Digestions: Both Intellectual and Vegetarian

It's odd being in a place with no winter. The changing of seasons remind me of time passing during the year. Certain things that are associated with the autumn, with the winter, I don't see them now. Because of this, suddenly I'll wake up and realize, wow, it's mid-October. I see monsoons, palm trees, and sleeveless now, not leaves turning all different shades and apples. It's funny too, to encounter all those things I associate with different seasons too, but not be immersed in that atmosphere.

Take for example music. I got in the mood for classical music a few minutes ago, and brought up this gorgeous album by Morten Lauridsen. I will always associate it with the winter. That's when I first heard it, concert choir, senior year of high school. We sang selections from his Mid-Winter Songs, and I remember the cold, dark nights, and this cathedralic music. To take that in a completely different context, say Thailand, brings me out of this study abroad mindset and suddenly, I have my own little autumn.

I'm not sure why I'm all musey today. Last night, we were at the P-fac (program facilitator)'s house for a pseudo-party. I sat in the corner with Adam and Alejandro and had a fantastic conversation about... well, everything, but specifically about outlook on the world. It's fascinating to think about how everything that we believe is imperceptibly influenced by all these factors you can't touch, can't recognize. It's conversations like this that excite me. We three, tiny people in a big, big world came up with our own views about the world. Not for a paper, or a book, or a thesis, but just because we are three enquiring minds. I find that exciting.

Once again, I'm struck by how exciting learning from ones peers is. I even learn when I'm not trying. For example, today Sasha and I trekked downtown to the city to eat at the Asoke restaraunt (which we finally found). I learned a lot of great things about her. Our conversations fed off of each other.

Welly, welly, welly, no more time for musings about the universe and every atom within. I've got two papers due tomorrow and am only through my first draft.

Rat dii sawat. (Good night)