Monday, May 30, 2005

april withdrawals

Despite the fact that I'm looking at a dancing Hayley Smith and listening to ABBA, sitting in a flat in London, I'm going through april withdrawals. On a positive note (I can hit those every once in a while), London is beautiful. I woke up this morning to pouring rain, which against my slanted window made the skyline look like a blurry-eyed impressionist painting. And I'm teaching, although not my genre. I will have many things to say about the personal essay. There are some impressive writers in the bunch. . . and they are all under the misconception that I know what I'm talking about. Ha. Ha ha ha. (I think I already used that on my blog, but it's so fun.)

A few notes about my life: On Saturday I woke up at 5.30a to sit outside a London theatre for four hours for front row seats to see Ewan McGregor in Guys and Dolls. I would just like to say that HMP is a better booty-shaker. That evening I saw Jim Broadbent in Theatre of Blood, a play all of us would thoroughly enjoy. It's about a Shakespearean actor who was shafted by a group of critics, so he invites them to an old theatre and starts to kill them off, a la Shakespeare's devices. Awesome stuff.

On a completely different theme, church here has been brilliant. I've been going to a small ward that meets in a school building that they rent for four hours every Sunday. This Sunday I spoke in sacrament meeting, taught youth Sunday School, and then taught Young Women. All while looking like a drug addict--something happened to my eyes that made them turn bright red. Think on that if you will.

I will now leave you to discuss the proper pronunciation of "macabre."

Saturday, May 28, 2005

I vote yes and yes

Apologies for the more-than-slightly-bitter-sounding diatribes that I've recently posted from London. I love London and I love and/or enjoy a lot of the people I'm with. I posted after a particular exchange with some asinine 18 or 19 year olds. I have found a few 20 year olds that don't deserve jacking. . . although I'm not convinced Kapka is one of them. :)

Off to see Guys and Dolls with Mr. Ewan McGregor. That's right. Dance, Obi Wan, dance. Cheers.

Friday, May 27, 2005

re naming

I was tired of "bitter diatribes," which are not only redundant but from Runaway Bride. Yes, I stole my "bitter diatribes" from Ike Graham. Depressing.

The new name--"there might i live"--which blogger won't cap with this particular template--is from Walden. Another cliche, although a pseudo-intelligent one. I'm about to bus myself off to Oxford, but think about it and I'll elaborate in the very near future. (Complete with a list of names and addresses for HMP.)

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Check and check

I was walking out of the Piccadilly tunnel at South Ken station (yes, I'm alive and in London), when I heard music. Not an odd occurence. I usually try to toss a few coins into their stained guitar cases. But then I realized that it was something akin to karoke music being played. And the song was "New York, New York." I admit I laughed, but refused to pay for a cheesy rendition of a cheesy song. I stepped onto the escalator as the music came to a close. I waited for the lounge singer's next offering. "New York, New York."

The past three weeks have, to be blatantly honest, been some of the most difficult of my life. There have been some high points--Irish theatre, the Thames at night, the French bakery one street over, teaching a writing class--but it has been an exhausting balance of work and play, which all too often results in all work and no play. My life is consumed by petty squabbles and things that just have to be done. I've yet to make my way to the Tate Modern or Westminster, both high on my list. Instead I hang out with my 40-year-old mentor and his 16-year-old son, who is actually one of the most intelligent people on this trip. Were we idiots when we were 20?

I have started writing again. Maybe I'll post some later tonight. I miss April. K's cupcakes and poetry printed on funky paper and HMP's (ahem) dancing and AA's sincerity and Kapka's meditations and oh!resolution's. . . what did he contribute? (Kidding. I believe the correct answer is sanity.) I'm planning on bringing you back London-y things, but you have to come find me. I'll be in Provo in my new house in July, I think. But before then, all you have to do is call. After the 14 of June, of course. Before then and you'll get my 14-year-old brother who is using my cell to collect the numbers of many, many lady friends.
 

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