oh oxford!

this morning i woke up in the bottom bunk of my favorite london hostel. i took a hot shower, dressed and drank a cup of coffee, and set off for oxford.

i really love oxford. i think i must have lived here in a former life. i had to go to paddington station [where they sell paddington bears] in order to get here. and on the train i sat next to a family with a heavy southern accent who made me feel warm and fuzzy. and once i got off the train, the sun was shining brilliantly and i almost felt as though i’d found my perfect place. [it will take a minor miracle for me to get a job here... but minor miracles have happened in the past so here's to hoping] people ride bicycles everywhere but i don’t have to learn another language to understand them and it is flat. i even saw a woman wearing super high heels on her bicycle. fashion AND fitness? oh my. and i saw the tell tale signs of scholarly behaviour peeking out of her book bag. could it get any better? AND she wore red lipstick. i really love red lipstick these days. {{BLISS}}

which makes today’s report all the more absurd. it took quite a lot of walking until i found the library admissions building. it was not where i thought it was. and then it wasn’t in the second place i thought it was. but luckily i was directed to the third place and that’s where it was. i walked though an unmarked door and sat down at the desk of a man who definitely knew his business. i handed the library admissions officer my paperwork [printed and completed] and the letter from my professor [folded nicely without creases or food stains]. and he asked me for £17. and then he took my picture from a very bad angle. and he handed me a card and began to explain that i could not borrow books… blah… blah… except special collections and manuscripts… blah. WHAT??? i tried not to show how immediately the anger swelled. i didn’t really say it like that. in my most calm voice, i enquired about the manuscripts. because i came here for the manuscripts. i did NOT come here to read books contained in my own library and who cares about post-1800 papers? certainly not me. he told me that i need another letter from another professor listing the specific collections i might want to look at. [yes, it was too late for me to get my £17 back] luckily, i am able to get those things but it was an unintended roadblock. and it was all i could do not to stick my bottom lip out and pout. it still makes me a bit teary.

so this is what i did instead of copying persian horse treatises.. or anything useful at all.

and… me with my collection of library cards. not. pouting.

tomorrow is another day. it really was a beautiful day. but i really hope that tomorrow will find me ensconced in the corner of a library with all the nerdious glories of MANUSCRIPTS. i have no idea what i took pictures of because i know next to nothing about oxford or its buildings or the history of the place. so please please manuscripts library person… please let me in tomorrow!