Texas Cinderella

A Texan, born and raised, found emerged back to home town values after being subjected to the concrete jungle of New York City. Currently encountering crazy antics in London.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Inappropriate much?

Blake and my conversation on Saturday night (after 3 powerful, delicious margaritas) at my friend M's surprise birthday dinner.

Blake: What'd you do for your birthday last year (November 30th) since you had just moved here? I bet it was pretty boring...

TC: (Thinking and then remembering) Not really.... I went to Italy and got boned.

Blake: (Breaking into a grin) Man, you are such a slut.

We fell into a fit of giggles before realizing that 2 pairs of new acquaintance eyes, across the table, were staring at us in shock of what they had just overheard.

TC: (Grabbing a chip and addressing them) Fabulous guacamole, isn't it?

Acting like something never happened is always the best policy but I'm thinking I made a lasting first impression.

(I brought Blake as my "date" since I knew it would potentially be all couples and I wasn't down for being the 11th or whatever wheel. Why don't marrieds and couples remember what it was like being single and having to go to events ALONE! I will make sure to remember this when I'm coupled up...that is if any singles still exist by then!)

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Thursday, September 20, 2007

Dorkville, UK: Population, 1

Mr. Bean (aka tall Aussie at my office - his name is Rowan and Mandy calls him Mr. Bean so it's stuck) changed desks and is now in the common area or open concept area, making him even more accessible to make the "eye contact". And the eye contact I have been making, except I was beginning to think it was blatantly obvious that I was always looking in his direction, so I made a vow to myself today to not look that way.

Earlier this morning I was coming out of my office area (see diagram), when this older man who happened to be walking by, asked what went on behind the door. I told him we made chocolate back there (I know I should have my own stand up comedy routine) and then told him what we really did. New friend made.

Cut to 4:45pm. I went to get a snack from the shop and as I was walking back to my office through the common area, Mr. Bean was grabbing his coat to leave for the day and about to head in my direction to go out the front door. As I saw all of this progress, my new friend came into view slightly in front and diagonal to Mr. Bean, walking towards my direction as well. I decided to give the most retarded little wave to my new friend but it TOTALLY looked like I was waving goodbye to Mr. Bean Ah! I continued to walk to my office and when I got to the (high security door) I looked back to make a comment to my new friend (you know something like, "Back to the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory") but instead it was Mr. Bean and we just smiled at each other. I slunk back to my desk mortified and smirking at the dorky situation. Classic!

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Monday, September 17, 2007

400 Sri Lankans and an American

Saturday proved to be an interesting and educational day when I went to my coworkers wedding. It was a church wedding and when I arrived 30 minutes late (due to getting lost in Essex), I was greeted by a packed cathedral, with all the women adorned in their best saris. I sat on the back pew and during the ceremony I nipped out to eat a snickers at the petrol station across the street, since I had the shakes and a major headache - I didn't miss anything since the service was an hour and a half mass! It was beautiful, save the worst duet in history, and had my mother been there, inappropriate shoulder movement from laughing silently would have occurred. Thank god she was safely across the ocean, but I looked around the church to see if anyone else was in agreement with my thoughts. They hid them very well. Luckily I knew a couple of people from work and the groom, our coworker, sat us all together which was nice. I do love assigned seats! We had a few snacks of samosas, and fish balls and some other typical South Asian cuisine in the lobby then we went to the main area, beautifully decorated and massive. The place was packed and they played music that someone at my table described as sounding "like a snake is going to come out of a basket soon!". The bride and groom finally arrived and I swear they were treated like Brangelina with everyone snapping photos of them as they made their way to the bride and groom table. They had beautiful lays around their necks and the brides wedding dress, on closer inspection, was a sari as well, white with intricate beading and sequins. Thinking that if the wedding started at 3:30pm then it would be over by at least 7pm (by American standards anyway) so I had made plans earlier in the week to meet Blake and his friend Harris at around 8:15pm to watch the Longhorns beat UCF. I texted him at 7pm that I was just sitting down for dinner, since the speeches had started, and would be a little late. The speeches continued for another hour and a half and at 8:30pm when they cut the cake, had their first dance and asked people to join them on the dance floor, we still had not eaten. Everyone at my table kept looking at each other like where the eff is the food? Apparently in the Sri Lankan culture, there are speeches, cutting of the cake, dancing, THEN eating and everyone goes home. At 9pm, there was no sign of the grub so I decided I needed to leave to meet Blake (since it was my idea to watch the game together). Hopefully I didn't offend my friend by leaving before the food (I was told on Monday that the food wasn't served until 10pm!!!).

Everyone at my table questioned if I was really going to McDonald's! I wish.
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I met Blake and Harris at the Sports Cafe in town, in my wedding attire as I didn't have time to go home to change. It actually was working for me since I got several "how you doin'?" looks -might try that again, but no numbers due to Blake and Harris unintentionally cock blocking me!

Harris just moved to London a month ago from Philly and is flipping hilarious! He was really flirty and I wasn't really attracted to him but if someone is funny, they always become ridiculously good looking to me. When Blake jokingly said I had a boyfriend, Harris was all up on my shiznit and asked if my boyfriend was in London or in the states? I replied that I didn't have a boyfriend and he (I thought) looked relieved.

Cut to an hour later when I was making a point and quoted Mean Girls (I know) by saying "Irregardless....". Harris said his girlfriend says that all the time. Excuse me? WTF? She apparently lives back in Philly. Whatever, he can make a good guy friend. We finished watching the game and headed over to China town for some much needed food at 1am.

It was so much fun hanging out with guys on a strictly platonic level. I was laughing so hard that my stomach hurt. Hilarious! Blake really is one of the funniest people I know. When we told Harris goodbye, Blake and I went looking for a cab to share since we live in the same area. I was freezing, so he put his arms around me and was like "I need something sweet after that meal" and I was like "there's a deli you can grab some chocolate" and he was like "No no...I was thinking of some sugar. Are you going home with me?" then dropped back and snapped his fingers to let me know he was totally joking (phew). Some people in a pedicab saw it and yelled, "Yeah man, go for it!!!". Too funny!

We laughed uncontrollably about the most retarded things all the way home.

It was a good end to a great day.

******Can someone please explain why my profile and links are so far down the page now? I am blogger illiterate apparently!!! Thanks!***************

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Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Today was a good day

  • The big boss told me that after my project is complete in November, he will find something else for me more long term and that there are tons of opportunities for me in London! Yippee!

  • I noticed sooooo many hot guys. Like everywhere. And at work. (Trouble). I chatted to one today while fixing my coffee and he ironically starts on my project tomorrow. He's new and he's Australian. Another one is Australian as well, and I've noticed him since I moved here, but we just started the "Hi. How are yous?" last week. My mission is to have a full conversation with him to get the ball moving. I can't hold it against them that they hail from the same country as what's his name.

  • While waiting in the queue at the grocery store tonight I saw a hot guy take his place behind me...then I heard this conversation with his "friend" that joined him.

    Gay guy #1: What do you have there?
    Gay guy #2: Just chocolates and sweets. I’m totally stressing out. Oh my god, do I look like I’m stressing out!?!?!?!?
    Gay guy #1: (Thinking) You look like a fat chick waiting in line. I’m not trying to be mean..I’m just saying. Don't you think you should put at least one thing back?

    Effing hilarious! They were American and of course gay, hence the hotness. It took all I had not to bust out laughing. I did that all the way home and reminded myself to check in with my friend Kevin (that lives here) after fashion week! I need to take Emetron's advice and reconnect with my gay male friends!

    Things are looking up. Things. Are. Looking. Up!

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Friday, September 07, 2007

Cog has left the building (and my bed)

Cog's last day was today. We were supposed to meet up last night but it didn't happen, mainly because he was hammered and I didn't feel like traveling 40 minutes to babysit a 43 year-old child.

I've been seeing the Cog for about three months now. And by seeing we all know that means just sex. I thought I could do it but I can't. I need commitment and plans.

We said goodbye this morning at work and he said he'd call, but my gut feeling is that he won't and if he did it would only be for one thing and I can't do that anymore. I've been feeling myself drop into a bit of a depression. I cry for no reason, I can't eat and I try to control every aspect of my life, which only makes things worse.

I wrote Cog an email (shocker) to end things once and for all (amicably of course, since he'll still be in the same industry and I don't need him to spread around what we did). I was balling my eyes out when I wrote it, which is strange because the whole time we were "together", I knew things would never escalate. I could never introduce him to my parents and friends as my boyfriend. He has an eight-year-old child and did I mention that he still lives with his ex-girlfriend. Yeah, I'm sure nothing still goes on there. So fucked up, right? I think I was balling more that no relationships, even casual ones, seem to work out for me.

I'm also upset that I let it go on for so long knowing all of these details. I only ever saw him during the week and it was very sporadic. He really is a fun and adventurous guy. I did things I wouldn't have dreamed of doing. He is more of a bad boy and I think that's why I hung on for so long.

I also needed a distraction from thinking of Kanger - which I forgot to mention (that when we played tennis he told me) his baby mama is preggers with some dude's baby and getting married but hasn't even told Kanger about it. He learned about it from his four-year-old daughter. How fucked up is that and in a way how fucked up has that probably made Kanger in the head? He's on his 2 month European adventure now and, sadly, I still think about him. In case you don't know me by now, my name is Texas Cinderella and I have issues with letting go.

I'm reading books on how to trust the Universe and that certain people come into your life on purpose because they're a type of stepping stone to get you to where you're going in life. So essentially everything happens for a reason. I just wish it wasn't so painful when they left.

Now if only I could let go (of the control) and actually start trusting.

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Thursday, September 06, 2007

Strike!



I promise to have an update on Greece soon, but I've been distracted by this little strike on the London Underground system .

It took me 1 and 1/2 hours to get home on Monday night, since I was oblivious to the strike and then on Tuesday morning, 2 and 1/2 hours to take a normal 35-40 minute commute. I had to take a bus, A BUS and then an actual train to work. I don't do buses in London, mainly because I have an extreme fear that I will end up in, oh I don't know, Scotland! I only ever take them if I'm with someone else and they navigate. My lone adventure included having the bus doors slam in my face while people were pushing to cram in like a pack of sardines and then some man's very heavy briefcase dropped on my foot. Awesome!

The tube is finally getting back to normal, but there are talks that the same chaos might happen next week. I'm making sure I have steel toed boots on since London becomes a war zone! It ain't pretty.

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