iTunes Shuffle

I hate iTunes shuffle! Why must it be so accurate? A friend once showed me the magic of it, and at times, especially today, I don't care for it. It knows too much. Haha. Currently it's playing 'Homeward Bound' by Simon and Garfunkel, and now, now it's 'Yer Blues' by the Beatles. WTF?!? Really? I won't even go into what other things it's been playing. Jesus. The places my mind has been wandering to. I don't think I care to admit it. Or maybe it's my 'sign' to listen and then snap out of it! Hate to say it, but I think it's my sign. I've been quite the Debbie Downer as of late. I don't out right show it, but inside, it's there, and I despise it with a passion. I want the goodness back! I just need to get out and about, and then maybe all will be good in the world. As many people know, the universe cannot differentiate from good or bad, and I need to think more of the good and nothing of the bad. It's gotten me this far, and I can't stop now. This is where things will happen and that's why I'm here. To make things happen! O.k., enough of the sappy shit. It's not me, well, for the most part.

First Friday Night in London

O.k., so I'm not a complete looser and didn't stay in and do homework on a Friday night because I didn't have anything better to do. It was nice. Actually felt my blue ball of happiness coming back! That's a change let me tell you. It's been pretty dismal the last week or so. Well, realistically non-existent. I just wish it had stuck around a little longer. I always find it amazing how one small thing can just bring you down and how hard it can be to get back to where you were. Don't get me wrong, I realize we are the controllers of our emotions, but god, sometimes that is easier said then done. *Sigh*

I'll try my best to be positive in this post, because it was a good night. I got to talk to Tina for almost an hour and a half. It was what I needed. Not just to have someone listen and understand me, but to be able to know I'm not completely alone even though I've been feeling like that. Once I was off the phone Michael invited me to go to a movie. Neither of us had seen the Dark Knight, so that's what we saw. Heath Ledger definitely lived up to all the hype and Christian Bale was nice to look at. Oh, on the walk from the flat to the tube we got absolutely drenched! I haven't seen rain coming down like that in a very long time. It was actually quite funny and kind of made me want to take off my coat and get drenched and spin around with happiness. Maybe I should have. It would have been a washing of all the negative in my life I've been experiencing. But then again, if I had done that then we would have missed the movie and getting out and about was the purpose of the night. Anyways, afterwards we went out to one of the only places open in Camden Town after 11pm - a Lebanese restaurant. The food was really good, although I have not had much of an appetite for the last week or so, so most had to be boxed up. I also had a Jack and Coke to toast to the good ol' times back home. Let's just say I finished that! Haha.

As for my state of being. Well, it's been better. Here's my debbie downer moment. I apologize, but I just have to get it off my chest. Loss of appetite is not just due to wicked jet lag and stress. I've only been like this once before and it was not cool at all (those close to me will know). Resorting to Marilyn Monroe movies (thank god I brought a few) and Natali Imbruglia music (which I highly recommend her album 'Torn') is never a good sign with how things are going for me. Things better take a turn for the better, and soon!

I miss dancing in the kitchen while dinner was being prepared! How do you tell someone that?

FYI: I got back rub #1 Wednesday night. #2 tomorrow?

Sotheby's Day 3 - Rodmarton Manor & Chelterham Museum and Art Gallery

Today we had a field trip to the countryside. First time visiting the English Countryside. It was lovely, and dry! The purpose for our field trip was to visit Rodmarton Manor (an Arts and Crafts house by Ernest Barnsley - E.B. is one of the main artist / designer / craftsman that we are studying from the Arts and Crafts Movement from 1880 - WWI) and Cheltenham Museum and Art Gallery (Arts and Crafts collection). Below is a photo I took today (all photos are self taken) of the entrance of Rodmarton Manor. The following photos are from various parts of the grounds of Rodmarton Manor. No photos were allowed inside. Boo! There was an absolutely stunning Bluthner piano hand painted by Louis Pearl. It's a one of a kind and I wish now that I had sneakily taken a photo of it.
After we went to Rodmarton Manor, we ate lunch on our bus and headed over to the Cheltenham Museum and Art Gallery. Photos of the entrance and bus are pictured below. Besides being a crazy long day, it was fun. We had many laughs on the bus, although I passed out on the entire ride home. Like I said, sleep deprivation has hit and I get it whenever I can. Now I am patiently waiting for my much needed back rub...finally???

Sotheby's Day 1 & 2

Yesterday I started grad school at Sotheby's Institute of Art. Yep, I'm getting a MA in Contemporary Design. It's alright. Nah, actually it's great, and I absolutely love it! Lis Darby, the main professor and program founder is very rad. She's on top of her game like no one I have ever met before. It's thrilling and uber exciting. I feel so at home there. For the most part the people are cool too. There's really only one person that has continuously gotten on my nerves, but I think that's the general consensus on them. Hahaha...that's so bad, but it's true. Plus, I think honesty and openness is the best policy, for the most part anyways.

Anyways, the days are long and grueling with little breaks that are usually only 10 or so minutes long. And when I mean long, classes are around 9 hours a day with an average daily tube ride of 50 minutes (25 each way, including walking form the flat to the tube, and the tube to school). So really, it's a pretty sweet deal. Although I have to say the tube is bloody hot. The Brits really haven't gotten the idea that some places need a cooling system...

Today, we had around 4 1/2 hours of lectures on the Arts & Crafts Movement which takes place in England from 1880 - WWI. It's all about going back to the art of design and craft and being able to do both, although sometimes that didn't happen. It was the response the Industrial age. Lot's of cool things were produced. After are quick lunch, we all had to rush over to the V & A Museum and Library. There we got to go behind the scenes of the library (only employees typically get to go back there) and see some of the oldest books, articles, etc they have in stock. In fact, they don't throw anything out and have a collection of books alone totally 1 million. The rest of the collections, catalogs, etc. bring their total count to 1.5 million. I know, crazy! After the behind the scenes library tour we went to the museum and looked at pieces we had seen earlier in slides. Super cool, but I was also super tired. Lame!

Tonight was alright. It took 45 minutes from the V & A back to where I'm staying in Primrose Hill. I get to do it all again tomorrow - we have a field trip to Rodmarton Manor and Cheltenham tomorrow. Now that will be a long day!!!

The evening was alright. I got to talk to Tanya for quite some time, which made me very happy. :) She's turning into quite a hippie, but I love it and it was just what I needed. How I miss my girlfriend back home!!! Seriously, I need to make some good friends asap otherwise this experience will not be all that it should be. I also got to talk to my Dad. I miss and love him. It's hard wanting to tell him everything as he has always been my protector and supporter, but some things I could say could make him worry, because they make me worried. And I don't want to make him worry. It's quite complicated really.

Dinner wasn't too shabby. Michael's Dad came over to have dinner and spend the night. He's a wonderful man. He made me laugh, which is the first time since being back in London. He also got me drunk, which didn't take much due to the lack of not eating. Haha...regardless, it was nice. O.k., more then nice, but I'll spare the sappy details.

On the home front side, things are alright. Not as good as I expected them to be, but again, I don't think going into that personal of details on something such as this is a wise idea. Let's just say that spoken words and movements are carefully thought out and guarded, and I mean that in a negative way. Boo!

Anyways, moving half way around the world has been rough. I thought it would be peaches and cream like my last visit. Guess I was wrong. I just want my blue ball of happiness located in my heart spot back! Seriously, is that so hard to ask for?

P.S. I think the theme for the current moment is best describe by the song "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick. Look it up on iTunes, most of you will know it. I also realize that most of you could misinterpret the meaning of why I am referring to this song as best describing the current moment, but I don't care. Love you Nat, because you are more in the loop about this mention then anyone else. Also, check out "Sweet and Low" by Augustana, "Listen to Her Heart" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, "I'm Gonna Be Strong" and "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper. They're currently four of my favorite songs.

Peace out as it is almost midnight and I have to get up at 6am for classes. Ah...sleep deprivation has already consumed me.

London Town Arrival

After much scrutiny from friends and family, and with my newly recent trans Atlantic move, I have decided to do my best with the whole blogging thing. Wish me luck, as I will need it.

Now let's get down to business. The last few weeks, ok, more like the last 3 1/2 months have been pretty stressful. Why? Well, because after a solo backpacking trip in Europe I decided that it would be a grand idea to move to London by the end of summer. And for some ungodly reason I have done just that. Let's just say that the mind and will of your inner being is a powerful thing and has reinforced the saying that anything is possible.

Yesterday, I arrived in London! It was a long journey. The night before my flight I probably got around 5 hours of sleep. My wonderful and loving Dad took me to the airport *tear* (goodbyes are not my forte). We arrived at about 9:30 am Pacific Standard Time. Good thing too because there was already a line to check bags, and I had to do some handy switching of items so my bags could get sent. My massive suitcase was exactly 70lbs and my carry-on trekking bag was exactly 17.6lbs. Keep in mind that I also had another bag weighing around 25lbs, my laptop, heavy purse stuffed to the max, a sweatshirt, hooded wool pea coat and a snowboarding jacket. All in all, I moved half way around the world with belongings weighing about at much as I do. Keep in mind that from Heathrow airport to my first home base in Primrose Hill, I had to carry / push all of that weight. Hahaha...boy, did I get some funny looks! Anyways, by the time I landed in London it was 4:20pm.

Time wise, my flight left at 1:05 pm August 29. It was a 9h 45m flight to Frankfurt, Germany. There I had a 7h layover. Not cool at all. From Frankfurt to London Heathrow was another 1h flight. 40m to get off the plane and go through the passport check. Another 40m to wait for luggage and go through customs (happily I did not get stopped). Then I ventured to the tube, which was a 1h 30m ride to the Chalk Farm stop. Luckily, there were some cute young blokes to help me carry my massive amount of luggage up many flights of stairs. It was a nice welcome when people actually offered to help! Plus, sometimes playing the damsel in distress is never bad thing. All I had to do was stop at the bottom of the stairs, look at my luggage, then at the stairs, then at my luggage again, and make a questioning face as to figure out how to drag it all up. By that point there was always numerous young blokes waiting to offer me some help. I will always remember their kindness and how entertaining it was to watch them joke around while caring everything up. When I finally emerged from the tube I had a short but grueling walk to Mr. Michael Arnold's flat. By the time I reached his place I was dripping in sweat. Some how a short walk takes eons when you have extra poundage weighing you down.

After calling my Dad to let him know I arrived safely, took a shower, sent a mass email saying I had hopped the pond successfully, I went over to Michael's friends / neighbors house for dinner. O.k. I had a loss of appetite, and at this moment, have yet to regain it, so I just had water, some chai tea and a delicious pastry with fresh berries. The raspberries were gigantic! The night was good, the people were incredibly friendly, and it was all around a good night. Just wish I didn't have jet lag this time around. I'm still not my spunky, sarcastic self, but I'm hoping my biological clock adjusts to the 8 hour time difference soon.

Anyways, I start grad school tomorrow morning at Sotheby's Institute of Art at 10am sharp. And for those of you hoping it will be an easy day, I've heard otherwise. They get right into the program. Oh boy, lucky me! Hahaha...I'm sure it will be fine. I just wish that I could have had more time to rest, play and adjust to London life. Thank goodness I will be getting a massage and acupuncture later tonight! Lord knows I need it.