After lunch in my dorm, I decided to take a walk downtown and visit the Liverpool Library. Downtown Liverpool is filled with old buildings with beautiful architecture, statues and monuments. This was an opportunity to "get lost" so I wandered around, snapping photos. I succeeded in getting lost and could not find my way to the Liverpool Library. I finally caved and asked someone for help at which she pointed me in the right direction. The library is beautiful. It's housed in a old victorian style building but the inside is modern. I got my library card and headed over to check movies out to watch since I can't get American Netflix ( British Netflix stinks). Apparently, you have to pay to borrow movies like Blockbuster of old. It would have cost me 3 pounds ( roughly six dollars) to rent a single movie as well as any fines if they were late. I was blown away at this idea. So I ended up walking out of the library with no movies. To my Westlake Library Friends, use this knowledge the next time some patron refuses to pay a 10 cent fine for a FREE movie.
Monday: Understanding Popular Music: 6PM-8PM
Thursday: Music Semiotics and the Beatles: 6PM-8PM
That's it folks. Two nights, two hours a week. And this is a full time student. So I'm very scared how heavy the workload is going to be.
Roommate update:
I've gotten to know my one roommate really well. She's from Liverpool as a vocal major. She works at the Liverpool Football club as a server. Two years ago, she was serving at banquet for the owner and special guests. Well guess who she served wine to and said Hi...... Paul McCartney. My jaw dropped when she told me. She met PAUL MCCARTNEY! I made her promise that if that opportunity comes up again that she would bring me. She agreed and said I'd probably be arrested. So Cleveland friends, you might want to start a bail money fund.
My other two roommates have moved in. One, another girl, is from Prague. She is actually in The Beatles program as well. Her first question to me was "Do your friends and family support you or call you crazy for getting a degree in The Beatles." I proudly said they support me. She replied "You're lucky." My other roommate is a 50ish year old gentleman from Norway. He is getting his doctorate degree. Like my german friend above, he is a big western fan, Though he preferred to call me Clint...
Alright, now let me take you down to Strawberry Fields. Today, I wanted to go on a "Daytripper" and see the childhood homes of all 4 Beatles. The main campus is only about a 20 minute walk from Lennon's home and Strawberry Fields. I packed my bookbag and was off on what ended up being a 4 hour, 10 mile walk through Liverpool.
Strawberry Fields plays a big role in John Lennon's youth. He spent a lot of time there at the orphanage, not as an orphan, and developed a passion for the place. Strawberry Fields receives its name for the red strawberry-shaped knobs painted at the top of the gate. The only thing left of Strawberry Fields is the gate. The gate is, in fact, a replica with the original being preserved after tourists began sawing pieces off. When I got there I was the only one. I was shocked to see how many people wrote messages of love and their names around the gates and walls. I started snapping pictures and got the idea of leaving my name on the wall. I quickly dug out my sharpie when a tour showed up. I patiently waited while the tour guide talked and they left. I began writing when a double decker tour bus rolled up within seconds. I looked down the street and saw 4-5 more tours waiting in line. So I waited until they all left and only me and this other person were there. I asked him if he'd take a picture of me and he agreed. I signed a special message on the wall and we got to talking when he said "Hey do you want a ride to Lennon's home." I replied " Yes that would be great!" As we walked to the car, I began thinking about the movie I watch last night...Taken. It hit me while I got in the car, "what the hell was I doing? I don't know this person, he's a complete stranger. I don't even know his name. And I don't have a phone! " I got in in the car, hanging onto my camera ready to go all Jimmy Stewart from Rear Window on him in case something came up. Of course, I prayed that Liam Neeson would rescue me but that seemed unlikely. Luckily, I knew Lennon's house was just around the corner in case he started driving the wrong way. We drove off....
251 Menlove Ave, or Mendips as John would say, was quite a treat to see. I wasn't allowed in that was for the tour buses so i'll do that later, but I got to see the outside part. It's really interesting to compare his home to the other Beatles, you can see that his Aunt Mimi was relatively well off in terms of money. This home played such an important role in Lennon's life as well as the history of The Beatles. My god, I could see the window of the room where Lennon and McCartney wrote Love me do!
Trivia time!!!!! 7 people voted, and 2 got it right. The answer is: DAFFY DUCK! He made his first appearance in a Porky Pig cartoon back in 1937 (Bugs Bunny officially appeared in 1939). This week’s trivia is:
Mark