tinted glass

kelly and i are TOTALLY joining the curling club!! how can we not?!? we are a) amazing, b) so freakin good for beginners, and c) CURLING!! the best part will be the sweatshirts. and the bragging rights. that's right, suckers, i won the "roaring game".

also, i tried irn bru (pronounced "iron brew"), which at one time was more popular than coke in scotland. it might still be, i'm not sure. anyhow, it's disgusting. it's like liquefied bubbleyum. those scots, they sure know how to make a soda.... or an upset stomach. I came home and made some iced tea while i bound my curling wounds (bruises, rather) and made dinner with my chicken marinated in soy sauce (!)


lindy: we are listening to justin timberlake and we're going curling.
kelly: can life get any better? i submit that it cannot!

jawsome = joyous + awesome

ok first off, I have a friend named Anne D. She is fabulous and studying abroad in florence. I hope to visit her some time this semester. But guess who's going to london next weekend? guess who will ALSO be in london that weekend? OHHHHHHHHHH we are meant to be together. i've already told her I want a june wedding. On top of a mountain.

ALSO! i did find soy sauce. but seriously what a coincidence that annie and i will both be in london the same weekend!!!! i blame/thank God on that one.


But here are the classes I'm taking (in alphabetical order!)
Astrophysics: it's intense. the name sounds totally savage, too. It will probably be my hardest class.
worst part: the professor who lectures as if this is all review while we develop carpel tunnel trying to take notes
best part: the unit of a Jansky, which measures... something? anyhow, i think it should be slang for something like, "Aww man I got the janskies!" or like, "I am totally janskyin' right now..." just gotta find a meaning (other than the scientific one)

Biology: Origin and Diversity of Life: I suck at Biology, so I have to take it somewhere the grade doesn't matter (unless I fail... which I won't)
worst part: the fact that it's biology and there aren't 3 equations I can use to do anything (see also: physics)
best part: the guy in class with the shirt- "dip me in chocolate and throw me to the lesbians" (i know! wtf?)

Fluid Mechanics: I get to take another Fluid class next semester for it to transfer back to USC. Riveting.
worst part: the lecture theatre that feels like the rainforest. seriously, all the irresponsible ones should just stop coming to lecture so I can breathe.
best part: my friend dave is in this class! this means two things: 1- I can make friends! (seriously guys I was worried about this one), 2- study buddy! but apparently they don't have midterms, etc. just one big thing at the end... so it'll be minor on the study buddying

Math for Electrical/Mechanical Engineers 3: it's basically differential equations
worst part: this review sheet he gave us that I have NO idea how to do.... crap... i mean when were we supposed to learn how to complete the square?! because everyone knows but I never learned! same with the quadratic equation- I blame Keck for every failure in math I have. Keck = 'experimental' high school math curriculum, evil.
best part: I am so excited to take notes in this class. I get out my pencil and pen and eraser and little pencil sharpener and I'm like, "teach me!"- math is cool like that.

Statistics: and it's not with business students!! amazing! and it's something I ought to know.
worst part: I'm probably going to fall asleep in his class
best part: lookin to be soooooooooo easy.... yesssssssss.

viscosity

i asked God for a good flat. He gave me a three-girl flat halfway between the two campuses I'll be going to, with a beautiful west-facing window to watch the sunset, with a big fridge, with a cleaning service.

i asked God for good friends- he gave me a flat mate who loves jesus and is open about her faith and herself. God gave me this wonderful small group where we can talk about faith and about his word, and come together as people who love jesus and want to reflect that in our lives.

i asked God for a good church home here, and he gave me this church i absolutely love where I'll (hopefully!) be volunteering with children's ministries. I already know two other people who go to this church, too!

i asked God for classes that will transfer back to USC- he gave me a class schedule full of classes I am interested in, some of which will go back to USC in the fall. He gave me two classes where I already know someone (study buddy!).

Now, the only things I still need are: soy sauce and bacon bits. I'll even take teriyaki! I just want something to marinate my chicken in! And the second one, this may sound so pathetic, but I think spinach salads are like 300% better with bacon bits. I don't know why, but that combination is just heavenly. Maybe with vinaigrette? So my small group prayed for my soy sauce, and tomorrow I'm hunting for the chinese grocery store that does exist we're just not sure where.

life is lovely and if God played baseball he would bat 2.000

thank YOU darby conley

harmonic oscillator

I went to my first day of classes today... but the REAL story is: I went to the dollar store (though I guess technically it would be a "pound" store) and got myself a pitcher. I went home, brewed two mugs of tea, poured said mugs over ice in the pitcher, added much more ice, and drank. I drank one glass so fast I feel a little sick now. WORTH IT.

pour some sugar on

This is the basic skeleton of a conversation I have now had several times:

"Hi, can I have an iced tea please?"
"I'm sorry you american scum we don't do that here."
"But you have ice, and you have tea."
"You disgust me little american girl. Go back to your walmarts and frat parties."

I am not making such a horrible request! Come on! Your menu doesn't say "toasted bagel" but you still toast them for Kelly! And I make sure I ask for this "special, painstaking" request when there's not one else in line so I won't be holding anyone up. Even at the cafe down the street that I frequent (i'm there right now actually) where they know us kelly and I go so frequently, he was like, "um no we don't have that" yes you do! you just don't know it yet!

I may have to invest in a pitcher. I've already started regularly dumping out my ice trays and refilling them so that, when the time comes, I'll be ready. Sometimes if you want something done right you just have to do it yourself! Then I will proceed to take my iced tea down to the cafe and drink it with more pleasure than is due. They'll change their minds I'm sure.

soulful shade of blue

we're figuring out skypein, etc. my dad and brother (greg) were playing golf, my mom was doing worky things, so it was up to thomas. He called and left voicemails, and when we finally connected:

"it was this british voice that answered so I didn't know if I had the right number. it was like, 'the number you have dialed is not here... righto. cheerio.' "



I MISS MY FAMILY.

the train from kansas city

well, in the words of my flatmate kelly, my ceilidh cherry's been popped. (i know, we are like perfect for each other i think. she said and we both blushed, then laughed, then kept going).

What is a ceilidh, you ask? Well, it's pronounced KAY-lee (i know i know, wasn't there a 'd' you are thinking?) and it's like line/square dancing in the us. Except, awesome. Because it incorporates waltzes and polka, etc. I mostly danced with guys I knew from my small group, one dance with Kelly, and another dance with another girl. And after we were appropriately sweaty, it ended with that I can only describe as a polka mosh pit. Good thing I wore boxers under my skirt. If I weren't so tired I might explain more... oh well this is what you get! I made a video of my flat room (it's like 10 seconds of panning... that still counts)- any tips on posting video to this blog? hosting options? let me know, loyal techy readers (if there are any).

cheers!

Contact Info

Ok, there are several ways to reach me. And I will update this post when new information comes along...

Snail Mail:
Lindy Liggett
7/4 East Newington Place
Edinburgh
EH91QP
UNITED KINGDOM

(and specify airmail or it'll come really slowly... like by packmule i think)

Email:
mlligget@usc.edu

Skype:
lindy.liggett

Phone:
UK Cell Phone: 011 44 (0) 778 947 5899 (don't dial the (0) if calling from US)
UK Land Line: 011 44 (0) 870 085 6000 (don't dial (0) if calling from US)
Skype In Number (forwards to my computer, where you can leave a message): (213) 814-2650

mr. jones and me

here's the thing about scotland: they're all scottish.

consequently, the most frequently used word/phrase is "pardon?"

I'll update more later. I don't have internet in my room yet but there's a cafe a block from my flat with free wi-fi. Have ethernet will travel.



edit: actually, they're british. or, from somewhere that is not the united states but they still speak english. and they're like, "oh I'm from northern ireland, wales, southern england, etc. etc." people this does not matter I can't understand any of you!!!!

train

i just got back from a romantic rooftop dinner in prague. with my mom. Before that a walk along the river, a few days in Vienna, a few days in Budapest, 3-4 hour train rides through Central Europe. With candlelit dinners and cozy cafes along the way.

lindy: "I feel like I've been on a weeklong date with you."
mom: "why, because I pay for everything?"

But hey, I'm not making you go exchange currency or anything. I just expect it.