This Is What Dreams Are Made Of

Monday

Monday began with a tube ride and a lovely walk on the banks of the Thames, on a perfect dirt path through trees and fields and things. It was beautiful. It wasn't until this moment I realized how city-crazy I was feeling. Not being able to go hiking and stuff has been surprisingly difficult.

We ended up at Ham House, the coolest, hauntedest house ever. The Tower of London and Hampton Court were really cool, but Ham House was closer to home - I could actually imagine myself living there. There was a room of miniature paintings that also contained a pair of earrings made from the hair of a beheaded man and worn by a duchess. So basically that's what I would burn first, if I was Sam or Dean Winchester. I didn't see any ghosts.

Ham House

The best part of Ham House, though, was the outside. The gardens were beautiful and kinda spooky, in a "if it was dark and there was fog" sort of way. We lounged on the softest grass ever and I made a flower crown. We spoke to a couple volunteer gardeners. Neeko spoke to a gardener named Dave who had been there since childhood and, after a ghostly encounter, refused to go inside the house.

Artsy?

Me, Amanda, Collin (on Malori's face)

Ham House Gardens

Malori, Collin, Alexis, Amanda, Elizabeth

Also, there weren't any hams there...?

Then I did some homework! Woohoo!

Then we saw "Cycling with Moliere" at the Cine Lumiere, about a block from our flats. In a nutshell, it was about a couple of old men rehearsing for Moliere's "The Misanthrope." It was very French and pretty beautiful and I liked it quite a lot. It was cool how they did it, because I got to know the characters through the characters they were playing, and vice versa. Yes.

Then I did more homework.


Tuesday

I went to class on Tuesday, and it was awesome, as usual.

Immediately following class, my flatmates and I went to the BFI Mediatheque to log our two hours for the week. I watched "Date With A Dream" (1948) and "4D Special Agents" (1981). Both exceeded my expectations.

Then we decided to get food, and I was s.t.a.r.v.i.n.g. You don't want to know me when I'm that hungry. First I get quiet and then I get...angry. Luckily I've learned to recognize when it's happening and I can avoid people. I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. So I grabbed a pizza, ate it in one bite, and immediately shut myself in my room. I hid in my bed, listened to Twenty One Pilots, and dozed until I could handle people again.

I felt better.

THEN we had tickets to see "Medea" at the National Theater. This miiiiight be my favorite play that we've seen so far. It incorporated modern dance and it was very subtly powerful. It's interesting to compare it to the explicit violence from "Titus Andronicus," which is also a revenge tragedy. It was also much shorter than I expected, which really just added to the power.

I've JUST learned that this is the woman who play Narcissa Malfoy.

Then I was absolutely forced to either do my laundry or wear dirty underwear. I gave in and paid for the machines rather than washing my stuff in the sink again. It was too hard.

A bunch of people came over to our flat and watched "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," which I hadn't seen yet! I'd heard some pretty good things about it, but I was pleasantly surprised nonetheless.

Wednesday

On Wednesday morning, we went to the Tate Britain: a museum full of art. There was a TON of Turner and also some really cool modern art and I just love museums in London. While we were waiting for the museum to open, I made a goat noise and it has haunted me ever since.

Caitlin and I took this stalker pic of Neeko and I'm just really proud of that.

Discussing art.

Me, Jeff, Malori, Alexis

Contemplating humanity.

Photographer (Caitlin): busted.

We did this really cool meta thing where we took a photo of a photo of a photo of a photo of a photo of a selfie. Neeko is supposed to compile them, but for now here's my part:

Alexis, Caitlin, Malori, Neeko

So art. Much meaning.

Me, Jeff, Malori, Caitlin

Then I did homework which is a lie because what I really did was sleep.

Then we went to the Cine Lumiere again, this time to see "The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet" which I LOVED. I loved it for all the same reasons I love "Big Fish" and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." They're movies that make you feel happy and remind you that it's good to daydream/dream big.

Then my flatmates and I had a slumber party, which was exciting because we had been planning it for days.

I know I know, we sleep in the same room every night. But wait! Slumber parties are different.

We pulled our mattresses into the living room and ate cake and lemonade and popcorn and...got engaged to Neeko.

Yes, all of us.

No, this isn't polygamy.

Remember when we hacked his Facebook and changed his profile picture? Well...he only THOUGHT he logged off on Alexis' computer.

Ha. Haha. Hahaha. Hahahaha.

So we created an entire fake account for "Beatrice Butts" and put them in a relationship.

Several very entertaining comment threads followed. There was giggling.

Then I taught my flatmates how to play fortune, and we each played a round. Funsies!

Then we did oatmeal/cinnamon/lemon facials and it felt pretty good but the gloppy nature of the stuff cracked me up a bit. My skin currently feels amazing, so I think it worked.

Then! We watched the Lizzie Mcguire Movie, which is something I somehow missed growing up. And it's super relevant because we, too, are studying in a foreign city and meeting attractive pop stars. So. I loved it.

UP NEXT:  A weekend trip to Heaven aka the Lake District!

Bits

As I've previously established, I'm the worst because:
1. I steal photos from Facebook.
2. I don't incorporate said photos into posts that I've already written because I'm lazy.
3. I somehow got an entire week behind on my blog.

SO. This post is going to be a tiny little misfit on the island of misfit toys.

The day Peter was convinced I'd sat next to my soul mate on the Tube.

I'm concerned about what that says about Peter's impression of me.

Flashback: Brighton Beach

I'm a superhero.

Flashback: Brighton Beach

Lauren, Me, and Hannah resting after a lovely swim to the buoy.

Kew Gardens

Stopping to smell the flowers.

This Is Home

Time is different when you're on a study abroad with the Film Program in London. It goes by really fast because it's so jam-packed with stuff. At the same time, though, we do so much that it feels like I've been here a very long time. Days blur together. Nights don't exist. I feel like I've known some of these people all my life, even though it's only been two-ish weeks.

I'm not trying to sound insensitive, but I haven't been homesick at all. It's sort of unexpected, actually. I feel like I belong here.

I love it.

(Have I mentioned how fate put me with flatmates that love Supernatural? It's...I...this is...happy.)

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Thursday morning was class, where I proudly turned in my homework that I so nobly finished the night before. Dean gave a lecture about the Red Shoes that I wish I would have recorded. We had discussions about how, as artists, we can never be truly successful at our craft unless we devote ourselves completely to it. We talked about how this is an important and worthy endeavor, but in it we find the dilemma that faces each and every artist. One cannot devote themselves completely to their art and still put the all-important time into their family/religion/friends. So where do we compromise? Where are our priorities? I think this sums it all up very nicely:

"The best thing you have is your temple recommend and your library card put together." -Dean Duncan

After class, I went with a group to the Prince Charles Theater to see Miyazaki's "The Wind Rises" which was beautiful. It was a very, very sweet story. Each and every frame of the film was absolutely gorgeous.

Then I went grocery shopping. Yay!

Then I sat on the couch and watched terrible rom-coms on Netflix for 5 hours.
Sometimes this is a necessary thing.


Friday

On Friday morning we went to Kew Gardens. Man oh man, this place was gorgeous and so amazingly taken care of. Maybe it's because I'm from the desert, but it seems to me that America needs better gardens.

I was in a weird, high-energy mood where I kept cartwheeling and kicking stuff. Perfect for a garden adventure.

In the greenhouse!

It looks like Neeko and I are holding hands, but I can assure you...we're not.

Malori, Kari, Amanda, Tree, Alexis, Me, Neeko

Walking in the treetops.

Alexis, Neeko, Me, Tree, Amanda, Malori, Kari, Jeff

I did not realize this picture was being taken.

Me, Kari, Amanda

Neeko and I looking hardcore in the Temple of Aeolus, the Sun God

Kari, Me, Neeko, Malori

Kari and I with ginormous chocolate coins.

So candid.

Malori, Amanda, Neeko, Me, Kari, Tree

A slightly differenter picture

Neeko go-proing the heck out of a peacock.

Taking pictures of peacocks.

Neeko, Scott, Amanda

Another slightly differenter picture

The airplanes were so close!

And they looked really cool flying through the low English clouds.

Then I got gelato with my flatmates (notice how I've started saying "flatmates" instead of "roommates" because I'm slowly becoming British). It was delicious.

Then I went shopping with Alexis and Malori because there had been talk of going clubbing at some point, and we didn't have clubbing clothes. Being Mormon and also not know what clubbing clothes are, we failed. But I got a pair of shoes and a skirt and some sweatpants.

That night, we saw Top Hat (1935) at the BFI, which was cool because they showed it in a larger theater and they had somebody introduce it. Mistaken identities! Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers killed it. I love these movies so much. I have a weakness.

Saturday

On Saturday I slept in. A lot.

Then I went shopping (again) with Kari and Alexis and we were determined to get clubbing clothes. I ended up with a dress that only cost 4 pounds and gosh darn we better go clubbing. (If we don't, it's ok, I can use the dress for other things.)

Then I took a nap. Woops. And then I made myself a frozen pizza.

THEN, we had tickets to see Titus Andronicus at The Globe Theater! THE GLOBE THEATER. You know, the theater where Shakespeare himself put on his plays.

I have learned about this theater my whole life, and I never expected to actually see a Shakespeare play inside of it. We had groundling tickets, so we got to stand and interact. I was right up next to the stage. At one point, it started raining and we felt it through the open roof. It was...magical.

I didn't actually care for the play. It was gratuitously graphic and hopeless. People were passing out left and right from the heat and the crowd and the standing and...the blood. So much blood. Too much blood.

I wouldn't see the play again, but I would go back to The Globe in a heart beat.

At The Globe Theater!

This is a picture that I love very much.

Neeko, Melissa, Me, Alexis, Malori

Sunday

On Sunday we went to church again. We have to take a train and a bus to get there, but it's exciting because it's a double-decker bus and that's very British-y.

I taught the 4-7 year old primary class at a moment's notice. It was very fun.

We were trying to decide on a game to play before the lesson, and James, a 7 year old British trouble-maker said the following words to me:

"Just because you speak English doesn't mean we have to play your American games."

We played hangman.

During the lesson I said the words "God loves everyone." A little girl looked surprised and said, "Even people in other countries??"

Yes, even people in other countries.

Then I went to a smallish Bastille Festival where they had French food and street music and stuff. I couldn't find the street music, and I wasn't hungry, but it was fun to walk around anyway! So many smells.

I found this there.

I lied a little bit, because I actually bought a brownie.

Then...we were late to FHE. Woops. FHE was great, though, because we had a big long discussion about our experience at the Globe. Different people had different reactions, naturally. It kind of turned into a big long venting session about people's anxieties regarding the play. That sounded negative, but I don't mean it to be. I think it was important that we all got our feelings out in the open so we can move on.

Then my flatmates and I took turns stalking each other on Facebook. It brought us closer together. Then we stalked Neeko and realized that he was still logged in on Alexis' computer, so we changed his profile picture. He stormed into our flat, attacked Alexis, stole her computer, and disappeared.

We then endured a long negotiation process, trying to get it back.

This was the highlight:

We're hilarious. 

Extra, Extra! Read All About It!

All my film friends graduated and I got excited to graduate, too.
Graduation plans were made.
Then I came to London and made new friends.
And now I am sad.
Except I can't possibly be sad because my new friends are the funnest.
Life is amazing.


I...am totally just stealing these pictures from others on Facebook.

And...I could incorporate them into the posts where I talk about the things happening in the photos, but I'm too lazy and that sounds hard.

So here they are!

The game is on! Baker Street

Neeko (Watson), Me (Adler), Baker Street Guy, Collin (Holmes), Thomas (Dead?)

Hangin' in capes at Hampton Court

Melissa, Neeko, Alexis, Me (I picked the cool short one and got made fun of by Hunter)

Hampton Court: Looking wistfully out of my palace window into my gardens

Funtimes at the Museum of Childhood with the roomies!

Alexis, Me, Amanda

Can you spot the 6 differences in the two photos?

Malori, Me, Amanda

Playing in the sand at the Museum of Childhood

Alexis, Me

Also! I want to talk about something I keep thinking about while I'm here. My point is probably best made in the telling of my experience at Westminster Abbey.

Being in London is an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I'm thrilled to be a part of and that I will cherish forever. I've been trying my hardest to soak it all in and remind myself constantly about how lucky I am to be here and how great this place is.

It's like this:

I was sitting in Westminster Abbey listening to evensong and I was sleepy. But I tried extra hard to stay awake and pay attention, because they were talking about God.

I couldn't help but remember earlier that day, when I was sitting in Relief Society...looking at Pinterest on my phone. Were they not also talking about God?

I'm trying to make the most of my trip to London, and I'm certainly not regretting that, but it's been sort of an eye-opening experience. Which is something I expected, just not in this way.

I've realized that I forget to appreciate the things I already had around me.

There are things in London that I could not experience anywhere else, and I'm so, so grateful for that, but I forget about the things at home that could be just as special and important.

I'm still trying my hardest to soak it all in and appreciate the opportunity. I'm just grateful for the chance to do the same thing when I get home.

Life is amazing.

I Should Be Sleeping Like a Log

Sunday, July 6, 2014

We went to our new wards on Sunday. I go to the White Chapel Ward at 10 AM. We have to take a train and a bus to get there, it's very exciting. The ward is very diverse. Also! They let us help in primary instead of making us go to Relief Society and I sure do hope that happens every week for the rest of my life. This one kid threw a tiny shell at the missionaries who were teaching and I couldn't stop laughing.

Then I took a very long nap.

Then we had FHE as a group, which is basically where we discuss business and schedules and things like that. People kept asking me about my dancing skills at karaoke the night before. A rumor started that I was break dancing. Things get around fast here in the London Film Program. I didn't actually try very hard to stop the rumors. This will most likely come back to bite me in the butt.

I did manage the moonwalk in sandals, so...

...I'm going to stop bringing up karaoke now. I just love it so much.

Monday

Monday morning we took a lovely little train ride to visit Hampton Court - the home of some very famous English royalty like Henry VIII. It was very fun! It was in many ways similar to the London Tower and I learned a lot. I especially enjoyed looking at the paintings on the high ceilings and the chandeliers.

They had beautiful gardens. So amazing. We got to sit on a lovely lawn in the shade when a fire alarm went off. It was not an inconvenience at all .

I will say, however, that my favorite thing about Hampton Court was that they had fancy capes for you to wear around if you wanted. We wanted.

A not very good picture of Hampton Court that I took myself.

Friends lounging in capes at Hampton Court...and Neeko

Hampton Court mirror selfie!

Me, Malori, Alexis, Melissa, Neeko

After Hampton Court we were very starving and we went to a famous restaurant called Union Jack's and we got famous fish & chips. It was my first experience with fish & chips, ever! I usually don't like fish, but I can't say I hated it. I also got the most delicious chocolate ice cream I have ever had ever. Memories!

At Union Jack's!

Neeko, Me, Melissa, Meg, Lauren, Alexis, Malori

There were some Portobello Road-like shops set up in the area (Covent Gardens) and we wandered around looking at cool vintage phones and hats and watches and stuff.

Shopping Selfie!

Malori, Me, Neeko, Alexis

Me and Alexis

Then! A bunch of people came over to our flat and we watched Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. I've seen this movie several times but it still cracks me up. Especially THIS.

Then I pretended to do homework.



Tuesday

I beat jet lag. I survived the plague/cold. My sunburn was healed. The bruise on my head went away (I had run into a closet door).

Then on Tuesday morning I woke up with a big gross cold sore.

My body is basically refusing to be healthy whilst I'm in London. And I'm basically refusing to let that bring me down.

Tuesday was a simple and enjoyable day. We had class in the morning and then a group of us decided we wanted to go thrift shopping. Which...ended up being sort of a successful fail because we could only find bookstores and really expensive vintage shops. Which is actually really cool, so it was fun to look at that stuff anyway.

Then the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me...happened to me. First - a preface. My current favorite band is Twenty One Pilots. I love them more than breathing and I especially love Tyler Joseph, the singer/songwriter/pianist/ukulele/hottie/niceguy of the band.

I was legitimately heartbroken when I learned he had a girlfriend. But I got over that (regained my sanity) and continued to religiously enjoy their music. On Tuesday I learned that Tyler Joseph and his girlfriend got engaged, and I was very excited. I tweeted my congratulations to him.

THEN THE REAL TYLER JOSEPH FAVORITED MY TWEET. You guys, I DIED. I could not contain my excitement. Do you know what this means? This means that the REAL TYLER JOSEPH actually spent time reading my tweet and liked it enough to push the favorite button. He might have even given a thought or two to what kind of person I might be. I feel like I can die happy.

Proof.

Then I went to the BFI and watched Wallace and Gromit, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Doctor Who, and a menstruation instructional video from 1949. It was all very...interesting.

Then I got an English food item called a pasty in the tube station. I was starving, and it was the most satisfyingly delicious thing I have ever eaten.

Then the group caught a screening of "The Red Shoes" at the BFI. Apart from being just a little long, it was an extremely beautiful film all about the dilemma each artist faces. More on this later.



Wednesday

We were supposed to go to the Imperial War Museum on Wednesday morning, but...it was closed (temporarily, we'll still have a chance to see it) so we had almost a full day to ourselves. My roomies and I decided to enjoy a lazy morning then visit the V&A Museum of Childhood.

Amanda and I on the Tube.

....I just...I don't know.

It was amazing! SO many awesome old toys, plus toys that I played with as a child. I...only took one photo and I can't really explain why I chose this:

I'm fairly certain this was a thing I had.

Roommate selfie at The Museum of Childhood! I love them!

Alexis, Malori, Me, Amanda

This picture is happy.

Then, because we felt like children and also because ice cream is good, we decided that we absolutely needed to get ice cream cones. I got distracted by a pizza place and accidentally got one of those instead. But my roommates got ice cream, so that counts for something.

The we saw "Hard Day's Night" at the BFI. I luuurve the Beatles! Such a fun and interesting film.

Malori took this photo of us walking back from the BFI on the Jubilee Bridge.

I'm walkin on sunshine! Woah-oh! Walkin on sunshine!

Tree, Amanda, Me, Neeko, Alexis

We were all pumped up after the movie and we had a mini dance party to "Hard Day's Night" because it was relevant! The world needs more dance parties.

Then I did homework! For real! For an easily-distracted person, this was actually an amazing feat and let me explain why. I was lying on a hardwood floor. My three roommates were talking around me. Somebody was listening to music. Neeko was drawing on the bottom of my shoe. But somehow I was able to read a textbook in the middle of all of this. Amazing.