while waiting for dinner...

i had my manuscripts transcription exam today. (it went okay. the handwriting - DH Lawrence's - was tough to read but i should be able to pass...)

this was for my Palaeography class, which is basically a handwriting reading/transcription exercise where we look at original manuscripts of authors and try to accurately and constructively represent what's on the physical page in a transcript. we try to reproduce what's on the page - everything from the words, scratch marks, page numbers - and represent the reader the author's process of revising the piece of work (so we also transcribe their omissions, additions, revisions, etc) and highlight any other editorial or interfering work that has been done on the manuscript by later readers and collectors of the manuscript. so for instance, one week for homework, i had the privilege of looking at a (photocopy) of a page from Tolkien's LotR, and had to transcribe the text and Tolkien's own sketch! in addition to footnotes and such, we're expected to also write a mini essay on the manuscript transcription... things we've noticed about the manuscript, idiosyncrasies of the author, paratextual elements, where it's from, who it's by... etc.

basically it's this kind of thing, if you want to have a go! http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/palaeography/tutorial/default.htm

apart from the exam, i've been really unproductive lately. i blame it on the weather because the cold keeps me in my room, huddled near the radiator which i recently borrowed from the college. (central heating is practically non-existent...) yes the cold makes us apathetic to everything really... even Christmas carols, fancy dinners (who wants to wear black tie in this weather?) , etc. how i will survive another english winter i don't know but i think it will involve a lot of food all the time and a lot of soups!! watercress and pork rib soup :)

on the whole it seems like everyone, around the world, is super busy. i wonder if this is just a trait of 'modern' life that everyone feels so incredibly busy all the time and neglects keeping in touch. (i forget, too of course, but i think i tend to send out a lot more messages to see how people are doing but replies are scarce!) but i guess keeping in touch doesn't necessarily equate to 'caring' about someone, to put it bluntly.

anyway, it is 5:25 and time to get dressed for dinner! have a good weekend friends~