My mother arrives in the UK tomorrow, and is coming to Oxford on Thursday. On Saturday, we are leaving for Malta, where we will remain until the 1st of April. After that, there will be nineteen days remaining before the qualifying test, during which I also need to do thesis preparation. On the 10th, with automotive support from Kai, I will be moving out of Wadham College and into the flat on Church Walk where I will live until September. By the 15th of April, I mean to have submitted an edited version of the fish paper to another journal. I don’t revel in the work that is upcoming, but I am definitely looking forward to the Maltese trip.
I opened up the fish paper the other day. It seems an eternity since I wrote it. I don’t remember the details of the sources, and I certainly don’t have them on hand. The extent of rejigging that is possible is probably limited to summarizing the more tedious or esoteric segments and focusing on a single aspect of the argument. I don’t think it will be necessary to reformat the footnotes, at this stage, which is a blessing since this is a pre-EndNote document.
It had been far too long since I had seen Margaret, prior to meeting with her for a while this morning. Of all the M.Phil programs I know people in, the economics program seems to be the most work. Constant worksheets and math seem calculated to drive them to depression or madness. Kudos to Margaret for enduring thus far.
iPod voyages
The iPod seems to have benefitted from its trip to the Netherlands, even though they decided there was nothing wrong with it and sent it straight back. More precisely, they decided they among “issues reported concerning [my] iPod” “were found to be within Apple’s specifications for acceptable performance, usability and/or functionality.” I guess crashing several times an hour isn’t serious enough to warrant repair.
- I am considering making V for Vendetta the first film I see in theatres in the UK. Has anyone seen it? If so, comments on it would be appreciated. I’ve had the comics recommended several times, but they aren’t in any of the Oxford libraries and cost about twenty Pounds in bookshops.
- For Neko Case fans, her new song “Hold On, Hold On” strikes me as very good. It has the same combination of a solid melody and innovative lyrics as the rest of her better work.
- Congratulations to Meaghan Beattie for winning top speaker at the French Debating Nationals.
I was recently given the new CD. It’s good. My favourite song is the “John the Baptist” song.
-Alison
I only have “Hold On, Hold On.”
I got it as a free single of the week from the iTunes Music Store: one of the few such songs I’ve really enjoyed.
Great photo of the Day.
Take a look at this.
Milan,
I saw “V for Vendetta” on Friday. I think it is a most excellent film and recommend seeing it on the big screen. Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving, and I shouldn’t forget the Stephens: Rea or Fry (who I’ve loved ever since his Jeeves days), are fabulous.
Especially humorous is the barge of wheat and beer sent as a bargaining and good-will gesture at the begining (Boston Tea Party revenge anyone?), but I really shouldn’t give too much away.
One thing to be cautious about is the post-viewing symptoms of:
1. Wanting to stick it to the man.
2. Wanting to blow up something to the 1812 Overture with fireworks.
3. Wanting to carry at least six daggers on you at all times and talking alliteratively.
I hope you enjoy!
Kate,
We all know it’s far too late to prevent any of that.
*rushes off to sharpen his deadly daggers*
Whatever else the film is, it’s a clever piece of personal rebranding by Natalie Portman.
She must know what an albatross it will be around the neck of her career if she ends up remembered as the star of those egregious new Star Wars films.
Rewriting Environmental Science
William Gibson’s take on V is for Vendetta:
“Just back from V FOR VENDETTA. More thumbs up than a Chernobyl pianist. Superb. Splendid. Heartening. Go see.”
There’s a video of Neko Case performing ‘Hold On, Hold On” on YouTube.