The Calm Afore
These past few days, perhaps moreso than any thusfar, have marked what has happened, and what is yet to come.

On Thursday, we decided to finally see what Slough was like. It turned out not to be as drab as legend states, although it is evidently a multicultural land, as I saw lots of people in Islamic dress. There was a significant Asian population when my Dad went to school there, as he decided to go to the school popular with the immigrants rather than the one full of Brits. Upon our wandering of the market, we came across a stand selling Jamaican fruit drinks, a comic shop with a wall of video games, and a hemp shop with tiger pictures in the window. We also found a shop selling a vast array of scented candles, leading to much sniffing of scents from a wet meadow to Christmas pudding. Bookstores provided brief distractions, and parking limits meant we had to hurry back, scuppering any further exploration or jobhunting. We then moved onto the Tesco hypermarket, easily the largest store in the area, and spent hours wandering the aisles with a vast selection of items on offer. We were quite exhausted when we returned to Egham.

I soon had to walk down to Campus to meet up with ArtsSoc for the first time since June. I've been to the Computer Centre a number of times in these past few months, but this was my first walk across the middle of Campus, along paths I trod daily until I left Williamson. It was most nostalgic, and reminded me of the Freshers soon to invade what was then still a quiet Campus. The new lecture theatre, the Windsor Building, is pretty, whilst Williamson is not even rubble anymore. The college are speeding up their buidling of the new halls because they screwed up, telling departments to take a greater intake of students this year, whilst having less accommodation than last year...

Anyhow, we met up in the popular 'Medicene' bar, which was the quietest I'd ever seen it. It was actually really pleasant, and president Amy bought me a rum & coke (I've found that rum doesn't make me ill like vodka does), and we sat in the corner, discussing what we were going to do for imminent Fresher's Week. However, aside from realising I need to get my plans for the Writer's Circle together, most of the discussion was about our Summers. It's ironic: I'm the Travel Editor for the Student magazene, but I'm not travelling. Amy spent the Summer in America, based in Maine and putting on shows in the big cities, whilst Bee went to Prague and Italy in the past few weeks. I'm having to adopt a patient attitude here, but the time will come when I'll see the world! I look forward to it.

I fell asleep almost at once when I came home, but woke up in the early morning, giving me a chance to do what I love: work in the early hours of the morning without worrying about when to go to bed. I discovered that Virgin Radio plays an excellent mix of music in the middle of the night, and this, combined with minted green tea, chocolate biscuits and cupcakes made me a very happy me in the half-light of my lamp. I felt even better because I was back on track with my Summer assignment, and delving into many Wikipedia articles about the Middle East and the like. Studiousness and cosiness, hand in hand, make me very happy. Despite how I may sometimes seen, I love the cosy images of cocoa, snow outside and a warm fire, a good book and soft music. Peace. If only I could preserve this sleeping pattern.

On Friday, I had to be up early to be on campus for an Orbital board meeting at 11am. I was in a good mood, and cheered up even more upon seeing so many familiar faces amongst the board. I'd seen David in Medicene last night, and spoke to him for a while, and now I was talking to Luke, Anita, Mario and others. The meeting was scheduled for a few hours, but it was broken up into two hour-long parts, over which we discussed SU censorship, distribution and the free cinema tickets us board members get (I had no idea. I'm understandbly happy about this). We all had to outline the futures of our respective sections, and I got asked to do profiles on International students about where they come from. I can understand the motive behind this, but I don't have the space...3 pages is not enough for that, and actual travel advice. I know the previous holder of the position tended to use 2 pages, but the articles were rarely detailed enough, and the January issue had a report on a snowboarding festival in London. I'm taking this job seriously, because I love travel, and I love writing, and it's great having people write articles for your section.

After the meeting, and after I'd gone to buy a few drinks from the College Shop, we went down to the Queen's Annexe to have a look at the finished version of the Fresher's issue due out this week. It looks fantastic. Johnny is very talented when it comes to layout and design, and both my own little article on the local area, and my contributor's article on East Asia, turned out great. I look forward to other's reactions when it we get the printed copies on Wednesday. After this, I went to the loo, going under a leak in the ceiling through some electrical cables, and when I came back, I noticed that the Annexe was akin to a submarine, such was the quantity of water falling outside. With thunder rolling, I decided to stay there, and went to my old haunt of the PC lab where I did the 20-hour Sun Yat Sen essay marathon back in May. I stayed there for a while, whilst two former Williamsonians were also curiously there, and when the monsoon became warm sunshine, left to go home. On route, I met someone else I knew (Joff), and then, when I checked in on the International Building, came across Astrid, who hugged me and asked how my Summer had been. I checked History as well, later, and generally refamiliarised myself with Campus, just before the Freshers invaded.

It was definitely Autumn. The cool air, coloured leaves and return to education all spun autumnal feelings within me until I started singing the old (primary) school song 'Autumn Days' out loud. 'Autumn Days, when the grass is jeweled, and the silk inside a chestnut shell / Jet planes meeting in the air to be refueled, all these things I love so well'. I'm reminded of Autumn whenever I gaze out my window at the moment. There are spiders aplenty along our windows, but there's a big orb weaver whose large webs glisten in the morning before the golden trees behind our garden, and the squatting shed door.

Brian set up the new router, so we now no longer play 'pass-the-internet-connection': just as well, given that Amy is now moved in. The internet isn't as fast or smooth as before, but we can all get it, and that's what counts. I can access Facebook without problems again, too.

I've not felt very happy with my cooking, as of late. Bleh. The balsamic vinegar keeps coming to the rescue, at least...