Tick toc

The hours are drawing to an end for a lot of things in my life right now, all positive things of course. I've but one day and four hours or so left at this job, followed up swiftly by our move on the weekend. I'm so excited!

The weather has taken a big turn and it's bright, sunny and hot here! I zipped down to oxford circus today at lunch and bough a few bits for miss H and I... it's already proving a challenge to H to find clothes to wear to work to make her look smart every day... My new dress code is smart casual... I'm hoping that trainers with trousers will just scrape under the radar... I'm going the distance.

Dearbhla informed me that I bought an obi... I saw it as a cool belt thing but apparently they are the in thing this season at Gucci... Let me tell you, what I bought, was certainly not from Gucci! It's black on one side and denim on the other... obviously the black side is what I'm going to go for but it's just too cool (yes I am an old lady still excited by fashion)

I've been speaking to a lot of lost friends in the past two days as I've send out my change of address e-mail. It's so great to chat with everyone. Funny how you seem to forget just how many people you know sometimes because you see so few of them on a regular basis. I feel special... and yes speciale like in French.

God I'm going to miss Dearbhla when I leave here... it's such a joy working with her and the team here. What ever will I do?

Some yea the fatalist in me is thinking... great. I find a new job and a fab new flat and what's gonna happen? The world is going to end, that's all! Politics, shmolitics our PM is a wanker and as dim as the yippy lap dog that which the media addresses him as... Gosh darn it. How selfish could I be? well I'm obviously more concerned about this Iraq situation beyond my freaking job and flat but goodness me, in this day and age I can believe that democratic society allows for such tyranny from the leaders... no one asks the low prolies what we want... Guess all I get to help choose is the mayor of Hackney... Now that's going to change the world! *scoff*

bitterness, oh how it pleasures me!

Bzzz bzzz

So much has happened this week... I think mar getting married, or having children I've almost squeezed in life's stressful events!

We've found a new flat. I'm really excited about this one... it's a beautiful loft with two double bedrooms, huge fully fitted kitchen security gates parking and a tiny private garden! We're moving next weekend I just can't wait! It's not far from where we live right now but much quieter so it will be nice to have some peace and some space!

Adding to the excitement I've found a new job! How excited am I? I'm quite saddened to leave this job as I love the people I work with and the office and the fun but it's time for me to move on. More money will certainly help too! weee!

Spoke with the lovely Sean today, oh how I miss him. I just wish that the ocean didn't keep my family and friends so far away... but such is life!

Looking forward to a quiet weekend doing the best to keep a wrap on the finances so that I can afford to move!

*flutters home*

A late fifty word fiction submission!

From no other than Miss Hazel! Enjoy!

" Look past the aesthetic and more at the structure".

Time slowly curved itself through a new space.

Sari drifted in and out of yet another lecture.
Her yawn grasped at passing mouthfuls of rhetoric, expelling them into a room
full of grazing sleepers.

She grinned at yet another late night.

It's Friday!

And I'm wrestling with the dilemma of what to do as soon as I escape from the reigns of the office. I know I'm heading to town, but when is the question... I fear I may just need to fulfill some of my shopping urges. If I get on the tube right after work I may just have enough time to spin to Oxford circus and pick up those new trainers I've been lusting over... but do I really need them? Of course not... but need is so subjective... Like for instance, today at lunch while in the second hand designer clothes shop... I found this gorge pair of Helmut Lang jeans for 35£!!!!!!! But did I buy them? No, no... so they were a smidgen too tight... but I gracefully passed them over to my slimmer co-worker in the next changing room. They fit her like Cinderella's slipper. Of course she bought them... so with that in mind, I'm convinced... I shall accept the fact that I need to go to town... and if I happen to fall victim to my retail need, I deserve it! I did do a good deed after all... sure I did!

Since my last blog work has been really busy. Good really, Dearbhla is away in Rome on her holiday and hopefully getting some rest. I think finally after two holidays but a month apart from one and other I'm feeling renewed and somewhat de-stressed.

Perhaps I've just reached that stage in my grieving process or perhaps the rest has done me some good. I'm quite frankly not terribly phased about the prospect of looking for new work. I've got some stuff in the pipeline already and I'm speaking to a recruitment company... all at the same time I'm not writing off this job just yet, I'm just trying to be realistic.

Miss Hazel's new job seems to be going well. She's now sleeping better at night and everything! I know she's not too thrilled about the hands on portion of the job that she's had to do this week, but I can understand that...

Just had a lunch on the company to celebrate the launch of this image repository tool that we built. It's quite good really, It's a great team here, I'm going to miss them if I have to leave.

Kj might be coming to visit this weekend if she manages to get a flight. I hope she does as it will most likely be the last time until xmas that I see her. Speaking of Xmas, I must start saving for my flight home! Donations are readily accepted!

So it's Friday and it's good.

Miss Hazel has landed a brilliant new job, made the local footie team and all in one day! How most excellent for her!

Yesterday I gave my notice on my flat and am equally excited to report that I shall be moving at the end of Sept. I can't wait, I'm already counting the days till we move, it will be nice to live somewhere with a little less noise and a little less mess and stress from the land lord.

Now it's time to turn my energy to job hunting... anyone knowing of a place in the city that is looking for a fab multi media project manager please let me know, times they are a changing and I must move along from this job.

Radiohead sings the bends and time is still ticking by as slowly as it usually does on a Friday of a long weekend.

tick

tick

clunk

Dolphin games

when I was younger before the dawn of game boy and such, yes there were the wind up car racing games but my favorite was always the water toys.

I remember one in specific, it was dolphin contained in a cylinder of water with a round plunger push button at the base. You would push the button hundreds of times and watch the tiny plastic rings swirl around the inside and sometimes if you were lucky you would have one successfully hoop around the dolphin's upturned snout.

*squish* *squish* was the noise it made.

It was so much fun. I sure wish I had one of those again.

The results!

So the Holiday was great fun marr the last two days of the bug that I managed to pick up... but now i'm back and pleased to showcase the micro fiction pieces that I collected. Thanks to everyone for playing along!


Stephen boarded the train with nothing but thoughts of snowboarding and Adam on his mind. The thought of a week in the alps with nothing but sun and snow filled him with joy and glee. The only thing better would be to have his best lesbian friend come with him.
seantmccann@hotmail.com


She doesn't understand why kids today are so depressed. She's unhappy sometimes now, but she was happy in her youth.

I started to present my view of youth versus age as it relates to quality of life. But, it was too involved.

The short story? My belief: life gets better.
SunlightThruRain@aol.com


Gold Star
I love gold stars! At my previous place of employ, for a short period of time, I refused to complete any project unless there was the possibility of a star-shaped sticker in my future. They make me feel special, like a third grader who has finally learned his times tables.
http://blog.sterilized.ca/



once upon a time, a cat went out to catch some mice. Slinking through the bushes, he heard a little squeaking noise and he delicately prepared to pounce, wiggling his ass like cats do, leapt through the air, and found a cat-trap set by snickering rodents and died. the end.
http://nytoo.rumandmonkey.com

just back!

got a couple of great micro stories! can't wait to post them all!

stay tuned!

Since I never did become a teacher...

So I studied four years to become one, but so what...

In the spirit of the career that never was, I'm leaving an open challenge to all ye who venture to my blog while I'm away next week. The challenge is, to write your own 50 word fiction piece and send it to me at this address. When I get back I'll post them all. And if you do it I'll give you a gold star!

Okay, I'll give you a handshake if you find the gold star too demeaning.

Go on, I dare you!

I did it!

I wrote a micro story... 50 words... *claps hands*

Baggage

You get tired of drinking mojitos after a while. Too much mint, not good. This holiday has lagged on 4 days; I'm ready to go home. Ella left me a month ago. She was like a 7-day holiday, too long. Wish I could lose her on the baggage claim.

I just love micro fiction!

Thanks to David for this link to some fly micro fiction , as always he brings in the goods. I think the first time everyone reads micro fiction, they think it's so easy to write and that they too could do it. Just cause it's small doesn't mean it's easy. Try growing a bonsai tree and you'll see what I mean.

Speaking of Bonsai trees... the one Hazel bought for me after my dad died is trucking along like a champ. My new sunflower is also brightening the windowsill at the top of the stairs... so so pretty.

Just had my hair cut by my favorite hairdresser Louise. Bought her a plant on behalf of Hazel and I as a token of sympathy. After losing her mum and dad she's now just lost her step father. Poor thing. Hope the plant helps cheer her up. She sure looked happy to receive it.

So, after much toil and much missed work this morning, I managed to book a last minute holiday for mum and I to this place. The flight times could be better but after two hours of searching with the travel agent, I was ready to explode. We leave on Sunday at 23h45 and arrive there at 5am local time. Here's to hoping they don't lose my tan on the baggage reclaim like they did when I arrived back from Portugal...

So I wasn't...

going to write at all today.. .but filling in the gaps between the remaining minutes of my day is becoming more and more of a desperate panic. It's been such a strange weather day here. I am suffering from major cabin fever. Just as I was about to get up and make my way out into the world to forage something to eat for lunch... the heavens opened and it decided to start chucking down with rain.

I settled in for an instant cup of soup and some marmite on toast (lunch of champions, I know!)

Only a few more days till my mum arrives and we depart on our mother daughter holiday adventure... one slight problem. I haven't booked it yet and quite frankly I'm starting to panic. I just can't find anything that doesn't seem hyper cheesy or super isolated. Isn't there a place with a nice happy medium and a white sand beach (not a shingle one)? Is that so much to ask for? I'm thinking that yes, is the answer to my question.

Plans to move house in the next month or so are taking shape... I found this really cool site that lets out loft apt.'s how cool would that be? tres!

2h left

please kill me

no seriously, I don't know how I'm going to manage to last that long.

Life is so strange...

So in between the minutes of the day I found myself writing to my friend Jackie whom I lost contact with since my moved to London. It felt good to find her e-mail address and hopefully re-connect with her as she was a great friend!

On the google is a great search tool vibe, I decided to punch in a few names of people I used to know, all the way back to elementary school... Now a few years back I remember someone mentioning to me that this kid who was in our class back in grade 6 French immersion whom everyone bullied, had died in a train accident. Seeing as I seem to believe that the information had come from one of the prime bullies, I thought it no more than an urban legend of sorts. You see the guy in question left our school at the end of that year and was approximately 12 years old... but sure enough I found today, that it was the truth, and that he did die at age 17... so strange and so sad. Being run over by a VIA rail train is just not good! I'm kind of extra saddened because I always hope in that talk show type of vein that people who are done wrong buy during their youth should grow up to have amasing fabulous lives. Ho hum.

Happy Blog Birthday to me!

Yes folks it's official, it's my one year bloggaversary. In honour of the occasion I have unleashed all my archives so that you can read the entire years exploits and ramblings in one go!

When I first started writing I endevoured to "Write some thoughts, keep track of time, give proper acknowledgement to the things and people that interact with on a daily basis. Make sure that things flow smoothly... unclog the blocks."

I feel that my mission has been a success, yea me!

Oh how I love this Haiku...

It was just the other day I was thinking about this e-mail that I received over a year ago with all these comical computing haikus... and as if by magic... guess what landed in my inbox this afternoon?

The stars, they shine upon me!

Windows NT crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.

Have you been wondering...

Just how stressed you really are? We'll do I have the site for you! It's the Hello Kitty Psychological Test! (taken from the plasticcat)


Work is really slow right now so there is a lot of time to fill... sometimes I don't think there are enough websites...

Just met Miss Hazel for lunch... she made us cottage cheese and spinach bagels and we ate them in this beautiful park near my work. It's a nice day, could be hotter but anything other than grey skies here is a treat.

Heard from Travis yesterday, who is doing well and keeping fly back in Ottawa. What a treat! Dom wrote today as well asking if I could host his MTL friend who will be coming here for an art expo... He's part of an art collective.. Sure, why not?

Mum is coming hopefully on the 9th from there we're hoping to skip off to somewhere warm and Mediterranean... nothing confirmed yet but it should be nice.

Tried to buy a good drum and base CD to listen to at the gym... failed miserably... what do you expect for a fiver?

The weekend is nigh... sun is on the menu! Miss H and I are heading off to the women's pond on Hampstead Heath... is the world quite ready for our ivory coloured breasts? Doubt it... but what the hey!

Warchalking?

How cool is this? I guess all I need is a wireless device and I too can join in...

Brighton and the Pheromone experiment

After being home one brief evening... The lovely Hazel and I zipped down to Brighton to visit with my sister who was there on a 20 hour stop over. It was great to see her and we had a blast! To make a long story short...

Hazel and KJ try out the boots pheromone wipe...

Hazel swears she never attracts men so she applies the pheromone and so does KJ...

Hazel and KJ get lots of male attention! it works by God!

Hazel Sarah and KJ stop in for a pint at a gay bar... Hazel gets physically shoved by this aggressive man who was drunk and called her a whole load of expletives for being a dyke in a fag bar...

Lesson learned?

Never go into a gay bar during a pheromone experiment... the mix it poisonous... think we'll have to write to boots and get them to put the warning on the packet!

So yea,

after you haven't blogged in a week or so you start to feel like you can never quite attribute the right amount of detail to all the things that have happened during that time. So in true project manager fashion I'm going to make a list as it feels less daunting of a task. (please forgive my phonetic spelling of all Portuguese locations as I haven't a clue)

Sarah's trip to Portugal:

-departed the 11th in the afternoon arriving in Faro at 7pm. Siobhan was waiting for me with a big grin.

-5h later we're lost in mountains having taken the wrong road to Beja... no worries really we had lots to chat about!

-Arrived to Annouk (sio's gf's) house in the lovely village of Mont Seraz was greeted by her three dogs and goat named Margeheita how cool is that!? Annouk has a most beautiful home!

-Went to work with Sio on Friday morning and helped her water plants with her as she was helping her friend out who was away on holidays

-Fridays evening Sio arranged a BBQ with all the ex pat's that live in the town and we had a good old laugh. Whoever said that life in a small town was uneventful hasn't met these people. There is seriously enough gossip and scandal streaming through the place it would make a most brilliant novel. No disrespect of course the people are all great it's just the naive city girl in me that thought that country living meant less gossip and scandal... I now know better!

-Saturday we ventured off to Spain to a place called Badajoz (sp?) to visit with Siobhan's new friends who run a horse complex. They were truly an amasing family! 6 Kids who all live with their parent's still and all work together to run the horse complex. Sio's contact was a girl named Oopie (for any Canadian out there her name instantly reminds you of an inflatable beach ball that was much sought after in the early 90's) I love her name! We had a lovely night and their hospitality was incredible! And oh yea... the part where I think I can speak Spanish... well lets just say that that was not at all the case... curses to my Peurto Rican Spanish professor back at Uni... I was useless!

-Sunday morning Annouk Sio and I went to a market in Spain and then joined Sio's mum back home where she was visiting from Lisbon. Her charming friend bought us all lunch! Ah yes, at this point Sio's sister arrived. I had met Pippa last year back in Ottawa. What a sound girl!

_ The rest of the week was spent chilling out going for swim's in Annouk's mum's pool and the pool in Reganesh (sp?)and sipping beer and reading this really terrible French novel that I bought back in April... Sio was at work and Pippa was busy making the most amasing purses to sell at this upcoming cultural festival in the town.

- Got to visit Siobhan's work and see her train the horses and visited the exotic birds that her boss breeds too!

- Was lucky enough to get offered a lift back to Faro on Thursday aft. with Sio's boss who were going there to clean their condo that they were renting... so I had an hour to trapse along the beach and collect some beautiful shells before catching my flight back to London.

It was so nice to have a break! Thanks so much Siobhan!