wooo ha - keepin you all in check!!

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

i got into a journalism course in london, so i'm moving there! i know i follow in the footsteps of many ILXers here (probably even more than i imagine) so i've got a few questions:

i) does this mean i don't get to be a rock star?
ii) what do you wish you'd done that you didn't do during your course?
iii) what did you wish you HADN'T done that you DID?
iv) if you were starting up a brand-new journalism skewl from scratch, how would its mission deviate from the thing what you did?

fuck the columbia-esque hand-waving, the revamp starts HERE!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 22:57 (twenty-two years ago)

oh and i need a~~n apartment~~ flat

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm doing the broadcast track btw

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Hurrah for Tracer! Will you be there by the time of the great October Tom fest?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 23:00 (twenty-two years ago)

a date for this october do is u&k, btw ned.

tracer - excellent!

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 23:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Yay date! ;-)

Tom has indicated it's mid-October but it's up to The Best Man, who I assume is Brother Al...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 23:02 (twenty-two years ago)

i) does this mean i don't get to be a rock star?

not necessarily, but everything you do will sound like Gay Dad

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 23:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Congrats Tracer!

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 23:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Then Tracer double checks the fine print and realizes his course is actually in London...

ONTARIO!

*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCHHHHHHHHHHHH*

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 23:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Hahaha! Off for a moose-lip omelette...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 23:21 (twenty-two years ago)

(and of COURSE, congrats Tracer. Heavens! ;-) )

― donut bitch (donut), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 23:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Waterloo in London, ON is a fine, fine school, only MIT stands heads and shoulders above it in things computers these days.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Thursday, 31 July 2003 02:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Tracer for how long will you be in the UK? We can have an expat FAP in the fall, perhaps.

― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 31 July 2003 02:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Will you be there by the time of the great October Tom fest?

October spawned a Tomster.

― Larcole (Nicole), Thursday, 31 July 2003 02:19 (twenty-two years ago)

In the shape of this FAP...
That later CRIIIIIIIIIIIED...
But EWING made me
So EWING save me...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 31 July 2003 02:51 (twenty-two years ago)

My god, Tracer, I will get you for that Columbia-esque handwaving comment.

― Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 31 July 2003 02:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Congrats to Traitor Hand. Good luck.

― bnw (bnw), Thursday, 31 July 2003 02:58 (twenty-two years ago)

i) does this mean i don't get to be a rock star?

Think Neil Tennant or Chrissie Hynde.

― j.lu (j.lu), Thursday, 31 July 2003 03:44 (twenty-two years ago)

i wanted answers to questions ii-iv as well

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 31 July 2003 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

what do you wish you'd done that you didn't do during your course?

Not that I did journalism, but I wish I'd paid more attention to the course and less to the numerous distractions offered by friends, record shops and pubs. Don't let all these FAPs distract you, you're there to work

Reverse that for the answer to (iii).

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 31 July 2003 12:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Tracer, just tell people you're one of the Strokes.

― Larcole (Nicole), Thursday, 31 July 2003 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I would not introduce myself to Kate this way.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 31 July 2003 13:00 (twenty-two years ago)

When I said "you're there to work" I ended that with < /faux parental concern>

but it doesn't appear to have shown up.

i.e. I was joking, not being all snarky :)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 31 July 2003 13:01 (twenty-two years ago)

HOORAY!

Tracer's college is in our area and the course rocks.

I wish I'd known about the City MAs at the appropriate time, but by the time I twigged I was already too busy working and had interesting opportunities anyway. Feel I am, grr, outside a really good network with no way in esp re. working at Graniaud but that's by the by, really.

As to where you live, it's U&K that you get on it because you have about a week's jump on the A-level kiddies who will be making big plans the minute their scores come in. Postcodes you might gravitate toward are EC1 (that's us!) and south N1 (north N1 is Islington proper) if you want to walk to class; E2, E8 are a busride away and full of Hoxton/Shoreditch overspill; EC2 is posh/warehouse Shoreditch and E1/E2 is Brick Lane or Whitechapel, the latter being full of students and cheap places, but there is bus and tube to college. It's cheaper to be in a place where you can bus because a bus pass is cheaper than bus and tube and you will understand London better from a top deck than Tube carriage.

The college may have some tied accomodation for overseas MAs; check with their office because it looks like there are halls all over the neighbourhood. Your own 1BR is expensive but you might stretch to a studio (treat yourself, you aren't eligible for council tax) and make sure if you flatshare, the room's a double and there's no scrimping on living areas to make the place affordable. Try to go through friends here - we just bagged a new flatmate, BTW - and bearing in mind that the neighbourhood around your college is so worth living in, be prepared to pay £500/month inclusive of all bills except the phone. Bargains happen, though.

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 31 July 2003 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

congrats!
can i have your howard hughes apt??

― kephm, Thursday, 31 July 2003 13:22 (twenty-two years ago)

It's mine, beyotch, back tha fuck up.

― Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 31 July 2003 13:26 (twenty-two years ago)

£500 a month? Christ, _I'm_ paying that!

(ponders moving to trendy London)

(ponders getting back to work sharpish)

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 31 July 2003 13:30 (twenty-two years ago)

...for a room in a shared space. Prolly didn't make that quite clear enough. Studios are £750/month if you're very lucky.

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 31 July 2003 13:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, that's about on par w/NY. Thanks for the advice, suzy! But do you mean that I have to get on the flat-finding NOW, I mean I'm not even coming over til like the 10th of september! How is this done, via digital handshake?? I ought to go find that old "ILE flat share" thread....

The rotating mirror table is already spoken for.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 31 July 2003 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

(City doesn't really have accommodations for Int'l students from what I can tell, though perhaps I haven't pushed hard enough on this front. They do have temp dorm rooms for like $15/night, but only for the first two weeks or so that I'm there.)

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 31 July 2003 13:52 (twenty-two years ago)

What do you mean, it's "already spoken for"?!?!?!! I'll pay you $25 for it.

― Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 31 July 2003 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

which college is it BTW?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:04 (twenty-two years ago)

erm, what's the difference between a shared space and sharing a multi-bedroom apartment?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:06 (twenty-two years ago)

City University, Julio

$25 is an insult

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:07 (twenty-two years ago)

More opportunities for making the sex orgy style?

OK, Tracer, $75

― Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Do you know how many people are in line for this, Ally??

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

(I mean the table)

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)

None, Andrew, unless Suzy means something very different by space

― RickyT (RickyT), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)

SIGH but that table is so appropriate for my life, you know how things are.

OK fine can I take everything else in yr place for $75?

― Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:19 (twenty-two years ago)

October 17th for definite.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I will commute from the International Space Station, 2001-style.

Yay Tom-fest!! (I have inklings, Tom, but you will have to fill me in on all the details.)

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Ally I thought you were yayo-free!!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I am but it's nostalgia.

― Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)

may i recommend living somewhere near here?

i was in a pub here, The Shakespeare, and its worth moving to the area for. ITs lovely! also, lovely beer! also, a pub quiz with some sort of weird double jackpot!!!

also, you can pick up quite a lot of pirates up there.

so, albion rd?

mind you, round the corner from the pub the street had been cordoned off with that police tape, with some bobbys standing about. they seemed to be letting people thru it though, so maybe it was just some art installation.

― ambrose (ambrose), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

That's close to the school, ack-shurely!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

(Ally, the Columbia crack was aimed at the J-skool and their public agonies over how to reinvent themselves. Which I BELIEVE resulted in them saying "okay our big new plan is that you have to stay longer, and study a humanities subject")

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)

that's around stoke newington, which means you are near london's improv venues so that is a good suggestion :-)

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

ps i have no idea:

whether that area is good to live in re: getting burgled/mugged/shot
whether that area is ok price wise
whether theres anywhere to rent in that area (ie between albion rd and stoke newington church st)
whether it is cool (answer : no)

albion rd is on the 73 bus route though. it is near the vorex jazz bar which rocks (is it to close?)
no tube nearby though.

i just really liked that pub.

― ambrose (ambrose), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:48 (twenty-two years ago)

(Traitor Hand, I was just teasing. Now about that table)

― Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

yes, the 73 goes by the vortex (might go there today for a gig). the vortex sucks much of the time bcz it has shitty jazz but it can put on some free improv.

it also has ryan's bar, which is a better venue for free improv.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 31 July 2003 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 21 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Listen to Matt DC!

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 1 August 2003 07:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Mandee and I are moving to SE London later this month. The South will rise again!

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 1 August 2003 08:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Ooh, whereabouts?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 1 August 2003 08:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I am going to look at some places in "Telegraph Hill" (ie the nice bits of New Cross - haha) this weekend. Mandee is going to be starting at Goldsmiths in Sept, so we wanted somewhere nearby. I keep on seeing places listed in "Avonley Village" - is this a blatant estate agent invention for behind the big megamarket near New Cross Gate?

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 1 August 2003 08:18 (twenty-two years ago)

and fall on it's arse most likely ;o)

Well done Mr Hand!

Stevie - probably, yes. If it's anything like Walthamstow village, which is actually three streets, but in Estate agent terms it seems to cover the entirety of Walthamstow.

― chris (chris), Friday, 1 August 2003 08:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Googling for 'Avonley Village' (which I have never heard of, incidentally) brings up nothing but estate agent websites. Apparently it is a 'quiet and peaceful conservation area' somewhere between New Cross and Deptford. I find this difficult to believe.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 1 August 2003 08:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Jerry, I remember when it were all squats 'round Telegraph Hill. That said, the flats are always well-sized and the shops are much better than when I lived there. Jerningham Road is really nice.

― suzy (suzy), Friday, 1 August 2003 08:51 (twenty-two years ago)

ho ho lovely south east london.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 1 August 2003 08:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I went on a reconaissance trip to Telegraph Hill a couple of weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised how nice it seemed (although it was one of those gorgeous summer London days when even the bleakest estate tower block can look photogenic). It seems to have been gentrified a little since it got conservation status. The park seems lovely too.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 1 August 2003 09:00 (twenty-two years ago)

congrats tracer - as a working journalist, i never did a journalism course - just have fun and see you when you get here. when you moving?

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Friday, 1 August 2003 09:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I leave September 22 too, for Paris. I guess it's a big flying day.

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 1 August 2003 13:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Yay for Mandee!@!@@ I don't know if you meant South London or The American South, Nipper, but I guess it works either way. S Reynolds mentioned New Cross, too, so it appears the hedz are in agreement. If you find something good for one person, give me a shout.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I arrive on or about Sep 10th, Dave. I need to get my hed together before the "fun" begins.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:14 (twenty-two years ago)

New Cross, that's crazy talk.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:16 (twenty-two years ago)

S Reynolds mentioned New Cross, too

I blame his enduring love for "The Only Living Boy in New Cross". Don't listen to him Tracer, the influence of Carter USM has ruined many lives.

― Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Just look at Tom!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Exactly.

― Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:19 (twenty-two years ago)

New Cross is only useful if you are a student at Goldsmith's, which Mandee will be. And SR lived in Effra Road in Brixton for years until his sensible wife managed to get him to move to Belsize Park.

NORTH of the river is best, unless you get somewhere groovy by Tate Modern.

― suzy (suzy), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:21 (twenty-two years ago)

North of the river is far more convenient (unless you live near a good station, which can often be better than getting the Tube) but equally, it is about a third more expensive. You can get a much nicer place South of the river for cheaper - living near the tube can have the effect of whacking another £100 per month on your rent unless you live somewhere REALLY filthy.

Much of New Cross is a scary place, it must be said (not to discourage Mandee and Jerry, your bit does look nice if it's the bit I'm thinking of).

It depends on whether you want to live really near your college/the centre of town but having to get a 20 minute train into town each day isn't the scary ogre that most Norf Londoners would have you believe (in fact, I vastly prefer it to the Tube). Of course, ideally, you'd be within walking distance of your college.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Although, New Cross is only about 10 minutes from Cannon Street/Blackfriars, ie right in the City and on the East London Line (which is rub).

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

More New Cross/Carter abuse, I MOCK THEE. I will say it again, staying with Jane in New Cross wasn't all that bad, really. Regardless of whatever murder had happened around the corner.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I arrive on September 13th - we should have a joint PARTY.

― Mandee, Friday, 1 August 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

The October Tom fest is going to be strangely wonderful.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:36 (twenty-two years ago)

What's with all the hatin' on New Cross, man?

― Mandee, Friday, 1 August 2003 14:40 (twenty-two years ago)

For North Londoners a lot of south London may as well be in Plymouth.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

How frightful!

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)

You don't like joints, Jerry?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

New Cross isn't THAT bad, just be careful when crossing the street.

― rosemary (rosemary), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:47 (twenty-two years ago)

According to a quick google, Lewisham's share of all recorded crime in London is in 24th position.

― Mandee, Friday, 1 August 2003 14:48 (twenty-two years ago)

But they do say that alchemists and witches abound beyond the river. Noxious fumes eminatefrom its many tanneries and a bady with two heads and the body of a lizzard was born yesterday in Peckham.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:50 (twenty-two years ago)

and a rubbish bin in shaftesbury was knocked over yesterday by hooligans

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Lewisham in general gets a bad press, worse than it deserves - it's certainly no worse than most other parts of London that regularly get fawned over. It's rubbish for pubs but has good transport links, while New Cross has some good drinking establishments and you have Blackheath and Greenwich on your doorstep which is a big plus, especially in summer.

If I was Tracer though I'd move somewhere East-ish... like Islington or Walthmanstow or somewhere.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I must find the real quote from a 14th century book that's in London: The Biography. Anti South london predjudice is as old as the first London Bridge, if not older.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:54 (twenty-two years ago)

But it's bigged up in Chaucer, though!

South London of course has many 12ft Lizards (well, Crystal Palace dinosaurs anyway).

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 1 August 2003 14:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Do Americans not realize that there are schools in the U.S. also?

― Mary (Mary), Friday, 1 August 2003 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)

But Mary the GLAMOUR.

― amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 1 August 2003 17:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Pay my fee and I'll come study at Pratt.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 1 August 2003 18:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Tracer, the London Flat steering comitee has suggested that you do a room swap with someone in London. There are websites for this.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 1 August 2003 19:29 (twenty-two years ago)

The Brooklyn flat is already taken, I'm afraid. :( I am loathe, however, to cross the wishes of the steering committee. It feels like hubris.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 1 August 2003 19:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Me & Tracer!=All American graduate students, obv.

― Mandee, Friday, 1 August 2003 19:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I just wanted to live somewhere where I'd have an accent.

― Mandee, Friday, 1 August 2003 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm nobody's All-American.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 1 August 2003 19:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Ed let's pretend the deal for my room falls through. How does one swap a flat? Does one just drive around in a Lincoln Town Car and say "I've got a room?"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 1 August 2003 19:44 (twenty-two years ago)

there are agents for this, hang on

― Ed (dali), Friday, 1 August 2003 20:19 (twenty-two years ago)

also, you can put a flat swap ad in loot

― Ed (dali), Friday, 1 August 2003 20:20 (twenty-two years ago)

a quick google brought up this http://www.singleshomeexchange.com/

― Ed (dali), Friday, 1 August 2003 20:22 (twenty-two years ago)

also I think time out is a good place to advertise this

― Ed (dali), Friday, 1 August 2003 20:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Thank you, Ed!!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 1 August 2003 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I know a few people who've done the City course - it is a bit of a mafia. Well done Tracer.

Maybe I should do it someday.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 1 August 2003 22:56 (twenty-two years ago)

tracer, you should go revive the london threads for all out london area war (you know what? most places have something good about them, don't write any area off, do it by price, i mean you dont want to blow all your $ on rent). price for a shared place should be somewhere between £300-500 per month depending on quality/size/location.

it is my wish that tracer starts endless london threads about different areas asking if each room in each area is good (is 395 a month in kensal green ok etc etc etc).

― gareth (gareth), Tuesday, 5 August 2003 12:16 (twenty-two years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.