wicked !

wow. busy week!

wednesday i worked on filming video for some MSN corporate video.

i shot employees saying "i believe in MSN because..." 

well i got to shoot Tom- my supervisor and he wanted to say- because we review really nice cars. so we thought it would be a good idea to get him saying that IN a car.

so he got the keys of our big boss's new BMW convertible (really really nice).

but- darn- it was too dark to film in the parking garage--- so we just HAD to take the car out for a spin! we drove around for almost 45 minutes with the top down passing Buckingham palace and Big ben like there were just regular buildings. it was so cool.

just chilled then. did some more work for the cars site.

oh i got told i am the "video" girl. and when there isnt video work i help out cars. so thats cool.

wednesday just stopped by a pub on the way home with a couple of the guys from the entertainment department. it was so much fun.

finally finished booking weekend vacations and such --- now i can start getting excited about them !!!!

today just did more photo galleries and articles up on msn cars. 

morgan, ally, emily, danna and i went and saw Wicked tonight.

i have seen it before--- but it was absolutely amazing.

i cannot believe i have been here almost a month and havent been to the theatre yet!!!

i absolutely love the theatre- and wicked was just amazing. the actors did have accents which was a bit different- but the cast was phenomenal. it was a Perfect ending to my day!!!

i am trying to think of what else to say.... but really my life has consisted of work and sleep. in alternating orders. and its only week one.

is this how the real world is ?

as fun as work is- i might decide not to join. :)

Carz...

this is where i work http://cars.uk.msn.com

yes. i work at MSN.

yes. i work in the Cars department.

its actually pretty cool... despite the fact that i have almost no knowledge about the subject.

i am trying though- and i have a lot of work and i have done so much so far!

i am actually doing hands on work and my name has already been put up on a site !!!

i also get to spend 4 days at the British Motor Show (http://cars.uk.msn.com/britishmotorshow2008)

monday i just went to work- there are 4 other people from mizzou who are working there with me - so it is nice having the company ! we got cool name badges- the security is super tight there- you need a pass to get in and out of every single door there. its crazy.

we ate lunch in the little cafe downstairs and it was really good- and importantly cheap!

anyways i had lots to do on monday then got off work a bit early to go off to go to class.

we had some guest speaker then i came back to my flat where chris and steve were hanging out!

we went on a walk for a bit and met up with some MU kids and stopped by the pub across the street for a bit. then we came back and watched a movie and fell asleep.

said goodbye to the boys this morning.... it was extremely nice having them here. i had a great time with them and i hope they enjoyed London as well!

just worked today. Carl and i ate lunch at a cafe outside and it was beautiful.

my computer froze and i had to restart it right before saving my 1st finished article design.

it was extremely frustrating- but hey- i learned a lot.

i also got added to the "tall wall" today. its a white board wall with ideas and such- but on one side it has everyones height- and i was added today... apparently its a rite of passage. (i felt really cool- im not going to lie)

came back and booked final travel with jen!

all we need to do is book 2 trains next week and i need to get my time off work approved to book another trip and then all the booking (and paying) is over... other than that it is all sorted out which quite relaxing.

just chilling before going off to bed before another day looking at cars all day!

i have MSN messenger kaylinrae@live.com (which is also my work email address) which i use at work all the time. so download MSN messenger and we can chat!

i am very happy that i am enjoying my internship. there are so many opportunities presented to me even so far that i feel like i will learn so much. and all of my co-workers are extremely nice and helpful- which is always a plus.

also: i got the most AMAZING care package from my family ever. my brother sent me an incredible drawing of a mother golden retriever and a puppy (possibly our family's new puppy!) and my sister wrote me a beautiful note on a handmade card. and my mom and dad wrote me fabulous notes and gave me the best present ever-- kraft mac and cheese, peter pan peanut butter, trader joes australian soft licorice, packs of nuts and dried berries (good snacks at work!) and all kinds of other fabulously american items that i have been craving!!!!

thank you sooo much! 

oh what a weekend

friday night after all those who were working (not me) came home--- we made dinner and got ready to go out.

Chris and Steve came in at 10pm friday so i went and met them at the train station. i was soo incredibly glad to see them. we dropped their stuff off at their hostel before going to ArchAngel- a pub-ish place up on High Street Kensington with my roommates. we hung out there and caught up a bit before going back to bed.

saturday morning we woke up early and chris, steve my roommate megan and i went on a free walking tour. it was actually pretty cool. we did the "Royal" tour so we got to see all of the Royal places. usually they stop and watch changing of the guard with the tour groups.... well its the Queens Official Birthday this coming saturday- so instead they were practicing Trooping of the Colors. 

trooping of the colors is some sort of parade that shows off all parts of the military and apparently takes upward of 4 hours.... the practice version we watched only took 15 min though.

and we found out that Prince Charles would be riding in the parade!!! soo we kept looking for him and we saw him!!! he was riding a horse in a uniform like everyone else- but wearing a blue sash. dont worry- i took lots of pictures. it was sooooo amazing though. i mean yeah changing of the guard would have been cool--- but i saw Prince Charles!!!!

after the tour we took the tube station to Portobello Rd. market and megan and i got crepes for lunch and we walked around there a bit. then we came home and all pretty much took naps. (well i finished my last book.... once i start a book i am socially awkward until i finish it because all i want to do is read the book...... those who tried speaking to me last summer during my Harry Potter marathon know what im talking about...)

anyways after that we all met up with the other kids from our program and went to Cheers!. it was a pub-ish place with a dance floor. it was a lot of fun....until they started playing American music on overkill. still- we were all dancing and meeting people and it was great roommate bonding! and the boys were like our bodyguards all night- always watching out for us and such. did i mention yet that they are amazing ?!

today we slept in then the boys came by and made jen and i big omelets with onions and peppers in them. after that we walked up to Kensington Gardens and met my other roommates and sat outside and people watched a bit. but it was really hot outside so we decided to get up and walk around. 

we went to Imperial College union to get some cold water- and we watched the end of the mens (french?) finals something in Tennis. we took the boys around campus a bit before going down to the grocery store. the boys grilled and amazing dinner for jen and i. their hostel has a grill- and it sounded so good- and unfortunately we do not have access to a grill.

so the boys made us chicken and potatoes and fruit salad. it tasted sooo good. and was one of the most balanced meals i have eaten in a long time !!!

then we went to a pub by their hostel and watched the 2nd half of Euro Soccer--- germany v. poland. poland lost :(

it was very crowded though and a great atmosphere. i love how they all have songs that they sing. its cool.

then we came back and just played card games in my flat.

it was a perfect weekend and it was so nice to have them here. they are great amazing people and i wonder why they still hang out with me !

they dont leave till tuesday morning --- although i start work tomorrow so i wont see them until after class late at night.

soooo yeah i start work at 10am. wish me luck. i will need it !!!

also jen and i booked our 2 day- 1 night trips to Prague and Dublin today. i cannot believe it is actually booked and we will actually be going there !!!! we are going june 28th-39th to Prague and July 5th-6th to Dublin. i think both trips are going to be beyond unforgettable !!!! (thanks mom and dad!)

well off to finish my paper for GK -then bed, so i am wide awake tomorrow when i go to my internship !!!!

hope everyone had as great of a weekend as i did !!!

p.s. when i talked to my dad last he was out looking at new golden retriever puppies from the breeder we are buying from.

i cannot wait to come home in august and play with our new puppy my family gets in July !!!!!

thanks dad for finally giving in the the other 4 of us in the family!! a puppy is always a great idea!

me, myself and i

while my roommates are off at their wonderful internships..... i am sitting alone in our flat.

i found out this morning that i do in fact have an internship. although the details are sketch.

im doing something at MSN. supposedly video work?......

but i dont start until monday at 10.

therefore i have had way too much free time on my hands.

woke up yesterday and made cinnamon/sugar french toast. 

then i walked to Kensington Gardens with my book and read outside for over 3 hours.

it was so beautiful. i could have been at a park anywhere in the world.

i was surrounded by green grass, flowers and an array of people. some were tanning others playing frisbee and most sitting reading books.

i almost forgot i was in London.

then occasionally my peripheral vision would catch a glimpse of the gold on the gates into Kensington Palace only meters away from me and remind me of the european adventure i currently find myself in.

after a great relaxing time away from all things technological and all things... period, i decided it was time to get up and join the real world again.

i walked up and down high street kensington for a bit- then i spent literally an hour wandering around Whole Foods. everything was just so pretty.

the store itself was arranged perfectly and all of the fresh food was simply inviting me in for a healthy dinner- or a tropical vacation with all of the fresh fruit jumping off the shelves at me (and landing in my basket)

after saying goodbye to quality foods i know i can never afford i came home and watched some reality TV before reading some more and going to bed.

this morning i have really not done much anything of significance.

i read a book, played around online and have been looking up travel info for the future and places to go this weekend.

Chris and Steve come into London tonight and i cannot wait to see them.

that will be the highlight of my day. and week.

now to only find something to occupy my time between now and 10 pm ...... 

kid in a candy shop...

today was fabulous.

we started off talking to an MP from the House of Commons at parliament then we got a tour.

i loved it. i mean i got to stand inside the house of commons and house of lords. and we got to see the processional of the Speaker. and see all of this really old historical stuff... and see where the Queen sits and it was just amazing.

we had a quick tour through the house of commons because it was wendnesday and they do Question Time wednesday afternoons so they had to set up.

i guess i am just a dork and like government stuff. needless to say i thought it was very cool.

i am a political science double major--- give me some credit.

then we went to BBC and got a tour of BBC.

so i went from politics to tv news. seriously i was a kid in a candy shop.

the past few days ive been a little nervous- because i dont seem to be as excited about my internship as my roommates. but when i walked into BBC and saw the newsroom my heart beat just a little bit faster.

and it reassured me that i am in love with tv news.

i love the way the newsrooms are set up- and the buzz and the different TV screens and inews and reading AP wires.

although i must say--- i havent watched BBC much... but i am obsessed with Sky News over here. i think it is just so fabulous and i love the way they format their shows... dont judge me

after that i came back and took a nap before jen, megan and i went to De Mario's- an italian place known for its pizza-- (i had 4 cheese pizza with roasted sweet peppers) and Princess Diana used to take her boys there often. and it was sooo good.

now im just chilling and reading a book before bed.

my internship doesnt start tomorrow (haha thats because i still dont know what it is.... dont ask)

so i have the day free.

not sure what to do.... we shall see.

so recap of the day: love parliment- obsessed with tv news- and pizza= amazing.

i know i am a nerd. but i love it. 

top chef

well after watching the entire season of top chef season 4 (while... not the finale- its not on yet!)

i have decided to start cooking.

i know. frightening.

sunday night we bought chicken breast cut into cubes and came home and marinated them in olive oil and mixed herbs. jen cooked the chicken and i sauteed fresh bell peppers and onions in butter. i also made basmati rice. yum ! amazing chicken with fresh veggies over rice. great dinner!

monday i got my hair cut ! and the girl who cut my hair, Lindsey, was from Canada and gave me some great tips on places to go out. she was so much fun.

then we had some lecture on british class system came back made pasta for dinner then went to our night class. we had a great guest speaker from the press complaints commission. he was super knowledgeable and easy to talk to and gave us great examples.

stopped by a pub and just chit-chatted for a while. came home and prepared for my interview this morning.

i had the most difficult interview i have ever had this morning at MSN.

i sat in with the editor in chief and the head of the money/travel/tech department.

they asked really challenging questions. 

still havent heard if i got the internship or not. 

if i do it will be the most challenging, most rewarding summer internship ever.

also the building MSN is in is fantastic and super modern. and there is great shopping and a bunch of cute cafes and restaurants and bars close by.

after that i came home and passed out for a while. then my roommates and danna and i walked to kensington palace in the pouring rain in our dresses with no umbrella.

we get there and see a helicopter flying and one of the guards told us it was Prince William and/or Prince Harry in the helicopter and it was landing on the estate. it was quite cool. we did not see them in person though

we did high tea at The Orangery at Kensington Palace. i had cinnamon spice english breakfast tea and a fruit scone with clotted cream (butter?) and fresh jam. it was sooo great.

we were all quite soaked- but the tea was warm and atmosphere amazing.

now im just getting ready to make shrimp in white wine/garlic sauce over fresh pasta with peas and grated parm. yum !!!

(i got 10 fresh shrimp for only 1.89 pounds!!!)

so i am excited about that !!!

tomorrow we are touring parliament and the BBC before our last weeknight of freedom.

(we are supposed to start our internships on thursday) but i still dont know if i will start thursday with the rest of them or not because i havent heard back the company yet. (no one has who interviewed with MSN though so who knows ...)

crossing my fingers !

lazy sunday

so yesterday we just chilled around after our portabello road adventure.

i attempted to make berry cobbler. and while the berries were good.... i put them ontop of jen's digestive cookies (dont ask) so it ended up more like a mush.

didnt taste bad- just an awkward texture.

then we got ready and decided to go on the tube. it was the last night that alcohol was allowed on the tube so it was PACKED. people were just going crazy, it was certainly an experience.

then because it was so crowded and such they shut down some lines and even some stations it was insane.

then jen stew and i took the bus to south ken to meet up with our other roomies.

then we took the tube to some new area to meet up with mitch davis- who is in town.

we went to this crazy nightclub called AKA before realizing mitch was at the much more chill one upstairs. we stayed there for a while then jen and i took the bus and ventured home.

this morning we made awesome cinnamon/sugar french toast and are now just relaxing.

gotta love lazy sundays !