Well, it was all going very well and then April hit and I could think of nothing else but my dissertation and impending deadline. Would I be able to meet that deadline? To be honest I was convinced that I couldn't and wasn't truly trying. Although I was still using all of my free time to work in the library I just thought the 17th May would come and go without my having written and bound a 15,000 word thesis. Heaven knows how, but I did finish it in time and enjoyed popping into my uni during my lunch break from work and handing it over to my student administrator. Phew, it was finally done! That day I had to travel to Oxford to attend a farewell dinner for one of our Spring groups. That same week two other Summer groups arrived. The busiest time at work is well underway now, but I can't explain fully how freeing it was to hand in that report. I could finally plan to see friends, and my weekend suddenly opened up. I could crack open my Secret London guide book and search out some gems.
The story of my dissertation is an epic one, spanning almost two years. BUT IT'S DONE NOW! (as long as I pass...)
Anyway as I was caught up in study mode, I didn't manage to get out April's wanderings lately and May's is really quite late. So this post covers both months and sets me back on track with blogging! Woop!
Paperchase is one of my favourite shops. I know many people who also love new stationery and their cards are very unique and pretty. The shop on Tottenham Court Road is their flagship store and covers three floors of wonderful paperchase-ness! They also have a little cafe that looks over the bustling street below.
One lunchtime I wandered in and collected a few cards for future birthdays and was also seduced by a reduced umbrella with a panda handle (so nice!). As this is a large store, they have a lot more than just stationery and cards and I was also won over by a large pineapple jug. At the time, whilst I really liked it, I just thought 'I don't need a big jug shaped like a pineapple...' So I left the jug there. This is a shopping tactic I have, introduced by my thrifty mum, where I will see something I like but decide it's something I don't need or can't really afford. I'll leave the shop without the new item but if I am still thinking about it after I've left, I think 'No I do actually want it' and will go back. If said item has now sold out, it wasn't meant to be. If it's still there, my joy is all the sweeter because I waited to know whether I really liked it!
On this occasion, the jug was still there and I was happy to make it mine! In the same range was lunch box set above, which obviously I had to also have. I have used this every day since to take my lunch to work. Stylish and economical! I have also used the jug twice for drinks at our Canada Water BBQs. I'm chuffed at how many compliments it gets as well. Definitely worth the investment!
In May we voted for our next London Mayor, and I was happy to see Sadiq was the choice for Londoners. I am very much expectant for him to keep his promise of a bus-hopper ticket, so I won't get penalised for having to take two buses within an hour. This is something that is already in place in Korea, in fact they have a transferable journey fee from tube to bus as well. I probably won't use it that often, but it's something that I liked from his manifesto.
I will be attending the State of London debate at the end of June too, so will see what else he has to say about the city.
This month we will be voting again, this time about whether or not to stay in the EU. It's really not clear how the country will vote, and the polls have proven themselves to be worthless over and over so I don't even want to consider them. We'll see come the 29th June. Just let it be known that I want to remain in the EU.
And this was my view for most of the last two months... But as I already mentioned I have now finally finished and the dissertation is all handed in!
The story of my dissertation is an epic one, spanning almost two years. BUT IT'S DONE NOW! (as long as I pass...)
Anyway as I was caught up in study mode, I didn't manage to get out April's wanderings lately and May's is really quite late. So this post covers both months and sets me back on track with blogging! Woop!
Paperchase
Paperchase is one of my favourite shops. I know many people who also love new stationery and their cards are very unique and pretty. The shop on Tottenham Court Road is their flagship store and covers three floors of wonderful paperchase-ness! They also have a little cafe that looks over the bustling street below.
One lunchtime I wandered in and collected a few cards for future birthdays and was also seduced by a reduced umbrella with a panda handle (so nice!). As this is a large store, they have a lot more than just stationery and cards and I was also won over by a large pineapple jug. At the time, whilst I really liked it, I just thought 'I don't need a big jug shaped like a pineapple...' So I left the jug there. This is a shopping tactic I have, introduced by my thrifty mum, where I will see something I like but decide it's something I don't need or can't really afford. I'll leave the shop without the new item but if I am still thinking about it after I've left, I think 'No I do actually want it' and will go back. If said item has now sold out, it wasn't meant to be. If it's still there, my joy is all the sweeter because I waited to know whether I really liked it!
On this occasion, the jug was still there and I was happy to make it mine! In the same range was lunch box set above, which obviously I had to also have. I have used this every day since to take my lunch to work. Stylish and economical! I have also used the jug twice for drinks at our Canada Water BBQs. I'm chuffed at how many compliments it gets as well. Definitely worth the investment!
Queen's Birthday
It seems like it's been the Queen's birthday since January, and I know she has two and all that but this still a bit much! Thanks to this over-celebration, and some serious friend perks, I was invited along to a party at City Hall at the end of April. The highlight was the view over tower bridge (extra strong binoculars available to spy on passers-by a little weird though).
Voting
In May we voted for our next London Mayor, and I was happy to see Sadiq was the choice for Londoners. I am very much expectant for him to keep his promise of a bus-hopper ticket, so I won't get penalised for having to take two buses within an hour. This is something that is already in place in Korea, in fact they have a transferable journey fee from tube to bus as well. I probably won't use it that often, but it's something that I liked from his manifesto.
I will be attending the State of London debate at the end of June too, so will see what else he has to say about the city.
This month we will be voting again, this time about whether or not to stay in the EU. It's really not clear how the country will vote, and the polls have proven themselves to be worthless over and over so I don't even want to consider them. We'll see come the 29th June. Just let it be known that I want to remain in the EU.
Summer
We had some shocking weather recently, but they have been interspersed with some wonderful days - usually during the week when everyone is at work. They have prompted me to try and get out of the office to eat my lunch and get a bit of fresh air. The cherry blossoms were out and a colleague at work organised for a bulk order of burritos to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. This is a celebration I have no idea about, and only discovered after making American friends in Korea but it was nice to change my lunch from a salad and sit in the sunshine eating this in Tavistock Square!
The bulbs I planted in my garden have also started growing - this photo is from about the end of April time, and the plants are much bigger now, and probably planted in the wrong part of the flower bed, but I'm still looking forward to when they flower!
Studying
And this was my view for most of the last two months... But as I already mentioned I have now finally finished and the dissertation is all handed in!
