Norwich!

Hello to the always fine city of Norwich. 

I trained in last night, had a lovely late film night with a mate, and am giving a lecture today. 

Have several tea/coffee/pub/dinner dates with various mates this afternoon and evening after the lecture. 

Tonight is quality time with the Maestro - photos of Iorwerth shall be gracing Facebook soon. ;)

Tomorrow meals with loved ones at m favourite Norwich restaurants, and Sunday I will be giving a stunning performance as "Stubborn Donkey" at the Octagon Unitarian Chapel. 

Meanwhile, Norwich Castle in sunshine and daffodils:

Dorm Room Diplomacy: Gender

One of the organisations I volunteer with, Dorm Room Diplomacy, has started a new programme this semester: Foundations. Unlike the regular 10-week sessions I facilitate, the "Foundations" sessions are just three weeks long and topically focused, rather than longer-term relational sessions during which a variety of topics are discussed per group choice.
This semester, I'm helping to run the Foundations Session on gender issues. I have eight undergraduate students from across America, Palestine, Afghanistan, Turkey...
Last week during our first chat, we addressed the basic definitions of sex and gender, the social construction of gender, and a historical overview of feminism globally.
Today, I invited my AMENDS buddy Nihal Saad Zaghloul, an epic gender activist from Egypt who began the Imprint Movement, working against sexual harassment on the streets in Cairo. More recently, Nihal has launched a campaign to create gender studies curriculum and knowledge written in Arabic. Her work was recently featured in a great article (written in English!) - http://communitytimes.me/one-woman-seeks/. 
The group had a great time with Nihal, chatting about strategies for countering sexism and harassment, the political and religious climate in Egypt, and Western views on women in the Muslim world. Really great issues were raised and grappled with. At the end of the session, I think our major consensus was: "I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!"

The internet has dehumanised a lot of things we do. But it's also provided an incredibly powerful platform for serious relationship-building and knowledge sharing.

Hello, power!

MWAHAHAHAHA

Sorted.
:)
I am a home electrical engineering genius.
AKA, I managed to flip additional fuse switches properly.
Excellent.
Most excellent.
Welcome back, power. You were missed.

Good-bye, power

I am apparently feeling some Michigan solidarity or something this morning. 

My shared clothes dryer was a bit on the fritz this morning...nothing that seemed overly unusual, but it paused in the middle of a cycle. And then, trying to turn back on...no power of any kind in the house. One assumes that they are related, but perhaps one is wrong. I have tried the very basic fuse switches to no effect. Had to take frigid - and I do mean frigid - tap-hair-cleansing action, since my power shower won't send any form of water via shower without power. Ha. And my hot water is off because I never use it (that'll teach me to conserve). And then had to run off to church. 

This afternoon's task is to turn absolutely everything on and off and try to get something, anything, running again. And/or call the power company. 

It's all very exciting. 

It would be more interesting/less obnoxious if I weren't supposed to be on a Skype business meeting in 20 minutes. Ahem. 

The PhD Saga Continues

Oxford. You're killing me.

For the first time last weekend, I truly enjoyed a day in Oxford.

I've been half a dozen times or so, but it's never really been all that pleasant weather-wise (even though I've been at all times of the year). I don't find it as pretty as Cambridge. It's larger than Cambridge. It's not as close to Norwich as Cambridge.

You get the picture.

But last Saturday, I was there once again visiting mates and having some meetings. And on Saturday...the sky was blue, the river was flowing, the birds were singing...blah blah blah. And it was lovely.

So here I am. Okay, Oxford, maybe I'll keep considering you for doctoral programmes.

Today in the office, arrives an email:

"Dear Rebecca Farnum,

"Thank you for your application to the DPhil in Public Policy programme at the Blavatnik School of Government.  Your application has now been assessed and it is with pleasure that we extend this interview invitation to you...[details]."

Oh. Well, fine. Way to keep me on my toes and make use of a window of opportunity and my good graces, there, Oxford.

I, of course, reply: 

"My sincere thanks for this interview offer. I am happy to accept and will make myself available...I look forward to our conversation on Monday."

6.5 hours later, I receive an email telling me they need to reschedule my interview for later next week.

 

...

 

You're killing me, darlings.

But, anyway. I'll be interviewing for Oxford sometime.

Cambridge doesn't do interviews, but can take "several months" to decide. So just sitting around waiting for them.

King's College London has formally offered me a place already.

I, meanwhile, continue to sit here, "tripolarly", unable to actually identify a first choice. The upside to this is that I will be quite happy wherever I end up. :)

Pancake Day

Lent is the 40 day (not including Sundays) season before Easter. It commemorates the forty days Christians believe Jesus spent in the desert fasting and praying before beginning his ministry.

The day before Lent is full in most predominantly Christian countries of various celebrations marking the last day of "naughtiness" before we clean up our act, or our kitchens, or our tv habits, or whatever. Christians generally give up something for Lent. For Catholics, this is pretty well prescribed - no meat on Fridays. And thus the origin of the Friday Fish Fry, everyone coming together for a non-meat meal. In most Protestant denominations, individuals choose what they'll give up. Chocolate is a common one. Increasingly, people choose to "fast" from Facebook and things like that. Others add something on - devotions in the morning, exercise routines, time intentionally spent with family, etc. 

Yesterday was "Pancake Day" in the UK - the day before Lent, there's a tradition of eating crepes. It's mostly lost its religious significance - but who's going to turn down a crepe!?! In the US, communities celebrate Mardi Gras with a huge party or "Fat Tuesday", eating lots of packzi - donuts made from all the lard, sugar, eggs, and lard not allowed during Lent by Catholic practices in Poland. 

So...happy desserts or lack thereof as Lent continues!

Photos from "Bright Futures"

A few shots from my shenanigans last week: