So I went to log on, turns out now due to work and other commitments I have set up numerous blogs under different accounts. The smart me would have just created several blogs in the same account, but he left long ago. So after what must have been 3 hours trying different passwords and different accounts I finally unlocked it and I am back.
Well that isn't exactly the exciting start to the blog I wanted to have but it's a start. Thanks for reading...... ok ok I'll go on to give a real catchup now.
So where did I leave it? Well last time I wrote was back in January and I had an amazing time in America. Thank God I made a list of things to talk about in my next blog, and thank you for commenting random follower :)
1) My trip to SF
2) My poker playing
3) Her
4) Decisions to make about my future
5) Crazy stuff thats on my mind!
Ok so let's start with 1.
Well what do I say, my work trip to SF for an initial 3 months that turned into 6 was incredible, life changing.
It was really strange initially. I landed in America, never having been there before and no idea what to expect. I landed and went straight to the work office where they took me to my appartment, a very nice 1 bed open plan room at one of the highest points in the centre of SF. Great view but a nightmare to walk to after a long day at work.
Initial thoughts, wow this place is amazing, frigging hell I am tired. You see call it whatever you want, nerves, excitement, stupidity it makes no odds. I thought that as someone who doesn't sleep well on a plane and with my flight at stupid o clock that I should stay up the whole night so that I could sleep on the plane. Well I achieved the first part and once at the airport I realised I wasn't tired. Hmmm what helps me sleep, how about a beer they make me tired. So there I found myself at 6am in a bar alone drinking a refreshing pint of carlsberg.
As the flight begun to board the realisation hit. I was going to America, oh my word I have dreamed of this for years. Ever since a teen, and even before, I use to watch those crappy America films that made life seem so amazing as a student - American Pie, Loser, Scary Movie, add to that One Tree Hill, Friends and the OC and my view on America was painted and that is what I wanted, minus the murdering (of humor in Friends - controversial I know).
Well as we all know being excited stops you from sleeping, we all do it, we get excited and every time we close our eyes all we think about is that exciting event and forget to sleep. So 10 hours later and 3 movies that I have no recollection of I landed.
Well that takes me to arriving and being jetlagged. Americans are truly friendly and helpful and they provided me with a map of the area incase I got lost. Well being me I said thanks, made a note of my flat address on my phone, left the map in the room and decided screw it I want to get lost. I can't even explain how magical it all was, just walking the streets no idea where to go or what to do but just wanted to walk around and take it all in, no screw that I wanted to run around screaming at the top of my voice AMMERRICAAA (we will come on to that later :p). So in the end I thought, hmm I am tired but it's too early for bed... to the pub. About 30 minutes later there I was in the pub watching this crazy sport I couldn't understand called baseball. After sitting staring blankly at the screen drinking Budweiser (which I later found out is a no no in America) a couple asked me where I was from. After a good conversation I admitted I had no idea what was going on in front of me and they kindly explained baseball to me. I'm sure it made sense but with 60 hours without sleep and the beer going to my head I just smiled and nodded.
So that is the overview of the first day, next up is one I know a few people have asked several times and I might as well put it down here, afterall it is the greatest part of my experience in SF.
How I Met Her
I was at work, talking to Steve (English fella who got me the job out there) about how to meet people in the area. You see it's tough, I didn't feel comfortable enough to just go out and sit in a pub hoping to make friends, that is just weird. So he told me about this thing called craigslist. One of my goals in America was to attend a football (American) and Baseball game. Steve recommended that I make a post on Craigslist saying I am an English guy new to town looking to go to baseball games.
So I did, and the responses came. Even though I had no friends and all I had to go on was the paragraph or two that people responded with I was extremely picky labelling most of them psychopaths or geeks immediately. Than there was one... THere was something different about this one that got my attention, it claimed they were a girl, has never responded to a craigslist ad, and has a spare ticket for the game. Sure like that would happen, leave me alone paedo I don't want a frigging sweety..... Actually if it's sherbet lemons than I may be.... NO NO NO. Well than I thought, what's the worst that can happen, how about I talk a bit more and see. So I did and after a while we begun texting. You see I was still apprehensive and wasn't sure so we agreed to meet up a few days before the game. We swapped pictures (of course I spent a good 2 hours looking for one that said suave, mr cool, I'm awesome) and I looked at hers and thought, sheesh if she looks like this I will be unable to talk, come over all nervous, sweaty palms, stumbling words, making stupid comments, the lot.
So I was sitting waiting when I saw her, walking towards me, was this real, was this a prank, she looked just like her picture. There was this auroa around her though, a smile on her face, she just seemed so welcoming, so warm and friendly that I didn't have time to panic. We got talking and she asked where I wanted to go, so we settled on going to the beach. I had a backup plan to meet one of my sisters mates who lived near the beach so I could make my excuses if needs be and to be honest I didnt know how to get there. So we were at the beach and al was going well, I needed to speak to her, in some non weird psycho way I wanted a reason to hug her, get closer, she was amazing, so full of life. So after a genius plan of teaching her chinese boxing I had my excuse. It was going well but I didn't want her to be bored of me so we went our seperate ways, at least I knew I'd see her for the game :) ---- and that is all she wrote, the rest just happened and I am so so so happy and in love.
LA Homies
My great friend Hana had a penpal that she wrote to for years and years. After a while Hana decided to go and meet this penpal who lived in LA, and they became inseperable, just like sisters. Well whilst I was in SF Hana was in LA and convinced her "sister" and her mate to do a roadtrip to see me. After making an idiot of myself and proposing to her "sister" with a paper clip wrapped in a $1 note, I really enjoyed seeing them and they invited me to visit them in LA. After discussing dates we went with Halloween... apparently this was big in America and they wanted me to come to a rave. So I jumped on my $20 1 hour flight with live sky tv on the plane and landed.
Hana's "sister" (Who from now on will be called by her real name Ariele) and her friend (Paul) had already displayed in SF that they were amazing, unique, kind hearted people (see post The Best Time to Make Friends Is Before You Need them for more details). So there I was in LA getting ready for Halloween. It turned out we were going to the LA Sports Arena for an all night rave with their friends Nate, Nicole and Allan and that we had all you can drink passes for the rave. Paul and I spent a good 2 hours picking outfits, Paul finally settling on the same outfit he always wears and me deciding to go for Kick Ass.
All you can drink is deadly, very very deadly. You see I turned to the gang later on in the night and said I'm not even drunk yet, to which they laughed. It turned out I had spent the night running around shouting AMERICA AMERRICCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA at the top of my voice and demanding that everyone gave me a high five. When a group clearly from the ghetto looked at me and refused to do so, I decided to say "High five me now bitch or I'll kick your ass" to which thankfully they saw the humor in and complied.
There is so much more to say about that night but this blog is frigging long. So I'll leave you with a picture....
Well I went back to Pauls for Thanksgiving too and that was amazing. I am so sorry for this being so long and boring...
I'm going to leave it there for now, but will be back SOOOOON:
2) My poker playing (need an update on)
3) Her (Check)
4) Decisions to make about my future (Screw that, no longer relevant but I'll update you on it)
5) Crazy stuff thats on my mind! (Well I'm crazy, I have a mind, so that will always need to be updated.)
If you made it to the end in one sitting please see a psychiatrist, you are not normal, but thanks :)
Interesting Paul just informed me I high fived a police officer too :s
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