Hello!

[silviarambles]

NAME: Silvia

AGE: 37

INTERESTS & HOBBIES: Anything related to culture - books, museums, galleries, theatre, historical documentaries, live music, you name it. Exploring both familiar and new places. Yoga. Going on long walks. Meals, drinks and coffee with friends. Occasionally playing with my Super Nintendo Mini (ah, 90s nostalgia).

LOOKING FOR: I've had DW as a LJ backup for years, but I've recently jumped ship for good and I'd like to make new friends on here. I like reading about people's everyday life, from the mundane to introspection, and while I expect interaction (otherwise what's the point?) I'm fairly relaxed - I don't expect comments on every single post. I'm a sociable, fairly extroverted person and I'm interested in genuine connections, so if you're like-minded, with some common interests and not a racist/sexist/homophobic/raging fascist please come forth!

ANYTHING ELSE?: I live in the UK but I'm originally from Italy (so I should also add - if you voted Brexit, we most likely won't get on...). I work as a fundraiser for a cultural organisation - an important detail because I'm truly passionate about what I do and I talk about it a fair bit in my journal. I had my journal for over 16 years, it's been a fantastic window into different ways of living and thinking that really changed my perspective on the world, and I've truly made friends for life through it. So yes, I really do value it!

Comments

[annofowlshire]

Hi! I love museums and galleries—not to mention coffee with friends—although between creating a small child, pandemic, and moving from London to the countryside (during said pandemic) I can’t say I do much of any of them these days ^_^; I generally post about my day to day life.

I’m an American emigrated to the UK, an “LJ-er” for about 2 decades (although I’ve changed usernames/platforms and such so it doesn’t look like it), and I always come back it even after long breaks. Apparently it’s just how my brain wired now. I’m a narrative designer in gamedev, which I guess depending on who you ask it means I work in the “arts” :)

[silviarambles]

Hello! Ah you're part of the great exodus - I'm also in London, but the pandemic didn't quite manage to push me out.

So many people tend to go then come back, I think it's normal as we go through ups and downs of life (or just having no headspace). And I think it definitely counts as arts and really interesting!

[annofowlshire]

We were at the front of the wave of the exodus as we’d been taking steps to leave in late 2019 (this had been intended for some years), but then got frustratingly trapped in the mayhem of Lockdown(s). After a looooooot of drama, though, we finally got to move in November 2020!

Being fair, the Forest of Dean (where I live now) does have museums/history centers and a local arts scene—it just isn’t the same sort that we’d get in London or NYC. But I think it’s no less valid for it.

[silviarambles]

It seems everyone who moved last year or so had a painful time doing it! The whole market sounded very stressful.

Oh I've been to the Forest of Dean, even if just very shortly. Such beautiful place! And I must say, I'm a city person, but I do feel like I could get used to a less crazy pace of life.

[neonvincent]

Not only do I like museums, I used to work in and for one (the L.A. County Museum of Natural History) and am taking my students to another (Cranbrook Institute of Science) on Friday. People familiar with the latter might not be surprised at my general location in the icon I'm using. I'm also interested in film, including documentaries.

[silviarambles]

I do know of that museum, although I've never been! Will add you :)

[neonvincent]

Added back. Thank you!

[rafiwinters]

Hello and welcome to DW-for-real. Adding you in half a mo'. I read voraciously. I'm an academic editor by day, and a writer by night--often science fiction, currently a memoir about growing up with mental illness and on the autism spectrum (although I'm of the opinion that autism is more of a galaxy than a spectrum). I lived in London for a year and a half as a child, and I have relatives in Oxford and am more than a bit of an Anglophile. I mostly write about daily life, including friendship, being bisexual, and wanting to smash the kyriarchy. I love a good word so feel free to introduce me to some new vocabulary.

[silviarambles]

That's really interesting - I work for a library, so anything to do with words and writing is definitely up my street. Many years ago I worked for an autism organisation, which clearly doesn't give me anything near real life experience, but I would agree with you about the galaxy from what I've learnt during my time there. I think we'll get on :)

think we'll get on

[rafiwinters]

I suspect we will. :-) I'm curious what your experience was at that organization. (Ha ha, yes, spelled it with a -z-, silly American. ) What was your job? What was your interest in working there?

As to galaxies, here's my theory. Autism, gender, sexual orientation, mood disorders, so many other things: they're not spectrums, they're not pie charts, they're not even 3-D landscapes. They are actually 4-D (thus galaxies) and the 4th dimension is because they change over time.

I'm writing a memoir which includes talk about such things.

Re: think we'll get on

[silviarambles]

My keyboard automatically corrects to British English XD It was a charity that both ran a school for children/young people with severe autism and worked to support families, advocate at government level for better support etc. I was still a fundraiser so not very involved in the actual service delivery, and to be honest it was a random choice at first - when I applied I hated the job I was in and that role offered opportunities for me to grow in my career, so initially I didn't have a particular interest in the work to be honest. But that changed when I started, I think I only had very notional knowledge of autism before then and it was an eye-opener to understand how many misconceptions there are around it among the general public.

Re: think we'll get on

[rafiwinters]

When I first learned that I had what was then called "Asperger's Syndrome" I thought, oh, okay. When I was later told it was related to autism, I was offended. I thought, I'm not autistic! I didn't know anything but bad things about autism. I've learned differently since then.

*"Asperger's" has been erased from the official diagnostic manual and folded into the general autism grouping. But I stopped using the term before that happened, because Hans Asperger was a Nazi.

[howsmyenglish]

Hello! We have quite a bit in common, so I think we might find each other interesting. Check out my journal to see if you agree :D
Although I keep my country of residence kind of secret, it's not the one I was born in. I write about my life, travel, introspection, books. Sometimes, I don't write for long periods of time, but I usually read my DW friends' posts daily and comment whenever I have something to say. Interaction is very important to me here.

[silviarambles]

Hello, and I agree! Looking at your profile I also saw your comment on setting up your journal to practise English and you know, it was the same reason why I set up mine years ago. Adding you now!

[rebeccarobota]

Hi there! I'm a government reference librarian in my mid-30s and also enjoy books, culture, & exploration. I mostly journal about everyday life, creative projects (I write fiction, garden, and occasionally feel moved to knit), and book/TV recs. Happy to follow you!

[silviarambles]

Ha, I also work for a library! Sounds like we would get on, adding you :)

[flikkeren]

I think we might get on well. I'm also a longtime LJ/DWer and it's been a helpful habit for me too. All your interests are my interests (just replace yoga with qi gong!). Friends?

[silviarambles]

Sure! Adding you now.

Hello!

[ysabetwordsmith]

I'm here from followfriday where falena mentioned that you're new.

>>Anything related to culture - books, museums, galleries, theatre, historical documentaries, live music, you name it.<<

I am into that stuff too.

>> I like reading about people's everyday life <<

Much of what I post is writing or newsbits. However, I have one personal thing I post almost every day: birdfeeding and/or gardening depending on the season. Another intermittent one is what I'm cooking, or recipes I've created. I got some new ingredients for Midwinter, so I've started playing with those. The Blood Orange Shortbread Cookies were brilliant. Occasionally there are extra bits, like the current snow report.

>> while I expect interaction (otherwise what's the point?) I'm fairly relaxed <<

People can lurk or interact, I'm flexible that way. Most days I post a handful of entries. I host a Poetry Fishbowl on the first Tuesday of each month which usually gets heavy traffic, and the crosstalk among fans can be fun to watch. During that or the half-price sales, there can be a lot of new poems to read close together. If you're looking for an active blog with a lively audience, it's worth a look; if you're easily overwhelmed, not so much.

>> I work as a fundraiser for a cultural organisation <<

That's a cool job.

Re: Hello!

[silviarambles]

Hi! From this and reading your profile it sounds like yours is indeed a lively and varied blog and we have interest in common, so it sounds like I'd enjoy that. I must confess I'm not particularly familiar with poetry as with other art forms, but my partner (who is, A LOT) is always telling me I should give it another go...so perhaps here's my chance!

Re: Hello!

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Hi! From this and reading your profile it sounds like yours is indeed a lively and varied blog and we have interest in common, so it sounds like I'd enjoy that.<<

Yay! I have friended you back.

>> I must confess I'm not particularly familiar with poetry as with other art forms, but my partner (who is, A LOT) is always telling me I should give it another go...so perhaps here's my chance! <<

1) A lot of what I write is free verse, narrative poetry. It reads a lot like fiction, just with some dressier bits of wordplay. If this sounds interesting, see the Serial Poetry page for a list of the landing pages with poems in series-chronological order.

2) January is for "short forms" and that's where a lot of the form poems wind up. I have done several collections of haiku, two of them on Japanese nature and one on astronomy features.

3) Once in a while I do sheer wordplay and far-out linguistic stuff. Twice my audience has asked me about Pictish forms. I have quirky fans.

4) A bunch of my fans have said they don't like poetry in general, but they like mine. (I can't blame them, much modern poetry is awful. Older stuff is often better.) YMMV.

5) If you're curious about poetry, by all means ask. Or just drop by the fishbowl sometimes and watch people swarm like goldfish chasing breadcrumbs. And if you still don't care for it, no big deal, you can just scroll past and read the other stuff.

[motodraconis]

Hi, Falena recommended you, so if you want to give it a go, we could connect up. I'm a Brit driven out of the UK to Norway because of Brexit, and loathe Brexit and the current government in the UK with a burning hatred. I sporadically rant on this on my journal as I return to London regularly to see friends and my mother but mostly its about my life in Norway. I do review live music gigs, though er, these are satirical reviews on music that is... something of an acquired taste. (I used to blog reviews of opera, but my opportunities to see opera have shrunk since leaving London. Thus I was forced to turn to a less controversial native-Norwegian genre.)

[silviarambles]

Hello, absolutely - I'm very likely to get on with Falena's friends! I don't really know that much but I'm fascinated by Nordic countries and I'm really interesting to see the opposite perspective to mine, as in someone who emigrated from the UK to somewhere else. Needless to say, I share your burning hatred. And now I'm intrigued about the music reviews...Adding you now.

[dandylover1]

Hello, Silvia. You sound quite interesting. I, too, am interested in culture, particularly high culture as described in many of your examples. I would like to get to know you. I will say now that I am not one for political correctness. I am a grammar prescriptivist, I speak my mind, and believe in the idea of classes with reasonable social mobility. That said, I write about many different things and am hardly ever political.

[silviarambles]

Hello, thanks for stopping by but I will be honest - I’m not sure if we’d get on as, while we have some shared interests, we seem to have quite radically different view on life and values. I personally don’t believe there’s such thing as high culture - in fact, my main drive for working in the culture sector is to dispel that very notion and promote culture for everyone. I’m also fiercely against social classes and I believe it’s the greatest issue in the country I live in. So I hope no offence taken, but I don’t think we’re so good a match.

[dandylover1]

*smile* No, I am not offended at all. I thank you for your honesty and civility. I always appreciate that. I wish you all the best.

[silviarambles]

And to you!