Downtime and out in London
Just finished reading Jen's "Post-Boston-Visit" Blog Entry and there were definitely some of those essential kernels of truth that I seem to be picking up as I trail her down the path to a continental move. I was sitting around at home last night and feeling off-put that I did not have plans - like I should be incessantly busy preparing or socializing every night. Because, usually, I am doing one or the other, definitely for the last month or so. If I'm not working 'til 9 or 10, I'm out with work folks, or having dinner with friends, or having friends over, or running around shopping for crap. Rarely, just chilling for a block of more than, say, the 3 hours between 9-midnight. I guess it's because I'm feeling like I need to stock up on social calls since my circle will be ever so smaller in London...but Jen's right in that it can all easily be such a distraction that keeps us from the projects and passions that we would like to fulfill on a personal level - be it writing, research, painting, excercise, whatever. It's hard for me to focus very well right now, since it seems like there is so much unknown. I have this vision of myself in my flat in London on some evening having cooked a nice and simple meal, and sitting in a chair reading a book. Or out taking a walk (without a destination). Or going to a museum. Hopefully, just quieter.
The end of the season
So, tonight Olivia at work has arranged a farewell Karaoke get-together for the PPR crowd. Seems odd, because it doesn't really feel like I'm going anywhere. It's going to be a pretty-PPR heavy couple o' days, with the "Future of PPR" meeting tomorrow afternoon.
Went to Peking Tom's last night to have one last supper with Jen. Very low-key kind of night, but I guess that's a Monday night in a downtown lounge.
Stayed up a bit with Jen who said she wanted to remember to tell me that it ramps up quickly once you move. I figure it will...I've already sent an email to Alexis inviting her over for a drink on Monday, should make it feel more like home, I guess! I actually tend to do better in the first few weeks of a change...there's plenty of crap to take care of and schtuff to buy. It's the "and now what?" stage that is off-putting.
In the interim, I'm trying to find places to catch games. I just KNOW that within weeks of my moving on, the Red Sox are going to win the division and play in the series and I'll be S.O.L. to at least vicariously share in the miracle of hell freezing over. So far, I think I've found 1.5 promising places: Bodeans BBQ in Oxford Circus has a solid rotation of baseball and NFL games, and there is apparently a branch of Cheers near Picadilly Circus. This has no confirmation of specific Sox games, but they'd better have -something-! There's also a 24-hour American diner in east London somewhere that reportedly show US sports as well...so hopefully some happy hunting. Gotta keep tabs on my Iggles, Pats, and Screaming Beagles action as well (until Sixers season heats up). Why no Sports Depot in London, eh?
Signing off...K
Flight booked - game on.
Okey dokey - the flight is booked and I finally have an answer to the "So, when are you leaving?" question that people seem to love asking. I'm taking off Sunday night on the red eye, and will be touching down in London-town at 6.55 am Monday morning. I'm hoping to head straight to my new flat, pick up the keys and start settling in, perhaps with a nice cold Coke out on my patio! I'm definitely feeling excited and looking forward to the change.
I can't wait to explore the new 'hood, find new shops, make the flat somewhat my own, and even grocery shop. I have been working down a meager and odd supply of food for a while now, knowing that it didn't make sense to stock up before leaving. So it'll be good to go out and amass a store of food that I actually want to eat. I was even going to buy some new perfume this weekend before I thought, "No, wait - I'll just get it cheap at the duty free!". Word to the cheap booze, too.
I'm also psyched that my friend Meg will be coming over within days of arrival, and we are heading immediately to Stuttgart to visit my friend Cristen and her new baby (who will be 1 month old!). Then Meg is going to hang with me in London for a few days. And then less than a week later I'll be in Munich for a conference and then back to Boston! So, really not such a big deal this time around. Definitely a baby step.
So in the meantime I need to deal with the boring nitty gritty stuff that I am expert a procrastinating... get some pants tailored, stock up on toiletries, and pack and ship some boxes on over. I guess I'll also have to move my office down to some little window-less cubby for the infrequently here.
So this is blogging, eh? Well, Cherrio!
