Captain's Log

I am a very fortunate soul. Tomorrow I am leaving the country because I get to study at Cambridge University with the Pembroke-King's Summer Programme. While there I will have the opportunity to study alternate British spellings and develop my English accent, all the while seeking out a British husband with whom I will raise British children. Only after they've developed their accent will I bring them back to the homeland - the land I love. 

On a more serious note, this is what I'll really be doing: 

1. Taking two classes:

• Spooks and Spies: A history of British and U.S. intelligence communities, 1909 to the present
• The Development of the City, from 1890 to 1990

2. Participating in old "Oxbridge" (that's British jargon for Cambridge and Oxford) tradition called a supervision. I get to work with Dr. Peter Martland, who will assist me in the development of a sort of thesis paper. I've decided to write on cyber security threats to the United States. I know nothing about this topic, but you can bet I will by the end of this term. 

3. Going to the Olympics. I'm meeting up with Melissa Richardson, an old roommate doing an internship in France, to attend the Women's Volleyball bronze medal game. For anybody watching the game, I'll be wearing a big panama with a purple hat band. Look for me. 

4. Ideally, I'll be doing all kinds of traveling on the weekends. Maybe get in touch with my Scottish roots. I'm definitely going to the Harry Potter Studio Tours though, because it would be a big mistake to miss that. 

In short, this will be lots of fun and I'm feeling very blessed. Up to this point I've had a really great summer. Good times with friends and family. Tahoe trips, river rafting, horseback riding, etc. I just made myself sound outdoorsy, but don't worry, I spend a fair amount of time watching ABC Family. 

I had a great time catching up with high school friends though. I really have had it good. Everybody's lives are taking off in the most amazing directions (shout out to Hayley Jensen, who just climbed Mt. Shasta and raised $15,000 for the Breast Cancer Fund), and we still gel so well and love spending time together. 

Anyway, my time in Reno has been wonderful, and I imagine my time at Cambridge will be pretty great as well, so if you want to keep up with my activities, this is the place. 

Over and out.