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Showing posts with label Oxford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oxford. Show all posts
Friday, June 24, 2016

Friday Five: England Edition

Because of the EU referendum, England has been in my mind a lot today. I have no idea how it happened but England will be leaving the EU, and it seems most people are quite unhappy about it.  I feel terrible for those people and have been silently wishing them good thoughts all day.  They're going to need the good vibes over the coming months and years. The vote however doesn't make me love the UK any less. It's still one of my most favorite places in the world. And because of that, here are my favorites from my last few trips...

1. Of course The Globe is on the list!  I mention the Globe specifically because I'm a Shakespeare nerd, however the other theatres I visited were also equally cared for.  The Barbican in London and the Swan in Stratford are 2 of the best theatre experiences I've ever had.  I'm in awe of how the arts are treated in the UK.  It's a major focus which is amazing to see.

2. Next up are the gorgeous homes in the Cotswolds - not forgetting the gorgeous people of the Cotswolds.  I've never felt so welcome and so taken care of than I did in the smaller villages.  People are just genuinely kind. 


3. York Minster Abbey is just as impressive is everyone says it's going to be.  It's quite the feat of architecture.  And the best part is, there are tons of other beautiful, historic and important buildings & churches scattered everywhere you look in the UK.  I'm always in shock of the age of the places I'm looking at.  To see them still standing and still thriving is just a testament to the dedication the monarchy and the government has for honoring the past.



4. Life - most specifically in some of the bigger cities like London and Edinburgh, but everyone is just so full of life.  It's chaotic and crazy and noisy and maddening, but it's also exciting and a jolt to the system.  Everyone is headed somewhere to do something.  You feel like you're a part of something when you're right in the thick of it all.  There are different accents and colors and races, and yet everyone is just sort of living and existing as one.

5. The green space.  Even in a major city like London, there are little parks and spaces to go to catch your breath when city life gets a little too hectic.  And the green spaces are actually green, with flowers and plants and trees everywhere.  In the US, where most cities are pretty much just cities, it's neat to see a dedication to calm and tranquility as well as to the environment. I'm more of a city girl at heart, but wandering around a bustling village like Stratford surrounded by trees, a river and fresh flowers, I started to day-dream about a little cottage in the hills with a back garden of my own.



Thursday, August 29, 2013

The End of Civilization

Just like (I'm hoping) many book nerds out there, I pay close attention to the news stories on new additions to the Oxford Dictionary.  Of course, doing this, I'm usually disappointed in the human race as a whole.  This year was par for the course, though it seemed especially frustrating for some reason.  Here are just a few of my favorites:

Twerk: In other words that disgusting display of crassness that Miley Cyrus so eloquently performed at the VMAs earlier this week.

Blondie: I'm ok with this one.  In fact I'm not sure why it's never been in there before considering how long blondies have been around.

Omnishambles: Apparently a by-product of Malcolm Tucker on "The Thick of It" in Britain.   Based on the definition, it's basically a big shambles. Seeing as I have an affinity for fusing words, I'm ok with this one as well.

Selfie and Vom: Are we so focused on 1000 other things that we can't take the tenth of a second extra that it takes to say "self-portrait" or "vomit"?

Derp: Meaning stupid, as in: The fact that these words have made it past a 13 year old's text conversation is extremely derp.

FOMO: Granted, I don't always know the tech/text speak but I have NEVER heard anyone use this term.  It apparently means: Fear of Missing Out. But quite honestly it sounds slightly derogatory.

And last but certainly not least, my top 2 examples of the fall of civilization:

2. TL: DR: Another I've never heard until today, but it means - Too Long: Didn't Read.  How long before students will be writing this on English tests and essays?

1. Srsly: Because it's just too taxing to add those pesky vowels 

I have to think that 100 years from now if dictionaries still exist, people are going to think we were brainless weirdos who didn't know how to spell.