Cruithne!

York isn’t as cold as I thought it was.

Case in point: I walked to the vending machines in just a sweater yesterday. I desperately needed a packet of crisps, and I didn’t want to put on my jacket. I wasn’t freezing! It was exciting.

I am finally meeting people in my block! They keep popping by my room to introduce themselves, which is awesome because I’m not going to do it. One girl finally showed me where the kitchen is and how to use my dining card, which was the best thing ever. Apparently everyone comes to find me since they “haven’t seen anyone new in the kitchen.” I guess the kitchen is where everyone hangs out. Alright, I can handle that, though I need to get some snack foods so I have an excuse to just sit there in the kitchen and eat crisps or something.

On the annoying side of things, I think I’m the oldest person here. I am turning 21 this year — some of these people aren’t even 20 yet. They’re all freshmen, for the most part! Luckily the ones I’ve met seem rather studious, which is fine by me. The last thing I want is a bazillion freshers running about the place distracting me when I have 400 pages of reading to do before my seminar.

Speaking of which, I ran into some trouble because I’m not signed up for enough units in Summer Term. I had a conversation with my supervisor about it, and we’re going to try to wedge me into some random English class. Signs point to me taking “Milton and Radical England.” Perhaps not my first choice of class, but it fits in nicely with my already-chosen “Elizabethan Love Poetry.” And both of those, interestingly enough, fit in with the “Early Renaissance Literature” class I’m taking this term.

I’m going to know so much about the Elizabethan Era by the time I get home, it’ll be ridiculous. I will know all the Elizabethan literary trivias! Also, Shakespeare.

I love Shakespeare. Nothing is more awesome than Shakespeare. The best thing is, we’re reading a couple of plays in my Early Renaissance class, and they are mostly plays I have never read. I’m pretty sure we’re reading Measure for Measure, Hamlet, Henry IV, Henry V and A Winter’s Tale. I have only read one of those plays! This is very exciting! I have also never read a history before! I wish I brought my massive Shakespeare anthology, because then I wouldn’t have to buy copies of all the plays. But oh well. I’ll just give them to someone.

As if I have any friends who are as geeky about Shakespeare as I am.

Anyway, back to the topic of meeting people. I went to a pub with Erasmus, which supposed to be the group of random Europeans studying in England. I met a girl from France, for example, and there are some Italian and Swiss English majors. But somehow I ended up hanging out with a huge group of people from Minnesota. They were quite nice, and they didn’t have Midwestern (or Canadian) accents at all! It was quite odd.

I was told by some random guy that I sound English when I’ve been drinking. I don’t even understand that at all, and it isn’t intentional. It isn’t really the first time I’ve heard something to that effect — some people tell me that I say certain things with a strange, quasi-Irish accent, even when I’m sober. I believe it’s the result of having an Irish father, and I think it’s the best thing ever. Nobody is going to make fun of me for having an American drawl!

Also, I’m more likely to say random phrases in Russian when I’ve been drinking. Something like «Привет, меня зобут Аня.»  But that’s always been true.

I have yet to meet someone who is impressed by English plumbing. All of the showers flood, none of the toilets flush very well, and the two-spigot sinks are very perplexing. At least the hot water works, even if it hits “scalding” faster than it really has any right to. I am growing very accustomed to having a sink in my bedroom, and I think it’s the best thing ever. I can brush my teeth and wash my face in the privacy of my own bedroom! Except for the stupid spigots, which insist on being lava-hot and ice-cold.

I’ve been watching a lot of QI, since it’s a British TV show hosted by Stephan Fry. It is the best show ever, and it is teaching me things. Unfortunately, I don’t remember what a lot of those things are. The premise of the show is that Stephan Fry, who knows everything (seriously) asks impossible and/or trick questions, and whoever gets them right gets points. However, wit and interesting but only partially related facts are also awarded, and boring answers are penalized. It goes pretty far in dismissing urban legends and “common misconceptions.” For example, the Moon is not Earth’s only moon. There are several more, such as Cruithne. And while Wikipedia describes Cruithne as quasi-satellite, not a moon, I am inclined to believe Stephen Fry because he knows everything.

The entire show makes me want to give poor Alan Davies a hug. He is hilariously adorable and a bit inept, like an overgrown puppy.

Now for blog-related business. See, I rarely want to bring up blog business in my posts, because nobody wants to read about that. But there is something important I need to bring up.

I don’t have a regular posting schedule yet, even though I think I should have one. I’ll try to post at least once a week, more if I can swing it. I’m going to be very, very busy for the next six months, since my course load is very intensive. Yes, an intensive English course load. It does exist. So don’t expect anything like the sheer number of posts I had a t the beginning of the month. It just won’t happen. I’ll post when I can, more or less. I promise.