Back to the Dam

One of my oldest friends, Erik, is getting hitched tomorrow in Amsterdam. So I have booked my flights, packed my suitcase and am off to City Airport in a bit. A suitcase for only two nights may seem a bit extravagant, but it is a proper wedding. With hats and all that. No hat for me tho, as apparently hat season is done with after Ascott and forking out £200 at Selfridges seemed a bit excessive. But two dresses, a clutch for the day and a small bag for the night and two pairs of heels take a bit of space. I don't think I will ever have looked so stylish. From the pedicured feet to the clutch, it is so not me! Or so not the old me, I should say. The new London-me likes stiletto's, girly dresses and nicely painted toenails. The old me is still there, of course. The girl boarding the plain will be wearing brown havaianas on her feet, clear nail polish on her finger nails as a DIY-colour-paint is still asking for trouble, and a simple top on a shabby pair of jeans. No make up, her in a messy bun. I will save all my not-so-effortless styliness for tomorrow!

Work?

Halleluja, it seems I may have a project. Part time, and two weeks only, but a project nonetheless. A colleague who is going on hols asked if I could cover for him in his project manager role. For those of you who are interested how MCEV and EEV relate and how this compares to IFRS profit: ask me all about this project. For the normal people amongst you: just be happy for me. I am actually one of those weirdo's who finds this very interesting. Or will that make you feel sorry for me?!

Long weekend

Pakistani dinner with Amsterdam friends (a very serious looking Sat in the pic on the left), running, swimming, aerobics and a music festival in Clapham Common (Loaded in the Park, with Kate Nash and loads of DJ's whose names I didn't quite get) were the highlights of this bank holiday weekend. Ah, and shopping. A gift from my nan bought me a gorgeous classic leather bag, a pair of knitted Ugg boots and Jo Malone's Wild Fig and Cassis cologne. One happy girl. Having just done 36 laps in the pool, I am quite sure the rest of my day will be spent on the couch. All relaxed and grateful for many things.

Beautiful

Sometimes I just forget how beautiful the Docklands are. On my way to and from the tube station, I like the view of the big tall buildings but that's it really. If i go for a run however, the beauty of my surroundings strikes me every time. Running along the Thames, I see the boats, the odd rower, the old City with its gherkin landmark. Running past Canary Wharf and back towards my place, there are so many ships, so many landmarks that remind of the original docklands, with the grain trade and all. The old big cranes that are no longer in use are a constant reminder of the local history. Might run to Greenwich next time, and explore another bit of this interesting part of London!

Boreout

If I do not slowly die of boredom, then surely I will suffer from a boreout very soon. Six weeks now of doing very little. I have become the go-to-girl for all shitty pieces of work. Proposal support on subjects I know nothing about, internal strategy documents, and so on. No problem normally but with no client facing work all of this just bores me to death. I knew this could happen, joining a new firm in the holiday period but it is starting to get to me know. A workfriend who is seconded to the Sydney office suffered exactly the same fate when he joined earlier this year and he is my chat buddy on many a morning now, trying to cheer me up. I keep going to the gym four times a week, keep trying to be cheerful and keep enjoying my nights and weekends. But bloody hell, the office is a tough place to be at the moment. :-(

Sports

Generally, I am an ABE supporter. Anyone but England. In cricket, ruggers or footy you will never see me cheer for England. But during these Olympics, I find myself genuinely happy for the English and their succes. Every time I hear God Save Your Queen (as the aussies sing it), my heart makes a quick jump. Super Saturday and Surprise Sunday or whatever they call it, have been amazing. They did so, so well, and the athletes interviewed on the Beeb were such great people. My heart will remain orange or green or gold and green (depending on the sports), but my temporary home is filling the wee spot in the corner.

Yoga

The intention was there. The Sweaty Betty bathing suit was there. But even after ten minutes in the steamroom there was no way I could simultaneously move my arms and legs. Which makes swimming kinda impossible. Even Phelps wouldn't be able to. So no swimming after my yoga class. I do like yoga. I like coming to class early and lie on my mat for ten minutes in complete silence. I like turning and twisting and stretching myself. I like the feeling after a good workout. But when the instructor said this would be a vigorous class, I was getting worried. He may have been on hols for three weeks, the class hadn't! I wasn't the only one struggling, but I was by far the most inexperienced of the people around me. Not only did this class get my hard racing more than I bargained for, but the positions! Don't know what they were all called, but picture standing on your left foot, with the left hand on the floor, right leg stretched towards the ceiling and twist your body as if you were in between two close walls and then look at your right hand pointing to the ceiling. Get it? I didn't.

So no swimming today. Instead I will go into town for a nice lunch, read the paper in a park and meet Canadian Danielle from the Dam for dinner and a show. Well deserved.

Feet

Looking for an investment? Buy stocks in band aid producing companies. I go through a pack a week. Surely, that must boost their profits. It's not that I got really clumsy or started cutting myself: it's the shoes. The London ladies tend to wear stylish shoes to work. I used to do jeans and nice sneakers on non-client facing days or jeans and flats if I felt stylish. Not in this country tho. And before, if I did wear heels, I'd walk from my car to the office or the client, which doesn't really add up. Not in this country tho. I walk at least 40 minutes a day. There is the flipflop option, that I sometimes use while commuting, but in the office I'm f&*ked. Since my arrival I bought two pairs of strappy sandals (that are awfully elegant and ok from a blister perspective just bloody hard to walk on) and two pairs of wedges (one giving me '9' blisters on a scale from 1 to 10, the other maybe a 7). Surely this must get better at some point. At which band aid sales in the UK will decrease notably. So better buy those stocks now, before my feet get used to belonging to a London gal.

Working from home

Picked up my wine rack from the concierge and filled it.
Got rid of the refuse.
Did my receipts filing.
Read Sunday's paper.
Watched some olympics.
Had a nice baguette with plakjes kaas.
Finished the last ten pages of Zest.
Bought sports clothes online at Sweaty Betty.
Played scrabulous.
Am ready to go for a wee walk when it is lunch time.
And I am getting through all the work stuff I had to do too!!! Looooooovely.

Saskia was home for a wedding

08-08-08

Working on this special date would just be wrong. So I took the day off. My fridge is empty bar some Tim Tams and OJ, so the first mission is the large Tesco in Can Wharf to stock up. Then it's off to Sloane Square to see how the high and mighty live. Windowshopping most likely, and a nice lunch. Tonight I'm meeting my mate Dale and some of his friends for dinner in Finsbury Park (which means I will travel all over the place today). I will be good tho, as I am on the red eye flight to Amsterdam tomorrow morning, to head straight from there to The Hague. My oldest friend is getting maried and I am the wedding photographer!! Very excited. I just bought a new portrait lense, which I'll take with me today to get to know it. Also looking forward to spend Sat nite with friends in the Dam too. Strange to visit home, but oh so nice!

Projects

Well well. After a couple of weeks of not having too much to do, my name now is in two proposals. One in Holland, one in Sussex. I guess there is a good chance I'll be living in a hotel soon... :-(

Englishness

Books

What is it with this guy Russell Brand? He wears make up. He talks funny. The couple of times I have seen him interviewed he talks shite on top of that. Yet his book My Booky Wook (now what kind of title is that....) stares at me from every bookshop in town. Get lost! Go away! Now a book that should be staring at every one, silently saying 'buy me, buy me' is Netherland by Joseph O'Neill. One of the best books I've read in years. Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and favorite of the bookies. A story of London and New York post 9/11. About The Hague, about love, about friendship and to a lesser extent about cricket. A must read. Forget stupid wookybook...

Weekend

Totally knackered.... Work's not busy but nonetheless tiring. Or maybe tiring because of that. But tiring is not necessarily bad. Work's a good place to be. I really like my partner, team leader and coach, they're such great people. Some of my colleagues are just friendly and nice, others make me laugh all the time. I noticed this week we have Phil Collins, Harry Potter, Ron Weasly and Al Bundy look-a-likes. Not bad for a team of twentyfive. Or 24. As Ron Weasly had his farewell drinks last nite. Off to Melbourne, the lucky guy. A tradition he now wishes he'd never started got him dressed up as a carrot. He wore the orange gracefully. A day after making fun of the Dutch wearing orange. Nice timing.

Tomorrow is a busy day. Almost stressful. Yogaclass, sauna (I think, there is one in the gym so should try it), lunch with Zoe, facial, and a massage. Hard work for a Saturday! ;-)