anyway…

dwj and mm are wonderful choices. i agree..they are goddesses! (my answer to this question changes with my whims; i actually chose you and scott once.) i think it would be so great to just be able to soak up the presence of someone i admire. of course, most of the time i have to add to my answer “but i’d be terrified of looking/acting/speaking like an idiot!”

Me too. But I guess I really shouldn’t be complaining, as I’m only split between two cities. And they’re relatively close together.

Can’t tell you how many times I checked Howl’s Moving Castle and The Tricksters out of the library when I was in middle school.

This convo has reminded me though of another plus of all this travel. I’m much more adaptable than I once was. Dump me anywhere and I’ll be able to figure out the train system etc pretty quickly. And I’m a positive genius at finding all the good food

You’re mad! Seven c? Warm? Oh my Elvis! I’d die! Nothing below 20C is warm.

europe is indeed tiny. it is quite lovely, though! and very warm – I’m wearing a skirt today and don’t feel cold at all since it’s 7C outside. which will make you cringe, i bet

Were you ever itchy for new countries? I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to travel. I mean even now when I whinge about it, I still want to keep travelling.

the jetlag isn’t what’s keeping me from traveling, i think. just the logistics of kids and a business and not being terribly itchy for new countries. though it might also be slightly pathological, since i used to study indian languages (sanskrit!) and had no inclination whatsoever to ever visit india. i recollect much saying of aaaarrrghh when anyone mentioned the possibility of me going there…

Hmmm. Perhaps I am sharing too much?

Anon says: are you saying that you think to many peeps get serios about righting before they shuld?

Basically. Writing is something most people can do. Writing well enough to be published is a whole other thing. I think some people get themselves all wound up trying to get published when they’d be a lot happier if they treated writing as a hobby. I love dancing but I’ve never aspired to do it in front of an audience.

Of course, every time I say something like this the people who are really talented, whose writing I’d love to see in print think, “Oh my God, she’s talking about me! I should quit trying to get published.” *SIGH*

Marrije: So you’ve never really been outside Europe. Does Malta count as part of Europe? Are you interested in trying other continents? Or are you too afraid of jetlag?

I thought London and Amsterdam were the same timezone. And isn’t that like a one-hour flight? That’s not jetlag, sweetie, that’s just being allergic to London. You’re not alone.

thinking about your year planning makes my head explode too, if it’s any comfort. i may be your opposite with respect to going places – just a tad too stay-in-one-place (viz. the jetlag i get flying to london from amsterdam, years of wobbliness after moving house), i’ve never been south of malta or west of oxford or east of berlin or north of, um, somewhere in sweden.

people who fly around a lot are utterly fascinating to me. so worldly-wise and good at coping, even if you do say aaaaarrrggghhh a lot in the process.

ive never heard of mahey. what should i read?

im sorry you hate your life!