Feet.

I had this (a portion of my toenail removed from the root):

(I could have picked a much more graphic image)

done this morning for at least the sixth time in the past few years and I still can't feel my toe. I do however have a Vicodin prescription to fill for when the feeling returns. Also, I have to pick up orthodics tomorrow and get an x-ray of the bone deformity growing on my left foot. I can also look forward to some achilles-tendon-lengthening surgery in the next few years. So that's fun. At least I have an excuse for my extreme overpronation and ridiculous looking stride. But much to my brothers' disappointment, I'm not sure I'll be cross-country skiing anytime soon.

Christmas Lights Are Pretty

And this fireplace looks cozy.

Also, snow isn't too bad when you don't have to drive in it.

Or walk to class in it.

Or touch it in general.

I would love to see snowy London.

{all images via wehearit}

It's Christmas So We'll Stop

In two days. TWO DAYS.

I wish I had the motivation to study for my Bio 100 and Elang finals, but I really don't right now. Two consecutive 7 am finals sucked that out of me.

But I am currently very much looking forward to:
-Sleeping for more than five hours at a time
-Finally compiling my London scrapbook
-Running again

-Making homemade marshmallows (pumpkin? egg-nog flavored?)
-DRIVING
-Reading for fun
-Visiting Tacoma's brand new H&M

And that's all for now. That should get me through two more finals. This song also helps:

YouTube Gems (or why five-page essays take me six hours)

This adds a whole new dimension to the only-slightly-overplayed Christmas classic:



Haha and this. I don't even know where to start. Or whether to laugh. Or cringe. Or... dance? Although several lines are quite problematic from both doctrinal and feminist perspectives, it's still pretty catchy.

Home Stretch

Thanksgiving really is such a tease. A five-day taste of freedom followed by a prompt return to three weeks of papers, finals and sleepless nights in the library. Kind of a freezing hell. Is it bad that I've come to associate the Christmas season with finals? "Last Christmas" now brings memories of test anxiety, sore throats and rushing to the airport with a massive sleep debt.

However, my end-of-semester to-do list isn't looking too bad. It's considerably shorter than others I have seen. All I really have to do over the next few weeks is:

-Write and polish Shakespeare research paper
-Complete Shakespeare "essence" final project
-Shakespeare midterm
-Attend two bio lectures and write two responses
-Edit and turn-in creative writing final masterwork
-Class class class
-Read read read
-Plan Writing Center Christmas party
-ELANG Final
-Marriage & Family Final
-Bio Final

And that's really all I can think of at the moment.  If I wasn't working this semester, I think it would have been my easiest one yet. Including Freshman "honors" classes that are basically high school in disguise.  Though I'm sure many other little things will come up. The only real problem is that the majority of the items on this list must be completed in the next three or four days.

At least I can sit back and watch this in my Elang class at the moment. (Did you know a "small language" becomes extinct every two weeks?) And eat chocolate provided by the instructor. And fine-tune my Christmas list.

I really want to go to India. And take Chinese again. And walk to class without risking falling flat on my face.

html

Is not my best medium. I haven't tried so hard to decode (encode?) it since myspace. Who knew creating a custom banner could be so difficult? Where's microsoft paint when you need it.

I think I just wasted an hour of my life. At least I got paid for it.

Procrastination Sensation.

Welllp. I've done just about everything one can do to avoid writing my bio paper on the relationship between water temperature and algae (algal?) growth in Provo River. Including:

-3 hour nap

-Shower

-Blow dry and style hair

-Clean room

-Make dinner (wheat penne with roasted vegetables and grated parmesan)

-Clean kitchen

-Compile Christmas playlist

-Check Facebook, Gmail and all the blogs I routinely stalk

-Check blogs I rarely even visit

-Double-check Facebook, Gmail and blogs

-Clean kitchen

And I'm running out of ideas. This would be a whole lot easier if I wasn't making quite literally all of my data up. And if I could figure out how to make charts in Pages. And if I could actually find some relevant, peer-reviewed sources. Maybe I'll make those up too? That seems too obvious. Oh well. I'll just restart Sufjan's Christmas album and try again. Last assignment before Thanksgiving!

p.s. This is quite nice.

I see you stir the fog around.

This song shuffled onto my ipod this afternoon and I immediately deemed it the perfect first-day-of-November tune. A little lonely and foreboding. Yet a comfortable brand of melancholy.

It has taken me awhile to adjust to his voice, but I'm warming up to it. Kind of like Joanna Newsom. After a year of cringing at her occasionally screeching vocals, I'm learning to appreciate her for the lyrical genius she really is. And her voice isn't half bad either. If you're new to Joanna I'd start with this:

Mincing up the morning, slightly bored

I hate when people steal my favorite napping couches.

(She's not even sleeping.)

And vending machine dinners.

(Processed strawberry danish?)

And 12 hour days on campus.

But work is fun.

And I'll be 21 in two days.

Also, if anyone knows how to embed song links in blogger with yahoo media player will they pleaseeee enlighten me? I've wasted far too many homework-hours trying to figure this out.

That's all. I'll just be attempting a Bon Iver-induced nap in very noisy hallway.

"Creative" Non-fiction

I had a hard time with this unit to be honest. Partially because I just didn't have the time to focus on writing these past few weeks. Also, there is something about Creative Non-fiction that just feels contrived. I can't quite put my finger on it. Perhaps it's my instructor's insistence that every element be factual. According to him, not even a sentence of dialogue can be made up. I can't help but think of Tim O'brien's explanation of true war stories:

True war stories are true even if they never happened. But some stories aren't true, whether they really happened or not. For example, there's one everyone knows: one man jumps on an exploding grenade to save his friends from dying as well. It may have happened, but it isn't true. This is because whether it happened or not matters. On the other hand, if the guy jumped on the grenade and everyone died anyway, that is a true story whether it happened or not.

I like that idea. And that's why I included fictional details in my "non-fiction." They seemed to convey a deeper or more general "truth." Also, my instructor will never know the difference. So without further ado, here is an essay I'm considering turning in for the unit final next week. It's rough and neither particularly creative nor profound. But it's true.

Breathing heavily, I attempt a discrete effort at stemming the miniature waterfall trickling down my forehead. I brush aside my sweaty bangs and stumble through yet another salsa step, nearly crushing the nimble toes of the far more coordinated girl on my left.

Due to the persistence of my roommate and several conveniently placed posters inviting me to “ditch the work out and join the party,” I chose to attend a “Zumba” class. Though a Latin-infused aerobic dance workout may initially sound more appealing than my traditional thirty-minute elliptical routine, I still had misgivings. Yet in some remarkable act of masochism or sheer stupidity I found myself slinking into the back of room 134 of the Richards Building last Monday afternoon. Becky, the perky instructor, greeted us with a high ponytail and headset mic to ensure we wouldn’t miss one word of her overly enthusiastic encouragement. She seemed the personification of aerobic Barbie, albeit more modestly clad. However, Becky failed inform me that Zumba combines three of my least favorite things: dancing, athletic activity and public humiliation. Granted, my aversion to the aforementioned activities could stem from my complete lack of skill in the first two areas.

Throughout my teenage years I avoided stake dances at all costs. While I could handle a simple rocking step with my feet, I never knew what to do with my hands. Consequently, I often twirled my hair or fidgeted with my phone to avoid awkward flailing. Similarly, my experience with organized sports boasts no great successes. My inability to remember which basket to shoot toward seriously hampered my brief stint in 7th grade basketball. It may have been halfway through the season before I realized the teams switched baskets at halftime.

Unfortunately, my athletic coordination hasn’t improved since my middle school glory days. I can’t seem to figure out how each of the girls around me remain so perfectly in sync. Did I miss a dress rehearsal? Do they all possess a telepathic ability to anticipate Becky’s every fist pump, even when facing the back wall? It’s as if a puppeteer has strung invisible cord through each blonde, impeccably toned body, yielding almost robotically unified leg lifts.

Yet despite this distinct self-awareness of my every misstep, no one really seems to notice my clumsiness. They’re all too focused on reaching Zumba zen, coordinating their cha-chas to Santana’s Smooth. Perhaps I’ll never “dance like no one’s watching,” but Zumba might just be close enough.

The dog days are over.

So midterms are finally catching up with me. Just in time for General Conference weekend. I have a bio test this afternoon and a few more next week. But it seems like the weather is finally turning! I woke up to a brisk 45 degree morning. And weather.com promises a high of 65 in the near future. Tights, boots and blazers here I come.

Tonight: Thai Ruby and a free Lower Lights (see previous post) rooftop concert perhaps?

Additonally, I need suggestions for my next creative writing project. I have to do something completely out of my comfort zone and then write about it. The only suggestions I've received so far would probably get me arrested... What can I do that I would never do?

Of Note

I know it's been awhile, but I think I haven't failed at blogging yet. Remember, I'm a casual blogger. Not quite a real blogger. Anyways.

I'm so sick of this pseudo-fall weather. September in Provo is filled with mealy apples and sweaty treks up to campus. I could do with a crisp Pacific NW fall day anytime soon.

Three things I found interesting/inspiring this past week:

First, a poem that stood out to me after seemingly endless hours of poetry reading for my creative writing class.

http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/poetry/2008/12/15/081215po_poem_aaron

I love the bizzare imagery.

Additionally, perhaps the most interesting and unique lecture I have ever attended on BYU campus:

http://mormonstories.org/?p=1158

And finally, an LDS artist I would actually enjoy listening to. Nowhere near the bubblegum pop vocals or emphasis on performance I find in EFY music.

http:/thelowerlights.com

fin.

Thoughts From the Computer Lab

So I'm ending my week at the Writing Center with a long and monotonous computer shift. I haven't had a student in here for an hour so I'm passing the time with blogs and She & Him. Fortunately surfing the web and watching the hours tick by is well within my skill set. My summer job helped me develop that valuable skill.

And I suppose I'll try to improve the frequency of my posts? I'm not quite sure I understand the purpose of blogging. Well, the purpose of me blogging to be more exact. I'm not comfortable with the idea of a public journal. And I already have plenty of those to maintain for various classes. Also, I'm not entirely sure who my audience is. Myself? The entire blogosphere? I just spent the morning explaining the importance of indentifying an audience when writing to multiple freshman. However, I think creative writing need not always have a target audience. Sometimes it can just be a means of self-expression? Perhaps a demonstration of virtuousity (though that may imply audience). Or maybe we have to write to find our audience. I suppose I'll start with that.

Creative Writing Poetry Collective: Weeks One and Two

On Poesy

My brain overflowed with poetry
At 12:39 last Sunday night
As I casually leaned on the formica countertop
Shoveling dry cereal
Into my prosaic mouth

I quickly rummaged through kitchen cupboards
Pulling out faded cool whip containers
And mismatched tupperware sets
To catch the unpolished gems:
Prose-y verbage distilled
Into witty, unexpected metaphors
Slightly sentimental truths
Veiled by irony and unaffected cynicism

I sealed them in the plastic receptacles
Hoping to preserve their delicate flavor
And concoct a perfect poem
Some future sleepless night

So I might one day be a poet
Instead of the girl
always trying to write a poem.

Watching A Teenage Girl Die By Mortar

Based on NY Times Photojournalist’s description of documenting the war in Afghanistan

Sure, war’s a tragedy
But normal life’s banality
Neck ties, office chairs
Prozac and coffee spoons

I’m eating, sleeping, patrolling
getting shot at
With the young guys

We cower in the ditch under fire
And joke about our girlfriends
When the bombs stop
Fingers still trembling
Nerves jangling

It’s my job to record history
So I can’t break down and cry
The more one holds on to their tears
The harder it is to let them go

I’ll go in time
The moment I become unable to feel
Sorry for the girl with the shattered face
That’s when I’ll know the war’s got to me
And I need to do something else with my life.


Father’s Figure

Why your nose?
And not your strong, delicately veined hands
Or your infinite patience
With little brothers who can’t sit still
I’d have loved your sense of direction
Or your remarkable whistling ability
Even your conveniently forgetful memory

Your sloping nose adds wisdom to your weathered face
Propping up scholarly glasses
Yet I’m afraid it juts out of my profile
Rather unattractively
Not to mention un-femininely
Here’s to hoping
I grow into it.


Common Counterculture

Now why is it that nearly everyone
On campus tries so very hard to prove
Their contrast from all under Provo’s sun,
Disdain for common things at BYU.

These “hipsters” may tout honor code reform
Love indie bands that some could never name
Sport hairstyles far beyond the Mormon norm
Each thinking he’s alone in his “strange” game.

It seems to me the only chance we’ve got
Of being at least a slight bit unique
Is to embrace our ordinary spot
Amidst old Utah’s rugged mountain peaks


Though you can change your looks and style alright
You’ll prob’ly still be twenty-ish and white.

Opportunity Lost

I saw an almost friend today
A would-be friend
Not quite as tragic as an almost-lover
Somewhere between a stranger and a familiar face
Face of opportunity lost?

Quotidian Haikus

Trivial Panic
lunging, fumbling powercord
before essay fades

maybe if I turn
check my watch, pretend to text
you won’t talk to me

piled unwashed dishes
three pieces of your presence
I could do without

Done!

WIth finalllllllllssssssssssssss.

Now I just have to finish my last poli sci assignment (while watching harry potter).

Last day in London tomorrow! It's kind of surreal.

A Day in the Life

Monday June 7th:

6:45 AM: Reluctantly roll out of bed, traipse down seven flights of stairs to help set up breakfast

10:30 AM: Wake up after a long and winding coach ride, tour Dover Castle and gaze longingly at the white sandy beaches below

1:45 PM: Explore Canterbury Cathedral, reenact the assassination of Thomas Beckett at the high alter

8:30 PM: Dinner at Japanese noodle bar in Soho

1:00 AM: Finish English midterm and reading, collapse in bed

4:35 AM: Wake up to screaming girls—mouse infestation in dorms 3 and 4, at least seven mice spotted

7:55 AM: Realize I slept through my alarm, missing my kitchen assignment and chance to shower (but enjoyed nearly seven hours of sleep!)

Only seven more days here in London! I just might miss these busy days and sleepless nights.

Keep Calm and Carry On

Only two weeks left here in London and things are starting to get even crazier. I know I mention homework far too often on this blog but I have A LOT. And that's all I will say for now. I think I'll be all too ready for summer when these last few weeks are up.

*Incidentally, this poster was actually produced by the British Ministry of Information at the beginning of WWII but never actually used. It was rediscovered in 2000 and featured in a variety of home decor products. (Thank you, Wikipedia). I'd seen it all over etsy but I never knew it came out of WWII. Unsurprisingly, they are sold at every war/history museum gift shop here. I wish I could find one in blue or green to take home.

Two hour naps are life changing (and other good news)

-I may actually finish my homework before midnight tonight
-I won't have to teach or give a talk for the rest of my time in Catford ward (fingers crossed)
-Shortened classes tomorrow and an afternoon string quartet concert (nap time?)
-We have nutella again
-Two more class days and then we're off to the Liverpool and the Lake District!

Additionally, I can do anything good:

Edinbur-ugh Highlights

So I just got back from a surprisingly leisurely three-day stay in Edinburugh. First of all our hostel was surprisingly clean and comfortable. It was fairly new and felt much more like a motel than...well a hostel. There were no mysterious stains on the bed-sheets or pigeons in the bedrooms (unlike Ilfracombe). We spent monday touring Edinburugh Castle and miraculously had all of Tuesday to ourselves! I planned on spending part of the day at the coast but ended up missing the coach part of the group took to the beach. So I spent the day in exploring Edinburugh and probably had a better time than the group who traveled 3 hours on the bus round trip only to spend a few hours on a cold, windy beach. I can see plenty of those at home. So I ended up spending the morning shopping (mostly just browsing) at a mall-like collection of stores dominated by items that fall somewhere between dresses and shirts supplemented by a conveniently large selection of leggings. Two hours and 30-less pounds later (I found one appropriately long dress I liked) we walked to the Scottish National Gallery (which has a surprisingly extensive collection of art) and stopped for lunch at the gallery's cafe for an expensive but delicious English cheddar and tomato chutney sandwich. After lunch, we trekked the length of the very hilly city to the queen's botanical gardens and spent a few hours taking pictures and lying in the afternoon sun that finally emerged. For dinner we stopped at a surprisingly authentic thai place for pad thai. The Thai waitresses, reclining Buddhas and smell of basmati rice almost made me feel like I was back in Thailand. With no homework or wifi access to distract me, I went to bed early (one of my favorite parts of overnight trips) and hiked to Arthur's Seat, where Orson Pratt went to pray during his mission in Edinburugh, the following morning. Well, a group of us hiked most of the way and decided that was good enough. In our defense, it was raining and the basalt path was very slippery. After the "hike" we toured Scottish Parliament with an LDS MSP and SNP member. This was probably my favorite part of the entire trip. I loved seeing a site that I actually studied somewhat extensively. Honestly, I could care less about castle ruins and cathedrals. Seeing one or two is nice but I kind of feel like after seeing one you've seen them all. But I suppose this is because I know relatively nothing about the history of English monarchy/Arthurian legends. Although I'm learning a bit from skimming my history readings when I find the time. However, I do feel like I've learned quite a lot about modern British politics from my poli sci class. So I appreciated the significance of the Parliament building's surprisingly modern architecture and the legislation our tour guide discussed (despite his heavy Scottish brogue). In short, Edinburgh was a nice departure from hectic life in London. But now I'm back in the Centre analyzing Macbeth on five hours of sleep. Such is life I suppose.

Pictures again are forthcoming. Perhaps even on this very blog.

27 degrees celsius.

Kensington gardens resembles a crowded california beach.
The queue outside the little gelato shop on bayswater spills out into the street.
Shirtless and very sunburned British men populate the sidewalks.
And the underground smells more delightful than ever.

Fortunately there are only 204 steps from the bottom of Queensway station to my bedroom door.

I taught my relief society lesson today! It went...okay i think. It's over. That's what matters. Afterward we had a picnic with the bishop, his wife and their one-year-old daughter in Greenwich park. There were hundreds of sunburned people in swimsuits laying on towels and eating ice cream. I kept expecting to see the coastline but there was no beach in sight. Just the skyscrapers of London's financial district. We thought about taking some pictures at the prime meridian, but there were way to many people for that. We did however walk through Greenwich market on the way to the train and I would love to go back. It's maybe only 1/10 the size of Portabello, but it had some great stuff.

Now I just have to pack for Scotland!

Weekend Warrior

I [almost] survived the week! Just a few more small assignments and a relief society lesson (which I am more than a little bit nervous about) to plan. Then three class-free days in edinburgh! And hopefully things will ease up homework-wise until finals. That's what I'm hoping at least.

Today we spent the day touring Runneymede, Windsor Palace, Milton's house and some church/graveyard that inspired Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard." Honestly, by the time I got to that final destination I was too exhausted, hot and sunburned to care about anything besides sleep and air-conditioning. (Today must have been at least 75 in the sun! Much, much warmer than the cool and cloudy weather I'm used to seeing here) The week of 4-5 hours of sleep a night and very long, busy days was finally getting to me. I think everyone was pretty low-energy by this point though. As soon as we got to Milton's cottage and found out we had to wait a few minutes before we could start the tour, everyone laid out on the grass and at least half of us fell asleep. The tour guide mentioned something about the front garden looking like the aftermath of an atomic bomb with fifty lifeless bodies sprawled everywhere.

I'm still trying to find a balance between sleep and sightseeing. I'm not sure which should be my priority right now. I've come to realize that I NEED six to seven hours of sleep at least every other night to appreciate what I'm seeing at all. But I feel bad resting in the centre when I could be missing an opportunity to see London. My time here is quickly running out. I think I'm just about halfway finished with the term. But at the same time, I have seen so much already. And I'm fairly certain this won't be my only time in the UK.

[Facebook pictures should be updated within the next 24 hours].

A brief (and by no means comprehensive) list of my sacrifices to midterms week

I am hereby giving up:

-Sleep (between 10-11:30pm review sessions and 6 am breakfast I'm thinking I can expect no more than 5 hours)
-Washing my hair (maybe showering altogether. tbd.)
-Dental floss, gum, body wash (no time for a drugstore or "chemist" run this week)
-Oh yeah, seeing London. Who has time for that?

I will have a headache everyday.

I will eat copious amounts of bread, peanut butter, and nutella (the only food the centre provides besides breakfast and dinner).

Portabello Ponderings

The only thing worse than doing homework in London is being sick and doing homework IN LONDON. Today I went back to Portabello market and wandered around for about four hours. It was sooooo much more crowded today than last week because it was sunny and warm (mid 60s?). And we went a lot later. After pushing my way through the crowd past block after block of stalls I found a couple summery scarves I liked. For 50P each! They may not be very good quality or real silk (as a nearby vendor kindly pointed out) but they are very pretty. I think. There are so many things I would like to buy there but none are very practical. A vintage tea set? An early 1900s edition of Lyrical Ballads? What would I even do with those? I'd like a vintage carpet-bag style purse but they are all either 50+ pounds or in terrible condition. Or both. I do need some good London souvenirs though! Something better than a cheap T-shirt. There were some pretty antique rings, but by the time I got the the main jewelry section my entire body was aching and I felt like throwing up. Maybe next time? I really should do something else on Saturdays eventually. Maybe Camden Market? Or a museum or two? I am getting quite sick of museums though. At least history ones. And cathedrals. I would rather not see another cathedral anytime soon. Oh well.

Church tomorrow. At least I don't have to teach. (I was called as a Relief Society instructor. Did I mention that?). Although church means at least three hours of navigating the tube/train/bus system, which is prone to frequent closures Sunday mornings. And then devotional+a fireside back at the Centre. They still manage to fill every hour of our Sundays here in London. So much for a day of rest.

I need at least five more hours in my days.
So much homework to do this weekend.
And so many other things I'd rather be doing.

And I suppose I should mention something
about my three-day West Trip
To Winchester, Bath, Ilfracombe, Glastonbury
And various other locations.
Maybe tomorrow.
Maybe I'm just not very good at this
journal-blogging thing.

Facebook photos will have to work for now.

In Which I Briefly Catalogue the Past Four Days and Direct You To My Facebook Album For Details

I think I saw Gordon Brown today. Although I'm not quite sure. While I was walking between Westminster Abbey and the Cabinet War Rooms I came across a huge crowd surrounding the gated entrance to what I think was the PM's residence? Either way they were holding a press conference about the hung parliament resulting from yesterday's election. As I pushed my way through the crowd, I heard people whisper Gordon Brown was exiting the building and point to a distant figure in a black trench coat. So it may or may not have been him, but the reaction of the crowd was the interesting part. A bunch of people pressed their faces between the iron bars and started shouting "resign!" and waving signs stating things like "a hung parliament means we need proportional representation." I know I should have taken a picture, Dad but unfortunately I didn't... I thought it was exciting because we just finished talking about representative vs. majoritarian electoral systems in poli sci.

So the past four days have been a whirlwind of activity. Somehow I managed to:

-Tour the Tower the Tower of London
-Watch an amazing production of Les Mis from the sixth row (for less than 30 pounds!)
-Visit Stonehenge, Bemerton, the Wilton House and Stourhead all in one day! (And somehow sleep for two hours on a crowded tour bus)
-See "Midsummer Night's Dream" at Shakespeare's globe as a "groundling" (aka standing for three hours)
-Enjoy two (maybe three?) separate trips to the little gelato shop on Bayswater
-Tour (I ran out of verbs) Westminster Abbey and Churchill's Cabinet War rooms

Tomorrow: Portabello Market? Maybe Tate Britain? And homework. Lots of homework.

I can't believe I've already spent almost ten days in London town. I do feel like I've pretty much gotten the tube system down though. And I still can't believe how much their is to see here! London really is much more than New York without trash cans and obesity (as one of my classmates astutely observed).

I wander through each chartered street...

Let's see where did I last leave my anxious readers (all two or three of you)...

Saturday I spent the morning at Borrough market and the Tate modern museum. Borrough was fun but nothing too exciting––very much like a miniature Pike's place. Lots of produce, fresh bread, cider and cheese. I sampled a blueberry scone and fresh cranberry juice, both of which were pretty good. The Tate modern was interesting but I really to go back sometime soon. Two hours definitely isn't enough to see everything. Last Sunday we went to the Hyde Park ward instead of splitting up into groups and attending wards all over London because the stake we will be joining (Wandsworth Stake?) was having stake conference. Because it was Fast Sunday, I got to hear a lot of different accents while the ward members bore their testimonies. There were people from Nigeria, Russia, Germany, the Philippines and several other Eastern European countries. English members were certainly in the minority, which I suppose is fairly representative of London as a whole. The stake president, who spoke to the BYU students during the second hour, is an English native in his late twenties or early thirties who married a woman from California. He explained that he and his family chose to live in expensive, urban London to support what he called the modern pioneers of Hyde Park who literally come from all over the world.

Today was a slightly less busy day. I had classes in the morning, went shopping for laundry detergent and a few groceries in the afternoon and walked through Hyde Park in the evening. Now I need to make a dent in my hours and hours homework assignments. Tomorrow we will be getting up early and spending most of the day at the Tower of London. I wish I could write more but I haven't yet figured out how to complete all of my homework and see all of London while simultaneously chronicling my experiences.

So much to do and so little time.

Well it's about ten thirty at night and I'm now sitting at the centre with dripping wet hair eating a very dry muffin from a shop in the tube station. It looked like chocolate chip before I bought it but now I'm not even sure what it is. Four other girls and I went to complete a "London Walk" in Little Venice but we ended up in a rainstorm. It was pretty, but would have been much more interesting earlier in the day when the boats were up and running. Everything in London seems to shut down around seven or eight at night except for pubs and clubs. I only got a few pictures because my camera died halfway through and I didn't bring extra batteries. So right now I have about a hundred pages to read and a documentation of my London walk to finish for tomorrow. I'm planning on going to Borrough Market tomorrow morning and maybe the Tate Museum so I need to get that done tonight. I will post the write up for my walks here though so that should count for something. Here's a brief recap for now:

Yesterday I spent about half the day in orientation meetings for the program, classes and church assignments and spent the other half touring Westminster (which I will document in the following post). Today I had my first European Studies and English lit classes which should be interesting but far more time consuming than I would like. Although my lit class seems like it might just be a repeat of the survey courses I just completed. But I suppose studying the works in a cultural setting will be a different experience. After the classes the entire group trekked to the London Museum and St. Paul's Cathedral. I would post pictures but I just put them all on facebook so that seems kind of redundant. I will post this one that I didn't take of us at a huge flower shop near the centre.



And that's all for tonight! Although stay tuned for the following post. And I apologize in advance for the formal tone.

Just Touched Down in Londontown.

So after 20+ hours of travel time I am now laying on my bottom bunk in 27 Palace Court. I'm running on about five hours of sleep from the night before I left home. I slept about an hour on the first flight and maybe only twenty minutes on the second. Getting here went fairly smoothly overall though. The group I was traveling with decided to be adventurous and take the tube from Heathrow which ended up being quite an adventure. I have blisters from lugging my 70+ pound luggage up multiple flights of stairs and we got lost for forty-five trying to find the centre but after asking about five people directions and a prayer we finally found it. After getting unpacked we spent about an hour wandering the neighborhoods and then came back for devotional and dinner. After dinner we headed over to boots and then wandered around H&M. Some of the group took the tube to big ben but the rest of us decided to come back and call it a night. I'm thinking of showering, doing at least some of the polisci reading I didn't do on the plane and trying to fall asleep. I kind of feel like this is some type of efy or urban girls camp but I guess that will change once classes start. Tomorrow is mostly an orientation day from what I've heard. We have breakfast at 8:30 and then several "meetings." So I guess we'll see how that goes. Hopefully I can take some pictures and get those uploaded soon. I already felt like enough of a tourist today that I didn't bother taking any.

So....

I decided to justify my endless blog-stalking by creating a public blog of my own. Everything about this page is still under construction. Especially the title (I couldn't think of anything more creative at the moment but I'm open to suggestions). For now this will serve as a journal for my impending London adventures. But perhaps it will evolve into something else? We'll see. No promises.