street haunting

[smellingbottle]

Much serious discussion with I. last night, about what we both wanted from life,  and whether his potential Middle East project is likely to make us enough money to make things a bit more secure - it’s clear his current job is about to end abruptly within weeks, and we’re both enough children of the Irish seventies and eighties to be uneasy at the

Comments

[roomette]

Seattle is all that wet metal smell after a rain and the sound of the joints of the creaking and groaning like it is in the early stages of labor. Too many well dressed people these days. The old industrial area is all but scrubbed clean and there's not as many pigeons as there once were...I wonder why that is. I know some of what you are talking about. I used to have a city like that but it feels like someone took the puzzle pieces out of the box while I was gone and I can't make the picture I remember.

Here's to hoping that the academic writing decides to go to bed and soon your other work will take its place. I went running in the dark the other night and very oddly but appropriately sent you wishes for your book. I'll make you pay rent if you keep stealing that corner of my head. :) I'm excited for you, though.

[smellingbottle]

I think I've lost track of where you physically are these days (are you/were you planning aonther move?) though I'm reading whenever you post - and meant to comment that you looked ravishing, if tense, in that waiting photograph. Thank you for the 'please go away academic work' wishes - and I'm unreasonably pleased to be thought of while someone is running after nightfall...

[old_black]

"...It’s stupid to be sentimental about London, and really I feel like leaving increasingly, but it tugs, nonetheless..."
Aren't you being other than just sentimental, though? It sounds to me that the diversity and character that you live amongst has a real impact on how you see yourself as well as how you see the wider world around you. And anyway, what's stupid about sentiment?
[I really know nothing, I think what I'm saying is "This was a really interesting post, please say some more!"]

[smellingbottle]

I suppose it's that I never in the least wanted to live in London, as I'm small town and rural to the core - I'd always preferred places you could see the edges of - but I. had lived in Oxford for my sake for years, and I'd agreed the next move was his to choose. And I did find it hard livng here originally - the noise, the litter, the tube at rush hour - I wasn't particularly seduced by the idea of living in the capital. But I think I'm still a bit taken aback at how an affection for our undistinguished, unlovely corner of north London has crept up on me without me noticing. (I should probably say that the reason I'm now spending more time walking on the streets is because several women have been mugged in daylight along my usual running track!) I must try to think it through properly.

[richenda]

Thank you for this! We often feel nostalgic for East London, which we both loved at different times, especially the sense of complete safety at night, with a late open shop on every corner, and the wonderful food.
Can't remember which part you are - if I ever knew
Apologies that i don't often respond to your posts, but when I see the chair icon I always know that there will be something interesting or touching or both.

[smellingbottle]

Where you live sounds ravishing to me - and much more the kind of place I would have said I'd be happy, if you'd asked me a few years ago. I don't tend to be specific about where I am, because I like being anonymous on here, but I'm north, rather than east London, but one of its grubbier bits, though more gentrified than it was a few years ago.