california show your teeth

i hiked ben nevis! it's the tallest mountain in the UK! at about 4400 feet i think. and my legs are feeling every inch. It's a nice hike, but LOOONG. i didn't realize how long it was until i was hiking down at which time i was like, "i hiked up this? I hiked up this?" and yes, i did. now i will show you:

I started pretty early in the morning. sometime before 8. i'd arrived the night before when it was dark, so i didn't actually know which way to go. I asked some other hikers who pointed me in the right direction (the one with the signpost that said "Ben Nevis", but like i said it was early) and i started the ascent.

See, the trail is very pretty! A little wet. And rocks the whole way, which i don't really like. But you're walking along this other mountain/hill and it's pleasant. I saw some other hikers (saw them pass me) and it was lovely.

You get up to this little part between mountains when you switch to another one that takes you closer to Ben Nevis, it's here:

See? so pretty! a little loch then the trail continues and it's LOOSE ROCK. WHICH I HATE. it's like running on sand, you're getting nowhere slow. but there was this tour group behind me and i was like, "ok there is no way i'm getting behind that tour group" so i just kept walking. I was going at a snail's pace, but i didn't stop and I made pretty good time. I looked online and it said allow 5-6 hours and i made it in 4. So, about 1-1.5 hours on the nice side of mountain trail, another 30 minutes on the second mountain nice trail, and the last 2 hours on all loose rock. but here's the best part: the fog.

I knew that climbing by myself wasn't smart. But at first i was like, "ok you don't hike or in the morning because of bears and mountain lions" i am such a california girl. but then i thought, "bear- indigenous to the pacific rim" (right?) and "mountain lions- just north america" (also right?) so i was like, "full speed ahead!" well, hiking by yourself is not smart especially in 10-20 meter visibility. near the top there are these gullys like above that you don't see until you're basically falling down them. But I stayed on the "trail" if you can call it that up there. It's all loose rock, with big piles of rocks every 15 meters or so to let you know where to go. But after asking around I found the peak and here is me!

Yay me! I'm wearing my spankies (see rachel? they totally come in handy) wool socks and shorts over them. spankies on top, day camp shirt, rain shell. which of course wasn't enough. it was super wet and incredibly windy up there. there's ruins of an observatory up there (though i don't know what you'd see other than cloud) but they provided little to now shelter, being ruins and all. So i stayed for like 10 minutes and read two psalms (8 and 139) and went back down.

You see what i mean about the no visibility? and the stone piles? seriously i'm glad i made it down ok. even though my ankles are about to secede from the union that is my aching body.

But the highlands are beautiful! here's the picture that's currently my desktop background (yeah it made the cut)

And now I'm back in Edinburgh. I got a bus home. I fell asleep of course (Ben Nevis + dramamine = coma) and when i woke up could hardly get off the bus. I feel like an old lady when i walk up or down stairs (or walk at all). I finished my lab report (3 days early! it's an early christmas miracle!) and although I should do my astrophysics, I'd rather look at flights to germany and ireland. Although, it has occured to me that i could take a BOAT to ireland!! a boat!! bridget i could take a boat!! so i'll keep that in mind. BOAT! i'd pull a titanic the whole way, though.

i am so excited about this boat! a ferry! i'll wear my rain shell the whole way, after i've gotten my sea legs.

p.s. rachel (and anyone else who is interested) a 'munro' is a mountain over 3000 feet. there's upwards of 200 of them in scotland and some people make it a point to climb all of them. in cali there's the 14000 club (or something like that. fourteeners? much less creative anyhow) and somewhere between 20-30 of them in cali and people make it a point to climb all of them. so they're sort of dinky in comparison... but they're our dinky mountains. but actually not that dinky. for all intensive purposes they are super tall and i am therefore a BADASS CLIMBER.

p.p.s. i saw "english muffins" in tesco today but of course they only said "muffins" and i was like, "wait a minute.... OH I AM SO CLEVER!" yeah, i'm going a little slower these days. intellectually and on my feet.

homeslices

can you spot all the things god has given me?
- a mom who sends halloween sticky things
- the sunset
- edinburgh and the opportunity to study here
- jawsome curtains and a mom who knows how to hang them
- a digital camera to share this with you
- other stuff.


some cousins were going to visit this weekend but their plans changed (i.e. didn't materialize as i had hoped) so i'm hiking ben nevis instead! it's the tallest mountain in britain at a staggering 4400 feet or so!! haha, you scots with your 'munros'. anyhow, that's going to be awesome. and if the weather is crappy there's other stuff to do, smaller mountains to climb, etc. but now i have to get my work done so i can actually take my saturday 'off'. peace.

three county highway

as of today I have been here for one month!! and have accumulated the following:
- 2 sets of sheets which I have actually changed (my mom will want to read that)
- 7 edinburgh facebook friends
- 5 classes (3 difficult, 2 medium)
- 2 new sweaters
- 3 pairs of stockings/tights
- 1 new word in my vernacular: "cheers!"
- 1 guitar, 3 guitar books, 1000 new songs i want to learn
- 0 new bags (I am so proud of this one)
- 1 new pair of shoes, birkenstocks... in scotland...
- 1 grocery store card (like a ralph's card)
- 0 bank accounts (not proud of this one)

and other stuff.

but it hit me today- a month! that is so long... but it's so short, too. I have a year calendar on my wall where I check off the days. Less in a count of monte cristo way, more just for my own edification. and I will be here for so long!

part of me says, "Ok guys, this was fun. I'm ready to go home now. I learned some new words and your accents are pretty coo, too. But I'm ready to go home." is that wimpy? or pathetic? I thought a year was the way to go, and there are no negative things making me way to leave... more reasons I want to return home.

There are things I can't do here that I want to do. I want to wake up at 8 a.m. and call brooke to go to breakfast/chano's with me. or call caroline at any time of the day to get an omelette at eat street. and tuesday night worship at a.g.o., and jesusfruit (our jawsome bible study), and pushing my homework off my desk and going to santa monica. and seeing my j.e.p. kids and teaching them math (or reading, like happened this past semester). and going home for the weekend and volunteering at m.p.p.c. because they know me and i know them and I can just slide in and be comfortable. or just randomly seeing people I know around campus. those things don't happen here.

God has blessed me with people: my roommate, my small group, the people I know in my classes. Thank you, Lord. Thank you. You hem me in- behind and before; you have laid your hand on me. I have friends at home I can call, and friends here that you have prepared for me. And a church. And tonight (!!) a woman at church invited Kelly and me over to her house to have dinner with her husband and their two children, and it was amazing! They are so generous and welcoming.

I think about that and I'm glad I'm here, but i definitely miss home and get myself in a little funk. On saturday night my small group got together to hang out and watch a movie. And how it's set up is a PC connected to a projector so we have like a 14' screen, which is sah-weet. For whatever reason we ended up google earth-ing our houses. And I got so excited! watching it zoom in on the bay area, into atherton, to my house. you can see my dad's car and the pool and the cabana. I showed them USC- the coliseum, the rose garden, tommy trojan, my apartment building.

I can't quite explain it- I miss USC but I'm happy here. I'm gonna pull a chekhov- "any idiot can face a crisis, it's this day-to-day living that wears you out."

beurre corporel

why am i still up?!? because i wrote a bitchin' 9 page fluid mechanics lab report, that's why.

money made you mean

#1: MY MOM LOVES ME. last year in bible study the question was asked "who loves you and how do you know?" and i was like, "my mom because she tells me, 'lindy there are things you don't want to do that you have to do' ". but there are other reasons. and they arrived yesterday via airmail. She sent me: my guitar music, other guitar stuff (capo, picks, etc.), the new indigo girls c.d. (hence the title of this post, my current fave song on the album), and HALLOWEEN THINGS!!! sticky ghost and graveyard scene for my window, light up jack o'lantern that can be turned around to last through thanksgiving, ghost playing card, flash light that has different caps so you can project halloween-y pictures on the wall, candy corn stickers, basically one of everything in the target halloween section. even the new indigo girls album is orange!! my flat is awesome now. and very... spooky.

#2: today I went to princes street to get a sweater and some tights and some underwear. you know, the essentials. i also looked for boots but i think i'm gonna end up getting some uggs. this whole 'shoes with heels' thing ain't gonna fly. but, i was in body shop smelling all the wonderful things there (brazil nut- who knew?! i got lotion and i smell like a divine goddess of brazil nut now) and there was this techno music i was like, "whoa, body shop is awesome!" then all of a sudden it stopped. and i realized i had missed a phone call. but seriously, no one calls me so i forget what my phone sounds like! maybe i'll make some friends with generous phone plans. and a penchant for techno music. specifically, the kind that comes standard on a motorola.

boogaloos

2 wonderful things of note:

1. All we need now is the jackets (that's my flatmate Kelly)


















2. SOMEone sent me dvd's of recent m.p.p.c. services!! I haven't watched them yet, i have to send something to a friend and give in and buy a stats book because my lecturer is worthless. but it means SOMEone is thinking of me and I don't know who!! which is sort of better than knowing. or at least I'll relish it for now.

brother of mine

this summer i taught my pandas and kangaroos and incoming 1st graders (like 4-6 years old about, my classes at m.p.p.c. over the summer. m.p.p.c. = home church. i don't know who reads this blog so i don't know how much i have to explain), about Daniel. And how the king has a dream, and nobody knows what it means so Daniel prays for God to tell him what the dream meant. God tells him and when Daniel goes to the king he doesn't say "this is what you dream means" he says "I'm only telling you because there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries and he revealed this mstery to me" (or something like that) and the lesson was: God wants us to tell other people what he does for us.

so i'm telling you this:

On Friday before classes (which start at 12) I went guitar shopping. Because I really miss playing here. And I went to a few places. I didn't want to spend a lot but I also didn't want like a log with some steel strings on it. I ended up getting this 55 pound (sorry I don't have that symbol on my keyboard) guitar that sounded OK. Other options were a 70 pound one... but I got a new guitar book so I went with a cheaper guitar. I went home and played for a while and it sounded like crap. It sounded twangy, not full like my seagull at home (seagull = guitar brand, i.e. the kind i have), I played songs I knew and they didn't sound right. I tuned it to itself (no tuner yet) and it sounded a bit better, but still unfortunate.

But it was too late to bring it back because I had to leave for London. So I left and I was like, "I'll return it when I get back." which I did today. Or rather, which I tried to do today. To make what could be a long story short, I walked down to the guitar shop with it and prayed, "God please give me the right words and strength" because I feel so awkward returning things and I knew this would be wierd to just say, "I don't like how it sounds."

I got in the store and was told that I couldn't return it. He proceeded to tell me I couldn't sell it back to him, that I wasn't in America anymore (he brought it up, i was like, "yes i'm aware..."), that no there was no written no-return policy, no he would not put one up for future customers, and this is now my problem. That makes it sound pretty one-sided, it wasn't. There was a pretty long back-and-forth because his reasons were like, "But what if someone just bought it to play for a weekend and make money then return it" and a lot of what if's, none of which were valid. But, after he told me all the reasons (none of which were valid in this situation) why I couldn't return it, he told me "there's no argument here". So I left.

I meant to stop by the grocery store when I went home but I couldn't because I was (still) carrying this guitar. And I was so angry at the guy at the store. I wasn't angry at anything I'd said, or hadn't said. I knew whatever the argument (or non-argument) he wouldn't have let me return it. But I was angry at him for being so stubborn and condescending. I stewed in that for about two or three blocks, but being angry and upset really sucks. And I didn't want to remain in it so i was like, "God please take my anger because I don't want it." I immediately felt better. For about 1 block.

I remembered I was still carrying around a crappy guitar which I couldn't return, and would only get like 20 pounds for if i sold it somewhere else. So I had a crappy guitar, and didn't want to invest in another one. I especially didn't want to invest in another one after the aforementioned incident. I was angry at the guy again, mad that I couldn't go to the grocery store, upset that I had a crappy guitar. So I prayed, "God please make this guitar good." That's the main problem, the quality of the guitar, so I prayed that God would make it sound good or somehow get me a new guitar and get rid of this one. Or something. I just didn't want to be in this situation, and expecially wanted this guitar that I had to sound better.

By this time I was back to my flat. I went up to my room, got a diet coke, and opened my guitar case. I know this is going to sound wacko or something, but my guitar sounded better! I played it and it didn't twang or make that wierd low noise when the strings aren't on just right. It sounded fuller, and just better! I might still change the strings (who knows how long they've been on there), but seriously you guys GOD HEALED MY GUITAR. did you know god can heal guitars? he can! my family's sending me my guitar stuff so I will actually be able to play on a GOOD guitar that God gave me (really. I bought a crappy guitar and God gave me a good one). I'm so happy and God is so good to me.

I live in a sea of blessings, I'm wrapped up in a duvet/comforter/blankie thing of God's goodness. I'm gonna write a lab report I feel so good.

mancation

it should come as no surprise to you that the bane of my existence is now facebook news feeds. every time i log on it's like, "200 of your friends are attending a.g.o. barbecue- and you can't go!", "13 of your friends are going to a party you were also invited to but you're in scotland", "none of your friends have to deal with stockings", "1 person on the facebook network actually thinks new feeds were a good idea."

it hurts, facebook, you cut me deep.


but here's the ashlee pic!! oh... hard to the core.

bent

let it be known, I saw ashlee simpson in 'chicago' here in london.

let it also be known, she was horrible. i mean, i love ashlee. i think we could be friends... just not friends who let friends perform when they clearly have inadequate talent. friends you can trust to say, "get off the stage before someone gets seriously hurt"

i have a picture, i'll post it as soon as i get back to my puter in edinburgh. it's wierd that i can travel for quite a few hours on trains and a plane and a bus... and still be in a foreign country.

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.