Flippin' trains...

[strange_complex]

I'm going to Bristol tomorrow, and need to be there before 10am. I'd quite assumed I would need to catch a train at about 8am, possibly a shade earlier. But, thanks to a rather tedious gap in the timetable, I shall in fact have to catch one at 07:06 tomorrow morning. It's either that, or wait until 08:45, and be late for the thing I'm going to. *grumble*

Still, it will all be worth it, 'cos what I am going to is a day-long workshop at Bristol University's English Department, focussing on Diana Wynne Jones' book, Howl's Moving Castle. There'll be a morning discussion led by a member of the English dept, and then a lunch-time panel featuring Diana herself in conversation with three other authors also being covered by the day, and an afternoon session in which we get to ask her questions. I've never met her before, and am very excited. Any suggestions for questions to ask her are welcome! Shall be frantically re-reading Howl on the train tomorrow morning, and trying to think of a few goods ones of my own...

And, as if that's not enough, afterwards I shall be hooking up with my oldest friend, Amy WINOLJ, to spend the rest of the weekend with her and her cute-as-buttons daughter, Holly. There'll be a street barbecue happening, going out for food and drinks in the evening, and, of course, a scheduled slot for Doctor Who! Little Holly is already watching this with her Mum, at the tender age of nearly two - and she could hardly not be, since Mum is a former Bristol DocSoc president! Apparently, Holly doesn't much like the Ood, and needs reassuring that all is OK. But I think that will kind of add to the fun, bringing back memories of when Amy and I used to get scared by our Dads pretending to be various Dr. Who monsters. After all, what was Bristol's DocSoc officially called, if not 'Behind the Sofa'?

Yup, should be a good weekend.

Comments

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

Have much fun! :-)

[captainlucy.livejournal.com]

OOOooo! Diana Wynn-Jones! Ask her what she though about Miyazaki's version of HMC! (Though doubtless, there will be 378^squillions other people wanting to know exactly the same thing!)

And YAY! for the Ood and all their Cthulhoid ways! :D I know I shall be watching it avidly tomorrow myself! :D

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Yup, I think we can take that question as read!

Enjoy Dr. Who tomorrow, and I'll look forward to seeing you on Tuesday! I have been telling people you're coming, so they are looking forward to meeting you. Let me know nearer the time exactly when you'll be arriving, so I can come and meet you.

[jessica-phoenix.livejournal.com]

If you have a spare hour knocking around, we really should meet up - it's been far too long! x

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

I'll see what I can do, although Amy has a busy schedule planned already I think! I have your mobile number from when you were at Oxford, so if it hasn't changed, I'll be able to get in touch if I'm free - likely to be Sunday afternoon if anything. If it has changed since then, let me know - my number is here (http://purple-pen.livejournal.com/101259.html).

[angeoverhere.livejournal.com]

Damn, I read this too late to tell you to look out for someone on my flist, gair, who I think is involved with this event (she works at Bristol). Fingers crossed you find and meet her anyway!!

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Hmmm - if she is joint English and Classics, and had red hair, I met her. But I met a few LJers, and they didn't all tell me their usernames, so am not sure which might have been her.

[angeoverhere.livejournal.com]

Short reddish hair, glasses. I think she's a lecturer. Any more help?

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Yep, that's the same person! She was actually leading the sessions with DWJ. Pity I didn't know she knew you. Anyway, she certainly seemed very nice.

[angeoverhere.livejournal.com]

She's a friend of xxxlibris, who you met at my birthday. The joy of small worlds, eh?