Who Gwendolyn, can we hear more about you?

[gwendolyn]

Awwww, Harriet and iwanna, you ladies make me feel so good. Thank you!!

Sarah, thank you, darlin''! I don''t remember when, but when I was fairly young I kinda came to the realization that if I didn''t chase my dreams, no one else was going to make them happen, so if I wanted to live my life with (relatively) few regrets, I needed to go after the things I thought were important. Although it hasn''t always been easy, I can''t say I''d do things any differently if I went through it again (except maybe I would''ve left my first boyfriend a couple years earlier). And I think that means that I''m doing ok.

Is it weird that I''ve had The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain''s version of David Bowie''s "Life On Mars" stuck in my head all day? No, don''t answer that--I know the answer.

Here''s a YouTube link if anyone else is curious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxCj2MO02AE

 

[akmiss]

Gwen, you sound really grounded! And cheers to all your travels

As far as your exes go, there is nothing more unattractive (and lame) than a cheater

It sounds as if you are in a wonderful place in life and you deserve every bit if it.

um, may I ask you age? please.........

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 6/22/2008 2:22:20 PM
Author: akmiss
Gwen, you sound really grounded! And cheers to all your travels

As far as your exes go, there is nothing more unattractive (and lame) than a cheater

It sounds as if you are in a wonderful place in life and you deserve every bit if it.


um, may I ask you age? please.........

akmiss, I still have an extreme reaction anytime any sort of cheating comes up. I think my experience with B skewed my perceptions of it so I don''t see any sort of shade of grey (which is something I used to be able to pride myself on, being able to see things from multiple points of view and not judge--haha, not so much anymore!). I don''t like that I feel out-of-control fury essentially any time the topic comes up, and I''ve gotten better, but it''s an on-going process, to be sure.

Oh, and I just turned 30 in March.

 

[gwendolyn]

akmiss: (sorry, meant to include this in the last post but I can''t go back and edit) I think it really speaks volumes about how wonderful a man James is to deal with me. Our whole relationship (with the exception of the few uninterrupted weeks we''ve had together here and there) has been long-distance, so it''s required a great deal of trust. At first I was reluctant to consider us dating--partly because of how seldom we saw each other, but also because I just felt like he could date whoever he wanted and I''d have no way of knowing since he was on another continent. But because he is the incredible man he is, he was able to assure me of his faithfulness and his commitment to me, even after I''d said for the 49th time, "Are you SURE you don''t want to date anyone locally? I would never be able to forgive you if you cheated on me, so if you are even THINKING about it..." He always replied with, "No, babe, I only want to be with you." And eventually I stopped asking because I truly believed him (which maybe sounds basic, but considering how torn apart I was after B, I not only thought I could never love again, but also thought I could never trust again). He is nothing short of amazing.

 

[galeteia]

I don''t have any questions to ask, but I just wanted to pop in for a Gwen Love-In because I adore your wonderful, spiffy self.

 

[Eva17]

cute pix. you always look so happy!

i have to thank you for the linkie to the brittish store that ships out goodies. i have already placed a sweetie order for the "kids". (so i say now)

 

[coatimundi_org]

KristinGwen, I''m so excited to learn more about you! I love that you have a background in music. Who are some of your favorite composers/artists? You are such a lovely woman, and I''m so glad to meet you!

Mint chocolate chip anything is the best.

Coaties

 

[gwendolyn]

Galateia, heehee, I love that!

You are so sweet, thank you so much for popping in to give me some lovin''! I adore you right back and am still so so so happy you and your honey are together at last!

Eva17: Oh, you are very welcome for that link! What kind of bikkies did you get? I think when I finish my thesis I might treat myself to a box of something special from there. I haven''t had any M&S biscuits yet and I''ve been here 9 months!

 

[coatimundi_org]

Also wanted to add:

Congrats on your soon-to-be-move-in with J!!

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 6/22/2008 3:10:39 PM
Author: coatimundi
KristinGwen, I''m so excited to learn more about you! I love that you have a background in music. Who are some of your favorite composers/artists? You are such a lovely woman, and I''m so glad to meet you!


Mint chocolate chip anything is the best.

Coaties

Coati, dahlink!! I am so happy to see you here!

Hmmm, let me see...favourite composers...

I LOVE Beethoven. I remember learning about his life in my music history classes, and I was almost in tears during that lecture because his life was so sad. He wasn''t born deaf; he lost his hearing as a young adult but we so devoted to music that he kept composing and conducting, even after he couldn''t hear a thing. You can hear the evolution in his music, over time, getting more and more melancholy. He was suicidal, and possibly suffered from bipolar disorder even prior to the depression that coincided with his hearing loss. He fought for custody of his nephew (who was also his godson, I think?) who was so unhappy living with Beethoven that he (the nephew) tried to kill himself while in his care. He only loved women who were unattainable, so he was desperately unhappy in love as well. In his later works, especially (for me) in his string quartets, you can hear the painful heartache in the music, which is amazing, since he wrote it all (presumably) without knowing exactly how it sounded, except for what he could hear in his head.

I also love Berlioz, who wrote ''Symphonie Fantastique'' without having any formal musical training. It''s a great programatic work (it tells a story), and because he knew what he wanted the music to sound like to tell the story, that''s how he wrote it out. To make a sound like skeletons dancing (part of the story takes place in Hell

), he tells the string players to play col legno--with the wood of their bows--to get the right kind of sound that he wants. Genius! I love it!

I also have to give some props to Bach. I used to think his stuff was boring, but I adore his cello suites and really gained an appreciation for his compositions after I realized exactly HOW much the rules of modern music composition in the western world is based on his work. He is an impressive dude!

If you were thinking more along the lines of modern-day artists, I listed some on the first page, but people like Tori Amos, Billy Joel, Pink Floyd, John Mayer are some of my favourites.

 

[FrekeChild]

I love Beethoven too. Have you seen Immortal Beloved? You should watch it if you haven''t seen it already! It''s loosely based on his life with lots of interesting fictional bits woven into it. My favorite piece is Ode to Joy and it''s the only classical piece on my ipod.

 

[galeteia]

Date: 6/22/2008 3:12:46 PM
Author: coatimundi
Also wanted to add:


Congrats on your soon-to-be-move-in with J!!

Ditto to this, as well. Just think, Gwen, soon you will be able to grope your honey whenever the fancy takes you! I do.

(Note: It''s always a PG grope, since the windows are usually open

and I don''t want to give the neighbours a show) I''m thrilled with the fact that I can hit on my guy by walking a few steps, and I get smooches on request. For LDRs, it''s like a drug when you can finally have random, absent-minded affection because they are right there, eh?

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 6/22/2008 3:40:38 PM
Author: FrekeChild
I love Beethoven too. Have you seen Immortal Beloved? You should watch it if you haven''t seen it already! It''s loosely based on his life with lots of interesting fictional bits woven into it. My favorite piece is Ode to Joy and it''s the only classical piece on my ipod.

I haven''t actually, although I want to at some point. We were supposed to watch it for class and have a discussion about how it compares to what we know is historically accurate about his life, but we never got around to it. Watch Amadeus, but not Immortal Beloved. I will watch it someday--I just have to be in the mood to be horribly depressed by it, I think. Unless they really Hollywood-ized it (which they may have, I don''t know), it should be REALLY depressing.

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 6/22/2008 3:51:50 PM
Author: Galateia

Date: 6/22/2008 3:12:46 PM

Author: coatimundi

Also wanted to add:



Congrats on your soon-to-be-move-in with J!!

Ditto to this, as well. Just think, Gwen, soon you will be able to grope your honey whenever the fancy takes you! I do.

(Note: It''s always a PG grope, since the windows are usually open

and I don''t want to give the neighbours a show) I''m thrilled with the fact that I can hit on my guy by walking a few steps, and I get smooches on request. For LDRs, it''s like a drug when you can finally have random, absent-minded affection because they are right there, eh?

Thank you, Coati and Galateia!! I can''t WAIT!!!!

Hehe, I know, it probably sounds bonkers to the folks not in LDRs, but one of the main symptoms of withdrawal that I go through after J and I have spent time together is that I''ll be in the mood for a quick snuggle or a kiss or something and then remember "oh yeah, he''s X miles away again, I''ll have to wait X weeks/months." It will be so amazing for that to change to "oh yeah, he''s at work, so I''ll have to wait ''til tonight."

 

[Harriet]

Date: 6/22/2008 3:00:42 PM
Author: Eva17
cute pix. you always look so happy!

i have to thank you for the linkie to the brittish store that ships out goodies. i have already placed a sweetie order for the ''kids''. (so i say now)

Including yours truly?

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 6/22/2008 4:24:10 PM
Author: Harriet

Date: 6/22/2008 3:00:42 PM

Author: Eva17

cute pix. you always look so happy!


i have to thank you for the linkie to the brittish store that ships out goodies. i have already placed a sweetie order for the ''kids''. (so i say now)

Including yours truly?

Hahah, I think that halo is slipping off one of your horns there.

Ok, so I know which ones I''m getting after I turn in my thesis. M&S tea cakes. They look O.M.G. GOOD.

 

[Eva17]

is that marshmallow in the middle?

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 6/22/2008 5:56:05 PM
Author: Eva17
is that marshmallow in the middle?

Oh yes, yes it is.

Found them here, I think this is a different link than the one I posted in Harriet''s thread: http://www.britsuperstore.com/acatalog/Marks_and_Spencer_Classic_Biscuits.html

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Date: 6/22/2008 2:19:49 PM
Author: gwendolyn
Awwww, Harriet and iwanna, you ladies make me feel so good. Thank you!!

Sarah, thank you, darlin''! I don''t remember when, but when I was fairly young I kinda came to the realization that if I didn''t chase my dreams, no one else was going to make them happen, so if I wanted to live my life with (relatively) few regrets, I needed to go after the things I thought were important. Although it hasn''t always been easy, I can''t say I''d do things any differently if I went through it again (except maybe I would''ve left my first boyfriend a couple years earlier). And I think that means that I''m doing ok.

Is it weird that I''ve had The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain''s version of David Bowie''s ''Life On Mars'' stuck in my head all day? No, don''t answer that--I know the answer.

Here''s a YouTube link if anyone else is curious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxCj2MO02AE

So true about your dreams. Hey I remembered one thing I forgot to tell you! I was a brownie as well!

Hehe.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Date: 6/22/2008 5:50:18 PM
Author: gwendolyn

Date: 6/22/2008 4:24:10 PM
Author: Harriet

Date: 6/22/2008 3:00:42 PM

Author: Eva17

cute pix. you always look so happy!


i have to thank you for the linkie to the brittish store that ships out goodies. i have already placed a sweetie order for the ''kids''. (so i say now)

Including yours truly?

Hahah, I think that halo is slipping off one of your horns there.

Ok, so I know which ones I''m getting after I turn in my thesis. M&S tea cakes. They look O.M.G. GOOD.

Gwennie, I am going to have to have you start sending me all my favorite british food things. lol!

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 6/22/2008 3:51:59 PM
Author: gwendolyn

Date: 6/22/2008 3:40:38 PM
Author: FrekeChild
I love Beethoven too. Have you seen Immortal Beloved? You should watch it if you haven''t seen it already! It''s loosely based on his life with lots of interesting fictional bits woven into it. My favorite piece is Ode to Joy and it''s the only classical piece on my ipod.

I haven''t actually, although I want to at some point. We were supposed to watch it for class and have a discussion about how it compares to what we know is historically accurate about his life, but we never got around to it. Watch Amadeus, but not Immortal Beloved. I will watch it someday--I just have to be in the mood to be horribly depressed by it, I think. Unless they really Hollywood-ized it (which they may have, I don''t know), it should be REALLY depressing.

I''d say it''s pretty Hollywood-ized, it was very very sad but they didn''t really concentrate on that. I think they kept it pretty on target with his life but speculated about his love life-which is pretty much the basis for the movie. It''s terribly sad, but the movie does a very good job (IMHO) of balancing it out. And they end it on a high note.

 

[ladypirate]

Gwen, I''ve been out of town this weekend, so I''ve just caught up on this thread, but I just want to send some big giant *HUGS* your way! You are just lovely and I''m glad you have someone as wonderful as James to be with you and treat you the way you deserve!

 

[miraclesrule]

OMG, such a romantic story of you and J. I love it!!! I totally know where you are coming from after someone has betrayed your trust. Lying cheaters have no idea of the extent of the damage done as a result of their cowardice.

I''m really sorry about your Mom. It does sound like she is bit off-kilter

As were your friends, although a lot of teens contemplate suicide because those are some rough years.

It''s so hard with mental illness to get the right diagnosis. My Dad was on Lithium for depression, and went back and forth between several dignoses depending on the psychiatrist. Bi-polar, manic-depressive, schizo-affective disorder. I didn''t care what they called him I just wanted them to find the right medication. Finally Seroquel seemed to help, but they were giving him enough to subdue an elephant.

I''m just glad that you are in Cambridge and have found the love of your life...even if you were in smelly stinky clothes!! (How cute was he to show up with a stuffed animal/water bottle)? It''s like one of those "You had me at Hello Moments".

I love to hear love stories.

 

[gwendolyn]

Sarah: Hahah, that''s great that you were a brownie as well! Did you go on to be a girl scout? I didn''t, I thought being a brownie was fun but I didn''t like it enough to keep doing it.

I actually have a pretty funny story about something that happened to me while I was a brownie (well, it''s kind of funny now, wasn''t at the time). One of the girls in my troop was so awful! We were having a picnic and people were playing music and all us girls were dancing our little hearts out. 99.9% of the time I was the most perfectly behaved child (kind of sickening, really) but for some reason on that day, I decided it''d be fun to get up on one of the picnic tables to dance (yes, table-dancing at the age of 8 or whatever, my friends LOVE bringing this story up

). So I was up there, dancing away, and this girl in my brownie troop who always was mean to me climbs up on the table too, and pushes me off! I think she was pissed off that I was getting more attention than her (for once in my life, she always had to be the center of attention). My mom came over and the other girl says, "She just fell." I was crying because I had landed funny and (we found out later that evening) had broken my collarbone. I said "She pushed me, she pushed me!" but my mom thought I was just trying to get the other girl in trouble and didn''t believe me. It''s funny now, since it was dumb of me to be dancing on a table, but man oh man, what a little witch that other girl was! So yeah, after that experience, I didn''t really want to be a brownie anymore.

iwanna: I would be happy to send you some stuff! Like I told Harriet in her M&S thread, though, it''ll have to wait until I am no longer a poor grad student.

Freke: Hmm, in this case, I think it being Hollywood-ized is a good thing, since I''m not sure I could take an accurate portrayal of his sad, sad life. I definitely intend on seeing it--when I do, I''ll report back to give you my review of it! If you''re curious, that is.

LP: Thank you, sweetheart! Did you have a nice time this weekend? Were you away with Kris? I hope you had a fun and/or relaxing time!

miraclesrule: Thank you so much, babe! It''s been difficult dealing with my mom but I feel like I know better how to handle things now than before, so that''s progress of some sort, anyway! I don''t blame my friends for how they were when we were 16--they didn''t know how to handle the situation any better than I did. Sometimes it shows a bit in our current friendships though, since back then I was totally a doormat and just did evvvvvverything for everyone else. I think having old friends is wonderful, except when they sort of regress back to how you USED to be. Sometimes they slip up and act as if I am still a doormat, at which point I have to snap them back to reality and remind them of how much I''ve changed.

And yeah, J is really totally incredible. If there wasn''t this tiny sliver of my brain saying to wait and be practical to make sure we really will work great together when we live together, we''d be engaged or possibly even married by now. We''ve really been through a lot already that I think we will be able to make it through just about anything.

 

[claireabelle]

You''re a sweetheart, Kristen. Your story is inspiring...

Its always a pleasure to read your warm comments on PS. You contribute so much so it''s only fitting that you get your own little thread

Congratulations on your new job/move. I''m so happy for you and James!! xx

 

[claireabelle]

errr... I mean Kristin. Apparently, the Aussies can''t get it right, either!!!

 

[FrekeChild]

Of course I''m curious silly!!!

I do hope you like it....now I''m worried...

 

[bee*]

ooh I loved reading all that Gwen, especially when you and J first met!!

I have one more question.....

When are you coming over to Dublin

 

[ladypirate]

Date: 6/23/2008 7:30:35 AM
Author: gwendolyn
LP: Thank you, sweetheart! Did you have a nice time this weekend? Were you away with Kris? I hope you had a fun and/or relaxing time!

We did have a nice time! We just went down to LA for the weekend for one last hurrah before our move (in a week--ahh!!!

)

Also, I was totally a brownie as well! I''m sorry that girl in your troupe was such a brat and that you hurt your collarbone, but I''m glad you can laugh about it now!

You have fantastic stories--can''t wait to hear more of them!

P.S. Thank you so much for starting a Who''s Who thread on me--you are such a sweetheart!

 

[gwendolyn]

claireabelle: hahaha, no worries! People do it all the time with the spelling of my name.

Thank you so much for your sweet comments, my dear. I always perk right up when I see you have replied to a thread--I just love your posts! I think we would be good friends if we knew each other in real life.

Freke: hah, sorry, didn''t mean to worry you! I''m sure I''ll enjoy it--I''ve had friends tell me I need to watch it and be horrified that I haven''t yet, so I''m pretty sure I''ll love it (even if it does make me cry).

bee-star: thanks! I never really thought about J''s and my story as being all that interesting or romantic (losing one''s luggage and showing up to meet a dreamy hunk stinking to high heaven and without any fresh clothes of any kind is NOT generally what I''d consider romance novel material, y''know?

), but I''m glad you are enjoying it! Hahah, as far as my trip to Dublin, I am not sure yet! You will have to wait until I am bringing in some money--I am just a poor grad student now.

LP: Yeah, that girl was a punk, but whatev--my friends think that it is the most hilarious thing ever, that I did some table dancing as a kid, so hey, it makes a good story now!

Glad you and Kris had a nice time--and you move in one week! Woohoo, that''s exciting!!!