Tomorrow, NYC

Today, I passed through Paris, Delhi, Brisbane, Scotland...

Not in this particular order (as my cousin Alyssa made sure I pointed out), and all in Ontario.

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Here in southern Ontario I finally have my summer tan. It's about 80F here in the day, that's about 27C.

The day I arrived (Thurs) I went bug hunting with the kids - we saw a cicada that couldn't fly, and worms, ants, wasps, and ladybugs.

And I put my goddaughter to sleep in her fancy Jeep stroller by walking her up and down the street in front of the house.

That evening, I went with Alyssa and her cousin Emily (who likes to say she's mine too) to Montana's, one of those bar and cookhouse type places where you get handmade burgers, bbq ribs, jalapeno poppers, tortilla wraps, steak and shrimps, etc. I had hot n spicy chicken wings, in a yummy crispy cornflour batter.

Saturday was just food shopping for Sunday, as my aunt was hosting 40 people at home after the Christening.
Sunday was another glorious day with an indescribably blue sky.

Today, Monday, was supposed to be a big one. Early afternoon, a trip to the cemetery for the one year anniversary of Jada's dad's passing; a scenic drive with my uncle in his MG; a shopping trip with Alyssa; a night at the movie with my aunt.

But we only managed the first bit, which took all day as one of the cars broke down on the side of the road about 45 minutes from home, and while we waited for rescue the sun went down. It was about a 2 hour trip each way, so it was those long Canadian roads that ate up our day!

And so, tomorrow I fly out to NYC.

I leave you with a couple of pics of my short visit to Ontario, though actually some of the best are on my phonecam [and I couldn't transfer them to the computer, so you have to wait till I get back to London]:



A hibiscus on my aunt's deck




Jada is a girlie girl




She is such a doll!

Before I say goodnight

Hi hi

At nearly 9.30, it is probably past my bedtime as I hope to leave for the airport around, what, 6.30am? Or even earlier...

When I travel I always need about an hour or more to get ready, fit in a light breakfast, and run around throwing in last minute bits n bobs. Why can you never think of those things earlier, even if you make a list???

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When I left the art dealer's office this evening, I had that feeling - you all know it - a sudden sensation of freedom, of a weight lifted from the shoulders, free-as-a-bird. Something you only feel at the end of final exams in high school and university. Yes, you do know what I mean!

I think he hopes to see me there again in future. I didn't say NO, but didn't say YES either. Truthfully, I wouldn't mind taking on the database as a project part time, but I don't want to sit in that little office from morning till night as a PA. I need people around me. Speaking of which, I hear the boring co is interviewing 3 other candidates for the temp to perm role. Disappointing, as they had offered me the perm role outright and I didn't turn them down outright...and they knew last week that I was still interested...hm.

Seems a door closed that I thought had opened.

Also seems I am a bit middling in my responses lately, doesn't it?

***

OK, well I don't know when I will next be able to blog. Possibly not too long, actually, as my cousins wake up late and so I may have some extra hours mid-morning for emails and blogs and *ahem* Facebook


Still, I will miss you all. It's not the same when you're not in your own living room, on your own laptop, or your own time...But I will be sure to take pics of my godddaughter and fall colours in Ontario if there are any, and also loads of Manhattan!

Ciao ciao!

Two tag or not two tag

Jahooni, who has an enviably short middle name, tagged me to do this, and I hope she doesn't regret it by the end.

1.You have to post these rules before you give the facts.

2.You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.

3.At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Middle Name : melissa

(m) Melissa means "bee" in Greek and "honey" in Latin

(e)veryone makes a big deal of my Greek heritage even though I'm only quarter

(l)ittle children are drawn to me even though I am a bit shy with them

(l)oyalty is my motto

(i)ndependence I like, but not to the extent of loneliness

(s)ome people think I am too serious

(s)inging is my favourite artistic pursuit

(a) bunny rabbit hug would be most welcome right now

Man, that was hard!

***

I started this post a couple of days ago, but didn't get round to the body of it until tonight. I was so run down from the week-long physical imbalance - not eating or drinking enough, few breaks, and a constant headache - that I was as frozen as a block of ice last night. I curled up on the couch to watch TV, wrapped in a fluffy blanket. I don't even do that when I have the flu. And then I slept for 10 hours straight.

I dread Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at work. I wish I had lied about my departure date, which I initially thought was Tuesday until I looked at my itinerary. Tell you what, I need to learn to lie better. I've always known I was too honest for my own good.

Do you know, on Friday around mid-morning, I said to him I'd like to take my half-hour break earlier rather than later so that I could run to the chemist and pick up some tablets for my headache which was getting worse as the day wore on. He fended that off by saying we had a lot to get through first, so I hung on and snacked slowly on a bag of cheese puffs, since I cannot do anything but pay attention to what I am doing, as he won't stop talking if I pause to take a drink or sneeze. Around 2.15 I got the all-clear, buzzed off to buy fast-acting painkillers, and pick up some sushi. Thank God, a couple of people turned up not long after, and, not knowing how long they would stay, I swallowed the 6 pieces of sushi and seaweed salad in about 5 minutes. The headache, however, refused to go and persisted at about 40% for the rest of the day.

I'm not against working hard, but I am a human being. But nothing exists outside that office, it seems.

***

Planethalder has also tagged me...

WHAT'S IN YOUR FRIDGE?



It's a bit empty at the moment, full of bits n pieces and leftovers. Skimmed for her and semi skimmed for me. Lots of fruit juices and drinking yogurts and sport bottles, and some of her daily ginger concoction. Jam, salad dressings, olive oil spread, mayo. Eggs for cooking, eggs for eating. Some lamb chops marinading for tomorrow, houmous, crispy fried karila (an exotic vegetable). Chocolate chocolate chip muffins for my breakfast next week. A jar of that Peruvian chili sauce. Home-sliced emmentaler cheese. A jar of Loyd Grossman spaghetti sauce. Lemons, cilantro/coriander leaf, onions, garlic, ginger root, chilis.

Dunfer

I need to write a blog and do the two tags from Jahooni and Planethalder, but I am too tired.

You would not believe how hard this week has been with the art dealer.
I've spent a day assembling boxes and packing filing at an office, and not felt this tired.
Automaton is the word of the week.
No breaks, not enough food, a permanent headache, it's relentless.
Would you ever agree to work for someone who can go 8+ hours without stopping or eating or drinking one molecule?
It's not like public health is at stake here, or there's an immediate issue of national security!

Also have you ever heard of putting a kitchen sink and counter in a bathroom the size of a box? Naaaasty...Just as well I haven't had time for a cuppa tea. If I have to take instructions while I am in the loo, I will not be surprised.

So, might hear from me tomorrow, let's hope. Soooo glad it's Friday.

P.S. Are you surprised that I opted for the lesser of two evils and asked to temp long-term for the boring co? Will keep you updated.

Photo offensive

Sort of ought to go on a photo offensive of London, in case one day I complain: "I wish I'd taken more photos of London when I was there..."



Someone at the apartments has this fancy little Audi sports number.





The largest Hindu temple outside of India is of course in London.




The Lloyds of London building.
As some of you know by now, I love taking upshots of the tops of buildings.


**********

Friday afternoon I left the grey suit company early and went for the handover with the PA at the art dealer (Mr AD), and after an hour of familiarisation, she left to go on her holiday, and I was thrown in at the deep end.

I finally get to do the things I have been waiting to do, and then I panic. After my first attempt at answering the phone and forgetting what to say, I think I will be fine, though the buttons throw me off still. I also had to call a shipping company to remind them of a needed quote, and then call them again to absolutely ensure that the painting will be in Ireland before next Friday evening to be hung in the dining room for dinner.

I ended up staying until 6.45 pm, with Mr AD, going through various images on the hard drive, assigning them to the correct files and naming them descriptively. The knowledge in his head needs to be organised into a framework. Anyway, when we were done, he said he could tell that I had an ability with the images. I did not know I would stay that long before I started on Monday, though.

Then I wended my weary way to an Aussie party at Ruby Blue, a stylish club with a dance floor, booths, and themed lounges. The group I joined was another going away party where I knew no one, Mr Gorgeous Eyes was at home with tonsilitis, so he gave my number to A.N. a friendly New Zealander who had informed me of the venue that morning. He was at the houseleaving party last week, we weren't introduced and I only glanced at him for 3 seconds in a group before leaving. However, he's the sort who takes you under his wing, so I was introduced to countless people.

The whole group were a mixture including Aussies, Kiwis, Brits, and all very professional, cosmopolitan people, not your stereotypical types. In fact, there were two typical Aussie lads there like the ones in the Fosters beer ads, and they stuck out like sore thumbs.

However, I spent most of my time chatting with a couple of Austrians. One of them reminds me very much of my friend Jason in Houston who is undergoing pilot training at the moment; both clean-cut and straight. He texted me today and we are meeting for a drink tomorrow after work, by the way...We're both going abroad next week so decided to meet up sooner rather than later.

**********

Not a day goes by when I am not reminded of Houston or Texas - the Austrian is in oil&gas and has been to Houston. Yesterday I watched a load of Animal Cops Houston. Right now I am watching From the Earth to the Moon and seeing Mission Control in Houston. And last night my old roomie asked me yet again when I was going back.

I was recounting to my mother the day my dad took me to the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Until the security measures occasioned by 9/11, they held an annual Open Day. We wandered amongst the buildings, went on mini-tours, saw the original Mission Control, fiddled with a scanning electron microscope thereby withering an ant's antennae, got a big NASA bag and filled it with goodies as we went along, including a bumper sticker I treasured for years, and one of those US Government-issue ballpoint pens they all use. Even 40 years later, there was still a general air of "something happening" within those unassuming 1960s-style buildings.

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Nice weekend, worse week [EDITED]

DILEMMA

Oh gosh! I've been offered a job at the pension/benefits company I'm temping with at the moment. I was there in April too, and they asked for me again this time. When she returned from holiday, the secretary I had filled in for offered me a job there. The thing is, back in April I was complaining about it. I don't know how they all wake up every morning and go in there to do what they do. But someone has to do it I guess. The place is full of actuaries. Do I have to tell you more?

I am flattered that they like my work and want me to stay, but to do what, shrivel up and die inside?

At the same time, I have a temp booking next week with a private art dealer on Bond Street :)
Lots of getting down and dusty and hands on, finally.



The interesting thing about the City of London, the financial district and original city, site of Londinium. Old juxtaposed against new in more startling contrast than the "newer" parts of London.

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PUSHING AROUND THE PAWNS

This week London was paralysed. Monday evening began a long-threatened 72-hour Tube strike that affected 9 of 12 Tube lines. I already live in the middle of nowhere and loathe having to travel an hour in to anywhere I need to go in town. So it took me an hour to get to my interview which unfortunately was at 7pm. I wasn't going to make it home in those heels, so I stopped at a shop afterwards and got a pair of nice dark patent leather Roland Cartier flats. And then I left my heels in the bus! I know I'm tired when I leave things behind.

I got home at a quarter to 10pm.

Tuesday it took me 2 hours to get into work. Tuesday evening, 2 and a half hours to get home. 4.5 hours travel time is unacceptable. I sat on a bus, then a train, and then another bus. My behind was so numb! At least I got a seat, but that is because I insisted on leaving after the major rush hour. There is no reason why I ought to fight hundreds of people to get on the same bus, is there? Lots of other people did the same thing. Why cause more chaos? Mine is not a time-sensitive job anyway, and I am only a temp.

Putting this in perspective, I live about 5 or 6 miles out of the centre of London. In the same amount of time, you could drive sort of slowly from a northern Dallas suburb to a southern Houston suburb and that's over 200 miles.)

After the first day everyone was fed up and no longer sympathised with the striking staff. I never had anyway. It was ended late on Tuesday night, but disruptions were rife as the system was rolled back out. So I took a different route home, but all on the Tube and not one bus on the agenda! It was exciting to be back home in a "mere" hour and a quarter!

Tomorrow it might be a "mere" hour into work. I used to complain that it wasn't 15 or 30 minutes, as I used to live so centrally I was round the corner from everything.

**********

When your napkin is unfolded and placed in your lap before you've lifted a finger, you know you're in a good place...



On Sunday we went to The Petersham Hotel in Richmond for a family friend's 60th birthday luncheon.

Lovely setting, really precious hotel, and delicious food. The decor was classic Edwardian/Art Nouveau.

It began with a wine reception where we mingled in the anteroom, before being seated in the dining room with name cards, fortunately.





Starter: sweet red pepper broth with cubes of fresh mozarella under the surface, hot and chewy. The flavour of the broth was amazingly comforting, the sort of thing you'd eat on a rug in front of a blazing hearth. The bread, even the granary, was light and easy to eat with just the right chewiness.

Main: a proper English Sunday Roast. Succulent roast sliced sirloin, perfectly medium rare and not dense. The half-potatoes roast in the beef jus were tasty and crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. One little Yorkshire pudding (but then I could eat one the size of Rhode Island) and an intriguing gravy with a slight sweetness to it.

Dessert: the most perfect creme brulee I've had since Paris Cafe in The Woodlands. Bursting with vanilla pod, creamy, with a delicate shell-like layer of burnt sugar on top. Makes the ones in the shops look pedestrian.



Cheese plates: the obligatory blue cheese, smoked hard cheese, goat's brie, and camembert, served with oat crackers.

Tea/coffee and chocolates: enjoyed on the terrace with nice views.



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PS. Matt reminds me that yes, these photos were taken with my fantastic Sony Ericsson k810i which I adore!

Wibbling in the wee hours

Friday-Saturday

It's 1am but I am not asleep. I was sleepy earlier, but I have always been a rebel against "getting ready for bed" and "going to bed" because although I like sleeping, I can always find something else to do to delay it.

So what am I doing?

I am eating a crunchy Indian snack (ridiculously spicy for the hour), with water, and it will be followed by an apple.

And through the wonders of Facebook, I'm also discovering that someone I recently met knows someone I have known for a while, who in turn knows people who went to uni with someone I have known for my whole life! (a girl at the office -> a fellow blogger -> her mates -> my childhood friend)

**********

On Saturday I have a family birthday to attend. Fortunately it starts and ends early, so I will have time to go to the Aussie house-leaving party.

On Sunday, it's the birthday of a family friend in Richmond and the weather looks marvellous...

On Monday I have an interview with an art dealer in Mayfair for a temp booking. Yes, finally, the arts world...

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My work was commended a few times at the office today. Made my day, really.

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Saturday-Sunday update

Woah, it wasn't a BBQ, it was lunch at a Peruvian restaurant. There were 15 of us and we were there for 4 hours! There was a lot of potato on the menu, as that's where the stuff originates. Also, sweet potato and corn, ditto. Quite a bit of plantain and cassava too, which I thought were more Caribbean produce.

Most outstanding was the chili salsa which they served up in little bowls on the side - reddish orange, with cilantro and who knows what else, but it was the most unique chili sauce I have ever tasted. Sort of fruity, and the burn is hearty but short.

The plates of fried plantain slices kept coming, like baskets of rolls in American restaurants. I ordered a plate of seafood (squid, octopus, cod, mussels) marinated in lime and chili, which comes with roasted corn kernels, fresh corn, and sweet potato. But when I discovered how delicious the plantain was slathered with the chili, I stuffed my face with that and left the seafood!!!

In fact, when the waitress discovered how much I loved the chili, she sent some home with me.

Also, my mother and I were the only people who drank cocktails, and we chose the ones containing the Peruvian liquor pisco. Nice buzz :)

At the end, though, they gave us on the house the national drink of Peru: Pisco Sour, which is pisco, lime juice, sugar syrup, angostura bitters, and egg white froth dusted with cinammon.

And there was a nice rotisserie pit in the garden terrace where 4 juicy chickens were sizzling and browning. *drool*. My cousin took one of those chickens home and when they were eating it later on she texted me to say how yummy it was. Even though I was still full, I would have eaten some right then if I could have!

**********

So my mother went home and I headed off to the Aussie houseleaving party. As soon as I got to the top of the stairs and before [Mr Gorgeous Eyes] could greet me, my mobile rang and it was my mother: "I haven't got my keys." The concierge couldn't let her in, so she waited on the rooftop terrace, and then got chilly and moved into the lobby, and I arrived two hours later.

As they were such nice people, I stayed for an hour and ended up meeting another art history grad and then I shot back home. Mr GE wanted me to go back after letting my mother in, but that would mean a day's total travel time of 4 hours, and that's if I stayed overnight with the others. You can drive 200 miles in that time, like between Dallas and Houston plus a bit further! But on London public transport, it takes about an hour to go 6 miles.

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By the way: What sensation do you have when you miss someone? Sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach? Floaty sensation in the arms? The latter is the weirdest.


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And finally, some Greek-Cypriot dancing, the Tatsia, or sieve dance.



OPA! That really is a scythe and there really are drinks in there! I first saw this at the Greek Festival Houston and it blew me socks off. Well, most Greek dancing does. I promise to get you all hooked. ;)

Je suis bleue

I stuffed 580 envelopes today. It only took a couple of hours and then I was back to usual admin, but I think too much when I perform monotonous tasks like this. My mind runs into all sorts of thoughts.

Nearly 600 envelopes...!
I did not spend tens of thousands of dollars on my degrees for this!

**********

Took a nifty personality test the other day. Voila, my results:

Overview

Blues are composed and observant. Others trust them to see the whole
picture, and respect their judgement as a result. They are reflective,
and proud of the difference their mind can make. Thriving on the
challenge of new experiences, they push themselves to learn new skills
and take pride in what they do.

In the [...] these kind of people are relied upon as calm and
purposeful thinkers in vital behind the scenes roles as much as in
action. And in a world of increasing complexity they are needed more
than ever.

***

Your View of Your Life Now

You and your friends like to hang out together enjoying good food and
conversation. You respect each other's opinion - they are probably the
first port of call when you need advice. It seems that you are happy to
take control, you enjoy making decisions and discover new things.
Exercise to you is about much more than pounding on a treadmill. You
have a holistic approach to health and your well-being, and are more
comfortable with alternative forms of exercise that fit in with your
lifestyle. When you can you catch up with your nearest and dearest. You
love to talk and your friends mean a lot to you - you will always go to
them for advice. Given your choices you seem to appreciate creativity
or are even creative yourself. You have a distinctive view of the world
that you want to capture, you benefit from having a sharp and
discerning eye. You like the security of day-to-day routine, whilst
working in an environment that challenges and interests you. Ambition
is what drives you, and there are many paths you could take.

Your View of Your Future

Being free to explore the world is the freedom you appreciate most. You
are not ready to settle in one spot just yet - you want to go see and
experience as many cultures as you can. Spirituality is an essential
part of your character, you have a strong sense of morals and look for
guidance when you are in difficult situations. You can see yourself
reaching great heights. With a little perseverance and determination,
you’ll get there. You learn best by discovering things for yourself.
You like to be able to share knowledge, and get the results together.
You like to live life in the fast lane, and are always up for a
challenge. You fill your free time with risk-taking and excitement.
Satisfaction comes from being part of something distinctive and
innovative. Employers would value your dedication and passion for your
work. You are a high achiever and tend not to settle for second place.
You push yourself to be the best. In the next few years you'd like to
be on your way up. You've got a lot to offer and you look forward to
gaining some recognition. It’s good to know you can rely on the
unconditional love your best friend gives you. You can trust them to
lend a listening ear and support when you need it. Everyone sees you as
cool, calm and serene. Your balanced character is definitely an
attraction. There’s a part of you that’s keen to escape to un-chartered
territory. The mystery of the unknown is appealing to you, and with
your inquisitive nature, who knows where your next adventure will lead
you?

Getting Acquainted

What I did this weekend:

Late Summer BBQ

**********

Newly discovered fellow blogger Jessica has challenged us to a meme. I think it has done the rounds on email for a few years and has finally reached the blogosphere.

Getting Acquainted

1. What time did you get up this morning?
11.30 am. Hey, it's a holiday here today.

2. Diamonds or pearls?
I prefer pearls, even though diamonds are my birthstone. Of course, you can't wear pearls to a ball. And I think it's amazing that diamonds are always cooler than the ambient temperature.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Ocean's 13 - I know, way back in June.

4. What's your favorite TV show?
Tie between CSI, House, Ugly Betty, or Doctor Who

5. What did you have for breakfast?
The last slice of brown bread toasted, with peanut butter and strawberry jam, and then a couple of oat and honey biscuits.

6. What's your favorite cuisine?
Depends on the mood - Chinese, Thai, Indian, Tex-Mex, or American

7. What foods do you dislike?
Spanish, boiled vegetables, liver

8. What is your favorite chip flavor?
Doritos (with queso of course)

9. What's your favorite CD at the moment?
Not one, but see my last post, FYI.

10. What kind of car do you drive?
Sorry to say, nothing anymore (or yet...) but I used to have a silver plum Saturn SL2.

11. Favorite sandwich?
BLT, or cheddar cheese and ploughman's pickle.

12. What characteristics do you despise?
Dishonesty, insincerity, fickleness, rudeness, insensitivity

13. Favorite item of clothing?
I don't have one at the moment.

14. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would you go?
Ooh, either Greece or Thailand.

15. What color is your bathroom(s)?
Sand and blue/aqua (no, we don't have 3 bathrooms, this is all in one)

16. Favorite brand of clothing?
Not really faithful but I am partial to a bit of Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. I often find with surprise that quite often at least one item on me is one or the other. Also have a lot of H&M, and Principles.

17. Where would you retire to: beach, or wooded retreat?
Wooded retreat - I love forest sounds, smells and sights

18. Favorite time of the day?
Sunset

19. What were your most memorable birthdays?
When I was a child I would have a birthday dinner in April when I was born, and a birthday party in midsummer June when I was supposed to be born. Friends came over, we ate snacks and ice cream, played in the garden, maybe there was an entertainer, everyone gathered round for the cake, and either Anthony or Christopher, my two oldest boy friends would be at my side to give a birthday kiss on the cheek after I blew the candles out.

20. Where were you born?
In London at Queen Charlotte's Hospital

21. Favorite sport to watch?
Tennis or various winter Olympics

22. Who do you least expect to send this back to you?
Lots of people

23. Person you expect to send it back first?
I don't know!

24. What fabric detergent do you use?
Surf and Persil, but they have to smell good. I spend ages sniffing and deciding.

25. Were you named after anyone?
Not officially, though I do have a few Icelandic ancestors called Olaf (m) and Olave (f)

26. Do you wish on stars?
I wish I did! I prefer to stare at them.

27. When did you last cry?
Oh, it's been too long. When I went to Dallas to say goodbye to my Gran in March. Another is definitely overdue (yep, still).

28. Do you like your handwriting?
I am rather proud of it, and enjoy writing. Love watching the letters form on the page.

29. What is your most embarrassing flaw?
Physically? Flat as a pancake.
Personally? I'm a bit nerdy.

30. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you?
Yes, if I wanted loyalty, but not if I were looking for the life of the party.

31. Are you a daredevil?
Unfortunately, no.

32. Have you ever told a secret you swore not to tell?
Yes, but it was to a stranger who couldn't tell anyone I know.

33. Do looks matter?
Yes, instinctively, though they have to be paired with a respectable brain.

34. How do you release anger?
I snap and shout; yes, the psychology major does not practise sublimation or deep breathing, shame on her.

35. Where is your second home?
I don't even have a first home anymore. I have lots of stopovers around the world, will that do?

36. What were your favorite toys as a child?
My cars and my Dad's DESMOND (Digital Electronics Set Made of Nifty Devices). Oh my gosh, I hope we haven't given it away...I used to open the manuals and follow the experimental exercises for hours on end.
Can you tell, those careers I nearly went into really do suit me!

37. What class in high school do you think was totally useless?
I was happy with all of them....nerd....

38. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
I don't know. Depends on my mood or who I am with.

39. Favorite movies?
Oh noooo. Amelie, Pride & Prejudice, The Matrix trilogy, all the Austin Powers, Amadeus, Immortal Beloved, Metropolis, Jean de Florette/Manon des Sources, Apollo 13, Gladiator, and so many more.

40. What are your nicknames? Liv, Livvy, Livsy, Livsylou

41. Would you bungee jump?
Maybe...

42. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Yes, though I only have one lace-up pair

43. Do you think that you are strong?
Sometimes surprisingly so for someone with my slight build

44. What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
Wall's Cornish (UK) or Haagen Dasz choc choc chip (US)

45. What are your favorite colors?
various shades of blue-green

46. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?
Sensitivity that runs too deep. I'm working on it...

47. Who do you miss the most?
My dad

48. Do you want everyone you sent this to send it back?
Of course :)

49. What color pants are you wearing?
Um, if this is American and you mean trousers, then black.
If this is British and you mean undies, then pink.

50. What are you listening to right now?
My mother has popped in a Santana CD...

51. Last thing you ate?
Blue Sapphire tea and dark chocolate digestive biscuits

52. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Rrrred

53. Last person you talked to on the phone?
Diva

54. What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Eyes, whole face, smile - all in a split second as you do

55. Favorite Drink?
English breakfast tea with milk and brown sugar

56. Do you wear contacts?
No, nor glasses

57. Favorite Day of the Year?
One day? Impossible. The month of April in Texas.

58. Scary Movies or Happy Endings?
Happy Endings :)

59. Hugs OR Kisses?
Hugs, since there is a dearth of kisses

60. What Is Your Favorite Dessert?
custard, apple sauce and almond paste pie (Mum's invention)

61. What Book(s) Are You Reading?
Next, by that genius Michael Crichton and my second reading of Vanity Fair by William Thackeray

62. What's On Your Mouse Pad?
Haven't got one, just a laptop touchpad

63. What Did You Watch Last night on TV?
I don't think I watched any. If I did, it was fuzzy/black and white and therefore not memorable.

64. Favorite Smells?
An egg frying in butter. SJP Lovely and Elizabeth Arden Green Tea. Jasmine, camellia, roses. Fresh baked bread. My bunny Lulu's cheek. The smoke from a match after you blow it out. A thunderstorm.

65. Rolling Stones or Beatles?
The Beatles all the way, baby

Now, if you have not done yourself in with boredom, I invite you to join in and let me know when I can come by and read it!

Give me

Muse again...

BLISS - Origin of Symmetry, 2001



Or Watch Here


Everything about you is how I wanna be

Your freedom comes naturally

Everything about you resonates happiness

Now I won't settle for less



Give me all the peace and joy in your mind



Everything about you pains my envying

Your soul can't hate anything

Everything about you is so easy to love

They're watching you from above



Give me all the peace and joy in your mind

I want the peace and joy in your mind

Give me the peace and joy in your mind



Everything about you resonates happiness

Now I won't settle for less



Give me all the peace and joy in your mind

I want the peace and joy in your mind

Give me the peace and joy in your mind

**********

Since hearing this song some weeks ago, I now have the whole collection and my list of favourites has grown longer. Thing I hate about being a girl is that when you share music with someone special, the memory of them lingers with the sound for too long after they are gone. You know?

**********

HYPER MUSIC - Origin of Symmetry, 2001





Or Watch Here



**********

SUNBURN - Showbiz, 1999





Or Watch Here

Language experience

My body is here. My mind and heart are elsewhere. It's a strange feeling. Have you felt it before?

**********

My japanese name is 長谷川 Hasegawa (long valley river) 久美子 Kumiko (eternal beautiful child).

Take your real japanese name generator! today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Name Generator Generator.

**********

I was on the phone with my mobile phone/broadband provider the other day, and the service rep was giving me a post code: S63 5ZX, or as he said: Sierra six three, five Zulu X-ray. I repeated, as you do: Ess six three, five Zee X.

He said, "Zee? Are you American?" In a teasing tone of voice, at which I burst into a peal of laughter because I had already caught my mistake!

I replied in the negative (though technically I am), but that I had lived there for a long time, so he said he'd let me off that time. :)

Honestly, though, I do still say "zee" in my head...

**********

I have a job interview at a picture library on Wednesday, and a two-week temp booking at a risk assessment firm next week.

Backpedaling?

This is something I will not be posting on the other blog...too many British readers. But I'll have to tell them sometime...

At my current level of determination, before another year is out, my blog may be renamed.
Here are a few possibilities:

Olivia's...

New York Nibbles
Washington Posts (no not really, I'd probably be sued)
Wilmington Wibblings
Baltimore Blabber
Asheville Articulations
Richmond Ramblings
or even
Houston Highlights

Recent events have re-inspired me to all that I wanted before I came back to the UK, only now I have a Master's degree and more work experience.
I have once again turned my eyes to the mid-Atlantic states, and maybe a bit of New England, followed by some other reasonable possibilities.
Not the midwest or the far northeast or the southwest. Can't stand bad snow and slush, or sand and bone-dry air, or being more than a few hours from coastline, for some reason.

After a 4-year hiatus, my resume is back up on the federal jobs networks...
Amongst other suggestions, I'm also trawling through a New York arts related job site sent to me last year by my friend Denise.

To my American readers: If you have any more suggestions, please feel free to advise!

****

Seeing as I've been so reminiscent lately, all the jobs I ever wanted to do since I can remember have returned unbidden to my mind. When I was really little, my mother says I was noncommittal. My first memory of wanting to be something was probably in 9th grade (age 15). So let's start there and work our way up:

--translator at the UN - I studied French from grade 8-12 and then some in university
--archaeologist
--palaeontologist - as above, love doing fiddly things
--dentist - fiddly things + people
--veterinarian - always rescuing animals
--doctor - attended the Young Explorers program at the local hospital but the prospect of not sleeping for 3 years of residency put me right off

By the end of high school I was even more intense, concentrating on the sciences and considering these things:

--joining the Navy, and the Nuclear Power Program tried really hard to recruit me. I had to beg my mother on this one, though. And I wished I had joined the ROTC when I'd had the chance, instead of sitting there envying them...

When I started college with a science concentration, I worked in the biotech lab and thought I was going to become a researcher in the Houston Advanced Research Center, or at one of the many biotech firms in The Woodlands' Research Forest. I remember when the Navy-funded lab there discovered how to grow skin grafts in a dish using only one sample so that burn victims could receive their own skin. That was exciting stuff back then.

Other things I considered:
--NIH or CDC epidemiologist or something at the armed forces institute
--attending the officer training academy after a degree

At university, I soon put aside biology studies in favour of psychology until in the middle of it I realised I didn't want to be a psychologist; nevertheless, here's that list:
--psychologist
--therapist
--counselor
--organisational psychologist
Then my dad got excited about me getting into military psy ops. It was the only thing he ever nearly told me to do.

Returning to type, here was the most interesting phase I reached during my last two years of university, and I actually applied:

--all of the government and military agencies and subsidiaries which are best left unnamed
--foreign affairs officer/specialist with the Dept of State
Suffice to say, I started an International Studies minor and on one application, got to the last stage of examinations and testing before training began, and they said I should try again!
--forensic pathologist (took a criminal justice class and researched grad programs, some with stipends)
--Oh, and I nearly got into one of the NASA programs but while they could accept me taking final exams during orientation, my going off to London for my cousin's first baby was one delay too many. They were right, and I wish I had cancelled.

After graduation, working with the Houston school district psych services, I remember looking at jobs in NYC for:
--editorial assistant
--publishing house graduate training programs
And then art history jumped up and slapped me in the face and I opted for a grad degree in it, which pleased my parents, and let me tell you, they never, ever tried to make me be anything, which is probably why my list of career possibilities is so long and frustrating.

You've got to wonder why I have so often tended towards "serving my country"...

And why it has been stirred up once more by someone I need not name (American Boy), someone who mirrors so much of what I wanted to be before I came here. Added to that, the other signs are rife! I have psyched myself up to this for a couple of years, and this summer finally tipped me over...

To my English friends this sudden about-face seems against my type (the type they know), but to me it is a return to origins. In the States, I had grown up to believe a woman can do anything. I just put it aside when I returned to London and I became the English girl again. By all appearances, I had returned to my roots.

But I have now reached the point where I don't care to impress myself or anyone else with how posh and cosmopolitan we are darling. Now I just want genuine people who take me as I am, no judging, who make me laugh from the inside out, who let me be myself. I want a good finger lickin' barbecue with friends, and the option of running off for the occasional sushi and symphony downtown. I want accomplishment without pretence, success without snobbiness.

Do you know what I mean?

I knew my 30th year would be a year of change. I had no idea how much. I've heard this happens to people as they age, though.

Now, how can I compromise? Being a social/cultural chameleon is soooo tiring...

50 Things

Not sure if I've done this before, but thank you Christopher for this diversion:

1. Is it cute when guys kiss you on your forehead?
Yeeeeees...*sigh* It feels sort of protective.

2. A big poofy dress or a short party dress?
A short classy party dress, seeing as I am not going to a 1980s prom anytime soon.

3. What would you do if you received a long love letter?
A letter? What is that? :P

4. Group dates or single dates?
I like both very much!

5. Do you hate it when guys act different around their friends?
I don't hate it, but it certainly is eye-opening and shows a different aspect of someone.

6. Are diamonds a girl's best friend?
They are my birth stone, but find them somewhat boring. I prefer opals.

7. Is your hair up or down?
As it is short, it is neither.

8. Do you straighten your hair?
No, I love my curls.

9. Whats your favorite girly magazine?
I don't really have one, but at the salon I like to skim through Vogue, and another one whose name escapes me.

10. What's your favorite mascara?
No.7 Natural Definition

11.do you get your nails done?
Sorry to say, I don't. They are healthy and flexible so cannot take polish of any kind. Sometimes I buff to a high shine - perfect substitute for flaky varnish.

12. Small or large purse?
Depends on the outing. Usually a medium, but I have an awesome big Calvin Klein bag in tobacco leather, perfect for overnighting, that seems to swallow things whole, and yet nothing gets lost. I regularly waste time rummaging in much smaller bags!

13. In your purse, what are your must haves?
Wallet, keys, travel card, pen, notebook, mints, Burts Bees tinted lip balm and Ted Baker lip gloss, mirror, handkerchief

14. Jeans or skirts?
More often jeans because it's raining, and it's not usually hot enough for skirts here. You could count on the fingers of both hands the number of times I have worn a skirt this year in London.

15. Do you wear clothes/shoes/jewelry that's uncomfortable?
No, I am like the princess and the pea. Can't stand discomfort. As I have weak ankles, stilettos are out, but classic or kitten heels are fine.

16. Do you text message a lot?
In the UK, it is the only way. People text so much, you have to make an appointment for a phone call, and for the first time in my life I feel guilty for calling someone out of the blue!

17. What would you do if you got pregnant?
I just wouldn't. OK, but if I did, I'd keep it.

18. What's your favorite color?
Shades of blue-green

19. Heels or flats?
Walking in London requires flats. I have a good selection of comfortable driving moccassins. I have worn heels out on a normal day and ended up stepping home like a cat in a puddle.

20. Did you ever cry during a romantic movie?
Nearly. Would have if I were alone.

21. Would you ever leave the house without make-up on?
No way.

22. Walmart or Target?
I love Target! I wish they would open a Target here just for me!

23. Do you wear collared shirts?
No, they overpower my little neck.

24. Do you like preppy boys?
If this is referring to their fashion sense, then yes.

25. Are you spoiled?
Probably, so I seem to have slipped somewhat, because I rarely got what I wanted when I was younger. Now, I buy myself something after every interview, as a treat. That's a bit spoilt if you ask me.

26. Do you think lip gloss is the best?
Yes, I have awful lips but Ted Baker lipgloss is the one that is best absorbed and lasts for hours, even half a day. I also like the menthol tingle it gives on first application.

27. Do you own any big sunglasses?
Not the chunky half-face ones out now. Mine are medium recent classic shapes.

28. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
For a day at work, about two hours unrushed - this includes breakfast of course.

29. Do you like to wear bandaids?
No, not even when I've cut myself, unless it's really bad.

30. Do you like skater boys?
No, not preppy enough, haha!

31. Do you often wish there was something you could change about yourself?
Yes, I'd give myself a more laid back personality.

32. Gold or silver?
Silver. I don't like the colour of gold, and it looks so cheap nowadays.

33. Do you like to receive flowers?
Yes, I don't get nearly enough.

34. Do you like surfer boys?
See answer to skater boys, although surfers may be the lesser of two evils.

35. Do you dress up for the holidays?
What, in a tiny Mrs Santa Claus dress? It's usually too cold for that around here.

36. Do you like to wear dresses?
I do when it's hot, but we've had no summer :(

37. On a scale of 1-10 how much do guys confuse you?
Oh dear, probably about 7.

38. In the last 48 Hours have you hung out with a guy?
Wrong week to ask me that. No. I might next week, though.

39. Do you wear lipstick?
No, only tint and gloss.

40. Would you date a guy shorter than you?
Goodness no.

41. What is the youngest you would date?
I don't know. I don't usually go for younger in any way, but I have been pursued by a 21 year old (no thanks), and American Boy is 27, which I didn't know when we met.

42. What is the oldest you would date?
I once met an interested 35 year old, but as I look so young, I doubt I'd go for anyone over that.

43. What do you notice when you first meet a guy?
Eyes, smile, voice, how they look at you, hands

44. Is it hot when guys sweat?
Well, they certainly don't sweat when it's cold, do they? :P
OK, OK. Depends what they are doing when they are sweating! ;)

45. What is the best possible feature in a boy?
I cannot decide.

46. Do you like making eye contact?
Yes, but a bit shyly.

47. Did you ever picture your wedding dress and wedding?
Did I? Maybe a long time ago...

48. Do you worry about your boobs?
You mean, the ones that aren't there?

49. Would you kill for chocolate?
What sort of a stupid question is that. Of course I would....n't.

50. Did you ever spend all day/night getting pretty for a guy?
ALL day? What can possibly need doing that takes that long? So no!

51. On a scale from 1-10 how fun is shopping?
Ah, it was a 7 or 8 until I moved and had to furnish a house, and now I am totally off it for the foreseeable future.

52. Do you freak out if you miss your favorite shows?
I am slightly disappointed but I learn to let go. I miss Lost, but may catch it on reruns or something.

53. Do you yell a lot?
I am very soft-spoken, but have been known to be snappy, specially these past few weeks.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Hello dear readers,

Still feeling a bit down. Fed up of being fed up, etc. Still need to cry out the past month's stress and disappointment, but still oddly detached from it all.

Had an informal chat with my new consultant at one of my best agencies this morning. Bright and early at 9am. It took me nearly an hour and a half to get to Sloane Square from Harrow on the Hill. I spent so long in the train I felt a bit sick...that's a new one. I now dread daily commutes from here. Every creak and lurch of that damn Metropolitan line, and the way it lurks and hides in dark tunnels, and stops in the middle of nowhere for minutes on end...ugh.

So, 75 minutes en route for a 15 minute conversation, which fortunately looks like it will bear fruit, as she had some good permanent positions in mind. Plus after lunch, another called to reserve me for a company that asked for me specifically. Took a bit of reminding, but I remember who they are! How flattering. It's the insurance company where I was handing them back the completed work five minutes before they gave it to me.

So I had two hours to kill before my last lunch with American Boy. I walked slooooowly up Sloane Street, up Knightsbridge to Hyde Park Corner, then along Park Lane, shunning the memory of walking with him there on a couple of warm June evenings; from there down a side street, I was following my nose and ended up, ironically, on Grosvenor Square (America haunts me!). So, I decided to park myself on a bench and rest for a while, respond to some texts from friends, enjoy the sunshine, and watch people. Never tire of watching people; it is good therapy. After a while I popped into Selfridges for the loo, went to L'Occitane en Provence for a sniff of lavender to steady my nerves, and then met him for a quiet lunch.

Gosh, did I mention I miss his voice and that lovely accent already? And the way he says "lovely"? And how he is the perfect height and walks at just the right speed for me?

He is going to be a tough habit to break. I never said that about the others because they were not so intense, and frankly bear no comparison. In fact, the bar has been raised, which is something I thought impossible - having dated a posh, polished near-aristocrat and then having that knocked way out of place by a manly and cultured Southerner. Ha! Take that, English public schoolboys! Captain America was just what I needed [to put some hair on my chest, as he would say] and as I said before, he never judged me for being myself.

Obviously, I am not as sad as I was when I posted last Friday. Thank you all for your encouragement, by the way. Sure I will have my moments, but I think I will recover quicker [or more quickly ;) ] this time than I did 3 years ago. My old Texanisms may never go away now, hm? Oh, I've got the public schoolgirl accent for that Christies crowd anytime, but there is always a little unidentifiable twang that people can't quite figure out, developed when I was 12 and trying hard to lose my proper English accent.

As I said, America haunts me now. Everywhere I turn, she is there. I was going to launch into a diatribe about my building reasons for wanting to go back, but I won't offend you Brits or upset my local friends who read this blog. "You Brits", hehe, I have often noticed that I can disown both sides at will. Ah, but most of you know which side I stand up for every time...always have...

Instead, but still not so far off topic *rolls eyes* I want to share with you my most spectacular Freudian Slip to date, from Moody Minstrel's post about driving into the mountains of Japan for a musical weekend:

Pandabonium said...

Moody said, "forsake riding the bus in favor of driving up myself in my BLUE RAV4"

You can take the American out of the US, but you can't take the US out of some Americans. ;^)

Enjoy the music camp.

7:36 PM

Olivia said...

LOL @ Pandabonium

You can also take the English girl out of America but you can't take the American out of the English girl!

9:11 AM

...Followed immediately by my embarrassed retraction. But then I was rather proud of its greatness and decided not to delete it. :)

There, see? Light at the end of the tunnel. Pretty soon I'll be having you all engaged in witty banter once more.

The One I Will Remember

I suppose it's time for a new post. I can't wait until the day when I can share good news with you again, like how fantastic everything was in June, remember? *sigh*

I woke up this morning and said to my mother, "When will anything ever go right again?"

***

Have reached the end with American Boy. He is being sent away next week, and that is all I can say.

I am very sad as he was the best guy I ever dated, the only one to make me feel comfortable just being myself. The most attentive, the most affectionate, the cheekiest. And sooo cute. I will miss a lot about him, like his voice and that irresistible accent. He was the perfect height for me, and ever so fit, and ever so hottt.

We traversed so much of London together that it will take a long time before I can even look at most of the city without feeling shite. That always happens to me when a relationship ends, but this time it will be worse. Plus, listening to Muse already makes me blue because I introduced him to them.

Oh dear :'(

Am I glad I met him for the intense happiness, or sorry for the brevity of it? Both. I knew it would be shorter than I would have liked, but when you embark on something good, the end always looks further away than it really is. No, it wasn't perfect, but it was the best so far, and I have nothing bad to say.

***

I remember when I was badly dumped a couple of years ago by someone I had dated for a few months. I wrote something like, "Today I lost a lovely guy and cried a river."

I have bottled up so much stress over the past month - my gran, the move, the disasters, the expense, the growing pains, and now this...I can feel that the tears are near the surface, but they won't come so easily this time...and they need to, very much.

***

Yesterday as I was sitting in my room after my shower, feeling very sorry for myself, the phone rang. It was out of the blue, a fellow Brit I had met at university in Houston. We both returned to the UK around the same time, but she went on to Tanzania this year where she is working in banking, and is so much happier than she was here (of course). She said she has a knack for calling her friends when they need her, and indeed she made my day with her effusion of warmth and encouragement. She said she had encountered a girl at work with my voice and accent and she thought, "Gosh, I must call Livvy."

***

Let's see, there are things to look forward to, though I still feel sad as I type them:

-- a BBQ with my nutty friends, let's hope it's warmer out than the last one
--a trip to the seaside with the same friends before the end of summer, again hoping for good weather
-- also my fave fish n chips in Richmond with them, though huge sinking feeling as I consider that because it was my first whole day out with American Boy
-- the Aussie housemoving party at the end of the month, though why they don't wait for a housewarming one is beyond me
-- visiting friends of my father after they move into our old house, and getting some of the antiques which they have kept in storage for us since we first left the UK (!)
-- going to a dinner put on by my old schoolmate who lives round here
-- catching up with my housemates in St John's Wood
-- my goddaughter's christening in Toronto and seeing Denise in NYC
-- and whatever things happen in between

Grumping and stuff

I have just experienced the worst month in over two years, immediately after the best month in over two years, so not a nice change at all.

NOTHING, NOTHing, nothing, has gone right since the move.

1) I hate anywhere that is not St John's Wood/Finchley Road, and to rub salt in the wound, I am just off a St John's Road and see the sign every time I look off the balcony. Maybe next I should be taking St John's Wort to improve my mood....

2) This is where ALL the obnoxious teenagers in Greater London live.

3) My mother and I are not as close as we once were and have had to find neutral ground in order for me to stop biting her head off every time she says anything. We're settling now. It's been 5 years since we lived together.

4) ...going a bit pear-shaped with American Boy, who overreacted to my overreaction one day last week...I should not have done what I did, and he should not have taken it that badly. Why do guys always take things the wrong way when they are sick? And then he got sick again on the weekend due to working too hard to make up for the original sick days...And now he's just moved apartment too.

5) Indeed I have been under an immense amount of long-term medium- and low-level stress and pretty much snapped last week.

6) I would like to try therapy now, please.

7a) The chest of drawers was delivered with two left sides and IKEA now has to exchange and pickup. Also waiting an indeterminate time for the corner cabinet to be delivered, as well as the doors to the bookcase.
7b) We paid £16 for a taxi to IKEA and £20 for a taxi home, and are not going back in a hurry.

8) The broadband is still not up as you know, so are they waiting until the end of day 15 to do it?
9) Dialup sucks bigtime, and pay as you go is worse, but I am fed up of being offline and am spending a fortune, but I don't care anymore.

10) The shiny new Samsung TV has a faulty digital tuner and we can't get Freeview, and the 5 terrestrial channels, if we even have that many, are of poor quality and boring. John Lewis also has to do a drop-off and pickup exchange.

The things that have gone well so far:

1a) The assembly guys got all the rest of the furniture assembled, but it took 7 hours and I was so fed up of the hammering and drilling, and people in the house that I felt sick when they left.
1b) My mother was wonderful and put all my clothes away for me in one day.

2) I sent out about 5 or 6 job applications this weekend, got one response. Have an interview Wednesday afternoon for an editorial assistant position, coincidentally at the same place Panda-Eyed works! But different division, she's in science, I'd be in arts.

3) Mum said we might try to move back down to the SJW/Finchley Road area at the end of this contract, since I am a miserable, miserable sod up here in Harrow. I miss the Jubilee line and hate the Metropolitan. It is NEVER 16 minutes to Baker Street, the lying toads.
So she said we can keep an eye out on property listings. (I for one will be sneaking in looks at job listings in the US, too, but don't tell anyone...)

4) My shiny laptop recovered itself, fortunately. I made DVD backups as soon as all was stable once more. Blue screen of death on my new laptop? No way! I also made first use of my LightScribe writer to label them. One small label took 16 minutes, though.
The BSD occurred every time I plugged in my WinTV with Freeview dongle, darnit, just when I thought I'd found a solution to the dearth of things to watch on fuzzy terrestrial. So I suppose I need a new graphics driver or something...that's what the blue screen said...

Yes, this is Olivia, not just depressed, but somewhat in pieces. God I need a holiday, a hug, a therapist, a million dollars, you name it...

Got caught up with email this weekend on

Got caught up with email this weekend on a dialup connection. Last night I dismantled my dead old laptop. But today, just what I needed ... my new one keeps rebooting with a blue screen, so I had to take a photo of it in order to read it. Am doing a scan but may take it to the tech place nearby. *sigh*

The view from the new place. Sorry so ab

The view from the new place. Sorry so absent. Internet still not up, TV not here yet either :-( doing this from my phone. Am hemorrhaging money setting up a new home. Ugh. Be back soon.

dadgummit

DAMMIT DAMMIT DAMMIT

Everyone else wants to celebrate the 4th of July and they (I know who) dump main [I'm not telling what] duty on American Boy as calls still come in from [somewhere they don't celebrate the 4th] - so no do-dah at the American Amb.'s residence tonight. Yes, that was the upcoming event I withheld last week. Poo. He is not happy with his boss (whom I met at the marines party *ahem* - suffice it to say that when I misbehave Am Boy threatens to give him my number, hehe! (Gosh, I wonder if he knows we are an item and is doing this on purpose...)) and he is very pee'd off about this evening. He's been doing the work of 3 people for the past couple of weeks, plus someone keeps putting him on duty roster on weekends (haha, let's guess who), plus the recent "situations" in London...hence not much going out and more staying in, and now this.

(Man, being cryptic is a new thing for me.)

Whilst walking to the Emb., he made a long apologetic phone call about his recent preoccupation and long hours, and wants to make it up to me over the next couple of weeks after colleagues, plus his secretary, return from vacation and things settle back down. He sounded a lot more like himself again and looked forward to the things we will do and places we will go. I too apologised for any recent inconsistencies. Both of us are under quite a bit of stress.

Like I said...the joys of serving one's country.

(I know, I snuck a blog in after I said I wouldn't!)

Small Hiatus

Well, the time is finally upon us - I am moving in a couple of days, so I may drop off the radar for a little while, until I get the new place set up.

I am finding the upheaval very stressful, so wish me well!

Tag Tag

I was tagged twice last week. Sorry I forgot until a few days ago, and it's taken 3 attempts to finish it!

Floatykatja tagged me this:

Tagged

‘The rules are simple. There are 9 questions (3², each of which has 3 answers, to give a total of 27, or 3³. The whole point is that the questions are somewhere between eclectic, banal and downright bizarre, so that you can answer completely truthfully without actually giving much away. Just put down the first three answers that come to mind if you can’t work out the “most appropriate” three.’

Objects Within One Metre Of You

1. My mobile, that extension of oneself that we never do without nowadays.

2. A mug of genmaicha (Japanese green tea with roasted rice).

3. A pile of Brazilian artist applications.

First Names of People You Sat Next To At School

1. Lydia

2. Angela

3. Haruko

TV Programmes You Won’t Watch

1. Big Brother

2. Big Brother's Little Brother

3. Big Brother's Big Mouth - and any other reality show that has escaped my notice.

Favourite Trivial Pursuit Categories

1. Art & Literature

2. Science and Nature

3. History

Superpowers You’d Like To Have

1. Flight

2. Telekinesis

3. Invisibility

Newspapers, Magazines or Periodicals Read Regularly

1. I don't

2. read them

3. any more

Songs You Dislike (...oh so many....)

1. Not off

2. the top

3. of my head

Blog Posts of Your Own That You’d Recommend.

1. 10 Billion Tonnes

2. Odd One Out Among the Kandinskys

3. Mission Statements

People you'd like to tag.

1. anyone

2. who wants

3. to join in

Lotus and someone else (sorry I have lost track) tagged me with the earliest memory/5 memories...

I have very few early memories, and I think there is a blur between growing up seeing photos and what I would have remembered without them.

Let's just say it was when my Dad's friend Giles came around and sat outside my little Wendy House drinking tea out of a tiny teacup whilst I hosted him from inside with my tiny teapot, pouring refills through the window.

The Keys to the Kingdom

But before I start, do you remember my Food Tag? I have been quoted on the restaurant's website!

Cumin Indian Restaurant

**********

And now on to yesterday's excitement. After work I went to see American Boy; I was already dressed for the evening out, but he had to get all prettied up. You know how Americans like to go smart casual in khaki pants, navy blue blazer, nice tie (yellow), loafers. OK first off, he's 27, but when we met him G and I thought he was in his early 30s because on his best behaviour he acts that way. When smart, he's a Ralph Lauren/Brooks Bros/Jermyn Street kinda guy, but proper dress down is the college uniform of frayed jeans, t-shirt or polo shirt and baseball cap with matching boyish humour. Like two totally different people looking about 10 years apart and two vastly different personalities.

By the way, a lady at House of Fraser yesterday thought I was 18 or 19. And you all know I am not. I can have this conversation with people every day, for some reason.

[Now it is YOUR turn to tell me about your dual personalities...I dare you!]

You may have noticed that the day was gloomy but it did not rain - well, the moment we stood on the kerb/curb to hail a taxi, the rain came down in sheets, and an empty taxi did not appear for at least 10 minutes. We had a big umbrella but were still damp and crinkled when we finally got into one. And then the driver would NOT shut up, he went on and on about things I need not afflict you with. R played along with a few comments which only fuelled the fire, and then after we got out he said, "Good lord, that driver would not shut the **** up."

It had taken ages to get to the Tower via the traffic diversions, and then we only had about 45 minutes to eat. We chose an old establishment that claimed to serve steaks but did not, and to top it all off it was the sort of bland English food that I thought no longer existed. Cold ham with piccalilli, grilled sea bass with nooo seasoning whatsoever...it was quiet, wood-panelled, dreary and with the rain, quite depressing, and the other people in there were American which actually ticked off R quite a bit, as we were forced to overhear the girl at the other table tell silly stories about giant cockroaches from Texas. Not that there aren't any, but we did not appreciate hearing about them whilst eating, ugh...And then there was the older lady who came in and nasally announced that she just haad to orderrr fish and chips.

As quick as we could we hot-footed it to the Tower. How can I stop R from carrying the umbrella even when we are not using it? He wields it rather too well and I have to be quick or he'll hook me with it. We got to the gate where W (from last Friday's double date, remember) and the Yeoman warder were waiting to let us in, and then we met W's relatives on holiday here from Virginia. W's wife O had dropped out, being too tired from all the walking around they did in the day. As soon as we got in the Yeoman put all his arms around me and teased me, and R said he could have me, and I made as though to punch R, and the Yeoman predicted a little domestic at the Tower tonight.

We went to the Yeoman's club on the grounds, where I guess the Tower's residents meet to socialise. It is full of memorabilia and plaques from all the official visitors such as police departments and clubs and the like worldwide. We joined about 15 other people on the same special tour. We had a sit down and some drinks while we waited for the Yeoman of the Guards to take us out. We remained a little apart from the hoi polloi, the general public there for the same spectacle, and our group of 7 received a special welcome for some reason.

It was hard to see, but W's aunt placed me and her daughter near the front. R stood on the short wall over the water at Traitor's Gate and was motioning me over to join him, but I am not sure I wanted to stand there, though later he said he would have prevented me from falling in. Yeah right.

I am faffing about because I can't quite tell you what happened. Let's see. It was getting dark; the rain had ceased. A cadre of Royal Marines came marching in to challenge the Chief Yeoman Warder bearing the keys. Once they had shoutily established in a longish back and forth that he was indeed a friend not a foe and that they were the keys of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the marines escorted him to the outer gate which he locked, then the inner gate, also locked, then we followed them all to the steps where they did a bit of marching about, a bugle call sort of like taps, and then they marched off. And we returned to the club for a last drink and chat.

W's relatives were tired as it was now nearly 10.30 pm, but the Yeoman once again took to attacking me, this time in an attempt at strangulation. R took a photo though we were on better behaviour then. Whilst I was talking to W's cousin, I overheard my name and asked what was going on, and R said "Nothing, just stand there and look pretty" but in the meantime I was being reserved for another double outing this weekend, and a few minutes later I overheard W ask, "Is she going?" and R looked over at me and said, "Yes, she is." I said, "To what?" Apparently, a July 4th do at a place that will be a story in itself so you will just have to come back and find out.

Wild Child

Thursday, though he didn't get off work as early as he'd hoped, American Boy did still take me to dinner in Chinatown. He did not like sending me home past midnight in the bus, and always pays the taxi fare.

So there I was yesterday thinking we'd meet at around 7 for dinner on Friday. However, mid afternoon he called to ask if I'd be ok getting off work at 5 or 5.30. I was fine with that. At 4.30 I got a text saying to meet him now! So, at 4.35, I walked out of the office - that was clever, giving me a double fare yesterday in anticipation of today. He was already at the restaurant - Tuttons, where we had been last week at the opera. When I asked how he had managed to get out of the office so early, he said he'd "just up and left". We sat at the bar with drinks and olives until our 5.30 table reservation came up with a nice view over the square. He doesn't really like olives and fed them to me, so when I said he should have mentioned that when the barman gave me a choice of munchies, he said it was alright because if I'm happy he's happy. How cute is that?

When we got our table, he ordered wine and a plat de charcuterie; I guess his German side rules there. W & his wife O were nearly an hour late, so I was already nicely mellow by then. R said they were lovely, and they were; very sweet, slightly shy, with an air of innocence (though R says W has a raunchy sense of humour - well, don't all military boys when they are together?); a nice couple. I had ricotta and sweet potato tortellini, R had rare tuna steak, O had grilled sea bass, and W had pork loin. They enjoyed the food and O filled out a comments card. When it came to dessert, only we girls ordered, which is the wrong way round, isn't it? I had a brownie with ice cream and she had a sticky toffee pudding and licked the plate clean, whereas I, having had a head start on the eating with the charcuterie plate, halted halfway through and remained full for hours afterwards.

Covent Garden was unusually dead for a Friday night, and that was definitely not because a few thousand people had gone off to Glastonbury...and surely not because there was a bit of rain. Where were the tourists? We were at a loss as to what to do - W was sure he would fall asleep if he sat down at a show or the cinema, so we stopped in a very pretty pub with high ceilings and amazing plaster friezes along the ceilings. O and I sat on a very high, slippery banquette and the only thing keeping us on it was the fact that we were leaning on the table. At first when we sat, a group of 3 guys oohed and aahed at us until W and R came back with their beers.

As we walked up the road with the boys holding the umbrellas, I backchatted R, and we got into a scuffle in which he lifted me up and I whacked him with my jacket. O and W, walking behind, threatened to report domestic violence. :)

Then we parted ways and R took me to a casino, the wicked boy. A nice one with no tourists, and a jazz singer. It was the first time I've ever used my Texas drivers license as ID in this country. What would I have used otherwise???

Anyway, we ordered G&Ts and found a blackjack table for about an hour and won a bit. When W called to say that Glastonbury was live on TV, R actually made me answer the phone which discombobulated both W and me for a couple of seconds! I rarely answer other people's phones. I was somewhat out of it for about an hour or so also, because I really had eaten too much and was unpleasantly stuffed and slightly queasy.

After blackjack we moved to poker. I have played blackjack before in the past at a spring formal but with no money: we were given an allotted number of free chips and I won an imaginary $40,000. By the time we got to the poker table, I was coming back to myself, but have never been able to grasp the concept of poker. So R tried to teach me with utmost patience because although I began to get it after a while, sort of, I think I am a hopeless case. He was impressed that I kept us going for a couple of hours though. It's nice winning on someone else's money. He cashed in the chips and gave me a cut, and forced me to admit that I found it "vaguely interesting" because he noticed the point at which I got this look of concentration on my face...

Good lord have mercy, the boy is just a bundle of mischief and really keeps me on my rusty old toes. And he wants to know why he gets so many dark looks shot his way?!

So anyway, I have won £50. What should I do with it???

P.S. I have a headache.

Idle chatter

One week left at this job. I did a handover briefing yesterday. Now working on archiving stuff. Nevertheless I was so bored today, I felt queasy. Has that ever happened to you?

Oh, and bad news. I didn't get the coin department job. Ugh.

I have said "ugh" a lot today. This job is turning me into a neo-troglodyte.

The weekend will be great, though. I am going off to see the old gang in Reading. We haven't seen each other in months, since Diva was very (and is still quite) ill with her pregnancy and the M.E. But she will put a brave face on and do the BBQ she has been looking forward to for so many weeks.

American Boy worked very late a couple of days this week and to make up for it wanted to get us both out of the office as early as 3pm today so we could paint the town red; is currently trying, but has not succeeded so far. The demands of serving one's country...

Though tomorrow, there is a double date with his friend and wife, planned since last week.

Oh look, something popped into my Inbox...some more artists applications. That will kill some time. Must be off.

Two Works

Antony Gormley's Angel of the North, 1994 - on a hill overlooking Gateshead, Tyneside, UK




Arturo Ballester, Loor a los heroes, Confederacion Nacional del Trabajo poster response to the 1936 Spanish Revolution.


What do you think? Discuss.

Donnnn Giovaaaaaaannniiiiii

By the way, 12 June was the day we emigrated to the US 18 years ago. It's funny that my parents never remember. I always have to remind them.

***

So OK, I have not been blogging. No time!

On Wednesday, Capt America picked me up at work early and we reached Covent Garden in time to snag seats on a restaurant terrace with good views of the big screen. The Royal Opera House was putting on a live screening of its production of Mozart's Don Giovanni (it is CA's fave opera, and one of my preferred because I love Mozart).

Tell you what, don't ever eat smoked salmon with just lemon and black pepper again. He made a champion choice ordering a starter: to the above, add finely chopped red onion, capers, and rocket (arugula) leaves. Very yum.

A bottle of fruity chablis followed by two floral-berry rose wines kept us from being kicked out on the two hour time limit. We stayed for 5 hours and ate steak and duck breast, a brownie with ice cream, and hot chocolate.

How was the performance? I liked watching it outdoors, as I could hum along whereas in the stuffy confines of the opera house, silence is the order for the audience! The bit where Don Giovanni is consigned to hell is still my favourite part. I love the minor key, I really do.

During the last hour it started to rain and I had the umbrella gallantly held above my head. By the end though, the weather was right back to normal and as we are really good walkers, we marched from Covent Garden to Marble Arch. It is too easy.

Des Mots

Hier, c'est l'histoire
Demain, c'est le mystere
Aujourd'hui, c'est un cadeau

Yesterday is history
Tomorrow is a mystery
Today is a gift

(I need to practise my Frensh.)

I couldn't think of anything else to blog about! I am going to have to write an educational one soon. I had a compare/contrast blog planned for months but looked for the second image tonight and can't find it. Must be on my old laptop.

Oh, the other day on the way to work I saw a woman in a delivery van and just before she pulled away, I watched her perch a young magpie on her shoulder. Imagine, a hand-reared magpie.

Tightened Policy

Now on a need to know basis... :P

So. On Friday evening we went for a drink, got lost, had another drink, got lost again, had dinner, and another drink, and walked across half of London (I love how interconnected this city is) on the way home. Drink is such a silly word when you say it too often. But I have learned that a G&T is best if made with Bombay Sapphire and 3 pieces of lime, and that the London bar staff need special instructions on this...

Saturday it was a trip to Richmond for fish n chips. We walked a couple of miles along the river, chilled in the park, went to a biergarten and had a nice meat and cheese platter, travelled back into town, got lost, and then saw Ocean's 13 which was very retro-modern, sophisticated, and surprisingly funny in parts.

1) Getting lost can be fun if it's with someone you like.
2) Taxis are helpful for becoming rapidly unlost, though.
3) Especially if you've both left your maps at home.
4) Being picked up and dropped off at my door is the way it should be done. It is a particularly American habit that would never catch on here for reasons I don't need to specify.

Sunday...take a guess? He came by for lunch and ice cream at a French cafe in my neighbourhood before reluctantly going to a work function nearby, and then texting from there to say it was boring and that he'd MUCH rather be spending time with me. That was such a lovely thing to say.

Much packing I got done this weekend! And my Americanisms are coming back. I ought to try some of 'em out on y'all sometime. ;)

Small updates

Just thought I'd slap together a blog before I leave the office, as when I go home I will be shredding shredding shredding, and filling black bin bags with rubbish/clothes to give away, and filling suitcases with things. I aim to have all things tucked away by the 13th because that is when a prospective new "guest" will come to look at my room and I want it looking its best so that she will want to move in and not run away waving her arms in the air :)

***

And to think, when I started this post I had no idea what to write.

***

Ooh, if you haven't been following the saga from the previous post, I will be texting somebody my number tonight. I have never chased anyone's number before, so...I don't know where that burst of proactivity came from.
Fingers crossed, ok?

***

I enjoyed a wonderful Japanese lunch again, of wakame salad, takoyaki, and shrimp tempura maki sushi. They were happy to see me again. Next time I will try a different combination. Keep up, people, I have blogged about this place before...

***

After lunch, I stopped in the discount bookshop and bought 4 heavy books. PLEASE make me stop buying books. Since working in this area I must have bought at least 15...my mother will kill me if we haven't enough space. You see, we might ask Dad to ship out the other half of my library...oh the horror, the horror...

***

Tomorrow I am going to a big dinner event at Taratai, one of those Pan Asian restaurants that was opened amidst fanfare with big names in attendance. Apparently their motif is the lotus and the menu is taken from destinations along the old Silk Trail. How romantic. I suppose I will be blogging about that next.

American Escapade

I have met so many people over the past month that the conversations are getting muddled in my head - who lived/travelled/worked where, favourite towns/foods/music, studies, stories, siblings...whew!

So anyway, Friday night housemate G and I went to the Embassy party at the Marines House and I had a wonderful time (although she is English she worked there last year). I had not been there since we applied for emigration. Somebody paid our entrance cover, which gets you a Marines stamp on your hand for the bar. I had forgotten how interesting international Americans are. I felt like...I was..."back home" BUT also that I was at all the college parties I had never been to (our university was Catholic and had no Greek system). The only difference here being that everyone was well-behaved and no one was noticeably drunk despite the drinks being free, and it was all over by 1am. No one even paid attention to the "last call"!

The bartenders were Marines and looked like grown up frat boys, but they were considerate in that they did not put too much alcohol into my drinks, they said so :) Hehe, Malibu and coke...which brings me to my next point - the loos, as I had to go quite often :)
You may laugh, but I couldn't help but notice that, after a while the M and F toilets were soon in use by both sexes, but what amazed me was that everyone without fail closed the toilet lid before leaving. I began to wonder if that had become part of basic training or something.

G and her ex-colleague J introduced me to a guy called R, highly attractive in a preppy ex-Army sort of way. (I've never met an American who served in Iraq before.) Also, I did not know I could have anything in common with a boy from Tennessee but I found that I do! Catholic uni education, Italy, art, psychology, intelligent conversation. I have to take notice of someone who compliments me for using the word "dichotomy". It's funny how when you're at a buzzing party, what people say just falls out of your head later on. He hadn't explored "downtown London" yet and mentioned that he wanted to go to the Tate Modern. Said something about the Marine formal ball, and embassy cars being fun! Argh!

All I know is, I wish I had given him my number when I thought of it. I keep learning, when you think of something, never hesitate or you will miss out. (G wouldn't stop asking me if I liked R, and observing how straight down the line he seems. Yes.)

I had also forgotten that well-educated southern boys were brought up to be such gentlemen. I would not know most of this because in Texas I was only ever friends with them. But a day after I told G, "He was like the grown up version of all the boys I knew at university" I slapped myself because I realised that they were all very lovely boys! Some of you may remember how excited I was about the Aussies. Well, now I am all excited about Americans. Ha, as if I didn't spend enough time over there. So to be finally treated like a woman worthy of notice by one....I was absolutely impressed.

After the party, the four of us went back to J's flat - gosh, the embassy puts its people into some lush properties - in our neighbourhood there are lots of Americans because of the American school, so you can imagine how nice it is. This place was impeccably decorated, with original artworks and sculptures. Couldn't see too much as it was dark and I only found the bathroom light switch after I left, hehe! But even in the bathroom there was a ship in a bottle on the window sill. All so picturesque.

We collapsed on the comfy sofas and fell asleep watching Seinfeld on DVD (I hadn't remembered it was SO funny, I thought I was going to turn inside out). R was out like a light as he'd been up since 5am the day before. G and I snuck out at 2am and walked the few minutes back to our house. :))

Next day my mother (yes I tell her all the gossip) in short, said, "Why didn't you do all that when you were at university?!?!?"

Silly exchange

This sort of exchange irritates and frustrates me. The essence of it trickles down into every facet of the organisation. Despite the early rant, I am in a good mood today :))

(Boss - 5pm Wednesday)
Hi there, just checking if IT responded to the email you sent? I know A**** is away until next week and really don't want to leave it switched on until then! So if you could make sure someone has a look at it that would be great...

(Me - a few minutes later)
Hi
I asked, they logged it, I asked again, and then they called, but they haven't been up yet...
I will ask again tomorrow though.

(Boss - 8.38pm Wednesday night)
Thanks, if you could pursue that would be helpful

(Boss - 8.39pm Wednesday night)
sorry, just thought that it would probably be worth having a look at it in the morning before getting in touch with them again in case its turned itself off! (though they might still need to check it anyway I guess).

[Turns out it was a general network problem and everyone else had the same issue.]

***
Now why is it a gay guy can shower me with compliments an hour after meeting me the way no straight man ever has? (I was at a going-home party for a gay Aussie friend of mine.) If he were straight I would think he wanted to marry me right there. Should have seen his face when I said I was single. Scandalised, it was. Said the men were blind. :) He is Spanish. He said, "Go to Spain, they will loooove you there."

We texted today, he said he would love to get to know me better - keeps saying I have a lovely soul (so does he) - so we may meet up again soon for a drink or a meal.

***

My lunch today was wonderful. Have you ever eaten food that made you feel like you had been blessed? There is a tiny Japanese sushi bar nearby on a modest market street full of cafes and sandwich bars and the like. You would totally miss it if you didn't spot the menu just inside the doorway because the restaurant itself is downstairs. The staff are adorable in their Japanese way, always smiling and sweet.

The last time I was there, I had been feeling down but after my miso soup, mixed sushi (maki and nigiri) platter, and a delicate hot sweet mochi (daifuku), my tum was happyyyyyy. And so was I.

Today I was already pretty chipper, owing to my growing collection of good experiences, which is why after I ate there I felt not merely happy but blessed.
I ate the yummiest wakame salad ever, a plate of warm octopus doughballs (takoyaki), and a plate of tasty softshell crab maki (rolled) sushi. The flavours are all so distinct, the ingredients so fresh and perfect. I am never going to a chain sushi restaurant again!

The wakame salad, with seaweed, cucumber and beansprouts was in the most sublime dressing, just the right sweet and tart because the vinegar was balanced by sprinkled sesame and sesame puree (yum!) which lent a fine toasty-nutty flavour to the mix. I wanted to drink it afterwards.

The takoyaki, well, you have to like octopus because it is a warm ball of fried seasoned loose dough and there is a piece of octopus in the centre. The next to last ball contained a nice row of tentacles. These balls are sprinkled with takoyaki sauce and shredded bonito (smoky flying fish flakes). Very comfy food that and I am amazed I managed all 6.

Finally, my 4 softshell crab maki sushi were most delicious, with the texture and flavour making a harmonious blend. I love the way the fish roe rolled on the outside pops in the mouth.

I was too full for mochi :(

**********

And tonight, I am off to a BBQ at the US Embassy, yep yep!