Presidents-ours and theirs...

Hello all!

Today was my busiest day yet as I had three interviews! The first was at 10am so I had a bit of an early morning. I wanted to leave no later than 8am so that I had plenty of time to get the tube (I was nervous after yesterday’s time consuming adventure) and be there to collect my thoughts. I sat along the river a thought through everything.

It now occurs to me that I haven’t explained the process of getting into Portcullis House, which is where many of the MP’s offices are. First you go through security-by the way, the security officers now recognize me. After that you confront a glass wall with police officers with really big guns. Just in front of that is a desk. You tell the people at the desk who you are there to see and your name and they have you sit down while they call up. Given how early I’m there, I usually have to wait awhile for someone to come down and collect me. It was during this wait today that I started feeling rather sick. I think I was nervous and rather too warm.

I was actually more nervous today than I have been and I think that was due to the fact that I had so many interviews and the first one was with Tim Farron who is the Liberal Democrat President. Additionally, my second interview was at 11am so I was very aware that if anything was delayed with the first one I could find myself in a bind. Anyway, Tim Farron was very nice and our interview went quite well. He came himself to collect me and we sat in the cafeteria-sort seating area to talk. He told me multiple times that he was telling me things he wouldn’t tell a reporter which I was very pleased about. These politicians have been quite open with me.

We ended in plenty of time and I waited back out on the benches for Sheila Gilmore (Labour). She was not at all what I expected. For some reason, I was picturing a rather imposing woman so you can imagine my surprise when a woman who was approximately a head shorter than me approached. Anyway, I knew this interview would be pressed for time, but I managed to cover the important things. She too was very nice and I felt that I got good information.

I then had lunch in a café and wrote up my notes from the interviews. So that you know, I have been recording them and also taking limited notes. I then sit down after the meetings for about half and hour and write down everything I can remember. Then to kill time I walked a big loop including Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace. I still had tons of time so I sat on what has become rather a regular spot of wall for me under the statue of Abraham Lincoln (yes you did read that correctly). The interesting thing here was one interaction I had with a (hopelessly) lost young man. He approached me and asked where the Houses of Parliament were. In and of itself this sounds like an innocent enough question. The funny thing is that the wall I was sitting on is in Parliament Square literally directly across from Parliament! I really didn’t think Parliament was the kind of thing you could miss, but evidently I was wrong. J I feel that I must be fitting in well because this man was one of five people who asked me for directions today (I think it was my suit)!

Anyway, my last interview was at 3:30pm with Malcolm Bruce a Lib Dem. I got there early partly because I’m me and partly because there was a line and I figured it would only get worse. It was lucky that I was early because as it worked out he had to go to a meeting at 3:30 and only had time to meet with me because I was early! Win! This was another good interview.

Well, that’s about it for the actual events of the day. I hope this description is a bit more satisfying (hm hm Dad). I’m not really sure what to tell you all. I have been thinking about a few more “English” words to tell you about though.

Literally-this is one of my favorite. Obviously we use it too, but they pronounce it “lit-ra-ly” which I think is great and occasionally slip into!

Subway-This is different than the Tube or Underground (what we think of as Subway). I think it is more like a walk-way under the road (but I’m not sure).

I just basically love the way they say everything!

Tomorrow will be another early morning. At 10am there is a meeting of the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee that I will be attending. They say to arrive early so I figure I will leave my hotel around 7:30am. And I'm still worried about not being early enough to get in!! If all goes as planned, Nick Clegg will be there and I will be a mere feet from the leader of the Liberal Democrats!!! In the afternoon I have an interview with the clerk of the aforementioned committee. Should be a good day!

Cheers!