One word to describe Edinburgh: stunning!
Previous post updated. Better get back to enjoying the city before I have to head out! Ciao people. More info will come when I get time
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
One Before Edinburgh
Can't believe it! Tomorrow is my first real trip while I have been over here! Then another next week then my final week and I am home. Hope I don't die from excitement here. Unfortunately I messed up my booking (forgot AM/PM isn't used here!) so I had to pay a refund fee which sucked big time but at least I got a later train. I leave midday Tuesday but I think I will have internet so I should at least be semi reachable if it is important (I'll let you use your judgment on whether something is important.) Any ideas where I should go when I get there? I can walk the city in a few hours I hear, so I should be able to cover most of everything.
So yes this past weekend, I went to Canterbury on Sunday. But the night before, I was hungry and made some bad food choices (canned tuna in oil, later microwave Indian) so I went to sleep earlier and I ended up getting all nauseated and thought I was going to vomit: the first time not from alcohol since High School! hah! So I am feeling horrible and leaning over my garbage can in my room and I am looking for stuff to do to keep my mind off it. Econometrics homework (as was suggested to me after the fact) I don't think was going to cut it at the time...
It was realy bizarre but I felt really alone right at that moment, the most alone I can think in recent memory. I really wanted someone there, right there, right at that moment. But I knew there was no one and it was only me and I felt God-awful. It was really a creepy, desolate feeling. I wanted someone there but I knew it couldn't be...
So I go on Gmail and I see that Daniel my old roommate was online, so we talk. Well it went for a while and I barely got 3 and a half hours of sleep and he is in Moscow, so God help him. But what did we talk about? I'll say this at the risk of being called gay by my friends who were slamming someone we know back on the Hilltop who does it: poetry. Yeah I admit, sometimes when I feel inspired I write it. I make no claims that it is good or that it will help foster world peace, but as I said, when I feel inspired and something comes to me, I write it down.
So we were talking about methodology and form, aims and how to treat the reader. It's not easy trying to write good poetry and the aims and goals and how to achieve them are difficult to figure sometimes. My problem is I have no patience for editing, which is bad. I have ideas and even if they come out bad, I feel if I edit it I would lose it. Also I think I really just write poetry for myself (to show to others too also: it's sort of complicated to explain...) and how it comes out is maybe mental healing for me or just trying to express what I feel and damn the winds if people don't like it, or I am too lazy to edit, or it comes out reading like garbage. But then again I do want presentable poetry...hmm...maybe I just need to stop being lazy and edit better :-P
However by the end of the conversation I was feeling much better and was able to go back to bed. So yes, after long talks about poetry, sleep deprivation was a major issue as I went to Canterbury. Everyone's favorite tour guide Simon gave us a show of the town and then I went to a really creepy Canterbury Tales museum. The creeptastic part was the mannequins because they were really bizarre and reminded me of Genesis's "Land of Confusion" music video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBdUz_IJ4VA Also the Priest who told his tale was pretty funny: really only because he was telling the story of Russell the Fox and "Chanticleer the Cock" Yes I think we were giggling like middle school boys the whole time. How could you not? That is the most ridiculous name ever!
The Cathedral was really pretty architecturally and also I saw the library where William Somerset Maugham's (famous British author, for the illiterati) ashes are spread about. Towards the end, I walked around the town market and looked at the vendors and shops. All in all it was good and the lack of sleep didn't really affect me luckily.
On unrelated note: British food sucks, but orange-banana juice from Sainsbury's is very creamy much more so than in the US: quite nice.
Another unrelated note: As if you didn't need a reason to hate the Kennedys, here is even more: they lobotomized their sister and got away with it. Is that fucked up or what? Damn them... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary_Kennedy
So yes this past weekend, I went to Canterbury on Sunday. But the night before, I was hungry and made some bad food choices (canned tuna in oil, later microwave Indian) so I went to sleep earlier and I ended up getting all nauseated and thought I was going to vomit: the first time not from alcohol since High School! hah! So I am feeling horrible and leaning over my garbage can in my room and I am looking for stuff to do to keep my mind off it. Econometrics homework (as was suggested to me after the fact) I don't think was going to cut it at the time...
It was realy bizarre but I felt really alone right at that moment, the most alone I can think in recent memory. I really wanted someone there, right there, right at that moment. But I knew there was no one and it was only me and I felt God-awful. It was really a creepy, desolate feeling. I wanted someone there but I knew it couldn't be...
So I go on Gmail and I see that Daniel my old roommate was online, so we talk. Well it went for a while and I barely got 3 and a half hours of sleep and he is in Moscow, so God help him. But what did we talk about? I'll say this at the risk of being called gay by my friends who were slamming someone we know back on the Hilltop who does it: poetry. Yeah I admit, sometimes when I feel inspired I write it. I make no claims that it is good or that it will help foster world peace, but as I said, when I feel inspired and something comes to me, I write it down.
So we were talking about methodology and form, aims and how to treat the reader. It's not easy trying to write good poetry and the aims and goals and how to achieve them are difficult to figure sometimes. My problem is I have no patience for editing, which is bad. I have ideas and even if they come out bad, I feel if I edit it I would lose it. Also I think I really just write poetry for myself (to show to others too also: it's sort of complicated to explain...) and how it comes out is maybe mental healing for me or just trying to express what I feel and damn the winds if people don't like it, or I am too lazy to edit, or it comes out reading like garbage. But then again I do want presentable poetry...hmm...maybe I just need to stop being lazy and edit better :-P
However by the end of the conversation I was feeling much better and was able to go back to bed. So yes, after long talks about poetry, sleep deprivation was a major issue as I went to Canterbury. Everyone's favorite tour guide Simon gave us a show of the town and then I went to a really creepy Canterbury Tales museum. The creeptastic part was the mannequins because they were really bizarre and reminded me of Genesis's "Land of Confusion" music video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBdUz_IJ4VA Also the Priest who told his tale was pretty funny: really only because he was telling the story of Russell the Fox and "Chanticleer the Cock" Yes I think we were giggling like middle school boys the whole time. How could you not? That is the most ridiculous name ever!
The Cathedral was really pretty architecturally and also I saw the library where William Somerset Maugham's (famous British author, for the illiterati) ashes are spread about. Towards the end, I walked around the town market and looked at the vendors and shops. All in all it was good and the lack of sleep didn't really affect me luckily.
On unrelated note: British food sucks, but orange-banana juice from Sainsbury's is very creamy much more so than in the US: quite nice.
Another unrelated note: As if you didn't need a reason to hate the Kennedys, here is even more: they lobotomized their sister and got away with it. Is that fucked up or what? Damn them... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary_Kennedy
Friday, November 23, 2007
Thanksgiving for not giving Thanks
Sorry if the title is sacrilegious or harsh (somehow I doubt it is either...) Thanksgiving was...interesting. I was going to say near disaster/underwhelming but I don't want to be too downtrodden and pessimistic while I am abroad in a country that does not understand the importance of Puritanical fanatics feasting with American Indians, unaware of the fact that they will shortly be genocided into oblivion by their dinner guests! So the Brits don't even get Thanksgiving. I didn't really ask anyone about it but it passed completely under the radar in common day going-ons in London. A shame.
Ah yes so how does this relate to the story I am trying to relate to you? Well the first sign was that there was no prevailing Thanksgiving spirit. The next problem was that I had work due for my classes the day after. And of course I said I would work ahead, but did I? No. So guess what I spent my Thanksgiving day doing? Well if you said work, I would give you an A for effort. The days before I had tried to work, but I was sidetracked. Now I should probably put a disclaimer on this: I did not think once I got to London anyone would give a shit in the least about me and that I would disappear off the face of the Earth from my friends not here. Bizarrely enough, I was surprised people actually still wanted to talk to me and keep up with things from the States and elsewhere. Can you believe that? I can't. I'm flattered, thank you all, I guess this is one of those Thanksgiving "I told you so"'s. I guess I underestimated how much I was interesting enough and non-boring for my friends to keep things up with. However, when you get a torrential flood of people Skyping you right before Thanksgiving (and during Thanksgiving) and you are trying to do work...doesn't turn out so well...
So yes, as I feverishly tried to get my work done, the evening and expected Thanksgiving dinner crept precipitously closer and closer. I checked the usual channels of what we were doing with my crew here. I thought we had agreed to go to "The Monument" for dinner: evidently not. A misunderstanding where some thought we were going to there and then those who were going to the Rosebury Hall dorm to have a turkey dinner there. So I acquiesced, gave in to peer pressure, and headed up to the Angel tube stop. I was a little late because of work and ran into Jess a little after 7PM. W e walked for a good 10 minutes in the wrong direction and then by the time we finally go there, they had run out of food. So I stopped turn to Jess and we both start laughing: obviously we know what is on our minds. We say goodbye to everyone after just arriving and we hop on the tube to the Monument stop.
We get to the pub and sure enough our eagerly awaited food is on the menu: however, this time it is not turkey but chicken in the sandwich! (later we figure out that the first time we were there it was indeed turkey and we weren't imagining things. They must have changed it because of the bird flu outbreak and the culling of flocks to stem it.) Maybe we were lucky we didn't drag everyone there, as we probably would have caused a riot of disgruntled Americans.
So in other news, the LSE campus has been bitching about a Miss LSE beauty pageant is "sexist" I don't even know where to start with that one except...yeah I just get pissed at this leftist trash sometimes. Why don't they try to integrate our bathrooms while you're at it? Also I received an email saying I cannot be the treasurer of different societies simultaneously. Ooops! I realized it must be the corruption of being the money book keeping authority in two different places, and the potential for corruption and political intrigue. Hahah too bad they caught me!
This weekend a whole slew of Hoyas comes to London. We'll see how that goes and I'll report back. Hopefully I will get time to explore more of London, though I feel like I have less time to do this (as I said before) and I still need to hit the O2 with King Tut, potentially expiring special exhibits at the Imperial War Museum, and hit Notting Hill. All the while I am going to Edinburgh and Praha and I will be going home to the States in 3 weeks!
Ah yes so how does this relate to the story I am trying to relate to you? Well the first sign was that there was no prevailing Thanksgiving spirit. The next problem was that I had work due for my classes the day after. And of course I said I would work ahead, but did I? No. So guess what I spent my Thanksgiving day doing? Well if you said work, I would give you an A for effort. The days before I had tried to work, but I was sidetracked. Now I should probably put a disclaimer on this: I did not think once I got to London anyone would give a shit in the least about me and that I would disappear off the face of the Earth from my friends not here. Bizarrely enough, I was surprised people actually still wanted to talk to me and keep up with things from the States and elsewhere. Can you believe that? I can't. I'm flattered, thank you all, I guess this is one of those Thanksgiving "I told you so"'s. I guess I underestimated how much I was interesting enough and non-boring for my friends to keep things up with. However, when you get a torrential flood of people Skyping you right before Thanksgiving (and during Thanksgiving) and you are trying to do work...doesn't turn out so well...
So yes, as I feverishly tried to get my work done, the evening and expected Thanksgiving dinner crept precipitously closer and closer. I checked the usual channels of what we were doing with my crew here. I thought we had agreed to go to "The Monument" for dinner: evidently not. A misunderstanding where some thought we were going to there and then those who were going to the Rosebury Hall dorm to have a turkey dinner there. So I acquiesced, gave in to peer pressure, and headed up to the Angel tube stop. I was a little late because of work and ran into Jess a little after 7PM. W e walked for a good 10 minutes in the wrong direction and then by the time we finally go there, they had run out of food. So I stopped turn to Jess and we both start laughing: obviously we know what is on our minds. We say goodbye to everyone after just arriving and we hop on the tube to the Monument stop.
We get to the pub and sure enough our eagerly awaited food is on the menu: however, this time it is not turkey but chicken in the sandwich! (later we figure out that the first time we were there it was indeed turkey and we weren't imagining things. They must have changed it because of the bird flu outbreak and the culling of flocks to stem it.) Maybe we were lucky we didn't drag everyone there, as we probably would have caused a riot of disgruntled Americans.
So in other news, the LSE campus has been bitching about a Miss LSE beauty pageant is "sexist" I don't even know where to start with that one except...yeah I just get pissed at this leftist trash sometimes. Why don't they try to integrate our bathrooms while you're at it? Also I received an email saying I cannot be the treasurer of different societies simultaneously. Ooops! I realized it must be the corruption of being the money book keeping authority in two different places, and the potential for corruption and political intrigue. Hahah too bad they caught me!
This weekend a whole slew of Hoyas comes to London. We'll see how that goes and I'll report back. Hopefully I will get time to explore more of London, though I feel like I have less time to do this (as I said before) and I still need to hit the O2 with King Tut, potentially expiring special exhibits at the Imperial War Museum, and hit Notting Hill. All the while I am going to Edinburgh and Praha and I will be going home to the States in 3 weeks!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
MIA for 11 Days? What gives?
Sorry adoring fans for my extended absence. Don't really know why that happened exactly. Probably had to get caught up on work that I put off from my birthday, had a few mental health days of doing nothing, went to Oxford for a day trip, then tried to get caught up on work and now I have my last radio show. And there is more that has passed and will come too!
So yes, radio show last week went well: today, I have my last show. So tune in at www.pulse.dj at 1-2PM EST (6-7PM GMT) you won't regret it!
Last weekend I went to Oxford. Really quaint fun little college town. Very Harry Potter (duh!) check out my facebook photo album. So yes, work last week and radio and Oxford took up my time. Yeah, there hasn't really been much to report then, mostly work, didn't venture into the center of London or back to Noting Hill like I said I would. I hope I find time to do that before I leave again for the states.
My schedule to the end, is more hectic than I thought: but also more exciting! Next week I go to Edinburgh in the middle of the week for 3 days, then the next week to Prague for 3 days and then that final week is my last week before I go home. Has time gone by or what? To give credit where credit is due, a Drew said it will feel like you have always been there yet not spent any time there at all. So true. So how I will do all this (two trips, walking tour of more of London and go to Noting Hill) and do course work remains to be seen...
So the most important holiday not celebrated over here: Thanksgiving! Yes, we have needed to
improvise on this one. Because of avian flu buying a turkey is "troppo costoso" to use Italian. So it seems like going to The Monument to a pub named "The Monument" to eat their turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing sandwiches and drink pints. Oh Thanksgiving! So now I better get back to work and prep for the final show tonight. And do work. Because this weekend I will need to do work before I go to Edinburgh, and do laundry, but I am failing to see how I am going to pull this off...also I need to finish reading something I promised someone I would...
So yes, radio show last week went well: today, I have my last show. So tune in at www.pulse.dj at 1-2PM EST (6-7PM GMT) you won't regret it!
Last weekend I went to Oxford. Really quaint fun little college town. Very Harry Potter (duh!) check out my facebook photo album. So yes, work last week and radio and Oxford took up my time. Yeah, there hasn't really been much to report then, mostly work, didn't venture into the center of London or back to Noting Hill like I said I would. I hope I find time to do that before I leave again for the states.
My schedule to the end, is more hectic than I thought: but also more exciting! Next week I go to Edinburgh in the middle of the week for 3 days, then the next week to Prague for 3 days and then that final week is my last week before I go home. Has time gone by or what? To give credit where credit is due, a Drew said it will feel like you have always been there yet not spent any time there at all. So true. So how I will do all this (two trips, walking tour of more of London and go to Noting Hill) and do course work remains to be seen...
So the most important holiday not celebrated over here: Thanksgiving! Yes, we have needed to
improvise on this one. Because of avian flu buying a turkey is "troppo costoso" to use Italian. So it seems like going to The Monument to a pub named "The Monument" to eat their turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing sandwiches and drink pints. Oh Thanksgiving! So now I better get back to work and prep for the final show tonight. And do work. Because this weekend I will need to do work before I go to Edinburgh, and do laundry, but I am failing to see how I am going to pull this off...also I need to finish reading something I promised someone I would...
Saturday, November 10, 2007
They Say It's Your Birthday!
Yep! Two days ago I turned 21. I thought it would be a little anti-climatic considering it doesn't carry the same significance over here as in the States: was I wrong! I took everyone out to a nice Sushi/Japanese Fusion restaurant that had damn good Sushi though a little pricey, but eh you only live once!
So we went to the Crown and drank some. I whipped out two Cuban cigars I bought since it was my birthday and I realized the embargo didn't exist over here. Mmmmm a nice Cuban once in a blue moon does hit the spot. So one of my friends (who shall remain nameless) finds an advert for a hooker lying on the ground and decides he is going to call a prostitute for my birthday. I curse him out and say he is full of it. He didn't even know my dorm address so how could he call one for me?
So after The Crown we went to Shakespeare's Head, another local hangout and we were there in time for Midnight and my coming of age. Of course my friends wanted me to properly celebrate by drinking a Three Wise Men. Now what is a Three Wise Men you may ask? Here it goes: one shot, made from 1/3 shot of each of the following: Jim Bean, Jack Daniels, and Jose Cuervo. 2 parts whiskey, 1 part tequila. (NB- actually this is a Mexican Three Wise Men: the real Three Wise Men uses Johnnie Walker instead of Tequila.) Sounds fun, right? They were impressed I didn't flinch. While we are there, it seems a troop of deaf people were enjoying the time as well. So I decide to be tasteless and do my world renowned deaf impression. Ironically it was well received by those who had tact and not well received by those who were shameless. Interesting...
On the way out as the night was winding down we got a hot dog from the hot dog man. It really hit the spot. Then my friends tried to trap me in their kitchen and feed me more alcohol: I managed to run away back to my room. The next day, as I am waking up late, I get a call on my cell from a number I don't know and a guy with a sketchy Eastern European accent answers saying he has "something to give me"!!!!!!!! I thought I called the bluff wrong earlier about the hooker I thought. But no! It was only balloons from my parents, a joke on me for my birthday and an exercise in ridiculousness. They are still floating here in my room.
I really had a lot of fun and a relaxing, lazy, happy, content weekend. Really a nice feeling that I hadn't had in a while. Thanks again to everyone who made my birthday great!
Today, I am celebrating a friend's birthday who was in my group for my birthday. It's not even 6 and I am feeling the drinking. Will I have more booze than my birthday? I'll get back to you in a few!
So we went to the Crown and drank some. I whipped out two Cuban cigars I bought since it was my birthday and I realized the embargo didn't exist over here. Mmmmm a nice Cuban once in a blue moon does hit the spot. So one of my friends (who shall remain nameless) finds an advert for a hooker lying on the ground and decides he is going to call a prostitute for my birthday. I curse him out and say he is full of it. He didn't even know my dorm address so how could he call one for me?
So after The Crown we went to Shakespeare's Head, another local hangout and we were there in time for Midnight and my coming of age. Of course my friends wanted me to properly celebrate by drinking a Three Wise Men. Now what is a Three Wise Men you may ask? Here it goes: one shot, made from 1/3 shot of each of the following: Jim Bean, Jack Daniels, and Jose Cuervo. 2 parts whiskey, 1 part tequila. (NB- actually this is a Mexican Three Wise Men: the real Three Wise Men uses Johnnie Walker instead of Tequila.) Sounds fun, right? They were impressed I didn't flinch. While we are there, it seems a troop of deaf people were enjoying the time as well. So I decide to be tasteless and do my world renowned deaf impression. Ironically it was well received by those who had tact and not well received by those who were shameless. Interesting...
On the way out as the night was winding down we got a hot dog from the hot dog man. It really hit the spot. Then my friends tried to trap me in their kitchen and feed me more alcohol: I managed to run away back to my room. The next day, as I am waking up late, I get a call on my cell from a number I don't know and a guy with a sketchy Eastern European accent answers saying he has "something to give me"!!!!!!!! I thought I called the bluff wrong earlier about the hooker I thought. But no! It was only balloons from my parents, a joke on me for my birthday and an exercise in ridiculousness. They are still floating here in my room.
I really had a lot of fun and a relaxing, lazy, happy, content weekend. Really a nice feeling that I hadn't had in a while. Thanks again to everyone who made my birthday great!
Today, I am celebrating a friend's birthday who was in my group for my birthday. It's not even 6 and I am feeling the drinking. Will I have more booze than my birthday? I'll get back to you in a few!
First Radio Show--A Success!!!
Haha this is going to be tough. I guess the lead up to my 21st Birthday eclipsed something just as cool: My First radio show on Pulse! Radio!!!
Maybe I should give background: I did radio for Georgetown for 2 years and was a DJ and station Tech Director. Huzzah! So I've been doing shows for a while and when I got to LSE I decided that I wanted to do the radio here too. I applied for a limited slot, the specialist DJs who can play whatever they want. It would be really tough and I didn't think that me hawking the genre of my show would be good enough to get picked up. The genre? The Musicology of US Classic Rock (or at least this is what they morphed it into for "World Wednesdays")
I guess I gave away above what happened (or even in the opening lines) They picked me up for a slot. Hot!
So at the start of my show I was a bit nervous, because well, I didn't know if people would like it because since I was doing the whole story of US rock, I was starting out with some early stuff in 1965 and I thought people would snicker at the fact I was playing oldies. Also I only had a one hour slot instead of two hours like I did at Georgetown so I felt pressed for time. After I slight anxious start, it went off well and surprisingly it seemed like some of the powers that be liked it! Hell I found a hidden Buffalo Springfield fan in our Production Manager and he's trying to convince me to--NO! not giving away the next show!
I would recommend listening to it live because it is a lot of fun. But if you miss it, I can podcast it afterwards using yousendit.com. There are two more shows so listen in! Wednesday the 14th and 21st. It's on at 6-7PM GMT (1-2PM EST for you in the States!)
The podcast link to the first show on the 7th in case you missed it: http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=4C89DBA958E056F8
SPOILER ALERT: don't read ahead if you want to watch the show and be surprised. It is the show song playlist.
November 7th
1. The Beatles - Can't Buy Me Love
2. The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
3. The Kinks - You Really Got Me
4. The Who - My Generation
^^^Excerpted to show what the Americans were up against
5. The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man
6. Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone
7. Paul Revere & The Raiders - Steppin' Out
8. Barry McGuire - Eve Of Destruction
9. Bobby Fuller Four - I Fought The Law
10. Simon & Garfunkel - Scarborough Fair-Canticle
11. The Turtles - Outside Chance
12. The Lovin' Spoonful - Summer in the City
13. The Association - Looking Glass (Single Version)
14. The Byrds - Eight Miles High
15. The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)
16. The Doors - Light My Fire
17. The Buckinghams - Don't You Care
18. Mason Williams - Classical Gas
Maybe I should give background: I did radio for Georgetown for 2 years and was a DJ and station Tech Director. Huzzah! So I've been doing shows for a while and when I got to LSE I decided that I wanted to do the radio here too. I applied for a limited slot, the specialist DJs who can play whatever they want. It would be really tough and I didn't think that me hawking the genre of my show would be good enough to get picked up. The genre? The Musicology of US Classic Rock (or at least this is what they morphed it into for "World Wednesdays")
I guess I gave away above what happened (or even in the opening lines) They picked me up for a slot. Hot!
So at the start of my show I was a bit nervous, because well, I didn't know if people would like it because since I was doing the whole story of US rock, I was starting out with some early stuff in 1965 and I thought people would snicker at the fact I was playing oldies. Also I only had a one hour slot instead of two hours like I did at Georgetown so I felt pressed for time. After I slight anxious start, it went off well and surprisingly it seemed like some of the powers that be liked it! Hell I found a hidden Buffalo Springfield fan in our Production Manager and he's trying to convince me to--NO! not giving away the next show!
I would recommend listening to it live because it is a lot of fun. But if you miss it, I can podcast it afterwards using yousendit.com. There are two more shows so listen in! Wednesday the 14th and 21st. It's on at 6-7PM GMT (1-2PM EST for you in the States!)
The podcast link to the first show on the 7th in case you missed it: http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=4C89DBA958E056F8
SPOILER ALERT: don't read ahead if you want to watch the show and be surprised. It is the show song playlist.
November 7th
1. The Beatles - Can't Buy Me Love
2. The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
3. The Kinks - You Really Got Me
4. The Who - My Generation
^^^Excerpted to show what the Americans were up against
5. The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man
6. Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone
7. Paul Revere & The Raiders - Steppin' Out
8. Barry McGuire - Eve Of Destruction
9. Bobby Fuller Four - I Fought The Law
10. Simon & Garfunkel - Scarborough Fair-Canticle
11. The Turtles - Outside Chance
12. The Lovin' Spoonful - Summer in the City
13. The Association - Looking Glass (Single Version)
14. The Byrds - Eight Miles High
15. The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)
16. The Doors - Light My Fire
17. The Buckinghams - Don't You Care
18. Mason Williams - Classical Gas
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Living with People (ie Your Flatmates)
So far, I've really enjoyed living in my flat. A little quiet (rather that than noisy party animals) and everyone is pretty friendly. But you know as the year progresses there are little pet peeves that creep up on you. And this one has to do with our communal kitchen.
So I've been trying to force myself to cook and break the habit of Sainsbury's microwave dinners. (I will prevail, don't worry!) So one day, I am thumbing through my silverware drawer and I notice my spatula is missing. Ashamedly, I only noticed then because I was looking in the drawer and hadn't noticed it because I needed to use it. So I ended up finding it in another drawer, cleaned but obviously used: hmmm....
So I kept on the look out and yesterday I came in to cook a microwave dinner (I swear lamb in a skillet is coming up, I promise!) It was quite the party as half my flat was in there, and I go into the drawer to get a fork, and I notice my spatula and knife are both missing. So I look around and I see that my knife and fork are in a dirty dish pile and I know who has been cooking right then....
I decide to wait and see what happens. The dirty dishes disappear and I go back to my drawer and sure enough, my knife and spatula aren't there. So I look in the drawer of a certain someone and they are there.I obvious take them back.
Now the question is what to do. They must known I am on to them, since I took the stuff back. But I don't want to be a douchebag and bring it up, yet at the same time, aren't they douchebags for not asking me for permission first? What am I going to say "Hey I saw you used my shit without asking me first" "Sorry! Can we use it now?" "Now that you asked, sure!" Yeah, a Catch-22. Any ideas anyone? (As you can see I don't have to deal with this stuff normally)
So I've been trying to force myself to cook and break the habit of Sainsbury's microwave dinners. (I will prevail, don't worry!) So one day, I am thumbing through my silverware drawer and I notice my spatula is missing. Ashamedly, I only noticed then because I was looking in the drawer and hadn't noticed it because I needed to use it. So I ended up finding it in another drawer, cleaned but obviously used: hmmm....
So I kept on the look out and yesterday I came in to cook a microwave dinner (I swear lamb in a skillet is coming up, I promise!) It was quite the party as half my flat was in there, and I go into the drawer to get a fork, and I notice my spatula and knife are both missing. So I look around and I see that my knife and fork are in a dirty dish pile and I know who has been cooking right then....
I decide to wait and see what happens. The dirty dishes disappear and I go back to my drawer and sure enough, my knife and spatula aren't there. So I look in the drawer of a certain someone and they are there.I obvious take them back.
Now the question is what to do. They must known I am on to them, since I took the stuff back. But I don't want to be a douchebag and bring it up, yet at the same time, aren't they douchebags for not asking me for permission first? What am I going to say "Hey I saw you used my shit without asking me first" "Sorry! Can we use it now?" "Now that you asked, sure!" Yeah, a Catch-22. Any ideas anyone? (As you can see I don't have to deal with this stuff normally)
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Quaintness--And the 5th of November!!!
I had another post from November 1st, I'm not sure if this is the place for it, maybe I will post it in the future. You can badger me if it piques your interest...
So yes, I decided to do the day trip to Bath offered subsidized by LSE. I didn't realize it was a two and half-hour drive to Bath from London on the coach. (Britishism!!!) It's actually pretty close to Bristol (15 minutes away), so yeah this was a hike to get there. I had to wake up at 7:20 to get there for our departure. I think that is the earliest I have woken up at LSE and at college ever; also the earliest since Construction this summer (8AM start time for work is not fun...) Anyway! So I get to the International Student House first in the morning which is a ways away by Regent's Park. So I get there and everyone speaks German and everyone is from Westminster University. Guess I'm going it alone this time.
We get on the coach and leave the city on the highway and this is where it gets odd. For the whole trip, everything was blanketed in fog. I've seen thicker fog, but this fog continued on forever and ever and ever. Damn, are the stereotypes correct! So then within a little while of leaving the city limits and being in the English farmland (Jersey cows and sheep everywhere), everyone on the bus simultaneously passes out and goes to sleep. 2 hours later on the outskirts we wake up and our tour guide gives us his spiel.
We walked around town for a bit, seeing the sites and went to the Roman Baths. The water is 46.6 degrees Celsius and this is the only hot natural spring in Britain; also the water of Bath
supposedly has therapeutic powers. The Roman architecture and engineering was impressive as usual. Most of the town is made from this golden limestone called Bath Stone. It's very pretty and gives the impression of Imperial grandeur, Eastern European cities, and Italy. A zoning board keeps strict control over making sure everything is aesthetically pleasing and historically accurate looking.
Finally I got the Fall colours I was looking for. Especially before the fog burnt off in the midday sun, everything seemed perfectly autumnal. All surrounded by foliage and Bath Stone architecture, I walked around watching street performers play Vivaldi's Four Seasons on xylophones, a military ceremony (in preparation for Armistice Day perhaps?), and two men with
torches attempting to extinguish the flame with their groins. Yes you read right: their groins. then I walked around looking at shops and buildings and then asked myself "What does Bath actually do as an industry?" and then I realized it relies on tourism and rich city-goers who own second houses for 700,000 quid.
Quaint indeed.
So we boarded the bus and drove back to London. Obligatorily everyone again passed out in their seats and fell asleep. Little did we realize what would later wake us up as we neared London...
------------------
Ah yes the 5th of November! Guy Fawkes Day! "That V guy blows up that clock-tower-thingy!" (you know who you are! :-P) So little did I know that over here they actually celebrate that Catholic traitor's attempt to blow up the buildings of Parliament. And they celebrate with a shitload of fireworks. Now to warn you first, they are not as impressive visually as the United States' for the 4th of July, however what they lack in size and scale they make up for in random-ass chaos, pandemonium, and ubiquity. Also adding to the chaos was the fact, since November 5th is a weekday, they decided to have the fireworks over the weekend.
But it seems like every municipality and borough decided to have their own little fireworks show and have it whenever the hell they wanted. So you would be walking or driving around and randomly all around you, there would be fireworks. And the town budgets were so small and the shows seemed so short, you couldn't tell which were legit shows and which were drunk guys firing god-knows what off their back porches. Explosions everywhere for two nights straight. It even kept you on your toes: the explosions would stop long enough that you though the shows were over and you lost your guard and then BOOOM! explosion again. It felt like someone was shelling my dorm Saturday night and that mortar fire was raining down around me. I'm in London, not Baghdad right? Also how were these people managing to do so many randomly in the city? Who knows...
So that was my fun weekend (note: my put photos in back posts as they are amusing me)
So yes, I decided to do the day trip to Bath offered subsidized by LSE. I didn't realize it was a two and half-hour drive to Bath from London on the coach. (Britishism!!!) It's actually pretty close to Bristol (15 minutes away), so yeah this was a hike to get there. I had to wake up at 7:20 to get there for our departure. I think that is the earliest I have woken up at LSE and at college ever; also the earliest since Construction this summer (8AM start time for work is not fun...) Anyway! So I get to the International Student House first in the morning which is a ways away by Regent's Park. So I get there and everyone speaks German and everyone is from Westminster University. Guess I'm going it alone this time.
We get on the coach and leave the city on the highway and this is where it gets odd. For the whole trip, everything was blanketed in fog. I've seen thicker fog, but this fog continued on forever and ever and ever. Damn, are the stereotypes correct! So then within a little while of leaving the city limits and being in the English farmland (Jersey cows and sheep everywhere), everyone on the bus simultaneously passes out and goes to sleep. 2 hours later on the outskirts we wake up and our tour guide gives us his spiel.
We walked around town for a bit, seeing the sites and went to the Roman Baths. The water is 46.6 degrees Celsius and this is the only hot natural spring in Britain; also the water of Bath
supposedly has therapeutic powers. The Roman architecture and engineering was impressive as usual. Most of the town is made from this golden limestone called Bath Stone. It's very pretty and gives the impression of Imperial grandeur, Eastern European cities, and Italy. A zoning board keeps strict control over making sure everything is aesthetically pleasing and historically accurate looking.Finally I got the Fall colours I was looking for. Especially before the fog burnt off in the midday sun, everything seemed perfectly autumnal. All surrounded by foliage and Bath Stone architecture, I walked around watching street performers play Vivaldi's Four Seasons on xylophones, a military ceremony (in preparation for Armistice Day perhaps?), and two men with
torches attempting to extinguish the flame with their groins. Yes you read right: their groins. then I walked around looking at shops and buildings and then asked myself "What does Bath actually do as an industry?" and then I realized it relies on tourism and rich city-goers who own second houses for 700,000 quid.Quaint indeed.
So we boarded the bus and drove back to London. Obligatorily everyone again passed out in their seats and fell asleep. Little did we realize what would later wake us up as we neared London...
------------------
Ah yes the 5th of November! Guy Fawkes Day! "That V guy blows up that clock-tower-thingy!" (you know who you are! :-P) So little did I know that over here they actually celebrate that Catholic traitor's attempt to blow up the buildings of Parliament. And they celebrate with a shitload of fireworks. Now to warn you first, they are not as impressive visually as the United States' for the 4th of July, however what they lack in size and scale they make up for in random-ass chaos, pandemonium, and ubiquity. Also adding to the chaos was the fact, since November 5th is a weekday, they decided to have the fireworks over the weekend.
But it seems like every municipality and borough decided to have their own little fireworks show and have it whenever the hell they wanted. So you would be walking or driving around and randomly all around you, there would be fireworks. And the town budgets were so small and the shows seemed so short, you couldn't tell which were legit shows and which were drunk guys firing god-knows what off their back porches. Explosions everywhere for two nights straight. It even kept you on your toes: the explosions would stop long enough that you though the shows were over and you lost your guard and then BOOOM! explosion again. It felt like someone was shelling my dorm Saturday night and that mortar fire was raining down around me. I'm in London, not Baghdad right? Also how were these people managing to do so many randomly in the city? Who knows...
So that was my fun weekend (note: my put photos in back posts as they are amusing me)
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