Work update

[skull_bearer]

So, apparently work has ended up being even more bizarre than I could have even imagined. It's exhausting, I have to stand there 10-6, with only a short break for lunch. My arms and hands hurt, and I have cramps in my chest from waving the bubble-sword around. Plus, my hands are so chapped I don't even know where to start, hand cream this isn't.

Other than that, it's actually one of the best jobs I've had for a long time.

I've got a nice tan from staying outside all the time, and it's a nice change from data collecting, where everyone hates you and you feel pretty bad for lying to all those people. Itstead, I stand on the pavement and blow bubbles for the general enjoyment of everyone. If they want to by our stuff, were there, if they don't, well, bubbles never hurt anyone.

Plus, there's the location. In case you don't know, Camden Lock is the home of the freaks, the outcasts and everything alternate. I fit in nicely. So far I've met a gothic lady with a ferret, several bands of hyperactive pirates, a some old friends turned otakus, an old teacher of mine, a nazi cyclist, tourist of every shape, size and culture (I spoke more French today than English), a seven year old goth kid, punks with hairstyles that defy both trend and gravity, policemen who come by on their beat to buy out toys for their kids, mad guys who leap out in front of cars and pretend to have been run over, senile Jesus-guys who march past with their placards comdemming us to hell, and basically enough colourful characters that I'm going to have to go back and edit this when I remember more.

Incidentally, the hyperactive pirates hyjacked our stall and held us up with out own bubble guns. I blew bubbles at them until they surrendered. The nazi cyclist got hit by one of my bubbles (that's fifty points) and threatened to get the police on us, but he was the one exception. Everyone else so far has been nice.

So, I am not only a bubble demonstrator, but also a traffic hazard. I should put up a warning sign. I am also apparently a tourist attraction, seeing as a load of people took pictures of me and my bubbles.

One thing with this job is that you have a lot of spare time. Luckily I can listen to my music while demonstrating, so it's not bad, still, you do start thinking odd things- odder than usual, I mean.
For example, I've already mentioned that there's this old preacher that rambles up and down the street shouting, now this guy is -to his own mind- a latter day prophet. Yet no-one wants to listen to him preach, prefering instead to ignore him and watch me blowing bubbles. Which suggest the question, what if there were bubble demonstrators at the time of Jesus Christ? Would everyone have ignored him in favour of watching the pretty bubbles?

I ran into so many old friends today, first I met Jenny, who I used to hand out with at school- despite the fact that she's six years younger than me- and her brother. We hung around debating completely random topics and generally having fun. Then I met Ms Murphey, an counciller at my old school, and finally I ran into Rowan, who I haven't seen for months.
My jaw hit the floor.
Roawn was one of the afor mentioned Otakus, and was dressed in a frilly maid's outfit. Now this is nothing new to Camden, where you see people dressed as pirates, vampires, Matrix-wannabes, punk rockers, wizards, whores and a quite number of nameless things. Unfortunately Rowan is fairly short, rather plump, and with a complete mane of frizzy hair, so she looked quite ridiculous.

(PS- If Rowan is reading this, firstly, congrats on getting a LJ! Secondly, I'm sorry about that, but it did look completely daft, and you were better off wearing your Rammstein outfit. But then I'm not an anime fan, so I'll never understand)

Plus, I got paid £70 for just one day's work (that's over a hundred euros, and $130). This totally kicks arse since it's cash in hand.

So, I'm being paid a ridiculous amount in order to blow bubbles, chat to random people, and get very tired indeed. Fair trade.

Comments

[orcboy.livejournal.com]

Yeah he could have you for assulat with a dangerous weapon, you know thoose bubbles could take somebodies eye out. Glad to hear your having fun now your away from cheltenham.

[skull-bearer.livejournal.com]

Heh, that guy was babbling about 'obstruction' and 'danger to cyclists', hey mate, if you're such a bad cyclists that you can be put off by a /bubble/, I don't think that's my fault!

[moonstonerose.livejournal.com]

You sound a great deal happier than you did in some of your earlier posts. I think all of us should be allowed to stand on the street and blows bubbles. It makes me want to join you. I've blown enough bubbles for my toddler. I should be good at it. The pay sounds great!

[shadowvalkyrie.livejournal.com]

*envies* Sounds truly fun! My only job is thrashing English grammar into children's heads with heavy books... (Figuratively speaking, unfortunately.) I hate it, but there is absolutely no other work to get here, in the middle of nowhere. Everyone who has a job is afraid to lose it and new ones won't show up.
Especially the surroundings sound nice. While at Camden Lock I'd be likely to get sidelooks for looking boring and "normal", I'm probably the freakiest person around here. *sighs*
But it's good to know you're better again, you really sounded pretty depressed a while ago.

[skull-bearer.livejournal.com]

Heh, I tried to teach once. Never again. Come to London sometime, I'll be happy to show you around. Camden Lock's just amazing. The most infamous shop is Cyberdog. It's in a maze of tunnels and has been decked out like an alien spacecraft. All the dummies are robots, there are home-made sci-fi props everywhere, and you can hear yourself think for the techo music. It sells appropriatly bizarre clothes.

[shadowvalkyrie.livejournal.com]

Is that an invitation? *g* Sure we'd get along? I'm hard to put up with... But whenever I have the money to go on a real holiday (-about next week I'm on holiday in Cologne but there I'm always staying with friends and relatives, depending who'll have me for a few days-) it will be London (I've been planning that for half my life anyway). I'll warn you beforehand then. *g*

And I love bizarre shops (here isn't anything stranger than a bakery) and bizarre clothes! (Rarely wear, but always love!)

[skull-bearer.livejournal.com]

Heh, same here. Still, it should be fun. There are a lot of cool places in London. I always say you should go to the London Dungeon at least once before you die, and then there are our numberous bookshops... There are two in particular I love, Forbidden Planet (which sells everything from fantasy/sci-fi books to comics to replica weaponry), and the Fantasy Center (a secondhand booksshop which specialises in fantasy, sci-fi and horror)

[the-little-owl.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a truely interesting place where you work. And it's far better to make people smile than sitting at a computer and feeling bad. Congrats to the bubble demonstrator!

[the-little-owl.livejournal.com]

Oops, what I forgot to ask was: What's an Otakus?

[skull-bearer.livejournal.com]

A mad anime/manga addict.