BBQ BUNNY: Poofs, Quorn & Swedish Vodka!

My good friend Tony (below, right) took me to a BBQ on Saturday. It was a birthday party for his ex-boyfriend Gary (left).



Everyone sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY ...



Unfortunately, I was in the toilet at the time!

I had overindulged on the Swedish vodka ...



Oh dear ... it's not pretty ...

But the chef was!



And he wasn't the only handsome man around ...



The shot below is nice ... but how did I get everyone to look natural but at the camera?



Photographer's secret: I sprang forth from the kitchen & let out a female horror film scream.

As you do ...

[*giggles**]

Well, it worked.

And a good time was had by all ...



And I needed a good time ... thanks for a fab weekend, Tony!

RICHARD

Please ... everyone ... calm down!

Thank you all so much for all the love & support you've shown me since yesterday's post.

My life is still in a pickle but it seems I am more calm than many of you. Please don't stress yourself into a knot (especially you, mum!).

I have had many viable offers for storing my things. Thank you all so much. My only concern there is that the people I know & trust the most have the least space ... and the people who have the most space I don't know all that well. However, at least I can see a light at the end of that tunnel. I can store my things here in London. Tick that box & move on.

I have always depended on the kindness of strangers ... thank you all so much!

The next month will be tough no matter what happens. No work this week means no payday next week.

[*gulp*]

A week with no money in London is a bit like ... well, it doesn't get much worse really (financially) ...

Luckily, I am classically trained at being poor!

Let me remind everyone that even if I leave, I am definitely returning to the UK within 6 months and I am NOT shipping all my things back to the States (I might insure them but they are staying here in England).

So, please ... calm down ... you all are stressing out the Big Buddha Bunny!

[*larf*]

My situation is still dire ... maybe I'm just calm at the moment ... but at least I have my moments!

Richard the Big Bunny

I admit it ... I need help!

Today has been a day of reflection & contemplation.

The end result is this: I am at the end of my rope & I do not see any solutions.

Unless £1500 ($3000) or so falls into my lap, I must leave the UK immediately.

Despite working and trying to save up money for college (ie, another visa), I have failed.

I do not have any money. It all goes towards rent, paying off my overdraft and making payments toward my two credit cards (proof positive that I was never 'kept' by anyone).

I have just over two weeks to sort out where to store my things for free in England and how I'm going to pay for a flight out of here.

My life is boiling over with problems & pressure--and if I were suicidal, you wouldn't be reading this message because I would already be gone. Yes, it is that bad. Thankfully, I know my problems do not define who I am or my future. They are just problems.

I need help. Or, perhaps more accurately in these circumstances, I need to be rescued.

I am not very good at asking for help and, furthermore, I am not even sure who to ask! This isn't a normal, everyday problem. I don't just need money ... I also need a secure place to store ALL of my possessions (about a square metre of boxes) before I am forced to leave the country that I consider my home.

I am embarrassed. I tried. I really did. I know all of this is my responsibility but I have failed.

And to think all of this could be wiped away if I could just get a job with a work visa ...

FIVE YEARS. I've tried for five years and I've failed. I certainly gave it my all in the end. MY ALL. It's all gone. I'm afraid I don't have any fight left in me.

Richard

WE GOT BUNNIES !!!

Well, no temp job today, despite effort. I was down at ROC's offices for nearly three hours on 'standby' but to no avail ... so I came back home and I finally went round to the Wood Green Animal Shelter next door.



My bedroom window overlooks their kitty sanctuary & bunny playfield.



This pic only shows about 20% of the kitty sanctuary ... it's quite huge! It has many houses & cabins and loads of poles for climbing. And such a variety of puss!

I couldn't resist any longer ... I had to see the bunnies up close! I went round and got permission to spend 20 minutes with them.

This one kept bouncing back & forth head to toe and making me laugh:



He's a lot more active than he looks!

The most active was the cute brown 'regular type' bunny named BAMBI:



Bambi was my favourite. Very interactive, alert and interested ...

They all have spacious cages on soft, natural grass ... complete with clean water, food and ample shelter from the sun provided by boxes (they are moved to smaller indoor cages in the evening).



I saw that poor fellow get pecked by a BIG bully crow from my window. He was hopping about and playing along through the wire till he got nipped!

This little guy looked more like a hare but was very relaxed:



What you don't see in these photos is the obese white albino rabbit that was free and running loose through the yard. It kept mostly to itself though and preferred to rustle in the corner and play with its newspaper.

The shelter also has a charity shop directly across the street (Lordship Lane). I went in and had a look but will have to go back to give the CDs a really good once-over.

Not a bad day. I may not have a job or a visa but I have a smile ... thanks to the bunnies!

Richard the Big Bunny

Job Blurb / UK Visa ... HELP!

Clever 31-year-old single man seeks a job in the London area (will consider relocating).

My past experience includes graphic design, technical training and instruction, minority relations (BA, 2:1), computers and networking, desktop support (PC and Macintosh), hotel management, copywriting, music publishing, artist management, corporate PA & admin, being a nanny/tutor (7 years!), event hosting ... even singing and entertaining (yes, really).

When asked about my best attributes, others have described me as responsible, trustworthy, decidedly organised, resilient, educated, well spoken and outgoing. My worst fault is becoming over-invested in my job. I take my work & its success personally.

All offers considered!

For more information on me, please contact me:

M: 07906 619 660

Email: boylondon@gmail.com

Thank you for hearing me.

Richard

LEFT OUTSIDE ALONE.

Tomorrow is the first day after the bank holiday weekend.

It's also the first workday since my long-term temp job ended and I've no new assignment (ie, no job).

Most importantly, it's the first day of the last month of my [student] visa.

No job.

No money.

Nowhere to go.

No new visa application.

Certainly no one to turn to ...

I do feel very much alone. I have very few friends these days (Androo, Tony, who else?).

I have acquaintances, more than my share of guys who want to shag me and LOADS of what I term 'social distractions' ... but not a long list of people who I believe actually care about me without ulterior motives.

Most of the people I thought were my friends seem to have either methodically extracted themselves from my life or have, discreetly or blatantly, told me that they will be in touch when things are more sorted.

Gee, thanks.

So not only am I having the worst year of my life, I must also face it alone.

I am not entirely unhappy. I'm still in London (though that dream is under attack, obviously). And I still have my inner joy. That is apparently inexstinguishable.

Richard

25 DAYS: My Imminent Doom!

Right ... thinking aloud here ... let's review ...

If the worst case scenario is that I have to leave the UK, here are the Top Three Problems:

(1) I don't have enough money for a plane ticket (to the States or elsewhere). I am living hand-to-mouth and barely able to pay my rent.

(2) I don't have anywhere to store my things in the UK. All of my worldly possessions are in the UK. Everything I own, including all 2000 of my CDs and my memorabilia collection, is here with me in England. Storing my things in Lindsay's loft is no longer an option because of his garden room addition & remodelling work (ie, a lot of his downstairs furnishings are now in the loft and will be there for quite some time).

(3) I have nothing to go back to/for ... where am I going? Return to Atlanta? Where would I go? Where would I stay? And why? I have no desire to take a huge step backwards.

I have 25 business days to move heaven and Earth to suit me or for a miracle to happen.

Richard

PS - My long-term temp job (as a course advisor at Westminster Kingsway College) ends Friday. Let's hope another one takes its place very quickly, if only for a month!

Siobhan at THE SOCIAL ...

Had a fab time at the Siobhan show ...

http://www.thesocial.com/

The sound was shite but I didn't mind ... electro ... who can really tell?

8-p

Yes, I took LOADS of photos ... some of which will clean-up well in Photoshop. [Exclusives for the POP LIFE newsletter but I will post a few small ones here in my blog soon!]

Shuv did five songs: Bitter Pill, Pulsatron, summink I didn't know that seemed to lack a melody (I was chatting up someone at the time anyway!), Cold and It's A Trip.

http://www.siobhanfahey.com/

She cut it short because the sound was so bad ... but she looked absolutely fabulous.

I spoke to her before the show. She was lovely. She looked suspiciously young and couldn't be more fit. She's holding up well ... one way or another!

It was all very laid back and I couldn't help but think what an odd world I live in. I grew up a huge fan of Bananarama & Shakespear's Sister and now Siobhan & I have mutual friends. I remained completely calm in the presence of her greatness!

8-)

And yes, per the usual, I forgot to ask her anything important ...

All this *AND* Bananarama (Sara & Keren) have new single and album coming out!

http://www.bananarama.co.uk/

WEEEEE !!!

Now if my mate & I can just corner Jacquie [O'Sullivan] for brunch ...

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/jacquieosullivan/

[*giggles*]

Richard

Panic on the streets of London ...

Well, it finally happened:

I burst into tears this morning in public -- right there on the street in Soho walking to work from Piccadilly Circus. Kept on sobbing at work as well & locked myself in the loo for a bit.

I am overwhelmed by worries about my visa expiring and where I will be in 60 days.

[My stressful state is more than a bit compounded by the more immediate misery at home. My new flat in Wood Green has no useable shower and that is generally ruining my day before it starts. Add to that: bad lighting, difficulty shaving, 'bathroom schedule' conflicts ... and my stress level reaches its peak each day before I even leave the flat.]

It's all just a bit more than I can handle.

One of the great ironies is that my job is the best part of my life right now -- and even that is temporary (not to mention illegal).

To be a bit lofty & poetic, life's joys have slowly been chipped away bit by bit over the last two years till there are nearly none left. I put on a brave face that seems to fool most everyone (of those not already driven away by my "complicated life").

I guess I feel under attack and alone in the fight.

Fair statement, I think.

Richard of London ©

Moving to N22 (Zone 3)

I've decided to take the room in Wood Green.

My rent will be £330 per month.

My new flatmate, Giles, seems like a real sweetie. I guess time will tell!

I will be moving in on Sunday (08 May 2005).

Big thanks to Irish Tony for offering to help schlep my things from Archway to Wood Green in his wee car!

8-)

Richard