At first I was pretty impressed with the scriptwriters for having Susan say "Oh, of course you haven't got decimalisation yet" in 1963, but then I realised that the subject was probably discussed to death for years and years before it actually happened. I bet there are Hansard records of MPs having huge foaming rages about it for YEARS ( Read more... )

So, I've been browsing Classics MPhil courses and floating potentially Latinish research proposals. However, I have an MA in Eng. Lit and really should continue down that road. Now, how do I tell whether I'm just going through a phase or whether this is really a better direction for me?

( blather ramble waffle )

I woke up to someone trying my door-handle today. I don't know why. I think they were one of the roof-fixers who had got confused about inside and Outside. I sat up and bellowed "Could you please leave that?". I have no idea what's going to come out of my mouth in those circumstances, so it was quite a relief I only went to Affronted Old Maid. Then ( Read more... )

I had a weekend of really bad 'Smallville' (more later) and trying to tape Glastonbury for hours and hours (where you always end up turning over just as the other channel shows hiughlights of the same people you've just seen.) Then I spoke to my parents and, oh I can't explain but I came back feeling like a grubby little cog in a slimy machine just ( Read more... )

So, I saw the start of Rome S2 yesterday, and got into an argument with my brother about what was M. Antonius' cognomen. Turns out he didn't have one, not officially at any rate. I went looking for more about History's Greatest Courtesan, and found this rather sad little story:

You assumed the manly gown, which your soon made a womanly one: at ( Read more... )

QI had a special feature on Corby, the small town where I grew up! (well, where I lived from 3-8, which is the most memorably intense bit). Although it's not such a small town, as it's the largest town in England without a railway station. They then spoiled it somewhat with a load of sneery remarks about women slimming in that all-boys-together way ( Read more... )