Do you know the expression, "when it rains, it pours"? I think the same is true when it comes to jobs. Low and behold i'm sitting around Friday morning when i get a call from Euroffice ltd. who i had gone on an interview with the week before (i think i mentioned my rocking interview). Anywho they offered me a full time position for the rest of my stay here. And it's better pay at £9 an hour (you do the math, but that's £1,440 a month before taxes). The job with Euromoney Mag was only for a month and £7 an hour. So after some thought i gave up my Euromoney job and have agreed to go work at Euroffice. I'm bummed that i won't be working with my friend Sed, but it's closer (i'll be commuting to Vauxhall which is a 20 min bus ride or 2 stops up on the tube) and again MORE MONEY!

I just went in today to Neon to get the rest of my owed wages and the owner kept asking me to work and being one who hates to say no, i agreed to work next friday. So i now have 2 jobs. So next friday i'm working 9am-6pm being an office assistant at Euroffice and then 7:30pm-12am at Neon as a bartender/waitress. That's going to be a long day. But hey! i'll have cash to go travel with.

It's currently pouring here. Literally. Thankfully i gave in and bought an umbrella the other day. I figured it was probably about time. So now i've ducked into the internet cafe to stay dry and check my email (i've been away from it most of this week as Matt's been off biking in France so i've been unable to abuse the perks of a free connection). Chris is down and the three of us (Amy included) just went and saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I think, despite my ridiculous obession with Johnny Depp, i much prefer the original. Tradition eh?

Chris and i hung yesterday and he took me to this great bar called The Poterhouse which has over 100 beers from all over the world. I think i had died and gone to beer lovers heaven. Dulcy and i hung out last night although our night out wound up being a bit of a disaster. Tonight shall be a bit quieter i think.

I keep thinking of observations i make that i want to write about here but when the time comes i always forget. However, i did just remember one thats driving me nuts. So on British tv, when commercials come on, they automatically turn up the volume and are louder than the show you're normally watching. So you're constantly having to adjust the volume on your tv. It's obnoxious. It also seems like they let anyone on TV here, regardless of their appearance. Including people that would never be allowed on TV in the US due to their looks. I guess the British people seem to care less about looks. Who knows?

Well thats all for now folks,
Love
Lindsay

So, the hunt is temporarily over...

I HAVE A REAL JOB!

Mind, you it's temporary. But it's a real job. At an office. Behind a computer and a desk. I'll be working for Euromoney Magazine. They're a big magazine that does "news, information and in-depth analysis of the financial markets worldwide". I'm not doing anything exciting, just organizing data regarding banks in Excel. It should only last a month, but it's a real job i'll be doing from 9:30am-6pm. Or at least starting on Monday i will. I should come out of this with more than enough money to go on a holiday for sure.

And if that's not enough, i discovered how small a world it really is. I was chatting with my friend Dulcy this morning and mentioned my new job and she goes, "isn't that where Sed (a somewhat mutual friend who i met through Dulcy when we all went clubbing a month ago) works?". I pull out his buisiness card, and sure enough it is. He's an editor of a section of the magazine. Go figure. Small world. We're going to call him tonight and tell him.

Back to the traveling as i got a enquiry regarding my plans. I'm sure you'll all be glad to know it's not to Egypt. Despite my growing desire to go there the recent events have put me off just a bit. Temporarily. Ask me again in a few months and you'll get a different story. Right now i'm thinking that it will probably be either Croatia or Turkey. Honestly i'm 95% leaning towards Croatia and it's likely that Matt will come a long as well. I want to be on a beach. I miss the smell of salt water in the air and sand in my feet.

I promise to have photos up soon. I'm also getting internet for my flat although i have no illusions about how long that is going to take to be installed. We still have 2 empty rooms as well. The nice weather has subsided although the sun keeps trying to poke through here today. Yesterday it was pooring the whole day tho.

Love to all,
Lindz

So the job hunt continues. I more or less quit working at Neon as i really didn't like the owner of the place and then the fact that they're closed half of August and then its monthly pay just made it to be too much of a problem. So i'm back on the hunt. I went on a great interview last week and i'm going to call and try to follow it up tomorrow. No word, but it felt good.

Lets see. Had a large house full of Americans over the weekend. Good fun and although a bit weird catching up with everyone a month later. Funny how fast and slow time in a month can go. Wow. that was so not profound.

Still 2 empty rooms in my flat which works out well for friends visiting although i can't believe that Benet, my landlord will let that continue much longer. We even attempted to have something of a ghetto BBQ in the backyard. Sorta worked. Sorta being the keyword. Ok, so i was told that sounds rather negative. It was great and i had lots of fun. Even if my second veggie burger tasted like lighter fluid. Afterwords, we went to this cool bar in Brixton called Plan B with Matt's cousins and even Mark joined up eventually.

As my car has now been sold, my plans to go on holiday shall start to take form perhaps. Sara and Thom are also comming out from Chicago soon. And Chonos out in September. Lots of exciting stuff ahead.

Well thats all. Letters, packages, money and sour patch kids are always welcome at my doorstep.

Love
Lindz

So finally photos! I'll give you more details later, but first a look at 183 Railton Rd, London, SE24 0LU ( i gave in and put my address here so you all better write me letters!)

My front door and our beautiful overgrown weed.


Our weed again. We love it and our landlord is talking about cutting it down. Sad.


Our Kitchen


Our back patio


My Huge Room


More of my huge room


So thats our house. Back to where i last left you all. Went to Neon and did my first day. I've worked twice now and to be honest, i'm not really sure i like it. The whole vibe to it. Dunno. And what makes matters worse, is not only am i paid per month, they're closed half of August. D'oh. I've been mailing my CV out to more and more places with still little luck. I have an interview tomorrow that would be doing Data Entry. Not bad but sounds like stiff competition. Sadly i can't go back to working at my old bar because, well i can't get back to my old bar. Both tube stations near it are shut as it was quite close to Edgeware Rd. where one of the bombs went off.

As for anything else? Well theres really not much else. I'll try to get more photos up soon including some of Matt. Haha.

Love to all
Lindz

Well i meant to write in my other blog as well, but it's not working, so i am only updating here. You should all feel incredibly special. Well all good things come in time and it's finally hot here again. It's been a solid 85 the last 6 days and has been making my heart sing. I moved into my room on Saturday which was exciting and i finally have a fully sheeted bed and whatnot. I've been going crazy trying to find a job, as it's July and while the job market can be tough to begin with it's even harder with all the college students here looking for jobs as well. That being said, i actually may have landed one. It's this posh Martini bar/Italian restuarant up the street from me (see it at www.neonbrixton.co.uk). It even has it's own DJ spinning. While i've worked in an italian restaurant for 5+ years, i've never worked in a Martini bar, nor have i ever even made a Martini. I have my trial tonight at 6pm so keep your fingers crossed. I'm hoping it will go well as i've been incredibly frusterated by the lack of prospects. If it doesn't i may call back an ad and see if i can work the bar at the Ashes Cricket Tournament that happens next week. No luck on the secretarial front. Tho however comforting as it isn't, Amy still doesn't have a job either.

I've been following a lot of sport. I'm not sure if that just comes with having Chris as a friend and therefore being constantly around someone who follows things like Rugby, Cricket and the Grand Prix. I'm even learning about more obscure things like Aussie Rules Football. (don't ask i still don't really get it).

Otherwise things are good. I'm having a great time with friends here and slowly catching up with everyone and i'm generally quite happy. That being said i'd still be happier if i won the lottery. But first things first, a girl can't be picky. A roof over my head, a great guy in my life, wonderful friends by my side, a job could really complete the picture.

Well enough wasted time here at the internet cafe. Hope you're all well.

Love,
Lindz

So the 7th of July has come and gone. It's incredible how the day before Chris and i sat in my living room and watched London win the bid for the Olympics resulting in me being tackled with a huge bear hug and Chris screaming "We won, we won!" to Thursday when that happend and the day was spent texting everyone that i know ensuring all were okay. Amy and i sat on the couch and watched the TV the whole day. Nothing but the news and awaited the arrival of our ex-flatmates and making sure they were alright. We finally got everyone home and heard some close stories of misses, etc. And poped open several bottles of wine and watched the Simpsons before all heading to the pub. We all went down to the local pub (which is this really cool one called "The Commercial") across from the Herne Hill station and proceeded to get a bit drunk out of sadness on multiple accounts as for the remaining 3 flatmates of our house it was their last night together (2 of them moved out yesterday and another moves next week).

Things are slowly returning to normal i suppose. Half of the underground is still shut including the bulk of the picaddilly line (which means that getting out to Acton town to see a certain special Austrailan guy) is a pain in the ass. Thankfully the Thameslink is still running so thats a plus. Sadly the circle line is not so that kinda screwed our plans for the circle line pub crawl for today.

And have i mentioned it's cold? It's fucking freezing. I don't care if it is London, it's not supposed to be bloody 20 in July (for everyone else thats like barely 70 degrees). If anyone is comming over soon please let me know so i can force you to carry over all my winter clothes.

Well thats all for now kids. I may throw a get together in my flat tonight so i need to go home and clean (sadly there is neither a TV nor the internet in my flat at the moment, shockingly i will survive tho).

Love to all who sent me well wishes in the states. I miss you guys and we really appreciate the sentiments over here.

Love,
Lindz

Well, i'm here and i'm alive. London's quite scary. 6 bombs went off today on tubes, trains and more. It's kinda shocking. Not sure what to say. Thankfully everyone i know is alright (that i've heard from thus far). I woke mom up to tell her i was alright. It was a bit of deja vu from 9-11.

I've settled into my new diggs, email me and i'll give you my address. Still no job. Otherwise things are good. Terrorist attacks otherwise. I'm running low on time here at the internet cafe so this is short. Hope all is well.