Every town...

'Every town

Has it's ups and downs

Sometimes ups

Outnumber the downs'

Ok so that song goes on to say '..But not in Nottingham' but for me, at the moment, it's not in Ne-ew York.

To be fair, it's not New York's fault, but the lyrics seemed apt.

I'm having a bad day.

This is for a number of reasons, which I shall list thusly, as I feel it's high time I had a rant:

1. I'm sick, I'm under the weather, some kind of flu bug thing. It's sexy, honest.

2. I am stressed out due to Mountbatten work deadlines.  My Managing Information module is giving me severe proverbial ball-ache, for want of a better analogy.  It's not particularly hard, it's just particularly there, and it turns out, it's no picnic to work full-time, at a job I really like working hard at, and do full-on coursework too. I may have over-estimated my juggling capabilities. Or under-estimated how much I would enjoy wanting to work hard at my job. Or whatever. 

3. Related to number 2, I have to do a presentation for my sponsor company as part of my module. I attempted to do that today. I knew it was a bad idea to schedule it today. I'm such a retard. I don't know why I thought today was a good idea. I think I was thinking get it over and done with as I don't really like public speaking (I know, me, right? Who'da thunk it?!).  What I neglected to think about was the fact that I don't really understand exactly what the presentation is meant to be.  I mean, I have an idea, but I think I needed to have clarification.  I mean, I've never studied business before, and I've never presented in a business environment before, it's a new and scary place.  Hot damn, I needed that goddamn clarification.  Which I would have got if only I'd gone for scheduling at the end of this week. This is because I'm due a meeting with my tutor tomorrow lunchtime to discuss things thus far, and I could have talked it over with him.  Oh, how I'm gonna need to talk things over with him.

Also, didnt help that there was a spectacular misunderstanding at this shambles of a presentation I'd set up.  Turns out, my really very good-hearted bosses were under the impression that I was just kind of showing them what I was planning on presenting to someone at Mountbatten, not realizing that I was actually stumbling my way through trying to present to them.  So they started jumping in right from the off with suggestions for improvements and saying things like 'that won't make sense to the audience' and I'm like, 'errrr... but but, you guys are the audience!!' 

And because, I was a little confused over my project still, and sick, the powerpoint I'd cobbled together really didn't look that great looking back.

My bosses have actually really been so so good, and decided that we can treat that as a working session, and they will help me to get it up to scratch ready for the realio dealio on Thursday.  Which they didn't have to do.  They could have laughed in my face and said walk on love.  

But this makes me feel almost worse.. almost.  Because, like I said, I love my job, I really love working with these people, and I did such a bad job at this crap-tastic presentation I feel like I let them down.  I feel like I let them down bad.  I bet they're wondering why in the name of all that is holy, they chose this complete loser-ass-idiot for an intern.

I may have cried a little bit, in the bathroom (not right there haha!).  I bet it was real obvious too. OH MY GOSH I'm such a tard.  I have a lot to learn.

*sniff*

Love and hugs would be most welcome.

Oh say can you seeee...

O say does that star spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?

So it's President's Day Weekend and all.  Which aside from being another long weekend, also means I get to post pictures of the American flag for no other reason.

And to say this: What happened to national pride being a bad thing in England? The St George's Cross is now synonymous with either football hooliganism or the National Front.

From living in America, I have now seen that national pride doesn't have to be a bad thing.  It can be a wonderful, unifying thing.  Here, it helps people remember that even though they can all be separated by their differences - be it race, gender, or political leanings - and even though they can all learn to respect each other's differences for their right to be so, national pride means that when it really comes down to it, they are all still beautifully linked by one thing.  What it means to be an American.  And how important that is.

I wish in England that we could also try and find that balance of respect for our differences, without losing sight of what it is that makes England England, and celebrating that. 

And... end scene.

So, also, as I have an extra day to play with, I have changed the way the old bloggy-wog looks. Yes, I've given it a new outfit, the other one was getting a bit old and needed a wash.  Haha, I jest, I jest. I've been meaning to do it for a while, make it a bit more jazzy-jeff!  Let me know what you think, I like it for now.

And also as I have an extra day, I've got a bit of time to mention about the weeks most exciting event: When Rachel and Turk came to visit!!

Here they are:

It snowed while they were here.  As you can see, Turk is clearly unused to such a phenomenon.

We did lots of things, but one of my favorites was going to see the Statue of Liberty:

It was a very cold day, but Rachel and I battled through this setback to listen on the audio guide all about how Libby got made in France and shipped all the way over here.  

Being there and imagining the crowds the day it was unveiled was a great experience.  We then went on to Ellis Island and learnt about the harrowing and emotional ordeal that was going through immigration back in the day.  Thankfully it wasn't like that for me!  But everyone was so desperate to get over here and make a better life for themselves.  To them it was the land of dreams coming true.

I can see why they thought that..

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

New York New York, what's that you ask with your red and white-lighted, world-famous beacon???

Will I be your Valentine??

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes...

I think this is one love affair that's got me bad

NB: Stay tuned for a post this weekend of The One where Rachel and Turk came to stay

My art..

Isn't that cool?  No really, isn't that just so cool?  It's an art installation or sculpture or something, currently on display at the MOMA.  And don't you just love it?  Each neon number is the sum of the two previous numbers, and it leads over a bed of twigs, through a canopy to the other side.  I think it's awesome.

There's lots of awesome stuff at the MOMA.  There's the famous stuff:

Like the Warhol's.  You can never have enough Warhol. Here's another one:

How about a bit of Vincent?  Altogether now *Starry starry niiiiiight*

Oh and I nearly forgot about the Monet's.  Gosh isn't the Monet just spell-binding?

It's bang on the Monet if you ask me. 

Sorry.  That was a bad joke.  I apologise.  But admit it, you laughed a little bit.  Oh and let's not forget the Pollack:

Also at the MOMA, there is some other more niche-market, only-famous-if-you-did-art-for-a-degree stuff... also awesome:

I know this from somewhere, but I can't recall the name..

Again, I know this is by the guy that paints with dots, but I'll be buggered if I can remember his name

Oh, and this one.. I stood next to it and made a "P" with my hands, but my friend Chris didn't look amused.  So I stopped that.  But you would have laughed right?? RIGHT?!

This is that guy that I know was a Warhol contemporary, but he may as well be the postman for all I can tell about what he was christened as...

And these were some tools.  Actually come to think of it, was this even a piece? Or did I accidentally stumble into a tool shed??? I know, I know... I'M A PHILESTINE!

OK, now I may not know anything about this piece, but I can tell you that I liked it.  It's a map of America in case you can't tell.

Now there was also some stuff at the MOMA that I'm not convinced is that famous, but I still enjoyed it immensely.  Like this chair:

See the beautiful reflection the light makes on the floor? So pretty... 

And there was this weird plastic viney stuff:

And this... tunnel?!?!

Oh, and isn't this just the best chess set of all time?

I mean, as far as chess sets go, its pretty cool.  The pieces look like what the rules are.  Like the bishop is a cross. The knight is an L shape... etc etc. Clever!

Oh and also, aren't these the prettiest glasses?

And there was this Tiffany lamp (ok, I'll give you that.  That is famous) which made me despair at my own light fittings:

But, there was something about the neon path of numbers that spoke to me...

The way it petered out into the distance.  I kept thinking about Miles' post about making your own path.  I guess that's what this guy did.  I feel bad, I don't even know who did it.

But anyway, you know what else is pretty awesome??

This gee-tar wall from the Hard Rock Cafe Times Square.  That's also a work of art in itself.  Wouldn't have looked that out of place at the MOMA in face.

Oh and one last thing that wouldn't look out of place in the MOMA:

My nails... 28 days and counting...

This is my art.