Mmmnnn. I just bought a tuna sandwich. Even simple food always tastes better when someone else prepares it. I love it that Phil does most of the cooking; he’s a very good cook. I can cook, as well, but my dishes tend to be too spicy for him, so he prefers to do most of it. There’s nothing sexier than a man really loves to cook.
Fencing last night was good, although my knee was bothering me so I didn’t do too much bouting. They had a new coach there who was a sabre fencer. *woo hoo!* I had been on the verge of quitting, actually. This is a very large group of beginners in a very small space, there aren’t enough lessons, so people just kind of have to figure it out for themselves, and there are too many unsupervised small children who are flat-out dangerous: walking through the middle of the floor with no masks on, kids running around taking great whacks at each other with blades, etc. When I fenced in Los Angeles, it was a much more structured environment. There were proper lessons on a weekly basis, and you could bout with a variety of fencers of all levels, which would improve your own skills. I don’t know…we’ll see what happens. I was enjoying it, but I’ve become frustrated.
Why do so many people smoke here? I expect it in the pubs, and just tend to not go in places that are thick with smoke. What I am amazed at, though, are the amount of young people who smoke. Why? This job, as you probably know, is at an FE college. You can’t walk from building to building without having to push your way through crowds of students who all seem to have a cigarette permanently attached to their mouth. (I refuse to use the word “fag.” It means something else, very nasty and derogatory, in the States and I cringe every time I hear it here – although it can be unintentionally amusing. A phrase like “I’m going to step out and have a fag” brings interesting images to mind.) Anyway, I never smoked because my parents did, and we all hated it as kids. Why do these kids smoke? Also, how do they afford it?
Well, back to surfing. What can I say? It’s a job. Someone has to do it and I do it well. *s* Three days left, and counting…
As Jarvis Cocker so eloquently said:
‘Drink and smoke and screw…cos there’s nothing else to do…’
I suppose you’re right. I just don’t understand it.
I”ve really grown to love spicy Mexican food, quite simply because its a staple over in CA, but having eaten four tacos and a chimy changa last night, I have to say that English digestive systems are not as sturdy as American stomachs.
I don’t get the smoking thing either-never have, and the concept of sucking on a burning stick just to take a breather seems absurd. Each to his own as long as it isn’t belching all over me. I long for the day when lighting up a ciggy in a restaurant here is illegal too.
Food made by others – SOOOOO true! Why is it that it tastes that bit better? I’m sure it has to do with being presented with a finished product. I feel the same way about restaurants though, so I dunno if it’s just being served from my perspective. :)
Fags – hmm, ya know, this used to bug me the first year I lived here. Then we joined a viking reenactment group and EVERYONE (except for maybe three of the seventy) smoked. Everyone called them fags or rollups. I disassociated the word to mean cigarette. Now it’s the only definition I recognise. I never used it as a slang term for gay people anyway, so it was a pretty easy transition. Hopefully, over time, you’ll find it does the same for you.
Smoking – I think Americans see it more as a health risk. English people (the smokers that is) tend to begin REALLY early… and carry on from there. I think it’s a very social thing to do. I socially smoke, but even that is very few and very far between. I am finding I just don’t like it. It lends itself well to drinking and clubbing… especially if you don’t necessarily want to talk to someone, you can just smoke together. Weird, but effective. Anyway, enough of me going on and on.
I think that less people smoke here now, 10 years ago a no smoking section in a pub was unheard of, now all pubs have them. Cambridge now has 2 non smoking pubs and several non smoking restraunts. I really wish there were more. I hate coming home with stinky hair/clothes etc.
Young people smoke because they think it is cool, at 16 you don’t think about lung cancer. Beats me how they afford it, must have very well paid part time jobs or generous parents.
Must be the same way they afford the copius amounts of alcohol they imbibe!!
I’m not a scrooge or anything, but I’d see it as a waste of money…imagine what you could do if you put aside the money…even £10 a week…£40 a month…almost £480 a year. That’s a holiday, a cheap car, a good digital camera – something tangible that will last…or hell – even a good few happy finishes…it’s got to feel better?
I’m mostly with Eddie Izzard on the smoking thing where he said:
“So… now no smoking in bars in California… yes… and soon no drinking and no talking. Be careful California, you’re meant to be the crazy state.”
It’s interesting that the country which contributes most pollution into the atmosphere is leading the way in banning smoking in public places. I don’t have a firm view either way to be honest, but having smoking and non-smoking sections or even separate bars and pubs sounds more reasonable. I don’t quite get the anti-smoking fervour that some people expound.
Ahhh…try a touch of asthma…it makes a huge difference…
I’m not some rabid advocate of bannign everything everywhere, and I accept that smoking is a very social activity, especially in clubs and bars etc…but when I’m trying to eat there’s nothing worse than someones fag wafting over my way…
Ok – typed that and realised it’s a total Carry On line, but I’ll leave it, if only for the sake of whimsy…
Damn…I just used whimsy in a sentence…I’ll be quiet now.
Well I’d send you some of my spicy cooking, but I have a feeling Jambalaya and Paella wouldn’t ship well..
Re: the whole smoking thing, I notice it a lot because I’m a non-smoker. I understand that smokers feel as though it’s their right to smoke in a pub or bar or whatever, but when they do they take away my right to not smoke. A teetotaller doesn’t get a contact drunk from people drinking at the next table, but I will breathe a hell of a lot of smoke when people are smoking in the same room. I have no recourse other than to leave the establishment, or just suck it all in.
It’s mainly kids smoking that I was commenting on. I know that every man, woman and their dog smokes here. But it bothers me to see so many kids smoking.
:) Do you know what I really miss? The small Mexican places where you can get really awesome burritos and tacos. No ground beef to be seen, just real shredded beef and pork, and LOTS of it in huge fat burritos. Mmmmnnnnn….chile rellenos, mmnnnnnn….
We have a TON of them here in Columbus.. if you manage to swing by I’ll wine and dine and sixty.. er uh.. wine and dine you at some fun mom and pop mexican restaurants and such..