Raisin Face...Pumpkin Head? Hmmm...

DISCLAIMER - November is the last month I have here and it is going to be packed! I would like to warn all of you now that I have fast approaching deadlines and projects...as well as three weekend trips. SO - please bear with me here. I'll do the best I can with my blog updates! I still want you to know what's what!

So in that case - we'll go back to yesterday - Tuesday November 3.

I woke up earlier than I usually do on Tuesday. I think I've managed to train myself to wake up twenty minutes before my alarm is due to go off. What is all that about? That's just one more nuisance to me...

We finally had our British Life and Culture class in the classroom. For the past couple of weeks we've been all over the place - museum after museum and such. Yesterday we discussed that Buddha of Suburbia book I've mentioned. It was a nice class, but I found myself zoning out because I couldn't really communicate my thoughts for some reason. Usually I have no problem formulating something in my mind to share with the class - but it was weird yesterday.

After class I thought I was going to go running but I got back to the flat and decided that I was hungry. SO...I forced Kemper to go eat Mexican food with me at Benito's Hat. It was great, as usual, those burritos are so HUGE. When I returned to my flat my pumpkin that I carved (Hamilton) was all smushed in and moldy...

SO. I wiped a tear from my face and double bagged him and took him to the stoop for the trash collection. Well, not really. There wasn't a tear, but I did have to lay him to rest in the rubbish pile. :( Halloween down - one more Holiday to go before I come home! WOO HOO!

Anywho after that escapade Kemper and I chilled in her flat all afternoon before we had to go see Blood and Gifts. Blood and Gifts is a play that is on at the National Theatre. It is about the US, Russia, and Britain's involvement in Afghanistan in the 80s. It was very political, obviously, and the ending was very creepy. Lovely to see the view of the Americans from this seat in the house, eh?

I don't really know how I felt/feel about the play yet. I'm still letting soak. I will say though, that it's neat to go see some really great theatre. The sets and the actors at the National (I've been there three times now) are awesome every time. It makes me want to write a play, for real. Actually I've been thinking that I tend to walk around with all these little thoughts in my head for stories and such when I'm walking around (you simply walk everywhere over here)...and I'm thinking it's high time I wrote those ideas out on paper.

I'll do that soon in my spare time. ;)

Right so after that I came back to the flat (we walked to and from the theatre). Actually it was a very nice night out temperature wise, but it was really windy. No rain and it was a crisp kind of night. Mostly I was excited about the no rain thing. I really don't like rain. But anyway - that brings us up to today:

Wednesday 3 November

Today is Wednesday which means that it was my busy day. But it was neat because it was different than usual. I had Shakespeare in the morning because we had a Globe tour and workshop and then we had art and architecture in the afternoon. (And the second class was shorter today because there was a tube strike and my professor had to go pick up his children from school...SO that was a plus as well.)

Anyway - I met Kemper outside at nine thirty and went walking to the Globe. We walked down the Waterloo bridge and then along the river Thames path - just like I took my parents. We walked by that neat little alcove of shops that we discovered. We managed to get to the Globe on time, thank goodness. I didn't want Jean to be upset with us.

Our tour guide's name was Collin and apparently he has been acting for thirty years. He knew a lot of things about the Globe, but I can honestly say that all the historical stuff he told us - Jean has already shared with us. The really interesting part came when he imparted his view of looking at Shakespeare's poetry in his plays. I really enjoyed his perspectives. NOW...this was a workshop so we did have to do some, uh, interesting exercises.

No, I didn't have to be a tree, or turn myself into a telephone booth. Kemper and I role played a dialogue between Hamlet and Polonius. It was fun. Haha. Sometimes you just have to let yourself be silly, and in all honesty, I learned some interesting things. This could be good for a future OM? Who knows...

Anyway after the tour was over we were going to meet Barnaby at the Tate Modern for our section on Modern Art. Kemper and Hillary and I ran into the museum to find one of the many cafes to scarf lunch down quickly. We only had a thirty minute break or something like that. Of course the three of us were last to the group - but here's the deal - I CAN not skip a meal. It makes me grumpy. Haha.

I was disappointed in the shortened class. I didn't get to see anything that I liked in the museum. Who is to say that I'll even like Modern art...but I plan on going back.

After that I came back and went on a run. It was so good to run again after I took a little break yesterday. I witnessed my first wreck today in London. (That's pretty good for the driving record over here considering I've been here about two months.)

Anyway, someone had taken a serious spill off their motorbike. I only mention this because my heart went out to them and I immediately felt helpless. I was so disgusted by the tourists standing around filming the whole thing as if this were Westminster Abbey or something. What is wrong with human nature that we are transfixed by pain and gore sometimes? I know sometimes I get too philosophical but it just really upset me. GAH.

I am an idealist and sometimes I just want to wave a magic wand and make things ok. But even if I could change something that would have a world wide impact, wouldn't I just inevitably be causing some kind of unknown negative consequences on some level? Ok. I'm done. Just thought I'd share.

After that I took a shower and then went over to Kemper's with Hillary to cook. Well they cooked. Well, actually Kemper cooked. Hillary and I chopped things. HIllary had cream of mushroom soup that she's had for about a month now and Kemper decided that we would just make mushroom pasta out of it. I'm telling you what - I haven't ever had pasta that good. It was delicious. MAN. I think Kemper should just open an Italian eatery... ;)

Anywho after that I came back over here and wrote some mail and then I worked on my homework and I finally finished Riddley Walker(that Russell Hoban novel we had to read for politics) and I'm almost done with my essay that I was rewriting. UGH. Rewriting.

I needed to write my Hendrix article which is due on Friday but I haven't done that yet...so...Guess I'll do that tomorrow.

But that pretty much brings you up to speed. I miss you guys terribly. I'm off to sleep for now.

I ALMOST FORGOT TO MENTION! I got my package from JESS. Jess you're amazing. You made me my favourite pumpkin cookies! I love you so much you crazy cook! Thanks for the coloring book - I'll be doing some snoopy pics soon I'm sure. :) Miss you.

Cheers.

<3