The "We" Thing...

It's such a complete paradigm shift, really. "Going out this weekend? I don't know, let me check our plans." "We had a lot of fun yesterday." "Would you like to get together with us?" It's been so long since I was concerned about an us. A very long time since someone else's plans, feelings, wants, and needs were suddenly melded to my own. It's not unpleasant. It is... different. Can anything more be said? I'm so not single anymore...

The Definition of the Perfect Weekend

Being told Friday afternoon that, no, you don't have malaria, and no, you don't have to get blood taken to test for it. Hallelujah!

Spending two hours talking poetry and theory with three other people from class.

Not feeling like you bombed either your midterm or your quiz retake Saturday morning.

Being told by your professor that she thinks you belong in the graduate program. Reaffirmation!

After drinking too much alcohol and too much caffeine, having something much more pleasant to think about than just, "I wish I could sleep."

Extending Sunday night far, far, FAR past the time you should be in bed, simply because you don’t really want to kick the company out.

Falling asleep smiling Sunday night, and waking up smiling Monday morning.

Such is bliss, my friends. Such is bliss...

Ten vacation thoughts

Things I learned on vacation:

1. As fun as people are, sometimes you just want to do your own thing.

2. The Dominicans love their music. In fact, they love it so much, they don't really believe in background music. It all has to be discotheque-loud, no matter where you are.

3. Taking a vacation from being in charge of anything (anything at all) is not as easy as it sounds, and requires a great deal of conscious thought and a good sense of humour from yourself and those around you.

4. The world is far, far too small. What other explanation could there be for me ending up as a guest at the wedding of friends of a friend with two people I went to Junior High with?

5. Disposable underwater cameras are a waste of money. Memories are better.

6. I really, really love the wind, except when I'm trying to sunbathe on the beach. Even then, I'm only minorly annoyed with it.

7. Tropical fruit is so much better in the tropics than in prairie grocery stores.

8. Rum is a good thing.

9. Packing too many books on vacation leaves one with a sense of something unfinished upon return. It's better to pack too few.

and 10. Vacations are nice. Coming home is better.

Forgive the previous and following lack of consistent posting. For the next two weeks, I'm studying my ass off for my midterm and quiz rewrite on December 4. I will pop my head back out after that and provide a more detailed update.

Wardrobe

Sunday afternoon, Sheila and I went through my closet. I have become increasingly dissatisfied with it, and Sheila came across a lovely book called The Pocket Stylist, so with measuring tape, book, and an eye to be ruthless, we went at it.

The pile of clothes that we deemed completely unsuitable was larger than the pile of clothes that were fine and the pile of clothes that could be kept for emergency purposes put together. I knew before that I had few clothes in my closet that I was comfortable wearing. Now, I just have few clothes in my closet.

I can't decide whether I'm happy about this or not. On the one hand, my weight has stabilized, so I can actually go and buy clothes now and expect them to fit for a good long while. Huzzah! On the other, I've had to toss over half my closet. Hmmm... Part of me decries the waste, but I never really wore any of it, and I never felt comfortable when I did.

My task is now to pinpoint what pieces I need to add to the clothes I have left to make a functional wardrobe. Wish me luck!

Sniffle...

My body is convinced it has a virus. I keep telling it that it doesn't. I'm far too busy to be sick. And yet it persists in this fallacy. So I have no choice but to baby it a little bit, with innumerable cups of tea, and cutting anything I can possibly cut until such time as it gives up this facade and returns to its normal functioning state. I still have to be out of the house every night until Monday the 25th, but I will do my best to get it to bed at a decent hour each night, and provide it with warmth, nutrients, and fluids. And Kleenex. And lozenges. And painkillers for the sinus headache.

I managed to get the paper done. We'll see how it turns out. This week's lecture was post-modernism. It was very fun! Ah, I live in the constant hope that, someday, my mind will be activated for at least four hours every single day, rather than only once a week.

I've decided that fencing is a definite R-mode activity. So if I can perfect the shift into R-mode with drawing, will I become a better fencer? Hmmm... This calls for practical testing. Stay tuned...

Three and a half weeks until the Dominican! I am so not going to be sick for that...

Birthday

Happy birthday to me!

My first birthday living on my own. The day has been marked by busyness, craziness, some wonderful phone calls, wishes from fencers, and a nice glass of wine, which I didn't allow anyone to pay for. Overall, it's been a good day.

Happy birthday to Jen's blog as well, which turned one year old yesterday. October is a good month!

What's that? A review? Ummm... I'll try to come up with something. Maybe you all can give me suggestions of something you'd like to see reviewed. I like suggestions. I like reviews too.

Time to snooze...

Two thoughts

Thought #1: No longer buzzing with adrenaline, I am able to breathe again. As I watched the building opposite burn, I imagined how it might have been my building. And then I wondered what in my apartment it would hurt me the most to lose. My library? All the wonderful gifts I've received? Photographs? My many craft projects? Furniture? Recipes? Computer files? Some of it is replaceable; much of what I've named is not. And yet it's only material. Material is replaceable. Do we have it wrong, then, in our society? Why do we get tied to replaceable, material things? Strange.

Thought #2: Wow, it's been a while since I've done this. It's hard to write an essay, especially when I'm trying to keep the page count down. Go figure. But, call it half done. My desk is covered in books, which I'm trying to keep open any way I can. Much fun. Wish me luck. (BTW, Jen, you're right. This is a note to self. She didn't even insist on secondary sources! I mean, WTH? Second year course! No secondary sources required? Well, she's getting them from me. Semiotics!)