Recently one of my flatmate's parents came over to visit. They were very excited about visiting and invited all four of us out to dinner, which we, of course, accepted. (Although, we were more gracious about it than it sounds.)
On the way to the restaurant where we were meeting my flatmate, Amy, and her parents, my two other flatmates and I somehow ended up missing the bus and had to walk to there, knowing we would already be late. Upon arriving we met Amy's parents and the husband and wife who are travel buddies with Amy's parents.
They were all very friendly and invited us to get a drink we would like and choose what we wanted from the menu. We actually ended up not staying to eat there though, because something had gone wrong in the kitchen and there was an hour wait for anything we ordered. Looking back, we probably should have just stayed there and waited it out, but we chose to try our luck elsewhere.
We ended up wondering around a few nearby restaurants which were all rather full and had a long wait also, so we ended up at a local pub at nearly eight in the evening with everyone starving.
The meal was good, but nothing too fancy. I ordered fish and chips, and found the chips to be cooked just way I like them. I feel like I should say the fish was, but really, I had been craving chips and that was my favorite part of this particular meal, so I think I should be honest.
Near the end of the meal, about when we were thinking of leaving, two men started shouting about twenty to thirty feet away. They had been in a heated debate earlier but had gone outside to talk it out. But at this point they both seemed rather about to boil over and there was quite a bit of anticipation in the air about what might happen next.
(I am going to take this moment to mention that this actually happened a few weeks ago so my details may be a bit fuzzy. And also, this is how it happened to me, and me only. Afterwards my roommates and I talked about what we each noticed, but I want you to see it as I saw it.)
One man was wearing a green shirt (we can call him Rick) and the other was wearing an orange one (he can be Wayne). Rick had large black tattoos twisting and spiraling up his arms and seemed to be about thirty-five. He also had a buzz cut hairstyle. Meanwhile Wayne was a bit older with graying hair, but was probably only about forty to forty-five.
Wayne began yelling back at Rick, "You think I'm old? I'm not old!"
Meanwhile Rick was shouting, "Yeah, you are!" The two then shoved each other a bit, but Rick inevitably pushed Wayne down onto the ground, while he laid on top of Wayne. Wayne was still exclaiming that he was not old, while also telling Rick to get off him.
They rocked back and forth a bit, as Wayne tried to roll over and get Rik off him. Rick then seemed to have enough and grabbed at Wayne's shirt which he tore right off. I remember watching and thinking, "That looks a lot like the Hulk." After this the two actually began rolling around on the floor, while Rick was still pinning Wayne down and hitting him in the face, although not too frequently since most of their time was taken up with rolling.
I really just stared at them with pretty much a blank mind. Only about thirty seconds had passed and I was still thinking about the Hulk. Eventually I did realize that they were hurting each other and I began to get a bit nervous.
"I did I hear someone say they were calling the police? Is someone calling the police? Someone should probably call the police." I thought this while staring directly at the men tussling around. I did not however, consider that perhaps, I should call the police.
I then turned to look at Amy's dad for an indication of what I should do. He went to a military college back in the day, and at the moment, I felt like that made him the authority on these types of situations. The men were rolling close to our table now, and I was blocked by Amy's dad and two of my roommates from being able to leave from behing our table. He seemed rather calm, so I thought maybe it was not as bad as I thought it was. I then looked back at the men as Rick tried to pick up a chair to hit Wayne with, while another man in the room told him t put it down. Rick listened and the two kept rolling around.
I looked back at Amy's father, who began ushering everyone from our group out of the pub. I listened and quickly followed as we all left. I then ran around to the window outside near where we had been sitting and looked in just in time to see Wayne standing up with half of his face covered in blood. The waiting staff had finally broken up the fight and helped Wayne get Rick off of him.
It was around this moment I realized I had heard the wait staff yelling at Rick near the end of the fight to stop and that they were calling the police. I am not sure if my brain was just moving slowly, or if it had decided to temporary turn off hearing abilities in favor of running out of the pub.
But just to let you know, I have not seen any bar fights, or fights of any kind, besides this one instance. And my roommate Austin got hit in the face by a drunk man in Dublin, but that does not really count as fighting.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"Health food makes me sick." -Calvin Trillin
Thursday, 15 November 2012
Tuesday, 13 November 2012
Mail Update
I know, I know. You no longer are even remotely interesting in the UK's serious mail issues and how they effect me. And this post will be nothing about that. It is just a quick post to say that I finally got my long awaited package today!
I had to walk all the way to the local post office and pay a two pounds to get it, but after all the time I have waited and worried over it, I am just glad it is finally here.
The walk was only about fifteen minutes there and back, and it was actually rather nice out for being November. The trees were all orange and yellow and I got to walk past some cute little houses that I have not seen before.
The post office was in the back of a small convenience store, which was a bit strange. And the man who helped me did not seem very pleased to have to do work. After I told him my name he had to sort through a mountain of mail that was just thrown in the back corner. But he finally found it and I was able to return home victorious with enough time to update you all before going to class.
When I came back my roommate and I sang the "We Just Got a Letter" song from Blues Clue's and danced around a bit. It was brillant.
I hope you all and I do not have any mail issues in the near future.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"Writing well means never having to say, 'I guess you had to be there'." -Jef Mallett
I had to walk all the way to the local post office and pay a two pounds to get it, but after all the time I have waited and worried over it, I am just glad it is finally here.
The walk was only about fifteen minutes there and back, and it was actually rather nice out for being November. The trees were all orange and yellow and I got to walk past some cute little houses that I have not seen before.
The post office was in the back of a small convenience store, which was a bit strange. And the man who helped me did not seem very pleased to have to do work. After I told him my name he had to sort through a mountain of mail that was just thrown in the back corner. But he finally found it and I was able to return home victorious with enough time to update you all before going to class.
When I came back my roommate and I sang the "We Just Got a Letter" song from Blues Clue's and danced around a bit. It was brillant.
I hope you all and I do not have any mail issues in the near future.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"Writing well means never having to say, 'I guess you had to be there'." -Jef Mallett
Sunday, 11 November 2012
The Most Dangerous Game
I have briefly mentioned how big public transportation is in a previous post, but I have not talked at all about bicycles.
Bicycles are really big in England, really big. People ride them all over the place, and you can see them stacked up against random posts and walls all over Oxford. Sometimes they do not even attach them to poles or fences because there is not room left. Instead they will use their chain to make the bicycle unridable and lean it up against a building while they head to class or pop into a store. They even have bicycle Christmas lights that they are putting up now.
My roommate, Amy, and I were once walking past a large collection that were leaned against a building, and she accidentally knocked one over while a crowd passed by. But since the wheels were made immovable by the chain, it took forever to set it back up, because the front wheel was perpendicular to the back one. And no one even bothered to take another look at her. Like stealing random bikes/people having no control over their own bikes was just a totally normal thing. We now have a joke that she steals bikes and rides them to other parts of the city where she leaves them to be found.
But back to cyclists, they are never dressed what you might expect a cyclist to wear. They wear rather normal clothes, and some women even still wear skirts/dresses, although I am not sure why. And they always seem to have a jacket on, which they put their hands into while cycling by. It's as if they know they are badass and want you to know too.
Buses also always seem like they want to kill the bicyclists, or at least make the people riding the bus think they killed them. They drive right up next to the cyclists and just hover there, meanwhile the cyclist has their hands in their pockets and are trying to steer using their knees, and I am on the bus ready to call 999 (England's version of 911) the moment that cyclist gets hit. But the cyclist just looks completely chill and rides away somewhere. Is it a stunt they pull together? I am not sure.
You also start to gain a 6th sense after a while, where you can sense when a bike is getting close. Or you never really stop being aware, in case a bike was to show up. i promise that I have been walking around on a deserted road with bushes surrounding it, and a cyclist will just show up out of no where and attempt to run me over. And they do try and hit you, like it is a game to see if they can hit you without you noticing. Maybe that is why the bus drivers aim for them. Pay back. Either way I feel like I am a story where I am being hunted by bicyclists.
Also, all the bikes have cute little baskets on them, some on the front and some in the back, and sometimes with a baby inside them. No joke. Babies will be riding in a metal crate without cushioning while their parents speed down the road attempting to hit pedestrians. And some have bells to ring when they get close to you. But when they approach you from behind, usually you have just enough time to turn around and see them as they run you over. Instead of signaling further away so you can see them and get out of the way. These bells also make me really paranoid though, because I will hear one really far away and think it is a biker who is about to jump over the wall next to me and is just trying to give me notice.
Although, some people think they are too good for bikes and ride something more sleek and cool: a Razor Scooter. Yes, adults here ride Razor Scooters. Although I at first thought I was having a flash back to the early 2000s, when I was a child and realized they were ridiculous then, I quickly found out this was actually present day England. They are not common, but there is usually at least ne person a day that I will see gliding down the street on one of those bad boys. And they usually look like they think they are the epitome of cool. Maybe they are here, but I think in America they would be laughed at. Those things are so much more work than walking. Only in England, I guess.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." -Mark Twain
Bicycles are really big in England, really big. People ride them all over the place, and you can see them stacked up against random posts and walls all over Oxford. Sometimes they do not even attach them to poles or fences because there is not room left. Instead they will use their chain to make the bicycle unridable and lean it up against a building while they head to class or pop into a store. They even have bicycle Christmas lights that they are putting up now.
My roommate, Amy, and I were once walking past a large collection that were leaned against a building, and she accidentally knocked one over while a crowd passed by. But since the wheels were made immovable by the chain, it took forever to set it back up, because the front wheel was perpendicular to the back one. And no one even bothered to take another look at her. Like stealing random bikes/people having no control over their own bikes was just a totally normal thing. We now have a joke that she steals bikes and rides them to other parts of the city where she leaves them to be found.
But back to cyclists, they are never dressed what you might expect a cyclist to wear. They wear rather normal clothes, and some women even still wear skirts/dresses, although I am not sure why. And they always seem to have a jacket on, which they put their hands into while cycling by. It's as if they know they are badass and want you to know too.
Buses also always seem like they want to kill the bicyclists, or at least make the people riding the bus think they killed them. They drive right up next to the cyclists and just hover there, meanwhile the cyclist has their hands in their pockets and are trying to steer using their knees, and I am on the bus ready to call 999 (England's version of 911) the moment that cyclist gets hit. But the cyclist just looks completely chill and rides away somewhere. Is it a stunt they pull together? I am not sure.
You also start to gain a 6th sense after a while, where you can sense when a bike is getting close. Or you never really stop being aware, in case a bike was to show up. i promise that I have been walking around on a deserted road with bushes surrounding it, and a cyclist will just show up out of no where and attempt to run me over. And they do try and hit you, like it is a game to see if they can hit you without you noticing. Maybe that is why the bus drivers aim for them. Pay back. Either way I feel like I am a story where I am being hunted by bicyclists.
Also, all the bikes have cute little baskets on them, some on the front and some in the back, and sometimes with a baby inside them. No joke. Babies will be riding in a metal crate without cushioning while their parents speed down the road attempting to hit pedestrians. And some have bells to ring when they get close to you. But when they approach you from behind, usually you have just enough time to turn around and see them as they run you over. Instead of signaling further away so you can see them and get out of the way. These bells also make me really paranoid though, because I will hear one really far away and think it is a biker who is about to jump over the wall next to me and is just trying to give me notice.
Although, some people think they are too good for bikes and ride something more sleek and cool: a Razor Scooter. Yes, adults here ride Razor Scooters. Although I at first thought I was having a flash back to the early 2000s, when I was a child and realized they were ridiculous then, I quickly found out this was actually present day England. They are not common, but there is usually at least ne person a day that I will see gliding down the street on one of those bad boys. And they usually look like they think they are the epitome of cool. Maybe they are here, but I think in America they would be laughed at. Those things are so much more work than walking. Only in England, I guess.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." -Mark Twain
Saturday, 10 November 2012
Caitlin's Top 10 Mac Apps
Although I would not consider myself a computer expert by any means, I have spent a good many hours researching apps for my new mac and have found quite a few that I think are great ones that other people should definitely consider getting. If they are not available at the App Store, I have attached links to their webpages. And best of all, they are all FREE.
SelfControl - This app was designed to help you be more productive by keeping you from being able to access certain websites for a period of time of your choosing. You tell it what websites you do not want to be allowed onto, or tell it the few that you are only allowed on. I have only used it a few times, but I tried quitting the program and that did not even bring the websites back. It is very good for getting work done when Facebook is trying to distract you. You can not get it from the App Store though, but you can get it here. And yes, the logo is a spade with a skull and cross bones inside it, although I am not sure why.
OpenOffice - This is not really an app, but it is a free version of Microsoft Office that works on Macs and PCs. And although it is not exactly like MS, it gets the job done and you can even save your programs as MS Office programs (i.e. word files, etc.). It comes with a version of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and a few more (although they are called something different). I have not been able to test it out as much as I would like, but I have friends who swear by it. You can download it here.
iProcrastinate - This is an app, similar to the calendar function on Macs, in that you can set certain events, but you can label them for different topics and mark when they are due on the calendar. It also allows you to mark how important they are and break each task into smaller ones that you can check off as you get parts of things done. You can even attach files to certain tasks so that if you are working on a project, everything stays together and you don't get confused. You can download this one at the app store.
Alfred - Is a neat little app that makes searching for things in your computer much easier. All you have to do is open the program and type in what you are looking for. It will even search documents and more for the keywords you type in, just in case you forgot what you titled last week's history report. You can get this at the App Store.
Caffeine - This app has a really simple job: it keeps your screen from dimming when it is on. That way, you can watch your favorite movie without having to get up and sign back in every few minutes, but you can also leave your settings alone and just turn this app on and off as you need it. Closing the laptop will still put it to sleep though. Available at the App Store.
A Monster Ate My Homework - Although this sounds like it might be a homework help tool, it is not. It is a fun game that was recently added to the App Store. And honestly, I think everyone should have the basic games like Solitaire and Sudoku on their laptops, but this one is fun and simple as well as somewhat of a strategy game. It is a 3D (you do not need the glasses, everything stays in the screen) game where you shoot little monsters off a box so you can rescue your homework. If your homework falls off the box you lose points, but you can turn the screen 360 degrees around the box to try and get the best shot.
Gimp - A free picture editor, similar to photoshop. It has many, many different tools you can use to edit pictures, which I have not had to chance to check out yet. It is highly recommended on several sites when I was researching and when I played around with it a bit, it seems like you can do almost anything you would want to on it, you just have to figure out exactly where it is. Apparently the help questions will not open the first time you start up Gimp, but if you close it and open it again, they should work. Just a strange code error, that I do not understand. You can get it here, and here you can get Inkscape, which is a free version of Illustrator.
Swackett - You can use Swackett to tell you the temperature outside, but it will also tell you how to dress. When you open it up, a man and woman figure will appear along with all the weather information, but they will be dressed up how Swackett thinks you should dress, depending on the temperature and if it is suppose to rain, be windy, etc. You can also set your personal preferences for when you think it is cold or hot, in case you think you do not need a jacket until it is 32 degrees Fahrenheit out. You can get it at the App Store.
Pocket - I found this app a bit confusing at first, but once you g through the quick explanation, it is actually quite simple. After downloading Pocket you can attach it to our web browser so that whenever you see an interesting website you can 'Pocket It' and view it later on Pocket on or offline. You can even add labels to them for easy organization. I find this very helpful since I am always favoriting links that I want to check out later but eventually end up with no room for them anymore. You can download this at the App Store.
AdBlock - This is an app that blocks ads from websites you are on. If you have Chrome, like me, you just have to go to 'Chrome Web Store' and you can download it as an add-on to your browser. But if you use Firefox you are in a for a special treat. The man who designed SelfControl also designed an AdBlock for Firefox that turns ads into artwork, which I think is amazing. It is called 'Add-Art' and you can download it here for Firefox. The artwork switches every two weeks, although I do not think it is up to date with the latest version of Firefox. I have already tried, and it will not work for Chrome, which makes me really sad.
And just a quick hint I found out, you can decrease your volume by fourths so that if two points is too loud, maybe one and a half would be better. All you have o do is hold down the 'Shift' and 'Option' keys at the same time while clicking louder or quieter on the volume controls. I find this really exciting.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"I'm a jerk to everyone. Best way to protect yourself from lawsuits." -David Hoselton
SelfControl - This app was designed to help you be more productive by keeping you from being able to access certain websites for a period of time of your choosing. You tell it what websites you do not want to be allowed onto, or tell it the few that you are only allowed on. I have only used it a few times, but I tried quitting the program and that did not even bring the websites back. It is very good for getting work done when Facebook is trying to distract you. You can not get it from the App Store though, but you can get it here. And yes, the logo is a spade with a skull and cross bones inside it, although I am not sure why.
OpenOffice - This is not really an app, but it is a free version of Microsoft Office that works on Macs and PCs. And although it is not exactly like MS, it gets the job done and you can even save your programs as MS Office programs (i.e. word files, etc.). It comes with a version of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and a few more (although they are called something different). I have not been able to test it out as much as I would like, but I have friends who swear by it. You can download it here.
iProcrastinate - This is an app, similar to the calendar function on Macs, in that you can set certain events, but you can label them for different topics and mark when they are due on the calendar. It also allows you to mark how important they are and break each task into smaller ones that you can check off as you get parts of things done. You can even attach files to certain tasks so that if you are working on a project, everything stays together and you don't get confused. You can download this one at the app store.
Alfred - Is a neat little app that makes searching for things in your computer much easier. All you have to do is open the program and type in what you are looking for. It will even search documents and more for the keywords you type in, just in case you forgot what you titled last week's history report. You can get this at the App Store.
Caffeine - This app has a really simple job: it keeps your screen from dimming when it is on. That way, you can watch your favorite movie without having to get up and sign back in every few minutes, but you can also leave your settings alone and just turn this app on and off as you need it. Closing the laptop will still put it to sleep though. Available at the App Store.
A Monster Ate My Homework - Although this sounds like it might be a homework help tool, it is not. It is a fun game that was recently added to the App Store. And honestly, I think everyone should have the basic games like Solitaire and Sudoku on their laptops, but this one is fun and simple as well as somewhat of a strategy game. It is a 3D (you do not need the glasses, everything stays in the screen) game where you shoot little monsters off a box so you can rescue your homework. If your homework falls off the box you lose points, but you can turn the screen 360 degrees around the box to try and get the best shot.
Gimp - A free picture editor, similar to photoshop. It has many, many different tools you can use to edit pictures, which I have not had to chance to check out yet. It is highly recommended on several sites when I was researching and when I played around with it a bit, it seems like you can do almost anything you would want to on it, you just have to figure out exactly where it is. Apparently the help questions will not open the first time you start up Gimp, but if you close it and open it again, they should work. Just a strange code error, that I do not understand. You can get it here, and here you can get Inkscape, which is a free version of Illustrator.
Swackett - You can use Swackett to tell you the temperature outside, but it will also tell you how to dress. When you open it up, a man and woman figure will appear along with all the weather information, but they will be dressed up how Swackett thinks you should dress, depending on the temperature and if it is suppose to rain, be windy, etc. You can also set your personal preferences for when you think it is cold or hot, in case you think you do not need a jacket until it is 32 degrees Fahrenheit out. You can get it at the App Store.
Pocket - I found this app a bit confusing at first, but once you g through the quick explanation, it is actually quite simple. After downloading Pocket you can attach it to our web browser so that whenever you see an interesting website you can 'Pocket It' and view it later on Pocket on or offline. You can even add labels to them for easy organization. I find this very helpful since I am always favoriting links that I want to check out later but eventually end up with no room for them anymore. You can download this at the App Store.
AdBlock - This is an app that blocks ads from websites you are on. If you have Chrome, like me, you just have to go to 'Chrome Web Store' and you can download it as an add-on to your browser. But if you use Firefox you are in a for a special treat. The man who designed SelfControl also designed an AdBlock for Firefox that turns ads into artwork, which I think is amazing. It is called 'Add-Art' and you can download it here for Firefox. The artwork switches every two weeks, although I do not think it is up to date with the latest version of Firefox. I have already tried, and it will not work for Chrome, which makes me really sad.
And just a quick hint I found out, you can decrease your volume by fourths so that if two points is too loud, maybe one and a half would be better. All you have o do is hold down the 'Shift' and 'Option' keys at the same time while clicking louder or quieter on the volume controls. I find this really exciting.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"I'm a jerk to everyone. Best way to protect yourself from lawsuits." -David Hoselton
Friday, 9 November 2012
It was the Best of Times...
It was the worst of times." -Charles Dickens
This week has been a very interesting one, for many reasons. I wrote five letters on a tablet, I realized the mailman hates me, I was reunited with my love, Michael Buble, and I finally got drinks with some friends.
The week started out good. We had just taken a trip to Cardiff, where we saw the Doctor Who Experience, of course, and visited some caves near London called 'Chiselhurst Caves'. All in all, it was a lovely few days of trips and I was happy to have gone. (I also got some tasty candy while in London called 'Pear Drops' at a candy store that I visit ever time I go to London called 'Hope and Greenwood'.)
When we returned to our dorm, I had to write up five letters that went to other students in my travel writing class. Everyone had to read each other's essays and then write them a letter telling them suggestions for how to make it better. I still did not have a laptop at this point, so I had to type it on my roommate's tablet, which is like a glorified iPod touch the size of a standard postcard, except much better. By the end, I was actually typing rather quickly due to my newly acquired skill. Too bad that is not something employers will care about seeing on a resume...
Then I waited around for my package to come in, which I have already told you all about. And I meant to call yesterday but I lost the form with the number on it and had to do extensive research to find the number again. Rest assured, they will be receiving a lovely conversation tomorrow morning and will be in for an even lovelier one if they tell me they have lost my package.
On Tuesday, one of my roommates went out to a football* match, so the other two and myself decided to go out to eat at a nearby pub. A place called 'Port Mahon' sounded good so we popped in for dinner. The pub was really dark, and had the mood lighting of a darkly lit coffee shop that hipsters might attend to cuddle with their significant others. It also had a strange smell of burned beer, although I am sure that is not a permanent thing, or at least I hope so. The menu had about five things on it, which I could eat, surprisingly although they had nothing that sounded especially good. And with the weird lighting and smell, we just chose to move on to another pub.
We then ended up at the 'Angel and Greyhound', which I have been wanting to go to since we moved here, mostly just because I liked the name. The building lived up to my expectations, though. It was a cozy little place with a mix-match of different tables and chairs of varying sizes, shapes, and styles, but that all seemed to go together. There were also comfy couches you could sit in for a chat with friends near the fire. They also had delicious Rekorderlig, so I was very happy there.
Thursday, I got a call from a UPS worker, telling me he would be by soon to drop off my package (AKA new laptop). I got extremely excited and went outside to meet him, just so I could get it faster. After signing for it, I went back into the flat and spent the next day learning how to use it and all kinds of fun apps to get to personalize it. (I switched from a Dell to a Mac, and although I am rather anti-Apple, I still love it and most of their products, just not the price.)
Afterwards my roommate Amy and I went on our Thursday adventure and found a market, of sorts, that claimed to be of antiques, but it was really more old books and tarnished metal items.
This weekend we all hung out with our friend who lives a few flats away, and went to a few pubs nearby to have drinks together. It was really low-key and very fun. (I definitely prefer the Brits' relationship with alcohol to Americans'. It think drinking casually with friends is much more fun than having a thrasher evening, but that is a personal choice.) We actually ended up back at the 'Angel and Greyhound' and I got some warm Winter Rekorderlig, which might be the most delicious drink I have ever had. Alright, Amy's hot apple cider is better, but it is a close second.
All in all, I had a few issues at the beginning but the week definitely turned out to be a really good one. I hope to have a few more like it before I have to go home.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
*A sport where a round, black and white ball is kicked up and down a field, and must pass through the goal to earn points.
"As I grow older, I reget to say that a detestable habit of thinking seems to be getting a hold of me." -H. Rider Haggard
This week has been a very interesting one, for many reasons. I wrote five letters on a tablet, I realized the mailman hates me, I was reunited with my love, Michael Buble, and I finally got drinks with some friends.
The week started out good. We had just taken a trip to Cardiff, where we saw the Doctor Who Experience, of course, and visited some caves near London called 'Chiselhurst Caves'. All in all, it was a lovely few days of trips and I was happy to have gone. (I also got some tasty candy while in London called 'Pear Drops' at a candy store that I visit ever time I go to London called 'Hope and Greenwood'.)
When we returned to our dorm, I had to write up five letters that went to other students in my travel writing class. Everyone had to read each other's essays and then write them a letter telling them suggestions for how to make it better. I still did not have a laptop at this point, so I had to type it on my roommate's tablet, which is like a glorified iPod touch the size of a standard postcard, except much better. By the end, I was actually typing rather quickly due to my newly acquired skill. Too bad that is not something employers will care about seeing on a resume...
Then I waited around for my package to come in, which I have already told you all about. And I meant to call yesterday but I lost the form with the number on it and had to do extensive research to find the number again. Rest assured, they will be receiving a lovely conversation tomorrow morning and will be in for an even lovelier one if they tell me they have lost my package.
On Tuesday, one of my roommates went out to a football* match, so the other two and myself decided to go out to eat at a nearby pub. A place called 'Port Mahon' sounded good so we popped in for dinner. The pub was really dark, and had the mood lighting of a darkly lit coffee shop that hipsters might attend to cuddle with their significant others. It also had a strange smell of burned beer, although I am sure that is not a permanent thing, or at least I hope so. The menu had about five things on it, which I could eat, surprisingly although they had nothing that sounded especially good. And with the weird lighting and smell, we just chose to move on to another pub.
We then ended up at the 'Angel and Greyhound', which I have been wanting to go to since we moved here, mostly just because I liked the name. The building lived up to my expectations, though. It was a cozy little place with a mix-match of different tables and chairs of varying sizes, shapes, and styles, but that all seemed to go together. There were also comfy couches you could sit in for a chat with friends near the fire. They also had delicious Rekorderlig, so I was very happy there.
Thursday, I got a call from a UPS worker, telling me he would be by soon to drop off my package (AKA new laptop). I got extremely excited and went outside to meet him, just so I could get it faster. After signing for it, I went back into the flat and spent the next day learning how to use it and all kinds of fun apps to get to personalize it. (I switched from a Dell to a Mac, and although I am rather anti-Apple, I still love it and most of their products, just not the price.)
Afterwards my roommate Amy and I went on our Thursday adventure and found a market, of sorts, that claimed to be of antiques, but it was really more old books and tarnished metal items.
This weekend we all hung out with our friend who lives a few flats away, and went to a few pubs nearby to have drinks together. It was really low-key and very fun. (I definitely prefer the Brits' relationship with alcohol to Americans'. It think drinking casually with friends is much more fun than having a thrasher evening, but that is a personal choice.) We actually ended up back at the 'Angel and Greyhound' and I got some warm Winter Rekorderlig, which might be the most delicious drink I have ever had. Alright, Amy's hot apple cider is better, but it is a close second.
All in all, I had a few issues at the beginning but the week definitely turned out to be a really good one. I hope to have a few more like it before I have to go home.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
*A sport where a round, black and white ball is kicked up and down a field, and must pass through the goal to earn points.
"As I grow older, I reget to say that a detestable habit of thinking seems to be getting a hold of me." -H. Rider Haggard
Monday, 5 November 2012
No Post Anyday
I know that I have discussed the mail issue with you all recent, but I feel it needs to be discussed again as new information has arisen since last we spoke on it.
First of all, it is half way through the semester and I have yet to receive the book I ordered almost two months ago. Where is it? Who knows. Lost somewhere among all the other lost letters and packages in the world. Stuck somewhere between the UK and some other country halfway around the world.
I like to imagine that the lost book and all my lost socks are in a desert somewhere. And that poor children without money are staying clothed and learning to read from my random lost items.
Although to be fair, e company I ordered the book from contacted me and said a lot of their packages were not arriving at their destinations and so they were sending me a new one to hopefully arrive soon. And last week, while I was in class, apparently the mailman came with the package and when no one answered the door, he left a small letter. The letter basically said that no one had gotten the package and that it was being sent to another mail center where I could pick it up.
This 'local' mail center turned out to be an hour walk away and with no public transportation to take me there. But luckily, you could ask for it be redelivered and even choose the day you wanted it to arrive so you could be home. I chose today since we had no plans and I had no classes, but sadly the post has disappointed me again and the mailman never came.
It was like a horrible punishment. I would hear a noise near the door and run over only to find people leaving leaflets for clubs or pizza, or to see someone walking by to get to their flat. And I would rush over time after time, meanwhile getting my hope up for the package's deliver only to have it crushed each and every time. And I could not leave the flat all day for fear the package would come and I would be out and miss it again. I even told my roommates to keep their music down so I could listen.
It was pure torture. And honestly, even though it is now 10 at night and no decent mailman would be out now, I still keep checking the door for him. I just want my package. Is that too much to ask? How can bringing a package to someone be so difficult? I just hope it comes soon.
And also, I have my laptop coming in on Friday. What if this happens again? I have made plans to sit around all Friday and wait for it, but what if the mailman decides to bring it on Saturday? I have plans for Saturday and places to be. Yeah, they might be plans to visit 'Cadbury World', a chocolate theme park, but will not be a slave to the postman. I have a life, even if it is a boring one. I'm onto you mailman, I'm onto you...
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"College isn't the place to go for ideas." -Helen Keller
First of all, it is half way through the semester and I have yet to receive the book I ordered almost two months ago. Where is it? Who knows. Lost somewhere among all the other lost letters and packages in the world. Stuck somewhere between the UK and some other country halfway around the world.
I like to imagine that the lost book and all my lost socks are in a desert somewhere. And that poor children without money are staying clothed and learning to read from my random lost items.
Although to be fair, e company I ordered the book from contacted me and said a lot of their packages were not arriving at their destinations and so they were sending me a new one to hopefully arrive soon. And last week, while I was in class, apparently the mailman came with the package and when no one answered the door, he left a small letter. The letter basically said that no one had gotten the package and that it was being sent to another mail center where I could pick it up.
This 'local' mail center turned out to be an hour walk away and with no public transportation to take me there. But luckily, you could ask for it be redelivered and even choose the day you wanted it to arrive so you could be home. I chose today since we had no plans and I had no classes, but sadly the post has disappointed me again and the mailman never came.
It was like a horrible punishment. I would hear a noise near the door and run over only to find people leaving leaflets for clubs or pizza, or to see someone walking by to get to their flat. And I would rush over time after time, meanwhile getting my hope up for the package's deliver only to have it crushed each and every time. And I could not leave the flat all day for fear the package would come and I would be out and miss it again. I even told my roommates to keep their music down so I could listen.
It was pure torture. And honestly, even though it is now 10 at night and no decent mailman would be out now, I still keep checking the door for him. I just want my package. Is that too much to ask? How can bringing a package to someone be so difficult? I just hope it comes soon.
And also, I have my laptop coming in on Friday. What if this happens again? I have made plans to sit around all Friday and wait for it, but what if the mailman decides to bring it on Saturday? I have plans for Saturday and places to be. Yeah, they might be plans to visit 'Cadbury World', a chocolate theme park, but will not be a slave to the postman. I have a life, even if it is a boring one. I'm onto you mailman, I'm onto you...
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"College isn't the place to go for ideas." -Helen Keller
Saturday, 3 November 2012
Guy Fawkes and the Enthusiastic County Fair
Guy Fawkes is a holiday celebrated in London on the fifth of November. It celebrates Guy Fawkes and his followers' attempt at blowing up Parliament and the King at the time. The king was Protestant but Guy Fawkes and co. were Catholic and thought that once the government of England was gone Spain could take over, since they were also Catholics.
If you know the poem that starts with "Remember, Remember, the fifth of November," it is about Guy Fawkes. Or of you saw the movie "V for Vendetta" that is about him too.
The Brits commemorate Guy Fawkes by making a giant bonfire and throwing effigies of Guy into the flames and watching him burn away... Wow. That's not dark or anything.
I decided that I wanted to experience Guy Fawkes Day, or Bonfire Night, properly and go to an event for it. For some reason making a fire in a trashcan in my room just did not sound like it would do the day justice. (Or that it would be up to fire code.)
My flatmates and I ended up finding out about a big fireworks display that they were going to have in the nearby park and on the days leading up to November the third (it was moved to the weekend so more people could attend) lots of carnival rides started to appear in the park.
When we arrived at the festival today, we were greeted by a huge crowd of people that just seemed confused as to what they were doing. Several police, or people in yellow hi lighter jackets, directed everyone which lines to go to, but there was still a lot of general confusion. We paid for our tickets and entered a vast expanse of green grass.
The rides and attractions for the county fair like festival were very far away, and you had to track through strange sinking pits of mid on your way to the rides.
Once up to the rides, everything had a bizarre name. The machine, typically called the 'Scrambler', actually lacked a name, and the 'Merry-Go-Round' was called something like 'Golden Galloping Horses Patronized By Nobility of Great Britain'.
Can I be honest? That is a horrible name for a children's carnival ride. The parents will lean down to ask their over-zealous kid which ride theory want to go on first and then they have to spit out that whole mouth full of words? No, they will probably just call it the horse ride.
But there was also a fun house, a 'movie roller coaster' (the coaster did not move just a screen made it look like it did), spinning teacups, swings for children, something called 'Body Rock', and a ride reminiscent of an American one called 'Avalanche'. They were clearly missing a few key carnival rides like the 'Drop Zone' but they clearly were trying.
The food selection was limited as well. There were two 'Mulled Wine' stands, two candy stands, three classic British food stands, an American food stand, and a Donut/Cookie stand. There was also live music put on by a local radio station.
Amy bought some candy floss, or cotton candy, and ate out while we all discussed how they recalled needed some funnel cake there.
They evening's event then started as a large group of people gathered near the giant pile of wood that they would later burn. There were too any people to see clearly, but it seemed like there was a small play being put on were people with lit up helmets fought each other. I am not sure if that had to do with Guy Fawkes or is just something they chose to do for fun. There was someone talking while it went on but the live music kept going and drowned out anything they said. Although you could distinctly hear a bagpipe playing.
Afterwards, the fireworks began, which to be honest, I thought would not be very good. I just kept thinking of the fourth of July at home and how this would probably not be as good, but it actually was. I was very impressed, as were some college students near me who kept saying, 'Wow', 'Amazing', and 'That's like a proper planet'.
Then it was time for the flames. These two men in yellow coats lit some giant torches and then showed them deep into the pile of wood. The wood was actually set to look like some kind of giant throne with the Guy Fawkes Mask sitting on top of it.
Seconds after they lit it, the entire seat of the throne had caput on fire and blazed briefly before us. The back wall then lit and actually tumbled down into the seat area, taking the mask with it. Several cheers erupted from the crowd. The flames grew larger and larger as the wind powered it. I could actually feel the heat from it on my face while standing behind the barrier from the flames and a good distance into the crowd.
We stayed to watch the fire for a while, until the two sides fell in also and then headed home to eat some hot soup and grilled cheese sandwiches after such a chilly evening (besides the toasty fire that is).
It was a very fun and eventful evening, and it rekindled my love of Great Britain. The whole Halloween thing had me a bit down, but this definitely restarted it. I also think this might be England's equivalent of the 4th of July. Fireworks, classic food, and carnival rides? Sounds about right to me.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"I don't care what it is, when it has an LCD screen, it makes it better." -Kevin Rose
If you know the poem that starts with "Remember, Remember, the fifth of November," it is about Guy Fawkes. Or of you saw the movie "V for Vendetta" that is about him too.
The Brits commemorate Guy Fawkes by making a giant bonfire and throwing effigies of Guy into the flames and watching him burn away... Wow. That's not dark or anything.
I decided that I wanted to experience Guy Fawkes Day, or Bonfire Night, properly and go to an event for it. For some reason making a fire in a trashcan in my room just did not sound like it would do the day justice. (Or that it would be up to fire code.)
My flatmates and I ended up finding out about a big fireworks display that they were going to have in the nearby park and on the days leading up to November the third (it was moved to the weekend so more people could attend) lots of carnival rides started to appear in the park.
When we arrived at the festival today, we were greeted by a huge crowd of people that just seemed confused as to what they were doing. Several police, or people in yellow hi lighter jackets, directed everyone which lines to go to, but there was still a lot of general confusion. We paid for our tickets and entered a vast expanse of green grass.
The rides and attractions for the county fair like festival were very far away, and you had to track through strange sinking pits of mid on your way to the rides.
Once up to the rides, everything had a bizarre name. The machine, typically called the 'Scrambler', actually lacked a name, and the 'Merry-Go-Round' was called something like 'Golden Galloping Horses Patronized By Nobility of Great Britain'.
Can I be honest? That is a horrible name for a children's carnival ride. The parents will lean down to ask their over-zealous kid which ride theory want to go on first and then they have to spit out that whole mouth full of words? No, they will probably just call it the horse ride.
But there was also a fun house, a 'movie roller coaster' (the coaster did not move just a screen made it look like it did), spinning teacups, swings for children, something called 'Body Rock', and a ride reminiscent of an American one called 'Avalanche'. They were clearly missing a few key carnival rides like the 'Drop Zone' but they clearly were trying.
The food selection was limited as well. There were two 'Mulled Wine' stands, two candy stands, three classic British food stands, an American food stand, and a Donut/Cookie stand. There was also live music put on by a local radio station.
Amy bought some candy floss, or cotton candy, and ate out while we all discussed how they recalled needed some funnel cake there.
They evening's event then started as a large group of people gathered near the giant pile of wood that they would later burn. There were too any people to see clearly, but it seemed like there was a small play being put on were people with lit up helmets fought each other. I am not sure if that had to do with Guy Fawkes or is just something they chose to do for fun. There was someone talking while it went on but the live music kept going and drowned out anything they said. Although you could distinctly hear a bagpipe playing.
Then it was time for the flames. These two men in yellow coats lit some giant torches and then showed them deep into the pile of wood. The wood was actually set to look like some kind of giant throne with the Guy Fawkes Mask sitting on top of it.
Seconds after they lit it, the entire seat of the throne had caput on fire and blazed briefly before us. The back wall then lit and actually tumbled down into the seat area, taking the mask with it. Several cheers erupted from the crowd. The flames grew larger and larger as the wind powered it. I could actually feel the heat from it on my face while standing behind the barrier from the flames and a good distance into the crowd.
It was a very fun and eventful evening, and it rekindled my love of Great Britain. The whole Halloween thing had me a bit down, but this definitely restarted it. I also think this might be England's equivalent of the 4th of July. Fireworks, classic food, and carnival rides? Sounds about right to me.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"I don't care what it is, when it has an LCD screen, it makes it better." -Kevin Rose
Thursday, 1 November 2012
All Hallows' Evening Adventure
Halloween in America is a big holiday, at least for me. It is a day to dress up in random clothes, you would be shunned from society for wearing any other day and to eat a ton of candy while watching scary movies.
At school in the States I decorate the door to my flat, as well as inside and usually watch '13 Night of Halloween' on ABC Family. I will spend hours looking up costumes and planning over the perfect thing to wear, although I usually end up with some last minute costume that I bought at Walmart or made from things I already own.
The best Halloween outfit I ever did was being a dead person my Senior year in High School. I had spent almost a month choosing what to dress as and only about a week before Halloween did I pick it. I went to a local Goodwill, bought some nice dress clothes, and got to rip them up. Online it said to bury them for a few days so they would get a nice dirt smell to make the costume more believable, but I was not that into it, so I just soaked the shirt in tea for a few days to make it look stained, and then painted my face entirely white white black eyeliner stitches. It was pretty ridiculous looking, but compared to my usually Dorothy costume, I thought it was a pretty good attempt.
But, getting back to England, and what I am suppose to be talking about...
Halloween is a big thing in America. Even if you do not dress up or have a party, you hand out candy (or leave some on your porch), and see all the nice Halloween and fall decorations that people put out leading up to the day. Well, in England, it is hardly a holiday at all. I saw no trick-or-treaters (then again I live in a college residence community, so where would they come from). No Halloween decorations up, and barely any sold. Minimal people dressed up. And general lack of Halloween movies.
I roommates spent a few nights leading up to Halloween watching 'Little Vampire' and 'Hocus Pocus' to get into the Halloween spirit, but there was hardly any point in doing it. I really wanted to dress up this year and to experience Halloween in England, but I don't think there was much to experience. (And plus I had no money to buy a costume, so I dressed as a Muggle from Harry Potter.) I saw some clubs were putting on Halloween themed parties where you dressed up to go, but that just isn't the same when no one appreciates the day being celebrated.
I think so people were relieved Halloween is not a big thing here because there is less requirement to dress up, or hand out candy, but then what is the point of doing anything? I think of Halloween as a day to be silly and strange with your friends while eating large quantities of candy that no one can judge you for doing. It really just reminds me how different England and the US really are in some ways.
But to end the story on a happy note, my friends and I went to a Ghost Tour around Oxford and got to learn about all the strange and horrible deaths that people have gone through over the ages there. It was rather interesting, as well as a bit spooky. We then went home and watched some Halloweentown in honor of the day. And I plan to watch some Stephen King tonight, as it just isn't Halloween without him.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"The least of learning is done in the classrooms." -Thomas Merton
At school in the States I decorate the door to my flat, as well as inside and usually watch '13 Night of Halloween' on ABC Family. I will spend hours looking up costumes and planning over the perfect thing to wear, although I usually end up with some last minute costume that I bought at Walmart or made from things I already own.
The best Halloween outfit I ever did was being a dead person my Senior year in High School. I had spent almost a month choosing what to dress as and only about a week before Halloween did I pick it. I went to a local Goodwill, bought some nice dress clothes, and got to rip them up. Online it said to bury them for a few days so they would get a nice dirt smell to make the costume more believable, but I was not that into it, so I just soaked the shirt in tea for a few days to make it look stained, and then painted my face entirely white white black eyeliner stitches. It was pretty ridiculous looking, but compared to my usually Dorothy costume, I thought it was a pretty good attempt.
But, getting back to England, and what I am suppose to be talking about...
Halloween is a big thing in America. Even if you do not dress up or have a party, you hand out candy (or leave some on your porch), and see all the nice Halloween and fall decorations that people put out leading up to the day. Well, in England, it is hardly a holiday at all. I saw no trick-or-treaters (then again I live in a college residence community, so where would they come from). No Halloween decorations up, and barely any sold. Minimal people dressed up. And general lack of Halloween movies.
I roommates spent a few nights leading up to Halloween watching 'Little Vampire' and 'Hocus Pocus' to get into the Halloween spirit, but there was hardly any point in doing it. I really wanted to dress up this year and to experience Halloween in England, but I don't think there was much to experience. (And plus I had no money to buy a costume, so I dressed as a Muggle from Harry Potter.) I saw some clubs were putting on Halloween themed parties where you dressed up to go, but that just isn't the same when no one appreciates the day being celebrated.
I think so people were relieved Halloween is not a big thing here because there is less requirement to dress up, or hand out candy, but then what is the point of doing anything? I think of Halloween as a day to be silly and strange with your friends while eating large quantities of candy that no one can judge you for doing. It really just reminds me how different England and the US really are in some ways.
But to end the story on a happy note, my friends and I went to a Ghost Tour around Oxford and got to learn about all the strange and horrible deaths that people have gone through over the ages there. It was rather interesting, as well as a bit spooky. We then went home and watched some Halloweentown in honor of the day. And I plan to watch some Stephen King tonight, as it just isn't Halloween without him.
Until next time...
Embrace the Odd,
Caitlin
"The least of learning is done in the classrooms." -Thomas Merton
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