Wintering in Madison

Tomorrow I have to head back to California, but I'm hoping it will be easier as this is the *last semester* of being long distance. Despite the weather (bitter cold, to mild and rainy, to snowy -- the last being actually rather enjoyable, especially when you're walking around the capitol building), it's been a good place. Andrew & I did a lot of baking, cooking, working, walking around the park & State St, watching tv & movies (most recently, a documentary on Helvetica & tonight, Citizen Kane followed by How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days (quite the combination)), and just spending time together. We did make a couple of ventures out with friends, but I rather liked all the alone time after the constant socializing at MLA. And before going back to Stanford, where I imagine I'll be doing a lot of: sitting and reading, fretting over orals, and spending far too much time composing what should be short and simple emails to advisers.

This has also been the visit in which we discovered the Hilldale Mall. Which has a Sundance theater (where we watched Juno and No Country for Old Men -- both of which I *loved,* but especially N.C.f.O.M.), a Macy's (where I bought my first new coat after 4-5 years of the same camel colored Gap gear, which Merrie now has an exact replica of, making for some rather awkward moments when we find ourselves getting dressed in the *same things* when at home together), and an Anthropologie (where I found a wool cardigan I *needed*, but was still a bit spendy despite being 50% off). I'm thinking of trying to apply to Anthropologie after I move here: I feel as though nearly everything they sell I'd want to design and create if I knew how to do so.

Today, as it was my last full day here, we needed to find something to do. Luckily we have some happy, future-oriented, couple-dom things to do: start apartment hunting, & figure out the location and date of our wedding. My dream apartment would be: on a quiet side street in the Willy St. area, the top floor of a Victorian style house (of course) with a turret and wood floors, interesting details, lots of sun, and under $950 a month. I'm not sure yet on the dream wedding. I can see either: at an orchard in Oregon, or a combination of Heaven's Gate & the UW Union here in Madison. Or if we were to get married earlier, possibly using this old church that's now a restaurant. Too many decisions.