It just hit me this week that there's less than 40 days until I'm back to the States! Time flies! Anyways, it was a great week. Enjoy!
Scottish word of the week: Brig: n. A bridge.
Picture of the week:
What I've been up to - in bullet points
Monday
- Attending class
- Practicing the piano
- Enjoying a practical for MB3005
- Starting work for my essay on Friday
- Enjoying yet another practical for MB3005
- Registering for (and getting in to!) all of my classes for next semester. On the docket: Health Dynamics, Piano Lessons, Native American History and Literature, Religion and Politics, 20th Century Ethics, and Physics II.
- Practicing the piano
- Sitting through the weekly Wednesday lecture marathon
- Researching for my essay
- Practicing the piano
- Singing at choral society! If you haven't yet, listen to Libera Me from Faure's Requiem. It's incredible: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDpt_F8fG5A&NR=1
- Partaking in the weekly Hitchcock movie night. The Man Who Knew Too Much is a wonderful film.
- Sleeping in a bit
- Researching for my essay
- Practicing the piano
- Having a wonderful piano lesson!
- Researching still some more for the essay
- Attending BM3006
- Cramming for my essay
- Actually writing my essay - I felt that it went very, very well!!!
- Practicing the piano
- Having breakfast dinner with friends (brinner)!
- Waking up at 6:30 to catch the 7:52 train to Edinburgh
- Consuming 3 baked potatoes topped with chicken, pasta, mayonnaise and corn in one sitting.
- Grimacing for the Fijians as they were crushed by the Scottish in a rugby match
- Walking up and down the Royal Mile
- Relaxing at Deacon Brody's with friends
- Climbing the Edinburgh Craigs in time for Sunrise
- Worshiping at St. Giles Cathedral
- Tagging along with the Sandeman's Tour of Edinburgh
- Coughing up a chunk of change to see the castle and have a glance at the crown jewels
- Taking a stroll down memory lane in the childhood museum
- Coming home to Aberdeen after a great weekend!
- Attending lecture and scheduling exams
- Practicing piano for 4 hours...it was wonderful
- RECEIVING A PACKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!! (THANK YOU AUNT LYNNE!!!!!)
- Taking with Mark, Bruce, and Matt
- Doing a big pile of laundry
The match was an incredible experience. Every fourth fan was proudly dressed in a kilt and the saltire was everywhere - on hats, shirts, and blowing in the breeze as a cape. The atmosphere was electric as a band of 75 bagpipes marched into the stadium, the shrill tones filling Murrayfield. During the singing of the national anthem I tried to hum the tune, but gave up halfway and just enjoyed the experience.
Rugby players are a different breed. Every single one is a hunk of pure muscle. The biggest players were around 6'5'' and weighed probably 250-280 lbs. They weren't a slow, lumbering 280 pounds - they were a fierce middle-linebacker 280 pounds, and they could really move across the field. Rugby is similar to football in that the objective is to get the ball across the goal line, but it differs in that there aren't "downs". Play is continuous unless a pile forms (which they often do) or the ball goes out of bounds. If the first happens a "scrum" happens, in which the players mass around where the pile initially formed and collectively push against the other team. The team that last had possession of the ball is able to work ball to the back of the scrum, and play continues. If the ball happens to go out of bounds there is a throw in. The receiving players are lifted up 10 ft. into the air to catch the ball - it really is quite a sight.
The ball is advanced by one player running forward until he meets the opposing team, but at the instant before he is leveled to the ground he pitches the ball laterally or backwards to another member of his team. In this manner the ball travels, slowly advancing forward, unless a hole in the defense forms. If this happens, the player rushes into the teeth of the opposing team and is often taken down quite forcefully. On the rare occasion that he breaks through (which happened once or twice for the Scottish) the stands erupt into cheers.
Overall it was quite the spectacle. The size, skill, and power of the players was something else to see. I'd highly recommend it to anyone.
RANDOM SECTION OF THE WEEK:
They say that "absence makes the heart grow fonder", and I think that it's true. Since coming here I've realized something with even greater clarity: that I deeply love my family and friends. Mom and Dad, Steve and Mark, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Cousins and Friends I truly love and cherish each and every one of you. It's been a joy keeping this blog for the past two months, and it's going to be a joy writing it five more times.
Johnny:
ReplyDeleteJust love reading your blog, seeing your pictures and hearing about your activities. Absence does make the heart fonder and we, too, miss your very much but are so happy that you are learning and growing!
Love,
Mom
Hello, dear Johnny,
ReplyDeleteJust yesterday I was sharing with your mom that I sure do miss you! I'm so thankful that you're having such a fantastic experience. Your world view is widening and your faith is growing. What more could we ask for???!!!
I'm wondering if you have procured the necessary clothing for the concert??? Finding someone to borrow from could be difficult! Not everyone is 6'9" tall! Hopefully it will all work out!!!
Loved the photo with the rainbow. A great reminder of God's promises.
Oh, Uncle K. has reserved a GINORMOUS honey crisp apple for you. It's waiting to be savored in a bag labeled "JOHN" in the downstairs fridge. We'll save a few more, too. Uncle K. and I picked 100# of apples back in September. Your mom and Mrs. Barnense made millions of pies. I'm sure there are a lot left for you to have in about 4o days!
Love you, John. Take care and keep wearing your hats. Does your hat wearing mean that when you return you'll be wearing a Dutch guy type hat back at home????? Some of those Dutch dance hats are pretty interesting. . .can't wait to see THAT!!!
aunt patricia
p.s. So glad that Aunt Lynne's package arrived. We were certain that it had been STOLEN. Our faith in the Scottish postal system has been restored (but they're still pretty slow). Be looking for our package. It has one really unusual item. . .
hi dear john- here are some belated comments from g and g. we are impressed that you manage to practice the piano, write your essays, watch rugby games , view crown jewels, listen to glorious music,etc. etc.and still manage to rest your brainy red head- we hope. --you are making the most of each precious moment. love, g and g
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