Day Forty Five: Rollercoaster of a Day

I woke up really early so that I could creative writing homework before class, turns out there was none but I could not fall back asleep. I laid in bed for an hour and then went off to class. Class was great today, I really like the students in my creative writing classes, as much as I complain about the workload. I got sorted on all the work I have to accomplish, basically over 1,700 words are due for four different assignments which i have to have completed in two weeks. Keep in mind that I am in Wales this weekend, hopefully getting into London on many of the few days before I head off to Norway next weekend (!!!) and then I go back to class. So, I am going to have to get organized.

I had another, 'you're american?' experience today. In class she was checking our assignments, and could not read a word because I spelled it wrong. I told her what it was, and the boy next to me said, "well, it's fair enough, english isn't your first language so really your doing great." I looked at him and he continued, "your from Denmark right." I could not help but laugh right in his face, which became very red as I said, "I am from New York." At least he knew there was a state of New York, hahahahahah. Ladies and Gentleman, I am now from Denmark. I am not sure whether to take it as a compliment, as I apparently seem European, or an insult, as he said that English was not my first language. Oh man, great times. I am making good friends in that class, so that is a lot of fun.

After class I went to the library with one of my new friends and we rented a book that was highly recommended by a fellow classmate, and American! I found one in the class I thought was all English, he never spoke in the beginning. I have that now to read in my travels to Norway and Wales.

My later afternoon was not so hot, I had a little trouble with college issues, and I became very upset. It was quickly remedied when some other new friends came over tonight for dinner. I did not even know they had arrived because I had fallen asleep on them, don't worry though because Allie played host.

We had a very nice dinner which Allie quickly put together; pasta, roasted veggies and our friends brought a salad. We had a nice time visiting and eating and then we began watching Harry Potter. My friend Ruthie apperntly knows all the places in London that they filmed/based sets off of/important locations from the Harry Potter. Next week we are going to go on our own, basically free, Harry Potter Tour! I have seen the Great Hall, I have seen the Library and now I will find everything else that is in London for Harry Potter.

That was pretty much my day. I am heading off to Wales tomorrow, as I have mentioned multiple times in this entry, so again I will be going off into my hand written journal. Like Italy I will take snip-its from the journal and share them with you on my blog Monday... or Sunday night depending on where I am.

Love you all! Talk with you when I get back from Wales.

Day Forty Four: A Day not in class but in London

PICTURES: 1) View of the London Eye and the Big Ben. 2) The lion from Trafalgar Square. 3) The fuzzy lights of the blue trees under the London Eye. (THIS TIME I TOOK ALL THE PICTURES!)

Today I had to meet my Visual Arts: An Introduction class at the National Gallery. We were to spend the whole day learning about museums and what jobs you can go into at museums, so needless to day it was right up my alley. I took a lot of notes on the three main jobs they talked about 1) archivist 2) restorer 3) curator. Sad thing is, I think I would be happy with any of those jobs, so it did not really help me pick a particular one out. I guess I will just go into the business and fall where I fall until I really know for sure where I want to end up.

The National Gallery may very well be my new favorite place in the world. Minus the part where it smelled like the Baseball Hall of Fame, that was a funny discovery. I became uneasy in a weird familiar way and I realized that it was the smell. I almost laughed out loud when I recognized the combination and the smell which equaled my reaction every time i went to work at The Baseball Hall of Fame which is apprehension and despair, haha. It was really wonderful walking through the rooms though, I was seeing art work that I have been studying for the last three years! I knew things the other students did not, thanks to Allen Farber, such as all the old paintings being painted on wood.

I was especially excited when on our miniature tour we stopped in front of one of my favorite paintings. I love Rubens and we stood in front of one of his landscape paints, more specifically the one of the estate he bought to retire in. It was more glorious close up, the details, the large size, it was beautiful. I did not even listen to our guide for the first couple of minutes because I was so thrilled to be standing in front of it. Rubens is a fantastic artist. I could go on forever, but I will spare you the details of an art history minor. The rest of the paintings he had us look at where amazing historical and amazingly detailed, it was so great.

Afterwords, we could have wandered around a bit, and we did for a little bit, but I was very overwhelmed with the information we received and being so unexpectedly confronted by paintings I have looked at for years live. I suggested that I was ready to go home. We ended up walking around the city until 7:15ish (???) and then took the train out. So, I guess we walked around for 3 hours after the class trip ended. London is so pretty at night. Oh highlight of the night, I accidentally haggled for sugar covered almonds, haha. I was curious so I went over to ask the man how much they were and he said 2 pounds, a pound less than the other guy, and when I thanks and walked away he goes I'll give them to you for 1.50. Which I decided to take, because I haggled by mistake and I was excited. They were delicious, so it was a good buy, and 2 pounds 50 less than I could have originally paid, haha.

Next week is reading week, so when I get back from Wales (!!!) I am planning on spending that whole week, until I leave for Norway (!!!), in London. I am going to visit the National Gallery and explore it on my terms, the National Portrait Gallery (with an exhibit about the Beatles), I want to do at least one theater trip and I also want to be a tourist and ride around a double-decker take a tour of London Bus. SO, that is my plan.

<3 you!

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that we went to one painting that the wood it had been painted on was so rotten and falling apart that they had to restore it. By restore i mean a 20 year process where they took off the wood base piece by piece, splinter by splinter off the oil based painting. Then when they managed to get it all off they put it on an aluminum backing. That is dedication. That is pretty much an entire career. I could do that.

Day Forty Three: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

PICTURE: This is a still from the movie I saw tonight: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (http://www. scifiscoop. com/news /new-photo- from- the-imaginarium- of-doctor- parnassus/)

It was a slow morning of organizing, stomping my foot to get the sound on my TV to work and ... making breakfast. I made a English muffin (CRUMPET!) with an egg (soft yoke), it was delicious. Then i went to class.

Class today, British Life and Culture, was really active today. We had a guest lecturer come in to talk to us about British Theater. It was really interesting. He was an actual actor, but i cannot for the life of me remember his name. He has done television, East Enders for all those who know it. There was one girl in class who was very rude and outspoken, but not in a good way. She was fitting right into the American stereotype and not in the good way. Her generalizations were very rude, so to shut her up a bit I attempted with my own cross fire and argued against her point. I have no idea if it worked, but it made me feel better. The lecture was very good.

After class, and after getting rent, I got a few friends to go out for Pizza and a movie. I have been dying for a pizza, and i really just needed to sit in a theater and watch a good movie for good times sake. The pizza was delicious, we went to the Pizza Express. I got just a simple cheese pizza and it was set up a lot like the ones we got in Italy.

The movie was great we saw The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus which i recommend that you all see. Well maybe only the adults, it is not really a kid movie. It was visually stimulating, very beautiful, with constant and many moving pieces. A lot of imagination went into it, and it was very creative with both the storyline and the way it was presented to the audience. I loved it. This is the last movie that Heath Ledger worked on, during filming was when he died. His friends Colin Farrel, Jude Law and Johnny Depp came in to finish the great masterpiece the Heath started. I cannot really explain to you how, because I want you to see for yourself, but they filled in the places that Heath was unable to finish. With the combination between the actual storyline and the behind the scenes storyline the lead message becomes unabashedly clear. The harder to find messages, well I need to see it again to really get it, but they are very clever. Please, you yourself a favor and go see this movie, at least exercise your brain a bit with it. Do not let the visual images scare you from a great movie. (In case you cannot tell, I LOVED this movie). The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Allie and I had a good talk on the way back to our room. I think I am going to go to bed early tonight. I have to wake up to head into London tomorrow morning for class all day. I think I will like it because it is all about working in museums. We are going to the National Gallery, which is in Trafalgar Square.

Good Night, love you all and miss you!
<3

Day Forty Two: Chicken

Today, I ate chicken.

It was a bad day.

Thank God for Wales this weekend.

Day Forty One: Greatttt Day

PICTURE: The two tops guys from TAPS, Jay and Grant. (http://www. realtelevision. net/wp-content/uploads /2008/10/ghost- hunters.jpg)

So today was an awesome day. I cleaned a lot, finished last weeks creative writing homework (haha) and also i learned to amazing things.

ONE: Taps, my absolute favorite ghost hunting show ever, is coming to Cooperstown! There is a Ghost Hunting conference January 8th to the 11th and guess who is stalking it. I cannot afford to go to it, though i bet it would be a lot of fun. They are going to go through the Farmer's Museum and the Feminmore Art Museum (plus a few other locations) and go ghost hunting! Oh man, so exciting. I sent a little twitter message to Grant (one of the lead guys) and asked if there would be a time for the locals to meet him, so we will see what happens.

TWO: One of my best friends in the world just got engaged!!!!! Allison Dutkowsky got engaged to Austin Lipari and they are planning to get married in 2010. I am so unbelievably happy for them, and I am certain they will do very well together! <3

So, 2010 is looking to be a fantastic year! I am going to finish the evening by going to the Albert with Allie (my flatmate not recently engaged) to get brownies and ice cream. AWESOME!

Also: i am ironically watching Taps: Ghost Hunters right now!

Day Forty: I have been in the UK for 40 days....!

Today was interesting and if you know me you will quickly understand why. I spent all of this Sunday being religious, to a point I guess. I woke up at 9 (btw we went back and hour today) and meet my friends Stacie and Erin at a local church which tends to cater to all Christian's and university students. I originally went because i was tired of doing nothing but school work and i really wanted to get entirely immersed into something that was guaranteed to full of mostly British people.

Not having been to church in awhile it left me a lot to think about. I wont go into great detail on here, but basically they touched on a lot of issues that had been bothering me with organized religion. So, that happened.

It was a lot of fun though. There was a sermon and then we went to someone's house and had a free lunch. We talked for a lot of hours and that was really good fun. One kid did not know there was a New York state, he thought it was only the city. It was really funny, cause he kept bringing it up later in conversation because he could not get over it. Priceless. Anyway, there was another service later... which was more of a group thing i guess. I was not really helpful seeing as I am, me i guess, haha. I listened more than I spoke this time. After that we went to a pub... haha, and i got chips (fries) because it was dinner time. I should probably eat something now but... i would have to make it so.

Anyway I enjoyed today a lot. It was nice to get out and about and forget about school work after the last couple of day. Now i have something to do on my Sundays which i will consider more of a brain exercise than a following though. At least until i can settle my own ideas about it. Plus the british boy there were... really cute, haha.

Anyway, that was my day. Day forty here in the UK, i have been here forever!

Day Thirty Nine: I skyped Meg and Sand!

I did not do much today, i had a weird dream about jumping... i was being hunted or something. I was so tired from my dream that i tired to stand up i fell back down, haha.

Today... I got organized I guess. Worked on a little more creative writing.

Then I skyped my parents and then i skyped meg and sand and that was fun. hahaha... yeah for another awesome day. I am going to wales next weekend so i am going to have to really get working on my school work.

<3

Day Thirty Eight: Almost Slept Through Class

PICTURE: I made this picture on a whim today, because I suddenly got a new idea for a children's book on my way home from class. I will let you figure out what is going on here, haha. I used photoshop. And no, I have not finished the illustrations for my last children's book, maybe that can be one of tomorrow's tasks.

I woke up this morning at 9:39am, exactly 21 minutes before I had to be in class. It is a thirty minute walk. I guess what I did was rather then set my alarm, I reset my actual clock. So, I was a bit confused when I woke up, haha. I made it to class only ten minutes late and as I was sitting down she said "Okay who needs to recite." I was supposed to recite last week, but she was sick so I did not get a chance to recite it. Anyway, I managed to get through it swimmingly, I remembered the whole thing! This is what I have managed to remember for two weeks:

"Years later, Orno Tarcher would think of his days in New York as a seduction. A seduction and a near miss, a time when his memory of the world around him - the shining stone stairwells, the taxicabs, the sea of nighttime lights - was glinting and of heroic proportion. Like a dream. He had almost been taken away from himself. That was the feeling he had looking back. Smells and sound. The roll and thunder of the number one train, the whistle like a flute through the deck rafters of the Empire State Building, the waft of dope through the halls."

Look I remembered it again!

Anyway the rest of the day I was mad at my creative writing class and how I can never keep up with it because... well lets just say my tutors organizational skills are not prime. So, rather than doing the work they may or may not have assigned me I went back and began taking their tips from class onto my own stories. While they are unorganized in their assigning of school work, they still give really good tips. I ended up remapping and outlining my rom com (romantic comedy) and did two character sketches. That was a lot of creative venting, so i feel much better now.

For dinner i made chicken, which i covered in flour and then cooked in a pan. I then put pasta sauce and cheddar cheese on top, so it was kind of like chicken param without the pasta. For a side i made a salad which i added dried apricots and more cheddar cheese too and it was delicious. It was all delicious. I am an awesome cook, but I cant wait to not have to cook again.

Good night! <3

Day Thirty Seven: Work Load

I spent the day trying to catch up with my school work and i succeeded. Then i went to class, and now i have even more.

Wooooo

<3

Day Thirty Six: Oceana the Club (built like Titanic)

Today I had class, went grocery shopping and then to a club. I am far too tired to write in detail, so I will just do an update on this blog entry tomorrow! But I had a lot of fun tonight! I love dancing like a girl from central New York world: aka, sprinkler anyone? Grocery Shopping? Yea.... I am smooth.

Tell you more tomorrow!!!! <3

UPDATE: I did get some really good food yesterday, i am trying to cut some sugar out of my diet. I have become addicted to it, major sweet tooth, so i get dizzy when do not have it, hahahaha. Oh man, what England has done to me. It is nice to sink into the comforts of hersey's chocolate they do not have here.

After doing a bit of work, Allie and I headed to a local club called the Oceana which is in the center of Kingston. Wednesday nights are student nights and if you get there before ... 9:00 i think ... you get in free. So, we met at 8:45ish and went it. They charge 1 pound 50 pence (which is about 3 dollars) to take your coat and save it for you. After checking in out coats we went into a pub that looked like it came straight out of Canada or Upstate New York, there was cabin siding and even a fake moose head.

Let me describe the grandness of this place too you. It was designed to look like the inside of the Titanic. From my discovery of last night, there were 2.5 dance halls (one dance hall is also a very modern looking bar). I found at least 4 or 5 actual pub rooms and a karaoke room.

After warming up in the moose-head pub (just made that up) we went to one of the dance halls which was crowded and the music was not that great. Other people i was with really enjoyed the music, but i was just having fun dancing. There were some other American Foreign exchange students where there, but they were hot hot hot messes. They were really embarrassing, and i am beginning to see where our bad reputation comes from. One girl was flailing everywhere and kept hitting people with her arms and head and you could tell by the look on people's faces they were not pleased having her there in the small space we were dancing in. She stepped on my foot with her pointy little heal and now i have a horrible bruise. Yeah, i did not appreciate her, haha. Anyway, it gets better!

We then went to the next dance floor, just because my new friend Stacie wanted to show it to us. However, i really liked the music there and the dance floor was much bigger and there was more space so i asked if we could stay, and we did. We got some water before heading down. That dancing was much more fun, there was more room to really have fun with the music and basically everyone there was more like i was with dancing. You know having fun rather that the more modern lets look really whoreish and pretend we are dancing. SO, i had more fun there. It was a really good night and i enjoyed myself a lot.

So that was my night as Oceana, and it was a lot of fun! I will be there next Wednesday i am sure! Oh and don't worry i was very safe.

<3

Day Thirty Five: Sustainable Design

Good news about class, i understand more what i do not understand. It makes sense to me, do not worry about it. There will be two things my grade is based on, 20% on a presentation and 80% on a final exam. That will be intense when it comes down to it.

Allie made a cake for Phillipa's birthday (which was today) and it was delicious. She did break a bowl and i mended her with all my bandaids and experience handling wounds. It was a great cake.

I basically relaxed today, cause clearly i have been doing too much so. Wow, i literally have nothing else to say.

Day Thirty Four: FULHAM (Futbol game!)

PICTURE: I did not take this picture, but this is a few members of the team that i saw play tonight; Fulham (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-560112/Fulham-midfielder-Bullard-warns-Get-ready-nail-biting-finish-relegation-battle.html)

I did homework earlier today and went through the last bowl of cereal in my cereal box. I am going to have to get more before breakfast tomorrow morning, because i do not have eggs either. I am also going to get bagels, cream cheese and some type of meat (hot dogs, hamburgers or chicken) tomorrow afternoon, perhaps after class.

More importantly i went to a Futbol game today! It was loud and exciting. Our seats where in the excited fans who cheered loudly for their teams. They kept singing the songs for Fulham but i could not understand a word they said, but it was fun to listen to them anyway. I did not bring my camera, i forgot it, but i wish i had remember so i could have taken pictures of them. They stood for the whole 90 minutes cheering and singing and yelling, they were not a bit silent for the whole game.

Our team, Fulham won against Hull City, so that was great. It really made me miss my team back home, and want to play. They make it look so easy and graceful. I am going to try and find a ball and play tomorrow. See how much of my skill i have forgotten.

Miss you all!

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that i had a foot long hot dog there, and it was delicious. That gross fast food hit the spot, mmmmmmm.

Day Thirty Three: I went to Oxford Yesterday

PICTURES: 1) The Great Hall in Hogwarts, aka: the dining hall at Christ Church in Oxford. 2) The Pub where JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis spent their time. 3) The Library, well part of the library, they have over 50 million books. 4) One of the dorms. 5) A view of Oxford.

I am going to write about Oxford so early in my day because i am going to try and get schoolwork done today. I am going to a Futbol (soccer) game tomorrow night (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) so I will not want to do school work then. Anyway, on to Oxford...

I woke up at 7 for the third day in a row (ew) and got ready to ride a bus an hour and a half to Oxford. Allie and I got there thirty minutes early, do to a short cut i found, and do the fact that we ended up walking really fast. We used that time to explore the area where one of my campuses is, and found a really cute cafe. If you get a coffee to go (any kind of coffee) it is only 1 pound, so that is the cheapest coffee i have found so far. I ended up getting a mocha and it lasted half way to Oxford. The ride was beautiful because we went into the country and also because we were on a double decker bus and Allie and i sat up front on the top so we could see everything.

We got to Oxford and the first thing that was pointed out to us was the Eagle and Child, the pub that JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis went to while they worked and lived in Oxford. I do not think it has sunk in yet, but... damn they were real dudes and, just saying, a huge part of my influence to be a writer. I think i will call myself KE Bergene when i publish. We were walked into the "center" of Oxford. I do not know if it was really the center, because the place was so big, but it seemed to be a fairly middle location. We were given thirty minutes to do whatever we liked, toilets, coffee, shopping, ect. I ended up not moving when i was unable to make a decision as did a girl from some oriental country and realizing we were the only two left we went window shopping. I think her name was something like Am-knee (thats how it sounded), but i am horrible with names unless they are like Jack or Bob... you know, one syllable deals.

We found all of our, well my friends, who had sprinted off the to toilets in a panic and then wandered into the depths of Oxford. This place was beautiful. It can be dated back to the 8th century when it got its name. Are you ready for this? Are you ready to know what this great internationally famous Oxford, whom produced the most brilliant minds like JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, Lewis Carroll, the guy who invented Penicillin, countless politicians, the men who settled: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Georgia and one other state, and has been the filming ground for HARRY POTTER. It was named do to the convenience of the low depths of the Thymes river so the OXEN could cross. Just saying, it kind of humbles the whole idea of Oxford for me. Good times.

The city is full of history and old buildings. It was in existence when the Romans came through and you can see their influence on the city. It was beautiful, look at my pictures and you will be able to see what i mean. It is really hard to select just a few to put on here, and i cannot wait to share all my pictures with those of you who cannot go on facebook and see them.

An important thing to note is that Oxford includes about 40 colleges. You would apply to the campus at Oxford while listing your top three choices of colleges that are in Oxford. There are about 18,000 students which attend this elaborate system. Each college works specifically in one topic area, for example you would apply to Oxford's college of _________ in English. Each department, has a few tutors who take on very few students. They do anywhere between 1 and 3 students in a tutor session. This is why during the mandatory interview process they are the ones asking questions. We went on a tour and the tour guide told us they ask questions such as "why do plants not wear hats" and the students have to rationalize it. She told us about one student who walked in and without looking up the interviewers told her to take a seat. There were three chairs in front of the desk; a milk stool, a normal chair, and a throne. The student had to explain why see took the seat she choose to the board. So, ladies and gentleman, if you want to go to Oxford you betting study your logic, rationalizing, public speaking and conversational skills. hahahahaha.

After the tour we had an hour and a half before our allotted time in the Christ Church campus, which was the only one open yesterday. It is matriculation day, which is when all the students dress in their black robe attire and meet the dean to be enrolled. They have to swear into the campus promising to do their work and be awesome students in latin. We decided it was time for lunch so, we walked all the way back to the Eagle and Child, but it was far too busy to sit nine of us. We walked across the street to the... Lamb and something, which was the other pub that JRR Tolkien went to, but that one was also busy. It was less busy, but still too busy to seat this. We walked back into the more central region of Oxford and found a very less busy pub and were able to sit down and eat. I had a chicken and mango... something (it was like mango jam) paini. It was absolutely delicious, I had the bartender pick it for me because i could not choose and he did an excellent job. I also got a pint, because i had not had one yet and i seemed to unknowingly owe lots of people back home a pint, so i debt has been paid, haha. Also, lets just say i felt it.

After lunch we wandered back to the Christ Church and got ready to go inside. It was so beautiful i cannot imagine going to class when surrounded by so much history. I would be so distracted on my way to class by looking at things. I was so distracted then, and i got left behind a few times, haha. The most important part of the tour, which i am surprised that no one really offical talked to us about was that their dining hall for the Christ Church campus is the one used as the great hall in HARRY POTTER. I walked in and was starstruck by a building. It was the great hall, it was... literally the great hall. The table for the professors was up at the other end and the lined up tables for the students was all around us. For a moment i just stood there, excited beyond belief and then i started taking pictures. Halfway around we ran into an official who began talking to us about Harry Potter. He did not say much i didn't know but he reaffirmed the fact that the cast had actually been there and this is where they had actually filmed the scenes. Also, he pointed up on the glass window where there is a little Alice and Wonderland character in the scene in tribute to Lewis Carols novel. And that was my afternoon in the land of Harry Potter.

One more note on the dining hall. If you go to it in the first session, it it casual, but if you go to the second round it is formal ware.

Also, outside of the dining hall is a large stretch of land which is used in the filming of The History Boys, if any of you know what that is all about.

On this little campus they also have a very beautiful church with descriptive windows and wood carvings.

After our tour of the Christ Church campus in Oxford's set of campus' we wandered about again. We ended up finding scarfs, and i bought one because our next step was ice cream and i did not want to get cold. It was a little chilly. The ice cream was great, and it hit the spot after that day.

That was my adventure to Oxford. On the bus ride home i made better friends with a girl name Ruthie and then i came home and curled into bed and yeah. I made pasta later on... and an avocado (because i love them).

Miss you lots

Day Thirty Two: Oxford

I am way to tired to tell you about my day at Oxford, so I will get more in detail with it tomorrow, i promise. When i am supposed to be doing my school work i will write to you about my day at Oxford.

I will say that is a beautiful place, where a lot of famous people have become involved (past, present and we can only assume future). I will also say that i so the locations where they filmed HARRY POTTER, like the great hall. Oh i was so excited, like a little nerd. It was great.

Oh also, we played Balderdash with the Adams family tonight, it was a lot of fun. I lost bad.

Okay, more for you tomorrow! Love You!

Day Thirty One: "Come See the REAL LIVE AMERICAN!"

This morning my class was canceled, because my tutor never showed up. The girl who called me a real live american had saved me a seat next too her, and when i sat down she just... sat in silence, awkwardly next to me. Eventually she said, "oh if i had looked at the way you wrote the date i would have known you were american." She was reading my notes...

The girl on the other side of me then chimed in, and being less socially awkward, we started talking about the differences between american school and english school. She asked me a lot of questions. But again, no idea that i was american, so odd.

Love you!

Day Thirty: One Month

I have official been in the country of the Union Jack for one month, if we call thirty days a month. I had class today, and worked out creative writing, i have a lot of work to do... WOOO!

Also, two highlights of the day:
1) someone asked me for directions and i could give them!
2) After being asked what country my accent was from again (because my voice apparently is really not American-like whatever that means) the response i got this time was "a real live American!" She... was a little excited, hahaha.

So, that was my day... i will end the evening by doing my schoolwork. Best day ever. "A real live American!" What country does my accent come from, because on tours at Oneonta I get asked what country i am from, and here no one thinks i am American. Apparently i do not even look American, whatever THAT means! Geeze. Any ideas?

Day Twenty Nine: London at Night

PICTURE: I did not take this picture, the credit goes to http://www. paultownend.com /html/ photos-london. html, and no i have no idea who he is. I just wanted to show you a taste of London at night, especically the Big Ben and the green light which was one guide for me back to Waterloo station. The huge London Eye was my other guide, it was lit up red.

This morning is nothing to write home about, i woke up to do some work but i all i did was go over what i have to memorize and recite for class on friday. I was impressed with myself, because i really know it, but i know i will forget it as soon as i stand up in front of my class. Class today was boring, so i organized myself, i found 5 free weekends and quickly filled them up with "ideas."

Tonight is something to write home about. All day i was apprehensive about what my evening plans were: traveling into central London, more specifically the Theater District, to see the musical Wicked! I had spent last night making travel plans, train from Norbiton to Waterloo, walking from Waterloo to Victoria Street and then take a left into the theater. Well ladies and gentleman, I would be the one not to follow my plans.

The train went well and the walking did to a point, but then i veered off the path as i often do and managed to get myself about a mile off track. The area felt weird to me, and i couldnt find myself on the map i was carrying. So i turned to see four very well dressed men behind me, and as i could only do in that moment in time, i asked them for help. One of them pulled out their iphone right away for directions, another looked at my map and they concluded together where i needed to go. They walked me to the rode i needed and then i ran. I ran the whole way to the main street i was supposed to be on, Victoria Street, only briefly pausing to ask the nice and well dressed people if i was heading in the right direction. I was running out of leisure time and i was determined to see this musical. I knew i was almost there, and i did not want to risk another ounce of time, so i asked a man next to me to point me in the right direction, he walked me practically to the door.

I was about 10 minutes late, but they still let me into the theater. Folks, if you have not seen Wicked, you need too. I laughed, I cried and it really spoke to everything i was feeling since i have been here. It was the perfect thing for me to see and it was worth everything i went through to get there. All the running, talking to strangers, and the anxiousness i felt about getting to the theater at all. There is a very strong story line in Wicked about friendship, and it made me really appreciate the luck i have had with my friends. A line went something like, "i have had many friends, but only one who mattered," i felt that line really spoke for me. Only instead of only one who mattered, there are a few friends of mine who mean the world to me, and i know you know who you are. Really, you need to see Wicked if you have not, it is an excellent musical with empowering music, heart-swelling stories and demanding/emotional performances.

The whole way home i was in the best mood, due to the adrenaline from my expericence before the musical and due to the acutal musical. I think people avoided me on the way home, because i was just smiling like a manic, sometimes i thought about something so good i would even have a little chuckle escape my hold. So, how to keep people from approaching you at night in London, be happy for no apparent reason. I did make friends with a little Irish woman. I wanted to make sure i was on the right road, i did not want to wander off. She looked harmless enough sitting at the bus stop, but i think i alarmed her as i approached her. Turns out she was like me a small town person in a big city who just needed to share their night with someone who may even be a stranger. She had been standing in line for two hours to see relics, after traveling all the way from southern Ireland. Basically, she had no idea where she was either. Towards the end of conversation she asked me where i was from, not recognizing my accent and she seemed surprised when i answered New York. Apparently, as i have been told many times i do not have a brutal American accents, apparently i have a very gentle accents. I guess the stereotype of an American is one with a very harsh accent, but i do not know what that could possibly be... southern? Brooklyn? I cannot guess, but i guess i do not fill in the stereotype, which i think is awesome.

I walked the rest of the way to Parliament square after asking the scattered bobbies (policemen) if i was still going the right way. I could not help but stop in front of the Westminster Abbey and reminisce about the last time i had been in that very spot. I looked up at its too massive pillars and the sculptures of saints and important figures which i had taken pictures of when i was a 10th grader in high school. I remembered thinking then, because of my habitually romantic (in the literary sense) personality, "i am coming back here." I had always said it, and thought it and there was never any doubt in my voice, but i am not sure even then i believed i would actually make it back. There i stood tonight, just where i said i would 6 years ago, and i had proved myself right, i had made it back. I am such a different person now. I am independent, as i proved tonight, i am confident, as i proved even taking the chance in coming here, and I have the ability to set goals and reach them, as i proved by making it to Westminster Abbey again 6 years later.

This blog entry proves that i made it home tonight after my solitary venture into central London. I hopes this gives you all back home more confidence in my abilities, because it did for me. Also, i am really far behind in my creative writing and i dont want to do it, but i guess i have to, since i missed class to go to Italy, now i feel obligated.

Love you all and miss you! But i finally feel like i am truly in England, tonight was perfect, even the part where i got lost! <3

Day Twenty Eight: Back to Class

The biggest problem i am having right now is classes. I feel like i am months behind, and no before you think anything, i have not missed the classes i feel the most behind in. The classes are set up with so much being thrown at us students in such a small amount of time. About three months of classes and it is all done in three years, so yes it is very hard for a student who is used to 5 months of classes and having the schedule being spread over 4 years. This is the explination i feel so far behind. Not to mention that I have tutor (Professor) who no matter how many times i tell her when i am not going to be in class, sends me angry emails about how i was not in class. So, i am going to go talk to her and explain my life and what she can expect from me. I am going to be missing at least one more of her wed classes and two more of her friday classes. So, she is going to have to get over it or... i may be in trouble with her. Only i dont think it will matter, because i have yet to hear if my classes are going to count back home, because no one is answering my emails.

Um, i am stressed... yes? Just about classes, if classes were not part of this experience i would be 100% awesome.

Oh, also i had a lamb burger tonight caused i missed when i was aiming for the hamburger meat... i have to say, did not like it... and now i dont know what to do with the rest of it. It made me feel a bit ill.

Clearly I am having a winning day, i'll have to just... keep going with the school work and take a light hearted attitude towards my studies as i always do.

Day Twenty Seven: Let Me Tell You About Italy

PICTURES: First, Passion Flowers, they have 12 petals (as in the 12 apostals) the stamen creates a cross, there is more but i cannot remember it. Second, The estate Del Casa Rosa, which means the red house in Italian. Third, Fresh Cheese at a local market, it was delicious! The view from Del Casa Rosa, Philipa and John's estate. The view of the sun and the mountain range which goes through the middle of Italy. Razzie the kitten that i fell in love with walking on a stairway at the estate. IF YOU WANT TO SEE A LARGER IMAGE, CLICK ON THE PICTURE!

Today i was trying to catch up with myself after my great weekend in Italy. I did laundry, a few dishes, grocery shopping, organizing, catching up with emails, facebook and loading images on to facebook and getting my mail taken care of. I got a great package from Aunt Sandy, THANK YOU IT WAS GREAT!

OKay so now the moment I am assuming you have all been waiting for (whomever you are). Following this paragraph are going to be sumarries and quotes from my handwritten journal I kept while in Italy. This is going to be a very long entry, sorry! So, Please enjoy, because I know I did! October 8th to the 11th, 2009:

DAY ONE:

I woke up at 5:00 so we could get to the airport where we had breakfast and took off for Italy. I slept for most of the trip, but woke up about 30 minutes from landing to see the mountain range which runs down the center of Italy. Right there i knew it was going to be a great trip. We landed in Anconna Airport and stopped at a little resturant on the way to Philipa and John Italian home. My first taste of Italy; I am going to blame the plane and the winding roads of Italy, but I did not really enjoy the pasta. It was much to rich for my stomach.

"The drive from there (the resturant) was beautiful. Deep, tan, rolling hills with shrubs as fences. Mountains in the distance, and town a top hills. It was great, fall in Italy."

"I am so comfortable here, though I don't speak a work of Italian. I am back in the country. There is fresh air, cows mooing, a breeze, plants, trees, it's like being home. Even right now there are people working in the garde and the sound of their shovels hitting the dirt sounds like home."

I went exploring with Allie and Philipa and while she was showing us her fig, olive and peach trees we heard a desperate mowing. This is the moment we found Razzie, my kitten. I helped him squeeze through a hole and from that moment he was my outside companion. In Italy I fell in love with a cat, and i dislike cats. I dont think anyone could have resisted him. I have learned some Italian at this point, the words for cat, nice meeting you, thank you and chow. For dinner we went out for pizza very late in the evening. The pizza was delicious, my stomach right now wants it. They do very large individual pizzas, but i was so hungry and it was so good i ate the whole thing. This began the large amount of food i consumed in Italy, i am still full from the food i ate while there.

DAY TWO:

I have discovered i am excited to wake up here in Italy. They are an hour ahead of the UK, so when I woke up at 9:30, it was actually 8:30 and i was excited for it. Today we went to a market in a local town, this was an adventure. There was a passionate cheese and meat seller, a delicious and a proposal. Allie talked to the passionate meat man for a very long time in italian, and even though i could not understand a word they said they were both very excited. Also, he talked about Obama, because i heard his name mentioned. I got a hot coca which was so good, it was basically the consistancy of instant pudding but still hot. It tasted like they melted a chocolate bar and put it in a cup. In a little shop where Philipa bought a pan, apperntly the old lady kept saying i was very beautiful and her and Philipa arranged for me to marry her nephew. Meanwhile, i was nodding and saying si (yes) and chow. The old woman had no idea i couldnt speak Italian. Philipa said we could not go back or the nephew would be waiting for me, haha. Also, Philipa helped me get two braclets for a very good price, they are beautiful.

"I am living my own Tuscan Sun. As I sit on a grassy hill and write, my little Razzie (the kitten) is sitting just under the shelter of my leg. My shadow is blocking him from the sun as it beats on my back."

Across the valley you can see a little town ontop of a hill. We went there and took a look at the churches. Both of them were very very beautiful but i did not take any pictures out of respece. In one of the churches they had the body of an actualy saint. The cover her face and hands in a mask, but she was there and she was very very tiny. We went to a bar there and for 8 euros we had a beer, two white wines and i had a coke, plus crispes (chips), four different kinds of bread, beans and olives. It was like a whole mean and i was still full when we went to the sea for dinner. It was a fish resturant and it was very good. They gave us whole fish though, so i avoided those. I had calamarie, clams, mussels, and praws (which is what they call jumbo shrimp) and some fish which Philipa cut off the bone for me. So nice to have her around, haha. For dessert i got a creme brule and it was so delicious, i did not want to eat it because i did not want it to end. Speaking the little italian i knew came easier today and i was able to pick out even more key words in conversation and writing.

"Night, I will sleep forever tomorrow, or not I am in Italy!"

DAY THREE:

All day i lied in the sun, it was very relaxing. I worked on school work and played with Razzie. I watched the rain go across the other side of the valley, which was sad. Philipa's neighbor needs the rain on his olives so they grow more plump, it is his livelyhood. Razzie was adorable and I played with him late into the evening, italian's eat very late and we were waiting for guests. Razzie would go stalking, while constantly looking back to see that i was still there and then he would sprint at me and jump onto my lap. He jumped onto my back, and would rub his face on my cheek. At one point when Razzie calmed down he curled up on my thigh and looked out at the great view from the backyard. It was the cutest thing ever. Razzie is very affectionate, and stole everyone's hearts. Philipa and John had friends over for dinner, a little family. It was funny for me, because i do not speak any italian and only one daughter can only speak very little english. I just sat there for dinner, speaking my little italian. The highlight of the evening was when i said Un Gatto (which means cat) to the younger daughter and she followed me outside to play with Razzie. It is strange being on this side of the language barrier.

"I already feel more like myself in the country. If i close my eyes it sounds like the crispy wave of the fall leaves at home and smells like a warm summer day on the cusp of autum. The country is where i belong. My hair has left its failed attempt at order and has taken a brushing from the wind. When i look in the mirror it is more me than when i look at the mirror in Kingston. There is no make up clogging my eyelashes and my feet are bare."

"It is an odd experience being surrounded in another language. You begin to hear you're own words as someone who does not speak your language would hear them. Words like "Thanks" and "Hi" sound unusual. It is a mind opening experience that i hope i do not loose."

DAY FOUR:

We woke up and closed up the estate. It was said saying goodbye to Razzie, i took him to his new home with the neighbors. I did not really say goodbye because it would have been to sad for me and i dont like to be sad in front of people. I am sure he will be okay, but no one will feed him tuna from a can as i did. We had a quick meal of pasta before we boarded the plane. It was a beautiful sight as we took off and went into the clouds and i stayed awake long enough to see the alps before i slept the rest of the way to England. It is a short flight across Europe than it is to drive to RIT from Cooperstown. The clouds in England we dark and the grass was very green as we landed. The drive home was full of traffic, it took two and a half hours to get back, as long as the flight.

AND THAT WAS MY TRIP TO ITALY, I HOPE I WAS ABLE TO SHARE ENOUGH OF MY ADVENTURE FOR YOU AND THAT I COULD SHOW YOU HOW MUCH I ENJOYED MY TRIP TO THE ITALIAN COUNTRYSIDE!

Day Twenty Three - Twenty Six: ITALY

It is so hard to explain the last four days of my life, but to those who know me... I was excited to wake up early in the morning... that is how amazing my trip to the county side of Italy was. I did keep my written journal while I was there, so I am going to take quotes from it to share with you. There is no way I can put it all on here, but I will take the most important bits like the food, my kitten (Razzie), me learning Italian and how it felt to be back in a rural area (where I know I belong now). I hope you enjoy the pictures and the quotes from my written journal:


I AM GOING TO FINISH THIS LATER WHEN I AM NOT ON JET LAG!

<3

Day Twenty Two: Rain, Rain ... and Rain

It finally really super rained today, as i have been waiting for. It was a very light rain, but it went all day, and still managed to soak its way through my clothing. I think i am going to run out of hot coca very fast, and clothing.

Today i slept much later than i had intended, so i missed my chance to get a package that apparently arrived for me. They only leave it if someone answers the door and because no one was here they brought it to the post office which is just around the corner. However the close early on wed, which to me is the stupidest thing ever, and i wont be able to pick it up tomorrow so it will be sent to urbiton which is about three miles from here. I am going to have to figure out the bus.

I left and hour early for class, so i could print out the paper i worked oh so hard on, or at least worked oh so hard on the motivation to work on the paper. I printed it out at Knights Park campus and then walked to Pehryn Road campus for class, i made it just on time. Only i forgot where my class was, and there is no class number on the syllabus so i waited by the staircase looking for an american to follow to class, luckily i found one, haha. In class we learned about the monarchy and how everyone loves the Queen because of how much they hate politicians. Also, how they are embarrassed to fly the Union Jack because they are not the great nation they were during the time of the World Wars. Also, Scotland and Wales hate the Union Jack because they do not believe that it represents them. Northern Ireland seems to be the only portion of Great Britain that flies the flag and it is out of spite against the catholic Irish who want to still be part of Ireland and not part of Great Britain. So yeah, there is a lot of hostility about bizarre things here.

The walk home was really wet. My jacket did not keep out the rain, so from now on i need to remember my rain jacket when i go to class. Dinner was a simple salad and noodles... i may heat up some chicken later.

TOMORROW I AM GOING TO ITALY! And i am very excited but i am so tired, i have not been sleeping well lately, so tonight i am going to need to go to bed. I have to wake up around 4:30 - 5:00 am However i've yet to pack, so i should get on that also. I wont be updating my blog for the next three to four days, so sorry about my lack of communication. I am going to be keeping a hand written journal while in Italy, and i will post the highlights when i come home to share with you all.

Love you all! Talk to you after i get home from spending the weekend in the Italian countryside (makes me sound awesome doesn't it?) hahaha.

Day Twenty One: Finally made it to Sustaniable Design and Alternative Design Pathways

My paper is not going well, because i have a lot of distractions, so this is day four? Wow, i am so good at being a student, i guess it is a good thing that is a chapter that is almost finished in my life. I am tired of busy work, I like the classes where i have one paper and one test because because you can put everything you have into those two grades rather then half-@$$ing a weekly journal entry or paper. I rather assign my own busy work like this blog, facebook, emailing, twitter, writing my own fictions and, of course when all else is accomplished and set, building my own village on Sims. So that's that.

Today i thought about waking up early to get my busy on paper assignment, but i failed at that. I guess i set my alarm at the wrong time and instead i was woken by a phone call from the tour company that i am going to Wales and Amsterdam with. They were responding to a call i made about a week and a half ago to schedule tours to Wales and Amsterdam, which i am already scheduled for... i think they have a communication malfunction somewhere in their department and i am wondering how reliable they will turn out to be. I guess i will find out when i go on the trips. It may also explain why the trips were so cheap, haha.

I did not get any work done needless to say, but i did build two more homes in Sims. Good job me! Then i went to class, i finally made it to Sustaniable Design and Alternative Design Pathways. Turns out it was a much longer name than i thought, also turns out to be a much more of a thinking class than i thought. In class we watched the video "The Story about Stuff," which all of you should watch, now, go (http://www.storyofstuff.com/). Its about how we use products, how we need to be more aware of our world in terms of consumer market, killing the planet and our resources and how we are so highly influence by adverts. It is very educational and i do not know how else to explain to you how important it is to watch this clip and be aware of the problems it addresses. I had seen the video once before, and it really is important for everyone to watch.

Moving on, we then discussed a product in our classroom and its functions, what its made of, if it can be recycled, ect. My group consisted of my new friend Jade from NJ, a girl named Kira from Italy who spoke little english and a girl named T-sung (?) from North Korea who spoke very good english but did not differentiate Jade and my American accents from those of the English students around us. Our product was a water bottle, my green water bottle, which i was soon informed is releasing estrogen into my system in massive quantities, allegedly. I am not sure if i should be concerned or if it is just another one of those "things" so... yeah, i am currently still drinking from it. However, if someone thinks i should stop a stainless steel water bottle would be much appreciated. hahahaha... yeah, i am not really sure how to react to this information.

After class, i finally printed out stuff that needed printing, but i think i printed two documents that did not need printing. It costs 5 pence a page, which is about 7 cents. The cool thing about the way they print here is that their printer for the public prints double sided automatically. The not so cool thing about how they print here is that you need to work between two computers to do it. (It is much to complicated to explain, so i am not going to).

I went grocery shopping after class for a few needed items: salad dressing, milk, eggs and toothpaste. Then i made dinner, leftover chicken and a salad with mushrooms, avacado and the dressing i just bought. I am awesome at feeding myself, see Mom and Dad, i told you i could cook but why bother when i have you guys cooking for me (and on the rare occasion, Hanna). Clearly the ability to cook is genetic.

Now, i think i have caught up with all possible distractions, so i think i will finally tackle my little 800 paper. Simple, i think. Or... i can go take a shower and then write my paper. Yep that sounds awesome to me!

Love you all and miss you! (I thought about Christmas today, and i am excited to see you all).

UPDATE: I FINISHED MY PAPER! It is 1:00am, oh college papers how i missed thee.... juuuuuuuuuust kidding

Day Twenty: Excellent Dinner, Horrible Internet Connection

The news of the day: I made the best dinner ever. I sauteed broccoli and mushrooms while i put noodles on. Then when they were a bit sauteed i added some thicker soup, flour, water, cheddar cheese and chicken. It made a sauce, which was awesome. And then i put is all today and i loved it, and i am soooo full. Awesome.

Um, in other news i did not move much today so that i can move when i get to Italy. So, i played sims. My game uninstalled itself again so I had to rebuild my village again. ...BUT my back feels much better! I am just going to be careful this time when i do the dishes so i do not go into a relapse... again.

Now, i am going to start the papers and stuff i need to get done, so that will be fun. Can't say i did not procrastinate today, as you will see in my video. It is a good thing they really map out everyday from the lecture (and its details) to the homework (and its details) as well as listing this information over and over again, in many different styles as if to enforce the fact that they have a definite schedule and they have every intention of sticking to it. This way i can pinpoint the exact days i will be suffering for my procrastination, oh for your information it will be most tueday and thurdsay nights!

also i did make you guys a video of my room, but it would not upload and i did not feel like wait for it. I had already waited about and hour and a half so i am done with that.

Day Nineteen: Wimbledon

I went to Wimbledon today, where they have the big tennis matches. I will have to go back later in my adventure here because we did not really know where we were going and what we wanted to do, or even what there was to do. Also, my back began to ache after a bit of uphill and downhill walking so we sat for lunch and just relaxed there. Next time i am going to make a few plans and perhaps find a map, haha.

WHen i got home i flopped down on the bed and relaxed for a bit... and stuff. Weird, that is all i have to say about today. Oh well, i guess i can speak more about Wimbledon.

It was very beautiful. Here the houses are considerably smaller than those back home in the USA, so with that in mind the houses at Wimbledon were huge and very beautiful. We walked through a neighborhood which was conserved due to the historical nature of Wimbledon and it was glorious. It was exactly how one would imagine historical England to look with vine grown walls and little wooden or bent steel doors. Little towers and stained glass window adorned most of the home. The clouds where very dark and low and it really did feel like the rainy and fall England that i have been expecting and waiting for. It is weird that i am anxious for the rain? I need an excuse to do my schoolwork.

Later!

Day Eighteen: WHY

I woke up at 1:30, i washed dishes, i cooked a lot of chicken, kat came over and we got chinese.

also, my back started hurting again, so i am grumpy

Update: The chinese was delicious and weird and i got a package from home, so i am much happier now.

Also i have officially decided that i am going to apply to the Cooperstown Graduate Program for Museum Studies.




I thought I would put down the dates when I am going to be traveling for those who would like to know:
October 8th-11th : ITALY
October17th : OXFORD
October 31st-November 1st : WALES
November 7th-9th : NORWAY
November 20th-22 : AMSTERDAM

Day Seventeen: A Really Long Day

wow... so i had typed a paragraph, and then i got aggressive and pulled my computer out of the wall and it needs electricity to run because it is old and sad, so it died and deleted everything i wrote except for the title (^) awesome.... anyway

I woke up at 8:00 for my 9:00 class which was my creative writing seminar. This class is going to be great, however i am going to miss two of those classes and this might not be so good. They actually have attendance count for this class, which is hard cause it is at the end of the week and i may want to head off on an adventure then. Also, this class has 5 girls 9 boys, cute book nerdy boys who like american literature, so i am already intimidated and i am sure i do not want to read my stuff in front of them... nor recite. But also, it will be good and fun, cause i made a friend who kinda looks like my friend claire but she wears a scarf over her head. She was funny, when we started talking she was like, "are you.... American!" haha, moving on...

Then i walked to Knight's Park which was about a 10-15 minute walk to meet with Paul who is my tutor (professor) for the sustainable design, which was the class i missed when i broke my back. He was 30 minutes late, so i could have taken my time apparently. No worries though, he was nice enough and said i didn't miss anything. Also, he gave me the notes and module (funny enough the actual class and the syllabus are both called a module). So that happened.

Next, I went to the library to print things, but there were a lot of people, no staff and no computers so i left. I will have to print at another time. Then i went to the "dinning hall" (its not really a dining hall, more like a food court) and got a cheap sandwich, a tuna melt for 2.70 GBP (Great Britain Pounds). I had to hand in a blue form, so i then walked to the swan house (the international house) to hand it in and that was about a 10 minute walk.

15 minute walk from there i went to an outdoors clothing shop and got a cheap brown fleece. I am told it is as good as a north face, but cheaper and on sale. It was 15 pounds. 15 minutes from there, i went to Asda the grocery store and bought myself food (though apperantly i still needs eggs and milk. Why is it people always needs eggs and milk? 15 minutes from there i made it home.

Home: washed loads of dishes, cleaned up a bit (cause i can bend over now), cooked myself some food and ...showered.

At 7:00 i got on a bus (cause i was tired after my two hours of walking around) and went to the play 'Bedroom Farce' which was... enjoyable. It made me smile, it made me giggle, the actors were good, but... i think i am happy that my ticket was free (cause i am a wicked awesome college student). I enjoyed my evening out, i felt a bit cultured, haha. My bus ride home was a little adventure. I was a bit confused and lost, so i made friends with a bus driver. I even hung out with him as he did his bus check. I was lucky i got such a nice guy to help me out, and clearly i made it home and now i know what not to do.

Also, i changed my dates for Norway. So now i am not missing classes and it will only be three days Nov 7th-9th. It will be nice to meet my extended extended extended extended relatives. They are apperantly very excited to meet me! A little 6 year old offered me her bed, aw. It will be fun.

So, i wrote a lot today, you guys can see why it was such a long day.

Enjoy the fall, i am missing it over here. What i would do for a pumpkin or fresh apples, or orange/red/yellow trees and that smell. Yeah, fall is my favorite season. Love You All!!!

ps: you may have noticed, but i never edit my entries... haha

Day Sixteen: Lots of Work to Come

This morning i woke up at 7:00 to get to my morning class at 9:00. I miss the days where I could wake up at 8:45 for a 9:00 but what is a girl to do when she has to walk 20 minutes to class (Allie found a shortcut by the way!)

We walked to Knights park for our first class which we have together, it is Visual Culture: An Introduction. It seems like it will be a good class, a lot of trips to the museums in London which i am certainly okay with and lots of indepth discussion about the aspects of being a visual culture. (I'll let you work that one out, cause i have not finished learning about it). I also have readings, at least one large paper and one large presentation for this class. It is taught by two tutors (professors), who seem to play off each other like a comedy skit, i was very entertained by them. One of them once worked in museums and i am going to meet with her a some point to talk about that. I think i may be leaning towards museums studies for my masters? That way i can still get into major cities for awhile and then maybe at some point a smaller town like Williamsburg or Cooperstown (just examples, haha).

After lunch, which I met up with Kat for, i had my Creative Writing. This class is going to be excellent, i do not know why i have not taken a creative writing class in the past and i want to take so many more, and this is my first day. It is going to be a lot of work also. I have a weekly journal, plus weekly exercises, plus readings, plus other random weekly assignments. So that will all add up as well, especially knowing me... i tend to let things add up and then i take care of them. But i am going to enjoy this work load.

I was actually planning on doing a lot of work this weekend, because i already have a lot to do and Allie will not be around (she is in Germany). So, perhaps this will be a productive weekend, which would be awesome. I like that writing and being creative is my homework. Actually no, I love. That reminds me, in my Creative Writing class she volunteered me to say why i was in that class, so i told about 200 students that i wanted to be an children's book author and illustrator, haha awesome. Now my secret passion is not so secret person anymore.

Um, i bought school supplies and got organized for classes so that i really can stay on top of my work. I do have the whole weekend to do work. Also, i have a whole weekend to cook every meal for myself so i was thinking i would just finish off what was in the kitchen. I bought more cereal!

Peace