It has been such a busy month! But what am I talking about? October is long gone, and we are already well into November. Will someone please tell me when this happened. I can hardly believe my eyes when I look at the calendar and realize that in a little over a month I will be hopping on a plane and heading back to Canada.

        I have been a little less then dedicated to this blog recently for many reasons, very few of them actually being school (just kidding mom and dad, I’m working extremely hard). October was a whirlwind of a month involving a Harry Potter Convention at the start of the month, Simon Amstell and his hilarious and sad stand-up, Franz Ferdinand in Leeds, a trip to Brighton, and a Halloween party in Devon at the end, and yes, several theatre presentations and an essay (see?). Looking back it is actually amazing how much I managed to fit into one month. No wonder once November hit I felt like lying down permanently.

        Simon Amstell is still pretty much my hero. I was so excited when I realized that he was actually going to be performing in York while I was here. So, while I was extremely sad that he decided to leave Never Mind the Buzzcocks in the hands of guest hosts, I can forgive him because he is hilarious and makes me cry with laughter. His show, “Do Nothing” was only about an hour long, which was way too short for my liking. He talked about all of the awkward things he’s ever done, relationships, being a little bit famous and why having two sinks when you live alone is depressing. It was a very different kind of humour to that of Never Mind the Buzzcocks, but I would definitely go see it again and again. Believe me, my fingers are crossed in hopes that he puts out a DVD. What are the chances that it would be available in Canada???

        After Simon Amstell was Franz Ferdinand. I had no idea what to expect when going to Leeds for the first time. In fact it kind of reminded me of Regina, and I got a little sentimental, and then unfortunately lost. I was quite sure that Google maps was my friend, but clearly we are enemies, since it decided to send me in the opposite direction from the Academy down a creepy rainy side street. Needless to say I figured out quite quickly where I was not and found my way after consulting several bus maps (they are a lifesaver). The 02 Academy was a lovely looking converted church decked out with lights and balconies. Luckily It wasn’t a long wait for the show to start and the opening act “Go Music Go” was actually really good. The lead singer looked a bit like a dancing skeleton though. I was afraid she was going to perish in front of us. They sounded kind of like a cross between Muse and Olivia Newton John if you can imagine that, and I laughed because at one point they sang Zanadu. So random.

        Franz Ferdinand was on pretty much right after that and I was so happy because they opened with Michael which I was so convinced that they wouldn’t play. The crowd was so great and I was right up near the front of the stage. If only I was a littttle bit taller. They played all of my favourite songs, and at one point had a four man drum solo going. They ended the show with a 12 minute remix of Lucid Dreams and I nearly got killed when it ended because the drummer threw his sticking into the crowd and everyone went mental. I felt bad for the guy who did get one because another jerk actually forced it out of his hand. Too far dude, thats just rude!!! I was sad to be done, but so glad I got a chance to see them live. After that it was another quick jaunt home on the train, and time to get ready for the next busy week.

         This post is already far too long, so I will leave my stories of my weekend in Devon for later, but trust me I will get them up eventually. Until then take care and have a great mid November!!

<3 Kate

        This weekend I went down to Brighton for a weekend at the seaside.  It was kind of a last minute decision, as none of us really bothered to plan anything till about…the night before, so where as origionally we were going to go to Snowdonia (tell me you don’t love that name) we had to opt for a beach on the other side of the country.  Snodownia was all booked up (honestly..and everything was reeeeallly expensive anyway.) But still Snowdonia would have been cool. 

        So Brighton it was.  I wanted to go there at some point anyway, since a) my favorite author Robert Rankin had a book set there, and b) I really wanted to see Brighton Pier.  So the decision made sense.  Me and two lovely Americans booked hotel rooms asap and that was that. 

        Getting there however was a different matter.  Due to the olympics happening in London soon, EVERYTHING is under construction.  No matter how we tried to change the details on our train travel, the terrible red “!!!!” appeared on the details warning us to plan extra time due to scheduals being messed about becasue the city is in chaos.  Oh dear.  So our only option was to suck it up and deal with an incredibly long day of travel.  The train from York to London as usually was a piece of cake, and since it was so early there  was really no one else aboard.  Sadly once we hit London it was chaos.  Just early enough on a Saturday morning that the WHOLE WORLD was about and about taking the underground.  With almost every station under partial closure except Bakerloo, we had no choice but to preform an intricate ballet of station changes, while trying not to leave any of our bags behind.  My favorite part of the whole underground trip was the video they had warning people not to run on the escalator.  It was and endless loop of a yellow stick figure, running like an idiot and then flying down the 2d escalator with his briefcase hitting him at the bottom.  I swear…It probably wasnt as funny as it seemed at that moment…but it was wondeful. 

        Once we had finally made it to Brighton, it was a day just spent lounging on the beach.  We had surprisingly reaally good weather for a day in England, in the middle of October, and it was the right amount of busy.  We checked out Brighton Pier which was wayy to expensive to warrent going in and riding the merry go round, or going in and then paying for a deck chair, so I was content with taking pictures and trying not to be attacked by the multitude of pigeons.  Supper was more Pizza Express (which I now have a really terrible addiction too…that is one thing I will miss when I come home D:…)  and then we decided to go see “Zombieland”. 

        I personally thought it was hilarious, and was exactly what I needed.  Sadly as Sarah, and mom and dad already know…I was’t so scared of the movie itself as one of the trailers.  Gah.  Aliens just get me everytime, especially when it says “Based on a true story” I wanted to yell “you told me this was 14A!!!! Im too young to see alien abductions.” sadly I felt that it would probably be more embarrasing that just shutting my eyes so I just covered my ears and waited till it was over.  One movie I will NOT be going to see is “The Fourth Kind” .  So not cool movie trailer…so not cool. 

        So the weekend was a major success and I even managed to get a decent amount of sleep (mom and dad would be so proud).  After another long journey back to York it was back to normal and time to get ready for another week of classes.   This week : Simon Amstell and Franz Ferdinand.  It promises to be very epic. 

Till next time!

Kate

           It has been a downright busy week here in York.  I am almost fully back in “school” mode again and projects and homework are well underway for the semester. 

           I am currently knees deep in analyzing Dracula for my film class, and I am still very glad that I took IB English (I wish I knew at the time how helpful it is now).  I still can’t spell to save my life, but I am really good at analyzing themes and motifs.  We start our look at Turning of the Screw next week, so that is another story to add to my list of things I need to read this weekend.  Theater on the other hand, I am not so good at.  The stress of having to find a creative way of showing what I talked about at lunch with the other people from my class is not in the slightest enjoyable.  The theory part of the class is great, but when it comes to impromtu theater, I am just not very good.  My art class is also rather stressful, as it is completely based on concept and ideas rather then the technical aspect, its a little bit tricky.  Our first assignment is to spend 24 hours in the school gallery called the “White Cube” and come up with something artistic, and completely individual.   Our teacher said it could be a sound.  It could be a video of your 24 hours in the cube or it could be a sculpture.  Bascically anything at all that we can think of, it can be.  So that is definitely going to take a decent amount of thought.  Luckily my time in the “White Cube” isnt until the end of November. 

         For the other part of this post I thought I would take the time to mention some of the things that I have noticed are different here, and in Canada.  I can never remember off the top of my head when people ask me so I thought I would compile some of the interesting ones here.

        For one there are a bunch of different flavours of chips (crisps).  I just tried Worcester sauce ones today, and they are actually really good.  I’ve also seen Prawn Cocktail, Cheeseball Explosion(hah) , and cheese and onion (which are delicious).   those are some of my favorites that I have seen, but there are so many more which I might have to try before I leave.

          Movies are also something that I have noticed are a bit different from here and in Canada.  Not the movies themselves, but the titles. I thought this was rather funny since in Canada, The States, and the UK for the most part they are English speaking, but the titles on some of the movies are different.  Rob knows one of my favorite movies is “Green Street Hooligans”, but over here it is just “The Hooligans”.  The movie “The Boat That Rocked” is called “Pirate Radio” in the States.  The movie “Fever Pitch” over here is called “The Perfect Catch”.  I noticed it most on movies with puns, or something similar in the title so I’m assuming its mostly done if a phrase or pun is not common over here, like it is in Canada or America or vice versa. 

         One really big difference between here and Canada is the fashion.   In Top Shop there is a section for mens jewlery.  I laughed so hard when I saw that, but then I wanted to know if guys acutally wore it.  I did some asking around, and yup.  Apparently man jewlery is a big thing here (who knew).  Girls on the other hand are all about the shoes, and the hair.  The shoes that I see alot of girls wearing even just to go to class in are higher than I would ever wear even for a night out, let alone class.  When it does come to going out at night they are twice as high.  I can’t really say much on this because I am very much a comfort as apposed to fashion type of girl, hence my dirty converse and circas (sorry mom, I have’t thrown them out yet, but If I wanted to find a decent pair of heels to wear, I would be hard pressed to find a pair that I wouldnt feel totally uncomfortable wearing here.  Hair, much along the same trend as shoes seems to be the higher the better, and accessories are a must.  Giant flowers, bows, and all manor of gold things can be seen and the hair has been teased to a hight that would make Amy Whinehouse proud.  All in all, I am rather overwhelmed by the British girls and their attire. 

         Well, It is again getting late, and I have a few more chapters of Dracula to read before I shut off my light so I must say goodbye for now…but to everyone in Canada, have a great Thanksgiving, enjoy your Turkey and have a lovely holiday weekend!

Cheers,

Kate

I had a feeling I would not be very good at keeping all of you guys up to date via my lovely website, but I have tried.  Sadly, since I have not posted in so long, many of you probably think I am either still in Gloucester or I have died.  Never fear, I have moved on from Gloucester, and aside from the Freshers Flu that I have contracted that won’t go away, I am quite well. 

I have been so insanely busy since I last posted that I will only skim over the surface of what I have been up too, and then hopefully fill you in on a few stories that are on the top of my list. 

After all of the traveling around the countryside, it was back to London for a last hurrah.  Kyle, Andrea and I hit up the major sites.  The London Eye, The Tate, Shakespeares Globe, St. Pauls …and of course every site ever mentioned in any one of the Harry Potter books.  Its a terrible addiction it really it.  I had pretty much a completely amazing time and was so sad to see Kyle and Andrea go. 

It was then that I took my life into my own hands and took a train up to Edinburgh by myself for the first time.  I was so giddy when I got there, that I tipped the taxi driver that took my to my hotel about three times as much as I should have.  When I got there I pretty much fell in love with Edinburgh.  I think Scotland is beautiful, and I really want to go back already.  I managed to meet up with my contiki group no problem, and spent six days on a bus traveling around Scotland, listening to “Tonights gonna be a Good Night” on repeat (not by choice) and having a ball.  I met some really great people (lots of Australians) and even willingly tried the Haggis, which I love.  We got to go on a tour of Glen Livit (sp?) I hiked up a dormant volcano, and of course got listen to the bagpipes.  What wouldtrip to Scotland be without some bagpipes.  With both sadness and giddyness, it was time again to leave one group of friends, and move on to something new and exciting.  After taking a train back from Glasgow to Edinburgh, and then to London, I met my parents who I was exstatic to see. 

It is really way past a decent hour for sleep now, so I am going to say goodnight, but I promise that now that I am acutally situated in one place I will be posting at least a little bit more regularly from now on. 

Also, if you check out the Gallery, I have some pictures in there now thanks to Dans techno wizardry of which I do not understand.  Thanks dan!!!!

Night everyone and talk to you soon!

Today we woke up early and ate breakfast in our little hotel, and then headed off to see the Gloucester Cloisters.   If you didnt know, scenes from the second Harry Potter movie were filmed here ( I’m sorry, I had too)  I took so many pictures.  Also one of the tour guides working at the museum aparently thought we looked trustworthy and offered to take us on a private tour of the crypts in the Cloisters…(perhaps we should have been afraid…) I believe that he said they had been built about 1000 years ago.  It was very exciting.  We got to see all of the Roman and Saxon architecture and walk far below the Cloisters where they used to store bodies.  It was eerie but I loved every minute of it. 

After that it was just another quick jaunt down the street to get to the tiny Beatrix Potter house.  It was adorable.  Apparently it was the house in which lived the tailor who inspired the story “The Tailor of Gloucester”.  Although what was supposed to be a cute story was ruined by a “fun fact” that they had posted near the displays.  Apparently said “jolly tailor” was actually left penniless and alone when his wife left him.  Sadness.  I just chose to ignore that little fact they provided. 

Anyway, after a morning jaunt, we took a walk through the center of the city, and guess what, we spotted our first Top Shop.  I wished so badly that Kristen had been there.  She could have helped me decide what of the many amazing things to buy, and convince me that I really did need a military jacket and flouncy skirt (oh Kristen)

To say the least, Gloucester was adorable,and I loved it.  After all of that though, it was off to Pumpkin Cafe for a tomato sandwich (yum) and onto our train to Birmingham to connect to Stratford- Upon- Avon.  None of us could wait to get into our next B & B since we had the place for two nights and that meant a little less hauling our luggage around.  Till next time though, I need sleep.

ps. I love how many sheep there are here

pps. First really rainy English day today

ppps. I should go to Bath, It looks like an amazing place