MB's Adventures Across the Pond

05/06/2017

🏡 Home. Sweet. Home. 🏡

Thank you to all who followed my journey and sent me well wishes along the way. 😘

04/06/2017

Saturday's highlights from your favorite geeky tourist...

1) Big Ben ✔️
With the dress rehearsal for the Queen's birthday parade, we stayed away from Buckingham and other more congested areas.

2) London Eye ✔️
What an amazing view!

3) Ride the Tube ✔️

4) Reader Pass from the British Library ✔️
This one is more academic based than touristy...but for me, they are the same!
..and then The Globe...
5) R and J ✔️✔️✔️
A modern and heart-wrenching interpretation. Extraordinarily well done.

04/06/2017

(It’s a bit longer than the normal status update, but I ask that you please lend me your ears.)

I want to thank all who reached out with concerns for my safety. It is humbling to see how many people stopped what they were doing to check on me. Thank you.

Instead of sharing the other highlights of my “dream-come-true” day, I posted a quick message about my safety last night. Terrorism won in that moment. And that is ok. In that moment, it was necessary to allow that concession to appease the jolting fear felt by my husband, my parents, and possibly you. However, after a few (and I do mean a few) hours of sleep and reflection, I am unwilling to allow terror to reign supreme. In a post of its own, I will share with you the love, joy, and inspiration I found in London on Saturday, June 3, 2017.

It feels almost fitting that in the moments before the attack I was crying over society’s unnecessary hatred and violence and the death of a pair of star-crossed lovers. It would seem Shakespeare understood that hatred begets hatred and love is an immovable force. Why don’t we? He also reminded me earlier this week that the fault is not in the stars. Last night, my experience proved quite different. Last night, the stars saved me. The attacks began at 10:08, and less than a half a mile away, cognizant of the sirens but unwitting to my surroundings, I hailed a cab at 10:13. A cab that drove me in the opposite direction of danger. Cassius is rather convincing, but, dear Brutus, let me tell you, the fault was most definitely not mine own. Whether responsibility belongs to the stars or my guardian angel or Shakespeare himself, I care not. I am simply grateful to be granted another day.

Love you. Love, me.

03/06/2017

I'm safe and back on the bus headed back to the college. Our whole group is here and safe, but please say a prayer for all of London.

03/06/2017

Caught the dress rehearsal for the Queen's birthday parade while riding the London Eye!

03/06/2017

This morning's serenity walk was complete with my Hamlet leggings, a gift from the Madisons! Thanks, ladies! For you two and the rest of my seniors, congratulations! Whenever faced with life's challenges, may you always choose "to be" 🎓🎓🎓

02/06/2017

Today:
1) Three lectures at Sheffield University about public and academic libraries of the U.K. and digital preservation 🤓

2) Tour of The Diamond, a library built into an engineering facility. The architecture and innovation is ingenious. An awesome example of the future of academic libraries. 😃

3) The White Horse in Wroxton 😉

Tomorrow...Summer of Love at The Globe Theatre 😍

http://www.twelvearchitects.com/portfolio/item/the-university-of-sheffield/

The Diamond is the largest capital investment in teaching and learning ever undertaken by the University. The 19,500m2 building houses specialist engineering laboratories, lecture theatres, flexible teaching spaces, workshops, a learning resource centre and formal and informal study environments for...

01/06/2017

Julius Caesar

01/06/2017

On my way to Stratford-Upon-Avon for the afternoon/evening. This is happening...

31/05/2017

Spent the day at Oxford where we learned the history of Oxford and HMC, toured HMC's library and Weston Library and explored items in their collections. Capped the day off with a formal dinner at HMC.

Another amazing day!