In Which I Have No Life, Then Proceed to Have a Life, Then Return to Not Having a Life, With Sweet Potato Fries

Alternatively titled: In Which I Ruin my Political Future. See exhibit A:

I'm getting slightly ahead of myself. To begin:

My most sincere apologies for not updating sooner, but being in the loins of our Anglo culture I figured it was time to get out.

Anyways.

This particular entry, contrary to popular belief, won't reveal much of how my semester is going, rather focusing on a trip to London I took this past weekend when 4 out of 5 doctors agree I should have been doing work. By doctors I mean psychiatrists, my parents, or anyone with a sense of time management or basic judgement.

But due to my sense of twenty year old whimsy (World travel! London! Culture and Iris and Pret A Manger!), thrift (It was free!), and just a bit of actual logic (maybe it'd be good to not be in my room for awhile), I was off to London.

Important Note: The aftermath of this trip involved no less than two sleepless nights, much emotional trauma, and mass quantities of sweet potato fries cooked and consumed. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Observe the photo below. The pile of delicately crisp sweet potato fries rests equally atop my notebook of Virginia Woolf related recordings and my copy of Mrs. Dalloway itself. In the background rests my Ipod cable, with which I was likely listening to bad nineties music. I felt very much in my element.


So London! I left Friday afternoon, arriving at London-Victoria about two hours later, where I met up with Iris! Who I hadn't seen in a very long time! Who shared her Krispy Kreme donut with me upon arrival! Who is amazing for this among many other reasons!

Because it was so close we walked to Buckingham palace, where we proceeded to take some photos. Of the classic variety:

And the slightly less so

Krispy Kreme! This was a very important part of our day. Or at least this picture would lead you to believe it was.

The trip was excellently planned; Friday night included dinner with our host/guide/program director people couple type individuals (I can't believe how eloquent I am today), where I met Andrew and Stacey, who will appear in a later photo! Coming soon! Scroll down now if you can't wait! Though I'm pretty sure you'll be able to. It's alright. I understand. Free three-course meal included soup, fish and chips (because I had to), and apple pie with custard. It was nice to eat something that wasn't a sweet potato in fry form. Or Special K. But that's another story.

Ok, I'll tell you now. I ate an entire box of Special K while staying up all night to finish a paper. I simultaneously consumed over a quart of milk. I felt kind of awesome but nobody seemed to agree it was an accomplishment I should be sharing as much as I was.

Friday night consisted of microwave popcorn and Arrested Development =)

Saturday morning began with a sightseeing bus tour of London. Here I am in this really typical THERE IS A BUILDING BEHIND ME THAT IS VERY RECOGNIZABLE AND INDICATIVE OF WHERE I AM picture. I AM IN FRONT OF IT AND THUS IN THE VICINITY OF AN EXCELLENT BUILDING YOU ARE PROBABLY NOT VERY NEAR TO, AND THUS MORE ACCOMPLISHED THAN YOU. GOOD DAY TO YOU VIEWER. This picture yells and isn't very nice.

Hey you know those people I mentioned before? Here they are! Trafalgar Square:

The three of us, in addition to looking slightly windblown but lovely in the above photo, took part in an antiwar protest from Speaker's Corner to Trafalgar Square. We shared a picket sign, marched among the masses weaving their way through the streets to the sounds of rallied cries and camera flashes. When we got to the square, we broke down the sign, each tucking a piece away in our bags; paper memories to remind us we weren't as lame as our future offspring will probably believe we were.

As the day turned to night, our group reconvened; among the new arrivals were three of my flatmates, Esther, Bella, and Rachel. The evening was incredible; just a bit chilly, with blue skies breaking through the sheet of white hanging overhead all day. We stopped for a quick photo break on a bridge, then settled into a long table at a restaurant by the theatre for a meal before seeing Mother Courage and Her Children. I have photos of our dessert, but I'll spare you; it's unkind =)

The play was fantastic- I can't wait to find some time and take a look at Brecht's original text. Too bad my mind's filled to capacity with minor facts about Virginia's Woolf's life and mental state. Oh well.

On Sunday we saw Kensingon Palace, Iris and I fed our (mostly mine, probably) Pret addictions, wandered through the National Gallery, and I was home by nine.

The next three days were a block of sleeplessness, frustration, furious writing, and consistant reminders that I have the most fantastic friends in the world. I'm truly blessed.

I'm running out of blog entry writing energy, so here's a picture of the interior of the Bridge of Sighs, conveniently located in Hertford, my college, where someone conveniently held the door open for me conveniently letting me into a corridor I normally inconveniently cannot open. Ha.

In other news, when I was feeling down this week, I received the very unexpected gift of...

Afjkwrlfgh (!!)x(!!!!!!)^(!!!)

Life is pretty fantastic, isn't it?

On the agenda: more reading, papers, gobs of revising, planning trip to Sweden to see Johanna at term's end (!), lots more Skyping, laughs shared; It's amazing that even with all that's going on here, I'm excited to be going home in a few months and seeing everyone! I miss you all!

Love and Crumpets,

Allison

OXFORD, FORSERIOUS

So after doing everything else I could think of doing today, I'm finally ready to undertake the task of updating this blog. I've never been particularly good at consistantly contributing to a project of my own undertaking, but I'm determined to change. This is in part because I have humerous anecdotes I've held off recounting because of vaguely related accompanying photos I pledged I'd put up. "They'll make the stories that much better", I'd say, stalling wildly, while "I'd rather stare out the window drinking juice out of a wineglass and thinking about turtles" is more along the lines of reality. But I digress.

This is my flat:

I'm on the top floor, because I'm awesome like that. I figured picking the highest room in the house would make me feel like some sort of baron, or a tortured writer on the verge of a breakthrough, pacing across the wooden floorboards deep into the night. In reality, it makes me a recluse. This is enhanced by the fact that I bought a robe for 6 pounds that's exactly the sort of robe a crazy cat lady would wear with her old slippers while making a run down to the Wal-Mart to pick up some Fancy Feast for Mr. Muffinshire and Lady Truffles, her twin calicos getting on in age and developing dietary problems such that they can only eat the salmon flavor, and she had just run out.

If this were true, this is the view Mr. Muffinshire and Lady Truffles would see if they perched on the windowsill and looked out onto the street.

Freedom unicorn guards my instant coffee.


I don't know if you can see it in the photo, but it's Fairtrade coffee. A lot of things are fairtrade here, which means I feel better about my rampant coffee consumption. Every time I'd go into Dunkin Donuts in America, I could hear the far-off weeping of small third world children. It never really bothered me, but let me tell you, I don't miss it.

The good thing about instant coffee is that you can eat it out of the jar. I can’t believe I only just realized this, and that I haven’t tried it yet. I’m going to try it right now.

…

I have to say, this is amazing.

A whole world of possibility has just been opened to me. I can put it over frozen yogurt, or sprinkle some on my Special K in the morning. How sick and efficient would that be? So efficient. Marvelously so. I can’t believe I’ve been wasting all this time boiling water.

Well, this study abroad opportunity is all about life-changing discoveries.

Speaking of Special K, I'm both pleased and sorry to report that the Special K Red Berries in England is leagues better than the American version. Special K Red Berries actually has three kinds of berries in it, strawberries, cherries, and raspberries. The American version has only strawberries, as well as inferior sugary flakes. I can't believe I ate something like twenty five to thirty boxes of the lame American Special K when this other Special K was in existence. So much stomach room and chewing ability wasted.

I can just imagine what would happen if the American Special K and the English Special K met eachother. The English Special K would poke fun at the American Special K's inadequacies, and
the American Special K would go write about it in its emo Special K diary of thoughts and feelings. The room is lit by a single desk lamp, purchased at Ikea on a shopping trip alone. Simple Plan is playing in the background. There's a heaviness in American Special K's crinkly heart. He sighs, which sounds more like a rustling, as he's comprised of wheat, rice, and sugar.



I'm sorry American Special K, but this is an exciting time for me right now. Don't worry though, as long as you're on sale for 3.50 at Wal-Mart, I'll be back for you. Always.

Moving on,

This is one of my flatmates, Bella. She is excellent, and eating a grilled cheese sandwich made in our sandwich maker, which is also excellent. She is hardcore and a daily source of awesomeness, as I was reminded of whilst taking this picture.



Mad gangsta.

Love & miss you all,

-Allison, both wayward and whimsical

I AM SO CULTURED RIGHT NOW

Why hello!

How good of you to stumble upon this tea-tray of intellectual samplings! Whether you've come by accident or sought me out, please do feel free to help yourself to a small glass of jovial anecdote (though take care not to leave smudges on the crystal). It's a bit young, but sourced from only the best verbal exchanges. Check the apathy at the door, my duckies, for I suspect you'll find extricating yourself from my charms far too daunting a task! (Pretentious chuckle)

In all seriousness, I am in Oxford, I’ve been here for a few days, and I absolutely love it. Due to my trial version of Photoshop Elements expiring prematurely, I’m having a bit of trouble uploading pictures, but I’m doing what I can. Expect a longer post, complete with photos, sometime soon. Until then, enjoy one of my more reserved post-nutella-crepe reaction faces.


Love you all!

-Allison

I AM STILL A LIAR

Still here, but Rome in 2 days.

Current cereal: Cocoa Puffs. Fantastic. The chocolative properties contained within the spherical nubbins of this magical product are both legendary and impossible in their scope.

Yes, I know that's not a word.

I AM A LIAR

I AM NOT IN FACT ABROAD AT THIS TIME.

I AM SITTING ON THE FLOOR IN COURTNEY'S ROOM.

I ATE CEREAL LESS THAN TWO HOURS AGO.

THAT MUCH IS TRUE.

SHAM ON.

<3 ALLISON

WHEN I LIE I SEEK TO EMULATE THE MAN I CONSIDER TO BE BOTH THE BEST AND THE WORST LIAR. MY INSPIRATION: RICHARD MILHOUS NIXON.

HERE'S A RIDDLE: WHAT DO LARRY CRAIG AND RICHARD NIXON HAVE IN COMMON?
A: TAPPING GOT BOTH OF THEM INTO TROUBLE

(C) ME