Saturday, August 12, 2006

The odd Saturday Post

...because this will be old news by Monday.

Friday I went to the consultants at a branch office so they could chat with me and find out if I was going to be a good fit for the audiotyping role before sending my CV to the investor relations firm.

A couple of hours later, I got the call: they would like me to start on the 21st of August, although they are a little concerned that I am looking for full-time work.

The first week is evaluatory; after that, it could turn into one month or three months.

We shall see.

Main point: it will be great to earn a regular income at a higher rate than I've earned thus far.
Second point: it will be interesting to learn about all those FTSE 100 companies.
Third point: I will be on the executive floor and may have to start out in a suit (yuk!)

**********

I've just had a wonderful chat with my dear friend Denise in New York. We met while at university in Houston, coincidentally on a 6 week study abroad trip to England, when we stayed at the University of Reading (with our own professors).
I was in the psychology course* and she was in the literature course, but somehow we made friends, and she and I and another girl traveled together on the long weekends as well as on the mid-term holiday.
We went to Canterbury, York and Edinburgh (the other weekends I went to see my family and friends). I was always "the girl with the map" so it was my idea to see the cathedrals, and I can't remember why I came up with E'burgh for the long trip.

July 2000 - we left London in short sleeves, and arrived in Edinburgh after a snow, which had melted, but for the next two days we wore all of our clothes and were still shivering. It rained incessantly, and I bought an umbrella at Jenners (the local House of Fraser department store). So there was a fantastic deal at the Edinburgh Woollen Mill, where 90-quid sweaters were on sale for 20, but if you and a friend bought one each it would be 15. Unfortunately they were down to one colour, moss green Isle of Arrans, so we looked like triplets, but we were feeling warm and fuzzy! I still have it...

I have never felt warm in Scotland. Last July I went to Glasgow for my graduation and it was the same. Not quite so cold, but we were welcomed by torrential rains. From then on it stayed overcast and I was un-warm for 3 days.

[Prerona, I don't know how you loved it up there so.]

*Psychology in movies: we watched a lot of films and then discussed them afterwards; and
European Cultural Influences on American Family Dynamics: how, at this point, I still remember that title, I don't know, but we had a thick book to read about various immigrant groups and their bla bla, you get the idea, and then we had to make discussion and presentations, and related it to our own heritages. It was really fun!


I really didn't mean to talk about this.

**********

I meant to talk about my trawl through Soho yesterday afternoon after the interview. I decided to crack the maze that is Carnaby Street.

On my exploratory mission, I went into Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful, an independent cosmetics company that's a bit Baroque and even sells perfume in those old-fashioned bottles with the squeezy thingy (what are they called???)

The employees were so friendly and chatty, and helped me choose a lip tint, wrapped it up so nicely in gold paper and gave me a bath gel sample; it is not often I walk out of a shop grinning from ear to ear. AND you should know that the lip tint, which is slightly moisturising, really works because I just ate a plate of chicken wings, wiped my mouth, and it's still on.

I went into nearly every shop, then I discovered Kingly Court, just off Carnaby Street.
If you live in London, you have to go there!

It's a very nifty warehouse/atelier conversion facing a cafe courtyard, consisting of boutiques, vintage shops, artsy-craftsy shops, alternative clothing shops, a yoga studio and another Walk-In Backrub place, etc.

I went into a few of them and got chatting with the proprietors. I really had a great time with two of them, and we even introduced ourselves formally and I've been encouraged to drop by again.

First I met Dina, who graduated with her fashion degree, decided to open up this little shop, Anna Dina, and hand embellishes many of the clothing and gift items on offer. She was kind enough to let me into the staff toilets. I bought a very interesting organic-looking pewter and enamel brooch there.

Next I met Onika, who has a business degree but runs a factory where she makes custom bags designed by you using the shapes, sizes, handles, swatches, and clasps at the shop, The Handbag Bar (very reasonable prices too). When I get a job, I am so going back there to order one, I've spent years searching for my perfect bag.

**********

Ta-ta for now.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're always having fun and seem to always be on holiday (hehehe). CONGRATULATIONS on the new job!!! no matter how long it lasts...I know youre happy!! I can't wait to be done with school (finally, right?! haha). I'm ready to make real income and settle down... Anyway, take care and talk to me soon!

Ta-ta!

Prerona said...

Hi Sweetie, I am SO happy to hear about your job! CONGRATULATIONS.

Yes, now from this far away even I sometimes wonder what I loved so much about Edinburgh & feel sad at the thought of going back ... more so bcz it means leaving my family & people. Anyway, I suspect thats just inertia talking. I guess I am programmed to just love wherever I am and hate the thought of leaving it!

PS - lol at hearing Jenners being described as the edin local house of frasers :) :) :)

Prerona said...

hey and i am always looking for the perfect bag :)


and shoes. somehow a

velvetgunther said...

Hey, I loved those opera pictures!!

Olivia said...

Memoria - Thanks!
I hope you get a job quickly when you do finish school - you need to keep up your consumer lifestyle!

I'll try to get on MSN sometime.



Prerona - thanks!
What, do you have go back to Edinburgh?
And Jenners is the local HOF, isn't it???



Velvet Gunther - thank you, and welcome. Interesting profile pic you have going there.
...you didn't finish the thought about shoes...

Olivia said...

Sorry, that shoes comment was for Prerona, have no idea how it got down there!

Anonymous said...

That particular kind of bottle is an "atomizer", which sounds far too scientific for a pretty perfume bottle, doesn't it?

Olivia said...

Jen - yes, it does...
Ah, so it doesn't just refer to the pump sprays!
Also, just remembered that I used to have a pretty pink glass one.

Um Naief said...

oooohhh, I'm so excited for you! I hope the job is great and you love it.. altho, I understand not wanting to wear a suit! I wear a lot of pant suits here... which are much better than skirts, I think.

The shopping sounds really nice and all the stores sound just delightful. How I wish I would have known of this place while traveling thru London. Would have loved to browse thru it. I so love places like that.

velvetgunther said...

Yeah, I was wondering what on earth you meant. Are you really interested in my shoes, of all things? OK, I'll put up a detailed post about my shoes soon.

Anonymous said...

Congrats Olivia! This is really cool and who kows maybe this will lead to another position within the company? Excellent!

Olivia said...

Tooners - if you were on Oxford Street or Regent Street, then you definitely passed right by it!

Suits don't *ahem* suit me. Even the smallest jacket is overwhelming. I can do smart, but not suits.


Velvetgunther - do we really want to know about your shoes?!?!?



Rox - thanks, but I wonder why so many people want me to stay...

AmitL said...

Hi,Olivia...I'm coming here via Prero's blog..You do write on a variety of topics...good luck at the new job.Also, your stroll through Soho made for interesting reading.:)
(http://amitsmusings.rediffblogs.com)

Anonymous said...

Well only if the job turns out to be interesting. And of course you did say somewhere that holding a job for a while might help towards you being more eligible for the kind of jobs you really want. Besides after a while of not working I would imagine that having ANY kind of job (except of course the obviously too-horrid-to-contemplate kind) would come as a relief?

Olivia said...

Rox - hehe, I realise I sounded difficult - but it's ironic because I tell them not to put me in City finance, and look what happens.

Anyway, the info I will be typing sounds interesting. And yes, income!