So. As mentioned, I went down to Kent. M and her husband live about 45 minutes drive from Canterbury, so to keep me amused, they took me there for the afternoon on Saturday. Canterbury's not a particularly exciting city... except that it's the spiritual home of anyone who's ever taken a Chaucer course (although interestingly enough none of the Canterbury Tales actually take place IN Canterbury) AND it's the spiritual centre of England. The Archbishop of Canterbury is England's head priest guy. And what would a head priest guy be without a great church to prove you were the head priest guy?

Wow, Kate, I can hear you thinking. Another cathedral. Well, suck it up. I like these things, so I'm going to keep posting pics of them because they're amazing. Now. York Minster is big, but you could seriously fit most of York Minster into the NAVE of this thing, I think. Anywho. Aside from being a big gothic building, the Cathedral houses a couple of bits of major interest to a medieval history buff like myself. Exhibit A: The Tomb of Edward, the Black Prince.

AND it was also the sight where Thomas à Becket was martyred when Henry II cried out in exasperation "Will none rid me of this turbulent priest?!" and a couple of his knights took him seriously, now commemmorated by this... Klingon-like memorial. It's beautiful in its own violent way, though.

More pictures can be seen HERE - including a few of my brief 10-minute stop in Rochester.

Then off to London. The conference, "History and the Public", was good, and interesting, but really dry. I'm afraid that for a conference that really seemed to WANT to be interdisciplinary, bringing together museums, historic sites, school teachers, academics, etc., it was really focused on academic history and how that can gain a higher profile. I was especially looking forward to a presentation by a guy from Colonial Williamsburg, whose website, interestingly enough is "history.org"... I mean, really... but moving on. It was supposed to be a paper on their American Indian Initiative. BUT, the dude wasn't there, so someone else read the paper, and I was unable to ask any questions. It seems, though, that they're only in the ever-so-initial stages of figuring out how to integrate interpretation of Native Americans into their day-to-day works, focusing instead for the moment on special programs and exhibitions. Disappointing, really. Although I suppose they've been focused on black history for so long that they didn't really have time to worry about Natives (wow, that was slightly bitter - I have nothing against black history, I just figure if you're going to focus on one neglected group you should probably realize there are other neglected groups out there as well...).

I've gotten some really for real mail that I'm going to have to return to people now - it's quite exciting. And I picked up a small cross-stitch kit on the weekend - a bookmark in a Tudor Rose pattern. Yup. I'm a geek. A massive geek. But I love it.

I also need to find the motivation to start jogging again. I gave up when the weather got cold. But really, the weather isn't really cold. Honest. It was 10 degrees today. Windy, but 10 degrees. I can't complain. And I could stand to lose 10 pounds. I'll never be particularly teeny (ahem...) but I could at least look toned and fit.

Handbell practice tonight. Then tomorrow it's back down to London... for tests.

Yes, tests.

I did something stupid and applied for a 'real' job with the civil service, and, surprise, surprise, the Canadian High Commission in Britain is in London. I have to write three tests on Friday, ao it's easiest to go down Thursday night, stay at my friend's place, then catch a train back up to York after the tests. I _DO_ get to stay with a friend this time instead of a crappy hotel, so it should be all right. The traveling really sucks, but it might lead to a 'real' job eventually. Being an Immigration Officer could be cool... right? Right? Either way I need to stop, take some time off, and earn some money before I get my PhD, if I get my PhD. I'm thinking of switching from straight history into Public History - actually applying my knowledge to real-life situations. But I've babbled on rather longer than I intended, so I shall leave you now.