PhDlogue, part II: Optimism!
In the interest of this keeping in touch thing, because I can:
1. I love this uni. Seriously it is full of puppies and rainbows. There is always so much going on, from charity events to fucking geese camping out in front of my building. The SF/F society watches Gurren Lagann and Ouran Host Club on Mondays. The writing club do events twice a week. The library is huge and well-stocked and the cafe in my building has sparkling muffins. My grandsupervisor (my supervisor's supervisor) wrote a book titled Telefantasy and everyone finds it totally cool that my ringtone is a magpie. Hebrew U ain't got nothing on it.
2. Delicious junk food everywhere. This may not seem like a great point of attraction, but most of you know how much I love the junkier end of junk food. Greasy chips, cardboard burgers, crude Chinese food and other personal delights all go here for the price of a mid-sized sandwich back home. Sandwiches are pricier than back home, but compensate for it by being oh my god okay I could live on those chicken and caesar salad wraps.
3. On the flip side of that, I'm getting more exercise than I have in ages. I do half an hour by bike three and four times a week. as well as a great deal of walking, and I'm feeling it. Alas, I've also lost some weight and all my pants are a tiny bit loose. Must eat more junk food.
4. I am now the proud mommy of a Ragdoll and Maine Coon, both adoption girls who needed a happy home. I always wanted cats of both of these breeds, but never felt right buying a cat. But here in the UK, I practically had to adopt a purebred cat - the moggies I'd normally opt for all need access to the outside, which I can't offer - and was incredibly lucky to find kitties in need exactly from the breeds I love. They are my gorgeous baby girls and I love them almost as much as I love my singular irreplaceable Jaki.
5. It's cold you guys. I have not been hot enough to want to scratch my skin off in weeks. Words cannot express my joy.
6. My supervisors are all I could have asked for them to be. Which is to say that Primary Supervisor is incredibly bright, knowledgeable and professional but also intimidating in a good get-your-ass-working way, and Secondary Supervisor is practical, understanding and happy to provide emotional as well as academic support. We're still learning our way around each other, naturally, but beneath these kinks to be worked out there grows a definite positive dynamic. I cannot wait for their comments when I start actually producing work.
7. There is a laser quest arcade. And five minutes' walk from it there is an ice skating rink. It's like it's 1990 all over again.
8. Nottinghamfolk are almost ridiculously polite and helpful. Everyone will go out of their way to help you out. Bus drivers will take you one station's distance free of charge. People will walk out of stores and offices to point your way on the street or ask a neighbor if they can answer your question. Phone service people will always ask you to bear with them please thanks very much if they have to put you on hold and never bounce you off to someone else if they can call that someone themselves and get back to you. It's almost scary.
9. Bacon, battered cod and hash browns are available in every corner store.
10. My number one hope in moving out has been realized - I'm doing creative work properly again. I'm a bit hazy in calling it writing, since a lot of what I do is just plotting and thinking, but I'm definitely on a good turn with it. I signed up for Yuletide and even written some River Twine fic - I might return to the club a lot sooner than expected. Hurray!
On the down side, the sun sets at four fucking thirty PM, I have to wash dishes by hand in borderline-freezing water and there's this certain hour every day when all I want is to be in Opher and Shiri's living room making noise with the filkclique. Nothing is perfect, after all. But it can try, it can try.
1. I love this uni. Seriously it is full of puppies and rainbows. There is always so much going on, from charity events to fucking geese camping out in front of my building. The SF/F society watches Gurren Lagann and Ouran Host Club on Mondays. The writing club do events twice a week. The library is huge and well-stocked and the cafe in my building has sparkling muffins. My grandsupervisor (my supervisor's supervisor) wrote a book titled Telefantasy and everyone finds it totally cool that my ringtone is a magpie. Hebrew U ain't got nothing on it.
2. Delicious junk food everywhere. This may not seem like a great point of attraction, but most of you know how much I love the junkier end of junk food. Greasy chips, cardboard burgers, crude Chinese food and other personal delights all go here for the price of a mid-sized sandwich back home. Sandwiches are pricier than back home, but compensate for it by being oh my god okay I could live on those chicken and caesar salad wraps.
3. On the flip side of that, I'm getting more exercise than I have in ages. I do half an hour by bike three and four times a week. as well as a great deal of walking, and I'm feeling it. Alas, I've also lost some weight and all my pants are a tiny bit loose. Must eat more junk food.
4. I am now the proud mommy of a Ragdoll and Maine Coon, both adoption girls who needed a happy home. I always wanted cats of both of these breeds, but never felt right buying a cat. But here in the UK, I practically had to adopt a purebred cat - the moggies I'd normally opt for all need access to the outside, which I can't offer - and was incredibly lucky to find kitties in need exactly from the breeds I love. They are my gorgeous baby girls and I love them almost as much as I love my singular irreplaceable Jaki.
5. It's cold you guys. I have not been hot enough to want to scratch my skin off in weeks. Words cannot express my joy.
6. My supervisors are all I could have asked for them to be. Which is to say that Primary Supervisor is incredibly bright, knowledgeable and professional but also intimidating in a good get-your-ass-working way, and Secondary Supervisor is practical, understanding and happy to provide emotional as well as academic support. We're still learning our way around each other, naturally, but beneath these kinks to be worked out there grows a definite positive dynamic. I cannot wait for their comments when I start actually producing work.
7. There is a laser quest arcade. And five minutes' walk from it there is an ice skating rink. It's like it's 1990 all over again.
8. Nottinghamfolk are almost ridiculously polite and helpful. Everyone will go out of their way to help you out. Bus drivers will take you one station's distance free of charge. People will walk out of stores and offices to point your way on the street or ask a neighbor if they can answer your question. Phone service people will always ask you to bear with them please thanks very much if they have to put you on hold and never bounce you off to someone else if they can call that someone themselves and get back to you. It's almost scary.
9. Bacon, battered cod and hash browns are available in every corner store.
10. My number one hope in moving out has been realized - I'm doing creative work properly again. I'm a bit hazy in calling it writing, since a lot of what I do is just plotting and thinking, but I'm definitely on a good turn with it. I signed up for Yuletide and even written some River Twine fic - I might return to the club a lot sooner than expected. Hurray!
On the down side, the sun sets at four fucking thirty PM, I have to wash dishes by hand in borderline-freezing water and there's this certain hour every day when all I want is to be in Opher and Shiri's living room making noise with the filkclique. Nothing is perfect, after all. But it can try, it can try.