Ah, the university fresher’s fair. If, like me, you love your free stuff, then this is the event to be at. The York university one was actually a couple of weeks ago but only now have I had enough time to go through my loot. (For some reason my course modules want me to do … Continue reading On Freshers’ Fairs
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On Stationery, and Being a Postgrad Fresher
A new term has begun. After a year out of academia, I’m returning to university to do a Masters course in Medieval Studies. I’ve always been a big fan of the September-back-to-school feeling, and this year is no exception. I’m going back to big school! I love autumn anyway, but this is also the part … Continue reading On Stationery, and Being a Postgrad Fresher
On Why I’m Annoyed with the Labour Party, and They’ve Not Even Announced a New Leader Yet
I am canny hacked off with the Labour Party. This isn’t a general “oh you’ve got a silly policy there” or “you‘ve elected a total muppet to lead your party” grumble – as I type we’ve not heard the leadership election result yet. No, this, this time it’s personal. They’ve not let me have a … Continue reading On Why I’m Annoyed with the Labour Party, and They’ve Not Even Announced a New Leader Yet
On Things I Learnt Working in Offices
It’s been a while since my last post – most remiss of me, I hadn’t realised how quickly the summer had flown by! I’ve spent the last 3 or so months interning at various museums, publishers and libraries in London, and doing something I’ve never done before: a proper 9 to 5 in an office. … Continue reading On Things I Learnt Working in Offices
On the Cuming Museum
Recently I’ve been volunteering at the Cuming Musem in Southwark, London. (It’s pronounced “Queue-ming”, by the way.) The collection is made up of all sorts of things, some representing Southwark’s social history and others from around the world, including ethnographic material, art, geological specimens and archaeological finds. And stuffed animals, because why not? This is … Continue reading On the Cuming Museum
On Efficiently Freeloading Booze and Nibbles at Events
It is a truth universally known that where there’s an official reception or formal get-together, there will be free food and drink. Works things, launch parties, family and friends’ formal events: no doubt you’ve been to this sort of thing. They’re pretty good fun, and in my current posts volunteering at a couple of museums … Continue reading On Efficiently Freeloading Booze and Nibbles at Events
On Commonplace Cultural Differences 2: London
The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that I’ve not posted for a couple of weeks. My apologies; my usual routine has been upset by shifting from home in the North-East to London for a few months. Here, I’m balancing photograph digitisation at the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, tracking down the locations of coins at … Continue reading On Commonplace Cultural Differences 2: London
Electoral Musings: Disenchanted but Not Disenfranchised
There we have it. I have played my part in democracy. I have cast my vote. I put the cross in the box, sealed the envelope and sent off my postal ballot. And how does it feel, to have taken part in a general election for the first time? Pretty anti-climactic, actually. This isn’t just … Continue reading Electoral Musings: Disenchanted but Not Disenfranchised
On Cocktails
“Never trust any complicated cocktail that remains perfectly clear until the last ingredient goes in, and then immediately clouds.” – Terry Pratchett “Cocktails” – funny word for a drink genre, isn’t it? Although we think of them as a very 20th century concept, the word “cocktail” first appeared to refer to a drink in 1798’s … Continue reading On Cocktails
On the Real Neat Blog Award!
Scranshums has been nominated for the Real Neat Blog Award! I’m canny flattered, and many thanks to A.J Sefton for nominating me. Do go and check out A.J’s great history blog. There’s lots of Anglo-Saxon stuff, which I like. The ‘rules’ of the Real Neat Blog Award are: (feel free not to act upon them … Continue reading On the Real Neat Blog Award!
Scranshums 