March 30, 2008...9:09 pm
In the Styx…
My apologies for absence once again, I have been back in the ‘shire for the past week supposedly using the time away from London as an opportunity to reflect on my current employment in light of leaving my current employment and hooking myself up with a new 9 – 5. As it happened, it was far more a debauch week of drinking and partying with old friends than one might expect, but at least I did make some progress.
Sort of.
Anyway, Losing Face took an utter beating this week. I was amazed how few places accept cards of any nature, it was actually worse than Hackney [amazingly]. My favourite teenage booze holes all rejected my plastic meaning I was quite often sober AND still having to catch a taxi home at the end of the night – a horrendous ordeal as anyone from Oxford would sympathise.
I was also naive enough to forget that only London is blessed with the ol’ oyster card system still so I was unable to catch a bus anywhere which was as much frustrating as it was money saving. My life was dictated by who had the family car and which kindhearted friend was willing to drive out of their way to pick me up, quite the predicament I think you will agree.
I will admit, my inability to blow my money on my week off meant that I was far more creative productive with my time, I went jogging for the first time in a long time, I went for a walk with my Mother, I watched old reminiscent movies with my brother and I also read a lot of books… I mean, I read a book. I actually felt good about my actions, and myself - so much so that I would celebrate my wholesome day with alcohol each evening. Nice. The only problem with such a celebration was the unfortunate need for a friend to pay or sitting at home drinking my parents out of home. I did a bit of both.
This past week taught me a number of things, one of which I will save for the next post, another is how lucky I am in London and how much harder this little adventure would be in any other town, the last lesson learnt was, quite simply, how wonderfully supportive my friends are… Losing Face would still be possible without them, I would just live a hermit’s life and I don’t consider that social progress.
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