Every room is different and unique at the college some are closet size others, are like palaces. Today we all cogrigated in a dorm that resembled a great gatsby flavor. The walls were dark paneled and we all sat around drinking pimms.I feel like Gatsby needs to walk out of one of the doors with his idlic white suit and offer us a cigar. It was a good way to de-stress after an agrivating day. I've been trying to plan our tip to Paris, but everything seems so complicated in booking and getting everyone settled on a place and time. Although I'm sure that the classes will have their fare share of work I love the method of learning over here; rather than an emphasis on grades the tutor want you to analyze and discuss. In both my classes we have amazing discussions and everyone takes the readings outside to dinner and pubs and we discusses Jane Austen or Sherlock Holmes, it has this amazing feeling of being right at home where I should be.

I've been able to do my writing over here too, that helps most homesickness. Writing is like meeting with an old friend every night and seeing the most wonderful movie together, weather that statement makes sense may depend upon the amount of pimms I really did have. Tomorrow off to London! I am going to the typical sights, westminister, the London bridge, and I have added to my list the Imperial War museum for research. Apparently it has an exhibit that is a trench, this should help my descriptions and images.

Last night I was cooped up in my college library reading Sherlock Holmes. Despite the fact that I had to read over a hundered pages I was content. I kept looking up at the Cathedral ceiling and the dusty old books and thinking how at home I felt. I choose cubby 19, with out even knowing it. I'm still trying to figure out the significance to the number 19 in my book, but it is certainly a reoccurring number. If you have any ideas let me know! Well London tomorrow better get to sleep!

Posh Pimms

Oxford is mounted in traditions, we ceremoniously refrain from stepping on the grass, or wearing hats into the great hall. And tonight I was able to partake in one of Oxfords most famous traditions- high table. High table is a dinner in the great hall which is lit by candle light and everyone wears their best clothes. There are about 100 different literary allusions you could make to high table, you could call it dinner at Hogwarts or dinner at Lady Catherines, and you would be correct something about does seem fictional as though you were walking out of an 18th century novel. Perhaps Oxford is just the place for making a novel out of your life.

Before dinner a garden party took place and we were served Pimms a kind of lemonade gin combo that is popular with the British for a summer treat. There was of corse water and orange juice, but most of the group indulged in our pimms. The tutors came to the party and I was able to chat with my Jane Austen tutor. The lawns at Trinity remind me of Alice and Wonderland, especially since there was a crocaqe set on the lawn. After we went to dinner and were served 3 corses including duck, and cremedlcreme with pop rocks (an odd combination). After dinner the whole group went to the pub where some nice British guys introduced me to cider and bought me a half pint which i conveniently gave away having too much of my share of alcohol. My coke spilt during a picture and one of my friends from the program generously bought me another drink... Well I guess i got to try lots of different drinks despite my objections. When I got back to my room I skyped friends and family home, I guess it's about a hundred degrees there and seventy here, lovely! I miss everyone but Oxford is an amazing city and the people I am with are so easy to warm up to. As I end every blog, I'm heading off to sleep write tomorrow!

Snip Snap GInger Beer

Class started today. Reading Jane Austen took place in my professors office that was cluttered with book. It gave the authenitc feel of an Oxford class. We spent and two hours discussing Northanger Abbey and all of Jane's different perceptions and misperceptions. It's heavenly falling into a world where I get graded for reading Austen.

We went out for drinks at a local pub that my tutor/professor suggested. I tried ginger beer it was delicious! Like grownup ginger ale just like I capture the castle said it would be. The pub was cozy and a group of my new friends all sat around and discussed our lectures and travel plans. It is comforting to have friends in a foreign place, if you have friends you are suddenly a local even if you are a bunch of Americans... it lets you blend.

London on Friday unfortunately the hostel we wanted to stay in is booked and our backup does not have enough beds... we are thinking of making it into a day trip then heading up to Cambridge on saturday. Lots of freedom to roam. I should go I have so much to read and it's getting late!

The stair case in the hall way looks like an old Abby that creaks with each step. It makes me walk a little faster up the stair to get to my lighted room from the lavatory. I've been reading Northanger Abbey for the last three hours which has certain influenced my opinion of the staircase. Catherine's room in the Abbey is described very similar to mine with a sitting room and an ancient wardrobe. The gothic feel is increased by my wardrobes tendency to creak open by itself...I think it's just from age, I am going to ignore the fact that trinity college has a ghost tours sign right out front...I need stop reading Northanger or I'll end up like Catherine!

Went on a country walk today through meadows and wild places in Oxfordshire. While we were walking we stumbled up the ruins of an old abbey. It was interesting because it was untended and open, apparently that is where King Henry 2 met his mistress. I love just stumbling on something so old. Eventually we came to a little village with only two shops, but one was sold out of sandwiches. We ended up eating in the place with no sandwiches and had cake for lunch in a garden. Afterward I went grocery shopping I felt like a local for a few minutes until the woman asked me if I were a tourist...I said I was a student it sounds much more official. In fact we have tourist at my school who pay to walk on the grounds and take picture of my quad.

Went out to buy coffee with Anne Caroll so we could study in a coffee shop, but all the coffee shops were closed except one which of corse over charged us and the woman was extremely rude. When we asked her about all the left over goods and if the prices went down 5 mins before closing she said "DO you have a problem?" Also was charged 3pounds for a coffee! They are not getting my business. After this I got us pretty lost trying to find the boat yard but it is nice because it stays light until 10 so we could see where we were even if we didn't know. We eventually found our way back and ever since it has been Northanger Abbey reading. I start class tomorrow my class is at queens college which is exciting because it means i get to explore a new college (not New college just a new college). I should go to sleep it is past 12 here and we have another 8am breakfast! Well at the meeting they said it would now open at 730 if we were so inclined..yikes no I'm good with 8. Write tomorrow!

In Oxford!

England looks like a giant quilt. When you fly over the countryside all you see is the patch works of green fields seperated by the thread of hedges. Each field is a different shade of green, some yellow green other dark forest green, but they all blend making a quilt of England. Oxford is neither city nor country, or maybe I should say Oxford is city and country, the main streets are bussling with tourist and workers, but a ten minute walk will take you to open fields and rivers.

I'm all settled in my dorm in Oxford, but it's more than a dorm it looks like a palace room. I get my own sitting room with two bay windows and the celings are about twelve feet tall.

I went exploring Oxford with some people I met today. We had lunch in a little cafe that looked quaint; I don't think our waitress enjoyed our presents as much as we enjoyed our lunch. After lunch we went exploring and got lost to find things. Eventually we ended up on the river and watched people go punting. We sat on the docks and I cleaned my feet in the dirty water. All the families seem to be so close here doing outdoors activities together. I love hearing the children with their accents, they sound so proper.

Tonight my group is going out to a pub in town, which is good because there is a wedding going on in the dinning hall, which also happens to be my building. I can hear the guest laughing and making speeches. My room over looks the quad so I have been watching all the guest come in with their elaborate hats. I have to go but I'll leave you with an image the view from my room.

It's like the closer I get to doing what i want the further i get from knowing what i want to do. I feel like one of those lost people...like a nomad with no idea where they are going. I wish i could be a nomad, except i wouldn't like having hairy legs. I don't understand those people with it all figured out, sometimes i think people think i'm one of them but i'm not.
I'm listening to Sufjan Stevens and I'm wondering if it is because I'm homesick for college and oddly enough Phoebe's play list, or is it the fact I'm one of them now, one of those nomad Indie people. Maybe a combination of both. I miss college and having my friends around all the time. There are people here, but it's different.
England in a month, I don't know why i always felt like England was home, maybe it isn't, I'm just searching for a place. I'm not even that English. I guess i fit in better in the stories i make up about England than here, but that's because they are my stories, but maybe i wouldn't even fit in there.
My mom said strawberries are the best medicine when you get stressed out. I don't know if that's true. It sounds like Mary Poppins. I use to love Mary Poppins, when i was in high school i tried out for the play with supercal, and the director told me to stop and sing silent night. I think he really just wanted me to sing the silent bit, but hey i tried. I wonder if strawberries would be good medicine for the oil spill, our ocean is pretty sick. That's all I have today, write tomorrow possibly...

My experiment in minimalism--bet it's not about you

You say my body is closed standoffish--not yet ripe for the taking. Your fingers work quickly trying to find an entrance a place to force your thoughts into me.
"I had a dream about you last night, do you remember? You were right over there by the fire escape." I ask you.
"Of corse I don't remember it was your dream."
"I guess I just think about things like that." My skin prickled with embarrasement, i guess you don't think about things like that.
"I had a dream last night too. I was on a boat and I fell off and then i woke up and was late for calc."
"That wasn't like my dream," I tell you.
"Your arm feels warm."
"You shouldn't know how warm my arm is, she wouldn't like that very much."
"Your cheeks are warm."
"My cheeks are sore." I tell you.
"Why are they sore?"
"I talk too much you know I do."
"I don't think so."
"You don't listen real well."
"That isn't true."
"Do you listen to her?"
"Stop can't we talk about something else there are lots of things we could talk about."
I try to give you something you want...anything, "I'm afraid of pigeons."
"Pigeon?," you laugh, "I' afraid of a lot of things but i don't like to think about it."
We were quite for a minute I don't think you want to talk.
"I saw her at the grocery store today, I couldn't see her face, I never get to see her face well."
"Stop."
"Do you ever think about her face? Or do you try not to?"
"Stop!"
"Do you ever think about my face? It's unpleasant most of the time, but you probably don't think about it."
"Stop."
I'm quite again, you don't like listening to me talk.
"I herd you were failing calc, it made me happy."
"It made you happy?"
"I know it's horrible isn't it?" I say.
"It's pretty horrible."
"I'm just trying to be honest."
"Stop your harder to figure out when your honest." You laugh, I don't at first, but then I follow, it's funny, right, we should be laughing.
"I have some whisky in my room, why don't we go back and have some."
"Will that make us feel better?"
"Tonight."
"Well then let's have some tonight."