Christmas Eve morning breaks...I wake up and trapse downstairs to snuggle up on the couch with my Phi Sig blanket to watch some quality Christmas cartoons. But then, I sniff, and I swallow and I realize...I have a rather annoying cold, stuffy nose, sore throat, and all. As the day progressed, so did my cold, eventually adding a headache and a fever to the mix. I wrapped only a few gifts and didn't go to church. But I at least was able to have dinner with my aunt and uncle that night, which was nice.
Christmas morning arrives, and I'm feeling still stuffy but better. And after a good hot shower and some ibuprofen, I was read to go! Dinner at my aunt's house was really fun. I was able to see everyone that I couldn't see at Thanksgiving.
The day after Christmas, which is always a sad day anyways because Christmas is over, was a Sunday. And on Sunday, my lovely cold decided to upgrade a massive ear infection. From the mid-afternoon to evening, my right ear went from being merely blocked to having shooting pains every few minutes. Though calling the on-call doctor, an eventual trip to the ER, and a follow-up with an ENT the next day, I was given antibiotic for the infection, ear drops to heal the ear drum, and vicodin and motrin 600 for the pain.
Today, I am feeling much much better. The antibiotics have taken started to kick in, the ear drops seem to be working as well. The vicodin seemed a bit extreme to me--so I've only taken that once on the first day. And the motrin 600 keeps the pain down to a dull pressure.
Silly sickness. Doesn't it know that it was a holiday?
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
My Michigan
Now back in Michigan, I realize just how lucky I am to be here. My flight out of Heathrow Airport was litereally the very last one that was able to take off to Detroit. As soon as we left, terminal 4 cancelled or delayed all their subsequent flights due to the mass amount of snow that apparently hit London. So I am quite thankful that I was able to get home on time.
This past week has been quite busy! I was able to visit a few of my high school friends--some I haven't seen since the summer, and a few since even before then! I've been baking Christmas cookies, talking, and visiting the Henry Ford Museum while it was all decorated--all was a lot of fun and I like doing all these Christmas-y things.
And tomorrow is Christmas Eve! My family will be wrapping gifts and watching Christmas movies all day, as per tradition. Then my aunt and uncle will come over in the evening and we'll all go to church together and eat a light dinner afterwards. And we'll exchange gifts just between us then as well. And on Christmas morning, we'll have eggs benedict for breakfast, open gifts, and later go to my aunt's house for dinner. Yup, Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday. :)
This past week has been quite busy! I was able to visit a few of my high school friends--some I haven't seen since the summer, and a few since even before then! I've been baking Christmas cookies, talking, and visiting the Henry Ford Museum while it was all decorated--all was a lot of fun and I like doing all these Christmas-y things.
And tomorrow is Christmas Eve! My family will be wrapping gifts and watching Christmas movies all day, as per tradition. Then my aunt and uncle will come over in the evening and we'll all go to church together and eat a light dinner afterwards. And we'll exchange gifts just between us then as well. And on Christmas morning, we'll have eggs benedict for breakfast, open gifts, and later go to my aunt's house for dinner. Yup, Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday. :)
Friday, December 17, 2010
I'll Be Home for Christmas
First semester is officiaIlly over. I'm sitting in my room--it's my last night in London before Christmas. And I'm thinking how surreal it is that I am leaving half my life in London and taking the other half to Michigan. Michigan is my home, but I've found that I use the word "home" to describe a lot of places in this world. Of course, my family home in Sylvan Lake I call home. I call Alma home. I consider a few of my high school friends' houses home. And now, I find myself calling my flat in London home as well. I like that I have so many places that I can call home.
This past week was very nice. I went to St. Paul's Cathedral with Callum on Wednesday--the last place I wanted to visit on my list of places to go for first semester. I went Christmas shopping with Reena on Thursday and out to dinner with her and two of her friends from her course to celebrate the end of first semester. Today I slept in quite late, did some last minute errands, cleaned my room, did some laundrey, and packed. This fluffy stuff, preparing to go home and see family and friends I haven't seen in a long time, always gets me into that Christmas-y spririt. It even snowed last night and actually stuck to the ground this time. I love Christmas time--I'm a bit of a sucker for all the warm-fuzziness and cliches that go with it. Call me an idealist, but I think it is important to keep up traditions to make the holidays special. I'm looking forward to going to church Christmas Eve, eating eggs benedict on Christmas morning, visiting friends as much as possible, making every minute of Christmas break count. Perhaps it is because I watch too many holiday movies, but I still think this time of year is when we can catch our breath in the midst of our crazy schedules and appreciate what and who we have in our lives.
Studying for my classes, adjusting to city life, meeting and making friends with some really great people, and exploring as much as I can--I have learned so much this first semester. And while I am going to love being back in Michigan for the next month, and am very much looking forward to all that second semester will bring!
This past week was very nice. I went to St. Paul's Cathedral with Callum on Wednesday--the last place I wanted to visit on my list of places to go for first semester. I went Christmas shopping with Reena on Thursday and out to dinner with her and two of her friends from her course to celebrate the end of first semester. Today I slept in quite late, did some last minute errands, cleaned my room, did some laundrey, and packed. This fluffy stuff, preparing to go home and see family and friends I haven't seen in a long time, always gets me into that Christmas-y spririt. It even snowed last night and actually stuck to the ground this time. I love Christmas time--I'm a bit of a sucker for all the warm-fuzziness and cliches that go with it. Call me an idealist, but I think it is important to keep up traditions to make the holidays special. I'm looking forward to going to church Christmas Eve, eating eggs benedict on Christmas morning, visiting friends as much as possible, making every minute of Christmas break count. Perhaps it is because I watch too many holiday movies, but I still think this time of year is when we can catch our breath in the midst of our crazy schedules and appreciate what and who we have in our lives.
Studying for my classes, adjusting to city life, meeting and making friends with some really great people, and exploring as much as I can--I have learned so much this first semester. And while I am going to love being back in Michigan for the next month, and am very much looking forward to all that second semester will bring!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Places and Pictures
This past week was filled with mostly writing and work for end of the semester deadlines (which are now completely finished and turned it!). But I still was able to find some time for picture-taking.
Destination: Royal Opera House
Last Wednesday, I went on the Royal Opera House's Backstage Tour. I used the tour as part of my research for my theatre performance paper, but that was just a convenient perk. The tour was actually extremely interesting and fun. The theatre has actually experienced two devasting fires in its past and had been rebuilt from the ground up both times. The building that exists now is actually the completely updated and refurbished theatre. Before, the work spaces needed were not all on site. Set construction, rehearsing, and storage were all located in completely different parts of England. Part of the latest modernization of the ROH was to make everything consolidated and under one roof. Now they have a bigger stage, a complete stage-sized storage area underneath the stage that can be raised up and down as needed, a stage-sized practice room, complete with floors that have springs in them just like the actualy stage. (Apparently the springs in the floor help absorb some of the shock and weight placed on dancers' feet when they dance and jump and whatnot.). They have a storage unit in Wales still--only for practicality purposes, as they do 300 performances a year and have a lot of props and things like that to archive. When I went, I was able to watch the lead dancer playing Cinderella run through her rehearsal of that song when Cinderella is dancing through her house with the broom and thinking. She was in full costume and incredible to watch up close. She was shorter than I had imagined a ballerina to be, but her posture and stance made her seem a million miles tall. And I still marvel at the concept of point shoes--beautiful, but how does she do it!? Especially when she flickers her feets, shifting her weight back and forth quickly to keep the movement going. Her instructor was there as well, pointing out what to improve--hand gestures, facial expressions, head tilts, etc. It was gorgeous.
Destination: Covent Garden
After the tour, I decided to hang out and wander through the area there--called Covent Garden. The property used to be owned by Westmisnter Abbey and was eventually sold to an Earl (I don't remember which...) and built up into the marketplace it is today by the crown's favorite artist and designer of the time. So it definitely has a more sophisticated atmosphere about it. But more importantly, the second I stepped into the market area, I was transported into all that is Christmas-y! There was music and gift wrapping and decorations and christmas trees, and even a hedge in the shape of Rudolph!! haha. I wandered around, taking pictures and browsing through everything. It definitely got me in the Christmas-y spirit!
Destination: Camden
On Saturday, Callum and I went to Camden. We had gone before, but at night. And my camera doesn't like the dark very much. So this time we went during the day so I could take pictures of Camden Lock. The bridge there is amazing. It seemed like it was older than the whole of the U.S.--and it very well might be. It was made of light and dark grey bricks and had a slight curve as it rounded over the top of the water. I think I stood and looked at the bricks, periodically jumping up an down just to feel them beneath my feet, for a good ten minutes--that how much I loved those bricks. :)
Destination: Library
Though I have no pictures that correspond with this place, it was where I could be found for most of this past week. I liked to stake out one of the few long tables next to a plug in the basement of the Regent's campus library usually...so I could plug in my computer and spread out my stacks of books and papers and drafts and whatnot. I like my space. :) And I was actually quite productive there, moreso than when I work in my room. I've found that that is something opposite of at Alma. My study habits here are different. I find I can't really work well in my own room and need to go to the library to get any real writing done. I get far too distracted in my flat. But in the basement of the library, my cell phone gets no reception. It takes a good 15 or 20 minutes walk to get there, so once I'm there I need to stay there to make my walk worthwhile. And there is less noise (usually) so I can concentrate better. All nice to know for second semester.
Destination: Michigan
My flight leaves this coming Saturday morning. Only 4 more days. And as I have no other work responsibilities, I intend to make my last 4 days fun. This is a good way end the semester. :)
Destination: Facebook
All the pictures I mentioned are posted on facebook.
Destination: Royal Opera House
Last Wednesday, I went on the Royal Opera House's Backstage Tour. I used the tour as part of my research for my theatre performance paper, but that was just a convenient perk. The tour was actually extremely interesting and fun. The theatre has actually experienced two devasting fires in its past and had been rebuilt from the ground up both times. The building that exists now is actually the completely updated and refurbished theatre. Before, the work spaces needed were not all on site. Set construction, rehearsing, and storage were all located in completely different parts of England. Part of the latest modernization of the ROH was to make everything consolidated and under one roof. Now they have a bigger stage, a complete stage-sized storage area underneath the stage that can be raised up and down as needed, a stage-sized practice room, complete with floors that have springs in them just like the actualy stage. (Apparently the springs in the floor help absorb some of the shock and weight placed on dancers' feet when they dance and jump and whatnot.). They have a storage unit in Wales still--only for practicality purposes, as they do 300 performances a year and have a lot of props and things like that to archive. When I went, I was able to watch the lead dancer playing Cinderella run through her rehearsal of that song when Cinderella is dancing through her house with the broom and thinking. She was in full costume and incredible to watch up close. She was shorter than I had imagined a ballerina to be, but her posture and stance made her seem a million miles tall. And I still marvel at the concept of point shoes--beautiful, but how does she do it!? Especially when she flickers her feets, shifting her weight back and forth quickly to keep the movement going. Her instructor was there as well, pointing out what to improve--hand gestures, facial expressions, head tilts, etc. It was gorgeous.
Destination: Covent Garden
After the tour, I decided to hang out and wander through the area there--called Covent Garden. The property used to be owned by Westmisnter Abbey and was eventually sold to an Earl (I don't remember which...) and built up into the marketplace it is today by the crown's favorite artist and designer of the time. So it definitely has a more sophisticated atmosphere about it. But more importantly, the second I stepped into the market area, I was transported into all that is Christmas-y! There was music and gift wrapping and decorations and christmas trees, and even a hedge in the shape of Rudolph!! haha. I wandered around, taking pictures and browsing through everything. It definitely got me in the Christmas-y spirit!
Destination: Camden
On Saturday, Callum and I went to Camden. We had gone before, but at night. And my camera doesn't like the dark very much. So this time we went during the day so I could take pictures of Camden Lock. The bridge there is amazing. It seemed like it was older than the whole of the U.S.--and it very well might be. It was made of light and dark grey bricks and had a slight curve as it rounded over the top of the water. I think I stood and looked at the bricks, periodically jumping up an down just to feel them beneath my feet, for a good ten minutes--that how much I loved those bricks. :)
Destination: Library
Though I have no pictures that correspond with this place, it was where I could be found for most of this past week. I liked to stake out one of the few long tables next to a plug in the basement of the Regent's campus library usually...so I could plug in my computer and spread out my stacks of books and papers and drafts and whatnot. I like my space. :) And I was actually quite productive there, moreso than when I work in my room. I've found that that is something opposite of at Alma. My study habits here are different. I find I can't really work well in my own room and need to go to the library to get any real writing done. I get far too distracted in my flat. But in the basement of the library, my cell phone gets no reception. It takes a good 15 or 20 minutes walk to get there, so once I'm there I need to stay there to make my walk worthwhile. And there is less noise (usually) so I can concentrate better. All nice to know for second semester.
Destination: Michigan
My flight leaves this coming Saturday morning. Only 4 more days. And as I have no other work responsibilities, I intend to make my last 4 days fun. This is a good way end the semester. :)
Destination: Facebook
All the pictures I mentioned are posted on facebook.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)