Registry, induction, and new plates

Hi, again. Sorry for not updating yesterday. Several of you got on my case about it...I really didn't mean any harm... Neither yesterday nor today included anything of particular interest. Yesterday I finished registering/matriculating, which unfortunately does not mean that I found out anything about my classes. I did force myself to be outside for a while, for which I am proud of myself. I shopped around Princes street again, including going to the grocery store yet again and picking up some better smelling body wash at Boots. The rest of the day I spent in my cold flat alternately watching Thin Blue Line and pretending to nap. Well, pretending to myself more than anything else. As always, I got to talk to Geoff for a few hours, which made my day. Afterward, I finally beat Cooking Dash. This, in my banal week of errands and shivering, is an accomplishment.

I woke up feeling worse today, and I'm afraid that tomorrow I'll definitely have to register with the health centre and set up an appointment. Yea, sinus infection. My morning started off brightly, indeed: my new phone died and nothing I tried revived it. I spent a good half hour messing with it before giving up and leaving for my induction ceremony. The ceremony/meeting/lecture was wholly unhelpful and I still don't know what is expected of me. My program director didn't bother being in his office today, so I have to e-mail him to set up an appointment. You would think that he would be there since everyone from the college was in David Hume Tower at the same time, but I suppose that would have been convenient, and we certainly couldn't have that, could we?

I did meet the only other person doing a MscR in Renaissance literature this year. His name is Keith and he's a nice Scottish Marlowe man who got married this summer and honeymooned in Japan. It's nice that we won't be competing. He loves Shakespeare but didn't want to research what's already been dragged through the mud enough (which isn't how he put it, but I know that's what he meant). We walked over to the student union together where there was supposed to be a reception after the induction. However, we got there half an hour early, so we went to the poster sale downstairs (which was wholly unimpressive and I only purchased a small John Lennon poster that summed up my whirlwind summer with Geoff), and didn't end up going to the reception at all. He left before it started and I couldn't figure out the labyrinthine layout of the place and gave up.

I went to the grocery store (again!) and the pharmacy (again!) on my way back home. Then I stumbled on Pound Saver and picked up some more kitchen items. Previous to today, the only dishes I had available were the plastic ones Monica and Sarah bought, so I got a 12-piece set of porcelain ones (see mom, I listen). 4 dinner plates, 4 salad plates, and 4 bowls. I also bought 4 corresponding mugs that are quite pretty, actually, and very inexpensive. They were 1.29 each and the set was 10. However, carrying all of this plus a silicone-lined oven mitt, two wooden spoons, and a 4-piece steak knife set along with the bag of groceries uphill a mile or mile and a half was quite horrible, indeed. I was rather proud of myself for not having any asthma problems. The worst part was how bulky and awkward it was to carry. I'm too short to just hold that large a bag down at my side and not have it scrape the ground, so I had to alternately cradle it in my arms and hover it slightly above the pavement. The bag was also not the sturdiest, so I worried everything would break before I got home. Thankfully, I got everything back, washed, and put away safely. My arms were shaking by the end of the experience, though.

Happily, Viola was home when I got there, so I got to chat with her for a while. She fixed my phone problem and it's now working again. I decided that I wanted to pick up fish and chips for dinner tonight, and was excited that she decided to join me for a stroll along the Royal Mile. We dropped into some cashmere shops before picking up dinner (well, I picked up dinner, but she had already eaten). I think one of those scarves might have to come home with me... The chips were very good, but despite asking for malt vinegar, none was to be found on my fish. Upsetting, I know, and I didn't have any at home with which to ameliorate my problem. Alas.

I then got online and found that Geoff wasn't online, much to my chagrin, so I decided to take a nap. A few facebook and text messages later, I found out that I wouldn't get to talk to him until midnight, which irked me. I slept until then and then called his cell since the internet at the Citadel apparently reeks like a dirty diaper. He could tell I was miffed, apologized, and let me rant about my day for a while, which made it all better. I really do feel so lucky to have him.

In other news, I found out that I had in fact read the skype subscription information somewhat incorrectly, so I've signed up for a year-long subscription that includes calls to all United States landlines and mobiles. I won't have to pay any more for calling you all! Thank goodness for having a skype phone. Hopefully no one will just try to call my British phone number outright. That's actually why I'm not just giving it out...sorry! International phone calls are exorbitant. Skype is practically my life blood and I'm now basically contactable through it all day long.
Except for when my phone dies.

On a side note: the only coffee I've seen offered here for free (aka in my residence hall, at the International Student Cafe, etc.) is instant. This would not be considered in the U.S.! No one in their right mind would presume to advertise instant coffee as normal coffee! "Free tea and coffee" should not mean instant. Lord help us. I mean, I felt like I needed some coffee this morning/afternoon after my cell phone ordeal and felt so lucky when I stumbled upon the Int'l Student Cafe half an hour before my induction meeting thing, but all they had was instant! It was basically dirty, lukewarm water and not the least bit pleasant. I did, however, get a free keychain that says Scotland on one side and has the American flag on the other (nice to have a bit of home) and a shortbread cookie and I only had to talk to a couple freshmen for about five minutes, which wasn't painful. One of them was from America and the other was from Kazhakstan (which I may or may not have spelled correctly...it doesn't usually come up, you know).

Tomorrow there's a freeshop at the union where I should be able to get some more kitchen supplies...for free. Hopefully I'll find the place this time, because you can't really beat that deal. Tomorrow is also curry night at the residence hall, so I'm getting a free meal (always a plus). I'm kind of excited about it. Hopefully I'll be a bit more up to meeting new people than I was last time. Stepping off a plane into a group of new faces isn't the most exciting experience...

Well, that should be enough of my day to keep you wishing I would write less. I love you all and I'll write again soon!