My Biochemistry tutorial was scheduled for 4:45 this afternoon. While I was waiting outside Rob's office, another student came up the stairs and looked at me like I was crazy. He was also scheduled for 4:45. Then his friend and tutorial buddy came up the stairs. So my thought was, man, I must have made the mistake. But I knew that I hadn't. So we waited for Rob to come out of his office. When he opened the door, he looked at me like I was absolutely crazy. And I said "You are not expecting to see me right now?" "No... I sent you an email... I had to reschedule... But I forgot to tell you." So we rescheduled for Sunday evening. When I got home, I checked my email, and he had sent me one at 4:30. Absentminded professor? Check.
I should have realized this day was not going to go in my favor when I woke up, turned on my lights, and apparently blew a fuse or something. None of the lights on the 1st floor of our flat work today. The electrical outlets work, and the lights on the other two floors work. Just not on the floor, which is most important to us. And I can't find a fuse box anywhere. Hopefully the OSAP office helps us out soon. Showering in the dark will be fun...
I have rowing in the gym tonight. And then rowing in the tank tonight. And then rowing on the river tomorrow morning. Rowing, rowing, rowing. This is great.
Open Mic Night at Magdalen Bar tonight. Yeah!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sunday: We had rowing practice in "the tank". It's a concrete boat surrounded by water in a very echoey room. Not the most fun, but it helps with technique I guess.
Monday: I went to the library all day long. I went to the post office to buy some stamps during my lunch break and on the way back to the library I got a pasty for lunch. In June I will have no money left. Not from traveling around Europe, but from eating pasties every day. And digestives, for that matter. Amanda and I ate a whole pack (we're guessing that's about twelve each, aka about 1200 Calories each) of them in less than 24 hours. Not healthy. I watched a really cheesy word scramble game show that had a guy doing magic and card tricks on it. And then Murder She Wrote was on. When was the last time you thought about that show? 1995, probably.
Tuesday: I got up early to check out the gym facilities. I was going to put my stuff in one of the lockers in the locker room, but the lockers take a 10p coin, not a 1 pound coin like the lockers in the library, and I didn't have a 10p coin, so I put all of my stuff back on and left. I am incredibly awkward.
This was the rest of the day:
My essay was a disaster. At about six o'clock I just emailed it to Gareth so I didn't have to think about it anymore. And then I went to the pub to watch the Portsmouth football match. Ryan lived in Portsmouth for a year during high school, so he is an avid fan. I am really hoping I can go to a match with him at some point. That would be so much fun. Then I wandered over to the common room at Magdalen because we don't have many tv stations in our flat, but people were watching a movie in the tv room, so I couldn't watch LOST. And abc.com doesn't work here. What am I going to do? Cry.
Today: I went to a Biochemistry lecture this morning. Metabolic Pathways. Awesome. This kid Raphael sat next to me. He was chatty. Since Oxford students know what they are going to major in as soon as they get to college, they have a very rigid science curriculum. Therefore, I don't really know if I'm a first, second, or third year student, so I don't know which lectures I should go to. But I get to pick and choose from all three years, so that is neat too. They say "zed" for "zee", as in the letter. I did not know that, and I was getting very confused today until the professor wrote it on the board. Then I came home, read a bunch for Biochem, and left for my Egyptology tutorial. Gareth loved my essay, apparently. Either I completely fooled him, I really underestimate myself, or he's just being nice to me. I am going to hope it's the second option. In a half hour I am going to the Choral Evening Prayer in the chapel and then later tonight a bunch of kids from the program are getting together, so that will be fun.
Monday: I went to the library all day long. I went to the post office to buy some stamps during my lunch break and on the way back to the library I got a pasty for lunch. In June I will have no money left. Not from traveling around Europe, but from eating pasties every day. And digestives, for that matter. Amanda and I ate a whole pack (we're guessing that's about twelve each, aka about 1200 Calories each) of them in less than 24 hours. Not healthy. I watched a really cheesy word scramble game show that had a guy doing magic and card tricks on it. And then Murder She Wrote was on. When was the last time you thought about that show? 1995, probably.
Tuesday: I got up early to check out the gym facilities. I was going to put my stuff in one of the lockers in the locker room, but the lockers take a 10p coin, not a 1 pound coin like the lockers in the library, and I didn't have a 10p coin, so I put all of my stuff back on and left. I am incredibly awkward.
This was the rest of the day:
My essay was a disaster. At about six o'clock I just emailed it to Gareth so I didn't have to think about it anymore. And then I went to the pub to watch the Portsmouth football match. Ryan lived in Portsmouth for a year during high school, so he is an avid fan. I am really hoping I can go to a match with him at some point. That would be so much fun. Then I wandered over to the common room at Magdalen because we don't have many tv stations in our flat, but people were watching a movie in the tv room, so I couldn't watch LOST. And abc.com doesn't work here. What am I going to do? Cry.
Today: I went to a Biochemistry lecture this morning. Metabolic Pathways. Awesome. This kid Raphael sat next to me. He was chatty. Since Oxford students know what they are going to major in as soon as they get to college, they have a very rigid science curriculum. Therefore, I don't really know if I'm a first, second, or third year student, so I don't know which lectures I should go to. But I get to pick and choose from all three years, so that is neat too. They say "zed" for "zee", as in the letter. I did not know that, and I was getting very confused today until the professor wrote it on the board. Then I came home, read a bunch for Biochem, and left for my Egyptology tutorial. Gareth loved my essay, apparently. Either I completely fooled him, I really underestimate myself, or he's just being nice to me. I am going to hope it's the second option. In a half hour I am going to the Choral Evening Prayer in the chapel and then later tonight a bunch of kids from the program are getting together, so that will be fun.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
London!
I had my first Biochemistry tutorial Friday evening. Dr. Gilbert has a huge office consisting of a few different rooms. It's creepily at the top of one of the staircases in the college, and I had to wait outside his office on the steps because he doesn't have a chair out there. That was awkward. Anyway, I went into his office and sat in this big, comfy armchair and he made tea for the two of us. Then we talked about my paper and expanded on the topics while he drew on the white board in his office. I actually gave correct answers to a lot of the questions he was asking me, so hooray for being smart at Oxford. I think this tutorial is going to go really well, and I'm very excited to learn Biochem in a one-on-one setting. I think that it will help a lot.
Then Amanda and I went to Hall for dinner. We got really disgusting quiche. All right! Then home to watch Pride and Prejudice. Love it.
Yesterday a group of students in the program went to London. We went on a walking tour of Westminster where we saw the Abbey, Houses of Parliament, and White Hall.
Westminster Abbey
Again.
The gate to the Abbey. Those statues were added only about a decade ago- after the smog-dirtied Abbey was cleaned. They represent modern martyrs from all over the world. I think it's really great that they still work on it. Additions from many generations give a lot more history and meaning to it.
Rev. Martin L. King Jr.
Entrance to the Abbey courtyard, where the monks kept their livestock.
Headquarters of the Church of England.
Victoria Tower.
Modern House of Lords
What is left of the old Parliament building.
There he is. The House of Commons and Big Ben.
Better.
Oliver Cromwell. I guess the photo didn't take, but there is a bust of Charles I mounted on the back of the Abbey right across the street. The two of them will stare at each other for eternity. I love that.
White Hall
White Hall
Two o'clock, the time Charles I was executed, is blacked out.
Being Touristy
Our tour guide was pretty good. He told us a lot of historical anecdotes. I really wish we had been able to go inside the buildings, but I guess that will be for another trip. Who goes to look at Westminster Abbey without going inside though? The tour was only about two hours, so we could have gone inside some of the buildings, but it also allowed us some free time for lunch and other activities. I went with a group to the Crypt, which is a cafeteria inside the crypt underneath the Church of St. Martin.
Crypt Cafe
Creepy
The church is on Trafalgar Square, so we went into the National Gallery afterward. It was a shame that we only had about two hours in there, because you could spend days looking at all those paintings. Now the Currier has some great pieces of art, but being able to see works by Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Seurat within twenty minutes was pretty awe inspiring. (Dear immediate family, I kept recognizing paintings from the Philanthropist game, and it was awesome. We saw the spot for the Ugly Duchess one, but it had been moved, and I couldn't find it. That was disappointing because that lady is hilarious).
A distant view of the National Gallery
Trafalgar Square, from the steps to the National Gallery.
After the gallery, we took a tour of the Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum. That was really neat. No one ever knew they were there, which is pretty impressive.
The Cabinet War Room, where official business took place.
Broom closet turned phone cubby for Churchill to chat secretly with FDR.
It was made to look like a lavatory...
Inside the cubby.
Conference room.
Hitler drawn on one of the maps. Hmm... That wasn't explained, just noted.
Communications and Maps room.
We had about an hour left in London after that tour, so of course we went to see Buckingham Palace.
Closeup of the Palace from the bridge to it.
The City from the bridge.
Tourists.
On the way back over the bridge.
Then we raced over to The Bridge in order to see Big Ben from a different angle.
The Eye of London (reminds me of the eye of Sauron) where you can pay about 20 pound to see great sites.. Apparently the view is about as nice if you just climb up St. Paul's. We didn't get a chance go to it, so that will have to be on the next trip's agenda.
A quiet bus ride home for the exhausted tourists.
I just got back from the Wesley Memorial Methodist Church. Mildly contemporary service in a pretty new sanctuary. It wasn't what I was expecting, but nice nonetheless.
Then Amanda and I went to Hall for dinner. We got really disgusting quiche. All right! Then home to watch Pride and Prejudice. Love it.
Yesterday a group of students in the program went to London. We went on a walking tour of Westminster where we saw the Abbey, Houses of Parliament, and White Hall.
Westminster Abbey
Again.
The gate to the Abbey. Those statues were added only about a decade ago- after the smog-dirtied Abbey was cleaned. They represent modern martyrs from all over the world. I think it's really great that they still work on it. Additions from many generations give a lot more history and meaning to it.
Rev. Martin L. King Jr.
Entrance to the Abbey courtyard, where the monks kept their livestock.
Headquarters of the Church of England.
Victoria Tower.
Modern House of Lords
What is left of the old Parliament building.
There he is. The House of Commons and Big Ben.
Better.
Oliver Cromwell. I guess the photo didn't take, but there is a bust of Charles I mounted on the back of the Abbey right across the street. The two of them will stare at each other for eternity. I love that.
White Hall
White Hall
Two o'clock, the time Charles I was executed, is blacked out.
Being Touristy
Our tour guide was pretty good. He told us a lot of historical anecdotes. I really wish we had been able to go inside the buildings, but I guess that will be for another trip. Who goes to look at Westminster Abbey without going inside though? The tour was only about two hours, so we could have gone inside some of the buildings, but it also allowed us some free time for lunch and other activities. I went with a group to the Crypt, which is a cafeteria inside the crypt underneath the Church of St. Martin.
Crypt Cafe
Creepy
The church is on Trafalgar Square, so we went into the National Gallery afterward. It was a shame that we only had about two hours in there, because you could spend days looking at all those paintings. Now the Currier has some great pieces of art, but being able to see works by Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Seurat within twenty minutes was pretty awe inspiring. (Dear immediate family, I kept recognizing paintings from the Philanthropist game, and it was awesome. We saw the spot for the Ugly Duchess one, but it had been moved, and I couldn't find it. That was disappointing because that lady is hilarious).
A distant view of the National Gallery
Trafalgar Square, from the steps to the National Gallery.
After the gallery, we took a tour of the Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum. That was really neat. No one ever knew they were there, which is pretty impressive.
The Cabinet War Room, where official business took place.
Broom closet turned phone cubby for Churchill to chat secretly with FDR.
It was made to look like a lavatory...
Inside the cubby.
Conference room.
Hitler drawn on one of the maps. Hmm... That wasn't explained, just noted.
Communications and Maps room.
We had about an hour left in London after that tour, so of course we went to see Buckingham Palace.
Closeup of the Palace from the bridge to it.
The City from the bridge.
Tourists.
On the way back over the bridge.
Then we raced over to The Bridge in order to see Big Ben from a different angle.
The Eye of London (reminds me of the eye of Sauron) where you can pay about 20 pound to see great sites.. Apparently the view is about as nice if you just climb up St. Paul's. We didn't get a chance go to it, so that will have to be on the next trip's agenda.
A quiet bus ride home for the exhausted tourists.
I just got back from the Wesley Memorial Methodist Church. Mildly contemporary service in a pretty new sanctuary. It wasn't what I was expecting, but nice nonetheless.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Big News. Huge.
I met with Jess about an hour ago. It was absolutely great. We didn't get to chat for a long time, but it was terrific to see her and get a little NH loving after two weeks of being away. Then I rented Pride and Prejudice from Magdalen Library (they have a HUGE movie collection. Score). And then I walked home. And this is where it gets good. As I was walking down the street, observing people as they walked by, I realized what has been missing for the past two weeks. A sight that I encounter probably hundreds of times a day at home; the absence of which has no doubt made my life better. Ready for it? I have not seen a single Vera Bradley or Vinyard Vines bag anywhere. Not one. Dear OWU/American woman, you actually can survive without one. Who knew?
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Procrastination
Yesterday I woke up and went wandering around Oxford for a while. I found the equivalent to a Target and a Marshalls, so that's pretty convenient. Then I came home and worked on Biochem and such. When Amanda came home we went to the grocery store. It's just far enough away that it's a pain to walk there and walk back with heavy bags. We made burritos for dinner.
It's pretty fun, and economical, to make our own dinner. But it is just so time consuming. We spent about four hours of our evening to have this meal. That did include shopping and then a bit of chatting after we had eaten. But still. They were pretty good though. And then Digestives for desert!
"Digestives! A most delicious cookie with a most unappetizing name! Try one today!"
This morning Amanda and I went to the gym to row. Only two other girls were there, which means that four girls quit. I hope that doesn't mean that there will only be two boats because either I will get cut (I don't actually know if they do cuts) or I'll actually have to work pretty hard. I guess that wouldn't be too bad though. It's a great workout. The team is having a movie showing tonight in the JCR (junior common room; junior=undergrad) tv room. We're watching a movie about Torpid (aka Bump) racing. Apparently it's the most fun race, and you just try to bump the boat ahead of you and not get bumped from behind. It sounds so goofy. I can't wait.
Breakfast. Homework. Trying to find books in all the random places that have books. I realized today that a book that I had reserved yesterday for my Biochem paper that is due tomorrow will not be in Oxford until tomorrow. They have so many books here that they have to store some miles away, so they only go fetch them once in a while. I need to plan way in advance apparently.
Tomorrow I am going to have coffee with Jess Lanney, a girl from Concord, NH who lived in the dorm with me at the ASP (the summer school program I did before my senior year of high school). I realized today that I haven't seen, or even really spoken with, her in nearly four years. This may be awkward. I'm sure it will be fine, but it was just a strange realization. Time flies.
Everyone in OSAP/WISC is going to Westminster on Saturday. Hooray for excursions. We are also going to be going to Stratford-upon-Avon, Cambridge, and Windsor Castle this term. John, one of the guys from the program office, said that he is hoping to arrange a trip to the Globe Theater for next term. It's all very exciting.
I guess it's time to write about the Citric Acid Cycle...
It's pretty fun, and economical, to make our own dinner. But it is just so time consuming. We spent about four hours of our evening to have this meal. That did include shopping and then a bit of chatting after we had eaten. But still. They were pretty good though. And then Digestives for desert!
"Digestives! A most delicious cookie with a most unappetizing name! Try one today!"
This morning Amanda and I went to the gym to row. Only two other girls were there, which means that four girls quit. I hope that doesn't mean that there will only be two boats because either I will get cut (I don't actually know if they do cuts) or I'll actually have to work pretty hard. I guess that wouldn't be too bad though. It's a great workout. The team is having a movie showing tonight in the JCR (junior common room; junior=undergrad) tv room. We're watching a movie about Torpid (aka Bump) racing. Apparently it's the most fun race, and you just try to bump the boat ahead of you and not get bumped from behind. It sounds so goofy. I can't wait.
Breakfast. Homework. Trying to find books in all the random places that have books. I realized today that a book that I had reserved yesterday for my Biochem paper that is due tomorrow will not be in Oxford until tomorrow. They have so many books here that they have to store some miles away, so they only go fetch them once in a while. I need to plan way in advance apparently.
Tomorrow I am going to have coffee with Jess Lanney, a girl from Concord, NH who lived in the dorm with me at the ASP (the summer school program I did before my senior year of high school). I realized today that I haven't seen, or even really spoken with, her in nearly four years. This may be awkward. I'm sure it will be fine, but it was just a strange realization. Time flies.
Everyone in OSAP/WISC is going to Westminster on Saturday. Hooray for excursions. We are also going to be going to Stratford-upon-Avon, Cambridge, and Windsor Castle this term. John, one of the guys from the program office, said that he is hoping to arrange a trip to the Globe Theater for next term. It's all very exciting.
I guess it's time to write about the Citric Acid Cycle...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Getting Busy
Monday night, Amanda and I went to a gym to meet the women's rowing team. We did a short workout on the rowing machines, and it was good to get the feel of the motion again (I rowed for about five weeks and few summers ago, and I loved it). Yesterday morning, bright and early, I met a group to go row on the river (the Isis, as the Thames is called in Oxford). After running down to the boat houses, we were in the water at 7:00 (actually a bit earlier, because a guy yelled at us for getting in before we were allowed to). Since I said that I had rowed before, they pretty much gave me no tips, so it took me a while to remember all the terminology. Plus, listening to a shouting British accent isn't very helpful. I didn't realize it would be so tough to understand sometimes. In the end, it was a great workout, and most of the girls were extremely friendly.
During the day yesterday I touched up my Egyptology paper a bit and then just hung around until my meeting with Dr. Gilbert, by Biochemistry tutor. It was a very quick meeting because he is a very busy man (he's one of the Deans). Then my Egyptology tutorial, which went pretty well. Gareth talks and talks and talks, and then abruptly stops and expects me to have something brilliant to say, when I don't. That was awkward at times.
At 4:00 I met a bunch of people from the program at to watch the Inauguration at a restaurant/bar called "Old Orleans". How appropriate. Big day. The best part was probably the benediction, because that man's rhyming was hilarious.
Dinner in hall. It's a pretty inefficient process. We waited in a line for ever. Then home to chill out for a while.
Ben, a kid from the program who lives in the same complex, went to a discussion society meeting today, and a kid invited him to his room for a little party last night. Ben asked if I wanted to go, and after much debating, I finally went. Getting there is the hardest part for me because I convince myself that I am incredibly shy. I'm not. But I still think that I am. Anyway, I am very glad that I went because it was a nice, relaxed way to meet some British students. And boy were they nerdy. I couldn't have asked for a better introduction into the life of real Oxford students. Now, I'm sure there are non-geeky students here. But these guys were just hilarious. Awkward, intellectual conversation ensued, and it was a great time. Extremely friendly kids, which was great. I was talking with one kid about Habitat for Humanity, and with a blank look, he said, "I don't get it, why do you build houses?" So I replied with something along the lines of, service, volunteers, people need homes, you know. "Oh. Our government makes sure people have homes here". ... Awkward. He also gave me a copy of a magazine that homeless people put together and sell on the street. I haven't read it yet, but it looks pretty nice.
During the day yesterday I touched up my Egyptology paper a bit and then just hung around until my meeting with Dr. Gilbert, by Biochemistry tutor. It was a very quick meeting because he is a very busy man (he's one of the Deans). Then my Egyptology tutorial, which went pretty well. Gareth talks and talks and talks, and then abruptly stops and expects me to have something brilliant to say, when I don't. That was awkward at times.
At 4:00 I met a bunch of people from the program at to watch the Inauguration at a restaurant/bar called "Old Orleans". How appropriate. Big day. The best part was probably the benediction, because that man's rhyming was hilarious.
Dinner in hall. It's a pretty inefficient process. We waited in a line for ever. Then home to chill out for a while.
Ben, a kid from the program who lives in the same complex, went to a discussion society meeting today, and a kid invited him to his room for a little party last night. Ben asked if I wanted to go, and after much debating, I finally went. Getting there is the hardest part for me because I convince myself that I am incredibly shy. I'm not. But I still think that I am. Anyway, I am very glad that I went because it was a nice, relaxed way to meet some British students. And boy were they nerdy. I couldn't have asked for a better introduction into the life of real Oxford students. Now, I'm sure there are non-geeky students here. But these guys were just hilarious. Awkward, intellectual conversation ensued, and it was a great time. Extremely friendly kids, which was great. I was talking with one kid about Habitat for Humanity, and with a blank look, he said, "I don't get it, why do you build houses?" So I replied with something along the lines of, service, volunteers, people need homes, you know. "Oh. Our government makes sure people have homes here". ... Awkward. He also gave me a copy of a magazine that homeless people put together and sell on the street. I haven't read it yet, but it looks pretty nice.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Mr. Darcy, the Romans, and HP
Although it was raining yesterday morning, I decided to suck it up and go to Bath. It was a good thing too, because it ended up being a beautiful and really fun day. We took the train to Bath and visited the Jane Austen Center. She lived in Bath for about five years, and she based her novels Persuasion and Northanger Abbey in it.
That's Jackie, Ryan's girlfriend.
They had a lot of random artifacts that had been donated, as well as parephinalia from the different films made throughout the years. This is a letter Jane wrote to her sister:
They had a lot of random artifacts that had been donated, as well as parephinalia from the different films made throughout the years. This is a letter Jane wrote to her sister:
Then, the best part. We had tea in the tea room upstairs. It was very cliche and amazing. I've decided that when I am a rich doctor, I am going to have tea time every day and my maid, butler, and cook will each play in a string trio to entertain me.
Then we strolled along until we found the Bath Abbey, which was built (for the last time) in the 1600s. When we later went to the baths, they mentioned that it is probably built on top of more Roman ruins. Oh well, I guess.
Now to the Roman baths...
Gorgon's Head. A symbol of the goddess Minerva, who a temple was built for by the natural springs.
These are some artifacts with curses written on them:
The towers would have had a floor on top of them, and hot air would circulate underneath in order to heat the room.
The Pump Room, where we got to try the natural spring water.
It was hot and gross.
Then we went to a fish and chips stand for dinner, took the train back to Oxford, and got a bus back to our flats because it was too cold and late to walk the 40 minutes home.
Today, Amanda and I went to the Eucharist service at the Magdalen chapel where the choir sang. There is something to be said about worshiping in an old, ornate chapel and having a choir with small boys singing soprano. It was a very moving environment. The sermon coulda been better... Then we went to lunch where we met a couple of Australians who are doing graduate study at Oxford.
I came home, worked on my paper (and by worked I mean read a bit and then went on facebook), and then we set off for formal hall. The Harry Potter robes, are not nearly as exciting as I wanted. The fellows and such get big robes, but we got little vests. Lame. And the food didn't appear out of thin air, unfortunately. We met in Dr. Jacob's office for a glass of Sherry, went down to dinner, where the choir sang grace, and then we went down to the college bar. I tried Pimms and port for the first time. Not in the same container, obviously.
Today, Amanda and I went to the Eucharist service at the Magdalen chapel where the choir sang. There is something to be said about worshiping in an old, ornate chapel and having a choir with small boys singing soprano. It was a very moving environment. The sermon coulda been better... Then we went to lunch where we met a couple of Australians who are doing graduate study at Oxford.
I came home, worked on my paper (and by worked I mean read a bit and then went on facebook), and then we set off for formal hall. The Harry Potter robes, are not nearly as exciting as I wanted. The fellows and such get big robes, but we got little vests. Lame. And the food didn't appear out of thin air, unfortunately. We met in Dr. Jacob's office for a glass of Sherry, went down to dinner, where the choir sang grace, and then we went down to the college bar. I tried Pimms and port for the first time. Not in the same container, obviously.
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