Things I have to do in the US list

Suggestions please....... I have put I list up already but it would be good to get some ideas. I will link them to the blog when I have done it. Stupid things are welcome but serious things are good too. I have also changed the comment thing so you don't have to have an account to do them. So after the tone please leave your message ........ I will get my hat

First Month

OK so I have been here a month now and it's going pretty good. I am definitely feeling a lot more settled than I have been all the time I have been here. Yesterday was strange as it was my birthday but today has been good. I have been looking for apartments as I have to move in Aug. Yes you heard me right, I am organised and pro-active, well kinda. My feeling at the minute is that I want to stay till next Aug. I have to extend my visa anyway so I might as well put a few extra months on. This may/probably will change by the time I have to think about it, but I guess it means that I am enjoying it here.

It is strange it feels like I have been here ages, but then sometimes it's like I have only been here 2 minutes. It's the old brain playing tricks again. I must have changed since I got here. I know I feel a lot happier about everything. I just hope I change for the good. I am probably a lot more organised than I was awhile ago. Well not too organised, he he. Also I am getting better at keeping in touch. It helps when your not in the country.

I do miss everyone back home. Leaving made me realise that so much. When it actually hit me that I was leaving, I was overwhelmed. I just hadn't been thinking too much about it for one reason or another. I have had quite a bit of time to sort things out in my head. Moving has really put things into perspective. Looking back on my leaving party it was great to see everyone and I can't thank everyone enough for coming. We need to get together more often. He says when he is 3500 miles away. Before I gush too much, I shall stop.

I am gonna get I list on the blog of the top things I should do. Stuff like shoot a gun, eat a 64 Oz steak etc. The blog has got a good response so far so I will keep it up. It would be nice if y'all made some comments

My Weekend and Soul Food

Had a pretty strange weekend this time around. It started in a pub on Friday (far too many of my stories start like that) where I met Ryan (music fan, drinking buddy, gentleman and a scholar) and his old neighbour from Texas, Curtis (music fan, drinking monster and Lutheran minister). We enjoyed beer, laughs and a damn good burger from Dain's Place on 9Th St. Later we drove to Chapel Hill (a few miles from Durham) to see a few bands (unfortunately not a growling metal band but you can't have everything). We spent the evening enjoying some good bands and some PBR. Nothing to heavy or crazy, mostly just talking about rubbish as usual. The bands were great, the first band was a garage rock band who even did a Sonics cover which was just down my street. I have no idea how to describe the other band, kinda indie country I guess, but still damn good. After we went to time out chicken for fried chicken and cheese biscuits. I asked to have the nastiest drunk food. I thought it was amazing, especially the biscuits. I am not talking rich tea here, they are kinda like scones but not sweet. Basically just butter. They are really bad for you but, wow do they taste good. They are part of the southern Soul Food thing, which I am really looking forward to sampling even more. As you might be able to tell as most of this post has been about it.

Saturday day was a bit of a non even, breakfast of Twinkies (see pic), acquired from a petrol station on the way home (I wanted a Slurpee but they didn't have any). Got the new webcam which you saw on the previous post. I hope you still not laughing over it. Saturday evening involved chilling out on the porch (very American of me), singing on the porch, harassing people from the porch, silly photos in hats, drinking some beers and a fantastic a cocktail called surfers on acid (I think: pineapple juice Malibu and jager), the usual heading out to the pubs on main St. Then back to Ryan's for more surfers on acid and listening to lots of music, especially pulp which Curtis was a big fan of, much respect. All in all a good weekend I think.

Video Test

Ok so here is a test video message. I think it is bad but I'm sure you lot will all have a good laugh.

My walk to work I

Here is my test of a photojournal to see how it looks, I have just picked the best photos for this but I have a few more here. This is my route to work from getting off the east to west campus bus. It is such a nice campus. Most of this part is taken in the Sarah P. Duke gardens. With the second part my walk into to where I work.


The right fork goes by the lake


It's a tough walk in.



A nice little pond

My walk to work II

So here are some campus buildings. I just kinda like them.


Here is the quad


The CIEMAS building where I work


My desk, with coffee (don't ask about the tea) and a blueberry muffin which was absolutely lovely

Black Sunday

Well not quite, but Sheffield United are no longer a premiership football club. In the end it went down to 1 goal. It's cruel but we would have been overjoyed if it was the other way around. It does mean I won't be able to watch them now as well, oh well there is always Internet radio. It is kinda surreal being over here. I guess in the UK it's gonna have been on TV all day. I haven't watched much ESPN but it hasn't been on it and it's not on the website. It is kinda nice not to have it rammed down your throat that you lost. Well atleast we get to beat the pigs next season. Up the Blades

The apple

Ok due to popular demand and people spitting tea out when hearing about this apple I have removed it from my office and took it home to take a photo. I can't eat it now after so much hype, so I wont be able to sleep tonight.

For Uk users


and any US users
I don't think the pictures do a a whole lot of justice.

On other fruit related issues there was randomly a huge mellon outside my office today. It was indeed as big as your head. I think I maybe going slowly insane.

Americana

I met some people from England today. It was actually really nice to hear people speak normal. I have been thinking about writing down some differences for a while, so I shall do it while I have been reminded of the the UK.

When shopping the price is never the same as what it says. I have come to expect it because of the sales tax not being added, but at duke they have weird discounts so if you pay by cash its cheaper so I just have this confused look on my face all the time. Which granted is pretty normal for me.

Also the cashiers are really nice here, I'm guessing this is a southern US thing as its not just the usual 'hi have a nice day' they have a bit of a joke and a laugh down here. I don't know if its a combination of the accent or me being confused all the time. It does also feel like I get extra when I am being served for stuff, I guess that might be the accent, they do love it.

Supermarkets are just bloody strange. Far to many pre-made meals etc. The choice is weird too, you just get lots of different brands of the same thing. So a wide range of choice and not much stuff.

Fruit and veg are massive. I bought an apple today and it was a monster. It was bigger than my hand. I was scared to eat it so it is still sat on my desk.

Nobody walks. I see people waiting 15 mins for the bus to go one stop which is about a 2 - 3 min walk. I get so many strange looks while walking with my shopping.

Nobody swears. Although its great as I said bollocks loudly and nobody batted an eyelid. I have since taught them the subtleties of the use of the word bollocks and will be carrying it on with other gems.

I am really disturbed by the adverts for medical drugs on TV. They name all the side effects etc. The best ones are the sleeping pills that may cause drowsiness and the 'Viagra' type one that may cause loss of vision and dizzy spells, sounds a bit like its working too well.

Stupid questions I have been asked: So do you get fresh fruit and veg in England? What do you do on the 4 th of July? - this might have been a joke I'm still not sure.

Settling in

It has been a strange few days. Watching Sheffield United on TV and being a sort of loose end on Sunday gave me a slight feeling of homesickness. It certainly made me think of home a lot anyway. Speaking to home changed that. This morning it was difficult getting into work, I knew it was bank holiday Monday back in the UK. For the past couple of years this day has been spent at the Fuzz Club BBQ. Which has always been an enjoyable experience, well from what I can remember. So most of today has had a slight melancholy tinge to it.

The strangest things brought me out of it. It was the simple acts of going to the supermarket, cooking and doing my laundry. I am feeling more and more settled. I guess the sunshine helps put a smile on my face too.

My view

Just a quick post to show you the view from my room that I took today.


The view to the other side is an electrical sub-station, won't be posting that

Friday night drinking in the US

It is nice to go for a drink after a hard week at work. It just unfortunate that it never ends in one drink and you waste a whole Saturday and if your really unlucky most of Sunday. It is especially bad when you leave work at 5, don't eat anything and end up shouting that you want a salmonella wagon, if you are indeed lucky enough to still be talking. It is fun to do this, and many a good night has been spent and varying degrees of drunkenness. Moving to the states I was a bit apprehensive because the perceived bar culture is that of seedy old men trying to pick up desperate old women. I guess I want to calm down on the drinking a bit but I still want to be able to get drunk and have fun.

Thankfully my worries were unfounded, which I was guessing they would be. It was a good mix of people young and old. Most were mid 20s to mid 30s. The beers was flowing and people were having fun. It was a good atmosphere, as you didn't have the I must get absolutely out of my skull vibe going on. It also feels like people talk to different groups more and intermingle, which is nice. Although I found myself talking to lots of random people. One guy who everything I said to him his answer was 'Is that a fact?', or 'so you like doing[insert whatever I said] ? do you? huh?', he was quite intense and I thought he was offended by me being British, as some 'Europeans' had been making fun of him/Americans for having no sense of humour, it just turns out he was a bit of a tool. He made me laugh though and that is a fact. I did meet a lot of really nice people and they even let me join them for a 'lock in', so I didn't manage to waste my Saturday, oh well old habits....

I did manage to catch the footy.... in the same pub that I left only a few hours earlier. We got spanked so 'nuff said.

The move

It was so great to move into the apartment. It now feels like I'm here to stay. It is horrible living out of a suitcase. My room is a bit bare but hopefully I will be able to sort some stuff out soon. I can always decorate it with the infamous superman pants......

I went to a bar with my new housemate, it was great just sitting outside having a beer on a nice warm evening. The beer was good even if it is 4/5 ths of a proper pint. In the pub nextdoor there was even a quiz going on. It was an irish pub, is there a place on Earth you cannot find one? I guess not.