Iconization, among other things

[xaara]

I spent much time today working on a few random icons (see cut at bottom of post). Only the first one is really finished to my liking, so the others will probably undergo some more revision before I'm done with them. Does anyone know why PhotoBucket puts a little white line along two edges of standard icons that I upload from my computer? Is that just my account? Is there anything I can do about it? Because it's rather annoying.

Over the weekend, I found and started working on applications for the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford. Why? Because I felt like it, that's why. I'm tired of all the "Why don't you go visit there?" and "You know, _______ has an excellent music program." When I announced the fact that I was applying to school in the UK, Mom looked at me like I was crazy and Pop almost had a heart attack. The conversation went something like this:

"Carmen, why did you pick those two?"

"Because they're the only two I've heard of and I have the GPA to get into either."

"You haven't visited or anything - how do you know they'd be right for you?"

"I don't. But they're in the UK, where people have cool accents and funky slang. I'd be happy living there even if I didn't particularly care for the school."

"This isn't some form of teenaged rebellion?"

"As hard as it is for you to believe, I'd honestly want to go to school in either of those places. However, the fact that they're across the Atlantic from my family is not going in the 'con' list."

"Are you sure you're not doing this on a whim?"

"Of course I'm doing it on a whim. It's a whim that's been whimming around inside my head for a while, though."

I chose not to remind them that we essentially moved to Sicily on a whim five years ago, that Pop went to Africa on a polio eradication mission just because the opportunity existed, that I had always been one to revel in change. So, in the end, it all came down to this:

I'm applying to Cambridge and Oxford, dammit.



1. 2. 3. 4.

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Places I've Walked Into with a Confident Swagger Despite Public Warning

Buffy, Post-Season Four

The Slayer part of me isn't scared of anything. She goes out, gets the crap beat out of her, kicks some demon ass, and is home before the girl part of me has a chance to figure out what happened.

But then the girl has to deal with the bruises in hard-to-explain places, the odd cuts, and the wanting to sleep all day.

Slayer doesn't need anything. She's smart, quick, deadly. She works alone.

And sometimes I wonder: is she really part of me? Am I really part of her?

I didn't choose this life. Why did it choose me?

Comments

[uscathena.livejournal.com]

Cambridge and Oxford? Oooo, I wanted to go to Cambridge for grad school, but they give absolutely no financial aid to foreign students.

[xaara.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the no financial aid thing is a bit annoying, but I figured that since I'm going to be taking out enough student loans to put me in debt up to my eyeballs anyway, I might as well be someplace cool.

[teaghlach.livejournal.com]

GO YOU. When I finish with my bachelors here, I'm going over to Scotland. I know the reason why you're going even if I don't KNOW. Don't let anyone talk you out of it. I got talked out of it when I was just graduating from high school and I wish I'd taken the first chance when I had it.

[xaara.livejournal.com]

Ooh, Scotland? That sounds like a lot of fun. I'm still not positive that I actually want to go to England for school, but I'm sure that I want to keep that option open.

[carrole.livejournal.com]

Good for you, Carm! If that's what you want to do, I don't see why you shouldn't. :) And going to school in England would be awesome.

[xaara.livejournal.com]

It would, wouldn't it? *loves England*

[lady-of-winter.livejournal.com]

I love the first icon. I'm a reader, and do I rest? Hell, no. w00t.

G'luck with the Brit applications- I do hope you get in. My brother's in Oxford, and I envy you all. Catch a British accent in a bottle and mail it home for me, will you?

[xaara.livejournal.com]

Hehe, thanks. I like that icon too. :)

If I go, I'll definitely mail the accent home to you. (Although it might make for slightly strange customs forms: "British accent in two-liter bottle.")