"The weather outside is weather"

Happy late Christmas to whoever actually reads this!
On Christmas Eve I packed a suitcase and headed to well, work. Rosie invited me a good two months ago to join her family at Christmas in Wakefield. I hadn't actually accepted the invitation because I wasn't entirely sure what my plans were. I also sort of totally kept forgetting to actually make any. Plus, it really hasn't felt like the holiday season outside of the tiny Christmas tree we have at work. That, and the fact that I've NEVER had to think about making other plans outside of just being at home in Canada. It's never been a choice before, it was just obvious.
Anyway, so I had this packed suitcase and no actual idea if I'd be putting it to any use. I asked Rosie if the invitation was still open, although I did feel a bit horrible for putting this on her on CHRISTMAS EVE. Still do. It was fine though!
We both had to work but as soon as we were finished, we headed to Kings Cross where I actually managed to get a cheap ticket amid the mobs of people trying to get out of London on Christmas eve. It was a Christmas miracle!
Having a few friends in Wakefield now, I have heard many stories, mostly jokes, about the place. The initial thing I attach to the place is The Cribs. Funny enough, five minutes being in town we managed to run into a Jarman. That is going to stick with me forever. I also managed to see about a dozen fights. Oh Wakey, so much to answer for.
Christmas was overall, amazing in itself. Even with my embarrassingly short notice, and the fact that I have only met them one time, Rosie's family gave me such a lovely welcome. I even got presents! Presents are awesome (redundant statement) and the fact that they went out of their way for me made me want to cry. I didn't, I swear. Her mum also made me a vegetarian meatloaf so I wouldn't feel left out on tea. Also wanted to cry. Happy tears, of course.
In general, it was also just REALLY nice getting out of London. It made me realize I haven't been out of the city since I moved there- stark difference to the fact that I was moving up and down the country constantly for the first 6 months of this year. Plus, Wakey reminds me a bit of home: It was completely covered in snow, and the suburbs looked like any average town in Oxford County. Being away from the city for a few days was good in itself, but feeling like I was home and being with a family (even though not by blood) made it all pretty awesome. If I had to have picked somewhere to spend Christmas that was not at home, it was the best place I could have gone to.

"After he proposed a vocational paradigm shift I made an impromptu presentation using a four-prong approach which really brought him to his knees."

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Gem of a band.

I don't want to pull the FAME card, actually that's a total lie here. I get rights for this one. I was invited as a plus one to a private party for the owner of a popular venue a few nights ago. One of the other guests was SIR IAN MCKELLAN. We knew he would be there before hand as he's good friends with the birthday person. When he did arrive, it was so hard not to yell "YOU SHALL NOT PASS" or something to that extent. Ridiculous.

"Son, I've been in a relationship since you had a ponytail and were playing Dave Matthews on your Mamma's Casio."

Oh, what a lovely time.

Last Tuesday I went to R O M A N C E's single launch, held in Soho (and not predictably, anywhere near east London). It's always nice going to a different area, and especially a new venue. It's a really popular place, but I had always managed to miss any and all previous White Heat nights that all my friends would attend. I really only go to clubs to watch bands, not dance (unless a friend is hosting/DJing). Anyway, it was a good night and all the acts were really entertaining. I wrote even more detail than just "good" over at thisisoffset. Link to the right, people.

Friday was definitely interesting. My friend Dee and I headed down to well, Limehouse. It's in east London but it's certainly not overwhelmed with any hype. Not as Shoreditch, Hackney, or even Mile End. Change is nice though. It was even entertaining just getting there, because it was on one of those routes that most people would try to avoid. Traveling through the dingiest areas, with slight glimpses of Canary Wharf in the close distance. The venue was a warehouse/villa where the promoters lived themselves. The sort of building that costs 40 pounds for a one bedroom/kitchen/living room- though the catch is that it is a communal bathroom. They had turned the downstairs of the building into a cafe, dimly lit and covered in mismatching furniture. The sort of place you would expect to see folk lords shaping their craft in some sort of cult like secrecy. Not so much. The two opening bands (Snowman from Australia and locals Maria and the Mirrors) were RAGING. Not Cancer Bats style, mind. Lots of drums and noise though. There were a few technical problems but in that sort of space, it didn't kill the atmosphere. The last band were a bit more cooled down as they were an all synth kit. They seemed to be having more fun than anyone in the audience, which is always a bit admirable, really. One dude dancing along seemed to be enjoying it anyway. As I said, change is nice, and it was pretty awesome to be somewhere different. I do mean different.

Saturday was amazing. It was Rosie's birthday and it had fallen on the evening of a Bowie night at this club in Islington. I had assumed it would be some small pub or something along the lines of most places I've become used to since living here. Not the case, it was only the bloody 02 Academy (for any Canadians reading: The equivalent of going to dance in the Kool Haus). We were all dressed up with lightning bolts and red wigs and ridiculous outfits... although we made up a measely 10 percent of the crowd that actually bothered to. It's Bowie night, make an effort! Like I said before, I don't really go to "clubs" so this was really my first outing to an "indie club"- the sort Noel Fielding would stumble out of. It was ridiculous fun, and I think my lashings of face paint made me a bit more comfortable... flailing around like an idiot. In fact we all ended up on the stage the whole night with the DJ. Not something I'd probably do if not for the fact that the floor was so packed. Plus, as much as anyone at the places I usually go to would attempt to play dubstep/italo disco that I've never even heard of, therefore don't really want to dance to, this DJ played the staples. It's fun to scream along to all the songs you love. It's like high school dances except actually hearing the music I want. Of course, there was lots and lots of Bowie. It's funny having a group of Ziggy clones singing Weezer, The Breeders and Pixies, too.

Last night was a going away do at work, as one of the managers is leaving. It was my first of what I've been told will be many gatherings. It's certainly not how things ever went at my old job's parties. Everyone was involved and it was a pretty hilarious evening. I don't want to go into grand detail just because well, they pay me. It's a bit weird taking the bus home at 12:30am with one of your bosses, though.

"Yet here I am, in the most Canadian place in the universe - Tim Hortons, just around the corner from the Hockey Hall of Fame."

To what would probably make the one person who actually listens to the Odds (KT, who also introduced me to them years back) happy- I have learned this song and plan to cover it sometime. It's one of those tunes that sort of encapsulated high school for me, but I think it's much more fitting to where I am now. I'm not being negative, and it's surely not the SOUND that captures anything. Sometimes Can-Rock is just a bit too Canadian to ever sound right outside of Canada. Please forgive me for writing that, I just don't know how else to put it down in words.

I really want to buy tickets to see Gaga. What is happening to me?

In the five minutes I had to walk outside today, there was a downpour which left me totally soaked within about three seconds. Then it cleared back up again, leaving me with soaking wet shoes and jeans for the rest of the day. It's freezing, too. Wah, wah, wah. At least it's not snow. The worst I can expect of that won't be any more than the (gasp) 26 centimetres the UK faced this past January. I remember a lot of friends here freaking out about it. I was still in Canada at the time, under a million pounds of the great white nonsense. I couldn't pity anyone that much. All of the rain is a bit of a cliche though, London.

"Oh dear, he's having an episode. Should I put my hand on his arm? No; that sets a precedant."

Aw shucks. I went and did something I never thought I'd do. Model. Not that I have low standards against myself or anything, but I was never one of those girls who dreamt of catwalks and photo shoots. In fact, I was just standing outside a train station on one of my days of doing absolutely nothing when I was approached by who I initially assumed was a scam artist and/or crazy lady. It turned out to be legit. I've spent all day with about a thousand pounds of makeup on my face and trying not to burst out laughing while a man who looked awfully like Corey Feldman told me to smile with my eyes. Okay, he didn't really say that, but it did feel a bit ANTM and cliche ridden. I felt so out of place to be honest. The rest of the girls at the studio were very typically stick thin high fashion in heels sort of women. I wasn't put off or anything, in fact it was just a bit funnier for me to sit amongst them in the waiting room playing Tetris.
I was a bit surprised at the whole makeup thing though. I mean, I never wear this much myself, but I could do this exact look. I asked for smokey eyes and I got a pretty light version of it. It does look amazing and I'm still reeling over the fact that I had a makeup artist tending to my face- I just expected it to be a bit more wacky. Maybe I've been too keen on Lady Gaga lately. Maybe.
I've had a few "offers" through the door with the agency that scouted me. They're a bit ridiculous and over the top and big names that I'm a bit surprised about and it makes me wonder if I would be able to actually go for them. That was a long sentence.
I'm not chasing anything, I'm still keeping my "normal" job. I don't mind getting paid to make the same face I always would anyway, though.
It's certainly not something I've ever planned on doing. In fact at one point, more than likely the majority of my life, I would have busted a gut at the idea.
All the same, I feel a bit of a sell out. Especially considering how much I resent the models who spill themselves around here.