Winding Down

Well, I'm at it again- sitting in the library with an open word document before me, a book next to me, and my thoughts entirely somewhere else. 

I just came from a very interesting meeting with a man named Nick Middleton. Nick is a professor at St. Anne's college in Oxford, but more importantly, he is a published travel writer and TV personality. Over a cup of coffee in the nearby bookstore-wonder, Blackwells, I had Nick all to myself for over half an hour. He managed to give me all sorts of good advice on how to get my foot in that travel-lit door. Now, unfortunately he didn't offer me a job as suitcase carrying lackey or anything, but getting to hear the stories of how it's done by someone who has actually done it was well worth it. 

While talking to him I was even struck with the notion that maybe if I took the time to write it all out, I could publish my memoirs of my year abroad. And if I somehow manage to be more concise than prolific, something I tend towards even in my essays, I could round up all my fellow students to pitch in their own experiences. Anyway, this is just one of my newest ambitions. Those of you who know me well will recognize that for me they come at least a dime a dozen, so the probability of this one coming to fruition is small. Almost like the chance of me finally telling you about my Christmas break expeditions. 

But in other news, my Oxford time is nearing its true and final end. Two papers left and then I will be free from the academic clutches of this city. For a few months, anyway. And it really is quite a tragedy that I must spend so much of this time in the library. The sun has finally risen again on Oxford, giving not just light, but warmth. On Saturday a friend and I lay upon a blanket for a good two hours under the cloudless blue sky. We even managed to get the base for that unheard of British tan.