Sign in Welsh. 

View of the village from the castle. That beach there is where we were walking. 

View out across the flats 

Castle! 

The beach from outside the window. 

Beach 

View from inside the Llanstefen castle. 

Pretty colors. And boat. 

Wales. On the way to Llanstefen. Note the castle on the hill in the background. 

Belfast

 

Whew!

I'm at home in North Carolina now, with a slightly sore throat, looking beyond my computer at the Kings and Queens of England chart on my desk, with the winter sun streaming through the windows. Feels as though it could be last winter break, and I could be madly working on finishing my music thesis through the dregs of my flu. But it's not. So many things have happened between then and now..... *cue cheesy music*

In any case, since my last post I have officially been in four countries! England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and now America. Of course, it depends on how one defines countries, but I choose to count these members of the UK as seperate countries because it makes me sound more impressive. Hah.

I saw Pete in Northern Ireland, which was really cool. Fun hang-outage. Then I came back to Birmingham, met Renata at my flat, and we went to Wales. Which was beautiful. Went to the small city of Carmathen, and the tiny village of Llanstefn. (Did I spell that wrong? Think I did.) Photos to follow. Great hostel, wonderful walks, lots o' mud. More hang-outage.

Then off to New York/New Jersey. Stayed with Len, went up to Vassar, and saw massive amounts of people. Sadly, couldn't see as many people as I would have liked, nor spent as much time with the people that I did see as I would have liked. But something is certainly better than nothing. That was fun. First visit as an alum.... not as weird as I'd expected. I still love it, but I didn't run up the steps of the admissions office and demand to be re-admitted. They would have admitted me, all right -- to Vassar Brothers. :)

(It's a hopsital, for you non-Poughkeepsieites.)

Also saw Rebecca and Jen in NYC. So much fun. :) Not enough time there, either.... but will return. Don't know when exactly, but I will.

Then I flew back to NC and visited people here! Went back to the bookstore, saw my brother, had a holiday party... and this is just my third day here! Next step: finish grad school applications. Chicago is sitting pretty, waiting to be mailed. When Mom comes back from the store.

Canal

take two 

Canal

This makes me happy every time I see it--on my way to and from campus. 

I just applied to grad school!!!

I hit the "submit" button on my Berkley application. Woo hoo!!!!!!!!

I know I'm in grad school now, so I guess I should say "I just applied to more grad school!" but that doesn't sound as exciting.

And I've worked out my dissertation and two essay topics for next term. One of the essays will be editing Donne! I'm psyched. And the other will be on 18th c courtship marginalia--if I can find any. And my dissertation.... drumroll, please..... on late Victorian theatrical reviewing. Based on my preliminary investigations in the undergrad thesis. My current question is, "is the response to Ruddigore typical?" Which isn't a super-well-formulated question, but what the hell.

I applied to grad school!

Narnia desktop

Who's psyched for the opening? I think that would be me. I know the quote and the illustration are from Prince Caspian, but I like them. 

Overpowered by sweetness and light

Which is the line I just read in Thomas Richards, The Commodity Culture of Victorian England: Advertising and Spectacle, 1851-1914 (London: Verso, 1990).

Reading about the Crystal Palace. Which reminds me of Maeve and Victorian History, and Crystal, come to think of it. :)

Had a random missing-Vassar moment last night at the Uni Choir concert. All these women in black.... but none of them were Renata or Laura or Emily or Laura or Rachel or Maria.... I could go on and on. Miss the Women's Chorus love. And that of Yafeyfiyah as well.

But I'm going to see some Vassar people in just two weeks! I'm coming to NYC on Dec. 18-21. Yeah, if I haven't contacted you about this and you're going to be around, shoot me an email and we'll try to get together. It's a crazy time, I know, but something's better than nothing, eh?

There I go again. Crazy Canadian flatmate. :)

Yeah, sorry I haven't posted in aproximately an eon. I've been freaking out about my PhD app. Me, freak out? Never. And this past week Renee was visiting, so any extra time went into hangoutage. Which was quite fun. Quite in the American sense. :)

I'm actually in a good place for the applications, I think. I feel good about my writing sample, I have drafts of my personal statements, and I'm in good shape for sending the first round off on Friday. I just need to relax. And work on my presentations for Tues. I have to give two 10-15-minute presentations... so I should probably continue reading my book. Sweetness and light. Right.