Nationalities and War

It has recently been ANZAC day in Australia and there is an argument to say that the role of the ANZACs in the First World War first brought together some otherwise disparate people who found common ground in their nationalism. The fires of war forging a new unity of otherwise disconnected groups and an anger fostered against imperialism that would eventually lead to the formation of a new country with independence. This is given huge weight by the fact that this was not just limited to to antipodean nations of Australia and New Zealand but also affected Canada across the Atlantic from the warzone and the many colonies of France in Africa too.

There were differences of approach, certainly, and differences too in the solutions - whereas Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Guiana and others eventually achieved independence the empire of France initially achieved parity with France. One could argue for many many hours and days about these outcomes but the point is that, with the hundredth anniversary of that world conflict now upon us, many of these movements are once again taking centre stage.

The video is a song by Sting. I realise that it has nothing at all to do with the First World War on his part, but a younger version of myself caught the reference to trenches, barbed wire and reconciliation and thought that this summed up the aftermath of the First World War beautifully. I think it fitting for the rant to follow. Would you like to know more?

Star Wars II and VI

This is another look at the strange aspects of watching these films with my children. After my last post I was determined to hold off and use the machete order to my advantage, that my children's experience would be the best possible introduction to the series, and that I would simply rewatch A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back until the VHS for Episode II arrived and we would watch that - giving me time to sort out the fact that I didn't want to spend £15 on a VHS copy of Episode III and that it was a 12, with Episode II a PG, whilst the original trilogy are all U rated.

It was not to be, of course, as the Boy had already seen the third video in the box and had decided on his own plans. The night we were due to go back to reading stories rather than watching films he decided to up the ante by putting the VHS in himself and being very excited. It was his face that did it. How could I possibly refuse his earnest visage when he looked up at me and asked to watch the next video? So, I have failed, no machete order, we have watched Return of the Jedi, easily my favourite film of the lot, and it was two nights later that Attack of the Clones arrived.

Would you like to know more?

Star Wars IV and V

Being a geek and a sci-fi nerd, I always expected to share Star Wars with my children. I had, however, assumed that I would do so quite late on, as it was done with me, and that I would have plenty of time to get in the DVDs that I want, make sure Han shoots first, that kind of thing. Imagine my surprise when the Boy decided that he wanted to watch some Lego Star Wars things on youtube. This rapidly progressed to reading some of the books. Given that he is no fan of films with people in them or live action I figured it was good, but still a way off the actual films. Then he decided to get a Lego New Hope and Empire Strikes Back pack with two story books.

Suffice to say, he wanted to see these stories in video. I found some of the Lego stuff but it relied a lot on already knowing the story. I showed him the trailer of A New Hope from 1977 and he wanted to see more. I have no DVDs, I haven't bought the first trilogy yet either - I always reasoned I would buy the whole lot but then kept putting it off. I dug out my old VHS boxset from 1997ish and the old combi TV-VHS that Anna had lurking in the spare room, plugged it all together and we've watched the first two films. What follows are my thoughts.

Would you like to know more?

Die Welle

I do a lesson. I call it my Nazi lesson. It's powerful. And I never feel altogether clean afterwards.

When I teach History I often find that, however enthusiastic the students, they never quite see the immediacy of what we discuss, the never join the dots between what we study and what we live. People who know me well-ish, outside of the classroom, know of my fascination with human nature and my fears about the power and the intoxication of things like Fascism - the power of image over substance. They know that I can talk with big words and get engrossed and lose my sense of time on things like this. Those people know better than to read on.

This is a film review, certainly, but with a difference. I'm not going to talk much about the film. But I am. If you want to know, read further. You may prefer not to.

Beers to Cry Into

For many many years, more than I'd like to admit, the days following Valentine's Day always went the same way. There was the numb realisation that nothing had changed, that there had been no card this year either, and the fact that other people did was just the icing on the cake. On days like those you just wanted to wallow in the self-pity and the shame, the failure to be like everyone else - sure, other people had no cards but that was not a permanent or forever thing.

My own history is littered with days like those, and not just on the day after Valentine's either. So, for people who want to give up on the whole pressure of a commercialised mandated day of romantic liaisons; who wish they could be nonchalant and avant garde about it all, declare it gauche and thus beneath them; but who remain, nevertheless, slightly depressed (though they could never talk about that to anyone else in public or in private)... for those people, I present to you some beers to cry into.

Would you care to drown your sorrows?

Default Man and Me

In which I analyse my own behaviour in light of all that I have read, watched and learned since making my last post on Grayson Perry. Not least the fact that there is so much more to the man than his transvestism and the fact that I am now teaching Sociology properly. It behooves me to do some sociology. After all, I teach History by dint of doing some actual historian things now and again.

So, would you like to know more?

Grayson Perry

I'm not sure whether or not I've spoken of Grayson Perry, the transvestite artist who won the Turner prize and got a CBE from Prince Charles (who, admirably, did not look the least bit startled or abashed in presenting it), before. In introducing him thus, however, I am falling for one of the simplest and most galling tendencies in popular British culture at the moment and, at the same time, being frightfully binary in my discussion of gender.

Perry wins the Turner prize.

Yes, it's going to be one of those posts in which I muse aloud on things such as Feminism and society, so if this is not your bag you maybe want to look away now and hit the 'Beer Review' tag to your right!

Would you like to know more?

Books that have stayed with me

I was nominated by Steve for this one. I listed but did not explain.

I know, it's a click-bait list article thing, and I can't really rank the books that I like easily. However, I think I can give you ten books that have stayed with me for "some reason" and briefly explain why. I can't promise any order to the list, any rhyme or reason to the inclusion of books or any great themes that I shall be exploring. Equally, there will be books that are missing simply by dint of me having read them too recently for them to have stayed with me yet, like How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran and Kazuo Ishiguro's Remains of the Day, which are both brilliant books in their own rights and will no doubt make me think for a long while yet but, having only been read in the last few weeks, can't really qualify for the list.

Then there's the influential books that shaped who I am today: Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series, Tom Clancy's books, Colin Dann's Animals of Farthing Wood series or pretty much anything by John Wyndham (his short story Consider Her Ways was very much part of making me who I am, as was The Trouble with Lichen and, of course, Chocky). Obviously not all of those can make a list of ten books that have stayed with me, so the list will be culled and will be pretty random. Without any further ado then, the list continues after the line break.

One Lovely Blog

Normally I don't do this sort of thing. But, in this instance, I shall make an exception. There's a blog hop thing happening called "One Lovely Blog" where one gets nominated by a blogger and the idea is you share seven things about yourself and link to fifteen other blogs and the one that nominated you. I'm not sure I read fifteen other blogs, but I thought I'd try. It goes without saying that I get so little traffic that I'm sure the blogs I recommend won't even notice that I linked them, but should they do so, they ought to feel zero compunction to join in. I suspect I am the blog sharing equivalent of a dead end to be honest.

If this isn't your bag, there's my usual line break coming up. Before that, I was nominated by Willow C Winsham over at Latimer's Library, which is lovely. I think. Now, if you do not wish to know anything about the person that reviews beers and things (and God knows, they will tell you more than you probably wanted to know about me anyway) you can forget you saw this and move on. At least check out the linked blog though.

We Remember...?

As a historian and given the date I ought to be saying something. As an historian of the First World War in particular and given the fact that it's the centenary of that conflict kicking off it would be rude of me not to say something or comment upon it. I have already written about my own attempts to fictionalise the conflict and the work of people such as Frederic Manning and Siegfried Sassoon in this blog. Indeed, I have probably also made known the fact that I have a greater respect for the poetry and message of Sassoon over that of Owen (in part influenced and inspired in equal measure by my own University lecturer on the subject, a Dr Warburton).

And now it is the centenary and everyone will be posting poppies on social media and bleating the same tired phrases about memory and how 'most people' won't share a picture of a poppy and isn't it so sad how the younger generations don't have a clue about the sacrifice that was made in their name in nationalist terms and sponsored by bloody neo-Nazis and aaaaaaargh!

Taken in 2007, this shows students from West Yorks at the
monument to the KOYLIs erected in Bus-les-Artois with some
French veterans (not of the FWW) and villagers.

Be warned, I have bile for this. Read on at your peril!

Return to Auschwitz

Apparently one long rambling post on the experience wasn't enough. So, I'm going to pick up where I left off (on the way to Birkenau/Auschwitz II) and see where it takes me. I wouldn't blame you if you don't read past this introduction.

In other news, I am avoiding marking and may or may not manage to get round to writing this evening, because I know you care. Oh, have you checked out the 1066 Game? You ought to.

Would you like to know more?

My Day-Trip to Auschwitz

Most of my blog-posts where I babble about what I did on any given day have a pun-tastic title. I... well, I didn't think that this was a pun worthy thing. Yes, I did go on a day trip to the area we know as the concentration camp of Auschwitz. I know that I spoke about it already in my review of the Wake and I know that most people don't come here to listen to me spout.

Nevertheless, this is part of my experience and, to be honest, this is part of how I cope with things. I record them and that is part of my processing. I'm not sure that what follows will be coherent, let alone interesting, and I'm absolutely certain that it will be less amusing and uplifting than my posts on the beers that I drink and review. It will also be accompanied by some of the pictures that I took on the trip. If this ain't your bag or you don't really wish to observe just how I deal with stuff that is difficult then you don't need to click on the link below.

Would you really like to know more?

Christmas Day Review

It's Christmas Day. I have not been reviewing beers regular like on this here blog as mostly I have been drinking my own brew (which it wouldn't be right for me to review, save for the fact that I find it to be a nice light ale) and then I have been trying to clear the decks with marking and whatnot. Also, I'm lazy.

Anyway, what follows is a (heavily sarcastic) battle report of the day. You can skip onto the beer review I shall be posting in a moment if you prefer.

Would you really like to know more? Be sure now!

Outstanding

It's another random blogging post. Not even a beer review, let alone part of the epic story for the Boy that this blog is supposed to be about! Oh well. It's also fairly boring, I can't claim anything of interest to the passing visitor.

So, as usual, would you like to know more?

Art

A while back the family went to have look in Little Narnia (no, really) and saw something that has stayed with us since then.

Would you like to know more?

Remembrance

Days late, I know, and without the library of images that I hoped to publish to illustrate my thoughts because it would appear that I have accidentally deleted the entire folder at some point.

Anyway, as ever, read on at your peril.

Would you like to know more?

Moving Experiences III

There's a song that sums up my feelings on transitioning from one job to another. Another slice of my life, hence the line break. Go read the poetry or the beer reviews.

This is not for the faint hearted. However, it is self-serving. Enter at your peril.

Bestowing Missions

Dimwald est growen and liven in blaec und light,
Folk moven in und out wending thru trees,
Dimwald est foe but friend - mist und bight.

Warrior walks, feet upon leaf-litter soft und sloe,
Dimme in stille, dowen in gowen of wet:
Rain fallen wit water drippen frae trees auld und close.
Warrior runs, eyes set far frae here thru gloamen,
Swifte on rifte, risen on wingen of hope:
Green showen wit sunlight frae sky wide und free.
Warrior watchen, stille in blaec of woods,
Brauw in beauw, resten on hilten of swaerd:
Flashen in daercen wit night fallen frae on high.

Of high power dost swaerd spaec loud und strang:
Of laeders, taels und dares that dareth not.
Frae mists und waters und swamps he spraeng:
Form'd und fold wit width of blaed rots not.
Held low as safeness fast on roots to claeng:
Fastness gaenst ungnawen cept about.

Yunge in yaerde did Aelthred cumen wit Peter,
Lucen erst this wae und that - wan wit woods
Aers open but eyes lidded to be wit truncs of elders.
Undergrowth moven wit craetures graet und smal
Some cem for to see some for to hide
But Aelthred haerd them wit no seen of them.
"Hush" spaec aulderman as baerd hid lips "Fast."

Fast they stud, fast they stand, and he seen it
Tho it were darc he seen it,
If eyes lied he seen it,
If twur naught he seen it.
Suncen low, moldren und staem risen
As if water seec'd escap frae eville.
Rank, it smell'd; insult tae God und wood,
Und Aelthred smelt deep of it to better gnaw it
Better tae remove it
Better tae kill it
Better tae tek his birthright.

Whisper Story: Aelfric the Dragon

Time for another story of the wastelands in the time of the Dunstanane. This one has dragons.

Dragons!

Would you like to know more?

What is Masculinity?

It is a question that, as I read more and more things about Feminism, I really begin to wrestle with. I just don't actually know what it is and how it can be measured. I mean, femininity has been very much defined and carefully mapped. Everywhere I look online I can find definitions - some of them are very much what you would expect and fit the notions of what it is to be female in circles such as those that this blog moves within: that is, women are ethereal and giggly. There is a femininity that embraces light fabrics, bright colours, delicacy and lace, long hair, long nails, make up etc. There is, within this trope, the accompanying steel of the strong characters in TG fiction who know their own minds and desires to impossibly large amounts. Powerplays are made and male-esque roles are assigned the dominant females, some are even described as 'alpha' and there is an assumption that powerful females can operate as much as males as anything else. Like the main character in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo what we are essentially reading is a cross-dressing male - the mind of a male protagonist altered to cope with the fact that this character has a vagina.

Would you like to see how far the rabbit hole goes?