Cynics regarded everybody as equally corrupt... Idealists regarded everybody as equally corrupt, except themselves.

Can I just say that this week has gone by at snail speed No joke... it feels like Sunday but it is only Saturday. I woke up an hour ago and I already know that it is going to be another looooong day. Sure, I could be reading the numerous books on my reading list for this semester, or writing the 2.5 papers for the end of the term, but that would require motivation, and I don't have any. School here is pathetic. Why are they so hard and strict on things, but yet they don't teach you or tell you or help you on something they want you to do. It makes no sense. No wonder 40% of freshman drop out of college here... it isn't because they are not motivated, it is because teaching here is wretched and not really teaching.

Italy is in a couple of days. I am nervous and excited at the same time. I am trying not to be the worry wort we all know I am, and so far I have done a pretty good job of it. My friend Jackie is bringing her laptop with us, so I may be able to post a blog or two or get some pictures up on the website I have, but I am making no promises. My camera card only holds 255 photos, so I will use all my photos probably in Venice and then will have to steal all the pictures Heather takes for the rest of the trip. And after Italy, we have about three more weeks of school and then Heather and I go to Dublin in May! Very excited about that. So I need to have all my papers done by May 8th. Which is fine because one is due the 18th of this month and I only have a couple more hundred words left, the next one is for my story of English class, where I had to pick 5 words and say when they were coined, where they come from, etc. etc. and that one is only 1500 words. I already have the words and an outline so I just need to write the paper. And then one more for my Contemp. Literature post 1945 class and he has not given us the questions yet, so I can't work on that one. As soon as I am done with my papers, I just have two exams on the 16th and 17th then I am done! And since I am coming home sooner, I am even more excited!! I also get to take the school trip to Llandudno in Wales. That trip is on the 19th of May, so the day before I leave! I am glad that I will be able to make that trip... I always wanted to go to Wales. When we get back from Spring Break, the following Saturday, the 21st, we are going to Oxford! Heather and I bought our ticket for it yesterday. I want to get a shirt. haha.

The sun is out today, so I might take advantage of the Wolverhampton Park. Hang out with the ducks and just soak up the sun. Who knows when it will come back!!

you can't wait for inspiration. you have to go after if with a club

Last night, Heather and I decided that we wanted to go out to the SU and have a good time. That we did. Well, the thing about me is that while I drink and get a little drunk, as soon as something happens to a friend I automatically sober up and feel it is my responsibility to make sure they will be ok. This is what happened tonight when a friend started fighting with her other friend. I was having such a good time, and then as soon as she started going crazy and yelling I was like "Oh great, I get to play mommy tonight". So, I sobered up and just took it easy. I did have a lot of fun though. Especially since the day wasn't all that great due to certain circumstances.

I only have one class today, and that is in 5.5 hours. So Heather and I are going to walk to the book store to get some mini-maps of Venice and Rome as well as a mini dictionary. Just to be safe. Then I need to register for my classes at 9pm. I can't wait to go back to school at NAU. jesus. After that, I think I am going to call continental, because according to the guy yesterday that we talked to, it would only be $200.00 to change my flight. Granted, I would be flying home on my birthday, but I would rather be going home than sitting in my room by myself. Which is what I would do for the next 10 days if I wasn't leaving early. All my friends are leaving early, so there wouldn't be much for me to do. I am not a fan of traveling by myself.

I am going to try and finish a paper this week so I don't have to look at it for ten days while I am in Italy, since it is due the Wednesday after we get back. Then only two more essays and then two more tests and then I am done. This week is going pretty slow... but maybe it is just me. It is just Italy is seriously, right around the corner and I want it to be here already!! I can't wait for warm weather.

a day in the town that smelt of cookies

Yesterday we went to York on our school trip. York was not the best trip so far... I liked the rich history and the oldness to it, but it wasn't what I thought it was going to be. When we first leave the bus, Heather and I look at each other and go "it smells like cookies" and that smell taunted us the entire trip and we never found any! Very sad. Anyway, we made our way to the largest Gothic cathedral in the north and took some pictures. They wanted 7 pounds to do stuff inside of it so we decided to walk around a bit more. We made our way to the Castle Museum (don't let the name fool you... there was nothing about castles). We "went back in time to the Victorian ages" like it said. We saw the way people dressed when they were married, mourning a loved one, giving birth, etc. etc. Also learned about how people washed their clothes and the inventions for things like a toilet over time. It was very cool, but very long. By the time we were done with the first half I was ready to leave. Although, during the second half, we got to play outside. Jackie and I played a game of tic-tac-toe and did some hoola hooping. That was pretty much the highlight of the castle museum. After that, we decided to eat because we had an hour, so we found a wicked cheap cafe (which was like a dennys) and had some food. After our meal we headed back to the bus and got ready for the three hour bus ride home. I was exhausted but didn't sleep. Heather and I play DJ when we go on these trips. It is basically her taking my ipod and playing random songs. It is nice, because she usually picks songs that I have not heard in awhile.

Anyway, York was a nice day trip, but I have no need to go back to it. There are some pictures http://community.webshots.com/user/Kyrielynn6 but not many. Now it is homework day!! Also, I am not 8 hours ahead of everyone instead of 7. We do daylights saving time here, so now I am pretty much a whole day ahead of you :( That is the one thing that sucks... the time change. So you guys are all asleep considering it is only 3.40am. hahaha. and it is 11.40 here. oh jeez.

I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them.

Heather and I went and saw "Becoming Jane" tonight; the autobiography of Jane Austen. (Aunt Jeri- I HIGHLY recommend you go and see this.) It is amazing. I have obviously read Jane Austen and think her a genius. Pride and Prejudice by far my favorite novel as well as the movie that was just recently released. I want to read more about Jane Austen, I heard that there were some great autobiographies of her out there, it is just a matter of me trying to find a decent book store here. There is a Borders, but... I am not a fan of Borders all that much. Anyway, it was wonderful seeing a movie about one of the best women writers out there. Her and Virgina Woolf are my favorite female writers. I wont give any information about the movie except that I have never been so inspired. I have not done my own writing in two years, and while I know it is in me, I just don't find the inspiration now. I think perhaps since I am busy with school that my mind doesn't wonder like it usually does. I thought for sure I would get something here, but little did I know school would be so consuming. I have part of my "book" here with me... although I left the other half I have yet to type at home somewhere. Either way, I know it will come back to me. Perhaps taking a creative-non fiction capstone course next semester will get me going again.

I finally got to go to the park today, which is just brilliant!! It isn't as beautiful as the Shrewsbury garden I saw, but it was still nice. Today was the first sunny, semi-warm day, so after class Heather took me there. Lots of ducks, geese, a swan and little squirrels. Next time we are bringing bread and nuts--we felt bad for not having anything for them. Once the weather gets nicer, we plan on going there and doing reading and such. But who knows when the weather will get nice... probably not until we leave

i will spin around in my highest heels

Another week has started, and it makes number 8. This seems to be going by slowly. I know that as soon as Easter Break is over, it will speed along hastily.

I turned in my paper yesterday. I don't feel too confident about it, but I am fairly sure I will get a passing grade. I hope I get a passing grade. haha. I waited until the last minute because I have never actually done that before... I am the person that sees an assignment due and does it one or two weeks before it needs to be done so I can go and re-read it and edit things. So, I figure I would try and wait till the last minute to get inspiration for the paper. I got it, but it was more of a panic inspiration. I popped out 1500 words in about 2 hours. The thing about school here is that I don't feel like I am in school. I know that I wasn't technically here for school but for the experience and being able to travel, but I LOVE school. I get excited when the new semester starts. But here, I hate going to class because I feel it as a waste of time (although, I don't know what I would be doing if I didn't go to class). I am starting my paper that is not due until after Easter Break today when Heather and I go to the library. I just want to get a good start on it so I don't have to panic about it when I go on Easter Break. We all know how I let little things like that ruin experiences, and Italy needs to have all my attention. I am going to Italy in two weeks from today. That really is a crazy thought.

I have realized that I will come back home with more books than anything else. I am afraid to ship them home because of how much money it will be. I mean, it is 50 pence ($1.00) to send ONE post card. I packed half of them and they take up the bottom half of my suitcase. Good thing I have my backpacking backpack to shove all my clothes in. I am for sure cleaning out my wardrobe before I leave... I have two pairs of jeans that I have had for about a year that are absolute shit, so those will not be going home with me. I have been trying to keep up with my reading, but it is difficult that one professor assigns four 600+ paged books and expect us to have them read every two weeks. Especially with authors such as George Eliot, and Charles Dickens. As well as the other 12 novels I need to read. Not my cup of tea.

York this weekend. Excited but kind of scared, considering I have no idea what there is to do in York. Either way, it will be nice to get away from Wolverhampton for the day and eat chocolate covered raisins since that is the holiday on Saturday (Heather made a calender that has holidays on every day, and Saturday is chocolate covered raisin day). Yesterday was poultry day so we had chicken for dinner and Mr. Mash which is dried potato. Not too bad for England, but not homemade or the boxed kind I love at home. We do what we can.

Today seems like it will be a good day, weather wise. Yesterday and the day previous was wretched. It would be sunny out and then five minutes later there would be hail, lightning and thunder. Plus is was wicked cold and the wind about killed me walking home from class. Lets just hope the blue skies I see now will remain for the rest of the day.

The fourth Harry Potter tonight with Heather. We have watched the first three... She had never seen them, so I told her it was a must if she wanted to remain my friend. She likes them, so I am glad it isn't torture for her. I am off to start another day in the lovely England.

A day in Pride and Prejudice

Yesterday Mike, Heather, Jackie and myself went to Chesterfield to go to the Chatsworth house that is known as "Pemberley" in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice. One of my favorite novels/movies of all times. For only 40 pounds we got all our transportation there and inside the house.

We wake up at 7 in the morning to meet outside my dorm at 7.45 to start our journey. We were planning on taking the 8.40 national express bus, but missed it by six minutes. So we hung out in Birmingham until the next bus at 11. I was actually awake for the whole ride, which is strange because I usually sleep on bus rides. So I got to see a lot of the country side. Chesterfield is in the National Peak District so there is a lot of good sights of the country.

We arrive in Chesterfield around 12.50 and ask for help to try and get to Chatsworth House. Lucky for us, a bus was about to pull up in 5 minutes. However, we had to wait in the cold! It was soooo cold outside, and I only had my little cardigan because Wolverhampton was so beautiful. You would think I would learn about the weather changing every 5 minutes here. Anyway, it was about a 30 minute bus ride to where we needed to be dropped off. As soon as we left the bus, you could smell horse/cow manure. The smell doesn't bother me... in fact, when I pictured England, I thought it would smell like this. We start our walk into the gardens. It was so beautiful. Hills of rolling green grass, even a little stream that followed us all the way to the house. Even though it was overcast, it was amazing. There was just so much nature and trees that had leaves on them!! About 10 minutes into our walk, we start to see Chatsworth House. From a distance (and even up close for that matter) it looks like it was burned, but it is just the weathering on it. We get closer and closer, and I get more and more excited. Perhaps I am a dork because I was so excited, but this was just the highlight of my month!!

The house itself is huge. I could not get a whole shot of it in my camera! This is just the side of the house, so you can't see the water that is in the front of the house as shown in the movie. But we walk into a little courtyard and open one of the doors to get in, pay 8 pound 50 and go in. As soon as I walked in, my breath was taken away. There is so much detail in every single room... it took so long for this to get done. And the fact that all of it is pretty much the same way is amazing.

When we first enter, we are in the painted room. If you've seen the movie, it is the one room that Lizzy and her family walk into at first and Lizzy is looking at the ceiling. The room with the black and white tiled flooring. Every wall/ceiling was painted. And as we walked through the rest of the house, it was obvious that almost every single room had a painted ceiling!!

Then at the very end of the little tour, we go into the sculpture room... once again, if you've seen the movie, it is the one that holds all the sculptures (obviously...) and the one of Mr. Darcy that Lizzy looks at. It was there! I guess they left it there because what else are they going to do with it?! It was so cool looking at it and just being there. I have such a huge imagination and reading Austen's novel and watching the movie just boosted my imagination. I am so glad that it wasn't entirely made up (the movie) that they actually used scenes and stuff from the house. It made it more real to me.

After the house, we go into the gardens, which is about 300+ acres. We walk to the front of the house and take some pictures. It was just like the movie, once again. It was so pretty just looking at it. It would be amazing to live in a house like this, but also kind of weird. It had so much stuff, and we probably only saw 1/4 of the house. The other parts were all blocked off and it took us an hour. I wish we could have spent more time there, but we were on a tight schedule so we didn't miss our bus back into Birmingham.

This was the highlight of my month. Very worth the 40 pounds ($80.00)!!! Just to say I was there and got to look at the things. It made Pride and Prejudice more real for me. Sure, it isn't a different country or something everyone knows about, but to me it was incredible. Perhaps I am a dork because I was so excited, but these are the things that make me happy. While small and not so known, I know it and that is all that matters.

Go look at me 106 pictures I took!! http://community.webshots.com/user/Kyrielynn6 granted some of them look the same, but that is how I do it... I like taking some of the same pictures incase one turns out and one doesn't. I hope you enjoy them!!

We got back into Wolverhampton around 8.45. We were all beat and exhausted so we went and ate some food and then I came back home, checked e-mail and stuff and went to bed. It feels like it should be Sunday, but it is only Saturday!!

Tonight I think we are doing a Harry Potter night before Mike leaves. We have to wake up at like 4 in the morning to take him to the airport, and then Heather and I are going to the Library all day tomorrow because I have a paper due on Monday that I have not really started. WOOHOO!!

And, in two weeks... I will be in ITALY! Holy smokes... this is amazing. Also, next Saturday is our school trip to York, so that should be fun.

Another Wednesday Night

But this one is an exception because the last thing I remember is drinking my second snake bite around 11pm, looking at the door and going "matt is not coming like he said he was" Then everything is a little nonexsistent in my brain. I guess it happens sometimes.

No plans for today. Might go to the park, might work on my paper a bit. Not really sure. I do know that I don't really want to spend any money. we'll see what today brings. hopefully some more sunshine!

Cadbury Deliciousness

Cadbury World today. Holy smokes so much chocolate. We paid ten pounds to get in and as soon as we started walking into the exhibit we got handed two things of chocolate: cadbury buttons and a twirl bar. We look around, don't really read anything (we pretty much went for the chocolate), watched a couple of films... learned how they made the cadbury eggs, roses, dairy milk bars, etc. etc. saw chocolate coming through a little spot up to packaging, saw chocolate mixing... Oh my god. CHOCOLATE HEAVEN! We got more free chocolate as we left one of the exhibits. Then we went and did a little ride that reminded me of It's a Small World, but it was Cocoa bean world. Crazy. We then got to "make our own" chocolate where they ask you what you want in the bottom of a cup and then put cadbury chocolate all over it. Mine was really good. I got little biscuit thingies. Too much for me though, so I only had a couple of bites and then gave the rest to Heather. After the Cadbury World, we made our way back to the train station because there is a place where they put all the retarded chocolate that didn't meet the standards or whatever for wicked cheap. I got 32 candy bars for 8 dollars. THIRTY TWO CADBURY CANDY BARS FOR ONLY EIGHT DOLLARS. I got 8 regular dairy milk bars, 8 dairy milk caramel bars, 8 dairy milk mint bars, and 8 dairy milk biscuit bars. I am so chocolated out though. The thought of chocolate makes me want to hurl. I had so much today. I don't feel too much like an oinker because we did a lot of walking today. But chocolate was my breakfast/lunch today and then at 5.30 we went and had an actual dinner.

I am not doing my paper. OBVIOUSLY, since I am informing everyone of my chocolate experience. I did find quotes and typed them in... just didn't explain them because a. I don't know what i am talking about and b. i don't know how to explain because of the first point. bahaha. go Kyrie.

I have class tomorrow. I am going to talk to my professor in Story of English about my test because I am really worried about it. I am also going to print off my paper that is due Thursday and turn it in tomorrow. Tomorrow is also Wednesday which means it is SU night! Mike, Heather and I are going on a little picnic before the madness begins of crazy drunk college kids (us included). I am looking forward to it. Wednesdays are my nights to kind of release and forget about all the burdens that rest on my shoulders throughout the week.

Thanks to Skype, I got to call my grandma collect. It was nice to hear her voice, especially since we are both used to talking every Sunday. I plan on making my way through my little list of phone numbers eventually so I can talk to everyone a bit. I have no idea how much it costs people to accept my collect calls, but I keep it short. Maybe 10 minutes.

I guess I should go to bed. 9 am will come quicker than I want it to.

hey pretty what's on your mind

A lot. I have realized that if I don't stop freaking out so much and having a panic attack when one little thing gets out of line in my life, I am going to give myself a heart attack at an early age. My stress response is not so good and I freak out far too easily. I don't know what it is. I am going to be one paranoid parent. I look at some of my friends who don't have a care in the world and are happy all the time and don't let things get to them, and I wish I was like that at times. But being the paranoid crazy lady that I am makes me grateful because it makes me strive for the best grades or whatever. Some people don't care if their computer breaks for example... but my computer is my BABY. This was the first thing I bought myself that was more than $100.00. My money... mine. I think that makes me appreciate things more. My ipod and my computer and camera are all things that I had to work for and pay for, while most people (here especially) have mom and dad pay for anything and know that if something were to happen they would but them a new one. I am very glad I did not have that kind of life. I would be the most ungrateful shit there is if I had things just given to me. I am so grateful for everything I get. Sometimes I feel bad for getting things as well. But am blessed to have the ability to receive gifts but also buy myself things and appreciate both.



I wish I was here in England taking classes at NAU. I miss my English department and the professors. The professors here are so unapproachable and unwilling to help. I asked if I could bring in a draft for them to look at and he said "We can't do that. If we did it for you that means we would have to do it for everyone" and then turned around back to his computer. Asshole anyone?



I am going to be a senior in college this next year. I feel like I just got out of high school. I am also turning 21 in a couple of months. I feel like I just turned 18. Why is the time going by so fast? I get to apply for grad school and fill out graduation papers next semester. That just amazes me. I have accomplished so much. I went from having a 2.2 by the end of my freshman year to having a 2.9 now. I am not getting A's this semester. I have come to terms with it. Here, the ones who get A's are 1% of the students and the grades are rankings of the major. B's are what I am hoping for. I am actually graduating on time even though I changed my major, I have not had to take out a loan, I am not in any kind of debt... Most of my friends either have a couple grand in loans or mommy and daddy pay for it all. I on the other hand do get some financial aid, but still pay at least 2,000 a year for my school.



I am very thankful for the friends I have made here. My friend Heather is one of the best I have made. If it weren't for her, I would be miserable. We are so similar and think the same things... she reminds me a lot of my friend Lindsay back home who I miss dearly.

I am going to the cadbury world tomorrow in Birmingham. Lots of chocolate!!! We are going to a movie tonight Music and Lyrics I believe it is called. They also came out with a new one called "Becoming Jane" which is about Jane Austen which I am going to see in the very near future. We are also trying to get to the Pemburly House. It isn't actually called that, but that is what it is called in Pride and Prejudice. So hopefully that will happen this weekend.

1,000 miles per hour

After the most stressful week of hell, it is the weekend and all is well again! I have my computer back. Nothing was broken... I just had a cat hair in the fan, and when I used the compressed air, it made it all clump together which made both fans stop running which was causing my circuit board to over heat. But my hard drive is fine, and my computer is fine. It runs great even though I am still paranoid about it and wont use it nearly as much as I did. I always turned it off if I wasn't using it or put it into hibernation, but I don't want anything to happen to it until I return home. It can break when I get home, just not now.



My week was OK besides the breakdown. I am still worried about my test, but oh well. I talked to my professor on Thursday about my House of Mirth paper and he said after reading the first two pages that I will get a passing grade. He is such a great guy, and probably the only one I feel comfortable enough talking to. I am not doing homework today but tomorrow I will be spending the day in the library.



Wednesday was a lot of fun. Heather and I went out. She even did my make up, which was great! I felt super pretty, and it is nice to see how people do makeup. I have done the same thing for about 6 years now, so I am learning new things and being more adventuresome. I would rather do it now, then try to do it when I am 65 and have grandchildren, and be "that grandmother" haha.


Mike, Heathers boyfriend flew in yesterday so we made our way to the Birmingham International to go pick him up. We left at 6am. It felt like spring, and we were lucky because we didn't have to wait for any train. It only took us about 45 minutes to get there, including walking to the Wolverhampton train station. It is nice to know what I will be able to do that when I go home.


Today we are going shopping and making Mike over. I am not a big shopper, but I am looking forward to it. The one thing I realized when my computer broke, is that I spend far too much time on it. I spend countless hours doing nothing productive with my time. Sure, at 1 in the morning I start writing, but during the day, I just surf the net trying to figure out something to do. That is going to stop. I am in England and not having a computer made me go and hang out with people. Mostly Heather, but I hung out with Matt too. Plus, when I am awake, like now at 12.48 pm every body I want to talk to is still asleep, so there really isn't a point for being on all the time. No one can e-mail me or anything.


I need to start getting ready for the day. But now I feel a lot better. There are still times that I want to go home, but not as often as when my computer broke and I was having some emotional baggage problems. haha. It is a beautiful spring day, and I cant wait to soak up the sun!! Also, I added more photos on my photo page under Wolverhampton Friends. Pictures from Wednesday night that are pretty grand!! http://community.webshots.com/user/Kyrielynn6

update... read all about it

• my computer it still broken. i am going to a guy today to make sure it is just the fan and hopefully get it fixed.
• i am sick. i have way too much homework. i have not been able to write an argument statement for my paper that is due in two weeks.
• i want to go home.
• the guy next door boinked his girlfriend all night long and i got to hear it. 4 hours of sleep=sucky.
• i had a test today and now i feel really nervous because never in my life i have done so much writing and feel like i failed. just another thing to add on.
• i want to go home.
• i am so freaked out about homework and my papers that i don't even want to go to italy. how pathetic am i.
• i get to go out tonight and let loose. but wake up tomorrow with all the reality that is my life.
• i want to go home.
• i don't think i have cried so much in the past week than i have in a very long time. i feel like an idiot.
• i am in the library and there is a guy that smells like asshole next to me.
• i want to go home.

Another day

This was the only picture taken last night. The only one, no joke. haha. This was very close to the end of the night. My tongue is really long. I knew I had a long tongue, but I had never taken a picture with my tongue out like that.

It was a good night. I had a lot of fun like I usually do. When we were done eating at Heather's at like 2 in the morning, Jackie and I started walking back and this guy was stealing a shopping cart from ASDA. He had got it passed where it locked up. I asked him how he was doing, and he came over because we were American. We talked to him for about an hour, then our friend Blair came over and started talking with us. It is interesting meeting random people who are drunk and whom you will never see again.

Came home and had the worst sleep ever. And the prick that lives next to me had his boyfriend over last night, so they were up at 9 am laughing obnoxiously loud and being a pain in my ass. I went to bed at 3.30 and woke up every hour. I need my sleep, and these doods just don't have respect.

Today Heather and I went shopping. I got a backpacking back pack for only 20 pounds (40.00!) which is bomb because you can't find a good backpacking back pack for less than 75 bucks. I am so excited. Buying the backpack is just so cool. I would have never thought I would be able to go backpacking... in a different country nonetheless!! In fact, I never thought I would be doing this whole thing. I know a lot of people had doubts about me actually going through with this, shit I even doubted myself but I did it. And that in itself is something I am very proud of. It really is amazing to me that I am doing this... I wake up every morning thinking "I did this. I made this happen. I am paying for everything myself. This is all me!" I didn't even I would ever get into college, and now look at me... I am in college and in a different country. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

American Literature is calling me, so I must go.