Gillian Polack's Blog, page 268
February 27, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-02-27T20:52:00
I think it will be tomorrow that I get back to normal.
Mum and I made chopped liver just after dawn. I promised Kim de Poorter (Canberra's amazing pate man - his duck pate is to die for) that we'd make him some, next time Mum visited. It's not that I can't make it myself, it's my lack of driving skills that were the difficulty. Anyhow, in between touristing, Mum and I picked up some liver (I had all the other ingredients - pretty much staples, all of them) and this morning we madly cooked. Then we went to the market and madly shopped. We delivered the chopped liver and chatted with Kim, who gave us some of his duck pate as a thank you. I get to eat it all, of course, because Mum keeps way more kosher than I do.
We brunched on market goodies and then Mum went home. She's rung in to say that the drive was fine and that she's there. She apologised for breaking my tap (call to the plumber, first thing tomorrow - fortunately the tap won't turn on rather than won't turn off).
I slept all afternoon. Chest infection and way too much to do and life in general just added up to an afternoon sleep. So the only thing I've done since lunchtime (apart from sleep) is write novel. I might have sent a couple of emails, but mostly, I needed sleep. I suspect I shall be handling my life with care tomorrow. Still, it was worth overdoing things for the joy of the teaching and the parental visit and of the Show and of the various touristy things and of reaching the halfway mark on the novel.
Mum and I made chopped liver just after dawn. I promised Kim de Poorter (Canberra's amazing pate man - his duck pate is to die for) that we'd make him some, next time Mum visited. It's not that I can't make it myself, it's my lack of driving skills that were the difficulty. Anyhow, in between touristing, Mum and I picked up some liver (I had all the other ingredients - pretty much staples, all of them) and this morning we madly cooked. Then we went to the market and madly shopped. We delivered the chopped liver and chatted with Kim, who gave us some of his duck pate as a thank you. I get to eat it all, of course, because Mum keeps way more kosher than I do.
We brunched on market goodies and then Mum went home. She's rung in to say that the drive was fine and that she's there. She apologised for breaking my tap (call to the plumber, first thing tomorrow - fortunately the tap won't turn on rather than won't turn off).
I slept all afternoon. Chest infection and way too much to do and life in general just added up to an afternoon sleep. So the only thing I've done since lunchtime (apart from sleep) is write novel. I might have sent a couple of emails, but mostly, I needed sleep. I suspect I shall be handling my life with care tomorrow. Still, it was worth overdoing things for the joy of the teaching and the parental visit and of the Show and of the various touristy things and of reaching the halfway mark on the novel.
February 26, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-02-26T23:11:00
Back to normal tomorrow. For all Gillian values of normal. Yesterday my mother and I went to the Show, today we played tourist, and tomorrow morning we go to the Farmers' Market to redeem a promise.
Highlights from the Show include my mother and Dr Harry colliding and apologising very nicely to each other, a group of prize-winning goat breeders giving me advice for my novel while one of their goats was trying to eat some of the ribbons (a first and a second in its class) and my mother asking one of the Security blokes to explain how to do one of the tricks the ute formation drivers had done. She doesn't think the local roads are suitable for trying it out, fortunately, so I'm saved from sitting in the car next to my-mother-the-stunt-driver.
Tourist highlights were definitely meeting up with Rachel and Mia at the National Film and Sound Archive. I have to admit, that discovering exactly that my mother missed out on being a Weedgie by only about two years was also pretty good. She still won't teach me the dances of her youth. She's been refusing to teach me to jive for about forty years. I still haven't told her that I learned in my twenties and have forgotten it at least twice. If I told her that, she wouldn't be able to refuse to teach me, would she?
Highlights from the Show include my mother and Dr Harry colliding and apologising very nicely to each other, a group of prize-winning goat breeders giving me advice for my novel while one of their goats was trying to eat some of the ribbons (a first and a second in its class) and my mother asking one of the Security blokes to explain how to do one of the tricks the ute formation drivers had done. She doesn't think the local roads are suitable for trying it out, fortunately, so I'm saved from sitting in the car next to my-mother-the-stunt-driver.
Tourist highlights were definitely meeting up with Rachel and Mia at the National Film and Sound Archive. I have to admit, that discovering exactly that my mother missed out on being a Weedgie by only about two years was also pretty good. She still won't teach me the dances of her youth. She's been refusing to teach me to jive for about forty years. I still haven't told her that I learned in my twenties and have forgotten it at least twice. If I told her that, she wouldn't be able to refuse to teach me, would she?
February 25, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-02-25T11:13:00
My mother has come to visit. Her new car is *very* bright red. She says it's hard to lose...
February 24, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-02-24T23:28:00
I've done all but two things from my list today. It was an exceptionally long list, too.
I could work for another hour. Or I could admit I've already worked for twelve and a half and call a halt. I think the latter. Why? Because I didn't just work through my list (and finally catch up on various things that were trapped in an infinite circle of impossibility due to me getting sick). I also did tomorrow's writing and Saturday's writing and tomorrow's dissertation work (though not Saturday's). This means that I only have a little list of things to do tomorrow and Saturday and can spend most of both days with my mother. Please feel much sympathy for my mother, who knows not what I've done...
The housework, alas, did not get finished. It barely got started. It wasn't not on the list, but that's not the reason. I'm up to the stage (with what turned out to be a much nastier chest infection than I had thought) where it really hurts to do mopping and lifting. I couldn't even contemplate them a couple of days ago, so this is an improvement. The fact that I'm still awake (just) after such a long work day is also an improvement. I'm just not quite improved enough yet. I have four days left of antibiotics to get me there. By the time I finish I'll be doing 16 hours a day plus housework then dressing up and going to parties. Or not.
I could work for another hour. Or I could admit I've already worked for twelve and a half and call a halt. I think the latter. Why? Because I didn't just work through my list (and finally catch up on various things that were trapped in an infinite circle of impossibility due to me getting sick). I also did tomorrow's writing and Saturday's writing and tomorrow's dissertation work (though not Saturday's). This means that I only have a little list of things to do tomorrow and Saturday and can spend most of both days with my mother. Please feel much sympathy for my mother, who knows not what I've done...
The housework, alas, did not get finished. It barely got started. It wasn't not on the list, but that's not the reason. I'm up to the stage (with what turned out to be a much nastier chest infection than I had thought) where it really hurts to do mopping and lifting. I couldn't even contemplate them a couple of days ago, so this is an improvement. The fact that I'm still awake (just) after such a long work day is also an improvement. I'm just not quite improved enough yet. I have four days left of antibiotics to get me there. By the time I finish I'll be doing 16 hours a day plus housework then dressing up and going to parties. Or not.
gillpolack @ 2011-02-24T12:10:00
I'm in danger of actually doing all the things I totally had to do by the end of the day or my life would fall to pieces. In fact, I'm doing so well (I know - famous last words) that, except for teaching and much housework, I only have four more hours work left today.
Tomorrow, my big task is to investigate sheep and goats. I might report back on this one.
Tomorrow, my big task is to investigate sheep and goats. I might report back on this one.
February 23, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-02-23T19:45:00
I'm very proud of myself. I don't know if any of you remember that Languedoc pea with a rather interesting name? Well, it is now in my novel. It even looks unforced (well, I hope it does, especially since I have made the inevitable pun.)
Quantum poets
Today was the first day of our seven weeks with Lederman and Hill (Quantum Physics for Poets). So far, Lederman and Hill are supremely easy to teach from. I'll write their book up properly for BiblioBuffet, when we're a bit more advanced. What I promised you here are the topics each Wednesday.
Today we discussed some of the major differences between classical science and quantum physics. We also discussed the difference between a physics that firmly predicted outcomes and one that relied on possibilities. We used the word "probabilities" a lot and mentioned the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. The class was disappointed we couldn't go into the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle today, because they thought it was a concept particularly suited to poets.
We divided the poems the class wrote into two groups: some reflected the world view of classical science and some of quantum.
If you post any poetry of your own on these topics, let me know and I'll link to it next week.
Today we discussed some of the major differences between classical science and quantum physics. We also discussed the difference between a physics that firmly predicted outcomes and one that relied on possibilities. We used the word "probabilities" a lot and mentioned the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. The class was disappointed we couldn't go into the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle today, because they thought it was a concept particularly suited to poets.
We divided the poems the class wrote into two groups: some reflected the world view of classical science and some of quantum.
If you post any poetry of your own on these topics, let me know and I'll link to it next week.
February 22, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-02-22T20:37:00
I'm back from teaching exceptionally early because a nice student gave me a lift. She has done several courses with me and so we caught up with the last twelve months or so on the way home.
This is my "time travelling in the Middle Ages" course and I used some of my own work on courtesy and respect tonight. I don't like writing it down, for some reason, but it was a lot of fun to talk about the relationship between social usage and hierarchy and why someone was called by one term or another. I did the work for the Beast - it's the sort of thing that writers need.
I'm under a lot more pressure to do something about the Beast than I was a couple of years ago. I've taken a close look at it and suspect that I could put a proposal in to a publisher and then do that which needs to be done (including with the bits that weren't mine ie redo them from scratch) in a reasonable time. I keep thinking, though, that writers don't really want a reference book specific to their needs - they really want a brainfeed pipelined from several Medievalists.
I've decided to take the Beast with me to the UK and talk to writers and Medievalists and other interested souls and come back with a decision. If you think there is a crying need for a manual for writers who want to use the French and English Middle Ages in novels and you will be in my vicinity betwen now and August, by all means demand a look at it and give me your opinion.
This is my "time travelling in the Middle Ages" course and I used some of my own work on courtesy and respect tonight. I don't like writing it down, for some reason, but it was a lot of fun to talk about the relationship between social usage and hierarchy and why someone was called by one term or another. I did the work for the Beast - it's the sort of thing that writers need.
I'm under a lot more pressure to do something about the Beast than I was a couple of years ago. I've taken a close look at it and suspect that I could put a proposal in to a publisher and then do that which needs to be done (including with the bits that weren't mine ie redo them from scratch) in a reasonable time. I keep thinking, though, that writers don't really want a reference book specific to their needs - they really want a brainfeed pipelined from several Medievalists.
I've decided to take the Beast with me to the UK and talk to writers and Medievalists and other interested souls and come back with a decision. If you think there is a crying need for a manual for writers who want to use the French and English Middle Ages in novels and you will be in my vicinity betwen now and August, by all means demand a look at it and give me your opinion.
gillpolack @ 2011-02-22T15:47:00
I have actually managed to rub something off my urgent list. In fact, today is so much better than yesterday, that I've done a bunch of things. I'm still behind and I'm still a bit bushwhacked, but I'm wondering if tomorrow will be the day where my work meets last Friday. That means by this Friday I shall be where I should have been on Thursday, and over the weekend I can venture into new terrain.
To be honest, if I can do my teaching prep now, and teach tonight and then finish just two of the more urgent items later tonight (and maybe finish reading one of those review books) I shall count it a very good day's work.
Tonight is the first night of my new short course on Time travelling in the Middle Ages. With my Wednesday students doing poetry involving physics and my Tuesday students exploring time travel, I only have one teaching session where my PhD doesn't overlap with teaching. To be honest, that's going to make my life much easier for the rest of term. I won't have to switch brains all the time. If I spend Thursday on articles and book reviews, in fact, then all of Thursday can be about doing varied stuff, and the rest of the week I can make inroads into the stuff that must be inroaded into. When I've caught up with myself, of course. Next week.
To be honest, if I can do my teaching prep now, and teach tonight and then finish just two of the more urgent items later tonight (and maybe finish reading one of those review books) I shall count it a very good day's work.
Tonight is the first night of my new short course on Time travelling in the Middle Ages. With my Wednesday students doing poetry involving physics and my Tuesday students exploring time travel, I only have one teaching session where my PhD doesn't overlap with teaching. To be honest, that's going to make my life much easier for the rest of term. I won't have to switch brains all the time. If I spend Thursday on articles and book reviews, in fact, then all of Thursday can be about doing varied stuff, and the rest of the week I can make inroads into the stuff that must be inroaded into. When I've caught up with myself, of course. Next week.
gillpolack @ 2011-02-22T12:03:00
Friends in and near Christchurch, I'm thinking of you.
