Sunday, February 08, 2009

Some signs can't be trusted

I'll admit it. Constant reassurance is ... reassuring. That's why I accept all signs I'm headed in the right direction in moving to London. Give me horoscopes; give me British comedy on North American airwaves; give me snow in England. All signs say "Go!"

Anything to the contrary, I ignore.

According to Jung's personality tests, I'm an Idealist. A very particular kind of Idealist – my peers comprise as little as 2% of the population. The Idealist in me wants that to mean I'm special, but really it just means 98% of the world thinks I'm a flake.

Still, there are occasional esoteric votes against my move to England my blinders can't obscure.

One's on Montreal's Saint-Laurent Boulevard, at the exact point I paused to hug my friend D after our good-bye breakfast. He was promising to visit me and offering that reassurance I so appreciated, when he noticed a new shop just across the street.

"London!" I yelled.

"Actually," he said, "it reads, 'London't.'"

11 comments:

paperback reader said...

Ha! Well played, him. You should take the votes against your move not as people doubting you, but as jealous friends who don't want to lose their geographic proximity to you.

Beth said...

pistols at dawn - Surprisingly, in general everyone is pretty supportive. They are always saying what a great move this is for me, and how I am an urbanite at heart and ... it's allllmost like they ... wait ... they WANT me to leave.

Jerks.

Wes said...

I don't know... the freeway traffic sign in LA Story was pretty illuminating.

Unknown said...

New places scare me. In short - you're braver than me.

- said...

Bah. It actually reads "London T-Dot" ... anyone in Toronto we should know about?

Anonymous said...

Enjoy London, it's a beautiful city.

Let me guess....ENFP by any chance?

Beth said...

Wes - LA is just generally terrifying.

surviving myself - Why is it that New Yorkers think elsewhere is as scary as everyone else thinks New York is? That doesn't include me, of course. I sublet on South 4th in Williamsburg and struck a deal with neighbourhood kids not to pummel me, and again on 175th street and struck a deal with a guy named Mastah, again to ensure I'd avoid getting pummeled.

i am playing outside - You're RIGHT! That's an even BIGGER sign not to go!

Bev - Oh, there's no "E" in me, but thanks for thinking that! I'm "I" all the way.

Unknown said...

Oh Matash! I know him. He's good at helping people not get pummeled.

The Imaginary Reviewer said...

Hmm, this is an interesting blog! As someone who moved in the opposite direction (England to Canada, by way of Japan), I'm interested to see how it goes when moving the other way!

My tip for maximum 'living in England' enjoyment: Eat as many meat-flavoured potato chips as you can, and don't believe anyone (like my Canadian fiancee) who says they are an abomination.

Anonymous said...

Wow, "I" all the way hey? Never would have thought that. Neato. Me, INFJ, baby.

Unknown said...

Looks like you are settling in just fine.