I brought my glass to the kitchen sink to wash it. It was a new glass - the house has consistently been running out of various dishware, and so Clint and Jackie bought a whole new set. I ran the water and sudsed up the glass. It slipped, I tried to catch it, but it shattered right on the edge of the counter. As I tried to catch it I sliced my finger. Not fun. Jackie took me upstairs for a band-aid and some neosporin. I guess they don't carry it here. I asked if they had seen the commercials about how fast neosporin helps cuts heal. I guessed they hadn't.
I may be a feminist.
I am an easygoing person. I don't often get upset about anything, and am usually far too concerned with everyone else being happy, or at least appearing happy, to be argumentative. Now, I think I might be a feminist because I recently put up a fight when a man got up on a soap box on how women ought to dress and carry themselves. Now, I'm not a man, nor do I try to pretend like I know what struggles men generally face, and so I expect the same from them. I'm not trying to say that women are some sort of suppressed minority, I know we've come a long way in the past 100 years. I just get irritated when men think that they understand the social pressures and obstacles women face, or even pretend they don't exist. They do. I don't doubt that men endure unique difficulties of their own and all I ask is for the same courtesy.
Alright, I had a tutorial on Monday - pretty good, and then I worked until Thursday, when I had another paper due. This one was a theological essay comparing Eusebius and Augustine in terms of their view of the state. My tutor said it was the best paper I had written all semester, and that I had definitely progressed. I was happy, as it was precisely those words I was looking to earn.
I talked in my last essay about having a set schedule to complete the remaining essays. It was supposed to be 4 days per paper. I did the first one in 5, the second on in 5 and then had 2 days, actually little more than 24 hours to read a 325-page novel and write a 2-3000 word essay about whatever it is that I wanted, concerning the novel. Goodness gracious. I got it done, incredibly. I was actually so excited about e-mailing that last tutorial essay that I sent it first without a bibliography and had to send it again. At that moment, I was the most academically free that I had been all semester, or at least since the first few weeks. You see, I had written 3 essays in that first week, and so now I get to reap the benefit of that madness, by having nothing else to write except the dreaded 'long essay' due Dec. 6th. I was ecstatic, needless to say.
After I e-mailed the paper, I took a nice, long nap to help compensate for the previous few nights of little sleep. I was wakened by a knock on the door from Scott, asking if I wanted to go to Ruth's house, my British friend, for a thanksgiving dinner her parents were throwing for some American graduate students. Her parents wanted to meet those of us who are going to be staying in their cabin in Wales next weekend. I was in. The day before, actual thanksgiving, I had done nothing festive, only read Wuthering Heights in its entirety. In any case, 4 of us left to make the walk to Ruth's house. Interestingly enough, after walking very fast as to not be late, Scott had read the facebook message wrong and we were an hour early! It was funny, thought he was pretty embarrassed. We hung out with Ruth, which is always fun. When people started to arrive, we greeted them and chatted about where in the states everyone was from, and what we all think of Oxford. Then, the food. It was amazing. I think that they tried so hard to make a great thanksgiving, that they actually made something better than regular thanksgiving :) It was wonderful. Unfortunately, Margaret and I had a mashed-potato-making appointment back at the Vines - we were all split into groups to help cook for the big SCIO thanksgiving the next day. We had to leave before dessert, but I think that was okay, because I may have just popped.
We walked back and were a little late to make potatoes, but were given the delightful task of assembling the 'puppy chow'. It was good fun. When we finished with that, we helped another group peel some sweet potatoes and then, what else, headed to the pub! Back to the Angel and Greyhound it was, and another great time had by all, and, in fact, by a larger group. Bryce's sister, Kelsey and Trent's 'lady friend' (as he introduced her), Shelby were among us and so, in the spirit of showing them a good time, it WAS a good time. The walk back was silly, lots of involuntary piggy backs and shenanigans of the like. When we got back, unwilling to let my day of glory pass, I popped in High Fidelity and kicked off the weekend with a bang. 
Now, my poor alarm clock has nearly disintegrated into complete inoperationability (real word?) and so I woke up by myself around noon the next day on (SCIO) Thanksgiving! It felt like a festive day. I took a shower, did some laundry and found a festive outfit, which actually included a nice neck scarf that Shelby insisted I wear because it went with my fun gold flats. I delightedly accepted and felt oh-so-sophisticated all day. I watched some of the (American) football game outside, played some rummy, and generally enjoyed the house full of happy people. The Crickers were there, and the faculty/staff with their children. It was great. The food was great, the company was great. There were musical performances, and carols around the piano. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
The beautifully British Baigent family became a lovely accompanied string ensemble, for our enjoyment, and the youngest even played us a hoe-down! Simon also played for us on his cool electric cello - a little Gershwin, a little REM - it was lovely. It just felt like a family party - so many people, so much food, so much noise, it was amazing.
During dinner, I had asked Kelsey, a real hair stylist, about what I should do with my hair. We both agreed that I needed bangs, as well as a funchunktastic trim. After dessert, I wet my head in the sink and she went to work. I must say that I was a little unnerved, but I trusted her, as I should have. It came out very fun, I feel quite like an underground European rock-star....excellent. So, what did we do as soon as my eyeliner matched my new hair? The pub, of course! We actually walked all the way to the Eagle and Child (C.S. Lewis/Tolkien pub), aka 'Bird and Baby'. It was a long walk, but worth it, as pub nights always are.
When we got back, people were making Christmas ornaments out of flour/salt/water mixture, baking and painting them. I joined them and then a bunch of us watched Transformers. As we were watching the movie, I looked around at our Christmas tree, decorated with ornaments we had made (good and bad), the lights and greenery on the mantle, and just the general holiday cheer and decided that I didn't want to be anywhere else for Thanksgiving weekend. I realized that the holidays are about being with family, and that we had all been blessed with a new, bigger family, 
which made the holiday quite cheerful, warm and joyous. I would like to, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, take this opportunity to say that I am grateful for my Oxford family.This morning, I, partly due to my inoperational alarm clock, partly due to my having gone to sleep past 4, I did not make church. I wanted to go shopping, and then go to the evening service, but then I decided that, after the pleasant day before, that I just wanted to stay in. I was feeling like a home body, brimming with appreciation for my freedom from academics and wonderful housemates. I did some e-correspondence, watched Shakespeare in Love, did some planning for my mom and Suzanne's trip over her in a couple of weeks, made more puppy chow, watched The Family Stone and then commenced writing this blog. I forgot how great that movie was. I recommend it to anyone who loves families, Christmas, laughing and crying.
On the whole, it was a great weekend. I am loving the lack of stress. I am loving the people I live with. I am loving thinking about my trip to Ireland with my mom and sister, and I am just loving my life and thanking God that I am so ridiculously blessed.
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