The Blog

And off we go...

With just enough time to walk to town and buy myself some fudge and a hoodie, I think I'm done in Cambridge. It's been great, England, I'll miss you.

Labels: cambridge, how do I get home now?, last post, trip09

And another thing...

I got a new book:

Eoin Colfer was charming and funny and very Irish, and I liked that he was just as appalled at the thought of writing this book as the rest of us were at the announcement that someone else was writing a Hitchhiker's book. He's only doing the one (because damnit he has to write more Artemis Fowl right now), and he kinda hopes that someone else will pick up the mantle, so that it's not just him and DA to compare. I have to say I kinda agree. They did it for Sherlock Holmes, why not for Arthur Dent? Oh, and Eoin is a mac. *grins*

Of course, now I need to find a way to fit this thing in my suitcase.

ETA: I had completely forgotten I already had a HHGTTG tag on my blog. This makes me inordinately happy.

Labels: almost but not entirely unlike tea, books, cambridge, trip09

Dear Sainsbury's...

I get that you have problems with giving simple instructions, since the "recipe" for my pasta bake said to pierce the lid, place on oven tray and cook for either 15 or 25 minutes depending on if I read the text or the little graphic. So when it was dinner time, I followed the 15 minute instructions, because I figured I could check up on it and adjust as necessary. Therefore it is completely unfair that I found the inside of the container to be made of roasted cracked plastic, when you said the damn thing was oven safe and I should put it on a fucking tray.

Dear everyone else: just so you know, it's possible to have a good reason to eat crumpets for dinner.

Labels: a godawful mess, cambridge, england, mmm food, trip09

Huh...

There's another iBook G4 in the library today. I feel less outdated all of a sudden.

In good news: I've done by Annual Review paperwork, and it's not even lunchtime yet.

In bad news: I saw part 2 of the new BBC adaptation of Emma last night, and it was terrible. I hated it, and it's my favourite Jane Austen, so I'm usually forgiving of most flaws in the adaptations because I want to see new spins on the story. Very disappointed. (I may still watch part 1 on iView tonight because I can.)

Labels: bbc, books, cambridge, iCatherine, jane austen, paperwork, trip09, university politics have got me down

Back from the theatre...

And it was lovely. Saw My Fair Lady, which wasn't a favourite before, but it is now. There were a few changes from the movie version, very slight, just enough to give Eliza a little more spunk in standing up to Professor Higgins.

Perhaps my favourite change was to the last few minutes of the musical, which went as follows:

Professor Higgins is downtrodden and mopey that Eliza ditched him. He puts on the gramophone recording of her first arrival, and sits down at his desk to mope. There is serious moping to be had.

Enter Eliza from behind. She looks rather gratified at the moment, but also knows that this is somewhat pathetic, so she turns off the gramophone. Adopting her old accent, she says, remembering the incident, "I washed my hands and face before I come, I did."

Henry near falls out of his chair as he stands and cries her name, stunned that she came back. Unsure of what to do now, he sits back in his chair, and tries to adopt his old manner, but he's clearly off balance. "Where the devil are my slippers?" he asks, turning away from her.

Eliza picks them up, an evil gleam in her eyes, and throws the bloody slippers fondly in his direction (taking care not to hit him this time). Henry turns around slowly, realises she's forgiven him, and then races across the room to embrace her, and they pash as the curtain slowly falls.

And in the front row of the audience, Catherine sighs happily, because that was an awesome ending to an awesome evening.

In other news, I think I'm going to a Eoin Colfer meet (maybe signing?) on Wednesday. "His" new book will be out Monday (can I resist buying a copy on the day? I think not), so he's on tour being awesome. OMG, and I have a towel he can sign! Can I pull off being that much of a fangirl with a straight face? I doubt it.

Labels: cambridge, catherine knows where her towel is, music, theatre, trip09

Yum...

It turns out that fresh pot noodles are absolutely delicious.

(By which I mean I found and bought a "just add boiling water" style pot noodle in the fridge section of M&S, full of fresh vegies, and it's very tasty. Even the prawns.)

((Also of note, a realisation on the way back from the shops: if doing something mind-numbingly boring all day long makes me want to kill myself, I should probably put off doing any more of it until I'm home and have a decent support network. By which I mean someone to go drinking with afterwards.))

Labels: cambridge, england, mmm food, trip09

Annoyed Cat is Annoyed...

The only thing worse than being woken in the middle of the night in England by a spam phone call when you're on the do not call list is realising you just paid overseas roaming charges to be woken in the middle of the night in England by a spam phone call when you're on on the do not call list.

(I normally sleep with the phone off. I must have forgotten last night.)

Labels: cambridge, losing sleep, phones, trip09

Looking for an excuse...

If this paper mentions "star seeds" one more time I'm going to quit and just go watch Sailorstars on youtube.

Labels: cambridge, sailor moon, thesis ftl, trip09

*sobs*...

I have a cold and it's making me miserable. I walked home (via the chemist for some paracetamol and cough lollies) feeling that I would never be warm again (and very sorry for myself) and as I walk in the door Jane hands me a package:

and now I miss my mummy very much.

Labels: cambridge, I want to go home now, knitting, sickly-Cat, trip09

Back in Cambridge...

Little bit exhausted from too much vacation. *grins* Jessie, John and Daniel send their love.

Labels: cambridge, england, london, tired, trip09

When I grow up...

I want to be the Master of Trinity College.

Oh blog, not only did we have drinks in the Master's garden, but then we were allowed to explore the Lodge proper and gaze upon the bookshelves (full of books bequeathed by Masters past) and the portraits, and lounge in his sitting room and dream of playing the piano in his music room and then, best of all, he let us into his office. So many books and desks that have been worked upon by some of the greatest minds in their fields...

I think my favourite thing was the portrait of Elizabeth I in the music room, actually. She's beautiful, and I could have gazed upon her all night long. But he threw us out eventually, as he had to go and wish the Choir luck upon their upcoming tour.

Labels: cambridge, trip09

Hmm...

Realised this evening that I've been in Cambridge three weeks and only visited two of the 31 colleges so far (well, three I suppose, but I wasn't staying on the main campus of Girton). Now I'm feeling slack.

(And to be fair, I've cut across St John's a few times on my way into town when feeling brave enough to face the porters, but again, I haven't really explored.)

Fortunately, tomorrow night the conference I'm skipping my vacation for is hosting a welcome reception in the Master's Lodge at Trinity. Not that I'm excited and gloating or anything.

Labels: cambridge, exploring, holiday, trip09, uni

Oh poo...

Yesterday, when I skipped lunch, everyone else got to see Professor Hawking in the cafeteria.

Labels: cambridge, physics, science, trip09