About to cannibalize my shoes for the laces...

Well, my booklight has broken. It was very nice while it lasted, but now I'm back to having to get out of bed to turn off the light when I'm ready to sleep after reading. I think if I had a string long enough, I could lead it over to the bed and then not have to get up... It's not that I'm lazy, it's that standing up to go pull the light cord wakes me up. I like to sort of fall asleep reading...

Also. Milky Ways in Britain are not what you might expect. Unless you were expecting them to be a 3 Musketeers bar... then you would get what you were expecting. Now, if you wanted a Milky Way for real, you would have to get a Mars Bar... yeah.

Anyway.

So whenever I set an alarm, I generally wake up before it goes off - usually about 10 to 15 minutes before. And then I usually just stay awake because if i go back to sleep I'll just be more tired. Today I went back to sleep after waking up and it felt good : ) When I did wake up to my alarm, I was moving really slowly for some reason, forgetting where things were and forgetting what I was doing, that sort of thing. I left for my 9 o clock class at 8 to 9 and still got there on time... it helps that the professor is never on time : P

There was a lot of fog today. I walked outside and smelled the forzen-soil smell of winter for the first time since being here. I wonder if we're in for some cold weather.

Professor Cardew showed up today wearing a trenchcoat and fedora. It was very twenties spy. We talked about German myths, which I think will be much more interesting when we can go into it in detail during seminar. Lecture actually ended five minutes early today, as opposed to five minutes late, so I didn't have to rush to my modernity lecture.

Modernity was about D.H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers, which I have not read because it will not be on the exam and we are not discussing it in seminar and I am not writing an essay about it. When I run out of novels, I will go back to the reading lists for these classes and read what looks interesting. My teachers keep referring to the books from Autumn term. Maybe I'll read those. They also keep referring to a class called 204: Approaches to Text, which is a prerequisite for all literature courses. One of my classes at Purdue counted as an equivalent, I guess, or they wouldn't have let me into all these lit courses... but teachers keep referring to things that everyone else learned in that class - mostly categories of novels, a bit like the "36 original plots" categories, but unique to this University - or perhaps to Britain, for I have never heard of them anywhere else (how's THAT for a run-on sentence?). More and more, it seems like this university just does things in its own way, like how St. Joe's Rennselaer (or however it's spelled) has that program that makes it difficult to transfer schools... Then again, all universities in Britain may be like this. I don't know.

The Modernity Lecture was very annoying. The lecturer kept coming out from behind the podium and standing on the stairs between the sections in the lecture hall. In fact, he kept standing right at my row, with his back to me and the rest of my section, speaking in the opposite direction to the rest of the class. When he wasn't doing that, he was standing in front of the screen reading his notes off of the powerpoint slides and lecturing like that with his back to the whole class and blocking the first couple rows' view of the screen (yes. i was in the first couple rows). Good thing none of this material was important...

I've been wondering about my lack of accent, and I think I've got it figured out: I've always slipped easily into the accents of those around me (except the Lafayette accent for some reason), so when I'm talking to British people, I tend to pick one up a bit. But when I call my family, I use the American accent, because that's what they're using. So basically, the point of all this is that I'd make an awesome spy or something.

After lecture, I went up to the Sports Centre to see about joining so that I could go to Archery Club meetings. They said I only needed to buy a membership if I planned to use the weights room....

I didn't buy a membership.

Next I went to the Student Union offices to join the Societies Guild and the Travelling Society, which cost a total of four pounds (I can't figure out why Archery is 20 pounds...)

Then I went to sign up for essay writing help sessions, which should be interesting since I've never had to be instructed in essay writing outside of class before. I've got an appointment for Wednesday.

Bookstore was next. I was hoping to buy a booklight to replace my poor broken one. I asked the lady if they were sold there and she gave me this look like "What the heck is a book light?"
No. They are not sold there. Sigh.

After lunch I took a nap, and had some pretty tripped out dreams... peanut butter and a fake Milky Way I guess are a weird combination? Yeah...

When I woke up I did some reading and some chatting. I started looking up info on hotels in Colchester for June. I discovered that Colchester has LOTS of hotels. I also discovered that most of them are not very nice. The Bed and Breakfast places look a lot nicer. I guess we shall see.

Dinner was a sandwich.

And now... I proceed to stay up super late in the honored Monday night tradition ^.^

American Jellybeans and Toaster Fires (not neccessarily related)

Today is my two-class day. It was my first time meeting with the seminar for Modernity, and it is a good class. The teacher definitely knows what she's doing. She also gave me a whole stack of books to buy. Boo to that. She also was surprised at my jumping in in the middle of things since this class started last term.

Also, about five people - administrative types too - asked if I was only here for one term. I WISH that was an option! No one seems to know how things work around here >.< The Summer term seems pretty useless anyway... I for one will have already finished all of my essays : P

Since I had a really hard time getting to sleep last night, I went back to the dorm for a nap after my first class. Had a hard time sleeping then too. I hope this does not become a theme.

Second class was uninteresting except that it let out an hour early : ) I stopped by the post office to see about train tickets to London, and found out I can buy a pass for the whole day for 24 pounds that will work to get me to and from London and also on the Underground! Good deal, says I. (By the way, what's a good place to find out what kind of shows are playing in London? Anyone know?... Liiiisa? : P)

Then I stopped by the convenience store for some milk. While I was waiting in line, looking around idly, my eyes fell upon a package with an American flag on it, proudly proclaiming "American Jellybeans!" I got pretty excited and grabbed a pack. After I bought it and looked at it closer, I saw that it also said "Fruity and Crunchy!" which made me a little bit worried...

Did a bit of reading (Lord Foul's Bane is really good). Dinner was some manner of noodles and cheese from a bag (Not a pouch. Here a pouch is... like what a kangaroo has, or a fanny pack I guess. I got some weird looks when I was like "oh pasta in a pouch"...) I ate dinner with Chris, Sam, Sophie, and Phil. Sam told me that they sell some easy-to-make mexican dinners at Tesco. He knows because he is as lazy as I am when it comes to cooking. And apparantly there is a good Indian restaurant in Wivenhoe.

While all of us were making dinner, the fire alarm went off. Curses. We left our food, hoping it'd be all right, and tromped down the stairs into the cold coldness. Turns out this time there actually WAS a fire, though there is some dispute as to whether it was a toaster fire or someone was burning documents. I maintain that someone was attempting to burn documents in a toaster. Anyway, it was sorted out pretty quick, and we all went back up to see to our food.

After all of that, I got to try my fruity crunchy jellybeans. Britain lied to me again: they were not crunchy at all. But in this case, that's a good thing. These things are actually superior to most American jellybeans. Some of the flavors approach jellybelly quality... I am pleased : )

Tomorrow.... possibly laundry, possibly a trip to Tesco... I have not decided... and then, research for my first paper. Oh joy.

In Which I am Convinced of the Superiority of American Candy

Today I had only one class. It was the seminar for Myth. Seminar here is like recitation in the states - the big lecture is broken up into small groups. Only, here, the big lecture is only like, 25 students. And the seminar is still taught by the professor.

I got there very early to make sure I could find the room. I found it. Very early. There was another seminar happening in there so I sort of wandered around for a bit. I guess I looked lost, because my Early Culture professor saw me in the hall and asked if I needed help! That's the first time anyone in Britain has actually OFFERED help! I got over my shock and told him that no, I was just really early and waiting for my seminar to begin. And then, he volunteered the location of a common room where I could sit and read! So I did! That guy is awesome!

There were only about 7 people in my seminar. It went all right. The professor has this habit of covering his eyes when he's trying to remember something. He looks so sad. When he is not covering his eyes, he looks like the actor who plays Peter Pettigrew, only slimmer and with less horrendous teeth. I think I impressed him with my knowledge of poetic meter and the myth of Persephone. And made the rest of the class hate me.

The seminar ended around 1:30, and I was planning on going to the Literature Department Office and asking about a literary magazine... No one so far has mentioned one, but if the university has one I think it would be neat to get involved, since the archery club apparantly no longer exists.

Sadly, the Literature Department Office closes at 1 on Fridays. I really think that anyone who works on campus must have two jobs, because nothing is ever open...

I went back to the dorm, and ran into Sebastian along the way. He said he was going to Tesco and I said that I also needed to go. He sort of looked off in the other direction and was like "Oh." I think he did not want me along, which was fine by me since I'd be faster alone. So I went back to my room and sort of puttered around a bit. I read the letter I got from grandma! It made me happy. But there wasn't much else to do. I got bored pretty fast and decided to go back out and get some Stuff done.

First stop was to register with the local health center. The sheet we got at orientation said we should do this in the first week of classes, so I figured I'd better get it done nowish. This did not turn out as I had hoped, however, because they needed to know EXACTLY how long I'd be staying, and I have no idea when my flight out will be... so I didn't register. Hope I don't get sick.

Then I stopped by the bookstore and got the very last copy of a book I intend to write my Early Culture essay on. Close call, that. Don't know where I'd've picked it up if it had been sold out.
Then I went looking for postcards, but did not find any, so I bought some chocolate and a muffin instead.

I went back up to my room, picked up my shopping list, and began the hike to Tesco. On walks such as these I am able to ponder the many mysteries of life, such as: "What will Kerial do next now that he has been captured by vampires?" and "Should I be writing in third person or first person?" and "How does one become a Great Author?" and "How can they claim that the Tesco is only a ten minute walk from the University?"

Because you know, it more closely resembles a 20 minute walk, in that it takes about 20 minutes, and is a walk.

Hey, not so bad, pretty pleasant walk on the way there. It's the way back that gets you. I purchased pasta sauce, soup, liquid soap, a dish towel, pasta, kleenex, chips, and some candy. It doesn't look like that much, but when you get to the top of the hill it FEELS like a lot. My shoulders hurt. I am glad I refrained from purchasing water and a pillow as well. Next time... when I am feeling strong.

I got back, recovered a bit, checked my email. My package from mom and dad came in! But... the office was already closed (even though they had only just sent the email) and they don't open again until Monday. I am REALLY looking forward to getting that book light so I don't have to get out of bed to turn of the light anymore.

Then I went to eat some of my new soup for dinner. It tasted like warm water lightly seasoned with onion and celery... (it was supposed to be chicken noodle). That brand fails. But at least I got some vegetables, I guess. There was no one in the kitchen at dinner. I suppose they had other things to do on a Friday night, which is just as well because it means it's quiet around here for a change. I read a bit while I ate and then took a shower.

When I sat down at my computer for my nightly blogging and chatting routine, I opened the chocolate caramel bar I'd bought and ate it... and it was delicious. But it left a weird taste in my mouth, like drinking milk and then not brushing your teeth for a while. So I opened the jellybeans and ate some of those...

A word to the saavy Tesco consumer (Hi Lisa!). The Tesco Jellybeans are, I am convinced, the origin of J.K. Rowling's inspiration for Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. The purple ones taste like a combination of potatoes and the way a house full of cats smells (only, in taste form). The green ones taste like plants after a warm spring shower.

My garbage can overfloweth with purple and green beans.

The End.