time warp

My flatmate, Cate, is a youth worker at our church. Today she had five 12-year old girls over. Needless to say I was a little nervous.

We ate pizza and ice cream and we did their make-up and nails. Little girls are the same wherever you go in whatever decade you're in! That wasn't too bad. I was a little worried about how to entertain them but they were definitely entertaining themselves. The real twist came when I offered to drive them all to church in my mini-van. (I can hear you laughing already) My car was actually full...with kids. As I was driving and listening to them carrying on in the back I looked over at Cate with a panicked look on my face. I could tell we were thinking the same thing - both of us picturing ourselves as moms with our kids in the back seat! Yeah, that was enough to send my head spinning

If you've seen one...

Traveling in Europe you see a lot of cathedrals. I still go into most of them but sometimes I feel like if you've seen one you've seen them all. Having said that, I've come up with a few awards for the ones I've visited so far.

Most famous: Notre Dame, Paris

Best View: Sacre Coeur, Paris

Most Unique: Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

The Biggest/Most impressive/My Favorite: St. Paul's Cathedral, London (tied for best view)

Honorable Mention: Karlskirche, Vienna

I wanted to make an award for the most steps but I'm not actually sure who would win that one. Probably St. Paul's or the Sacre Coeur - Karlskirche had an elevator!

Top 10 Classic British Slang

Honestly I've only heard a few of these used in real life, but here they are anyway:

1. Blower - Telephone
2. Ton - 100
3. Kite - Check
4. Mate - Friend
5. Spiv - Shifty Character
6. Sticky Wicket - Risky
7. Sixes and Sevens - Confused State
8. Hairy Muff - Fair Enough (must be cockney rhyming slang)
9. Hank Marvin - Starving (must be cockney rhyming slang)
10. Kip - Nap

Top 10 Depressing British Phrases

I had a few British Top 10 lists land on my desk so I thought I'd share a couple with you. This one is the Top 10 Depressing British Phrases. I'll interpret where I can but some I'm not sure about:

1. Typical British Summer [as in there aren't any summers!]
2. Leaves on the line [not sure about this one, although it could have something to do with tube or train lines]
3. Bank Holiday Traffic [similar to the traffic you get on any US holiday]
4. Out on penalties [I guess this has something to do with football/soccer]
5. Aussies win Ashes [Ashes is a cricket tournament]
6. Henman crashes out [Henman has typically been the only hope the English have at having a player win Wimbledon]
7. Mud at Glastonbury [Glastonbury is one of the world's biggest, if not the biggest, outdoor music festival]
8. Big Brother returns [TV show]
9. Posh releases single [haha!]
10. Heather opens mouth [I'm guessing this is Heather Mills]

The British like their depressing phrases but I identify most with the first one!

that's how we do it

The other day I briefly broke my no sugar rule to have a hobnob (which,incidentally, are very high in fiber and made from whole grains so it's not that bad!) Afterwards I decided I needed to wash it down with some milk. My flatmate said, "Are you just going to drink plain milk??" I said, yeah, that's what I drink after I eat something sweet (or coffee). She said, "Why??" So I replied, "That's how we do it in America."

That same day I also received a birthday package from my parents. It wasn't yet my birthday but I opened it anyway (it was the day before!). Again, my flatmate was appalled. "You can't open that before your birthday!" Here, if someone gives you a birthday or Christmas present you wait to open it until the actual day, even if they aren't going to be around. I think this takes the fun out of gift giving as you can't even see their face when they open it. I didn't have a very good defense except to say again, "That's how we do it in America!"

Okay so far

Twenty-two was strange because twenty-one seemed like the pinnacle- something you look towards when you are growing up. Twenty-two just sounded so much older with that "two" on the end. Twenty-three and twenty-four were fine. Twenty-five was a little harder and inspired my list of things to do before I turn thirty. At that point I had crossed into a new age bracket on surveys. No longer was I in the 18-24 bracket, I was now in 25-34 which is significantly different! Twenty-six wasn't so bad but I had officially crossed the line into my late twenties. So twenty-seven is fairly inconsequential. I'm already in the older age bracket and already in my late twenties...but I'm not yet feeling precariously close to thirty. So I'm feeling good. Twenty-seven sounds nice.

my very English weekend

This weekend I felt very British. Saturday I went to a "Hen Party." (That's what they call Bachelorette Parties here). It was for a friend of my flatmate's and we had had high tea at Cannizaro House. There is nothing like tea, scones and other delights to make you feel very proper and English. Sunday afternoon we had a Ceroc tea dance on a boat on the Thames. I love being on the river and taking in the sites of London. Again, tea and cakes were included. To wrap things up we walked across Waterloo bridge to get to the station...in the pouring rain. It doesn't get much more British than that!

Open Enrollment

Speaking of adventure...

As I'm approaching my birthday I'm reminded of my list of things to do before I turn 30. I've decided that this year I will be hiking the Grand Canyon. Since I'll already be training for the 100k hike, it seems like perfect timing to use that training to hike the Grand Canyon.

I've found a few good guide companies online and have been looking at my options. I think I might do a 3-4 day hike rim to rim - how cool would that be? If not that then I'll definitely hike down to Bright Angel and back. Anyone up for coming with me? I'm looking for a group of 5. I can join another group but, of course, I would love to be going with people I know. It will be a BIG ADVENTURE you won't want to miss. Hurry - space is limited!

Euro-whiff

Those darn Europeans... I think they're just blaming it on the Europeans because they are still upset about being knocked out of Euro 2008.

my adventure

I have to say, skiing was a big adventure for me. I was very nervous (and excited) about how it would go but I loved it and I hope I can do it again next season! I've been waiting to get some more pictures from others who went on the trip, but that could be awhile longer so I just went ahead and finished my pictures. Maybe I'll update it again if I get more photos.

How can you not like this guy?

I'm not religiously following American Idol but I've tuned in twice and both times David Cook was brilliant.

I'm [not] a quitter

I'm not totally giving up sugar, but I'm seriously trying to cut back. All of March was so busy with vacations and work trips that I was eating lots of desserts...and I liked it. I don't regret it but I'd say they've taken their toll. Since I'm now training in earnest for Trailwalker I thought it would be a good time to do a bit of a detox. I don't know how long it will last but I'm trying to not eat chocolate, sweets or anything with added sugar. I know, I know...what fun is there in life?

I allow myself one cheat per week (next week I might let it be a couple since it's my birthday). The problem is, of course, the in between days. I find myself constantly thinking about it. When I walk into a room the first thing I notice is the woman eating cake or a guy eating ice cream. When I'm sitting in my cube at work and hear the crackle of a wrapper it makes me want to go down to the snack shop to get some gummies. Today I replaced my sugar craving with some caffeine. Wow...I have some serious issues. Imagine if I was actually giving up something more serious.

on Chad

It's a good thing Chad said he doesn't care if people like him or not...because no one does anymore.

Scottish Vocab Lesson

In honor of me finally posting my Edinburgh pictures, here are a few Scottish words to add to your vocabulary:

skiver- n. one who avoids tasks or work in general; a shirker. v. skive (Ah cannae be arsed wi' this - ah'm away for a skive)

numpty- n. 1. a bumbling fool; one who is intellectually challenged. (no' the fu' shillin') 2. widely known in Scotland as an MSP (Member of Scottish Parliament

blether- n. 1. person who chatters incessantly; one who babbles on and on (That wee yin o' yours is an awfy blether gettin')
v. 2. to engage in conversation, long-winded or idle talk (Ah met yer granny doon the toun, we hud a richt guid blether the gither.)

eejit- n. idiot, simpleton, one not possessed of all their mental faculties; one who is unable to properly conduct their own affairs. (Yer aff yer heid, ya eejit. That's no' a real dug.)

more for your money

I'm thinking Bali looks like a sweet option. I'm also hoping to take a trip to Marrakech.

Delta

I hope this doesn't affect my direct flight home to Cincinnati!

Mind your head

It's similar to "mind the gap." Often in the UK if there is a low ceiling or doorway there is a sign that says "mind your head." This picture is an example from Hampton Court Palace. I went there to visit when my parents were in town. I typically enjoy visiting slightly more modern palaces or castles because it's easier to imagine people living there. Hampton Court was built in the 14th century so life was obviously a lot different then. It's just hard to picture coming home from a battle in France and sitting in my throne room or playing cards in my sitting room.

Still, it was very interesting to see and hear about all the people who lived there. Hampton Court was inhabited by several kings, including Henry VIII. King Henry VIII is famous for many things, including having 6 wives. Among many others, 2 of his wives were executed. That makes the sign in the castle particularly ironic! I guess you never know what might happen if you're walking the halls of the palace.

Here are a few more pictures from our visit.me and Dad outside the palaceme and Mom around the palacegoofing around!looking across the Thames towards the palacecruisin :)

Lucky me

It's a miracle I made it home from Germany in one piece...I accidentally left my cell phone on the whole way! I'm lucky the plane didn't fall out of the sky.

Today I flew to Germany and back all in one day. I can't always do that because if the meeting starts too early in the day I can't make it in time, especially since I lose an hour traveling that direction. If I have to get up earlier than 5am I'd rather go the night before and stay in the hotel. It is extra tiring to do the trip in one day but when you're not home a lot it's worth having the extra night at home instead of a hotel. Some hotel beds are nicer than my bed but it doesn't matter, there's just something about being in your own bed! In economic terms I'd say the marginal utility of sleeping in your own bed increases the more you travel. On that note...I'm off to bed!

London Life

I can see why people eventually move out of London...it can be tiring! If you observe most people on the trains and the tubes they are barely keeping their eyes open. March has been an extremely busy month for me and I'm ready for some down time. I think I would enjoy a nice trip to the country and a few days of sleeping in. But actually, after saying that I know it's not true. I love the fast pace of London (but I would still enjoy sleeping in). Regardless, I hope to spend my upcoming Friday nights watching Dancing with the Stars. Any other free time I have I'll fill with brushing up my own dance skills.

Speaking of Ceroc, I'm definitely obsessed. My friend Sarah and I have been creating mixed CDs of dance music and crank them up in the car on the way there. I used to make very random CDs with all my favorite songs. They were a real mixed bag and you never knew what was coming next. I have matured somewhat in my abilities and I have to say they are pretty good now! If you're interested I'll give you the playlists.

another milestone

This weekend I attended the wedding of a couple from my church. It was strange to think that I have known people here long enough to be invited to their wedding! Here is a nice picture of me and a couple of my best friends - Patricia and Sue-Ellen. (I should be posting pictures from Edinburgh and skiing soon as well)

in case you missed it

Here are the clips of NKTOB on the Today show. Warning: Click on it only if you can handle the screaming. Jordan is still my fave - I'll be looking forward to May 16th.

let down

Last Friday was a beautiful, sunny spring day. I though perhaps we had turned the corner... today it is snowing.

I think that about covers it.

breaking news

Make sure you watch the Today show on April 4th!

uh oh

I find I am beginning to use British words sometimes when I am thinking through things in my head. I have yet to say much out loud because I usually stop myself but this could be an indication of things to come. You know it starts with the little things...

anticipation

This story makes me think of Diversity Day and that makes me look forward to new episodes of The Office!!

try something new today

Last weekend I went to Edinburgh with my parents. It was a really cool city- freezing and windy, but very cool. A traditional Scottish dish is haggis, with neeps and tatties. Haggis is one of those dishes that you don't want to know exactly what's in it. (But if you check the link above you'll find out.) We decided to give it a try so we could say we'd had it. It was actually really good. I guess if you put the right spices in it, even sheep insides taste good! What have you tried today?

on the run

I'm sure my readership has plummeted with my recent lack of postings. I feel like Jason Bourne. Last week I was in 4 different countries and was at the airport 5 out of 7 days. I came back from skiing in France, picked up Mom and Dad at the airport, went to Germany for work, came back and went to Edinburgh over the weekend. Now my feet are firmly back on London soil...at least for a couple of weeks. Lately every day I wake up asking myself, "Where am I?" I am looking forward to sleeping in my bed every night for a whole week in a row!

another reason to love France

In addition to Paris, the Riviera and French food, I can now add skiing in the Alps to another reason I love France. I am having a blast! The lessons have been very helpful and I've mostly mastered the green [easiest] runs, and done tiny bits of the next level. We've had some fun days of snow and beautiful days of sun as well. I am still in one piece, although I am amazed at how a knee can bend and twist yet still the bottom half of my leg stays attached! I also have a wicked tan/burn line on my face. Here is a small taste of the week so far with one day left to go.

on the snowiest day

the highest peak in the distance is Mont BlancI skied down this hill! (probably the hardest one I've done so far)

practice makes perfect

Today was my first day skiing! A few of us took a two hour beginner lesson and then we practiced for another hour. Now I am exhausted. I feel confident in going back out tomorrow. For now it's nap time.

I will post some pictures soon but for now, just to confuse you, I've finally posted my Vienna pictures so you can see them here.

multi-talented

This weekend I'll be hitting the dance floor then hitting the slopes!

I am headed off for a whole weekend of Ceroc! I'll be on the dance floor 24/7...well, almost. There will be lots of classes and lots of freestyle so I should come back a pro! If you have Facebook (and who doesn't?) then you can check out some video clips of intermediate classes here. It doesn't look as fun as it actually is but you can still get the idea.

On Sunday I'm going straight to the airport to leave for Meribel, France where I'll be skiing all week in the Three Valleys. I've skied a total of 2 days in my life (yikes!) so I've signed up for beginner lessons. You can check out the webcams and maybe you'll catch a glimpse of me flying down the slopes - or on my back! I think the chalet also has wireless so I'll try to post some photo updates.

the Factory

The church I regularly attend, St Andrews @ 7, is part of a larger group of churches in London called The Co-Mission. There is another church, Dundonald Church, that our congregation is involved with on a regular basis and which I sometimes attend in the morning. That church is about to move into a new building called The Factory.

It doesn't sound that exciting if you're used to American churches. However, in England most churches don't build new buildings, they move around within existing parish churches for the Church of England. So for a church to raise it's own money and refurbish a building on their own, apart from the existing Church of England structure, is unheard of. Unfortunately, it actually raises a significant amount of opposition from the surrounding parish (which are usually more liberal, non Bible teaching churches) because they are afraid that we are going to come in and steal all their people.

It doesn't sound new to me since I'm used to churches building their own new buildings or moving into non-traditional buildings. But here it is an exciting opportunity to create news since people are intrigued by a church moving into a factory. We would appreciate your prayers for growth in the church and for new opportunities to be created.

Where is God?

One of the most common questions we face as Christians is, "Where is God in the midst of all the violence and suffering in the world?" Good question.

The other night a missionary from Kenya spoke at my church. She had left with her children during the violence but her husband was still back in Kenya. She recounted the actions of two churches in the country. The two churches were each of the different ethnic groups which were feuding. However, during the violence the two churches came together and united to help each other and serve those around them. What a great picture of how God can work in a devastating situation!

Maybe sometimes we just need to learn to look a little harder to see how God is moving. I won't claim that this solves one of life's biggest questions, but, at least it's something to think about.

update

I've just gotten back from a weekend away with my church. It was a wonderful weekend and a great chance to get into the countryside, spending time with awesome friends, and hear from the word of God. We studied the topic of worship and it was very challenging.

Last weekend I was in Vienna and took lots of lovely pictures but I've yet to get them up online. By the time this month is over I should have a ton to post!

words

If you like words, and know a lot of them (and I know at least a few of my readers do!) then you should check out this site. Free Rice donates grains of rice for every vocabulary word you answer correctly. Yeah, it sounds kind of weird but how cool is that? Check it out and make a little difference in the world today. Thanks to Justin for the tip on his blog.

I feel the earth move under my feet

In case you're wondering, no, I didn't feel the earthquake...so everything is fine with me.

Wien

I'm headed to Vienna...

I was expecting a bit of a cold, wintry get-away but it looks like the temperatures there are actually in the fifties right now. Who would have thought that it would be colder and snowier in Cincinnati? Well, I guess if you know that Vienna isn't in the Alps that would be a clue. I didn't realize it but Vienna is famous for it's cakes and coffee. I think you know how I'll be spending my time! (I think I will prefer that over Wiener schnitzel)

one day at a time

The great thing about London is there are so many things to do.

The bad thing about London is there are so many things to do...and I want to do them all!

Things are about to get really busy for me. It's all my fault, and they are all fun things but I might get quiet for awhile. I'm in the midst of moving down the street and have a lot of trips coming up. With everything going on it's hard to think of things to write. The rest of February and March will be a whirlwind but I am looking forward to my my parents coming in one month!

fashion police

Last week I went to Hamburg for some training...We had a two hour delay leaving London so I had plenty of time to spot some interesting fashion faux pas. This was the best and I managed to catch the poor, unsuspecting man on camera as he came out of the bathroom. Two different shades of orange?? Classic.

I can't keep up

Does he want to stay or does he want to go? Will they or won't they trade him? Does he want to go to Miami or Washington? I wish Chad Johnson and the Bengals would just make-up.

I would walk 500 miles...

If The Proclaimers actually walked 500 miles I think they would be pretty sore. Yesterday I walked about 17.5 and I am feeling very stiff. We started our training for Trailwalker by walking from Wimbledon to Central London and back in 6 hours. Checking the route on Google maps you can actually figure out the distance which is cool. So 17.5 miles down, 42.5 to go.

I am getting used to the idea that I live in London...but sometimes it still strikes me at random times. The other night it hit me that I can navigate my way around the city without a map now (for the most part), and walking all the way to Central London and back was also cool. Now we just have to walk all the way to the coast!

hey, bloggers

I mentioned before that there is a service that tracks buzz on blogs, etc. You can check it out here. They have various tools on the site and one is BlogPulse profiles. You can enter the URL of a blog and it can give you various statistics. I tried entering my URL and it was a little creepy, although I can't say that I was surprised. For example, it could tell me that I'd recently referenced www.nkotb.com. If I go to the trend search tool I can search the trend of New Kids on the Block buzz and see there was a huge spike in late January with up to 0.11% of all blogs analyzed referencing New Kids on the Block. I'm sure it would be more interesting on a more high profile blog. Here's another interesting media/social-networking website where you can rate TV, movies, music and websites and also check out the latest buzz.

I'm a slave...

...to my email.

What did people do all day at work before they were chained to their laptops? I think I am a little obsessive compulsive. It partially stems from the fact that I am in client service so my job is to respond to client needs. That has trained me to respond to emails very quickly. Now it's to the point when I get an email I have an urge to respond almost instantly...except for a few that I would just rather avoid altogether.

It's even translated into my personal email habits. When I wake up in the morning one of the first things I do is check my email. I don't understand those people who don't turn their computers on all day. How do they survive? What if someone emailed them or wrote on their facebook wall and they don't know about it until tomorrow? I'm at a computer all day at work but then it's hard to tear myself away. (To be clear, it's not the work I can't tear myself from)

They tried to make me to go rehab and I said, "No, no, no!"

the super bowl

uh oh

Which Character From The Office Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

I guess I'm not too surprised...although I'd like to think I'm a mix between Angela and Pam.

can I get my hopes up?

Are new episodes of The Office around the corner??

catherine riley

Congratulations to my wonderful friends Eric and Melody on the birth of their daughter, Catherine Riley, on Tuesday night. I can't wait to see her in person!

people carrier

Well, I finally have my driver's license and finally have a car. It's a temporary company car until they can get me my own...and I hope temporary is very temporary. Check it out:
It might be hard to tell from the quality of the picture but it's a mini van! (Vauxhall Zafira) Here they call them people carriers. Whatever. Call it what you will but it's still a mini van. I'm not sure how I am going to parallel park this baby on the streets of London - that will take some practice.

Overall, it's a nice car and I'm grateful to have it. I was just hoping for something smaller. (Although it will come in handy when I move down the street). I've driven to Oxford and back twice now with the help of my TomTom so I am certainly not afraid of the roads. I noticed while I was driving that it actually feels more real that I'm living here now. For some reason driving makes me feel more normal, more settled. Although the settled feeling could also come from the fact that I'm driving a mini van - usually people driving mini vans are settled down with kids! I didn't have that in mind for awhile...

2 worlds collide

A Bengal playing in England

Oasis UK

Last weekend I went to a volunteer information day for Oasis UK. I've been looking for an organization to volunteer with and heard about Oasis at a Stop the Traffik event (they are partner organizations). They have a hub in Lambeth, near Waterloo where they have a church and do work with a lot of youth projects. Among other things they have set up a radio station where kids can go to express their creativity and receive training in media. They have other hubs in the UK focusing on the homeless and education as well. Globally they have operations in many other countries including India where they assist in the fight against human trafficking. It was great to get out and hear about their vision for impacting the community and see how others are serving Christ.

my vote

Well, since I had no takers on the poll from my previous post I thought I'd tell you my vote:I'm going to see The Police in concert this summer in Hyde Park. I wasn't really old enough to appreciate them when they were originally together so it's a good opportunity to see them. Very exciting!

on reunions

Which group are you most excited about reuniting?

a) Backstreet Boys (minus one)
b) Spice Girls (yeah, like I ever cared about them!)
c) New Kids on the Block
d) N*sync - it's not going to happen because JT is too big and doesn't need them...but I'll allow the hypothetical choice
e) The Police (for those older readers or if you're too cool to vote for a pop band)

I'm legal

I passed my driving test! I even passed it in the wind and the rain. Now I just need to work on getting the car...this weekend I'll also be going to buy a GPS (called SatNavs here) since I have no idea how to get around on the roads here. I want to get one that warns you where there are traffic cameras, as well. There are a lot of cameras here and if I get 2 tickets my license will get taken away and I'll have to do all the tests again! I definitely do not want that...I guess I'll be going the speed limit!

what a way to start the day

Start your day with some new New Kids on The Block! 

(Isn't that website background the same one Echo used to have?)

living in God's Community

I think churches don't often teach just how important living in God's community is for Christians. It could be that I just wasn't paying attention or it never really "hit me" at the time it was being taught but it wasn't until I moved to London that I realized how vital it is. I think it partly the dynamics of living in a big city where people are moving around a lot and don't usually have their immediate family nearby. I was beginning to get a taste of it when things were starting at Echo but without familiar surroundings, events, family and friends my church family in Wimbledon has become more important than ever. I couldn't have made it this long without them and I wouldn't be interested in staying longer either (but you can't blame it all on them, Mom and Dad). The friends [family] I've made throughout life at church will always stick with me.

domestication

Cooking for one is no fun so my friend Erin and I have decided to start our own little cooking club. We want to learn to cook more so we're actually going to plan meals, pick out recipes and cook for our friends. I say "learn" to cook even though I think I know how to cook- I just don't do it very often. Here are a few pictures from our first "meeting." We were very proud of ourselves! You can join our group on Facebook to get all the recipes we test.

hangin' tough

Apparently it's the cool thing to do. Yeah, NKOTB is back(?), baby.

learn something new

I learn something new every day. I've been taking lessons for my driving test and it turns out they ask you questions about your car before the test! Imagine my surprise...I don' t know much about the workings of cars, only which ones I think look cool. Some of the questions are obvious, some less obvious. So I had something new to learn! If you're curious you can see the questions here. Maybe you'll learn something new, too. My guess is you'll at least learn that the hood of a car is called a "bonnet" in the UK and that they spell tire, "tyre!"

Unspeakable

I think I already mentioned I was reading the book, "Unspeakable," by Os Guinness. Since I think it's a good book for anyone questioning evil this world, and since pretty much everyone has, then this is a good book for anyone to read. It is a deep and intellectual book (not surprising given the topic) while still being accessible for most. There were a few parts I skimmed over and quotes that I didn't quite follow but for the most it was understandable!

Guinness spends the first part of the book providing a framework for thinking about the problem of evil. He addresses the progression of evil and such questions as "Why me? Where's God?" and "How can I stand it?" I think if you're reading this you already know there aren't solid answers to these questions but the way he thinks through them is helpful. Next he goes on to discuss the various world views and their response to evil. He provides background on Eastern religion, Secularism and Jewish and Christian thought. He spends the most time on Christianity given his faith, but the other sections are well written and informative as well.

From there he asks, "What can we do about it?" Each world view has a different perspective and again, he spends the most time on how Christians can respond. He talks about various large-scale reform movements but at the same time doesn't expect that everyone can take part in such activities. We can only be responsible for our sphere of influence. he used several quotes from the Old Testament prophets when God looked and saw the evil of his people. My favorite verse was Micah 6:8 " He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." One of the main things we can do in our response to evil is to act justly in all we do. I often get overwhelmed thinking of the scale of the problem and my small influence, but he encouraged me to do what I can without making me feel depressed!

Finally he points out some "rainbows in the midst of the rain." One of the organizations he mentioned was the International Justice Mission. This is the second time I've heard about this group and I think it sounds like a great organization. Over the next year I want to try to highlight some other organizations that are trying to make a difference in areas of obvious injustice.

"first name crap, last name bag"

Yeah, about the strike. Along with Kelly, I am missing The Office so much! They are starting to show the US version on TV here but I have them all on DVD so that doesn't solve my need for NEW episodes. All the other US shows they show in the UK have also run out of new episodes so I'm left with few options.

First, I can find British shows to watch. Hmmm, interesting concept. I do enjoy Spooks which is a spy show, and Top Gear which is a talk show about cars. I liked Strictly Come Dancing but that is over now, too. I may have to start venturing into British comedies or something but I'm trying to hold off on that for now. Or I can watch the endless re-runs of Scrubs and Friends. They are showing Season 10 of Friends right now and tonight I watched the episode where Phoebe goes to change her name (hence the title of this post). Guess who was the clerk at the name changing place? Darryl from The Office. Do you like how I tied that all together?

Emily's best music buys of 2007

Well by now you've read plenty "best of 2007" articles but here is my take on the music of 2007. I'm calling it music buys because they are all albums I bought in 2007, they weren't necessarily released in 2007.

In no particular order, the winners are.....

- Cold War Kids, "Robbers and Cowards." It's very edgy and the beats are great! I like about 75% of the CD (the rest is a little whiny) but that 75% is worth it. Favorite track: "Saint John."

- Michael Buble, "Call me Irresponsible." I just plain love him. Favorite track: "I'm Your Man."

- Iron & Wine, "The Shepherd's Dog." Folksy and mellow with a little electronic enhancement. Favorite track: "Boy with a Coin."

- Ray LaMontagne, "Trouble." I think I mentioned him in an earlier post. He has a soulful voice with a folk twist. Favorite track: "How Come."

- Feist, "The Reminder." I had a few of her singles and with all the critics saying this was her breakout album I thought I'd buy it. "1234" is great, but so are some of the more mellow tracks. I haven't decided my favorite yet.

- Jim Croce, "Classic Hits." I'm definitely a few years behind in discovering Jim Croce but I heard him on a movie soundtrack and loved him. Favorite track: "I Got a Name." (Although every time I listen to it I can't shake the picture of him with a big, 70s-style mustache!)

- Kanye West, "Graduation." Definitely a great album, although you might want to get the clean version. A few tracks I don't like much but overall I love it. Favorite track: "Homecoming."

You can probably see I have very eclectic taste! I'd also like to throw in a few honorable mentions: The Shins, "Wincing the Night Away," The Beatles, "Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" (I never had this album so I thought I'd buy it for the anniversary) and Kings of Leon, "Because of the Times."

One band I haven't totally bought into is "The Arcade Fire." They get a lot of hype as the best band, and I like them, but I'm not sure what all the hype is about. Of course, I used to say the same thing about Coldplay and then I was converted...so we'll see.

Word of Mouth

Word of Mouth is the a big marketing buzz word. Studies show it is the most effective form of marketing since people are more likely to believe something is true if they hear it from someone they know. I heard a guy quoted on the news last night saying something along the lines that the more often we hear something the more likely we are to believe it's true. To me that implies that not all advertising is true!? (shocking!)

Some companies now are using cab drivers in London to market their products. Because most cab rides are 16 minutes in length and cabbies tend to be very chatty they see it as a good opportunity. On the news they featured one man who received an all expense paid holiday and was asked to tell his customers about it. (They claim they aren't paid to say specific things.) Some companies will also give their products to people they deem influential, then ask them to talk to their friends about it. There are even companies who track the buzz on blogs about various topics and products. So watch what you write...It's the next frontier.

the next big thing

The British music press tends to hype up music acts one minute and drop them the next. The current buzz is about Adele. She has a very soulful voice and is being compared to Amy Winehouse, although I wouldn't say her style is really the same. Check her out and see if you think she's worth the hype - I like her!

Stay tuned for my favorite music buys of 2007.

today's headline

What are the chances?

walk on the left (?)

In America we drive on the right and walk on the right. So I thought that in London, since they drive on the left, you must walk on the left. Not so. It appears to be a free-for-all on the sidewalks. Walk where you want. However, most train stations have some signs that say to keep left but no one really does it. They also have signs to tell you what side of the steps to walk up and down. Imagine one hundred people getting off a train and going out of the station up their set of steps...but a couple idiots are trying to go down the steps at the same time. That's why they have directions! Things would work so much smoother if everyone followed the system. It just makes sense.

we learn young

Mom recently posted some before and after pictures of me and Melissa at Krohn Conservatory. She used to take us there at holidays, dressed in our matching dresses, to take our picture. This is my favorite one. Weren't we cute? (And we still are!) Note my matching purse. One more piece of evidence to show I was all about accessories, even at a young age. I always wanted to get a matching hat for my Easter dress but I wasn't allowed because Mom knew I wouldn't leave it on.

Kew Gardens

I recently recovered some photos off an old memory card from my camera, including some from a visit to Kew Gardens this summer. So, I thought I'd show you some nice summery pictures to cure your post-holiday winter blues.

strictly come dancing

I'm about 2 weeks behind behind in watching the Strictly Come Dancing final (the UK version of Dancing with the Stars). It was on the weekend I went back to Cincinnati. So tonight I was able to watch it. My favorites were Matt and Flavia...they didn't win but this dance was awesome!

more good news about flying

Flying back to London after a trip home is tough for a few reasons. One reason is I usually do a lot of shopping and at Christmas I also have gifts to take back. But there is a 50 pound limit on each bag. This time I knew I had one bag that was over the limit but there wasn't anything I could do. However, it turns out that since I'm now a gold medallion member with Delta I can have 3 bags that weight 70 pounds! I guess there are some perks to all those flights.

good [if not overly important] news

The hand baggage allowance in London is back up to 2 bags! It's been one since the liquid bomb scares so it's convenient to have it back up to 2. Like I said, not that important but it's still good news.

New in 2008

I don't have it in me to do a review of 2007 - maybe later. So instead I'll tell you about something big I have coming up in 2008. In July I'll join 3 of my friends to walk 100 kilometers across southern England (along the South Downs Way). It's called Trailwalker 2008 and it is in support of Oxfam. Oxfam is a charity that fights poverty by campaigning for change, doing development work and emergency relief work. You can read more about their work here.


My team (The Dancing Queens) has committed to raising £1,500 or $3,000 for the event. You can support us by donating online at this website. I've added a new icon to the left on my blog on the left where you can also click to donate and see my progress. I'm just starting my fundraising so you can be the first one to donate! Last year the event raised over £1MM. It might not end poverty but we can make a difference.

Hiking 2 1/2 marathons in 30 hours will be quite an adventure but I'm looking forward to it.

take what we can get

I like being home so I can watch football with my dad - HDTV is a nice bonus, too. I'm glad Chad had a good game and TJ tied the record for receptions. I love a Bengals win even if it doesn't matter.

I just have one question: who is it that hocked a loogie in the second half of the broadcast??

more British pop culture

The Christmas Number One is a big deal in the UK (remember Love Actually?) Weeks before there is speculation about who will win it and the last three years it has been the winner of X-Factor. Since the show ends right around the holiday time the new winner has their single released at just the right time...this year it was Leon Jackson. Check out the list, it's an interesting mix!

Merry belated Christmas

I hope you had a great Christmas!

When I arrived home one of the first things Melissa told me was, "The bad news is Mom and Dad's internet isn't working." I know, things could definitely be worse but that means I've been without internet for nearly 5 days. Whoa. It's amazing how hard that is and what you can do when you aren't constantly checking email and Facebook. I've been able to spend quality time with my family and friends, bake lots of cookies, read and watch a few movies.

We went to the movies on Christmas Eve and saw "Enchanted." It was really cute. Last night I watched "Miss Potter" on DVD which I also really liked. I'm currently reading "Unspeakable" by Os Guinness. It's about evil in the modern world. It's not a light read but so far I'm really enjoying it. It's an interesting mix of philosophy and religion but still reasonably easy for normal people to understand. Now I have to get started on my stack of new books from Christmas. I'm especially looking forward to "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and "Prayer: Does it really matter?"

X-Factor

Check out the new single from Leon Jackson, the newest winner of X-Factor. (X-Factor is an American/Pop Idol-like show). I saw him perform live with Michael Buble at his concert a few weeks ago and he is really good.

Last year's winner was Leona Lewis and she also has a pretty catchy single out - check out "Bleeding Love."

I put my new shoes on

...and suddenly everything's alright.

Today I bought real dance shoes. I'm pretty sure I've crossed some invisible line and there's no turning back. The soles are very flexible and covered with suede for spinning! Since they are suede soles I can't wear them outside. That means I have to carry my shoes in a bag and wear other shoes there. If you recall, this presents an interesting problem. This isn't the same, though. I don't have to wear gym shoes with a skirt, I can still wear shoes that work with the outfit.

I'll be home for Christmas...

Only 2 days until I come back home for Christmas...but it doesn't really feel like Christmas. At what point do you stop anticipating Christmas the same way you did as a kid? Everything is in place: Christmas lights, shopping, carol services and people dressed as Santa Claus but I just don't have the same feeling inside. Maybe that is one of the ways you can tell if you've grown up. I'm not sure if I like to think of myself as being grown-up though. That hints of getting older...

The weather has been nice here for the past few days which has been a welcome relief from weeks of rain. It's been sunny although very cold. So I'll leave you with a couple of pictures from enjoying festive ice skating at Kew Gardens this weekend.

Fashion contradiction 2

I also find putting make-up on while sitting on the train a contradiction.

There are several reasons I can think of to wear make-up:

1. To cover up imperfections
2. To make yourself more attractive
3. Because make-up is fun to play with (a lesser reason)

All three reasons are completely invalidated by putting it on in the train. If you're trying to cover up your imperfections, everyone already saw them all! Similarly, if you're trying to make yourself more attractive everyone already saw the real you. You've already lost a certain amount of tact by doing your make-up on the train and I doubt anyone finds it attractive that you are checking to make sure your spots are covered and there is nothing in your teeth. That's what bathrooms are for. Finally, if you're wearing make-up because it's fun to play with, it's not like you can actually have fun with it on the train.

I know some people put it on in the car. Although it's very dangerous, at least it doesn't contradict the main reasons you wear make-up.

That's the way I see it (and that must be the only way).

Fashion contradiction 1

There are a couple fashion related observations that I've never understood. Today I'll deal with the first one: wearing gym shoes with a suit or skirt.

I know lots of people do it and it is socially acceptable in big cities, but I don't quite understand it. I know the purpose is to allow for comfortable walking to and from work while still being able to wear fashionable dress shoes at work. But, if you are so concerned with wearing fashionable uncomfortable shoes how can you bear to be seen wearing gym shoes with socks, pantyhose and a skirt?

If I can't walk to the train station in my shoes then I won't wear them. I look for the middle ground - reasonably comfortable and reasonably fashionable. This way, I may not have the coolest shoes in the office but at least I won't look ridiculous on the way there. Plus, I already have to carry my laptop and purse and I don't want to lug around an extra pair of shoes.

That's the way I see it (and that must be the only way).

I know you were holding your breath

...so I thought I better let you know I passed the test! Of course I still have the practical driving test to go but at least I'm one step closer. At least I still know how to take a test.

passionate

Passionate is one of those overused words, like love. Well, at least that's how I feel. I hear a lot of people at work say they are passionate about something. Usually it is in reference to business or consumer package goods. It makes me want to throw up. How can you be passionate about TV commercials or selling consumer goods? Maybe it's just that I'm not...at all.

I'm lucky to have a job that I enjoy at some times and tolerate at others, pays well and gives me lots of opportunities. But I'm not passionate about it. I only reserve that word for things that really matter: God, family, friends, helping others. I would almost go so far as to say I'm passionate about music. But since I wouldn't say it's significant in the grand scheme of the world maybe I just like it a lot. I realize I'm probably being too strict in my application in rebellion to the liberal usage.

More to the point, hearing others refer to being passionate about work makes me wonder if everyone can find a job they are passionate about. Is it reasonable to expect to find a job you are passionate about, even according to a looser definition of the word? Certainly everyone doesn't but is that because they don't look for it or because it's not always possible?

I hope I'm not being idealistic but I like to think it's possible.

this is killing me

I'm taking the theory test for my UK driver's license on Friday morning. I've been studying for a couple weeks but now I've gone into high gear (it's been awhile since I had to study for anything!) Here there are two parts; a multiple choice test and hazard perception. I can pass the multiple choice part no problem.

It's the hazard perception that's killing me. I have to watch a series of 14 video clips and identify when hazards develop. That sounds easy enough. You'd hope I can actually notice when something in the road causes me to slow down. The problem is the test itself. If I click to early when the potential hazard has not actually become a hazard yet, I get zero points. If I click to late when the hazard is really obvious I get zero points. If I click too many times the program thinks I am trying to cheat and I get zero points. What am I supposed to do?? So far I've only passed less than 50% of the time. You'd think it is enough for them if I can pass the practical driving test, why do I need to pass a video game version?

24 x 2 = 48 [days]

I'm thinking Kiefer Sutherland is not exactly the guy you want to run into while you're in prison...

He would probably introduce himself as, "I'm Jack Bauer, and this is the longest day of my life." It could be the longest day of my life too if I have to sit and listen to all his stories. I'm sure he would be going on and on about how awful Nina Myers was and how glad he is he killed her.

I hear Kiefer was serving food and doing laundry while in jail. I definitely would not be complaining about my food. In fact, I might not eat it at all because it's probably poisoned. I might be tempted to ask him to iron my shirt but he would probably just reply, "There's no time!" so I wouldn't do that either.

If I was a prison guard and my boss told me to go into Jack's cell or escort him anywhere I think I would just quit- it's better to get out alive. I wouldn't want to be Jack's cell mate either, most of his friends and acquaintances end up dead (you might be okay if you were Chloe, but even then no one is really safe). Plus, if Jack Bauer goes to prison it only serves to make the upcoming scenes more dramatic which means a bunch of people are about to die!

This can't turn out well. Maybe this is really the beginning of Day 7.

bits and bobs

I thought I'd recap a few odds and ins from my past week. It was pretty busy, hence no posts.

- I thought I'd start with your new British slang for the week. Here they call odds and ends, "bits and bobs." I guess odds and ends doesn't make much sense but it seems better than bits and bobs!

- Monday I went to my dance class. I've been getting really into Ceroc. It's a mix of jive and salsa and it's very popular in London. My friends from church got me into it and we go about every week. We even signed up for a whole dance weekend in March! It makes me feel like I'm on Dancing with the Stars (well, almost). Speaking of Dancing with the Stars, what happened to Mel B in the finale?

- Tuesday I went to see Michael Buble! I took a couple of friends who, believe it or not, had never been to a concert before. It was fabulous! He is a great entertainer. The opening band was called Naturally7. Check them out, they make all the sounds with their voices - no instruments or electronics! Trust me, I saw them prove it.

- Thursday was my first driving lesson! Whoa. It went pretty well. I was a little nervous with him telling me all the little things I need to do to pass my test. I'm still studying for my theory test which I take on Friday. Then I can sign up for the driving test!

- Friday I went to Kensington Roof Gardens with my friend Patricia. It's a very posh, members only club owned by Richard Branson. Patricia's husband's work party was there so he was able to get our name on the guest list. It was pretty cool! The club itself was awesome, and outside the roof is covered with English, Spanish and Japanese gardens. I'll have to go back in the summer to appreciate all the gardens.

- Saturday I went to see the movie "Yesterday." It is about a family it South Africa who is affected by HIV. I would highly recommend it if you can get your hands on a copy. It was followed with a presentation by Tearfund on the work they do for HIV. Watch a video about Rachel here. If you want to sponsor a child affected by AIDS through a US organization check out World Vision. That definitely ended my week on a thoughtful note.

PS. Keep praying for Kelly!

studying

I've been studying for my driver's theory test in the UK. While studying I came across a few questions that I definitely don't remember being on the test in Ohio.

1. Which three things should you do when passing sheep on a road?
2. When passing animals you should not ______
3. You notice horse riders in front of you . What should you do first?

Hmm, I guess this is what you get in good ol' country England, although I don't see many sheep in London. By the way I love the questions about what you shouldn't do in a situation. Usually the question goes something like this:

If a car pulls out in front of you in an unsafe manner what should you not do:
a. Slow down and allow plenty of space
b. Remain calm
c. Pull up closely behind the car and honk your horn

Which is the right answer and which do people actually do??

crazy man on the tube

So the other night I was on the tube in Central London. It was a fairly full car but not too crowded. This crazy old man got in the car and yelled, "Can I have your attention: Please don't fart on the train! It's very crowded and if you fart you're just going to gas us all out!" Now that's funny stuff! I was laughing like a 12 year old boy at a fart joke -how could you not? Unfortunately, if you recall the Denial Rule you won't be surprised that some people didn't react at all. I would say a good amount of them at least chuckled, though.

emergency text?

Thanks to Kelly for pointing out this useful new texting service in London. Here's hoping I don't need to use it.

yes, I CAN cook!

This Thanksgiving presented the true test. I thought it would be fun to celebrate Thanksgiving with all my friends but the catch was that I'd never prepared any dishes from Thanksgiving before! So Mom and I collected all the recipes and I started getting organized. I was a little nervous, especially about the turkey and the gravy...I had to prove to my friends that I could cook things that didn't come out of a box! Everything turned out great- the gravy was very tasty, if I do say so myself.We also had them make hand turkeys to expose them to the wonderful elementary crafts we enjoy.Some of the satisfied customers!
Thanks to Melissa for all of the help! I couldn't have pulled it off without her.

I'd do anything for a klondike

I've been looking forward to the Kanye West concert for awhile now...and it did not disappoint. We were out of our seats dancing the whole night! There was a good review in the paper here which I think sums it up well. Like I said, I'm not much of a music critic I just know what I like - and I love Kanye!

I get by...

...with a little help from my friends.

I recently listened to a sermon from my church, St. Andrews at 7, on Friendship. I highly recommend downloading it (here - see "Friendship" by Phil Allcock on 28/10/07). It was from a series about relationships which I found extremely helpful and would recommend them all. This one in particular was great and pointed out how our culture often devalues friendship but how important the Bible says it is. It will definitely make you appreciate your friends.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! This is a unique Thanksgiving for me since it's my first away from home. This morning Melissa and I went to a Thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral. I was a little wary of going because I've never been able to reconcile how I feel about mixing patriotic type holidays with church. I'm also skeptical of attending any Church of England* services since I know that many of its leaders don't believe in Biblical Christianity or that everything Jesus said was true. It turned out to be pretty much what I expected, here are a few of my observations.

The man who spoke to open the service (whatever his crazy title was) said this was his first time to be involved in a Thanksgiving service but if it meant a full cathedral (as it was today) he would be involved all the time. Well, after sitting through the service I can see why the building isn't always overflowing.

The American ambassador to England said a few words. He mostly talked about family and not surprisingly, giving thanks. He called the service "a celebration of Americans in London." Fair enough, but then why are we meeting in a cathedral and calling it a church service?

Finally, the leader of the American Church in London gave the sermon based on 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 about sowing generously. He said that Paul's gospel meant that living a thankful and generous life "was the path to life as God intended it to be." He stated something along the lines that "no matter who you believe Jesus is- a prophet, cool guy, or Lord and Savior...his teaching tells us how God wants us to live our lives." Hmmm...I think he got it backwards. The Bible actually states that Christ is the path to life as God intended and that through his grace we are enabled to live thankful and generous lives. At the end he had everyone say aloud with him,"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift." Unfortunately the sermon never mentioned what that indescribable gift really was. I can see why that church isn't full. What they preach is not different than any other religion that teaches I can make it to heaven on my own, so why bother believing anything at all?

At least the offering was to support the International Justice Mission: A Christian human rights organization that advocates justice for those who have no support - including those enslaved by human trafficking. Now that's something I can get behind. The man told a story of a girl who had been rescued from a brothel in Thailand. While she was held she had scratched into her wall Psalm 27, "The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall." After her rescue she quoted Psalm 34, "I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips...I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears." Wow.



*I also think it's a little ironic that the pilgrims left England in pursuit of religious freedom, but today Americans were gathered in the Church of England to celebrate.

lack of a competitive market

I like to throw in an economics lesson every once in a while. This Thanksgiving I have been presented with the perfect opportunity. If you don't find this interesting you might like Freakonomics; the authors' examples are a little more impressive than mine.

I have chosen to celebrate Thanksgiving in London. I thought it would be fun to introduce my friends here to the holiday. (I've never cooked any Thanksgiving dishes at all so this will be quite the experiment.) The first test was finding a turkey. Obviously not everyone here is buying them at this time so I had to special order it from a butcher. That's when I realized this was going to be an expensive party!

In American turkeys are being advertised for 57 cents per pound. That's less than $15 for a 15 pound turkey. All economic theories are based on a perfectly competitive market but in the UK the turkey market is not perfectly competitive. Since not everyone here is buying one, sellers do not have to be especially competitive when it comes to the price. This causes the price of turkeys to be unfortunately high.

A second possible reason for the high price is the bird flu epidemic that is happening here. This essentially causes a shock to the theoretical production function of turkeys. This causes the supply of turkeys to be low and therefore drives up the price. All of this, combined with the imperfect currency market means that my turkey will cost about 10 times as much as a turkey in the US.

Happy Thanksgiving!

slip ups

I've had a few slip ups in my quest to retain the integrity of my American culture. I've been drinking a lot of tea this week. It started as an attempt to find something to put my echinacea drops in so that I wouldn't actually taste the drops. After drinking several cups I decided tea definitely does have a different relaxation quality about it that coffee doesn't have. I'm sure I still like coffee better though.

Perhaps more embarrassing, I said the word "keen" a couple of times. Since I realized this I have become extra vigilant so as not to make that mistake again. Here they use the word keen in the context, "Are you keen to go to the movies this weekend?" or "I'm really keen to read that book." But I can't shake the association of that word with, "Gee that's keen!" which sounds like a line straight out of Leave it to Beaver.

It's a good thing Melissa is coming next weekend; she can set me straight!

PS. Melissa & Melody- I almost put a comma splice in that last sentence but I caught myself thanks to your tutoring. I hope I got it right! I'm sure there might be others in there, though.

stream of consciousness

I’m sitting at the airport in Frankfurt. It’s 8:30 on a Friday night and I’m looking at getting home around 11pm. This is exactly how I want to spend my night. So, I figured while I had time to kill I would write. As I write this I’m taking a break from reading, “A Dark Oval Stone.” I’ll probably have it finished by the time I get home tonight. It’s really good. The only problem is it deals a lot with grief, and because I’m a crier I tend to cry over these books which is not good when you’re in a public place. I don't think anyone is staring at me yet...I’m also listening to the new Iron and Wine album, “The Shepherd’s Dog.” I recommend this as well.

I’m still amused at the “conversation” I had with my taxi driver on the way here. In broken English he was describing the German social welfare system and then saying how horrible the US system was. How could millions of people be living on the streets? How could they not afford health insurance? Then he asked me what I thought about it. Wow, that’s a complicated question to end a day of 4 hour meetings.

Getting through security was frustrating. I thought the Germans were supposed to be efficient but we were all going through one security line. On top of that, the conveyor belt with everyone’s bags was crawling and there seemed to be lots of security people standing around pointlessly. And if they did it right the first time why do I have to go through security again at the gate? Nothing like doing the same work twice…

Fortunately I've developed a defense mechanism in travel situations. I’m normally somewhat impatient when it comes to time and waiting (which you probably already knew). But when I travel I force myself to be utterly relaxed. If I let anything get to me it will all snow-ball. With so much traveling my stress level would skyrocket. So I choose to remain perfectly relaxed in my own little bubble.

There is one silver lining to a one day business trip to Germany. It's not the duty-free shopping because I am so over that. (Just because the Vera Wang is duty free it doesn't mean I can afford it.) But I can afford Haribo. My favorite Haribo are the “happy cherries” but they don’t sell them in the UK. So I was overjoyed- perhaps disturbingly so, to find them in a shop here and bought two bags. I had to hold myself back from buying more.

that's all folks

Sitting through a long conference call today, led by folks in Cincinnati reminded me just how often folks in America refer to folks as "folks." Is this just a mid-western thing or do all folks say it?

I never really did like that word much...look at it closely and you'll see just how weird it looks. Plus it just sounds weird.

Poppies

Sunday is Remembrance Day in England. It's basically the British Memorial Day and is observed in several other countries. The main symbol of Remembrance Day is the poppy. Last year at this time I remember seeing guys selling paper poppies on the streets, and everyone seemed to be wearing them on their coats. Then I started seeing it again this year so I finally asked what they were for. The money raised goes to the British Royal Legion.

It's interesting because everyone actually wears them for about 2 weeks before the actual day. I'm not sure if anyone in America would wear them. I suppose if it was the tradition then maybe we would. Overall, I think we're less oriented toward traditions...but maybe that's just me. This year the British Royal Legion has gone high tech and you can now send poppies to friends on Facebook.

a little weight

I think I put on a little weight while I was home on vacation, not that I am too surprised by that. I know I'm not supposed to say things like that but I'm guessing you probably wouldn't know how much weight I'd gained if I told you in in stone.

They use stone as a measure of weight here a lot. I am always wondering, "don't all stones weight different amounts?" It's like saying something is heavy, but in relation to what? But alas, stone does have an actual weight attached to it. It's actually equal to 14 pounds or 6.4 kilograms. Apparently it originated as a reference to the weight of potato sacks...how modern. At least it's not the official unit of measure anymore but people still measure their weight according to it.

Well, unfortunately for you since I told you the conversion I won't tell you how much I gained. Hopefully it's less than 1 stone!

driving on the right...or is is the left?

I've got good news and bad news.

The good news is I found out I can get a company car!

The bad news is I have to now get a UK driving license. Unfortunately my US license is only good 12 months from the date I became a resident. I think it should be 12 months from the time I start driving but I doubt the government is really going to hear me out on this one. That means I have to apply for a provisional (temporary) license, pass a written test and a practical driving test. Deja vu. Didn't I already do this 10 years ago?? This is definitely one of those experiences I was hoping not to repeat.

yeah...

new music

Last night I went to a cool music venue called The Bedford. The entry was free, the atmosphere was cool and the music was great! There were 5 bands that each played 4 songs. Of the 5 bands I had 2 favorites. August Way is a cool band from Australia and Marcus Bonfanti was an awesome bluesy singer and guitar player. Check them out!

pumpkins

I brought back some mellowcreme pumpkins to share with friends here. They seem to think that they taste like fudge. I've never really thought about because to me they taste like, well...candy pumpkins. Any thoughts?