Wow.
Computer problems have made a huge dent in my blogging abilities. My username here at RVC got hacked and was sending out thousands of spam messages, so the IT people locked it down - sending everything that comes in into the deleted folder. After a week of thinking "hm, no new email? strange" I finally clicked the deleted folder and saw that I had 19,000 deleted emails. It took the better part of 2 days to wade through the spam crap to find all those "real" emails that were deleted - like the several messages from my PhD advisor, the polo team emails, changes to the weekly reading assignments ... grrrr anyway, I am back.
must get back to lecture now, but I will update on all the amazing goings on this after noon - home in 2 weeks!!!!!!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
A belated Happy Halloween - I can not believe how fast this term has gone - it is November? *shudder* Anyway ....
> Resolved today at the polo club to become even poorer than I already am and invest in a set of fiberglass polo mallets .... and some knee pads ... and a proper pair of polo boots. Hopefully they will be high quality because that may be all I can afford to wear through the end of the year if I keep on at this rate .....
> I am still coughing - it must be all the clean London air ...
> One of the benefits of living in the UK is that you get to see the Harry Potter and James Bond films before anyone else. (hahaha!) The flatmates and I braved the chilly rain yesterday to go see the new James Bond film. It is completely different than a "typical" Bond film, because this Bond is an angry, vengeful, jerk (who is yet strangely still charming .... it must be the washboard abs....) and he kicks some ass. I won't give anything away for anyone who has not seen it yet, but it is a really good action flick.
> Side Note: They have BEN AND JERRY'S MILKSHAKES at the cinema here. You heard me. You can pick your 2 favorite B&J flavors and the will mix them into a milkshake for you to consume with popcorn. *sigh* And the popcorn? You have the option of "sweet or salted" the sweet option has this surgary liquid drizzled on top and salted is just plain movie theater popcorn ... who would have thought ....
> This week is a little less hectic than last, and I am finding a rythm with my coursework - all and all MUCH less overwealming than MHC. I am thankful because Wednesday is Bonfire night here in the UK, and I am really excited to head down to Hyde park and see the fireworks!!! I will report back with pictures ....
> Resolved today at the polo club to become even poorer than I already am and invest in a set of fiberglass polo mallets .... and some knee pads ... and a proper pair of polo boots. Hopefully they will be high quality because that may be all I can afford to wear through the end of the year if I keep on at this rate .....
> I am still coughing - it must be all the clean London air ...
> One of the benefits of living in the UK is that you get to see the Harry Potter and James Bond films before anyone else. (hahaha!) The flatmates and I braved the chilly rain yesterday to go see the new James Bond film. It is completely different than a "typical" Bond film, because this Bond is an angry, vengeful, jerk (who is yet strangely still charming .... it must be the washboard abs....) and he kicks some ass. I won't give anything away for anyone who has not seen it yet, but it is a really good action flick.
> Side Note: They have BEN AND JERRY'S MILKSHAKES at the cinema here. You heard me. You can pick your 2 favorite B&J flavors and the will mix them into a milkshake for you to consume with popcorn. *sigh* And the popcorn? You have the option of "sweet or salted" the sweet option has this surgary liquid drizzled on top and salted is just plain movie theater popcorn ... who would have thought ....
> This week is a little less hectic than last, and I am finding a rythm with my coursework - all and all MUCH less overwealming than MHC. I am thankful because Wednesday is Bonfire night here in the UK, and I am really excited to head down to Hyde park and see the fireworks!!! I will report back with pictures ....
Thursday, October 30, 2008
What a whirlwind the last few days have been.... I think bullet points are in order:
> The first snow storm in 70 years hit London this past Tuesday, and I have offcially been bitten by the polo bug - it was just a memorable day all around.
1. First polo session - I played for 3 hours and even managed to make a goal!!! I am quite proud of myself for my first time (even if the first horse I was on was like clinically dead - I have never kicked anything so hard in my life and he was just walking...) It is the most brilliant game in the world, and I think I am going to become significantly poorer .... (it is SO worth it
2. Snow started just as we got on horses, by the time we got everything sorted and payed for the snow was a bit above my ankles. I was thrilled, but Will and my fellow polo compatriots were less than pleased as they had never driven in that much (that much = 6 inches) of snow before! To make a long story short, every road we went down was either blocked by a downed tree, or a 15 car pile up (they don't have snow tires here..) so poor will was forced to drive with one had and work his GPS with the other. After 2 hours we made it to the train station (an 8 mile journey) to find it suspiciously dark. The entire Potter Bar area had lost power. No trains running. No Cabs. No heat/electricity. Damn. So we walk to the nearest train stop and are met by a woman who tells us that the rain will not be coming because it has run off the road, but if we run we can make it to the train stop in the next town. In full polo gear we run/slip over to the train station and just make the last train back to London. What a night. I got in at 1AM (from a 6PM polo lesson) and I don't remember the last time I was that cold. I think it was a testament to the awesomeness of the polo that I was still in a good mood.
*** Quaint British Image #736: As we were skidding through Potters Bar I was just gazing out at the rolling British countryside - virgin snow, just a bright moon illuminating the fields for as far as the eye can see ..... with about 100-150 bunnies popping their heads up and standing at attention watching the snow fall over blackened Potters Bar ..... *sigh*
> Another polo-related note: I had my first initiation ... it was quite good fun, but unfortunately I misunderstood the dress theme. It said to wear something starting with a P L or O ... I thought they meant clothes starting with a P L or O, so I went in all pink and purple from head to toe. I got there to find Princesses, Lions, Ladybugs, police officers, pandas ... etc *sigh* I am always the oddball, so I don't know why I am surprised by this (note: Will wins the prize for coming as a Public schoolgirl... ) We had party games, a polo pony pinata, and curly straws to drink our boxed wine through - hehe. All would have been well if I did not have to literally carry one of my flat 10 friends home. How did I get elected den mother?
> OMG SHOES.
Camden High Street. 20$. I love this country.
> I came home the other day to find this in the hall connecting flats 9 and 10 :
Why do I have the feeling that I don't want to know what this is about?
> Final Note:
My dad on Skype. Why? If you have to ask, you don't know my dad....
> The first snow storm in 70 years hit London this past Tuesday, and I have offcially been bitten by the polo bug - it was just a memorable day all around.
1. First polo session - I played for 3 hours and even managed to make a goal!!! I am quite proud of myself for my first time (even if the first horse I was on was like clinically dead - I have never kicked anything so hard in my life and he was just walking...) It is the most brilliant game in the world, and I think I am going to become significantly poorer .... (it is SO worth it
2. Snow started just as we got on horses, by the time we got everything sorted and payed for the snow was a bit above my ankles. I was thrilled, but Will and my fellow polo compatriots were less than pleased as they had never driven in that much (that much = 6 inches) of snow before! To make a long story short, every road we went down was either blocked by a downed tree, or a 15 car pile up (they don't have snow tires here..) so poor will was forced to drive with one had and work his GPS with the other. After 2 hours we made it to the train station (an 8 mile journey) to find it suspiciously dark. The entire Potter Bar area had lost power. No trains running. No Cabs. No heat/electricity. Damn. So we walk to the nearest train stop and are met by a woman who tells us that the rain will not be coming because it has run off the road, but if we run we can make it to the train stop in the next town. In full polo gear we run/slip over to the train station and just make the last train back to London. What a night. I got in at 1AM (from a 6PM polo lesson) and I don't remember the last time I was that cold. I think it was a testament to the awesomeness of the polo that I was still in a good mood.
*** Quaint British Image #736: As we were skidding through Potters Bar I was just gazing out at the rolling British countryside - virgin snow, just a bright moon illuminating the fields for as far as the eye can see ..... with about 100-150 bunnies popping their heads up and standing at attention watching the snow fall over blackened Potters Bar ..... *sigh*
> Another polo-related note: I had my first initiation ... it was quite good fun, but unfortunately I misunderstood the dress theme. It said to wear something starting with a P L or O ... I thought they meant clothes starting with a P L or O, so I went in all pink and purple from head to toe. I got there to find Princesses, Lions, Ladybugs, police officers, pandas ... etc *sigh* I am always the oddball, so I don't know why I am surprised by this (note: Will wins the prize for coming as a Public schoolgirl... ) We had party games, a polo pony pinata, and curly straws to drink our boxed wine through - hehe. All would have been well if I did not have to literally carry one of my flat 10 friends home. How did I get elected den mother?
> OMG SHOES.
Camden High Street. 20$. I love this country.
> I came home the other day to find this in the hall connecting flats 9 and 10 :
Why do I have the feeling that I don't want to know what this is about?
> Final Note:
My dad on Skype. Why? If you have to ask, you don't know my dad....
Thursday, October 23, 2008
I had a big moment today. It has happened ... I have been converted. For the first time in my life I have tried Marmite and ...... *drum roll* ..... I really liked it. I know that it has forever been made fun of in the states for being unthinkably gross, but I had some on a piece of well done toast (at the strong insisting of Ellie and Fionn), and it was wonderful. Tastes kind of starchy and amazing :)
I got another package from home on Tuesday - my mom sent me my Halloween costume (for my MOHOs it is the red renaissance gown that I wore the last couple of years), but it seems the jar of Fluff (a prized rarity here in the UK) my dad put in the box exploded mid flight and ended up all over my dress and lab coat ... .thank god it is just pure sugar and came off easily with hot water ... but it gave me a right good scare.
I have also started to fill out post cards for everyone back in the States, so keep an eye out for that. I just bought a ton of them and will be slowly sending them out; so if you are impatient, drop me a line and I will bump you up to the top of the pile :)
British Culture Moment #652: They are really into milk ads here (do we even have them in the US?) here are 2 of my new favorite ads of all time from Cravendale Milk company:
Shopping
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_NGabt5IHBg
Wake Up
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CXNdgjuMWqU
Everyone all together now *in Pirate voice* "MIIILLLKKKKK!!!"
I got another package from home on Tuesday - my mom sent me my Halloween costume (for my MOHOs it is the red renaissance gown that I wore the last couple of years), but it seems the jar of Fluff (a prized rarity here in the UK) my dad put in the box exploded mid flight and ended up all over my dress and lab coat ... .thank god it is just pure sugar and came off easily with hot water ... but it gave me a right good scare.
I have also started to fill out post cards for everyone back in the States, so keep an eye out for that. I just bought a ton of them and will be slowly sending them out; so if you are impatient, drop me a line and I will bump you up to the top of the pile :)
British Culture Moment #652: They are really into milk ads here (do we even have them in the US?) here are 2 of my new favorite ads of all time from Cravendale Milk company:
Shopping
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_NGabt5IHBg
Wake Up
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CXNdgjuMWqU
Everyone all together now *in Pirate voice* "MIIILLLKKKKK!!!"
Monday, October 20, 2008
After almost a week, I have finally starting coming out of my dreaded cold (or "Freshers Flu" as it is called here) which means that I can finally get a proper nights sleep.
I have some more pictures to add today, and I realized that I have not posted any pictures of the rather cute horses that live at the end of the courtyard here at college grove:
Although they are stuck in the middle of north-central London, they have a pretty sweet deal. They are the horses that we practice palpating and examining, but since they hang out in front of College Grove, they have the undivided attention of many pet-starved vet students (not to mention some treats too...)
In a continuing story from earlier, I managed to snag a picture from the great hall today
although it is a lovely painting, I, as an American, feel rather put off by good ole' King "Crazy Pants" George III lurking above me in lecture .....
This week's schedule is pretty benign (hopefully the girls and I will go out to the Ice Warf again on Thursday - that brownie sundae was to die for!) and I have an Int'l Sutdents get together tomorrow night, but next week is going to be madness. I am going to the polo club party on Monday, I have my rescheduled polo lesson on Tuesday, and there are 2 Halloween parties (one for sports teams, the other for the whole school) on Thursday and Friday [I sure hope I get my costume form home by then!] I will keep you posted on how my new-found social life is going (ha!)
I know I have a little count down thing over on the side, but I just bought my plane tickets home for the holidays and I will be back in MHD from
December 10th - January 3rd
I will be taking a weekend on either the 13th or the 20th to go down to NY/CT to see my MOHOs and I will do my best to fit all my MHD friends in ... I miss you guys!
Before I go .... British people do not know "zucchini". I was making stir fry the other night, and my flat mates asked what I had in it, and when I told them there was zucchini in it, they giggled and said they had never heard such a silly sounding word... they took another look at my dinner and said .... "oh, you mean courgettes?" WHAT?!?! English my ass....
~ALLi
I have some more pictures to add today, and I realized that I have not posted any pictures of the rather cute horses that live at the end of the courtyard here at college grove:
Although they are stuck in the middle of north-central London, they have a pretty sweet deal. They are the horses that we practice palpating and examining, but since they hang out in front of College Grove, they have the undivided attention of many pet-starved vet students (not to mention some treats too...)
In a continuing story from earlier, I managed to snag a picture from the great hall today
although it is a lovely painting, I, as an American, feel rather put off by good ole' King "Crazy Pants" George III lurking above me in lecture .....
This week's schedule is pretty benign (hopefully the girls and I will go out to the Ice Warf again on Thursday - that brownie sundae was to die for!) and I have an Int'l Sutdents get together tomorrow night, but next week is going to be madness. I am going to the polo club party on Monday, I have my rescheduled polo lesson on Tuesday, and there are 2 Halloween parties (one for sports teams, the other for the whole school) on Thursday and Friday [I sure hope I get my costume form home by then!] I will keep you posted on how my new-found social life is going (ha!)
I know I have a little count down thing over on the side, but I just bought my plane tickets home for the holidays and I will be back in MHD from
December 10th - January 3rd
I will be taking a weekend on either the 13th or the 20th to go down to NY/CT to see my MOHOs and I will do my best to fit all my MHD friends in ... I miss you guys!
Before I go .... British people do not know "zucchini". I was making stir fry the other night, and my flat mates asked what I had in it, and when I told them there was zucchini in it, they giggled and said they had never heard such a silly sounding word... they took another look at my dinner and said .... "oh, you mean courgettes?" WHAT?!?! English my ass....
~ALLi
Thursday, October 16, 2008
OK, so it is official ... Shara and I are going to see EDDIE IZZARD on opening night *does happy dance around the room* what else can I say?
The rest of this week has been a bit of a stop and go - schedule changes, lecture time changes, general confusion, a pesky cough that has had me up most of the last 3 nights, and then to top it off, I found myself sick with a stomach bug on Tuesday and missed my first Polo practice. *sigh*. It is not a huge problem - I can just sign up for next week - but I was so looking forward to it.... grumble...grumble.
I adore my flatmates, and we are all set to go for our little outing to see Billy Elliot on Thursday (their amazing birthday gift to me!) and I can't wait. We are also set for something called Freight Fest tomorrow night. It is an amusement park that runs a Halloween thing where they have people dressed up as all kinds of zombies, monsters etc ... and scare the doo-doo out of you on rides .... how could that not be good?
Random side note: Do you know what I just noticed today? We have a HUGE picture of King George III hanging to the right of the main projection screen in the great hall ... a little anti-American I feel ..... hahahah I am so going to sneak my camera in and get a picture of it tomorrow ....
The rest of this week has been a bit of a stop and go - schedule changes, lecture time changes, general confusion, a pesky cough that has had me up most of the last 3 nights, and then to top it off, I found myself sick with a stomach bug on Tuesday and missed my first Polo practice. *sigh*. It is not a huge problem - I can just sign up for next week - but I was so looking forward to it.... grumble...grumble.
I adore my flatmates, and we are all set to go for our little outing to see Billy Elliot on Thursday (their amazing birthday gift to me!) and I can't wait. We are also set for something called Freight Fest tomorrow night. It is an amusement park that runs a Halloween thing where they have people dressed up as all kinds of zombies, monsters etc ... and scare the doo-doo out of you on rides .... how could that not be good?
Random side note: Do you know what I just noticed today? We have a HUGE picture of King George III hanging to the right of the main projection screen in the great hall ... a little anti-American I feel ..... hahahah I am so going to sneak my camera in and get a picture of it tomorrow ....
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