Cold is…

Being in London in October and November, I now know what “cold” really is.

Cold is when the morning breeze makes your eyes water.

Cold is when you wear three pairs of socks to bed.

Cold is when you spend 13 hours in a pub because you can’t face the below-zero temperature outside.

Cold is when it is pitch black at 4pm in the afternoon.

Cold is when, even though you are wearing a woollen coat, your nipples hurt.

Cold is when you leave the butter out overnight and it still rips up your toasted bagel when you try to spread it.

Cold is when you have to turn your scarf into a burka to keep your head warm.

Cold is when you go outside at midday and breathe fog.

Cold is when you get out of the bath and there is steam coming off your body.

Cold is when it snows in London in October for the first time in 70 years.

I don’t want to even think about what January and February are going to be like…

Kids say the darndest things

The things I miss most about home are my family and friends, though I try to email or call as often as I can.

I love getting emails from my nephews Isaac and Joseph. Natalii, my most darling sister-in-law, types what the boys say verbatim, which makes for some highly entertaining reading. Especially last night when I got two emails – one from Isaac and one from Joe.

Isaac’s email had a background of rainbows, which he said he sending to me to help keep me happy. It made me so happy I actually got a little teary.

Joe’s email had a pirate background, and he told me about how he had been playing UNO and had fire money. Nat, what on earth is fire money! Then he went on to tell me that he wanted ping pong balls for Christmas! I laughed so hard even more tears came out.

After this I called Jackie on Skype and had a little chat to Ben about what he would like for Christmas. In case anyone doesn’t know yet (though I don’t think there are many people that Ben hasn’t told) he would like a guitar. This is better than when mum asked what Ben would like her to bring him back from England and he asked for a wrench and a coconut!

Oh boys, you make me laugh!

A quick headcount

And so Mumble Pants issued a decree that a census should be taken of her blog. This was the first census that took place while Mumble Pants was governor of MumblePantsVille. And everyone went to the comments page to register their name.

Because if you don’t then you ain’t getting no Christmas present...

Make sure you are sitting down

Because I have got some shocking news....

I actually went to the gym and did a work out!

Man, I can barely believe it myself.

I've been talking about it for months, to the point where I bought flashy exercise pants (but then stuffed them at the back of the cupboard). And it was lucky I have started my fitness regime now, before I couldn't fit in those pants any more.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

I need to warn family and friends before I come home for Christmas – I have changed. Yes, I am not the same girl that left Brisbane back in April.

I have really long hair. Mum, you won’t believe it, but I wear my hair loose now – you would love it. My hair is the longest it has ever been, and I really need a haircut but am hanging out until I get home. I’m not a huge fan of "pretty" long hair on me, but it keeps my head warm!

I catch public transport now. Back in Brisbane, I drove my lazy-ass everywhere. I mean, I could have walked to work, but instead drove the five minutes there every day. In London, I spend up to an hour walking and catching the train to work.

I am fat. Despite prior warnings of the Heathrow Injection, and a personal commitment to not letting it happen to me, I got fat. Dad confirmed this with his taunts when he and mum came to visit. I’m just giving my friends a heads up, so it’s not such a shock when I get there.

I’m joining the gym. Refer to the above paragraph about me being a Fatty McLardbum. I’m going to the gym near work tonight and I am joining. Even though I’ve been saying this for five months now, this time I really mean it.

I am career focused. Back in Brisbane, I cruised through my job and made good money. My first job in London paid alright – £175 a day as an Events Manager. And it was boring. Then an Events & Marketing Manager role came up at The Government Agency which I accepted, even though it was only £160 a day, as I knew it would be a good move for my career. And it turns out it was! There is no way I would have gotten the job as Internal & Stakeholder Communications Manager (and the delightful pay rise) if I hadn’t already had my foot in the door.

I wear flat shoes all the time. I used to love wearing my cute little heels to work or going out. I think I’ve worn heels twice since I’ve been in London . High heels just aren’t appropriate given the cobblestone streets and the amount of walking I do each day.

I tell my mother and father so much more. With semi-regular blog entries and even more regular emails, my parents know so much more about what I get up to. I don't think this is a good thing. Hi mum, love you!

£ → $ = sad face

A couple of weeks ago the exchange rate was awesome. £1 got you AU$2.60.

Now that I am in a position to send some money back home to cover the mortgage, the exchange rate is crap. £1 got me AU$2.35.

Sorry, what did you say? That's not much of a difference?

Let me put it in these terms. Had I sent my £2,050 home two weeks ago, I would have gotten AU$5,330. I sent my £2,050 home this morning and will get AU$4,817. That's more than $500 difference.

Screw you exchange rate, screw you.

Approved!

Well dad, if you don't read my blog then you don't have the right to advise me on significant expenditures.

I GOT MY LAPTOP!

I am writing this post on my gorgeous new Acer Aspire 15.4" screen laptop. *big smiles*

Thanks to the nerdy assistance of Matty, I have a dual core processor, lots of memory, three USB ports and lots of other stuff that I have no idea about. Though I did manage to install the anti virus software by myself.

Give me a couple of weeks and I will be writing my own programs, fixing people's hard drives, and hosting my own LAN gaming parties.

(Nathan, I hope you picked up on the reference to Moleface Jennifer Hawkins in the title of this entry)

Ups and downs

I find life in London is a series of ups and downs.

This morning I got up early because I was organising a staff presentation today and had to prepare a few things.

Side note – Dad, I had not left this until the last minute, and was actually at work until nearly 7pm last Friday. It’s just that I broke two printers on Friday afternoon, so had to wait for someone to fix them.

Anyway, I arrived at the tube station ready for my quick 11-minute train ride to work (now that I am living at Canada Water) only to discover that the Jubliee line is down. After waiting for 20 minutes with ne’er a hint of a train, I made my way back to the street and jumped on a bus to Waterloo. The 10 minute journey took more than 45 minutes. In frustration, I got off the bus and started walking, as I realised it was going to get me to work quicker. Stomping down the street, late for work, in the cold, I was not in a good mood.

Then, just as I neared work, a man with a huge moustache pulled up beside me on his motorbike, loudly pumping Lionel Ritchie’s “All night long” on his radio.

Oh London, even when things are crappy, you manage to produce something to make me laugh!