Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Ageism etc

So, what has Liv been doing this week?

First I have to get an old Tag out of the way, from Moody Minstrel:

What does your desktop look like?

desktop capture

Bernini's cast bronze baldacchino in St Peter's Basilica. Personal holiday pics are my favourite wallpaper.
As you can see, I also have Google sidebar.

I tag all of you who blog!

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I have been:
Temping at a law firm aaallll the way out in Putney. It takes an hour at the least, assuming there are no delays on the Tube and there is enough room to get on to the first train that pulls in. It is only 3 stops away from Wimbledon. The work is easy, thankfully, so the pay is much lower than I got in the City. Jeans are de rigeur, and they seem to waltz in whenever they like - unlike the City, where I was the last to arrive at 9.30, here I was just right. The guy who sits next to me came in at nearly 10 and no one batted an eyelid...

There is a nice little cafe in Wandsworth Park that I've been going to across from the office. Today I bumped into two of the girls from the next floor down and sat with them for lunch. At one point they were talking about how it was when they first started there, and how much younger the new employees are - you know how it is, when older people talk about "the youngsters"...

I was dismayed and threw out the challenge, "How old do you think I am?
"Twenty three," spoken with confidence.
I shook my head.
She gave a look of surprise. "Twenty five."
I shook my head again.
Eyes widened and she grudgingly ventured, "Twenty seven?"
A third shake of the head.
Throwing all caution to the wind, she exclaimed, "Thirty?!?!?"
Yep, in a few weeks I will be...
Same age as they are!

***

I mean, really, if a guy my age thinks I'm just out of college, he is not going to want to go out with me, is he? I am tired of taking it as a compliment...when I'm 50, fine, but here I am trying to make my way in the world. I have often said I am about 10 years behind my peers career- and relationship-wise. So watch out, in a few years, I might finally get my dream job and meet the man of my dreams, and have kids after 40. *sigh*

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A few people here and on my other blog have asked if I saw any celebs at Home House on Sunday - well, if I had, I would definitely have aired it!

I've seen a couple of familiar faces right here in St John's Wood. There is a guy who looks a bit like Bill Nighy, but isn't - he was ahead of me in the queue at the bank round the corner, opening a new account.
Then tonight as I left my local Tesco, Don Warrington went in, but I've seen him before.

Of course, everyone knows that Sir Paul McCartney lives here - well, he can't stray far from Abbey Road studios, can he? Joining him are Noel and Liam Gallagher. I hear Kate Moss has been spotted, and if you were to go to the local kosher cafe round the corner, you are likely to see George Michael, Minnie Driver, Roman Abramovich, or Sir Paul.

They are all next door to their fellow slebs, the Primrose Hill set, a short walk away through Regent's Park: Jude Law, Jamie Oliver, Sienna Miller (who has now moved to this side), Jonny Lee Miller, Ewan McGregor...

**********

Off to bed for me now
*yawn*




TEXT

15 comments:

Prerona said...

my desktop! lol ... its plain black!

AmitL said...

Hi,Olivia...nice desktop pic. Let's see if I can put up mine..rest assured,it's usually a smiling face that adorns it.Your new place of work seems fab(I'm sure u wish it paid as well..I would too..a dream job u enjoy paying well?Miracle)And,hey,u're really 30?:)When's the bday coming up?(Mine comes up tomorrow.haha).Good luck at making ur way successfully in The World.

Beenzzz said...

I can sympathize with you on the looking young thing. I am 35 freakin' years old and everyone thinks I'm in my late teens of early twenties. I get carded at bars and the liquor store (yes, liquor store...I live in Utah after all) and they look at me like I have a fake ID. I was shopping with my daughter a few months back and a sales lady asked if she was my little sister. When I said, "no," she looked at me like I was some tramp who obviously got pregnant at 14. So.......I sympathize. Also, in past jobs, my co-workers have treated me like a youngster. It's frustrating. I think my calling is being an underscover high school narc.

Anonymous said...

Consider me tagged, Arty!

Try not to worry so much, good things come to those who wait, and you never know the job and guy might come along sooner than you think.

Miss Dallas said...

Your life, compared to mine in Dallas, sounds so exciting! Heck, I'd rather temp in London than be an editor in Dallas any damn day of the year!

ML said...

Ohhhh, thanks for the tag! Nice desktop picture you have.

Sorry about people thinking you're younger than you really are. It's that good skin you have! :)

Leilouta said...

Nice desktop picture. My desktop at work has sand and water, and the one at home has fish :)

" if a guy my age thinks I'm just out of college, he is not going to want to go out with me, is he?"
Plzzzzzzzzz, of course he will. It is even better.. the younger the better:)

This is weird but I had a dream about you the other day. Blog dreams can't be normal, luckily, I completely forgot what it was about it.

Olivia said...

Hey Everyone: I can't wait to see your desktops!

***

Ricercar - black, just like mine last year - reflected my mood, and also saved memory on the poor old laptop.

***

Amit - so, as cheery as you then?
This is in no way a dream job. I was already bored today - too easy.

B-day is 10 April.

***

Beenzzz - you're just like my mother. I was telling my friend the same stories at dinner today. How my mother was asked her age when she bought alcohol for her 30th b-day. How before women her age find out how old she is, and she tells them my age, they think she was a teenager when she had me (she was 31). How at 62, people in his profession think my dad is in his 40s and are finally giving the big promotions.

I'd come to high school undercover with you if I knew my jaw wouldn't drop at the state of youth today!

***

Pete - oh goodie, I will come by tomorrow :)
Thanks for the boost! Just what my friend told me tonight.

***

Luna - no way, when I read about all the things you got up to over the holiday season...!
I said this a couple of years ago to my parents, in the fight to stay in London, when my dad was ready to recall me. I said I'd rather have a shop job here than work at a museum in Dallas. Deep down, though, I know that is not true. When you have a stupid job, it doesn't matter where you are; miserable is miserable. I realised this because although I enjoyed earning the money in my last job in the City, it was wearing me down.

***

ML - thanks. Loooove my camera ;)
Hahaaa, did you see when I said I attribute it to good makeup? My complexion is so uneven. And being mixed as I am, I'm not a true olive!

***

Leilouta - young girl and older guy...that doesn't seem to be working over in the UK.

Amazing that you dreamed about me, when you haven't blogged in aaaages!

Anonymous said...

my desktop??? a bus timetable

Selba said...

wow... a very nice desktop wallpaper!!! and it looks that your screen is so wide.... :)

The Moody Minstrel said...

M'lady,
as expected, your desktop looks far grander and more sophisticated than mine. An impressive image of classical architecture only fitting of one of your stature. That toolbar also adds a certain touch. Ostensibly banal, it nonetheless lends a certain flare of stylistic technology that is both functional and elegant. It is bold in its simplicity, yet the overall ambience is a complex tapestry of melancholy, optimism, and stoic practicality. It is a desktop that truly makes a statement.

I'm just not sure yet what that statement is, m'lady.
;-)

Not looking your age...yeah, I know the feeling. In my late college days I had a few stores refuse to sell me alcohol because they were certain my I.D. was faked. (One only gave in when I asked for the manager and gave her my parents' phone number so she could call them for verification!) Only now am I starting to look my age, it would seem (judging from students' comments)...but I don't really welcome it...

Olivia said...

Jia - you should know it by heart by now.

***

Selba - oh yea! I'd forgotten, it's a 17 inch widescreen :P
I guess I'm finally used to it. When I first got it I kept losing my pointer.

***

Wow, Minstrel - the first time I read it I thought, "Where did he come up with all that?"
Second time around, I realised you got me all figured out. "Melancholy, optimism and ... practicality." (Not sure about the stoicism. I'm not very stoic...)

There you go! Literally today I bought alcohol and she asked me how old I was. Casually, but...maybe she thought a "23 year old" wouldn't be buying dessert wine and blue curacao?
So I told her my age and she said, "Oh but you're so cuuuuuute...!"

I said, "I don't want to be cute."
And in my head, I said, "I want to be a woman." And in my heart I added, "...and be noticed by men my age."

So, Minstrel, you're now finally getting the respect you deserved years ago?

Anonymous said...

Your friend is very wise. It's February now, which gives ten months of this year left, a whole lot can happen in one month, so the opportunities in ten are endless.

Um Naief said...

i was thinking you were like 25 as well... and having kids at 40 is no big deal. i know lots of women who have them after that age and who knows, maybe i will too! :)

as far as the place you're working... it sounds interesting in that you might get to see the likes of some celebs. that's always new and exciting. but... i wouldn't like the cut in pay... and the long ride to and from. what time do you get home?

hope the weather's better there and you're not freezing your butt off! :)

Um Naief said...

but w/ the age thing... i can understand your point of view w/ not wanting guys to think you're fresh outta college. but... later in life when the wrinkles start to come, you'll be thankful that you're aging gracefully. i'm thankful i didn't lay out in the sun a lot because ppl always think i'm younger as well... and i like that. the older you get, the better it is... believe me! :)