Clearly...

...this blog isn't being updated any time soon.

Check out my scenic design sketchbook blog until it is!

http://www.sketchbook.charlesmurdocklucas.com/

Merry Christmas Everyone.

Merry Christmas Everyone.
Or Hannukah.
Or Kwanzaa.
Or just Dec. 25th.
Be Happy.

Books...

Well, I've been back about two weeks now, and here is my first post since then.

I'm going to continue to post regarding my trip, at least until I figure out what to do next with this (see previous post)

I thought I'd write a bit about some books that relate to the trip. The first is the Lonely Planet Guide to Great Britain.

I know this sounds like a commercial, so I'll explain a bit. Before I left the country, one of my dear friends surprised me with a going away present- this guide. It was totally unexpected and very wonderful of her. I would never have thought to have purchased a guide book before the trip, not in any serious sense, and I'm not sure which one I would have picked anyway. So it was great to get one as a gift.

It only became more valuable to me as we traveled throughout the UK, as it had helpful maps, information, entertainment suggestions, and other stuff that the Professors didn't know about. It was one of the most useful gifts I've ever received.

I liked it so much that I purchased the Lonely Planet Guide to Ireland myself later on in the trip, and it was extremely useful for planning my independent travel period.

Why write about this stuff now? Well, I've just got another gift from the same friend, a book called Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks. It's a great little travelogue about an English guy who made a bet (while drunk, of course) that he could hitchhike the circumference of Ireland with a fridge. Interested yet? Sure you are. I'm about half-way through it, and I'm really enjoying it too. And not just because I have an unhealthy interest in Ireland.

I've not really been one for travel books before, but that seems to be changing. So, if your in a quandary over what to get a friend, you might try these.

Oh, and when you get a chance, check out my friend Ian's new blog www.dabbling-in-the-arts.blogspot.com/ the photos he posts are really quite nice (I particularly like Cloudburst), and he'd probably appreciate some feedback. He's a good shit. Give his stuff a look.

Where am I?

home.

on my way home...

that's right.

Indy Travel Pictures!

Ok! Here are some long overdue pictures!



Randomly, here's Ned and I in front of my favorite Chinese restaurant in London...
















Now the Indy Travel Pics...

Here's Hayley on the Train to Stratford...













And me, looking zoned out, on the Train..


















And Chandler and Kristen making a perfect picture on the train.













Later, when Hayley and I arrived in Cork, we decided to spruce up out room with a lovely carpet scrap we picked up at a store near the hostel...


Comfy...













Cork had a "Vision Center" that was to show the future of Cork City. They had a scale model which I rampaged through and destroyed. They were terrified of me, and gave me all the butter in Cork to stop destroying their city. True story.















This is the lovely inside of St. Finbarre's Cathedral in Cork.




















And its haunting Neo-French-Gothic Exterior. Scary.




















And here is the inside of St. Francis church. Not especially historical, but pretty!




















That's all for now. Maybe some new ones later!

In Glasgow... and thinking about the future.

So here I am in the lobby of the Eurohostel in Glasgow using free wifi. Very nice.

I said goodbye to Ireland for a very long time today, and didn't have a pleasant goodbye (read: I hate Ryanair)- but I won't go into that. It was wonderful in Dublin and I'm glad I went there again.

I am very excited to be coming home soon, however. Only 5 days. I love it here, and have had a wonderful time, but stability is something I'm missing. I also feel the coming onslaught of academics and preparing for the work world.

I'm also soon going to be in a curious position with this blog. I started it expressly for this study abroad trip, and that is now coming to a close. What now? I refuse to deviate from my original standards, i suppose you'd call them, for this blog. As you may remember:

I hate (and I mean hate) really boring online journal junk about how nikki broke up with jimmy and is screwing around on timmy who is so good at Diablo 6 it blows my mind.

But I love blogging technology. And I love my family, friends, and hangers on (not so much the Creepy Online Peeping Toms). And I want to keep up with all you great people while I'm abroad, and show you what I'm doing, and tell you all about it. And I don't want to harrass all you guys with e-mails you won't really read.

So, my solution[was] this.

A blog.

Now the trip will be over soon. I've enjoyed keeping this up, and some of you have told me you liked reading it. The time will come soon where I won't get to write about Europe, but instead perhaps about the Graphic Design, Scenic Design, Theatre, Marketing and whatever work I'm up to.

I do promise that I'll try my best avoid being "emo" or rambling about boring personal dramas- if I keep this blog going.

But beyond that, I'm not sure what will happen. Thoughts?

I do still have plenty to say/write/show you about my trip. But I'll also back in the USA soon, so that will have less immediate appeal :) So, drop me a line. I'm looking forward to seeing everybody again. Keep an eye on this website, and/or tell me what you think.