Sheffield and Various Ramblings...

We had lovely spring day in Sheffield today. My status has finally been changed from 'international' student to 'home' student- which is fantastic! We also went running around the city looking at possibilities for University housing... not too encouraging a prospect as there are about 60 flats for every married/family person applying to the University. Chances are fairly slim that we will find anything University affiliated, but it doesn't hurt to look I suppose. It was fun to show Geordan some of my favorite haunts- though it was all very quick (there and back by 4:00pm!)

This is the park nearest the hospital/biomedical sciences building:

These are the newly finished fountains outside the new City Hall (and incidentally the site for my graduation in 2012!)

It does make me happy though to drive through the Peaks. I think the Peak District must be one of my favorite places in the world - it did make me hanker after a lovely little cottage half way in between Manc and Shef - but after doing the drive twice today, I think the driving would drive me completely mad - so that will have to remain a lovely dream and we'll probably end up either in Manc or Sheffield and one of us will have to commute.

I'm doing my best to try to enjoy my last few months of freedom before all things related to medicine take over my life. This means a LOT of reading! Because I'm always interested to hear what you all are reading, I'll tell you whats currently on my nightstand:

1.Kathleen Norris 'The Cloister Walk' and 'Amazing Grace' (Fast becoming necessary reading for lent)

2.'In Search of C.S. Lewis' by Stephen Schofield (Am a bit in two minds about this one, its an amalgamation of many people's viewpoints on Lewis as a scholar, tutor and friend- some of these guys are clearly a bit self involved and envious, but then again, I am a staunch Lewis lover so I might be a bit biased myself)

3.'Attention All Shipping - A Journey Round the Shipping Forecast' by Charlie Connelly (My colleague Debbie got this for me after hearing me wax eloquent about my deep love of the 'Shipping Forecast' on BBC 4. Hilariously enough, the author seems to have found the same solace as I have in the rhythmic pentameter of this lovely nautical poetry. I'm sad to find that this wonderful British institution is no longer strictly necessary for those brave men fighting off gales in North Utsire, South Utsire,Fitzroy, Sole, Fastnet, Shannon,Rockall,Malin, Hebrides. But I also discovered that the Shipping Forecast brings in more letters to the BBC than any other broadcast! And of course, they are mostly from little old people who've felt that the Forecast was read to slowly, loudly,melodically, not melodically enough, with too many pauses, with too much emphasis... well you get the picture. There appear to be many avid Forecast listeners around this lovely island (whether necessary or no) and so, I hope this grand institution will last for many years to come.

4. 'C.S. Lewis and the Catholic Church' by Jospeh Pearce - I just borrowed this one tonight from Peter Nockles, so will have to wait to comment at a later date.

5.'Un An Bun' (or A Good Year- just finished reading it in Romanian- just because I CAN :) by Peter Mayle. The British humor was completely lost in the Romanian translation, but a good read for all wine lovers and French gourmet enthusiasts.

Currently on my ipod (by the way did Jamie ever get his money back for the phony b-day ipod??):

Switchfoot's 'O Gravity!' (it gets played over and over and over much to poor G's frustration).

TV following: Am watching the 'Jane Austen Season' films on ITV 1. Did anyone see Northranger Abbey last Sun? (I only just realized it is said with a 'g' as in 'great' as opposed to a 'g' as in 'German') I thought it quite good!

Films I want to see: 'Amazing Grace', 'Into Great Silence' and that new film about Bob Dylan - who, btw, now has a RADIO SHOW on Sun nights?!!?? This seems decidedly uncool for the greatest poet of the 60s, but I'll reserve judgement till after I've actually listened to a full broadcast.

So what are you all reading, listening to, watching?? Enquiring minds want to know!

And just for a quick side note: I've somehow managed to crash my newly begun 'personal blog' whilst trying to download a picture from google images- and I really don't think I can be bothered to re-post the whole thing again. And to be perfectly honest, I can barely keep up with this blog! :)

Homemade is Best

Romania

Being in Romania was interesting to say the least. I was pleasantly surprised by the increasingly decent looking buildings in the city center. The example bellow is not one of them. It is Ceausescu's hideous 'House of the People'. Geordan was just musing that the size of this building would barely be appropriate for a UN headquarters building, not suitable for one country's government building and most certainly ridiculous for Romania's government building. But alas. There it is. Visible from EVERY angle of the city- a monstrosity present around every corner.

Here are some of the nicer views from the city center:

The churches were absolutely beautiful. It was really interesting to go in and watch people going through their Sunday rituals. Some prayed and kissed every icon. Others did an intricate dance of weaving their way through only certain stations. Others sat solemnly at the back of the churches in the shadows of the pillars. I find the darkened interiors interesting. I like the smells of the incense. I even like the ritual of lighting candles for the living and the dead. What I don't like is that MARY is at the head of every church. Jesus is sometimes just a small mosaic on the side. How frustrating. This idea that one must go through MARY or the priests to get to God is so upseting and untrue. And yet it is such a pillar of the Orthodox Church in Romania- that there is something beyond the shadows of the church, beyond the black veils- a place where the common man cannot reach without the help of priests. Strange, mystical and altogether in many ways not what the Bible teaches. But still, as a study it was beautiful. The times spent wandering through churches was was the best and most impformative.

The unofficial patron saint of Romania : St. Nicholas!