Shopping in the UK

There's a coat at Banana Republic that I really want to buy.  But the store is out of the way and it would mean adding an extra hour to the journey, which ordinarily wouldn't be problematic, but it's snowing outside.  In late March.  Argh.

Image courtesy of The Telegraph

So I called the store three times today, requesting that though I don't have a product number, that someone go and check to see if they have the coat in stock.  I was told no twice.  Flat out, "No.  We cannot do that.  Ever."  What?!  What is wrong with the customer service in this place?  No wonder people from England frequent Disney World so often.  

Finally I talked to a French man and just begged that he check for me.  He didn't understand me at first, but I think he's on his way now to check it out.  He told me he'd call me back.  

I know, I sound so hard done by, but it makes online shopping so much more appealing.  Back home (I know I shouldn't compare), people would be more than happy to just stop what they're doing to help some lady on the phone.  We've all worked in retail, we've all helped someone...never have I said to anyone, "No.  We cannot do that.  Ever." 

Let's see if he actually calls back...
 

 

In Love

“Of everything I have seen,

it’s you I want to go on seeing:

of everything I’ve touched,

it’s your flesh I want to go on touching.

I love your orange laughter.

I am moved by the sight of you sleeping.

What am I to do, love, loved one?

I don’t know how others love

or how people loved in the past.

I live, watching you, loving you.

Being in love is my nature.”

Pablo Neruda

Quote courtesy of Bippity Boppity Boo

the writer

I wondered why it was that I wasn't writing anymore.  I wondered what had turned off and why I wasn't turning to it for repose, for an outlet, for relief.

Then I re-read one of the THIRTY emails I sent today about poorly behaved children.  Oh...so THAT'S what I've been writing.

The amount of time spent on the naughty children is completely repugnant.  Why do they deserve this?  Why is it 8:30 at night and I'm taking the time to intricately describe how a child called me an idiot today?  Why am I justifying this?  

I'm so frustrated I just break out into tears over and over again, just as I did all day today.  I'm absolutely exhausted and completely, utterly tired of being treated like sh*t.

 

Great news!!

Image courtesy of KikinitinKorea

Big news: 

Steven passed his exam!  

(Of course he did!)  

We're sort of thrilled around these parts, as the dancing dinosaur might have implied. All those weeks, nights, early mornings spent studying all paid off. 

Well done, darling xxx

When the bed is calling...

You know when all you want to do is cozy up in a place like this...

...with a great guy and about ten pillows?  And because life is sometimes the way it is--bills need to be paid, trips to Canada need to be funded-- and we're forced to do the dreaded tasks that take up so much precious time...

...and you need to keep reminding yourself that you're Super Duper just to get through it before ten pm...

...but you feel less and less like a star and more and more like a...well, not a shining star, let's put it that way.

  

I've been feeling quite disconnected to certain things lately: writing; sharing what's going on in my life; my friends...the list goes on and on.  Kat remarked the other night (when she slept over mid-week!  How fun was that?!) that my blog was dangerously underutilized as of late (though I think the dramatization of that statement was of my own volition), so I'm making a concerted effort to post the things that need to be posted; to take the time, MAKE the time to write; to get a bit more sleep.  The work will always be there; will always turn from one unmarked assignment into a pile 45-deep within a short, few-hours span; will constantly need my attention.  It's okay to just turn it off for a bit.  What a great realization.

My mom asked me, "What story do you want to tell about this time?  Do you want it to be of anxiety, of feeling frantic, of being stressed out?  

Or do you want it to be a tale of how you organized really well, planned every day as well as you could, and breezed through it with minimal effort?" 

Since I want my story to be a positive one (and because Steven told me on the ride home today that I whinge and moan a LOT lately), I'm doing my best to turn it all around.  

In the interim, the piles of books still need to be marked, but hey, there's time for that.  And the old backpack is getting quite the workout as of late...but that is what it was built for, right?  It's time to buck up.

On an only-slightly-related note, I was gifted and carded this weekend, thanks to Steven and Calum, as they congratulated me on a little stepping stone that I'll share just as soon as I can.  

Gifts are such a delightful thing to get, aren't they? And a Jamie Oliver cookbook that I don't yet have?  Yes, please! 

 

 In preparation for the four-day week ahead, I'm armed with some candy as gifts 

in the hopes that it will sweeten the kiddies up a little bit!

But for me, ever the Vitamin C lover, here are some goodies I'm putting into my bloodstream to help me get over the cold I've had for literally five weeks.  It's time to shake this. 

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. 

 

A Needed Response

Here's an awesome, short video about how we really should be treating one another: men, women, who cares.  Thanks to Dani Samps for posting.

 

Rhye - Open

Again, I can't post the video.  Am I doing something wrong?

Here's the link so you can listen.

Rhye - "The Fall" (Official Music Video)

I'm not sure why You Tube isn't letting me blog the video so you can just click on the link, but I'll attach it so you can hear it.  LOVE this band.

Flying to the Great White North

Image courtesy of History of Flight

Well, the flights are booked.  Steven and I are going to Canada in the summer.  We leave London on July 30 and return on August 12.  Sort of a big step, non?  We're pretty excited.

Mila Kunis: bridging the gap between us and them

Big Cha-cha-changes

Image courtesy of Bippity Boppity Boo

 It's been an extremely hectic couple of days.  Between parent meetings, preparations for lesson observations, doing my own lesson observations, and marking books (bane of my existence), it's been a whirlwind of work-related mayhem.

This week will be no different: Steven's writing a HUGE exam on Tuesday, while I'm out interviewing for a new job!  It's a big change, but I want to see what else is out there...outside of Dartford.  Naturally, I'm unsure as to whether this is a public share or not, but I figure if you're reading this, you like me, so I think I'm safe.

There have been a lot of changes at home as well and as a result, I've culled my Facebook "friends" list.  If I can't share information on Facebook, fearing that I'll get phony responses from people I hardly know, I think it's time to re-evaluate who I'm calling a "friend".  

Anyway, enough of my sourpuss ways.  I'm heading to bed because it's gone ten and I've just about had enough.  I hope your weekend was swell.

xx