Pissed-off Harry

Harry is the bike guy at my University. Oh well, let’s be honest, he’s the bike grandpa at my University. And yesterday he was back from holiday. Finally.

So, I queued up at 10am. He was super busy, and slightly stressed out. He squeezed his eyes when he saw me… he sold me this crappy bike and he knows it. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my bike. But the front wheel has a kink and two out of five gears don’t work. As I said, he knows! He also fixed my gears 4 times already… at least… tried to. He charges me (£1.50) and it never works for more than 1 day. I’m used to it now!
Anyway, I smiled and told him my front brake wasn’t working. I’ve been biking around without proper brakes for a week now and need new shoes because of it!! Because the back brake doesn’t work either (of course). I just realized I might just wanna buy a new bike!!

Back to the story. ‘Pick it up at 1pm’ he shouts and rips the bike out of my hands. Sure Harry. No problemo Harry. ;) So it becomes 7pm. Time to go home. Walk outside, to my bike… and of course no bike. First I suspect it’s stolen and start swearing like mad. Then I realize I forgot about Harry and start swearing at myself. Fuck. It’s dark, and I walk to Harry’s spot. By the way, Harry has no shop, he just sells/ repairs bikes on the street. Next to the dumpsters. Close to the student union. I look around and see some drunken freshers (=dumb-ass first year students…sorry Yuki, it’s not personal :D) hanging around Harry’s spot. I dunno why I keep looking for my bike but I do.

And there it is!!!! Behind several dumpsters, all set up in a peculiar way to protect the vulnerability of my bike!! Unlocked, with a small note from Harry. It’s a slightly angry note, but I don’t care. My bike is safe, and I smile! I take the bike from behind the dumpsters, while the freshers look stunned and expect more bikes to be found there… hehehe…I told you they were dumb-asses!!

I’ll call Harry in a minute. Tell him I owe him £1.50 and I will pay him next week. However, that depends of course if my brakes are still working then…;)

Happy but sad

Shoot man… time flies!!! It’s already 2 weeks ago I posted the last time!!

So time for a small update:
1. Lalo is still in Mexico…Yesterday he finally received his work permit from Imperial College, however he doesn’t seem to come home soon though L. Time will tell…I miss him so!
2. Work just sucks… what else is new??
3. My first publication is out there!! It’s in a kinda shitty journal, which doesn’t show up if you google me (what a FAB new verb that is!!). But that won’t spoil it for me! I’m super proud J
4. Had a few days teaching in Manchester, Birmingham, and London… in other words I’m living in a suitcase again. Actually, it wasn’t that bad (suitcase-wise) but all the travelling is getting to me.
5. (As a result from the previous point) I need some peace!! Just one or two nights at home. Proper food and some TV. No appointments, meetings, and DEFINITELY no drinks…
6. Yep, that’s right… it’s time for some alcohol free nights. Tell that to my friend S. She will kill me ;)

Well, I think that’s about it. Having a busy social life, because otherwise I would drown in my own tears. It has been a month now… I just realized!!
Baby… come hooooome

Copenhagen... (2)

And that was it... my 15 minutes fame at the conference. It was hard to speak to so many people, all with headphones on, listening to me speaking into a mic. So many questions afterwards, so many good contacts. And best of all: a prof came up to me and said this was an excellent PhD and I should be proud of all this work!! I have to tell my supervisor. She believes I need to do more work before starting to write up!
That was all on Friday.

Saturday was good as well... I had to say goodbye to my granny, who was very upset about it and made me promise not to forget her!! I won't... I promise!! :) Good things as well: the hotel I am in allows me to stand up again while taking a shower, and the breakfast is wonderful!! Hehehehe, it's all about food ;)

Today we will say goodbye to the Bella Centre. I'm waiting to be fed (again) and then I'm off to Sweden!! Andreia (Portugese and studying in Aberdeen) is joining me, and we will probably have a blast, like we have every night!

See you all in Manchester again!

Copenhagen...

I'm in Denmark!! In Copenhagen!!!
I didn't find a hotel, but listen to this: I found a room in the appartment of a 86 year old lady!!! She is the best. She makes my stay the best. On top of that, the weather is great, the beer taste good, and the people are SO nice!! Angela, my Aussie-friend for today has left, so now I am strolling around by myself again. Which is no problem because the weather is still good, and so taste the beer ;)

I'm at the conference now. Which is pretty impressive. And to Danish standards, which means pretty good! I am waiting to be fed. Maybe they have some Danish hotdogs? If they do, I'll promise to make a picture Helle!!

Anyway, I have to say goodbye now... food is being served ;)

For you

I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done

And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

Slower slower
We don't have time for that
All I want is to find an easier way
To get out of our little heads

Have heart my dear
We're bound to be afraid
Even if it's just for a few days
Making up for all this mess

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

(Run by Snow Patrol)

So much has happened in a week...(2)

(continued)
Then there is Thursday evening with a loooooot of wine. And the amaaaaazing company of S. who is the BEST singer ever! At least in my perspective. She asked me to listen and comment her songs. I only could comment on my goose bumps, which stayed with me for a long time…

This created a smallie hangover on Friday. I worked hard though, just started a bit later (Yuki, please don’t tell Dan!). Did figure out that day, that spending more time looking for hotels in Copenhagen was not gonna make any f*%^ing difference. I think I will just rent a car and sleep in it!

It was time for my first day at my new job on Saturday. Of course I need to acknowledge Miek, because without her I would probably have to travel miles more! Stockport is just around the corner. So is the bus that takes me there. I had a great time, in the smallest optician I have ever seen! After that, it was finally weekend!!!! At least, that’s what was promised me! However, the fully booked Sunday started at 10am already!! E. came over for brunch at 12pm, presenting me with 5 kilo’s of fruit (in other words… “Byki, you look like you need it’’… dunno how to interpret that, really) and then it was time to meet S. already at 7pm. Time fliiiiiieeeeeeeees!

Now, you probably are able to link S. with booze, no? If not, within 2 minutes you will. We actually discussed our status of alcoholism that evening, while we still could comprehend what the hell was going on. But British is British (even for S. who claims she is more Canadian than British… dunno where she gets that from J) and so I ended up kicked out of an Irish bar (they were closing!), being surrounded by Americans, pissed, and praying for an easy-going hangover.


That didn’t work. Today was hell.
(I need to find new foreign friends. These English ones are taking me dooooown (toooown) )

So much has happened in a week...(1)

E. got robbed the other day, while she was moving her last bag with stuff from my house to her new place. Everything gone, her wallet with loads of money (do these people actually smell that she just got paid from work and was carrying a looot of cash?!?) , mp3 player, mobile, keys of het new place and her work...
The police came by, that was kinda hilarious btw. Because E. is my sweet Lituanian friend, with little experience in english. And red hair. You all know what that means? Passionate. Very passionate. Every question becomes a discussion. In a language none of us (Danish, Mexican, Norwegian, Dutch, or English) can understand.... It created a smile on all our faces, although we actually all wanted to cry for her...

She worked so hard this summer to get some money. I have to help her out. So now I am skint. Which means spending my nights at home, or someone elses home, drinking, blablabla-ing, play a game, make a puzzle (hihihi), or listening to music. And working on Saturdays, as I am doing tomorrow.

But actually, it is also a remedy to keep me busy. So I won't think too much about Lalito. Yesterday, up at 6am, cab to the airport, cry, back in office at 9am, try to find a hotel in Copenhagen for a conference I am going to in 2 weeks (NOTHING available anymore !!!!!!!!!!), seeing 3 patients from 2 till 5pm, running to spanish class, running to meet S., and finally at 3am collapsed in my bed. Not ONE moment have I gave myself the opportunity to stand still and cry my eyes out. I know he is coming back, but when? And for how long?

But, the good thing is that today is kinda ok, because all my energy is going into staying awake and recovering from that massive hangover! Thanks for the good night S. ;)