We were interviewed by BBC Radio and the picture of us was on the BBC Website.
Friday, February 14, 2003
Peace March in Glasgow
We were interviewed by BBC Radio and the picture of us was on the BBC Website.
Saturday, August 03, 2002
Rome & Other Adventures
So, I skipped Paestum, because the day I wanted to go there was a train strike. I was worried about meeting up with Alan, as it was a sketchy meeting to begin with, and I had lost all of his contact numbers. I spent a day getting to Rome, had time to pop into the Capitaline Museums, and then went to meet him. But he didn't arrive.
The next day I was really worried. I did do some touristy stuff during the day (Colliseum) and went back at the same time we were supposed to meet the day before and ta-da! he was there. Seems he had gotten the days mixed up - which caused my near heart attack!
We had fun in Rome together. Ate a lot of really good food.
Then we did a bus tour in London and headed back to Edinburgh. The train was delayed several hours as the result of someone committing suicide by jumping in front of a train.
The next day I was really worried. I did do some touristy stuff during the day (Colliseum) and went back at the same time we were supposed to meet the day before and ta-da! he was there. Seems he had gotten the days mixed up - which caused my near heart attack!
We had fun in Rome together. Ate a lot of really good food.
Then we did a bus tour in London and headed back to Edinburgh. The train was delayed several hours as the result of someone committing suicide by jumping in front of a train.
Thursday, July 25, 2002
A room with a view
I am at a cafe in Pompeii with not much time. The keyboard is really annoying, you really have to hit the keys so if this message ends up being a bunch of nonsense, you'll have to bear with me. This computer keeps talking to me in Italian-very odd.
Well, I am having a wonderful time, it is very hot and sunny though my first day in Milan it was miserable-tons of rain and I wandered about lost looking for my hostel. I had a bit of a time getting to Milan. I thought I was flying there directly, but ended up in Bergamo instead-I will have to pay more attention when flying cheap airlines. In Milan I really only went to see Da Vinci's last supper and then went to Venice to escape the rain where I had to get a hotel room as the hostel was full by 10 am. It was two minutes walk from the grand canal, not particularly nice or anything, but I loved Venice, especially the islands around it. The gellatto is very, very good. I got very lost at one point trying to find a church, but even that was fun.
I headed down to Florence, where I learned to walk across the street in front of cars, since there aren't any lights. It was a bit of a shock after Venice, so after seeing David at the Academia I escaped to Cortona. I ended up meeting one of the uni of Georgia students (they have a summer programme in art) and so stayed a couple of days to hang out eating and drinking late into the night. I bumped into Jenny's friend Gwenyth-small world. When I went back to Florence, I fell for a scam-quite literally actually. One man knocked me over on the steps of the train station, while the other helped me up while pickpocketing my money belt-but all he got was a credit card and my passport. Not much of a big deal, and I got the opportunity to have a cultural exchange at the police station, where an officer didn't even see me at all, they just stamped my handwritten report.
I went to the Uffizi-wow!!! However, as wonderful as it is, I must admit to an exhaustion with gold medieval art. They are all just in about four different poses and I must say that it gets a bit much eventually. I also went to the Bargello, which I loved.
I came down to Naples, though I am staying in a hostel at Pompeii. I saw the excavations there yesterday and then went into Naples to see the museum, including the erotic secret room, for which you must book a special tour. Pan certainly does some interesting things with those goats! However, it was half closed, so I missed the Egyptian stuff entirely. It was a long day, and while walking back to the hostel (a half hour walk) I was stalked by a middle aged Italian man on a moped who kept offering me a ride. Up until Naples, I hadn't really encountered the dodgy male Italian phenomenon, but here they are. This city is full of them!
Today I went to Herculaneum, which was spectacular. Possibly better than Pompeii itself, since I didn't get so tired! However, I could not drag myself to yet another touristy thingy, so today I am going to just read in the hostel courtyard, instead of madly wandering about. This is the first day I have stopped being touristy at 4, and it's a nice feeling. Tomorrow I think I am going to take the train down to Paestum and then I have to catch an evening train to Rome, to meet Alan at "the store that sells only water"-we'll have to hope that works out, cause I lost my little notebook with addresses, phone numbers (including his mobile number) when my passport got stolen. So, if you haven't received a postcard yet, you'll have to wait until I get back to Scotland.
Well, I am having a wonderful time, it is very hot and sunny though my first day in Milan it was miserable-tons of rain and I wandered about lost looking for my hostel. I had a bit of a time getting to Milan. I thought I was flying there directly, but ended up in Bergamo instead-I will have to pay more attention when flying cheap airlines. In Milan I really only went to see Da Vinci's last supper and then went to Venice to escape the rain where I had to get a hotel room as the hostel was full by 10 am. It was two minutes walk from the grand canal, not particularly nice or anything, but I loved Venice, especially the islands around it. The gellatto is very, very good. I got very lost at one point trying to find a church, but even that was fun.
I headed down to Florence, where I learned to walk across the street in front of cars, since there aren't any lights. It was a bit of a shock after Venice, so after seeing David at the Academia I escaped to Cortona. I ended up meeting one of the uni of Georgia students (they have a summer programme in art) and so stayed a couple of days to hang out eating and drinking late into the night. I bumped into Jenny's friend Gwenyth-small world. When I went back to Florence, I fell for a scam-quite literally actually. One man knocked me over on the steps of the train station, while the other helped me up while pickpocketing my money belt-but all he got was a credit card and my passport. Not much of a big deal, and I got the opportunity to have a cultural exchange at the police station, where an officer didn't even see me at all, they just stamped my handwritten report.
I went to the Uffizi-wow!!! However, as wonderful as it is, I must admit to an exhaustion with gold medieval art. They are all just in about four different poses and I must say that it gets a bit much eventually. I also went to the Bargello, which I loved.
I came down to Naples, though I am staying in a hostel at Pompeii. I saw the excavations there yesterday and then went into Naples to see the museum, including the erotic secret room, for which you must book a special tour. Pan certainly does some interesting things with those goats! However, it was half closed, so I missed the Egyptian stuff entirely. It was a long day, and while walking back to the hostel (a half hour walk) I was stalked by a middle aged Italian man on a moped who kept offering me a ride. Up until Naples, I hadn't really encountered the dodgy male Italian phenomenon, but here they are. This city is full of them!
Today I went to Herculaneum, which was spectacular. Possibly better than Pompeii itself, since I didn't get so tired! However, I could not drag myself to yet another touristy thingy, so today I am going to just read in the hostel courtyard, instead of madly wandering about. This is the first day I have stopped being touristy at 4, and it's a nice feeling. Tomorrow I think I am going to take the train down to Paestum and then I have to catch an evening train to Rome, to meet Alan at "the store that sells only water"-we'll have to hope that works out, cause I lost my little notebook with addresses, phone numbers (including his mobile number) when my passport got stolen. So, if you haven't received a postcard yet, you'll have to wait until I get back to Scotland.
Friday, July 12, 2002
Plans for Italy
I am in London until Sunday, then I fly to Milan on the 15th. I will be in Venice the evening of the 16th and then in Florence by the evening of the 18th, on the 23 I will be in Pompeii. On the 26th I will be in Rome, the hostel is booked until the morning of the 2nd (Alan joins me in Rome). Then we fly back to London the afternoon of the 2nd and spend the night in London, leaving the next day for Edinburgh, getting back at about midnight.
Monday, May 20, 2002
Spring Update
My birthday shoes are very cool-they have a bit of yellow that I didn't like at first but am now quite fond of. We went out for Thai for my birthday and Alan had an extremely hot curry-nice, though.
I am trying to figure out flights to Italy-I need to fly one airline to London and then another to Rome, and change airports in London. I may see what it costs to fly a normal airline, instead of the cheap ones, because it may just be easier all round and a friend tells me that it isn't too bad, plus you fly into the major airports instead of little ones far outside the city.
Alan and I are trying to renew our lease here until next June. Hopefully it will get renewed, as we both will be in Italy (not booked yet, obviously) the day the present lease ends.
He is studying for exams, and still has a year to go. He finishes mid next week and then we are off to a wedding the first weekend in June. I still need to buy something to wear!
We had a good time on our weekend in the Scottish borders. Lots of abbeys, etc.
I am trying to figure out flights to Italy-I need to fly one airline to London and then another to Rome, and change airports in London. I may see what it costs to fly a normal airline, instead of the cheap ones, because it may just be easier all round and a friend tells me that it isn't too bad, plus you fly into the major airports instead of little ones far outside the city.
Alan and I are trying to renew our lease here until next June. Hopefully it will get renewed, as we both will be in Italy (not booked yet, obviously) the day the present lease ends.
He is studying for exams, and still has a year to go. He finishes mid next week and then we are off to a wedding the first weekend in June. I still need to buy something to wear!
We had a good time on our weekend in the Scottish borders. Lots of abbeys, etc.
Thursday, January 03, 2002
Happy New Year
We were at a friend's house on new year's eve and tried to walk down to see the fireworks at the street party-instead we heard them and saw some smoke. Obviously, we need to leave earlier next year!
My cold is finally gone, though I still seem to blow my nose constantly. We are moving buildings one week late for work, so it's another two weeks before it all starts. I got the position I wanted, working with a new computer programme. Hopefully it will be interesting. I bought two pairs of grey trousers and a couple of shirts, so I'm ready enough for the new dress code. I am starting a six month contract with the bank in February.
A snowy Arthur's Seat.
My cold is finally gone, though I still seem to blow my nose constantly. We are moving buildings one week late for work, so it's another two weeks before it all starts. I got the position I wanted, working with a new computer programme. Hopefully it will be interesting. I bought two pairs of grey trousers and a couple of shirts, so I'm ready enough for the new dress code. I am starting a six month contract with the bank in February.
A snowy Arthur's Seat.
Thursday, December 13, 2001
Helen & Harry
We saw the Harry Potter film finally, and bumped into Helen who was in Edinburgh to celebrate her birthday, at the Italian restaurant right under our flat.
Christmas plans are going well here, some of us are group buying tonight since it's the late night at the shops. We have the advent calendar up on the back of the couch but that's it for our decorations. I have been sent some Christmas cards,
including ones from Nana and Aunt Joan. Mine have all finally been mailed out, even the ones to people in Britain.
Andrea moves into her flat tomorrow, so we get our living room back.
I've already spent all my Christmas money on courses next term, one is on Troy and the other on the beginnings of farming in the middle east.
Wednesday, December 05, 2001
Advent Calendar Arrived
I got the advent calendar in the mail but haven't put it up on the wall yet!
I'm going to use my Christmas money to pay for my courses next term since I had better sign up for them soon-my last class is tonight and then I just have the two essays to write by February.
I hope Daniel enjoyed his birthday.
I have to send my Christmas cards off by this Friday and haven't done any yet.
I'm going to use my Christmas money to pay for my courses next term since I had better sign up for them soon-my last class is tonight and then I just have the two essays to write by February.
I hope Daniel enjoyed his birthday.
I have to send my Christmas cards off by this Friday and haven't done any yet.
Monday, December 03, 2001
Christmas package sent!
Alan started his Christmas holidays job today and I had a half day off to go get my national insurance number.
More importantly, I've finally sent out the family Christmas package-it's in two parts, one is a box and the other a bubble envelope. One of Bradley and Alannah's gifts is particularly cute.
Andrea is over here and has been staying with us for the past week-she is off travelling for a bit but then will be back with us till her lease starts on the 14th.
More importantly, I've finally sent out the family Christmas package-it's in two parts, one is a box and the other a bubble envelope. One of Bradley and Alannah's gifts is particularly cute.
Andrea is over here and has been staying with us for the past week-she is off travelling for a bit but then will be back with us till her lease starts on the 14th.
Tuesday, October 30, 2001
Autumn musings
My university courses are really good. My friend Louise is taking the one on Pompeii with me. I'm definitely going to take more in January.
We are moving buildings at work and the dept is going to be reorganized. There are permanent positions going, I might apply since the main boss suggested I do, but I think that with such a short term visa it's not too likely I'd get it.
I've just been reading the Harry potter books and am looking forward to the movie. They are amazing-much better than I expected.
The weather is getting pretty bad now. Damn Scottish autumns.
We are moving buildings at work and the dept is going to be reorganized. There are permanent positions going, I might apply since the main boss suggested I do, but I think that with such a short term visa it's not too likely I'd get it.
I've just been reading the Harry potter books and am looking forward to the movie. They are amazing-much better than I expected.
The weather is getting pretty bad now. Damn Scottish autumns.
Tuesday, October 16, 2001
Weekends and new classes
We've had a good weekend here-out for dinner for alan's friend's birthday on Friday when I managed successfully to eat my whole meal with chopsticks, a flatwarming on Saturday with tons of old friends, a day of reading the papers and watching four hours of wildlife programmes on BBC1 Sunday and then out to see American Pie 2 on Monday evening.
I have signed myself up for two evening classes in archaeology through the Uni of Edinburgh-they are not quite uni level courses but were fairly cheap. One is on Pompeii and the other on hunter gatherers after the ice age. I'm not sure how much work they entail, but if all goes well I may take four more over the next two terms to get the certificate for doing six. I figured if nothing else, I will get to learn about various periods/locations in archaeology which may help me decide what I want to study.
Alan is doing well, the district nurse came on the weekend to change his dressing. It's going to be another three weeks till it's healed though. Not much of a Thanksgiving here this year, since I spent it in the hospital with him!
Statue in George Square Gardens, Edinburgh University
I have signed myself up for two evening classes in archaeology through the Uni of Edinburgh-they are not quite uni level courses but were fairly cheap. One is on Pompeii and the other on hunter gatherers after the ice age. I'm not sure how much work they entail, but if all goes well I may take four more over the next two terms to get the certificate for doing six. I figured if nothing else, I will get to learn about various periods/locations in archaeology which may help me decide what I want to study.
Alan is doing well, the district nurse came on the weekend to change his dressing. It's going to be another three weeks till it's healed though. Not much of a Thanksgiving here this year, since I spent it in the hospital with him!
Statue in George Square Gardens, Edinburgh University
Saturday, September 15, 2001
Back in Scotland and menial job hell
Rowan visiting our new flat.
I have a crap job to go to now eight hours a day and a never ending messy flat. I don't understand-this place seems to need cleaning tons more than anywhere else I have ever lived.
The news about New York has been shocking, though I am feeling numbed by the constant news coverage now. Didn't really have any effect on Scotland at all, except for flight cancellations. Blair says he's shoulder to shoulder with the US, making people here worry about Britain in military strikes on Afghanistan, though I'm not sure it would be such a bad thing to see the Taliban government fall.
Things are rather unexciting here. I'm happy to be back with Alan, but I hate the damn shite filing job with the Royal Bank of Scotland. It's as mindless as the damn Tim Horton's job. I haven't really met anyone here, so all my friends are people going to classes with Alan and I think that once uni starts, they are going to end up his friends really, since he'll be spending time with them and I'll be off filing shite bits of paper in binders with my brain on idle. I hated the last year of my degree but I wish I was back doing it now. Can't please me, obviously. Andrea is coming over in November though, which I am looking forward to a lot. Sounds a bit childish, but I want someone who I don't have to share with Alan! I expected to be doing tons of exciting things, but I suppose that was unrealistic since I am living here and lots of life is sort of boring and normal.
Saturday, August 18, 2001
Jenny visits Edinburgh
The picture Jenny took of me on the roof of the Museum of Scotland
Things here are good, Jenny arrived on Wednesday and we've been wandering around with her. We're going up into the highlands tomorrow for a couple of days, up around Inverness.
We had a dinner party last night and the kitchen is a mess! Off to clean up.
On the way home from the Highlands, Alan's Crannog Centre
Saturday, August 11, 2001
Tuesday, August 07, 2001
Sunday, July 15, 2001
Nothing cool happens in Bolton
I've never seen zorba the Greek, or read it in fact. Perhaps I will add it to my list, though the list has not been moving so quickly what with all the jobs. No Logo is taking me forever, interspersed with small amounts of the women travel anthology. I tried three times to read the Hobbit and never got more than 100pgs through it. Don't know why really.
Work is very, very depressing. A read a quote once that people who do menial, boring work tend to have menial boring personalities. Ha, no doubt. I keep myself sane by reading no logo on my breaks cause it makes me feel somewhat intellectual and keeps my moral outrage working, rather than stagnating like most of my brain. I don't so much mind the number of hours I am working, but that I never have a full day off. The damn people at dairy queen keep scheduling me for both evening shifts on the weekend which they weren't supposed to be doing. It is just too much to never be able to relax for a full 24 hours, so I am stuck with it this weekend but am going to ask for the Saturday after off.
Added to that is the stress of the SWAP paper work-I need to get everything organized to take down Saturday, which includes fun visits to the bank, which is hard when I work during bank hours. I feel like my mind is constantly replaying all the things I have to do, over and over, so that even when I am at home I have this constant level of stress. I am doing it all so this so I can go to Scotland.
I've heard amnesiac is supposed to be the best album of the summer. There are lots of great albums out lately-new weezer, new REM, etc. I must admit, seeing U2 was probably the highlight of my summer. It all seems downhill from here (well, until Scotland anyway).
Work is very, very depressing. A read a quote once that people who do menial, boring work tend to have menial boring personalities. Ha, no doubt. I keep myself sane by reading no logo on my breaks cause it makes me feel somewhat intellectual and keeps my moral outrage working, rather than stagnating like most of my brain. I don't so much mind the number of hours I am working, but that I never have a full day off. The damn people at dairy queen keep scheduling me for both evening shifts on the weekend which they weren't supposed to be doing. It is just too much to never be able to relax for a full 24 hours, so I am stuck with it this weekend but am going to ask for the Saturday after off.
Added to that is the stress of the SWAP paper work-I need to get everything organized to take down Saturday, which includes fun visits to the bank, which is hard when I work during bank hours. I feel like my mind is constantly replaying all the things I have to do, over and over, so that even when I am at home I have this constant level of stress. I am doing it all so this so I can go to Scotland.
I've heard amnesiac is supposed to be the best album of the summer. There are lots of great albums out lately-new weezer, new REM, etc. I must admit, seeing U2 was probably the highlight of my summer. It all seems downhill from here (well, until Scotland anyway).
Tuesday, June 12, 2001
My first promotion - a slightly better paid lackey
My friend Deb is stuck drinking American beer. We have a joke here in Canada-how is American beer like making love in a canoe? It's fucking close to water!
I just got promoted to section leader at one of my jobs and got a 65 cent raise, making me feel very guilty as it is an ice cream shop and I will be leaving at the beginning of august and not staying the whole summer. They do know I was thinking of leaving soon... Anyway, I am a big ball of guilt, having also been promoted above several employees who have been around much longer (though they are younger). The drawback to the whole thing is I am now working Monday to Friday all the time, which means I work for 13.5 hours each day, five days a week-I do have weekends off now.
As you can see from my work schedule, I don't have much of a social life. Not many exciting folks in Bolton anyway. I have my first full day off in four weeks this Sunday and I want to go shopping-not to spend my money though, I am saving for Scotland.
I am off to bed at an insanely early hour-after a quick beer and TV show.
I just got promoted to section leader at one of my jobs and got a 65 cent raise, making me feel very guilty as it is an ice cream shop and I will be leaving at the beginning of august and not staying the whole summer. They do know I was thinking of leaving soon... Anyway, I am a big ball of guilt, having also been promoted above several employees who have been around much longer (though they are younger). The drawback to the whole thing is I am now working Monday to Friday all the time, which means I work for 13.5 hours each day, five days a week-I do have weekends off now.
As you can see from my work schedule, I don't have much of a social life. Not many exciting folks in Bolton anyway. I have my first full day off in four weeks this Sunday and I want to go shopping-not to spend my money though, I am saving for Scotland.
I am off to bed at an insanely early hour-after a quick beer and TV show.
Saturday, June 02, 2001
Life of a Tim Horton's Employee
Well, life here in Bolton sucks. I work constantly and it is starting to get to me and I am rather irritable all the time. It is hard to be spending all my time doing stupid, menial jobs seven days a week (the only day off I have had in two weeks is yesterday when I went to Kingston to graduate). More annoying is all the people who hear me say how shit it all is and then tell me it's not for long. Well, it is for at least another two months and frankly that's more than long enough. Then people imply that I am about to go on a two year vacation in Scotland-I'm getting a WORK visa, for god's sake, and will probably end up with fairly crap jobs over there.
I graduated yesterday and it was ok. My parents and one set of grandparents came. I hated university so much this past year that I just wanted it over and fuck the marks. I don't intend to go on in classics anyway, though I may someday go back and do something else.
I leave on august 6th, later than I wanted but it was hard to get a flight into Scotland as opposed to London-I ended up with a flight into Glasgow. I have a friend visiting with a few days of my arrival, so I am taking some time off to relax before starting work over there. I don't think Alan will be working then either, so it will be nice to just hang out a bit.
I plan to stay for the full two years allowed by my visa, so people can visit whenever. Alan's parents want to get rid of the futon in his old room, so we are going to put it in our living room and have a place for guests to stay. I am hoping a fair number of people will come visit from Canada.
I am going to go watch a movie I rented-new Waterford girl-it's Canadian and got really fabulous reviews.
I graduated yesterday and it was ok. My parents and one set of grandparents came. I hated university so much this past year that I just wanted it over and fuck the marks. I don't intend to go on in classics anyway, though I may someday go back and do something else.
I leave on august 6th, later than I wanted but it was hard to get a flight into Scotland as opposed to London-I ended up with a flight into Glasgow. I have a friend visiting with a few days of my arrival, so I am taking some time off to relax before starting work over there. I don't think Alan will be working then either, so it will be nice to just hang out a bit.
I plan to stay for the full two years allowed by my visa, so people can visit whenever. Alan's parents want to get rid of the futon in his old room, so we are going to put it in our living room and have a place for guests to stay. I am hoping a fair number of people will come visit from Canada.
I am going to go watch a movie I rented-new Waterford girl-it's Canadian and got really fabulous reviews.
Sunday, May 20, 2001
Peace and quiet
I spent the nicest day yesterday-my entire family left to go and open up the cottage. It was so quiet and peaceful the whole day. I slept in, read (Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks, now finished), ate lots of pineapple. But the nicest thing was the silence-no blaring TV or loud music or people shouting through the house. I think maybe I am one of those people who are meant to live alone.
Last Thursday I went to see the free REM concert in Toronto and to hand in my SWAP application. I was buzzing all day long-partly the excitement, partly because jenny kept me up all night talking on the phone!
I have had my hair cut, not sure if I mentioned it, and it is short-it freaks me out still whenever I comb it. But my passport photos turned out quite well :)
I start work Tuesday at Tim's, but not until Friday at dairy queen. Such an exciting week!
I have decided to start reading no logo by Naomi Klein cause I think it will be amusing to take it in to work for breaks. I am having quite the literate summer, but needed a break from fiction after having a bit of an overdose in the past three weeks. I wish there was some sort of funky book club around-I think it would be fun. I just own sooooo many unread books.
And I may be going to see a U2 concert this week.
Last Thursday I went to see the free REM concert in Toronto and to hand in my SWAP application. I was buzzing all day long-partly the excitement, partly because jenny kept me up all night talking on the phone!
I have had my hair cut, not sure if I mentioned it, and it is short-it freaks me out still whenever I comb it. But my passport photos turned out quite well :)
I start work Tuesday at Tim's, but not until Friday at dairy queen. Such an exciting week!
I have decided to start reading no logo by Naomi Klein cause I think it will be amusing to take it in to work for breaks. I am having quite the literate summer, but needed a break from fiction after having a bit of an overdose in the past three weeks. I wish there was some sort of funky book club around-I think it would be fun. I just own sooooo many unread books.
And I may be going to see a U2 concert this week.
Tuesday, May 15, 2001
A very Canadian job
I am now a happy, cheerful, smiling Tim Horton's employee. I feel a bit bad cause at the interview it sounded like they were hoping I would stick around for a fairly long time, ie a year, but I did imply that I was taking some time to decide what to do with my life next, ie leave and do something better. I then proceeded to apply for a part time job at Dairy Queen-because it is close to Tim's and I might as well have two shite jobs if I am going to have one. So I have an interview for that tomorrow evening. I start next week at Tim's, so one more weekend of freedom. Can't wait to start wearing that hairnet-speaking of which I am having a significant portion of my hair cut off tomorrow.
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