Month: January 2018

Back to the Greeks and history rather than mythology or theatre. Last night I listened to a survey course of liberal studies which started with Gilgamesh and finished in the modern period. It was excellent and really useful. A few years ago now I did a talk about Sir Gawain and now I’ve got to go and update my notes.

This is an Anglo-Saxon watering can which uses air pressure to keep the water in the container. It’s very clever and great fun to play with.

A fascinating image about the development of the English language. It’s funny to think that 360 million English speakers across the world owe their communication skills to this cultural mix.

What a fascinating question! But do I answer according to modern values or the medieval values? Medieval values might rule out a woman on the throne but modern values almost demand it! I think we should question such an assumption because so many men supported The Empress Maud that her claim was contested. Maybe someone with more medieval knowledge could help me out. If your interested in this and other medieval questions look at the group on Facebook, it’s really thought provoking.

The use of history, or at least a use of an impression of the past, is fascinating to me. I get my hair cut in Fargo, Coventry at a very fashionable barbershop called Dashing Blades. Dashing blades is highly branded as a steampunk/19th century salon. The quality of the thinking is really high and covers colours, signing and a work uniform which speaks of quality all of which borrowed from the past, or a impression of the past. The past is being used here to add value, intangible value, to a service. How interesting that a modernist or futuristic branding might not provide the same affect.

Now that is a great price for two very lovely fossil fish. For sale at the reptile shop in Coventry. I am a big fan of fossils and artefacts because they put you in touch with the past in a very immediate way. I wonder what creatures these fish shared their oceans with, what sky’s they swam under? I know I’m being a hopeless romantic and they were just simple fish going about their fishy business, just like countless others, but fossils bring out the imagination I think not least because of countless billions these two were selected by mindless chance to end up for sale in Coventry.

So life isn’t all too bad. I’ve got a day off today so will spend it in my lounge with my pussycat drinking coffee and listening to lectures of ancient Greeks.

This is a Neolithic and axe for sale on Coventry. It’s a beautiful piece and I might just go and pick it up this afternoon.

Today I’m teaching Stone Age. I have some lovely Stone Age tools, artefacts and stories.

Did you know that baal is the Stone Age word for fire? It’s an onomatopoeia.

I have just had a lovely day teaching Vikings in a Nottingham school. Vikings is one of my favourite topics because I get to teach some pretty funny myths. Myths are great because you get to see into a culture. A culture of cold rugged mountains, salt spray and tales by the fireside.

And I got to try out my new Viking beads from the GrimFrost. If your looking for excellent replicas these are the guys to visit.