The moment you've all been waiting for, or at least I'm going to pretend you're interested...

Alright guys, you are in soooo much trouble. WHY didn't anyone stop me?

Remember that whole "I'm not good at cooking" thing that tends to come up in my conversations? If so, why didn't anyone say something when I mentioned I would be throwing a Thanksgiving Day Party?!

I am happy to report that the party was huge success, but it did come dangerously close to disaster. It started when I tried to make spanakopita, which is a dish my family would always have on Thanksgiving. Its fairly easy to make, however when I went to put it in the oven, I accidentally put the oven on broil rather than cook. So the top burnt and the bottom wasn't cooked. Awesome.

Then I found myself just staring at the turkey. I had no idea what to do with it. I've never cooked a turkey before and can I just say that an uncooked turkey is about the ugliest thing on this planet? Thankfully, SJF knew what to do and demonstrating that he's not always a jerkface he showed up and helped me make the turkey. Who am I kidding? By "help me" I meant, "he cooked the turkey while I stood in the door way of the kitchen drinking a beer and 'supervising.'"

Despite my poor cooking skills and much to my relief, everyone seemed to love the food. My suspicion  is that the massive pile of empty alcohol bottles that was quickly growing over the course of the evening had something to do with the fact that no one seemed to notice how bad my food was.

Best part of the whole day? The Wall O' Hand Turkeys.

Everyone, or almost everyone, drew a hand turkey in true American fashion.

And finally, the moment you've all been waiting for:




(Drumroll please)

A picture of SJF! (in the middle) That's right, my friends. He does exist.

Now, if you'll excuse me. I think I'm going to go pass out. Goodnight!

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Things I am thankful for...

...that I don't breathe really loudly through my nose. Otherwise, I'd drive myself crazy.

...that my downstairs neighbors don't have loud sex every night that keeps me awake, mostly out of jealousy.

...that my downstairs neighbors aren't vampires. Like real vampires, not the pussy vampires that glitter and are full of teenage angst about whether they should suck your blood or not. Actually, now that I think about it, I'm thankful they're not that kind of vampire either.

...that I can read, so when I see signs like "Push" or "Pull," I know what they mean and I don't look like an idiot trying to open a door.

...that I am talented enough at bullshitting that I can at least successfully convince people I'm right in an argument even though I know I'm probably dead wrong.

...that I'm awesome.

...that I don't have three legs and not because having three legs would cause people to look at you funny, but because you'd have to have all your pants specially tailored. I just don't have the patience for that.

...the cup of hot chocolate I'm currently drinking which is the only thing keeping me from turning into a giant block of ice.

...that I've completed any immediate homework that needs to be done this weekend, so I won't feel so bad when I drink myself stupid at my Thanksgiving party on Saturday.

...that I'm a terrible cook, which gives me an excuse to sit back while other people cook. "Listen, trust me, you don't want me to cook that. It will taste so much better if you cook it. And by "better," I mean not burnt."

...that my tiny room is at least big enough for my bed so that I can sleep lying down.

...that I don't have very good looking legs because then it's not so bad if I don't wear high heels to show off my legs and then get blisters and permanent foot-bone damage from walking on my toes all day.

...the interwebs, without which I would not have LOL cats and internet videos to distract me from more important (yet boring) things I should be doing instead.

AND OF COURSE:
...all my wonderful family, friends, and readers who really do make every day worth living. I love you all and Thank You! (shukran)



Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you thankful for?

The time my brain stopped working

Do you ever have one of those moments when you're just cruising on your own awesomeness and then reality hits?

That was my morning. I woke up early and started cranking out some work. I read, I listened to some music and I organized myself. I had an Arabic study group to attend this morning, so I was trying my best to get stuff done before I had to head out for the session.

And man, I was cruising. I was starting to feel so good about myself. It was only 10:10am and I had to leave at 10:30 in order to get to the session which started at 11:00....um....oh shit. It started at 10!

It was in that one moment that my awesomeness came tumbling down (temporarily of course). That split second when your heart stops for a second because you realized you just fucked up. It's like those dreams where you're always late to whatever it is you needed to get to because you just didn't realize the time until you looked at a clock and figure out you're hours late.

Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating. It was only a study group, and I still made it in time to get some stuff done. However, that lapse in awesomeness threw me off for the rest of the day. (Which is, of course, the reason I'm posting a useless blog post rather than doing some work.)

I've been a naughty blogger

I'm sorry. I know. I haven't been good about writing recently, but can you blame me? After 4 hours of Arabic lectures today my brain is fried. Especially since the lectures contained information about how our mid-term exam (which only 3 weeks away) will be organized. Oh man, I'm fucked. Time to put my nose to the grind!

Yet, by the time I got home, instead of grabbing the Arabic textbook, I grab the computer. I mean, it's way more fun to write blogs or plan for a party than to review Arabic. Psht.

I'm actually really looking forward to this weekend. I'm throwing a Thanksgiving Day party! It should be really fun, but mostly because I cannot wait for an excuse to eat and drink myself stupid. However, I kind of forget what a big deal it is to host a party. Don't get me wrong, it's loads of fun, but it's nerve-wrecking. This will be my first London party I've hosted. What if no one shows up? What if who does show up hates it? I'll ruin my party throwing reputation and after last years Halloween Party, I've actually got a party throwing reputation whether you believe it or not.

I'm pretty sure that if there's enough alcohol, people will love it...or at least not remember whether they liked it or not. ;) 

Two months, 6 umbrellas and counting

Alright, so I was warned-- it rains here. Regardless, I'm still going to bitch. Really, it's not the rain I have an issue with, it's the umbrellas. When I first moved, the weather was pretty nice, and about two weeks in, it starting raining. So, I figure it was time to go buy myself an umbrella and got one. I used it successfully that day, and by the time I got home, I realized I no longer had my umbrella.

This has been a reoccurring theme thus far. I buy an umbrella and loose it. Normally when it rains, it sprinkles, and if I'm caught without an umbrella, it's not really the end of the world. However, last week, we had some really crazy weather. It was pouring and extremely windy. I had a date that afternoon and after getting all dressed up, realized I could not find my umbrella. Not uncommon, so I stopped on my way to the tube station to pick up a new one. I got to town early and did some shopping before meeting up with SJF. By the time I was done shopping, I realized I had no idea where I was and had to be at the date in 10 minutes. I ran out to the street trying to find a bus or a tube station and, yes you guessed it, by the time I realized I was getting rained on, I also realized I no longer had an umbrella. So, lost, and drenched, I had to walk several streets before figuring out that I was only three or so blocks away from the date, and couldn't be bothered to grab a bus. That meant walking in the rain. So I stopped at the first store along the way (after about another block in the pouring rain), and bought umbrella number two for the day. I stepped outside, opened it up, and the wind immediately broke it. No joke. I didn't even have time to stand underneath it. Mother Fucker. So I gave up and just showed up at my date looking like a drowned rat. It was hot.

Can someone please explain why people this stupid get to be in charge of my money?

Two months after opening my first UK bank account and I finally have a bank card and PIN. Absolutely ridiculous, but at least this whole chapter of my move is over.

I do need to share that on the highly confidential letter that arrived today is this quote:

"DO WE HAVE YOUR RIGHT ADDRESS AND POSTAL CODE?
IF NOT PLEASE TELL US. REMEMBER TO QUOTE YOUR CARD(S) NUMBER"

Right. Because if you don't have my address right, I'll somehow magically get this letter and read that message. Friggin morons.

Holy Crap, Lions!

It recently occurred to me that this time, a year ago, I was on my first real adventure in Kenya. Being a bit of a sentimental mush-ball, I've spent the past few days reflecting. It was that trip that opened my eyes to the world and solidly set me on my current path. 

For me, the urge to travel was more than a desire see world, it was the need to experience the world. I had assumed that this experience was only possible by traveling to the ends of the earth and visiting places out of the ordinary. Africa called to me. She whispered my name in my thoughts and dreams, promising the experience I sought. A friend once lent me a book with the intention of scaring me away from any further thoughts about Africa. The book was Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux, and the second I finished it, I knew I had to go. Theroux is a great writer and he had a real life experience while traveling from Cairo to Cape Town. He escaped being shot at, got sick, and met hundreds of interesting people. Everything that my friend was convinced would scare me only egged me on towards my own adventure. A year later, I finally had my chance to travel to Africa.


This day, last year, I was visiting Lake Borgoria and Lake Nakuru and saw rhinos, hyenas, baboons, and tree-climbing lions.