It was quite an astonishing sight when I came home from work the other day and saw a huge banner outside the Stratford Shopping Centre stating that they'd have "late night shopping every Thursday till 7 pm". Uhmm...that's actually one of the (increasing amount of) things that surprise me about this place. The shops close at just about the same time that people go home from work. Seriously. I'm used to shopping centres being open until nine. However, the banks are open on Saturdays (even though you'd have to have been standing in a queue earlier that week to actually get a ticket for the chance of an appointment on a Saturday; don't get me started), and most shops are open on Sundays, something which I'm not used to.

Also, I must say that even though it makes the local paper quite dull, I am proud to originate from a city where the Monday's paper more or less entirely consists of news items about minor offences having happened during the weekend, like rowdiness and urinating in a public place. It'll change, but for now it's a nice thought.

I'd better get to bed; I have to get up again in only six hours. I must tell you about last week's premiere of Mrs Henderson Presents some other time.

And since Little Britain is back: Good tie!

Current track: Nothing.

Labels: personal

Well, that was fun! I went to the local cinema, armed with M&M's and Maltesers (the latter bought as a last minute resort due to the small bags of M&M's that were there, and a very peculiar turn as I don't particularly like Maltesers, but that's what Harry Potter does to you), and had a couple of hours' worth of fun and excitement. This fourth film in the series was indeed the darkest one of the lot, but it was also the one which I think had the most humourous lines in it. And of course a big bonus in the list of cast as both Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs and über-villain Alan Rickman were present. I was grinning to myself (mainly because no one could see me in the dark).

That Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (if I remember the name correctly) is a very irresponsible seat of learning, I think. The lack of security for the students would scare any parent, muggle or otherwise. Anyway, I would of course recommend the film, but I'm pretty sure everyone who should see it will or already have. I'm going to see it on the big screen once more, I think, since my flatmate hasn't seen it yet.

We very nearly went to the premiere a couple of weeks ago. But then the rain stopped us (we both had the thought of the Fantastic Four premiere in mind) and when I, later that evening, heard of people having stood in line since the day before, I thought sod this, I'm not that much of a fan. Besides, I've already met the most important cast member and I already knew he wasn't on the official guest list, so I spent the evening at home instead.

In other news: I have started my new job. I started last Wednesday, in fact. My contact said it was in south east London. Well, fuck that, it's in Kent. Again. For God's sake, when are these people going to learn a bit of geoggers, I say! So I have to get up at six in the morning, it's dark and cold when I go to work, then I jump onto the tube (which is packed) and wait for the train (which is late) and then I sit on my arse all day in an office which is also more or less packed. Eight hours later I jump onto the train, which quickly fills up with teenagers on their way home from school (I believe), then onto the tube (which is packed) and a very fast paced walk home (because it's dark and cold). Sounds fascinating, doesn't it? Well, the fact is, it's nice to be working again. Especially now that we got our first electricity bill. Turns out this bloody place has even got the electricity messed up, so for the past six months we've been drawing from the normal rate even though we've been on the Economy 7 rate and heated up everything during the night. This country really is fucked up - all those bureaucrats and they still can't do it right. I don't understand how they could have won the war at all, being as it were against the overly efficient Germans and all.

I'm still an anglophile, though, rest assured.

Current track: Nothing.

Labels: Alan Rickman, film, jason isaacs, personal, ralph fiennes

On Wednesday I went for an interview on Canary Wharf. Big place, really liked it (funnily enough, as it wasn't my style at all). A bit difficult to find the right building. When I was done there I had two and a half hours until my next interview, which was to take place in central London. What to do when you have that much time on your hands? Well, you stop by a couple of entertainment shops in order to browse, of course, and then you have an early lunch at Garfunkel's before looking at selected paintings at the National Gallery. The last time I was there I missed most of the Flemish painters, so I spent a lot of time in that section this time.

So after the second interview (which was more of a briefing, really, since the job was mine already), I had to go to another county to do the real briefing for the job. This took place on Thursday. The train ride was ok (lots of moo-moos and bah-bahs on the way there), and the briefing was good. Got to speak to other Scandinavians, yay! Two minutes after having complained about not having seen that infamous weather the English keep moaning about, the skies opened and dropped about a hundred litres of water on us in a few seconds. I was soaked and not really looking forward to sitting on the train for another two hours before being allowed to change into something a little bit drier and warmer. But there was a set of perfect rainbows to be seen just after the rain, so that sort of made up for it.

Still not convinced about the weather, though. I think we may have been very lucky ever since we moved here. Either that, or the English have been lying all this time.

And congrats to A&J on their brand new baby girl!

Current track: Nothing, I'm supposed to be watching a film.

Labels: art, personal

OK, so this NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) thingamabob started at midnight...so I went to bed. But I finally found some time to write now, after another disastrous visit to the bank (it's official: They really don't want my money) and a more uplifting one to the grocery store. We've been without a landline for two or three weeks now, and our phone company don't seem to do much about it.

And just when I started writing that novel, I was booked for no less than three job interviews. Jeez, don't ruin my concentration like that! Who needs a job when they have the arts? I'm half joking, half serious. One day I shall be able to utter that sentence and not worry about my financial situation at the same time.

On top of everything, the lift has been broken since Friday. No one seems to care. Our leg muscles are expanding, though.

Brilliant new spoof news programme starting yesterday; Broken News. We laughed a lot. And tomorrow sees the much awaited first episode of Rome. Ciàran Hinds as Caesar = whoop, whoop!

Oh, and I had to turn on word verification for the comments because some twatty spammer started leaving silly messages about an American TV programme which has nothing to do with this blog.

Current track: Nothing.

Labels: ciàran hinds, personal, TV, writing