zoned out
Sorry I've been bad about updating this blog . . . I could give you lots of excuses like:
- I'm working a lot
- I go to the gym after work
- My sister got married
- I've been setting up for Christmas
- I'm exploring this new city I live in
- I was overwhelmed with the US mid-term election
- I've been visiting friend I've not seen in over 5 years in what little free time I have had
- I have nothing exciting to say now that I'm back living in the states
- I can't find the time (see above for lack of time explanation)
But instead of boring you with those (even though I just sort did) excuses, I'm gonna just say that I've sorta zoned out on the whole blog updating - I'm not sure if it's that I don't have anything earth shattering to say or if I worry that nobody is even bothering to read it so I'm not sure who I'd be writing for.
I guess my point to this post is just to see if anyone out there is actually still reading this blog - if so I might be inspired to continue to update and if not . . . well who knows! So if you are reading/following me please let me know by leaving a comment.
Labels: update
sorry for the sabatical
i was not well connected during my conference or holiday that followed, which I'm 97% sure made it that much better, since I'm now rather jet lagged, I'll update later today (hopefully) but if by sometime soon, got mates coming in from Germany tomorrow to stay for the weekend so schedule's a bit tight, but keep checking in :)
bottom line I had a fabulous time!!
Labels: holidays, travel, update
trying to sort out some new year resolutions!
I think I mentioned before that my new years resolution is to try to go to a different country once a month . . . well if I hadn't told you, there I've told ya now . . . ideally I'd like to visit places I've never been before, but some months that is going to be harder to do cause there are only so many days in a month & mostly cause there is only so much money in my bank account!!!
Now this might
seem easy, but since I've been quite a few places it becomes more difficult to go away for a weekend cheaply cause the places become further away & less common touristy . . . but I'm doing well so far with planning!
- January - Geneva, Switzerland to visit Louise for our birthday :)
- February - Vancouver, Canada for a Keystone Meeting (I've never been to western CA) and then stopping in Montreal & driving into NY & CT
- March - Marrakesh, Morocco with mum
- April - possibly Copenhagen over Easter - just have to find out if it's open
- May - Sofia, Bulgaria with Kaylie - has anyone been there, tips are welcome!
That's all I've got planned thus far, but pretty darn good in my mind for only being 7 days into January.
Happy Birthday Jim tomorrow -
ya old git!!
Happy Birthday Kristen (aka AI) on Saturday -
ya old bint on a stick ;)
Labels: travel, update
14C and waiting
So the flat's down to 14C and I'm STILL sitting here waiting for the plumber who should be here "any minute" . . . I have to say that hot water bottles are the best - they can keep you totally warm all night long! I wish there was better day time shows on (LOL)
I just keep telling myself - I'm healthy, have a job, a roof over my head, food in my tummy & have a loving family for which I am very very thankful, so I shouldn't be complaining about my lack of heat or hot water, but it's frustrating when you're use to having these things at your disposal.
Labels: flats, thankful, update
better late than never, ah?
Sorry for my tardiness in updating, things here in London are about the same as always . . . work, buy Christmas presents, work, eat, sleep, work some more . . . We've been prepping for a big meeting with the funders so I worked on & off this weekend & stayed late most nights last week only to find out last night at 4.45pm that the meeting will be rescheduled for January - I cannot tell you how upset we were after we'd worked our butts off to get all this done "on time" but oh well at least it's set for January now :)
Rob has moved into his new flat - it's great, Kaylie & I went round on Sunday to check it out & were lucky enough to even get a thai green curry dinner - yummers!
I suppose I cannot complain too much as I'm off again this weekend with my mate Kaylie on a road trip from London to Nottingham (to see the forest) and then through the peak district and onto Manchester before back again to London - checking out castles and other things along the way!
I think I've already said this, but in case I haven't, for Christmas I'm off to Frankfurt, Germany to visit some American mates who are stationed there. I'll stay with them until the 4th of Jan.
An for those of you who know my former flatmate Louise, I'm going to visit her for OUR birthday in Geneva, Switzerland - she will have just moved there to start her PhD.
I also found out that I'm definitely going to Vancouver in Feb for the Keystone Conference and since that's sorta close to Portland, I'll meet up with my dear Sistah Itafari & finally get to meet her husband John so I'm super excited about that!!
And in case you were thinking I had not really been travelling that much, in March when my mum comes to visit for a week we're off to Morocco - my mum's first time to the continent of Africa so that's super exciting too :)
Aside from that it's the same old same old . . . though I'm sure to most my lifestyle is not "same old same old" but for me this is what I've always sorta done - I remember my mate Shabaana use to say, "and where are all of your family today?" cause we were always on the move, so I like to think of it as keeping a family tradition up!
Oh well it's nearly 11am & I've yet to do any actual work related work, so I best leave you now.
Labels: travel, update
quick update
I'm bloody knackered but wanted to give a quick update since I know of at least one person who has admitted to being "addicted" (thanks Dave C!!)
I was in Glasgow all last week at the Annual British Society of Immunologist Meeting and then drove from Glasgow up to Inverness & back at the weekend (that equates to just over 400 miles in 36 hours . . . did I mention it snowed, rained & was very cold & windy?!?!?!)
Whilst at the conference I had this CRAZY & I mean crazy for those of you who know me idea to cook Thanksgiving dinner for my coworkers & a few other mates . . . now remember I live in a studio flat, I have 4 plates, 6 glasses, no wine glasses, a 3 seater couch, 1 chair, a wee table and a bed. I do however have a full size kitchen, but let me fill you in on a rather interesting bit of this story - I've never cooked a whole chicken (I KNOW I KNOW suppose to be turkey but you can't get them anywhere near me cause they're all "on order" for Christmas - don't ask) the point is I've NEVER baked a chicken - I normally make the sweet potatoes - that's my job, but this weekend I will have to cook ALL of it on my own - any suggestions on the best way to not screw this all up?? Also, check my menu - feel like I'm forgetting something, but in my defense I've missed the past 3 turkey days in the US so forgive me if I'm missing something obvious!
so far I've got:
chicken
stuffing
green bean casserole (any sub ideas for the noodles which I can't find)
cooked carrots & broccoli
bread rolls
sweet potatoes
mashed potatoes
apple pie
Today I got my work permit extension (after a long process - details later) off to bed now!
Labels: thanksgiving, update
