Busy Busy Week

Morning all,

I have had an incredibly busy week.

Monday was the knicks game. I left work and arranged to meet Rich + others ( I had no idea who 'others' were) outside Madison Square Garden. At 6.30 Rich appeared with no 'others.' He then informed me these were to be his RA Jay, Two of his work colleagues - which Rich now refers to as 'co-workers'... *o dear* and the wife of one of them. They appeared in dribs and drabs until around 7pm. Yes it was very cold. Did they care? no....
I felt obliged to indulge in Stadium tradition and had a very plastic looking (and tasting) hot dog, whilst both Rich and his RA went for the foot-longs. ewwww..... After that - it got much better. Turns out Rich's RA is quite a basketball fan so understood what was going on- thus I chose to sit next to him and questioned every tiny move for the entire game till he wanted to kill me.- I feel I learnt a lot. :)The game itself was entertaining. I say this as the Knicks (out supposed side) were useless and we had to take heart in the skillful thrashing the other team were giving us. Although towards the end, the knicks attempted to atleast score some points, this was a fairly feeble attempt and I seriously conmsidered crossing over to become a Dallas fan.... maybe?
Following this we headed home as it was gone 10.30pm when the game ended.

Tuesday night I had a quiet one, did laundry, went shopping, wrote xmas cards and the like.

Wednesday was kickboxing again. Apparently this boot camp man wasnt just having a crazy day last time - this is a consistent thing and the hour was incredibly knackering. I walked back from class with the ability to feel my pulse in my feet - a new sensation I dont really recommend.
Following this I decided to cook dinner and somehow- depite my amazing cullinary skills, (I blame the poor kitchen design personally)- I was able to set off both the apartment and buliding smoke detectors. Interestingly, as the apartment alarm goes off first, my first thought was to ventilate the space- so I opened the window and the door creating a through breeze- solving the problem of the horrendous screeching noise. However, this seems to simply blow the smoke into the hallway and set off the whole floor alarm, which is much more impressive. (yes I know, only me.....) This is less easy to solve and requires a man with a key. Promtly a man with a key appeared, asking where the fire was.- by which time I had removed my pan from the hob and all looked normal in my flat atleast :) Other Mountbattens from the opposite end of the hall came out to see what was making such a horribly loud noise but I denied all knowledge and the man with he key turned it off. Everyone was happy and I ate my dinner in peace. :)lol.

Thursday after work I found myself being dragged off my Hima to a bar in the lower east side of town to meet Dina, Vicky and some random girls from Columbia Uni. Turns out they met these girls at a Divali party back in Nov. They seemed nice enough, one knows an awful lot about bars and where to go in NY so I tapped for information and have noted some events later in the year. Then we went on to a club which was hosting a magazine launch - I kid you not- playgirl. Yes I didnt stay too long, wasnt really my cup of tea - But Hima and Dina seemed to enjoy the free gifts and er.. dancers.

Friday I went to court. This was v. good. I watched the head partner crucify a trembling attorney- twas very entertaining. Now and then he would turn round and wink at me as if to say 'wasn't that just brilliant' at which points I was supposed to look completly overwhelmed with the talent before me- I tried ok. I organised exhibits and papers etc so as not to simply have an entire day off work, although he took me for lunch which was nice and I got a free trip to Queens- where the supreme court is. Ah well, you win some...
Following this I met Rich D (not the same one as Monday) and went for a drink on 33rd (beer in flutes.. pricey, wont do it again) then headed to a little theatre not far from there where a very professional, beit small theatre group performed their interpretation of 'a chirstmas carol'. It was very good- altho as always american attempts at british accents are hillarious in the most serious of moments- especially on little boys- attempting to be poor- who are clearly rich- whose mothers have paid for them to learn to speak like a cockney... again as i said.. hillarious.
Following this Rich and I went to a bar on Bleaker street, then back to the apartments for wine, then off to bed.

Saturday I awoke to the oddest sound. It was like incredibly loud vacuuming- except we have wooden floor and dont own a vacuum. Upon investigation I discovered the noise was due to two men in boiler suits sucking what appeared to be a small lake from my apartment floor. My RA appeared and announced that she had blocked the toliet and in her wisdom had removed the the back pipe to unclog it. However this is not england and nothing works as you might think. Water simply poured out on to the floor, out into the hallway and it was half way across th living room when I woke up. Given the situation, Dina and I voted we would stay in bed and listen to xmas music until the problem was resolved and we would be able to wear wellies to leave the apartment. However, Jen appeared from down stairs - I had forgotten I had arranaged to go ice skating with her that morning- also it seemed the front door was wide open and randoms -i.e Jen, were simply walking in. So I shouted over the noise of the vacuuming machine and the two men in my p-j's that I would be round just as soon as I was able - so she took herself out for breakfast. I remained imprisoned behind the lake.
It was then that I noticed the dreaded smoke detector- that had caused me so much trouble earlier this week- had mysteriously fallen from the ceiling and was on the coffee table, a good 10ft away. Vik then came from his room and explained that he had decided it in the best interests of all those sleeping during the night that he had ripped it from the ceiling following a hamburger episode at 4am. I pointed out that the vacuuming men had kinda runined his thoughtful gesture but that it was well meant - ahem.

Bout an hour or so later the men left. I went round to jen's and we headed for the ice rink outside our building. This was great fun - no one (that we knew) fell over so all was well. This was followed by a nice wam starbucks, then we jumped on the train to Manhatten for carols in Washington square. Somehow we arrived way too early - so we went for a drink in a funny little bar named 'resovoir.' This had to have had the slowest waiter sevice evr- and we manged to go from early to too late and missed the carols! :( But we did meet an rather eccentric tour guide lady who insisted me take one of her pamphlets and told us in great detail the myths of the park and surrounding area. It was cold, so jen and I went back home and watched a nice xmas film instead. It was nice and simple.

Sunday I slept in. Then I went to meet Hima, who of course being Hima - had forgotten our plan and had double booked herself to go shopping with Rich D. grr... So I went with Jen to do some more xmas shopping and take pics of xmas-y stuff altho it was raining and cold so we didnt stay too long. After arriving back, Suba came round and Jen, Suba and I watched a film before going round to Suba's. Freakily her RA's brother came to stay and we were all very scared by the twiness - given they wern't twins. Time passed, and then I went back. the end.

Tonight I have my first 'public speaking' lecture wohoo... *cough*
I'll le t you know how that one goes!

x