An Insubstantial Blog

Since it is already Monday morning in Australia, I have already received my pub placement! I'm really excited because it ended up not being what I asked for but exactly what I wanted. We had eventually agreed on living on the outskirts of London. I'm not only in London, but I'm a 5 minute walk from the British Museum and close to St. Paul's.

On December 2nd, I will start work at the Cittie of Yorke pub. Many sites as well as the guy who helped place me call it one of the great pubs of London. There has been a pub on the same spot since 1430, though this one was rebuilt in the 1920s. The website I've linked to has lots of pictures. It has incredible architecture with high vaulted ceilings. It also has private booth cubicles which are probably older than the restoration and are very rare in England now.

The job offer is pretty good. I make minimum wage. From that is deducted 26 pounds a week for room and board. Board consists of all meals except for on Sunday. Room will be in double or triple rooms with other workers who are mainly Australian and New Zealand-ers (?). Each room has cable tv and internet access. Also has laundry on site. I think that's a pretty good deal in all. I'll be working 5.5 days a week which is quite a bit. I guess it adds up to 40 hours and I'll make about 180 pounds. Hopefully they'll be lenient with a couple long weekends and such or I can get someone to cover my shift as I want to make it up to Scotland at some point as well as take many short trips to Canterbury, Brighton, Bath and maybe even the rest of Europe.

I'll have Sundays off and half of Saturday off. Since I'll be in Camden, I won't lose time in a long commute into London for sightseeing either! It should also make my first two days of running around a little less hectic.

On December 2nd, I plan to get to the pub using local transport from Gatwick airport. I'll have to take a train and transfer to tube with all my baggage! I'll go straight to the pub. Meet the managers. Then head out and get a cell phone. Also, try to get an appointment for a SS number. Then, to keep myself awake AND get oriented, I want to take the newLondon tour.

For anyone into travel, New tours are really awesome. They operate out of many cities. I've been on the ones in Berlin and Amsterdam. Their basic tour leaves on the same spot everyday. You just show up. The tour is free!!! They work for tips. The tours are often run by graduate students or English and Spanish speaking people who really know the city. Each tour lasts 3-4 hours with a food and bathroom break in the middle. It really is great for the budget traveller as it gives you city orientation, a huge and interesting history lesson, some neat hidden features of the city and even the food break is usually at an affordable but yummy spot. They'll also try to sell you other tours that cost money and pub crawls. In Amsterdam, we went on the Red Light District tour for about 8 euro and were really glad we did as we saw a lot of the area we would've missed otherwise. Anyways, in London, they offer 2 different free tours and I plan on taking advantage of them!

The next day will be hectic. I have to go to a meeting for BUNAC, the company that issues my student/work visa. They will give us info on insurance, bank accounts and how to find a job. It'll be boring since I already have a job but maybe I'll meet some people. It's mandatory. After that, I have to go get a bank account which I am told is no easy feat in England. At least I'll be a few tube stops away from all of these places!

Wow, our new president is just so tech savvy. Or at least he knows people who are. Regardless, who knew that photos chronicling his family during the election would be up on Flickr? The album of 82 photos can be found here.

The photographs cover the Obama family once they arrived at the hotel close to Grant Park through the speech at Grant Park. It's funny to think that Obama basically found out he was president when we did as their family gathers around the television. My favorite photos seem to have been taken during McCain's concession speech and before a bunch of people come to congratulate him. They seem to capture the sentiment of "Holy shit, I'm president. Oh shit, that's a lot of responsibility!"

Okay, it doesn't seem as if the photos will upload right now. Soooo, follow these links for my two personal favorites. Link and Link.

• Surprise, surprise. Palin's may be more stupid and more corrupt than anyone gave her credit for. And it's the McCain camp that's ratting her out. Priceless.
• Just like everyone else, I really just want to know what Obama's new puppy will look like.
• Election night celebrations and partying went on without me. I have strep throat. Apparently, my throat is strep-py enough for the doctor to make the expression "DAMN" and not even bother with a strep test.
• Which means I've called off twice at the job that doesn't give me hours to begin with. Dammit.
• Ahhh, failing world economies. The pound has now dropped from 2.05 this summer to 1.58 to every American dollar. The euro? Down to 1.28. European shopping sprees await.
• Nervous obsession over the move to London ensues. Will I like it? Will people like me? Am I forgetting something really important? Will they ban me from entering the country???
• Less nervousness knowing that with Obama just elected, there will be a little less direct hatred to overcome when meeting Europeans.
• New book to read: The Savage Detective by Roberto Bolano. 10 pages in. Do not like it so far. Too much masturbation and odd sexual situations for only 10 pages in.
  

This blog would not be complete if I didn't share my reading as it's the other thing I spend way too much time doing. Hell, look at all the books all over this webpage! Unfortunately, I've been trying to finish this monster of a book called London: A Biography. So, with 100 pages left to go in that, I said screw it and finished another book for the time being.

Jon Krakauer is perhaps best known for the book, Into the Wild, which I was unwillingly forced to read my junior year of high school. When I picked up the Banner of Heaven, I somehow didn't notice the "author of" on the cover. Which is good, as I wouldn't have picked it up.

Into the Wild was one big ego trip for Krakauer. He just couldn't stick to the damn subject. He kept getting all mushy and metaphorical and deep and autobiographical. Worst of all, he used really long words that were both unnecessary and made him look like a huge jackass. And honestly, I just didn't care about the story. Some guy was stupid, wandered into Alaska, and holy shit! He froze to death! Or something... I didn't think the guy's story was deep. I don't think his living in the wilderness alone taught me any life lessons except that you shouldn't go live in the wilderness or you'll be eaten by a bear.

BUT, I digress. Speaking of digressing, digression saved Under the Banner of Heaven. Faced with another relatively dull thesis, Krakauer refusal to actually spend time proving the thesis made it a fascinating read! He wanted to investigate the murder of Brenda and Erica Lafferty. They were killed by the Lafferty brothers. Let's sum them up. Mormon Fundamentalists, talked to God a little too much, God said I love violent killing in my name, so they did it. It's not interesting. Fundamentalist psychos thinking they are THE ONE who go off the deep end and kill some people. It's in every religion.

However, along the way, you also get a short yet fairly comprehensive understanding of the basis of Mormon religion, major historical events about the rise of it, Joseph Smith's psycho tendencies, and even the modern state of the Mormon and Fundamentalist Mormon churches. Before this, my knowledge of Mormons was consigned to the fact that they all lived in Utah and generally did not participate in any activities that I would consider amusing i.e. sex, drugs, rock n' roll, heathenism etc. In fact, despite the rampant Republicanism, they were fine upstanding individuals.

Obviously, they are still fine upstanding individuals. But I'm just going to be perfectly honest here. The basis of this religion is entirely ridiculous. As pointed out, it's easier to say that when it only happened 150 years ago because you are like, damn, that's totally not plausible. I'm sure people 50 years after Jesus' death were like...wait, you think that weird preacher dude just came back from the dead? Hilarious! Regardless, Joseph Smith...odd man.

What really surprised me, which omg TIES INTO THE THESIS that was entirely forgotten about on page 2, was that, despite their do good image today, their ancestors were some nasty people. It's quite amazing that the religion has turn out to be less like the Lafferty brother story that it centers upon. Cause Joseph Smith and his followers just loved fucking people over! Killing Americans, blaming it on the Indians, then Americans kill the Indians (cause we,um, never did that before), then the Mormons almost incite Civil War. And all this shit without the aid of drugs and alcohol! Incredible!

Anyways, enlightening book for those who think Mormons are just some weird sect of Christians that ended up in Utah, because you actually learn how and why they are there and what they actually believe in. And sure, I think it's some crazy shit to believe in but then again, I don't think Jesus was the son of God, so maybe I'm the crazy one. Although, I must say tsk tsk on the racial, homosexuality stuff. Seriously, you can't just knock the gay or the black outta people. But that's another story...

Ohio was the first red state to turn blue. Wow, what a good feeling.

And now I'm watching McCain's speech as he acknowledges that we have elected the first African American (/Hawaiian) president. As someone who respected McCain in previous campaigns, I don't really see how he changed so much in this one. Or what made him think Palin was a wise choice.

Regardless, props for manning up in this speech. It seems that McCain fans have gotten out of control. While McCain is the most composed he has been, his fans are completely rude and shows the real divide in the Republican party. McCain calls for support of the new president and they boo him?

While some would have preferred a woman elected, I also feel confident about our new first lady! An interesting segment on the daily show tonight featured a man who went to Harvard when both Michelle and Barack went there. Interestingly enough, he always thought Michelle would be the one in office. Regardless, by electing Barack, we will also have a strong first lady which we haven't had since Clinton.

In other news, I don't have to move to Canada! Yay! However, by the time Obama is sworn in I will be living in London.

Polls are currently closing across the country. Remember, if you are in line when the polls close you have to right to vote.

And, as stated by many other bloggers, STAY THE FUCK IN LINE. You only vote for president once every 4 years. This is one of the most important elections ever. Fuck apathy and do your part to participate in democracy!

While I didn't have to wait in line, I did have a 101* fever and strep throat.

In a similar situation? I don't care. STAY THE FUCK IN LINE. Or better yet, ask some people if you can cut. If you are old, sick, whatever, it's better to cut the line than to leave and NOT VOTE.

In case you didn't know, I voted for Obama. I won't be going to the election party tonight. I'm feeling super bummed. But in the end, it doesn't matter where I am as long as there are happy results. Voting for Obama made me feel all warm and fuzzy and patriotic inside...or maybe that was my fever?

Ahh, Halloween my favorite holiday. It's kind of bumming me out now that I'm so old. Since I graduated, I really can't go trick or treating or I'll just be creepy. But I don't really want to start popping out kids now. I should steal other people's kids to take out with me. I did dress up and hang with school friends. There was drunkeness and costumes and fun yet jinxed as everything was broken up or stopped the second we entered. C'est la vie.

Tomorrow I must work 8 hours AND wake up early. This hasn't been done in about a month. Then, I will be making delicious jello shots. Well, here's a useful topic for my craft blog! Jello Shots!

This is how you make them PERFECT. I can make 2 things in this world and they are one of them.

Follow the directions on the side of the box. Pour in one thing of Jello mix to the hot water. Then add 2-3 packets of the knox gelatin. Yes, I know it's a lot but TRUST ME. As these shots are week substitute some of the cold water for more cold vodka. And when you pour them, do it fast as they will set...FAST. Don't pour them into Dixie paper cups. There's other plastic cups about the same size which work much better. And are reusable if you want to wash them all out. This way, when the shot sets, stick your finger around the edged. You'll be able to pick out the jello shot whole from the cup. Best jello shots ever...sooo gelatinous.

As it is officially November, I'm minorly freaking out about many things which are all coming together right now like umm...

in 1 day the election which could change america FOREVER
in 1 day I have to have an awkward lunch encounter/interview for grad school applications. yes, i worry too much. it will be fine, but still.
I have about 5 essays to write for these applications which I would like to turn in by December 15th.
Oh, and I'm packing up, leaving the country, and ending up at some pub in England. WHAT? I am so not ready.
Annnd, I still have to finish those 14 cross stitch designs