I mentioned in the last episode that my next entry would be about my posh gym, but I've decided to leave that post for later (it's not time specific like this one). Never fear, you will get the full scoop about the crazy facilities - I'll even include some photos to make up for it.
Instead, I want to recount the wonderful day yesterday in London. I caught one of the earlier trains out of Leamington. It was nice not to have to rely on a bus to get from campus to the train station. I'll take my own two feet rather than relying on someone else (story of my life). Unfortunately, it was one of those mornings: one series of mishaps after another. Mishap 1: my contacts burned when I put them in which set me back 5 minutes. I switched to a new pair (never a good start to a morning). Mishap 2: I had three minutes to board the train and while rushed at the automated machine bought a single instead of a return which would have saved me 16 pounds. Mishap 3: My yogurt burst inside my satchel. This was probably the most annoying of them all - I needed to clean it out in the train. Luckily, these minor mishaps just put me in a grumpy mood until I hit London.
I bought a day tube ticket and met Emily at London Bridge Station - usual greeting ensued. From there we headed to the financial district to greet Andrew, my family friend who is the Rector of St. Mary Woolnoth's in the heart of the city. Unfortunately, because Andrew is moving from Forest Hill in London to Lewis near Brighton he was just on his way out. The three of us had a small visit before we left Andrew to get back to the move. Instead of collecting the suitcase at that time, which was one of the reasons to visit Andrew, he gave us the combination for the Vestry door to return later in the day. It was cool to be in the know. From there Emily and I went and sipped coffees on a patio near the Globe. We discussed a whole bunch of relevant topics (as we are want to do) and stayed there so long we ended up eating lunch.
We went to the Globe for 1:30pm and met our friends Talia and Alex. If you'll remember, Talia and Alex were the friends I spent New Years with this past year in Edinburgh. Alex is now finished there and heads to University College London for an MA degree, and Talia has moved from Canada to start an MA at LSE. Four friends each with, or soon to be with, a Master's degree - I just came to this realization now (gluttons for punishment if you ask me...) We exchanged the pleasantries and settled in to the impressive space. It was the first time I had been inside, and what a treat it was. There was something special about looking up to that thatched roof and seeing the sky pierce through for the performance. After a summer of Shakespeare in Prescott, the Globe felt like such a fantastic stage underneath the stars. Raffi's workshop began with a musical interlude before each of the performers took the stage for their monologues. The style was something similar to final presentations in acting classes back at Queen's, but the calibre was obviously top-rate and there was a real attention paid to presenting a fluid product. Each of the monologues flowed into one another with interjecting scenes and songs. I was deeply impressed with most of the performers - the ones from Canada stood out, as did an older lady who did a Prospero monologue, and two of the other guys who did Caliban and Bottom. Raffi was fantastic. I had anticipated he'd be a solid perfomer, knowing his dedication to the art, but I was really impressed with his control of the language. He also has a real intense presence onstage that you just can't manufacture - I think he'd play of a fantastic Scottish King.
After the show we congratulated the performers and made our way to the restaurant for some free coffee and cake. The cake was the real stuff - not cheap free cake. Thumbs up. From there the group split ways to complete various business: Alex was inquiring about a flat, Talia had two viewings scheduled, Emily and Raffi were moving from res to a hotel, and I went to retrieve the suitcase from the vestry. After an arduous rush hour tube ride with the suitcase, I stashed it in the hotel with Em and Raf for a few hours. I had wanted to give Raffi a copy of a Wadji Mouawad play for a while now, and with the suitcase back I was able to. I think he'll enjoy my favourite Canadian playwright - I gave him Mouawad's Tideline. While Raffi went to have dinner with his troupe, the four of us reconvened for some pints of Guinness before heading to our own dinner. We walked to a small Chinese restaurant down the street where we shared four plates of food each costing under 6 pounds each. It was a fantastic dinner.
We grabbed some more Guinness from the grocery store and leisurely sipped them on our way to meet up with Raffi and friends. At the bar we had one more pint and - like young intellectuals - talked about a whole range of social issues: American health care, serial killers (morbid yes), and social constructs. After finishing our pints the whole gang left the bar and stopped at the hotel to pick up my suitcase. I said goodbye to Raffi and Emily, and Alex, Talia, and I made our way to the station we were to leave from. Mishap 4 (you thought they were over?): The last train that stopped at Leamington had already made its voyage...and I had a 60 pound suitcase with me. Mishap is an understatement. Luckily, the generous Alex offered a bed at his place so the three of made our way to his place and crashed for the night. I have such great friends.
This morning I left at 10:00am and made my way back to Leamington. It's great to have the suitcase back, and yet another wonderful London memory in my pocket.
Tomorrow Emily arrives for four days. I have a few things planned here and there, but the majority of the time will be spent relaxing.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Mishaps are everywhere, but you've gotta suck it up and keep moving.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Friday, September 04, 2009
A Member of the Royal Family.doc
I am now living in the Royal Leamington Spa. Not bad digs for a boy originally from Thorold. Whether it's properly Royal Leamington Spa, just Leamington Spa, straight up Leamington, the local favourite "Leam," or my term of affection "The Spa," it's a cool place to be.
After disconnecting from the net on Tuesday - and in the process saying goodbye to the confines of cavernous Heronbank - I've spent the last three days setting up shop in what has to be the nicest apartment I've ever lived in. This is not to say that 8 Vine or 135 Isabella weren't absolute gems, but living at 49 Kenilworth Rd. is like living in a real *gasp* grown up place. I'm still getting use to have loads of room in the refrigerator.
A lot of buildings in England have their own special names (Chesterfield Manor, Earl Grey House, or Scones Residence for example). Our building is no exception. We live at "Nova Lodge" which sounds more like a cabin in Muskoka to me. As we arrived at Nova in the morning on Tuesday we were greeted by our landlord Stefan and his fiance who rent the place - he was quick to tell us that the majority of his family is back home in "a place I'm not sure you'll know" called Mississauga. Oh Stefan, of course we know Mississauga! He gave us a tour of the flat and left us on our own. It's really quite posh. There are beige waffle carpets throughout, a large dining table with six leather chairs, two large black leather couches, a glass coffee table with matching bookshelf, and a faux fireplace. The place also has a renovated bathroom and a washer/dryer. Oddly enough, the washer and dryer unit is the same machine. Did others know this contraption exists?
That day we unpacked some of our belongings and made a trip back to Heronbank to collect the rest. The girls and I also wandered down to the house I bought the EBAY bed from. That's right folks, my ebay searching paid off in the form of a 35 pound ikea bed frame and mattress. How's that for a deal? Google maps indicated the house was closer than it actually turned out to be, so I felt like a bit of a fool telling the guy I was ready to haul the unit (with the aid of Tory and Zoey) back to our place. He kindly offered to deliver it for 10 pounds, and I took him up on it before he could change his mind. This was actually my plan the whole time. We loaded the bed into the van and had it to our place in five minutes. I was able to set it up that afternoon and sleep on the mattress that evening. Admittedly, a double bed was not the wisest choice space wise - if I had wanted more room I should have found a single. But, I've been sleeping on a single all year and I'm not 12 anymore so I decided to sacrifice the space for comfortable nights. It's the right decision. It means I don't have a desk in my room, but we have plenty of space for thesis writing in the dining room, and there is always the library.
On Wednesday we made the obligatory IKEA trip to pick up some essential items. One of the struggles with living such a transitory existence in Europe (and I'm sure I've expressed frustration about it before) is not being able to invest in nice things because they'll just have be donated or thrown away after x number of months in y place. Thankfully, IKEA's cheap prices mean that it's not such a wallet-buster to buy stuff for only a four month usage. Upon arrival we headed for the restaurant - I had forgotten how cheap their meals are! We each had some swedish meatballs, and then hit the ground running. We wandered through the showroom and dreamed about outfitting our future place with all kinds of great designs and then made our way to the product area where we collected a whole bunch of kitchen supplies and bedding for our rooms. I got a really comfy duvet that is sure to keep me warm through those winter nights. After the bus trips back and forth to Coventry (shudder) we arrived back at home pretty wiped. That evening we had a visit from a Mr. John Painter of Virgin who set us up with internet service. Get this Rogers - John set up an appointment with us the very same day we called and we were connected in less than 48 hours. How is that for service?
That evening we shared a little cake in celebration of Zoey's birthday which is this Saturday. Since Tory left for Amsterdam today we wanted to celebrate before she left. Bec whipped up a fantastic little chocolate number. The flat has already been christened with a birthday, with Tory and mine's soon to follow. In addition to all the set up, we took care of the gas and electricity as well as water. It feels good to have this behind us with wireless internet, our own mailbox, and a permanent address. Which, for your records, is my third in a year:
Keith Bennie
2 Nova Lodge
49 Kenilworth Road
Leamington Spa
Warwickshire CV32 6JJ
That's right, we live in the shire. Yesterday and today I did some thesis work in the morning and spent two hours in the gym each day. The subject of my next post happens to be about the latter activity - this gym is unlike any you've ever seen. I hope it proves to be my daily haunt away from words, words, words.
I hope you all are doing well back home. It feels great to be connected after three days of no net access.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Life's too short; embrace every day. It's a cliche but I was reminded of its importance this week. Sending best wishes across the ocean.
After disconnecting from the net on Tuesday - and in the process saying goodbye to the confines of cavernous Heronbank - I've spent the last three days setting up shop in what has to be the nicest apartment I've ever lived in. This is not to say that 8 Vine or 135 Isabella weren't absolute gems, but living at 49 Kenilworth Rd. is like living in a real *gasp* grown up place. I'm still getting use to have loads of room in the refrigerator.
A lot of buildings in England have their own special names (Chesterfield Manor, Earl Grey House, or Scones Residence for example). Our building is no exception. We live at "Nova Lodge" which sounds more like a cabin in Muskoka to me. As we arrived at Nova in the morning on Tuesday we were greeted by our landlord Stefan and his fiance who rent the place - he was quick to tell us that the majority of his family is back home in "a place I'm not sure you'll know" called Mississauga. Oh Stefan, of course we know Mississauga! He gave us a tour of the flat and left us on our own. It's really quite posh. There are beige waffle carpets throughout, a large dining table with six leather chairs, two large black leather couches, a glass coffee table with matching bookshelf, and a faux fireplace. The place also has a renovated bathroom and a washer/dryer. Oddly enough, the washer and dryer unit is the same machine. Did others know this contraption exists?
That day we unpacked some of our belongings and made a trip back to Heronbank to collect the rest. The girls and I also wandered down to the house I bought the EBAY bed from. That's right folks, my ebay searching paid off in the form of a 35 pound ikea bed frame and mattress. How's that for a deal? Google maps indicated the house was closer than it actually turned out to be, so I felt like a bit of a fool telling the guy I was ready to haul the unit (with the aid of Tory and Zoey) back to our place. He kindly offered to deliver it for 10 pounds, and I took him up on it before he could change his mind. This was actually my plan the whole time. We loaded the bed into the van and had it to our place in five minutes. I was able to set it up that afternoon and sleep on the mattress that evening. Admittedly, a double bed was not the wisest choice space wise - if I had wanted more room I should have found a single. But, I've been sleeping on a single all year and I'm not 12 anymore so I decided to sacrifice the space for comfortable nights. It's the right decision. It means I don't have a desk in my room, but we have plenty of space for thesis writing in the dining room, and there is always the library.
On Wednesday we made the obligatory IKEA trip to pick up some essential items. One of the struggles with living such a transitory existence in Europe (and I'm sure I've expressed frustration about it before) is not being able to invest in nice things because they'll just have be donated or thrown away after x number of months in y place. Thankfully, IKEA's cheap prices mean that it's not such a wallet-buster to buy stuff for only a four month usage. Upon arrival we headed for the restaurant - I had forgotten how cheap their meals are! We each had some swedish meatballs, and then hit the ground running. We wandered through the showroom and dreamed about outfitting our future place with all kinds of great designs and then made our way to the product area where we collected a whole bunch of kitchen supplies and bedding for our rooms. I got a really comfy duvet that is sure to keep me warm through those winter nights. After the bus trips back and forth to Coventry (shudder) we arrived back at home pretty wiped. That evening we had a visit from a Mr. John Painter of Virgin who set us up with internet service. Get this Rogers - John set up an appointment with us the very same day we called and we were connected in less than 48 hours. How is that for service?
That evening we shared a little cake in celebration of Zoey's birthday which is this Saturday. Since Tory left for Amsterdam today we wanted to celebrate before she left. Bec whipped up a fantastic little chocolate number. The flat has already been christened with a birthday, with Tory and mine's soon to follow. In addition to all the set up, we took care of the gas and electricity as well as water. It feels good to have this behind us with wireless internet, our own mailbox, and a permanent address. Which, for your records, is my third in a year:
Keith Bennie
2 Nova Lodge
49 Kenilworth Road
Leamington Spa
Warwickshire CV32 6JJ
That's right, we live in the shire. Yesterday and today I did some thesis work in the morning and spent two hours in the gym each day. The subject of my next post happens to be about the latter activity - this gym is unlike any you've ever seen. I hope it proves to be my daily haunt away from words, words, words.
I hope you all are doing well back home. It feels great to be connected after three days of no net access.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Life's too short; embrace every day. It's a cliche but I was reminded of its importance this week. Sending best wishes across the ocean.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Ebay Days.doc
Ebay has proven to be a nice distraction on the journey of dissertation writing. Do you know they offer name-brand clothing at bottom basement prices??! OK, so it's most likely knock off junk, but it's quite a lot of fun to browse through the endless pages of listings. This site was all the rage back in 1998, but it seems to have drifted from the collective consciousness.
I've actually been trolling the web looking for a second-hand furniture dealer for the upcoming move. The place is partially furnished which means that I need to find a bed for my room in the flat. Usually I'd just head to IKEA (pronounced ICK-EA by the majority of the world) and pick up a nice frame and mattress, but this is not how it works when surfing around the continent. We'll be in the flat for a minimum of four, maximum of six, months. So unfortunately there is no need to invest in a nice bed and leave it in the flat after moving out. So the solution is to find something cheap but decent. I've searched recycle depots and online stores with no real luck, until I remembered that auction site of yore. Jackpot. There are a few really great deals on there. I saw a modest single this morning (probably the size I should be going for if I want to fit a small workspace in there) that had passed with no bids, so I emailed the seller to see if she'd give it to me after the fact. She even offered to deliver in the listing. Other than that, there are a few coming up in the next couple of days that look promising. I think I'll be close to securing something.
The trouble with Ebay is it's so darn addicting. I've already got my eye on a small work table and computer chair both currently a steal at less than 10 pounds. The owner lives in Leamington so I figure I could always just wheel or carry back to the flat. I've had to stop myself from looking any further. I don't think we need the solid oak buffet sideboard currently on offer for 12 pounds, the lily flower standing lamp for 8 pounds, or the "Welcome Aboard" Yacht themed Welcome Mat for 6 pounds. Bargain shoppers of the world unite!
The Ebay tales are illustrative of how slow it has been. I know it'll all turn around once flat life begins, but it has been a pretty boring week. I've been continuing to chip away at thesis work, but until settled in a nice routine it feels like the work is all a bit premature - like I'm writing without knowing exactly where it's going. Still, I feel it a good idea to keep going and then revisit and retool later in the process. If there is one academic shortcut I've learned, it's to keep writing and fill in gaps later on. Quotations (not quotes), connections, and ideas can always be inserted to shore up the argument. In addition to the behemoth, I've been finishing up a report for IGLYO and uploading material for the launch of the memories website which has been pushed back to October because of the holiday schedule of some of the contributors (this buys me more time to continue working). I also sent a news pitch to the Advocate offering to write a piece about the conference this past July. There is NO way they'd go for it, but I figure it's worth a shot. They offer incredible internships in New York and LA, but sadly, they are unpaid.
The highlight of the week was a leisurely dinner and drinks with a few of the Heronbankers the other night. It was a bit of a spontaneous dinner, but we had to welcome Zhenya back to the MAIPR circle. It's her first time in the UK. We took a quick trip to the local Tesco and gathered a basket of supplies and threw in a few bottles of wine for good measure. I took on the role of co-chef with Zoey and we prepared some pasta, salad, garlic bread, and apple pie for dessert. The pasta was actually a recipe Tory had seen in a magazine - the first time I've cooked with cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric in pasta. It turned out really well with lots of great leftovers. We wined, dined, and whined about thesis writing. As I'm sure we're bound to do all semester.
Two more nights in Heronbank and then it's on to a more comfortable adobe in Leamington Spa. The next entry will probably be from there, although it may be a few days before we have the net. Also, I haven't published my new mobile number in the blog, but here it is in case you don't have the updated number. I'll leave the 011 international code to you:
(44) 07805632761
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Just take an Ebay browse. I think you'll find a vintage mickey mouse clock for five bucks or the best of the Beach Boys for under ten that might be to your liking.
I've actually been trolling the web looking for a second-hand furniture dealer for the upcoming move. The place is partially furnished which means that I need to find a bed for my room in the flat. Usually I'd just head to IKEA (pronounced ICK-EA by the majority of the world) and pick up a nice frame and mattress, but this is not how it works when surfing around the continent. We'll be in the flat for a minimum of four, maximum of six, months. So unfortunately there is no need to invest in a nice bed and leave it in the flat after moving out. So the solution is to find something cheap but decent. I've searched recycle depots and online stores with no real luck, until I remembered that auction site of yore. Jackpot. There are a few really great deals on there. I saw a modest single this morning (probably the size I should be going for if I want to fit a small workspace in there) that had passed with no bids, so I emailed the seller to see if she'd give it to me after the fact. She even offered to deliver in the listing. Other than that, there are a few coming up in the next couple of days that look promising. I think I'll be close to securing something.
The trouble with Ebay is it's so darn addicting. I've already got my eye on a small work table and computer chair both currently a steal at less than 10 pounds. The owner lives in Leamington so I figure I could always just wheel or carry back to the flat. I've had to stop myself from looking any further. I don't think we need the solid oak buffet sideboard currently on offer for 12 pounds, the lily flower standing lamp for 8 pounds, or the "Welcome Aboard" Yacht themed Welcome Mat for 6 pounds. Bargain shoppers of the world unite!
The Ebay tales are illustrative of how slow it has been. I know it'll all turn around once flat life begins, but it has been a pretty boring week. I've been continuing to chip away at thesis work, but until settled in a nice routine it feels like the work is all a bit premature - like I'm writing without knowing exactly where it's going. Still, I feel it a good idea to keep going and then revisit and retool later in the process. If there is one academic shortcut I've learned, it's to keep writing and fill in gaps later on. Quotations (not quotes), connections, and ideas can always be inserted to shore up the argument. In addition to the behemoth, I've been finishing up a report for IGLYO and uploading material for the launch of the memories website which has been pushed back to October because of the holiday schedule of some of the contributors (this buys me more time to continue working). I also sent a news pitch to the Advocate offering to write a piece about the conference this past July. There is NO way they'd go for it, but I figure it's worth a shot. They offer incredible internships in New York and LA, but sadly, they are unpaid.
The highlight of the week was a leisurely dinner and drinks with a few of the Heronbankers the other night. It was a bit of a spontaneous dinner, but we had to welcome Zhenya back to the MAIPR circle. It's her first time in the UK. We took a quick trip to the local Tesco and gathered a basket of supplies and threw in a few bottles of wine for good measure. I took on the role of co-chef with Zoey and we prepared some pasta, salad, garlic bread, and apple pie for dessert. The pasta was actually a recipe Tory had seen in a magazine - the first time I've cooked with cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric in pasta. It turned out really well with lots of great leftovers. We wined, dined, and whined about thesis writing. As I'm sure we're bound to do all semester.
Two more nights in Heronbank and then it's on to a more comfortable adobe in Leamington Spa. The next entry will probably be from there, although it may be a few days before we have the net. Also, I haven't published my new mobile number in the blog, but here it is in case you don't have the updated number. I'll leave the 011 international code to you:
(44) 07805632761
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Just take an Ebay browse. I think you'll find a vintage mickey mouse clock for five bucks or the best of the Beach Boys for under ten that might be to your liking.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The Countdown is On.doc
Six more nights left in Heronbank before the move to Leamington. I've said it before, but I'm really looking forward to the flat and living with Tory and Zoey. The accommodation here is alright, but dorm living just isn't feasible after six months in a swanky Amsterdam pad.
Thankfully, the library work has been broken up by some activities with friends. The dinner on Friday evening was wonderful. Zoey and Jocelyn cooked up some fantastic dishes (salad, rice, chicken, and mushrooms) and we sipped on some red wine. It was nice to catch up with their summer pursuits and make plans for the upcoming semester. Jocelyn, Zhenya, and Hetta have secured a flat of their own in the city so its nice to know the whole group will all be around come September. We plan to continue group cooking/dinners into the semester. I'm sure it'll be easy with all of us here - there should be about fifteen MAIPRs from our year and twelve or so from the new pool of arrivals.
On Saturday, Tory arrived back from a week long intensive workshop at RADA in London. There she did a whole bunch of interesting acting exercises. I'm jealous! It has now been over a year since I've been on stage - I miss it terribly. Tory said the week reminded her how great theatre can be; a reminder I understand after two years of MA study. Unfortunately, approaching everything from a theoretical perspective can sometimes lead you to have distaste for everything you're studying. The theoretical can also sometimes smack of pretentiousness so it's good to get into something practical. Maybe they'll be an opportunity for some type of creative outlet this fall...here is hoping. If not, a job might be in order. I'm thinking of maybe looking into something for ten hours a week or so just to have some pocket change. Anyways, I helped Tory move her suitcases back downstairs and we shared a refreshing drink outside watching the geese in the pond.
That evening I decided to follow Mom's prescription by heading off campus for a night of revelry. It proved to be exactly what the nurse ordered. I jumped on the bus and joined Bec in Leamington. Her housemates were working so instead of having a crazy night out, we shared a bottle of wine at her place and chatted for the evening. It was chill, low-key, and the perfect change of pace after a few days in the library. I managed to catch the last bus back to campus that evening. Sunday was spent lazing around. I also managed to complete a report for IGLYO about the intergenerational dialogue that happened at the conference in July. Anything to postpone jumping back into the thesis...
Monday and Tuesday were spent at the library again with minor success. Just lots of reading going on at this point, but it's essential before trying to put the words down. My plan is to get to a secure point before the move and take three or four days off to settle in and get setup. Last night I visited with my Canadian friend at Warwick Andrea who I happened to see on the bus from campus to Leam. She's jumping into a law degree in Birmingham in September (straight after an MA at Warwick) so it'll be good to have her in the area still. I was on my way to Bec's again for some Tuesday night mischief (FYI, I was curious about the definition of mischief so I looked it up: conduct or activity that playfully causes petty annoyance). Our conduct was neither petty, nor did it cause annoyance, but it was playful. I joined Bec and her housemate Nick for some drinks at their place before hitting the town. Tuesday is actually a really big night in Leam and a lot of bars have drink specials. Their other housemate Matt joined us after work and we proceeded to hit the town. We ended up at Koko's which offered 1 pound vodka-redbulls (the devil's brew!) and had a bit of a dance. It joined the two previous nights as really great times in Leam - no disappointments yet! After the bar we went back to the flat and watched an episode of Seinfeld, which if you know me well you know it's my favourite TV show. I hadn't seen an episode in nearly a year so it was a welcome treat. The work week continues, but the countdown is indeed on.
Congrats to Emily on her one year anniversary in Europe! I'll see you at that milestone in three weeks.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: I think Twitter is unhealthy. Avoid tweets at all costs; we're connected enough as it is.
Thankfully, the library work has been broken up by some activities with friends. The dinner on Friday evening was wonderful. Zoey and Jocelyn cooked up some fantastic dishes (salad, rice, chicken, and mushrooms) and we sipped on some red wine. It was nice to catch up with their summer pursuits and make plans for the upcoming semester. Jocelyn, Zhenya, and Hetta have secured a flat of their own in the city so its nice to know the whole group will all be around come September. We plan to continue group cooking/dinners into the semester. I'm sure it'll be easy with all of us here - there should be about fifteen MAIPRs from our year and twelve or so from the new pool of arrivals.
On Saturday, Tory arrived back from a week long intensive workshop at RADA in London. There she did a whole bunch of interesting acting exercises. I'm jealous! It has now been over a year since I've been on stage - I miss it terribly. Tory said the week reminded her how great theatre can be; a reminder I understand after two years of MA study. Unfortunately, approaching everything from a theoretical perspective can sometimes lead you to have distaste for everything you're studying. The theoretical can also sometimes smack of pretentiousness so it's good to get into something practical. Maybe they'll be an opportunity for some type of creative outlet this fall...here is hoping. If not, a job might be in order. I'm thinking of maybe looking into something for ten hours a week or so just to have some pocket change. Anyways, I helped Tory move her suitcases back downstairs and we shared a refreshing drink outside watching the geese in the pond.
That evening I decided to follow Mom's prescription by heading off campus for a night of revelry. It proved to be exactly what the nurse ordered. I jumped on the bus and joined Bec in Leamington. Her housemates were working so instead of having a crazy night out, we shared a bottle of wine at her place and chatted for the evening. It was chill, low-key, and the perfect change of pace after a few days in the library. I managed to catch the last bus back to campus that evening. Sunday was spent lazing around. I also managed to complete a report for IGLYO about the intergenerational dialogue that happened at the conference in July. Anything to postpone jumping back into the thesis...
Monday and Tuesday were spent at the library again with minor success. Just lots of reading going on at this point, but it's essential before trying to put the words down. My plan is to get to a secure point before the move and take three or four days off to settle in and get setup. Last night I visited with my Canadian friend at Warwick Andrea who I happened to see on the bus from campus to Leam. She's jumping into a law degree in Birmingham in September (straight after an MA at Warwick) so it'll be good to have her in the area still. I was on my way to Bec's again for some Tuesday night mischief (FYI, I was curious about the definition of mischief so I looked it up: conduct or activity that playfully causes petty annoyance). Our conduct was neither petty, nor did it cause annoyance, but it was playful. I joined Bec and her housemate Nick for some drinks at their place before hitting the town. Tuesday is actually a really big night in Leam and a lot of bars have drink specials. Their other housemate Matt joined us after work and we proceeded to hit the town. We ended up at Koko's which offered 1 pound vodka-redbulls (the devil's brew!) and had a bit of a dance. It joined the two previous nights as really great times in Leam - no disappointments yet! After the bar we went back to the flat and watched an episode of Seinfeld, which if you know me well you know it's my favourite TV show. I hadn't seen an episode in nearly a year so it was a welcome treat. The work week continues, but the countdown is indeed on.
Congrats to Emily on her one year anniversary in Europe! I'll see you at that milestone in three weeks.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: I think Twitter is unhealthy. Avoid tweets at all costs; we're connected enough as it is.
Friday, August 21, 2009
London: A Diamond in the Rough.doc
Emily and I had a wonderful time on Tuesday in London. It will most definitely be crowned the highlight of my week (I have a ceremony every Friday). One of the things I've looked forward to most in eleven months of living here in Europe is that first greeting every time we get together. It may only be an absence of two weeks or well over a month but I never tire of seeing Emily's big smile and open arms. I get excited on the train anticipating that first moment and can't help but smile on my waltz to find her. Tuesday was no different. It was, surprisingly, the first time we had both been in London at the same time. In true friends fashion, we bypassed museums and tourist sites and spent a leisurely day catching up.
Upon leaving the station we walked down Baker Street and then did some window shopping on Oxford Street. I remembered how wonderful it looked lit up at Christmas last year - I can't wait to see it again around the holidays. I took Emily to Topshop for the first time (I think you'd approve Claire!) and we wandered through the high-priced areas of Selfridges. We were really bad consumers that day: we purchased big coffees at Starbucks, shared some frites at McDonalds, and had some Cadbury 'Can't Fake a Flake' Ice Cream. We combined these purchases with some delicious packed sandwiches in the park. There we people watched and talked about Europe. Having been here almost a calendar year (Emily's anniversary is next week) it's a bit easier to put things in perspective, although it'll be even easier once touching down back in Canada. We lamented how unstable everything seems right now, but also embraced the possibilities that come with not having a solid life plan.
After the park we enjoyed two Guinness pints on a patio near the Globe. As the sun went down we enjoyed being surrounded by the London after work crowd. I witnessed a nasty bike-pedestrian accident just outside the patio while Emily was in the washroom - she missed the action. We met Raffi after his day had finished for dinner. I felt like a Globe insider striding in and waiting for our friend who was studying there. We went to a delicious Indian restaurant in the area. It might have been some of the best curry I've ever had even if the service was questionable. I said goodbye to Emily and Raffi with plans to visit the first week of September to see the performance at the Globe. Unfortunately, the train and bus schedule wasn't too good to me - I caught a train out of London thirty minutes later, but had to wait forty minutes in Leamington for the last bus to campus. Transport fail. Thankfully, the number of nights I'll have to return to campus to sleep are dwindling. We move into the new place in twelve days and it can't come soon enough.
Unfortunately, the reports after that get pretty boring. From Wednesday to Friday I spent about seven hours each day in the library. I camped out in the Postgraduate lounge (my digs in the winter semester) and got hot and heavy with some research and writing. I'm happy to say that the three days have been pretty darn productive, but it's a bit of a soul-sucking existence. Come September 1 I hope to balance the writing and research with the gym and socializing, but for the next two weeks it's straight days of work so that I can get ahead of myself. The strategy has worked in the past so it's worth applying it to this project. Thankfully, I sat down for a leisurely coffee with Bec on Thursday and tonight am having dinner with Courtney, Zoey, Jocelyn, and Kristina who are in the area getting set up for dissertation work like me. It's nice to have little highlights to look forward to. I wish diss writing was as easy as blog writing! I'd have that whipped up in no time
Unsure what the weekend will hold in addition to the steamroll work schedule I've got going, but I might try to afford a night out in Leamington. The dissertation isn't really due until December 31, and it isn't August 31 yet. Think I can afford a night off?
Doc's Prescription of the Day: In preparation for writing, I downloaded a "Masterpiece Collection" of classical music - 150 of the most popular classical songs. It has been a nice backdrop to research. I recommend some Vivaldi, Gershwin, Bach, and Saint-Saens.
Upon leaving the station we walked down Baker Street and then did some window shopping on Oxford Street. I remembered how wonderful it looked lit up at Christmas last year - I can't wait to see it again around the holidays. I took Emily to Topshop for the first time (I think you'd approve Claire!) and we wandered through the high-priced areas of Selfridges. We were really bad consumers that day: we purchased big coffees at Starbucks, shared some frites at McDonalds, and had some Cadbury 'Can't Fake a Flake' Ice Cream. We combined these purchases with some delicious packed sandwiches in the park. There we people watched and talked about Europe. Having been here almost a calendar year (Emily's anniversary is next week) it's a bit easier to put things in perspective, although it'll be even easier once touching down back in Canada. We lamented how unstable everything seems right now, but also embraced the possibilities that come with not having a solid life plan.
After the park we enjoyed two Guinness pints on a patio near the Globe. As the sun went down we enjoyed being surrounded by the London after work crowd. I witnessed a nasty bike-pedestrian accident just outside the patio while Emily was in the washroom - she missed the action. We met Raffi after his day had finished for dinner. I felt like a Globe insider striding in and waiting for our friend who was studying there. We went to a delicious Indian restaurant in the area. It might have been some of the best curry I've ever had even if the service was questionable. I said goodbye to Emily and Raffi with plans to visit the first week of September to see the performance at the Globe. Unfortunately, the train and bus schedule wasn't too good to me - I caught a train out of London thirty minutes later, but had to wait forty minutes in Leamington for the last bus to campus. Transport fail. Thankfully, the number of nights I'll have to return to campus to sleep are dwindling. We move into the new place in twelve days and it can't come soon enough.
Unfortunately, the reports after that get pretty boring. From Wednesday to Friday I spent about seven hours each day in the library. I camped out in the Postgraduate lounge (my digs in the winter semester) and got hot and heavy with some research and writing. I'm happy to say that the three days have been pretty darn productive, but it's a bit of a soul-sucking existence. Come September 1 I hope to balance the writing and research with the gym and socializing, but for the next two weeks it's straight days of work so that I can get ahead of myself. The strategy has worked in the past so it's worth applying it to this project. Thankfully, I sat down for a leisurely coffee with Bec on Thursday and tonight am having dinner with Courtney, Zoey, Jocelyn, and Kristina who are in the area getting set up for dissertation work like me. It's nice to have little highlights to look forward to. I wish diss writing was as easy as blog writing! I'd have that whipped up in no time
Unsure what the weekend will hold in addition to the steamroll work schedule I've got going, but I might try to afford a night out in Leamington. The dissertation isn't really due until December 31, and it isn't August 31 yet. Think I can afford a night off?
Doc's Prescription of the Day: In preparation for writing, I downloaded a "Masterpiece Collection" of classical music - 150 of the most popular classical songs. It has been a nice backdrop to research. I recommend some Vivaldi, Gershwin, Bach, and Saint-Saens.
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