We need hope. We need change. We need experience. We need PENS.

A lot of people here wear board shorts just as a part of their regular outfit, girls and guys alike. To me this is odd. I find board shorts acceptable only if you are going to be around water at some point during the day. A bathing suit is not suitable attire for just going to class. Speaking of, I'm pretty sure a girl in my seminar today was wearing a bikini top. I can think of two reasons why this might have happened. One, she was going swimming later. Two, she wanted to wear the shirt she was wearing, which would have definitely shown most of her bra. Either way, I can't really judge. I mean, if it's the latter, then that's just smart thinking. I wonder if here the board short isn't really the most popular bathing suit for dudes like it is in the States, and that's why it is acceptable day wear. Then again, the fashion here is so different that I don't even want to begin to speculate.

So. I'm 21. My birthday was okay. Nothing spectacular, and nothing horrible. I spent most of the day by myself since my friends were either sleeping all day or revising. Later on we went to dinner at Wagamama where I was presented with a really awesome Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull cake, complete with white chocolate skull on top. Check it out. Niiice, right? The skull kind of looks like an alien.


After dinner we went to the Vaults, but soon the party dwindled down to three since a few of my friends still had to do work. Tina, Charlie, and I stayed at the pub until close, playing cards and drinking, and then I took a cab home. I had fun, but it was a mellower night than I was hoping for. I didn't even get to do an ill-advised shot of tequila or anything. But really, who can complain about a night involving an Indiana Jones cake? I mean, I got to eat Indy's face, and that has been a dream of mine for quite some time.

Just so you guys know, 'ill-advised' is one of my favorite words.

Nothing much has happened since Monday. I need to read The Winter's Tale, turn in my papers, go to my last Shakespeare seminar, and then I am off to London on Friday to see Iron & Wine and hang out with Joe for a few days. Then I think he is coming to Bristol, so we are going to go to Bath and possibly Windsor Castle. We shall see.