Fun Day!!
This entry will be pretty long. Today I did a lot, most of which didn’t have anything to do with studying; however, I did read some. I woke up this morning and did my usual routine. Then I looked through some Oxford brochures and at my requirements for “cultural and religious experiences” for G-town. I was trying to plan out what all I will do while I am here and make sure I fit it into my 5 categories of religious life, visual arts, drama, music, and historic sites and places near Oxford. I’ve been going to the Catholic church here in Oxford and I’m going to try to make it to at least one evensong too so I’ve got the religious life requirement covered. But I was trying to figure out how to do the other stuff very cheaply.
There is a museum and a modern art gallery that are free so I am going to go to those probably for visual arts. And for drama, I am really excited. I am going to the New Theatre in Oxford, which isn’t one of the listed theatres for the drama requirement, but I think it will count. I am going to see “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” on this Wednesday at a matinee and then November 10 I am going to a matinee of “Sleeping Beauty” the ballet by the English ballet company. I am really excited about that. And I got both of them for a total of 14.50 pounds. For music, I am going to go to a “Coffee Concert” which is every Sunday so I am going on October 30 because one of the instruments is a piano, and hopefully I’ll be able to get tea instead of coffee because you get free coffee with your ticket. Then for the historic sites, I went to the Botanic Gardens today and I am going to go to Blenheim Palace in November for this thing called “Living Crafts” and they sell Christmas crafts and stuff and I’ll see the palace all decorated for Christmas. I also hope to go to Bath. So that was exciting to plan out.
I ate a lunch of green beans and peanut butter crackers. While I was making my green beans, Matt came in and talked to me. He’s the one in the house doing econ. He said he’s doing pre-doctoral stuff. Crazy. But he asked me how things were going and said to keep letting him know. So I’m sure if I have questions I can ask him. He seems really nice. Then I talked to my mom and headed out to the Botanic Gardens. I got down the road and realized I didn’t have either of my cameras, which was not good, so I went back to Stanley Rd and felt like a dork because I had just seen the guys there. But then I tried this door on the side of the house that is on the same level as my room and the same side of the house as my room. When I moved in, they said my key didn’t work in it. Turns out it does. So I’ve been going in the opposite side of the house, down stairs, across the bottom, up stairs, and to my room. Which now I don’t have to, but I felt like a dork again for it taking me that long to even try it.
Anyway, I got my cameras and headed out. When I got to the gardens, I thought I would get a season pass so I could go in all the time, even though it closed soon. It was 5 pounds and a day pass was 2.60 pounds, so not a big difference. The girl said that I probably shouldn’t because it is free in November, which I thought it closed for the winter season. Turns out not. So I said I’d have a day pass. Then she asked me if I was a student and I showed her my Bod card and she said students get in free, so yay, I can go any time I want without the season pass, though I sort of felt like an idiot after we had gone through every pricing possibility and it was all free the whole time. I walked around and it was beautiful. I set up my camera a few times so I could try to take pictures of myself with the timer and remote and stuff. And I took video and pictures of all the flowers and trees.
The day was beautiful so when I had walked around, I decided to stay in there and read some, so I read my econ until around 4:45 or so. Then I headed to Regent’s to see if I could sign up for Monday’s meals. The sheets were out this time, so I did and I signed up for dessert. I’m going to start trying to eat dessert so I get more food. Then I went to look for the New Theatre to see if they had a box office so I wouldn’t have to get my tickets through ticket master and pay a service charge. They had one and it was open so I went in and got my tickets. Yay!
Then I went into some sort of store, sort of like a mall but like one big department store. I’m not sure. But they had clinique and it is their clinique bonus time. However, I don’t really need anything clinique right now. So if someone else does, I’ll buy it for you and then I can keep the gift. Or maybe I’ll try to find something I need. It’s a pretty good bonus but I have to buy 2 items and clinique is not cheap so we’ll see. It goes on for another 2 weeks or until the gifts run out. Then I went into Borders and looked around some and sat in a chair and read some until it was time for church. While I was there, I remembered that after the Botanic gardens I had meant to brush off my butt because I had been sitting on the ground. I had forgotten to so I did it now and sure enough there were two green sticky (as in somewhat like cactus sticky sort of) things on my butt that had been there since I left the gardens. I had my backpack on but it doesn’t really cover my rear but maybe no one noticed. Anyway, third time I felt like a dork and a little embarrassed for the day.
I walked to my church. I wore my tennis shoes this time because I was in my khakis. This time there was music so it was really nice. And they turned the lights on slowly at the beginning of mass and turned them down at the end. It was during their 40 hours of exposition of the Blessed Sacrament so I think it was a little fancier than normal.
After church I went back to Regent’s to wait and see if this birthday thing that Marshelle told me about was really going to happen. I went up to the library until 8 and then I went to the JCR to see if anyone was there. Luke was and some other people. He told me the “party” was supposed to start at 8 he thought and I should stay. So I did. People started drifting in eventually and there was food. I stayed until 9:30, which I think is pretty good for me. I talked with Dan and then Kyle and Ruth and then just Ruth. Marshelle wasn’t there. We just sort of had small talk and stuff but it was still interesting conversation. Then I excused myself and started back to Stanley Rd.
When I got to Stanley Rd. I used the door that I now know I can use. Then I made myself some ravioli and said hi to Alec. He said he and Matt are going to try to every now and then send out e-mails so the house can do things together. I said that would be good. Then I came up here, ate my ravioli, and wrote my blog, tired after a full, but good and fun, day.