It’s been a while since I last updated. So let me fill you in.

To begin, I’d like to say that the Tube is still a pain in the ass. Especially when someone farts on you.

No matter how little space there actually is, someone will always try to take the precious inch-and-a-half you have. Inevitably, this is the sneezing person with the cold or the guy that breathes with his mouth open and didn’t brush his teeth since the day before. Or, maybe he did brush, and Colgate is losing a very hard-fought battle.

Often, I get stuck on severely delayed underground trains. These are, of course, only on the most important of days, like when I have to be at my computer at 9am to buy one of three thousand Queens of the Stone Age tickets in a city of 20 million. Didn’t happen. I’m still bitter about that.

However, the time on the train presents ample opportunity for me to get my ass handed to me in chess. The worst and best day I’ve had so far was one regular Friday, when the tube was just dragging along. That commute took the most time of any day so far, but it worked out in my benefit, as I had the single best game of chess I’ve ever played. Take a look:

Check that shit. Not a piece was taken in one minute and five seconds for the win.

Well, I thought it was cool…

The pub culture is fantastically enjoyable. I am not a drunk, mind you, but I take great pleasure in the casual yet refined atmosphere of London’s pubs. They aren’t skanky or swanky, like most of those I’ve encountered back in America. It’s the kind of atmosphere where you can take the same amount of pleasure there whether you are among friends, immersing in deep meaningful conversation, or if your companions are none other than a pint and a good book. It’s an experience I hope many here take advantage of.

And for the record, I have not yet had a “warm” beer. I’ve had a “room temperature” beer, like Phoenix ale. But since it’s cold here anyway, your beer is, too.

Last Saturday, I saw my first musical here. Wait, make that second. I saw the first half of Hairspray in 2009 and walked out because I don’t like needy fat girls who sing.

The show I saw was called The All New Original Tribute to The Blues Brothers. And you know what? It was awesome. The show was super fun, and contained the essence of Jake and Elwood. The stage setup had a huge banner of the Chicago skyline, the bassist was wearing a Jordan jersey for the first half, and it made me really feel Chicago again, even though I’m an ocean away. The songs played were a fresh take on old classics, and the jokes were… not bad. And the typically tightass English crowd was dancing the whole time. It was a cool thing to be a part of.

Chicago and London, though. Two of my favorite cities, that’s for damn sure. Side note: you can actually see some stars in London, unlike Chicago’s pink-yellow night sky. Just a few.

It’s a challenge living with two girls. Now, let me lay to rest another gender myth: men are, indeed, much cleaner than girls. The common misconception stems from the fact that girls do one big clean up a week, and the day after that is undoubtedly what people use as a reference. Men are consistently cleaner for a longer period of time. And notice that I used men and not guys.

Note to all men: American girls love Valentine’s Day. The girls I lived with were bummed out the whole day because they are “single and ready to mingle.” Though I found it hilarious, at the end of the day I bought them each a flower. Fellas, if you want your girl to have a great February 14th, buy her lots of shit. That’s the only way.

The weekends rule. Being out in the city is enlightening and entertaining. I had a friend from college come visit, and that completely reinvigorated me. Then you get to go out and see things like this:

I picked up a guitar in my first month because I finally want to wrap my head around music theory. The key to doing so? Scales. Practice, practice, practice in order to learn. I still miss my bass with a passion, though. Why? Because that is a passion of mine.

I joined a gym nearby, which is awesome because I take advantage of the weights/cardio, swimming pool, and yoga classes.

There isn’t much time for games, which is really a disappointment. I really got into them again after playing Super Mario Galaxy 2 before I left, and had stocked up before I arrived with New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Sonic Colors, and Donkey Kong Country Returns. Now, I’m lucky to be able to sneak in a level or two. I don’t want to spend my limited time in London playing games, but I equally don’t want to lose them again, either.

And as much as I complain about the Tube, the commute has really turned out to be a blessing in disguise because if the valuable reading time it presents. I’ve read two very conceptually in-depth books since I have been here, and plan on continuing to do so.

I went to my first London art gallery on Friday. It was called Stolen Space. The description sounded cool enough:

StolenSpace is thrilled to present ‘The Doomsday Papers’ the eagerly-awaited debut solo show by Mysterious Al. This brand new body of work loosely surrounds Mesoamerican Gods, the doomsday calendar, Drum & Bass, demonic intervention, Graffiti culture, Wicca and the Occult. In mixed media including wood, paint, newspaper, magazines, torn Bible pages and installation.

But it turned out to be one simple room with a few generic cartoon portraits, and a piece with a bunch of upside down crosses above a Bible with a can of lighter fluid cut into the pages. Yeah, you’re a badass, Al. I laughed and walked out.

This weekend is the middle of World Book Night. It started as a big event in Trafalgar Square, which involved different authors taking the stage and reading excerpts from various sources (usually not their own). It’s sweet being involved in something that promotes the sharing and growth of intellectual curiosity, as opposed to consumerism. Take a look:

It’s been a good, valuable time so far. Today marks the beginning of month three, with four more to go. I realize that my posts have been few and far between so far, and this one feels rather forced, so I’ll try to take more progressive action in that regard. But with limited time, it may not always happen. Lately, I’ve been reading far more than I’ve been writing, and am currently incubating a lot of new insight and knowledge. So bear with me!