Friday Night Lights

.....vodka and diet tonic water (get it...Friday Night "Lights"...DIET tonic water...). I'm finally down to the last serving. It's lasted a really long time though. Seems as though the habit is getting to be staying in on a Friday night with a vodka tonic and some ironing. Tonight's no different.

What do you guys think about me just marrying somebody in order to get UK residency? (and thus am able to work and possibly get student loans from UK banks [my credit isn't jacked up here like it is in the US])

...not really seriously considering it right now, but it is one of my backup plans. And green cards are a valuable commodity here for trading purposes. There are tons of businesspeople who'd love to be able to work in the US as well as already being able to work in the UK/EU.

It's been a rough evening.

I need to go home and recharge my batteries. I miss my family.

I was thinking earlier about how it seems like I can go about three months or so before I need to either go home or have somebody from home visit. Never used to need vacations before. Then I figured it out: this is the first time I've lived and worked in the same place. Every other job has been separate from home. That way, it's my decision whether or not I bring my work home with me. Here I have very little choice. Sucks.

Anyway. Not gonna end it on a bad note. Always end happy! So what am I happy about tonight?

FACESTAT.

Oh my goodness. You post pictures of yourself that are then entered into a judging pool. Other folks then rate/comment/judge your picture. They leave it in the pool for three hours to collect as many judgments, then email you about it. Here's a sample of one of mine: http://facestat.com/faces/105921/Brittany

Genius. It's fun enough waiting to hear what people have to say about you...but you can also comment on others. There are some utter gems out there. Gems, I tell you.

I'm also happy about the gym. Went for my first little personal trainer session thing last Tuesday, but between getting a new range and a new boiler, wasn't able to get back until yesterday morning, and I went again this morning. Hopefully I should be able to start going every morning next week. All the trainer guy has given me so far is a cardio workout, which is fine with me for now. I ride the bike, futz around on an elliptical machine, then go row my little heart out. Took a little bit of time to get used to that silly elliptical contraption, but now that I've found my rhythm I enjoy it. And I already knew I love to row. The lady I tutor for on Saturdays keeps pestering me to join her actually rowing on water, but I'm too afraid I'll biff it and wind up in the freezing cold Thames.

I overdid it rowing today. My neck/shoulders are a bit sore. I'm also already getting callouses on my hands from pulling the "oars". Oh well. I'm totally stoked that if I time it right (and basically go straight there after I drop Conrad off), I can watch an episode of Gilmore Girls while I bike/elliptical-ize. Watched the one today where Lorelai has to break up with Mr. Medina because he's Rory's teacher. And there was something about Paris being a right bitch about things, but that's pretty standard for that character. Oh, and Sukie asked Jackson out for dinner. They wind up getting married. I wanna say Lorelai and Mr. Medina almost got married but then didn't go through with it. Or something. It's been a while.

I tried to slice my thumb off again yesterday whilst chopping something. Wish it would just stay out of the way.

Oh. Yeah. Went on a semi-date Monday night. Weirdness. With an American who's here to work as the executive chef in some American restaurant in Chelsea. Also ten years older than me. Had fun, but in addition to being ten years older, he's also about an inch shorter. Oh well. It was nice to be taken out for once, even if all we did was have a few drinks in a couple different bars. And we climbed a lion in Trafalgar Square. It's getting to be a habit with me.

I dunno. Gotta get back to my ironing/packing Conrad for his school trip to Burgundy. I'm reading a slightly interesting historical fiction about Napoleon and Wellington. I've been on a historical fiction kick lately. Still reading Eco's Baudolino, read another one of Philippa Gregory's crappy novels (this one was about Katherine of Aragon), now this one about Napoleon and Wellington, plus Sonja's got another Eco novel I'll probably get going on once these other two are done. Bah. I read a lot.

I'm also listening to Jack FM. Thank heaven for internet radio. There aren't any classic rock or oldies radio stations here. Enter KRTH and Jack. Well. Jack isn't really classic rock, but it's better than nothing. The only downside is the time difference. It means that I have to switch to Jack in the early afternoon because otherwise I have to put up with KRTH's annoying morning show.

I'm just rambling now. Time to get back to it. Check you later....