Mumford and Sons

I didn't think it was possible for anyone to outdo Florence, but tonight was incredible. Mumford came on the stage and captivated the audience every minute afterward. 

The video above shows how they make their big entrance. I thought my heart would burst with excitement!

They then continued to play every song they've ever made that has touched my heart and pulled my soul into a misty, dark but brilliant place. 
They opened with Babel- a large screen pulled back and the band practically burst into flames. Lover of the Light, Below My Feet, Hopeless Wander, I Will Wait, Little Lion Man, Awake My Soul, The Cave, Roll Away Your Stone, White Blank Page, Lovers Eyes, and more! I wish I could live it all again. I think my personal favorite was lover of the light. The lighting, sound, the excitement of the crowd was all such an amazing experience. 
I felt young and free and perfect tonight! This is what living your God given life to the fullest is all about.

Its Hard to Dance with the Devil on Your Back

Last week we went to Florence and the Machine at the O2 in North Greenwich. It was the best concert experience I have had yet in my life (which is saying a lot because Coldplay was unbelievable). 

She is a great performer- running around, talking (but not too much), and singing better than she sounds on the album. It was neat to see her in her hometown, and we could tell she was happy to be surrounded by 10s of thousands of people. She explained that she had some of her best hangovers and wrote some of her best songs here in London (thanks, Florence.. haha) 

The pictures don't do the set justice, very cool!

My friend Kate's birthday was over this weekend! We had to wake up a bit earlier than we would have liked for a meeting with our Graduate department. Afterwards, a few of the girls in our program went to a restaurant on High Street Kensington called Giraffe. Then we went to the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland! For all you peeps at home its like a giant Silver Dollar City on crack at Christmas! Rollercoasters, restaurants, pubs, rides, games, etc. You could definitely feel the holiday cheer and the winter cold! 

Lisa and I went on one of the scary looking roller coaster rides that spins on a big arm and also spins on the separate cart you are on! So we had a pretty good view from three hundred feet up- we saw Big Ben, Parliament, and St.Paul's! Then the ride started moving and we were suddenly seeing the London skyline from right-side-up, upside-down, and right-side-up again in a matter of a second from 300 ft in the air. INSANE! We couldn't stop laughing as we plummeted to the ground spinning. 

Kate wanted to go on a more chill ride- but don't worry, it was still insane! I also learned a very important lesson... Never sit on the outside of a ride that goes really fast in a circle! Oh the bruises..

Another thing:

I'm sure most of you have read and seen it on my facebook, but the squirrels around here are a little different than the squirrels at home. Here, I can be walking on the sidewalk and see a squirrel running in the park next to me thirty feet away. I make a noise with my mouth and that squirrel will start running towards me and come right up to sit and stare at me. One time, a squirrel even started crawling up my leg in Austria! This is no joke, I really have no explanation for it! They all do it. Its really weird. I can't wait to try it on the squirrels at home!

Watch the Squirrel charming video here:http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1795315995684

Lost in London

I'm walking through the tube station and thinking, “I cannot wait 'til I go home for Christmas, things will be great once I land in NWA. I can't wait to leave.” I came to London to explore and be adventurous. Somewhere in the back of my mind I'm still waiting for it to all begin. What is wrong with me? IT HAS BEGUN! I cannot tell you how many times I have woken up in the last week and thought, “Just __ more days til I am in ____!” Fill in the blank with Bentonville, Fayetteville, my house, with friends at Clems, in Dallas with Clo, etc. Places I loved. Places I still love. Places I miss. Places that my friends here are certainly tired of hearing me talk about.

Iron and Wine put it best, “everything looks perfect from far away.” They probably weren't singing about my hometown, but hey- works for me. 

I'M LIVING IN LONDON. 

BE HERE.

BE HERE.

My loyalty and love of home is my greatest strength and my greatest flaw. I have learned new things since I moved to London, talked to strangers, made new friends, and found how to love a new home. But I can't get the old one out of mind, I have trouble appreciating the home I've made here. I've taken it for granted a thousand times, I know. 

Sometimes I take a look at where I am in my life and think that maybe this could be the future, that I could maybe live here forever. I love London. I could be happy here for a long time. Then I remember I have my life somewhere else, too. I feel like I have pieces of me scattered in all the places I’ve been to. 

I don't know what I want from life, maybe this time of travel is about finding what that is. I feel like I was more sure before I left, but maybe the uncertainty is a good thing. I was hoping to narrow my career path- so naive, I've broadened it!  Now, there are more questions than all the answers I've been searching for, and a bank account that has lost a few pounds (no pun intended.. okay, maybe it was). 

Never been more lost, but I'm also more aware of the person I am becoming. I think I've grown as an individual. Its amazing what you learn about yourself when you take away the places and people who have molded who you've become. 

That is why I have to be HERE. Be in the moment, and live it up. I can't stop!

The Small Things

Two out of three of our papers are FINISHED! Only one left to go and we have two weeks to complete it!
We have written 6,000 well researched words and read over 20 articles or books in the last two weeks. That is half of a masters thesis! We were all falling asleep today in class at the British Museum from all the late hours these last few days. I came home, napped, ate some sushi for the tenth time this week (I'm on a big sushi kick), and knocked out the last six hundred words of my socially engaged art paper. 
My friend, Kate, had a little more to go when I left the common room downstairs, so I showered and she came up to my flat. We had a mini dance party in celebration. It is one of those memories I will look back on ten or twenty years from now and remember with perfect clarity; that moment of feeling young and  free and accomplished. There were lots of fist pumps, hair throwing, haphazard body rolls, and downright giddy moves! I'm sure the people in the flat below mine enjoyed the stomping on my hardwood floors. 
Sometimes you've gotta open a window, put on some loud jams, and throw the moves down like you just won the lottery!

Back to School

We have been adjusting to being in school again this semester. Its been a weird transition for me going from teacher back to student. Our professors have been wonderful for the most part.
One teacher in particular has been challenging. It is difficult to do well when there is no positive feedback whatsoever for any assignment you do. It is also hard when teachers give bad marks because you write something that they just don't agree on. Somehow, we have made it through all those rough Mondays, and I'm happy to say we've made it through our last one! 
Next semester we won't have this particular professor, and we won't have class on Mondays either! (WOOO HOOO!) Those days will be spent doing our own independent research for our thesis. 
We had our last class today at the National Art Library at the V&A museum on Cromwell Street. It is about 15 minutes away from the flat. The library looks ancient, so its a neat atmosphere to be in. 

We spent the class looking at book art, or artists books. They were REALLY cool. They are works of art made into books, some are mass produced and some are just one book. There were a few that we looked at that were mass produced, but most were the only book made. 
One book we looked at was made from an old pupils desk. There was writing all over in pencil, ink, and pen. Little fold out parts, scrolls, and compartments kept me engaged for a while. 

As we sat listening to our somewhat (VERY, VERY) dull professor talk for an hour about art books I looked for ways to entertain myself, and those around me. She stood directly behind me, I was facing away towards Kate. Being the very mature, professional I am I decided to make faces at what said professor was saying. Shameless, shameless faces. Kate started cracking up, and to her horror the professor called her out asking, "Kate, are you okay?"

This was obviously a chastisement considering Kate was laughing and therefore probably perfectly fine. She turned fifty shades of red and purple and nodded that she was, indeed, fine. I am forever grateful my back was to the professor or she would have seen my laughter practically bubbling from my mouth. Its a small story, but I will forever remember the day when Kate was called out by Debtastic in class.

NOWW....

I feel great having turned in this gigantic paper, and now only two left to go! We can do this, just two weeks left and then its PARTY TIME!!!

All the Places Inbetween

So, my friend Lisa and I were talking today. It is hard to think that after four short months I can call London home. Of course, Bentonville will always be home, as Fayetteville will also always be home. So as you can imagine, all these homes get a bit confusing. I read a blog this week talking about all the different homes- 

(read here if you're interested, although I think this blog will say it all.. <http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/how-do-we-decide-where-home-is/> )

There is growing up home, college home, more college home... which one is really home for me now? 

My group of friends have been talking about going home for the past few weeks now.. like maybe if we talk about it again and remind ourselves of the yearning we feel in our heart for this home that somehow it will come quicker. Truly, I think we yearn for the people more than anything. Fact. And I think when I finally am back in Bentonville I will only yearn for London. It's a scary feeling, because I start to think that I might not feel content ever again. Don't get me wrong, not complaining here.. but just something to chew on. 

I've got a pretty solid group here, if you see pictures on facebook then you know- the people that I am surrounded by here are terrific. 

We decided that in the end the important thing is to be here in the moment, not stuck somewhere in the past or future, because we might miss something in the present. I'm going to make every day I have here in London count until I leave on December 14th, because I know that there will be a day when I would give anything to live the life I'm living now again. 

Bentonville Vacay Dream List:

 Don't get me wrong, I am LOVING London, and I'm so thankful to be living here. But with all the term papers and the Christmas season fast approaching (I'll be home in 25 days! eeee!), I can't help but think of all the things I want to do when I touch down in NW Arkansas. So, seeing as I have a million things to do and a thousand opportunities to procrastinate, here is a list (in no certain order) of the things I'm counting down the days for...

Snooki: anyone who knows me knows this goes without much explanation.

Barq's rootbeer:in the UK you have two choices.. either Diet coke/diet pepsi or Coke/pepsi. Dr.Pepper is also a close runner up on this list. And free refills and ice practically don't exist.. so I'm really looking forward to paying 1.75 and gorging myself on as much soda as I can possibly drink.

The Edwards Clan: I cannot wait for some quality family time playing dominoes, chowing down on grandma's casseroles and FAMOUS cherry cobbler (Lesa, good luck getting more than a small slice!), and watching the boys open their Christmas!

Sissy Girl: Cutest lab on the block with the sweetest little soul. Can't wait to see her jump up on that window ledge when I walk through the door!

The Mum, Brat, and Bub: I can only imagine the tea, movies, couch snuggles, and large amounts of Christmas cheer and netflix. It will be an amazing break away from the big city with this crew.

My "Queenie" size bed: Terrible picture, but you get the idea. Lots of sleeping in the middle of my pillow top, lots of spooning of things like magazines, books, dvds, etc. #singlegirlprobz BUTTT seriously, watch out Queenie (and squishy pillow).

Cat Christmas Sweater: Unfortunately, this gem got left behind. Don't think for a second if it had made the pack list that I'd be too embarrassed to wear this baby around town. Trust me, I would wear it proudly.

Acambaro: This will be the first stop when I get home. The number 15 (Chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce and beans and rice) or do I want the number 25 (Carne Asada tacos)???? Decisions, Decisions.

Christmas on the Bentonville Square: Beautiful every year. Cannot wait.

Driving/Honda: I might be a little rusty, and in all honesty the idea of driving scares me right now. But I know once I get in the car and start singing loudly to some Tswizzle that I won't give it a second thought.

Leisurely Reading: Can't wait til I can read something that doesn't use complicated jargon (ie intrinsic, discourse, psychoanalytic, anything having to do with visual theory/methodology)

My Dearest Clo Clo: I will be making the roadie down to Dallas for some time with Chloe. I can only assume trips to Sprinkles, City Tavern, and Whole Foods will ensue... I HOPE!

 Besties from Bville: "Lets do something awesome." Enough said. I am thinking a big group hug will be in order on this one.. and I know Lori will agree (and Alex will have no choice).

Katie and Tay: Looking forward to some home cooking and cocktails with these two. Never a dull moment at the Surlys'!

 Max: He is the cutest puppy friend ever, and the perf companion for movie days. He is spoiled, but who can resist that face?

Pickle Chips: Alex will call me disgusting, but when I walk into that glorious Walmart store I will make a B line for these suckers. And I'll eat the whole can.

Pop-Tarts: Not a huge pop-tart fan, but I've been craving them like crazy! They are nowhere to be found here. Boo.

Press Room: Looking forward to joining the frands and Clem for Tom Collins and cucumber and goat cheese on bread. DEEEElish!

Puppy Chow: Lori- you get to stir, Alex- you melt the butter and chocolate, and I... I'll get the powdered sugar ready in the bags and try not to screw anything up. Any way it goes, we have a crap ton of puppy chow to eat while we watch whatever is on Netflix in the back room at Clems.

Tusk and Trotter: You best believe I'll stop here day #2 for some Purple haze and Fried Chicken and waffles with that delish carrot cream. 

WALMART: enough said.

Apple Glen Elementary: My old stomping grounds! Already have a visit planned to see my peeps (Tina, Wendy, Sara, MC, Carrie, the whole specials crew!)

Clem: Where his house is always home. Can't wait to hear about whats new on the entertainment scene and listen to the jams on Sonos. YES!

Stucky T/Buzz/Bird/T: I will no doubt catch some slack for this, but I really can't wait to see Buzz and roll around on the Lassiter's living room floor with him and Lo (possibly watching an Amanda Bynes movie somewhere in there...)

Dolla bill: My money will go much further.. and I won't be paying out the patootie for a sandwich. This sounds stupid, but really, you have no idea how much crap costs here.

Sushi King: Spicy Fried California roll please!

Outback Steakhouse: with Burgie!

Pandora radio: If you are on a UK internet server (aka, I am in London all the time) you can't listen to Pandora. Its a huge bummer, especially with the holidays coming up! Can't wait for some Backstreet Boys Christmas Stationnnn!

Hog Nation: looking forward to being surrounded by a community of people who (mostly) share my love for the hogs and my State. (Yes, that is Bill Clinton- REPRESENT!)

Kennedy Coffee: Maybe I should have put this up with my Leisurely reading, because I'll most likely be doing it here with a Velvet Elvis or Mint Mud Slide.

Mostly, I'm just looking forward to being back to what I know best... being in a southern state of mind. 

See ya in 25 days, Arkansas!