Pond Hopper

I've decided to start my own business to try to bring in some extra money while I'm working on the web design training. I started the process a little over a week ago. It was a split decision that I just ran with. I'm going to be doing make-up for weddings and special occasions (as well as selling virgin cosmetics to my clients). I'm using what's left of my savings to start the business. The cosmetics start-up kit is costing a pretty penny and the rest is going into advertising. I took out an ad in the Thomson's Yellow Pages (not the main yellow pages, but not a bad place to advertise either), placing an ad in a booklet of local businesses that gets distributed around the area and I'll also be advertising in the weddings section of the local newspaper (and of course on the web). The local newspaper will also be doing a write-up on my business in the weddings section sometime in the next 6 weeks. They'll be sending out a photographer and writing up...

I have had so many new visitors that are future expats that I thought it would be a good idea to offer some words of advise to those coming to live in the UK and learning to speak the language... One thing to keep in mind - Add the word 'Trousers' to your vocabulary to take the place of the word 'pants'. In the UK, 'pants' means 'underpants' and people look at you funny if you ask them if they like your new pants! Last week, I told my trainer that all my pants are too big for me and he seemed a bit confused on why I'd be so forthcoming with such information. Unfortunately, it wasn't until later that I realized what I said! There are a lot of words that take on new meaning when you come to England. You'll soon find out that you don't really speak English - you speak American and you'll soon finding yourself translating in your head before speaking. Examples: Hair - bangs are called fringe & braids are called plaits. Clothi...

It's been a while since I blogged regularly. I guess I've been going by the rule - if you don't have anything nice to say - don't say anything at all. I hate 'woe is me' type entries and for the last month or so, I've been really down and haven't had anything good to say. I think it started with the news that Aniela (my fellow expat girlfriend) was moving back to the US and was exacerbated by the incident with Wayne's cousin and the flare up of my condition (along with a general feeling of homesickness & loneliness). I was really depressed for quite a few weeks there and haven't been doing much more than going to the gym and other random things to keep me busy during the day. I haven't even worked on my web classes (in any serious way) in weeks (probably because I can't concentrate when I'm in pain - never mind get very motivated). I'm not so down anymore. Maybe it's the sunshine. Maybe it's the fact that I'...