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I haven't done a meme in a while, and since I'm feeling rather crappy today--a combination of my sister leaving, PMS, and having run entirely too many warrants this morning--I saw this one over at ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
oloriel's LJ and asked her for a letter. And she gave me a bugger of a letter: O! (And she was originally thinking of F! How easy that would have been!) But I have risen to the challenge.
Now if you'd like to play too, the way the meme works:
Comment and I'll give you a letter. Then you come up with 10 words that begin with that letter, and explain what they mean to you.
Because I'm feeling crappy, I am bending my thoughts in a positive direction by listing only things that have positive connotations to me. And I've done eleven too--not ten--just to spite this tricksey letter.
Ocean. When I first read of the notion of sea-longing, I understood it immediately, for I have had it all of my life. There are few things better than seeing the ocean; the roar of the waves prod my inspiration and the scent of salty air at once takes me back to childhood and awakens dreams of the future.
Obstinate. Me. I am obstinate; I refuse to lose in a fight and refuse to give up a task. That makes me annoying at times, yes, and sometimes causes me stress, but it is a central part of who I am.
Opal. My favorite stone. Right now, I am wearing an opal and gaspite pendant with a silver setting; it is one of my favorite necklaces. There is just something special about opals: I never tire of looking at them. Incidentally, an opal figures prominently in the series of stories that contain AMC. Those of you who have read AMC might remember that Feanor gave Maglor a mithril pendant set with a fire opal. This artifact will appear in each story throughout the series, in various contexts, and is probably the most personally significant of any artifact in these stories to me. (If you want to know why, you'll have to read the stories to find out!)
Ocean City. Ocean City is a town wedged on a sliver of an island in eastern Maryland between the ocean and the (get ready for this name!) Assawoman Bay. You cannot live in Maryland without knowing Ocean City; it is a central part of Maryland culture, if there is such a thing. A year is not complete for me without a trip to Ocean City, and Bobby and I go during all seasons: the summer, of course, and in the autumn and winter as well, during the off-season.
October. October was the month that Bobby and I moved out on our own, so it is always associated with independence for me. It is also the month of Halloween, which is my favorite holiday. Halloween is one of the least commercialized of the major holidays: You do not have to spend hours wracking your brain to think of gifts that no one wants; you do not have to drive yourself into debt; you do not have it rammed down your throat for three months straight. Halloween has always been a holiday of personal tradition: some people watch scary movies, some go to haunted houses, others go trick-or-treating. Bobby and I spend the entire month of October in what we call a state of "Halloween hotness." We do up the apartment with our pseudo-scary decorations, we carve pumpkins, we go on ghost walks or hay rides, and we are not allowed to watch any movies that are not horror. And the cheesier, the stupider, the more prone to debunking the better!
Olwë. Olwë is a fascinating guy and he is key in one of my favorite parts of Eldarin history to mull over. He led his people through quite a bit of turmoil, right into the kinslaying, where my thoughts are drawn to ponder the political and psychological ramifications of what took place at Alqualondë. And Olwë, of course, is a key figure. He is a character whom I hope to explore in greater detail somewhere down the line of my fanfic-writing career.
Organic. Containing carbon, containing life. I have great love and respect for living things, from human beings all the way down to the moss growing on a tree trunk. A favorite afternoon activity for Bobby and me is hiking; we love to be outside. And organic life also gives me a comforting sense of permanence: When life is over, the carbon renews more life, and so it never ends.
Outside edge. One of the key areas where I've improved as a skater over the past year-and-a-half is on my edges, particularly the outside edge. My strong edges make me a good skater where others rely mostly on skills...but skills are not what gives skating its grace and finesse. Outside edges are also more insecure than inside edges--there is no foot there to catch you if you get too carried away--so becoming more comfortable on them makes me feel a more courageous performer as well.
Otters. Well, they're cute, for one. Bobby and I went to Hershey for the holidays, and we took a stroll around ZooAmerica, which features critters native to America. The otters were some of my favorites: so cute and playful, and they made the most delightful little noises! And when I think of otters, I cannot help but remember what a wonderful weekend Bobby and I had.
Overland. Bobby and I are of the belief that there's no better way to get there than by walking, traveling overland, if you will. This frequently leads to the exhaustion of our traveling companions, as Bobby and I are accustomed to walking long distances where they are not. The most insane thing we did was walk from 42nd Street in New York City to Battery Park and back. That was quite a distance and Felak's feet are not accustomed to urban hiking! But we saw New York in the process...and we'll never forget it!
Online. One of my favorite hobbies is the stuff I get up to online: fanfic, chatting, web design, RPGs. It's a chance to step away from the real world for a minute and a chance to learn something new at every turn. And I've met some truly wonderful friends, too, so I never travel alone.
oloriel's LJ and asked her for a letter. And she gave me a bugger of a letter: O! (And she was originally thinking of F! How easy that would have been!) But I have risen to the challenge.Now if you'd like to play too, the way the meme works:
Comment and I'll give you a letter. Then you come up with 10 words that begin with that letter, and explain what they mean to you.
Because I'm feeling crappy, I am bending my thoughts in a positive direction by listing only things that have positive connotations to me. And I've done eleven too--not ten--just to spite this tricksey letter.
Ocean. When I first read of the notion of sea-longing, I understood it immediately, for I have had it all of my life. There are few things better than seeing the ocean; the roar of the waves prod my inspiration and the scent of salty air at once takes me back to childhood and awakens dreams of the future.
Obstinate. Me. I am obstinate; I refuse to lose in a fight and refuse to give up a task. That makes me annoying at times, yes, and sometimes causes me stress, but it is a central part of who I am.
Opal. My favorite stone. Right now, I am wearing an opal and gaspite pendant with a silver setting; it is one of my favorite necklaces. There is just something special about opals: I never tire of looking at them. Incidentally, an opal figures prominently in the series of stories that contain AMC. Those of you who have read AMC might remember that Feanor gave Maglor a mithril pendant set with a fire opal. This artifact will appear in each story throughout the series, in various contexts, and is probably the most personally significant of any artifact in these stories to me. (If you want to know why, you'll have to read the stories to find out!)
Ocean City. Ocean City is a town wedged on a sliver of an island in eastern Maryland between the ocean and the (get ready for this name!) Assawoman Bay. You cannot live in Maryland without knowing Ocean City; it is a central part of Maryland culture, if there is such a thing. A year is not complete for me without a trip to Ocean City, and Bobby and I go during all seasons: the summer, of course, and in the autumn and winter as well, during the off-season.
October. October was the month that Bobby and I moved out on our own, so it is always associated with independence for me. It is also the month of Halloween, which is my favorite holiday. Halloween is one of the least commercialized of the major holidays: You do not have to spend hours wracking your brain to think of gifts that no one wants; you do not have to drive yourself into debt; you do not have it rammed down your throat for three months straight. Halloween has always been a holiday of personal tradition: some people watch scary movies, some go to haunted houses, others go trick-or-treating. Bobby and I spend the entire month of October in what we call a state of "Halloween hotness." We do up the apartment with our pseudo-scary decorations, we carve pumpkins, we go on ghost walks or hay rides, and we are not allowed to watch any movies that are not horror. And the cheesier, the stupider, the more prone to debunking the better!
Olwë. Olwë is a fascinating guy and he is key in one of my favorite parts of Eldarin history to mull over. He led his people through quite a bit of turmoil, right into the kinslaying, where my thoughts are drawn to ponder the political and psychological ramifications of what took place at Alqualondë. And Olwë, of course, is a key figure. He is a character whom I hope to explore in greater detail somewhere down the line of my fanfic-writing career.
Organic. Containing carbon, containing life. I have great love and respect for living things, from human beings all the way down to the moss growing on a tree trunk. A favorite afternoon activity for Bobby and me is hiking; we love to be outside. And organic life also gives me a comforting sense of permanence: When life is over, the carbon renews more life, and so it never ends.
Outside edge. One of the key areas where I've improved as a skater over the past year-and-a-half is on my edges, particularly the outside edge. My strong edges make me a good skater where others rely mostly on skills...but skills are not what gives skating its grace and finesse. Outside edges are also more insecure than inside edges--there is no foot there to catch you if you get too carried away--so becoming more comfortable on them makes me feel a more courageous performer as well.
Otters. Well, they're cute, for one. Bobby and I went to Hershey for the holidays, and we took a stroll around ZooAmerica, which features critters native to America. The otters were some of my favorites: so cute and playful, and they made the most delightful little noises! And when I think of otters, I cannot help but remember what a wonderful weekend Bobby and I had.
Overland. Bobby and I are of the belief that there's no better way to get there than by walking, traveling overland, if you will. This frequently leads to the exhaustion of our traveling companions, as Bobby and I are accustomed to walking long distances where they are not. The most insane thing we did was walk from 42nd Street in New York City to Battery Park and back. That was quite a distance and Felak's feet are not accustomed to urban hiking! But we saw New York in the process...and we'll never forget it!
Online. One of my favorite hobbies is the stuff I get up to online: fanfic, chatting, web design, RPGs. It's a chance to step away from the real world for a minute and a chance to learn something new at every turn. And I've met some truly wonderful friends, too, so I never travel alone.
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-19 07:50 pm (UTC)Wow, that's quite a distance isn't it? I haven't been to New York ever, but since I've been planning to do so (and never managed) I know a little about how far it must be.
I did a similar thing once; when I was in Rome I walked through the whole darn park of Villa Borghese, south-west to north-east, and Villa Borghese is huuuge! It may be strange, but I always rather walk than to go through the pains of figuring out the respective city's system of public transport (though in the case of Rome, at least the subway system is pretty uncomplicated). :)
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-19 08:27 pm (UTC)It's the "urban" bit that gets me; my feet do not like walking on pavement. Bobby and I will do a nine-mile hike without flinching, but I literally could not walk after the Battery Park hike!
It may be strange, but I always rather walk than to go through the pains of figuring out the respective city's system of public transport
That was us too! I think at one point, the following conversation occured:
"Well, it's a bit of a walk back."
"We could take the subway."
"Yes, we could."
...
"But we've never used the subway before."
"Alright, let's walk back then."
Yet we'll use the DC Metro and that is always a fun experience!
Walking is a really nice way, I think, to get a feel of the culture of a place. It's just not the same when viewed through the window of a car.
So now that I have a feel for the NY culture, I do not need to do that walk again.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-20 11:28 am (UTC)That's right. In a car, you feel somewhat locked away from the world. Plus, if you're driving you do not even have the leisure to take in the scenery properly.
That conversation sounds very familiar to me. Add to that the fact that Rome's metro shuts down at 10 am every evening. This resulted in conversations like this several times:
"Uh, it's 10.30, how do we get back now?"
"We could take the bus..."
"Yeah, but which line is the right one? And do we even have a bus stop near the hotel?"
"Eh, no idea..."
"Then let's walk back."
"But that's 2 miles at least! And where do we have to go anyway?"
"Eh, cross the river and then walk... west?"
And I think (now that everybody seems to do it) I want a letter to. ;)
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-20 01:05 pm (UTC)And....
*pets Carnistir*
Sorry, it's been awhile. ;)