In Flames

I’m a romanticist. Hopelessly so. I love period-dramas. I love the happy endings. I love the daring heroines of the 18^th century and I love the arrogant, stiff lipped upper class men they fall in love with. I love the simplicity of the romance woven into these novels. I can’t get enough of them.

I’m obsessed with Richard Armitage. I watched North & South and tripped. It’s re-awoken the romantic in me and I long to go back in time. *sigh* I pulled out my DVDs of all the BBC dramas, that I own, and went on a period-drama marathon and swooned, swayed and almost fainted. I dreamt good happy dreams. I love those authors and their characters… I would even wear a corset. I would dress up. If only I could go back a century or so. Oh, the wonder of being a girl. *No, I still do not like the icky-sticky girlie love stories…I prefer the romance of the previous century. That’s it.*

Anyway. As the men in cravats, white shirts, waist coats, long coats and hats sizzle in my brain as if they were real, I must mention that I did a little bit of burning myself. All I wanted was to heat up a pop-tart last night – chocolate fudge. So I put it in the microwave in the lounge and forgot. Twenty seconds later I see white smoke lacing through the door of the microwave. I opened it and I freaked. I’d burnt the pop-tart. That, however was not my primary concern. The fire alarm. We threw open the windows, which wouldn’t open fully since we’re on the first floor, and the door, and tried to dissipate the smoke out of the room without it reaching the smoke detectors. We just sat there holding jackets at the detector, hoping and praying that my carelessness didn’t set of the alarm – ‘cause it’s gone off three times in the past month, not my doing, and we’d love to beat up the people who set them off. I didn’t want to be one of the people whose blood the rest would be after. Thankfully, nothing of the sort happened. It just smelled of burnt food for hours after that, but no fire alarm. I’m not touching the microwave again.

Diwali was last weekend. My first away from home, and it was a little saddening, because after three years mum and dad were at home and I wasn’t. I still got to watch the poojai online, and I also dressed up in ethnic clothes to go down to ‘India Town’ later in the evening. Had some sweets, too sugary, and ice cream…it was nice…it felt weird not trying on new clothes, lighting lamps around the house, and setting off fireworks for once. I missed it. But it’s one of those things that I had to give up for the time being. I could’ve gone home and come back…but…

I feel no qualms in going shopping now and pulling my credit card out for whatever rate the register rings up. I feel a little secure…just a little, that I’ve a job here and don’t need to depend on my earnings of the last year alone, a fourth of which is still lying dormant back home. I guess it always feels better when you know that you’re earning. Must buy things for my sisters and brother…maybe I can send it over for Thanksgiving itself. Hmm.

Thinking of dressing up as a vampire for the Halloween party this weekend. Must get the fangs. Have I mentioned that Richard Armitage would make an awesome vampire? Guy of Gisborne…Lucas North…John Thornton… *hits self on the head…concentrate…drools…looks at desktop…drools…* Here are some of my captures of the absolutely delectable Richard Armitage as John Thornton in BBC’s adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North & South. I had to put them up.

John Thornton

John Thornton

John Thornton

John Thornton

Sizzled Up!!

I hadn’t realized how much I missed working till I sat in front of the computer two morning ago and looked at code. I loved the feeling it gave me!! I felt somehow complete. Wholesome. That I was doing something productive after a two month hiatus. Kind of the same feeling I had when I started attending classes and doing homework after a year. I’m enjoying the five hours of work every morning. At least that way I don’t oversleep, since I’ve to have breakfast, catch the shuttle to the downtown campus to be at work at 9 am sharp. I also get my daily dose of exercise when I walk some seven blocks to the train station to come back to school, have lunch, study, do homework, have dinner, attend lectures… by the time my day is done, I’m bone tired so I’m out by eleven on most nights and I end up getting a good eight hours of sleep <reduced from my earlier requirement of 9 hours>. And it’s just been three days.

I read Elizabeth Gaskell’s North & South, after realizing that Richard Armitage played a role in the BBC adaptation. I loved the book. The characters *sigh John Thornton*, the storyline, the love story… And I just rented the DVD as well, so I’m quite a happy camper watching Mr. Armitage put life into Thornton so beautifully I almost cried – I still have the last two episodes to watch. He reminds me so much of Colin Firth’s portrayal of Mr. Darcy – read my previous post for that rant – that I need to talk about it with someone who understands my obsession of English gentlemen from the previous centuries. He’s so absolutely deliciously hot! *insides melt* M and I – I need you guys to watch/read North & South !! PLEASE !!

I’ve begun making a list of the things I would like from home since my grandparents will be here for Thanksgiving !! *favorite corduroy trousers included* I’m planning to go on a music buying rampage as soon as I get my first salary at the end of this week or the next… Bought two pairs of awesome black gloves for winter… boots still pending…

*drools…Richard Armitage…he should play a vampire in the 18th century… I would actually swoon and fall off my chair if he did…actually*

Here’re a couple of songs currently on my playlist which have been in-sync with my mood of the past few days.

Ayreon’s Day Eighteen: Realization – the music is simply captivating

Ayreon’s Day Eleven: Love – the chorus and the personification…

Dream Evil’s The Chosen Ones from the album Dragonslayer – it’s catchy… stays within my metal boundaries well enough for me to enjoy the vocals, lyrics and the arrangement

30F Isn’t So Bad !!

It’s the temperature, nothing else. 30 effing Fahrenheit !! -1C !! I’ve been in these temperatures before, but I don’t remember it. *it’s the same as me remembering that I went to Ruby Falls after visiting the aquarium in Tennessee ten years ago, but I don’t remember the location of it* It was cold. And dark. And there was a half moon hanging like a piece of delicious cheese in the clear sky. My breath was mist-ing in front of me. I wasn’t all that greatly wrapped up – just my favorite black coat, blue and black Adidas scarf *yes, I like Adidas *, ear plugs in, my Reebok shoes and Nike socks *yes, I like them too* *OH! And my Puma belt*

It was a beautiful night! I had about 40 oz of delicious hot chocolate owing to the chill. Thick creamy dark hot chocolate. The ultimate winter treat. Ok. It’s not ‘winter’ yet. But Wisconsin begged to differ. It snowed somewhere in the Kettle Moraine State Park in the morning and we missed by a good few hours. Somewhat ironic, since this was a site from where fossils from the ice age were recovered. We drove around bits of the forest, admiring the brilliant colors of the fall. Still a lot of green fading into yellow, darkening into sunlight orange and then the deep deep red. The trees, the roads, the paths…Maple leaves everywhere in their pretty patterns. Delectable sights. I was one with nature again! *I feared stepping on a snake…I would’ve bolted off a cliff or into the lake if I had* There were red barns and I saw neat cows and sheep and goats !!! We went on a hay ride and picked orange pumpkins – that I promised I would carve or paint over the weekend. We stopped at all the places I shouldn’t have eaten – Subway, McDonald’s and Papa John’s. *So much for losing weight, huh?* Surprisingly, when I stepped on the scales this morning, I was down by another pound !! *does cartwheels in head* !!