Google is God
Google just keeps impressing me. They have a fantastic search engine (with great touches like Google: Scholar), an amazing free webmail service (Gmail), not to mention all the Google-integrated/sponsored platforms like Blogger for instance.
They've just taken it up another notch. I'm so impressed with this, I'd have to say it is SEVERAL notches up. Google: Earth. Picture a 3D "Mapquest" that starts from outer space. I've already located the individual houses we've lived in and have been "jumping" from one to the other. It looks amazing!
Check to make sure your computer is within the below requirements and if it is, download, install, and run this amazing piece of software.
Google: Earth
Minimum Configuration
---------------------
- Windows 2000, or XP
- Pentium 3, 500Mhz
- 128M RAM
- 400MB disk space
- Network speed: 128Kbits/sec
- 3D-capable video card with 16Mbytes of VRAM
- 1024x768, "16-bit High Color" screen
Recommended Configuration
-------------------------
- Windows XP
- Pentium 4 2.4GHz+ or AMD 2400xp+
- 512M RAM
- 2 GB of free disk space
- Network speed: 768 Kbits/sec or better (DSL/Cable)
- 3D-capable video card with 32 MB of VRAM or greater
- 1280x1024, "32-bit True Color" screen
Thursday, June 30
Tuesday, June 28
The Man
[The following is an e-mail and an open letter from Jem Cohen, a documentary filmmaker from the US. It came to me through the Association of Moving Image Archivists list-serve. It's a quite scary and important message about the way the US government is evolving, so I thought I would post it here.]
"Hello. I'm attaching an open letter regarding an incident that took place in January. I was stopped from filming out of a train window and had my film confiscated and turned over to the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the FBI.
I went to the ACLU, and have been assisted by a lawyer at the NYCLU (New York Civil Liberties Union). I wrote a piece about it and included the attached letter in the last issue of Filmmaker Magazine.
Recently, the lawyer called to say that the FBI was returning the film, as it had been cleared by the authorities. When I went to pick it up, I found that the original box and reel had been sent back, but the reel was empty, save for a few inches of film. The matter remains unresolved, and for me, deeply disturbing.
Most of us are inundated with email, and I had mixed feelings about sending yet another mass missive. Please forgive the intrusion. I'm not asking for you to do anything, and that includes write me back. I'm sending this simply because I feel that people should know about such incidents. You are welcome to pass along the attached letter, although I would prefer that my email address not be made entirely public. I would be glad to talk to the press about it, although an editor I spoke to at the New York Times suggested that it might not be of interest to the media because such incidents are becoming too commonplace.
Thank you for having a look.
Sincerely,
Jem Cohen
----------------
An open letter to the film and arts community:
On January 7th, 2005, I was filming from the window of an Amtrak train going from New York to Washington D.C., and my film was confiscated by police, due to supposed national security concerns. At first, I was told by a ticket taker that I couldn't shoot because I was in the 'quiet car,' but when I got ready to move, he said I couldn't shoot at all. I explained that I was a filmmaker who'd done this for years, and politely asked to speak with someone else about it. I stopped filming, waited, and asked again, but no one came. When the train stopped in Philadelphia, at least four uniformed officers entered the car and demanded that I step off the train with the camera. They took my personal information and told me to give them the film from the camera. Not wanting to ruin it, I insisted on rewinding the roll, which I then gave up. Upon arrival in D.C., I was immediately met and questioned by more officials, this time out of uniform. My film has apparently been given to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and then to the F.B.I. As of this writing, I have not been able to get it back. (I took my case to the American Civil Liberties Union, who are working on it).
I'd been shooting in 16mm, using an old, hand-wound Bolex. I was filming the passing landscape as I've often done over the past 15 years. As a filmmaker who does most of my work in a documentary mode and often on the street, my role is to record the world as it is and as it unfolds. I build projects from an archive of footage collected in my daily wanderings, and in travels across this country and overseas. I film buildings and passersby, the sky, streets, and waterways; the structures that make up our cities, life as it is lived. I cannot pre-plan and attempt to obtain permits every time that I shoot; it is an inherently spontaneous act done in response to daily life and unannounced events.
I believe that it is the work and responsibility of artists to create such a record so that we can better understand, and future generations can know, how we lived, what we build, what changes, and what disappears. This has been the work of documentarians and artists including Mathew Brady, Lewis Hine, Walker Evans, Helen Levitt, Gary Winogrand, Robert Frank, and so on. Street shooting is one of the cornerstones of photography itself, and it is facing serious new threats, some declared, many not. In New York, the MTA apparently intends to forbid all unpermitted photography of and from its trains and subways. I have heard about a film location scout in upstate New York being interrogated for hours, even after presenting clear documentation that he was working for a legitimate production company; about documentary crews having their license plates called in and being visited by the FBI; about photojournalists working for the New York Times being stopped from doing the work that they have always done.
As a filmmaker, I am concerned about what this kind of clampdown means both to our livelihood and to the public, historical record. As a citizen, I am concerned about a climate in which a person can be pulled off of a train and have their property confiscated without warning or redress.
I am also, frankly, concerned about terrorism, and genuine threats to our lives and cities. This leads me to ask if these are efficient, intelligent allotments of limited law enforcement resources and personnel. Does stopping us from photographing a bridge make us safer when anybody can search the internet and see countless photographs of the same bridge? Are all of those photographs to be somehow suppressed? Given that anyone can purchase a video recorder with a lens the size of a shirtbutton or any number of hidden camera devices, are the people openly taking pictures such an actual threat? What about all of those cell phones with cameras? As Ben Franklin said: "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Are we even gaining any safety? Given that intimidation and the curtailing of our freedom are exactly what terrorists want, I wonder if these infringements of our civil liberties are not in fact a form of capitulation.
I write this to urge the film and arts communities to keep a record of such incidents and to notify their representatives in Congress and such organizations as the ACLU when they occur. This is also a call to publications, curators, and programmers: I recommend that you make the public aware of what important past work would not exist if these restrictions had been in place.
Lastly, I write this to encourage a more general awareness of the ways in which, under the rubric of an endless "war on terror," we are seeing the denigration of due process, free speech, and the right to privacy, which are crucial safeguards of a free and democratic society.
As printed in Filmmaker Magazine, Spring 2005
Postscript:
I was recently informed by my contact lawyer at the New York Civil Liberties Union office that the FBI was returning my film, as it had been cleared by the authorities. When I got to the office I was relieved to see the original film container. Unfortunately, the reel inside it was empty, save for a few inches of film.
One bit of great news: faced with opposition from the public and the NYCLU, the MTA has backed down from its proposal to ban photography in and of the subways."
[The following is an e-mail and an open letter from Jem Cohen, a documentary filmmaker from the US. It came to me through the Association of Moving Image Archivists list-serve. It's a quite scary and important message about the way the US government is evolving, so I thought I would post it here.]
"Hello. I'm attaching an open letter regarding an incident that took place in January. I was stopped from filming out of a train window and had my film confiscated and turned over to the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the FBI.
I went to the ACLU, and have been assisted by a lawyer at the NYCLU (New York Civil Liberties Union). I wrote a piece about it and included the attached letter in the last issue of Filmmaker Magazine.
Recently, the lawyer called to say that the FBI was returning the film, as it had been cleared by the authorities. When I went to pick it up, I found that the original box and reel had been sent back, but the reel was empty, save for a few inches of film. The matter remains unresolved, and for me, deeply disturbing.
Most of us are inundated with email, and I had mixed feelings about sending yet another mass missive. Please forgive the intrusion. I'm not asking for you to do anything, and that includes write me back. I'm sending this simply because I feel that people should know about such incidents. You are welcome to pass along the attached letter, although I would prefer that my email address not be made entirely public. I would be glad to talk to the press about it, although an editor I spoke to at the New York Times suggested that it might not be of interest to the media because such incidents are becoming too commonplace.
Thank you for having a look.
Sincerely,
Jem Cohen
----------------
An open letter to the film and arts community:
On January 7th, 2005, I was filming from the window of an Amtrak train going from New York to Washington D.C., and my film was confiscated by police, due to supposed national security concerns. At first, I was told by a ticket taker that I couldn't shoot because I was in the 'quiet car,' but when I got ready to move, he said I couldn't shoot at all. I explained that I was a filmmaker who'd done this for years, and politely asked to speak with someone else about it. I stopped filming, waited, and asked again, but no one came. When the train stopped in Philadelphia, at least four uniformed officers entered the car and demanded that I step off the train with the camera. They took my personal information and told me to give them the film from the camera. Not wanting to ruin it, I insisted on rewinding the roll, which I then gave up. Upon arrival in D.C., I was immediately met and questioned by more officials, this time out of uniform. My film has apparently been given to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and then to the F.B.I. As of this writing, I have not been able to get it back. (I took my case to the American Civil Liberties Union, who are working on it).
I'd been shooting in 16mm, using an old, hand-wound Bolex. I was filming the passing landscape as I've often done over the past 15 years. As a filmmaker who does most of my work in a documentary mode and often on the street, my role is to record the world as it is and as it unfolds. I build projects from an archive of footage collected in my daily wanderings, and in travels across this country and overseas. I film buildings and passersby, the sky, streets, and waterways; the structures that make up our cities, life as it is lived. I cannot pre-plan and attempt to obtain permits every time that I shoot; it is an inherently spontaneous act done in response to daily life and unannounced events.
I believe that it is the work and responsibility of artists to create such a record so that we can better understand, and future generations can know, how we lived, what we build, what changes, and what disappears. This has been the work of documentarians and artists including Mathew Brady, Lewis Hine, Walker Evans, Helen Levitt, Gary Winogrand, Robert Frank, and so on. Street shooting is one of the cornerstones of photography itself, and it is facing serious new threats, some declared, many not. In New York, the MTA apparently intends to forbid all unpermitted photography of and from its trains and subways. I have heard about a film location scout in upstate New York being interrogated for hours, even after presenting clear documentation that he was working for a legitimate production company; about documentary crews having their license plates called in and being visited by the FBI; about photojournalists working for the New York Times being stopped from doing the work that they have always done.
As a filmmaker, I am concerned about what this kind of clampdown means both to our livelihood and to the public, historical record. As a citizen, I am concerned about a climate in which a person can be pulled off of a train and have their property confiscated without warning or redress.
I am also, frankly, concerned about terrorism, and genuine threats to our lives and cities. This leads me to ask if these are efficient, intelligent allotments of limited law enforcement resources and personnel. Does stopping us from photographing a bridge make us safer when anybody can search the internet and see countless photographs of the same bridge? Are all of those photographs to be somehow suppressed? Given that anyone can purchase a video recorder with a lens the size of a shirtbutton or any number of hidden camera devices, are the people openly taking pictures such an actual threat? What about all of those cell phones with cameras? As Ben Franklin said: "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Are we even gaining any safety? Given that intimidation and the curtailing of our freedom are exactly what terrorists want, I wonder if these infringements of our civil liberties are not in fact a form of capitulation.
I write this to urge the film and arts communities to keep a record of such incidents and to notify their representatives in Congress and such organizations as the ACLU when they occur. This is also a call to publications, curators, and programmers: I recommend that you make the public aware of what important past work would not exist if these restrictions had been in place.
Lastly, I write this to encourage a more general awareness of the ways in which, under the rubric of an endless "war on terror," we are seeing the denigration of due process, free speech, and the right to privacy, which are crucial safeguards of a free and democratic society.
As printed in Filmmaker Magazine, Spring 2005
Postscript:
I was recently informed by my contact lawyer at the New York Civil Liberties Union office that the FBI was returning my film, as it had been cleared by the authorities. When I got to the office I was relieved to see the original film container. Unfortunately, the reel inside it was empty, save for a few inches of film.
One bit of great news: faced with opposition from the public and the NYCLU, the MTA has backed down from its proposal to ban photography in and of the subways."
Friday, June 24
Unsuccessful
I guess 13 really is an unlucky number. In this case, it "wrecked" both interviews. I found out on Wednesday (via e-mail) that I was not successful with my application at the place in Nottingham and found out yesterday (via snail mail) that I was not successful at the one in London either. It's a little disappointing, but I had tried to pretty much prepare for this outcome. I wasn't surprised that I didn't get the Nottingham one. However, I must admit that the outcome of the other one was a bit surprising. The positive side of this is that now I have no excuse not to churn out my dissertation (whereas I would have been working on weekends and on train rides if I had either of these jobs).
One of my other classmates was interviewed in Nottingham, but was also unsuccessful. Found out today, though, that she got one of the positions in London starting in two weeks. I also know one of my other classmates did not get the London job, but there are still two more I need to find out about. See how they did.
The job in Nottingham went to a guy who was already familiar with the material needing to be catalogued because he had worked for ITV (the company that produced it and owns it). I spoke to the head of the archive today and he said that I did really well in the interview and that they were impressed by the preparation and thought I had put into the project. He said that if the ITV guy had not performed well in the interview, it probably would have gone to me. So, that's definitely good feedback and I certainly can't fault them for going with the person that they did. It would be stupid of them not to.
Anyway, that's that. Sort of a relief to have those out of the way, though it would have been nice to land one of the gigs. For now, I'll be working on my dissertation and hopefully doing some part-time job somewhere. Before I know it, other job opportunities will spring up!
-RP-
I guess 13 really is an unlucky number. In this case, it "wrecked" both interviews. I found out on Wednesday (via e-mail) that I was not successful with my application at the place in Nottingham and found out yesterday (via snail mail) that I was not successful at the one in London either. It's a little disappointing, but I had tried to pretty much prepare for this outcome. I wasn't surprised that I didn't get the Nottingham one. However, I must admit that the outcome of the other one was a bit surprising. The positive side of this is that now I have no excuse not to churn out my dissertation (whereas I would have been working on weekends and on train rides if I had either of these jobs).
One of my other classmates was interviewed in Nottingham, but was also unsuccessful. Found out today, though, that she got one of the positions in London starting in two weeks. I also know one of my other classmates did not get the London job, but there are still two more I need to find out about. See how they did.
The job in Nottingham went to a guy who was already familiar with the material needing to be catalogued because he had worked for ITV (the company that produced it and owns it). I spoke to the head of the archive today and he said that I did really well in the interview and that they were impressed by the preparation and thought I had put into the project. He said that if the ITV guy had not performed well in the interview, it probably would have gone to me. So, that's definitely good feedback and I certainly can't fault them for going with the person that they did. It would be stupid of them not to.
Anyway, that's that. Sort of a relief to have those out of the way, though it would have been nice to land one of the gigs. For now, I'll be working on my dissertation and hopefully doing some part-time job somewhere. Before I know it, other job opportunities will spring up!
-RP-
Tuesday, June 21
Interview #2
It sure is nice to have my two big interviews over and done with. Now the only thing looming over me (as far as job possibilities in the archiving field) is eventually finding out whether or not I got the job. This interview was a little more challenging than the other one because their questions were less direct, which meant I had to do a lot more freestyle rambling. Rambling is something I can do, but not necessarily coherently or impressively. I had prepared a plan for how to go about the project last night and when they asked me how I would proceed if I were doing it, I whipped out this two-page three-phase plan. I think they were at least a little impressed by the initiative and they seemed to agree with the proposal, so... we'll see! Right now I have absolutely no idea what my chances are because I don't know how I really did and how everyone else fared.
This job is a little more enticing than the other one, even though it's not in London. They would both be great experience, but this one allows you to pave your own road. You'd essentially be in charge of the project, so as far as career development goes, this one would be a bigger step forward than the other one. But I'd gladly do either! Also, though the pay is the same in both jobs, the money would go a lot farther in Nottingham, so that's also something to consider. But, hey, right now I don't have an offer from either place - I might as well can it. Should find out about both by the end of this week, though.
-RP-
It sure is nice to have my two big interviews over and done with. Now the only thing looming over me (as far as job possibilities in the archiving field) is eventually finding out whether or not I got the job. This interview was a little more challenging than the other one because their questions were less direct, which meant I had to do a lot more freestyle rambling. Rambling is something I can do, but not necessarily coherently or impressively. I had prepared a plan for how to go about the project last night and when they asked me how I would proceed if I were doing it, I whipped out this two-page three-phase plan. I think they were at least a little impressed by the initiative and they seemed to agree with the proposal, so... we'll see! Right now I have absolutely no idea what my chances are because I don't know how I really did and how everyone else fared.
This job is a little more enticing than the other one, even though it's not in London. They would both be great experience, but this one allows you to pave your own road. You'd essentially be in charge of the project, so as far as career development goes, this one would be a bigger step forward than the other one. But I'd gladly do either! Also, though the pay is the same in both jobs, the money would go a lot farther in Nottingham, so that's also something to consider. But, hey, right now I don't have an offer from either place - I might as well can it. Should find out about both by the end of this week, though.
-RP-
Monday, June 20
Extreme weather ushers in British summer:
"THE British weather created its own North-South divide yesterday as southern England basked in the hottest June day since 1976 and Scotland and the North were hit by storms and floods.
Londoners endured a stifling 33.1C (91.6F), and the highest temperature was recorded at Wyton, Cambridgeshire, which registered 33.7C (92.7F)."
---
Hoping and praying that it will cool down for tomorrow. PLEASE!
-RP-
"THE British weather created its own North-South divide yesterday as southern England basked in the hottest June day since 1976 and Scotland and the North were hit by storms and floods.
Londoners endured a stifling 33.1C (91.6F), and the highest temperature was recorded at Wyton, Cambridgeshire, which registered 33.7C (92.7F)."
---
Hoping and praying that it will cool down for tomorrow. PLEASE!
-RP-
Sunday, June 19
Interview #1
My first archiving interview has been overcome. I took an 11am train down to London on Friday. Several "forces" conspired to make it at least an uncomfortable experience for me: it was suddenly hot in the UK (and still is) and "vandals" had sabotaged the signalling system between Norwich and Diss (causing delays of up to 45 minutes and cancellations). Despite the delays, I still made it with plenty of time to spare for my 3pm interview. However, dressed like an office employee (complete with a tie and black slacks) and riding the tube in sickening heat, meant that I was a sweaty, dripping mess by the time I got to where I needed to be. Twenty minutes before my interview, I was sitting in the lobby trying to stop myself from sweating. Luckily, things were beginning to be under control by the time I was invited into the interview room and the seat I was placed in benefitted from a nice draft of cool air from the AC unit in the cieling.
The interview went pretty well. There were three people conducting the interview, the three highest "lieutenants" of the project. They asked questions like: "What are the two most important things to consider when cataloguing and why?", "What do you think is the most important event of the 20th century and why?", "Can you name a time when your knowledge/experience contributed to solving a problem in a professional setting?", "Have you ever worked in a team setting?", etc., etc. I think I answered most of them pretty well and I kept the humor to a minimum, despite my natural inclinations (like Chandler on Friends, I make jokes when I'm uncomfortable).
They were interviewing 14 people for 5 positions. I was number 13. Choosing to ignore the superstitious connotations of that. The jobs will not start at the same time, they will be staggered over a few months, but all will be 12 months contracts with possibility renewal for a further 6 months (depending on the needs of the project and, obviously, performance). They will notify by the 24th.
I'm really curious to find out who gets it. I know at least 6 UEA students (present and past) were interviewed, including myself. But for now, I need to focus my energy on my next interview. This Tuesday in Nottingham. Similar type of project, but it will not be a team setting. Both are pretty interesting, though.
-RP-
My first archiving interview has been overcome. I took an 11am train down to London on Friday. Several "forces" conspired to make it at least an uncomfortable experience for me: it was suddenly hot in the UK (and still is) and "vandals" had sabotaged the signalling system between Norwich and Diss (causing delays of up to 45 minutes and cancellations). Despite the delays, I still made it with plenty of time to spare for my 3pm interview. However, dressed like an office employee (complete with a tie and black slacks) and riding the tube in sickening heat, meant that I was a sweaty, dripping mess by the time I got to where I needed to be. Twenty minutes before my interview, I was sitting in the lobby trying to stop myself from sweating. Luckily, things were beginning to be under control by the time I was invited into the interview room and the seat I was placed in benefitted from a nice draft of cool air from the AC unit in the cieling.
The interview went pretty well. There were three people conducting the interview, the three highest "lieutenants" of the project. They asked questions like: "What are the two most important things to consider when cataloguing and why?", "What do you think is the most important event of the 20th century and why?", "Can you name a time when your knowledge/experience contributed to solving a problem in a professional setting?", "Have you ever worked in a team setting?", etc., etc. I think I answered most of them pretty well and I kept the humor to a minimum, despite my natural inclinations (like Chandler on Friends, I make jokes when I'm uncomfortable).
They were interviewing 14 people for 5 positions. I was number 13. Choosing to ignore the superstitious connotations of that. The jobs will not start at the same time, they will be staggered over a few months, but all will be 12 months contracts with possibility renewal for a further 6 months (depending on the needs of the project and, obviously, performance). They will notify by the 24th.
I'm really curious to find out who gets it. I know at least 6 UEA students (present and past) were interviewed, including myself. But for now, I need to focus my energy on my next interview. This Tuesday in Nottingham. Similar type of project, but it will not be a team setting. Both are pretty interesting, though.
-RP-
Thursday, June 16
Wednesday, June 15
London
Buckingham Palace
Westminster Abbey
Big Ben
Parliament
National Gallery
Trafalgar Square
London Underground (The Tube)
China Town
Pub supper
A beautiful day in London yesterday! My first trip that didn’t involve airports. After arriving by train at Liverpool Station, we took the tube to Victoria Station and walked to Buckingham Palace. The building itself was a little bit of a let down. It is made of white stone and very plain. The only part of it that looks royal are the gates! We watched the changing of the guards from across the street – too many people packed along the front fence. Being far away ended up being a good thing because while everyone else was focused on the guards, they missed Princess Anne driving away from the palace in a dark blue Jaguar. Her car passed directly in front of us (about 3 feet away) and we had a clear view of her in the back seat with her lady-in-waiting. Apparently she was on her way to Ascot for the races. There was a police escort and several security vehicles in front of and behind her car, but no one else seemed to notice.
Another tube trip and we were at the gorgeous Westminster Abbey. Well, gorgeous from the outside. It costs £7 to get in and we decided that our money would be better spent on lunch in Chinatown, so we just walked around the outside and peeked into the cloisters. The Abbey is right near Parliament and Big Ben, so we saw all of that in one tour around the block. Parliament was bustling with dark-suited, striped tied men rushing in and out carrying briefcases full of important (I’m sure) documents.
Dim Sum in Chinatown. Yum yum! It was a place called Jade Garden. Lots of funny little steamed things. We stayed away from the Glutinous Rice balls, though.
I don’t what I was expecting from Trafalgar Square, but it was kind of boring. The front of the National Gallery opens into the Square and I’m sure it is a lovely spot. Unfortunately it was covered with scaffolding and plywood for some sort of renovation and there was nothing to see except concert posters stapled to the wood. There were a few pigeons, but mostly there were Red Cross volunteers accosting passers-by asking for blood donors. The interior of the National Gallery is beautiful. All marble floors and huge, high ceilings. We spent a very nice couple of hours wandering around looking at some Carravagios, Botticellis, and Monets (among others). Several times we joined groups of uniformed (uninformed?) schoolchildren to listen to informative talks about particular paintings. The best thing about the National Gallery is it’s FREE!
The famous London Underground is incredibly clean and well organized. After riding the metro in Brussels and Paris, I have to say that the “tube” is definitely the best. And the most extensive. Whoever decided to construct it should be given some sort of Nobel Prize because it is the saving grace of downtown London. The streets are busy with traffic anyway and without the tube, transportation would be unbearable and practically impossible.
The Geffrye Museum was an interesting (and free) place to visit. Located in Shoreditch, slightly north of downtown, a somewhat dodgy neighborhood. It is a converted Almshouse set back from the street surrounded by an herb garden and a wide, peaceful tree-lined green lawn. It is an interiors Museum and has complete rooms decorated and furnished in the major periods from 1500 to the present. There were very few people there, probably because of the location, so it was quiet and relaxing to walk through.
A pub supper at The Master Gunner. Yum yum again! We shared fish’n’chips and roasted vegetable lasagna.
Then two hours on train back to Norwich. We were worn out from our day in the big city. I think I’m getting old!
---
I love London. It surprised me that I liked it so much. R has been there several times for research and school activities and I knew that he liked it, but I didn’t expect to love it. A great city with beautiful architecture, red double-decker buses and a huge variety of restaurants. It is however one of the top most expensive city in the world to live in (more than Copenhagen).
~K
Buckingham Palace
Westminster Abbey
Big Ben
Parliament
National Gallery
Trafalgar Square
London Underground (The Tube)
China Town
Pub supper
A beautiful day in London yesterday! My first trip that didn’t involve airports. After arriving by train at Liverpool Station, we took the tube to Victoria Station and walked to Buckingham Palace. The building itself was a little bit of a let down. It is made of white stone and very plain. The only part of it that looks royal are the gates! We watched the changing of the guards from across the street – too many people packed along the front fence. Being far away ended up being a good thing because while everyone else was focused on the guards, they missed Princess Anne driving away from the palace in a dark blue Jaguar. Her car passed directly in front of us (about 3 feet away) and we had a clear view of her in the back seat with her lady-in-waiting. Apparently she was on her way to Ascot for the races. There was a police escort and several security vehicles in front of and behind her car, but no one else seemed to notice.
Another tube trip and we were at the gorgeous Westminster Abbey. Well, gorgeous from the outside. It costs £7 to get in and we decided that our money would be better spent on lunch in Chinatown, so we just walked around the outside and peeked into the cloisters. The Abbey is right near Parliament and Big Ben, so we saw all of that in one tour around the block. Parliament was bustling with dark-suited, striped tied men rushing in and out carrying briefcases full of important (I’m sure) documents.
Dim Sum in Chinatown. Yum yum! It was a place called Jade Garden. Lots of funny little steamed things. We stayed away from the Glutinous Rice balls, though.
I don’t what I was expecting from Trafalgar Square, but it was kind of boring. The front of the National Gallery opens into the Square and I’m sure it is a lovely spot. Unfortunately it was covered with scaffolding and plywood for some sort of renovation and there was nothing to see except concert posters stapled to the wood. There were a few pigeons, but mostly there were Red Cross volunteers accosting passers-by asking for blood donors. The interior of the National Gallery is beautiful. All marble floors and huge, high ceilings. We spent a very nice couple of hours wandering around looking at some Carravagios, Botticellis, and Monets (among others). Several times we joined groups of uniformed (uninformed?) schoolchildren to listen to informative talks about particular paintings. The best thing about the National Gallery is it’s FREE!
The famous London Underground is incredibly clean and well organized. After riding the metro in Brussels and Paris, I have to say that the “tube” is definitely the best. And the most extensive. Whoever decided to construct it should be given some sort of Nobel Prize because it is the saving grace of downtown London. The streets are busy with traffic anyway and without the tube, transportation would be unbearable and practically impossible.
The Geffrye Museum was an interesting (and free) place to visit. Located in Shoreditch, slightly north of downtown, a somewhat dodgy neighborhood. It is a converted Almshouse set back from the street surrounded by an herb garden and a wide, peaceful tree-lined green lawn. It is an interiors Museum and has complete rooms decorated and furnished in the major periods from 1500 to the present. There were very few people there, probably because of the location, so it was quiet and relaxing to walk through.
A pub supper at The Master Gunner. Yum yum again! We shared fish’n’chips and roasted vegetable lasagna.
Then two hours on train back to Norwich. We were worn out from our day in the big city. I think I’m getting old!
---
I love London. It surprised me that I liked it so much. R has been there several times for research and school activities and I knew that he liked it, but I didn’t expect to love it. A great city with beautiful architecture, red double-decker buses and a huge variety of restaurants. It is however one of the top most expensive city in the world to live in (more than Copenhagen).
~K
Monday, June 13
Woah
I'm guessing I didn't get the job at the video store because they haven't called me. When the manager interviewed me last Thursday, he said he would notify the lucky candidate on Monday (today). He didn't specify whether or not he was going to call the "losers". I'm guessing he won't be doing that. Anyway, no biggy because...
...I got another call today. Sort of surprised me. The phone rarely rings, so we're always startled when it does. I thought it was going to be the video store guy, but it turned out to be the director of the Media Archive For Central England (the archiving job in Nottingham that I applied for). He asked if I could come in for an interview next Tuesday at 11am. I said, "Shit, yeah!" OK, I didn't say, "Shit, yeah!". I said, "Why yes, that would be just fine. Thanks for your call!" So... two archive employment interviews within a week of each other.
---
The other day it struck me that by staying in Norwich, we're actually doing exactly what we said we would do if no job offer came out of the internship at DFI. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it on the blog, but the plan was that I would hope and pray for a job at whichever archive I interned at and if nothing came of it, I would come back here to write my dissertation and then start sending my resume around to other archives I'd like to work for. After all the turmoil and back&forth during the month of May, we end up doing what was already a consideration.
If nothing happens with these two upcoming interviews, I'll just keep looking for other archive jobs to pop up. It's been pretty active over the last few months so I'm sure something else will appear. Just need to land one of those pesky part-time jobs in the meantime!
-RP-
I'm guessing I didn't get the job at the video store because they haven't called me. When the manager interviewed me last Thursday, he said he would notify the lucky candidate on Monday (today). He didn't specify whether or not he was going to call the "losers". I'm guessing he won't be doing that. Anyway, no biggy because...
...I got another call today. Sort of surprised me. The phone rarely rings, so we're always startled when it does. I thought it was going to be the video store guy, but it turned out to be the director of the Media Archive For Central England (the archiving job in Nottingham that I applied for). He asked if I could come in for an interview next Tuesday at 11am. I said, "Shit, yeah!" OK, I didn't say, "Shit, yeah!". I said, "Why yes, that would be just fine. Thanks for your call!" So... two archive employment interviews within a week of each other.
---
The other day it struck me that by staying in Norwich, we're actually doing exactly what we said we would do if no job offer came out of the internship at DFI. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it on the blog, but the plan was that I would hope and pray for a job at whichever archive I interned at and if nothing came of it, I would come back here to write my dissertation and then start sending my resume around to other archives I'd like to work for. After all the turmoil and back&forth during the month of May, we end up doing what was already a consideration.
If nothing happens with these two upcoming interviews, I'll just keep looking for other archive jobs to pop up. It's been pretty active over the last few months so I'm sure something else will appear. Just need to land one of those pesky part-time jobs in the meantime!
-RP-
Saturday, June 11
De facto rejection
It's official. I think. I have been rejected by the National Museum in Copenhagen. They haven't told me this, but since interviews were supposedly held "at the end of week 23" (i.e.- the week ending today) and they did not contact me, I can only assume that they favored the other candidates instead. Since they were so good about letting me know they had received my application, I'm sure they'll officially reject me in the coming week. Not surprised by the rejection. In fact, I suppose I'm a bit relieved because it saves me from the mental turmoil of possibly reconsidering our recent decision to stick around Norwich a little longer.
Though it was not at the National Museum in Copenhagen, I did actually have a job interview this past week anyway. On Thursday at a video shop here in Norwich. It went pretty well, I think. They're supposed to let me know on Monday whether or not they are going to offer me the position. We'll see!
-RP-
It's official. I think. I have been rejected by the National Museum in Copenhagen. They haven't told me this, but since interviews were supposedly held "at the end of week 23" (i.e.- the week ending today) and they did not contact me, I can only assume that they favored the other candidates instead. Since they were so good about letting me know they had received my application, I'm sure they'll officially reject me in the coming week. Not surprised by the rejection. In fact, I suppose I'm a bit relieved because it saves me from the mental turmoil of possibly reconsidering our recent decision to stick around Norwich a little longer.
Though it was not at the National Museum in Copenhagen, I did actually have a job interview this past week anyway. On Thursday at a video shop here in Norwich. It went pretty well, I think. They're supposed to let me know on Monday whether or not they are going to offer me the position. We'll see!
-RP-
Friday, June 10
One Year Anniversary
One year ago today K and I were in the Scottish Highlands after having secretly sneaked away. We were married that day, in a simple little civil ceremony by a registrar with such an adorable Scottish accent (K was "Kurshten").
We haven't regretted it a single day. We're so happy to be celebrating our "Paper Anniversary" (in layman's terms, One Year Anniversary)!
Though we told ourselves a year ago that we would return to the Coul House Inn today, for obvious reasons, we have not done so. It has been rain-checked. We'll celebrate in our own special way.
Flowers
One year ago today K and I were in the Scottish Highlands after having secretly sneaked away. We were married that day, in a simple little civil ceremony by a registrar with such an adorable Scottish accent (K was "Kurshten").
We haven't regretted it a single day. We're so happy to be celebrating our "Paper Anniversary" (in layman's terms, One Year Anniversary)!
Though we told ourselves a year ago that we would return to the Coul House Inn today, for obvious reasons, we have not done so. It has been rain-checked. We'll celebrate in our own special way.
Flowers
Thursday, June 9
Wednesday, June 8
Job Interviews
For the past several days, I have been back on the old pavement-pounding beat. I'm looking for a part-time job somewhere in the city. Not much luck yet, but I've handed in applications and CVs at coffee shops, lunch shops, and a video store. All of these places had "help wanted" signs in the window. Despite the tepid response, I have landed an interview at the video store, tomorrow at 3:45pm. Might not be too bad, if I get the gig. Certainly would have its benefits as far as renting DVDs! And it's an area where I'm actually a bit knowledgeable.
But that's just small potatoes. I got an e-mail yesterday with an invitation for a job interview at BUFVC, the archive job in London! They are interviewing a lot of people, but they're looking to hire six, I think. That makes my chances a little better. At least one of my classmates has also landed an interview. The truly disconcerting competition, though, are the BFI cataloguers who were recently let go. How much do you want to bet that they handed in applications? Even still, it will be good experience to try an archive employment interview.
My interview is on Friday the 17th in the afternoon. K and I had already bought our train tickets to go to London on the 14th (the day we were going to go to the Danish Embassy for her residence permit application). It's too expensive/inconvenient to change the tickets, so we're going to go to London anyway. Too bad the interview didn't land on that day, though! Oh well. With my student rail pass, it only costs about £13.50 each way so that's not too bad.
-RP-
For the past several days, I have been back on the old pavement-pounding beat. I'm looking for a part-time job somewhere in the city. Not much luck yet, but I've handed in applications and CVs at coffee shops, lunch shops, and a video store. All of these places had "help wanted" signs in the window. Despite the tepid response, I have landed an interview at the video store, tomorrow at 3:45pm. Might not be too bad, if I get the gig. Certainly would have its benefits as far as renting DVDs! And it's an area where I'm actually a bit knowledgeable.
But that's just small potatoes. I got an e-mail yesterday with an invitation for a job interview at BUFVC, the archive job in London! They are interviewing a lot of people, but they're looking to hire six, I think. That makes my chances a little better. At least one of my classmates has also landed an interview. The truly disconcerting competition, though, are the BFI cataloguers who were recently let go. How much do you want to bet that they handed in applications? Even still, it will be good experience to try an archive employment interview.
My interview is on Friday the 17th in the afternoon. K and I had already bought our train tickets to go to London on the 14th (the day we were going to go to the Danish Embassy for her residence permit application). It's too expensive/inconvenient to change the tickets, so we're going to go to London anyway. Too bad the interview didn't land on that day, though! Oh well. With my student rail pass, it only costs about £13.50 each way so that's not too bad.
-RP-
Tuesday, June 7
Gilded Courier
I'm definitely feeling a little bit low about the whole "Denmark thing". There is an emotional attachment to Scandinavia for me. Part of me feels a little heartbroken about not being able to live there. Copenhagen is a fantastic city with such lively energy. It's just really great to be there. Now when I hear or read Danish and particularly when I see images of Copenhagen in a film or on TV, I get a little pang in my heart. Sort of the same kind of pang I get for Brussels, LA, Ft. Lauderdale, Aurora, or Boston. Just little fingers tugging at the yearning heart-strings. With the "Denmark thing", there's also a little bit of a feeling of loss.
Even though I feel very relieved after making the decision to stick around here a little longer to figure things out, I still have moments were I am a bit pained about the reality of possibly never realistically being able to live there.
There is still a little glimmer of hope, though. I am ever-vigilant over the Job Vacancies section of the Danish Film Institute site. If a suitable position ever pops up, I am going to be on that thing like a hound-dog. A courier will arrive at their doorstep in a gilded chariot, bearing a perfectly assembled CV and cover-letter on expensive paper in an expensive envelope. Until then, I will bide my time diligently at another archive.
-RP-
I'm definitely feeling a little bit low about the whole "Denmark thing". There is an emotional attachment to Scandinavia for me. Part of me feels a little heartbroken about not being able to live there. Copenhagen is a fantastic city with such lively energy. It's just really great to be there. Now when I hear or read Danish and particularly when I see images of Copenhagen in a film or on TV, I get a little pang in my heart. Sort of the same kind of pang I get for Brussels, LA, Ft. Lauderdale, Aurora, or Boston. Just little fingers tugging at the yearning heart-strings. With the "Denmark thing", there's also a little bit of a feeling of loss.
Even though I feel very relieved after making the decision to stick around here a little longer to figure things out, I still have moments were I am a bit pained about the reality of possibly never realistically being able to live there.
There is still a little glimmer of hope, though. I am ever-vigilant over the Job Vacancies section of the Danish Film Institute site. If a suitable position ever pops up, I am going to be on that thing like a hound-dog. A courier will arrive at their doorstep in a gilded chariot, bearing a perfectly assembled CV and cover-letter on expensive paper in an expensive envelope. Until then, I will bide my time diligently at another archive.
-RP-
Monday, June 6
Halle-f**kn-luiah!
We have the BMW back in our custody! It was a bit of a headache because the mechanic does not take credit cards. I tried everything I could think of to get money out without doing a "cash advance" and incurring the huge interest rate. Not going into the details because its just too annoying, but I ended up just withdrawing the £345 ($630) as a cash advance. Some expensive cash!
When I got to the mechanic, he offered to save me about £25 by doing the payment off the books (i.e.- he wouldn't make a receipt). At first I said, "Nah... I've already taken out the money", then I thought "What the hell am I thinking!?" and went ahead with the discount. I will use the remaining money to get the car detailed so it can be put up for sale.
Anyway, it's nice to have it back. Sort of comforting to see it outside our bedroom window!
-RP-
We have the BMW back in our custody! It was a bit of a headache because the mechanic does not take credit cards. I tried everything I could think of to get money out without doing a "cash advance" and incurring the huge interest rate. Not going into the details because its just too annoying, but I ended up just withdrawing the £345 ($630) as a cash advance. Some expensive cash!
When I got to the mechanic, he offered to save me about £25 by doing the payment off the books (i.e.- he wouldn't make a receipt). At first I said, "Nah... I've already taken out the money", then I thought "What the hell am I thinking!?" and went ahead with the discount. I will use the remaining money to get the car detailed so it can be put up for sale.
Anyway, it's nice to have it back. Sort of comforting to see it outside our bedroom window!
-RP-
Sunday, June 5
Viking Reunion put on hold
We decided to change our plans a bit again. Or at least move forward with PLAN D from our recently mentioned plans until it is "completed" or something happens with the applications I've circulated.
We're going to stay in Norwich through the end of our lease (Sept. 1). It's been a bit stressful to make the moving plan work and it just doesn't feel right at the moment. Felt like we were trying to force it. So, I'm going to find a part-time job here and write my dissertation. This will give us more time to "assess the situation" and I'll keep looking for a job in an archive... somewhere.
Perhaps we'll move to Copenhagen in September, I don't know. We learned a couple of shitty things that perhaps make it much more of a challenging place to live than we thought. K will not be able to take the government-sponsored Danish lessons until she gets her residence permit, which seems to take about 6 months. Obviously, she can't legally work until then either. And the real kicker is that she would not be able to benefit from any of the social services until after 7 years, so she'd get nothing for all the money she'd be paying in taxes. I'm sure there will be some kind of "cooling off period" for me too since I've never paid anything into the system either. Anyway, we need to think it over a little more and it just seemed like we were rushing into it.
I should hear about the archiving job in London sometime this coming week, that's the one I'm most qualified for so I have a good chance getting it. The other job in Nottingham is a little more of a long-shot, but we'll see. As for the National Museum in Denmark, I got a letter from them saying they had received my application and that I will be contacted if they would like me to come in for an interview. Interviews are supposed to be this coming week. I still haven't heard anything, so I doubt that I will. If they have enough candidates in town, they probably wouldn't bother calling someone in from another country for an interview. Even if they did, I probably wouldn't take it anyway. Three months of work just wouldn't cut it, especially when K wouldn't be able to work for however long. Add to this the fact that we are financially "tapped" right now and we're thinking we can just relocate to another country with all the expense that would be incurred?! I guess you could say we've just come back to reality a little bit.
)RP(
We decided to change our plans a bit again. Or at least move forward with PLAN D from our recently mentioned plans until it is "completed" or something happens with the applications I've circulated.
We're going to stay in Norwich through the end of our lease (Sept. 1). It's been a bit stressful to make the moving plan work and it just doesn't feel right at the moment. Felt like we were trying to force it. So, I'm going to find a part-time job here and write my dissertation. This will give us more time to "assess the situation" and I'll keep looking for a job in an archive... somewhere.
Perhaps we'll move to Copenhagen in September, I don't know. We learned a couple of shitty things that perhaps make it much more of a challenging place to live than we thought. K will not be able to take the government-sponsored Danish lessons until she gets her residence permit, which seems to take about 6 months. Obviously, she can't legally work until then either. And the real kicker is that she would not be able to benefit from any of the social services until after 7 years, so she'd get nothing for all the money she'd be paying in taxes. I'm sure there will be some kind of "cooling off period" for me too since I've never paid anything into the system either. Anyway, we need to think it over a little more and it just seemed like we were rushing into it.
I should hear about the archiving job in London sometime this coming week, that's the one I'm most qualified for so I have a good chance getting it. The other job in Nottingham is a little more of a long-shot, but we'll see. As for the National Museum in Denmark, I got a letter from them saying they had received my application and that I will be contacted if they would like me to come in for an interview. Interviews are supposed to be this coming week. I still haven't heard anything, so I doubt that I will. If they have enough candidates in town, they probably wouldn't bother calling someone in from another country for an interview. Even if they did, I probably wouldn't take it anyway. Three months of work just wouldn't cut it, especially when K wouldn't be able to work for however long. Add to this the fact that we are financially "tapped" right now and we're thinking we can just relocate to another country with all the expense that would be incurred?! I guess you could say we've just come back to reality a little bit.
)RP(
Saturday, June 4
Reality Bite
We are officially the most poor (poorest?) we've ever been. In the past, especially during this European adventure, we have been very near the bottom of the barrel. As of this weekend we have reached a new low. There literally is no money left in any account and the credit card is getting pretty full. There is something to be said, however, for this experience. I have learned that I don't need new clothes every few months, in fact I don't really care any more about how fashionable I am. We don't buy DVDs or CDs or unnecessary crap that ends up being tossed in a drawer of buried in the closet. We buy food and pay the rent - no extras and no frills. For a treat, I order used books on Amazon or Rich has a beer in the pub or we go to a movie. Each month that we manage to get the bills paid is another opportunity to remember how few "things" are necessary for happiness. And despite the struggle I would definitely say that we are happy. During the past two years, we've managed to move to Belgium and then to England, find jobs, make friends, travel and learn uncountable lessons about the different cultures in Europe. Most valuable has been the perspective we've gained regarding the U.S. and the rest of the world.
We have been feeling lately that our next move will most likely be the last. Well, the last big move anyway. It is time to put down a few roots, have a garden and get a dog. I don't know how excited we are at the prospect of staying in one place forever, but we can probably manage a few years. Moving to a new place is so much fun...we'll have to find a replacement for that feeling. And a little "stability" will make our families happy and hopefully make our bank account a little fatter.
Wouldn't we prefer to have more money right now? Of course. We're not stupid! But life is still pretty darn good.
~K
We are officially the most poor (poorest?) we've ever been. In the past, especially during this European adventure, we have been very near the bottom of the barrel. As of this weekend we have reached a new low. There literally is no money left in any account and the credit card is getting pretty full. There is something to be said, however, for this experience. I have learned that I don't need new clothes every few months, in fact I don't really care any more about how fashionable I am. We don't buy DVDs or CDs or unnecessary crap that ends up being tossed in a drawer of buried in the closet. We buy food and pay the rent - no extras and no frills. For a treat, I order used books on Amazon or Rich has a beer in the pub or we go to a movie. Each month that we manage to get the bills paid is another opportunity to remember how few "things" are necessary for happiness. And despite the struggle I would definitely say that we are happy. During the past two years, we've managed to move to Belgium and then to England, find jobs, make friends, travel and learn uncountable lessons about the different cultures in Europe. Most valuable has been the perspective we've gained regarding the U.S. and the rest of the world.
We have been feeling lately that our next move will most likely be the last. Well, the last big move anyway. It is time to put down a few roots, have a garden and get a dog. I don't know how excited we are at the prospect of staying in one place forever, but we can probably manage a few years. Moving to a new place is so much fun...we'll have to find a replacement for that feeling. And a little "stability" will make our families happy and hopefully make our bank account a little fatter.
Wouldn't we prefer to have more money right now? Of course. We're not stupid! But life is still pretty darn good.
~K
Car Troubles
Hurray! The car is finally finished. We had to forget about fixing the AC to get to this point, but we can get it back from the mechanic now. The problem with the AC was traced farther along the wires to the main ECU in the car. Apparently, this would cost £600 to replace and not much less to repair. We agreed to forget about that part of the repair and he said he could remove the freon he had put into it so we wouldn't be charged for it.
Despite this, the repair bill comes in at £341.85 (over $600) because of the time put into it and the fact that I had to put new parts on it instead (the used ones didn't really work out). It's a reasonable bill and less than we had expected, but there's a snag. They don't take credit cards. We have NO WHERE near enough in our bank account to cover it, so we have to think of something else. Right now, the first option is to try to use some "checks" from our credit card company. But since they are in dollars, it's not like we can cash them here. I'm going to try my luck at a travel shop because they do currency exchange. We might even be able to "buy" some £ using our credit card.
This means the car will have to stay at the shop until Monday.
Hurray! The car is finally finished. We had to forget about fixing the AC to get to this point, but we can get it back from the mechanic now. The problem with the AC was traced farther along the wires to the main ECU in the car. Apparently, this would cost £600 to replace and not much less to repair. We agreed to forget about that part of the repair and he said he could remove the freon he had put into it so we wouldn't be charged for it.
Despite this, the repair bill comes in at £341.85 (over $600) because of the time put into it and the fact that I had to put new parts on it instead (the used ones didn't really work out). It's a reasonable bill and less than we had expected, but there's a snag. They don't take credit cards. We have NO WHERE near enough in our bank account to cover it, so we have to think of something else. Right now, the first option is to try to use some "checks" from our credit card company. But since they are in dollars, it's not like we can cash them here. I'm going to try my luck at a travel shop because they do currency exchange. We might even be able to "buy" some £ using our credit card.
This means the car will have to stay at the shop until Monday.
Thursday, June 2
As expected...
Dutch Voters Reject EU Constitution:
"THE HAGUE, Netherlands - European leaders may have to scrap the proposed EU constitution after Dutch voters rejected it by a massive margin, voicing their concern over dwindling national identity in a rapidly expanding union and their distrust of increasingly powerful bureaucrats.
The outcome in the Netherlands from the referendum Wednesday three days after a similar vote in France was likely to halt the European momentum, which had been welcomed by some as creating a new world power but disdained by others as smothering their cultures in a vast superstate.
With 99.8 percent of the ballots counted, unofficial results showed 61.6 percent voted 'nee,' while 38.4 percent said 'ja.' The level of opposition and the turnout of 63 percent exceeded all projections."
Dutch Voters Reject EU Constitution:
"THE HAGUE, Netherlands - European leaders may have to scrap the proposed EU constitution after Dutch voters rejected it by a massive margin, voicing their concern over dwindling national identity in a rapidly expanding union and their distrust of increasingly powerful bureaucrats.
The outcome in the Netherlands from the referendum Wednesday three days after a similar vote in France was likely to halt the European momentum, which had been welcomed by some as creating a new world power but disdained by others as smothering their cultures in a vast superstate.
With 99.8 percent of the ballots counted, unofficial results showed 61.6 percent voted 'nee,' while 38.4 percent said 'ja.' The level of opposition and the turnout of 63 percent exceeded all projections."
Wednesday, June 1
Another job
Another archiving job popped up. Actually, it was posted some time ago, but I didn't decide to apply for it until now since we were definitely planning on moving to Denmark. But I might as well try for it. Here's the job description:
Cataloguer
Another archiving job popped up. Actually, it was posted some time ago, but I didn't decide to apply for it until now since we were definitely planning on moving to Denmark. But I might as well try for it. Here's the job description:
Cataloguer
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