So, we're well into November, almost out on the other side. I am busy, but not particularly unhappy about it. The other day I sent in an application for an exchange period in Québec for next fall. We'll see how that goes. No one else has applied for that particular spot, but there's just two or three places available, so it won't take many applications before there'll be competition. I don't want there to be competition. I want to go to Québec and make a fool of myself trying to communicate in Erasmus French with Québecois speakers.

I wanted to make a voice post the other day, but it seems that my skills at that haven't improved. I'm now completely sure that the problem is me, because this is a completely new laptop with a snazzy in-built microphone, and a snazzy headset, and STILL. I couldn't make either work without this weird background noise, I don't even know what it is. Is it feedback? Is it "I'm a microphone and I make this sound when I'm turned on" noise? What is it? What can I do?

Does anyone want a Christmas card? Let me know!

I started watching ( Terra Nova and Lost Girl )

And, finally:

Old meme. Saw it on sugar_cookie's journal, caught the bug.

You can learn a lot about someone by the music they listen to. Hit shuffle on your Pod or mp3 player Spotify and write down the first 20 songs. No cheating or skipping songs that are shameful. That is the fun! (I skipped repeated artists)

( Music meme )

There was a meme on applegeuse's journal. I can't resist memes, so here goes.

( Give me a number, and I'll answer the question )

In other news. I am a computer genius who has figured out how to convert .mts files .avi. Yes, this is an achievement.

Here at home, there are apples everywhere, filling up basket after basket on the porch. There is apple jam and apple juice and apple pie, and some sort of... apple experiment that I'll ask mom about once she gets home. I think it might be jello. The best thing in the world is cold apple jam on warm porridge, and milk. This is not a low-carb dish, and will yet be the death of me.

It hasn't stopped raining since I got here, but that's actually ok. It's a reason to drink tea. Do miss the dogs terribly. Apple season used to be a lot harder - Naxu and Maggie both liked to steal and eat the apples from the baskets. Sirius would just steal and run with it, because she liked it when people shouted "hey!" after her.

I think maybe I'm nearing that point where I want a puppy. (I get snappy at anyone who asks me about it, but I think I'll be ready soon.) Mostly I just want my dog, but since I can't have that... I think maybe a puppy wouldn't be too bad.

Oh, and!

( Spoiler for True Blood s04e11 )

Now... Is it just me, or does it sometimes feel like the Criminal Minds people are a little... uhm... extra judgmental about the people they hunt?

Judgmental isn't maybe exactly the word I'm looking for, since... well, they're all pretty evil and all. It's just, sometimes you get this feeling like the show needs to stop and turn to you and go "this guy is bad, mkay? really bad!" so that you don't forget. It feels a little silly, or uncomfortable, or something.

Aside from that - look at my pretty layout! Isn't it the prettiest? tinypinkmouse put it up for me. It's very pretty. It has John Winchester.

( Day 15 )

( Day 11 )


And, because I forgot to include this in previous posts. ( The entire 15-day challenge meme is here )

Had tea with Linda. Killed darkspawn. Feels better about facing the coming week.

( Day 9 )

I didn't have a CMX playlist on Spotify. Now I do. Ah, the relief!

( Day 7 )

A week or so ago, I came across an album on Spotify by this duet called PMMP. Their music in general isn't something that I'm all that into, but this album was something special. Essentially they'd just made their own versions of known children's songs, and, well, it's awesome. Some were songs I hadn't heard in years and years, that I didn't even remember I knew. Hearing those sort of puts you in a certain mood, and I started thinking about music from when I was a kid and I tried to hunt some of it down on Spotify.

And then I found a song called Paimenpoika.

I don't really know how to put into words how happy I was to find it. I never thought I'd hear it again. My grandmother would sing that song, and for the longest time I thought that it was just something she'd made up, because I never heard it anywhere else. (Except bits and pieces sung by dad, but that's different.) Hearing it again, even if it's sung by a choir, it's like being able to save a little piece of her, healthy and glad and the way she really was. Like I get to keep something of her that was never tainted by the illness.

( Here are the lyrics )

And, on a lighter note:

( Day 4 )