Guy Fawkes Night

I took some shots of the annual fireworks celebration for 

GUY FAWKES NIGHT 

& here they are:

xx, kristin

UPDATE: For those unaware on the other side of the pond, as requested by Aunt Sandy, here is a link to tell you what Guy Fawkes night is all about: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_fawkes


You may have also seen V for Vendetta which is loosely based on his story. 

My week was AWESOME

A quick shot with my Android of the Thames river,
a few boats, Big Ben and the London Eye. 

I began this reading week comparing it the last one I experienced in London. That reading week I travled to Norway and Wales. A piece of me was thinking about that time with a bit of longing, as I had no plans for travel. I figured that I could do a few day trips, but with the beginning of NaNoWriMo - a self-assigned project where you try to write a 50,000 word novel in one month - and all my assignments for school, the thought of leaving London became more unlikely. However, with an incredible and unexpected twist of events it turned out that leaving London would have been a mistake.

NOTE: This is poorly edited on account of time, excitement and exhaustion from the following week.

November 1st:
It was a successful first day with NaNoWriMo. I have an easy goal of 2,000 words a day, and the first day I finished the lot in under two hours. To celebrate my friend and I decided that the most important thing to do was to go see...

Backbeat - The Beatles the Musical!

IT.
WAS.
INCREDIBLE.

I laughed, I cried. It gave me a new idea of what it was like to live during the rise of The Beatles and I have to say, I really wish I was around for that. They played their music and told the story of the fifth Beatle, Stewart. I was so emotionally involved in this musical that when it ended I almost wanted to cry for not being able to listen to anymore of their music. They ended the musical by having a full blown Beatles concert playing four of five of their songs!!! I felt like a screaming fan girl as they asked the audience to get up and dance with them! The whole theater was jiving to the beat, and laughing. It was a blast!

BUT, it gets better!

The whole time we were watching, there was one actor on stage that I knew I had seen before. For a moment I considered that maybe he lived in London and I had walked past him on the street - he was attractive enough for me to remember if that was the case. However, I could not place him no matter how hard I thought about it, so I gave up to just enjoy the moment. When I got home however, I went right onto the internet and looked the boy up. My heart nearly broke as I looked at his name.

It was Andrew Knott.

The Secret Garden, 1993

Picture fromBackbeat website.

Andrew Knott, as in: Dicken from The Secret Garden, and little Joey from The Black Beauty. More importantly - My very first crush... EVER. Later he was in the History Boys, and that time I had no trouble recognizing him. The fact that I spent two hours in the same room as him, watching him preform live and did not recognize him - well, it nearly broke my heart.

So, you can imagine I will be going to see Backbeat again.


November 2nd: 
It was much less successful than the day before with my NaNoWriMo goals, I was 500 words short and for good reason.

I did NOT take this picture,
small credit to google images.

I went for a nice long walk in Richmond park with Philippa and Saxon, the temporary household dog. She drove us deep into the park to a place I have never been before, and as we began to stroll she causally mentioned that the London School of Ballet was the great building I could see in the distance.

The London School of Ballet.

As in where all the greats go for training, as in where part of Billy Elliot was filmed. It was another one of those classic movies in my life, and between this and the whole Andrew Knott surprise thing, my week was already emotionally draining.

That building is magnificent. I did not take any pictures, as I had not expected to need my camera while walking the dog, but I do intend to go back and get some incredible pictures to share. There is a path leading up too the front of the building with great trees and birds. I felt like I was in one of those old classic english movies.

I then had a LONG and fun lunch with one of my classmates at Jamie Oliver's restaurant in Kingston. It was delicious and also... Jamie Oliver - enough said.

Then I did a Pub Quiz with the Adam's family and crew. WE CAME IN FIFTH - also, really exciting!


November 3rd: 
So, I was sitting at computer, slowly waking up and trying to figure out what I was required to do today when I saw this:

Kingston University class of 2012The olympic torch will be on campus TODAY! Come down to have your picture taken with it from 12noon.

And I was like - UM WHAT?! So, as it was nearly 11am I hurried my butt down to campus and got this:

They had four different backgrounds... haha!

I am almost certain this one is my favorite.

I was then required to head into central London to meet up with some Publishing people and see some really old books at the British Library. But on the way, something really incredible happened...


I SAW THE QUEEN!

I snapped this picture after I
regained my ability to move.
 That was her caravan,
but not her car. 

As in, Her Majesty the Queen! How many people jokingly said, "Say hey to the Queen for me," as I got ready to fly over. I laughed, thinking, no one ever sees the Queen. But as we were walking in front of King's Cross station (yes, the one in Harry Potter!) all the traffic was stopped in such a weird fashion. A police man came through on his motorbike, directing traffic to pause - ignoring the traffic lights. After a few more motorbikes came through, two cars passed by. I had stopped, asking "Are we going to see a parade?" (Which I think not one of my friends heard me say) But as I finished the sentence and looked in the window of the car, I saw her. She was just sitting there, like a normal person - THE QUEEN. By god, I have seen the Queen of England - in real life and unplanned. 

Evidence that I went
to the British Library.

Now onto the Library, which for a book person is just as exciting as seeing the Queen. There were books dating to the 4th and 5th century, my jaw nearly dropped. Jane Austen, Bronte, old song workings from The Beatles, the Magna Carta and the list goes on. We were not permitted to take pictures of the books, but seeing old pages from well recognized text in person was humbling. It came with this surprising result of stealing my intimidation from the old greats as I look at their scribbles in ancient notebooks. My own handwriting was simliar to many of theirs, completely illegible and quick. I was inspired to grab a notebook and just write and write - though I may have to wait till after NaNoWriMo to play with that idea.


After the British Library Exhibit, we headed to a pub not so very far away to something called 'BookMachine.' It is a social where people in the publishing world can meet up and make connections. I talked to a few very exciting people, mostly from Random House and got to spend more time with the people from my course which is always fun.


The night was finished by playing Kings in New Malden, like the good Uni kids we are.

November 4th: 
Now is the day before November the 5th.

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November. 

Gunpowder, Treason and Plot.

All I want to do is have a night in and settle down from my week. Figure out how to send money home, fill out applications for a Railcard for the trains, a student Oyster card (which is cheaper), and work on NaNoWriMo and my other heaping pile of ever growing assignments. I would even perhaps like to paint my nails and relax with a movie for just one night, but no. The fireworks are starting and because I have to be involved with everything all the time, even after my amazing week, I am heading out again for fireworks at 8pm.



xx, Kristin

Show and Tell

This is the view outside of my window: 

This is a spider inside my house:

This is me and some friends at a bowling alley:

This is me, and a friend, and a stranger, on the train:

This is my attempt to balance school work and socializing:

T H E  E N D. 

xx, Kristin

Adjusting: Part 2

It is 7am London time.

It is 2am in my brain.

I have been waking up every 15 or so minutes since 5am.

Midnight - in my brain.

The weight of everything is pushing me into a little ball of exhaustion and sickness. My throat is burning, my nose is hot and I am unable to fall into that deep, restoring sleep. While the reasons for its onslaught are many - change in climate, jetlag, running around / being run down, the city setting, the unconsidered and sudden change in diet - I cannot help but think it might have something to do with overwhelming stress.

Approximately 40 minutes ago, I gave up trying to sleep. I told myself that later in this day, between meetings and life I would find a spare moment to find the sleep I missed. Shortly after this, I found myself in the den, chowing down on a bag of crisps. I have never been a stress eater, but after the third small bag I considered it as a realistic option.

Earlier - or more correctly - Yesterday, I posted everything I was trying to accomplish in the next week. From the leisurely 10/11am - 5/6pm work week, I went right into the real world and, without armor. Now with classes looming one week form this Monday, my entier body is caving under the stress.

Though, presently as I sit in this quiet and dark home it seems that I am alone on the stress-caving emotion.

In the next week I need to find a place to live. I need too. I need it to settle down. To unpack. To feel like I have finally found a good resting point fo the end of the means. To begin my course on the right foot, with a private place to work. My own space. All my current work seems impossible to complete till I find this place. All playtime desires are shadowed by the lack of it's existence. I just want to read, write and illustrate - also, sleep.

Even in my weakest moments of stress eating - the salt of those crisps still on my lips - I cannot forget that I am lucky to have the Adam's family who not only took us in, but also continue to offer advice  on what we are looking for. I am lucky to have made it to this point, starting the next year of my life as a student in London. I do understand that there are many who wish for the same experience, and have not yet found the way to make it happen.

Watching the sun's light brighten the buildings across the street, I sat alone in the den and restored calm. A moment to just think, and breath. A silent corner to reflect on this moment, while the sky turned from navy to a pale blue.

I am lucky.

I am overwhelmed.

And that is just fine for now. 

xx, Kristin