I.....GOT....A......JOB!!!

Friends, my six week sojourn of sleeping, shopping and boozing is about to come to an end; at least between the hours of 9 and 5, Monday to Friday; since I have finally gained steady, long term, respectable (and well-paid) employment in London! (Cue champagne corks and celebratory shopping spree...!!) After tentatively leaving my job as an Editor in Sydney, my next career step will be as an Editor for an educational publisher in East London, on a 12 month contract (the maximum amount of work allowed by my stingy visa). Finding permanent work with the new Visa 12 month rule is hard, but obviously do-able (it's much easier for Aussies if you can dig up a British ancestor). The main concern my new employer had about hiring a working traveller, was that they didn't want someone who was going to leave after only a short time, so basically I had to prove my worth and let them know exactly why they should hire me over anyone else and that I'm in it for the long run - so everyone back in Oz, doesn't look like I'll be home for a while!! The fun starts on Tuesday, so I'll keep you posted.

In other spheres of life in Putney, I have discovered something dark, dire and altogether horrifying about London. I've noticed it over the past few weeks, but didn't think it could be true until I experienced it firsthand this morning thinking (and this is always dangerous) "well, everyone else seems to be doing it, it can't be that bad". Oh it is. In the UK, they make ORANGE SMOOTHIES and seem to think this is ok. Not just some kind of orange flavouring, but juicy, citrusy oranges mixed right in with yoghurt and milk and whatever else you want to add to this disgusting combination. I ended up with one this morning when I went in to a juice/smoothie bar and asked for a banana smoothie (I should have run out the door when the pimply skinny guy behind the counter looked blankly at me and said "ah..well, we don't really do those - i can't imagine that would be very nice") Um, sorry, WHAT? Isn't the Banana Smoothie where it all started? Doesn't EVERYONE know what a banana smoothie is and how good they taste? Slightly disturbed and a little confused, I just kind of pointed at something on the menu and ended up with this foul orange combination, that I can still feel curdling in my stomach.
You've all been warned.....

but yay! I got a job !!!

(and Happy Birthday to my beautiful friend Amy back home - have some champagne for me gorgeous!)