Week 2 in New York...

This was a lot less busy...as we started relaxing it was mainly spent going for dinners (none of them particularly note worthy) and at orientation...noteworthy only because it was really rather dull. I was told by a police man to ‘look confident’, ‘stand by a wall’ on the subway and something else...although I can’t remember what exactly.

I did however find out my address and my new flatmates! That bit was rather exciting!

XOXO

The first 5 days in New York City...

Where to start...it’s such a blur! Okay after typing out a longggggg summary for each day I realised that it’s massively boring for everyone to read (although I still have it saved if anyone can’t sleep at night)...so I have decided to bullet point and summarise it a bit, still really long though! Damn shouldn’t have left it 5 days. They won’t all be like this...just catching up.

D1

·         Arrived in New York

·         Hotel is ummm...interesting (and I’m sharing with two other girls)

·         Walked the highline from one end to the other

·         Drank at the Standard’s Biergarden...somewhere that most of my visitors will probably find themselves being lead to because it’s amazing...and they have ping pong tables...not cheap though.  

·         Visited a dingy Irish bar which was offering awful glasses of buy-one-get-one-free wines

·         One of the ladies in the group was given a Yankees hat and jacket by a stranger...$80 worth of free swag...done!

·         So hot!

D2

·         Had planned on sleeping/sorting phone/pulling life back together

·         Started Work...did none of the above

·         Went for a leaving lunch for the guy I’m replacing...had a drink

·         Went to a the leaving party of the guy I’m replacing...had lots more drink

·         Played flipcup (all about downing beer and...wait for it...flipping cups!)

·         Left at a reasonable time and crashed out

·         So hot!

D3

·         First day on my own in work, everyone around me was suffering

·         Friday night was the beginning of the weekend...wait, does that mean drinking?!

·         Take over the 8^th floor of the hottest (not in a fun way, in a stifling heat way) hotels ever with the other 80 people who have made it post-hurricane

·         Headed to a bar afterwards...drank

·         Left at a reasonable time again...over the jetlag but just generally tired

·         Struggled desperately to remember people’s names

·         So hot!

D4

·         Saturday! Got up early and headed to Bryant Park for free wifi usage

·         Got chatted up in Bryant park (date arranged for the 12^th)

·         Back to the hotel to shower and out for a spot of lunch with my roommates

·         Sorted phone...thank god!

·         Evening spent with the lovely Mrs D, a New Yorker by now...amazing food and great drinks...but the company was the best bit. After spending 4 days desperately trying to remember names and having the same conversations it was great to just relax, and Mrs D is the best company!

·         Practically fell asleep in the last bar and headed home

D5

·         Sunday! Slept in...yes!

·         Headed downstairs to find a group of people headed off to Governor’s  Island...so I joined them

·         Found out it was free to hire bikes so did that...cycled around a little bit of the island with beautiful weather and beautiful views

·         Got a little bit sunburnt

·         Again very hot!

·         Chilled out and had a beer...yes me on the beer

·         Headed back to the hotel

·         Changed and went out

·         Got called a hipster because I was wearing my geek-chic glasses

·         Drunk

·         Bed

The Cringe Factor...

Whilst I am very excited about the big move and all, there is something else that has hit me in the last week, and it's big...the cringe factor hit me.

This stealth emotion is just as real as love or hunger and ultimately it is the ultimate nail in the coffin of any potentially failing relationship. The cringe factor is basically that moment when the thought of your other half, sex partner or general gentleman obsession becomes scary. The thought of them touching you is more upsetting than the thought of the crazy man (with a serious odour issue) on the bus licking your face. That guy you once lusted after begins as a distressing turn off and becomes a gut wrenching, nausea inducing terror.

I experienced this state in some force last week.

For background the gentleman in question has been the object of my desperate and sometimes shockingly self-destructive affections. I willingly allowed Mr X to play my heart like a football for almost ten years...I realise this is excessive but that is testament to the hold he had. I could describe to you any number of times when he dragged me back in, leaving me to desperately hope that he we could work...we never did, we simply had torturous and always emotionally laden conversations which always just left me wanting more.

To explain a little further Mr X is getting married. He has lived with the girl in question for a while now, but that failed to stop us getting down and dirty. I know that many people will judge me for this but I refuse to apologise, I was not the one cheating.

However last week the aforementioned cringe factor set in. The thought of him touching me invoked pure horror and I needed to escape. It's been 10 years but for the first time Mr X lost his shine.

So this post is my proclamation, my statement to the world that I am back, making a fresh start and ready to get down and dirty in New York City...look out the big apple

XOXO

The Packing List...Uniteresting To Anyone But Me

So I'm finalising my packing plans...I've got one large suitcase and one small one in which to fit my entire life for the next year (apart from the few bits I will be giving my brother to bring out with him!

So I've split my entire life into categories:

Work Clothing
Luckily I've spent most of my working life in a semi-smart environment so those bits that still fit me will be coming with me...this is the majority of the stuff I will be taking with me as I will be spending 5 in every 7 days in work, so...

• 10 dresses
• 9 skirts
• 1 pair of trousers
• Not enough tops - I have realised this is a massive gaping hole in my wardrobe...and a pretty essential one at that
• I don't currently own any work shoes because I destroy them all so my intention is to pick up a black pair before I leave and buy the rest there (this is New York after all)
• Hummm...I think that's it, suddenly seems like a very small amount of clothing

Casual
This is a bit harder, I tend to rely on jeans but I'm determined that my New York wardrobe won't solely consist of 'jeans and a top'...hummm, |I will have to come back to you on this one.

I'm also currently fighting my mother on whether it is practical to take 10 pairs of shoes with me, I'm sure it'll be fine!

Electrical items
Basically the only electrical things I have to take with me are my netbook (a life essential), my hair straighteners and there will hopefully be a camera if I can find the money to buy one in time! I don't have an ipod since an evil little robber burgled it from my flat a couple of months ago.

Misc.
So apart from clothes I'm not taking much else. I will take a mug, a LOT of tea bags and plenty of photos. 

I think I can survive without most other things for a year...right?!

BIG APPLE...just 6 weeks to go

You'll regret the things you don't do more than you'll ever regret the things you do...this is why, in just six weeks time, my world is turning on its axis and I'm moving to New York for 12 months. 

Before the move though I have a little thing called a visa to organise. This process has to be the most difficult aspects of moving to a new country. I'll take you through the process as it's been to date, expect a second update when it's all complete.

• Initially I had to pay a $180 SEVIS fee over the internet, evidence of having paid this then needs printing (for this you need to obtain a printer - first hurdle) and they then send you the D-2019
• An appointment at the US embassy needs to be booked over the phone...this is a very expensive phone call. I called on a Tuesday and I managed to get an appointment for the Friday two weeks later
• Next I have to fill out a D-160 form, this is the big one and it's very stressful. I have started to complete it twice now and given up in favour of a stiff drink...but I am determined to get it completed today!
• I will finally have to take about 100 documents (est.) with me for my interview at the embassy

Wish me luck...

XOXO

Undomestic and rather flaky goddess

A friend has a theory that some people are good at life and some people are just not. I am one of those shit at life people. I try really hard but I tend to spend more time clearing up mistakes and forgetting things than I do being proactive.

Part of my time in NYC will be invested in improving this approach to life and I will commit to reporting on my quest to improve this aspect of my life on this here blog.

So what does one do when the latest example of being bad-at-life means that I am now confronted with a court summons for forgetting to pay my council tax (I'm being honest, it actually quotes that I forgot...well it doesn't but it should). I beg. Tomorrow I intend to take my bambified ass to beg the people at Lambeth Council not to reposses the only belongings we have left after the burglary.

I have been assured that this summons does not affect my credit rating...fingers crossed it doesn't affect my visa application!


XOXO

In the Spirit of Uncle Sam...

As the date of a potential move across the pond grows ever nearer we have embraced the Americana theme in our household. To this end we decided to celebrate Independence day the best way we knew ho...Will a good ol' fashioned BBQ.

Some might think we went overboard but I happen to think that we worked the theme well. I've attached some pictures of the calm before the storm here.

 

And yet I still have no idea if I will actually get to leave for the bright lights, big city!

XOXO