Back to the Roots of Lisa Frank

Went for a short run this morning. With FRAYFRAY.
I am so ecstatic to have seen so many good shows in London. I was thinking about this last night. i feel as though i saw such a HUGE variety. I miss Tesco. And Paperchase.
Plastered all over my room are my postcards, and i'm sort of making a wall collage of stuff that i did and saw etc. etc. I really enjoy the idea of doing travel response art. I want to go out and get some used books and do some altered book/book cover stuff. I think it would be fun.

Brian Cox. I just keep thinking about seeing him in Rock'n'Roll. This man is amazing, he has a wonderful electric quality that i WANT so badly to have.

Stage Combat with Jeremy today, and we start rehersal!! I'm STOKED. Good times running around the Black Friars yesterday.

YCTC

Here i am !! back in the US. I'm going through a small withdrawl period, but YCTC is helping me get over that. THESE KIDS ARE FABULOUS. I am soo excited. We just cast the plays today. I am working with great counsellors and great campers and YA !!!! I am HAPPY. As I rarely am elsewhere.

NOteable LONDON NOTES:
My superlative = PIMP
Record = 10
Most noteable = I GOT A TAN
Future plans = LIVING IN A SMALL COTTAGE. FOREVER.

Another astonishing loss for the US. I am so fed up with us sucking. But we root for Brazil and Austraila tonight so we hold out. Its soo much fun to be so actively involved in Soccer that you yell and curse and genuinely hope for your teams ! I love it. I'm gonna miss that aspect of life. Going to pubs and watching Football. :-0 I'm working on my papers right now. Studying.. well actually i'm listening to music but !!! I'm getting there ya?

Well i have come to terms i suppose with leaving. I'm so excited to be going home now. Excited to be going to YCTC. Sad of course to be leaving, but i went to Tate Modern today and looked out over the skyscape of the city...watching the sun go down and i just got a sad/happy feeling of One day... one day...

Don't Cry

So i feeel HOORIBLE!!! I can't go to visit with Ramona. I had
asked her about this week after my finals...it is not feasible
for me to visit for the weekend simply because i have 5 papers
to write and finals to study for. Which was why i had asked
about next week after my finals. :-(
So i am very sad that i can't go. But i am doing work. We went
to Bighton yesterday. I had a wonderful time. It was beautiful
but very ecclectic. I started my period...of course so i am
mad and miserable, but i'm having fun anyway. Omi, my goal is
to go to as many dance clubs as i can before i go home. I am
so devastated that this is almost over. And i'm coming back to
the 'burg.
I wil miss having so much to do and see and experience. :-(

We went to a Tom Stoppard play that just recently opened. It
was called Rock'N'Roll, about the Czech republic and Rock in
England, and dissention etc. etc. It was fabulous. It really
wrung my heart. Brian Cox was in it !! And he's fabulous.
Totally engaging and fun to watch and i was just so sad.
Becauses i have seen so much live theatre, gonbe so many
places and i'll have to go back to blah. But thats a bit of an
overexaggeration isn't it? Its not going to be blah. I'll be
excited to jump back into the swing of things ya?

 

Cake...have it and eat it. then have its babies

We saw Coriolanus last night at the Globe. WOOWOO. It was soo much better than Titus. Alas i shall spare you details of how much better. I'm tired of comparing things to that shitty show.
BUT. Cor. was great. Jonathan Cake (the man himself) was wonderful, and HOT. I was just soo pleased to see a show in london that did spoken justice to the text. From the moment really that he stepped on stage (though he was a little overactive at times) it was pleaseing to my ear. And what an intriguing mother he has. Can we say....OEDIPAL? But she's a very aggressive mother. It would be a fun show i think. But very word heavy. Surprisingly, the first act is the strongest or seems so, there is more action less oration. The play entire is just teeming with men giving speeches...rightfully so since it criticizes the fickleness of the masses and the manipulative qualities of statesmen. Coriolanus is an interesting man, noble...but prejudiced against the ingnobility of the masses..yet it is their poverty that (arguably) makes them so. He certainly has a princes arrogance...his mother...i don't know.. the woman is very manipulative. More on this later :-)

I really want to start a Shakespeare workshop of some kind. Just doing scene work, interesting things...bits and pieces of plays until we could do just good barebones sort of stuff. I really enjoy doing that sort of a show.
But jesus i was so frustrated listening to everyone talking after the show, i always am. What a stump we all get on, we theatre majors. I pity the non-drama kids. The arrogance astounds me--arrogance in knowledge, arrogance in... our own worth. Its like Theatre II manifest destiny.. all parts should be parcelled out according to our great estimation of ourselves. VOMIT.

I'm in love with Vince Vaughn. He is a funny and amusing guy. Plus he's hot. I watched two movies with him in them in the last two days. Jackson, Andrew and I went out to ULTIMATE BURGER and then found a umm.. whats it called an...an...arcade and i played the new Tekken 5!!! They are putting out another called Dark Resurrection. Lala. It was good. OMG Brad Pitt is so hot.. So in Angelina.. I'm watching Mr. and Mrs. Smith.. and its so hot. Anyway. I woke up this morning feeling as though i should throw up the entire contents of my stomach. It was horrible. AND IT IS SOOO HOT HERE and I say that because we have no AC. Not because its actually hot at all.

Salisbury was wonderful... and beautiful.. i spent Friday and Saturday there. Even there.. rather here i feel like i'm trying to escape something. WHAT? WHAT IS IT ?? jesus. it pisses me off.

OI

Saw Taming today. It was ok. I enjoyed it. It was pleasurable.
Those were some short and choppy sentances.
I'm irritated. Not that that is anything new, right? GOD DAMN this infernal condition. I don't care. I don't WANT to care anymore. I"M TIRED OF THIS. tired of them. tired of everyone. flauted.
Ever Crossed and Crossed and crossed some more. BOO.
AGHBLAH !!!
I'm just sitting here stewing. I need to stop.

On the upshot we went to the Courtaud today ... and it was fabulous. NOthing like good art.

REAL FIRST POST

I decided that London needed its own special page. As effective as LJ is. Even though i don't use it too much, i just wanted to see this in its own special place.

Its late here. We've just returned from a weekend trip to Edinborgh. My soul to the winds.
I was so sad to leave. Picture London situated between two cusps of rock, one of which was once a volcano, and then litter it with even more starkly contrasting building styles, with louder, more outgoing and VERY opinionated people, heaths covered in yellow bushes that smell like Pina Colada's, and very large thistles, and sea just over the horizon and that would be Edinborgh. Its so beautiful! A little darker, but a little more relaxed and slow paced with way too many hills for its own good, but pubs open all the time and just primaly invasive nature at every bend. I'm in love and want to live in that wonderful place, though admittedy i am a bit scandalized taht i am unable to attend the Fringe festival.

I treked the castle, and the botanicals and the mountains and the streets, dug for antiques...everything. It was splendid.

Met a nice Biotech Grad named Paul.

I'm sitting alone right now in the living room of the Mad house. just relaxing. Everyone else is typing papers, so i'm blissfully alone. Not that i mind the company...but as is to be expected when we are all together all the time, some people become more moody. This is not a problem for me so much when everyone is sober...but when the others get really drunk, they have such massive mood swings i can barely handle it. I just leave because i end up feeling so wretchedly alienated from them all while they battle in the grips of some sad depressing emotional see saw.
So the repreive is pleasant.

I'm happy to be back, but not. I miss the peace already.

Backdates 22nd and 25th

Things are going well. I feel that we as a group keep getting closer and closer knit, which makes my day. Though i have to say that everyone's eating habits do grate on my nerves. And we can say ANAL ( retentive that is).
We've gone on a number of outings...i can't remember all of them right off hand, but i KNOW that we went to Regent's Park yesterday though it was raining and it was beautiful. I can't wait to get back again on a nice day. Actually the sun is out right now so i will probably consider running out there right now.
I've been to the British Museum a couple of times and it continues to be great. I really love it. I saw the Rosetta Stone ! Isn't taht kewl. I could barely believe it. Anyway. Ellen and i are going to try to hang out some next week, because she will be here in the city. This last weekend was a great one, went out to a dance club, and shook my bon-bon til early in the morning, which was fantabulous, and how great is it to be able to hang out and drink and dance? The pubs here are pretty kewl, though Rockets ( the club) is open later and has cheaper drinks for the most part. We sang karaoke last week, i rapped Golddigger with Sade and Brandon. But my favorite pub i think is the Cross keys. When i went there i was asked if i was 18. I have never been more surprised and more flattered in my life. I mean since when have i been thought to be younger than i really am, right?

We also went to Geenwich which was fun, i got OMI a really pretty necklace. And i got myself a green alpacka scarf. Its been fun running around though i must grudgingly admit taht YES OMI you were right and it is SOO COLD here. It wouldn't be so bad really except that when its like 50-60, the wind blows and then it kills. We also went to Camden and i got a HOT pair spanish made tennis shoes that are FABULOUS !!!
I don't know what my plans are for this free weekend we have here. I rather want to get out of town, i might hike a train out into the country, and go to cambridge or something like that, we'll see. There is just SO much to do in LONDON i could stay occupied all the time.
anyway. I have stuff to do so... i love you and i'll talk to you later !!!
N.

Saw an incredible production of the Crucible last night at the Gielgud theatre. It was put on by the Royal Shakespeare Company and was INCREDIBLE !!! They main guy was fabulously attractive in a very Aragornish sort of way. IT was very moving. I was sobbing at the end, which doesn't necessarily MEAN anything but i found it very poignant.

I have been out shopping today. We went back to CamdenTown
today... and were running around and shopping. There is sooo
much kewl stuff there. Since it has been really cold, i bought
two jackets (velvet or artificially so) a chocolate and an
emerald green on for 5 pounds each. IT was a GREAT DEAL. I got
them at vintage clothing store.. and i liked them both.. the
green is very cute and 70's ish.. and the brown looks like i
should be wearing a derby with it and smoke a pipe. And then i
got some scarves like my purple one... a deep red and a great
khaki one.. and i'm resolved not to by myself anything else.
Which will probably be a lie.. but you know.


So i hope things are going well. We're going to try to hit
some museums i think tommorrow.. And we saw Titus at the Globe
last night and it was pretty bad. I was really surprised and
saddened about that. But whatever. it's their 2nd night.. so
things will change i'm sure.

Then we also went to an Alumni dinner, some former JMU students hosted this beautiful party for us. They had Hors'deurvs and LOTS of alchohol. And we all chatted around with them for hours. It was great. Jason, the guy whose flat we were in, and his partner Augusto were fabulous and very nice. I certainly enjoysed myself. But sometimes i get so frustrated when we are walking around in huge groups. I get so tired of being shushed and being told i don't know where i'm going. But one of my friends, equally frustrated though for much different reasons attempts to console me...rather badly albeit. It makes me irate to be treated with such condescension by people who are drunk off their asses and couldn't make their way home if they were dragged home on a leash. Which some of them should be. BOOO.

Backdate 20/05

So i've been horrible about updating my journal. Anywho. Live has been crazy but GREAT.
A couple of shout outs :

Anna. I went to the British Museum and it is amazing. I got so homesick suddenly and just wished and wished that you were there. The Greek, Roman, and Egyptian artifacts are amazing. It was so beautiful, and i felt so young and I just wanted someone who could appreciate it as much as i did.

Callie. The British Museum and the National Gallery. HOW BEAUTIFUL !!!! I wanted you to be there !!! And walk around with me. There are great impressionist paintings and it reminded me of the Monet Print you got me. I aim to be taking a trip to Paris and go to the Louvre.

Ellen. You must go to the british museum and look at all of the beautiful Japanese prints.

Girls in general (Emma included). I was at west minister and heard, what of all things? mozart's Requiem sung by a boys choir. BEAUTIFUL !!!!!! It made my heart hurt and miss singing so much. So much.

AND we went to the Orchestra. Wagner, Tristan and Isolde = WOW. ROMEO AND JULIET by PEt,afjl (i don't know his name)= INCREDIBLE !!!! So beautiful. MUSIC MUSIC....

Backdate May 17th

And today is the first day that i can effectively say that i "missed" anyone. I have thought of you all fondly admittedly, but i was walking through the British Museum and my heart-strings !!! I walked into the Reading room and cried. It was big and beautiful and free. And i walked into an exhibit on Michaelangelo and cried and ALMOST cried when i saw the relics from the parthenon. I mean there they were. All these things from our past, so incredible in person, i couldn't handle it. I have never felt younger in my life. and ALL i could think about is how i should be here with someone from home that could care about this the way i did. ::sighs:: Anywhooo....Its wonderful here and i am so happy. I tend to want to shoot a number of people IN the face...but its the normal breed, you know. They are inescapable even in London

Backdate May 15th

Hello. I'm sitting here a little irritated at the moment because i am not on my way to kensington palace with everyone else, because my camera has a stuck zoom lens i was traipsing around to two different camera places trying to get it unstuck. ugblah. So i missed the depature time. Which is OK... since i can go by myself or with a smaller group, but you know. This too shall pass.
London thus far has been great ! Since my camera is being STUPID i can't show you pictures, but i have a lovely view of our small courtyard (walled) and right next to the academy of the arts. Which is really kewl. My room is small, but perfect with a bed and a sink and a desk. I'm blessed to be alone again. :-) You know me and my privacy. But in all honesty i don't spend too much time up there unless its sleeping ! Which is ok of course. Its good to be out and running around, or just hanging out with the other kids. There are 28 of us. Which isn't a lot admittedly. But when you cram all of us in one space, i tend to get a little claustrophobic. Ok VERY.
I love just running around and exploring the city. I think we're going to try to catch a show tonight (maybe). There is a new Shaffer play that Sade wants to see instead of Avenue Q which another group is presumably seeing. I don't know anything about either of them, so whatever one is cheapest is what i want to go see. I bought a BEAUTIFUl umbrella, i wanted to get something special and not so touristish and something that SUMMED up London if you will. and its potentially rainy at any time. And its a nice one. Not too expensive... note the TOO. and its GREEN PLAID. :-D I HAD to buy it.

Basically we've just been doing BIG sweeps of London. I think i walked for about 8 hours straight yesterday. I'm going to be SOO HOT when i get back. I'm excited. I'm kinda bitter though, because our adventures were such a tease. i wanted to go into all of those places RIGHT THEN. I mean we went to Westminister Cathedral/Abbey, and the National gallery and EVERYWHERE basically.. watched the changing of the guard, (which was cool) but my camera had stopped working so i was PISSED. But i tried to make the best of it anyway. As i alreadY said we wemt all over the place, i can't wait to go back to the Globe and all the theatres. Is it bad that what i am MOST excited about is seeing Shakespeare? Everyone wants to go and see so many shows. I really want to see lots of things besides theatre, but Shakespeare is waht i am most excited about.

Oh. Before i forget. Our bathrooms are awesome. They are clouded glass and smell like Europe. It reminds me of Oma's.

And of course the food here is fantastic. I've already located several cheap sushi places, and a little sandwich shop, we get about 80 dollars a week for food money, so i'm trying to be frugal. No more umbrellas :-).

I have theatre today at 3:30, which is exciting. We have to WALK EVERYWHERE !!! That or take the Tube. Lets just get it out there that I have a fantastic sense of direction most of the time. And i walk a lot faster than everyone else. Its great. I get to more places. Anyway.. i'm rambling and i can't think of anything else to say. I'll keep you updated.

A couple of Backdates - May 13

I"M HERE !!!! i don't believe it at all. But its been wonderful and beautiful. When we were coming in for landing (on a flight that was uneventful and easy YA !) i was looking at all this beautiful scenery and thinking this is the place ! When i was a kid i read James Harriet (look this fine British Vet. up when looking for good nonfiction. he's great) and i was just struck by the fact that THIS was where all that took place ! ::sighs:: Its beautiful, we walked around like CRAZY yesterday, i was really tired so i slept wonderfully. I have a sweet room, its beautiful and cute and perfect. So i'm just ecstatic. We do the East end tour today. :-) More later.