Last day of freedom

No, I'm not getting married. I am starting a new project on Monday though, so I will be assigned to a client and will be working my tushy off to show my expertise in my field. I'll be working at a financial services firm in the Canary Wharf (click for photos) area of London. Canary Wharf is the shiny and new financial district, and similar to how La Defense in Paris is just a few miles down from the Champs-Elysees in a line of sight, so is Canary Wharf from St. Pauls and the building known as the Gherkin (which I can see just out my regular office downtown).

The client is a prominent one for my firm, and being in the financial services industry, I'll need to wear suits almost every day. I only have a few, so today I went shopping at lunch time and picked up a few blazers to match with existing trousers. One is basic black (but it's mashine washable, meaning this is the one I'll wear when I know I'm going out to the bars afterwards - I can't wait for the smoking ban to start next summer) and the other is one of those 'it could be ugly, or it could be really cool' jackets. I'm hoping it's the latter). These will hold me over until I can find some well-fitting, not-too-expensive, yet attractive suits. If I am hoping for too much to find these in London, I may have to wait to buy these in the States at Christmas at Ann Taylor, Macy's and the usual suspects. Since there is a nice new underground mall beneath the Canary Wharf office complex, I should have ample opportunity for after work or even lunch-time shopping as well.

My commute time should still be under an hour door-to-door, and doesn't cost any more than it would to get to my regular office (which also means I don't get reimbursed for any of it, but oh well). The project is at least through Christmas. I think it will be a good project for me, and I am looking forward to it. Although today, I am definitely taking the opportunity to do some shopping, go home early, and take care of personal odds and ends (or bits and pieces as they say here). I have also been reorganizing some of my computer files for easier access, already knowing some of the reference material I'll want at my fingertips. Here's to a relaxing weekend, and busy first week at the client!

[Update: on the way home from the office, I stopped by my branch to make my daily request to see if my US debit card had arrived - and it had!!! I am overjoyed. I am still locked out of online access, but I will give it 24 hours and wait to call customer service until tomorrow.

Also, I came home early from work and crashed out for 3 hours, waking up feeling officially sick. I need to kick this before Monday, so I'm staying in tonight and don't think I'll stress my system with a trip to IKEA tomorrow.]