Journal April 17th 2010 Love - Home – Work – Social - Passion

Love - Home – Work – Social - PassionI find it difficult to write my journal these days, not because life isn’t eventful, on the contrary, but life is serious and you’re used to me writing about the light side, the exciting side, the new experiences; apart from losing my right to travel to the USA, being estranged from all my belongings currently in New York and breaking up with the BF, apart from that, that is.Tom's dinerI’ve been back from New York exactly a year now and since then, there have been no first time visits to the opera, Carnegie Hall, BB Kings or indeed discovering the house band at Cafe Wha! or the live music at Café Vivaldi. There has been no witnessing the Empire State building turn blue for President Obama’s election victory, no going to the recording of Martha Stewart’s Christmas special or passing Kevin Bacon in the street going to my favourite Upper West food store, Zabars. There have been no snowy walks across central park to report, no new dates, restaurants or friends or discovering that the café across the street from my coffee shop is Tom’s Diner, as featured in Seinfeld. Nope, I never watched it either.Since taking on my first job in 6 years, a first flat in nearly 2 years and singledom all in the same month, it’s been tough.I love having my own place again instead of sharing even though it feels extravagant and empty. It’s more like a holiday apartment but with more of my stuff in it. Well the stuff that isn’t in New York, which is definitely in the majority. I have no idea where I’m going to put eight large boxes of belongings collected over a lifetime plus a triple wardrobe of winter clothes and all the stuff I had in the apartment share. With the split from the BF, there is no reason for it to be in New York anymore as it could be 1, 2, 3 or more years till I make my way back there. The question remains, how will I get it back?Cold winter in New YorkEvery day I remember something else I’m looking forward to seeing again; my luxurious silver cashmere throw and cushion, my years’ supply of gorgeous toiletries from Bath & Body Works and of course my CDs. I’m not as bothered about the clothes at the moment as the city virtually holds for ransom all my cold winter in New York attire.I love my new dream job that encompasses pretty much everything I have learnt over the last 25 years of working but the project I’m managing is hard. Who’d have thought I’d have trouble finding unemployed/disadvantaged people in Kidderminster, a town which includes one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country? I envisaged the hardest part would have been the actual training, keeping 15 people who are not used to corporate discipline entertained and interested in skills that will help them both find and keep a job in the hospitality, travel and leisure industries.Switch off, switch onIn a strange way it feels like I have pressed the re-boot button in breaking up with the BF. I miss him terribly and feel like I’m running around town without ear rings – not essential but I don’t feel like myself without them. It’s one thing less to worry about, although try telling that to the part of my brain that pops him into my thoughts approximately every 57 seconds. It saves me time in calling and emailing him not to mention an absolute fortune in travel, socialising and treats and a significantly smaller amount for a Skype subscription.At the risk of sounding like a SATC sap, even though he broke my heart, I miss him. This week I was in London, staying in a fancy hotel in an area we spent time in when he came over last summer, Soho and Marble Arch. I walked around the block once as I really fancied noodles but settled for a burger joint as I was starving. I sat down in Guerrilla Burgers, ordered, then looked down James Street and there were loads of restaurants! Not noodles but 2 Italian choices. Still my burger was interesting; I ordered goats cheese and aubergine burger and wondered why the youthful waitress didn’t ask me how I wanted the meat cooked, burnt. It turns out the cheese was the burger – no meat. I chose sweet potato fries to accompany and although the burger was on the cold side and I like my hot food to be steaming hot, the service was good.Good enough for me to go back having walked half way round the block towards Selfridges and to my hotel and one, ask for the receipt I forgot and two, a slice of baked cheesecake to go. Ridiculously expensive buying one portion from a restaurant for more than the price of 2 slices, or indeed a whole cheesecake from Marks & Spencer.The BF and I did the exact same thing, buying 2 slices ‘to go’ on our last night of the Christmas break in Montreal. Turns out, that was our last night together, ever.NB I miss the him that I spent 14 months with, not the him that broke my heart.Out with the girlsI’ve added two areas to the Love-Home-Work triangle, Social and Passion. I’ll think of better names later but my social life seems to have all but disappeared. My good friends are mostly far away or the local ones are too busy for socialising so after being repeatedly asked why I don’t set up Meet Up group, out of desperation, I have. After less than a week Out with the Girls already has 23 members and the first event, a brunch of course, is full. I hope it’s as good as the MeetUps in New York that literally saved my social life.Passion is things we care about, for me that is in the main music, writing, reading, delicious food and football. And my work but only until 5pm after which I’m throwing myself into the aforementioned list. As soon as work gets less busy that is.Follow my updates on Twitter