Before I get onto the main news, here are some pictures from my holiday in Croatia with Vicki and Sarah.
It was basically better than I know how to describe in words, so hopefully the pictures will have to do. Dubrovnik is a beautiful place, and sharing the experience with two amazing friends only deepened the experience. I'd encourage anyone to go there, but watch out for the cars and bikes, they're pretty lethal.
Onto the main piece of news: I'm getting pretty close to doing an Archives and Records Management MA at UCL. I've got all my references, I just need to steel myself to do the horrible part of application form where you say why you're amazing and they should accept you over anyone else. I've never been very good at that, at least not when I'm being ironic. Perhaps if I pretend the whole thing is an exercise in irony I'll say everything they want to hear.
I've really enjoyed my time volunteering in the Archives, and although it started purely as a chance to gain some more work/life experience, an interesting story to tell to my children, it's really grabbed me, and I think I'd quite happily become a professional archivist at this point. I'm still working on a bunch of medical prescriptions from c.1900 at the moment, but I'm up to 'W' so I'm nearly done with that.
The only problem I can see with doing an MA is the time commitment. I'm planning on doing a part-time course over 2 years (I won't be able to afford to live otherwise), but that leaves me with 3 days to work if I want a sensible amount of time off. And if I want to carry on volunteering in the Archives while I'm learning then that uses up another day. I'm preparing to be very busy and very poor for 2 years if I get to do this MA. But I guess no pain, no gain, and if what I'll gain is the probability of an actual steady career rather than just a job then I'm willing to stick it out.
Geek News now:
I finally got around to reading Max Barry's 'Jennifer Government'. It was surprisingly better than I thought it would be, although the ending was a bit abrupt. It's a nice satire of consumerism, bureaucracy and the state of today's world, mixing in action, humour and high concept sci-fi. Everyone should read it and form their own opinion, but I suspect most people will love it. If I lived in Jennifer Government's future, would my name be Tom Royal Collection? I guess I would.
Reading this has almost tempted me to get back on NationStates, although I'd have to take less responsibility on the forums than last time. It wasn't fair of me to take charge of the YU only to suddenly disappear.
I've also downloaded Lord of the Rings Online recently. I've only just made it out of the Introduction quests but it looks pretty great so far. Very smooth running, lovely graphics and fluid movement, and changing it to FTP should hopefully attract a lot more people to it. It's probably easier to get into that WoW given that it's set in a world many people are already familiar with through the LotR films - people immediately know what they're getting. I think I'll go on now actually...
I'm Dagoram, a Dwarf Guardian, if anyone plays.
Several upcoming events:
1) Knitting With Charlotte. I'm going to learn how to knit. Not what I'd normally go for, but I'm never one to turn down a new skill set.
2) My 2nd driving test. Which reminds me, I need to book some more lessons or I'll reach the day and have forgotten how to drive.
3) Danny and Kaitlyn's party on the same day as the driving test. A double birthday party, it's going to be big!
4) The Lord Chamberlain's Briefing at some point, I'll have to find out when.
5) Rob's party. SingStar again, wooo! Looking forward to that.
6) But first! Going to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 tomorrow. I'm going in Snape costume :D
I'll report back before long. Everyone have fun while I'm gone.
Blogged to the sound of 'Cuts Across the Land', The Duke Spirit.
