my heart is a glorious machine;

So, one of the first things I discovered in Alyssa's family's house has been sending me into fits of geeky squeeishness.

They own what is apparently a first edition copy of T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets (published in 1943, I believe; somewhere around there, at least). Tucked inside of it are typewritten copies of 'Rhapsody on a Windy Night', 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock', and 'Gerontion'. Typewritten. Held together with a paper clip so old it's made grooves in the yellowing paper. I've been sporadically reading the poems since I got here whenever I have a moment in which I don't really have much else to do (which isn't often, as Alyssa and I are gadding about with cameras and costumes and occasionally our sisters).

Today, Mrs. H took us (Mum, Heidi, Alyssa, her sister Laura, and I) to the consignment shop, which as far as I can tell is like a thrift shop, with more vintage and antique items: I noticed a great deal of wonderful parlour chairs, the cloth-covered sort, with which I would love very much to furnish a home, or a dorm room. There was an exquisite vintage typewriter for only fifty dollars, and I very seriously considered buying it, but decided that if I really want a laptop and an iPod, both of which would be much more practical, I need to be a bit more sparing with large purchases such as that. I did, however, buy a wooden handbag with a nineteen twenties look to it, a soft, red-brown 'authentic velour' hat, which could fit into several eras and looks rather pleasant with my nineteen thirties dress, and--most exciting of all--a nineteen twenties flapper hat, dangling beads and all. Alyssa and I are going to take photographs of them as soon as possible, and you lot can see them when I get home. I'm completely thrilled: I adore hats madly, and it is very difficult to find them in this day and age.

We also dropped into Starbucks, which I have dearly missed, and my beloved vanilla bean creme frappuchino and I were reuniited. (Starbucks smells glorious, by the way.)

In further news, Pride & Prejudice is my new(est) favourite film. It is so beautiful that I was very nearly aching, and I must get a hold of the soundtrack as soon as possible. Amusingly, Mr. Darcy reminded me of fandom Snape, especially with his proficiency for black (and mmm, tailcoat! *drool*), and I kept expecting Lizzie to hiss fiercely, "That overgrown bat!" But oh, how lovely it was, and I must find icons immediately. Cinematography = so much love.