timeripple (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeripple) wrote2004-10-06 08:38 am
timeripple) wrote2004-10-06 08:38 am
when the risk to remain tight as a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom
O the songs that fill my head!
2 October 2004
I have discovered another, much more satisfactory, used bookstore. To be sure, if I was looking for academic books it might not be too useful, although there was quite a large Classics section consisting mostly of original works. It was marvelous – I nearly died of delight when I stepped in the door. The tiny place was brimming with (mostly hardcover) books with that perfect dusty-sweet used-book smell. Old hardbacks with gold lettering lined the walls, and in a corner on the floor nestled a few stacks of paperback sff. I knelt in front of the latter like a supplicant. My reward was a UK edition of Patricia McKillip’s Harpist in the Wind – containing multiple typos, but considering how many times I’ve read it that hardly mattered. Reading it again later that evening, I was struck by the realization that I’d forgotten how incredible that book is; how much I’ve loved it for nearly ten years. I felt sort of like Polly in what’s-it-called – Kate, you know what I’m talking about here. Rediscovering something I didn’t realize I’d missed. That book is particularly appropriate to St Andrews, with the hills to one side and the sea to the other, the ruins in between and the wind all around.
I made one other purchase there: “Poems of Tennyson”.
3 October 2004
I meant to go to the library to read up on Herodotus, but of course I misread the library’s opening hours and so ended up gleefully tramping about the castle ruins instead. It was a “most triumphant time”. (Forgive the Bill & Ted quote. It’s just that some previous occupant had scrawled “Iron Maiden” on the inside of my wardrobe. You can imagine what I said upon discovering it; it started with “E”, ended with “!” and was accompanied by air guitars.)
Ahem. Moving right along…
Then I joined the Shire of Caer Caledon, the local medieval society. Some acquaintances, having attended the society Feast last night, reported that there was a fiddler, and I instantly resolved to go to the informational meeting this afternoon. As a result, not only do I have a pretty green membership card, but I have the opportunity to learn about various fighting techniques (“Pointy swords! Yay! Ooh, shiny”), clothing construction (“We shall strive to reach new heights of cleavage engineering! Well, just new heights of cleavage, actually”), and brewing mead (apparently it explodes if unreferigerated after a certain time. “Excellent!”). I heard rumor of Tuesday-night sessions in a pub; I shall drag all potential-friend-material (understand I do not make friends lightly or quickly) along with me. My music-starved soul may yet recover.
I guess this means I should probably join Felding, hunh. Especially since I can sort of sew now. Hmm.
4 October 2004
7:00 am. Fire drill. Luckily I was already awake, and had the presence of mind to pull on my raincoat (about whose effectiveness I now have serious doubts). It has resolved into a gorgeous clear afternoon with just the right clouds hanging about somewhere.
During dinner: MORE Bill & Ted! I’m not sure how they came up, but they did. We must have a viewing! Also, there is mention of Good Omens. Whee!
5 October 2004
OMG SESSION! *bliss* Wow. So my two faithful companions and I found the right pub and ended up in the right place, and then there was MUSIC! There was also lots of smoke from who-knows-what being blown in my face and in my hair and saturating my clothes, but it was more endurable than I’d expected. There were, at various times throughout the evening, a banjo, guitar, bodhran, flute, recorder, and no fewer than six fiddles (mine included). It was fabulous. It was beyond fabulous. It was unspeakably wonderful. We sang ‘Star of the County Down’ twice at various points (Eep! Whee!). They even played some tunes I know, so I didn’t have to pretend and/or play chords the whole time: ‘Flowers of Edinburgh’, ‘Soldier’s Joy’, ‘Jenny Dang the Weaver’, ‘Growling Old Man and Grumbling Old Woman’, ‘Swallowtail Jig’ (my suggestion, since they asked), ‘The Butterfly’, ‘Brenda Stubbert’s’, ‘Catharsis’, and a few of others I’ve heard a lot and could reasonably fudge my way through. The thing is, though, they played everything at about twice its intended dancing tempo. This was fun, but made it really hard to pick anything up (except this one comparatively slow round, which was cool because one person played the A part, then everybody chimed in on the B, and then the next person did the A, etc. all around the circle).
Of course, it also meant I got to play 'Tam Lin' at breakneck speed. Excellent!
2 October 2004
I have discovered another, much more satisfactory, used bookstore. To be sure, if I was looking for academic books it might not be too useful, although there was quite a large Classics section consisting mostly of original works. It was marvelous – I nearly died of delight when I stepped in the door. The tiny place was brimming with (mostly hardcover) books with that perfect dusty-sweet used-book smell. Old hardbacks with gold lettering lined the walls, and in a corner on the floor nestled a few stacks of paperback sff. I knelt in front of the latter like a supplicant. My reward was a UK edition of Patricia McKillip’s Harpist in the Wind – containing multiple typos, but considering how many times I’ve read it that hardly mattered. Reading it again later that evening, I was struck by the realization that I’d forgotten how incredible that book is; how much I’ve loved it for nearly ten years. I felt sort of like Polly in what’s-it-called – Kate, you know what I’m talking about here. Rediscovering something I didn’t realize I’d missed. That book is particularly appropriate to St Andrews, with the hills to one side and the sea to the other, the ruins in between and the wind all around.
I made one other purchase there: “Poems of Tennyson”.
3 October 2004
I meant to go to the library to read up on Herodotus, but of course I misread the library’s opening hours and so ended up gleefully tramping about the castle ruins instead. It was a “most triumphant time”. (Forgive the Bill & Ted quote. It’s just that some previous occupant had scrawled “Iron Maiden” on the inside of my wardrobe. You can imagine what I said upon discovering it; it started with “E”, ended with “!” and was accompanied by air guitars.)
Ahem. Moving right along…
Then I joined the Shire of Caer Caledon, the local medieval society. Some acquaintances, having attended the society Feast last night, reported that there was a fiddler, and I instantly resolved to go to the informational meeting this afternoon. As a result, not only do I have a pretty green membership card, but I have the opportunity to learn about various fighting techniques (“Pointy swords! Yay! Ooh, shiny”), clothing construction (“We shall strive to reach new heights of cleavage engineering! Well, just new heights of cleavage, actually”), and brewing mead (apparently it explodes if unreferigerated after a certain time. “Excellent!”). I heard rumor of Tuesday-night sessions in a pub; I shall drag all potential-friend-material (understand I do not make friends lightly or quickly) along with me. My music-starved soul may yet recover.
I guess this means I should probably join Felding, hunh. Especially since I can sort of sew now. Hmm.
4 October 2004
7:00 am. Fire drill. Luckily I was already awake, and had the presence of mind to pull on my raincoat (about whose effectiveness I now have serious doubts). It has resolved into a gorgeous clear afternoon with just the right clouds hanging about somewhere.
During dinner: MORE Bill & Ted! I’m not sure how they came up, but they did. We must have a viewing! Also, there is mention of Good Omens. Whee!
5 October 2004
OMG SESSION! *bliss* Wow. So my two faithful companions and I found the right pub and ended up in the right place, and then there was MUSIC! There was also lots of smoke from who-knows-what being blown in my face and in my hair and saturating my clothes, but it was more endurable than I’d expected. There were, at various times throughout the evening, a banjo, guitar, bodhran, flute, recorder, and no fewer than six fiddles (mine included). It was fabulous. It was beyond fabulous. It was unspeakably wonderful. We sang ‘Star of the County Down’ twice at various points (Eep! Whee!). They even played some tunes I know, so I didn’t have to pretend and/or play chords the whole time: ‘Flowers of Edinburgh’, ‘Soldier’s Joy’, ‘Jenny Dang the Weaver’, ‘Growling Old Man and Grumbling Old Woman’, ‘Swallowtail Jig’ (my suggestion, since they asked), ‘The Butterfly’, ‘Brenda Stubbert’s’, ‘Catharsis’, and a few of others I’ve heard a lot and could reasonably fudge my way through. The thing is, though, they played everything at about twice its intended dancing tempo. This was fun, but made it really hard to pick anything up (except this one comparatively slow round, which was cool because one person played the A part, then everybody chimed in on the B, and then the next person did the A, etc. all around the circle).
Of course, it also meant I got to play 'Tam Lin' at breakneck speed. Excellent!
no subject
But anyway... I'm sure you'll have a great time. Re-enactment makes politics look like nursery school. Give me a shout if you're doing any shows, although the season pretty much ended with Bannockburn.
Yay also for pointy swords! Mine's all beat up but it totally looks the part. Although my heart is as an archer *g*. I love my longbow.
no subject
I love my longbow
Who's with me for archery this spring? *cough*Melanie*cough* I probably won't have time for much sword-swinging while I'm here, what with fiddling and Greek, but after the fun we had in fencing I am determined to take archery back home. I think we should institute a traditional Curtain-Rod Fencing event (long story).
no subject
no subject
(Anonymous) 2004-10-11 07:52 pm (UTC)(link)Who's with me for archery this spring? *cough*Melanie*cough*
most definitely!!! it was offered this semester, but due to my schedule, it didn't fit in. i also already fulfilled my gym requirement, so i would have had a harder time of getting into the class anyway & somebody told me that it filled up fast. hopefully it will be offered next semester. i have to unleash my inner robin hood somehow. :) who would have thought that fulfilling the gym requirement would be so problematic?
after the fun we had in fencing I am determined to take archery back home. I think we should institute a traditional Curtain-Rod Fencing event
that was much goodness, even though you were the one to get stabbed. :) & in response to one of your earlier posts, i would really have loved to see you do the air guitar. can't quite seem to picture that in my head. :)
in terms of life here, i have discovered that the free library has at least 5 episodes of jeeves & wooster, 4 of which so far, have provided me, allie, becca & tori with much fun & procrastination. they seem to have misplaced the second one, which is rather upsetting since we find out all about "eulalie" at the end of that one. they also have a great number of the books, so in my spare time will have to go raid at some point. in general, however, have spent much time doing work & working.
must drag myself upstairs now & get back to work.
-melanie
no subject
Gyah. Computers. Tell me about it. No, on second thought, don't.
Don't get too sick of Jeeves & Wooster now, since I'll want to see them with y'all.
no subject
(Anonymous) 2004-10-12 03:25 pm (UTC)(link)ooo. how can we? the cow-creamer & "Eulalie" are classics, that along with bill & ted, of course. :)
-melanie
trying for short...
(Anonymous) 2004-10-15 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)i have no such excuse for being so long absent...except for a week-long trip to CA (which was awesome, btw. fiona, why didn't you tell me northern CA was so gorgeous and exciting??)(...does SF count as northern CA?). in any case, this had better be short, since i have an assload of work to do before wednesday (understatement).
the session sounds awesome. i have to go to some again, i've been absent for too long. i took a few fiddle lessons, btw, but i think i'm going to have to give them up because of my huge workload and money issues :( they were fun though.
i am DEFINITELY up for archery in the spring, if it fits into my schedule. i still have to fulfil my gym requirement, too. is it a full semester, or just a half term? anyway, i'll never be legolas if i can't use a bow and arrow.
and i repeat the don't get too sick of Jeeves & Wooster now, since i will also want to see them all. oooh...i miss you guys! people here are no fun :(
siena
Re: trying for short...
Because SF, while it (only just) counts as northern CA, is the only gorgeous and exciting part of northern CA. Well, other bits are gorgeous, but not very exciting.
no subject
(Anonymous) 2004-10-16 02:08 pm (UTC)(link)-melanie
no subject