In London, back to school isn't so bad.

No snow day on Tuesday. We were teased by a little e-mail telling us how unlikely it would be, but no. Back to school we went. Everyone in our CMD class managed to get there on time despite the need for creative transportation. 5 inches of snow sent the entire metropolis of London into freakout mode and all of the lovely public transportation had a bunch of trouble. We took the bus to school. You know, the red kind with two stories.

CMD was fun. We had a little exercise about expressive typography and discussed our branding assignment. Afterwards I took the tube back home with Kate, had a lovely conversation and passed out in bed as soon as I got home. I had a fantastic nap!

When I woke up I had just enough time to get ready to see Woman In Mind by Alan Ayckbourn at the Vaudeville theater on the strand. We were in for a treat because the man who wrote the play decades ago was also the man directing this production. All I knew going into the play was that it was about a woman going through a mental breakdown. I see enough of that in CMD already. Somehow, though, this play was an absolute delight. It was just the right amount of funny, awkward, and disconcerting. I highly recommend seeing it or at least reading it.

Wednesdays are my long haul days. Last Wednesday I became sick. The day lasted forever causing me to pass out in my bed by 8:30. Having almost conquered my cold I was hoping that this wednesday treated me better. It did. Very much so.

Instead of meeting our history class in the classroom we had been instructed to meet the professor on the steps of St. Paul's Cathedral at 10:00 AM. My buddies and I all got there just as the huge bells were tolling the hour. The Cathedral is immense. The dome, the columns, the ornament and the sheer size of the thing is just breath taking. It was absolutely gorgeous in the newly risen sun. The entire city of London had a blinding sheen on it from all the melting snow and ice, and the cathedral rose up, massive in the light.

Steve Jebbeson is our art history professor, and though dwarfed by the cathedral, he is one of the most impressive figures I have ever met. He used to be an artist and a bouncer. He also knows everything. Absolutely everything, and he blows our minds on a weekly basis. Shortly after the bells tolled Steve Jebbeson appears on scene looking like a dapper version of Obadiah Stark from Iron Man. He has a hat and a cane and a long coat. He hands out a xerox of a 16th century map on London and tells us to follow along. The rest of the morning consisted of us trekking though ice and slush all over the City, down alley ways and ancient narrow streets as Steve Jebbeson tells us the most amazing and interesting facts and details about London's past. Everything has meaning. We journeyed around St, Paul's across the Themes, through markets and into the new financial district. I'm sure many people's favorite part of the morning was when Jebbeson led us into a 650 year old pub and invited us to sample their house ale. Despite it being about 11:30 in the morning, our gaggle of college students gleefully partook. It was wonderful. We had the cheeriest Art History class I've ever experienced to date.

After Jebbeson let us loose in the middle of downtown city most of us had to head back to Faraday for further afternoon classes. But first we needed food. I particularly craved a burger, and I talked about it in such mouthwatering detail that soon enough all my buddies were right there with me. We flocked to my favorite American idealizing sit-donw burger joint and celebrated the first weekly Burger Day. All rejoiced in the burger day, and a few had another sip of liquid protection to prepare them for our monumentally boring video class.

Let me just say, our video class was a lot more lively this time around. Our prof seemed delighted by the magically enthusiastic students.

My last class of the day was my drama class. We sat and discussed play reviews and even tried a hand at writing our own about the play we say last night. Overall it was a very chill class. Next week we get to see a play called Blood Bothers. We also get a tour of the national theater, but I have to ask my vid prof if I can leave a bit early to get there on time.

I come home o be greeted by our friends Haley and Janet as well as Brianna. We had a dinner part date. I put up pasta, Brianna got a baguette and Janet and Haley brought beverages and desert. Our party expanded to include a couple more CMD kids from my house. We laughed so hard I had to leave the room a couple times so that I could swallow the food in my mouth. We had so much fun that we vowed not only to do this again, but to do it again when we get back to 'Cuse. Hooray for dinner parties.

After all this I was completely exhausted. An early bed time for me so I could get enough rest for my adventures today. This morning I go shopping with Amanda, and this afternoon I return to the Borough market with a handful of lovely ladies. It sounds like a lovely day. I'll make sure to tell you all about it.