Swallows and Amazons

If I were ever going to join a literary group to be a part of, I'd seriously consider the Arthur Ransome Society. Swallows and Amazons = awesome.

Boy Scout Camp

"However, before he published [Scouting for Boys, Baden-Powell] tested out his methods with a small experimental camp on Brownsea Island.... Wild and well wooded, with sandy shores, it was good Scouting country and, more importantly perhaps, from B.-P.'s point of view, it was remote and unobserved. To this island, then, came men, boys and gear, and on 29th July, 1907, the historic camp began."

-- B.-P.'s Scouts: An Official History of The Boys Scouts Association (1961), by Henry Collis, Fred Hurll, and Rex Hazlewood

Bus Inspiration

I am a PREACHER of the WORD, the WRITTEN WORD.

For anyone who knows me, I hope you find that as funny as I do.

Whoa Wednesday

Whoa, Wednesday, as in, 'Whoa, Wednesday, where did you go?!'

To my dissertation, that's where. Time spent on the final piece edits and proof-reads of my MA 20,000 word analysis/argument/total fun. Yes, I did just write total fun because even if deadlines make the nerves rattle, I loved every minute of crafting my argument, doing the research, even getting feedback. I was up until 2 am last night putting in the gorgeously edited photos of picturebook double page spreads my lady love photoshopped up for me, woke this morning to finish off the bibliography and abstract; I'm off the printers on Friday. Wham, bam, done.

Whoa, Wednesday, I missed you here, but it was so good over in Word.

Alexander Doty, Making Things Perfectly Queer

"While we acknowledge that homosexuals as well as heterosexuals can operate or mediate from within straight cultural spaces and positions--after all, most of us grew up learning the rules of straight culture--we have paid less attention to the proposition that basically heterocentrist texts can contain queer elements, and basically heterosexual, straight-identified people can experience queer moments. And these people should be encouraged to examine and express those moments as queer, not as moments of "homosexual panic," or temporary confusion, or as unfortunate, shameful, or sinful lapses in judgement or taste to be ignored, repressed, condemned, or somehow explained away within and by straight cultural politics--or even within and by gay or lesbian discourses" (Doty, Making Thing Perfectly Queer: 3).

Drugs are Bad

Apparently mixing one head cold + two Day Nurse tablets (like Tylenol) + one chocolate croissant + one hour long Tube ride = puking next to the Bingo Hall in public.

Darts

I have learned this evening that watching darts on television is actually more exciting than a lot of sports. Sure, it's a one-man show. Sure, there's no pitch or outdoor scenery. But the game never stops progressing. Every throw moves it. It may be similar to tennis, but even easier. Perfect for a Sunday sofa leisure time.