Lessons learned this weekend:

1.Never be too careful when belts and duct tape are involved together. Flashing occured. Flashee, not flasher. Traumatic.

2. Groceries close early on Sunday

3. Everything tastes better with garlic sauce

Spent Saturday going to see the play "The Magic Toyshop." Slightly disturbing, but v. good. And we saw one of the actresses in Sainsburys afterward. Clearly the cool kid club place to go. Then went to Exeter's bar, which was where I learned about the belt/tape bad news combo. Also not to accept cake from the person who has just flashed you.

Sunday, completely unproductive. Went to meeting of "The Amazing Failed Novel," and it is failed for a reason. Crazy town, in a bad way. Time travel and magic were involved in the discussion, the words dystopian, bread-hair, and "too jacobean" were brought up. Peaced out of there early.

No work tonight but read Merrill's "Braving the Elements" and the whole Richard Wilbur collected poems. Read Rilke yesterday, mainly because all these are due back, so feel accomplished in personal reading, but not in reading that actually needs to be done. Learned something useful to present personal life confusion from Mr. R: Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves

Am working on seeing Macbeth. And doing laundry. Epic travels. The end.

So in the long scheme of things, week went quite well. Tuesday was spent at lecture/wandering through 8 libraries. Discovered one I must study in. But, trying to get a book from the stacks went like this:

Me: Could you please tell me where LW reference is?

Grumpy-librarian-who-wants-to-go-on-break: LW?

Me: I wrote this number down (shows call #)

GLWWTGOB: Are you sure that's an LW? (raises eyebrow)

Me: I think so. It's Rilke. Does that make sense?

GLWWTGOB: Can you fill out a slip?

Me: What, I'm sorry?

GLWWTGOB: A slip. Put it in the box.

Me: (fills out slip. puts in box.) Thanks

GLWWTOB: It'll be fifteen minutes

Me: Should I wait?

GLWWTGOB: It'll be fifteen minutes

Me: Okay, I'll come back. Thank you.

-- Enter 48 minute interlude in which I talk to father on cell phone/get a coffee/ talk to mother/ walk back---

Me: Hi. I had a stack request

New Librarian: Your name?

GLWWantedTGOB: (to new librarian) It's in the box

Me: -blank stare-

NL: That'll be about fifteen minutes

Me: Okay, thanks, I'll come back at 6.

--fin---

So system a bit different. But I ended up with a stack of books on Gogol/his St. Petersburg stories, which I was doing my essay on for tut this week, Malory's Le Morte DArthur, and 6 poetry books, plus A. Carter short stories.

Wednesday had free lunch at Pizza Express, which sounds like a remake of Pizza Hut, but its name belies its true nature. It's actually quite classy and apparently Shakespeare directed Hamlet (or at least a version of it) inside the building where PE is now. It was also all we could eat: ie 2 desserts/one large cappuccino. This program had to be good for something. Did some reading, then went to JCR/club called Thirst. Met interesting brits from up north. Also went to magic chips/falafel street truck, known to us now as Hasan's (interesting, no? Jasmine? Okay.) Wore heels. Dubious choice.

Thursday did not make it to lecture 1 on Blok, got to 12.00 on Joyce (clearly) and wrote essay between 2-5 in order to go out on charity-date event. Girls paired up and picked 2 guys names that then took them to dinner. I a. was put under duress in a v. non-sober state to sign up for this and b. thought it was Friday, post-tut. No, no, oh, no. So decided to suck it up, went with J. (ie cool new friend) and it actually turned out to be AH-mazing. We went with 2 guys who were our "dates" and then another group of 4, including the girl who organized the whole thing. First went to some bar themed as heaven, so instead of happy hour, they had "heavenly hour." Tried something called an english rose. Day-um. Went to a tapas bar w/ thumbs-up sangria, discussed potatoes, ox slang, banter, chat, the rules of what does or does not make something gay, ie "not if its with your left hand." Mmm. Then went to House bar, met up w/ rest of St. Catz crew, had excellent white russian and chatted more re: why a bike with 2 baskets is twice the man, and heard a rendition of FotC "Bret, You've Got It Going On." Not bad actually.

Went to both Hardy/Shakespeare this morning. Discovered why it is bad to be a baby-killer. Also that Shakespeare didn't really research. Had tutorial, not sure if my tutor a. wants to surpass what I wrote my essay on or b. thinks I'm a dumbass and knows I wrote this paper in 3 hours and wants to avoid said topic. BUT, I get to read Master n' Margarita + Brothers Karamazov + Chekov + Gorky on something re: the devil so it's all good. Had to do dinner out tonight b/c Hall involved too many mushrooms. Not a fan. Found place with a. potatoes b. free wine = success. Wandered around Teddy Hall, aka St. Edmund's, and sketchily scampered through their "closed to the public" dorms. I can wave a student ID like it's nobody's business.

Was going to go back to puffer fish club, decided too cold, finished book that's due back instead. The Golden Girls live on. Am going to be cultural tomorrow and see a play.

Also discovered it might not be bad to be at a school whose students want to become one with O. Wilde. He did write this: I will build a rose out of music by moonlight, and stain it with my own heart’s-blood. All I ask of you in return is that you will be a true lover, for Love is wiser than Philodophy, though she is wise, and mightier than Power, though he is mighty. Flame-coloured are his wings, and coloured like flame is his body. His lips are sweet as honey, and his breath is like frankincense

But, the most important lesson I have learned from my reading so far here is clearly this: finally this story shows that pure water and brown bread are enough nourishment for young women, as long as they have beautiful clothes. No?

C., this is for you.

Dinner menu: unidentifiable but delicious soup, shepherd's pie/steamed potatoes/ sliced parsnips, apple crumble with custard sauce

Also finally had secondary tutorial, and am so in love. J. Ballam, you have just ensured my continuing love for arthurian legend until the day I die. a. he compared the "arming of the hero" to the chorus of a pop song, only the way he said the word "pop" was most definitely in air quotes, and then he referenced a medieval gathering where everyone would start "poeming" along with the orator. Reading Malory for next time.

Emailed guy about poetry workshop in Christ Church, but basically asked about his "poetry thing" so not expecting grand response to that gem of an inbox surprise.

Spent rest of night reading books completely irrelevant to work about how Disney stamped himself into all his fairytales and how this one guy appropriating some German folktale is "a folklorist's nightmare" and ruining a. the Grimm brothers b. the American public in general by misleading them into thinking a wild man is their role model when in fact, he was a nasty murderer. Basically, the author rips him to shreds: In fact, his mythopoetic projections and dilettante references to myth and folklore obscure the origins and significance of Iron Hans, while his eclectic reconstruction of putative initiation rituals has more to do with his own yearning for a male mentor or a desire to become a male guru than with providing a rigorous analysis of the problems facing men in contemporary America. This is pretty much the epitome of how I'd like to respond in workshops (peaches, anyone?) so quite enjoyed. Called "Myths as Fairytale, Fairytale as Myth." Also read contextualized tales. Discovered I must read more Angela Carter.

Also in book was a ref. from one of my favorite authors, P. McKillip, about Jane Yolen, and it a. sounds amazing and b. is kind of the way I want my writing to be. So here ya go: her stories make no promises. They present worlds which alter under our eyes like the shapes of clouds. Image flows into image: the tree becomes a lover, the ribbon of gray hair becomes a silver road out of torment, the tears become like flowers, the old drunk on the beach becomes the god of the sea. Each image is a gift without explanation

So, semi-productive weekend in all. While yesterday, clearly nada, today hammered out a 3000-word essay all about King Arthur and his little exploits. And still had time to blog.

Going back to Friday for a minute, there are some important details crucial to this weekend’s events that need to remembered. 1. Motivation won out over sleep and made it to all lectures I’d wanted to go to. 2. Got the rocker leggings, and actually rocked them. Might even be wearing those again. With less eye makeup this time. 3. Almost brought bottle of russky water to tutorial sketchily in back pack, because went to Sainsbury’s (brit grocery) in order to stock for pre-Entz, but luckily, went with friend and she took over. Also went to cool costume/vintage store over the bridge. Didn’t have anything there for this time, but I will definitely be going back there if I need a. jester costume b. heidi costume c. kick ass boots.

For entz, had me, joan jett, a diana ross, an audrey hepburn, and an ambiguous Latina celeb. Rooms was going to go as l. gaga, but chickened out of her leotard at the last minute. Now we have a roomful of d. r.’s boa feathas everywhere.

My tutorial went surprisingly well; although at first got lost finding University college and then had need to run through the streets of oxford in my neon yellow raincoat like a neon yellow bat out of hell. But made it. And had really interesting conversation re: Gogol/Freud/paganism/Russian absurdists/guns and geese. Am pretty excited for next week. Reading more Gogol. Score baby.

The other lectures I’ve been to this week run:

Monday- Pushkin’s prose/ 20^th CE gothic fiction

Tuesday-Arthurian Romances

Wednesday- Russian (class)/ 20^th CE poets/ Scots Poetry

Thursday- Alexander Blox/ James Joyce

Friday- Thomas Hardy/ Shakespeare and the Supernatural

Later in term there’s also a lecture about Akhmatova, which I cannot wait for.

Also, Blok lecturer: looks exactly like Flight-of-the-Conchords-Jemaine. With little round glasses and a posh-er accent. SO GOOD.

Basically am way more motivated to go to lectures I don’t have to attend than the ones I was being graded in last semester. Reflection of –Nealon, I’m looking at you!- inadequate lecturers, perhaps? Maybe the accents have something to do with that too?

Have done nothing today. Woke up, slept, ate lunch, slept, ate dinner, fiddled on the internet. Entz equals trouble with a captial T that rhymes with P and stands for pool. V. amanda-like decisions were made. Confusion? Was going to start my essay tonight, but will most likely not and do it tomorrow, the day I dread because it means I must do laundry.

However, Joan Jett costume last night was awesome. Too bad I'm not a rockstar every day.

So lately I have been blogging in invisible font. Thought I'd try it out for bit, like HP's invisiquill. I could also have made that up. Which one is up to you. Pick a door, any door.

In good news this week, so far I have:

a. finished a 2500 word essay on Gogol's Mirgorod

b. gotten to read Gogol for my first primary tut!

c. purchased sequined heels to impersonate Joan Jett at Entz(short for entertainment. Like the HOP? kind of? except they throw parties at the JCR bar and let us wear costumes, etc.)

d. worn a dress, twice

e. gone to awesome lectures

Bad news:

a. I now have to read this essay aloud tomorrow to man who I have never met and it is semi-sucko

b. finished gogol, and now must concentrate on reading things in middle english. cool, but also time consuming

c. need to get cheap-o leather pants/leggings for said costume; not sure leather is for me

d. wore black pants today and now there is some weird fuzz on them that I do not recognize from today's activities. at all

e. have woken up at 8 every morning. so long, dream of sleep and un-zombieness

Went to the language center on Tues. to sign up for Russian, which is from 9-11 every wednesday. And the place is 3481234342348203.2 kilometers away, so I have to wake up at 7:15 in order to grab coffee on the way there. Otherwise, no point in even showing up, unless it's to the morgue.

On way there got a coffee like beverage in disguise as coffee: the dreaded coffee water. Says its coffee, looks like coffee, tastes like milky water.

Also went in search of book at music library, accidentally went in wrong door, and discovered this museum of old instruments. They have Handel's first harpsichord. Scccore. Also was assisted by the first scottish hippie I've ever run across in the libs.

Was also kicked out of Hall for getting there at 7:15, when dinner starts at 7:15. Yeah.

Hate the spotty internet re: hard to talk on skype and there are many reasons why it is very necessary to do this. Am going to shower now and contemplate why some things in life must be way harder than others.

And, from the book I'm reading now, leave you with this:

They believed that remembering someone could bring them back to you long after they had departed, if you only concentrated hard enough, if you stood outside on a windy night and tried to count every star sprinkled across the universe like rice on a table or stones in a lake, like bones in a body or snowdrops in the grass.

Not too much accomplished lately. Coordinator still MIA by email, no word about primary tutor. Good thing since primary tutorials are supposed to start tomorrow. Did some researching on other countries yesterday morning to see what I should do over term break since I will veritably be homeless. Need to find out how to Euro-hop in the cheapest way possible and also hit the most places. I can save some of what I want to see for over the summer, but I do have many, many places on my list.

Used kitchen for first time too. Made coffee. Grabbed yogurt from fridge. Big culinary success. Went to scaf, which was what they call fake dinner here. Saturday there's no big hall dinner, you do caf. style from 6:45-7:15. Had chicken tandoori. Was good. Went to JCR where discovered that even if a drink has an awesome name like snake bite, it might not actually BE awesome. Moved on to doing what any true Russian would. You know. And if you don't, just look up the Russ word for water. Went to club called Clems- not the best name choice, in my opinion. Very crowded, but was fine because it was some StCatz's kid's birthday, so met more fellow SC students. Also hung with club promoter for Oxford, which I think is good because I believe this means we're "in." And that's good because it means no more "queues." Which in rain/cold is v. v. brills. Made poor decision re: outfit by wearing skirt. Everyone gets super fancied up to go out here so I decided to concede. Maybe better idea for somewhere where there are not so many people super super close. Issues.

Came home around 1, which is early to me. And rooms had friend from London here; they'd gone out to dinner and come home, so friend was sleeping on the couch. Rooms was sleeping in bedroom. So, on the best game plan ever, I fetched my humus, crackers, and cheese from the kitchen, and proceeded to eat while sitting half in the bathroom/hallway with my computer. Very glad no one decided last night was a good time for a visit.

Today walked to town to change $$$ and in a surprising twist, got a dress. Granted, it has birds on it, so it's not totally shocking, but it is rare. But it's so tempting because everything everywhere is on sale. It was even a steal with the exchange rate so I figured why not. Had pizza for dinner with a bunch of other Americans because they don't feed us on Sundays.

Lectures start tomorrow, so I've been slogging through the lecture lists to coordinate my schedule. They're optional, but I have so many I want to go to. So far, tomorrow I've got 7, but I'll probably flag after some of them, so we'll see.

Also finished reading Siddhartha. Liked it, but I feel like it would be much better without reading a translation. Some books are okay in trans. and some not so much. But I found one line that I immediately underlined and turned the page down: Most people are like fallen leaves that blow and whirl about in the air, then dip and fall to earth. But others, only a few, are like stars, which move on a fixed course where no wind reaches them; they have their law and their course within them. I have this pet peeve about how it's suddenly "cool" to "get away with things"- like the less you can do, the better; tricking someone into giving you more than you give them, etc. It's like having any kind of character at all is being stodgy and edging over the line between right and wrong is what's "hot." Suddenly using a lot of quotes. Feels silly. But this really irritates me and I've thought it over a lot. Probably why I like that line so much.

On non-ranty note, have put camera in backpack, so this means I promise there will be an attempt to attempt to remember to try and take pictures. And then try to remember to post them. ! Cross my heart, hope to die.

I've already broken my blog-once-a-day rule for the first week to try to train myself to do this. You win some lose some.

Yesterday started out not so excellent. Went to wrong building for english library induction. Had to walk forever and was 13 min. late, which at home would be so not a big deal, but here gets you "the stare." This look that says how dare you feel whatever it is in your life is more important than the first 15 seconds of my speech, you rude prat. Punctuality's big on this side of the frog pond.

And it was not worth getting up at 9 to go. Went over books. Whoa. None of those in the US. No one's even literate there. Then went to Blackwell's art shop; there are multiple Blackwell's here: bookstore, art store, cafe, etc. And all are cool. So found these bird cards that look like audubon prints to hang up, and also this card of some sort of modern art-y owl. I have this little thing for owls. Like I would marry one. a. you get to live in a tree b. they're nocturnal c. adorable. Then coffee time, and went on mad search for yarn so I could hang up these silver tray-pans I put wooden birds inside, but no luck. Doesn't every single person in britland wear knitty things and carry knitting needles hidden on their person at all times? Perhaps scarcity of yarn is all a big ploy to dispel such a rumbling.

Then did no work until dinner. Ate too much. Went to JCR and had pint of cider, and had to finish drinking it on the way to bar where roommate + us were meeting boys from Oxford whose friend is studying abroad and crashing at her house in Argentina. Good thing I have insulated mittens or the booze cruise would not have gone well in the nippy air.

Pub was cool, and boys were crazy town. Could they have been more British? Think not. As soon as we got there, started playing game where you must to name a country w/ every letter in alphabet, or must drink. All incarnations of Oscar Wilde. Not necessarily bad thing. Also cute in a looks-like-that-kid-who-played-Cedric-Diggory-in-HP kind of way. Then went to St. Peter's college JCR(which means bar) and had pirate libations(which means shots of rum) for 1 pound. Love those taxes.

Made it to a club called Kukai where all the lights were made out of puffer fish with different colored strobes inside. Cool. At first, long "queue" so were going to leave, but rooms got us in because she went up to bouncer, flicked ponytail and goes "sir, I came alll the way from Argentina. Can we get in?" And at first he said no, but all of a sudden, there we go through the line. Apparently that kind of shizz goes down in A'tina.

Stayed there for long time. Left and found magically appearing food stall where they had falafel, humus, and chips aka fries. So got them. Spent long time puzzling over why they spell humus with not one, but two, extra O's. It's houmous. WTF? Not, it is not. Then saw tiegs was online so skyped with him for a bit and discussed his HSchool stuff. Him: "Here's my dealio. You don't take physics, you're outta the race." re: college apps. Made it to bed about 4. Which explains the 12pm wake up this morning. Still have done no work. Found out libs is closed tomorrow. Made stuff for my wall instead.

Okay, so I made it to see my tutor this AM. Unfortunately, even though my meeting was for 9.30 the bus left at 8.24 so had a lovely little break at Starbucks. How new, right? I did at least start reading Siddhartha, which I've been meaning to read forever. Sorry, not reading it in the woods. But the meeting was good; I'm mixing medieval/Victorian lense for Arthur legends. Which most likely means I a. get to write an essay on Gawain and the Green Knight and b. The Lady of Shalott.

Also, in tutor's email to me he wrote: Yes, your existence was only confirmed to me this morning...

Good to know that my existence is, in fact, confirmed. I was worried for a bit.

And the second bonus of my little trip is that Ewert House, which is where I went obv, is in the middle of this street of shops called, no surprise, the summertown shops, so I was able to combine errands with the trek. I finally found a shower basket and a laundry bag, surprisingly hard commodities to come by. And I went grocerying, in Marks and Spenser to get some gems like rhubarb yogurt and blinis. I also bought prosecco and even though it's legal here, when I stand in that checkout line, it's like yeah man, I'm breakin' the law. Whaaat. Clearly also bought a lot of cheese. The steal of the day was that I got 2 bags of clementines for 4 pounds.

Got back to St. Catz and wasted time online, seeing as I still don't have confirmed tutorial for next week. Decided I needed peanut butter, so went back into town. Ended up walking around for approx. 2 hours searching for this book I saw yesterday for my mom. It's on Inspector Lewis and Morse. Only true mystery readers/BBC mystery fans will understand why I looked for so long. Did finally find it.

But not before I had wandered into a stationary store and purchased many unneeded things. Actually, it all worked out because I got these cool paper plates to decorate with, and I spent most of the night cutting/taping things to my wall. I found this calender of vintage posters on sale, so I just bought that, ripped it up, and then covered shapes I cut out of cardboard with some patterned paper. I taped up a line of paper plates off to the left on the wall. It's very deco, I think.

Clearly was also sidetracked in town and had to go see Gloucester green, and then ended up inside this store where I found fish, bird, and russian doll socks, so there went 5 pounds out the window. And did second grocery run for the peanut butter, and ended up with apples, crackers, breakfast stuff. And coffee. Bought tiny purple french press because there is no way I am living without a way to make coffee for 6 months. Went into the kitchen last night and voila, only a kettle in there. Oh, you brits and your tea. I'll throw it back into the harbor. Though did buy some earl grey today. And mint. So.

Three side notes of this excessively long recounting: 1.Yesterday morning, I forgot to say, rooms and I saw a baby fox running across the snowy garden outside our window. 2. I went past an office on which the sign read Pig&Whistle. Must discover what this is straightaway and go to work for them. 3. Found out that dinner was only caf. style while everyone was moving in. Each night at 7:15 we go to Hall, stand while the tutors file in to the head table, the head proctor speaks, and then we get served a 3 course meal. Somehow I don't see that happening in FFC.

Another issue with britland. Why must all desserts contain hidden raisins? The nemesis of my world (second only to bananas). First in spotted dick (yes, that's what it's called) and now in cobbler. Must devote more free time to the abolishment of raisins on the general terrain of earth.

So I'm reading up on the characters/history of King Arthur related stuff and discovered this gem of a sentence: "there followed a major scene involving glowing babies turning into bread." Netherlandish painting flashbacks, anyone?

Why am I doing this research now when tutorials haven't started? Because my tutor emailed me and asked if I could pop in to his office tomorrow morning at 9.30 for a chat. This email involved complicated bus/walking instructions, and sometimes I'm not even sure I remember where my own room is yet. Am engaging in a bit of googlemapping. But the cool part is that my tutor for this is the director of creative writing studies at Oxford, so I can hit him up about poetry and shit. I'm hoping that he will be the super adorable brit version of Scafidi. And that he will be wearing a sweater vest.

Today it is 0C and snowing again. There is a snow man outside our dorm that changes its accessories each night. Yesterday it had on glasses and a necklace strung from xmas lights. Today those were gone and a blonde toupee was stuck on there.

Walked around to about half the other colleges today to stalk inside their courtyards. The oldest ones are nicest, but the dorm rooms are all modernized anyway. St. Catz is much newer, but we've got a bathroom of our own and big windows. I just want a tutorial in another college so I can wander around their halls and look for the Room of Requirement.

I also got a scarf with our college colors on it, just like in HP! Very excited about this because a. it's going to be cool to have someone say "neato scarf" and be like "thanks, it's my college scarf" and b. our crest colors are maroon related and those colors look good on me. Just sayin.

Also found another good coffee location right next to our reading room, which is in fact not a room but this ancient round building that is like a mini-duomo. The cafe is right behind it and kind of underground, which is cool. It also has a garden with tables, which I'm sure will be nicer when it's not "Frozen Britain."

Went to the covered market too, and saw amazing fresh rhubarb and garlic! I know where I'm going, if I can actually find a refrigerator where I can store stuff. The whole thing was cool. It has a cobbler and a fresh fish market and a meat pie/pasty shop. Going to try those soon. Also ate a Ben's cookie, and I've heard rumors it's the best cookie stall west of the river (I actually have no idea where it is, but their cookies are delishcious). So, so far today I've eaten a piece of cake for breakfast and a cookie for lunch.

Only an hour until dinner. I'm starving everyday from about 3-7 and I have not yet discovered if there is in fact anywhere to obtain food that doesn't involve the 15min trek into town. Am maybe going to pub tonight, but as I have tutor meeting/navigation to do early, not sure until googlemap comes through for me.

So. Blogging. It might be complicated because I tend to fill journal-type writing with a. jokes with friends b. jokes with myself and c. stories that tend to taper off rather than end. I might learn, or I might just keep on doing same old same old and hope some disgruntled blog reader out there doesn't feel the need to chop off my typing fingertips.

I'm studying abroad at St. Catz (otherwise known as St. Catherine's College) Oxford until the end of June and if I don't write some of it down in a place I won't lose it or use it as scrap paper/letter paper/to print my essays on, then I will definitely forget 96% of it. Too much of my brain is taken up already with trash song lyrics and wondering if vikings had an equivalent of coffee.

Just got to Oxford yesterday via coach (that's what those brits call buses) and unpacked, mostly. Explored town last night and discovered at least 2 places where coffee can be obtained, which is the minimum. Ate dinner in the dining hall, and boy, was it different than home. It's full on cafeteria style, and the kids file into seats like some machine is popping em in there. And they don't have those let's-separate-our-groups-of-friends-buffer seats like we do a la JHU. Met some nice girls who actually go here and had drink in the common room. Yes, brits do it right- they have a subsidized student bar open after dinner. Tax payers are paving the way for delicious cider consumption.

Discovered breakfast is from 8.15-8.45 every morning. Subsequently discovered will not be attending breakfast with great regularity. Ate brekkie (this is also a useful brit term) out with roommate, who is from Argentina and also super awesome, and bought things like surge protectors so adapters would work, and a comforter because it is freaking freezing. Slept in flannel pjs and a coat last night and felt like I had braved the march of the penguins.

Am waiting impatiently for tutors to email me back and tell me what 80 books I should read for next week. It's actually exciting because I have Russian folktales/Russian absurd novel for primary tutorial, and Arthurian legend for secondary. But, I would like to not show up for our first meeting and look like a 1/4 wit, so I'd like to know what to do.