If I could turn back time...

I know you all are humming Cher's little tune in your heads with that title. Don't fight it, it's a good song right? Anyway, if I may backtrack about a week or so I will bring you all up to my last entry which was very stream of consciousness and skips a good deal of experiences, though this one will be much less detailed, and hopefully short and sweet...

Ok this is now a week later. another draft that I started and lit sit on the shelf. I am now in Rimini, Italy with Kevin. We are about to spend our final night of travel here in Europe. Head home (the flat) tomorrow in the morning. The time has flown even since malta but all those experinces seem so long ago.

After Nice Mary and I spent four days in Florence which were really amazing. We had a great time together. Not only are we a pretty good couple (I would say) but good travel partners and work well with decision making and such. I was pretty sick most of the time and thus a bit more amiable and easily swayed to do whatever mary would want. Didnt do as much intense hiking, slept a bit more, but still saw so much. Duomo, Florenian Markets, and the Palacial gardens. Didnàt see any art. Thats right, and i dont want to hear anymore about if from any of you as you spit coffee into your computer screen in disbelief. We somehow managed to spend a lot of time in Florence, birthplace of the Rennaissance movement and mecca for all artists around the world, and we didnt go into any galleries. i am actually kinda proud of that achievement.

met up with the Malta friends in Cinque Terre, all I want to say is that this is one of the coolest places on earth. I will write a blog tomorrow when I get home complete with pictures. Cinque terre is just one of those places best described through pictures if they turn out. Next post will be visually stunning! I promise.

Friends...Old and New

Today I played soccer (football). That for me spells a day of complete and utter happiness, and no more should need to be said. I realize I haven't written for a while, yet i think I will write of the most recent events and work backwards if there is time. Currently, you will find me chillin' in a longish flat on the small but bigger than you would think island of Malta. This is where another parrallel one semester program that Luther has resides so I'm staying with a few friends from back at the old haunt. Rundown of old friends:

Aaron Lurth, my summer roomate after freshman year when i stayed at Luther for that summer doing our little research project that went nowhere. Also drummer in the Brandon Becker Bonanza Band which performed at the annual Luther Cool Aid event. I was the lead singer, and we did a little throwback to some sweet nineties hits.

Nicholas Hedeman, roomate sophmore year, good friend since soccer class of freshman year and he lived on my floor. Loves his BMW. We play raquetball rather often in which I find myself always feeling better after kicking his ass.

Katie Billings, Nick's girlfriend and thus my second roomate sophmore year. Another friend since freshman year and this evening she is cooking for nick and I a delicious chicken scampi.

Getting to see some familiar faces is so rejuvinating and it's been a long time since ive been this happy. They are some good people, and I'm slowly meeting their other flatmates as I stay here for 4 days. They have graciously let me into their humble (and its humble, nothing like our amazing flat in Nottingham but I won't gloat)flat. It's interesting to experience the lifestyle of other students just like me and get a taste of a different flavor for living abroad. malta is a quirky island that grows on you. First impressions may be a bit of surprise and maybe a bit of a let down. I admit thinking on the first day "this is it" and being ready to make the most of it. But with some great guides, this is a place of beauty and has so much to see and do. and don't even get me started on the people. Sweetest kindest folks you'll ever meet. We went this afternoon to go kick a ball around, and a small group of Maltese kids, about 6 asked if we would play them. Up for the challenge, Nick, Ellen (a concordia chica, way cool, and a soccer player back at college) Aaron and myself tentatively accepted ready to be beaten senseless. But they were young and we actually dominated. I haven't touched a soccer ball since last spring when i left luther in May. Still got some speed, but my touch is horrible and the skills were lagging. Felt great to stretch the limbs, and I know tomorrow I will wake up with a sore bum. These guys ranged in age from I'd say about 8-16. They were joking and jabbing and chattering away the whole time. It was entertaining to see them take things so lighthearted and any time anyone fell down they made sure they were all right. They were relentless in their taunting of each other just as young boys should be, and I revelled in their boyish banter. I had a great time, and when we were done, they somehow found a tame rabbit over in the bushes and were petting it joking about calling it bugsy and such and asking me about where I lived and if I wanted it. Of course I couldn't bring him home, but he was cute.
That was the second run in with wildlife today. Earlier, we left around 11 the whole group of us including the Luther runner Mel, to Mdina, a sweet hilltop city with no cars allowed. You had to pass accross a sort of moat to enter just like the big city of VAletta the day before. All the cities are well protected like fortresses. This city was clean and beautiful. This is probably due to the fact that the only people who live in it, have noble blood that can be traced back to the original wealthy knights that established themselves on the island. Best part though is that my friends took me to this famous (to them) little cafe with great views of the island called Fontanella. It has some of the most amazing cakes you may ever taste and a delicious Perugiona Hot Chocolate that can ever touch the lips of man. I couldn't ask for more than this thick chocolate drink and a piece of the hazlenut apple chocolate cake. I hope your mouth is watering by now cuz it should be!
Sadly, the day was perfect up until mid afternoon when we arrived in the craft village outside Mdnina to find that everything had closed up at 2 for the week. I was looking forward to going to see the original Mdnina glassblowers work and purchase some sweet glass sculptures. This art is something that facinates me more than most any other artistic mediums. I have collected a number of dazzling and sweet looking lampwork glass beads. What a talent. So it was a huge letdown for me to find it all closed. Soccer made up for it though.
Well, I will close this entry to follow the train of good scents from the kitchen to the table that is wafting in my direction. I think our chicken is ready and I couldn't be hungrier. I hope you all are feeling great wherever you are in the world and feeling swell! Ciao!

My skins getting pink...

I've made it to Nice. Not that it has been that much of a sruggle up til now seeing the great wonders of Ireland and then taking a quick flight over to Grenoble. The happy tones from the last blog will be of a very different color. I have become miserably sick for the last 3 days or so, and this was a lot of the time that I was by myself, which is for the best in some ways. That final night in Dublin after the Pub Crawl I knew I was coming down with something. Headache all day, and my nose was throbbing. Then that night it hit me, and my nose got all stuffy and I was warm and stuffy all the time with no energy. I think that this is the worst sinus infection I have ever gotten in my life. I've been going without medicine which may be why it seems worse and strung out. Last night was the 4th night of restless sleeping and waking up many times each hour and my body becoming ridiculously hot and uncomfortable. As I know any mom out there reading this is thinking, yes, I'll try to find some kind of nasal decongestant today. I am sick of this and its making me a lousy travel buddy.
Flying out of dublin I got to Grenoble late at night and tried to crash early which was fruitless, the next morning waking early I walked around the city, and grew rather fond of it. Grenoble is a very charming city surrounded by mountains on most sides so its the perfect little mountain town nestled in the alpes. Beautiful buildings clean streets, it was just too bad that everything closes down in france on sundays. I left at 11 to go to Marseille with high hopes of beating this sickness and seeing Emily and Kevin who were already there for another full day.

I arrive feeling like crap, and am greeted by a station in shambles more or less. More accurately it is just under construction but they make it impossible to find your way out, and nothing is done in a clean and efficent way as almost every street in this city is being redone. Finally make my way out after not being able to contact neither of my friends, finding on a map that their hostel is out of walking distance outsied the city, i decide to wing it and find some random cheap hotel. After walking for half an hour towards the center I drop into a respecable hotel out of my price range and he directs me to the street where the wooden shacks that my money could buy could be found.

I set off as it wasn't far and immediately was shadowed by this strange red cloaked black man. He walked about 10 feet behind and then came up and started bumping into my hips good natruedly but I didn't like it. Something was wrong with this. He would walk ahead and then circle back around and make another pass, grabbing at the pocket s of my bag. It finally dawned on me the tactics he was using was for pickpockets and i got very nervous. The next hotel i would see i would dodge into. This guy was creepy and relentless and kept pushing me, I finally saw a weather worn sign and crossed the street to get away and would you believe it but he followed me in. I ran up the stairs which he didn't follow and found myself in the dodgiest building you could ever find. It was a hotel where a single was 9 euro. that is unheard of even in hostels these days, so i knew what i could expect, but i had no idea...

I took the room just to get off the streets, scared shitless from creepy and unkind folk wandering about. My door wasn't even on straight with a weak little lock on it. Old newspapers lay on lawnchairs in the room. Rusty sinks, cigarette butts in the corners, brown stained sheets, peeling wallpaper, it was the sorest sight for a room I had ever seen. Now I wanted to escape this room, so i packed my valuables in my little bag, and hesitantly hit the streets to explore. Ever since I as almost pickpocketed I am now edgey constantly wary of everyone, and the streets were packed with strange not necessarly well to do people. There was trash everywhere. Besides a cathedral, a charity haven set up by nuns, and an Arch de Triumph mimicking the one in Paris in its own little way, this city has nothing to offer. I hated it. Matter of fact I have dubbed it the worst city I have visited in Europe thus far, so please dear friends...steer clear.

Nice is the exact opposite. Beautiful sparkling and clean, and the four of us living here for 4 days have gotten an apartment to ourselves for a great price comparable to any hostel, only it is amazing. Clean and perfect for us. Walked along the beaches for a bit. Not hot enought to truly catch some sun but we'll try. This city is seriously amazing and ranks high on my scale. I don't know if its the extreme contrast from the worst in Marseille but it took me 10 minutes of walking its streets to fall in love with it. We are so lucky, and we just went grocery shopping last night, and have gotten food for our 4 days, and have saved tons of money. I'm talking that money spent on groceries wouldn't have gotten us two meals in resturants or anything. We are so lucky. I am ready to be rid of this awful sickness. Some sea air may do me some good, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to lie for an hour or two to relax with a box of tissues next to me and popping pills. Hopefully next I write all will be well.

From a Small Island to an Itty Bitty One

Well, Ireland isn't that small, but in comparison it is. It's not even been 6 days since I left Nottingham, and I feel I have accomplished so much. First stop was Galway on the western side of Galway. Got to know this attractive city pretty well. One thing I noticed, was not only how kind the Irish people are, but also how many Americans are here. Even so, Ireland has been amazing.

On my second day, Hilary, Mary and I took a bus tour out to the Burren and The Cliffs of Moher which was the main reason for the trip. Here is the quick, but still lengthy email i sent to my mum a few days ago....

It was a full day tour for a pretty decent price.
Absolutely an amazing little day trip. i am really glad I did it.
Beautiful pictures, you will love them when I can get them loaded up.
Basically walked around on some IRish cliffs that stretch almost a half
mile above the sea below. loved it, and then explored some of the
landscape called the Burren.
Today I think I walked 14 miles...no joke. This morning I got mary to
the bus station early at 8 and then spent the rest of the morning til
one walking along the bay of Galway exploring. I walked about 4 miles
out of the city and reached some far cliffs which were my destination,
and then headed back to meet the girls for lunch. Had my first
guinness in Ireland last night. I don't know if I've told you but
since I have tried it in England, I love it. Can't wait to visit the
Guinness factory in Dublin. It is a must for anyone who goes there
and it is my favorite drink. Thick, smooth, almost chocalatey with a
hint of coffee flavor. Sometimes tastes a bit burnt but always sweet
and tastey.
I've been taking tons of pictures! Speaking of which, tell Trina
thanks for the pics of Kadin.
Since then I have been in Dublin for Two days already. Just Hilary and I. We have done a ton of walking and have seen a lot of what this great city has to offer. Our first evening after arriving we were wandering around, and made our way into Christ Church Cathedral just in time for the evensong Service. A very good choir, and I hestitantly might say that it was better than my very own in England at St. Mary's. I very calm and reflective 45 minutes. We found a chinese resturant which was harder to find than you think as we were both having cravings. Yeah, I know it isn't all that authentic, but we had plenty of time to have some decent pub grub and most of their food is pretty similar to England's. A bit more seafood, and Guiness is much more readily available.

Before I continue further I should say how Hil and I got to Dublin from Galway. Not to scare you or anything mum, but we in a way hitchhiked. It was very interesting how it happened. on Hilary and I's rushing to catch the bus at noon, a man with a German accent approached us asking if we were students and looking for a ride to Dublin. He offered that we ride in a van that he and a friend had just rented for a much cheaper price. Well, as crazy as this might sound, and it does seem a bit sketchy a felt we could trust them.
They turned out to be pretty legit guys, scouting Ireland so that in a few months they could move to Galway permanently. When they went to rent a car, the company was all out, but had this big white, nine passenger TRANSIT van that ended up being cheaper. They then thought they would hunt around and find some people, especially students who were looking for a deal and would fill up the extra space. Well it was a good deal for everybody, and sadly the other two people they had lined up backed out, so here is Hilary and I bumping along across the center of Ireland in the back of this great white van. NO worries though, we are safe and sound in the Paddy's Wagon Hostel.

Today was a good one, but very exhausting as well. Hilary and i walked around the famous Trinity College, which had all the airs of the most prestigious of colleges. Pretty with trees budding and magnolia bushes in full bloom. Next was the big event of the day. The Guinness factory!!! I cannot express how excited I was to go here. It was everything I hoped it would be and is set up amazingly well for tourists. It takes you through all the different steps in the brewing process, shows how casks were made, a floor of all the history of the Guinness Advertising since it's beginning and the whole story of how Guinness came to be. At the top on the 7th floor you get your free pint and sit in the round observatory which gives some of the best views of all the city from above. Loved it all, and even had a beef and Guinness Stew for lunch with a heavy Guinness flavored bread. You can pretty much put Guinness in everything. Delicious! My favorite drink.
This evening at 7:30 we went on a musical pub crawl which was actually really cool. Two musicians take the whole group of us around to a couple pubs, play music, entertain and explain the history and background of Irish Music and all its misconceptions. Much of what we see is for tourists, and in a way they were too, but they were trying to explain to us the true nature of music and what playing is really about. Not for others but for each other. Musicians will just gather in a corner and play as if they are having their own musical conversation. Anyone who is even remotely connected usually has to bring something to the table and they ask everyone to play at a normal session.

This was no different. They asked the group of 60 of us to volunteer and take the floor. We were always crammed into some room on the top floor of the most authentic pubs in Dublin. Actually the two we went to were the only two to not be rennovated. anyway, no one was volunteering to sing, or play anything so Hilary convinced me and called attention to me. I went up amidst cheers and played and sang Passenger Seat by STephen Speaks for the whole crowd. When I was done, the whole room arupted in huge applause and I felt so proud. First time I truly got to perform in an open mic fashion. Felt good, but was dissappoionted that no one else followed. I thought I would get more to follow as our guides hoped, but no one volunteered and throughout the last hour I get another round of applause or two for being the only brave soul. I am so glad I did it and would have regretted the evening if I hadn't and we all know that I am not here to live with regrets. Got to make the most of all this and I am well on my way.

Where will I be all month?

This is more or less the final revised itinerary in summarized form. Toss a few more little towns in here and there and that's about it. Lots of beaches, hiking, and beautiful coastal sites. email me or leave me a note if you have any advice about any of these places that I'm going to...things to see, do, or experience. Cheers, and hope everyone has a great Easter holiday. I will be in Florence then.

March 25
Depart from flat, Flight @ 21:35

March 26
Shannon, Ireland (just for you shabby!)

March 26-March 28
Galway, Ireland
Stop on the way to Dublin and hike around for an afternoon…
March 29-30
Dublin, Ireland

March 31-April 1
Grenoble, Marseille, ? France

April 2-5
Nice, France Day trips to nearby villages and sites

April 6-9
Florence, Italy Day trips out to nearby sites

April 10-11
Cinque Terre, Italy

April 12-16
Malta, Italy

April 17-18
Sicily (Mt. Etna), Italy

April 19-20
Rimini, Italy

April 21st
Arrive Back at the Flat around 12:30 during the day

Upholder of Democracy and All That is Beautiful

I am truly a university student now. I worked 12 hours last week in a temporary position as a poll clerk for the 2007-2008 Student Executive Elections. I basically, as you can see in the picture sat at a table that had the poll box and ran the paper ballot portion of voting. Not many students vote on paper nowadays and most vote online but I still was there for those who may have forgotten and wanted to at the last minute. I may have given out 20 ballots a day. You would think out of a school of over 30,000 students, we could get at least 10,000 to vote with plenty of campaigning. Instead they usually get around 6,000 every year. Even so I did my job well. I stood and handed out pamphlet's with the candidates manifestos inside, and tried to convince students who walked by in the main Portland building to excercise their rights and vote.

This was an interesting experience for me. This was the first time that I felt like a part of something bigger. Most everyone in the flat has fallen into the trap of living our lives out of the flat and making short excursions to campus to study or go to class and then come back to our home immediately. We aren't a part of the rest of the student population in that way that you live in halls and are always on campus. It's like living a dual life. Student, and traveller. Doing this job placed me in an involved role of student happenings. My face was out and familiear to people as someone who is involved in university activities and not only that but I am running the event. Even got a free t-shirt out of the deal...always a plus.


On the way to work, one day, or maybe it was play practice, but either way I was able to witness a very beutiful sunset. If only I could have been in Wollaton Park or The Arboretum so that a beautiful landscape coupled with these rosy skies instead of the row of houses, but it is in classic Nottingham style.
Last thursday Kevin, Emily and myself made our way just outside of Nottingham to Eastwood. We had a great time gathering in the sights and locations of all the different homes of D.H. Lawrence the author of the novel we currently reading.
What a great pic of Mark and I. I needed a picture with the man who supplied me beer at 11:45 in the morning. What a good man. Whew, look at my hair! It's getting longer and lookin good I should say!
Old mining works, made entirely of wood. This shaft is what created this town and gave a living to the men and women who lived there.

WARNING! THE REST OF THIS BLOG IS A JOURNAL ENTRY I WROTE FOR VISITING EASTWOOD. THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE SOME NICE REFLECTOIONS THOUGH A BIT LONG AND DRY SEEING THAT I WROTE IT FOR AN ASSIGNMENT.

March 15, 2007: Eastwood- Hometown of D.H. Lawrence Brandon Becker

When you have lived in an area long enough, you become so accustomed to it that you feel that you have become quite the expert. It takes very little to shock us into the realization that we don’t know this place we live as well as we should. In the city of Nottingham itself, there are so many parts of the city that haven’t felt the ginger footstep of a timid American Norseman. Sadly, I think we have failed a little in exploring all that this city has to offer. West Bridgeford for one is an entire area on the fringes of the city, yet easily accessible by a city bus that I have always been meaning to visit and I am sure has much to offer.

Stretching ourselves further, when exploring our villages and green spaces, we were able to expand the limits or boundaries of what was to be seen here in our area of Nottinghamshire. I certainly realized that the opportunities to see knew things are exceedingly endless. Even so, without some gentle prodding from Mark or Carole Gilbertson, we may never have realized what lays just outside the city limits. I would venture to say that none of us have really seized it upon ourselves to become explorative and seize hold of our free days to make the most of them. I was proud to discover the little old village a while back in Strelley, and you would think that discovery would have spurned me on to bigger and grander circles of exploration. Another simple one is to ride the tram all the way out to it’s opposing limit in Hucknall. It’s a long ride and goes to show just how much space, people, and places are to be seen. I wouldn’t like to lie and pledge that once I return from our month holiday, I will tackle the city with new vigor but I wouldn’t be afraid to pose the thought that I will not take my last moments in such a new and strange (as it always will be when looking back at it from the comforts of the old home) for granted and that last month will be spent absorbing every bit of life untouched or unseen by myself from the city before I go.

Today was just another one of those moments where your mind gets shocked into a wider and broader range of thinking. I’ve grown comfortable thinking Nottingham to be just a big old city of Industry, and a large and prosperous as well as renowned University harbored in it increasing its nightclub appeal. No one really worth mentioning came from here except the exaggerated persona of good ol’ Robin Hood. Yet a great English 20th century writer live just outside the city in a small village, and gave the world a lot of good literature ranging from poetry and essays, through to a few of his well known novels, and even touching on painting and art. We are all familiar with Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy’s writings about Grasmere, and the pleasure that landscape brought to them. Easily understandable. It’s the Lake District, and millions of people flock there each year to hike in its beautiful hills and valleys alongside the many lakes dotting the landscape. Surely Nottinghamshire has nothing to offer like that.
David Hubert Lawrence wrote about Eastwood and the surrounding area as it offered as much joy and beauty to him as any grand sight on the top of a peak above Ambleside could offer. This was his home, and he loved it. “The country of my heart”. Our entry into the past world of Lawrence began at the Durban house renovated to house a museum to the man that had made this region seem special, and to the respect he paid to the mining industry. It was an enjoyable museum in that I felt that we were getting a nice intro into being able to understand this man and where he came from-the people that influenced his life, and the personal touches that made him unique. Complete with separate rooms dedicated to the wakes, and mining itself these were important things that made their way into his writing in Sons and Lovers.

His academic abilities must have been surprisingly far ahead of most of his class in the small town of Eastwood. What an achievement it must have been to be the first child to earn a scholarship to the Nottingham High School from that area. This was particularly interesting to me, and especially unique since I had taken a formal tour in January of the Nottingham High School today and sat in on classes. Another piece of history that I have a real mental image to associate with. I especially liked the quotes from his writing scattered throughout the museum. Little snippets of his voice were found there and on plaques all throughout the town. His voice emanated from the randomness of places and square blocks in the ground. The townspeople truly embraced what claim to fame they have.

“If I think of my childhood, it is always as if there was a sort of inner darkness, like the gloss of coal, in which we moved and had our real being.”
Mining was a tough way of life. I have a very arrogant, if that’s the word, sense of how different my life has been being a farmer. I am a tad haughty as to how properly a person’s character and work ethic is built about and beyond the “urbanite”. I have gone to school enough and met enough people to know this isn’t true, but there always lies a deep-set pride that isn’t easy to be rid of. The life of a miner, as seen through the eyes and feelings of Lawrence make me feel as if I have no reason to puff up so. Mining is the true tough life, and that is tough to argue with. I don’t like that he makes the farming community out to be one full of flowers, sunshine, ropes in haymows. There is all of that, but the work is tough too. I do admit, ashamedly that it is nothing compared to working in the heat and filth deep underground.

Eastwood has been able to throw off much of the tainting affects of a mining town. Today, it is a modern village with all technological advantages and rather clean. Seeing it and thinking of the book and the scenes described in it, my mind was able to play out different scenes with in the different settings we encountered. The beautified princes street did have some of the looks still of what would have been a more rugged and rough row of blockhouses. At the Breach I was almost able to imagine Mrs. Morel locked out of the house, or the little blue sack on a stick lying outside the backdoor as a reminder of Mr. Morel’s pathetic attempt of running away. Seeing that first home helps me now to have a place for all the characters to run within in my head. Though it has been altered much to represent a more typical late Victorian family life, one only needs to dirty up the house a bit in their heads, drop the temperature significantly and image black soot everywhere and I think we get the idea.

On our walk down main street, we passed an outdoor farmers market that was packing up, and one could really see that as the way it may have been 80 years ago. Vendors selling various goods usually produced by their own hands. This was just before we arrived at what was once the Moon and Stars or something like that. Out front where the Wakes would have been it is now a small parking lot. Not a very large area for a festival, but it was a small village back in the day, so they may not have needed the space. Ultimately with walking out to Hagg’s farm, seeing the homes Lawrence lived at various times in his life, and walking in and out of different parts the novel as they exist today, I think we get a pretty good idea what his world may have been like, and with his explicit descriptions in Sons and Lovers, our imaginations can be more vivid than ever.

Black and White and Trying New Things

Saturday, Aaron abruptly or at least to the outside person appeared to randomly decide to test the fire escape system out of his room window. I don't know if this was a farewell gesture to his room before packing his stuff up and trading places with Kate, or he had a moment of heroism or masculine audacity to do something gutsy. It really is perfectly safe, but I was nervous and feeling all that apt to try, even with my adventuresome and hyper spirits accounted for. I don't do heights. He wrapped the rope around his body somehow and basically threw himself out the window, and unsurprisingly this safety escape system was safe as expected.

Aaron can't help but hide his excitement. Look at that face!
This is the weirdest thing ever. I don't know if this sort of thing even exists in the U.S. but I must say it is quite the unassuming little contraption. You never would guess that it could hold as much weight, nor work so niftily as it does.
Ryan, not one to be left out and feeling bold, belees (spl?) out the window with some assistance from Aaron below. Notice that form, he gets plenty of practice through his little spulunking and caving expedition earlier this year where they dropped down some nearly vertical cave shafts. Not for me.

With Aaron operating as our impetus, and coming up with such a novel idea, we finally after weeks of debate managed to have our Black and White party. Aaron first suggested it to me like a month ago in Starbucks. It didn't catch for a while, then I got Mary hooked on the idea to do it for Aaron's B-Day but folks were still a bit questionable as to timing and plans, and thus that following Saturday, Kevin motioned through a facebook invitation to have this fiesto, lest it will never happen. That's just the type of group we are. It's tough to make us move and come to a decision as a unit. But aren't all large groups like that?
Whilst (Using a bit of the old tongue, fancy eh?)most of the ladies minus Anna were in Lincoln repeating what us guys had done the week before (see previous blog) Kevin and I went shopping in town for decorations and booze. You see, we needed a bit of a variety of alcohol and enough of it to do this right. Not only were we to have a candelit dinner with some kind of Chamogne esk cheap stuff, but for drinks for the party, no usual beer, or lager was allowed, but instead fancier mixed drinks such as cosmopolitans, Sex on the Beach, etc. (Never mind the Un-classy names) and had a nice bonding evening. No TV, solely...fellowship.

He got a bit of a tongue lashing by some of the ladies for having Pink in his tie, but come on. It looks pretty dang nice!
Hey, hey hey!! It's the new couple in the flat, and looking oh so happy! Emily and Aaron have hooked up and thus have pushed Mary and I out of the new, exciting and cute relationship to more of the "old couple" status with these new arrivals. I wonder if Nottingham has ever had to relationships start at once in the flat? Wish them all the best!
The ladies vie for Kevin's affection.
Yes! This is a great pic of Mary with "the face". Something that is rarely captured in Photos, and I've only seen it on paper maybe twice before, or at least once. Something about her expression or smile in this way I just love!

Our Minds in Distant Lands

We have less than a month to plan for our full month long spring holiday trips. Everyone is feeling the pressure to start buying plane flights and train tickets, whilst booking hostels. I've done neither yet, but have got a pretty solid plan, though it's very liable to change. Anyone have any suggestions or places they loved near these areas, please email me. beckbr01@luther.edu I want to make the most of this final trip!
March:
IRELAND:
26th- Fly into Shannon to Galway
27th- Day in Galway with Molly
28th- Day trip outside Galway, Night with Molly
29th- Travel to Dublin
30th- Day in Dublin, Guinness Factory
31st- Fly out of Dublin to southern france

April:
FRANCE:
1st- Day in French Village
2nd- Travel to Nice
3rd- Day in Nice
4th- Day trip out of Nice
ITALY:
5th- Travel to …………………….
6th- Day in ………………………..
7th- Travel to Florence
8th- Day in Florence
9th- Day trip out of Florence, Pratolino village, travel to cinque terre
10th- Meet Malta Gang, and start two day travels of Cinque Terre
11th- Day in Cinque Terre
12th- Train to Pisa, Flight out to Malta @ 15:30
13th- 16th- Malta, Chillin with my Pals
17th- Hiking around a mountain, Mt. Etna
18th- Adventureman
19th- Travel to Rome
20th- Day in Rome
21st- Flight back to London, Bus to Nottingham, Play Dress Rehearsal

To give her some credit, I can say for myself that that chair is very comfortable and the lighting in the libraryis perfectly dim for a drowsy environment, but she should be reading....tsk tsk tsk. We all are barrelling our way through Barchester Towers in just over a week, but as you can see it can be a bit much at times. I can't say anything, she's been working hard and is some 150 pages ahead of me. I just needed to put this pic up.

I am a temporary member of the Nottingham University's Varsity Volleyball team. I played a few weeks ago against Nottingham Trent University. Good experience but scary as hell and still a bit out of my league. I played Middle, a position I have never played before, and was basically taking a crash course in the position while in the game. Did all right, had a 7 serve streak going. Anyway, I just wanted a picture of our "Kit" before I gave it back for memories sake. Like the color. Yeah, the shorts are pretty dang short and not all that flattering on me, but it's all about the game, not your looks right!
The colorful spring-like bouquet of flowers that I gave Mary for V-day have officially died off and look nothing like this anymore. Nature is providing many more here in England. Daffodils are sprouting out of the lawn all over campus in the randomest of places. Spring feels like it has arrived, though winter never seemed to have come but two nights with a bit of snow.

Feeling Like a New Man

I have neglected to mention that I managed to clean my room officially last weekend. This is something that has been neglected far too long. This is not just some little smearing around of the mess on the desk and the papers on the floor and shoving the dirty socks under the bed, but actually sorting through everything! And I mean everything that has been settling into becoming a permanent carpet of papers and books, I went through it all. Took everyhing off my shelves and desks and DUSTED! Crazy...I know, but lets not stop there. Lets imagine that I got everything off the floor, and kicked kevin's clothes and crap into a pile in his corner and VACUUMED! Wow, this will only happen once folks, and boy does it feel great. I feel like a completely different person living in such a clean environment compared to what I walked into the rest of the year.

What's more, the challenge isn't so much in cleaning a room, but actually keeping it that way, and I can proudly say I made it 6 days. Today, it is starting to have some resemblence to it's tarnished days of old. This should be a quick fix which I will do before bed. It really has been strange living all week making my bed in the morning, being able to find my watch, wallet, rings etc. where they should be on the edge of a clean desk and easy to find, and even stranger coming back in the day and actually hanging up my jacket in the closet or putting clothes away as they are used. I have accomplished the impossible and feel very refreshed and on top of things. I have always said that the cleanliness of my room reflects the state of my life. This past week I have been on top of my homework and even working ahead, working on lines for the play, keeping it clean and finding time for Mary and other friends, and feel at a complete balance. No stress, but a calm yet hard-working week. Right now it is starting to look a little ragged, which is exactly how I feel, haven't been able to read Barchester Towers for our Flat Class with M and C, nor do any other homework and...enter stress and disorganization. If i can only clean my room up and get back on top of things...update in a week.

Yesterday 5 (which means minus 4 from the original 9 for you mathematically challenged) of us clambered into M and C's car to hit the road for an hour to Lincoln. Lincoln is best known for its Cathedral. Coming into town from the north, our first glimpses of it were rather staggering. These massive spires rose in the distance as we glimpsed it through trees and around cute little buildings and storefronts. My first impression was that this was some cute little town just like most of the others built around this monstrous cathedral. We took a tour of both the cathedral and even the roof, complete with a whole new tour guide and an insight into what the internal wood structure looks like of a cathedral behind all that stone and plaster.
We literally were on the roof... and I was sufficently freaked but put on a brave face.
We were so high up. I don't have then number for you, but this was a rare experience to see a cathedral from so high up and to see it's inards and climb amongst the rafters. above the ceiling.
Kevin and I getting a bit of our agression out in the house of the Lord using those handy little butt cushions, or knee padding or whatever they are.

Venturing downhill, deeper into town I found that it is actually quite a large bustling city. The streets get bigger and as you near the bottom of steep street (appropriately named for the steep hill this city is built on with the cathedral at the top. This is no little hill but very, very long and a rather extreme grade)

Starbucks, Pizza Express, Primark, and malls pop up replacing the tea rooms and private little shops on the cobbled hill. We wandered in and out of stores, escaping the rain in an Oxfam (British Goodwill) in which we have pictures floating around somewhere of me trying on a pair of Black velvet pants and a purple shirt to complete the ridiculous outfit. Finally the group of us settled into a nice pub with some real ales as a reward for our arduous trek back up the hill.
Just a couple of side notes and random things. Inside the cathedral there was an exhibit along one whole wall of the Nave of woodcarvings done by a guy named William Faribanks. They represented the different stations of the cross, but in a very modern style as you can see here. He used 139 different woods from around the world to do these and I thought they were absolutely stunning. Very unique and eye catching and some of them capturing a lot of the emotion and power of the scene.
View from the top of the Cathedral over Lincoln. Guess what that massive tower is off in the distance??.... It's a watertower! Who would have guessed. I am always impressed with how they always seem to keep up the appearance of making everything look somewhat themed or whatever. Instead of some gaudy american bulb sticking out of the ground, they give it some appearance though I must say it still looks a bit awkward. This reminded me of the one in Alnwick we saw at the beginning of this year. I saw what looked to be a cute little country tower that looked pretty ancient but was actually a disguised water tower. Very impressive!

Last wednesday, we had our first cast and production team social. Went to a Pub/Bar called the Pit and Pendulum. The whole place is decorated in Gothic style with lots of black, Jagged metal edges, crumbly looking walls etc. Very cool. They have a drink specialty called the 7 Deadly Sins. I think I had the Chocolatey WRATH, and Also the Rum and Coke mixed with Amaretto of ENVY. Really delicious drinks. From here we moved on to a very different atmosphere in a place called Geisha. Very relaxing, cushions everywhere with a bit of that Eastern theme you get from the name. Hung out in a room with a live acoustic performer. Good times getting to know my fellow cast members and a couple of the other people who are working hard to make this a great play.

This is Fu, the evil half of our director duo. Above second from left is the other half...Dominik.

This is the whole gang with myself trying to steal all the attention front and center.

Productivity Equals Happiness

Trying out a new Background Template. A good dark backdrop to pictures makes them look a bit more attractive and pop out more. It's kinda cool...though I 'm not a huge fan of the dots.Happy Valentines Day Everyone!!!! Love Carol. She made this delicious cake for the flat on valentines day. A Peppermint chocolate cake....mmmmmmm...
I am only putting this next picture up because mom wanted to see how long my hair is getting in the process of growing it out. I have pledged to not cut it until we leave for holiday, and maybe later than that. I think I want to cut it then so that I have little to keep clean when travelling, it's cooler and then my overly large forehead can find some sun. We don't leave until March 21st so I have well over a month to continue towards a shaggy head. Notice I got "wings" behind my ears which is a good sign that it's getting longer than usual.

I am so much more content with myself now that my life is so much busier. Granted it is never a real delight to be up to your ears in work and stressed to your limit but that "relaxed" and lazy month in January taught me a few things that I've always known but have forgotten about me as a person. I am known to my friends and acquaintances back at Luther to be a fount of never-ceasing energy typically. Quite frankly people have professed to just getting tired out being around me. I love life, I love being busy, I like to move and constantly be active. I don't nap, I don't need to sit down and relax at intervals in a busy day, I like to do a job through til it's done and then sit back and relax. People think I am a rather crazy individual when it comes to being involved.
This year hadn't allowed me to get to that level of efficent busy college living that I am typically accustomed to. At Luther I typically can be caught in so many different extracurriculars. I might be out playing sand volleyball one day, after playing raquetball with my pals, lifting, outreach team meetings, choir, APO, Daily theatre practices, class, at one point I was illegally playing for four differnt outdoor soccer teams, as well as indoor volleyball and soccer teams. Basically what I'm trying to say is that this week, though extremely busy, has made me a much happier person. I have commitments and events to keep me occupied and get me out of the flat. I have moments where I wish I could have time to relax and do all those things we dream of doing when we have endless days with nothing to do, but January proved that I would never do those hobbies and things I would want to. I know better know, and for that I am grateful.
I now have found that balance with Church Choir, Classes, and Play Practices on evenings. I am bummed out that I had to drop volleyball for theatre, but sacrifices have to be made. I also have a week with another job as a poll clerk coming up in early march.

My first injury of the year (besides that nasty rugburn on my forehead from the beginning of the year....don't ask but a funny story)!!! I was chopping up some veggies for a stir-fry for Mary and I, and got to the peppers when I slipped up and sliced my thumb. It bled something awfully, and I tearfully (not really) found Mary to patch my wounds.

She's a good nurse I guess....
Back to valenines day, Mary and I walked through Wollaton park during the afternoon. It was such a sunny day. There is a golf course in the park, and as you can see in this pic how golfers not only have trees and sandbars to worry about, but moving obstacles with antlers. Golfing alongside deer adds a whole new natural element to the sport I would venture to say.

Mary seems to always be on the phone when we go on nice strolls. A child of technology...how sad. Just joking, that's absolutely not true, but while we walked she got a call from her sister and from non other than ma and pa Ites! What a loving family!

We finished off our afternoon walk, meandering along the university lake. The beautiful weather lent for some nice photo oppurtunities. That's the trent Building tower up in the left corner. Doesn't look like winter, does it?!! Not even a bit of ice or frost most mornings.

Lifespeed Rising

Yup! Life is going to be getting a bit crazier in the next month or so. Following a month of complaining of boredom and sheer laziness, you will now find me being a bit more productive. Not only have classes kicked into full swing, but I made it into a theatre show for the semester called "Fear and Misery of the Third Reich" by Bertoldt Brecht. I have been in another Brecht piece back at Luther last year, the famous "Threepenny Opera" so I am semi-acquainted with his work. This play focuses on 24 little snippets or snapshots surrounding WWII and all the issues and dilemmas faced by different people involved in the Nazi regime and the effects of the war. Jews hiding in their rooms, conversations between SS soldiers, and the pains of being in concentration camps. should be some heavy material, and very emotional and physically draining as well.
(I will write about my two classes, American Literature since 1900 and Environmental History at another time.)
I thought it would be nice to mention a new place I finally got to explore right here in good ol' Nottingham last week. Mary and I decided to go for a bike ride to Wollaton Park. It's the largest one in the city but I had no idea as to its grand size til we started riding around in it.

Most of the park slopes at a slight grade towards Wollaton hall. It is at the very central part of the park and is quite an imposing building. Very impressive and rather beautiful. The architecture is a bit different from what we've seen in other massive manor homes. It is now under renovation, but has a museum I think inside. I had no idea such an impressive building was right here in Nottingham.

As well as the part itself. Very beautiful with lots of wide open spaces, and the People!! Everywhere you looked and walked people were out strolling. Lots of families so there were kids everywhere. It was heart warming to see the pulse of the city of the people in a more tranquil setting from the hectic and somewhat dirty rush of the streets themselves. This day made me respect Nottingham just a bit more.
I don't know how the tree is feeling but Mary gives good hugs!!!!
Long walk down to the lake. I had failded to notice on Mary's return from London a few days earlier that she had dyed her hair brown. I won't figure this out for a few more days, and trust me did I ever lose some brownie points for not noticing that. I don't know how I couldn't but sometimes those little things just slip your notice.
The day of the Superbowl!!! Of course we weren't going to miss this great American Event, and needed to find a place to do it in the proper style. Why not Hooters?! Very American, and appropriate for the evening. We got 50 free wings with an order of 50 for the 9 of us, and tucked into them like none other. Enjoyed Budweiser and Coors and watched a very dissappointing game. (not so much that the bears lost, but that neither team really got to play to their full potential be it weather or what not so I was a bit dissappointed.) Another dissappointment...no US commercials!! those seriously can be amazing, but I've heard since that we didn't miss much. Oh, and Prince for a half time show??? He did all right, but really they could have done better than the man formerly known as "The Artist".
T his weekend we went on our first overnight housetrip for the new semester with Mark and Carol and the whole gang. Sadly this was also our last trip where we would go somewhere to stay overnight as well. The rest will be short stints covered in a day. This trip was devoted to seeing some of the land that the Brontes sisters lived in. For those of you who don't know the Bronte sisters (there were three of them) were all very artistic children who wrote some famous classic british novels back in the early 1800's. Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights etc.
First on the way we stopped at the National Coal Mining Museum which was actually a very cool experience. Not only was it a well done museum with nice displays etc., but we went underground into some old coal mines. 450 feet underground. the only light we had was the one on our hard hats and we often were ducking under roofs in the narrow mine shafts. Got to see what working conditions were like so deep in the earth back at the very beginnings all the way to present day work. Even crawled around on our hands and knees for a bit to get the feel of it. Our tour guide was a retired elderly miner with a heavy Yorkshire accent. He was tons of fun in a free-spirited gruff yet very friendly way. ONly problem was that we couldn't understand him sometimes with his heavy accent, so we didn't always get when he was cracking jokes or screwing with us. Just to get a taste for some of the lingo: " yah a going to get ou' yoh snap tin with Mucky drippin's on proper bread with a doodly 'o water" Miners terms for a a lunch tin with bread slathered in the leftover juices in a pan from the sunday pork roast that many miners had throughout the week and the special canteen of water.
Could walk around the surface structures of the coal mill. Had stables down below with retired mining ponies in stables. The last pony was taken out of the shafts in 1999! Even with our advancement in technology they still used animals down there for a long time!
On to Haworth. We went to the important scholarly part of our trip. We visited the Bronte home and museum, and walked around the area around the house. This is a lane alongside the house that the girls walked often. One of my favorite pics of the trip.
The one main street in the town of Haworth. Cute ain't it. Didn't do much but wander down this and then make our way back to the hostel on foot. as you can see from these pictures we did have some snow underfoot most of the time on out trip, but it was pretty warm so it was very slushy and mucky everywhere we went. Wet feet all the time.
After a supper of only the second time that I've had fish and chips and I must say for a hostel the food was great, Aaron and I played a rousing few rounds of foosball. It was...to say the least...intense. I don't know from what God or energy source I was getting it from but I was giving Aaron a run for his money. With Buddhist concentration I fended off many of his well practiced attacks that usually leaves me mercillessly destroyed. I must remind you that this is the man who destroyed me 10-0 back in Ambleside in the lake district. He is a foosball master, and I dang near beat him. In the final tie breaking match he beat me 4-6 I believe. Well done Aaron, but dude, I am a quick learner and I think you are coming to realize the threat I pose to your status as champion foosball player in the group! Practice up my friend!

This is the hostel we stayed in. The most impressive low budget accomodations I have ever set eyes upon. the inside is just as grand as the out. It was once a mill owners residence in the town.
Big event of the day. Rambling the Haworth Moors. Weather: Bleak, windy and mildly cold.
We plunged into the moors in the best spirits possible given the crummy wet circumstances.
Oh, Mark. He is a good man.
Cute little stone bridge. Bronte sisters walked here. They even know of a rock that is the Bronte chair cuz apparently we know that Emily Bronte sat in it often on the far side. Lah, dee dah!
Anna is always eyeing the landscape for good photo oppurtunities. Me being the nearest, I was snagged to be her photographer for the moment. Very nice.
Aaron had asked earlier if we could eventually take a brooding picture together since I am known and have often been told by people that my natural attitude is one of pensiveness and maybe a bit of inner brooding. It always looks as if I am deep in thought. Not a bad thing, not my words but apparently that's what I'm like. We made the most of it.
I don't know what my body is doing but the sun just erupted from the clouds and the sky cleared putting us all in much better spirits the rest of our walk and the rest of the day.
After the hike, we got in the cars and headed to Saltaire. This town was built by Mr. Salt back in the mid 1800's solely to be a utopian factory town. There was no drinking, or other various forms of improper recreation but his workers were treate better than any others at this period. The mill was it's own little town. VEry unique.
We went into the Saltaire church and Ryan began to yak with the organist fellow who convinced ryan to play a little something he knew on this massive and very beautiful organ. Ryan played amazingly, and I snapped away trying to capture the moment for him.

What a fun trip. Sadly this will be our last sleepover trip together. That's very tough to think about, and it makes it even more difficult when I think about all the places we have seen together around England together....but...sniff...ohhh I won't get all sappy and sad on yah. I still have a whole semester to make something of, and boy will it be great!