Pure Bliss.doc

So after a a summer of traveling - a trip back to Canada and an exhilarating July - I've settled into a more mundane routine here in the Royal Spa. While the next month's posts won't include descriptions of wild adventures spent around the continent (as I try to complete the first draft of the dissertation) they'll still touch on the hits and highlights in this quaint little village.

To give you an idea, I'm treating writing like a job. Granted, there is no Michael Scott to make sure I arrive by nine and clock my hours, but I still try to put in a day's worth of work. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending how you look at it) it means I'm still able to sleep in until 10am - although I'm on my way to changing this - and but in 7 hours of reading, writing, and general attachment to my laptop until about 5 or 6pm. With this type of schedule, writing the dissertation isn't that hard. If you sit down for 35 hours a week in front of your computer, words will come. The proof is in the putting...of facebook on hold. It may not be exciting work but in a month I should have a draft which will put me way in front of where I thought I'd be. It's a strategic move really - two months of dedicated work (with obvious breaks and slips here or there) will pay off in the long run when I want to job search and soak up more of the sights if indeed I head back to Canada at Christmas.

The highlight of my routine here in Leamington has been finding the Pure Health Club and Spa. So picture 10am - 5pm spent at the dining room table looking out the picture window to the beautiful backyard tempting me outside. After slagging though a day tied to the laptop, I needed an outlet to clear my head. Bec recommended I check out the club and I took them up on the free day membership before immediately committing to the month of September. I've had my card for seventeen days and been to the gym thirteen of those days. I'll be honest, at 50 pounds a month (90 Canadian) it's an expensive purchase, but it's proving to be an invaluable investment.

So picture this club at Yonge and Bloor or on the Upper East Side - this would be where the Nate Archibalds and Chuck Basses sip their vitamin-enhanced smoothies. The genius behind the design is that you don't feel that you're at a gym to work out. There are expensive furnishings, crazy light fixtures, and all kinds of modern touches. My typical work out will feature 40 minutes with the free weights (depending on the day of the week), a 10 minute row, crunches, and then a 20 minute treadmill run. Not only do I get to work out, but I get to catch some TV which is broadcast on the treadmill. Since the club is a bit more pricey the clientele is older people and young professionals. This means I NEVER have to wait for a machine and everyone is really nice.

After the challenging stuff I make my way to the pool which looks more like a nightclub. This is where the membership really pays off. I usually spend 40 minutes going back and forth between the main pool, the jacuzzi, the steam room, and the sauna. After 7 hours of brain power, the 40 minutes spent relaxing restores me to a complete state of equilibrium. Also, the water pressure in the shower is double that at home, they have powerful hair driers, and plastic bags to pack up your swimsuit. This place takes care of every possible need. Upon leaving I feel refreshed and healthy. I've also started to hike up my protein intake with shakes and research the proper way to work out. I wouldn't trade the membership for anything, and it's proving to be a great second job to make the dissertation all the more manageable.

I've never really been a fan of working out (too much work and not enough enjoyment) but Pure is changing that. They also have yoga and all kinds of classes included in the membership, so I'm looking to make that part of the routine next week. I'll be giving you a taste of Nova Lodge in the next post.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: A bit of fitness never hurt anyone - routine is how to make it happen.

One Year Later.doc

This will be a short post to commemorate 365 days since setting sail. That's right, this time one year ago I was camped out at the Hamilton International (a bit of an oxymoron) waiting to board a flight to Europe - my first over the Atlantic. That next day I touched down in London, rushed around like a mad man, wrote the first ever Doc's Prescription, and expediently made my way to France to see Emily.

It's hard to believe a whole year has passed and that I'm just three months shy of a dual MA degree to go along with the one from U of T. I've seen so many amazing sights, befriended peers from all over the world, and learned an incredible things about myself and life. I'm going to save all kinds of deep perspective searching for a time in the future (when I'm closer to coming home) but here are some interesting statistics after a year abroad:

Countries visited: 15.

Flights in a Year: 17.

Blog Posts: 121.

Photos snapped: Well over 7000.

Pints of beer consumed: Also well over 7000.

It has been an incredibly important year, and I'm sure the truth of that statement will be proven again and again as time passes. I've learned about life over here and will bring lessons and confidence back with me, but I've also come to appreciate how great a country Canada is. We truly live in one of the best places in the world.

I've of course had lonely times and homesick nights, but the experiences over here far outweigh any hesitations about taking time out from the places and the people I know. I may miss all of you, but I'll come back a better person because of it. Through it all I've made some wonderful friends through MAIPR and while living in the UK and Amsterdam. Special highlights include visits with Michael, Jessica, Bronwyn and Cynthia, Graham and Leslie, Raffi and Viktor, my whirlwind ten days in Canada, and a plethora of amazing adventures with Emily who makes it feel like home isn't so far away when I see her.

These are the moments I wish I could celebrate with you all, but know that you're wishing me well from so far away. Don't worry Mom and Dad, I haven't really put away 7000 pints.

Best Wishes!


Doc's Prescription of the Day: 355 days outside the Canadian border makes you appreciate our true north strong and free. Take a look at what's going on south of us concerning health care and appreciate where we're from.

Party like a Hinckstar.doc

For the over 40s in the reading crowd there was a popular song of recent memory called Party like a Rockstar from which I've crafted my witty title. The last five days have been Hincks crazy. I kicked the thesis to the curb for the past four days and trading it in for hosting duties. We had an amazing visit.

I met Emily on Wednesday at the train station (after picking up some flowers at a little stand on my way from the gym). It was probably the shortest time between seeing each other - it had been less than 48 hours. We walked up the parade and I gave her a bit of a tour of the main sights. I introduced her to Nova Lodge and all its poshness. After a bit of relaxing we went about making a feast of a dinner. Here in Europa, Emily and I have both developed an affinity for making delicious food. I think it's the fantastic collection of cheeses, spices, and influence from people who love to cook. We had some piri-piri chicken, rosemary potatoes, and I experimented with some tea and guinness infused button mushrooms. Everything came out pretty stellar.

After dinner we went to Bec's house for a gathering. Adam and Lotte were there and it was the first time I had seen them since splitting for the summer. We all shared our holiday pursuits and (thankfully) avoided talking about thesis writing. If I spend six to eight hours in front of my computer with it, the last thing I want is for it to accompany me to my social events. It was also nice to socialize with Bec's housemates again. Bec, ever the impressive hostess, had such wonderful cheeses; we sampled away even though we had had a big dinner. After a few drinks at her place we went out on the town for a pint before closing.

The next day we went window shopping and picnicing. We browsed though all the high street stores on the parade and stopped in for a leisurely coffee. To the Leamington gardens we brought leftovers from the night before and snacked on the chicken. I also introduced Em to my favourite yogurt (I'm nervous it might be laced with a drug because it tastes so darn good) that has bits of wholegrain inside. We spent a good two hours in the park chatting and snacking before returning home. After some message catch up we made a caesar salad to accompany our rollie-polly. That's right, rollie-pollies in England. Em was lucky enough to bring me two pastries. We stuffed this one with bacon, mature cheddar, and all kinds of spices. It was delicious. That evening we stayed in with a bottle of wine and watched a few episodes of a TV show that was recommended to us the evening before at the party.

Friday I made my way to Warwick campus to help Zoey move into Nova Lodge. She had booked an extended stay at Heronbank originally so she moved in a week after Tory and I. It was a quick and effortless move. Emily relaxed in the apartment during the morning while I went to campus. After Zoey was settled here, and Emily was finally able to meet her, we went to the gym for some afternoon activities. Emily claimed a free guest past for the day and we made ourselves at home. We worked out in the main room for an hour and a half - the highlight of which was chatting while rowing a 2000 m together. Afterwards we hung out in the sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, and went for a small swim. It was a really relaxing afternoon. That evening we joined Adam and his girlfriend and Bec at my favourite pub in Leamington, The White Horse. It was packed and there was a really cool energy. An OPD was had, as was a good time by all (insert cliche phrase here).

On Saturday we met Courtney at the local Tesco to get supplies for an amazing picnic. We grabbed a cucumber, hummus, cheese, bread, and some veggies. It was a scorching day in the UK, probably the last hot one we'll see. We sat near the river and watched amateur boaters make their way through, a dog interested in sticks but not food, and a rapidly dwindling feast. Courtney brought some delicious cupcakes. It was a beautiful afternoon. That evening, after a wee nap and the second of the two rolly-pollies, we hosted the gang at our place before heading on the town. We sat round and shared some stories before heading to the biggest nightclub in the city called Smack. The low light of the week was the just over an hour we waited in the line before getting in. There wasn't much method to that madness. You can't always say it, but the wait was actually really worth it. The silent disco proved to be even better the second time around - I knew it was a theme the Hinckster would get in to. We switched back and forth on the two music channels, posed with the beaded wall in the club, and sang our hearts out at the songs we knew. It was a late night, but one of the most memorable of recent memory.

Sunday we packed up Emily and her and I made our way to Birmingham for dinner with the Hincks. It was a nice relaxing Sunday after four really energetic and jam-packed day. Doug and Shelia took us through an arts festival taking place in downtown Birmingham and then we went back to their place for a wonderful roast dinner. It had been ages since I had lamb so it was a welcome treat. We visited after dessert and snuck in a bit of tele before heading to bed. Like the Hincks family in Toronto, the Birmingham contingent is also very warm and generous. In the morning we had breakfast and then headed to downtown Birmingham for some shopping. Emily was purchasing the infamous half boot for Portugal and I picked up some sweat pants which I haven't had since Canada. We said an extremely sad (yes Em, s.a.d.) goodbye. It was a bit sad for a number of reasons: we won't see each other for four to six weeks, we both are on the threshold of intimidating and new adventures on our own, and we've been really close the past month trying to fill the void of not having best friends in our new surroundings and not hearing much from our busy friends back home. Emily has been a true constant these past few months, and during the year in general.

What makes the end of the visit also a bit of a downer is that it signals a return back to work. As much as I'm optimistic about what I need to do, I've really enjoyed five days off. It's now back to the grindstone. Thankfully, I can add Leamington Spa to the list of places in the world in which Hincksy and the Doctor have caused a bit of trouble.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: Too much from this weekend to prescribe to you - delicious food, nice wine, and best friends.

Shakesbeer's Globe.doc

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.

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.