An extra day, one that only exists every four years. And I am spending this one doing homework. Good thing I love statistics or I would be slightly put out. Last week, before I realized how much work I actually needed to do today, I was planning a leap-day party full of chocolate strawberries and watching "Leap Year" with my roommates. Therefore, I somewhat follow the Rules of Leisure according to Kate Fox. True, I am not improving my apartment with a DIY, but my leisure party follows the privacy so desired by the English.
After reading Rules of Play, I think I will mostly like "playing" in England, but only after a hard day's work of statistics of course. I will admit, I do not think I will ever get drunk and fight someone, so I'll have to just observe that form of social interaction. With the private and domestic pursuits, my favorite was "visiting grand country houses." If it is indeed "one of the most popular national pastimes," I will apparently need to make visiting grand country houses a priority in order to fully submerse myself in the English culture. At least now I will not feel quite as guilty for visiting as many as I am planning for the field study. However, I was surprised that such country houses were for the English themselves and not simply for the tourists. Not only do the English visit the houses, they enjoy it. But I won't argue; I think it is a splendid idea. On my study abroad, girls would complain about all the houses we were forced to visit. The complaining never made sense to me. To me, the houses represented a dying way of life, a life of luxury that most will never have. And I love architecture, and some of those English houses are perfect.
Another pastime I am anxious to implement is "the pub."My first time in London, I did not actually visit any pubs. Legally, I was old enough so that cannot be my excuse. Maybe I was too busy visiting grand houses to visit the pubs. Whatever the reason, now that I am armed with the rules of the pub, I am ready to visit as many as possible. Mostly, I think it will be a great opportunity to see the workings of English culture.
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