Monday 29 October 2012

October

The days are shorter and the cold draws in, shoulders hunch and you catch yawns off sleepy passers by who remind you you're sleepier too.* As your summer freckles fade and you delve into those bottom drawers for opaque tights, there's a little change in everyone.

For me, it seems that this time of year always gives me a good kicking - puts things into perspective and encourages me to do something different. This time last year I was in Nepal halfway through a jungle. Soon, I'll be leaving my job and escaping to the sparkly snow of Val d'Isere for 6 months to do a ski season as a chalet girl. It's been another one of those decisions where I've had to be brave, and selfish. Who's going to cook the Christmas dinner here for 11, hmm? 

What I am certain of is that this is the time to do it. I have no 'real' commitments: I'm not ready to launch my career, I'm not really tied to anyone - for once - and although my puppy will miss me I think he'll probably find solace in the fact he can sneak onto my bed and sleep there every single night if he fancies it. By 'real' I guess I mean 'grown-up', which is something I've tried to be for a few years when perhaps I shouldn't have. What a dumbo!

My friends are so happy and excited for me, and partly I think that's because they didn't expect it. When I came out of school, and then uni, everyone thought I'd go get a super cool job and just 'do well'. Although my work experience is becoming more varied than a bag of pick n' mix I certainly don't think that's a bad thing. Firstly, I'm in no hurry to make megabucks, or dive into a job I could pretend to half-love. Secondly, I've gained so many skills and have learnt so much from my previous placements - both long and short - and there's not one break in my CV. Oh, and people keep telling me i'm 'STILL young' which is good. I wonder when I become un-young...

So I'm going to go out there, get fat from delicious bread and cheese, age my face 20 years and probably get terrible skin courtesy of beer, clean grossness out of strangers' fridges and bathrooms, learn to cope with hangovers at altitude, speak French and get half-decent at skiing. Super combo!

Heaven knows how big my thighs are going to get with all that skiing/boarding. I may as well head straight to the velodrome on my return. Hoy-esque!

I look over the last 6 months and few things stand out: surfing in Fuertaventura, Latitude festival and cheeky holidays to Amsterdam and Portugal. In amongst those awesome bits is simply a blur of impatient, angry, grey bodies barging me out of the way to get to a train seat; a white walled office and an uncomfortable seat for 8 hours a day; the ridiculous tempo of footsteps that only London walkers seem to abide by; 9-5!

Time to ditch the monotony and get gnarlyyyyyy.

*Last week I caught a yawn and passed it on to 5 other people down the carriage! Absolute contagion.