Yes, I was aware when making the decision to move over here that it was cold and rained a lot. But honestly, I thought my timings would permit me to ease into it a bit i.e move over in 'Summer'. But no, it's cold and it's raining and I spend an entire tube ride trying to put my umbrella cover back on my umbrella and well it's black and kinda big so use your imagination. It provided great amusement to the guys I was sitting opposite to. Of course I was really engrossed in the whole process and didn't realise what it looked like until I was giving it a massive tug! HA!
I've caught up with a few people from home which has been good. I caught up with Caitlin who I haven't seen in years and can't manage to catch up with her in Adelaide but can in London! I am having MAJOR BBQ City withdrawlas. I went to a place called Ping Pong the other night and basically could have eaten the ENTIRE BBQ City menu for the price of a dumpling. A very bad dumping at that. And you all know how much I love my dumplings.
Other news, we have a mouse/mice in the house. We named it Jeffery. Jeffery was ok until he ate some bread on our kitchen counter and pooed in the kitchen. Jeffery now must die. I think out of the three of us living in the house it will be my responsibility to kill him as I found it fun picking up the massive worms on the ground while the others thought it was gross. The next debate is trap verus high tech mouse catcher. We'll see. I'll keep you posted.
I'm still freelancing at the moment. I'm not sure about the other job, I've been told they won't make a decision until the end of this week/beginning of next. I'm happy to see what happens. I think I have more freelance work here/potentially a permanent position. It hit me this morning that I am working on some massive campaigns and how lucky I am to be doing it. Stuff that I am the sole copywriter on will be shown in Trafalgur Square. Anyway, it just really dawned on me this morning. Perhaps I am a little slow. Yes, that could probably be the case. I should probably stop being so blase about the job...
I have a really cool laundrette. The lady who mans it helped me fold my Rebecca bedspread. Rebecca found that lovely. So did Vanessa. We even did the shake and bring together thing. It was so 80's.
Um, what else? The girls and I decided (acutally I just went along with it) to walk from our house to Oxford Street (this is a really long way and no one in their right mind would do it). Anna also got us lost, so that added 45mins to our journey. Overall it took 2.5 hours. We did stop in Chelsea (really posh suburb and we were wearing our trackies true Aussie style) for a pasty. I had a steak and guiness one and it rocked. Could have been hotter, but it was still great.
I've got a few quiet moments at work but I am trying to type quietly which is really hard. Why? Because nothing I type would be this long nor would it require this much typing in a row. I have great faffing technique by the way. For example, I stop and look up every few minutes and pretend I'm thinking about something. And then I draw something on my pad. Genius.
Ok, gotta go, I am heading to a 'Creative Summit' this afternoon.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Life in London - that title is gay but it's all I got (actually, I got told I can't use 'gay' anymore as it's sooooo Adelaide)
Well, after gorging myself at lunch on Friday. I can't remember whether I wrote about that or not? Well, I'll tell you all again anyway. Ok, let's pause from the original story and go with this one.
Lunch time - went to this fantastic bbq place at Borough Markets. It's an actual bbq place and they cook the biggest hamburgers on the grill (like they are bigger than your face). The guy who cooks it is like Seinfield's soup nazi. He's very scary but the burgers are amazing. They are put in fresh baguettes with grilled peppers, rocket, mayo and salsa. Mmmm, I am salivating as I type. I went with some of the guys in my team and after about 5 mins one announced that I really love food. Yep, nothing has changed. So after lunch I walked around the markets and decided after eating my mega burger I still had room to go around to the varous stalls and eat all the trial brownies and then decided I wanted some home made icecream made with CLOTTED CREAM. Surprisingly I was full after.
After creating more genius at work I went shopping on Oxford Street. No, I still haven't been paid yet but I really needed a sheet, oh and maybe a dress but it was only £10! Then I met the girls at our local which is a pub called The Clarence. We ended up having a massive night and walked back from a club at Clapham called Infernos at about 5am. The name says it all. It was a lot of fun though.
On Saturday Skinner and Anna's friends came to stay and we went back to the Borough Markets for more burger action. Then we went back to Oxford Street and maybe did other stuff which I can't remember cause I was so tired. Oh, I think some cake was eaten too. Sunday we went to Notting Hill and looked around the market. Well, the full market wasn't open but we found the best cupcake place EVER. I also bought the best earring holder which I have named Rebecca. Rebecca, by the way, is the name of my new alter ego. My new room is actually named Rebecca after my bedspread and I talk about her in the 3rd person. Rebecca is a very mature room (she is almost 26) and is cream, brown and latte. Rebecca has a throw on her bed which has colour coordinating polka dots. Rebecca sometimes wears ribbons in her hair - ok, maybe that's taking it too far! See, I could go on all day being Rebecca. I wonder when it's going to get old....
We also went to the Tate on Sunday which reaffirmed my hate of some types of modern art. For example people painting a canvas in all red and claiming it's their 'interpretation of their trapped subconscious'. Plus, I had been holding Rebecca al day and I was tired.
Ok, I better go cause I need to write something in the form of a weird monster thing for the Wireless Festival.
Lunch time - went to this fantastic bbq place at Borough Markets. It's an actual bbq place and they cook the biggest hamburgers on the grill (like they are bigger than your face). The guy who cooks it is like Seinfield's soup nazi. He's very scary but the burgers are amazing. They are put in fresh baguettes with grilled peppers, rocket, mayo and salsa. Mmmm, I am salivating as I type. I went with some of the guys in my team and after about 5 mins one announced that I really love food. Yep, nothing has changed. So after lunch I walked around the markets and decided after eating my mega burger I still had room to go around to the varous stalls and eat all the trial brownies and then decided I wanted some home made icecream made with CLOTTED CREAM. Surprisingly I was full after.
After creating more genius at work I went shopping on Oxford Street. No, I still haven't been paid yet but I really needed a sheet, oh and maybe a dress but it was only £10! Then I met the girls at our local which is a pub called The Clarence. We ended up having a massive night and walked back from a club at Clapham called Infernos at about 5am. The name says it all. It was a lot of fun though.
On Saturday Skinner and Anna's friends came to stay and we went back to the Borough Markets for more burger action. Then we went back to Oxford Street and maybe did other stuff which I can't remember cause I was so tired. Oh, I think some cake was eaten too. Sunday we went to Notting Hill and looked around the market. Well, the full market wasn't open but we found the best cupcake place EVER. I also bought the best earring holder which I have named Rebecca. Rebecca, by the way, is the name of my new alter ego. My new room is actually named Rebecca after my bedspread and I talk about her in the 3rd person. Rebecca is a very mature room (she is almost 26) and is cream, brown and latte. Rebecca has a throw on her bed which has colour coordinating polka dots. Rebecca sometimes wears ribbons in her hair - ok, maybe that's taking it too far! See, I could go on all day being Rebecca. I wonder when it's going to get old....
We also went to the Tate on Sunday which reaffirmed my hate of some types of modern art. For example people painting a canvas in all red and claiming it's their 'interpretation of their trapped subconscious'. Plus, I had been holding Rebecca al day and I was tired.
Ok, I better go cause I need to write something in the form of a weird monster thing for the Wireless Festival.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
More sneakiness
Ok, I seriously have been working hard, but I wanted to give you all a quick update.
Freelancing: going really well. I think they want me back next week which will be good while I sus out the other job situation. I am really hoping I get paid soon. Like yesterday wouldn't have been soon enough. I'm not sure if I love it though. It's cool, but I am not sure if I can imagine myself doing this long term.....I wish someone could just tell me what I should do with my life. Ohhh, update as I type, they want me back next week.
Other job interview: had a job interview on moving day which was pretty hellish timing. It went really well though. It's a really cool place that predominately does music videos. They are looking for a project manager for their print side of things. Yes, I hate print, but the clients are cool, and more importantly, it pays really well. I actually have no idea what to do about it. She pretty much offered me the job on the spot but I am holding out for another job that I really want that I am suppose to be having an interview for in the next week. It's organising fashion shoots which I would totally love doing. Anyway, we'll see.
House: ummmm, biggest joke in the world. Ok, so our moving in date was pushed back 3 times. We were supposed to move in on Tuesday which we did. The reason why it was pushed back was cause the landlord needed time to re paint and clean the place because the previous tennants had trashed it. Yea, um, that didn't happen. When we got there it was still trashed just minus the tennants' belongings. So to cut a long story short, it's still unpainted and dirty. I let angry Vanessa loose on the land agent whose problem it is apparently not anymore. Having maxed out all my credit cards to pay for 14 weeks rent in advance because I don't have a permanent job, needless to say, I am pretty pissed off. Plus the landlord is avoiding us. But the house is cool, once there is a roof on the bathroom (even longer story) and maybe there isn't dirt on the floor, it will feel more like home.
Ok gotta go, I have to go brainstorm stuff. Yea, go me.
Hope everyone is well xx
Freelancing: going really well. I think they want me back next week which will be good while I sus out the other job situation. I am really hoping I get paid soon. Like yesterday wouldn't have been soon enough. I'm not sure if I love it though. It's cool, but I am not sure if I can imagine myself doing this long term.....I wish someone could just tell me what I should do with my life. Ohhh, update as I type, they want me back next week.
Other job interview: had a job interview on moving day which was pretty hellish timing. It went really well though. It's a really cool place that predominately does music videos. They are looking for a project manager for their print side of things. Yes, I hate print, but the clients are cool, and more importantly, it pays really well. I actually have no idea what to do about it. She pretty much offered me the job on the spot but I am holding out for another job that I really want that I am suppose to be having an interview for in the next week. It's organising fashion shoots which I would totally love doing. Anyway, we'll see.
House: ummmm, biggest joke in the world. Ok, so our moving in date was pushed back 3 times. We were supposed to move in on Tuesday which we did. The reason why it was pushed back was cause the landlord needed time to re paint and clean the place because the previous tennants had trashed it. Yea, um, that didn't happen. When we got there it was still trashed just minus the tennants' belongings. So to cut a long story short, it's still unpainted and dirty. I let angry Vanessa loose on the land agent whose problem it is apparently not anymore. Having maxed out all my credit cards to pay for 14 weeks rent in advance because I don't have a permanent job, needless to say, I am pretty pissed off. Plus the landlord is avoiding us. But the house is cool, once there is a roof on the bathroom (even longer story) and maybe there isn't dirt on the floor, it will feel more like home.
Ok gotta go, I have to go brainstorm stuff. Yea, go me.
Hope everyone is well xx
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Sneaky
Shhhhhh! I'm spose to be 'working' at the moment. But the life of a freelance copywriter is one of 'thinking' and 'brainstorming'. Ok, ok, I have nothing to do until my 4pm meeting about a Rexona (Sure for the UK market) campaign. Freelancing here is ok. But I guess like anywhere you're not really part of a team which feels a bit weird. The pay is freakin awesome though. I'm not really sure of my next steps. I have a job interview tonight for a totally different job to copywriting. I am feeling a bit 'ugh' about the lack of pay creativity at a junior level brings (this is moving from freelance to a perm position, so I am working on plan B options. I've got to work on some pretty cool things here though; from pitch work to Sony Ericsson to T-Mobile - it's good experience.....ok, gotta go!
PS: finally moving in today after it being put off at least 50 times. Let me just say, trying to move things on the tube in peak hour really sucks.
PS: finally moving in today after it being put off at least 50 times. Let me just say, trying to move things on the tube in peak hour really sucks.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Update
Ok, about time for an update. Since my last post I have eaten yet more crap...mmmmm eton mess and spend even more money on freakin public transport. Oh, and I've also been working. Yes, it's strange to start using my brain again. Unless I've gotten considerably more talented/smarter (I highly doubt this is the case), the standard of copywriting here isn't that high. I wrote a million page document on Shell diesel fuel and they didn't change anything. I find that weird when I rewrote the same thing and had to double check what writing in the 3rd person was. See, I haven't got smarter. I also re wrote a press release on some WAG reality tv show that I had no idea about, yet they thought it was great. Oh, I also got to work on an Impulse pitch this week which was cool. I totally like got in touch with my 14 year old self again. Like yeah.
Stupid stupid real estate agents here. We were suppose to move into our place tomorrow but no, it's not ready. This is the 3rd time they have changed it. So now the big day is Tuesday. Plus they have sprung on us that we need to pay 8 weeks rent in advance as well as 6 weeks bond. Needless to say I had to get a money transfer from my OZ savings account because my funds are totally wiped out.
Hmmm, going to bed now. The 4 hours of travelling a day is kind of tiring. Boota and I are going for a walk in the fields tomorrow morning to attempt to walk off the burger, chips, brownie, banana caramel pie and eton mess we consumed tonight. We may or may not stop in for cake in the village afterwards....
Stupid stupid real estate agents here. We were suppose to move into our place tomorrow but no, it's not ready. This is the 3rd time they have changed it. So now the big day is Tuesday. Plus they have sprung on us that we need to pay 8 weeks rent in advance as well as 6 weeks bond. Needless to say I had to get a money transfer from my OZ savings account because my funds are totally wiped out.
Hmmm, going to bed now. The 4 hours of travelling a day is kind of tiring. Boota and I are going for a walk in the fields tomorrow morning to attempt to walk off the burger, chips, brownie, banana caramel pie and eton mess we consumed tonight. We may or may not stop in for cake in the village afterwards....
Monday, May 07, 2007
The road to obesity
Well, you will all be pleased (for those who are betting)/not surprised to know that I am working my way towards obesity. And I was doing pretty well in Thailand. Ugh. It was a mistake to try scones with jam and clotted cream. So so wrong.
For example,
Thursday: Lisa's friend came over and brought a sponge cake. Because we were sitting in front of it Anna and I ate over half of it. Then we went out to this beautiful orchard garden that was serving scones with jam and clotted cream (we also had this for afternoon tea the day before). The garden, by the way, was so very English. And so very charming. Rupert Brooke and Virginia Woolf used to go there when they were at Cambridge and have picnics under the big trees and no doubt have very witty arguments about literature and politics. Then we had a potato bake for dinner. Anna and I thought it was a waste to throw half of it out, so we ate the rest (this, by the way has turned into a pattern).
Friday: Anna and I went and had a local pub lunch. Then we went and had afternoon tea. Then we had a massive dinner where we proceeded to eat the leftovers again instead of throwing them out. Or even putting them in the fridge.
Saturday: Pub lunch again. Afternoon tea. Again. Dinner + leftovers again. Oh, and 2 chocolate bars cause they were on special. Mmmm, snickers.
Sunday: Pub lunch (hello, sunday roast). Then a party at my sisters house that had nibblies. See, that's where I go wrong. I feel that I have to try everything. And then try it again just to make sure. We ate half a carrot cake. Actually, maybe more than half. Then had cupcakes. The little girl whose mother had made them looked like she was going to cry because there were none left. Uh, whoops. I washed the tin though. I was Christmas full after that.
Monday: Pub lunch (we were in Cambridge - does it make a difference if we are in a different location?) and then afternoon tea. Mmmm, I had a Ploughman's Lunch just because I liked the word.
Cambridge, by the way, is the most beautiful little(ish) village. I don't think I could ever get sick of the English countryside with the canola fields and the rolling green hills. It makes me want to frolick in a white dress with an apron and maybe ride a horse. Oh, and have a daisy chain in my hair too.
Mmm, start freelancing on Wednesday. Must work out a way to feel smarter by then. Think Vanessa. Think. I wonder if I could Google it.....
Ok. I have written A LOT about food but I just want to make it clear there are A LOT of pubs and cakes to eat here and I believe in embracing culture wholeheartedly.
For example,
Thursday: Lisa's friend came over and brought a sponge cake. Because we were sitting in front of it Anna and I ate over half of it. Then we went out to this beautiful orchard garden that was serving scones with jam and clotted cream (we also had this for afternoon tea the day before). The garden, by the way, was so very English. And so very charming. Rupert Brooke and Virginia Woolf used to go there when they were at Cambridge and have picnics under the big trees and no doubt have very witty arguments about literature and politics. Then we had a potato bake for dinner. Anna and I thought it was a waste to throw half of it out, so we ate the rest (this, by the way has turned into a pattern).
Friday: Anna and I went and had a local pub lunch. Then we went and had afternoon tea. Then we had a massive dinner where we proceeded to eat the leftovers again instead of throwing them out. Or even putting them in the fridge.
Saturday: Pub lunch again. Afternoon tea. Again. Dinner + leftovers again. Oh, and 2 chocolate bars cause they were on special. Mmmm, snickers.
Sunday: Pub lunch (hello, sunday roast). Then a party at my sisters house that had nibblies. See, that's where I go wrong. I feel that I have to try everything. And then try it again just to make sure. We ate half a carrot cake. Actually, maybe more than half. Then had cupcakes. The little girl whose mother had made them looked like she was going to cry because there were none left. Uh, whoops. I washed the tin though. I was Christmas full after that.
Monday: Pub lunch (we were in Cambridge - does it make a difference if we are in a different location?) and then afternoon tea. Mmmm, I had a Ploughman's Lunch just because I liked the word.
Cambridge, by the way, is the most beautiful little(ish) village. I don't think I could ever get sick of the English countryside with the canola fields and the rolling green hills. It makes me want to frolick in a white dress with an apron and maybe ride a horse. Oh, and have a daisy chain in my hair too.
Mmm, start freelancing on Wednesday. Must work out a way to feel smarter by then. Think Vanessa. Think. I wonder if I could Google it.....
Ok. I have written A LOT about food but I just want to make it clear there are A LOT of pubs and cakes to eat here and I believe in embracing culture wholeheartedly.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Number 23
The funniest/saddest/most plain stupid thing happened today. I signed up to the local library so I could use the internet. And, as part of the sign up, I had to choose from a laminated A4 sheet what ethnic group I was. Let me tell you, there was quite a choice. Even for a chongbonger like myself. So as someone who is part white part asian (I kid you not, this is how I was catergorised) I can now consider myself a number 23. It's so clear now. Identity crisis over. Bloody hell.
Progress report
Well, things are coming together nicely - yes, I'm saying this in a way where I'm rubbing my hands together. Mmm ok, that sounds reeeally dumb.
Anyway, so we've got a house. Funnily enough it's in Balham where my sister has just moved from. It's pretty close to Clapham where there is a really nice park and shops and bars. We move in on Wednesday and I'm kind of shitting myself because the girls haven't seen the place. You've gotta snap places up here and this one was in a pretty good location and was cheap compared to the other ones we had seen. And not as scungy. So yea, I made the executive decision. Hmmmm I hope they like it. Ha, sucked in if they don't!!
Ooooohh, we have the coolest shower. It's in a closet. They really know how to make use of space here. I'll take a photo. It's SO FUNNY!!!! Like really funny. Like as funny as I find the tube stop 'cockfosters' everytime I read it.
I've also started drinking tea. Well, I've only had one cup and that was tonight. But still, it's a start. I also have a credit card which is scary. By the time I pay bond and rent in advance I will have about £100 in my account. How funny is that? Well, not funny haha, more like, ha, I can't afford to eat. I have a week of freelance work next week which I am shitting myself about. I feel like I lost some brain cells across the equator. I also find the 'international dateline' funny too. Not as funny as 'Cockfosters' though.
Bum report - it still hurts.
Food report - I had scones with clotted cream and jam yesterday. It was soooooooo good.
Anyway, so we've got a house. Funnily enough it's in Balham where my sister has just moved from. It's pretty close to Clapham where there is a really nice park and shops and bars. We move in on Wednesday and I'm kind of shitting myself because the girls haven't seen the place. You've gotta snap places up here and this one was in a pretty good location and was cheap compared to the other ones we had seen. And not as scungy. So yea, I made the executive decision. Hmmmm I hope they like it. Ha, sucked in if they don't!!
Ooooohh, we have the coolest shower. It's in a closet. They really know how to make use of space here. I'll take a photo. It's SO FUNNY!!!! Like really funny. Like as funny as I find the tube stop 'cockfosters' everytime I read it.
I've also started drinking tea. Well, I've only had one cup and that was tonight. But still, it's a start. I also have a credit card which is scary. By the time I pay bond and rent in advance I will have about £100 in my account. How funny is that? Well, not funny haha, more like, ha, I can't afford to eat. I have a week of freelance work next week which I am shitting myself about. I feel like I lost some brain cells across the equator. I also find the 'international dateline' funny too. Not as funny as 'Cockfosters' though.
Bum report - it still hurts.
Food report - I had scones with clotted cream and jam yesterday. It was soooooooo good.
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