Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Long time no post…
Alright, I’ll admit that it’s been quite a while since I last wrote anything, almost a month in fact. I have, surprisingly, been doing quite a bit. I’m assuming that this is going to turn into a very long post, so I’ll separate it into smaller sections for ease of reading.
Friday, 15 December 2006:
Ross invited me to go to Ballater with him, and I jumped at the chance to leave Aberdeen for a couple of hours. This would also prove to be the first time that I would get to visit another city in Scotland since I moved to Aberdeen last year, so I was very excited. We left the city at around noon-ish and started to drive west. I do have to point out here that it was so incredibly weird getting into the car. First off, I almost got in the wrong side…I started to walk over to the right side, but then realized that the steering wheel is not located on the left hand side over here! Duh! I felt so completely odd to be sitting as a passenger on the left side of the car and not have a steering wheel in front of me. That is definitely going to take some getting used to. Anyhoo, we quickly left the city behind, and the view changed to fields of sheep and small villages. The countryside was quite beautiful and I was enjoying the drive immensely. I got to see my first full-fledged village and even a tiny hamlet during the drive. The hamlet was so amusing, as Ross told me that if I blinked I would miss it, and he was absolutely correct. There were only a few houses and a phone box that constituted the entire community, and we passed it within seconds. You never really get to see things like that back in the states. Eventually, we passed a sign that said we were in the Highlands. Yeah, I had finally made it to the Highlands! It was gorgeous…in the distance we could see a mountain that was capped with snow (it made me so envious, as I’ve been told that it doesn’t really snow everywhere here until the end of January at the earliest). I kept ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘aah-ing’ as I looked around. There was just so much to take in at once and I was having a grand time. We ultimately arrived in Ballater and were walking around the town, running the errands that Ross was there for. It’s a cute little town, with a great view of the mountains around them. After we had lunch, we had to head back to Aberdeen. The drive back was just as pleasant as the drive out there, and I even got to see my first Highland cow (or Highland Coo as they say) in person. For those of you who haven’t seen a Highland cow, they’re very shaggy and have long gingery hair, and are very cute (as far as cows go, that is). Eventually, we got back to Aberdeen and Ross had to quickly head back to Stonehaven to do some more errands. All in all, it was a great day and I can now check ‘visit the Scottish Highlands’ off my list of things to do while I live over here.
Saturday, 16 December 2006:
Today was the day of my first little dinner party. Theresa and I decided to make the boys (Ross and Scott) dinner and then sit around drinking and talking. I made my famous ‘American’ lasagna, and Theresa made spaghetti (hey, we’re only students, not bloody chefs!), everything tasted nice and we had good dinner conversation. After dinner, I would like to say that ‘we retired to the drawing room’, but as everything is located in one big room, I can’t really say that (plus, I don’t live in 19th century England!). Anyhoo, we basically just lounged around listening to music and drinking (why yes, alcohol was present) and talking. At some point, Theresa mentioned that she wanted to watch a movie, and Scott had brought several over, so we all got comfortable and watched Hard Candy (I think that’s right, but don’t quote me on that), a very strange movie about a young girl who tries to get back at a guy whom she thinks did bad things. After the movie, we resumed our hanging out strategy and continued doing so for several more hours. We all had a pretty good time I think, and by about 2am, I was starting to fall asleep on the couch, so the boys departed. It was a long night actually, as the guys came over at around 5pm and left at 2am. It was nice to just hang out at home for once, instead of trekking around the city in a continuous pub crawl (which, I’ll admit, I like doing as well). So, another good day for Michelle. Oh, I almost forgot…Theresa brought her camera and actually managed to grab a picture of the guys (who, like me, do not enjoy having their picture taken), so I’m going to post it for those of you who may wonder what these people I’m talking about actually look like!
Ross
(L) and Scott (R) Theresa Me
Friday, 22 December 2006:
The day finally arrived…I’m moving! I got up early this morning and walked to the solicitors and signed my new lease. Yeah! I also had to hand over £1200 in cash (not quite so good). I was in a great mood all morning, knowing that by the end of the day I would never have to sleep in the George Street flat again. I immediately walked to my new flat on West Mount Street to look things over, but then I discovered that my keys didn’t work! I rang the solicitor and told him that I think he gave me the wrong keys, and he said he’d call me right back. In a few minutes, I was getting a bit antsy just standing outside my building when he pulled up in his car. He told me that he had gotten his secretary to get the keys for him and that he wouldn’t be making that mistake again! Long story short, he brought the correct keys with him and gave them to me, so I went upstairs to take a look at my brand new flat. After only a couple of minutes, however, I had to trek back to George Street, as Ross had agreed to help me move so I had to meet him. I had managed to pack all of my stuff into my four pieces of luggage, one hamper and one laundry bag, in addition to the two end tables, printer and computer that I had. It took about 3 trips total between the both of us to get everything into his car. I do have to say this though, for someone who has never moved to another home in his life, he is an amazing mover…I never would have thought that all of my possessions could have fit into his car, but they did. It was just a short drive to my new flat where we had to start the whole process over in reverse. Fortunately, Ross was gentlemanly enough to carry the largest pieces of luggage up the two flights of stairs to my flat. It actually didn’t take that long to get everything unpacked, luckily, as I was exhausted by that point. After we were done, we headed over to Sainsbury’s so that I could pick up to some supplies (mainly a duvet and sheets, so that I could actually sleep in my bed that night) and then headed back. Ross hung around for a little while longer before he had to head back to Stonehaven. I am really appreciative of all the help that he has given me today, as there was no way that I could have been able to do it by myself. He really is a good friend.
Monday, 25 December 2006:
Just a quick post today to say ‘Merry Christmas’ to everyone. However, today is just like any other day for me. I’m a bit lonely at the moment as I have no family within 5000 miles, and most of my friends have gone back to their families for the holidays. There are the boys in Stonehaven, but again, they’re all spending time with their families. So all I’ve done today is call my mom (it’s her birthday, after all), play the Sims 2 on the computer, and eat a frozen pizza. Very festive indeed. Oh well, if you really stop to think about it, Christmas is kind of pointless once you become an adult, isn’t it? There’s really no reason to wake up at the crack of dawn just to open presents…it’s usually just an excuse to visit family that you haven’t seen in a while. Also, it’s not like I even have any presents to open this year. I’ve already gotten my present from my father and sister. I am, however, still waiting for a package from my mom, which I’m really starting to worry about. Hopefully it shows up soon.
Monday, 1 January 2007:
Well, it’s officially 2007…whoopty-freakin’-do! I never usually get excited about a new year, there’s really no point. Sure, I’ll partake in a bit of partying, but how is that different from any other day really? LOL. I was sitting on my bed reading Dracula yesterday when I got a text from Ali telling me that I had to go to Stonehaven to celebrate Hogmanay (what the Scots call New Years Eve), and that I had no choice. Well, it’s always nice to feel included, so I agreed and got ready. I should mention that the weather had been incredibly disgusting all day: heavy rain and gale force winds. I found out today that every single big Hogmanay celebration (except for those in Aberdeen and Stonehaven) had been cancelled…that must have been terrible for all of the people that had traveled to Edinburgh for the world-famous festivities that they hold every year. Oh well, not really my concern. Back to my part of Scotland…as I was walking to the train station it began to hail, and the rain really picked up…it was blowing horizontally for a wee while. By the time I bought my ticket (only £3.50 for a single to Stonehaven…not too shabby!), I was literally dripping wet and was very uncomfortable. I wasn’t complaining, however, as I was just happy to be around people after being alone for the last week. When I arrived in Stonehaven, Ross was kind enough to pick me up, as I have never been to that town before and had absolutely no idea where I was going. We drove to Scott’s house, where we were met by Scott, Ali and Ben. I also got to meet Scott’s family…I really liked them, they’re very nice, especially his mother. We all sat down to eat curry and drink some beers. After dinner we hung out in Scott’s room for awhile until it was time to head out. We were then joined by two of the boy’s friends, but I can’t remember their names at the moment. We then went to some really small little pub and stayed for one drink, and then walked to the town square, where there was a little carnival and disco set up. We hung around there for a bit before going to another pub. Again, we only stayed for one drink (mind you, I’d already had several drinks at Scott’s house, so I was feeling pretty good) and then walked down to the harbor.
I suppose that I should mention that the whole point of going to Stonehaven (aside from hanging out with the boys) was to see the fireballs. Yeah, I know, I was kind of like, what the hell is that? It’s actually a really old tradition where a bunch of people (many donning kilts…mmm) swing giant balls of fire around and around while they walk up and down the street. It might sound lame, but I quite enjoyed it, and if you get close enough, the heat is very intense. Also, there are sparks and bits of fire flying all over the place. After a while, they all walk down to the harbor and fling the fireballs into the water. I guess it’s just something that you have to see to appreciate. So, we watched them for a while and then walked back to Scott’s house, which took quite a long time, as there were so many people around that it was nearly impossible to walk. I can’t believe that that many people could actually fit into the streets of Stonehaven! By this time, Ali and Ben had gone AWOL, and I didn’t end up seeing them for the rest of the night (though I did get an amusing drunken text from Ali at around 4am!). Once we had managed to get back to Scott’s house, we all hung out in the living room. Soon, however, the room was completely packed with what must have been at least 20 people (apparently, Scott’s house is somewhat of a traditional meeting place for people to drop by after midnight). I was getting so tired and started thinking about where I was going to stay. Earlier, Ali had told me that they would figure out somewhere for me to stay, but with everyone scattered around the town, this proved to be a bit optimistic, and so I had Ross call me a taxi at around 2am. The taxi driver was very nice and amusing, and I had a nice chat with him on the drive back to Aberdeen (the trains stop running long before midnight, so I was left with no other alternative with which to get back to Aberdeen). The funny thing is that once we had arrived back into the city, I couldn’t point out where I lived. Well, think about it, I had just moved to a new flat, and I usually walk everywhere, so I wasn’t familiar with the streets he was taking. Eventually, he figured out where my address was and I got back all right. My wallet hurt though…the taxi ride from Stonehaven to Aberdeen (about 15 miles or so…it took about a half hour to drive) set me back £40! This is about $80! I know that this seems like a lot of money (and it is), but when I put it in perspective, I’m not that angry about having to pay it. I had taken out 50 quid that night, which I figured I would spend on liquor throughout the night, but everyone else bought my drinks, so I didn’t end up spending a penny on alcohol (or food) all night. Therefore, whether I spent the money on a taxi or booze didn’t really matter to me. Regardless of the ending, I did have a really good time, and I enjoyed my first Scottish Hogmanay.
Friday, 5 January 2007:
Theresa returned from Denmark today! I was so excited when I got a text telling me that she had just gotten back, as I was beginning to miss her joyous company. I had actually started revising for my upcoming exams, and was diligently taking notes when Theresa text me, and we planned to go out for a few drinks later that night to catch up. I met her at the bus stop at 8pm and we ended up going to The Basement (if you remember, this is my absolute favorite cocktail bar). I was steadily drinking my precious drumsticks all night as we laughed and caught up. I always have so much fun when I’m with her. After having texting wars with Ali and Ben, I found out that it was Ben’s 20th birthday the next night and that the boys were coming to Aberdeen to party, and Ben graciously invited Theresa and myself out with them. Of course we would go. By 10:30pm (after downing 4 yummy drinks), Theresa and I were both skint (poor) and left The Basement. It was a very nice relaxing night out, and we didn’t even get into any trouble! :-) After dropping her off at the bus stop, I walked back to my flat and watched some telly.
Oh, yes, I almost forgot…the new television that I had ordered had arrived. I was so excited, as I was getting incredibly bored watching the same old DVDs of mine (alright, I know that I have over 350 DVDs to my name, but you do still get tired of watching the same things over and over again!). It’s beautiful. You may think that it’s weird to say that about a television, but you obviously haven’t seen the sight of a 26” High Definition, digital, LCD, widescreen flat paneled television! It had been so long since I had gotten to watch television (with Kirstin and I fighting and not using each other’s things, I wasn’t allowed to watch her television for the last month or so), I forgot how great British television can be. I ended up staying up until after 3am, I was entranced with my new toy! I almost fell asleep in front of it, but in the end I tore myself away long enough to drag my exhausted self to bed. The telly is actually a bad idea right now, as I’m supposed to be revising for all of my exams, which are coming up in just over a week, and I have a feeling that the television is going to prove to be a real distraction. Ah well, what are a few bad marks when I can watch telly?! LOL.
Saturday, 6 January 2007:
Yeah, I finally got my package from my mom today (she shipped it on December 11th, so it took almost a month!), which means that I get Christmas presents! The package was full of all sorts of goodies, including a gorgeous ruby and diamond ring. I also got a visa gift card, which is the perfect present for somebody who lives in another country. The thing that surprised me the most was that once I had unpacked everything that my mom had sent, I discovered that the package was worth nearly $1000! I immediately called my mom up and yelled at her for sending such an expensive package to me…mind you, I really loved and appreciated everything that was contained within it, but still…now I know why she was getting so antsy and anxious about me not receiving it for such a long time. Yeah, I don’t blame her for being worried…had I known what it contained and what everything was worth, I would have been worried out of my mind! Nonetheless, I did receive it safely, and now I’m happy. I also got my precious iPod back as well. I had sent my beloved Nano back to the states to be fixed (thank goodness for warranties!), and my mom had included it in the package she sent to me. So, now I have my favorite gadget back with me…I missed my cute little black iPod.
After reveling in my presents for a while, I met Theresa at Primark to do some shopping. She kept picking up all these clothes, and I soon found out that she was choosing clothes for me to try on! Alright, anybody who knows me well enough knows that I have somewhat of a stunted fashion sense, and do not like to wear tight fitting clothes (which are practically a prerequisite in this country!). I was worried about the things that she was picking out for me, but in the end, I decided to be a good sport and try them on. Some of the items worked, and others most certainly did not! In the end, Theresa managed to talk me into buying three shirts, some miscellaneous jewelry and a new handbag. We then walked back to my flat and started to get ready to go out for Ben’s birthday. We had such a good time. All you girls out there will know what I’m talking about…there’s a certain bonding that goes on when two friends begin the process of getting all dolled up for a night out…it’s hard to explain. Theresa even talked me into curling my hair. I thought it would turn me into Shirley Temple and was against it, but she won out, and in the end it turned out pretty cute and I was pleasantly surprised. She took a few pictures of us before we headed out (this is probably the most dressed up I’ve been since I arrived in Scotland!):
Me Theresa Theresa and Me
We then walked to The Basement to meet the boys. Let’s see, who was there? Um, well there was Ben (obviously, being his birthday), Ali, Scott, and some of their friends from Stonehaven. We had such a good time there, and stayed until they closed, if I’m not mistaken (I had quite a few drinks, so I might be wrong). Oh yes, Theresa also managed to snap a picture of Ali and Ben:
Me and Ali Ben
and Theresa
After we left The Basement, we headed to some other pub; I think it was called O’Neill’s or something. It was kind of a nightclub/bar place with dancing. We stayed there until about 2am or so and then left. The boys decided to call a taxi to take them back to Stonehaven, but it was going to be about an hour or so, so all of us just hung outside talking for a while until they had to get their taxi. Theresa and I finally walked back to my flat and got in at about 4am. I was so exhausted, so we went to sleep pretty soon after that. I didn’t sleep very well all night and finally woke up at 9am (I usually don’t sleep for more than 3-4 hours after I’ve been drinking…it definitely sucks, I can tell you!). Theresa left at around 11am or so and I did nothing for the rest of the day except for lay nearly comatose on the couch watching television. I find that as I get older, I’m starting to suffer from the dreaded hangover, and that it lasts longer and longer…I don’t want to age anymore! It was all for a good cause though, I really had a brilliant night.
Tuesday, 9 January 2007:
I actually got some revising done today! It’s really quite surprising, as I simply cannot muster any motivation lately. I’ll start reading for a half hour or so, then just completely give up. That’s not a good prospect, as my first exam is now in less than a week! And, to make matters worse, I have two exams on Monday. I get so annoyed when I hear people complaining about their exams and how much they have to study…these are the same people that only have two classes! Need I remind everyone that I have four classes and consequently four exams that I have to study for! So, I don’t want to hear everyone else whining about how stressed they are…they have no idea what stress it. Anyhoo, it is with this in mind that Gill and Steve and I decided to go out for a few drinks to unwind. It was the best idea that I’ve heard in a long time. So, around 7pm or so, Gill and Steve came over to look at my new flat…I haven’t seen the pair of them since December 19th or so, and they hadn’t had a chance to check out my new digs yet. It’s not the Taj Majal or Balmoral, but I’m quite proud of my new flat! After talking for a bit, we headed out to a pub. We had a couple of drinks at some pub whose name I have forgotten, and as Gill was keen to do a little pub crawl, we moved onto the next one. After another couple of drinks, Gill and I decided that we were starving, not having eaten yet, so we went to Burger King, which I hadn’t eaten in well over a year. Yummy. After the nourishment, we headed over to The Basement (yes, yes, I know, I’ve been there so many times over the last week or so, but what can I say, it’s a great place, and others must agree if they all want to go there as well!). I think I managed four drumsticks while we were there, and then Gill started getting pretty tired (and I started getting pretty pissed), so we decided to head home. It was a great night, and I got to catch up with Gill and Steve. I forgot how fun they are to hang out with. I’m quite lucky to have such a great group of friends, from Gill and Steve to Theresa to the boys from Stonehaven. I get such a warm fuzzy thinking about how happy I’ve been lately, and all my mates have definitely played a huge part in that. Hopefully the feeling persists for a long time to come.