Too many layers!

I know. The woman who wrote the rules on layers has had enough! [of course I am speaking about myself :)] Layers allow one to dress for all tempatures and be prepared for any situation. However, below freezing tempatures dictate that one wear about five sweaters and 3 pairs of sweatpants... and this is only if you plan to spend 5 minutes max outside! The part of me that plans for everything (which lets face it, is 100% me) dislikes the amount of layers. It is diffcult for me to move, and i look and feel unhappy. Why? My best chance at survival... is to start taking off my layers and throwing them at the person, because i can't move to save my life! However I am warm. Thus, one has to weigh warmth and body tempature against escape routes and saftey. Below freezing tempatures are unaccpetable! I love the snow, but I dislike wearing my WHOLE closet all at once. And it gets worse. It is only cold outside. So when one goes out to a club, resturant or on the tube. I have to de-layer! it takes 15min! and people are staring... they never knew I could put so many layers on and still fit through the doorway. I aim to impress! And then when you go to leave, you have to re-layer. It is so frustrating. I just want to scream... "I want it all, I want to be warm and be able to move at an accpetable pace, and I want to only wear 3 sweaters!" Is that asking to much? Last week, it was the equivualant to asking G20 to care about humanity and the planet... aka I was asking WAY too much. I am sure I will master the mulitple layers right before I leave. In the meantime, I have decided to surround myself with wonderful people... How does one do this with out layering.. simple, invite them all to your apartment... and bribe them with heat! it works everytime! London comes to me... I am changing the dynamic of the relationship, and it works, simply because I am warm!

Best part of the day... Random conversations!

Since I have been in London I have had many random conversations, which have made my day! On the tube,I sat next to a woman who was reading a Thousand Splendid Suns, and I asked her how the book was... and then I learned that her aunt is a psychology prof. at LMU! What a small world. She said she knew I was not British, because speaking to people on the tube was abnormal, however she was glad that I talked to her. Then, another time on tube, this random man saw that I was reading a philosophy book, and decided to tell me all of these great philosophy books to read, which was nice. Also, on the tube, I met this woman who expressed her discontent with the tube line, because it always got stuck right before her stop. It always improves my communte when I talk to someone new. The best one, was when I had to take the bus, and I sat next to a community advocate for the disabled, she really liked me... in fact she said "Hopefully I will see you every morning"... Sadly, I take the tube now, but it was wonderful to chat with her about community work and living in London. Hopefully I will have many more random conversations to report!

Tubes... where and when will you end up?

Aww the tube. I have mixed feelings, a lot like when you meet a hott guy, sometimes the conversation is fabulous and the next date, you just want to run, but can't cause you're stuck underground.lol. Hott guys are better then the tube. Coming from LA, the tube system is amazing. But after a month, one has to think "is sitting underground, in a close space with too many people, in a train that has a failed signal, really what I deserve out of a public transportation system. No! I deserve better. In my ideal world, the tube would run effiectently... EVERYDAY. and I would not have panic attacks, as I sit in slience for a prolonged time bewteen stations. Not knowing when I will see light again. However,I have come up with a plan to make tube friends... ie: people who in an a emergency( like the train broke down) will look kindly to my hysteria... because in life everything boils down to survival! Anyway, the easiest way to talk to people, is to comment on the book that they are reading. However, during rush hour, I talk to people in order for them to understand that I am small, and I hope (though it hasn't happened yet) that they will trade places with me, because otherwise i have nothing to hold to, and awkwarding bump into people when the train decides to move. The tube is another world, where only the strongest survive. As a petite, 5 foot 2 in person, i win with intellect, conversation and most importantly dirty looks. My looks are so amazing. That at clubs, people who accidently invade my space, apologize profusely. It is my super power.

Don't call them "mickey mouse" courses just because you can't handle them

Tonight I went to a Labour party meeting at Imperial College. We had a debate about rising tuition costs in the UK. The first 15 min. were dedicated to the topic of "mickey mouse" courses, ie: ANY major that is not engineering or medicine. According to everyone in the room, these were a waste of time and govt. spending. I felt that it was my duty as a social science major to enlighten them to the fact that society does not exist of just engineers and doctors ( I saw shocked faces). Also, they thought that history was a waste. These are the people that will design the weapons of the future and they do not feel the need to study politics (or take a single course, or acknowledge that it is important) or HISTORY! They also thought that anyone who went to a second tier school or less, should not be govt. supported. They made fun of people who did not have their high IQ. And they also said that people who take "mickey mouse" courses will not get a job and therefore should not be govt. supported. I again decided to bring them out of their ignorant bubble and remind them that their job prospects were just as bleak. Every comment I made was met with silence. Probably because they have never been exposed to anyone who wasn't a fucking science major. I value everyone, these people do not. I was sickened. Also, I think only being exposed to one type of major is danergeous. These students honestly thought they were God's gift to the world... and all other majors were a drain on funds. This is not a healthy intellectual environment.
And my crusade for humanity continues...

Natural Selection: Pub Style and my plan to conquer the world

So lately, I have partaken in London's nightlife, and I find mate selection fascinating. For example, while in a pub, most grown men will act like animals in order to gain the attention of females. Now, London might be considered a concrete jungle, however, it is not the real wilderness, and therefore behaving like a dizzy, grizzly bear, will not attract a human being, let allow someone of the opposite sex. Also, I feel that pickup lines should be used more. Because at least at the end of the night, you will have fun stories!
As a side note: my "interest" in turbulence has impressed some mechanical engineers at Imperial. In fact, one guy thought I specialized in the study of turbulence.
Also, i do not think I have mastered the art of useless and brainless conversation. Because since going to university pubs, My conversations have revolved around: nuclear fusion, clean water, politics, energy storage, turbulence(comes up every time!) and medicine. I in fact am learning more in pubs then I do in class. And to make everyone proud, I point out to these engineers that clean water, and social justice issues are vitally important and that they should not sell out to defense companies. In fact, I am on a crusade. So far, I have not converted anyone, however, I serve as a reminder that there are more important things then money and weapons. Such as, humanity and clean water... to name a few.
And on another side note: I have decided to join as many imperial clubs as I can, so to maximize my social calender and meeting people and my crusade! I joined both the Conservatives and Labour parties. I have also joined 3 Indian clubs. Mind you, when I went to an event last night, everyone thought that I was Native American. I appreciate that I can blend with most ethnicites and am sadden that languages do not come naturally to me. Because if they did, I could become a spy and maybe marry James Bond if he were diease free! However, I will settle for being a human rights lawyer.

The Attack of the London Germ

As some of you might know, I am obsessed with staying germ-free. I am discovering that in London this is a fruitless exercise. What with the tube, classes with no fresh air and generally just always being around people, germs are bound to mutate and invade. I knew this, and came up with a procedure to stay healthy and germ free. I purell every hour on the hour, and when I get on and off the tube. I also take Vit. C for maintaining a healthy immune system. However, who do you think out of an apartment of 6, is the one to get sick. oh yes, of course, Ms. Healthy, is the first to get sick. However, I think my weak point is going to class. Because, everyone is my classes is sick, and feels the need to spread their germs every 5 minutes (classes are 3 hours)!. I have to invent a way to disinfect the air around me in class. Honestly, it's only week 2. I swear Londoners must be immune to the plague with all the germs that they are exposed to on a daily basis! They are exposed to diseases from around the world. Maybe by the time I leave I too will have the superpower, of getting on the tube as a healthy individual, and leaving the tube the same way! On a positive note, aggressive germs are the only downside to London!

Football... aka overpaid babies

I am across the pond now and loving it! As some of you know, I loved the world cup, however I cannot say the same for Football and in fact competitive male sports in general. First, I went to a football match a couple of weeks ago, and was shocked to see 20-30 police presence. Why? you might ask, would a whole police force be presence at a football match instead of solving murders, and protecting grandmas from house break-ins. Because football fans get violent, and if their team loses, and let's face it, one team is bound too, they have to take it out on someone. It's ridculous. In fact, as the team I was supporting was starting to lose, the fans behind me started to back-seat coach the team... to the point where I almost said "how about you get off your fat ass and get in the game, or redirect this enormous energy and help the people in Pakistan". And now on to the the players themselves. Now, some of them might have redeemable qualities. However, in the past week a number of football stars have been linked to prostitutes and an illegal underage prostitute ring in France (think Taken... yeah, these are some people's heroes). These men have families, and surprising feel no shame in admitting that they had to pay for someone to 'spend time' with them. Apparently it's a 'power thing' aka 'I am a waste of space, who not only is not bettering society, but is also putting others at risk, such as my spouse with any STDs that I might pick up, from my wholesome extracurricular activities'. And what puts the topping on the cake, is that one publicist said that spouses know what they signed up for! I think not. No one, no matter how much money (right I am not mentioning good looks, because anyone who behaves like this is not attractive)is worth losing one's self respect and overall health. And in short, all these players are from England, and I am thrilled that they played liked the losers that they are, and I refuse to support football from here on out. I will instead turn my thoughts onto Charles Taylor's trial... more to come later. cheers!