Ronald Hutton
Feb. 11th, 2010 12:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
theatokosWent to Bristol yesterday. It's a long drive for a short lecture. On the way there I was anti-social and took the time to just listen to music. It was a Lady Gaga and Bjork evening. Mid Wales is gorgeous, south Wales less so. When we got to Bristol I was struck with longing for the restaurants and cafes we passed. Oh, to go to a nice sit down place, with classy decor and goblets of good wine....
The lecture was excellent.
The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles
Britain, Ireland, and their offshore islands contain the richest variety of remains of ancient religions to be found anywhere in Europe. They represent a magnificent cultural resources, for poets, artists, novelists, modern spiritualities and the heritage industry as well as historians and archaeologists. Ronald Hutton, who has devoted much of his academic career to examining the way in which these monuments and artefacts are interpreted, will devote this talk to explaining how they are viewed today. He will examine evidence for pre-Christian ritual and belief in these islands, from the Old Stone Age to the conversion to Christianity.
Ronald Hutton is a curious looking fellow: scragly hair, squinty eyes, bad posture, a cravat and waistcoat. Even thought he's about 6 feet tall he reminds me of a collision between a modern day hobbit and a Dickens fair. However, he is a kind, humble man who KICKS ASS at lecturing. He's a brilliant speaker. I learned a lot. If anyone's interested in the notes, I could type them up in a separate entry. It turns out that a couple people in our group know Hutton and we stuck around afterward and chatted with him. In fact, he told me I had a nice face and presence and that was why he looked at me during so much of the lecture. I hadn't noticed. And his comment didn't sound skeevy at all, just sweet and a little bit like he's quite shy and puts on a good act for these sorts of things.
Most amusing bit of the evening, from my notes: regarding Stonehenge "whole thing is pretty shoddily made, with lots of short cuts" Turns out Stonehenge is remarkable for its bad workmanship. Ha!
Didn't get home until late. Adam told me I'm not allowed to go out again. Bennett pitched several fits. I don't know what's up with our calm, chill kid, but hot shit, he's a mess. Poor bub. As soon as I crawled into bed beside him and popped a boob in his mouth he passed out like the dead. Well, if the dead were teething and had snot pouring from their noses.
In other news, I've been queasy all week. The only other time I remember feeling like this was.... when I was pregnant. I'm still 2 weeks away from being able to know for sure. I'd be surprised if I was. But stranger things have happened. Drinking plain water sets it off most of the time. Food is pretty hit or miss. No puking, but just that general soft head feeling and uncertain belly.
Oh! I may also have met a friend on the trip, so that would be nice. A woman, maybe in her 30s?, who has a long background in liberation Catholic theology (her father is a marxist Catholic theologian, or something), and is quite syncretic and solitary in her own beliefs. She and I seem to have similar views on various local things. It would be nice to have another friend.
The lecture was excellent.
The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles
Britain, Ireland, and their offshore islands contain the richest variety of remains of ancient religions to be found anywhere in Europe. They represent a magnificent cultural resources, for poets, artists, novelists, modern spiritualities and the heritage industry as well as historians and archaeologists. Ronald Hutton, who has devoted much of his academic career to examining the way in which these monuments and artefacts are interpreted, will devote this talk to explaining how they are viewed today. He will examine evidence for pre-Christian ritual and belief in these islands, from the Old Stone Age to the conversion to Christianity.
Ronald Hutton is a curious looking fellow: scragly hair, squinty eyes, bad posture, a cravat and waistcoat. Even thought he's about 6 feet tall he reminds me of a collision between a modern day hobbit and a Dickens fair. However, he is a kind, humble man who KICKS ASS at lecturing. He's a brilliant speaker. I learned a lot. If anyone's interested in the notes, I could type them up in a separate entry. It turns out that a couple people in our group know Hutton and we stuck around afterward and chatted with him. In fact, he told me I had a nice face and presence and that was why he looked at me during so much of the lecture. I hadn't noticed. And his comment didn't sound skeevy at all, just sweet and a little bit like he's quite shy and puts on a good act for these sorts of things.
Most amusing bit of the evening, from my notes: regarding Stonehenge "whole thing is pretty shoddily made, with lots of short cuts" Turns out Stonehenge is remarkable for its bad workmanship. Ha!
Didn't get home until late. Adam told me I'm not allowed to go out again. Bennett pitched several fits. I don't know what's up with our calm, chill kid, but hot shit, he's a mess. Poor bub. As soon as I crawled into bed beside him and popped a boob in his mouth he passed out like the dead. Well, if the dead were teething and had snot pouring from their noses.
In other news, I've been queasy all week. The only other time I remember feeling like this was.... when I was pregnant. I'm still 2 weeks away from being able to know for sure. I'd be surprised if I was. But stranger things have happened. Drinking plain water sets it off most of the time. Food is pretty hit or miss. No puking, but just that general soft head feeling and uncertain belly.
Oh! I may also have met a friend on the trip, so that would be nice. A woman, maybe in her 30s?, who has a long background in liberation Catholic theology (her father is a marxist Catholic theologian, or something), and is quite syncretic and solitary in her own beliefs. She and I seem to have similar views on various local things. It would be nice to have another friend.
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no subject
Date: 2010-02-11 06:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-11 06:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-11 08:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-11 09:14 pm (UTC)Cadoc has been doing the same thing as Bennett. Hopefully a sign he's now actively teething?
no subject
Date: 2010-02-11 10:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-12 04:27 am (UTC)Hope the little guy settles down for you and the tummy problems disappear!
no subject
Date: 2010-02-12 08:51 am (UTC)PREGGO?
Date: 2010-02-12 05:59 am (UTC)xoxo!
MM
Re: PREGGO?
Date: 2010-02-12 08:49 am (UTC)