Still no camera, but that's to be expected. I mean, I can't have everything, right?

*Glares in the direction of Wisconsin*

However, the week hasn't been bad. I handed in my paper that was due today, and I figured out that I AM okay when it comes to my classes after all. Instead of doing the work-based learning, like I originally planned, I changed my mind and will be taking another class entitled "Research Methods for Writers." This means I'll have to take an internship when I get back home, but I was planning on arranging an internship at the Greendale Public Library anyway. And on the upside, this means more vacation/free time for me! I'm pretty much done with my classes now after March 14th ... though I have one paper due in April (which will not be difficult at all - it's about how Roman religion influenced civic art and architecture, excluding temple art. Having taking Art History classes, I already have a fair idea of how to approach this topic). Then my next class starts the week of April 7th, and finishes the week of May 12th. I come home on May 31st, so that's another two weeks of free time/TRAVEL time.

Once again, I am eating the most delicious apple doughnuts to ever exist. And I checked the price - 58 pence! That's about a dollar, dollar and a half for five doughnuts. Really good deal, even with the bad exchange rate for the American dollar. I've been craving pizza lately, and luckily there's a Pizza Hut in town. I think I'll order it sometime this weekend ... I SHOULD be able to consume a small by myself if I'm not drinking soda.

My money has finally been transferred into my new Barclays account. Yay for having cash. I mean, I could have survived with just my debit card, except I need cash for laundry, and it's bothersome to pay for a bottle of orange juice with a debit card. Plus, you come off as a jerk.

Other awesome news is that I'm going to Amsterdam at the end of March. The student union here put together a four day trip for 109 pounds (around 220 dollars), and I think it would be very foolish of me if I didn't take advantage of it. None of my friends will be able to go, though, because I think they have exams around the time. So hopefully I'll make friends and get to know people on the trip that I can hang out with, otherwise I'll spend the entire time walking the streets alone and taking pictures .... which wouldn't be a bad thing either.

There's also a musician that I love coming to London on May 2nd: Steve Carlson. As soon as I found out, I booked two tickets and convinced a friend that I made here to go with me. I can't wait! He normally sticks to California, and he's had a few gigs in Texas. When I was vacationing in CA, I was hoping to see him but as luck would have it he was performing the same night and time as my flight home ... and that gig wasn't announced until AFTER I had booked my tickets. So I'm extremely excited to finally see him live.

Also, two nights ago there was an earthquake here. From reading the paper (as well as the newly created Facebook group about it), you'd think it had been a 8 on the Richter scale. In reality, it was a 5.3 and it didn't even last a minute. I was on the computer at the time, looked up and around when the building started to shake, and then went back to what I had been reading. I thought it simply a gust of strong wind or something ... though I wondered also if it was earthquake. And then I wondered if England even got earthquakes. Well, it seems like my questions were answered and yes, it was an earthquake. But a very TINY one! People over here were freaking out about it, and a woman was quoted in the paper saying she was so scared that she couldn't fall back asleep! Complete overreaction. But since I don't believe anyone was injured, I can be all "YAY! EARTHQUAKE! Let's do it again!" This is the first earthquake I've experienced while being awake. I kinda feel proud of it.

Also? If anyone mentions Americans' and our bad education, I'm sitting them in front of that Facebook group. The spelling of some of the commentators is absolutely atrocious. I don't know if you can view it without a Facebook account, but give it a try here: I survived the febuary 2008 earthquake! . Notice that even February was misspelled. When it comes to the internet, it appears that the British are just as bad. (Also, I know there's a deal about how a large percentage of Americans can't find Iraq on a map, which IS pathetic ... but it isn't like Europeans have a large understanding of America, either. No one knows where Wisconsin is when I tell them where I'm from. Unless you're an expert, you shouldn't be criticizing other people's geography. European countries are small, so it's likely they're going to have a better understanding of what's nearby. Whereas for Americans, we learn our states and then other countries. Though I for one can read a map, and have a pretty good idea of geography. If I don't know exactly where the country is, I know what region/what's nearby. And after taking ancient history courses, I'm also tempted to refer to Iraq as the Fertile Crescent or Mesopotamia. But that would just get me odd looks.)

Well, I have two more papers to work on. One is due on March 11th and I have NO idea about my topic, and one is due on March 13th. That one I'm writing about the influence of the Enlightenment on the French Revolution. I'm hoping I can finish that one this weekend, and then figure out what to do for the March 11th one. Wish me luck!