Dressing Whoever You Are

Halloween is about grim and gore in this country.
I lost count of how many dead brides I saw. I found this the most disturbing. Halloween is definitely celebrated and the American trick or treat tradition is growing in popularity here. 


This year, unfazed by Britain's take on the holiday, Brian and I were party animals. I dressed as a cat, and he wore this awesome elephant onsie. Brit told me I would have been better off as a "dead kitty," and I wanted to slap him. That should not be an acceptable thing! I did, in fact, sadly, see a "dead kitty" on the Tube. Somethings I will never understand.

On October 31, I was roaming around the streets of our neighborhood attempting to distinguish between who was dressed up and who was not. We live in a very hipster-y neighborhood. There are about 20 Vintage clothing stores within a few blocks of our apartment, and their customers are quite characters. The collection of clothing you may see on any one individual in the same motley outfit is actually remarkable. I haven't kept a precise count, but I know I cycle through the entire rainbow in hair colors every day or two. Sometimes, multiple colors on the same person! Green and blue, or purple and black. So you can understand how I wasn't sure as I walked past the other pedestrians, are you dressed up, or are you not? The streets around here haven't changed too much. I like that. I like I live somewhere that everyone gets to dress as they please and tell a story with their appearance and just rock it. So, I often walk Grey in my Alabama sweat pants and my hair in a rat's nest on the top of my head, and it's fine. Because its Shoreditch, and all things are "cool." Shh, don't tell me otherwise... 

We went to a party with Pepperdine students doing the program that I did in 2013. It's very weird to think about the mountain of changes that have happened since I was a Second year law student. I didn't realize how much OLDER I've gotten since then until I was standing there. We felt two beers behind all night and a bit like uninvited chaperones that didn't belong at a college party, buuuuut we had a great time and had a good, long laugh when we processed the whole thing the next morning. 

Guy Fawke's Day was November 5th. Fireworks were randomly going off throughout the week. On Saturday, I went with friends to this giant fireworks show in Victoria Park. I felt very oddly like all the sudden it was 4th of July and I was at home. It's amazing how many celebrations translate across cultures. Somethings are just undeniably amazing. There is something about that little explosion of light and color in the sky that makes everyone's face mirror its glow. No matter who you are, it's likely that fireworks in the sky will make you gasp in awe and bring a smile to your face. Something about sharing that with other people is a cool feeling. Instant. Happiness. 

pantyhose and paychecks

I recognize this need to beautifully package some kind of theme in order to blog. Perhaps the readers of this blog would prefer I just use it as a pure communication tool of updating on our life here. This blog has never been that, but it could be that. So, hey, reader, express what you'd like to read. And I'll write that. 

We moved into the flat previously mentioned just over two weeks ago now. We really love it and I promise to post photos soon. It's not all perfect and we are currently boxing with our landlord (another post entirely), but everyone has reassured us that all landlords are bad words and that there is no good landlord. So, fine, we will become better boxers. We had dinner with friends last night who shared us their landlord nightmare. I couldn't tell if it comforted me in that "it could be worse" or terrified me to think "it may get worse." Indeed it is getting worse, but I have hope it will get better. 

As some of you know, I had a very miraculous email exchange that has lead to me working here in London. For me, especially in the particular situation where his arose, I consider most miracles to be gifts from Mom and she outdid herself on this one. On HER birthday, nonetheless! In 2013 when I lived here as a second year law student, I worked for a human rights law firm and they had this immediate need for some paralegal work. I started just two days after we landed in London. 

It's a dream job in many ways and I feel completely powerless to complain when this fell out of thin air without me lifting a finger. Not to mention how many of my friends have been slaving over application after application after application and are still jobless. However there is a balance between having a job and having a good job, or more importantly, the RIGHT job. 

I was hired on a temporary, project only basis, for not great pay. Obviously I was so thrilled to be employed within two days of landing without submitting a single job application, I didn't care! As the project has dwindled down after five weeks (it was initially thought to be about two weeks only), I've felt my intolerance for uncertainty absorbing substantial mental energy. But I'm hoping for some conversation with the managing partner that results in a permanent job offer. Lots of prayers. 

In the meantime, it's been a lot of fun to get paid for legal work for the first time ever and soak in the new experience. I learn so much about British culture from work. There is another American in the office, and several American trained attorneys so its a very welcoming environment. There are no cubicles so we all just work right next to each other at adjoining desks. I feel part of a team thats working on some really cool projects, and I'd love the opportunity to stay there!