Christmas makes me sleepy!

I am sooooo sleepy! And after not getting to bed till after 1am on both christmas day and boxing day (bank holiday on the day after xmas in the UK) one can see why I'm so tired! Christmas Day was lots of fun, we did the present exchange and had a christmas lunch, then later had a group of Matt's relatives come over. We ate some more and played party games till about midnight, one of which contained a cereal box, scissors and each person to be as flexible as they could be. The object of the game was to pick up the box from the floor with just your mouth, and you could not touch the floor with your hands or knees. So as the box got shorter and shorter people began to drop out, until it was matt's 54 year old aunt, his brother and myself. Matt's aunt lasted until the box was 2 inches in height and brad and I lasted with the last inch where he was unable to get to the box and I was. And just to make my victory even better, I had them cut off the last half an inch and proceeded to pick up what remained of the box. Needless to say we were all soar the next day! Boxing day was spent watching the local rugby team lose and visiting Matt's Dad side of the family. Matt's Dad is one of 6 and each brother has their own family with multiple children, so get-to-gethers are always a fun party (same goes for matt's mom's side, she's one of 7). So more food and games were had and the clock read 1:43 am when we got to bed!

I just want to sleep or rest and watch a movie for the rest of the day! I think a showing of the Dark Knight is in my immediate future!

City girl on a farm... e-i-e-i-o

Today at 5:00 A.M. Matt and I were up and getting ready to meet his dad at work. The reason we had to get up SO early is because his dad works on a Dairy Farm! He was already there when we arrived and had been so for a good hour. I've never been on a Dairy Farm before and at the moment this farm has about 200 cows only used for milking and 45 calves, two of which had been born just the night before! When we arrived Matt's Dad was mixing the milk for the calves to drink and about 6 cats came out looking for whatever was spilt on the floor. We spent 2 hours with his dad "feeding up" the calves with their milk, water and feed cake which looked like Oat Bran with rasins. The older ones drink their milk out of the bucket and they all Moo like crazy until they are fed, after which they go really quiet and it's time for a nap. The younger ones who have just been born have to drink their milk from a bucket which has a single udder on it to act like a mommy cow. Some of them don't really get what's going on and you have to stick your hand around their mouth and then guide them to it and show them what to do. So you end up with a really sloppy, drooly hand. And if you leave your hand in there they'll just continue sucking cause they thing your a mommy. It's one of the weirdest sensations I've ever come across. You're generally told NOT to stick your hands in animals mouths but since cows only have bottom teeth and cover the bottom ones with their tongues (which are like cat's tongues but more rough and hella long!) it obviously won't hurt, especially since they are only sucking on it, but I don't thing I ever would put my hand in the mouth of a grown cow, which are massive when you are standing right next to one.

Here are a couple of pictures from my morning at the farm.

Favorite calve #1



Favorite calve #1 and #2



Me in my farm regalia!

Here we come a caroling..

I've spent Christmas over here many a time before but really didn't notice the differences in celebration between the us and the the UK until now. Everyone celebrates the day of Christmas differently so I'm not really talking about that, I'm talking about the way society celebrates the season.

Holiday Movies: Right about now in the US I would be on Christmas movie overload. I'm sure that on TBS "A Christmas Story" is playing everyday and on Christmas day, the traditional 24 hour marathon of the same movie will be playing over and over. Christmas movies start the day after Thanksgiving in the states and don't stop till Christmas day. I love it! I love Christmas movies!! But in the UK the only christmas movie I've seen on tv so far is "Elf" and that was last Sunday. So far this holiday season "Elf" is the only Christmas film I've watched, and that's only cause I bought it 2 weeks ago. Apparently the movies I love so much will be on tv starting this weekend, cause all the kiddies get out of school for the holiday break on Friday. I feel gypped! Christmas makes me feel like a big kid and I want to sit around in my pj's and watch christmas films through out all of December! AND they don't even have "A Christmas Story" for sale in any of the shops and no one over here has EVER heard of it! Shameful!

Carolers: Twice this week there has been a knock at our door and upon opening the door we've had children singing Christmas Carols! They usually get into the first verse of whatever song they are singing and stop and then we are expected to give them change, which we do. Nothing really significant but if they go around to a good number of houses on multiple nights they'll be making some serious cash for a 10 year old. Usually in the states you might get carolers roaming around the streets but it's in a group and usually for some charitable cause like change for kids or canned goods for the homeless, not for personal gain. It is a bit weird.

Of job seeking and other stories

So I've been avoiding writing in my blog for well over a month. Why?? you ask... Well I would have hoped by now that I would have found a spot for myself in the job market! But no, this lovely recession is making it very hard for someone in the marketing/advertising sector to find a job. And all those economists who harp on businesses and tell them to cut their marketing budgets as a means to "cut costs" are really beginning to get on my last nerve! YOUR PUTTING ME OUT OF A JOB, and regardless any sound business person will tell you that cutting your marketing budget at a time like this is the last thing you should do! Sorry, rant over! Back to my update.

Since I last updated I've been doing my best to find a job and went on an interview with a recruiter about a month ago. She's been of little help and I think I've heard from her twice since then. I also had a meeting with an advertising firm a month ago and three weeks ago I had a 2nd interview... and have been waiting and waiting to hear back ever since. When I left the interview, i felt really good about it and was pleased with what I had accomplished. I had to literally claw my way into that company even for them to take a look at my portfolio, which they were impressed with, and I thought that SOMETHING would happen after that 2nd interview. But nothing. I sent an email last week and made a phone call yesterday to see what the status was, no answer. At this point it's really annoying. I got a degree in advertising because it was what I wanted to do and because it was something I was good at, even without my classes to make me enjoy it that little bit more. And now I'm left wondering if any of that will be put to use. Now I'm sure your wondering why I don't go to another firm, and the answer is, all the other Ad firms are in London and with a 4,000 pound train ticket (for the year) and 3.5 hours on a train commuting everyday, it just isn't an option. So I've been considering the option of working in the communications or fundraising sector of the local University or Hospital. Youth organizations don't exist in Southampton.

I just want to work! I've worked since I was 14 and since the age of 18 i worked 2 jobs and wend to school full time. It's in my nature to be busy and be a productive individual! And then there's the financial side of it. Ah money! something everyone is having an issue with at this time. I'm ok for the moment but that's now, not two months from now. And I don't want to claim off the government cause I just think it's the easy way out and the lazy way for people who don't want to work at all.

I do have to say that I am very lucky however to have Matt. He has been unbelievably supportive. I can't imagine being without someone like him at a time like this!

Life is good other than that! I'm really liking Southampton. Matt and I have taken day trips on the weekends to other cities, usually shopping in the high street (like an outdoor mall) and taking in any local sights we might find. I've also had the chance to meet a good majority of Matt's family. His cousin James and his Fiance Rachel, live 45 minutes away from us so we've gone to visit them a few times as well. In fact, last weekend we went to visit them and went to London on the train for the Frost Fair and another fair in Hyde Park. We had crapes and walked along the Themes River enjoying all the little booths. We then wondered around the SOHO district of London and I decided that even though I have been to London 3 or 4 times that I need to venture into more of the non touresty parts of London. AND we went to IKEA!! Those who know me know I love Ikea so when we went last Friday I was so excited. They were open till midnight and even better, Matt had never been, and he liked what he saw. So we're going to plan on moving into our own place when the one in Southampton opens this spring, silly but efficient!

I've finished all of my Christmas shopping and can't wait to spend the holidays in Devon with Matt and his family! We'll be there this Sunday through the 5th of Jan!

Hope everyone has a great holiday!!