some things i really like about england:

1) NHS. now that i am registered. i went to the doctor on this sunny saturday morning and asked, nicely, if i could get a note that says i've been sick for two weeks and will be sick until, oh, say...tuesday. and he wrote me one, on the offical sick note stationary. because it's true, and it's been impeding my work, and i am so tired of chunks coming out of my sinuses.

2) flowers everywhere!

3) "pop idol"--this TV show where people from different cities show up and do a little a cappella rendition of a pop song and then talent scouts tell them if they're any good or not, and then if they win they get to be famous. i am amazed by the ratio of famous people to regular people here in the UK. i think it's much higher than the ratio of stars to regular people at home in the states. why, i don't know. i have never even heard of about 70 percent of british celebrities. my continuing education in this field takes place if i wake up early enough on a saturday to watch TV. that and my consumption of the magazine portion of every major newspaper: the guardian, the times, and, um...the sunday telegraph...what else? i don't know. but i read a lot of newspaper magazines.

things that make me sad: yesterday was gorgeous. blue blue and yellow. and i wanted to be in gambier with my friends. but K and i had an afternoon in the pub and a roll around on the grass in the park, and i went to synagogue, and i was okay until i stopped for a drink with my friends and then i was all feverish again and had to go home and sleep. so i guess 1) not being in gambier this weekend and 2) continuing unexplained illness.

today i have the flat to myself. i am going to clean up everything i have cluttered. i am going to work on my essays. and i am going to take it easy and sleep and try to feel better, even though this is april 20th and i should be doing something else.