Apparently I have forgotten to keep this up-to-date. I pass off all blame by saying that I have been busy, but mostly work-busy so there is less to write about and less time to write it in.
Since Lille, this is what I've done: Attended some seminars, went to the Natural History Museum and quickly into the Victoria and Albert Museum, went to St. James Park and found Big Ben, Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park and Random Creep #1, tried some Indian Cuisine finally, went to the Vietnamese restaurant on our High Street, have a class to teach for two weeks, went to HomeBase (sorta like Home Depot) and bought various things to start making my bedroom my bedroom, went out for Thai, went down to Leicester Square to meet Tony at work and go for Sushi, went to the market on Portobello Road and then to Kensington Gardens again...
So now, for the stories.
I decided one day that I wanted to go to the Natural History Museum. I knew it would be lovely. A piece of trivia my flatmate shared with me: the architect who designed the building.. it was his SECOND attempt ever. He was a genius. It's a gorgeous building. So, off I went.. and discover a HUGE LINE OUTSIDE. There was no way I was going to wait in that line, cause I knew it was for bag checks. So, I decide I'll walk down the road to the Science Museum to see what its line was like. On the way to there... I discover this tiny little door with a security person standing there.. and random people going in. Curious, I stopped and asked what the entrance was for. It was for anyone! So in I went to the Natural History Museum.. and totally bypassed the queue.
So take a mental note of that: there is a SIDE ENTRANCE that is not as well known, and lots of families prefer the bigger entrance cause it's more grandoise.
It was an amazing museum, and I did a whirlwind tour of it. I kept stopping to admire the architecture, cause it was gorgeous, and I could have spent all day there (and I did spend most of it) but I had to rush myself. I did NOT go to see the dinosaurs however, even though I really wanted to. But I wasn't waiting in that queue all by myself!
After the Nat. His. Museum I wandered into the V&A museum.. it wasn't fully my thing, and I was exhausted and had gotten a headache so I left again.
The next day, I decided I was going to go to St. James Park as I wanted to see the pelicans that reside there. Despite getting off at St. James Park Station... I was unable to locate the blasted park! (I went the wrong way as I didn't look at signs and just wandered off and had forgot my A-Z book at home). So, instead of St. James Park I discovered Big Ben and Westminster, which I hadn't been looking for. So I enjoyed the area and I did a big huge circle and ended up back at St. James Station (go me and my topographic map in my head, as I had quite the meandering course and still ended up where I wanted to get back to!). I then find my way to the park finally, and I spent at least an hour or two watching the Pelicans. Yes, that's right, I'm a bit of a nerd. They were right up near the fence and OMG the pelicans actually will let you pet them gently. I was so excited that I actually asked some strangers to take a picture of me with them (using my point and shoot, and NOT my Canon Rebel). That's right... I asked a stranger for help.
Since I was in the area, I figured I should probably go over and look at Buckingham Palace.. so I did, and remained unimpressed. lol. So I wandered off to find the Canada Gate that I'd remembered seeing the last time I was there, and find it I did. Then went off to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. What can I say... I really like parks and it was a gorgeous day.
So... I find the boating area and take a seat on a bench and take out a book to read. I'd been sat there reading for ages... when I end up with my first creepy encounter in the UK. (AND IF YOU ARE READING THIS THEN I'LL SAY IT PLAINLY - LOOKING SOMEONE UP IS NOT COOL).
Here is the creep story:
I'm sat on the bench and this guy sits on it as well. I glanced over cause I always do just to see who is sitting near me. It was only a quick glance and I went back to my book. Guy then asks me if there's anything on his back, and says that he'd been laying on the ground (lots of people do) and wasn't sure if there were any leaves.
I'm then not allowed to go BACK TO MY BOOK as this guy keeps talking to me. Now, you all know me... I'm polite. I'm friendly. I've had a lot of experience with random creeps. I've already learned that it's just easiest to be polite and friendly and not bother getting bitchy or rude cause that just tends to lead to more disaster. Within a few minutes this guy has invited me over to his place for tea - saying he lives in the area. I say no and said I had dinner plans with a friend (I didn't, although I made some later!). He then wants my phone number. I say no, but he was persistent, so I ended up saying that I don't KNOW my phone number (which is true, I've ALMOST got it memorized but I'm never sure). He was then going to try to show me how to find out my phone number or someshit like that, and I really DIDN'T want to give out my phone number (since my agency allllways shows up as "Unknown" so I have to answer all those damn calls that I normally ignore... fortunately it's always been my agency!)... so I decided that the easiest way to get rid of this would be to just give him my email (I was thinking of my msn address) and then block him and be done with it.
Of course, I'd had a long week and was tired and worn out and frustrated with the conversation by this point, and what do I do? GIVE OUT MY REAL EMAIL. Stupid ass me. Y'know.. the one with my NAME IN IT. Whoops. I noticed it RIGHT as it was too late and was busy going "fuck fuck fuck FUCK" in my head. So I looked at the time and lied and said I really had to leave to get ready to go out for dinner... so off I went. Thought that it MIGHT have went ok as far as the creepy encounters go... and just from experience and a hunch, I opted to look behind me a few times to make sure that he wasn't following me along at all... he wasn't, so I gave Tony a call and told him the story cause I was looking for a laugh.. then invited Tony out for supper and we found a really delicious Thai place in Isle of Dog.
Now, I shall say that when I got home I had two messages from Creep#1. One was to the email.. and he looked me up on facebook. This is what they were: facebook - " i like seeing your picture Lindsey. Very impressive profile on word press. Will you take it down when I asked you to. I should tell you this privately though. Are you still reeding DavinCi code."
to my email - "Hey Lindsay
I googled you.
See the link below. http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home
I must meet you soon to discuss with you something important.
I like your girly writting, just between two of us. You look good to my eyes.
Come, come. Let get it going." (dont click the link... I never have)
Yep. Lovely eh? Man was I cursing away by this point. How the HELL are either of those even remotely acceptable? Still haven't fully figured out what was meant by asking me to take it down... I'm guessing a photo. Who the HELL thinks the have the right to ask someone to take down their picture? Fuckhead. I was so mad. I wasn't expecting the messages to be thhhhat disturbing, and who the hell googles you? Yep... I've got some skill in attracting the scum really... I don't know how I do it, I was SAT THERE READING.
So I replied to the email quickly and in anger, but was still trying to be polite so I asked something about what on EARTH could be so important. The reply? "You of course and a couple of kisses in your cheek):" .... *smacks forhead* Good lord. I've now had enough by this point and sent back: "Look, I'm sorry, but that is really just inappropriate. Each message you have sent has been inappropriate, and I'm going to ask you to stop. Goodbye.".
Since then, these are the messages I have received:
"No, what do you mean. I haven't said anything inappropriate. It's between you and me and confidential. Most importantly depends on how one looks at the wording. But I left that to your imaginations, Lindsey. don't get upset. I take a break for a while." (sent the day I'd sent the last message... anyone else get what was meant by CONFIDENTIAL? If it's between me and him.. and *I* say he was being inappropriate.. then it MEANS HE WAS BEING INAPPROPRIATE!)
"Hi Lindsey How's work? It would be very nice if we could begin a normal conversation again! XX SAMAD" (sent the next day.... long break eh?)
"I would like to invite you to an event for movie's, show "theater in Covent Garden", or a trip to Windsor Castle. Would like to join me in one of these event. Please let me." (sent less than a week after the last one... persistent fucker no?)
*slaps forehead* So hopefully that's done, it's been a week since that last one now.
The next week for me was also quite long, and rather exhausting, so by the weekend I decided I was just going to stay at home for the Thanksgiving Weekend and not do anything. It was VERY hard to do. But I know I've been wearing myself so I thought it would do me some good.
Sunday for Thanksgiving I went to Cuckfields for a thanksgiving meal with my flatmates. Had roast chicken, roasted potatoes, and veggies. It was yummy for a thanksgiving meal, but I was really missing pumpkin pie. This country doesn't do pumpkin!!! I was so upset.
Last week I made up for my slow weekend by being out every night: Monday went to Tony's for thanksgiving proper.. we were going to make steak but the car wouldn't work, so we ordered Chinese and watched a movie. Tuesday went to the last of the seminars. Wednesday went to meet Tony downtown in Leicester Square for supper for when he was done work.. we went for sushi and it was delicious, and then we wandered through China Town. Just so you know, London's China Town kicks Toronto's China town's ASS. Thursday I went to Homebase and bought all sorts of stuff for my room that I wanted. Friday I invited Tony over to go to the Vietnamese restaurant on our High Street cause I had heard it was gorgeous and delicious. And it was.
Just so you know, my room is starting to look and feel like MY space. Especially since I put up the shower rod and hung up a sheet on it (it's a work in progress)... and my photo wall. I just need to figure out how to get other photos up on my wall. I will manage it though.
Saturday I went to the market on Portobello Road. I LOVED it. I've wanted to go there since I was a kid and watched Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I think it's been one of my best experiences.. I left here at 7am to make sure I was there by 8am when it opened (I wanted to avoid the crowd). There was so much to look at! I went on a hunt for small presents for my parents and danny... but the best parts of my day were the things I bought for myself. I bought a GORGEOUS (word of the day apparently!) mechanical bird cage clock... the bird does the ticking and the ball thing in the middle rotates to show the time. I'm not sure when it was made though cause I forgot to ask. I don't care if it's an actual antique or if its a reproduction (I'm going to let myself think it's legit!) cause it's so lovely. The box it came with smells rather oldish.
I also bought myself a 1913 Vest Pocket Kodak Autotrophic Camera. haha. It's lovely. The shopkeeper was lovely too. I was just walking around and stopped when I saw his stall inside and was like "OMG this is the most awesome stall I've seen today! I didn't think I'd see anything this cool!". Seriously, I sounded like an excited little kid. The shopkeeper and I were stood there chatting and I eventually asked how much some of them were... and then I was like "OMG I can actually afford that!!!" and was then so excited that I told him I would just have to buy one. So we picked me out a cute one and he showed me that it was £25 pounds, but said there was one in better condition for £35 pounds. So he said he'd knock off £5 for me for either of them, so I was going to get the £35 pound one.. which he then saw the tag said £30, so he still knocked it down to £25 for me.
(MOM DON'T LET DAD READ THIS PARAGRAPH... it's about all your presents!)
I also was excited with what I bought my dad.... a 1930s barometer from germany. It's just hilarious, I've got a photo of it I can send you. I loved it. I also bought a necklace from that stall, which is very much NOT antique but I really liked it and it was only £3. Mom I bought a small trinket for and I can't say what it is but I can say that it was crafted by a friend of the man who sold it to me. And danny I bought a little soldier that's wearing a gas mask, and is in a "CHARGE!" position. It's holding a bayonet and the arms holding it can move up and down. It's new from the looks of it and the stall, but that was fine with me. The stall-keeper was super cheerful and he and I chatted around.. he helped me pick it out cause I wasn't sure what to get.
So... that's been my life for the past few weeks!
Yep. Lovely eh? Man was I cursing away by this point. How the HELL are either of those even remotely acceptable? Still haven't fully figured out what was meant by asking me to take it down... I'm guessing a photo. Who the HELL thinks the have the right to ask someone to take down their picture? Fuckhead. I was so mad. I wasn't expecting the messages to be thhhhat disturbing, and who the hell googles you? Yep... I've got some skill in attracting the scum really... I don't know how I do it, I was SAT THERE READING.
So I replied to the email quickly and in anger, but was still trying to be polite so I asked something about what on EARTH could be so important. The reply? "You of course and a couple of kisses in your cheek):" .... *smacks forhead* Good lord. I've now had enough by this point and sent back: "Look, I'm sorry, but that is really just inappropriate. Each message you have sent has been inappropriate, and I'm going to ask you to stop. Goodbye.".
Since then, these are the messages I have received:
"No, what do you mean. I haven't said anything inappropriate. It's between you and me and confidential. Most importantly depends on how one looks at the wording. But I left that to your imaginations, Lindsey. don't get upset. I take a break for a while." (sent the day I'd sent the last message... anyone else get what was meant by CONFIDENTIAL? If it's between me and him.. and *I* say he was being inappropriate.. then it MEANS HE WAS BEING INAPPROPRIATE!)
"Hi Lindsey How's work? It would be very nice if we could begin a normal conversation again! XX SAMAD" (sent the next day.... long break eh?)
"I would like to invite you to an event for movie's, show "theater in Covent Garden", or a trip to Windsor Castle. Would like to join me in one of these event. Please let me." (sent less than a week after the last one... persistent fucker no?)
*slaps forehead* So hopefully that's done, it's been a week since that last one now.
The next week for me was also quite long, and rather exhausting, so by the weekend I decided I was just going to stay at home for the Thanksgiving Weekend and not do anything. It was VERY hard to do. But I know I've been wearing myself so I thought it would do me some good.
Sunday for Thanksgiving I went to Cuckfields for a thanksgiving meal with my flatmates. Had roast chicken, roasted potatoes, and veggies. It was yummy for a thanksgiving meal, but I was really missing pumpkin pie. This country doesn't do pumpkin!!! I was so upset.
Last week I made up for my slow weekend by being out every night: Monday went to Tony's for thanksgiving proper.. we were going to make steak but the car wouldn't work, so we ordered Chinese and watched a movie. Tuesday went to the last of the seminars. Wednesday went to meet Tony downtown in Leicester Square for supper for when he was done work.. we went for sushi and it was delicious, and then we wandered through China Town. Just so you know, London's China Town kicks Toronto's China town's ASS. Thursday I went to Homebase and bought all sorts of stuff for my room that I wanted. Friday I invited Tony over to go to the Vietnamese restaurant on our High Street cause I had heard it was gorgeous and delicious. And it was.
Just so you know, my room is starting to look and feel like MY space. Especially since I put up the shower rod and hung up a sheet on it (it's a work in progress)... and my photo wall. I just need to figure out how to get other photos up on my wall. I will manage it though.
Saturday I went to the market on Portobello Road. I LOVED it. I've wanted to go there since I was a kid and watched Bedknobs and Broomsticks. I think it's been one of my best experiences.. I left here at 7am to make sure I was there by 8am when it opened (I wanted to avoid the crowd). There was so much to look at! I went on a hunt for small presents for my parents and danny... but the best parts of my day were the things I bought for myself. I bought a GORGEOUS (word of the day apparently!) mechanical bird cage clock... the bird does the ticking and the ball thing in the middle rotates to show the time. I'm not sure when it was made though cause I forgot to ask. I don't care if it's an actual antique or if its a reproduction (I'm going to let myself think it's legit!) cause it's so lovely. The box it came with smells rather oldish.
I also bought myself a 1913 Vest Pocket Kodak Autotrophic Camera. haha. It's lovely. The shopkeeper was lovely too. I was just walking around and stopped when I saw his stall inside and was like "OMG this is the most awesome stall I've seen today! I didn't think I'd see anything this cool!". Seriously, I sounded like an excited little kid. The shopkeeper and I were stood there chatting and I eventually asked how much some of them were... and then I was like "OMG I can actually afford that!!!" and was then so excited that I told him I would just have to buy one. So we picked me out a cute one and he showed me that it was £25 pounds, but said there was one in better condition for £35 pounds. So he said he'd knock off £5 for me for either of them, so I was going to get the £35 pound one.. which he then saw the tag said £30, so he still knocked it down to £25 for me.
(MOM DON'T LET DAD READ THIS PARAGRAPH... it's about all your presents!)
I also was excited with what I bought my dad.... a 1930s barometer from germany. It's just hilarious, I've got a photo of it I can send you. I loved it. I also bought a necklace from that stall, which is very much NOT antique but I really liked it and it was only £3. Mom I bought a small trinket for and I can't say what it is but I can say that it was crafted by a friend of the man who sold it to me. And danny I bought a little soldier that's wearing a gas mask, and is in a "CHARGE!" position. It's holding a bayonet and the arms holding it can move up and down. It's new from the looks of it and the stall, but that was fine with me. The stall-keeper was super cheerful and he and I chatted around.. he helped me pick it out cause I wasn't sure what to get.
So... that's been my life for the past few weeks!
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