tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57941063611940661852024-03-05T22:08:56.073+00:00Bad PennyShe'll come back, as soon as she's ready.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.comBlogger261125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-76267378249152346362015-04-12T18:33:00.002+01:002015-04-12T18:33:30.155+01:00The Faith of Radio Producers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few weeks ago, when I was in the middle of producing my first ever professional BBC radio documentary, I realised this:</div>
<div>
I have been trying to do this - EXACTLY THIS - for almost 10 years.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've gone from college radio to community radio - I've spent years working freelance at the BBC.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In all that time, this dream lived on faith. My thin, weary faith that I would ever get there. My family's strong, unbreaking faith that I would. My friends' help and support and care. The nights I have spent telling Jonti this may never happen...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And finally.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05pmpdw" target="_blank">The Faith of Children or Kumbayah and All That.</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/640x360/p025h180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/640x360/p025h180.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I can barely believe it's true. Click on 'Show More' and see what I mean. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Producing it was so tough. I had so little time, and I spent an entire week of the production feeling like I'd been slammed against a concrete wall. I was literally aching in every part of my body. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But I made it - in just under 3 weeks. It's had some very nice <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/tv-and-radio-reviews/11520772/Radio-5-Live-catches-the-mood-of-Britains-floating-voters.html" target="_blank">reviews</a>. It made BBC Radio 4's Pick of the Week, the BBC's weekly highlights show.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Anyone reading this knows how much I've wanted to do this - how much this has consumed me for years now. Anyone reading this has been a part of supporting me get to this point. Thank you. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-84170358706834570122015-04-04T16:29:00.001+01:002015-04-04T16:29:24.350+01:00Fiction's just another word for liesA couple of weeks ago, I performed at the John Rylands Library, a beautiful neo-Gothic library with some of the best secular stained glass in Manchester.<br />
<br />
It was an exceptional night run by <a href="https://firstdraftmcr.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">First Draft</a> & by the <a href="http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/rylands/" target="_blank">John Rylands</a>. I was really excited to be one of the folks invited to perform.<br />
<br />
The library has an enormous collection - and a lot of it is stuff that's never been catalogued. <br /><br />They made a small bit of it, a part called the EL Burney collection, available for First Draft's performers to view. The EL Burney collection was all stuff collected by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_Banks" target="_blank">Isabella Banks</a>, a 19th century English novelist who was born in Manchester.<br />
<br />
The collection itself was strange - a bit of plant plucked from Washington's tomb, a bit of cloth from Empress Josephine's boudoir, a bit of cloth from Napoleon's tomb, a braid of hair from a Fijian islander, a shell purse, a metal stamp, a Russian wooden spoon. A collection, yes - but there was no apparent focus to it, not like, say, a stamp collection. It was just a bunch of things.<br />
<br />We were supposed to respond to the collection, with a performance of some kind.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsx_LAFqoCI0mn1lq1Kf1uj5uWZzqDxSlmfkAgrlxY_1f-O8NiYGbAWvNx4byHasJ6WsVbp8ZMxm0JDWTxQ8r-A5kLVjc7puzkeKv4m1QA1iw_KFE8hlVJQ6AiCIMnJpPTD7H7r1awh30/s1600/11084101_888135974563327_5846392663637283028_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsx_LAFqoCI0mn1lq1Kf1uj5uWZzqDxSlmfkAgrlxY_1f-O8NiYGbAWvNx4byHasJ6WsVbp8ZMxm0JDWTxQ8r-A5kLVjc7puzkeKv4m1QA1iw_KFE8hlVJQ6AiCIMnJpPTD7H7r1awh30/s1600/11084101_888135974563327_5846392663637283028_o.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Phil Benbow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I wrote up a short blog post about my performance for First Draft after the event - you can read it here: https://firstdraftmcr.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/isabella/<br />
<br />
And here's another view on the event, from my lovely, brilliant friend Dave Hartley, which really explores the borders between fiction and lying. Is fiction lies? Are all stories lies? Can we say anything that isn't actually a lie, in some shape or form? http://davidhartleywriter.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/therein-lies-story.html<br />
<br />
At Dalal-Small Towers, we're getting ready for our Atlanta Wedding Celebration - it's very exciting to think that soon we'll be in Atlanta.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-63498780513031185602015-01-21T12:30:00.002+00:002015-01-21T12:30:27.875+00:00Goodbye, Ba.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjleyqhd364pkeoqH6CzGNTcRXl1Y6MVyqEmIFKbA8TklVAHReT8u7qlkxbeU7uuv-BbtwBnv6O0gyTyPj99p3iNqT7y3o9W9df4zSNdFXevFC0FelPwH17j0MoAfg-_LuRFoaxNXX73DgZ/s1600/Roll+6+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjleyqhd364pkeoqH6CzGNTcRXl1Y6MVyqEmIFKbA8TklVAHReT8u7qlkxbeU7uuv-BbtwBnv6O0gyTyPj99p3iNqT7y3o9W9df4zSNdFXevFC0FelPwH17j0MoAfg-_LuRFoaxNXX73DgZ/s1600/Roll+6+-+1.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">This past Sunday, my lovely grandmother passed away. We call her "Ba," in my family.</span><br />
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">She was my last living grandparent. She lived to 92. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">She was an amazing, tough, loving woman, who lived through WWII, and the struggle for independent India. Her parents died when she was really young. She worked hard to get educated - incredibly rare for a woman in her time. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">She had 5 kids. Her first baby died as an infant. She adopted an extra kid, because raising 4 kids was hard, but the fifth kid needed help.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">She had a love marriage, which was so rare in her time, it was almost radical. She raised strong, tough, loving daughters - my mom and my aunt - and we loved her. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">We loved her so much.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">I feel so grateful that she got to meet Jonti, when we visited in August. We'll always have the hilarious memory of her being super-concerned about Jonti's coffee and breakfast needs. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">"Nija, did you warm up his omelette? Make his coffee. He'll want coffee. Does he want toast? Make him some toast."</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">I didn't know quite how to tell her that Jonti usually makes <i>me </i>coffee in the morning, and that he knows a lot more about cooking eggs than I do - he always cooks his own eggs... He was sad the day we left DC and he teared up saying goodbye to her then. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">When she was younger, when my grandfather (my Dada) was still alive and for some time after he died, Ba used to spend the year traveling between her children's homes - a few months at our place, a few months in New Jersey at my uncle's, a few month in DC at my aunt's, a few months in India with her kids who stayed there. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">I'll always have the memories of her lying on our living room floor and watching Bollywood movies with me. She would fast forward through the songs and the fight scenes, thereby making every 3-hour Bollywood flick about 1 hour long. She got through a lot of movies.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">One summer, my mom and dad took us, along with my Ba and Dada, on a 6 week road trip around America, in an Astro Minivan. We saw the Grand Canyon and Carlsbad Caverns and Yosemite National Park. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD3cr7ENKDU22YUkt5i6cHrAXLZIKteLMXvIhW0tgCnS1WLXJRFhW5WO-NicYY_XswPqTAi6m_jCVEKkBazVNzPrSy7A1UNlqo3YQtazc_1WdNGGA1Ve9gRQDf_9qcDJ2SVgBoED5VUTf/s1600/ba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD3cr7ENKDU22YUkt5i6cHrAXLZIKteLMXvIhW0tgCnS1WLXJRFhW5WO-NicYY_XswPqTAi6m_jCVEKkBazVNzPrSy7A1UNlqo3YQtazc_1WdNGGA1Ve9gRQDf_9qcDJ2SVgBoED5VUTf/s1600/ba.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></span><br />
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">She loved sweets. She was very sweet about how poor my Gujurati was. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">A few years ago, I recorded a long audio interview with her, about her life. I dug it out the other day, only to find the files had been corrupted - 1 hour and 45 minutes of interview, all chopped up into 700 12-second files. I spent all day yesterday reconstructing the interview, and it was a wonderful way to remember her, listening to her voice.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">She had a long, incredible life. To go from her tiny village, her home with its dirt-and-cow-dung floor, to being an American citizen and travelling the world. She saw her homeland go from colonisation to freedom. She sent 3 of her children off to live the immigrant dream in America. My mother was the first to go. She told me, when my mother left, that she wondered when she'd ever see her again.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">She lived to see all her grandkids married, except one. And that one is a doctor. You probably couldn't ask for more. She met so many of her great-grandchildren; my niece and nephew have had a great-grandmother for 12 and 10 years, respectively. That's 12 and 10 more years than I ever had, and it's such a gift. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Her funeral is today, in DC. I can't be there, because my passport is with the UK Visa office, and I couldn't get an emergency passport from the US Embassy in time. My mom can't be at the funeral either - she is in India right now, on a trip that she'd put off for years... in case something happened to Ba, ironically. (Please don't correct me if that's not actually ironic. I just can't right now.)</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Last night, I was scheduled to co-host a celebration of creative non-fiction... a live literature event, launched by <a href="http://therealstory.org/2014/12/19/the-real-story-live/" target="_blank">The Real Story</a> (I'm co-editor of it). We'd been planning this night since November last year.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">And when I learned I wouldn't be able to be in DC, I thought going along to this event might be good. I'd see friends. I decided to read a story about Ba, which I'd written a few years ago, as a tribute to her. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">I read this story</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="197" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XBNjssbs-1M?rel=0" width="350"></iframe> </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Last night, I said goodbye. It was a good night. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Today, I'll be joining my family in DC and my family in India on Skype, so we can all witness her funeral and pay our respects. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">(That's a funny turn of phrase, isn't it? When else is 'respect' plural? And why are they 'paid,' as if it's some sort of obligation or debt? Hmm.) </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">I'll be thinking about her strength and bravery for the rest of my life. I'm honored to be her granddaughter. I'm lucky to have known her. I only hope I can live up to her amazing life.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Goodbye, Ba.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-41956033549698404562015-01-10T09:00:00.000+00:002015-01-10T17:56:57.057+00:00Shakespeare was a War Reporter. <div style="text-align: left;">
Jonathan Zenti lives in Verona & very kindly offered to host me & Jonti for a couple of a nights after the end of the festival.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So, on the evening of 5th October, Zenti and I drove up from Ferrara, on Italy's tiny, winding roads. The first time I saw Jonti on our first anniversary, I was severely carsick.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Really, it was that romantic.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The next morning, sunny, warm Verona beckoned, with its imposing Arena & busy streets.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiir1CGITi1Lqd2tqStAy5LghXF6Rgs5WM1K1Z4JclkglMid4FjmJtB9WJfcNUA6ArljU74Vhh22U9YGfV6F6GUOKFHGY1RrqTo9QRK3ReizeopcQLzrNtQkASknLL802G77_tAPYWQDwEd/s1600/DSC_0091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiir1CGITi1Lqd2tqStAy5LghXF6Rgs5WM1K1Z4JclkglMid4FjmJtB9WJfcNUA6ArljU74Vhh22U9YGfV6F6GUOKFHGY1RrqTo9QRK3ReizeopcQLzrNtQkASknLL802G77_tAPYWQDwEd/s1600/DSC_0091.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></span></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Jonti & I set out to find a perfect spot to break <a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/6-bottles-so-many-messages.html" target="_blank">our first bottle of anniversary messages.</a></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Zenti suggested we break our bottle at Juliet's grave.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">... </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><b><i>WHAT? WHERE?</i></b></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">...</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Verona, it seems, is under the impression that the events described in <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> *actually* happened there. That Shakespeare travelled to Verona, saw the street violence, the two warring families, and like any good war reporter would, recorded them for the world to see. Maybe he was hoping a neighbouring superpower might intervene. He got *really good access.* </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">You can stand underneath "Juliet's balcony" & in the courtyard, you can have your picture taken with a statue of Juliet - <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10660642/Verona-commissions-replica-Juliet-statue-after-one-too-many-brushes-with-tourists.html" target="_blank">apparently, touching her boob brings you good luck in romance.</a></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">For a price, you can even go into "her house" & stand on said balcony - and visit a museum full of the kinds of things Juliet would have been surrounded by.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">You know. If she was real.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">(Well, ok, apparently, there is <a href="http://shakespearesolved.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-real-romeo-and-juliet.html" target="_blank">some evidence</a> that <i>Romeo & Juliet</i> was inspired by a true story, but even that true story didn't take place in Verona, so there's really no basis for these bizarre tourist traps.) </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">And for another wodge of cash, you can also visit "her grave." Strangely, there was no mention of Romeo's grave. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">We figured it wasn't worth our money to see the grave of a fictional character. But we did stand outside it to break our first bottle!</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70BoTOnm7RfKj0VUIHHJEPMEGhsxN_Vb0k0MMRUqn_JyLXXKt8Fxbs4FLaJcGMWuQp8r9IKfjtttFEZpP0WPsjkxGRHnzEsrIREzKniQxPDxIVzSjnER5fMb-_5xBSkvlDe6oIGpCaI4C/s1600/2014-10-06+15.36.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70BoTOnm7RfKj0VUIHHJEPMEGhsxN_Vb0k0MMRUqn_JyLXXKt8Fxbs4FLaJcGMWuQp8r9IKfjtttFEZpP0WPsjkxGRHnzEsrIREzKniQxPDxIVzSjnER5fMb-_5xBSkvlDe6oIGpCaI4C/s1600/2014-10-06+15.36.06.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeXglcvNLDiBqxjjUIlQiqq_hfWhx2faJJ1wv9nNgckeAR-vfsg41j82IKRo-RCVv61jj7B11sT4R8FDE2ETZoFOJLqDQzEOmyW2U_40pq2suA1R7DV-lDuks13cft2aDYVD_BEwF_WZy/s1600/DSC_0084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeXglcvNLDiBqxjjUIlQiqq_hfWhx2faJJ1wv9nNgckeAR-vfsg41j82IKRo-RCVv61jj7B11sT4R8FDE2ETZoFOJLqDQzEOmyW2U_40pq2suA1R7DV-lDuks13cft2aDYVD_BEwF_WZy/s1600/DSC_0084.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></span></a></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Some of the messages made us <a href="https://twitter.com/nijabird/status/519130894372990976" target="_blank">laugh</a>, while others were <a href="https://twitter.com/nijabird/status/519129928068255745" target="_blank">just confusing</a>. Most of them made us smile, but we did end up<a href="https://twitter.com/nijabird/status/519132965339955200/photo/1" target="_blank"> just actually crying</a> in a square in Verona.</span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Dan's message, <a href="https://twitter.com/nijabird/status/519144423851294720" target="_blank">"Remember the thing Tuheen did with Jonti's shoes? We have done it with you cars. NAY CHILDREN</a>" made us giggle and giggle, reminiscing about Jonti dancing in cardboard boxes. </span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.com.tr/2013/10/6-weeks.html" target="_blank">First wedding was so fun.</a> I'm really looking forward to second wedding in May... Ahhh. Back to Verona! </span></span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">We decided to head up Lamberti Tower, to get a view of Verona from above. Jonathan later told us that no one knows who built the Lamberti Tower - that it's actually one of Verona's strange mysteries...</span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WXfidJu6wpYho_oF0TTR7kSsHo6wUqiMyLYI728gDf5hmGNwFeVutCgfcd0sfbp5K3jRQHD9uEM0mV6cLbM4Ik-bQnvLbMQu9OpPGAr8xrt9sK0IGWz-GbAoSvLeL8MQcunBe7LycBj6/s1600/DSC_0126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WXfidJu6wpYho_oF0TTR7kSsHo6wUqiMyLYI728gDf5hmGNwFeVutCgfcd0sfbp5K3jRQHD9uEM0mV6cLbM4Ik-bQnvLbMQu9OpPGAr8xrt9sK0IGWz-GbAoSvLeL8MQcunBe7LycBj6/s1600/DSC_0126.JPG" height="320" width="214" /></span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<div>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">A view of Verona</span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgIsvcNQ0d8NzAuOe9SxIsB7qrZLoVaFJlUFdFROids_1MwmMVqkWsc0fWsHsJUZitFKKj1lULkJhcMn4oPX9fkG0tj_-2_uPXF0WnrgzxeM-peTFrY5TY4aTlE3bBDONeojM8xC2ACZo/s1600/DSC_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgIsvcNQ0d8NzAuOe9SxIsB7qrZLoVaFJlUFdFROids_1MwmMVqkWsc0fWsHsJUZitFKKj1lULkJhcMn4oPX9fkG0tj_-2_uPXF0WnrgzxeM-peTFrY5TY4aTlE3bBDONeojM8xC2ACZo/s1600/DSC_0107.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></span></a></span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">And because Allen once said, "I don't care about pretty buildings, I want to see you in front of them..."</span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HWsob8zYCft_VI-viqK0OYZ05LvbWuzp2cu0cabuJGofPovfi2J7rx_50OCVZ3SiEH3SmjuHrltXymZg7U0UDbSlJf_Ci5Tt8ejkQkDWk53E7Mone_10aMiC9NnEJ5gXFI7ujFmU_D7Z/s1600/DSC_0118.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></span></span><br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Verona does have lovely market squares. Jonathan Zenti's sister runs a gelateria in Verona - he organised a free scoop for each of us. What a fantastic host. Seriously, it was the best gelato I've ever had, a cherry chocolate amaretto mix that I really hope <a href="http://www.gingerscomfortemporium.com/" target="_blank">Ginger's</a> get on to soon.</div>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBn2Hib9VghFsn0YA-Qt6rWD9AK0Oz9ZpWFHWpqLDHzxY7EANt1GC_H0yWrslsIIo76JlTKb-KjfwsLGlK7Xk0dXGYfNkD58xt62IzXgyR0AqelAnsnaRj0xP_rstWzBwbLmGmE0utjXg-/s1600/DSC_0099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBn2Hib9VghFsn0YA-Qt6rWD9AK0Oz9ZpWFHWpqLDHzxY7EANt1GC_H0yWrslsIIo76JlTKb-KjfwsLGlK7Xk0dXGYfNkD58xt62IzXgyR0AqelAnsnaRj0xP_rstWzBwbLmGmE0utjXg-/s1600/DSC_0099.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></span></a></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">We didn't get to go up on the Arena, or explore more of Verona's nightlife, because we were only there for such a short time. The next day, we were off to Padova, then Venice! Oh, well.... there's always another reason to visit Italy, right? </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-48406886340805111392015-01-02T21:33:00.002+00:002015-01-02T21:33:23.063+00:00Italy In the DarkAlongside hot yoga, In the Dark Radio has been one of my great passions of 2014. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://inthedarkradio.org/" target="_blank">In the Dark Radio </a>is a mini-revolution in radio, in listening - we curate themed listening events, creating audio programmes of the world's most innovative radio makers & producers. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It started out as a group in London. Late last year, a friend and I started running it in Manchester - and early this year, when he left to try out great big London for himself, I had a choice: run In the Dark Manchester on my own, or let Manchester, this brilliant city, continue existing without it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I kept it going on my own and ran 6 events through the year. It was a lot of work, but now, it's changing & growing & getting even more exciting. In the Dark Manchester is now a proper group, with, you know, more than one member.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And In the Dark has been kind to me, as well - not only did I get to go to my first ever British music festival <a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/latitude.html" target="_blank">(Latitude)</a>, but I also got to attend & present some of our favourite international audio pieces at the <a href="http://archivio.internazionale.it/festival" target="_blank"><i>Internazionale</i> Festival </a>in Italy - an incredible treat. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I hadn't been to Italy since I was a child - back when you bought things in <i>lira. </i>The festival was from 2nd-5th October - since the last day coincided with our first wedding anniversary, he decided to come join me in Italy - and we made it into a week-long celebration! (That part will be in another post, coming soon...this post is just about the festival.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The <i>Internazionale</i> festival was in Ferrara, a little town I'd never heard of before, with a blocky domineering castle in the middle of it. The festival was in this strange castle (note the actual moat!) and our In the Dark events were held in the dungeon!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1Ln1HTvJbInPWLYPXqjzh1i2MIfwbVFMXkcYNDnTAQy0_yhJBA1cJkOGsvxMpLe_8HXVhZ7NZDMtP_Agi4bkCso6L1P9xUJRfRO0-uhE8S40wnPVHFkSs41H9rS3msCuveTrJd3qGtFl/s1600/DSC_0059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1Ln1HTvJbInPWLYPXqjzh1i2MIfwbVFMXkcYNDnTAQy0_yhJBA1cJkOGsvxMpLe_8HXVhZ7NZDMtP_Agi4bkCso6L1P9xUJRfRO0-uhE8S40wnPVHFkSs41H9rS3msCuveTrJd3qGtFl/s1600/DSC_0059.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllqsYhX1a0Y_btOuVYSUSJxsuqC5JffKG9jaxuyIWtG_1OlWqG9tevs89kntgtFff7wySikOlFlRrsPorLXNuTG2trAA1VZ_0yAEx13BsX0sWlKd9ODZq4h0EYmBUDZPybJRFX-Cz66lB/s1600/DSC_0061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllqsYhX1a0Y_btOuVYSUSJxsuqC5JffKG9jaxuyIWtG_1OlWqG9tevs89kntgtFff7wySikOlFlRrsPorLXNuTG2trAA1VZ_0yAEx13BsX0sWlKd9ODZq4h0EYmBUDZPybJRFX-Cz66lB/s1600/DSC_0061.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SsvZ3wXxdYhtzvZtNEohfXxQgl-SG3rlTV_D5b6GQXv066_TBGu1qH0EsYjmXsOKZZ6j93JCNxgFHHyddw1WH7Q47_2wlUGQUsvr_12l1kJQFuT3nhNR9hxeulex9WwP0d-D7VxsE8yr/s1600/2014-10-05+10.20.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SsvZ3wXxdYhtzvZtNEohfXxQgl-SG3rlTV_D5b6GQXv066_TBGu1qH0EsYjmXsOKZZ6j93JCNxgFHHyddw1WH7Q47_2wlUGQUsvr_12l1kJQFuT3nhNR9hxeulex9WwP0d-D7VxsE8yr/s1600/2014-10-05+10.20.42.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This was the dungeon, where we held our listening events. The water in the moat was just visible through the gated, arched windows. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYJbk7S1H5P_IZQgX_ZgFLData7ryC76ffXLYvIxE9C6ssT2AlGIpoVEpt7T0XC5H9USbLrgx_4iAgee4CIJEPmnxPWedjOULmS_uU8w8asTG77_9cMXOcYBa-G54fXLXEcgkFxJ1XIh2/s1600/2014-10-03+17.27.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYJbk7S1H5P_IZQgX_ZgFLData7ryC76ffXLYvIxE9C6ssT2AlGIpoVEpt7T0XC5H9USbLrgx_4iAgee4CIJEPmnxPWedjOULmS_uU8w8asTG77_9cMXOcYBa-G54fXLXEcgkFxJ1XIh2/s1600/2014-10-03+17.27.53.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The pieces we played out were perfect for the event - both involved multiple languages, both involved the tricky am-I-being-understood feeling that takes over when you're in a new country, with new people. My favourite was by Katarina Smets, <i><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/audio/2014/jun/13/sheffield-doc-fest-2014-senza-parole-kathariina-smets" target="_blank">Senza Parole.</a></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The only downside to Ferrara - the only thing that stops me moving there just about now - are the mosquitoes. I'm not even sure they are mosquitoes. They are giant flying bugs, possibly military drones, that bite you (me) with all the righteously true aim of the vengeful. They hate you (me). They keep you (ME) up at night, flying at you (ME ME ME oh god ME), like some kamikaze mote of dust, and bite, over and over and over again. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Needless to say, I spent my days in Ferrara slightly tired, scratching my ankles & I spent my evenings... not getting great sleep. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
FUN FACT: Enzo Ferrar<i><b>i</b></i>, the guy who, you know, invented the Ferrari or something, is actually from Northern Italy, very near Ferrar<b><i>a</i></b>.<br /><br />The festival treated us really well & I made some new friends in Italy. They put us up at a little church-turned-hotel, with this view every morning. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAq9QCVRv0Akv8tbL3BQwuiX0WfHZmMWxZibvt5LvSE5MQhwis2KwRv3byDFLhrYNymc1oNwNW85GoC3fPqUxxdGbNY3Zx03qRxx2vffEl9rjccAHoMP7f4V-r_G77OShIfwJpPH7QTTuL/s1600/DSC_0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAq9QCVRv0Akv8tbL3BQwuiX0WfHZmMWxZibvt5LvSE5MQhwis2KwRv3byDFLhrYNymc1oNwNW85GoC3fPqUxxdGbNY3Zx03qRxx2vffEl9rjccAHoMP7f4V-r_G77OShIfwJpPH7QTTuL/s1600/DSC_0048.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">The <i>Internazionale</i> Festival is a journalism festival, run by a magazine of the same name.<i> </i></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">In the English speaking world, we often feel like our media is half-baked, whether it's 24 hour news always chasing the bloodied victims of some horrific event, or it's local news, proclaiming the newest excellent thing to happen to our lovely town.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">In Italy, though, the newspapers almost exclusively cover Italian politics. As in, front page - Matteo Renzi (Italian Prime Minister). Pages 2-8? Italian Parliament. Meanwhile, stories about international issues, like say, ISIS - flounder in page 9, if they get covered at all.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i>Internazionale</i>, the magazine, was founded partly to fill this gap in Italian journalism - and the festival is largely about bringing Italy's journalists together with the international experts - to try to give these other stories some room, some awareness. It was a little bit shocking for me to realise that in this Western European country, even many journalists wouldn't have seen a documentary about Rwanda. Jonathan Zenti, one of the festival organisers, told me that he just reads the Guardian, rather than even looking at Italian news sources - which is fine for him, as he speaks/comprehends English really well. He didn't seem to think all Italians got their news elsewhere, though.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Given the choice between watching documentaries on human rights tragedies or wandering around a warm Italian city in the sun, I think you can guess that I spent nearly every day just wandering around Ferrara's gorgeous little alleyways. Occasionally, I stumbled on a park. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNhNClDHMmA7PFcjcXvWgTVYgFafCZTa0U10beeIgSYU0TDOH7_zZAlLe7kqf6DzZkqhTPcpxEddXCxusuWBUFCr7ph6nTGTICpgA418Ab_yhoT2OzaPs-e69o-cjLVdij8tti6oSa4CO/s1600/2014-10-05+16.21.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNhNClDHMmA7PFcjcXvWgTVYgFafCZTa0U10beeIgSYU0TDOH7_zZAlLe7kqf6DzZkqhTPcpxEddXCxusuWBUFCr7ph6nTGTICpgA418Ab_yhoT2OzaPs-e69o-cjLVdij8tti6oSa4CO/s1600/2014-10-05+16.21.19.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">As I wandered, I listened to <a href="http://www.storycentral.org/" target="_blank">Lea Thau's 'Love Hurts'</a> series on the <i>Strangers</i> podcast, an intimate peeling and prodding and untangling of love & relationships. (Go listen now).</span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">This is the Palazzo Dei Diamante, which I read about one morning, before heading out to find it. I translated with my non-existent Italian, in my head: "Palace of Diamonds! Covered with marble & 8500 diamonds - sparkly!"</span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHluPQXq-aHYHg4yic2E5i3OGaKjSkWDC9YIHrGAZxZ-KTLTJSZO8HiA0_LyAJ-MdEcGUWa3TEp4svPjet9zTeH7i2wtGiiaZjLlZIJmGCAm7K9sts1CeQeyV60XG993254q5nkKi-iB2/s1600/2014-10-05+16.34.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHluPQXq-aHYHg4yic2E5i3OGaKjSkWDC9YIHrGAZxZ-KTLTJSZO8HiA0_LyAJ-MdEcGUWa3TEp4svPjet9zTeH7i2wtGiiaZjLlZIJmGCAm7K9sts1CeQeyV60XG993254q5nkKi-iB2/s1600/2014-10-05+16.34.21.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">When I found it, I realised that actually, it is an entire facade of pink & white marble, <i>carved into</i> 8500 diamond <i>shapes</i>.<br /><br />It is actually a breathtaking and impressive building - it can only be a disappointment if you, like me, thought there would be 8500 diamonds stuck to a building, which had somehow evaded pillaging. It can only be a disappointment if you, like me, are a little bit dim when you're in a new place, slightly tired from nightly bloodletting by mosquitoes that might well be weaponised military insects full of vengeance. </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxLw9xdt_PHE0qjkZQqT5tIekAK8_yIh_0AOXaWRoErcXa5cKoAGOFpBpae4s_24w3UW6j35wE8xPdhQfVQz8l5Z65iHuLvx73juA57rjODPcH9jrDzi_ToFvmtRM86Fy4VePBDfs_g-L/s1600/DSC_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxLw9xdt_PHE0qjkZQqT5tIekAK8_yIh_0AOXaWRoErcXa5cKoAGOFpBpae4s_24w3UW6j35wE8xPdhQfVQz8l5Z65iHuLvx73juA57rjODPcH9jrDzi_ToFvmtRM86Fy4VePBDfs_g-L/s1600/DSC_0066.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Some friends of Jonathan's made sure to show me & Nina (director of In the Dark) a good time. Ferrara is very proud of its local food. Martina (a resident of Rome) insisted we try a Ferrarese delicacy - pizza with a chickpea flour crust, called<i> pizza ceci</i> in Italian. It was decadent & luxurious. Chickpea flour has an amazing capacity to take in oil & butter & become crisper and more delicious. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm still looking for a decent chickpea flour crust recipe - it would be the perfect experiment for Jonti (whose sourdough pizzas are brilliant already). I also enjoyed some other Ferrarese seasonal delicacies: <i><a href="http://food52.com/recipes/24490-cappellacci-di-zucca-butternut-squash-cappellacci" target="_blank">capellacci di zucca</a>, </i>which are little pasta 'hats' stuffed with butternut pumpkin. More stuffing than ravioli, due to the hat shape & more delicious than most stuffed pastas, due to the pumpkin! Now that Jonti and I are finally getting the hang of our new pasta machine, I think these will become a staple round ours.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ferrara is surrounded by rambling Italian countryside, dotted with crumbling farmhouses. Jonathan and Martina told me that in 2012, there were earthquakes in Northern Italy that caused a lot of damage - the region is still recovering.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It really is a lovely place. Once you get only 10 minutes from the castle, the whole place feels like a ghost town - quiet, narrow, warm streets, with shuttered windows & a yellowy, old-feeling stillness. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkOSpn-gCz1pmfeQh2m08hU5X77hDOxvCtoyoocQtVLWkXhSCofOdwdW7ZztaHtehtHhKZbvVvbkP7Otld5olcSQcRGPxOOoTMo734tTPApFmKg0Zkr2ULkTV4CdC2nQjqEJGeGKOwilz/s1600/2014-10-03+16.32.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkOSpn-gCz1pmfeQh2m08hU5X77hDOxvCtoyoocQtVLWkXhSCofOdwdW7ZztaHtehtHhKZbvVvbkP7Otld5olcSQcRGPxOOoTMo734tTPApFmKg0Zkr2ULkTV4CdC2nQjqEJGeGKOwilz/s1600/2014-10-03+16.32.54.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I think these were the city walls. </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKOgcsx6hEF_wE4WWB7K8v0ikXsWtkG6W2ai-jJpxVwBBU5u5SLwf1J_I021t-QcFRo_9JJQCWRLT0kqOvpzCso1C1kqt_VRRx4vTGU9uz2688ASzXDXVCjltuZDncsxSXgcvMkkprvNz/s1600/2014-10-03+15.55.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKOgcsx6hEF_wE4WWB7K8v0ikXsWtkG6W2ai-jJpxVwBBU5u5SLwf1J_I021t-QcFRo_9JJQCWRLT0kqOvpzCso1C1kqt_VRRx4vTGU9uz2688ASzXDXVCjltuZDncsxSXgcvMkkprvNz/s1600/2014-10-03+15.55.45.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjndCOi-eRkGX8cIP4gIwiCdg3Gl9U7EqQS5Wer78Bf8L3IGvHq5X6LrnKftTPow-kNVyjFIm333iqLPIVIu5cCQeqUU9ZFtRFD-DT1SvS0vNyz4SyoqtQIXzZTWGDGexPT0tK-MjlYrPvl/s1600/DSC_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjndCOi-eRkGX8cIP4gIwiCdg3Gl9U7EqQS5Wer78Bf8L3IGvHq5X6LrnKftTPow-kNVyjFIm333iqLPIVIu5cCQeqUU9ZFtRFD-DT1SvS0vNyz4SyoqtQIXzZTWGDGexPT0tK-MjlYrPvl/s1600/DSC_0051.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2c0fE8cCNCgriHZuKTHD92FVBHybnoAhESVQzVCQrBkNgQ2-d5oha9muJkk6eHIprULCxwM6v0_1_m_pAkAsTSQPrTjXNehZo-VOJgVkXTbxaqOZb5yBI6pdTevJ6IG1_72pzCv9LNDVy/s1600/DSC_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2c0fE8cCNCgriHZuKTHD92FVBHybnoAhESVQzVCQrBkNgQ2-d5oha9muJkk6eHIprULCxwM6v0_1_m_pAkAsTSQPrTjXNehZo-VOJgVkXTbxaqOZb5yBI6pdTevJ6IG1_72pzCv9LNDVy/s1600/DSC_0052.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rFw2Vh5XVevpxW7YfiOj9NpKzHeEWsEdXTzQ82yggyvWpjirmMjZDEh-iWnp1QKesuy-09FMrw_nko15TwpjcWbmLCsyVTSzHhj6ZNJIdynRHLNrbZN5PWoCj7Sxt03jwPGo1dUU9aQ6/s1600/DSC_0056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rFw2Vh5XVevpxW7YfiOj9NpKzHeEWsEdXTzQ82yggyvWpjirmMjZDEh-iWnp1QKesuy-09FMrw_nko15TwpjcWbmLCsyVTSzHhj6ZNJIdynRHLNrbZN5PWoCj7Sxt03jwPGo1dUU9aQ6/s1600/DSC_0056.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I really liked Ferrara. And, listening to Lea Thau's gentle examination of what it means for us to be strangers and try to connect with each other, I couldn't help thinking that there is something similarly gentle about these empty streets where I, too, was a stranger. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-65601262955955279272014-12-21T13:55:00.000+00:002014-12-21T13:55:04.313+00:00America - Part 1After a long hiatus, this post is authored by Jonti – he's written some memories of our first trip to the States.<br />
<br />
...<br />
<br />
First I gave Nija a tour of Washington D.C., <i>her</i> nation’s capital.<br />
<br />
Now she’d like me to write on <i>her</i> blog about our trip to D.C. and Atlanta together – which I am delighted to do.<br />
<br />
When we first met, many <strike>years</strike> months ago, we were both excited about exploring and re-discovering Manchester with someone else. To see the city through their eyes. I found Nija – a non-Manchester native – who loved Manchester even more than me and during about 18 months – through dissertation-writing and job-hunting and a wedding – we did exactly that: re-discovered this northern city through each other’s eyes.<br />
<br />
When we first met, I could not imagine that we would re-discover Atlanta, her home city, together too. Finally, this August we went for our first trip. Here are a few impressions. <br />
<br />
We stopped off in Washington D.C. to visit Nija’s grandmother and her Aunt and Uncle.<br />
Here is Nija with Ba.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtRb9xCxSXhUOUXwzumbX9gccevwKCY8saWRiiocAxFEkXbVz16RuuRgYnKHzztflc0Iu5dAdshPw9An3PxTlZ7Q5khJA7g0pjsqUtkLXPz2NfzQJF5RmnzUeWIoXGCjVZuyGq66I8zON/s1600/2014+-+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtRb9xCxSXhUOUXwzumbX9gccevwKCY8saWRiiocAxFEkXbVz16RuuRgYnKHzztflc0Iu5dAdshPw9An3PxTlZ7Q5khJA7g0pjsqUtkLXPz2NfzQJF5RmnzUeWIoXGCjVZuyGq66I8zON/s1600/2014+-+2.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
By day, we wandered around the monuments walking off our jet-lag. I had been a couple of times to Washington and was a hardened Mall-walker. Nija hadn’t really spent any time there so I gave her a tour.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbp7f3OsXSEZ5BrvyXsbu3oPa5YWS9U_1lCTG7ykPSa0Bf8f2FSw35fah7P9eKcD-CNwiP9jc8WgsNFvNPdc_9X3_pO-lTLFYywAzQ39RNTXirVCS_L1LnEmHBW4aB4Wizisc8A5thERyr/s1600/2014-08-24+11.29.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbp7f3OsXSEZ5BrvyXsbu3oPa5YWS9U_1lCTG7ykPSa0Bf8f2FSw35fah7P9eKcD-CNwiP9jc8WgsNFvNPdc_9X3_pO-lTLFYywAzQ39RNTXirVCS_L1LnEmHBW4aB4Wizisc8A5thERyr/s1600/2014-08-24+11.29.10.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The Washington Monument had recently re-opened following the 2011 earthquake<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikri-UFcj4-W56dkBdte7JLZzQZd1tQ-_z7KQXATKTaXtNxdEKDYINZJHHUz69YInLEtrnNSb60BaxxrfsjyoPoJgAKMnvD90lth6lfX54FNWuYaD5xwA970ZTkRAIElsIPQEqRDE3RBLh/s1600/2014-08-25+15.41.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikri-UFcj4-W56dkBdte7JLZzQZd1tQ-_z7KQXATKTaXtNxdEKDYINZJHHUz69YInLEtrnNSb60BaxxrfsjyoPoJgAKMnvD90lth6lfX54FNWuYaD5xwA970ZTkRAIElsIPQEqRDE3RBLh/s1600/2014-08-25+15.41.36.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Nija also showed me some things I hadn't seen before, at the botanical garden.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcUGNHWjZqv_9buQN4pAkM4snQ6vnZ5iY62RBlPam97Nj-W-oLSq_eTvYdDMnkF40tISilcE53n-QmMmzPzCFRNYi_-miJq116EDttkuorpdHKLZVST4W835N3Yb_BEueRYbc-tu-RDt_/s1600/2014-08-24+11.58.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcUGNHWjZqv_9buQN4pAkM4snQ6vnZ5iY62RBlPam97Nj-W-oLSq_eTvYdDMnkF40tISilcE53n-QmMmzPzCFRNYi_-miJq116EDttkuorpdHKLZVST4W835N3Yb_BEueRYbc-tu-RDt_/s1600/2014-08-24+11.58.03.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Of an evening in suburban Maryland, we would enjoy the company of Nija's family. They were incredibly generous & I had my first taste of gargantuan American restaurant portions. A salad is not a light option.<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
We flew down to Atlanta. Airport security was fortunately relaxed about me being ‘Small’ on my ticket but now a ‘Dalal-Small’ in my passport.<br />
<br />
By the time we got to Atlanta we were on the right time zone and I was ready for my first Indian cookery class. Tanvi and Sanjay, Sahil and Sahana, all came around to Nija’s parents. Nija's mother cooked Dal Makhani (lentils, black lentils) and I tried to help.<br />
<br />
Throughout the two weeks, we ate very well. Most spectacular was lacy lentils. (khandvi!)<br />
This involved thinly spreading out a paste made of yogurt & lentils, and cooling it over the table.<br />
<br />
Here they are laying it out:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkiDzCIiYBO8HWaXOZgD09mXkpjGDpylX7Sbzb2GNZ8ZaKYCri-p4bar3hZZ_G1ShlKN0BrekUMggjDe7Iq8ueHn9PHGuS-iGW5bD26ipKeU7TMi0Sn5Cuisgfr0spY1GLbDuVELo8OWq/s1600/2014-09-05+12.19.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkiDzCIiYBO8HWaXOZgD09mXkpjGDpylX7Sbzb2GNZ8ZaKYCri-p4bar3hZZ_G1ShlKN0BrekUMggjDe7Iq8ueHn9PHGuS-iGW5bD26ipKeU7TMi0Sn5Cuisgfr0spY1GLbDuVELo8OWq/s1600/2014-09-05+12.19.10.jpg" height="135" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
With all the eating so well, it was lucky that the neighbourhood swimming pool was just a short walk away.<br />
<br />
I could also play tennis with Nija's niece & nephew (reassuringly, even though they had recently won a state-wide competition, I was able to emerge victorious – though not, I suspect, for long).<br />
<br />
I’d been warned that Atlanta is a very car-friendly city but one wonderful highlight was an antidote to the car – the late-summer lantern parade. Taking place along and celebrating the Beltline – a walking, cycling, running route which is gradually being opened up – we stood in the warm early autumn evening and watched the thousands of creative lanterns.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2LPb_jhTXoES5xGsKL44od7Kc1yu4hfm9MLYNB40XxSgWs4GSy0eD2dj7Cn9pPtnvXdU3wrX6enpyesLVP6-TwFZYmRkHtG8JhdJxDxIqSo9ihWU6J2_PQyld145YYUVdjLbKObh9NanN/s1600/2014-09-06+20.28.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2LPb_jhTXoES5xGsKL44od7Kc1yu4hfm9MLYNB40XxSgWs4GSy0eD2dj7Cn9pPtnvXdU3wrX6enpyesLVP6-TwFZYmRkHtG8JhdJxDxIqSo9ihWU6J2_PQyld145YYUVdjLbKObh9NanN/s1600/2014-09-06+20.28.27.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/105567124" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
Also to stretch our legs we went to ‘hot’ yoga (somewhat strangely, given the sweltering Southern heat outside. In fact, it wasn’t all that hot – at least not as hot as Northern England’s hot yoga.)<br />
<br />
The studio was in Marietta – the closest, quaintest town to Nija’s parents – where the old library is now a flower shop and a vintage cinema shows re-runs of To Kill a Mocking Bird. The general store stocked wine glasses made out of old bottles and had a fridge of local craft beer which we’d take back and drink of an evening sitting on the deck with Nija’s parents. <br />
<br />
During yoga, the railroad rattled past, shaking the walls. The showers were in the process of being built – sometimes noisily to accompany the serenity of the class – and one of the teacher’s hamstrings snapped once – but we had a fabulous time. Best of all at the studio, we encountered people who were just extraordinarily thrilled that we were there, in their town, in their studio.<br />
<br />
Even riding around in the car we were always entertained. I’d been told about the ‘big chicken’, a towering KFC landmark.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaABHJAhmpiJmlctTNgU44AFjWEwVKB3fNffMJYOOCQ6QeruPFxcDoOItkasW2pPavoPHITBAV9qkmjS2T5sJzkBIBIEeOjrpRn96NUCpH5ePmt9sqN69B-qfBzCSanhhSM_Z98tIUTNbp/s1600/2014-09-04+17.31.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaABHJAhmpiJmlctTNgU44AFjWEwVKB3fNffMJYOOCQ6QeruPFxcDoOItkasW2pPavoPHITBAV9qkmjS2T5sJzkBIBIEeOjrpRn96NUCpH5ePmt9sqN69B-qfBzCSanhhSM_Z98tIUTNbp/s1600/2014-09-04+17.31.25.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
However my favourite was this restaurant, a fish place that seemed not to mind implying that this was <i>the place</i> to gobble up Flipper –<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9judU_qUJh_nLuigzKI9uQWJ5pY9cxyXhrdarDdt-7FrBRmHZusuFbKtPsdTYAVKuPAYt1j9IpIJIvr6m8W6uUzEr6iGoTTMKry0tmYKrKHGDuof5w60JrTEQ7K_fJsT_Bm8E4tgKmII/s1600/2014-08-31+19.00.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9judU_qUJh_nLuigzKI9uQWJ5pY9cxyXhrdarDdt-7FrBRmHZusuFbKtPsdTYAVKuPAYt1j9IpIJIvr6m8W6uUzEr6iGoTTMKry0tmYKrKHGDuof5w60JrTEQ7K_fJsT_Bm8E4tgKmII/s1600/2014-08-31+19.00.38.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It was a wonderful trip – this is just a taster. Part 2 is coming...<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-28643986915059233642014-08-17T23:09:00.001+01:002014-08-17T23:09:24.880+01:00Latitude!I guess America does have a lot of music festivals - but they seem to me, at least, to be a particularly British thing to do. To go, for several days, to a huge campsite, and sleep in tents only feet away from other people sleeping in tents... it's something I never did in the States.<br />
<br />
I tried, once, in Australia, and failed miserably.<br />
<br />
But British people love a festival. I know several who will spend hundreds of pounds, on a single festival ticket EVERY YEAR to go to Glastonbury - which, remember, is 5 days long. Your food, drink, travel there and back... are not included in the ticket price.<br />
<br />
This year, I was invited to go to <a href="http://www.latitudefestival.com/" target="_blank">Latitude</a> Festival as an <a href="http://www.inthedarkradio.org/" target="_blank">In The Dark Radio</a> performer.<br />
<br />
In The Dark Radio is a collective of radio enthusiasts (you know, people like me!) who run listening events. I've been running it in Manchester for a few months, now - it's a great way to make other people geek out on radio.<br />
<br />
Jonti and I approached it as a sort-of-cheap holiday. I had to do some hours at the In the Dark hut, he had to buy an actual ticket, but other than that, I definitely recommend Latitude.<br />
<br />
We organised a car-share to get there with some strangers. That could have gone poorly, I suppose, but we got lucky. Annette & Sonu are people we'd actually like to be friends with.<br />
<br />
We got our lovely new tent up the first afternoon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia71I7ovKxxDxZbID5bPoqomH7c6oiGA2rnZPHOYZ3tBzg3MHtAQzZuX395x3b0j05o0UM8E-DLroaSLAA9-rL6Mugph7CbY6RhT7nwFNER00Lf4Y6gzOzTL6EIaJrBgzLwtaiAj5IJuJf/s1600/2014-07-17+19.24.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia71I7ovKxxDxZbID5bPoqomH7c6oiGA2rnZPHOYZ3tBzg3MHtAQzZuX395x3b0j05o0UM8E-DLroaSLAA9-rL6Mugph7CbY6RhT7nwFNER00Lf4Y6gzOzTL6EIaJrBgzLwtaiAj5IJuJf/s1600/2014-07-17+19.24.54.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">The sky over Henham Park, in Suffolk. Latitude is in one of the many beautiful parts of England.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTGi63aiAiWjt-il-lY2mOp9-D4-6IsnFj2W7GTWZGQ_cVxdnG5JXZdSjOQYreZBO_Hug2UfjNrNnT3zQm3cjKtZj3-YSfs9YZJDvKlt3Vwo-27UHzHLSOBVrGbAIEC7G_2K3mzCzeavL/s1600/2014-07-17+21.29.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTGi63aiAiWjt-il-lY2mOp9-D4-6IsnFj2W7GTWZGQ_cVxdnG5JXZdSjOQYreZBO_Hug2UfjNrNnT3zQm3cjKtZj3-YSfs9YZJDvKlt3Vwo-27UHzHLSOBVrGbAIEC7G_2K3mzCzeavL/s1600/2014-07-17+21.29.11.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">The In the Dark Radio hut was built by an artist collective called<a href="http://www.samaratompsettstudio.com/" target="_blank"> Morning</a>.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR3TVmn2dmtmK61MO7CeabH9CRCpU2JgaIsqNZwq3KktzKpOqrJVupNXnn1o4JR5Fvb-DVMCx9R0ySNZ4lgha9PgBszmAQQ1UfgTRfPsB7eOWz6elk5NZP-yNsXxNHKBlLs3pvfyLM0TpP/s1600/2014-07-18+16.29.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR3TVmn2dmtmK61MO7CeabH9CRCpU2JgaIsqNZwq3KktzKpOqrJVupNXnn1o4JR5Fvb-DVMCx9R0ySNZ4lgha9PgBszmAQQ1UfgTRfPsB7eOWz6elk5NZP-yNsXxNHKBlLs3pvfyLM0TpP/s1600/2014-07-18+16.29.04.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">You are not supposed to squat on the swings like this guy did. You are supposed to swing gently and listen hard to the excellent radio we play into the hut.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzksVjWIwdwPL5QUOGWvWCPs8HDZr6FpCxcctRKi5XLKk2NiE9iacNFC2Qn2WNxlcwzqflU-o4sVwetgpKofqWQcDaETOU4pGMxMpODbrQvB_XPuAM4MIs3PSTDsrbiGVHxBB6Zq7D042c/s1600/2014-07-20+15.56.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzksVjWIwdwPL5QUOGWvWCPs8HDZr6FpCxcctRKi5XLKk2NiE9iacNFC2Qn2WNxlcwzqflU-o4sVwetgpKofqWQcDaETOU4pGMxMpODbrQvB_XPuAM4MIs3PSTDsrbiGVHxBB6Zq7D042c/s1600/2014-07-20+15.56.57.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">I'm sure I do not need to tell you why this is adorable. I'm also sure that you, too, despair at the Oxford Online Dictionary's decision to include 'adorbs' as a word.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QyobNhkEC5h7oNXgPzZFxbePKAIR23TeXGkQTFnTdFdPesT_aNvNbafszCh6tdqfZb2RrKMIpDpGMJmAVt1dNsOhTSKpCfcNSvpfl3fAkyNdO9vj-tXMKGbweHIOYw9zy2nboMKnCgaz/s1600/2014-07-19+10.29.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QyobNhkEC5h7oNXgPzZFxbePKAIR23TeXGkQTFnTdFdPesT_aNvNbafszCh6tdqfZb2RrKMIpDpGMJmAVt1dNsOhTSKpCfcNSvpfl3fAkyNdO9vj-tXMKGbweHIOYw9zy2nboMKnCgaz/s1600/2014-07-19+10.29.58.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">It rained a bit on Friday night, but by the time we were festivalling again, the rain had drained away.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">At some point on Saturday, Jonti and I needed some time alone together, not with 35,000 other festival go-ers, and we headed back to the tent just to get some quiet alone-time. When you are willing to lay in a boiling hot, bright, humid tent in the middle of the day, you are in serious need of quiet alone-time.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWVGOlVtqMxp4lOi-Ftni2aihdZcMz5qo4MKsY3UmLk8BSmFYrODAM1wrtc_H3ltYY40xO0KNXLI5QEwgVv5UljI-ER_xt6no5hTQKmqEwiUMGGvNFiINFeNHRNU_5sKx7V18EgLSU_M5/s1600/2014-07-19+15.30.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWVGOlVtqMxp4lOi-Ftni2aihdZcMz5qo4MKsY3UmLk8BSmFYrODAM1wrtc_H3ltYY40xO0KNXLI5QEwgVv5UljI-ER_xt6no5hTQKmqEwiUMGGvNFiINFeNHRNU_5sKx7V18EgLSU_M5/s1600/2014-07-19+15.30.37.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">On Saturday night, though, there was an enormous storm. Because we had a lovely new tent (see above), the storm was intense, but it was not in tents. LOL.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicBx0T29gwHtBWyfMbdiTHhk-JcjR9m9kyWc8_SCi2jhgGWqD0YdtIR9XGYnIEjMdKBRplmRnNzWISUJB4XkJduV0T1JphOFt9jcCmBZvAO-Njit6OH2wmlZGZHGQxrwkV70jLtAVDXS1/s1600/2014-07-20+21.42.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicBx0T29gwHtBWyfMbdiTHhk-JcjR9m9kyWc8_SCi2jhgGWqD0YdtIR9XGYnIEjMdKBRplmRnNzWISUJB4XkJduV0T1JphOFt9jcCmBZvAO-Njit6OH2wmlZGZHGQxrwkV70jLtAVDXS1/s1600/2014-07-20+21.42.22.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">We had scheduled a late night 'adults-only' radio session on Saturday night - Nina, the director of In the Dark, had it on her laptop & iPhone. As we all showed up at the hut, shivering and soaked through, we tried to plug in Nina's iPhone. It was water-damaged and wouldn't work. We tried to plug in her laptop. It didn't really want to work. Finally, we got the night playing, but our hut was just filled with drunk people sheltering from the storm. They didn't want to hear it. We wanted to get back to our tents, get dry & get into bed.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">We stopped the event early. Thank goodness. I trudged back through the mud and rain, hoping the tent was dry, and not entirely sure that I would sign up for a festival again, to be honest. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">But apart from the storm on Saturday night, we were lucky with the weather. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGIxUUJBTEYJcHqR7Xt__oNWQykKVyVxgKRNjoPSKbrEzRMVZrG96kTzE6jZf1kf-vbfcMVjgYD9JleZ-4kFP7JofN2dFP_0a6FpGDxlzNCsvLcOsCUFrjhMBhANbLXs7q86nBQZbMz75/s1600/2014-07-19+16.49.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGIxUUJBTEYJcHqR7Xt__oNWQykKVyVxgKRNjoPSKbrEzRMVZrG96kTzE6jZf1kf-vbfcMVjgYD9JleZ-4kFP7JofN2dFP_0a6FpGDxlzNCsvLcOsCUFrjhMBhANbLXs7q86nBQZbMz75/s1600/2014-07-19+16.49.49.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">And we got to see and do some very fun things. One of our favourite bands, <a href="http://www.future-islands.com/" target="_blank">Future Islands,</a> played, and we got right up to the front row. Hozier & Haushka, both bands we hadn't heard and fell in love with... </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">We saw the Royal Shakespeare Company do <i>Revolt, She Said, Revolt,</i> which was powerful and incredible.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">We saw Arthur Smith do his comedy/storytelling bit with Leonard Cohen songs, and it was truly wonderful. Until the bit at the end where a grown man came hopping out of back stage with a mask on and nothing else. Until that bit, I was very charmed by this show... </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">And Jon Ronson gave a quirky Jon Ronson-style talk.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">As we were packing up the tent on Monday morning, I thought, yeah, I'd probably do it again. Bring on Glastonbury!</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">--</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Side note: This time next week, I'll be visiting you Atlanta lot. Get ready! I can't wait to see y'all! I can't wait for you to meet Jonti! </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-79970065404618608752014-07-14T21:37:00.005+01:002014-07-14T21:37:53.016+01:00This One Night: True West<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Or: Another Blog Trail!</div>
<br />
First Draft is one of Manchester’s excellent monthly events – it slants toward theatre, so it’s slightly different to the literature & story-heavy nights I often go to. Abi & Rachel, the organisers, invite performers of all stripes – theatre, yes, but also comedy, music, literature – to try out material early, before it’s polished, before it’s perfect. It’s not for some sort of art school-style submission to criticism from the group – rather, it’s because the first draft can be the most exciting draft.<br />
<br />
It’s the draft that, after months of re-drafting and cutting and adding and cutting again, ends up actually being 2 stories & 1 novel & 3 other stories besides which really belong in the bin. It’s the hit and miss draft. Or sometimes, it’s just the miss draft.<br />
<br />
For example:<br />
<br />
Abi’s invited me to do a few First Draft nights, and I’ve found them really useful. My first time, I worked very hard on <i>not working very hard</i> on the story I was telling. I wrote the story on a Sunday, walked onstage on the Monday and read out the first draft of my story almost completely unedited.<br />
<br />
It was the fastest I’ve ever given up on a story in my life. Ordinarily, if I’m writing a story, but it’s not working, I wrestle with it for weeks or months before I’ll finally admit there’s something wrong with how I’m writing it. It takes me ages to think maybe I’m trying to stick too many stories into one, or layering too many wonky metaphors... and only then will I leave it to be picked over for scraps to weave into later stories. But getting up and reading that story – out loud, to strangers & early – made me recognize it for what it was. A miss draft.<br />
<br />
ANYWAY<br />
<br />
The lovely folks over at First Draft have expanded on the ‘This One Book’ blog trail, which keen readers will remember <a href="http://www.atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/this-one-book-lolita.html" target="_blank">from this post.</a><br />
<br />
They invited me to contribute to their ‘This One Night’ blog trail, wherein, I will tell you about a live performance that has been significant to me. Read <a href="http://firstdraftmcr.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/this-one-night-my-first-macbeth/" target="_blank">the first installment of “This One Night”</a> on the First Draft blog, a beautifully told tale of Abi’s first Macbeth.<br />
<br />
Here I go:<br />
<br />
Until very recently, live performance, especially theatre, has never held much interest for me.<br />
<br />
Partly, this is down to Bob-Fosse-based trauma (“Oh, no, they’re coming off the stage. Into the audience. No. Oh, please don’t throw the glitter at me… Oh, no. Oh, please, please oh the spandex. Oh, no no no.”)<br />
<br />
And terrible musicals.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5TSej92MnQrnNHvoz15IEPUfq6EZCR5ATXgkooVdFcaD3JQeD1d7yrJ1GnAg1q-pbZlL_bRAAS3fUwoCATx5Z-wv3bPvJr69COTu3PNly25H__8jVyHdr-WMVk8ldRVv2RYJtF2q27lc/s1600/PIPPIN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5TSej92MnQrnNHvoz15IEPUfq6EZCR5ATXgkooVdFcaD3JQeD1d7yrJ1GnAg1q-pbZlL_bRAAS3fUwoCATx5Z-wv3bPvJr69COTu3PNly25H__8jVyHdr-WMVk8ldRVv2RYJtF2q27lc/s1600/PIPPIN.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from: www.goodspeed.org/productions/2006/pippin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Don’t get me wrong: I’ve seen some amazing productions. Kenneth Branagh’s Macbeth in St Peter’s for the Manchester International Festival was brilliant. Daniel Kitson’s Tree: stunning, funny, harsh. The Confederacy of Dunces: fantastic. As a kid, I really flipping loved theatre magic. My sister once made the mistake of taking me to a Penn and Teller show – I spent hours that night telling my parents what the tricks looked like, in an attempt to figure out how they worked. Magicians will tell you: that is the wrong way to go about it. What a trick looks like has nothing to do with how it works.<br />
<br />
Generally, cinema has been more my style. Cinema feels more immersive – the camera follows characters, rather than characters presenting themselves on a stage. I like edits: I like that I don’t have to actually watch a character storm out of a room and slam the door. I like that the actors won’t notice if I think it’s terrible and walk out halfway.<br />
<br />
ANYWAY<br />
<br />
Jonti & I had travelled to Glasgow to see it at The Citizens Theatre – one of Jonti’s best mates, Phill Breen, was the director. Jonti had told me Phill was amazing. I was expecting something rather theatre-y.<br />
<br />
The curtains opened on True West. I gasped. For the next two hours (or so, I can’t remember how long it was) I forgot that I was watching a stage, that there were real people presenting themselves as characters on a stage & that walking might ever be a thing I would want to do again.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_u3SCV2W9StHO3BUMhF6sMu7aN6DdrHX8fI3lb726ryFoUa7tmX0gRVGi4C8-GEd5MDCuiwJV0dOYhofJIktYlLepXqu_yiAtmZhvNnQeQecOYrRGXsKf_21bScKiFhwCEwZPf_EPpg-/s1600/TW2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_u3SCV2W9StHO3BUMhF6sMu7aN6DdrHX8fI3lb726ryFoUa7tmX0gRVGi4C8-GEd5MDCuiwJV0dOYhofJIktYlLepXqu_yiAtmZhvNnQeQecOYrRGXsKf_21bScKiFhwCEwZPf_EPpg-/s1600/TW2.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Pete Le May petelemay.co.uk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I just watched, transported, immersed.<br />
<br />
Written by Sam Shepherd, True West is the story of two brothers – one an uptight do-gooder and the other a complete disaster – who are pent up in their mother’s house for a weekend. The do-gooder tries to write a play. The disaster, with no small threat of violence, horns in on the play. The do-gooder eventually loses his shit and nearly strangles the disaster. And then their Zoloft-happy mother comes home.<br />
<br />
Throughout the play, Breen ratcheted up the tension between the brothers to unbearable levels – the house seethed with neuroses, thinly guised contempt and frayed tempers. The stage design, which included a ceiling, floor and three full walls, made the house feel claustrophobic & airtight.<br />
<br />
I’ve never seen a ceiling built onto a stage before. Usually, lighting rigs are up there. The ceiling enhanced the claustrophobia, but it also meant Breen’s lighting designer had to get damn creative.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuF3nZ-C0CQ8AEX1yFCvKia-3-Ym0YhLXqaJEtvjIkAFyE3Gay8Ak-tR9wIzW2Dz6WP9s1JWoOjSxf5qmeXCu-0lVw0K3vxFqg49-MyKN3CP7yryEVZ5PICqrzpfy37fFfzqQEQBPNOGBu/s1600/TW1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuF3nZ-C0CQ8AEX1yFCvKia-3-Ym0YhLXqaJEtvjIkAFyE3Gay8Ak-tR9wIzW2Dz6WP9s1JWoOjSxf5qmeXCu-0lVw0K3vxFqg49-MyKN3CP7yryEVZ5PICqrzpfy37fFfzqQEQBPNOGBu/s1600/TW1.jpg" height="235" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The actors made deeply flawed characters sympathetic & simultaneously unlikeable.<br />
<br />
And somewhere between the staging, the lighting and the acting, this play became cinematic. It took on colours I’ve never seen on stage before.<br />
<br />
I’ve never seen a show like it.<br />
<br />
As we left that night, I told Jonti, “Your friend Phill is some kind of genius.”<br />
<br />
Oh, oh, I cannot express to you how it gripped me.<br />
<br />
Maybe that’s because I keep telling you what this show looked like.<br />
<br />
Let me instead tell you this. After seeing True West, I couldn’t sleep for hours. I was – and still am – trying to figure out how it worked.<br />
<br />
BREAKING NEWS:<br />
<br />
From 4th September to 4th October <i>this very year</i> you, too, can see the <b>brilliant </b>Phillip Breen's <i style="font-weight: bold;">True West </i>at <a href="http://www.tricycle.co.uk/current-programme-pages/theatre/theatre-programme-main/true-west/" target="_blank">London's Tricycle Theatre.</a><br />
<br />
YOU. LUCKY. PEOPLE.<br />
<br />
Get your tickets now.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-32487860946163589632014-07-08T11:36:00.001+01:002014-07-08T11:36:27.040+01:00This One Book: Lolita <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnaYML8SfIhbz8wvoVZLDhBzXqQw4rIFb6cnMItxggYVbh1fU2x8CuT-CGuLUp1Ov4YseQVXlTQgEfb4e_BgmSGwL05Nfy-VuMHll-_gGV7Xy_09ZyYDvrSw_gsLoOOIrTHbd7umDrlp4/s1600/lolita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnaYML8SfIhbz8wvoVZLDhBzXqQw4rIFb6cnMItxggYVbh1fU2x8CuT-CGuLUp1Ov4YseQVXlTQgEfb4e_BgmSGwL05Nfy-VuMHll-_gGV7Xy_09ZyYDvrSw_gsLoOOIrTHbd7umDrlp4/s1600/lolita.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Gall's original cover design for the Vintage edition,<br /> reissued in 2005.<br />This cover design was never used - it was too suggestive.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently Dan Carpenter started a blog trail <a href="http://winterhillmcr.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/this-one-book/" target="_blank">(over here)</a>. He
shared the story of a book that changed how he thought about books and writing,
when he was around 14 or 15. And he invited two other bloggers to share their
stories of the books that changed them as adolescents.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The idea was based on
the formative nature of our early teenage years & how, sometimes, a book
read at the right time will shape the way you think about books and change your
brain forevermore. It’s certainly true that some books must be read at a
specific age or time in your life to mean much to you. I read <i>Fahrenheit 451</i> in my 20s – it was way
too late & I found it adolescent & tedious. I read <i>Animal Farm</i> when I was 12, and I was like, ‘WHOA. SATIRE.’ I’m sure
it wouldn’t feel like that if I were to read it again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://simonsylvester.wordpress.com/2014/06/14/henry-sugar/" target="_blank">Simon Sylvester</a> & <a href="http://davidhartleywriter.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/this-one-book-frankenstein.html" target="_blank">Dave Hartley</a> took up Dan’s challenge –
and Dave invited <a href="http://benjaminjudge.com/2014/06/09/this-one-book-red-storm-rising/" target="_blank">Ben Judge</a> and me. I have taken quite some time thinking over this. Because, while <i>Animal Farm</i> introduced me to satire, it
hasn’t really affected how I think about literature or as a writer. Trust me, I
am no satirist. And as an adult, many books that I’ve read have influenced me
& changed how I think about literature (<i>Kavalier
and Clay, House of Leaves</i>).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I’ve been trying to nail down which book deeply affected
me when I was a <i>young teenager</i>, when I was 14 or 15. I wasn’t able to just run
a finger across the spines of my book collection – at this point, my book
collection is scattered across two continents, in 3 basements & a seriously
overstuffed bookshelf. Oh, and some are propping my bed up to keep it from
breaking. Seriously.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s the thing:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a teenager, I was in advanced literature classes
throughout high school (ages 13-17). For the first year, it was fairly easy
going. We read a lot of shortish novels (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heart
of Darkness, The Metamorphosis, The Portrait of Dorian Gray</i>) and extracts
from longer novels (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Great Expectations</i>).
We did a few weeks on poetry & a few weeks on grammar. I loved the few
weeks of poetry. I loved it so much I tried to write my own poetry. I loved the
alliteration & clever tricks of language. But my poems were terrible. I had
to stop writing poetry. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then shit got <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
10<sup>th</sup> grade: we read a novel every fortnight &
wrote a paper on every one. (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Great
Gatsby, The Crucible, Death of a Salesman</i>)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
11<sup>th</sup> grade: we read 10 Shakespeare plays &
wrote a paper on every one. Some of them were easy (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night</i>). But some of them weren’t (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Richard III</i>).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
12<sup>th</sup> grade: we read a novel every week &
wrote a paper on every one. (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Crime and
Punishment, Catch-22, The Grapes of Wrath, Tess of the D’urbervilles)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had reading lists for the summer holidays (usually about
6 books) and a paper was due on one of them <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for
the first day of class. </i>I had 6 other classes to attend every day, with
their own Advanced Placement statuses & their own ridiculous amounts of
homework. To clarify: AP Biology, AP Spanish, AP History, as well as 12<sup>th</sup>
grade maths, chorus & another class that I don’t remember now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This sort of education ensures that I have read more of the
‘classics’ (don’t let’s start) than many of my British peers. It ensured that I
easily earned highest marks on my Advanced Placement exam – I got really good
at reading & comprehending vast sections of text quickly, picking out a
major theme, finding a few quotes & passages to back up my argument about
said theme, and writing a paper about that book damn fast. I still appreciate
this education – I like having the skills to understand the book behind the
plot. But it came at a price.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the end of 12<sup>th</sup> grade, I could read a book and
analyse a book within 2 hours. In fact, I was analyzing it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">as I read it</i>. I never properly read a book; I was just sifting
through them for themes/passages/quotes that I could use for the paper I’d have
to write the next day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many of those books affected me deeply – I have re-read some
in more recent years – and I still find them moving and wonderful and resonant.
But at the time of first reading, I was simply a bulldozer, ploughing through
words, powered by a relentless curriculum. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It wasn’t until later – the summer after high school, I was
nearly 18 – that I got my ‘this one book.’<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Nabokov’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lolita</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That summer, for the first time, I had the leisure to read,
re-read, absorb and truly relish my reading – but not all the books I read that
summer (ahem. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Harry Potter</i>) mattered
like this one. For Humbert Humbert and for me, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lolita</i> changed everything.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
----- <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well-spoken, well-written English is revered round my house.
I didn’t start saying “y’all” and “ain’t” until I had moved out & was
nearly 20 – it was a quiet rebellion, as I slowly allowed my mouth to take in
and form and create the Southern accent & colloquialisms I’d never been
allowed to have at home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps well-spoken, well-written English is revered round
my house because my parents were born just as the British were wrested from
India – and empire has a slow way of diminishing in hearts and minds, if not in
land and influence. English, I remember being told, is the most expressive of
all languages because it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">has more words</i>
than any other language & whenever it doesn’t have a word for something, it
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gladly makes one up.</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Or maybe well-spoken, well-written English is revered round my house because it
isn’t in great quantity. We are a bilingual family and it seems our English is
all mixed up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">em-thhem Gujurati ne Hindi
sathe. </i>Though English is not my first language, I did well at school &
I’ve never had much trouble with English – but I never thought I’d be able to
write it all that well. I had one too many languages in my head & being
able to write well meant, in my mind, knowing one language (preferably English)
extremely well. To write, one must be expert in English – to be expert in
English, one should probably not have a Gujurati/Hindi-based confusion between,
say, ‘turn off’ and ‘close’ or between, maybe, ‘tall’ and ‘long.’ <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(I regularly ask my husband to close the light & I often
notice, in passing, that that stranger across the street is very long. He must
be at least 6’6”.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But then. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lolita</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From its first poetic sentence to its
first-person oh-so-entirely-unreliable narrator to its achingly, head-shakingly clever tricks
of deception, etymology & pronunciation, <i>Lolita</i>
had me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With its repetition, its way of playing with the Russian sounds in
English words, its crafted, lyrical language, <i>Lolita</i> had me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nabokov became some sort of multi-lingual hero to me. He
apologises, at the beginning of the book, for any poor English he displays. English,
he explains, is not his first language. He apologises, in essence, for using
English better than most monolingual writers of English.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lolita taught me that I could be poetic without being a
poet, and I could write well even though I was bilingual – that in fact, being
bilingual might even help.* **</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know Nabokov affected my writing, though I didn’t start
writing until over a decade later, because I still recognize my rather
unsuccessful attempts to emulate his lyricism and cleverness. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lolita</i> affected my
reading, too – for the first time, I enjoyed a ‘classic,’ lingering over the
pages, marveling at this particularly clever little rhyming dance, sighing over
that lovely turn of phrase, wistful and envious of the author’s skill. Humble
humburger and I were entirely unprepared for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lolita</i>’s magic. I’ve never felt beauty in language quite like it
again.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lolita</i> changed
everything.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-------<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To keep the blog trail going, late as I am to it, I'd like to invite </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1. <a href="http://astarbrook.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Trisha Anne Starbrook</a>, one of my American co-conspirators in Manchester</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2. <a href="http://fatroland.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Fat Roland,</a> because I get the sense that once that guy learned how to read, he pretty much just couldn't effing stop.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-------</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
* In fact, I later learned Nabokov was fluent in
approximately 6 languages. I began to despair. “One <i>could</i>,” I thought, “do these things, but perhaps only if one was
Nabokov himself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
** Don’t worry, I’ve recognised all these nasty vestiges of
imperial thought & gotten them out of my head since 1999, when I first read
Lolita. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Garamond;
mso-ligatures:standard;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-76358621287599371652014-05-24T18:49:00.000+01:002014-05-24T22:18:28.803+01:00How Strange It Is To Be Anything At All...<a href="http://www.walkingwallofwords.com/" target="_blank">Neutral Milk Hotel</a> have been one of my favourite bands for years. The sound of Jeff Mangum's voice always pulls me back to those late summer nights of 2005, when I would turn up 'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea,' close out the till, gush buckets of water across the coffee-stained floor, mop up the gritty grounds with bleach and hot water, and wonder where the hell I was going to end up in 10 years...<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I remember those days, feeling lost. Like I wasn't doing anything useful... like I wasn't useful.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And Neutral Milk Hotel gave me something, every night, a wisp, a thread that held my heart together, those nights when I hated myself for losing time, every night, to this goddamn mop bucket.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The band had already broken up, by the time I heard of them, so I never thought I'd see them live. Jeff Mangum, for some time, seemed like he might never pick up a guitar again. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But then he did. And the band reunited. They came to Manchester last week. Back in 2005, when I wondered where I'd be in 10 years, I never imagined the strange answers that have become the true ones: in Manchester. Working at the BBC. Married. Or married, but to someone that - back then - I hadn't even met yet.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
How unbelievably my life has changed. How strange it is.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The show was amazing. It made my heart swell. It made me so glad to be alive, in this time, in this place. How lucky I am to get to see Neutral Milk Hotel in the <a href="http://www.alberthallmanchester.com/" target="_blank">Albert Hall</a>, a perfect venue for them, big and beautiful, with stained glass and a huge organ.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz122AeLiY8hIEwmn7xuJwzefR9PKhT5IyyndEBGfvOvxE7JOxS0HfC-Djy5Q84FCwpaWgQCbTF5_BmdF9AP9P7uze8nv95NKtuq9MYcEd9Y6YpOQ80QjYiRMhOJ3Coy-UfanokGiRfukV/s1600/2014-05-18+19.47.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz122AeLiY8hIEwmn7xuJwzefR9PKhT5IyyndEBGfvOvxE7JOxS0HfC-Djy5Q84FCwpaWgQCbTF5_BmdF9AP9P7uze8nv95NKtuq9MYcEd9Y6YpOQ80QjYiRMhOJ3Coy-UfanokGiRfukV/s1600/2014-05-18+19.47.09.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfH7UkbMml82w0Hs2IiLnqB4IbMI3j35cFc1k0-iQeqis29-d8PSdcceuEqg9f2HuGAV8p-DNLo50rim4wNKLoA97UxUk2LcI-pweGPaH2mAVx7PvWS85e7FDSqk_lgBVnIJOm6D3JTo5s/s1600/2014-05-18+19.47.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfH7UkbMml82w0Hs2IiLnqB4IbMI3j35cFc1k0-iQeqis29-d8PSdcceuEqg9f2HuGAV8p-DNLo50rim4wNKLoA97UxUk2LcI-pweGPaH2mAVx7PvWS85e7FDSqk_lgBVnIJOm6D3JTo5s/s1600/2014-05-18+19.47.16.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
For the past few months, I've been involved in this contemporary theatre project, called <a href="http://qtine.com/work/summer/" target="_blank">"Summer."</a> It's not a play, but it is a performance, and honestly, I'm not really sure what it is - except that it is about being alive and about just being.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm one of the performers, along with about 30 other people, who are all different ages (the youngest is 18 months old, I think, and the oldest person I've met in it is in her 70s).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FtX95eUHRtQlgxOqkBylEZdR_0t48f3qrOYQewo8d0zhvnWEJy_E8Tnm44Q6y9uSgD2q52niwAWM6s48GMqFb1hX_0Sm80qdAaQM8_7e4AL3Q4KMAyH9_96_t0dVp-5tbbzZnbyxc0k-/s1600/Summer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FtX95eUHRtQlgxOqkBylEZdR_0t48f3qrOYQewo8d0zhvnWEJy_E8Tnm44Q6y9uSgD2q52niwAWM6s48GMqFb1hX_0Sm80qdAaQM8_7e4AL3Q4KMAyH9_96_t0dVp-5tbbzZnbyxc0k-/s1600/Summer.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Cristina. She's in Summer, too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Rehearsals have been strange, but in a fun way - a lot of walking around and working out how to interpret the sometimes-strange instructions they give us ("Walk, sit, run, lay down, or jump in lanes. When I tell you, you can walk, sit, run, lay down, or jump in grids.). For the photoshoot, they threw water on us. It is sometimes a totally ridiculous way to spend an afternoon... you can read more about it on <a href="http://www.creativetourist.com/articles/theatre/manchester/summer-is-coming-quarantine-theatre-goes-seasonal/" target="_blank">Creative Tourist.</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
All Quarantine ask of us is to be ourselves - and the performance is based around all of our personal stories & lives. Between the Neutral Milk Hotel show and Summer, I've found myself daydreaming a lot this week - going over memories of summers past, who I used to be (quite hard on people), and who I still am (quite hard on myself).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Jonti and I have been packing all of life into our evenings. Apart from Saturday rehearsals & work, we have seen 2 concerts (Neutral Milk Hotel & Benjamin Brooker) and a play. On Tuesday, we went to Aumbry, an amazing restaurant near Manchester. We had a five-course tasting menu, and it was stunning. One of my dishes was too salty, but apart from that, it was absolutely delicious and surprisingly unfussy food.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That night, Jonti and I talked about being friends to people and building friendships with people, and being hard on people and being hard on ourselves. He said to me, "With friends, there will always be moments of good will, and there will always be moments of ill will. There will always be moments of cruelty and moments of kindness. That's what we do."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
How strange it is, how lucky I am, to be married to this amazing man, who has so much empathy that he sees even ill will, even from his friends, as part of the flow of life.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-58051745938578733842014-05-11T17:58:00.001+01:002014-05-11T19:10:20.027+01:00Elfin Ears!It's been another long while.<br />
<br />
Sometimes, it feels like I have so much to tell you all about, I get overwhelmed by it. And I avoid writing it. And then more happens that I want to tell you. It's a vicious cycle.<br />
<br />
I apologise. That's just a cliche. This cycle really isn't all that vicious. Because it's a blogging cycle, and really, it can't get vicious.<br />
<br />
Since I last posted, my family came to visit me. The big six: my mom & dad, my sister & brother-in-law, my niece & nephew. It was really important to me that my sister saw Manchester, my new home. I've been in this town more than 3 years now - and I'm glad she's seen it.<br />
<br />
It was 10 days of Dalal-Parekh craziness, made all the more fun with some extra Small action. Jonti's parents rented a massive cottage in the Lake District and took us out on some walks.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEUXYGoT3yONMWAqwW7gI_KsRiYChb9e8LoM-CYaZZ8dzM-BBDhDwmBh3ruE_iauY6NsJxC9dmQAdmSGeDAbDrvIRRdvl-qtLZfJsT-CwdDxAlKepRLADDcrIYj2ymCklxP_-CpEA8j2K/s1600/2014-04-09+16.31.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEUXYGoT3yONMWAqwW7gI_KsRiYChb9e8LoM-CYaZZ8dzM-BBDhDwmBh3ruE_iauY6NsJxC9dmQAdmSGeDAbDrvIRRdvl-qtLZfJsT-CwdDxAlKepRLADDcrIYj2ymCklxP_-CpEA8j2K/s1600/2014-04-09+16.31.52.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking over Lake Windermere in Ambleside. <br />
Dramatic skies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGv1MfD9v-S7g22ome6_yRUoVGLg-Hz_lR7D1ShY09Pj2f77HrLTCkxdHhGjOm1YuN567xa7TkgPGIhlYF0DdZ0qwx2H1_xKQj695F0H4q4BdRv9jiSFsKHdGtns6wWrNa2f2vIF6s5YYR/s1600/2014-04-09+17.31.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGv1MfD9v-S7g22ome6_yRUoVGLg-Hz_lR7D1ShY09Pj2f77HrLTCkxdHhGjOm1YuN567xa7TkgPGIhlYF0DdZ0qwx2H1_xKQj695F0H4q4BdRv9jiSFsKHdGtns6wWrNa2f2vIF6s5YYR/s1600/2014-04-09+17.31.26.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alan, Jonti's father, took us all on a walk out to Rydal cave. <br />
We saw bats. We think</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnbjqZuVMgA7wsH2Bw1aw9FaZhPyvNOhE9UhUd4u4aGYzUsZOoPO-QbXnHPufGQDvaR12p6x4hLnzxXmYiWy3hQZXceIoqczPPiCaalVcbYxw3Bt8ERe62YwAxtVuEjbXn1I6LLd1rLWM/s1600/2014-04-09+17.04.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnbjqZuVMgA7wsH2Bw1aw9FaZhPyvNOhE9UhUd4u4aGYzUsZOoPO-QbXnHPufGQDvaR12p6x4hLnzxXmYiWy3hQZXceIoqczPPiCaalVcbYxw3Bt8ERe62YwAxtVuEjbXn1I6LLd1rLWM/s1600/2014-04-09+17.04.25.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There is a strange British obsession with horrible American foodlike substances. I suppose it's because things like aerosolised cheese can't legally be sold as food here. They brought Easy Cheese for Jonti's cousin Philip, and my friends Neil & Joe. Look how happy it made Joe.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdgnpn2bHM2LwJ0R2PQUyn4LsIQXNlRy-U-Rt0DyzWYa8EK3W0bs9QNu18c11sf97_tDp3xIlaO7f8aCr92mQsYD0SufbXGHqDwBOqeq7CIT8uL0SDPf9Ax0aJzsSENFOJrsvuQBInUjY/s1600/2014-04-27+17.38.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdgnpn2bHM2LwJ0R2PQUyn4LsIQXNlRy-U-Rt0DyzWYa8EK3W0bs9QNu18c11sf97_tDp3xIlaO7f8aCr92mQsYD0SufbXGHqDwBOqeq7CIT8uL0SDPf9Ax0aJzsSENFOJrsvuQBInUjY/s1600/2014-04-27+17.38.38.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe eating a gross thing <br />
and very happy about it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This trip was the first time my sister met my husband.<br />
<br />
I still think that's a really strange thing. I never never thought I would have such a tale to tell.<br />
<br />
I still feel bad that she wasn't able to be at the wedding. I know we're going to have another one in Atlanta. But I also know it upset her. And I can't fix it, of course, because it's happened.<br />
<br />
I was happy to see all of them - my niece and nephew are growing up and that's awesome and weird. But more than anything, I was really glad that I got to see my sister. I feel like I broke that secret pact we made when we were little, that pact where we said, "I promise I will not let you miss anything."<br />
<br />
We didn't make a pact. But I still feel like I broke something.<br />
<br />
-------<br />
<br />
They flew out on a Tuesday morning - and that night, Jonti & I went out to see Mark Z Danielewski do a Q&A. Danielewski is the author of <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2000/jul/15/fiction.reviews" target="_blank">House of Leaves</a>, a book that will change how you think about books in a good fun theoretical ambitious critical excellent way.<br />
<br />
He's the kind of writer who attracts PhD theses like banana-eating attracts mosquitoes. It was a strange Q&A, as his fans lined up to ask him questions about how obscure French theorists inform his work. And he answered with grace and intelligence, shifting from an incredibly theoretical question to a profoundly human answer. He said things like, "When people ask me how I know a book is done, all I can tell them is that ... it's when the story starts to eat itself."<br />
<br />
I loved this night. <a href="http://benjaminjudge.com/2014/04/16/high-culture-low-culture-culture-whatever/" target="_blank">Benjamin Judge</a> & <a href="http://davidhartleywriter.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/mark-z-danielewski-signicon-and.html" target="_blank">Dave Hartley</a> have written fuller reviews.<br />
<br />
-------<br />
<br />
We had lovely weather for the Easter holiday earlier this month. Jonti & I tried to go for a countryside bicycle ride, but we failed at that pretty miserably and ended up pushing our bikes up a seriously steep hill on an A road, riding along another A road, and eventually realising we had no idea where the track we were supposed to be heading toward started. It wasn't a total wash, though - we sat in Mossley park, in beautiful sunshine, warm and bright & we read our books and had a lovely picnic.<br />
<br />
The next day, Katherine decided to drive us out to the beach! We went out to Formby and had *another* picnic! I know. Two picnics in two days. I'm totally spoiled.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeB32sCLZGBccMnLnidHDw4jy1ycUDNZIUuoB_Pt5MYBZA3CePjTFbEhQ2JpCtcgBx5Q4nMrFiakl5Nspyi9qPwUWFNusWt64c7uaXHQamFv-6gONE7_fSbqZzcS8awssa5wCkP9svQLG/s1600/2014-04-19+14.16.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeB32sCLZGBccMnLnidHDw4jy1ycUDNZIUuoB_Pt5MYBZA3CePjTFbEhQ2JpCtcgBx5Q4nMrFiakl5Nspyi9qPwUWFNusWt64c7uaXHQamFv-6gONE7_fSbqZzcS8awssa5wCkP9svQLG/s1600/2014-04-19+14.16.19.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdQieIBdiH2L7sq_xYNWZbcODDau13ugmkYFox-sDkqI8RIlmhQXD98wFo9lV1NlwMxzXj4O1aTcatuosKbg8K4643_9JDLAWCXmZyjot11Pkr2DfuZ82GPydxbdL4YXCMdxjnVwFOZ7G/s1600/2014-04-19+15.27.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdQieIBdiH2L7sq_xYNWZbcODDau13ugmkYFox-sDkqI8RIlmhQXD98wFo9lV1NlwMxzXj4O1aTcatuosKbg8K4643_9JDLAWCXmZyjot11Pkr2DfuZ82GPydxbdL4YXCMdxjnVwFOZ7G/s1600/2014-04-19+15.27.09.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbrbLIlRMEx15B5alMR6Oo3S1amm1RF0c69qMZyIr8jidHWagN3kFlyU-woOasF1Yis_FqlMWvujkyPzlMAa0Is3-bST2HyEFzGmwFZuKAJ-G7XHVmWlT5rZF-971VW9HUJa6xnyiVxCj/s1600/2014-04-19+16.03.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbrbLIlRMEx15B5alMR6Oo3S1amm1RF0c69qMZyIr8jidHWagN3kFlyU-woOasF1Yis_FqlMWvujkyPzlMAa0Is3-bST2HyEFzGmwFZuKAJ-G7XHVmWlT5rZF-971VW9HUJa6xnyiVxCj/s1600/2014-04-19+16.03.08.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I feel that because I grew up in landlocked Atlanta, I'm still kind of a kid at the beach. Water, the seaside, sand, seashells - these things are all still really surprising to me. Yes, I spent two years living in Sydney - but I didn't spend much time at the beaches. In my experience, most of Sydney's beaches were too busy & the water was too full of used tampons.<br />
<br />
Katherine and Jonti walked ahead of me, as I constantly stopped to pick up seashells. Muttering to myself, "Oh, that's a pretty one... I wonder what animal this is??... This one has a hinge... Oh, neat." Occasionally, I yelled. "JONTI! WHAT'S THIS ONE?"<br />
<br />
He would slowly walk back to me, take the shell from me, and quietly say, "I don't know. It's just a shell."<br />
<br />
He spent his childhood coming to Formby regularly & he's totally over the shells. So's Katherine. But I took a whole bunch home and washed them and I'm going to keep them forever. Well, probably more like for awhile.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSFje7D5757rcudihV1r2cfNWo-mwIaNmTCyzVT2MMVzSfAdaBcBfP859Jk8QNwpRLhPY3npJYX5tA4O2muV9A5vhzEKFRE1nyeQn0mm6Sn1KMcUkbMHs9434L670L-MMrfkMYLFyMIOq/s1600/2014-04-19+19.08.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSFje7D5757rcudihV1r2cfNWo-mwIaNmTCyzVT2MMVzSfAdaBcBfP859Jk8QNwpRLhPY3npJYX5tA4O2muV9A5vhzEKFRE1nyeQn0mm6Sn1KMcUkbMHs9434L670L-MMrfkMYLFyMIOq/s1600/2014-04-19+19.08.20.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Near Formby beach is a red squirrel sanctuary. Red squirrels are indigenous to Britain. They have been losing habitat and food to the invasive species known as the North American grey squirrel... in other words, because of squirrels that are from where I'm from.<br />
<br />
It makes me sad, because I love grey squirrels. I love their bushy tails and their awesome jumping skills. When they stand up on their hind legs, they look like they're wearing little white shirts. I love them. But here, in the UK, they are a bad thing. I was hoping that red squirrels wouldn't be as cute in real life as grey squirrels, so that I could go on loving the hell out of all the grey squirrels I see in Manchester. For cuteness.<br />
<br />
But then, I saw three red squirrels in the woods near Formby Beach. And oh my god, they are even cuter than grey squirrels. They have <i style="font-weight: bold;">elfin</i> ears, y'all. They are smaller than greys, and they have wispy little bushy tails. THEY ARE GINGER. They are the best squirrel. I dare you to find a better squirrel.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Squirrel_posing.jpg/450px-Squirrel_posing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Squirrel_posing.jpg/450px-Squirrel_posing.jpg" height="267" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-------<br />
<br />
We've been going to see lots of music lately. <a href="http://soundsfromtheothercity.com/" target="_blank">Sounds From The Other City</a> (SFTOC) is a Salford-based music festival, with loads of Salford pubs and music venues hosting all-day gigs. This year was SFTOC's 10-year anniversary. They made decorations & party hats out of posters from previous years.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP20JGCyY_qi4L-arBGfZefW_8npI1YvYov45_hcCE3E3NykNHDBdIFSVj-EXEhQzXC5HXI_p6uEsVzM0I74qE8V746ONNxYVMq6dicxqqMSy8xKH1ZFtX-30iZxmbMHBucyT1MbdWVsV/s1600/2014-05-04+17.00.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtP20JGCyY_qi4L-arBGfZefW_8npI1YvYov45_hcCE3E3NykNHDBdIFSVj-EXEhQzXC5HXI_p6uEsVzM0I74qE8V746ONNxYVMq6dicxqqMSy8xKH1ZFtX-30iZxmbMHBucyT1MbdWVsV/s1600/2014-05-04+17.00.33.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
SFTOC provided an excellent excuse to see a bunch of venues I wouldn't otherwise have seen, like Salford University's Peel Hall. Gorgeous entryway.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgLf-CulSv1KNq2kbKIDlHbnjR7xHWRKVeQcChD5NxxoPNMYNz0-fZyBxehfLqG5dZYomzIw-omWceIRXzYWjOO_Mx-G_oAVcYm06Ep6bBIqUgIcBldRnE0nRtRIqI9ONRPDO_jhFntlN/s1600/2014-05-04+17.53.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgLf-CulSv1KNq2kbKIDlHbnjR7xHWRKVeQcChD5NxxoPNMYNz0-fZyBxehfLqG5dZYomzIw-omWceIRXzYWjOO_Mx-G_oAVcYm06Ep6bBIqUgIcBldRnE0nRtRIqI9ONRPDO_jhFntlN/s1600/2014-05-04+17.53.13.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjGtvPSMg52gjOJERqrRzbLxRSBwmP-X3f-TXEnHh6suJOuHtJGQjaOGe6S0J8E2cXayxv3wDtFpctMs7ycbzgDDZ3BIHsy5svCG2fy_SgNl3gv7W-7KlqYPKxlt-vSja_zJiDd9VmdQl/s1600/2014-05-04+17.53.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjGtvPSMg52gjOJERqrRzbLxRSBwmP-X3f-TXEnHh6suJOuHtJGQjaOGe6S0J8E2cXayxv3wDtFpctMs7ycbzgDDZ3BIHsy5svCG2fy_SgNl3gv7W-7KlqYPKxlt-vSja_zJiDd9VmdQl/s1600/2014-05-04+17.53.28.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It was a really fun day, and though I really only 'discovered' one band that I really like from it, that band is so metal awesome, they've made me wonder whether I am at heart truly just a metal fan.*<br />
<br />
They are <a href="https://www.facebook.com/slythefamilydrone" target="_blank">Sly and the Family Drone.</a> They are two drummers, who are proficient & work together to play across each others' drum sets at the same time, as well as a mixing desk of some sort (played by one of the drummers) & a dude making strange noises through a harmonica fitted to a microphone. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxIJ-ExVksM" target="_blank">A video on Youtube will not give you the experience of watching these guys.</a> They are some new kind of music, like metal-jazz or something, and they are super awesome. They played just outside this strange teepee or cut-up tent or whatever it is with cool light projections all over it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86UaQ2OhnhYuBmIIPj9YZ9R7WzYv63WTpBRd8_5RZq1U0SQ_VzUAOmzp-SrhHwAVVFUY4cqbKr2Eb-MH-JS3-epy9ndiOaUxJlJx-7KvfuqkY1rdR_3YRmxaYz9Jv9nJsFySExzI4CM2F/s1600/2014-05-04+17.57.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86UaQ2OhnhYuBmIIPj9YZ9R7WzYv63WTpBRd8_5RZq1U0SQ_VzUAOmzp-SrhHwAVVFUY4cqbKr2Eb-MH-JS3-epy9ndiOaUxJlJx-7KvfuqkY1rdR_3YRmxaYz9Jv9nJsFySExzI4CM2F/s1600/2014-05-04+17.57.16.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We also went to see <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ee4bfu_t3c" target="_blank">Future Islands</a> the other night, on the recommendation of Miss Laura Barton. Have y'all already heard of Future Islands? They were a great show.<br />
<br />
-------<br />
<br />
Oh, and I've been working a lot lately. I left my contract at the BBC to go freelance and get back into production, and I've been working fairly solid since then. It's an exciting and scary time to go freelance again - but I think I'm ready.<br />
<br />
-------<br />
<br />
And I'm keeping some news in my back pocket, so I can post more than once a month. Promise.<br />
<br />
-------<br />
<br />
*Probably not.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-63813293740399058952014-03-23T15:12:00.003+00:002014-03-23T15:12:33.673+00:00How Should a Library Be?When I moved to Manchester, back in 2010, I was particularly intrigued by this big, round building in the center of town.<br />
<br />
The Central Library.
<br />
<br />
Ewan MacColl, that famous English folk singer, songwriter, communist, labour activist, actor, poet, playwright, and record producer, was at the Library on its opening day. I imagine everyone in the city must have immediately fallen in love with its beautiful, Classical, Pantheon-inspired stature.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Manchester_Central_Library.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Manchester_Central_Library.jpg" height="280" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
But I had just missed it... in 2010, before I got here, it was closed for renovations - set to open in 2014. I didn't think I would get to see it. My visa was meant to expire in February 2014. I'd be back in Atlanta, or somewhere else by the time the renovations were done. I thought, if I ever visited Manchester again, maybe in a few years, I would like to wander around it.<br />
<br />
But there was no way I'd get to actually use it, no way I would ever get used to it being open, being available, being just another resource in this great town.<br />
<br />
It was asbestos-ridden, I'd heard from friends who'd lived here longer. It was crumbling. I've only ever gazed at it from the outside, unsure what secrets it might hold.<br />
<br />
Yesterday, it opened.<br />
<br />
And it is stunning.<br />
<br />
The entrance is called the Shakespeare Hall, filled with stained glass and natural light and smooth pale stone.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmHKiPjNDHgUOALwqTc4Xkqg-Selel77enjpQEuWj3U1Rc8NcOr2t14_nt7dfMQohrreOHLoYqnp05FKo901JeFZ5boIcWVsnpF7geAKKInyC5APq7jmrV5Ttg5JoiVsGQKNf1Zge8Hko/s1600/2014-03-22+13.19.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmHKiPjNDHgUOALwqTc4Xkqg-Selel77enjpQEuWj3U1Rc8NcOr2t14_nt7dfMQohrreOHLoYqnp05FKo901JeFZ5boIcWVsnpF7geAKKInyC5APq7jmrV5Ttg5JoiVsGQKNf1Zge8Hko/s1600/2014-03-22+13.19.34.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2012_11_01_archive.html" target="_blank">Manchester must be the world capital of secular stained glass.</a> This window is entirely devoted to Shakespeare's plays. </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WiIVT-9Ub9B9nG6DNwLvBk_8Vl2c1F1GhcX8uNnZd5-tMg2Lt_A5AIHLdhp4yUZMxkLuKDmLgGKIo5iNQTTfqVmr6wN6kwbQ3PS14OHCTQ0v7Fk6IHcHbvEV0P4KMPW74j5g8nvKLWg_/s1600/2014-03-22+13.19.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WiIVT-9Ub9B9nG6DNwLvBk_8Vl2c1F1GhcX8uNnZd5-tMg2Lt_A5AIHLdhp4yUZMxkLuKDmLgGKIo5iNQTTfqVmr6wN6kwbQ3PS14OHCTQ0v7Fk6IHcHbvEV0P4KMPW74j5g8nvKLWg_/s1600/2014-03-22+13.19.49.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCki3AsBLZoLFQF3p7tNGb79yQiaoDCo4PtNOXhpPowTzboWkWsv9HzD-lMW75h4ZTXc0P9p_PglJPMpEz3O6KAXegtbk3T4G_0Q-6vdPFjwI8z24THYZ5H-nNwIMn_EsBmDEvFpMtfGj/s1600/2014-03-22+13.21.58.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">The building, it turns out, is 6 stories high, with a massive reading room in the center. They've put the NorthWest Film Archive in, with little viewing booths & there's the BFI Mediatheque in, too. There's a performance space. Event spaces. A cafe.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxycSHQ0D9PP1-eBcF-IeU6dZ-tefHDXb6w3laJMAuNl3IPTA1wjKfaRMLdNhEg93gf_gQJagY4i3EyzMuD_krAolMTfIRnFDM-qbIp03N2VUnV10lOWeGy9u3eywAunPETtuWnBJmkCSR/s1600/2014-03-22+13.23.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxycSHQ0D9PP1-eBcF-IeU6dZ-tefHDXb6w3laJMAuNl3IPTA1wjKfaRMLdNhEg93gf_gQJagY4i3EyzMuD_krAolMTfIRnFDM-qbIp03N2VUnV10lOWeGy9u3eywAunPETtuWnBJmkCSR/s1600/2014-03-22+13.23.55.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The ceiling window lets in plenty of white daylight.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmxkD6hCoc5zCL-XO1e9h3fOpZpOfshhasLW7I7UvLKjWGsnxqEAn2wXsqEMD4QEM4fUJS7XbOa5lGjkjqOnW1flUl1bInBDs0yHuVuEEW0L6xMBAsEa9c-R2r0pzjY5YSFzd_dljnwbG/s1600/2014-03-22+13.24.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmxkD6hCoc5zCL-XO1e9h3fOpZpOfshhasLW7I7UvLKjWGsnxqEAn2wXsqEMD4QEM4fUJS7XbOa5lGjkjqOnW1flUl1bInBDs0yHuVuEEW0L6xMBAsEa9c-R2r0pzjY5YSFzd_dljnwbG/s1600/2014-03-22+13.24.00.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I love the old signage they've left on the stones in the reading room.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9nK-vkl7U7cGFfUiZzeRBWWPpH6G15MC6Uh6_KoaQQ0pj-DKUwzdIZ2cX8iWCjA5pazFUxjAES7CY4AUFFFTahEVh_YxLD4HzE7J9HEUcFR_CRXm6nn44PNRLUHGOAcbkQIDwwPX4GdU/s1600/2014-03-22+13.25.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9nK-vkl7U7cGFfUiZzeRBWWPpH6G15MC6Uh6_KoaQQ0pj-DKUwzdIZ2cX8iWCjA5pazFUxjAES7CY4AUFFFTahEVh_YxLD4HzE7J9HEUcFR_CRXm6nn44PNRLUHGOAcbkQIDwwPX4GdU/s1600/2014-03-22+13.25.37.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQ5xBXZX4l6TwbLClzDVXX7sE04LtlRB-NA3geNfEmpU6Ehn3Lxvr4UhrkDMJZAJuW6HlCbX47Fmdi8C2hk8jztar-1QjftSEVI5z_Ll2aA76agYutKO0kuiyOCJh1uz5gVRP8F11KVLR/s1600/2014-03-22+13.27.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQ5xBXZX4l6TwbLClzDVXX7sE04LtlRB-NA3geNfEmpU6Ehn3Lxvr4UhrkDMJZAJuW6HlCbX47Fmdi8C2hk8jztar-1QjftSEVI5z_Ll2aA76agYutKO0kuiyOCJh1uz5gVRP8F11KVLR/s1600/2014-03-22+13.27.25.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">The reading room is so perfectly round that if you stand in the center, you'll hear voices from other parts of the room. It's a weird, ghostly sensation, talking to someone you can't see, listening in on people who don't know you can hear them. As an audio nerd, I tried to get some recordings... but I'm not sure how they came out. I stood in the center, listening for a long time. The whole room echoes and echoes - apparently, when the building first opened in 1934, it was a big problem for people who came to the library to... you know... <i>read</i>. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Newly developed sound-absorbing material has helped quite a lot.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">The corridors that swing around the reading room are stunning, too. So many intriguing views and angles. It's really beautiful.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5k9CjmGWL0bmSH3SyKWhYNr2pQVQZo_COj59ke7CZ8lLLkpcCT3iHPi9g06YmeOe-krLFuDhQxaBP0wyivM3ti4CrvExUtKH-MON2bQpoz90pS6PPrOn8iPSg66yPuE1zp3-m3dcQ1pl/s1600/2014-03-22+13.22.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5k9CjmGWL0bmSH3SyKWhYNr2pQVQZo_COj59ke7CZ8lLLkpcCT3iHPi9g06YmeOe-krLFuDhQxaBP0wyivM3ti4CrvExUtKH-MON2bQpoz90pS6PPrOn8iPSg66yPuE1zp3-m3dcQ1pl/s1600/2014-03-22+13.22.35.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This corridor leads from the Central Library to Manchester's Town Hall, another of my favourite, favourite buildings in the world. It's a pretty glamorous corridor, hey?</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AUs4XcjHXhdS0dN3gPNiKyDQd_uYg1MJov9zrgDFEOMYMz3p_hTPmWl4RIYXiuDj0QQ8ZTlmz_juVbzsIcBbENHHP9olxcEBJVUNCJUlZIVWcxALCeYeXO3x6QOw5UkqxZKdrA2HaWn2/s1600/2014-03-22+14.11.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AUs4XcjHXhdS0dN3gPNiKyDQd_uYg1MJov9zrgDFEOMYMz3p_hTPmWl4RIYXiuDj0QQ8ZTlmz_juVbzsIcBbENHHP9olxcEBJVUNCJUlZIVWcxALCeYeXO3x6QOw5UkqxZKdrA2HaWn2/s1600/2014-03-22+14.11.09.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br /><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Outdoors, there used to be an open walkway between the Library and Town Hall.</span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyyb4wRLGfRO8qLRTI5u9Eq7eq9CpaGsDLd_YpNwFLbS1tQokRii0Wz9ptI-n8HSQj5R3d54iMQ7NXJVRURGouIPa7Yctai6W7j9u3lqu5E8YaxGpqybrFwG1eSHr6NOXTYTJPQA56Ss/s1600/473347_10151779661335472_1689743871_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCyyb4wRLGfRO8qLRTI5u9Eq7eq9CpaGsDLd_YpNwFLbS1tQokRii0Wz9ptI-n8HSQj5R3d54iMQ7NXJVRURGouIPa7Yctai6W7j9u3lqu5E8YaxGpqybrFwG1eSHr6NOXTYTJPQA56Ss/s1600/473347_10151779661335472_1689743871_o.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://theshriekingviolets.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/help-save-library-walk.html" target="_blank">The Shrieking Violet</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Sadly, the Council have decided to enclose Library Walk in a cage of glass, allowing them to gate & and lock it at night, under the guise of 'public safety.' I mean, sure, Victoria Park is where students are regularly reporting sexual assault and theft - but if you want a way to keep homeless people away from a recently renovated building, I guess you have to claim it's for 'public safety.' 'Public control' sounds more accurate to me. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Of course, the places where Greater Manchester Police most often tweet about violent crime in the city are nowhere near Library Walk - but why let that in the way of gating off public space from the kind of people you'd rather not hang out near pretty public buildings?</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">And therein lies my, and many people's, concern. The Central Library is a public building. It is not just meant to be a gorgeous, formalist, beautiful building. It should, at its heart, be a library. A resource. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">From what I saw, on most floors of the library, there just weren't all that many... books.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhr24IeXwex-UoiBQ_QSGjC6ju5E66Ch2fhMInhakpwTcAtkI3fAOCbbtrrmTc-vqp8TgRf_ftC3OJ7gruLlVnVfgdWYGQCPeZkpqKS8Z10F2wVljbcHTek3o2yrkHabZml_BH_K03WeW/s1600/2014-03-22+13.40.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhr24IeXwex-UoiBQ_QSGjC6ju5E66Ch2fhMInhakpwTcAtkI3fAOCbbtrrmTc-vqp8TgRf_ftC3OJ7gruLlVnVfgdWYGQCPeZkpqKS8Z10F2wVljbcHTek3o2yrkHabZml_BH_K03WeW/s1600/2014-03-22+13.40.08.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
They've done something really nice with the music collection - there are musical instruments around it, so people can have a go playing the sheet music. There's a drum kit, a piano. That's neat and I rather like it.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWnOOE8paM3iTlnR5sAHGcPA2939HOZY-aKXi6CdFj7ANBUooZdiHB04CX3wfvdpR_th8-2BMWlGdSqBuyf8-i67P32OYuH8QSCKccNqN0wwvSiUf4I67g93S1tVtXb2ikCvl5C3ZxRpR/s1600/2014-03-22+13.35.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWnOOE8paM3iTlnR5sAHGcPA2939HOZY-aKXi6CdFj7ANBUooZdiHB04CX3wfvdpR_th8-2BMWlGdSqBuyf8-i67P32OYuH8QSCKccNqN0wwvSiUf4I67g93S1tVtXb2ikCvl5C3ZxRpR/s1600/2014-03-22+13.35.06.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But the main lending library is stuck down in the basement of the building. With no natural light, the part that people will use most is worst placed.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And while event spaces and film viewing booths are great, I'm not sure the new Central Library actually holds the same collection it once did. Only one floor of the newly opened building has stacks of reference books. In 1968, the Central Library had nearly 1.66 million volumes. How many more must it have collected since? Manchester's Central Library was famous as a public, not university-based, library for its non-fiction reference investment and collection. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
They did do a cool thing with the stacks - famous faces from Manchester's history are on them, and when you open one stack or close another, you either disjoin or join up the images. This image is Rutherford, of atom-breaking fame, with a face divided by books.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J4cxaU-MUBNPROvR2x2eQYh08uETUsEtMRjfVyJ1fgqgVu1bnW2goMn7jDuEdF_s-UXJEWdAI_iBouNepdQ-OpXeFtbbYzf4AmafPnbhWHIyIPXt7gKHNZgw9AEZqHIzkK76pCfr2vj9/s1600/2014-03-22+13.48.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J4cxaU-MUBNPROvR2x2eQYh08uETUsEtMRjfVyJ1fgqgVu1bnW2goMn7jDuEdF_s-UXJEWdAI_iBouNepdQ-OpXeFtbbYzf4AmafPnbhWHIyIPXt7gKHNZgw9AEZqHIzkK76pCfr2vj9/s1600/2014-03-22+13.48.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J4cxaU-MUBNPROvR2x2eQYh08uETUsEtMRjfVyJ1fgqgVu1bnW2goMn7jDuEdF_s-UXJEWdAI_iBouNepdQ-OpXeFtbbYzf4AmafPnbhWHIyIPXt7gKHNZgw9AEZqHIzkK76pCfr2vj9/s1600/2014-03-22+13.48.35.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
<span style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">But there's only one floor of stacks! </span></div>
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">
<span style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">A while ago, Manchester City Council was going to pulp a lot of its reference books rather than find space for them in the new library – supposedly because no one ever requested those books anymore. Of course, that doesn't mean no one ever will, or that those books are useless. <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/oct/01/manchester-library-book-destruction-halted" target="_blank">The 'Friends of Manchester Central Library' stopped that from happening.</a></span></div>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">But books cost money and space to store. Those books are being stored in a warehouse now. They haven't been pulped. Yet. They also haven't been catalogued, so the public don't know which books are there... and therefore can't request them. I'm worried that in five or ten years, when no one has used them because no one can see them - the city will feel justified in actually pulping them. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">I like the new Central Library - I think it's a beautiful restoration of a gorgeous building. I like that it's got film viewing booths and event spaces. But in the course of its renovations, it's lost a lot of its non-fiction reference books. It seems like it might have become a glorified internet cafe. </span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">It's supposed to be a library. Where are all the books?</span><br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-29064768728061597652014-03-02T21:06:00.003+00:002014-03-03T11:20:08.282+00:00Sweet, bitter, and SaltaireThis month, two of the three founding members of <a href="http://badlanguagemcr.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Bad Language</a> are packing up and moving to London. While Bad Language will continue, stronger for the three years that they nurtured it, their moving tastes bittersweet. <a href="http://davidhartleywriter.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/good-job-bad-language.html" target="_blank">Dave Hartley has written a wonderful post about what Bad Language has meant to many of us here in Manchester.</a> I strongly recommend it.<br />
<br />
I wanted to write this post, though, for <a href="http://daniel-carpenter.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Dan</a> and <a href="http://niciwest.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Nici</a> more personally. I can't thank Dan & Nici enough (as well as <a href="https://twitter.com/jpmdaly" target="_blank">Joe Daly</a>, the third Bad Language founder, who isn't going anywhere, at least for now *shaking my fist at him*). You see, in the dark and cold months of my first winter in Manchester, in 2010-2011, Bad Language became my whole world for a while.<br />
<br />
It's the monthly literature night, in the crowded back room of The Castle Hotel, where I not only felt welcome - I made friends, I read my stories and I made Manchester my home. They've published my writing and asked me to read at amazing events like last year's Box of Tricks Counter Culture Club and Manchester Museum's Northern Elements show.<br />
<iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/XBNjssbs-1M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
More than that, Dan and Nici became my friends. We played and loved boardgames together, and commiserated about work and interviews together. Nici, who is also an excellent masseuse, sorted my back out last year, when I was having real problems from sitting too much at work (and wearing heels all the time). They both read stories at my wedding, a contribution that made the day special and unique and made me love the Manchester literature scene more than ever. I'm so proud to be a part of it.<br />
<br />
When I moved to Manchester, I knew it might be hard to make new friends. By a certain point in life, most people have already made more friends than they can really keep up with. Dan and Nici, and Bad Language as a whole, welcomed me in. I once managed to almost repay their kindness by getting a high-profile guest to headline Bad Language. I know we'll see each other when I visit London and when they visit Manchester... but I can't pretend that I won't miss them.<br />
<br />
The sweet news, though, is that they've left Bad Language in good hands. Joe Daly will keep hosting, of course, along with one of the most welcoming, friendly, encouraging and big-hearted people I have ever met in my life: <a href="http://fatroland.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Fat Roland</a>. He's the best. The best. I'm excited to see how Bad Language evolves under this new leadership. Prediction: more weird.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUv5gu3989Isxao1bUX0UFuP3Nvguau9P7Z3nRdJGeq5BLivl3hdRoDcg6m2Rqw64ximR9XgK32Q94yNlo25H8NX5DHAhuv_BnBaz9xnaaaL6auJRbYSp17Ykmf96NPNI9onCoyLFjLpVQ/s1600/face+man+happy+happy+face+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUv5gu3989Isxao1bUX0UFuP3Nvguau9P7Z3nRdJGeq5BLivl3hdRoDcg6m2Rqw64ximR9XgK32Q94yNlo25H8NX5DHAhuv_BnBaz9xnaaaL6auJRbYSp17Ykmf96NPNI9onCoyLFjLpVQ/s1600/face+man+happy+happy+face+man.jpg" height="320" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: left;">
This is the kind of thing Fat Roland does. </div>
<div style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: left;">
ALL. THE. TIME.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Saltaire</b><br />
<br />
Last weekend, when Jonti and I were in Leeds, we decided to take a day trip out to <a href="http://www.saltairevillage.info/" target="_blank">Saltaire.</a> Surprisingly, the name of the village has nothing to do with 'salt' or 'air.' Rather, it was founded by Victorian industrialist Titus Salt, and it's near the River Aire - 'aire' meaning, most probably, 'strong river' in Common Brittonic.<br />
<br />
Titus Salt felt the slums of Bradford were bad for the workers in his textile mill - so he moved his whole operation out and created the world's first model village. This changed urban planning forever. It was a true Work-Live-Play environment.<br />
<br />
A rainbow from the window of Salts Mill.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAooJpAT7-XgozS5en6Dw9V4uWFYZ7rI012VpTa47etRrdkdHY2Xedglys0IO56RXmULTgDImbaf0SxFCeaflfnsbOz_25Nu0AGNHWy1blW2tXEJvKUUwwIEboSd0B1jx65vIQQ9jOjsC/s1600/2014-02-22+01.49.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAooJpAT7-XgozS5en6Dw9V4uWFYZ7rI012VpTa47etRrdkdHY2Xedglys0IO56RXmULTgDImbaf0SxFCeaflfnsbOz_25Nu0AGNHWy1blW2tXEJvKUUwwIEboSd0B1jx65vIQQ9jOjsC/s1600/2014-02-22+01.49.53.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAooJpAT7-XgozS5en6Dw9V4uWFYZ7rI012VpTa47etRrdkdHY2Xedglys0IO56RXmULTgDImbaf0SxFCeaflfnsbOz_25Nu0AGNHWy1blW2tXEJvKUUwwIEboSd0B1jx65vIQQ9jOjsC/s1600/2014-02-22+01.49.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Today, Salts Mill is home to a privately-owned David Hockney gallery with the largest collection of Hockney works in the world. Hockney is a pretty well-regarded British painter. Salts Mill doesn't show him off very well, though. The first floor of the gallery is just a giant art supply shop, with some Hockney works hung around the perimeter - and there's no information about the works. No titles, no dates, no word about what materials were used. Essentially, you don't feel you've learned anything about Hockney, though you have wondered whether you should buy a new set of coloured pencils.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The second floor is pretty much the same, except a book store replaces the art supply shop.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And the third floor is a cafe, behind which is a pretty decent gallery space, where you only slightly feel like your attention is constantly jarred by the sound of an espresso machine. Apparently, this total lack of information is entirely intentional, as my friend Richmal told me the owner is worried that if people know too much about the artworks, they'll nick them. Richmal grew up in Saltaire and used to work in Salts Mill - so I believe her.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
Which makes me wonder what the point of an art gallery is, exactly. This one seems to be particularly about selling books and art supplies and coffee. Jonti and I weren't too impressed, though <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/26/tech/innovation/this-is-how-76-year-old-david-hockney/" target="_blank">the recent stuff Hockney has started doing with Photoshop and his iPhone are lovely.</a> When he finishes a new iPhone drawing, he emails it to the gallery - and they immediately put it into rotation on the screens that display his iPhone pieces, which is a neat use of technology & immediate art.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Disappointed in the Hockney gallery, we thought we'd at least see the village and we dropped into the Visitor's Centre, where they gave us a Heritage Walking Tour booklet. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRWZnepz4o0K8jclzAnnVLsNo_p0Y8QTLfFzU_5bp4Xy2tQDM9W3kaVPdWiE2QvLM2ZbwknK7rWOmwCjy9Xz5cDwju-0mYw5lsmeNLz4-peXEdyMI3s-B2uvWA-btgxaLzsVASwydmNgx/s1600/2014-02-21+14.36.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRWZnepz4o0K8jclzAnnVLsNo_p0Y8QTLfFzU_5bp4Xy2tQDM9W3kaVPdWiE2QvLM2ZbwknK7rWOmwCjy9Xz5cDwju-0mYw5lsmeNLz4-peXEdyMI3s-B2uvWA-btgxaLzsVASwydmNgx/s1600/2014-02-21+14.36.24.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The tour took us around a block of the village, but it didn't really provide much information. It told us which houses were for single male workers (the big ones) and which houses were for single families (the slightly smaller ones, with gardens out front). The tour told us that Titus Salt hadn't built any pubs into the town, because he didn't want the workers drinking. Makes him seem a bit of a boor, doesn't it? "To work for me, you'll live here, and you'll have no beer, sirs, and you're welcome!"<br />
<br />
We walked the tour - and we just felt like we had missed something. Somehow, Saltaire put all the effort into getting a UNESCO World Heritage Site classification... and then didn't bother doing very much for all the tourists who would want to visit such a place. The Reformed Church is apparently stunning inside, and they've spent a lot of money cleaning it up... but it's only open for a few hours on a Sunday. We couldn't see it.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Saltaire_Building.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Saltaire_Building.JPG" height="320" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">From Wikipedia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Wikipedia told me that Salt didn't build any pubs because he himself was a Methodist and teetotal - which makes him seem a little less hypocritical, if no less patronising. Richmal told me that one of the houses has a tower, and the person who lived in that house had to climb it every Sunday & make sure no one was doing their washing; Sunday being God's day of rest, after all.<br />
<br />
These, I think, would have been nice things to learn while we were walking about.<br />
<br />
In Sydney, the council had saved a few of the oldest convict-built buildings, and kept them furnished in the style of that time, as a museum. But in Saltaire, there is no such 'model house,' for visitors to wander. All the homes are privately-owned. Richmal's sister still lives there, and apparently often has tourists knock on her door, hoping for a look round. Needless to say, she doesn't want random visitors all up in her house.<br />
<br />
We found a lovely pub, hilariously named '<a href="http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/42/4248/Fannys_Ale_And_Cider_House/Saltaire" target="_blank">Fanny's Alehouse</a>.' It's on the edge of the village, built after Titus Salt's time, obviously. Good beer there...<br />
<br />
And then we came across the Victoria Hall, where Jonti took a particular liking to the lion.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0HUuMP0EYnTaiG95-OeCnyaEqe2MAuOFIeXGXOHIpT8od5qH0ZDzl8gbHEcxZzH_dxfxCA09QbF1GCGdBiVwhPcMduk_la079Zjcu_tCXCFbBaFWGRq2mWVI6-BHEi_07UK65oj3t30P/s1600/2014-02-21+14.55.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0HUuMP0EYnTaiG95-OeCnyaEqe2MAuOFIeXGXOHIpT8od5qH0ZDzl8gbHEcxZzH_dxfxCA09QbF1GCGdBiVwhPcMduk_la079Zjcu_tCXCFbBaFWGRq2mWVI6-BHEi_07UK65oj3t30P/s1600/2014-02-21+14.55.08.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0HUuMP0EYnTaiG95-OeCnyaEqe2MAuOFIeXGXOHIpT8od5qH0ZDzl8gbHEcxZzH_dxfxCA09QbF1GCGdBiVwhPcMduk_la079Zjcu_tCXCFbBaFWGRq2mWVI6-BHEi_07UK65oj3t30P/s1600/2014-02-21+14.55.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">I found out later it was built as part of the original village - a community centre of sorts. A beer festival was going on, but they let us in to see the building without buying tickets to it. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf70UnQoLnN6dhB4uwRjPuh0f3mkLKkVvdXDsJaY143OKChX1npCrFc0ij1087NIOauqrXlOJdI8KnQpqXaj83dHzAYOmwLfyNIWHOrwCwJVBGveV0F6NiIkdtAa-zauINLimDklizz8L-/s1600/2014-02-21+14.57.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf70UnQoLnN6dhB4uwRjPuh0f3mkLKkVvdXDsJaY143OKChX1npCrFc0ij1087NIOauqrXlOJdI8KnQpqXaj83dHzAYOmwLfyNIWHOrwCwJVBGveV0F6NiIkdtAa-zauINLimDklizz8L-/s1600/2014-02-21+14.57.53.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw46B2B8zguMOWVtdAVNC7lEE1YccGGatOrkmZW7qKrQoMiG3e0wYaO1xe4Q1va51StDgNJ1JFaFJhKE0A-FaRIh8oIlD0JyOsW3scPjQNYei1IriZBFFJ_RdmD6x3G6PcrC70GlepxM0a/s1600/2014-02-21+14.58.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw46B2B8zguMOWVtdAVNC7lEE1YccGGatOrkmZW7qKrQoMiG3e0wYaO1xe4Q1va51StDgNJ1JFaFJhKE0A-FaRIh8oIlD0JyOsW3scPjQNYei1IriZBFFJ_RdmD6x3G6PcrC70GlepxM0a/s1600/2014-02-21+14.58.35.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It really was a pretty building. But I really wished the history was more available within the town - even just on the leaflet they gave us in the Visitors' Centre. I was glad to talk to Richmal later, as she confirmed that I hadn't missed anything - the town really just doesn't make very much of its history.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It seems like Titus Salt was quite an enlightened Victorian industrialist, caring at least enough about his worker's health to make a huge investment in this town. He even built a park in the town, for leisure and exercise. It's in the rules of the park that you get a hint of the problem that would soon arise with this kind of fatherly enlightenment and these company towns.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div>
<ol>
<li>The timing of closing will be indicated each day by the ringing of a bell.</li>
<li>No person will be allowed to enter or remain while in a state of intoxication.</li>
<li>No child under the age of eight years will be admitted, except in care of an adult.</li>
<li>No dog will be admitted…unless led with a chain or string.</li>
<li>No horse, ass or mule will be admitted.</li>
<li>Visitors are not to interfere with the cannons or flagpole….nor to throw or leave about any orange peel.</li>
<li><b><i>‘No music, singing, preaching, lecture or public discussion, and no meeting for the purpose of making any religious or political demonstration will be allowed without the written sanction of the firm’</i></b></li>
<li>No stone throwing, disorderly and indecorous conduct, profane and indecent language, gambling or pitch & toss.</li>
<li>Soliciting of alms is strictly prohibited.</li>
<li>‘No wine, beer, spirits,or intoxicating drinks are to be consumed in the park’.</li>
<li>’Smoking is not allowed in the alcoves, nor spitting on the paths’.</li>
<li>’The playgrounds are not to be used on Sundays’.</li>
</ol>
<div>
Good luck trying to form a union or protest your low wages, Salts Mill workers. Very best luck, indeed.</div>
</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-9445073028665797942014-02-23T18:40:00.002+00:002014-02-23T18:40:44.224+00:00Leeds!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
It's been a while since a new blog post - but, if I'm being honest, for the last two months, I haven't done much worth telling you about. I haven't learned a bunch of exciting new facts about Manchester or even done very much outside of work.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Work is really tiring, and most weekends, I've just been recuperating, apart from a few cinema visits and one really boring ballet.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But finally, this past week, I took a week's vacation - and Jonti and I decided to visit a new place: LEEDS!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Another Northern Industrial town, just about an hour away, Leeds was the perfect match for</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
1) a few days off</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2) bad winter weather - which makes the countryside unbearable - and</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3) not wanting to deal with an airport or much travel.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The Leeds Corn Exchange now houses several independent shops - it's been done up recently, and the ceiling is stunning. Lots of old commodity exchange buildings of Britain have lovely ceiling windows - in Leeds, I learned that this was a functional decision! Without such ample skylights, traders wouldn't be able to properly examine the wares. Leeds Corn Exchange was especially admired for the even, uniform light shed by its skylights.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IxM2dKsI845OQL-x60x3s9z90EEGtIEwPS63j2G00jjaRop1_8_PKws4PtQGVIkscqwXl6l9Dq0cujnXjFH54yaTV21aFMHLuLZuTYkgijN_lkQbID47y3nPTna1f-EZ2d-v62HbkDtC/s1600/2014-02-20+01.17.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IxM2dKsI845OQL-x60x3s9z90EEGtIEwPS63j2G00jjaRop1_8_PKws4PtQGVIkscqwXl6l9Dq0cujnXjFH54yaTV21aFMHLuLZuTYkgijN_lkQbID47y3nPTna1f-EZ2d-v62HbkDtC/s1600/2014-02-20+01.17.01.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxNBzOWM-7sNbqcL5LaNs8amHHOL6hQULHpAOa30g3aHw66slqiWDzdemgAy7gvWywgIDMZwECBc-xg9ee0iRy2t9t8R3dmH3TvrLwSuVP8IIxBHWm8-8LjVWaEJ2AK10jv1Xpi2oLUV-/s1600/2014-02-20+01.17.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxNBzOWM-7sNbqcL5LaNs8amHHOL6hQULHpAOa30g3aHw66slqiWDzdemgAy7gvWywgIDMZwECBc-xg9ee0iRy2t9t8R3dmH3TvrLwSuVP8IIxBHWm8-8LjVWaEJ2AK10jv1Xpi2oLUV-/s1600/2014-02-20+01.17.14.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
One of the real shining benefits Leeds has over Manchester is an enormous, lovely market, with fishmongers, butchers, produce stalls and cafes! Kirkstall Market is amazing. I've said it before, but<a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/to-need-market.html" target="_blank"> a city really needs a market.</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Preferably one with beautiful dragons.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIcrn17PG-r9Vn6jGhx0GC6s2xWYVh8zVtUXn7EkLy2_BK-ArWARYPHJtIrIIlqnUhlXvaqwy0Rq4gxXQB2-DfSWn3-GHxuC83xXQMnX8oFWY74JS0-4cSivjxzceAIs9U4pnvLO_NK2yP/s1600/2014-02-20+03.02.06.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">It looks like a selfie, but it isn't. I took this picture of handsome J.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26uaRofUmLuo08ta-4YFC-w_YR60BiyugAyl_weCwRCv5EJsC_aA9u3jAYJ4T2l6Svcp7lCJrI7DAOOH1REaQnN0KrBGy0cBmOZNBizNt_Va0RtMsGgUqPIzdD3_mlWV6upPEGcb7T8FC/s1600/2014-02-20+03.02.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26uaRofUmLuo08ta-4YFC-w_YR60BiyugAyl_weCwRCv5EJsC_aA9u3jAYJ4T2l6Svcp7lCJrI7DAOOH1REaQnN0KrBGy0cBmOZNBizNt_Va0RtMsGgUqPIzdD3_mlWV6upPEGcb7T8FC/s1600/2014-02-20+03.02.24.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">I learned that Marks & Spencer's started out as a small penny stall in Kirkstall Market! I was really surprised by this - M&S is one of those classic, middle-market British brands, with branches on every street corner. It's crazy to think it started out as a tiny little stall - and even more surprising that the stall today makes great coffee. Had a delicious macchiato.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTosmL1CrRW_IJj76dOq5MplC4jhz5g2JDzT60cxaqudhtisaP_AYPrayoHt5Tm7xsaIE8uHxo9WQzWXP2583Gp-t7Ael5Ci6Vn4fQC8Tlb_4ilBU0ZLablnEYemPYnGfrGseXPl0Nbpe/s1600/2014-02-20+02.49.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTosmL1CrRW_IJj76dOq5MplC4jhz5g2JDzT60cxaqudhtisaP_AYPrayoHt5Tm7xsaIE8uHxo9WQzWXP2583Gp-t7Ael5Ci6Vn4fQC8Tlb_4ilBU0ZLablnEYemPYnGfrGseXPl0Nbpe/s1600/2014-02-20+02.49.01.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
There is some really interesting street art project going on in Leeds.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjLEQgs9WpHNKIep9MhN_UyUhS7OA5vdmpj57hQXhRwStXQECrgyPjWdSc_C9xELy1CU9am7TXRcKHIfO6uQmcejrW1qHAwuZ68IobciYBouR1gTcTt1hJrX40HcsZH37irH3CFSv0r9g/s1600/2014-02-20+23.07.55.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">And the Tiled Hall in the Art Gallery is a gorgeous room. The ceiling was mesmerising.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHz3NSOLv6TMX1kGNI9iOvEnc4EuDZt8mEJ7ATINxg6YKAHerMLRUo_65MFb0YZSR0HOF7GweCHbAN0LidNuSjNyXjTD0lpX9BQRXLOMC3wxCb-6Mv_2Xhvk1TJlX5b6fAsykjuz_zfa5Z/s1600/2014-02-21+00.03.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHz3NSOLv6TMX1kGNI9iOvEnc4EuDZt8mEJ7ATINxg6YKAHerMLRUo_65MFb0YZSR0HOF7GweCHbAN0LidNuSjNyXjTD0lpX9BQRXLOMC3wxCb-6Mv_2Xhvk1TJlX5b6fAsykjuz_zfa5Z/s1600/2014-02-21+00.03.33.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There were sculptured faces of famous male writers and artists all around the room: Homer, Dante, etc. This face had no name.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfiWBQiGgqBD4Axt87xBnge-wQ_M2OeDHXTR2J6w3GMfEjjjOdEWVDtvMGkvTo9oE-gpG4REKeSV0_9Exbdd1aNiCIxImYZLwspQWVGFa19VpHcQ1cWeoZvsUkCsZ5XyJGTeLfewr4yRxg/s1600/2014-02-21+00.06.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfiWBQiGgqBD4Axt87xBnge-wQ_M2OeDHXTR2J6w3GMfEjjjOdEWVDtvMGkvTo9oE-gpG4REKeSV0_9Exbdd1aNiCIxImYZLwspQWVGFa19VpHcQ1cWeoZvsUkCsZ5XyJGTeLfewr4yRxg/s1600/2014-02-21+00.06.49.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
But this name had no face. Poor Goethe!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVqd443XkWkT6lhLJ65H8n6kUr-7VgOfb-PYHk3lKiafDTLzJsEkiSCi6mNN6itI9LRD-OENVu4ebTPgAW4uD6JOpoiOmnDdXAQm3phIDMRsYfbdWJ5OLYaX6yzTtcEziFlBAWpLBGqhJ/s1600/2014-02-21+00.03.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVqd443XkWkT6lhLJ65H8n6kUr-7VgOfb-PYHk3lKiafDTLzJsEkiSCi6mNN6itI9LRD-OENVu4ebTPgAW4uD6JOpoiOmnDdXAQm3phIDMRsYfbdWJ5OLYaX6yzTtcEziFlBAWpLBGqhJ/s1600/2014-02-21+00.03.21.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVqd443XkWkT6lhLJ65H8n6kUr-7VgOfb-PYHk3lKiafDTLzJsEkiSCi6mNN6itI9LRD-OENVu4ebTPgAW4uD6JOpoiOmnDdXAQm3phIDMRsYfbdWJ5OLYaX6yzTtcEziFlBAWpLBGqhJ/s1600/2014-02-21+00.03.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Leeds devotes a lot of its city centre to grand, luxurious shopping arcades. They're beautiful, but... they're just lots of expensive shops. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tDp4WhCzk_9nIxhBW3mhtZ3NE5-yntOQwGWHDNw3E92cosmO5yC3iOG9WBAO8mpfJsri6QtA2ZDtMrJLYhbtAaHZYQjSNgH6xdpmc5R-jlm4_r5-yvIrFhzWs9u0W6NULFsLluOngSr4/s1600/2014-02-20+03.11.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tDp4WhCzk_9nIxhBW3mhtZ3NE5-yntOQwGWHDNw3E92cosmO5yC3iOG9WBAO8mpfJsri6QtA2ZDtMrJLYhbtAaHZYQjSNgH6xdpmc5R-jlm4_r5-yvIrFhzWs9u0W6NULFsLluOngSr4/s1600/2014-02-20+03.11.45.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIdrBO0Zz89J99BMYTaq6EXoXyycwnik8A52TZXTSaFxHUultVA_UmYoKUjO3VtLZGEyP0E88HyNpOwYQjNiLr_w6NjAzznmKIz4GzY2AIAMLbqBsNe6tqtbVA3C6HN_15vXtETGEEQxn/s1600/2014-02-20+03.11.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIdrBO0Zz89J99BMYTaq6EXoXyycwnik8A52TZXTSaFxHUultVA_UmYoKUjO3VtLZGEyP0E88HyNpOwYQjNiLr_w6NjAzznmKIz4GzY2AIAMLbqBsNe6tqtbVA3C6HN_15vXtETGEEQxn/s1600/2014-02-20+03.11.55.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We went to the art gallery and the city museum. I picked up a free local paper, to see what might be going on, but I couldn't find anything that excited me. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Honestly, after a few days, I found myself feeling a bit unconnected to the town. I think it's probably a really nice town to live in. There are lots of great bars and restaurants. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'm not joking about the bars. There is some excellent beer out Leeds way. I probably drank more beer in the last 3 days than I have since December. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjinROmlBp4wT-QIETSo4qgicYR11vcJwW62yJwFPUS_eweosU_20F7KV9k8uWmczzN1MpcJc_0z2oy0Mw2ShlrQahxDOP7v8aCvo4zE5_LYtooyR62jh_eLw11xOhGcYQxnH29hENSXKU/s1600/2014-02-22+04.45.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjinROmlBp4wT-QIETSo4qgicYR11vcJwW62yJwFPUS_eweosU_20F7KV9k8uWmczzN1MpcJc_0z2oy0Mw2ShlrQahxDOP7v8aCvo4zE5_LYtooyR62jh_eLw11xOhGcYQxnH29hENSXKU/s1600/2014-02-22+04.45.38.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But that's pretty much all Jonti and I really got out of Leeds. A nice market, some good restaurants, some good drinking. I can't help but feel like I missed something exciting about Leeds...</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Despite all that, it was a lovely place to spend a few days. It's compact and visually engaging. It's got a nice Town Hall. An imposing building. Pretty.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
'Not as pretty as<a href="https://www.facebook.com/nija.dalal/media_set?set=a.110882812324289.19191.100002077115272&type=3" target="_blank"> our Town Hall</a>,' I said to Jonti. I just couldn't help comparing Leeds to Manchester at nearly every turn.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUks03YD1IjFvNI3x1yXEeR8v5g7KjoJSevg8gfp83oz9Vn38YzKKwXqZDPFZMmtMikVSFsIr62-xJlYhekEbyaKcBm7nwxvYc86nYEREThyphenhyphenGKcv9DYyLzCry-SxUFBN6P6Mg8vJKt_kyj/s1600/2014-02-22+10.59.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUks03YD1IjFvNI3x1yXEeR8v5g7KjoJSevg8gfp83oz9Vn38YzKKwXqZDPFZMmtMikVSFsIr62-xJlYhekEbyaKcBm7nwxvYc86nYEREThyphenhyphenGKcv9DYyLzCry-SxUFBN6P6Mg8vJKt_kyj/s1600/2014-02-22+10.59.32.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">And maybe that's at the heart of my ambivalence towards Leeds. I liked it. But I love Manchester. I love this city, even without a market. It was a Sunday morning, over three years ago, when I realised a one-year MA wouldn't give me enough time in Manchester... and I'm still not done with it.</span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">This is how good I felt the morning we were heading back to Manchester, even though it was the end of our holiday.</span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi670Xq9h_9TOkAPeb9kyEyKc7FJ9dtUEWZl_w7IFRQSHVY0W0GChUDBTH4elMdhjGKr_mbrZA0o73LuJWFbksyTVka87qikHhYJ4m7fPlf1FqpNuO3Wk6HVcU0dgNornJEwTP1YC4zrOzp/s1600/2014-02-22+11.50.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi670Xq9h_9TOkAPeb9kyEyKc7FJ9dtUEWZl_w7IFRQSHVY0W0GChUDBTH4elMdhjGKr_mbrZA0o73LuJWFbksyTVka87qikHhYJ4m7fPlf1FqpNuO3Wk6HVcU0dgNornJEwTP1YC4zrOzp/s1600/2014-02-22+11.50.18.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a></span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">I'll try visiting Leeds again sometime - hopefully with friends who have an infectious love of the place - and maybe I'll feel differently about it then.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-82616019241971689692013-12-26T10:12:00.003+00:002013-12-26T10:12:49.930+00:00Watch it, Gretel<div style="text-align: left;">
Not only my first Christmas with Jonti, it's also my first Christmas as a married lady... and it's my first Christmas in Wigan with his family!<br /></div>
<div>
I thought I'd bring some new traditions. One was macaroni and cheese at the Christmas dinner table. Another was stuffing. I personally found it surprising that stuffing was not already on the table. <i>There was an empty turkey.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
My favourite of the new traditions is a total faff.<br /></div>
<div>
Gingerbread houses.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I mean, have you <i>ever</i> made one of these? You have to make the dough, roll it out, cut out house-shaped pieces, cook them, (if you want stained-glass windows, you have to crush boiled sweets into the window holes, cook them again), and let them crisp up.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
All before you can actually try to <i>build </i>the houses. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Oh, and you have to make the icing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ridiculous.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We used <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mary_berrys_gingerbread_91126" target="_blank">Mary Berry's recipe for gingerbread and icing.</a> Katherine and I spent 3 hours making all the house pieces on Saturday - enough for <i>four</i> mini gingerbread cottages! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRPdk1cUuzsnk-Gngf-GBcfuj5s9Sq5uiFpnmD2-DfHKq5HKNHM4elCBXOOrEfOHU8n6vd03f8hS9bELIhBLZwGmyCSDyxtFBFEQ6HZ_LRKzA_g5aOnlD1dQs2CVc53aSTIR6JHYUEr5U/s1600/2013-12-22+13.30.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRPdk1cUuzsnk-Gngf-GBcfuj5s9Sq5uiFpnmD2-DfHKq5HKNHM4elCBXOOrEfOHU8n6vd03f8hS9bELIhBLZwGmyCSDyxtFBFEQ6HZ_LRKzA_g5aOnlD1dQs2CVc53aSTIR6JHYUEr5U/s320/2013-12-22+13.30.30.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WkUf6Zdz8uNy7kzaxQXmCT5nfiRsM76S-08tpSDqlhoG6PCUIKZ3_rRozQpPC0-DSrjkf3lWsTPRHKqvqYgb1kqgO3pekdLWE2BfxJrjBk_wpV4sTW4MjEbiQ9CSBUlBGJi8f9WKr6Bi/s1600/2013-12-22+13.30.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WkUf6Zdz8uNy7kzaxQXmCT5nfiRsM76S-08tpSDqlhoG6PCUIKZ3_rRozQpPC0-DSrjkf3lWsTPRHKqvqYgb1kqgO3pekdLWE2BfxJrjBk_wpV4sTW4MjEbiQ9CSBUlBGJi8f9WKr6Bi/s320/2013-12-22+13.30.23.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We learned a lot of lessons. 1. Don't make too much dough. It doesn't keep. Several small batches of dough will get you further than one massive batch.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
2. Give each house at least 2 doors, so air can circulate, and the tea lights won't keep extinguishing.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3. Don't forget a few windows on each side wall for prettiness!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I think everyone had fun. I hope they did!</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilf-riwNtWU_n8EiKcEchL5iC31EcCL0pooxH8l0h3jLUY6lgBdFZm8nq0Cs84HfjGLWQ3LrRRPJ8wHRwXNKkelZphB-8wlC20-Owb-RMIg75BmCA2nJI-PJvHIpZHCVC6aiAuOLbdYVEB/s1600/2013-12-22+13.31.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilf-riwNtWU_n8EiKcEchL5iC31EcCL0pooxH8l0h3jLUY6lgBdFZm8nq0Cs84HfjGLWQ3LrRRPJ8wHRwXNKkelZphB-8wlC20-Owb-RMIg75BmCA2nJI-PJvHIpZHCVC6aiAuOLbdYVEB/s320/2013-12-22+13.31.31.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1802640/mini-gingerbread-houses" target="_blank">We used these templates for making the house pieces.</a> We might try adding a chimney next year. </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZefrifbYeN5YoOb5phf7PkRUjMFbQynvDf0yqGLKiYoHBJ1wDEwsxLJBYC2HKDgJGFu49bCfZl8VBq-wFUeX_4mW09V7O4-UphK_NfnTEICV0sQgIRwOW7jjMIDBYXHawrfIPaZsUOYGb/s1600/IMG-20131223-WA0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZefrifbYeN5YoOb5phf7PkRUjMFbQynvDf0yqGLKiYoHBJ1wDEwsxLJBYC2HKDgJGFu49bCfZl8VBq-wFUeX_4mW09V7O4-UphK_NfnTEICV0sQgIRwOW7jjMIDBYXHawrfIPaZsUOYGb/s320/IMG-20131223-WA0002.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPO3C4wcjUX0LLE58Xj_MaEGOJDQfwsrOFwMQ-IPJpuNf3iYBixiyRtrvtS9J4Gydvbhyphenhyphenp9gwiGAYFSQl4mE2Hvr_mxhxWM6yaOCOkzu-ZzOOKSdvoR_XxNLxwUb8JqevPJsmKgJxa7_dR/s1600/IMG-20131223-WA0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPO3C4wcjUX0LLE58Xj_MaEGOJDQfwsrOFwMQ-IPJpuNf3iYBixiyRtrvtS9J4Gydvbhyphenhyphenp9gwiGAYFSQl4mE2Hvr_mxhxWM6yaOCOkzu-ZzOOKSdvoR_XxNLxwUb8JqevPJsmKgJxa7_dR/s320/IMG-20131223-WA0009.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPO3C4wcjUX0LLE58Xj_MaEGOJDQfwsrOFwMQ-IPJpuNf3iYBixiyRtrvtS9J4Gydvbhyphenhyphenp9gwiGAYFSQl4mE2Hvr_mxhxWM6yaOCOkzu-ZzOOKSdvoR_XxNLxwUb8JqevPJsmKgJxa7_dR/s1600/IMG-20131223-WA0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
At the very least, we liked lighting the candles inside them, and seeing the windows glow.</div>
<br />
<div>
<div style="color: black; text-align: start;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQw2ihS8oHYPb6-vgKoo5ycwZagw8uDH0gr9FkHk-6GzRAP7L26EiaQJgViIRqbE89Vqs801h0kGSitKFVU2DNXlBdeKX7yoT6J8EZvuFDn48P54xldy3cUFvq5GPv51sWfkhIVCarthL/s1600/IMG-20131223-WA0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQw2ihS8oHYPb6-vgKoo5ycwZagw8uDH0gr9FkHk-6GzRAP7L26EiaQJgViIRqbE89Vqs801h0kGSitKFVU2DNXlBdeKX7yoT6J8EZvuFDn48P54xldy3cUFvq5GPv51sWfkhIVCarthL/s320/IMG-20131223-WA0008.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">And of course, we liked eating them! Have any of y'all ever built a gingerbread house? What's your best tip for getting them right?</span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-24966483687758058312013-12-07T17:58:00.001+00:002013-12-07T23:52:39.736+00:006 Bottles, so many messagesOn Sunday night, Jonti and I got to do one of the loveliest tasks possible. I'm not even sure you could call it a task.<br />
<br />
You see, ever since the wedding, Jonti and I have been trying to machete through all the leftover tasks on the weekends. Some are not very fun: I still haven't put those flip flops up for sale through the interwebs. But most of them are incredibly fun, like the thank you cards - have you gotten yours yet?<br />
<br />
Some tired midnight, over 2 months ago, Katherine had helped me glue labels on the 6 wine bottles Jonti & I had collected & cleaned in the weeks before the wedding. Even Neil made a real effort for the cause, with some assiduous wine-drinking.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64q6dSDHc_cufIxUm3900UMc8XzLGSDDFZLnz1Y_gXpg4mclX_DoO70VBtBp_FBHOxmECQp7zWfp_RkNCx-gjNqKg71w24fNCzdW1zusDNMbaUWWxrYM5VPfPX25yP5MeOaAd-GgLQFdX/s1600/1391734_527778960634670_1893138475_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64q6dSDHc_cufIxUm3900UMc8XzLGSDDFZLnz1Y_gXpg4mclX_DoO70VBtBp_FBHOxmECQp7zWfp_RkNCx-gjNqKg71w24fNCzdW1zusDNMbaUWWxrYM5VPfPX25yP5MeOaAd-GgLQFdX/s320/1391734_527778960634670_1893138475_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XE_dCgA3K0dQ3XQT2ANwr5YffpaOa-fWIuXh2NlI64Bw_WVxC-y63_AKl7_I1jVgB6L7TTJNayPMRcEETM6OcT7d8LTMK1hgI_18N4p7CP58Uud7KqKNqFSPFtgI4Ri8TWwObtgOgBvW/s1600/1372254_539131307234_425709709_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XE_dCgA3K0dQ3XQT2ANwr5YffpaOa-fWIuXh2NlI64Bw_WVxC-y63_AKl7_I1jVgB6L7TTJNayPMRcEETM6OcT7d8LTMK1hgI_18N4p7CP58Uud7KqKNqFSPFtgI4Ri8TWwObtgOgBvW/s320/1372254_539131307234_425709709_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Of course, a lot of people didn't get to write their messages to our future selves on the day itself. My parents, I think, didn't even notice the bottles on the day - but to be fair, my parents were the most popular people at the wedding! They had way too many people to talk to...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Even Jonti's parents didn't have a chance to write us messages. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, the other day, we had finally collected the last messages from everyone. Jonti's parents and my parents. And we wrote messages to each other. We looked forward, 50 years to the future, and thought about what our life might be like then, what our love might be like then. We thought about the other people who we'd be reading messages from on that day, 50 years from now, and whether they'd still be just a phone call away. We thought about all the things outside our control that could mean only one of us is left to smash that bottle... or that neither of us might. We thought of how strong our love is now – and what 50 years could do to it...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We cried a little.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisW_4fGuPFq-Sx68lam3h0QV8rt1rGnmv95t6E6IWFL-k1PGQLHdunN9k1EeyUkI0kOhqgjhkhelB9ztLZWtIBmY26tWKm2vXMm3i41WwYliIW6127en1G58UxsWZOOp3olSgmY28K9ycR/s1600/2013-12-01+22.00.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisW_4fGuPFq-Sx68lam3h0QV8rt1rGnmv95t6E6IWFL-k1PGQLHdunN9k1EeyUkI0kOhqgjhkhelB9ztLZWtIBmY26tWKm2vXMm3i41WwYliIW6127en1G58UxsWZOOp3olSgmY28K9ycR/s320/2013-12-01+22.00.09.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We held each other, and we made our promises again.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
And then we closed our bottles with corks.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3e0cyqysfbPbH424ueHH_1Xs8DCsriGvQl5DTw8ZDrcK9l5iqKkL5RBGRqTCa5N5whnLyd8TcSxZloBTovXZ-DLFyKxTA5_1hiNVMRgQQJPDMAUnnCLe_lJUyWJ93wDMBqfGhnSvlSOM0/s1600/2013-12-01+22.03.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3e0cyqysfbPbH424ueHH_1Xs8DCsriGvQl5DTw8ZDrcK9l5iqKkL5RBGRqTCa5N5whnLyd8TcSxZloBTovXZ-DLFyKxTA5_1hiNVMRgQQJPDMAUnnCLe_lJUyWJ93wDMBqfGhnSvlSOM0/s320/2013-12-01+22.03.07.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="color: black; text-align: left;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; text-align: left;">
</span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />And sealed them with candle wax.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqKm3Qw_4NltXfMFKHvAX2OBWtVeyA9dk7yoXflOAI-bzHpljW3Offx71B12xCd8-7LTxuxKWBxNNtPcHX_G27F6Dk4ZEJxVNUyOqmp_toA4D_8hhf13DZK43NsZysRf4GvH8YUXpuEJVt/s1600/2013-12-01+22.09.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqKm3Qw_4NltXfMFKHvAX2OBWtVeyA9dk7yoXflOAI-bzHpljW3Offx71B12xCd8-7LTxuxKWBxNNtPcHX_G27F6Dk4ZEJxVNUyOqmp_toA4D_8hhf13DZK43NsZysRf4GvH8YUXpuEJVt/s320/2013-12-01+22.09.45.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
We are a little bit annoyingly in love. </div>
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-1FIB_xb1bGfOVlSqNNm82WieTrkXOh8T4SsyaiM-1TKaiJVkcszArZFM8k4axXDMAbht22UCpljP74c68SYDMnYDwHZwyjMe2YSDerBtSFdV6w1a7cAyNwzyOedF57PcyTbwUr_kNwi/s1600/2013-12-01+22.02.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-1FIB_xb1bGfOVlSqNNm82WieTrkXOh8T4SsyaiM-1TKaiJVkcszArZFM8k4axXDMAbht22UCpljP74c68SYDMnYDwHZwyjMe2YSDerBtSFdV6w1a7cAyNwzyOedF57PcyTbwUr_kNwi/s320/2013-12-01+22.02.20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Finished!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXHpRNDOg6jdW794rarDqW-K45SL9zV5DG5VKzYuUuJZB-_2N2_wGKZNcfwnWuHfgCycNXrNR2YaZSKsh3RvnhnK9MvN0akJn9J1JXKSQVRzzZvcO9XutfQagLQonNZWIDX7nRUb7Wa9b/s1600/2013-12-01+22.40.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXHpRNDOg6jdW794rarDqW-K45SL9zV5DG5VKzYuUuJZB-_2N2_wGKZNcfwnWuHfgCycNXrNR2YaZSKsh3RvnhnK9MvN0akJn9J1JXKSQVRzzZvcO9XutfQagLQonNZWIDX7nRUb7Wa9b/s320/2013-12-01+22.40.25.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXHpRNDOg6jdW794rarDqW-K45SL9zV5DG5VKzYuUuJZB-_2N2_wGKZNcfwnWuHfgCycNXrNR2YaZSKsh3RvnhnK9MvN0akJn9J1JXKSQVRzzZvcO9XutfQagLQonNZWIDX7nRUb7Wa9b/s1600/2013-12-01+22.40.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXHpRNDOg6jdW794rarDqW-K45SL9zV5DG5VKzYuUuJZB-_2N2_wGKZNcfwnWuHfgCycNXrNR2YaZSKsh3RvnhnK9MvN0akJn9J1JXKSQVRzzZvcO9XutfQagLQonNZWIDX7nRUb7Wa9b/s1600/2013-12-01+22.40.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Atlanta folks: Don't think you're getting off easy - we're going to have bottles at our Atlanta wedding, too. Start thinking of your messages now!<br />
<br />
PS: <a href="https://twitter.com/Dot_Communism/status/407289788962574336">Someone has already apparently done a Star Trek quote</a>, so you know - high standards.<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03387078162874483174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-39820887412285667272013-12-01T14:15:00.002+00:002013-12-01T14:38:10.403+00:00Jodrell Dreams<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I didn't know much about Manchester before I moved here. I had heard it was grim. I had seen and fallen in love with the first 2 series of <i>Shameless.</i> Anne-Marie Duff and James McEvoy were a heads-on-right, circumstances-entirely-wrong couple I admired. I wished I had the resourcefulness of Debbie (pronounced Debb-ay).<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I had seen 24 Hour Party People quite some time ago- and I'm not entirely sure I even <i>realised</i> it was about Manchester. I had read <i>The Conditions of the Working Class in England. </i>Again - had you asked me where, exactly, Engels was on about, I probably would have said, "England."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And then there were, of course, all the clues in everyday life that should have alerted me to Manchester as a unique place with a unique story in history. Clue 1: Bedding linen is called 'Manchester' in Australia. Clue 2: That Gandhi himself called for Indian independence from 'Manchester,' that cotton cloth spun and woven in England.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It seems, in fact, I did know a few things about Manchester before I moved here - or at least, I should have known that I knew these things.<br />
<br />
But I stand by my first statement. I didn't know much.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Because what would have had me truly ants-in-my-pants jumping-bean excited about coming to Manchester - what I <i>cannot believe</i> I didn't know about this place before I moved here - is the science.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've written about it before on this blog. John Dalton, the man who realised the world is made of atoms, realised it here. <a href="http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/224440/view" target="_blank">Dalton's very <i>eyeballs</i> </a>are kept at the Manchester Museum of Science & Industry, under lock and key, in a secret location only 4 people at a time even <i>know </i>(or so I was told when I volunteered there). Alan Turing, the man who invented the <i>freaking</i> computer, invented it here. James Prescott Joule, that gentlemanly combination of physicist and beer-maker, who laid the groundwork for the law of conservation of energy, was born in Salford and died in Sale, both in Manchester's easy reach. Joule was president of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society in 1860 - and the group is still active today!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The scientific history of Manchester went along with it being an industrial powerhouse - the industry needed to constantly update itself, and it needed the engineering knowledge that the sciences brought.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Back in 1939, the University of Manchester's Botany Department bought three fields about 25 miles south of Manchester (out in Cheshire). Over the decades, the University bought more bits of land around those first three fields. The area was called Jodrell Bank. And in 1945, with equipment left over from WWII (such as gun laying radar), Bernard Lovell, an astrophysicist, began using Jodrell Bank to investigate cosmic rays. He would have done his investigations from Manchester proper, had it not been for interference from the Oxford Road trams - <i>which were DESTROYED to make way for buses and cars and more road.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
Today, Jodrell Bank's telescopes investigate radio waves from the planets and stars. In 1947, it had the largest radio telescope in the world, and in 1957, the Lovell Telescope was completed. At the time, it was the largest steerable dish in the world. Even now, it is the third largest. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And more than that - Jodrell Bank is <i>cool.</i> Not just science-nerd cool. Lately, Jodrell Bank has redefined itself as a part-time summery outdoor music venue. A city known for its music and for its science - it's fitting to link the two up. The Flaming Lips played there, in what was an apparently amazing show in 2012, I think. This year, back in January, I bought tickets for a Sigur Rós show at Jodrell Bank. I'm not a particularly big Sigur Rós fan... I've heard their music, I have a CD or two... but mostly, I went to see the telescope.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbY_3GzNIOH2WLxTSUD5fhK4j2Le1ehE-apa1oN9MTt_wrn5K_5hcdTCYz5Fp8D_fGWLDuCcWdfQZqmt11duguZ0HwfxTh99ic2lhP0eaY1bbct7KB7W9nEDf_8-uIE2tyILnjeHV0nLX/s1600/2013-08-30+18.54.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbY_3GzNIOH2WLxTSUD5fhK4j2Le1ehE-apa1oN9MTt_wrn5K_5hcdTCYz5Fp8D_fGWLDuCcWdfQZqmt11duguZ0HwfxTh99ic2lhP0eaY1bbct7KB7W9nEDf_8-uIE2tyILnjeHV0nLX/s320/2013-08-30+18.54.38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Back in January, I thought I would be leaving Manchester at the end of 2013. I thought I might never get to see the telescope that still makes Manchester part of the world's space exploration community. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKMukgY4ux5jBHlQFva-VeVkREiOe1gQHug3iQkUB_PS7lzcSmC89NhrqWxYI_b_28QLUaFN0OG2SVLVxFNdUeHH4t9k0V24uzT9-2UWGil702KKkAgxRpR4-duseKOz0JyuPVEYG4iLy/s1600/2013-08-30+19.55.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKMukgY4ux5jBHlQFva-VeVkREiOe1gQHug3iQkUB_PS7lzcSmC89NhrqWxYI_b_28QLUaFN0OG2SVLVxFNdUeHH4t9k0V24uzT9-2UWGil702KKkAgxRpR4-duseKOz0JyuPVEYG4iLy/s320/2013-08-30+19.55.07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Of course, by the time the show came around, at the end of August, I was well into wedding-planning! It was a gorgeous evening out at Jodrell Bank - an end-of-summer chill, only a little drizzle. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Before the band came out, <a href="http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/~tob/" target="_blank">Dr Tim O'Brien</a> gave short talk on the history of the Lovell Telescope - and the science that it's currently doing. A live Skype link-up with astrophysicists in South Africa about the Square Kilometer Array - Manchester is the HQ of the project! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Then, Dr Tim asked the control room to please turn the telescope around, to face the audience. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDY3ygFt4MEyGiEBT7FUiy3lwEoOWsSuzIgrBgeEJkARplUlmkki-3vDVrHf9igUOgzzfksXt2xFXz9pXjjnXyfB0dqmnvZwvGNiCq1LRBL8o6HRBi1B8nW-OtarSKtYGXlKzEA_OTUYx9/s1600/2013-08-30+20.55.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDY3ygFt4MEyGiEBT7FUiy3lwEoOWsSuzIgrBgeEJkARplUlmkki-3vDVrHf9igUOgzzfksXt2xFXz9pXjjnXyfB0dqmnvZwvGNiCq1LRBL8o6HRBi1B8nW-OtarSKtYGXlKzEA_OTUYx9/s320/2013-08-30+20.55.26.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbw3twre488RRcVEhLBkL07fWrfC0Qcplkh-mykTSEXNxReL1xBBMEmarHB-aQx4THrr_b-kgQPAoP1lYkeRT_zjxMulUStueOLgRtP-vS9GC6FE-Gz1YtwG5XYzj2X17r49NpfC9Ohfo/s1600/2013-08-30+20.57.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbw3twre488RRcVEhLBkL07fWrfC0Qcplkh-mykTSEXNxReL1xBBMEmarHB-aQx4THrr_b-kgQPAoP1lYkeRT_zjxMulUStueOLgRtP-vS9GC6FE-Gz1YtwG5XYzj2X17r49NpfC9Ohfo/s320/2013-08-30+20.57.57.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And Sigur Rós came out, with a beautiful screen of ethereal lights behind them. They are an Icelandic band, and they don't sing in English - so their music takes on an ethereal atmosphere. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCQrRcDlBbWflAOkbLZYXp_TPt81dO5wU50TOaQJqfdI0x7sglEpUN-ZUMXfePwkkfRtPyy-S6ZCkYANIi9PFWzw3LNpiuC-nseMvCV8z_moE4zVHGLN2xP_2Gm9NKyXmrBTwQmeJXq7-/s1600/2013-08-30+21.00.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCQrRcDlBbWflAOkbLZYXp_TPt81dO5wU50TOaQJqfdI0x7sglEpUN-ZUMXfePwkkfRtPyy-S6ZCkYANIi9PFWzw3LNpiuC-nseMvCV8z_moE4zVHGLN2xP_2Gm9NKyXmrBTwQmeJXq7-/s320/2013-08-30+21.00.35.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/J2-VIuN8jZQ" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">And then they started really using the telescope as part of the show. The nice thing about going to a gig where you're not a huge fan is that you never really worry that you're going to miss your favourite song. At some point, I wandered away from my friends, toward the back of the green, to see more of the telescope. I'm glad I did.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwdPgtdEXmYprO9ak8LhDj2WHq18loZiKbsNkXv7DuMufKCwTnyTMzHAF5Libb0SstyliiQ4ZcC_jjrk0djcHwmHVvwZVKgFVC370EtqtFWI-TxFhMvDq1-BIOO7cRfUykI_dp7Y3jAHYL/s1600/2013-08-30+22.11.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwdPgtdEXmYprO9ak8LhDj2WHq18loZiKbsNkXv7DuMufKCwTnyTMzHAF5Libb0SstyliiQ4ZcC_jjrk0djcHwmHVvwZVKgFVC370EtqtFWI-TxFhMvDq1-BIOO7cRfUykI_dp7Y3jAHYL/s320/2013-08-30+22.11.46.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22tQkfSYU0KQLNaXn1udrUk8Y12sjKEhHxHTmvmWRGZ3XKiKqKIw_DTbYaBjQYdIIOTd0s_sV17E-zUCcDwL22yiKtH1AFsnlK6nc-RA5GCiQvxBy75KegQtcifwkPqFbBOIGl7PwjG6W/s1600/2013-08-30+22.12.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22tQkfSYU0KQLNaXn1udrUk8Y12sjKEhHxHTmvmWRGZ3XKiKqKIw_DTbYaBjQYdIIOTd0s_sV17E-zUCcDwL22yiKtH1AFsnlK6nc-RA5GCiQvxBy75KegQtcifwkPqFbBOIGl7PwjG6W/s320/2013-08-30+22.12.06.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Back in the front with my mates, they had projected an image of the moon onto the face of the dish, so it looked like the moon was enormous and just behind the stage. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEd-mk04WW3WkUaREH0JKiq8P6GEoI62yec0kKRB7wAoG_xnu4nyr9pFEkc4FZ7EqTBd5d99t-cFs-iilJwpq5exS0dclOmBIiQHO6WAjh9vo-mwmeEZwryOLEXlqL9XfLtysMKVw_tiDl/s1600/2013-08-30+22.15.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEd-mk04WW3WkUaREH0JKiq8P6GEoI62yec0kKRB7wAoG_xnu4nyr9pFEkc4FZ7EqTBd5d99t-cFs-iilJwpq5exS0dclOmBIiQHO6WAjh9vo-mwmeEZwryOLEXlqL9XfLtysMKVw_tiDl/s320/2013-08-30+22.15.36.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And then they pulled out all the stops. With lasers.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaaZJZ84sybYhv9fJlIwkI_hAp2EijYu08cFxf5s49nGWif_n5xwDi9A8lEkSOWHR_YPIEC1kLKN83mwT5UfcVA_q_6NGMe0Sqp-gpUH4gNuM9c-_GEMNsPrP2ldobfo0Nj2wjj5QMJgD/s1600/2013-08-30+22.22.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaaZJZ84sybYhv9fJlIwkI_hAp2EijYu08cFxf5s49nGWif_n5xwDi9A8lEkSOWHR_YPIEC1kLKN83mwT5UfcVA_q_6NGMe0Sqp-gpUH4gNuM9c-_GEMNsPrP2ldobfo0Nj2wjj5QMJgD/s320/2013-08-30+22.22.00.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oTSpIPYJqH2C3ao32GNCKoljKsWiqNq2xPZQVF9clYGDZ8xDO7Cpyf1-y0YF-V7y5lqIIqvTYjC6Z9DGnupEveu-LdI2KCAZxsfzijLhUMnRbuxkMcleoqY7uQSiTD0XjyH3dA0mo90c/s1600/2013-08-30+22.22.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oTSpIPYJqH2C3ao32GNCKoljKsWiqNq2xPZQVF9clYGDZ8xDO7Cpyf1-y0YF-V7y5lqIIqvTYjC6Z9DGnupEveu-LdI2KCAZxsfzijLhUMnRbuxkMcleoqY7uQSiTD0XjyH3dA0mo90c/s1600/2013-08-30+22.22.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/JD-JmYiKK3Q" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oTSpIPYJqH2C3ao32GNCKoljKsWiqNq2xPZQVF9clYGDZ8xDO7Cpyf1-y0YF-V7y5lqIIqvTYjC6Z9DGnupEveu-LdI2KCAZxsfzijLhUMnRbuxkMcleoqY7uQSiTD0XjyH3dA0mo90c/s1600/2013-08-30+22.22.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oTSpIPYJqH2C3ao32GNCKoljKsWiqNq2xPZQVF9clYGDZ8xDO7Cpyf1-y0YF-V7y5lqIIqvTYjC6Z9DGnupEveu-LdI2KCAZxsfzijLhUMnRbuxkMcleoqY7uQSiTD0XjyH3dA0mo90c/s320/2013-08-30+22.22.08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When the show was over, we walked, as one huge crowd, back toward the parking lot. I took one last look; the telescope had already turned it back on us...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY4sB6eLBEhe08an-5QjZ3J46MlFPFhWtPtODkvHmassHFoU_7reQfAHRY8zEqHYfI1IFBFf2J_Cr04T5WSdO7-UeIaI7oHpDFMamlQL_DY2zUyySG9sGPiKO_dwLd-UaxVX0LO3fjF72/s1600/2013-08-30+22.52.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY4sB6eLBEhe08an-5QjZ3J46MlFPFhWtPtODkvHmassHFoU_7reQfAHRY8zEqHYfI1IFBFf2J_Cr04T5WSdO7-UeIaI7oHpDFMamlQL_DY2zUyySG9sGPiKO_dwLd-UaxVX0LO3fjF72/s320/2013-08-30+22.52.51.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Back in January, I decided to see Sigur Rós, because I might never have the chance to see the Lovell telescope again. Late November this year, I got the official documentation: I can see all the Jodrell Bank shows I want and/or can afford: my visa was approved! I can live in the UK until 2016! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BaKsakFIgAAOVgG.jpg:large" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BaKsakFIgAAOVgG.jpg:large" width="240" /></a><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Roll on, summer 2014 - I can't wait to see what Jodrell Bank's line up is...</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-80626298650839143842013-10-20T17:07:00.002+01:002013-10-20T21:30:50.048+01:006 WEEKS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It was a perfect day.<br />
<br />
I mean, it was a crazy thing to even try.<br />
<br />
Organise a wedding. In six weeks.<br />
<br />
But, as Jonti always tells me, "We can do anything we want to do." I believed him. And we did it – with absolutely outrageous amounts of help from friends and family. Our plan was this: fun, informal, and lots of dancing. No matching outfits. We didn't want wedding brain, we didn't want to stress too much over it, and we knew we'd come out at the end of it loving each other more than ever before.<br />
<br />
My dress took 5 fittings and insane amounts of work from the amazing women at <a href="http://www.fableandpromise.co.uk/#!legend-by-fable-promise/c89d" target="_blank">Fable & Promise</a>. Rachel and Charlotte made my dress special and unique and perfect. In only 5 weeks. It made me feel stunning. And it has pockets. I can't wait to wear it again in Atlanta!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqkGTE4aeWyF48HaKWKe-wddSGf2ETd6K7CKUFLNNGCYRSu34lghsSxK1O54C8K3K46QiqbY8eZc7o3Cii6Z1Jgwau-Kg3lfd2wLcm9EqKCnyl-S4-y-zU-fh2B99QylzJoDWGP60EaQ2/s1600/1385020_526933197385913_1453012285_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqkGTE4aeWyF48HaKWKe-wddSGf2ETd6K7CKUFLNNGCYRSu34lghsSxK1O54C8K3K46QiqbY8eZc7o3Cii6Z1Jgwau-Kg3lfd2wLcm9EqKCnyl-S4-y-zU-fh2B99QylzJoDWGP60EaQ2/s320/1385020_526933197385913_1453012285_n.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Gem came over to help me into the dress in the morning. Brooke came over to do my hair and make-up, and I felt gorgeous. I loved the make up and hair-- and it held up all day, through hours of dancing. Let me know if you need an awesome make-up artist. I got her number!<br />
<br />
I've never even slightly wanted a veil or a tiara. I'm not a princess, and I'm not in need of a lampshade over my face. <a href="http://northernflower.com/" target="_blank">Northern Flower</a> were doing my bouquet anyway, so I asked for some to put in my hair – they wired fresh flowers into hair pins for me! I didn't want too many flowers for the wedding, but every piece of the flowers they created for us was perfect; my bouquet had mint and lots of green in it, the gents' buttonholes were classy and understated.<br />
<br />
Neil, Gem and I got in a taxi to the Register Office. Doesn't she look amazing?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UwMoZ5kXWvHhCB2ROOhlm0nPIHI6rdchCyDJPjaLs82KhlQgB2aJ4-WeWvuUozs6JdizbqJumLqMQVuz1CbLwyG20QKVbqVDEc28jGMzAFL02h0y2DebF_DFImE_M4VXI64fE0R2_YNC/s1600/J&N003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UwMoZ5kXWvHhCB2ROOhlm0nPIHI6rdchCyDJPjaLs82KhlQgB2aJ4-WeWvuUozs6JdizbqJumLqMQVuz1CbLwyG20QKVbqVDEc28jGMzAFL02h0y2DebF_DFImE_M4VXI64fE0R2_YNC/s320/J&N003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The photographer knew exactly how to make my best men, Neil & Geraint, feel super awkward. This photo encapsulates our friendship perfectly. They are weird and awkward & I laugh. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLr0zitPzXjYzynhxa25yqkOr8QaG5vXqXrhXSl0-fb_BwhSq2PnRI4mdM1cycUoD3-5hbxEqXZM9avgeZWSxZDWC9d6pWJMlU688lfDMTBJCaPLfPbyuWZ1avv2PfRwv-S_dimjxcZI8g/s1600/J&N006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLr0zitPzXjYzynhxa25yqkOr8QaG5vXqXrhXSl0-fb_BwhSq2PnRI4mdM1cycUoD3-5hbxEqXZM9avgeZWSxZDWC9d6pWJMlU688lfDMTBJCaPLfPbyuWZ1avv2PfRwv-S_dimjxcZI8g/s320/J&N006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Jonti walking up to the Register Office. By himself, because I think his friends forgot to grab him on their way in!</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0ragjCq-P6-eVbSWgp9VGShy-3hOOnoCCy_TEWeEvz-XrD2ASJf5cO4aDtGa7jzCvzda7C_BRmadGKYbRu0pSD9E0TivKwVLJupRGxSTKQMXOAhCfMZnbMozz4de0U3LFIRoC_EEx8og/s1600/J&N017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0ragjCq-P6-eVbSWgp9VGShy-3hOOnoCCy_TEWeEvz-XrD2ASJf5cO4aDtGa7jzCvzda7C_BRmadGKYbRu0pSD9E0TivKwVLJupRGxSTKQMXOAhCfMZnbMozz4de0U3LFIRoC_EEx8og/s320/J&N017.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sure the CD broke. Everyone came together to try to get us the music we wanted. I didn't expect to feel so overwhelmed at the ceremony. But as I heard that music, the first lines of Elvis Costello's 'I'll Wear It Proudly,' I walked in. And as I finally looked in Jonti's eyes, tears threatened. He asked if I was ok, and his eyes were welling up, too. I said yes, and took his hand, and we promised.</div>
<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzmL66gXWRKpFPXCobUWZi2-0fs2Maqi-vNybSl3BrsxOuKVgCphvlGLMHseYobRHvNBWOHezvEBj9Mg57fhY2R8MgjExJ2uRTbeUOJA6wPQKDNU0KgvZZpmVS9bnu81YFsr3LNU8dmKJ/s320/J&N048.jpg" width="320" /><br />
<br />
We had selected a beautiful Johnny Cash song to play while we were signing the papers- Laura and her laptop saved the day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVx6Ve5Es1Ta25vfTiBYT-QEzbHazUcfv3_JEHOgk7Rrx81HQpGJXNojYiaQoWIk3QnFB9JSJ6KbMguTfUWEN_wrwccTFcPVgHs1VYHgcL8VOLEIp0_OagIRkklf2vaDKkyya0tH2UOML/s1600/J&N062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVx6Ve5Es1Ta25vfTiBYT-QEzbHazUcfv3_JEHOgk7Rrx81HQpGJXNojYiaQoWIk3QnFB9JSJ6KbMguTfUWEN_wrwccTFcPVgHs1VYHgcL8VOLEIp0_OagIRkklf2vaDKkyya0tH2UOML/s320/J&N062.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7qHUJsZF80TRwQpW_xkXQPPRUlSFCEs8Fczq3tuZ8MZzN5_XTGEGgdHADFItoJY8HCKPRLkuWzz0ogXMjLMbR17OBVwJNCGvMtHO4Ty-0mxyVAC_ir28xwX4KNbcCP3RPo3lab37dGFp/s1600/J&N065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7qHUJsZF80TRwQpW_xkXQPPRUlSFCEs8Fczq3tuZ8MZzN5_XTGEGgdHADFItoJY8HCKPRLkuWzz0ogXMjLMbR17OBVwJNCGvMtHO4Ty-0mxyVAC_ir28xwX4KNbcCP3RPo3lab37dGFp/s320/J&N065.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jJhpwXyiA8c9zK9HGbCqU4I0EfZhWrlmvIA2tTMDZJDyXsV6UtrVfmEdaJBbRkvjlC8DHpsJSDYl0vz52MIc1t6WPRxbtS8bykgpiS0jkK9cWGL_nLC5lVqqgILo1hE2olQHP-LuPlVv/s1600/J&N083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jJhpwXyiA8c9zK9HGbCqU4I0EfZhWrlmvIA2tTMDZJDyXsV6UtrVfmEdaJBbRkvjlC8DHpsJSDYl0vz52MIc1t6WPRxbtS8bykgpiS0jkK9cWGL_nLC5lVqqgILo1hE2olQHP-LuPlVv/s320/J&N083.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkF4-bQq_VAXiMVDJWaOZRz8gn5hUG1ycAsXBS9zciVXCzY0ngGpJePKRjCNZFT07YKzuEXaazbqVg9295koCS-VqDKA1VUp7JnemM-rdERtSqtbkFOM5eoue2FLbb7psqLSWLEC0WRYEf/s1600/J&N096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkF4-bQq_VAXiMVDJWaOZRz8gn5hUG1ycAsXBS9zciVXCzY0ngGpJePKRjCNZFT07YKzuEXaazbqVg9295koCS-VqDKA1VUp7JnemM-rdERtSqtbkFOM5eoue2FLbb7psqLSWLEC0WRYEf/s320/J&N096.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizECOhJJHdFmudPO19a7NJBDyOqS_mf-YKLjz9TR1AD8izZTdsPHJ3Jpbslz1nMn6J-vNxIGgsvD0AakJQz3XvhrIt8sFrrOTPedMPiqF6ywR64kN7fKYwvbZPSt7QfIzW3NTOKTjQL2he/s1600/J&N102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizECOhJJHdFmudPO19a7NJBDyOqS_mf-YKLjz9TR1AD8izZTdsPHJ3Jpbslz1nMn6J-vNxIGgsvD0AakJQz3XvhrIt8sFrrOTPedMPiqF6ywR64kN7fKYwvbZPSt7QfIzW3NTOKTjQL2he/s320/J&N102.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSMQkxmFiGJAjcfQgJzCA8GfAUvUE7hWJY8WlyusVskB7TCcCRd2WyM5GZ1wmzlMENuTRfKdXeL_RSooanfVNsrsACfxLsUtW77TXBrFODHvZT2ea6-oPgPXB6IBThHgBmZEEcJBfpUQ7/s1600/J&N115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSMQkxmFiGJAjcfQgJzCA8GfAUvUE7hWJY8WlyusVskB7TCcCRd2WyM5GZ1wmzlMENuTRfKdXeL_RSooanfVNsrsACfxLsUtW77TXBrFODHvZT2ea6-oPgPXB6IBThHgBmZEEcJBfpUQ7/s320/J&N115.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We booked <a href="http://www.merci.org.uk/" target="_blank">MERCi</a>, the Manchester Environmental Resource Centre initiative, for our reception. They're a charity, and the most sustainable building in Manchester, and they're based in a former silk mill in Ancoats. The venue was perfect for us; we love Manchester's old industrial buildings. It was MERCi's first wedding, and they did the most incredible job. Ingrid was a powerhouse of organisation and made sure we could have fun all day without worrying about everything happening behind the scenes. I hope they book more weddings after this, because it's a fantastic venue, with a garden and a roof terrace.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyNRzQaParr5L8w-AJw1zR3Y2wU92xMJVAvr1IMDQhCggsSPEM932czKKaYyqW5Bsus5r3nEK1tBKQ9taUax1wagedpWv8oJtwlFuTPDswUJf6i2n-iUmiU-07a4jbdBsIfNFVfebbifG/s1600/J&N117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyNRzQaParr5L8w-AJw1zR3Y2wU92xMJVAvr1IMDQhCggsSPEM932czKKaYyqW5Bsus5r3nEK1tBKQ9taUax1wagedpWv8oJtwlFuTPDswUJf6i2n-iUmiU-07a4jbdBsIfNFVfebbifG/s320/J&N117.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black;">So many friends and family came for hours the day before to help us decorate. My mom & dad, jetlagged from Atlanta, Alan & Margaret, jetlagged from China. Tom & Richard, spent hours in the air, flying in from LA and Belfast, only to spend hours up a ladder hanging bunting and streamers. Katherine and Geraint, Emily & the other Richard, Philip and *just loads* of people came to help us get everything set up. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAnl1YjRueuRGZETkhUPUwn9ZECLrs40T7oZjwezWFdCnB9d6K4HdbgmzzC5iXt5Hx4Z-uHgA7IxCWzV-9HrKhp-Z5d4_-lZbpjrqfoSBW6ZZx3IumZdQNoUqKGsyAT-ZCnrIApNMlMFm/s1600/J&N123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAnl1YjRueuRGZETkhUPUwn9ZECLrs40T7oZjwezWFdCnB9d6K4HdbgmzzC5iXt5Hx4Z-uHgA7IxCWzV-9HrKhp-Z5d4_-lZbpjrqfoSBW6ZZx3IumZdQNoUqKGsyAT-ZCnrIApNMlMFm/s320/J&N123.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ceMiH0bznRQPIVgZnVmuoAspmSzimwPOhWeD2JOD81L31Us-iKsp_FjCzWLh2rPgwZTt8YSOBIBus8dQYbDFfUDBD5CJeQtumAPWtuJ-XUurjWIxX36Lu-8QeF4e2-AyNIJ0ONVp-voa/s1600/J&N135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ceMiH0bznRQPIVgZnVmuoAspmSzimwPOhWeD2JOD81L31Us-iKsp_FjCzWLh2rPgwZTt8YSOBIBus8dQYbDFfUDBD5CJeQtumAPWtuJ-XUurjWIxX36Lu-8QeF4e2-AyNIJ0ONVp-voa/s320/J&N135.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Part of our "informal, fun" plan was to have street food at the wedding, instead of a formal sit-down thing. MERCi requires all food to be vegetarian & Jules and Bailey, of <a href="https://twitter.com/ArepaArepaArepa" target="_blank">Arepa!Arepa!Arepa!</a> sorted some amazing vegetarian fillings. It was their first wedding, and I feel so lucky that they agreed to do it, because everyone loved the Colombian cheesey bread and the delicious arepas.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymLaEjJEFpCeMIMb5S01wYYthO6EsG9dV9TBt1v0e4QbAbv0dJcN3ZhDJ270kh_TJok4sz4pj4ogAkZ9XsGKQ1t7mRyeD3_tDHC3SRMH3c0WnzghGSj1u3neN6JwDK4oSOXxEB6nWzHZK/s1600/1373900_539134401034_1596049142_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymLaEjJEFpCeMIMb5S01wYYthO6EsG9dV9TBt1v0e4QbAbv0dJcN3ZhDJ270kh_TJok4sz4pj4ogAkZ9XsGKQ1t7mRyeD3_tDHC3SRMH3c0WnzghGSj1u3neN6JwDK4oSOXxEB6nWzHZK/s320/1373900_539134401034_1596049142_o.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In fact, we had way too much food. Massive delicious salads. My mother brought Indian sweets. Jonti & I aren't really big fans of wedding cake, so we just had lovely desserts instead. Jonti made Almond Polenta cakes and Margaret (his mom) and her friend made tiramisu (especially for me!). We still had a tower to cut, though– it was made of cheese wheels, because who doesn't want loads of cheese?</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uRyZVeYEIVAzH-YSBlKwEi5ol64_SurdzMRme9BR-sC71Y3vB-xxTUFlLVdsX1kukO11EnseGk4B2SHwsvb9jGHoQv609KpIYh2yuTo-V34c2ytlH2dytqzst83DLXsHKmGEJkDavedI/s1600/1003790_10151984053935856_513452049_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uRyZVeYEIVAzH-YSBlKwEi5ol64_SurdzMRme9BR-sC71Y3vB-xxTUFlLVdsX1kukO11EnseGk4B2SHwsvb9jGHoQv609KpIYh2yuTo-V34c2ytlH2dytqzst83DLXsHKmGEJkDavedI/s320/1003790_10151984053935856_513452049_n.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4W12bpznunTBS1sr4mdcFKYRFrgMgdAVOTZR6k-VgJuAC0xrq38UJzyOsTY20E7zGjD6lmpwVfLr-RPU7OBziXfDBzOAqiyqDRsJv9bNvUZjvgcsDBLUjbN0EfdronDw89_eclns1DjCi/s1600/1004994_10151984053975856_988649306_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4W12bpznunTBS1sr4mdcFKYRFrgMgdAVOTZR6k-VgJuAC0xrq38UJzyOsTY20E7zGjD6lmpwVfLr-RPU7OBziXfDBzOAqiyqDRsJv9bNvUZjvgcsDBLUjbN0EfdronDw89_eclns1DjCi/s320/1004994_10151984053975856_988649306_n.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrll5FGQ4rRDxZ40-0F6OOZ_mQwSzI67Q60lVTou7TugnObMJuD7UwBGMCkFqNmB5br0lKsW7jN_vTZhFXyRGNyn62XlLEYXGh2w2CJH3lmWfeUgALDDPHIZ75wVgTM64g6OLOBObuYtL/s1600/J&N140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrll5FGQ4rRDxZ40-0F6OOZ_mQwSzI67Q60lVTou7TugnObMJuD7UwBGMCkFqNmB5br0lKsW7jN_vTZhFXyRGNyn62XlLEYXGh2w2CJH3lmWfeUgALDDPHIZ75wVgTM64g6OLOBObuYtL/s320/J&N140.jpg" width="201" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
My friends told stories, lovely lovely stories. Alan, Jonti's dad, gave the world's best wedding speech ever. I had never thought getting married would be so fantastic. But it was just an incredibly happy day, fun hanging out with friends I love.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Jonti's friends Anthony & Richard were our band; they did a fantastic rendition of "Young American" for our first dance. Jonti and I had never danced together before, so it was literally our first dance. And I LOVE HIS MOVES.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9fXo60gMYAa2flQmOtnqBdW3P3d9xXuEWLjB03Luu1A2DpF6bq39C4_Ds0oiKU5mlBmk3TXZVA8TunIyCLnkBkb1vYof38FXpm2Dz1yEYC2PtMqhTA6wkz-vf_vE3yGxStiFlVrzjfWK/s1600/1380819_525209254224974_113902670_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjs7lOFzHilb2-afFB7jzKxHSzNFlMtrvdP7XzcrxAJrX0DAq0dZTeMSDYC9ikWIa3Joo45T3RP232aNEtOEKCoT7JJVHfREW1ZcDzQQIdvzngxcAF0Osm4aUgIQYWt0D7rCE6bBdOsBl/s1600/J&N183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjs7lOFzHilb2-afFB7jzKxHSzNFlMtrvdP7XzcrxAJrX0DAq0dZTeMSDYC9ikWIa3Joo45T3RP232aNEtOEKCoT7JJVHfREW1ZcDzQQIdvzngxcAF0Osm4aUgIQYWt0D7rCE6bBdOsBl/s320/J&N183.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9fXo60gMYAa2flQmOtnqBdW3P3d9xXuEWLjB03Luu1A2DpF6bq39C4_Ds0oiKU5mlBmk3TXZVA8TunIyCLnkBkb1vYof38FXpm2Dz1yEYC2PtMqhTA6wkz-vf_vE3yGxStiFlVrzjfWK/s1600/1380819_525209254224974_113902670_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ9fXo60gMYAa2flQmOtnqBdW3P3d9xXuEWLjB03Luu1A2DpF6bq39C4_Ds0oiKU5mlBmk3TXZVA8TunIyCLnkBkb1vYof38FXpm2Dz1yEYC2PtMqhTA6wkz-vf_vE3yGxStiFlVrzjfWK/s320/1380819_525209254224974_113902670_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<div dir="ltr" trbidi="on">
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
The venue was magical.<br />
<img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1EMc2FtTLXdalYewrzX1r1S9Qf8TftblRvUvmKWziM-AvMy1yMDlzatd_kdvhgZdkj9C5z8N1deuQgjoUAAAh2dCZq4kB8dyno_3Qx97SkSIqelRJ9toqRzycsVTUL-89Xk8lbvlVfhr/s320/1382262_525209357558297_1722716825_n.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU37oqjcknV9nEV2rrEtvpWcazb8x4XufpDcMaCY5T0_4TK1d9JFM3MFHkqnkBsuSLDqlpWP8rVkBQImxTITAI8m5hDSDuwkmQ6PZaPxm5SfgKog_a8iFZjUzRIKH3tjR1J0hWDdXinxtm/s1600/J&N206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU37oqjcknV9nEV2rrEtvpWcazb8x4XufpDcMaCY5T0_4TK1d9JFM3MFHkqnkBsuSLDqlpWP8rVkBQImxTITAI8m5hDSDuwkmQ6PZaPxm5SfgKog_a8iFZjUzRIKH3tjR1J0hWDdXinxtm/s320/J&N206.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div>
Gem caught the bouquet. Jonti wanted to help throw it, but for reasons I can't explain or remember now, I simply wouldn't let him... so he's going to throw one in Atlanta!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEKeOk2NgYT8H9_63Vy7yccdCuHpWfMShv1120uxBNexdHNDiurRyU_DwrE916lr86PJhqnnHlr3SCQ-JHFhIZPjZcwPHhmiopLu2KsNZ0iLsdnUd9GkDXvsePLZpZK5jK8bl1VcGMkgW/s1600/J&N225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEKeOk2NgYT8H9_63Vy7yccdCuHpWfMShv1120uxBNexdHNDiurRyU_DwrE916lr86PJhqnnHlr3SCQ-JHFhIZPjZcwPHhmiopLu2KsNZ0iLsdnUd9GkDXvsePLZpZK5jK8bl1VcGMkgW/s320/J&N225.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYKBTDgKXxCllq2bPOMVULLc0HyH4LQPJqawUmOFyUzyzqzhswK7ZpYeVV2Z5oXpux7ovKk8e7QR9ZxtbUB4zTIs9LXzyOoPBQHwcRPnRoQo3Y0uKxE6grOqkTUVDYVN514pDKRc6Mfhq/s1600/J&N227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYKBTDgKXxCllq2bPOMVULLc0HyH4LQPJqawUmOFyUzyzqzhswK7ZpYeVV2Z5oXpux7ovKk8e7QR9ZxtbUB4zTIs9LXzyOoPBQHwcRPnRoQo3Y0uKxE6grOqkTUVDYVN514pDKRc6Mfhq/s320/J&N227.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div>
<br />
Joe & Richard did readings at our ceremony; we were so honoured. Joe read an ee cummings poem (since feeling is first) and Richard read a V.S Ramachandran quote about the mystery of the brain.<br />
<br />
Some of Jonti's friends said the sweetest things to me. I won't forget them.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM45DxN4tZWmTa3mBdwYwCBEgjvUtN_b_Ad0RHudLCvQWUJxvsIwQHxrlTFjW8TKo8WBeY8mv9GM7ixYgRsI0UQtIAugAIDHH4MjErhB7TjNqGzy1F9Epz-RotPkcuwnr2XfhUNIXqyBFV/s1600/J&N245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM45DxN4tZWmTa3mBdwYwCBEgjvUtN_b_Ad0RHudLCvQWUJxvsIwQHxrlTFjW8TKo8WBeY8mv9GM7ixYgRsI0UQtIAugAIDHH4MjErhB7TjNqGzy1F9Epz-RotPkcuwnr2XfhUNIXqyBFV/s320/J&N245.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Even the weather turned out for us. A Manchester October Saturday can usually be relied on for at least some good drizzle. We didn't have a drop, and we got this amazing sunset.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMS-V-3wUM9QqpAUduRSo0RK4eU44O_0XlMn3UrR2W3wbSw9qsXqgJStiQXcw0fOkOAj8D7FW774D_lP98mBH59HZfIOOZLMPfB5t4_HS1o_K9WKTPSn6sdZUH30Flu8EdlrP6iW9YHRh/s1600/J&N253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgMS-V-3wUM9QqpAUduRSo0RK4eU44O_0XlMn3UrR2W3wbSw9qsXqgJStiQXcw0fOkOAj8D7FW774D_lP98mBH59HZfIOOZLMPfB5t4_HS1o_K9WKTPSn6sdZUH30Flu8EdlrP6iW9YHRh/s320/J&N253.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div>
The reception ended with a stunning, unplanned, wildly fun finale, wherein Deepali & Tuheen stole Jonti's shoes, proper <i>desi </i>style. While Katherine tried to do her job as the <i>baraat </i>and find his shoes, Jonti made do with some cardboard boxes. He's definitely the right man for me.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMMQP1mslPl5vfTmPiO-I6DNjgGQmRntaCmVSEkU2VpCeYs-CTvGkj1_8rYICbPF01awDgBcRUX52oIx0E5j36qfCO1OCCnXC8yPDcjjaW3i_bIFtAI_9I07va-5ZIhLYlutX2_lPbj7p/s1600/1372281_539138936944_2135891943_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMMQP1mslPl5vfTmPiO-I6DNjgGQmRntaCmVSEkU2VpCeYs-CTvGkj1_8rYICbPF01awDgBcRUX52oIx0E5j36qfCO1OCCnXC8yPDcjjaW3i_bIFtAI_9I07va-5ZIhLYlutX2_lPbj7p/s320/1372281_539138936944_2135891943_o.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
We had set up a sort of 'photo-booth' in another part of the mill. This is one of my favourite pictures. Jonti's mom and great-aunt Florence. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsP00_qhwZO1Oxcb5AT6GhW5Cm3-yZ0kNtlvl27aVUMZ3mOBsyAYJEEVluSr1qHSSOrHbJn8asM78eZUQ1TcVzkcSt8aeMSkyC9m4UGhMntaXwRwq8VMDN8JgbOs0thkfvTWgARqWw0DHp/s1600/1385983_528676340544932_1917024815_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsP00_qhwZO1Oxcb5AT6GhW5Cm3-yZ0kNtlvl27aVUMZ3mOBsyAYJEEVluSr1qHSSOrHbJn8asM78eZUQ1TcVzkcSt8aeMSkyC9m4UGhMntaXwRwq8VMDN8JgbOs0thkfvTWgARqWw0DHp/s320/1385983_528676340544932_1917024815_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
We didn't want a guest book. So we made some bottles that we'll smash open on future anniversaries and asked people to leave us messages in them. I can't wait for our first anniversary!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7ebYt03oMuoBZKz6fgkRK4cAXwKaCrmcE_k7ccQnwyR3AiUncvLMhPdPsoEVg7iQNATe5v6Yb8u9kSa1nHdeGklpt2SMLU_1THcEvECADTZSDejEtwNoc1enaGIUckvx747LS1fiN96a/s320/1391734_527778960634670_1893138475_n.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
We were so happy with the day; we got to spend it with such wonderful people and they made it the best day we've ever had. We're so grateful, we've already started the thank-you cards. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRPZeXEgipqdJ74nj6_-RjwJtLpoBIK9NkM7SbJzKAjqW4MYEiypVyBOoLouAcznWvUovmNfwFjJxQo4hXlFZgTTfz1akbE3dhMzueXW9Etw-hvoXbjWu1lbb3Q5Pf54z1WOgX5kR0uzU/s1600/734102_525209274224972_1705137614_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRPZeXEgipqdJ74nj6_-RjwJtLpoBIK9NkM7SbJzKAjqW4MYEiypVyBOoLouAcznWvUovmNfwFjJxQo4hXlFZgTTfz1akbE3dhMzueXW9Etw-hvoXbjWu1lbb3Q5Pf54z1WOgX5kR0uzU/s320/734102_525209274224972_1705137614_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsP00_qhwZO1Oxcb5AT6GhW5Cm3-yZ0kNtlvl27aVUMZ3mOBsyAYJEEVluSr1qHSSOrHbJn8asM78eZUQ1TcVzkcSt8aeMSkyC9m4UGhMntaXwRwq8VMDN8JgbOs0thkfvTWgARqWw0DHp/s1600/1385983_528676340544932_1917024815_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsP00_qhwZO1Oxcb5AT6GhW5Cm3-yZ0kNtlvl27aVUMZ3mOBsyAYJEEVluSr1qHSSOrHbJn8asM78eZUQ1TcVzkcSt8aeMSkyC9m4UGhMntaXwRwq8VMDN8JgbOs0thkfvTWgARqWw0DHp/s1600/1385983_528676340544932_1917024815_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZFlr4E3Wfa5TI1Jg-8bU8wv-08z6Xkqeu1iWGGI5V5UANezD7bBjTbZ900KNoB9yMZILeb3SvuITtbI9fOWfYy44hXtAUN7JS03Mu1EMvDJ0HOdwMiLBDXaVf9DCT6foJMUtNQy3eeP8/s1600/1391586_525209440891622_526884367_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZFlr4E3Wfa5TI1Jg-8bU8wv-08z6Xkqeu1iWGGI5V5UANezD7bBjTbZ900KNoB9yMZILeb3SvuITtbI9fOWfYy44hXtAUN7JS03Mu1EMvDJ0HOdwMiLBDXaVf9DCT6foJMUtNQy3eeP8/s320/1391586_525209440891622_526884367_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7ebYt03oMuoBZKz6fgkRK4cAXwKaCrmcE_k7ccQnwyR3AiUncvLMhPdPsoEVg7iQNATe5v6Yb8u9kSa1nHdeGklpt2SMLU_1THcEvECADTZSDejEtwNoc1enaGIUckvx747LS1fiN96a/s1600/1391734_527778960634670_1893138475_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-33807193009470573822013-09-07T18:37:00.001+01:002013-09-07T18:37:52.429+01:00Never say never<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After a lengthy break from the blog, dear reader, I am happy to say I'm back, with more news than I could possibly report!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I never did get to blog about the Manchester International Festival's performances of <a href="http://davidhartleywriter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-machine-mif13.html" target="_blank">The Machine</a> or <a href="http://davidhartleywriter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/macbeth-mif13.html" target="_blank">Macbeth</a> or <a href="http://davidhartleywriter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/massive-attack-vs-adam-curtis-mif13.html" target="_blank">Massive Attack v. Adam Curtis</a>, but luckily, other Manchester bloggers have. Click on the links for fantastic writer-about-town and rabbit-lover Dave Hartley's reviews!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I don't necessarily agree with him on every point, but he does write excellent, critical reviews, and if you want to know about the festival, well, Dave took a whole damn week off work to go to things and blog about them, so, he's your man.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Though I thoroughly enjoyed most of the festival (except Long Grass - it doesn't really even bear thinking about how rubbish that was), I was incredibly sad to see it go. It's a short three weeks, the MIF, and I can never really get enough of the summery buzz it brings the city. On one of the last days, I sat in Albert Square with Jonti and some friends, eating ice cream and wishing it weren't over just yet...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But, I didn't have much time to be wistful– I had a flight to catch!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Atlanta was in a stormy mood when I first got in, delaying our landing by about 3 hours. But once I was home, I had a lovely time, hanging out with my family, and rushing about seeing all my friends. I met baby Atticus!</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7w3aP59IqfJvbsOvkxT2LpppJgAP_tZQQxwXldwblrlBugs0_QqunPsT1m8t8hj8bXZXYe9L7xX_wubQOCg9QiWGg_u9Modfbt0eoNfxTuwKgwQtwSHZSkr5xXjwcEPlcr1HkgIKPbL5_/s1600/20130803_181455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7w3aP59IqfJvbsOvkxT2LpppJgAP_tZQQxwXldwblrlBugs0_QqunPsT1m8t8hj8bXZXYe9L7xX_wubQOCg9QiWGg_u9Modfbt0eoNfxTuwKgwQtwSHZSkr5xXjwcEPlcr1HkgIKPbL5_/s320/20130803_181455.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
Jeremy and Katie are already great parents, <a href="http://jezebel.com/the-ctfd-method-is-the-greatest-of-all-parenting-trends-816536389" target="_blank">true believers in the CTFD method.</a> It was great to see Lemuel and Emma and Allen, too. I miss you all so much, every day.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And then my mom, my sister, my brother-in-law, my nephew and my niece all went to Hawaii! I'd never been before, and I was very excited about relaxing on a beach and snorkeling. We stayed with my cousin, who is an Army doctor out there. This is the view from her place:</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTTYB_a0uXRn4_rllPSS1LuVv0DBnOIrbRASk4RLWYh2iEhJWovDhHETjXccaCBTZrX7J_9qstD__C4D7DxyHoaqfSXpwnVs97vx0mxcjyk1Z3d3KCAzIaDcEA-JXA1ZYlHnmjUu8qxVp/s1600/2013-07-23+15.56.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTTYB_a0uXRn4_rllPSS1LuVv0DBnOIrbRASk4RLWYh2iEhJWovDhHETjXccaCBTZrX7J_9qstD__C4D7DxyHoaqfSXpwnVs97vx0mxcjyk1Z3d3KCAzIaDcEA-JXA1ZYlHnmjUu8qxVp/s320/2013-07-23+15.56.42.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
In the end, I didn't get to do much relaxing, because we were dashing about seeing all these beautiful places: </div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gP1gyYzJ4KvLlgcDAgTPFhXJFBX2nd60c3cYRqrv4-8klcp82Qspr6P6QOZ3ZryvMjZzVIY1BamY3xlEX86ASma8HOVp5i47kmQTJQFibXN-WC9DP-ScoES_Rk-q-DbITSkboxJf9Fc_/s1600/2013-07-24+16.09.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gP1gyYzJ4KvLlgcDAgTPFhXJFBX2nd60c3cYRqrv4-8klcp82Qspr6P6QOZ3ZryvMjZzVIY1BamY3xlEX86ASma8HOVp5i47kmQTJQFibXN-WC9DP-ScoES_Rk-q-DbITSkboxJf9Fc_/s320/2013-07-24+16.09.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
Blowhole!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3b9CjIs9LiGgeXiYVUn20eXuXqzFlnw9CPIyvYMhBUr7BXrkJh1kFL49SZNLeWRqWKXQcYZ-oBcCrDhic08Lgys8pRyVztWC37ZFWJ9UVixAQEDmoXQWpbQJtnv2PRBb6y5zTnlJ9lK7A/s1600/2013-07-24+16.29.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3b9CjIs9LiGgeXiYVUn20eXuXqzFlnw9CPIyvYMhBUr7BXrkJh1kFL49SZNLeWRqWKXQcYZ-oBcCrDhic08Lgys8pRyVztWC37ZFWJ9UVixAQEDmoXQWpbQJtnv2PRBb6y5zTnlJ9lK7A/s1600/2013-07-24+16.29.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3b9CjIs9LiGgeXiYVUn20eXuXqzFlnw9CPIyvYMhBUr7BXrkJh1kFL49SZNLeWRqWKXQcYZ-oBcCrDhic08Lgys8pRyVztWC37ZFWJ9UVixAQEDmoXQWpbQJtnv2PRBb6y5zTnlJ9lK7A/s320/2013-07-24+16.29.39.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
A lot of things in Hawaii look like they're in the past, like this post office that seems to be in a Western movie from the 50s. But that's probably because Hawaii's infrastructure doesn't really seem to have been updated since the 50s. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3EojYsgreAq93Lw0hQ2fbV5zyYoEft_PmCt7l0zOe1Aaiiq0RXsBwt-1OGyYnhTiJCIn_EIGIeRUY3zezBT14AL5650tpuLzKeqk673cBPTe9Sd8ur-CMZnRT2zv6n7BosqXyT1FtDT1/s1600/DSC_0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3EojYsgreAq93Lw0hQ2fbV5zyYoEft_PmCt7l0zOe1Aaiiq0RXsBwt-1OGyYnhTiJCIn_EIGIeRUY3zezBT14AL5650tpuLzKeqk673cBPTe9Sd8ur-CMZnRT2zv6n7BosqXyT1FtDT1/s320/DSC_0051.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Sea Turtle! Maxin' and Relaxin'. You know. Because this is HAWAII, y'all. HAWAII.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bnYO4e2fW3O4SWWacDTC1MkfpM3HxZjBIGrzp17agOJPA_MPG9dMVQdv2qfyXJARPZbLSKa4mgdNJW5en5VhWfJA55gSA2TbXSqMPPZCdi7irANavpK-eMLoonV2bhJ-sVdGoqL7McMY/s1600/DSC_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bnYO4e2fW3O4SWWacDTC1MkfpM3HxZjBIGrzp17agOJPA_MPG9dMVQdv2qfyXJARPZbLSKa4mgdNJW5en5VhWfJA55gSA2TbXSqMPPZCdi7irANavpK-eMLoonV2bhJ-sVdGoqL7McMY/s320/DSC_0063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And pretty much every sunset looked something like this. </div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjPyBKYvE3RKG53t8foAmOxcV5gMsUmVKWPx_CrNFU05RVKPZPi7zBCJ8J64xwg9_p7wYxibD8DiC6L64mELVCfllMtjsersGwAe7eWQUnFHc-itS4Cc69nDcmnWMP_D_qRskk7wEoa-3/s1600/DSC_0085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjPyBKYvE3RKG53t8foAmOxcV5gMsUmVKWPx_CrNFU05RVKPZPi7zBCJ8J64xwg9_p7wYxibD8DiC6L64mELVCfllMtjsersGwAe7eWQUnFHc-itS4Cc69nDcmnWMP_D_qRskk7wEoa-3/s320/DSC_0085.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
The beaches are pretty nice. A lot of people don't realise that Hawaii has such nice beaches. Have you even <i>heard</i> of them? </div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkZgYW1j84zrvgJywa-Zay8RujUy4D1TRTM0gJi4AD6xFXMOOPqt4cCHGeCJJm1QbZXAexOOZrQTt15loXYS5r3nITiuLb6LsDFr9RhoXWQKyGf_-4uKzKGyEgm6ApUq3BbK4nLSTmzK9/s1600/DSC_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkZgYW1j84zrvgJywa-Zay8RujUy4D1TRTM0gJi4AD6xFXMOOPqt4cCHGeCJJm1QbZXAexOOZrQTt15loXYS5r3nITiuLb6LsDFr9RhoXWQKyGf_-4uKzKGyEgm6ApUq3BbK4nLSTmzK9/s320/DSC_0103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We spent three days on the Big Island, and mostly saw lots of dried lava. A huge lava flow once stormed through Devastation Trail, leaving things rather... devastated.</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9mJZy-vf_Mv34sDCK5yQfAnl21ZIGHi4mWYcm_CbUjfxAyTPupyidsaZbjXdLmh9cIs5nqysPpGhMpGxwVEmC2Je8YxcqRXOngmGDLueXCCmgTgucS1vQ0voMiZdijOgvYE7f5PfVKMd/s1600/DSC_0185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9mJZy-vf_Mv34sDCK5yQfAnl21ZIGHi4mWYcm_CbUjfxAyTPupyidsaZbjXdLmh9cIs5nqysPpGhMpGxwVEmC2Je8YxcqRXOngmGDLueXCCmgTgucS1vQ0voMiZdijOgvYE7f5PfVKMd/s320/DSC_0185.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In Volcano National Park at twilight, you can see a volcano still slowly releasing hot sulphur into the night sky.</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-D9yk9TWqL2ptw2ni0JmUtY8SbRws43lfGWUAsCJLEHnh4KNNWvNR0WysdAejQEzVQ8H4HI943JvIbXCMgvqBXXQJQ7gtEWyl9dyHdZNozjFQxWbi64-2CRg9Edv_iQhanYVygKIrhVFq/s1600/DSC_0233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-D9yk9TWqL2ptw2ni0JmUtY8SbRws43lfGWUAsCJLEHnh4KNNWvNR0WysdAejQEzVQ8H4HI943JvIbXCMgvqBXXQJQ7gtEWyl9dyHdZNozjFQxWbi64-2CRg9Edv_iQhanYVygKIrhVFq/s320/DSC_0233.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My favourite day in Hawaii was our last day on the Big Island. I woke up early and took a free yoga class that the hotel offered. I ended up being the only one there, and got an hour's free instruction! After all the traveling I'd done (across 11 timezones!), it definitely helped put my body back in order. Then, I sat by the pool with a coffee and a book, and then we all went to Hapuna Beach and played for a few hours, before heading over to Kahalu'u Beach for some snorkeling. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOaaEHFnSG5P2rMO2Xn5PH_SU6oNOZOQnga9AYTiH8RJ229tHowd8wdlHKlFV10bZYP2-vYZ_1XAw_85sqKaqHuDx0yWjUOa_ivq7Qd5Y5db1kUDT9ddqjA9lc9_JXf14tgNbefYhf8Ll/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOaaEHFnSG5P2rMO2Xn5PH_SU6oNOZOQnga9AYTiH8RJ229tHowd8wdlHKlFV10bZYP2-vYZ_1XAw_85sqKaqHuDx0yWjUOa_ivq7Qd5Y5db1kUDT9ddqjA9lc9_JXf14tgNbefYhf8Ll/s320/photo.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I absolutely love snorkeling. I would do it everyday if I could. I first fell in love with it at the <a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/extraordinary-and-everyday.html" target="_blank">Great Barrier Reef</a>. There is something wondrous about the quiet of the water around you, watching the silent fish swim around.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And then, after a few days back in Atlanta, suddenly, I was back in Manchester. It was colder and grayer than it was when I'd left, and I was glad I'd remembered to bring a jacket as I stepped off the train.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There he was. Jonti. I'd been talking with him on Skype nearly every day that I was gone. We'd been texting pictures and chatting and missing each other for two whole weeks.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"It's your job to keep me awake all day," I told him, "Because I have work in two days, and I CANNOT be jetlagged."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He did his job well, dear reader, and in the afternoon, we went for a pizza at Croma, just near the <a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/clock-tower-clock-tour.html" target="_blank">Town Hall</a>, one of my favourite places in Manchester. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He said, "I've been thinking about it, and I think we should get married," he said. "Sooner rather than later. I've looked into it, and we can do it at the Town Hall."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I looked through the window, at Waterhouse's incredible building, and for a moment, I wondered, baffled, if he meant we should go do it right now.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"We should talk about it," he said. I smiled and agreed, and suggested a day when I wasn't quite so tired. </div>
<div>
<br />And so it happened that the girl who thought she'd never never never marry anyone, that she had no need or desire of it, has met the man she wants and needs to marry. His name is Jonti. I can't wait for you to meet him.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoCe08N2tJQry0xpYas-ScXo0DOE5C8Trzy9388oCZeo2ae1XKiSbMGVs6dr2-RRpvnGX4RRp2TlfzQNGwRYHSA39tzNFhhlMRDx6iiH783trBMUA6WHyk37Q_CLwqHxvAK6Zsn0e1eXq/s1600/IMAG2852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoCe08N2tJQry0xpYas-ScXo0DOE5C8Trzy9388oCZeo2ae1XKiSbMGVs6dr2-RRpvnGX4RRp2TlfzQNGwRYHSA39tzNFhhlMRDx6iiH783trBMUA6WHyk37Q_CLwqHxvAK6Zsn0e1eXq/s320/IMAG2852.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-72087146572225135432013-07-15T23:30:00.003+01:002013-07-15T23:34:01.827+01:00The Masque of Anarchy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last night was the last Manchester International Festival performance of <a href="http://www.mif.co.uk/event/the-masque-of-anarchy" target="_blank">The Masque of Anarchy</a>.<br />
<br />
First, some history: <br />
The Masque of Anarchy was written by Percy Bysshe Shelley, in 1819, on the occasion of the Peterloo Massacre. Peterloo looms large in Manchester's working class history-- when the workers of Manchester's mills, some 60-80,000 of them, went on peaceful strike, after years of famine and unemployment, high bread prices and horrible Industrial Revolution-type conditions. The military responded in a somewhat less peaceful manner, charging the crowd with sabres drawn, and killing around 15 people. Many hundreds were injured.<br />
<br />
Some of the peaceful protestors were veterans of the Battle of Waterloo, and claimed the massacre at St Peter's Fields was worse, thereby it the moniker 'Peterloo.' It was considered one of the defining moments of its time. It was Kent State.<br />
<br />
Shelley, being not a very working class-type, was in Italy at the time, on what I can only imagine was some sort of Romantic writers' retreat. But when he heard about the workers of England standing together to demand their rights, he was moved.<br />
<br />
This performance of <i>The Masque</i> was brilliantly Manchester-specific, which is part of what made it so meaningful. The location, the poem, the topic, the performer-- all had to do with Manchester.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.alberthallmanchester.com/" target="_blank">Albert Hall</a> housed the performance. A former Anglican church, it's one of the venues that's been newly reopened for the Festival. It stands very near, if not on, the site of the massacre.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.mif.co.uk/Images/2013_Commissions/New_Hemisphere_event_images/masque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://www.mif.co.uk/Images/2013_Commissions/New_Hemisphere_event_images/masque.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Photo credit: The Manchester International Festival website.</i><br />
<br />
It was performed (beautifully, magnificently) by Maxine Peake, who was raised in Bolton, which is very near Manchester. And in Britain, this matters a lot. Peake is <i>from here.</i> She is <i>Northern. </i><br />
<br />
Maxine Peake is not only a brilliant Northern actor, though. She's the perfect performer for this poem because she's a Socialist. She supports the Working Class Movement Library, and she has her head on exactly right.<br />
<br />
Her recitation was powerful and impassioned. Framed by a giant organ and a wall of candles, her performance took on the air of a sermon. Directed by Sarah Frankcom, she spoke the poem with the whole range of emotions demanded by the drama of the words: from despair (<i>"Misery, oh, misery!"</i>) to calm reassurance (<i>"Ye are many; they are few"</i>).<br />
<br />
The Masque of Anarchy is probably the most eloquent call to nonviolent civil disobedience in the English language. Before I went along to the play, I learned that Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. had used it in their speeches, rousing their followers to stand, firm and peaceful, against the violent, crushing action of a state that does not want them to know they are human.<br />
<br />
And it was hearing Peake's performance of the verses that describe, fully, what a real commitment to nonviolence means, that made me shiver:<br />
<br />
<br />
‘And if then the tyrants dare<br />
Let them ride among you there,<br />
Slash, and stab, and maim, and hew, —<br />
What they like, that let them do.<br />
<br />
‘With folded arms and steady eyes,<br />
And little fear, and less surprise,<br />
Look upon them as they slay<br />
Till their rage has died away.’<br />
<br />
I shivered as I thought of people trying, as they did, in India and in Southern US, to stand strong and peaceful, while their brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers were slashed and stabbed and maimed... people trying to expect no better justice or revenge than just shame heaped on their violators. People trying not to even scream out, not to resist.<br />
<br />
I thought of Trayvon Martin. All the work the Civil Rights movement never finished.<br />
<br />
And I thought about how very difficult it must have been, to convince people that this was a tactic that could possibly work. What true, visionary, astonishing leadership is needed, to convince people to simply look upon the military and police 'as they slay.'<br />
<br />
Afterwards, Jonti told me he's never had any religious feelings before, but Maxine Peake, in front of 100s of candles and an organ, calling for workers to stand in solidarity, is probably as close as he could get.<br />
<br />
And I doubt Maxine Peake wants to be the leader who finally gets us out into the streets, gets us standing against the banks, the bankers, the welfare cuts and the privatisation of the NHS. But if she did, after hearing her speak last night, I know I would follow.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-59805547937852056282013-07-09T21:01:00.000+01:002013-07-09T21:01:30.069+01:00It's back!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
The city of festivals has struck again, beloved reader. 2 years ago, the <a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/mcr-international-festival.html" target="_blank">Manchester International Festival</a> came and, like all fickle ephemeral festivals, it stole my heart away, only to leave me here, bereft, broken-hearted, with just a fluttering promise to--one day--return.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
MIF feels even more ambitious and exciting than last time-- and don't forget, last time, it was Björk, doing her science album. That was an enormous, brilliant, audacious show, full of newly invented instruments and really weird songs.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
This year, I was so excited about the Festival coming back, I bought tickets for pretty everything I wanted to see. It was a kind of (very) bad idea because I was seriously brizz-oke back in January, from all the unrepentant ticket-buying I was doing (<i>oh also because I was moving house). </i>But now that MIF is actually here, I'm thrilled. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I didn't know this before, but MIF is the world's <i>first</i> festival, worldwide, of original new work. Entirely new commissions and special events-- nothing that's just on tour anyway. Such an ambitious, exciting idea for a town that's generally considered to be rather second-rate. Just another reason I absolutely love this place.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I'm only going to blog about things as they finish their runs at MIF, to avoid spoiling. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><a href="http://www.mif.co.uk/event/the-old-woman" target="_blank">The Old Woman</a></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="http://www.mif.co.uk/Images/Galleries//110/110-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://www.mif.co.uk/Images/Galleries//110/110-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<i>Pictures from the <a href="http://www.mif.co.uk/" target="_blank">Manchester International Festival</a> website</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Based on a rather short story by <a href="http://absurdist.obook.org/kharms/display.php?p=30" target="_blank">Daniil Kharms</a>, an obscure and largely forgotten writer from the pre- and early post- Soviet era. Kharms hung out with the vanguard of Theatre of the Absurd types, and his stories are full of violence, nonsequiter, characters who can't seem to act, all stuck in their heads and inertia. Some of his stories are incredibly short:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<i>There was a red-haired man who had no eyes or ears. </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<i>Neither did he have any hair, so he was called red-haired theoretically. </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<i>He couldn't speak, since he didn't have a mouth. Neither did he have a nose. </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<i>He didn't even have any arms or legs. He had no stomach and he had no back and he had no spine and he had no innards whatsoever. He had nothing at all! </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<i>Therefore there's no knowing whom we are even talking about. </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<i>In fact it's better that we don't say any more about him. </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
This stage production featured Willem Dafoe and Mikhail Baryshnikov, as something like the same character, and it was stunning to watch and really intellectually intriguing. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
The play itself was a stunning feat of stagecraft. A bed, seemingly broken in the middle, forcing Willem Dafoe to crouch into it, its headboard and footboard forming a kind of cage around him evoked exactly the sense of incapacity that Kharm's main character embodies. There were precise spotlights, illuminating objects floating mid-air, changing the objects' colours, lighting up hands and making them seem disembodied. Visually, it was a fantastic spectacle.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
It was absurd. In fact, at some points, it was downright bonkers. It was spooky, in that dark Russian way. Watching Baryshnikov pose, with arms up near his head, and let out a piercing scream is unnerving enough. Watching him take one step, pose again, and scream in exactly the same way 15 times in a row is enough to make you hold your heart. But it was also really funny, in a jovial, almost overdone, finger-snapping, toe-tapping tone. The use of music, from 'Give Me That Old Time Religion' to Russian folk songs contrasted in a way that almost jarred-- but because everything in the show jars, it just seems to work.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
And that's why I got <i>really</i> interested in this show, and started thinking of it as more than just something amazing to watch. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Because I am an incessant researcher (as in, <a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/wigilia-has-nothing-to-do-with-wiggles.html" target="_blank"><i>incapable of doing anything without looking up what it'll be like first</i>)</a>, I not only <a href="http://absurdist.obook.org/kharms/display.php?p=30" target="_blank">read the short story</a>, but I also read some analyses of his work before I went to the play. No one else that I've spoken to about this show had read the short story, so I'm intrigued by how different my experience was to other peoples. <a href="http://davidhartleywriter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-old-woman-mif13.html" target="_blank">See this review by David Hartley for an example.</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
The show is not actually just an adaptation of one Kharms short story. In fact, it inserts several of his short stories into the general plot of <i>The Old Woman</i>. But the choices that have been made, in creating this production, are absolutely fascinating. Why did they change the last words that the main character said? In a lot of ways, the stage production wasn't like the short story at all.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Interestingly, the stage show, as a sum, is more bizarre than its parts. I'm sure many people had not read any Kharms. They must have left thinking that if an adaptation of his story ended up like <i>this</i>, then his writing must be absolutely off the wall, incomprehensible, disjointed and nonsensical. And that would be a shame. More than a shame: it would be wrong. Because Kharms' stories are dark, they are absurd and they are funny. But they are not nonsense or just a spectacle of words. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Kharms plays with the Russian canon. For Dostoevsky, a young man goes to an old woman's house and kills her. For Kharms, an old woman barges into a young man's house and just drops dead. But somehow, both characters have to deal with the psychological repercussions of an old woman's death. Who, then, or what, is the old woman really? His stories evoke a sense of dread, fear and the burden of being ineffectual.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
And that's where the stage show excelled. Somehow, even though it wasn't very much like the short story, it managed (through the absurd treatment, through the dancing and music, through the disjointed script), to evoke the exact same dark, brooding, strange and funny things that Kharms intended.<br /><br />A masterpiece.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.mif.co.uk/Images/2013_Commissions/main_and_thumb_event_images/Old_Woman_dress_shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="http://www.mif.co.uk/Images/2013_Commissions/main_and_thumb_event_images/Old_Woman_dress_shot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
It's official. The Festival's back.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-82918610199179313682013-07-02T22:40:00.001+01:002013-07-02T22:40:55.046+01:00I flashed!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Partly because I don't write fiction (mostly because I've never really enjoyed limiting my word count), I've never tried to write any Flash Fiction.<br />
<br />
But when some friends (just call them <a href="http://flashtagmcr.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">#Flashtag</a>) asked me to take part in their <a href="http://didsburylife.wordpress.com/2013/07/01/guest-blog-post-flashtag-writers-short-short-story-slam/" target="_blank">Short Short Story Slam </a>for the <a href="http://www.didsburyartsfestival.org/" target="_blank">Didsbury Arts Festival</a>, I was happy to be asked and to be able to do something for my friends.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/xFxmPtAZurc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
So, last Friday night, I competed. I still didn't manage to write any fiction... so, I tried out a <i>whole new genre: </i>Flash Non-Fiction!<br />
<br />
We had to prepare 3 stories:<br />
1. 100 words or fewer<br />
2. 150 words or fewer<br />
3. 200 words or fewer<br />
<br />
Basically, they set up 5 pairs of storytellers against each other, we read our shortest stories, and the losers from each pair were out. The winners of the most votes from each pair then competed against each other. It was brutal, as half the readers didn't even get to read their longer stories!<br />
<br />
I've heard a lot of really great flash fiction since I moved to Manchester, and I really didn't think I'd get very far at all. Who's ever even heard of Flash Non-Fiction?!<br /><br />To my surprise, I ended up being 1 of 3 finalists! I couldn't believe that anyone voted for my stories... I was floored by the fact that I even got to read all three of my stories. And if I had to lose to someone, I'm glad it was to another Southern girl: <a href="https://twitter.com/stellabrook/status/350733059731099649" target="_blank">Trish Starbrook</a>, who had never done an open mic literature night before, and left us all in her dust!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thanks to #Flashtag for putting on this great night, and for inviting me to participate. I never would have done it, if y'all hadn't asked, and I'm so glad I tried it!</div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-45174229383067557342013-06-26T12:32:00.002+01:002013-06-26T12:32:26.866+01:00Uneventful<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Eventful times, dear reader, make for a very uneventful blog.</div>
<br />
I do not, when I am busy, even bother to tell you about the times I get 10 people over to my house for board games. I do not have the time to write about the day – it was a wonderful day – I made 6 people watch <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_(1978_film)" target="_blank">Don</a></i>, the Bollywood classic, starring Amitabh Bachchan in a double role. It should have a better theme song.*<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One of the reasons I love living in the UK is having fairly regular opportunities to see one of my favourite musicians: Billy Bragg. You might remember I once even got to meet him! <a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/i-met-lovely-person.html" target="_blank">He was annoyed at the state of American cheese.</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few weeks ago, I got to see him play again, this time at a lovely little Northern Quarter venue called <a href="http://bandonthewall.org/" target="_blank">Band on the Wall</a>, so named because of this former use of the wall.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFY0f0XxhbLMroXLiqXPirx-H9eMkDvG9dNrUJVnW8El-bEFqEzPu5EoLFPQZsEN2XPaAMxXpHB1Mfqr-7M4wYtsKVC_hjl-WG4ZI7ZPdmy_Q50wf5Y6QcHV6HrEpCmWpQrcS4FG8yYpl/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFY0f0XxhbLMroXLiqXPirx-H9eMkDvG9dNrUJVnW8El-bEFqEzPu5EoLFPQZsEN2XPaAMxXpHB1Mfqr-7M4wYtsKVC_hjl-WG4ZI7ZPdmy_Q50wf5Y6QcHV6HrEpCmWpQrcS4FG8yYpl/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Jonti had never seen Billy Bragg live, and it was just after his very last exam, so it made for a great celebration. I didn't get to find out if Billy's had a better cheese experience since I last spoke with him about it...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGt6YdOw3zzmk4_4ZrjfCc30L7uANCWv5OzgRln7jQDjwye6j6VmG0ST6HsuwhuRsteB7nW60-0_npP07RxVEP9EvTjH8fe2xqxvGYWuYksYvoMLOl5jAVwHeMGD24kTMPiaAGnt0lKP73/s1600/2013-06-04+20.58.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGt6YdOw3zzmk4_4ZrjfCc30L7uANCWv5OzgRln7jQDjwye6j6VmG0ST6HsuwhuRsteB7nW60-0_npP07RxVEP9EvTjH8fe2xqxvGYWuYksYvoMLOl5jAVwHeMGD24kTMPiaAGnt0lKP73/s320/2013-06-04+20.58.17.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Last weekend, Jonti and I decided to take a short holiday in the Lake district. We stayed at a quintessentially quirky and strange British B&B. It seems to be an obscure law of B&Bs that they must be run by unusually odd people, with unusually odd taste in wallpaper.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
But we didn't have much time to worry about where we were staying, because we were out on lovely, lovely walks.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The first day, we left the B&B around 7pm, having enjoyed a post-lunch, late afternoon nap. It stays light until about 10pm up in the Lakes during summer, so we had hours of daylight left.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We decided on a short walk up to Orrest Head. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4xwPJefe22zb1KyHdgFbFKWOpIZYshdik5Sa_GXuwb8oIheBAUfcwvuuAxH1aXs75_bDH3YbNJDvNF8yqiRQIAfMJb_hx7taA-omRenE4RKfCY8sAgvRoaUlAZ9XGfhmS9LfcR06TNRa/s1600/2013-06-14+19.20.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4xwPJefe22zb1KyHdgFbFKWOpIZYshdik5Sa_GXuwb8oIheBAUfcwvuuAxH1aXs75_bDH3YbNJDvNF8yqiRQIAfMJb_hx7taA-omRenE4RKfCY8sAgvRoaUlAZ9XGfhmS9LfcR06TNRa/s320/2013-06-14+19.20.05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A nice view, but we were only there for about 5 minutes before that ominous cloud blew over us and we got stuck in a rather ridiculous downpour.</div>
<br />
After waiting for it to lighten up, sheltering in the trees for about 15 minutes, we realised that rivers of mud were beginning to form and it wasn't going to lighten up at all. We made a dash for it. I immediately lost my footing on a wet flat rock and fell hard smack on my arse. No awesome bruises to show you, unfortunately.<br />
<br />
The next day, we were worried the weather might be ugly again, so we bought me a waterproof jacket (with extremely unfashionable hood!) and waterproof trousers (proven to make you look at least 20 lbs. heavier!).<br />
<br />
I wasn't thrilled at how puffy they looked, but I knew I'd be happy to have them if it started raining on our walk. I certainly didn't want to sit around in the B&B just because of a little rain.<br />
<br />
Weird custom of pushing pennies into a dead tree.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNanIlDejePYARigD3zLniCwQ8YiEFHN46bTsh6SNz_WIFa07RqJLKls4LSXSo8RqAuX7R0UqaCaTc_ql69jQSYkPq4DSRgopNX-fqoSsRJqdS_U449hmRvwDifVqDU7NDrsK8fMX0EEVv/s1600/2013-06-15+13.15.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNanIlDejePYARigD3zLniCwQ8YiEFHN46bTsh6SNz_WIFa07RqJLKls4LSXSo8RqAuX7R0UqaCaTc_ql69jQSYkPq4DSRgopNX-fqoSsRJqdS_U449hmRvwDifVqDU7NDrsK8fMX0EEVv/s320/2013-06-15+13.15.07.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
When we started walking higher, though, it seemed we weren't going to need the waterproofs after all. The sun started coming out, the clouds began to burn away.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAO9ZVvtsZKy0HHzh673X_jlfMH8wxKJTSToiDniWtYqZLKYWA4oUlhEZVIg6RCajzzK1KgNb_t36pmFVdkBPT_JC98JPcRfv8Y5UfNqQMWdyhFprA1SgEIculNwZfApEo1bgvlscdxin/s1600/2013-06-15+13.19.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAO9ZVvtsZKy0HHzh673X_jlfMH8wxKJTSToiDniWtYqZLKYWA4oUlhEZVIg6RCajzzK1KgNb_t36pmFVdkBPT_JC98JPcRfv8Y5UfNqQMWdyhFprA1SgEIculNwZfApEo1bgvlscdxin/s320/2013-06-15+13.19.14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
There's really no point walking if you're not going to stop halfway, get a pint, enjoy a good background tractor and let a 'morning coffee' sign grow out of your head.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5za1PXkFzV0rnyHOkcxg-54D1G2FoYmhzx-kH0oHvWm_ly0KgWKDsUPGWeDMgeFjndWuCctKHGlXEoxRPR-FZmEjIeP3givGD8X6LgooWIc3Q5hG8Pv31yGxf4BV3hThk3ni4bYQoKbA/s1600/2013-06-15+14.34.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5za1PXkFzV0rnyHOkcxg-54D1G2FoYmhzx-kH0oHvWm_ly0KgWKDsUPGWeDMgeFjndWuCctKHGlXEoxRPR-FZmEjIeP3givGD8X6LgooWIc3Q5hG8Pv31yGxf4BV3hThk3ni4bYQoKbA/s320/2013-06-15+14.34.52.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sometimes, there's a really weird vibe to English tourist towns. The whole local economy of the Lake District relies on tourism, both international and domestic. And so, a lot of people work in bars and cafes... but they seem to really resent tourists. Jonti and I ended up sitting outside having this drink not only because it was a gorgeous day, but partly because of the cold silence we faced when we walked in the bar. Like coming through the squeaky double doors of a western saloon, dust and tumbleweed fluttering in behind us, and everyone looking at us suspiciously.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Beautiful canopy.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHp9wbaU7nEjxXFIaRk0Rv_l8ghtlvat8LdvGTFfaRxJUDyhX4-bY2NsSjPoBm6nmXBfQYMEswNkepJCDAqQUBE3qhN4ZPFgHPCNJPGVMYcZPoh76-iM04VsJABUuRnwggDNt20L3jrS3e/s1600/2013-06-15+15.33.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHp9wbaU7nEjxXFIaRk0Rv_l8ghtlvat8LdvGTFfaRxJUDyhX4-bY2NsSjPoBm6nmXBfQYMEswNkepJCDAqQUBE3qhN4ZPFgHPCNJPGVMYcZPoh76-iM04VsJABUuRnwggDNt20L3jrS3e/s320/2013-06-15+15.33.48.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxYiicq_DvUicHkXqkYwIq489Sbx5oYWctlAWEqPVTWcTI0hbTpP5qGl8Zt1Dr2gtxQNWE8iTGTezSqG4X0p0rzWYmCXKp6_nwOVhdeOqo0cbpoke1GJYcXmHeOteGFzIXq-GNmUIWqhn/s1600/2013-06-15+16.12.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxYiicq_DvUicHkXqkYwIq489Sbx5oYWctlAWEqPVTWcTI0hbTpP5qGl8Zt1Dr2gtxQNWE8iTGTezSqG4X0p0rzWYmCXKp6_nwOVhdeOqo0cbpoke1GJYcXmHeOteGFzIXq-GNmUIWqhn/s320/2013-06-15+16.12.21.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHjaU-AFyTvcApFzZQqL42Erjc3BvCc5QyPBSI8OSHm32wshThOUWWT7yAVAYTdwEnPBNxilM3TLwb0-dzEBANmESGo7HE4gaz4ks9NighCYbP_mHIUjDv7anHSkQrWff844zQZ3jYwSc/s1600/2013-06-15+16.33.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHjaU-AFyTvcApFzZQqL42Erjc3BvCc5QyPBSI8OSHm32wshThOUWWT7yAVAYTdwEnPBNxilM3TLwb0-dzEBANmESGo7HE4gaz4ks9NighCYbP_mHIUjDv7anHSkQrWff844zQZ3jYwSc/s320/2013-06-15+16.33.09.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">After about 5 hours of walking, just as we finished a lovely picnic lunch of olives, bread, cheese and Jonti's homemade ginger cake, the rain started up. We got our waterproofs on. I expected to hate how they felt, for them to be an uncomfortable hindrance.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">But I was surprised. It turns out wearing waterproofs while it's raining feels rather like having a superpower. It's raining? No worries! I'm going to keep tramping about outdoors without worrying about having sticky jeans for the whole day after! I DON'T EVEN CARE IF IT RAINS ALL DAY. I'm just going to ENJOY THIS CAKE.</span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2aaYZ0lwNmoaYVbwVei_m28qXvLcjaz3YNgDfiPHhWzoL0h_TygCoSlzkXVnXkKHfjTAPrsRQdDeIKzKjOpyJYx1QjowHKAnMM_MomwQHk1Gt_mfP00rDBivE83js2oYKiMWmkz1L1P6u/s1600/2013-06-15+17.32.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2aaYZ0lwNmoaYVbwVei_m28qXvLcjaz3YNgDfiPHhWzoL0h_TygCoSlzkXVnXkKHfjTAPrsRQdDeIKzKjOpyJYx1QjowHKAnMM_MomwQHk1Gt_mfP00rDBivE83js2oYKiMWmkz1L1P6u/s320/2013-06-15+17.32.35.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As we were heading home, Jonti suggested a detour by way of Wigan to have a Father's Day lunch with his dad.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Even though one of my best mates in Manchester is practically the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Maconie" target="_blank">King of Wigan</a> (or just the patron of its libraries, whatever), I've never actually been to Wigan. I was excited about visiting, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_to_Wigan_Pier" target="_blank">about seeing Wigan Pier</a>, even though I'd been warned it was <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigan_Pier" target="_blank">a bit rubbish.</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We tried to visit a museum devoted to a very large Mill Engine, but we either a bit too early or a bit too late. Considering the opening hours, though...</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRw_O2nAZp5fkanoyqwQqoR_C9Au8nevY9IOb0MjsfRex95PYOEZEaknQYazAowF_l9ywBr4lRtAGp21mvvhemNc8qxmgtkhuyHmI6gE7cesdajfw3E0yeQHjw6usXzH2d17ywATWtsVTs/s1600/2013-06-16+15.13.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRw_O2nAZp5fkanoyqwQqoR_C9Au8nevY9IOb0MjsfRex95PYOEZEaknQYazAowF_l9ywBr4lRtAGp21mvvhemNc8qxmgtkhuyHmI6gE7cesdajfw3E0yeQHjw6usXzH2d17ywATWtsVTs/s320/2013-06-16+15.13.36.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So, the whole thing about Wigan Pier is that there isn't one. Or there was one, but we don't know where it was. Or it wasn't a pier at all, but a sort of loading dock, where coal was tipped into boats along the canal. It was destroyed and sold for scrap as Wigan's industry died... so largely, Wigan Pier is about British industrial decline, the downfall of the North, and the lack of itself. About its own death.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
However, helpfully, Wigan council have built a replacement for people who would like to have their picture taken with Wigan Pier. Obviously, it's probably not in the same place as the original loading dock was, because we don't know where that was.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But still.<br />
<br />
Look at me, with Wigan Pier. </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3viCAQNxxC5pWpOVpRmD4vwE6po0C6poaxolTQHUEn6-7sBVfrZ18UlkUcDoD6CK7uXAneML1W-mLGJpzpGckntldBaek0FAGpMuFQepQ26RAK9ewltR5Njj_4rDF7bNNWcmMK6PVtcQQ/s1600/2013-06-16+15.23.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3viCAQNxxC5pWpOVpRmD4vwE6po0C6poaxolTQHUEn6-7sBVfrZ18UlkUcDoD6CK7uXAneML1W-mLGJpzpGckntldBaek0FAGpMuFQepQ26RAK9ewltR5Njj_4rDF7bNNWcmMK6PVtcQQ/s320/2013-06-16+15.23.45.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>Ahem.</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And! That's not all! On Monday night, Jonti and I went along to see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sedaris" target="_blank">David Sedaris</a> (!!) read from <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/apr/27/explore-diabetes-owls-david-sedaris" target="_blank">his new book</a>. He was so friendly. David Sedaris is one of my major heroes; he inspired me to start writing nonfiction and set me on my path to radio as well, in a way. I've been listening to his voice for years, in audiobooks, on <i>This American Life</i>. His voice is incredibly familiar to me. I know the tone and tenor of it, the phrasing and pacing. On Monday night, hearing his voice actually come from someone, his voice suddenly embodied, was a strange and wonderful experience. I was in awe for the first few moments.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And after the reading, he did a thoughtful, intelligent Q&A. I asked a question about radio and writing. His answer was fascinating. He talked about how writers set a mood with words, but radio producers want to set a mood with music. About editing stories down for time. About working with themes, and how difficult that can be sometimes. He talked about being an American who lives in England, and how, in the countryside, everyone is just really happy to talk to him about how much they like America and how they went on holiday there once and it was amazing. I think he finds English countryside dwellers very sweet... and I think they're probably very different to English tourist-centre dwellers. I told him my story about the girls in <a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/funny-thing-about-british-road-trips-is.html" target="_blank">Kings Lyn who forgot that Americans are real people.</a></div>
<br />
Later, when he signed my book, he elaborated on his original thoughts on radio, saying he doesn't do <i>This American Life</i> much any more, largely because he thinks other people should have their turn on it and get the exposure he got when he needed it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
He was so friendly and lovely; it was a fantastic way to spend an evening. He asked no one to take any pictures or video that night... but I will always have this.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VTe3j7Gnnt-RnVEn7Fb0Gs4r_UShTiZ0DkX9mWzFnnaTsMqVr6fKuaaUQoCBsvIj6BubEzqIPQgHAUzI1J1ayDIr9ni6OnCeTBjY8Z9EIYcFsoZEF8tVT2k4-gXdY_blY12YWcHK9kRD/s1600/20130626_114833-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VTe3j7Gnnt-RnVEn7Fb0Gs4r_UShTiZ0DkX9mWzFnnaTsMqVr6fKuaaUQoCBsvIj6BubEzqIPQgHAUzI1J1ayDIr9ni6OnCeTBjY8Z9EIYcFsoZEF8tVT2k4-gXdY_blY12YWcHK9kRD/s320/20130626_114833-1.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>* Such as 'Strangers! Identical strangers!' sung to the theme song of the Patty Duke Show.</i></div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-45709931863914523642013-06-01T13:03:00.003+01:002013-06-01T13:04:00.701+01:00Sunny day!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDv_22ue7hTieoBdi2i9m-p5L8uan1oCP9sSg3WwkVtFv6HuiOsw_lYGjsQQ4h_V3HDumHXCUP6KYoS69hsxEdUaGfToO4LKOT2hlTJzqui3lYRyUAdoDk3iELnDpDBIo6vvEx8qupcSw/s1600/2013-05-25+14.58.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDv_22ue7hTieoBdi2i9m-p5L8uan1oCP9sSg3WwkVtFv6HuiOsw_lYGjsQQ4h_V3HDumHXCUP6KYoS69hsxEdUaGfToO4LKOT2hlTJzqui3lYRyUAdoDk3iELnDpDBIo6vvEx8qupcSw/s320/2013-05-25+14.58.08.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Last weekend, we finally had some sunshine. Given it was the second May bank holiday, Jonti and I decided to find ourselves some greenery. He's in the middle of exams, but it was too gorgeous a day to stay in. <br />
<br />
We went to Heaton Park! <a href="http://atlsyd.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/heaton-park-fire-at-night.html" target="_blank">Having only seen it at night</a>, I finally managed to get there in day time... and it was beautiful.<br />
<br />
I'd had a really busy week, full of work deadlines and and illness and far too many evening activities: a <a href="http://www.thetravellingband.co.uk/2013-tour/" target="_blank">Travelling Band</a> gig (meh), <a href="http://www.electronicvoicephenomena.net/" target="_blank">Electronic Voice Phenomenon</a> (hmm), a <a href="http://www.patmartino.com/" target="_blank">Pat Martino</a> gig (wow!).<br />
<br />
A day at the park was exactly what I needed. Jonti and I sat in the sun, at a weird little garden cafe, and talked over his exam topics. A beautiful day. I look forward to visiting Heaton Park again...<br />
<br />
Much like I'm looking forward to visiting (wait for it...) ATLANTA again!!<br />
<br />
Oh, how very exciting-- this July, Atlanta folks, get ready. I'm in for a whirlwind few days.* I expect to see you, your new babies, your cats, your pictures, your very best macaroni art. I can't wait. Atticus: Be prepared. I'm going to cuddle you silly!<br />
<br />
*Email or FB me for more information!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5794106361194066185.post-37965483147897593692013-05-12T11:48:00.002+01:002013-05-12T11:54:43.889+01:00Bloody-minded<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
British people can occasionally be spectacularly stubborn. They call it being "bloody-minded," a phrase that, when I first heard it, sent me into uncomfortable, nervous giggles, as I imagined a sort of visible stroke, gloopy brain muddled with blood.<br />
<br />
This bloody-mindedness means that once you've decided you're going to enjoy something, you don't just force yourself to <i>do</i> it no matter what-- it means you're going to force yourself to ENJOY IT. To my friend Geraint, this means that when you've planned a picnic, even if it rains and hails on the day of said planned picnic, you <i>will still go.</i> You will sit in the car, <i>in situ</i>, and eat your damp sandwiches and your cold <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_egg" target="_blank">Scotch eggs</a>, with your mum and your brother and sister and <i>you will enjoy yourself.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I don't know if it's because I'm American, or because I'm from a town that can generally expect better weather sometime soon... but I just don't buy into this.<br />
<br /></div>
Consider this, from my friend and former flatmate: <br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
made a rhubarb pie especially - was determined to have a picnic despite the rain and cold!<br />
— The Shrieking Violet (@Natalieviolet) <a href="https://twitter.com/Natalieviolet/status/333281516685774848">May 11, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
And this response:
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/natalieviolet">natalieviolet</a> This is why I can only live in this country. Rhubarb & bloody-minded picnics. Excellent work :)<br />
— Matthew Whitfield (@mwhitfield80) <a href="https://twitter.com/mwhitfield80/status/333282965985574912">May 11, 2013</a></blockquote>
I mean, seriously. <i>What is going on?</i> How is there an entire nation of people deciding to have fun and then somehow managing to force themselves into having it despite all circumstances pushing against them? It's an act of will that I simply don't have the effort to manage.<br />
<br />
I'm American. I like the sun and warm days and I will WAIT to have a picnic or a barbecue until a sunny warm day comes along.<br />
<br />
If they don't come along, I will go without. Enjoy a warm living room and a cup of tea and a duvet, instead. Because these things, the picnics, the barbecues, they are not worth the effing hassle without lovely weather. But that's my take. Pretty much everyone I know in this bizarre country does not agree and can attest to <i>happy</i> childhoods spent wearing raincoats and gloves, standing in blustery wind, eating rainy food, <i>because we are on a picnic and you will be happy about it.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
When my friend Tommy invited me to a birthday weekend in the Lake District, I was a bit worried I'd have to take on some bloody-mindedness, for group harmony. They might not let me just sit by the fire in the cozy cottage and drink tea and read... they might cajole and coerce me into some wet, hail-ridden, muddy, cold <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillwalking" target="_blank">fell walking</a>. They might all tell each other what a lovely time it was, and how it wouldn't really be better if it were warm and sunny, because it wouldn't be really British, or something. And then they'd look at me, expectantly, wondering when I was going to join in the group delusion. And I'd have to pull one of those faces that looks like a smile but is actually a grimace and say, "This is great! Happy Birthday, Tommy! Let's eat some damp food now!"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSNAd6HIZBgp-dvP37Kxl9bGdhhggiMlp2hz93zi8Vjq_rQGngMXtUUafOoBaMlSdBAQwAkLUCOw6-rZTfrvZ6doE-7UTSUaq4yjoytnfDsSgS4ugTssCgoC3BPTIwyyq5IDHquWQ1VO0/s1600/2013-05-04+13.52.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSNAd6HIZBgp-dvP37Kxl9bGdhhggiMlp2hz93zi8Vjq_rQGngMXtUUafOoBaMlSdBAQwAkLUCOw6-rZTfrvZ6doE-7UTSUaq4yjoytnfDsSgS4ugTssCgoC3BPTIwyyq5IDHquWQ1VO0/s320/2013-05-04+13.52.13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Luckily, this didn't happen. Instead, a huge group of Tommy's friends, about 13 of us in total, had a lovely weekend with some beautiful crisp sunny weather. We did a stunning walk up <a href="http://helvellyn./">Helvellyn.</a> I didn't go all the way up Helvellyn.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAuqF5y2yDMW3oQBZsXNWGVmg3ONsrhyQJNoL7DddLV8wecaZH6nUCrdi0jG8VnRZEwYT54UCE_eV5jTHPYzu7rVqqYaM0z6Lu5sB2B96-3fierxI_IEYw1J6R7gHFLDoE-iFqLMI0r7D/s1600/2013-05-04+13.03.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAuqF5y2yDMW3oQBZsXNWGVmg3ONsrhyQJNoL7DddLV8wecaZH6nUCrdi0jG8VnRZEwYT54UCE_eV5jTHPYzu7rVqqYaM0z6Lu5sB2B96-3fierxI_IEYw1J6R7gHFLDoE-iFqLMI0r7D/s320/2013-05-04+13.03.26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1AyZVvFcV8aI6AeqwXtcHbnoy4TEVOGG5gpZR4TllSvNcjRxMinbpWi3aQFHhOhnhoEK7VAzu62rzIR7VSYUgrgRwYv9R_vaoPJ3-leq6-U2928BOBLiiokLYl5CmMwoIZ21g2oAlbq2/s1600/2013-05-04+13.15.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1AyZVvFcV8aI6AeqwXtcHbnoy4TEVOGG5gpZR4TllSvNcjRxMinbpWi3aQFHhOhnhoEK7VAzu62rzIR7VSYUgrgRwYv9R_vaoPJ3-leq6-U2928BOBLiiokLYl5CmMwoIZ21g2oAlbq2/s320/2013-05-04+13.15.33.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojroUGHgV16RJ8XopygeuGIsUkG8xXJ3L2x8Y4y98eDFkJilLvIzlYdHkQwUgW6SrNEP99RcIHso_IRn1Iou4Z1LfgAX714Bxof8728ooCND6hD-bvAr1q0cmhL5bl9viAjUhMZOP4t60/s1600/2013-05-04+13.39.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojroUGHgV16RJ8XopygeuGIsUkG8xXJ3L2x8Y4y98eDFkJilLvIzlYdHkQwUgW6SrNEP99RcIHso_IRn1Iou4Z1LfgAX714Bxof8728ooCND6hD-bvAr1q0cmhL5bl9viAjUhMZOP4t60/s320/2013-05-04+13.39.13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cZJ5Rntk4vFyzYnExKFSQQz8Eu0zvKLzliB4Jbb3kpf-FAe6zZNrZd6JoC9VlVMF5J54I6ABWOb5HtPriFNyD-k8W2b8s8hdMFUNPa_q6lI5Q_PQQGw_eTi4205aNfko1PHKl3sQCy1c/s1600/2013-05-04+13.47.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cZJ5Rntk4vFyzYnExKFSQQz8Eu0zvKLzliB4Jbb3kpf-FAe6zZNrZd6JoC9VlVMF5J54I6ABWOb5HtPriFNyD-k8W2b8s8hdMFUNPa_q6lI5Q_PQQGw_eTi4205aNfko1PHKl3sQCy1c/s320/2013-05-04+13.47.05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeyXIe-RYsTCAPpDuO-nz-Rq84uCDoQ48aKTsJkXjvU6laVThKbsPjxveXSRbH2sdDQjjO9vfglYhg24aI8EtMIh2EaHLlpcclOpw7Kz7R0OrYGX3X92t0tsi7L62khm2ZvdBEVFkXEKR/s1600/2013-05-04+13.47.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeyXIe-RYsTCAPpDuO-nz-Rq84uCDoQ48aKTsJkXjvU6laVThKbsPjxveXSRbH2sdDQjjO9vfglYhg24aI8EtMIh2EaHLlpcclOpw7Kz7R0OrYGX3X92t0tsi7L62khm2ZvdBEVFkXEKR/s320/2013-05-04+13.47.10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Gorgeous. We stayed in a very remote cottage in <a href="http://coniston./">Coniston</a>. It used to be a slate and copper mining town, and its lake has been used many times for setting the world water speed record. Donald Campbell beat his own record in 1966, getting to 320 miles/hour, and then immediately lost control of the hydroplane and lost his life.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The views from our cottage were breath-taking.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CFCYxhrkfSsJ_3TO5qp9vbGHGOIEj8oBDuXfbWS3o24WvIyBmQQpdTbk4q7Iqe7UPtvm6lYDnnSqFe9x9e2XzEkgSQMeC6OJVkboomnwoNvcVfU5Ph-HiXekYJrKtEaXJRXXDx166XnJ/s1600/2013-05-04+11.13.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CFCYxhrkfSsJ_3TO5qp9vbGHGOIEj8oBDuXfbWS3o24WvIyBmQQpdTbk4q7Iqe7UPtvm6lYDnnSqFe9x9e2XzEkgSQMeC6OJVkboomnwoNvcVfU5Ph-HiXekYJrKtEaXJRXXDx166XnJ/s320/2013-05-04+11.13.20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxueD4qmrlsgVSE7GaBd9K64usjT3ilvYMfWXkvz4A6oEQp4RJzQbB2EKM8PaVmc3Cl6L4G8dk90qHPDrWVChTObNX_qv6yXMyZY-2yQAPqQBWZDNm8Ek85xkJe4qmg2BypnYaUa7GBXH/s1600/2013-05-04+11.13.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxueD4qmrlsgVSE7GaBd9K64usjT3ilvYMfWXkvz4A6oEQp4RJzQbB2EKM8PaVmc3Cl6L4G8dk90qHPDrWVChTObNX_qv6yXMyZY-2yQAPqQBWZDNm8Ek85xkJe4qmg2BypnYaUa7GBXH/s320/2013-05-04+11.13.55.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_M79AxPccylFbri4C9NOGEVT88qbIQp5d3DbhsB2OffmidrBXqwUqOHiDV_k61jAuWs2_xH5Ufq0j0li_Nfn-Z3HsxULljZbh7yyf9ULZIxuAQ7YePub2ooh0TRyfL406dqPCfzgPu_e/s1600/2013-05-04+11.15.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_M79AxPccylFbri4C9NOGEVT88qbIQp5d3DbhsB2OffmidrBXqwUqOHiDV_k61jAuWs2_xH5Ufq0j0li_Nfn-Z3HsxULljZbh7yyf9ULZIxuAQ7YePub2ooh0TRyfL406dqPCfzgPu_e/s320/2013-05-04+11.15.32.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMtquKTGqLPLH7MnNjF9axiYjfMwTamTcYn3bKmmXc-RpXpm-5FW_2tt7yNi-ESF4RErK9MReaiF76TXup1tKC8iBFc0fp6FCRqyJLX98Z8G7axIcnRbng70-mjgiaiqYFFGQgaagJ10S/s1600/2013-05-05+17.07.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMtquKTGqLPLH7MnNjF9axiYjfMwTamTcYn3bKmmXc-RpXpm-5FW_2tt7yNi-ESF4RErK9MReaiF76TXup1tKC8iBFc0fp6FCRqyJLX98Z8G7axIcnRbng70-mjgiaiqYFFGQgaagJ10S/s320/2013-05-05+17.07.28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GURh8NMXBaK21XMcQ2pRLQt0CHEo4NDgftb6E-wDXiZ6EhgyWj9WLJu-obv5XfGVj6hhhlqkmEgm-TBkhNpC3MhiuzQl_mBR0nCiE4S2vivy85EAVn5ZeGC4x4glUBR4bhkUee63YJ21/s1600/2013-05-05+17.07.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GURh8NMXBaK21XMcQ2pRLQt0CHEo4NDgftb6E-wDXiZ6EhgyWj9WLJu-obv5XfGVj6hhhlqkmEgm-TBkhNpC3MhiuzQl_mBR0nCiE4S2vivy85EAVn5ZeGC4x4glUBR4bhkUee63YJ21/s320/2013-05-05+17.07.31.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Our second day there was a bit grayer, so I decided I didn't want to go canoeing. I decided to take a suggestion from Jonti's mother and go to the Ruskin Museum. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ruskin" target="_blank">John Ruskin</a> was a leading Victorian-era art critic, who championed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._M._W._Turner" target="_blank">JMW Turner</a>. Ruskin owned <a href="http://www.brantwood.org.uk/" target="_blank">Brantwood</a>, a house on Coniston Water, and lived there for years. Apparently, it's a beautiful old home, turned into a museum and art gallery.<br />
<br />
But I didn't go to Brantwood. I got confused and went to the (somewhat misleadingly named) <a href="http://www.ruskinmuseum.com/" target="_blank">Ruskin Museum</a>. I would argue this museum is incorrectly named because it is actually just a bunch of rooms filled with stuff vaguely related to Coniston.<br />
<br />
It is an excellent horrible little local museum. I highly recommend it. The room devoted to Coniston doesn't feature any sort of general history or chronology. It's just several unconnected displays: Copper! Slate! A poem someone wrote about Coniston! A boat that inspired a book about Coniston! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
There's a room about Donald Campbell and his hydroplane, the Bluebird-- with <i>interactive touch screens!</i> The slide titled 'A Generous Man' had me and Claire in fits. Rather than a list of Campbell's charitable work or donations, it was just a list of gifts he had given people. For Christmas once, he had cowboy suits made for a friend's sons. An acquaintance's wife enjoyed a poem he recited and wanted a copy of it-- so he stayed up all night to type it out for her. I mean, what. a. guy.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Creepy mannequin hands in the Bluebird room.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-7fanFPog0deD_m2HFGFhFBuy9xsF40r4Gkn6Jyck00QmKaWhYlENMM1kaHkWnYqdb4eBuAR2nowhqikrhCM8rXNEdbzlyWgmwEntCS2kyw-7Tmkf04rNTHOBfZr8btk2vm6Gw9CZ3Y0/s1600/2013-05-05+14.06.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-7fanFPog0deD_m2HFGFhFBuy9xsF40r4Gkn6Jyck00QmKaWhYlENMM1kaHkWnYqdb4eBuAR2nowhqikrhCM8rXNEdbzlyWgmwEntCS2kyw-7Tmkf04rNTHOBfZr8btk2vm6Gw9CZ3Y0/s320/2013-05-05+14.06.47.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHaND3eu-UYa6tQsuB_5OPo9pebm0DeuKc8mBA_9h02PV4dJJjsvyoPUF-zU6CkcwwJYiPv0mftrP-8Z-ajft62nbFX13b4SKMh4nGnAjV3CE7I_YSj-TNedBvCqCg8V52fVnZQVjpDtJS/s1600/2013-05-05+14.06.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHaND3eu-UYa6tQsuB_5OPo9pebm0DeuKc8mBA_9h02PV4dJJjsvyoPUF-zU6CkcwwJYiPv0mftrP-8Z-ajft62nbFX13b4SKMh4nGnAjV3CE7I_YSj-TNedBvCqCg8V52fVnZQVjpDtJS/s320/2013-05-05+14.06.55.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A fantastic provincial museum, full of wacky curiosities. It's what I imagine a Stars Hollow museum would be like. Brantwood might be a better museum, or even an <i>actually good </i>museum, but it's probably not at all funny.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Throughout the weekend, we also saw our fair share of adorable sheep.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ45Y7-Jcz2Ze2JbdTZiyAdZIE7N07pssFSDLSJlP-I3rJnKzmyy8zb_3EvKWlTgyKr4CFIJpzImKWm9Dslwd1gsFdGDVRrX8eERE1NL-rMu5tQrpRMxdohQGQ-TApFGPZkf1O2wpWTmN5/s1600/2013-05-04+14.26.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ45Y7-Jcz2Ze2JbdTZiyAdZIE7N07pssFSDLSJlP-I3rJnKzmyy8zb_3EvKWlTgyKr4CFIJpzImKWm9Dslwd1gsFdGDVRrX8eERE1NL-rMu5tQrpRMxdohQGQ-TApFGPZkf1O2wpWTmN5/s320/2013-05-04+14.26.46.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJ6gF6OXLjhAojcOneJ-HT8XqxvbBmtkKHWzi_0BGBb3kCw5jpQ_iYXXhmsmNrl2Yazj94ftWYdlEsTQZnfuPpoO5Pt3CprC81d1RnHMxPTEZAoEDUYs8KeCe3KT5yWmJczvColg8gXUG/s1600/2013-05-04+14.26.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJ6gF6OXLjhAojcOneJ-HT8XqxvbBmtkKHWzi_0BGBb3kCw5jpQ_iYXXhmsmNrl2Yazj94ftWYdlEsTQZnfuPpoO5Pt3CprC81d1RnHMxPTEZAoEDUYs8KeCe3KT5yWmJczvColg8gXUG/s320/2013-05-04+14.26.51.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
They really are sometimes just black! Some of you, who grew up in rural Britain, already know this. I'm a city girl. I never realised there was actual <i>fact</i> behind children's songs.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmq80Mh_hdHNKcdhsPDOxP75PFVZBzdVYdpKJhYpb5Vlpqw2O9Uck5D5pruInTbsLZtiOvVNQ8SHBz0La2ojjnYfzwIxEnIB5WO4QlEbjf-D878k7gzrw3DvvEcOgIkMFvOXjn94wOONm/s1600/2013-05-04+15.10.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmq80Mh_hdHNKcdhsPDOxP75PFVZBzdVYdpKJhYpb5Vlpqw2O9Uck5D5pruInTbsLZtiOvVNQ8SHBz0La2ojjnYfzwIxEnIB5WO4QlEbjf-D878k7gzrw3DvvEcOgIkMFvOXjn94wOONm/s320/2013-05-04+15.10.59.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I made new friends (hey y'all!), and I really enjoyed breathing all that crisp air. I'd like to do more fell walking this summer. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The night we all got into the hot tubs and drank sparkling wine (which we insisted on calling 'champagne,' because maybe we did get <i>a little</i> bloody-minded, after all) was one of the goofiest experiences I've had in a long time.<i> </i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It was a lovely weekend, and I can't wait to visit the Lakes again. Though, since that weekend, the weather has taken another turn for the worse, suggesting that weekend might have been all the summer we'll get this year-- meaning, if I want to go to the Lakes again this year, I just might have to get a little more bloody-minded.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2