just checking in

yes, i'm still alive, and i have not been arrested, deported, harassed, kidnapped, blown up, run over, or incapacitated in any way. i still have ten fingers to type blog entries. hurrah hurrah.

within two days of my arrival in london, i have made phone calls from the trademark red telephone booths, and ridden on the trademark double-deck buses. (see photo.) it's been pretty crazy, but i guess not as crazy as it could have been. maybe. my two biggest blog fans know what has transpired during the days-of-no-internet-access. *shudder* for everyone else, let me just make a list of the program highlights...

1. arrived in london, went to flat which i am sharing with new schoolmates, signed contract. started moving in the succeeding week, in bits and pieces. mom went crazy with the grocery shoping. had to rein her in more than once.
2. mommy-sat (the adult equivalent of baby-sat) for over two weeks. some days she's ok, some days she just really drives me up the wall. (i should say, my mother tolerance has gone up a few nothces since the last time i was exposed to her 24/7. my older sister, on the other hand, has gone to virtually zero-tolerance for the mother, due to constant non-interaction with said specimen. tsk tsk.)
3. met up with older sister and bro-in-law. they saw flat, they hate flat, they make me find new flat.
4. spent half a week (and close to 20 sterling pounds worth of phone calls) finding better flat. no such thing exists. (well, it does, but it also comes with a hefty price tag. durr.) resigned to living in sister-declared icky flat.
5. brought mother to airport, where constant my surveillance and assistance were still much needed. sometimes i wonder who really is the adult in this relationship. (my older sister was more worried about my mother getting around london for two weeks, than she is of me living in london for twelve months.)
6. met up with classmates and schoolmates, travelled over the thames river to hear british architect sir norman foster (of recent "gherkin" fame) speak, only to find out the program sheet had the wrong venue. just wasted time and transportation money to hang around with classmates. not too bad.

school registration is on monday, and i suppose i will be really busy after that. but rest assured, you will hear from me again. to gripe about my indescribably inept flatmates. all of them in general, and one of them in particular. the one who keeps asking about the internet access for the flat, but is actually supposed to be the one working on it. i shall say no more.

for now.