HISTORY LESSON. Sort of.
So the biggest conquest that is credited with the borrowing of Scandinavian words into the English language (the reason that we have words like "them," "they," "their," "to and fro," "sky," "skip," "take," "keep," "give," "awkward," "scraggy," "dream," and more) was the Danish invasion of 866 A.D. Basically there was a big struggle between two factions in Denmark and the losers got booted out of the country. So they came to England. Determined to stay put (and not just maraud and go home, as had been the norm in previous centuries), the invading Danes systematically began to take the kingdoms of England over: Essex, Sussex, Northumbria, and whatnot. Eventually the only kingdom left standing was Wessex, which held out for decades and decades against this conquering force, with particular success under one King Alfred.
Time for a King Alfred story. So King Alfred was wandering through the woods alone and he came on this hut with a peasant couple in it, and they, without recognizing him as the person keeping Wessex safe and guarding the future of England, invited him to join them for dinner. He accepted and came inside. The woman doing the cooking was making a dinner centered around oat and wheat cakes, but there was a lot to do, and the woman couldn't keep an eye on the cakes as they cooked. So she asked Alfred to please look after them, and he said he would do his best. The woman scurried off, and Alfred (though he tried to maintain focus) soon became abstracted while trying to think of how he was supposed to defend his kingdom from the Danes while also running things smoothly within the country. As you can imagine, the woman came back into the kitchen to the smell of the cakes burning and, in a moment of anger, she shouted, "You silly man, can't you even watch these cakes to see that they don't burn?"
Apparently every English schoolchild would know this story. Professor O'Neill said so, so it must be true. How historically accurate is this tale? Estimates run at about the same level as the story of George Washington and the Cherry Tree (nil). Anyways, the Danes eventually gave up on Wessex and reached an accord with Alfred and his people to divide the land in peace. Then intermarriage happened between the factions, and Scandinavian words entered our vocabulary. Don't you love history?
A poem that I love. Ignore the picture.
Cats being cats.
I CARRIED MY CAMERA AROUND ALL DAY FOR YOU TODAY.
Today is Hinton James day. Hinton James (aka "Hojo") is the most distant South campus dorm, arguably the lowest quality dorm, and (as seems to follow) usually a place where freshmen live. There has been a guy wandering around, dressed as Hinton James. He gave out free cupcakes this morning apparently.
This guy was dancing in the Pit today while I was having coffee with a friend:
Like a bad person, I skipped my 1:00 french class to enjoy the sunny weather and hang out with my dear friend, Hanna. Like me, she switched roommates this semester, only she was the person doing the moving. I got to see her new room for the first time today:
She also had this adorable sheep pen lying around.
I had to go to a trunk show for Aerie Fit today, as part of my job. Basically I got free workout clothes: score! Most of the stuff I elected to nab is more geared at comfortably lounging around I think, but it works. The lady in pink is Jamie, one of my bosses. I like her a lot.
The instructors going to the college fitness expo at the end of February showed us the demonstration that they prepared for the expo.
My Aerie Fit acquisitions, pants and a fleece hoodie. Time to curl up and go to sleep, as warm things always make me want to do.
But I didn't sleep. So last night's adventures, in a very tight nutshell:
1) I went on a date (yes, with the interested boy). And I realized that though I really like him, I haven't been swept away so much that I want anything beyond friendship. We ate cheap pizza at Artichoke & Basil and then I dropped him off at Joyner, taking a pass on the post-date movie opportunity (I think a bit to his bewilderment). Instead I went walking alone and found (among other things) a way onto the roof of a field hockey stadium, which had a rather lovely view of South Campus.
2) I called up Hanna and pulled her away from her studies (like the bad influence I am) to go and get fro-yo at Yo-Po (delicious), and we picked up a few extras to our party as we walked up to Franklin (a girl named Laura and a guy named Christian). Christian left to gather some friend for a jam session.
3) I almost settled to study with Hanna and Laura when my friend George called me and offered to walk around campus with me. Naturally I bolted out to meet him, and we walked and talked for a good two hours, mostly about his progress with organizing the intramural Ultimate Frisbee team that my friends usually put together, a team called the Orange Iguanas that I currently have an available spot on (if I wanted to take the offer). I'd like to, but I don't know if I have the time.
4) Returning to Morrison (at around 12:30), I followed someone in and found Christian having his jam session in a kitchen on the second floor of Morrison. Christian alternated between the cello and guitar, Rachel was on guitar, Alex was on guitar, and a guy named Jordan played the dulcimer. All were highly highly talented musicians. They played many songs by touch, including this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and many many more (I'm only realizing now how many I've forgotten) and they also made up a few songs, lyrics and all, on the spot. George ("hoar-hay") the singer/guitarist joined us later, as well as René and Hilary (the latter, though drunk and craving post-party munchies at 2 am, still totally rocked out on a drum set upon her 2:15ish arrival). Nutella and graham crackers for all!
Either Nutella is every good thing about life distilled into edible form, or peanut butter is. I'm still torn.
5) After a while, (2:50ish) Christian asked me if I wanted to go somewhere on campus and just scream. The answer: resounding YES. So we made our way up to quad, stopping to climb a fence and discover a secret garden-ish space behind Wilson Library. Then we went to my favorite secret place, a fourth-story walkway between two of the science buildings, high and gorgeously lit and under the stars. No screaming took place (or howling–sometimes I do full blown wolf howls just for the hell of it when I go to my walkway), but I did get to show off one of my art projects to Christian and there was a tickle fight and we may have fallen asleep up there except it was freezing and 4:30. He walked me home while telling stories about how he streaked through two libraries and the Union during first semester exams, and then he threw out the fact that he didn't want to date at present. O.K. ...? He gives back massage hugs. Apparently they're famous among certain circles, and I can believe it. Who does that, anyway?
Then my roommate and I bitched about boys for a while. Then we went to bed. Calleigh is awesome.
That was my Friday.
Affectionately yours,
moi
Hanna and her history lessons. How well you know your Danish history, and how glad I am that we have Scandinavian words in the English language. I don’t know what I would do without the phrase “to and fro”, but I am sure life would not be as sweet (the loss of “them”, “they”, and “their” would be inconsequential, of course).
ReplyDeleteI like the poem. I like poems that aren’t overworked with vocabulary and rhymes and rhythm. I like poems that make time seem to pause for just a second and your mind feel at ease, or more distraught than ever.
About half of those cats look like they have been electrocuted. And the other half look like they have a serious drug problem.
Thank you for carrying your camera around all day for me. What is a blog without some visual stimuli? I really wanted to use the word “stimuli”. It is a very special word.
Hmmmm. That guy has an interesting style. I like how uninterested everyone is. Except for you of course, who had the decency to record this spectacle for me to enjoy.
Yaaaaay for the free workout clothes and Nooooo for the little birdy. Have I ever told you I have a parakeet? It is like the color of the ocean. It is light blue but with shades of pastel green blended in. And a triumphant yellow head with royal blue markings under her eyes. She is a beauty…..and 2 years past her life expectancy.
ReplyDeleteI think I would die if I tried to do Zumba—probably from a heart attack due to lack of cardio the last year…..do the cardio for me.
I applaud you for passing up the movie opportunity. Unless he was paying haha. Who randomly finds ways onto a field hockey stadium? Only the Danish history telling, voluntary insomniac named Hanna.
Dulcimers are awesome. Someone played one at a church once. Yay Amélie. And I now know I still have my French accents set as shortcuts.
Nutella is everything wonderful in the world in spreadable form. Alex and I cooked a meal on Saturday and pretended like it was Valentine’s Day. We made yummy stir fry and delicious hazelnut lava cakes.
“Then we went to my favorite secret place, a fourth-story walkway between two of the science buildings, high and gorgeously lit and under the stars.” I want a secret place. You seem like a character out of a book….with secret places and more spontaneity than anyone I know. And like in the books, your character inspires me to do more interesting things with my life.