circumstance blog

I went up to Kentish

I went up to Kentish Town last night to find out more about volunteering for London Open House. The people there seem really great and I hope to start working soon. The director was already trying to talk me out of becoming an architect, and with the 7 (YES SEVEN) years it takes to become qualified in this country, it does seem a bit daunting. I took home a guide from last year's event and was amused to find out that this cool building that I jog by every other day and peek into, enviously wondering who works in it and what they do, is the studios and HQ of none other than Foster & Partners! Now if only I could work there not only would that be a dream come true, but a dream that is within walking distance from my flat. heh.

The Self Winding Clock Co, New York
Time Piece above the platform at Kentishtown Tube Station

Time is running out. It was my birthday on Tuesday. (If you want to know how old I am, I was born the same year as Speedo of RFTC, so listen to this and do the math, hey, I'm not going to make it easy.) It was just sort of a depressing event. I bought myself cake and flowers and deliberately put off doing the dishes (although now there is a huge pile) to make it a festive occasion, but it didn’t work too well. I am just not in a good position right now, being an outsider in a strange country, not having any money, any job, any purpose, any anything. I'm thinking of selling my ultra-hip puma roller skates on eBay so I can fund a much needed pair or running shoes. (Anyone interested, drop me a line, they have only been worn twice!)

I could go on and on about my work and work-related dilemmas, but it would be a bore. I often think if I wanted to do something more selfless, something with more of a social conscience like teaching or law enforcement, social work or medical care, that motivation would materialize and doubt would evaporate. But I just can't get excited about such stuff. So, I'm curious, I'm going to ask you: What do you do for a living? And, more importantly, is it what you WANT to do? If not, what? I anxiously await your replies.

Posted by shannon at 02:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

buildings

DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE SUN.

The sunset was beautiful yesterday, from high on top of a hill in Richmond where the river twists confusingly around, no longer creating the strict north-south dividing line of London in my head. The sun setting was also rather a problem, being that the park closes at dusk and I was at the wrong end of it at the time. But the gates stayed open to let walkers and bikers through, but not cars. The deer were soothing to see, indeed the size of the park itself was rather soothing. I will be going there more often.

Powerstation, Wandsworth.

I rode along the riverbank for a while. Two competing schools of architecture dominate. One is the modern luxury apt complex, some built, others just construction sites with ads plastered on their outer fences: "If you lived here you'd be home right now, and OH what a cool, hip, pottery-barn sort of life would it be". The other is old school industrial. Such structures would include working docks, a heliport, various plants and this building.

Architecture has always interested me. Whenever I go to a museum I am usually more inspired and awestruck by the architecture than the art and objects enclosed within them. When I recently visited the newly refurbished British Museum, I found the Great Court, created by famous British architect Norman Foster (& partners) a wonderful public space, and I also found the round reading room, built in the 19th century by Robert Smirke equally fascinating, for different reasons. I am hoping to learn more about London architecture by volunteering for London Open House. I am seriously considering going back to school to become an architect, but one of the things that holds me back is that I would have to take a few additional years of classes in the UK. (In the US my undergraduate degree would get me into a graduate program. Albeit a longer graduate program than normal, three instead of two years, but still much shorter than starting all over again, which is required in the UK.) I will take things slowly and see what becomes of volunteering first.

Posted by shannon at 03:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

I'm going to get the inside of my eyelids tattooed so that only I can see the result. The pain of their creation will be blinding. The designs are going to be beautiful and make a deep statement about my soul, but you're going to have to take my word for it because you won't be able to enjoy the view. You won't be able to get one just like it either. Get your own.

I saw a film yesterday in a movie theatre, which I rarely do, mostly because I don't enjoy going to movie theatres and the movies themselves mostly suck. And hey! I wasn't disappointed. Well I was a little bit, as some people I know liked this particular movie. Even those who should know better found some words of praise:

The story is a good story well performed and is a moving and revealing tour in the life of one who is dissatisfied with his life trying to make it better. Genuineness, courage and sincerity were well portrayed as possible even in the bitter, back-stabbing world of the inner city life.

Whatever, I found it pretty dull. sorry! But it was nice to get out of the house and chat about current affairs with some English folk.

The weather is very mild today. Maybe I will go ride my bike to Richmond park and check it out as another place for running, as the loop around Battersea is fast becoming old. Also, my knee is acting all strange and doesn't feel receptive to another pounding. I will take my camera, and see what happens. No promises though, today London just feels plain and ugly.

Posted by shannon at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dark and wet day today.

Dark and wet day today. Spent the morning hanging out with mike, who I see has already written about it in his blog. I can't believe he outed my Magnum addiction! I am ashamed. I don't watch it much anymore anyway.

I have been spending a lot of time redesigning my site. I apologise if some of the links don't work, please be patient.

Posted by shannon at 02:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Clear winter sky. I

Clear winter sky. I am reading Nikolai Gogol's Dead Souls at the moment. This book seems to match the weather.

Posted by shannon at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Monkey in the Middle

Out again in the late morning light. I slide through the slush in the park. I see people out with their dogs, the greyhounds looking distinguished in their protective jackets. My dog likes to watch the squirrel monkeys from the outside of the children's zoo. The zoo is closed on weekdays in the cold months. I read online that the animals are native to the rainforest, and I wonder how they feel being in a cage in the sleet and snow of London's winter. They are endangered so I guess humans are allowed to keep them wherever they may.

I like living in cities. Yet I always find myself inside them in the most un-city like places. The parks, paths and waters of each town are where I can be found most of the time. Whenever I have lived in a true wilderness, I craved the masses of the big city. Or maybe it was just the easy life of quick cappuccinos, DSL, streetcars and hookers. (OK, maybe not the hookers.) I love reading about adventure racing, mountain climbing and wilderness explorers, but I prefer my own outdoor experience controlled and limited: at the end of a long hike I want a hot meal, sweet-scented bath and soft bed. I am grateful for the town-planners who had the foresight to create little pockets of nature in the city. Even if we have to stow little monkeys in them.

Posted by shannon at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have moved the pictures

I have moved the pictures to a brand new gallery for 2003! whee!

Posted by shannon at 09:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

White Out

Woke up this morning to a little blizzard.

I am so tired. I walked around and around today, squishing in the snow and taking pictures. I guess it doesn’t snow like this too much here, because every other person I saw had their camera out as well. This is the most snow the dog has ever seen, which is kind of sad, considering she's a Siberian Husky.

Enjoy the photos. You will have to flip through the gallery to see them all by following this link for the moment. I will update the photo index page soon.

Posted by shannon at 05:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

new

Happy New Year!

We ended up not going out, which was cool. We drank really nice champagne from our wedding flutes, sang along to cheesy music, ate finger foods and watched a bootleg copy of 24 on the tiBook. It was my idea of fun, I guess I'm easy. Also it was nice to be able to get to sleep at some point, and not be kept up by people setting off fireworks the entire evening, like in Amsterdam. I remember the piles and piles of spent fireworks in the streets on new year's day, it was like it had rained burnt paper.

There is a "fun fair" in the park this week. When I walked through last night it was completely deserted and pathetic looking. I guess there's nothing more sad looking that an empty carnival in the rain.

Posted by shannon at 03:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)