Notes from September

September came to an end. This is a Green Day free zone so no 'waking up' references here. You're welcome. On a serious note, someone said that August is like a Sunday: still weekend but you feel the pressure of Monday coming up. Months aren't so well defined when you start working, everything is a blur of paperwork and flickering monitors. Oh, the joy. 

This month, for the first time ever, I went to the theatre alone. Not even to the cinema. I am talking about a full on theatre, with curtains, balconies, swirls on the walls, etc. And I came to the realisation that I've never watched a musical I didn't like. I thought I was a tough chick, skating with the punks, now I find out I should have been in Glee all along.

Among the events that made my September more interesting, we can include: blatantly wearing Slytherin quidditch gear to a football themed party organised at work. Everyone was wearing their team's colours, me and other two girls wearing Hogwarts scarves. Also, me walking into a drugstore 'just to browse' and seeing a fellow Loli and becoming friends. You heard me! I made a friend all by myself! (I really hope she is not reading this or she'll think I am a weirdo.) 

Going up:

• THE BOOK OF MORMON. I walked in the theatre not knowing what to expect, but I was up for anything. And I was pleasantly entertained by hours of catchy songs, stereotypes, politically incorrectness, and really really unapologetic puns and characters. Now, every time I say 'hello', I sort of sing it just like they do in the intro song. Just a piece of advice, don't bring your grandma along. It might be too rude for her. 
• GIRLS NIGHT OUT. I know last month I was all about girls nights in, and guess what? Girls nights out are great too! Give me a dancing buddy, cheap whiskey and cola, some cheeky shots and cheesy music, and I am happy. Maybe not every day of the week like I used to when I was in England, my liver won't take that.  
• DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. Guess who's back in the game! In my former 3.5e lives I was Hallaathradiel, the dual class elf, ranger and warrior; after that I was Valxull'une, a paladin. Now (5e) meet Kronos, half-elf bard from an Artisan's Guild: calligraphers and scribes. I took my inspiration from Oberyn Martell, in case you were wondering.

Going Down:

• NUMBER 4. It's crazy how most people, here, have no idea how to read my handwritten number 4. They point at the series of numbers and ask blank eyed 'what's this?' Given the context of a phone number I highly doubt it could be a lighting bolt, or Nazi propaganda! 
• SECOND LANGUAGE. I mentioned my thesis to some friends, who weren't aware of my academic results. I may not be able to think of random specific words in English while doing improv but, dude, do you know how smart I am in Italian?
• JACKET ON OR OFF. This is spring for you. Wearing a coat in the morning and regretting it horribly by 3 pm. Going out without a scarf and ending up with a sore throat. People wearing winter jackets and people in a t-shirt, both looking at each other trying to figure out which is the idiot. Then everyone calls in sick anyway.

Links worth clicking:

• Four things that happen when you move abroad.
• The benefits of unplugging.
• How to spot a toxic friendship. 
• The French-girl myth and how it's selling.
• Aren't you tired of pretending to like these things?
• Harry Potter can truly do magic.
• Weird things that make you realise you are adulting.
• Some financial decisions you should make in your twenties.
• Things you learn while travelling alone around the world.
• Before going out, stop and think, who are you dressing for?

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