the new and old

Currently sitting outside a library in Canary Wharf using the free wireless as they just closed. If they turn off the wireless I am screwed!

I'm quickly updating this blog as I've had email requests to let everyone know how i'm going, but as I need to shop for an iron tonight and some cutlery too, I thought this would be a better way of keeping everyone happy.

Work is getting quite interesting. With the Cabinet reshuffle we have a new Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice - the Right Hon. Jack Straw whose earlier claim to fame was his post at Foreign Affairs. He apparently did a meet and greet at the office today which would have been exciting, save for the fact I was out of the office in the depths of London watching an Employment Tribunal to do some research for the project I am on. On my tour of duty around the department it's a constant meet and greet and an explanation that I am not a New Zealander - apparently my accent is too clean-cut to be an Australian! Though, a couple of people have picked it up - they specifically ask if I am from Melbourne, which is a tad scary.

I'm not sure how fast news travels, but there has been a terrorist scare in central London - a car packed with bombs was parked in central London last night. Rest assured that I am safe, and that London is safe for the moment, although the Ministry of Justice screens in the lobby were advising of the heightened alert, and would we please allow our bags to be searched if asked.

Other news to hand is that I am definitely moving to Woolwich tomorrow, so as of tomorrow night I won't have email access until i set up my phone line and broadband. And what a pity i can't celebrate the fact that I finally can sleep in a proper bed! This will certainly be a watershed moment for my life in London so far.

Will also lose my TV until i get the TV license set up too - which is sad. For some reason i have been quite enjoying watching British advertisements - there is a great Voda ad (sorry Telstra people) that uses the song from an old Disney cartoon which is really cool - the song goes "drip drip drop little april shower"... i should google it to see where it comes from. But it brings back memories for sure.

On a final note, met a great person yesterday through my contacts in London. Kerry, the gentleman I met yesterday for a coffee worked at the Leo Burnett advertising agency for 40 plus years and gave me some advice on getting through the London work culture. His 2 pieces of advice were "you don't learn when you are talking" and that "if you're going to get anywhere in life you have to walk towards the fire" (or words to that effect, i can;t remember the exact quote. perhaps someone can enlighten me). I guess I am just rambling now...

Keep posted for the next instalment of the set up of Taffy and Frances' pad. (almost wrote bachelor pad, but it aint!)