Wow, I can’t believe it’s been almost a year since my last update… this is what work does to you. Time shrinks down and you don’t even realise how fast it all goes.
Since I last wrote, I’ve settled (if you call it that) into London life. I started up a little company which enables me to be an independent contractor. This has (coincidentally enough) landed me at Microsoft working on deploying MSN sites worldwide. Pretty cool – finally an international role at work! This has taken me to Mexico City, Sao Paolo, Paris, and Moscow.
Other than that, I had a last-minute solo trip to Oktoberfest where I met a group of crazy Irishmen (what is it with me and bumping into crazy irishmen everywhere?), stumbled through Amsterdam, was the only straight girl in gay bars in Lisbon, spent Christmas in Washington D.C., New Years ’07 in New York, tried to Kite Surf in Tunisia (but unfortunately there was no wind)… among other wee adventures. It’s been a very busy 10 months!
It was a bit rough getting back into ‘normal work mode’ at first. However, in the end it began to consume me as it had in the past. Luckily, contracting helps me take a step back and imagine another break as a very realistic possibility. I have also been getting all kinds of entrepreneurial ideas popping in my head. It’s been pretty exciting, if not a mental whirlwind! Now I just need to focus and put some ideas to motion.
London has been a great place to rest (ha, maybe that’s not the right word… try “stay put”) and regroup. It’s a very diverse and vibrant city, and it’s forcing me to explore a different part of life. I’ve never lived in such a big city. I really miss the mountains and scenery of Seattle and the chilled-out attitude, but London provides in other areas that Seattle certainly does not. The music scene here is always going (and coming from a Seattlite that is a true compliment), the theatre is unbelievable, festivals, galleries, nightlife – there’s always something to do! I have been to more gigs in the past 8 months than in my all my life combined. Glastonbury, an incredibly muddy music festival, was the biggest event for sure. There were about 300,000 people schlepping around, unable to sit anywhere, and listening to wicked music. Someone told me once that living in London is like being in a giant festival, all the time. That’s the most accurate description I’ve heard. There is a real energy here.
Yes, London is expensive – but once you get over the sticker shock, or better yet earn in pounds, it’s not so bad. I think the “expensive” stereotype is a bit exaggerated, as well. It’s not so bad once you know where to go. There are also a surprising number of free and low-cost jewels hiding in its streets – and discovering them is free entertainment in itself. So it’s been a wonderful exercise in culture exploration, and just living in Europe is always fantastic. I’ve been seriously considering getting another motorcycle and doing a trip through Eastern Europe to Croatia and Italy – stay tuned for next summer!
Another major highlight in the year was a visit from my parents. It was GREAT to see them. We visited Amsterdam (I know, I know), the Lakes District, and walked all over London. My mother has just announced her plans to retire, so hopefully soon they will be able to come visit me, wherever I am, much more often. Yay! My parents hilariously fell in love with Pimms, a typical summer English drink, and they particularly loved the Camden Markets. We had a fab time together.
So yeah, that’s the nutshell update of the past 10 months. The feet are beginning to itch again. Stay tuned. ;)
