God-DAMN, it's been a long time since I've updated.

A lot's happened since December 7. I'm back in London, of course. My Christmas break was lovely; it was relaxing and comforting to be home again, if not much of an adventure.

Unfortunately, as those of you familiar with my study habits will no doubt think typical, I failed to get any studying or writing done for my January end-of-term papers/exams. Thus, after my arrival back at Brian Creamer House on Jan. 3, I went through another week of stress and sleep-deprivation, the results of which were several: 1. Both of my papers were turned in on time, 1 brilliant, 1 mediocre; 2. I more or less aced my Shakespeare exam; and 3. After studying all night and laying down for a short "nap," I overslept my 2:30 Irish Lit. exam. Many hysterics ensued when I awoke and was informed that my only option was to fail the class, but it turns out that if you cry enough on the phone with the departmant chairman, anything is possible. By some strange bending of the rules, and by portraying myself as a poor, lost study-abroad student, I managed to retake the exam. With any luck, I'll have aced that one too.

New classes are well underway, and they are as follows:

Memory & Time in the 19th Century
Early Modern Sexualities
Jacobean Shakespeare
Literature & Psychoanalysis

Thus far, all of them are interesting, though I have far less of a range of time-periods than I had last term. Discussions of Shakespeare, Freud, or both promise to dominate the semester, since they have managed to intrude even into the courses where I didn't expect them, but I suppose I can deal with that. Yesterday, we discussed the Oedipal complex as shown in the phallic objects (lightsabers, wands, etc.) in Star Wars and Harry Potter, which was amusing, to say the least.

London weather has been wonderful after remembering Michigan winters. Still rainy, of course, but I've always liked rain. And, another change... Nora's here (love you, babe!)

I've been feeling like I've been getting too wrapped up in my books, and not making the most of my time here, but I'm hoping to get out a bit more this semester. Seven out of my eight classes are on Monday and Tuesday, with the remaining discussion on Thursday, which means I have a 3-day weekend, which can be turned into a 5-day weekend by skipping only one class. I hope to take advantage of this arrangement and take a few trips to Scotland and Ireland, and I'm starting to think about going to southern Spain and/or Morocco for my spring break. I want to go clubbing/pubbing more, see more shows, visit more museums and markets.... Anyway, we'll see, I suppose. I'm probably vastly overreaching my budget already. :)

That's all for now, since I've got to read the entirety of Confessions of an English Opium-Eater yet tonight, but I promise I'll start updating more frequently in the future. Later, loves.