Meme

[sam_t]

Questions from serrana:

1. If you were going to bead a continuous loop, how would you secure the ends?

I'm not sure I understand the question. What material would I be working in?

2. Any good bike rides lately?

Not really. I've been pretty busy, the weather hasn't been exactly encouraging lately, and at least two parts of my off-road route to and from work have been closed for repair since the beginning of Autumn. I'm still getting in my 40-60 miles a week, but just commuting rather than for pleasure.

3. What's your favorite holiday-season food or foods?

If you mean holidays-that-happen-around-now, as opposed to holidays in general, probably Christmas cake, with mince pies and Christmas pudding running a close tied second. Yummy dried fruits in brandy, basically.

4. Did you engage in any post-secondary education, and if so, what did you study?

I have a BA in English and Related Literature (the 'and Related' in my case being Nineteenth Century French Literature) and an MSc in Information Processing. Plus a couple of mostly-irrelevant certificates in French (non-degree-related languages programme at university).

5. Is there a new cat?
No. Cleo seems to be fairly happy as an only cat, and I'm not sure how she'd react to a newcomer.

Should you care to participate: leave me a comment saying "Resistance is Futile."
• I'll respond by asking you five questions, unless I've gotten burnt out on the exercise or I don't think I know you well enough to come up with five.
• Update your journal with the answers to the questions.
• Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions.

Comments

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I fully intended to be cycling to uni at least once a week, but the weather and season are against me.

Resistance is, I'm told, futile!

[sam-t.livejournal.com]

One of the good things about cycling all the time is that you stop thinking about the alternatives. If it's pouring, I put my waterproofs on and grumble about getting wet feet (and increasingly, wet shoulders), but I'm not thinking that I wish I was driving (especially as I'm still whizzing past the traffic) or walking or bussing. You just get into the habit.

Questions to follow (may be after the weekend - I really need to get on with work stuff)

[sam-t.livejournal.com]

- Are you enjoying cycling? Would you cycle for pleasure, or just to get from place to place?
- Do you plan what you're going to read (not work/research reading)? If so, what's up next?
- How long is your hair now? Are still pleased with the shortness?
- If you could magically acquire competence in a particular hobby, without going through the frustrating learning stage first, would you? And what would you choose?
- Will you write my job applications for me? What anti-procrastination strategies have worked for you?

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I see that you not only went to the same university as me, but took the same course. My Related Literature was Anglo-Saxon.

[sam-t.livejournal.com]

I thought about taking an Anglo-Saxon paper as well but couldn't quite find room for it. Did you enjoy it?

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Very much - possibly because it was a positive choice rather than "eek! I haven't got good enough other languages", although I did do the Language Centre's Italian course for a year, which surprisingly left me decent reading comprehension of Italian. I quite fancied Old Icelandic as well, but likewise it didn't quite all fit.