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Most people know this, but I've finally made it back to Milwaukee. Today and tomorrow will be spent getting myself back in order, and on Monday it'll be back to Marquette to continue getting myself back together. One of the major things I need to do is re-gather my library books. This time though I'm going to try to stick to only the ones I'm currently working with. We shall see how that goes.

It's hard to believe that I've been gone nearly half of the semester. It feels like I've missed out on so many things going on on campus, and around town in general.  For example, I walked into Anodyne this morning (one of my favorite places to read-write) and it looks half empty because they have moved the roaster and equipment over to the new store already. I knew this was going on, but it looks so different. Likewise, when I got back to my apartment yesterday, I discovered that the management had redecorated the entryway with new carpet and a new color on the walls. It took me a minute to realize why things looked different. This I did not know was going to be done while I was away.

Don't get me wrong, I had a great time in the UK, and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to spend that time in the manuscript libraries. However, back in the real world, I'm going to have to spend time doing paperwork, catching up on meetings, putting together a conference paper, going back to the gym (any bets on if I can still walk on Tuesday?), and finding out what everyone's been up to in my absence. Then there's the real work of trying to come up with an argument out of the 100s of photos and entire notebooks of notes, not to mention researching any ideas that come from said notes and pictures. 

Now for a few random observations generally regarding culture shock:

1) I have no idea when the last time was that I have gone 5 weeks without tv. There was a physical tv in my London studio, but as previously mentioned the only station it got was "security camera in stairwell and hallway". I have missed several episodes of shows that I like, and now I have to figure out how to catch up. On the other hand, I might still have to follow the YouTube channel I discovered staring Sylvester the Talking Cat.  I recommend it (not for kids though, since the kitty likes to curse). A time or two on the drive home yesterday, when about to be stuck in traffic or behind stupid drivers, I caught myself thinking in Sylvester's voice "Fuuuu**!". And yes, I do tend to curse in my head, a lot more than I do out loud.

2) Food. I had none in the fridge. This was intentional; I cleaned out the fridge before I left. Now though, I have to restock, and the realization that I now have access to some things I missed (most anything by Morning Star Farms for example), and I will be missing things that I could get there (Irn-Bru for example).

3) Computer stuff. I used Mom's computer while in London (Thanks Mom!). It had a European keyboard, so now I have to re-remember where the @ is, and that spell-check now needs to be payed slightly more attention. On the other hand, I no longer have to deal with Windows 8. That revision of the Windows platform is extremely irritating for a non-mobile device user. I have a smart-phone, but even so, I do not like Windows 8 on a computer, and I bet I wouldn't like it on its intended devices either.

This post is getting long, so I will conclude for now with this final note: I will  continue to chronicle scholarly and other endeavours here.  So once again, to be continued....