Screens, screens, screens

So, this lunchtime at Chez Warden my desk looked like the Batcave as I had three different screens on the go trying to keep up with the Guardian Higher Ed chat (I was a panelist and had a very jolly time) while attempting to solve some image issues for a journal article. I am hoping that everything worked just fine.

It has been a good week of projects and I have got most things done, including my Lincoln Academy lecture which is now finished at 49 minutes ish. It feels pretty good actually. I feel very privileged to be giving a Lincoln Academy lecture and it has been a great reminder of the need to make academic work accessible to a broad audience. This is a great challenge. I also did a bit of thinking/walking/thinking/walking about another book project which I have been putting together for a while. While wandering along with my notebook in hand I met a small frog that we have called Jumpy. That means that in our beautiful garden we have Harry the hedgehog, Cyril the squirrel and his girlfriend (who doesn't have a name at the moment), the duckies, the bunnies, the brave Ranciere-loving fieldmouse, Zach our neighbour's wonderful dog, a deer that hides a lot and Jumpy. It's practically a zoo! I love living here.

At the moment work is taking up a good lot of time and I am really enjoying it. In our relaxing evenings we have been watching two new HBO offerings - Veep (which I am not all that fond of, although last night's episode had some very funny lines) and Newsroom (which I love but led to a very long conversation between me and D the other night).  HBO are just the best! I've also been working out, enjoying a bit of golf and cooking more. I've finally found time and inclination to get back into cooking. When we first moved to Lincoln we left behind a huge kitchen and acquired the tiniest box ever. It made cooking a little more difficult and I got out of the habit of experimenting and simply hanging out in there. I'm glad to say that I've refound my vigour over the past few weeks.

Anyways, I have a couple more jobs to do before Friday is finished. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
CSW

Borgen and Bullseye...

...this has been the slightly odd televisual combination chez Warden this week. Last week was a great start back to university. There were some brilliant classes with some inspiring students. And then two (count them) full research days. I sent off three articles and nearly finished the fourth. On a roll! And then we had a very happy weekend looking at cars, eating at Uncle Henry's and stroking beautiful horses.

And so to our TV watching. I am a little obsessed with Borgen, the Danish political series. It is incredibly acted and avoids cliche very effectively. I'm in love with the fabulous Birgitte and, at one point today, actually thought 'how would Birgitte respond to this?' Hmm... They are showing Bullseye late at night on Challenge and it makes us feel all nostalgic, even though I didn't catch it first time round. Great jumpers, magnificent hairdos and the marvellously natural Jim Bowen at the helm. Watching this shows you, not just how much television has changed, but how much society has changed.

This evening I am crashing on with reading book proofs, watching University Challenge and preparing for tomorrow's documentary theatre class. All fun and games.

CSW

Nothing to report

Life in the Warden household continues apace with a mixture of sports, films, home jobs, meeting with friends and work. D and I have both been putting in fairly long hours in our respective workplaces recently. I always find that life gets quite chaotic at this time of year. Suddenly your 'to-do' list has doubled in size! We are very glad that, on the whole, we both enjoy our work. Evenings (when they've finally arrived) have therefore been quite quiet. We are on the last episode of the first season of Treme. We have so enjoyed this magnificent series. It won't be for everyone but I love it. Last night's penultimate episode was a terrific case in point. There are so many characters, so many incredibly complicated situations but the narrative never feels rushed or over-populated. David Simon et al are geniuses. The only comparable writer I can think of is Charles Dickens. In amazing novels like Our Mutual Friend and even shorter ones like Great Expectations, he manages to keep all his characters and landscapes under control. Simon and friends do likewise.

But other than that there really is nothing to report. Over the next few weeks we have a number of exciting things going on but right now all is quiet. Today has been dominated by grant applications (officially rubbish at them!), my wonderful first years (I told them they were inspiring this morning...and I really meant it) and faffy admin all amidst the swirling rainclouds of the East Midlands.

While things seem to just continue on at the moment I do feel as if I am learning a lot about all sorts of things. It's funny how you can find yourself in those sorts of periods sometimes. As I was walking to work this morning in my trackies (wet trousers are horrid!) I suddenly felt like going on a long hike somewhere in the mountains. I ended up at the LPAC (which isn't really the same thing) but the desire to go a wanderin' did not abate. Perhaps I'll get to go on a little trip this weekend...

CSW

Hot water bottles and woolly hats

So, autumn has arrived. The wind is cold and I wore double jumper layers today. Always glad for hot tea and hot water bottles. Anyways, we had a rather excellent and chilled out weekend, drinking coffee and eating Chinese food with friends, coming third in a quiz, looking at houses (just being nosy) and listening to a couple of great preaches. All in all it was exactly what I needed. This is, rather unbelievably, week 4 which means that we are nearly halfway through teaching for this term. Madness! It is all going well and last night was topped off by our journal reading group where we discussed a guy that actually looks like a cat. Academia!

Tonight I'm finally getting to do a bit of work on a grant application I've been meaning to sort out for a while. And I think an early night might go down well, especially given that I am turning all Simon Cowell tomorrow night as I judge the drama competition at Queen Elizabeth High School, Gainsborough. Last year the standard was remarkably high so I'm looking forward to it. Another relatively quiet weekend in store. I am loving relaxing weekends at the moment. D and I are just spending a lot of time hanging out, watching films, doing household chores and reading stuff.

We are also really enjoying our new box set Treme.  It is set in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina and, as usual for a David Simon/HBO combo it is thought-provoking, challenging and uplifting in equal measure. These HBO series are often a bit bleak and sweary but they provide such a wonderful insight into communities and their issues. Not knowing a great deal about the Hurricane and the devastation it caused, I have really been struck by the unbelievable decisions, oversights and social problems. Unusually for TV, this series does not try to provide easy answers or to romanticise society. Like The Wire it challenges your expectation of television in profoundly disturbing ways.

Other than that it's been work all the way really. Not even watched University Challenge yet as I was at the gym last night while D and his buddy played squash. After a couple of wee frustrations during the day I ran on the treadmill until I could run no further. Exercise is just mega! In total agreement with good ol' Apostle Paul.

Anyways, onwards. Peter Gabriel's super-duper new album New Blood is in the background. I have tea and a hottie. Everything is ready for a couple of quiet hours of grant application. It's at times like this that I feel so unbelievably blessed to have a cosy peaceful house, to know that D is working his way through the Smiths' back catalogue in the other room, and to just feel that everything is working together for good. Ace, huh?

Hope everyone is doing really well.
CSW

The Wow Factor

The title of today's blog is my least favourite aphorism in the English language. My hatred for this expression has been exacerbated recently by BBC Two's evening show, the Great British Menu. It is always quite fun to watch this while eating dinner (tonight it was hummus, falafel and salad pittas and frozen yogurt) but the frequent use of this cliche is driving me crazy. Tonight it was used five times...in a half hour show! Insane! What does it mean?!

I followed that up with a lovely workout. Getting a bit sweaty every day is definitely the key. I wore my Lincoln City away shirt, still in mourning for the Imps' relegation nightmare. And (what is now a Monday night ritual) we watched Game of Thrones. It was a particularly brutal episode with slightly too much tomato ketchup for my liking. But this series continues to impress. Tyrion Lannister is still my favourite. He has all the best lines. As I said before, be warned if you are going to give this series a go! But it is a fascinating exploration of power and court corruption.

We had a great Sunday with a preach on election - all very interesting, particularly for me as a four and a half pointer! This after a terrific meal at Doddington Hall with our friends. I was very glad to see the ribs on the menu. I've been eating far more veggie food recently as it is better for me and for the world, but those ribs are just too delish!

Today I have been holed up in my office in my old jeans working through my marking pile. It isn't going too badly and, as usual, there are some very bright moments. One strong filter coffee, lots of water, a selection of tunes (from Zimmer's soundtrack to Modern Warfare to Asia's Omega) and the sound of Lincoln rain battering the window helped me through, that and the gradual countdown to concert excitement and our Beijing trip. We have now booked a trip to the Great Wall (figured it would be better to hike up with folks who knew what they were doing than wander around on our own) and a day exploring the lesser-known parts of the city off the tourist trail. It's going to be amazing. I can't believe it's just around the corner now. I feel as if I have a lot of work to do before heading off!

Well, D is watching Muse concerts on youtube and I fancy a cuppa before bed. More marking tomorrow, though I'm hoping to get some Book in as well. D has found a new cafe (now our beloved Portico has changed hands) called the Angel so I might give that a go for a couple of hours and crack on with the redrafting. Hope everyone is having a great week.

CSW

Alba gu bràth

So, one noticeable thing I missed out of my last post was the election. In England it was boring, dull and predictable. But it was the Scottish election that kept the Warden household up. A virtually speechless D came to bed at about 3 in the morning. I sleepily asked what had happened and he replied (in a mystified voice) that the SNP had swept to victory and Labour had been well and truly smashed to bits. This went down rather well chez Warden. Salmond is a decent bloke and a canny politician, and his second in command, Nicola Sturgeon, used to be my boss and once very sweetly asked if I would mind passing the milk. Anyone who asks so politely surely has to be a good egg. Anyways, there was much happiness here and it is rare that politics leaves you with a warm glow.

The other thing I haven't mentioned properly yet is our latest TV series. We are currently enjoying HBO's Game of Thrones. Be warned, it is not for the faint-hearted, but there are a number of things to enjoy: 1) Sean Bean plays the lead. We love Sean. I need say no more. 2) there is a person of restricted growth (is that the right term?) playing a proper role. Generally disability is treated very poorly on TV and parts are few and far between. It is so refreshing to see an amazing actor in a brilliant role. Tyrion Lannister is fast becoming my favourite character. 3) it has a great soundtrack. 4) it is an incredibly exciting storyline populated by so many good characters. In typical HBO style it is a TV show that looks like a Dickens' novel.

I'm off for a snooze.
CSW

Lambing Live and a Wrestlemania review - what a combo!

So, the Warden household is currently a little obsessed with BBC 2's Lambing Live. It is a show about farmers and lambing...which doesn't, of course, sound that exciting. But with the wonderful Kate Humble as anchorwoman (I love her!) and so many sweet animals, coupled with the continual sense that these brave folks are battling with the elements to provide good TV, means that this is currently top of our watch list. Tonight, though, football took precedence so we'll catch it on iplayer later on.

I have also spent the week catching up on Sunday night's Wrestlemania. For those of you who don't want to know the scores, look away now... So, I wasn't totally blown away by this year's fayre. Some odd matches, some rushed matches and some weird endings. My highlights were: 1) John Morrison's amazing 'off the ropes' move. He is fast becoming my favourite wrestler (after Shawn, of course, but that goes without saying). 2) The pre-match videos. 3) The Undertaker v HHH match. OK, so I didn't hold out a great deal of hope for this one. It was going to be interesting and exciting (of course, given the high stakes), but I wasn't expecting a good match between two wrestlers who have barely been in the ring in recent months. But, they put on an amazing show, including a couple of truly mad moves, one of which saw the Undertaker nearly taking his own head off as he flew towards the Spanish Announcer's table. Man, these two old guys have still got it. Wasn't convinced by the Cena/Rock/Miz squabble (although some of this was resolved on Monday Night Raw) and Edge has gone down in my estimation after his somewhat pathetic outburst.

Anyone who doesn't care about this sort of populist drivel can resume their reading from here...

And, as for me, I'm glad it's Wednesday night. This is my last mad Wednesday. Before this teaching block, my Wednesday largely consisted of a couple of teaching hours, class prep, a lunchtime yoga class and a departmental meeting or two. This block, however, I have been running around like a mad thing! Today I managed twenty minutes of email checking and sushi as a lunchbreak. No complaints from me, though, as the students have been magnificent all day. The Adding Machine is really coming on. Just occasionally I hear Elmer Rice turning slowly in his grave as we turn the Guide into a lecherous old man, cast two women in the role of Shrdlu or act Lieutenant Charles with humorous asides...but I'm ignoring him! The whole play is really based on the students' ideas and just goes to show that you can really 'act the archive' with imagination and freedom. I'm excited by the precedent this sets.

Anyways, as Lambing Live is yet to appear on iplayer (boo!) so I'm going to have to find something else to do with my time before bed. To be honest, an early night is a jolly prospect as I haven't been sleeping well. Too much dreaming about work!

CSW

University Challenge and Challenges

See, three blog posts in a week. Da da!

The day was spent running at break neck speed around the LPAC in a pair of shoes that I shouldn't have slipped on this morning. It was a sneaker day really, given the amount of time I spent in Studio 2 but, as I was also interviewing perspective students, I felt a smart outfit was more appropriate. My feet are only just recovering and were not improved by tonight's squash game - soundly beaten, as usual. Tomorrow, in sharp contrast, is a quiet research day at home.

Anyways, today was mostly spent discussing promenade theatre spaces with my first years, carting boxes of paint around, meeting the stars of tomorrow and (most bizarrely!) turning balloons into skulls to be used as props for the mad Thomas Middleton play, The Revenger's Tragedy. Surely nobody else in the world had a day like that!

And, finally we got round to watching Monday night's University Challenge on iplayer. This is really the only show we never miss. It began as a bit of joke when D and I spent three months apart. Every Monday night we would get Skype going and watch UC together. It all gets rather competitive. Tonight was the last semi final and Magdalen College took the last place in the final. They're a pretty brilliant team and the final should be mammoth.

But D found an older American version of this show, which we enjoyed as a pre-UC warm up. It was the 1966 battle between the might of Princeton and the lowly women's college, Agnes Scott. Go the girls!  Thought I'd embed the final part below for your enjoyment.

Anyways, a quick cuppa and a snooze is in order.
CSW

Brooker and Flintoff Versus the World

Evening! After a total whitewash in our squash game tonight (D beat me six games to nil...and I didn't even play that badly!) we are now sitting watching England v Denmark and enjoying a peaceful night at home. It's been a lovely day of lectures and interviews, and, to my relief, my voice held out. It's been a little dodgy for a few days now. My throat is a bit sore but otherwise I feel totally fine. I'm hoping it won't escalate into something more dramatic!

So, last night we watched a bit of TV and, rather unusually, caught two interesting, enjoyable shows. My opinion of television is generally low - it appeals to the lowest common denominator of humanity. But here were two programmes I actually enjoyed. The first was Flintoff Versus the World, a show that follows ex-England cricketer, Freddie Flintoff, as he travels round the world with a couple of mates taking on extreme challenges like jumping off cliffs and riding bulls. So far, so predictable. However, Freddie is so endearing and sweet that it becomes rather lovely entertainment.

The second was the wonderful Charlie Brooker's How TV ruined your life. It was funny, smart and insightful. Last night Brooker was discussing the problem of lifestyle shows that present a totally unreasonable, (paradoxically) unreal view of reality. While I have a penchant for the occasional house design programme, I largely hate this sort of telly. I particularly hate shows that rely on either a) telling people with a modicum of talent and an on trend haircut that they are the next Whitney Houston/Stevie Wonder/etc or b) telling people already on an emotional knife-edge that they have no talent at all and are, actually, delusional fools. Preserve me! Fortunately, in Charlie Brooker, I have found a kindred spirit and he can rant and rave on prime time telly while I cheer on from the sofa. The language is a bit fruity so be warned if you catch it on iplayer.

Anyways, the game has finished and England has won a totally pointless, uninspiring match. Compare it to the Super Bowl and weep, UK sport fans. D has shoved on the latest episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm so more Larry is on the way. One more crazy teaching/meeting/admin day tomorrow and then a Friday research day to crack on with the Greenwood paper and book proposal. Looking forward to Friday Jazz as well.

CSW

The start of the Christmas holidays

Today was the final official day of term. We finished off with a jolly school meeting complete with mince pies. I celebrated by fighting through the crowds yesterday to pick up a lovely cardie from Marks - they were on special offer for just £10, down from £35. A proper bargain! The students have exactly 1 hour to hand their essays in and I'm hoping for a couple of weeks of research. I have a pile of books to read and an Introduction to tweak.

We are looking forward to Christmas jollity and, so far, the snow has kept away from Lincoln. It seems to be attacking the other side of the country this time. But there is a chill in the air so what better way to spend our Friday evening than watching the final episode of Kings. We really enjoyed this series. It was beautifully shot and finely acted. It was also really thought-provoking...and virtually impossible to categorise. I love its generic complexity. We couldn't guess how it would end and, with just an hour to go, there seemed to be far too many loose ends. And, brilliantly, they weren't all tied up by the final credits. It was ambiguous and totally compelling. There would definitely have been scope for another series if NBC had realised what a amazing piece of TV they actually had on their hands. But, unfortunately, someone in their wisdom decided that X-Factor/Pop Stars/Celebrity Dancing show would be a better choice. More fool them, I say!

And so we are looking forward to a weekend of tidying, writing and reading. We are off to a Christmas concert tomorrow which is lovely given that for the past decade my December has been chock full of Christmas gigs. This year has felt a little quiet and sad. We are having friends round afterwards which is an excuse for something mulled and some cheese methinks! If you are wondering about my reading list which has been somewhat static for a couple of months then you'll be glad to know that I am also hoping to do a bit of extra-curricular reading during the holidays.

Anyways, enjoy the weekend one and all. I'm off to drink a cuppa and beat D at our basketball computer game. I got close last night...

CSW

p.s. students, you now have 50 minutes...tick...tock...tick...tock...

A Handbag?

Goodness, I have watched a lot of Wilde wit and Restoration bawdiness over the last few days! Third year assessment ended at 6.30 this evening. We were suitably impressed by all. I am currently sitting in a lazy, sleepy state in my new Adidas hat. It is brown and like the one that Amy Williams wore at the Winter Olympics. It is an early Christmas pressie from D. How nice! Tomorrow we have site-specific assessments and the new hat may well make an appearance.

We are getting through the American series, Kings, at an alarming rate. At present it is our dinner time treat. As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, it is a Biblical allegory though it does take some pretty serious liberties with the original story. Yet it is no less entertaining for that. It didn't take off in the States and was cancelled halfway through the first series. This means that the later episodes feel a little rushed. However, it is a really interesting piece about power, faith, deception and courage. We decided that the reason it was cancelled was probably the incredibly complex characterisation. As audience members we have changed our mind a dozen times about the characters. Sometimes we feel sorry for the King and at others he seems to be a wholly despicable figure. Sometimes our sympathy is with David and then he goes and tells a whopping lie. What about the princess, the prince (goodness, no idea about him!), the queen, the advisors? These are not straightforward characters and I think they would prove extremely confusing for an audience, especially as it was advertised under the banner of sci-fi. We, however, are enjoying it immensely and Ian 'Lovejoy' McShane (who reminds me of childhood Sunday nights) is a revelation. He seems to be part of a growing group of Brits making good across the Pond. And 'hoorah to them', I say.

Anyways, I think I'll take another cuppa and go for an early snooze. Looking forward to a half research day tomorrow. It'll be a happy couple of hours on the Book. And it looks like the snow is on the way again so batten down the proverbial hatches. A White Christmas is just fine but a White Christmas Eve (given our planned Chris Rea-style 'travelling home for Christmas') could be a little problematic.

CSW

p.s. Many apologies if you have not yet received a Warden Christmas card - they are on their way!
p.p.s. If you get the gist of tonight's title then we should eat cucumber sandwiches together at a later date.

From the Earth to the Moon

This evening (while watching the highlights from the Commonwealth Games) D and I looked out of our large lounge window to see a beautiful crescent moon shining brightly. It was a wonderful sight. Of recent days the moon has become a more potent image in the Warden household as we are watching our way through the HBO series From the Earth to the Moon. I am really enjoying it. As usual with HBO series, it is clever, subtle and challenging. Each episode has a completely different feel with different directors approaching the script in a range of ways from the comedic last night to the bathetic tonight. Thoroughly recommended.

We enjoyed a very happy Sunday at church, with our friends and out at an old folks' home. As usual D was a hit with the old ladies. Elderly ladies love D - we aren't sure why but I put it down to his height and his Scottish accent. It always makes me laugh!

Anyways, yesterday I spent the morning on the book and the afternoon getting to grips with the finer points of Artaud. Yuck! Taught the latter today and all went well. I also saw my first years this morning who are doing a great job at present. They have lots of good, imaginative ideas. Assessment week is approaching so stress levels (student and staff) are increasing. I, as per usual, am the epitome of calm and cool.

We are looking forward to a trip to Edinburgh at the weekend. As usual it is half work and half pleasure. I'll spend Friday and Saturday morning in the library but we'll also get to catch up with friends and family. It'll also be a chance to see our new niece again now she is 5/6 weeks old. Can't wait to be back up in Auld Reekie!

I'm off to do a quick workout and then have a lovely bath as a reward. I've just started reading the Politics of Aesthetics by Ranciere for a staff book group next week. I suppose I'd better get on with that as well. I'll let you know what I make of it, though, I must warn you, if you are a Georgette Heyer fan by nature then it might not be your cup of tea. Hmmm....where's my copy of Friday's Child?

CSW

Come on the Cherry and Whites!

I am writing this post while watching the Super League Grand Final on D's iphone. Come on Wigan! I've just returned to Lincoln after a very jolly few days in Stockport with the parents. It was so good to see them! I also caught up with my cousin (studying in Manchester), Grandad and Granny. As well as see the fam I was also in the area to visit the Basil Dean archive at John Rylands Library. There is some really fascinating material including personalised signed photos from Stanislavsky! All very exciting! I'm pretty sure I'll be back in there to work on it again soon. This morning Mum and I even found time for a brief shop in their huge M&S. In keeping with my commitment to developing a smart academic wardrobe (once again, see the new additions to my blog roll) I bought a lovely new outfit - grey/black plaid skirt and a cosy black roll neck. Delighted!

Returned home to find D feeling a wee bit better. He is still a little pale and has a cough but onwards and upwards. No plans for the rest of the evening other than drinking tea, having a chat and perhaps watching another episode of our latest box set - From the Earth to the Moon. It's another HBO series (hoorah and hooray for HBO) and is a docu-drama based on the lead up to the moon landing in '69. It's a really intelligent and impressive bit of TV. We've only watched a couple of episodes but I think it's going to confirm the brilliance of the HBO guys.

Anyways, I'm going to return to the rugby. Wigan are currently on fire - long may it continue!

I'll post again in a couple of days.

CSW

And into the weekend...

So, dinner is in the oven (fish fingers and chips - yes, we are 6 years old! I'm even going to serve alphabet spaghetti with it. Oh, too yum!) and D is watching the golf so I thought I'd write a brief blog post as we head into the weekend. The golf is dominating Warden thought at the mo. It is only a recent interest of mine. I dip in and out, but get quite excited when it comes to the big tournament. The Open this year is from St Andrews, a place D and I know very well. Ask him to give you the Reformation tour and he'll even point out where Patrick Hamilton was burned at the stake.

I had a couple of meetings on Tuesday (including with my new boss!) but otherwise it has been book writing at home. It is all going rather well. I am working my way through the 'structure chapter' at the moment and am really enjoying the process. It is rather like piecing together a criminal case (Sherlock Holmes-esque) as there is so much information to put into some sort of order. I am hoping to get the whole first draft done by Christmas so I'd better get a shifty on.

After watching both series of Ashes to Ashes earlier this year, D and I have started on the earlier Gene Hunt series, Life on Mars. It is good to have Hunt back in our lives and it is really interesting telly - a rare thing I find. We've also been playing a bit of D's new Wii Mario Game. I am completely hopeless at computer games but in this one I can play a Luma and just help D out. This is much more pleasant! As for current reading matter, I am enjoying a few wonderful articles in the London Review of Books as a break from book research but fiction/'fun' reading has been put to one side for the week as I get enough written words during the day!

A quiet weekend coming up. Sunday is quite busy with church lunch and a service at the local nursing home. I am 'doing a turn' so I'd better get my guitar head on! Tomorrow will be spent cleaning, working and watching golf I should think, although we might head out for breakfast. Anyways, I can smell fishfingers so I'd better get off.

Enjoy the weekend one and all.

CSW

Marking is finished!

After a pretty late night last night marking has now finished for another term. I have a bit of second marking to do tomorrow but otherwise the university year has officially finished. There were some really good essays. A mixture of music kept me going last night from the beautiful folkie melodies of Knopfler et al (inevitable listening given last Friday's concert) to the bombastic soundtrack to Modern Warfare 2. MW2 is, apparently, a computer game (this computer game thing is just not on my radar although we do have a Wii which I enjoy when we have mates round - a competitive game of bowling is about my limit!). Well, either way, the music is written by Hans Zimmer so I'm not complaining. The soundtrack is also 8 hours long so plenty of repetitive epic chord sequences to get me (and keep me) in the zone.

Over the past few days three wrestling DVDs have dropped through our door from the good people at Amazon. All three are about The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels...so are evidently for me! D at his present-buying best. We watched the first documentary last night. One of the reasons I really like Michaels (other than his unbelievable wrestling skills...seriously) is the change he has seen in his own life since he became a Christian. Given his party animal reputation, drug problem and his ability to really get on people's nerves, he probably made a fairly unlikely Follower of Christ. But his commitment is unwavering and, by his own admission, the Holy Spirit has really transformed him. He is still (or was until he retired - boo hiss - earlier this year) one of the most talented guys to ever enter the ring, but he now has something greater.

So I've begun the research. It always takes me a little while to move from teaching mode to research mode. This has certainly been the case today, though I got 600 words down. They probably aren't very good words mind you. Lots of 'ands' and 'thes' as Mum likes to remind me.

I have a couple of conference abstracts to write and two full book chapters.

And still enjoying all of the ins and outs of the British political scene. It seems like universities are going to face some real cuts. The relationship between David and Nick is becoming ever more jovial and brotherly. My colleague and I are teaching a collaborative module in 'politicising the theatrical space' next term, and we are trying to source a couple of those wicked 'I agree with Nick and Dave' t-shirts. Ah, good times.

So the next couple of days are dominated by second marking, reading and research and watching a terrific HBO (them again, if only Britain could have such a magnificent purveyor of televisual genius - sigh) series called John Adams that we have in a box set. I know nothing about this period of American history and I'm learning a great deal as I do my ironing (for those unaware of the Warden tradition, I do the family ironing while D buys me box sets on Amazon to watch as I do it). Today the 13 states (actually 12, apparently New York abstained) signed Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and all that. And Laura Linney (who I love) does a great turn as Mrs Adams. Well worth a watch if you can catch it.

Enough! A cup of tea beckons.

CSW

And now you find yourself in '82...

...and if you get the reference in the title then we should definitely be friends. So I have just finished watching the first episode of Ashes to Ashes on iplayer. It is a BBC show based in the 1980s following a group of coppers. But the 'high concept' bit is that the lead lady has actually travelled back in time from the 21st century (after being shot - yes, I know...) and is trying to work out what on earth is going on. Sounds like a recipe for television disaster but actually it is rather enjoyable. The DCI is Gene Hunt (if you are currently following the elections you'll notice that David Cameron has been compared - unfavourably - to him) and he is a pretty complex soul. I have absolutely no idea what is going on but I'm enjoying the journey. Speaking of Journey, the soundtrack is just brilliant.

Having grown up in the 1980s, I feel a little nostalgic about it. Yes, it was the decade that brought us shell suits, crimped hair and the collapse of British industry but it also gave us the Commodore computer, the A-team and some of the most magnificent music ever heard in the ears of man. Ignore punk, (which was rubbish...that is it...there is no discussion necessary on this issue) the 1980s witnessed the rise of Asia and Yes with Trevor Rabin. Huzzah on both accounts! Oh, and Mark Knopfler was wearing his trademark headband. We are seeing Knopfler in concert in a few weeks. We booked it via t'internet on a sunny day in Portugal (so that'll be last September then) when we knew nothing of this move to Lincoln. So we are heading right back up to Weegie land for it. Showbiz, huh?

As expected the week is pretty busy. I didn't get back tonight until 7.30. Just a couple of weeks of slightly mad running about and then a good few months of research time. It does mean that I only have a couple of days of teaching left though. This block has been just great and I'll really miss the students. Still the show to come though...

Anyways, I'm going to get a cuppa before snoozing. Have a magnificent week. I'm off to dig out my leg warmers.

CSW

The weekend arrives...

...and I am currently sitting in my office post-conference, pre-assessment. The weather is very pleasant and I might head out for a walk in a bit. D has been out and about in the new car and seems very pleased with it all. It'll be a quiet Saturday night after a super busy week.

Anyways, if we had Sky (which we don't) we'd be watching the glories of Wrestlemania this weekend. Now, I am no wrestling fan; in fact I would go so far as to say that I thought it was a lot of rubbish until D sat me down to watch a couple of fights. It is strangely, indeed almost morbidly, compelling. Although it sounds really 'poncy', I appreciate wrestling for its theatricality. And I'm not alone in this...just ask the theorist Roland Barthes. If it's good enough for Barthes, then it's good enough for me. My favourite wrestler has to be the great Shawn 'the Heart Break Kid' Michaels. D and I watched last year's match with the Undertaker just a couple of days ago, and tomorrow they will be fighting again. Let's see if Shawn can't come out on top this time.

After finishing series 3 of The Wire I did threaten to write a bit more on my decision to watch it and my response to it. So, since I have a couple of hours (don't panic!) to kill, I thought I'd carry on my argument from a couple of weeks ago. Last time the post was entitled 'why I watched The Wire but will not be watching Valentine's Day: the Movie'; this time I am taking as my theme, 'why I watched The Wire but will be going out of my way to miss all the episodes of the latest Andrew Lloyd Webber vehicle on the Beeb'. I think he is searching for Dorothy (Wizard of Oz) after finding leads for virtually every other show in the West End via this format.

So it leads me to my problem with these TV singing contests. I hate them...and I'm not just being a big snob. Tonight (does it start tonight?) a group of people who have a modicum of talent will sing for public approval (and the approval of Charlotte Church no less) on live TV for the dubious pleasure of playing Dorothy in the West End. This 'bit of harmless fun' (check out the last Wire post for my problem with this concept) will allow us to spend our Saturday evenings in a comatosed state in front of the box. Yippee! Not only that but a new bunch of victims will start dreaming of the 'big time' and start saying sadly worrying statements like 'this is my life' and 'I'd do anythign to win this show' etc etc. What such an experience does for one's mental state, I dread to think.

By contrast, on Thursday we watched the last episode of series 3 of The Wire. The end of the Barksdale drug dynasty, the fate of Stringer, Jimmy's apparent transformation, the rise of cold-hearted Marlo and gang, all these stories have stayed with me and continue to get make me think. It wasn't easy to watch, of course. But I feel duly inspired to actually reconsider our urban spaces and the lived experiences of its occupants. And then D came across this rather brilliant website set up by the cast members who, through their roles in The Wire, were challenged to make a difference in Baltimore and beyond. TV that makes a real difference in the 'real world'. How amazing if that! So right on The Wire. It isn't for everyone and, be warned, it is tough stuff. But The Wire has been a revelation for me. It has challenged my perception of TV as genre, challenged my assumptions about the lives of others and, hopefully, spurred me on to actually do something positive.

Anyways, the assessment beckons. We'll be off to church tomorrow and are really looking forward to seeing our new friends at LEC.

Enjoy the sunshine.
CSW

The World Cup in Lincoln!

So what have the Wardens been up to in their second weekend back together, I hear you ask. Well, last night we had a jolly evening at Sincil Bank. We now both have red and white scarves so we must be proper fans of the mighty Lincoln City. It was a particularly special night at the Bank and the place was packed to the rafters. We first had a rather poignant celebration of Keith Alexander, Macclesfield manager and Imps legend, who died last week. A minute of silence, the first verse of 'Abide with Me' and a minute of applause for a genuinely nice chap. Football is a funny thing. Generally it makes you want to scream and throw things, but just occasionally there is a lovely moment when you realise the power of the beautiful game. In the midst of the applause there was a brief glimpse of something wonderful and emotional.

Anyways, on with the game. Really a very good match with Lincoln winning 3-1. Even a couple of spectacular goals to enjoy. Up the Imps! At half time on comes England World Cup winner (we won in 1966, in case you didn't know), Martin Peters, to hold the World Cup trophy (yes, the real one) aloft. Quite hilarious really as Lincoln had promoted it heavily as a 'trophy parade'. Despite the pleadings of the excellent Sincil Bank compere, the security man would not allow Martin Peters to carry it round the ground and it was duly returned to its box after just a couple of minutes. Cue much booing from the disappointed crowd. Not even Poacher had a hold. The trophy was whisked away in a Harrod's helicopter (Mr Fayed helping out again) which had parked on the astro turf pitch. At least we got to see the trophy - it was shiny. Lincoln was the only UK city on the FIFA World Cup Trophy tour...for some reason.

And so on to today. A quiet day of marking and tidying. After reading Em's blog posts this week I have been simultaneously wracked with guilt and inspired onwards with a bit of cleaning. I enjoy having a nice peaceful (tidy!) place to live, though our house will never be minimalist. At least the floor has been brushed now. Fulfilling the 'canny Scot' stereotype, we also went up to town as it was free entrance at the Castle. There were owls, archers, re-enactment and, of course, the obligatory fire engine (the fire brigade always turn out for these sort of events). Much fun had by all. It was topped off by lunch at our favourite wee cafe, Zoot.

In a break from essay marking this evening we watched an interesting programme on BBC 2 called 'Requiem for Detroit' while eating a spectacular fish pie bought from a wee shop on the Bailgate. It was a fascinating exposition of the rise and fall of this American city. Really it was a discussion of economics, capitalism and the consumer society. Detroit seemed full of empty buildings and factories, and what I found particularly striking was the way nature seemed to be reclaiming the urban landscape. The ivy climbed up derelict houses, trees grew on factory forecourts. It was really amazing. Although in many ways this was quite a depressing look at the lunacy of consumerism (says I with my Mac laptop and my glass of Diet Coke - yes, I can see the irony!), the final section went beyond the drugs and poverty, and examined the growth of Detroit's cottage industries. Certainly got me thinking. In our society we place such importance on what we have. Everyone is striving for more stuff and, judging by the shocked response of most people to recent economic troubles, everyone expects that this Western consumer capitalist empire will continue forever. It can't of course, and the post-American Dream Detroit illustrates this perfectly. As Ecclesiastes says "As goods increase,/so do those who consume them./And what benefit are they to the owner/except to feast his eyes on them" (Ecc 5.11). The Bible, irrelevant? Hmm...I think not. I'd recommend 'Requiem for Detroit' if you have access to BBC iplayer.

Anyways, I'm off to watch the Football League Show to see if I can spot us on the telly. I might even have a cup of camomile tea. It's all rock and roll chez Warden! Hope you have a great, blessed Sunday folks.

CSW

Why I watched 'The Wire' but will not be watching 'Valentine's Day Movie'

So, life here in Lincoln continues to go well. Had a lovely evening doing a bit of student assessment and then eating out at a Polish restaurant with my lovely new Polish colleague. Fabulous borsht!

Received a very welcome card from my dear friend Emily today (cheers Em!) along with a book I had leant to her (Corrie Ten Boom's Prison Letters - I'd recommend it heartily. It is an amazing story of faith under serious persecution). Anyways, the card mentioned that she had read my recent post about The Wire and she was interested to see my thought processes as I came to the decision to watch it. So I thought I'd expand on an earlier post by going through my reasons. It is a brutal ol' thing, often incredibly painful to watch...so why spend my time on it? I'm hoping to address the issues not because I am fond of the sound of my own voice (although I have my moments) but because I hope it will help my friends as we all consider our best use of our leisure time and what we should watch. As a Christian this is an important question for me, but I hope it is a important question for all my friends regardless of faith or creed.

So here we go with the pithy (can you tell I'm an academic? :-) ) question: Why I watched 'The Wire' but will not be watching 'Valentine's Day Movie' . First a brief caveat; my intention is not to compel anyone to watch The Wire nor is it to condemn those who enjoy a good rom com. Rather it is to get us thinking a bit. Please ignore at will if it isn't helpful.

I watched series two of The Wire partly due to the effect it had on D. At first I made the decision that it 'was not my kind of thing'. As I've said before, I am a Gaskell girl at heart and like my novels thick and wordy, my plays political and engaged, my music with good vocals and a folky guitar, and my art with intricate brush strokes. What I do not like is ugliness, pretension (I know, ironic isn't it?), unnecessary violence, dullness, explicit sex scenes (just no need!) and shock for the sake of shock. I must admit I placed The Wire firmly in this category and rejected it out of hand. That was until I saw its effect on D. Now, D is pretty unflappable but he was obviously pretty moved by the whole thing. This is unusual and made me look again at this American series.

I spent some time thinking about the whole issue and I started considering the slightly larger question of why we watch certain things and not others. I am convinced of the maxim 'once it's in your head, you can't get it out' and am careful about what I shove in my brain. So, I thought, what about the films we call 'harmless fun'? These generally follow a similar pattern: an impossibly beautiful woman falls in love with an impossibly good looking man, they quickly reach first base (ahem!), they fall out because a) there is some infidelity or b) because they cannot actually communicate with one another, not having the ability to formulate basic sentences. They both have best friends who are either impossibly good looking like themselves or else unnaturally ugly...but funny. They work through the blip with copious amounts of champagne (substitute alcoholic beverage of your choice), having a quick fling or looking with tear-stained eyes at their reflection in a mirror. Then (cue a song by an X-Factor winner) they bump into each other in the street/meet at a party/lock eyes in a busy restaurant, realise they are deeply in love and kiss in a snowy street. There will be too much (and completely inauthentic) swearing and at least one sex scene that pushes it just up to the 15 certificate level. And it will make the audience either cry, laugh or sigh. Forgive me if I sound like a prude or a cynic!

And yet we watch rom coms without thinking. They bombard us with unnaturally beautiful people. They present the notion that you are not a 'real person' unless promiscuous and/or adulterous. They suggest that these hopelessly single-faceted people can have completely happy endings with no pain or suffering or duty. Basically, they give us lies. There are some wonderful exceptions to this rule, of course, but they are few and far between. These are films that are amoral, that is without any morals at all - other, of course, than personal feelings. If it feels good, then it must be good.

And so on to The Wire. Certainly more swearing, most definitely more conflict, generally more drunkenness. But (and here is the reason I would so heartily recommend it) it is engaged, thought-provoking, educational, challenging and, at its heart, a purveyor of truth. Now, don't get me wrong; The Wire is a TV show and therefore inevitably fictional. But it is infused with truth at every turn and allows the audience to sit right on the edge of the seat, make a bit of an effort to engage and have a shocking insight into fractured C21 society. Surely that is something to grab and grapple with. So, why not try something that will provoke and inform you with truth this weekend, whether it is finding a good political blog, reading a report about people who are persecuted for their faith overseas or, indeed, watching series two of The Wire. Not only will you be more informed about the state of the world but, hopefully, it will lead us to care for others more and get practically involved in changing society. Ah, call me utopian if you wish.

Phew, if you have made it this far then you deserve some sort of a medal! Hope that answers your question Em and hope it has been useful for everyone else. Feel free to leave a comment.

You'll be pleased (!?) to know that I'll probably come back to this theme at some stage. Mum and Dad are arriving this weekend. Can't wait to see them.

CSW

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Well, I may now live further south than previously but today Edinburgh was bright and sunny whereas here in Lincoln we had some serious snow. All quite exciting actually.

So I finished 'Lillies' last night. I couldn't sleep (funny how insomnia hits at times - no real reason at all!) so sat up until half one watching the last episode. I would definitely recommend it and it seems a shame they only did one series. Lots of interesting class and family issues to mull over. I have now moved on to my next box set (another provided by D) - 'Berkeley Square'. It looks at the lives of three nannies at the turn of the century (C19-C20 that is - goodness I hadn't quite realised that now we have entered the C21 this sort of statement becomes a little confusing!) and their households. I've only watched a couple of episodes (I had quite a bit of ironing this evening!) but am enjoying it so far.

This evening I spent a good couple of hours working on a play I am directing in the new term. It is Ewan MacColl's 'Uranium 235' and I've wanted to do a wee student production of it for a good long time. It looks at the development of nuclear fission; not a very exciting theme for a play you may say, but MacColl creates a very exciting, varied piece, with a bit of dialogue, a bit of dance, a bit of music and, inevitably, a large scoop of lefty politics. Really looking forward to leading the students through it.


Listened to the 'Sherlock Holmes' soundtrack as I wrote. Zimmer did a great job. It is really atmospheric and reminds me of a very happy day with D.

Anyways, I'm off to bed. A nice but busy teaching day tomorrow and, after my 'Lillies' marathon last night, I think some snoozing might be in order. Boris and David the Pot-bellied bear are still doing their best to keep me company.

Have a fab week.
CSW