Wednesday randoms.

Is it Wednesday already? Time flies.

Since I've always lived in the States, naturally all the money I have saved for this little London adventure is in dollars. Unfortunately, they don't take dollars here. So every so often I have to make a little trip to the bank and do an exchange, which is seriously the most depressing thing ever. The other day I took in $100 and got back a measly £59.73. Ugh.

I'm in paper-writing mode again. Which means I'm baking again...you know to keep me from actually doing any work.

This made me laugh and feel all sentimental. Is 23 too young to be feeling sentimental?

I got to use my [limited] Arabic skills in class. I got put on the spot and was asked to read " لشعب يريد إسقاط النظام " out loud. Not a big deal, really, but I hadn't even tried to read script in at least 2 years. Plus there were at least 3 people there who actually spoke the language in our class. Oh, and I'm not too fond of the spotlight. I seriously thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest, and I'm sure my face was bright red. (Side note: Why does your body do that to you? It doesn't help at all!)

It gets dark so early here. The sun is down by about 4:30. No fun.

Baylor dominated Texas Tech over the weekend, even though RGIII was injured and sat out the entire second half. And both the women and men's basketball teams are ranked nationally (women are #1, actually). Gotta love my Bears. I'm so proud.

Apparently there was a big strike today. Some girl at uni tried to convince me to skip class and avoid all homework "in support of my teachers" (who, incidentally, were not striking). But I turned her down and ended up doing more work today than I have in over a week.

And I really like this video.

Hope you've enjoyed your November as much as I've enjoyed mine. Bring on December, with plenty of hot cider, scarves and Christmas music.

I love this time of year.

Wales for the weekend.

I didn't take any pictures until we got to Caerphilly Castle. Then I took like a million. Here are just a few:

 

Welsh is a crazy language. It uses the same alphabet as English, so you'd think you'd be able to sound the words out. But you could be wrong. Here's a sample. It's from Google translate, so if you speak Welsh (but let's be honest...you probably don't), and it's wrong, I'm sorry:

Rhowch gynnig ar geisio ynganu'r geiriau hyn. Rwy'n eithaf cadarnhaol y byddwch byth yn ei gael yn iawn. Oni bai, wrth gwrs, eich bod yn dod o Gymru.

Which, in English, means: Try sounding out these words. I'm pretty positive you will never get it right. Unless, of course, you are from Wales.

Yeah.

Anywho, Wales was lovely. We had absolutely gorgeous weather. What we didn't have was a plan, but everything (from the hostel, to transportation, to figuring out what to do) worked out amazingly well.

And now I've been to Wales. Check.

Team MegaBus.

I went to Wales this weekend. Well, we went to Wales this weekend -- 10 friends and me. It was an adventure. But the adventure started even before we made it out of London.

We took a coach (via MegaBus) from Central London to Cardiff early Saturday morning. When we got to the station, there was a group of people who seemed a little intoxicated (or chemically inconvenienced, as Gerry put it). One, in particular, was pretty loud. We crossed our fingers and hoped they wouldn't be on our bus.

But they were. And they sat right by us.

Now, there's this rule that you can't have alcohol on the bus. And they make it pretty clear, posting it all over the place, and announcing it on the bus itself. Well, we got about 3 blocks down the street from the station, and the bus driver pulled over. He made a beeline for the group, and told them they weren't allowed to have alcohol. The loud guy had to toss his opened beer can out. Then they swore (slurring their words) that they didn't have any more. That they just smelled like vodka because they'd been out all night. That the driver was wasting his time. That that was just water. And on and on and on.

Bus driver didn't believe them. He went back to the front of the bus, but we stayed pulled over...for like twenty minutes. Eventually, someone asked what was going on, and he said he was waiting for the police to arrive. They'd search the bus (particularly the group) till they were satisfied there was no more alcohol.

All of the sudden, bottles started appearing, and making their way off the bus and into the bin. Bottles that, until then, "hadn't existed." But the best part was the commentary from this group. Some of my favorite quotes included:

"You can't get off the bus now. You've got to stay and face the consequences."

"We're all in this together. We're like Team MegaBus."

"Can you tell me what's going on? I've got a life-changing audition."

"I will destroy him." (Referring to the bus driver.)

"It was full. But we finished it off."

When the cops finally pulled up, the reaction was mixed. The group got really nervous. The rest of us practically cheered. Ultimately, they left the bus, and we were able to continue (well, really begin) our journey toward Cardiff.

And I'll tell you about Cardiff later.

Good friends and good food.

Our Thanksgiving dinner was such a success. I think around 25 people came. We could barely fit in the kitchen.

Lisa was super thoughtful and got flowers, plates, decorations and such. The Council of Men (aka, the guys) provided tables from various other flats...which entailed disassembling them so they'd fit through the doors and then reassembling them in our kitchen. And just about everyone brought food. So much food. We ate and talked and ate and laughed and ate some more.

Such a fun night. Worth every dirty dish.

Good friends and good food. And that's why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The pie is done, the cake is iced, the rolls are rising and the turkey's in the oven. Whew. I'm gonna sit down for a sec.

Raw turkeys are weird. The best part was when Sheila pulled its neck out, and Hannah freaked.

Don't you just love Thanksgiving? Because I sure do.

Wednesday randoms.

It might sound cheesy, but I really do like it when people actually take time to be deliberately thankful during Thanksgiving. I imagine the world would be a better place if we didn't limit this to one little day in the month of November. So in honor of the holiday, this segment of Wednesday randoms will be devoted to thank-you's.

Thank you, mom and dad, for encouraging me when I said I'd like to study abroad. I know loads of parents who would have done just the opposite, and I'm so grateful for your love and support. Plus, that you've both come to visit has meant more to me than I could ever properly express. Love you.

Thank you, brother, for growing into a man of God I can look up to (and not just because you're taller). I respect you so much, and I'm unbelievably proud of you. Also, you're really funny.

Thank you, soul friends, for continuing to come up with hilarious inside jokes despite the thousands of miles between us. I never laugh harder than when I'm with you...even if it's just via email (which gets me weird looks all the time, but it's totally worth it.)

Thank you, technology, for allowing me to stay connected with the people I love.

Thank you, Malden Hall, for being full of crazy, fun, ridiculous characters who've become like family to me in these past two months. I couldn't have asked for better flatmates and new friends.

Thank you, Kingston University staff, for putting me in classes with some of the sweetest girls I've ever met. And they're smart, too!

Thank you, Baylor, for still feeling like home. And for having such an exciting football season. Can't wait for basketball to get rolling.

Thank you, weather, for abstaining from downpours and all around dreariness. I expected so much worse and have been pleasantly surprised.

Thank you, food blogs, for providing me with the recipes that make people think I actually know what I'm doing in the kitchen.

Thank you, year, for giving me more ups than downs, more laughter than tears, and more sweets than vegetables.

And, finally, PTL! Seriously though. Jesus, you are kind and gracious, and you're faithful when I'm not. I'm humbled and grateful that you care for me, and it would be no exaggeration to say that I'm blessed beyond measure.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.

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"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances..." -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

   

Turkey and things.

This will be my first Thanksgiving away from family. Which means this will also be my first Thanksgiving to actually have to plan and pull off. Sure, I've done the mini-Thanksgivings where you get together with friends before the actual holiday to eat and hang out. But the difference between those and what will be happening Thursday is twofold. First, they weren't actual Thanksgiving dinners. Second, my responsibility was limited to volunteering to make a pie or something.

This year, I'm celebrating Thanksgiving with a bunch of [wonderful] people who haven't ever celebrated Thanksgiving before. And as (1) I'm American, and (2) I can cook can follow recipes with some success, I'm in charge of the turkey.

I have no idea how to cook a turkey. It's just sitting there, all menacing, in my refrigerator. I feel really unprepared for this. And the turkey is like the centerpiece of the meal. The meal for my favorite holiday that I really want all my new friends to love too.

Turkey, I will defeat you.

No pressure or anything.

I've also come to appreciate the fact that we get Thanksgiving off in the States, because I have no idea how we're going to manage to make all this food while everyone's got class and work and whatnot. The good news is everyone's bringing a dish, so it's not like one person has to cook everything. Still, figuring out what time I should make the dinner rolls and a pie when our oven is going to be occupied by a turkey for most of the evening is a bit of a challenge.

I might have to borrow an oven.

But with all that said, I'm super excited for this Thanksgiving! I have plenty to be thankful for this year, and I can't wait to celebrate with all the lovely people from my building. And whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, I'm hoping this Thursday treats you exceptionally well.

Happy [almost] Thanksgiving!

A foggy day in London town.

It's pretty gloomy outside. Thankfully it's Sunday, and I have nowhere to be. I'm just going to stay in, drink tea and watch highlights from the Baylor v. OU game last night.

Like this:

And this:

Can't believe I missed it. Stupid time difference.

Oh well. God bless, and Sic'em Bears!

Going green.

I've come to realize that every recipe I've posted so far is highly caloric and full of sugary goodness. You're welcome. But, contrary to what you might think, I do occasionally make and eat things that aren't cake. 

So I've decided to share a different kind of recipe with you. This recipe is good for you. It includes green stuff. It does not include sugar or chocolate. Please do not be offended by this recipe.

It's broccoli. And it's really quite tasty.

I know what you're thinking -- broccoli and tasty are mutually exclusive, right? I used to think so too. When I was little, my dad would always make me eat a little broccoli and cauliflower every time we visited a buffet. 

I still hate cauliflower. But I love broccoli. Especially this kind.

Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients

1 head of broccoli, rinsed

1 garlic clove, minced (2 if you really like garlic)

salt and pepper, to taste

olive oil

breadcrumbs

grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to about 400 degrees (about 200 C).

Cut broccoli florets (and stalk, if you want) into small pieces. 

Place in a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil. I don't actually measure the amount of the oil, I just eyeball it. Basically, you want the broccoli coated, but not drenched. 

Add the garlic, pepper and salt. Add breadcrumbs* (again, I don't really measure). Toss to coat.

Place on foil-lined pan and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the broccoli is beginning to brown.

Remove from oven and top with grated Parmesan.

Serve warm, and congratulate yourself for eating veggies like a real live grown up.

*If you want to get fancy, you can toast the breadcrumbs for a couple of minutes prior to adding them to the broccoli.

My first C. (Except not really.)

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a schoolie. I like to learn, and I care about doing well. So when I got my mark back for the group presentation we did a few weeks ago (you know, the one where our lecturer had "nothing negative to say" when we asked for feedback), I freaked out a bit.

I got a 74.

Wait, what? A 74? No no. That's a low C. I don't get C's. Surely that can't be right...right?! Panic.

I half-jogged down the hall and demanded that Charlie immediately explain the UK grading system to me. Here's what I learned: Basically, the mark is out of a 100, like in the States. But apparently it's pretty rare for someone to get above an 80, especially in a subjective field like mine. So my 74 wasn't half bad. Here's the breakdown from my university web site:

Now, I don't really know what a distinction or a commendation actually is. But I do know it's not a failure. Not even the marginal kind.

So, yet another major difference that I never would have expected. But at least it turned out okay.
 

Wednesday randoms.

What a week! I'm exhausted. Good thing I don't have anything major (schoolwise) till December.

Randoms:

Despite being absolutely positive I haven't plagiarized even the tiniest bit, it always makes me nervous to submit papers to turnitin.com. What if there's a glitch in the system, and my whole paper gets flagged, and I get kicked out of school, and then out of the UK? These are the things that keep me up at night.

Facebook is really handy when you want to stalk investigate screen have a harmless little look at the potential love interest of a friend. For example:

But maybe don't add him and/or like all the pictures of the two of them together. That's a bit overboard.

When you're in Dublin, it's always a good idea to watch the Ireland game in a pub instead of at your hotel. It's much more exciting that way.

Ryanair is a really cheap way to fly. I think my return from Dublin cost less than £19.

I was told by my sweet friend Kate that my dad and I have different accents...which was strange, as I'd never even considered it.

Boat parties are great fun if you get dressed up and bring along 20 friends.

When I lived in Illinois last year, I went to bed early all the time. Like grandma-bed-time early. But that's recently gone out the window. Still, I'm convinced some of my best work and favorite conversations happen in the early hours of the morning. 

I'm proud to say I got my dad hooked on tea while he was visiting.

Hope your Wednesday is beyond blessed. And Thursday and the rest of the week, too.

Because, technically, I'm here to get a degree.

Ugh. I just finished my final exam essays...I think. My brain is kind of fuzzy, so bear with me.

See what a wreck my desk is? It's pretty much representative of my brain right about now. 

Just a bunch of random stuff all over the place. And don't judge me for that empty bag of candy corn.

I had "finished" these essays last Thursday, since I knew I wouldn't even want to think about them while I was in Dublin. That would have worked out beautifully if I wasn't such a perfectionist when it came to writing. My "one last look" turned into reworking entire sections, and here I am, the night before it's due, finally deciding it's done.

At least until I look at it again tomorrow morning. Somebody stop the madness.

The biggest issue is that I've got a tiny little word count to work with, and the questions are broad and could seriously go in a thousand different directions. So I've got to decide which [relevant and possibly majorly important] theories to leave out and then pray they weren't the ones my lecturer was thinking of when she penned the question. I was a couple hundred words over my limit even after the plus 10% allowance, so I channeled my inner journalist and cut out a ton of unnecessary (though I was certain they were all pretty necessary when I wrote the first few drafts...) words. I'm finally within the limit. And a whopping 39 words under, at that! 

The other issue was that I'm used to the MLA system of referencing, and this baby's gotta be done in Harvard style. So I'm learning as I go, and every guide I find does it a little differently. Dumb.

Yeah. I think I'll stick with MLA, thanks.

Oh well. It'll all be over with tomorrow, and then I'm going to central London to play tourist.

Weekend in Dublin.

I was in Dublin just this morning. Now, I'm back in London. Crazy.
Aren't airplanes cool? Thanks, Wright brothers.

Anywho, here are a few pictures. Stories coming soon.

Wednesday randoms.

Happy Wednesday! We're getting close to the weekend, people.

Starbucks doesn't do pumpkin spice lattes here, so I made my own with this homemade pumpkin spice syrup. It's as easy as it is tasty. Toss 1/3 cup pumpkin puree, 1 1/4 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/4 tsp cloves and 1/4 tsp ginger in a pot and get it boiling. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (or pretty much constantly if you're paranoid like me). Once it's particularly syrupy, remove from heat. You can store it in the fridge and reheat it when you need some. Add as many spoonfuls as you'd like, along with some milk, to your morning/afternoon/evening cup of coffee.

Yum!

Dad and I went to Hampton Court Palace this morning. We tried out the hedge maze and were defeated. After half an hour, we cheated and ducked out the "buggies and wheelchairs only" gate. I know, I know...lame, right? But hey, we were starting to get really hungry.

I've been very studious lately. Like, getting up at 6:30 in the morning to work on my essays studious. Mostly because I want to have time to spend with my dad while he's here.

It's funny having someone from home around, because it makes me hyper-aware of how my vocabulary is changing. Apparently, I say "pop in" and "hiya" often these days.

Did you know Cadbury makes more than just those creme eggs? Because it's pretty much got a monopoly on the chocolate sections of the grocery stores over here.

My closest friends were all back in Texas this weekend, which meant I got to Skype with them all at once. When they first appeared on my screen, all I could think was, "Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry." Not because I was sad. I was only a little sad. I was mostly just really happy to see them.

Technology is awesome.

And tomorrow, I'm heading to Ireland for a few days. So exciting! See you Sunday.

A (panicked, unplanned & very long) morning stroll.

I just barely missed the bus this morning. But there was a ton of traffic, so I thought I'd be able to catch it at the next stop. I booked it (speed walking, because I'm kind of morally opposed to sprinting to catch a bus) around the corner and arrived at the stop well ahead of the bus.

Feeling pretty proud of myself, I hopped on, found a seat and sat down. One stop later, they announced that instead of going all the way into town, the service would be terminating at the next stop.

What?!

I begrudgingly stepped off the the bus, very aware that this was going to be a problem. I was supposed to meet my dad in the lobby of his hotel in half an hour. From where I was standing to the hotel was just over 2.5 miles, which would take about an hour. But it could be 15-20 minutes before another bus showed up, plus the time it'd take to get to town.

I decided to start walking. That way I'd at least feel like I was moving toward where I wanted to be. And maybe another bus would catch up to me along the way.

About 5 blocks later, a bus appeared behind me. I sped up a bit to stay ahead of it and caught it at the next stop. Since everyone from the other bus had caught it a few stops back, it was packed. Even though a handful of people got off, the driver decided there was no more room, and drove off without me.

Crap.

At this point, I've got 15 minutes till I'm supposed to meet my dad, and I'm only halfway to town. I frantically texted my flatmate and begged her to look up the number for his hotel. She got back to me within minutes (PTL!) and I called the hotel, asking to speak with the man sitting in their lobby waiting for me. The man at the desk said there was no one there and transferred me to my dad's room. It rang and rang. Then the desk man answered again (which was weird) and told me that my dad was now in the lobby. He got on the phone, and I explained to him that I'd be late. He said he'd meet me at the restaurant instead of the hotel. I was relieved, since the hotel was way out of the way, and that meant I wouldn't have to walk quite as far.

So everything worked out. And I got my exercise in.

Treasures from the New World.

Dad arrived today! I met him at Heathrow, and since (1) I had never been there before, (2) he wouldn't have access to a phone (dumb international fees) and (3) I had a presentation to give the same afternoon, I was a bit nervous about the whole thing. But it all went smoothly -- apart from his little almost-falling-down-the-escalator incident, but we won't talk about that -- and now he's here! Plus, he brought me gifts from a distant land! Peter Pan peanut butter, Nestle bittersweet chocolate chips, canned pumpkin, and other treasures from the New World! Pretty much the things that don't exist here or are super expensive since they're "fancy American stuff." 

Yes, that's the technical term.

Opening that suitcase was like Christmas Morning.

Stress.

It's that time of the school year when things are due...all at the same time.

The general air around my hall and in my classes is, "Oh my gosh, there's so much to do. I might die." As for me? Well I've got a presentation and two papers. Oh, and my dad's going to be here tomorrow, which means I'd like to get as much of that done as possible today.

But the good thing is, I don't get stressed. Not really. I think, deep down, I realize that it's all going to be fine. Often, this gets mistaken for apathy -- especially in group projects. I know some people do their best work when they're stressed, but that's not me. So the other members are very visibly panicking, trying to go over every little detail and making sure it all will get done, and I'm just sitting there, calmly. It's not that I don't care or don't take it seriously (trust me, I do!), it's just that it fretting over things for an hour or two doesn't do much for me. I'd rather just sit down and start working; we'll figure out the details as we go.

This mentality applies to most everything in my life. Throughout my senior year at Baylor (and even before), I probably got asked about my post-graduation life plans a million times. I had no idea what to say. A lot of my friends were in the same boat, and that freaked them out. But I guess I just figured I'd be somewhere after I graduated, and I'd be okay. So with coursework, it's the same kind of thing. Everything will get done. Not finishing is not an option. Heck, not doing well is not an option. And psyching myself out doesn't really do much for my writer's block.

Getting started is always the worst, though. You just sit there staring at your curser as it blinks against that vast white space, thinking, "How in the world am I going to fill that space up with thousands of words?"

Intimidating, isn't it?

But once I start writing, I'm fine. I like to write. I always have. There's something therapeutic about taking all the information that's jumbled up in my head and putting it down in clear, coherent sentences. It's like the feeling you get after finally clearing all the clutter off your desk (or chair or nightstand or room in general). You sit down, look at all the free space, and breathe in deep. And I love finding ways to make phrases flow and playing with words so they convey exactly what I mean. When you think about it, the whole concept of language is kind of amazing. And the written word, well that's incredible.

So even when I'm writing about something incredibly mundane for one of my less-than-exciting classes, I can at least find some sense of satisfaction in it.

And that's enough to get me through.


**Oh, and that time up in the corner of that screenshot? That's Texas time. I'm not sitting up at 5 am working on a paper/writing a blog post. Don't worry.

Bonfire Night.

"Remember, remember the 5th of November,

the Gunpowder Treason and plot.

I know of no reason why the Gunpowder Treason

Should ever be forgot."

You may know these words only from V for Vendetta, but they actually have origins in the 17th century. On November 5, 1605, Guy Fawkes was discovered under the House of Lords, guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder that were meant to be used to blow up Parliament. Fawkes was part of a small group of Roman Catholics who felt they'd been treated unfairly under the Rule of Queen Elizabeth I and had hoped that King James I would be more lenient when it came to religion (after all, he had a Catholic mother).

But he wasn't, so they plotted to displace the Protestant rule by killing him.

Guy Fawkes, looking more dapper and full-bearded than
I expected after seeing those masks.

Fawkes was later hanged, drawn and quartered for his treason, and the Observance of 5th November Act made the day a public holiday. Because people celebrated the plot's failure with bonfires, it ultimately became known as Bonfire Night. Nowadays, fireworks are a big part of the celebration.

I guess its probably the closest thing I'll get to the 4th of July while I'm here...well, minus the summer weather, the grilling and the everyone's-wearing-an-American-flag-for-a-shirt part.

This was pretty much my exact outfit last Independence Day.

The plot is the basis for another tradition here as well. The Queen comes to Parliament once a year for a ceremony called the State Opening of Parliament. Prior to the Opening, the Yeomen of the Guard will search the cellars and the Palace of Westminster...you know, just in case.

Happy Bonfire Night to you!

Soul friends.

Aristotle believed that there are three types of friends: those of utility, pleasure and virtue. A friendship of utility is one that is beneficial to each party. A friendship of pleasure is typically based on things like similar hobbies or senses of humor. Then there's the virtuous friendship. This friend is the one who sticks around long after spending time with you ceases to be beneficial and/or pleasurable.

I like to call this a "soul friend."

A soul friend knows way too much about you, but loves you anyway. They've seen you at your best and your worst; laughed with you and cried with you. They're the ones who help you make major life decisions, remind you that your ex was horrible and you're better off without him, come up with the best inside jokes and tell you when that dress actually does make you look fat. Together, you sing off key in the car (or in public), eat whole pints of ice cream, go for coffee and long walks, dance around your apartment and generally feel like rock stars. Your relationship is messy, honest, tried and true, and often incredibly rare. You're lucky to have even one soul friend in your life.

I have three.

We became close in the summer of 2008, when we worked together. And for some reason, we stuck. Now, three and a half years later (time flies!) they're still my best friends, despite the several thousands of miles between us.

(Not drawn to scale...clearly. The UK should probably be about half that size.)

But hey, that's what Skype is for, right? And since this weekend is Homecoming at Baylor, they're all headed back to Texas. So even though I don't get to be there with them, I still get to see them all at once! Best day ever.

How about you call up your soul friends today and tell them how wonderful they are?

You know, just because it's Friday.

Wednesday randoms.

Your weekly dose of random:

I found candy corn. Bentalls American food section to the rescue!

All the school kids here wear uniforms. And not just the polos and khakis type uniforms, but proper blazers and ties uniforms. It's adorable.

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday, so when people start listening to Christmas music November 1, it makes me sad. But since they don't celebrate Thanksgiving here, it's just outright depressing. The town centre shopping area was decked out in tinsel and lights at least a week before Halloween. Seriously?! Now I'm even more determined to make my hall (or at least my flatmates) celebrate Thanksgiving with me.

This has got to be one of the least effective ads I've seen in a long time:

Seriously? His mom probably makes him cinnamon rolls every morning.

The kid needs to look a little more emaciated for this to be convincing. He clearly has never gone without breakfast. But he is cute. So there's that.

Hyundai is pronounced "hy-un-dai" here. I did a huge double take the first time I heard that. But then again, they all thought I was crazy to call it "hun-day."

This weekend is Baylor Homecoming. I know that homecomings are typically a high school thing, but they're a big (and magical) deal at Baylor. It seems like everyone comes back, there's a huuuuuge parade with ah-mazing floats, a giant bonfire, Pigskin and of course football. Last year was my first time as an alum, and I'm so sad to miss it. But I've already made plans to skype with my soul friends. I'm super psyched to get to talk to them all at once, even if I'm a little bummed I don't actually get to be there with them.

You really should make these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. They're big, fluffy and are basically like fall in your mouth. Best ever.

Aaaaand, the BEST news of all: I get to go home for Christmas! I wasn't planning to, since my brother was going to visit. But then he had to switch to Easter, and I was going to be here by myself. Not anymore! I've got a flight home December 18th. My mom is the best.

"Fancy dress."

Remember my don't dress like a skank on Halloween post from a few days ago? Well, don't worry. I took my own advice.

Two of my flatmates and I decided we wanted to do a group costume, so we looked up famous trios. Some of the ones we found included: the three musketeers, the three amigos, the three little pigs, Snap, Crackle and Pop, and Charlie's Angels. (We seriously considered Charlie's Angels, especially since we've got a Charlie next door. But he was out of town, so we nixed that idea.)

About an hour of brainstorming and a couple of shopping trips later, this is what we landed on:

Please excuse the poor lighting in our kitchen.

Can you tell what we are?

Here's a closeup.

Hint: Think nursery rhymes...

That's right! The three blind mice! We used pipe cleaners and headbands to make the ears, eyeliner for our noses and whiskers, broomsticks for our canes, donned some neutral colors, and tadaa! Simple, inexpensive, fun costume. Here's a few more pictures from our evening.

(Clockwise from top left: mouse with cheese, the group, a very scary Thomas, and "She cut off their tails with a carving knife.")

Such a fun night.

And now it's November. Holy cow. Where has the time gone?