~ ANNE! ~

Another exhausting day in London. I'm thinking I might not be able to keep walking every day. It's a good antidote to sitting all day at the office (and an hour and a half walk every day - 45 min each way - will definitely keep me in shape) but my shoes are worn out and I'm getting blisters. Not that I can blame my hiking boots. They've done a good job and I've put them through a lot... but I think they might have reached the end of the line. I'd like to continue walking but I might have to take the bus until I have time to buy shoes. Luckily coworker Kate showed me one that goes almost from my house to almost work, which is very helpful.

I do like the walk, though. Especially now that I got batteries for my discman. I hauled out the CDs Steve sent and listened (of course) to the Postal Service one. It made me so happy I felt like crying or something. It's supposed to be your sense of smell that's most closely connected with the emotional centres of your brain, but I think I got my wiring crossed somewhere. With me it's always music. I put in the disc and suddenly I was back on the new green couch at Steve's with the cat in my lap, hanging out with Steve and Alex and listening to that CD. The lyrics! and Ben Gibbard's voice! The next thing I need after shoes is something to play music on. I think Rob, Francis and I might club together on a CD player (although they're both worse than broke at the moment, so it won't be soon.)

Britain is an odd place. On my walk to work there are large signs all over the place stating "Changed Priorities Ahead." Probably true in my case at least (and presumably the road's) but they still make me giggle. There are other signs furthur along saying "Humps for 50 Metres." I've also discovered places to recycle, but for some reason only in Hackney (one of the boroughs I walk through on the way to work). I might haul some stuff along and recycle it there... really hate throwing stuff out, but on the other hand it's a long way to carry it.

Of course by now I've met the roommates. The one I've talked to most outside of Rob & Francis is Nicolas (NEEK-o-la), the French guy. He's pretty cool, studied documentary filmmaking and is stuck working at a Bagel Factory while he improves his English. Listening to him and Francis speak French is pretty funny, as they sound almost completely different. It's the same language, but Francis sounds nothing like "the Frainch of France" (which is what he calls them). Tom the Brit seems okay but is nearly never home. And Dirk (DEE-irk), the German guy, is in my opinion very creepy. We got off to a bad start when he spent an entire conversation asking me if I knew places in London and then acting like I was an idiot when I didn't. (He's been here 3 years). After that I just started avoiding him whenever possible. It's worked pretty well so far. I spend most of my time in hanging out in Rob & Francis' room anyway.

Bee has gone home. It was nice to have her around - she's very cool once she starts talking and I enjoyed her visit. Looking forward very very much to seeing John next week. I think I will probably spend the weekend looking around markets and things and buying stuff because I can! Just have to watch it, as I have every intention of stuffing it all back into a backpack and leaving in three months.