exciting, informative, snarky, and very likely fabricated tales of life as an american expat in london

it was a very good year

by J at 3:16 pm on 31.12.2004Comments Off
filed under: mutterings and musings

So another year comes to an end, and all in all, I will be sad to see 2004 go. It was a pretty fabulous year for me, which brought love, adventure, and new friends into my life.

It was a year of momentous change for many of my friends and family as well. Tina courageously followed her heart to San Diego, and Kate left her torturous job and found peace and domestic bliss with her love on Cape Cod. Jo left her past behind, and embraced a new husband, new baby, and soon, a new home. Alex and Mike married amongst kilts and moose, got pregnant by sneezing, started new freelance careers, and bought their dream condo in Jamaica Plain. Jess and Jay started cooking their little boy a sibling, and Chris and Tonia have their first hatchling in the oven. Kerryn and Tracey finally managed to be in the same place at the same time, and Kim and Andy flung themselves even further abroad. Nic and Ben quit the high life of London for beautiful New Zealand, while Leeann and Blair simply headed off for parts unknown.

For me, this year I learned the truth behind a few old cliches. There is no growth without change. You can’t move forward without leaving stuff behind. And, to paraphrase the stones, you don’t always get what you think you want, but sometimes, when you’re least expecting it, life gives exactly what you need.

peace and love to all in the new year,
jen

one hundred things we didn’t know this time last year

wierd news from 2004

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holidaze

by J at 8:13 pm on 30.12.2004Comments Off
filed under: holidaze

So Xmas was lovely. Christmas Eve, J and I, kerryn and Tracey all went for dinner at Marco and Aste’s (Marco is in Kerryn’s band, a friend from SA, and used to live next door to J. Aste is the girlfriend, who has a kid, Seth) which was really nice. Watched some American football, Seth put out milk and cookies for Santa, and we all just hung out eating and drinking mulled wine.

Woke up early Christmas morning. J and I opened stocking gifts, and drank some of the “saved for special occassions only” Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. A bit later, all the neighbours and houseguests from next door came over and we made a big breakfast and opened presents. J got me a sweatshirt (I am always stealing his) and music and Yahtzee and bath stuff, but the big birthday present was a spanking new digital camera (5.2 megapixels, 3x zoom, video recording, auto and manual settings), which is gorgeous, however I think I am far too dumb for most of the advanced stuff on there. I got him a glass chess set, lots of American Jif peanut butter, and a Thierry Henry signed Arsenal jersey. We all sat around watching movies and eating, and playing Yahtzee, had a big dinner, and a birthday cake (!) and more movies til about 1 am.

Boxing Day, the neighbours made a big brunch, and then we all went to Camden, walked around drinking mulled wine, and shopping, then settled into the World’s End pub for quite a spell of beer and chat. J and I came home and had a late dinner (tons of leftovers!) and watched some dvds until late.

Monday, went next door for another big group breakfast, and headed off to Wimbledon for a bit of browsing at the sales (looking at wedding tops, and digital memory cards and dvds) then lounged around all evening, playing with my new camera, and just generally being cosy.

Tuesday we lazed around for a bit, then braved the wilds of Oxford Street. Madness and chaos everywhere, like a massive herd of cattle let loose on the sidewalks. Coming out of the tube station, we headed the wrong way down the high street, and by the time I realised it, and we had turned around and fought our way all the way back, I was grouchy, and bruised, and cursing all manner of gods and people. Every few minutes, my New York navigation instincts would completely take over, and I would just say “fuck this”, and start barging through the crowds, weaving and dodging and pushing like a madwoman, leaving J in my wake, trying to keep up. I can’t deal with the British crowd mentality. People just meander like a bunch of drugged sheep, walking four abreast on the pavement, coming to a dead stop in the middle of pedestrian traffic flow, trying to cross neck deep in the middle of the stream when they see something shiny in a shop window which catches their eye, bringing pushchairs into the narrowest most crowded store they can find.

I suggest the following rules and regulations:

No pushchairs or children under 5 on weekends.

Large groups should be attached via leashes and walk single file.

People with large bags or purchases should be required to ship them home, I don’t care if they only live 20 minutes away.

If people can’t learn to walk properly, they should install conveyor belts in the pavement.

Anyway, after all that hubbub, we had dinner with the neighbours, watched some telly, came home and played chess (I lost, but I did managed to capture J’s queen, which for me, is almost as good as a win!), and had an early night.

the perfect combination of relaxing/indulgent/companionable.

see the pics here

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holiday cheer

by J at 5:45 pm on 23.12.2004Comments Off
filed under: eclectica, holidaze

in the spirit of christmas, i bring you the following for your perusing pleasure:

for that last minute shopping stocking stuffer: Meat scented air fresheners. but does it cover the smell of dirty gym socks?

not likely to have a white christmas? enjoy snowcrystals.com. fascinating.

disturbing and perverted christmas classifieds at craigslist. bring me a keg, i’ll give you a blow job.

wish this was a gag gift, but it’s not. for only $50,000, you can give the gift on everyone’s wish list, a clone of your dead kitty

okay, not xmas related, but i love diet coke (and sickeningly enough, tab. what can i say, i was a child of the 70s…)

top 100 toys we wanted in the 70s. before there was nintendo gameboy, there was merlin. and shrinky dinks (a curiously named invention if ever there was one…)

merry christmas eve-eve!

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i turn left, you turn right, on this one way stretch of life…

by J at 10:14 pm on 22.12.2004Comments Off
filed under: classic, mutterings and musings

so this is the part i hate. blair and leeann leave london for good tomorrow, so went to have a “goodbye” drink.

I’m not used to this. I’m usually the one leaving, before I get left. I am usually the one moving on, before things pass me by. it’s easier that way – easier than feeling stuck, easier than feeling sad, easier than feeling left behind. it’s easier to change by choice, rather than necessity.

nothing on this little shiny marble stays still – and i wouldn’t want it to. I’ll never be one of those people who settle for tv dinners, who get sucked into the complacency of routine, who are happy to stay within the confines of their known world, their little goldfish bubble. still, I don’t deal well with externally imposed change – i know this about myself. and i know this is all part of the experience i signed on for. i’m just not used to being on the other side.

i’m happy for them – they’re going forward, not content to merely stand still. and we have plans, too – it’s not as if we’re putting down roots, pulling down the blinds, and starting our thimble collection. it’s just that when people you care about leave, it’s impossible not to feel a bit selfish about it. you want them to stay – for you.

that’s the transient nature of this ragtag group of expat wandering travellers that I call friends. they’re the people i have the most in common with, but the people i get to spend the least time knowing. it’s an ever-shifting, fluid collective, where people come, and people go. they’re inspiring and adventurous, full of world experience and easy-going by nature. they do the kinds of things i plan to do, try things i want to try. they are seers and doers and dreamers of life. and they accept me as one of their kind.

i just hate it when they leave. and i am still here.

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this is not a test

by J at 6:14 pm on 20.12.2004Comments Off
filed under: mutterings and musings

So I’m a fairly introspective person by nature. But at the close of year, I tend to get even more so. Not in a maudlin way – but I like to look back at where I was a year ago, see what has happened, how I’ve changed, what I’ve learned. A lot of times, it’s only by looking at where you’ve been, that you can see where you’re heading.

This was a big year, for a multitude of reasons. This time last year, 2003, I’d just gotten back to the UK – more out of stubbornness than anything else. I wasn’t enjoying myself so much, and it was more a determination to leave on my own terms, of my own volition, than to stay in London, per se. In fact, I wasn’t crazy about my job, my love life was a disaster, I was in a living situation which wasn’t ideal, I had few friends. The novelty of living abroad had worn thin, and I was seriously contemplating getting on a plane and going home.

Then 2004 rolled around, and everything changed. The time I’d spent *enduring* finally paid off in spades. I got a social life. I travelled. I tried new things. I fell in love. There were a few key people who made it worth sticking around until then, and though I’ve never thanked them out loud, they know who they are, and why they are so important to me. In fact, they made all the difference. And they probably don’t even know how profound an impact they had.

In 2004, I took up rock-climbing. I walked on hot coals. I met my future husband. I did glassblowing. I played guitar. I ran a half-marathon. I saw the red sox win a world series. I travelled and planned and dreamt and drank and danced and loved and lost. I started the year snogging a stranger, and ended the year shopping for a wedding dress. In January I went to Spain and kneeled in a drunk’s pee. In February I went to a Valentine’s party and came home with a date. In March I called in sick to work for 3 days to stay at home in bed with a boy, then took off to italy. In April, I asked him to marry me on a whim. In May I moved in with him. In June, we went camping in Scotland. In July, we hung out in pubs drinking with friends. In august, we had visions of family. In September, we ran. In October we were sleepless Sox maniacs. In November we were demoralised democrats. And in december, we waited to wed.

365 days of my year, 180 degrees of my life.

This is not a test.

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much ado about nuthin

by J at 5:08 pm on 17.12.2004Comments Off
filed under: mutterings and musings

sorry for the lack of blogs lately. been busy busy busy, trying to sort out wedding stuff (19th Feb! only 9 weeks!) christmas shopping, etc.

but the other thing is, it’s my birthday on the 25th. sucky, yes. every year, people are away/poor/busy and my birthday gets brushed aside, with soon-forgotten promises to get together in the new year and a myriad of lacklustre apologies. what can I do? i can’t change when I was born, yet it’s impossible not to feel a bit hurt when no celebration comes together. well-intentioned efforts fall apart and i am left trying to pretend it doesn’t matter.

the truth is, it does. it shouldn’t, but it does. perhaps if i had ever had parties, i would be able to take it all in stride. and i don’t want people’s pity. i just somehow wish it could be different than it is. but if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. sometimes life is not very fair, and i just have to suck it up and get over it. but it takes a bit of the shine off xmas, no matter how i try to convince myself otherwise.

big party this weekend for blair and leeann, who are leaving dreary london for the permanent sun of oz. as the epicentre of the aussie/saffa expat community and social scene, there will be a lot of people wanting to say their farewells, so saturday night should be a big one.

that’s the update for now. as the year comes to a close, i’m sure i’ll have a lot more to reflect upon, so blogs should be more frequent. watch this space (or better yet, sign up for email when this blog updates below…)

toodles! xoxo

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parenthetical (dear santa)

by J at 6:21 pm on 2.12.2004Comments Off
filed under: holidaze, mutterings and musings

haven’t been really able to get into the “christmas spirit” yet, but hoping to find joy and merriment (at the bottom of a mulled wineglass) this weekend! drinks friday night should get it off to a good start, and then perhaps some window shopping (shopping *through* windows, not shopping *for* windows) this weekend. J and I and not buying each other presents this holiday (though that doesn’t let anyone off the hook for my birthday!), as we’re going skiing in toulouse in the new year, but there may be a few stocking stuffer surprises (why does that sound really dirty?)

in any case, we’re saving for the wedding (19th february, south africa!) and the world tour (end of 2005) still, so i’ll just have to be a little more creative in gift-giving this year (though not nearly as creative as the year i spent 3 months making homemade liqueurs) but for anyone who may be inclined to get me something (or on the off chance santa reads my blog) i have compiled a small list of gifts i would like, arranged in no particular order (and definitely not alphabetical)

marc jacobs newest perfume
my two front teeth
a kitty
tix to see “cake”
tix to hawaii
a new digital camera
world peace
candy corn
lasik eye surgery
a rolling pin
the ability to fly
rock-climbing harness
a new u.s. president
pretty flowers
my sister
a giant wad of £50 notes

i don’t ask for much!

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staying positive

by J at 6:06 pm on 1.12.2004Comments Off
filed under: blurblets, rant and rage, world aids day

for anyone whose life has been touched by HIV… and there are far too many of us.

Support World AIDS Day

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