She Parties, Moves and Travels!

It’s been a couple of weeks since my last update, a very hectic couple of weeks!

I just about survived my leaving parties, though my liver is thanking me for minimal alcohol drinking ever since. The hangovers weren’t pretty, but they were worth it. It was so lovely that people made the effort, and so I better make the effort to keep in touch with them now I’ve gone!


Then it was ‘The Move: Part One’ from London to Southport. Packing my stuff up took so much longer than expected and packing the van was an experience in itself, we packed every last inch of space and used every last minute of the rental!!!


Less than 24 hours later I was off to NYC and surprised myself by being able to keep my eyes open until 10pm on the first day (3am GMT) despite being up at 5.30am – over 21 hours!!!

Friday Liz and I shopped until we dropped, literally. After 10 hours and more dollars than I care to add up, we sat down in the nearest restaurant we could find. We weren’t just there to shop (though you might find that hard to believe!) we also did some sightseeing, and found sometime to catch up with the gorgeous and wonderful Hannah! By far the most giddy moment of the week was when I sat there as The Little Mermaid musical started!


Since I returned to the UK on Friday I have been recovering by sleeping lots. I’ve also started to put together a to-do list. I’m sure that time will fly by, and before I know it I will be in Durham to start my new job! I’m off to the North East next week to house hunt – wish me luck!!!

The Yanks, The Swedes & The Scousers

Despite the temptation to spend my night glued to the BBC website and watch the votes come in I managed to get to sleep at a fairly respectable hour last night. Only because I have to stay awake over the next few days for my leaving parties. However my body clock seemed to be intent that I wouldn’t miss all the fun and woke me up at around 5am to see Obama’s speech.


It’s astounding how excited and interested we are in the UK. Understandable of course, this is not only a president of the USA, but the most powerful man in the world. It’s also history in the making, proving yet again that anything is possible. However I agree with Obama, he is not a black President, he is a President who is black. I am just pleased that he is a man that seems to have vision, yet is realistic in his goals. He believes in equality, yet appreciates people’s individuality. I hope that his leadership is as strong as I believe it can be, and I am excited about the possibilities over the next four years.

Even without the current crises it is of interest to us because of the effect American politics has on our little island. However the other reason is the capacity the Americans have to motivate and celebrate. It is infectious. I have followed this election more closely than any UK election. Yes some people stay up all night to watch our general election results rolling in, but you don’t see the scenes of people sat cheering in bars in central London, as was last night. Isn’t it time that we had a general election that inspired people to vote and to celebrate. That engage people in the process, rather than alienating those who feel they don’t ‘get it’. I hope our next general election can be as exciting for those of us in the UK as the American election has been!

As the Americans queued for hours to vote, I braved the land of the Swedes, Ikea. I needed to buy some of those cheap paper lampshades to replace the ones I removed the moment I moved in. Though I am a sucker for the Ikea concept, and prices, I find the experience very stressful. I decided to kill two birds with one stone and check out potential furniture options for my future home so that when I have to visit again it can be as quick and painless as possible. Despite having researched mattresses and narrowed it down to three, I still had what can only be described as a goldilocks moment when I tried them out! Thankfully the one that was ‘just right’ is the cheapest!!!


And what of the Scousers? Well they avoided a loss against Atletico taking them a step closer to the next stages of the Champions League. While the Americans dream of the next four years, I’m hoping that Liverpool have got their act together enough this season to get the Premiership title, and enjoy the European one too!

What a week!

Tuesday night was my leaving do with my team and it was so much fun. We did a quiz at a wine bar and came 4th. Not bad eh?! Well it is when there are only four teams. But we enjoyed the wine, and the competition. The snow started whilst we were in a pub down the road, which turned Joann and I into a pair of kids for a couple of minutes whilst we ran outside, made snowballs and threw them at people (we knew) inside the pub.


On Friday I was in Durham for an interview at the University Library. I obviously impressed them as I got offered the job! I’ll start in January so I have a couple of months to get myself sorted with a place to live and to move up there. I am very excited indeed about this adventure. I just need to find some new friends up there!

Back to London on Saturday, the train journey flew by thanks to the wonders of technology, talking to a friend in China on Skype from a train somewhere between Durham and London. It’s amazing that it’s so easy to keep in touch these days. Another perk to the journey was that my general buzz from having a new job was added to by a compliment from one of the train staff who said that my smile had made his day!

Saturday night was Danielle’s Halloween party. Despite minimal effort and cost (£1.50 for a witch’s hat) I was quite impressed with my outfit. It was a fantastic party with many friends. However on Sunday I wasn’t feeling quite so great (two hangovers in one week is not something that has happened for a LONG time). Sunday was spent catching up on Gilmore Girls followed by The Omen. We were planning to watch all four, but after the second we weren’t convinced it was going to get that much better so we gave up on movie watching and ordered Chinese!


It’s only 9 days until New York, which means only 8 days until I need to move out of my house. As Thursday and Friday will be spent on yet more leaving parties I better get myself into gear and start packing tonight!

Far too excited!!!

Where is all the time going?

It’s non-stop at the moment, and I’m far too excitable.

Things are going well with the job hunt (don’t want to say anymore and jinx it, I will inform you all in due course!)

I used strengthsfinder 2.0 this week, quite helpful in the job search. Knowing my strengths helps in narrowing down what I might actually enjoy doing, so I can find a career I am really passionate about! Apparently my top 5 are: Strategic, Positivity, Woo, Activator & Communication. Sounds about right to me!!!

I’m gradually packing things up at work and home, which is a bit of a marathon effort, but I will get there in the end. Today’s effort was emptying out the shed.

Whilst doing this I had to sort out Christmas decorations. I suddenly got very excited that Christmas is only a couple of months away and then made Suzi endure a story about how I used to decorate my room as a teenager (It became “Santa’s Helen’s Grotto” complete with sign on my door!)

This excitement was just after I had been on the phone to Lady B talking about New York, which is only 17 days away… and hugely exciting too! It's just over four years since I was there last and I can't wait to go back!



So I am just a little bit hyped up at the moment. I think I need to take a couple of deep breaths, focus and calm down, if only for the sanity of those around me.

Anyway I better get back to job-hunting related activities… as well as eBay selling. I am not a big fan of the part where you actually have to pack things up and send them in the post, far too much effort!

Until the next time!!!

One week down... three to go!

Well here we are at blog number three and one week closer to the big change. It’s been a week of job hunting, sorting my stuff, eBay selling, catching up with friends and trying to fit the day job in. I have now decided that moving and job hunting are two activities that should not be attempted simultaneously. I’m constantly stifling a yawn, and am looking forward to the day I can go to bed for a whole weekend to catch up on much needed sleep.

However before I do that, my first week of unemployment (technically my only week, as I will be working with my sister as a ‘freelance design consultant’ after that) will be spent in New York. A very happy coincidence that a holiday booked almost a year ago is now coming at exactly the right time. Plus a very clever Lady B suggested we start changing money early, so we beat the fall in exchange rates! I just hope the buzz of the big apple will see me through one more week of sleep depravation!!!

Whilst in New York I think I will have to invest in a nice thick winter coat. As a friend pointed out, I have made the decision to head back to Northern England just in time for the freezing cold winter. No time to acclimatise to the drop in temperature. Three years in London has got me used to fairly mild winters, especially as the air pollution keeps it a couple of degrees warmer than everywhere else.

Aside from the dreaded cold, I do get more excited as time goes on about returning to the north. Whilst my parents were down the other weekend they showed me a DVD of the giant spider in Liverpool a few weeks ago (I’ve gone all technical and included a picture!) Seeing the honesty and humour of crazy northern people made me realise how much I miss that part of the country, and how proud I am to come from it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved my time in London, and know so many crazy and lovely southerners. But there is something special about the north that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy (and apparently turns me into a big pile of slush!)



I have also been minding my ego. Having finally spread the news at work officially, I have been getting many lovely messages from all the people I’ve worked with (seven jobs in three years means there’s been a fair few). It is great to feel so loved, and also sad that there are some people I will probably never see or speak to again.

The other people I’ll be leaving behind, but definitely will see again, are all my London friends. I have been doing the rounds, and trying to see everyone before I go. Some of my closest friends have never been more than a few minutes away since starting university. Even if we don’t see each other as often now, it’s strange to think that they won’t be a short tube ride away. I will have to be less spontaneous and more organised!

A mixture of emotions in a busy time! I am still very positive and know it’s the right decision for me at this time in my life. And once I am settled I will start on persuading a few southerners to go past the Watford Gap and up to the fabled north to come and say hello to me!

First steps

Boredom and distraction are rarely looked upon as constructive. Thankfully for the eternal optimist (i.e. me) even what seems like a waste of time can turn into a fantastic positive opportunity.

Last Thursday my best friend (who also goes by the title of ‘housemate’ for a few more weeks, and answers to the name Suzi) was away with work. Sat in her hotel, bored, with only a brandy and the copy of The Independent to hand, she decided to distract herself by phoning me for a chat. Being talented multi-taskers we moved between interesting conversation and commentary on adverts for useless things in the newspaper. That was until the moment she spotted an advert for a career fair taking place in London on Saturday.

The career fair hosted by forum3 was specifically for not-for-profit and charity organizations. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Seminars from inspirational and experienced speakers in career change got me excited. I walked out a big ball of energy and enthusiasm waiting to explode all over anyone that asks me how my day went (thanks to my parents and Suzi for dealing with the aftermath over dinner!) I also got some fantastic tips on networking and marketing myself. You, my friends, are all now a valuable job-hunting resource. All I have to do is work out how to make the best use of you. Mwah ah ha ha! (For some reason an evil laugh seemed appropriate)

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

I will be ever appreciative of the wise words of Mark Twain, and ever grateful for the boredom of Suzi Lawrence.

Being a big kid, an avid reader, and a huge Roald Dahl fan I couldn’t help but be drawn to a papier-mâché bus decorated by Quentin Blake. The Book Bus (www.thebookbus.org) travel around Zambia and use art, music and play to engage children and get them excited about reading. I may be well known for having a smile on my face, but as I listened to what they did I developed the biggest grin of the entire day. So now I need to fit at least two weeks on The Book Bus in with the rest of my plans, whatever they may be. And also think about fundraising. Another thing you guys will be a great resource for (No need for the evil laugh this time, after all it’s for charity!)

Fundraising should be interesting though. There have been many fun and silly attempts over the years. Including my greatest achievement of a sponsored silence (Yes, I did complete it!) There was also the sponsored bike ride round the block for Comic Relief about 15 years ago. Not so successful because my friend Mike and I only decided to do it at the last minute. Our sponsorship amounted to a couple of pounds from our parents, and some builders in the next street. We hadn’t quite got the publicity strategy right!

Slightly more successful was the 'Vegetable Walk' I did with Wendy and Cat a couple of years later. We walked three miles with vegetables attached to string. Genius, I think so! Unfortunately I don’t have any photographic evidence of this handy to share with you. This is because along with my photo albums, everything else I don’t need for the next few weeks was yesterday returned to the parental home in ‘The Move: Part One’.

This also prompted what shall be known from now on as ‘The Great Shoe Cull of 2008”. I made the decision to reduce my shoe collection to those that are actually worn more than once in a blue moon. I still have what you might think is a considerable number of shoes. However now I probably have only one pair for each day of the month, instead of one pair for each day of the year (actually I don’t think I ever had quite that many!)

Also this weekend Suzi made the decision to move out of the house as well. So as of the 15th November there is a lovely spacious two-bedroom house available in Colliers Wood (with a parking space!!!) – if anyone is looking please get in touch!

So this is a really happening. The career change is officially under way. The move has commenced. I am actually doing this. The support from friends and family has been invaluable, I am very grateful – especially as you might be my greatest assets for finding whatever it is that I do next!

A New Start

After many previous attempts I have decided that it is about time I start a blog and actually keep it up for more than two weeks. There are a number of reasons behind this decision.

1. This week I handed my notice in at work. No I don’t have a fabulous new job. Yet. As of the 7th November I will be unemployed. A decision I have thought about long and hard. I have decided that I want to do something I feel passionate about. Something that will make me want to leap out of bed every morning (apart from Mondays – I’m not looking for the impossible!) I admit my timing could have been better. The looming global recession would put most off leaving a well-paid job with good benefits. But my intuition is telling me to take a leap into the unknown. I would like a record of this leap and all the excitement, just incase I need to keep reminding myself why I did it in the first place. Especially when I find all I have left in my purse is a £10 bet with Suzi that my first-born will be female (it may be the only way to make money by then!)

2. Not only am I leaving my job, I am also leaving London. I have chosen to become unemployed AND homeless. You may be justified in questioning my sanity right now, but lets face it over the next few months there will quite possibly be many more people in my position. At least I will be able to say it was my choice (followed shortly by an eruption of laughter from those listening). Anyway back to the point of number ‘2’. I will be leaving London to temporarily go and live back with my parents. I have a lot of friends down here and I will miss them dearly. This is a way of keeping in touch with everyone in between the emails, calls and visits.

3. By encouraging the people I have left behind in London to read this regularly it will spur me on to try and carve out a fulfilling career fairly quickly, so that I do not appear to have failed in my mission to improve my general levels of happiness. On the other hand if the successful career path fails, this blog will give me the opportunity to work on some fiction!

4. I also have friends in various continents. I am hopeless at keeping in touch, even though I miss them lots. In the moments between their many adventures they can read my blog. Comparing and contrasting their exciting lives with one of unemployment, northern weather and living with the folks, will make them smile. I love making other people happy.

5. Five is my lucky number (not that I have any specifically lucky experiences with it, I just like it). The fifth reason is that I would one day quite like it (read: over the moon and jumping up and down like a loony) if someone paid me some money for some writing I have done or could do in the future. In order to get someone to pay me to write, I have to prove that I can write. Practice makes perfect. So this blog is just that. Practice… not perfect!

Please feel free to discuss, critique and comment on anything I write. If you find yourself compelled to read regularly, thank you. And if you are a close friend who cares about my potential writing career, nagging is good if I appear to have stopped blogging!!!