Dublin!

Finally got all my pictures uploaded so you can see em all. There are still a bazillion funny one's on Aditi's camera so when I get those, I'll post some of them too. If you click on the link after the picture of my hammy travel companions below, you'll go right to my photo album:)




See the rest!

Makin' Changes

As you can see...I've made some visual changes to my blog. Figured I'd spice things up a bit! And since I've been super sucky at my resolution to keep in touch, I'm going to need to give you a recap of the last 3 months (um...can anyone tell me where they went??)

January and February were insanely busy at work, especially since I was still getting to know what my job was! For those of you asking what exactly my job is...I think I know now. My title is Marketing & Events, but basically I get to project manage an awards programme for 11-18 year olds called CHANGEit, run a leadership programme for pre-career leaders called Frontrunner, and organise a big conference for the graduates of all our programmes. It's a lot to do...but I'm really enjoying it. (Check out the CHANGEit link in my link-list...it's the blog I started on the awards and you can read about all our finalists...they're brilliant and make me wonder what I've done with my life!)

So...back to busy...the reason I was so busy was that we got all our nominations in for the awards, then we had to create a shortlist, and in the last half of January, I started tromping all over the country to visit more than 20 campaigning groups. I got to go to Liverpool, Newcastle, Hartlepool, Oxford, Dover, Portsmouth, Reading, Wigan, Milton Keynes, Brighton, Kent, Leeds and Birmingham (I think I got all of them). I was basically on a train for a month. I do have some pictures from those trips too...just have to get them off my phone and I'll post them up.

In betweens the work travel I did manage some fun times with friends...Molly and I took a day trip to Brighton that was cold...but hilarious. (Molls gets all the photo credits)













Hmm...March. Yeah...that didn't slow down much with work, and cause I'm a masochist I signed up to run a half marathon too. So on Sunday 9 March I took a coach to Silverstone Formula one raceway, strapped on my running gear and took off with about 7000 other people. I did finish...took me 2:26:10...(had to walk a little bit) but...I finished! That was really my only goal since I hadn't really had time to properly train. My favorite bit was that I was passed by a speed walker...a man in armor (no lie...he's in the pictures!) and a dude in a full on sonic the hedgehog costume! Made me giggle and wish I had a camera. Lucky for me...they take lots of photos at those things.







After all the runnin....I decided it was time for some fun. We wandered about in the rain and cold for St. Paddy's day weekend in London...lots of concerts...crazy people in green...irish dancing...so much fun. And then for Easter we jetted (well...trained and ferried) to Dublin for a quick visit. Lucky for Aditi and I, Molly and Eamonn used to live there so they were good tour guides and had fun Irish friends to hang with. I should have the link with all the Dublin photos posted tomorrow (For sure this time!) And when I get more funny ones from Aditi's camera...I'll post those too :)

Okay...that's enough of a recap for now. I'm really gonna try to post more often cause I forget everything I do so it would help me figure out where my time goes too. But I make no promises....

Hope you like the new look!

Capturing

There are things in this world that never cease to inspire awe. For me those things are sunsets, the ocean, the moon, a skyline, little kids...I could go on and on. The Tower Bridge is another of those things. I never walk, run or drive past without smiling. It captures my full attention and makes me want to photograph it again and again. Tonight I did Just that. On a leisurely (and cold!) walk on the Southbank I came upon it, with no one around, all immense and aglow. Feeling it necessary, I whipped out my snazzy new phone (yup...still excited) and took yet another picture of that bridge. The funny thing is that though I've seen it and photographed it before, each time feels new somehow. It's like capturing that expression of joy on a child's face when they make a new discovery and are glowing from the inside out with pride and exhilarating newness. I wish I could remember these moments in the regular bits of my day. But I guess I'll have to do with them intermittently. Lucky for me things like that are all over London. It's one of the things that makes this such an incredible city. So...it's likely I will continue to photograph this bridge over and over again when that same feeling of wanting to capture joy washes over me. Hope you're okay with that :)



STAY TUNED: This week I'm off to Oxford, Newcastle, Leeds and Hartlepool for work so I'll be taking pics of whatever captures my fancy (or the little bits of place I get to see between meetings). On the next installment...Snippets of England!

The Universe Knows

Today...my horoscope was eerily on point. I regularly read my horoscope on MSN, not so much as a predictor of my day, but just to keep me aware of the bigger picture...the multiple influences. On a regular day I can often find a vague connection, but nothing like today. It wasn't a big deal really...it said I would be antsy waiting for a phone call and to just get on with my day because the call would come in the late afternoon. I was indeed antsy for not one, but two calls today...and I took it's advice and just charged ahead with my regular day and wouldn't you know it...around 4:30pm I received both the calls I'd been waiting for...one about the gym and the other to say my phone was fixed. Huzzah! Things were falling into place today! It's about time too...because both of those issues had to do with the CRAP customer service in this land we call England. All I wanted to do was change my membership from one club to another and they've been giving me the run around between clubs for 2 weeks! And the phone..I tried to keep my number and for the first week...I couldn't get calls from anyone because only half of the transfer went through. But...my perseverance paid off and they pulled through. Now if I can only convince the gym that I deserve a discount for all my troubles...hmmm....

Oooh...there were two other eerie little connections today too. I made a call to a colleague who was just picking up the phone to call me. Then...just as I was going to send her an email, one arrived from her. And just 30 minutes later, as I was writing to another colleague...she was emailing me at the same time too! I must have connected to some cosmic flow!

As for the rest of my day...mentally working on my powers of persuasion and the evil eye...you know...in case they fight me :)

New Year....New Start

This year my list of resolutions was long. So many things I want to change, upgrade, delete... My whole world has been in transition for the last year and half, I suppose the list of resolutions is simply me trying to put the pieces together to make a new whole. The tricky part is knowing whether those resolutions will put me back as I was and not as what I'm meant to be. And perhaps...I'm thinking too much about this in the usual Heather style.

And so...I share with you one of my top, and most achievable resolutions...to reconnect. That's what this blog started out as after all. A means of connecting with everyone back in the states. It's something I've neglected for quite some time, partially because I've reached that length of time where you realise this is where you live...it's not just an experience. Though...if I could, I'd keep myself in that place where I'm aware that London is an experience. London isn't just this normal place I live...it's extraordinary. I wish I could remain aware that at any moment, this experience could be gone.

Often times my awareness of this experience comes when I get homesick and think about going back to the states. And as much as I think I would love that, a little part of me cringes because there is still so much I want to do over here. Daytrips...more european holidays...finally visiting the British Museum! As hard as it is to be so far away from everyone I love, I know that London is where I need to be. So to make the distance easier...I need to reconnect by sharing this experience with everyone. It's not a me here and you there kind of thing...I can be in both places by simply sharing my life. Even if it is via the world wide web!

As long as this post is...I'm going to share with you the things that made me giggle today so stick with me. I'm usually pretty good at waking up and heading to the gym on the weekends, but this morning I realised what I needed more, was spiritual exercise. I needed time to think, and walk...something I was really good at when I was a student, but not so much now that I have a full time job. So instead of the gym, I woke up and headed out to Hyde park. On the train, I sat down next to an empty seat with a book on it. Someone had just left it there so I picked it up since I hadn't brought my own reading material. When I started flipping through it I found a label inside and discovered that this was no ordinary book. It's a traveling book. It wasn't just left there, it was passed on. As the label said...It's serendipity in action! Someone somewhere set up a website called Bookcrossing and it's brilliant! You register a book on the website, and then you set it loose. in this case, someone set it loose on the tube...I found it...read a few stories and tomorrow, I'll release it again. It'll be neat to see where it gets to and I can't wait to release my own book out into the world and see where it goes.

After the serendipitous book finding, I got off the tube and began my wander through Hyde park. It was a gray day today, but quite warm considering. On the serpentine I usually love seeing the swans and there were all kinds of swans in their in-betweens stage. They still have that brownish gray fuzzy down on them, and their beaks are still gray. Teenage swans in that space between ugly duckling and graceful swan. I took this picture (with my fancy new phone) and couldn't help knowing how they felt being in the awkward in between stage.



Later, wandering through the park, there was an adorable family with two little girls blowing ENORMOUS bubbles in the park. It was hilarious to watch the joggers try and dodge the massive bubbles to keep them in the air as the little girls screamed and ran after them. Now THAT is the way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The other bits of my day just added to all the things I love about being in London...my friends...Whole Foods London (a magical place)...yummy sushi...the view of the London Eye from my kitchen window. All in all...life is good.

So...in probably more words than necessary, that was my day and this was my first step toward keeping my resolution for 2008.

I am Big Bird

Given that I've been MIA in blog-land for the last few months, it may seem entirely random for this posting to be about Big Bird. But it is...and I am Big Bird...so deal!

Your Score: Big Bird

You scored 81% Organization, 66% abstract, and 76% extroverted!

This test measured 3 variables.

First, this test measured how organized you are. Some muppets like Cookie Monster make big messes, while others like Bert are quite anal about things being clean.

Second, this test measured if you prefer a concrete or an abstract viewpoint. For the purposes of this test, concrete people are considered to gravitate more to mathematical and logical approaches, whereas abstract people are more the dreamers and artistic type.

Third, this test measured if you are more of an introvert or an extrovert. By definition, an introvert concentrates more on herself and an extrovert focuses more on others. In this test an introvert was somebody that either tends to spend more time alone or thinks more about herself.

You are very organized, more abstract, and more extroverted.

Here is why are you Big Bird.

You are both very organized. You almost always know where your belongings are and you prefer things neat. You may even enjoy cleaning and find it therapeutic. Big Bird is never sloppy and always under control... pretty good for a 6 year old bird living without a family.

You both are abstract thinkers. Big Bird is a dreamer who always wonders what the world is like. You definitely are not afraid to take chances in life. You only live once. You may notice others around you playing it safe, but you are more concerned with not compromising your desires, and getting everything you can out of life. This is a very romantic approach to life, but hopefully you are also grounded enough to get by.

You are both extroverts. Big Bird gets along with everyone. He makes friends easily and always has a positive attitude. You definitely enjoy the company of others, and you don't have problems meeting new people... in fact you probably look forward to it. You are willing to take charge when necessary or work as part of a team.

Link: The Your SESAME STREET Persona Test written by greencowsgomoo on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Stress Ball

It's down to the wire. So much to do, so little time.

In exactly 10 days I fly back to the states.
In 9 days, I pack and store all my belongings.
In 8 days, I turn in my dissertation and finish my last day of work (and then party...wooo!)
In 7 days, I pre-pack and give things away and pray I get a job offer.
In 6 days, I print my dissertation and get it bound.
In 5 days, I make the last minute adjustments and corrections to my dissertation.
In 4 days, I take the day off to recover.
In 3 days, I have a job interview and celebrate my 27th birthday with plenty of drinks and lots of friends.
In 2 days, I finish the major bits of my dissertation
In 1 day, I write like a fiend and try not to become a huge stress ball.

Right now...I obviously procrastinate because I'm too freaked out and utterly excited about the next 10 insane days of my life and all the fun I'm set to have after them. (The stress will return in October with the whole finding a job and a place to live task...minor details)

Totally Awesome

Evidently...the fact that I say 'Totally' and 'Awesome' makes me sound uber American to all these brits. Every time I say it, someone giggles or tries to repeat it in their American accent. But...they are two words not likely to leave my vocabularly any time soon so I'll just have to be okay with being very American and say...here are some things I think are "Totally Awesome!"

Go Green...err...Black!
If you want to be environmentally friendly but are internet addicted like me, you'll be happy to learn about Blackle.com. Blackle.com is a new search engine powered by Google that has a completely black screen to save energy. The theory is that "a monitor requires more power to display a white (or light) screen than a black (or dark) screen" (Roberson et al, 2002). Though its not yet proven...I tend to agree with Heap Media, the creators of Blackle.com: "We believe that there is value in the concept because even if the energy savings are small, they all add up. Secondly we feel that seeing Blackle every time we load our web browser reminds us that we need to keep taking small steps to save energy." So...join me and Go Blackle!


Not Exactly Awesome...More a "Who Knew We Needed It" item
Man Kleenex! I discovered recently that the counselor at the centre I work at keeps a huge box of Man Kleenex on hand. Doing an oh so energy savvy Blackle search, I learned that KLEENEX® For Men tissues are big, strong & reliable enough for all your needs. I guess big, strong & reliable men need big, strong & reliable tissues. What makes me sad though is that you can't see how truly BIG these things are. The box is probably 12" long by 8" wide and 2" deep. And every chemist (that's drugstore/pharmacy to you Americans) carries these honkin' tissue boxes. The best part...you can't get 'em in the states! Does that mean men in the states are more okay with their masculinity? Or that us feminists have fought for the right to have equality in tissues! Whatever the reason...freakin' funny!

Awesome is Totally Awesome
My oh so clever, organized and hilarious friend Lynn introduced me to a blog that has become a weekly must read for me. It's called Awesome (appropriately enough). Sarah and Wendy from Chicago crack me up regularly with their commentary on all things they've found to be awesome. And the best part is..they have links to where you can purchase the awesome stuff! All in one place! I just love it. Check them out...I guarantee you'll giggle so much you may need a man kleenex for the laugh-tears!

Elaborate Procrastination

Not having Internet in the evenings has changed me. Well…not really. It just means I spend more time on creative pursuits I’d normally not get to because I’d be lost in the black hole abyss of the world wide web. For instance, last night in betweens the laundry swaps (I hadn’t done laundry in a loooooong time so I had plenty of time to kill) I decided it would be fun to do some bedroom karaoke. And then I thought it would be fun to put it to a slideshow of sorts with these fun Pictures of Walls I found online. Really…I should have been studying. But I’d been in the library earlier and frankly…it just wasn’t happening. So instead my bedroom karaoke turned photo montage became my elaborate procrastination for the evening. I figured since I went through all the effort…I’d share it with you. At least I was productive in one way or another. All in all…yesterday was a day of accomplishment despite the fact that my dissertation is not yet finished. No worries though…It’s well on it’s way and in 4 weeks I’ll be done and back in the states relaxing and visiting. Yay!

Without further ado…the results of Heather’s elaborate procrastination…



Hmm…I really should learn to play an instrument. It’d make much more interesting audio. Oi...jeez Heather...that’s a project for AFTER the dissertation! Sheesh!

Heaven Bless the Podcast

You'd all be proud...I'm in the library! Though...this morning not getting too much work done as I've been checking emails and being incredibly ingenious about this no internet thing - I'm downloading Podcasts!

So...maybe I'm just weak and not doing this withdrawal thing all that well. But frankly, after the sun goes down sometimes you just want to sit back, chill out and watch something! And then...I discovered the video podcast! So while I'm in the library studying, my little iTunes is working away downloading free funnies from HBO or interestings from the Discovery Channel so when I'm in my room later, I can play them and giggle to myself.

My favorite so far (Thanks to Miss Lynn!) is the NPR radio podcast of their game show "Wait, Wait...don't tell me". It's a CRACK-UP! And is sadly the way I've been keeping up to date on the US of A. But I can sit down and be typing away, or organizing notes, or cleaning my room, or staring off into space and listen to them yapping away. If you podcast...DEFINITELY check that one out! I guarantee you will laugh out loud and not regret it.

Podcast - you are the sensory addict saving grace!

(I'll wean myself off podcasts post dissertation stress! I only have so much willpower people)

Message Received Loud and Clear

I believe in signs. Years ago I figured out that the first time something happens, it’s meaningful, the second time, it’s a coincidence and the third time, it’s a sign. These are the signs that creep up on you, that sneak into your world at their own pace to give you a message. And then there are signs that come at you lights flashing and sirens blaring. These are the signs that stop you dead in your tracks and make you pay attention. Often these come as a result of an inability to pick up on the little signs, leaving the powers that be with no other option than to write in neon, yell through a megaphone and do everything short of tattoo a message on your forehead.

Today that sign arrived as the oh so devastating realization (and later confirmation) that our Internet had been cancelled as of August 1 instead of August 31. That’s right people, just days after admitting my sensory addiction, I’ve been cut off cold turkey! In order for us to get reconnected, we’d have to go through the whole set up process again (money we don’t have and all) and so instead, we will face the next 37 days with no wi-fi at home.

What’s incredible to me is that there are moments I think, “Hey…no biggie, a lot of people don’t have Internet and the Library is a three minute walk away.” Then there are the moments I’m in my room absolutely unable to focus or study, with no TV and now, no Internet, where I become truly aware of the severity of my sense addiction. I don’t know what to do with myself! Which is evidently the point of the universe saying, “Enough already, if you aren’t going to wean yourself off of it, we’re going to do it for you!”

The funniest part of the whole situation is that despite the fact that I feel like the Internet is what keeps me connected with email and all…it is in fact the absence of the Internet that makes me feel the most connected. At 10:40pm I am aware that I don’t have anything to distract myself. I can’t lose myself in a TV show or randomly surf the web and fill my brain with random bits of information. Instead, I am here, with myself and my fears and my insecurities and thankfully, with Microsoft Word. I’m connected in a more active and focused way. And I am incredibly grateful. I have learned so much about myself this year, having truly become aware of what I need, what I can live without and what makes me happy. Turns out, I don’t need the Internet in my room to be happy [This is going to be my mantra for the next 37 days. Maybe I should go surfing on the library Internet to see if they make a patch for Web Withdrawals. Hmm…]

Since I’m now aware that what I have written is less happy-go-lucky-blog and more soap-opera-journal-entry, I’ll start winding this down. The point of all this writing is first to empty my head (not easy…there’s lots going on up there) and second to share with the world what signs like this mean to me. Weird things happen. Sometimes they aren’t easy to deal with. Sometimes they aren’t so convenient. But most of the time, they’re exactly what we need.

No Internet means I have to get better at time management and leave early instead of checking train times and running out of the building the very last minute to catch my tube. No Internet means I have no excuse to not sit down and work my butt off on this dissertation. No Internet means I have to actually plan my time to I can be sure to email, blog and talk to my friends and family, making the important things a priority during the time I have Internet access instead of an “I’ll get to it later” item. No Internet means I have to take those quiet moments for myself, to meditate, to write and to just be, something that’s harder than you might think. Most importantly, No Internet means that as I try to navigate my life and my responsibilities right now, I know I’m not alone. Some spirit somewhere loves me enough to answer my prayers for focus, simplicity and peace by taking away my crutch, my escape – my Internet. There are people and there are angels looking out for me, helping me to travel my path, the one that will allow me to live the best possible life I can.

Rest assured that this does not mean I will stop blogging. If anything, to entertain myself in the wee hours of the evening, or day or whatever time I used to spend web surfing, I may instead be writing witty repartee for your reading pleasure. Be not afraid...I will write about what I’m doing and what I’m thinking whether you like it or not :)

Diagnosis: Sensory Addiction

My whole life I've had those moments where I realize that things I'm studying and things I'm interested in bring about realizations of an entirely unexpected nature. I chose to do my research on ADHD because of my want to learn more about ways to better the lives of young children who are mistakenly diagnosed and put on drugs at a young age. This week...one of the texts I've been reading brought about great information for my dissertation...and an unexpected realization about myself. What is it you ask?

"Hi...my name is Heather...and I have a sensory addiction."

It's not as severe as it may sound. Frankly...everyone has a sensory addiction as a result of the speeding up of our culture. On a daily basis I use my computer...am bombarded by ads and billboards around town....I listen to my ipod. There are very few moments in my life where absolutely nothing is going on. We are used to immediate gratification...where we are used to being passively stimulated rather than actively engaged. I am one of the millions guilty of using the "I don't have time" as an excuse despite the fact that new technology is meant to help us save time. Instead...we don't know what to do with extra time...and so we fill it with TV, movies, music, food...the list goes on. With regard to ADHD...this is one of the explanations for explaining a child's behavior in the classroom. They're used to being constantly stimulated so in a classroom where things move slower...they have to get up and act out to keep the stimulation level high. Makes sense. Turns out...I have the same problem. Today...there I was sitting in a beautiful serene park...attempting to read..and realizing that every couple of minutes I had to move my legs...look up at passers by...check the time on my cell phone...re-read a paragraph because I'd been daydreaming or thinking about the rest of my evening. All in all...really stupid things. But I've apparently gotten so used to constantly doing something...that when it comes to sitting down to focus...I find it to be one of the most difficult things to do. The most devastating part is the recognition that by constantly seeking stimulation...we have a tendency to overlook and be insensitive to the richness of the simple, mundane life around us.

They say the first step is admitting addiction. Step 2...an attempt at deliberate living and a slowing down of my life. I don't ever want to over-do, over-think, over-thing my life to the point at which I can't enjoy a silent moment to myself. Just goes to show that even the things you do deliberately will never turn out as you expect. I didn't know when I began my research that I'd be learning as much to help young children as to help myself. It's a late realization about why I feel I've been guided to do this research and also to be in London...a place full of stimulation, but where, amazingly I've been able to simplify my life and come into greater connection with myself. It's why I can't leave yet...there's still too much to do :)

[Side note...10 minutes later...I realize that I'm so into needing to find things to do that I've spent the last 10 minutes searching for a picture to go with this blog cause...well...who doesn't love a blog AND a picture?!? That is until I realized I was trying to overstimulate the readers of my blog! Ooops! Realized...and therefore...no picture]

Jumping Back to June

I know June is LONG gone...but I forgot to blog one of the funnest days I had with my American Girls. It was just days before Lynn left to head home to the states and was our outing to relax and just spend time together. It was soooo much fun! We went to the Thermae Bath Spa and swam in a heated rooftop pool in the rain, got all sauna'd aroma steam rooms and acted like 5 year olds (I may have started that) in the Minerva hot bath which had a fun current meant to, I assume, circulate the water, but when floating on noodles, it made a super rad lazy river ride! Had us giggling for long time!! After that we had a wonderful meal at a pub with a not so appetizing name (The Slug and Lettuce) - but name aside...fantastic food. All in all...it was a much needed respite with 3 of my favorite girlfriends. Lucky for me Molly and Rebecca are staying in London too (Yay!) and Lynn is with us in spirit and via Skype. Here are some of the pics from our day out.


Lynn and Rebecca on the Train


Me and Molly being hammy on the train


Bath's a little place full of character


Pretty pretty


Bridge look familiar? It was modeled after the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy


The girls peeking over at the bridge


The river Avon


Bath Cathedral


Old pump room for the old Roman baths


Creepy guy sitting on top of a trashcan. By far one of the best human statues (and heart attack inducers) I've seen in the UK.


Jacob's Ladder on the outside of the cathedral


Cathedral from afar


From the train platform

Park Wanderings

Here are some more of my totally random pictures from afternoons spent wandering through Hyde Park and Kensington park.

I must note for all you people out there that think London is gray and dreary, we get some of the most beautiful blue skies with huge white puffy clouds. Sometimes it looks like a painting in the sky. Just a little known fact about London.


Baby geese...sooo cute!


Aww...feathered family


Wonder if the owner knows its gone


Sitting next to the water


Pretty little flowers


This view took my breath away...the picture doesn't do the sky justice. In the background...Kensington palace.


Statue is called Power and Courage


A section of the Serpentine I'd been by before but never truly noticed.

London Unplugged

Yesterday I went out to dinner with my friend Alison on the SouthBank near Tower Bridge. As we were leaving the restaurant we saw a couple of big guitars sitting out. Turns out...it was a huge art installation of 7 ft tall Gibson guitars that had all been painted by artists and signed by different musicians. I got camera happy so here they all are!!

Actually...before we get to the guitars...on our walk which is also part of my regular run, there is this rad looking head sculpture thing I'd always wanted to get a picture of, but...well..I don't run with my camera. So here that is first...


Here's the head...


The quote on the bottom of the head reads: "Though human genius in its various inventions with various instruments may answer the same end, it will never find an invention more beautiful or more simple or direct than nature, because in her inventions, nothing is lacking and nothing superfluous." - Leonardo Da Vinci


Picture of a building I run by that's right on the water and where my imaginary flat is.


Not the fanciest of the guitars...but you can see Tower Bridge so it's the most photogenic.


See...all lined up and they're HUGE!


Pretty abstract one


And the Crowd Goes Wild! (Aptly named)


He he...butt.


Pretty


Creepy


Beware the Fire Monkey


See...Gibsons!


This one plays itself


They call him the Guitar Man


Can you feel the love?


The Golden Oldie


Animal print is in


This one is signed by Ozzy Osborne...looks like him peeking over the skull.


Evidently the girl wears it well. I don't get it...but it's signed by Rod Stewart.