10 Things About Iceland

[Well, Reykjavik, specifically.]

There was a lot to like about Iceland, even in January. More than enough for me to want to go back (even in January!).

1. Icelanders are unfailingly polite and very kind. And they all speak better English than many native English speakers, which I always find impressive.

2. Barren landscapes are stunningly beautiful, especially when the weather is awful. There is just something about deserts and tundras that are so very simple, and so very beautiful because of it. And Iceland has a lot of barren landscapes.

3. Reykjavik is so small it's the easiest European capital to get around I've ever visited. Even in winter weather, walking to everything was super easy and nothing was further than 15 minutes away.

4. It doesn't take long to hit wilderness. Everywhere outside the city offers something for nature lovers. In fact, it might just offer everything for nature lovers. I didn't find anything that isn't available in some part of the island! That's not bad for such a small country.

5. If you love fish, you'll love Iceland. Everything is very expensive there, but fish is actually decently priced and ALWAYS fresh. How can you go wrong?

6. The tea options are good, but the coffee is even better.

7. It's really close to Europe. Comparatively. And cheap to fly there.

8. There are dozens and dozens of museums and they are all worth a visit.

9. It's very expensive, but like most places that are expensive, it's also exceedingly safe. You can walk down a city street at 2am and not worry and I appreciate that in a travel destination.

10. This country is worth a visit 365 days a year, and it's hard to say which of those days would be better than others. I think they'd all be brilliant.

Plans within Plans

So it's 2016. Last year was going to be my Year of Awesomeness, but then my viva happened and it ended up just being another year of my PhD. Whatever. I'm over it.

[I'm not.]

Instead, I shall move on to 2016 being my Year of Awesome Things. It's looking good so far. There's quite a bit of travelling planned, including to new places. There's scuba diving again, and hiking, both things I've missed. There's a museum internship and potential for research projects. There's a book review and peer review for academic journals. There is one novel finished, and two more to complete this year. There's the very scary process of finding an agent (next step!) and hopefully getting a book contract. There is a definitive plan to move into my own place (or at the worst, move in with a friend). There is also a still dream-like plan to get out of dodge completely and jump ship to another continent. This probably will not happen until 2017, but if it does, I'll be planning and setting the stage this year.

There are also the less tangible things, like stop apologizing so much. Stop regretting things and go out and do them instead. Stop feeling guilty for having bad days. Get my mental health into a much better place (I feel this will probably always be a work in progress, but making progress this year would be a good thing). Being better at seeing friends (and new friends!). Socializing more, but not so much it makes me miserable. Enjoy winter more (and get outside in it). Stop feeling ashamed of many things that are not my fault and that I in no way should apologize for, because they are not my fault. Embrace a new lifestyle and stop living like a student.

Take each day as it comes - and if something happens I didn't expect, go with it - be spontaneous, break the mould (and the schedule), try new things, meet new people (and don't freak out), love life a bit more.

MuseumNext

For those in the sector, MuseumNext is sort of that conference a lot of people talking about going to, and then are really pleasantly surprised when they do go.

People told me a lot of things about MuseumNext before I went. I figured, with all I had heard, some of it had to be exaggerated, or blatantly untrue.

Not true. There were a few things that were not quite what I expected, but I think that had more to do with the fact it was the first time the conference had been hosted in America, and naturally hosting internationally is going to change a few things.  Overall, it was well-organized, friendly and supportive, sometimes innovative, always interesting, and very social. I think it's more social in Europe, because a lot of people regularly attend each year and know each other, and this was a bit different because almost everyone was new to it.

The theme was, ostensibly, 'inclusion', although the definition of that got lost somewhere, as 'inclusion' turned out to be rather, well, 'exclusionary' in reality. There was a lot of 'look at all the things we did!' and not a lot of 'this is how you engage those groups that absolutely would not otherwise walk through your door' which is what inclusion actually is to me. There was also very little reference (baring one fantastic presentation) on black communities (which Indiana has a lot of), other racial minorities, the poor, or really, much other than LGBT and young people. Which is great, but is not the definition of 'inclusion'.

I also found that the point about the museum industry being exclusive was raised a lot, but no one really had any recommendations of how to change things. We've been talking about this for years, and I find European museums are actually (slowly) becoming pretty diverse in the work and volunteer force, but it's clear America (and Canada) are a long way behind. There was a lot of 'well, we've been talking about this for 10 years, when you are going to do something?' Inclusions been a hot topic in Europe as long as I've been doing museums, so having an 'innovative' inclusion conference in the US sort of rang of 'late to the party'.

Still, there were some amazing infinitives, not least of which is what Nina Simon is doing in Santa Cruz with their poor communities, the amazingly diverse work of the Amsterdam Museum, the hands-on (rather than tech-on) projects at the Science Gallery in Dublin, and just what you can do when someone gives you millions of dollars and says 'have at' (crop art, apparently).

I'm glad I went. I'm glad I got to spend time with some European compatriots, I'm glad I got to taste some lovely food, I'm glad I got to see Indianapolis, and I'm glad the conference was so well attended. I'm less glad that, unsurprisingly, there were a lot of problems raised, and not a lot of problem solving going on. Seems to be par for the course in the industry these days.

CMA Conference 2015 - Banff

This past week was the annual Canadian Museum Association conference. It usually teeters back and forth between eastern and western Canada, and as last year was here, this year they went west. To Banff. As you do. In Canada.

I haven't been out to Alberta in 21 years, so my memories are a little bit hazy. I remember mountains, which, really, is the important part.

I didn't go out with very high expectations, in all honesty. I know people who have been and, honestly, this particular conference has a bit of a reputation for being the ol' boys club. It sort of is, I don't dispute that, now having been. The big museums are much better represented than smaller ones, because the registration fee is so exorbitantly high. Yeah, it was a nice conference, but the panels and discussion are the important part and I feel that has sort of been lost in the drive to pick the Best Hotel Ever and throw money away on food. But maybe I'm just really old fashioned and think conferences should be about the conversations, not the scenery.

But Banff is beautiful. I'd forgotten how beautiful it is. And how friendly everyone is. I have never been somewhere (even PEI) where people smiled at you and said hello and were welcoming and helping all of the time. Genuinely. But then, they live in Banff, so how could they not be happy? I was certainly quite pleased the whole week, every time I looked outside. There are mountains, Gandalf! Mountains!

In terms of the conference itself, we started with a great workshop that really sort of evolved as it went along to suit that fact a lot of attendees were more behind than the organizers expected (or I hoped). But I think everyone got something useful out of it, and I know I was pleased with myself for actually opening my mouth and saying stuff (because it *was* on my topic). And the organizers were really welcoming of that, bless them. In fact, so welcoming we ended up having a bowling tournament that night (I lost).

Wednesday had some quite interesting talks, and some ones that gave me that gut wrenching feeling that Canada really doesn't understand the cultural industry at all. My understanding of my own country's industry developed over the week and in many cases I had eye opening experiences. Not all of which were pleasant. I was aware of several issues in the industry, but did not quite realize how ingrained they were. It doesn't make me particularly hopeful of change anytime soon, but we'll see. The point was that I met a lot of young people that felt the same way and want to make things different, but haven't figured out how to have an impact on a industry that won't even employ them (tell me about it).

But some positives came out of the event, not least Richard Sandell's talk (one of my favourites of his) that seemed to floor a lot of people in the audience, judging by the tweets. And a fantastic panel about diversity on the Thursday afternoon that just gave me warm fuzzy feelings that there are people in the industry trying to make it better and succeeding - on however small a scale. If they can do it, it can be done.

The food was great (mostly the food I ate outside the Fairmont - though the coffee breaks were good there), my hotel was lovely and the transportation network never let me down. The weather mostly cooperated too, which is always nice for April in the mountains (it snowed only the day I went to the springs, which is what I was hoping for). And the scenery was amazing. Truly spectacular. So much so, in fact, that on the way up to Banff from Calgary I cried. It might have had something to do with the epic music soundtrack I was listening to as well. But, for a week, I was really wonderfully happy. Until I returned to Ontario. Life hasn't been so great the last couple of days, but I've made a few decisions and things are going to change in the next couple of months. And hopefully, they will start to get better.

Because, if not, I'm moving to Alberta.

Future Planning

One of the things that has come out of my field work is the desire by museums to 'future plan' or 'future proof' their institutions. Instead of focusing on the now (or the immediate future), to look at the bigger picture of five, ten, twenty years down the road.

Museums don't do this very well. And very few individuals do it well either.

I used to do it really, really well. But that was in the days of stable jobs and very specific life plans. Those days are long gone.

Now I have a difficult time planning a month in advance. At the moment, I am struggling to plan for early 2015 (less than a year away) and finding it is nearly impossible. There are so many contingencies needed that having any plan is rather pointless, because it's not going to work out 'that' way. I mean, having goals is good, but plans are a bit more specific. It's hard for me, because I plan. I organise. I over-think. There perils of an OCD mind.

When it comes down to it, however, this is the same problem facing museums. The cultural industry seems to change on a pin head these days and there is now knowing if, perhaps, next month is the month you will lose your funding. Or perhaps that major grant application you just put in and don't hold out much hope for will actually come through. People are losing jobs left, right, and centre. Technology is bounding ahead (in fits and spurts for museums). Funding is ever changeable. It's very hard to future plan when you don't have any idea what the future will be like.

Obviously it's an issue facing a lot of fields these days, not just culture (and not just museums within culture). It's also a problem for a lot of people.

I know I need to get better at future planning, while still being flexible enough to amend those plans when the inevitable upset arrives. The PhD has certainly given me lessons in this in spades, and how I need to learn from those lessons and adapt them into my life.

My first plan? I'm planning to walk the Portuguese Camino in autumn 2016.

And if it's spring 2018, that's okay too. The point is, for now, that I plan to do it. 

Camino de Santiago

Walking is not a pastime for the majority of Canadians. We enjoy outdoor sports, even in the coldest depths of winter, but Canada is a huge country and before there were automobiles, there were horses. Canadians drive to work (or occasionally bike if it’s close and the weather is decent), to the stores, to their holidays. Most of us learn to drive as soon as we turn old enough and never look back.

Part of that is a horrible public transportation system, which doesn’t encourage leaving the car at home. Mostly though, it’s just that everything is a lot further away than in Europe. Canada is wider across than the entirety of the European continent, from west Ireland all the way to eastern Ukraine. Even the grocery store is a long way away from my house.

I heard about the Camino in 2005, when Heather Dale released Road to Santiago. I learned that Santiago was a place in Spain, that it was a pilgrimage site, that it was old, and that it was part of a much larger world of a time in Europe when nearly everyone walked everywhere. At the time I thought it interesting, but not particularly intriguing. I did a brief search on Santiago and the pilgrimages of old and then…put it out of my mind. In 2005 I didn’t walk anywhere, much less across an entire country.

In 2011, Emilio Estevez released The Way, but I didn’t see it until February 2012 when I rented it off iTunes. I rented it because it was Martin Sheen and James Nesbitt and I’m easy like that. I could watch those two in practically any movie and enjoy it. But I remember, from the first few minutes of the film that something about it spoke to me. I usually go in for action or maybe rom-com, but this one grabbed me from the start. I find most dramatic movies overly sappy and can’t get invested in them. This one, for whatever reason, was different. From the DVD menu with its map background and the first few humorous moments of the film, I was hooked. Even the music was perfect.

I watch it now and even the first notes of the soundtrack bring me to tears. It is beautiful and perfect, in a way so understated as to be almost ignored by the world. But this little film has changed so many people’s lives. So many people I have met have seen this film and made a choice that will forever shape their existence. How many films can say that? It did not set out to do that. It set out only to tell the story of a father and son, but somewhere along the way it told the story of the Camino too. And people flocked to it.

From the opening credits sequence to the last stirrings of the piano on the shores of Finisterre, it is beautiful.

And so was the Camino. Amidst pain and suffering there was joy and beauty. Life, in but a snapshot of time. Time to live each moment and to reflect each day. And perhaps the entirety of the Camino is very simple; perhaps the need and chance to walk it, is the only true miracle.

There is no other experience like walking across a country. An afternoon’s hike, or a weekend walking holiday do not compare. They are holidays, they are enjoyment and peace and involve little sacrifice, little suffering. Otherwise why would anyone do them? They are choices. The Camino is, in many ways, not a choice. It was not for me. I did not choose to walk it; I simply knew I had to. One clear moment of understanding in my life. I was meant to do this. Whether by fate or a higher power or simply by the desire to experience life that drives us all, this was always going to be my way.

Spain is a beautiful country. From north to south, east to west, it is in turns stunning and sad, breathtaking and unassuming. I had never been before. I may never go again. The Camino is part of Spain and yet not part. Those that walk the way are not visitors to Spain; they are not the tourists of Madrid and Barcelona. They are not there for a holiday. They are not even really there to experience Spain. They are there to experience the Camino and the Camino is not Spain. It flows through the country like the Mississippi flows through America, but it does not define Spain. It existed before modern Spain existed and it will exist, in some ways, long after Spain is gone. It sits in a time apart.

The Camino is not characterized by politics, or these days even religion. It does not care what your creed is, or your birth, your social standing or your mistakes. The Camino simply is. It is a line through the sand, but not a border. It is there only in your mind as a challenge and a task. Each day, each moment, something to be experienced and overcome. Each moment treasured before it is put aside in favour of the next. But the moments never pass entirely, only flow one into another, one mile into another, until the end. But the end is not really the end. You emerge in Santiago a different person from when you started, and you will forever be such. You carry the Camino with you each moment of the rest of your life, in memories and friends, and in your own self.

The Camino is a life changing experience. It cannot be otherwise. There is nothing quite like it, no other walking trail in the world quite the same as this one, as they are not the same to others. Each person walks their own Camino. There is no single path, but through every footfall that you take, you carve your own, leaving behind a trail to guide others.

At no other time in your life, except for on hiking expeditions, will you wake up in a new place each day. Nowhere else will you see a landscape change below your feet with each step you take. No other way will you experience hunger and exhaustion, pain and struggle on such monumental scales and revel in them.

It has been twelve months since I set off on my Camino. Not a day goes by that I do not wish I was on it again. Even on the worst days there were moments worth remembering. I do not know if my life will ever allow for another Camino, but I know that whether it does easily or not, I must walk another. It is a desire that sits in my heart and always will. There are some once in a lifetime experience that should never happen just once. This is one of them.

Perhaps I will see you on the Way.

Hindsgavl Slot

'Slot' means castle in Danish. 'Gavl' means gable. I haven't been able to figure out what 'hinds' means, but use some common sense and fill in the blank.

Hindsgavl, on the west edge of Funen is not really a castle. There used to be a castle there 1000 years ago, but when it was destroyed several centuries ago, what was built on the ruins was a manor house. However, it still retained it's title as 'castle'. It is the largest private estate in Denmark, though no longer owned by a family. Instead, it's a hotel and conference centre. And it's very grand.

Really, really, grand.

This is the front view, that faces the conference centre across the courtyard. The other side, that faces the water, is equally as grand.

The place includes enough grounds that I didn't get even half way around them in my hour walk, a massive conference hall that seats 600 people and room for more than 100 people at the hotel attached. The main house is mostly small meeting rooms and the various dinning rooms for guests. 

Every quarter, DREAM meets here to exchange updates on their research projects, which means that they host a group of about 20 people at this place. Doesn't sound like much, but this 2-day event includes some of the best food I have ever eaten, lovely hotel rooms, beautiful scenery and meeting spaces and staff to wait upon your every whim. This is how the other half of academic departments live, apparently. I'm a little bit jealous, but equally as thrilled to have been invited to the meeting this year, since half of it was in Danish and therefore I could not participate. It meant two long walks along the edge of the sound (despite March, the two days were okay weather-wise), a lot of food and conversation and only a little bit of research. It made for a nice holiday.

It is a blessing in academia when you have an extended amount of time to get to know other academics who study other subjects. You can't really do this at the average conference, unless they are extended multi-day events with lots of social activities, and you certainly can't do it in your own department. But this quarterly event allows DREAM to do exactly that. We spent a lot of time talking about What TV Shows to Watch when we are finished our PhDs. And also What Museums to Visit in Denmark. And a lot of, Isn't This the Best Thing You've Ever Eaten? Basically, everything a research gathering amongst culturally inclined people should be. And I caught up with a few old friends too.

Unfortunately, it hasn't inspired me to write.

Life in Denmark

This isn't about writing, because I haven't done any of that for ten days (*cough*twoweeks*cough*).

A lot fewer people smoke in Denmark. This is so nice. It means I can walk down the street and not have a coughing fit. It also means that leaving and entering public buildings is mostly safe. It's nice. Why are other countries like this? Namely England, where I can't walk more than a minute anywhere without smelling cigarette smoke.

McDonald's here tastes exactly the same as in Canada, by which I mean the salt is almost at unpalatable levels. Also, you can get mayo with your fries here, but the mayo is different from anywhere else's mayo. It has herbs in it. It's sort of awesome. Except for the salt. On the hamburgers too, not just the fries.

That make a chocolate treat over here that supposed to be for kids, except it has rum in it, so maybe not? It's Toms chocolate turtles and they are like Creme Eggs a bit, except with rum and carmel instead of…whatever that actually is in the centre of a Creme Egg. Also, it's shaped like a turtle, rather than an egg, but it's the same size (though the chocolate is like 50% cocoa, which is awesome).

They have so many grocery stores here. I mean so many different chains, and they are all small, except for Bilka, which is huge like Morrisons or the Sainsburys or Tescos superstores. I haven't been in it yet, but I'm sure I'll go eventually. All the others are small ones, but larger than express stores (that's what 7-elevens are for). Also, there are 7-elevens everywhere, which is weird. In Copenhagen you couldn't drive a golf ball without hitting a 7-eleven.

The pastries aren't as awesome as I was lead to believe. However, the bread is delicious and healthy and yummy!

Food is super expensive. Nearly twice what it is from Morrisons, which is where I usually shop. It's a lot closer in price (but still more expensive) than in Canada, except for milk which is still cheaper. It's more expensive than I thought, so I've stopped trying to do the depressing conversion in my head and hoping that the money the university owes me comes in before next month (seriously, what is taking so long? I've not been paid since the end of November!!!)

I've been basically living off pasta and sauce (homemade though!), stir fries and sandwiches. The meat variety here is awesome though and I'm going to eat so much because when I go back to England I pretty much have to be vegetarian because of my living situation.

Houses here can be old. In fact, the apartment block I am in was built in 1909 and others in this neighbourhood are a decade older than that. But they actually put insulation in them so the walls feel warm when you touch them and the windows have been long since upgraded (before 1999, when my landlady moved in) to double pane. Hallelujah! They also have this weird way that they open, but it works really well and you can feel it when you open them, feel the seal break. Which is comforting.

There is a lot of American telly over here. A LOT. Also, UK telly, but less of it, and it's things like medical dramas and Downton Abbey. They seem to love American sitcoms, which all date back at least a decade. And American cop dramas. Every version of CSI, NCIS, Law and Order, etc, etc, etc. is shown in reruns here. And action movies. Action movies every night.

They also love IKEA, which is understandable, considering, and every city has an IKEA in it (or used to at least). The largest one is here in Odense and I've been reliably told it's the biggest in all of Europe, so I'll have to go and see. IKEA and Bilka together, as they are right beside each other.

They have malls here too. Proper indoor malls (like Highcross in Leicester) and about the same size. It's very American, because it's way out on the edge of the city and surrounded by parking lots (unlike Highcross, but very like Mapleview in Canada). The bus passes by it on the way to and from campus so I shall have to stop one day.

I've costed it out and it makes the most sense to get a bus pass, which gets you discounted travel, rather than rent a bike. A bike is going to be about 100k a week and the bus is only about 50k a week, or less if I don't use it (I only pay no the pass for what I use, whereas with the bike I pay whether I use it or not). So considering the weather is basically freezing and wet, I've opted for the bus pass, at least for the next while. If spring arrives I may reconsider.

I've also decided to stay in Odense for the duration. There is the opportunity to move to Roskilde, near Copenhagen, but then I'll have to go through moving all over again, and that took a week out of my schedule. I really don't have time for that, and also there is an issue with office/work space in Roskilde that would be problematic. I wouldn't have a desk in my room, so could only use the office on campus, which means only working in restricted hours, not when I feel like it. That doesn't really work for me. Also, I don't like sitting on my bed with my computer, even when I'm just surfing the internet. I find it awkward. It seems such a little thing, but it's important to how I work so I can't ignore that. It's just easier to stay here. There's a conference in March anyways that I'll go to so I'll get to meet the Roskilde people then.

My landlady is really nice. She's very direct, which is a nice change, and we've had some great conversations. She let me gone on for an hour about the Camino a few nights ago, which I thought was really nice of her. I found it quite cathartic to reminisce and be honest too and to tell it to someone who knows what it is and knows people who have walked, but isn't clear on the details (she is now!). She also seemed genuinely interested, and it's nice to have a captive audience. I have to say that no one else has really asked me about it much since I got back, beyond the simplistic 'so, how was it?' It was great to talk it out, anyways. I should get back to finishing that book. It's nearly done. Gulla works away from the house, so she's gone sometimes as much as five days a week and other times only one day a week, depending on her schedule. Last week was 5, this week is 2, next week is none, but then it's 5 again the week after. It's really quiet when she's not here, but that's kind of nice too. I can come and go as I please either way, but I've gotten used to having someone else in the house in the last couple of years.

Once the weather improves I will do the tourist thing in Odense. There's several museums here worth visiting, and a really nice looking cathedral, and also a lot of park and trail to walk when it's not -6C outside. I've been told spring usually comes in around mid-February so only a few weeks left to wait before I can go explore. It's nice to have those to look forward to. There's two great outdoor museums here too, but they don't open until May, unfortunately. Still, I might rent a bike for a few days in March if the weather is really good and go out for a ride in the country. I can probably ride *around* Odense in a day, and everywhere here is flat. Flat flat flat.

I need to edit Chapter 2 of my thesis (okay, a bit about writing) and add a couple thousand more words (I know what they need to be, it's just…well, adding them). I hope to get that done by early February so I can edit Chapters 1 and 3 properly before the end of the month and also get some more reading done for Chapter 4, which I can then write in March. That's my deadline for the first half of the thesis, is the end of March. Then the end of July for the second half, and the conclusion to draft in August. And then three months to solely edit (mostly the second half). I think that's doable. Hopefully. That might depend on my editor's schedule, but I can hope she's as available as she said she would be. She is only allowed to do spelling/grammar editing anyways, so that shouldn't (ha!) take too long. My advisors are doing the content editing, as they should. Hopefully they don't disagree! I think I'll send Dave only parts to edit, the parts I'm really not sure on, rather than the whole thing because that's a lot for him to work through. Ross, after all, has already gotten a quarter of it by now!

I think this is long enough, yes?

New Lands

Time for a new tag, I think.

And a proper blog post. Because the key to motivation is to have ten people ask you if you're going to do something. I always cave to peer pressure.

I am sitting in my office looking out on a very wet, but at least still green, courtyard garden. I am sure it looks stunning in the summer with the bushes and creeping vines. It is still a better view than what I usually see from my office window (a brick wall and grey sky). The important thing is that I have an office which is, 6 days of the week, private (on Thursdays, as today, one of the MA tutors comes in to do work, but I still get the nice desk).

I'm settling in here in Odense (1.5 hours west of Copenhagen, on the island of Funen). The city is about the size of Leicester, or a little bit smaller, but the university is about twice the size (though not twice the student population, interestingly). It is set 2km outside the city on a huge expanse of property, larger than anything I have seen since brief days of venturing onto University of Waterloo's vast campus in Ontario (and this one is bigger than theirs). It takes a bus or a bike to get here, and today I figured out the bus, which is pretty good. It leaves from not far from my flat and drops off right at the front door of campus, for only £4 for a day ticket (or return, same price). It goes passed the big shopping mall, Ikea, and the big grocery store, so at least if I need to get things I can take the bus to and from, rather than trying to fit shopping on a bicycle.

Living here is certainly as expensive as they say, though most of that is food cost. Things like rent and utilities are actually very similar to England (Odense = Leicester), but food is almost twice the price in many cases. Going to have to be very careful of what I eat, and definitely much less eating out then I used to do in Leicester (read: I will not, therefore, be eating out AT ALL). I guess people get around it by owning a bike instead of a car (though there are plenty of cars around) and decent wages.

However they manage it, going to the grocery store is painful for me, as I'm used to the cheap prices of the UK. This is more similar to Canada (though different things are expensive. Except yogurt. Yogurt is just as expensive as in Canada). But as I've long since had to stop worrying about Canadian food prices, I'm trying not to mentally do the tally in my head when I shop. I've been told doing so is a recipe for insanity anyways, especially when converting Kroner to Dollar. It's a bit better Kroner to Pound, only because the Canadian dollar is so crap at the moment (and don't get me started on Dollar to Pound rates, it makes me cry).

But enough about never-ending money issues. I do like Denmark. The people are very friendly without being overly friendly, and helpful. Everyone is polite and follows the rules and the rules are simple. Things are very well organised and I can only hope that Line is having as easy a go in Leicester of it as I'm having here. My last goal is to rent a bike (imagine that won't be cheap, but probably cheaper than taking the bus 3-4 times a week). There is a place down the way, so might venture there on Saturday (bit of a trek from my house, but if I get a bike I can bike back!) Certainly walking to campus is not an option. So it's bike or bus. We'll see. I can only go and ask what it will cost.

It's looking as if I might not stay in Odense for that long, just until the end of February. I need to find out if I'm contracted in my accommodation here or not. If not, I may move to Roskilde for a month and be closer to Copenhagen and the main base of the DREAM department (I'm in one section of it here in Odense, but most live and work in Roskilde and hour east of here). It's apparently a beautiful town and in the spring will be perfect. Practicalities to figure out first, but it might all work out. It's easy to stay here in Odense, but might not be as much fun. I'll sit down and figure out the cost and see. They are happy to have me if I go and will be able to find space for me there, despite the fact there are more people around. I'll find out and make a decision next week and then can plan out my long-term time in Denmark. I think I will be leaving for England on the 1st or 2nd of April either way, via Birmingham this time, because I've had enough of Heathrow Airport and the blood underground until the summer. It's more money to fly to Birmingham, but on the flip side its a cheaper train ride back, so it might equal out to about the same (or near enough). Either way I have to leave from Copenhagen, so it's back there for a day (if coming from Odense) or right to (if coming from Roskilde). Wait and see. I'll feel better when all is sorted next week.

Right now I am trying to get back into my PhD. I've not done any work on it for a week, but I needed that mental break. I've been exhausted since I got here, and that's probably from working all through Christmas as well as moving. Feeling better today, so hopefully by tomorrow I can start some serious work. At least get the next chapter planned this weekend so I can get to writing. Painful, painful writing. I expect I'll have a post about that in the next couple of weeks.

For now, this one is long enough.

Off Again

In the true spirit of being an international student, I'm off again to my third foreign country for study (previous being England and Italy). Denmark should be a lot more like England than Rome was, I should think, seeing as I don't have to worry about being misunderstood.

I have to get two things accomplished in the next two months. And two things I would like to get accomplished. Those four are not the same things. Typical.

Still, a change of atmosphere will be good. Working all through Christmas has lead to A) cabin fever and B) hatred of the colour of my office walls. Just being in another room for a while will be nice, and there is a really great city to explore on days it's not pouring rain (maybe in March?) And it will be warmer (and also a smaller area to heat and, you know, a building 9 years younger than the one I live in FTW!)

Still, moving to a new country/city/neighbourhood always puts me on edge. Social anxieties are annoying things and I am at my worst when thrust into a new situation (particularly when I'm the one that put myself in that situation - I volunteered for this). I am hoping the transition won't be too bad. This is entirely dependent on A) liking my housemate and B) not disappointing my new supervisor. We shall have to wait and see on that.

I'll try to update more while I'm in Odense, mostly to procrastinate the things I have to do. I won't be starting a new blog at all, but stay tuned to this one!

Tempus Fugit

Yes, I've been waiting to use that one for a while now. The problem is, it works for *every single post*.

It's been more than a month since I last updated this blog. This is owing to a  lot of things, namely being forgetful. Also namely having a PhD crisis, as one does in one's second year. It's like the mid-life crisis for PhD students. It sucks, incidentally, but we all have one and you get over it, or you quit your PhD. I got over it.

In other news, I haven't written anything in ages, for anything, and it's probably one of the main reasons I feel so on edge lately. 3000 words for an annual review (twice) don't count. I would almost like to be writing a paper right now, because at least it would give me a focus, but I've no time for it. I have no time for fic either, and no ideas for it (though I must come up with 9000 words before the end of the year, because my OCD says so). So regarding a blog about writing, I've not done much writing to blog about. And it's not like any of you want to know about the rest of my life right? ;)

It feels like Spain was forever ago. And each week that passes and I get more anxious to be back there. I hope that reaches a plateau (or peak) soon or it's going to become unbearable. I think the problem with once in a lifetime trips is that as soon as they are over you don't want them to be 'once' in a lifetime trips. Clearly this will not be, even if I do a different camino next time. Or the c2c, which one of my camino pals just finished (across northern England, sea to sea) for 300km. I wish I had the time this year to go, but I'll be lucky to get a few days in Paris this Autumn now. And next year, I have no idea when I'll find the time to take any holidays! Though I want to find a week to go to Europe, somewhere. I would love to take the train from Bern to Vianna (or vis versa). And there is Ascot, which I will get to next year, because it may be my last chance! And 3 months in Denmark...but that's not a holiday.

In other words, a lot of my life is rather up in the air right now (in so very many ways) and I am both looking forward to and fearing the day it all comes crashing back down to earth. Because there's no knowing where the pieces will land. On the upshot, at least I will know where things stand again.

Limbo, I think that's what this is.

Lost Writings

It all begins with a movie. Or perhaps with the pilgrims. It matters little either way. What I do know is that, in the winter of 2012, basking in the bitter sunny cold that had descended over England, I rented a recently released movie, by Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez, called The Way. I did not rent it for the plot line, but rather for the actors. But I fell in love with it for the plot.

 

If you have not yet seen the film, I humbly suggest it. It is a well written, well acted, and well shot story of a father and son who never saw eye-to-eye and of one man’s journey to complete his tragically deceased son’s walk along the Camino Frances to Santiago de Compostela. Along the way he meets an interesting cast of characters, discovers a great deal about himself and his life, and a great deal more about his departed son. It is a beautifully moving story that would strike at the heart of anyone who sees it. For me, it appealed on an even greater level.

I went to bed that night with a thought it my head and woke in the morning to one of the clearest moments of understanding I have ever had. I would walk the Camino Frances, the 800km route from St Jean Pied Port in southern France to Santiago de Compostela in western Spain and I would do it in honour of my thirtieth birthday, more than a year away. I felt this gave me time to prepare physically, but mentally as well, but that morning I was completely ready to start walking.

30 Days. The month of May, 2013. For my 30^th birthday. It made more sense to me in that moment that anything had for years. A dream that I could actually fulfil. I knew it was slightly mad and entirely amazing (as were the reactions of most people I soon told), but I could not, for the life of me, think of any better way to start a new decade of my life. What I hoped would be the best decade yet.

The story of the Camino has many paths. There are many routes (the Frances is only one, though the most popular) and many crossroads. There are many reasons to walk it, and not all of them are religious. Whatever reasons you have are your own. Whatever you learn along the way is for you to know and understand. But there is one guarantee to all who walk the Camino: you will learn something about yourself, about others and about the world that you never knew before. And you will be a better person for it.

I walk for myself. I walk for the family who gave me a beautiful life. For the parents that have supported all my crazy dreams. To see a country I have never seen. To meet people from around the world. To share an experience. To prove that I can do it. To meet a challenge. To overcome a struggle.

But, mostly, I walk for myself. My way. My Camino.

[This was written 12 months ago to the day. It is still, every word, valid.]

Adventure Awaits

18 days to go, which pretty much means I am through to the ‘can I just go already?’ stage of anxiety. The problem with being so organised is that I tend to me too organised and thus I am packed and planned and ready to go. Unfortunately, the plane doesn’t leave until the 30^th. Or so my ticket says.

The good news is that I am over the sheer moments of terror and onto the sheer moments of excitement (interspersed with the usual anxiety attacks). I have rather a lot to distract me for the next two weeks, which is a very good thing, I think. However, it also means I have rather a lot of work to do before I leave and I’m running out of time to do it! Whoever said the good things in life take forever to arrive got it wrong. I have no idea where the last three and a half months have gone, much less the last twelve since I started planning this crazy idea!

I’m still a bit worried (more than a bit) about my foot. The injury seems to be mostly healed, but I’m terrified of reinjuring it again in the first few days of really difficult climbing. I think if I can get through those I’ll be okay, but if I do myself in then that’s it. It’s taken weeks to be pain free this time, and I don’t have weeks to rest next time. Though I know, in my heart, I’ll push on even in pain as long as I can. I don’t want to leave Chantel on her own or miss out on the whole experience! I guess I face a potential summer on crutches, but there are worse things.

Tomorrow I am off to Cambridge to either A) visit IWM Duxford or B) visit the Fitzwilliam. Which one will depend on what the weather does, as there is a significant chance of rain. Why do I always visit Cambridge in the rain? On the upshot, it’s supposed to be mild and not windy, so so far I am enjoying this year’s version of ‘Spring’. It’s so much better than winter that I really don’t mind the rain at all. In Spain it’s 25* and sunny, which is very, very bad for hiking, so I will enjoy the rain and cooler temps for now before I face a daily battle against heat stroke. What fun that will be.

My field work is going along quite well and the worry that I wouldn’t get everything done for that before the end of the month is gone. All meetings have now been arranged and I should get them all finished next week. Just a few more emails to send about summer field research and I’m on track for June! If the other work was going as well I’d feel better, but one out of two isn’t bad, right? The marking nightmare is over, at least, and the money is very useful. Glad to not be dealing with the next round however, because as interesting as this assignment was, marking it was mentally exhausting. All good for the CV.

My big challenge before the end of this month is writing an abstract proposal for the PhD conference. I have no idea what to do for it, but I want the abstract to be good! I’ve got 17 days to figure something out. 250 words shouldn’t be that hard….but it is.

Lastly, the exciting news of the week is that I’m moving Denmark for a term next year. I’m more than thrilled to have this finalised, as it’s an excellent opportunity to study with the leader in my field of research and to interact with PhD students in another country. Very much looking forward to this and already I can’t wait until January!

Spain and hiking and charities, oh my

It's been a while, hasn't it?

And this post doesn't have to do with my PhD. Not really, anyways. It does in the sense that, having been at this for 16 months so far I need a break soon. Not a working holiday or a putting up with my family holiday. An actual, completely disconnected from everything, holiday.

I've been planning this one for a while. At the beginning of May and very old friend and I are going hiking. In Spain. Specifically, we are hiking the 800km Camino Frances, the French pilgrims' route across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. In 33 days (well, 5 weeks total, but we plan to stay a few days in Santiago at the end). It's been a goal we've both had for years and this is the year we're going to do it. She is finishing her PhD, I'm in the middle of mine. I turn 30 (yikes!) this year, though she doesn't until next year. Still, she starts her 30th year this year, which is almost the same thing.

But I want it to be about more than just us and a personal challenge and a long-held dream. She is doing it to research for an archaeological book about the Camino (with help from me!) and I am doing it to raise money for Cancer Research UK, a charity that has become very dear to me in recent months. I haven't done a fundraising walk in nearly two decades, and this seems like a great one!
Sometimes, being here is not all about doing a PhD (or gaining work experience, or making contacts with like-minded people, or doing something meaningful for your chosen subject). Sometimes it's about the other things you do to enrich your experience. And this is one of those, both for myself, my friend and for the many people that will hopefully benefit from us doing this.

Besides, after walking 30km a day for 33 days, finishing a PhD is going to be easy, right?

So that's one of the things that's been filling up my time. Also, planning a teaching session this week (help me!!!!), writing a report, being in Canada, sending email after email after email and all around freezing to death in the middle of the worst winter England has had (that I've lived here). They'll be more updates starting next month when I have things to update about!

Travelling

This week I went to Belfast.

I don't really know what I was expecting. I think, growing up in Canada in the 80s and 90s, I heard a lot about N. Ireland and Ireland and all the problems. I don't really know how much of it was media overkill (probably not as much as I hope) and, being an ocean away, how much of it really made sense to me. I tended not to pay much attention to the news when I was younger. 9/11 changed a lot of things regarding that.

Whatever it was I expected (or didn't), what I got was an absolutely stunning country with the nicest, more helpful people I have ever met (they beat Scotland, I'm afraid) and a brilliant, if short, holiday.

It's a wonder, at least to someone from North America, that's it's a 45 minute flight from the airport near Leicester to the airport within Belfast. The seatbelt sign doesn't go off. You get up to altitude over the Isle of Man and then promptly start going down again. It's sort of brilliant. Unfortunately, I didn't have clear weather on either flight over the Irish Sea and couldn't see much of anything below.

I was adamant that I was going to be on Giants Causeway for my birthday. I mean adamant. And guess what? I was! I took a great tour (for only £16) up the Coastal Route from Belfast around to the north short of the island. It's a stunning drive through little fishing villages, Ulster University campus (has to be one of the most beautiful campuses I've seen outside of Cambridge or Oxford), passed a few castles to the Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge. People make a big thing about this rope bridge, because it is about 60 feet above very sharp rocks and since it's always windy in Ireland, it's always swaying. In honesty, the walk down the 75 uneven and jagged stone steps was more terrifying. Thankfully they weren't wet! The place is managed by the National Trust, which means it isn't free to get into (you can walk to the bridge, 1.5 miles for free, but the bridge is £5 to cross). Our driver (Davy from Scotland) made a point to say that, if you get over the bridge you better be willing to come back the same way, because it's the only exit from the craggy island you end up on! [They don't send helicopters for love or money, apparently. One girl got stuck on the bridge last year and it took an hour to coax her off.] The views, once on the island, looking west and south along the Irish coast, over to Rathlin Island (which apparently is inhabited, and has a hotel on it, who knew?) and the Scottish islands in the distance. I took SO MANY PICTURES!

 

Next it was on to the Giants Causeway, the masterpiece of the tour. Again, it's owned by the National Trust, but until the end of June when they complete the butt ugly visitor's centre, it's free to get down to the stones (then it will be £8.50). It's more than a mile walk downhill...or you can take the bus for £1. I took the bus. It was very windy and the sea was quite rough, so most of the stones were wet, which made for interesting climbing. Still, I don't think anyone fell while I was there and I was very careful not to turn an ankle and ruin the rest of the trip! I took a LOT MORE PHOTOS and bemoaned the fact that there is a lot more to see. You can climb up the cliffs to the 'Organ' and then up to the top for a bird's eye view of the Causeway, but there wasn't enough time (I spent 45 minutes on the stones as it was). It started to rain just as I got in line for the bus, and there was a nice little almost-hail storm in 50km/h winds. The sun came out just as the bus showed up! Then it was a quick stop at the gift shop for a few postcards and then off to Bushmills Distillary nearby. I love Bushmills, and after the rain, I really needed a wee tipple to warm up! From there, the tour took the interior route back to Belfast, which apparently is a common commute for a lot of people, as it's only about an hour from the north shore. Wouldn't that be lovely every day? We stopped at the cliff-side Dunluce Castle on the way, with stunning dark clouds in the background. The castle is an interesting one, originally built in the 13th Century, it changed ownership a few times and was rebuilt a few times. And then, one very stormy night, the kitchen fell 70ft down into the sea and took the staff with it. The owners moved out and its been a ruin ever since! We got back to Belfast around 7, so a 9 hour tour for £16! That night I spent a few hours reading in the common room by the coal burning fireplace and the staff sung me Happy Birthday. A great 29th!

Wednesday it was sunny again (shocking), if cold, so I took a two hour open-top bus tour of Belfast and the surrounding neighbourhoods, which focused on the murals. There is some very amazing artwork to be seen, and there's no way you can see it all on foot! The same company that took me to the Causeway did the morning tour and they are very knowledgeable and funny to listen to. The tour guide this time was an Irish girl, but the bus driver was Davy again! Pictures will be up this weekend, and I'll post the link on this post when they are.

After lunch and a bit of shopping I took the free City Hall tour. Definitely worth it (takes about 45 min) and gets you into ALL THE ROOMS. They take you into the actual meeting hall and let you sit in the BIG CHAIR. It helps that the N. Irish government only meets once a month. I assume they don't let you in during those times. The inside is mostly decorated with bright paint colours, bronze chandeliers, and marble from Italy and Greece. Definitely worth it, and hey, free! Then I ran down to Queens University to see Ulster Museum. It sucked. It is the perfect example of how NOT to redo a museum. The only rooms I saw anyone in (by which I mean, anyone actually doing or looking at anything, rather than just passing through) were the two children's activity rooms. The rest of the actual museum? Nadda. I went to the Botanical Gardens afterwards to see the Palm House, which is a oval greenhouse in the Victorian glass style. Much smaller than Kew, but a lovely little respite from the busy city! I walked a bit around the campus, which has really beautiful architecture (lucky bastards) and then went to search out dinner.

Thursday I gathered my things and, since it was finally raining, took a taxi to Titanic Belfast, across the river. This is the new museum, which cost £100 million and opened a month an a half ago for the anniversary. I've visited a lot of museums. I've seen good ones and bad ones and a fair few okay ones. This one? The best I have ever seen.

No joke. I want to live in it. Or at least work in it.

There will be pictures, but I am not going to rehash a description of it. You just need to go visit it yourself and see. Let me put it this way, no other museum has ever made me laugh AND CRY during a visit simply by reading the text panels. The staff are amazing and clearly proud of what they have. And it was certainly busy! It's 6 weeks after opening and still booked out in advance! I will have to go back in a few years when it's a little less busy so that I can spend more time inside. My only issue was that, the way it's designed, you follow a set path through a series of rooms and floors, so you can't go back and the busy flow of traffic keeps you moving forward, so you can't stopped to read everything and I WANTED TO! That never happens! I hate text panels! The interactives were impressively well done, and with a bit of observation, they not only meshed well with the wall information, but weren't distracting at all! The museum is definitely not for children, but that's okay. There's dozens of children's museums around the world. It's about time they made one for the pleasure of adults! I think it's probably a good place for high school students on tours, because they are old enough to really understand the issues presented and what happened. Under 12s though? Probably more of a distraction to their parents then anything. Leave them at home. Parents deserve a few hours of peace in a museum more than anyone.

After the museum I had a great lunch at Victoria Square, after taking the lift up to the dome for a 300* view of the city (the lift takes up the other 60*). Even in the rain, Belfast looked nice. I really fell in love with the city. If I ever need another university, I know of two I'd very much like to attend!

The Way

Gosh, I'm not even certain where to start!

February is, for me, usually a month that basically passes by without my really acknowleding it. Case in point: it's usually the month I go on holidays, which makes it even shorter. This year, however, things took a bit of a different turn. I've been trying my very best to involve myself in my PhD department, without really making much headway. I tend to say I will do something and then never quite get around to it. In February, all of that changed! I have now become the Social Media Moderator for the PhD department, which includes a blog, a Facebook group and a Twitter account to manage and keep up-to-date and interesting! I will also, this month, become the first PhD Student Blogger for the university at large, which I am looking forward to. I already have my first few posts lined up! It will mean that I will now have five blogs, some personal, some professional to look after, so I hope I don't neglect any of them (for more than a week at a time). I will try to update this one every month, as I do now.

I have also, though I'm not certain how as it was unintentioned, been marked as the tech person in the department. I attribute this to the fact that our current tech person is involved in a two month long project and mostly unavailable for daily questions. So I'm it. Lucky me. I try to avoid things like this, but since I automatically say 'yes' whenever people ask for help, I guess I walked into it. I hope it does not last for long!

I have done very little creative writing in the last month, though I have just (literally) finished a 12,000 word paper for my supervisor. I'm not at all happy with it, as I knew I wouldn't be, but I think it has at least served it's purpose, which was to put it all straight in my head. I at least know (or think I know) where I am headed now.

February also saw a big decision. I have been toying for months of what to do to 'celebrate' turning 30 next year. I wanted to do something Amazing and New and Memorable. In January I decided that doing another dive trip would be a great idea, because it would take very little time out of my busy schedule, involve family (and diving) and be, if not new, at least amazing. But I have previously done an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime dive trip for my twenty-fourth birthday and I guess my brain was attempting to figure out something better. And, boy, did it ever!

I've always loved to hike. I've been planning to do Hadrian's Wall for a while now, and fully intended to work my way up to it this year (September) by walking in the Peak District this summer (in all my free time). I was busy doing research for my holiday in May this year, in N. Ireland, and came across multiple websites that do hiking or biking holidays. I was intregued. I suppose, in many ways, perhaps my decision was fated.

And then, about two weeks ago, I watch the movie The Way, which is a character-driven story about a father who's enstrangled son unexpectedly dies on the first day of the Camino Frances. Flying to France to bring back his son's remains, the man begins to realise all the things about his son that he never really understood and resolves to take the ashes on the 800km trek to Santiago de Compostela himself. It is a movie as much about the father's journey as it is about the son 'completing' his.

I woke up the next more knowing that I'd found my own way. And so, next year, I will be walking the Camino Frances from Saint Jean Pied to Santiago de Compostela, on my own. Or as much as one can be when an estimated 300,000 pilgrims walk the routes every year. In all, I think February was the month I found myself, or at least my direction in life. I do feel much better now, certainly!

Durch Dick und Dünn gehen

Or 'Another Travel Post'

Since I failed to even leave my flat for Christmas/New Years beyond the grocery store, I felt the desire to get out of England for a bit once my projects were finished. It's a bit of a joke, since my projects are not even close to finished, but I like to lie to myself in order to feel better. This is how I came to a travel to Germany on January 25th.

I can say a lot of things about Bavaria. 99% of them are absolutely lovely, and the other 1% is only because it's currently cold enough there to freeze Hell over and I live in Europe for a reason. But I had never been to Germany, so it was automatically going to be stunning, no matter the weather.

I never really know what to write for a travel blog post. I mean, I write them, but I'm not certain they are entertaining or useful or that anyone even reads them. But I like to write, and I like to record, and here we are.

The Germans are a funny people. I mean that in the nicest way. They are very friendly (at least in Bavaria, since that's the only place I've visited) and welcoming, but listening to them talk in rapid-fire German is sort of hilarious. I can read German not badly, at least enough to manage as a tourist, but I don't understand a single spoken word beyond 'bitte' and 'danke'. Thankfully, most Germans speak a measure of English (better than I will ever speak their language, bless them). It reminds me of the Hungarians at Gibbs Hill Farm in Northumberland who didn't speak a word of English, but who I talked to for two hours one September evening.

Munich would take a few weeks to really see. But I like to leave things undone for my 'next' visit, like the proverbial throwing of a coin into the Trevi Fountain. You need a reason to go back. I have about six that I can think of off the top of my head, and in no particular order they start with BMW and end with October. Sometime when the weather is amiable and the trees are still green.

However, winter in Bavaria is stunningly beautiful. The sort of beautiful that Ontario never manages to look, no matter how early you get up after a night's snowfall. That constant state of greyish brown that defines the province cannot be helped along by snow and slush.

I'm not going to talk about museums, because in all honestly I wasn't overly impressed. I could go on for days about how beautiful Schloss Neuschwanstein is, but if you've ever seen a picture, words don't do it justice. Suffice it to say, the inside (in which you are not allowed to take photos) is just as stunning as the outside, at any time of the year! Pity about all that scaffolding right now which ruins the view from Hohenschwangau, but thankfully not from the front! It's unfortunate that Ludwig II never finished it and only lived in the half-completed palace areas for 172 days before he died. It was immediately opened to the public for tours, to pay back the enormous sum that had gone into it's construction. Though it is the model for Disney's castle in Florida, the real one on the slopes of the Bavarian Alps is much more picturesque inside in the completed rooms (do a Google search for hi-def images).

Amusingly, the true highlight of the trip was the hockey game on Friday. I've never been to a hockey game. I know; I fail as a Canadian. I only ever watch it at the Olympics. But when your cousin plays for Munich, you can't pass up a game! It was an edge of your seat one too, resulting in not only overtime, but a shoot-out. The fourth shot by Munich, by #19, was the winning goal. Yeah, that would be my cousin. ;) We sat in the wives section, of course, and afterwards had drinks in the VIP room (with free Bavarian style dinner - yum!) It was amazing and very surreal. I hope they have a great season and I am already excited for the prospect of more hockey games next year!

I need to go back to Germany during Oktoberfest and warmer weather. And Salzburg too, which is so much closer than I thought. It was especially wonderful to spend time with cousins that we've only recently reconnected with (their aren't many of us still living on that side, so it's really nice to make an effort). I spent 8 days sleeping with a four-year-old who throws tantrums and playing with a 1-year-old who is the most adorable creature ever and not thinking about my PhD AT ALL. That is what I call a vacation.

New Adventures

This post may ramble around a bit; my apologies.

A week ago I attended the Museums on the Web 2011 day at the IWM in London. It was rather a last minute addition to my schedule, all told, because my supervisor was chairing the day. I find conference attendence awkward. I am not very good at networking (though I realise that is sort of the bread and butter of being a PhD student!) and find approaching groups of people to be a lesson in nerve-wracking terror. Blessedly, there were a few good friends attending! The downside of this was that I don't believe any of us really did much networking. At least I have put names to the faces of Twitterers I've followed for ages and I will feel less terrified about emailing them for assistance in the new year.

There were a variety of very good topics raised and some truely surprising presentations. The most startling for many was a presentation on the advanced level that photographic imaging has reached. I had no idea that a single picture could be 22GB worth of data in detail! It seems to be mostly art galleries that are going in for this level of image detailing, in order to make available works of art on their websites, which technology that allows for pin-point zooming on the works of the great masters. If I was still an art history student, I am certain I'd be bouncing in my seat in happiness. It is still amazing to me to realise how far technology is coming on a day-to-day basis.

The conference was also an opportunity to meet with a former MA collegue, who is assisting with the DREAM conference next May in Denmark. I desperately want to go (despite the high cost), and would welcome the opportunity that the pre-phd conference events would allow me. As my supervisor is once again chairing, I am hopeful something can be arranged. The conference, plus travel, plus accomodation would be a very large fee indeed and I'm certain it's not in my budget. A travel bursary will certainly be applied for!

I have began paper compilation. By which I mean, I am now trying to organise the pages and pages of notes I've taken over the last month into some semplance of useful order. It's not always easy, but I have a workable outline that will likely change on a continuous basis until I write the conclusion. It is due in four weeks, however, so next week I must definitely begin the writing process.

Work has been heavily interrupted due to lack of sleep. Finally, the residential services committee contacted those of use affected by the outside noise yesterday to explain the situation (after 4 weeks) and promise that it will be resolved by next weekend (which will make it 5 weeks since I've had a good night's rest). Of course, the matter of compensation was thrown around at the meeting last night, but it is a valid point. I hope I won't end up being the one to run a campaign again estate services, though. I don't have the time! Though I will happily flag wave my heart out. After this many weeks, after a week now of lost work, I would like something as an apology (besides a verbal 'yeah, we screwed up...sorry', which is what we got last night). I'm not hopeful, however.

Lastly, through much trial and error, the trip to Munich in the new year has been booked! I will be gone a week, able to see one of my cousin's home games and also tour museums to my heart's content. And there will be beer and food at the best tavern in the city. I am most excited and dearly wish I didn't have to wait until the end of January. But it will give me a light at the end of the tunnel for this paper and the research for the next one (easier, I hope!). I'm certain there will be a post about it all in February.

That's me for December. Look for an update in the new year with much Christmas holiday cheer attached!

The Golden State

California is known for a lot of things. Last week, I got to see quite a few I didn't know much about.

California is beautiful. I could have told you that after my first visit there in 2004. It's a stunning piece of countryside, and I didn't see much of it then.

This time, we rectified that mistake! Between Thursday and Monday I drove over a 1000 miles. I saw the valley, LA, Disneyland, the east side of the Sierra's and the edge of Death Valley, the mountains and Yosemite. (The last two twice). I got to drive some of it too, in a really crappy rental car. Never buy a Hyundai Elantra. It's a horrible car.



The whole point of the trip, though, was to spend time with my sissy, and we got 3 full days together of just the two of us. So, check that box off. It was fantastic to go on a road trip, now that we are proper adults with the ability to rent cars and stay in hotels and such. Of course, we went to Disneyland.

Disneyland California is small. Actually, it's tiny compared to Orlando. But it feels pretty damn big after 8 hours of walking around! We did most things, except the stuff for real kiddies and a couple of rides I refused to go on. Unfortunately, the Pirates ride was closed, so I consoled myself by buying a pirate themed dress at the giftshop. We went back in the evening for fireworks and the Fantasmic show on the Rivers of the Americas. Both were really very good. We didn't get back to the hotel until after midnight!

We had every intention of driving back to Turlock Saturday morning. Well, until we hit the construction mess coming in to LA on Thursday. So, instead of the 5 hour drive up I5, we took the scenic route home. I am laughing as I type this, because I have never taken a more scenic route! It took us 11 hours (with stops)! We went out of the city on the north-east side and up passed Edwards AFB to the 395. This highway runs between the Sierras and Death Valley and finally up into Nevada. It was pretty amazing countryside at the start. There are the mountains on the left and then...desert everywhere else. Just low scrubland and mile after mile of straight roads. And the occasional house. After a couple hundred miles the trees come back and the mountains get bigger (on both sides) and you hit civilization again. Rachel wanted to stop at the Devil's Postpile. Which is sort of like the Giant's Causeway in Ireland, except not. It was an awesome detour into a mountain resort area and then down a very long windy road with towering trees!

After we got back on the highway we turned off at Lee Vining (almost to Nevada!) to head up the 120 through Yosemite. The entrance on the east side is at 9945ft. So, I've been to 10,000 and not just on an airplane! We managed to get across the park before sunset - just. I was so interested to see how the geography changes from one side to the other. And then we took the really fun way down the western side on Old Priest Grade. Top Gear has destroyed me. But damn was that a fun road!

On Monday we set off to Yosemite again, this time to the valley (south of Tioga Pass/120). Just getting there involves some pretty impressive driving (and a lot of construction, apparently). We were a bit late. ;) We stopped at the most amazing look out ever, which Rach and Lizzy said not many people know about. No wonder; you have to park before the long tunnel and walk halfway down to an opening in the wall. At the end, is a hole with a gate across it. Crawl under it and the floor drops away to the valley below. You can look left or right up and down Yosemite Valley and feel like you are standing on the edge of the world.

Once we got to the valley, we did the predictable tourist stuff by visiting the gift shops and visitor's centre. Sent a postcard from the post office and toured the museum. Then we walked up to Lower Yosemite Falls. The waterfalls in the valley are very impressive...in June. By now, they are almost dried up. Still, it makes for a pretty picture. Then we had lunch in the parking lot and drove down to Bridalveil Falls, which was still flowing. We climbed up to the base of the falls (which was a lot of rock climbing, shuffling, sliding, slipping, and scrambling up boulders). At the top is a small pool where the falls empty into before they flow down to the valley floor. In the spring, it's under a torrent of water, but by this time of year was the perfect place to go swimming. The water, being mountain run-off, is only about 45*F, but it was hot out and the climb was tiring, so we went swimming. I did actually swim, without my feet touching the rocks! Once it got too cold we climbed back down to where everyone else was and went to dry off in the car.

We went and toured the Ahwahnee Hotel, which is stunning and then on to The Lodge where we had dinner insight of the Yosemite Falls. And then we drove home.

A fantastic trip. And now it is off to England in a few days!