Date: Saturday, November 08, 2003 4:23 AM Adventures of Gamblegirl - London and Oxford Okay it's almost official - winter is here. Yes watching the news and over night it's going to be minus 1 on the night I am writing this. Woo hoo. Can't wait for my arse to be frozen off. Already it's dark before hometime and I'm experiencing this foreign thing - it's wet and it falls from the sky. Oh hang on, it's called rain. Weird. Yes sarcasm is about my level of wit. Sorry if you expected anything higher. So I have moved into my studio apartment. It's small but cute. I'm sure some real estate agent would have a creative term for it such as cozy or self containted but let's just say - cat, swing, walls - you put it all together. But really, I guess in this situation, it suits me. It's not like I am setting up permanent residence or anything. But I have the most squeakiest bed EVER. I wiggle even the slightest bit and it's squeak, squeak. I don't know about Lisa but it's giving me the s***s. WD40 for my bed. But the highlight for me is Buffy's on 3 nights a week! For those that know me - yes am mildly obssessed with Joss and his shows. By now everyone might be aware that I am no longer at Olympus. I'm not bitter (noooo not at all) about it, but am a little pissed off. I did have the impression that I was going back but hey, welcome to temping. I think that and suddenly stepping back to reality got me down. I've been some what stressed, even borderline depressed about ... well s***. As much as coming over here has been a big risk for me, I think for me, I need some kind of security - whether it be financial or emotional - for me to have the guts to do it (yes this is why I have a bloody therapist amongst other things, hand holding all the way for me!). And just for a moment, I think I didn't have that. Suddenly dirt broke, I had no job, nobody wants to touch me because of my visa (and have been told that too my face as well) and suddenly my "support team" just seems so far away. Emotionally, I think for awhile I flatlined. So a big thanks to my cheer squad of Steph, Simon and Trace. Groovers, talking to you and seeing you, has been good. Not that it stops me from stressing. Sorry guys, but if you get the funny emails, ya get the downers as well. But I think that things are looking up - fingers crossed huh? I've applied for heaps of jobs and I have a temp position (almost half an hour after I called to say I'm available, it was only meant to be a one day position but has ended up being a week by week situation with the possibility of staying on to Christmas) which they think the sun shines out of my arse which is a massive confidence booster. I've also applied for a couple of positions in HR (yes am selling my soul for employment) in companies that don't care about the visa. So am feeling a bit more positive. So what have I been doing apart from mooching and stressing? Well as noted above, have moved into my new dwellings (lease for 3 months), which I caught a black cab - which was really red, but hey what's a technicality right?- so I can tick that off my list of things to do. Caught a black cab - woo hoo!!! After a weekend of doing little and still trying to get better, I met my old Anson Road buddies - Megs, Lis, Matt and Kell for dinner at the usual Indian haunt for a catch up. Thanks for my pressies guys, I kinda feel now like I've had a birthday - although Andy, Jane and Dan - yours is special too. Normally I think yeah cards - WHATEVER, but suddenly I am excited to get them. All have gone up on the wall as a special memento (to the Keys, thanks for you card too. It was really sweet). It's funny how at home when you have those you love around you, they seem just part of the pressie, yet when they aren't around you, they mean soo much and give you the warm and fuzzies. Then on the Sat, I got up at the crack of dawn and headed out to Oxford to see the brat and Simon the pie man (Sim's you probably hate being called that but TOUGH!). Okay I know of transpotting and no am not referring to the movie. I have seen a few on my travels but I've never seen them inside THE TRAIN! Like what's with that? These 2 very dorky men (could pick them a mile away. There's something very distinctive about them - coke bottle lense glasses, desert boots, either a duffle coat or an army coat that's pre-trendy stage and haircuts that look like they've been done with a pair of garden clippers and done in the dark) that makes them easy to pick. Anyway these 2 losers - hash but fair call - were noting how accurate the train stations stops were. I think that they should have scrap Sat because since the train was about 30-40 mins late anyway, kinda stuffs up your stats. Oh side note: What's going on with the tube? 2 derailings within days of each other, my jubilee line is being a bit tempermental, it's all crazy. It's almost as if the Epping Line curse is hitting over here!) Oxford caught me off-guard. I dunno why but I was expecting it to be more like Cambridge - cute shops, not city like. Naive - yes that's me. I mean it's like a little London minus the tubes and stuff. Steph and Simon live in Whitney which is quite cute. Their house is great, jsut what they need and they look really great. I didn't realise how much I've missed them until I saw them - watch our parents, Dyl, Trace, the Kuipers, the Jones, my chicks when I see you!!! A quick tour around Oxford with 2 excellent guides and it was serious catching up time with S & S. Steph and Simon thanks for sitting through my photo's too. I know Jane, Andy and Anna, you guys love to see them, but it's nice to boast, gloat and share with others. By Sunday, I ddn't want to go home. I think I'll have to do it again sometime soon and then back at Christmas time. And now I'm back in London. SIgh... Oh and to the b**** that pushed me out of the train when we were getting out. C'mere because I want to bruise your knee caps like what you've done to mine. I know you want to get out -s*** darls as did I, but to push me like that was just friggin rude and face slap worthy. Well that's it for me. PS. Am over the fireworks constantly going off. When's Guy Fawkes day going to be over? PPS. My photo's will go up but I just need to get a better photo's page so pls be patient (that's if you care ) PPPS. When in Lord of The Rings, they mention Elevensies, I thought it was just a hobbit mention thing. I never realised until I got to this place that it's true. At 11:00 each day, they have breaks and eat Fried Chicken or some kind of dinner and then they have another after 1:00pm. It's madness Love and kisses from your neighbourhood freak!!!!