Banging spoons

[raven]

I have been spending a very pleasant couple of days in the nineteenth century. That's what it's felt like, anyhow; it's mostly to do with the fact the Politics department have decided I don't need a fourth tute on Theory, and we can have a reading week with class on Friday. This is joyful, because it means I can do my Macro ahead of time, and have a crack at Data Analysis before going down from Oxford at the weekend, having had Thursday to Saturday off. I'm planning to take the whole of next week off before getting back to work at home, but that's all in the future. This is all a long-winded explanation for why I jumped at the chance, yesterday afternoon, to go down Christ Church Meadow for Torpids. Claire is in Leeds, having a lovely time by all accounts, so Pat and I left college late in the afternoon to be met by an absolutely beautiful day. Freezing, icy cold of course, and I had adopted the always-amusing idea of wearing tights under jeans, but wonderfully sunny too, and it made much more sense to give up on Macro and go for a walk through the meadow.

Of course, it wasn't exactly peaceful, what with every single college screaming themselves hoarse on the riverbank, and because the weather was so nice everyone was out on the towpath eating scones and waving very big flags. Pat and I embarrassed ourselves momentarily by failing to spot our own college colours, but there was enough screaming from the Balliol boathouse when the boats zoomed by for no-one to notice. They - the boats, that is - are such fun to watch, because it looks so effortless. I know it's not, due to two terms of rowers getting up at six am most days, but it really looks impressive. The sunshine and still water helped make it absolutely idyllic, sitting by the water's edge cheering with lazy enthusiasm and eating the scones, which were homemade and very good. I remember walking down by the Isis - it's actually the Thames, but it's called the Isis when it's in Oxford - when I was very young, with my parents, and I hadn't been back since, as it's always the Cherwell I find my way to when I go wandering. I'm told that Balliol doesn't usually do very well in Torpids, but both crews bumped without anyone seeing, way down the river away from the spectators, and drifted triumphantly into the jetty only to get pushed off it by New. The crew eventually emerged stage right carrying their boat and shrieking with joy. It was very much fun, and we came back via St Aldates dodging tourists in time for hot chocolate. Hot chocolate and messing about on the river - hence, the nineteenth century, and oh, my, my life is so rock 'n' roll.

Speaking of tourists and my life being rock 'n' roll, there is a muted sense of summer about the place. The bright sunshine and the hordes of Japanese and American tourists give rise to this impression, although it may just be because I spent much of last week in the Bodleian. It was World Book Day on March 2nd, and I was shocked to realise I'd almost missed it, consdering I spent two years of my life as a bookshop employee and a sixth form librarian. (Any of you lovely people who's been with me a while may remember last year and the year before.) But I would have bypassed it altogether had I not spotted a small sign in the Divinity School on my way out (I've never seen the place the same way since Goblet of Fire). Apparently in honour of WBD, the Bod had decided to take Shakespeare's first folio out of the vaults, and at eleven am, there was no-one there, so I tiptoed in to see. The pages I could see through the glass were yellow and very battered, but perfectly readable and open on Sonnet 116, the one that begins "Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments", and my favourite of them all. So I stood there for ten minutes and read it to myself, and no-one else came in at all. It wasn't very well publicised, or maybe there were hordes of people hiding themselves under the pews. I really don't know.

Other than that, my life has been mainly Macro, and the encroaching feeling that the end of term is coming. Unlike this time in Michaelmas, I don't feel so exhausted and desperate to get away from here as I did. I'm looking forward to going home, but a little sorry I'm going, and looking forward to being back in the summer. The general themes of convesersation are turning to Trinity and the very disparate joys of prelims and punting, and all the wonderful things we shall have to do when the nice weather is finally here. But right now, there is a week to go and you can feel it in the air. The plan for this week involves a lot of gin and chocolate and having breakfast at least twice, most days. I'm going to weigh twenty stone by the end.

Tonight, I think I'm going to see Balliol college choir singing Bach's St John Passion. Because of the choir singing, the Master dined with the undergraduates for the first time in many years, and according to tradition, the entire hall banged their spoons on the tables for five minutes solid before he said grace. I think I may be slightly deaf. I'm going to listen to the choir regardless.

(Before I go: I'm uncomfortably aware that for the last few weeks, I've been talking pretty much exclusively and rather uninterestingly about my life, and I don't know if people would rather I posted about fannish things. I can only say that this is due a change, as Doctor Who will be back on telly pretty soon, and I'm sure I shall start rambling about remixredux pretty soon as well. Just a thought.)

Comments

[aervir.livejournal.com]

Apparently in honour of WBD, the Bod had decided to take Shakespeare's first folio out of the vaults, and at eleven am, there was no-one there, so I tiptoed in to see. The pages I could see through the glass were yellow and very battered, but perfectly readable and open on Sonnet 116, the one that begins "Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments", and my favourite of them all. So I stood there for ten minutes and read it to myself, and no-one else came in at all.

*is positively green with jealousy*

But why is World Book Day on March 2nd now? I've always thought it was April 23, because of Shakespeare and Cervantes. Or am I confusing it with something else?

[me-ves-y-sufres.livejournal.com]

Apparently in honour of WBD, the Bod had decided to take Shakespeare's first folio out of the vaults, and at eleven am, there was no-one there, so I tiptoed in to see. The pages I could see through the glass were yellow and very battered, but perfectly readable and open on Sonnet 116, the one that begins "Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments", and my favourite of them all. So I stood there for ten minutes and read it to myself, and no-one else came in at all.

...I think I need to go and sit down. (DO THEY DO THIS EVERY YEAR?)

[elyim.livejournal.com]

I can just imagine you with parasols and the boys with boaters...

And I'm not even going to comment on the Shakespeare thing. I mean, really.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

According to the website, it's difference in the UK and Ireland from the rest of the world so the day will fall in termtime and schools can do things for it. I was responsible for organising school events for the last two years, and I think they're right, it would have been a real shame if the actual day wasn't something we could do in school.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I don't know! It was so little publicised that I actually think it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, so to speak. Cross your fingers!

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

And you wouldn't be that far off! (Okay, no parasols. But a few boaters. *g*)

Really, indeed! Heee.

[tau_sigma]

I'm uncomfortably aware that for the last few weeks, I've been talking pretty much exclusively and rather uninterestingly about my life, and I don't know if people would rather I posted about fannish things.

I like reading about your life. :) Fannish things are fun too, but, y'know, both are good in their own way. To me, your life seems interesting.

I didn't even realise it was World Book Day. :( Silly lack of publication...

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

That's nice to hear. :) I do worry on occasion that I'm boring everyone silly, and they're too polite to mention it.

WBD stops being fun when you leave school! I wish I was five, sometimes. *g*

[annikah.livejournal.com]

Oh, the Torpids thing sounds like it was fun, somehow I missed hearing about it. One of my housemates though had a football/soccer game yesterday (I'm not sure what to call it, living in a house with Americans but in a different country ^..^) so I went to that instead.

I got an email about banging the spoons, and I kind of wish I could have been there to see/hear it. At my college at home, whenever it's someone's birthday one of their friends will stand up and shout during a meal "It's so-and-so's birthday". Then everyone will sing "Happy Birthday" to them and then bang the tables with silverware or cups.

/random

Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed the concert. :)

[annikah.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah! I went and saw the folio too. I wouldn't have known about it if it hadn't been for word of mouth. There were more people when I went; I stood behind some German tourists I think...

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, Torpids were fun. *g* Did you have a college eight to yell at? Also, football all the way!

I was reading over Pat's shoulder when she opened that email! It seemed like just such a delightful tradition that I actually lingered over my food so I'd get to take part in making a racket. *g*

I really did. And a little bit offtopic, but never mind: would you like to meet for a coffee or something this week before I go down? I appreciate I'm really a total stranger, but it seems a shame to keep missing each other. *g*

[the-acrobat.livejournal.com]

I like it when you talk about your life.
Also, I'm (currently not, but I should be) writing a massive paper on His Dark Materials and thus rereading them, and when Balliol was mentioned, I was all "Squee! Raven!" *loves you*

[annikah.livejournal.com]

A college eight?

Actually, I wouldn't mind at all. I've been secretly wondering if we haven't by chance passed each other on Broad street without knowing it, heh. When are you leaving?

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

You know, eight people in a boat rowing with "[college name]" emblazoned on their backs.

I'm here until very early on Saturday morning, and I'm more or less free from Wednesday onwards. How about you?

[annikah.livejournal.com]

The same, except I have a 9:30 tutorial and a noon lecture on Thursday (I know I could skip the lecture, but I'm a nerd and it's on Middle English stuff so I want to go). Oh, and on Wednesdays I have tea/lecture/dinner at Wycliffe, so the afternoon/evening is busy.

Do PPH's have boats? Because if they do then I could have shouted for Wycliffe.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

You know, I have no idea if PPHs have boats! *g*

How about Thursday afternoon? That's pretty good for me, and it sounds like you're free... (any ideas on where to meet?)

[aervir.livejournal.com]

Okay, that explains it. And of course, it's a very reasonable idea to have World Book Day in termtime for school events. (I can't remember any WBD events at my school, though, even if we did have termtime in April. Grrr.)

[annikah.livejournal.com]

Thursday would be great. Um... the only coffee places I know are Starbucks and Cafe Nero...

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I know I know more, but I can't think of them! Shall we say Starbucks on Cornmarket? I may have a tute that afternoon at some point - bloody Forder and his bloody rescheduling - but when I know if/when, I'll be in touch about timing.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Glee! I didn't even know Balliol existed in Lyra's Oxford! Where is it mentioned?

[the-acrobat.livejournal.com]

I looked it up for you. It's on page 62 of the super-pulpy edition I have: "It's all changed," she said. "Like... That en't the Cornmarket? And this is the Broad. There's Balliol. And Bodley's Library, down there. But where's Jordan?"

[rue-du-hoquet.livejournal.com]

*super-pulpy edition of The Subtle Knife, that is.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I have my tute on Thursday from four to five. What time'd be good for you?

[annikah.livejournal.com]

Hm. My lecture gets out at 1 and I'd like to grab some lunch... How about 2:30 at Starbucks on Cornmarket?

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

That'd be good! Um... how am I going to recognise you? *g*

[annikah.livejournal.com]

Um... I'll be the girl with a blue hat, fuzzy scarf, and glasses. How will I recognize you? Will we meet just inside the door? Or look for each other at a table?

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

How about at a table? I'll have a red and black striped scarf. :)