Dislocation - The Yellow Wallpaper

Cheers!

Since Allen is pretty much a champion and has taken care of the postings thus far, I thought I had better contribute if I'm going to continue to call this blog part mine.

So we moved into our place, which is really quite adorable, even with the flaking yellow paint and gigantic floral stickers on the furniture (the interior designer inside me is TEARING HER HAIR OUT right now). Charlotte Perkins Gilman was on to something about this shade of yellow...seriously - so unsettling. It's ridiculously expensive compared to rent in Lincoln, but, believe it or not, a really good price for zone 2, London. We pay 100 pounds each per week. That's right - $200 a WEEK. We get our own rooms, though, which is pretty great for cheap temporary housing.

There's always something a little exciting about moving into a new place - exciting, and a little disorienting...especially if you're in a completely different country with no job and no idea how you're going to pay for the rest of your term here. That's being a bit pessimistic, I guess, but with a healthy dose of realism. This place is fucking EXPENSIVE. There is also the sense of ownership and personalization that comes with moving into a new place. I'm an interior design major - I connect with spaces. When I live in a space, I need to feel like it is at least a little bit mine. It needs to feel like home - like a reflection of myself and my tastes, etc. With our kind of budget, though, and the short time we will be staying here, I'm having a hard time finding ways to really connect with my environment. This might not be a big deal to most people, but it's a bit of an obstacle for me here. I have some ideas for the space, but most of them involve cardboard and sharpies...we'll see how that goes...

Edinburgh has been my favorite part of the trip so far. That city is SO beautiful. I know I've only been here a couple weeks, but I'd live there before London if I had my choice. There is so much history, and, let's be honest, the accents are AMAZING.

Allen and I haven't killed eachother yet, and though I was a little afraid of getting sick of eachother, I really don't think we will. There are few people I can be around this much and still want to see them alive the next day - luckily, Allen is one of them. It helps a tremendous amount to have someone with me who is not only responsible and attentive (something I cannot always claim of myself), but is fun to be around as well.

I've been able to keep in contact with people pretty well so far. The phones we got are kind of geared toward internat'l calls, so it's actually cheaper for me to call the states than somewhere here in London. I've been talking to my parents pretty regularly, and Amy almost every day (which has had a lot to do with my remaining sane through all this crazy travel nonsense - don't know what I'd do without her.)

We have yet to start our classes, but we journeyed down to visit the area a couple times, and it is definately in a very nice (very expensive) part of London. I'm a little afraid I will need to dress up for class...that would make me very sad. AIU is only one building, and looks to be predominantly a design school - mostly fashion. Ugh. Don't get me wrong - I love fashion, but to be honest, I just do not get women's fashion right now, and if I have to be surrounded by girls in $400 heels and 3 inches of foundation everyday, I just might throw myself in front of one of the neato 2-level buses they have here. I'll keep you updated on that...

And writing. Oh, writing. I've been trying, kids - I really have. I've written a few things, none of which I'm especially excited about, but I have plenty of ideas, and have decided to make a goal for myself. By the time I get back, I plan to have a chapbook done and ready to print. Lofty, I know, but I think I can do it. I would REALLY like to represent Lincoln at the 1st Women's Slam in Chicago this year, and the qualifying bout for that is just 2 days after my triumphant return to Nebraskaland. Pressure? Nah.... ok...maybe a little...

WOW. We finally found a place offering free wireless down here in Oxford Circus, and it happened to be a sports bar, which is fine, but seriously - these people are INSANE! There's some huge cricket game on ("match?" "game?"...whatever) and it is so lound I can barely hear myself think. It makes me miss NE football a little....very little, but the sentiment is there.

This place is getting ridiculous....I'm out.


-stacy