Classes and other stuff

I've been meaning to catch this blog up all week, and now seemed like the perfect time to start. I wanted to tell you about my classes.
I am taking:
Popular Culture and Politics
Crime and investigation in Contemporary US TV
New Media and Society

Though I truly enjoy all my classes, Popular Culture and Politics is easily my favorite. My professor is a pretty well known researcher and theorist on the subject, and I am sure I will be citing in my thesis. I like his lecture style, and he's just a lot of fun. (Plus, he showed a clip of The West Wing in class today-who could ask for anything more?)

A lot of the reading I am doing for my classes, though, seems redundant to reading I've done at my home institution. I'm reading articles and I see names like Gramsci, Raymond Williams, and Marshall McLuhan, and words like hegemony, voyeurism, and video verite. Been there, done that. I made a statement in my New Media and Society class and the professor said, "We're going to talk about that more when we get to Robert Putnam and Bowling Alone." Putnam. This will easily be the fourth class where I've discussed his theory. Alas. It's a good thing I like what I'm studying.

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This Tuesday was Rosh Hashanah. I only observed one day this year, which is odd for me, but that's for another blog entirely. I went to a progressive Jewish synagogue. I had never heard of progressive Judaism before. It seems to be strictly British, I think. They don't bow to God during their prayers, which confused me, but as my brother pointed out, that would be putting God before Queen. It was very interesting, and there were only about 20 (really nice) people there. I was the only student. I am going back there for Yom Kippur, though.

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I'll admit. I've been quite homesick since being over here. Thank goodness for Skype. (*If anyone wants to Skype with me, drop me a line and let me know. I'd love to talk! Also, if anyone wants a postcard, let me know.) It's really hard for me to get out, even though I really am trying. But at bus rides costing the equivalent 7 dollars, I can only go into town so much. I've made some friends here, but the evenings (with the exception of Sunday and Tuesday, quiz nights!) are killer. Most of the evening activity here is either concerts (they have a pretty popular venue on campus) or going to the bar. There's nothing else to do in the vicinity of the campus. Thus my nights are spent writing long and tedious blog entries for a few loyal readers. I really wish there was more to do.

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Speaking of things to do, here's what's on my calendar for the next month:

Saturday-day trip to Cambridge
October 17-Reduced Shakespeare Company!!!
October 25-London Film Festival

Pretty awesome, I'd say.

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So that's it. Maybe I should start on my reading for next week, or do more thesis research. Or, as my dad would say, "Do something, even if it's wrong." I'm working on it, Dad, let me tell you.
All right, I'm out! Cheers!