Morning all,

This week has been crazy busy again.
Monday was work followed by shopping, laundry blah blah,

Tuesday was the first Managing Information Lecture- which was held in a strangely grand building for New York- and with a lecturer who laughed at his own jokes while we all sat dumbstruck. There was somekind of 'team-game' towards the end where we had to arrnage colours in a particular order based on the likeihood of the source being correct. It was all very primary school again- I'd hate to think this is the level they teach in schools here... The Lecture lasted about 2 hrs and by the time we had hiked the 23blocks to the PATH station, and takent he train home it was around 9.30pm. I ate dinner and went to bed.

I should point out here that on tuesday morning Louis (one of the head partners asked me to go to court with him the following day on condition I carry a HUGE flip-chart to staten Island for him... Grr... obviously I obliged.

Wednesday Morning I ran to work to pick up the HUGE flip-chart which I discovered was longer than my arm on the shortest side and thus could not be carried using only one arm! I carted the over-sized flip chart as best I could down Wall Street avoiding commuters to the ferry terminal and hopped on the ferry to Staten Island. I can only assume I looked like an enthusiastic artist/student at 8.20am.
The Court house itself was pretty easy to find once I got off the ferry. As some of you may note from past posts this was the first time I had been to Staten Island. Its about a 20 min ferry ride from Downtown Manhatten and seems to have a large Italian population. I met Louis at the metal detector and he took the flip-chart (thank god) away from me. I was introduced to various attorney's and noticed Rob was there (one of our attorney's on a different hearing).
About at morning break the doctor who had been being cross exmained came over to me as someone ( probably Louis) had told him I was from England. He then spent 20 mins explaining to me that he had once been to Runnymeade where the Magna Carta was supposedly signed! Expecting me to know where that was - as it was, sorry for over-using this phrase, 'just outside of London.' I smiled and nodded. :)
The trial lasted all day and at lunch I met another attorney from a firm in Staten Island who has been trying to recruit Mountbattens' to his firm but was having difficulty as it was too far away (apparently). I pointed out Mountbatten send interns to Conneticut which is two hours away and that Staten Island shouldnt be too big an issue.- He is looking into it. Lunch was good might I add, Italian restaurant, all on the firm. We like these days :)
After trial I took the ferry back, then the PATH train and got home around 7pm. Ater dinner. Gave maz her leaving present.

Thrusday was Maz's official last day. Dina and I bought Maz and Henry a bottle of Champagne and left it in their room as they didnt seem to come home from the leaving do until about 3am! Dina, Mayur and I had Take-out and watched films. Nice calm evening.

Friday was maz's last morning, (yes I realise she never seems to leave) It was wierd - I had to go to work and she would clean and then vacate by the time I returned. So she followed me about the house all morning until I left saying bye alot.
Once at work, an emergency meeting was called to annmounce Gerspach from Garson Gerspach, DeCorato and Cohen had been voted out and would be leaving asap. Thus the firm will now be called Garson, DeCorato and Cohen. This was a little out of the blue and nobody seemed to have any idea it was going to happen. We were told from now on to answer the phone with the new firm name and everything from note paper to the plaque above my desk would have to be changed.
Friday night was the new January's welcome do. (we dont waste any time here). Jen and I headed to Bar 13 on University Place where we met almost our entire intake, plus the Januarys. It was a little too crazy as the club didnt seem to have prepared for all of us at once so buying drinks was a bit of a mission as was walking away once you had finally bought one. Needless to say we didnt stay long. We were back by 2am.

Saturday was move day. Horah! No more crazy Indians! I packed up everything I owned, cleaned everything by 2.30pm (which I was impressed by) then dragged it all over the road and unpacked again. What fun. This took most of the day. My new flat is much better. I have a wardrobe with a lightswitch, and is about the same size as my room at home! Suba and I share the room which now has a spare bed and an ensuite. The other flat folk are fine- Rohan shares with Tom- who is never around, and Richard is the R.A - who is from Fife- and knows a scary amount about Newcastle.
Saturday Evening I went for Fish and Chips with Jen from the only fish and Chip shop called - I kid not- Salt and Battery. The food was long-awited, although over priced. Some new Yorkers saw us buying APPLE TANGO (WOOO)- and immediatley asked us if we were british. Following this they continued to hound us with silly questions like were fish and chips orignally from ireland? Was irn bru made from Irn? You should note- almost every american (atleast in New York) thinks they are Irish, they also think you should feel empathy because they have a fifth cousin who once had an Irish surname - although they have no idea what a 'surname' is - its just a 'last name.'
After this Jen and I went back to my new Flat where Roahn had taken the libery of organising 'welcome drinks' which invloved straight whisky. Poeple who know me should know my views on this. He also argued strongly that mixing it with anything would ruin the greatness... I didnt have too much shall we say.

Sunday Hima and I were meant t be going for brunch - but she bailed on me. However Mayur called to save the day and asked if I wanted to go for brunch! How convenient. So mayur and I went to the West Village for brunch and then to the English shop i.e 'Myer's of Keswick' that we have been told was worth a visit. This was amazing. There was REAL Chocolate, Heinz baked beans, Ribena, Shortbread.. the list is endless. We stood for about 10 mins in awe. I bought Chocolate digestives and Tomato soup for an extortionate price and mayur found an Aero bar and Ribena. Happy Days! The we headed back as it was absoutely freezing that day.
I had soup for tea. It was great. :)

Monday was Martin Luther King Day- which meant I didnt have to work Horah! I went food shopping, put up pictures in my new room and adam called me. Miracles....
Suba and I cooked dinner and then Jen came round to see the progress we had made. All in all - good ol' lazy day.

No plans for tonight yet- you'll have to wait to find out if I think of something.
bye x