A Cold, Rainy Today

Today was the first real day of the term. I started off by walking to Regents for lunch. Afterwards I headed to the Bodleian Library, well more specifically the Radcliffe Camera (RadCam) to start working on my tutorial. After walking in and heading up to the Upper Reading Room, which first required that I allow the guard to search my bag for drinks, food and/or pens, and collecting my books from the front desk I got to work. I finished my senior thesis proposals for the Art Department back at Georgetown. I also finished half of my final assignment for my End of Impressionism class at Georgetown. After that I was able to read one of the books for my tutorial. Since it was cold and rainy I didn't really feel the need to walk around town which meant I was in the mood to get things done. I did realize that I rather enjoy a non-lending library. The Bodleian (Bod) doesn't check out books. Instead you have to go online, find the book you want, request that it be sent to a reading room and pick it up - you can't leave with the book (the guard also checks your bags on the way out), you must use it while there. I thought I'd hate this system at first, but really it makes things quite easy - the librarians do all of the work, you just go to the front desk. The Bod does have some books on open shelves, but they are very easy to locate. I also enjoy studying in such a pretty place, you can see a picture of the RadCam itself with the link above -it says RadCam- I hope to take some inside shots tomorrow morning when I go. Libraries are different here in that they are extremely quiet - no one talks to people or on cell phones. After that I headed to dinner at Regents then on home to Spencer House. I had some tea (Earl Grey with milk of course) with some Digestives (delicious cookies) then headed on up to my room for blogging, Facebooking and a bit of reading. Tomorrow I plan on being at the Bod by no later than 10:30, taking some pictures and getting some work done. I have to turn in my first essay by Thursday at 10am, that gives me time to have some fun Thursday and Friday. I hoping to go to London soon, perhaps this weekend, to go to the Tate Modern and Tate Britain (they have Van Dyck, William Blake and Turner exhibitions right now!!). Hopefully I'll go to London another time soon to go to The National Gallery (they have two Picasso exhibits right now) and The British Museum - I'll save The Eye, Buckingham Palace and such for when my mom crosses the pond in June.