Thanksgiving in England... and Paris

Happy thanksgiving all my American friends and family!  I've had a great day skyping with loved ones and being thankful that I am happy and healthy.  The big celebration this side of the pond will be a dual celebration this Saturday.  Thanksgiving and my cousin Lotty's birthday!  Fun cousins are coming down and up for the weekend and it should be a good time had by all. :)

The menu so far is a pretty traditional thanksgiving... turkey, stuffing, mashed and sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sage sauce, rolls, cranberry sauce, fruit jello, and last but not lease pumpkin pie.... I'm helping make it so it should be an adventure.

In other news I've done my 5th sky dive, including my first two with a smaller new parachute (which I love, and its pink) and my first one without a radio :)  My friend Giselle and I are currently trying to find a date that works for a groupon we have to use an indoor tunnel.  Gary, the fantastic skydiving guy I'm dating, has told me the tunnel will help us with the rest of our RAPS jumps!  Soon I'll be a qualified sky diving lady.

I've also finished my second small essay, a critical review on Andrew McClellan's Art and It's Public.  Currently I'm trying to pick topics for my big essays... so many options I'm feeling a bit stuck....

Maybe my Christmas trip to Paris with my friend Elise will help!!

So far on our itinerary includes:

Christmas Market

Ice skating under the Eiffel Tower

The light display on Champs-Elysees

Christmas Mass at Norte Dame 

And hopefully a delightful Christmas Dinner

My wonderful friend Lucie and her family are helping me celebrate Boxing Day on my return to London the 26 of December.  Can you believe its already December next weekend?!

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Jobs, Castles, Comedy,and Essays

The past week and a half has been very very busy.  On November 3rd I had an interview with the Think Tank: Flash Journal Project.  I had a great interview, and was super pleased when I got a call back later that same day! :)  The position is a very part time one, but its paid!  I'll be working with a committee of people from a variety of different universities in combination with the Nottingham Contemporary Museum.  I have my first meeting this coming wednesday, where I'll get more info and really get stuck in :)

Click for more details!

This past weekend I went to Nottingham Castle to tour around and see some super cheesy Robin Hood exhibitions.  The main gallery space is being redone, so I wasn't able to see it all.  BUT I did finally see a small section of Historical Fashion... so exciting!  The views of the city where pretty great as well, since the Castle sits on a massive hill.  Later that night I went to see my first british comedy show.  Although there is not a true language barrier, I have discovered that at times there is a giant accent barrier.  Unfortunately in addition to the comedians being just alright, I could barely understand 2 or the 3. :(  I'm sure eventually I'll get better a better ear for them... but right now its a struggle.

On less interesting and more academic news I've finished my first small essay.  I researched a film-maker named Malcolm Le Grice and his piece Berlin Horse...

The essay only took 2 hours to write, but involved many more hours of research.  It felt good to have a deadline, and something more concrete to be working on.  All the theory, and learning how to be critical art historians has been more mentally exhausting than I'd have thought.  I can't go into an exhibition now without critiquing the curators every choice.  No one ever talks about the side effects of a masters. :p

Battles, Studios, Studying....

The past weekend was great!  I went down to London for an event at the Royal College of Art in the Kensington area.

I went to some amazing sessions about being an artist, and creativity.  There were loads of interesting presenters and lots of intense debate between audience members.  I was able to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum and wander for a few hours (which you need, the place is MASSIVE).  Sunday there was a great film about Sylvia Pankhurst, and some semi-interesting debates about Urban Decay and Internships as modern day slavery.  Friday night I also got to see my cousin Jamie DJ.  Before I left on Monday I did a very quick walk around the Tate Modern before my train back to Nottingham.  All in all a great weekend! 

Yesterday I met up with my friend Giselle for some vintage shopping in Nottingham.  Very good times!  It's been so nice to connect with people and explore.  Giselle is a fellow skydiver and a very lovely friend. :)

Today I attended a free workshop with the resident artist at the Lakeside Arts Centre on campus.

Nadim Chaudry 

We learned some really interesting Japanese fabric manipulation/sculptural techniques, as well as some smocking techniques.  I'm still finishing mine up so pictures will come soon.

Studying... ahhh I have two papers due in 13 days.  I've picked subjects but not really started to get "stuck in" to my research and writing.  We have a "reading week" next week with no official class meetings so I should have loads of time right?!  I'm feeling very relaxed about school in general, perhaps I need to amp it up... We'll see. :p

Cheers!

Skydiving video!

Enjoy!

Jumping out of planes.

The past week has been wonderful!  I had a short presentation in my Art of the Moving Image class on some of Man Ray's early films.  I've been really getting into a routine during the week of reading and watching tv :p  Using the cross-trainer and swimming, but mostly sitting around reading assignments.  School thus far has been really stress-free and relaxing... I'm enjoying it while that stage lasts.

This past weekend I learned how to skydive!  I signed up for the Nottingham Skydiving Society and attended my first event.  A big group of us went to Langar Airfield and did our RAPS course and first two jumps.  I was so excited!  I met some amazing people, and had a ton of fun.  I got top marks on my static line jumps (when you jump out with a line connected to the plane that automatically deploys your parachute).  Next I get to work on dummy pulls, then my first free fall!  I'm a little surprised by how much I liked it, such an adrenaline rush.  Then it's so peaceful up there, and pretty.  I'm heading down again this weekend if the weather holds up!

If you're on facebook look for a video on my wall!

British Advert Awards

My next nomination for the awards:


 

Why British healthcare is better than American healthcare...

There has been much debate surrounding the healthcare debate.  Here is my personal experience:

I've been in the UK for a month.  My wrists have been killing me for 12 years.  Both my Grandmother and Mother have had carpal tunnel surgery.  I've been uninsured for the past 3 years and haven't been able to have a doctor look at them.  The past 6 months I was lucky enough to qualify for a family planning program funded by the MN state system.  If it hadn't been for that I would be paying $90 a month for my birth control while in the US.

Within the first few days of being in the UK I went to the local doctors office and registered for a NHS card.  I received my official card in a few weeks and was insured from then on.  Yesterday I decided to put a call in for an appointment to get prescriptions for my medications and check my wrists out.  I was able to get in the next day (today).  I went in, nervous I'd have to pay a copay with no money in my account as my US loan hasn't gone through, waited for a few mins then was seen.  The doctor I saw was amazing.  I have a free prescription for my birth control, because it just is free here, and a referral to be seen by an expert for my wrists.  The doctor told me it may take a few weeks to get in to be seen with the referral.  But I don't mind, because its free and I'm here for over a year to get it all sorted.

FREE  No copays, no sliding scale, no mean receptionist scheduling appointments.  Can you imagine if the US had a system like this.... I can't.  Because people have tried to create it, and for some reason people were outraged at a loss of their privacy and freedom.  Because watching your struggling neighbors die without insurance, or bankrupt themselves trying to be seen by a doctor is truly what freedom means.  That is the largest load of ridiculous bullshit I've ever heard.  The British people I've spoken with about healthcare can't fathom how a country like the US, a "superpower", doesn't care about the people that live there.  And I couldn't agree more.

Updates to come!!