I'M BACK!

Oh my, time is flying! Has it really been over 7 months since my last entry? I am ashamed! And I have no excuse for my absence either. Life has been pretty much the same. Maybe that's why I felt a bit uninspired...?

But fear not, I have bought (another) new notebook and its blank pages are ready to be filled with loads of bloggelicious ideas. And my favourite song lyrics. And doodles. I can't draw, but what is a notebook without doodles?

In addition to my notebook I will go forth and search for other blogs and their bloggers to get the old gear wheels going - come up with things to write about. And maybe make a new friend or two?

So this is really just a very short message to let you know I am still amongst you, and I am here to stay.

(I've just realised that I am in desperate need of a pampering. Few hours at the spa... oh, yeah.)

Puss, puss.

Bye bye, 2013

Oh there it is: the last day of 2013.

I cannot believe the year’s over already! It’s gone so quickly… I just love how the city is buzzing with excitement. Everyone has put on something nice and sparkly to welcome the new year.

2013 was a great one. I have settled more into my life in London now, got a permanent contract at work and I am still not tired of this beautiful city. Success!

But it had some rough patches as well. There was a lot to take in as I faced things that I have been avoiding for a very long time. Turns out there’s always something new to learn about yourself.

Luckily there is always a bright side to everything. So facing these issues has been one bumpy ride, yes, but it has shown me again how lucky I am to have such supportive and wonderful people in my life.

My friends have been very understanding and just never get tired of reminding me of the good things when I tend to see only the negative side. As well as my family, whose love and support give me so much strength.

And, boy, did I have good times this year. I’ve spent quite some time at airports going from England to Germany back to England and then four months later do it all over again. London blessed me with another beautiful, warm summer filled with adventures. And going to the pub with ze Jules and other colleagues or spending a day at Westfields with Fatima is adding up to many, many hours of laughter, drinks and food.

And I’ve gotten back into dancing, which will hopefully stay in my life for ever now.

This year was about learning and accepting and having fun. And it was fantastic. Thank you, 2013.

So I don’t have any specific goals for 2014. No long list of things to do or fixed plans to stick to. 2014 is going to be about improvement, preparation and security.

I have to keep my finances is check, mate! And I will probably spend a lot of time studying my buttocks off – these A levels are not gonna write themselves….unfortunately. Another big thing for me will be feeling secure – in relationships and about myself.

And now it's just a couple of hours until midnight…

But tonight I am going to stay inside, have a little piece of chocolate cake and watch the fireworks in my jim-jams.

I wish you all a very happy new year. May 2014 bring you loads of love, laughter and happiness – and a pocket full of magic!

It's November! Wait... what?

Can you believe it is November already?! Halloween is over and Christmas is just around the corner. Where has the year gone?

And with 2014 fast approaching I have realised: I AM TURNING 24! What…? How…? When…? TWENTY-FOUR? Seems unreal. Funny enough, I find myself in situations I thought I would have been in five years ago.

I have just started my A levels. Not wanting to leave England but being unsure as to whether studying in English would be wise I have signed up to do them online – in German. So for now I will stay in beautiful London until the finals, which are about 36 months away.

Then there is a weird thing going on between me and a guy. Which should be SO five years ago! Duh!

And when I have turned 24, am I then in my mid-twenties? Surely with being just one year away from celebrating a quarter of a century of existence I can no longer refer to myself as being in my early twenties.

It’s not about being “old”. Twenty-four is not old! (Shhh, no one argue with that!) But I really don’t feel mid-twentyish. More like 19, sometimes even 8 or 80, but not 24. Not that I’d want to be 19 again, wasn’t the best year of my life, to be honest.

But at the same time I wonder what being 24 is supposed to feel like? Is there a guide book? Can I get it on Amazon? If there was something like that I doubt I could follow the rules. For the last decade I’ve been hanging out with people who are usually a few years older than me. Which should probably make me more mature – but it doesn’t. More like the opposite really.

…..

I just order Pizza online. I think that makes me a pretty grown ass 23 year old. I will worry more about being 24 when I hit it.

I miss you. I’m missing out.

Once again I am packing my suitcase. Once again I am counting down the days. I am going on holiday. Holidays at home.

It’s been about four months since my last trip to Germany, and I cannot wait to see my loved ones again. Less than a week to go!

I got two weeks off, which will be my longest stay since I left Germany, and even though I have nothing planned really it will be busy.

There are a lot of things happening at the moment and me living in London means that I miss out on most of them.

My cousins just had their babies – two gorgeous little baby girls. The Bestie moved in her first apartment. My Princess and the little Rock star are growing and learning and exploring more and more of the world every day. My brother started his first job. And so on….

Of course I get pictures and emails and I text and Skype and phone them all on a regular basis, but it’s not the same as actually being there.

And it’s not just about the big changes; it’s the small things that I miss the most. Hanging out with my girls. Being unproductive with the Bestie. My old room and the view. Watching telly with the Mumsy. Having breakfast with my brother. Being able to see the stars. Playing with the tabbies. These are the things I miss the most when I’m away.

Don’t get me wrong, I love living here. I choose to do so and I have no plans of changing this in the near future. But it does suck that I am not there to see all those wonderful things happening. And it sucks that I can’t share this beautiful city with them.

But when I’m down I just pick up the phone and call my ladies or my family (wish I could call my cats as well), and that makes it a whole lot easier.

The Boat Party

A few days ago my company threw a boat party! Wicked, innit!

Right after work I changed shoes and we boarded the boat that would take us for a few rounds on the Thames. First thing I realised: new high heels on a boat are really not a good idea…

We started our night of wobbliness with a cool glass of white and turned the cabin into a dance floor. I work for an amazing company and being a fun person is actually in the job description so every time we have a work-related event it’s not just all business but a good old laugh as well.

I’ve done little boat trips but I’ve not been on the Thames before so it was wonderful to see beautiful London pass by while the sun was slowly setting. And of course there had to be food! We had a huge buffet and a BBQ and – CHOCOLATE CAKE! Delicious!

I was wearing new super amazing heels and I was so exciting about their first outing but after about 1,5 hours I had to give in and swop my heels for flats, because let’s face it ladies, dancing is so much more fun in flats! And it’s no real party without a little karaoke! Doesn’t have to sound great, just give it all you’ve got.

We had about 4 hours on the boat and once the sun was down and the lights of London came out to play the view was incredible. I am a sucker for big city lights and passing all those bridges and buildings was another reminder of why love this place so much! Fabulous!

Honestly, I had a ball and if you come to London and it isn’t raining, and you want to spend a few hours partying while enjoying the city’s lights go grab some mates, get on a boat and turn up the beat!

Books and the Summer

It is HOT in London. The papers call it heat wave, I call it summer.

I have spent my last few days grilling in the sun and reading. Go British summer!

And I had two truly brilliant books to read. I went to the GLAMOUR book club live event on July 3^rd at the The Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design. It was absolutely GLAMOURous! Jessica Ruston, author of The Lies You Told Me, and Adele Parks, who’s latest release The State We’re In just hit the shelves, came to talk about their books, writing and the business.

We were greeted with a glass of bubbly and snacks to nibble at, which we enjoyed during the discussing. I even had the chance to have a small chat with Adele Parks before we all sat down.

Afterwards we got the chance to buy the new books and get them signed. How every exciting! My first signed copies! And GLAMOUR wouldn’t let us leave empty-handed either. We all got a GLAMOUR goodie bag filled with nice lotions, creams and sprays to treat ourselves with – and some delicious chocolate.

It was an amazing event which gave me the chance to ask questions, meeting new and exciting people, and spent an entire evening listening and talked about something I am passionate about – books. I really hope GLAMOUR will host another book club event soon!

The reviews for The State We’re In and The Lies You Told Me will be up on the blog soon. But I tell you this – they’re both page-turners!

So here's to new adventures

And the award for the blog with the biggest lack of update goes to....

I apologise, my friends/readers/strangers; I live in the most exciting city of the year and just don't keep you posted. Naughty, Danny, naughty!

So, it's been quite a while but I have a pretty good excuse for my absence. I have been INSANELY busy. Turns out, I actually have a life after all.

My summer in beautiful London was like a fairytale! I was just about to type "minus the romance", but I actually fell in love... Gorgeous, expensive, always busy, demanding, never boring, mood depending on the weather, full of surprises... that's how I'd describe my lover - also know as LONDON. The city was buzzing with excitement for the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. And both have been a huge success. Yes, see, we're really happy together.

After all the awesome events of the summer I had to get back to the more serious side of life. Big sigh. Don't we all, tho?

So I started to sort out my life, once again, and get ready to tackle the next big adventure my lover had in store for me: a new job and a new flat. Starting a new job in a new company is not so much of a first, whereas living on my own is. From apartment hunting and paying rent to buying all the stuff the Mumsy used to get for me, it's aaaall new. It's very exciting, very scary, very interesting. 

But I am slowly getting used to my new tiny room, the funny flatmates and my public transport journey to work. I am actually starting to live like a proper adult, huh? Dear....

There's been a lot of changes. [Insert philosophical quote from Sex and the City about how life always changes and the world never stops spinning, ect] 

I have also added a new feature to my blog (that I will command myself to update regularly again) so you can now find a link to my book reviews on the right side bar. And since I still, and always will, spend the majority of my free time having my eyes glued to pages please feel free to leave me a comment about your favourite book, any book or even the most crappiest nonsense you've ever read and I will make sure to check it out. You can also leave me a message on tumblr or tweetelede me on the twitterverse. And of course, leave me the link to your online diary and I will snoop around.

So that's done. I'll continue to be all grown up now and...wait, what do adults do on a Sunday night?

Oh, hello there, how are you?

So, the hostparents are at the Coldplay concert and I'm home watching the boys.

Find the mistake...

No, no, actually, I'm glad to get 'a few nights off my social life'. Ever since I have arrived in London I've been busy meeting and making new friends, exploring this beautiful city, getting sunburned and trying all sorts of beer. I've gone from movie nights with the bestie on Saturdays (I MISS THAT!) to three beers on a Wednesday night. Go me!

But since I had to babysit yesterday and tonight, I got the chance to do a bit of a reflection on how I feel since I have arrived. And I finally got some early nights.
So, how am I feeling? Honestly? Pretty fucking good! Despite the meltdown and fears and last minute doubts, I am happy here. And yes, this is the moment you smile to yourself and think "Awww, man, I'm really happy for her!"
Everything is new and exciting, obviously, and my boys are simply wonderful, but something about this busy, crowded, gorgeous, expensive city makes me smile all day. Maybe it's the certainty of opportunities, or the promise of new experiences, or the chance of being simply myself or...the beer. Could also be the fact that I don't have to drive a car. Probably a mixture of everything. Anyway, I take it.

Plus, beautiful London has some pretty amazing things in store for me. The Diamond Jubilee of HM The Queen and, yes, yes, the Olympics. And hopefully a wonderful summer filled with sun, fun, BBQ and new as well as old friends.

And I got to say it: I am really, really glad I took this crazy opportunity life was throwing at me a couple of weeks ago. And while I miss my loved ones terribly, I finally start to see it all come together.
So a little advice from me, just because I am such a happy bunny these days and I want eeeveryone to feel the same - if you get the chance to do something you want to do, do it! Despite the doubts, do it! If it seems absolutely bonkers... that's even more of a reason to go for it.

Now, I'll hold on to my floating balloons and keep getting used to having an actual social life again. And I must buy a party hat to celebrate Her Majesty's 60 years of service. God Save the Queen.

Wait! Who's life is this?

Oh well, it's been a while, huh? I apologies for not being the best blogger, but I have been insanely busy.
So, what's happened the past few weeks?

• I quit my job
• I sorted out my wardrobe
• I moved to London

Nothing of importance, really.

.....

How in the world did all this just happen to me? I. Have. No. Idea!

A long, long, looong time ago the bestie and I decided to leave Germany. (Yes, that's where I'm from.) We have been talking about moving away for years now and after I came back from the US of A, we finally started to work on it. For real. So that's what we've been doing, almost every day - talking and thinking and planning and discussing and depressing and laughing over this huge thing we wanted to do. Move to England.

So, no, I didn't just pack my bags, hop on a plane and randomly ended up here. But it all happened really fast. 

I've really missed being and working with children, and after my boss told me that my position would be cut in a couple of weeks I've decided to be really open minded about what's going to happen next. I had a couple of ideas, and one of them was being an au pair again. 

So I've signed up on a website and within only one week I had had applications and messages from more than 10 families. Thursday evening, before our trip over to London for the McFly concert I skyped with R and really liked her and what she told me about the family. Because they live in London I had suggested to meet up on the weekend. 

We've met on the day after the concert at Green Park. After that I was sure that I would absolutely love to be with them and hoped that they would ask me to be their au pair. And then, Monday night on our way home from the airport, I got the email.

After that everything happened super fast. Within about four weeks I quit my job, told my friends, cried of happiness, sorted out my wardrobe, had 20 mental breakdown, packed my bags and cuddled my cats. (I miss them so much. SO MUCH!)

So, yeah, now I'm here. In London. Upstairs in my lovely room. I just had a wonderful day with my kids, filled with sunshine, ice cream, sand and laughter. I am a bloody lucky lady!


Side note: I'm still debating whether or not to start a separate blog in German so my friends and family and everyone who's interested will always be up to date. / Ich bin mir noch nicht sicher ob ich noch einen extra blog in deutsch für Familie/Freunde/Whoever anlege.
I'll let you know. I miss you! Xx

Four sexy beasts and a beautiful city

Okay, someone please give me a time machine so I can go back to the weekend. Because it has been perfect!

I got last Thursday off so I had plenty of time to pack my bags - but I didn't. I've spent all day being lazy and looking forward to leaving this country. Thursday evening was spent throwing around clothes and shoes, trying to find something I could take to London. Clever, organized me.

And then, finally, Friday - off to beautiful London! With packed bags and full of excitement I went over to the bestie. To the airport, on the plane, here we go.
I love flying. It's amazing. Wooop.
We had to travle across London to get from Gatwick to our hotel, so we got there pretty late and were pretty exhausted. After a mini heartattack when the front desk ladie told us our rooms were not paid yet, which we were able to sort out, we went up to floor number 2 and I spent the rest of the night enjoying british TV. (This seems to happen to us every time we want to check into a hotel in London...)

When I woke up on Saturday I coudn't believe I was going to see my favourite band in less than 12 hours. Exciteeeed! We took the tube to Hammersmith, got some food and then headed to the Apollo. Then we waited. And waited. And waited. Six hours of waiting in the cold, sitting on the ground, trying to believe that I was about to see McFly live.

Honestly, I couldn't wait for the two supporting acts to finish and then it happened. YMCA. Just a few more seconds...
I can't describe how I felt when the boys came on stage. Amazing! They played three new songs and now I can't wait for the new album. It's gonna be incredible, I tell you. And yes - Tom Fletcher is perfection.
It was a sweaty, beautiful, hot, crowded night and my body was still hurting three days after. I loved it.

On Sunday we went into London. I have met some pretty amazing people, who I will tell you more about in another post.
London is wonderful. Although it was raining and freezing cold I fell in love with this beautiful, expensive, lovely, busy city all over again. Is it weird that big cities make me happy?

Can't wait to see you again, London.

The Fangirl In Me

Hello thereeee...

Just a small post to tell you that the bestie has just send me a picture of our McFly concert tickets, which have arrived in the mail today. (Many thanks to the bf :)
I've just had a massive fangirl-moment at the office and my colleagoues are still giving me funny/worried/confused looks...

We'll be seeing our favourite band on April, 7th in LONDON! So if you'll be down there it'd be awesome to meet some of you guys! Let us know via twitter or tumbler (you can find mine on the right side of this page), or leave a comment.

58 DAYS!