons...I really can't afford to miss out on the cash right now. Think it must be the same stomach problem from back in April... it rears its ugly head from time to time when I've had a combination of some of the things I should avoid (booze, stress, spicy food, cigs)....oh well...just got to get through the next two weeks and then I can rest a little. :) xxx

Bristol reflections

2011-12-01T09:13:00.000-08:00

It's the first of December and my is it warm for this time of year...makes me wonder what is coming on the horizon! I'm home right now with the shutters drawn and I've just eaten the best jam doughnut from the bakery that I've had in a while. Divine! All crispy and greasy and granulated. Papers are scattered everywhere whilst I mark and plan and prepare to watch Mad Men simultaneously.

I've just been down to Gloucester road to pick up some fruit for a crumble - date, banana, apple and pear me thinks...and I've bought some tasty garlic and coriander olives from the deli and a Big Issue. I've been buying the Big Issue a lot more regularly recently. Maybe it is because I'm poorer and I'm more sympathetic...or maybe it is because I usually go to Gloucester road on pay day and therefore feel more generous. Either way the lady there looks pleased and so I'm pleased too.

Anyway in the last week or so I've been feeling back to my old self despite financial woes and stresses. As a friend rightly said at the weekend - despite some things I have a lot to be happy about. I know it won't last as the finance issue will not go away and my housemate will sell the house after Christmas but for now, in this moment, it is good. Here are some positive reasons why:

-Bristol's light. I don't know what it is but Bristol has amazing light. Not every day but a lot of days the sky looks beautiful as I walk to work. As I amble down the hill you can see all the steeples and the birds circling around them and the green hills in the distance and they sky is a glow of colours. My room also seems to attract it and it is the brightest place in the house. It might be the coldest in temperature but it is definitely the warmest in sunshine.

-My class. I have a really nice bunch of students and the days fly. Even when I'm in a grumpy mood or feeling tired or anxious about a lesson plan, teaching beats sitting behind a computer. I have a laugh, I'm completely in the moment with the students and I'm not worrying excessively or daydreaming or wishing I was some place else. Today I taught a whole lesson on cats...believe it or not. I got them to watch that catvertising video and then market products like Ralph Lauren and Subway using cats in their campaigns. They probably thought I was crackers but it was fun anyway!

-My house. It's old, it's beautiful, I have my own room with ample space, my bed is one of those special mattresses which means I'm having the best sleep in ages, my housemate rocks, it's central...what more can I say?

-Potential. Whilst things do look iffy from time to time, there also seems to be a lot of possible potential here. I have some projects I want to try out and I think Bristol might be the place to experiment. I'm not far from a community centre that is currently building a working kitchen which they will offer to businesses and there is a rentable pop-up restaurant 3 mins walk away...if I wanted to try my hand at culinary ideas I'm in a good location for it.

-My work colleagues. Whilst I haven't made any solid friends yet they seem a great bunch and I grow to like them more and more each day. One or two are particularly darling - leaving me tried and tested lesson plans in my pigeon hole to use and recycle. How thoughtful!

-Did I mention the doughnuts?

Anyway...there is probably more but this is what springs to mind today. Better get back to my work...

On another note, my brother flew out to Canada this morning. He's got a one-way ticket. He's not the best at keeping in touch but he sent a farewell text from the airport which was sweet of him. I hope he takes care on those pistes out there this winter. We'll miss him this Christmas but I'm sure he'll have an excellent time. xxx

Poco Opens in Bristol

2011-11-27T06:34:00.000-08:00

This weekend a new tapas bar called Poco opened in town about five minutes walk from my house. It's part owned by my good friend's sister so his whole family came down to Bristol along with their partners. I also had another university friend visiting too so it was quite a gathering at my house.
A lot of time was spent at Poco - both evenings and Saturday lunch. It is a cool place and my friend's family are very proud. It is really impressive - I'd love to do something like this, I'm sure a lot of people would. The girl is very lucky to have met the right people to do this with.
I'm secretly hoping I can get some bar shifts if it continues to be as popular as it was on opening. We'll see...Going to start advertising English tuition to help with the finances where possible too.
On Friday night there was also an amazing singer performing called Leonie Evans. I don't think she has a website as such yet but think Amy Winehouse style voice...possibly better! It was fun to be around so much talent!

Anyway everyone has come and gone now and I've been whipping the house back into shape. Estate Agents are coming round tomorrow to take photos as my housemate plans to pop in on the market...which is a real shame but oh well...

I've stuck up fake snowflakes on the windows to get into the festive mood and after a little planning I might take a Sunday nap and watch some tele...ease myself into the work week again.

Hope you're all having a nice Sunday! xxx

Cats...have to post it...

2011-11-22T10:52:00.000-08:00

What can I say? If it is cat related...it goes up...xxx

PS Things are still rather bleak at the moment on the home and job front but hoping it will pick up soon...Christmas is going to be difficult to get through as there will be little work and I may be faced with leaving Bristol as I can't really afford the bills but hoping I'll work something out. Thanks for the comments and words of support, really appreciated. xxx

Having one of those days...

2011-11-16T02:07:00.000-08:00

It is 10am and I have been up planning since 7am and I have to leave the house in about an hour to go to school. I could plan some more because there is always more planning to be done but I'm having a moment out. I just cooked myself a fried egg to cheer myself up and to stop the tears. The egg cracked and there were two yolks - as if someone out there was trying to tell me that it is not all bad. Just today I'm feeling rather blue.

Sometimes, when I just focus on the moment, everything seems good, but other times, when I think about the future and where this is all going, I get really worried. I really like my job but it is tiring. I carry my work around with me in my head all day and so I don't ever feel I truly escape it. It wears you down after a while - worrying about the next class and if I'll find the ideas and energy, worrying about the money and how long I can keep it up, worrying about getting sick, worrying where it is all heading?

I know the pitfalls of a normal office job but at least it gives some sort of financial security and support. I've tried out for a few office jobs since arriving in Bristol. I've been somewhat reluctant at first, but both jobs that I managed to reach interview stage I actually wanted in the end and it was a bit of a blow not to secure them. Funnily enough the fortune teller said I would not be going back into Marketing, so I'm constantly testing that theory now!

Ah...I just want a bit of self-assurance. I would like to buy a new dress or something nice for myself but I just don't have the money for it right now - not even a charity shop purchase. If I can't even save for clothes how can I save for anything else? Even with my TEFL, how can I go abroad with it later if I can't scramble together the airfare?!

I'm just being a bit down today, it will pass...writing this now helps a bit because I realise I'm being silly. I'll end the post on a more upbeat note with Miss Hope Plant and her big growth spurt and a piece of art I put together the other night which I actually like for a change! Hope you are all happy and merry out there...maybe this is just a case of SAD or something and it will all blow over...xxx

Keeping traditions going...

2011-11-06T01:47:00.000-07:00

A belated Halloween was celebrated last night alongside Guy Fawkes night - our annual traditional dinner. All the usual paraphernalia came out and mum and I cooked a nice dinner. Butternut squash, sweet potato and coriander soup, a white lasagna with chicken, pumpkin, sage, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms served with courgettes and tenderstem broccoli.
Our good friend brought round some delicious Halloween themed cupcakes (see below), a few fireworks and we watched Rosemary's Baby. It is nice to keep the traditions going.
All in all...a very pleasant evening! How was your Guy Fawkes night?xxx

Friday evening...

2011-11-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

...and even though it was only four days ago that I last wrote a blog post, I do feel really out of touch. What is wrong with me? Days seem to be blurring into each other at the moment...It must be all the planning and thinking and doing and...!

I'm meant to be having friends round tonight but due to the weather and traffic out of London they had to cancel. They were also meant to come last weekend but they also cancelled then so its a bit of a double whammy. This time I actually had food prepared and originally I was meant to be catching a train home tonight but I changed my plans to accommodate them and I thought I'd get a lift home tomorrow instead...but not now...!

I could get my knickers in a twist about it but what good would that do? Driving in traffic in bad weather sucks and bad feeling just breeds more bad feeling and there will be a solution!

But as for tonight...well the puttanesca will go cold ... but we can freeze it and have it another night. I will write this blog entry and whilst it is very tempting to get ahead and file some stuff and plan, I'll try and do something relaxing instead...

Mad Men? It's probably going to be Mad Men and the dregs of the cooking wine...

Next week things could all change. I start a new film class with advanced students - which should be interesting, and I hope, rewarding - not only in a few extra £s but also with the level of conversation we might achieve...

But next week I might get a call to say I have a job back in Marketing, in Publishing. I don't hold my breath in these highly competitive times but it is a possibility. Then I will need to make some choices...In one week everything could change... xxx

Happy Halloween!!!

2011-10-31T12:11:00.000-07:00

Had a day of fun and frolicks with the 'kids'. I call them the 'kids' but they are actually all adults...I just feel a lot older than them - even if they look incredulous when I tell them my age. NO WAY TEACHER! YOU LOOK MUCH YOUNGER! (oh how I love you, you sweet, sweet students!!!). Anyway here are two lovelies posing for the camera... :)
My housemate was also a sweetie and managed to procure me a pumpkin on his day off - a mean feat once the Halloween weekend has come and gone. These babies sell like hot cakes and then they seem to disappear rather quickly.
He's sitting in our window now waiting for the trick-or-treaters! :) Happy Halloween folks! Hope you have a cosy one. We'll be watching The Mist and eating steak. xxx

A photo and a quick hello

2011-10-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

Been having some lovely autumnal weather here and there and the other day I was lucky enough to take this pretty snap. Not a lot to report...teaching is going well and it's Halloween tomorrow so we'll be doing lots of Halloween themed stuff in class. I'll write a proper long entry soon but it is Sunday evening and I just got home from London so I need to turn in soon... Hope all is well with you! xxx

Bristol graffiti

2011-10-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

This is all on one street - it is like that street in your town at Christmas strung out with a million lights (everyone has one of those right?)... Graffiti overload...and nice graffiti. Not just mindless, ugly tags.

I wandered down this street one day a few weeks back and marvelled at it all like a small child at Disney World.

Cooooool....I like this town!!!

Guess the council encourage it what with Banksy being one of its most famous residents... xxx

Grammar and zombies

2011-10-17T14:33:00.001-07:00

Erm...erm...I don't have a huge amount to say today...

Time has been spent recently doing much the same...

...planning....planning...planning (and I don't mean my life)...

Last week I taught the passive and active using zombies. That was kind of cool. The topic of the week was actually natural disasters but I figured I could stretch it a bit (especially with Halloween approaching). The students wrote newspaper articles about how the inhabitants of Bristol became infected after eating dodgy McDonald's potato french fries - they came up with that little twist all on their own, I was so proud...

I was not so proud of my own poor use of English this week however when I realised I did not understand the proper usage of 'used to'. Did you know that as a positive statement you would write: 'She used to dance.' but if it was in the negative form it would be 'She didn't use to dance.' and as a question it is: 'Did she use to dance?'

I didn't know this...and I'm an English grad... whoops...

Oh well, you learn something every day and all that...my grammar awareness will keep on improving...xxx

Miss Hope Plant

2011-10-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

This is Miss Hope Plant. I was going to call her Mr Plant but decided it against it. The plant is a 'she' because it is delicate and when it grows it will be pink and feminine...I know that is a stereotype but...I don't care.

My dad is currently her custodian. I told him before I left Hampshire that I don't care what happens to anything else in the greenhouse now...it is all about this plant....because...this plant almost died.

She's from Torrington in Devon. Mr Woo's friends gave her to me. A little cutting from the bigger mothership plant (see below) and she travelled all the way from there to home. But alas! When we reached home...she'd come loose and was mauled and crumbled from the journey in the boot. Furthermore she'd been overwatered. Chances of survival looked slim....very slim. In fact half of her withered and died. We left her though...just in case... and one day I noticed she was still green after a week or so...and hope grew... and now she is looking to be quite the little fighter.

So she is Miss Hope Plant. Say hello if you want. I will report back to you on her later...let's see if she gets through the winter first... xxx

PS Thanks so much to everyone who commented on the last post...it is good to know sometimes that people are out there! :) xxx

Blogging: Hello? Is anyone out there?

2011-10-12T02:42:00.000-07:00

So I've been blogging for erm...3 or so years now. I want to keep going because I really enjoy writing but recently I've been quite busy and it seems to have gone a little quiet in the blogging world. I used to get quite a few comments but they seem to have dwindled a bit...

It is probably my own fault. I have trouble keeping up with others and paying back the love - the whole reap to sow mentality and maybe I don't have much interesting to say these days... who knows?!

Or is blogging going out of fashion now as new ways of communicating appear on the web? Are people focussing their attention on new projects? What do you think? I know there are projects I'd like to give more time to going forward which might mean more blog neglect...

Hmm...I don't know...for now I'll keep writing and push on through...if not for anyone else, just for me....but if you do still enjoy reading me then that's great. Thank you :) xxx

Almost a week gone...

2011-10-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

And no blog post! (by the way tangent thought - is the blogging world growing quieter these days?! Need to revisit this topic at some point maybe...) Been busy as I was given a few extra hours this week. I'm working my butt off for peanuts again...not ideal but hey ho. Will try to find ways to rectify that.

The good news is I have been paid a little now so I can afford new underwear and shoes (my shoes were a disaster zone. Half the heel had come of one set -thanks New Look! - so I was standing awkwardly and the others all had holes in the soles which is not ideal as the wet weather becomes more frequent. I've invested in some nice sturdy M&S black brogues now and they felt divine as soon as I put them on today).

I also finally took the plunge and took out a new phone contract so I have finally gone android and I can now call someone without my phone battery dying after 2 mins! Whoop! Downside is the thing is bloody large compared to my last phone and a whole new load of skill is required to text. I think walking and texting might be a thing of the past for me...unless I fancy a smashed up phone.

Going home this weekend for the fathership's birthday and to watch my friend run in a race (the one who broke her back jumping out of a burning building - go girl!!). I'll try and find some photos and come visit you all soon.

Final word goes out to Steve Jobs (wherever he may be now...) and his family today...RIP dude- you truly inspired me...

Much love xxx

Some more of Bristol

2011-10-01T01:02:00.000-07:00

When I walk to work every morning I take time to notice the little details - the living details. Because...apart from humans and mice you never see such things on the London Underground.
I think I'd like to do some painting based on these little plants that cling to all the old brick work here. If all humanity were to vanish suddenly, these plants would take over slowly and one day they'd engulf everything that had ever been there I reckon...
The weekend has been glorious. We went on an Arts trail yesterday in South Bristol in the blazing sunshine. People open up their houses and display their art and you can wander in and have a nosy. You can purchase things too - including home baked goodies! We walked forever and then ended the day sat near the waterfront as the sun went down, drinking.
Another evening earlier in the week I went over to see the Suspension Bridge as it grew dark. I've seen it before but not at this time of day...
Still very beautiful...Bristol is starting to really grow on me. I feel like there is a lot of potential here for opportunity. There's already been talk of doing a pop-up restaurant in our home or at a local rentable venue and contributing to the arts trail another time. Plus I've been inspired enough to look into applying for a PGCE. As a friend quite rightly said - "You might as well apply now, you don't have to accept just yet...just see how you feel." I'm doing so much work with this TEFL job I might as well put my energy towards a more lucrative and stable form of teaching.
Guess we'll see! Let's also hope this beautiful weather stays as long as possible. Who'd have thought it was October!!! xxx

Bristol: a quick tour....

2011-09-29T09:30:00.000-07:00

So finally getting a moment to share with you my new life in Bristol. Here is my front door. I've always wanted to live in an old period house...
Gloucester Road is very close with lots of quirky shops and places to drink and eat. We have two incredibly cheap grocery shops with an enticing selection of veg and fruit, a brewery shop (!), quite a few interesting charity/vintage shops, a mediation centre (it is rather hippy central), a few credit crunch do-das and much more...it's pretty cool.
This little chap lives on the edge of my road. He says 'hi!'
And this is what I see on my way to work...
This is Queen's Square where my work is situated...
And that's my work building below...
All rather nice. I do have to go up and down a hill every day to work but it will make me fitter and it only takes half an hour - beats the London tube journey hands down.

Been busy with work. I am teaching Elementary and Intermediate classes and the students all seem pretty friendly. My only worry is the lack of money it is all going to generate. It is such a shame really as the job satisfaction is what makes it worth it but it just doesn't pay the bills. In South Korea it might but certainly not here in the UK...so I'm looking at getting an additional waitressing job. Otherwise, sadly, I may need to keep my eye out for something more lucrative...Will keep you posted on that. It helps to have a very generous friend who is putting me up rent free for the first month.

So days are filled with planning, walking and exploring and watching US TV series in the evening. I'm ploughing through Mad Men, been introduced to the amazeballs series Game of Thrones (even if it is squirmishly raunchy and violent - makes True Blood look tame!) and the really funny Emmy award winning Modern Family. I'm also finally finishing off the superb Patrick Ness Walking Chaos trilogy which I'm so proud to have worked on - if only for a little while...

So yeah that's me...got a another blog post up my sleeve but that will have to wait for another day. Hope you're all good and happy! xxx

Fascinating stuff...

2011-09-20T09:38:00.000-07:00

Ted.com - got to love it. Been thinking about such topics recently and about men and women and how they are different. Had a moment of deja vu watching this as I'm sure, only just recently, I heard someone talk about how men are more intently focused on one goal (they even used the same hand gesture as Helen Fisher) - which harks back to their hunting days - and how women are inherently more the the multi-tasker from days of gathering, looking after the children, cooking etc.

My father wandered in whilst I was watching this and we got talking about how he'd read somewhere about this notion also explaining why women love to shop so much, whilst men love football. Shopping replaces the gathering and football replaces the hunt...and if you think about it in terms of conversation and the idea that women generally talk more (Helen Fisher supports this idea too), this also makes sense as whilst the men were out hunting they were probably trying to keep quiet. They were probably not chatting much except to impart instructions and directions towards the kill, whilst the women's early role was a lot more social because it involved rearing children.

Since my days of dating Mr Moorish (seems so long ago now), I've also become more interested in the notion of women who cheat. Mr Moorish used to serially date a lot of women who were cheating on their boyfriends. As an aside, I'm sure this says a lot about his character to you, but it intrigued me and got me thinking about the topic. If you stroll into any self-help section of most book shops you will always find books about men who cheat but never one's on why women do so, and yet Helen Fisher makes the perfectly wonderful comment in the talk above about adulterous men: 'Well, who do you think these men are sleeping with?!'

It isn't just cheating that interests me. It is this idea that our morals are not always in sync with our emotions and other human drives. My rational mind says 'Don't eat meat. Don't eat chocolate etc etc. Don't be antagonistic just because you're in a grumpy mood today etc etc...' and yet, I'll still do these things. Some people seem so much more controlled...and yet you wonder if they are just better at hiding it or if they are struggling just below the surface.

I could write pages on this kind of thinking, I'm barely scrapping the surface, but I'll leave it here. Have a watch of the video and see what you think. It's good. xxx

And now we go...

2011-09-18T03:57:00.000-07:00

So...where do I start with this entry? I could tell you about a sad ending...but maybe that is still too soon. I think I'll spare you my thoughts on that right now and keep it private.

There have been a lot of endings recently though - not just for me but for others that surround me. Bernard (do you remember Bernard?) decided to fly off to cat heaven (which I imagine is a landscape full of delicious human food that he can eat forevermore) and some couples who were well on their way to tying the knot suddenly parted ways. I look at these latter events in wonder and it reminds me that nothing should ever be taken for granted and that nothing is a given.

Maybe it is our generation (though maybe I'm being naive with this assumption when I can only speak from my experience so far?)... We have all this time in our twenties to run around and take risks and we have time to waste and then as the late 20's hit some of us seem to sober up a bit...and I guess they start to think: 'Who am I?', 'What do I want?', 'Is this it?'. Change inevitably follows.

Change is difficult but I think it can be good for us. It helps us to grow and learn...and hopefully we become better people because of it...though I know that is not always the case.

Anyway, yet another new change for me. It is a running joke with my friends now. Conversations begin: 'Now, tell me, where was your last port of call?' or 'Where have you been between now and Christmas?' I've been a flighty being for the past few years and I'm hoping this is the last change for a while. I'm seriously yearning for some stability - a place to belong.

So I'm off to the west country come Wednesday. Off to live in Bristol. Same company as Oxford, same job. (I would have stayed in Oxford as it was pretty much perfect but I couldn't afford it. I know now that a smaller city is more my cup of tea though.) New town, new people but I'm staying with a good friend who is putting me up for a while. He once stayed on my sofa for two months in London so I guess it is his way of returning the favour. He's excited and so am I. I have a few friends Bath way too so it will be lovely to see them and I'm looking at it as a new adventure and, fingers crossed, I feel like I'm heading roughly in the right direction now...finally...though only time will tell...

I will miss London and all its people and gems but I'll book my train tickets in advance so I can come back regularly. It's only two hours away - it isn't the other side of the world...

So...there is my little update, my hopes for the future and I'll keep you posted on how it all goes. xxx

More art filled days...

2011-09-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

Working on a little sketch from a photograph right now that inspired me on pinterest and finished off a few garish pieces that I'm somewhat okay with but I think I'm going to steer away from the brighter colours going forward... there really isn't a lot of development going on. I approach the pieces with childlike exploration thinking: 'today I'm going to try to do a blue collage of some sorts...' or 'oh let's just add this effect and see what happens...'
Still waiting to hear back from yesterday's interview...she said she'd let me know this afternoon so I'm here, sitting, waiting...but I know how things can be...
Been sending off a few pieces of art here and there to people, I'm never very confident about my work and some people say I should do commissions and sell some stuff but I think I need to work at it more... Been reminding myself of Indesign though and at the same time helping out a friend who is off work for health reasons. She's trying to make some spare cash by making cupcakes so I'm trying to design her some flyers and posters...here is a design I've come up with for her so far...Quite simple but then so are my Indesign skills! Need to do another course I reckon...or steal some tips from others... Anyway...maybe by the end of today I'll have a better idea of where things are going...one can only hope! xxx

Heinz spaghetti hoops and Autumn etc

2011-09-15T05:38:00.000-07:00

Is it just me but do Heinz spaghetti hoops have a distinct different flavour from Heinz spaghetti? Just wondering...I've often thought about that but never really shared......And so my brain is taken up by the useless musings and wonderings it so often is when you're sat at home job hunting.

My neck aches a lot today. I've been using the computer way too much. I've tried to make amends by going out for a few walks and enjoying my favourite season. It really is necessary to get away from the armchair and Mac for a bit. I'm on the borders of boredom...There is fruit everywhere at the moment...My tomatoes are doing well...

Apples in the trees...Apples mushed up on the floor...And I'm thinking that just before everything goes cold and grey and dead with winter...aren't these just the best moments? The sun has never been more splendid and golden, the temperature never more pleasant. Everything is looking so good and doing so well...just before it all goes tits up and over-ripens, over-does it (even the wasps are get drunk on the fermented fruit) and suddenly before you know it, before you even have time to blink the party's over and the hangover is there... (wasps are now the spider's dinner) Why is this? What insight can we gleam from this, if any?

I don't know...but I sure do like it (not the wasps being eaten part though but what can you do?).

Anyway...I have a job interview at 3pm. The second so far...failing this I'm highly tempted to send my CV off to Jakarta. I'm just really not good at hanging about the house despite reading, painting etc...

How are you today? Maybe I'll come over and say hi. xxx

Dancing Phil strikes again!

2011-09-14T02:03:00.000-07:00

Always happy to share a bit of my lovely dancing Canadian amigo around...xxx

My sister and I

2011-09-12T02:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I came home from London and felt the inspiration to get in the garage and tackle the many boxes that are piled up in there full of stuff from our old house. We used to live in a much bigger house and subsequently when my mum downsized a lot of stuff got packed into boxes and chucked there. Over the years (yes, years - try four or five), I have gone to many a car boot sale with the mothership as we wheedled our way through a lifetime of spending and hoarding.

We've come along way and we're almost down to the most prized - not to be parted with - possessions. Anyway...I found a bunch of my old photographs (back in the day when 'digital camera' was just a word on the wind...) and decided to rephotograph (albeit badly) a couple to share with people.

Here is one taken of my sister and I on my 18th birthday (almost 11 years ago...). Check out my flat stomach...if only!!! That night we went for a chinese with some of my friends from school and then out to the local night club where we managed to sneak my then 15 year old sister in without ID. Probably the first time she'd been to a nightclub.
In a few months time I would be finishing my A-levels, packing my bags and setting off on my gap year to Brazil and then to Peru. My sister decided to write me a letter before I left.

Thought you might like to read a little? (Please note before reading: she was very cheeky, tongue in cheek and er blunt my sister...she still is... you might find the content quite shocking)

To the most stupid Lauren the world has ever known,

Are you sure you want to go and turn the lives of innocent Brazilians upside down? Are you sure you want to infest them with that pungent smell you so often release?

Honestly, do you really want 2 leave your devil incarnate sister behind to wreak havoc upon Malcolm and Chris etc? I know I promised not to take advantage of our dear, sweet starving friend (Malcolm looked like Starving Marvin from South Park. He was 20 and I was rather fond of him. Chris was my then older boyfriend) but the moment I'm 16 he belongs to me!

In the meantime I shall have him be my personal chauffeur. I want u 2 make me a promise. Don't come back spilling all your Brazilian beans until the cows come home, because otherwise I might have to choke you with Chris's furry mole hairs (Chris had a big mole on his arm) I'm going 2 spend my year getting better than you and stealing all your friends etc but I do promise to buy lots of clothes and when you come back I'll probably be leaving for Hollywood!

In fact I'm going 2 B so fucking spoilt that when you return that you'll have to kill me with a bamboo shoot. PUT ON SOME WEIGHT!!!!! omigod, he's so young! (a line we used to quote from a long forgotten Madonna film). No doubt you'll return with more shitty poems on how you want to slit your wrists over some Brazilian wanker and also plenty of fart (the 'f' was crossed out). Also no doubt you can bet that I've shagged 17 pikeys in a bush, or maybe even more. I shall write to you about new boys I meet and probably tell you that one is called Guy Roberts (a boy she liked in infant school and she never snogged him - it was a lie) and that I snogged him in the library, remember?

ooo! Whenever you get bored of trying to understand the idiots that surround you just survey this letter and its powerful English. If you ever have a problem or a decision just write 2 me and I will consult the £2.99 ORB (do you remember those magic 8 balls that you shook that gave you generic answers?)

Hopefully Bread Boy (memory fails me here - some guy she liked at school?) will have succumbed to my charms and then you can have all the baguettes you can manage to fit in your skinny tummy, and did I mention PUT ON SOME WEIGHT!

I will continue to wear my pink Betty jammies if you wear your blue ones, so I will sleep well knowing your actually wearing something fashionable rather than those shitty stripy trousers which were kindly donated from the skank factory (I still have these!).

I shall continue to study Latin with enthusiasm and be careful to stay away from Mrs Fitz Harris the farmer and block out her putrid odour and thumb of pure dementia. I am writing this whilst you and Chris are having your last shag - every1 needs a bosom for a pillow! By the way, I am gonna lend you Mr Oinky pig to provide you with hours of entertainment! Are you sure you don't want a copy of my Nsync album to supply cheese to your adventure?

Anyway, the point of this card is really to tell you how much I love you because we have to be the best sisters to have lived. Omigod it's so beautiful Franklin (imagine with wispy noises!). Take care my lover and don't die because then I'll have to feed you to Malcolm or use your fat to cook our wedding cake. I promise to take care of him for you! And I will use Chris for lifts etc. Ha! Take care chicken. All my love from the grooviest sister in the world!

PS Look at our sheer mingyness! (photo provided - not the one below but you get the idea...)

Pivot tables and Pinterest

2011-09-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

For some reason, despite not a hellavalot on the job front I've suddenly gone from fed up and down and out to pottering along 'ho hey!'.

I've been filling the hours easily enough. I've...

...watched all of True Blood (time to now resume where I left off with The Wire Series 3)

...made homemade soup (suits the blustery weather)

...caught up with some friends I really needed to catch up with

...watered my plants (tomato babies!)

...perused O2 for potential new mobile phones and contracts

...started to grow a car boot pile (yes, grow...it is continually doing so!)

...begun some painting (I have a collage in mind - will share later)

...enjoyed a naughty Dominos (pepperoni, sweetcorn, pineapple and garlic butter = yummy combination!) all to myself...

...battled on with Marianne Faithfull's second biography (it is good but anecdotal and I've been dipping in and out of it since June - need to seriously finish it now)

...done some Marketing Analysis in preparation for an interview. (It is here I must blow my own trumpet just a little because I'm kind of chuffed about this) Check me out! I actually DID some Marketing Analysis (fingers crossed successfully) and whilst I initially panicked and called the recruitment agent as I had no clue how to navigate Excel on my MAC and thought it was hopeless, I later worked it out ON MY OWN. I made PIVOT TABLES! I worked out ROI...basically, the moral of the story is perhaps I should give my brain more credit than I often do...and stop panicking so much.

and finally...

...I joined Pinterest purely out of curiosity and can I say it is kinda cool - have you had a look?Here are some screenshots of what images I've been collecting! It is a great way to create mood boards and I was only just thinking about these the other day - especially in relation to cafes and if I ever wanted to start my own one and collate ideas. Lovely little time waster...
Anyway, thought I'd just share...how is your week going? xxx

The job slog...

2011-09-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

Every time it gets just that little bit harder.

Dear Whoever, please give me a decent job that I can immerse myself in for the next few years so I don't have to job hunt again for a while!! I'm just about at the end of my tether with it all. I've done so much of it in the last few years. Enough to last a lifetime it feels!

The stupid thing is, the more qualified I get, the more experience I obtain...the less opportunity I feel there is! This is possibly recession related but jezlouise why can't I easily apply for an admin job even if my background isn't directly/specifically admin related? (not that I'm necessarily harking after an admin job but just as an example) I'm intelligent enough - probably too intelligent for some of these roles.

I know I could tweak my CV, change a few titles, give emphasis to other areas more than others, tailor it more than I am currently doing but I'm not really big on stretching the truth, spinning the shit and telling white lies. I'm more a 'this is what I did' kind of gal. Plain and simple and if you can't see how capable I am (I think I make it pretty obvious in other ways - cover letter, interview technique, detailed CV) and if you're not willing to flex that imagination when it comes to my transferable skills... then I'm not sure if I should even waste my precious time on you.

I realise I'm being a bit of a stick-in-the-mud. I've only been job hunting two days. I always get in a sulk somewhere throughout the tedious process. Rite of passage. Blah blah blah...My dad is right when he says it can be soul destroying though.

Anyway...I'm not quite a Yosser Hughes character yet (Gizza job?) but it sure does feel like it could become a reality eventually...

...I'm secretly banking on that fortune teller being right. Well sort of. The Man in Nam who offered me a job (which after some deliberating I was ready to take, despite the fact I'd have to pack and leave the UK in under 2 weeks and undertake some significant financial debt) was audacious and unprofessional enough to retract the offer when he thought he was onto a better deal with someone else!

The fortune teller did predict that there was absolutely no travel on the cards for the next 8 months...(I'm still looking at jobs abroad regardless - I'm not that silly) but slightly weird perhaps? I politely gave the Man in Nam a small piece of my mind via email...

Anyway, job hunting all day has resulted in this rant. I will try not to rant too much more. Instead I'll leave on a very different note. Below is a photo of Clovelly that by dad took back around the mid 1960's and following it is one I took...You can't tell if the other houses to the left were there or not from the photo but not a huge amount of change in fifty years eh? I kind of like that... :)
And on that random note, I'm off and will catch you later...hopefully having made some more progress...xxx

Happiness is...a good doughnut!

2011-09-04T02:50:00.001-07:00

I'm not talking about the Tesco or Sainsbury variety. Don't darken my doorstep with those thank you very much. Give me a bakery variety - and make it doughy! I want the dough in my doughnut okay? And proper jam with some texture and gloopiness to it. Then I'll be satisfied.

Torrington has two bakeries...so I was well stocked. Now I'm back home I'll miss those doughnuts...

Back home and back to reality. Job hunting AGAIN. Just been speaking to some chap in Vietnam on the phone though so who knows?! Have no idea where I'll end up next...(though my weakness for fortune tellers in times of uncertainty predicts little travel in the next 8 months but we'll see. Always taken with a pinch of salt!)

So farewell summer, farewell Devon...farewell greedy Splink the cute Dalmatian whose focus never wavered on the goal in sight - otherwise known as your dinner plate.

Farewell zombie conversations and the small routine of watching a movie every night after dinner (we got through Kick-Ass, Zombieland, Drag Me to Hell and caught bits of the original Fright Night and Invasion of the Body Snatchers...). It was a lovely and very interesting place to stay...

I finally made it to Totnes too. Years ago, a guy called Ryan - a friend of one of my ex's- turned around and said to me: 'You know where you should live? Totnes.' I had no idea what he was talking about and at the time it sounded so random but later I realised he was commenting on my hippy/arty/foodie -ness and making a connection. So I finally went to see the place and it is pretty cool...The sun was out and it was really quite hot. There was a market on and the streets were very lively...Definitely a place for food...which was a delight as some of the seaside towns we visited were lacking on the salad/health and inventive front in my opinion...
Mr Woo had a ham hock and duck terrine and I had a tian of crab...decorated with edible flowers in a cafe called The Tangerine Tree. We then went to this adorable antique-y tea room which was covered in tea cups and saucers. I bought some long bits of silky material - might work as curtains? And Mr Woo treated me to a pair of decorative earrings made by this talented lady here, called Hilary Bravo, who travels around and takes photographs of places that inspire her and then paints them in an abstract way and cuts them up and turns them into jewellery. Cool idea huh?
Had a lovely holiday really...and Torrington could be a great place to encourage the mothership to retire to...who knows? Excellent house prices...Came back just in time to see off the fathership's girlfriend who is returning to Indonesia and with enough evening to spare for a couple of episodes of True Blood...complete with a Chinese takeaway. Proper job slog starts tomorrow...wish me luck! xxx

Devon and Cornwall

2011-08-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

Spending some time after Oxford down in the south of the country. Driving from place to place along the coast and eating a lot. We've been to Lynton, Lynmouth, Ilfracombe, Padstow, Clovelly, Bude, Torrington, Westward Ho!, Appledore, Barnstable...and I guess we'll keep on going as we still have two or three more days.
Lots of fish and chips, prawn cocktails, scampi...etc. We even went to Rick Stein's bistro though I have to admit we weren't very impressed...in fact the evening was a bit of a disaster but I'll spare you the details - let's just say we were rather grumpy! A trip to the lobster hatchery the next day was more enjoyable along with the hotel breakfast.
Currently we are staying with two of Mr Woo's lovely friends in Torrington. They live in this really old listed house but they have done it up beautifully. Inspiring to see! Plus they have a bigger obsession with zombies than me so that provided interesting dinner conversation.
And they're happy for me to cook so I'm glad to be putting my skills to use after 8 weeks of canteen food.
Anyway, sat around the dinner table now whilst they chat so I'd better stop being antisocial... will be back later in the week to share more news! Speak soon! xxx

Farewell to Oxford shortly...

2011-08-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

The long hard slog is coming to an end. On Saturday morning I will pack up my bags and leave Cotuit Hall on Pullens Lane and head back to my father's house. My stint at English First will be over.

It has gone in a blink of an eye (in some ways - don't put this statement to me on a Wednesday morning when I am faced with 8 hours solid of teaching Elementary classes). I've not been so busy in quite a while really. Bloody hard work for a pittance is what I can certainly tell you....but rewarding nonetheless. I've met some lovely people and I have really enjoyed being creative and communicating with people rather than sat in front of a machine for most of the hours of my days.

I did get the offer to stay on. I'd liked to have taken it but I just can't afford to really. Cotuit Hall is due to be demolished and I don't have enough saved for a house deposit in Oxford, nor first months rent and the salary is very much a hand to mouth situation. Shame that.

Instead I'll go home, unemployed and seek out another office role until I can gather some money together and possibly return. Who knows? I'd like to consider some other options too.

There is other news...sadder really but I will refrain from talking about it just yet, so soon. My step-father also had his eye removed yesterday due to a cancerous lump behind it. I haven't heard from him but I hope he'll be okay. Quite a frightful thing to go through.

Anyway...I'll soon be home and with regular internet connection so I'll soon be in touch. Hope you are all doing well. Lots of Love xxx

Still alive...

2011-08-18T08:34:00.001-07:00

Just not had much time to blog as per normal. Lots of changes are on the horizon I suspect...maybe...

In the next few weeks my contract ends and who knows what will happen? I may have it renewed; I may return to my dad's house and start job hunting afresh. I could hop on a plane to Barcelona or Rome and see what jobs I can find out there. I could hit a ride over to the West Country and see what all the fuss is about there. It all depends on money, guts and the influence of those around me somewhat...

My feelings are the same every time this happens. A mixture of fear and worry combined with a cool laid back attitude of what will be will be. The two moods take their turn to move around my brain in a circular motion. It would be nice to have some stability soon - even if just for a year perhaps...its been a while!

One thing I know for sure...nothing ever stays the same...even the things you take for granted, the things you regard as steady and stable. A terrifying thought but also perhaps a refreshing one too.

Okay, enough of being philosophical now - I'll be back soon when I have some photos and some more concrete news. Hope you're all faring well as we say goodbye to summer soon and move into glorious autumn! :) xxx

A brief visit home...

2011-08-07T02:09:00.000-07:00

Which means a fast Internet connection!!! Yeahy!!! So I have seized the opportunity to post up some pictures and watch some True Blood! Unfortunately this visit is incredibly fleeting though so not a lot of time to do all of this. Still....
I got to see the beasties...Marley is as moan-y as ever. Feed me! Feed me! FEEEEEEED ME! It's the only human words he knows. He even says it now when you pick him up. To your face.
Mum has some lovely flowers in the front room - a gift from a friend after a falling out and making up...and she's gone and purchased some solar panelled butterfly fairy lights which flash on and off so now the cats have a virtual disco corner outside. (I hear foxes are welcome too and the distant tune of Club Tropicana by Wham has been faintly heard in the wee hours of the morning...)
After 5 weeks I finally had a chance to cook...one grows a little tired of canteen food even if it saves time on the cooking front...
And I had a chance to check out my plants in the greenhouse... The basil has gone MENTAL! (originally a Morrison's purchase) Dad forgot to prevent it from flowering though so my fingers stink of it having plucked and picked at it this morning.
The tomatoes are mega beasts too!
Look at them! Who'd have thought! Next year I'm opting for cherry ones though - I prefer those...but these will make some super sauces me thinks...
Even the peppers look set to be promising despite the earlier attack of greenfly - millions of little flowers...and ideas for green pepper recipes?!

Off to see the little baby now...if I get a chance I'll share a piccy. Hope to speak again soon! xxx

Not blogotastic right now...

2011-08-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

Not blogotastic, not artotastic, not writeotastic, not friendotastic right now...just teachotastic.

I now understand how underpaid and unappreciated teachers can be sometimes. People, teaching is not an easy option!

Teach, teach, teach, teach, teach....oh and planning. All day, all night. I live and breathe it...and the good news is...

I'm finally over the hill. Halfway with my contract and just another 3 weeks to go. Then what? Who knows...

I really have so much to tell you but never any time! Here are just a few notes to keep you in the loop:

- The computer technician thinks I'm stalking him due to problematic technology...seriously, it has become a running joke.

- My first (totally cute) class came and went - we celebrated the end of class by bunking it and going for ice-cream. (Oxford has some wicked ice-cream parlours open till midnight - Dime Bar Crunch anyone? Or Bananarama?!)

- A new class arrived who are nice and loud and chatty and engaging! Love it! I did a speed dating lesson with them on Friday - what fun that was! :)

- My arm feels like it might drop off (really need to sort this one out I know...)

-Mr Woo and I are planning a road trip to Devon after all of this for some much needed rest.

-I'm off home to see the family after 5 weeks now which will be brief but lovely plus I'll get to meet my oldest's friend's new baby who arrived 2 weeks late! Oh and my own tomato babies...!!!

-Oh and I'm still turning over the idea of a Creative Writing MA (Creative Writing teacher suddenly sounds very appealing, especially after a session I did on dreams and alliteration with my stronger class....)

Expect photos if I get the chance!

Hope you're all well! Be in touch soon! xxx

Art in Action

2011-07-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

When I was about fourteen or so, my father took the twins and me to an art fair in Oxford called Art in Action and we had a lovely day out. Year after year I planned to go back but somehow it never happened. Another fourteen or so years later and I finally manage to get there again.

It hasn't changed much. Same beautiful sunny day... inspiring artwork...demonstrations, Pimms and scones, beautiful gardens, fresh fruit being sold, art materials, jewellery...
Mr Woo took me and it was just as grand as it was half a lifetime ago... What was particularly special was I spotted this...
...which told me Jackie Morris was lurking nearby. I follow Jackie Morris' blog about her cats and their life in Wales but she is also a very talented children's illustrator...so it was lovely to meet her. I have a friend who's baby is also well overdue so a signed copy of her book The Snow Leopard was simply the perfect present to purchase.There was a lot of wonderful work at the fair but I also enquired about etching and how it is created. I have illustration plans of my own up my sleeve you see... Going forward I want to make my life more and more about what I love doing - art and writing... Just need to find myself a course now....
Anyway, just thought I'd share...been so busy and a day like this is rare at the moment - and the time to then write about it! This week we're doing fears and phobias in class and we're all getting ready for a forthcoming British Council inspection. Next week the topic is technology which I think is going to be a struggle to come with ideas for...
Anyway I'm off to finish my Marianne Faithfull biography...and then sleep. Another early one tomorrow and 8 hours solid of teaching...makes me tired just thinking about it! Speak soon! xxx

The joys of teaching...

2011-07-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

Hello! It is me! I have a bit of time again! Whoop! Precious time it is…

I’m working about 29 hours a week but with all the planning…well, you saw the last entry I imagine!

So it is bloody knackering! I’m really not joking. I thought teaching would also help my RSI – well, er, no. My hand throbs like hell at the moment from all the computer work, board work and writing down plans. Summer schools are not a relaxing affair. They are busy, disorganized, manic…frankly it is just a big cash cow in some ways and it is common to see teachers tearing out their hair with the stress from all the work.

But…on the plus side…look at these angels….

Look at them…aren’t they lovely? They’re my nice class! When they asked the other week if they had me as their teacher for the forthcoming weeks and I replied ‘Yes, I think so.’ Some of them clenched their fists and were like ‘Yes!!!’ Makes all that sweat and worry worth it in an instant.

And when I logged onto the school system this morning I found some, who were leaving this weekend, had left a little drawing which said that I was the best teacher ever and that they’d miss me. I’ve only had them for three weeks but how cute is that?!

So despite the challenges, I quite like the job. I find I want to work hard to give a good lesson – even if I am up til late. They say it gets easier and I have learnt a little on recycling lessons and saving time here and there.

Anyway…not going to write anymore now, want to try and catch up with some of you. Will hopefully be back later in the week. xxx

Comparisons of this summer’s work to last summer's work…

2011-07-18T12:29:00.001-07:00

I really should not be writing. I should be giving my hands a rest but oh well…just a quick one.

Comparisons of this summer’s work to last summer work at the B&B…

THE BARE BASICS

Working hours

The B&B: cir. 7-7.30am -11-12 midnight with an hour for lunch and some occasional time in the afternoon. Some evenings off if there was no one for dinner.

The English School: cir. 6am-11-12 midnight with lunch grabbed quickly. My actual working (aka teaching) hours are less than 25 (paid time) but as a new teacher planning and admin time (a.k.a unpaid time) means long, long hours…there are simply not enough hours for a newbie planner like me actually…I could do a much better job if I had more...

Free time

The B&B: 1 day off a week – changed every week. A couple of hours here and there most days.

The English School: An evening and one day if I am lucky....they are trying to steal my one day off too under the guise of 'day excursions'... erm...no thanks.

The Work

The B&B: Physically tiring but in places creative.

The English School: Physically and mentally tiring but probably more on the mental side? Room for creativity too.

The Salary

The B&B: Less than 20 euros a day

The English School: £12.45 for the hours I teach….so if we calculated it by the hours I actually work….er…quite low… maybe on parr with the B&B

Makes the office with its designated weekends look a bit rosier in some respects hmm? Well…there are pros too…tune in for those next time (when I find some time that is….)

Bunny v Zombie

2011-07-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

Whahey! It is 6.30am in the morning!!! I’m up and ready to hit school!!! You’re all probably still sleeping or doing morning things. Just logging on whilst I have a few spare minutes (because I haven’t had a lot of those as of late) to say hello. Hope you are all well and I’m sorry I’ve not been in touch much, I can barely keep up with Mr Woo and family let alone blogging at the moment.

Some days I’m up at 6am until around midnight. That does strange things to your brain eventually me thinks…

This morning I woke up from a strange dream which I think actually might be something worth psycho-analysing? I dreamt I had the most gorgeous cute little black bunny. Just like the one I had as a child called Cooper. He was adorable and I was in this large farmhouse house and we were playing. He was really fast and I was chasing him through the hallways and I kept finding him hidden in pots and various things – his little ears sticking out. Yes, it was that cute.

But then, at some point, he peed whilst he was sat on my lap – in the dream I felt the liquid soak into my legs - and then he hopped off and peed some more on the carpet. As I went to get some kitchen roll, the house door swung open and he ran out into the night – much to my horror as it was total black out there.

In vain hope I ran out there after him.

As my eyes adjusted I realized he was nowhere to be seen. He was gone…but there was a very angry man moving strangely and quickly towards me.

And then the dream changed…. there were more angry bodies hurling themselves at alarming speed towards me and shrieking…and someone was calling desperately to me to run back into the house. So I did, without a moment to spare as the zombies grabbed at my legs and arms.

And then I was in a scene from Night of the Living Dead or more accurately 28 Weeks Later (still plaguing my dreams and I haven't even seen it!) and we were barricading the house but the dead kept trying to get in. Eventually we had a choice on running for it or barricading ourselves in the top bedrooms and starving….

Lovely dream eh?

I’ll be back soon to let you know how work is going xxx

WAR HORSE!

2011-07-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

Last night I popped up to London, despite significant lack of funds to do so (Pay day please come quick), to see War Horse.

What can I say about War Horse? Oh my word! Go see it! Go see it!!!! That is an order.

It is simply magical. Heart-wrenching with a subject such as WW1 – yes – but the puppetry skill is also astonishing. Go see it just for that – for the beautiful horses and the highly entertaining and comical hungry goose!

As I sat on the train heading back to Oxford (got to bed by 1am –yuck), I thought of all the elements that made it an excellent play in my mind. The story was tragically beautiful – Michael Morpurgo is not a bestselling children’s author and Children's Laureate for nothing. I loved the nostalgic folk music, the puppetry, the scenery, the acting…it all worked so well.

I think it may have been even more poignant to me having recently read Birdsong and, for the first time, recently watched Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers (you could say I’m going through a WW1 and WW2 war phase? I now also feel compelled to read the poems of Wildred Owen and visit Flanders Fields…).

Speilberg is also turning the story into a film – see the trailer here.
But please don’t wait for the film! Go now! Go-go-go! It was a sell out for AGES and now it is easier to get tickets.

And that is all I have to say today. xxx

Friendship ties and the words of Marilyn Munroe

2011-07-05T02:27:00.000-07:00

I should be writing lesson plans right now. I have my first lesson at 3.45pm today for 2 hours and 40 minutes. I have an interactive whiteboard in my classroom and yesterday it was malfunctioning. I have training an hour or so before class to know how to work the thing. It all feels a bit tense!

So my mood is a delicate one –as to be expected in these nervous circumstances.

Last night I went to bed early in preparation for the big day but I ended up lying in bed thinking for ages into the night.

At one point I turned the light back on and began writing the following for a blog entry. I think my tender heart is not only anxious about work…its infecting other areas too.

Friendship ties…

Is it me or are they all becoming looser? Once, when I lived in London they felt so tightly bound. I was a whirlwind of activity. Dancing round night after night to check them, to keep them all taut, firm and intact. But I couldn’t keep it up and I grew tired. I pulled away, I left the city and the ribbons stretched and some slackened.

At first, this alarmed me incredibly – it still does to a degree depending on my mood – and I felt like a spinning plate performer losing momentum and watching plates wobble and fall. My fear of being alone overwhelmed me and sent me back to the city eventually. Then fate intervened and having only just arrived back, it pointed me out and sent me away again. Whilst some friends never make the effort to call (why should they? It was never their role. I always ran around for them), I’m finding myself less annoyed and hurt than before. I found it doesn't do any good getting annoyed really - it just serves to make things worse and to alienate you. More and more these days when I think of it I am just resigned - though I have had a few freak-out, out-of-character flare-up moments that I'm not proud of in the last couple of months I will admit.

Gone are those frantic days, perhaps? We’ll move into the baby age soon and more strings will slacken and plates will fall. A few more may even be added to the mix but I suspect the numbers will begin to wane as starting new families becomes the main focus for my generation. Reminds me of that scene from 3 Men and a Little Lady when the men decide to throw a party like they did in the good old days – only to quickly realise they barely know anyone there and things have moved on. Even I’m tired of the idea of organising anything any more. I’m less certain everyone would come.

These sound like negative thoughts and yes, there is some of that, but they are also what I’d consider calling ‘reflections on growing’. My friend in Oxford turned to me the other day and said ‘I have the most marvelous quote for you!’ and suddenly a new quote I’d encountered recently on the blog: Yes, and Yes popped into my head and I replied ‘Me too!’ And guess what? We were thinking of the same quote!

So here it is…and isn’t Marilyn Munroe so thoughtful and wonderful…capturing it all so perfectly….

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."

So it is all a lesson...we're all learning and things change because they must. And now…my twenty minutes are up…back to lesson planning and the day! Wish me luck! xxx

New digs and Henley Regatta

2011-07-03T02:44:00.000-07:00

So I'm here and I've got a dongle so I can do a little internet-ting! :) Check out my dated looking room in a run down hall near the school. On the first night it was just me and two other people here - felt like something out of the Shining. It is a bit lonely feeling and there have been a few hiccups with things but I think it will become more lively as more people arrive. Plus I can't really complain at £50 a week half board. Hopefully I can save a little money...fingers crossed.
I'm really thankful to have a friend living on the other side of Oxford. We knew each other when I worked briefly at Egmont and she's been a godsend in many ways. She has a lovely bunch of housemates too and I feel like I have some help and familiar company if I get too homesick/lonely.

The first few days have been a bit daunting and there have been lots of questions and nervous worries and I often wonder when I throw myself into these sort of situations: why in the world have I done it? It is so much easier to stay at home...

...but I guess I'm a sucker for a challenge and pushing myself...?! I don't really know the answer to that question!!! What drives me? Seeing as much of the world and experiencing things I imagine.

Anyway, just as I was starting to get a little doubtful, things picked up and questions were answered at the school, reassuring me, and my friend swooped in and we arranged to go to Henley for the day.
Just thought I'd share a few pics. Henley isn't too far from where my family actually live. My dad used to take us to the Regatta when we were kids but I hadn't really explored the festival much.
Let me tell you - it gets very, very busy. Posh hats akimbo, Pimms a flowing, posh English accents -'Darling, this is quintessential British summer culture don't you know?!' And a smattering of American accents too as the tourists gather or families and friends come to support their rowing teams.
Lucky us that we also had great sunshine and jammy us - we managed to sweet talk a local into offering up his parking permit! Free parking for 24 hours smack in the town centre instead of £10 for a limited time at some distance. Oh and we arrived early enough to secure a good spot for our picnic.
It was a lovely day and it took my mind off forthcoming work and lesson planning...
They even had an Elvis boat! :) So all in all a good day. Today, however, I probably need to start knuckling down with the planning. Hopefully I'll get through the first week without too many wounds! Wish me luck! Will see you on the other side next week when I come up for air! xxx

Today's the day...

2011-06-29T02:36:00.000-07:00

Today's the day. I'm eating my breakfast now but soon I will be finishing off my packing and later mum will be driving me to Oxford. I'm staying with a friend tonight but tomorrow I will move my stuff over to some old Oxford Brookes Halls of Residence after my work induction.

Back in halls...with half board. Bet the food will be interesting...Best not to think about it.

8 weeks of teaching ahead and the butterflies are dully thudding about my stomach already. I'm a half mix of nervous excitement and half a reluctance to crawl out of my shell (aka move out from the comfort of my father's house - leaving behind my tomato babies I may add!). These ventures are always emotionally taxing in one way or another and today I am summoning up the energy to put on my armour once again.

I'm sure it will be great once I get there. Hard work but if I don't sink my teeth into something soon I'm in danger of become a lethargic cabbage -its all too easy to get settled into the non-working lifestyle. There are great plus points of course but without new challenges one can easily slip.

Not sure what internet access I'll have initially but will try and write soon. Hope to find time to pop to Henley Regatta at the weekend too if I don't have immense lesson planning!

Anyway, hope you all have lovely, sunny weekends! xxx

Paint, paint, paint...

2011-06-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

Due to lack of funds I have missed a few birthdays here and there so I'm doing what I can to make up for this with my paint brushes. This is a painting of one of my friends which I plan to send to her in the post. The annoying thing is you tweak and you paint and you fiddle and it still doesn't resemble them...quite...
I guess I just need to keep at it. Practise makes perfect and all that... But it is an attempt and I'm hoping she'll like it...she can always pretend that it is just some random girl I guess...?!

Also, the painting was taken from a rather old photo. She's much darker haired these days with no fringe...but I liked this one... oh well.

Where is everyone these days? Feeling little bloggy love as of late! :( Summer times are busy times though, I know...xxx

Greenfly, Virginia Waters and The Dorchester

2011-06-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

Pesky green fly and invading my pepper plant! (Not a great photo but you can sort of see...)
Fortunately Mr ladybird loves eating green fly and has come to pay a visit! Let's hope this ladybird's a glutton! In the meantime I keep brushing off the green fly with an old acrylic paint brush.
Since coming back from Barcelona I've been trying to organise myself but I also was required to spend some quality time with Mr Woo...so we took a little trip to Virginia Waters as it is so near.
We walked around the lake, fed the ducks, had a picnic and fell asleep in the sun. It was all rather pleasant and we admired the lovely totem pole there...

and these peculiar ducks...See how elaborate Mr Peculiar Duck is compared to his wife. Show off. Unfortunately all that sun and little in the way of re-hydration meant I ended up with a nasty little migraine that evening but it passed with sleep.
Yesterday we had a rare family outing and some money I had saved especially for my father's 60th (it has taken him almost 2 years to getting around to spending it) was spent on a special Sunday lunch at The Dorchester - which isn't too pricey for lunch with a cost of £38 per head in The Grill Room.
The Grill Room's ostentatious decor isn't to everyone's taste with lots of red and tartan but it is still rather fun...
Here are some of the starters...
And here's mum being served up a selection of cheeses from the cheeseboard....
It was a nice day...there were some family hiccups but I think my father appreciated it all nonetheless.

Today I'm looking at packing for Oxford and suddenly I find myself oh so very weary of packing. I'm tired of organising and sorting out my clothes again and again and again. It would be nice to be in one place...and yet I have all these plans for travel still! Such is the way I guess...

So much on my mind. A job offer in Indonesia that I'll probably turn down...an interview which has taken place for work in Greece...anticipation for next week...trying to please everyone and make the right decisions...feeling pulled in all different directions, like there is never enough time to see everyone and that I'm failing somehow. Oh well...it is all in my head I imagine... life can never be simple, we always overcomplicate eh? :) xxx

Barcelona: The second round

2011-06-23T02:51:00.000-07:00

Goodness! I am tired today... and definitely coming down with a cold. After this post I think I may have to go back to bed for a spell...

Returned from my holiday in Barcelona yesterday where I attended Sonar for the second time and caught up with my sister. Obviously there was a lot of burning the candle at both ends with these sort of scenes occurring regularly...
And then there were quieter, recovery times and chocolate therapy seen in the form of this dessert....
which my sister's boyfriend whipped up for us at the infamous 41 degrees bar (He's head chef - lucky us!).

I begin my new job in Oxford next week teaching English but I had only walked in the door yesterday when another company rang and wanted to know if I could help them out temporarily down in Oxford too next week. I would have loved to (good extra money and experience) but the organisation that was required having just returned home looked too much in the end. I'd be in danger of wearing myself out before I'd even begun...

Oh well, such is life sometimes!

Lots to tell and lots coming up. Will be back soon with more details shortly. Hope you are all well and happy! xxx

Two misfits...

2011-06-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

So I'm sitting here waiting for my interviewer to ring and who should wander in from the garden and look up at me?

Two misfits...

'Excuse me! But what do you think you're doing?' I say.

Wide-eyed stares and then they bolt. I tentatively follow and at a safer distance they make themselves at home in the garden.
Ginger misfit even allows me a little stroke...cheeky monkey!

Then, at a later date I'm sitting in my chair again.

Plod, plod, plod...

Ginger misfits's tail sails past the chair again heading for the staircase, brazen as anything.

'Uh-hum...Where d'ya think you're going?'

Cue instant u-turn and then plod, plod, plod back from where he came from.

Naughty kitties....! xxx

Off to Barcelona tomorrow and been offered a job in Oxford! See you all in a week!!! xxx

Little ship, tomatoes and other such thoughts

2011-06-12T05:19:00.000-07:00

The other night I made the mistake of drinking tea too late in the evening. It works if I want to paint late into the night but I had to get up early the next day because I had a lot to do before my interview in the afternoon (which never happened - the guy stood me up - but we later rescheduled) and before heading up to London.

I ended up tossing and turning and huffing and sighing, the brain whirring late into morning hours. When I can't sleep I try my best to 'empty my brain'. I try to focus on my breathing or on the colour black but invariably I get distracted and on this particular night a million thoughts raced through my head and I watched them come and go with some amazement. Thanks caffeine!

One little thought that came and went was the notion that my life at this time feels very much like a little ship at sea. I steer the ship with destinations in mind but often bigger forces beyond my control - the wind, the waves - decide to sweep me off course or in other directions. My little ship continues on and is fine because she has not yet capsized, and because of these bigger forces she visits lands and people she never imagined but the steer woman sometimes grows frustrated because she wonders what's the point of her job sometimes.

Funny how thoughts are sometimes and how we create metaphors to help understand our lives.

Other news - tomato babies are beginning to arrive... (excites me no end!)

...and I'm almost packed for Barcelona on Wednesday. I was having a dilemma deciding what to pack so I looked back over my photos from last year for inspiration and felt the holiday excitement creeping in....(maybe we'll recap on this later)

Had another interview this morning for a job which seemed to go well and managed to get through the weekend with lots of enjoyable moments with friends and Mr Woo despite the wedding I was sort of dreading, though it did leave me feeling quite sad nonetheless. I wonder if I should have gone at all but there again I wanted to avoid drama and minimise bad feeling.

The weekend ended with an old friend recommending me a song which I want to share with you here. Touches the spot perfectly.

Me again...because I have er some time....

2011-06-09T12:02:00.000-07:00

Lambs liver and bacon for lunch...I'm very much for the cheaper cuts... Enough meat to feed two for about £1...when you're not fussy? Bargain I say... Chopped up pig's heart for 88p also on offer in Morrisons...I like chicken heart so I'm tempted...just need to find a good recipe...although I did say I'd cut down on eating pig...

I like this photo though...rainbow food. I've always loved the rainbow, as a small child that was all I ever seemed to draw at school...

Rectified the bad haircut somewhat with some nice blonde hair dye...and I haven't yet found any time to paint today though here are last night's efforts....

The above is also work in progress.

The face becomes clearer...

So today I overslept...it had a knock on effect somehow. Suddenly too many things to do. More interviews came through (tomorrow and Monday) and people came and went - the boiler man; my heavily pregnant friend so we had a chin-wag; my friend Loobug who came to collect my dad's shirts (she's ironing them for him for a few quid)...and then there was consulting with Mr Woo who had his appraisal today and my sister who is campaigning against the awful treatment she received from her school in Barcelona - see here. I wanted to dedicate an entire post to this actually but as I am job hunting and directing people to my blog I'm a little cautious. Please feel free to support her and spread the word though. We're only little fish in the grand scheme of things but sometimes social media and word of mouth can potentially be a useful tool and help empower a little...

I'm off to London tomorrow with lots planned so I imagine I'll catch you all on Monday! Until then! Have a wicked weekend! xxx

Sleeping puskalattes...

2011-06-08T07:56:00.001-07:00

I'm happier with this new one... and now the lobster has vanished and another face emerges...
I must have applied to over 30 jobs by now...still waiting...the pesto has almost gone...thankfully the fathership is home tonight so we can restock the fridge...oh and why is it you always hate your haircut initially?! xxx

Another day at home...

2011-06-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

Only two days in and already tired of not being busy and not working...what is wrong with me?!

I've watered the plant babies, made some basil and rocket pesto...(voila!) and stewed some rhubarb to go with yogurt for breakfast (we love rhubarb with yogurt!)....
...I've watched the first episode on Series 3 of The Wire and I've continued on with my painting... ...making a bit of a blunder (what was I thinking with the orange lobster?!) that I'll now paint over...And I'm still not sure about that woman...she still needs work me thinks...
This is a little more pleasing below...but a tad bit boring perhaps?! (Artistic brain is not in the zone today clearly...)....and I had my two Spanish interviews. The first one in Madrid seems to have some promise though I will need to get a summer job prior to this if I want the funds to initially get over there...and the Cordoba one was a bit out of my league as I am lacking exam experience - but they said to get in touch again later down the line if I want.

I've applied for a further ten or so jobs and the rest look like dross so I'm playing the waiting game now. I hate the waiting game...

And I'm feeling like there are not a lot of decent jobs out there...when is this recession ever going to end? I've been job hunting continually throughout it and it seems to get worse really in my opinion...It makes me worry for myself but gosh, I'd hate to be a recent graduate...it must be a complete nightmare!

Also, despite all these things I've done above I still feel like I'm lacking some discipline to knuckle down...do you ever get like this?! Maybe I'm just restless from two days on my own...thank goodness Mr Woo is coming round this evening. He'll be a nice distraction and I'll serve up the pesto with pasta and some Chinese-style marinated chicken legs...

Oh whilst I sit here feeling restless...I should really spare a thought for my poor sister who got fired today from her in Barcelona just for talking a sick day as she kept getting massive nosebleeds in class. Her boss sounds like a real piece of work - she fired someone else a few months back for taking a day off when their nan died- how horrible is that? Ah, but what can you do when it is a country you don't know so well?! Let's hope she finds something else quickly and also makes enough fuss in the TEFL community to warn others of this insensitive woman's school... xxx

Ah lots of time to blog...

2011-06-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

I have a nice stretch of free week ahead of me now my course is over. Not got a lot of money so the days require laying low and not doing anything too expensive. My pattern/timetable for the week ahead is basically to job hunt in the morning and to paint in the afternoon.

Oh and talk to my plant babies and obviously feed myself in intervals (and get a cheap haircut).

So here are the fruits of today's efforts in terms of painting and art...

(I made these two with two belated birthdays in mind...but I want to see what I have accumulated by the end of the week first before sending them off...)

(And this one below is more just a bit of fun. I sketched out the face AGES ago (I mean ages, try 2 or 3 years back) and I long lost the picture so I'm just making it up as I go along...)

(I don't think she's going to totally true to life...more stylised I hope...)

(She looks like one of the men out of Some Like It Hot here...so may need to tweak a little!!! Not quite what I was aiming for...plus her lips look very odd as well as her cheeks!...)

And I have two interviews for two different teaching jobs in Spain early tomorrow!!

Wish me luck! xxx

Recent times...

2011-06-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

So besides being taught by this guy (and two others) for most of May...

(yes, he's wearing a tutu - an eccentric Welsh biker and a wonderful teacher who happened to lose a bet but still had the balls to don this lovely piece of attire...)

...what else have I been doing?

Well, not an awful lot due to CELTA being all consuming but in small gaps and places I...
cooked by first ever leg of lamb for Mr Woo and his friends (a belated birthday present to Mr Woo) and it was pretty tasty. Next time I'd like to butterfly it - I can still remember having it cooked this way on my cookery course last year and it was sublime and I must replicate it somehow, someday...
Before my course completely took off I also found time to attend MsMarmite Lover's Underground market...
which was good fun and we came home with lots of goodies including a jar of caramel with violet salt (been eating it with a spoon) and some delicious almond pesto...

Before I started my course I also bought these babies...
and over the last month they have subsequently grown a little...
I'm so proud - my first serious dabble in gardening!! I'm repotting them and everything and it is all going so well!

And...my dad's new girlfriend from Jakarta came to visit so we took a little trip out to Winchester to visit the cathedral.
I'd been there before when I was younger but I overlooked the fact that Jane Austen is buried there...
So we marvelled at this and I took random shots of the floor and interiors....
And then we had a drink at a local pub called the Wykeham Arms which was so beautifully decorated so I just had to give it a little mention here...
And after my course was over Mr Woo and I spent some quality time together picnicking and sleeping in Green Park...
We also went to Curzon (been wanting to check out this arty cinema in Central London for ages)to go see the new film Senna - which I really have to recommend (even if you are not a Formula One fan). The man is also heartbreakingly beautiful...and it is quite an interesting portrait of a life...though with a sad ending of course. I was surprised by just how much footage they had of him though. Here is a little trailer for you...
Anyway...next move is finding a job and a little holiday to Barcelona for this year's Sonar Festival. Will keep you posted! xxx

CELTA: Week 4

2011-05-27T00:11:00.000-07:00

And....breathe....

It is almost all over. I taught my last assessed 60 minute lesson yesterday!!!!! No more stress or panic. Last night I slept like a baby. One more day to go and then I will no longer be spending most of my waking hours with the people I have been seeing over the last 4 weeks - which is kind of sad as they were all wicked and supportive. The tutors were also excellent. I can't recommend this course enough (Oxford House College on Oxford Street). My only word of warning is - don't do it unless you are 100% sure. It is a lot of money and a lot of stress and work. You must have no other commitments and someone around to support you if possible. Some grammar knowledge and good organisation skills are also a useful thing to have.

So on reflection at the end of the course I feel great. I'm so proud of what I have achieved and I have to say it was one of the most difficult things I have done in a long, long time. It has been wonderful to be challenged and stretched again. I feel really positive about the next stage now and the comments I received for my last lesson were so encouraging and positive. I worked my butt off and after all the worry and sleepless nights it did pay off in the end.

It was also inspiring to be around the tutors and to actually think for once - I really wouldn't mind aspiring to be like them (I never really felt that way about my Marketing Managers etc).

I also have to say a big thanks to Mr Woo for having me to stay at his, for looking after me and supporting me and putting up with my tantrums and my stresses. I was like a woman possessed and he managed to handle that quite well. So big applause for him please.

And now...I need to tidy the room I've been locked up in and studying, I need to veg out a little, sleep, go see friends and just reeeeeelax a bit before the job hunting starts.

Be in touch with you all real soon. xxx

PS You will be pleased to know I am no longer a plate of jelly too. I'm a real girl! ;)

CELTA: Week 3

2011-05-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

Hello! This is me...I've turned into a plate of lime green jelly. Bubba is typing and I am communicating through wobbles. Wobble to the left means yes, wobble to the right means no.

We also have some telepathy going on cause cats are psychic like that, innit?

Little children want to eat me and the doctors are saying the prognosis isn't good. Fortunately there is only a week left so I may still get through this and come out the other end and then start rebuilding my life and er body.

Until then... :) xxx

CELTA: Week 2

2011-05-14T07:11:00.001-07:00

Celta End of Week Two side effects: Late nights continue, assignment pressure mounts and delirium kicks in. Frustrated screams at the limited facilities and technology failing echo down the corridors. Precious time is wasted in the never-ending queue for the photocopier. There is a frantic look on everyone's faces. Tears spring up for no reason. A few teeter on the edge of quitting. Extreme tiredness. Spouses and partners resort to sleeping in separate bedrooms as patients thrash about in the night and dream and mumble about prepositions and the differences between the past perfect continuous and the present simple.

I will not be surprised if, like Richard E Grant in How to Get Ahead in Advertising, I develop a talking boil....

They say this is the worst week. Then fever will subside a little...could we be half way? Yes....

CELTA: Week 1

2011-05-08T11:38:00.001-07:00

CELTA End of Week One Side-Effects: Brain slowly turns to sludge and heaves from one side of the brain to the other after too much information overload and working into the late hours of the night. Weight loss, loss of focus, back and neck ache and nightmares of phonetics, verbs, word stress and lesson plans may occur at regular intervals. Cold sweats of panic in the evening, and hot sweating all day long in stuffy classrooms as you teach in front of students, your peers and a moderator. Expect to smell like an onion factory at the end of each day.

And look like Jack Nicholson does here...

Oh yes...

For Week Two Side-Effects come back next week and find out...though I can't promise I'll be here...

More delicious photos of Italia

2011-05-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

The images which speak for themselves here really... Tomorrow my CELTA course starts and I'm actually really nervous! Haven't felt like this in a while. I hope it goes to well and I don't end up pulling out half my hair. Early rises, essay work and the thing I get the biggest butterflies over - standing up in front of people and speaking!!! What am I letting myself in for?! Anyway, might be gone a little while as I immerse myself in this. Take care and hope to speak to you soon xxx

Happy Royal Wedding Day!

2011-04-29T11:39:00.000-07:00

Wasn't it exciting?! Congratulations to the happy couple! Like many across the country we had ourselves a little bash....
I made some scones the day before. But being a bit sick has brought on forgetfulness and I forgot half of the ingredients so they were a bit touch and go...I made another batch but I think the baking powder was a bit dud...(it is probably over 5 years old though...been in the cupboard for yonks!)
I also made a birthday cake for Mr Woo. The 'J' stands for the first letter of his real name. The cake was in the shape of men's underwear too as we have a little running joke about pants...but maybe this is not for sharing here...it isn't dodgy but just a silly little thing... I was pretty pleased with how it turned out too. Very soft and moist - though the pants were meant to be grey but again I forgot and half iced them before I realised...doh!
Here was our lovely spread! I made mini yorkshire puds with horseradish sauce and roast beef too. We also had coronation chicken, prawn cocktail, jelly, strawberries, watercress sandwiches...and much more...Only problem was I got the timing of the event wrong so rather than everyone arriving early for the wedding...they kind of arrived after the main event. Still, the TV showed tons of footage all day so it was fine...lots to comment on.
And my friend brought along some coffee and walnut cupcakes and some meringue and jam ones which she whipped up!
But the mad moment of the day belongs to this bottle of 1996 Vintage Don Perignon which I found by chance collecting dust in my dad's cupboard (he didn't even realise it was there, some ex-girlfriend gave it to him) when we were cleaning out his kitchen last week. Spotting it, at the time, I said 'oooh let's have this for the Royal Wedding bash'. So there we were drinking it (I'm not meant to be drinking but I had a tiny glass), and Mr Woo and I are conversing and I ponder how much a bottle usually costs...Mr Woo looks it up on his smart phone...and low and behold...over £400 for a bottle of this particular kind with casing... whoops!!! Big fat whoops....!

Oh well...fitting for the royal moment I suppose...

Hope you all had a lovely day too? Can't wait to read up on your blogs and hear! xxx

A few photos...

2011-04-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

Just to whet your appetite for Lombardy......typical though, I went and got ill on our holiday. I'm still not right now. Something to do with my stomach acid going manic due to stress and probably too much alcohol in my diet. Cue intense tiredness, swollen throat, nausea and headaches. I've got some medication now after an emergency appointment with the docs so hopefully I'll be okay when my course starts next week. I've been told to keep calm and chill...that might be a challenge! I guess the birthday and Royal wedding drinks I planned to have tomorrow will have to be skipped also...alas! Anyway, be back soon this weekend if I can but if things get too hectic and my course takes over...I'll be seeing you the other side of May for a lot of catching up to do. xxx

It's a tough life being unemployed...

2011-04-20T01:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it was lovely and sunny - too good a day to be stuck in the office. Unemployment has its low points (i.e lack of money) but who needs money when you've got time off to enjoy the sunshine? (though maybe remind me of this statement come June when I'm even more destitute and frantically searching for a job...). Anyway, the mothership is off for the Easter hols and Mr Woo took the day off and along with a family friend we popped along to Whitstable...
I love Whitstable - but we never get enough exploring time when we get down there...I guess it keeps giving us reason to head back! It kind of is my ideal settle down spot right now, though...who knows? Maybe one day...
These are photos taken from the harbour part where all the fresh fish selling takes place...
Once you leave this part you hit the pebbled beaches...
This was something new...zillions of oyster shells...everywhere. Where did they all come from? Poor oysters...lucky for them I confirmed last year that I'm well and truly allergic so one less predator for them to worry about. Still...it looks like that fact is hardly making an impression here...
There are a few odds and ends shops along the beach - they always hang up vintage clothing outside and it always entices people in...

Then we popped into Samphire - our favourite restaurant in the town- for lunch...
I had gypsy eggs (baked eggs with spinach and chorizo). What the menu failed to mention was the inclusion of tomatoes. I don't know what is wrong with my stomach but eggs and tomatoes just do not mix...whilst it tasted delicious, I felt awful afterwards. Mr Woo came to the rescue though and bought me some Rennie from the local co-op. I would have just battled it out but he clearly had forward thinking...Note to self though - no more eggs with tomatoes - EVER.
He had a lovely leek and cheese pudding...whilst the mothership and friend had cream fish pie...
Then we popped along to Herne Bay briefly to check out the charity shops but our timing was off and most of them were shut by the time we arrived. We'll have to come back another day. Herne Bay is a little rough around the edges but I reckon there is a lot of potential here. We were thinking about it if we ever decided to set up a cafe... who knows?
Anyway...thought I'd share. The weather is so beautiful right now so it is a great time for taking photos...Just got a few days of frantic admin and then off to Lake Como - will definitely be sharing those photos with you too! xxx

Weekend in Oxford in pictures: Because I'm lazy...

2011-04-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry to be so lazy...I'm not really, I'm just tired from a busy weekend and I've got a fair bit to do before I fly on Friday to Italy...so please excuse this simple weekend in photos entry...

Photo above shows a wide range (a blurry wide range) of fab pizza toppings. I went to Oxford this weekend to visit an old colleague and friend from my (brief) times at Egmont Publishing. She now works for Usborne as a designer for their children's books and her housemate was celebrating his birthday - Pizza Party style!!! Nom, nom, nom....we likes Pizza!
Yeah and not just shop bought pizza biscuit base lark either (does it make me sound like a snob when I admit relief?!): proper handmade dough - fancy pizza making going on here with the postgrad students of Oxford...and then grooving to the cheesiest hits of the 90s til 3am (when the smoke (heat?) alarm decided to come to life for no real reason....)
The next morning: a trip to the oldest museum going and where I once volunteered back in my student days. Hello new revamped Ashmolean! Did you know I helped a little to fund your new rooms?! Yup, I did...looking good! Relatively interesting exhibition on the times of Alexander the Great going on...but I'm sad to see that I can no longer find all those cute old snuff bottles from China you used to exhibit - just a handful...and not the best ones...maybe I needed to look harder...
Strolling the streets to end up at one of my favourite haunts for a snack afterwards....
This scone was calling to me...I had to obey...it is in my bones you see....Brits love scones....(and yes, I did cream then jam...I know some of you will raise an eyebrow on this often hotly debated issue).
And then you can see it was completely understandable that I returned the next day with Mr Woo (who came up to visit) for a lovely lunch outside in their courtyard...such a delicious lunch too...
Then Mr Woo and I went strolling some more...as you do on a nice, warm, sunny day....
Ah! Behold! An idyllic scene....(below)perhaps?!
Think again - boat traffic collision on the corner... too many people had the same idea on such a nice day....oh well...
The Morris Dancers were out which was good to see. Shame Burger King in the background detracts from the scene a little... I was originally coming to Oxford to volunteer at their folk festival but the event sadly was cancelled due to the recession...but I'm glad to see the Morris Dancers still were there and ready to put on a show. I am all for carrying on our dancing traditions - us English need to take more pride in these such things like the Scots with their reels...
Here was an empty shop that I spied and I dreamt my cafe dream... but alas! Oxford is spoilt for cafe choice...I don't think they need another one in the mix here....
My friend's darling car...she's just way too stylish!!! You should check out her illustration website here. We were daydreaming about collaborating to create a children's book this weekend...who knows?! :)
And finally a drink in The Gardener's Arms before driving home...this little pub is wholly vegetarian. We didn't eat here but I hear wicked things about their burgers and Mr Woo kept salivating every time a meal passed us by. Reason enough to return soon me thinks...
So how have you all been keeping? xxx

Facebook: social networking backlash and quality friendships

2011-04-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

Just been watching Stephen King's The Mist for the second time with the mothership. That is a film of joy I can tell you - have any of you seen it? A load of people get stuck in a supermarket as a thick mist descends which hides a lot of nasty alien-like bug creatures who love nothing more than to eat people. Soul destroying ending...watch it on a dark stormy night...if you like that kind of thing.

In a bit of a grumpy mood because I just found out a so-called 'close' friend (known each other for almost 15 years), who is getting married in June, only plans to invite me to the evening part of his wedding. To say I am a little bit gutted is an understatement -it was my wedding of the year and I was tres excited (even cancelling two other activities) but one can only express this opinion so far in such situations before it gets beyond awkward and I know he has a lot of relatives. Still, he could have forewarned me and it makes you re-evaluate things. Is it horribly mean of me to imagine scenarios of The Mist - me pushing him out of the supermarket and leaving him to the hands of all the monsters out there and mouthing to him through the window whilst he bangs to be let back in: 'Two words: Evening Invite!' Is it mean? Probably so ...but it is okay as it is imaginary and I would never actually do it. Imagination is good in that way...small temporary comforts.

But anyway, in my sour mood, it got me thinking about friendships and social networking. I've been thinking about facebook for a while. I was a big fan. You could go as far as saying I am addicted to the thing... I love being social me and I love having lots of friends and staying in touch... I think it is great for catching up with old friends and making connections and keeping things alive. I have a great curiosity and enjoy seeing how people are doing but I'm starting to question it and look at it in a different light. I'm starting to wonder about the shallowness of it all.

I have about 425 friends on facebook but how many of those are real friends? Friends who would invite you to their wedding (the day part!) say (whilst we're on this topic) - probably not that many if I am honest. So you get to see their special day in photos online instead and you coo and you ahh and send heart-filled congrats... and when you start thinking about it in that respect it does seem a little odd. Surely if you were good friends you would just be there in person to do that?!

In recent years I've been learning that with regards to material possessions - less is more. I'm also starting to think about this a lot with regards to friendships. I think I spread myself too thinly. I want to care for everyone, I want to be inviting, give and create great connections but one only has so much time. Facebook helps with this task - it keeps 'friends' up to date with your life and visa versa when you don't actually have the spare time to fill them in in person. Again, doesn't this seem a bit odd? It facilitates this sense of well-being - but actually how real is it?

Don't get me wrong - I think it has positive benefits too (a lot) but I think it can confuse a person as to how good a friend is - the quality of that friend. My mother always says that you can only really count proper good friends on the fingers of one hand. I'm not sure if I totally agree but then sometimes I do wonder when people let you down. I think my problem is I expect too much sometimes because I always think 'do as you would be done by'. Over the years I have learnt the hard way - sometimes you can like and value a person a lot more than they value you and whilst some friends are like stars you can set your compass to - always consistent and ever present - others are transient and breeze in and out of your life like a hot wind from an exotic country. I struggled a lot with those types in the past - I still do - but you learn over time to recognise these qualities and then know to expect less to avoid disappointment. You still class these people as friends but you know not to waste so much energy on them with regards to important matters.

Anyway...I feel I have become to bogged down in the mire of facebook and I need to get away. I want to do an exercise. I want to deactivate my account for a month or so - my excuse being so I can fully focus on my CELTA - but it is also just to know that I can cope without it and to see who actually gets in touch in other ways when they can no longer locate me there online...

But I'm feeling a little apprehensive. I don't like the idea of walking away from the herd, the club. It feels wrong to my social bones...what if I miss something?! What if I discover that no one notices my absence...what if no one calls? And here, people, I present to you my insecurities that stem back from the playground and my preoccupation with feeling accepted and wanted. But this is the point - facebook might be distorting my sense of reality. It may just be providing me with false comfort....and I feel I need to know the truth...

But what are your thoughts on all of this? If you're here and reading, probably with a blog of your own, I imagine you advocate social networking and know and recognise it benefits, but have you considered the negatives and what do you make of all of this? Will there be a big facebook/social networking backlash at some point? Is it already happening? I'd just be interested to know your thoughts and experiences...xxx

Why I love Mike Oldfield...

2011-04-07T01:42:00.000-07:00

(I've been meaning to write about him for ages and I did warn you earlier...so please indulge me!)

If you don't already know who I am talking about, Mike Oldfield is best known for his 1973 album Tubular Bells - the music that was set to the film, The Exorcist and that launched Virgin Records. It is funny how everyone now associates it with something creepy because I don't really see it that way... He isn't very mainstream here. I don't think he adds anything to my 'cool' status when I tell my friends I love him - though surprisingly in Spain I get better reactions... not sure why this is? He plays on the radio more over there...The first song I ever heard by Mike Oldfield was a song called 'To France' on his Discovery Album. It is one of my earliest memories (my first song), back when the record player was a more common feature in the home. I remember dancing around in a dress that billowed as I spun about with my childhood friend Alice (wonder where she is now...?) and making my dad put it on again and again...and again. I love those memories of music back then. I remember looking at the record player sleeves and their pictures and I remember the distinct smell of the records...Dire Straits Brothers in Arms and Peter and the Wolf are the most vivid other albums of that time...

So I guess Mike Oldfield caught me at an early age and he's never gone away. A lot of his early stuff could be classed as pretty cheesy in places and the lyrics seem quite hippy and new aged with words like 'crystal', 'wind', 'moonlight' etc but it isn't just the words that capture my attention - it is the melodies, the wide variety of instruments, the women's voices which are soft and echoy, his guitar playing and the little details. If you go through his albums you often find he repeats the same patterns and tunes time and time again but they are always evolving and in my opinion improving especially if you compare Tubular Bells I to later versions like Tubular Bells II (LOVE Tubular Bells II - did you know Alan Rickman does the voice over in track 7 too?!). The man can also play an astonishing number of different instruments as well...My favourite album is his latest: The Music of the Spheres which he brought out in 2008. I've only ever seen him in concert once back in the late 90's when he'd just released Tubular Bells III and I would kill to see him perform The Music of the Spheres -I'm always looking online in hope... It has Tubular Bells overtones again but set to a live classical orchestra. Lang Lang also features on the piano and he is superb...(I want to go see him play at some point as well - I'll have to take my mum) Have a little look here below if you fancy. I can put this on my ipod and just listen to the whole of it and fall asleep to it.

I may sound silly/cheesy but I feel that some music simply touches you deep inside -soul music maybe is what you would call it. You listen to it again and again and you never tire. It always delights - every little part of it -and you hear new things every time. It gives you goosebumps, makes you cry and smile and feel very much alive - all at once. This is the wonder of music...and how it is different for everyone. Sometimes I listen to him and think -I wonder if there is someone else out there who feels the exact same way as I do about this piece? And then you wonder what it would be like to meet that person and have a chat. I like to imagine that the chat would be pretty amazing!

I do have some friends who have the same music taste and they are married - they must get such joy out of sharing music together. I can only ever imagine what that must be like...I just don't believe there would be someone out there with such similar tastes as me... The music I like is favoured more by my parent's generation. Alas! I was born a generation too late! :)

But anyway...there is my rant for Mike Oldfield...over...how about you? Does music provoke similar reactions to you? Do you find it helps you connect to other people and what music is your ultimate favourite? xxx Oh and here is To France too... enjoy the 80's video!!!

Who is one hellava lucky lady?!

2011-04-06T06:11:00.000-07:00

(sorry to brag but...) ME! Mr Woo is taking me to Lake Como in Italy over my birthday weekend... Is this dude for real or what?! What a lovely generous thing to do!!! So make sure you pop back in three weeks time so I can share photos and anecdotes with you... (although I will still be posting in between that time of course!) xxx

Blog hijack: cause you has been missing my style!

2011-04-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

Don't get too loving on some face called Bernard. What that?! I is turning back for 1 minute and you is forgets me? Well I is back to reminds you of who's best and I knowing you is missed me! But no time for kisses and cuddles rights now- more importants matters is happening right now. I is contemplating murder most fowl...or is at least a bopping on the head with this ere spade. I is being driven beyond my distraction.
Here is mys potential victim: The White Beast -I is planning to using spade to make him cower, make him beg. Maybe I be showing some mercy if I is feeling nice, but right now I is wanting to bash him on head. Tap, tap, bosh!
He is a being so annoying. He always beg for food. Night and day, night and day. I is like 'shut yous wailing mouth is giving me big BIG headache!!!' but he never listening. He is like moany, moany, moany thing, always wail, always hungry, greedy, greedy fat chicken egg - goose egg even or maybe elephant egg as he so fat. Dontcha know nobodies caring?! Wahwahwah goes his mouth. Wahwahwah! BE QUIET!!! He think with mouth, has no brain, no brain at all. Look at him eyeing up Italian parmigiana. He is so stooopid. Aubergine is no meat! Cats is only eating meat and tuna and sometimes piece of cheese and maybe piece of hair or crawly thing that moves with legs or grass blade to chew. He thinking aubergine is dinner. Very, very stooopid fat elephant egg face! No, no you is not to be eating parmigiana!!! NO!
And then he chasing me. Always chasing me. What his problem? I is NOT A GAME! No chase me no more as I is not game. Leave me be. But does he listens to me? No, cause he think I is game because he's so stoopid.
So I is taking the spade and I is taking the action. Striking out. I is had enough....
Yes! You is noticing now...you is looking scared. I is coming with spade. Be afraids egg face...be verys afraid...I is sinister today and I is not thinking mercy for you today. I is thinking spade in your face today...I is liking today.

Introducing Bernard!

2011-04-03T12:57:00.001-07:00

The fine specimen that belongs to Mr Woo...
He generally looks a bit morose...but you would too if you had lived on the streets and were old...

Sometimes Mr Woo thinks Bernard has given up the ghost by the way he lies...but Bernard is only messing...
He shakes a little from time to time and often sits there and just looks at you. He's trying to hypnotise you so that you give him your food...

He also squeaks like a mouse and he isn't very agile anymore. Yesterday he fell down the back of the sofa. We saw his claws clinging to the leather as gravity took control and his head slowly disappeared after some effort to rescue the situation...poor Bernard.
Another name that Mr Woo gives him is 'tank' because he feels like a tank when he sits on your chest in the morning.
And Bernard left Mr Woo a rather awful, stinky present under the spare bed this weekend...punishment for Mr Woo daring to bring a friend's dog into the house....Mr Woo has taken note after an afternoon of scrubbing...

Bernard also has deadly tuna fish breath...

So that is Bernard everyone. xxx

Blog award epidemic

2011-03-30T06:41:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again...blog awards are flying about. (To be honest there isn't really a season) Where do they come from? Who makes them? Will I get one? Questions we may or may not all ask ourselves...I don't really view them as 'awards' per se - more sort of fun pass the love along chain letter sort of devices. I think everyone must get one at some time or other...and if not, let me know and I'll give you one!!!

So two have been dished out and of course there are the tasks that come with. I'll spare you a massive long blog and just focus on one today...

The Kreativ Blogger Award... given to me by The Girl (thanks Girl! You rock!) which requires you to give ten random facts about yourself so here goes people...

Ten facts about myself:

1. I love spaghetti bolognese. I could eat it til the cows came home and if I could choose my last meal this would be it.

2. So far in my life the major injuries I have sustained include: a fractured my arm, a chipped elbow bone, a fractured skull and a broken my ankle.

3. Once as a child, aged about 5, I stole a small strawberry shaped soap from The Body Shop because I liked the fruity smell of it. I put it into my coat pocket and promptly forgot about it and only discovered it quite some time later when it had melted everywhere.

4. At one time in my life I could recite, in order, all the Presidents of the United States. I can no longer do this now however.

5. The first profession I ever considered was to be an astronaut. I think I knew my planets before I knew my alphabet...this is thanks to my dad.

6. I don't wear a lot of make-up except when going out for the night. I am very clueless about what is what and how it all works plus I fidget and touch my face a lot so it invariably smudges.

7. I have an obsession with zombies which grew in recent years thanks to 28 Days Later. One zombie is no big deal but a hoard of zombies means big, big trouble. Vampires and werewolves fail in comparison. I have given careful consideration to a multitude of scenarios and what I would do if we were to have a zombie attack one day. Thankfully though I am pretty confident we won't be having one any time soon.

8. When I was living in Peru on my gap year I went to visit a shaman in the Amazonian jungle and I tried ayahuasca naively not really knowing anything about it. It was one of the most bizarre experiences of my life.

9. I often have really horrifying dreams that other people would probably call nightmares but I am so used to them that they no longer frighten me. As far as dreams go I would say only 3 or 4 of them ever truly scared me. I also glide a lot in my dreams, just inches off the ground, rather than walk. I often wake up disappointed that I can no longer do this.

10. My favourite musician is probably Mike Oldfield and I intend to publish a blog post about him soon.

And now to pass on the love I will give this award to.... Iona's Breakfast, Juanita Tortilla and Kitchen Witch. I probably should pass it on to more but I am being lazy....enjoy guys! xxx

Oh and I've left work now - last day in the office yesterday and I have a cold now, bleurgh - more on that and other dealings later in the week or next. xxx

Weekend recap

2011-03-28T03:06:00.000-07:00

And so my last week at work begins and it isn't proving to be the best week but oh well...right now, we're looking back to the weekend once again because that is where all the recent fun was had. Just wanted to show you these photos (excuse the blurriness in some I blame the booze and excitement!)...We celebrated two birthdays this weekend, starting with a family affair over in Southfields for one of my closest friends. Her family are half Italian so the meal was of course Latino-inspired. Yummy Bruschetta and a delicious sausage pasta (authentic ingredients purchased from a little family run Italian deli in Soho: Camisa - which has been open since 1929), lots of booze and then some delicious homemade cupcakes. Following this, we caught a mini bus to Stoke Newington (I love this area of London but it is a shame it is such a pain to reach sometimes) to party til the wee hours of the morning at Ryan's Bar. Fantastic little place with friendly staff, cool decor and wicked music - check out the photos of this eccentric band playing - they played a selection of upbeat popular classics and everyone was grooving enthusiastically. As the clocks turned midnight and went forward it became my ex's birthday so we celebrated his special day in turn (we are all part of the same friendship group you see...). The only low point was that I really wanted my brother to join us and he had little excuse with his home being one street away but, no surprise, despite advanced notification and then subsequent pleas via text, he was detained elsewhere til beyond 5am in the morning - not even a drop in 'hello' on the way home. Disappointing. If you've seen Up in the Air with George Clooney - well, sometimes I feel like my brother is a bit like his character in relation to his family...but what can you do?! Alas... He did however send an apologetic text later with an explanation of being really busy at the moment but it is still a shame.

Sunday was spent recovering with Mr Woo eating some yummy Waitrose food and watching Buried starring hottie Ryan Reynolds...interesting film concept about a guy waking up to find he is buried in a coffin in Iraq... cue lots of drama in a small space (at one point the scriptwriters thought -Hey! Let's throw in a snake!) kind of predictable ending though. These kind of films never end happily really, you start the film already writing off the character as good as dead...but entertaining nonetheless... So, yeah that was my weekend, how was yours?

Hello Celta!

2011-03-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

So I had my interview on the telephone today and...I have been verbally accepted to do the course in May at Oxford House College on Oxford Street!! Hello busy, nerve-wracking, challenging, stressful, brain-bending times!!! Yes! I am going to use my brain again!!! Rather frightening but exhilarating at the same time...and I am surprised how excited I am...haven't been this thrilled in a while!

So my job ends next week and April brings the calm before the storm. Going to read up and prepare whilst doing a bit of spring cleaning, car booting, ebaying, and painting. April also brings my birthday, a weekend trip to Oxford, a possible Royal Wedding party and a possible holiday away with Mr Woo - yes, he has plans to take me on holiday - how nice is that?!!! (Even despite my polite protests that this is way too generous)

Will keep you informed...Oh and best thing about life right now? It is lovely and warm outside and the weekend is only an hour away from beginning! :) xxx

Weekly Cat Fix

2011-03-24T06:57:00.000-07:00

Watched this a long time ago but rediscovered it as I was doing some inbox spring cleaning... enjoy!

Meanwhile...I've got my CELTA (tefl) interview tomorrow morning and I'm already day dreaming about jobs in South Korea... could it really happen? Who knows... only time will tell...xxx

Some random photos and the weekend

2011-03-22T14:28:00.000-07:00

Been walking round with my camera taking random shots as you do... It is hard not to when the world is slowly awaking back into life again. With all the cherry blossom and daffodils, the lighter mornings, the warmth that means I no longer need to wear my winter coat...It makes me feel happier, appreciative and more alive. Each morning I walk to the train station and often my face is turned towards the skies as I watch the various birds and their activity. I often end up falling off the path or walking into a bush, though I am yet to crash into a lamp post... When the road up ahead is uncertain, I know I can take pleasure in these small things at least.
Another evening there was this glorious sunset as I caught the train out of London to go visit Mr Woo. Well, I had to take a few photos then as well... This photo looks positively eerie...it is Carshalton train station but with such a sky and the way it is silhouetted -it could be a creepy house in some horror flick...The car shapes kind of ruin that idea a bit though but try and suspend your disbelief a little here... Despite not knowing what lies ahead I have been busy enjoying the now. The weekend was glorious and the perfect combination of relaxing activity verses proper socialising and dancing. Mr Woo cooked a delicious dinner for me Friday night (Duck on a bed of creamy cabbage, bacon, carrot, celeriac etc with a key lime pie for dessert) and we watched The Social Network, Saturday was spent lounging in a pub in Gloucester road with friends over from the US - and I had my first official blind blog date with The Girl - and she was fabulous and lovely and it was very brave of her to come along to a pub full of random strangers! Hurrah for The Girl! We had lots to say about blogging and it was good to finally meet! I hope we will again one day... The I went out to dinner with some friends at the best known Peruvian restaurant in town: Titos in London Bridge (yummy Pisco sour cocktails and ceviche!), followed by Corsica Studios nightclub in Elephant and Castle to support my friend's fiance djing...these following photos are from the club - I got carried away with the lighting and the projections on the walls.... We left the club early (4am) but stayed up until 6am talking about all sorts of things from World War I (just finished Sebastian Faulks Birdsong you see...might have to write about this later as it was a real eye-opener) to how amazing Prince music is and what a superb performer he is allegedly on stage (I've not seen him but others have)... Then I ambled slowly back to Mr Woo's place where I nursed my hangover and he looked after me, feeding me Thai and setting me up so I could watch Wall.e on his drop down cinema screen. Lucky me! So all in all a memorable weekend...

Less than two weeks left to go at work and lots happening but will hopefully be back soon with more updates! Just applied for my TEFL so we'll see how that all goes...until then! xxx

A new way of life on the horizon?

2011-03-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

Well, found out about the future security of my job today and the news isn't so fantastic financially. I leave my job at the end of the month. My body will be happy though (so long as I refrain from my usual internet addiction) as it will give my RSI some relief.

At a time when the job market is not the glorious place of choice it once was and unemployment high it isn't the best time to be out of work. I'm also going to make my life harder by purposely not seeking out more office work if I can help it. The purse strings will be pulled tighter which I will fight against a bit having finally, in the last year or two, been allowed to losen them a little and relax.

A part of me is worried, this is the truth and I can't say it won't get me down at some point or another but, I'm also viewing it as an adventure. I'm going to try not to be too hard on myself -I'm not going to job hunt frantically and desperately every minute of the day and beat myself up and make any rash decisions. I'm going to be as active as I possibly can to carve out a new way of life but I am also going to use this time to catch up on a bit of painting, learn the arts of ebay and to relax a little. When things get too much I'm going to take a walk or eat chocolate or cook something nice.

It is all about balance and I want my life to have more of this. So it is fitting that I stumbled across this video today whilst surfing on Ted.com (oh how we love Ted.com!). Strikes a chord. Enjoy...xxx

Temporary Message to Maratanga!

2011-03-18T06:18:00.000-07:00

Maratanga! I'm hoping this will reach you. Been trying to comment on your blog but issues with the word verification thingamebobby! See my comment under the comment you left me on my post about being blue... I've tried to comment before and with no luck so this might be an issue you need to try and rectify! Putting this message here temporarily so you might see it! xxx

Putting things right where I can: starting with attitude

2011-03-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

So this one time, a long time ago I was at Primary school and I was miserable because we'd just got back from the US and I was the weird kid with the American accent and I had no friends. I was totally clueless to British humour; I was still a child with my innocence intact somewhat. When someone asked me if I was a lemon and those around me cruelly encouraged me to answer 'yes', I was baffled when I nervously conceded and they all burst into laughter. I didn't know what the word gullible meant and it didn't help my status either that the strange kid who drank ink cartridges and ate worms fancied me. I hadn't heard of the term 'to fancy' until then either.

I remember going to after school choir and the two girls I was attempting to win over had just told me they liked each other more than they liked me and I was feeling pretty glum, when the teacher had us begin with the Monty Python song 'Always look on the bright side of life.' The two girls smiled sweetly and falsely at me the whole way through and nodded to me patronisingly as if I should take heed of the song. Gee, thanks. I didn't really like that song much after that. It still reminds me of that sour moment.

But anyway...not sure why I'm telling you this story... I guess the point is...as D-ream once said: 'Things can only get better' (well, you'd like to hope). I did eventually make friends and get through what I thought was going to be a hopeless situation. I'd like to say it made me stronger and more empathetic towards people. I'd like to think that it made me a nicer person and hence why I have so many wonderful friends today.

So...I had a bluemoo moment this morning but then I went to the hospital and it was sunny and daffodils were everywhere, the birds were out chirruping and I remembered the promise I'd made to myself to live life to the full always and to try and be positive and get the most out of things. So, if tomorrow it is confirmed that my job will terminate at the end of the month - so be it. A cliche I know but as one door shuts another one opens and there is so much to live for and seize. I just need to stop being my own worst critic and except that I may need to take that pub job for a while, or I may have to go on the dole temporarily, just so long as I keep trying and do not give up, whatever lack of motivation or bad moments I experience.

After the hospital I popped to the shops and did what you guys recommended. I got myself some chocolate and also some flowers. My dad is home tonight from the Far East so it will be nice for him to come home to fresh sheets, flowers and a home cooked lasagna... xxx

When it seems like nothing is going right...

2011-03-17T06:06:00.000-07:00

Yup, having one of those days...

Job security is hanging in the balance, health isn't great (bloody RSI, not helping it by typing here but oh well...) and motivation levels are low. What can you do? What do YOU do when you have one of these sorts of days?

I'm working at home today because I'm due in hospital later but the work flow is slow so it is very tempting just to sit in this armchair and stare into space for a couple of hours. I could cry but I've done that and it just brings on a mild headache.

I guess people get lost along the path of life every so often, the question is, how do you find your way again? I have no real idea of what to do if I find myself out of a job at the end of the month. I really don't want to commit myself to another office job I couldn't care less about and in this economic state I'm hard pressed to find one anyway. Plus my RSI really wouldn't thank me right now.

Someone once said 'If in doubt do nout.' but if I followed that piece of advice I'd stay in this armchair all day. There are vague plans to do a TEFL but there is quite a bit of expense involved and I'm wondering if I'm just doing it because I feel I've run out of options. Should I go see a careers advisor maybe? I'm not that tempted by that idea based on past experience...

Hmm...I guess I just need to keep trying, keep pushing and keep probing and hopefully I'll find something in the end. Today I just feel a bit tired I guess... I've done a lot of good things in my life, I'm intelligent and passionate so it is a bit baffling that I find myself here... unsure...

Sorry to be a bluemoo... I'm sure things will pick up. Just needed to get it off my chest today...

Be lovely to hear some wise words and thoughts from you all. xxx

Gig in Shepherds Bush

2011-03-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

Just sharing a few photos from a ska gig (If, like me, you hadn't heard of ska music until recently think bands that sound like Madness) I went to in Shepherds Bush this Saturday at a hidden little venue called Ginglik - it is a classic case again of discovering another little gem in London.
Ginglik is situated on the edge of Shepherds Bush Green - in what used to be an old public toilet underground - so you can't really see it as you rush about your everyday life at street level (which I do frequently as I work in the area). It is a pretty funky venue with pot plants in the toilets and lots of fairy lights. And they didn't charge us to store our coats - a little touch but wonderful! There seems to be a trend in London for turning old Victoria toilets into music venues - some of you may know Public Life on Commercial Street. I've yet to go there but a friend of mine regularly djs and often on a Saturday afternoon you can catch all weekend party-goers donning shades still up and partying from the night before.
As you can see from the photos it was a pretty lively gig - lots of dancing and energy. It was a fun alternative to my usual nights on the town. The main reason we were there was because my best friend's boyfriend was the guitarist in the main act: The Popes of Chillitown. A bunch of guys I know from halls in University also form the band. It was wicked to see them play along with other bands like True Beat and (interesting name) The Skanx.
So yeah pretty fun night and fancied sharing it with you. Back at work now and despite the brilliant sunshine outside, the week is not off to such an upbeat start unfortunately (maybe another entry on that later but it concerns my job security and whether I have one at the end of the month). Oh well...time will tell... Hope you all had a fun weekend? xxx

Strangefruit: I like you...and dancing Phil strikes again...

2011-03-08T07:05:00.000-08:00

Went out last night with Mr Woo and a motley crew to see Sophie sing again at the Windmill in Mayfair and was fortunate to also get to see her friends Jenny and Jamie perform in their band Strangefruit - which I have been meaning to see for ages! Really cool way to spend a Monday night...

Just wanted to give them a post as they were excellent and deserve some mention. Here is a video I found on YouTube of them and you can also check out some of their music here and they also play around London quite a lot if you fancy popping to a gig. Jamie seems like a lovely chap - he even dedicated a song to Mr Woo (much to his surprise and delight) after they had a chat about guitars and music before the gig - and Jenny is beautiful and sultry with her red lipstick and moves, plus she has a wonderful set of lungs on her.

On a completely different note - though music related - across the pond in Toronto my amazing Canadian friend Phil, who I used to live with in Peru, strikes again with his dancing in public places routine -this time on the subway grooving to Kylie. Definitely worth a watch and will put a smile on your face! You can read more about him here and watch his other fun videos. God I miss that fella and wish he featured regularly in my life - possibly the funniest guy I know...

Norfolk

2011-03-06T10:27:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a weekend trip to Norfolk to visit two close friends who I used to work with at my first job at HarperCollins...Had a lovely time...always good to get away from the city. On Saturday morning I popped down to Winterton-On-Sea beach with one of the girls and took a nice long walk...always wanted to visit a Norfolk beach. Shame my mum wasn't with us as well as it is also one of her dreams. She's been wanting to hire a Jack Russell (not sure that is possible but hey ho!) and go ever since she watched the BBC TV series Kingdom starring Stephen Fry...There is something special about a long, almost deserted beach in the winter... The fresh sea air, the sound of the waves...the wind...the vastness of it all...not many places near home where you can experience this sort of thing!

Some people I know fail to appreciate a wintry beach or a British beach in the summer time for that matter. And you know what? I hate to say this but they tend to be my friends from more affluent backgrounds - they generally spent their childhood holidays jet setting to hot countries. A cold British beach seems pointless to them...makes me smile a little though as it just proves to me that you can have all the riches in the world but you can still sometimes miss out on one of life's little treasures!
My friend, who I went with, is back at home in Norfolk currently recovering from a back operation. She broke her back last year jumping out of a burning building (you may remember me mentioning this?) and it has taken a whole year to be almost back to normal. It was good to see her upbeat and to run along the beach with her.
And guess what?! Someone special was also lurking in the sea nearby...at first I thought it was a dog...
Can you see him? He followed us for quite some time...but never got near enough for a decent photo! So cute...

Later we went to Norwich city centre to meet our other friend who is studying Creative Writing at UEA and had lunch in a cute little cafe called The Bicycle Shop...highly recommended - I'd love a place like this...
It is pretty kitsch with mixed plates and cups and lots of pot plants everywhere...We ate some yum stuff...
I had a blue cheese salad as I was trying to stick to my veggy week (it went okay, I relented once or twice unfortunately. Once literally due to mindlessness and not thinking and once because someone plonked a plate of high quality spanish ham in front of me which I could not resist) though I did envy my friend's bacon sarnie, shown in the photo below...
We then went on to visit a range of establishments around the town, drink lots of wine and catch up. Norwich did get me wondering once again if I might not be better off in a smaller city...I think there is more potential for starting a business in such places maybe and I like the quieter pace of life. Plus it is more affordable and with beaches on your doorstep...it is very tempting... If only I could shake my London addiction... doesn't help that most of my friends live there and it is near to home...

Guess only time will tell... Hope you all had a lovely weekend? xxx

Thoughts on eating animals...

2011-03-01T13:42:00.000-08:00

I have this problem which I am yet to diagnose properly. I have this moral compass in my head – my conscience, a tiny white angel or a Jiminy Cricket let’s say, who sits on my shoulder and whispers wise things. The problem, however, is…I don’t always listen to this voice.

Here is my confession: sometimes when I know something is wrong…I still do it anyway. AND I often get a perverse enjoyment knowing I’m doing the wrong thing…

Clearly, with this second confession in tow, you can see that I am truly very wicked…

But why is this? Some of my friends - they have their values, their morals and they stick with them. I greatly respect them for this. It can’t be easy. One of my most moral friends – who I’d actually go as far as saying was a teensy-weensy bit sanctimonious – would say I do wrong because I haven’t suffered enough. I don’t know about this…but that is his theory. He’s a Buddhist so I guess he might mean this in the grand scale of things…maybe I can’t fix myself in this lifetime. Maybe I need to come back in a second life to find myself at the bottom of the food chain before I am truly able to learn how to do the right thing? Hmm…

So eating meat and fish and dairy…big topic on my mind right now. Especially after watching Our Daily Bread when I was in Wales. It seems like the universe keeps giving me signs right now…

The first sign was hearing of the book Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer…and how it is reputed to, when read, turn most people veggie… (that got my curiosity up…but at the same time I LOVE meat so I’m also thinking ignorance may be bliss?!)

The second sign was Our Daily Bread…(I have seen scenes of battery hens and little chicks and abattoirs on River Cottage and Jamie Oliver programmes before, but this was a new level – there was a slight sci-fi element to it all. The machinery, the efficiency, the detached looks on the worker’s faces, the treatment of a living animal like an object – a tin of beans – I found it disrespectful in some way. Don’t get me wrong here, I am not against animal slaughter to provide a meal for the table but the methods disturb me. I guess it is a necessary solution for feeding the masses but…it still bothered me. It made me want to learn how to suit a riffle so I could hunt down my own meat instead, if anything.)

…followed by some discussion with a vegan friend on holiday in Wales and his options and reasons why he turned vegan…

The third sign was picking up Moby’s album Play and flicking through it only to find a short essay about why he was a vegan…

So…I’m taking a week out to be a vegetarian and to think a little on the subject. It feels a little bizarre to be writing this. Half of my family are already vegetarian and I love vegetarian food and I love animals. I think it is not necessarily a good idea health wise to eat meat every day but I also believe in variety and experience and I can’t help but enjoy eating meat. As someone who loves their food and learning about culinary skills, I have even wanted to do a butchers course in the past… I guess it is so easy to detach yourself and separate the steak from the cow that it came from. If I can't give up meat altogether, I am currently reasoning, at least I can try to cut down on it and source the best possible kinds when I do eat it?

I don’t have any great arguments and I am not of a firm resolution and if tested or put on the spot I would never win any causes but I feel sometimes– I say ‘feel’ here because this is the right word, ‘believing’ is a totally different matter and carries too much weight behind it to be used in this context – that animals may be just as important as us. I feel a life is a life….well that is what Jiminy Cricket seems to be saying in my ear…

Question is…should I listen? Will I ever listen?

Anyone...any thoughts? I think this still requires a lot of thinking and exploring... Guess I should pick up that book...

The following clips from Our Daily Bread below are not too overwhelming if you've seen this sort of thing before but they might be of interest…

6 hours plus in the kitchen...

2011-02-27T11:24:00.000-08:00

Serious hats off to MsMarmite Lover...not sure how she does it every weekend with 30+ guests in her Underground Restaurant...I was just cooking for nine people this Saturday gone but I reckon I was in the kitchen for more than 8 hours if you include making the cold cucumber soup on Friday evening and then all the other courses on Saturday day... and I had Sophie helping me. When I was in France and working in the 5* b&b I would be cooking for quite a long time too but I was trying to push myself further this time. I want as much experience as possible. Each recipe was a small challenge in itself. I think there is a lot to be said about keeping things simple.
I took a few photos but as people began to arrive I just didn't get much time to be all photo-crazy which is a shame really... The party was made up of a handful of Sophie's friends and a few of mine. I'd been wanting Sophie to meet my ex-housemate, Mr Man, for ages so it was great to get them meeting finally and see them getting along just as I suspected they would.

I also invited along this new suitor I mentioned in an earlier blog. He needs a name...I want to call him Mr Complimentary as he makes me smile with all his lovely compliments but I think Mr Woo might be less of a mouthful and also suitable as that is what he is doing a lot of right now - and rather successfully. On a side note: he has a cat too...called Bernard who is old and weathered looking with a humble look on his face -Bernard wandered in off the street, looking for a home and Mr Woo was able to provide...so maybe that is why.

So...what did we eat? Well...cold cucumber and mint soup for starters as you can see served up in a random collection of mugs and bowls above... four loaves (two too many) of grape bread with three different types of blue cheese for seconds...lemon and garlic roast chicken with a orange and shallot sauce for the meat eaters...Ottolenghi's gorgeous stuffed onions for the veggies...This was accompanied by a lentil, mushroom and spinach salad with a balsamic reduction and then pudding was rich indulgent chocolate and orange mousse.
Everyone's feedback was very positive! I hadn't even popped the chickens into the oven when people began to arrive but the two courses before helped lend some time. They were beautiful chickens too - we bought them from the butchers on Broadway Market. Snowy white and incredibly moist. The butcher had actually recommended them. I think they were a Norfolk variety.

I've been having a few deep thoughts on eating meat recently having watched the film Our Daily Bread when I was in Wales...but this is to be explored in another entry, another time.
Sophie sang some new material, a few scenes were improvised out by other guests and the evening ended with some strange but highly amusing yet educational videos of Isabella Rossellini acting out scenes of animal sex on the web...I'll maybe try and post some up another time - but you can find them easily enough on Youtube. She covers praying mantis, limpets, snails and bees among other things...
So...all in all it was a success. I wowed them with my cookery!!!(though next time we agreed that everyone of the party should bring a dish...I proved myself in this challenge and frankly...this would just make life easier....)!!! xxx

A frolic in Wales...

2011-02-24T03:10:00.000-08:00

Hello!!! Been away a little while for a spell in hilly Wales, near the Brecon Beacons. I'm now back at work and thought it would be nice to share a few scenic photos with you... Here are our cottages above: Pentwyn Cottages - we had three between 19 of us.This is the 3rd year I've been organising this and I have to say this is possibly our best year yet! (despite a hiccup with the landlord who double booked on our last two days but after some firm words on my part, we managed to resolve it) I hope I can continue to organise such events so that all of our friends can get together. Looking forward, I'd hope that one day, many years from now, people will even bring their new families along... one can only hope!

It is a great way for us all to get to know our own country a bit (we've done the Peak District, the New Forest and now Brecon and there are hopes for the Lake District, the Norfolk Coast and Scotland going forward) and it is actually surprisingly cheap. £66.12 each for accommodation and then about £80 spent on travel, food and A LOT of booze for 4 days... bargain!The cottage had no mobile reception so it was really a true break from the humdrum hecticness of everyday life. We also had a hot tub which overlooked the hills (see second photo above for view) which acted as a great hangover cure and an excellent way to start the morning...with a cup of tea of course...You might remember last time that I broke my ankle on our last cottage adventure to the New Forest...no major walks for me this time - people broke off to do as they pleased. Feeling timid, I settled with a shorter trek with a smaller group.We ate REALLY well... as these photos also show... I cooked a massive spag bol on the first night - which was hailed by some as the best spag bol ever (pretty chuffed but I have to give credit to the chorizo and the bacon additions)- and on Saturday night we had a fancy buffet of cured meats, blue cheese and balsamic salad, a trashy favourite of Philadelphia smothered in sweet chilli sauce, pickles, cheeses etc...We made that night a big event and had an 80's theme going. Absolutely amazing evening with lots of games and all of us drunkenly dancing by the end of it (a first) and the boys rapping to various songs including an impressive rendition of Warren G's Regulate.A good friend then whipped up a most delicious roast shoulder of lamb for us all on Sunday. Impressive stuff - and yes, I am a heathen with the cranberry sauce instead of mint but that is the way I like it... And here we all are on the Saturday night in our costumes before things got more rowdy....!

So there you have it...epic weekend away...Hope you all have been well? Will be catching up shortly! xxx