Cyberdog

I know it sounds incredibly cliché, being spring and all...that super-magical time of year for change and rejuvenation...but I have to admit I have been thrust in completely new and somewhat unexpected directions. As you all know, I have planned all along on living in London after I graduate and part of the preparation for that permanent transition involves finding a place to live. So who better to live with than my best friend, I ask you? No one, that's who.

He invited me into his housing arrangement as the fourth person. This group grew from four to five soon after I joined in. Most of you (or any of you who know me well, at least) would question why I, the most independent of loners (most of the time), would ever agree to live with four other people. Well, I decided, or was convinced through persuasive and convincing conversation, that this was a sensible idea, first of all...meaning, living with more people, splitting rent, etc. Plus, I consider myself an adult possessing at least the vaguest modicum of maturity, able to handle a townhouse type of arrangement. After all, I lived in a townhouse at Cambridge, I've lived on dorm halls for years, and I'd still have my own bedroom in the end, of course, in this new flat. So I agreed to participate whole-heartedly in the 5-room thing.

The search for a 5 began. And quickly failed. Turns out it's cheaper to live with fewer people and there are more options for 1 or 2 bed places that are cleaner, nicer, and more centrally located. That and it's difficult to get 5 people to agree on anything or make decisions for the best of the group. So when I offered to back out, the group of 5 split. Thankfully, I’m still with my best friend in terms of rooming arrangements. And actually, over the course of time that we'd been looking for housing this best friend transitioned into the 'boyfriend' spot. Yes, Emily has her first official boyfriend in three years. This is big news, people.

In addition to a new BF (all smiles and rainbows and sparkles and happiness!!!) I also got a new tattoo. It's pretty killer, too. See? Look:    (BAM! fast transition from pretty springtime pictures to hard core stuff, from here on out!)

"be sure your mind lands on the beauty of this funny place called life"

And that's basically permanent, you know. Yeah, I love it though. Took three hours of planning and prep, if you can believe it because it had to be hand written and fitted to me, of course. My artist was awesome, though, and way more friendly and talkative than the girl who did my first one when I was at Cambridge. I'd planned on having my BF go with me and hold my hand through the pain (though at that time he wasn't my boyfriend, yet) but the rooms were so small you couldn't fit more than two people in there so the poor guy had to go wander around Camden alone all afternoon. I felt really bad but there was nothing I could do about it, sadly enough.

Dave...that's my artist :)

So there I was, at Evil From the Needle, with the artist – Dave was his name – and we talked all about the US and how he wanted to live in the wilds of Alaska or Canada or something while he worked and drew and refitted the art on my side. So then, like I said, three hours later, he inked me up. That's the worst part of it, as you can imagine, but we agreed on some rock to blast from his ipod to speakers distract me while that little needle tore me up and thankfully once he got started he was really fast and it didn't take more than 15 minutes of me gripping the table.

One more new-ish thing. I finally got my hands on an iPhone...by signing up to a 2 year T-mobile contract the device was free. So basically I’m staying here no matter what. I mean, I have a frickin' contract, don't I?! No, actually I'll have a job and do it the legal way....don't hassle me!

I TOLD you this spring has been totally cliché. But I’m not complaining...obviously. I'm having a frickin' blast.

My instagram from Camden High St today

The lock

Another change. The time. Moved the clocks forward last night. Now we have lots and lots of light! That means I can go out running later and spend more time outside, in general. Today I took advantage of the sun and the warmer temps to head up to the markets in Camden again. Second time since I got the new tat. (The first time was a few weeks ago when the boyfriend's best friend from home came to visit for the weekend and we wandered up there on foot, for cryin' out loud. That was the same night I learned to play poker!). Anyway, today Camden was packed to bursting. But I got up there early so I didn't bother trying to fight the crowds and just moved at the same sluggish pace of the tourists while browsing the stalls, shops, and market avenues. All the winter items were on sale for dirt cheap. Score. London can be the most expensive place ever, but if you're savvy you can rock it for next to nothing. I got black leather boots, a black hoodie, a hand-designed sleeveless tank, and a Rubiks cube all for £30. Beat that!
 

One place in the market that everyone ought to check out during the day is Cyberdog. It's like neon insanity on acid. Goth + Spaceman. If you're into intergalactic, futuristic dance parties, this is the one and only store for you. In London anyway.....because I hear Japan is pretty kinky these days, after all..... It's guarded by two giant robots at the entrance and one skinny dude, who's alive, to keep the under 18's out (sex shop in the basement). Once you're allowed to pass you descend into a surreal underground environment, where people are literally dancing on the ceiling and there's flashing colored lights and weird electric music mixed by a live DJ on the second floor down and store clerks who look like they've warped here from some futuristic dimension. Unfortunately they beat you down if you take any photos so I didn't get any. I had to steal some from the internet so you could get the gist, though.

See? Dancers up on platforms above the shoppers!

Employees

If you watch the following video this weird Spanish chick will take you on a tour through the store and she shows off some of the crazy stuff you can buy, plus you get a sneak peek inside the store, which isn't allowed if you're filming on your own, like I said. This was was best vid I could find, though. Sorry it's in Spanish. But to be fair, it's not what she's saying that's important, it's what's going on behind her: