Well, got back from Rome Friday morning had a fantastic time but already seems ages ago!
Reality hit pretty quickly with more problems at home including our fridge which stopped working while we were away... nice.
Anyway, things I learnt in Romavision:
Don't read out text messages before you have scanned them, you might offend your one-eyed taxi driver.
When purchasing novelty marble items (such as fake cigarettes) watch your step leaving the shop - or at least take your sunnies off!
Make sure you follow the Mr. Chris Complaints Procedure (tm) in restaurants and other establishments - it works! It never hurts to add a patronising watch-tap and fake accent too: 15 euros off and 4 free chinese fans = result
You are not likely to visit anywhere else with so much graffti and so many nuns. Coincidence? I think not.
If the Pope tells you he is going to come by at 10.30am, don't believe him. Dirty stop-out.
There a various ways of handling the language barrier, one is whispering Italian phrases so only those with super-hearing can understand and apologising continuiously. Another is speaking English but slower and louder than normal, maybe adding a grazie if seriously pressed.
Italian gelato should be illegal (like Willy Wonka's factory but better!)
Roman housewives have great heads for heights and can balance in their socks!
Speaking Italian can make you instantly more aggressive, which is a good thing when you are on monkey-watch.
French Nigerians are particularly friendly and are prone to giving out phone numbers of English-loving sisters.
Sounding American and sounding like you come from Leeds can be easily confused.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Locked up with garlic features
Oh the joys of the bank holiday and all the sunny delight tm it held is over... heh. To be truthful it was just a normal weekend for me as I was at work yesterday, being grumpy and resentful. Nothing unusual there then.
Katty made me a lovely garlic and potato soup for my lunch (yes, babes, the flask did work well) except as my fellow staff members (can't speak for the public) aren't vampires needing to be kept at bay I've just had to use mouthwash... Don't ask why I have mouthwash in my locker, I'll only add that it isn't due to alcoholism... Oh, ok, if anyone has ever seen my locker you'll know all I need in there is a bed and I could move in.
Yep. It is really that bad.
Why do some ppl have a tidiness gene and other's don't? It's not that I don't want to be tidy and if I really try I can be - I'm just saying its a constant battle against my dna. I get tired just thinking about it.
H
Katty made me a lovely garlic and potato soup for my lunch (yes, babes, the flask did work well) except as my fellow staff members (can't speak for the public) aren't vampires needing to be kept at bay I've just had to use mouthwash... Don't ask why I have mouthwash in my locker, I'll only add that it isn't due to alcoholism... Oh, ok, if anyone has ever seen my locker you'll know all I need in there is a bed and I could move in.
Yep. It is really that bad.
Why do some ppl have a tidiness gene and other's don't? It's not that I don't want to be tidy and if I really try I can be - I'm just saying its a constant battle against my dna. I get tired just thinking about it.
H
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
It is an ex-vegetarian
Had a really nice evening last night with Katty and Thea. Have to say I was a bit disappointed with the dim sum place we went to though. Thea and I had both seen it reviewed in the metro and they'd liked it plus said it did 'bubble tea' - a milk or soya based drink with tapioca balls... sounds rank but is apparently really good! Not that I got to try it as our ever-so-friendly waitress - not sure if it was a language barrier thing but she came across as quite scary! and also led to us underordering through no fault of our own! - said it had only been last month's special... do'h! Damn misleading Metro! So if anyone knows where I can get some bubble tea in London (should have asked Thea really!) please tell me!
So mini-review of the place:
Well, we got a table quickly but it was one we had to share with three randoms - this was okay at first but led to much confusion when our respective orders started to arrive - in fact I'm sure we had two of their dishes! (more on that in a mo.)
As I said the waitress didn't really seem to understand what we wanted much of the time, and the system of ordering was fun (filling it a little sheet - Katty decided to put down 11 to indicate we wanted 2 of something - thank god I changed that!!).
Food was okay but apart from a couple of things: the tom yom yam (?) veg soup and the char sui pork buns, was far from special. I suppose it is a chain so maybe I was expecting too much. The highlight was probably the jasmine flower tea - brought to us in a glass and then filled with boiling water the flower slowly opens to reveal the pretty pink and yellow centre - it was quite a spectacle and the people sharing our table were transfixed... but then they were scottish! (joking!). By the end of the meal I was begging them not to top it up again though - it ws a Mr King (RIP) stylee thing with a flower that just kept on giving!
It cost about £17 quid each with the drinks and we had ice-cream and sorbet for dessert (1 between 3 of us - we wanted more and asked for more but hey-ho!) We must be heffers or something!! :P
Oh, almost forgot because of food confusion Katty ended up consuming a prawn or two... its not funny!!! well it is a bit. It was put down to being my fault because I tried it and went 'No its fine, its mushroom or something...' Thea tries it after K has had another one and says, 'Definitely prawn!). Oops! I blame the scots! Cos we definitely didn't order that!
Went to the NFT bar for a couple afterwards. All in all a fun night! We got home about midnight - Thea was cycling home so she is probably in a gutter somewhere sleeping it off... ;P
So mini-review of the place:
Well, we got a table quickly but it was one we had to share with three randoms - this was okay at first but led to much confusion when our respective orders started to arrive - in fact I'm sure we had two of their dishes! (more on that in a mo.)
As I said the waitress didn't really seem to understand what we wanted much of the time, and the system of ordering was fun (filling it a little sheet - Katty decided to put down 11 to indicate we wanted 2 of something - thank god I changed that!!).
Food was okay but apart from a couple of things: the tom yom yam (?) veg soup and the char sui pork buns, was far from special. I suppose it is a chain so maybe I was expecting too much. The highlight was probably the jasmine flower tea - brought to us in a glass and then filled with boiling water the flower slowly opens to reveal the pretty pink and yellow centre - it was quite a spectacle and the people sharing our table were transfixed... but then they were scottish! (joking!). By the end of the meal I was begging them not to top it up again though - it ws a Mr King (RIP) stylee thing with a flower that just kept on giving!
It cost about £17 quid each with the drinks and we had ice-cream and sorbet for dessert (1 between 3 of us - we wanted more and asked for more but hey-ho!) We must be heffers or something!! :P
Oh, almost forgot because of food confusion Katty ended up consuming a prawn or two... its not funny!!! well it is a bit. It was put down to being my fault because I tried it and went 'No its fine, its mushroom or something...' Thea tries it after K has had another one and says, 'Definitely prawn!). Oops! I blame the scots! Cos we definitely didn't order that!
Went to the NFT bar for a couple afterwards. All in all a fun night! We got home about midnight - Thea was cycling home so she is probably in a gutter somewhere sleeping it off... ;P
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Piss oil
God. I am such a knob. Just re-read my last post. Please if anyone does read this one give me a chance to redeem myself? I'll be KA (think AA but with knobs - nice image eh?) soon!
Anyway, I haven't blogged lately because I've had rather a lot on and a distinct lack of motivation to do anything but check facebook ( I'll heckle myself so you don't have to - saddo!), watch tv and sleep when I get home. Ok, so there is a little eating in there too, but not too much!
We've got this new religious exhibition you see and its doing my head in. The tagline is discover what we all share or some such rubbish. I mean really does anyone fall for this bullshit? I'm not going to rant on about work, suffice to say it is pants and its never going to change. I need a rocket up me to find another job and maybe this is it... well more of a half-stamped out sparkler really but anyway I am determined to get myself out of here - even if its due to arrest or something (and you better believe we now have the burly security guards, with FBI style earpieces, to do that). Trust me: I've been feeling quite violent of late and it doesn't seem to be going away. So if you read about me on the news just think I'm lucky my one phone call couldn't be to myself or I'd be rotting in the slammer!
More power to the weekend! And why oh why has this week seemed endless when I had Monday off?!
H
Anyway, I haven't blogged lately because I've had rather a lot on and a distinct lack of motivation to do anything but check facebook ( I'll heckle myself so you don't have to - saddo!), watch tv and sleep when I get home. Ok, so there is a little eating in there too, but not too much!
We've got this new religious exhibition you see and its doing my head in. The tagline is discover what we all share or some such rubbish. I mean really does anyone fall for this bullshit? I'm not going to rant on about work, suffice to say it is pants and its never going to change. I need a rocket up me to find another job and maybe this is it... well more of a half-stamped out sparkler really but anyway I am determined to get myself out of here - even if its due to arrest or something (and you better believe we now have the burly security guards, with FBI style earpieces, to do that). Trust me: I've been feeling quite violent of late and it doesn't seem to be going away. So if you read about me on the news just think I'm lucky my one phone call couldn't be to myself or I'd be rotting in the slammer!
More power to the weekend! And why oh why has this week seemed endless when I had Monday off?!
H
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Social fly butter
Hi,
Well darn it if I'm not missing Katty... I never used to have this problem when I was single. I liked being alone; doing exactly what I wanted, when I wanted to. Now its a different episode of the L word entirely.
I say that but if I was anything like my minor crush and major hero from that show: Alice, the former bisexual (don't ask) this kind of lifestyle would be nothing new to me... by that I mean I'm kind of lonely right now. And in being lonely, like Alice, I've turned my life into a social whirlwind!! Yes, it's true! (well almost). The person who would once have done anything to avoid meeting new people, having spontaneous social happenings or really being anything other than quiet and shy seems to have vanished. It's kind of been in progress for a while (known in our house as Helen XP edition. I don't trust Vista yet) but this latest thing took me by surprise a bit.
I'm not complaining. It's just... weird. Our diary has started to really fill up recently and its great. Like on monday night I found myself asking someone from my creative writing course (we are still meeting up in a casual writing group thingy) if they wanted to go for a drink (for those who know I'm not really drinking anymore be assured I hardly had anything!) after the meeting. I never would have done that before. Yes, I guess part of it is I have realised I hate coming home to an empty flat (Allie is great but she doesn't ask me about my day) but I'm not going to lay it all on Katty being away. I guess I'm just feeling more confident and chilled, and although I don't feel much happier with me per se I do seem to be able to let go a bit more and relax. I'm actually saying what I think more and I think people are respecting me for it.
Anyway. I was really glad I asked Becky for a drink. I wasn't sure she would want to and my typical thing of 'I'm assuming she would like to be friends' or 'I'm bugging her' threatened to kick in. But as I thought we had kind of clicked in conversations we'd had before, I decided to go for it! And as it happened we have quite a lot in common. I'm hoping we can meet up again, with our respective gfs (who are also quite similar!). It was lovely to be in the Glass Bar too - I'd forgotten how much I like that place - and it was great to chat - turns out we both almost chickened out of the course! I don't have many gay female friends and I've realised its something I want: K and I to have friends who are gay too. The creative writing course has been great for me on a lot of levels and it would be even nicer to make some friends out of it as well!
I couldn't wait to tell Katty about my evening and I hope, budget permitting, we both make more of an effort to see our friends and possibly make a few more. It's all about time really, I suppose. The more friends you have the harder it is to have closer friends. I know the people who are really important in my life because I make time for them and its hard to sustain that commitment for more than a certain amount of people I guess... I'm just waffling now. I'm not talking myself out of making new friends I just recognise that Kat and I already have some fantastic ones that I love spending time with...
Currently listening to: Six feet Under soundtrack volume 2: everything is everything. Phoenix.
There must be a plug-in for blogger so I can add the above! if not there should be. I guess Regina is right, live journal has some cool features. My heart is with blogger though! ;)
Night (at least Allie cuddles up to me while Kat is away!)
Helen x
Well darn it if I'm not missing Katty... I never used to have this problem when I was single. I liked being alone; doing exactly what I wanted, when I wanted to. Now its a different episode of the L word entirely.
I say that but if I was anything like my minor crush and major hero from that show: Alice, the former bisexual (don't ask) this kind of lifestyle would be nothing new to me... by that I mean I'm kind of lonely right now. And in being lonely, like Alice, I've turned my life into a social whirlwind!! Yes, it's true! (well almost). The person who would once have done anything to avoid meeting new people, having spontaneous social happenings or really being anything other than quiet and shy seems to have vanished. It's kind of been in progress for a while (known in our house as Helen XP edition. I don't trust Vista yet) but this latest thing took me by surprise a bit.
I'm not complaining. It's just... weird. Our diary has started to really fill up recently and its great. Like on monday night I found myself asking someone from my creative writing course (we are still meeting up in a casual writing group thingy) if they wanted to go for a drink (for those who know I'm not really drinking anymore be assured I hardly had anything!) after the meeting. I never would have done that before. Yes, I guess part of it is I have realised I hate coming home to an empty flat (Allie is great but she doesn't ask me about my day) but I'm not going to lay it all on Katty being away. I guess I'm just feeling more confident and chilled, and although I don't feel much happier with me per se I do seem to be able to let go a bit more and relax. I'm actually saying what I think more and I think people are respecting me for it.
Anyway. I was really glad I asked Becky for a drink. I wasn't sure she would want to and my typical thing of 'I'm assuming she would like to be friends' or 'I'm bugging her' threatened to kick in. But as I thought we had kind of clicked in conversations we'd had before, I decided to go for it! And as it happened we have quite a lot in common. I'm hoping we can meet up again, with our respective gfs (who are also quite similar!). It was lovely to be in the Glass Bar too - I'd forgotten how much I like that place - and it was great to chat - turns out we both almost chickened out of the course! I don't have many gay female friends and I've realised its something I want: K and I to have friends who are gay too. The creative writing course has been great for me on a lot of levels and it would be even nicer to make some friends out of it as well!
I couldn't wait to tell Katty about my evening and I hope, budget permitting, we both make more of an effort to see our friends and possibly make a few more. It's all about time really, I suppose. The more friends you have the harder it is to have closer friends. I know the people who are really important in my life because I make time for them and its hard to sustain that commitment for more than a certain amount of people I guess... I'm just waffling now. I'm not talking myself out of making new friends I just recognise that Kat and I already have some fantastic ones that I love spending time with...
Currently listening to: Six feet Under soundtrack volume 2: everything is everything. Phoenix.
There must be a plug-in for blogger so I can add the above! if not there should be. I guess Regina is right, live journal has some cool features. My heart is with blogger though! ;)
Night (at least Allie cuddles up to me while Kat is away!)
Helen x
Thursday, April 19, 2007
I spy with my achy eye
Well, I'm off work early tonight to go for an eyetest - am currently wearing my glasses most of the time (which isn't too bad as I think they suit me and probably make me look more intelligent), because my eyes have been very dry and sore and red and hurting for a while. They seem to be a bit better when wearing glasses so we will see what the verdict is tonight (Boots in Holborn no less!)
Off to G & M's for the weekend (Sully is next weekend I think... or is she?) Gosh, I don't know whether I'm gay or straight at the moment! Dear me! All over the place...
Anyone watch 'The Apprentice' last night? Man, they are stupid! I'm glad Sophie went: she had as much reason to be there as Sir Allan would have at a acting lesson - he has got it down pat, hasn't he? I bet he has an auto-cue, nobody could sound like that otherwise! Or maybe Margaret and the other one are working him from behind like a muppet? I can just imagine that! That Margaret looks like she has a sneaky side! I made the mistake of saying that Margaret looked cheeky, when talking to Katty on the phone last night... Now she probably thinks I fancy her or something. Oh well!
Freedom is over tonight! ;) Just kidding. Have missed her in a sick-making way. Although it is nice to be able to spread out in a huge bed occasionally... don't tell her I said that though.
It's okay I'm sure she just skim reads my blog anyway! :P
H
Off to G & M's for the weekend (Sully is next weekend I think... or is she?) Gosh, I don't know whether I'm gay or straight at the moment! Dear me! All over the place...
Anyone watch 'The Apprentice' last night? Man, they are stupid! I'm glad Sophie went: she had as much reason to be there as Sir Allan would have at a acting lesson - he has got it down pat, hasn't he? I bet he has an auto-cue, nobody could sound like that otherwise! Or maybe Margaret and the other one are working him from behind like a muppet? I can just imagine that! That Margaret looks like she has a sneaky side! I made the mistake of saying that Margaret looked cheeky, when talking to Katty on the phone last night... Now she probably thinks I fancy her or something. Oh well!
Freedom is over tonight! ;) Just kidding. Have missed her in a sick-making way. Although it is nice to be able to spread out in a huge bed occasionally... don't tell her I said that though.
It's okay I'm sure she just skim reads my blog anyway! :P
H
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