A Brief Tryst with Mr. Juicy

Not much to report for the last couple days. Seminars started this week, but I don't happen to have had any yesterday or today. So instead, I'm trying to get a lot of reading done in preparation for my classes tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday. My two seminars, Tutor and Stuart England and British Common Law, obviously require very different reading. Both have a required reading for each biweekly meeting as well as the ominously named "further reading". It's a subject of debate around the house how strongly suggested those readings are, but since they each include several entire books I at least hope that it means "further-as-in-this-will-enhance-your-understanding-but-is-not-absolutely-mandatory reading". Most likely the list is a place to start when looking for sources for the flurry of papers that looms on the horizon. Even so, I spent all day (7 hours, which pretty much means every waking moment not spent eating or walking) trying to put a dent in the suggested reading for Dr. Archer's history class. I felt very studious, and got to use the Bodleian for the first time. At the same time, I was pretty wiped out afterward and I can't imagine doing it every day. Still, that might just be the way things go.

It was easy to stay on task considering the libraries (I used Keble's as well as the Bod) are a solid 20 minute walk from the house. I would estimate that it's about the same distance as Stegeman Coliseum to the Arch. Some people are getting bikes to help them cover the distance faster. There's a narrow bike lane for most of the way, and it's straight and perfectly flat. Sounds like a good idea, but I skeptical about that whole other-side-of-the-road-thing as well as the cost. The cheapest (barely) ride-able bike I've been able to find costs 100l, with the shop guaranteed to buy it back for half that at the end of the term. 50l is about $100, plus the added cost for a (big honkin') lock and a helmet and the risk of theft, which I gather is a pretty big problem here. Right now I'm probably leaning toward no bike, but that may change. The walk isn't really that bad, except it has to be made at least three times a day for meals, which are also served at Keble.

This week the dining hall has been a little strange since Oxford isn't really in session right now. The Michealmas term covers the last eight weeks of my trip here, but the next 3 and a half weeks are essentially during summer vacation, summer in this case being a relative term since I would definitely describe the weather the last few days as pleasantly "crisp" i.e. a little chilly. In any case, Keble College makes some extra cash during the summer by hosting conferences of various sorts (the current one is a meeting of the European Muscular Association, a group which I assume is academics not enthusiasts since the attendees aren't huge hulking guys but nerdy looking science types) and we're kind of an afterthought to the feeding of the conference goers.

So far breakfast and lunch have been cafeteria style while dinner is fixed menu table service. As of yet we've only sat for informal meals, which means we aren't required to wear our academic gowns (I imagine that will be quite a post when the time comes). All are meals are "included" in the program cost, but it's more accurate to say the program gives us a allowance for food at the dining hall, which is much, much cheaper than eating out (a meal "costs" considerably less than a pint at a pub). So while we don't pay out of pocket for extras and I usually get a few, I can't go crazy just yet. Although I will say that I've become quite fond of "Mr. Juicy", the brand of boxed juice available in the mornings. Mr. Juicy and I are quite seriously involved.

Breakfast consists of a fried egg, a piece of ham, baked beans, sausage or mushrooms, and toast. Not quite the Full English, but in the same spirit. You can get cereal, fruit, yogurt and coffee for a very small extra fee. Lunch is a little less flexible; it seems to be a meat, a starch and vegetables. For instance today we had a pork chop, potatoes, and zucchini. Dinner is pretty much the same sort of thing with a dessert (today was fish pie, which amazingly managed to be both a meat and a starch, plus more zucchini. Edible but not a favorite). The portion sizes are a little small, meaning everyone is hungry before every meal. I realize this is the way normal people eat, but as a fat ignorant American, I'm spoiled by going to Snelling and eating until they have to roll me out. Coupled with the 40 minute round trip commute, we're all going to lose some weight. This also means that everyone is starting to get up for breakfast and have a snack before bed in an attempt to maximize caloric intake. The dining situation isn't perfect, but it is certainly more than adequate. It's not the Ritz Carlton, but it's not Stalag Luft 3 either.

First day of class tomorrow, so back to the books for me. Still having a great time.