Little Talks

I'm on reading week, and for what might be the first time since I started university it means that I actually get to read...for myself! I always spend reading breaks studying for tests, doing course readings to keep up with all of the material, and of course hanging out with friends. But I am in England, my friends already had their reading week, and I am still ahead on all of my course work. Thank the Lord that this semester has not been as stressful as the last few! It would make it so much harder to enjoy being here. I picked a quote for today that felt appropriate for reading week.

[Warning: contains spoilers] I'm a big fan of the Potterverse, let me just say. The fact that there was a script being marketed as "the eighth book" was just too much - I had to buy it. And buy it I did. But I'm not sure I would have spent the money to see the play. Then again, perhaps it would have been better to see it performed instead f trying to imagine what it looks like when time stops, turns over, thinks a bit, and then begins spooling backward. Try to act out that stage direction! Speaking of stage direction, the magic in this play is either going to be hard to buy when watching it, or the effects team must be top-notch. How in the world do you show a polyjuice potion transformation on stage? If you can't tell from my initial comments, I found myself picturing this story taking place on stage as often as I pictured it taking place in the Potter movie settings. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , contrary to the name, spends a lot of time focussed on

I feel like I am on the verge of being the next Bilbo Baggins; I'm ready for an adventure! Of course, everything I am doing right now is an adventure. I am sitting in my little apartment in Lincoln, having just booked a trip to London for reading week. This weekend I have been exploring my city more and taking in the local experience. And it fills me with the sense of adventure I get from reading a good fantasy story, or watching a great fantasy movie. Like Bilbo, I feel so inspired by my adventures, and I feel at this particular moment that I could be on the verge of writing. Inspiration has escaped me for too long, but I am hoping that my trip to London will bring it back. I have realized, though, that I do not need to travel or see the world to have an adventure. Of course, that makes life all the more interesting. But just being me is an adventure. It is an experience no one else will have.

[Warning: mild spoilers] Do you remember that weekend I spent at my friend's house watching as many of these sort of drunk-humour movies as we could think of? (If not, scroll down until you hit the mass of Zac Efron and Seth Rogen movies). You would think that one weekend would have been enough for us, but no. When we saw the commercial for Mike and Dave we said, "We are so going to that!" And we did, obviously, or else I wouldn't be blogging about it. It was pretty good. I mean, look at that cast! Can you top a comedy movie starring Zefron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza? Yes, but these guys and girls are the epitome of this genre. The movie has a good premise for a comedy, and sets up the inevitable romance aspect as well. The boys need "good girls" to bring as dates to their sister's wedding, but they get tricked into inviting two poor girls who more clever than smart. You probably see where this is going. They like the girls. One coup

Wow it's the start of another week already. Time is starting to move much quicker, which just proves that I'm settling into my temporary home. Tonight I went to church and then hung out with a bunch of fellow students and leaders from the church. That is definitely the most homey (yeah, that's a word, right?) experience I've had since hopping across the ocean. I'm really glad to be building a community here, but I know that it's going to make it harder to leave when the time comes.

Today's quotation is so true, and it's something I've really only started to experience since being in university. I noticed that, as long as I was doing my own thing, being all alone in the city was totally cool with me. And unless I'm getting stir crazy or really need someone to talk to, I quite enjoy sitting alone in my house (or my apartment here in England). But what really bothers me is being with people and feeling like you would rather be alone. I don't mean wanting to be alone because you're tired or introverted (that's me all the time). I mean wanting to be alone because it's better than trying to force conversations with people, faking enjoyment because you're feeling neglected or bored, and being left out of conversations happening all around you. When the group you are supposed to be a part of seems to be excluding you, or your buddy is more interested in their phone, that sucks.

[Warning: contains spoilers] Oh what can I say about this movie? It's true what they say: Wonder Woman really was the best part of this. Must I say more? I love superhero movies, but I did not love this. It was dark, it was dull, it was unnecessarily long. Or maybe it just felt long because I was bored. That's right, I was bored watching a superhero movie! Those two things should never go together, superheroes and boredom share an innate antipathy toward one another, and yet they came together to kidnap three hours of my life that I will never be able to get back. I had skepticism about this movie, knowing that Man of Steel has some questionable reviews, but I figured that Ben Affleck as Batman might be pretty good. It had to be better than Daredevil , didn't it? I'm not so sure about that anymore. They're both kind of bad, but in very different ways. The colour palette in this movie sets the tone for everything else. It is all very dark and pale colours, bridgi