Six Months

I can't believe it's already been six months since I started dating my favorite Aussie. To be fair, the last two months of that have been spent on opposite sides of the world, but still. Tempus fugit! (I still also can't believe I'm dating an Australian. Go figure!)

He sent me red roses. He's just the sweetest! I'm such a crappy girlfriend in comparison. I never do anything thoughtful for him but he's always spoiling me. I'm one lucky girl.

Isn't he so handsome?!!

Thanks for making me feel like a queen, Handsome. These past six months have been better than I ever dreamed, and I'm looking forward to at least another good six months ;-)

Debt

I was reading Marie Claire at the library yesterday, and there was an article giving suggestions for how women should take control of their finances. One of the financial advisers said that, in this economy, going back to school for another degree is not worth the money (so true), and you should pursue adult education and training courses instead. Of course, this got me thinking. Especially because my student loan online account was telling me that I needed to pay nearly $800 today (and every month).

I was complaining the other day about how one year of my life cost me $70,000. A year that I'll probably be paying off for at least the next 30. The article made me think I'd made a huge mistake leaving my good job and getting my master's degree. I went into $70,000 debt in order to be LESS employable than I was four years ago. $70,000 debt in order to reach my 30th birthday with no career, no job even, no savings, no retirement fund, nothing.

But that's not really what I went into $70,000 debt for. I went into debt so that I could live in the UK for three and a half years. I basically spent $70,000 for two visas. I did it so that I could see Izzi again. So that I could meet several people who now fit into the category "some of my favorite people in the whole entire world." So that I could see more of the world: Ireland, The Netherlands, Sweden, France, and Uganda. I went on safari with that money! I went to Paris twice! I had my breath taken away by the Dorset coast, the beaches of Cornwall, and the mists of Glen Coe. I've lost count of the number of times I've relaxed in the most charming farmhouse in Sussex. I drank Snowballs with the Coleys. And, to add a grated cheese topping to this cheese pie, I met my handsome man. My next adventure will happen (hopefully; knock on wood) because I took on that debt. I just need to periodically remind myself what I really intended that money for, and what I got out of it.

And at some point, but happily not today, I need to figure out how to pay it back.

Australia fun facts

There are more sheep in Australia than people.

Australia has mammals that lay eggs, which of course challenges the definition of "mammal" that we all learned in elementary school. They're called "monotremes," and they include platypuses.

Australia pioneered a manufacturing process for polymer banknotes. Australian bills are plastic, which means they're less susceptible to wear and counterfeiting.

Snapshots of Home: Part 1

I see this as a series of photos describing home, in its American-ness, or its Seattle-ness, or its Peterson-ness.

First, a scene that I normally wouldn't consider odd, if I hadn't spent three years in the UK, where you just don't see things like this. This is American-ness:



Second, some Nakelski-ness. This is my new best friend. He likes to hang out in the corner of Amy and Diana's living room, within sight of the TV:


And now for quite a bit of Peterson-ness. After a healthy day of sport (skeeball) at the Family Fun Center, we spent our winnings on candy and toys. What's better than an inflatable sword? An inflatable SNAKE sword! And what's better than an inflatable snake sword? THREE inflatable snake swords in varying colors!!



The Pi(e) Party with a disconcertingly high baby to pie ratio:


And me showing off my cute dress at Jillian's birthday party.

Fun with time zones

If you ever want to turn your brain into a bowl of spaghetti, try figuring out why the time zones in Australia are the way they are. And then try to figure out the difference between Adelaide and Seattle with and without daylight savings. Oh, don't forget that Seattle's daylight savings change is three weeks before Adelaide's. Also, don't forget that spring is occurring in Seattle when fall is starting in Adelaide, so you have to spring forward in Seattle three weeks before you fall back in Adelaide. Isn't that FUN?!?!???

Why are Queensland (yellow) and NSW (blue) an hour apart? And why is SA (green) further in the future than Queensland, if the sun hits Queensland before it hits SA?

All this because I want to know what time to arrive at Starbucks tomorrow for a Skype date with my handsome man, who will arrive "around the same time as last week." Last week, before daylight savings started. Ouch.

Don't even ask me what time it is in London right now, because my head might explode. Leaving bits of my heart on different continents, and now different hemispheres, is starting to get confusing.

It's a rainy day in London town

Thanks, R! You are definitely a better blog-reading friend than I am. I need to catch up on yours! :-s

I did manage to ditch even more of my stuff last week, but it didn't make moving my luggage across London this morning any easier. Ugh! I was getting seriously frustrated going down the sidewalk, cussing in my head and everything. I just wanted my man to come rescue me, but then I had to stop and give myself a talking-to and be like, "Look, no one is going to come help you. This is your own fault. Just suck it up and get to your destination." I've been stressing for the past few days about where to store my suitcases, because I didn't want to burden anyone with them long-term, but I also didn't want to drag them far south to James, then far east to Aparna's, then south again to Izzi and Tim. I was stressing out loud a bit to Holly, and thank the good Lord in heaven she offered to store my suitcases in her office! That means I don't have to move them from house to house each time I change friends' flats; they're on the Piccadilly line so I only have to struggle a tiny bit to get to Heathrow; and I still have a visitor card for the building, so I can pick them up at any time. Phew! So much less hassle!

So yes, Australia. I don't want to be apart from Hugh and I don't see the point in a long-distance relationship. I'm also not keen on settling in Seattle yet (if ever?) I'm officially over the UK, and I'm looking for the next big adventure. So it just makes sense. To me, anyway. Oh, and the weather. I'm tired of rain. Yeah, that's right. I just said that. I'm done with gray skies. But we'll see. It's all contingent on visas and money.

Exciting Friday night ahead of me

Yay, someone still reads my blog even though I haven't posted in months! (Thanks, Joderita)

Today's mission: repack all my belongings, chucking out 10% of what remains.

I moved out of my flat last Sunday and got rid of several garbage bags full of stuff. All my belongings are more or less packed up and either ready to go, or already shipped home. But there's still too much. And somehow, my pile of personal effects has grown since Sunday. I have two large suitcases, a fairly large (and full) carry-on bag, a lap-top bag, a large handbag, and two mostly full reusable shopping bags. I don't particularly relish the thought of carting all of that (or even half of it) around London tomorrow, so tonight will be spent jeujeing and culling everything. Must be ruthless.

Brand New Day

For some reason, I'm feeling a million times better today. Actually, I felt better yesterday after chatting to Hugh on Facebook. Also, I finally submitted all my work for this project I've been working on, and I think I slept better last night as a result. I'm still sleepy, but everything is manageable today.



Corrado, Kasia, and I watched The Hangover Part II last night, and now I have "Time In A Bottle" stuck in my head.



Question of the day: is it creepy to wear my boyfriend's clothes when he's on the other side of the world? It's only his t-shirts. They smell nice...

I'm so ronery

Hugh left on Monday and I am not coping well. I mean, I'm not a wreck, but I didn't expect it to be this hard. I'm being totally pathetic. A poster for the new Muppets film had me choking back tears this morning. An article from Singapore set me off at work ("Hugh's in Singapore airport right now...OH LORD, MY ACHING HEART!")

I know a big part of the problem is that I've been stressed out and haven't been sleeping well for a few weeks now, so I'm sleep-deprived (not to mention it's PMS time). I know that's affecting my coping abilities, but I can't change that anyway.

There are moments where I feel like this is a very grown-up experience, and it's helping me mature. And then there are other moments where I feel more like a thirteen-year-old girl who's first boyfriend has been sent away to summer camp, and she mopes around like her life is over. I'm being dumb. I'm going to move over there in three or four months, and it'll feel like no time has passed at all. In the meantime, it'll get easier, right? Tomorrow will be easier than today.

I'm spending a couple days with Corrado and Kasia, which is good because Corrado is one of my favorite people in the world, and it cheers me up being around them. But I have to say goodbye to them, too, and I feel like I've been missing Hugh too much to really enjoy my last moments with Corrado and Kasia. Sigh.

I know I should be happy, because in less than a week I'll see all my favorite Londoners, and then in two weeks, I'll be HOME!! and will be with my sisters and my family for the first time in too long. I'm really looking forward to soaking them up and basking in their glory for a while.

So yes. I'll be fine, and soon. But until then, I'll just be ronery...yeah, a rittle ronery.

On my mind

Things currently on my mind:

Ivar's fish and chips
Dick's cheeseburgers and fries
Costco kosher hot dogs
Taco Time deep-fried, skinny beef burrito
Palomino waffle chips with melted gorgonzola

Hm, perhaps I should grab some lunch.