Head vs Heart

When my first year at university was coming to a (ridiculously early) end in April this year, me and my fellow course mates were left with the decision of what to do with our extensively long summer. Whilst I wrestled with the idea of Camp America, and changed my mind quite a few times, my best friend chose to be an au pair in Milan, Italy for a few months looking after two young boys in a trilingual(?!) household.

Since being home I've got a summer job in a jewellers in my town, and spent the rest of my free time not really doing much worthwhile, apart from a copious amount of reading. As my job isn't full time and has rather casual hours I'm faced with too much free time. Yes, that's right too much free time. It seems that too much of a good thing also refers to things you can't eat/buy/spend. Although you could argue that you can spend and buy time...

Anyway, my friend who is currently in Milan, has asked me to come over for a week whilst the boys she is looking after are away for a week with their Dad. The question is: do I go and spend money I should be saving for rent on flights and lovely Italian food, or do I stay at home and not have to have the awkward conversation of asking for time off work when I've only just started? The sensible thing would be to stay at home and save the money, but that's also the easy option, because it involves doing nothing on my part.

I guess it is really one of those once in a life time opportunities (que cliché cringe), but when will I ever get the chance to just rush off to Italy no strings attached and not have to pay for accommodation in such a beautiful city as Milan? BUT I just absolutely hate those type of confrontations with employers or anyone who is above me when you have to ask for something that you're to not too sure you're allowed. I also feel bad causing an inconvenience when they've taken a chance employing me. I like to be reliable, but I also want to be able to stand up for myself and do something pretty damn cool.

I did once have a VERY awkward conversation over the phone with an old employer about taking time off for my birthday, when I'd just had 3 weeks sick leave after an operation. Oh god, it was so awkward. But I wangled my way our of working/told them there was no way I was working on my birthday and they still gave me shifts to work over Christmas, hurrah! I guess that should be point positive that I should go for it! Eeeep. £170 return flights to Milan here I come!

(Ok, maybe that last photo is a cafe in Venice not Milan, but who's keeping note?) :P

All images from flickr.com

xxx

Robin Robertson and Carol Ann Duffy

I went to a poetry reading last Thursday at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester and after the show I managed to meet Carol Ann Duffy and she signed my book. Yay!


I may have got a little bit star-struck when I met her as all I said was 'hi'. Oh well, I had no idea what to say! She read mostly from The World's Wife which I studied at A-level (where my love-affair with her poetry began) and some from her forthcoming collection 'The Bees'.

Poetry is meant to be heard not read, so it was lovely hearing her read her own poems, especially the sharp witted ones from The World's Wife like Mrs Darwin.

Who's your favourite poet?
xx

Barter Books

I went up to Northumberland for a few days to stay with my friend and her family in a little holiday cottage that they had rented for Easter, and we went to Barter Books.

Barter Books is one of the largest second hand bookshops in England, and it used to be a train station, so it is pretty mahooosive.


It has lots of lovely old books, and plenty of fairly new paperbacks as well. My idea of heaven.

You can bring in some of your old books with which to 'barter' with, so you can buy new ones. My friend's family brought in 3 big bags full of books, so they let me pick some books for myself and technically have them for free. Yay.

Barter Books is also home of the 'Keep Calm and Carry On' poster, which they found in a book they bought in auction in 2000. So, I am now the proud owner of a Keep Calm and Carry On mug :)

I love tea :)

Have you ever been to any nice second hand bookshops? Did you have a lovely Easter?
xx

First two images from Google