dunhaven; ic community.

Did anyone else realize that the zoo was going to be temporarily closed this summer? Because I just found out and I'm heartbroken. When is it reopening?? Does anyone know?

Noah?

TEXT TO NOAH

-- So what are the chances that you'd be able to take a couple of days off work to take a road trip with me?

( instagram post! )

( Cut for image! )

I'm usually (predictably) an Alliance kind of girl, buuut. 🤷‍♀️

( instagram post! )

( instagram post! )

LADY FRIENDS + CONNOR

Tomorrow is the most sacred of all holidays. Yes, that's right, it's Galentine's Day. Since the furniture was delivered and this house feels vaguely like one that people live in and not just a pile of boxes, it means we get to celebrate. I know this is last minute, but if you're free tomorrow night for pizza and wine and whatever else, please come by!

Also yes, Connor is an honorary gal. My house, my rules. 🤷🏼‍♀️ (I've always wanted to say that.)

( instagram post! )

TEXT TO NOAH

-- Hey.
-- Any chance I could crash at your place for a few days until I move back into the dorm next week?
-- Or would that be weird.

TEXT TO ROWENA

-- Just FYI. Dad's still pissed about the whole Mo thing.
-- But he thinks it's my fault that you're acting out, so I wouldn't worry too much.

I am turning 23 next month and you know what has occurred to me? In my nearly two years of legal drinking age, I've never just gone to the bar to drink. I've always been a DD or called it an early night after one fruity drink because I had a class or session or homework or something that I had to worry about. I feel like this is something that I need to change, just for the sake of my youth. It's for science.

It's kind of weird that Christmas is over and we're almost to the new year? I don't really know what to do with this information. It's especially odd, because I'm on vacation until January and now that the NY-based family is gone, I'm not really sure what to do with myself.

So, since I did ask everyone for the things they were thankful for on Thanksgiving, I thought I'd continue that vein and see if anyone has any exciting plans or goals for 2019! I don't like to call them resolutions, because I feel like that word has too much attached to it with their being temporary. Goals, on the other hand, seems kind of solid. Maybe not, I don't know. But, do you have any? I want to hear them! I'll even start us off:

1. Travel for something other than a convention. Though I am all about traveling to go hang with my fellow nerds, I think it's well past time for me to go on a vacation that doesn't revolve around cosplay and standing in crowded lines. I don't really know where I want to go, though, so I welcome suggestions on places other people have enjoyed.

2. Adopt a cat! That had been the plan before Yui burrowed her way directly into my heart and it's still the plan. I think that she needs a furry friend around here.

3. Get a membership for the Y and then actually go before my body realizes I'm getting old. 😫 Maybe even join Noah on some kind of dumb marathon thing. 😫 😫 Use my yoga pants for something other than video game playing attire. 😫 😫 😫

4. End 2019 with a different last name. This leaves some wiggle room for date setting and all that other important stuff that I'm told is supposed to be decided upon. Honestly, having this on here is cheating a little bit; I'm definitely going to become Mrs. Malone nfdskjfs at some point.

There you have it. I feel good about these. 2019 is going to be a good year, friends.

( instagram post! )

One semester down, y'all.

Things I've learned at Hyland Thanksgiving 2018: I have apparently reached the age where I am now expected to have a serious answer for assorted extended family members as to why I don't have a boyfriend and am not in law/medical/etc school. It's also apparently they age where I will actually turn to the surplus of wine that this house always has to get through those interactions. 👍

On the plus side, the pie is excellent, as always, and I have plenty to be thankful for this year. Not to be that person, but it's legitimately been a #blessed sort of year. Happy Thanksgiving (a few days early), Dunhaven.

NOAH

You know, it would probably be more practical if I just came on over after hanging out with Josie so that we could just leave straight from there for my parents' house in the morning.

JOSIE

I have to run some groceries by my parents' house after work but then I'll be over. Want me to pick anything up for us?

ROWENA

PRETTY sure there will never be a family holiday that doesn't come with its own brand of drama.

WHO: Bea Hyland, with Stella Hyland (NPC)
WHEN: Friday, November 16, 2018; Morning
WHERE: Bea’s Dorm Room
SUMMARY: A phone call. Bea takes a stand when it comes to who’s invited and not invited to early Thanksgiving dinner.
WARNINGS: None.

( One day, Bea thought, having everything she’d ever dreamed of would stop being so damn hard to hold onto. )

I bet you all were thinking, "Oh, good. Charlie is going to stop asking random questions about our dream lives because it's an uncomfortable and awkward topic most of the time." HA HA. No, not quite. I'm too curious for my own good and I think, eventually, all of this information will be of use to us. So here's the next topic for discussion for all you second-life dreamers out there!

What is the best part about your dream life? What is the worst?

You can answer anonymously, or not. Totally up to you.

NOAH
( cut for image )

FRIENDS & FAMILY

Hello!

Sooo [...] I was wondering if, perhaps, some of you might be interested in possibly joining me in going to the Ren Faire in Annapolis on, say, September 29th? Since the one in town is done and I didn't get the chance to actually go because of work and everything else, I thought that would be the next best thing. So we could do the Faire during the day and maybe come back through DC and stop somewhere particularly good for dinner? It could be fun, maybe?

Anyway. Just let me know if you'd be interested! It just [...] seems like that would be a good weekend for that kind of thing.