Top 10

In the spirit of the new year, and as is common with many magazines, radio and TV shows near the end of December (I'm a little late), I've attempted a list of Top 10 memories/favorites in 2006.

1. Visiting Mark, Amy and my cousins in Laos
2. Riding in a helicopter on St. Lucia
3. getting Chad Johnson's autograph
4. seeing Echo begin to grow
5. Making new friends in London
6. Paris at night
7. Being able to walk through Covent Garden without a map/giving a tourist directions in Wimbledon
8. Seeing how God provides and is faithful
9. Favorite movie: a tie between Pride and Prejudice and Superman Returns
10. Favorite album: Snow Patrol, "Eyes Open"

Looking back...looking ahead

Whirlwind. I think that might be a good word to describe the last year. Going back to New Year's Eve 2005-2006 I would have never guessed what 2006 would hold. I was comfortably settled in my new condo and singing karaoke with friends. I was anticipating my trip to China and Laos but never expected that soon after returning I would be given the opportunity to move to London. Yikes! Despite my fears and not wanting to leave my family and friends, it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I've had some great experiences (I won't re-hash them here since you've already read about them) and I can't imagine what the next year holds! I definitely hope to add a few more countries to the list of places I've visited. Other than that, who knows?

People ask me what I think I'll do when my two years is up. I have no idea! I can't imagine what my life will be like by that time. The last four months have been crazy enough so I don't even know what to expect from the rest. I think this year has taught me more than ever that you can't plan your life too much. It's good to have goals but you never know what is going to happen so lately I just try to take it a few months at a time. I don't always like it but I'm learning to live with it. I just keep reminding myself, "hey, it's an adventure."

pantomime

I saw this article about Henry Winkler starring in Peter Pan. It looks like Patrick Duffy is also in the neighborhood. Both are starring in pantomimes. When I first saw that I thought, "wow can you do Peter Pan with no words?" But, pantomime is different in the UK, it is a theatrical style typically performed around Christmas. You can read more about it here.

But perhaps the more interesting news was that Henry Winkler is playing Captain Hook because David Hasselhoff backed out at the last minute! I can't decide which would be cooler, having The Fonz performing down the street...or the Hoff.

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

We actually got to open our presents on Christmas Eve. We've had to do that the last few years due to scheduling Christmas with family. As hard as I tried when we were kids to be allowed to open even one gift on Christmas Eve we never were allowed. Now that we do it I kind of miss the Christmas morning excitement. I used to have the worst time trying to sleep on Christmas Eve and I was always up super early and had to find things to occupy myself until we were allowed to wake up Mom and Dad. (One time Melissa and I cooked up an elaborate wake-up call for them, complete with the Hallelujah Chorus.) Then we would wait at the top of the stairs while Mom got ready and until Dad said we were allowed to come down. Finally we'd go rushing down the stairs giddy with excitement.

Now we're older and the anticipation is not as great. As hard as it is to change tradition, if someone gives me the opportunity to open presents a day early I guess I'll still take it. Then I can sleep in on Christmas. My how things change...

Home Safe

In case you were worried, I made it home safely! I've actually been home almost a week now and am glad I did not get stuck in the major delays in London. I got home on Monday night and forced myself to stay up to watch the Bengals game. Well, I went to bed at half time. I couldn't stay awake any longer and I had a bad feeling. It was great to watch the game in glorious high definition instead of on my slingbox- if only they would have won.

I've been working until today when Melissa and I had a Christmas bake-fest. Last night we went to the Christmas light show in Mason. You remember the Christmas light house from the beer commercial last year? Now they have it set up at a park in Mason. It was pretty cool. I'm sure you've seen in before but I thought I'd post it here just for fun.

Christmas fun

I just thought I'd post a few pictures from this weekend. I've been out trying to experience London at Christmas.

First, the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square. It's definitely big but it could take some tips from Rockefeller Center when it comes to the lights. They did have some good carol singers.
Next I went to the Christmas market at the Natural History Museum. I had roasted chestnuts for the first time I figure, if they have them anywhere they should be at a Christmas fair. They weren't bad although they would have been better covered in sugar!
Last stop: this is me and Stephanie at Harrods. No Christmas trip could be complete without the largest department store! Top it off with a Christmas movie, "The Holiday." I'd definitely recommend it [editors note: it is a hard-core chick flick]. Next stop...Home!!! I'll see you lovely Cincinnatians soon.

the cool thing

One great thing about being in London is there are always great concerts coming to town. It's not that they are all shows I couldn't see in Cincinnati but there just seem to be so many. Tickets are going on sale all the time for shows I'd love to see. The trouble is I can't afford to go to every concert, but if I could I would go to one every weekend. I also don't have a huge array of friends to ask to go with me to all these concerts.

So far I am going to see The Fratellis in March. Mewithoutyou is playing here in February but so far I can't find any takers on that one. There are two coming up this summer that I'm particularly excited about. I just found out tonight that Dave Matthews has a show at Wembley Arena in May! I wasn't sure if he was big here because I haven't heard anything about him since I've come, but I am definitely excited about trying to get tickets for that. I've been going to see Dave at Riverbend since high school. Normally I am a little bit of a snob about my music so it is hard to admit the next concert I am excited about- but [covering my face in shame] I love Justin Timberlake and he is playing 4 shows here this summer! For some reason I can't find many people to go with me but I've found a few, plus Melissa will be here then. I might be ashamed but it will still be a cool show.

I think I'm a bit of a concert addict...

mince pies and fruit cake?

Did you know people actually eat mince pies and fruit cake? It's true, they are quite a tradition in England. I've heard of mince pies but didn't think anyone still ate them. Similarly, I've heard plenty of jokes about fruit cakes but didn't know people actually enjoyed eating them. Here they call them Christmas cakes.

Every holiday event seems to involve mince pies, christmas cake and mulled wine. The mince pies are not bad- I was relieved to find out they weren't made out of meat! The mulled wine is nice but I have yet to bring myself to try the Christmas cake. There is also a traditional Christmas pudding which I haven't tried yet. Apparently due to the composition of the fruit cake and christmas pudding they can last for months...hmm, that doesn't seem right. I think I prefer Christmas cookies.

I don't think they have eggnog here so I'm looking forward to that when I get home, but at least they do have Eggnog lattes at Starbucks. One other difference I noticed so far is that when we sang O Little Town of Bethlehem it had a different melody!

note

Did you notice that the Bengals offense has a lot of players named Johnson?

Really??? I never noticed that! I hope you can hear the sarcasm, but for some reason every single TV announcer feels the need to point that out when they introduce the offense. And they say it as if it's so original and cute, like no one has ever made note of that before. Not that I'm saying I could do a better job but the guy this week was particularly annoying in general.

On the other hand, I read on article by Len Pasquarelli on ESPN.com about the Colts vs. Jaguars game yesterday. In it he wrote this:

"Ever seen one of those Roadrunner cartoons when eternal foil Wile E. Coyote is inevitably flattened into pancake status by the bulldozer he has purchased from the Acme Novelty Co.? On Sunday, the Colts fielded an entire unit of Wile E. Coyote defenders. And they all played as if they were trying out their best Venus de Milo poses.

You know, no arms."

Now that's funny! I'm sure if they were talking about the Bengals I might not think it was as funny...but seriously, it doesn't matter what team he's talking about, that's good stuff.

Dirty Dancing vs. Miami Vice

Last night we went to see Guys and Dolls at Picadilly Theatre. For the last few months Patrick Swayze has been starring, but unfortunately this month he wasn't. Apparently next month it will be starring Don Johnson! I think that's a little weird. All I can think is Miami Vice but I guess he did have a few singles...Anyway, it was a really fun production.

Afterwards we headed over to Leicester Square to get some ice cream. It turned out there was a Christmas festival going on. They had all types of carnival rides so we decided to ride the swings!! The last time I rode the swings was at Kings Island. The wind was a little nippy and I was a little dizzy when we got off but it was lots of fun! I added few more pics online. I had been feeling pretty tired and overwhelmed from work so it was a great end to the week.

the rain in Spain...I mean, London

Today I wished I had a car. When I woke up the wind was blowing so hard it sounded like thunder against the side of my building (it's been sounding like this the last couple of days)...and I could hear rain pelting against the windows. So the whole time I was getting ready I was eagerly anticipating walking to the station in that weather. I opted to wear a hat hoping that it might in some way protect my hair. Umbrellas don't do too much good with horizontal rain but I tried anyway. I survived, but my hair didn't. Oh well, at least I wasn't caught in a tornado! After work apparently the traffic was so bad the shuttle bus to the train station wasn't able to make its regular stops. After waiting about 20 minutes someone said the bus was still stuck in traffic. I had no choice but to walk to the station. Fortunately it had just stopped raining sideways so I walked as fast as I could to make it for the next train. It would have been nice to hop into my Mazda3 and ride away, although I guess I would have still been stuck in traffic.

Two Worlds Pt. 2: The wardrobe

Sometimes I wish my life was like The Chronicles of Narnia. Not because I want to live in fear of the Ice Queen, but so I could experience life in and out of the wardrobe.

Living in London means I have a lot of great, new opportunities and experiences. It also means that I've left behind my closest friends and family in Cincinnati. Yes, I know that we'll still be friends but it won't be the same. I have a perpetual fear that I'm going to miss out on something. Actually, I know I'm missing out on things. And as much as change is a part of life, I don't want things to change because they were great the way they were. So basically I wish I could have my cake and eat it too. [Mmmm, cake.] I wish I could live in London, make new friends and see new things, and then come back to Cincinnati and have it be just like I left it, like I was never gone.

I'm sure my dream is not thoroughly thought out (and obviously unrealistic). I know that if I came back to Cincinnati and things were exactly the same I would be frustrated because I would have changed. I know I shouldn't be worried about coming back at this point since it's still 2 years away, but I still think about it. Then I have to remind myself that God's in control and that despite my lack of faith it's an adventure to trust him.

Two Worlds Pt. 1: Surreal but nice

I've been mulling over lots of thoughts since my trip home. I'm not sure how well I'll be able to articulate them because I can't even figure out exactly what I'm thinking, but this is my attempt.

Obviously it was great to be home. I really enjoyed getting to see my family and friends and to relax in comfortable surroundings! I've talked about it before but it really is true, I feel like I'm living a double life. On one hand it felt almost like I'd never really left and I could easily slip back into things in Ohio. But when I thought about it and remembered everything going on in London it was obvious I had been gone long enough to set up a completely different life - different friends, different church, different apartment, different lifestyle. I've experienced different cultures and situtations before, but they weren't permanent. For example, when I went to Thailand it was definitely different from Ohio but when I was back home I was back for good. This time when I went home I knew I would be coming back to London and everything that I still have here.

To sum it up, my trip home felt surreal. Life, in general, feels surreal. At certain times it still feels like I'm just on a trip. Yesterday I found myself thinking, "Okay, this was a nice trip but I'm ready to go home now." To some extent the newness and excitement are wearing off and I'm just tired. Work is overwhelming and frustrating which I find harder to handle when I'm working alone in a different time zone. Other than that things are really good and I'm having a great time living in London. I'm not sure how long it will take for me to settle into it. Hopefully over time the two worlds will somehow feel more like one as people come and visit and as I get used to going back and forth. I guess it's possible.

PPP?

Some of you may be wondering since my last post, "Aren't things cheaper in pounds compared to dollars?" If so, you are a budding economist! [allow me to be a dork for a few minutes, you may actually find it interesting]

The Law of One Price suggests that identical goods and services can only have one price in an economy. Therefore, if I multiply the price of something in GBP by the spot exchange rate it should equal the price of the same good in the US priced in US dollars. Let's try an example: Say you would like to buy an iPod. If you were in the US you might head to Best Buy, there the 30 GB video iPod sells for $249.99. If you lived in the UK you might head to Curry's Digital where the same iPod sells for 189 GBP. Wait- if I multiply 189GBP * 1.95 $/GBP (the prevailing exchange rate) that equals $368.55!!

Ohhh, I left an important statement out of the law of one price. It should read "in an efficient market identical goods and services must have one price." I'll let you in on a secret, economics likes to assume lots of things. But when the assumptions don't hold the theories don't necessarily work. In this case an efficient market refers to a lack transportation and other significant transaction costs.

From the law of one price comes the theory of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) that says exchange rates between currencies are in equilibrium when their purchasing power is equal in two countries. The theory is that market forces will drive out imbalances in the exchange rate. However, in addition to the fact that the market isn't really perfect as the theory assumes, there is a significant time element involved. In the short term exchange rates are driven by news (such as the weak economic forecast for the US last week). Thus people from the UK flock to the US for cheaper goods. But that's the beauty of it! This process will [over time] drive down the imbalance in the exchange rates so equilibrium is achieved.

Floating

Economics is killing me.

Last week the dollar fell to a 5 month low due to weak economic reports. That means that today my dollar will buy only 51p. That's down from about 53p when I first arrived. It doesn't seem like a big difference but it adds up...not that 53p is good by any means. One to one would be nice, but I would even take 75p- the way I remember it when I came to London on vacation about 10 years ago.

Maybe this will paint the picture a little better. I saw a headline today that said bargain hunters from the UK are heading to New York to do their Christmas shopping. That's because 1 GBP is worth $1.95! Imagine, it's actually more cost effective for them to pay to fly to New York and shop than it is to stay here.

I'm an advocate of floating exchange rates because it helps balance the global economy work better but right now I'm on the wrong end of things!

still in it

I can't let the Bengals shut out yesterday go unnoticed. It also helped our playoff chances that the Steelers were shut out, although it makes Thursday's game against Baltimore a little more scary. Congrats to my favorite players, Chad and Kevin, who I know read my blog and who have been putting up great stats in the last few games!

America?

In case you haven't heard, today is a big shopping day. It's interesting that the retailers don't begin to make a profit until the holiday season but I suppose it's possible. Anyway, I'm usually one of the few Americans not shopping today. I could go either way with it but my family isn't too into crowds and I also prefer to shop when it's less crowded. So, what did I do instead?? Ran errands with my mom. Groceries, Paint store, Office Max...it's great to be home! (Just kidding, Mom)

While we were eating lunch I saw something truly original - and frightening. No doubt she was a bedraggled shopper taking a break from the hustle and bustle. How could I tell? Let me describe her. First, she was wearing a purple track suit. Not particularly flattering to anybody but I wouldn't have held it against her. Second, she was wearing a belly bag. Ahh yes, the classic 80s/early 90s accessory that no one should have ever worn. That would be enough to take notice of, but certainly not original.

Lastly, hanging from the belly bag was a plastic Kroger shopping bag. Inside the shopping bag was a stack of sale ads from the newspaper! This caused the bag to fall around her knees and was also weighing down the belly bag so it sat at a particularly awkward angle. As she walked along the bag kept hitting her knee. You know, they make tote bags for that sort of thing but apparently she wanted hands-free accessories so she could shop completely unencumbered.

If only I'd taken a picture I could have posted it as a warning from the fashion police with a black bar over her eyes or her face fuzzed out. Actually, it wouldn't require the fashion police, even the common sense police would know better.

You wouldn't see that in London.

H+C

In honor of Thanksgiving I'd like to touch on one thing I've learned to be thankful for in America on this trip home. Hot and cold water coming out of the same faucet.

I know, it's deep and thoughtful but what can I say? It just makes more sense.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Re-entry

I'm home! That trip was definitely smoother than the last one.

Wait, what's that sound? Can you hear it? Oh, it's all the American accents. Kind of weird. When I was in London for awhile I kind of forgot some of the differences between England and America. On the plane back I watched "Talladega Nights," and that was a sharp reminder! It was such a hyperbole of [some aspects] of American culture I could hardly forget the differences. Maybe I'll write more about that later. I actually felt weird getting on the "right" passenger side of the car.

For now, I want to wish a big Happy Birthday to my little sister Melissa!! The big TWO-THREE. I remember that age, I liked being 23. 23 definitely sounds cooler than 22. Today we are off for a day of Target, Kenwood Towne Centre, and manicures. Oh yeah Melissa, this is going to be your year!

economics tribute

Nobel Prize winner economist Milton Friedman, died today.

I don't keep up with economics in as much detail since school, but my main interest was monetary policy. Therefore I always had an interest in monetary theory and Friedman was one of my favorite economists. I also always had an interest in the workings of the Federal Reserve Board.

Here is an interesting quote (as written in the linked article above) from Friedman to get you thinking:

In an essay titled "Is Capitalism Humane?" he said that "a set of social institutions that stresses individual responsibility, that treats the individual ... as responsible for and to himself, will lead to a higher and more desirable moral climate."

World Music Awards

Last night London hosted the World Music Awards at Earl's Court. that means I was just a 20 minute tube ride (a ticket and a few body guards) away from Michael Jackson...crap, and I didn't get his autograph! Apparently he had late night private shopping trip to Topshop the night before. I also missed out on a chance to see my hero, Lindsay Lohan, host the awards.Fortunately I will be able to watch them on TV next week! Although I already know who won (see the website) so that takes out a little of the suspense. But really, how many awards shows do we need? I suppose the WMAs are a little more unique than the Grammys or VMAs because they claim to be the only "international" music awards. So watching the show could be a good chance to see some performers I haven't seen before. I'll let you know if there were any outstanding performances.

Also, according to Wikipedia all the proceeds from the show go to The Monaco Aide and Presence Foundation. I'm a little curious as how to a show that gives awards generates extensive proceeds, I suppose through the advertisers. Anyway, it seems like a noble cause. The charity assists underdeveloped areas mainly in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Brazil.

The WMAs are awards based on public popularity, not the music industry. This can have it's pluses and minuses. I don' t always agree with the critics, but I also don't always agree with the public (of course, my opinion is always the right one!). Allow me to provide several case studies that illustrate the problem with awards based on popularity and record sales. This year's best rock group was awarded to Nickelback. Seriously? Out of the pool of Coldplay, Keane, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Greenday, Nickelback won? Perhaps a better award for them might be "Most Overplayed Rock Group." Also, the Best New Artist was awarded to James Blunt. I am very thankful the award didn't go to The Pussycat Dolls but would have preferred one of the other nominees - KT Tunstall, Gnarls Barkley or even Carrie Underwood.

Alias

I live a double life.

Trying to remember when to use certain words is tricky…

Flat/apartment
Mobile/cell phone
Jumper/Sweater
Trousers/Pants (you don’t want to mess that one up!)
Cinema/movies
Car park/parking lot
Diary/calendar
Lift/elevator
Chips/Fries
Hob/Stove
Biscuits/cookies
Pudding/dessert

…and the list goes on. I try to say the right things to the right people. Here they say half eleven instead of eleven-thirty and 13 November instead of November 13^th. I live in between. I try to use British English when I’m talking to people here and then revert to American English when I talk to people at home. If I mess up I tend to hear one of the following comments:

“Ah, I love Emily and her funny American sayings”

Or

“Ohhhh, aren’t you becoming all European?”

I still can’t anticipate all the phrases I use that are particularly American and will make people here laugh. What can I do? I embrace my American-ness but am trying to adapt, too. Fortunately the real me doesn’t have anything to do with what phrases I use.

I’ll still never be as cool as Sydney Bristow. I mean, if I can't handle different versions of English there's no way I can keep up with her.

Next stop, USA

I need to go home. I think I might be entering another phase of culture shock because things are starting to catch up with me. Seemingly minor complications result in more anger and frustration than they are worth. I was going to rant about them but it won't do much good and there's no need for you to hear it.

Instead I'll tell you what I'm looking forward to. I'm looking foward to coming home to something familiar. To seeing my family and friends, driving a car, going to Target, going to Echo, and watching the Bengals on a real TV. Oh, and pumpkin pie with cool whip!

Fortunately last night was fun and relaxing. I had some friends over and we made pancakes and watched a movie. I know it's a weird combination but I've been wanting to make pancakes since Mom and Dad brought me Bisquick! Here's a picture of me with my new friends - Ruth, Wakako, Shari and Shameka :-)

mmmmm

I'm going to leave the political commentary to others - call me apathetic but I don't have anything original to say. I've even decided not to comment on Britney filing for divorce because that can't go anywhere but bad.

I've decided to discuss something much more enjoyable - Chocolate. Maybe this will spark as much passion as writing about coffee.

Hersheys could certainly learn a few things from Cadbury. I've been trying the new selection of chocolate delicacies here and they really are better than Hersheys. I had to figure that Cadbury bars would be great based on my experience with Cadbury cream eggs and the little candy coated eggs. I never did like Hershey chocolate that much anyway. I don't mind it when it's mixed with other things, but I only eat plain Hershey bars if I'm in need of a serious chocolate fix and have no other options. Here there are so many new options that I feel like I should try them all...as if I needed another incentive to eat chocolate. So far I really like Revels, Maltesers and most Cadbury bars, although I would be fine without the Fruit and Nut bar. I did try a Nestle Aero bar which was supposed to be chocolate filled with all these little air bubbles you can feel when you eat it. I didn't feel anything special.

Are you craving choclate yet? I am. I'll be sure to bring a bunch home for the holidays!

It's the little things

Wow...writing about Starbucks is the way to generate comments!

It's time for another shout out. Thanks to my new friends Shari and Shameka for reading my blog :-) I met Shari and Shameka at a meetup for the American Expat Group I joined in London. For some reason we all clicked at the mexican dinner event and have been hanging out ever since! Shameka is even a fellow Cincinnatian. I'm looking forward to hanging out with you both and doing some traveling together as well.

Okay, now back to business. There are a few things I'm looking forward to this week but I'll just focus on one for now. Thursday night I'm going to the supermarket. Sounds exciting, right? Well it gets better. My friend Wakako has recently gotten her drivers license and has a car. So she is going to pick me up and we are going to DRIVE to the supermarket. That means instead of getting a basket full of groceries I can get a whole trolley (aka. cart) full of things! I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve thinking about it. I have a whole list of items saved up and I don't have to worry about carrying them all 4 blocks. Yeah, it's pretty great.

Caffe Nero vs. Starbucks vs. Costa Coffee

There are just as many Starbucks here as in the states, and an equal or greater number of Caffe Nero and Costa Coffee shops. Within 3 blocks on the Wimbledon high street there are 2 Caffe Neros, 1 Starbucks, 1 Costa and 1 Coffee Republic (in addition to coffee shops in the train station and bookstores, and the crap espressos you can get from a machine in sandwich shops) Apparently tea is in danger of losing it's status as the preeminent English drink. I've even seen billboards advertising the benefits of drinking tea. If I was tea, I'd be afraid of coffee too. Everyone knows coffee is great, no billboards needed.

Since I'm in a new country I thought I'd try new coffee shops. Maybe it's just my rebellion to the proliferation of Starbucks in America, but I like Caffe Nero better. But because Caffe Nero is just as widespread here as Starbucks, it's only my foreign eye that is attracted to Caffe Nero as someplace different. However, I do think Caffe Nero has better coffee and espresso than Starbucks. As a result, they have better coffee drinks. The one exception are Starbucks' seasonal drinks. I love, love the Peppermint Mocha, Toffee Nut Latte, Eggnog Latte and Gingerbread Latte...but as they are only available for a limited time they are not enough to outweigh the overall better taste of Caffe Nero all year round.

Costa Coffee does have a pretty amazing mocha. In fact, it might be a little too much. I couldn't even drink the whole thing (and if you know me, that's pretty amazing). The best mocha I've ever had was still from Sitwells in Clifton. I probably need to try Costa a few more times until I can make a fair assessment of coffee quality.

I still haven't found any place with cappuccinos as good as Rohs Street. I'm sure they exist somewhere in London but it's going to take some more research.

Quite.

When you say "quite," what exactly do you mean?

"Quite" is a common adjective here. I guess we use it in the states, but I feel like it's used more often here. When I hear someone say "It's quite far" or "It's quite good" I would take that mean to mean it's "really far" or "really good." But my friend Hilary here said she didn't use it that way. She said if "it's quite far" she would think of it as sort of a medium distance.

So, we turned to dictionary.com:

quite (kwt)
adv.

1. To the greatest extent; completely: quite alone; not quite finished. See Usage Note at perfect.
2. Actually; really: I'm quite positive about it.
3. To a degree; rather: quite soon; quite tasty.

So apparently it can mean "to the greatest extent" OR only "to a degree." But how can it mean both? If you say "quite" how do I know if you mean only to a degree or if you mean to the greatest extent??

I think I need a little help from my English teacher friends!

Imports or Exports, depending on where you live

Here are some great albums - Amy Winehouse "Back to Black" and Corinne Bailey Rae.

I don't know if they're brand spanking new, but they're relatively new. Both have very soulful, retro sounds that I like a lot. Check them out if you're in the mood for a nice, chill, groove. I don't know if Amy Winehouse is available in the US yet but her old album is, or you can listen online.

The Saints are Coming

New video from U2 and Green Day. It's a pretty cool cover...clearly they are trying to make a statement with the video.

Fireworks night

Remember, remember the fifth of November,

Gunpowder Treason and Plot,

I see no reason why gunpowder treason

should ever be forgot.

So this weekend is an interesting holiday here in the UK. It's called Guy Fawkes Day/Night, Fireworks Night, or Bonfire Night. You can read about it here. In 1605 a plot was discovered to blow up the parliament building in protest to oppressive legislation towards Roman Catholics. The holiday celebrates the discovery of the plot. So on November 5th people have big bonfires and shoot off fireworks.

Oh, I should mention that in the bonfires they burn effigies of Guy Fawkes, the most famous conspirator. Yikes...that seems a little harsh. Nearer the actual event they also burned effigies of the Pope. Since then the anti-Catholic sentiments of the holiday have faded. Above are the lyrics to a rhyme associated with the holiday. This excerpt also does not include some of the original lines with much more violent remarks towards the Pope. [Anybody read the book "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown? I just finished reading it and learning about this holiday reminded me of some of the more gruesome scenes in the book.]

Very interesting. I suppose our Independence day is in some way "anti-British" but I don't think we ever [symbolically] burned anybody in our fireworks! To be fair to my British friends, I should note Bonfire Night is not actually a public holiday and today it's really just an excuse to have bonfires and fireworks shows.

round and round

I was talking to my friend Wakako yesterday about driving in the UK. She has recently gotten her driver's license and I had been out on the roads last weekend traveling with my parents (although I didn't drive). Anyway, the subject of roundabouts came up and she mentioned seeing a picture of a giant roundabout on-line. Well, I think this is it. They call it the "magic roundabout." I'm a little torn over the benefit of roundabouts. I suppose they help traffic flow when traffic isn't particularly heavy. But when there are lots of cars, a traffic jam is a traffic jam. I've seen plenty of roundabouts with standstill traffic. Anyway, this one is crazy and it seems a little dangerous to me. How can you keep track of where you're going?

Speaking of Wakako, this is a great time for a shout out to 2 of my new readers (and friends!) in the UK - Wakako and Ruth. I met each of them through friends in the states (thanks to Ashley and Audrey) and their friendships have been a big blessing since I arrived here. They both have been very welcoming and encouraging and I really enjoy hanging out with them! Plus they read my blog so they are earning points there, too. Thanks girls!

I may have other new readers in the UK...let me know if you are since I'm sure you are dying to be mentioned here.

More news/fluff

Ohhhh, Jennifer Aniston visited Vince Vaughn in London this weekend...and I missed it! Dangit! Fortunately Vince is still filming here so maybe I can try to catch them afterall. I'm sure you will be glad to know the rumors of their break-up are not true. However, I am sad to report that Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillipe are splitting up.

Thank goodness for the wealth of knowledge I get every day from my Google home page. In slightly more substantial news, I did read last week that Exxon profits hit a new high. I wonder how long this can continue before people start to get really mad. As the article reports, this will definitely bring increased regulatory scrutiny. It's working out okay for me now since I'm not buying gas and I have Exxon stock, but it can't last forever.

How many lives does Jack Bauer have?

If you needed a reason to watch the 6th season of 24 here is the trailer.

Did you miss me?

It's been a busy week! I've been working and then trying to spend time with my parents in the evenings. Friday I took off work so we could do some more traveling. Now there is a little down time before we go to church. It's been really nice to have them here and fun to show someone from home my life here! I'll give you a few picture highlights in the post but you can find the rest here.

This is us on our night cruise along the Thames...probably my favorite event of the week. (not the greatest quality picture because I had to scan in a copy of the picture they gave us)
Here's a picture at Leeds Castle on Friday. It was a beautiful day and the grounds around the castle were very pretty. I was glad I took a day off to enjoy some time outside of London. We also went to Canterbury and the Cliffs of Dover. The cliffs were a little disappointing, they might be better viewed from another place though.Saturday we went to Bath which is a city northwest of London, close to Wales. The city has neat Georgian architecture and the ruins of a Roman Bath (hence the name).Lastly, on our way home today we stopped at Stonehenge. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it was cool. It's also interesting to contemplate the "tantalizing mystery" (according to the audio tour) of what Stonehenge was originally created for.My last trip to Geneva fell through but I'm going this week from Thursday through Sunday...mostly for work but I'm staying over the weekend to take in some sites!

mixed bag

Vote here for the Bengals. The team with the most votes gets a donation of Campbell's soup to a foodbank of their choice. Right now they are in 2nd place...behind the Steelers!

Also, Mom and Dad are here for the week. It's great to have them here! My apartment really feels more like home now that other people have witnessed me living here (besides the locksmith and cable guy). They have been out exploring while I go to work then Friday I am taking off so we can visit some places outside of London. Thursday night we're doing a cruise along the Thames so that should be good.

I will keep you up to date on anything exciting.

It's official

It's been raining every day for at least two weeks. Although it doesn't rain all day and there may be some rays of sun, it's still every day. Grocery shopping in the rain with no car in the rain equals no fun...

Hold on to your Mickey

Here's another very interesting phrase. Last night I was chatting with someone and they said, "The kids were taking the mickey."

"Excuse me? Ummm, what does that mean? Did someone steal Mickey Mouse?"

From context clues I guessed the phrase was similar to "making fun of," and I was correct. It means to tease or ridicule. So if I were to say "Stop taking the mickey out of me," that would mean, "Stop making fun of me." Or if I thought you were saying something and I didn't believe you were being serious I'd say, "You're taking the mickey," similar to "You're joking." Wow.

I asked how the saying originated and she wasn't really sure. So, I headed to Google. The origin is a little unclear but it seems to have evolved from a slightly more vulgar expression and Cockney rhyming slang (which I still don't completely understand). But I am assured it's not offensive to use the phrase. For now, though, I think I'll refrain from using it anyway as I don't think I could say it without it being followed by a burst of laughter.

Brought to you by the letter Z

Tonight I had dinner with my friend from church, Hilary. We had a good time chatting and spent a lot of time comparing British and American phrases and accents. I learned a lot of very interesting things I'll let you in on but I'll have to spread it out.

Tonight's tidbit has to do with the alphabet. In London there is a very detailed map with all the possible streetnames called "London A to Z." Of course, as you're reading this I know how you're pronouncing it (like any normal person would!). But, here they pronounce it A to "Zed." At first I thought maybe they just pronounced the letter Z that way when it was standing alone. However, they actually pronounce it that way all the time! So imagine yourself singing the ABC song and when you get to the end you say "Zed" instead of a regular Z. They even have to change up the end of the song in order to make it work. I was cracking up when I found out- clearly this just doesn't make any sense. Z is for Zebra and zipper, not Zedbra and zedipper! Why would you add an extra letter to the pronunciation if it's never pronounced that way when it is used?

change will do you good

Here's one thing I like about living in the UK: I can actually buy things with my change! Since there are 1 and 2 pound coins I can actually purchase items other than tic-tacs and gum without saving up a whole jar of change. I could buy a cup of coffee, a train ticket, lip gloss, a movie ticket and even a few groceries! I'm sure I'll get used to it, but sometimes when I open my wallet I feel a little giddy when I realize I have more money than I thought because the change is actually worth something.

Well that was fun

Today I was going to add another country to the list of places I've been this year...but it was not to be. Reason #21 why flying is not as fun as it used to be.

My cab arrived this morning at 5:45 to pick me up so I could be to the airport 2 hours early for my 8:30 am flight to Geneva. The flight ended up being delayed over two hours. That meant that I would completely miss the meeting I was going there for. I called the client and she preferred I just stay here and present over the phone, rather than missing the meeting completely. So I asked the gate attendant if it was possible to not fly afterall. He said they could unload my bag and send it to baggage claim area 1.

One and half hours later my bag still hadn't arrived. I asked the attendant about it and she said the flight had just recently taken off and my bag wouldn't have been sent until the flight took off. (Does that make sense to you?) Anyway, I waited awhile longer and it still didn't show up. At this point I wasn't going to make it home to even call for the meeting over the phone. My bag finally showed up at 12:10, about 3 hours after I told them I didn't want to go. I ended up having to call for the meeting from my cell phone in a restaurant at the airport.

I had really wanted to go to Geneva. A co-worker from our other office just moved there and we were going to hang out. I will probably get there soon enough since there are a lot of meetings there. For now, I guess the upside is I get to go to my small group tonight.

Alive and well

I have been out of the country nearly 2 months now so things are starting to blur together. I remember that 80s fashion has been making a mild comeback in the states but I don't think it was to the extent that I see in London. Here, 80s fashion is raging. All around me I see baggy tunic shirts, striped shirts, ballet flats, vests, skinny jeans and more. I have to say, my favorite are the footless tights. Oh yeah. And definitely with lace at the bottom. In case you're interested in picking up a pair I found these on Nordstroms.com, and they even have multiple colors to choose from. Or, for a cheaper option I found plenty on ebay.

Is this my life?

Is this my life? I'm just checking because it doesn't seem real. I've been to so many countires just in this year and now I'm living in London and traveling around Europe. It seems like it should be a book or a movie about someone else. Although, it wouldn't be a very gripping novel at this point. There is a character and a setting but not much of a plot. Maybe in a few more months. For now it's just me living my life...not exactly a romantic comedy or action/suspense. Actually, it's more like a documentary - or maybe a "mock-umentary." Yeah, I could see that.
I think it all hit me when I saw this view from my hotel room in Paris. I didn't plan on having a room with a view but it was certainly a nice surprise when I arrived. I did my best to choose a mid-priced one with a good location on hotels.com and this is what I got! Overall the trip was amazing. I love cities at night with all the lights. It's particularly beautiful in Europe where all the architecture is already so fascinating that the light and shadows just emphasize it. The rest of my pictures are now on-line here. They could probably use some better description but I don't have time just yet. For now, you can probably figure out that the big tall thing is the Eiffel Tower.

I got to see a decent amount of the major sites in the city but I didn't want to run from place to place without appreciating things. When I'm by myself, since I don't have anyone there to talk to, I tend to take pictures and run to the next attraction without really stopping to think about everything. This time I did my best to balance both. My favorite part (this is for you, Dad) was the night tour to various buildings as well as seeing the Eiffel Tower twinkle from my balcony. Whenever I get really mad about a client or have to work late, I'll just have to remind myself to be grateful for these opportunities.

An American in Paris

I'm back. What a weekend...Paris is great! Here's a picture to prove I was there :) I'm working on getting the rest of my pictures on-line. More later...

add and subtract

Not too much news here...Wednesday we started small groups at church (yeah!). Last night I went to dinner in Covent Garden with some new friends which was nice. But, tomorrow I'm going to Paris! Stay tuned for some pictures on Monday or sometime soon after that.

For now I thought of a few more nuances to the British-English language that are mildly interesting. Tesco, a major retailer in the UK, has a slogan that says, "Every little helps." Every little what helps??? I think they left out a word. Maybe they meant "Every little bit helps?" On the other hand, the British add the word "do" to lots of phrases. "Please do sit down." They like to add that extra verb. Isn't "sit" a verb? I didn't realize we needed to add "do." It sounds much more commanding. If I think of some other examples I'll let you know.

Have a great weekend!

The Fonz

Does this picture of Captain Hook look familiar? Look closer...

That's right, it's The Fonz. Henry Winkler is playing Captain Hook in Peter Pan, just down the street from me at the New Wimbledon Theatre. I guess he's moving on from "Ayyyyy!!" to "Argggh!!" (I'm sorry, that was terrible.) Interestingly enough the website clearly lists Henry Winkler in the cast yet comments, "This year’s cast will feature comedy legend Bobby Davro and children’s favourite Sarah-Jane Honeywell (CBeebies’ Tikkabilla and Higgledy House). Other big stars to be announced soon watch this space for latest updates." Who are those people?? Apparently they haven't heard of Happy Days.

Well, that's all I have for now so you can just sit on it.

Closing Time

Today I had lunch with a friend from my American ex-pat group. After lunch we decided to stop by and see what movies* were playing. I figured I had time for a movie, and would still have time to go to the store after it was over and before I went to church.

The movie ended around 5:30 (or 17:30 because here they use stupid military time, I hope I eventually get the hang of that). To my dismay the stores were all closed. Now, I know the stores close earlier here and most are only open til 5 on weeknights and Sunday. But I thought at least the supermarkets would still be open. No. Instead I have to starve after 5pm on Sundays. It's also frustrating on weeknights because although supermarkets are open later than 5, other stores close at 5 or 6 so if I want to shop I can't go after work and am forced to go on the weekends when the stores are packed. I did learn tonight that Thursdays some places have "late opening hours" meaning that they're open until 8pm. Wow. I hope the shopkeepers aren't staying up past their bed times.

*Next time you are about to complain about the high price of movie tickets in Cincinnati think of me paying 7.50 pounds. Convert that to dollars and then your $9 won't seem so bad...and that was a matinee.

Lion

Today I had a lion...but not the king of the jungle. It was actually a "lie in." That's what people here say when they sleep in. I'm not sure if just refers to the sleeping in, or if it also refers to lounging around in the morning. Either way, I had both. I had to use ear plugs in order to sleep through the street sweeper that seems to come every day between 6:45 and 7am. (Do they really need to do it every day?)

It was a beautiful morning and the sun is actually shining today! The weather has been nice but this week it suddenly turned British. It's been in the 60s and gray with rain off and on. I don't mind it being cooler but it's nice to have the sun back today. I strolled around town and went to the store to pick up a few things including a brownie mix! I found store that had them, but there was only one choice. One of the people I met in the American expat group is having a party where you have to bring food from your home country. Brownies don't seem that creative but I like them. I though pigs in a blanket would be fun but I couldn't find any crescent roll dough pre-made.

This week hasn't been all that interesting but next weekend I'm going to Paris! I bought tickets for the Eurostar (chunnel) and am leaving next Saturday morning. I need to try to plan things a little bit. In two days I can really only hit the major sites. I also want to find a night tour so I can see all the buildings lit up. My hotel is fairly close to the Eiffel Tower (hopefully it really is and doesn't just look like it on the hotels.com map!) I wanted to get one trip under my belt before mom and dad come and before I'm in and out for the holidays. In the winter I think I'll be heading somewhere warm -think Spain, Greece and Italy...ohhh yeah. Well, at least one of them, I probably can't afford them all!

Look at me

So, nothing too much to say but I thought these weemees were so cute I had to do one myself! I love to accessorize so it was fun to make...plus there was a London background so I couldn't pass it up.

Pasty

Now you know what a hot jacket is, but do you know what a Cornish Pasty is? Pronounced as in "past" not pastry, it's a dense pastry filled with meat, vegetables, or anything really. Apparently they were first created for miners in Cornwall to take for lunches. The dough is folded over into a thick crust on one side so they are easy to hold on to with one hand. They seem to be the fast food of the UK because they are relatively cheap, easy to eat on the run, and they sell them on about every corner. I've had a few and they are pretty tastey.

It's been an interesting weekend...

I'm going to try to keep this post a reasonable length but there is a lot to tell.

Saturday I went to the movies. We were going to see "Trust the Man," a nice light-hearted romantic comedy. It wasn't playing at the time we thought so instead we saw "World Trade Center." Obviously quite a different choice. I felt like I wanted to say I'd seen it, plus because it was a story about survivors I thought I could handle it. Maybe more on the movie in a later post, but for now I can say it was emotionally intense but overall a good movie, worth watching.

During the movie I'd turned my phone off. I've never turned it off since I got it and so I didn't know the pin necessary to use the phone when I turned it back on. I tried several generic options but I only had one try left so I thought it best to wait until I got home to look it up. Unfortunately when I got back to my flat I realized I'd left my keys inside!!

I've been so careful to check that I have my keys when I leave - out of the fear of what I would do if I was locked out. To make matters worse, I couldn't use my phone! I was terrified but tried to remain calm. It was late at night and I had no way to contact anyone. I finally thought to go to the womens minister's house. I was so upset that I had to resort to ring her doorbell at night because she barely knows me, but I walked about a half hour there and broke down when I arrived. She was so great and I am thankful that God provided a place for me to stay in the situation. In the morning I used her phone to call and get the code to unblock my phone, then had a locksmith come to let me in. You'll be glad to hear I have a very secure lock (at least it's nice if you're on the inside).

So that was a bit of a watershed. I was in a pretty low mood today, plus is was raining sheets. I had planned to meet a friend and decided to go, despite the fact that I wanted to sleep.

But wait! Things are about to turn around. Tonight was the annual dinner at church. I've been looking forward to it because it kicks off the small groups and theme for the year. It was a really nice time. I had some great conversation with those sitting at my table, and the minister spoke about the values and goals of the church. It just put everything in perspective!

I have to battle against the selfish thoughts I have about being here. "Oh, isn't this a great opportunity I have? Look at all the cool things I can see and do." But his message reminded me that who I am and what I am about is still the same here as it is in Cincinnati. It's not about me, it's still about God and I am just here to serve him. I hadn't completely lost sight of it but it was such a great reminder after a long, troubling weekend. I am so excited about getting involved and being a part of the community at St. Andrews.

My theme since I've been here? God provides. But I'll be getting some extra copies of keys made just the same.

Touchdown, Chad Johnson.

Anyone for a hot jacket?

Tonight was the perfect night to wear my new jacket. It was misty, chilly and it's starting to get dark earlier so I thought my new pinstripe jacket with a grey, zip in hoodie was the perfect call. But as great of a jacket as that is, it's not what I mean by a hot jacket...

A hot jacket is a baked potato. At the cafeteria I kept seeing this sign that said "Today's hot jacket filling is ____." To me that sounds like some type of sandwich but I never saw any bread around with the "filling." Then I saw someone putting it on a baked potato and finally asked what a hot jacket was. They confirmed my suspicion that a hot jacket was a baked potato smothered with various toppings such as chili.

So, if you didn't already know that, now you've learned something new for today.

something scary (this one's for you Melissa)

Check out what I found at the supermarket.
Number 1: Yeah, that's SICK.

Number 2: I think it's called Macaroni and Cheese, not Macaroni Cheese. I don't think there is a type of cheese named "Macaroni."

This is the only macaroni and cheese I've seen in the store so far. I spent 43p on this just so I could share the experience with you. No, I definitely did not eat it - the experience stopped once I took the pictures. I need to get some Kraft. Even better, I need some Velveeta so I can make some homemade.

My man Kevin K. is back.

No more ponytails

I got my hair cut! I've been itching to go short for awhile now, torn between being able to put my hair in a ponytail and the fun of having short hair. (One of life's big dilemmas). So I decided now was the time. It will be nicer for the rainy weather and it's a fun way to start my new life in London. I'm also wearing my new pashmina- they wear them with everything here. Am I looking European yet Dorota?

Exploring

Today I biked around Wimbledon for about two hours. This wasn't like riding on Loveland Bike Trail...Yeah, I'm going to be sore tomorrow. It was great, though. I rode all over streets I hadn't been on and then rode/walked up the hill to Wimbledon Common. I'm not sure exactly where I went in the park but it runs into Richmond Park and Putney Heath. It was a beautiful day so I took my camera. I've added some new pictures to my Wimbledon album. I took some along the streets and also in Wimbledon Common. Here's one to pique your interest:

Americans!!

When I was searching for places to watch American football in the UK, I discovered the message board of an American Expat meet-up group. Basically you join this free group and people organize events all over the city to come and meet other American Expats. So last night I went to a Mexican Food meet-up!! If you recall, I was missing some good mexican food and this was supposed to be one of the better places to get it in London. It was pretty good. The nachos, chips and guacamole were good. My burrito seemed like it was missing a something. I can't put my finger on it, I think it might have needed more cheese or some kind of sauce- it was no Chipotle or Burrito Loco, but I enjoyed it.

At first I wasn't really in the mood to go. I had to figure out how to get to a new area of the city, just after I was getting so used to my typical routes. But I'm glad I went, I met lots of interesting people as well. There were probably 25 or so people there, but I spent awhile talking to 5 or so. One of the girls was even from Cincinnati! I was surprised to meet someone else from the same city so it was nice to chat with her. At the end of the night a few of us exchanged phone numbers and email addresses and talked about getting together for dinner soon. I'm looking forward to more events in the future.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

One obvious adjustment to moving to London is not having a car. Part of my criteria for finding a flat was that it should be close to the train. Wimbledon has a great station with lots of train services and is also on a tube line and tramlink. It takes me a little longer to get everywhere and I have a little less control over what time I arrive places, but I don’t think I really need a car (that much). In fact, I don't really think a car would be much quicker with all the traffic.
It’s about a 10-15 minute walk to the station, depending on how fast I feel like walking. To get to Central London it’s about 15 minutes on the train to Waterloo, then I have to switch to a tube line depending where I want to go. Similarly, it’s about 15 minutes on the train to Weybridge for work. There is a shuttle bus there that can take me to the office, or I can walk about 15-20 minutes. It’s not a bad walk as long as it’s nice weather (not too hot, not freezing and not raining- that means I should have a solid 3-4 weeks out of the year!) Since it’s such a big city it just takes longer to get places than in Cincinnati but I’m getting used to it. Plus all the walking is good exercise and I’m hoping it saves me from having to join a gym. I enjoy all the time on the train (unless someone decides to squeeze into a space next to me that isn't quite big enough for them), I can listen to my iPod and read a book. If you have any good books to recommend feel free. I just finished Atonement by Ian McEwan and am starting The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher.

This weekend I’m going to get a few items to fix up my bike then explore Wimbledon some more by bike. I haven’t gotten off of the main strip from my flat to the store to the station much, so I think it’s time to see what else is around.

What do I miss?

Well, it's been almost a month since I've moved to London. Wow...

Anyway, some people have been asking me what I miss so far*. Not a lot of things have really hit me yet. I'm sure I'll think of more in another month but today at lunch a few co-workers and I were sitting in the cafeteria discussing foods we missed from home (none of us are originally from the UK). It was interesting to talk to other expats about what they missed.

So far I haven't found brownie mix, cake mix, or pancake mix. Apparently I have to make them from scratch?? (Thanks for the brownie recipe Mom) To be fair, I wouldn't have had all of these items in the last month if I was at home, but not being able to have them makes me want them more. Someone today did tell me they sell these items at a Costco here. However, I would probably get a 2 year supply of pancake batter if I bought it there. But, the brownie mix is Ghiradelli and it comes with multiple packets so he might bring me a packet if he remembers. Now I just have to buy a baking pan.

Next item: light Ice Cream. I can't find it anywhere. Of course I love regular ice cream more, but my lack of self control in this area makes having a container of regular ice cream in my freezer very dangerous (although fortunately I do a lot more walking now). I did break down and buy some last week. I deserved it. I am adjusting to a new situation and need ice cream to cope. I'm still on the look out for light ice cream. In the mean time, it's probably better just to buy a cone now and then.

Also, there isn't any real Mexican food here. Today I had something that resembled an enchillada for lunch at work but my stomach hasn't been happy about it ever since. At least if I eat Taco Bell I know it will taste good even if I suffer later. I could use some Tostitos Gold and salsa about now.

On a more general level, I'm craving some good, home-cooked food. My family went to my grandma's house for dinner this Sunday and I was jealous. Grandma makes the best food, and I particularly love her pies! I heard there was apple cobbler. When I first arrived here I ate sandwiches, toast and cereal for at least a week. I didn't have any pots and pans and I was too overwhelmed when I went to the supermarket to figure out what to buy. Slowly I've ventured away from meat and cheese and now I have pots and pans. Most recently I discovered a supermarket with very nice prepared meals. Not frozen dinners, but more like recipes that just need to be put in the oven, etc. So last night I had some excellent chicken with parmesan cheese, pesto and pine nuts. Probably once I exhaust my options there I will move on to cooking for myself!


*This list of items obviously excludes the people, who are too numerous to list here.

slingbox update

I've been enjoying watching the Bengals smash up the Browns. But as far as the picture quality goes, it could be better. The main problem is that when the action gets fast (which is pretty often in football), the picture gets a little blurry. Sometimes it's worse than others but when it comes down to a pass, it's hard to tell if the receiver caught it until the announcer yells. I'm lucky to even watch at all so it's certainly better than nothing- I can still pick up the action and hear the announcers, but it's no HD TV.

I was starting to feel bad for the Browns...well, not that bad. That was a nice pass Charlie but we have Carson (and Johnson and Johnson and Washington and Henry, etc).

By the way, I love the Sprint commercial with Peyton Manning.

Chicken anyone? I'm sorry I missed it...

Camera or no camera?

Sometimes I feel silly pulling my camera out everywhere I go. I mean, I live here now so I feel weird always taking pictures. But if I came back with no pictures that would be weird too. So...lucky for you I'm still taking pictures.

Today I went to Primrose Hill and Camden with my friend Ruth. I'm really exhausted from all the walking but it was a great time. We walked through Regents Park, Primrose Hill and the Camden markets. I bought some fruit in a market where Ruth's friend recently saw Chris Martin! Here's a picture from Primrose Hill overlooking the city, I'll try to go back on a clearer day sometime. You can check out more pictures on my webshots.
When we were walking through Regent's Park we passed by London Zoo. We looked over the fence and what did we see? An anteater! I didn't know what it was, I had to look it up online because I'd never seen one. But you can see one right here!
Last night I went to the cinema to see a film, Little Miss Sunshine (aka. I went to the movies). It was a funny, but dark, movie. I don't always enjoy dark movies but this one had a way of making you laugh right after really tragic moments. Here the film is rated 15 which means suitable for viewers over 15. That doesn't seem as strong as the R in the US although there was definitely enough language and themes to be rated R. I also got some candy, umm..I mean "sweets," called Minstrels that were like extra large M&Ms. They were pretty good.

I'm looking forward to seeing the Bengals game tomorrow :)

more on TV

You'd think I have a one track mind. I really don't.

Thursday I made my first real venture into British TV and checked out "Extras" on BBC 2. It's by the creator of the The Office, Ricky Gervais. I figured, I like The Office and I'd seen some reviews of Extras in the paper so this would be a good show to start with. (Plus, Orlando Bloom was guest starring)

It was the first episode of the second series and it was hilarious! It's about a guy named Andy and his friend who are extras trying to make it as actors (sound familiar Ryan?). It has a similar style to The Office with subtle humor, more obvious humor, and awkward situations. Orlando Bloom played an overdramatized version of himself who was obsessed with how great he was. He kept making arrogant comparisons between himself and Johnny Depp (based on their filming of Pirates of the Caribbean) and talking about how women thought he was so hot. I've never seen him in a comedy but he was very funny- it's always fun to see actors mocking themselves! I think I probably missed a few jokes due to the cultural gap, but it was still good. However, I would probably rate it at least PG-13 due to language, apparently they can say a few more words on public television here.

TV in the UK

If you're a faithful reader you already know about the TV tax in the UK. After being here a little over two weeks I have some more interesting observations on TV here. Actually, I haven't gotten into real British TV much so the majority of comments are on the American TV crossover.

1. BBC3 and BBC4 are off air a significant portion of the day. Is this what my money is paying for???

2. The most common American TV show to see on Telewest cable? Will and Grace. This isn't based on a real statistical test but more anecdotal evidence that I'm pretty sure I could watch that show any time of the day here.

3. Friends is also on a lot here. I don't mind that. I have it set to record all the episodes so anytime I need to relax and feel at home I can watch an episode.

4. Current TV shows are about a season behind here. So you can see last year's episodes of Grey's Anatomy, Lost and other shows. Thanks to my slingbox this won't be a big problem.

5. On other shows UK viewers are waaaayyy behind. Here are a few examples of old TV shows you can catch over here: Murder She Wrote, Starsky and Hutch, and Nightrider. Not as old but still old: Mad About You, Home Imrovement.

6. The Brits have another show I've been thinking about tuning into - "How to find a husband." But don't worry mom, I won't watch it while I'm here!

7. One show that is pretty current is "The Daily Show," it would have to be since it is based on current events. Anyway, it's great to have it on here, Jon Stewart is hilarious!

8. One point on radio (I know, this post was about TV). I turned on BBC Radio 1 hoping to hear some great music as I think there are lots of great bands coming out of Britain right now. However, I was disappointed to hear them playing The Pussycat Dolls - one of the worst American pop groups. I guess I'm not completely surprised. I like (some) pop music, I had just hoped for better. I hope my money is not going towards that!

Since I'm filling my blog with pointless observations about TV shows, you can presume I don't have much to update you on (and I sit around at night watching a lot of TV). Things are going well and I'm starting to feel a little settled here. Yesterday I bought some crumpets! They are quite lovely - like English muffins, only better. I ate mine with coffee, not tea. Maybe the true test of how English I become will be if I ever choose tea over coffee.

This is me smiling. Why? Because the slingbox works! Tomorrow I'll be able to watch the Bengals game! Thanks Dad.

Buckingham Palace

Today I went for a tour of Buckingham Palace. The palace is only open to the public for a few months in the summer, when the Queen is in Scotland. I especially wanted to go because there was a special exhibition of 80 pieces of formal wear worn by the Queen throughout her reign. It was a very cool exhibit. I wish I could have gorgeous dresses specially designed for me on every occasion imaginable. We weren't allowed to take pictures but I got some postcards. Of course seeing all the state rooms was also very impressive. The gardens behind the palace were also very pretty (shown here). You can check out more pictures here. Since I've moved here I'm more and more intrigued by the monarchy so I'm going to have to check out some books.

stage fright

People here ask me if I was nervous about moving to a new country where I didn't know anyone. Hmmm, let me think for a second...yes! The scariest thing about moving to London? Leaving everyone that I know behind and going to a city where I know no one.

It's sort of like getting ready for a big performance or presentation. When I played in piano recitals I used to get really nervous beforehand. What if I forgot a note? What if I messed up? But when the time came to play, there were only two options. 1) Get on the stage, cave into the pressure, and run away. 2) Get on the stage and just do it. Option 1 is really worse than messing up a little bit on Option 2. The way I see it, Option 1 was never a real option.

That means that as scary as it is to move to London and meet new people, it is just a matter of putting my mind to it and doing it. Well, that is my "control freak" attitude coming through. There is also a significant amount of trust in God involved. In times of uncertaintly I tend to rely on Isaiah 40 and Psalm 139. "You see me when I travel and when I rest at home...If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me." (Psalm 139: 3, 9-10 NLT)

Getting to meet new people has really been a blessing as I'm trying to get settled in. Sometimes it's nice to relax with someone who knows everything about you, but it's also stimulating to meet new people and connect with them. The only people I know here are friends of friends who I emailed with something to the effect of "You don't know me, but I'm friends with your friend and I'd love to get together when I move to London." So far it's worked out surprisingly well! They have all been welcoming, accepting, and enthusiastic about meeting me. I've had a great time meeting them and learning about about them- I really feel like we'll hang out again. I feel a real air of possibility- and uncertainty- but mostly possibility.

It must be a God-thing, because it's definitely out of my control.

My daddy loves me

Well, I practically guilted him into it in my last post but I know he would have done it anyway. Dad went out and bought the Slingbox and started hooking it up. He got it to work on his computer then ran into a glitch, but is sure he can get it set up. This is my vote of confidence that he can do it.

I really do have the greatest dad. I won't get too sappy here because I just ate... but he is a strong, godly man full of wisdom (even when I don't always want to listen to it). I know he's always there for me and is praying for me. He's hilarious in his own way that sometimes makes me roll my eyes, but it still makes me laugh. If you thought it couldn't get any better, he can quote all of Top Gun - now that's a good time! Crash and burn, Mav, crash and burn...Slider (sniff), you stink. He's taught me well.

Thanks Dad, I love you!

Greatest Invention!

First, sorry about the format of my last post. I tried to be creative with the font and it threw everything off for those without the font.

BUT, check out the greatest invention of our time... the Slingbox. Of course, there may be other inventions- like the wheel, electricity, and the lightbulb- that might rank ahead of slingbox in the grand scheme of things, but it's pretty great.
I have to do some research but this could solve all my football woes. Maybe you've heard of it, but if you hook it up to your TV and the internet, you can relay the TV signal to your computer. That means I can watch TV channels in America on my computer anywhere in the world! AMAZING! It's a little pricey up front ($159 on Amazon) but there are no monthly fees. Then I can stop paying for NASN which might not even show NFL and I could watch all the Bengals games. Plus I can watch the current seasons of 24 and Grey's Anatomy.

It's even compatible with DVR and TiVo so I can watch recorded programs. Even better for those night games that are in the middle of the night here. Now I just have to get the buy in of someone [who loves me and would never want to let me down] in the states who will hook up the box for me. The installation seems pretty easy so it should be simple to hook it up (right Dad?). And I don't think it would interfere with someone watching the actual TV if I wanted to watch something different on the computer.

Thanks for the find Mike!

fRankfurt

I'm just assuming this is what Frankfurt looks like, I have to trust the internet on this one. Right now I'm sitting in a hotel somewhere outside of Frankfurt, Germany. I arrived last night around 10pm and came to my hotel. Since P&G offices are always located outside the main city- I won't get to see the city at all, I leave tonight after my meeting this afternoon.

When I was younger, I thought those jobs that had lots of travel involved sounded intriguing and glamorous. Intriguing? Maybe. Glamorous? Hardly. I think it would only be glamorous if you had a private plane to fly you around. I won't attempt to downplay the fact that my job gives me lots of great opportunities. Sometimes the travel is exciting, but sometimes it seems more like a hassle. Last night I left my flat around 4:15 for a flight to Frankfurt leaving at 7:05. The flight is only an hour but the traffic to Heathrow (the cab driver must enjoy alternating between slamming on the gas and slamming on the brakes), waiting at the gate, and waiting on the plane is a lot of build up for a short distance to go. Darn the English Channel. Plus some lady was letting her toddler squeal like a 16 year old girl the entire time.

I'm not really complaining here, my point is just that it's not as exciting as it might sound. But hey, now I can say I've been to Germany and I have a new stamp in my passport. Maybe the next time I come it will be for a Friday meeting so I can stay on the weekend and see a few things. Although, when I get off the computer I'm going to walk up to a mall and check out the stores full of consumer packaged goods. Man, am I cool or what?

Adrenaline anyone?

Things are really catching up with me. On the way back from Windsor today I could hardly keep my eyes open. I think the adrenaline from the week wore off. I came home and crashed. It's hard to figure out how to settle in here. I feel like I need to always be out seeing things and getting acquainted with living here. But I also need to remember to relax, I have a while to see things. So, tonight it's me and the TV!

Here are a few pictures from Windsor. I won't post them all here, but I added them to my webshots.

Lots of People

Not too much new news today. This morning I had coffee with my re-location agent in Putney. It was really nice. She is about my age so we might get together sometime, we'll see. After work I went into central London and had dinner at Wagamama in the Covent Garden area. All the streets around there are so small and windy it's easy to get lost! After dinner we wandered over to Trafalgar Square where there was a big concert going on. It was some type of Venezuelan festival. Everything looked so cool lit up at night so I took a few pictures.From there we walked up to Picadilly Circus and up Regent Street. Going into central London on the weekends makes you realize just how many people live there! The streets are jam-packed. It's really crazy to think about. Wimbledon tends to slow down at night which is fine with me, although there are a decent amount of things to do there as well - lots of restaurants, pubs and theaters.

Tomorrow I'm going to Windsor with Jamie and a friend of her's who is visiting this week...so I'll have more pictures! This time I'll stay there longer than 20 minutes. If you're in Cincinnati enjoy some fireworks for me this weekend!

One Week

"Chickity china the chinese chicken/ you have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin.' " Is anyone else singing the BNL song? Maybe it's just me.

Anyway, it's been one week since I left the US for the UK and I finally have some pictures to post! My shipment arrived today with the rest of my things so hopefully my flat will start to feel a little more like home. Although, pictures and other "stuff" can only help so much when I'd much rather have the real people here, instead of the pictures. But, so far so good! There are a lot of overwhelming and frustrating aspects but I'm enjoying things so far. Like I always used to say "It's an adventure!"

Here are a few pictures from around Wimbledon:

This is the road coming down from Wimbledon Village (the ritzy part) into Wimbledon Town (where the regular people live). I'll have to take some pictures around the Village later.
In the center of the strip...

Outside Wimbledon Station...On The Broadway, looking towards the Wimbledon Theatre.

I have some pictures of my flat and the area right around it, but those are by request only - you might be a stalker.

Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?

I finally bought a TV today. I have to go back tomorrow and pick it up. However, before I can watch it I have to buy a TV license.

Seriously?

Yeah. Seriously. Obviously my first reaction is "that's dumb." (I'm so articulate) I know we have plenty of taxes in the US, but taxing TVs?? Not only is there a tax, it's fairly substantial - 131.50 pounds per year. Multiply that by two to approximate the exchange rate and that's over $200 per year. I suppose in the grand scheme of all the taxes we pay, why not pay another $200?

It gets better. There are police to make sure you're paying your TV tax.


I genuinely wanted to know why they had the TV tax so I headed to Google. Is it a luxury tax? Socialism in action? Does collecting the tax just create jobs? Does it fund the BBC? The answer is that it's used to fund the BBC. Here is a link to the obligatory Wikipedia site - it never fails to have at least some kind of information, whether neutral or not. Here's another article that has some interesting background- again, not exactly unbiased.

Once I have a TV I can better judge my opinion on whether $260 a year is worth it for commercial free BBC. I'll see if it really delivers "superior programming." As an economist I would generally vote against another government run program but I suppose the jury's still out. It's similar to public schools I suppose. I pay taxes for public schools even if I go to a private school and I have to pay for the BBC even if I get cable. Hmmm...

Well, I don't think I've presented much of a cohesive post here so I'll go back to my first reaction- it just sounds stupid.