cwhitton

Well what a year 2008 was!  First year at university finnished, ended up with my arm in cast, loads of new friends, spent the end of the year in the USA from August, more friends, LOTS of alcohol and LOTS of photos taken!

Last night was amazing, a quiet night at Flic's doing a murder mystery.  Flic had killed off my son.  3 Course meal and LOTS of alcohol!!  Now it's time to reflect on the highlights of 2008.  First would have to be going to the RBS Six Nations down in Cardiff with the two Jason's and Craig.  Alcohol and partying was a good combination with the game.  Next would be the Ski Trip at Easter, best snow I have skied in for a while.  Some great photos and for the first time I tried snowboarding and it was AMAZING!  Going to split my time this year doing half and half.  After that it would probably have to be May Ball, spent it with great people and have a good time.  Then comes the rollerblading incident with Jason...ended up in A&E for over an hour. 

Skip over the exam period and most of the summer holidays cos I was working till the week before I headed state side.  Spent that visiting people around the country.  Southampton, Swansea, Aberystwyth, Home!  Then the wonder of a flight to MIAMI to start my two week holiday where I went scuba diving, sunbathing, visiting the theme parks etc. Then off up to Indiana to go to Purdue to study.  Amazing place, with amazing people.  Going to be hard to forget them! 

Now back in the UK and it's the holiday period...tho hasn't really been festive for me.  I think the whole traveling back to the UK just before Christmas saped it away from me.  Just looking forward now to returning to Aber and getting back into the swing of things...tho maybe less alcohol this year....

And I will be home.  Have started to pack my stuff up, needed to do laundry anyways so thought kill two birds with one stone.  Almost done, just got to remember to leave enough clothing out for the next few days in Lafayette.  Chicago I can just live out the bags for 2 days.  Cannot wait to get up there.  Have heard so many good stories about the Windy City, will be good to see it for myself.  Current plan is arrive at 9.30AM (ish) drop bags off at hotel then go explore.  Think first stop will be the bean, or somewhere for breakfast...mmmmm food!!  So much free stuff to go and see apparently.  The Friday night is going to be great, seeing Wicked!!  My treat to myself for completing the semester.  

Had the first of the leaving parties for the international ag students.  Most of us headed down to Scotty's for a burger, including Kara.  Was like the first day we all met and had Pizza Hut; christ that only seems like yesterday.  The next on is tomorrow at Chauncey, my leaving party.  Should be the usual Chauncey affair lol.  Then IPIA are hosting the offical one on Tuesday; free food, so I should be all happy by then about my looming finals.  I have 3 to do.  One on Tuesday and two on Wednesday.  I should be ok, going to spend most of this weekend studying.  Seems strange to be thinking that I am leaving soooo soon.  Got a few more presents to buy then that is it.  I should be able to get it home....just.  Books are being posted back, dont think anything else will be.  But I still have a few days before I am finnished so who knows what I will collect in that time. 

Like JJ I cannot believe it is coming to an end, seems like only yesterday I moved in thinking "What have I let myself in for?!"  And know I don't want to leave the Chauncey guys :(
 

Once again I am sat in Lilly lobby.  I should work on this take home quiz as I doubt I'll have much time this evening.  Got a busy one.  Dinner; Kate, Imke & Joliene are coming round, serenade practice and then the actual serenades.  Though I should also be playing 5-a-side at the same time, woops!

Well they did it, elected a new President for the USA.  Mr Obama!!!  What a moment in history it was last night.  I didn't think I would see an African-American President in my life time.  Watching it from this house was intresting as the majority were McCain supporters; who have turned out to be very sore loosers, so the few of us who were for Obama were outnumbered.  Having looked at facebook statuses of the guys in the house the majority show a seriously narrow view point and some even so how ignorant they are!!  Comparing Obama to Hitler?! WTF?!  Think some need to go revise their history.  Oh and how have the US also elected a communist leader?!  I see no definitive trates of a communist leader in President-elect Obama!!

I wish this state would make it's mind up on the weather, last week was freezing now I'm looking at a high of 21C!!!  Not that I don't mind the high just wish the place was constant. 

In other news.....

Election time!!  Wake me up when it is over, lol.

It's getting cold now, woke up and it was 4C!!  Wasn't nice, I ended up in two jumpers, a hat and a scarf.  And I was indoors!! 

Ok so it has been a while since I posted.

NYC was AMAZING, had a really good time.  Though some people on the trip really need to learn how to travel!!  Lion King was good, Empire State had great views at night, Liberty and Ellis Islands were new to me, would have liked to have stayed longer on Ellis Island, but hey ho.  Weather wise it was good, nice and sunny most of the time, tho one morning was a bit cloudy.  Oh and as it was me I obviously had to do some shopping....Macys, Old Navy, A&F, Banana Republic....the list goes on.

Got a busy few days coming up.  Thursday there might be a house social; another highlighter party I have been told, Friday off to see Chicago the Musical with Kate and then  Saturday seeing another rugby game and a hallowen party at Gemini in the evening.  Speaking of rugby, man did PUs coach piss me off loads last Saturday!!  Never in my life have I seen a rugby coach run onto the pitch during the game to talk to the team, I was like WTF?!  Only in America I guess....PU did win tho only cos Ohio State were stupid and didnt kick the ball to touch when the time ran down letting PU get a try and converson to win the game.

That evening we had our Barn Dance...well more like Tent Dance seeing as we had no barn.  Was out near Wabash so had a nice drive out there.  Was a good night talking to the other 3 houses that had joined us, was a cold night though.  I ended up sleeping in the back of my mates car as the only tents WalMart had were 7man ones for $75, screw that!  Not that I got much sleep, couldn't get comfy.  Think I actually got more sleep on the drive home than in the night.

Weather out here is starting to turn cold now, not had that much rain just been lower than in the past month.  I am so glad of my new jacket, it's nice and warm.  I now have got 2 months till I am home, that will just race by, I will miss the guys here at Chauncey and mates around Purdue.  But I have been informed that JJ will be home around same time as me so I cannot wait to see him again, will of been about 7 months seen I saw him last!

3 days till New York City!!!  Cannot wait, it has been a few years since I was there and didn't do all the touristy things so will be a great chance to go again.  Will be seeing the Lion King on Broadway too, that should be amazing!!  Only thing is have to be up and at Campus House at 6am.  Oh well will be an early night the Friday night.  I cannot believe I have been here for almost 2 months, it has flown by.  The guys in the house are awesome, make me feel right at home.  So much to do as well, still have a pile of reading....it just never seems to stop.  With no social in the house this week should be able to get some done that night instead, need to force myself to do it rather than talk to friends back home lol.  Oh by the way I MISS YOU GUYS!!!  

I have also changed my flight home, now leaving the US the 20th December not the 21st as originally planned.  Booked my train up to Chicago and my hotel.  While I am up there I am off to see Wicked, cannot wait for that either, should be good.   I seem to be getting back into going to the theatre, with seeing Robin Williams the other week, Lion King on Broadway, Chicago (the musical) coming to campus and now the booking of Wicked in Chicago...must be the two years of Performance Studies coming back. 

Last weeks social was G I Joes and Camo hos, so had a nice trip to Goodwill and Walmart to get my costume sorted, went all out and did the whole camo paint etc, photos are on facebook for my friends.  It also looks as if the weather has turned against us, it is now cloudy and rainy, reminds me of Wales, tho without Penglais hill to walk up or down.

Have also started planning my New Years, have a mate coming down for the week.  Thinking London will be on the cards, along with the usual going out getting drunk...might have to find a way to keep my tollerance up cos I know he will make me drink loads, hopefully not as many Jagerbombs as when I last saw him.  Oh and mates back home (Cambs, Herts, Beds people) will have to sort out a night when he is down to go out...Cambridge or Royston (or two nights; one of each)  Get thinking people!!

are not nice.  8.30am lectures are too early and it is horrible outside at that time.  All dark when I get up, reminds me of waking up for work back home.  Oh well only do it twice a week, thankfull not got any 7.30am ones.

Had first load of exams last week, they felt as if they went ok, just waiting on the results.  Also got more reading to do so that is this evenings job, bash out a chapter or few!!  Just generally been doing my usual weekly routine.  Tho on Saturday we had the high-lighter party!!  High-lighters, white shirts, black lights = loads of fun.  Got army party this Friday so need to get down the shops and get my outfit sorted, or and the facepaint.  Got to go all out, Chauncey has the reputation of dressing up for all of their socials.  Still loving it out here but missing the whole going out drinking with my mates back home.  Stupid 21 drinking age grrrrrrrr

is the theme of tonights party. Anything But Clothes...hmmm no idea what I will go in.  Will be last minute decision I feel.  Oh well have another 7 hours before it starts. 

Weather has improved again, back to being sunny, however my cold is developing nicely.  Tail gating again tomorrow with Stewart, and then off to cinema in the evening.  Should be a good saturday.  Did get the chance to go scuba diving again but felt like I needed some time to do homework after tail gating.  Got to get on with reading this book for one of my classes, that could take a while!!  Got exam on Friday so need to knuckle down this week with revision, need to do well.  Anyways back to doing some work before my next class.