An Audience with Smaug

Oxford is a small city. It contains only around 150,000 permanent residents, and you can cycle around its borders in only a few hours. However, having lived here for the past five years, I have come to realize, that despite its small size, Oxford is one of the most culturally rich cities in the world. Here is just a little example.

Earlier this week, my wife and I both had the day off from work, and we decided it would be nice to do something cultural and free. A quick check online revealed that the Bodleian library had a new exhibit showing off many of its treasures, so we decided to go.

The exhibit only consisted of one room, but that room contained enough to make any renaissance troll gape in wonder.  Among the items that caught my eye, J.R.R. Tolkien’s original watercolour painting A Conversation with Smaug.  This sat next to a gorgeous thirteenth-century illuminated bestiary, which lay open to a spread containing a dragon (strangling an elephant – apparently its natural enemy) and a basilisk (being attacked by a weasel, its archenemy). Also behind glass for all to see, a handwritten page from Mary Shelly’s draft of Frankenstein, complete with notes and corrections by her husband!

Of course they also had a Guttenberg Bible, a Jane Austin manuscript, an original copy of the Magna Carta, a heavily illustrated fourteenth century copy of the Divine Comedy, and an original leaf from the third century Gospel of St Thomas (bet my brother-in-law would like to get his hands on that!).

I didn’t take us more than 45 minutes to see the whole exhibit, but it was time well spent.

Best National Geographic Cover Ever?

Every month I receive the new issue of National Geographic Magazine. Almost every issue contains something of interest, and, I have to admit, I feel a little smarter for having read it. A little more – reniassancey… But rarely am I actually excited about its arrival.

This month, however, my eyes went wide when I got home and found the November issue featuring a beautifully painted Anglo-Saxon Warrior on the cover! I don’t know if it is the best National Geo cover ever, but it is certainly the best since the N.C. Wyeth cover a few years back.

The article that goes with the cover is just as exciting, a quick look at some of the treasures of the Staffordshire Hoard, discovered in 2009.  If you haven’t heard of this discovery, it is one of the biggest finds of Anglo-Saxon stuff ever. We are talking about a Sutton Hoo level find here, and, even better for me, it is almost all military related.  It includes ninety-two sword pommels. Ninety-two!  Many of these are gold incrusted with deep red garnets.

It’s really only a short article, most of it pretty basic stuff to someone who has studied Anglo-Saxon history, but, as usual, the photos are fantastic. It’s probably not worth buying the issue just for this article, but next time you are in your local library, give it a flip through.

Great Gifts for Geeks - Lego Star War Advent Calendar

Kids of today have no idea how lucky they are.  I think if someone had given me a Star Wars Lego Advent Calendar when I was ten, my brain might have exploded with excitement.  Seriously, a full month of little legos? Not only that, but it has a nice combination of figures and tiny little space ship models. Heck, I’d still love to receive one of these to brighten my advent.

Even if Star Wars isn’t for you, they’ve also got calendars with Lego Kingdoms (comes with a wizard!), Lego City, and I even found one for Lego Pirates (including a couple of redcoats)! I’m not sure all of these are from this year, but I don’t suppose it makes any difference.

Monster-Hunting Highlander

When in doubt, paint a highlander. Taking a break from my many larger projects, I just finished painting this sixteenth century highlander from Warlord Games. He’ll be joining a little monster-hunting team I’m assembling for no particular purpose.  Warlord figures are on the smaller side of 28mm, which I prefer, however, that certainly don’t lack for detail. 

Curse you Norton Anti-Virus!

Being ancient, semi-mythical beings, trolls have real trouble with technology. Sure, we understand a lot of the concepts behind cars, computers, and cell phones, but when it comes to actually using them...

Yesterday, my wife got a new laptop, which meant that we could get rid of the old desk top and 'go wireless'!  My own laptop has never gotten much of a taste for the internet, so it was an exciting time.  Despite my technological deficiencies, I was able to hook up the wireless and get us all linked up. I even figured out how to recover my Microsoft Office product key to install it on the new computer. Then I figured out how to transfer over the itunes library. Yup, I was on a roll!

This morning, I got up and turned on my computer to do a little emailing and updating, when I got an annoying reminder that my Norton Anti-Virus was out of date. Of course it was out of date, I've never used it for this computer, opting for a different piece of protective software.  Annoyed, I decided I would get Norton off my computer, which I promptly did. However, Norton is apparently a spiteful program and took my internet down with it. 

It turns out, loosing your internet is a very common result of uninstalling Norton.  Well, I did exactly what most trolls would do in such a situation, I ranted and raged for a bit, then slumped in peevishness. Eventually, I was driven out of the house and over to Comptuer Assistance. Expecting to have to leave my computer, these guys jump on the problem, fixed it in ten minutes and charged me a fiver. 

I'm now at home, with a victory coke, ruling the internet from my wireless office.

Rise of the Vegimancer

With Halloween just around the corner, I’m gearing up for a little solo wargame I can play while answering the door and passing out candy.  What could be more appropriate than an army of Pumpkinheads!

The Vegimancer with his legions!

I’m not sure where my attraction to pumpkinheads originates, but they are just so creepy (and delicious as pie)!

The evil Col. Seed leading the left wing

Zen and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance

A few days after exhorting my cycling accomplishments, I rode my bike to pieces. In a short space of time, I flattened two tires, cracked my brakes, and bent a wheel.  While I’ve learned a lot about simple bike maintenance and repairs over the last few years, I figured it was probably best to let the pros handle this one.

So I’ve been relying on public transportation for the last five days or so, and it’s really got me down.  There is nothing wrong with the bus system here, in fact, it pretty good, and it has given more time to read. But I miss the freedom of making my own way, and I miss the exercise.

I’m supposed to pick up my Ridgeback Meteor after work; so, hopefully, I’ll be back on the bike for the trip home.