Mid-week update

So I haven't updated in a while...let's see...
This weekend I took a little daytrip out to Oxford. It was actually really great - I mean, Oxford is nice with the ancient and ornate stone colleges and all, but the weather was really the main attraction of the day. When I woke up, it was sunny and clear - like really sunny, with the brightest sun I've seen since I've been here - and pretty warm (around 45-50 degrees maybe). It was nice to get out of the city - I loved the train ride there, through parts of the countryside (amazingly, everything is still green, even in the middle of winter), and then walked around a huge meadow while in Oxford. Pictures soon to come.

Oxford was pretty nice - there were all these narrow little streets and old stone colleges (which actually reminded me of Yale, to tell the truth). It had some great little shops, including the (not-so-little) Blackwell's, which apparently is the largest bookstore in the UK, and has this amazing subterranean room where the shelves of books seemed to go on forever. The place is packed with tourists, though. I mean, I thought Harvard Square was bad in the summer. This place was overrun in February. I also think that Japanese tourists must sign up for some kind of international university package tour, because they REALLY seem to like the colleges. I got my picture of the college they filmed Harry Potter at, so I was happy. :)

Sunday was the Chinese New Year's festival in London, so I ended up going to that after going to mass at Westminster Cathedral, which is ridiculously gorgeous. They have all these clear glass windows high up behind the altar, and the sun was shining right through them (it was amazing - TWO sunny days in a row) and casting these giant sunbeams everywhere. Chinese New Year was also a lot of fun - I got my fill of yummy pastries, threw some firecrackers, saw about 10 million lion dances, and saw a longer fireworks display than on New Year's. Good times.

Monday, the dreaded Valentine's day, actually turned out much better than expected. My housemates and I had planned on drinks to celebrate the fact we're all single (well, all but one). So a bunch of us went out at 10pm, expecting to stay for a drink or two and get back at a reasonable hour to sleep. But Joe had bigger plans, and we all ended up going to G.A.Y. (no subtlety there), a huge club at Tottenham Court Road. They played the BEST music - tons of Madonna, Footloose, and eighties favorites (Tiffany, anyone?). I had such a fun time, and we got a lot of housemate bonding in, as well. Also, I have to say I was impressed with my straight guy roommates, who had absolutely no problem with the club and were dancing like maniacs. Of course, it could always be the alcohol. But whatever.

Anyway, so after getting home at 4am and not getting to sleep until 5am, the next day at work was less than fun. And then last night I made the decision to go to bed early, only to be dissuaded with a viewing of Y Tu Mama Tambien and a long conversation with housemates, finally realizing it was 1am. Arg....not in college anymore. Have a job I wake up for in the mornings. Must remember this at all times.

So, that's about it. Am booking all sorts of flights and making travel plans, which is really exciting. Virginia's going to come here, where I'm apparently going to take her on the grand fountain tour of London (vpatrone.blogspot.com), and then I go off to Florence for nearly a week(!) I can't wait.

= :)

P.S. Coming soon...a title change. I hate mine, but have no ideas. Any and all suggestions welcome.
P.P.S. Oh, and Dad, you should be able to post comments now, no problem.