The odd Saturday Post

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

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

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

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

We shall see.

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

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

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

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

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

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

I really didn't mean to talk about this.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Ta-ta for now.