Great Bargains, Toilet Paper Mix up and Birthday Plans

Earlier Ollie and I went to Starbucks with the egift cards my mom got us for Christmas. The cashier had never seen them before. When they worked she thought they were magic or something. We had our grande lattes and were on our way. But first I dragged Ollie into Accessorize-I've been looking for a laptop bag for a few days, but I'm really picky. Until I came across a bag that said £5, sold as is. The zipper pull was broken, but it still zipped if you pulled it with one finger on top and my thumb on the bottom. It was gorgeous, I had to have it. So I walked out of the store with this:

Don't mind the model in the background holding the handbag. Just kidding, it's not a model, it's Ollie wearing his new Detroit hoodie that I brought back for him. Thanks mom!

So I have some awesome news! Ollie and I have decided to take a vacation this summer. We live in Europe right now, so why not take advantage of our geographical location and go somewhere cool to explore? We'd love to go to Prague, but I've already been there. However I'd go again in a heartbeat. That city is so rich with history. Plus the architecture is gorgeous. Also we're looking at Italy, Sweden, Iceland and Spain. Any other recommendations? We're going to think about where we want to go for the next week and then we're going to decide and book the trip. I'm so excited! I really do love traveling. I have my mom to thank for that, she's a world traveler. She's been everywhere! I've never been on vacation with a partner and nor has Ollie, really- unless you count our trip to London over Christmas, but that was in the country so I don't count it. So yeah, please-if you have been to any cities that you've traveled to and you loved please let me know!

After I got my purse, Ollie and I went to Savers down the street for paper towel, or as they call it in this country, kitchen paper. We found a great deal, 2 pounds for 9 rolls. We walked out and as soon as we got home Ollie turned around and said "Uhh...Leah?" and I said what? It turned out we bought cheap toilet paper rather than the paper towels that we needed. We were both too lazy to go back so I'll be heading back after my lectures tonight.

Ollie's birthday is on Sunday and I've been treating it as his "birthday week" and I've let him open a present every day this week. His biggest gift, which I will be giving to him tomorrow, I will be putting together while he's at work. Jilly was going to help me, but she's going home for the weekend. I've got this! I'm excited to see Ollie's reaction. It's a great gift and I know nobody's given it to him before. Well, at least I don't think. I will tell you guys after I give it to him, because he reads my blog and I don't want him to be spoiled on what it is! So far I've given him 4 types of loose leaf teas, a spoon specifically to scoop tea (called the perfect tea spoon), a USB cup warmer because his tea gets cold when he's working and now he can just put it on a little mount that warms his mug, and a few other things that are escaping my mind. The best is yet to come! It's time I get ready for my 4 pm lecture; Case Studies in Film History.
Adios!
Leah

I'm back!

Today I began my second term of grad school. I was 10 minutes late, but I thought it was a miracle I even showed up to my seminar because of my massive jetlag hangover. Getting out of bed this morning was not fun. I missed the UK. I missed my friends in Wales. Of course I missed by boyfriend. Last night my friends and I met up for Indian food to celebrate the end of the first term's assignments finishing. Jilly dipped her sleeve in Korma. Dan ordered the Indian version of spaghetti bolognese. Nothing Peter or Ollie did was noteworthy. However I felt like I had to mention their existence. Oh, Ollie just pointed out that he did do something cool, he ordered a sizzler. Basically this hot platter that comes out with the food still sizzling. I thought it was going to be a spectacle, kind of how fajitas are when you order them at a restaurant. The sizzling steak and peppers on the platter, the warm tortillas and all the fillings on the plate. I don't personally like fajitas, never have. Just wanted to put that out there. 

My first flight was 8 hours-a red eye. It left at 9:30 pm and arrived into Paris at 10:00 am. I had a nice layover in Paris for about an hour and a half and then took a plane to England. Was I done in England? No sir. I then took a train all the way from England to Wales for 3.5 hours. Luckily Ollie met me at the airport (he trekked 3.5 hours to pick me up, awwwwh) so the train ride wasn't as bad. So it's awesome I can say that I've been in 4 countries in 24 hours. How badass!

I brought Ollie over 20 boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese from America. We have an entire cabinet dedicated to mac and cheese in our kitchen. While I type this Ollie is pacing (he paces all the time, it's an Ollie-ism) and drinking the tea I just reviewed on my tea reviewing blog. I didn't really like the tea and I don't need the caffeine. When Ollie paces he talks to me at the same time but usually I don't listen carefully enough and just agree with whatever he's saying. Then after I've registered what he's actually said I say "what???" and make him repeat whatever he's saying. I think that's the ADD part of me. I'm shocked he's never been frustrated with me over that, honestly.

Oh, so tomorrow I will be watching 2 silent films for my Case Studies in Film History module. I've never watched a silent film without being forced to. Honestly, silent films creep me out a bit. Especially the one we're watching tomorrow, it's a silent horror film. I think it's something to do with the music used in silent films in the background to add effect that creeps me out. I can't put my finger on it. 

I'd just like to point out that I've brought back over 7 kinds of tea from America to Wales. Ollie and I are in tea heaven. Also my cousin and I are mailing each other tea, like a tea pen pal. How great is that? She lives in New Jersey. Okay, time to finish watching American Horror Story, season 4. Only two episodes left!

Talk soon!

Leah

Be Back Soon

I'm traveling back to Wales tomorrow and I will be back with more stories soon!

-Leah

A New Blog

The other day I was on Google Plus (yeah it still exists) and in the tea community I was discussing my love of tea. Another member of the community asked me if I could teach her all about tea. I told her of course, and then I realized-why don't I tell the world about tea?

So that's where that conversation lead me. I've made a new blog. The first post talks about the basics and tomorrow I will begin with my first tea review on a herbal blend called Strawberry Lemonade from Teavanna, which is owned by Starbucks and partnered by Oprah. I know, I know-very consumerist of me. It is what it is, I went to Teavanna before it was bought by Starbucks and partnered up with the billionaire. Still, good tea is good tea. Although it is very overpriced and the employees are pushy. I walked in with the intention of buying one tea and I walked out with 3 and a bill of nearly $50.

Enough of that though, wait until tomorrow for the full story. Just wanted to put it out there that I, Leah Nadeau, have a blog reviewing tea and I want you to be a reader!

Please check it out here: Leah Reviews Tea

My Facebook Page for my blog is ---> Here <---

PS, the new blog is connected to the old and this one isn't going away! I've just added it to my projects :)

Thanks!

Leah

Coffee, Tea and...Black Swan

I was a tea drinker before I was a coffee drinker.

Anyone who has known me only in my adult life would be surprised that I used to only drink tea. Today, I drink coffee every day. I spend way too much money in Starbucks and Costa and recently Ollie got me a french press for our flat. Here's the thing. After I graduated college and got a job, I realized that coffee would be what fueled me through my job, which was all physical labor. I used to work in a stable, cleaning out the horses stalls and feeding them. There were other aspects to the job, but basically I've always been an equestrian and I was offered the job without even a job interview straight out of college. With the economy and lack of jobs out there, I didn't bat an eye before accepting the job. But that's the past and I ended that job a year after I began it.

When I was 12, I began drinking black tea; English Breakfast. It all began when an acquaintance of mine in middle school brought some to class for an international foods day. She made the tea and asked if I wanted milk and sugar. I asked if that was how she would drink it and she said yes, so I gave it a shot. I was shocked that it tasted so good. At that age I thought tea would taste bitter, like coffee.

So that's what began my tea drinking. Of course I was very limited in what kind I drank. It wasn't until I was in college and discovered David's Tea and their amazing free samples and hundreds of options of loose leaf tea that I actually realized the many options I was missing out on. Eventually when I met Ollie he was SO impressed that I was a tea drinker. He thought tea drinkers in the US were rare. I wouldn't say they were too rare, but the only other person in my family that regularly drinks tea is my stepmother, who I'm having tea with right now. We both just tried Rooibos for the first time. I ordered some loose leaf teas from David's and they gave me 3 free samples, so we used her teapot. This Rooibos had cinnamon and cardamom, it's called Coco Chai. I had yet to try it because Ollie is hesitant to buy Rooibos, since it isn't actually real tea, it's part of the tea plant, but not the leaves.

Our tea collection in Wales is pretty extensive. Off the top of my head I can list the loose leaf we have: Irish breakfast, English breakfast, Glengettie, Mango Ceylon, Lapsang Souchong (although I'm too afraid to try it), Assam, Assam 'Adventure', green flowering tea and many more. I also have an extensive collection of bagged tea-I love fruit tea.

However, here's the thing with tea. I love it, but I love coffee more. However for me, what I want first thing in the morning is coffee. Until I get my coffee I can't have anything else hot to drink. At night though, I want tea. I use tea to wind down and coffee for caffeine. Where as Ollie drinks coffee when he craves chocolate, or something sweet and he gets a mocha latte. Then, in the morning he has his morning tea rather than my morning coffee. I love coffee and I love tea. Tea was my first love, and remains in my life, but coffee and I are more serious. :P

My dad, stepmother and I went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. In the middle of our meal one of the waitresses began sweeping the carpet near us. I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of sweeping carpet in a restaurant. I was laughing so hard I began to cry and shake, something I do when something so funny I can't stand it. The last time this happened to me I was at a friends house and we were watching Black Swan-one of the parts where the bouts of schizophrenia was scaring the hell out of the audience and we paused the film to see a woman standing in the background. We thought it was so funny because we kept pausing the film to try and figure out who this woman was, but couldn't figure it out! Here, I took a photo of it at the time and you'll be able to see what I'm talking about. I'm not even entirely sure who this is. Is it Natalie Portman's character imagining her evil self? Is it Winona Ryder's character? Maybe one of you can figure it out. See below. Creepy. The woman who's back is to the camera is Natalie Portman's character, Nina. Spoiler alert: a lot of the film is her imagination and you have no idea what information that's given in the film is true or if it's Nina's schizophrenia.

Some of you think I might be crazy for posting that photo, but I'm honestly curious if anyone recognizes this part of the scene. Okay, I'm off to continue watching TV with my dad. I'm currently in the states until next weekend. Happy Saturday!

All About Americans

We eat too much
We work too hard and too much
We don't exercise enough
We have too many guns
We're too friendly
We're obsessed with capitalism
We're racist
We're ignorant
We love violence

These are all stereotypes of Americans. While some are very true, others are just not. One thing I will say is that us Americans are much more willing to talk to strangers than the British. I tend to use that to my advantage though, and one of my friends, Micky told me to do so. He said, you're really outgoing, use that to your advantage. So I have. I am no longer afraid to talk to strangers in the UK because of this stereotype that Americans are outgoing. I may be using this stereotype as a scapegoat to ask strangers for directions or help finding things in stores, but why not use it to my advantage? Also, what's the worst thing that could happen (besides someone shanking me with a knife for asking directions)? It's hard at first to put yourself out there because when you ask someone for help you're allowing yourself to be vulnerable, but I find it worth it. It also helps that I like interacting with humans. Technically speaking I'm an ambivert, so right in between introvert and extrovert. Ambiverts are flexible, emotionally stable, and intuitive-or they're supposed to be, anyways. Every ambivert is different, but I'd definitely say I'm a flexible and intuitive gal.

Another stereotype that I do agree with is that us Americans work too much. We work and work and forget to really live. I know older generations save and save all their money as if they will be able to use it in the next life. I really think people would be happier if they took more vacation time or extended weekends to be a full 3 days. It makes sense to work to live, not live to work. Also, there's a balance if you truly love your job and your job is your life. I think it's important to take some time to relax if you have a career. Just my opinion. :)

Racism, I find is more prevalent in the US. The UK has little to no racism at all. It's very, very refreshing that racism isn't a huge thing in the UK. Now, that isn't to say that there isn't any racism. There will always be issues with racism in societies. It's hard to describe and this might upset some people, but in the UK I feel like people don't look at other people and think about what color their skin is. That does, indeed happen in the US. When I'm in the UK I actually notice ethnicity less because everyone has the same kind of British accent and you can't tell someone's ethnicity by how they talk. This is where I discuss the elephant in the room. In the US, you can sometimes tell what ethnicity someone is by how they speak, despite being a native born American. For example, one of my roommates in college was Guatemalan, and you could tell she was by the way she spoke. In both England in Wales, (I can't account for Scotland and Northern Ireland because I've never been) everyone that was born or raised there has the normal regional accent for their area. Another example, Sandra from the British TV show GoggleBox that I watch is Jamaican. However she sounds just like any normal English person because her accent was influenced by where she lives, not where she's from.

Violence is also prevalent in American media. There are arguments that it desensitizes us to violence, but there is no research that proves this point. I feel like I see more violence on American TV than English TV (shows). It's funny, in the UK there is swearing on TV after a certain time, but in America there is no swearing on TV-but violence isn't a problem. I'll never forget the first time I heart the f bomb on TV in Wales. I was so surprised and amused. I mean, it's just a damned word. It doesn't hurt anyone, does it? Violence is disturbing, words can hurt, where is the point we say enough? We can't really know because there are so many variables. We can't study the impact of violence and swearing on TV because we can't study humans' effects in their natural habitats. We can't describe violence. There's no one way to describe what violence means. Do you see how I can tear apart so many aspects of things that are subjective?

So what was the point of this blog post? Basically, I can accept that Americans aren't perfect. We have our flaws. The United Kingdom's citizens aren't perfect either. But it doesn't mean that one is necessarily better than the other.


.....who am I joking, America is the best. Sorry, I'm heavily biased ;)

Leah

British Greetings and a Poll

"Are you alright?"
"Alright?"
" Are ya'right?"
"Ya'right?"

"You alright, love?"

The first time a stranger asked me "are you alright?" it was the first day I was in the UK. I was in Birmingham, England with Ollie. I had arrived around dinner time and we decided to stay at a Holiday Inn Express rather than take the 3.5 hour train that same night. It was 4 am England time, 11 pm Detroit time and I was very jet lagged. I was headed to the lobby to ask if the hotel restaurant had any coffee I could drink and before I could say anything he asked me "are you alright?" I had heard Ollie ask his previous housemates this question before. I knew how to answer. However in that moment the appropriate reaction escaped me and it left me staring at him like a deer in headlights, stuck in my tracks. Eventually I just ignored the question, and enquired about the coffee.

It became more and more frequent, this greeting. It's a very informal way of British people saying "what's up?" The are a couple ways to respond to this. I usually stick with "yeah, you?" Sometimes instead some people will respond with "alright." In American English?
Are you alright? = Sup
Yeah, you? = hey man, what's up

Because if you think about it, a lot of times someone will come up to you and say what's up? and then one of the responses is "sup" which is also slang for what's up. I love these cultural differences!

Oh, and in the UK it's completely normal for (well, normal for them at least) men to call other men, women and children "love." The first time I was in the UK I watched a 14 year old girl at a chip shop say "thanks, love" to the 50+ aged store owner after handing her a fork like it was perfectly normal. I never experienced that until I started going to my university's cafe for coffee on Thursdays and this guy with a really London-y accent who works at the coffee bar looked at me and said "good morning, love, you a'right?" Then I saw him again and he called me love after asking me "what can I get you?" Hearing it hasn't become commonplace, but I may get used to it. I just think it's weird to call people you don't know terms of endearment.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I've been quite busy. Today I took grandpa to two doctors appointments and to the bank. He was very grateful We got to go to my favorite Grosse Pointe restaurant, Side Street Diner. While there we got to see Stacey, who was our regular waitress back when I lived in GP. She's very sweet and isn't afraid to sass grandpa back when he's a grump. However I've noticed that since my grandpa's heart attack he seems a lot less grumpy and more easy going. He's always been a sweetheart to me though.

My dad and Wendy come home tomorrow and I will no longer be having sleepover parties with Sailor. However I will get to see my dad and Wendy and it's always fun hanging out with all three of them.

I wanted to try something new this time; a poll. I just want to start out with something random.

POLL, clicky

Results :)

Thanks for reading <3