A Street Named Many Things

Didn't feel like updating for the last 24 hours, lots of sucky talks. But this isn't the right place to talk about it, so... let's discuss my street. (And by "let us" I mean I rant and you listen. And by "my street" I mean the street that I own.)

My street has some serious identity issues. Within a mile, mile and a half, distance, it transforms from North Bridge to South Bridge to Nicolson to Clerk to South Clerk Street. That's five names for a mile and a half. The street goes through more outfits than... someone that changes a lot. On the Bridge side, where most of the school flats are, the neighborhood is more student/tourist friendly, with more clothing shops, more upscale restaurants, more popular clubs and bars, and landmarks like museums and theatres. On my end of the street, it's more resident-friendly, with lots of takeaway places, small shops, and convenience stores. The pubs here have more old people. And in between the two ends is the campus, and bigger staples like our grocery-less grocery stores. I really like the distinctions in these city blocks, so that I associate one side of the city with visiting Vita-L and going out for fun and one side with home. And when I think of home, I think of dinner. So warm, fuzzy thoughts all over the city. Except the walk from campus back to the flat. It's miserable walking through all the greasy takeaway places and smelling all the food. (I don't know why, but only cheap eating stalls give off aromas; the fancy restaurants farther down never smell.) I honestly sometimes take a longer walk through the "meadows" just so I don't have to get extra hungry and smell all the good food I'm not eating. Did I just reveal that I actually plan my life around my hunger? Maybe, but you try walking past these stalls and see how strong you are. Sometimes, walking sucks a lot. Especially if the city is full of historic cobblestones that do a number on your ankles and make it hard to escape the tempting aromas.

That's Vita-L's picture of the hills and uneven roads we have to put up with. Speaking of Vita-L, she's going through some crisis trouble of her own. During a job interview, the employer asked, "If you could have any job that you wanted, what would you be?" Her answer? Broadway star. And not just any sort of Broadway star, but a star of the long-gone Cats. Has she ever expressed an interest for singing? Acting? Cats? Not quite. (Dancing, she'd be great with, though.) It just popped out of her mouth. "Why didn't you say doctor?" I asked. "I don't know. Maybe I should've said something I actually wanted to be. But Broadway star just came out of my mouth." Then there was defending her choice to the interviewer: I want to be an entertainer, but I don't really want to be super famous, so Broadway really seems like a perfect fit. Of course, we can't really have Vita-L star in Cats. Because that would ruin the plan Nic and I had hatched of doing a surfing tour through Latin America. Surely a Cats dancer's salary can't afford us as nice a life as that of a doctor. And who would take care of us if either of us got hurt?