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Chronicles of a St Andrews Student in Spring of 2022

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     I have so much to do and yet so little time. My plane will take off Edinburgh in ten days, and I have yet to deliver three exams. On top of that, I have to pack all my life and figure out where to store it in this town or perhaps haul it back home across the Atlantic. I must admit I feel happy and thankful. Life is good. I only have very trivial things to worry about. However, sliding from one event to the next and having no structure has brought me into a weird mental place. Fashion shows, polo tournaments, formal balls, dinner parties, and my week-long birthday bender have taken up most of my time. I begin to realize that they weren't kidding when they said "after four years at St Andrew's you end up married or an alcoholic". Now I find myself craving to really  study. To bury my head in books and write essays in the beautiful buildings. And yet, I cannot abandon society. Thirty minutes into a study session will have me looking through social media and texting

My 2022 Reading List

My 2022 Reading List I will update this list as I read more books this year. 1. The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton 2. Virtue by Hermione Hoby 3.  The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 4. The Glass Hotel by Emily St John Mandel 5. Metropolis by Ben Wilson 6. Two Treatises of Government  by John Locke

Late August 2021 Photos from St. Andrew's

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On the last day of August... St. Andrew's starts to welcome the colder winds of fall. Cloudy, though not rainy. The town is in a sweet spot in which Summer golfers start to leave and Fall students start to arrive. Neither pictures nor words can capture the beauty of St. Andrew's. However, these are some of my most aesthetically pleasing shots of the architecture and landscape. St. Mary's Quad St. Mary's Quad is the prime location for serious studying. It has some of the oldest buildings of the university, dating back to the 17th century. It's a prime spot for a picnic with some reading or a quick lunch from a restaurant in South Street. This houses the School of Divinity, one of the best in the world. The King James Library This is the oldest reading room in Scotland. It puts the other Brutalist-style library to shame. Unfortunately, the hours are more restricted.   South Street South Street is the home of many of St. Andrew's churches, the Madras College, and t

My Wishlist For Fall 2021

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Fall 2021 Here are some items that I am trying to get my hands on for this coming Fall term.  1. The Burberry Westminster Trench Coat The Westminster Heritage Trench Coat in Honey - Men | Burberry United States The top item on my wishlist for this fall is the Burberry Westminster Trench Coat. I've had my eyes on this coat since last fall. This coat is light and well made. The signature Burberry gabardine material keeps the interior dry despite the rain. This coat has been used by British Army officers since the world wars. However, it soon took over the fashion world in the second half of the 20th century. It remains 'the' trench coat. There are many fits and ways to wear it. They come in three colours: honey, black, and olive. I prefer a looser fit and to tie the belt (not buckling it.) Though hard to find, you will likely find the one you are looking for at the Burberry flagship store in Regent's Street in London. That store is the largest Burberry in the world. It ha

Why Big Bam Boom is the definitive 80s album and you should listen to the whole thing.

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BIG. BAM. BOOM. 80s music is big, boxy and loud. No album captures the decade like Daryl Hall & John Oates' Big Bam Boom . The album was released in late 1984, right when the decade was really coming together. Phil Collins' Face Value  had already introduced the gated reverb, the deep drum sound that dominated 80s hits. However, Big Bam Boom  incorporated the synthesizer, deep vocals and lyrics in a more complete, mature, and commercial way. When it comes to 80s music, music being 'commercial' is good. This album is considered the last commercially successful album of the duo. I would disagree, their following album Ooh Yeah!  is also very well made. However, there is something special about the unity of the songs in Big Bam Boom and the raw power of the hit songs. This is really what I like to call a 'Blockbuster Album.' It was an international hit that raised to the top of the charts and became the defining sound of late 1984. Song by song. "Dance On