Hello? Anyone still here?  I didn't mean to be away for ....6 months. Term two was quite crazy, fun crazy but still crazy. I'm sure if you've had any contact with my mom or if you read between the lines on Facebook   you'll know what I've been up to but allow me to recap for the few not in the loop. For term two I directed my first short film, it was part of a collaborative project and if you ask nicely when I get home I'll let you see it. :)   I also did another very short piece  about my grandparent's trips to England and my mom was kind enough to be "Older Me" when she came to visit. I've also made several trips down to London which is my favorite place in the world, and I have several more trips  planned  before I go.  Both of these large project required me to keep a log book of my progress and that became more then enough for me to have to keep up with, I've never been good at keeping a diary, I don't suppose I ever will be.

Right now I'm in my third and final term and working on my Masters project. I'm designing my own version of the lair scene in Phantom of the Opera, by analyzing what past productions have done,and using them to inform and support my own version.  I'm enjoying using my ridiculous amount of knowledge on the subject.  Also during this last term I've gotten some work experience, here's hoping it will help me get a job! I'll be returning to the states in September. I'll be horribly sad to leave England, I really do love it here, Salford not so much, but the country and the people I will cherish forever. I hope one day I'll be able to return, I would do so with the greatest of pleasures and I hope my path may take me back here or at least on other adventures even half as great as this one has been.     

Hello, anyone here? It's only been....a little over a month since I last wrote here.

I am sorry I had so many plans for being a better blogger then this, but I can say that my excuse is a good one , I've been working on school stuff.  The week after my last post I was helping out at the Salford Media Festival, I volunteered for two days and then I was in the 48 hour film challenge, which was fun but very exhausting. Then after that it was time for Thanksgiving which I celebrated with some of my course mates, I made the Turkey, not as good as my mom's but not a bad effort either. I got my marks back for my first project and got I think I got the equivalent of an A on it so I'm pleased, it made turning in the portfolio much easier. Now I just trying to save my other project, which is not going as well and trying to make it better. It's due on the 7th. But I seriously don't want to talk about that.

Let's talk about Christmas instead because that was awesome.  One of My friends on the course, Natalie, invited me to her house to spend Christmas with her family.  They where so wonderful! She lives with her mom and dad and two dogs. Nicer people you couldn't meet! Her father maybe the best cook in the world, and her mom is so sweet and thinks of everything. I got there on Sunday before Christmas and we mostly relaxed hung out and agreed that our final projects did not exist during christmas. Monday we went to Liverpool, went to a museum (it was largely about the Titanic) and met up with some of Natalie's friends who are just as sweet as she is (is there no one awful in this country?) . Christmas Eve we spent relaxing and meeting some there friends and neighbors, we ate a lovely meal (Hotpot) and I had sticky Toffee pudding for the first time (it's happiness in a desert) and we also went to a Pantomime, which I now wish we had back home because they are such good fun. The one we saw was Jack and the Bean Stalk.  Christmas Day was lovely, (the family was so kind they even made sure I had a stocking  with lovely presents)  We sent the day eating, watching christmas specials visiting the neighbors and just having a nice time. I think it'll be my favorite part of my trip here, the time spent with my English family..

Now then It's back to reality, But once I finish my project I have a few weeks off and I'm hoping to go down to London for a few days. I know I'll be going down the 14th to see a radio show recording, I'm hoping I can extend the trip to go to some of the sites I really want to see. You probably won't hear from me again until after the New Year,  or really until after this project is due, So I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that Your New Year is everything you hope it will be.

All the best,
Ashley     

In many ways this week has been my favorite week here. I got to hang out with my favorite people on the course and they both make everything so much more fun!

It seems like ages ago we went to buy tickets for Swan Lake, I can't believe that has come and gone now, but it was a lovely evening. We had tea and walked around the mall a bit and then went to dinner at a nice Italian restaurant and plotted more things to do together. After dinner we walked to the theater watched Swan Lake.

The Next Day was Children in Need, which is a huge charity drive to raise money for children (some of it is not unlike the Make a Wish foundation). The four of us volunteered to Conga with folks from the BBC in yellow ponchos to raise money for the cause. It was being broadcast live (I think on BBC One) and recorded for an Ident. card for the station. It felt a bit like a welcome into the cult of the BBC (in a good way). There is nothing quite like doing the Conga in yellow bear ears and a big yellow Poncho. (There are more pictures of us on Facebook, I haven't been able to find a video with us in it yet though, this could be a good thing)

Today was not as much fun as those things but I went to the open audition for the New Star Wars Movie, I didn't make it to call backs, nor was I expecting to, I was out of the age range they where looking for, not to mention not athletic looking by any stretch of the imagination, but chatting in the line was fun and I can I've auditioned for a Star wars film. I did get asked to put my CV in the extras casting box so maybe I'll get to do that. I don't think I have been so cold before standing in that line, and everyone got very stiff from standing, I really noticed it on the way back (I walked to and from). I did get to walk past the Man U stadium and the auditions where at the near by Cricket club, I wish I had gotten to see more of both. Maybe another weekend.

Tomorrow I'm helping my friend work on her creative development project, I'm looking forward to it.

TTFN

You know one of things I was most excited about in traveling here for a year was really getting to see what day to day life was like in another county. I figured there would be lots of things I still won't get to know much about, like the health care service, because I figured I'd probably never have cause to use it (unless I got the flu and just needed a prescription.) Boy was I wrong.

It stared last Satruday when I noticed my jaw was sore  and achy, I firgured I had been clinching my teeth in the night (no big surprise given my first assignment was due this last Thursday ). The next day it got much worse and it became clear that it was a back tooth that was giving my hell. I still thought it was just aggravated from the night before, to in the morning I got better pain killers, but nothing was helping. I was in that crying it hurts so much kind of pain. , and I have to admit I was  scared of going to the dentist here. (lets face it England is renowned for many things but dental sure as hell isn't one of them.) And I hate going to the dentist no matter where I am!!  Anyway the morning of my presentation I walked down the road to the nearist NHS dentist office and got an emergency appointment for right after my presentation. (I hope they took the fact that I was drugged and in pain during the whole thing into account!) Anyway they've given me antibiotics to kill the infection I've got now and they are going to have to drill into one of my crowns to clean it out. It was a nice office and the doctor was very friendly . This particular office doesn't do much outside fillings and cleanings, but I'm used to my own dentist who is a surgeon and can do just about everything. Overall it was nice clean and he didn't remind me at all of the scene in Little Shop   I think what amazed me most was the price though: For all that they are going to do it'll be rounded up about $55.00 (yes you read that right. It boggles the mind doesn't it?  I don't think I've ever paid so little for any kind of medical treatment.  But anyway the antibiotics started really working half-way though yesterday and I'm feeling human again. It's been like having a migraine for a week straight and then someone pushing a button to turn it nearly off.

My project presentation went pretty well I think, I don't feel like I could have done it any better then I did and I felt like I could answer all of there questions. I was the third one to go so i have no idea how I did over all. Some people said that later in the day the teachers seemed to get a bit stony faced with everyone (we went in small groups) so i think that all in all I'll be fine. I'm hoping I might put up my taster video link on facebook so you can see it. The idea is for it to give you a feel of what my documentary would be like. 

Other then that not much else to tell about, I'm taking this weekend off to recover from my painful week, because there is nothing like working on a big project and not feeling well (thank God I was prepared before it really kicked in)

I think that's it, it's a cold rainy day and I've got the soundtracks to The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and Somewhere in Time playing while I'm writing this. I think now I'm going to start making dinner (I'm making beef and barley soup since it's easy to eat and means yummy left overs) after that I think I'll snuggle with my knitting and finish catching up with Once Upon a Time.

Later ya'll

No really I am, I had written a entry the weekend before last and then left it in the drafts bin. It's been a busy time for me. Let me tell you all about it.

Firstly my younger Brother got married last week, on the same day that my older brother also got married. Funny old world isn't it? I was sad that I couldn't be with my family up in Massachusetts, but of all the reasons to miss it I'm glad being in England was it.
I also went to Bletchley Park to film for my project! It was great fun and I got to tick one more thing off of my "Must do in Life List." I've wanted to go there since I did a project on the Enigma in the10th grade. Everyone at B.P was super friendly. I got some nice footage, although it was a real learning curve. I decided to use the Canon 7D to shoot with because of it's size and weight, but I'd not used it before (for any length of time), so I was learning about it while filming. My footage could have been better, but as filming was just the icing on the cake for my project I don't mind too much. I can't wait to go again, although even the people that worked there where surprised at how long I stayed :)

Since then I've been at the BBC for a conference about how Social Media is changing the industry and working on my producing and Creative development projects. ( Bletchley is for Producing BTW).
 
Halloween was a bit of a bust, I didn't do much besides cook and crave my Pumpkin, which of course turned out great because hardly anyone got to see it. ;P
 Um that's about it, sorry for it being so sort, I''m in project overload at the moment!
-Ashley

As promised (and when I promised) a post about my trip to Beautiful Edinburgh!

One of the first things my mom asked me after I'd been in England for a few days was "Does it feel like coming home to you?". My answer was no. But getting out into the country side and away from the city  my answer has changed to a resounding yes.

The trip started very early in the morning  the International society booked two large coaches (think greyhound bus) to drive the Salford and Manchester U students to Edinburgh. I sat next a really nice girl from Iraq. The whole trip would have been worth it just for the view out the window. the landscapes here are too beautiful to describe. Trying to take pictures n the moving bus was difficult and really photo's don't do it justice. It has a rustic simplicity that makes you feel cozy and happy (for me anyway). We had a one hour stop at a roadside outlet mall area. I hadn't eaten breakfast so I found a Thornton's Cafe/Chocolate shop and ordered lunch.  It was noticeably colder so I bought the soup and had a cup of Hot chocolate that was to die for (you can see it in the pictures below) I looked around a little bit in the shops but not much was there. Back on the bus we drove on and as the hills turned into mountains we could see dozens of fields full of sheep! (there where cows and horse and ponies too, but I was so happy about the sheep!)     Again words can't describe how pretty the land is, you'll have to come and see it too. On the way up I also manged to finish a pair of fingerless gloves (in wool of course;)  But when I picking out my outfits for the trip I was only thinking in terms of warmth and ease, I wore my John Watson sweater (the cream cable knit for those not in the know) but the trouble was that the gloves I had just made as well as the only cold weather hat I brought with me where knit from the left over yarn from the sweater so I'm afraid I look rather like someone who was wearing a sheep from head to toe!

We got to Edinburgh a bit earlier then planed so our rooms at the Hostel where not ready, so we just put our things in a spare room and took off. I by accident ended up finding  Arthur Conan Doyle's birthplace and a statue of Sherlock Holmes almost at once. There was also a pub dedicated to him as well, I didn't go in though, maybe next time. I think I walked a bit to get a good view of the castle and then up the High street to see all of the touristy things. It's great fun the High street. I bought some gifts for people back home :) I'll be sending them along to mom and she'll get them to you ;)  I walked past the bar named after the Man who inspired Jekyll and Hyde, (I did go in planning to get lunch there the next day but it was too crowded) I walked up to the Castle at the top of the hill, I didn't go in there wasn't much time before they would close for the evening and they where asking a little too much in ticket price, I'll go when mom comes to visit. I walked back down to See St. Giles and on the way found a lady holding different birds of prey, for  3 quid you could get a picture of yourself holding the bird,  It was close enough to an Owl in my mind that I had to do it.  A nice tourist took my photo for me (I had taken the few of him with his camera). It was hugely intimating having that bird stare at me so I'm afraid I payed more attention to him then to what I looked like for the camera (add to that my weight at the moment) and I look horrible in the photos. It was so darn cool though I am allowing them to be put on here ;)

After looking around the church I started to head off the high street to Greyfriars Bobby, which apart from being a neat landmark and story was also where the Harry Potter tour was going to meet. I was a bit early so I walked down to The Elephant House  to have a cup of tea and glory in the the fact that Jo Rowling used to write in the cafe. I remember seeing here on TV not long after the fourth book had been out doing an interview there and talking about liking to write in cafe's. I've wanted t go ever since. It's a neat place and I wish I could have gone there before it was well known as a Harry Potter landmark because it really is cozy. I had a pot of tea and a slice of lavender sponge cake. I also went to the loo to take pictures of the walls that are decorated in thanks to Jo for the books.
After that I headed back up the street for the Tour.

I cannot recommend The Potter Trail tour enough, it was so well done, it was fun and he showed us a few places I never would have found on my own. I loved it. I got to see the grave yard that likely inspired the one in book four (and seriously your standing there and thinking this is it, it feels like the place in your head. I also got to see the McGonagall's name sake, the school that Hogwarts is based on and Tom Riddle's  grave as well as one of the places thought to possibly Diagon Alley.  It was SO MUCH FUN! This particular night they had a magician to do tricks as well on the tour. The tour was also free, they ask for donations at the end, really I would have happy payed them the going rate of any of the other tours.

After the tour I started walking slowly back to the Hostel, just enjoying the night time in Edinburgh. On the way back I got a sandwich at a Tesco's because it was cheap and easy and went back to the Hostel. This was my first time in one and it was very nice, I will probably book a it again  next trip up there.

The next day, after breakfast we had a coach tour of the city and the country side around it. The International society hires a guide to do the tour so we where back on our own buses. After the tour we had a a few hours on our own to wonder about. I  went back to Diagon Ally (I think it's actually Victoria Street  because there was a yarn shop there that sold local wool. I did buy some yarn :) After wondering the side streets for a bit I went back to the GreyFriars for fish and chips and to get some better pictures. Service is not very quick there but it was nice to enjoy the atmosphere. After that I headed back to the new town.  which was where my bus would pick us up to go home. I walked around some of the stores and then ended up getting tea and sitting on a park bench that had a great view of the castle and lovely roses  all around (Ok I confess I had a cupcake too :))   Then I walked back to find my bus. While waiting for it I did find a little grave yard off to the side that I looked around in before getting back on the bus and returning home.

The trip back was quiet since it was dark, but I did get to see the little sheep prancing around the hill tops in the twilight. I have secret hopes that I can somehow  have a home in Scotland one day because I didn't want to leave it at all. I can't wait to go back and I can't wait to visit other places around these beautiful countries!

I'm having trouble loading the pictures so they may not be at their greatest. I have more photos on my phone I just have to sort out how to get them off of it :) Sorry yáll new to the iphone :)
       

Sorry.
I really am. I hadn't meant for a whole week to go by without a word from me. I have been busy but also I think all of the changes and scariness of what I'm trying to do finally sunk in. Those of you who know me know that I adapt to change about as well as a cat does. I knew it would happen but even when you know it it doesn't make anything less scary. But any way moving on. Of course now I have to remember what all I've been wanting to mention in the past week!

Let's see I've been to the local knit store (Purl City Yarns) for a knit in. It was great fun, everyone was really lovely and welcoming. I finished the hat I was working on in the plane and I've picked out my next project  the Owl Sweater. I'm hoping to go back to the store sometime this next week to get the yarn for it.

 Before that I went around Media City with some of my course mates to take pictures and visit the Imperial War museum. We had a great time just chatting and snapping pictures, although I flt a little silly with my little cool pix camera when they all had nice honking big cameras. I did half a day of that and then walked into the city to go to the Tea Party. It was very fun and the weather was nice enough for us to take our tea out side. They had so many cakes and puddings! I have never been so glad I skipped lunch (I also skipped dinner) Everyone was really lovely and the event was so well organized. I'm looking forward to going to Scotland with the group tomorrow. (which  by the way is why I'm writing now, I'll be gone most all of Sunday).
 
I really can't believe I've been here nearly a month! I really do love the country and the people here. The only things I don't like have more to do with the life style and living as a student.  (I hate not having space in the fridge, roommates and not having a TV). I confess there are few American things I miss and you'll laugh at them: Italian Salad dressing, 12 pack of coke, and Spelnda in paper packets (the last I can actually get if I want to find a Costco )  Silly isn't it?

I do miss all of the Halloween things going on at home, As you know Halloween is like my national Holiday, it is far and away my favorite and I really do miss going to the pumpkin patch an d the apple farm and decorations. I did buy a Pumpkin at Tescos the other day. It made me completely happy '(Like Arthur Shappy juggling apples happy) I'm thinking I'll be doing a Sherlock pumpkin this year, not sure yet. It is Doctor Who's 5oth anniversary maybe I should do a who pumpkin. Maybe I'll put it up to a vote on here.

I think that's it, I'm enjoying all of your comments please keep them coming. I promise to update on Monday after classes about my trip to Scotland.

Hugs to All!
Ashley
   

Sorry everyone, I had wanted to update more then just once this week! It has been a busy first week of classes and I've got lots to share!

I guess I need to back track to Sunday, I don't think I did much except walk Downtown to find the yarn shop and see if it would be a place to track to for knit nights. It was a very nice store with great yarns but 'm not sure about going in that area at night and then back to my flat. I might try some of their day time knit groups. After that I got myself on the treadmill  and then raced back to change quickly before staking out the TV set for Downton Abbey. I had to sit though some boring shows until it came on but I'm glad I got to see it on the big TV(even if it was really noisy).

Monday was my first proper lecture Creative Development. Everyone on the MA courses has to take it  (there are several courses Wildlife Docs, Fiction Film, Post-production, Documentary, Children's Media, Animation etc)  and it is several hours long. We have different lectures each week (all course instructors) to go over the topics.

Tuesday was a day off for me and I mostly cleaned up and wet out shopping, Since we have so little room for food storage and nothing stays good for long shopping is going to be a frequent thing. I did learn my lesson though: put the bread the the fridge. With no central air, all lot of moisture and food with very little preservatives nothing lasts long out on the counter! I'm also having to relearn labeling here, I know I've bought  few thing that as I've gotten home and looked at the label better are not as healthy as I thought they where. I confess to also looking around the charity shops and I found to Harry Potter hard backs for a 99p each that I couldn't not buy. ;)

Wednesday was... AWESOME!  We got to do a session on the film cameras we are using, which was fun. I remembered a lot more then I thought I would after four years of not handling one. After the class a bunch of us went over to the mall area to have lunch and chat with each other. Several of of us (me included) had responded to an email one of our professors sent us getting us on the guest list for a lecture done by The Royal Television Society at the Lowrey Theater. It was honoring a well known executive producer Nicola Shindler. So we talked about that, little did we know just what kind of lecture it would be. After lunch  I went with a few of the others to a meeting for the local News, they are always looking for people to help out with stories and produce content. After that we all headed home to eat and early dinner and go to the party.

The party/ lecture/ Q&A was really cool, it was full of sound artists, editors, producers, just everyone! They where mostly from ITV and Granada, some from the BBC. The 8 of us that had gotten in where a bit scared to talk to many people, I did manage to talk to one lady, thinking I was doing quiet well at it too until I found out she was the wife of one of my lecturers. (cést la vie). Besides Shindler herself (who is just an awesome lady (and from a theater background too) I did have a squee moment when I saw Phil Colinson who was the executive producer on Doctor Who  through the RTD years. Lucky there was a another student on my course that is also a fan so we squeed together on the bus back about getting to be near him.

Thursday  was my class in Producing, which I really loved even though it was a five hour lecture. We did break for an hour for lunch, which we all opted for eating on the pretty lawn. It was fun to be at I'm not sure that i can make it fun in retelling though.

Today I mostly did little errands around campus. I signed up  for a tea party on Sunday and for an over night trip to Edinburgh. I can't wait for that. I did try to go to Peels Park because it was such a nice day but I never did find a entrance to it. I enjoyed the walk though and manged to find a little birthday present for my mom.

I've also been doing some letter writing. I found out that you can't just put extra stamps on mail leaving the UK, you have to get each letter weighed which I have to say is a real pain in the ass.  (I'm talking about ordinary sheet of paper letters too) Sometimes I think everyone in this country looks and makes for ways to make people stand in line ;)

-Ashley
 

Good, then I'll begin this long over due post!

First  apologies for the length absence. It's hard to believe I've been here a week already! Thursday night the internet was down, and I did write a entry in word, though I'm not going to post it, I'll just add what news I need to in this one. Yesterday evening I was at the Pub with my Cohort , But more on that in a bit.

Wednesday after getting signed up with a bank I went back out to Media city to look around and took a few pictures for you to see (these got posted on Facebook last night so mom could see them they are in the gallery at the bottom of this page). I also strolled around the Lowrey outlet mall. I stopped at News agent and bought a copy of Radio Times (basically like Tv Guide, except more magazine bits to it.) It had a few articles on Downton Abbey which starts back tomorrow.I also got a copy of Privet Eye,  this mostly because I really like the TV show Have I Got New For You and one of the panelist is the editor. I wanted to see what like. I also confess to being lured into The Cadbury shop, but I was good and only got a small hot chocolate.  Oh I also found a used copy of Judi Dench's biography , bought that as well. (I need to stop buying things!)

Thursday I actually got into a bit of a rut, I had nothing planned, nothing to get no where to go. I had thought about going into the city to find the local yarn shop (an LYS  for you non knitters) but I was a little afraid of going into the city.  I finally cam to my senses and realized it was ridiculous to be afraid of journeying three miles into an unknown city  when I had only a week before traveled to live in an unknown country! I didn't go to the yarn store but I did find  expensive mall I've ever seen. The stores where things like Prada, Channel, Top Shop, Oasis, Hermes. I did feel like I had died and gone to Doctor who costume heaven though, because these are some of the stores that they buy the costumes from. (I did get to see and hold the shoes that Clara is wearing in the Christmas Special) I did find an H&M  that I bought a sweatshirt in. Don't look at me like that I only brought one with me!  I'm glad I walked around the city, I don't feel afraid of it anymore. When I got back I tackled the laundry,  woo whoo!

Yesterday was my first lecture, it was just discussing what an MA is and what kinds of critical writing they are expecting from us, We got to hear from a few of the PH.D students and see their projects. It was fun but very very long! It went over four hours, I think all of ran out of there to get a big lunch. Later that evening we all (including most of our tutors) met up at a really nice pub.  I've never been in one before and I don't know what I expected but it was really nice! I had a lemonade  which was described to me as being like an American sprite, except much better. It was like a sprite but as if Sprite was all lemon.  On of our tutors created a very long pub quiz (complete with horrible trophy) . I had a great time, and now that I've been to a pub I don't think I'll hesitate about going again.

Now then Today is very boring, I've cleaned my room (including renting the scary hoover), the bathroom and the kitchen, caught up with Qi  and then I went out to the shops to buy a tea pot. I've missed having more then one cup of tea at a time, and well you know me, I love a teapot. I've been having lovely cups of tea while writing this, I don't think I'll regret the purchase at all. (I'll just be torn about not bring it back with me!) It's a knock Brown Betty, i thought I ought to go traditional. I think that once I finish my current knitting projects I would allow myself to buy enough yarn to make a tea cozy for it. :)

 Alight I think we are all caught up now, time for pictures. The picture at the top of the page is my classroom building (it's also where ITV will live once they are finished painting)  Most of the photos below are from this area, it's all called Media City.