Things I miss from Home: (Vol I) 

Charlie Pierce looking sexy behind the counter at common grounds. 

Wes and I dancing to Katy Perry’s “Firework” (I tried to teach the UK people, but their dancing skills are rubbish).

Mrs. Crucero

“Doooooooor!” 

Things I love about my new Home. (Vol I)

This guy- 

Here are the societies I signed up for today:

Rave society (most excited)

Fly fishing society

Watching “Doctor Who” and eating cake Society

Mountaineering Society

Fine Chocolate Society

The first class I’m taking is Aesthetics which I thought would be interesting since I like to consider myself an artist of sorts. The first line of the the first page of the first book said this however, “Aesthetics is for the artist what ornithology is for birds.” In other words, useless (or “for the birds”), ha. But I suppose this is a fair summary of all my college education. Not that it was useless, but that I have wanted to be the bird and studying it as well. 

Life and Death is the other class I’m taking which should be as sufficiently depressing as it sounds. First day of class my professor says, “We will be reflecting on death as the end of existence. There will be no discussion of an afterlife.” Dear Lord. I suppose the final exam will be a test of whether or not we jump off a bridge by the end of the semester, although I can’t be certain which act would give you the passing grade. 

One of the questions posed in class was as follows: 

What is more frightening? 

A) the idea of dying

B) the idea of never existing

Without hesitation, I circle B). I'm a big fan of existing. My attention then goes to the student who sits to my right. His eyes stare glazen into the back of the chair in front of him before twitching back to his paper, commanding his hand and pen to circle A) "The idea of dying." I nearly wanted to cry. The thought that, “I would rather have never been born, than to live and face death,” is deeply sobering. Even without the promise of an afterlife, I would never give up the life that has been granted to me thus far. Perhaps I have been too fortunate. I think back through my life at all the people that I have loved and who have loved me. Some of those relationships have died, yes, but I would never wish for them to have never existed. 

I am often overwhelmed by the gratuity of life. It is simply absurd that I get to experience this world, however it may be presented. I therefore willingly accept all that comes with it because through the holistic experience of both joy and suffering in the world, I come ever closer to the one who made it. For He is love, yet He also suffered. And if I am created in his image, then I will experience both as part of my existence. This is why death is far less frightening than non-existence. 

As I sat overlooking the north sea yesterday, the veil between heaven and earth felt especially thin and I realized that I am the luckiest person in the world… Not because I am here in this place, but because I am alive. What a tremendous gift. And by God’s grace we all receive it.

PS the couple sitting next to me at the coffee shop just starting kissing rather violently... Still happening. Happy Valentine's Day. 

I woke up the other morning with that feeling in the back of my throat, the one where you're not really sick yet, but you know it's coming. Griffin calls this condition, 'hypochondria.' Wanting to kick the cold before it ruined my week, I ran to Tesco that night and bought some Cold & Flu pills. I take two, and then a couple hours later I take two more as I slip into bed feeling confident that I will wake up all better. 

Hours pass and I'm still awake so it occurs to me around 3:30 AM to take a second gander at that box of pills. I discover there are three ingredients- Phenylephrine (cool, sounds good with me) Paracentamol (nice, allright) and Caffeine (oh, hell). Sleep did not come until 7 that morning and needless to say I was not feeling better. So I basically got hopped up on caffeine and stayed up all night on Stumbleupon.com... which I later realized is exactly what I do during finals week at Baylor.

This past weekend I took the rail to Edinburgh which was a glorious time. My choice of seating on the train afforded me the chance to sit next to a dozen 40 year old women who were celebrating a birthday party. People complain that Americans are loud, but you should have heard these English ladies. It felt like I was watching "sex and the city" on 4 different tvs inside a chicken coupe during feeding. You know that adrenaline rush you get when startled suddenly by a loud noise, like a fire alarm while napping? I had that every 5 minutes because of one these particular lady's laughter. On top of that, they smelled as if they had all been dipped in a pool of Chanel. Sensory overload. But they were having a wonderful time so I love them for it. I can't imagine what people used to think about us as they drove past 5th and daughtry. Terrible things. 

The architecture in Edinburgh is old and beautiful...

It's amazing walking through a city with so much history within it. The Castle visit that I went on was sweet, but a bit too tourist-y. As I descended into the prison chambers, trying to imagine the past lives spent in this captivity, creepy music was playing and voice overs of 'prisoners' were looping through some bose speakers. I kept expecting a robotic Jack Sparrow to pop out or Bugs Bunny to end the tour with "That's All Folks!"

The city is also filled with interesting people. Like this gentlemen… 

I told him he would be a great fit for Austin, TX. (If you scroll this pic up to where he's looking at the pic of me, it looks like he's really disappointed and I'm like, "Ah c'mon, what?")

I'll be going back to Edinburgh in a couple of weekends to see The Streets with Mary Claire, one of Waco's finest. I can't wait.

I have another blog written as of now, but I will stagger the release for a few days as I'm sure Austin will already complain of the length of this one. 

For those that were asking, my Skype account is jorbejorbs. Holla! 

Hope it is well with all of your souls. 

Here's the blog. And there's a picture of me over there so you know it's my blog and then there's the flag of Scotland up there so you know that I'm in Scotland. Okay, I think we're all set up... And begin!

For those of you in Texas, it is my understanding that you are stuck in an icepocalypse. If it makes you feel any better, this is what I had to deal with today... 

 

I know, I'm pretty upset about it too. 

So yes. I have made it to Scotland. Not without some delay. 

After boarding British Airways and buckling in we sat there for an additional 3 hours and 45 minutes because, check it- a cargo car ran into the side of our sitting airplane. Apparently, no one was lying when they said the Brits like to drink. 

The highlight of the delayed flight was this: Kyle calls me after I was supposed to be gone, planning on leaving a voicemail singing the entirety of "Oh My Sweet Carolina." To his surprise, I pick up as I'm sitting in the plane. This, however, did not stop him from singing acapella to me as I gleefully listened on the other end, singing along under my breath and ignoring the curious onlookers. It was a great farewell reminder of how ridiculously wonderful our group of friends are. 

So there are bunnies everywhere. Jon Whittaker would have a hey day. "There's a Bunn-!!!" We know Jon, they're everywhere. But I admit that I made an audible squeal the first time I saw one. I thought I would miss the squirrels on Baylor campus, but I've upgraded to freaking bunnies. Couldn't be more pleased. 

Unfortunately I'm in the worst dorm in the UK right now. It's not the gothic style castle one might have hoped for. Rather, it appears to be what architects in the 60s thought the future would look like. Weird and ugly. It's far away from the rest of the campus so I'm looking into transferring into St. Salvator, where the Prince used to reside. Second option is to call Connery, Sean Connery to see if there is room in his castle. I'd be glad to share a bed with him but I imagine he has no problem filling that up already. 

I try and talk to most everyone that I see. It's a small town, so it's exciting to start getting plugged into the community. 

At a pub two nights ago I started talking with a guy named Jonse. Jonse is from Finland. I asked him what he's doing and he said he's taking a tour through Europe to taste different whiskeys. That's correct. Whiskey is not a means to an end for this man, it is the end. Crossing my fingers for that day. I tell him that there is a band named Jonsi, wisely pronouncing it like "Yonzi" as Ben Carroll taught me, and he offers me a sip from his shot. "What is the name of this?… Say again?… Oh, ok sweet" (never did comprehend through his thick accent). 

I can already tell that I will miss Texas while I'm gone. The first thing I want when I get back is to sit on a porch with all of you and for Brady to sing "Jenny was a Friend of Mine," with a smoking cigarette in the head of his acoustic guitar (The second thing I want is for Brady to quit smoking). But as for now, I am indeed having the time of my life as they say, and I can't guarantee I'll come back unless they kick me out. 

Griffin, I love you. J-lew keep Wes safe. Colton, die in a fire. Ryan kiss Ray for me. Austin, see you soon? Mom, don't worry. Colton, kidding- I love you. And everyone else, cheers.

I'll do what I can to write. No promises. 

Jordan