deck the halls...

Well hello! My time here is almost at an end, I only have ten days left. It's starting to feel really wierd. I'm excited to go home and have Christmas and see my family and friends, but I'm also kind of nervous about it after being away for all this time. Things will be different, I will be different. They won't be the same as they were the last time I was there. That makes me kind of sad, and nervous for the homecoming.

This week was really really good. It was the last week of classes, and since we don't have exams over here it was the last week of everything pretty much. So there were a bunch of final things to see and do, and lots of photo taking at every oppotunity. Photos taken of every class and with most profs, and lots of fun photoshoots wherever we were because we knew our time together was short. It was really good though, the people here with me are pretty hilarious, and great to be around.

I went to a panto on Wednesday night at the Hackney Empire. BEST SHOW EVER!!! It was part looney tunes, part slapstick, part vaudeville, part Disney movie, and all fun! Tons of audience participation, tons of songs and laughter, a whole bunch of current and regional jokes added in, and two of the main characters were cross-dressed, including the main male hero who was played by a women. Amazing and hilarious! I wish I could see it again, I didn't stop smiling through the entire show, and I left feeling as giddy as a six year old. Pantos are where it's at.

OH! AND, Ian McKellen was in the audience! So we all had fun ogling him a bit. Good times. Brings my celebrity sightings up to two!

People have already started to go home. People already ARE home. It's such a weird feeling. I've still got a trip to Scotland and Chantelle coming to do/enjoy before I go home, and people are already there, reminicing about their time in the UK. I feel like I spent so much of my time over here waiting to go home, and when I get home I'm going to spend so much time and energy on thinking and missing London and this semester. Why is the grass always greener on the other side?

I should go, I leave for Scotland soon (eeeee! so excited!) and I haven't even packed yet!

out in the night, into the water...

So this week definitely picked up since I wrote. Thursday night was really busy. I saw Rachmaninov and Dvorak performed by the London Symphony Orchestra at Royal Festival Hall (my last concert for music, tear!) which was really amazing! Then a bunch of us went to ISH for what was one of our final stints at karaoke. It was a good time, typical of any time we our group gets together.

Friday was good. A little laid back I think, considering I can't remember it really. I think I worked. Oh, and I think I watched The Return of the King. Yep. Good times. lol

Saturday was busy busy! I was woken up at 9am by Erin to go to Covent Garden market because I hadn't been yet. So I was up, dressed, and out the door in about 10 mintues! The market was really cool, I think I especially liked that it has a permanent structure creating the market, unlike the other markets I've been to. Anyway, we ended up seeing a random line-up and joined it to get stand-by tickets to see Jewels at the Royal Opera House! It's a ballet based on the music of three different composers, and it has no plot, so it's pure unadulterated dance set to music. It was really good! I especially loved the middle part, Rubies. And then on my way back home after the show (with Erin, who came with) we ran into Dianne who told us that a bunch of people were going to the Canaidan bar, The Maple Leaf, so we quickly changed and headed there to meet up with everyone. So, long story short, I was in Covent Garden three times yesterday - so much! It was really good though.

Today I worked. Finished Walking Tours and Theatre - two courses done!! All I have left now is music and art. Here goes nothin'!

Also, 17 days 'till Canada! Weeeeeee!

under the blacklight...

So, I can't seem to go less than a week before updating. I'd love to update more, but the weekdays feel so jam packed that I either don't get a chance to or don't even think of it. Oh well, though, I'm not even sure anyone actually reads this, so it's probably just me writing to myself. Which I can do in my paper journal. Right. But I'm posting anyway! On the off chance one of you Canadian peeps are actually stopping to see what I'm up to.

So what have I been up to? WORK! This felt like my hell week, so much stress and so many things to do. I managed to get a good chunk of things done, and now I only have my four final projects due, which I guess is like having four exams, and they're mostly not due 'till December 5th, so I think I'm doing ok. I hope! I could wake up tomorrow and realize I forgot a bunch of stuff or underestimated the amount of work something will need. But right now it's ok.

This week I saw a play at the Soho theatre called Joe Guy. It was a really good play, basically about the main character, Joe, and how he felt he had to stop being himself in order to suceed in life, which he them failed at. It's also kind of about the tensions between African blacks and Afro-Carribean blacks in London (or Britain in general, I guess) so that was really interesting too. And, the best part in my opinion, it starred Abdul Salis from Love Actually! (That's who the picture is of) For those of you not familiar with this amazing movie, he plays the friend of a guy named Colin Frissell who, after being rejected one too many times by British girls, decides to move go to the US where he will become instantly irrestitable. Anyways, Abdul Salis was amaaaaaazing and I'm so glad to have seen him in that show. Very very cool.

Not much else happened this week, besides a lot of stressing over work. The roomies are gone again. They went to Spain on Tuesday and get back tomorrow. Oh, and I've been slowly falling more and more in love with Rilo Kiley as of late. I always had their album Take Offs and Landings, but I recently got Under the Blacklight and really started liking it. So then I went and got More Adventurous because it already had three songs I liked on it. So yeah. Lots of Jenny Lewis happening in my room right now!

I guess that's all. I'll try to update BEFORE next weekend.

Oh and PS - 26 days and this is all over! Not sure how I feel about that... I'll get back to you.

we'll do it all, everything, on our own

My roomies are both away this weekend, leaving me with a big ol' empty room. It's been a little lonely, but a little amazing at the same time. I forgot how nice it was to have some time for yourself. I also got out of the room a lot and hung out with other London Semester people who I don't spend as much time with. I tell you, being in a triple definitely makes you socially stunted, especially when all three of you are on, for the most part, the same schedule. Same classes, same assignments (which means same busy and quiet periods) and we all know everyone so we all basically have the same social schedule. It's good, because there's always people there, but it's mindless because there's always people there! I'm enjoying it actually, but I think I'll also be glad to go back to my regular social habits.

I've been really stressed about my workload lately, and also getting homesicky because I was having troubles calling home or talking on msn or anything (no phone and no computer make meg something something). So I had a minor breakdown about that on Thursday night, and, to my relief, my friend Blair said she didn't know how I was doing this semester without a computer. It really justified my frustration, and the breakdown gave me the push I needed to do something about it. I talked to my friend Liz, who's also going through this sans CPU, and we decided to split the cost of renting a computer for our last month here. I'm really happy about it. This way I can get all my work done guilt-free, and connect with home a LOT more often.

Last night a bunch of us went to this Canada themed bar in Covent Garden called The Maple Leaf. It was so cool! It felt so stereotypically Canadian. It felt like a log cabin, there was a stuffed bear, hockey memorabilia all over the place, aboriginal art, and Canadian beer! They had Sleeman on tap, and they sold poutine! So of course we indulged. Oh! And they do pitchers, that's virtually unheard of over here! So it was a really good night. :)

I suppose that's all for now. Things are good. :)

I don't need to lose it to know that I had it good...

Well hello! As always, it's been a while, and as always, so much has happened I'm not sure I'll get it all in. But I suppose that's the nature of a blog; something is always left out. And I'm ok with that, more opportunity to share stories when I get home.

Speaking of home, I fly home in a little over a month - 34 days to be exact! I'm both happy and sad about that to be honest. I'm having a great time over here, I really like London and all I've been doing for classes and stuff. But I really miss my family and friends, the people who love you no matter what. I also realize I don't really like the place I'm living in. I feel like I would really have enjoyed living in a flat, with a computer, and a phone (I don't have either here. I know, crazy!)

But last weekend I went to Sheffield to visit Amy, who lived across the hall from me in my first year in Artz. She moved there in September, and is just loving it over here. It was great to see her and spend time with her, and it was also really great to see her so happy with her life right now. She said she has no plans to live in Canada again unless it's to get her immigration papers to move to the UK for good. Wow!

This weekend I feel like be a slow one. I should do some work, so that'll probably happen at some point. But I'd also like to get started on the list I've made of things to do before I leave. Among other things, it is:

- Hyde Park, to see Kenginston Gardens (the Diana stuff) and the Peter Pan statue
- Covent Garden, to see te market that's there
- a movie in Leicester Square
- the Imperial War Museum
- go inside St. Paul's Catherdral
- go ice skating (I'm not sure tis one will pan out, I might just wait 'till I'm back in Kingston)

So that's where I'm at now. Slowly getting more and more ready to go home!

I've been searchin' all around the world...

This weekend feels like the world slowed to a snail's pace. My weekdays go by so fast that when I don't go anywhere on the weekends they feel soooooo sloooooooooooooow. I'm not sure whether this is a good or bad thing. I like having the chance to catch my breath, get caught up with friends and on school work, and have time for myself. But it's a little hard because I when things go by slowly I have more time to miss home, which just makes me feel bad because I feel like I should be enjoying London so much that it wouldn't occur to me to miss something from home. Oh well, can't control what you feel I suppose.

Friday night was ridiculous. A big group of us went out to the Notting Hill Arts Club and drank and danced the night away. It was actually a really good time except for little bits of drama that crept their way into the evening. But the good outweighed the bad I think, so it's ok. Saturday I went to Camden Market again and got myself a day-by-day horoscope book for 99p and a blue bone ring that had dyed my finger. I also got some more gifts - ones for Emile and Alex. Now I only have three people to buy for! And I have ideas for two of them, all I need now is inspiration for Nick and I'm all set. Who knew brothers were so hard to buy for? Last night was really relaxed. I spent the night in, watched a couple episodes of Grey's and V for Vendetta. Today I've got the room to myself mostly, which is so great. I'm getting a great chance to relax and just so what I want. I met with my group for music class and we worked a little on our project, and now I think I'm going to do some more work and possibly watch something on the computer. Feels like a typical Sunday afternoon. All I need now is a copy of the Sunday Star. sigh, I miss it.

What did you do this weekend?

life keeps rolling on...

Yet another busy week. I swear, this one went by faster than the others! Probably because I only got back from my Reading Week adventures on Monday.

Classes this week were good, although it was hard to get back into the school mindset. I managed to though, by music on Wednesday I was back in the swing of things. Tuesday night I saw a play called Kebab at the Royal Court which was pretty good. It was a translation of a Romanian play about Romanian immigrants in Dublin. Specifically it's about three Romanians trying to make a life for themselves. And of course, it being a play, things go wrong. It was a pretty enjoyable play about immigration (something I can identify with, being a Canuck and all) but I felt a little left out because it was Romanians in Ireland, two cultures I don't know a whole lot about. I really liked the show anyway though, probably because there was a talk with the director and cast after the show. I always love hearing feedback from the people actually doing the show.

Last night for music I saw the London Philharmonic Orchestra (not the same orchestra as before!) doing Holst's Planets and Walton's Belshazzar's Feast. Let me tell YOU. The Planets was AMAZING!!! Probably my favourite piece of music I've seen since I've been here. So big and so entertaining, and unlike a lot of other really structured classical music it wasn't trying to go awywhere or work toward something. Each movement was just a beautiful meditation on whatever Holst's inspiration was. Just amazing. I need to own it. Belshazzar's Feast was good too, it's a choral piece with singing and all that, and tells the story of the downfall of Babylon. I really like it, just not as much as the Holst. I think I'd like to own it too though.

Wednesday was Hallowe'en. The people at the other res (Vic League) hosted a party for everyone. It was such a good time! Oh man, some people had the most ridiculous costumes! My roomie Steph went as Charlie Chaplin with this creepy paper mask she bought in Amsterdam, and my friend Liz went as euro-trash, but it wasn't enough to go as that she needed to be male euro-trash. Oh man, I've never laughed so hard in my life, she was SO GOOD! She had a unibrow, and a gross goatee, and a fake package, and kept hitting on all the girls in this really indescriminate european accent. It was hysterical, the pictures still crack me up. Oh and another highlight? Jerrard (our prof) and his wife Diana coming to the party, complete with costumes!

So that's basically my week. Today I'm going to try to do work (mail that thing off to Australia, finally!), and watch Grey's. I might watch other things too depending on how much work I get done. I'm staying in London this weekend, and it's the first weekend in a while. I was really excited for it until I remembered why I don't like spending the weekend in London - I get so bored! Maybe I just need to go out walking more. Oh well. Adventure awaits?

in which the homesickness sets in...

Highlights from last weekend:
- Staying in British suburia, despite making me miss my own surburban home.
- Trying out punting. I wasn't very good, and actually got a little frustrated, but I liked sitting in the boat and spending time with the roomies.
- Our B&B. Very comfortable with an ensuite bathroom (that doesn't feel like you're on a barge) and a tv in the room. I got to watch British talk shows!
- Going up a church tower to see the whole of Oxford, and even into the countryside a little. Very pretty.
- This cafe called Puccino's with a very quirky menu and decor. My kind of place.

Things I'm looking forward to:
- Evan and Cara coming to visit for an entire week! Eeeee!
- Getting more and more used to London things like the Tube, the streets, and the general layout of the city. I still get frustrated with how easily I lose my sense of direction here, but I'm getting better.
- The drama class' backstage tour of the British National Theatre scheduled for next week.
- Going out tomorrow for Steph's (roomate's) birthday.

Things I miss:
- My privacy. Being in a triple is definitely worse than the double in Artz I remember. I've been here a month, and been alone twice since I drove to the airport in Toronto. Ugh.
- My computer. It's my window home. I go stir-crazy when I can't interact with different people on a regular basis, and even moreso when I can't connect with my family and best friends when I want to, or read my blog, or do random research on things that interest me, not to mention actual research I need to do for classes. This is what I'm having the hardest time with. I knew it would be an adjustment, but I didn't expect the guilt I would feel always borrowing time on my roomates' computers. If there is any way to get one right now, I'd get it. But I keep coming up dry.
- Television, especially since Private Practice and Grey's have started. Plus, sometimes it feels so good to relax and veg in front of the boob tube. Some people listen to music, some people have a glass of wine, I watch tv.
- Peanut butter, solely because someone mentioned it at dinner tonight and now I have a craving.

I don't want you to think I'm not having a good time. I am. I'm enjoying myself. I'm meeting new people and doing new things, and loving being here. I just miss those things.

city livin'...

I'm trying to update more so I don't forget things when I go to write about the last 489509238748 million things I did in the last little bit. I'm trying to do the same with my paper journal.

Anyways. When did I last update? Friday evening? So Saturday Dianne, Steph, and I went to Buckingham Palace to tour through the State Rooms. It was really nice, the rooms are really opulent and ornate and really interesting to walk through. We got a complimentary commentary to listen to which I really appreciated because it had a lot of history of the building. I learned about the palace's history, how it used to be a house and was then renovated and recreated into a palace, and then redecorated by King George IV and then finished by Queen Victoria. I especially liked listening about how the Queen's Garden's got bombed during WWII, and then the King and Queen took lunch in an air raid shelter and then went to East London to tour around, which was the part of London that got bombed the heaviest. Oh, and for future reference, Buckingham Palace staff are not allowed to take pictures for you. Go figure.

Saturday night was good. Dianne and I went to South London (Clapham, to be exact) to meet Dianne's friend of a friend, James. He was really nice! Typical British guy, likes soccer (football) and cricket (we had a good chat about how much I like cricket, despite having never actually seen a match), is from Northern England (Yorkshire) and works for HSBC bank in the city. The three of us went out to dinner, which James generously paid for (I tried to offer money, he wouldn't take it... oh well?), which was really nice of him (!) and then went to see his flat and watch some British tv, which ended up being us watching a couple episodes of Friends (lol) before heading home. All in all, it was a good evening. We invited him to ISH karaoke.

Sunday was boring because I didn't do anything or go anywhere, and have no computer or tv to occupy me. I did some work, but there really isn't all that much to do here. So I got a little homesick, and then got frustrated with being homesick and decided that from now on I need only devote half-days to schoolwork in hopes of staving off the homesickness.

Anyways. Yesterday was pretty good. Lots of class. We had a really lively discussion in Drama about the show we saw last week (Poe's Masque of the Red Death at Battersea Arts Centre). It was really really great to discuss some of what we all saw and did, and I was pretty disappointed when the prof had to cut off the discussion. After class we went to Shakespeare's Globe to see The Merchant of Venice, which was so good! It was definitely an experience standing in the yard for three hours and watching the show very much like I would watch a costume today. I had visions of Shakespeare in Love, it was pretty cool. I took as many pictures as I could, and will put them up on Facebook and Flickr for y'all to see. (I have a link to my Flickr account in the sidebar, by the way) The show was bawdy and funny and the crowd got a little raucous and it was just so enjoyable. Add onto that the fact that the acting was amazing and Bassanio was gorgeous and I'm sold. :)

So that's about it. Oh! Dianne and I went to the Victoria and Albert museum today to look at the fashion stuff they had. It's a really nice place, I'd like to go back there.

In other news, it's about two weeks until Cara and Evan get here, and I'm SO excited! And in other other news, I foolishly didn't bring my tan cord jacket and I'm regretting it huge. Oh well. I guess I'll just wear my trench more.

Just a quick post...

So, highlight of last week? Seeing three performances, that was pretty ridiculous! Saint Joan on Monday night, Albert Herring on Wednesday night, and then Dianne, Steph, Blair, Alannah and I saw The Boy Friend (a musical set in the 1920's on the French Riviera) at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park on Friday afternoon. Dianne and I had been exploring the park the day before and discovered that the theatre was in it's last days of performance for the summer so we hopped right on that!

Saturday was a looooong day. A bunch of us walked around the South Bank for the afternoon, taking in some sights. It was Doors Open London this weekend so we got to go in to a whole bunch of awesome places like The Rose theatre (Shakespeare in Love!) and the Lloyds of London building, which has some really great architecture. We tried to go into the Gherkin (the huge pretty glass, almost egg-shaped buidling) but even though it was taking part in DOL is was by booking only. But! The Thames Festival was also on so we enjoyed some of that. We walked across the Thames on Southark Bridge, which was so weird! Part of it was covered with sand, some with astroturf, and there were all these booths and tents set up. We all decorated gingerbread cookies, and some of us got some lovely organic ale at a beer tent (yum!) and then we got indian food for lunch and got to sit in an indian-style decorated tent complete with low tables, plush pillows, and islamic-style decorations - very cool.

Last night we returned to the festival and stood in front of the Oxo building to see the most amazing and best fireworks I've EVER SEEN! They were so amazing, and we all felt like little children watching them. And then we all made a human train and got pummeled and molested trying to get out of the throng of people. I get that's what we get for being in the middle of it all. It was worth it. :)

Ok, the roomies and I are going for dinner now so I'll head off. I hope to post some pictures tonight though!