'If I hide myself where ever I go, am I ever really there...'

*Not sure why, but Stunt and Everything To Everyone has been playing non-stop on my iPod for the past week or so. I forgot how many good songs there were on those two albums, though I think I might prefer Stunt--Call and Answer and It's All Been Done are definite two awesome songs :D Nothing like music that brings you back to your early years (and we're talking as far back as 5th grade!).

*I saw Transformers with Adam in London on the big IMAX; what an awesome movie! Granted I still say the first one was the best, but this one was a definite close second. I think the power of the IMAX added to the effects. Though, I must admit, at some points, I felt a bit like I did at the end of The Dark Knight; complete sensory overload.

*We're really starting to wind down the year at this point; everyone seems to be in 'end of the year' mode. I am really looking forward to the end of the year, regardless of all the vacation we were given during the school year. I know that those breaks are certainly needed, especially when you have KS4 and 5 classes, but I think that June 21st will always remain, in my mind, as the 'last day of school' (as it was for 12 years of my life). Of course I cannot let that get in the way--something tells me that my explanation for why I've decided not to teach my students past the 21st of June wouldn't exactly fly with the principal of my school (with good reason).

*We have Sports Day tomorrow. This major event is nation wide, so we're not the only school crazy enough to bring students out on a 92 degree day (believe me, I'm going to look like an oversized lobster after tomorrow, regardless of the amount of sunscreen I apply). In all honesty, regardless of the heat, I think this will be fun. As I was telling a colleague of mine who asked why we didn't have sports day, this is something to cover the lack of Football/Basketball/Hockey games we have (not to mention Homecomming).

*I think Adam and I might see All's Well That Ends Well in Regents Park this weekend :) Should be really nice, given the weather isn't too ghastly hot.

*Less than 3 weeks until I'm home! So excited to see everyone!

Okay I must be off. Time for bed and then up tomorrow for a nice healthy dose of sun stroke! :)

Lake District Fun...

So I'm about a week late on my update regarding the Lake District trip; over all, a VERY good time :)

Some quick things:

1. My favorite picture of the entire weekend (out of 150 of them mind you...):

2. Climbing mountains is probably one of my newest interests (which is incredibly ironic as I'm a completely uncoordinated to begin with. Climbing up a large mountain at a good 50 degree angle with uneven rocks and few, if any footpaths, really isn't a 'safe' idea for someone with my klutzy tendencies...). Look: And that's not even at the top; that resulted in one incredibly, awe inspiring, view--sublime to say the least.

3. I met the rest of Adam's immediate family; it was definitely nice to meet them and it made for an even better weekend :)

4. If you want to see the remainder of the photos (not all 150 as I deleted a good portion of the photos I didn't like) they're up on facebook.

'Do you believe in what you see? There doesn't seem to be anyone else who agrees with me'

*Well, I've whole heartedly accepted my newest obsession with anything related to Zach Braff; mainly Garden State, an already known obsession for many (obvious) reasons, and Scrubs. I'm not sure if it's the fact that he's an awesome actor/director, has great taste in music (see Garden State soundtrack for that one, though to be honest, Scubs has some pretty incredible songs to go along with it as well, though I'm not too sure he has a say in the choice of that), or his ability to make his sheer nerd-ie-ness into something so wonderfully hilarious (it almost makes my own personal moments of nerd-om and social disasters seem acceptable!), but what ever he does, he is certainly doing something right :)

*Almost Friday after what has been one of the fastest weeks since I first started. I'm not sure where the weeks are going, but it seems as though I've managed to fill my time with just enough to keep myself busy; the quantity of my marking/grading has basically taken a nose dive and I've had the time to actually ensure my lessons are top notch

Check it! *zing* haha.

Yes, I went there, and I'm done.

Continuing on...

*I am most definitely looking forward to a great weekend up in the Lake District with Adam (I'm meeting the rest of his family). According to everyone I've spoken to, it is the place to be for hiking, scenery-- essentially, anything out door related. I'm excited to bust out my camera for some serious shots. Well, it's only an Olympus FE-340 (Push Here Dummy or PHD as I like to call them), but one day I will own a nice camera (when I can afford it--the newest Canon EOS Rebel T1i EF-s 18-55mm, all 900 dollars of it, makes me drool a bit...). I can see it now: I'll become one of those cliche backpackers who carries their camera everywhere with them, I'll become more 'ethical' and almost revert back to my high school self--the massive tree hugger that I was, though much cleaner than most. I'll snack on nothing but Kashi products and perhaps even grow dreads...

...sorry I had to stop there. I realized I was going a bit over board on the 'backpackers paradise' scenario. And don't worry, I won't be reverting back to my high school self. Ever :) (Hippy dippy just doesn't seem to fit me anymore).

*I did a little over 6 miles today in 1 hour and 3 minutes--about a 10 minute mile. I think I'm doing quite well :) Hopefully, once the summer is over I can start bringing that up again. My hay fever ('allergies' for all my American friends out there) seems to be acting up quite a bit this year; new climate perhaps? I had one of those episodes from high school soccer about three weeks ago *shutter*: Hot sticky weather + running + pollen + aggravated that I'm having trouble breathing = hyperventilating.

Joy.

*My room, just for the record, looks like it has thrown up on itself. Somehow, in the span of four days, it has gone from immaculate to one massive pigsty. And on that note, I should go and clean. Hopefully I'll be in bed earlier than 11pm tonight; I've been waking up still incredibly tired and I can't seem to figure out why.

Hey, I've got nothing to do today, but smile...

*I know it's been a while since I last posted. I'm on lunch break at the moment and didn't feel like going down to the staff room, so I figured I'd update this quickly:

*Have had a few, serious, up and down days the last couple of weeks. I never really thought I'd get to the point where I wanted to go home, but I suppose that's what stress mixed with a serious dose of home sickness will do to a person. Now that I've had some time to calm down and sort a few things out, I'm feeling much better. I was stupidly stressed last week, mainly due to personal things going on outside of school. My housing situation isn't the best and I'm really counting down the days until I'm moved out and on my own; I really need this coming school year to myself. However, when life hands you lemons, the only thing you really can do is make an ice cold pitcher, no matter how sour it may be; in this case, my limited time spent at home means more time running, going out with friends, and giving me more time to read at Starbucks (with the beautiful weather, it's now much cheaper as I can walk there). Along with making the best of the situation, I've learned that, contrary to my belief a few weeks ago, I really do have some great friends here--supportive and incredibly caring people who really do want the best for me--needless to say, I am not alone. Adam would, of course, be under that category--he too was incredibly helpful last week when I felt as though my being here was a huge mistake. Needless to say, things are most defniitely looking up!

*Yesterday was four months and we're going strong. Still incredibly happy. Still enjoying eachothers comapny. All and all things couldn't be better. Huge thumbs up to that :)

*Regardless of no longer being incredibly emotional and overtly homesick, I'm still looking forward to my time spent back in the good ol US of A :) Can't wait to see all of you lovely people!

*I'm starting to think about gradschool and my options for the 2010/11 school year. Right now my top (non-pipe dream) choice would be Kings College in London. With it's incredible 19th centre literature program, it's become my prime targe. Of course my pipe dream still is, and always will be, Oxford; maybe I'll apply just for the hell of it (we'll see).

*Anyway, I'm off! Even though the day is almost over, we have three long meetings this afternoon that will keep me here way past 5--lovely.

'The universe is a big place. Perhaps the biggest.'

Another week flown by here in the good 'ol UK. It's hard to believe I've been here for almost a year. Jesus.

I graduated from college exactly a year ago last month. Unbelievable.

Last night my housemates and I stood in the kitchen discussing what one would call 'philosophical' topics; those mostly pertaining to things we regret doing from this past year quickly moving to things we simply learned from our new environment. The consensus, however, of the one thing we all learned from our year of teaching in MK was that, in the profession of teaching, one cannot expect to be perfect, nor on top of everything at all times. It simply cannot be done. Point blank. I quickly remembered my mentor from my high school rotation telling me that and, even quicker, remembered myself not believing her. How naive was I? I have learned so much from one year alone. The basics of teaching, for one, have become second nature to me (classroom management, to name one); of course I still have much to learn, but that's all part of teaching--once you say you know everything, it's time to pack it up and leave.

Looking back at where we (Sue Hanson's cohort) were this time last year, thinking that we had just conquered Mt. Everest, and to some extent we had, it's hard to believe how much I, and I can assume many others from that group, have learned in this past year. Someone told me, about this time last year actually, that graduating from college was a huge culture shock, largely explaining my spontaneous crying fits for the first month following graduation.