Journal Entries
Back to school
Posted Sep 6, 2006
The town was swarming with teens in uniform on the way to work this morning, so it must be the first day of the new school year. This means slight changes to morning and lunchtime routines, as certain places tend to get a bit clogged up with 'em, causing unnecessary delays and general annoyance.
And although the term doesn't start here on campus for a while yet, it seems that the sporty students have all come back. I joined the university gym over the summer, which has been odd but alright. However, I went on my way home from work yesterday and suddenly the place was full of fit young things with nary an ounce of fat, more muscles than you can shake a stick at and seemingly endless stamina. As the gym is only partly open to the public, there aren't all that many normal plebs like me that use the place, so I won't really have many opportunities to think 'oh well, at least I'm fitter than him/her'. I will keep going, though, and I'm sure I'll work out which times are best for avoiding the sports science students and sports team members. I'm guessing early morning, what with this being a student gym! But until I work that out, they'll just have to cope with a struggling librarian puffing and panting away and trying not to feel inadequate.
My first library tour is next Monday - one of my favourite aspects of the new academic year. 
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Latest reply: Sep 6, 2006
Things that make me chuckle
Posted Aug 4, 2006
I smile to myself every time I pass the fire escape doors in the 
Library of Doom, because they have a large notice saying 'CAUTION: This door is alarmed!' I often speculate about the cause of the doors' alarm. Was it something I did? Or something a student did? It must be pretty major for it to have scared the doors...
I also chuckle every time I head towards London on the train, as one of the first things I hear when leaving the station is 'The next station is Selling.' Of course, my response (generally silent) is 'But what is it selling?' 
I expect the answer is over-priced tea and cakes.
What little things make you chuckle?
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Latest reply: Aug 4, 2006
Granddad
Posted Jun 8, 2006
Please raise a glass of an appropriate beverage to my granddad, Ken, who died yesterday from complications following a stroke.
He was a brave man, who flew suring WW2 in order to drop supplies to the people of Warsaw until he was shot down and captured.
He was a loving man, who cared deeply for his wife, his sons and his grandchildren and was always immensely proud of our achievements.
He was a creative man, talented in emroidery skills, particularly tapestry and cross-stitch.
He was a curious man, and never stopped learning. I believe he was still attending courses on how to use his computer this year.
But most of all, he was my granddad, and although I didn't know him as well as I probably should, I will miss him.
David
PS - don't feel obliged to say anything, or smiley anything - just knowing that people will have read this, and that I've told them about him is enough.
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Latest reply: Jun 8, 2006
Blogging
Posted May 23, 2006
Inspired by Agapanthus, I've decided to start a blog for ramblings that don't seem to fit here on h2g2, though I've kept my identity mostly intact at http://singinglibrarian.wordpress.com/
I will carry on with rehearsal ramblings here on h2g2 when I get involved with shows, though. I enjoyed everyone's responses to my Me and My Girl thread so much that I wouldn't want to miss out on that next time (if there is a next time). 
I may tire of it eventually, but for now I intend to think of something interesting to write at least twice in a blue moon.
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Latest reply: May 23, 2006
Me and My Girl Rehearsal Ramblings
Posted Oct 15, 2005
I thought I'd start a journal thread to witter on about the rehearsal process for Me and My Girl, as it's ofen very hard to remember how things started by the time you get to the performances. I plan to add to this thread after each rehearsal that strikes me as significant, interesting or amusing, so if you have no interest in amateur dramatics, unsubscibe now! I won't be offended (indeed, I shall never know!).
Tuesday 11th October
This was the first read-through of the script with about half the cast (some of the smaller roles were uncast at this point), which gave us an opportunity to see how the whole thing hangs together and begin to get a handle on our characters. The director wants Gerald (i.e. me) to have some sort of speech impediment or affectation (it won't be a lisp, as I don't want to use that for comedic purposes) so that Bill can imitate me and I think I shall rrrroll all my rrrrs to a rrrrather rrrrrrridiculous degrrree. I was also warned that I will probably have a monocle, which should be good fun.
The cast present (Bill, Sally, Jackie, Duchess, Sir John, Charles) all seem to be nice people, which is always a good start, and we spent quite a bit of time laughing. Once we'd had our read-through, we spent a bit of time on the opening scene, which is probably my longest scene. This was very sketchy, as we were missing a few folks who appear in the scene. I spent quite a bit of it being upset or annoyed and also have a large stretch without any dialogue, just reacting to what everyone else is saying. A generally positive rehearsal, but afterwards I couldn't get to sleep for an absolute age, as I began to panic about whether I can actually do this or not.
Friday 14th October
Chorus and some principals, working on the opening number. A few more parts have been cast now, leaving us with just one hole, the solicitor Parchester, and there is at least one definite possibility for that. I was very pleased to see that an old university colleague of mine has a role as one of my family. Particularly pleased as she might be carrying much of the dance burden for Gerald's big number. I'm really not a dancer, so it is a relief to know that the director and choreographer have thought of a way round that.
I spend most of the rehearsal sitting at the side, as my character doesn't come in until the 183rd bar of the song. In fact, we didn't even get to the point of working out where I come in from and what I do exactly, although we did sing through that bit a few times, and I got it right approximately fifty percent of the times. My bit is mostly unaccompanied and randomly changes key (or something) half-way through, so I ended up somewhere interesting once or twice! When I did get it right, several people told me that I have a lovely voice, which made me 
.
As I wasn't needed for most of it, I had a lovely quiet conversation with some of the other people in supporting roles, discussing ways we could steal various scenes if we wanted to. 
Though we won't. Honest. 
The whole dance thing still fills me with dread, and I have realised that the singing bits are harder than I thought. Oh well. We work on all the songs for the main characters on Tuesday, so we should be able to iron out some of my ineptitude!
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Latest reply: Oct 15, 2005
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