A Work in Progress

I don’t know this feeling but like others, it comes and goes. It fills me with anticipation, and sadness at the same time. I don’t know this feeling but like others, it sneaks up on me. It causes me to take time out, not to be alone. I don’t know this feeling but like others, it keeps me going. It reminds me what the reasons were, and what the future holds. I don’t know this feeling but like others, I’m in denial. I think I know what it is, but I’ve never been homesick before.

When I think of British stereotypes, I think of boring food, rainy days, and bad teeth. Stereotypes are sometimes (usually) based in fact and as an American, I know that the rest of the world thinks that we have excessively large cars, yards, hamburgers, and pretty much everything else is too big too (which is all true). So, I am not surprised when people make jokes about my SUV, our cowboy hats, crappy beer, and the fact that I have the nerve to complain about gas prices. I openly admit to these less than charming characteristics of Americans, and more openly, make fun of them mercilessly. But back to making fun of my adopted country. All Britons will admit that the food is boring, but that doesn't mean it's not good. And yeah, it rains a lot here. In fact, it's raining now. But, it makes the grass green. So, take that. I have recently discovered that most Britons I know don't know that they are mocked in other countries for having bad teeth. I don't know ...

Inexperience worries that the dough isn't right. Flour covered hands roll with makeshift pin and juice glass cutter. A watchful eye of foreign ovens ensures nothing is on fire. Plain icing needs sprinkles, arranged on each masterpiece. Scrutinizing the mess, but pleased with their uniformity. Tears caught me by surprise, flown all the way home with one bite.

Tomato-Tomahto. Let's not call the whole thing off. I guess I can't do this series without a word on words. I didn't really want to get into the lexicography of US v. UK terms. Mostly because it quickly gets confusing and some of it I knew before I arrived. Also, I find most of it quite charming. For example, why don't we call it a car boot? And nothing sounds better than “a mini cooper with white bonnet stripes.” But some words are just too fancy. I mean, courgette? Aubergine? Seriously. Almost every conversation I have with a Brit ends up with talk of our vocab minutiae and the whole thing is just one of life’s mysteries. No one can explain why a sweater is a jumper, a trash can is a bin, or a backpack is a rucksack. Am I going to wear a bathing suit or a...a swimming costume? I can't even say that without giggling. There are a million more, none of which have any explanation; and the American Revolution would be stretching it. Some of it, though, l...

The laptop is warm on my knees I take another break for tea. The research continues, words reluctantly multiply. I'm probably overcomplicating it and distraction abounds. I hear something outside, or the relentless allure of the internet. When a sudden idea peeks around the corner and I'm back to the point. That five minutes of work certainly deserves a reward. More tea.

Academically, things are going fine. I met with my supervisor last week who is awesomely and annoyingly hands off. I am very glad not to have a supervisor who wants to meet every week and check up on my progress every five minutes. I'm also glad to have one who cares, but is happy to leave me alone. But, I kind of need a little more discipline as I am in actuality, a terrible student who is easily distracted. Hence, I have been more interested in writing blog posts and booking trains than finishing my case studies. He seemed happy with my progress, and was unhurt that I have already conducted a couple of interviews and nearly finished my lit review without him. So, I am about half finished now and if I actually bother to read stuff and 'critically analyze' it, I can easily be finished before the due date. As for my wild-ass plan within a wild-ass plan, I have booked my flight home (woot!) Eurostar tickets, a few overnight trains (yeah, it would be faster and cheaper t...

Breakfast can be a great time in the UK. I have raved about the 'full English' before and have now experienced its many variations including but not limited to blood pudding, fried toast, potato scone, mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, baked beans, but always including the staples of fried egg, rasher of bacon, and sausages. How to go wrong? Add a little porridge with sugar and cream: dream breakfast. On the colder side of breakfast, the UK have extremely boring cereals. Granted, Weetabix , Alpen , and Crunchy Nut, aren't bad, but simply can't compare to Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Corn Pops, and the mother of all breakfast cereals: Lucky Charms. It is an urban myth that Lucky Charms was banned here due to its lack of nutrition and contribution to poor oral health. Though it is true that it can only be found in speciality shops at a ludicrously inflated price. Speaking of cereal, can anyone justify UHT milk? I swear I'd never seen this 'ultra high temperature' treat...

If you're in the UK and find yourself wondering; cookies are biscuits, biscuits are scones (kind of), chips are crisps, fries are chips, and crackers are also biscuits (or explosives). To go along with most of those things, let me emphasize the importance of tea. Sure, we in the US have southern sweet tea that is so sweet you could pour it over pancakes, but it doesn't fulfill the cultural necessities of a good cuppa. It's not necessarily the taste that keeps people coming back, although it is good. Firstly, it's the process of making it. Sharing with a friend, extending the conversation while waiting for the kettle to boil, and the tea to cool. Not to mention the exciting, jet taking off sound the kettle makes when 220 volts boil the water in seconds. Then there's the methodical nature of the brew: how long the bag stays in, how much milk to add, sugar? no sugar? milk first or last? biscuits? to dip, or not to dip? All of these things define the self-proclaim...

Back when horses were the best form of transport, carrying a sword was not seen as dangerous and eccentric, and most normal people were right handed, people started to chose a side. To drive on. I can say with no historical fact or reference, and based mostly on the 5th grader who edited wikipedia, that the UK started to drive on the left because they wanted to be friendly and shake right hands, or wanted to be able to draw their swords without any interference when riding past each other. Reasons for driving on the right are even more fraught with inaccuracy and range from Napoleon's left handedness, to reduce fights among marching armies, and just plain to get back at the UK as one last act of defiance. I prefer the Napoleon idea, especially has France later owned a large chunk of the US and Canada, and maybe it just filtered through all of North America. Who knows?! But back to the point. I mean, to the point in the first place. They drive on the left here, which takes som...

Oh, how gullible I've become. Fuelled by having friends willing to go to the gym with me, I agreed to take a class with them. Yeah, the kind where techno music is blaring while an overly-energetic leader shouts things at people. And of course, loads of public embarrassment. Oh, and don't forget the mirror lined walls so we can all see how awesome we are. The class we chose to experience first was called 'body combat' which to me was equally intriguing and amusing. Right off the bat, the annoying remixes were playing and the guy in charge was shouting something indecipherable and it seemed like everyone there knew what was going on except for me. I was shamefully brought back to 9th grade show choir and my pathetic attempts to not participate. If I had not been 14 when I joined that choir, I might have been good. But instead I was a brainless idiot who thought, wrongly again, that I was being civilly disobedient in just not giving a crap. Really, I was just lazy...

What is with those people on the street who are representing reputable charity like organisations, but are constantly bothering everyone? You can spot them from a block away, wearing brightly color coordinated t-shirts or jackets. And it's like spotting an ex coming toward you on the street; suddenly panic stricken and shouting 'Oh, my God!' before spinning around to seek an alternative route around them. But sometimes, it's too late. You've been spotted. Eye contact has been made. Your grimace has been greeted with a bright smile and there's no time to turn and run. I usually pretend I am in a hurry (suddenly) but even that doesn't work. Whatever you're in a hurry for 'this will only take a minute.' “Sorry, I'm in a hurry...” “Oh, this will only take a minute.” “Actually, I'm in labor. Can't you tell? Hoo-Hoo Hee-Hee” “My house is on fire.” “I'm late meeting my birth mother for the first time.” “But I'll take only a m...

I will admit it. I watched American Idol this year. That's unusual for two reasons. Firstly, I've never watched a whole season before. It's usually boring after everyone isn't being made fun of anymore. Secondly, I had to go to a special effort to see it in this country. But that is far beside my point. I was checking up on my favorite, Mamasox, (quit doing that supid contractually obligated tour and cut an album!) and stumbled upon a picture of her new tattoo . No, this blog will not turn into Ugliest Tattoos (always gives me a laugh! and makes me reevaluate my assesment of mankind). But her tattoo is on the inside of her wrist and, very stylishly informs me that she is a type 1 diabetic. And, by stylishly, I mean with a bit of a flourish, a caduceus with a hypodermic, and even a star of life! I am the target audience for this tat. I'm torn between loving this and hating it. It is rather informative and would help cut to the chase in an unconscious person...

A few days ago, Andy stopped over for a visit on his way to Greece. Shout out! He came to visit sunny Coventry and then we headed down to London for a night on the town. We had dinner in Leicester Square then double- decker bussed it over to the Apollo Victoria Theatre to see Wicked. It was a very clever and great show that made me want to a. reread that book and b. sing loudly and proudly as much as possible. It seems like such an awesome job to sing like that every day. There are some amazing voices in that show, wow. Great costumes and set design too, but what do I expect from a proper west end show? Of course the costumes and sets and voices were good! I do wonder what L. Frank Baum would think of it. In the morning, Andy left at some un -Godly hour, and I slept until a more reasonable time before heading to the London Transport Museum. I have just a minor obsession with the London tube which makes this museum awesome. From the beginnings of public transport to how ...

I have been anticipating a 3rd Toy Story installment since rumours of one began back in, probably 2000, during the Disney/ Pixar rift. When I learned that it was actually made and going to come out last year I was embarrassingly excited. I am kind of surprised that I didn't camp out to see it, but there isn't much point when you can prebook cinema seats. (Or just walk in on the day, because the rest of the world is not as excited nor has demanded a midnight showing). Anyway, after waiting an extra month to see it here in the UK (thanks, whoever!) I have now seen it in 2D and 3D and basically it's fantastic. I mean, no unplanned 3rd movie has been so good (take a lesson Pirates 3). It was my first 3D experience and really for this, didn't seem to make much of an impact. It was beautifully animated without it, but the 3D is pretty cool. (I couldn't help but think of the novelty of the cultural arts programs we had in school that were about 3D. Awesome then, ...

I had intended to have the rest of the vacation posts written by now, but dear old lappy broke. With much joy I can report there is life in her yet! We're also running windows 7 which I am still, mere hours later, undecided about. But it's a change. I feel like an old mare set in her ways, unable (more likely, unwilling) to change. I'm sure that my computer usage can be as adaptive as the rest of me. (but why can't I make my start bar anything but blue!?) I've also found, after trying hard to get into it, that I am having a hard time getting out of vacation mode. My mood probably has something to do with feeling in the home stretch of this WAP which truly fills me with mixed emotions. In the last two days I have felt appallingly sorry for myself (again!) watched too much TV and ate just enough ice cream. Also in this time I have had the first glimmer of communication from my dissertation supervisor. After three emails of increasing irritation and panic, ...

Seeing my parents off while I stayed in the station was one of the hardest things I've done here. We had settled so well back into our usual travel mode, that it was very surreal to not be going home with them. Now again immune to the embarrassment of crying in public, I stood in the tube station for a few minutes before donning sunglasses, popping in the elitist headphones and heading back into the city. It was pretty much decided that ice cream was in order when I remembered that C and I had stumbled across a Chipoltle which I found shocking and incredible and nearly had me licking the windows on the way past. So, I decided that an overpriced burrito was in my immediate future. But where was that? I attempted to retrace my steps for about 45 minutes before seeing it in the distance like a shining beacon of hope. I practically jogged there and excitedly waited in line, ordered my usual carnitas bowl and even got a diet coke. A-Mazing. I was renewed. Now, I think I'm r...

I am sitting here with my travel journal wondering where to start. I have doubled its used pages in the last month. I guess the beginning is always an effective launch point. My parents were meant to visit in April and were interrupted by a little ash cloud problem. The boyfriend had always meant to come in June, and it worked out that he would arrive in early June, and stay for two weeks. My parents booked their flights to arrive the day after he went home, like two jet planes passing in the night. This was a brilliant situation and at the very least saved me a trip to London. Because I love planning, I immediately began sorting everything out, booking hotels, hostels, ferries, hire cars, and train tickets like nobody's business. Then, all I had to do was wait. I remained no more than cautiously optimistic about the whole thing because I knew it would be difficult to take another disappointing blow and I wasn't going to believe in any of it until I saw it. The morning...

I have been travelling around this glorious rock for the last four weeks and will (after a proper lie-in) sort it all out on the blog. From London to Skye and many places in between; over 1200 miles driven, and many more covered in trains, boats, kayaks and on foot, it's been a weird and wonderful time. Nothing beats familiar faces in, well, familiar places. Hours of planning, months of anticipation, and hours of terrified driving were all worth it, and I can only hope that the blog reflects my warm, happy, and exhilarated feelings I have for this country and my loved ones.

I'm proud to ride the tube today.

It's about time I used that line! The parents and I managed to navigate through central Manchester and return the car without incident! Woot! What a relief that is. In Manchester we visited the museum of science and industry which didn't fail to impress. We trained it to Coventry and it felt very good and weird to be home. We were just in time for the Godiva Festival, and we watched the colorful and impressive parade go by before walking to the park to see just what this festival was all about. Oh, and by the way, Lady Godiva was a. fully clothed (not even pretending to be naked) and, b. in a car. I mean seriously?! We can do better. I'll grow my hair out and be ready by next years parade. Bring me a white horse. The festival was pretty fun and there were so many people there! Way to come out, Coventry. They had plenty of carnival rides and games, drunk teenagers, and local crafts. Not to mention some good food stands. A great day out. The next day we went ba...