6/30 - Connecting

What I did:

Today was kind of a relaxing/planning day for me. I am quickly realizing I have very little time left and a lot more places I intended to visit than I have time to. So, I got some stuff set for the rest of this week, then it got to be lunchtime.

I wanted to get out and walk around some today and I also wanted to check out a coffee shop that I have heard mentioned several times called the Rude Shipyard (I think). So I walked down to it. I got there and noticed that it was a nice small coffee shop with a ton of books all over the place. I got a strawberry-banana smoothie and a piece of spicy Mexicana pie (I just couldn’t pass up a combination like that). The food was good, although the smoothie was a little more tart than what I am used to with strawberry-banana. I also had fun looking around at all the books. I know I am no book snob, but it was fun to see how many I had read (most for school). There were actually a lot there that I wanted to read too. I knew you could buy the books, but I didn’t know if you could read any while you are there, so I just enjoyed my meal and left.

On the way back I ran into a guy who asked me for directions. Haha. I actually knew where he was trying to go (mainly because we were basically on the street he was asking for) so I tried my best to direct him. I was going the way he needed to go, so he followed me for a little while, but gradually pulled back and got on his phone. I hope he found where he was trying to go, but I don’t know if he completely trusted my directions.

I had seen this sign every time I pass by, and I am continually grateful for my name being what it is.
















I got back and did some more planning, calling, emailing, etc. All that stuff that really sucks the life out of you. But, I have a decent idea of what I will be doing the rest of my trip. I also went on a Facebook friending spree. Haha. It was kind of exhilarating, actually. I raided Matt’s friend list to find all the people I met at Cliff (at least all that I could remember, and I am sorry to anyone I forgot). I really thought about whether to do it or not, though. Hopefully I will see some of them again – that would be amazing. But most likely I will not. So, can I actually use this to maintain such brief and long distance friendships? Obviously, you see the decision I wound up making, but I equate it to playing video games with people. Playing video games can be really good and it can be an excellent way to spend time with someone. But you have to be careful, because while you are in the same room with the person, there is probably not much actual interaction going on. So it can kind of deceive itself into being a friendship when it really is not. The same with friends through facebook. How do we get past a mere sharing of statuses and really keep/continue friendships through networking things like this? I think it is possible even if that is not how they were meant to be used, it just takes a lot more effort. Something I am still struggling with.

Anyway, you can tell I have had some time to just think today. I spent some time reading and chilling the rest of the night. And, of course, more Wimbledon. Matt got home and Rachel had to go work, so Matt and I went out to a nice Indian dinner. The food was great. After that we came back and watched Shooter, which I had never gone to see in theaters or rented. It was an exciting movie and a good way to end off the day

What I learned:

Things could be much worse as far as my last name goes.

How Edinburgh is pronounced (not how it looks). And a good thing to know before I travel up there.

British people are never satisfied with the weather.

Pretty much everyone from Cliff that I met was on Facebook at some time today.

There is always someone I have forgotten to keep updated on how things are going for me here. Unfortunately this time I found out it was my mentor for the project. All good now.

Wireless internet continues to amaze me, confuse me, and frustrate me. But at least you know you always have just as good of a random chance that it will work as you do it won’t.

6/29 – Life in technicolor

What I did:

I got to sleep in a little today, but got ready to go and checked out. This was the same hotel I stayed in the very first week of my time here. Both when I was checking in and out this time, the same guy that was there last time recognized me. That was kind of cool. The first time was probably just because the computer told him, but this morning he knew me by name.

I decided to go to Regent’s Park since I had a little time before my train would leave and it is on the way. So I walked over there and looked through Queen Mary's gardens. It was nice, especially the shade on this really warm day (although I still just kind of laugh at the 80 degree weather). It was a very colorful place and I tried to get pictures of some butterflies and mice that I saw in the flowers, but they were both too skiddish and wouldn’t stay still long enough.

It got to be time to head to the station, so I walked back down Baker Street, and now have proof of walking the street of Sherlock Holms. I also walked past the Methodist Church House, which I think may be where Graham works, which seemed kind of ironic. But I made it to the train station and grabbed a sandwich before getting on my train and heading back to Sheffield.

It was still pretty early in the day, so I took my time and walked through Sheffield some. I don’t know why, but I do really like just walking through big cities with no particular purpose and just taking in the normal life of people. Even in Dallas. So I walked back through the center and sat outside a big fountain for a while. I saw lots of kids (and grown-ups) playing in the fountain and getting really wet. Eventually I decided to go ahead and head back. So I made it back to Matt and Rachel’s house and went in to see Wimbledon on. I watched the game for a little while (and got to see the roof close – how exciting). Matt came back in and we both went to look around a store called Curry’s, which is kind of like Best Buy.

We went back and watched some more Wimbledon. Matt invited one of his neighbors over for dinner and we had a nice dinner of baked chicken which watching Murray struggle through his match. But victory was his in the long run. I had never really watched Murray play before tonight (mainly because I have not watched any serious tennis in way too long), but it was an excellent match. I feel that it is compulsory to root for him now that I am over here, and it is really crazy how much the entire country is behind him.

A nice evening and I look forward to a bit of a restful day tomorrow.

What I learned:

St. Pancras International rail station is very modern and not a half bad place to spend time waiting for a train.

Crowded London underground starts to get a little miserable this time of year. But I still really like it because barring any major construction work, you don’t really have to plan anything to use it, you just go and jump on whenever you need to. So it is great for last minute plans and decisions.

There is a type of flower (rose) called sexy rexy. While it is a nice flower, the kind in the garden was a pale pink and I don’t think it completely suits its name.

6/28 – This is it. This is it? This is it!

What I did:

I woke up early to grab a train to take me from Sheffield into London. I had planned to meet with a couple of people today. It went very well, and I made it into town in plenty of time. I got to my destination a little early, so I saw a park across the street and went to sit in it for a while to kill some time.

Finally, Shannon called me and we met up and walked several minutes over to a park where we would meet two of her friends for lunch. But first we went a grabbed a coffee from a friend of hers. The area we were at was right by a street market that was mainly a flower market, but had lots of other stores open just on Sundays. We did not really look around, but went back to the park – Jesus Green – and grabbed a spot to wait for her friends. She told me a lot about the history of the area and about her life up to that point. This also involved the current ‘ministry’ things she does now. It actually took me by surprise, because I was expecting her to be another church planter, but she was not at all. She has done some really cool things though involved in the arts and justice issues in the country. Oh yeah, and she is originally from Texas.

After a while her friends showed up and we had a nice picnic. One of her friends and I went to have a more extensive look at the market and there was one cool shop that sold stuff from some artist who cuts designs out of paper that were really cool. Soon it started to rain, so we headed back and all left to go to Shannon’s place for a little while (which I later found out was right by the Tower Bridge). We talked a little more and she showed some pictures from one of her projects (I don’t really know what else to call it). It is a really cool thing they do in repurposing old items like jewelry and letting the customer set the price. Kind of flies in the face of markets and consumer culture but shows that everything has value. She also showed me some prints that a friend of hers did in an art project called Doxology, where he would go into 15th or so century churches and study a picture then close his eyes and meditate while he draws what comes to him. Then he goes back through and highlights a certain part in gold. Seeing the prints was really cool and I did not like them all, but there were some really cool ones.

Soon, one of her friends had to leave, so I left with her to go check into my hotel and figure out how to get to my next stop. There was a lot of work on the Tube lines today, so it took a little ingenuity to get where I needed. But I figured it out and made my way to St. Mary’s church to go to the legendary and popular Grace’s small service. I knew there would not be many people there, but I walked into a small room in the back of the church to find 8 people gathered on couches. One guy had to leave at the beginning, but the remaining eight of us had some time of focusing on life journeys. We listened to a couple of songs, read some Bible passages, discussed some questions in two groups, and prayed. Very straightforward and really nothing alternative about it. But like I said it is not their main service. I really enjoyed it though and I got to know almost all of the people that were there pretty well, especially after some time at the pub immediately afterward.

I got to talk to one of the guys even longer as we both walked back to the tube station. Then I was back off to my hotel, exhausted from a very intense and busy day.

What I learned:

Some people are 12ft tall green lizards and are trying to control the world. Google David Icke for the full explanation.

A lot about Shannon’s life (but it was actually all very helpful).

The churches in east London (and probably lots of other places across the country, but especially here) have gone through some of the greatest amount of transitions from Catholic to Anglican to Synagogues and now to Mosques. The same buildings are often used for so many different religious purposes.

There is a tube station in west London called White City, and it is not very aptly named. I saw 3x as many black people there as any other race.

6/27 - Party Time

What I did:

I didn’t know what time graduation stuff started today for Cliff, but I woke up just in time for some breakfast and found out that the service would start at 10:30. So I went and got last things packed up and got ready.

I knew I would be leaving with Matt at around 12, and didn’t really know what all the graduation ceremony entailed, but I wanted to support my new friends (plus I didn’t really have anything else to do). It started with some worship and we sang some songs and prayed. The students had an opportunity to share some testimonies and then right as a lady was about to begin a sermon type of thing, me and Matt had to go.

So I went back into Sheffield and arrived at Matt’s house where they were preparing for their street party. I helped out a little, then went with Matt to pick up some sound equipment. We arrived to find a lot more stuff than we expected and Matt displayed his superior Tetris/puzzle solving skills by trying to fit as much of it as he could in his small car. It took two trips, but soon we had everything over to the street and got some music going. There was one resident of the street who was a real DJ, and had some good music going on for most of the time (plus it is always really cool to watch that stuff in action). There was also a really good duo (guitar and keys) that came to perform for us.

Other than that, there was a lot of food (an overflowing cooler of meat) and a lot of friendly neighbors. We sat around for a long time talking and hanging out, listening to the music. After a while, one guy who is some sort of fitness instructor, organized some silly group games for us. It worked out nicely because everyone could participate. There were a lot of young adults and families, so there were also a lot of young kids. There was a whole section for the kids and their games, but we got to join in with stuff like three-legged race, a game of French cricket, and a game of real street cricket (which involved a trashcan as the wickets and one batsman).

All that was a lot of fun and people stayed out from about 2-10 by the time we finished cleaning up. I got to meet a lot of great people and got to eat a lot of tasty hamburgers. I could tell a good amount of work had to go into preparing it, but it is definitely something I will tuck back into my mind for a possible future event if I ever live in a neighborhood where something like that is possible (which should be any, I guess).

What I learned:

In one sense only staying in one place for a max of a week makes it easier to leave and move on (no really deep relationships), but I definitely don’t like it and would trade this moving around for staying in one place for eight weeks any day.

I should go into politics (according to one guy at the party). Haha.

Jumping Jacks have a somewhat similar equivalent here called star jumps. I have never heard that term before, so either it is something new or a UK thing. Either way, I find the new term (especially compared to jumping jacks) excellent.

6/26 - Living on the Edge (or at least taking a trip out there)

What I did:

After a nice, but what felt like a very early, breakfast this morning I got ready for morning prayer. It has been going on all week at Cliff led by the students, but today was a little different. We met and then all walked up to what is called the Edge. It is the top of some cliffs somewhat close to the college. It was a nice long walk up there, but the weather was great. When we finally all got there we congregated right near the edge of some rock face and had some time of worship through singing and praying. It was really nice standing on the large, steady rocks that reflected the strength of this community founded on the unchangeable and immoveable faith in an unchanging and ever-present God; and the wind rushing over our faces seemed like it was carrying our prayers and praise straight up to Heaven.

We spent a pretty long time up there, but eventually headed back down in time to grab some lunch. I ate and watched some of the Wimbledon coverage. Eventually my tiredness (and probably the effects of the allergy medicine that I took just a little too late in the day to work when I really needed it) took its toll and I laid down for a little nap. I came to a couple hours later and realized I needed to go settle my account with the college. Unfortunately it was just a few dollars over my limit for my card (grrr exchange rate), but mom to the rescue to get it worked out. Also during this time I began to stress out a little since I realized I had nowhere to sleep tomorrow night (for sure), or for that matter, the next ten days. But I finally calmed down, realized it was ultimately out of my hands, and just waited to see what God would provide for me.

I watched some more Wimbledon as I ate dinner and eventually got ahold of Matt and sorted out staying with him. I managed to book a hotel for a night in London that I need and so far so good for all of that. I have almost got all my accommodations taken care of for the rest of my trip. I also realized that I will have to return the book I checked out of the library tomorrow, so I have been hurriedly trying to finish it. My rollercoaster of brief anxiety has returned to a reasonable low and I am ready for a restful night.


What I learned:

I get stressed out over little things that just don’t work out and are barely in my control, which is silly and unnecessary. But I have also learned through this that dependence on God and the provision he provides through his people is to never be overlooked or forgotten, and can make for a much more peaceful day.

Take allergy meds first thing.

Sunny evening with light breeze = beautiful opportunity to sit outside and read, but necessitates a jacket. However, as soon as you go get a jacket, the breeze stops and the bugs come out. This is especially frustrating when reading about how we should live an example in being content and not complaining.

Anything over 470 pounds is just too much for my debit card limit.

I really don’t think the people at the bank know why I can’t buy train tickets online.

6/25 - I just wanna tell you how I’m feeling; Gotta make you understand...

What I did:

I had some tea and spent a little time in my hotel room this morning after waking up. But it soon became 11 o’clock and time to check out. I figured I would go check out Nexus café in normal working hours for lunch, but I had some time to kill before that, so I went shopping to get some food and laundry detergent. I walked around town some more, too. I just followed the signs that point out the important attractions around the city. I went and saw town hall, and then it was getting to be lunch time, so I walked back.

I was pretty much the only one in the café. But it was really good. I had a nice jacket potato and some tea. I took a closer look at one of the exhibits on display there that had something to do with keys. It was interesting, and I definitely enjoyed having a nice meal there. I finished up and still had some time before my train was leaving, so I figured I would go check out the John Rylands Library.

As I walked to the library, I saw a giant statue of Abraham Lincoln. Last thing I would have expected, but I am sure there is some important history behind it or something. Then, on to the library. A guy that works at SMU sent me an email with some church people he knows in Manchester and also suggested I stop by that library. I did, and it was pretty interesting. They have one of the oldest pieces of a printed Gospel. It is just a little sliver of the Gospel of John. They also had several other interesting pieces in their collection and hundreds and hundreds of books. It is really more a museum than a library, although I think students can study some of the collection they have there.

I walked back towards the train station, although I still had a lot of time. I made my way back through the shopping center and saw a bunch of different street performers. One old guy who was doing some horrible dancing (but also drawing the largest crowd), and a string trio were two things that attracted my attention, but for very different reasons. I finally got tired of just walking around, so I made my way back to the Piccadilly Gardens and sat for a while to read.

Soon, it was time to go get the train, which was nice and relaxing. Maybe a little too relaxing since I dozed off quite a bit. But I soon got back. And this is where things really got interesting. I was walking out on the street behind two guys. I was still a little tired from the ride, but I heard they were talking about Methodism and churches, so I listened in a little more carefully. Before long, I overheard one guy explain that he is the general secretary of the Methodist church (which is pretty much the head guy, and one of the first guys I contacted over here thanks to Elaine). Not long after that they split up and I passed them, but then I stopped and decided to go back and at least say hi to Martyn, the general secretary. I introduced myself and explained how I knew him and said that I just wanted to thank him for the help he had been months ago. He of course did not remember, but offered me a ride back to Cliff. I graciously accepted and got to talk with him for a good 10 or so minutes as he drove me right to the door of the college. It was probably the most unexpected, astonishing experience I have had while I have been here. Not to mention I did not have to wait or pay for a bus.

After that, I cleaned my clothes (which my mom will be thrilled about) and hung around my room a little. I knew there was going to be a barbeque this evening and knew that it started when I heard music blaring throughout the grounds. I soon went down and joined them. We had some delicious burgers and hung out for a while. I do have to comment that whoever’s ipod we were listening to has great taste in music – Rick Astley, The Final Countdown, Smash Mouth, (later) some BSB, Queen, all the good classics to make a good party. This whole time of being at Cliff has definitely made me feel right at home, and has reminded me a lot of my time back at SMU (with some very noticeable differences, of course).

A game of boules started and I at first watched to see what it was, then jumped in. We played for a very long time, but it was a nice game that does not require a ton of concentration, so we could talk and sing and just chill outside in the wonderful evening. Eventually, a group went to go see Transformers, but I stayed behind. Some of us wound up watching Prince Caspian, which just seemed more appropriate to watch over here.

It was a good day with lots of expected, and unexpected fun.

What I learned:

Apparently the United Methodist church in the States (through the Bishops) has recently established a committee of people to function very similarly to the Fresh Expressions team over here. It is a big commitment with some money being put into it. I think what he was talking about is called “Rethink Church.”

You never know who you’ll meet on the streets.

How to play boules, which I learned is a French game but highly associated with Southern, posh Britain.

A couple other students here are DMB fans, but most British people do not know who the band is.

"Never Gonna Give You Up" was Rick's first video and was shot in 1 day in a West London athletic club. Gotta go find that place next week.

6/24 - New sights and sounds

What I did:

I woke up, but too late for breakfast. I did have plenty of time before morning worship though, and eventually made my way down there. It was just so much nicer to know faces and names when I walked in. The other guy named Patrick was leading it this morning and we sang some dance-y songs and some other songs and had some good time of prayer. It was over before I knew it, so I headed back up to my room to continue to get caught up with stuff.

At around 11:15, I went to find Veronica, the receptionist, to try to find the office of the guy I was supposed to meet with today. I met her as she was coming up the hill and she showed me. I waited until it was time and went in to meet with Phil. He was great and very helpful in getting me to think about my project in its original terms of fundamentalism and globalization. He seemed very interested in that and kept everything he said related to that in some way. It was a great meeting and he gave me a lot to think about as far as what does it really mean to be “fundamental?” We met for a pretty long time, and as I left his office, I realized I missed lunch too. So I dug into my tuna stash for a quick lunch before I packed up and headed out to Manchester.

I went to visit Sanctus1, one of the most popular and longest running emerging churches, today. I had been in contact with one of the leaders, and although I knew he would not be there, I went to check it out. I got into Manchester pretty early intentionally and did a little more work before heading out to check out the city. My first impression of Manchester – It is like a condensed London on crack. That probably deserves a little unpacking, but take it as my initial reaction with my limited experience of both cities. My hotel is right by the Piccadilly Gardens and in the center of the city. So, I walked out among the chaos of moving people and cars. First I found the Nexus café, which is where Sanctus would be meeting later. Then I walked around the ‘Gardens’ some, which is really just a grassy open area with a fountain and some statues that was filled with people. I kept walking around through the Arndale shopping center (gigantic mall). I walked past a huge ferris wheel and down to Manchester Cathedral. I looped around again and it was about dinner time, so I backtracked to a place I passed by.

I had my dinner at Barburrito, the British Chipotle! Then I sat in Piccadilly Gardens for a while before Sanctus started. I made my way over to Nexus and walked in. I think I may go back there for lunch tomorrow, because it seemed like a really cool place. I met a few people who had already arrived. I talked with some people, including Chris who is a leader and would be running the service tonight. More and more people trickled in and eventually we got started. It was a very interesting and different service. Chris was the only one that spoke at all, and it was very centered around images and videos that were projected on a screen and music that played behind that. The focus was on the phrase, Love your nieghbour as yourself, which Chris dissected word by word looking at how God loves us, how we should love ourselves, who our neighbour is and how we should love them.

There were some really interesting images and funny clips (including a scene from Forest Gump). I really enjoyed it and could definitely see myself going to something like this. They also had communion and Chris explained that it was his last time leading. I realize that they do very different things each week, and even have people from the ‘congregation’ lead some (I think). After the service, we cleaned up and went to the pub, which they do every week. It was a good opportunity for me to meet with some of the members and talk with them. We talked some about past services, American politics, Texas in general, my research, the differences in pronunciation and definition of words (I got made fun of a little bit on behalf of all America), and British things that I absolutely have to experience. It was lots of fun and I really got along with all the guys that were there.

Unfortunately, the time soon came to go. I feel like going to one Sanctus service gives me absolutely no idea about the whole picture of what they are about. I didn’t really get to talk to any of the leaders either. All in all, I wish I would have some more time with them, but I don’t know if that will be able to happen or not. Maybe.

What I learned:

You haven’t lived until you have heard a British man try to imitate Forest Gump.

Don’t pronounce the ‘h’ in Birmingham.

Fannie means something different over here.

We (being any church I have been a part of) haven’t even begun to enter into creativity in worship compared with Sanctus1.

Manchester is crazy (but filled with some really good people).

6/23 - Jumping In

What I did:

I woke up and left with Matt to go to Cliff. We had a nice talk about his church that helped me understand it a little better and helped for my research. When we got there, Matt gave me a schedule of all the activities that are going on at Cliff this week. Apparently graduation week is full of lots of fun activities planned and run by the students. So, I saw that there would be some worship at 9:30 and went to get some breakfast before heading to worship.

I got to the common room and saw a bunch of people I did not know. I kind of slipped in the back of the circle and we sang and prayed for a while. I actually did not know many of the songs we sang. It is always interesting what songs come up that I have sung hundreds of times back home and then the few that come up that I have never heard before. After it was over, I sat for a little while, trying to figure out how to introduce myself to everyone. I am not bad at introducing myself and talking in a small group, but when it is a roomful of unfamiliar faces, I don’t really know where to start. Luckily, a guy named Ernest (sorry if it is misspelled) came up to me and introduced himself, then introduced me to the whole group. I talked to a few of them about why I was there, then Ernest took me to a kind of students only lounge called “Diggs” (that is my best guess at what it is called). It was a nice lounge area with some TVs and game systems.

Then we went back to the common room and I went back to my room to get some scheduling stuff sorted and to try to get caught up on computer stuff. I went back down for lunch and ate with several students and kept explaining what I am doing there then went back to my room to kill some time before a game of rounders.

I walked down to the bottom field, which is a little field close to the road with moderately cut grass. People trickled in and we divided into teams for the game. Rounders is kind of like baseball (like a little girls version of baseball is how I think it was described :) ). There are 4 bases not including home plate and you have a very short bat that you can only swing with one hand. We played with a base ball for one game and a tennis ball for the other. You can run whether you hit it or not and you have to make yourself around the bases to get back to bat. The only runs we counted were rounders, which would be the equivalent of a home run. My team lost both games, but it was very fun.

After we played, we were all very hot and tired, but some people decided to go down for a swim in the river. I joined and in a little while we walked down across the road to the river. We looked around and could not find a place that looked safe and clean enough to jump in (not to mention it may not have been completely legal to get in at that point). So we decided to hop in some cars and travel to Chatsworth. This is a place that has a nice clean river (actually I think it is part of the same river, just in a better spot) and has a large stately home where some movies have been filmed (like the more recent Pride and Prejudice). It is the home of the Dutchess of Devonshire. We found a nice spot to jump in. The water was terribly cold, but refreshing. We walked around some and saw some guys jumping off a stump into the water. So we went to try too. Brought me back to my cliff jumping experience several years ago, only much less terrifying. We stayed for a while, then headed back for the evening meal.

We went to dinner wet and smelly, but it was worth it. Then, I went and got cleaned up and came back down for Celebration. It was kind of a years end worship service for the students and faculty. It was really great. We sang some and danced (led by some men from Africa), prayed, and had some testimonies then a message and some reflection time. It was really powerful, and if for no other reason than this, I am glad I came. That might sound cheesy, and I have probably said the same thing about other parts of this trip, but it really was a great time to spend with God and some new friends.

After that, I was invited to go to the pub with some of the students, so I tagged along and ended the night rather peacefully relaxing and talking with them.

What I learned:

This week is going to be much more exciting and busy than I thought.

The kind of end of the year week that I have always thought would be great (and I think Blake is with me on this one) is what is going on this week at Cliff. So, that kind of thing does happen, just not at SMU.

Jumping into a nice cold river sounds great right after a game of Rounders, but not so much an hour later after you have cooled down.

How to play rounders. Although it may take me a while to really develop my style and get good at it.

I am probably going to butcher this story, but here it goes. All of the houses around Chatsworth had to be moved centuries ago when someone living nearby said that he did not want to be able to see the houses of the workers. All the houses were torn down and moved further back except one that is now separated from the others and lasted just long enough to not have to be moved.

6/22 – This place is a rollercoaster and I am not strapped in

What I did:

I woke up and left pretty early to travel over to Coventry. I had set up a visit to spend some time with the Coventry youth group. I had met with the guy that leads it, Keith, several weekends ago. I made it to Coventry fine and even had a little time to look around the cathedral before I met up with him. Apparently, Coventry was heavily bombed several decades ago and I don’t know if it was because of that or something else, but they have the ruins and tower of the original church and a new modern cathedral built right beside it. So I walked around a little then met up with a guy that works with the youth.


This guy, Ash, was about my age and is also studying while working with the youth. He explained some of what he does while we grabbed some Subway, then took me back to the youth center where everyone would be gathering later and where the offices were. He gave me a brief tour, it is pretty much a run-down building with two big rooms (with a sound system, pool table, and GameCube). I then went up to the offices and greeted Keith and another student who, like Ash, works with the youth. He was called Beaver (and I never heard another name for him). I don’t know if it was because he was as charming as Beaver Cleaver or if it was because he has some sort of rodent-like characteristics.

I sat through what vaguely seemed like a meeting about what was going on (there was a ton of banter back and forth and I was surprised anything actually got done, but I know if any of them read this they will just laugh and agree). After a while, Keith had to leave and I was left in the capable hands of Ash again. He took me up to the top of the cathedral tower and I had a nice view of Coventry, which despite its drabness seemed like a pretty cool place to live. After that we walked back to the youth center and talked a bit and watched a Nooma video followed by an episode of Family Guy (what a combination!). We were just killing some time before Keith got back and we could open the doors at 4pm. We did run to the store to get some bread, and Ash could not walk a block without bumping into several youth he knew.

Finally, we opened the doors and some youth came in to immediately play some pool and Mario Kart. It was pretty much just free time for about an hour or so, and I think Keith stayed up in his office which was open for some counseling/pastoral type of stuff. Then he came down and we all gathered together for some slightly more structured time looking at what it means to be a Christian. There was so much banter and wit the whole night. And everything was so high octane and high energy it was unbelievable. But it worked, and it has worked for a while now. I met several other leaders who help and just chilled with some of the kids for a while. After the structured time we had a lot more free time, some of which I spent talking to Keith. Then we closed with a semi-serious time of prayer after about half of the kids had left.

It was a great experience and made me feel alive the way only youth work can. I was really excited even after leaving. It was an interesting place to visit, and I doubt I will ever see anything like it again in my life, but it was great and I feel very blessed to be able to see the work that is going on there. I left and came straight back to Sheffield, but did not get back in until about 11pm. I had to get Matt out of bed (I am very sorry) but I made it back and got some rest before the next day.

What I learned:

There is an international Rotary convention going on in Birmingham I believe.

Fresh expressions of church/emerging churches are getting steadily harder to characterize or define.

I could probably not break into Matt and Rachel’s house. I tried to think of anything I could do to get in without getting them out of bed, but could not get to anything. I also realized that it would probably have been worse to wake someone while halfway up their stairs than in their doorway.

It is best to not try too hard to learn something or understand something everywhere I go, especially in Coventry. But it is most definitely worth it to go, no matter how crazy and confusing it is.

Subway is not the same thing in Britain as America.

Twix xtra are very long!

6/21 - Let's go fly a kite

NB - Despite what you may think from the title, there will be no kites appearing in this post. Sorry. It just seemed to be the best way to describe the day.

What I did:

I got up and had some breakfast then jumped in a bath (the first actual bath that I have had in a very long time). Then Jack and I tagged along on some shopping that Matt and Rachel had to do. It was actually pretty fun, we went to a camping store so it was interesting to see what was similar and different from camping gear in the States. It also reminded me a lot of my trip to Ireland in 06 because then, every time we would go into Dublin with some of the Irish scouts we would have to stop by the scout shop and look around. I did that so many times with different groups of people and I knew that store very well. Maybe that can be my new thing whenever I travel – make sure to check out the camping store.

Anyway, as I have said several times it was just good to be around other people. Then we came back and made some sandwiches, grabbed George, a Frisbee and a football and headed to the park for a little picnic and relaxing time. It was the same park I went to yesterday, but a different part of it. I had a nice PB&J and got to show off a little bit in Frisbee (finally a sport I can play). We threw around the American football some too and then just sat and chilled for a while.

Church started at 3, so we left and headed that way. Matt and Rachel are involved in a church that is part of a group of churches called Crowded House. We met in someone’s home (and it really was a crowded house) and had some worship time of singing, praying, sharing what is going on in each other’s lives, discussion based on the story of the life of Moses and what God did for His people during that time, so interactive response to that, a bit more singing and praying, and a shared dinner. I met lots more great people and it was wonderful time of connecting with God and other people.

After that, we went out for a walk out in the countryside. We drove out a ways and found a nice little path up to some small cliffs. It was really beautiful. There were sheep all over the place and the sun was setting on the valley. We walked up to the top of the cliffs and found a guy from the church that had left to go straight there to do some climbing with some friends. We sat and talked with them and each other some then headed back down. I took my camera, but my battery died after a couple of photos. Even though I brought an extra battery and a charger, it had to happen at one of the most scenic places I have been to yet. Oh well, I guess that is what eyes and memory are for.

We left and went back into town and met up with Matt and a friend from church, but pretty quickly headed back home.

What I learned:

Being over here may make it seem like I am slightly better at American football because of everyone else’s lack of experience with it, but it really takes a lot more than that to cover up how poor I am at it.

Young sheep look like human babies to human mothers.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are very uncommon here and often not liked. What a shame.

Pickle does not mean the same thing in both countries. And UK pickle is much better in my opinion than US pickle.

B&Q stands for something like Barry and Quinton and is the Home Depot of the UK. Lol.

If a picture's worth a thousand words, then why does looking at or experiencing something that could never be captured in a photo (at least by me) only leave me speechless?

6/20 - A more colorful post

What I did:

I woke up and got ready to go play some touch rugby. Matt plays with a group of guys every week, and invited me to go play today. So, Matt, Jack, and I headed off to a park overlooking the city. Guys (and 1 girl) steadily trickled in for a while and by the time everyone was there I think there were a little over 20 of us. It rained a little at first, but it cleared up right in time to start playing.

We split up into 4 teams and had two games going on at a time. There were about 5 people per team. The rules had been explained to me, but jumping in took a little time to get the hang of. Nevertheless, my team won almost all of our games (probably more by luck than anything), and I had a great time. It was good to get out and run some and meet a lot of people doing it. We played for a couple of hours and at the end even tried a bit of touch American football. After we were all completely worn out we headed back.

We made some lunch and watched some telly for a while. Then Matt looked up what was going on around town and found that a gay pride festival was going on. We finally decided to go (Matt wanted to get some pictures, he’s a photographer). It was pretty interesting. They had some live music going on a stage facing a very large open lawn area. There were lots of booths set up on one side and around the back. A fair number of people were there just walking around or listening to the music. We walked around some (the band was terrible) and checked out what was going on. We wondered before going if people would know right away we were straight, and what it would mean if anyone hit on us, but not much happened. One guy greeted us, but that was about it.

We stayed just a little while then left to go back to Matt’s. Then, Matt and I took George (his dog) for a walk in a different nearby park. We saw a live cricket game going on in the park and watched a little of it, then found some sticks to throw to George. After a good bit of that, we went back and saw that a new cricket game had started. We watched some more of it then headed back for some dinner, Bear Grylls, and a nice movie (Reign Over Me) and time to chill the rest of the night.

What I learned:

Mayonnaise can freeze. Maybe?

Gay pride celebrations seem to kind of go against any attempt to bring an understanding of diversity to the city. They just reinforce stereotypes of others and really only attract the gay community (although I can’t say that too completely because we were there). I just don’t really know if they serve a purpose. (I have to attribute most of this thought to Jack, but I found it very well founded)

A lot about rugby – no passing forward (I got caught), have to keep the right distance back when playing defense, it is very tiring, cleats (proper boots) are helpful on wet, slick grass.

Man vs Wild is called Born Survivor over here.

The truest meaning of being “knackered.”

6/19 - My trip continues to transform

What I did:

I woke up to go back to Cliff with Matt this morning. I still hadn’t heard back from the guy I was planning on meeting, but I at least wanted to be there. I stayed in my room for a while and got some things sorted out. The people at the Sheffield Center gave me a few names and emails to contact, so I did that. Eventually, I went down and grabbed some lunch and I talked to a guy that was there for some kind of post graduate seminar.

I went back and read some and waited to hear from the guy I was going to meet with, but never did. I did meet a guy from Georgia who is studying there and he was very friendly. Finally, I packed some more clothes up and went down to see Matt. I will be staying with him all weekend and we have lots of great stuff planned.

We drove back (and on the way saw a lady that wrecked her Mini in a ditch), finished up an episode of 24 (only the 2nd episode I have ever seen), and had some dinner. Then, Matt, Jack, and I all went down to the cinema to watch Transformers 2. That’s right America, and that’s why the UK is better! Haha.

It was a really good film and was shown in a massive theater. It finished pretty late, so we headed straight back and went to bed.

What I learned:

What happens to Optimus Prime. But I won’t spoil it for you.

There is a mechanic in the credits of the movie called Thomas Littlefield.

Cliff College tests the fire alarms every now and then.

6/18 - The heart of the city

What I did:

I woke up to George, Matt and Rachel’s Jack Russell Terrier, jumping into my bed. But it was a pleasant surprise. I grabbed some breakfast and killed a little time before I had to head into town. I was meeting some people at the Sheffield Center at 10:30. So I got on a bus and headed into town and actually found it very easily. The Sheffield Center is a part of the Church Army and does research on different emerging/fresh expression/mission-shaped churches all around the country.

I walked in and talked with two of the people on their 7 member team. And they were all very nice and it was very interesting to interview people that are not on the practicing side of things as much as they are on the research side of things. After a very lengthy and lively chat, it was lunchtime and I was invited to share lunch with them. Everyone ate together in a cafeteria, which was very nice. I stayed a little while longer leafing through some of the Sheffield Center’s publications, which I am interested to read through more thoroughly.

Then I headed out. I met a little cat on my way to town. I had most the rest of the afternoon free, so I decided I would try to get a better feel of the city. So I just wandered around. It was actually really helpful, and I wish I would have done that before I had to make my way to the train station the other day. Sheffield is a really nice city and I had no problem spending a couple of hours walking around.

I eventually made my way back to Matt’s house and just read some until everyone got back. It got to be dinner time, so we decided to go check out a Turkish restaurant. But before that, Matt’s friend Jack called up and said he was in town. So, we went and picked him up and all had a delicious dinner together. Then we came back and tried to decide what to do for the rest of the evening. Eventually we decided to go to the pub and check out the pub quiz that was on tonight. After we got there we realized how tired we all were and how terrible we would all be at the quiz, so we just went back to Matt’s and watched through all of RocknRolla.

What I learned:

Some of the basics of rugby.

Turkish food is very good.

Where the free public restrooms in the center of Sheffield are. (It took me a while though)

I said, thought, and heard the phrase “When in Rome…” three times today. That doesn’t really sound like a lot, but since it usually comes up 0 times, and since I am not in Rome, it was kind of funny.

I don't really think the heart of the city of Sheffield can be found in the center of town (at least not solely).

6/17 - You Gotta Have Friends

What I did:

I woke up expecting today to be a pretty boring, uneventful day. I didn’t really have much planned. It kind of started out that way since I was very tired after waking up. But, it started to pick up as I had a chance to meet with another professor here at Cliff. It was a good meeting, although short, and we are set to meet again on Friday. But, he took me back to the American guy I met yesterday and we talked some more about the church he is involved in. It was great and he gave me a book that explains more about it from the library. I got an account there at the library, which is small, but may be useful in the weeks to come. I also made plans to go back with Matt (the guy I talked with) to his home in Sheffield to hang out some.

So, I went back to my room and killed some time before lunch. At lunch, there were only at most 7 people in the cafeteria, so I sat with some guys who I found out were MA students there and talked with them a bit. It was nice to meet them, but we soon finished and I went back to my room to get ready to go.

I left with Matt and headed to Sheffield. He is a great guy and we had a wonderful afternoon and evening together. We stayed at his house a little while, then went and played some pool, which he embarrassingly schooled me in. (But I guess you are supposed to let your host win, right?). Then we came back and watched a bit of a movie called RocknRolla (like Snatch if that means anything to you). His wife got home and we stayed around for a little while and had a nice dinner. Then, she was having some of the youth girls from their church over to cook some for a family that has a kid in the hospital. So we went out and met a friend of Matt’s at a pub. It was really nice, especially compared to my last experience. It was just really good to be around people, friends, and really just spend time together, do life together. We did talk about church some, but it wasn’t expected as in almost all of my other contact with people. It came up more organically than being forced or planned.


So, I am now unexpectedly, but gratefully spending the night at his house. It also works out really well, because I would have to have come into town tomorrow to meet with some people anyway. So now I can for sure make it on time and not have to worry about anything. Hopefully I will be spending some more good time with Matt again tomorrow.

What I learned:

What “caving” is.

A decent idea of where I need to go tomorrow.

A lot about Matt’s neighborhood and Sheffield in general. Which I found amazing and really cool that he has really been a part of the city where he lives and actually knows it. It makes sense to me and worries me that it is somewhat of a novelty (more people should have the same knowledge of their own towns/cities in my opinion, which includes me).

Some of this includes that Sheffield is built on 7 hills (like Rome?). Sheffield is very multicultural, and has several good Thai and Turkish restaurants. A famous boxer used to have a training facility very close to where I am now, but has since sold it (and found his knew residence in jail).

Chinese people carry their dogs by their hind legs among many other peculiar treatments of their pets.

6/16 - Where do I go? What do I do? A Journey Through Sheffield

What I did:

I woke up and made it in time for breakfast. I came back and got ready for the day. I knew I had a meeting with one of the tutors (similar to a professor?, I don’t really know the difference) here at 10, but I did not know where to go. So I found out and met with him. It was a good meeting. He tends to think much more critically about the emerging church scene than the people actually in it, and had some refreshing perspectives on how it may not be the best thing to happen. He wasn’t completely pessimistic, but did have some pretty serious and set opinions on emerging churches and trends in church in England in general. I was very glad to have met with him. I wandered around a little, then went back to my room.

While I was typing up our conversation, I heard a knock on the door, and it was a guy who works here at the college. He was American too! And he was really nice in saying I could come hang out with him some when I have too much free time. It was good to finally meet someone that isn’t specifically linked to my research in some way. I hope to spend more time with him.

Then, it was about time for me to scarf down some lunch and head off to the bus stop to try to make my way back to Stockport. I was going to meet with Lou again, the leader of c3. So, I missed the first bus I could have taken (of course, what day would be complete without me messing up at some point with the public transportation), but I caught the next one and made it into Sheffield where I was going to catch my train. I realized as soon as we got into the city that I did not know where to get off at. So, I just got off at a random spot (someone else got off there and it was a place where there were a lot of other bus stops, so I figured it was a good bet). Then I had to find the rail station. It took me a while and I was almost jogging through the city, but I finally got there (again, thanks to maps at bus stops) and actually got on the train that I needed just a few minutes before it left. Perfect timing. So, I made it to Stockport and found Lou.

We tried to go to a Christian coffee shop she knows, but on the way realized it would be closed when we got there, so we found another coffee place and had a great chat. I don’t know which part of this project I like better, the observations or the interviewing. I learn so much in each one and find each very meaningful. We finished our tea and then headed to her house. She and her husband were going to a photography exhibit later that evening, and I had nothing to do the rest of the day. So, we hung out a little. And I found another Firefly fan! Of all the things we talked about and that I now know about her, that will probably be the most memorable thing. Haha.

She invited me to go to the exhibit, and I really wanted to, but after checking train/bus times realized I would not be able to and make it back on time. That was probably the first time I have really felt sad/disappointed while being over here. But, that’s how things go, and I just look forward to what comes next. So, she took me back to the rail station and I am very grateful for that whole time.

I got on a train and headed back to Sheffield. Now, this part gets a little interesting and is probably even rated a little closer to PG-13, just fyi. So, I got out of the station and saw one of the coolest water fountain displays I have seen (although it may not come across in the photo since it was big and a lot of it had to do with the sound too, but that whole silver thing in the back had water running down it). Then I decided to find some dinner and hopefully a bus that would take me back. I had no clue where to go, so I figured I would start by back tracking where I went earlier. Not a minute after I set out a lady approached me. I figured she was going to ask for money, so I prepared myself to say no, but was thrown off immediately by her conversation style. Usually it is either straight to asking for money or setting up a dramatic problem that is heartwrenching. Instead, she complemented me on my eyes and teeth. Then she said I could have her for just a little amount of money. It hit me that she was no mere beggar. She proceeded to ask me if I was gay and then offered a freebie. As nice as I could I kept refusing her saying that I really did not want to. She followed me a little bit, but eventually left. Ironically, that was the worst part. After she left I couldn’t help but feel that there was something else I could have done for her besides brush her off, some different way I could have handled that. I realize that the phrase is now corny and cliché, but I just really felt like that was not what Jesus would have done. But what could I have done? What would He have done? That really haunted/haunts me for the rest of the day. I was just so startled when I realized what she wanted I didn’t know what to do. I know that by the time it happens again, though, I will be better prepared to deal with it in a Christ-like way.

Well, that kind of set a different tone for the rest of my night (not to mention the rest of this post), but I eventually found a stop and made it back. Time for a peaceful evening/night.

What I learned:

Sheffield is a more confusing city than I thought it would be (in more ways than one).

The confidence needed to really flag down a bus.

All the undergraduates are away right now on mission for the week. So that is why the campus is so empty and quiet. But they will be back next week.

I really wander what all this travel would have been like before internet/cell phone/etc. I have relied so heavily on it in all my public transportation dealings and have still had some problems. And I know that the solution to not getting lost is right in my pocket on the other end of a phone somewhere. Is public transportation so much faster and used morebecause of the rise in technology? Or has it just gotten easier and easier to use it? I would like to go back in time and experience it then.

All the best shots for beautiful photos come while I am riding in a train or bus and unable to take them. It is both really frustrating and really beautiful at the same time.

6/15 - Funny the way it is

What I did:

I woke up and packed up and got ready to leave Stockport. I checked out at about 11, and figured I would have some time before I needed to get to the train station. But since I had all my bags, I just went straight there. I wound up getting a train much earlier than I thought I would. So, that meant I got to the town I needed to switch to a bus much earlier too. I knew the bus I needed came around every 2 hours, and I was expecting to wait until 2 to get a bus. When I got to the stop, I was just in time to see the earlier one I could take come up and leave. But, it was a nice place to wait so I waited a couple hours at the bus stop.

I made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before I left the hotel with some of the stuff I bought yesterday and some packages of jam that I swiped from the breakfast spread at the hotel. So, I ate those and they were really good. Maybe it was just what I wanted to eat, or maybe I was proud of my resourcefulness, but I definitely enjoyed them. Other than that I sat for a long time and listened to peoples’ conversations at the stop. I decided to take this route because it would take me through the Peak District and I could see all the county side, which I have heard is very beautiful. I have kind of given up on the old adage, “Time is of the essence,” and have just enjoyed this country. Plus, I had no deadline to get there.

My bus finally came, and I got on. The driver was nice and I could tell I wouldn’t have any trouble getting there, even though I didn’t really know where to get off. It was a pretty empty bus, but at one of the next few stops a man got on. He was pretty old and lively and talked to the driver some as he got on and the only other passenger a little (who was sitting across the aisle from me). Sure enough, he asked me a question. But between his accent and mumbling and general old person inability to be understood (not that I don’t think I have similar problems in talking) plus the roar of the bus I could not make out what he was saying at all. I asked him to repeat himself five times and he did and I finally made a guess at what he was asking and showed him the book I was reading. After that, he started talking about a church in his town and a lot of stuff. I really didn’t understand any of it. I think most of it was history of the surrounding towns or significant things that happened there. Every now and then he would point out the window and I would follow or would say a phrase I could pick out and I would repeat it, but the girl next to me must have known what was happening. I tried to listen, and to look like I was listening, but it just wasn’t happening. At one point I think he either said “A stitch in time saves nine” or “where’s the beef?” Either way, I figured he was giving me some solid advice and I was as careful as I could be to heed his wisdom.

Anyway, he finally got off, and I finally got off. I walked just a little bit to Cliff College and easily made it to reception (although it was on a little hill, so I was out of breath when I got there). I met the lady I had been corresponding with about my stay and then got shown to my room. Everyone I met in the short time I have been here (those two people) have been very nice. I am in a room in the guest area, and the only one on the floor right now. There will probably be people coming and going while I am here, but for now it is just me.

I got unpacked, which was the first time I really took most of my stuff out of my bag. I tend to just live right out of the bag, but I figured it would be nicer to unload here. I was really tired and laid down. I dozed off some, but got up at 5:30 to go get dinner. I looked in the cafeteria area and no one else was there, and it looked like they were still kind of setting up, so I walked back and spent some time in my room. I decided to go back a 6:30. When I went back this time, I think the door was locked, but a kid came out and unlocked it just as I got there. All the food had been put up and the dishes were being washed and the few people there were getting a last coffee. I guess I have a pretty small window for meals. Haha. But I picked up a flyer that has some times on it for meals. Maybe I’ll make it next time.

I went back to my room and ate some of the food I had bought yesterday or had saved from the past week. It was nice and I just relaxed the rest of the day. Another busy one tomorrow, but at least my shoulders will finally get some much need rest.

What I learned:

My debit card won’t work with some card readers (like the one at the rail station I went to today) because it doesn’t have some sort of chip. I don’t know what that means, but the guy who told me did.

Language barriers exist outside of foreign language differences.

Veronica, the receptionist here, is very helpful and willing to set up some meetings for me and be a communicator between me and the faculty here, which has already been amazing.

The Peak District is really beautiful. It is hilly and rural. But that also means that the college is on a big hill, and that hill goes all the way up to my room and beyond.

Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog completely surpassed all my expectations. And further deepened my respect and love of Joss Whedon.

I just realized that here in England was where Methodism started to split from the Anglican Church, but it is also where it is now coming back together with it in different covenants and initiatives like Fresh Expressions. Interesting.

Apparently, shark fins are a high grossing delicacy in some countries, leading commercial fisherman to highly value shark fins and do anything they can to get them. But, other people have found a much more humane way to profit off the sharks – tourism. You’ve got to love when the only way people will drift toward the humane option is when it is driven by a higher dollar amount.

6/14 - Taking stock(port)

What I did:

I woke up and got some nice hotel breakfast. I will say the toaster here is really good though – some of the best toast I have had. Then I got ready to go visit c3Stockport. I had a general idea of where they met, so I headed that way. I walked for a while I didn’t see anything and I almost turned back. I decided to go just a little farther and way back in a little building I saw a sign with their logo. I walked in a little late, but they had not started yet. They were actually waiting on someone to get back with milk for the tea. But I agreed that that was worth waiting for.

I met Louise, the leader of c3 (at least one of the leaders, and the one most in charge). She introduced me to several other members that were there. We all talked for a while until the tea and coffee was ready. My conversations always go straight to people’s opinions of church, which I understand why and I am grateful, but it is starting to get old. I may never want to talk about church after this. But they were great people and I enjoyed all the time I spent with them.

Anyway, we started with some prayer, then we had some singing, and a couple of activities to help everyone get to know each other better. Then we had a discussion about loving our neighbor. I know that sounds pretty broad, but it was a really good guided discussion about selfishness and how to follow Jesus’ example of loving others (at least as best as we can). We prayed for each other, then got ready to eat lunch. It was kind of potluck style, and we all just dug in and sat around a common table and ate. There was lots of lively talk, especially because there were several children there, one who was old enough and bold enough to ask some funny (to the rest of us) questions. Then things moved to telling me more about c3, which was nice. I learned that they also do a lot during the week with some creative groups that reach out to the community.

Finally, we had a promise auction. This was really cool. We all promised to do something by writing it down, then each favor was auctioned off and the money is going to be sent to a needy cause. I did not bid on anything since I only had 6 pounds in cash, but I did promise an encouraging email every Monday for 2 months. I really hope I don’t forget. All in all, I spent over 3 hours with them, and enjoyed every minute. I also set up another meeting with Louise later this week to talk more in depth about what c3 is doing.

Then I walked back to my hotel noticing just how beautiful the day was. I wrote up all my observations and made sure I had plans in place for tomorrow. I came back and rested in my room for a while. Then I decided I would go find the train station before I had a very heavy bag on my back to make sure I knew where to go. I also stopped and picked up some groceries. I had to hold myself back because there was a lot that looked good, but I knew I would have to either eat or carry whatever I got by tomorrow. I headed back and tried a new route, but hit a couple of dead ends and finally just went back to my room. I made some Pot Noodles (which sounded like a good idea at first) and watched the England cricket game. It was actually really close and exciting.

I stayed in my room the rest of the night watching some tv. I also tried my hand at a little sketching:

Time to get ready to make another quick move. I will be moving to Cliff College tomorrow, and I am actually very excited about it.

What I learned:

Pot Noodles (like our Cup Noodles/Ramen) only get worse the longer you eat them. I don’t know why I actually thought they would be good for dinner.

I did not learn what c3 stands for. That will be my first question to Louise later.

Stockport:Manchester::McKinney:Dallas (In size/geographical distance) for those of you who remember studying these terrible word equations for whatever silly standardized test they were for.

What a “one-off” is (I think that is what was being said).

Exactly where I need to go tomorrow morning. No more wandering around Stockport with a heavy bag.

This hotel room has a lot of contrasting patterns in the upholstery and wallpaper and all that.

*I admit the title of this post doesn't make a whole lot of sense and is even a little cheesy for me. Oh well.