This weekend, the Americans all decided it was important to teach the Scots something about American drinking. Here, drinking is a national passtime. Everyone is expected to drink. It's an emblem of Scotland (and Ireland). Drinking is basically a national tradition. Well, we do it a bit differently in the States. Instead of being satisfied with sitting around and drinking, we need some sort of entertainment to keep us energized, or else we just get tired. Hence the use of drinking games, which are basically non-existent here.
Tara, Becca, Matt and I agreed to get plastic cups, ping pong balls, and cards for games of Kings/Circle of Death, Drunk Driver, Trapped, and of course...beer pong. We bought beer (cider for me) and started the festivities after 10pm.
First we played Circle of Death, which was quite hilarious. It was a good warm up. Ross, providing ping pong balls by way of the hollow plastic "widgets" found in Guiness cans, watched us and laughed at us and played with the music. Then we set up for pong. Matt and I beat Tara and Becca, but Callum and Daniel were somehow able to beat me and Matt, even though they had never played before (being Scottish and Spanish, after all).
After that, we were content to just finish slowly the drinks we had racked up in pong, playing trapped and drunk driver with Tara as dealer. We all went to bed around 2am.
Everyone took it easy Saturday, and tonight we saw Outlaw. The movie trailer was better than the movie, and the jumpy screen and closeup shots made the girls kind of sick. A waste of four pounds. :(
Anyway, this weekend was fun, but I NEED to get work done (or at least started) before I leave for Ireland on Thursday. I bought a tiny notebook to keep as a journal while traveling without my laptop, so I'll be able to update at the end of the trip. But my NH essay is due 23 March by 5pm, and I have an oral presention on DH Lawrence to give at 3:00 the Tuesday after Ireland (the 20th), so I need to prepare that BEFORE I leave. Blast.
My new favorite word: Scaffy (a word one would use to describe gypsies, according to Ross).
In a sentence: Stop cheating you scaffy bastard!
-A-
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Last King of Scotland
Matt was sick all Saturday so we didn't have a chance to go out and spend money. To make up for this, Sunday night Kim, Matt and I went to the cinema to see The Last King of Scotland.
At first we could not be sure why the movie was called this. It's about the president of Uganda in 1970, Armin (sp), and a young Scottish doctor who traveled to Uganda to do charity work with another doctor. Through a stroke of odd luck, Nicholas Garrigan (the doctor) ends up meeting and "befriending" Armin. The story is based on true events, and takes you through the frivolous liftestyle of the president and into the seedy underbelly of the government, including the Brits' involvement.
Armin is shown in a kilt at least once, and his soldiers sometimes wear kilts while marching in the streets. His entertainment is Scottish music. One of his sons loves Scottish football. What he tells Nicholas is that the Scots have asked him to come vanquish the British from Scotland as he has successfully done in Uganda. For all we can tell, this is why it's called "The Last King of Scotland."
The movie was fabulous. Absolutely terrifying (not to mention the freaky commercials before the movie begin--the UK really knows how to get your attention) and really uncomfortable to watch at times, the knowledge that this movie was based on true events makes it even more gut wrenching.
Totally enjoyable, and only £4.50 with the student discount. Still $9.00, but worth it. They serve ice cream at the theaters here, too, so I got myself a mint chocolate chip cup. The weather yesterday was SO warm (46F) and mild, no wind, and very pleasant. We walked back after the movie, which took probably about an hour, but the walk felt pretty good.
I have my first presentation on Wednesday and my first paper due next Monday. Wish me luck! I sure am nervous!
-A-
At first we could not be sure why the movie was called this. It's about the president of Uganda in 1970, Armin (sp), and a young Scottish doctor who traveled to Uganda to do charity work with another doctor. Through a stroke of odd luck, Nicholas Garrigan (the doctor) ends up meeting and "befriending" Armin. The story is based on true events, and takes you through the frivolous liftestyle of the president and into the seedy underbelly of the government, including the Brits' involvement.
Armin is shown in a kilt at least once, and his soldiers sometimes wear kilts while marching in the streets. His entertainment is Scottish music. One of his sons loves Scottish football. What he tells Nicholas is that the Scots have asked him to come vanquish the British from Scotland as he has successfully done in Uganda. For all we can tell, this is why it's called "The Last King of Scotland."
The movie was fabulous. Absolutely terrifying (not to mention the freaky commercials before the movie begin--the UK really knows how to get your attention) and really uncomfortable to watch at times, the knowledge that this movie was based on true events makes it even more gut wrenching.
Totally enjoyable, and only £4.50 with the student discount. Still $9.00, but worth it. They serve ice cream at the theaters here, too, so I got myself a mint chocolate chip cup. The weather yesterday was SO warm (46F) and mild, no wind, and very pleasant. We walked back after the movie, which took probably about an hour, but the walk felt pretty good.
I have my first presentation on Wednesday and my first paper due next Monday. Wish me luck! I sure am nervous!
-A-
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