My Kaleidoscope Eyes

“Well I don’t know what I’m looking for, but I know that I just wanna’ look some more. And I won’t be satisfied til there’s nothing left that I haven’t tried…” – Brendan Benson

It’s been a while. I haven’t had any more classes since I’ve been back to the UK, but I suppose I’ve just been trying to absorb as much of London as I possibly can while I’m still here. Since my last update, some things have fallen into place quite nicely. As some of you may know, I landed an internship a couple weeks ago that will fulfill my course requirements. Therefore, I am officially coming back to California on June 13. For good. (At least residentially speaking.)

How’s the internship you ask? Well, boring. To say the least. I spend 8 hours a day, 3 days a week, researching random controversial social issues for a bunch of art-activists. It sounds interesting, I know. And that’s how I felt for the first few days – excited about being controversial and active – but it’s just not as glamorous as it should be.

I work from my own laptop at a kitchen table inside of a converted warehouse, while my “boss”- a bona fide computer hacker from the 80’s who types using the “hunt and peck” method – munches on chocolate biscuits and blasts bjork and electronica from his freedom-loving open-source computer all day. And the staff has meetings at least twice a day. By “meetings,” I mean “pointless chit-chat over tea or coffee for at least an hour at a time.” How am I supposed to concentrate on working, with so many silly distractions?

It turns out I’m not the only one complaining. My 3 closest American girl friends, who are also in the working world seem to be equally unsatisfied.

(This is us during an intermission of Wicked at the Apollo Victoria. Note: 2 out of 4 of us were ditching “optional” work events that evening.)

We’ve resorted to meeting up at the pub more often to bitch and moan about working – and we’ve come to some interesting conclusions about British industries (of course these are just generalizations from four American 20-something grad students):

a.) Nobody in the UK works full days EVER. 10-6 includes the however-long-you-want lunch time and breaks, and there’s no such thing as clocking in and out. I’ve been left alone in the office twice now at around 4:30. Do they really expect me to stay longer when they decide to just up and leave whenever? And sometimes my boss texts me at 9 a.m. telling me to come in at noon instead, because they have things to do in the morning. Uhm, sure!

b.) People schedule meetings needlessly, sometimes just to ask a question. Why don’t they just ask it? They’re sitting right next to eachother. Maybe it’s to feel more business-like.

c.)  Nobody gives anybody any sort of direction. The most we seem to get is “read up on this…” Now what should I do? “Research that again…” For what???? Who knows??? But isn’t that a waste of time? Confused yet? Yeah, me too. It’s all very pointless.

d.) Working for a British company means that you dedicate a large part of your social life to your workmates also. There’s a sense of obligation they instill in you to attend various social events with them (gallery openings on the weekends, work fairs, dinner, drinks, clubbing after work…) all on your alleged “free time” of course. Who wants to party constantly with work people? I don’t. Maybe I’m just being super picky. But there’s a reason why “work” and “leisure” are two different words.

This is precisely why my friends and I have taken a vow to support each other during inessential work-related social activities. It’s also the reason why I went to a graffiti/skater street fair yesterday for Allison’s work – an event that has absolutely NOTHING to do with her archiving internship at a small, independent photography gallery. It was necessary for her to attend so she could shmooze with her boss… but fortunately, there was live music and live artists. At least I got to take some fun photos.

This might sound completely insane, but my friends and I actually miss the American work world. Generally speaking again, it’s efficient, straightforward, and predictable. You might think it sucks. But knowing the difference between there and here completely justifies why America is in charge of the global economy- whether or not we’re all in recession.

It’s funny how being back in the work grind changes your outlook on life. Spare time is an absolute luxury (which I have admittedly been taking for granted while being in school). So, if spare time is a luxury, then we should spend it luxuriously, right? I know that’s easier said than done, especially in these times. But, trust me, if we weren’t being funded to be here by good old Uncle Sam, then things would be much different.

Still, since we’ve all sold our souls to the student loan devil, we might as well enjoy it. When we’re not working, or suffering anxiety attacks from evil dissertation-land, we’re all trying to act like proper Londoners:

We go shopping in the high streets and attend formal gatherings. For the record, the dress I’m wearing below for our graduation ball is by a Japanese designer called Yuki, and I got it on concession from a boutique in Oxford Circus. I’m also wearing vintage shoes. It’s like being in an episode of Sex and the City.

Then we take breaks between shopping sessions by going to afternoon tea at posh west-end places like The Wolseley. Afternoon tea and scones is £9.75, but well worth it for the feeling of very-important-person-ness you get when you’re seated on the balcony closest to the giant chandelier.

We also take numerous strolls in the park and go on weekend day trips. Just this weekend I went to Stratford-Upon-Avon, about 2 hours northwest of London by train, to visit William Shakespeare’s birthplace.

And did I mention the Broadway musicals and plays? Here’s a picture of the backside of James McAvoy in Three Days of Rain, just before one of the ushers caught me with my camera and told me to put it away.

Okay, so I know it all seems extravagant. But what can I do? I live in London for crying out loud. This stuff is what I came out here to do. Isn’t life about experiences? Saying no to doing fun stuff just shouldn’t be an option. Especially, when the countdown to leave is ticking away so quickly… Might as well try everything while I still can.

Brendan Benson – What I’m Looking For video