Ironing pleats is my personal form of hell

Aside from my airport adventures (and forgetting a couple important items of clothing I need to replace), I've yet to have any real problems since coming to Oxford. I haven't gotten (completely) lost, I haven't broken any bones, and the sun has been uncharacteristically shining brightly.

Except that tomorrow we're going to the cathedral for Christ Church's college communion and apparently dress etiquette requires knees to be covered. Which is fine, really. Except I have one skirt that fits the bill and it has pleats. And I literally just spent an hour attempting to tame said pleats and consequently ended up dropping the iron on my arm.

But, let's face it, if this is the biggest problem I have when I'm in Europe, I'm good to go.

Aside from the iron fiasco, today was more laid back than the past couple of days. I slept in, went to lunch and then got ice cream with Khan, Josh, Ben, Bailey, and Spencer before we went to the rowing races at Christ Church, which was held in the Meadows.

We met up with the Trinity College group of MSU students (The university is made up of colleges and the MSU students were sorted into either Christ Church or Trinity. These colleges are separate entities in the way that the states  in America are separate from the Union.) and relaxed in the grass for a bit before heading to our colleges' boathouse to watching the competition.

Which, honestly, I didn't really get. Seriously. I just figured out American sports to the point of competency. No one should expect too much from me. However, some of the Christ Church rowers explained everything to us and hopefully I have it figured out.

Hopefully.

 

After a bit, we headed back to the college and then made plans for dinner at The Four Candles. We are working on getting our meals set up at the college so we can eat there, which needs to be soon because the pubs are expensive. Good but expensive. We then went to the grocery store and got some food, which had the longest lines I've seen anywhere, ever for that kind of thing.

And then we watched a movie at the flat. 

And I discovered I got a little sunburned. At least the sun has been shining, right?

Shakespeare at The Globe is Amazing ... even in Urdu

Today we went on a (really short) trip to London. And, long story short, after a really awful bus ride, we went on a walking tour. We went by Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, through St. James's Garden, and Traflagar Square.

Literally by them. For the record, it costs sixteen pounds to get into Westminster Abbey. That's disappointing.

But onto the important thing: After lunch, which was at The Sherlock Holmes, Bailey, Josh, Spencer, and I went to The Globe to see Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew." In Urdu. Which was really cool and occasionally reminded me of a Bollywood movie.

We really enjoyed the play (though they didn't as much as I did), and it an amazing experience. Check one of my dreams off my bucket list. The play ended later than expected, so we walked with purpose back to the bus and luckily didn't get left behind.

And then we drove back to Oxford. And then went to the pub for dinner. And now I'm working on my reading list ... because I'm actually here to study, surprisingly.

How I almost went to Amsterdam, got hit by a car, and finally started having adventures in England

I've been excited about studying abroad with the honors college in Oxford since Dr. Snyder and Dr. Anderson mentioned it would be a good way to supplement my grad school application. Of course, going to live in England has nothing to do with my excitement at all.

When I got on the plane Monday in Gulfport to meet my connecting flight to London in Atlanta, I thought everything was going to be fine.

I was wrong.

Because a thunderstorm formed over the Atlanta airport, my plane was diverted to Augusta. Where we were held for an hour, which lead to me missing my flight in Atlanta. And then Delta decided my best option was to fly to Amsterdam at 10:40 that night and then catch a flight from there to London, which would keep me from getting to Oxford until at least five o'clock on Tuesday. So I wasn't exactly happy. Luckily, after reaching Atlanta and calling and begging Delta, I was put on the standby list for an 8:45 flight to London. By then, it was eight o'clock, so I ran to the terminal. And, thankfully, I managed to get onto the flight. (Although my luggage did not, and my best guess is that it went to Amsterdam without me before meeting me in London. But that's another story).

After talking to my neighbor (who was a really interesting guy with a lot of good stories), I managed to fall asleep to "When Harry Met Sally" and didn't wake up until we were supposed to land. It turns out, I was in for more bad luck because my plane didn't land on time. We were an hour late. And my luggage wasn't due to meet me for another hour and a half. So, because I assumed the rest of the group had already left, I decided to wait for my luggage. And I happened to meet with Casey and Melissa, two girls from my group who had also lost their luggage.

We finally found our luggage (after going through security again. Except through the staff security). But then when were supposed to get on the train to terminal five we got on the train that goes to Paddington. Which costs money. So, devoid of sleep and exhausted from running around the airport, I lost what common sense I had left. So when the sales representative came around asking for tickets I didn't know what was going on. He told me that the tickets would be for the bus to Oxford. And I bought a round trip.

Yeah, that ticket was totally for the train. And I wasted money. But, I can now go from Paddington to the airport for free. Because I totally need that.

So after we finally made our way to terminal five, we got on the bus, nothing else bad happened, and we made our was to the OSAP (Oxford Study Abroad Programme) office. And, after catching the end of the welcome party, we took our luggage to our flats (which are very nice).

We went to the Red Lion Pub to get food and basically called it a night and walked back to the flats.

And that's when the car hit me.

Well, it almost hit me. I moved to the side so it just clipped me. So my right side hurt a bit for a day. It could have been worse.

For the record, the walk back (as you can see above) is really, really pretty. And, for once, the weather has been really nice.

Tuesday was a busy day as well. We woke up early, had orientation sessions at the OSAP office and then went to get our Bodleian Library cards (which is the University of Oxford's library).

As you can guess, I was super excited about my library card and going to the library. In order to get our cards, we had to recite an oath promising to follow the rules of the library (including not bring in or lighting a naked flame into the library).

Fun fact: Charles I was denied permission to borrow a book from the library. He actually later moved his court to Oxford during the war.

After leaving the library (which we did, unfortunately), we went on a walking tour of Oxford. A really short walking tour.

Which included Trinity College, which most of the MSU students are members of (I'm a member of Christ Church instead). According to our tour guide, walking in the grass is a hanging offense.

We went to a few other places and then headed back to the office. And then we found food and a grocery store.

Today came earlier than any other day for some reason ... and we again attended orientation lectures at OSAP. We were inducted into our colleges, which meant visiting (for me) Harry Potter sets and another library. But I didn't take pictures because I didn't want to look like a tourist. Fun fact: Our dining hall is the same on in the Harry Potter movies.

After we finished at Christ Church, we went to Blackwell's (a huge bookstore). And, amazingly enough, I walked out with only a few photos as souvenirs (mainly because all the rare books cost thousands of pounds, and I doubt my parents would be happy if I came home with a book too valuable to use).

As you can see, there are a lot of books. And that's only part of the basement level. I didn't want to leave.

We had our first day of our Tolkien lecture with Dr. Snyder, and it seems like it's going to be a really fun class.

And we ate Indian food. That was delicious. And something new ... because they're like two Indian restaurants in all of Mississippi.

Our table kept moving our discarded dishes onto the table next to us and for some reason, they didn't notice. For some reason, this was very amusing.

But you haven't even heard the best part yet: Tomorrow is London day.

Know what that means?

Shakespeare. At. The. Globe.

How is that not exciting?

In life, nothing is guaranteed, so do the most with the time given to you...

As some of you may know, today marks the second year anniversary of losing Adam Kazery. For those of you who don't know, Adam was the online editor for The Reflector my freshman year. He was a good friend, co-worker, and Reflector family member. He was one of the first people who made me feel welcome in the office. When I felt a little lost, he was willing to help me. And when I had the idiotic idea of doing a "Lost" podcast every week, he was the one who helped me learn how to edit them.

For the past two years, I haven't written anything about Adam. And it isn't because I didn't love him and don't miss him — I just didn't know what to say. Part of me felt like Aubra, April, and Kyle had covered it in what they had written. Here's the editorial Kyle wrote and this is what Aubra wrote today.

Adam is someone I never forget. I will never forget how he gave me a CD to listen to just because he could. Or how when I first was hired as entertainment editor he spent time getting to know me and talking through the office. And I'll never forget how he made me fear for my life my first day at work when he told me he had hid a sword above my head. Or how one day Kyle, Adam, and I were interrupted from working on MPA entries by Bob in a tie-dye T-shirt and jorts.

Adam gave all of us an example of how to be a friend and how to be a co-worker. By selflessly working on the paper without asking for credit, he inspired me to do the same. By doing small favors for others or offering to help, even without being asked, he made desire to be even half as considerate.

When I got that news two years ago, I was devastated. And lost. And didn't know how to react or process what had happened. It made me realize that cliche ... the one about nothing in life is guaranteed, so you need to live life now. You can only live each day once, so you need to enjoy it for what it is.

Today, Aubra and April surprised The Reflector staff with cupcakes and a letter, which you can see on Aubra's blog entry. Knowing that I have friends who care about me and the rest of the crew is something greater than I could have ever expected. If something good has come from all of this, it is that I have realized just how much of a family The Reflector is. Even strangers who have observed us have pointed it out to me on occasion.

The staff of the spring of 2010 (and those of you I knew in the fall as well) will have a special place in my heart. I remember all of you surprising me with a birthday party. With Disney Princess cups. It may be the best birthday I'll ever have. And those small gestures can be what mean the most to us in the end.

So, to the former Reflector staffs, the current Reflector staff, my friends outside the office (yes, they exist), and my family and those who are important to me, I just want to let you know I love you. I never expected to have such wonderful people in my life, and I'm thankful that God has put all of you there.

And, after all, the ones we love never truly leave us. Adam's still here with us, and I know he'll continue to remain in my (and everyone else's) memories. So, we don't need to dwell on his death, but his life. Because Adam truly knew how to live it.

Hannah's Top 10 Mainstream Movies of 2011

This year was filled with terrible movies — "Transformers", ANOTHER "Twilight", almost every secondary superhero from Marvel possible and cliche filled romantic comedies (the worst offender being "New Year's Eve"). However, amongst the disappointments, there were a few entertaining movies.

So — because I am a semi-professional critic (and also have nothing better to do until the Dayquil quicks in) — I have compiled the top 10 movies of the year that were easily accessible to Mississippi cinema lovers (I'm not a professional enough to get to go to the film festivals. I wish).

Without further ado, here is my list:



10. Bridesmaids:"Bridesmaids" divided critics on whether it was a feminist response to the hangover, but it cannot be denied that the comedy was one of the funniest of the year. Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne and Melissa McCarthy created three-dimensional roles that, amongst the chaotic hilarity, were cheered on by the audience. Funnier and more honest than original "Hangover," this Judd Apatow film was more than an edgy comedy — it has already left behind a creative and monetary legacy that has convinced the suits in Hollywood to green light more original women-driven films.



9. Mission Impossible — Ghost Protocol:I'll be honest, there was one reason I was interested in "Ghost Protocol" — "Lost." The fourth installment in the franchise that many, including myself, had written off as aging cast Josh Holloway (James "Sawyer" Ford) in one of his first post-"Lost" roles. And that was enough to make me buy a ticket. Despite being a sequel to a sequel's sequel, "Ghost Protocol" manages to be thrilling and surprising and even manages to develop the characters. Director Brad Bird has reinvigorated a franchise — I'm not saying I want a fifth "Mission Impossible," but if each subsequent sequel was this good, I would willingly pay admission.



8. Crazy, Stupid, Love:There are three problems with most recent romantic comedies: They aren't romantic, they aren't comedic and many of them are all varying degrees of the same plot (they vary on how painful they are to watch). "Crazy, Stupid, Love" is funny, romantic and has an original enough plot. The clever script is helped by the cast, which includes Steve Carell and Emma Stone. A movie that can fall into one of the greatest cliches of the romantic comedy and reinvent it to make it an emotional, rather than awkward, moment deserves some credit, after all.



7. The Help:Movies are never as good as their book counterparts, mostly. "The Help," based on the best-selling novel, opened and became a movie of controversy and has since garnered Oscar buzz. On the surface, the film is a story of three women in Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement who inspire others to challenge injustice. Whether the film deserves the critiques it deserves for the portrayal of black women is up in the air. However, the deeper issues in the movie are being discussed. Movies like "The Help" are important not only because they provide roles of depth for women — they provide the viewer with a starting point for a discussion.



6. Horrible Bosses:I wasn't sure what to expect when I saw "Horrible Bosses," except that Jennifer Aniston would be playing a character that would be a departure her usual girl next-door role. The movie is one of the funniest comedies to be made in a long time and was smartly written (despite being outrageous). The cast, especially Charlie Day, Jason Bateman, Aniston and Kevin Spacey, is hilarious and commit to their roles.



5. Moneyball:"Moneyball" the film and "Moneyball" the book have two different focuses — the film focuses on the Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), whereas the book focuses on the system Beane created. The film was a pleasant surprise (especially since I considered the book unfilmable after reading it and have an irrational dislike for Pitt). Pitt and Jonah Hill both give great performances and bring life to the material. It's also cool to recognize lines lifted directly from the pages of the book.



4. War Horse:"War Horse" is one of the few "serious" movies on this list. Set in World War I, "War Horse" follows the war through the eyes of Joey (the titular horse) and his boy Albert (Jeremy Irvine). Directed by Steven Spielberg, the movie boasts beautiful cinematography and horses who act just as well as their human counterparts (no, that's not a knock against the actors in the movie). It's one of those profound movies that make you think of how there is no glory in war or the ties of brotherhood. "War Horse" is one of those movies that can mean different things to different people — which is what makes it great. Prediction: It will probably be a front-runner for Best Picture at the Oscars.



3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two:This is first, and sadly, the last time a "Harry Potter" film will make it onto my favorite movies of the year list. As a megafan of the books, I have always found something missing from the adaptations' portrayals of the characters. However, in the final "Deathly Hallows" film, each character has been captured and honored properly by the film makers. The final movie gave the fans of the series a satisfying conclusion — one we have been waiting a decade for. That is an achievement worthy of every honor it receives.



2. Super 8:No, this film will not win any major acting, directing, writing, or overall awards. And it's not because it doesn't deserve it — it's because it's a science fiction film. Director J.J. Abrams's nostalgic and semi-autobiographical (emphasis the word semi, there) movie stars Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) so it had to be good. On one level, it's a solid popcorn flick. On another, it's an allegory about growing up and letting go. And on another, it's a tribute to Steven Spielberg. The chemistry between the children actors makes wonderful — as opposed to just good — and it has the ability to bring tears and excite. What more could you want?



1. The Muppets:I love The Muppets. I visited Kermit's birthplace as kid. I know extremely random facts about each character. My one regret about my trip from New York City was not making a muppet at F.A.O. Schrawz (Yeah, it's a real thing). I've made it my duty to convert my friends to the greatness that is The Muppets (ask my roommate, my sister or my best friend). I even watched Fox News that one time Kermit and Fozzie made an appearance. The point is, I love these characters. And I was extremely nervous when they announced at new Muppets movie — but I shouldn't have worried. For one thing, this is the highest reviewed movie of the year (See Rotten Tomatoes score).
It has a genuine earnestness that will convert new fans (ask my best friend and sister) and allow old fans to appreciate the newest theatrical installment. I laughed, I cried and laughed so hard I cried. "The Muppets" is one of the best Muppets movies made, and — in some ways — is just as poignant as "War Horse" or "Super 8." Of course, I said in some ways. It's the most hilarious movie of the year and has the same brand of Muppet silliness as the previous films and "The Muppet Show" did.
If you still can, you should see "The Muppets." If not, you should just go ahead and purchase it when it is available in the spring. It's the kind of movie that remains in your movie after the more serious indie films fade into the background and you can share with other people. It's the kind of movie that will have a legacy in 20 years, and that's the best kind of movie of them all.

The Peter Anderson Festival: It's Surreal

This weekend, Rachel, Julia and I went to the Peter Anderson Festival in Ocean Springs, my hometown, this weekend. We drove down after class Friday and, despite a never-ending traffic jam, managed to make it. Before going to my house, we stopped at Walmart and discovered the Ocean Springs Walmart apparently sells Gold Brick eggs in the fall. We also got ice cream and chips because we were planning to eat healthy all weekend. Especially Rachel who is a nutrition major.

When we got to my house, we ate dinner and then studied and read before going to bed because that's the kind of interesting people we are. Because traffic at Peter Anderson is insane, we planned to wake up early and get to the festival the moment it opened. My sister Mary decided she wanted to come to the festival with us, so she went to sleep early; she's clearly living a crazy high school life.

And, for once, the plan went smoothly. We got up on time, got dressed, beat the traffic and made it to the festival completely on time. We walked around the different booths for a couple of hours and saw some pretty cool stuff. We saw a booth that had jewelry made from beads from the 1800s (I ended up buying a bracelet from there). I ran into a lot of people from high school and church. It was good to see everyone from Ocean Springs, since I hadn't been home in a while.

For lunch, I took everyone to Phoenicia, a local Mediterranean restaurant, and we stuffed ourselves with pita bread and hummus. We also found $15 rainboots and ended up buying scarves and clothes. Rachel kept staring at everyone's dogs, which is really hard as everyone in Ocean Springs has one, because she misses hers. Mary discovered the pet booth and tried to convince me to buy a rabbit. Because Mom and Dad wouldn't have killed me at all.

After the festival ended, we went to the Biloxi mall. Where we discovered the sales racks at Books-A-Million. Julia bought a ton of books and swore she wouldn't buy anything else — then found a really cute coat on sale at Charlotte Russe and ended up getting that as well.

After we finished at the mall, we met my parents at Wasabi for dinner. Where, still upset over LSU defeating Bama, Rachel and Julia talked about football, and I occasionally added something to the conversation. Like how we could indirectly beat LSU. Yeah, I helped come up with that.

After dinner, we headed home and decided to study and read our new books before watching "You've Got Mail." Then Rachel decided to take a nap and wake-up and study some more. What really went down was I fell asleep after she did, and Julia started reading. Then Rachel's alarm went off and this went down:

Rachel: I don't want to do this. I'm going to sleep.
Julia: Me too.
Hannah: I'll get the lights.

It was ten fifteen.

We got up this morning, and I took Mary to Sunday School and saw the youth group. And then we packed up the car and headed back to Starkville to make it back for The Reflector meeting because we're that dedicated. And then we bought our midnight Harry Potter tickets.

I'm really excited for that.

Returning to Starkville: Back to Normality

April and I woke up this morning and drove back to Starkville, and it was long. I studied French most of the way home. And, to be honest, nothing really exciting happened. I shut-up and didn't get us lost.

What I Learned:
1) Canons are more popular than Nikons.
2) There's a lot we can do to make the paper even better.
3) College Publisher is confusing.
4) April knows where she's going and doesn't need my help to direct us anywhere.
5) I should never give directions.
6) It's probably good Delta messed up our flight. Because we had to buy stuff. And then bought more stuff.
7) I need to do something, anything, this summer.
8) I understand the basic rules of football. Kinda.
9) Bad sleep patterns=Being tired all the time.
10) Journalists are weird people.

The conference was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot. I just wish I didn't have make-up work and assignments staring me in the face. I'm looking forward to Friday and it's only Sunday.