Dear New York

Also, here is a picture of Emma Leslie
 and myself in front of the London
Christmas tree - seen above in the
current header - 2011.

Maybe it was the Christmas spirit, maybe it was the break I have chosen to take as I work on my creative piece, but I came to a realization...

Dear London, does not say what it needs too.

Therefore, in the few minutes of a break I have allowed myself from work, I have changed the title of this blog to - wait for it - Dear New York. That is right, you are now reading a blog entitled -

Dear New York

Each time I write a little message on here, I am addressing it to my family and friends that are still in the States. Implying that I am writing a little letter to London - where my family is not - just does not make any sense. Even though, it made sense back when I was working my way to London.

Also, I am quite fond of being able to say: Dear New York - xx, London

Now with this change out of the way and no longer plaguing my mind, back to my 5,000 words. I have vowed to not leave this house today until I reach a point I am comfortable with. I am still crossing my fingers it will be handed in before I get on the plane next Tuesday afternoon.

I am also crossing my fingers that I will defeat this cold before I get on the plane next Tuesday afternoon - she types while coughing. When will I have time to pack?

xx, Kristin

ONE WEEK TILL MY FLIGHT

I cannot help but post on this day - even though I have recently posted about the interesting things on my to-do-list. But this particular day is really exciting because...

IN ONE WEEK I WILL BEGIN MY
JOURNEY HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!!!

Kaylan has so kindly agreed to picking me up at the airport next Tuesday night around 5:40pm, only to put me on the train the next day. I'll get to Albany sometime in the afternoon, where my Dad will bring me home and I can begin celebrating the holiday celebrations!!!

And this all happens in ONE WEEK!

Who is excited?

I am excited!!!!


xx, Kristin


ps: imagine my post the night before I leave London: stress? excitement? exhaustion? euphoria? 

9 Days till Home.

I am down to nine days and it is looking less and less likely that I am going to finish my Writer's Workshop assessment before I head home. While I have reached the word count, I am not yet comfortable enough to submit the piece. Although, it is certain I will never think it is ready and at some point I just have to let it go. The good news is I can email my assessment from New York, as long as it is postmarked with enough time before the due date of January 11th.


But let's rewind for a second:

This past Friday night we had a Christmas gathering at The Maple Leaf for those in the publishing degree - plus a few friends. As usual it was really wonderful to hang out with everyone outside of campus and in the centre of London.

Then Emma arrived on Saturday morning and I brought her around Kingston. She is officially the first person from Cooperstown that I have been able to show my London home = AWESOME. Later that night after a meal at The Albert pub, we met up with a few of my friends for Christmas Karaoke in New Malden. Even though I said I wasn't going to, I did end up singing three songs - The Elephant Melody from Moulin Rouge with Andi, Feeling Good by Michael Buble, and Baby It's Cold Outside again with Andi. If I do say so myself, we kinda rocked the house. I should also say I was only fueled on by a couple diet cokes - what caffeine does to me.

And to complete the weekend with a bang - I took Emma to my favorite cafe in London. We also walked through a Christmas market along the river Thames and there were so many cute / wonderful stands. I really would like to go back there before leaving London.


Anyway - back to what needs to happen in the next nine days. 

Thanks to Philippa for this great picture!

Other than my creative piece, I have a massive list of awesome social obligations and a pretty intense to-do-list. On Monday I have a Christmas Party with my publishing mates, tutors and the journalism MA students. I think it goes to show that here in England we party hard as much as we work hard.

On Wednesday I have a hair appointment at noon - which I really hope I do not forget. I cannot wait even nine more days, or at that point six more days, to chop off the mop on my head. I am thinking about two inches on the back and half and inch on the front. I lost the hair battle over the last three months in London. On Friday the newest Sherlock Holmes movie comes out, and I have already said I'd go with Ruth and I am really looking forward to it - dinner and a movie!


Other things I would love to do before heading back to New York for Christmas are:

• Have lunch / dinner with a few of my friends.
• Visit the Christmas Market along the Thames in the center again.
• See the musical BACKBEAT again - & my love Andrew Knott.
• Have a Christmas Market frankfurter from the Kingston market. 
• Finish my assessment - still hoping for this.
• Pack my suitcases for home - including carry-on & important paperwork. 
• Finish the little amount of food left in my possession. 
• Laundry - which is at least two weeks worth at this point. 
• A possible pub quiz on Wednesday - though I am not certain of this. 
• Visit the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland fair. 
• Spend as little money as possible!

This is no real particular order to this list, and also I may have forgotten a ton of things I wanted to add - which is probably for the better. I am going to try and not stress myself out, but knowing me - which most of you do - I will be ready to pass out on my living room sofa by the time I get home next Wednesday afternoon and eat a pizza.


Oh well, worse things could happen!

I am very excited about heading home for Christmas and seeing everyone!!! Except for Jenny, because she will be having an awesome time here in the United Kingdom instead - cannot say I blame her! 

Only nine days to go!!!

nine days...  

& a massive checklist...
& social obligations...
& my writer's workshop assessment... 

... nine days.

xx, Kristin

BIG NEWS

Today I signed on a flat.

In the center of Kingston, London.

That
            is
                      ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xx, Kristin

IT IS ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!!

It is now December and the countdown begins:

• 16 days - I will be boarding the plane home.
• 15 days - I hope to hand in my writer's workshop assignment.
• 6 days - To find a place to live. 

Before then and now, I have two weeks of classes left, 5,000 words, several social events and - if luck has it - some food shopping because I am down to oatmeal. I am trying to learn how to say no to socializing, so this week I can spend my nights working on this creative writing piece. I made incredible progress yesterday and the day before, I just have to keep my energy up for the next 14 to 15 days. 

Also, yesterday and the day before I was at a publishing conference called Publishing Now - #pubnow. It was very interesting and we were filled with new ideas on where publishing could be headed over the next few years. 

• Day One: was a debate in the back of a pub on several controversial issues in publishing such as self-publishing, eBooks, the survival of traditional publishing, etc. - free wine included. 
• Day Two: was a day long conference were we continued to learn more about where publishing could be heading - even though the professionals admit it is hard to guess. Some conversations were even suggesting that eBooks are about to be old news and we are about to break into a new world of reading - free lunch and tea provided.

However, all of this future talk allowed me to realize something yesterday... I know where publishing might be going. I know there is a battle for traditional publishing - even though there is no way we will lose the paper pages of the book.  But, I have very little knowledge about actually printing books. Everything we are taught is about the future. Granted that is where I will be when I am working in publishing, but right now I need to know about how to print books. How many pages are allowed in the book, what are the requirements for setting up the pages in indesign, how do they send the pages to the printer, how do they work out cover designs, ect? 

Ask me about the future of publishing, I have several possible answers. 

Ask me about the present, I'll have to shrug my shoulders and pass on the question. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have found the current weakness in my education. I am planning on speaking to one of my tutors about it this week to ask if they can have a Master Class to give us information on the present publishing world and the details on printing. This is information we need. 

xx, Kristin

PS: Are you informed when I respond to your comments on my blog - because I do always try to respond!!! Because, I love you guys - haha.


PPS: Philippa is planning on getting a tree soon, and said I could help decorate!!! YAY CHRISTMAS!