"In spite of history, hope is January white."

I've told you that I like having a soundtrack for my life. So, obviously, I have a New Year's Eve song every year. It's traditionally been Death Cab For Cutie's "The New Year." This year it's Sleeping At Last's "January White."

Enjoy. And a very happy New Year to you, friends!

(Lyrics)

So let's press undo

Rearrange the old and call it new

January white

Every calendar is playing the same old trick

A year will disappear replaced with counterfeit

But we'll never really mind

If nothing else we're given a little time

To change the game, a chance to redefine

Everything we are

In our January white

This year's a sealed envelope

A culmination of hopes

The lottery result that we've been crossing fingers for

We could paint our walls a lighter shade of blue

We could pack our bags, change the entire view

To January white

If nothing else we're given a little time

To change the heart in which we change our minds

Our hourglasses turn

This year's a sealed envelope

With apprehensive hope, we brace for anything

I swear I understand nothing changes that

And the past will be the past

But the future is brighter than any flashback

We could let our guards down a little easier this time

We could trust that when there's joy, there's nothing dark behind

In spite of history

Hope is January white

This year we're starting over again

Letter openers in hand

A chance to take a chance

I swear I understand the past will be the past

And nothing changes that

But the future is brighter than any flashback
   

Jet lag.

It's just past noon here, but it's 5 in the morning body time. I've been awake almost 24 hours. I really want to sleep, but I can't. If I do, I won't be able to sleep tonight, and I'll be even more jet lagged in the morning.

The flight back was nice. Not only was there an empty seat next to me, but the only other person in my row was a really sweet American girl about my age who was visiting London for the first time. I was actually able to answer quite a few of her questions, which always makes me feel good. I like to be helpful.

It was dark as we were coming into London, but the city was glowing. It was beautiful. Like twinkle lights. And since the Eye was lit up in blue, it was really easy to spot, helping me figure out where all the other major landmarks were.

The Tower Bridge looks really neat from up high.

I tried to take a picture of the lights, but it didn't really work, so you'll just have to use your imagination. Or you could just click here.

Anyway, it was a lovely welcome back treat.

Thanks, London.
  

Break forth, O mountains, into singing!

Here's where I spent my Christmas:

(The view from Grandpa's backyard.)

Nature is amazing, isn't it? I swear, mountains, the ocean, sunrises, stars -- they stop me in my tracks. I can't help but stand in awe. So passages like this have always made a lot of sense to me:

"Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
   break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the LORD has comforted his people
   and will have compassion on his afflicted."

-Isaiah 49:13

Today is Christmas: a reminder that the Lord has indeed comforted his people! 

What a sweet story of redemption. Let heaven and nature sing.

Hoping yours was merry and bright!

 

Many the miles.

In the last five days, I've covered almost 7,000 miles. From London to DC to Albuquerque. From Albuquerque to home. From home to Waco, and back. And (weather permitting) we'll be headed north this afternoon.

My flight home was exhausting. I left London around noon on Sunday, and after almost 18 hours of travel, I arrived in Albuquerque at around 11pm the same day. Time zones are crazy.

By the time I landed, I'd been awake for 24 hours. I'm no good at sleeping on planes, and screaming children don't really help. And I absolutely love kids, but having six within three rows of me on my transatlantic flight made me really grateful for headphones. On the way to Albuquerque, I sat by the most complainy (is that a word?) lady ever. And she wiped everything down with an antiseptic wipe before take-off.

 
We got up early the next morning, and after a really good breakfast burrito (my first in ages...hallelujah!), we braved the blizzard and drove the 270ish miles home.

Then it was on to Texas, where I got to spend a couple of days with some of my favorite people in the world. I haven't cried that much in months...and it was all because I was laughing so hard pretty much the entire time. My poor abs. Worth it.

And now, here I am at home, waiting to see if the interstate is going to be open or if we're gonna have to wait till tomorrow to go to grandpa's. But as difficult as it makes traveling, the snow sure is pretty.

So I'm not complaining.

Mince pies.

Mince pies are quite popular here. Apparently, they're a Christmas tradition. I wasn't entirely sure they were until recently. But I had an idea of what was in one, and it kind of grossed me out. See if you can follow my logic:

This is mince. Basically the same as ground beef in the States:

This is a mince pie. If you look closely, you'll see that it says, "filled with delicious mincemeat." Sounds tasty, yeah?

And if that didn't make you a little uneasy, this will. Here's how mince pies are displayed at the grocery store:

Now, based on your understanding of how to store meat, and your recent introduction to the concept of mincemeat-filled pies, how do you feel about them being on the shelves, rather than in the refrigerated section?

So can you blame me for being a little averse to trying one?

But then I found out that the mincemeat in mince pies is actually a mixture of chopped dried fruit, with some sugar and spices (and occasionally spirits). And while that name makes absolutely no sense to me in light of that definition, it does make them sound more tasty.

So I tried one. 

And you know what? It was actually pretty good.

 

Deadlines.

I know I've already mentioned this, but I've got three essays due in January. The first two (a 1000 word critical review and a 2000 word essay) are due the 5th, and the third (a 2500 word essay) is due the 12th. Now, I could pretend that I'd get some work done while I'm home, but who are we kidding?

That just won't happen.

So I've been working hard to wrap up these first two before I leave on Sunday. And while I typically don't like to wait till the last minute, I don't think I've ever started working on a paper more than a month before it's actually due. But it's got to be done, so I've given myself deadlines.

My first deadline was last Friday. I wanted to finish my critical review before the weekend, and I did! So I took the whole weekend (plus Monday) off, and it was awesome. My next deadline is tomorrow. To reach it, I decided to write 500 words a day. I'm just over 1300 words right now, so I'm right on track.

Oh, hey cyberpolitics. Thanks for stealing my Christmas joy.

And basically the only reason I'm writing about this is because it's literally all I've been doing the past few days. Except for the time I waste deliberately (you know, to remind my papers that they don't own me and I can do what I want), there's really nothing else going on. Sorry I'm boring.

This is my life.
 

Wednesday randoms.

I hadn't initially planned on going home for Christmas. But now I've got a ticket, and I'm headed back to 'merica on Sunday! So this set of randoms will give you an idea of what I'm most excited for.

In no particular order:

Driving! Oh my gosh, how I've missed driving. It's been over three months since I've been behind the wheel. I can't wait to climb in my car and just go somewhere. And I'll have plenty of opportunity, considering I'm driving to and from Texas (about 16 hours roundtrip) while I'm home. Speaking of...

Texas! I'm not from there, but the Lone Star State treated me pretty well during the four years I lived there. I'm just sad it's not bluebonnet season. Oh well, at least there's Blue Bell ice cream and...

Baylor! I can't wait to be back on campus. It feels like home. Plus, they've done a lot of remodeling since I last visited, and I can't wait to see it. I'm going to get a Cowboy Coffee from Common Grounds and walk the Bear Trail with my...

Soul friends! Well, two of them, at least. I can't even tell you how excited this makes me. These girls are the funniest people in the world, and I've been missing them like crazy. I haven't seen Kim since she left for Namibia last summer (she came back around the time I moved), and even though I got to see Alexis right before leaving for the UK, it's been three months. And three months is way too long. And, come to think of it, I don't think the three of us have gotten together since Alexis' wedding last June. Bring on the reunion. Speaking of reunions...

Family! I love my family. My mom came over here in September to help move me in, and my dad was here last month, but I still miss them. And I haven't seen my brother since August, which is weird. Plus, Christmas for my family means getting to see a whole lot of people. We typically have a full house, and there's always so many delicious things to eat. Which brings me to...

Mexican food! Obviously, England is not exactly known for Mexican food, so I wasn't expecting much, but I just haven't found any here. (Surprisingly, there was a pretty good place in Wales, but it still wasn't quite the same.) I can't wait for carne adovada, chips and salsa, tortillas, refried beans, and guacamole...Tomasita's here I come!

And finally, the scenery! I miss stars and sunsets and wide open spaces (cue Dixie Chicks...), and I can't wait to be back home in the fair state of New Mexico.

In case you can't tell, I'm really excited. And while I've always loved it, this song has never meant so much to me:

Exactly the same. But different.

Last night, I had a debate discussion with a friend about these things called Polos. Apparently they're the same as those white mint LifeSavers. Which got me thinking about how many products here are different (in that they're called something else), but are actually exactly the same.

For example:

Sorry that 75% of these examples are cereal. We eat a lot of it here in Flat 1.

But isn't that strange? Instead of Honey Nut Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Lays and Frosted Flakes, they have Honey Loops, Sultana Bran, Walkers and Frosties. But let's talk about laziness for a second. Because if you're gonna change the name, at least come up with a new look.

And then there's this:

You might be thinking to yourself, "Self, they call them Oreos over here too." And you'd be right. But look at the description. Yes, there's an unnecessary 'u' in flavored, but keep reading. "Biscuits."

Now, this is a completely different beast, because biscuits here are not the same as in the States. We've had this argument many times over. Apparently, the only cookie that's a "cookie" and not a "biscuit" is a chocolate chip cookie. Why? I have no idea. And when I tried to explain that our biscuits are different, they asked if I meant scones. No no. I meant biscuits.

Another American referred to KFC as an example, because they have KFC here. But that didn't work, because apparently they don't serve biscuits at KFC. Instead, they serve fries chips alongside their mashed potatoes.

What? Mashed potatoes with more potatoes? No, my dears.

You need a big fluffy buttery biscuit.

Snowman cookies.

Baking 40ish cookies = a productive day, right? Okay, good. Because that's what I did yesterday.

They were just standard sugar cookies that I iced to look like melting snowmen.* It was a nice break from uni work.

They're festive and fun. And they're really simple. Here's how to do it:

1. Bake some sugar cookies. They don't need to be perfectly round. Actually, it's better if they're kind of misshapen. They're supposed to be puddles, after all. 

2. Whip up some icing. Once the cookies have cooled, ice the cookies, making sure to let the icing drip over a bit. Microwave some marshmallows. There are three things to remember if you don't want to end up with a sticky mess: (1) Grease the plate beforehand, (2) watch them closely and don't let them double in size, and (3) grease your fingers before trying to take them off the plate. Then stick each one on a cookie and let the icing set before decorating.

3. Once the icing is set, decorate! This is the fun part. I put scarves and bow ties on mine, but that's up to you!


*I wish I could take credit for these little guys, but I got the idea here.

Please like gifts.

There are a lot of reasons to love this time of year: Christmas music, scarves, family, twinkle lights and all around cheer, just to name a few. But there's something else I really like, and that's gifts.

But it's giving gifts -- not getting them -- that I love. I like the whole process, from brainstorming to picking things out (or making them) to watching someone's eyes light up when they unwrap it. And actually, I don't even have to be there for the unwrapping. Sometimes its best done anonymously.

There's this personality test type thing called the 5 Love Languages that I find really interesting. It's geared toward helping spouses relate to one another by understanding how they express love, but it applies to all kinds of relationships, whether platonic or romantic. Basically, it breaks the whole thing down into these areas: quality time, acts of service, gifts, words of affirmation and physical touch. And just because you give love in one way doesn't mean you receive it in that way.

One of my favorite ways to give love is thoughtful gift-giving. The Love Languages description puts it so well: "...the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you." I like to make people feel cared for and known. So I really like giving gifts.

But let me be clear: I don't mean to say that it's a bad thing to like getting gifts. Quite the opposite! I want you to like it! Because if you don't like receiving gifts, how will I ever be able to let you know you're loved? 

Please like gifts.

As for me? Well I like them enough. But my favorite gifts are the ones that make me laugh or are considerate and sentimental. I don't need expensive. I don't like flashy. Which is why I don't give those kinds of gifts. (Sorry friends who had their eyes on something pricey this year!)

But, really, I'd rather just give them. I'm more of a quality time person.

They say the best things in life are free. I suppose that about sums it up. But I think the best things in life also involve time and effort, thoughtfulness, and laughter. (And, more often than not, chocolate.)

(This was playing while I wrote this post. Thought it was lovely and appropriate.)

Happy Christmas shopping! I hope you enjoy it. And may you not be overwhelmed by expectations or price tags.

  

Wednesday randoms.

I know I talk about it all the time, but I've got to mention my Bears again this week (sorry/not sorry). We had a great game against Texas over the weekend. We were only up by 3 at half, but finished the game with a 48-24 victory. That win put us at 9-3 overall, and we were 7-0 at home. Plus, we're going to a bowl game. A great way to end the season. Love it.

Aaaaand our quarterback, Robert Griffin III (aka RG3), was selected as a Heisman finalist. Half of my Baylor friends have added "III" to their names on Facebook in support. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed till Saturday, when they announce the winner.

"I plead the third."

Back to randoms:

The weather has continued to be crazy good. It's snowing all over the place back home, but we've had blue skies. Yes, it's cold, but it's totally bearable. And it gives me an excuse to bust out my favorite hats and scarves.

I've pretty much had Christmas music on constantly for the past week. I made a Spotify playlist that I'm in love with (though my flatmates probably hate by now). It includes this, this and this, to name a few.

Something a couple other Americans and I talked about recently was walking. We do it a lot here. But it can get confusing, because we're still not entirely sure what side to stay to. We figure we're supposed to stay left, since that's how they drive. But there are so many international people here that there's really no rhyme or reason. As a result, stairs can get really complicated.

Finally, I continue to be the American representative in my classes. One in particular has been pretty awkward as of late. The last couple of weeks, we've focused on globalization -- American cultural imperialism in particular. As usual, I'm expected to have some insight, but really I just keep feeling the need to apologize since my country is apparently deliberately and systematically destroying other countries' traditions and national identities in everything from food to music. I'm sorry there are McDonalds in the Himalayas, okay? I didn't do it!

Happy Wednesday, friends.

Just keep swimming.

I was going to say that I'm drowning in course work. But I'm not...not quite. 

Right now, I've got 3 essays, a presentation and a report to do. Most of those don't have to be in till January, but who wants to spend Christmas doing homework? That's what I like about the US system -- finals are before the break.

Not pictured: Coffee. And lots of it.

So I'm trying to be diligent and manage my time well (instead of making Christmas playlists and baking all day, which is what I'd rather be doing). But the presentation is actually a nice change of pace, since I get to be kind of creative. Plus, we're making our slideshow with Prezi, which I just love. And the good news is that both the presentation and the report are due by next week, so it'll be easier to focus on those essays.

Until then, I'll just keep swimming*.

*Originally, I had linked this clip, for obvious reasons. But then this other song came on Spotify, and I loved it too much to keep it to myself.

This isn't The Holiday, I'm not Cameron Diaz, and I'm not in love.

We watched The Holiday a couple of weeks after I got here. In case you've forgotten, that's the one where Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet trade houses for Christmas. In the film, the American (Diaz) falls in love with a Brit (Jude Law), who literally shows up on her doorstep right after she arrives in England. The girls and I laughed about how it should give me great hope for romance here in the UK, as I'm kind of in a similar situation.  

It only took like a day for them to fall in love in the film. Yet, here I am almost 3 months later, and Jude Law has yet to knock on my door. In fact, I haven’t met anyone I’m interested in. Granted, I don't have movie star looks, and that's a chick flick (aka, completely unrealistic), so I suppose I shouldn't have such high expectations. 

But the other night, Sheila (our romance resident expert--the girl's got men lining queuing up to get a chance to go out with her) figured out what was wrong. She was looking through a lot of my pictures and pointed out that the vast majority of the guys I hang out with at home are quite attractive, which is bound to have had some sort of influence on my tastes. I think her exact words were, "Oh my days. All these guys are really fit! No wonder you haven't found anybody here. You're used to a whole different standard!"  

Now, part of the issue is that I'm not Sheila. I'm not (and this is Sheila's term) "a lioness" in that I don't "go hunting" for men. Like, not ever. I doubt I'll ever be that girl. And I'm perfectly fine with that.

But I still liked her theory. And even though it implies extreme shallowness on my part, I plan to use it as my excuse from now on. Because people do ask...all the time. And because it's more fun than, "Oh I just haven't found anyone I'm particularly interested in...not sure why. Maybe because I'm not really looking?"

So this is a shout out to all my Baylor/Pine Cove guy friends. You're the ones featured most prominently in these pictures, so clearly it's all your fault. Thanks for being so attractive that you've ruined me for all these British blokes.  

It makes it much easier to concentrate on my studies.
  

  

Roasted cherry tomato soup.

I got into town a littler earlier than I planned this afternoon, so I stopped by the market. There were these gorgeous cherry tomatoes on the vine -- a carton for £1. Not bad. So I stopped and requested some. The man gave me three cartons instead, still for just £1. What a deal! But then I had to figure out what to do with all those tomatoes. 

So I made soup.

Butter makes everything better.

Roasted cherry tomato soup

*adapted loosely from Tyler Florence's recipe

Ingredients:

2 cartons of cherry tomatoes (probably just over a pound)

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, whole

olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup whole milk (or heavy cream, if you're going for decadence)

basil

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F (about 230 C). 

Slice each tomato in half, and place cut side up on a foil-lined pan. Add diced onions and garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and place in a large(ish) pot. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half.

Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth (or still a little chunky, if that's what you like). If you don't have an immersion blender, put one on your Christmas wish list. In the meantime, you can let the mixture cool and puree it in a food processor or regular blender, then return it to the pot.

Add whole milk or heavy cream until you reach the consistency you like. Add basil and more salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve warm.

And preferably in a bread bowl.

Touring Parliament.

I went on a tour of Parliament today. Well first, I got evacuated from my building because there was a gas leak somewhere in the vicinity. But the timing worked out perfectly, as I was already on my way out.

But back to Parliament. It's held at the Palace of Westminster, which looks like this on the outside:

And on the inside...well they don't let you take pictures. But I've linked some pictures for you to look at.

We entered at St. Stephen's Entrance, where we had to go through security and take a picture for our visitors badge and whatnot. From there, we walked into Westminster Hall, which was built in 1097 and is the oldest remaining part of the palace. We walked through Norman's Porch, which is on the way from the Sovereign's Entrance under Victoria Tower (where the Queen enters on the State Opening of Parliament) to the Robing Room (where she puts on her official robes and the Imperial State Crown).

After that, we walked through the Royal Gallery and into the Chamber of the House of Lords. Members of the House of Lords ("peers") are not elected. They are either Lords Spiritual (bishops of the Church of England) or life peers appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. The room is gorgeous -- decorated in red and gold. There is also a throne for the Queen, made of mahogany and painted with 23-point-something karat gold leaf. Posh.

Then we walked through several ornately decorated lobbies and into the much plainer Chamber of the House of Commons. Members are elected democratically, and no monarchs ever enter (after a little incident with Charles I in 1642). The opposing parties sit opposite each other, and their debates can get pretty crazy. This is Gordon Brown (former Prime Minister) and David Cameron (current Prime Minister) argue over election and taxes:

It's interesting, because they're so formal ("my right honorable friend" instead of using the person's name), but they can also get incredibly unruly. 

We ended the tour where we began: Westminster Hall.
  

"We'll welcome December with tireless hope."

About a year ago, Sleeping At Last, one of my favorite bands, started something they called the "Yearbook Project," in which they put out 3 new songs every month for an entire year. I can only imagine how creatively taxing that must have been, but I absolutely love the album that came from it.

I'm the kind of person who puts a soundtrack to my life, so having songs specifically for December makes me happy.

Even though the sky was blue(ish) for most of today, and it's nowhere near snowing just yet, it's December 1st, so I thought I'd share "Snow," my favorite of their December songs, with you. It's calm and thoughtful and reflective...like December should be. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.