Blegh. To anyone not following the news, Britain is having its wettest June in a century. The Isle of Wight Festival this past weekend was underwater, as was Download earlier this month. The sky over Edinburgh has been that horrible so-pale-gray-it's-almost-white smother blanket color for the past couple of days, and I loathe it.
I've been trying to distract myself from the weather by planning future adventures. I am pretty much officially going to Shetland in a couple of weeks! I booked a hostel in Lerwick today, and the plan is to book some day excursions, as well as train and ferry tickets, tomorrow. I've also been researching Uist. The only multi-day tours I can find are wildlife tours. Like, really srs bsns birdwatching tours. And they cost more than I really want to pay. I'm toying with the idea of just renting a bike and getting around that way, maybe even doing the entire Barra-Eriskay-South Uist-Benbecula-North Uist trek, but I doubt my biking skills/fitness are up to that.
Three days until the move!
Cheers, y'all.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Bucket list update/A visit to Stromeferry.
Places to Go:
Mull, Iona, and Staffa.
Islay and Jura.
The Uists.
Shetland.
Aberdeen/anywhere north of Fife and east of the A9. Accomplished January 21
Wales. Accomplished April 26
Cornwall.
Things to Do:
Go on a winter hike with crampons. Accomplished January 21
Visit The Real Mary King's Close.
Visit the National Museum of Scotland.
Jump into Loch Carron. Accomplished June 23
Walk the Water of Leith walkway.
Walk the Great Glen Way.
See a ballet. Accomplished January 13
See an orchestra concert.
Read all ten books currently sitting on my bedside table. In progress
Get my MSc.
People to See:
Becca, Kat, and Chaz in Yorkshire.
Brian, Carol, Craig, and Kathryn in Nottinghamshire.
Shaina when she's in the Netherlands in February. Accomplished February 18
Tracey when she comes to visit me. Accomplished February 22-29
Sima. Either I will go to Russia or she will come here.
Musical acts I'm fond of, if and when they visit Scotland or northern England.
***
Accomplishments since I last updated this include Tracey's visit in February (which was grand), a trip to Wales with my family at the end of April, and a jump into Loch Carron this past weekend. I'm going to do a proper write-up of the family trip as soon as I get my camera back into working order - the battery has suddenly decided it doesn't want to charge. For now, here's my trip to Stromeferry over the weekend:
I got up shortly after 5am on Saturday to catch a 6:30am train. I changed trains in Stirling and Inverness and got to Stromeferry at 1pm. This was my first time journeying from Edinburgh to Inverness in a northerly direction, and also my first time riding on the Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh line. It was a gorgeous train ride, through some very remote countryside, passing through tiny villages. Everything was in bloom. There were lupins everywhere, and I was reminded of Monty Python's Dennis Moore sketch!
Ewan met me at the station, which is within sight of the Stationmaster's House. I dropped my stuff and went for a walk on the beach along Loch Carron to stretch my legs. It was sunny and warm - around 60 F - and I had originally planned to do the loch jump as soon as I got back. It was low tide and I was wary of landing hard on the rocks at the bottom and cutting my feet up, so I thought I'd sit down and ease in. Big mistake (or possibly a very wise decision) - I discovered to my horror that the loch was ice-cold, and quickly postponed the mission. Brr.
Stromeferry has no shops whatsoever, so I brought a few essentials with me. I cooked jambalaya for dinner, and then went outside to contemplate the loch, which was now at high tide. I changed into a tank top and tracksuit bottoms (my usual attire for this sort of harebrained adventure) and, with Ewan and Danny as my witnesses, took the plunge. And it was cold. But the beauty of jumping off a dock, rather than wading in from shore, was that I could haul myself right back out. I scratched my arm up doing so, but I daresay I'll live. I pulled the bottoms off under cover of a towel (much to Ewan and Danny's amusement) and then ran inside for a hot shower. (I thought it would be the polite thing not to track loch water all over Ewan and Kath's nice clean house.) Hot shower accomplished, I sat outside with Ewan, Kath, Danny, and a few of Danny's current tour, with whom I was sharing the place on this particular night, drinking beer and watching Ewan's wheelbarrow-bonfire. I was able to read my watch at 11pm.
I had a leisurely day on Sunday. The tour left in the morning, and I had the place to myself for the better part of the day. I woke up with the beginnings of a cold, which I'm sure was at least partly owing to my swim in Loch Carron. I read, did some data analysis, and went for a walk through the forest above the village in the afternoon. It was exactly the kind of relaxing, middle-of-nowhere day that I needed. A couple of girls from Italy turned up in the afternoon, and I chatted with them for a bit. I made spaghetti for dinner, and helped myself to some of the tour's leftover bolognese sauce. Then I sat around the bonfire with Ewan and Kath again, as well as one of Kath's friends.
Yesterday I had a quiet morning, and then caught the 12:26pm train back to Inverness, and thence to Perth and Edinburgh. I rode over the Forth Rail Bridge for the first time ever, which was very exciting. Before we got to the bridge, we rode along the Fife coast, which is extremely pretty. Seeing Edinburgh from the north bank of the Firth of Forth was an entirely new experience, and a very cool one.
This was an excellent weekend.
Cheers, y'all.
Mull, Iona, and Staffa.
Islay and Jura.
The Uists.
Shetland.
Cornwall.
Things to Do:
Visit The Real Mary King's Close.
Visit the National Museum of Scotland.
Walk the Water of Leith walkway.
Walk the Great Glen Way.
See an orchestra concert.
Read all ten books currently sitting on my bedside table. In progress
Get my MSc.
People to See:
Becca, Kat, and Chaz in Yorkshire.
Brian, Carol, Craig, and Kathryn in Nottinghamshire.
Sima. Either I will go to Russia or she will come here.
Musical acts I'm fond of, if and when they visit Scotland or northern England.
***
Accomplishments since I last updated this include Tracey's visit in February (which was grand), a trip to Wales with my family at the end of April, and a jump into Loch Carron this past weekend. I'm going to do a proper write-up of the family trip as soon as I get my camera back into working order - the battery has suddenly decided it doesn't want to charge. For now, here's my trip to Stromeferry over the weekend:
I got up shortly after 5am on Saturday to catch a 6:30am train. I changed trains in Stirling and Inverness and got to Stromeferry at 1pm. This was my first time journeying from Edinburgh to Inverness in a northerly direction, and also my first time riding on the Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh line. It was a gorgeous train ride, through some very remote countryside, passing through tiny villages. Everything was in bloom. There were lupins everywhere, and I was reminded of Monty Python's Dennis Moore sketch!
Ewan met me at the station, which is within sight of the Stationmaster's House. I dropped my stuff and went for a walk on the beach along Loch Carron to stretch my legs. It was sunny and warm - around 60 F - and I had originally planned to do the loch jump as soon as I got back. It was low tide and I was wary of landing hard on the rocks at the bottom and cutting my feet up, so I thought I'd sit down and ease in. Big mistake (or possibly a very wise decision) - I discovered to my horror that the loch was ice-cold, and quickly postponed the mission. Brr.
Stromeferry has no shops whatsoever, so I brought a few essentials with me. I cooked jambalaya for dinner, and then went outside to contemplate the loch, which was now at high tide. I changed into a tank top and tracksuit bottoms (my usual attire for this sort of harebrained adventure) and, with Ewan and Danny as my witnesses, took the plunge. And it was cold. But the beauty of jumping off a dock, rather than wading in from shore, was that I could haul myself right back out. I scratched my arm up doing so, but I daresay I'll live. I pulled the bottoms off under cover of a towel (much to Ewan and Danny's amusement) and then ran inside for a hot shower. (I thought it would be the polite thing not to track loch water all over Ewan and Kath's nice clean house.) Hot shower accomplished, I sat outside with Ewan, Kath, Danny, and a few of Danny's current tour, with whom I was sharing the place on this particular night, drinking beer and watching Ewan's wheelbarrow-bonfire. I was able to read my watch at 11pm.
I had a leisurely day on Sunday. The tour left in the morning, and I had the place to myself for the better part of the day. I woke up with the beginnings of a cold, which I'm sure was at least partly owing to my swim in Loch Carron. I read, did some data analysis, and went for a walk through the forest above the village in the afternoon. It was exactly the kind of relaxing, middle-of-nowhere day that I needed. A couple of girls from Italy turned up in the afternoon, and I chatted with them for a bit. I made spaghetti for dinner, and helped myself to some of the tour's leftover bolognese sauce. Then I sat around the bonfire with Ewan and Kath again, as well as one of Kath's friends.
Yesterday I had a quiet morning, and then caught the 12:26pm train back to Inverness, and thence to Perth and Edinburgh. I rode over the Forth Rail Bridge for the first time ever, which was very exciting. Before we got to the bridge, we rode along the Fife coast, which is extremely pretty. Seeing Edinburgh from the north bank of the Firth of Forth was an entirely new experience, and a very cool one.
This was an excellent weekend.
Cheers, y'all.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Some photos from March: Water of Leith and the Pentland Hills
On March 17, I walked the first eight miles of the Water of Leith Walkway, a path that spans 12 miles from Balerno, a suburb southwest of Edinburgh, to the Leith Docks, not terribly far from where I live.
The reason why I didn't do the full 12 miles was this:
It's a lovely walk, and doing the full length of it is definitely on the agenda. I've revisited the first bit once or twice since then.
***
On March 31 (my birthday, incidentally), my plan was to go for a ramble in the Pentland Hills. There's a sign on the Water of Leith pointing that way, so I took it. I didn't quite make it all the way into the hills, but it was a nice day and I did walk through some nice fields.
Cheers, y'all.
The reason why I didn't do the full 12 miles was this:
It's a lovely walk, and doing the full length of it is definitely on the agenda. I've revisited the first bit once or twice since then.
***
On March 31 (my birthday, incidentally), my plan was to go for a ramble in the Pentland Hills. There's a sign on the Water of Leith pointing that way, so I took it. I didn't quite make it all the way into the hills, but it was a nice day and I did walk through some nice fields.
Cheers, y'all.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
September 4-8, 2011: Loch Ness, Orkney, and far northern Scotland
On the morning of September 4, our groups parted ways: some of us to Orkney, others back to Edinburgh. The other Orkney folks and I met our new driver, Heather, and set out for the day. We actually shadowed the folks going back to Edinburgh as far as Loch Ness and Culloden.
The first stop of the day was Scotland's most famous loch, Loch Ness. I was the only one brave enough to go for a swim, and managed to cut my toe open in the process.
...Or was it Nessie???
Then we went to Culloden, site of the last battle fought on British soil. After this, the two group parted ways.
We continued through Inverness and along the northeast coast through Sutherland and Caithness, stopping here and there along the way. After a few days of indifferent weather, we finally had a warm and sunny day. We got to John o'Groats, the northeastern-most settlement in mainland Britain, in time for a hike to Duncansby Head for a view of the sea stacks before catching the evening ferry from Gills Bay to St. Margaret's Hope, on the island of South Ronaldsay in Orkney.
Orkney is an archipelago of approximately 70 islands (20 of them inhabited) off the north coast of Scotland. Is is almost entirely flat, almost entirely treeless, and has entirely dead-straight roads with no traffic lights to speak of anywhere outside of Kirkwall, the capital and largest settlement. But for anyone with an interest in archeology and/or Iron Age history, it is a must-see. Among the things we visited on September 5 and 6 were the Tomb of the Eagles, the remains of a Neolithic village called Skara Brae, and a burial mound called Maes Howe. Also, two stone circles: the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness. The Stones of Stenness are probably my favorite standing stones out of all the ones I've been to. There aren't that many of them - they form barely half a circle - but they're bloody HUGE, and they give off a very positive, protective energy. I get the same kind of vibe from them that I get from Salisbury Crags in Edinburgh. It honestly felt like seeing old friends again.
Other noteworthy things we saw in Orkney were the Italian Chapel, a tin structure converted into a church by Italian prisoners of war during World War II, and the Highland Park whisky distillery. I've still got two small bottles of Highland Park that I purchased there. We also had free time in Kirkwall on September 6, most of which I spent holed up in a cafe with a book. True to form, the weather was reasonably nice when I went into the cafe, but I watched storm clouds get rapidly closer until by the time it was time for me to go back to the bus, it was absolutely pouring down rain. I got wet through.
On September 7, we caught the early morning ferry back to Gills Bay, poked around Dunnet Head (the northernmost point on mainland Britain) for a bit, and then began wending our way west along Scotland's north coast. The scenery up there is indescribably gorgeous, and these are the photos I'm the most heartbroken to have lost, because I have no words for what it looks like up there. It's nothing short of spectacular.
We stopped at a deserted beach near Durness, where I completed the Triple Crown of Lunacy Involving Very Cold Water, legs 1 and 2 being the beach on Harris and Loch Ness, respectively. I have never experienced water that cold in my life. I actually waded a far way out, because I couldn't forced myself to put my head under. I was hoping a wave would do the job for me. Somehow or other I did it, then scampered back to the beach, and in spite of my best efforts, managed to get sand everywhere. From there, it was a short drive to Smoo Cave, most of which I spent shivering and thinking I was never going to be warm or dry or sand-free again.
Smoo Cave is a gigantic cave near the northwestern tip of Scotland. Some days, there are boat trips into the water system inside the cave, but there had been a lot of rain recently and the water was way too rough on this particular day. After that, we turned south and eventually wound up at a hostel near Lairg for our final night together. This hostel is made up entirely of train cars, and was very cool. I liked it almost as much as the blackhouse on Lewis.
September 8 was a long driving day, as we made our way back to Edinburgh. Our one significant stop for the day was the Hermitage Forest in Perthshire. It was here that I lost my old camera into a waterfall. It was heartbreaking. But as Kathy told me, at least it wasn't my wallet, or my passport, or God forbid, ME.
And so, this finally concludes the trip that reintroduced me to Scotland over nine months ago. It was an excellent trip. I just wish I had my own pictures of it!
Cheers, y'all.
The first stop of the day was Scotland's most famous loch, Loch Ness. I was the only one brave enough to go for a swim, and managed to cut my toe open in the process.
...Or was it Nessie???
Then we went to Culloden, site of the last battle fought on British soil. After this, the two group parted ways.
We continued through Inverness and along the northeast coast through Sutherland and Caithness, stopping here and there along the way. After a few days of indifferent weather, we finally had a warm and sunny day. We got to John o'Groats, the northeastern-most settlement in mainland Britain, in time for a hike to Duncansby Head for a view of the sea stacks before catching the evening ferry from Gills Bay to St. Margaret's Hope, on the island of South Ronaldsay in Orkney.
Orkney is an archipelago of approximately 70 islands (20 of them inhabited) off the north coast of Scotland. Is is almost entirely flat, almost entirely treeless, and has entirely dead-straight roads with no traffic lights to speak of anywhere outside of Kirkwall, the capital and largest settlement. But for anyone with an interest in archeology and/or Iron Age history, it is a must-see. Among the things we visited on September 5 and 6 were the Tomb of the Eagles, the remains of a Neolithic village called Skara Brae, and a burial mound called Maes Howe. Also, two stone circles: the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness. The Stones of Stenness are probably my favorite standing stones out of all the ones I've been to. There aren't that many of them - they form barely half a circle - but they're bloody HUGE, and they give off a very positive, protective energy. I get the same kind of vibe from them that I get from Salisbury Crags in Edinburgh. It honestly felt like seeing old friends again.
Other noteworthy things we saw in Orkney were the Italian Chapel, a tin structure converted into a church by Italian prisoners of war during World War II, and the Highland Park whisky distillery. I've still got two small bottles of Highland Park that I purchased there. We also had free time in Kirkwall on September 6, most of which I spent holed up in a cafe with a book. True to form, the weather was reasonably nice when I went into the cafe, but I watched storm clouds get rapidly closer until by the time it was time for me to go back to the bus, it was absolutely pouring down rain. I got wet through.
On September 7, we caught the early morning ferry back to Gills Bay, poked around Dunnet Head (the northernmost point on mainland Britain) for a bit, and then began wending our way west along Scotland's north coast. The scenery up there is indescribably gorgeous, and these are the photos I'm the most heartbroken to have lost, because I have no words for what it looks like up there. It's nothing short of spectacular.
We stopped at a deserted beach near Durness, where I completed the Triple Crown of Lunacy Involving Very Cold Water, legs 1 and 2 being the beach on Harris and Loch Ness, respectively. I have never experienced water that cold in my life. I actually waded a far way out, because I couldn't forced myself to put my head under. I was hoping a wave would do the job for me. Somehow or other I did it, then scampered back to the beach, and in spite of my best efforts, managed to get sand everywhere. From there, it was a short drive to Smoo Cave, most of which I spent shivering and thinking I was never going to be warm or dry or sand-free again.
Smoo Cave is a gigantic cave near the northwestern tip of Scotland. Some days, there are boat trips into the water system inside the cave, but there had been a lot of rain recently and the water was way too rough on this particular day. After that, we turned south and eventually wound up at a hostel near Lairg for our final night together. This hostel is made up entirely of train cars, and was very cool. I liked it almost as much as the blackhouse on Lewis.
September 8 was a long driving day, as we made our way back to Edinburgh. Our one significant stop for the day was the Hermitage Forest in Perthshire. It was here that I lost my old camera into a waterfall. It was heartbreaking. But as Kathy told me, at least it wasn't my wallet, or my passport, or God forbid, ME.
And so, this finally concludes the trip that reintroduced me to Scotland over nine months ago. It was an excellent trip. I just wish I had my own pictures of it!
Cheers, y'all.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
New flat acquired!
As of yesterday, I am officially moving out of this rodent-infested flat!
I'm moving to Elm Row, which is a little area near the top of Leith Walk, nestled between it and Easter Road. I'm going to be closer to town and to school - in fact, pretty much within walking distance of everything. The flat itself has hardwood floors, big windows, and is full of natural light. The area is quiet, and many of the windows look out on the back garden. The room I'm moving into is probably about the same size as my room now, maybe smaller. But it's got all the furniture I need/want: bed, desk, wardrobe, drawers, bookshelf, nightstand. There is a proper dining area, and a nice airy common room. AND THERE IS A DOG. The dog and I have already made friends. His name is Miller. And best of all, a dog means I don't have to worry about vermin.
I am actually a bit nervous, because I haven't actually signed anything yet. And it took these people ages to get back to me. I had actually resigned myself to the fact that I was not going to get this flat, and was looking at a place in Marchmont instead, so it was a surprise to get this phone call yesterday. And I actually sat down and had a cup of tea with the people in the flat in Marchmont, and knew I like them. I haven't met anyone in this flat besides the girl who's moving out, so I'm taking a little bit of a leap of faith. But there are only going to be four people living there, including me, so that's an improvement.
I called the leasing agent today and gave notice, so I'm officially committed. I'm moving some of my more cumbersome stuff over there on Thursday, and I'm sure I'll feel better once I've done that. I figure once my stuff is there, they're committed too. All that's left is to call the folks in Marchmont and let them know that I've accepted an offer at another flat.
Still, yay! No more mice! No more loud, obnoxious, pot-smoking flatmates! No more noise from the approximately seven pubs within a two-block radius of my flat! YAY!
Cheers, y'all.
I'm moving to Elm Row, which is a little area near the top of Leith Walk, nestled between it and Easter Road. I'm going to be closer to town and to school - in fact, pretty much within walking distance of everything. The flat itself has hardwood floors, big windows, and is full of natural light. The area is quiet, and many of the windows look out on the back garden. The room I'm moving into is probably about the same size as my room now, maybe smaller. But it's got all the furniture I need/want: bed, desk, wardrobe, drawers, bookshelf, nightstand. There is a proper dining area, and a nice airy common room. AND THERE IS A DOG. The dog and I have already made friends. His name is Miller. And best of all, a dog means I don't have to worry about vermin.
I am actually a bit nervous, because I haven't actually signed anything yet. And it took these people ages to get back to me. I had actually resigned myself to the fact that I was not going to get this flat, and was looking at a place in Marchmont instead, so it was a surprise to get this phone call yesterday. And I actually sat down and had a cup of tea with the people in the flat in Marchmont, and knew I like them. I haven't met anyone in this flat besides the girl who's moving out, so I'm taking a little bit of a leap of faith. But there are only going to be four people living there, including me, so that's an improvement.
I called the leasing agent today and gave notice, so I'm officially committed. I'm moving some of my more cumbersome stuff over there on Thursday, and I'm sure I'll feel better once I've done that. I figure once my stuff is there, they're committed too. All that's left is to call the folks in Marchmont and let them know that I've accepted an offer at another flat.
Still, yay! No more mice! No more loud, obnoxious, pot-smoking flatmates! No more noise from the approximately seven pubs within a two-block radius of my flat! YAY!
Cheers, y'all.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
One year.
One year ago today, I found out I'd been accepted into grad school!
I have tales and pictures of Orkney, Water of Leith, and Wales that need posting, and I'm hereby resolving to do at least two of those this coming week. But for now, it's back to thesis-writing.
Cheers, y'all.
I have tales and pictures of Orkney, Water of Leith, and Wales that need posting, and I'm hereby resolving to do at least two of those this coming week. But for now, it's back to thesis-writing.
Cheers, y'all.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
I officially put pen to paper on my Masters thesis today! Aaahhhh!!! My meeting with Ailsa yesterday was good. Apparently I'm well ahead of the game, by virtue of having all my data collected already. The fact that not all of it has been transcribed yet is apparently immaterial - I can go ahead and get started analyzing the interviews that are done, and finish the others as I go.
However, my Masters thesis is pretty much the only thing that is going well in my life right now. I viewed two flats on Monday and absolutely fell in love with the second one. In fact, I made an offer on the spot. The girl showing it to me said she'd talk to her flatmates and get back to me yesterday. Still haven't heard anything, so I'm assuming at this point that the answer is no. And the first place I saw was a shoebox, so I turned that one down. I've got another viewing scheduled for Friday evening, so we'll see how that goes. I want to get out of this place soon, because I am at my wit's end. There are simply too many people living here. And then last night, I did some fiddling with my itunes in an effort to restore some songs that "could not be found." The good news is I did get them restored. The bad news is that I lost all my playlists and play counts. Basically, my entire listening history all the way back to 2006, and some playlists that I've spent a lot of time and thought on, and that I'm not sure I can re-create from memory. This is probably irrational, but I'm very attached to my music and this upset me a lot. And finally, I'm still feeling rather lonely and alone. I saw my classmates Kelley and Susan on the way home from the library today, which lifted my spirits considerably, but aside from Ailsa, they were the first friendly and familiar faces I'd seen since arriving last Friday (I do not include my flatmates).
I've been reflecting that last Friday was the first time I had ever arrived in Scotland without a backpacker trip booked in the immediate future, and I'm wondering if that might have something to do with what I've been feeling. No prospects of seeing lovely scenery, making some new friends, and being driven around for several days to look forward to. Just sifting through housing ads on gumtree and chipping away at this Masters project, with no foreseeable end in sight. God, I need to get out of Edinburgh for a few days. Last night I booked train tickets up to Stromeferry for a couple of days next weekend. Ewan has reserved me a bed in exchange for a case of his favorite beer. I just hope I don't go stir-crazy before then.
Cheers, y'all.
However, my Masters thesis is pretty much the only thing that is going well in my life right now. I viewed two flats on Monday and absolutely fell in love with the second one. In fact, I made an offer on the spot. The girl showing it to me said she'd talk to her flatmates and get back to me yesterday. Still haven't heard anything, so I'm assuming at this point that the answer is no. And the first place I saw was a shoebox, so I turned that one down. I've got another viewing scheduled for Friday evening, so we'll see how that goes. I want to get out of this place soon, because I am at my wit's end. There are simply too many people living here. And then last night, I did some fiddling with my itunes in an effort to restore some songs that "could not be found." The good news is I did get them restored. The bad news is that I lost all my playlists and play counts. Basically, my entire listening history all the way back to 2006, and some playlists that I've spent a lot of time and thought on, and that I'm not sure I can re-create from memory. This is probably irrational, but I'm very attached to my music and this upset me a lot. And finally, I'm still feeling rather lonely and alone. I saw my classmates Kelley and Susan on the way home from the library today, which lifted my spirits considerably, but aside from Ailsa, they were the first friendly and familiar faces I'd seen since arriving last Friday (I do not include my flatmates).
I've been reflecting that last Friday was the first time I had ever arrived in Scotland without a backpacker trip booked in the immediate future, and I'm wondering if that might have something to do with what I've been feeling. No prospects of seeing lovely scenery, making some new friends, and being driven around for several days to look forward to. Just sifting through housing ads on gumtree and chipping away at this Masters project, with no foreseeable end in sight. God, I need to get out of Edinburgh for a few days. Last night I booked train tickets up to Stromeferry for a couple of days next weekend. Ewan has reserved me a bed in exchange for a case of his favorite beer. I just hope I don't go stir-crazy before then.
Cheers, y'all.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Loneliness.
I am very alone here. And I was never more acutely aware of that fact than I am today, newly re-arrived at my flat in Edinburgh.
The smell of my bedroom was the thing that struck me first. It smelled new. Uninhabited. Actually, it smelled like the flat on Balfour Street where I lived for two days back in September, one of which was the day immediately following the loss of my old camera. So this smell does not have positive connotations to me. On the other hand, my bedroom in North Carolina smelled like cinnamon and sandalwood. It smelled how it always has, even though it had been uninhabited for several months before this visit home. My bedroom in my flat has reverted to its "empty" smell after only three weeks. How can that be?
I don't have people I can call upon at a moment's notice here. I don't have people to take care of me. Ewan and Kath would never turn me away if I were in need, but they're in Stromeferry, which is a minimum 6-hour train journey away. My classmates are here, but they have their own lives and priorities outside of school. It can be like pulling teeth to organize a night out, but I need to do that or else it's going to be a very lonely summer. My flatmates are completely useless. I long for the days when Mandy and Roy lived here, and I'm now realizing just how lucky I was to have them here when I first moved in. Finding a new flat is now more of a priority than ever, because I cannot stand this place and the people who live here anymore.
I am normally a very self-sufficient person, but this was a very lonely and disheartening homecoming today. Here's hoping things will look a bit better after a nap.
Cheers, y'all.
The smell of my bedroom was the thing that struck me first. It smelled new. Uninhabited. Actually, it smelled like the flat on Balfour Street where I lived for two days back in September, one of which was the day immediately following the loss of my old camera. So this smell does not have positive connotations to me. On the other hand, my bedroom in North Carolina smelled like cinnamon and sandalwood. It smelled how it always has, even though it had been uninhabited for several months before this visit home. My bedroom in my flat has reverted to its "empty" smell after only three weeks. How can that be?
I don't have people I can call upon at a moment's notice here. I don't have people to take care of me. Ewan and Kath would never turn me away if I were in need, but they're in Stromeferry, which is a minimum 6-hour train journey away. My classmates are here, but they have their own lives and priorities outside of school. It can be like pulling teeth to organize a night out, but I need to do that or else it's going to be a very lonely summer. My flatmates are completely useless. I long for the days when Mandy and Roy lived here, and I'm now realizing just how lucky I was to have them here when I first moved in. Finding a new flat is now more of a priority than ever, because I cannot stand this place and the people who live here anymore.
I am normally a very self-sufficient person, but this was a very lonely and disheartening homecoming today. Here's hoping things will look a bit better after a nap.
Cheers, y'all.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
An increasingly global society.
I'm on the eve of leaving North Carolina for Scotland for the third time in ten months. I think this will be easier than the departure after Christmas, but not as easy as the departure last August. I'm feeling the same feelings of fear and loss at the prospect of parting from people and places that are familiar to me. It may be Christmas before I see my family again. It may be longer. I am probably never going to see my tired, feeble, stone-deaf, 14-year-old dog again. And there's another source of poignancy: I said that after this visit, I wasn't going to set foot in North Carolina again until Amendment One is repealed; and while I still mean it, that doesn't mean I'm not going to miss the place.
But at the same time, I've got a real sense of purpose attached to this journey. I'm ready to start analyzing data and writing this thesis. I'm ready to start seeing some places in Scotland I haven't seen yet. And there are people over there who are just as dear to me as some of my friends here, and I want to see them again.
For another thing, I know I'm not alone. Many of my friends here in the US are beginning to scatter to the four winds. One is moving to Los Angeles next month, another is moving to Korea later this year, and another may be moving to Georgia (the former Soviet republic, not the state two doors down from NC) in August. It should maybe be a sad thing that we're all moving so far apart, but I'm actually happy about it. In the increasingly global society in which we live, distance is but a number in many ways. And I'd like to think that my move to a foreign country has maybe inspired all these subsequent moves a bit. Is that vain?
I can't wait to see what state the kitchen is in when I get back to my flat on Friday. Ugh.
Cheers, y'all.
But at the same time, I've got a real sense of purpose attached to this journey. I'm ready to start analyzing data and writing this thesis. I'm ready to start seeing some places in Scotland I haven't seen yet. And there are people over there who are just as dear to me as some of my friends here, and I want to see them again.
For another thing, I know I'm not alone. Many of my friends here in the US are beginning to scatter to the four winds. One is moving to Los Angeles next month, another is moving to Korea later this year, and another may be moving to Georgia (the former Soviet republic, not the state two doors down from NC) in August. It should maybe be a sad thing that we're all moving so far apart, but I'm actually happy about it. In the increasingly global society in which we live, distance is but a number in many ways. And I'd like to think that my move to a foreign country has maybe inspired all these subsequent moves a bit. Is that vain?
I can't wait to see what state the kitchen is in when I get back to my flat on Friday. Ugh.
Cheers, y'all.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Goals for the summer.
I've been continuing to collect data. I'm quite behind on transcribing, but I've got a long plane ride and an empty weekend between me and my next meeting with Ailsa, so that shouldn't be an insurmountable problem. My ninth and final interview is tomorrow.
I went to the beach this past weekend. I swam, boogie-boarded, and got satisfactorily less pale than I was when I arrived in NC. My cousin Jennifer, her sister-in-law Tammy, Tammy's daughter Brittany, and Brittany's friend Juliana were all there as well. We spend Saturday afternoon drinking alcohol on the beach. My back is extremely red. These two items may or may not be related. Before driving back to Durham, I bought two magnets for my classmate George. One is tasteful, the other slightly less so. I also finished The Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon and made significant progress on Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick. I'm determined to finish the latter before I leave on Thursday, so that I can leave it here. While decent, it's not Ms. Chadwick's finest and I'm not going to be eager to read it again.
I only arrived at the beach after driving to Greensboro and then Indian Trail (a suburb of Charlotte), the first to conduct an interview, the second to visit my brother. As Greensboro and Indian Trail are both in the opposite direction from the beach, this made for a very long driving day. However, I had the pleasure(?) of driving through Scotland County, NC on my way from Indian Trail to the beach on US-74.
***
Goals for the summer:
- Write at least 300 words per day, including weekends, starting June 12.
- Have my thesis basically on its feet by July 31.
- Travel to Stromeferry, Shetland, and Uist. Also Kendal Calling, if the chief planners are still interested.
Tentative daily schedule:
- Get up at 9:30am. Eat breakfast. Write 300 words. Do various internet nonsense, to get it out of my system.
- Lunch.
- Go to the library no later than 1pm. Analyze data and/or read literature until 7pm (5pm on Fridays and weekends). Dinner.
- Read, cross-stitch, or socialize until bedtime.
I may be excused from data analysis and reading papers on the weekends, but not writing. If I am going to be computer-less (i.e. traveling) over the weekend, I must have a surplus word-count before I go.
Tentative travel dates:
- June 22-24: Stromeferry
- Mid-July: Shetland
- July 27-29: Kendal Calling
- Third or fourth week of August: Uist
Mull/Iona/Staffa are tentatively on for September, as are Islay/Jura for October. I figure I can do the Great Glen Way anytime I have a spare week.
All these travel plans mean that I absolutely cannot spend any frivolous money. I'm taking a bunch of books back to Scotland with me, and I'll go ahead and buy the next three Outlander books when I get back, and then it's NO MORE BUYING BOOKS. I also need to rein in my food spending.
And, break!
Cheers, y'all.
I went to the beach this past weekend. I swam, boogie-boarded, and got satisfactorily less pale than I was when I arrived in NC. My cousin Jennifer, her sister-in-law Tammy, Tammy's daughter Brittany, and Brittany's friend Juliana were all there as well. We spend Saturday afternoon drinking alcohol on the beach. My back is extremely red. These two items may or may not be related. Before driving back to Durham, I bought two magnets for my classmate George. One is tasteful, the other slightly less so. I also finished The Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon and made significant progress on Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick. I'm determined to finish the latter before I leave on Thursday, so that I can leave it here. While decent, it's not Ms. Chadwick's finest and I'm not going to be eager to read it again.
I only arrived at the beach after driving to Greensboro and then Indian Trail (a suburb of Charlotte), the first to conduct an interview, the second to visit my brother. As Greensboro and Indian Trail are both in the opposite direction from the beach, this made for a very long driving day. However, I had the pleasure(?) of driving through Scotland County, NC on my way from Indian Trail to the beach on US-74.
***
Goals for the summer:
- Write at least 300 words per day, including weekends, starting June 12.
- Have my thesis basically on its feet by July 31.
- Travel to Stromeferry, Shetland, and Uist. Also Kendal Calling, if the chief planners are still interested.
Tentative daily schedule:
- Get up at 9:30am. Eat breakfast. Write 300 words. Do various internet nonsense, to get it out of my system.
- Lunch.
- Go to the library no later than 1pm. Analyze data and/or read literature until 7pm (5pm on Fridays and weekends). Dinner.
- Read, cross-stitch, or socialize until bedtime.
I may be excused from data analysis and reading papers on the weekends, but not writing. If I am going to be computer-less (i.e. traveling) over the weekend, I must have a surplus word-count before I go.
Tentative travel dates:
- June 22-24: Stromeferry
- Mid-July: Shetland
- July 27-29: Kendal Calling
- Third or fourth week of August: Uist
Mull/Iona/Staffa are tentatively on for September, as are Islay/Jura for October. I figure I can do the Great Glen Way anytime I have a spare week.
All these travel plans mean that I absolutely cannot spend any frivolous money. I'm taking a bunch of books back to Scotland with me, and I'll go ahead and buy the next three Outlander books when I get back, and then it's NO MORE BUYING BOOKS. I also need to rein in my food spending.
And, break!
Cheers, y'all.
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