… and a cheery post

Milestones! I'm rapidly approaching 100,000 words written on this blog: not including this post, wc is telling me 6524 lines, 99,651 words, and 739,283 characters, spread over 910 entries (and one redacted).

I'm also just over half-way through my internship. It's been mind-blowing; I've met so many people with whom I'll stay in touch, and some to whom I've extended an open invitation to visit. My address book and my iPhoto library are swollen with great things, and I can hardly conceive of going back to England. I can guarantee I'll be back!

Now I have to make the most of the remaining 50% of my time here. Carpe diem, folks; the lesson is that very rarely do we actually know how much longer we've got. Grab it if you get the chance.

Posted at 2005-09-06 22:02:17 by Richard • Link to … and a chee…
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Flying

For some time I've been meaning to write this post down, and I suppose that now is as good a moment as any. In fact, two things prompted it this evening, one of which was looking back in my notebook to what had played on the flight back from Iceland. On the same page was this account. Apologies for telling a sombre tale when I'm not in a sombre mood!

I remember being on a plane, once; I don't remember where. It was a long flight, perhaps to Canada en route to Miami. The girl next to me was alone, and I noticed that she was crying. I had tissues in my bag, and I offered one to her.

She accepted gratefully. We didn't speak; I don't know if her gratitude was for the tissue, for the kindness, or simply for the silence.

Travelling brings out the best and worst in people — from the pushing and shoving to the sharing and talking — and soaring in a steel box somehow heightens the emotions.

I wonder if the girl on the plane has the same memories that I do.

Posted at 2005-09-06 21:39:31 by Richard • Link to Flying
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“Now that's universal entertainment”, or, the oddness of songs

A number of times in my life I've had my iPod read my mind, playing songs that tell the story I've just seen unfold, or at least match the sentiments. (Of course, this is the ultimate in perceptive serendipity — you read into songs what you want to read.)

Sometimes, though, it's almost literal. This little chunk of the Lucksmiths' Fiction caught my ear:

… Somewhere near the summer's end
The Fahrenheit was frightening
I was awake the whole weekend
Invited to a barbeque…

I shall provide one other example. On the flight back from Iceland my iPod decided that I wanted to hear, amongst a profusion of songs that were merely in the correct emotional register, Holiday Gone Well by the Aislers Set.

It's the universe talking, I tell you.

Posted at 2005-09-06 19:35:41 by Richard • Link to “Now that's …
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