.... I could say I've not written all weekend because I was too busy out having fun, but that is not the case. It was a really slow weekend actually, and now I'm feeling a bit homesick and I forgot to buy a phone card today so I can't call anyone in America now. I can't buy one now because every single place of business in the entire country is closed, as it probably has been for much of Sunday. So bizarre. In America, shopping is done weekends so places will be open Sundays because they figure that's when you'd like to shop. They close early, an ancient religious relic from the times families would like to eat dinner together on Sunday nights, but they'd be open most of the day.

Everything's been closed all day! In America, if a shop has the slightest inclination that they'd make just one sale, they'd stay open all night. We're so entrepreneurial and capitalist that we'd do anything to get ahead, even if it meant losing money in the short term.

American shopkeeper to self: Huh. Every other place is closed. If I were to stay open, and an American girl wanted a phone card to call home, and she found me and bought it here, then she might remember that next time and come here first..... Okay! We're staying open!

Nope, nothing like that. I might get angry and snap at the first person who complains about poverty in this country though. Sure, I'd love to sit at home all Sunday and be rich too, but it doesn't work that way.

I'm mostly pissed that I don't have access to my lab through the electronic locks yet, and I've left all my books and papers there, so I can't even study to pass the boredom. Instead I'm "watching" Jeff Garcia suck it up on ESPN's GameCast.

I don't even think damn pubs are open!!!

To be fair, I had quite a good time Friday night. A bunch of the other postgrads took me out, first to a traditional pub by the school, then across the river to a bar in Covent Garden. That was really a good time, I think I am going to get along with all of them. They were very nice and bought me ales, although the beer here is quite disgusting. I thought I would like it since I like Bass Ale, but I think the Bass here is different, it's not carbonated. Yikes! Wasn't prepared for that one. I'm sure I'll get used to it though.

They were very good about giving me the scoop on all the people in the dept and telling me what to do and how to conduct myself to get ahead. Quite groovy. They told me they would take me out more and even take me dancing and do all that. Hurrah! Nothing beats making friends.

Damn, I really wish I had a phone card. A phone card and a Cadbury's.