The Lucky Country

Which is what, for no readily discernible reason, I shall call Australia.

Yes, I back at home, and have discovered that I do not enjoy extreme heat as much as I thought I did in the middle of a British winer, and that you can indeed go home although things tend to be different. Which raises of course the immortal question: have they changed or have I?

I have been back for nearly two months and am: weeks away from getting my licence (!!!), halfway through my course that will see me admitted to the practice of law, working as a waitress again (see? you really can't run from your fate) and settling in to my old life again quite nicely, although I am already planning another escape.

Yes, I feel my time back here in Perth will be short lived. Much as it's nice to hang out with my parents and friends, I think once the course is done I may move back to the UK. Perhaps not the most intellectual move, seeing as there as few jobs there and I just spent a load of money moving myself and all my belongings back around the globe but there it is. What can I say? I'm home sick :)

Moving countries is a Big Internationally Themed Challenge Honestly

You can't swear on the internet after all. At least, no one with class does.

Yep, moving countries is a Big Internationally Themed Challenge Honestly. You have to ship your things, clean up everything, help the other person move into your flat, carry things, put things down, talk to your bank more often than you want to, anticipate the awful flight, and so on. It's a nightmare. I already did this once last year, and doing it again sucks. Plus it's depressing thinking that as soon as I get home, I have to move again (probably) in like four or five months. Argh! It's barely even worth unpacking!

As my time in London draws to a close, I keep thinking I don't have enough time to do all the things I want to do. Go to museums, take a train to Bath or Brighton, see all my friends. I don't have time!! And the weather is rainy and gross. Can't wait to get home, where there will be no pressure to do anything at all, but sit in the sunshine, and BASK. BASK I say.

The end of an era (albeit a short one)

Well it has been a long time since I blogged. So this one will be quite long, unless I run out of steam half way through, which is highly likely. Most of August was occupied with my dissertation. Writing it, reading it, editing it, hating it, throwing myself about the room screaming "why am I so stupid?", watching Gilmore Girls on TV (hey, Rory studies a lot. It's inspirational). But in the end, I got it finished, and one cold wet day late in August I handed it in. It was weird handing it in. The realisation that I would never again be hanging out in Bentham House, wouldn't go to the main library, no more coffee in the Print Room cafe. Part of me wanted to grab it back from the woman at the graduate office and beg for the year to start again. Another year of tears, learning, growing, experiencing new things, winning, losing, loving and hating. I wasn't a student anymore, and I wouldn't be again (until PhD, I guess). Never again would life have such distinct requirements, and all things be measured in how well you do in an exam. It was sad I tell you.

Now I am waiting anxiously for my grades... eek. I was happy with my final product, but you never know.

Nothing else huge happened in August. Judith had left for Germany, my sister was back in Australia, and most of my other friends were anxiously doing what I was. Fun.

Once the dissertation was in, a whole new kind of worry set in. WHAT THE HELL DO I DO WITH MY LIFE NOW? The obvious answer was to take a holiday, so I packed my bag and took a train to Paris and met up with Judith. I then asked her to make my life decisions, while I spent four days sitting in the sun, eating ice cream, drinking red wine and the like.

Things that happened in Paris:
1) an American couple told Judith and I we shouldn't split a bottle of wine over dinner. Er, thanks for the input, now can we go back to our pizza, bottle of water and ILLICIT EVIL DRINKING?
2) Watching buskers at night next to the Notre Dame. Made skills.
3) Getting in everywhere for free, because I have a European visa.
4) Versailles. Have been wanting to go since I was 12. Did not disappoint.
5) Walking around the Catacombs (cool but creepy), and seeing a guy playing some kind of Zombie video game, next to an enormous pile of bones, with the volume turned right up, while an American couple (different one) muttered about how disrespectful he was.
6) Being hit on by French men. "Let me give you a French gift, it's the best souvenir of France" and "You can read in Australia! You can only spend time with me in Paris" were favourites.

It was mostly great to hang out with Judith, who is always telling me when to shut up and when to talk. I need that in a friend.

Anyway, while in Paris I made some life decisions. Well, at first, I was going to marry a painter and raise lots of French babies while growing fat off bread. But deciding this would be difficult as I don't speak French, I made an alternate decision. I decided to go back to Australia.

So after I returned from Paris, I booked my flight and I am leaving at the end of the month, back to Oz, back to summer, back to study.... That's depressing. Oh well, it's only for a few months. I am going to do the training course to be a solicitor, after which I will be admitted to practice. So yes, I am going back to do the thing I always swore I wouldn't: be a lawyer. I am coming around to the idea though. I think I will enjoy it.

So the past week or two has been a flurry of preparations. I have shipped most of my stuff home, and now have two pairs of jeans and some tee shirts and THAT'S IT. I quit my job! Happiest moment of my week (as our temp boss while our other boss is away getting married is an absolute ASS).

And that's it. A week and a half, and I will be back in Australia. Can't wait :)

Well that's it. You're all caught up. Hurrah!

London is burning

Third night of riots here in the capital, and irritatingly they have creeped south, into my hood, with riots in Peckham and Lewisham, not too far from where I live. This is mainly irritating because it is undoing many months of hard work I have spent trying to convince my parents back home that my hood in 100% safe. But I think a couple of kids in hoodies carrying molotov cocktails maaaay change their minds. Call me crazy.

So London is all excitement as the riots continue, and part of me thinks its hilarious that it all began when all the politicians (Boris, David etc) were on holiday. Apparently they are all "very concerned" and will come back just as soon as their tans are topped up. I think we are all rioting because we can't afford luxury vacations to Italy :p

The good news is I have lots of time inside to work on my dissertation which is ticking along nicely with the first draft FINISHED and a second draft in the works. Had a job interview today so fingers crossed that gainful employ lurks just around the corner... I could probably get a job at a post-looted H&M as I imagine they are strapped for staff these days. Thoughts? Saddest thing I saw in the footage today? A Greggs bakery burning. Oh the humanity! But seriously people. If your bored, buy the box set of the West Wing and GO HOME.

August dreaming

Well, I won't bore you with discussion of how long it's been since I last blogged, as this is clear. But come on. I've been on holiday! My lovely sister and her husband came to visit, so we have been trekking about the country, visiting York, Cambridge, Scotland and hte Lake District. Here are the highlights for anyone planning on following in my footsteps:
1) Riding Clydesdale horses on the Lake Districts. Awesome.
2) The drive up to the Isle of Skye. Very beautiful, but take some car sickness tablets first. Up and down and round and round, the roads are mad.
3) Perth. The Scottish version. Small and quaint, and Scone Palace is pretty cool too.
4) York. Do the ghost trail. Do it! And walk on the walls. For some reason its a quicker way to get around.
5) Watching the firemen in Windemere "practice" but pumping water out of the lake, filling up the tanks then blasting the water back into the lake. Time well spent, boys.
6) FINALLY WATCHING THE HARRY POTTER MOVIE. But you could probably do that anywhere.
Anyway, then my sister was in London with me for a bit, so we went to the Kensington Roof Gardens and to the Polo (saw Prince Phillip) so it was all very fun. Thens he left, and I was quite sad.
I spent the last week working tirelessly on my dissertation (two thirds done!), hoping I can get the first draft out by Friday to my draft readers, but it'll be tricky as I am going to a wedding this weekend.... I can be typing during that right?
Then my partner in crime Judith left yesterday, which was sad. Who will I go to gay cabaret bars with now? I am bereft.
The face of London is changing for me. Hmm.

Touristification

Yes, after a year of living here (almost exactly) I am getting my tourist on. My beloved sister and brother-in-law have come to visit, and we are roaming the streets, doing touristy things, seeing touristy things and standing in people's way to snap photos of touristy things. It's great! They arrived on Monday, so we've managed to pack in the Tower of London and Windsor Castle yesterday, and a walking tour of the Southbank, Tower Bridge, London Bridge and St Paul's on Monday (I say walking tour, I mean, I walked with them and made up stories about the land makrs along the way). Today I am abandoning them to the Red Bus Tour (I'm not that touristified yet) and then this afternoon we are going to afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason, then heading over to the Globe Theatre to watch Hamlet. So lots planned but it should all be fabulous darling. Can't wait to get out of the city next week!

Aside from this..... not much. Studying is not happening, so I am trying to get some in now (clearly that's going well) and I am still unemployed :( except for fab All Bar One. Woot. And last night I had my THIRD celebrity sighting, of one of the guys from Made in CHelsea, and sure you may say that's not famous enough to count, but to that, I say, HOW MANY REALITY STARS HAVE YOU SEEN? EH?? Haters! Hahahaha.

The self esteem lowering experience that is.... shopping

Well, I hit the sales today, and I can confirm: I am between sizes, neither one nor the other, so I have the twin mortifying experiences of trying to squeeze myself into the lower size, or trying on the larger size, and watching it swim depressingly around me, which somehow also serves to make me look fat. Depressing. Then you have to stand in the changing room wearing your bad bra (because shopping is always an impulse is it not) listening to 15 year old girls scream about how FAT their arms are. Compared to barbie, perhaps. Compared to normals? No. In the end I purchased two dresses (different sizes, naturally) and came scurrying home to try on some of my OLD clothes, satisfying myself that they still fit. This leads me to conclude that the sizes are getting smaller since last year I fit perfectly well into the lower size, and I still fit them perfectly well. SO this year, the sizes are a tiny bit smaller. Poor me.

In other news, I have been working, not studying and applying for jobs. Joyous. Tomorrow is the new financial year though, and Monday my sister arrives. Can't wait!

Summer unemployment rears its ugly head.

Well, technically I have a job. But, in a manner frighteningly synonymous with this time last year, I am sat at my computer searching and applying for billions and billions of jobs. Only this time, the stakes are higher, because after September I am no longer a student: I'm just unemployed. Shudder. Although I think I could handle it. Anyway, with the job searching comes the questions: where should I go? How much money do I need to live? Should I do an internship first? Do I want to be a lawyer? And on and on and on. And in the end, life is so confusing and difficult, you just have to switch off the computer and watch some television. Which is exactly what I plan to do once I have posted this entry.

In other news, today is my half birthday (woo! 22.5!) and also one year and one day since I moved away from the lucky country. How sad. I'm sitting here trying to take stock and decide what I've learned and how I've grown, but I think I am probably the wrong person to judge that. However, in the interest of learning, here is a list of the five best things about living in London, followed by the five worst.

Best things:
1) You can wear whatever you want and no one bats an eyelid.
2) Plenty of good looking men everywhere.
3) Easy access to Europe.
4) Cultural sights etc.
5) Even though for legal reasons you don't, you always know that if you wanted to, you could stalk a celebrity.

Worst things:
1) You can wear whatever you want and no one bats an eyelid. I mean really, it's the social pressure that prevent fashion errors!
2)All the good looking men are gay/taken/ass holes.
3) You can't afford to go to Europe.
4) After the first few cultural sights, you get bored, go to the movies, then realise that in the last 12 months, most of the icons of London you've seen have been at the cinema.
5) Family being so far away :(

It really has been a while.

Well I took a break from you, study, life in general while I was in Australia, but now that blissful time is over and I am back in London, where the sun is beaming weakly down from above making a half hearted attempt to instil a sense of summer into us all. Ah well.

Yes AUstralia was lovely and my interviews went fine, I think, although I'm not holding out a lot of hope for either of them. It was great to spend time with my family, eat way too much and be generally lazy. Perfect holiday! On my way back I even got a free flight to use within six months and a free upgrade, because my flight has been overbooked. Score! So the flight was good too. Shockingly.

And now I am back in London, and reality is setting back in. The following concerns jump to mind: I have to write my dissertation!!! I have to earn some money!!! I have to find a job!!! The last one is clearly the most pressing. Mid August would be the preferred starting date. So if anyone has anything...... call!

Also, I have moved flats. Yes, I now live above my church, so no more excuses for being late or missing meetings, ever. Oh well. The price you pay for location, haha. But it's a nice flat, although I am hearing horror stories about nosy neighbours.... better not try anything with me!

So that's all. Three weeks boils down into a few paragraphs. I will try and be more entertaining tomorrow!

I'm hungry, but not to worry, my mother is cooking for me.

So I am at home, as promised, and have only just recovered from what was easily the WORST jet lag of my life. This is because I flew from London to Singapore to Sydney to Canberra (where I stopped off for an 8 hour interview) then Perth. So I left Tuesday evening and got into Perth Thursday evening. No sleep in between. It was hell. But the good news is I made my interview, against all the odds. This meant taking a taxi, running, not checking luggage and being very rude by pushing in front of people. But i made it! Just. Then I had to sit through hours of aptitude tests and psychological evaluations. Since I am probably crazy, I doubt that I will get the job. Hopefully they will let me know if I am a time bomb waiting to explode insanity all over the world though. That would be top.

And now I am home, back in the familial embrace, being fed by my mother, and mocked by my father. Ah, the wonders of home. It's nice though. The odd thing is that it is around the same temperature here as it is in London. Hmmm....

Another interview on Wednesday (tomorrow). Fingers crossed!

Once and never again

Today is a big day, and I feel like it's the start and the end of a lot of things, but maybe I'm putting too much on one day and being overly sentimental. After all, isn't life just a collection of things happening one after the other? Can you ever really point to one day and say that it was definitely important? Isn't it the whole? Anyway, whatever I don't know.

Today was my final exam. Yep, I am no longer a lame, boring student type. Now I am just unemployed. Hurrah! Well, I still have my dissertation to do, which is due on the 1st of September, after which I am just unemployed. So glad exams are over. But a little sad too. I exam bought a UCL jumper to commemorate the moment (they are cashing in on my nostalgia, bastards).

Today is also my last day in my lovely flat. I am really sad because it is an awesome flat, and i like living here with Jo. Best moments have been sitting on the sofa watching movies with friends, worst moments have been EVERY INTERACTION with the hoover, and coming home from Australia to find the flat was 3 degrees. Shudder. It has been a great year, and I have loved living here, but now it's time for the next chapter I suppose?

Today is also the day I head off to Australia. Leaving very soon, then I have a job interview on Thursday then back to Perth. Truth be told, I hope I don't get the job. I hope I find a job here in London so I can stay for a few more years (maybe forever). But maybe that's just the nostalgia speaking?

Either way, it's a big day. And now, to cap it all off, I get to head to the airport for a 24 hour flight, then get off and go straight to an interview. Woo hoo. Good night all, and happy birthday mum :)

I have so very little time to reflect

Life has kicked the pace up into overdrive, which sucks as I quite like life when I can sleep.watch tv/ enjoy some relaxing time. I am studying like crazy for my final exam which is on Tuesday, then I am flying out on Tuesday night, heading back to Australia for a job interview! Yay! It's with hte government, and the timing is pretty tight, as I will be getting off my flight and basically running to the interview! So praying there is no delay in my flight or else I will be screwed. But at least I will be home and i am secretly so excited to have an excuse to go home for a vacation and do nothing at all!

Sadly this also means I have to do the following:
1) Be prepared for my exam Tuesday morning;
2) Move all my stuff out of my flat this weekend;
3) Store it somewhere....;
4) Pack enough clothes to survive in Perth but not so many I need to check a bag at the airport;
5) Pray that I make it on time to my interview;
6) Work all day every day Wednesday, Thursday, today.....

Sigh! So I am now living off coffee and Mars Bars and looking forward to this time next week when I will be safely ensconced at home with my cat!

Lists...

So I am sitting here, knee deep in legal philosophy (good news, as before I was neck deep, so I am clearly starting to tame the mess before me, although the fear remains that the topics I am studying will be the few that questions are not asked about in the paper) and I have decided to take a short break and compile a list of all the things I will do once exams are over, to motivate me.

1) Go to the Tate Modern;
2) Go to Green Park with a good book, some sandwiches, and just chill all day;
3) Beat H. L. A. Hart and Ronald Dworkin out of my head by any means possible;
4) Find a new job (I will, I will, I will)
5) Move flats;
6) Catch up on movies;
7) Eat my weight in popcorn;
8) Learn how to make sangria;
9) Go shopping for the perfect summer dress;
10) Befriend the prince of a small seaside monarchy, who has a yacht that he would like to invite me to spend some time on.

Well, that's all I can think of right now. At least most of these are achievable. And I can't wait to do them. :) Less than two weeks left!

So I am meant to be studying...

But really, I think more than three hours per day on one subject is too much. It surely stops being productive? Anyway I started studying for this exam two days ago, and I can now say (with very little confidence) that I think I will probably know enough to pass (provided my lecturers don't mind a little waffle)(it's philosophy though, surely this means they love a little waffle?).

In other news, I have got a new flat! I have never seen inside it, but the price is right ("whatever you can afford"), it's nearby (five minutes form where I live now, so five minutes closer to the tube stop!) and it's short term (my life is so uncertain that I don't know if I'm moving back to Aus in September or if I'm staying here, and it's tough to find a flat when you don't know a) if you will be finding a full time job any time soon, b) what said job will pay and c) if that job will be in this country) so these are all big pluses. The downsides are 1) I haven't seen inside the flat so it could be horrible, and 2) I have no more excuses for being late for church as it is the flat above the church, and 3) according to one of my (non-church) friends, the only reason they offered it to me is so they can check up on me. But really, I'm so not the rebel of the church. Not really....

Besides that, the only exciting thing I have heard about lately is the planking craze that is ripping around Australia, people dropping into planks at all times, planking in all kinds of inappropriate locations, planking IRRESPONSIBLY. It's the few that ruin it for the many, I tell you. No one here has heard of planking, but I am on my way to starting a plank society. Hey, hooligans are here too. We just call them hoodies.

That's it, that's all I can think of. Here is an inspiring message to get you through until the next blog: there is a high chance that there is a deadly meteor heading to the earth right now. Enjoy life until we are all blown into smithereens, or Ben Affleck agrees to fly a rocket into space to save us.

Exams are lame

I really had hoped that my blog would be able to add to the wisdom out there, take it's place amongst the great names of bloggers as being someone who had something NEW, INNOVATIVE and EXCITING to say, and so if that is what you seek then skip this entry as I fear that it will be somewhat redundant for many of you.

Exams suck. There just are not words for how much. Especially exams that are worth 100% of your grade. I mean, really? A years work, packed into two or three hours of desperate writing, when most of us haven't written with pens in years and are therefore woefully out of practice? Ack.

Anyway, I am half was through exams, two down, two to go. My next one is not for just over a week, which is VERY VERY good because I have done zero (zilch, zip, nada) study for it. Which I admit is probably bad. But this week hopefully I can learn a years worth of work adequately...... Then after the 31st, done. Finito. I will be a free woman, able to do anything I like (as long as while I am doing anything I like, I can finish my dissertation). It will be very nice to be free.... I think I will put off getting a job for a few years and enjoy the slothful life!

May day, mayday, it's been and gone

Well, it really has been a ridiculously long time since I last updated my lovely blog. I have been very busy, but this is hardly an excuse for those of you who go on every day, despairing as you seek news of my adventures, misadventures and adventurousness in general. So I apologise, half heartedly, as we all know May shall be as bad as April in terms of me finding precious time to blog.

Yes, exam season is upon us. I have one tomorrow, for which I am reasonably well prepared, one on Tuesday for which I am extremely ill prepared, and then tow later in the month for which I have done ZERO hours of study. So I am somewhat nervous, and am relying on my lovely, large brain to pull some kind of trick wherein it produces all this information that I don't recall learning at the last minute. Brains have been known to do that, no?

Anyway, the main reason for my long absence was the MOOT. Yes, I went off to the Hague to participate in the international rounds of the moot, and the good news everyone, because I don't like to build undue suspense, is that we WON. Best overall, most points overall, best oral argumentation for the respondent... yes, it was a regular sweep, and now that it's over I can look back and be pleased. While it was on, I was stressed, worried, not eating (I can't eat when I'm stressed and worried), not sleeping (see disclaimer for not eating) and having semi-regular freak outs. Finally, the preliminary rounds were over, and I was feeling quite confident I would not have to be in the finals, so was relaxing with a well deserved glass of wine, thinking about eating dinner later on (as my stomach had unclenched) when I was told that I would have to be in the final rounds the next day. Great. My stomach clenched once again, my glass of well deserved wine was whisked away by my coach, and we spend the rest of the night studying (although, as one of the speakers, I was sent to bed at 12:30, and got to lie awake in be instead, dreading the next day). The finals are more nerve racking than the other rounds because rather than the opposing team and the judges watching you, you have everyone who was involved in the competition, and all the judges (many of whom are potential future employers) watching you. And the judges in the final round are ICJ judges. So I was a little worried. The boys had to pull me off the tram in fact. And then I was shaking. But, at the risk of sounding arrogant, Joe and I blew them away, leaving the Dutch team in our dust, quaking and crying about the English (Australian) invasion. Well, not quite. But it was a unanimous decision by the judges (last years team only won by a vote of 2:1).

Well, that's quite enough boasting. After the finals we went out into the quiet streets of the Hague to wreak some havoc. Highlights were: a man with blue hair telling me about neo-Marxism, me and Joe betting the trophy in a game of pool with some Serbians, then losing the game of pool and having to flee and Sam going to a club wearing sandals, then looking shocked when people spilt beer on his sandals. Good times. Then of course, caught the train back to sunny London, in time to find out that some kind of big thing had occurred here that same weekend. Some kind of wedding? 2 billion people watching at home? And then, of course, Osama died. So all this has meant we are not front page news as expected :p.

But it's over now. I was hoping to have like a week to veg out and let my brain break apart, but exams are upon us and I have not done nearly enough work due to the moot. So back to it! I'll try and write sooner than two weeks from now, promise.

Vienna waited for me

So, it's been a while since I blogged. It's been so long, I'm not even sure where to start. So much so that I have been putting off blogging for the last few days, which is turning what I need to write about into more and more, making me want to write less and less. It's a vicious cycle I tell you.

Well, last weekend I went to Vienna, which was very nice, except for the weather. It was the first nice weekend in London, with clear blue skies and sunshine and in Vienna it was... raining. Plus the Viennese are very grumpy. But after about an hour, I reached a point where I was like, yes, I am an Imperialistic English-only speaker, yes I am loud, yes I don't know your customs, get over it. It was very refreshing. I also put on a distinct American accent to avoid connection with Australia, to protect our international rep. Basically I sat around in coffee shops, ate alot of cake and schnitzel and occasionally saw some kind of significant sight (Schonbrunn is definitely worth the trip, but take a book and some food because that hill is waaaay to steep to walk up in one go!). While coming home my bra almost caused an international incident because it had too much metal in it and kept setting off the metal detectors, which earned me several minutes of a middle aged Viennese woman poking at my breasts in front of the 100 other people waiting for the flight. Great. But survived it and came home in one piece! Now I am stressing about exams, getting ready for the moot, worrying about what to do after exams and the like. Gosh. I can't wait for them to be over! But then I can because I am nowhere near ready yet! Gah!

Anyway, thats all I can think of right now..... Until I can recall more!

Spring in my step but not in my heart

There is no spring in my heart because my entire chest cavity is filled with risotto. There was a point at which I could have stopped eating it and frozen some, but I ate right past that point and on into oblivion. Gaah. SO there is no space for spring in there. But it is on it's way, judging by the bright light coming in the window right now.

Well this is my COMPLETELY ADORABLE niece, Skye Lily. See, I told you, she is already cooler than the other babies just by having my in her gene pool. Lucky thing! Can't wait to see her :)

So! What's new? Not work, not uni, not mooting, not nothing. I really am going to have to start doing some crazy stuff to keep people reading my blog. Went to the Brick Lane markets on Sunday, which I definitely recommend. Lots of food, but I didn't find a bike which was what I was there for. Better luck next time.... Or maybe I need to stop expecting to find a good bike for fifty quid or less? Thoughts?

In other news, I am up to my eyeballs in exam study, so if someone wants to take one for me you certainly may. International human rights law anyone? It's up for grabs! There is a rumour going around work that I am getting married this weekend (because I am in VIenna). I know I should dispel this rumour, but actually I am thinking about going with it a bit, inviting everyone via email and attaching my gift registry. Everyone who can't make it will have to buy me a present. And viola! New shoes. But this would be wrong, evil, bad, etc. Hmmmm....

Congrats to my brother and sister-in-law

Yes, it's finally true I am an auntie. Her name is Skye Lily and I have to say since becoming an aunt five days ago, the heavy weight of responsibility is bearing down upon me. Who but me will give her make up years before she's ready? Who but me will let her watch an MA 15+ film at my house when she's 10? Who but me will give her tim tams for breakfast? Who but me will send her high heels from New York? Yes, it's a solemn duty I undertake, but I promise to do it all to my utmost, to infuriate her parents, and to ensure, from this moment on, that she has at least one bad influence in her life.

That's the big news at the moment, unless any of my readers have been following Charlie Sheen, the dispute between Russia and Georgia in the ICJ or the royal wedding. I'm guessing few of you have been because, well, you all have lives.

But happy april everybody, I'm one month closer to having to find a job, get a life and a new flat, and decide if I'm going home or staying here. Hmmm. Time does insist on bringing the difficult decisions, doesn't it?

1920's, classes, speed dating, marathons, time travel: oh what a two weeks it's been

Yes, it has been two full weeks since last I blogged, and I'm very sorry but I have been somewhat preoccupied. Oh all, right I've been lazy, this whole month it's been like a life sucking leech in my heart, urging me to stay on the sofa and do nothing, NOTHING! Well, here are the highlights in no particular order:

Went to a 1920's party (I do love these themed parties). It was an underground speak easy, so very fun. Absinthe, of course, was free flowing, and the dresses were crazy and spectacular. Judith, Slawa and I ripped through the night, stealing hats, dignity and the dance floor. Much fun :)

Classes have officially ended. I have the month of April off to study, study, study ahead of exams in May. Can't wait for exams to be done, of course, but I really am not ready for them. Very odd to have classes finished, as I may never attend another class again. Strange. Had an end of year party (with muffins!) and I saw my "personal tutor" for the second time since starting uni, and the first time this year. He gave me that "I know you from somewhere, don't I?" look and I smiled. Yes, you do.

Work is lame. They have started doing speed dating there on Saturday nights, run by a special company called "Asian D8" (because Anglo-Saxons are not marriage material). And they all want to buy cocktails. And it adds and extra hour and a half of work onto my night. Tsk. Tsk.

I have signed up to do a half marathon in September to force myself to get fit. 13 miles? NO problemo.

Had a special event at church on Saturday. Lots of young people sitting around, talking about God, which I have to say is pretty epic. I had to leave early for work though. It was an odd night. My friend Judith has been staying with me, because she had some friends from Germany staying with her ("the German posse") and she no longer fitted in her room. So Saturday night, we finish work around one, hit McDonalds for dinner, sit on the street eating McDonals, with people trying to sell us some drugs. Epic win. Then we head on down to meet the German posse, who are grooving at some all night party. Then se head on over to get us some bagels then GO HOME. All sounds like very nice, quiet, not very late night right? Well it would have been. But daylight savings reared it's ugly head, meaning I lost an hour of sleep. And I had no idea it was coming, until one of my customers told me. Why are these things not advertised???

Sunday night, Arabic food. Odd. But nice. And today? Chilling. My sister in law is in labour, so next time you speak to me, I will be Auntie Kat. Scary.