Hey Nonny Nonny!
Oct. 7th, 2008 09:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
In two days' time, I'll be on my way back to Stratford! I'm just recovering from a horrible chesty cold, and it's a relief to have that out of the way. Also, for those aware of the situation, my son seems better at last. Partly due to the change in the weather. The rest of us may hate rainy days, but crisp dry autumn weather does awful things to his dry skin. He's actually got himself into school on time every day for the last week or so, and for Tom that's pretty amazing.
Anyway, back to Stratford. I arrive at lunchtime on Thursday and go straight to the Shakespeare Institute weekly seminar, which is about Hamlet, for a general meet and greet. I've been doing my homework and finding out what all the research students are into - it's a small set-up and I might actually get to meet one or two, and there's no better way to hit things off than to ask an intelligent question about a postgrad's work. But mainly I hope to research the different ways modules are delivered and have an informed talk about ways forward.
The big question is whether to go for a part-time, DL type course, or to wait until John's semi-retired, the kids are a bit more independent, and I can move to Stratford for a few days a week at least, and do it properly. I would much rather go for the total cultural immersion than try to run it in tandem with my family life here, but the down side of that is if you plan too far ahead life has a way of biting you in the ass and the mythical perfect moment to do these things might never come. A mother can always come up with plausible reasons why the family needs her.
Certainly, as far as my son goes I'd like to see him over his health problems and settled at a reasonable university before I leave for pastures new, even part-time. To some extent that's out of my control but I don't think I could apply myself to such a major lifestyle challenge if worries about his future were still at the back of my mind.
Anyway, back to the coming trip. After Thursday my diary's clear - I won't come home because I'm going to the Cheltenham Literature Festival on the Sunday, where I'll be seeing RTD and John Barrowman. So I'll have two wonderful days at leisure in SoA and at the moment the only definite plan is to hang around the Courtyard Theatre until they get sick of me and let me buy a ticket to Love's Labour's Lost. Since my trip spans four performances I think I'd have to be very unlucky not to get in at all.
Woot! I'll let y'all know how things go.
Anyway, back to Stratford. I arrive at lunchtime on Thursday and go straight to the Shakespeare Institute weekly seminar, which is about Hamlet, for a general meet and greet. I've been doing my homework and finding out what all the research students are into - it's a small set-up and I might actually get to meet one or two, and there's no better way to hit things off than to ask an intelligent question about a postgrad's work. But mainly I hope to research the different ways modules are delivered and have an informed talk about ways forward.
The big question is whether to go for a part-time, DL type course, or to wait until John's semi-retired, the kids are a bit more independent, and I can move to Stratford for a few days a week at least, and do it properly. I would much rather go for the total cultural immersion than try to run it in tandem with my family life here, but the down side of that is if you plan too far ahead life has a way of biting you in the ass and the mythical perfect moment to do these things might never come. A mother can always come up with plausible reasons why the family needs her.
Certainly, as far as my son goes I'd like to see him over his health problems and settled at a reasonable university before I leave for pastures new, even part-time. To some extent that's out of my control but I don't think I could apply myself to such a major lifestyle challenge if worries about his future were still at the back of my mind.
Anyway, back to the coming trip. After Thursday my diary's clear - I won't come home because I'm going to the Cheltenham Literature Festival on the Sunday, where I'll be seeing RTD and John Barrowman. So I'll have two wonderful days at leisure in SoA and at the moment the only definite plan is to hang around the Courtyard Theatre until they get sick of me and let me buy a ticket to Love's Labour's Lost. Since my trip spans four performances I think I'd have to be very unlucky not to get in at all.
Woot! I'll let y'all know how things go.