Couples and Corsets

I'm so embarrassed. I posted this on the other blog and thought I had lost it, because it wasn't on this blog...

Anyway, I'm out for the night, but here's the earlier entry.

So I honestly don't know how this keeps happening to me, but at least three times I've been here, in this basement room in Caffe Nero, and it's absolutely empty. A young couple comes in with food and drinks and chooses the couch which is less than a foot away from me. This room is big! Look at the picture I posted if you don't believe me! And we're all congregated alone at the end of this big room. The two of them eat-- always disgustingly, and I have to listen to it, and I hate listening to it-- and drink. After this is done, they start groping each other. The guy always sits on the left, the girl on the right, and he begins the grope session. It makes me really uncomfortable, but I can't go anywhere, because the outlet is here.

Go away... go away... go away...

I had lunch at the Fish and Chips place again, and went to the Abbey Square to wait for the walking tour. I listened to a man playing a guitar-like instrument, with heavy hemp and bead work on it. I thought it might have been a dobro or a mandolin, but I think I was wrong. It had a very beautiful sound, like a harp but rich and deeper. Two o' clock came around, but alas, I saw no one for the walking tour. I'll try again tomorrow. So I went into the Abbey and took pictures. The stained glass windows-- well, really, the whole Abbey-- were spectacular. On the hour, we said prayers. I can say the Lord's Prayer now, which is sort of a big accomplishment for me. I don't feel quite so lost in service anymore-- and no, I don't mean as a lost soul, I mean confused, and no, I don't mean a confused soul, I mean out of place. I lit a candle for everyone, but particularly for Kristina because I thought of her while doing this. Lighting candles is one of the most beautiful customs I can think of, and one that really doesn't need to be religious at all. It's just a lovely way of keeping people in our thoughts. Unfortunately, my computer died while in the Abbey, so no pictures after that. I'm trying to figure out how to use the charger.

After that, I walked up to the Museum of Costume. The people who run it had a really great idea, which is to give everyone a little audio kit. You choose what you want more information on-- each display has a number above it, which you enter into a keypad. After the basic information, you have the option of hearing more elaboration. Historical details, literary passages, quotes from historians and fashion experts-- you can craft your own tour and learn about what you want to know. I thought it was a lovely idea. There are two main exhibits, aside from the regular part of the museum-- one is on corsets and the other is on Jane Austen film adaptations. Ah, two of my passions under one roof! The corset exhibit had corsets to try on. All around me, grown women saying, "This is quite comfortable," and a little girl who said, "Mum, can I have one?" I tried a red one on and wished my digital camera hadn't died. After I took it off, I went to the Jane Austen exhibit. There were costumes from the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice (two of Elizabeth's dresses, one of Darcy's costumes), the film of Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet (one dress each, one of Colonel Brandon's outfits, one of Willoughby's), the Gwyneth Paltrow version of Emma (one dress for her and one for Toni Collette), and every other BBC adaptation of Jane Austen you can imagine. There were also muslin slips to try on, although I couldn't really figure out how to put them on. I enjoyed it a lot. After that, I went back to the corset exhibit and tried the red corset back on. I was hoping to ask someone to take a picture and e-mail it to me, but alas-- no one had a digital camera. I'm so addicted to corsets-- I love them and it's an irrational love, because they were a terrible idea, restricting women physically and emotionally and mentally, etc.--it's like wishing you had bought a dress and going back to try it on later (I've done this too, of course).

I browsed the gift shop for a while, then came back down here. I was a bit lost at first, then realized I was right by Milsom Street. I wanted to go on the Bizarre Bath walking tour tonight, but it's starting to rain-- sort of unfortunate, because the weather's actually been pretty nice all day. I guess I'll wait it out a bit and see what happens. I know the city centre well enough now that I won't feel like I failed if I miss any more walking tours, but it would be a nice experience and might supplement my writing of my experiences well. We'll see, I guess.