I AM alive!

Uh.........yeah, so, I haven't posted in, well, forever. 

I can explain myself, really!

The last two weeks have been pretty busy - been trying to figure out what I'm doing for my dissertation and doing some research, there was a Presidential election (!), rehearsals, concerts, a contest, and sooooooo muuuuuuuuuuuch reading and writing for my essay.

But...that doesn't explain the two weeks before that...

Yeah. Let's talk about homesickness here for a second.

It's here. It's arrived.

You knew it was going to happen. I knew it was going to happen. We all knew it was going to happen.

About 3 weeks ago, I sat on my bed and cried. You wanna know why?

'Low Rider' started playing on my computer.

Now, I know you're saying to yourself, "Self, that is such an upbeat, groovin' tune that makes you want to roll down the window on a summer's day, turn up the volume to an almost unbearable level, and let the world know you are listening to a really badass song."

And I totally agree with you there. That song is badass. I do roll my windows down and turn up the volume when I hear that song in the car. I do groove out to that song. It's totally bitchin'.

But it also reminds me of home. It reminds me of Dolan playing a trumpet solo while swinging his feet around for beginning brass class. It reminds me of walking through the hallway of Music Building A after a good practice session and hearing Gil playing it on baroque trumpet (I had to do a double take!). It reminds me of the f***ing AWESOME trip to NYC this past summer, when TCvH played it at the Historic Brass Society Symposium and Crispian Steele Perkins told Anwyn to play the shaker part in a very serious, deadpan manner. It mostly reminds me of the awesome people that I have come to know. And that made me really, really, really sad. So I curled up on my bed and pathetically sobbed into my pillow.

I had planned to go to the gym at 8:30, then practice after that. But I just kinda sat for a long time, dwelling on thoughts of all the people I know, doing all the things in Humboldt right now that I am not doing with them.  [Does that make sense? No? Too bad. I don't feel like revising that sentence, so deal with it SUCKA FOO']

Like, why can't I just pause time? What's the deal science, why haven't you made that possible yet? You should get on that. [Yeah...and while you're at it, where's my flying car?!]

I want to be here, I really like it, and honestly it wouldn't be a bad place to live at all - everything is fantastic, it's all going well, I'm learning tons - but I want to be there too. I don't really want to miss anything that happens. I like being a part of your lives. I like you people gosh dangit.

Then, at 10 o'clock, I sat up and said, "Girl, pull yo'self together. There's nothing wrong. Get yo' booty to the gym."

So, thankfully, I dragged myself out of the door. I went to the gym. And an hour and a half later, I felt a helluva lot better about my life. Which is what I've got to do - keep myself occupied.
The gym always makes me feel better anyway - I don't know if it's just whatever chemicals it releases, or the fact that afterwords I just feel like I've done something good for myself, but it's a good thing. Playing in brass bands though is the best remedy - everyone here is beyond fantastic and I always feel so welcomed. And, it's brass, so there's not a whole lot that's better than that...
_________________________________________________________________________________

SO other things that have happened since forever ago....

In case you didn't know, the San Francisco Giants won the World Series. It was easy-peasy too.

I really, really, REALLY wanted to run around Bristol at 4am with this flag after they won game 4. I wanted to scream and shout and dance. I wanted to wear it as a cape to school.

But people don't know anything about baseball over here, so celebrating was not what it should have been. I emailed Paul and Gil excitedly (it can be really difficult to find musicians who also like sports...), I skyped with my Dad, and I went and talked to Justin (Sacramento professor). And that was it. I shoulda celebrated with a burrito from this place:

Yeah. A burrito place in England. As you may be able to read on the overhang, "Authentic burritos - passed on from Mexico via San Francisco to the UK."

Okay, I love Mexican food. I cannot begin to express my love for Mexican food. If there was a food to live off of, it would be burritos. Seriously. But I am wary, so very wary. I have read the ingredients on guacamole in the supermarkets here...and no British people, there is no mayo OR pea puree in guacamole. NO.

However, Dianna and I have been making our own Mexican food on Sunday nights. Thanks to both my Mom AND Dad, we have tortillas! The first night we just made regular tacos, and Dianna taught me how to make Mexican rice. It was one of the best moments I've had here, eating these tacos.

HALLOWEEN happened too - wow it really has been forever since I posted. ShanShan from China REALLY wanted to carve a pumpkin, and so we set aside some time one evening, looked up patterns, and carved a pumpkin!

 I made them take most of the guts out. It's the best part, right!?  

I drew the design. ShanShan wanted to do a cat face.
Google to the rescue.

Turned out really well!!!

Uhhhhh let's see, other stuff:

Played with the Marshfield Brass Band for Remembrance Day - which is essentially Veterans Day, even on the same date, 11-11.  I woke up, ate some porridge (!), and walked outside to see this.

I live literally 45 seconds from the Bristol Cathedral, and they were gearing up for the ceremonies. As you can see,  THERE IS A BAGPIPER!!!! And he wasn't the only one either!!! Bagpipes get a bad rep, but you don't see this everyday in California and I thought it was FANTASTIC.

We played in a church. The main tower of the church was built in 1242. Then, we stopped at a lookout point  where you can supposedly see 5 different counties AND Wales. There was also supposed to be a Saxon battle that took place just in front of us, in the year 577. 

1242 holy shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

Memorial in Marshfield - they read off all the soldiers who perished in both WW's. Really moving.

Since the Brits don't have Thanksgiving, that means that there is no barrier in between Halloween and Christmas...therefore, Christmas displays and lights have been up for weeks already...

The one nice thing about not being in the redwoods - which I didn't really think there was any upside to being out of the redwoods - is that the leaves ACTUALLY change color like everywhere else. It's really pretty.

Speaking of trees.........I really need some fresh air, and some peace and quiet. There is supposed to be a wooded area across the suspension bridge that's quite nice. I'll have to plan a day to do that...

I did get to see the Forest of Dean though, that was great! I had a contest last weekend with the City of Bristol Brass Band (which we WON and I am still really excited about!!)  The road was twisty and hilly, reminding me a lot of home. I tried to take pictures in the moving car...some actually kinda turned out!

I can't remember how old this abbey is but it was older than 1242....

I always take a photo like this when I go over the Golden Gate going in and out of SF, so I thought that this was an appropriate thing to do here as we crossed from Wales into Bristol!

Severn Bridge

Okay, gotta go - I'm making Thanksgiving dinner for my flatmates who've never had it before!!!!!