I've successfully immigrated to the UK. Daniel and I are settling into our digs (well, he's been settling in for a few months) and buying kitchen supplies and trying to get over the nasty jet lag that we foolishly thought we wouldn't suffer. It's not too bad. The cat is here (! my baaaaby) and we have some art to hang up and our bed is oh-so cozy with the flannel sheets I lugged here from Target (if you live in the UK, you need flannel sheets. And lots of sweatshirts. Heat is EXPENSIVE here).
Soon I'll supply you with pictures!
But for now, an anecdote:
We walked through the covered market yesterday in between our errands, and there was an empty little shop area for lease. It was occupied last time I was here, so I didn't really pay much attention to it, or to its perfect red tile floor and 10x15 (or so) square feet of space. But when I passed it this time, I had to stop and drool and make a wish that I wish could be more than a wish: it would make the PERFECT comics shop. Tiny and cozy, white walls and loud floor, and it's right at the entrance of the busy market. Sigh. Unless things have really changed in the last year*, a comic shop is the one thing Oxford does not have**. I don't know how this is possible, considering the age of the general population and the obvious bump in reputation comics have gotten recently (seriously. The number of times I've heard "well, I read graphic novels" in response to my "do you read comics?" question should be some indication. There is a major market for comics in superhero fans and Art/English students, alike.) but I find it troubling. Not in the least because this puts a major damper on my love of going into my local shop (Bridge City***, holler) and giving them all of my leftover student loan money. I don't want to buy Saga and Hellboy and Prophet and Multiple Warheads online--call me crazy, but I want to buy them from a little shop where I can become a regular and ask the super cool (and NICE. Nice is key) person at the register if they think I should get into Locke and Key or if Morning Glories is any good and then said-register-person gives me their opinion, and maybe a few other well-tailored suggestions, and then I give them a lot of dollah dollah bills (or pounds, what have you) in exchange for five new issues, a trade paper, and that new Chris Ware collection that I did not plan to spend $50 on but happily do.
So. Right. My point is, if you know of any comics shops in Oxford, let me know. And if you've considered opening one, please do. I will apply for a job with you. And if you want to gift me with a load of money to start a business, that's 100% legal for me to do with my visa (I'm just not allowed to be employed as a doctor or dentist).
Alright. I'll take a few more pictures this week and then share those. Thanks for putting up with months of radio silence. The last six months were not The Best Ever. But here's to getting back into it, and to word-vomiting into Blogger every few days.
Cheers.
*did you know the UK has Netflix now??! Except they don't have the X-Files, sooooo, yeah. Maybe when I have time to catch up on Inspector Lynley I'll reconsider investing.
**by "one thing" I really mean "one of the things" but that phrase is really much less impactful. Other things Oxford does not have: good Mexican food, cheap groceries, cheap restaurants, cheap anything, bulk dry goods, the well-researched food I've been feeding my cat for the past year, and a lot of other things I plan to keep track of so I remember why I love the PacNW.
***Bridge City is my neighborhood shop, but P-town (as many of you know), has SO MANY excellent shops. Floating World and Cosmic Monkey are my other two faves.