Life got in the way.

New Year's resolutions:

Update blog regularly.
Finish essays without resorting to all-nighters.
Relearn Russian. Remember French.
Discover the joys of a tidy room.
Memorise lyrics of songs.
Stop making New Year's resolutions.
And so on. As we all know resolutions are bound to fail. So, I will have to learn to accept the flawed me.

Wrote the above on the 1st of January and STILL haven't managed to post anything. Terrible. Student life has turned me into an apathetic bum, or so it would seem to innocent bystanders. On the contrary have been busy as a bee.
Flew home to Stuttgart in November and, of course, for Christmas. (Yes, I know...my carbon footprint). November was a very short visit, mainly in order to dance at a 'Gala', was lovely to see the girls and the performance was just orgasmic (yes, Sandra ;-)). It really meant a lot to me to be home for Christmas and New Year's Eve, made me realise that I am a country bumpkin and proud of it! It was strange to be back. A whirlwind of activity. Everything felt the same and yet, was very different. You can't go back, can you?
~The clock talked loud. I threw it away, it scared me what it talked.~

First few days back in London were quite difficult. A case of homesickness coupled with lots and lots of work, January weather and my prison cell of a room. Thankfully, I had friends to make me lots of cups of tea. As we all know: A cup of tea solves everything.
London has its many delights. First dates in Chinatown. Firework displays for Bonfire Night. Getting lost on Hampstead Heath. History lessons at the National Portrait Gallery. Fajita nights. Cidre at the "Holly Bush" pub. Sitting in the darkness of the "New London" auditorium, pondering the meaning of Chekhov or Shakespeare (or just becoming more and more agitated by Romola Garai's nasal voice). Shopping in Oxford Street - actually that's not always a delight. Discovering obscure shops/bars/bands/people - you name it. Walking along the Prime Meridian of the world, standing with a foot in the Eastern and Western hemispheres. The sound of Buskers in the underground stations. Sitting in the Round Reading Room at the Maughan library being clever. Art with friends. Embankment when the sun shines.
And its many pitfalls. Essay deadlines (Oh, how I despise the all-nighter). Exams sat with 1000 fellow students. The Tube: crowded, unreliable, dirty, expensive; but at least you get around. Showers that don't work. Spending vast amounts of money on basic living. Pollution. The constant sound of sirens. Street fighting. Watching the grey clones, that is the London investment banker.
All in all, the delights outshine the rest, though, I do have my "London loathe" days every once in a while.

Certain individuals have started pointing out that I rarely mention or depict the academic side of things, possibly insinuating that I don't study. (!). Shame on them. I do enjoy being a 'clever clogs', but it doesn't make for the most entertaining of writing. I go to university dutifully each day (except Thursdays - day off). Attend seminars, lectures, tutorials (still have to figure out what the difference is ;-)) and am intellectually stimulated. So there. Am happy with King's as an educational institution, hope it stays that way.

Some facts and figures...Yes, I'm obsessed by the price of things.
London, a small city somewhere in Europe. Europeans claim it's big, people from Shanghai laugh at them. Nobody laughs about the prices.
In 2000 overall prices in London were 6.8% higher than the UK average.
Goods tend to be only 2.6% more expensive, but services are 13.0% more expensive. Housing was 53% percent more expensive than in the total UK (and 74% if one excluded London from this calculation).
The good news: local passenger transport by bus was 28.8% cheaper sewerage collection was 19.6% cheaper.
Wonderful, I can use the loo as much as I want.

On that note, Good Night.

P.S. Kevin Keegan is the new manager of Newcastle United FC, let us share in the joy of the Geordie nation.
P.P.S. As always, pictures can be found on Picasa.