Wow... so here i am four months in to life back in london and time is zooming by I cant believe its been over a month since i have added an entry!
well... birthday number 26 came and went with a few crazy weekes to book end it.
My orphan's easter was a wonderful day of food, wine, music, friends and charades (i know... i know... charades? blame narelle and tane!) I am still eating my way through all the pasta i bought for that day!! so much for a carb free life!! STODGE!
Then it was time to turn a year older. The birthday was an amazing melding of worlds; friends from Oz, Disney and London all dropped to say hello... what day! It was absolutely fantastic. Presents were presented (thanks guys!) drinks were drunk, food was fed and prince williams favourite bar "babushka" will never be the same! (Note to self: if thats his favourite bar... he's got some serious issues... it was rubbish!)
After that... my good buddy Chris came to stay for a few days days. What a riot! We ate and drank our way through the weekend, I changed chris's life showing him the greatest coffee and food london has to offer. it was so good to see him again. One of the few people who have actually made me feel physically ill from laughing so hard for so long, a friend i only get to catch up with every year or so... it was a great time showing him my favorite parts of this mad mad city.
But there is only so much of the fabulous life this girl can lead... it was time to put the head down, the bum and and the nose to the grind stone...
After the dust of April had settled somewhat, I turned around and realised that my wonderful recepiton job at Urban Retreat was sapping every ounce of life from me and not remotely resembling anything i came back here to do, or enjoy. (Except looking at flavien the hair stylist... dear lord that man is carved out of stone!) It was when i began introducing myself introducing people as Amelia... I decided to get myself a little busier doing the stuff I actually enjoy! (and sue Harrods for identity theft....)
So... after turning down several singing gigs from my good friend simon because i had no one to gig with i decided to put an add on my good friend gumtree.com and found an amazing guitar player Tim. From lismore, chilled out and one of the most talented musicians i have ever come across, he and i hit it off from the get go and knuckled down learning 30 songs in 10 days and had our first gig at "motion" on embankment. I will be the first one to admit we were totally self indulgent. Screw what the crowd wants to hear! We sang song after song that the two of us loved! Everything from Radiohead to Nancy Sinatra, The Pixies to Johnny Cash... the two of us had an absolute ball. The gig was rough, but a start and its baby steps from here to get ourselves some regular gigs and build a band. He calls me Minnie Mouse, I call him Stinking Hippie... we're a good pair and work well together. As my dad would say - we're so laid back we're falling over! (but in the good way dad...)
god bless the gumtree.com! I have now found a house, a job and a gigging buddy... all from the one website! Now if only they had husbands....
Anyway... my day job and my gigs weren't enough... it seemed that I needed something else to keep me busy... (apparently sleep is highly overrated) so... I went back to school! YUP! I am now a night student at the London school of Media, studying digital photography! I spend my Friday nights learning why some shots work, some shots dont and why my teacher has broken up with his girlfriend and is now internet dating... okay, this last bit was not in the course description but is always somehow involved in our classes!! Night school is hard, my shots are getting better, but it is a slow process and I have never been known as one with ample patience! Why can I not be Annie Lebowitz after three lessons?? But, it's paying off and I will post some new shots soon...
So there I am... rehearsing, studying and getting yelled at by Lady Hoo Haa about her over priced punani waxing. Life is fulfilled and complete yes?
Apparently No!
I turned up to work and there was a memo on the desk reading "reception manager needed." I didnt bother look at it twice... dont have time, dont want it, dont really give a hoot! Until my boss Marcus spulled me aside and asked me if i was interested... in the job? NO. In a pay rise? Yes... my mind flashed with the possibilities London life could bring with a little extra cash in ye olde bank accout.... paid bills, phone credit... the list is endless!!
*sigh*
QUE: THE AMY MAIDEN PROMOTIONAL BANDWAGON
Oh lordy did I spin a web of politically correct, team oriented, goal setting trash that somehow involved the phrase "If you want me to take on this position, I need to see a major difference in my monthly pay packet... I would need a rise of at least five thousand pounds a year" I could not believe it... the words left my mouth before i had even think of them... but really, I had nothing to lose... and before you can say "what the hell have i done?" I was saying
"Good aftternoon this is Amelia, Reception Manager of the Urban Retreat... how may I help you?"
Oh yeah... I have a desk, a computer and my very own email... amelia.maiden@urbanretreat.co.uk
WHAT THE!?
Anyway... this is where I leave you... manager, singer, photographer and oh and my agent likes to think I am an actor...
Identity crisis much?
