Some people are energized by having tasks ahead of them to complete. I, on the other hand, am energized by having tasks completed and behind me, and feeling free to fill the remaining hours of my day however I like. I had a few tasks to complete yesterday, which semi-stressed me out from the morning through the afternoon. Once I was in the clear (around 4:00 p.m.) I felt terrific:
1. Book my hostel for Dublin. That lapse on the line between where I ask if a room is available on date X and the hostel reception tells me "yes" or "no" feels like an eternity, where my stomach does jumping jacks. When I hear that there is room available, I get a rush like riding a roller coaster. Weird, right?
2. Laundry. As a side note, I think I should say that Joe and Natalia's location could not possibly be more ideal:
a) within a 3 minute walk of TWO supermarkets, one of which (Tesco) is pretty cheap. Both are closer than Bristol Farms was to my old apartment;
b) a launderette across the street;
c) a dry cleaner basically next door;
d) two bookstores within a 5 minute walk;
e) a tube stop (Notting Hill Gate) within a 5 minute walk, as well as several bus stops;
f) a Starbucks, a Pret a Manger, an Apostrophe (kind of like Starbucks) and a Le Pain Quotidian within a 5 minute walk;
g) a bar within a 3 minute walk;
h) several restaurants I didn't try, but which looked decent within a 3-5 minute walk;
i) Hyde Park within a 10 minute walk. Holland Park within maybe a 5 minute walk.
Really? They only thing they're missing is a kebab stand, a donut shop and a taco stand (although you don't really see the latter two in London) and I would never leave the neighborhood.
Anyway, I did my washing at the apartment (first time since...before Israel (which was a sweatfest)...so much needed) and then drying at the laundrette across the street. Not outrageously expensive, and got the clothes dry. Every once in a while, things work the way they are supposed to.
3) Groceries:
a) new detergent to replace the bottle I finished
b) bottle of cheap wine
c) cheap pizzas for dinner
d) candy bars for traveling
4) Uploaded photos and did some editing on Friday's entry, which was surprisingly time consuming.
5) Packed my bag for a week in Ireland. Meaning, taking out everything I didn't think I'd need, thus rendering my bag much, much lighter.
There were also productive things I didn't do that I intended to do:
1) Take a shower;
2) Buy Bret Eastin Ellis' Imperial Bedrooms, which I might want to read soon;
3) Answer all my emails;
4) Moving the items I took out of my bag to a safe, cordoned off location so as to not clutter the room while I'm gone.
5) Go on a walk.
Okay, so what else was left for the day? Remy's parents were visiting downstairs, so I went upstairs to hang out with Joe. We spent some time trying to decide what to watch, and finally settled on Purple Rain (1984) by Prince. What a weird freaking movie. Some solid music, and solid performances, but semi-incoherent plot, apparent defense of domestic abuse, awkward "sex scenes" between Prince and Apollonia (no chemistry), Prince convincing Apollonia that she needs to "purify herself in Lake Minnetonka" resulting in her jumping in a muddy lake before telling her that sorry, this wasn't actually Lake Minnetonka and then riding away on his motorcycle, some terrible acting, and no apparent moral of the story. Fascinating cultural artifact though. Am glad to have finally seen it, at the very least to eliminate the "WHAT! You haven't seen PURPLE RAIN" conversation I've had way too many times, also for the great music.
Remy, Joe and I ate the pizzas, some salad, some rose wine and dessert with Remy's mom, and discussed, among other things, the Corsican language.
Commenting upon the fact that I'm living in his apartment, but I'm buying his meals, Joe made the funny comment that "While I'm the host here in the hospitality sense, you are the host in the biological sense".
Belle & Sebastian -- The Blues Are Still Blue
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