She done gone away
So this Monday my beloved L went off to China as part of a mission funded (AFAIK) by the Welsh Assembly Government to promote Welsh culture in the land of the Qin. As a student of opera singing and a Welsh speaker she's been chosen to go and sing Welsh (and other) music (both classical and folk) solo in front of Chinese dignitaries, paps and hangers-on in Chonqing, a city roughly in the south-west central bit of China. (But that's being terribly vague. China's, er, pretty big. It's somewhere in it. That's basically all I know. I never did Geography GCSE, you see, because it was all about flood plains and oxbow lakes rather than "Where the important places in the world are" and actual important life-skills stuff.) I've seen some photos online and she's staying in a 5-star hotel, which I'm reasonably jealous about, given that she's not paying a dime for the privilege! She's performed one mini-concert already in front of some VIPs and apparently she almost got mobbed by photographers who almost literally went on-stage and stuck cameras in her face while she was singing.
Fact is, I miss her already, not so much the not-seeing-her part (we live 200 miles apart so that's not a new experience), but the not-being-able-to-talk-over-the-phone part (related to the because-China-is-ruddy-miles-away-so-mobile-phone-calls-would-be-prohibitive part). But [smush alert] I'm also really proud of what she's doing, not least because she's basically never been abroad before (Eurodisney when she was 6 doesn't count), and I'd be very daunted if I were in such a position, but she seems to be taking it in her stride. [/smush] At least she likes Chinese food (I don't, sadly). She'll be there until the end of next week, doing concerts every day, I think. The trip culminates with a big concert in Beijing at one of its most important concert halls. :D
In other news, attention Cambridgey types. I'm coming to the gleaming city on the week beginning 17th March (that's about two weeks away) for a conference (MML running it, it's on change in grammar, organised by a certain Dr D. Willis). I'm giving a paper on the 18th (Tuesday), but will arrive on Monday. I'm thinking of staying around until about Friday or Saturday. I would very much like to meet anyone who's around, particularly if it also involves hostelries of any description. I foresee myself being free for most of the nights of that week for revelry &c. I may stay till Saturday to account for attending Asnac pub if anyone is going. Let me know, either here or by Facebook or phone or e-mail or camel or letters written in blood (on vellum, if I know filius_lupi at all).
In other other news, work goes on. Thesis incomplete. Blah. Still fuckloads left to do, and no jobs on the Internet seem relevant for me. Weep. Maybe people will give me £25k a year for being charming and dashing whilst sitting in a pub being arty and pensive? Is that too much to dream?
Fact is, I miss her already, not so much the not-seeing-her part (we live 200 miles apart so that's not a new experience), but the not-being-able-to-talk-over-the-phone part (related to the because-China-is-ruddy-miles-away-so-mobile-phone-calls-would-be-prohibitive part). But [smush alert] I'm also really proud of what she's doing, not least because she's basically never been abroad before (Eurodisney when she was 6 doesn't count), and I'd be very daunted if I were in such a position, but she seems to be taking it in her stride. [/smush] At least she likes Chinese food (I don't, sadly). She'll be there until the end of next week, doing concerts every day, I think. The trip culminates with a big concert in Beijing at one of its most important concert halls. :D
In other news, attention Cambridgey types. I'm coming to the gleaming city on the week beginning 17th March (that's about two weeks away) for a conference (MML running it, it's on change in grammar, organised by a certain Dr D. Willis). I'm giving a paper on the 18th (Tuesday), but will arrive on Monday. I'm thinking of staying around until about Friday or Saturday. I would very much like to meet anyone who's around, particularly if it also involves hostelries of any description. I foresee myself being free for most of the nights of that week for revelry &c. I may stay till Saturday to account for attending Asnac pub if anyone is going. Let me know, either here or by Facebook or phone or e-mail or camel or letters written in blood (on vellum, if I know filius_lupi at all).
In other other news, work goes on. Thesis incomplete. Blah. Still fuckloads left to do, and no jobs on the Internet seem relevant for me. Weep. Maybe people will give me £25k a year for being charming and dashing whilst sitting in a pub being arty and pensive? Is that too much to dream?