A. · Pedant

Browsing around after reading Justin's recent entry, I found this.

Since when has the Christian ideal been the acquisition of wealth? For centuries, Christians have been convinced that a simple life, and better yet a simple life lived in poverty and in aid of the unfortunate, was the ideal. Take a page from any of the authorities: St Benedict, John "the Golden Tongue" Chrysostom, or even the teaching of Jesus. I fail to see anyone but Joel Osteen saying that "God intends for each of us to experience the abundant life He has in store for us [in this lifetime]".

( homiletical rage )For most Christians, tension exists between "already" and a "not yet". It would seem, given these developments, that "not yet" has been expunged. They simply haven't got the patience any more.

For the first time in at least nine years, I have an agenda book which I am using. There are simply too many things to keep track of in my head, or on the oft-mentioned bits of paper lining my pockets. I have a surfeit of unscheduled time which is being filled with librarian duty (for the choir); singing lessons; postgraduate applications which require detailed plans for the next several years; unscheduled rehearsals; seminar prep; and the list goes on.

"A comparatively well-developed proposal... including, where possible, a preliminary title for the thesis"? That's asking quite a bit. At least I know what to write in the sections where they ask about prior research work.

Oh, and thanks for your comments about my abstract. I'll have some pretty funny things to say in the paper, I'm sure.

[Defend us] from ghoulies and ghosties
And long-legged beasties
And things that go bump in the night
...for the love of thy only Son...
- JT, paraphrasing the Third Collect

I have mentioned before that I do not hold with men wearing flip-flops. There is something about the lack of a back strap that disturbs me greatly. I am less disturbed, although I am still distressed, by the wearing of said shoes by women.


It distresses me greatly when a man and a woman, apparently ignoring the fact that they are in a public place, remove their flip-flops and start examining their feet. It is simply not on.

After sharing some thoughts about weblog memes, Chris "tagged" me.

"Once you have been tagged, you have to write a post with 8 facts/things/habits about yourself and say who tagged you. In the end, you will need to choose the 6 people you tag and list their names. No tag backs. Here are 8 things you may not know about me:"

1. At a young age I asked what a theodolite was, but didn't use the word "theodolite". Instead, I called it a "dintcheler". The name has stuck.

2. I find it impossible to sleep unless I am wearing socks.

3. I was one of thousands of people temporarily hired by the organizers of SARS-stock. I was supposed to guard the staff latrines and rest area, but decided to let in members of a well-known motorcycle gang. It seemed the best thing to do.

4. If I had been female, my parents would have called me Sarah. I'm not sure what it was with the Hebraic names.

5. I have seriously considered joining the military.

6. I am at my most awkward when making small talk. I am at my best when I speak about something I don't like.

7. I once lived with a scientist who had fled the Soviet Union and was seeking sanctuary.

8. I have a living relative who is a Kentucky Colonel, like Sanders.

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What were the last 10 books you read?
I list books which I have read completely.

The English Auden, ed. Edward Mendelson, a collection of the poet's works

Medieval English Benedictine Liturgy: studies in the formation, structure, and content of the monastic votive office, c.950-1540, by Sally Elizabeth Roper

Death in Holy Orders, by P.D. James

The Oblate, by Joris-Karl Huysmans

Introduction à la paléographie musicale grégorienne, by Dom Gregorio Maria Sunol

Dante's Purgatorio, tr. Sandow Birk and Marcus Sanders

New Liturgical Feasts in Later Medieval England, by Richard Pfaff

Mr Fortune's Maggot, by Sylvia Townsend Warner

Studies in the printing, publishing and performance of music in the 16th century, by Stanley Boorman

The Cold War: a new history, by John Lewis Gaddis

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Chris (Pragensis, non novum Eboracensis, to avoid confusion and tag backs), Dan, Elaine, Justin, Sophie, and Suzanne: you have been "tagged".

O why o why must instructors order books at the Women's Bookstore?
I am always so uncomfortable in there, and the books have nothing at all to do with women.

--

Like a book at a book-sale, there it goes:
The summer; where to? No one knows.
I bear, as trophies, things surely the worst:
A game foot, some paper, an insatiable thirst

What I carry in my hands, I carry in my heart,
And that's the most predictable part: I cry
Not for the girl, the pasta, the sky
But for the galleys, red pen, and Robart-

Don't be mistaken, don't be misled:
Mary went home with a pain in her

Head I home, in the break, to the far away place,
To the neon, the nail salon, the wasted space;
Trawl I through the discount rack, the HMV;
Dare I ask? must I ask? What's in it for me?

Like a book at a book-sale, there it goes:
The summer; where to? No one knows.
Let the loud and the well tunèd cymbals proclaim
A loudish and Laudian praise to its name.

Certainty, fidelity / On the stroke of midnight pass / Like vibrations of a bell / And fashionable madmen raise / Their pedantic boring cry
- WH Auden, "Lullaby"

I'm having trouble sleeping again. This little problem usually manifests itself whenever I am preoccupied with a surfeit of worries, and it is not a happy thing that it should appear at the end of a summer that has been relatively calm, if occupied. There have certainly been a great number of things to do: two articles, which seem now to be out of the way; a number of contributions to a book; research proposals; 2 symposia, one in the context of a major trip; and various freelance editing things, not to mention niggling thoughts about postgraduate programs, abroad and otherwise. Oh, also an abstract, for a conference next year, which is due next week. Yet except for the lone symptom I describe, I do not feel overwhelmed, because things are in good order.

David Naylor and a posse of university presidents sent a letter to Maclean's today.

...The Maclean’s rankings aggregate data from a range of variables related to the student body, class sizes, faculty, finances, library and reputation. It is inappropriate to aggregate information across a range of programs at a large and multidimensional research university into a single ranking number... This is, effectively, the method that Maclean’s applies to Canadian universities by its calculation of “league tables” based on the arbitrary assignment of weights to variables which, by themselves, are of questionable validity...
...In short, the ranking methodology used by Maclean’s is oversimplified and arbitrary. We do find it ironic that universities are being asked to subsidize and legitimize this flawed methodology, when many faculty, staff and students at our institutions are dedicated in their research to ensuring that data are collected rigorously and analyzed meticulously.
>Full text

I bestow mad props on these eleven institutions for bravely thumbing noses at what has become an influential voice in the confusing world of university selection. Also, full marks for correct use of "ironic" and "data".

I have been a Maclean's subscriber for over ten years. Never once have I looked at the pages in the annual rankings issue explaining their methodology. And although there was never any real doubt about the university I would eventually enter, I have always read with interest the reports about Other Places. Notwithstanding this voyeur-like desire to peek into other lives it never struck me that a magazine should be trusted as a voice that had any weight about this particular matter. It seemed no more an important source than the ignorant campus tour guides who point out the residences with the good parties - the few points of interest that they do get right.

At the same time it was nice to think that one was a member of the #1 research-intensive university in the country. We might have our shortcomings in terms of student satisfaction, or value for money, but we make up for it in the end. Now the presidents' letter casts that ranking into uncertainty: are we, in fact, the number one "medical-doctoral" school? [1] And if it is true, shouldn't this fact be proclaimed?

Until now, U of T seemed to think so (link, link, and link). And they can't be blamed for accepting free, positive publicity. After all, I would be very surprised if the small Maritime "primarily undergraduate" universities that have traditionally done well in the rankings ever decide to question the methods by which they are put at the top of the heap. But our University is certainly in a better position to make this move. We are secure in our place at the top; there is more money than ever; the strong base of commuter students in Toronto will do nothing but get larger; we have a strong reputation in any number of fields; and let it not be forgotten that we have a massive mo-fo of a library system which, at night, transforms into a giant peacock that knocks the living carp out of the Elephant Building of Bangkok.

Most importantly, Naylor can't be accused of backing out because the tide was turning - granted, we shared the #1 spot with that other place last year, but that is hardly enough. And there were rumblings and mumblings in 2003 about "re-evaluating" how we would approach the annual rankings. I am glad that other universities have joined the posse; a unilateral action by U of T would clearly be seen as a selfish one.

So this is goodbye to voluntary participation and to free positive press, and hello to the high road. I look forward to Maclean's response, both in the short term and in the rankings issue. Will we simply be ignored, or will the magazine whip up yet another smart-ass preachy article about the bad boys and girls who wouldn't participate? [2]

[1] This term has always struck me as unnecessarily confusing: I am sure that the bootless and the unhorsed have believed it to be an indicator that the Univ produced medical doctors.
[2] And what is it with Maclean's these days? I subscribed to "Canada's Weekly Newsmagazine", not "The Sex Life of Hugh Hefner: Edited Highlights".

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On an unrelated note, is there something innately wrong with being the only male in Fabricland and, while checking out, checking out the shop girl? I don't think so. But we can blame it on the Pimm's.

I have too many things to do, but I don't lack motivation. Only a lack of time and an absolute refusal to turn anything down are preventing me from finishing everything. I have 2 articles, bits of a book, 2 desktop publishing projects, various reading materials, and a garden all on the go. I also need to buy brown shoes, watch batteries, and paper. But this is clearly the way I like it, and the way it seems to be meant to be.

I am also growing by leaps and bounds. First homilectical musings, and now last weekend, in the absence of a priest, I presided at one of the daily offices. Perfectly legal, of course. It was a frightening experience, though, not least because the language of choice was Latin.

Next time, I promise the end of my UK trip.

Also, new sermon.

I have been pitching piles of paper recently and came across this gem:

[A. Fresher] demonstrates a quiet, sensitive and perceptive manner. He has shown excellent progress in his adjustment to Junior Kindergarten. [He] maintains a largely peripheral view of events surrounding him but recently, has shown some initial interest in contact...
...He sets his own agenda. This will often involve spending extended periods producing booklets and charts. Other interests include reading.
...We look forward to the time when [he] will choose to share his many ideas during group discussions. He has shown some interest in French. Occasionally, particularly when excited, he presents a mild stutter.
...[He] requires encouragement to become involved in gross motor activity. He is reluctant to participate in gym. Encouragement will continue to be provided while respecting [his] interest in more cerebral pursuits.

Some things have not changed!

Next time: my UK trip, part 2.

I heard mumblings about this web site last year, and said, "Wouldn't that be nice..." I'm not one for sharing my music playlists, but...

...you can now view selections » from my home library. Exciting! Exciting!

These books are the ones that don't have a permanent home on a shelf right now, because I have insufficient space to house my entire collection, just like Cambridge University Library.

The additional features are cute: one can view the number of users who also own a given book, send messages, get Amazon-style recommendations, etc. Finally, I have found a social networking site I can believe in.

[Note: I am putting off an important task by writing this entry, but that important task is eating, so don't expect the whole story all in one, erm, bite.]

Here follows an exact copy of the first part of my trip diary. Note that the quality of the prose falters as the days wear on...

Day 1 - On the road
By no fault of mine, save perhaps the choice of economy air travel, I am travelling with a yellow-jacketed church group which I assume to be going on a Da Vinci Code tour of England and France. The teenagers seemed reticent to wear their yellow jackets (inside the terminal! no wonder!), but I was surprised to see young people at all who were interested in churchly things.

Day 2 - Londinium
We arrived around 1020 GMT - had an hour-long wait at Immigration (and at the end of the wait, an immigration officer wearing a cruciform lapel pin -- memories of Bezu Fache).

Gatwick Express to Victoria; Circle Line to Baker St; Met Line to Northwick Park. On the way, supplied tube directions to tourists, 3x. As promised, lodgings are directly outside the tube. By this time, absolutely drained and requiring refreshment. 2 hours in pub.

I'm at the end of Underground Zone 4; will take more money to go to Zone 5, but Zone 5 up hill; 45 degree grade. However. Zone 5 also home of Sainsbury's and Harrow School. Former has orange juice and bread (£1.04), so decide to go. Walked onto ring road; walk for 20 mins; remembered about the right of common and decide to cut across acres of parkland. Realize field, and town, belong to Harrow School. The school is built into the town, thus many signs "Matron's Lodge" on random houses. No shops to speak of, and only 2 restaurants, both empty. The uniformed pedestrians are presumably students. Overshot the turn to Lower Harrow, where regular people are. Bought juice, soap, bread. Tried to get on tube; wrong line. On way home, walked through ruins of hospital. Something on my shoe soles.

Called Diocesan Curia. No one has heard of the book. Transferred to archivist, then to retired archivist, who says it's in the BL and "worth a bloody fortune." Thanked profusely. Bedtime (4 AM EST).

Day 3 - Congressio
Astonishing number of young people going for music lessons on tube.
Keynote speech: memorable phrase -- "Let us be traditional. Traditional means make it like 40 years ago."
Various sessions; chant-in-English evangelism; thus worth the drive. Impressive service at end of day, complete with Jesus. Even more impressive spread of food thanks to choristers' parents. Rehearsal cancelled and replaced with tea break. "A good day is being able to talk about the colour of cassocks." Dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, now revived after fire. [note: most expensive meal of trip, including posh 3 course meals later]

Day 4 - Londinium. hercule! ancilla est fur! 'Pestis! furcifer!' clamo.
Upon awaking, realized that the cleaning lady took my newspaper and half-eaten bread. Morning services x 2 at Abbey. Closed to visitors, but they are given generous welcome if present for services. They come in under pretence of worship and sit stunned. Matins lovely (tourists distracted by a knight a pope interred). Ensconced in transept since quire full of choir. Hymns fun (lady: 'You have a beautiful voice.') Shoo'd out at end of communion, which many more people attended. Struck by inoffensive, vague nature of liturgy. Abbey Stewards have very nice gowns.

Lunch at "The Lord Moon of the Mall" (Whitehall pub) lovely high room with 5,000 mirrors and portraits. Later National Gallery visit, see other portraits. Large crowd around "Sunflowers". Noticed Imp. War Mus. caters especially to children. Tesco orange juice, Trafalgar Sq: 41p ! ! !

Walk in St James's park (nb apostrophe); brass band.
Father: "Those are ducks. And those with the long necks are geese. They're from Canada. And those, with the white thing on their heads, are coots."
Kid # 1: "Can I jump in the lake, Daddy?"
Kid # 2: "Bored. Goodbye, Daddy!"
Many flags in park, almost as many as in Hare Krishna expo and festival in Trafalgar Sq.

Day 5 - Londinium
No evidence of college cat at front gate; first absence since my arrival.
For once, I don't feel overdressed at Tube stn; many commuters.
BL: Its new building looks suspiciously like the TRL.
While drinking cappuccino at entrance, panic about finances. Realize have enough money.
Computer-based admissions! I write 3 page summary of project. As "academic staff", my card valid for all collections until 2009. MSS room daunting. Little lights light up when books arrive for you. However, ambient lighting poor. Relieved to see that everyone else also has a ream of scribbly paper, laptop, adapter, magnifying glass, gloves, snakeweights, all in a single regulation transparent bag to avoid theft of leaves. Afraid to leave mss to go to the washroom. I am in the room from the time it opens to the time it closes.

1 hour in line at King's Cross to buy heavily discounted train ticket (£60 savings if bought day before travel). Office "short on staff"; inspector distributes complaint forms to everyone in line. I write, "Came all the way from the colonies to buy this ticket." Lady going to Glasgow throws tantrum in line. Dinner in stylish Covent Garden restaurant (much Pimm's.) Realize shouldn't bill univ. for this. Best meal ever, possibly.

Newspaper on way home: Pope watches World Cup on 1970s b+w television.

Day 6 - Londinium - Eboracum
Freezing cold. Navigated mess of traffic around BL. Spend morning in mss room after stashing 60 lb luggage in readers' locker room. Later, breeze through display of newspaper front pages including TITANIC SINKS - ALL ABOARD SAVED (perils of an early edition).

Baguette place in King's X makes sandwiches, then throws them out if not sold in 3 h (!) Try to hoard free seat next to me on train; succeed by feigning sleep. Ebor. station predictably huge; after all, Constantine crowned here, as you are quickly made to understand. Also National Rail Museum. Moore is right: Lady announcer in station chants platform assignments.

Toffees in room! also television. Go to town; explore. First stop: used book store. Evensong in the Minster; choirmaster wearing elaborate bright blue and orange hood. Again, only about 30 people (in a full house) visibly participate in the service. After, priests reluctant to shake hands (perhaps usually cowed by tourists?) Decide to find place with Yorkshire puddings, since in Yorkshire. Go home, watch football match (vs. Sweden).

Day 7 - Eboracum
Highly satisfactory breakfast (incl. beans). Arrived at lib. too early. Went for a walk. Later, one of the books in no condition to view. Lunch for 66p, while staring rudely through the window of the fancy, popular tea room. Afternoon work. I'm glad I had properly anticipated the unspoken dress code here.

In late afternoon, visit National Trust property behind minster. Elaborate antiques collection (+ house) owned by eccentric bachelor Frank Green; waistcoat collection. Tea room with girls in severe maid uniforms (!) Evensong. Apologetic nuns.
Later, "utility" fish and chips (i.e., economical) at cafe nearby. Proprietor's children eat whipped cream at adjacent table.

Day 8 - Eboracum - Cantabrigia
Leave luggage at home for max. freedom. I go for a walk to see the rest of city; walk on city walls; attempt self-portrait photo. Fails because of focal length I presume. Morning visit to library; no problems except that the Internet (and hence e-mail) is forbidden territory. Lunch near centre of town; watch school band from Norway and later chat with conductor. Back to lodge for luggage and to the train station. 1 change at Peterborough, but trip is relatively painless. I watch sadly as Ely Cathedral and its magnificent crossing tower fade in and quickly out of view.

Initial impressions of The Other Place were not favourable, probably because of 3 mi partly uphill walk to lodgings, and route through main shopping district. Later discover the University; though many swarms of insects, very pleasant. I visit both the Van of Life and the Van of Death (link) (link).

[What will happen NEXT? Join us as our hero visits the college where legislation was passed to recognize a dog as a cat! Story continues next issue.]]]

Will that be Dr C S or Professor C S, sir? We don't like to show disrespect.
- college porter

I am back, after a number of days simply brimming with activity. An academic highlight was finally locating and assessing the second of two surviving copies of a book printed in the fifteenth century (rather late by our usual standards), after seeing the first one last year. A non-academic highlight was being served Sunday breakfast at a single place setting in a hall that could easily seat 200 people.