Names again

One thing I find hard to get used to in England is the use of titles. Filling out Mr., Mrs. or Ms. when you book your flight tickets is one thing, and it’s quite alright, although I don’t really see the point. However, here titles are so much more important. We we’re at a dinner party a few months ago, and everyone was so excited because lady X would be there. Yes, I can see why people would get excited if she’s a really nice and funny/interesting/whatever person (which she was, so fair enough), but not just because of a title.

One of the weirdest things in my eyes, is when people (strangers) call you ‘love’. What? I have never even met you before. You don’t know me, and I definitely don’t love you! I’m also trying to get used to being called madam (or worse, ma’am) in stores. It makes me feel like am 60. I felt just as bad when, at a party with some of Tim’s clients, I was called Mrs. Bolton. Excuse me? Mrs. Bolton is Tim’s mum, that is so not me! All of a sudden, I felt absolutely ancient, and rather diminished. So now, if nothing else, I have to hurry up with my thesis so that I can at least be Dr. Bolton.

Mailed it, but not nailed it

It's now almost 3.10, and I have finally sent in chapter 6 to my supervisor for proofreading. Time to go and join the snoring hubby. Aaaaaah, bed!

Trying to work

Records I have listened to in one day in the library (with a few songs on repeat): the Beatles ‘One’, Amy McDonald ‘This is the life’, Catatonia ‘International Velvet’, Damien Rice ‘O’, Dave Matthews Band ‘Crash’ and Faithless ‘Outroperspective’ (in that very order). Oddly enough, at the end of the day I normally want anthem-like music, or electronica / psychedelic / techno stuff. It’s nice and repetitive, and the brain is on minimal work (there’s no desire to sit and sing along).

Annoying!

Read through ‘the book’ again today, thought I could be a bit ego and put in a few references to it in my thesis. But what do I discover? Loads of bloody mistakes! Some very minor ones (no commas, etc.) one really big one in the part of the book that I have nothing to do with (one of the pictures of the incunabula is wrong), but then… In the first sentence in one of my major sections, the editor has inserted a ‘not’, and thus making it negative! So, instead of “the majority of the extant manuscripts are from Vadstena” it’s now reading “the majority of the not extant manuscripts are from Vadstena”. What?!?! Who did that? I checked my original text as well as the proofs I got back, and no, that was not in there. Why would anyone insert that? And why am I never allowed to be happy?! Aaaargh! I guess it is a bit funny, though. At least it is an obvious mistake!

Strangest sight of the day: man dressed as a chicken walking down Euston road.

Tuesday news

Everything will be ok... sooner or later.

Our landlady is more insane than ever. She's always been a bit mad, but after she started taking Champix, things went from bad to worse. But, it seems as if we might have a pretty good flat coming up. Fingers crossed!

Also, I have just been asked to give my first lecture! (I.e. not a conference paper, but a proper lecture.) It is Linköpings stifthistoriska sällskap ('the historical society of the diocese of Linköping' is probably the best translation I can come up with at the moment). They had seen the book (see earlier post), and want me to come and talk about it. Will get paid, as well as travel expenses etc covered. Wohoo!

(The book has also been presented to the Vatican library, and I found a review on the internet, in which I was mentioned as a 'well known expert', ha ha ha!)

ESC 3 (random thoughts on the final)

Ok, on demand (even Tim wanted me to write this post!), here’s my thoughts on the Eurovision final (very last post on the subject, I promise). I was not surprised at all to see Russia win, although I still think Dima was better in 2006 (or even t.A.T.u. in 2003). Ukraine was no surprise either, but I was quite amazed that Greece did so well. Their song didn’t do anything for me! I thought that there were other countries deserving that third position much more. Really happy about Norway placing fifth, although I still believe the song would have been better if Mira had performed it herself. I’m also a bit surprised that Armenia did so well (and also that Latvia scored as much as they did). Other than that, I think both Israel, Portugal and Iceland deserved a bit more. (Especially Portugal, which I loved until switched on telly text, and got the subtitles for it. It sounded so much more romantic in Portuguese.) Also, having a jury group voting in one song from each semi final was probably not the greatest idea. Poland and Sweden got lousy scores from the people voting in the final (surprise, surprise!). Just drop the embarrassment!

Overly sweet and personal

I felt rather let down by my friend on Sunday, since we never got to meet. Although I love living here with Tim, and I am really happy to have lived in different places and different countries (and all the experiences that has given me), all that has had a cost – losing contact with old friends. Of course, some of them you would probably not have remained close to anyway, people do grow and change. The ones you really care about you find the way back to whenever you meet up again, and you pick up where you left off. That is all great, and it is a good feeling to know that you have that safety. But it also makes you realize what you miss. You never get the everyday stories. You miss all the daily stuff. Sometimes I really wish I could be part of that, and wish I had stayed in one place.

That’s when Tim’s great. He is my best friend (although sometimes I need someone I can discuss make up and other essential things with), and my greatest supporter. So when I was a bit down on Sunday, he picked up the pieces. He reminded me of what a great team we are. And I really do believe that. We have really grown together these last few years, but without ever giving up us as individuals. He can be annoying as hell, but he also makes me happy like no other. And he knows me better than anyone, and still likes me! (And yes, I could add a billion other things, but I probably shouldn’t make it too personal.)

Yes, this sounds really soppy, and it’s definitely not my intention to make things sound too overly sweet and pathetic. But I guess I wanted to tell myself to be happy for what we have. I write this just as much for me, as for anyone else. So, gooooo team Timgela!