Adventures of the Week
Continuing where I left off:
Wow. That's quite a way to play Capture the Flag. Divide a very loud, rambunctious, rather competetive hall into boys v. girls and see what happens. It's very amusing. Both teams dressed in camouflage and black with lots of bantering between sides as we got ready for the game. Senior Stud told us the rules: One team has a base on the third floor, one on the first floor; each team has two "guards" who can guard the base (where the flag is hidden) and tag members of the opposing team...but they can't be within the "base"; each team also has two "hunters" that can also tag opposing team members...but only on the second floor. All the lights in hall were out except over the base. Jail was on second floor and in order to get out from jail, you have to switch one article of clothing with a fellow prisoner...of the opposite sex. Adds a rather interesting dynamic to the game. At the end of the first round, the girls had won.
Then we played a second round.
For some unknown reason, this round became extremely vicious. People on both teams would barricade the doors leading to "base" and then physically be lifted away. While it was all in good fun, it eventually became too "violent" and Senior Stud declared the game a draw. Despite the violence, a fun time was had by all...although I don't think the wardens will be letting us play it in hall again.
Friday:
This was the day of the famous Mr and Miss Atholl competition. After dinner most of the hall gathered in West Lounge, well fortified with hall "punch"...a rather alcoholic orange liquid served in plastic lined-bins (American translation: trash cans). First was the "beachwear" competition. The female contestants came out first: one dressed conservatively as a pirate, one in a wetsuit, one covered in a cardboard box painted like Spongebob, and one in paste-on bra cups and pants "tastefully" covered in shaving cream. There was some banter and then the male contestants arrived and proceeded to strip down to rather disturbing speedos and, in one case, a speedo covered by a candy thong. Next came the evening wear competition, followed by the night wear competition. All involved rather "interesting" costumes and more banter. Then came the talent competition. Of note were a rendition of Napoleon Dynamite's dance and a girl who proclaimed she would do five BJs in a minute...there was much relief when the audience realised she meant the name of an alcohol shooter instead of the other type of BJ. Yeah. So I live on a sketchy hall... In most cases it is "good" sketchy - in that it can be amusing to watch and not partake in, plus there is very little insistence that you do partake in the sketchiness.
After the winners were announced (L and R as Miss and Mr Atholl, respectively), it was time to go to the "behind the bikesheds" bop and then for much-needed sleep.
Saturday:
Nothing of note happened - some studying, some movies, and some sleep.
Sunday:
Edinburgh!!!!!!!! Woke up in time for breakfast and then caught the bus for Leuchars station to take the train to Edinburgh. YAAAAAAAAY!!!! Unfortunately I had misread the bus schedule and was too nervous about times to take the bus that would get us to the station with mere minutes to spare...so O and I took a taxi to the station. Got there with plenty of time to spare, but it saved me much anxiety...so I guess it was the right thing to do. The train ride down to Edinburgh was quite pretty, although we had to stop every couple of minutes; probably between 15-20 stops between here and Edinburgh. Crossing the Firth of Forth Rail Bridge was very impressive....but a bit scary as well - you're so high above the water!
We met M and M in the station and grabbed a quick lunch before heading up the side of Arthur's Seat. There were rather foggy views from the top, but you could still get a nice view of the city and the castle. Unfortunately I kept thinking about a book I had read for my English Triumvirate class (which I believe is at the root of our murderous tendencies) - The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner - in which a rather important and almost violent scene takes place in the fog on Arthur's Seat... Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened while we were there.
After Arthur's Seat, M, M and I split with O and went to the "Dynamic Earth" museum. It was obviously geared towards children, but it was fun nevertheless. We got to "watch" and "feel" a volcanic eruption, fly over the glaciers, touch an "iceberg," and watch a tropical rainstorm. There was actually some good science involved and it was interesting to note how the rooms displaying different climates actually smelled and felt like real.
Once through there it was almost time to meet back up with O for dinner. We took a leisurely walk up the Royal Mile to the castle and on the way browsed for places to eat. We saw one quite excellent looking restaurant but unfortunately it was closed Sunday evenings so we ended up getting pub grub. Pudding came just as O and I had to leave to catch our train back home, but even though it was much too short a stay in Edinburgh, I had a good time. It was nice to see both M's again.
Monday:
Class and my first chem lab. We made glass!!!!! It was really cool...er, hot. Just take some ammonium sodium hydrogen phosphate, mix in copper(II) sulphate, heat it just right, and you get tiny "dragon tears" of greenish glass. Yay!
Tuesday:
Valentine's Day started off depressing - our first full day of pouring rain. In-between my lectures, though, I enjoyed my iPod and walked on West Sands in the rain and wind...excellent "thinking" weather. Unfortunately, sitting in my room alone attempting to do work in the afternoon lowered my spirits significantly...although the marvelous chocolates from Kansas (http://www.elbowchocolates.com) helped a bit. Ma Bell's Cheesy Tuesdays with friends helped cheer up the end of the day.
Wednesday, Thursday:
Not much of note. Class...and tutorials...and more class...and reading.
Oh - I almost forgot. Thursday night A, L, S, E, G, and I dressed up in our ballgowns to watch the Brit Awards. Much fun was had by all and now I know a little more about the British pop scene.
Friday:
The only class I had was Church History II, in which we watched the film "Luther." Actually wasn't a bad movie...although I tend to wonder rather the real Luther was really as attractive as Joseph Fiennes... Between the end of the film and lunch I decided to get some fresh air - it was a lovely, sunny day. I walked along East Sands and then came back along North Street where I ran into an interesting confrontation. A uni student had evidently been riding his bicycle on the pavement (sidewalk) and an elderly Scottish male was giving him choice words about how dangerous this was. I don't pay much attention, the uni student thanks the man for his concern, and asks if he'll please move aside so he can continue on. To this the old man replies, "f*ck off, you little wanker." Ahhhh...the local colour.
This night's bop was the "naughty but nice" bop. Soooooo...I was sketchy and wore a short red skirt, fishnets, a rather sheer black shirt, and carried a riding crop borrowed from a friend. This was not anywhere close to the kinkiest outfit I saw at the dance. Ooh la la...some things cannot be erased from your memory.
Saturday:
More work and a movie. Went out with A, G, K, and E to the pier for a night walk. The sky is a lot darker here, even with both the castle and cathedral lit up spectacularly. Nice, still night for watching stars...but it was still a little spooky on the pier, with small waves crashing at its end in the dark.
Sunday:
There was a visiting preacher at chapel today from the Greek Orthodox Church. I couldn't really understand much of what he was saying, but the few words I did catch of the sermon were...interesting. I got to wear my red gown for the first time...and I found out how to be comfortable when laying on the radiator in front hall: a good day. :-p
Now to go outside in order to warm up. (it's 43 degrees outside....)
Wow. That's quite a way to play Capture the Flag. Divide a very loud, rambunctious, rather competetive hall into boys v. girls and see what happens. It's very amusing. Both teams dressed in camouflage and black with lots of bantering between sides as we got ready for the game. Senior Stud told us the rules: One team has a base on the third floor, one on the first floor; each team has two "guards" who can guard the base (where the flag is hidden) and tag members of the opposing team...but they can't be within the "base"; each team also has two "hunters" that can also tag opposing team members...but only on the second floor. All the lights in hall were out except over the base. Jail was on second floor and in order to get out from jail, you have to switch one article of clothing with a fellow prisoner...of the opposite sex. Adds a rather interesting dynamic to the game. At the end of the first round, the girls had won.
Then we played a second round.
For some unknown reason, this round became extremely vicious. People on both teams would barricade the doors leading to "base" and then physically be lifted away. While it was all in good fun, it eventually became too "violent" and Senior Stud declared the game a draw. Despite the violence, a fun time was had by all...although I don't think the wardens will be letting us play it in hall again.
Friday:
This was the day of the famous Mr and Miss Atholl competition. After dinner most of the hall gathered in West Lounge, well fortified with hall "punch"...a rather alcoholic orange liquid served in plastic lined-bins (American translation: trash cans). First was the "beachwear" competition. The female contestants came out first: one dressed conservatively as a pirate, one in a wetsuit, one covered in a cardboard box painted like Spongebob, and one in paste-on bra cups and pants "tastefully" covered in shaving cream. There was some banter and then the male contestants arrived and proceeded to strip down to rather disturbing speedos and, in one case, a speedo covered by a candy thong. Next came the evening wear competition, followed by the night wear competition. All involved rather "interesting" costumes and more banter. Then came the talent competition. Of note were a rendition of Napoleon Dynamite's dance and a girl who proclaimed she would do five BJs in a minute...there was much relief when the audience realised she meant the name of an alcohol shooter instead of the other type of BJ. Yeah. So I live on a sketchy hall... In most cases it is "good" sketchy - in that it can be amusing to watch and not partake in, plus there is very little insistence that you do partake in the sketchiness.
After the winners were announced (L and R as Miss and Mr Atholl, respectively), it was time to go to the "behind the bikesheds" bop and then for much-needed sleep.
Saturday:
Nothing of note happened - some studying, some movies, and some sleep.
Sunday:
Edinburgh!!!!!!!! Woke up in time for breakfast and then caught the bus for Leuchars station to take the train to Edinburgh. YAAAAAAAAY!!!! Unfortunately I had misread the bus schedule and was too nervous about times to take the bus that would get us to the station with mere minutes to spare...so O and I took a taxi to the station. Got there with plenty of time to spare, but it saved me much anxiety...so I guess it was the right thing to do. The train ride down to Edinburgh was quite pretty, although we had to stop every couple of minutes; probably between 15-20 stops between here and Edinburgh. Crossing the Firth of Forth Rail Bridge was very impressive....but a bit scary as well - you're so high above the water!
We met M and M in the station and grabbed a quick lunch before heading up the side of Arthur's Seat. There were rather foggy views from the top, but you could still get a nice view of the city and the castle. Unfortunately I kept thinking about a book I had read for my English Triumvirate class (which I believe is at the root of our murderous tendencies) - The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner - in which a rather important and almost violent scene takes place in the fog on Arthur's Seat... Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened while we were there.
After Arthur's Seat, M, M and I split with O and went to the "Dynamic Earth" museum. It was obviously geared towards children, but it was fun nevertheless. We got to "watch" and "feel" a volcanic eruption, fly over the glaciers, touch an "iceberg," and watch a tropical rainstorm. There was actually some good science involved and it was interesting to note how the rooms displaying different climates actually smelled and felt like real.
Once through there it was almost time to meet back up with O for dinner. We took a leisurely walk up the Royal Mile to the castle and on the way browsed for places to eat. We saw one quite excellent looking restaurant but unfortunately it was closed Sunday evenings so we ended up getting pub grub. Pudding came just as O and I had to leave to catch our train back home, but even though it was much too short a stay in Edinburgh, I had a good time. It was nice to see both M's again.
Monday:
Class and my first chem lab. We made glass!!!!! It was really cool...er, hot. Just take some ammonium sodium hydrogen phosphate, mix in copper(II) sulphate, heat it just right, and you get tiny "dragon tears" of greenish glass. Yay!
Tuesday:
Valentine's Day started off depressing - our first full day of pouring rain. In-between my lectures, though, I enjoyed my iPod and walked on West Sands in the rain and wind...excellent "thinking" weather. Unfortunately, sitting in my room alone attempting to do work in the afternoon lowered my spirits significantly...although the marvelous chocolates from Kansas (http://www.elbowchocolates.com) helped a bit. Ma Bell's Cheesy Tuesdays with friends helped cheer up the end of the day.
Wednesday, Thursday:
Not much of note. Class...and tutorials...and more class...and reading.
Oh - I almost forgot. Thursday night A, L, S, E, G, and I dressed up in our ballgowns to watch the Brit Awards. Much fun was had by all and now I know a little more about the British pop scene.
Friday:
The only class I had was Church History II, in which we watched the film "Luther." Actually wasn't a bad movie...although I tend to wonder rather the real Luther was really as attractive as Joseph Fiennes... Between the end of the film and lunch I decided to get some fresh air - it was a lovely, sunny day. I walked along East Sands and then came back along North Street where I ran into an interesting confrontation. A uni student had evidently been riding his bicycle on the pavement (sidewalk) and an elderly Scottish male was giving him choice words about how dangerous this was. I don't pay much attention, the uni student thanks the man for his concern, and asks if he'll please move aside so he can continue on. To this the old man replies, "f*ck off, you little wanker." Ahhhh...the local colour.
This night's bop was the "naughty but nice" bop. Soooooo...I was sketchy and wore a short red skirt, fishnets, a rather sheer black shirt, and carried a riding crop borrowed from a friend. This was not anywhere close to the kinkiest outfit I saw at the dance. Ooh la la...some things cannot be erased from your memory.
Saturday:
More work and a movie. Went out with A, G, K, and E to the pier for a night walk. The sky is a lot darker here, even with both the castle and cathedral lit up spectacularly. Nice, still night for watching stars...but it was still a little spooky on the pier, with small waves crashing at its end in the dark.
Sunday:
There was a visiting preacher at chapel today from the Greek Orthodox Church. I couldn't really understand much of what he was saying, but the few words I did catch of the sermon were...interesting. I got to wear my red gown for the first time...and I found out how to be comfortable when laying on the radiator in front hall: a good day. :-p
Now to go outside in order to warm up. (it's 43 degrees outside....)