sophistry | (no subject)

Today, I rode the train out to Bray and back. No real reason, and it's not exactly a long journey - half an hour each way, maybe, when things are running on time. But the baritone lull of the DART under my seat has - it has sense memories attached. Two years ago, three, the commute into uni lectures on the mid-morning, mid-empty train was a few minutes of serene and content contemplation; the day ahead, what criminally-sweetened coffee I might purchase beforehand, the awesome thread I'd RP'd the night before, or would that weekend, which of the deliciously promising canons on my to-read list I'd dip into next. Those days... I'd never really written, fanfic or original, you see. So it was Milliways, born the summer before I started at Trinity, that taught me the how to - the importance of, the intricacies of - considering and analysing a character's particular emotional state. And so... I became more cognizant of the same things in myself; even given the difficulties we all face in life, and the ones I certainly faced then, I don't think I've ever been so acutely aware of my own happiness than my first year of university.

Earlier still, when I went to school within walking distance, the DART meant adventures - Going Somewhere With Friends. To catch a movie, or 'shopping' in town (inasmuch as we ever bought anything, which was rare), or to someone's house to rent a movie and eat takeout or pizza, listen to music, dance (badly), do each other's make-up (also badly), and talk about boys.

[Chicago, summer '07: one of my best and most wonderful memories of recent times is of the last evening of the trip, post-Millicon, doing nothing more than sitting around in Meg's apartment with Mu Ji, Feather, Josie, Holly, and Emmy, drinking, eating takeout and pizza, and playing Trivial Pursuit (badly).]

The wind was chilly today, but the sun was warm; through the window of the DART even moreso. The stretch high above the Killiney coast was lovely, but more than that - you could close your eyes, and feel enveloped.

I - don't feel tranquil. Not tranquil.

But I feel... calm.

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I'll take calm. And that night was a very, very good night, wasn't it.

*raises hand* Hey, i sucked at Trivial Pursuit, too! I know, you are trying to protect me. It is a point of pride, I think. I am SO spectacularly awful.

Am glad you found a good place. I should find a nice, calming sense memory myself. We had a layover in Chicago and just walking through the airport brought a lot of that back. That evening was fantastic. :) And I miss you guys a lot.

aalkdfjsklda I remembered who was there by going around the circle in my head. OBVIOUSLY I DO NOT HAVE AS PHOTOGRAPHIC A MEMORY AS I THOUGHT. Well, that or my mental snapshot was taken when you had gone to the bathroom or something. S-M-R-T.

ANYWAY HOW ARE YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! The DHL website says your present has been delivered, so it should be happily waiting for you when you get back.

Heeee. Well, there was a lot of alcohol flowing around as well. And I am good! LA is weird. Lots of horrible strip malls that all look alike. WHO KNEW. So far I have gone on one very long walk and have only an undead monkey for my trouble. ;)

Thank you for mail!! I will get sister to look for it. I can't believe I left at EXACTLY the wrong time. >:(

Calm is a good place. From calm, you can go onwards and upwards.

Calm is a very good point to be at. Calm is a place to work upwards from, and to come back to.

I'm glad.

And this is a lovely post, you know. I'm not sure exactly what about it, but just reading it makes me a little calmer and happier myself.