That was Totally WICKED!

Yesterday was fabulous.  First of all, I actually got enough sleep the night before.  I was also feeling much better.  Y'know, like I actually felt like I was alive instead of half dead.  I felt happier than I had in a while.  It's been hard between getting sick and being so homesick but I had a lot more enthusiasm for life and London.  Also I had over twenty lines of Shakespeare to recite.  I memorized a speech from Hamlet.  I did very well.  Very surprisingly well.  Again I was really grateful that my professors are so wonderful.  Dr. N spent the first couple of minutes asking me how things were going and if I was okay, then told me that if I ever need anything or someone to talk to that I should go find him.  He's fantastic.

During the afternoon several of us watched the BBC version of Coriolanus.  Worst thing I've ever done with my time.  It was awful.  Truly awful.  Phenomenally awful.  If we weren't asleep or playing on Facebook, we were either feeling quite a bit awkward or laughing because it was so terrible.  But anyways.  I'm on kitchen crew this week so soon after that ended I went to go get ready to serve fifty people dinner.  We had it early because the vast majority of the group were headed to

I've loved the music for years so I was thrilled to finally be able to see it!  The set was fantastic.  I bought some chocolate covered raisins because I could.  I was on the edge of my seat for the whole first half just because I was so thrilled to be there.  During the song "The Wizard and I", though, I started to cry.  I wanted more than anything to have my sister Bryn next to me.  There were six empty seats next to me in our row.  My whole family would have fit there.  It felt so unfair that I got to be watching Wicked when Bryn probably would have enjoyed it even more than I would.  Still, it was fantastic to go and finally figure out what the story was.  I don't think it quite lived up to all my expectations but I still loved it.

Good thing I remembered my glasses!

Today after class I went on my VERY LAST walk!  I decided to think outside the box and walk the nearby Holland Park.  I'm so glad I did, even though it snowed, rained, AND hailed.  Brr.  The walk took me through a bunch of backstreets and I spent most of the walk there convinced that I was going to get mugged.  I made it safely, though, and LOVED the park!

Peacocks

They're hiding in the tree away from the hail.  I didn't blame 'em

Ha.  Ha.  Hahahahaha.

My favorite part of the walk was the Kyoto peace gardens. I can't wait to go when it's wormer and a little closer to Spring.  It was gorgeous.  Pictures can't quite capture it, especially with my limited abilities, but try to imagine how cool this would be if you were standing right there.

Wizards chess!  Okay, you have to move them yourself, but it's a GIANT CHESS SET!  Who wouldn't be thrilled right now?

And then I made it back just fine.  The best part was that I went on this whole walk to somewhere I'd never been BY MYSELF and made it home safely and without problems!  I was so thrilled.