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Published: October 1st 2008
I'm sorry I haven't updated in quite a while. I have been very very busy, and am making time at 12 am on a Wednesday morning to write the happenings of my last week. Now that I have made this blog a semi-world wide phenomenon (taste the sarcasm) I can't quit. Not that this is in anyway a burden, it just sucks when I don't have time and then have lots to catch up on. I hope that everyone hasn't given up on me. If it is annoying to keep referring back to this page to see if I have updated, try subscribing. I know that it will then send you an email every time I post a new entry. But now.....
Where did I leave off? Thursday night? Thursday night some of us went out to a pub for my birthday dinner. Although my birthday wasn't until Saturday, and my flatmate Jessica's was on Sunday, we still went because some of our friends were going to be in Wales that weekend and they wanted to take us out. We went to a pub called Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet street. It dates back to 1667 and was frequented
The Proposal
Andy and I making a sceneby such famous people like Mark Twain and Charles Dickens. After climbing through the catacomb-like cellars we got to the bar area. I know for sure now that people must have been shorter. The tops of door frames brushed the top of my head, let alone some of the guys that are over 6 feet tall. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and desserts and split it amongst us all. Then I came up with a brilliant plan, just to make the night memorable. I had been trying to get Casey to do this with me for the longest time, but he was a wussy and never followed through. Because I am an attention hog, I told one of my flatmates Andy to get everyone in the bar's attention and propose to me. After hesitating for about a half an hour, he stood up and got everyone's attention by banging a knife against a glass. He told everyone it was "his girlfriend's 21st birthday" he got me to stand and there was a collection of awwww's. After that he said there was also something else he would like to add. He got down on one knee and everyone started cheering,
people were coming down from the restaurant upstairs to see what was going on. Everyone started taking pictures when he pulled out the ring, both of us were very good at being nervous and somewhat giddy. After I said yes, he stood up to hug me and he dropped the ring. This only added to the cuteness of it and we had everyone eating out of the palms of our hands. After that we left pretty quickly because we were nervous about anyone finding out the truth. You don't want to anger drunk Englishmen. Now that we have an experienced battle plan, we may try it again in a different pub and maybe get some free drinks out of it. As we were leaving, we held hands and people were congratulating us all the way to the street. When we got there we had to run away because we were all laughing so hard.
Friday? Well that morning started out, just as any other morning, with getting up early. I didn't mind though, because we were going to my favourite place in London... or at least my favourite place in Whitehall. Westminster Abbey! There we split into small groups
and were given tour guides. I'm kind of upset by the fact that you aren't allowed to take pictures because then you could see how beautiful it is inside. The tour really started by looking at the Westminster private school and their boy's choir school. The entire building was covered in gorgeous green and purple ivy, but it was nothing compared to Edgewood's beige bricks and peeling multi-coloured doors. But the interior of the Abbey is still the best. Everytime I stand next to Elizabeth's tomb I get goose bumps. This is the woman I spent most of my life reading about, and here is her body, right there, in that box, next to me. Mary I, Henry VII, Elizabeth of York, Mary queen of Scots, Edward III, Handel, T.S. Elliot, Newton, Darwin, and Lawrence Olivier are among my favourite graves that I got to see/touch/stand on.
After a quick break we then went through the intense routine that is Parliament security. Parliament (which is that very fancy neo-gothic looking building connected to big ben) is only open for a few weeks a year so I was glad we were taking advantage of that. We had to walk through
metal detectors, but our bags through x-ray machines, and get photo-id badges made. Just my luck though we got the worst tour guide ever. I could have given a better tour and I know squat about British politics. She was way too quiet, talked about stupid things, and was just all together boring. I spent most of the time listening to other groups guide's because most of the time they were easier to hear, from the other side of the room. There is a room, near the house of lords, that has large panels painted of all the Tudors, and this includes Henry's wives. Those were beautiful, I want them for my room. We spent quite a bit of time both in the house of lords and in the house of commons. We stood in front of the benches were they all sit, because, as non-members of Parliament we aren't allowed to sit on the benches. Which is stupid... Parliament isn't even in session. So as we were climbing out, I pretended to stumble a bit and landed on one of the chairs... now I can say I have sat in Parliament. Ha. There is always a loop hole.
Big Ben
Not as Big as you might think Friday night some of my flatmates and I got the security guard to give us a key to one of the class rooms with a giant projector screen. There we watched Sweeny Todd, which by everyone's surprise I had never seen before. I really did like it, but boy is that a depressing film. I thought it would be more centered around the fact that people were basically being cannibals, but that was a minor detail. woo sad, sad, sad. Not as sad as that one Robin Williams film that I watched with Chris... I can't remember the title. Most depressing movie I have ever seen. I cried more times than I did in the last lord of the rings, basically cried the entire film. It takes a dark mind to dream up something so emotionally horrible. But it was beautiful, and all in all much better than I thought it would be.
Saturday was my birthday and I slept in! Matt and Jessica got me some starbucks that morning which was greatly appreciated, and I just lounged around for most of the morning. That afternoon I got on a train to Reading because Chris was throwing me a
birthday party. I got a very cute cake that was completely covered in oreos..exactly what I wanted. 2 dozen roses, chocolates, and 4 days at the spa all from the man who spoils me way too much! Not that I am complaining. My birthday party was very fun as we played all the classic party games and it was Disney princess themed. The next morning Chris made me American style pancakes! Which I never thought I would be excited about. Pancakes were never something that got me excited at home.. but here, boy do I miss them. And orange juice. I haven't had that since I left either!
That was the day that we went to get the kittens! They are the cutest little boggers, even if one of them hissed at me. But boy are they lovely. I will always have a soft spot for kittens. They have fleas though, so we have to do something about that. Chris and Robert named them Alan and Sally, they also gave them surnames, which I refuse to acknowledge, so they will remain unsaid.
Monday (I'm whizzing through these I'm sorry, I have much to do) I began my first
class at 8:45 with a tour of the southbank area, my next class I stayed there to meet for a Shakespearean London tour. Then I walked back to the study centre, only for my archeology teacher to take us back to her house. I didn't stay long, because I had to meet Chris and walk back to the globe for that night's performance of Timon of Athens. Which we stood for. You can't even imagine how tired I was, and poor Chris I leaned on him the whole time. But if any of you remember my concerns about being shocked by crude gestures in Spamalot. This far far out does it. One man just lifted up his little flap like underwear thing (after taking the rest of his clothes off, and ran around the stage.) I have a feeling this wasn't supposed to happen, cause some of the actors looked shocked and got very red faced. I however could not watch a naked man running around, letting it all hang out. He was quite old as well. But more power to him, in some ways he is probably the better person because he has no inhibitions... but what about the
children in the audience? There was another part where two guys got another man's poo shoved in their faces. Then they ran through the audience. I gagged a little, it was quite realistic looking. Could've been real, aren't actors into everything being honest on stage nowadays... that would be just like theatre people to do that. And love it.
Tuesday, which was yesterday, was a relaxing day. Normal classes, slept some, went to a play called Waste (at the Almeida in Islington). Which was really boring, but it wasn't the actor's fault. It was late victorian... that pretty much sums it up... 'oh yes, ruth died last night'... 'oh, terribly sorry'.... 'how do you feel Dr. Cumber-bun?' ..' Quite well actually I just had some tea.' Lovely sets... the main woman was very good! Died to soon though, I missed her in the second act. But that show was a lovely 3 hours!!!! I came back to the flat and made some phone calls, then went to bed.. later than a I should have.
But no classes this morning so I slept in. I went to a play this morning in the lecture theatre at the study centre,
Dancing mother and son
cutest thing I have ever seen called Are you Positive? It is a group from a community college in LA that travels all over the world performing this one act to promote AIDS awareness. There were only 3 actors, the first two were amazing, the third girl grinded on me a bit. I was shocked to hear that she was the only theatre major and the other two were not! I took some strawberries and cheese from that for lunch and am now finishing this for you lovely folks before I start my papers. Once again, I am sorry about rushing this one. I really hate when I don't write for a bit and then I have loads to get through. I am very busy though, and it is hard to find time to come down here and do this, and loading pictures takes forever. I have tonnes this time, so I hope you enjoy.
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Mélanie
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GÉNIAL!
Ohhhh yeah! What an incredible idea to get free drinks! It makes me laugh!!! Nice job!!!