By Pigeon Post

I’ve been pretty stressed here lately due to my inspiration block but I have FINALLY broken through. I designed a strange cloak and dress combination that makes use of a ton of pigeon feathers and antique mail. I will post pictures when it is finished. In other news, I met some people and went out to the clubs for the first time without my roommate buffer. It was great up until my coat was mysteriously eaten by the coat check room. Ah-well, it was time for me to get a new one anyhow. I have finally found a decent and inexpensive fabric store. This is wonderful news because I was beginning to get nervous about the ridiculous cost of fabric here. (Check it out: 1 meter (approx. a yard) of muslin, the cheapest lamest fabric around was 3 pounds 50. THAT’S OVER SEVEN DOLLARS! At home you can get it for under a buck). I also saw the most beautiful cake ever (however not the most delicious). I can tell I am getting better at being here because I can maneuver through London’s crowded streets without feeling like a pinball with elbows.

Living with Design Students.

There has been a flurry of activity here as of late. After a trying battle with lack of inspiration, I have been trudging away at my design work for my women’s wear class. I attribute my non-inspiration to lack of Jake and bathtubs; my stress relievers. This weekend is absolutely full of museum and library visits for research. On the other side of things, I am having a great time with my fashion sketching class! I have always had trouble with fashion sketching in the past. It is a good feeling to finally be confident in my ability. In other news, We have been misinformed about our living area. We've been told Bloomsbury is a very safe and upscale area. However, in the three weeks I have been here there has been three mugging, one kid jumped, a rape and a slew of harrassments ON MY STREET. Oh, btw, mace and pepper spray are illegal. I am glad I don't have any night classes. Hey, one other thing illegal in this country--rubber cement, my one favorite art medium.

Everyday is Opposite day.

At the crosswalks here, there is a little box with a button. When you push the button the word “WAIT” appears. It is some kind of game for the English.

Common scenario: Brit comes up to a crosswalk. Pushes the button. WAIT appears. Then he runs across the street dodging the double-decker busses. Some five minutes later the traffic light changes and WAIT disappears. The pushing of the button really expedites nothing. The light change is in no way affected by that little button. It is some kind of weird placebo. I constantly see London natives pushing the button. But never have I seen one actually wait there. In fact, many rush out of their way to push the button and then run across the street in front of oncoming traffic. Oh, London... You so crazy.

(Title)

Brad and Matt (who's not really angry)

Friday I visited the ATM and took out my weekly allowance. Kacie and I then hit the streets. The post office, STA travel, Borders to buy magazines, clothing and shoes shopping (but I promised myself I would not get anything and I didn't). I bought a bottle of hairspray and a weekly tube pass, then we went home. Later than night (around 11pm) I get a message on the answering machine from Brad and his friend, Matt. They told me they were in town and would call again when they reached a hostel. Later they called. They were lost in London. So I directed them to my house and about an hour later they were here. We hung out until 4AM or so, then I found them a hostel.

Saturday, my roommate and I decided we needed to buy a printer. We went out on the prowl, going out of business sales, refurbishers and a computer bazaar. We bought one for like 40 pounds. We also bought some colorful papers for our sketchbooks. We then ran back because we were meeting Brad and Matt for lunch at 2pm. We booked it and were home by 2:05. They came over a little later and we went to lunch at a restaurant called Giraffe. The waitress was the best part. She was so frazzled. Three hours later, after appetizers, brunch, and dessert, we split up so Kacie and I could do some research and the boys could sight see. Unfortunately,
The museums were closed and the subway was more packed than I have ever seen. Kacie and I headed home and set up the printer until step 5 "plug in USB cable". USB cable? I didn't see a USB cable.. (then noticing the tiniest little red asterisk right next to step 5... "May (may?) not be included in your printer." AHHHHHH WE NEED TO PRINT RIGHT NOW!!! So Kacie and I run to the nearby electrical store and he is closed. I see the clerk in the window; I put up my hands in prayer and whisper please desperately to him and he graciously opens the door. Then sells us a USB cable for 20 POUNDS! TWENTY POUNDS!?! You must be joking. But what are we going to do. I begged the guy to open his store 20 minutes after close. I can't bargain him down; he will throw me out. So we submitted and bought it. Well, at least we can print, right? Then I tried to plug in my mouse I had bought and it had the wrong plug… grrrr.

The boys came back and I went with them to the Generator Bar (their hostel has its own bar/club). Pints were only a pound. We hung out and drank for a long time and I lost track of my beers. I felt fine in the bar. We were having a great time. Then we left the bar and I thought I had been hit by a double-decker bus. Oh it was bad. I visited the ladies room and then some time later we all ended up in a men’s room stall; Me, Brad, Matt and a cleaning lady. I heard it was crazy. They gave me a blanket and I slept on the floor of the hostel (yes, I squatted in a hostel... sooolame). It was a rough sleep for me but they said it was fun and I have agree. They walked me home and I slept all day. My weekly allowance… spent in two days. It was really nice to see some people from home. I am glad I also got to hang out with Brad before he leaves for Africa.

Outside My Flat

This is my front door, views down both sides of the street and my garden.

My Flat

This is a little bit of my place.

I keep calling trousers "pants" in public.

Portobello Road, Portobello Road. Street where the riches of ages are sold. Everything and anything a chap can unload is sold off the barrows at Portobello Road. It’s true you can find any oddity you like there. Mostly it was socks, antiques, and jewelry, clothing. There were delicious open fruit markets and a fantastic spice shop, also. Other weekend activities include one failed museum trip, many attempts and eventual one successful trip to the library. Finally we got some research time. I am starting to get nervous about my women’s wear assignment. Fear of the unknown I suppose. I have so much time on my hands here that I find watch a lot more TV and am endlessly hungry. I’m sure things will change as I become busier with schoolwork. Businesses close very early here in comparison to the states; 8:00pm for most and even earlier than that on Saturdays. Pubs close at 11pm. Clubs are open later but I couldn’t dance my way out of a cardboard box let alone ten minutes in a club. Culture “shocks”: Policemen walk around with notebooks, occasionally taking notes and then walking off. Pedestrians do NOT have the right of way (and drivers know it). You need a license to watch TV or face a £1,000 fine. All sinks have separate faucets for hot and cold. "Trousers" are pants and "pants" are underwear.

London... At last

London, London, London.

Well, I arrived Thursday morning after a reasonable 6.5 hr flight from Chicago. I did get a little sleep and fortunately missed the woman in front of me vomiting all over her row-mates. I took the tube into central London and walked for the first time in the hustle and bustle of London’s main street. The first thing I noticed about England was the wonderful smell. The country air here smells like heaven (this is in the countryside before the tube reached the down town underground). I made it to my hotel after some struggle with my luggage vs. ancient English sidewalks. The hotel was perfect. It was very old and had stained glass in the rooms. My bathroom was the same size as my sleeping room which was spacious. I checked into my Flat the next morning which was only a two or three minute walk from the hotel. My flat is amazing. It was built before America was a country. There are 14ft. ceilings and floor to ceiling windows with balconies. I share my room and a bathroom with my friend from WMU, Kacie. I have three other roommates from Philadelphia who study interior design. I live right beneath Russel Square and another park. There is also a garden in my backyard. The British Museum is my next door neighbor. I have been doing a lot of walking and think London is the most beautiful city I have ever been too. The buildings are so romantic and stylish. The people are all nicely dressed and polite but also frank about how they feel about what you are saying or doing. As I am walking down the street and I overhear conversation and think they are faking their accents. It’s all I can do not to swing around and laugh in their faces. The food in the grocery is all fresh and delicious. The tube is so efficient but terribly expensive (8$ per round trip!). I have been to both of my classes; they are everything I hoped they would be. Women’s wear class requires a lot of research but I am able to totally design and develop my own collection around a theme picked by the instructor (This semester is Travel). Fashion sketching class is structured like a studio art class with live models and experimentation with all kinds of medias. So I am very excited about my experience here. I hope it will be all I am expecting it to be. If ya’ll want to send me anything my mailing address is 110 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 4RY, UK.

Hello 2005, welcome to my life.

The new year snuck up on me. I failed to even realize yesterday was the day of the party until the day was half spent. My impending journey is steadfastly approaching and constantly on my mind. I am so so excited but I also apprehensive. I don't quite know what to expect; I feel ready and all at the same time totally not ready. But I have gotten ahead of myself. New Years Eve Freez-o-ween was pretty alright. I had a good time. There were lots of worthwhile costumes. Some of my personal favorites- Bay as a NASA space shuttle, Dave as a (ahem... Flamboyant) Cop, Jordan as a Street-side prophet, Lauren as a Polaroid, Josh Dahl as God Himself, and Kim as a uterus (this is a little bias because I did make her costume although the idea was wonderfully kim's and it was a nice compliment to the three penis costumes who also attended). I was the famed Jackalope. I was pleasantly inebriated, had some good conversation and some good sleep afterwards. It was really nice to have that kind of social affair so closely to my leaving. I hope to see many of my friends again at my going away party. Its a Bilbos, Tuesday, January 4 at 8-ish.