one winter at a time

Four or five inches of snow have fallen in the past three hours. I was out in it, for a while. It’s so fast, how the entire world can become alien, transformed and strange and recreated by winter.

Winter’s my favorite season, always has been.

I checked my email when I came back inside. There was a letter there. (Today has been a good day for email, in general. I am learning to be a Proper Correspondent. If I’m not careful I’ll start writing on paper and putting things through the postal service.)

I’m going to Oxford, the letter in my email tells me.

Master of Studies, Classical Armenian. Don’t know which college, yet, or what my funding package looks like (or, for that matter, how the hell I’m going to pay for it.) But. Right now I don’t much care for trivial practicality. I’ve been downplaying, at least in public, how very much I wanted this. But I wanted it spectacularly, the chance to spend a year away from everything, at a place I’ve fallen for via a strange mishmash of one week-long research trip two years ago and reading too much fiction set there, plus my ever-present longing for institutions and traditions.

And also, my PhD dissertation is going to kick so much ass, you guys. Bulgaria, Kiev, and Ani. Greek, OCS, and Armenian. Fuck yeah comparative history. I am doing this thing. I am spending a year learning Classical Armenian so that I can have real comparative work in this project. I’ve — got a lot to do before I leave! Oh my god. Like, write at least two chapters in solid draft. A lot of it hasn’t hit me yet. But. Oxford. Yes. Yes. Yes. (My dear Brit friends, I am going to inflict myself on you. I apologize in advance. I promise I’m good company, also not an axe murderer.)

2012, you can stay. Hell, you can stay as long as you like.

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5. paratactician said: Hell. Fucking. Yes.
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8. gattycat said: YES oh my god I am so happy for you! I knew you would make it.
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10. megkips said: Congratulations, I honestly could not be happier for you.
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13. brsis reblogged this from byzantienne and added:

    taking you shopping when you get here...creepy way possible which

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15. acrossthefloors said: CONGRATULATIONS. :D You absolutely deserve this, and I am so happy for you. (Does this mean I can look you up if I should be visiting Oxford next year~?)
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