great leap forwards

[libellum]

Surrealness! I just answered the door to a canvasser from our local MP. An attractive, young, blonde canvasser with good shoes. punkalou, in fact, whom I haven't seen for almost two years. Cue much squeaking of "ohmygod!" and bemused giggling. L, maybe we should meet up sometime and drink wiiiiiine?

I had an excellent weekend. On Friday evening elise, smhwpf, shreena and

Comments

[mejoff]

3...2...1... oh you even beat my counntdown!

[libellum]

there's nothing speedier than tigers! Or more predictable ... *grin*

[mejoff]

Pakistan and India are at peace

this must be the most beautiful thing i've read on a news-site!

[libellum]

I know! Good news for once! So do you reckon they're going to decide the Kashmir dispute through cricket?

[asw909]

If that's the case, I would think India will be wanting a rematch - they have been thoroughly thumped by Pakistan this last week!

[kimkali]

Oh who was she canvassing for?!?!?!

It's all very exciting.

All good news!

[libellum]

Anne Campbell, whom she works for :) Seeing her was quite a surprise!

[libellum]

*nods* Also I'm more personally involved with the papyri; I suppose if I'd been involved in projects to do with India-Pakistan I'd find that more exciting because it would make a profound difference to what I'd spent a number of years working on. And I have daydreamed about papyrus discoveries, particularly related to the Trojan War song cycle, whereas (perhaps to my discredit) the India-Pakistan conflict hasn't pressed on my mind of its own accord. There's been a sense of discomfort and anxiety whenever I've been confronted with it, and I'm glad that's over, but ... oh, I don't know, any attempts to explain the preference end up sounding like I'm not valueing the peace agreement, and I made the post to celebrate both.

[mejoff]

I disagree, most stongly in fact. In 500 years time, the papyn will be just some more greco-roman literature as has been coming to light for many many years. On the other hand I think 'The Day People Finally Began To See Sense', sudden, hard worked for but unexpected peace between two deadly enemies divided by religion, with no coups d'etat, no assassinations and all the militant groups in between the powers piping up saying 'we ant to join in with the peace thing too' might be remembered just a little longer, especially if it sets the precedent that it might.

[mejoff]

I should clarify, I don't think anything is wrong with being more excited by the point that is within your field, i simply object to the idea that 'people in 500 years time will definitely still care about the Oxyrhynchus Papyri, but the India/Pakistan thing only *might* have escalated into something that people would still care about then'
if only because there are as many geopolitical historians as there are classicists, and also the papyn is of limited interest outside the classics community.

[athenemiranda]

Yay for world peace! Now it's China and Japan's turn...

(oddly enough, the title of this entry instantly made me think about Maoism...)