Foxholes

In our lives, everyone of us draws a circle.
Inside it are your people,
the people you fight for, the ones you protect, no matter what.
As you get older, your circle gets smaller and smaller.
People grow up, or they don't.
They fall by the wayside or just drift off, one day at a time.
But those who stay, through thick and thin, and everything in between...
those are the ones you want in the fox hole,
when the walls come tumbling down...

Five on the 5th

So it's the 5th of March and time for another edition of Five on the 5th.  Blogger Stephen Chapman who writes the blog The State of the Nation UK organizes a monthly photofest of sorts.  It's called "Five on the 5th" and it is five random photographs taken from your life on or in the days leading up to the fifth of each month.  This month's optional theme is "New."

 

I struggled quite a bit with the optional theme this month.  I thought about heading in the opposite direction and photographing a number of old things, some of which I did include below.  But really all the pics are of things I've run into in the days running up to today.

 

I should note that after almost a year of living in London, I'm moving back to Texas in less than 48 hours.  At the end of the day, London and I tried each other on for size but we just don't fit.  I'm ready to be back in Texas.

Five on the 5th

So it's the 5th of March and time for another edition of Five on the 5th.  Blogger Stephen Chapman who writes the blog The State of the Nation UK organizes a monthly photofest of sorts.  It's called "Five on the 5th" and it is five random photographs taken from your life on or in the days leading up to the fifth of each month.  This month's optional theme is "Lines."

I seem to only be participating about every other month, but the challenges of grad school seem to be keeping me rather busy.  Hence my sporadic posting in any way, shape, or form.

Never a quiet night

Since arriving in London there are many neighborhoods that I just haven't been able to explore.  My world as a grad student has really consisted of classes, studying in the library, commuting between home and campus, and visiting a few pubs with coursemates and a few friends.  One place that I've had at least a passing interest in exploring was Vauxhall.  While Brit Boy and I were together he would regale me stories of good times had dancing in Vauxhall with friends and how it has a pretty cool vibe.  This has been supported by some friends who visit London periodically, so I figured it was at least worth checking out.

Well, accompanied by a couple of friends (a fellow student and a friend of his) I recently ventured down from my ivory tower to explore, get my dance on, and enjoy a much needed mental break.  The result of the night out?  Eh...  We went to a few places and the crowds were... overwhelming.  I mean, I'm fine with having to wind through a crowded bar or negotiate space on the dancefloor with my fellow... revelers?  but people really just seemed oblivious to the fact that other people existed and were throwing elbows right and left.  We visited at least three different bars and it all seemed the same.  However, I do have to wonder if it was the fact that we didn't really get out until later in the evening (honestly, I'm not exactly sure what time we did hit the first place), but it did seem as if people were already well-hammered by the time we arrived.

Whatever.  On the way home, my friends and I were crossing Vauxhall Bridge and chatting away when we saw a rather inebriated man standing/swaying close to the North side.  Oddly enough, it seemed like he was trying to hide behind a lamp post, without much luck I might add.  Anyway, as we got closer, it became apparent that he wasn't trying to hide but rather staggering his way across the bridge.  At a very slow pace.  As we approached he turned to me and asked for a cigarette.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any," I responded.

He attempted to focus on my face as he was processing my response and just kinda swayed from side-to-side.  "Oh...." he finally stammered.  "Well..." he started as his eyes showed that he had finally decided on one of the many of me he must have seeing on which to focus.  "Come back to Vauxhall..."  "No, we're good for the night.  We're out."  "Pleeeeaaasssee..." he slurred.  I had to wonder if he needed an escort for him to even find his own way back to Vauxhall.  Or to keep from falling over the bridge and into the Thames.

After I repeated that we weren't gonna return to Vauxhall he started to move but stopped short and turned to me again.  "Okay then..." he mumbled and started to lean toward me as if trying to kiss me goodbye.  I leaned away and said a polite goodnight.  "Oh come on... just a kiss," he responded.  "I'm good, thanks."  "I can make it worth your while," he said and moved his hand to his crotch in what I can only imagine he meant as a seductive manner.

"As tempting as that is," I said, barely able to hold in my laughter, "I still think we're heading home.  Good luck."  And with that my friends and I left him swaying on the sidewalk holding himself.  I hope he was able to give himself a good time.

Five on the 5th

So it's the 5th of January and time for another edition of Five on the 5th.  Blogger Stephen Chapman who writes the blog The State of the Nation UK organizes a monthly photofest of sorts.  It's called "Five on the 5th" and it is five random photographs taken from your life on or in the days leading up to the fifth of each month.  This month's optional theme is "Fun and Games."

This month my post is split between the fun and games I had in London after Christmas and the fun and games I'm having while on holiday back in Texas with a special someone.

Five inches

It snowed in London.  Four days ago.  About 4-5" of snow, actually.  The transport system, from airplanes to trains to buses to cars, has been seriously strained ever since.

Never before has 5" fucked more people.

Favorite Words

A very dear friend and my workout partner of the past year or so has come to London for a visit with his parents.  Along with heading out on the town the other night for some lovely libations, today we did what we seem to know best - hit the gym and catch up on each other's gossip.  As we were getting changed to hit the weight room he looks over at me while I'm getting undressed and am rambling on about something and interrupts me with:

"Oh fuck!  You've stayed in shape!  Bastard."

"Pardon?" I respond.

"Look at you, all trim and...  There's a bit more of me than there used to be."

"You say the sweetest things..."

I want to be a librarian!!

It's been almost two weeks since my last post.  I wish I could say that I've just been too busy to write up all the interesting things that I'm experiencing here in London, but in reality, I'm just spending a lot of time in the library.  The life of a grad student, I guess.  I do see a short break in the tunnel ahead which will allow for some much needed light.  But it is just a short break after submission of coursework and before exams.  I'll take what I can get, I guess.

Which brings me to a new idea I've had on how to explore London as a grad student.  As I know I have a few London-based readers, what are a couple of cool libraries around central London?  I've noticed that I've been drudging back and forth to my campus library which, to be honest, is a bit of a drab place.  It serves me well, but there are many times I don't actually need anything from the library.  It just serves as a place to focus on studying (I cannot study at home at all.  Never really could.)  The only matter of convenience with my campus library is that it's open 24/7, but in reality, the number of times I've stayed in the library past midnight aren't that many.

Suggestions?

Five on the 5th

So it's the 5th of November (Remember, remember the 5th of November...) and time for another edition of Five on the 5th.  Blogger Stephen Chapman who writes the blog The State of the Nation UK organizes a monthly photofest of sorts.  It's called "Five on the 5th" and it is five random photographs taken from your life on or in the days leading up to the fifth of each month.  This month's optional theme is "Recycled."


I struggled quite a bit with the optional theme in the days leading up to the 5th and took several rounds of photos to try to make it work.  At the end of the day, I just didn't have anything I really liked.  So this month I just have some random photos to post.

London Experience #318

It was late.  Well past midnight.  I had just finished up at the library and was walking home.  After a quiet if spine-tingling walk through Green Park I was just rounding the corner by Buckingham Palace when I heard it.  It was distinct and clear in the cold night air.  A woman's scream.  High pitched and filled with fear.  Followed quickly by the deep, resonant tones of a man screaming in anger.  In a language I certainly did not know.

It was difficult to see from distance, but I could easily make out two people scuffling ahead on the sidewalk opposite.  As I walked toward them I heard a loud "thud" as one person was thrown up against the ply-board wall of the construction barricade, followed by sobbing and soft words spoken as if in apology for some previous act.  The man continued screaming.

I hurried to cross the street as the man grabbed the woman by the upper arm and flung her across the sidewalk where she tripped and stumbled, almost falling into the street.  Before I reached the scene another man, obviously having just finished up at one the two pubs nearby, saw the incident and quickly put down the bottle he was carrying and walked in the middle of the melee, acting as a shield for the woman against her boyfriend attacker.  Once I got to the scene, the attacker calmed down immediately and turned to me.  "Hey, what's up?" he asked rather nonchalantly.  "I'm fine," I said with some caution in my voice.  "Things don't seem to be so okay here.  I think you need to step away from the woman."

At this moment a building security guard arrived and on his two-way radio requested that the police be called.  The attacker turned from me and started yelling, attempting to get to his prey through the human shield.  The woman ducked away and moved toward me while the two men had a slight scuffle, which resulted in the (now very apparent) drunk human shield on the ground.

"Do you have a way to get home?" I asked the woman as she and I started to walk away from the scene.  I heard her attacker screaming after us.

"Yes, I do," she said and held up a set of keys.  "But he has to come with me," she continued and motioned toward her attacker who had closed the gap between us very quickly.

"We're going," he said to the woman now behind me as I turned to face him.  His demeanor had changed completely.  He was now calm and collected.  The anger I witnessed just seconds before was nowhere to be seen.

Before he could move past me a police van arrived and the security guard waved them down.  The attacker turned and looked at me.  Like a light-switch the anger had returned and the rage in his eyes was evident and intimidating, even though I'm a good 6" taller and had him by at least 20 lbs of muscle.

The woman sat on the curb crying as the police attempted to take her statement.  The man was put in hand-cuffs and placed inside the police van, cursing the entire time.  The drunk human shield was now nowhere to be seen.