Finally… An Update!

London living is tiring… and time consuming. That’s no real excuse for not updating in about a month but I thought I’d throw it out there anyway.

So where to start? I’m really not too sure…

I love London. No really, I absolutely adore it. Yes I know this is me, the girl who vowed she’d never go anywhere near the big city but now that I’m here I can’t get enough of it. The trick with London, or so I’ve found, is not to think of it as one big city. Instead, it’s a group of smaller villages and towns that are grouped together both underground and overground. I’ve become a master of the underground system. I seem to have a knack of arriving at the platform at the same time as the train so I never have to wait around too long. Although rush hour isn’t too pleasant. I never get the cute guy pressed up against me with an apologetic smile. Oh no. I get the fairly large, fairly smelly business man who glares at me for daring to be in his presence. The fact that his presence seems to radiate from him with some rather pungent odours seems to completely escape his notice. Here’s a tip: If you’re gonna use the tube, take a shower first! It’s really not that nice for the rest of us. Escaping in to the smog filled air of central London is almost a blessing.

Actually, I’ve not really noticed any smog as such. My area of work seems to be quite clean and I get the most spectacular view of the river, St Pauls’ and London Bridge whenever I step outside. It amazes me that most Londoners seem to spend all day walking with their heads down, shrouded in black coats of anonymity, rushing to be wherever they need to be. This is a beautiful place to be… but nobody seems to notice. As soon as I have the money I’m going to buy a bright red coat. I don’t want to fade in to the crowd with my head down. I want the wind in my hair, the colour in my cheeks and my eyes shining with the wonder that is being almost truly independent. Plus I like red, it’s a good colour on me.

Not that I intended this post to wax lyrical over the wonders of London Town, it was just as good a place to start as any!

I’ve settled nicely in to my new abode. The two ladies I’m sharing with are fabulous and we have a good giggle. Slowly but surely I’m turning my room in to a place that is definitely my own (so far I have fairylights, gorgeous bedding, pictures of my boy and cat, and a few other things. I’m working on getting a noticeboard and big picture to go up behind the bed. Yas.) and I’ll eventually have enough stuff in the fridge, freezer and cupboard so that I don’t have to panic about going shopping for a while! The room is … cosy. Snug could also be applied… as could compact. My darling mother came for a visit last week and watching the two of us work round one another must’ve been fairly amusing! We managed though and she seemed to have a good time. I think she’s now definitely happier about me being here as she’s seen everything she needs to, house work etc.

I love my job. I’m learning so much and going through training programmes which mean I’ll be earning a little bit more than i do now (which really isn’t that hard. It’s not the best job in the world but everybody’s got to start somewhere!) and there are lots of incentives to do better, including a possible trip to champagne! Woo! The guys i work with are all so much fun, and some of them have become good friends as well as work colleagues, which is what I needed. My social circle is expanding slowly and seeing as they’ve been in London longer than me they’ve taken to showing me around. One such venture included dinner in China town, which I instantly fell in love with. It’s like you’re stepping out of one city and in to another. Really rather weird.

I’m going to do a list, I like lists. Over the last month I have:

-found a gorgeous cocktail bar in Richmond where during happy hour if you order a cocktail, you get a second one of the same free! Hooray!

-seen the new James Bond film and fallen in love with Daniel Craig all over again.

-learned more about Absinthe than I ever thought was possible.

-rediscovered why i love Covent Garden so much.

-gone through leicester square and not seen anybody famous.

-had dinner with somebody I haven’t seen for 2 years. We proceeded to get horrifically drunk and I had to work the next day. Yeuch.

-got drunk again with work but this time i was on red wine. the next morning I had to taste approximately 22 bulgarian red wines. i wanted to cry.

-shown my mummy just how capable I am in London.

-seen The Producers (so so good!)

-had lunch in Fortnum’s with the parents and then looked for fortnum’s marmalade (as you do). I also have some of their matches. I’m a classy bird me.

-brushed passed Bill Oddie in Oxford street, it was a wonderful moment.

-seen Wicked (finally!) I think i’m a wicked groupie. I love this play so so much! Think I’m going to go again…

-Had screaming girls claiming that Matt Damon was in the theatre watching wicked too. I didn’t see him so personally I don’t believe it…

-got my bedroom back to myself only to fall down the stairs on thursday morning. This resulted in sprained left wrist, sprained left ankle and a massive bruise on the right-hand side of my bum where i landed on my phone which was in my back pocket. Ouch.

-gone for a romantic dinner with my boy in Chiswick where we proceeded to drink away the pain of my injuries. I think he drank it away more than I did!

-booked tickets (or at least The Boy did, I love him so much!) to go see the Barenaked Ladies in march when they tour in England.

That just about brings us to where we are now. I need to think about Christmas shopping and I’ll be flying back to the island on Christmas Eve only to leave again on the 27th. It’s gonna be a short break!

Now my wrist is hurting from all this typing so I’m going to go away again. But don’t panic, I am still alive, I miss everybody and I’m coping with being on my own. Who’d have thought it?!

Much love and squidgeable hugs.

The Discovery Of Language…

As promised in an earlier comment, Mr Fabulous linked to me today. It’s all very exciting. However:

The only problem is she is from England. So you can’t understand what she’s saying. I swear, I wish people would learn to speak American. Jeez!

I mean, pub? Flat? Mummy? Bum? Lift? Lord Mountbatten?

I give up.

Now having spent 3 years studying the wonders of the english language I don’t know whether to be offended by this or not. I know it can be a little confusing but I like the way that the English use their words. Take, for example. the first one on his list. Pub. It makes sense to us. The Public House, a drinking establishment that may or may not also serve some form of food. It’s not a bar though, as bars tend to be just drinks based and often have a later licence than the pub. So you see, it’s a distinction that’s needed.

I like the word bum too, it’s so versatile. It’sa fabulous word to say as you feel almost rude doing it. Go on… say it… BUM… feels good no? Bottom is too proper, arse (or ass if you’re being truly American) was too vulgar, and buttocks doesn’t quite convey the same meaning. And no way in hell am I going to resort to the American ‘fanny’, as that means something quite different on this side of the pond.

Words are funny things. Why, for instance, is dyslexic so hard to spell? Or monosyllabic so long? How is it that blows and sucks can mean exactly the same thing? But the thing that intrigues me most is why, when we had the same ancestors, have the words in America and England become so different? When did this change occur? it baffles me, but at the same time I’m glad that we have this Jasminlive diversity. It makes for some very amusing conversations.

So yes Mr Fabulous, I may well be bloody difficult to understand, and I may use English terms that are a little odd, but I like them. So there.

Live with it.

Or invest in a better dictionary…

Blogathon Theme

So having discussed it in the pub (the one and only place for serious thought it would seem) I have decided upon a theme for blogathon ‘06.

Lemur’s Thoughts.

Basically, I shall attempt to answer questions posed by you, the reader, and see how far it gets me. I shall be seding out an e-mail to all those in my address book asking them to pose questions but please feel free to either ask in advance or to ask me during the ‘thon itself. i really will need them to make this whole thing work!

So yes, I have a theme. It’s all good!

A Few Pointers…

In all my excitement about actually registering for Blogathon ‘06 I completely forgot to give you any details about it. Ok, so some of you read my bro’s site but for those of you that don’t I shall reiterate it all here.

Taken from the Blogathon rules I give you rule number 1 (which is probably the most important rule!):

Each participant must update every 30 minutes for the 24-hour period beginning on July 29, 2006, at 6:00 AM Pacific Time. Everyone blogs during the same 24-hour period. For example, if you are blogging from Paris, France, you would begin at 4:00 pm (1600). In Sydney, Australia, you would begin at 11:00 pm (2300). You need not update right on the half-hour, so don’t panic about exactitude. Just be sure you’re updating once about every 30 minutes.

So that’s it really.

Blogging commences at 2:00pm GMT on July 29th.

I must make a post every 30 mins for 24 hours.

When I complete the ‘thon, all pledges can be paid to Cancer Research UK.

It should be an amusing time as both Rob and I will be up all night and trying to find ways to entertain ourselves.

I’m not sure if I should run a theme or not. Given the kind of things I normally post about a theme could be an interesting change but what should it be? Any suggestions would be fab but if I’m to have a theme it’s got to be settled before the 21st.

It’s all very exciting really. I’m looking forwards to it and I’ll (hopefully!) be raising money for a good cause.

So yes, that’s it really. Now I need to go eat something :)

Leftover party food… mmm!

3 Years Later…

It’s been 3 years. 3 years since I first arrived at Durham to embark upon that most scary of things, a degree course.

3 years.

They haven’t always been easy. There have been tears, tantrums, heartache and nervous breakdowns. But these have been balanced out by fabulous chaturbate friends, wonderful nights out, and being in one of the most beautiful places I can think of.

3 years.

I’ve lived in a castle, in a house that was heated by coal and would make me cry whenever I saw the kitchen, in a room that has cracks running up the walls so big that I prayed it would still be here when I came back.

3 years.

Countless essays later, and several exams, it all boils down to one thing.

I am now the proud owner of a degree from the University of Durham. I can put letters after my name! And the degree class itself?

English Language and Linguistics, Bachelor of Arts (honours), Lower class second degree (2:2).

3 years.

My my, doesn’t time fly?!

Lemurgirl, BA(hons), Dunelm.

It’s Meme Time!

The boy has just left again to go back to London and as I have nothing of note to say today I’ve decided to do a meme which has been snaffled from Fleurdelista. So here goes:

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?

So, here’s how it works:

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)

2. Put it on shuffle

3. Press play

4. For every question, type the song that’s playing on www.jasminelive.online

5. When you go to a new question, press the next button

6. Don’t lie.

Opening Credits:

Something’s Gotta Give - Sammy Davis Jr

Well that’s a nice start to my life move!

Waking Up:

Buffy’s Lament - Sarah Michelle Gellar (Once More with Feeling)

lol, you’ve got to love iTunes. The version I have starts off with an alarm clock going off! Fab’lus!

First Day At School:

All My Friends - Counting Crows

“One way or another just hoping to find a way to put my feet out in the world”… ooo, poignant!

Playtime/Childhood:

All Of This - Blink 182

Quite apt really, just depends which part of the childhood you look at.

Falling In Love:

Night Of My Nights - MGM Studio Soundtrack (Kismet)

“Songs of delight and delicious desire”, plus it has a very funky tambourine line and it mentions peacocks and monkeys. That’s how I always remember falling in love. I had a peacock wafting me with a monkey…

Fight Song:

Angelica - Lamb

It would seem that any fight I have would be a very graceful, possibly slow motion affair. And I’d win. Of course. (the one fight I can recall being in was over very quickly so slow motion would be the best thing for it me thinks)

Breaking Up:

Whiskey Lullaby - Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss

Wow, no explanation needed on this one.

Prom:

Something’s Missing - John Mayer

I never really had a prom, would a college ball do? Hmm, artistic licence I guess.

Life’s OK:

Dr Mowinckel - Kaizers Orchestra

Norwegian Oompa, I have no idea what he’s singing but it sounds kinda cool!

Mental Breakdown:

Rolf Royce - Hotel Costes 6

Not exactly the track I had on during my last breakdown but it’s a similar sort of style.

… this is starting to get a little freaky …

Driving:

I Wish I Was A Girl - Counting Crows

But I am a girl! And I can’t drive! but other than that…

Flashback:

My Generation - The Who

Wicked! Nuff said.

Getting Back Together:

Walking 2 Hawaii - Tom McRae

“Every bridge we build we burn, and we never learn to swim, so let it go…” Doesn’t really bode well for the continuity of the relationship does it?

Wedding:

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

I love this song so so much, and I think it’s very apt. I may even have it at my real wedding one day, maybe the first dance…

Birth of Child:

My Beloved Monster - Eels

Teehee! My child will be my lil monster! Woo!

Final Battle:

By Starlight - Smashing Pumpkins

Again a very chilled out fight. I obviously kick butt in a very sexy and suave way… and in the middle of the night.

Death Scene:

John Lomas - Seth Lakeman

“Was condemmed to die… willingly I took his place”, well this should be a fun experience…

Funeral Song:

She’s Out Of My Life - Josh Groban

Well this is suitably depressing, and I wanted a party dagnabbit!

End Credits:

Local God - Everclear

Wicked way to end my life movie!

So now it’s your turn people, let me see your life!