Beam me up, Riff Raff (via the Bad Astronomer)

Dick Cheney in 1994 on Iraq

Pictures from Hungary

Neil Gaiman goes to Springfield

Student Evaluation Forms

I have an upcoming review meeting for one of the modules I tutored on this past year. In preparation I have been given the evaluation forms given to the students at the end of the term to assess the course. The course in question has no final exam. The marks/grades are based entirely upon two essays that the students submit. I share with you some of the students' thoughts on the module. In the comments section for assessment, this one student said: "An exam on this topic would be hellish + frightening." So I'm guessing this student would prefer that we keep the current method of assessment. Another evaluation form was filled out by a very keen student who wanted to extend the seminar and workshop time to two hours per session. Although I'd get paid more, I'm not sure I would agree to such a change. My favourite comment: "seminar leader Michael Garcia did a brilliant job."

Most of the evaluations were very positive and the students seemed to really enjoy the course. That makes me very happy and although I probably won't feel the same way in September, I am looking forward to teaching the course again. In the past I've had these grand ideas for how to approach the subject and make it interesting for the students, but sadly I feel that I don't implement a third of the ideas. What usually ends up happening is that I get so busy with my thesis or something else that I just review the material the night before the seminar, doing the minimal amount of preparation required. And I feel guilty about that because I know I can do more. I need to re-read these evaluation forms just before next term so that it will inspire me to put more effort into tutoring.

Durham

This past Saturday, Medieval Group had an excursion to Durham to see the Anglo-Saxon stone sculpture housed in the Monk's Dormitory. So at 9:45 I met a couple other medievalists and friends of medievalists at the train station for the journey. The train was crowded and I could tell that tourist season had began, as quite a few Americans were conspicuously present.

The weather was wonderful. We walked from the station up to the cathedral and lunched at the restaurant across from the treasury. We got there early in order to have time to look around the cathedral itself before going to see the sculptures.

Durham is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in England. It was built with this wonderful orange sandstone. Construction on the present cathedral began in 1093 and it was finished after 40 years and most of the original structure is still intact. The main part of the cathedral is an excellent example of Romanesque architecture, and later additions, the Gallilee Chapel and Chapel of the Nine Altars, are built in the gothic style.

The cathedral is significant not only for its architectural beauty, but also because it is where the bones of St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede now rest. Cuthbert was originally buried at Lindisfarne and Bede at Jarrow, but during period of Viking attacks, their bones were moved and eventually both ended up at Durham. You can see Cuthbert's wooden coffin (made in 697 when he was dug up 11 years after his death and found to be incorrupt) in the treasury. It's amazing to see an intact wooden coffin from the seventh century. Pictures of the apostles and archangels decorate the coffin. Bede rests in the Gallilee chapel. I still get goosebumps every time I go to his tomb. His work is such a pivotal part of my research. Because of Bede we know so much about the early history of England. Yet, part of my thesis is critique of Bede and reconstructing what he is deliberately not telling us. In my mind I picture him as resembling Ian Holm.

The tour of the Monk's Dormitory was great. Instead of housing monks, it is now used as a library, the type I'd like to spend my time lounging in. The stone sculpture was fantastic. Catherine Karkov, one of the foremost experts on Anglo-Saxon stone sculpture, gave a talk about the artefacts we saw in the Monk's Dormitory.

So, I took pictures. Unfortunately photographs were not allowed inside the cathedral, but I did take pictures inside the Monk's Dormitory and around Durham. Go see for yourself:

Now we can look forward to pancake wars.

Modern-Day Martin Luther Nails 95 Comment Cards To IHOP Door

Prince William Fells Prince Willem-Alexander Of The Netherlands In Crucial Joust

Prince William Fells Prince Willem-Alexander Of The Netherlands In Crucial Joust

CHELTENHAM, ENGLAND—Magnanimous in victory, Prince William only demanded a 4.5 percent increase in durable-goods tariffs from the Dutch prince.

Think Progress » ‘Mission Accomplished’ By The Numbers

Think Progress » ‘Mission Accomplished’ By The Numbers

Ilkley Moor - Don't forget your hat!

Kat and I had a good Easter. Last Friday, we went over to Paul's (another crazy medievalist) for dinner. He cooked rabbit in Mexican chocolate sauce, utterly appropriate for Easter. I've forgotten what we did on Saturday. Sunday we went to Marianne's (yet another crazy medievalist, who has attained the title of doctor) house for nibbles, lawn games such as croquet, and an Easter egg hunt. Monday I worked on my thesis while Kat cleaned the house. Yesterday Kat and I went up to Ilkley for a nice hike on the moor. I didn't forget to wear a hat. I've posted photos from the hike to my Picasa photo album. Here's a link:

Ilkley

Speeding Portuguese priest prompts complaint to Pope | Oddly Enough | Reuters

Speeding Portuguese priest prompts complaint to Pope | Oddly Enough | Reuters

You must watch the trailer for The Tripper

The Tripper Official Trailer



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Of course, African swallows are non-migratory

England has been under a cold snap the past few days. Spring gave summer and autumn a turn and went straight into winter. There were snow flurries over the weekend and I don't remember it being any colder than this at all over winter. And then, this morning, on the way to campus, I found a coconut in Mercia Hyde Park. I stopped and contemplated how it got there, continued on to campus, then turned around and went back to get the coconut. I decided that no one would believe me if I told them I found a coconut in Mercia Hyde Park, no matter how clearly I explained the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow. So now I have proof. I think I will add it to the shrine of kitschy religious paraphernalia we keep in the Le Patourel Room, which has been temporarily removed due to the periodic review of the IMS.

Ambrose & Kira

As some of you know, Kat and I have recently adopted inherited two cats, named Ambrose and Kira. Ambrose, the one with black fur, is named after the fourth-century bishop of Milan. He's very friendly and playful. Kira, the grey and brown and white tabby, is not as outgoing, but just as sweet. She's named after the female gelfling from The Dark Crystal. So, without further ado, click on the photo below to see a small photo album with pictures of the cats.

Cats

At World's End

The History of the World according to Undergraduates

I've been sitting on several ideas for blog posts for a long time. Trying to write chapter one of my thesis, among many other things, has kept me from writing them. I am currently at work in the Health Sciences Library. Due to the fact that Easter Break has begun, it is very quiet here. So, I thought it might be time to compose one of those blog entries I've been meaning to do.

Last term I taught a history course that was a general survey of European History from the end of the Roman Empire to the present day. I didn't give lectures, I just lead seminars, which is where the students are broken into smaller groups and they talk about certain topics in depth. I marked their essays and graded their exams. Some of these made me proud, as they demonstrated that the students were paying attention and getting something out of the course. Most of them were mediocre, and a few made me cringe. For their final exams, I wrote down the cringe-worthy ones and share them with you now. Here is the history of the world, according to undergraduates.

Many barbarian tribes joined the Roman Empire due to the benefits they could
receive...King Theodoric received a Roman spin doctor for his cooperation.

Wherever Latin Christendom expanded to, it brought with it Christianity.

The early Roman emperors were considered to be gods on earth.

One of the earliest known multi-nation empires was the first Persian Empire,
which began in the sixth century BC. This empire even included many areas
within Britain.

Modernity must be seen as the final stage in the process of Modernisation, the
stage reached after the varying processes of modernisation have completed and
begun to work together. Modernity is a time, not a definition.

What makes such an essay [defining the characteristics of modernity] hard to
right [sic] is the fact that we are in the process of leaving or are still in
the modern era.

The crusades were steeped with a notion of expanding Christendom into its
spiritual heartland and in turn encompassing the East under a new 'Roman' sense
of identity.

The year 1500 is often seen as a transition to modernity, displaying
characteristics such as improved economic administration and social structure.

The adoption of Christianity would also lead to the Reformation dividing
Catholics and Protestants.

The following four statements are from the same exam.

As Voltaire argued, the Roman Empire was not "Holy, nor Roman, nor an
Empire".

Ferdinand and Isabella sent Columbus as a missionary but his hunt for gold and
wealth in the New World turned the native people into an inferior
race.

The Renaissance beginning around 1200 became the start of a move away
from religion, papacy, and absolute rule.

The British Empire and its success have changed the course of history to the
extent that it may be the reason I am sitting here today.

Unreleased Jimmy Page Guitar Riff To Be Retrieved From Secret Vault To Save Rock and Roll | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Unreleased Jimmy Page Guitar Riff To Be Retrieved From Secret Vault To Save Rock and Roll | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

House Hunting

Kat and I were informed this week that our landlord intends to sell our house. So we are now in search for a new place to live. This is a bit of a shock and very disappointing to us. We really like our house and we don't want to move. It is large enough for us, and is conveniently located near campus, several good shops and the Hyde Park Picture House. To say that having to find a new place and move all our stuff is an inconvenience would be a massive understatement. Kat and I are both swamped with work, and don't know where we'll find the time to look for somewhere new. Thus we come to the purpose of this post. I'm putting out an appeal to any of you who read this blog to let me know about any potential places for us to live. Our contract is through August of this year, so we need something available in September. We are looking for somewhere in Hyde Park (Leeds), close to campus, two bedroom (or spacious one bedroom), double-glazed windows, furnished, for under 600 pounds per month. Please tell me if you know about anything that meets these criteria.

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

This past Tuesday, 27 February, Kat and I went down to Birmingham to meet a friend of ours from New Orleans, Sandra, who is visiting England with her boyfriend. Birmingham was the place easiest for us to meet, and we decided to go to the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Kat has been waiting for a reason to go because it holds an impressive collection of pre-Raphaelite artwork. We spent the afternoon there gazing upon works by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones as well as Egyptian, Greek and Roman artefacts. It's a very nice museum. My favourite objects were the giant statue of Buddha, which looks to me like he is standing in a superhero pose, and Rossetti's Proserpine. I took some photos of Kat in front of Proserpine because I think she looks more than a little like Jane Morris, who modeled for the painting. You can judge for yourself by clicking on the photos below, where you can also see a photo of a statue of Lucifer that welcomes everyone to the museum.

BirminghamMAG

Snowed Under

I haven't been keeping up with my blog recently. This is mainly due to my increasingly large workload. At the moment I am working on a rough draft of chapter 1 of my thesis, two entries for the Brill Encyclopedia of Medieval Pilgrimage, and revising the three conference papers I presented last year in preparation for publication. I also still owe a book review to the International Medieval Bulletin.

On top of that, it appears that Kat and I might have to start looking for a new place to live in, as we have just been informed that our landlord intends to sell the house where we currently reside. I don't want to look for a new place. I like where we live and I don't want to have to move again.

Despite all this I have agreed to be interviewed on camera for a project by some broadcast journalism students. They're doing something on paganism, and I agreed to talk about the history of paganism. We'll be filming at Kirkstall Abbey. Hopefully we'll be done in time for me to attend the IMS lecture this evening at 5:30pm, Sea-faring Saints and Land-lubber Painters. After the lecture, the Medieval Film Society is screening Erik the Viking. There's been a lot of other things going on, some good some bad. I'll only mention the good. I have applied for a summer course in Budapest on Late Antiquity. I haven't learned whether or not I've been accepted, but I think I've got a good shot at it. Also, Kat and I went to Birmingham yesterday to meet up with an old friend from New Orleans, who is in the country with her boyfriend. We had a good visit with them at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, which has one of the largest collections of pre-Raphaelite drawings in the world. I'll make another post and include pictures in the near future. I must go and eat lunch now.

Because Neil asked me to

Penn Jillette