Also.

I'm not sure when the time changes in the US, but we changed over the weekend. So it's 01:26 on 2 November here, but already 18:26 on 1 November in Washington instead of 17:26 like it had been up to this weekend. My maths are all off now, but it's a pretty basic thing. For the time being, the time difference between Sunderland and America's west coast is 7 hours instead of the usual 8.
Just an FYI.
Also, I've taken to saying that I'm from Oregon to avoid the inevitable "So, is that by New York/other eastern city, state, or landmark?" questions. Why they had to name a state after the obvious abbreviation of the freaking capitol of the entire freaking country when they are nowhere near each other is kind of beyond me. Besides, no one knows where anything in the US is other than some east coast cities (big ones that were there before 1776), Texas (next to Mexico, right?), Hawaii (to a certain extent), Alaska (close to Russia?), and probably LA and a few assorted californian cities (next to the pacific ocean, I guess). My theory is that Oregon will be associated with the west coast without the douchebaggery of California or the confusion of Washington. I can explain about going to school in Washington if the conversation progresses that way or explain about why I say I'm from Oregon to someone who really wants to know about my life, and the weather is related closely enough to allow for some bluffing if need be. Of course, an actual friendship struck up with someone would require an explanation that I'm not really from Oregon. Unless ancestry counts, in which case, well, my grandparents and three quarters of my mom's siblings live there still, so... In any case, a relationship progressing that far would pretty much guarantee that the other person has a decent sense of humour. If they don't like me after learning that I say I'm from Oregon (when I'm really from an area that's about 30 miles away from Oregon, half an hour driving time) to keep people from assuming that I'm from all the way across the country (2627 miles away from Oregon, 45 hours driving time), then they don't really want to be my friend.