Sounds like you two had a beautiful time.

it made me all misty

Just reading about it makes me misty. Wow. This time last year I was waiting for my visa-application interview. I can't believe it's been a year. I can't believe it actually happened. I look at pictures, and I'm wondering what I'm doing inside them.

that I would both cry and laugh while writing it

That's an awesome way to feel about killing a character.

Probably nsm of a story if you are not a blathering fangirl

Um, on an online forum called "Buffistas", I think it's safe to assume people will understand what you mean regarding tv fangirlishness (well, the men may lose the "girl" part). I loved that story!

The water anniversary. Make it happen. You won't be sorry.

JZ, If When somebody is mad enough to not only marry me but stay this way for a whole year, I'll definitely remember that. Especially since, with the amount of water I drink, I already think water is the best thing ever.

I didn't know you had gotten one of the grants, lisah! That's cool.

It was a tremendous help for me considering I had like no money to put down. Pretty much literally. I was such a stress case all that Fall though. I was sure something was going to go wrong and I wouldn't get the house. I wouldn't even call it "my" house until after I opened the door with my own key AFTER settlement.

Oh, god, someone make Client Support stop having a long and tedious and loud argument. My iPod only goes up to 11.

I tasted exactly one brand of American cereals, at Hil's, and I can't remember what it was. They were little rings, and tasty.

Cheerios.

When somebody is mad enough to not only marry me but stay this way for a whole year, I'll definitely remember that.

Nilly, you misspelled smart, and left out blessed. I'm surprised. Usually, your English is perfect. *g*

Sounds like you two had a beautiful time.

It was lovey -- relaxing and mellow and leisurely. The Italian restaurant was perfect, a gorgeous place called Venezia on University Avenue in Berkeley. The interior is laid out and gorgeously painted to look like a little Venetian piazza, complete with a little fountain in the center, balconies and awnings and posters for Italian ice creams (not gelati, but all those oddball sidewalk vendor/pushcart items you can hardly ever find in the US) and a clothesline across the ceiling hung with gauzy fluttery laundry. The food was plainish but very tasty (such good puttanesca) and everything was slow and mellow; it was past 9:30 on a Sunday night when we sat down, and not only did nobody rush us, but when we left the place was still half full. It felt like a late-night dinner in an Italian piazza.

Also, the place was littered with gussied-up recent graduates and their families, and the gentleman at the table next to ours wore a top hat and white silk scarf. Styling!

eta: Caffe Venezia!

Offered without comment:

Italian horses given Viagra boost

I want to know what the horses used to type with when they ordered it over the Internet.

So, folks, what are some good things about the American high school system?

Emily, is this for grad school for you?

Here are good things:

HS give students a mediated chance to learn how to make choices, with still clear expectations. So you know you need to do X, Y, Z but you still can make choices in terms of electives and it won't screw up your life if you choose the wrong one.

Another excellent aspect of being HS-aged is how small the amount of money you need to feel flush with cash.

Most US high schools have a LOT extracurriculuar activities which you can choose to participate in or not.