tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46944891022304079702024-03-13T18:23:47.606+00:00"Tomato, To-mah-to" - The Adventures of an American Girl in EnglandAll for love. She traded NPR for BBC Radio 4, JIF Peanut Butter for Nutella Chocolate spread, and the Manhattan skyline for the Warwickshire countryside - one woman's journey finding life and love across the Atlantic...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger320125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-44462867228386147022014-11-14T15:14:00.000+00:002014-11-14T15:14:57.567+00:00Ready, Steady, Bake!<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Book";">“Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir
you up…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Book";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Light"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Book";">Julius Caesar</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1e1e1e; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">To overstate the obvious, Britain is
baking mad. Although it has always been a nation of bakers, Britain is now a
nation that is baking obsessed! The British baking industry is worth more than
£3.4</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1e1e1e; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1e1e1e; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">billion, and the</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"> effect is evident in the high
street. Marks & Spencer have reported sales increases of up to 20% for
baking ingredients, particularly in specialist sugars and cake decorating
equipment. At John Lewis, purchases of cake tins and muffin trays have
increased by 15%, while sales in vintage-style cake tins and stands have more
than doubled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1e1e1e; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This chain of events is due largely to
the phenomenal success of the BBC’s baking competition show, “The Great British
Bake Off”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Each
week, some four million plus viewers tune in to watch the dynamic duo of Mary
Berry and Paul Hollywood critique the calibre of contestants' cupcakes and croquembouche.
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1e1e1e; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">But, this you know – unless of course you have been living
on the planet Mars for the past four years!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">What you may not know is that there was a time in
Britain when baking could land you in prison! In 1664, Olivier Cromwell’s
Puritans banned Christmas pudding, along with mince pies and a whole host of
other festive holiday foods (and beverages, church services, and…!). The humble
Christmas pudding became the focus of Puritan attack on the “lewd” and “debauched”
festive celebrations that were </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3e2510; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">"unfit for God-fearing
people". Anyone caught making a fruit-studded, brandy soaked dessert was
carted off and punished severely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">King </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3e2510; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">George I (</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">1714-1727</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3e2510; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">) reestablished the custom
of serving it as part of the royal holiday feast in 1714. That is, despite
objections voiced by the Quakers, who regarded Christmas pudding as "the
invention of the scarlet whore of Babylon". We have that great guardian of
Victorian family values, Prince Albert, to thank for returning the lowly and
much-maligned Christmas pudding, much as we know it today, back on to the
holiday map. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #3e2510; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Recently, I discovered another great, British,
Christmas Pudding tradition that has come down to us from the time of Albert
and Victoria: “Stir-Up Sunday”. Stir-up Sunday is the </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">last
Sunday before the season of Advent. (This year’s date is 23 November.) The term
“Stir-Up Sunday” comes from the opening words of the Collect for the day (the
"The Twenty-Fifth Sunday After Trinity", or, the fifth Sunday before
Christmas) in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book of Common Prayer</i>:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 42.55pt; margin-right: 46.45pt; margin-top: 0cm;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Stir
up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they,
plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously
rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">This exhortation was apparently a
timely reminder to the ladies of the congregation of their need to bring forth
their plenteous fruits (suet and brandy) and to get stirring! What a wonderful
way to enter into the spirit of the season of Advent – a time of </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Book";">expectant waiting and preparation
before the festivities of Christmas and the Nativity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Traditionally, Stir-Up Sunday was
a family affair, with parents and children gathering in the kitchen to make the
Christmas pudding together, every member of the family taking a turn stirring
the bowl, whilst uttering a wish. The puds and wishes were then carefully wrapped
in brandy soaked cloths to mellow over the coming weeks until Christmas Day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">It is a sad truth, thanks to the
ease, convenience and quality of store-bought Christmas puddings, that
two-thirds of British children have never experienced stirring or making a
Christmas pudding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Getting everyone huddled in the
kitchen for Stir-Up Sunday is a Victorian fantasy, to be sure. But, one well
worth reviving, I think, particularly, in the midst of our avid Baking madness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7pt; text-align: start;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Avenir Book';"><o:p><span style="color: #1c1c1c;"> *****</span><b> </b></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 14.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Prince
Albert's Christmas Pudding</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 14.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">For 8 helpings: 1 Ib prunes; 1 pt water; 1 lemon; 1 oz Barbados sugar;
butter for greasing; 2 large eggs; 4 oz butter; 4 oz soft light brown sugar;
pinch of salt; 4 oz soft wholemeal breadcrumbs; 1 oz semolina; brandy butter
(Guard Sauce) made with 3 oz butter; 4 oz icing sugar and 1 oz ground almonds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 14.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Steep the prunes in the water overnight. Grate the rind of half the
lemon and pare the rest. Squeeze the juice. Simmer the prunes with the water,
pared rind, juice, and Barbados sugar until soft. Drain. Cut the fruit in half
and remove the stones. Crease the inside of a 2 pint pudding basin thickly with
butter. Press enough prunes into the fat, cut side down, to line the basin
completely. Shred any prunes left over. Separate the eggs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 14.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Beat the 4 oz fat and soft brown sugar until creamy, and beat in the egg
yolks and salt. Mix in the grated rind, breadcrumbs, semolina and any shredded
prunes. Whisk the egg whites until they hold firm peaks and fold them into the
mixture. Turn into the basin, cover tightly with greased foil and steam for 2
1/2-3 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Book"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Firm in
the basin for 6 minutes, then turn on to a warmed serving dish. Serve with
chilled brandy butter and whipped cream. Note: If you wish, make the steeping
liquid of the prunes into a sauce with 1 teaspoon arrowroot and 1 tablespoon
brandy to each 1/2 pt liquid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>796</o:Words>
<o:Characters>4543</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Shakespeare Diva Media</o:Company>
<o:Lines>37</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>10</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>5329</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-42315271663642338562014-09-12T16:51:00.002+01:002014-09-12T17:06:54.529+01:00"Stands Scotland where it did?" - On Shakespeare & Scotland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Reprinted from<i> Focus Magazine</i>, September 2014</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6dnNkIyhYek/VBMVf8xjfDI/AAAAAAAABLU/NrwTAqM1ulM/s1600/IMG_1282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6dnNkIyhYek/VBMVf8xjfDI/AAAAAAAABLU/NrwTAqM1ulM/s1600/IMG_1282.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: start;">
<span lang="EN-US"><u><br /></u></span></div>
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Stands Scotland where it did?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">–</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Macbeth</span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a summer’s
day that might be best described as both ‘foul’ and ‘fair’, I found myself in
the Royal Library at Windsor Castle, under the watchful eye of William Shakespeare.
Not literally, of course. His image, in alabaster, holds pride of place upon a
fine marble plinth, and oversees the comings and goings of this magnificent
place. (A bibliophile’s heaven on earth.) Shakespeare’s slightly quizzical gaze
is bent towards a rather dimly lit chamber holding a few of the Library’s most treasured
artefacts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One such
rarity is a copy of the “Articles of Union”. The delicate, vellum manuscript,
signed and sealed on 22nd July 1706, ratified a united Anglo-Scottish parliament.
It appears that the English and Scottish Commissioners who signed the document
used two distinct batches of sealing wax. The message of the document,
textually and contextually, is quite clear: the two nations are separate, but
equal, and fundamentally better off together, than apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Of course,
the first act of union took place a century earlier, with the accession of King
James VI and I in 1603. James’s arrival in London, along with the stream of
Scotsmen and women who followed him, heralded a time of great change in the
capital and the nation. Unsurprisingly, this major shift in the political
landscape </span><span lang="EN-US">elicited a fair amount of hostility, with a few daring wits of the day expressing
their disapproval by openly satirizing the new King, his court, and countrymen
on the page and the stage. Shakespeare, rather wisely, saw things differently –
or, more opportunistically, at any rate.</span><span lang="EN-US"> Shakespeare embraced the new regimen, and the
new regimen embraced him, with quite dramatic results. (Pun intended.) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Shortly
after James’s accession, </span><span lang="EN-US">Shakespeare’s company were granted a performance
license and styled “The King’s Men”.</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Macbeth</i>, Shakespeare’s
dark, powerful and popular “Scottish play” – almost certainly written at the King’s
request – is nothing less than a tribute to his new king and patron. James was
a real theatre lover, with a taste for Scottish history, magic, witches and
demonology. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">There is an elusive bit of folklore that </span><span lang="EN-US">suggests that Shakespeare became
acquainted with Scotland – and its sovereign – during a successful tour North
with his theatre company.</span><span lang="EN-US"> There may be some truth in this - who knows? One
wonders: does his famous quote, “So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (</span><span lang="EN-US"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Macbeth, </i></span><span lang="EN-US">1.3.38), imply an
intimate knowledge of Scotland’s climate and variable weather – dismal,
down-pouring days giving way to the fairest, most pleasant and balmy of nights,
meriting the phrase “a Scottish evening”? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I had opportunity to sit and ponder such thoughts
on a recent coastal holiday at Monreith, in Dumfries and Galloway, as I sat by
the sea – amid sudden squalls and spectacular sunshine, watching the weather rolling
in from Northern Ireland, with the Isle of Man just visible on the horizon and wrapped
in a blanket of mist. In moments such as these, one has a palpable and deeply
moving sense of </span><span lang="EN-US"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Britain</i></span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">being </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Britain</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> – large, rich and
diverse. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Long may it remain so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>483</o:Words>
<o:Characters>2755</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Shakespeare Diva Media</o:Company>
<o:Lines>22</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>6</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>3232</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-83751031319127040302014-08-07T20:44:00.003+01:002014-09-15T19:33:37.552+01:00Success in Rio<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Light"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Reprinted from Focus Magazine, August 2014</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IhfDIwzYYLc/U-PW4XCMP8I/AAAAAAAABLE/VWWXgqxDC7E/s1600/Cicely.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IhfDIwzYYLc/U-PW4XCMP8I/AAAAAAAABLE/VWWXgqxDC7E/s1600/Cicely.jpeg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cicely Berry<br />
Image © Ellie Kurtz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Avenir Light"; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Where words prevail not, violence prevails.”</span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>– <i>The
Spanish Tragedy</i>, Thomas Kyd</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time this appears in
print, the dust of the FIFA World Cup will have settled, the winning nation
will have held the golden trophy aloft (<i>C’mon, Argentina!</i>), and we all shall
have re-emerged -- somewhat blurry-eyed, perhaps -- from our collective
Brazilian hangover. What, one wonders, shall remain? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A great deal of questioning, no
doubt. A certain Uruguayan will be due a period of intensive self-reflection
(“To bite, or not to bite, that is question?”), and a considerable amount of collective
introspection will be due for the likes of host nation, Brazil, and, of course,
England. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following England’s abrupt
departure from the proceedings, I was more disappointed by the players’
reactions than by their poor performance. Wayne Rooney’s apologetic epilogue was
utterly disheartening, particularly, his assessment that the English side is “too
nice” to win trophies. Rooney lamented England’s lack of “nastiness”, implying
that the team should become more ruthless and “street-wise”. That would be very
sad, indeed, and quite out of national character. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Fair play and sportsmanship are
hallmarks of British mentality and disposition. </span>When outlining characteristics of
his beloved English for his fellow Americans in 1904, Ralph Waldo Emerson
mused that the most indefatigable English trait was “pluck”. He enthused: <i>“One
thing the English value is pluck. The cabmen have it; the merchants have it;
the bishops have it; and the women have it!”</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Cicely Berry,
legendary Voice Director of the RSC, is by far the pluckiest Englishwoman I
know.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Since 1997, Cicely has traveled to Brazil to collaborate with “Nós de
Morro” - a group of theatre artists based in one of Rio’s toughest slums</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> <i>(favelas)</i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">. Far from the lush, tropical scenery featured on
our tellies during the World Cup, Vidigal is a world apart - set high in the
hills that surround the beautiful and opulent city. Controlled by drug cartels,
replete with guns, gangs, and violence, it is place into which the police do
not venture except in armoured cars. Armed with the works of Shakespeare, diminutive,
octogenarian Cicely Berry enters this volatile place and competes confidently with
drug lords for the hearts, minds and souls of Vidigal’s <i>favelados</i> (young people living in the slums).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">As vividly depicted in the brutal, but truthful film <i>City
of God</i> (2002), life is cheap in Vidigal. Watching that film, I
shuddered at the thought of gentle, precious Cicely traversing such a place. (I
once suggested accompanying her, and she resisted on the grounds that she could
not guarantee my safety.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>488</o:Words>
<o:Characters>2787</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Shakespeare Diva Media</o:Company>
<o:Lines>23</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>6</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>3269</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">True to herself, and driven by her uncompromising politics, Cicely’s mission
is to empower, liberate and give voice to the voiceless. For Cicely,
Shakespeare’s words are apt channels of expression, and by freeing the voice
through his full, rich and powerful language, the speaker ultimately develops
the courage and freedom to fully express their inner self. Hers is a truly characteristically
English ‘plucky’ success in Rio, and one well worth celebrating!</span><span style="font-family: Avenir Light;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-72516195048634754912014-06-15T20:24:00.000+01:002014-06-15T20:24:13.042+01:00Fathers, Sons, and Wars<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">Lately, I have been thinking a lot about
fathers and sons. Recent events, of both private and public varieties, have
prompted fresh thoughts about this primordial dynamic. Becoming a parent has a
way of re-tuning the mind to see familiar concepts in a new light. Watching my
“Darling English Boy” evolve into a “Darling English Dad” has given me a
renewed respect for fathers and fatherhood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">Just before the arrival our son, Miles,
I became obsessed with family history. I was intrigued to find that my husband
descends from an exclusively male lineage on his father’s side. His paternal
history, like that every Englishman, is a rich tale of fathers, sons, and wars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">In May 1916, my husband’s grandfather,
Russell, enlisted in the Army and joined the British effort in “The Great War”.
He was but 19 years of age. Yet, the sure and steady longhand and precise signatures
that appear on his enlistment form suggest maturity beyond his tender years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ne4sPtC6ijE/U53xO5Lii3I/AAAAAAAABKw/C-l2VMunmIc/s1600/Image+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ne4sPtC6ijE/U53xO5Lii3I/AAAAAAAABKw/C-l2VMunmIc/s1600/Image+3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British Legion 'Poppy Field' in Henley-in-Arden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">He gave particular care and attention to
the signing of his ‘Oath of Allegiance’. The “t” is most carefully crossed,
both “i’s” firmly dotted, and a plump full stop appears definitively to the
rear of the concluding character. The document exudes sincerity, duty and pride.
Russell was a brave soul, amongst a host of similarly valiant youth that
answered the call of King and Country. However, unlike the multitude of his fellow
brothers-in-arms, Russell was one of the lucky ones that survived. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">As
Shakespeare puts so well, “This story shall the good man teach his son” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Henry V</i>, 4.3.56).</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">Shakespeare, of course, knew a thing or
two about fathers, sons, and wars. His works are a vast reservoir of engaging
stories on this theme. His history plays, in particular, are built upon this
foundational concept. Most notably, in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Henry
the Sixth, part 3</i>, Shakespeare underscores the maddening nature of war through
his invention of two tragic and un-named characters, referred to merely as: “A
Father who has killed his son” and “A Son who has killed his father.” Time and
again, Shakespeare shows us the human cost of national conflicts, and the
familial relationships behind the power play. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">Recently, I had the good fortune to see
Greg Doran’s excellent production of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Henry
IV, parts 1 and 2</i> at the RSC. At the heart of this narrative exists the
triadic relationship of King Henry, Prince Hal and Falstaff. Troubled son, Hal,
turns his back on his duty and his sovereign, by displacing his regal father in
favour of a low life surrogate in the figure of Falstaff. In performance this
complex choice is played with great, rollicking humour and touching pathos by
Jasper Britton (Bolingbroke/King Henry) and Alex Hassell (Prince Hal), with Sir
Antony Sher stealing the show as the roly-poly, custardy coward, Falstaff. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">Alongside the engaging performances,
Doran’s direction is crystal clear, making the grand narrative easy to follow. It
was, in very deed, child’s play. I was seated next to a little chap called
Gregor Bulmer, aged 8, who was at the theatre with his dad. They huddled
together during the ferocious battle scenes, and the young lad was enrapt by
the performances from start to finish. As the lights came up, Gregor gave his
assessment: “Epic.” I asked if he understood it all, he smiled and said he had.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>512</o:Words>
<o:Characters>2922</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Shakespeare Diva Media</o:Company>
<o:Lines>24</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>6</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>3428</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">The epic tales of fathers, sons, and
wars will always captivate us and command our attention and respect. And so
they should, as we should never forget. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-61549844780228614482014-04-23T08:29:00.000+01:002014-04-23T08:52:43.824+01:00Happy Birthday, Mr Shakespeare!<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The title of my popular, New York University undergraduate seminar, “American Shakespeare”, always raised a few eyebrows. “It’s a survey of Shakespeare in America,” I once explained to a stuffy, Oxbridge colleague. “But,” he sniffed, “Shakespeare was never</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> America.” “Indeed,” I replied heartily, “but he is very much with us now.”</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My seminar examined what Emerson termed the “Shakespearization” of America. I had no idea where this exploration might lead. And, certainly never imagined I would find myself re-discovering Shakespeare in a tiny, fishing village in southern Alaska.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That excursion began with a dare. One day, I sauntered into class with a topic I knew my students would be keen to devour. I’d found details of a production of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Othello</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in Alaska. The play had been adapted into a 19th</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> century, Alaskan context. Othello became a Native Alaskan, instead of a Moor. The goal of this touring show was to facilitate dialogue between Native and non-Native communities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can, or should, Shakespeare be used in this way? My students, as always, were hotly divided between the purists and the progressives. Reaching a fevered pitch, they demanded I settle the debate: “Dr. Smith-Howard, you must go there and find out.” They dared, and, off I went.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wrote the theatre company and asked if I could observe their work. Next thing I knew, I was flying over the Rocky Mountains, to the vast, wild, least populated, and most breathtaking state in the American union.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The experience that followed was an incredibly powerful one, and one that underscores for me the discernable differences in what Shakespeare means today. One facet of Shakespeare’s inheritance is that he has become a trusted brand. </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">name, image and words are used to market and sell a staggering array of goods around the globe, from the Shakespeare Coffee Company (Bidford-on-Avon), “Hamlet” Cigars, and Austin motor-cars (“Travel…as you like it.”) in Britain, to mentholated cough syrup in Brazil (“To Coff, or not to coff, that is the question”).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In contrast is the esteem in which Shakespeare is held in America, where he is perceived as a touchstone, a symbol of artistry and wisdom. Americans seem to have accepted as gospel the 19</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> century, British notion of Shakespeare’s secular godship. </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joseph Papp, America’s foremost theatre director, put it best:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0.5in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do so many people get hooked on Shakespeare and develop a habit that lasts a lifetime? What can he really say to us today, in a world filled with inventions and problems he could never have imagined? Because, Shakespeare is showing you human nature. Shakespeare has enriched my understanding of life immeasurably. I hope you’ll let him do the same for you.” (</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shakespeare Alive!</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, 1988)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like Papp, I, too, have experienced the transformative power of Shakespeare in people’s lives: from disadvantaged teens in NYC to Native American elders in rural Alaska. I have witnessed Shakespeare’s words empowering the voiceless; and being the common language differing cultures previously lacked. I have seen his texts creating a common ground, a campfire around which a divided community could gather. For me, this is his greatest and most enduring legacy. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Birthday, Mr. Shakespeare, wherever you are!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-37424132517747334562014-03-18T09:37:00.001+00:002014-03-18T09:57:58.819+00:00My new DEB - Darling English Baby!<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"O, brave new world, that has such creatures in it!" - The Tempest</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WVsp25B3uxg/UygTf6cv4eI/AAAAAAAABIk/opKHaZT4TyA/s1600/DSC_0035.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WVsp25B3uxg/UygTf6cv4eI/AAAAAAAABIk/opKHaZT4TyA/s1600/DSC_0035.jpeg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Miles Jude Willoughby</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
born 16 January 2014</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-90243131712996632082014-03-17T20:25:00.000+00:002014-03-18T22:08:53.693+00:00On the Road with “The Writing Process Blog Tour”<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>970</o:Words>
<o:Characters>5534</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Shakespeare Diva Media</o:Company>
<o:Lines>46</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>12</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>6492</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Friends,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Apologies
for the extended absence - and a huge, huge, huge THANK YOU to Jenefer Heap for
nudging me back into the Blogsphere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">My
life has been a whirlwind recently, and blogging, although firmly ensconced on
the “To Do” list, never quite made it to the top of the page. Taking part in
the “Blogging Tour” has however re-ignited the flame!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 22.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #2e2e37; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Each writer in the Blogging Tour is invited to answer
the same four questions about their writing, thus forming a new link in a long
and winding virtual chain. I’m one of three writers taking the baton from Jenny (she
writes a great blog, check it out: <a href="http://jeneferheap.wordpress.com/news/" target="_blank">Jenefer Heap</a> ). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 22.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #2e2e37; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The three witty and engaging writers I’ve
chosen to follow me next week are: </span><a href="http://askabusywoman.blogspot.co.uk/" style="font-family: Calibri;" target="_blank">Caroline Barr</a>, <a href="http://ladyharriethamilton.wordpress.com/" style="font-family: Calibri;" target="_blank">Harriet Hamilton</a><span style="color: #2e2e37; font-family: Calibri;"> and <a href="http://mymendingwall.com/" target="_blank">The Girl Behind The Wall</a></span><span style="color: #2e2e37; font-family: Calibri;">. I
love their work, and I’m sure you will, too! Read more about them at the
end of the blog.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> And, so. Placing myself into the ‘hot seat’…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Question
1: What am I working on? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">1.)
At the moment, I am focused on two main projects (well, three, if I can count our
2 month old baby as a project!): <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">a.)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I’ve blissfully landed a commission for a book to commemorate the
major Shakespeare anniversary in 2016. (He died in 1616.) For this, I shall be
collaborating with a major UK arts organisation, and we are currently pursuing
funding and support. (Would be benefactors welcome!) </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> I’m utterly delighted to have the opportunity and hope
that the book will bridge both scholarly and popular interest in Shakespeare
and his legacy. I’m loathed to provide more specific details about it here for
fear of jinxing things (!), as we are still hashing through details, contracts,
etc. Suffice to say, the project is very “me”, i.e., embracing a range topics under one big,
glorious Shakespeare umbrella! I’m still in the honeymoon phase, but the panic
of actually having to produce something quite substantial by January 2015 is looming large on the horizon…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">b.)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For the past 4 years, I have had a regular, featured column in a glossy, monthly magazine. Sadly, the magazine folded (not due to my column, I hasten to
add!) and now, after several weary months of crying into my beer, and feeling
sorry for myself, I’m in the process of trying to re-establish myself as a
columnist-in-print. (Short of standing on the side of the road with a sign that
reads: “Will Write for Food.”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">2)
How does my work differ from others of its genre?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I
think what makes me different both as a scholarly writer and a popular writer
is the quirky way in which I don’t divide the two. For better or for worse, I
approach all of my work in the same way. I try to write with heart, tenacity,
verve, humour, and knowledge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In
terms of my scholarly work – I’m the author of three works of scholarly
non-fiction: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7NGcHedifZ4/UydNRmkciaI/AAAAAAAABHM/TN9pHBeBuV4/s1600/9780754607861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7NGcHedifZ4/UydNRmkciaI/AAAAAAAABHM/TN9pHBeBuV4/s1600/9780754607861.jpg" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.ashgate.com/default.aspx?page=637&calcTitle=1&title_id=3425&edition_id=3504" target="_blank">Studio Shakespeare: TheRoyal Shakespeare Company at The Other Place </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mFVyBNNqcjY/UydODMSmqRI/AAAAAAAABHU/H2RVtBQDDVY/s1600/51AB9SGA6RL._SX385_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mFVyBNNqcjY/UydODMSmqRI/AAAAAAAABHU/H2RVtBQDDVY/s1600/51AB9SGA6RL._SX385_.jpg" height="320" width="253" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Critical-Companion-Tennessee-Williams-Reference/dp/0816064296/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395084707&sr=1-1&keywords=alycia+smith-howard" target="_blank">The Critical Companion to Tennessee Williams</a></i> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cACIvI2ni-I/UydO3W9A-4I/AAAAAAAABHg/Hm-VUA3fYFQ/s1600/41a9A+CNU2L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_SX385_SY500_CR,0,0,385,500_SH20_OU02_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cACIvI2ni-I/UydO3W9A-4I/AAAAAAAABHg/Hm-VUA3fYFQ/s1600/41a9A+CNU2L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_SX385_SY500_CR,0,0,385,500_SH20_OU02_.jpg" height="320" width="246" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Suzan-Lori-Parks-Casebook-Casebooks-Dramatists/dp/041554226X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395084942&sr=1-4&keywords=alycia+smith-howard" target="_blank">Suzan-Lori Parks: A Casebook</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">With
each of these works my goal was to tell a complex story simply. To be
accessible and entertaining, whilst also being true to the subject. The same is
true of my work as a columnist and op-ed writer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Undoubtedly, the most unique feature of my writing is the way in which Shakespeare quite
honestly informs everything I do. I see the world through a Shakespearean
lens. That, I suppose, is my “twist”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Recently,
I collaborated with Chef and culinary historian, Alan Deegan on a Shakespeare
cookbook! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hqiNE1YJrZQ/UydPm8-pNcI/AAAAAAAABHw/A232S3jE0Kk/s1600/41gyqT8Ub7L._SX385_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hqiNE1YJrZQ/UydPm8-pNcI/AAAAAAAABHw/A232S3jE0Kk/s1600/41gyqT8Ub7L._SX385_.jpg" height="320" width="293" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Love-Taste-Shakespeare-Seasons/dp/0955483468/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395085129&sr=1-3&keywords=alycia+smith-howard" target="_blank">The Food of Love</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Question
3: Why do I write what I do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Words, words, words.” - <i>Hamlet<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">When
Shakespeare isn’t looking, I allow myself to canoodle with a few other authors,
notably Chekhov. In his play, <i>The Seagull</i>,
in which he is channeling Shakespeare (!), Chekhov depicts one of the most beautiful
and infuriating representations of a writer in the character, Trigorin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Trigorin
is passionate, flawed, wounding, and vulnerable. When asked why he pursues his craft, he
states quite simply, and with a slight air of defeated resolve: “I have to
write. I have to write. I have to write.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Writing
in this instance is an undeniable need. This is a need I understand. For me, writing is a way of being in the
world, of living, seeing, and making sense of it all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I
was once warned of the potential hazards of becoming an “academic gadabout”. Ironically,
at the time this warning was issued, the speaker in question – a rather somber,
but well-meaning academic Dean – actually used the wrong word. She advised me
against becoming a “Gadfly”, though I’m in no doubt she meant “Gadabout”, as it
became very clear that from her perspective, being a “Gadfly” (</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">a
person who annoys or criticises others</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">) is preferable to being a “Gadabout” (a person who
flits from place to place, thing to thing). The notion, it seems, is that it’s
okay to ruffle feathers, as long as you only ruffle the very same set of
feathers relentlessly, and without deviation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Well,
where’s the fun in that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Not
one for warnings or omens, I have happily embraced my “Gadaboutness” and it has
brought me much joy, and is in fact a key feature of my preferred genre as a
columnist. Far from the confines of academe, I write about any and everything I
will! From sausages and oysters, to probate and wills, to Shakespeare and stage
history. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Question
4: How does my writing process work? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“If it be madness, yet there is
method in it.” - <i>Hamlet</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Process?
What process? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This
is the greatest thing about being a columnist. To quote Shakespeare
(yet again!): “The world is mine oyster.” Everything is source material - ‘the
story’ is everywhere. So really the process begins with observation. Seeing,
but seeing in a different way. Not actively “looking for the story”, but
always, always being open to the story.
Being a sponge is also important, and goes without saying. Being brave,
fearless, and a bit mad. Not being afraid to put your heart and soul on the
page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In
terms of practical mechanics, when I was actively working on my monthly column
(sniff, sniff!) the deadlines were precise and tight. I work well under
pressure, so it helped to have that relentless drive of “It’s due, it’s due!!”
The perfect day would be sitting out on the deck, basking in the sunshine, with
a huge mug of Assam tea, thinking – “What shall I write about this month…?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">(Those
were the days. <b>*SIGH*</b>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I
am/was constantly making notes, scribbling and blogging is indispensible.
(Though I’ve been very very remiss in that area of late.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But
thank you, again and again, to Jenefer Heap for nudging me back onto the
screen!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Now,
without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to three of my writer friends who I've selected to carry the baton for next week’s Blogging Tour...</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O03XJlvPGds/UydQrQp4BoI/AAAAAAAABH8/hj2Avy0Jxw4/s1600/806fc310ef59e678f231098fd71f5e84.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O03XJlvPGds/UydQrQp4BoI/AAAAAAAABH8/hj2Avy0Jxw4/s1600/806fc310ef59e678f231098fd71f5e84.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caroline Barr<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />Blog: "<a href="http://askabusywoman.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ask A Busy Woman"</a></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Caroline Barr has spent a lifetime in marketing and public relations, plus 4 children, husband, dogs, tennis playing, rugby watching, and golf learning. She has just completed her first novel. Her superbly titled blog, "Ask a Busy Woman" <span style="line-height: 18px;">is centred on her life in Yorkshire. </span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">***********************</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iME2nCv-4Eo/UydT9OQEgXI/AAAAAAAABII/LGEaB1MxKVI/s1600/497866c0090db56e40c24439daf3d055.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iME2nCv-4Eo/UydT9OQEgXI/AAAAAAAABII/LGEaB1MxKVI/s1600/497866c0090db56e40c24439daf3d055.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lady Harriet Hamilton<br />
<br />
Blog:<a href="http://ladyharriethamilton.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"> Lady Harriet Hamilton</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We own and run the apley estate in Shropshire, a 8500 acre working country estate where we opened apley farm shop in 2011, Apley walled garden in 2013 and 3 apley holiday cottages between 2007-2012. I do the marketing, pr and advertising for those businesses, as well as focussing this year on the Apley archives. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My blog is principally to write about anything going on at Apley as well as some personal blogs too, as it's very much a family business. The farm shop site has 9 businesses and the estate itself is also very Multi facetted, incorporating rented properties, shoots and farming. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">************************************************************************</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The Girl Behind the Wall</b></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uWFAL0xy1YY/UydWBk-AwjI/AAAAAAAABIU/cvjotIHTEHw/s1600/7facea45dea8c49add956013376614fa.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uWFAL0xy1YY/UydWBk-AwjI/AAAAAAAABIU/cvjotIHTEHw/s1600/7facea45dea8c49add956013376614fa.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Girl Behind The Wall<br />
<br />
Blog: <a href="http://mymendingwall.com/" target="_blank">My Mending Wall</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;">As a survivor of abuse and neglect, I am on a journey of sorting out the whys and hows. My life began in the midst of turmoil, but will end in peace and serenity because I choose not to be a victim, but rather I choose a journey of healing the unseen scars of my childhood.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-38362464382196603362014-01-03T13:38:00.000+00:002014-01-03T13:38:34.381+00:00Ties that bindWithout a doubt, pregnancy has a way of focusing the mind.<br />
During this period of creating and shaping new life, my thoughts have returned repeatedly to the concept of "Family". A concept that also features quite prominently -- in good ways, and bad -- this time of year.<br />
<br />
Living, as I choose to, far from my biological family, I ever reminded and reassured of the vital importance of our "families of choice" -- the families and communities we choose and create for ourselves.<br />
<br />
These associations and attachments and made openly, freely, fully and honestly, and serve great purposes in our lives. Connecting us to a larger and far more dynamic world, than the often tiny society of shared DNA.<br />
<br />
Several years ago, whilst on a great Shakespeare adventure in Alaska, America's most vast and sparsely populated state, I was adopted into the Eagle Clan of the T'lingit tribe. A world of away from my rough-and-tumble New York City life, I'd immediately felt at home with the people of Yakutat, a lovely, remote fishing village in southeastern Alaska. The feeling was apparently mutual.<br />
<br />
Today, a parcel arrived from my tribal sister, Inga, with Eagle Clan gifts for the DEB, Baby and me in advance of the new arrival. It included 3 Eagle feathers - one for each of us, as a reminder of our lineage. And, the most adorable pair of hand-made baby moccasins you ever did see!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GhdRnaVkbvI/Usa76d91RfI/AAAAAAAABG0/Z2gV8MFpKBY/s1600/DSC_0186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GhdRnaVkbvI/Usa76d91RfI/AAAAAAAABG0/Z2gV8MFpKBY/s320/DSC_0186.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I cannot wait to share with this child how loved he or she already is by a remarkable, extended global family.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WcKw1JDrePA/Usa79tw-nuI/AAAAAAAABG8/dv7J-kmf8Mc/s1600/DSC_0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WcKw1JDrePA/Usa79tw-nuI/AAAAAAAABG8/dv7J-kmf8Mc/s320/DSC_0187.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-26998002121790895532013-12-08T18:51:00.001+00:002013-12-08T18:51:10.058+00:00A new DEB?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> That is - a "Darling English Baby!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We are expecting - due next month! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">33 weeks, 1 day and counting!</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wwxtZ8JExm4/UqS-yJwsGfI/AAAAAAAABGk/ctwBKgTZdug/s1600/Baby+Timmis+19+weeks.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wwxtZ8JExm4/UqS-yJwsGfI/AAAAAAAABGk/ctwBKgTZdug/s1600/Baby+Timmis+19+weeks.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">19 weeks Scan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-42980077887955156552013-12-08T18:13:00.000+00:002013-12-08T18:13:27.589+00:00Testing the waters - The Second Sunday of AdventAs part of my vocation discernment process, I have been assigned on a "mini-placement" at lovely parish not far from where we live. The church, St Mary Magdalen's, has an outstanding lady vicar, called Charlotte, who is a real dynamo! She's visionary and very inspiring, yet calm, and down-to-earth. Charlotte offered me the opportunity to give a sermon during this Advent season, and today was my big day.<br />
<br />
When she first suggested I preach, I panicked. "What, who me?!" was my internal response. But, it felt cowardly to say "No, thank you." And, an opportunity for growth and exploration to say, "Yes." Planning and prepping the sermon as difficult as I'd imagined it would be.<br />
<br />
Unlike my 'day job' teaching/lecturing on Shakespeare, where I have a regular, captive audience at my mercy for well over 3 hours at a stretch, and feel as if I could push the metaphoric "Play button" in the back of my head, and discourse at length on "Auto-pilot", I felt a real constraint in this process. It felt comparatively like so little time, with so much more important information to communicate and express. It also felt more delicate, more precious. A real privilege and honour.<br />
<br />
The texts for this Sunday, the 2nd Second Advent, are centred on John the Baptist - not the easiest topic to cover, as far as I'm concerned. But, I gave it a shot. And, the feedback was very positive and supportive. (The congregation had been warned it was my first sermon!) They are a really lovely parish, very warm, friendly and diverse, with a good range of ages and constituencies: young families, singles, kids, older people, etc. And, of course, my "high church, Episcopalian background" set me up with a good foundation for pitch, tone and style. (Thank you, St Luke's!) <br />
<br />
Toward the end of the service, we sang "Whom Shall I Send", an old favourite hymn of mine from my Catholic university days. It felt as if Fr Labran was there, wishing me well and saying "Well done."<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
- - -</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sermon
for 8 December 2013</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“Voices
in the Wilderness”<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 1.0cm; margin-right: 25.15pt; margin-top: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 25.15pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“In those days John the
Baptist came into the wilderness of Judea proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven is near.” For he is the one about whom Isaiah the prophet had spoken:
“The voice
of one shouting in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths
straight.’” (Matt 3: 1-3)</span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I
don’t know about you, but I have always found John the Baptist more than a
little intimidating. I recall quite vividly seeing Franco Zeffirelli’s iconic
film <i>Jesus of Nazareth</i> with Robert
Powell as a gently stoical Christ, and which featured Michael York as a heavily
bearded and severely bedraggled wild man, John the Baptist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Even
at the tender age of 10, I was struck by John’s courage and conviction, his
willingness to sacrifice himself to proclaim the Good News, but I also felt a
deep sense of discomfiture and unease with his missionary zeal, his rather aggressive
methods and tactics. I remember feeling embarrassed and deeply uncomfortable
watching John berating and humiliating Herod and his wife, Herodias, publicly for all
to see and witness. If this was a chief example of Christian evangelism, it was
indeed a tough one to follow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Undoubtedly,
we can, in equal measures, be both inspired and overwhelmed by the examples of
saints and evangelists, past and present – such as the 20<sup>th</sup> Century
martyrs who bedeck the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey – whose
extraordinary lives were each characterised by a fearless faith, and the same
courage and conviction. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">However,
courage and conviction have their place in the small moments of life as well. We
are not all called to die for our faith, or to eat locust and honey in the
wilderness, but we are called to live with courage and conviction, and to
proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ with passion and purpose. How we achieve
this is as unique as we are, in our own individual circumstances and
situations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I
believe the great Christian thinker and writer, C. S. Lewis, recently honoured
with a plaque in Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey, provides us with a very
useful example. In 1941, C. S. Lewis took on a commission from the BBC for Christian
advocacy to present “a positive restatement of Christian doctrine in lay
language” for the average man. Lewis was the perfect man for the job. His
voice, described as “one part Belfast, nine parts Oxford”, was one of
compassionate and sensitive authority. More important than his elocution, was
his sense of himself as a “fallible chap speaking to other fallible souls”.
This came across clearly over the airwaves, offering listeners the requisite
combination for conveying the “awkward seriousness and strangeness of Christian
faith”: Lewis possessed a tangible sense of ordinariness, coupled with the
possibility of transfiguration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Lewis
was more than acutely aware of his audience, and the incredible need to “meet
them where they were”, in the wilderness of his time. His wartime audience,
huddled around their wirelesses, amid sirens and rubble, in streets of ruined
houses, hearing the nightly bombers overhead, were seeking a cosmic world view
that not only spoke to their experience, but also enabled them to make sense of
it. His words reached hundreds of thousands, and then millions of listeners,
who soon became readers. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">For
it is, of course, through his writings that most of us – particularly in the
post-war generation – have come to know and love C. S. Lewis. I remember
encountering <i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i>,
and particularly, <i>The Lion, The Witch and
the Wardrobe </i>as a child: roughly around the same period as seeing
Zefirelli’s <i>Jesus of Nazareth</i>. The
incredibly produced animated film brought Lewis’ timeless characters to life. I
remember weeping as I’d never wept before at the demise of Aslan, and the joy
and recognition I felt when he returned from the dead. “It’s Jesus, in
disguise!” I remember declaring quite vividly through a surge of pre-adolescent
tears.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The
beauty of Narnia, and the magic of his portrayal of Aslan, lies within Lewis’ bold
and daring attempt to recreate profoundly and viscerally – on the page or screen, for readers and
viewers of whatever age – what is like to encounter and believe in Jesus
Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As
Former Archbishop Rowan Williams put it: Lewis’ gift lies in making fresh that
which is thought to be familiar. Sharing the “Good News”, he says, is not so
much a matter of telling others what they have NEVER heard, as much as it is
persuading them that there are things that they have NOT heard, when they think
they have heard it all. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN-US">This
leads me back to Troublesome John. What can we learn from John the Baptist? What
were the key features of his ministry: Purpose, Preaching, Passion, and
Personal Witness. These are the hallmarks of every evangelist – of whatever
variety or style. John’s essential message in his preaching was: </span><i><span lang="EN-US">"Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Mt 3:2).</span></i><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Rather
tellingly, the word “repent” in Greek translates as: “To change one’s mind.”
That, I think is the central point of evangelism – to offer others a fresh
perspective, a new way of seeing or experiencing the Love of God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And
so, what about us – in our modern day wilderness of cynicism, strife,
corruption, commercialisation and overarching secularism? Not many of us would
be drawn to a life wearing clothes made of camel hair, eating locusts and
honey, whilst hurling admonishments from the rooftops – although I do actually
know a few people who might like to have a go! Similarly, we also may not be
gifted with the quiet genius of a C. S. Lewis, to create volumes that inspire
generations, or to produce a prolific flood of Christ-inspired words read by
millions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">How
can we, then, in small but substantial ways advance the Kingdom of God, to prepare
the Way of the Lord, to be ourselves ‘Voices Crying out in the Wilderness’ of
our daily lives? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Here’s
a small range of possibilities for us to think about during Advent, Christmas
and beyond: -<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*
If you are sending out Christmas cards or issuing a Christmas letter to friends
and family this year, why not select a religious themed card, one with a Bible
verse, or add your own personal favourite Biblical text to your cards and
letters. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*
Invite a non-churchgoing friend to the Carol Service or Midnight Eucharist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*
Saying sorry, and really meaning it. Unfortunately, this time of year can place
us all under a considerable amount of stress. And stress can lead to
grumpiness, moodiness, crankiness, and short fuses particularly with those
nearest and dearest to us – spouses, family, friends or coworkers. This season,
in addition to saying “sorry”, let us try making a real effort to change, and put
an end to that kind of behaviour.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*
Rediscovering Prayer. This Advent, why not commit to developing a more
disciplined prayer life. We cannot overestimate the power of prayer. Praying
for the world, praying for the Church, praying for others and praying with
others. Resolve to pray with your spouse, children, neighbour, or a friend, if
you’ve not done so previously. And, praying for ourselves: that God will give
us the grace and the opportunity in the coming year to be “lights in the
darkness.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Perhaps,
to alter slightly the words of Mother Teresa, who encourages us to commit
“Random acts of kindness”, this Advent we could strive to commit “Random acts
of Christianity.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">At
the heart of Christ’s message is the unconditional and redeeming Love of God.
We know from that oft-quote passage in <i>Corinthians</i>
that “Love is patient, kind<i>, &etc</i>.”
How can we put this into practice in our daily lives? This I think is more a
matter of <i>Being</i> than <i>Doing</i>. Taking a <i>grace-full</i> – as in full of grace – approach to our daily activities
and interactions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> As C. S. Lewis once put it: Christianity is
not what you say, it isn’t what you write, and it is not even what you believe.
Christianity is what you <i>do</i>, because of what you <i>believe</i>. Life, for Lewis was
meant to be in itself an act of faith; and prayer, a way of thinking and being.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Advent
is meant to be a time of reflection and preparation, what better time then to
pause and prayerfully consider the time that has been and the time that lies
ahead – and ways in which we, too, are, have been and can be witnesses and
heralds for Our Lord, voices, crying out in the wilderness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Amen.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-69065604324984591252013-07-31T10:17:00.001+01:002013-07-31T10:17:05.850+01:00The Joy of the Lord is your Strength (Feast of St Ignatius)<div style="text-align: center;">
"I do live by the church." - <i>Twelfth Night</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Recently, I began the process of 'discernment' within the Church of England, to ascertain whether I may be being called to a vocation of ministry within the church. The process has been both challenging and illuminating - with reading assignments, homework, and of course, lengthy discussions. One surprising outcome of this process so far has been the firm reminders I have had of the centrality of Ignatian spirituality within my own faith practice.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I was asked to write the following piece as a part of the discernment process, and as it has ended up being so solidly Ignatian, I thought it appropriate to post it today, the Feast Day of St Ignatius of Loyola.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
------------</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>1205</o:Words>
<o:Characters>6871</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Shakespeare Diva Media</o:Company>
<o:Lines>57</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>16</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>8060</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“The joy of the Lord is your
strength.” – <i>Nehemiah</i> 8:10<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt;">_<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I am trying, now,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt;">To tell you what it is like<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt;">but words can only<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt;">hint at this moment of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt;">heart’s dance, the wonder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt;">of wings, the folly of flight</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;">…</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt;">- “Postcard from the Shore”,
Luci Shaw (1985) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0cm; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt;">-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">“Go
into all the world and preach the gospel, and, if necessary, use words.”</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Bangla MN"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Bangla MN";">–<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Francis of Assisi<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I have enjoyed reading John Pritchard’s <i>The Life and Work of a Priest</i> immensely.
Pritchard is a gifted writer, who communicates an incredibly thought-provoking
message with ease, wisdom and good humour. I have chosen a selection of
passages on which to respond. (There are in fact far too many from which to
choose!!!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“The priest is
someone who has been dazzled by the beauty of God and longs to reveal that
beauty in the world.” p. 6 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Pritchard expresses this fundamental point
so beautifully, so much so that I was stunned by its utter simplicity. The
point does prompt the question: ‘What is it about God that I intend/hope/strive
to reveal to others?’ This, I believe, is and should be the central question of
ones vocation. I have taken this question to heart, and it is one that I have
begun to contemplate and wish to explore more deeply. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">To begin, it has led me to (re)consider
how God (continually) reveals Himself to me, and what of God’s nature is being
and has been revealed to me through and by others; and through and by whom? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">As John Pritchard writes, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 1.0cm; margin-right: 53.5pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">These special people,
whether ordained or not, have a distinctive quality that we find hard to pin
down. They tend to be kind, though not in a sentimental way; they tend to be
selfless, though not with martyr-like complications; they tend to be strong
characters, but they use their strength creatively for others. (1)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Pritchard himself poses another
fundamental question indirectly by stating that in some measure, we each have a
“modest hall of fame”, or as I would put it, a pantheon of heroes who have and
continue to inspire and motivate our faith and spiritual development. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Following Pritchard’s imagery of a hall of
fame of “affectionate portraits”, I allowed my mind to drift and shape a
“Gallery of Faith” in an imaginary spiritual museum. Without a doubt, each of
us could easily rattle off a laundry list of the saints and sages whose words
and ways have stood as markers or guideposts in our spiritual journeys, e.g.,
Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Rosa Parks <i>&etc.</i> However, Pritchard challenges us to dig a bit deeper and
look beyond that great, celestial cloud of witnesses, to try and identify
individuals we have known personally and encountered in our daily lives that genuinely
helped us to raise our spiritual game, and encouraged us be better believers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I was surprised by
how difficult creating such a list as this is, actually. After some time, one
portrait surfaced quite clearly: Father Joe LaBran, SJ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Father LaBran is the
sort of person that causes you to smile, immediately, as soon as you think of
them. Full of almost elven, Irish good humour, Father LaBran was already a firm
fixture and longstanding legend by the time I arrived at Holy Cross College - a
selective, liberal arts university in Worcester, Massachusetts, run by the
Jesuits. For me, and all who knew and
loved him, the essence of Fr LaBran was “joy”. His familiar catchphrase was
“The joy of the Lord!” and indeed, Fr LaBran embodied and lived that Joy, and
it was his mission to share that joy with others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">One of the many
things I admired most about Fr LaBran, was his zeal and common touch. He was
always out and about on campus, with his grey Stetson firmly nestled on his
white-haired head, and his ornately carved walking stick -- that legend had it
was hand-carved for him by a great, African chieftain following his conversion
by Fr LaBran. Students delighted to see him cheering on the sidelines at
sporting events, or sharing a friendly pint in the pub; when he celebrated
Mass, the services were always packed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Fr LaBran’s passion
for the way of Christ was tangible, and although you never felt pressured by Fr
LaBran, you did always feel compelled, challenged and inspired to strive to be
“where he was” spiritually. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Unlike other
instances in my life where I have observed others and thought to myself,
“Golly, that looks like I nice place to be” – this was how I routinely felt on
occasions when I have been part of Evangelical or Charismatic congregations.
Wherever it was that they all seemed to be, I wasn’t there. It seemed somewhere
distant and inaccessible. Not so with Fr LaBran. The faith world he inhabited
was warm and welcoming, just as you are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Although vibrant and
passionate, Fr LaBran exuded a Quiet strength - in true Jesuit fashion, and I
am thankful to him for introducing me to a faith world built on that quiet strength.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">One instance of this
was during Lent in my second year, when Fr LaBran challenged me to give up an
hour each day to attend Daily Mass, instead of giving up chocolate, beer or
sweets. My heart sunk at the suggestion. How could I with my crazy schedule,
homework, rehearsals, hall meetings, and any attempts at a social life squeeze
in another daily obligation?! “The joy of the Lord will be your strength!” Fr LaBran
beamed, his bright smile and blue eyes twinkling, as he walked away. I rose to
the challenge, and it was, of course, an amazing experience. It became a real
refuge and a source of solace and strength for me - just what I needed at that
time in my life. The next challenge Fr LaBran set for me was even more profound
and life changing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My last year of
university was coming to an end. During the week between the last day of
classes and Graduation, I was presented with two options by which to
commemorate my four years at Holy Cross: a notorious, collegiate debauchery
fest called, “HC-by-the-Sea”, a week-long, unsupervised, undergraduate beach
party on Cape Cod; or “The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius”, a week-long
retreat of silence and solitude on the shores of Naragansett, Rhode Island led
by Fr LaBran. Watching my friends packing their sun cream, bikinis and beach
towels, I prayed that I’d made the right choice. I now have no doubt that I
did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“Pray always, and
sometimes, use words,” Fr LaBran adviced us, amending slightly the famous words
of St Francis of Assisi. One of the greatest memories I have of this experience
is that of sitting high atop a rock, on the edges of the Atlantic Ocean, the
vastness of the open sea before me, communing with God in silence, in the
moonlight. “In Silence, you will hear the voice of God.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Fr LaBran also encouraged
us to perform an act of contrition during the week, to symbolise our humility
and utter dependence upon God. I recall vivdly creeping into the chapel early
one morning to perform my contrition, the sunlight streaming through the
windows as I lay myself down across the cold flagstones. “The Joy of the Lord
is your strength.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">For a gaggle of young
people a week of complete silence was a real challenge, and amazingly, none of
us broke our silence. Not even at meal time! And each day, we all seemed to be
grow in our silence. There were 15 of us, all of us, on the brink of new life
and adulthood, taking that next step into the rest of our lives, with Fr LaBran
challenging us to always go with Christ, wherever our paths may lead us, to
listen for His voice, and to walk humbly before Him. The memory of this blessed
time still brings tears to my eyes. And for this reason, Fr Joseph LaBran, SJ
holds pride of place in my Spiritual Hall of Fame.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The following is an excerpt from the
homily given by Rev. William J. O’Halloran, S.J., vice president emeritus of
Holy Cross, at Fr. LaBran’s funeral Mass in April 2005:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Bangla MN"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">[It
is for leading] the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius for which he is best
remembered. It is no exaggeration to say that, for many years, at least a third
of the graduating seniors had made the Exercises with him. Letters by the
hundreds have told the story of lives repaired and changed; of discovering
Jesus, the sacraments, prayer and meaning.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xDH4RM0WxE4/UfjU9qRbtaI/AAAAAAAABGQ/A3vc4QmK_14/s1600/sum05-obit2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xDH4RM0WxE4/UfjU9qRbtaI/AAAAAAAABGQ/A3vc4QmK_14/s1600/sum05-obit2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Joseph LaBran, SJ</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-89454248038025292682013-07-19T19:24:00.000+01:002013-07-19T19:50:20.758+01:00God save us from…Boorish Brits Abroad<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>1230</o:Words>
<o:Characters>5700</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Shakespeare Diva Media</o:Company>
<o:Lines>118</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>26</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>6904</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i>'Tis not my fault, the Boar provok'd my tongue, </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i>Tis he, foul creature, that hath done me wrong!' </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">- <i>Venus & Adonis </i></span></div>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">It is a perennial problem. Idyllic French
campsite, nestled in the shadow of a magnificent chateau, encircled by a lush
and verdant landscape, with leaping carp and ducks gliding gracefully across a
tranquil, emerald lake; sunsets to write home about, church bells softly
tolling in the distances, glorious sunshine and tomatoes the size of your head…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">This, is the reward for months and months
of hard graft, head to the grindstone and gritted teeth. Heaven on earth.
Paradise. That is, until the Boorish Brits arrive. Then, the silence is
suddenly shattered, and a cruel holiday reality sets in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">You know the type. They travel in packs, or
rather, successfully find members of their tribe upon arrival. They find
themselves infinitely interesting, and endlessly amusing. They’ve untapped the
Belgian beer and the Calvados, and they’ve got stamina. They can go for hours,
and they’re here all week. “Manners” mean nothing to these people, and
‘etiquette’ is just another French word that rhymes with ‘baguette’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And, what are we to do -- those of us for
whom “holiday” means ‘a bit of peace and quiet’; a chance to catch up on all
those books I’ve been meaning to read for the past 12 months; a chance to sit
and watch the sun set, and actually have an uninterrupted conversation with my
spouse, about nothing in particular -- when that serenity is disrupted by a
bunch of boors braying and guffawing, as loudly as possible, just to show the
rest us what we’re missing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It is, of course, their right, they will
have you know, to enjoy themselves as they please, but what about our right to
enjoy ourselves as we please? The sad truth is that there is actually very
little one can do in a situation such as this. As the revelry carried on past
midnight, I tried to sooth my seething soul by penning a well-crafted letter
(in both French <i>and</i> English) to the
chateau staff. A sympathetic shoulder shrug with a “<i>Quelle dommage</i>”, however well intended, provides little relief. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I’m angry. And, there’s nothing I can do
about it. I’m sure we are not the only ones feeling this way, but, the only
option that exists for us all is to suffering in silence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">How did things get this way? There used to
be a time when you could approach an individual and say, politely, <i>“Sorry, but would you mind…” </i>and it
actually had an effect. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">To my embarrassment, I recall an instance,
years and years ago, when I was a student living in London. I had a little job at a pasta shop in
Marylebone High Street. One morning, I was feeling a bit cheeky, and carried my
portable music player with me to work. I provided myself with an audio
soundtrack as I sashayed to work. “Young lady, you can turn that down for a
start.” An older male voice admonished me, clearly unappreciative of <i>Duran Duran</i> so early on a Saturday. I snapped
to attention, and switched the player off immediately. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Those were the days!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">If one dared to engage in that sort of
social admonishing nowadays, you’d need to be prepared for fall out, backlash
or a black eye! There is no reasoning with these people. They are bigger,
louder, ruder, and undeniably, here to stay.
So, what is one to do, apart from suffering in silence? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">No use complaining to camp ‘authorities’,
they could do without the <i>aggro</i>. They
don’t want to intervene, as they’d rather not have<i> their</i> heads ripped off in<i>
your</i> stead! No point appealing to camping organisations like the Caravan
Club. Not their problem. As long as members pay their subs and clear up after
themselves, these organisations are not bothered about behavior or social
harmony. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Perhaps, if there was a monetary incentive
these groups and camp authorities could and would get involved. What if they
could extract a hefty fine from individuals who breach the peace past a certain
hour? Or, following a certain number of complaints? What if groups of boors
could be barred from a site after repeated infringements? Well, I suppose that
would make too much sense.<i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US">Quelle
dommage</span></i><span lang="EN-US">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">So, it is assumed and the more civilized amongst
us are meant to just accept it, chalk it up to experience, vent our spleen on
Trip Advisor and try somewhere else next year. But that doesn’t stop us imagining what we
might do - or pursuing creative ways to sooth our rage and frustration:
strategically placed stink bomb in the bedding quarters of the offending boor’s
Unicorn caravan? A ritual flogging of said boor, at dawn, outside the campsite
café? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Close, but not quite right. The punishment
should fit the crime. And, at the heart of this particular crime is a desire
for attention and public recognition. The other side of it, my side of it, is
that feeling of helplessness, the frustration of having my highly-prized
solitude and privacy invaded. How can I ever place ‘the Boor’ in the same
position? By writing him an open letter, of course. And, include his car registration
details for all to see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span lang="EN-US">Dear Mr
K40 CWP,</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span lang="EN-US">The
boorish behavior you and your newfound chums displayed on the campsite last
night was obnoxious, unnecessary, rude and ignorant. Why you felt obliged to share your bravado
and ill manners with the entire campsite remains a mystery.</span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US">I
regret to inform you that your ambitions to become a stand-up comedian are
woefully misguided. Your act may go down well in your local, however, I have no
doubt that the strangers laughing at your sad jokes and trite stories last
night were merely doing so for the free beers and crisps that were on offer.
Behind your back, they think you’re as big a berk as the rest of us do.</span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US">Upon
reflection, I realise that it is not your fault.<br /> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US">I
blame “Top Gear”. But, not in the way you might suppose. The format of Top Gear
is to blame: lively presenters, surrounded by a gaggle of enthusiastic
sycophants, eager to laugh at every line. That is the dream to which you
aspire.</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US">Unfortunately,
Mr K40 CWP, life is not an episode of Top Gear, and you are not Jeremy
Clarkson, Richard May, or even, “The Hammond”. </span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span lang="EN-US">Like them or loathe them, one must admit that they are knowledgeable and
gifted ranconteurs who are, in fact,<b> <u>engaging</u></b>. They, in stark contrast to you, are
professionals. Perhaps Top Gear should come with a warning: “Do not try this at
home – or on a campsite.”</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span lang="EN-US">Of
course, Mr K40 CPW, you have every right to live out your Jeremy Clarkson
fantasy as you will. But, please understand that I, likewise, have the right
NOT to be an unwilling participant in that fantasy.</span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US">I’m
not quite sure for whom I feel most sorry: myself and my husband, having a
lovely, peaceful, summer evening ruined; the family camped next to you, too
afraid to register their discomfiture; your wife, snuggled up on her own inside
your caravan, with a well-worn copy of Fifty Shades of Grey, since your idea of
‘quality time’ on holiday is showing off to group of strangers; or, should I
feel sorry for you?</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span lang="EN-US">No, I
think not.</span></i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Well, they do say the pen is mightier than
the sword. One can only hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-79009424984279170732013-01-09T14:58:00.002+00:002013-01-09T14:58:30.277+00:00The difference a new year can makeI am determined to be happy. I am determined that this year will be MY year. 2012 was a year of some great highs and some pretty incredible lows. Good riddance to all that, I say.<br />
<br />
As such, I am happy to say that the new year is off to a very promising start.<br />
As I type I am hours away from the Press Launch for my latest publishing effort. Remember that "Shakespeare Cookbook" I starting collaborating on in 2008? It is finally seeing the light of day! In many ways this project has been representative of my life in the UK generally.<br />
<br />
The work, done with my wonderful collaborator, Chef Alan Deegan, has been a joy! The difficulty came in trying to get the work "out into the world". Publishers, agents, I can't count the number of letters, faxes and emails we sent out. People were all very interested, keen, supportive, but no one ever felt strongly enough to actually ask us to dance. Three years it has taken. Three years!<br />
<br />
As I say, the fortunes of my career have been much the same. The past four years have been a perpetual carousel of "Hurry up, and wait". A virtually endless strain of half-baked hopes and unfulfilled promises. Of being led up the garden path and left at the altar! Quite honestly, if it were not for the truly wonderful DEB (who I could not live without) and the love and support of family and friends, I would have packed up and given in long ago.<br />
<br />
Four years of rejection have taken their toll, but I feel that I have finally pushed (and am pushing still) through the anger, frustration and depression. Britain is a tough nut to crack at the best of times, so the added economic constraints have only added to the dilemma. Of course, I am not alone, which goes some way to ease the pain. As does the prospect of a new year and a new day!<br />
<br />
And, one thing I have learned is that some things are truly worth the wait! Our publishers, Graficas Books, are an absolute godsend! A girl couldn't ask for a better publisher. The book itself is absolutely gorgeous!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GovyyE6MnHY/UO2D5Z1DV7I/AAAAAAAABFc/COfbY09-eMY/s1600/food-of-love-cover-125px.jpg" /></div>
<div id="AppleMailSignature" style="font-family: Helvetica;">
<br /><div>
<div align="center" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="color: #d16349;">The Food of Love - The Taste of Shakespeare in Four Seasons<br /><a href="http://www.the-food-of-love.co.uk/">www.the-food-of-love.co.uk</a></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<br />
And I am just over the moon with it. I have no doubt that there are those "Shakespeareans" who will scoff and look down their noses at it, but I don't give a monkey's bottom! I am pleased as Punch and very proud indeed.<br />
Right - must dash! Off for a quick swim and then to get ready for the gala Press Launch tonight!!<br />
Apologies for my extended absence!<br />
And, Happy New Year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-14556455393698083532012-11-21T10:08:00.001+00:002012-11-21T14:35:40.744+00:00Backward Britain (I'm a little angry)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #285300; font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A glooming peace this morning with it brings;</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The sun for sorrow will not show his head.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- <i>Romeo and Juliet</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What a bleak morning. Cold, dark, wet. Most appropriate for my mood. I should probably wait until I am in a calmer frame of mind before I attempt to craft some sort of response to the appalling result of the Church of England's General Synod vote on women bishops. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But, really, what is there to say that hasn't already been said, and said betimes? I've offered my views on the matter in a number of occasions, most notably here: <a href="http://i-say-tomato.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/girl-power.html" target="_blank">"Girl Power"</a>. And although my tone is largely flippant, there is a great deal of seriousness there.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The most shocking points are that the motion was defeated by a narrow margin, a mere 6 votes, and the dissenting constituency was the Laity. Not Bishops (both the current and in-coming Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams and Justin Welby voted in favour of women bishops), not Clergy, but the Laity. Those representing common, every day folk.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As sit here, a Churchwarden and key-holder of my local parish church, I cannot understand how anyone could possibly need to grapple with this issue! Our tiny village congregation is overwhelmingly female, and I am sure we are the rule and not the exception. Of our two Churchwardens, both of us are women; of our Readers, one is male, one female; of Clergy, one male, one female. An absence of women in roles of leadership and authority would bring our little parish to a halt. And, I have no doubt, in this day and age, that we are not unique. In our Benefice of 6 small parishes, half of the Churchwardens are women.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Of course, I am not equating being a Churchwarden with being a Bishop, but my points are that leadership, whether on a day-to-day parish level or diocesan level, is leadership; and that the face, heart and soul of the CofE -- on a day to day level -- is largely female. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At a time when the Church is asking itself how it can reach out, be relevant and meet the needs of an ever-changing contemporary world, we take a step that appears positively Medieval! "Transform communities, make new disciplines," and etc. How can we do this when the message is quite clear: the contributions of women in the Church are valued - up to a point.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today's news hurts, and it hurts us all. The Traditionalists and the Evangelicals - a rather odd marriage if ever there was one! - may have won, but at what cost? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There is one Traditionalist group who call themselves Together 4ward. (Yeah, right.) How can we move forward together on this? As someone who has seriously contemplated -- and continues to contemplate quite seriously -- the possibility of pursuing a vocation within the Church of England, what am I meant to make of this result? Should it give me pause? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Of course, one does not or should not pursue a vocation with an eye to achieving top tier status, one pursues a vocation to serve. It is a calling to humble action, not an aspirational career move. That being said, how can the Church counsel its women novitiates, mentor or encourage them with a stained glass ceiling above their heads?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And perhaps, this is what the Traditionalists and the Evangelicals wish for most. That women novitiates will be put off, give up, give over and move on. "Why bother", I saw one woman had written on a news comments page, "I'll just become a Methodist." Alas, no! Do not retreat! This needs to be a call to arms! "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more!" </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is a time to demonstrate that women within the Church of England are here to stay, a force with which to reckoned, and we'll not give up the fight! </span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-36603911372066778062012-11-08T18:51:00.001+00:002012-11-08T18:51:31.323+00:00Finding treasure close to home
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>477</o:Words>
<o:Characters>2721</o:Characters>
<o:Company>NYU</o:Company>
<o:Lines>22</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>3341</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Give me the map.” – King
Lear</span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Along with Her Majesty The Queen, Sebastian Coe,
and Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes, Shakespeare is having a great
year. As the headlining act of the London 2012 “Cultural Olympiad”,
Shakespeare’s life and works have featured in heavy rotation across a range of
media (stage, screen, television, radio <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">&etc</i>).
One of the most outstanding offerings of this landmark ‘Bardfest’ is a stunning
exhibition at the British Museum </span><span lang="EN-US">mounted in collaboration
with the RSC. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“Shakespeare: Staging the World” </span><span lang="EN-US">focuses on the playwright's world, both real and imagined. It takes us
on a journey from medieval England and the forest of Arden, to Venice, Rome and
finally to Prospero's magical isle.</span><span lang="EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Flying in the face of conspiracy theories, such as
those espoused by the recent film “Anonymous”, the British Museum’s exhibition
confirms William Shakespeare as the author of the greatest works of English
literature, and posits Warwickshire firmly as the undisputed site of his
inspiration and imagination.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Without doubt, Shakespeare’s Warwickshire origins
were extremely important to him, and his works are steeped in references to
local places, wisdom, tradition and folklore. His plays reveal a country
dweller’s knowledge and appreciation of the romance and reality of rural life.
This was delightfully realised in the exemplary British Museum show. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">At the heart of the exhibition is the magnificent
Sheldon Tapestry Map of Warwickshire.</span><span lang="EN-US"> This map was one of a
set of four tapestry maps made in the 1580s. They were commissioned by Ralph
Sheldon (1537-1613) to hang in his new home at Weston in Warwickshire. The maps
were made at the Sheldon tapestry works at Barcheston, Warwickshire. The
tapestry works were set up by Ralph's father, William, with the aim of creating
a tapestry-making industry in Britain by training locals to become weavers.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">This extraordinary work of art – hand-woven in
Warwickshire – </span><span lang="EN-US">is a pictorial record of the
county in Elizabethan times, showing the River Avon, the Forest of Arden, the hills
of Brailles and Burton Dassett, as well as fields, towns, villages and great
houses of the gentry. It </span><span lang="EN-US">allowed
me to see my world as Shakespeare saw it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With delight, I surveyed the territory I call home,
familiar to me even with archaic, 16<sup>th</sup> century spellings: <i>Warwicke,
Lemmington, Kenelmworth, Coventrie, Stretford, Wasbvrton, Welsborn, Charlcot
</i>and <i>Sherborn</i>. Although rendered as Bearfoote, my beloved Barford was indeniably
present - immediately distinguishable by its lovely bridge crossing the Avon. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I was surprised to find that this precious
artifact, previously unknown to me, is held in the collection of the
Warwickshire Museum Service. It can </span><span lang="EN-US">usually be seen in all
its glory at the Market Hall Museum in Warwick. As is often the case, it is
only in traveling great distances that we are lead to discover and appreciate
the rare treasures that lie close to home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">More information<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"> “Shakespeare:
Staging the World” - Continues until 25 November 2012 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">www.britishmuseum.org</span><b style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-51996625249308035172012-10-19T14:35:00.000+01:002012-10-19T14:36:20.885+01:00Typing 'The End'<br />
Received news recently that we're soon to have a new editor at <i>Warwickshire Life</i> magazine. Although I adore our current editor immensely, I understand that change is inevitable.<br />
Nothing, however, could have prepared me for the news that the new editor wants to cut my monthly column.<br />
So, I have just now today submitted my final column to <i>Warwickshire Life</i>.<br />
I've been (relatively) okay about it all. But now, after pressing SEND, I am heartbroken.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Woe is me. - <i>Hamlet</i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-67796992115201558922012-10-05T21:47:00.000+01:002012-11-16T08:41:38.874+00:00Warning: This recipe may blow up in your face, or, How Not to Make Lancashire Hotpot<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SDEKDymA944/UG8oFqwPtoI/AAAAAAAABE8/WussNVFx9_g/s1600/1611_MEDIUM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SDEKDymA944/UG8oFqwPtoI/AAAAAAAABE8/WussNVFx9_g/s320/1611_MEDIUM.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Quick & Easy Lancashire Hotpot</b></span><br />
<ol style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 25px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;">
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Slice the potatoes to about the thickness of a magazine (half a cm). Cook in boiling water for 8-10 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat an ovenproof frying pan or shallow casserole on a high heat. Dry-fry the lamb for 5 mins until browned, letting the meat release itself from the base before you turn it. Heat the grill to medium.</span></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Tip the onion and most of the rosemary into the pan and fry for 3 mins until the onion is slightly softened and takes on some of the colour from the lamb. Stir in the gravy, then season with black pepper.</span></li>
<li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Drain the potato slices and lay over the meat, each one overlapping slightly, then grill for about 5 mins, until the potatoes are golden.</span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">This recipe promised me ease and convenience. Just what I needed on a day when I was feeling less than brilliant. The two-day-a-week commute to London, teaching keen American undergraduates, had finally taken its toll. Venturing out in the world, unprotected without my annual flu jab, I had succumb to the first cold of the season.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Things always (and always) seem worse when you have a cold. Damp weather seems wetter, the wind, windier, and melancholy moods, moodier. Feeling sorry for myself -- and wanting to prove to myself that at least my domestic prowess had not waned -- I drag myself from off the settee, and shuffled to the kitchen with the goal of preparing a Lancashire Hotpot for my Darling English Boy. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Truth be told, I was feeling guilty. The poor DEB has done double duty in the kitchen these days, what with my traveling back and forth to London, and now being poorly/ill. I needed to reclaim my territory. So, a</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">rmed with my favourite pyrex casserole dish, I set about this simple three-step recipe. How hard could it be? A cheat, really. A doddle, really, even with feeling under the weather. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Famous last words... </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">I got half way through Step #2, added the onion, began to stir, and <i>BAM!</i> And explosion of seared lamb, roasted onion and blackened glass. I stood there for a moment in shock. What had just happened? I stepped back and realised, to my surprise, that I was okay. There was glass everywhere. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Clearing up the mess, I thought: How could something so simple have gone so wrong. As I stared at the shattered bits and pieces, I realised that the same may be said of my new life in Britain. How could something so seemingly simple have gone so wrong? Or, at least, not quite as well as it should have?</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">The past four years have been full of great joy and a great deal of struggle. And I know I am not alone in feeling that I am not exactly living to my fullest potential. I know that these are hard times, all round. Millions are struggling to secure and stay in full time work in Britain, not just me. Redundancies are common place. Why should it <i>not</i> happen to me? Receiving my 'walking papers' this week from the popular, regional magazine that has hosted my monthly column for over 2 years was a real blow. The new editor was kind and gracious, she acknowledged the popularity my column has enjoyed, and her reasons were the buzzwords of the day: cuts, budgets and costs. I, of course, understood. But not without feelings of hurt and resentment.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">The hardest part about this is that my column, although it never paid me much, gave me joy and real sense of purpose, drive, hope, direction and definition. It was a monthly challenge, that gave me a real sense of achievement. An identity (beyond that of Wife) that I could cling to and amble about in socially. In essence, it gave me everything that had seemed all but lost for me. In the midst of a sea of (endless) rejection letters from colleges and universities up and down this country, my column was my anchor. It held me fast whenever I felt I just might drift away in a wave of depression or anxiety. And now that anchor is gone. I'll have to start again.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">What are you meant to do when you have tried every trick you can think of, every thing that you know how to do to succeed? How do you 'give up' when giving up isn't really an option? Am I discovering that there is only a superficial openness here, and the Britain is in fact a deeply closed society? </span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">This was the first moment in four years when I seriously doubted my decision to move here. And, the first time I ever seriously considered wanting to leave. (Taking the DEB with me, of course!) But where we would be go? What would we do? Who would we be?</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">And how much would we be leaving behind? I know I wax lyrical about our beloved Barford, but it truly is a special place. We have family near by, and good friends now, who feel as close as family. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Just as I begun to doubt this place and this choice, this place once again revealed itself to be 'right'. Over the past four sick days I have been shown such loving tenderness. Friends and neighbours stopping by to drop off 'sick day supplies' (boxes of tissues, magazines and chocolate); or home remedies ("My mother picked these elderflowers this summer, make two cups of tea and drink it daily. I swear by it with my boys."). My sweet friend, Kate, who insisted on foregoing her well-deserved day off lay-in to drive me to the doctor's, sat with me in the surgery (doctor's office) and treating me to a hot chocolate after; cheering phone calls from my brother-in-law; and a warming plate of dinner delivered straight from the Harvest Supper in the Village Hall.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">These are the things that matter, these are the things that round out our lives. The rest are merely incidentals. That is what I have to remember, whenever I feel the urge to weep, to wail, to give up, or just plain run away.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Few things in life that are truly worthwhile are hardly ever "quick" and are certainly rarely "easy". Next time I attempt Lancashire Hotpot, I shall opt for a different recipe. One that may require a bit more effort and more time, but one that will hopefully give better results. I've learned one thing though: when, even after all your very best efforts, things blow up in your face, all you can do is clear it up and start again.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #47443e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-21832555160081747702012-09-12T13:15:00.000+01:002012-09-12T13:17:03.273+01:00In Jane Austen's Footsteps<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>469</o:Words>
<o:Characters>2676</o:Characters>
<o:Company>NYU</o:Company>
<o:Lines>22</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>3286</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“In Warwickshire, I have true-hearted friends.” – Henry
VI, Part III</span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">“You should write a novel,” a friend
suggested casually over a cup of tea. “Your life,” she added,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“has been so ‘Austen-esque’.” The
comparison of my ‘romantic narrative’ with the stories of Jane Austen does seem
apt in some small ways. After re-establishing our acquaintance in 2007, my
Darling English Boy and I pursued a long-distance relationship built firmly on
correspondence. Beyond emails and text messages, in true Austenian fashion, we
actually wrote letters – and sent them in the post!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">On one occasion, the Darling English Boy
signed his missive: “Your Mr Darcy or Colonel Brandon - which ever you prefer.”
What a deliciously romantic choice! And, what a boon: a man who knows his
Austen from his elbow. (I was completely hooked.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">One thing about Jane Austen neither of us
knew was her affection for Warwickshire. The City of Bath may well lay claim to
being Austen’s place of residence. However, in her novels she decries the
“insincerity, smoke, confusion, and horrid gatherings” that were unavoidable
features of city living. Without doubt, Jane Austen was a country girl at
heart, and Stoneleigh Abbey, here in the heart of Warwickshire left a lasting
impression on her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1jzd-JOWp84/UFB7CSZtUKI/AAAAAAAABEU/i7Fy4XFTN2g/s1600/Stoneleigh+Abbey" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1jzd-JOWp84/UFB7CSZtUKI/AAAAAAAABEU/i7Fy4XFTN2g/s320/Stoneleigh+Abbey" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In 1806, Jane Austen arrived at Stoneleigh
Abbey with her mother and beloved sister, Cassandra. This trio was enrapt by
the beauty of their cousin’s newly inherited stately home and its bucolic
setting. Nestled on the banks of the River Avon, Stoneleigh Abbey sits on 690
acres of parkland and is surrounded by a lush, verdant landscape. Austen found
here the “life and liberty” she so missed in hustle, bustle and din of Bath. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Taking in the view from the house, one can
see the woodland grove that gave Austen such pleasure on those late summer
days. She called Stoneleigh’s woodland grove a “pretty wilderness.” This phrase
resurfaces famously during the iconic encounter between Elizabeth Bennett and
Lady Catherine de Bourgh in her masterpiece <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pride
& Prejudice</i>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BgGznGOAGaM/UFB6u79oQGI/AAAAAAAABEM/DkoQ8FDyDYE/s1600/Following+in+Jane+Austen's+footsteps" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BgGznGOAGaM/UFB6u79oQGI/AAAAAAAABEM/DkoQ8FDyDYE/s320/Following+in+Jane+Austen's+footsteps" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-US">Stoneleigh Abbey and family figures
associated with it provided Austen with ample fodder for her renowned novels.
It is referenced at length in the description of Sotherton Court in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mansfield Park</i>, and as one takes a turn
about the estate, thoughts of Pemberley immediately spring to mind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">By far my favourite feature – after the
breathtaking Georgian plasterwork in the Grand Hall – was taking a stroll along
Jane’s favourite path. On a (surprisingly) sunny summer day, I found myself
following in Jane Austen’s footsteps. What better inspiration could there be
for a would-be novelist or avid Austen fan?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Every September, hundreds of “Janeites” (as
Jane Austen fans are known) flock to Bath for that city’s annual “Jane Austen
Festival”. I have yet to persuade the Darling English Boy that we should don
Regency costumes and join them. Lucky for him, I have found a touch of Jane
Austen much closer to home. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">More
details<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Stoneleigh Abbey – “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Warwickshire’s hidden jewel”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jane
Austen tours Sundays (1pm) and Wednesdays (12pm). Special Jane Austen evening
tours with wine and canapés, throughout the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See website for details: www.stoneleighabbey.org</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-azrUWwkc-yw/UFB7V28byUI/AAAAAAAABEg/O7znSw0rP-A/s1600/View+of+Stoneleigh+Abbey's+'pretty+wilderness'" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-azrUWwkc-yw/UFB7V28byUI/AAAAAAAABEg/O7znSw0rP-A/s320/View+of+Stoneleigh+Abbey's+'pretty+wilderness'" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-54949253346751726602012-09-12T12:59:00.000+01:002012-09-12T13:00:47.052+01:00Glorious Twelfth (August Column)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>441</o:Words>
<o:Characters>2515</o:Characters>
<o:Company>NYU</o:Company>
<o:Lines>20</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>3088</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>12.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Is that lead slow which is fir’d from a gun? –
Love’s Labour’s Lost<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Hunter
green wellies, touches of cashmere, Lamb’s wool and tweed - the hallmarks of
country apparel. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">To me,
country apparel has always been the apex of British fashion - and a style of
which I have long been enamoured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">I regularly sported wellies and short, tweed skirts
through the sunny streets of Manhattan - only to have a chorus of taxi drivers
bellowing at me at every turn: “You expectin’ rain, sweetheart?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">Thankfully, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">my
lifestyle has finally caught up with my wardrobe.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But what about the
pursuits for which country clothing was actually intended? </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the joys of my newfound rural
life is having opportunities to experience country sports. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri;">Shooting
has always held a certain fascination, with “</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">the
Glorious Twelfth” being the centre of shooting lore. The start of the grouse
season is indeed the stuff of legend - and luxury. G</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">rouse
shooting enthusiasts pay high prices in pursuit of their passion. A 200-brace
day on one of the more prestigious moors, for eight or nine guns, would cost
more than £38,000; and that’s before adding in agents’ commissions, a</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">mmunition, keepers, loaders or beaters tips, insurance, food</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">, travel and accommodation. That’s a costly bit of tweed!</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8hbjr9gnrso/UFB4E2i6GyI/AAAAAAAABDs/p-LBKIEyKjM/s1600/Shooting+188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8hbjr9gnrso/UFB4E2i6GyI/AAAAAAAABDs/p-LBKIEyKjM/s320/Shooting+188.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Before
biting such a choice bullet, I set my sights on a shooting experience
closer to home. My brother-in-law is a retired Warwickshire
Police Inspector and former team manager of the GB Police Clay Shooting Team. His shooting career was inspired at the age of 10, after hearing news of
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Bob
Braithwaite’s remarkable clay shooting victory at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics
and this marked the birth of a lifelong passion, which has seen him win
numerous national Police and inter-service titles including the Services Clay
Classic in 2007. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For the past two years he has coached the
Warwickshire College shooting team, and he has led them to achieve back to back
victories in the 2011/2012 Schools Challenge events at Bredon School in Gloucestershire,
winning two £1500 shotguns. This year, Warwickshire College were also awarded
“School of the Year” by The Clay Pigeon Shooting Association.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the back of this success and in line
with their ‘Enterprise College’ status, (Shooting being worth an estimated £2
billion to the UK economy) Warwickshire College are now exploring opportunities
to offer their shooting coaching facilities to a wider public.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">One
mild, summer’s day, I donned my wellies and met him at Edge Hill Shooting
Ground, where he introduced me to the joys of clay shooting. The experience was
nothing short of exhilarating and empowering: the feel of firepower, the joy of
precision and success and hitting the targets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BF1Nj_z-U_E/UFB4NJe0Z2I/AAAAAAAABD0/X-6BI_ssQp0/s1600/Shooting+178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BF1Nj_z-U_E/UFB4NJe0Z2I/AAAAAAAABD0/X-6BI_ssQp0/s320/Shooting+178.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">I
had expected that I would be utterly useless at shooting a swiftly moving
object out of the sky, but I surprised myself! I have no doubt this was much
more than a mere case of beginner’s luck. More than being just a sure and able
shot, my brother-in-law is also an excellent teacher. And - he looks great in
tweed!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-68701420321290780042012-09-12T12:40:00.000+01:002012-09-12T13:01:52.715+01:00Love it or leave it <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tolerance is a funny thing.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been inundated recently to offer some comment on the upcoming US Presidential election. I have resisted for much same reason that I shall not be voting this time around: I don't have to live with the result. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, in a global sense, yes, we all have to live with the result, but my point is that the result will have not any immediate or intimate impact on my life, so my input into the result should likewise be limited. (A stoical stance worthy of <i>Julius Caesar</i>'s Marcus Brutus!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I can offer, however, is an observation - drawn out by a recent query as to my views on Mitt Romney's faith/religion.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last year, the DEB and I hosted two friends of his to dinner - a British-American couple from Texas. Many of you, dear Readers, will be stunned in amazement to learn that I broke bread with not one, but two, staunchly evangelical, Tea Party supporting Republicans. (Or perhaps more shocked by the fact that two Republicans dared to sup at my "liberal" table?) </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our affable dinner took a sombre turn when Carla began to bemoan the current state of affairs in the USA. I surprised myself with my own detachment and ability to listen calmly as she shared her grievances over President Obama's "betrayal"of the American people. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I did not pitch a fit or throw a wobbly - but I took pleasure and smug satisfaction in the thought that in the upcoming election my one Democratic vote would surely cancel out hers. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, this is a ridiculous thought, this is not at all how it works! And so, it was in that single moment that I realised I shouldn't and mustn't vote. I would be doing so for the wrong reasons - to vote against someone else's opinion, in attempt to counteract the influence of their vote. Voting is privilege, and many gave their lives to achieve this right for us all. To undertake it out of spite or anger is to my mind, wrong. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sadly, I feel that this is precisely what politics in America has become: "spite voting". Perhaps, this is what it has always been, and I just didn't realise it until now.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so, to Mitt. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After Carla finished her tirade, expecting me to take the bait and bite back, in some sort of pro-Obama litany, I responded instead with what I thought was a fair and balanced remark: "Well, Mitt Romney is your best chance against Obama."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carla fell silent.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was as if I had just suddenly declared a belief that the moon was made of cheese.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I explained that I was living in Massachusetts when Mitt Romney was elected Governor. And, a very decent Governor he was. Mitt's faith/religion was not at all a stumbling block for me, or the notoriously 'liberal' electorate of Massachusetts - but it clearly was for Carla! She could barely speak the word 'Mormon' - her pastor had just preached a sermon recently about the 'Mormon cult', and warned his flock against being deceived by the "closet liberal" Romney.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Oh, dear, " I said, allowing my smugness to finally take hold. "You're going to be in a bit of a bind, then, aren't you? What on earth will you do?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fast-forward to now, and within the blink of an eye, Tea Party voters like Carla have swiftly shifted their song sheet, and soundly changed their tune. The "M-word" is no longer the bugbear it once was. The greatest (and saddest) irony in all of this is the bare-faced fact that if Mitt Romney were the Democrat or Independent candidate, and a Mormon, the Religious Right - who are embracing him now - would be grilling him and having him from breakfast! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-12751811324257941202012-07-31T14:38:00.001+01:002012-07-31T14:38:26.298+01:00Olympic fever (and darling English boys abound!)Well, of course, Mitt Romney and Barbara Walters were wrong!<br />
(What a most unlikely couple, very deserving though, after their recent anti-Brit comments!)<br />
The Olympics are going swimmingly (pun intended), and London has more than lived up to its reputation as a world class, capital city. (And, the Queen is wonderful. Full stop/Period.)<br />
The opening ceremony (directed by Oscar-winner Danny Boyle) was the stuff of legend.<br />
The real stars of the ceremony for me, after Her Majesty, The Queen, herself, of course, were HM Queen's adorable corgies, Holly and Monty!<br />
BBC has released stunning excerpt for YouTube...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xW5abat5NEU" width="450"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Britain always manages to rise to the occasion in grand style, elegance and grace.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A more than a few Darling English Boys thrown in for good measure...</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gMn6SXSjhMg/UBfdi0HW11I/AAAAAAAABDU/mHL7JqPRZRc/s1600/Tom-Daley-and-Pete-Waterf-009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gMn6SXSjhMg/UBfdi0HW11I/AAAAAAAABDU/mHL7JqPRZRc/s400/Tom-Daley-and-Pete-Waterf-009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team GB Heartthrob Divers, Tom Daley and Peter Waterfield </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
(Well, if the guys have Beach Volleyball, Men's Synchronised Diving is one for us gals, for sure!)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Rule Britannia!<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-75685636726865558202012-07-24T12:23:00.000+01:002012-07-24T12:23:39.255+01:00Feeling better<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"Sweet are the uses of adversity, which like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head; and this our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in running brooks, sermons in stone, and good in everything." - <i>As You Like It</i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shakespeare always gets it right. These words from <i>As You Like It</i> found me today, reminding me that there is good in every situation and circumstance. It is always worth taking a moment and remembering that one has much to be thankful for.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spent much of yesterday, outside on the deck, in the sunshine shaping my course schedules for the Autumn term. I'll be teaching for two very wonderful university programmes in London. Both have great students, incredible support and terrific colleagues. The work itself is freelance and contract-based, which means it's not permanent, but also mean that I have the freedom and flexibility to be mistress of my own time. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sure, I'll never make a fortune, and I do tire sometimes of being a "roaming Shakespeare scholar", it would be nice to have a permanent place to pitch my academic tent. But - at the end of the day, I get to do what I love. And, that is worth everything.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Throughout my time here in Britain, I have sadly felt "lead up the garden path" on a fairly regular basis. From early in 2009, I was invited in for a number of meetings with the BBC about the then forthcoming "Shakespeare Season" for 2012. I met with seemingly countless development people and producers, who seemed keen and interested in my ideas and thoughts. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After a series of personnel changes in the BBC's development area, I was, along with my ideas, lost in the shuffle. I have since had a very kind apology from a chap wasn't involved this fiasco, that was in fact much appreciated. That was balm to my troubled soul. At the very least there was an acknowledgement that I had been taking for a ride. It did not, however, make it any easier for me to sit and watch as the current BBC Shakespeare Season has carried on and passed me by. A great cultural moment. I have not be able to stomach it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The next great cultural moment will of course be the big Shakespeare anniversary in 2016. I am determined to contribute to that in some way. And, perhaps, it will be a way that I create for myself.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the meantime, I must find peace, solace and comfort in what the wonderful opportunities that I have had and have. Shakespeare has led me on some truly incredible adventures: from Alaska to Romania. I have this very morning received confirmation for a Shakespeare lecture I'll be giving at the British Council in Hong Kong next month, and am currently discussing the possibility of a Shakespeare lecture tour of India in October.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As Shakespeare suggests, one should always be on the look out for the good in everything.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-55762003599807206212012-07-18T22:51:00.002+01:002012-07-18T22:53:29.410+01:00The Life I imagined?<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US">"New heaven, new earth...past the size of dreaming." - Antony
& Cleopatra</span></i><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span><i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US">"Is
it all that you imagined?"</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> Thus began the letter I
received recently from a Reader keen to embark on her own journey of a new life
in brave new world. It has taken me weeks to respond. Busyness and an overly
lengthy "To Do" list aside, I have struggled to place my feelings in
the right frame, the right words.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I started
my response to her many times, but then ditched the effort each time, finally
today, I feel I have found the word or words, and hope she will excuse this
public reply to her queries...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Love. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That is
how all of this began, and love is what keeps me and this story going. Next
month will be four years since I left my high-flying life in Manhattan for the
bucolic British setting that is now my home - a story book English village that
charms and delights me daily; where I feel safe, secure and valued. I risked
everything, all I had and all that I was. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US">Was it
worth it?</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> Without a doubt.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US">Is this
life all that you imagined? </span></i><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And, no.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't
have words to describe fully the frustration and isolation I have felt as I
have struggled to rebuild my career here in Britain. Incredible high and
gut-wrenching lows. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have
had to fight for every little corner I have achieved. I have had to find
reserves of shameless self promotion that I never knew I had. I've had to be
fearless, brave and resilient. Creative and persistent. And, thick-skinned. Or
- at least attempt to be thick-skinned. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A journey
such as this is not for the faint-hearted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Depression,
disappointment, anxiety and anger have all been present in full measure
alongside joy, passion, laughter and love.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Love is
the only thing that has got me through each and every rejection - and there
have been too many to count. Every time a door has slammed firmly shut, I've
retreated into the warm and open arms of my DEB. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For this,
I am thankful. For this, I live and find the strength to keep going.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are
so many things here that give me joy: family (the best in-laws in the world!),
friends, community, etc. & etc. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But, I
would be lying to say that it has been easy, and not without struggle. It
requires living on ones wits, straining the nerves, and surviving. The lows can
be incredibly low, and hope a very distant thing. I have come to believe, quite
honestly, that I have more chance of winning the National Lottery than I do of
ever finding sustained and fulfilling employment in my field in this country.
Seriously.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US">Would you
do it all again?</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> Absolutely. But, I would do it differently.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US">"What
an amazing life you have! How can I be you?"</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> - The
young schoolteacher smiled at me broadly at the end of a very enjoyable
Shakespeare workshop I'd led with her students. Her words left me speechless.
All I could do was smile back at her weakly. If she only knew what it
meant "to be me"... <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Four years on: Love is the only thing that keeps me
going. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-21283693147620354862012-07-08T13:06:00.001+01:002012-07-08T13:06:59.933+01:00Star-studded times<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, and joyous time of creativity.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The RSC are on peak form, and I've fortunate to have work (lots for a pleasant change!) surrounding the current season of productions.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The new production of <i>Richard III</i> is simply brilliant, with Jonjo O'Neill doing an hilarious and amazing job of playing Shakespeare's most daringly crafted villains. Paola Dionisotti returns to the RSC stage, after a 17 year hiatus, as Queen Margaret. She gracious offered her time for a hugely enjoyable post-performance discussion session with my HF Holidays group. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pD4eh78K8pY/T_lud8a_OcI/AAAAAAAABCc/7Q76wFdIx4Y/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pD4eh78K8pY/T_lud8a_OcI/AAAAAAAABCc/7Q76wFdIx4Y/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paola Dionisotti shares her journey to playing Queen Margaret</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YheC1EPzNDg/T_lul2Jrr1I/AAAAAAAABCk/eoj_EW4bSZc/s1600/photo+5_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YheC1EPzNDg/T_lul2Jrr1I/AAAAAAAABCk/eoj_EW4bSZc/s320/photo+5_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group photo at Harrington House</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The other production that seems to be featuring heavily in my life these days is Greg Doran's stunning rendering of <i>Julius Caesar</i>. Paterson Joseph, a chum of mine from "the good old days", is making a triumphant return to the RSC as Brutus. Caught up with him after the show to wish him a "Happy Birthday", and had to get a photo of him in the tshirt his wife sent him from France, appropriately bearing the words: "Et tu, Brute?" Which, in French, apparently means "Stupid." Fascinating.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oOu0OTl3PlM/T_lt144XTrI/AAAAAAAABCU/7Pfdlxx40zc/s1600/photo+4_5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oOu0OTl3PlM/T_lt144XTrI/AAAAAAAABCU/7Pfdlxx40zc/s320/photo+4_5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paterson Joseph in his "Caesar" shirt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When not running round lecturing over the past few weeks, I have been doing the legwork producing a reading of "Song of Songs" at/for Barford Church. The experience, though exhausting, has been sheer joy. And has reminded me of "my old self". The director/producer me. The "mover and shaker" me in NYC. The production was a sheer delight and gave me the opportunity work with two of Britain's brightest and dearly loved stars: Timothy West and Prunella Scales, who kindly lent their talent to our fundraising efforts.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1tt5q-ytjow/T_l1UXV0XZI/AAAAAAAABC4/pdnZ6GIlJTY/s1600/Song+of+Songs+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1tt5q-ytjow/T_l1UXV0XZI/AAAAAAAABC4/pdnZ6GIlJTY/s320/Song+of+Songs+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rehearsal for Song of Songs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Tim and Pru were both so lovely. The only way I can describe is adorable! Truly. So kind, gracious and generous. And, of course incredibly talented. Every director's dream!<br />
During rehearsal, I got dewy-eyed and nearly wept with joy at the sound of these two legendary actors reading the luscious language of "Song of Songs". Sometimes, when you are in midst of things, there's very little time to reflect on just how significant the moment truly is. This time, I stopped, pinched myself, and whispered, "Hey, look at you, you're doing this!" It was truly amazing.<br />
Hearing that I'd produced and directed this production, one of my former students emailed me and asked, rather cheekily whether I'd "made Prunella Scales and Timothy West do the 'Vowel Wheel'" -- one of the dreaded warm-up exercises I used to put my students through on a regular basis. We didn't do the Vowel Wheel, but we did do a brief warm-up!<br />
I can't wait to do something like this again. It is always good to have a reminder of what you can do, when given half a chance. In the end, we raised over £2000 for church funds, a real relief in these difficult times. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tv3AMfIzfcg/T_lu9aTHFfI/AAAAAAAABCs/scifd4S_ZsY/s1600/Song+of+Songs+062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tv3AMfIzfcg/T_lu9aTHFfI/AAAAAAAABCs/scifd4S_ZsY/s320/Song+of+Songs+062.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Timothy West and Prunella Scales</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694489102230407970.post-85953070429623108932012-06-09T21:21:00.000+01:002012-06-09T23:36:22.652+01:00Joyous Jubilee HangoverRelaxing with a cup of tea, and the last marzipan and ginger corgi biscuit, and going through a few pikkies of our fabulous village Jubilee celebrations...<br />
<br />
On Jubilee Monday, the celebrations kicked off with the DEB and I hosting a few guests for an early morning champagne toast.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hx1JuYCTJvc/T9OD9lm9-DI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/w0x6Jl9-lTw/s1600/DSCF1759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hx1JuYCTJvc/T9OD9lm9-DI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/w0x6Jl9-lTw/s400/DSCF1759.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our front door</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My beautiful anniversary roses served as the perfect centerpiece for my Jubilee display, including a few pieces of my 'Coronation' china collection.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-elwRSLS59KI/T89z4h4iCHI/AAAAAAAAA9s/n84TgGVHHLk/s1600/DSCF1720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-elwRSLS59KI/T89z4h4iCHI/AAAAAAAAA9s/n84TgGVHHLk/s400/DSCF1720.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-shIg4qewAeo/T9Obg75ntlI/AAAAAAAABB8/1ZenQSSUvT4/s1600/DSCF1724_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-shIg4qewAeo/T9Obg75ntlI/AAAAAAAABB8/1ZenQSSUvT4/s400/DSCF1724_2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our early morning merriment -- which included the arrival of several surprise, though thoroughly welcome -- guests caused us to be late for the ceremonial raising of the new flagpole on the village green!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2QxRyQDuHBk/T9OCjm4G-II/AAAAAAAAA-8/xWsnYQZb7J4/s1600/DSCF1728_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2QxRyQDuHBk/T9OCjm4G-II/AAAAAAAAA-8/xWsnYQZb7J4/s400/DSCF1728_2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
But, we arrived just in time to take part in the guided walk to Riverside for the dedication of the Jubilee Oak Tree in the Village Orchard.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8D2Eere_iek/T9OC3g9QUJI/AAAAAAAAA_E/rOn6Cg0eWFE/s1600/DSCF1732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8D2Eere_iek/T9OC3g9QUJI/AAAAAAAAA_E/rOn6Cg0eWFE/s400/DSCF1732.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PcqTPw86qHY/T9EU5VlZWCI/AAAAAAAAA-M/CUiGBtBkRpk/s1600/DSCF1740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PcqTPw86qHY/T9EU5VlZWCI/AAAAAAAAA-M/CUiGBtBkRpk/s400/DSCF1740.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JnrmX9EAOkg/T9EUk4i2BBI/AAAAAAAAA-A/DNOThUSkNXE/s1600/DSCF1738_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JnrmX9EAOkg/T9EUk4i2BBI/AAAAAAAAA-A/DNOThUSkNXE/s400/DSCF1738_2.JPG" width="296" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c2LUIVfFfFQ/T9EVJ1WFvnI/AAAAAAAAA-U/fiL1Yg2dhA4/s1600/DSCF1750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PcqTPw86qHY/T9EU5VlZWCI/AAAAAAAAA-M/CUiGBtBkRpk/s1600/DSCF1740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br /></span></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PcqTPw86qHY/T9EU5VlZWCI/AAAAAAAAA-M/CUiGBtBkRpk/s1600/DSCF1740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c2LUIVfFfFQ/T9EVJ1WFvnI/AAAAAAAAA-U/fiL1Yg2dhA4/s1600/DSCF1750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c2LUIVfFfFQ/T9EVJ1WFvnI/AAAAAAAAA-U/fiL1Yg2dhA4/s400/DSCF1750.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c2LUIVfFfFQ/T9EVJ1WFvnI/AAAAAAAAA-U/fiL1Yg2dhA4/s1600/DSCF1750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c2LUIVfFfFQ/T9EVJ1WFvnI/AAAAAAAAA-U/fiL1Yg2dhA4/s1600/DSCF1750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After the planting and dedication, we walked back to the Village, stopping off for a look at the Jubilee-decorated Telephone Box!</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AXiQaTQjJD8/T9EV0KRQNBI/AAAAAAAAA-k/--B_jCr2u2c/s1600/DSCF1753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AXiQaTQjJD8/T9EV0KRQNBI/AAAAAAAAA-k/--B_jCr2u2c/s400/DSCF1753.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xjqW3b_FXEI/T9EWKNZNhtI/AAAAAAAAA-w/CNZs94-LAO4/s1600/DSCF1755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xjqW3b_FXEI/T9EWKNZNhtI/AAAAAAAAA-w/CNZs94-LAO4/s400/DSCF1755.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
From 1PM there was a massive Village Picnic on the Village Green. Everyone brought oodles of food and drink, picnic tables, blankets and chairs. And, thankfully the sun actually came out and did its part! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MasXK4amlkw/T9OEYdWp5pI/AAAAAAAAA_g/25ex7PjKrXI/s1600/DSCF1770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MasXK4amlkw/T9OEYdWp5pI/AAAAAAAAA_g/25ex7PjKrXI/s400/DSCF1770.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_FMM61TIpzg/T9OFnit7API/AAAAAAAABAE/MJjlG_-tb3c/s1600/DSCF1780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_FMM61TIpzg/T9OFnit7API/AAAAAAAABAE/MJjlG_-tb3c/s400/DSCF1780.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yf9tsNZy68A/T9OErHgkE3I/AAAAAAAAA_o/_-EiGQDEO0U/s1600/DSCF1772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yf9tsNZy68A/T9OErHgkE3I/AAAAAAAAA_o/_-EiGQDEO0U/s400/DSCF1772.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We're a quite musical village, so entertainment was plentiful!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qIPrAHe6PIE/T9OFLLblueI/AAAAAAAAA_8/GdrPJ8Rv9fU/s1600/DSCF1779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qIPrAHe6PIE/T9OFLLblueI/AAAAAAAAA_8/GdrPJ8Rv9fU/s400/DSCF1779.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Even the DEB took a turn...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nLTyEG-j8mk/T9OF8gtwPLI/AAAAAAAABAM/12Q9dBjy4XI/s1600/DSCF1783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nLTyEG-j8mk/T9OF8gtwPLI/AAAAAAAABAM/12Q9dBjy4XI/s400/DSCF1783.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
...for his most adoring fans!</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qu4HhiGmQ7k/T9OGeJj2T5I/AAAAAAAABAg/IZVUGwbZEZs/s1600/Diamond+Jubilee+001+(145).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qu4HhiGmQ7k/T9OGeJj2T5I/AAAAAAAABAg/IZVUGwbZEZs/s400/Diamond+Jubilee+001+(145).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The WI baked a cake in honour of Her Majesty...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qsKhZpuACUk/T9OHafPxPGI/AAAAAAAABA4/HPt6uFrWKEw/s1600/DSCF1782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qsKhZpuACUk/T9OHafPxPGI/AAAAAAAABA4/HPt6uFrWKEw/s400/DSCF1782.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And it was yummy!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cIj03PrUgAo/T9OILZy47OI/AAAAAAAABBA/cmSaL2nN2jY/s1600/DSCF1788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cIj03PrUgAo/T9OILZy47OI/AAAAAAAABBA/cmSaL2nN2jY/s400/DSCF1788.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
Then, it was time for a good ol' sing-along! <i>Rule Brittania!</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DU86H63uJrc/T9OnKiM5uYI/AAAAAAAABCI/Rtl-Yh761B0/s1600/DSCF1790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DU86H63uJrc/T9OnKiM5uYI/AAAAAAAABCI/Rtl-Yh761B0/s400/DSCF1790.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
And, just enjoying being together on the sunshine!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-odU2usmua3g/T9OGVrsMT6I/AAAAAAAABAU/pRaGMteF9SM/s1600/DSCF1785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-odU2usmua3g/T9OGVrsMT6I/AAAAAAAABAU/pRaGMteF9SM/s400/DSCF1785.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-odU2usmua3g/T9OGVrsMT6I/AAAAAAAABAU/pRaGMteF9SM/s1600/DSCF1785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l6cGKOWwYz8/T9OE7wU--NI/AAAAAAAAA_w/zjIV_ZdBydQ/s1600/DSCF1774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l6cGKOWwYz8/T9OE7wU--NI/AAAAAAAAA_w/zjIV_ZdBydQ/s400/DSCF1774.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bxFpkViiacA/T9OJYqaUf1I/AAAAAAAABBU/yi3iL5cT29s/s1600/DSCF1796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bxFpkViiacA/T9OJYqaUf1I/AAAAAAAABBU/yi3iL5cT29s/s400/DSCF1796.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eAc4pk3B9yg/T9OJD41qjZI/AAAAAAAABBM/b8I4_UaUQxY/s1600/DSCF1791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eAc4pk3B9yg/T9OJD41qjZI/AAAAAAAABBM/b8I4_UaUQxY/s400/DSCF1791.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After the picnic -- and a long, late afternoon nap! -- we all gathered at the Church at half past 9 for a procession to the hill by Middle Watchbury Farm to light the Barford Jubilee Beacon. We hurdled together and waited, synchronising our lighting with Her Majesty lighting the Jubilee Beacon in London. Standing on the hill, we could see other Jubilee Beacons blazing across the County...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N2KLw441tF0/T9OKo7wGMeI/AAAAAAAABBw/mhEVjUb-a2k/s1600/DSCF1797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N2KLw441tF0/T9OKo7wGMeI/AAAAAAAABBw/mhEVjUb-a2k/s400/DSCF1797.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3cODzyaDStw/T9OKVWoRciI/AAAAAAAABBk/1sqKcw_nq5g/s1600/DSCF1818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3cODzyaDStw/T9OKVWoRciI/AAAAAAAABBk/1sqKcw_nq5g/s400/DSCF1818.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3cODzyaDStw/T9OKVWoRciI/AAAAAAAABBk/1sqKcw_nq5g/s1600/DSCF1818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3cODzyaDStw/T9OKVWoRciI/AAAAAAAABBk/1sqKcw_nq5g/s1600/DSCF1818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T6XhZBb8uH0/T9OJs1NjnaI/AAAAAAAABBc/95nk_XVkfo8/s1600/DSCF1816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T6XhZBb8uH0/T9OJs1NjnaI/AAAAAAAABBc/95nk_XVkfo8/s400/DSCF1816.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Happy and glorious, indeed!</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1