new jersey in the morning like a lunar landscape

[ink_splotch]

I'm having a pretty good time right now. I feel very content and at peace with myself. Even the fact that I have a doctor's appointment to talk about my ultra-sound/scan this week isn't bugging me too much.

And because I am a sharing person (and a caring person!), I have decided to compile a list of things that make me happy, so that you might share in them.

1.

I've been listening to The Seeger Sessions: Live in Dublin all week, and getting a lot of glee out of it (folk music, who knew?). But particularly this song because it's one of my favourites anyway and I wouldn't have thought it could be improved upon. But it could and it is and just listen to the song. How gorgeous is that?

1a. Also, have a download of Frankie, the best Bruce Springsteen song ever (maybe).

2. You know when you want something to read, and you're kind of in the mood for something soppy and romantic and not straight? But you don't trust the Amazon recommendations, because quite frankly, they lie? Well, now there's this awesome post by cesperanza, which should contain enough recs to keep me happy for years to come.

2a. Also keeping me happy? The Best Short Stories of Lesléa Newman, most of which are lovely and quite of few of which are happy and involve sex. Yay, romantic lesbians!

2b. (When I'm not reading lesbian stories and academic things, I've been reading the Anne of Green Gables series. I can't help it! It makes me so happy!)

3. So, I've recently been up north, visiting Friend R, and I may be slightly enamored. And for enamored, read madly in love with Newcastle and Newcastle University. It all looks so awesome! And exciting! And they have a sort of "fast-track" degree where you can sign up for a PhD immediately, which seems oddly tempting. Particularly for children's literature at Newcastle, which looks amazing. I'm also tempted by the 'Literature, Memory and Culture' option, which looks oddly like something relevant and useful related to English.

3a. Seriously, Newcastle has a moor, a river, seven bridges and coffee rooms. I WANT TO LIVE THERE, you have no idea.

4. Today, it has been sunny, church was nice, lunch at the minister's afterwards was nicer, and going home and snuggling up to nap with Gemma was nicest. I feel so incredibly lucky sometimes.

5. Also, you guys gave very helpful advice with regards to my laptop issues. Thank you! ♥

Comments

[lattara.livejournal.com]

You are a very sharing, caring and loveable person, and I've missed you. Like, a lot. Stupid England, being so far away across the sea. I wish it would stop doing that.

So you've sort of figured out that you want to go to Newcastle, then? Because, granted, it does sound awesome.

When is the doctor's appointment? And will you let me know what s/he says? *hugs*

And did you buy the laptop?

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

I've missed you too. You have no idea.

I think so. I'm kind of ridiculously psyched about it, particularly because of the sociology angle that 'Literature, memory, culture' seems to have. Also, it's the first university I've looked at were I really like *everything*, and also it's the only city I've actually been to, of the universities I've been looking at, so...

Supposedly Thursday, but I have a message on my phone indicating otherwise. Hmmm.

Not yet - I'm checking it through with my dad first.

[lattara.livejournal.com]

I might have an inkling. &you;

It truly does sound awesome; I'm just sad that you'll be leaving Leicester so soon after I think I may, possibly, have identified some landmarks. Maybe.

Hmm. Methinks it would be a good idea to maybe check that out, then.

Didn't the sale end on Tuesday? I thought it did, but I may have been confused (in fact, it's very likely I was confused). I was also thinking, are you sure you don't want a Danish laptop? An English one will be simpler to get, I realize, and possibly cheaper, but there is the issue of those three little letters that can't be written on an English keyboard...

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

I'll buy you a map! Of Newcastle! And a compass!

It's been moved to next week. ARGH!

I can re-set it to a Danish keyboard; that's what I did with my original American laptop. I'm really more annoyed about the plug issue, just because it's a hassle and I'm so forgetful.

[lattara.livejournal.com]

Honey, I think we've sort of established by now that maps don't really work for me. *grins*

JESUS WHAT. Um. At least it sounds like the news are good, right? Or they wouldn't postpone it?

I didn't know you could do that. huh. Awesome. And yeah, the *plugs*, I forgot about that. Grrr, argh. But, well, if it fits the one it doesn't fit the other, and vice versa...

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

I'll buy you a GPS?

Yeah, the notice said non-urgent, so my technician was probably right and it's probably just a cyst.

True. Man, I wish I could pick one country and stick to it! (Except not)

[lattara.livejournal.com]

Knowing me, I'd probably find a way to ruin it. *laughs* But no worries, I'll visit you anyway.

Well, at least that's something. *hugs*

I just wish bullet trains were *here*, now; it would make travel so. much. easier.

[saturnalia.livejournal.com]

Newcastle!! ♥ ♥ We are a city of many many bridges, it's true. I took the undergrad module in Children's Literature last year and it was a fantastic course, so I'd definitely recommend it!

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thank you. It just looks excellent, and no one's been able to tell me anything bad so far, which is exciting.

[myhappyface.livejournal.com]

Oh, beautiful. <333 Springsteen.

I do find, however, that my favorite song of his lately is "This Hard Land," both because of the unexpected romance between the narrator and Frank, and this stanza: "Now even the rain don't come 'round/don't come round here no more/and the only sound at night's the wind/slammin' the back porch door/it just stirs you up like it wants to/blow you down." (HEART)

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Oh! I love 'This Hard Land' - it's absolutely brilliant live, as well. His voice is just so...harsh in it. Or maybe raw is a better word?

Also, I find myself listening to 'Reason to Believe' a lot lately, because it fits quite well with my ambivalent mood with regards to the world.

[http://users.livejournal.com/trobany__/]

Newcastle is fun but its charm wears off when you live between the house for troubled youths, two kebab shops, above a bar, and across from a hotel where drunken girls like to flash their tits to anyone who passes by. ;) Oh, city centre life.

But it's entertaining and pretty. So. You know.

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear *hugs*. That sounds...uncomfortable?

[http://users.livejournal.com/trobany__/]

*hugs!* Call me crazy but I kind of like the chaos. It reminds me of being in America, even though I live in the farms/woods area of NJ. It distracts me and I've gotten used to it. It's only the match days (as I live right by St. James Park) that I get slightly scared. Football fans are not to be bothered with.

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Dude, DO NOT MESS WITH NEWCASTLE FANS. From the news reports, they are clearly a big ol' bowl of crazy.

Yeah, Newcastle kind of reminded me of America too, particularly NY.