Packing, Packing, Packing

Packing, packing, packing, packing!!!

That was my exciting 3-day weekend. On the upside, nearly everything is now in boxes and ready to go, but on the downside it did not make for a hugely exciting holiday weekend. I've discovered however that I have a nasty habit of writing down phone numbers on little bits of paper without identifying whose number it is, or why I should call them. I swear, I've found at least 40 of these. I wonder who I was supposed to call?

I also could potentially run off to almost any country and find spare change from that country... It's just in my drawers and at the bottom of all my boxes... Who knew I had so much (useless) money everywhere?

All that remains is the stuff hanging in my closet, and I figure i might just keep that on the hangars, and trot it down the block and just hang it right up again.

Lansdowne Moveable Feast

When I woke up in the morning, I felt distinctly unhappy. Somewhat of a surprise, because I'd felt reasonably okay when going to bed, but I guess I'd had more to drink the night before than I'd realised.

It was particularly unfortunate that I was feeling so wrecked, because today I was supposed to go into the office so I could meet some work colleagues and catch up with my friend Sara for lunch. So although I would have much preferred to work from home and take things easy, I had to drag myself up and out.

I didn't manage to do so in a very timely manner however, and it was 11 AM by the time I made it to the office, and there were no spare desks to be found ANYWHERE. So I sat in the cafeteria for a while, which was okay until that became crowded with the lunchtime crowd, and I was joined by a young woman who attacked her food with hideous manners, acting as though she hadn't eaten in months. Very off-putting, but I was soon rescued by the work colleague I was supposed to meet.

We walked down to Canon Street together, where I met Sara for a very nice lunch. Afterwards, I was in no mood to return to the over-crowded office, so went to our secondary office, where I was able to finish out the afternoon working at a real desk, like a normal person.

After work, I dashed to the Lansdowne Club, where there was an "Under-35's Moveable Feast" happening that evening. The idea is that after every course, the men move several places clockwise around the table, and so you get to chat with multiple people throughout the course of the evening.

Given that Obama's been in London these past few days (and a bit confused about what year it is), as soon as we sat down for the first course, the chap to my left asked me what I thought of Obama. Diving into politics straight away? Okay.... Basically I told him that I think Barack Obama is my new bicycle.

To which he replied, "It's such a shame, as I really think Sarah Palin would make a great president. I really hope she runs in 2012."

Now of course, you have to wonder at such events, are people just trying to mess with you? Was this guy trying to be as outrageous as possible, just to get a rise out of me? So trying to stay calm, I questioned him further, and found out throughout the course of the evening that Obama was an evil lying back-stabbing jerk, that the Democratic party was going to be responsible for the downfall of America, that if Palin didn't run, Michelle Bachman was really the only person who could save America, and that that the Dali Llama was a two-faced liar who secretly ran prostitution rings. (No seriously, that last statement just sort of had me agog, as I couldn't even think of how to respond. I mean, I'd brought up the Dali Llama in an effort to tone down the conversation, because doesn't EVERYBODY like the Dali Llama?)

Anyway, I survived the entire first course without throwing my soup on this guy (gaspacho, it would have been delightfully cold and left red stains everywhere), or attacking him with my dinner fork (although I obviously fantasized about it), he moved on. Thank goodness for this rotational format, eh?

My next dining companion turned out to be only 19-years old, but at least he didn't spend the whole time insulting Obama. Then, for the final course, I ended up in-between Super Social Scottish Guy and a South African Who Drinks Too Much. So no new conversation there, although it was ever-so-slightly awkward when Super Social Scottish Guy kept saying, "If we don't have partners at the end of this year, we should totally get together" and other similar comments. I know the guy has a crush on me, but as nice as he is, I just don't think of him that way. I know looks aren't everything, but you should be able to imagine getting naked with someone without a shudder of distaste, right? And it's just awkward how he likes me, but just dances around it without ever just going for it or not. But I guess some men find girls to be tricky creatures...

When I finally left the table, I checked my phone and noticed I had a missed call. It was the Young Dutchman! Much more eager to talk to him than anybody who was actually present that evening, I went and called him back. We had a good chat for 20 minutes or so, which was much better than any conversation I'd had with any other boy so far that evening.

When I finally finished up the conversation and returned to the group, my friend Stephanie commented to me that she thinks the two of us will get together eventually, although I doubt it. He's just too young, and our lives aren't in the same place. But how telling that I'd rather talk to him than the actual company present that evening.

Finally, bored and still quite tired from my lack of sleep the night before, I decided to head home. Which set off the most extraordinary chain of events.

10:23 pm - Trying to get away from the crazy Palin supporter, I decided to leave a bit early.
10:24 pm - Because there was a crazy homeless man shouting at people on my usual route back to the train station, I took a slightly longer way around.
10:31 pm - In the station, I dithered for a moment. Picadilly Line or Jubilee Line? It was a bit of a chilly evening, so decided to go for Jubilee Line, since that would keep me underground when changing trains
10:37 pm - Changing trains at Bond Street, I decide to stand on the first set of escalators, because my shoe is rubbing me and I want to fix it
10:38 pm - About to step onto the second set of escalators going up, I look over, and there is an old friend I haven't seen in months coming down. At that exact moment. In that precise spot. And he sees me and I see him, and he exclaims, "This is like something from sliding doors!"

This guy is from my college at Cambridge, although several years older than I am. I met him through a Magdalene in the City event, the full story of which I first recounted here.

And this is what I love about being me: Instead of just exchanging a polite nod or wave or even a few words, this guy was so excited to see me that he said, "C'mon, let's go grab a pint!"

So we exited Bond Street station, and after searching for a little bit, found a pub that was still open and playing crazy Irish music. He bought me a London Pride while he had a pint of Guinness, and so we sat together talking about life (mostly his new 1-month old son and how he wanted to change jobs), and remarked at how even one or two seconds in the opposite direction, and we would have missed each other.

We talked a lot about his career and what he wanted to do with his life, and I'd like to think that some of the advice I gave resonated. (He actually got out a scrap of paper and started taking notes). And I wonder if perhaps he embarks on a new career path as a result of our conversation, we can put it all down to the mysterious split-second timing of fate...

May YM's Drinks

After working from home, I dashed out a bit early, to make it to the O&C for this month's Younger Members drinks. Quite a few people had responded on Facebook, and I was looking forward to seeing everyone.

When I arrived, it was only just 6 PM, but I went upstairs and was not disappointed to find the Wild Welshman upstairs on the terrace. I love how he's always around when I want to see him...

Spent some time chatting to him and another girl who was there, and before long he went downstairs to get drinks for all of us, just because he's good like that. Even as we chatted and more people arrived, he always made sure my drink was topped up, such the gentleman that he is.

More and more people kept arriving, and unfortunately I got a bit separated from him, but it's funny how I don't even need to chat to him but can sense him from elsewhere in the room. The few times I looked over at him, he caught my instantly, making me smile to know that he was keeping an eye on me too.

After a while it got really chilly up on the terrace, so we retreated down to the bar, and continued chatting there for a while. Enjoyed chatting with the Irishman and catching up on the news of old mutual friends. Although I did think to myself that I was supposed to head to drinks at the RAC as well, but the hour was growing later and later. Hence, it was a relief when the Wild Welshman stood up and declared at 10 PM that he was heading to the RAC, so I had the perfect excuse to come with him.

As we headed out the door, it happened so naturally without me even thinking about it, the Wild Welshman offered me his arm, I slipped my hand in, and we ended up chatting and walking closely together to the RAC, huddled in together against the chill of the night air. It was really rather sweet.

When we arrived at the RAC, I was enthusiastically greeted by Siobhan and the Young Dutchman, and before I knew it I was pulled away from the Wild Welshman in conversation. Oh well, I knew I was sure to find him again before too long...

So I got swept up into the swirl of conversation, continually running into friends I knew, and just circulating around the room. Every so often, as I predicted, I would find myself with the Wild Welshman again, but it was just the nature of things that I would see someone else I knew, and be dragged off again. But we always seemed to find our way back to each other throughout the evening.

If it wasn't the Wild Welshman, it was the Young Dutchman, of course. As usual, he would slip an arm around me and pull me in for a chat, as I always seemed to need to be available to validate some point in the conversation. I have to admit, I do enjoy chatting to him so much...

Finally as the hour grew late, I realised that so many boys had been buying me drinks (I seriously hadn't spent any money this entire evening), that I'd really had far too much drink. Definitely time to get some water, but they were actually closing the bar at this point. Yet I spotted the Young Dutchman drinking a glass of clear liquid, so I stuck my hand out in a questioning gesture. Being that it's the Young Dutchman, he of course immediately gave it to me, gave me a pat on the back, and walked off to talk to someone else. Yet I was quite disappointed to realise once I sipped it that it was a G&T! I suppose the Young Dutchman was a bit surprised as well when I cried out in protest, as how many people would be sad to find they'd been given a G&T!

The tonic was refreshing however, so I continued to sip it lightly while I chatted with the Wild Welshman. The Young Dutchman would come back every so often for his drink, but I like that he will just hand me his drinks without question...

At this point, the birthday boy and much of the crowd was making a move to go to Mahiki, but I already knew I'd had too much to drink, the last thing I needed to do was go to Mahiki and have more to drink. Yet I didn't want to announce that right then, so I agreed to slip out with everyone, and with Siobhan we'd decided that we would head for the night buses once we got outside. Everyone was so tipsy at this point that I doubt they'd notice us slipping away.

As per usual when leaving, it was like herding cats, and the crowd was all over the place at the exit. I did try to go say good-bye to the Wild Welshman, but he was distracted by a group trying to figure out who to put into cabs, and I couldn't catch his attention. Oh well, I'm sure to see him again later at some point. So I went and found Siobhan, and we grabbed another girl, FF, on our trek to the night buses.

As we dashed off (not noticed by the rest of the crowd heading to Mahiki), Siobhan suddenly says completely out of nowhere, "You know that guy you were talking to?" (The Wild Welshman, we confirm). "Either he's desperately in love with you or he's gay." This totally takes me by surprise, because Siobhan has never met the Wild Welshman before, and had just been observing the two of us interacting all evening. And here she says exactly what's been on my mind without any prompting at all. Which makes me glad that others can see it (the same way that she saw what was going on with the guy at the wine and opera evening), but what's up with that? Maybe IS the Wild Welshman gay? I can't really rule that out as a possibility, because otherwise, this level of reticence doesn't make sense.

And I just don't know what to think about it, because on the one hand, we get along so brilliantly, if it were an arranged thing, I can't imagine anyone being more suitable for me. He makes me laugh, he really has a very sharp intellect, and he's not bad-looking either. Except, how to deal with a guy who just won't ask you out?

How much easier is it with a boy like the Young Dutchman, who I like and he likes me, even if for other reasons it doesn't work. But it's just so much easier, you know? We talk every day, and I never worry about how he feels about me, because I know him in return. I wish I could just have that sort of easy relationship with a REAL boyfriend!

When I made it home, I texted the Young Dutchman to let him know I was home safely, as he gets quite upset with me when I don't. (I think it's rather sweet how he watches out for me, so I am quite careful to always write after how angry he got with me the one time that I didn't!). So after I sent him a text and he wrote back immediately to thank me for letting him know I was home, I thought why not write the same to the Wild Welshman? After all, although I've put a firm ban on late-night drunken texting, there's no harm in letting someone know you're home safely, right?

Except that he didn't write back immediately after I texted him, leaving me feeling like an idiot, once again. Need to just NEVER text boys after midnight!

Update: He did write back late the next day at 5 PM, saying, "Hi, don't think I was in any fit state to reply to your text last night! Hope you had fun - I did! (But then got too drunk to properly remember!) What a hangover!"

Okay, so nice to finally get a reply, and I can't blame him for the hangover, since I had one too. But still leaves me none the wiser about how he likes me... Girl he really likes that way, or just female best friend? I'm afraid I haven't a clue...

Cookie's Engagement Party

It took me an hour to make it down to Clapham South, but eventually I did make it to my friend Cookie's place, where we were all gathering to celebrate her engagement to her boyfriend (now fiancee)!

I arrived at the place, and joined everyone crowded in the kitchen, chatting and making conversation. It was a real case of "his friends" and "her friends", as we struggled to cross the divide between the two sides. I had an okay time talking to folks I knew from our running club, but by 9:30 I was thinking about making a move, and perhaps actually making it to a second party that I was supposed to go to that evening.

So I suppose that it was excellent timing that, just as I was thinking about leaving, that the one guy I'd noticed in the entire place who seemed rather cute (i.e. not wearing a worn-out t-shirt over jeans with holes in them) decided to use the opportunity to introduce himself. Turns out, he was rather nice, charming, and had a brother who was married to an American girl in New York.

I had a nice time chatting with him, and luckily he stayed with me even as other people moved in and out of our conversational circle, just always talking to me. At one point he even had to leave as people were calling to him out in the hallway, but then zoomed right back in on me when he returned to the kitchen.

The next morning I got a text from Princess saying, "Did I detect some chemistry last night? :)" Damn that man! Who knew he was so observant?

Still, I think I may have played it about right, as I can still always ask Cookie about him later without over-committing myself. Because I do remember her telling me about one of her flatmates bringing home a girl who had overly-loud sex, and I do wonder about a guy who told me he didn't have £300 extra to spend on tickets for the Olympics, and who can only afford to live in a share house in the middle of nowhere. (Okay, so perhaps he's actually excessively thrifty like me, but even I manage to live more in Central London...)

We'll just have to see what happens next.

Cambridge 10 Event

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Nobody really seemed to be acknowledging the Mexican holiday that Americans have co-opted, but this evening was a drinks reception at the club, doing the classic "talk to potential new members" thing.

When I finished my last call, even though it was still only 5 PM, I dashed out, because I had been working from home and I didn't want to be there when my flatmate got home. Yes, I am a total wimp who has been avoiding my flatmate.

I got to the club, and just as I was coming around a corner I almost ran smack into the Wild Welshman. What luck! I love how I can just show up and he always seems to find me... So we went up to the terrace, and just hung out for about an hour, chatting about our holidays and catching up. We ended up being totally late for the event we were supposed to go to, as we were just enjoying being out there in the sunshine. And I can't help but hope that he was enjoying my company too much for it to want to end.

At last however, we went inside, where I found myself doing the usual cocktail party banter thing. Kept the champagne going, talked to people, and even did an obligitory tour of the club. Still, I have to be honest, I was pretty bored with it all, and took the opportunity to go talk to friends. The Irishman was there, and absolutely exhausted (he's been working so hard at his job he's been sleeping about 3 hours a night), and so I just let him rant for a bit about his job. Hopefully it will all be over soon, but I don't think the bace he's working at is at all sustainable.

I also chatted a bit to TK, a friend of the Wild Welshman, who spent all evening chatting to just one particular girl. And it was funny, because the girl TK was chatting to didn't seem particularly gorgeous (in fact her dress was very ill-advised, as it clung in all of the wrong spots), but it really gave me hope, as TK seemed absolutely besotted with her. I guess you never know what is going to attract some people.

Finally the free champagne dried up, so we all retired to the bar at the end of the event. The Wild Welshman got me a drink, and we had a huge circle of us all sitting around the table. At one point, I spied a chap I'm friends with through Inter-Club (but who is not an O&C member), and so, probably fortified by the effects of too much wine, went over and sat with him and his friend (who was an O&C member). Talked to them for quite a bit, and got them excited about coming to the Rotational Dinner in June.

Then, after quite a bit of wine (I blame the Wild Welshman for this, as he kept buying me drinks!) I heard a familiar voice behind me, saying, "That's got to be her, I'd know her voice anywhere." Indeed I recognized the same voice in return, and was delighted to be greeted by my friend Sophie! Soph lives in Germany, but uses the O&C as her home base in London when she's here on business. She hadn't told me she would be in town, so it was a delightful coincidence that we just happened to run into each other in the bar. We chatted about this and that, and when I realised that both she and her fiancee were in London for the weekend, urged them to come to a BBQ happening on Saturday with plenty of Magdalene people. How fortuitous that we'd run into each other, as now I'd sorted her weekend plans!

The random run-ins for the evening weren't quite over yet however, as I was standing and chatting with Soph, when I suddenly heard another voice behind me exclaiming, "It IS you!!" OMG, it's the boy from last March who never called me! Admittedly, it had been so long since I'd met him, that although I remembered his name began with an A, I totally got it wrong. "Adam?" "That's my friend, who I'm here with. I'm Andy." Right. Andy. Of course. He didn't seem too put off by my inability to remember his name however, immediately wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me in close to him, obviously being quite touchy-feely due to the combination of wine he'd had with his friend that evening and the surprise of seeing me.

Surprised by this unexpected run-in, I listened to his tale of how he'd lost my card, found it, lost it again, then found it and figured it was too late to call me. I didn't believe any of it, but was so touched by his animated storytelling, that I told him now that he'd seen me again, he should call me. I even offered to give him another copy of my card so that he'd have my number again for sure. But he insisted that he had my card now, and he'd call me on Saturday at the latest (we negotiated this, since he was going to be in surgery the next day).

And can you guess what happened? Kind of makes me wonder what the point of the second time around was...