Good start to the month.

New faces are one of the simple joys of internet life. Meeting someone in person after getting to know them never loses the thrill, no matter how many times it happens with however many people. I met monkanart today, plus her boyfriend and another Swedish guest, and we had a lovely sweet time. The highlight of it was finding the secluded Pan statue on the Columbia University campus, sitting on the grass in the shade while it looked on, and sharing a bottle of cider between the four of us. When they asked me if it was allowed for us to drink it outside like we were about to, I said no, and we went ahead and drank it anyway.

It was quiet, and calm, and fun, just us sitting and talking and drinking quietly, talking about different ciders available in the US and Sweden and tourist destinations and delights and the dangers of breaking in new shoes while overseas. Monkan sketched while we looked on, and I showed off my hair. The whole thing was - settling, or centering. I said drinking outside like we were doing felt very bohemian, and that was true, and it felt more than that - it felt so comfortable, for us to be there sharing our company. Just a very simple joy.

Tomorrow I start working four days - well, three-and-a-half, though all of them have me getting up before nine. And after a day like this, something I can carry with me for when I need it, I think I'm about as ready as I'll be.

And to the only country to successfully invade the USA and burn down the White House, happy Canada Day.