The Woman in Black

Good afternoon class.

Yesterday was work day. Yet as you recall my sister was here and loves waking up early to do things. So we went to the Sherlock Holmes museum (again). As you might also recall, last time I was there I was so enthralled with the fact that you were allowed to touch things that this time I went a little crazy and saying things like 'touch ALL the things!' while rummaging through Dr. Watson's medical supply bag. Obviously this alerted a worker dressed as maid who politely yet harshly told me that I should remember that I am in a museum. Ouch.

Work was boring. I still don't have a place to work really so I'm constantly being told to move from conference room to inner office to chair next to the outlet. It's exhausting but I don't actually do anything so I understand. I like working in the private conference room though so no one can see me doodle Minnie Mouse on my arm while pretending to research nature reserves.

Last night Shira and I went to see a play called The Woman in Black (I know, I don't see enough plays). It's being made into a movie with Daniel Radcliff and was titled the scariest play in the West End. I had never been to a horror themed play and I was thinking 'psh, how can a PLAY be scary?'. Uh, I can tell you how it can be scary...but I don't want to ruin it. But I think they did an AMAZING job. The only thing that was annoying were the entire 8th grade class field trip sitting behind us who were talking and screaming when it wasn't a scary part. I'm sure I was never that annoying in 8th grade. I'm still excited for the movie though, it looks crazy plus D-Rad. So how can that be bad? He doesn't even have his annoying magic to save him this time.

This morning Shira left at 5am yet decided to text me 7 times from the airport. Sheesh Shirs don't you know I need 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep? I'm seeing her in 2 weeks anyways when I go to Israel. I just realized that my blog only has 2 weeks left. Then people in Malaysia and Germany will have to find something else to read. I'm going to miss this secret public journal I've kept, although I won't miss when I tell people a story and they say "yeah, I read it on your blog." Double awk.

I had my script writing class today where I got some brownie points for know the feminist blog Jezebel. Sometimes I feel like my teacher is really impressed by the things I say and sometimes I feel like she thinks I'm a racist sheltered dumb American. Ah, well. At least I'm not like this Scottish (cousin-dater) boy in my class who said something along the lines of "Rich means Jewish in America."

Tonight we're off to see Reasons to be Pretty for my theater class. I'm pretty sure I could just go to the theater everyday. Shira suggested that maybe I could just review plays for a living. Which actually sounds like something I could be pretty good at. As long as those plays have Robert Sheehan or Daniel Radcliff in them.

Brighton Early

So today's blog goes out to my friend Mollie who told me that if I don't update my blog she'll stop going to class since she'll have nothing to read. Please go to class Mollie! Don't end up like me.

I had a very nice Shabbat with my sistah at a family friend's house in Pinner. It's so nice eating food that isn't pasta and mozzarella cheese. Even though that's nice too.

I heard a very funny story from the wife though that I'd like to share because every time I say it in my head I laugh. So she was on a flight to Israel and all these Charadim are gathering in the back and talking loudly, as they do. There was an American girl who was trying to sleep and they were all crowded around her chair so she politely asks them to move since she really had to sleep on this flight and they were being very loud. They ignore her. So she tries again. They ignore her. So she goes "RIGHT" and picks up her shirt, wearing nothing underneath. And they RUN.

How amazing?

Another awesome I learned this weekend was that there is a Friends cookbook written in 1995. They had it at their house and it's selling on Amazon for 1 dollar so I think everyone should buy it for me on Hannukah.

Sunday Shira and I woke up bright and early for a trip back to Brighton. We were so lucky that it was GORGEOUS out. The pier and beach were beautiful. The rides were amazing. And by amazing I mean I cried embarrassingly on the Haunted House, screamed like a baby on the roller coaster and disgraced our country on the mechanical bull.

It was too good to pass up the opportunity to ride it and those lucky enough to see the video on Facebook know that it did not end well for me.

Shira asked the operator how long I needed to stay on to get a prize.

"30 seconds"

Me: "30 seconds? Psh, that's nothing. I'll be on for 10 hours. Get the prize ready. I'm from America, we invented bulls"

"*biggest eye roll of the century*"

Let's see. First attempt: 2 seconds. Second attempt: 1 second. Third attempt: 3 seconds.

The little crowd that formed was very disappointed.

After milkshakes and bumper cars (or 'dodge 'ems' as they're called. It's funny though because when the Brits bump into you, they apologize. It's adorable)

This morning, Shira and I headed out SO EARLY to see Big Ben and Platform 9 3/4.

We ended up at the London Film Museum. Which was interesting since it was this MASSIVE place with hallways full of props from all sorts of movies...most of which happened to be American. Superman and The Mummy and The Simpsons and Star Wars. But there was some cool stuff about James Bond and Alfred Hitchcock and Harry Potter (obviously). We didn't read any of the history they had on the walls, just took pictures with the fun props.

Unfortunately for us however, Platform 9 3/4 is closed due to construction. We couldn't find it at first since it's outside the station. Shira made me ask people where platform 9 3/4 was, I was totally expecting them to say "think you're being funny, do ya?" but they didn't. I don't think Shira will be able to see it before she goes but I'll have to come back.

Tonight we got some traditional Fish and Chips with a few friends. Also something that had been on my list. It wasn't the classic pub style fish and chips because, let's face it, it was a kosher restaurant in London which means really nice and expensive. Still counts.

Now we're waking up tomorrow so Shira can see the Sherlock Holmes museum. I'm glad it's just 10 steps from where I live because I'm exhausted. Also there's a general strike for Wednesday and I'm not sure if that means I have class or not since most of the teachers at London Met are part of that union. Either way I'm not going to do the reading for class. (Also I can't stop saluting.) In good school news, I got a B+ on my theater paper. Hooray!

It's Shira's last day tomorrow but also a Tuesday which means work from 11am - 7pm. On Friday I walked into work and saw New Boss and Other Intern wearing purple shirts. I was like "Oh, I see I didn't get the memo about wearing purple today"

New Boss: "maybe you should read the e-mail I send you once in a while"

Me: "Eh, no thanks"

Lila Tov!

A

Crazy Stupid Farm

Hello guys and gals in cyberland

Not much happened yesterday. Went food shopping because the one and only Shira Woolf is visiting and the only thing I had in my cabinets was some spanish rice and gummy bears. Part of a wholesome breakfast. I dragged my suitcase to Kosher Kingdom to fill up. As I was paying, a Israeli cashier beckoned me over and asked me where I was taking my suitcase full of food (on vacation?) and I explained that I lived out on Baker St so I have to shop in Golders Green. She asked me if I was doing OK with Shabbat and Kosher when I explained that I was studying here ("What classes are you taking?" "Theater" "That seems like a waste of time") and invited me to spend Shabbat at her house if I ever get "sick home", which is really nice and REALLY Israeli.

After a depressing Irish play last night I came home and spent time with my sistah. It's nice that we get to spend Thanksgiving together since we barely ever the chance to.

Today I woke up early to get to class on time but it turns out it didn't matter because class was apparently cancelled (just like YESTERDAY's class was cancelled and no one told me). It's OK because I hadn't done the assignments for either class but I did show up when no one else did so that's points right? And not really no one else showed up today, Africa boy was there as confused as me so we walked out together. He tried to apologize to me AGAIN for not caring about 9/11. "Well, not NOT caring...but my family was really poor and I was working for free at a cafe and my boss tried to show me and I was too tired to watch". Seriously?? How can he be apologizing?? It really made me feel awful.

But working at the farm today made me feel better. It was an actual farm this time. And I got there because of cancelled class which New Boss was happy about since he was desperate for volunteers since this minister was coming. My job basically was to be paparazzi for this guy. Me and 2 other photographers, the one from his office and the one from the Interfaith department. He pushed one wheelbarrow of dirt from one end to the other and that was it. I was taking a picture of him and my boss before he left and introduced myself (I didn't say anything else I swear!) when he said he "must return to the unreal world, I don't think I'm dressed for more farming ha ha", well why did you wear a suit if you knew you were coming to a FARM?

I know, I know, publicity stunts and all that but come on, don't pretend like you're really helping us for some good pictures man.

I on the other hand had a GREAT time pretending to work while taking pictures of other people. It was about 11 volunteers this time...mostly unemployed younger people but hey, good for them to do this with their free time. Unfortunately Interact didn't feel like buying Kosher food for this event since "I don't think there are any Jews here" according to NB. Good thing I brought my own stuff then. I actually did have an interesting conversation with a guy about faith. He told me he was looking into becoming religious, any religion and he's been doing a lot of research into Abrahamic faiths. He was really into the stuff about Jesus and the Messiah and the second coming and what Muslims believe. I explained that Judaism isn't really about the Messianic age but more so about the past and present. He still wanted to talk about the Messiah so I'm pretty sure he just wants to make sure he's on the right side when Jesus/Mashiach/etc really does come.

I made Jackson come volunteer with me today 1. I know he wasn't doing anything productive 2. I wanted my boss to see that I found volunteers. Obviously I didn't expect Jackson to get told to stop chasing the ducks because they were getting traumatized or for him to tell my boss that I "had a boner for Harry Potter". Ah, what can you do with wild-card friends?

But seriously, this was one of the best days so far. Just to finally feel comfortable with new friends and my coworkers and meeting new people (not so comfortable with the scary ass ducks who were following me around though or the cow that licked my shirt).

After some "farming" I went out to dinner with Shira and Danielle at a really fancyface place. I've never had Thanksgiving in not-home place before. Actually that's not true I had it in when I was in Israel at some hotel in Tzfat (was it Tzfat Gaby? Or the Kineret?) I only remember teasing the only British girl that she had to celebrate with us, not realizing how Thanksgiving had very little to do with American/Britain relations. What else is new?

As per usual traditions, we saw a movie tonight (although not in theaters, tradition rules might still allow it...) We watched Crazy Stupid Love and now I'm going to have sweet Ryan Gosling-y dreams.

Happy Thanksgiving my lovelies. (As well to you, people in Latvia and Germany)

Nicky's Last Fling

Bam! Getting a jump start on this whole blogging-on-time business.

Today at work Other Intern was absent which meant that I got to sit in the office finally today instead of out in the common room which is annoying when I'm trying to watch Misfits. Also good because it gave me ample time to talk to my new boss who I mildly stalk. It was a pretty slow day, the internet was being spotty so I spent about an hour drawing a picture for our door that said INTERACT on it, surrounded by peace signs and unicorns. Obviously my boss thinks it's amazing. He was spending most of the day trying to drum up press over the fact that some minister of something is coming to out volunteering day on Thursday at Kentish Town Farm. Apparently he's a big deal but his office told my boss that he "doesn't want to do activities which might get him dirty", er ok Prime Minister Prima Donna. New Boss asked Kentish Town what we'd be doing and apparently it's all mucking out horse and pig stalls, to which NB started cracking up about. I told him not to laugh when he called the minister's office back but when he did he just started laughing anyways. I'll try not to "accidently" push this guy into manure, if he wants to "volunteer" he should do it, not pretend to.

NB also said he's coming for an hour "An hour! What am I going to do with him for a whole hour?"

Me: Don't let me talk to him...I'll probably just say something offensive.

NB: Ok, we'll keep you in the back.

Finally, a boss that understands me.

Since Other Intern was gone today that meant I had to run the entire magazine staff meeting BY MYSELF which was a tad terrifying. Usually she does most of it and I pretend to take notes. But this was all me. Which was also not so good because only 4 people showed up instead of the expected 12 so after the 4 girls told me where they were with their articles...it was up to me to keep the meeting going for another 37 minutes. That was difficult. I told them that the next week we'd be taking the staff photo for the magazine. One girl said she'd be all wonky due to getting her wisdom teeth out. I mentioned that I heard that you get some sweet drugs from wisdom teeth surgery and another girl said 'oh yeah! you should bring some extra drugs to the meeting next week then people will definitely show up!'. I'm in charge of the meeting for ONE day and already I've turned it into a drug trafficking ring. Awesome.

Tonight, Jackson and I went to this event called 'Scratch and Sniff' at a pub called The Book Club. It was the exact opposite of what we expected which was I don't even know. It was in the basement of this place and the entire ceiling was light bulbs but only 3 of them were lit which was actually cool. This event (which we came late to, and cost 12 pounds) was full of artsy hipsters drawing pastels on tiny sheets of paper.

Apparently the game was that you had to smell these slips of paper with different scents and then draw what it reminded you of and then explain it to everyone in the room. We had already come to late and were too giggly to pay attention but people were SUPER into it. People with thick black glasses and fur vests. I'm pretty sure the whole night was just one big commercial for this guy's perfume line. At the end they said we could have half our money back since we were only there for half an hour. Which we promptly spent at the bar.

They had weird drinks called things like "Nicky's Last Fling" and "Shoreditch Twat" and "Tears at Teatime". They were all super yummy and strong though. Now I have no money. But it's OK because any night out with Jackson is good fun.

A week's worth of Awkward

Okay! I know! It's been a week and I haven't updated because I've been lazy and too busy dodging weird Brits to write about it. So we're gonna start from the top.

Wed - I gave in my script for theater SUPER excited for my plot and writing, thinking that my Theater-nazi teacher will LOVE it and I'm an AMAZING writer, the best script writer EVER despite the fact that I've never written one before. Turns out, no I am not the best one "ever" I wasn't even the best writer sitting at my table. She and my class tore the script apart, at one point attacking me personally by calling me sexist. Me? The girl who told people she would specifically come to Shul just to take the Torah from the Ark if they didn't pass it to the girls' side??? Needless to say I choked back tears (like a boss) and silently killed her in my head. Back to the drawing board.

Wed night was play night and we saw The Playboy of the Western World - an Irish play featuring the lovely Robert Sheehan of Misfits fame. We sat literally front row and the play had a LOT of action, not to mention spitting and sweating so that was nice. I started getting into Misfits after falling in love with Robert and now I have something do at work!

Thursday - Thursday night my friend Jackson and I hit up a pub called Waxey O'Connor's. It's one pub with 6 floors and each floor is a different theme. Except the themes are THAT different so I think it was all the same and then they just put signs up that said "Cottage" "Wild West" "Outdoors". It was in an...interesting area as well. I think it was West End and right smack dab in the middle of the red light district. And by red light I mean gay nightclubs. Like, everywhere you looked there were places called Pride and Natural and The Closet. However, there was this yogurt shop called Snog which is apparently a homosexual yogurt shop. How does one make a yogurt shop homosexual you ask? Well stock it with gay employees, have rainbow flashing lights on the ceiling and have most of your clientele be dancers from the clubs next door. The yogurt was surprisingly sweet for being sugar and fat free ("A snog is fat free and good for you!"). After the yogurt, Jackson and I decided to go to Karaoke night at the Ish bar since we hadn't done that in a while. We sang an awful rendition of Katy Perry's Hot and Cold. Seriously, during the song Jackson decided he was going to stop singing and just yell the words. After the song however this British man comes up to us is like "you have the voice...of an angel" and I was like "cool thanks" so he puts his hands on my shoulders and slowly brings me closer (I thought he was whispering in my ear) and kisses the side of my head. So I'm like wait what the actual fuck? And he walks away. So that was weird.

Shabbat - This weekend I went to Brighton with JSOC. I was a little nervous since I didn't know anyone else going but I really wanted to see Brighton so I just hopped on the bus. Fortunately, I did meet some very nice people and Brighton is freaking GORGEOUS. Our hotel was RIGHT on the beach. Seriously, Sat morning I woke up to see the sunrise over the ocean. Everything is so bright and colorful, i was in love.

Friday night I sat with some people who were surprised to learn that I didn't know anyone there beforehand since I kept saying hello to people (or the people I remembered the names of from the bus). It was weird that most of the students there weren't religious. They all had their phones and laptops which whatever, do what you want I don't care (or as one boy said to me "you're religious?? But you don't have that like...judgmental face when I talk to you") but it is a Jewish trip so...it was more like NCSY.

Saturday, none of the cool people I met the night before decided to come back and it was sad. But I got to explore the beach and boardwalk which was amazing. I'm definitely going back when my sister comes.

Sat night I went to see Ides of March with Molly. I needed some non-social time after talking to billions of new people. It was a pretty nice movie, how can you go wrong with Ryan Gosling? After the movie we got ice cream and met some ah,

interesting Brits:

Man in shop: Excuse me miss? Do you read ladies' magazines?
Me: Exclusively
Man: What do you recommend?
Me: Um, Elle and Marie Claire are good, why?
Man: Do they have pics of naked chicks in them?
Me: No, what you're looking for is porn.
Man: Oh ok...what are you doing in London? What are you studying?
Me: Journalism
Man: Are you gonna write something about me being like a sex pedophile or something?
Me: Yes

Man: Have a good night!

Sunday - I woke up ungodly early to volunteer at Camley Street for MITZVAAHHH DAYYYY. YAY. A day when there's a ton of volunteering and free shirts around London which was pretty rad. I was the photographer which was awesome since that meant I didn't have to get into the pond and pull out garbage (damn!). It was mostly 16 year olds volunteering which made me feel super old. But I met the Mitzvah Day photographer who said he'd love to get my pics so hopefully they're good enough to go on their website, which could be great if I don't make it as a script writer.

Yesterday - It was another Internship class in which we learned about Reverse Culture Shock (going back and hating America). I also learned that graduate school here is only one year AND you don't have to take the GRE's. Which sets it for me. I'm definitely coming back. Although I don't graduate for another 2 years so I guess I have time to decide. But yes, I'll be back.

Sorry!

I know I'm super behind on updates! I promise tomorrow I'll have news! News including my adventures in:

Homosexual yogurt shops

Visits to Brighton

Working on Farm with New Boss!

It'll be great, stay tuned!

Surprise Walks!

Today was a surprising adventure when usually I just sit the office all day eating pretzels and reading Jezebel.

I got into work, said hi to Other Intern and New Boss. They were working in the tiny office so I sat outside on the conference table. This was sad because I could hear them talking and laughing so I put on my headphones and blasted Girl Talk (my new obsession. 71 min mash-ups of billions of songs. Not so conducive to my already short attention span. Now I can only listen to 8 songs at a time.) Other Intern came out and told me that we had to go to East Acton to pick up some paintings this girl had made for our Interfaith Art Show (or something arty that's happening in January...I won't be there so I'm not sure what it is.)

So me, Other Intern and New Boss walked to the tube. It was a little awkward walking there since we were, like out of the office with our new boss. Plus I don't have a filter and say nonsense things. I'm also mildy obsessed with him since he has Shawn Hunter hair and looks like he should be in a 90's sitcom. He was asking me about London and I told him I wasn't going back and he shouldn't tell the authorities if they ask.

On the train, I told Other Intern and New Boss about my weekend and how I'm the only one on my program so far who's run into anti-American sentiments. They were laughing and I told them that if they went to New York people would LOVE them and probably give them discounts on stuff because Americans think Brits are adorable. New Boss asked me what Americans think of Brits and I said they're painted as polite and never get excited and drink tea all the time. New Boss said "I feel like the British are the bad guys in a lot of American films" and I said "really?? Which ones?" and he says "American history ones", "you mean like ones about the Revolution?" "Yeah...like 'the British are coming!'.

Unfortunately we had to change trains like 3 times and then wander around East Acton for 20 min trying to find this girl's house. I was wondering why the Project manager and 2 employees had to take the train all the way to the middle of nowhere for this girl when I saw that we had to carry two HUGE canvas paintings and two small ones back to Camden. I was really regretting going into work.

New Boss and Other Intern carried the two big paintings (I offered!) while I carried the small ones. Which I promptly got fingerprints all over the edges. And had some small chunks of paint fall off. Awkward. But they made it back in one piece.

I didn't do much the rest of the day. The internet tends to break and when it does I take pics of myself on my Mac's Photobooth doing crazy faces and seeing if anyone notices me. They don't.

Also, at one point New Boss comes over to me:

Me: 'Sup bro?
New Boss: You know you can't really say that to me...
Me: Sorry, maybe it's a cultural thing.
New Boss: They let you say 'sup bro' to bosses in America?
Me: Yes.

Ah, he loves me.

At tonight's meeting we had a photographer for the Times come. She was really nervous but told us how she had been a head-hunter and then decided to just quit and become a photographer, entered a contest to photograph for the Times and now she goes to Pakistan and Australia on assignments. It was kind of a one-in-a-million story but basically she told us that she never took any courses in photo-journalism and that gives her an edge because she doesn't stick to any rules. She just takes pictures on instincts and that seems to work for her. I had been thinking about majoring in photojournalism but I think I'll stick with journalism and then teach myself to photograph.

When she finished and everyone was leaving I told her that I just bought my first SLR for this trip but had forgotten the camera instructions at home so I've been just playing around with it. She told me that's how she learned too and really that's the best way to learn to take your own style pictures. I said that I had been thinking about going into photojournalism but I also didn't have as much experience as I do with writing. She told me that when she first started, someone at the Times told her that no one knows what they're doing, even people with years and years of experience confront new situations every day so in some ways it doesn't really matter.

(On a side note, I have to write a 15 min script for my class tomorrow. It's in a pretty rough draft stage but I'd love to get some feed-back. If you're interested, comment and I'll send it to you and/or post here. I'm nervous, this class is like vultures)