London - 20 Feb 06

I wrote a lot of emails today, a tremendous amount, maybe more than I have written on any other day in London thus far. I wrote enough to confirm that I write a lot differently in here. I believe my writing is weaker in here, maybe because I think the excess of “I”s and “to be” verbs are going to save space. Maybe they do, but they make the writing weaker. I also use loads of adjectives instead of describing something in detail. Another factor could be that when I write in here, it is only for me. Naturally, I do realize Kate will read this, but this is not for an audience. Emails, papers, and especially blogs have many readers, especially my blog. Ha-ha. I know what I write is going to be seen; it never leaves my head and I think that improves my writing in emails. Not only do I have to write to express my feelings, but I have the goal of entertaining my readers with something, anything. Above all, I want to provoke thought, emotion, and discussion. At this point in my writing career, if I succeed at doing any level of that at all, I am pretty happy with myself.

I was going to write that the Brits call the horns or buzzers at the end of a sporting event a hooter. I heard it tonight while watching some of the Torino Olympic coverage.

The UK has the real KFC over here, but London has become famous for having hundreds of rip-offs. We have KFC (Kansas Fried Chicken), Perfect Fried Chicken, Kabal Fried Chicken, London Fried Chicken, and others. These are all on the way to ghetto Finsbury Park, so I see them everyday.

We are in another cold spell this week. The weather is not pleasant at all right now. It makes me miss my coats and other layers that I left in the US. They would be very welcome right now! I see on my calendar that I get home in eight weeks. I think the time is going fast and I know the next eight, or at least the last six weeks, will go much faster.

I don’t like the British accent. I love hearing Kate’s voice every other day because of her good American accent.

Obviously my ideas on what is "for an audience" and what is for me have changed. I am willing to put a lot more out there now than I used to be. Still at times I find myself scrapping blog ideas because I don't think people would be interested in that, or I think what I wrote is crap because it is so different. I have found that some of that stuff, not all, is really the best stuff to throw out there. I can't be embarrassed of what I have written, or how I have written it. That is easier said than done, but a good rule for me.

I remember sitting down and writing loads of emails at least once a week. My experiences were so new and fresh I found lengthy descriptions and sweeping emotion coming at of me whenever I spoke with or wrote to someone back home.

I was freaking cold for a long time there. Everyone on the tube in the morning rush hour wore big wool coats. I thought about mugging a few people and running off with the coat, but I didn’t want to get deported. It might have been worth it for those few moments I had a thick warm layer on. Ah.

It took me a while to come around to the British accent. I really enjoy it now. Of course any American girl I met over there swooned over the Brit guys because of there accents. I always thought this was so pathetic. When I went to Laramie and met a bunch of foreigner athletes I encountered this lowly phenomenon. Some guy could speak with a really dirty sounding accent and the girls would just melt for him. I was envious at first of this power, but then I saw the girl that this foreigner had just won over and I felt better about it all.

Goodnight.