Learning to master the Library - Sort of?

Alright so today was a day full of scholarly learnings and lectures and such. At least, I think it was.

I woke up at eleven and made myself an egg and cheese beigel. Absolutely delicious! :) Then I went to Sainsburry's and made my weekly contribution and bought the laundry detergent. No worries - my flatmates and I can now resume with our laundry endeavors.

Then Kemper and I went to the...dun dun dun...LIBRARY! I'm telling you what that building has it out for me. No kidding. Today we made it into the building and past the weird turn-style things that aren't really turn-styles. It was all good. We went into the reading room on the fourth floor that has wi-fi. We started our projects.

I did research on my artist from Tate Britain Mr. John Martin. If you're interested in seeing my painting google, "The Day of His Wrath" and stare in amazement at the colours and size of the painting. You know, I didn't know this, but they called my artist, Mad Martin. Sheesh. Good job Becca pick the eccentric one. Of course.

Anywho I searched for a couple of books about him from the library and had the hardest time figuring out their coding system. Apparently (definitely not the dewey decimal system) the Senate House Library is one of the two libraries in the UK that uses the confusing classification system that they use. Sheesh. Anyway I eventually found my book and did my research. Then I wrote my rough draft for my Shakespeare paper which is due in a week and a half. No worries, no worries we're keeping up.

I know it sounds like I'm crazy early but I'm just trying to prepare for this weekend because I'll be gone in Northern Ireland the whole time. :)

Anywho so then Kemper and I went to the Union for a bit and tried to plan our trip to Scotland. We are having trouble booking a hostel...so we'll see if that works out. After that we went to her flat and I read the London Student (which is ULU's newspaper) and then we got ready to go listen to a free lecture. When we were walking back from St. Paul's yesterday we stopped in front of this building called Greshem College and we looked at their free lectures. Well they had one listed for today at six about the use of the media in the post-conflict Northern Ireland.

Well. We found the Museum of London (we walked of course) and we went to the lecture - it was given by a fulbright scholar, so a girl not much older than Kemper and I. We were a little disappointed in her presentation skills, but the question and answer section afterwards was well worth the visit to the lecture. People were definitely fired up about the issues she raised and I felt like a fly on the wall - so I just sat there and took it all in.

And I have this to say - I'll be really careful when I'm in Northern Ireland. I think 'post-conflict' is a misnomer. If 95% of the children are going to segregated schools - the conflict can't really be post. However, we're going to be safe, promise. Anyway I love learning about things and her presentation about the media's role in the 'post-conflict' era was interesting. She raised questions she didn't answer but hey man. I like to ponder. I should mention that she was from Cincinnati, so she was from the US. I felt that she wasn't prepared for the heated discussion following her scattered presentation.

Anywho. After that Kemper and I walked to our little cafe - Candid Cafe - that we found on Saturday. I ordered a mocha again and she ordered this lovely cherry cheesecake and shared a bit of it with me. It was heavenly and we definitely think that it was home-made. Anyway - we sat there on our sketchy comfy dorm like couch and worked through some of Shakespeare - Henry IV part II. This one isn't as hard to get through as the first Henry. I think I'm just getting back into the Shakespeare mode.

We stayed there for a while - till bout nine something, then we walked back in the weird rain. I was wearing my leather jacket so I was prepared. I wasn't warm or cold I was just right - although I was too lazy to take my hands out of my pockets. :)

Then - just a minute ago I made dinner - grilled cheese with carrots. A bit of a late dinner but I was a scholar today with our homework endeavors. I think I'll probably read a little more Shakespeare before bed. I'm feeling energetic.

Let's see - that's it no pictures for today. Although I'm now going to take this moment for a random PDA rant. Well, I guess it's not random it has a basis in the events of today. PDA as in personal display of affection, not your pocket pilot. Anywho, I've noticed that the people over here are very okay with being intimate in public. In the park in nice days couples are usually mounting each other and sticking their tongues down each other throats. I didn't know I was so uncomfortable with that but I guess I am.

I mean - most of these people look like they are in their late twenties and early thirties. What I want to know is - what else do they do? Why do they have all this free time to sit and 'snog' each other openly in parks and such and make me uncomfortable. Don't they have jobs - I mean London is not a cheap city. Sheesh! Get a room! (There was a couple making out in our cafe - we were not please. And thus the event aforementioned fueled this rant. The rant is now over.)

I miss you guys! Cheers!