rain.
mulled wine.
fancy dress parties.
football.
my father.
death eaters.
the weekend.
[week three]
19 November 2009
16 November 2009
road trips and french board games: week eight.
stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey. [fitzhugh mullan]
six weeks left...
daily updates...
10 november 2009. went on a relaxed pub crawl with john. i have been taking a break since i spent last weekend wandering lost or dancing on tables, locked in a dance-off between girls and boys. i didn't go out until nine, i actually did homework when i got back from class. every time i do homework, it reminds me that i am actually studying in a foreign country. you would think that would make me want to do homework more often, but alas, it does not.
i have decided against bungee jumping. it has this side effect called 'uterine displacement'. as i would like my uterus to stay inside my body, i will think of something else to replace it on my list.
11 november 2009. class and homework during the day. at night, another pub crawl, this time with both john and craig. it was a completely uneventful day.
12 november 2009. megan came over to nido, and we drank in john's room a bit. we had blackberry/strawberry smoothies mixed with vodka. it was so good! then we went out to karaoke, at the international students house! these two pictures sum up the night quite accurately.
i had way too many fruity drinks way too quickly, and ended up yelling at steve-not-simon [who was well out of order, i might add] and storming out in a fit of anger. other than that, it was actually a good night. and they played quite well!
14 november 2009. max's friend kim, who is also from the states, hired a car and took us on a roadtrip. so i spent the day revisiting all the places i went to last weekend, but seeing them in a totally different light. last weekend was quite a touristy trip. this weekend wasn't as bad. we went to the pubs, and explored the actual cities. we went to stonehenge, but took the free fence tour this time. then, we went to bath. it was sunny at stonhenge, but pouring in bath. upon arrival, we immediately tried to find a pub to warm up in. because of the rugby match, it took forever! finally, after what felt like hours of searching, we resorted to waiting for someone to give up their table. [which meant staring them down until they left.] emma and john are english, and apparently had never seen someone stare someone else down for a table! they declared it great fun and said they'll start doing it. i felt ashamed that the one thing they learned from me is my american pushiness!
after the trip, we went to a pub on a river in wimbeldon. i tried mulled wine for the first time!
15 november 2009. another road trip! this time, we went to oxford and windsor. i wanted to go punting, but because the river was too high, there were no tours. i'm hoping i'll be able to go punting before i leave, but the season is pretty much over... we wandered around oxford for a bit, and i tried a sunday roast for the first time! on high street in oxford, two groups did the scene from westside story, where the gangs meet in the street and have a dance off. that's something i've always wanted to do, so i was quite jealous! then we went to windsor castle, but max took most of the pictures there. i'll have to get them from him.
the game took absolutely forever, and really brought out the worst in people. melvin and i were the only ones who could understand the game, so we had to translate it constantly. it made me excited to go to paris, but also a bit wary, because i didn't recongize many of the places! we were sat there, playing monopoly, until six in the morning. then john got a mcdonalds breakfast and we walked home.
16 november 2009. i am staying in today, doing the homework i foolishly ignored over the weekend. i might go to pound beers at the rocket, but i seriously doubt it.
weekly highlights:
dates: 10 november-16 november [days 52-58]
sights seen: oxford!
something new: sunday roast. french monopoly. mulled wine. pattern-writing.
somehwere new: oxford and wimbledon.
someone new: countless :) notably, melvin and dan.
new pub/club/restaurant: the pubs in bath and oxford, the slimjim and pizza express in london.
what i love: mulled wine!
what i miss: being home.
what i am not so sure of: christmas spent without family. the amount of money in my bank account.
daily updates...
10 november 2009. went on a relaxed pub crawl with john. i have been taking a break since i spent last weekend wandering lost or dancing on tables, locked in a dance-off between girls and boys. i didn't go out until nine, i actually did homework when i got back from class. every time i do homework, it reminds me that i am actually studying in a foreign country. you would think that would make me want to do homework more often, but alas, it does not.
i have decided against bungee jumping. it has this side effect called 'uterine displacement'. as i would like my uterus to stay inside my body, i will think of something else to replace it on my list.
11 november 2009. class and homework during the day. at night, another pub crawl, this time with both john and craig. it was a completely uneventful day.
12 november 2009. megan came over to nido, and we drank in john's room a bit. we had blackberry/strawberry smoothies mixed with vodka. it was so good! then we went out to karaoke, at the international students house! these two pictures sum up the night quite accurately.
13 november 2009. john went to amsterdam with his roommate, and megan was practicing for her parade. so max, dylan, and i were left to fend for ourselves. my friend james from class had a gig, so we went to see that.
i had way too many fruity drinks way too quickly, and ended up yelling at steve-not-simon [who was well out of order, i might add] and storming out in a fit of anger. other than that, it was actually a good night. and they played quite well!
14 november 2009. max's friend kim, who is also from the states, hired a car and took us on a roadtrip. so i spent the day revisiting all the places i went to last weekend, but seeing them in a totally different light. last weekend was quite a touristy trip. this weekend wasn't as bad. we went to the pubs, and explored the actual cities. we went to stonehenge, but took the free fence tour this time. then, we went to bath. it was sunny at stonhenge, but pouring in bath. upon arrival, we immediately tried to find a pub to warm up in. because of the rugby match, it took forever! finally, after what felt like hours of searching, we resorted to waiting for someone to give up their table. [which meant staring them down until they left.] emma and john are english, and apparently had never seen someone stare someone else down for a table! they declared it great fun and said they'll start doing it. i felt ashamed that the one thing they learned from me is my american pushiness!
after the trip, we went to a pub on a river in wimbeldon. i tried mulled wine for the first time!
15 november 2009. another road trip! this time, we went to oxford and windsor. i wanted to go punting, but because the river was too high, there were no tours. i'm hoping i'll be able to go punting before i leave, but the season is pretty much over... we wandered around oxford for a bit, and i tried a sunday roast for the first time! on high street in oxford, two groups did the scene from westside story, where the gangs meet in the street and have a dance off. that's something i've always wanted to do, so i was quite jealous! then we went to windsor castle, but max took most of the pictures there. i'll have to get them from him.
after we got back, i went to dinner with megan. she had a 2-for-1 coupon to pizza express. it was actually quite good. i enjoyed it. then we met john at the hobgoblin, where we played wii bowling with a couple of guys there, melvin and dan. after the hobgoblin closed, megan went home and john, melvin, dan and i went to some other pubs. we eventually ended up at melvin's flat, where we drank whiskey with coke and played french monolopy. yeah, monopoly in french.
the game took absolutely forever, and really brought out the worst in people. melvin and i were the only ones who could understand the game, so we had to translate it constantly. it made me excited to go to paris, but also a bit wary, because i didn't recongize many of the places! we were sat there, playing monopoly, until six in the morning. then john got a mcdonalds breakfast and we walked home.
16 november 2009. i am staying in today, doing the homework i foolishly ignored over the weekend. i might go to pound beers at the rocket, but i seriously doubt it.
weekly highlights:
dates: 10 november-16 november [days 52-58]
sights seen: oxford!
something new: sunday roast. french monopoly. mulled wine. pattern-writing.
somehwere new: oxford and wimbledon.
someone new: countless :) notably, melvin and dan.
new pub/club/restaurant: the pubs in bath and oxford, the slimjim and pizza express in london.
what i love: mulled wine!
what i miss: being home.
what i am not so sure of: christmas spent without family. the amount of money in my bank account.
12 November 2009
thankful for...
guy fawkes day.
flats above pubs.
peanut butter on waffles with the syrup baked in.
[after this summer, they will always hold a place in my heart.]
autumn ales.
yarn.
wine with friends.
[week two.]
flats above pubs.
peanut butter on waffles with the syrup baked in.
[after this summer, they will always hold a place in my heart.]
autumn ales.
yarn.
wine with friends.
[week two.]
knit pattern: oversized bow headband
a few people have asked me to write up a pattern for my bow headband. i had a spare moment today, so here it is! this simple bow is knit in a tight gauge, so it houses deep creases and holds its shape. the bow is attached to an icord, and can be worn as a headband, bracelet or necklace. or knit the bow by itself and attach it to shirts, hair clips, or whatever else you can think of!materials:
yarn: a small amount of bristol yarn gallery buckingham in black. but any DK weight yarn will do.
needles: US2 / 2.75 mm double pointed needles
gauge: 24 sts / 40 rows = 4 inches in stockinette
tools:
a tapestry or yarn needle
an elastic hair band (for the i cord)
finished measurements:
bow: 4 inches wide, 5 inches long
i cord: 16 inches, plus elastic band.
notes:
i used dk weight yarn, but feel free to use worsted on US3 needles. just be sure to get a tight gauge! if you want to add a hair clip instead of an i-cord, follow the directions exactly. just attach the hair clip instead of an i-cord. i recommend a hair clip that has holes, which can be used to sew it securely on to the bow.
to make the bow:
cast on 24 sts.
row one: knit
row two: slip 1, purl all
row three: slip 1, knit all
repeat rows two and three, working in stockinette stitch and retaining the slipped-stitch selvage, until the piece measures 10 in, or double your desired length.
cast off.
seaming: with wrong side facing, fold the rectangle over at the middle. the right sides of the fabric should be touching each other. pin the edges down, and sew the top and bottom edges together. turn the bow right-side out, and sew the cast-on and cast-off edges together. your rectangle should now be completely seamed together.
how to make the loop:
cast on 7 stitches.
knit in stockinette, with the slipped stitch edge, for four inches (or until the strip will wrap around the middle of the bow to the desired tightness).
do NOT bind off.
how to make the i-cord:
using the long-tail cast on, cast on 4 stitches AROUND one end of the elastic hair band. when you wrap the yarn around the needle, wrap it around the elastic band as well. your elastic band will have to be stretchy enough to fit the skein of yarn through it, otherwise this wont work at all.
once you have cast-on around the elastic band, knit the i-cord. there is a good tutorial here if you don't know how.
knit until i-cord is about four inches shorter than it needs to be, when stretched.
cast off just as you cast on, around the other end of the elastic band. your i-cord should now stretch comfortably around your head, and fit snugly.
take a spare bit of yarn, and wrap it tightly around the center of the bow. make a few loops, tie a knot in the back, and be sure to leave two long tails. the bow should now be pulled together in the center, to measure about 1.5 inches.
wrap the loop around the middle of the bow, being sure to conceal the yarn wraps underneath. place the i-cord in the center of the back, and graft the edges of the loop together around the i-cord.
using the long tails left over from the beginning, tack the bow, the loop and the i-cord together. but do not put the bow right in the center of the i-cord, unless you want the bow to sit on the top of your head!
artfully arrange the creases of the bow, block lightly with a spray bottle, and you're done!
** this applies to my 101 in 1001 list. it is number eighty-three. the pattern is quite unnecessarily detailed, because i am using it to practice writing a real pattern, for a sweater i have designed. if you make it, please please please let me know if there are any problems. i need to learn how to write a coherent pattern. it's harder than i thought!
09 November 2009
101 in 1001 days: learn to needle felt
number twelve.
originally, i was going to take a class, but after looking at workshops, i realized i couldn't afford to spend over hundred dollars to learn something i could teach myself for twenty. so i bought a couple of felting needles and a beginners book. i mean, i've never taken a knitting class either and i've become a decent knitter. following that logic, i can become a decent needle felter as well.
i sat down on my bed and began to work on the first project in the book. it was really fun! a lot more work than i expected, but still really fun. however, when they say foam is essential, they mean it. i did it on my mattress and ended up breaking both my needles. i will have to buy more, since the next step is making beads and birds. yes, i can needle felt a stuffed bird. that is the ultimate goal. but i did start to make a flower today, which due to the breaking of my needles, became more of a dancer.
originally, i was going to take a class, but after looking at workshops, i realized i couldn't afford to spend over hundred dollars to learn something i could teach myself for twenty. so i bought a couple of felting needles and a beginners book. i mean, i've never taken a knitting class either and i've become a decent knitter. following that logic, i can become a decent needle felter as well.
i sat down on my bed and began to work on the first project in the book. it was really fun! a lot more work than i expected, but still really fun. however, when they say foam is essential, they mean it. i did it on my mattress and ended up breaking both my needles. i will have to buy more, since the next step is making beads and birds. yes, i can needle felt a stuffed bird. that is the ultimate goal. but i did start to make a flower today, which due to the breaking of my needles, became more of a dancer.
the roving base, before i felted it. the felted base. it certainly got smaller!
petals!!
after the fourth petal, i broke the needle. i taped the needle bits together, and added the last petal quickly.
then turned it upside down and realized it could also be an abstract pink person dancing!
so there you have it! i learned the basic steps of needle felting! now to make a creature!
fireworks and coach tours: week seven
a person needs a little madness, or else they never dare cut the rope and be free. [nikos kazantzakis]
seven weeks left...
daily updates:
3 november. for the past few weeks, one of my classes has been canceled. finally, the teacher got it together and we had our first real lecture. which was exciting, because the class is the making of britain and is actually quite interesting. that night, there was a football match so we headed to the drum and monkey. we tied 3-3, in one of the most exciting games i have seen yet.
4 november. i went to see a comedy show! john, craig, and i went. we showed up early, but it was still sold out. the comedian said he'd be holding an encore show afterward, so we should come back in two hours. we went to the pub, and when we came back, there was a huge line of people waiting to get in. they were all americans! so the comedian had to change his show and really think on his toes, because he usually just makes fun of english people. but he did pretty well, i laughed! after that, john decided he wanted to pick up chicks so we went to the new pub we had never been to before: the rocket at kings cross. it was quite good, but john didn't succeed.
5 november. guy fawkes day!
during the day, i went to class and did homework. but at night, i celebrated guy fawkes day! we went to a park and watched fireworks. it was really fun! i love fireworks, they hold special meaning for me. after that, we went on a pub crawl in the angel/kings cross are. i love doing that, cause it means i can stay out however late i want and not worry about having to find my way home!
6 november. i woke up motivated. i looked online to try to find a needle felting class. they were all so expensive! i decided it would be better just to teach myself. so i created a list of shops most likely to have felting needles, and went out into the city. eventually i found one shop that did, but they didn't have any foam! so i decided to use a towel. long story short, i ended up breaking both my felting needles so i only partially learned how to needle felt. i'll blog about it later!
after the disaster that was needle felting, i met up with megan for two-for-one cocktails at our uni bar. but we got there five minutes after the promotion ended! so we just had ciders. it was just the two of us, rather than a group of twelve, so more people spoke to us. one boy decided he was absolutely in love with megan and wouldn't believe she has a boyfriend.
7 november. i went on a bus tour with my roommate. we went to stonehenge, bath and windsor castle. to my complete surprise, i wasn't hungover and actually enjoyed the tour! i loved being on the coach, and i really loved stonehenge. it was amazing to see such large stones, made so long ago. the tour started at nine, and we didn't get back until eight. here are pictures!
windsor:
then i went to the hobgoblin with my roommate. to our surprise, boxing was on so we decided to stay and watch my first ever boxing match. it turned out to be quite a big deal. it was the match that decided the worlds heavyweight champion. it was between david haye and 'goliath' [nikolai something]. the nikolai guy was a beast, he was over seven feet tall and weighed at least 23 stone. david haye didn't even stand at his shoulder. but somehow he won, through points, not a knock out. it was really interesting to watch, but i'm not sure it's the sport for me. john came and my roommate left. we ended up closing the place down.
8 november. i slept until two, trying to recuperate some of my sleep losses. at three, megan, jessey, john and i headed to the drum and monkey to watch the united v chelsea match. it was a really big match, and the place was completely packed. there were mixed feelings in the air, because chelsea has had a much better season than we have. the moscow game on tuesday showed how horrible our defense is, so many thought we wouldn't be able to pull it off against chealsea. but we played superbly. our team was completely together, we had possession most of the game, and had many attempts at scoring. in a very disappointing blow, the ref made a horrible call and gave chelsea a free kick, resulting in the only goal of the game. so they won one to zero, but it should have been a draw. after the game, the owner gave me his season ticket to use for the everton game on the 21st!! so i'll get to see them play in person!
after the game, megan and i went to the hobgoblin. john met us there later. there was a christening party, so everyone was pissed and dancing. we stayed so much longer than we thought would. megan had said she wanted to be home by eleven, but before we knew it, it was half past one and the tubes were closed! when the pub closed, john walked her to the bus stop and i decided to stay and hang out with some of the bartenders. they all live above the bar, so we just walked up the stairs and talked and continued to drink for a couple more hours. it felt very authentic!
9 november. the weekend had taken all my energy and left me exhausted, so i took a much needed break. i didn't even go to pound beers. i spent monday inside my room, doing homework and planning trips. i also figured out my student oyster card, which involved being on the phone for literally an hour and a half. but for the remaining mondays, i think i should start going on day trips. otherwise, i wont end up seeing half of what i came here planning to see. i just had no idea i would prefer spending my weekends in the city, rather than traveling!
weekly highlights.
dates: 3 november - 9 november [days 44-51]
sights seen: stonehenge, windsor and bath!
something new: needle felting!
someone new: countless still!
somewhere new: windsor and bath
new pub/club/restaurant: leicester arms
what i love: needle felting. guy fawkes day. losing myself in the city.
what i miss: my mother. desperately.
what i'm not so sure about: i am quite unsure about converting pounds into dollars. it's really causing problems.
all in all, this was a really great week. last week i realized i was disappointingly settling into a routine. i think i broke that routine this week! this week was definitely one of the best i had. i feel like i say that every week though...
seven weeks left...
daily updates:
3 november. for the past few weeks, one of my classes has been canceled. finally, the teacher got it together and we had our first real lecture. which was exciting, because the class is the making of britain and is actually quite interesting. that night, there was a football match so we headed to the drum and monkey. we tied 3-3, in one of the most exciting games i have seen yet.
4 november. i went to see a comedy show! john, craig, and i went. we showed up early, but it was still sold out. the comedian said he'd be holding an encore show afterward, so we should come back in two hours. we went to the pub, and when we came back, there was a huge line of people waiting to get in. they were all americans! so the comedian had to change his show and really think on his toes, because he usually just makes fun of english people. but he did pretty well, i laughed! after that, john decided he wanted to pick up chicks so we went to the new pub we had never been to before: the rocket at kings cross. it was quite good, but john didn't succeed.
5 november. guy fawkes day!
during the day, i went to class and did homework. but at night, i celebrated guy fawkes day! we went to a park and watched fireworks. it was really fun! i love fireworks, they hold special meaning for me. after that, we went on a pub crawl in the angel/kings cross are. i love doing that, cause it means i can stay out however late i want and not worry about having to find my way home!
6 november. i woke up motivated. i looked online to try to find a needle felting class. they were all so expensive! i decided it would be better just to teach myself. so i created a list of shops most likely to have felting needles, and went out into the city. eventually i found one shop that did, but they didn't have any foam! so i decided to use a towel. long story short, i ended up breaking both my felting needles so i only partially learned how to needle felt. i'll blog about it later!
after the disaster that was needle felting, i met up with megan for two-for-one cocktails at our uni bar. but we got there five minutes after the promotion ended! so we just had ciders. it was just the two of us, rather than a group of twelve, so more people spoke to us. one boy decided he was absolutely in love with megan and wouldn't believe she has a boyfriend.
7 november. i went on a bus tour with my roommate. we went to stonehenge, bath and windsor castle. to my complete surprise, i wasn't hungover and actually enjoyed the tour! i loved being on the coach, and i really loved stonehenge. it was amazing to see such large stones, made so long ago. the tour started at nine, and we didn't get back until eight. here are pictures!
windsor:
stonehenge:
bath:
then i went to the hobgoblin with my roommate. to our surprise, boxing was on so we decided to stay and watch my first ever boxing match. it turned out to be quite a big deal. it was the match that decided the worlds heavyweight champion. it was between david haye and 'goliath' [nikolai something]. the nikolai guy was a beast, he was over seven feet tall and weighed at least 23 stone. david haye didn't even stand at his shoulder. but somehow he won, through points, not a knock out. it was really interesting to watch, but i'm not sure it's the sport for me. john came and my roommate left. we ended up closing the place down.
8 november. i slept until two, trying to recuperate some of my sleep losses. at three, megan, jessey, john and i headed to the drum and monkey to watch the united v chelsea match. it was a really big match, and the place was completely packed. there were mixed feelings in the air, because chelsea has had a much better season than we have. the moscow game on tuesday showed how horrible our defense is, so many thought we wouldn't be able to pull it off against chealsea. but we played superbly. our team was completely together, we had possession most of the game, and had many attempts at scoring. in a very disappointing blow, the ref made a horrible call and gave chelsea a free kick, resulting in the only goal of the game. so they won one to zero, but it should have been a draw. after the game, the owner gave me his season ticket to use for the everton game on the 21st!! so i'll get to see them play in person!
after the game, megan and i went to the hobgoblin. john met us there later. there was a christening party, so everyone was pissed and dancing. we stayed so much longer than we thought would. megan had said she wanted to be home by eleven, but before we knew it, it was half past one and the tubes were closed! when the pub closed, john walked her to the bus stop and i decided to stay and hang out with some of the bartenders. they all live above the bar, so we just walked up the stairs and talked and continued to drink for a couple more hours. it felt very authentic!
9 november. the weekend had taken all my energy and left me exhausted, so i took a much needed break. i didn't even go to pound beers. i spent monday inside my room, doing homework and planning trips. i also figured out my student oyster card, which involved being on the phone for literally an hour and a half. but for the remaining mondays, i think i should start going on day trips. otherwise, i wont end up seeing half of what i came here planning to see. i just had no idea i would prefer spending my weekends in the city, rather than traveling!
weekly highlights.
dates: 3 november - 9 november [days 44-51]
sights seen: stonehenge, windsor and bath!
something new: needle felting!
someone new: countless still!
somewhere new: windsor and bath
new pub/club/restaurant: leicester arms
what i love: needle felting. guy fawkes day. losing myself in the city.
what i miss: my mother. desperately.
what i'm not so sure about: i am quite unsure about converting pounds into dollars. it's really causing problems.
all in all, this was a really great week. last week i realized i was disappointingly settling into a routine. i think i broke that routine this week! this week was definitely one of the best i had. i feel like i say that every week though...
05 November 2009
thankful for...
the unbelievable opportunities that i have been given.
healthy baby boys.
cider.
cold weather.
the arrival of something yearned for.
new friends and new adventures.
[week one]
healthy baby boys.
cider.
cold weather.
the arrival of something yearned for.
new friends and new adventures.
[week one]
additions and adjustments: week six
wherever you go, go with all your heart. [confucius.]
eight weeks left...
daily updates.
27 october. there was a manchester united match, so we went to the drum and monkey. my friends decided to pregame first, and against my better judgement, i decided to partake. of course, i did what i always do: i got really sleepy and fell asleep. only this time i was in the pub, during the match. but it was a great game, and we needed that after the huge disappointment that was the liverpool match last sunday. which i will not be discussing.
28 october. wednesday was 'strongbow halloween' at the rocket. i dressed up, and so did my roommate. john is the scrooge of halloween so he did not. it was fun at times, but also a little lame. not very many people dressed up, but the drinks were a pound. megan decided she was too tired to come, since she had been working. after that, john said he was hungry and wanted to go to the hob. we got there and it was closed, so john went back to nido and i met up with steve-not-simon.
29 october. megan and i decided to go out to dinner, and john came as well. we went to nandos, which is so cheap and so good!! i'm going to be eating there so much more often. basically, you order a chicken and they spice it to your liking. they also have a variety of sides. all for under ten pounds. after that, we went to the hobgoblin for a bit. then we met craig at waxy o'connors, the pub with a tree growing in it. we stayed there for a few hours, even though the drinks were a tad expensive. john is on the pull, so we were trying to help him find a girl. it didn't go too well...
in the biggest of news, my nephew was born that day!!
30 october. an amazing day!!! i went to thorpe park with megan. i spent the day queuing, and riding roller coasters. we ate and played games in the queues, so they weren't so bad. the best part of the day was after four o'clock, when fright night started. there were scary mazes, my favorite part of halloween. there were four in general, each progressively scarier. i absolutely loved them! the actors here were allowed to touch you! so they could jump out and grab you, pull you back, steal your shoes, and play with your hair. or even tickle you. it was so scary and so funny all at the same time. we stayed in the back of the line, because the actors mess with you more. we didn't think we'd have enough time, but we were able to see all four mazes and go on all the rides we wanted. we left london at nine in the morning, and didn't get back until eleven thirty at night. i went home and just fell asleep, i was so exhausted. but it was a good day!
31 october. i forgot it was halloween! because of thorpe park, it felt like halloween had been the day before. so i stayed in and knitted a sock. i started the first one on the trip to wales, and am already finished. i'm a bit worried i won't have enough yarn... that night, there was another manchester united match, so we went to the drum and monkey again. i stayed awake the whole game and we won 2-0. after the match, the owner invited john to a game of pool. john played well, but niall was so much better. he then played me! but he went easier on me, allowing me to move the balls to get a better shot and showing me how to hold my hands and make a 'bridge'. it was quite fun! he also gave us mancheter united memorabilia, a pin from the european world cup against chelsea. after the d&m, we went to to the hobgoblin. it was so busy! it wasn't until i got there that i remembered it was halloween. imagine my shcok when i walked in and everyone was in costume! we stayed there until we got hungry, got indian food, and went back to nido. i went back to my room and watched green street hooligans. i'm starting to think that by the time i'm done here, i'm going to be sick of football.
1 november. john and i started drinking early. we got a pizza, and watched futurama on his computer. then we met up with dylan and went to the hobgoblin again. we met some americans there, and went to the lexington with them. it turned out they were quite weird, so we left and went back to nido. i did some cleaning before my roommate returned from her trip, and then fell asleep.
2 november. during the day, i went grocery shopping and wrote my 101 in 1001 list. i have a feeling it might change... i know some of my goals are a little unrealistic and there is no way i can accomplish all those things in just under three years. the whole point is to try. i'll be ecstatic if i do half of them!
that night, it was back to the rocket for pound beers. i am settling into a routine. that thought is rather unsettling. i am going to have to push myself to start going new places and meeting new people again. i noticed the other that day that i've started staying in my little group. from now on, i am making more of an effort. at the same time, how lucky am i that i have a group in london??
weekly highlights:
dates: 27 october - 2 november
sights seen: thorpe park!
somewhere new: thorpe park in staines
something new: british pool. [believe me, it's a totally different game.]
someone new: countless still! :)
what i love: roller coasters. pear cider. pound pizza.
what i miss: my nephew!
what i'm not so sure of: crossing the roads. it's hard to figure out which side the cars will come from!
eight weeks left...
daily updates.
27 october. there was a manchester united match, so we went to the drum and monkey. my friends decided to pregame first, and against my better judgement, i decided to partake. of course, i did what i always do: i got really sleepy and fell asleep. only this time i was in the pub, during the match. but it was a great game, and we needed that after the huge disappointment that was the liverpool match last sunday. which i will not be discussing.
28 october. wednesday was 'strongbow halloween' at the rocket. i dressed up, and so did my roommate. john is the scrooge of halloween so he did not. it was fun at times, but also a little lame. not very many people dressed up, but the drinks were a pound. megan decided she was too tired to come, since she had been working. after that, john said he was hungry and wanted to go to the hob. we got there and it was closed, so john went back to nido and i met up with steve-not-simon.
29 october. megan and i decided to go out to dinner, and john came as well. we went to nandos, which is so cheap and so good!! i'm going to be eating there so much more often. basically, you order a chicken and they spice it to your liking. they also have a variety of sides. all for under ten pounds. after that, we went to the hobgoblin for a bit. then we met craig at waxy o'connors, the pub with a tree growing in it. we stayed there for a few hours, even though the drinks were a tad expensive. john is on the pull, so we were trying to help him find a girl. it didn't go too well...
in the biggest of news, my nephew was born that day!!
30 october. an amazing day!!! i went to thorpe park with megan. i spent the day queuing, and riding roller coasters. we ate and played games in the queues, so they weren't so bad. the best part of the day was after four o'clock, when fright night started. there were scary mazes, my favorite part of halloween. there were four in general, each progressively scarier. i absolutely loved them! the actors here were allowed to touch you! so they could jump out and grab you, pull you back, steal your shoes, and play with your hair. or even tickle you. it was so scary and so funny all at the same time. we stayed in the back of the line, because the actors mess with you more. we didn't think we'd have enough time, but we were able to see all four mazes and go on all the rides we wanted. we left london at nine in the morning, and didn't get back until eleven thirty at night. i went home and just fell asleep, i was so exhausted. but it was a good day!
31 october. i forgot it was halloween! because of thorpe park, it felt like halloween had been the day before. so i stayed in and knitted a sock. i started the first one on the trip to wales, and am already finished. i'm a bit worried i won't have enough yarn... that night, there was another manchester united match, so we went to the drum and monkey again. i stayed awake the whole game and we won 2-0. after the match, the owner invited john to a game of pool. john played well, but niall was so much better. he then played me! but he went easier on me, allowing me to move the balls to get a better shot and showing me how to hold my hands and make a 'bridge'. it was quite fun! he also gave us mancheter united memorabilia, a pin from the european world cup against chelsea. after the d&m, we went to to the hobgoblin. it was so busy! it wasn't until i got there that i remembered it was halloween. imagine my shcok when i walked in and everyone was in costume! we stayed there until we got hungry, got indian food, and went back to nido. i went back to my room and watched green street hooligans. i'm starting to think that by the time i'm done here, i'm going to be sick of football.
1 november. john and i started drinking early. we got a pizza, and watched futurama on his computer. then we met up with dylan and went to the hobgoblin again. we met some americans there, and went to the lexington with them. it turned out they were quite weird, so we left and went back to nido. i did some cleaning before my roommate returned from her trip, and then fell asleep.
2 november. during the day, i went grocery shopping and wrote my 101 in 1001 list. i have a feeling it might change... i know some of my goals are a little unrealistic and there is no way i can accomplish all those things in just under three years. the whole point is to try. i'll be ecstatic if i do half of them!
that night, it was back to the rocket for pound beers. i am settling into a routine. that thought is rather unsettling. i am going to have to push myself to start going new places and meeting new people again. i noticed the other that day that i've started staying in my little group. from now on, i am making more of an effort. at the same time, how lucky am i that i have a group in london??
weekly highlights:
dates: 27 october - 2 november
sights seen: thorpe park!
somewhere new: thorpe park in staines
something new: british pool. [believe me, it's a totally different game.]
someone new: countless still! :)
what i love: roller coasters. pear cider. pound pizza.
what i miss: my nephew!
what i'm not so sure of: crossing the roads. it's hard to figure out which side the cars will come from!
02 November 2009
101 in 1001 days.
as i have mentioned before, in 2007, i began the pursuit of my yellow bird. to organize this search, i made a list of goals and activities that i thought would help me find it. i was also diagnosed with gp in that time which, although now has settled down considerably, still scared me enough at the time into making my search a form of a bucket list as well.
this yellow bird/bucket list has been stored in my phone for two years now. i have barely accomplished any of it. a month ago, when i first decided to start blogging regularly, it occurred to me that i should post it online. i felt that saying them out loud might compel me to achieve them.
then, my sister posted her 101 in 1001 days list. the idea started brewing around in my head and i decided to turn my list into that. i started a draft, then promptly got distracted. yesterday, another blogger also posted her 101 in 1001 days list and i decided i needed to stop slacking and just finish it. so, i give you both the original, unedited version from 2007 and the revised one from 2009.
the 101 in 1001 days revised version.
i am not following very many guidelines or rules. my tasks are personal, some of them quite vague and abstract, but i feel they must be done and counted. the purpose of this list is to give me a deadline, and thus an incentive, to actually accomplish these things. i am starting this retroactively, on the day i left for europe. i will try to update this as frequently as possible, and to post for each individual task accomplished.
italics are for tasks currently in progress, and strikethrough is for completed tasks.
start: 21 september 2009 ........... end: 18 june 2012.
PERSONAL. [25]
1. be free.
2. knit a pinata.
3. write a full story.
4. do something new, meet someone new, or go somewhere new every week for a year. (8/52)
5. take a drawing class.
6. take a cooking class.
7. take a baking class.
8. take all levels of wilton cake decorating classes. (1/3)
9. take a martial arts class.
10. learn drop spindle spinning.
11. learn how to weave on a loom.
12.learn how to needle felt.
13. learn how to blow glass.
14. learn how to drive comfortably.
15. conquer my fear of water. (see goals 26 through 32)
16. learn to read music and play piano comfortably.
17. become fluent in french.
18. learn guitar theory.
19. get le petit prince tattoo.
20. write a page every day for ninety days. (0/90)
21. take a picture every day for ninety days. (0/90)
22. finish one knitting project a month for a year. (2/12)
23. read the top hundred books. (0/100)
24. watch the top hundred movies. (0/100)
25. participate in operation beautiful thirty times. (0/30)
ADVENTURES. [15]
26. go snowboarding.
27.go surfing.
28. go snorkeling.
29. go scuba diving.
30. go water skiing.
31. go parasailing.
32. go jet skiing.
33.go cliff diving.
34. go sky diving.
35. go base jumping.
36. go bungee jumping.
37. go four wheeling on an atv.
38. go sandboarding.
39. ride a mechanical bull.
40. go punting.
BLOG. [3]
41. post details about every week for a year. (8/52)
42. post what i am thankful for every week for a year. (2/52)
43. post about every completed goal. (4/101)
EDUCATION. [7]
44. get my bachelors.
45. begin to get my masters.
46. study abroad in london.
47. study abroad in paris.
48. intern in an art museum.
49. intern in a history museum.
50. work or volunteer at an art gallery.
TRAVEL. [22]
51. see every state. (32/50)
52. visit canada.
53. visit mexico.
54. see all of western europe, excluding iceland. (1/15)
-countries included in western europe: austria, belgium, denmark, finland, france, germany, great britain, greece, italy, luxembourg, netherlands, norway, portugal, spain, and switzerland.
55. see all of the united kingdom. (2/4)
-countries included in great britain: england, wales, northern ireland, and scotland.
56. see the republic of ireland.
57. see the czech republic.
58. see turkey.
59. see morrocco.
60. see egypt.
61. see australia.
62. see the northern lights
63. see one of the seven wonders of the new world.
64. see one of the seven wonders of the natural world, excluding the grand canyon.
65. visit every person dad has suggested i visit. (0/4)
66.visit a foreign country.
67.live in a foreign country.
68.study in a foreign country.
69. teach in a foreign country.
70. volunteer in a foreign country.
71. work in a foreign country.
FOOD & DRINK. [6]
72. empty my stomach once a month. (0/131)
73. try a new restaurant once a week for three months. (6/12)
74. try a new pub/bar/club once a week for a year. (6/52)
75. stomp grapes to make wine.
76. go wine tasting at ten different places. (0/10)
77. eat food or drink a beverage native to every country visited.
COMMUNICATION. [5]
78. email my parents once a week for a year. (8/52)
79. skype with my parents once a week for a year. (8/52)
80. keep in touch with friends in america once a month for a year (2/12).
81. create a facebook.
82. send postcards home from every country visited, excluding wales.
KNITTING. [16]
83.write up a pattern.
84. become published [in five steps]. (0/5)
one: design a sweater
two: knit my own sweater.
three: write up the pattern
four: get test knitters
five: submit finished pattern for publication.
85. start and finish five projects from my ravelry queue. (0/5)
86. knit a lace shawl.
87. have a project on ravelry rank in the top twenty projects.
88. have a project on ravelry reach 1000 favorites. (1000/1000)
89. work at a yarn store.
90. teach a knitting class.
91. knit something with my own hand-spun yarn.
92. learn a new technique every month for a year. (0/12)
93. attend a knitting club every week for three months. (0/12)
94. complete a sock swap.
95. design my own cable chart.
96. design my own colorwork/fair isle chart.
97. set up, and keep stocked, an etsy store and farmers market booth for one holiday season. (0/1)
98. knit christmas presents for ten friends/family members, and send them back to the states. (0/10)
OTHER. [4]
98. go home once a year. (0/3)
99. manage my gastroparesis and weight.
100. find my yellow bird.
101. learn to love again.
well, there it is. hopefully i'll achieve all these things by 2012. it consists mainly of travel and knitting, and i'm not really surprised.
.......
original.
find my yellow bird. throw a pot.paint a picture. write a full story. knit a pinata. be free.
EDUCATION.
go back to school.finish out my first semester back. finish out my first year back. earn straight a's. get my bachelors. get my masters. get my doctorates. study abroad in london. study abroad in paris. intern in an art gallery or museum. become fluent in a foreign language. take a martial arts class. take a digital photography class. take a manual photography class. take a ceramics class. take a drawing class. take a cooking class. take a baking class. finish wilton cake decorating school.
ACTIONS.
Do something new, go somewhere new, or meet someone new every week for a year. learn to drive.learn how to ride a bicycle. ride a tandem bicycle. ride a motorcycle. ride a mechanical bull. ride a jet ski. learn to ski. learn to snowboard. learn to swim. learn to surf. learn to scuba dive.learn to water ski. go snorkeling. learn to read music on the piano. learn guitar theory. go cliff diving. go sky diving. go base jumping. go dune surfing. go four wheeling. go parasailing. get a tattoo. read the top hundred books. watch the top hundred horror movies. watch the top hundred movies.
TRAVEL.
visit every state. visit mexico and canada.fly across an ocean. england. wales. ireland. scotland. france.amsterdam. brussels. germany. prague.italy. spain. greece. switzerland. austria. turkey. morrocco. egypt. visit a foreign country. study in a foreign country. live in a foreign country. teach in a foreign country. volunteer in a foreign country. volunteer in a russian orphanage.
this yellow bird/bucket list has been stored in my phone for two years now. i have barely accomplished any of it. a month ago, when i first decided to start blogging regularly, it occurred to me that i should post it online. i felt that saying them out loud might compel me to achieve them.
then, my sister posted her 101 in 1001 days list. the idea started brewing around in my head and i decided to turn my list into that. i started a draft, then promptly got distracted. yesterday, another blogger also posted her 101 in 1001 days list and i decided i needed to stop slacking and just finish it. so, i give you both the original, unedited version from 2007 and the revised one from 2009.
the 101 in 1001 days revised version.
i am not following very many guidelines or rules. my tasks are personal, some of them quite vague and abstract, but i feel they must be done and counted. the purpose of this list is to give me a deadline, and thus an incentive, to actually accomplish these things. i am starting this retroactively, on the day i left for europe. i will try to update this as frequently as possible, and to post for each individual task accomplished.
italics are for tasks currently in progress, and strikethrough is for completed tasks.
start: 21 september 2009 ........... end: 18 june 2012.
PERSONAL. [25]
1. be free.
2. knit a pinata.
3. write a full story.
4. do something new, meet someone new, or go somewhere new every week for a year. (8/52)
5. take a drawing class.
6. take a cooking class.
7. take a baking class.
8. take all levels of wilton cake decorating classes. (1/3)
9. take a martial arts class.
10. learn drop spindle spinning.
11. learn how to weave on a loom.
12.
13. learn how to blow glass.
14. learn how to drive comfortably.
15. conquer my fear of water. (see goals 26 through 32)
16. learn to read music and play piano comfortably.
17. become fluent in french.
18. learn guitar theory.
19. get le petit prince tattoo.
20. write a page every day for ninety days. (0/90)
21. take a picture every day for ninety days. (0/90)
22. finish one knitting project a month for a year. (2/12)
23. read the top hundred books. (0/100)
24. watch the top hundred movies. (0/100)
25. participate in operation beautiful thirty times. (0/30)
ADVENTURES. [15]
26. go snowboarding.
27.
28. go snorkeling.
29. go scuba diving.
30. go water skiing.
31. go parasailing.
32. go jet skiing.
33.
34. go sky diving.
35. go base jumping.
36. go bungee jumping.
37. go four wheeling on an atv.
38. go sandboarding.
39. ride a mechanical bull.
40. go punting.
BLOG. [3]
41. post details about every week for a year. (8/52)
42. post what i am thankful for every week for a year. (2/52)
43. post about every completed goal. (4/101)
EDUCATION. [7]
44. get my bachelors.
45. begin to get my masters.
46. study abroad in london.
47. study abroad in paris.
48. intern in an art museum.
49. intern in a history museum.
50. work or volunteer at an art gallery.
TRAVEL. [22]
51. see every state. (32/50)
52. visit canada.
53. visit mexico.
54. see all of western europe, excluding iceland. (1/15)
-countries included in western europe: austria, belgium, denmark, finland, france, germany, great britain, greece, italy, luxembourg, netherlands, norway, portugal, spain, and switzerland.
55. see all of the united kingdom. (2/4)
-countries included in great britain: england, wales, northern ireland, and scotland.
56. see the republic of ireland.
57. see the czech republic.
58. see turkey.
59. see morrocco.
60. see egypt.
61. see australia.
62. see the northern lights
63. see one of the seven wonders of the new world.
64. see one of the seven wonders of the natural world, excluding the grand canyon.
65. visit every person dad has suggested i visit. (0/4)
66.
67.
68.
69. teach in a foreign country.
70. volunteer in a foreign country.
71. work in a foreign country.
FOOD & DRINK. [6]
72. empty my stomach once a month. (0/131)
73. try a new restaurant once a week for three months. (6/12)
74. try a new pub/bar/club once a week for a year. (6/52)
75. stomp grapes to make wine.
76. go wine tasting at ten different places. (0/10)
77. eat food or drink a beverage native to every country visited.
COMMUNICATION. [5]
78. email my parents once a week for a year. (8/52)
79. skype with my parents once a week for a year. (8/52)
80. keep in touch with friends in america once a month for a year (2/12).
81. create a facebook.
82. send postcards home from every country visited, excluding wales.
KNITTING. [16]
83.
84. become published [in five steps]. (0/5)
one: design a sweater
two: knit my own sweater.
three: write up the pattern
four: get test knitters
five: submit finished pattern for publication.
85. start and finish five projects from my ravelry queue. (0/5)
86. knit a lace shawl.
87. have a project on ravelry rank in the top twenty projects.
88.
89. work at a yarn store.
90. teach a knitting class.
91. knit something with my own hand-spun yarn.
92. learn a new technique every month for a year. (0/12)
93. attend a knitting club every week for three months. (0/12)
94. complete a sock swap.
95. design my own cable chart.
96. design my own colorwork/fair isle chart.
97. set up, and keep stocked, an etsy store and farmers market booth for one holiday season. (0/1)
98. knit christmas presents for ten friends/family members, and send them back to the states. (0/10)
OTHER. [4]
98. go home once a year. (0/3)
99. manage my gastroparesis and weight.
100. find my yellow bird.
101. learn to love again.
well, there it is. hopefully i'll achieve all these things by 2012. it consists mainly of travel and knitting, and i'm not really surprised.
.......
original.
find my yellow bird.
EDUCATION.
ACTIONS.
Do something new, go somewhere new, or meet someone new every week for a year. learn to drive.
TRAVEL.
visit every state. visit mexico and canada.
29 October 2009
the movement of a train and a month abroad: week five
the great affair is to move. [robert louis stevenson]
nine weeks left...
daily updates:
20 october: my making of britain class was canceled again. we haven't had a full class all term, i must wonder what is going on in my professor's life that he can't teach us. but with that extra time, miranda, a girl from class, and myself went to hyde park to see the peter pan statue. hyde park is so pretty! i cannot wait to see it once all the leaves have changed. because i was bored, miranda and i started pregaming around nido at five. john, craig, max and dylan came over and we all played kings in the cafe. it was fun, and it reminded me of home. afterwards, max, miranda, dylan and myself all went to find the gay clubs. it didn't work, we couldn't find many, and those we did find we're closed. we ended up just barely making it back on the tube. we were on the last train!
21 october: it's officially been one month since i left america! i can't believe it, the time has gone by so quickly. i am utterly shocked by the fact that i'm not home sick at all. it's a little weird actually, but after the first day here, i haven't had any regrets or even the tiniest pang or wish to return home. in fact, the only time i get sad is when i think of how fast the time is going and how little of it i have left. i really need to make the most of my remaining time here.
i finally got my debit card working! so, megan and i went grocery shopping. i bought a basket's worth of food, probably enough for two weeks. my total was only thirteen pounds! grocery shopping is so cheap here. i need to stop eating out, and start eating in.
i went to watch the united v moscow match that night. we won, of course, one to nil. we went to the drum and monkey again. we met the owner this time, he came up to us and asked if we were the americans he'd been told about. we spoke to him for a while. well, john spoke to him. i just smiled and nodded along. at the end of the match, when it was time to settle the tab, we realized my card wouldn't work cause there is no chip in it. so he told us to just settle it sunday, when we come for the united v liverpool match. i couldn't believe it! talk about trust. i might still be in wales, but john says he's definitely going. after the match, we met craig at the hobgoblin to watch the chelsea match. i ate so much, i ate a pizza and indian food. both things are delicious here. kat and miranda met us there. i was so excited to see kat, after her weekend in spain. so, we just went back to nido and swapped stories.
when i got back, i bought tickets to the fright nights at thorpe park! soon, megan and i will buy our rail tickets. we're going the day before halloween, and it's going to be amazing. i'm hoping to get there right when the park opens, and spend all day riding the roller coasters. then at night, we'll go on the saw ride and explore the terrifying mazes and haunted houses. i literally cannot wait. halloween is my favorite holiday and i was afraid i wouldn't be able to get scared this year. however, i still need a csostume...
i also bought train tickets to manchester yesterday. 21 november, john and i are going to watch the united match. i'll actually be able to see them play in person! i'm definitely going to have to learn more about them before i go.
22 october: i missed french class in the morning. i was going to switch into a lower level, but i messed up the times and ended up not going to either levels. so, i met kat, max and linsdey at oxford street and went shopping. i bought a leather jacket, which i've been wanting for years. i have the confidence to pull it off here! and i bought some trainers for the wales trip. thursday night is student nightat seOne, london's largest nightclub. so megan and i decided to check it out. boy did that night have problems! my debit card still wont work at atms, but it will work in stores. so megan said she'd pay my cover and id just buy the first few rounds of drinks. great idea yeah? no. turns out they only take cards with a minimum order of 17 pounds 50! not willing to pay that much, we bought re-entry so we could get to an atm. yes, you have to buy re-entry there! we got to the atm, and my card still wouldn't work. so we went back in, rechecked our coats, and realized that megan was now out of cash. so i sucked it up and bought five double vodka shots+mixers. five! we ended up getting really drunk and having a great night. we met a couple of people there, specifically a boy named matz. and we took the night buses home. i'm always so proud of myself whenever i do that.
23 october: the first day of my trip to wales! my roommate and i met two strangers at the train station. turns out their names are geri and ally and they were going to the same preseli venture tour as we were. so we bought our train tickets and a reduced group rate. we got into haverfordwest, wales about three hours before the bus that would take us to preseli was scheduled to come. so we went to a local pub and kicked back a few beers, and played darts. after a while, the bus came and picked us up. we got to preseli, ate and hung out at their bar for the night. the drinks were cheap, but i swear to god they were watered down. i didn't get drunk the entire weekend, regardless of how much i drank. until i started drinking the prebottled ciders.
there was a huge group of americans on the adventure, and one british couple. there was devin and myself, geri and ally, then about thirty other american students who were all from the same program and knew each other before.
24 october: we woke up early and went on a coastal hike. it was absolutely amazing, and quite easy. but it was seven miles! they dropped us off on one end, gave us a map, and said be back to preseli by one. it worked out though, and i really enjoyed it! when we got back, we ate lunch and went surfing! i had to wear a full body wetsuit, boots and gloves. but once in the water, i couldn't feel it at all. for the first couple hours, i could only get to balance on my knees. but, by the end, i had stood up fully twice! on a real board, not a long board!! it was my first time surfing and i absoultely loved it. i will be going again. after surfing, we went back to preseli for dinner and drinks. the canadian bartender, max, lit a bonfire so we all huddled outside around it. then we went for a moonlit wal to the beach. it was absolutley gorgeous, it was a pebble beach, not a sand beach. the waves were so loud, and the sky was full of shooting stars. it inspired much introspection, which will be written about in another post. i went back and fell asleep in my comfy top bunk.
25 october: this was the day i was dreading. i had woke up every few hours, from nightmares of drowning and losing my teeth. not many people know this about me, but i am not a strong swimmer. i'm barely a swimmer, even in the loose sense of the word. before surfing, i had never been further in the ocean than past my belly button. i have doggy paddled in lakes when i went cliff diving before, but that is very different than being in an ocean.
so imagine my trepidation at going coasteering. i signed up for it before i knew what it was. just for clarification, i have included the definition:
Coasteering is a physical activity that encompasses movement along the intertidal zone of a rocky coastline on foot or by swimming, without the aid of boats, surf boards or other craft. It is difficult to define the precise boundaries between, for example, rockpooling and ocean swimming. Coasteering may include all or some of the following:
hmmm... now does that sound like something a poor swimmer should do? i had asked steve-not-simon, who is a lifeguard, about coasteering and he had suggested i just not go. but i was determined.
so i lied, signed my waiver, and told the preseli venture tour administration i was a strong, ocean-confident swimmer. i didn't mention my fears to anyone, i bottled them up. i got up in the morning, pulled on my wetsuit, and sat shaking in the van on the ride to the beach. i walked down the steep path to the shore, lagging behind the rest of the group. the path ended at a deep, turquoise lake with still waves and high steep cliff walls. i walked calmly into the ocean, as if i had done this millions of times before. i could feel the water level rising againt the armour of my wetsuit, and every inch it rose, the more worried i became. i refused to show it, and when my feet could no longer touch the floor, i floated up and began to awkwardly attempt a butterfly stroke. then as we swam farther and farther out, towards the rocky cliffs and crashing waves, i realized exactly what coasteering is. we climbed up the cliffs, through a cave, and emerged into a tiny alcove, with rolling water, white with movement. we then jumped in to it. yep. that's right. i jumped into it.
and i had the time of my life. the feeling of a wave crashing down on you, carrying you away, is one of the most meaningful i have ever experienced. there was one place where three separate waves merged to crash on one single rock. i swam over and held on to a hole, and waited for the waves to come. i can't describe how it felt to have three waves break on me at once. you just have to try it. we also went cliff diving. that was amazing as well, i loved the feeling of falling. i didn't care for hitting the water, but i loved falling.
but it was an amazing weekend, my roommate has the pictures on her camera though. i'll post them as soon as she gives them to me.
nine weeks left...
daily updates:
20 october: my making of britain class was canceled again. we haven't had a full class all term, i must wonder what is going on in my professor's life that he can't teach us. but with that extra time, miranda, a girl from class, and myself went to hyde park to see the peter pan statue. hyde park is so pretty! i cannot wait to see it once all the leaves have changed. because i was bored, miranda and i started pregaming around nido at five. john, craig, max and dylan came over and we all played kings in the cafe. it was fun, and it reminded me of home. afterwards, max, miranda, dylan and myself all went to find the gay clubs. it didn't work, we couldn't find many, and those we did find we're closed. we ended up just barely making it back on the tube. we were on the last train!
21 october: it's officially been one month since i left america! i can't believe it, the time has gone by so quickly. i am utterly shocked by the fact that i'm not home sick at all. it's a little weird actually, but after the first day here, i haven't had any regrets or even the tiniest pang or wish to return home. in fact, the only time i get sad is when i think of how fast the time is going and how little of it i have left. i really need to make the most of my remaining time here.
i finally got my debit card working! so, megan and i went grocery shopping. i bought a basket's worth of food, probably enough for two weeks. my total was only thirteen pounds! grocery shopping is so cheap here. i need to stop eating out, and start eating in.
i went to watch the united v moscow match that night. we won, of course, one to nil. we went to the drum and monkey again. we met the owner this time, he came up to us and asked if we were the americans he'd been told about. we spoke to him for a while. well, john spoke to him. i just smiled and nodded along. at the end of the match, when it was time to settle the tab, we realized my card wouldn't work cause there is no chip in it. so he told us to just settle it sunday, when we come for the united v liverpool match. i couldn't believe it! talk about trust. i might still be in wales, but john says he's definitely going. after the match, we met craig at the hobgoblin to watch the chelsea match. i ate so much, i ate a pizza and indian food. both things are delicious here. kat and miranda met us there. i was so excited to see kat, after her weekend in spain. so, we just went back to nido and swapped stories.when i got back, i bought tickets to the fright nights at thorpe park! soon, megan and i will buy our rail tickets. we're going the day before halloween, and it's going to be amazing. i'm hoping to get there right when the park opens, and spend all day riding the roller coasters. then at night, we'll go on the saw ride and explore the terrifying mazes and haunted houses. i literally cannot wait. halloween is my favorite holiday and i was afraid i wouldn't be able to get scared this year. however, i still need a csostume...
i also bought train tickets to manchester yesterday. 21 november, john and i are going to watch the united match. i'll actually be able to see them play in person! i'm definitely going to have to learn more about them before i go.
22 october: i missed french class in the morning. i was going to switch into a lower level, but i messed up the times and ended up not going to either levels. so, i met kat, max and linsdey at oxford street and went shopping. i bought a leather jacket, which i've been wanting for years. i have the confidence to pull it off here! and i bought some trainers for the wales trip. thursday night is student nightat seOne, london's largest nightclub. so megan and i decided to check it out. boy did that night have problems! my debit card still wont work at atms, but it will work in stores. so megan said she'd pay my cover and id just buy the first few rounds of drinks. great idea yeah? no. turns out they only take cards with a minimum order of 17 pounds 50! not willing to pay that much, we bought re-entry so we could get to an atm. yes, you have to buy re-entry there! we got to the atm, and my card still wouldn't work. so we went back in, rechecked our coats, and realized that megan was now out of cash. so i sucked it up and bought five double vodka shots+mixers. five! we ended up getting really drunk and having a great night. we met a couple of people there, specifically a boy named matz. and we took the night buses home. i'm always so proud of myself whenever i do that.
23 october: the first day of my trip to wales! my roommate and i met two strangers at the train station. turns out their names are geri and ally and they were going to the same preseli venture tour as we were. so we bought our train tickets and a reduced group rate. we got into haverfordwest, wales about three hours before the bus that would take us to preseli was scheduled to come. so we went to a local pub and kicked back a few beers, and played darts. after a while, the bus came and picked us up. we got to preseli, ate and hung out at their bar for the night. the drinks were cheap, but i swear to god they were watered down. i didn't get drunk the entire weekend, regardless of how much i drank. until i started drinking the prebottled ciders.
there was a huge group of americans on the adventure, and one british couple. there was devin and myself, geri and ally, then about thirty other american students who were all from the same program and knew each other before.
24 october: we woke up early and went on a coastal hike. it was absolutely amazing, and quite easy. but it was seven miles! they dropped us off on one end, gave us a map, and said be back to preseli by one. it worked out though, and i really enjoyed it! when we got back, we ate lunch and went surfing! i had to wear a full body wetsuit, boots and gloves. but once in the water, i couldn't feel it at all. for the first couple hours, i could only get to balance on my knees. but, by the end, i had stood up fully twice! on a real board, not a long board!! it was my first time surfing and i absoultely loved it. i will be going again. after surfing, we went back to preseli for dinner and drinks. the canadian bartender, max, lit a bonfire so we all huddled outside around it. then we went for a moonlit wal to the beach. it was absolutley gorgeous, it was a pebble beach, not a sand beach. the waves were so loud, and the sky was full of shooting stars. it inspired much introspection, which will be written about in another post. i went back and fell asleep in my comfy top bunk.
25 october: this was the day i was dreading. i had woke up every few hours, from nightmares of drowning and losing my teeth. not many people know this about me, but i am not a strong swimmer. i'm barely a swimmer, even in the loose sense of the word. before surfing, i had never been further in the ocean than past my belly button. i have doggy paddled in lakes when i went cliff diving before, but that is very different than being in an ocean.
so imagine my trepidation at going coasteering. i signed up for it before i knew what it was. just for clarification, i have included the definition:
Coasteering is a physical activity that encompasses movement along the intertidal zone of a rocky coastline on foot or by swimming, without the aid of boats, surf boards or other craft. It is difficult to define the precise boundaries between, for example, rockpooling and ocean swimming. Coasteering may include all or some of the following:
- Swimming or Adventure Swimming: in rough or white water; and/ or tidal currents. A route, or activity, where the group start out with the intention of staying dry is not coasteering.
- Climbing, scrambling, sea level traversing: the very nature of the coastline that is needed for coasteering demands aspects of these activities. Ropes, as security on rock, are not used. Any climbing activity usually takes place above deep water. Coasteering is never a dry, climbing activity.
- Jumping and Diving: are often seen as an appealing and exciting part of coasteering. These activities actually make up minimal content of a coasteering session.
hmmm... now does that sound like something a poor swimmer should do? i had asked steve-not-simon, who is a lifeguard, about coasteering and he had suggested i just not go. but i was determined.
so i lied, signed my waiver, and told the preseli venture tour administration i was a strong, ocean-confident swimmer. i didn't mention my fears to anyone, i bottled them up. i got up in the morning, pulled on my wetsuit, and sat shaking in the van on the ride to the beach. i walked down the steep path to the shore, lagging behind the rest of the group. the path ended at a deep, turquoise lake with still waves and high steep cliff walls. i walked calmly into the ocean, as if i had done this millions of times before. i could feel the water level rising againt the armour of my wetsuit, and every inch it rose, the more worried i became. i refused to show it, and when my feet could no longer touch the floor, i floated up and began to awkwardly attempt a butterfly stroke. then as we swam farther and farther out, towards the rocky cliffs and crashing waves, i realized exactly what coasteering is. we climbed up the cliffs, through a cave, and emerged into a tiny alcove, with rolling water, white with movement. we then jumped in to it. yep. that's right. i jumped into it.
and i had the time of my life. the feeling of a wave crashing down on you, carrying you away, is one of the most meaningful i have ever experienced. there was one place where three separate waves merged to crash on one single rock. i swam over and held on to a hole, and waited for the waves to come. i can't describe how it felt to have three waves break on me at once. you just have to try it. we also went cliff diving. that was amazing as well, i loved the feeling of falling. i didn't care for hitting the water, but i loved falling.
but it was an amazing weekend, my roommate has the pictures on her camera though. i'll post them as soon as she gives them to me.
26 october: i came home from wales, exhausted, sweaty and dirty. i spent the day doing laundry and sleeping. it was a monday, so i went to the rocket bar, with john, craig and rikky. since every monday night is pound beer night, it's turning into a routine. we played table games, since the video games were taken the whole time. the games of choice were quarters (only with a ten p piece) american finger football and english finger football. the english finger football was much harder and way more intense, i barely even attempted it. i met a girl there, named debbie. megan came late, after her dance rehearsal was over. apparently she's going to dance in the rememberance day parade! it was fun, as usual. but john pranked me. quite horribly actually. my friend rob, whom i met a couple weeks ago, had been texting me asking if i wanted to hang out. i was getting a little annoyed, and i guess john was fed up with me complaining about rob's persistence. john asked if he could see my phone, and i naively let him have it. he started texting rob dirty messages. now upon recieiving completely vulgar messages, did rob question it? no. he proceeded to send them back. needless to say, i can never ever see rob again. but, had it not happened to me and had rob not yelled at me for "playing mind games", it would have been quite funny.
weekly highlights:
dates: 20 october- 26 october (days thirty through thirty-six)
sights seen: hyde park and wales
somewhere new: wales!!
someone new: countless again :) notably, mat with a z.
something new: surfing!!
what i miss: sunny days. my dogs. my parents.
what i love: the ocean. the accents. vodka with brambleberry juice. the food is growing on me as well :)
what i'm not so sure of: nothing!
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