Hello!

The leaves have been slowly starting to change on the trees, and today was an especially nice day.  From my window I could see the sun shining and the leaves catching the light, glowing gold as they rustled in the breeze.  With that lovely description, I decided to take a break from reading all day yesterday and most of today and decided to go for a nice walk with my camera and take some fall pictures. 


I put on a sweater and put my open front sweater over, went outside and walked along the sidewalk by our building, which is lined with these changing trees. It was pretty to walk through, to hear my feet crunch on the leaves that had already fallen, and look ahead at how everything is beginning to transition into fall.  It's not quite fall yet, which is why I didn't take very many pictures.  Well, partly that reason.  I'm also very shy about taking pictures out in public where other people can see me.  Agh, could you just... pretend I'm not here?  There's still plenty of green in a lot of the trees.  I definitely think I'll take a lot more pictures once it truly becomes fall - when every tree in sight is full of red and orange and yellow.  All one beautiful autumny gradient.

I walked all the way to Red Square to see if the trees down there were starting to change as well.  Walking up the stairs and past the Starbucks there were lots of dried leaves on the ground, but it wasn't anywhere near as pretty as the trees at the sidewalk by my building.  The trees by Red Square barely looked like they were ready to change either.  Oh well.  In good time!  On another note, as I was walking down to Red Square, I was actually getting really, really hot.  When I had found a nice table to sit down at and read my book for class, I really had to take off my sweater cardigan, and then even after I did that I had to take off my other sweater, too!  Thank goodness I had a tank top underneath that, so it was okay, but man.  I couldn't believe that I was sitting there in just leggings and a tank top and still feeling warm - in October!  October's supposed to be the time when the weather begins to get crisp and chilly, and you bundle up in a coat and sweater and scarf and boots.  I don't like feeling overheated :[  Well, I guess I'll have to try to dress lightly this week until the weather decides to do what it's supposed to do.  But really, I've been feeling overheated all day.  Ugh.  I'm still feeling pretty hot now:

I know this is really dumb to even mention, but a couple days ago I did something I promised I never would again: I cut my own hair.  I was just feeling so bad about myself for awhile, constantly self-conscious and fussing with my hair, I decided to cut it a little bit, and that actually made a world of a difference.  I don't know what it is, but I can't go very long with longer hair.  I feel weighed down, I start to feel more awkward.  I don't know, I just feel much better with shorter hair and I think it suits me better, too.  I also decided to part my bangs to the left instead of to the right like I've been trying to do.  My bangs are apparently incredibly stubborn and do not want to part to the right!  And I actually used to part my bangs to the right for the longest time.  I don't know what made me switch to parting them to the right.  Anyway, it actually feels much better parting them back to the left again.  It feels more natural and they just lay nicer that way, and I think it's part of what's made me feel more confident since I'm fussing with them less now, so I think I shall keep them this way :)  I mean, the downside is that this side is where my cowlick also is, so my bangs like to bounce up a lot of the time... but ooooh well!  I know it's so silly to even ramble about these minute alterations I've made to my appearance, but I really do think they've helped make me feel more positive about myself, more comfortable in my skin now.  And I'd like to think that this somehow still ties into fall, what with fall representing a new year, new transformations.  Just as the trees are changing, so am I!

So yes, that's it.  A lovely walk through campus, fall soon on its way (although still feeling like summer...).  Me changing my appearance as well, in time with the leaves.  Reading dutifully for classes.  Oh, and I got an email from Mom earlier and sent her one back, so that was nice.  Nice talking to Mom and hearing how things back home are going.

I think this is where I shall end for tonight.  I'll probably stay on my laptop for a bit longer, and then eventually get off and read some more before bed.

Goodnight

x Danielle