Things Wot Are Of Note, numbered for ease of persual:

[raven]

1. It is Easter Monday. Apparently. My mother wanted to know, "What do they do on Easter?" Who's "they", I wanted to know. She said, "You know, them."

Long experience has taught me that "them" means the natives. And I have to say I have no idea. I have some idea about Christmas - turkey and tinsel and good things on television - but very little about Easter. Well, what I don't know is the secular significance; I know the religious and historical part, of course.

2. As well as being Easter Monday, it's also Monday of noughth week. This is just terrifying. I don't want it to be noughth week already. Where have the last five weeks gone? Where has the academic year gone? And unlike most, I don't want to go back. I like it here. And I know I like it in Oxford too. It's just that noughth week is going to be hideous and awful, as I've got three collections to revise for on Fridcay and Saturday, and an assignment and essay to do for next week. Hideous.

3. And as well as that, I had a bit of a revelation. Saturday night featured the first episode of the second twenty-eighth somethingth season of Doctor Who. Just like last year, it is the first of a thirteen-episode run, and I'm sure we all remember last year. It was a lovely slice of open-canon fandom, and there was fic and general review squee and some criticism and lots of fun. But the feature of it that inevitably stands out is how quickly it disappeared. There was Rose, and then there was the The Parting of the Ways, and precious little time in between.

But here is the revelation. By the time episode number thirteen, Doomsday, rolls around, not only will I have got through all my remaining teaching-time, written all my essays and done all my assignments, I will have sat my prelims and said a final goodbye to my attic. In fact, I will be home for the summer - well, home for July; I will be various other places in August and September - by the last week of June. It goes quickly. It goes far too quickly. Where is the year disappearing off to?

Anyway. I have decided that I will be home, post-term, post-exams, with a month of total laziness and, possibly, working in the bookshop, and there will be two episodes of Doctor Who to go, and it will be the perfect time for the much-talked-about Tenth Doctor ficathon. I threatened to do it a year ago when I was wrapping up the Ninth Doctor ficathon, and when I was making discreet enquiries as to fandom's interest in a re-run, it seems people want to do it when we've got a good chunk of canon behind us. Also, if I do sign-ups two weeks before the series ends, it means the due date will be something to look forward to after the season finale.

So there we go. That is what I have to look forward to. If, of course, people are interested this year as they were last year, but let's hope. And hathy_col and I have been idly chewing over a re-run of Mauve and Dangerous, too.

4. I am hoping to finish the Remus/Tonks epic story before I go back up and lose all desire to write. Unfortunately, the story that was a 1500-word snippet at the end of March is now 14,000 words long. Sigh.

5. And finally, and a little randomly, does anyone know anything about Ani DiFranco? Pandora keeps telling me that I'd like her, presumably because I like the Indigo Girls, and I have managed to acquire one song by her, this one, Both Hands. It is absolutely lovely, and I'd love to hear more; however, it seems as though she's the most prolific artist in the history of the world. I am confused. Anyone who is a fan of her and can rec my her best stuff would be much appreciated.

6. I had the most peculiar dream last night. It involved going shoe-shopping with tau_sigma. Terribly odd.

7. Back to revision. Siiiiiigh.

Comments

[hathy-col.livejournal.com]

On Easter Monday, I am going to lectures. Because, you see, IT IS NOT HOLIDAY IN SCOTLAND. Oh, no, Scotland has entirely randomisd Mondays off, but is alive and well and full of tourists today.

NOT FUN.

Easter Monday is like any other bank holiday, I suppose. DIY, sleeping in, drinking a bit, and eating the remainder of the Easter egg. Or maybe that's just what I do. Easter Sunday is when most people go to church for the first time all year, also eat too much chocolate, generally have a beef or pork joint and a full roast dinner. Sometimes there are Easter egg hunts. The whole festival is a cunning combination of the Christian ideas of the resurrection of Jesus (hence: Happy Zombie Jesus Day!) and also the pagan festival for the goddess Eostra (see the name there?) which is for re-birth and fertility and all that good fun.

Are you around for a squee-filled conversation at some point in today? I have a phoneline!

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Ah, I see. That actually sounds like fun. Happy Zombie Jesus Day to you too!

(Also, this means Ten is Jesus Christ! He was born at Christmas and he's come back at Easter!)

I am home all day. Call away!

[apestaartje.livejournal.com]

I have tons of Ani DiFranco cds. I don't have them all on my computer, though. If you want I'll upload some for you. I would've uploaded Little Plastic Castle but I can't find the cd where it's on. ::sniffs::

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Oh, that would be wonderful! I'd love to hear some more of her music.

[rhipowered.livejournal.com]

Ani can be overly political, in my opinion. Definitely less smooth then the Indigo Girls, but worth your time to look at--she's a great poet and has some fantastic songs.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Thanks! What sort of politics, out of interest?

[ceciley.livejournal.com]

I don't know what happens on Easter, either, and I'm one of them.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Argh, I've realised that what I wrote above might come across as incredibly rude. It wasn't meant to be, honest!

[minttown1.livejournal.com]

I don't know enough Ani DiFranco music to comment on what is her best, but I know that I love "Falling is Like This." Here. (http://download.yousendit.com/C2AE04E033141988) :)

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Thank you! *downloads liek woah*

[that_mireille]

With Ani, I have to pick and choose. When she gets very, very political, I sort of roll my eyes and hit the "next track" button.

OTOH, her less-political stuff is great--quirky and poetic and genuine.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I appreciate the opinion; I'm approaching this from a position of total ignorance. :)

[the-acrobat.livejournal.com]

1. Easter means hunting all over the house for chocolate eggs (which my dad is diabolically good at hiding), Laura Secord Cream Eggs (to die for) and a trip to church and if I remember correctly, communion. In the evening it means a big family dinner. Lamb, I think, although... No, don't talk about that. This year it meant sleeping until 2:00, and going to a big family-and-friends dinner with a friend of mine. As for the Monday part, it just means one more day the post office isn't open so I can't go pick up that package from my parents which might have a Laura Secord Cream Egg in it (though I'm not really getting my hopes up).

5. I love Ani, but haven't managed to turn up the CD with her mp3s on it (although Meredith Files 2001 is proving extremely amusing), so I'll give you what I have on my computer right now: Falling is Like This (http://s53.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2WKLXCSND5FJR0MVWOEK1PV8R1), and Sorry I Am (http://s53.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0SBGREJDY2LET3EW0IX5SDAXIR). If I find CD, I send more, yes? Ani is a genius.

*snuggles you* You'll make it through Noughth week.
... how do you pronounce that? Nough[t]th week, or nough[th] week?
I can't wait to read your remus/tonks fic.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

1. Aww, sounds wonderful! I've been on one Easter egg hunt in my whole life, in America at Easter years ago, and it was fabby. You get Cadbury's creme eggs, right? I love those.

5. Thank you so much! Please do send more!

*snuggle* You pronounce it the second way. It sort of makes your tongue hurt if you say it a lot. Remus/Tonks, yay! (also has Sirius/Remus, because that's just canon. *g*)

[the-acrobat.livejournal.com]

Oh, and for the record, I *like* Ani's politics.

[hips-lips-tits.livejournal.com]

didn't i tell you about ani before.. ?! haha. i have been singing her praises for quite some time. if they would work when i sent them to you, i would burn you copies of everything i have.. quite a few albums, both new and old. mayhaps i shall get to work on downloading them to my hard drive.. you have an ipod, do you not?

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I do indeed have an ipod! That would be much appreciated. And believe me when I say I trust your taste. *g*

[bekkypk.livejournal.com]

Easter? *laugh* Don't ask this native, I'm pagan!
Well, obviously not really, but my mum sort-of-is. It was dad's lot that had us baptised *glares at the family*
xx

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I think there are more pagans on my flist than Christians. I don't know if that means something... *g*

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

Secularly speaking, I no longer do anything for Easter because I LIVE IN FUCKING OHIO.

...

Um. But when I used to live in civilization have a family celebrate it, it was a sort of second-order holiday, smaller than Christmas (and Thanksgiving) but bigger than any other celebration. In the morning my siblings and I would come downstairs, and there would be three ribbons, each one labeled with one kid's name, tied to the banister in the front hall. You'd have to follow your ribbon, which would lead to your Easter basket filled with candy. Later in the day, we'd usually go over to an aunt or uncle's house and meet up with the local extended family for Easter dinner/lunch, movies, and maybe an egg hunt. (And one year, an egg drop with homemade protective devices.)

I really do miss Easter.

Re: Ani: one of my suitemates is her biggest fan of all time, and she has good taste in music, but I have to admit I don't know that much of her work. I'd recommend "You Had Time," (http://s51.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=136GZVUVPI0DO3T43P3RPYWP95) which is one of the prettiest songs I know. ("Both Hands" is lovely, too--that's a great start.)

[rhipowered.livejournal.com]

heee, Ohio.

[walkertxkitty.livejournal.com]

It would depend on who you talk to regarding what is done for Easter. In the US, from a secular standpoint, we dye hard boiled eggs and hide them for the little ones to find. We also make up baskets with little trinkets, toys, and candy in them. Sometimes these are hidden, other times they're just there when the child wakes up. The meal, usually eaten at midday, is traditionally ham with potato salad, cole slaw, and perhaps some potatoes au gratin.

From a pagan standpoint, this is a bastardization of spring equinox rituals. It celebrates the return of the sun and the lengthening of the days. For our Easter, we ate pork roast with the last of the cabbage, carrots, and potatoes we had in the house because traditionally this is the time of year when the diet turns to greens and tomatoes and green beans.

Either way, it's basically a day of gathering family together and celebrating the fact that we can be together.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you for telling me about it. I often feel like I live in a culture in which the important bits are hidden for me, so reading all these response has been very interesting.

[slasheuse.livejournal.com]

I spend quite a bit of Easter freezing my arse off in the vicinity of church: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings as well as Sunday morning. Then we ate a big dinner not dissimilar to Christmas dinner, but with lamb not turkey. There was a lot of good food and our closest family friends were here and it was nice.

Also. What are you doing Friday night? That's not meant to sound quite so much like a seedy proposition, but am having a birthday party!

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Sounds lovely! Well, not the freezing-arse-off bit. *g*

Friday night, I am all yours. Well, I will be fretting over collections, but that's not important. *g*

[tau_sigma]

Hm, Easter. Is weird. Most people eat themselves sick on Easter eggs and assorted chocolate, possibly go to church, where sometimes we are given more eggs! but generally the kids, *sigh* Some of us just go to church and have wonderful, beautiful, amazing music - sorry, I am still so squeeful over last night. It was wondrous. All the best music comes out on red letter days of the ecclesiastical calendar. *g*

I hadn't quite connected the fact that yes, first year of university, including exams, results, crazy end of year partying, and all, will be over before this series of DW finishes. That's, um, kind of scary. Weird.

Shoe-shopping with me? Odd. *g* I dreamt about setting my alarm clock the other day ... strange things, our subconsciouses.

[tau_sigma]

Oh, and *hugs*. Noughth week may not be the greatest, but it'll be over soon. *hugs*

[anotherusedpage.livejournal.com]

I can bring an Ani Defranco Mixtape to the next OU3FS meet you'll be at, if you like. I'm doing one for sebastienne already, so burning a second one wouldn't be any trouble.

I have never once wanted to go back to Oxford in Oth week. I love it here, don't get me wrong. But I hate the feeling of going back. The fact that it makes everyone else bouncy and cheerful doesn't help either...

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Oh, that would be very sweet of you! *g* 0th week is eeeeeevil. *wail* And everyone else is very happy about it, wah!

On an unrelated note, your icon is love.

[apestaartje.livejournal.com]

Ooh, and about Easter. Little kids go easter egg hunting. I did that when I was all little. Apparently I'm too old for that now. I've also just discovered that here, in Belgium, it's the clocks that bring the eggs and in America it's the Easter bunny. That's my complete knowledge on easter.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

The clocks bring the eggs? How so? And is this any less logical than an Easter bunny? Methinks not. :)

[eternalwings.livejournal.com]

Iona! I think for doomsday there must be group watching and as I have a comfeh house and lovely mum if I arranged a doctor who geekathon would you be able to attend?

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

You betcha I would be able to attend. *g*

[amchau.livejournal.com]

Yeah, what those other natives said. This Easter, I have laid an Easter egg hunt (which is pagan from start to finish if you ask me), seen family, and been on a pilgrimage to St Albans (that bit was more Christian). And not eaten much chocolate, actually.

And you are so right that the Tenth Doctor-- born at Christmas, reappeared at Easter-- must be Jesus. Next time I get a Jehovah's Witness on the doorstep, I shall be sorely tempted to ask him if he's accepted the salvation of Doctor Who into his heart.