Massive Update Time

Hello all,

Ive gotten a few requests for an update. . .and Im sorry I didn't do it sooner. It just seems so daunting. I once again do not have many pictures because I have not loaded them all onto my computer or have not had my camera with me and therefore depend on others for pictures. . .but let's get started, shall we?

So to continue with the Wednesday "let's do tourist-y things" theme: I went to Windsor Castle on Jan 23rd. It was really nice. I saw the State Apartment, went into the abbey, basically just had a good time. It was really windy and would sprinkle every so often so it was nice when we were indoors. I think the biggest shocker was the Dollhouse. Sarah and I almost didn't go in because let's face it. . .dollhouses don't really make me jump for joy. But this one was ridiculous. It was massive with every single detail just right. Really really overwhelming. . .just that people have that much money to spare and say "hey let's build a massive dollhouse. . .with real marble floors. . .". But the size of the housekeeper and servants' rooms was really depressing. The Queen's closet was 10 times the size of their entire room, heck so was her bathroom. But all in all a good day was had. We went shopping for a bit after and picked up a few good deals. I got some waist belts so that I can make my black dress a little more versatile considering I've worn in about 4 or 5 times already.

That night I had a swim social, which was fun. Its always nice to hang out with a group like that.

Okay. . .sidenote: I tried uploading some pictures but the internet here isn't good enough to get them up. . .my apologies. .
Here's the one I managed to get:

Just part of Windsor Castle.

So that weekend I wrote my personality psychology paper. . .too bad after I submitted it on Tuesday the 29th since it was due this past Monday. . .I got an email slightly changing it and then an email extending the deadline two weeks to Feb 18th because they couldnt manage to get everyone who lead tutorials on the same page and kept telling us to get articles that no one could actually access. . . oh England. . .how organized you are. So yea now I have to do some more work on that this weekend. . .because I'm going to be very busy . . .And I thought I was doing well by getting ahead of the game.

Anyway, the Saturday after Windsor I went with some of the girls on my floor to one of the campus pubs because they play dance music on Saturdays and have a dance floor, which is fun. I ended up entering a raffle for a snowboard and actually won it. I wasn't sure about that for awhile but found out for sure on Tuesday of this week. Its actually pretty sweet. But it is just the board and no bindings. I could sell it or keep it as a giant souvenir but it would be a pain to get back home. For now, it sits in the box in my room. (I have some pictures but they are still on my camera . . .I know, I'm slow.)

Last week, the 28th- Feb 3rd was pretty busy. I had to get a lot of work done because I was going to be away for the weekend. I succeeded and was even able to spend my Wednesday out, except not doing touristy things. We decided we needed to shop so Sarah, Jennifer and I went to Staines, the next town over and did some serious shopping. I got pretty much everything on my list and spent about 50 pounds in total, which included lunch out, my bus ticket, and a nice dinner to eat when I came home. I got a snowboarding jacket, aka waterproof and warm, for 10 pounds from T.K. Max (yes it is the same as T.J. Max). It was originally 70 pounds there and over 100 in a retail store, so SCORE! I also got a pair of red wine colored boots that were originally 45 pounds for just 13 pounds that will come in handy because they are waterproof, unlike my faux suede ones from Target. Those were my too major finds of the day. Other than that it was a lot of. . ."Oh yea. . .I ran out of this. . "

Once I was home, I enjoyed my chicken and mushroom risotto and sundae I purchased in Staines and hung out with some of my floormates.

So now Im up to my travels. This past weekend, I went with a tour group to York and N. England. We went to York Minster and Little Betty's, a bakery known for their Fat Rascals, a type of scone, which is actually very good. That night we went to a pub to grab a cheap dinner before we went on a ghost walk. It was kind of lame, but I don't believe in that stuff anyway. Our "guide" was really nice, and it was some cheap entertainment so I really can't complain. We then headed back to our hostel and played some card games before heading to bed. We woke up bright and early on Sunday and headed to Fountain Abbey, which was gorgeous. Its all ruins, but the grounds were really nice. There was a garden, can't remember the name of it now, that I really wanted to go to while there, but we weren't really given enough time to do so. So a few of us just attempted to take jumping pictures. . .I failed miserably, mostly because I knew I would fall. We then headed to Haworth to see the home of the Bronte sisters, which was really interesting. I felt bad though, our tour guide the whole way there was telling us about their brother who was an opium addict and an alcoholic. Wow. . .your sisters are known for being great writers and you are known for your drug habit. . . that would be depressing. Once again we were short on time, so we didn't go to the Moors. Instead we hit a pub, one of the brother's favorites supposedly, and had a late lunch before we headed back. Oy sooooo much time in that tour bus. I was sore by the time we got back but really wanted to head to the campus pub to watch the Super Bowl, until I found out they wanted to charge 4 pounds. . . geez. . . so I opened up some Peanut Butter M&Ms and showed my American pride that way.

So that brings us to this very week.
Tuesday was a great day, especially after my depressing Superbowl Sunday night. I had a presentation in the morning for my film class, so I went an hour late (aka an hour more sleep) because I just watched the film and it was really strange and gory. Then during the seminar I gave my presentation with a friend. We did "excellent" according to our tutor. Yay! Then I grabbed some lunch, but it was Pancake Tuesday (aka Crepe Tuesday), so I grabbed a crepe. . .not as good as Crepes a Go Go in Berkeley, but still satisfying. I then went to claim my snowboard, which Millie actually did for me because the contest was only open to UK residents, but they didnt actually check. They went in the back to verify the ticket number and then came out with a box containing my snowboard! So exciting! Later I got an email saying my documentary film paper was ready to be picked up. I was a little concerned, because I was having a good day and didn't want to ruin it, but I went down to the office anyway. I got just shy of the highest group of marks, but it is still an A back home, and since the paper was 100% of my grade I should get an A in the class as long as the second grader agrees with my score and my presentation for that class was okay. Which reminds me, I did well on my psychology papers from last term as well, 2 As . . .but those are worth 25% of my total grade. So overall Tuesday was a good day.

On Wednesday, aka yesterday, I did some reading before heading to Camden Markets with Sarah and Jennifer. We did a little window shopping for about an hour and a half before we headed to meet with our director for our registration meetings. After our meetings we hung out for a bit with some of the other girls on the couches in the basement of California house, where our meetings were held. We talked about Super Tuesday and politics and if we would come back to Europe for grad school or a career. Just enjoying the company. We then headed to a Turkish restaurant and had a lot of appetizers and some good food. Mine was only okay. I got a chicken dish that wasn't very flavorful, but it smelled good. Since we didn't get dessert there, we went to Baskin Robbins and each got a scoop before heading back to school. Once back at school I quickly got ready to meet some of the swim team at the Student Union for an athlete-type night. We had a lot of fun just listening to cheesy music that the Brits love so much, until my friend Emily got hurt. I saw her dancing and then on the floor so I ran over. She had knocked her knee somehow, so with the help of security and our friend Craig we got her up to her room. I stayed up with her until about 5:30 this morning. We decided not to go the hospital because we knew nothing was broken and there was no fluid building up in her knee. So she knocked on my door this morning at about 10. . .about 3-3.5 hours of sleep for me last night. . and I helped her down to the health centre. But since they couldn't get her in to see a doctor until 3 p.m., they called a taxi to come get us and take her to the ER (what the Brits call the A&E for Accidents and Emergencies). I ran up to my room to grab my book I needed to read as a friend helped her down the the reception area and then we were on our way. It was actually pretty empty so we weren't there for long. The doctor determined that nothing was broken or majorly injured, just soft tissue. She recommended that she try to walk on it to help it heal faster since we have a competition in a week and a half. We got back to campus around noon and then things calmed down a bit. My day became my usual Thursday with my 4-6 p.m. Biological Psychology lecture with the teacher who hates everyone. . . hes always such a grump. But tonight they had Chinese for Chinese New Year and it actually wasn't that bad.

On Sunday I head to Scotland. I'll return Thursday night. And then I am off to Leeds and Canterbury on Saturday the 16th and Oxford and the Cotswolds the next day.

So I better get my reading done and work on that paper some more.


Hope you all are doing well. I miss everyone a ton!

Now if only my internet would reconnect so I can post this. . .