*Is Not Dead*

[laliandra]

See, I have not thrown myself off the top of the Parkinson Building. I realise I rather freaked out at y'all then ran away and didn't post for WEEKS. Please accept my apologies. But people keep asking me questions like "What are you going to do with your life?" and I just don't know.

I'll keep you posted.

So, what have I been doing with my time, you may well ask. Well, I have been having terrible days like the one last week I decided that replacing my foundation was a luxury I couldn't afford. Plus, you know, all the days with conversations that went something like this  -

Dad: *makes plans*
Nat: *makes plans*
Dad and Nat: *look at me expectantly*
Lal: What I am bringing to this conversation is the ability not to curl up in a ball and cry. Go me.

I don't like talking about this too much here, because I am useless with sympathy and am incapable of talking about serious things for too long. I have no talent for unhappiness, it makes me feel self concious. I tend to rather make bad jokes.

*makes an abrupt change of subject instead*

Thank you, everyone, for all your reasons to be cheerful that you left for me. The theme seemed to be very much pretty boys and cake. I love that you know me so well! My flist is a Reason to be Cheerful, no doubt about it. I highly recommend the comments if you are feeling down.

And I have been having good days, great days too. I went to the Isle of Man for a week with Nat and was fed by my family and bought books by my friends. It's one of those things I may get round to blogging about properly, one of these days. They were all good days.

Or the day I met the lovely vandulocity for coffee in the arcade (I love the arcade, it makes me feel fancy!) and we had a good old fashioned marmfishy chat.

(A marmfishy chat - One that goes off on tangents, makes other people around you look at you strangely, includes many references to books, the internet, food and, of course, marmalade.)

Or the day that I got exciting post from Kaz *swishes around in her new earrings and drinks thai green tea*

Or any day that I watched an episode of Glee.

In other Lal related news, seeing as we are playing catch up...

My Dad is moving to South Africa! Which is exciting for him, and also for me. Just in time for the World Cup! I will be much more excited about going to visit him now. SA trumps the Isle of Man on so many levels, let's face it... Sunshine, glorious sunshine!

I am really enjoying living in my New House. Though it is not so new any more, seeing as I've been here 2 months. I still miss my lovely ladies of the Hessles, but my new housemates kind of rock, too.

There's Elliot, who I've known for about 3 years, but we only discovered last year that we are ridiculously alike and share a freaky psycic connection that means we KICK ASS at pictionary/charades/The Hat Game/Anything that requires you to be on the same wavelength. He does talk about maths a lot, but then no one is perfect.

Then there are two new girls, Jill and Eve. They are both so nice, I feel we are very lucky to have found them. We three girls watch cookery shows together and judge the contestants terribly.

It is Autumn! I realise this is not exactly breaking news, but I love Autumn. The fallen leaves are so pretty, and smell so good. And I get to break out my brown boots and my green wool coat and all my thick coloured tights. And I love summer dresses, really I do, but I love tights and knitwear and hats more.

So, that is me. Any news from where you are? How is uni, new uni people? How goes your writing, writers? (play! Remind me to sort out and send you the notes I made of YOUR BOOK *throws more confetti*) How is YOUR freak out going, dearest C? How is the thesis, Kaz? How the devil are you, everyone?

Comments

[karenknismesis.livejournal.com]

MATCHING NERD!CONS FTW :D

You should make good of this! Do things you normally wouldn't! Or... something.

[mcollinknight.livejournal.com]

Glad you are back! And glad you are doing well! *resolves to not ask anything at all, ever* I loved reading through all the comments people left you, they were very cheerful indeed :D

Your house sounds lovely! I am in a similar lovely house-and-housemates situation - they all sound perfectly delightful (the Nerdy Token Male! I have one of those also. Also the cooking shows <3).

Haha, my "freak out." It is going actually very well, I sorted out my life tonight re: courses and am fairly certain of what I am going to do and it involves NOT taking research methods, lalala! I went to get tea and to talk to my roommate Catya about economics and why she loves it so, and we watched 'Ever After' this weekend and I am very proud of my essay. So my life is quite peachy atm :D Also it's Canadian Thanksgiving soon so I feel I should say I am thankful for our *~BOND OF CROSSING OCEANS~* and your delightful letter of reference and your general awesomeness <33

[miabee023.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your clarifying subject line. I was a bit concerned on that front.

I'm glad to hear you are still having the good days here and there. And yay, autumn! I love autumn too, although the leaves have yet to begin falling here. (Or maybe they have and I just don't know it, because all our campus trees are, you know, pine trees. Native to the northwest, it's true, but nonetheless not very good at instilling that autumn spirit.) Your fall clothes sound fantastic.

South Africa! Exciting! It would be lovely to have a legit excuse to go there in the near future, but I guess it will have to wait (like so many other countries) a while. (You know, until I am all grown-up and actually have a job.)

... and I honestly have no idea how often you check your flist, so I don't really know how much I should respond to your last question, so I guess I'll just go for random details from today. Have you ever had French bread with brie melted on it and with strawberry jam then spread on top? IT IS SO GOOD. My dad (who was in town for business today and thus took me out for breakfast) may have grumbled about the price, but even he agreed it was delicious. I'm sure it would be much cheaper to construct at home, however. Actually, even though yesterday was a bit of a chaotic downer, today has been fantastic in almost every way - not least because the two papers I have had hanging over me for the past week are now both written and need only the last little editing touches. Hooray! (Except both of them are all about death and human failing. Um... don't really know what happened there.) But on the whole, uni is treating me well. (I still miss my cat, though.)

[branquignole.livejournal.com]

Marmfishy talk sounds awesome! :D

And yay, autumn! I love autumn loads. There are so many reasons to love this season! Dreary and rainy days spent reading in bed, my birthday, Halloween (which is, like, the same thing as my birthday :D), woolly socks, Christmas decoration that has been put out far too early, the SMELL of rain and wet leaves - just about everything. <3

[littlered2.livejournal.com]

I know exactly how you feel about the lack of future plans - I have no idea what to do when I finish this degree, and am not helped by conversations like these with my parents:

PARENTS: So, have you been looking at internships like you mentioned? You really need to start planning for next summer NOW, you know.
VERITY: ...

Or these with my boyfriend:

ROB: Okay, here is a list of all of the postgrad courses I'm thinking of doing - and of course they will take me because I have a million extracurricular things and just came third in my year in the exams - and at some point I want to do TeachFirst and maybe spend a year in France or Italy and become fluent in the language just to make my CV even more awesome. What about you?
V: Excuse me, I need to go weep into a pillow now.

But never mind all of that! I am also happy it's autumn, because I get to wear my nice new coat and proper boots and thick tights, all of which please me. And I love the sound of your new house! Everyone sounds lovely.

[playwithfyr.livejournal.com]

there are notes of my BOOK? (can we capitalise it all the time? It looks like such an exciting achievement that way (: )

Also I apparently missed the cheering-up on the last thread but this comic always makes me smile:
http://rockpapercynic.com/index.php?date=2008-12-12

On the subject of autumn. I like it in theory with the colours and everything but my right hand has been cold since the 1st of October and nothing I do seems to have any affect...

[kaiserkuchen.livejournal.com]

I MADE PITIFUL HEADWAY TODAY RE: THESIS, BUT THAT'S OKAY, THERE IS STILL FRIDAY. And as long as I have the interviews basically all transcribed by Saturday and at least 3 pages of actual text + annotated reading by Sunday I think I am on an okay track. Then the panic should well and truly kick in and I should be good to go XDD.

THIS WEEK'S GLEEEEE EPISODE, your thoughts? I loved the musical numbers, though the girls bit really did seem on extreme crack and lol now Finn's extra stompyness and super happy facial expressions are explained! I wish they wouldn't make Mrs. Schue so darn unsympathetic though-- it almost seems too easy to hate her, so I am just extremely uncomfortable with her scenes lol. The preview for next week just about made me shriek in barely supressed joy though, and Mercedes's number sounds great (Jill Scott's "Hate on Me"). I ALSO WANT TO SEE MOAAAAAAAR KURT.



OH AND ALL YOUR MENTIONING OF DRESSES MAKES ME WANT TO SEE SOME FASHION!SPAM POST FROM YOU SOON, MISSY! ♥ I am just taking my summer dresses and pairing them with tights lol :Db MAY THIS WINTER PLEASE BE MILD D:

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

GO JON! I approve of Jon in glasses, oh boy.

That's a great attitude, hon, thank you!

<3<3<3

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

I saw your entry, in fact, I am going to go comment asap, I feel BEHIND!

I am really feeling very lucky, seeing as we just got two Random People. Every house should have a Nerdy Token Male. Mine even reads fantasy and sci fi...

Ha, I am glad you can be downgrounded to Peachy from Freaking Out, that is a relief. No Research methods sounds most execllent. Good call.

I TOO AM THANKFUL FOR THAT. And for your general loveliness and hive mindness and museum loving, postcard sending ways...

&hearts&hearts&hearts

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

OH HI MY FAVOURITE PERSON IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.

Dude, people who live in the same city as me were getting a bit concerned on that front! I think I deal by hermit-fying myself...

Yeah, I have other family still out there, but I think a parent qualifies me for holidays galore. It's an amazing country. One day!

I try and check my flist but stuff does get lost. I'm sorry you've been feeling homesick. that really sucks. But that breakfast sounds absolutely delicious, cheese and jam is so good. Getting papers written is so satifying (and hehe, ahhh, Literature, why so doomy).

I am glad uni is going well, on average, anyway. I guess you are still finding your feet a bit, it's tough. But enjoy it! After that, it's the Real World *gasp*

I am eating some of the cherries atm, and they are amazing. :D:D:D:D:D

&hearts

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

They are the best kind of talks.

YES! The smell of rain is so good, and the smell of rain on leaves is even better, omg.

And Halloween and your birthday, what fun!

I keep meaning to comment about you reading Jane Eyre, because I love that book to death.

And I hope the cakes went well. Don't forget to scrub your tin ;)

<3

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

Oh man, organised people are the worst. Why are people never happy with "I'll work things out as I go along" as a plan. HONESTLY...

You have plenty of time, do not fret. These things are not to be rushed!

I am liking all the autumn love. I have an unreasonable love of tights, I think, and it is nice to see it shared.

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

There are indeed notes. I just need to make them even remotely understandable, which is no mean feat, I can tell you.

Thank you for the clam <3

Perhaps a glove? One of those handwarmers? Constantly holding a mug of hot chocolate.

And a BOOK is an exciting achievement. I am in awe, the CAPS are well deserved.

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

There is nothing quite as motiviating as panic! And I am still more than happy to look over anything that needs it.

GLEEEEEEEEEE, I just watched it! I lovedloved the mashups, they were SO FUN. I do wish we had got to know at least the names of the other kids in the groups though. Poor random kids. I agree re Mrs Schue though. They have managed to do such a good job making Quinn's character into someone understandable and at times likeable, they could really try with Terri, too.

I did spend a lot of the episode going WILL! EMMA! YOUR LOVE IS SO TRAGIC AND ADORABLE.

I see Kurt's finger snap in the preview and I am EXCITED. I love him and Mercedes. More Tina, though!

I am doing the "just add tights" plan too. It's going well so far.

A fashion post, you say. I like your thinking...

<3<3<3

[littlered2.livejournal.com]

In my new university room, I have a chest of drawers, and I decided to make one of them for tights. I can barely close the drawer. Is this normal?

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

Wait, this may not be normal? I actually can't shut my tights and scarves drawer. It looks pretty overflowing though, I think!

I think this just shows that we are people of good taste...

[miabee023.livejournal.com]

Not gonna lie, the Real World scares me. (Mostly because, if I am incapable of being hired for jobs now, what does that say about my chances when I actually need the money?) Still, I have five years left without it, so I guess I should make the most of it while I can.

I'm really not too homesick anymore, I'm actually doing quite well, but your concern is deeply appreciated. (And admittedly, it's hard to be homesick when you are going home, well... tomorrow.)

The cherries are amazing, aren't they? I didn't think that was just an American thing, though. Do you not have dried fruit in Europe? I dunno, I guess we had apricots in Italy, but not cherries, now that I think of it. Weird.

[eternal-vows.livejournal.com]

I love Autumn too! Though it was surprising to be going from 105 degree (F) heat to 70 degere (F) heat in a matter of days. It was killer. Also, my area's climate is separated into dry and cold. If you ever come visit, the clothes you will need: hoodie, T-shirts, jeans, and shorts. I'm not kidding. ;) It's all *I* ever wear.

[dumb-as-eyes.livejournal.com]

Dad: *makes plans*
Nat: *makes plans*
Dad and Nat: *look at me expectantly*
Lal: What I am bringing to this conversation is the ability not to curl up in a ball and cry. Go me.

Haha! - my life, in a nutshell. Just replace "Dad" and "Nat" with other people and "Lal" with me - and, there you go. I know the feeling well, my dear - but yes, I agree with you about unhappiness tending to bring with it self consciousness, and bad jokes, even though said jokes can sometimes bring with them happiness, or awkwarness, or both (though at one's own expense, which I'm more than happy to do for you).

see here:
Bad Jokes

God, I just love your entries. And South Africa! How exciting! And for the record - Autumn is my favorite, favorite season. Autumn in New York is just gorgeous. And in the name of tangents, isn't there an awful movie somewhere called Autumn in New York? Or am I just making that up? I'll probably google it after I press "post comment."

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

Sigh, the feeling seems more common than I would like. But it is nice to know that other people feel in the same boat...

It can be a good habit, because it is difficult to be too angst ridden when you can't take yourself seriously, but it can annoy people who are not used to their genuine sympathy being met with "AHA here is a joke about how life sucks!"

:D Thank you for the jokes!

<3, I am terribly excited about SA, most of my remaining family is there now, so I am hoping to be able to go back more often...

I can only imagine how cool Autumn in NYC must be. One day, one day... I don't remember such a movie, but it would be an excellent title if not!