If anyone said that to me right now, I'd have to ask if it was Marilyn Monroe. Not because I'm a blonde with shapely pins (rather an ex-temporary-blonde with increasingly fat pins and waistline), but because I have a seven year itch. At least last night felt like 7 years, as I lay there at four o'clock scrabbling for any medications I could find that would knock me out (sometimes I regret not keeping gin in the house). It ruined what had been a successful day with two lessons at school and the first dance routine I could manage in it's entirety at dance class (think top of the pops 2002).
In fact it has been getting more and more irritating, even though I now know there are even more people with the same inexplicable ailment (their doctors have as little idea as mine as to what's going on, although I think lying to her and telling her I didn't itch in England may have made it seem like it could be an allergy).
Last Monday started promisingly, dance class was rock hard (Jazz dance) and I couldn't manage it at all. Couldn't even do the turns properly. I was moving like a spinning top. A broken spinning top. That can't spin. Hot damn. And that night I slept for two hours, and thus spent most of Tuesday trying told my head more than three inches from my desk at work. Due to this extreme tiredness (I nodded off at one point, to be woken-thankfully- by the world's most unpredictable and noisy photocopier) I didn't go to conversation class, instead falling head first into a pit of snide comments from a person whose opinion means about as much to me as something that doesn't mean much to me.
Wednesday was a good day at elementary school, where I earned extra gay points through my choice of which club to attend (not that I can cash in these gay points here, I shall have to wait till I return to England and hope they haven't expired). When offered a choice of sports club (football and foot baseball- say what? Say no...), shogi club (Japanese chess with more rules than there are kanji characters), cooking (no, I attended that last time, so it wasn't really a choice), craft club (knitting) and science club (today, chemistry), I chose chemistry. Except they couldn't explain in English what they were doing, so I had to make an alternative choice. Knitting it is then, and they were all very surprised when I said I was good at it as a child (in hindsight I think this may not have been true) and from then on I proceeded to ruin a ball of wool in the name of club activities... And because Monday had been such a hard session, we couldn't be bothered going to dance class on Wednesday, and instead LeeJay and Abslance came to mine and we had tea and watched Mean Girls (not so much a movie, more a way of life).
Should full stops be inside or outside of bracketed statements? Grammar please.
Thursday must have been a lie because I can't remember it, and on Friday I got a lift to Okayama with Kathleen, which took approximately half of the time of the bus. I finally bought curtains for the front room, although thanks to a useless salesman (because obviously it wouldn't be my flawless Japanese at fault) I nearly bought only one curtain. There's something to be said for whipping it out and having a look before you pay. I then met Fiona who took as little persuasion as I do to start shopping and then we had our tea at Busty's. Busty had real cheese. It was amazing.
Saturday was a slightly busy day, where I went to the doctor's first thing and then after a brief period of birdwatching and being brainwashed by the Tivoli park theme song while waiting at the back of Kurashiki station, I met Chad at Norio's bar which has an incomprehensible name based on some old rock track with the same incomprehensible name.
Lunch was served and then I split to meet Philip and Cho-Lin with whom I went back to Kuse for dinner at Leejay's, albeit it a slightly tanked up dinner having had a few cans of alcopops (alco j-pops?) on the way. We were all way gone by 10:30 and in bed by 1. Oops.
Sunday was a slow day, and Johanna came to mine for tea where I experimented on her with Korean fried rice. It didn't contain Koreans or house pets, just some spicy pickled veg and some egg. Yum.
And today I'm pondering what to do in tonight's English conversation class, and whether they'll find my head lolling about the table very acceptable. Well, bugger them if they don't. It's not like they pay me...
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
You've been internationalised
Is this the true meaning of internationalisation? I can understand 95% of what Leejay and AbSlance talk about (the other 5% consists of sports references and I don't get those in England). However, proving it's not just a one way thing, while referring to Princess Diana in conversation (I'm beginning to think I'm obsessed with this old hag of an ex-princess) Johanna asked, "Do you mean Princess Di? Princess Di... Princess Dead" and although we were in a car, we did our best to fall about laughing. I have truly made a difference.
Once again, I am proud. I was also proud of Latina Turner, but that's a whole other story...
Once again, I am proud. I was also proud of Latina Turner, but that's a whole other story...
Monday, January 17, 2005
Things will never be the same again...
Oh, hang on, they will. And they are. Except for one thing. I've taught almost as many lessons at Junior High in the past week than I had in the previous three months. What's going on? Don't ask me. I sense a Princess Diana like conspiracy...
It feels strange that I've been back in Japan for almost two weeks now, as I feel pretty much as I did before I left and any post-trip blues have gone. For a brief moment I missed the London life, but that has passed. For the first couple of days back I was full of snotty flu and spent 3/4 of the day under my quilt in front of my computer watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Dallas DVDs (I had forgotten what a wonder Pamela Ewing was. It was a shame she had to phone Bobby on her car phone while driving and end up under the bottom of a lorry in flames having to have major plastic surgery that left her looking like a completely different actress, so much so that she felt too self-conscious to return to Southfork and her irritating fugly child Christopher. Still, that's life eh?)
At the weekend Ab Slance ferried me to RayVon's where we had our Christmas party (with LeeJay, Saddam and Fiona) although fortunately that didn't involve a)movement or b) leaving the house. I continued to demonstrate how not to be the life and soul of the party by taking frequent naps and going to bed and then getting up and then going back like a yo-yo with a bad attitude.
School started on the Tuesday and the first day of doing nothing was followerd by dinner at Wakaba with LeeJay and Nao chan, my Japanese friend. It was reassuring to eat foods I liked in Japan as the lure of roast potatoes and yorkshire pudding was almost too strong, but kimchee cha han (korean chilli fried rice) and agedashi tofu (deep fried tofu with ginger and fish flakes in soup) brightened me up no end. In fact, any instance of not having to cook for myself brightens me up no end...
Back to school on Wednesday and lessons began for me. By the end of the week I'd done 6 lessons (which doesn't sound like much for 4 days of work, but for here it was like a bonanza).
Wednesday and Friday nights gave me necessary opportunities to make a fool of myself as we went to dance class and I appeared unable to stretch any muscle in my body to at all. How I laughed when the instructor demonstrated putting his feet behind his head. How I cried when I actually tried it. How I damaged myself when we tried the splits. In fact Friday's warm up consisted of 2 Japanese women doing it perfectly, AbSlance and Leejay getting it wrong and me rolling round the floor groaning like a pensioner with cystitis.
The weekend was party time and all the gang came to Katsuyama (the gang sounds a bit crap doesn't it, like something your Mum would say trying to be cool.) Nao chan and her husband, who we call Papa san, were holding a party for my and Johanna's birthdays. So with everyone together we first went to the Samurai House in Katsuyama, but it was closed. However, the lady who ran it was kind enough to show us around the gardens (duration: 4 minutes) and explained about things in Japanese. And as I had the best knowledge of Japanese there, it became my turn to make appropriate noises and pretend to understand. I don't think I fooled her though...
The party was crazy. There were the six of our group, Nao chan and her husband, Oji san, their 72 year old friend, another couple and their neice who spoke very good English. So much food had been prepared and so much alcohol purchased it was unbelievable. We drank and drank and drank, by 8pm everyone was drunk and Leejay and RayVon definitely surpassed the rest of us storming round the house all night, flashing Saddam and Fiona when they had gone to bed. They flashed me too, but I refused to look on the grounds it was pointless. Why do I want to see breasticles?
Well, Leejay was suffering on Sunday, as was RayVon who looked fit to chuck and had a two hour bus journey home. Leejay stayed with me and we watched DVDs and ate lots of crap (which seems a good way to spend a Sunday).
Today I have been hugely busy, having taught in all 5 sessions. And tonight? More dancing. If the no pain no gain thing is true then I must be friggin' wonderful now. I may be too wonderful to walk by the end of the night...
It feels strange that I've been back in Japan for almost two weeks now, as I feel pretty much as I did before I left and any post-trip blues have gone. For a brief moment I missed the London life, but that has passed. For the first couple of days back I was full of snotty flu and spent 3/4 of the day under my quilt in front of my computer watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Dallas DVDs (I had forgotten what a wonder Pamela Ewing was. It was a shame she had to phone Bobby on her car phone while driving and end up under the bottom of a lorry in flames having to have major plastic surgery that left her looking like a completely different actress, so much so that she felt too self-conscious to return to Southfork and her irritating fugly child Christopher. Still, that's life eh?)
At the weekend Ab Slance ferried me to RayVon's where we had our Christmas party (with LeeJay, Saddam and Fiona) although fortunately that didn't involve a)movement or b) leaving the house. I continued to demonstrate how not to be the life and soul of the party by taking frequent naps and going to bed and then getting up and then going back like a yo-yo with a bad attitude.
School started on the Tuesday and the first day of doing nothing was followerd by dinner at Wakaba with LeeJay and Nao chan, my Japanese friend. It was reassuring to eat foods I liked in Japan as the lure of roast potatoes and yorkshire pudding was almost too strong, but kimchee cha han (korean chilli fried rice) and agedashi tofu (deep fried tofu with ginger and fish flakes in soup) brightened me up no end. In fact, any instance of not having to cook for myself brightens me up no end...
Back to school on Wednesday and lessons began for me. By the end of the week I'd done 6 lessons (which doesn't sound like much for 4 days of work, but for here it was like a bonanza).
Wednesday and Friday nights gave me necessary opportunities to make a fool of myself as we went to dance class and I appeared unable to stretch any muscle in my body to at all. How I laughed when the instructor demonstrated putting his feet behind his head. How I cried when I actually tried it. How I damaged myself when we tried the splits. In fact Friday's warm up consisted of 2 Japanese women doing it perfectly, AbSlance and Leejay getting it wrong and me rolling round the floor groaning like a pensioner with cystitis.
The weekend was party time and all the gang came to Katsuyama (the gang sounds a bit crap doesn't it, like something your Mum would say trying to be cool.) Nao chan and her husband, who we call Papa san, were holding a party for my and Johanna's birthdays. So with everyone together we first went to the Samurai House in Katsuyama, but it was closed. However, the lady who ran it was kind enough to show us around the gardens (duration: 4 minutes) and explained about things in Japanese. And as I had the best knowledge of Japanese there, it became my turn to make appropriate noises and pretend to understand. I don't think I fooled her though...
The party was crazy. There were the six of our group, Nao chan and her husband, Oji san, their 72 year old friend, another couple and their neice who spoke very good English. So much food had been prepared and so much alcohol purchased it was unbelievable. We drank and drank and drank, by 8pm everyone was drunk and Leejay and RayVon definitely surpassed the rest of us storming round the house all night, flashing Saddam and Fiona when they had gone to bed. They flashed me too, but I refused to look on the grounds it was pointless. Why do I want to see breasticles?
Well, Leejay was suffering on Sunday, as was RayVon who looked fit to chuck and had a two hour bus journey home. Leejay stayed with me and we watched DVDs and ate lots of crap (which seems a good way to spend a Sunday).
Today I have been hugely busy, having taught in all 5 sessions. And tonight? More dancing. If the no pain no gain thing is true then I must be friggin' wonderful now. I may be too wonderful to walk by the end of the night...
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Important retraction
Details in the previous post were, it seems, hugely wrong. In an apparent display of taste, my Mum has declared her horror at being associated with a Harvester restaurant. In an email entitled: "Harvester. WHAT HARVESTER?" she explains the situation, demonstrates her horror and makes me look stupid all at the same time. Here is the comment:
Hi Christopher,
I've just read your interesting web log & I thought I should tell you an amendment is in order.
WE DID NOT EAT IN A HARVESTER RESTAURANT.You should have known by the menu that it wasn't a harvester.
I am proud.
Hi Christopher,
I've just read your interesting web log & I thought I should tell you an amendment is in order.
WE DID NOT EAT IN A HARVESTER RESTAURANT.You should have known by the menu that it wasn't a harvester.
I am proud.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
What I did on my holidays...
I did a lot you know. Yes! A lot. I woke up and fell asleep every day. I ate and drank every day and I did walking too. And I did toilet and dressing and I spended money. I had big holiday in big city and I did talking to lots of people.
I arrived in Heathrow on 22nd December to parents who were sure they wouldn't recognise me as having hair straightened is akin to having plastic surgery it seems. But the familiar sight of me purchasing an excess of Ferrero Rocher and Toblerone at the last chance Duty-Free counter jogged their memories and we made our way home via a busy pub where I carried my luggage up a flight of stairs and felt very dizzy. I was very tired having managed only 2 hours sleep the night before and therefore the rest of the evening is a blur.
The 23rd was also a bit of a blur, and I took in some familiar sights- the Doctor's (where I was informed that I had never been to Japan before this trip by a Dr I've never met before), Toni and Guy Essensuals in Covent Garden (only the best for me! Hair cut by Michael, very nice), popped in to the CityLit for about 3 hours to visit old work colleagues, 2 thirds of whom were on hols (hot damn, but thank you and hello to all who were there) and then met Jo Attwooll for tea in Food For Thought on Neal Street (v. tasty veggie restaurant). Then met Juliette at Covent Garden station and we went to the Globe pub to meet Chika-san (our Japanese teacher in England) and her Mum at the pub and some of her friends. Except we were the first there and Chika-san was the last and we didn't know any of her friends so we were confused for a long while...
The 24th didn't quite go to plan. I had to do Christmas shopping (I'd bought some bits from Japan, but not enough) and then meet people, so I dodged into Marks's in Moorgate and grabbed many nice things before being delayed by loons on either side of the cash tills. From there I went on to meet Megan and Dhanusha in Camden where they tried on lots of clothes and Dhanusha announced that she is to be wed. Yay! And proving we are similar, she tried on a dress which didn't fit, and bought it anyway because it was too nice and someone should wear it.
Kofi and Karen joined us and did pretend fighting and we went for a pub lunch which was very tasty and then we went home. Having not made it to the pub in the evening to meet Neil and Rachel and Roland and Kat due to time constraints, Ma and Pa and I headed to Midnight mass which was preceeded by a diabolical carol service. The carols themselves weren't diabolical, but the performances were. It was like Helen Keller without the vocal training. Next year I'm bringing a portable tape player and a nice Christmas CD to drown out the din.
Christmas day was lovely and quiet and my brother, his lady wife and her lady mother came to ours for dinner and tea and we all watched Peter Kay on DVD. And then on Boxing day we did pretty much the same, but at my brother's house.
On Monday the 27th I headed up North and saw some snow along the way. I was going to Manchester to see friends and babies! Yay! So I arrived and was picked up by Sara and her Mum in the middle of the city (which just gets better every time you go) and Sara and I went to see Emma who looked well. Penny, it turned out had gone to Newcastle with Robert (her baby), and I realised I'd forgotten to reply to an email somewhere... And we chatted and caught up for a while and then left and it was only in the morning I realised I'd forgotten to see Emma's baby. Still, she showed me a lovely photo...
The Tuesday was another day of plans going awry, where Charlotte picked me up from Sara's and I spent a lot of time trying to get in contact with Susan and Lyndsey with whom I was supposed to be staying. Well, we did a bit of shopping and a lot of chatting and for lunch headed to a pub in Sale where I was meeting Suzanne, my old flatmate, and her new partner Rob. And it was here that both Suzanne and I walked past each other, not recognising each other with our new barnets (perhaps my parents were right about hair changes being akin to plastic surgery). And it was also here that I heard from Susan with whom it wouldn't be possible for me to stay with due to unforeseen circumstances. Oops! So I arranged to stay with Sara again and had a nice lunch catching up with Suzanne and chatting with Rob and Charlotte. And then I headed into town for an aimless afternoon of wandering. And I did my usual looking round and saw all the new bits no-one tells you about (it is looking rather grand these days). But the day wasn't in vain as I made the acquaintance of an Argentine model called Frank we spent the afternoon chatting and then bumped into Kofi while we were in Velvet.
On the wednesday I left Sara's and Manchester and headed back to London and an evening visit to Lyn's, where we chatted and ate more good food...
I left my house as late as posible on Thursday and made my way to Shepherd's Bush Empire to pick up my ticket for New Year, but I got it wrong as tickets can only be collected on the night, doh! So I headed to my rendevous point with Vezza Lezza/ Dorothy Brody/ Verity (delete as applicable, all are same person), where we shopped and went on to discuss the finer points of the City Lit, food overseas, alcohol and vomiting in inappropriate places (much to the pleasure of the people sitting next to us in the Greek restaurant I'm sure).
New Year's Eve. All my friends were doing exciting and cool different things. So I thought, "sod that" and went off on my own. I was going to see Saint Etienne at the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Prior to this I met with Neil and Rachel and Roland and Kat and we had tasty pub tea (potatoes) and took the piss out of the locals in an Ilford pub.
Saint Etienne was ace. They had two support bands- the Magic Numbers (the ugliest band I have ever seen, but their music was ace) and the Concretes (a slighlty odd Swedish combo who used many, many, many different instruments. Their album is very good) and then after their show they had DJs until 3. I sometimes forget how much I love Saint Etienne. They played most of their hits and some new songs, and the highlight for me was definitely "Who Do You Think You Are" with it's opening "ping" sound. I met lots of nice people, including one girl who was to be married who asked me if I would snog her friend and didn't think my being gay was an issue as it was New Year's Eve and I should make an effort. Needless to say I didn't make the effort. But I danced alot anyway...
New Year's day was a day of recovery from arriving home at 4:40 and getting in bed by about 5:30. We (Ma, Pa and me) went to Romford and had Pizza Hut tea. Mmm...
I had decided one thing I needed to buy while home was jeans, so on the 2nd January, JeanQuest began in earnest. And then stalled as I realised to my horror, that I had not only put on the half a stone where your clothes feel a bit tight but no-one else can see the difference, I had also put on the other half a stone where everyone tells you you look really well (about 8 times) and your size doesn't fit you anymore. So I left TopMan pondering a 32 waist, and wondering what it means to be square on your lower half (32 waist, 32 inside leg), and headed for Brixton to meet Lizzy and Matt and Lawrence and Oliviera for some food (Matt made 2 masterful curries- Indian and Thai) and then to a pub to see a friend of Lawrence's singing (Alice McLoughlin- she really was very good) and then to the cinema to see the House of the Flying Daggers which was a beautifully filmed nonsensical love story. Suspend that belief... And I forgot that all the tubes finish early on Sunday and nearly had to spent the whole night getting home, but fortunately caught the last train at Liverpool St.
My last day was spent feeling rough as I had started coughing in a flu like fashion in the cinema the night before. And due to the urgency of JeansQuest I had to cancel a planned trip to Essex and head to London, and back to TopMan to buy square jeans with low waist and bootcut/ flared leg with the support and assistance of a post-birthday Megan (January's a busy birthday month). A bit more wandering and some coffee and we parted ways as I headed home to prepare for a family dinner in a Harvester restaurant (have you ever been to a harvester before?) Fortunately they had renovated both the restaurant and then menu, and the food was gorgeous. I had to stop myself ordering food as I felt I was on my last meal before execution. Prawn cocktail, swordfish steak with new potatoes, breaded mushrooms, sticky date and toffee pudding with custard, uuuuhhh....... Excuse me while I wipe the drool from the keyboard...
Anyway, Tuesday 4th was spent packing and buying toiletries that it turned out wouldn't fit in my suitcase and then going to the plane and this time appearing hard-faced in front of a weeping family not because I wasn't upset, but because I was too ill to register what was going on, and too weighed down with bags to have a clue (how I got on the plane with 4 peices of hand luggage I'll never know. I looked like I was taking a week's shopping back with me...).
Having changed at Seoul, I bumped in Kathleen (the Ochiai JET - 2 towns from me) and her boyfriend Mike, and also Peter and Jen on the plane. Kathleen is lovely and offered me a lift home which I accepted, and then passed out once I arrived indoors.
I miss you England! And all you people I left behind!
I arrived in Heathrow on 22nd December to parents who were sure they wouldn't recognise me as having hair straightened is akin to having plastic surgery it seems. But the familiar sight of me purchasing an excess of Ferrero Rocher and Toblerone at the last chance Duty-Free counter jogged their memories and we made our way home via a busy pub where I carried my luggage up a flight of stairs and felt very dizzy. I was very tired having managed only 2 hours sleep the night before and therefore the rest of the evening is a blur.
The 23rd was also a bit of a blur, and I took in some familiar sights- the Doctor's (where I was informed that I had never been to Japan before this trip by a Dr I've never met before), Toni and Guy Essensuals in Covent Garden (only the best for me! Hair cut by Michael, very nice), popped in to the CityLit for about 3 hours to visit old work colleagues, 2 thirds of whom were on hols (hot damn, but thank you and hello to all who were there) and then met Jo Attwooll for tea in Food For Thought on Neal Street (v. tasty veggie restaurant). Then met Juliette at Covent Garden station and we went to the Globe pub to meet Chika-san (our Japanese teacher in England) and her Mum at the pub and some of her friends. Except we were the first there and Chika-san was the last and we didn't know any of her friends so we were confused for a long while...
The 24th didn't quite go to plan. I had to do Christmas shopping (I'd bought some bits from Japan, but not enough) and then meet people, so I dodged into Marks's in Moorgate and grabbed many nice things before being delayed by loons on either side of the cash tills. From there I went on to meet Megan and Dhanusha in Camden where they tried on lots of clothes and Dhanusha announced that she is to be wed. Yay! And proving we are similar, she tried on a dress which didn't fit, and bought it anyway because it was too nice and someone should wear it.
Kofi and Karen joined us and did pretend fighting and we went for a pub lunch which was very tasty and then we went home. Having not made it to the pub in the evening to meet Neil and Rachel and Roland and Kat due to time constraints, Ma and Pa and I headed to Midnight mass which was preceeded by a diabolical carol service. The carols themselves weren't diabolical, but the performances were. It was like Helen Keller without the vocal training. Next year I'm bringing a portable tape player and a nice Christmas CD to drown out the din.
Christmas day was lovely and quiet and my brother, his lady wife and her lady mother came to ours for dinner and tea and we all watched Peter Kay on DVD. And then on Boxing day we did pretty much the same, but at my brother's house.
On Monday the 27th I headed up North and saw some snow along the way. I was going to Manchester to see friends and babies! Yay! So I arrived and was picked up by Sara and her Mum in the middle of the city (which just gets better every time you go) and Sara and I went to see Emma who looked well. Penny, it turned out had gone to Newcastle with Robert (her baby), and I realised I'd forgotten to reply to an email somewhere... And we chatted and caught up for a while and then left and it was only in the morning I realised I'd forgotten to see Emma's baby. Still, she showed me a lovely photo...
The Tuesday was another day of plans going awry, where Charlotte picked me up from Sara's and I spent a lot of time trying to get in contact with Susan and Lyndsey with whom I was supposed to be staying. Well, we did a bit of shopping and a lot of chatting and for lunch headed to a pub in Sale where I was meeting Suzanne, my old flatmate, and her new partner Rob. And it was here that both Suzanne and I walked past each other, not recognising each other with our new barnets (perhaps my parents were right about hair changes being akin to plastic surgery). And it was also here that I heard from Susan with whom it wouldn't be possible for me to stay with due to unforeseen circumstances. Oops! So I arranged to stay with Sara again and had a nice lunch catching up with Suzanne and chatting with Rob and Charlotte. And then I headed into town for an aimless afternoon of wandering. And I did my usual looking round and saw all the new bits no-one tells you about (it is looking rather grand these days). But the day wasn't in vain as I made the acquaintance of an Argentine model called Frank we spent the afternoon chatting and then bumped into Kofi while we were in Velvet.
On the wednesday I left Sara's and Manchester and headed back to London and an evening visit to Lyn's, where we chatted and ate more good food...
I left my house as late as posible on Thursday and made my way to Shepherd's Bush Empire to pick up my ticket for New Year, but I got it wrong as tickets can only be collected on the night, doh! So I headed to my rendevous point with Vezza Lezza/ Dorothy Brody/ Verity (delete as applicable, all are same person), where we shopped and went on to discuss the finer points of the City Lit, food overseas, alcohol and vomiting in inappropriate places (much to the pleasure of the people sitting next to us in the Greek restaurant I'm sure).
New Year's Eve. All my friends were doing exciting and cool different things. So I thought, "sod that" and went off on my own. I was going to see Saint Etienne at the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Prior to this I met with Neil and Rachel and Roland and Kat and we had tasty pub tea (potatoes) and took the piss out of the locals in an Ilford pub.
Saint Etienne was ace. They had two support bands- the Magic Numbers (the ugliest band I have ever seen, but their music was ace) and the Concretes (a slighlty odd Swedish combo who used many, many, many different instruments. Their album is very good) and then after their show they had DJs until 3. I sometimes forget how much I love Saint Etienne. They played most of their hits and some new songs, and the highlight for me was definitely "Who Do You Think You Are" with it's opening "ping" sound. I met lots of nice people, including one girl who was to be married who asked me if I would snog her friend and didn't think my being gay was an issue as it was New Year's Eve and I should make an effort. Needless to say I didn't make the effort. But I danced alot anyway...
New Year's day was a day of recovery from arriving home at 4:40 and getting in bed by about 5:30. We (Ma, Pa and me) went to Romford and had Pizza Hut tea. Mmm...
I had decided one thing I needed to buy while home was jeans, so on the 2nd January, JeanQuest began in earnest. And then stalled as I realised to my horror, that I had not only put on the half a stone where your clothes feel a bit tight but no-one else can see the difference, I had also put on the other half a stone where everyone tells you you look really well (about 8 times) and your size doesn't fit you anymore. So I left TopMan pondering a 32 waist, and wondering what it means to be square on your lower half (32 waist, 32 inside leg), and headed for Brixton to meet Lizzy and Matt and Lawrence and Oliviera for some food (Matt made 2 masterful curries- Indian and Thai) and then to a pub to see a friend of Lawrence's singing (Alice McLoughlin- she really was very good) and then to the cinema to see the House of the Flying Daggers which was a beautifully filmed nonsensical love story. Suspend that belief... And I forgot that all the tubes finish early on Sunday and nearly had to spent the whole night getting home, but fortunately caught the last train at Liverpool St.
My last day was spent feeling rough as I had started coughing in a flu like fashion in the cinema the night before. And due to the urgency of JeansQuest I had to cancel a planned trip to Essex and head to London, and back to TopMan to buy square jeans with low waist and bootcut/ flared leg with the support and assistance of a post-birthday Megan (January's a busy birthday month). A bit more wandering and some coffee and we parted ways as I headed home to prepare for a family dinner in a Harvester restaurant (have you ever been to a harvester before?) Fortunately they had renovated both the restaurant and then menu, and the food was gorgeous. I had to stop myself ordering food as I felt I was on my last meal before execution. Prawn cocktail, swordfish steak with new potatoes, breaded mushrooms, sticky date and toffee pudding with custard, uuuuhhh....... Excuse me while I wipe the drool from the keyboard...
Anyway, Tuesday 4th was spent packing and buying toiletries that it turned out wouldn't fit in my suitcase and then going to the plane and this time appearing hard-faced in front of a weeping family not because I wasn't upset, but because I was too ill to register what was going on, and too weighed down with bags to have a clue (how I got on the plane with 4 peices of hand luggage I'll never know. I looked like I was taking a week's shopping back with me...).
Having changed at Seoul, I bumped in Kathleen (the Ochiai JET - 2 towns from me) and her boyfriend Mike, and also Peter and Jen on the plane. Kathleen is lovely and offered me a lift home which I accepted, and then passed out once I arrived indoors.
I miss you England! And all you people I left behind!
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