Waiting...

The UK has given me more opportunities to learn the meaning of patience than I can count. Probably more than the rest of my life up until this point. I find myself constantly waiting for something, without any option to speed up the process. At home, if I had to wait more than two minutes to get my coffee in the Caribou drive-thru line, I was furious (and usually late for work). But here, waiting a month and a half to finally use my student loan money? Why not? Everything is a multi step process that ultimately rests in someone else's hands. All I can do is sit in my room and try to do other things, and not think about what I'm currently waiting on. Although I would love to get my debit card. Especially since it is now two days outside of the 7-10 day waiting period. So I'm nearing the point where I can be justifiably annoyed. Here are some things I'm now willing to wait for (often because I don't have a choice). As long as it takes:

The bus. Sometimes it takes an extra half hour to show up, but if I have my iPod, I can take it. I could never stand sitting in traffic, so one would think I would just start walking. But if you don't have a deadline to get back for, sometimes it's actually sort of nice to sit at a bus stop for 45 minutes (when there are open seats, of course). You might even meet some teens who ask you what made you come to "this shithole".

As mentioned, my money. That one has been a little harder to deal with, but I don't have any dire need for it at the moment.

Ethical approval. I have to conduct a questionnaire this term, and for any studies we do on campus, ethical approval is required. The results of the questionnaire don't even matter (in the usual sense) because the point is to develop the questionnaire, not to find meaning in the answers the participants give. Nevertheless, for this approval I waited two weeks.

Wifi. We have a router and our internet is included in the rent (which is awesome, do NOT misunderstand me). But it frequently disconnects and times out. So here I sit, waiting for it to reconnect. And waiting... and debating going out to buy an ethernet cord so I don't have this problem. Until finally resolving not to buy it until I get my debit card. Ha.

ios 4.2. The update itself isn't what I'm after, but the people who develop unlocking software won't unlock 4.1 until 4.2 is released. Which will finally allow me to unshackle myself from AT&T. And use my O2 sim card in my iPhone. And use all my apps, and even text people at home. I have been waiting for this for 2 months now. But it's another thing that keeps getting delayed, to my endless disappointment. It was originally slated to "drop" on Nov. 8th. At this point, "they" say it should be released by Thanksgiving. Fingers crossed.

Everyone in the grocery store to get out of the way. This is probably my biggest challenge. Again, I'm never in a hurry, I just can't believe how two people can blatantly take up the entire grocery aisle, along with their sideways turned cart, and they treat me as if I'm the annoying one because I want to get past them. The solution here would be to find a time when the store isn't as busy, but from what I can tell that time doesn't exist.

Oh yeah, Diwali was a bust (rain), and Guy Fawkes night was fun, but nothing to write about here. Except that I got to see this group live:

"The ZingZillas are four musical primate friends who live on a tropical island paradise pulsating with rhythm. " 

I think that pretty well sums it up for you.


Until next time.