Ikea makes you happy
I think that I must be the only person in London who didn't see the giant elephant this weekend. With my cold still persisting and my nose still streaming I didn't think it would be a good idea to go and stand in the rain, even for the elephant's sake, so the weekend was mostly spent indoors doing what can only be described as faffing. I spent a lot of time on the internet looking at Cuban art prints and film posters to buy to put up in our house, and gettting very misty eyed and wanting to go back to Cuba as soon as possible (are you hearing me
elrestodemivida).
Meanwhile the more sensible part of me was thinking about my future, and looking at Masters courses (either here or here) that I would need to do in order to become a professionally qualified youth and community worker (and earn more money!). Although the Goldsmiths option would fit in well with my first degree in Anthropology, I think that the De Montfort course would fit in better with my professional interests, I like the health emphasis, and I also like it that they stress the word flexible. Its a distance learning course so I wouldn't have to go and live in Leicester (don't worry I'm not that desperate to escape from London), I'd just go there twice a year for study weeks, which is just about bearable. Although this qualification would open up lots of career options, at the moment I quite like the idea of teaching Health and Social Care at FE level (but this might just be because college lecturers get long holidays, which I would presumably use to go to Cuba and buy lots of Cuban art).
Also on the sensible futures front, I've been looking at the shared ownership option for buying a home, and was blown away by how cheap the monthly payments are compared to renting. Take this place for example, its down the road, or rather down the river from where I am now, it looks perfect, it even has its own boat house! All at a fraction of what I pay for a room in a crowded shared house. Seriously people, if you really want your own place but can't afford it, and especially if you're job is public/community sector orientated, then take a look at this website. The criteria for shared ownership aren't as strict as I thought they were.
On Sunday it was back to the frivolity of buying unnecessary but cute items for the house that I live in now. I went with
dansette and Laura for a house
trip to Ikea to buy material to cover the sofa, tableclothes, houseplants, kitchen items, etc. I bought a miniture tree (apparently its a weeping fig) to go in the corner of our lounge, and promised myself that I wouldn't forget to water it and feed it and look after it. If I can cope with this level of responsibility then maybe one day I can have my own cat.
Yesterday, I still seemed to have the shopping therapy bug in me so I went and spent yet more money in Kitchen Ideas on Westbourne Grove. I defy anybody to go in there and come out without having bought some piece of expensive kitchen appariel that seemed very essential all of a sudden. I also went into Toni and Guys on the off chance to enquire if they were looking for any hair models, which they are, so I have an appointment for this Thursday. As I always say, as long as they don't shave it all off then I don't really mind what they do.
If my life appears to be very boring at the moment in comparison with yours, then that's probably because it is.