So I was gonna do an entry about general blabla, because I have been reading old entries about general blabla. Then I came across this one from one year ago which mentions the green card lottery... and I decided to follow the link...
... and The Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky has registered and notified the winners of the DV-2007 diversity lottery.
Well they haven't notified me. 
AND to make matters worse, there have been 6 successful applicants from Luxembourg!!!! SIX!!! WHY THEM AND NOT ME?!?!?!? (btw this seems to have been published ages ago... I'm sure when I registered last year it said sth like November.. oh well)
But... Those who have not received notification were not selected. They may try for the upcoming DV-2008 lottery if they wish. So I shall try again. 
(incidentally I thought they were going to abolish this cuz of terror fears etc... maybe it's all just a big shambles anyway. Er...)
Right, with that out of my system, let's move on to the general rambling. I could complain about my health, as befits an old woman. I have told you previously about my upset stomach - this has slowly been recovering, but really quite slowly. I went to see a GP (I wish I could say my GP but she's part of a big surgery and I still haven't seen her) and he told me to eat healthy. Great. I have stuck to this though! I've had plenty of fruit and veg (8 to 9 of my "5 a day"), no meat (cuz too many proteins bad for kidneys), and plenty of fluids (non-alcoholic, obviously). Can't say I feel that much better for it. 
Anyway. I have been reluctant to take painkillers as most of them are bad for your stomach, kidneys, liver, whatnot else. And of course on Wednesday night I started getting a headache. So I duly went to bed without painkillers and hoped for the best... and woke up around 4am with a killer headache. So I gave in and took mild painkillers... and woke up at 8am with a killer headache.
I figured "ooh, maybe it's one of my caffeine headaches" and went to Coop to buy some Red Bull (even tho caffeine is bad for the stomach too, but not as bad as other stuff I surmised). But that did absolutely nothing either. So I finally thought fuck it and took my knockout painkillers, and they brought the headache down to a bearable level, tho it didn't properly subside until this morning. Hmph.
Oh and did I mention my knees have been hurting? First the left one... then the right one... one day after the other. Weird stuff. And today I lost one of my crowns... serves me right for eating toffees. *sigh* And of course it had to happen on a Saturday! And I can't take painkillers! *lol* So it generally appears that my body is slowly falling apart.
Rrrrright, enough of that. So now that the US are out of the picture my choices for living are Luxembourg and Brighton. My mum says since I probably won't get a job she'd rather I stay here cuz that'll make it easier for her to bear. 
But of course I do intend to get a job. Some day, somehow. So I must not take her opinion into account. But it's still difficult. Luxembourg has much to offer.... safer jobs, more money, free rent, a horse, friends... Brighton on the other hand has the advantage of not being Luxembourg... and it has the sea, and I love it... and stuff. So I dunno. But I will not decide until December.
Hm, I just found this in an old entry: BUT I have decided if I don't win the green card lottery (which is unlikely of course) I will look into getting a normal work visa more seriously after I finish my diploma. Jaja. [here] Yeah. Hum. Should. Do this. I miss NYC.
Oh but did I tell you? In that 2005 end of year thing the last question was:
61. What are your plans for 2006?And hey, I did go! Even tho at that point I don't think I truly believed I would. And next year I will go again!
[...] Going to NYC again.
So that's good.
Okay I'm really mainly talking shit now aren't I. So perhaps I shall go to bed. I used to write superlong entries around this time last year. Fascinating.
Goodbye!
@ "My mum says since I probably won't get a job she'd rather I stay here cuz that'll make it easier for her to bear."
Go back to Lux.
Posted by: stagiaire on Sun October 29, 2006 at 9:16 Only to annoy her? Or cuz it's wiser?
Cuz it's wiser.
She'll survive.
Hm. Not convinced yet. (and I have been thinking about this for months now)
We shall see. 
I'm sure you already know it would be a good decision. I know what it's like when you come back to a thought again and again. At the end of the day you'll probably feel that's your only choice. Though probably you'll be lucky in the UK, too. I'm sure you could be. But it takes some effort.
Posted by: stagiaire on Mon October 30, 2006 at 15:05Yeah but I think I'm now underestimating how much I really hated living there, because it's been such a long time. And moving back and then realizing I can't stand it and having to move away again is all the more hassle.
Hmmm. Well, you could have a try. I'm currently thinking about going back to my roots after my first exam, too. Cuz job-wise it's still better, and I think I would survive. I could move again when I find another better job in another area, but I have to get into a job for starters.
Posted by: stagiaire on Mon October 30, 2006 at 19:52BTW I'm planning on a trip to the WMA to hang out with MJ. If I get one of those free WMA tickets, I'm ready to book my flight. You'll be there?
Posted by: stagiaire on Tue October 31, 2006 at 0:35
No, I likely won't be there cuz I have exams on the 14th and 16th.
I'll decide closer to the event if I go up to London. But I definitely won't go to the thing itself.
I'm still thinking about it. I'd have to book my flight very soon. But if it takes too much time until I get ticket info, the flight price will probably go up.
Do you know how much it costs to get from Stansted to London? 
No, not done that in ages. There's an express train but there'll also be buses... Let me check.
National Express is £16 return, bookable here. Aha, and Terravision (never heard of them) are £5.50 return at the moment apparently.
Cool, thanx. Well, I'm not sure yet. We'll see. It would be wonderful to see Michael again. And after all those weeks of being busy I have earned my vacation. LOL
Posted by: stagiaire on Tue October 31, 2006 at 21:28Hehe I suppose. Well I hope I'll get to see you if you come, but the timing is unfortunate. 
Yeah, I'd be very happy to see you. I'll probably arrive 14th and leave early 16th - IFFFFF I travel to London at all. On the other hand, I'm currently not in the mood for all the hassle, stuff that takes energy. After my exam on Friday I just want to sleep for two weeks and more.
Posted by: stagiaire on Wed November 1, 2006 at 0:27Heehee. I can relate. I'm still kinda doubtful he will be there tbh... but then I am dubious by nature. I guess I am lucky in that I can decide last minute to train it up to London... tho it would help if I studied for my exams now.