A good start

I can only take so many pictures of churches and towers in a city before they all start looking the same.

I wanted to go to bed early last night, but the flat mates above me wanted to socialize. I feel like I ignore everybody enough as it is, so I obliged.

I had finaly got on a respectable schedule too, waking up around 10 am and going to bed before 2 am. That was broken last night.

I woke up this afternoon only to be pleasantly suprised by a clean and rearranged living room. My Japanese roommate is back from vacation and with his excess energy had attacked the falling apart apartment. He went to over 10 countries during the month and was in high spirits. He is an addict when it comes to travel. Every country is like another shot of heroine for a junkie. His high was contagious.

As soon as I walked out, the flat mates above me invited the third floor to eat lunch with them. It consisted of meat pie, couscous and bawdy jokes.

A good start to the day. It is particularly rainy, so I will probably stay in and study German.

London was more than fine. Comparing my first impressions of Dublin and London, I would much rather live in the later.

The activities were endless. I really enjoyed the west part of town where Rough Trade Records is located. Stands fill the area, selling anything from antique golf clubs to Black Sabbath records with bent corner sleeves.

I went with an American friend. We in turn met up with another American who is studying in Scotland. The two went back to Scotland on Sunday, but I stayed behind for two days. I really enjoyed my time alone. I was free to wander the streets and take the train to random stops based on the name of the station. I was very liberating and no matter where I went, there was something to see.

I did all the cliche London touristy things of course. Big Ben, the Eye and Tate art museums were all on my hit list. I particularly enjoyed the free art museums. At least 50-percent of my time was spent studying paintings and cocking my head at sculptures.

I will have a chance to go there again in December on my way to Paris with my girlfriend. I cannot wait to show her around.

I have been recently learning about my family history through a second cousin on Facebook. I met her once in Indiana when I was in my very early teens. She is now married with children.

I had heard vague notions that my family was from North Ireland, but now I have more specifics: names, dates, stories.  According to her, My great great grandfather (I am not sure the appropriate amount of greats) Francis Bennie Stone was born in Ireland before 1790. She said he moved to Virginia and married an Indian maiden.

The presence of Native American blood was always a rumor in my family. If you look at my great uncles, you can clearly see it.

So, I guess my great great grandfather ran an “employment agency” as my cousin wrote in a hilarious euphemism for slave trading.

It seems my family is from Ulster. I just visited the area when I went to North Ireland. What a drab place.

I have been thinking about posting some relics from my old music blog on here. I was reading over some today and I think they should be shared again. I should also start writing new music articles. It would be good or me. Maybe, I will start inserting music critiques along with my day-to-day life occurrences.

~ by shawp on October 30, 2009.