21 in London and other noteworthy events in my life as a scholar...

hello again. i meant to publish this yesterday but one two hour conversation led to another (the parents and the gf), and well it's monday night. as many of you already know, i spent this past weekend in the lovely city of london for nicholas colin tomb salter's 21st bday. it was quite enjoyable, seeing as carly came up from spain, and his fam came out from the states. we had a good weekend, although it was short. saturday afternoon we went out to lunch, walked around town, went to the london eye (the world's largest ferris wheel), and then had a pretty fun night. we went to this place called "oxo," which was on the eighth floor of a building on the river. it was a bar and restaurant with great food and delicious views.
then we went to this bar, baltic (where salter's parents began to fall asleep), before going to the end/aka. it was a fun night full of good times and good company. nonetheless, it is good to be back in oxford. while it can certainly be lonely at times, there is something about this place that is already beginning to feel a little homey and welcoming. (i think it's probably the spirit's of potter and lewis roaming around, in two very different ways)... after returning from london, i had an afternoon tennis tryout, which went terribly and was rather discouraging, but don't fear my friends, i am getting another shot next sunday. no worries if i don't make the team (i was never expecting to), but i just want to get a fair shot. that's all...after the bad tryout experience, i was able to come home and chat with the parents for two hours, and it was really good to hear their voices. then last night i went to our first sunday night worship service at the mansfield college chapel and went to a dinner in the senior common room (which is quite a big deal!) for some meet and greet with the chaplain. after dinner, i came back and had a very encouraging convo with the gf. i think some of you actually know her. her name is daniella morello, she has brown curly hair, big green eyes, and is a film and communications double major at boston college. if you happen to see her around, tell her i say hey...
today, i woke up early, went and registered for a reader's card (which means i get special access to a sweet english library) and worked on my paper all day, only stopping for lunch and dinner at college. the food was pretty good and the company was even better (it really is a good time eating at college- it's a good deal, many people from school are always there, and the setting is just like harry potter). i have finished a rough draft of the paper and am just about to go edit it and come up with some form of a final copy. my first formal tutorial with judith, studying c.s. lewis, is tomorrow morning at 11 at her house. i will read my paper aloud and the conversation will go from there. could be intimidating, but potentially awesome as well (she's a really cool lady). wish me luck. i miss you and love you all. hope all is well. take care of each other. peace and love in christ- jay.