I have been back in my homeland since Saturday afternoon.

[hermionesviolin]

My mother's father is dying. People don't want to say the D word. They express condolences about her father's "ilness" or the fact that he's "having trouble" ("breathing!" my mother feels like adding to that last one). I wonder what the psychology is behind that aversion to actually saying "dying."

We have DSL and my brother thinks once i get my computer set up he can get it connected, too. This would be exciting.

I am starting to freak about paying for Oxford and trying not to worry 2 years early about "real life" after college.

I have way too much stuff. I'm glad i don't have an internship this summer because it means i have time to go through all of this stuff, but the money would have been really nice.

I saw Allegra at dinner on Friday and she said she was "feeling emotional." "I'm not," i thought. I didn't feel like i was losing anyone i cared about, what with the Internet and all.

There are so many people i want to visit this summer, and the realization of just how little time there is between now and the time i leave for England is terrifying. (There's also so much reading/research i want to do this summer and already i know i won't be able to get all i want done.)

I want to do zines again. I say this a lot.

Comments

[quasisonic.livejournal.com]

First of all, *hugs* for you and yours for your grandfather dying. :(

I wonder what the psychology is behind that aversion to actually saying "dying."

after doing the campaign all semester for organ & tissue donation, i'd have to say the most common reason people don't want to say die is they're afraid they'll bring it on. its silly isn't it? but some people really feel like if they talk about it, it's going to happen or happen sooner. Between the campaign and my sociology of aging class, i really have no problem talking about it lately :P

[babelfish9.livejournal.com]

*pout!* I never got to say good-bye to you. :-( Take this as your official warning I am going to have to come back to haunt you at some point. ;-)

Lots of Virtual ((((hugs)))) I'm sorry to hear about your grandfather. :-( Try not to stress too much about the real world. We'll let ya know how it is. I hear isn't all that bad. ;-)

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

:( Sorry i didn't get to say goodbye to you.

Oxford?

[katherinemorrow.livejournal.com]

Stumbled across your journal - are you going to Oxford? I am a sophomore classics major at Loyola University New Orleans and it is my dream to go there for grad school. Come visit my journal and post a reply! I'd love to talk to you about it.

Re: Oxford?

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

*smiles* I'm only going for a 6-week summer program, sorry.

[zzrg.livejournal.com]

I am very sorry.

I suspect that the aversion to the word death is that most of the things we give names to are things that are around us. Uttering the word might somehow attract death or draw it nearer. (That is my theory anyway.)

You should be able to share the DSL. Very cool.

It is awesome that you are going to Oxford. Take a digital camera and we expect frequent updates! :-)

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

Take a digital camera and we expect frequent updates! :-)

I have a cheap camera and expect to bring lots of film but my family do does not have a digital camera and i'm not sure i would feel comfortable bringing something so expensive/breakable on a plane, overseas, to a dorm, in a foreign country, for 6 weeks.

Frequent updates? We shall see. I'll have limited Internet access and i hope to behaving too much fun to spend much time on the Internet ;-P

[zzrg.livejournal.com]

Well at least the occasional missive.

Phewy on not having a digital camera. I think everyone should have one. They are addictive in the extreme. I have a friend, admittedly rich, who took some wonderful pictures in India, Nepal, Tibet and returned with his incredible camera none the worse for wear. I bought a good low end camera, but it was not the most responsible decision I have ever made. Rather dumb actually.)

I am aware that there is more than a little wistfulness in my thinking. Coulda, shoulda, woulda. Not terribly useful on my part, but there it is. So any occasional updates on how life goes for you in England would be deeply appreciated. Apart from that I want you to have a fully magical time.

[(Anonymous)]

get your photos developed at www.snapfish.com and they will put them online for you.

[trijinx.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about your grandfather. I'm here (online here, a few towns over here) if you need anything.

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

Thank you sweetie. That means a lot.