Hello Blog-world!

I shouldn't jinx myself: my thesis is handed in - not finished. My viva (defense) isn't until December. While leaves me loads of time to freak out, become super-stressed, and decide to go into middle-management at the bank.

Or I could make a start on the stack of reading on my desk - things that I mentioned briefly in the thesis, or in my bibliography that I really should read before defending! Particularly a book by my internal examiner and an article by my external examiner. Plus, teaching has started and I'm tutoring two hours of Renaissance Literature - luckily for me, my groups are sharp - the sharpest I've had. Or do I say that every year? Well, it's better than the news we get every year that kids are getting stupider and uni easier (or am I lowering my expectations already?!).

Today, they were bang-on. A blessing as I'm a bit poorly with a horrid cold - I knew I'd get ill as soon as I handed in. Work was lovely - I've never had a job where I actually get sick leave. It's all very grown up. Anyway - my classes - tackled formal crit and thematic discussions like pros. Next week - Hamlet. I'm really looking forward to teaching it - particularly as one of my students has never read it or seen it before. Imagine. I wish I was in her position in some ways. One thing about finishing a truly great book - you never get that same feeling again. Not that Hamlet is my favourite - and that reminds me that I want them to read some of Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Gildenstern Are Dead - my personal favourite is King Lear or MacBeth. But I think Hamlet fits the module - they knocked off The Spanish Tragedy today - and maybe the age. Hamlet is a young person's tragedy in many ways. MacBeth the middle-aged tragedy and Lear the old-age tragedy. I'm sure I've not just come up with that!

My friend, who is a Renaissance scholar, and I were discussing the Renaissance at a party on the weekend. It's a facinating period of study - seriously. Not, of course, as facinating as the Enlightenment but a close second. I might even put it before the late Victorian on my list. I'm trying to get my students to appreciate how Renaissance we still are. Religious strife, global warfare, suspicion at home, security, individual versus society... violence, duplicity, forgery... It's all there.

September flew by. It really did. I can't believe I've submitted my final student project. It is scary - a lot scary. And terrifyingly, amazingly, exciting. I've already got my next project bubbling away - it'll start with a paper at BSECS (assuming I am accepted). I have to start and finish a research assistant application tomorrow - at the National Archives in London. It sounds amazing - tho it is with a History Department rather than English. But must start playing the game I suppose. Then I've got chopping up my thesis into articles for publishing...and undoubtedly something else will come along. Life is busy - and very very good.