I know what you're saying. It may sound funny, but when I was applying to grad school, I eventually realized that one of my greatest wishes was that the school had hard-core gothic architecture. I always felt that architecture was so ancient and magical. I actually seemed to be the only person in our physics department that was happy we didn't get a new building at NAU. Even though it was only brickwork (and not gothic) I thought it looked so much better then the new-style giant glass boxes that I saw elsewhere on campus. Nights were at least a little creepy in there (but only when I had severe sleep deprivation) and at least there was a semi-secret basement that only was accessible in one part of the building... oh and tunnels that I never dared enter (but they inspired my imagination endlessly thereafter).

I wish things, like trains, buildings, streets... I wish they all gave me feelings. That they haunted me, or made feel nostolgic or cheerful or magical. Instead, everything modern just feels sterile, like one giant clean-room.

By the way, you don't post enough on here. You should change that, I miss hearing from everyone in the old group >_>.