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Monday, August 30, 2010

London Days 2, 3 and 4

Mkay, so I've bee entirely too busy to sit down at a computer and type out all the things I've been up to but I finally have a sec so here's a top 10 of things I've learned whilst visiting London:
1. You can slap a Mercedes symbol on just about any crappy looking car.
2. Fish and Chips, big let down
3. I was stupid enough to actually believe there was a magical way to fry fish that tasted better than what it sounds like
4. If it's called "Carnival" it's code for scantily clad people wasted before noon. No Ferris wheels involved.
5. As clothing goes, if it's not slutty or sequined I can't afford it.
6. The art of espresso and foam is alive and well.
7. A good friend is one who lives in a very cool area with a very high cost of living and is also willing to put you up for a week.
8. You must never assume that pudding is pudding. It's not always pudding.
9. Same goes for bacon.
10. You're never too old to find puppets amusing (go see Avenue Q, absolutely hilarious)

Friday, August 27, 2010

London Day 1

Firstly, I gotta say I love British airlines. On a six hour flight there were three beverage services (including free booze), a three course dinner, muffins for breakfast and "sweets" just before landing. Also, the stewardesses have really kept themselves up. Never have I seen more Bump-It and Bun combos in my life.

After much tribulation and an exceptionally rude customs employee I headed back to Shae's flat, entourage in tow (Shae, Val and Lindsay). Val and Lindsay were off to Paris today. I'll catch up with them next week. Shae and I hit up a bike shop slash cafe for lunch followed by a 3 hour nap, a pub visit and some delicious kebab (which here is in fact not meat on a stick but rather meat in a pita with various delicious things on top... my new favorite post-pub food) heading to bed relatively early in the hopes of catching up to London time by morning.
Cheers!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Leaving On a Jet Plane

All my bags are packed. I'm ready to gooooo!!!!! But I do know when I'll be back... September 9th. The time has come for me to actually take one of those vacation thingys people are always blabbing about. And not the kind where I sleep on my brother's couch and chase the munchkins around. They're cute but there's always some type of liquid coming out of them, they can't feed themselves and I can't take them with me to the bar... I mean I could... but I feel like people might judge. Anyway, so I'm crossing the big blue ocean and checking out the scene across the pond. As I've never been (gasp, judge the uncultured girl) it will be a brand spanking new experience. I plan on drinking too much, eating too much, and spending entirely too much money on a handbag so that for the rest of my life when someone asks me wherever did I get that fabulous purse I can casually reply "oh at this cute little shop dans Paris. (Yes I'll be one of those people.) I'll try to take some time to give the bloggity blog some love and update with photos. Otherwise stay tuned for a boatload of posts in 2 weeks when I get back. Au revoir for now!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Left a Good Job in the City

One of the unpleasant side effects of ditching the J-O-B in search of a career is that you have to leave behind some really great people. (It also means not having health insurance, a paycheck or a place to steal pens from, but those are minor details). On Friday I said farewell to my three year employment at a snazzy investment firm downtown. It was sad. It was draining. It was the right thing to do. And I know that because, while I had a hard time saying goodbye to the friends I'd made, I had no trouble letting go of the desk. I gladly bequeathed my duties to New Girl and bid adieu to the responsibilities formerly known as mine. I can't remember the last time something felt so right. Still, it’s scary to dismiss the security of established employment. The wager of searching for something more is not without its risks.

A more prudent girl would have stayed with the sure thing gig, watched her 401k grow, found a guy and a diamond ring and a mortgage and a couple of kids. And maybe that prude will be me someday, but right now I’m more afraid of settling for the status quo than I am of the unknown.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. And I’m not going to lose even one minute of sleep worrying about the way things might have been.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Fantastic Fashion Fads and Where I Fit In

… or don’t as the case may be

Earlier this week a friend and colleague of mine was sporting a fabulous jacket around the office. So fabulous, in fact that I struggled for an adjective. In an expectatious stance she waited as I fumbled for a descriptor:


Me: “That jacket is so…”
Her *Expectatious stance*
Me: “Umm… Colonial?”
Her: *bursts into laughter*” Gee thanks Lea.”


Here’s the deal, I’m not what you would consider fashion savvy. Ok, that’s being too nice. My wardrobe is somewhere below mid-western soccer mom but just slightly above bag lady… most of the time. I honestly didn’t understand the need for more than one coat until I moved to this city. (The style back home was called “KEEPS ME WARM”. Also known as “I can ski/skate/hunt deer in this” It was very in). Anyway, the move to Boston was an eye opener as to just how oblivious I was. “So you’re telling me a cotton t-shirt and jeans is NOT the only option? Cause I’m not shopping at JCPenny for stirrup pants. Wait wait wait, there is something BETTER than JCPenny? Ho-lee-COW “. Flash forward seven years and things really haven’t gotten a whole lot better. There have been marginal improvements but no vast change. I walk amongst my better dressed colleagues wishing I had a knack for style and fighting the urge to trip them in their oh-so-cute peep toe pumps. What? I said I FIGHT the urge. And while I haven’t really caught up with the attire, I’ve grown accustomed to it. It’s part of what makes this town and even though I’m not usually wearing it, the fact that it’s around me almost makes it part of me too.

So, back to the well-dressed colleague, it got me thinking about what my fashion future will be like in California. I’m currently interviewing at a company, we’ll call it Bloggle, and the attire there is ultra-casual. I’ve spent the last few years trying, however unsuccessfully, to NOT look like a ragamuffin, and these people are now telling me this is not only socially acceptable, but expected in the office. I don’t know what to make of this and I have a feeling another onset of culture shock is about to hit. As I tend to fail horribly at moderation, I have a feeling I’ll fall one way or the other off this fence. On the one hand, I can vie for best dressed in the office, an award I am never going to win in any other setting. On the other, I can dismiss everything urbanity has taught me and choose to become Jammies Girl (just short of bunny-suit-from-A-Christmas-Story-style). Each has its perks. Neither will meet the high standards of Boston and no matter what I’ll be wearing a constant reminder of the big bold move I chose to make. Stay tuned for the result. .
Pictured below is the jacket referenced. Please note it is an underly enthusiastic model, and not my friend, who is wearing it.