While I've been pretty busy over the past few days, it isn't all that interesting. Tuesday I had my first real tutorial, which went pretty well. I'm very glad I took Butler's British history course, cause she asked me some questions that I otherwise would not have known the answers to. I was also asked not to find my own Internet sources for papers in the future, though the one I had used was recommended by Butler. Whatever, next time I'll just stick with the reading list. Lazed around a bit afterwards, then went to the Bodelian to work on my Medieval Travel Writers paper. Took me a little while to find a book, but I finally did. Some people there can be rude, just stomping around and being rather noisy as they fortunately just pass through. Meant to get more work done when I came back, but unfortunately I didn't. Meant to go down to the common room for like half an hour, and instead wound up there for 3 talking to people and watching Breakfast at Tiffany's. Not bad, I guess, and at least now when people reference it I'll actually know what they're talking about.
Wednesday was seminar, which went rather well, especially considering I hadn't done some of the readings. Prolly shouldn't let that happen again. Philpott's a lot of fun, but I'll probably be in trouble if he catches me slacking off. After lunch I headed out to do some last minute research before writing my paper, but I stopped at Blackwell's on my way to the Bod. That was a mistake. The place was huge. Combine Borders and Barnes & Noble back home, then double it and you get a rough idea of the size. The basement was very cool where it does this thing where it keeps dipping down for different subjects. Unfortunately the basement is mostly sciences so there wasn't much of interest to me, though it did have the map section, where I was able to get a decent one of Oxford. It's funny, they have things for basically every country in the world there well organized except for England. You can find atlases, but general city maps like they have for other places are nowhere to be found, and ones for Oxford were spread around the area in little displays. The first, or ground floor as they call it, was mostly modern books, with new releases in the front, and in the back a DVD section, science fiction and other newer books, and then a children's section. The second floor (British first) has a little cafe that was packed, and then is mostly poetry and Oxford Press classics, which at pretty much every bookstore in the city our 2 for 3. Most likely going to be a problem soon, but fortunately not yesterday. The third floor (or second) was all history books. So many, and so much I'd love to have. Somehow I left that floor without anything. That floor also had a section for learning Greek and Latin. Finally the fourth floor (third, or attic, whatever) was the used book collection. Some of them were a little cheaper, though there were some old ones for a pretty penny. It was the worst kept room too, kind of had a paupery feel to it. The floors weren't carpeted and were really creaky, the bookshelves were kind of old looking and it was a little cooler. Still everything was well organized, and nothing looked too bad. Here I did find a book. Sorry, knew the instant I walked in the store I prolly would find something. Still, the book and 2 maps only cost me £5.50.
Actually, the fact that the place was so huge it was discouraged me from buying anything else. There's so much that if you just go in there to browse for anything like I was, it's a bit overwhelming. It's very cool, but if you don't go in there to look for something specific or only intend to examine one section, then it's a little too big. Surprisingly I was only there half an hour longer than I planned to be, then went over to the Bod.
Came back to St. Michael's to work on my paper, which wasn't going so well. Decided to try St. Peter's for one last book. I went around the entire library before I eventually stumbled across the section in a corner of the basement, found exactly where the book should be, and it wasn't there. It's off in their stacks, wherever those are. Came back and worked on finishing my paper, took forever. I had trouble figuring out what I wanted to say, and was often distracted by movies on my laptop. Finished a little after midnight though, and went to bed exhausted.
Woke up this morning feeling dizzy, so I skipped breakfast to sleep a little longer. My stomach didn't like it, but my head did. Went to my tutorial, which was fun. I learned quite a bit about my tutor Alun, who has had experience in tons of fields. I did have to read my paper out loud to him, which I did not rather enjoy. Talked about things for next week, then went to lunch. The soup was disgusting, but I was starving and ate it anyway. The pasta and meatballs (pretty sure they were meatballs) were good though. Went out and got a haircut, not too expensive and the guy was nice. It looks good, though I would have preferred it to be a little shorter so I wouldn't have to go again. Oh well. Also stopped an bought a calendar, good thing to cause the shop's closing Sunday. Not exactly what I wanted, but it looks good. Lazed around till dinner, which was not that good, I picked the wrong dish. What I get for trying something new. Plan for the rest of the night is to find the books I'll need to do work tomorrow and then chill in the common room. Should be an okay night.
No comments:
Post a Comment