Tag: London

The 30 year old Runner

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It may seem like I have had something of a blogging hiatus of late but in fact I have been blogging often, just in other places like here, here and here.

Last time I posted I was nervously awaiting my 30th birthday which I had been dreading for a while. I’d been having a bit of a tough time, unable to get even an interview, let alone a job and I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. My birthday itself, despite the best efforts of dear friends, was a fairly sorry affair culminating in my phone being stolen in Shoreditch at the end of my big night out. To paraphrase a well worn saying, woe was most definitely me. I had just about had enough. After wallowing over the remainder of the weekend and worrying my poor mother half to death in floods of tears I decided to give myself two more weeks in London and if I hadn’t found work by the end of that time I was going home.

It turns out that was the kick up the backside I needed. I knew I had a week’s work experience coming up which I had been looking forward to for ages but beyond that, nothing was set in stone and I was pretty on edge I wouldn’t find something. I had the best week work experience I could have hoped for where I got the opportunity to help out at a production company that makes some of my favourite TV shows. I got to try my hand at researching potential contributors for a show in development, organising contributor release forms, (the forms that give production companies contributors’ express consent to participate in the show) and organising props for a weekend shoot. At the end of the week I amazingly got invited to work on location at the very same shoot I had prepared the props for and it was brilliant! It was a super long day but I got such a buzz out of getting up early and helping out wherever I was needed. I really felt like part of the team and I can’t wait to see the end result when it is released.

On the day before my disasterous birthday I had had an interview for an internship with a documentary filmmaker I really wanted to work with (whose website you can visit via the first link at the top of this post). Interestingly when I applied for the job back in January I didn’t hear back for rather a long time. I knew Helen, the company Director, was filming in Ghana at the time so a few weeks after she returned to London I gave her a call to follow up. No answer. I left a voicemail. The next day I tried again and didn’t get through for a second time so I sent her an email. Fast forward a month later and after two interviews I was sitting in a coffee shop in Dalston with Helen on my first day of work. She told me then that she had received 100 applications for the post and missed mine by accident when I submitted it initially. It was only when I followed up that she decided to give me an interview because she admired the fact I followed up. Thank God I did! I started working for See Change Films on the last day of my two week deadline. Talk about cutting it fine!

After a wonderful 3 months writing and implementing a communications strategy and helping train inspiring young people with stories to tell through film it was time to move on and I finished there just over a week ago. I managed to get an interview with a post production house in Soho as a Runner / Receptionist but alas it wasn’t meant to be and I received the ‘thanks-but-no-thanks’ phone call a few days later. HOWEVER… even though I wasn’t right for that particular job the panel saw something in me and invited me for a trial shift as a Runner. That was last Thursday and at the end of the day they offered me the job. So that’s us up to date! I’m now a 30 year old Runner and I’m having the time of my life! 🙂

Share a cup of kindness

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Suspended coffee 2

Something exciting happened this week – the new Suspended Coffees website launched! If you haven’t heard of the idea before it hails from Italy where it’s common for Neapolitan coffee lovers to order an extra coffee with their morning caffeine kick. That coffee is essentially ‘banked’ so that someone else can enjoy it later. It could be a homeless person or someone who’s just having a bit of a hard day or is down on their luck for whatever reason. What a great idea!

In celebration of the new website launch the organisers challenged as many people as possible to buy a suspended cup of coffee today to try and grow the movement worldwide. I am very fond of this idea. In an age where our entire lives are documented online I’ve had the feeling lately that my generation in particular is becoming totally disconnected from real human interaction. We reach out to others online but rarely face to face and this initiative is a great way to combat that and generally learn to be a bit kinder to one another in the real world as well as the virtual one.

The website has a full list of participating cafes and I must confess I was totally shocked to see there were only 3 participating cafés in all of London. Since I moved here just over a week ago I have seen people in need everywhere I have gone. Homeless people huddled up together for warmth, seeking shelter in Tube stations and in need of food. Hopefully the scheme will grow here because it could make such a difference to a lot of people. I decided to visit one of the cafes already on board this afternoon and headed to Look Mum No Hands! on Old Street.

I entered the address into Citymapper and headed on my way. I’ve used the app a couple of times now and I have to say I have fallen out of love with it as swiftly as I fell for it. My ‘map’ took me through every hole in the bush and I felt as though I had walked the length and breadth of the city by the time I finally reached my destination.

Suspended coffee

Look Mum No Hands! is a bicycle lover’s paradise which even boasts a workshop while you wait and hosts bicycle maintenance workshops to keep you on two wheels more often than on two legs. I ordered my coffee(s) and enjoyed a lovely latte as cyclists descended after work to carb load before making their way home.

Unfortunately there was no signage anywhere to say that this location supports the suspended coffee scheme although the scheme itself is a relatively new concept here so I suspect most café owners are still trying to find their feet with this. I think the scheme will only work as it needs to if cafes are very open in their support of it. A big sticker in the window and a sign with a tally of how many suspended coffees are available is essential so that those in need are aware that it’s a service they can avail of and those able to buy an extra cuppa know they can do so. The fact that this café has signed up in support of the movement is brilliant and should be applauded. They just need to tell people they are doing it! So far, the suspended coffees movement has grown online and that is great. But how many homeless people do you know that have access to the internet? It can only work if the people who will most benefit actually know about it.

Do you know of a local café that might be able to get involved with the scheme? It’s a win-win situation for local businesses because the coffees are already paid for and as a patron it’s great to support a business that aims to help those in need within their community. They just need to make people aware that, should they need a cuppa, it’s there for them. As Suspended Coffees says, it’s about more than the coffee.

First impressions

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Ready or not, off I go

Ready or not, off I go

The week got off to an emotional start involving 2 vacuum bags, one suitcase and a feather duvet. Note to those charged with marketing the sale of said vacuum bags: they are NOT the miracle workers you claim! They can only fit so much and no matter how hard the vacuum cleaner sucks the air out my items it will never compress as much as I need them to. Cue a number of hissy fits, a lot of coffee and a door or two slammed shut in frustration. I know, I’m an arse but I don’t do well travelling light and when it comes to moving your life across the sea it’s very difficult condensing 30 years worth of crap into a 23kg baggage allowance!

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London calling

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It’s happening! For the longest time I have been planning to move to London in search of adventure, fortune – and everything else in between – and it’s finally on the verge of becoming real! I made a decision at the start of the weekend to be in London at the beginning of the New Year meaning that I ended up making my way to the airport in the wee small hours of Sunday morning.

I lined up a few viewings with the hope of finding a place to stay in time for January. Flat hunting in London has been something of an education. There’s a specific code of bullshit that landlords, agents and potential flatmates use to lure you into signing your life – and your savings – in exchange for a bit of floor space no bigger than your person miles away from civilisation, let alone on a public transport route. For those looking to make the move it’s time to limber up your larynx and learn the lingo:

They live in that van you know. Photo credit: dailymail.co,uk

They live in that van you know.
Photo credit: dailymail.co.uk

Listing: Cosy, double room in up and coming area
Translation: Teeny weeny room with 2 beds. You will share this room with a complete stranger who the agency won’t care to vet beforehand so long as they pay their rent on time. This room will be located in a room in the arse end of nowhere. Lots of people are moving there because it’s the only place they can afford but it’s not quite busy enough for someone to open up a corner shop. Almost certainly not in Zones 1-3.

Listing: Supa dupa fun crew seeks 5th band member for lively houseshare
Translation: We are a bunch of halfwits who value ourselves far higher than the rest of society does. We love to party – hope you don’t like sleep. Also, cleaning is, like, so totally last century.

Listing: We are smokers but never smoke inside and febreeze is our best friend.
Translation: Lies. All lies. We are only human after all. We’ll probably have a crafty cig every now and again in the kitchen when it’s freezing out. Or we’ve had a drink. Or if our bowel movements are a bit up the left. You get the picture.

Listing: Bijoux, French-style kitchen.
Translation: We watch Rachel Khoo’s cooking show and like to imagine our kitchen is as cutesy and practical as hers. It’s not but sure, isn’t it always nice to dream?

Listing: No living room.
Translation: There used to be a living room. However, I am a greedy landlord who decided to turn your living room into yet another bedroom thus rendering the flat more like a prison than a home. Nice.

So that’s a brief insight into the lies people will tell you to spark your interest in what they have to offer. Next you need to get yourself to viewings, so you’ll probably be relying on various forms of public transport to find your way and, occasionally, the kindness of strangers.

Ah strangers. How they like to get their kicks. Like the Royal Mail Official I asked for directions today who sent me 20 minutes in the wrong direction from a viewing I was already late for. Hilarious. Then there’s the tube. For this you’ll need several things. A strong constitution is advisable along with a pretty robust immune system.

They don't make them like Pat anymore! Photo credit: Wikipedia

They don’t make them like Pat anymore!
Photo credit: Wikipedia

When on the tube especially, it’s best not to make eye contact with anyone lest they engage in conversation with you. Heaven forbid. Those who smile are in fact baring their teeth. What they are saying is “The next available seat is mine, so help me God, I will fight you for it.”

Trousers are so 2013. Photo credit: dailymail.co.uk

Trousers are so 2013.
Photo credit: dailymail.co.uk

After a busy day of checking out areas, flats and being misdirected by Postmen I hopped on the tube to Kings Cross and spied an empty seat. I did a quick scan for anyone who might be in need of a wee rest. Nope, the coast was clear. I wiggled and jiggled my way past the people who, crazily, chose to stand taking the seat and claimed my prize. Delighted at my minor win of the day I made a very obvious mistake. I felt someone beside me and heard a mumble. Forgetting where I was I turned to face the voice in my ear and locked eyes. Bollocks.

I saw before me a very friendly asian gentleman who looked like he might be someone’s doting grandfather. Which he may well be. But what wasn’t obvious was that he was a rather persistent flirt who became quite convinced that he and I would be dating come the Spring, regardless of my protestations. Funnier than our conversation was the speed at which fellow travellers vacated the seats around us. We cleared half the carriage which, in fairness, I wasn’t overly thrilled with at the time. Looking on the bright side though, next time I’m stuck on public transport and there isn’t a seat in sight I’m going to flirt my socks off until one becomes vacant!

You’ll be glad to know I managed to find a flat in a nice area – with a living room and everything! No doubt I’ll have plenty of tales to tell come the New Year so keep your eyes peeled and brace yourself for a giggle!xx