By traditional means

Wow, being employed is a bit of a shock. Of course i wouldn't change it for the world but i've just been so busy i've barely noticed that 3 weeks have gone by. It's all good in the hood though, i feel i'm on top of things, plus i got a round of applause at the company meeting the other week and i had a mini appraisal today, where my interpersonal skills were praised as well as my intelligence. News to me that i had either! So things are good, i get the odd day, like today where i get a bit of down time, which is nice every once in a while. Last week i thought my head was going to explode i was so busy, so this is a welcome break.

In other news, i've managed to secure myself two dates with a guy i met in the traditional way. i.e not on the Internet. I'd almost forgotten what it's like actually. The last time i met someone when i was out, minding my own business, was about...4 years ago! Blimey.

But yes, let's focus on the fact that i met him when i was out, i then met him again for drinks and i'm now seeing him for lunch tomorrow. Technically it's a second date. And, even more surprisingly, i actually like the guy! So i'm really looking forward to seeing him again.

I had to let down Mr Farringdon Big Forehead though. He asked me out again and i declined. At first i thought that maybe i shouldn't burn my bridges, but then a good friend of mine asked me if i'd be looking forward to seeing him again, and honestly, i knew i wouldn't be. So i politely declined.

This weekend my cousin and i are off to Norfolk to see my Nana. I've been such a bad grand-daughter these past few years that it's about time i spent some time with her. Hopefully the weather will be nice and we can go to the beach or down by the water, just like we did when we were kids.

Friends

I have been chastisied for not mentioning two other dear friends of mine in my previous post, who I also don't get to see enough of. It's no ones fault, it's just what happens. I think it takes some of us by surprise when we realise that time spent together in the past, cant always be recreated in the future. People grow and change, lives cartwheel in different directions and wht we once shared belongs in memory banks. This shouldn't make us sad though. Memories are good and we can go on creating them in the future. But i think it's best that we don;t cling on too much to the past.

Uni days were great, i had such a wonderful time and made some life long friends. But there will never be a time like that again, where everyone is in the same situation, with similar goals. Even though i live in a house with 3 other people, it's in no shape or form the same as when i lived with 4 other people in Derby. And i'm glad! It's only been a few years since i've left but i feel like i've grown so much in those few years that going back to living like a student would depress me! Don't get me wrong, there are certain elements that are the same, if not worse. Especially in the past few months where i've had no spare cash. But Uni is such a special, almost wierdly unrealistic way of living that it cannot be recreated. It lives in the past.


That's not to say my friendships remain there too, although one or two are definitely dead and buried. It just means that hanging out with your uni friends now that you're not at uni is a whole new ball game. You have jobs to juggle, stresses to handle, relationships to go through. A call to your mates every now and then is lovely, but of course it won't be the same as it used to be. Friends drift apart, though no wrong doing of their own, just becuae life moves us on in different directions. Different parts of the country as well!

Anyway, i just want to say that my mates mean the world to me. And i know i'm crap at being in touch and i sometimes let my own rough and tumble, directionless life get in the way of taking a minute to call and say hi.

It's not that i don't miss you, it's just that our lives are no longer together on that one path. We've just got to make sure our own paths cross every now and then.

Love to you all x

Weekend antics

So, who wants to hear about my weekend?!

Well it all started with one of my dearest friends coming to visit on Friday, we had dinner, bought trashy magazines and had a good old natter with a bottle of wine. I realised it's been quite a while since we spent quality time together, i'd almost forgotten what it was like. That's my own fault i guess, from leaving my two best mates and moving to London. I go and visit as much as i can but we seem to only grab a few moments together, or there's other people around or stuff going on. I really just miss hanging out with her. Anyway, we spent friday night talking over Big Brother and Saturday morning we went and had a makeover day, where we got our hair all big and footballers wives style and got photographic make up put on us. We then spent the rest of the morning in front of the camera, posing and having a right giggle with the photographer. It was especially funny when we made him get the wind machine out!

We then said our goodbyes, still all big hair and even bigger make up, and went our separate ways, her to Bristol, me to Shepherds Bush.

I spent the rest of the afternoon at Endemol studios, auditioning for a new reality tv show. I can't say too much, but it took four hours, lots of form filling in, an interview on camera, group activity (which was also filmed) and a DNA swab...

Intrigued aren't you?!

I then rushed home from there, dropped my bag off and ran out the door again to go to a 30th Birthday Party in Paradise Bar in Kensal Green. My housemate and i ended up on the dance floor most of the night. It was super sweaty and hot, but the music was pumping and Karen and i did some "expressive" dancing.

My lovely friend then informed me that she quite liked the DJ (as most tipsy women tend to do - don't get upset Jay, i'm sure it's not the same for your DJ!!). So we moved closer to the DJ booth. I noticed a guy dancing near the booth, he seemed to have been there all night so i struck up some kind of conversation with him. He told me he was mates with the DJ. Great news! I then wondered how i was going to let this guy know that both Karen and i were interested in him and his mate. So, ever so cooly, i asked him if they were both single. We were in luck!

As the night finished, Tico and the Dj, who went by the name of Ali, took us out to the garden area to cool down and smoke. Well, not me, i'm a good girl. They then asked if we wanted to go back to Ali's place in Hampstead. We sensibly said no. Then changed our minds. Women's perogative.

His place was amazing. He owns a gorgeous 3 bed flat right in the centre of Hampstead. It was modern and tidy...two things we weren't expecting! The flat held an even bigger suprise. Not only did it have a great roof top garden, it also had access to a clock tower. It turns out Ali is the keeper of the clock! He is the only one who has access to it, has to turn the light on at night and wind it forward and back for daylight savings! And even more spectacular, after climbing some very small ladders (i sensibly took my heels off), a hatch opens up to the roof of the clock tower with the most stunning view of the whole of London! We could see right across to the Eye and the Gherkin! Amazing. Perfect spot for a kiss i thought. But i guess Tico was either not into me or a REAL gentleman...let's hope it's the latter!

At about 4.30am we called a cab. We were offered a bed but decided we'd begun to feel a bit rough and wanted to wake up in our own beds. After swapping numbers we clambered into a cab as the sun came up.

Sunday involved sleeping, sunbathing in the park and more sleeping. All in all a pretty good weekend!

Looking forward to more like it!

p.s Not all Muslims are terroists, some like to watch telly and pluck their eyebrows of an evening. Just so ya know ;-)

Steak and a date

Hello, as promised here is my update on the Farringdon date... prepare yourselves...

The verdict is? NBN. Nice But No. Lovely guy but yet again, i'm just not feeling it. Don't get me wrong,we had a great date and he's good fun. Plus he's rich, owns his own flat and loves dancing. He bought me dinner and was very polite. He's also been in touch and is keen to go out again. So, on paper it looks great. But unfortunately, something isn't there for me. It's not his fault. I just know when i know, y'know?!

Perhaps i shouldn't write him off quite yet. Give it another date and see how i feel. But am i just wasting my time and his money? Maybe we could just be friends? Perhaps not. He's not on a dating site to make friends.

Oh well. Keep on trying!

Glorious news

Readers! You will be glad to know that my recent moaning and woe-is-me attitude is finally behind me as i have managed to find myself a 7 month contract! I'm no longer faced with homelessness. I will be able to eat normally. I will be able to go to the pub and have more than a glass of soda water, if i want to. I will be able to pay my bills, get back to paying off my overdraft and maybe even start to pay my long suffering parents some of the money i owe them. Things are looking up.

Now that i know i'm staying in London Town for at least another six months, i've turned my attention back to dating. Yes, that's right, i've signed up to yet another dating site. I've actually paid for this one too! However, men still perplex me and i take every date with a pinch of salt. As i was trying to explain to a dear friend of mine just today, i've had a few dates in the past couple of months which have gone well. I define "well" in that we spent a couple of hours together, didn't run out of things to talk about and by the end of the date there was definite flirting and in most cases the guy leaned in for a smooch. None of these guys i've really thought "yes, you're the one" or even "i'd definitely like to see you again", but we've had a good time and they've come across like they like me. So, remembering that i'm not that interested, why is it, as keen as they seem to be, i don't hear from them again? are they waiting for me to get in touch? Or, and this is what i think, was it all a ruse? Do guys give it the come on but actually, couldn't give a shit if they ever see you again? Now, remember i'm actually not bothered. I haven't felt the need to get in touch with any of them. But without being big headed, i thought they were at least a little bit interested!

Are these guys just doing the same thing i'm doing...? Should i start being a bit more...brutal?

well, i think i may put this to the test with my next date in Farringdon tomorrow. There's been a few flirty emails and text messages so at the moment, all is looking good. I'll let you know how it goes, never fear. But don't hold your breath for some sort of romance or even a second date!

The odds aren't good.