I had so much fun this morning

...writing to my friend Mark today that I thought I would post some excerpts from the letter I wrote into the blog...

Saw a really poor film last night (only my 2nd since I moved here) it was called " Kissing Jessica Stein" it was so bad... story line was quite simple... straight copy editor Jewish girl down and out with her luck in love and ends up meeting the sex crazed art gallery bi- girl... they have a terribly awkward unbelievable romance of sorts... move in together after 9 months.. break up 3 months later because they decide that they are just best friend... then Jessica ends up with her college sweetheart (male) and the other lady falls in love with another woman and the movie ends with the two exes giggling and having lunch together. IT was SO bad I wanted to spit. I didn't think it was possible to make such a bad film, and the acting... argh it was terrible!

Recap from SJUK

-this whole country is damp, even the cinema last night wreaked of mould and mildew
-my flat is always a mess because my one flat mates has no concept of cleanliness at ALL!
-I wish I was out of school and going to camp
-I'm praying this company doesn't get dumped by our major client today at the agency review
-had a kissing ambush planted on me this morning by Hazel that made me late for work *giggles*
-I have red hair (fire engine) at the front and it's all faded to a pinky orange colour at the back. I have a mullet and my hair dresser Louise can't see me till next Tuesday! woe is me! I'm having a hair-tastrophe
-I live in hackney... there are piles of ripped open garbage bags- every day they keep growing in a pile up outside my front door. My local counsel is bankrupt and I can't file a complaint because there is JavaScript error on the counsel site and no one will take my call when I ring... and all e-mail I've sent has bounced back... I live in hell... I live in a rubbish pile that is like hell.
-Pride here is near my house, it's next weekend it's 17£ and I'm having a hard time convincing myself to go because I'll be tempted to indulge in some illegal substance that will allow me to have a fabulous day but then suffer the most almighty come down for the rest of the week....
-I'm wearing my long black ninja skirt (sarong style) black on the outside and red on the inside... black t-shirt, red patent wrist band with silver eye holes... tiny black socks and Hazel's pumas...and the best lip gloss in the world care of square one MAC counter.


ps. did I tell you that they don't sell spicy eggplant in the country... what I wouldn't do for a sandwich from that Italian shop in the Market... overflowing with eggplant! mmmmmmmmm oh wait it's aubergine here, maybe that's why I can't find it! LOL

-end of letter to Mark-

Friday is such a wonderful day. I have an afternoon filled with whiny clients to contend with then bring on the weekend... Me thinks mama needs a new pair of shoes.

would someone please re-supply me with my social energy?

Yesterday was so strange I woke up feeling fine and then as the day progressed I slipped further and further into feeling void of any social energy. I know it's part of the whole grieving thing but I am not liking this ride... I want to get off.

I've always had this over-nurturing trait... the one that causes me to worry about everyone else's well being regardless if it compromises my own. I often wish I could be a little more self centered or perhaps not so easily affected but other people's moods or actions. I always find myself trying to please everyone to no end. I know it's not healthy, and I know I just can't do it all the time- everything in moderation... especially now that I have this grief to process. My friends are wonderful they recognize this in me and are so swell to help me get over this. I am so fortunate but sometimes times the clock ticks so very very slowly.

the work atmosphere seems to be straining at the seams... so many people are showing the tell tale signs of jumping ship... it's so unsettling, ah well at least it's been beautiful weather all week so far.

Tennis lessons tonight. I'm happy to have that to look forward to.... I will one day fly I will I will

So I'm not the only one who's been intrigued by music in adverts as of late...

Hazel has been wondering what the music is in the new Lexus ad?

I've done some searching and yes folks... I have the answer it's Martin Grech. His album comes out the 8th of July... I'll be queuing to purchase that's for sure...


Here is the review I found:

The music soundtrack used on the commercial is from young talented singer/songwriter Martin Grech. The song is called Open Heart Zoo and comes from his debut album by the same name due for release in the UK on Island Records early July 2002. For updated information on Martin, his record releases and performances checkout www.martingrech.co.uk

or to hear the song click here

Enjoy miss Hazel!

3 lists of 10 things about me
(because we all like lists don't we?)

10 things I am

nurturing
silly
observant
adventurous
giving
worrisome
Whiny
bilingual
delicate
dreamer

10 things I am not

indifferent
jealous
aggressive
prissy
a meat eater
short tempered
careless
cut throat
complacent
small minded

10 things I strive to be

ambitious
content
confident
fitter
well rounded
companionate
conscientious
strong
inspirational
balanced

BBCi and me...

I went to Oxford on Sunday to audition to become a BBCi presenter. Hazel and I arose on our one sleep in day of the week to board the train and go the distance. She was such a doll staying in Saturday night helping me prepare my audition. The event was so well organized and it was good fun BBC sure knows their stuff. Just wish I wasn't so nervous, it's strange because it's so unlike me to be nervous... I think it would have been so much easier for me if I was speaking to a real person than just a camera... ahh well , I tried so that's what matters! We'll have to wait till the fall to see if the fates smile on me...

On Friday I skipped work and headed to Brighton to meet up with my seestor. We had a nice day together and the weather was really nice. It's the first time I've seen her or anyone in my family since my dad died so it was kind of comforting! The hardest part was leaving her the next morning when she had to get back to the airport for her next flight. *sniffles*

Having the added day to the weekend made me realise that I did indeed need a holiday, I know I've been going on about it for days now but it's now official, now it's just getting my ducks in a row and getting something planned and finding the moola to do so...

Can I just mention...


that the sun rose at 3h41 this morning!

Holy canoly!

I thought I would be past the whole culture shock thing by now... but it only rose at 5h14 this morning in Ottawa. This early sun thing is sure helping my sleep patterns- seeing as it's light most of the morning my body feels like I'm having a treat and sleeping in!

Okay... so I helped myself...

It's by "Aqualung", and the song is called "Strange And Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You)".


I've been watching your world from afar
I've been trying to be where you are
and I've been secretly falling apart
I see
To me you're strange and you're beautiful
You'd be so perfect with me but you just
can't see. You turn every head but you don't
see me.

I'll put a spell on you
you fall asleep
when I put a spell on you
and when I wake you I'll be the first thing you see,
and you'll realise that you love me

yeah
ye-ah

Sometimes the last thing you want comes in first
Sometimes the first thing you want never comes
But I know, that waiting is all you can do
Sometimes

I'll put a spell on you
you fall asleep
I'll put a spell on you
and when I wake you I'll be the first thing you see,
and you'll realise that you love me
I'll put a spell on you
you fall asleep
cause I put a spell on you
and when I wake you I'll be the first thing you see,
and you'll realise that you love me
yeah

yeah
ye-ah
yeah
ye-ah

Somebody please please help me!

I neeeed to know who sings the song that they feature in the new VW Beetle ad here in the UK.

pretty pretty please!

yea, so it's the most beautiful day of the year thus far.. the sun is shining and the temperature is 27 degrees!

Wouldn't you know that I feel about as deflated as a balloon at a kids' b'day party. Social energy is non existent and my hair is way too red and bright that it clashes with my overly introverted mood. I want to disappear... just till this mood passes.

Being away from my family since my father died is feeling quite taxing today. So strange to write something so glum. My journal is always filled with pep. Ah well, I'm human after all. Shhh don't tell anyone!

KJ might be working a flight to London on Thursday. What a treat it would be to see her. I hope no one more senior bids on the flight so she can come... Mind you I think it's just a day turn around so she won't be here very long.

Oh yea... saw Graham Norton at the Yard in Soho on Sunday afternoon. As you can imagine he's much shorter in person and has very large feet. Poor guy had friends huddled around him while he seemed to recite an unending monolog... It was really strange. Oh yea, then I lost my wallet with EVERYTHING in it. If you think canceling and replacing cards is a pain, just think about having to do if for two countries at once... I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate losing my wallet, perhaps this is adding to my deflated feeling. Ho hum.

Between my Sniffles...


I had a dream this morning. Jeffie, what on earth does it mean?

I was in the forest somewhere and I was there with people I didn't know or recognize. I was swimming in a pool that was in a valley surrounded by trees. I've never seen a place like this before. While I was swimming, I noticed a VERY large brown bear immerge from between the trees. I was terrified. I treaded water in the middle of the pool as the people I was with judged the bear's temperament as if they were familiar with this sort of visit. When the bear got to my sandals and sniffed them it began to appear agitated. My friends told me to quickly get out of the pool and head for the house. They all stayed put as I jumped out of the pool and clambered up the hill in my bare feet, watching the earth crumble under my feet. I reached the house and it was a sort of log cabin and entered inside and waited for further instruction. I've no idea what this means... it was odd because it was as vivid, if not more that my budgie chameleon dream.

Strange... perhaps it's the cold medication taking over my brain...?

Yea, Yea, so I'm bored....

A - Adventured to: Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, New York, Cuba, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Austria, Monaco, Florida, Ireland, England
B - Best Friends: Sean, Noeleen, Yvonne, Esmerelda
C - Cohabitants: Jo, Dan and Hazel
D - Desire(s): To be a presenter for the BBC
E - Eye Color: Grey
F - Favorite Food(s): Bean Dip, Cheese, Tacos,Pasta with Pesto, Garlic Bread
G - Games: Scrabble (very sore loser)
H - Habit(s): Smoking, worrying
I - Interests: Books, Writing, Design,
J - Job: Project Manager for a Print Design Company
K - Kitchen (Wonder or Blunder?): It's a rented flat so, not sure really.
L - Languages: English/French and a bit of Spanish
M - Most Valued Possession(s) (an item, not people/pets): Digital Camera, Books, Photos
N - Not nice things: Indifference, Compliancy,
O - Outfit You Love: Anything with my white pumas and a smile
P - Pizza Toppings: Extra sauce, cheese, tomatoes and garlic
Q - Question Asked To You the Most: "Are you American?" Or "Do you want a PDF of that?"
R - Relationship/Partner: My most lovely Hazel
S - Sport: Gym/swim/tennis
T - Television Show(s): Sopranos, City Confidential (not that I can watch it from this side of the pond), EastEnders (bows head)
U - Unsavory characteristic(s): Over nurturing, worrisome
V - Video (Favorites):Amelie, Tous les matains du Monde, Rushmore, Hamlet,When night is falling
W - Webpage (Favorite--not your own): www.swishcottage.com
X - Xylophone (or other Instrument?): Clarinet for 7 years
Y - Year Born: 1976
Z - Zodiac Sign: Pisces

This is ...

The best site ever! All search engines require a search prompt that calls for a "key ingredient" mmmmm!

And I'm sitting in the kitchen sink...

Have you- Ever closed your eyes so tightly and whisked your consciousness away into a deep corner of your mind? I've been doing this lately at the gym. My treadmill/elliptical/bike cardio combo has slowly been reduced to a mega bike only work out. It been giving me a supa fly insight into my muddy cerebellum. I flutter away and let the tunes in my walkman float in and the millions of droplets of perspiration slip out.

"And I'm sitting in the kitchen sink, and I watch the tap drip- drip drip drip drip drip"- Cure

ZZZZZZZZZ

This is possibly the most banal entry ever... that is of course, in comparison to my last entry.... kind of hard to top the excitement of last Thursday.

Four days off in a row sure make me realize that I would like to have a holiday. H and I are supposed to go to Finland at the end of the summer to visit with Tierry and Linda, but it's just so far away! I'm sure I'll manage to hang in there.

Popped into the pub to watch the first half of the Ireland vs. Germany game. Good one! Glad to see that Ireland equalized in the last few seconds. Wonder how many people will be in the studio on Friday afternoon when the next England match is on...

Purple in the Park was really good fun on Saturday. The weather held up really well, I only wish we could have been there longer! Ah well, all good really! Caught a quick glimpse of Grace Jones on my way out. Not quite sure what to make of her...

So happy to see both Dom and Denise are both blogging again! It's been a long while for both of them but I'm glad they're back at it!

Looks like my tennis lesson this evening will be cancelled, gosh darn you, you pesky rain!

Siobhan arrives in London tomorrow. It will be so good to see her! I can't believe that it's been almost 10 months since we saw each other back in Ottawa. Time really flies!

Poncy Hotel, Media Bar, Aged Punk Band and don't forget to...
"RESPECT MY AUTHOROTAY!"

So as it goes... we started off our evening practically forgetting to get off at Oxford Circus... we then hot footed it to the oh so foreboding Sanderson Hotel to do our footballer's wives spotting. The public bar is called the long bar... Dearbhla ordered me a chocolate martini and herself a raspberry Collins. Grand total, wait for this ... £19.80 I shudder to think how much that is in Canadian dollars! 10 minutes later the drinks were served and we took two seats at the bar. Now you have to understand that the bar was an island so we were in a prime spying location! Fascinating that people actually go there! Wasn't long before we noticed that we were not alone in our plight... the place was dotted with sets of two girlies, scoping for rich men... not that we were, but still it seemed quite blatant why most of those girls were there. We downed another martini and then took a quick venture to the loos to see just what sort of swish this place had to offer. The walls are lime green and the interiors quite nouveau... down to the loo roll that was folded into a neat smooth fold for best esthetic representation. And before you knew it we were back out in the rumble of soho... not before of course a minor celebrity spotting... we watched her as she was whisked away by her driver in a white Mercedes.

From there we headed to The Social and ran into some of Dearbhla's friends from one of her past jobs. Nice group of people. Very media/designer crowd... a great relief from the ponciness of our previous venue! Stayed for 3 drinks £6 each (not bad!) We had to hurry though, we had a concert to go to!

So yea, Dearbhla won tickets to see GLEN MATLOCK & THE PHILISTINES as part of the Jubilee Punk fest at the 100 club ... I had no idea who he was... just that he was once a member of the Sex Pistols. She won them by answering a trivia question on BBC radio 6 which we listen to in the studio all day long. So we arrive and it turns out that some guys has already claimed her tickets (sneaky bastards) and there is a bit of confusion. To Dearbhla's total horror, they bring Glen himself over to resolve the situation. Still not knowing who this Glen was I was not quite understanding her horror. Once safely inside D explained that that was the man we came to see... We ordered more drinks 6£ for two including a packet of nuts! Okay, I know I'm sad... but I think it's pretty funny how the drink prices kept lowering with each new location we entered. The opening band was just wrapping up and D and I grab front row seats to the right hand side of the stage. We were then treated to a most shocking display of the sweaty shirtless guitarist's pelvic thrusting in our exact direction. I kid you not, I had to ask D if we had accidentally walked into a strip joint. The act ended and was followed by a man standing on stage who mumbled incoherently, poems about Glen. D and I sat with mouths gaping open... it was too bad for words! Poetry at a punk show??? What follows here will be a list of the very interesting characters/actions spotted during the performance.

-so many air guitarists I can't even do them justice in describing their performances as there were literally too many!
-air drummers
-air guitarist/drummers (yes folks, both at the same time)
-pogo punk in a box boy... if you got a kit of how to be punk, this guy would be what you'd look like
-glam rock super afro curly haired man with bandana who thrashed is head up and down and side to side when he like a song... His hair kept getting bigger and bigger, Dearbhla spotted him tying to tame the hair at one point but then when they did an old sex pistols song he was spotted actually fluffing his hair in an effort to make it bigger!
-accompanying glam rock man was staring girl... no joke she was punked out with the ripped tights and all... but all she did was stare... then was later seen snogging mr. glam rock guy!
-way way too drunk Indy boys thrashing about
-numerous unimpressed Indy and punk guy's girlfriends shaking head in disapproval as their beaus thrashed about like wankers
-two women sat front row in their PIB outfits FREAKS! (oh wait, that was us)

After the show we headed to Mash for a night cap as it wasn't yet midnight. I promptly lobbed my drink across the floor while I was attempting to put it there... At that point I realized that it was perhaps time to go home... However the night was not yet over, as I was gone getting another drink Dearbhla was approached by the most lovely Italian man, very sweet guy... he proudly announced to us that he cleaned kitchens and toilets for a living... No really, he was lovely, bless!

Then while exiting the bar, Dearbhla and I were offering a great display of our intoxication by repeating over and over in out best south park voices "RESPECT MY AUTHOROTAY!"

What a great night

Only in America...

Can a man sell his soul on e-bay... and people actually bid on it!

as seen on this blog

Purple parks, lesbian beauty contests and footballers wives

So here's the deal... I generally don't do the gay thing too well (i.e I tend not to be terribly active in the community). This weekend myself, Hazel, Dan and Sally and anyone else who is willing to join us... are going to purple in the park... the next day Sally has requested to go the lesbian beauty contest well I'm sure it will be a good laugh, go get 'em ladies! What is to become of me?

In stark contrast to my upcoming weekend of tappetterie* I am going out with Dearbhla and Caroline to the Long Bar at the Sanderson hotel... we're going to giggle at the footballer's wives crowd. Dearbhla and I are in full on PIB** mode it's so sad, but I just love it!

*tapeeterie is a French neologism invented by me, deriving from the French word for fag - tapette
** PIB - Sean introduced me to this one, it means, Person In Black

http://www.airlinemeals.net/

The BBC needs YOU!

Don't ask me how I stumbled upon this site ... I'm in awe... Too bad I'm not an Asian with strong views on the Monarchy!

I think David and his friends should apply for the quiz shows, they're constantly putting people to shame with their retro bar trivia skills!

I wonder what other sites list such goodies? ... there goes my day...

I am in love with new wave retail!

This is a new shop that opened at Angel... Thank you Germany for such a neat place! I bought a beautiful summer down duvet for 30£ bagain! Why do I work so close to these sorts of places... lunch time brings many shopping tempations!

*sensing a return of my shop-o holic tendancies*

someone please help me!

*cha ching*