a list of things

I started writing this post on Sunday, before my computer decided it was opting out for the day and deleted all of my thoughtfully chosen words and was generally just utterly disagreeable, with the result that there has been this empty post on my blog for the last few days because I've been too irritated to make another attempt. But now I'm sitting in a cool, breezy spot in the law courtyard, or as Caroline calls it 'the plastic garden' (the glass isn't real, it's plastic, see), and I feel inclined to try again. So.

I have been here for 5 weeks and 1 day, even though for some reason I keep thinking today is Thursday, but it's not, well, not for me. And I am happy and content and am finding my way, albeit a little haphazardly - sort of like a goldfish going through a maze looking for fish food, and eventually finding it (I love happy endings). I am broke, but I've also made sure to pay my rent for the next two months, so whatever happens, I won't be homeless until November. And we have food. So really, I'm okay. More than okay. But I owe you all some news, which is in somewhat short supply because I've been working very hard and not doing much else besides sleep (I LOVE sleep, I could sleep all day). All this to say, there's not much new happening right now, so I think a little retrospective listing of my favourite things is a good idea. Also, I generally try to keep you all up to date on the goings on without boring you with endless details, but some of those details are pretty cool, so this is my moment.

These are a few of my favourite things (not in order of favouritism):

Favourite thing #1: Home

I love that I wake up every morning to golden sunlight flooding in through the big sash windows. I love my turquoise chair in the corner of my room where I can curl up with a book that I pretend to read while I actually stare out of the window at the not-so-distant highrise buildings of Westwood and daydream, or doodle in my notebook, or nap. I love our kitchen table, which is also always bathed in sunlight, and where we sit and work, or eat dinner or chat. I have a home, and it's happy and homey and harmonious.

Favourite thing #2: Roommate

A few fun facts about R:

1. She's studying really hard to ACE the MCAT so that she can go to medical school, but she still makes the time to take me exploring and to show me all the coolest hangouts in LA. (Thank you, R.)

2. She loves coffee. No, but I mean she REALLY loves coffee. She won't even get an electric grinder because she's too fussy about the size of the coffee grinds.

3. She likes the colour turquoise.

4. We're both on the paleo diet, but she still orders 2 pints of ice-cream every two weeks (delicious ice-cream, by the way) because 'Ice-cream is different, it doesn't count.'

5. She's very diminutive in stature. So short, in fact, that when she sits down, her feet don't touch the ground. Obviously, this is an endless source of amusement for me.

Favourite thing #3: the faces of LA

You see these big murals everywhere, particularly in downtown LA. It's the coolest thing. You'll just be walking along, soaking in the sunlight and people watching, and laughing at the really funny shop names (e.g. Pie Hole) and you look up and BAM there's an enormous face painted onto the wall above you. Or you're standing waiting to cross the road and you realise that the building you're standing next to has two eyes painted onto it and is frowning down at you.

Favourite thing #4: Law School

This favourite thing warrants its own post entirely, but it should also be in this list. I have been swamped with work almost since the day we started, but I love it nonetheless. I love walking to class - it's very quiet and much cooler up here, and there are big red-brick buildings and green lawns and giant fig trees. The library is one of my favourite spots, particularly the reading room. When I walk home at night, Royce Hall and Powell Library are always lit up, and if you get your timing right and leave on the hour, the bells start chiming and the whole place sings. Also, even though I'm working all the time, I'm really enjoying the work. My readings are very interesting, as are my assignments and all but one of my classes. Like I said, this deserves its own post, so watch this space.

Well, that's all for now, and I have to run to a meeting, but we'll chat soon I'm sure.

Thank you, by the way, for staying in touch and e-mailing, voice-noting, taptalking, messaging, whatsapping, skyping and vibing. So much love to all of you.

XX