So here I sit, inbetween Xmas and New Years, dreading New Years eve because I just don't want to party like a looney, but I also can't face sitting in my room all night. If I had my way, New Years would be spent more like Xmas, with a nice big feast, chatting around the table and a civilised start to the New Year, mildly pickled.
Unfortunately, right now, I don't have much choice. Stay in on the "big night" and feel miserable, or go out and party and feel miserable for two days after. Yes, I could go to the party and not actually consume a great deal of alcohol, but then I'd have to watch everyone else get totally legless which really isn't fun.
The "inbetween days" have arrived due to a really tight budget and the fact that I only start work in early Jan. I would love to be working for the next three days. I do have a project I need to work on however - need to get stuck into that.
I'm longing to head into London and may do so tommorrow on a really low budget, which would involve a return ticket to Waterloo and walking everywhere. That would cost £2.40. The alternative is £5.20 for an all day travel card, which eats into my beer budget - hehe - mixed priorities !
Unfortunately, I lost my London A-Z in an accident with a bottle of olive oil, which somehow burst open in the draw of the B&B I was at, drenching the book. I'll have to load up maps of central london onto my mobile from the net.
To preserve my sanity, I've set aside £7 a day for a few pints and a pot of tea. I can't stay cooped up in my room for more than a few hours a day. The other £3 is for food, which I buy to last a few days. Sounds crazy really, but it's just the way I'm working it. I really enjoy coming up to the pub in the evening, saying hello to the bar staff and settling in to drink a slow pint or two, writing crap like this.
On the plus side, the people I'm staying with are chill. Had some great curry today which one of the house mates cooked - onions, mince, tin of baked beans and lots of curry powder. Damn tasty. Pity their taste in music and TV is so different to mine, but that's cool - makes life more interesting. By the end of Jan, I may actually know something about Football, but I doubt if I'll ever get a taste for R&B or Doof Doof music.
Feels good to have the use of a kitchen for the first time in over two months. The bathroom access isn't as bad as I feared and although they party hard sometimes, everyone cleans up after. The kitchen on Boxing day morning looked like a food bomb had hit it, but by that afternoon, it was clean.
I'm really glad I found the place I did, my initial fears over settling in have slowly faded as I get used to the place. Heck, I've got broadband, central heating, a good sized room and the place is in a good location - couldn't ask for more.
... but that dreaded new years eve. I can't describe how much I dislike the whole idea of it. It's building up in such a typical way :-
"What are you doing New Years Eve ?"
"Not sure, you ?"
"No idea"
So many people are just looking for the best option for them personally, rather than actually wanting to be in a specific place. It's so desperate and really brings out the worst in people.
I've even contemplated just getting a £25 hotel room for the night, locking myself in with some tasty food and leaving after it's all over. Sad, but true. Instead, I'll most likely be heading over to party with "the youngsters" and find myself staggering back home at 3am in the morning.
Agh, who knows, maybe there'll be some older people there who I can chat with. The last party I went to there was fun.
I'm just an old fart who hates New Years ! - grrrrrr.
