Set Sat Navs For Seven Springs...

This is the first of the three retrospective posts I will do from Friday-Sunday. Friday itself was a very long day. Before the first class of the day I had finished my first paper and done the laundry so that I had enough things to take with me for the weekend. 

After my first class I packed and took the suitcase down to the JFC, unsure if the discussion class at the end of the day would run too close to 4:30pm when we were set to leave. Before the film discussion was lunch and gladly, the class itself was over by 3:30pm, which gave me some time to pick up things I had forgotten and then head down to the JFC to fill out some paperwork and board the minibuses. 

The journey to Seven Springs Resort took about four hours with a brief rest stop once we were in the hills. Following trip tradition, we stopped at Pizza Hut a short way from the resort, before arriving at the hotel at around 10pm. Me, Sam, Lenka and Eoin took a room and happily got some rest before the early start on Saturday.

The First Paper...

Felt like a long day yesterday. In the morning I began the first paper of the term, which didn't feel as depressing as I thought it would. After lunch I continued to write and after a not so brief conversation with HSBC's fraud detection team, having forgotten to tell them that I am abroad, I wrote until 4pm.

Taking a break form the paper I went over to the JFC to play some squash, or so I thought. Unfortunately, I never made it onto the squash court because I was conscripted into a '5 minute' presentation for the rowing team. Now, being British I was not prepared to walk out of the presentation, especially as I had chosen the seat farthest from the door. So, 55 minutes later I trudged out, ticked off that I had lost my squash time and more assured that I didn't want to row. 

However, I did not had time to grumble because I was meeting with Sam, Eoin and Lenka at 5pm to buy a couple of things for this weekend. So, arriving home and switching outfits in a time that would rival a quick change on the West End, I join them for a spot of shopping. On the upside, I do now have everything I need for the trip. 

Once we had finished, we headed back and went to listen to the Naval Academy band for an hour in Martha Washington Square. Sufficed to say that the jazz, free popcorn and candyfloss put me in a more mellow mood for dinner at 7pm. 

As I won't have time to write a post between finishing today and leaving for the trip, I think that on Sunday I will do several posts to break things up for each day individually. 

The Post That Almost Never Was...

Having initially said that the blog would not be used every day I have felt a slight pressure to keep it going, and I must admit that I am finding it harder to make every day interesting for the reader - hence the lack of a post last night, when I decided that there was nothing interesting to say. However, in the clear light of day I realised that I like a challenge and will continue to try and keep a daily review. 

So, yesterday. I met Marcela for breakfast, which is becoming something of a routine, and then I went back to Worcester for an hour to read before class, which actually became a time to do a bit of writing instead - no guilt felt. 

Classes were swift as usual with 'American Madness' as the film to finish the day. It is definitely best to finish the day with the film - it is a relaxing unwind for the mind. 

Having said that I was finding it hard to write entertainingly about events, I can foresee today being a busy one, and tomorrow in the lead up to the rafting trip this weekend. Which, now that I think about it, will also give me a lot to talk about. So actually, I was lying and I'll stop making excuses. There will me much to tell on the latter days of this week.

The Poster Sale...

Today was the first day of the poster sale and I took the opportunity to "British-up" my side of the room somewhat. These posters along with the union jack flag and the bags of Twinings are starting to make the place look a bit more homely. I may go back tomorrow to see if any other posters catch my eye. 

Another hot hour or so of squash went well with me narrowly claiming a 2:1 victory after some warming up. 

Two and a half more hours of 'Grapes of Wrath' this evening. I swear that Penguin Classics put too many words on a page just to make you feel like a slow reader. That, and I think Steinbeck needed to work on dividing his chapters better; the last one took fifteen minutes, but I've estimated an hour and a quarter reading time for the next one - bring on tomorrow!

The Start Of The Second Week...

Another long Monday of classes today, but 'Trouble in Paradise' was an amusing film with which to end the day. Reading has reverted back to 'Grapes of Wrath' and after two and a half hours in the library I am coming up on the half way mark. 

Tomorrow I think I will start planning the first paper of the year, which feels horribly early as I would still be on holiday back home, but come November the deadlines will arrive thick and fast so I should get a head start. 

To break up the workload tomorrow I have penciled in another squash game, this time with Caitlin, after Miller's class and lunch. I'm even considering getting more than one set of sports wear, which feels slightly daunting, but unlike home all the facilities are free so I might as well use them.

The Potluck...

An equally lazy morning and brunch today, followed by yet more reading up on the puritans (but only 20 pages left!) This afternoon also had the addition of laundry and after a year of not having a dryer, it's really nice to be able to do everything in an afternoon. The only thing I'm missing is an iron, but Shannon has offered up hers, so I may be making some trips to Kent Crossing in the near future. 

Today I did remember that the dining hall closes early, so it was an early meal at 5:30pm before heading over to KC for a relaxing potluck with Shannon, Sean, Sam and Marcela - the potluck being Spanish rice. It was a welcome, mellow change to just sit and chat, but after the discovery of the snugglies, things did escalate somewhat to a small fort, with plans for future design improvements and extensions. 

A Night Out In Annapolis...

Nothing beats waking up without an alarm, followed by a relaxed two hour brunch. Yesterday was the first brunch of the semester and it was a great time to chat and unwind after the first week of classes. 

Leaving the dining hall at 1:30pm, I headed back to Worcester to continue with some reading for 'The History of U.S. to 1865'. Having been so engrossed in the difficulties befalling the Puritans of Massachusetts, I had forgotten that the dining hall closes at 6:00pm at weekends. Instead, me and Addison went downstairs for a couple of subs, where I met some more of his friends in the lounge and answered a few more questions on queen and country. From there, we went over to the stadium and caught the remainder of the first half of the women's football game. (soccer for all you non-Anglophiles). 

Yours truly, Sean, Fran, Sam (the birthday boy) & Dale

At 9:00pm those of us who were yet to depart for Annapolis met outside the CAC and left to join the others for Sam's 21st. With the naval academy in the town the streets were not short on officers dressed in their whites on a night out. - Lots of officers, not sure how many gentlemen. Arriving at the bar, I can't say that I've ever listened to heavy rock, pop and country merged into one playlist before, but it work. 

Sean was good enough to drive those of some of us back to campus, a task that became all the more laborious when we discovered that we had Sam's car keys as we were approaching Chestertown, and he had to make the two hour round trip all over again. - Sorry Sean :/

After being rebuked for doing retrospective posts, there will be another this evening to keep my mother happy :)