good morning

   Went back into the slump of cooped up in room and broke out of it yesterday. Went to Starbucks first thing yesterday and sat there for an hour writing. I will never be that cliche again...writing was good though. We walked over Millenium Bridge by St. Paul's, up Fleet Street to Aldwych and caught a bus. Planned on going to Camden but then it didn't seem appealing when it came around so we went all the way up to Hampstead and walked to halls from there. Ate food and took the tube back down. There was a big match on so people were coming back from it all drunk and stomping on the tube and it was the most packed I've ever seen it starting at Finchley Road. People kept replacing other people and being squished into a corner and a man who looked like a tanner version of Sascha Baron Cohen. It was good to be around London and be out of mine for like six hours because it gets really cramped and annoying and bland to be stuck here all day. Got BBQ pizza and watched Doctor Who. The latter part of the episode was like, "Wait, what the fuck is going on?" Then watched Graham and went to bed early and didn't sleep well and have been awake since 7:30. It's now nearly ten...what to do with the day? I skyped with Mum yesterday who chastised me again about not taking pictures and I thought about that yesterday when I was walking around cus there were a bunch of random things I would have taken pictures of so maybe I'll just carry around my camera for the last week I'm here and take pictures of everything I find interesting even if you don't find it interesting...

   Yesterday I was at a loss at where to go exactly and I had this feeling like I had gotten the most out of London that I can right now with where I'm at. Unless I had oodles of money lol. Cus really, all there is to do is to like, go out clubbing or drinking at night. It's not like America, like Kalamazoo, where we can pop into Target and look around and not buy anything or go to Meijer's really late or something cus everything closes. But don't get me wrong. There are still surprises to be had, etc. and I still reconnect with London when I least expect it. :)

hey again

   I feel like there's not been a lot to report. The weather's been niceish. Walking on bankside is my new thing. Going to Starbucks too much. Reading The Seance. On Sunday Alison hosted a small "tea" in our flat--lots of fresh fruit, homemade cookies and cake, tea, etc. Larissa came. It was pretty chill and nice. Larissa and I were supposed to go to John Soane's Museum on Monday but we showed up only to find out it's not open on Mondays! So we went to this Mexican restaurant called Chilango's where I just got some chips and guac. Then we went and rated joggers on the embankment before going home and then I trekked all the way up to Hampstead to get pizza.

   Today was another pretty nice day but essay collection. I passed, which is what's important. The best thing though and that made everything the best is that I got another A on Creative Writing and she really liked my stuff and told me to "keep going" !!! I am going to her queer poetry reading tomorrow night. Got coffee and then went shopping. Next and H&M. Then back for third year essays then home to FAJITAS. But my homemade guac had gone bad hence the disgusting smell emanating from my fridge...gross. Mmmm, I am restless. Kind of want to read, so maybe will go do that. Getting tea with Nina while we're both still in London this week. Ahhhh! (real monsters) I sincerely hope you're doing ok, reading good books, smiling, enjoying Michigan, enjoying life cus you're a wonderful person.

hey

Feel like typing, feel like being outside. First time I've gotten properly dressed and stuff before 1pm in like five days...went to the library and it's GORGEOUS outside. I shaved last night so I am wearing a proper skirt and stuff, although it's a short one (for me) and there were nearly some hoo-hah mishaps on the sidewalk.

So basically the biggest thing to report is I went to this sexual health clinic the other day (don't freak out or assume that I'm a whore, etc.; I'm really telling this for the awkward factor--), and before I was led into the examination room, the doctor was like, "Oh, there's a medical student observing today, is that ok? Otherwise I'll ask him to leave." And I just thought, "Why the hell not, whatever," so gave my permission. And in America, if the doctor is a male, a female nurse is required to be present. Apparently not here? The doctor was rather handsome, but I wasn't really concerned with that, more so with ascertaining that my IUD was fine. So after asking me all the usual questions, during which I ignored the medical student because he was sitting to my other side, the doctor stepped out for a minute and then I made small talk with the medical student. The doctor came back fast so our small talk ceased suddenly and then I had to undress and stirrup it up. Then a nurse stepped into the room, but it was a gay male nurse, who briefly told me that they were going to make sure that the swabs were taken in the correct place. And then it was spread eagle for male doctor, medical student awkwardly hovering near my vag, gay male nurse wherever he was. Did their business and then I got dressed again but I had thought everyone had left the room, but when I moved the curtain back the medical student was there and then I sat and made more small talk with him, like he didn't just see all my junk. But surprisingly, I didn't even care. Weird, E.

That's the most notable thing in my life this past week. I think I want to spend part of this afternoon on bankside...

been too long

I apologize for not having written in here in so long. It's been a crazy month. And by crazy basically I mean that I slacked off until the last minute about essays, spent the final week in the library all the time and crying a lot over emotional things. Then I fucked off for about a week and a half and didn't study until the last minute for history cus I'm stupid. Took that exam yesterday and it was a huge mess. Showed up like 20 min early and it wasn't until ten min after that that I thought to check my seat number. Wasn't on list...raced down to computer lab and wasn't listed on my student records although I had gotten all the e-mails saying I was taking the exam. Decided that if all else failed, I could just do a mitigating circumstances form and resit the exam. Went up to history department, trying hard not to cry at the guy who was working in the office, explained the situation, he tells me to just go back down and they would register me there and to go back after. Two minutes to spare, I took all the stairs from the 8th floor to the ground and ran into the exam just as it was beginning. Everything went smoothly but I don't even want to talk about the bloody thing. It was awful and I might've failed. The pain. I went back to the history department with my sheet after and the guy phenaggled on the computer and said I should have been registered cus everything else was fine but that I just wasn't given a seat. So it wasn't really my fault and I felt a little better knowing I wasn't that useless.

I came home and made a wonderful dinner--salmon with spinach and beans and asparagus with a lemon/oil/mustard sauce and had most of a bottle of white wine by myself. Was drunk. Barely slept last night and I feel like Night of the Living Dead right now...a bit headachey, could barely manage coffee and I went into the kitchen to chop a pepper and onion in order to make myself a scramble, which, while laying in bed sounded divine, but as soon as I was on my feet made me feel nauseated. So I played it safe with toast and peanut butter. I am completely done with school here and now have the next three and a half weeks to enjoy, wholly and completely. It's really strange to me that Kalamazoo is a tangible thing. I don't really want to think about it. :(

Also, I'm going to be a dope and reflect on my time with T, who visited me for a week and is returning for a night tomorrow before going home. It was nice to be out and explore London again, but this time from a perspective that I actually knew what I was doing. We caught up in Trafalgar Square and at my Costa out in the bright sunshine. We went to the National Gallery where I saw Sunflowers again and it made me happy again and we wanted the tie of it so badly but everything is so bloody expensive. We did Westminster Abbey a week after the wedding, which was super cool. Waiting in line for half an hour talking about music and then seeing all the old kings' burial areas. And poet's corner! So amazing. The British Museum inspiring in us the need to see the Mummy and The Mummy Returns...although we were ADD and didn't finish either of them. We got cocktails at a jazz place and had a moment with the bassist because we appreciated their music and let them know it. We went to Camden. We played Puerto Rico twice--he killed me once, and then I did. We went to Cambridge and had SO MUCH FUN punting with Chris, Theresa, and Sarah. Cambridge is beautiful in spring btw. Got tea and scones for so cheap at a lovely little place in Soho. And we went to the Tate Modern, where we stood in front of things and I just gaped at how bullshit everything was and T had to pull me back from racing through as a result. We sat in a Starbucks at Bankside essentially and I lost myself until I stood up and looked through the window to see a bridge over the Thames, forgetting where I was. There were definite rough times, but I'm glad that I got to share a bit of London with one of my best friends.

And now I think I'll stay in my pajamas for most of the day. Do need to pop in Costcutter for some things. Want another cup of coffee but my milk expired so I poured it out. Lazy, lazy, lazy. Want new music...