Shops, Freshers Flu, and Pity Parties

Today was not much fun, and you lucky people get to hear about it!

I now officially have Freshers Flu (I'm blaming my next door flatmate, but most of them have had it so far). So I'm not sick sick, but I'm still annoyed. I didn't have class today, so I thought I would sleep in. I was wide awake at 7. Fine, I thought, I'll be productive. I couldn't concentrate. I ended up going for a walk for awhile. I came back and before going in the shower, checked my UEA email. I had one from the library saying that I had an overdue book. I completely forgot to return the short loan I had gotten on Monday, which was due on Tuesday. I ran over there. The fine amounted to 7.80. 7 pounds and 80 pence. I almost had a stroke. All I had was a ten, which I needed for groceries. So I still haven't paid it, but they said since I returned the book at least the fine wouldn't get any worse.

I came back to my cement palace and fell asleep for awhile. I staggered out to go to office hours for my Foreign Policy Professor (or Tutor as they're called here). Most profs here have office hours maybe once a week, so it's kind of tricky to track them down. I got there and he had a note on his door--"In The Blend having a coffee, you can come and look for me there." The whole point of office hours is to be in your sodding office. I muttered a few choice phrases and decided to just go shopping and forget about it. I just made it onto the bus as it was leaving (what good luck, thought I) until it turned out that there were no seats on either deck. I ended up gripping a pole and practically standing on top of a nun. We all know that I get bus sick in the best of times, which was currently compounded by the fact that I felt dizzy today every time I stood up.

I decided to get off the bus at the City Centre instead of staying on to my usual grocery store. I found the downtown shop finally and proceeded to shop fast. I was going through some papers from school over the summer, and found two Wegmans receipts. One was for: Nyquil, Ibuprofen, ice pack, and instant Oatmeal. Sounds like a girl with a cold and in knee therapy. The other one was: Ben & Jerry's Phish Food, tampons, and a People magazine...I think we can guess what kind of day I was having. Here was my receipt today: baking potatoes, cheese, cup of soup, juice, plain yogurt, bran flakes. I sound so mature, or so boring. I went to check out, and the woman in front of me no lie had 8 boxes of kleenex, 9 things of biscuits, and 6 cans of beans, amongst other things. She wanted them checked out in two groups, because she wanted to pay for half with cash and half with cheque. She was the cutest old woman, too ("ooohh my dear girl, I am so sorry that I'm holding you up") but I did want to throttle her a little bit.

Things are starting to look up a bit now. I had some soup, and I'm going to make a jacket potato (my new found love). I really like it here. I do. Sometimes though, on days where I feel gross, I want a TV, or movies, and some type of food that I don't have to cook, as well as people who I've known for longer than 3 weeks. I put the picture on here because it makes me happy; I took it in Cambridge. It reminds me of the good stuff about here, and there is plenty. Yesterday I bought a pot, so I can make pasta. I heard "Jump for your Love" (the song Hugh Grant dances to in Love Actually) when I was in the store, and it made me so happy. I got a scone and a mocha yesterday, and read in a cafe. Once I get some cold meds, things will be much improved.

So, ready...let's have a Pity Party, one two three awwwww. You can thank my mother for teaching me that.