Catching My Breath

Home - and with the internet at last. I apologize for being so MIA the past few weeks and since I have come back to London.

FIRST - I had to get back and get over my jet lag which took decidedly more days than I wanted OR expected.

THEN - I had to churn out essays like it was my job - it was rough - but I finally got them in and am hoping that it was at least for the most part successful.

THIRD - I had to try and sleep to catch up with myself and my time zone...

LASTLY - I had to resume my social life which of course was the most fun endeavor of it all. Here are the details (cause I know the rest would bore you.... what if I wrote a WHOLE blog-post about my essays?! That's what I thought...):

So as soon as I got back I had a mini-session with my flat-mates which consisted of me getting toasty after just two pints - way to go jet lag - and sleeping for about 16 hours! Then post-essay and non-drinking week, Matt, Jill, and I went to Belgo's for moles, frittes bierere. Tuesday night was a bit crazier - after class all day (yes, which you will be proud Mark and I got up early to do the reading for over breakfast and lots of coffee)... we went to the pub with a bunch of ISA (Institute for the Study of the Americas - my school) students, came back for dinner thanks to Jilli, then out to the Camden pubs. At some point in the night Matt, Mark and I did a three-person piggy-back (don't ask me how) and made lots of friends on another one of our famous self-guided pub crawls.

Needless to say I spent last Wednesday reading, running around Camden (still trying to learn all the crazy side-streets) and sleeping. Thursday was another pub afternoon with fellow grad students... full of political jousting, debating, intellectual trivia and the like. A bit cliche but good nonetheless. Thursday night was spent in East London and Jack and I went to my favorite Indian food in London near Brick Lane - SO good.

Friday night was our long-awaited flat-warming party.... so after a long breakfast, a run in Regent's Park and a nap... the day was spent scrubbing our shower, kitchen floors, oven and the like. Our flat is brand-new but still - wants you start cleaning.... Then true to my Cancer nature and my years doing event-planning, I went all out with a spread of 8 different cheeses, crackers, devilled eggs, veggies and dip, fruit, chips and salsa, home-made brownies (baked from a box mix - does that still count?!) and the like while my flat-mates prepared the mixed drinks, etc. Matt and I created quite the party playlist... complete with everything to Michael Jackson to the Beach Boys, Paperboy to Kanye Brittany to Shakira, Bon Jovi (yeah Jersey shore pride!) - and just for Gretchen - Journey.

The party was great - tons of great folks ranging in nationalities, languages and who invited them (like the friends of friends of the Australian guys that live below us). Lots of living room dancing, demolishing of the food and eventually the drinks, flirting, laughing, singing and flat-warming presents. The last one to bed at 5:15am... Matt treated all 8 of us who slept here to breakfast in the am complete with mimosas. 'Cause as the Placer girls tennis team's motto goes: go big or go home.

Saturday I was off to the Tate for the afternoon, walked along the southbank for quite some time still singing "London Calling" by The Clash - or particularly the line "I live by the river!" After the Tate, my friend and I went out for a few drinks on the water as it was an amazingly clear night with little wind and we sat facing the city - it was tremendous and made me fall in love with London all over again.

Speaking of the river... there was a 30 ft. whale in the Thames last week! Crazy!

There was also this great new exhibit by Oxfam that is called 'After The Wave' and is all about remembering the Tsunami. There were some absolutely chilling photos and I was extremely impressed and confounded (once again) my support in non-profits....

Later Saturday night I headed out to Fulham for Miles' birthday party with Kasia. Seeing as it was quite late once we finished and the tube was closed (and Kasia had since gone home) - I headed back for the after-party birthday cake. Sunday we went out for a full English breakfast and I fell in love with the place if only because the coffee was included AND they had veggie sausage... I was lovin' it.

Jillian made dinner for Kasia, Matt and I Sunday night and we spent the evening debating world colonizing history - luckily Mark was gone and didn't have to hear it! No wonder he told me that my greatest flaw was that sometimes I can be an intellectual snob - damn.

Went for another run yesterday in the park and almost lost my keys but luckily was able to retrace my steps and find them... I didn't think anyone else would have a rape whistle, a red laser, and a red/white/blue donkey keychain with just one key.... but I guess you never know....

Made dinner for Matt and Jillian last night (with left-overs for lunch today), went to the store, read, etc. I also promised Matt that I would get up with him at 5am to watch the Canadian election results - I really am a politico dork - but hated having to watch the 2005 Election Returns by myself in my dorm-room and constantly IM'ing Stephen, Shayna and the Corzine crew for the latest word.

So alas - Matt woke me up at 5am and we sat in our pajamas, drinking coffee, eating oatmeal (porridge UK-side) and watching as the conservatives take-over yet another Anglo-phone country. The good news is that they are only governing with a minority and will not be able to get crazy legislation through and will have to reach out to the other parties (especially the liberals). The bad news is that it signifies a conservative shift in Canada - and after looking at some of the candidates profiles - some of them are just as deeply rooted in their anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-welfare traditions as in the U.S.

Today was class - and then class - and then errands all day before meeting Elisa to catch up. Now back at the house and finally with internet access - that is what this week is all about - catching up with my life. The past two weeks have swung from one extreme to the other and I am super excited about leading a semi-constant life with intervals of craziness just to keep it exciting... Plus, my presentations start next week!