time flies?

I've probably had a post called that before... oh well... so sorry... maybe I should 'close' this blog? Leave it in the past and forget about it? Somehow, I just can't. Even if I don't post often, it's always there in the back of my mind... so here I am.

Since August life has been hectic, and not. Black and white. Up and down.

It's been everything and nothing.

I went to Paris with T for our second anniversary. And as much as I've dreamed of going to Paris for my whole life, it didn't live up to the dream. I'll post on that one day.

For now, I just want to say I haven't forgotten you... I'm still here and I'm still thinking, even if I'm not writing...

Just a quickie!

I realise it's been ages... and I've been meaning to upload photos from Tenerife (the good part) and my recent work trip to Austria, but my iPhoto is acting up (or my computer is dying, which is more likely at five years old) so have been having trouble with photos.

So, I thought I'd go old fashioned and just write a quick update. We are moving on Friday!!! After what feels like an eternity looking for a new flatshare we've found one that hopefully will be good. It's in a house, which is nice because we'll live on a regular street and not a dodgy apartment block and also great because it has a GARDEN!!! Well, more of a yard, but with a little work it could be really nice. We've got a large double bedroom on the first floor and a huge bay window. There are four other bedrooms (one single) but they haven't been let yet, so we don't know who will be living with us. Hopefully nice, considerate and clean people.

The woman who is renting the rooms is part owner of the house and lives in the loft conversion, so hopefully she'll get decent people in. I'm pretty sure she will anyway. There's also a small living/dining area and obviously a kitchen! One of the double rooms has an en-suite bathroom and there are two other bathrooms so we won't have any problems getting in the shower... oh, there's no bath, which kind of sucks, but I dealt with it in Korea and will just have to do it again.

Anyway, it's also next door to a super huge Tesco (grocery store) and about a 7 minute walk from the tube. On paper it's pretty ideal... we'll see how it works out, and if we're not happy then the search will start again!

Things art work are going ok, aside from the announcement of more lay-offs. Several of my colleagues have left in the last week and two more of us will be going soon... fingers crossed it isn't me! I feel pretty secure, but you never know. Last week I went to the Prime Minister's house on Downing Street and actually went inside for a two crew interview with him (myself being one of them), a highlight of my career so far, I suppose. A lot of people probably think this is pretty cool and crazy, but it's just part of the job really... suppose I'm a little blase about it...

Anyway, not much else in the way of news... just looking forward to the move, really. Coming up photos of the house, Tenerife, and Austria!

motivation

I seem to be missing it at the moment.

I haven't been for a run in over a week - but that's mostly because I've been working 10-12 hour days for the last eight out of nine, and I am (understandably) tired after that. But, I'm off today and I just can't seem to find the gung-ho to go running in the rain. Probably because it's actually raining. Anyway, I'll see if I feel like it a little later on, and if not, then will force myself tomorrow. I'm just a little worried about what this has done to my schedule. I'm not sure I can do week four again... I'll try but might be stuck on it for another week. It was hard last time, and now I haven't been in ages, it's going to be even harder!

So, I haven't got much to update, because (as I said) I've been working like a madwoman. Monday to Thursday, Friday off, and then Saturday to Tuesday. I'm finally off today and I don't want to do anything - but I'll have to go to the grocery store later as we're out of just about everything!

Tomorrow I'm making Kimchi fried rice - I picked up some kimchi a couple of weeks ago when I was in Tottenham Court road, and Tom has been bugging me to make it... But I just haven't had time. If you don't marinate the pork for a few hours, it just isn't as good. I've also looked up a few other Korean recipes and am planning on trying my hand at them again in the near future.

I guess that's it for now... just a quick update... until we meet again!

2009 photo-retro

2009 has been a year of ups and downs - as are most years - here's a photo retrospective of my year... something on the decade to come some time in January...

Snow... there was lots of snow this year - starting in January, loads of it in February and then again in December...

February saw flowers arrive at the office for me! First time I've ever had that happen!

February also saw my first professional football match - Liverpool vs Real Madrid - in Madrid, Spain.

While there I managed to take in some of the sights... including this art exhibit in the 'crystal palace'.

...and the cow parade that was all over the city...

In March I went on holiday with my love, Tom, to Edinburgh... this is on the way up to Arthur's Seat.

A view of the city with the castle in the distance...

Tom and I at Edinburgh Castle

Tom and I on the Royal Yacht Britannia

In May I happened upon a fun fair in Hampstead Heath with a few friends after we went there for a picnic

In June I went on a weekend away with my love to Brighton - went to the pier and rode the rides...

We also went on an afternoon fishing trip where a nice man took this fab photo of us!

In August we went to Thorpe Park where we rode the (better than Brighton) rides

We had an amazing day!

In August I celebrated yet another birthday with great friends!

In October I went to Ukraine for my second professional football match - England vs Ukraine World Cup Qualifier - this is St Michael's Cathedral in Kiev - see previous post for more on that...

And finally I celebrated Christmas afternoon with my love and his family in North London.

By evening I had a fever of 102.5F, was told I had swine flu and spent the last week of the year in bed. Now here is New Year's Eve and I'm still not well enough to go to work - or go out :( So it'll be a night in with the telly... Here's to a great year gone and a better one to come!

Happy New Year to you and yours!

'tis the season

Time for an update! I know I promised to write more, and this is me trying!

The past few weeks have been pretty stressful for numerous reasons, the least of which, Christmas is coming.

I'll start with the worst news first. At the age of 99 11/12, my amazing grandmother passed away. That's right, a month shy of her 100th birthday. Many of you who know me well, know that I was really close to her and it hit me harder than I thought it would. I mean, really at that age I should have been expecting it, and I was, but nothing can really prepare you for it.

The last time I saw her was October 2008 when I was in Canada to renew my visa. I drove to Barrie (about 7 hours) and stayed at my uncles house. The next day I picked her up and we went for lunch at Tim Hortons (her idea) and then for a drive in the country. We stopped at a local farm and bought the last of the seasons strawberries and some apples.

Then we drove north to Midland to visit one of her good friends who had been placed in a care home up there. She didn't get to see much of her as it was about an hour's drive. We sat out on the patio and ate some strawberries and chatted for a while. They were both so happy to have an impromptu visit. The next morning I brought her some Timmy's for breakfast and had to get back to Ottawa to return my rental car.

I knew then, as she likely did, that it was probably the last time we would see each other. And it was. There are so many things that you think of after the fact that you wish you had said or done. I have those regrets, just as anyone does, but I know that I had a great relationship with her and that we both took full advantage of that relationship while we could. I hope wherever she is, she knows how grateful I am for having had the time I did with her, and even more so for the hundreds of letters I got from her in my life. At least I have those to keep her close to me now and always.

I wouldn't be who or where I am without her influence in my life... May she rest in peace.

Winifred Jane Mavor (Briggs) January 7, 1910-December 4, 2009

I feel like I should start a new post for the rest... but here it is...

About six weeks ago we (my department at work) were told that two of the eight people in my position would likely be made redundant before the end of the year (or very soon after). We were told there was going to be a 'consultation period' where we would have the opportunity to try and come up with other ways to save money and to discuss the reasons behind the redundancies in depth. After two weeks of stressing and coming up with ideas, we were told that we were safe for now. Apparently there is a very big new contract that has come up and they feel that if they lose us they may not get it. What happens if we don't get it anyway? I don't know. There is still a feeling in the department that this is little more than a stay of execution. We'll see. There are still a few other people (not doing the same job as me) who will likely be out of a job in January regardless. And one of our editors has already left. We were all very sad to see him go and his presence was missed from the moment he left.

With unemployment at an all time high in the UK, it isn't a good time to be out of a job. I think a lot of us are looking for work elsewhere now just in case.

With Christmas fast approaching money is always tight, and even more so this year for some reason. Maybe because I have so many people to get pressies for... It's like I have two families now, with Tom's side and Lisa's family (who I have traditionally had Christmas with, and old habits die hard). Then there are friends that I feel I have to get something for as well. I hate all this about the holidays... buying shit that people don't want for people who don't care one way or the other. Everyone keeps asking me what I want, but I don't know... There isn't anything that I really need and anything I do actually want is too expensive or hard to get... I kind of just want to say screw the whole season and f*!k off somewhere hot. Oh well, maybe next year.

Well, this hasn't been the most positive post ever, has it? There are some things to be thankful for... my health, my loving wonderful partner in crime Tom, the fact that I still have a job, that my awesome friend Kim is moving to London as I write this, I'm sure there's more, and I promise to try harder to get into the Christmas spirit, I'm just not feeling it this year... maybe it's the lack of snow or (real) cold? (ha! had to get the weather in there somewhere!)

Happy Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanza...etc... to you all and a very Merry New Year!

Home sweet home?

It seems I have been searching for a home since I left mine in 2006, a few months before I left for Korea. I had been living in the same apartment for seven years (!) and was so comfortable in my life there that I had to move to the other side of the world to pull myself out of the rut I was in.

Mission accomplished. Right?

I suppose. Since then, I have become a very different person, some new good qualities have emerged and there are probably some new bad qualities that I may not recognise in myself (any help on that one is appreciated), but I think for the most part I am a better person than I was when I 'left home'.

I think my desire (back then) to stay in one place, and not move, came from the fact that I had been moving all my life. Every two years when I was a kid and my parents were together, and then I left my mom's house as soon as I hit 18 and was able to. I guess I never really felt like I had a home. So, throughout most of my twenties, I lived in this wonderful (if a big dingy and old) apartment with some great (and some terrible) people, until I decided I was far too young to be so comfortable in life.

So, here I am, two and a half years later, living in yet another foreign country and I've decided to make this country/city/culture my new home. Not like Korea, which was always going to be short-term, but like that apartment that I found in my twenties, London will be home, for quite some time.

Now I just need to find that physical place, a space all my own, somewhere in this vast city that I can actually call home and not 'my room'.

I've been on the hunt for about a week and a half. I've given notice to my current flatties that I'll be out by the 1st of February. It's not easy here, though, to find somewhere that lives up to (or even comes close) to that feeling of home that I had in my apartment in Montreal. I know it always takes time for these things, I know I didn't feel 100% at home in the first year I lived there, so maybe I just need to give it time? The problem is, I haven't even seen anywhere that has the potential of being "home"...

I'll just keep looking. I know it's got to be out there somewhere. Everything else in London has fallen so perfectly into place and all I'm missing is a good home... so I know I'll find it... I'm just so tired of searching.

where has the time gone?

Well, I'm not sure where to begin. I DO know it's time I had a little word with this blog though... so here I am, in the last moments of 2008 trying to make up for four months of ignorance.

In a nutshell... the big moments of my life for the last four months, would be... in mostly chronological order...

My new job as a video journalist. Love it. Simple as. Not going to say more as don't want to get in trouble for writing about work on a blog... it's been known to happen.

I went to Canada to get a new visa so I can stay here for the awesome job and at the least the next five years. It was easier than they make it out to be (thanks to my grandma being born in Scotland almost a hundred years ago).

I've been living in a new flat since August... but am now on the hunt again, for reasons which I can't get into without being here til next year!

I have a new man in my life. It's still very new so am not going to say much other than he's really sweet, makes me laugh like no one else and puts up with my non-stop whinging! We'll see where 2009 takes it.

I know there were a lot of little things here and there, but really I've just been living life to the most. It doesn't leave much time for writing here. I know that's a bit of a cop out, but really... I haven't even been keeping up with my emails. (sorry guys!)

SO. If I actually still have anyone out there that reads this, I promise to get better with this in the new year... new year, new start all that jazz... and I hope that 2008 was as great for you all as it was for me.

Here's to 2009 being just as fab!

time flies...

I have A LOT of catching up to do... I just can't do it right now. Coming up:

The adventures of Liz in Greece.

The adventures of moving house.

The adventures of acute muscle spasms.

The adventures of Kat n Liz in London.

AND

The adventures of Zoom airlines going belly-up.

These are all things that have affected my life of late... with a lot of other little stuff in between. I promise a full account with photos coming shortly... life has just been nuts over here...

For those of you paying attention enough to write in on your calendars, I will no longer be landing in Montreal on the 19th of September... you'll have to wait until the 22nd now. More details soon. I promise.

knees are important.

I've been to hospital in three countries on three continents. Not something to be really proud about... but I'm what they call a "klutz".

Last Friday I went out to do an interview for work. Upon my return to the office I decided to take the stairs despite the 25 kilos of gear I was carrying. I always take the stairs and it's only one level...

On the first step I took, I slipped and fell forward. My knee cap cracked directly into the edge of the step. It hurt like a bitch. Being the strong person I am, I got up, thinking that not much more than my pride would be hurt, and besides, there were no witnesses. But it really hurt. I got up to my desk and sat down, almost in tears and my boss looked at me and asked if I was ok. "No," I replied, "I just broke my knee!!!"

After sitting for a half hour and being busy with work, I forgot about it, and it didn't really hurt much anymore so chalked it up to another "stupid Liz moment". I went out Friday night, Saturday I packed up for my flat move, Saturday night I went to a house party (where I was standing most of the night) and Sunday I finished packing... I didn't go the gym all weekend, but not because my knee hurt, but because I was being lazy, but it's a good thing I didn't.

I woke up Sunday night/Monday morning at around 4AM and couldn't get back to sleep because of the excruciating pain I was in. I couldn't move my leg, well, my knee. I don't think I've ever felt pain like that in my life, well, maybe when I herniated the disc in my back... (but that's pretty serious...) I thought it was really strange that it hadn't really hurt all weekend and then all of a sudden it was a 15 on 10.

I went to the hobble-in clinic in the morning and the doctor told me I should get x-rays, so I went Monday afternoon (there was work to be done in between). I got the x-rays and was told that (thankfully) nothing was broken and that I'd probably just bruised my knee cap. He told me that I probably should have been resting it over the weekend and that's why it started hurting all of a sudden...

This, in the week I'm moving and going on holiday to the cobblestone capital of the world! It's feeling a little better today but I'm still walking like a gimp and have to carry my ruck sack to work and then the airport tomorrow... I moved yesterday with the help of my lovely L, well, half moved, as it's all gone to her house. I'll be moving to my new flat when I get home from Greece on the 13th.

More than anything now, my calf and thigh muscles along with my hips are killing because of the gimpy way I've been walking. Whatevs, I'm off to Greece tomorrow, and nothing, not even a broken knee would have stopped me!

flat hunting.

I've had enough of this house. I need to move. I've been looking at rooms for the last four days. Hence not posting yesterday out of utter exhaustion. I still haven't found the perfect place, but have seen some decent flats.

Most of the nice ones are a lot more expensive and at the upper levels of my budget, but might be worth the extra money.

A few of the places felt like going back in time 150 years.

One of them had a loo that was covered wall to wall, ceiling to floor in pictures of Jesus. Another had showers in each of the rooms and wallpaper reminiscent of a time when Victoria was in power.

A couple had promise, but the flat mates would be ten years younger than me and I don't need to play mommy to anyone.

Finding a flat in London is tiring and difficult. That's all I can say right now. Hopefully I'll find something soon... More on all of this to come, right now I'm catching up on my Sunday post. Apologies if you came looking and found nothing...

it's sunday

As promised in my previous update, here I am!

I encourage you to scroll down and read my last entry, as it was rather comprehensive and there are some nice photos. In case, you don't though, I've decided to post on Sunday every week, just so that there's always something fresh here. It's possible that I may post more often, but Sunday's will be the minimum.

Since I last posted on Thursday, I don't have much to write...

But, on Friday I got to go do an interview again, this time it was for "the Big Story", which was about a celebrity wedding... I got to interview a woman from the Daily Express newspaper. I didn't get to edit or package the video afterwards, which is too bad, but it was still nice to get out and about. The only thing wrong with my interview was that in a few of the shots my microphone is showing... :( boo. It was a particularly bright day and the itty bitty screen on my camera and the fact that I couldn't be looking at it throughout the interview meant that I didn't realise until I got back to the office. Oh well... I still got compliments on the aesthetics of the shot... it does look really nice... check it out here. I think it's pretty obvious which part of the pack I shot, but just in case, it's the woman who is talking throughout and not the shots from Italy!

Friday night, after a few pints with a work mate, I went to see Gnarls Barkley with a few friends. I didn't know who they were until Friday and was told that I would only know one of their songs... and I did. It's that song 'Crazy' that plays all the time... maybe you know it too? Probably. Anyway, it was a good gig (as they call shows here) and afterwards we all went for a couple of drinks a little closer to home.

Saturday was a BBQ at L's, sans L. Her flatmate, K, had a barbee for all her kiwi friends, so I met a load of people and saw a bunch I already knew. There was so much food that I can't even remember everything that we had, burgers, sausages, shrimp, salmon, asparagus, salads of all descript, garlic bread, oh and beer. Lots of beer. The weather could have been better, but it only dripped a little rain on us for about five minutes and then we had clear skies.

Today has been a lovely sunny day, but not too warm. I covered all the basics today, cleaning, laundry, gym... and now, blogging. That's it, I'm done with this week and am almost ready for the next one to begin... hopefully it will be just as good as the last.

updates

I think I need to pick a day of the week to write posts... and stick to it. That way I won't go weeks without posting anything at all. I like to think that's it's because I'm oh-so-busy all the time, and I am, but not so much that I can't take a little time to update you all. I will stop apologising for it though, as I've been told that I say "I'm sorry" too much.

SO, that being said, I think that posting day will from now on be Sunday evenings, my time, which is Greenwich Mean Time (since I live a few miles away).

I've had one of the best weeks in London since I arrived. The weekend was fabulous, with a Korean dinner night with nine friends (seven of which are Kiwis). We went to Myungga, a little Korean restaurant in Soho. The food wasn't as good as the first time I went a few months ago, but it's some of the best Korean I've had since I was there. We had a bit of everything kimchi-jeon, bulgogi, bibimbap, all the sides (including five kinds of kimchi), dwen-jeong jigae (sp?), deok bokki, ummm... what else? soju and beer, and more food too, but the names are escaping me. I'm really tired.

After dinner we went out for drinks in Soho and headed home at the early hour of 12:30. I had to be up at 6:30 to drive to Feckenham (of Christmas with the Cotton's fame), which is south of Birmingham and about a two hour drive.

It was my 'surrogate' mother's birthday a couple of weeks ago, so L and I drove up spend the day. It was lovely to be in the country on a nice sunny day. We went to the market and picked up some fresh veggies and other supplies. Then we headed to a small artists market where there was a glass blowers studio that reminded me of C and L and my other surrogate family in Canada. There was a beautiful garden out back with some gorgeous flowers and a really old rusted tractor-like contraption - I got some great photos... as you can see.










After the market we headed home, walked the dog and had a tasty barbecue in the garden. Then we had to head back to London... We arrived pretty late so didn't do anything. Sunday was devoted to cleaning, laundry, gym etc... it was one of the first really nice days here in a few weeks, so I spent an hour outside working on my pallid skin, but I think I'll have to wait until I go to Greece in August to get some real colour.

Probably the best bit of the last week has been going "out" on the job at work. I've gone out to film and interview for the last three days in a row! I interviewed Jerry Hall on Monday, then a cabinet minister on Tuesday, and today I got to go to the National Portrait Gallery and shoot the BP National Portrait Awards. It was fantastic... now if only I could be doing it all day everyday.... That should be enough said about that. I don't want to Dooce myself.

Now that we're up to date, expect regular posts on Sundays... maybe more if I'm feeling the urge.

new beginnings

It's official. I am a career woman! I started my new job yesterday and I have to say that being happy about going to work makes a world of difference.

I was nervous at the beginning of the day, but slipped right into it. I was teamed up with a colleague who use to do my job and he showed me a lot. By the end of the day I was uploading to the wire all by myself!

The programs that I've learned so far are relatively easy to use. The real challenge will come tomorrow when I have my Avid training. My confidence is way up though and I know that I can do this job and anything they ask me to.

It's a different world for me now. I like going to work and it doesn't even really feel like work. The day flies by and before I know it, it's time to go home!

I'm still, of course, in the honeymoon stage here, and who knows what the future will bring... but for now, I'm loving it. From now on there are no more annoying people calling me and no more dealing with the public, which is a first for me!

Anyway, just wanted to drop a quickie to let you all know that things are going really well. I feel like it's the beginning of the rest of my life!

life

It seems that lately I am constantly apologizing for this blog... So here it is again, sorry I haven't updated in so long again... I'm really not keeping my word on this one. I don't know what it is, but the only thing I can say is that life is busy in London (not that it isn't everywhere else).

When you're not at work (which is all the time), you're at the gym, if you're not at the gym, you're doing chores, and failing that, you're so tired from the above that all you want to do is go for drinks at the pub or veg in front of the TV.

I know it's no excuse, but I promise to make a concerted effort to write here more. I just haven't been feeling "it".

What is "it"? That desire to share all of the wonderful amazing things that I've been discovering about London, because honestly, I haven't really been discovering much. My life is exactly what I described above, work, gym, home. I go out, obviously, but it's not really anything to write home about.

I, sadly, missed the opportunity of writing here in my first two months, which is always the most exciting time in a new country, so I feel I've lost my groove. I just need a little time to find it.

I think I've written here before that 'life is life wherever you're living it' - I just need to re-iterate that. The fun stuff is sure to come, but I don't have the fab friends that I did in Korea and I don't have the interesting kids to write about, and, well, I'm just missing that "it" bit of my life right now.

I don't want to complain on here about work, like I often did in Korea, believe me, I could complain, but I won't subject you to that, dear reader. But, that being said, I am left with little else, since the majority of my time is spent in the office. Maybe I should start wingeing (ooh, Brit speak!) about it? Let me know what you think...

I have some good ideas for posts, but I just don't have the energy to do the research and take the time necessary... but it will come... I promise, that is, if you still believe me... and if life doesn't get in the way.

stuff

It's been more than a few days, I'm sorry. I haven't felt like posting much and oddly, I still don't, but I am anyway.

I've been searching for a job all week. On the internet. With agencies. On the street. It looks like things may be looking up now, though I was pretty discouraged earlier in the week.

On Monday I met with my first agency. I had to take a bunch of tests. Word. Excel. Typing. I scored intermediate on all of them. What did I learn from that? I thought I was better at all of them than I actually am. The agency told me it was okay and that I'm employable, but that didn't mean they had anything for me.

I think I've applied to about 25 or 30 jobs online as well. Some of them I've heard from and some not. I got really discouraged when one guy told me to never mind when I told him that I was on a working holiday maker visa. That means that I can only work for 12 months, so who is he that he thinks he's so important that I'll still want to be working there a year from now?!

Anyway, I hit the streets in the area yesterday applying at all the pubs, restaurants, and cafe's that I could find. I also applied at a small photography store that was looking for someone. My job at York International wasn't on my CV since it was quite some time ago, but I worked in a retail photo store for about three and a half years. I was also sent on a Fuji Film Canada lab technician training. Oh, and did I mention that I studied photography for a number of years and worked as a photographer for a summer? They called me today. I'm going in tomorrow to see what it's all about and so they can meet with me and see if they like me.

I also got another call from a temp agency today and met with them this afternoon. They said that I have highly transferable skills and am highly employable - much nicer than the first agency. They might have something for me starting as early as next week, which would be nice.

After meeting with them I went to Paddington Station (wish I'd had my camera!!!) to get my tickets to Cambridge to visit Anna for the weekend. I'm really excited about it since I haven't seen her in a couple of years and I've known her for more than half my life! She's studying for her PhD there. Very cool. So, after the weekend I should have some nice updates about partying in the Uni town of Cambridge for you! See you then!

In the meantime here are two pictures of fuzz that grows all over the place here... everything is covered in green moss...

fun in london

On Wednesday (the day I arrived) Lisa had over a couple of her closest friends - A and K - and we had a vegetarian green thai curry and way too much wine. It was a lovely evening and I was able to meet a couple of really great women. A is an aussie but has been here for years and K is from Kent, I think. Anyway it was really a great night, though my stomach didn't appreciate it the next day!

Yesterday Lisa and I went shopping. We hit Oxford street and went to some of the big department stores -the names all escape me at the moment- and then went to Tottenham Court road to continue the search for one of her Christmas gifts. We ended up finally buying most things online as it's cheaper, and as it turned out, easier.

In the evening we were invited to the Of Montreal concert (or gig as they say here) - which was hilarious for me, since I'm from there and only just left there. The band, however, is not from Montreal... They're American from the States somewhere. They were pretty good and I'm sure there are people I know who are big fans of this band and might be a little jealous that I just happened onto their concert... sorry!

Before the show Lisa and I headed to the local for a pint. My first real pint here, actually. It was nice to sit and chat, we hadn't really had time for it before. I kept thinking to myself how "normal" (whatever that means...) it feels for me to be here. That could change, I know, but for now, there isn't any real culture shock, no homesickness, no wondering what the hell I'm doing... it's all very different from Korea in that sense.

Today I started to seriously look for and apply to jobs. Now I'm waiting to hear anything. I'm going to continue over the weekend to look for something. On Monday I have an appointment at one of the recruiting agencies that I've signed up with. They'll want my banking information - but I don't have any yet. I was going to go get an account today, but the lines were all so long at ALL of the banks that I would have been in line until next week anyway! So, I'll go on Monday afternoon. I still haven't decided on a bank, but Lloyd's is looking like the best right now... we'll see how difficult it proves to get an account here.

So, stay tuned for more on London and the adventures of getting a bank account! Not sure what's on for the weekend yet, but I'm sure it'll be fun no matter what it is, just because I'm in London!!! Also, more pictures to come soon.

in London at last!

My flight arrived about an hour late this morning. We were stuck flying around the airport for ages before we could land. Then we had to wait for our gate... nothing more annoying when you're on a flight than to sit for forty minutes staring at the airport out the window!! Oh well. I got in a cab (yes the fancy black ones, though mine was blue) and a half hour into the journey I realized that I should have tried to navigate the train with my luggage... another "oh well."

I wasn't too keen on taking a cab into the city, but there was a time constraint with Lisa having to get to work and we just thought it would be faster and easier. It wasn't. That's all I have to say about that.

Lisa's house

I arrived after Lisa left for work, but her flatmate Kate was here to greet me with a coffee. I wandered around the house in a daze for a while then decided to take a nap. I couldn't sleep, so I managed to log on to the wireless internet (!) here and check my mail and facecrack. Then I did take a nap - for about two and a half hours, which will hopefully get me through until it's bedtime.

Warning!

After I woke I went for a walk in the area. It's a very pretty neighbourhood just west of the city center... I believe it's called Kilburn, anyway, the nearest Tube station is Queen's Park, which is on the Bakerloo Line.

Around the neighbourhood... old trees have all been chopped like this

A neat entryway...

No drinking!!!

My walk took me to Queen's Park, which was part of the 1879 Royal Kilburn Agricultural Show, attended by none other than Queen Victoria. After the show the 30 acre site was given up for "free use and enjoyment by the public", and so, in 1886, the City of London acquired the land. The park was originally named Kilburn Recreation Ground, until the Queen gave her permission to rename it in honour of her Golden Jubilee. Queen's Park was officially opened on November 5th 1887 - exactly 120 years and one month ago.

In the park

So here I sit in Lisa's lovely living room. I'm going to take a shower and get ready for a couple of Lisa's friends who are coming round for dinner - Thai green curry!!! mmmmm... So, until we meet again, which should be soon... coming up: looking for a job and a flat.

Fall in Montreal

So here I am, stuck for another three weeks (no! I'm not counting!)... I've been staying with a friend at her mother's house in Otterburn Park (see previous posts on that), the thing is, this is a HOUSE, which means lots of cleaning and tons of yard work.

I've been enjoying it mostly, but that 's probably because I don't feel entirely obliged to do it. I'm sure I'd be way less gung-ho if it was my OWN yard. Anyway, last weekend the three of us headed outside (thankfully the weather was nice) to rake the leaves.

a BIG pile of leaves

with the bag to give it a little perspective...

I'd already done 17 bags at hallowe'en and this past weekend the three of us managed to bag another 35!!! And we still have half the yard to do! We're hoping for good weather this weekend to get it all done. Anyway, I took a few pictures. Now I'm wishing I'd thought of shooting the 35 bags lined up on the road for collection, but oh well... Maybe we'll have just as many this weekend and I can show you that.

some pretty leaves (still on the tree)

some more pretty leaves... maybe these will be in the bag this weekend!

There's something about being out in the country that makes me want to take lots of pictures. I wish I had a macro lens though to get really close up. I can dream...

In other news... in exactly three weeks my flight to London will be in the air, or just taking off... I'm really excited but also kind of scared, but in the same way I was before going to Korea... so it's ok. If I don't like it I can always come home OR go back to Korea, right? Right.

More to come, as soon as I have anything... maybe I'll tell you all about the glamourous life of a telephone market researcher... on second thought, maybe not...

it's actually august

I can't believe how quickly time goes by. I know I’ve said this before on this blog... but everything is just happening so fast and it's making me think too much. I’m leaving for Thailand on Saturday. First stop is Seoul for the day - where I will finally buy my digital SLR!!! My flight leaves from Incheon international airport on Sunday at 9 AM. So this might be the last post for a while, though I haven't been posting much of late anyway, and for that, I am sorry.

It’s amazing that I’ve made it. I have a total of eight teaching days left. Tomorrow is the last day of summer camp and then I have seven days when I return from Thailand. If you had asked me in November if I’d still be here in August the answer would have been NO WAY! But here I am, and much better/happier for it too.

I’m really happy that I stayed. I know that I would have regretted leaving and I don’t like to have regrets. Every year around the time of my birthday I inevitably think back on my life and try to come to terms with the bad things that have happened, and to revel in the good. This year is no exception. (I know it’s still another couple of weeks to the “big day” but like I said, things are moving fast and making me think a lot.

I’ve recently been in touch with a lot of old friends thanks to the oh-so-addictive facebook. It’s great to get in touch, but not so great to think of the friends that seem to be lost forever. (Why isn’t everyone on facecrack???) Thinking about certain people makes me realize that I do, in fact, have regrets – though I try to tell myself I don’t – but I do. There are some things in life that I would change if I could, but then where would I be today? I can't let myself regret most things, because what I have done in my life is what has made me who I am, right? Still, there are situations that I wish would have gone differently. I've learned, though, from those "mistakes" to always ask myself if I will regret doing or not doing something.

It was the same exactly one year ago when I was deciding to actually come here or not. I felt like I was leaving things behind and that they would never be the same, and I thought that if I stayed in Canada, that maybe things wouldn’t change (yeah, naïve, I know). A friend told me that if I didn’t then I would always wonder “what if?” and I decided that I would regret not coming, so here I am. And a year later I know it was the right thing.

Well, now I’m wondering if going home is “the right thing” to do. I am going home. It’s a done deal. At least I know that I can come back anytime I want (I think that’s something else I told myself upon my arrival here). Something in the back of my mind keeps telling me that I need to find “the next big adventure” and I know that that adventure is life. I may be turning the BIG 3-0 in a few weeks, but that doesn’t mean I have to settle down, does it? Because I don’t think I’m ready, and I really don’t want to. Anyone have a boat and want to sail around the world with me?

***

Even though I’m leaving Korea in a month I’ve already started saying my goodbyes. A lot of waegooks are going to their home countries for the month of August and most of them will only be back after I leave. So, to those of you who I will most likely never see again, “Cheers! Maybe see you in another life.”