IT IS LONDON TIEM NAO

Nine days since last post. Not bad, not bad at all.

So yeah, I'm here in London now. Been about a week. It's had its ups and downs, but overall I think it's good. I've gotten more used to the tube system and can usually find my way around the area immediately near Vandon House.

There are a couple people here who don't deserve to be, or really to be anywhere near me at all. But there they are, and I will deal with it. As much as they really need punched in the face.

Other people here are nice enough, though. Some more than others, of course. Starting to get to know a few of them as best I can being me, but it's only been a week after all. The only really bad time I had was when about nine people insisted I come along with them to a pub (me not really knowing anyone) and then spent the rest of the time pretty much ignoring me. That wasn't too fun.

On the other hand, seeing Wicked was fun, going to Westfield Shopping Centre was fun, finding the incredibly awesome seven-floor Hamley's Toys was definitely cool, and I am within walking distance of a Pizza Hut and a McDonald's. Subway, alas, is a tube ride away and so not as convenient. Still, not a bad life here so far. Seems much longer than a week though.

Got the Eleventh Doctor's sonic screwdriver at long last. Huzzah! Along with DS styluses and a Wii remote that are also... sonic screwdriver-shaped. Yeah. It's pretty cool.

Been playing Pokemon White on my laptop a little more recently, after putting it off for ages. Leveled my team up to 50 and just have to go face the Elite Four. Of course, then I decided to start Black and now I'm to the fourth gym after starting it yesterday and what I'll do next is anyone's guess. My Black team's a little more conventional type-wise, what with covering all three starter types and eventually having Flying and Dragon Pokemon, but White is more fun in a way without the old standbys. Fighting Pokemon tend to be beastly in this gen, though. Leroy, my Nageki, is one of my most powerful members in White, having just learned Superpower on top of that, and I got a Zuruggu, Scott, in Black. He's got an awesome type combo and learns Brick Break fairly early on, meaning he can rip stuff to shreds.

Oh right, London. Back to that...

Skyped with my parents yesterday. It was good to talk to them, and to see them as well. I will try to do this as often as I can.

Have a room to myself. It's nice, but always warm, even if I have a window open. Apparently other people are freezing. What I wouldn't give to trade... it's easier to warm up than get cool in these situations.

Some might say now is a good time to start meeting girls, but... eh... I'm trying to avoid falling into that again. It's started to just be a chore to have to deal with messy feelings like that. Now, I've come up with a method to just deal with women normally- pretend they're all way out of my league. This sounds cynical, yes, but the idea is that it convinces me subconsciously that there's nothing to lose or gain and I can just act normally around them.

I think it's working...

Regardless, loneliness isn't something that goes away overnight. And some girls are harder to ignore than others.

This is one of those "life isn't fair but we have to bear with it" morals. Not that that's a bad thing.

I've still got my burdens to deal with, but I'm doing fine. Keep rooting for me, folks.

is it london tiem nao?

Well, almost. Yeah yeah, a few weeks since I last posted. I'm still getting better than I was.

So, yes, London. Tomorrow. I'm leaving on a jet plane... I will return in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY. Or in May, whichever comes first. (hint: it'll be May)

It's going to be my second time out of the country, and my first time out of North America. I will be across the ocean, on a different continent, six hours ahead of normal time for me... totally new experiences. New places, new people, new adventures.

Who knows what's in store? Hopefully a lot of good things. If I can make new friends and learn new things and get my hands on the Eleventh Doctor's sonic screwdriver, it'll be a trip worth making. Four months to broaden my horizons. I like those odds.

It's odd to look at my house and know that soon I'll be so far away. It's never really been like this before. Maybe the reason I have no actual anxiety or nervousness is because I have nothing to compare this to.

Or maybe I really have grown and become a braver, more mature person. I hope that's the case.

See you in London.







Oh, and I finally got a blue bow tie. Kudos to SFX Magazine for knowing what awesome bonuses to give to readers. COSTUME COMPLETE.